《Fallen Chronicles》 Chapter 1 1: Ashen Empire (1/2)[1/4] ?Read Chapter 00 for character img before continuing. I''ve created illustrations for some characters and will update them as new characters appear. --------------------- [Thanks for ying!] As Renji looked at the screen showing a "congrats" message with fireworks, he took a deep breath and sighed. The game he''d just finished was called <> It was a survival game set in a wastnd, yers took on the role of a leader guiding survivors. You had to find teammates, level up characters, build your own base, and face all sorts of disasters. In this harsh world filled with mutated animals and a poisonous energy called "Tainted Miasma," the goal was to create a safe haven. The game offered tons of choices; its story would change based on what you decided to do. Plus, the graphics and design were top-notch. It seemed perfect in every way, but there was one catch¡ªit was incredibly hard! Resources were Limited, Terrifying monsters roamed the wastnd, and thieves hid in the shadows. And that was just the start! The game''s unpredictable nature meant constant disasters, making it impossible to use a simple guide to beat it. Every yer faced a unique set of challenges and events, so copying another person''s strategy rarely worked. ording to official statistics, the number of global yers who hadpleted the game was less than a thousand. And the number of yers who achieved a "perfect clearance"pleting all achievements, collections, and explorations, remained at zero. ''Oh, wait'' ''That number should now be "1"'' At the end of the game, there was an additional CG image titled which summarizes his five strongest "Eclipse" characters of various professions nurtured by him during the game. Eclipse was a specific term in "Fallen Chronicles" It refers to people who were affected by Tainted energy of [Miasma] in the wastnd and experienced mutations while temporarily retaining their consciousness. They were ssified into five distinct professions based on their mutated abilities. For yers to establish themselves in the game, recruiting and nurturing powerful Eclipse Characters was of utmost importance and served as the core gamey of the game. As a qualified straight male, Renji naturally focused on cultivating his wives and aimed for a diverse family. Therefore, the five female Eclipse in the CG image had distinct styles and came from different races. The Priestess of the Divine Arts, [ Sister Suthia ] The Subus of Psionic Abilities, [ Lena ] The Dragon Maiden of Vanguard, [ Nova ] The Marksman Machine Maid, [ Zero ] And finally, the Guardian Elf Knight [ Miyuki ] who Renji often yelled, [ Mommy, save me! ] Among them, some exuded a seductive allure while remaining calm andposed. Others possessed an ethereal purity that could make one dizzy with just a few nces. Some were tsundere and aloof, while others were gentle and reserved. However, what remained unchanged was their stunning beauty. Their appearances were truly top-notch. But... For Renji, their beauty became somewhat faded after seeing them for so long. What truly left an emotional imprint on him was the memories they carried behind them. In the past, each one of them held a significant position during different phases of his gaming journey. They were the ones who made Renji wish he could give them the best of everything. However... As the game''s environment and timeline changed, Renji''s requirements for Eclipse shifted, leading them, one by one, to be "Unemployed" It was as if during the initial phase, "Suthia," the nurturing support who had saved Renji countless times from the brink of death, yed a crucial role. But as Renji established a foothold and entered the mid-game, where his influence began to expand, the role of pure support characters like her became very low until Renji put herpletely into ''storage''. Recing her with powerful physical damage dealers like "Nova" who could secure territories for Renji, and "Zero" the sniper. However, these two became less effective against lightly armored enemies like "Scavengers" as Renji faced tougher adversaries. [[[Scavengers ¨¨ Thieves]]] They transformed into "Base Defenders" with excellent weapon equipment,bining high defense and attack. The two physical damage dealers who used to dominate the battlefield now struggled to leave a mark. Renji had no choice but to put them into ''storage'', strip them of their resources, and invest everything into his new characters, namely the Subus Lena and the elf knight Miyuki. The former possessed powerful Mind abilities, effortlessly dealing with heavily armored enemies, while thetter''s natural magic and shields provided Renji with solid defense and output capabilities, withstanding the enemies'' terrifying firepower. Only after the final wastnd faction was defeated and surrendered did Renji truly achieve the unification of the entire wastnd. [Ashen Empire] That was when it was officially established. By the way, "Ashen" was the ID Renji chose for himself in the game. After integrating the forces of various races, Renji, as the "Emperor of Ashen" led his army to reim the territories upied by monsters step by step, dering war on the source of the wastnd and the root cause of the disaster [ Tainted Miasma ] However... Despite bing immensely powerful and having an abundance of resources far surpassing the initial struggles for survival, Renji found himselfcking the joy he felt at the beginning of the game. The interaction between him and the Eclipses he had raised drastically diminished. Firstly, as the all-out war with the wastnd monsters began, the role of the army outweighed individual strength. Secondly, as Renji became very powerful andprehensive as the "protagonist" he no longer needed to rely on his Eclipses Wives in battle. Instead, it made more sense to have them work behind the scenes. They used their special skills to make his empire and cities run more smoothly. Let''s Take Suthia, for example: [Light of Darkness (increases with level): cing "Suthia" in a "Church" type building provides the city with +15% resistance to Tainted energy and reduces Eclipse''s berserk rate by 10%.] [Divine Heal (increases with level): When "Suthia" is in the backline (not in thebat lineup), the camp''s disease and gue urrence rate is reduced by 30%.] So putting them in ''storage'' didn''t mean he was totally giving up on them. Even if they weren''t fighting, their special skills were still super useful. Renji kept giving them resources and considered them an important part of his team. Chapter 2 2: Ashen Empire (2/2)[2/4] ?So putting them in ''storage'' didn''t mean he was totally giving up on them. Even if they weren''t fighting, their special skills were still super useful. Renji kept giving them resources and considered them an important part of his team. "." *Pfft.* Renji couldn''t help butugh at his thoughts. The idea sounded good with words, but the reality felt different. He wasn''t including them in battles anymore but still had them working hard in the background. Wasn''t he just using them as mere tools? Renji shook his head. At the corner of his vision, a thick stack of notebooks on theputer desk caught his attention. Opening them revealed page after page filled with densely packed small characters. These were all handwritten by him, containing calctions of various developmental benefits, cost-effectiveness of each instance, ns for future decisions, as well as the drop locations and distribution of rare materials and equipment. One could say thatpiling all these records would result in aprehensive guidebook of a super hardcore gamers experiences. Renji nned to organize and summarize this information after he finished ying and share it online. He hoped that the lessons and experiences he had umted over tens of thousands of hours would help neers avoid some pitfalls and potentially save the game from precarious sales. However, after gazing at the meticulously recorded manual for a while, Renji let out a sigh. He began to reflect. ''Did I get too caught up in the details?'' Because of his long hours leaving them in backline the favorability of many characters had decreased significantly. Strangely enough, in the game, character favorability seemed to have little importance, like an insignificant attribute, so Renji hadn''t paid much attention to it. It wasn''t until now, when looking at the Family CG screenshots, that Renji realized it was a major regret afterpleting the game. Of course, there were exceptions, and Sister Suthia was one of them. Even though she was one of the first he had put into storage and had silently worked as a tool in the backline, even though he had stripped her of her equipment and given it to his other wives. Just like Suthia''s gentle attribute as a priestess, she would never harbor any dissatisfaction toward him. Since her favorability reached 100%, it had never changed. In real life, it might be simr to a situation where a husband has been away on a long "business trip" without returning home, but the wife still sets the table,ys out the cutlery, and prepares meals for two every day, hoping that one day, the husband will remember this home ande back, and she can greet him with a smile and say, "Wee Back Dear" *Phew!* Taking a long exhale, Renji shook his head. He ridiculed himself for going a bit crazy, adding so much drama to a character written by a program. However, Renji still decided that when he released the strategy guideter, he would definitely include a sentence at the beginning for all neers. < > ''Almost done'' ''It was also time to end this '' Renji''s parents had passed away when he was very young, but fortunately, they left behind a considerable Heritage, which ensured his food, drink, and livelihood. However, it also contributed to Renji''s reclusive personality. Perhaps the birth of the "game" was meant to provide people like Renji with a sanctuary for their souls? As Renji looked at the record at the bottom corner of the CG image, he realized that his total gamey time in "Fallen Chronicles" had unknowingly reached over ten thousand hours. Feeling like he was saying goodbye to an old friend, Renji finally moved his mouse and clicked to end the game. What he didn''t expect was a message from the game: [Congrattions, you have fulfilled the requirements to unlock Would you like to proceed?] Renji: ".!?" A second ythrough usually lets you start the game over, but with extra content. Some top-notch developers even make it feel like a brand-new game. Renji didn''t think this game, which had a reputation for poor sales and absent developers, would offer that. But even the basic version surprised him. He''d never heard of a second ythrough for this game on any forum or the official website. With great curiosity and excitement, he selected "Yes," but instead of immediately starting the game, another dialogue box appeared. [[[[[WARNING: The second ythrough is extremely difficult, cannot be saved, and cannot be restarted. You will also start with five ''Eclipse'' characters you have cultivated in the CCG. Please choose carefully]]]]] "Really?" For a single-yer game, not being able to save the game indeed increased the difficulty, and the inability to restart meant that there was only one opportunity to enter the second ythrough. But for thetter, these were nothing at all. "Can I inherit the data!? Can I bring the characters from this stage along?" Renji couldn''t help but be amazed in front of the screen. This didn''t seem like the operation of "Fallen Chronicles" which boasted a difficulty level that discouraged yers. After all, the five Eclipse characters he had developed were at the pinnacle of their respective professions. Even the weakest one, Sister Suthia, under his control, could easily destroy a city. Now, being able to Inherit and enter the second ythrough with them meant that when he restarted the game, he would have the fighting power of the five world-ss characters right by his side. ''Isn''t this just a direct push through the game!?'' After the initial shock, Renji quickly understood the intention of the developers. It was simple. This was obviously meant for an exhrating experience! The developers must have understood that one cannot have both the empire and the beauty. They must have guessed his current regrets, which led to the creation of the second ythrough, allowing him to make up for the time he had sacrificed with his wives for the sake of strength. "Well done, devs!" Renji, filled with excitement, pped his thigh and wanted to give the developers a big thumbs up. In the past, he had lost himself in the pursuit of strength, but this time, Renji made up his mind. Regardless of any environmental setbacks or infrastructure developments, he would always keep his wives by his side! He would fill their favorability to the maximum! With such a gaming philosophy in mind, Renji pressed the <> button without hesitation. In the next moment, a beam of light shed. Darkness engulfed his entire field of vision. Chapter 3 3: Legacy 1/2 [3/4] ?Rumored to be the birthce of the first dynasty ''Ashen'', which saved the world five hundred years ago. In the countless underground caves beneath the ins, in addition to the descendants of the mutated creatures infected by "Tainted Miasma", the legend of " Emperor Ashen" also remains. Anything that has even the slightest connection to the almighty emperor would drive everyone crazy and make them flock to it. After all, if it weren''t for emperor Ashen''s feat five hundred years ago, unifying the wastnd, rallying the forces of the entire continent, leading a coalition of various races deep into the "Tainted Miasma," andpletely purifying and eliminating the source of pollution, then even now, the world would still be shrouded in fear of Miasma pollution, full of scars, with all creatures trembling in the shadow of Miasma monsters and disasters, struggling to survive. And yet, even though five hundred years have passed since the ''disappearance'' of the emperor, no one has ever reached the heights of his power, not even half of it. This further highlights the legendary nature of the legendary emperor. Therefore, on the ckhole ins, rumors of the emperor''s "legacy" attracted countless people, causing them to swarm to it. Unfortunately, after so much time has passed, no one knows whether the "Legacy" has been secretly taken away by some major power or if the rumors themselves are false, or perhaps it has been transferred deeper underground by those Tainted Monsters. In any case, there has never been any official news stating that someone has actually found the so-called "Legacy" inside. Over time, people finally lost their enthusiasm for the Legacy, but every year there are still many archaeologists, explorers, and local forces mixed with all sorts of people and scavengers who try to go deep into the cave to try their luck. At this moment, a small team is winding its way through a cave under the ins. Most of them have an unfriendly appearance and were armed with guns. A unified "Sand Rose" logo can be seen on the back of their jackets or cuffs, indicating that they are members of a gang. Among them, a scar-faced man, seemed a little impatient, and shouted at the woman at the front of the team who was dressed like a typical scavenger: "Hey, how much longer until we get there? We''ve been in this damn ce for over two hours. Aren''t you supposed to be familiar with this area? Are we even going in the right direction?" The scar-faced man interrogated angrily, but the scavenger woman at the front of the group didn''t hold back and retorted just as fiercely. "And you have the nerve toin!? It''s all because of this crappy treasure map you guys provided. It''s so poor in quality and blurry that several parts are even f**ing wrong!" The scar-faced man was scolded, his expression was sour. His subordinates behind were also getting annoyed, but in the end, the scar-faced man gave them a nce, swallowing his pride for now. After all, this local guide was the best they could find, and their chances of finding the rumored "Legacy" relied on these "rats" who were familiar with the caves. ''However, after we finish this... heheh~'' Jason, holding a torch and watching the scavenger woman intently as she focused on the map, sneered inwardly. ''Rats were best left in the sewer'' A few minutes passed. Just as Jason''s patience was wearing thin... Suddenly. "We''re here" The scavenger woman leading the way stopped in her tracks. Initially, Jason and the others felt relieved, but then they looked around at the cave walls, Jason was about to question the scavenger woman, as it didn''t seem like a ce where the "Legacy" would be. "ording to the markings on the map, all we need to do is touch a certain mechanism here" The scavenger woman extended the torch toward the cave wall and began to search. With a "click" sound. Before she and Jason''s group could react, the ground beneath their feet instantly copsed. "What the hell!" The sensation of weightlessness struck them as the scavenger woman cursed vehemently amidst a thunderous rumble, and everyone fell downward. After a while, the dust cleared. Coughing and brushing off the dirt, the disheveled group slowly got up from the ground. Luckily, the fall wasn''t too deep. Most of them had only minor injuries, but it was enough to make Jason furious. However, he hadn''t even started to vent his anger when he stopped abruptly. Because... Once their vision cleared, Jason noticed that the ce they had fallen into was a bit different. The surroundings were no longer ordinary rockyer but rather resembled a deliberately crafted chamber. On the brick walls, there wereplex murals and textures that he couldn''t read or understand. Looking around the space, Jason could see various objects piled up. Although most of them had be rotten and covered in a thickyer of dust, spiderwebs were visible everywhere, they couldn''t hide their past elegance and opulence. On some of the artifacts and reliefs, Jason could even catch a glimpse of faint reddish glow. Although it was very faint, the "detector" hidden in his sleeve responded noticeably. Jason immediately understood that these were [Miasma items] The highly sought-after and scarce Miasma Items that were Very hard to find even in the ck market! Just these Items alone were enough to make him overjoyed. But it seemed... They were merely the appetizer. Everyone in the chamber quickly turned their gaze to a heavy, in stone coffin in the center of the room, radiating a reddish-brown glow in the dark. At first nce, the stone coffin seemed simple, without too much decoration or engraving. There were some patterns on the coffin wall, and the reddish-brown light they saw earlier was emanating from these pattern gaps. However, as they continued to stare, they were overwhelmed by an intense feeling of ancientness emanating from the stone coffin. A faint shiver ran through their hearts,pared to the coffin, they felt so insignificant, fragile, like ants. Chapter 4 4: Legacy 2/2 [4/4] ?The stone coffin remained still, silently there. But it had already made it clear to everyone that perhaps everything else in this chamberbined was no match for the significance of this "Stone Coffin." Or perhaps Or perhaps, it was what was stored inside the "stone coffin". Jason was panting with excitement, his pupils dted, his hands subtly trembling from the thrill. His Miasma detector disyed that the "Miasma" concentration in this stone coffin had maxed out, the needle swinging at its maximum amplitude. This signified that the miasma energy contamination of this stone coffin was at least of an A-ss. And you must know, A-ss Miasma items have already transcended the category of money. Each one of them possessed horrifying capabilities, needing to be carefully contained in the most secure and secluded chambers. There was no doubt. This was... The Legacy of the legendary emperor they had been searching for! Suppressing the boiling emotions that urged him to rush over and open it immediately. But before that. Jason had another task toplete. Scarface took out a pistol from his waist and aimed the dark barrel at the female scavenger who had previously led them. "What is the meaning of this?" Eileen stared intently at the gun barrel and took a step back. "Just as you see, we appreciate you leading us to the ''Legacy'', but sadly, to keep this secret, we can only leave you here forever" Jason finally dropped his mask, revealing a sinister side to the female scavenger. He sneered at Eileen''s shocked expression. "Did you think we wouldn''ty a hand on you at least until we''ve returned? Naive! Once I''ve obtained the legacy and absorbed the Miasma, bing an Eclipse, do we still need you to guide us?" At Scarface man''s first half sentence, Eileen''s face turned slightly pale, as she indeed had been read by him. But when Jason''s second half came out, Eileen''s expression had already turned to shock. "What...what!? Absorbing Miasma energy? Bing an Eclipse? Are you insane? You''remitting suicide!" The scavenger woman had a valid reason to call Jason mad. After all, Eclipses. In the previous era, this term had been the people''s hope in the world. But now, in the new era, it had be the nightmare that every city and nation feared. It all boils down to one reason. Since the disappearance of emperor Ashen five hundred years ago, up until this day, no one had been able to control the power of "Miasma" as perfectly as the emperor did in the past. The Eclipse were the result of the fusion between humans and Miasma. Although they brought immense power and abilities, they also corroded the mind and spirit. With a slight misstep, they could go berserk, turning into Miasma monsters. The higher the rank of the Eclipse, the more likely they are to lose themselves, and the more destruction they can cause. In severe cases, their rampage can even bring back the terrifying " Natural disasters " from the old age. In the post-apocalypse era, the independent cities and alliances finally reached a unified understanding. They could no longer cultivate Eclipses individuals as stable and without any after-effects as emperor Ashen once did. On the contrary, frequent loss of control of Eclipses and the purification of "Tainted Miasma", which reduced the remaining "Miasma energy", have increased the risk of Eclipses wanting to advance. All these led to the "Eclipse" being included in the "wanted" list by various countries. Once discovered, they must be immediately arrested and controlled. The previously mentioned "Miasma items" are the same and belong to the serious "prohibited items" list. But now, Jason was iming that he wanted to absorb the Miasma energy and be an Eclipse. No. He wasn''t insane. In the end, Eileen looked at the reddish-brown stone coffin. ''If this was indeed the "Legacy" of the legendary Emperor, maybe... just maybe, it could be working somehow.'' ''Damn it!'' The scavenger woman discreetly ced one hand behind her back and raised the other. Eileen attempted onest struggle, "I promise, I won''t speak a word about what happened here! I don''t want the remaining payment anymore. Please, I beg you, let me go." Unfortunately, the answer she received was Jason''s index finger beginning to pull the trigger. And his tone filled with scornful irony. "Dead people will never tell the tale" Bang!* That wasn''t the sound of a gunshot. Before Jason could pull the trigger, another sudden noise in the chamber got ahead of him. At this moment, everyone''s gaze instinctively turned in one direction, the real source of the dull noise. There, at the deepest part of the chamber. There. The reddish-brown stone coffin! * Bang, Bang! * The sound of impacts continued to emanate from inside the coffin, as if something within was trying to break free. The reddish-brown patterns on the coffin walls, apanied by the trembling of the lid, began to flicker wildly, spreading a crimson glow as if intent on dyeing the entire chamber in blood. And when the people were enveloped in these reddish-brown ripples, they couldn''t help but clutch their heads in pain, their faces contorted and twisted, bearing grimaces of agony. Because right beside their ears... Cries. Roars. Screams. Laughter. Various chaotic soundsbined into whispering madness. Even though they tried their best to cover their ears, these sounds that drive people insane still echoed in their minds, wreaking havoc on their spirits. The Miasma detector in Jason''s hand was shaking wildly along with everyone else. Cracks appeared on the ss disy, indicating that the level of "Miasma energy" here had gone so high it couldn''t be measured at first, to breaking the machinepletely. In the next moment. Bang! * ng! * Come even a louder muffled sound than before. After this sound, everything came to a halt. Whether it was the chaotic sounds in everyone''s mind, the pointer swaying wildly on the detector''s dashboard, or the flickering reddish-brown patterns on the stone coffin that dyed the chamber red. Jason seemed like a man who had just been rescued from drowning. Everything that had happened before might have been just a few seconds, but for him, it felt like a whole century of torture. He was one hundred percent sure that it was the thing that everyone feared a€¡° Tainted Miasma. And as the source of the intense energy... The patterns on the stone coffin had dimmed down, no longer emitting reddish-brown light. Even the initial fell of mystery and age they gave off had disappeared, as if it had be just an ordinary coffin Of course, those were not the main points. The main point was... The lid of the stone coffin. Everyone held their breath. Everyone''s forehead was covered with cold sweat, their backs were chilled, and a creepy feeling quickly crawled into everyone''s hearts. Under the shocked, stunned, astonished, and fearful eyes of Jason, the female scavenger, and all the gang members, They saw a young man slowly emerging from the shadows of the coffin. The ck-haired young man who got up from the stone coffin seemed to be confused at first, then after looking around, especially after seeing theyout of this chamber, he seemed to suddenly realize something. In the next moment, the young man became inexplicably angry. And immediately followed it with a series of strange words that left them utterly baffled. "Is this the second ythrough!?" ---------------- Chapter 5 5: A Wonderful Start [1/2] ?Eileen''s illustration has been released in Chapter 00. You can view a lower-resolution version of the image here==> [] ----------------------------------------- Renji had considered many possibilities for his Second ythrough. But he never thought that it would give him a real-life version of the game. ''And to be born in a coffin, no less?'' Even after he had kicked several times, finally rising from the coffin he found himself face-to-face with a group of people who were clearly here to rob his "grave," and they were staring at him wide-eyed. Could there be a more absurd isekai than this? Furthermore. It was only after a moment of deathly silence that these shameless grave robbers began to turn their guns on Renji, who had just emerged from the stone coffin, with terrified expressions on their faces. Renji born in a beautiful country. Therefore, he didn''t have much experience in gunfights, and he could feel his hair standing on end, as if his heart had skipped a beat. At this moment, Renji truly understood the words from the "friendly reminder" by the system when he started his "second ythrough." [No save points] [no restarts] ''Damn it!'' ''So that''s what it means!'' Fortunately. "Put them down, all of you!" Jason, seeing his men point their guns at Renji, was even more anxious than Renji himself, his eyes widened as he shouted. Indeed, he was also quite frightened by the initialmotion of the "Legacy." But as everything returned to normal, as if nothing had ever happened, and with Renji not making any other moves aside from getting up from the stone coffin, it emboldened Jason. Seeing the scar-faced man, who seemed to be the leader, scold them, these grave robbers finally put down the guns aimed at Renji one after another. This made Renji breathe a sigh of relief. At least the other side was a civilized group of grave robbers. But who would have thought. "If you damage the ''legacy'' not even ten thousand of you canpensate for it! No looting allowed, and anyone who dares to shoot will be the first one I KILL!" The scar-faced man warned his subordinates in the most ruthless tone. Renji: "..." It was clear that he really wanted to "protect" him. However, Jason seemed to have forgotten that there was someone present who wouldn''t obey his orders. While Jason had all his attention on his men, Eileen, biting her lip, as if she had made some determination, suddenly began to move. Then, from Renji''s point of view, he saw a petite figure rushing out from the other team at a very fast speed, and in a few breaths, she had reached behind him. ''Wearing a ragged trench coat, with an old hood on her head and pockets all over her body, her attire suggested she might be a scavenger?'' Before Renji could analyze her any further, he directly experienced, for the first time in his life, the feeling of being embraced by the opposite sex from behind. This scene was somewhat eptable. Of course, Renji thought it would be even better if the scavengerdy behind him hadn''t brandished a sharp, gleaming dagger right in front of his eyes. "Don''t move! Drop your weapons and kick them over here!" Eileen, using Renji as a bargaining chip, threatened Jason and the others with courage. Even though she knew it was a huge risk. It was literally a matter of life and death. After all, the terrifying Tainted Miasma energy emitted by the stone coffin earlier had lingered in Eileen''s mind for a long time, and it was obvious that the ck-haired young man who emerged from the coffin was anything but ordinary. But Eileen had no other options left. This was her only chance to possibly stay alive at the moment. Luckily, the following facts proved that her risky move indeed worked. The ck-haired young man didn''t resist her, which relieved Eileen the most. On the other hand, Callewa''s gang reacted just as expected, with frustration. "You f***ing b***h!!" From Jason''s yell, which was several decibels higher, it was clear that his anger had reached its peak. However, the scar-faced man didn''t dare to act rashly, he could only rage impotently at the female scavenger. "You''re fu@king dead! You''re challenging us, the Callewa, by doing this! Get your filthy hands off the Legacy right now!" "I warn you, if you dare to damage our ''Legacy,'' not only will you die a gruesome death, but your family, your sick mother back in the gathering ce, will have no chance of surviving either!" Renji could feel that when the scar-faced man mentioned her "sick mother," the female scavenger pressed against him noticeably trembled. But after that, the other party, perhaps thinking there was no turning back no matter what, seemed determined to go all-in. So, the female scavenger, under the scar-faced man''s tough talk, pressed herself even closer to Renji, who served as her lifeline Legacy and continued to brandish her dagger, demanding the man let her go. However, from the scar-faced man''s expression, it was clear that this was impossible. But he was unable to do anything to the female scavenger because of Renji being his ''Legacy'' So, they stood there, locked in a standoff. So. ''Is this the marvelous start of my new life?'' ''Absolutely loved it '' As soon as Renji realized he had crossed over to the game''s world, the first thing he did after emerging from the coffin was to quietly observe the situation and quickly check his own body. The good news was that the game system was still usable. The bad news was that the second ythrough didn''t inherit the "protagonist''s" data, meaning he was now back to square one at level one. The good news was that his "wives" from the previous ythrough had indeed been inherited. The bad news was that in the system, all of their avatars were in a "grayed-out" state, meaning they couldn''t be selected. Renji didn''t understand why this was happening; such a situation had never urred in the game. But at least he was relieved by the presence of his skill panel. [Divine Healing], [Dragonblood Ignition], [Maic Pulse], [Annihtion], and finally, [Elven Shelter]. Just like many other cultivation games, in "Fall Chronicles", the "protagonist" or the yer doesn''t have any inherent skills, nor can he level up by "killing monsters". The only way to increase their strength is to cultivate their Eclipses Characters. In other words, the stronger the Eclipse, the more experience points you get, and when an Eclipse reaches a certain level, yers can select one of their abilities as their own skill. The five skills in the skill bar were carefully chosen by Renji from them during the game. Although they might not necessarily be the strongest ultimate moves they have, they certainly are the ones that, whenbined, make Renji a super hexagon warrior who can deal with various situations. Even though he hasn''t inherited the strength from his original character, the levels of these skills have all turned back to the initial Level 1. But it''s important to know that there are differences between Lv1 skills. As top-tier six-star characters he had carefully cultivated, and the highest Rank [Cmity] Eclipse''s Level 1 skills, they are more than enough to handle the current situation. Chapter 6 6: Kobolds [2/2] ?If he was behind the screen, Renji would activate his[Elven Shelter]skill to max out his defense. This skilles with a dispersal aura that pushes all enemies near him away. At Lv-1 it provides a high 40% damage reduction and can block any attacks with a power coefficient at or below "D" grade. Next, follow up with [Dragonblood Ignition] to enhance his various attributes. It alsoes with the powerful "bloodlock" effect, which prevents immediate death from fatal injuries. At level 1, you get a full 5 seconds of protection, ensuring your safety. Furthermore, as long as the firearms held by Scarface and his gang are not C-grade or above Tainted weapons, the subsequent use of [Maic Pulse] will disarm them all, causing their mechanical parts to malfunction while replenishing your energy. Finally, without needing to move, just by lifting a finger, and the psychic spell "Annihtion" doesn''t require a casting time. Even at level 1, it deals extremely high base damage. It would severely injure Eclipses below "danger" level. In the game, Renji could execute thisbo wlessly, even with his eyes closed. However, if it were in reality, nerves and unexpected factors might lead to mistakes. ''But that''s okay'' ''As long as I still breathe'' The [Divine Healing] from the priestess "Suthia" is enough to fully heal him, bringing him back to full health instantly. So, Renji isn''t in a hurry. The reason he hasn''t taken action all this time is that he wants to gather some information from the conversation of these people and understand the situation. However... While Renji is not in a rush. It seems like some people can''t wait any longer. He doesn''t know if it''s his illusion, But he feels the frequency of uneasy movements of the female scavenger holding him hostage from behind, increases as time passes. However, the source of this "restlessness" doesn''t seem toe from the gun-wielding Scarface and his gang confronting her or from Renji himself, who''s referred to as a "Legacy." Because Renji is the closest, he can observe it from the corner of his eye. The scavenger girl behind him often shifts her gaze upward. There''s a big hole up there. These people were probably originally above the sealed room and fell down after triggering some mechanism. From the increasingly tense and anxious breathing of the female scavenger, It''s as if something terrible is about to happen if they don''t leave soon. Renji''s instincts are usually spot on. Suddenly, footsteps sounded from afar, rapidly approaching the people in the Chamber, and the source of the sound was right above their heads. *Squeak, squeak...* When the sound finally ceased, Renji looked up towards the hole in the ceiling. There, he discovered pairs of eyes poking out from the opening, gazing down at the group of people in the sealed room below. In the dim light, these eyes upied almost half of their faces, withrge, rugged noses and thick, unkempt hair covering their chins. Their rtively small eyes, in contrast, gleamed with a greedy glint. They had human bodies but dog-like heads, and you could see the shadows of shovels on their rough, dirty hands. "Kobolds!" Even Scarface, who was always tough, was frightened this time. Not to mention the gang of his henchmen behind him, who all turned pale. "No way! The kobolds in this area should have been cleared out several times already. How can there be kobolds here?" Scarface asked in disbelief. But when his frantic gaze inadvertently swept over the spot where the female scavenger had stayed earlier, he widened his eyes and saw a broken statue on the ground. Only then did Jason finally understand. He reddened his eyes and stared at the female scavenger with a hostile look. "It''s you!" [Low-level Summon (Kobold)] [Type: Tainted Item] [Quality: E+] [Use Effect: After a brief dy, summon a team of "Kobold Miners" to join the battlefield ] [Tainted Deviation: There is a certain probability to substitute the summoned object with "greedy" Kobold miners. ] While Scarface had a hunch, Renji immediately recognized what was happening with just a nce. He was somewhat surprised but also shook his head. He was surprised that the scavenger behind him could wlessly use Tainted items. What made him shake his head was that he didn''t know whether to say that she was lucky or unlucky. Clearly, what the female scavenger had summoned by breaking the statue was a group of "Greedy" Kobold miners influenced by the "Tainted Deviation". Compared to regr summons, they were stronger but uncontroble, attacking indiscriminately. Given the current strength of these tomb raiders, even in this terrain, Renji saw that the Kobolds above were already beginning to understand the humans'' vulnerability after their initial reconnaissance. They greedily brandished their pickaxes, and their covetous eyes swept over the people below as they prepared to jump down into the sealed room. Scarface''s group had also turned their attention away from Renji, the "Legacy" and the female scavenger. They aimed their guns at the Kobolds above, attempting to resist the monsters. But Renji knew that Kobolds were level 5 monsters, and with the "greedy" prefix, in an open terrain, ordinary people could fight with firearms, but in the caves, their death was inevitable. *Rat-a-tat-tat!* The intense gunfire and the shouts from Scarface and his men turned into screams within seconds. "Reload, reload quickly!" "Go away, you disgusting monsters, go away!" "Above, watch out from above!!" "Help! Help!" "Don''t kill me, please don''t kill me!" Blood and flesh flew in all directions under the kobolds'' iron pickaxes. The cramped space eliminated any advantage firearms might have had, and there was no ce to hide. Scarface''s group had some initial sess with suppressing fire from their firearms, but as more kobolds kept "falling from the sky" into the sealed room, they were thoroughly defeated. At this moment, the secret chamber was a scene of one-sided ughter. At the stone coffin, Eileen had lost all hope. She was as pale as dead. In Eileen''s field of vision, she could see that some kobolds had noticed the sealed room where she was hiding, and these bloodthirsty creatures, wielding bloodied pickaxes, were approaching her menacingly. She tried to think of a way out! ''Was there anything...anything that could...'' Suddenly, hope ignited once again in Eileen''s despairing eyes. Because she had almost forgotten. The "Legacy" The "Legacy" of the legendary emperor might be right beside her! With a soft click, Eileen chose to drop her dagger. Then, with a nearly pleading gaze, she looked at Renji. And Renji, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke at this moment. "Do you think I would help someone who had just held a dagger to my throat?" With these words, Eileen''s eyes lost all hope, and her body went limp, sitting on the ground. However, at this moment... "Unless you''re willing to make a contract with me." The voice of the young man echoed in her ears once more. Eileen, at this moment, couldn''t even clearly hear what Renji had said. She just nodded desperately, willing to ept whatever conditions he proposed. "Very well" "But before that, there''s a little process to go through." As Renji spoke, he bent down and took out a crystal from the stone coffin. In Eileen''s eyes, this crystal emitted an ominous and strange aura. Then, before the female scavenger could react, He directly thrust the small Tainted Crystal into her body! Chapter 7 7: Eclipse [1/3] ?2 More chapters after 2 - 3 h. ------------------------ [Tainted Crystals] In the game, these are usually referred to as "experience enhancers" They are the mostmonly used items for catalyzing and nurturing one''s Eclipse underlings. The crystal, based on the concentration of "Miasma energy" within, came in four sizes: [small], [medium], rge], and [extrarge], providing Eclipse Character with experience points to level up or ascend to another tier. A "Small Tainted Crystal" can elevate the lowest "Common" tier Eclipse to level 10. In the game, Renji could simply click a few times with his mouse. But now, in the real-world version, Renji wasn''t sure how to use the item, so he had to resort to the most direct method. ''Stabbing it into her'' However, it seemed to be effective. He saw that the "Small Tainted Crystal" he had pushed in didn''t physically enter, but the moment it touched the body of the female scavenger, it seemed to merge, just like water, and began to fuse with her. ¡­ ¡­ Pain. So much pain. Eileen felt as if her entire body was on fire, as if countless ants were crawling inside her, gnawing at her flesh. In an instant, her vision was filled with a bloody red color, and everything she saw began to distort, stretch, and be chaotic and bizarre, making her feel dizzy. Eileen had already experienced the whispers and ravings from the abyss, the pollution from the Miasma energy, once before, but this time, it was even more intense. Those insane sounds became sharper and more piercing, filling her mind like tides, wave after wave, as if they were trying to consume and drown her spirit. "Ah... Ahhhhhhhhhh!" Eileen had a splitting headache, and her whole body was drenched in sweat. Faint brown-red patterns symbolizing "Miasma" faintly appeared on her skin, shimmering with a strange and dangerous aura. The dramatic change in the scavenger rmed the kobolds in the chamber. Especially when they sensed the tainted energy emanating from her, several of them who had approached her hastily retreated in fear. Of course, Eileen herself was unaware of all this. At this moment, all of her energy was focused on resisting the tainted energy. In Eileen''s mental world, bloody red chains, like those extending from hell, entwined around her body, tightened around her neck and forcefully dragged her into the abyss. Eileen struggled desperately, wrestling with these bloody chains because her instinct told her that if she were pulled over to the other side, she would nevere back. She still had her gravely ill mother to take care of in their gathering ce. She couldn''t die here. But her will alone was clearly not enough. Eileen''s resistance grew weaker and weaker, and the bloody chains around her neck kept tightening. The intense sense of suffocation deprived her of thest of her strength, and Eileen''s vision blurred. ''Is it over?'' ''No, it''s not'' In Eileen''s blurred vision, perhaps it was her consciousness ying tricks on her, but she suddenly saw the figure of a ck-haired young man appear in front of her. In this already bloody filled, nearly overwhelmed spiritual world, the young man seemed unaffected. Instead, with the appearance of the ck-haired young man, the tainted energy that was rampant here actually began to disperse. And when the young man finally approached her, until he touched her, who was imprisoned by the bloody chains. That moment. Click* Crack!* First, there were some small cracks, and then, at an incredibly fast speed, they turned into fissures, like a spider''s web, spreading across the entire chain entwined around her neck. Finally. Boommm* The shackles around her neck that she couldn''t break free from finally shattered on their own. In an instant, the madness and craziness subsided, the red color receded from her spiritual world, and the force that threatened to drag her into the abyss also disappeared. However, the chains and shackles entwined around her limbs remained. Except for the severed part at her neck. In its ce. On the back of the scavenger''s neck, unbeknownst even to Eileen herself, aplex and profound "contract" mark like a tattoo, quietly appeared. "Huf, huff, huff." Consciousness returned, back to the real world, Eileen, who felt like she had just taken a trip to the gates of the underworld, greedily breathed. Eileen didn''t know what had just happened. But she knew who had caused all of this. When the female scavenger looked towards her, Renji didn''t offer much exnation but instead pointed behind the woman. When Eileen turned her head again. What came into view was the brutish, wild face of a kobold with narrow eyes, filled with a savage and rough demeanor. Hot white mist emanated from its broad nose, and its messy, unruly beard, covering half of its face, still bore traces of battle blood, making it appear even more ferocious. There was also an iron shovel, stained with bits of flesh, swinging through the air in its muscr arm, rapidly erging in Eileen''s field of vision. With the disappearance of the tainted energy on the female scavenger, the retreating Kobolds immediately surged back. While Eileen caught her breath, these monsters weren''t going to stand idly by. They had already takenrge strides and, in the blink of an eye, had arrived right in front of them. Among them, the kobold in the front, raising its shovel high, prepared to attack Eileen just as it had done to the scarred man earlier. However, Eileen, after a brief moment of panic, quickly noticed something was off. ''The monster''s movements...'' ''Why are they so slow?'' At this moment, in Eileen''s eyes, the kobold''s attack seemed like it was in slow motion. She could easily track the opponent''s movements and dodge them effortlessly. With a slight sidestep, Eileen easily evaded the kobold''s shovel. And the howling wind produced by the shovel told Eileen that it wasn''t that the opponent''s movements had slowed down; it was her own... perception that had be unusually powerful¡­ ''No, that''s not right.'' ''Not only my perception, but my body also is filled with a strange strength from top to bottom '' Roarrrrrrrr!* After failing with the first strike, the kobold on the opposite side quickly raised its shovel again, preparing for another attack. This low-level mutated creature had its physical strength greatly enhanced, but in terms of intelligence, it was still very low. And this time, Eileen, realizing that her body was "different," chose not to dodge. She took a deep breath, seized the opportunity, and at the neck, where Eileen couldn''t see, the emblem symbolizing the "contract" shed with a faint light. Brown-red lines passed through her eyes in an instant. Before the kobold''s shovel came crashing down, Eileen tensed her body and concentrated all her strength on her right leg. She first swung one leg like a whip, fiercely snapping it against the monster''s broad chest. Swish! A sonic boom rang out, followed by a muffled bang. The kobold, weighing several hundred pounds, now looked like a ball, flying through the air, forming an arc and unfortunatelynding on a sharp rock protrusion on the ground. The Kobold''s body, like a pile of mud, twitched a few times before it wentpletely dead. Meanwhile. In Renji''s vision behind, a corresponding notification yed. [Ding, your Eclipse "Eileen" sessfully killed a "Greedy Kobold Miner," you have gained 10 experience points.] [Exp needed for next level: 10/100] (Exp ==> experience points) Chapter 8 8: Eileen [2/3] ?Eileen''s illustration has been fixed in Chapter 00. You can view a lower-resolution version of the image here==> [] Sure enough, Just like in the game. All experience gained by the Eclipse underlings who have entered into a "contract" with him in battle will be entirely owned by him, provided they are in the "main queue," which means they have to be nearby. After quickly scanning the popped-up window, Renji shifted his gaze to another panel. [Current maximum number of contracted Eclipse: 1] [Contracted quantity: 1/1] [Name: Eileen] [Eclipse Rank: ¡ï¡ï¡ï (Common)] [Current Eclipse Role: Vanguard] [Level: 10] [Basic Attributes: Strength D+, Agility C-, Physique C, Stamina D-, Special Ability D-] [Advanced Attributes: Luck E, Miasma Affinity D] [Skills] - [(Common) Berserk Lv1: Slightly increases strength, stamina, and health recovery rate, slightly enhances agility, while reducing the damage taken by 10%. However, when the skill is activated, there''s a 50% chance of entering a "Chaotic" state] (Note: Abnormal State "Chaos" - Unable to control, randomly selects attack targets between enemies and allies) [Miasma Authority: None (Unlocks upon reaching "Disaster Rank")] [Base Specialty: Trash Master III - "A small probability" to turn gathered trash into treasure] With a thought, all the data of the Eclipse "Eileen" was vividly presented in front of him. Renji couldn''t help but sigh quietly. A in status, straightforward skills... There weren''t any unexpected surprises. If you had to nitpick, was this "Luck E" for real? Although luck value was considered ackluster attribute in the game, it was the first time Renji had seen a character with the lowest E-level in this attribute. So, itpletely dashed his faint hope of receiving a super-powerful teammate or something simr after transmigration. If ced in the game, as a qualified power yer, Renji would never waste his precious "contract" opportunities on Eileen at the beginning. After all, as a "Common" Rank character, her three-star rating determined the limits, and the return on investment was high only in the early stages. She was the kind used as a transition tool during the initial clearing phase, and once used up, she was discarded. But of course. In the game, he could restart countless times, through repeatedly loading the game to brush out a high-star, highly potential Eclipse. However, the current "second ythrough" clearly didn''t have that condition. So, Renji didn''t regret his decision. Besides, low stars and low ranks also had their advantages. At the very least, they required fewer resources and were easier to sustain. with just a Small Tainted Crystal, Eileen effortlessly reached level 10 and easily soloed a Kobold. The scavenger girl was still standing there, her face full of disbelief, staring at her own hands as if she hadn''te to her senses from kicking the Kobold away with a single kick. But Renji, inside the stone coffin, had already started moving. Following his memory, he came to a certain shelf in the secret chamber. "It''s a good thing I left quite a few of these resource points back then," Renji muttered to himself. Then, he pulled out a sword from the shelf. Well, it''s not quite urate to describe it as a sword. It might have been a sword once, but it was now covered in rust. [Emperor''s Sword] [Type: One-Handed Sword] [Quality: D-] [Equipment Effect: Increases the user''s attack power by 10%] [Special Effect: Weathered - Breaks after ten strikes] [Legend has it that this was a sword used by the young Emperor Ashen, but it has decayed over the course of time. Nevertheless, it remains a precious historical artifact. ] ''Well, well¡­'' ''Isn''t this the lowest-grade equipment from my early days?'' After mocking the introduction text of the system, Renji forcefully threw the rusty sword toward the scavenger girl''s location. "Eileen, catch it!" Being called by her name snapped Eileen back to reality, and she clumsily caught the sword. ''Wait a minute!'' ''How did he know her name?'' Holding the hilt of the sword, Eileen finally came back to her senses. But by then, Renji''s next order had already been issued. The sword he threw was not for nothing. "Hurry up, don''t let them escape, catch up and kill them!" Monsters like goblins, kobolds, and fishmen, these mutated humanoid creatures, were bullies. The remaining kobolds inside the chamber, upon witnessing Eileen''s sudden burst of power, had reced their greed with fear. They had no intention of seeking revenge for theirrades. Instead, one by one, they frantically grabbed items from within the secret chamber and, using shovels, started to climb and escape through the hole above them. Of course, Renji wouldn''t let them go. He had already counted; excluding the Kobolds killed by the scar-faced man''s wild shooting earlier, there were exactly ten left. If Eileen killed them all, he could just level up to level 2. However, the scavenger girl in front of him didn''t move. Instead, with her somewhat dirty face but still watery eyes, she stared at him as if wanting to ask, "Why should I listen to you?" "Sigh." ''I knew scavengers couldn''t be relied upon.'' After shaking his head inwardly, Renji changed his approach. "If you don''t chase after them now, you won''t be able to get back those stolen treasures," he emphasized the word "treasures." Following the words of the ck-haired young man, Eileen''s gaze was immediately drawn to the secret room items held by the escaping kobolds. Among them were some Tainted artifacts. Reluctant just moments ago, Eileen now rushed forward with her sword in hand. She was in a hurry. These were priceless Emperor''s "Legacy." Each item taken away could probably be sold for tens of thousands of Coins. How could she let these ugly monsters benefit so easily! Never underestimate a scavenger''s pursuit of wealth and treasures. Eileen''s speed was at least twice as fast as before. Although she wasn''t very skilled in using a one-handed sword, but with her overwhelming strength, all she had to do was thrust her de into the monsters'' vitals. In less than five minutes... With thest of the Kobolds knocked down by a kick from behind, Eileen, seeing its pleading posture, showed no mercy. She lifted her sword high and thrust it deep into its heart. St!* When Eileen pulled the sword out from the monster''s chest, she looked around and saw nothing but Kobold corpses strewn all over the ce. [Ding!!! your Eclipse "Eileen" sessfully killed [Greedy Kobold Miner], you have gained 10 experience points.] [Congrattions! You have leveled up!] [Current Level: Lv2] [Experience required for next level: 0/200] Apanied by the system notification, Renji felt a warm stream emerging from his body, circting around and gradually subsiding. He carefully sensed the changes in his body. The result was... Almost undetectable. ''Perhaps my strength had only increased by less than ten percent'' ''Just as I thought, it''s just like the game''s setting'' Renji rubbed his temples with a slight headache. Simr to most cultivation games, although yers are the protagonists, they are essentially mascots in the beginning. Fortunately, in "Fallen Chronicles" the protagonist had a slight advantage in that they had no level cap and didn''t require breakthroughs during advancement. In the first ythrough, his top-tier Eclipses had already maxed out at level 90 by the end of the game, while the protagonist he controlled was well over level 150. Adding the previous copy skill, so in thete game, the protagonist would "stand guard" for all the remaining Eclipses. It was likely that even if all five of them werebined, they couldn''t beat the protagonist he controlled. ''The future look promising¡­'' Afterforting himself, Renji quickly refocused his attention on the reality. Because he saw that he had another little problem to deal with. It appeared that Eileen, who had been driven to berserker, possibly due to killing the Kobolds or because of the newfound power, had done something rather peculiar. As Eileen rose from thest kobold''s corpse... She pointed her bloody sword At him. Chapter 9 9: History [3/3] ?"Who are you, And what have you done to me? Also..." "How do you know my name?" Eileen demanded fiercely, pointing her sword at the mysterious young man across from her. From the moment they fell into this secret chamber, events had been unfolding in a direction beyond Eileen''sprehension. If given the choice again, she would never ept themission from the gang for this well-paid guiding job. "Don''t be nervous; we''re not enemies, at least for now, put your weapon down," the other side, Renji, did indeed want to have a conversation with the female scavenger. He urgently needed to catch a native to gather information about this current "world", However Renji was not willing to chat with a person who was holding a sword at him. He attempted to ease the tense atmosphere with a peaceful approach, but unfortunately, he failed. Eileen not only didn''t put down her sword but gripped it even tighter. From her eyes, Renji could see deep distrust. Helpless, Renji had to resort to some uncivilized means for more effectivemunication. He had never really expected a scavenger to obediently keep her word. After all, can you still call someone a scavenger if they keep their word? Renji''s real confidence came from his own abilities. In the game, any Eclipse who formed a "contract" with the protagonist could be controlled by the yer in every aspect. To put it simply, once you were on the ship, you belonged to the captain, and there was no escape. In the real-life version. Renji tried to focus his thoughts on the female scavenger. In his field of vision, several faint threads suddenly appeared, linking him to Eileen. When Renji had the thought of "put down the sword", immediately, to Eileen''s astonishment, her body suddenly stopped obeying her will. She inexplicably lowered the sword towards the ground. And it didn''t end there. Following that, Eileen could only watch as the young man walked towards her. At some point, he had found a rough and sturdy hemp rope in this secret chamber, as if it were his own home, and began to tie her up, loop by loop. Throughout the process, Eileen could do nothing but stare, her eyes filled with embarrassment and humiliation, with tears in the corners of her eyes, as she remained immobilized, like a puppet on a string. "I must say, Miss Eileen." "That expression of yours might give people the wrong idea. Anyone would think I really did something bad to you." Seeing her blend of anger, shame, and tears, especially with her now bound hands, Renji felt a momentary achievement. Then he pped his hands and released Eileen from his control. Immediately, a wave of angry curses filled the room. "You Mother F***! Release me right *** now!" "If you didn''t release me, will ^%&$@!!!" To protect his own ears, Renji chose to silence the female scavenger first. "Miss Eileen, listen carefully. First of all, I won''t mention the fact that you initially treated me as a hostage to save your own life." "When you, of your own ord, summoned uncontroble monsters and sought my help to resolve the crisis, I fulfilled your request. So, ording to our agreement, no matter what happens to you, you have no reason to me me. Please refrain from pulling your pants down and iming ignorance." "Secondly, I know you have many questions, and I do too. Out of humanitarianism and respect for you, we will take turns asking questions, starting with me." "Finally, when each person is being asked questions by the other, please keep your mouth shut and patiently listen, then answer seriously without unnecessary words." emphasized the words "keep your mouth shut." "So." "Nod to ept, shake your head to decline." "By the way, if you shake your head, I will leave you right here like this." Renji stared into Eileen''s eyes, showing no sign of joking. In the end, even though anger was evident in the scavenger''s gaze, she nodded. "Very well Miss Eileen, you''ve made a good start for us to get along," Renji nodded in satisfaction and then lifted the restraints from the female scavenger. As for Eileen... ''Getting along,!'' ''Was there any other choice left for me?'' Of course, all of these thoughts were screaming in Eileen''s mind. She had already learned her lesson once, and she had also epted the proposal of "taking turns asking questions," so Eileen was now obediently keeping her mouth shut, just as Renji had suggested. However, her mouth being shut didn''t prevent her from sending protest-filled nces towards Renji. Unfortunately, the young man simply ignored her, as if they were dealing with a new character just introduced into the game, and her affection level was low. It was normal. "Alright, following the rules, I''ll start with the questions. So, Miss Eileen, could you please exin to me the meaning of the ''Legacy'' you''ve been mentioning?" After Renji finished speaking, he made a gesture that indicated she could speak now. But... "Huh? What''s wrong? Is there something on my face?" Renji asked, looking at the female scavenger who was staring at him with a puzzled and strange expression. Seeing the young man seemed genuinely clueless, Eileen said in disbelief, "You don''t know about Emperor Ashen" "Well, just to be sure, let me confirm. When you mention Ashen are you referring to that handsome and charismatic figure who rose from nothing, united the wastnd with his outstanding intelligence and leadership, cleansed the ''Tainted Miasma'' contamination, and ultimately became the greatest savior and emperor?" "Is there a second Emperor Ashen in this world?" Eileen asked in return,pletely puzzled by the young man''s smug expression. "Since you know about the Legendary Emperor, why ask about the meaning of ''Legacy''? It refers to everything left behind by the Emperor after his death! For example, this secret chamber, this stone coffin, and what''s inside the coffin..." Eileen stopped mid-sentence. Because previously, Renji had behaved too normally. By normal, she meant he didn''t appear to be one of those indescribable, eerie entities. Instead, he seemed more like the kind of person she disliked, someone who spoke in a refined manner, exined things logically, and talked more than anyone else. So, she almost forgot that this ck-haired young man had emerged from this "stone coffin" or, in all likelihood, he was the "legacy" itself. Renji didn''t notice Eileen''s pause; he was now frowning, his attentionpletely drawn to her previous statement. He quickly asked, "Ashen... is dead? When did this happen? And how did he die? As far as I know, with the Emperor''s strength, there shouldn''t be anything in this world capable of threatening his life." "As far as you know?" Eileen found the young man''s way of speaking increasingly peculiar. But considering his mysterious background, Eileen slightly adjusted her attitude and replied honestly, "Actually, saying that the Emperor is dead is more of a folk saying. A more official term, as I remember from the history books, would be that the Emperor disappeared." "Disappeared?" "As for the specific history, I''m not very clear, but it''s roughly about five hundred years ago. After the decisive battle rted to the source of the ''Tainted Miasma'' the triumphant Emperor disappeared on that night. Even the Emperor''s five most powerful personal guards, who returned with him, couldn''t sense his whereabouts at all. The Ashen Empire in history mobilized the entire nation''s power to search for any clues, but in the end, they found nothing and had to dere the fact that the Emperor had disappeared." "However, because the whole event was too mysterious and bizarre, many people don''t believe the joint statement issued by the five personal guards. They think the Emperor didn''t disappear but specte that he died from severe injuries sustained during the battle. There are also those who guess that the Emperor was infected by the ''Tainted Miasma'' and chose to end his own life to prevent going berserk. There are even other theories..." "Hold on!" Renji had no interest in hearing more spections about his "disappearance." He had a pretty good idea of the reason for it. It was the moment he entered the "Second ythrough" But it wasn''t a direct time travel; he had arrived in the wastnd world 500 yearster. Was it post-apocalypse, a brand-new era? This was less important. What concerned Renji the most was, "Are they still alive?" "Who?" Eileen asked, puzzled. "I mean the five personal guards you just mentioned!" This was the first time Eileen had seen the young man so impatient and agitated. However, this only deepened her confusion. "Come on, isn''t thismon knowledge? If they weren''t around, where did the five major forces currently dividing the continente from?" Renji didn''t need to ask anymore; Eileen had anticipated this and exined, "After the Emperor died or disappeared, his five personal guards took their own subordinates and split from the empire. They established their own forces in different parts of the continent, eventually forming the two nations, two alliances, and one city we have today." "Two nations refer to Holy Kingdom in the north and the Dragon Kingdom in the east. The two alliances are the Mechanoid Alliance in the south and the Forest Alliance in the west. Finally, there''s thergest neutral city in the center of the continent, Magic City." Eileen had initially wanted to exin which of the Emperor''s personal guards corresponded to which of these nations and alliances, but from the young man''s reaction, it seemed that just hearing the names of these factions was enough. On the other hand, "Why would they split?" Renji murmured to himself. Based on Eileen''s ount of history, it seemed that after his "disappearance," his six-star [Cmity ss] wives, whom he had painstakingly raised with love and care, decided to split up the Ashen Empire he had built together with them. This made no sense to Renji. "I told you, let people finish!" Eileen said, a note of frustration evident in her tone. She continued to exin the part she didn''t get to finish earlier, "I mentioned earlier that there were spections among the people about the Emperor''s disappearance. One of the most usible theories, shared by many today, including myself, is that..." "In reality, the five personal guards under the Emperor were the second most powerful ''Eclipse'' in this world, second only to the Emperor himself. They coborated..." "...To¡­. Kill ¡­..The ¡­.Emperor!" Eileen said each word deliberately. Chapter 10 10: I Am The Emperor [1/1] ?4 More Chapters will be posted tomorrow and after that it will be daily :3 -------------------------------- Renji: "..." "It''s impossible, right? As far as I know, they were all personally nurtured by the emperor himself. Their bond should be closer than that of family. How could they harm the emperor?" Although he knew it wasn''t true, Renji still wanted to understand why people inter generations would have such outrageous thoughts. And Eileen''s response was... "You''re right. But precisely because of that, wouldn''t they develop resentment out of love? The emperor indeed saved this perilous world, but when ites to personal conduct, especially in his private life, rumors depict him as aplete scoundrel!" "That Emperor wasn''t just a womanizer; he picks his guards based on how good-looking they are. And he gets bored easily. Once he''s done with one, he just moves on to the next." Renji: "." "The biggest clue? His five guards are from five different races. From high-ss elves to sexy demons, he even goes for robot women! You can guess how messed up that makes him!" Maybe because she was a women too, Eileen looked really mad when she said this. And Renji... Renji: "." "Maybe, just maybe, the emperor simply found them pleasing to the eye? And maybe he never even touched those five guards?" "Haaaaaah!!!!!?" Even though she was tied up, Eileen still gave Renji a ''you''ve got to be kidding me'' look. "You seem quite mature, yet you''re still as naive as a child. Oh, so you say there''s a beautiful woman who is so into you right in front of you, and you just innocently gaze at her, finding her pleasing to the eye, without doing anything? Then you''re truly worse than a beast!" Renji: "." "Ugh, that Emperor is definitely an animal. Rumor has it he''s into some really weird stuff. Like handcuffs, whips, and wax. Every night, his guards take turns taking care of his fetish. Sometimes he even--" Eileen got more and more into it as she talked, but Renji was already rolling his eyes. "Fallen Chronicles" is a legitimate game. It''s not some adult-only game you''d find online! "Stop!" Renji eximed with anger. "Where''d you hear all this crap?" Renji snapped. Eileen: "This stuff? There''s a ton of it on the dark web." "Hey, hey, what''s with that look? Are you seriously telling me you''ve never read any of them? Come on, some actually have decent writing and plot. How about this? If you let me go, I might consider sharing a few of those books @!%@$!!!?" Eileen''s excited voice suddenly cut off, and she red angrily while making a soft whining noise. Renji took a deep breath. It looked like people in this post-apocalyptic world had it too easy. "Enough, I''m done with my questions. Now it''s your turn to ask me one question. But remember, you only have one chance. Think carefully before speaking," he warned. With a wave of his hand, Eileen got her voice back. She looked like she wanted to yell, but she held it in, not wanting to waste this chance. Afraid that Renji might change his mind, she immediately asked her most pressing question. "What did you do to me?" ''As I expected,'' Renji shrugged and replied, "I think you''ve already guessed, haven''t you? I helped you ascend to be an Eclipse, but ites at a small price, such as certain constraints on your actions." Renji thought if Eileen had a problem, it would be with thatst part. But he was surprised when her face dropped at the word "Eclipse," like her worst fear hade true. "What''s the matter? You don''t want to be an Eclipse?" Renji was really confused. In Fallen Chronicles, Eclipses are like superheroes the best fighters against monsters and bad vibes. But what Eileen said next made Renji realize times had changed. "Heh... hehe, are you referring to the 70% chance of going berserk and losing control within a month? Gradually descending into madness over time? Being hunted down by governments and guards wherever you go? Once captured, spending a lifetime in prison or facing immediate execution? Your loved ones and friends suffering because of you, leading to the ruin of your family, separation, and endless hardship. Is all that worth the meager power of an Eclipse?" Eileen started talking faster and faster, her weird anger even mixed with what looked like painful memories. "Who on earth would willingly be a cursed Eclipse!" she eximed. As those words left her lips, the female scavenger appeared drained of all her strength, standing there in a daze, lost in her thoughts. The room went quiet for a bit. Then Renji spoke up again. "I apologize. I retract my previous statement. I had no idea you held such a strong aversion toward Eclipses. However, to my knowledge, the loss of control and berserk state mostly befalls Eclipses at the ''Cmity'' or above, and the probability is not as high as you described." But what Eileen said next totally caught Renji off guard. "You''re joking, right? An Eclipse who can mentally reach ''Danger Rank'' is already rare, let alone one at '' Cmity Rank.'' Maybe you could find them in history a couple of hundred years ago, but they all ended up the same way: either losing control and causing natural disasters or going berserk and turning into monsters. Is that what you call a low probability?" Eileen''s information left Renji deep in thought. He realized he might''ve had it wrong. Bing an Eclipse or getting stronger, it alles from this Tainted Miasma energy. In the original world of "Falling Chronicles" this Tainted Miasma was everywhere, so Eclipses weremon. As for strong Eclipses, in Renji''s view, those at ''Danger Rank'' were prettymon, and ''Disaster Rank'' ones, while lessmon, weren''t exactly rare. Like Eileen said, the super rare ones thate around once in a century should be at the highest level, ''Cmity Rank'' Fast forward to 500 yearster, Renji wiped out the source of this Miasma. So, not only are there fewer disasters and monsters, but also fewer Eclipses. People''s needs have changed too. They''re not just trying to survive anymore; they''re building and growing. Kind of like how guns became illegal when society got more advanced. Maybe these Eclipses are like the new "illegal guns" that need to be controlled for everyone''s safety. Eileen mentioned that Eclipses are more likely to lose control than he thought. Maybe that''s because there''s less Miasma around now? Renji wondered. ''Could this be connected to the diminishing presence of "Miasma"? ''Renji pondered to himself. Regardless, after processing the information shared by Eileen and gaining a deeper understanding of this world he had entered for his "second ythrough" Renji felt a sense of relief. He sort of got why Eileen felt the way she did. It''s like surviving a huge ident only to find out you''ve got terminal cancer... But because of this realization... Renji smiled. "Eileen, don''t worry. I promise, as long as our contract is on, you can use your power all you want. You won''t lose control." "And when I find someone to take your ce, I''ll end our deal and take back the Miasma energy from you. Then you can go back to living a normal life." "I understand you may find it hard to believe, but as an added bonus, I will answer another question you had. I will reveal my true identity." As Eileen''s eyes reflected indescribable astonishment, Renji nodded slowly and spoke each word deliberately. "I am Emperor Ashen." "..." "Pft...." "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA" "Nice joke AHAHAH" Chapter 11 11: Divine Healing [1/5] ?[4 More Chapters will be released today, the same goes for Forced To Sell Myself to the Female Lead after Killing the Male Lead] If you want more chapters vote with power stones 50pw ==> 2 chapters 100pw ==> 4 cp 150pw ==> 5 cp 200pw ==> 8cp --------------------------- Time seemed to freeze for a moment. But just for a moment. Eileen quickly felt ashamed for actually believing, even for a split second, what the young man across from her had said. "Haha, didn''t see thating. You''re quite the joker, aren''t you?" "You don''t believe me?" Renji shot back. Eileen justughed it off. " Emperor Ashen? You talking about someone who tiptoes around dead bodies, scared of getting dirty? Or someone who can''t handle the smell of blood? Or maybe a newbie who can''t even tie a knot?" Renji realized he might''ve thought too little of this scavenger girl. At first, she seemed all talk. But she noticed a lot of his habits that he thought were normal. Perhaps she could even guess what he was thinking at this moment. "Hmph, don''t underestimate the eyes of us scavengers. We make a living out of this, and I''m pretty good at reading people. You''re just like those pampered young masters from the base cities, cut from the same cloth." "Oh, wait, I almost forgot. You''re a bit better than them. At least you''re innocent enough to tense up when touched by the opposite sex." Eileen''s provocative gaze at the end seemed like a form of revenge for Renji''s previous actions. Renji didn''t bother to defend himself, simply spreading his hands in resignation. "Alright, it was just a joke. But I really am from 500 years ago, from the era you call the ''Old Wastnd.'' I had a close rtionship with the Emperor and was put into this stone coffin for some reason." His story seemed to make sense to her, at least a bit. After all, it perfectly exined why he had so many mon sense" questions about this world. For Eileen, the idea of talking to someone from 500 years ago was shocking but not entirely unbelievable. After all, there were living examples. The five personal guards who had once been by the side of the Emperor were now the highest authorities in this world and also came from the Old Wastnd. That''s why there were still many crazies, including some big shots in the base cities, who longed to be an Eclipse. Apart from the immense power, they also sought the eternal youth and vitality brought by the Tainted Miasma, as well as the extension of life by centuries. "I can''t believe I am chatting with a 500-year-old antique," Eileen mumbled to herself. But she quickly focused on the main point and urgently asked Renji, "You said earlier that you can control the Tainted Miasma, and even turn me back into a normal personter?" "That''s right. Did you feel any effects of the Miasma energy during our fight or our conversation just now? Isn''t that proof enough?" Renji responded. Eileen paused to think. She had seen Eclipses before. In fact, she''d never forget "that night" That''s why she was so sure that what Renji was saying was true, and that she was different from other Eclipses. "Alright, let''s save the friendly chat for after we get out of this creepy ce," she said. Renji agreed. He couldn''t stand the smell and the dead bodies lying around in this underground chamber any longer. He walked over to Eileen and untied the ropes that bound her. But when he saw the tattered state of her coat, revealing wounds underneath, he paused. These were minor injuries she''d gotten while chasing down the Kobolds. Although they were small and had already started to scab over, they could still leave scars if not properly treated. Renji noticed that Eileen had several simr scars. When she saw where he was looking, she didn''t seem to care. Scars were not a big deal for scavengers like her. However, this was a good opportunity to test something. After ncing at his skill bar and seeing "Divine Healing," Renji focused his mind and ced his hand over Eileen''s wounds. As she looked puzzled, he silently muttered, [Divine Healing] Instantly, a radiant but not blinding white light emanated from Renji''s palm, enveloping Eileen. She had never felt such warmth, as if she were soaking in a hot spring. The light seemed to flow over every inch of her skin. It took away her fatigue and eased her tense, anxious mood. Her mind went nk, and she felt as if she were floating on clouds. Then a tingling sensation spread throughout her body. It was a strange feeling, like an electric current passing through her, making her want to moan infort. In the real world, the scavenger woman bathed in the holy light had ck substances being expelled from her skin. These were impurities and dirt from her body, nowpletely disappearing in the light. The whole process didn''tst long, just about ten seconds or so. But when the light from Renji''s hand faded and Eileen''s mind came back down from the clouds, both of them were a bit surprised. After Renji''s [Divine Healing] skill, not only were Eileen''s new cuts fully healed, but even her old scars had disappeared. The most shocking part was when Eileen looked down at her hands, which had gotten noticeably lighter. She touched her face and felt how soft and smooth her skin was. She hadn''t felt this way since she was 14, after losing her dad and bing a scavenger in the ckhole ins. "You" Eileen startled, her eyes filled with confusion, surprise, and mixed emotions, as she looked at the ck-haired young man from 500 years ago. After Renji finished untying her, he reached out his hand to Eileen, who was still kneeling on the ground, a bit stunned. "Renji, that''s my name. And you?" Eileen almost blurted out, ''Don''t you already know?'' After seeing all the amazing things he''d done, she''d stopped wondering how he knew her name. But in the end, she took a deep breath and said, "Eileen." Then Eileen grabbed Renji''s hand and pulled herself up from the ground. Chapter 12 12: Leaving [2/5] ?The "Contract" thingy let Renji control stuff, but it also made him super tired. Especially when someone, like an Eclipse, fights back. Renji realized this when he tried it on Eileen. So, using it a lot wasn''t a good idea. It''d wear him out too fast. Renji figured the best n was to get Eileen on his side. And it seemed like he kinda seeded. "Eileen, could you check those kobolds for some special candles?" Renji asked politely. Eileen nced at the bloody, smelly bodies on the ground, then at Renji, who was now standing far from the mess, covering his nose with a disgusted look. She thought he was being a bit dramatic. She sighed but went ahead anyway. These candles were a thing these creatures had. In no time, Eileen gathered a bunch and dumped them in front of Renji. "Now what, Mr. Fancy Pants?" Eileen asked, not getting why he wanted these old candles. "Thanks. Now, we just light them up." "Light... them up?" "Yeah, these candles burn really well. With this many, we can burn this whole room and everything in it," Renji exined patiently. But Eileen was freaking out. "Wait, what?! Dude! You wanna torch this ce? And all this cool old stuff?!" Hearing Renji''s n, Eileen got super defensive. She grabbed a dusty, old ss container covered in spider webs. "Do you have any idea how much this would go for on the ck market?" "And this, and this, and all of these!" Eileen pointed at the ceramics, statues, and paintings in the room. She stood in front of Renji, protective like a mama bear. "If we sold all this, we''d make tons of money! And you just want to... burn it?!" Facing the super agitated Eileen, Renji tried to calm her down. He got why she was so worked up, but... "Eileen, have you thought about how you''re going to cash in on all this stuff, even if they''re as valuable as you say?" "It''s not ''if''! This is the Emperor''s ''legacy''!" Eileen emphasized loudly. "Okay, they''re super valuable. But how are you going to turn them into... what did you call it? Ash coins?" Eileen quickly replied, "I told you, sell them on the ck market!" "Yeah, but from what you''ve told me, stuff from this era, especially these forbidden items, are super rare. If you suddenly show up with a ton of them to sell, won''t people get suspicious?" "Even if you n to sell them slowly, don''t forget, you weren''t the only one on this tomb raiding gig. If I''m not mistaken, you were just the guide, right? The real treasure hunters, or let''s call them the ''exploration team'', they had all those weapons and were ready to kill you to keep things quiet. They even threatened your family. I don''t believe they''re just some small-time gang." After hearing Renji''s words, Eileen started to cool down. She hesitated, then said with disgust, "They''re called Callewa, a notorious big gang in our ckhole gathering ce." "I see." "So, Eileen, think about it. If a big, bad gang finds out their team got wiped out, but the guide miraculously survived and is selling off treasure after treasure, what would you do if you were them?" The idea of such huge profits had blinded Eileen, but Renji''s words snapped her back to reality. She felt a chill run down her spine. Her face fell, and she looked a bit panicked. "If Callewa finds out I''m the only survivor... even if I do nothing, they''lle after me," Eileen mumbled, looking lost. "Exactly. So, the best solution is to make Callewa gang think you died with the rest. That''s why I want to burn this ce down. Make it look like no one survived. When the gang sends someone to check, they''ll think you''re gone for good." Eileen''s eyes brightened as she listened, and she looked at Renji with newfound respect. "Didn''t expect someone who''s been asleep for 500 years to be so sharp." "Thanks" Actually, one big reason Renji was cool with burning this ce down was that in 500 years, most of this stuff would just be old junk, like that "Emperor''s Sword." The real treasures that wouldst 500 years were already with him. Those four "Tainted Crystals" he''d taken, minus the one he used on Eileen. So, this room wasn''t that valuable to him anymore. Better to burn it and leave no trace. On the other hand, Eileen, who was just relieved about dodging the gang, suddenly looked worried again. "Wait! What about my mom? She''s seriously sick, waiting for treatment. I can''t just leave her, but I can''t afford her medical bills without selling these relics. And if I sell them, the gang will be onto me." Eileen felt trapped in a vicious cycle. That''s when Renji chimed in. "Eileen, even if you can''t take everything from this room, you can take the most valuable thing, right?" "The most valuable thing?" Eileen looked around, puzzled. Until Renji pointed at himself. "As long as your mom''s still breathing, no matter how sick she is, I can heal her. You''ve seen what I can do." Remembering how Renji had healed her just minutes ago, Eileen''s face turned bright red with excitement. "Right! How could I forget about you, old man... I mean, Mr. Fancy Pants!" But then she looked a bit hesitant. "Are you sure it''s okay?" "What do you mean?" "I mean, your healing thing is super powerful. It must take a lot out of you. Are you sure you want to use it on a scavenger''s sick mom?" Eileen puffed up her cheeks, a bit embarrassed she had to spell it out. It had to be said. After the "Divine Healing," Eileen looked radiant, like a young girl should. The hardships of scavenging had hidden her natural beauty, but now it shone through. Renji was surprised to see Eileen looking so... cute. "First off, you''re not just a scavenger anymore. Secondly, we have a contract, making you my Eclipse. For as long as that contract stands, you''re on my team. You work for me, and I''ve got your back." "Andstly, don''t worry. Back in the day, I was kind of a big deal. Even though I''m not as powerful now, I can still use that healing power of mine a few times a day without breaking a sweat." Hearing Renji''s promise, Eileen finally felt at ease. Of course, when he said something like "you''re mine" she couldn''t help but blush and mumble under her breath. But all in all, Eileen kind of liked the idea of having someone looking out for her. It felt... nice? "Alright, Eileen, let''s get to work. I really don''t want to stay in this creepy ce any longer." Seeing Renji urging her on, yet not lifting a finger himself, Eileen got to work. Considering he could heal her mom, she didn''t mind doing the heavy lifting. She worked hard, crushing those kobold''s candles and spreading the mmable material all around the room. Once done, she picked up Renji and, using the kobolds'' shovel, climbed out of the hole they''de through. She never thought she could climb such a distance, especially not while carrying someone. That was the power of being an Eclipse. Once they were safely out, Renji took the makeshift torch she''d made. The me flickered, casting a soft glow on his face. "So, is this like the end of the prologue?" Renji mumbled. "What did you say?" "Nothing, let''s go." Renji casually tossed the torch into the hole. In seconds, the kobold''s mmable wax ignited with a loud *boom*, setting the entire room aze. The intense heat and bright mes lit up the cavern. Walking behind Renji, Eileen pouted. She''d done all the work, and he just swoops in for the grand finale? Not even a backward nce? ''Trying to act all cool, huh?'' But she had to admit, it was a pretty cool move. She might give it a shot next time! Chapter 13 13: Them [3/5] One big reason Renji picked Eileen was because she knew this area like the back of her hand from her days of scavenging. With Eileen, now as an Eclipse, leading the way, they got to their destination way quicker. In no time, they popped out of an entrance. The bright midday sun made Renji squint as they stepped out of the Cave. When he could see clearly, he noticed that all the tall buildings, streets, busy people, and lively shopping areas he remembered were gone. In their ce was a vast, barren wastnd with iconic holes in the ground, just like in the "ckhole ins" from the game. These were entrances to the goblinirs below. Renji used to explore these ces in the game, leaving behind resource points like the chamber they had just been in. But now, 500 yearster, with the source of the "Tainted Miasma" eradicated and the monster poption reduced, these underground areas of the ckhole ins had been renamed "Relic Caves." Renji shook his head, feeling a mix of nostalgia and realization. This wasn''t a dream or illusion. He was truly in his game world, but 500 years into the future. "Old-timer, you''ve been talking about me, but what about you? What''s your n?" Eileen, now back on the surface, was more talkative. As they headed towards thergest nearby "ckhole Gathering," she started a conversation with Renji. "I think I''ll go find them" Renji said after some thought, referring to his main goal. "Them?" "The five personal guards of the Emperor you mentioned." As expected, Eileen''s eyes widened in shock. "You... you... you!" Eileen wanted to say he was crazy. The "them" Renji referred to were the five most powerful women in the current world. Even knowing Renji''s mysterious background, Eileen felt the need to enlighten this 500-year "old-timer" about the current state of affairs. She held up five fingers, "Listen up, old-timer. The people you''re looking for, one of them is the Empress of Dragon Nation, which has thergest territory and poption, the top power in the world." "And another one is the Elven Queen of the Forest Alliance, who, by studying the "Tainted Miasma," invented magic that countless people are after." "One is the head of the Mechanic Alliance, the world''srgest weapons producer, where the most advanced tech is gathered." "Another is the Holy Kingdom''s Goddess with followers all over the world and countless churches under her. Many people in distress see her as their faith." "And thest one, well, I think she''s the only one you might have a tiny chance of meeting: the ruler of the Demon " ''Huh. Should I be proud that these powerful women were my... wives?'' Hearing Eileen name them, Renji felt a bit taken aback. He also noticed something interesting in her tone. Clearly, Eileen held the first four in high regard. But for thest one, the ruler of the Demon, her tonecked the reverence she had for the others. This made Renji curious. "Why do you think I''d have an easier time meeting this ruler of the Demon? Just being a neutral and still ranking among the top five powers must mean she''s no pushover, right?" "Hmph! Normally, you wouldn''t stand a chance. But the ruler of the Demon race is a subus! Rumor has it she drains the life force from many men every night, and she especially likes pretty boys like you." "If you try hard enough, who knows? Maybe she''ll choose you, and then you''ll get to meet her." Eileen seemed to have a strong distaste for the Demon Queen, which Renji found amusing. He had read a lot about her online, and she was surprisingly innocent. "The rumors you mentioned about her, are there any solid proofs?" Facing Renji''s question, Eileen made a face like a typical inte troll, exaggeratingly saying, "Proof? She''s a subus! Isn''t that proof enough?" ''Yes, Lena was indeed a subus. But she was... unique. Remembering all the times he had taken care of Lena, Renji wasn''t swayed by Eileen''s rumors.'' "Alright, since we''re in the Holy Kingdom, let''s start by finding the little nun... I mean, the Goddess" Seeing Renji''s rxed demeanor, Eileen sighed and facepalmed, thinking she might have wasted her breath exining. But soon, she frowned, sensing something off. "Wait! How do you know we''re in the Holy Kingdom? I don''t remember telling you about our location." "Oh, that? I just pieced it together." "Hah? You figured it out just like that?" Eileen stared with wide, puzzled eyes. Renji, however, just smiled and didn''t offer any more exnation. Seeing him act like this, Eileen decided not to press further. She hated people who spoke in riddles! In truth, Eileen was being a bit unfair to Renji. It''s not like he was being intentionally cryptic. After all, Renji couldn''t exactly tell her that the ckhole ins were one of the initial areas he explored in the game. Back then, the only character apanying him was Suthia. If Suthia had indeed established a new power, she would have definitely included thisnd full of their shared memories. Eileen''s reaction confirmed his guess was correct. Knowing this, Renji felt more at ease. To be honest, the rumor Eileen had mentioned earlier in the chamber¡ªthat the Emperor had disappeared because he was betrayed by his five personal guards¡ªhad served as a wake-up call for him. Even though he knew it wasn''t true, the idea that love could turn to hate wasn''t entirely out of the question. Remembering how he had managed their rtionships in the game, how he had switched their equipment around, he realized that even though their affection levels were above 90% by the end of the game, describing them as "wives" seemed too distant. They were more like family. Still, Renji felt it was better to be cautious, especially since his own powers had been reset. However, there was one exception. ''Yes, Suthia'' She was the only character whose affection level never dropped, no matter how he managed her or switched her equipment with others. She was the only one with "100% affection" in the final game scene. Five hundred years could change a lot. Maybe the other four no longer recognized him as their Emperor, but he believed Suthia would never change her feelings or harm him in any way. Even if this once humble young nun had now be the Goddess of the Holy Kingdom, worshiped by countless followers, Renji believed that Suthia had never given up looking for him over these five hundred years. She must have been waiting for his return. The character who was once so loyal to him in the game had now be real. What could be better than that? Chapter 14 14: Suthia (Part 1) [4/5] ?About half an hour after Renji and Eileen left, a strange twist in space urred near the entrance of the cave they had just exited on the barren ckhole ins. The surroundings took on a weird, dark red hue, almost like a liquid flowing in the air, quickly bing thick and sticky. This could only be the work of one thing: Miasma. And judging by its intensity, the concentration was at least a "B-level" or higher in terms of pollution. Finally, when the whole area was filled with this dark red color, the spatial fluctuations seemed to reach a peak. The next second, the thick, dark red liquid solidified into three human shapes. They were dressed in religious attire, mainly in pure white, but their headscarves and thigh-high stockings were pitch ck. Each had a cross pendant on their chest. Their outfits made it easy to identify them. Nuns from the church. The tallest nun leading them had a scarf covering her eyes, which was now stained with faint traces of blood. She seemed exhausted, kneeling on the ground and panting heavily. Her exposed skin showed dark red patterns simr to those Eileen had, a sign of being tainted by Miasma energy. Without a doubt, this nun was also an Eclipse. The strange urrence and their sudden appearance suggested they had used some sort of teleportation ability or Miasma item, and they had traveled a considerable distance. However, unlike Eileen, the dark red patterns on this nun covered almost her entire body, spreading wildly like the roots of an old tree underground. It looked terrifying. Fortunately, the crosses on their chests began to glow with a pure white light. Under this light, the dark red patterns gradually receded and eventually disappeared into the nun''s body. "Archbishop Maria!" The two nuns behind her rushed to support her. The blindfolded nun named Maria waved them off, signaling she was fine. She slowly stood up and looked around the area, finally focusing on the cave entrance. Her cross pendant also started to flicker intensely. "Let''s go. The location Her Holiness has guided us to is down there." Maria took the lead and walked into the cave, while the two nuns behind her exchanged puzzled nces. Both could see the confusion and questions in each other''s eyes. After all, they''d gone to great lengths, even using a sealed "A-level" Miasma item from the church''s underground vault, just to end up in the middle of nowhere? But even if they were puzzled, they didn''t dare ck off. They quickly followed Archbishop Maria, their hearts filled with a mix of tension and excitement. And for good reason. This was guided by the Holy Maied herself! Ever since Suthia, who founded the Holy Kingdom and the church 300 years ago, went into her "Chamber of Repentance," she''s rarely been seen. Herck ofmunication had her loyal followers worried. Now, she''d actually reached out to them with a holy mission. How could they not be thrilled? Even Archbishop Maria hade in person. If it wasn''t for Her Holiness''s message emphasizing the need for immediate action and utmost secrecy, they believed the church''s crusaders would have surrounded the entire ckhole ins in less than a day. They walked in silence through the dark, winding cave tunnel, guided only by the glowing crosses on their chests. Finally, Maria, who was leading the way, stopped. "This is the ce." Even this tall, masked nun seemed a bit tense. The cross on her chest was glowing brighter than ever, even making a faint humming sound aimed at something up ahead. And that something was a big hole in the ground. As they cautiously approached the hole, the first thing they noticed was a strong burning smelling from below. Maria jumped down without hesitation. She didn''t be Archbishop just through faith; she was also a powerful Eclipse. As soon as shended, she frowned at the chaotic scene around her, which looked like the aftermath of a fire. It seemed like a hidden chamber, but almost everything inside had been burned to a crisp, making it hard to gather any useful information. Maria touched the ash on the wall. Judging by its temperature, the fire must have been put out recently. As for what started it... "Archbishop, there are many bodies here!" The two nuns who had jumped down after her were also clearly Eclipses. They found several charred bodies, unrecognizable but likely human and kobolds based on their shapes. With this, they started to get a clearer picture of what went down. So, it looks like a group of human explorers found this underground chamber. Unfortunately, they got attacked by local monsters, before they could get out. From what they can see, it seems like the explorers and monsters fought to the death. Sadly, everyone lost, and the fight sparked a fire that burned everything in the chamber. So why did Her Holiness rush them here? Fires can hide a lot of things, but they can''t hide the lingering smell of Miasma in the air. Maria sensed it the moment she jumped down. Could it be that this chamber isn''t just some random treasure room, but actually holds something super valuable? Maria and the other two nuns were all thinking the same thing. They exchanged nces, and their hearts started pounding like crazy. It all makes sense now. In this world, only the "Emperor" would be important enough for their Goddess to care this much, right? "Archbishop, what do we do now?" "Don''t rush, let''s keep looking," Maria said as she walked deeper into the chamber. What she didn''t expect was that as she moved, a seemingly ordinary stone coffin came into view. The moment it did, the cross on her chest lit up like daylight, emitting a brilliant white light. Along with it came a terrifying aura. As the three nuns stood there in shock, just like how they had appeared out of nowhere on the ckhole ins, a hazy, holy figure started to form in front of them in the chamber, illuminated by the bright light. Although it was just a blurry silhouette, you could still make out the details. Long, flowing blue hair peeked out from beneath a hooded robe. The top of her outfit had a crisscross neckline that framed a full chest, and an elegant sash cinched her slender waist. Her form-fitting skirt also had a crisscross opening, revealing long, straight legs wrapped in pure white stockings. ¨¨ [like the picture in first chapter] You could tell the nuns'' outfits were inspired by the magical light they were seeing. As the light dimmed, Maria was drenched in sweat. She was so excited and amazed that she didn''t dare look directly at the figure appearing in the room. The other nuns had already bowed their heads out of respect. Maria kept stealing nces at the figure. The person had a smooth forehead, long eyshes, bright blue eyes, and a really pale neck. The wless features were breathtaking. A cute but prominent nose paired with cherry-like lips made her look not just beautiful, but also endearing. Even Maria, who''s a woman herself, felt her cheeks heat up, her eyes filled with admiration. After all, this was the most perfect person in her eyes, the unchanging focus of her faith throughout her life. Their Goddess. Suthia. "Your Holiness" Maria''s voice was shaky with excitement. She never dreamed that the Goddess would actually appear here, even if it was just a projection. This was the first time in a hundred years. However, This dream-like projection of Suthia didn''t respond to the three most loyal nuns standing behind her. Or maybe, In the eyes of this projection of the Goddess, in her entire world, there was only one thing that mattered now. The stone coffin. ------------------ Suithia''s illustration has been released in chapter 00, Chapter 15 15: Suthia (Part 2) [5/5] ?She knew her senses weren''t wrong. After all, only that person could use ''her power''. The woman walked straight to the stone coffin. Her crystal-like, elegant low-heeled boots made a crisp sound on the chamber floor. The silk ribbons tied around her delicate ankles floated as she moved. Finally, she stopped right in front of the stone coffin. She took off her gloves, and her smooth, delicate hands touched the rough, charred surface of the old coffin, making a stark contrast. But she seemedpletely unaware of this, ignoring the dust and cing her hands gently on the coffin. The nuns behind her held back their urge to warn her. After all, in their eyes, their Goddess was pure and wless. How could she touch something so dirty? She even took off her gloves! However, If that scene made Maria and the others ufortable, what happened next left them shocked. Because it seemed that touching the coffin wasn''t enough for her. Not nearly enough. The woman suddenlyy down inside the stone coffin. "Your Holiness!" Maria, the Archbishop, couldn''t take it anymore. The thought of their most sacred and noble Goddess lying in such a dirty, broken stone coffin made Maria feel like she was crawling with ants. She quickly stepped forward, wanting to stop her. Sometimes being someone''s belief means you have to maintain a good image in public. And Suthia had always done that for hundreds of years. She gave hope to refugees. She guided the lost. She brought joy to people. She became their belief. But today, This time, The woman lying in the stone coffin no longer radiated that holy light. Instead, she seemed to blend with the darkness inside the coffin. Her eyes, clear as sapphires, turned ''bloody-red'' in that moment as Maria moved. Buzz!* Maria froze, her face twisted in pain. She opened her mouth as if to scream, but no sound came out. It was as if invisible hands were choking her. The two nuns following her sensed something was wrong and hurriedly tried to move forward. But the crosses on their chests started to flicker, and this time, the holy light wasn''t on their side. It held them in ce, unable to move. ''Interference eliminated'' Finally The woman in the coffin could fully enjoy herself. She wiggled around as if she was on a superfy bed, not a cold, hard stone coffin. The youngdy¡ªno, Suthia in the coffin took a deep breath. Right away, her white skin turned a bit pink, and her usually calm face looked like she was lost in some kind of daydream. ''Yes ?'' ''This scent~, this feeling~ ?!'' She took several deep breaths, almost like she was gasping. Herrge chest heaved under her holy robes. The familiar scent, the familiar feeling, the familiar taste. There was no mistake. ''It all belong to him'' ''My One and only Lord Ashen!'' Suthia was shaking in the coffin, her eyes all dreamy. She touched every part of the coffin, like she was touching the person who used to be in it. "Five hundred years" "Five hundred years, My Lord. You''re finally..." "I knew you were still here, I knew you''de back. My Lord, My love~?" She mumbled faster and faster. The nuns outside the coffin, though physically restrained, could still hear. They were shocked and confused. Was this really their DGoddess? Thankfully, the coffin wasn''t transparent. Otherwise, Maria would''vepletely lost her faith if she saw the young woman''s contorted movements and face inside. She''d think the world had gone mad. But even Suthia''s voice was getting weird. "Why did you disappear? Did Suthia do something wrong? Did Suthia make you angry?" "Why did you abandon us? Why make Suthia suffer for five hundred years? Why, why?! Why, why?!" The voice from the coffin grew more frantic and shrill. Then, all of a sudden, she startedughing¡ªaugh that made Maria super ufortable and scared. "Hehehehehe~" "I get it. You must be hiding from those four, right?" "So they think you''re gone, and you can be with me, with Suthia, forever. No one else wille between us." Her voice was still as clear and ethereal as ever. She sounded excited and joyful, like a little girl about to take home her long-awaited, favorite toy from the store. Suthia in the coffin smiled, a happy crazy smile. Her eyes were filled with hope for a beautiful future. Her eyes, Were filled with insane, bloody-red color. "My Lord, don''t worry! This time, I won''t leave you, and I won''t let you leave either. I''ll keep you with me forever, just for Suthia alone~~?." "This time, no one can take you away from me, not even you, My lord" "Let''s be together, forever. Hehehehe~~?" Her blue hair turned dark red [1]. Her holy boots transformed into bloody-red high heels with spikes. Her religious hat became a crown of thorns, and her pure white robe turned pitch ck. A burst of Miasma energy erupted from the coffin, warping the whole room. The three nuns, who were Eclipses, were hit hard. Two of them fainted, and Maria, the Archbishop, struggled but soon copsed, bleeding from all over her face. Good times are always short-lived. Suthia''s real body was far away, in the ''Confession Room'' of the Holy Kingdom Cathedral. She was just a temporary projection, using her followers as a medium. This projection was starting to break down, unable to hold her power. Reluctantly, she got up from the coffin. She didn''t even nce at her three followers lying on the floor. She looked towards the exit. That''s where Renji and Eileen had left. She wanted to follow them right away, but she didn''t want her Lord to see her like this. She had to be perfect when she met him. ''So, not yet~'' She still had some preparations to make. ''It won''t be long, though'' ''We''ll meet again very soon My Lord~'' "Just wait a little longer, My Lord~? " Suthia thought, holding back her eagerness. She touched the back of her neck. Under the dark red glow of the Tainted Miasma, you could see a faded, worn-out brand on the back of her neck. It seemed like her most precious thing. And this time, she wouldn''t share this precious thing with "Them" After all, "The covenant with My Lord is only for me, Suthia!" With a crazy smile on her face, And her bloody-red heels clicking, Maria, lying on the ground, saw through her blurry vision that the "Goddess" was finallying towards her. But instead of helping her up, she ced her hand on Maria''s head. "You''ve worked hard all these years, Maria." "So, have a good sleep." "Goodnight" -------------------- 1==>[I will Make one With her ck hair and Red eyes tomorrow with the new chapters] Chapter 16 16: Blackhole Plains Gathering Area [1/3] ?1 daily chapter has been released and 2 more for the bonuses of reaching 50pw after 1h, next will be 4 more chapters if we reach 100 so vote. ----------------------------------- Eileen told Renji that the gathering area was not far from their current location in the Relic Cave, just a few miles away. Renji didn''t think it was a big deal at first. But after only walking a few miles, he was sweating bullets and his legs started to hurt. Noticing the disdainful look from the young woman beside him, Renji couldn''t help but recall his high school days when he had scored full marks in physical education. He used to be good at long-distance running and could even do several pull-ups. but after graduating from college, his physical fitness had deteriorated significantly. Darn it! Why didn''t I keep up with regr exercise? With this ssicment echoing in his mind, Renji became even more determined to level up quickly. Half an hourter, "See, that''s the ckhole ins gathering area" Eileen said, pointing to a fortress in the distance, her face showing relief. The phrase she''d heard most during their walk was, "How much longer until we get there?" Renji, who was panting heavily, nced at Eileen, who seemed as energetic as ever even after walking several miles. He then looked in the direction she was pointing. What he saw was a massive wall encircling a wastnd. The wall was so wide that he couldn''t see its end. Below it, there were numerous vehicles and pedestriansing and going. "You call this a gathering area?" Renji looked at the young woman, puzzled. The crowd, the area, and the fortress-like walls made it look more like a city than a gathering area. In the game, a gathering area with a few thousand people was consideredrge. But the scale of this ckhole ins gathering area suggested a poption in the tens of thousands. Had the world developed so well in the five hundred years since? Apparently not. "All thanks to you guys" Eileen pointed at Renji. "What do you mean?" "It''s the ''legacy.'' The Relic Caves used to be famous in the Holy Kingdom. Every year, many neers woulde here hoping to unearth the legendary Emperor''s legacy. At its peak, even major corporations and tycoons were involved. Over time, the gathering area naturally grewrger andrger." "Although the initial craze for the Relic Caves has died down and many major powers have left, the scale and development of the gathering area have been maintained. As for why we haven''t applied for city status and changed the name," Eileen paused for dramatic effect. When they reached the entrance of the ckhole ins gathering area, Eileen pointed to a long line of people waiting to enter. "If it became one of ckhole City and fell under the unified management of the Holy Kingdom Church, how could these gangs openly collect tolls like they do now?" she said, with a sarcastic smile. After hearing what Eileen had to say, Renji checked out the entrance to the ce. He saw that the guys acting like security weren''t in uniforms or anything. They dressed more like that guy with the scar they met before¡ªwearing leather jackets and belts full of ammo, and covered in tattoos. They were smoking andughing while waving their guns to hurry people along. If you paid up, they''d barely nce at you before letting you in. If you hesitated or looked like you had something valuable, they''d surround you. Just the sight of these armed guys was enough to make most people cough up the money, even if they didn''t want to. And if you had something valuable, they''d take a cut before letting you go. Renji also noticed there were two lines¡ªone for pedestrians and another for vehicles. The vehicle line was more lenient; some cars were waved through without any questions. Seeing Renji notice the other line, Eileen snorted, "Those who can afford cars are either rich or part of these gangs. These bullies wouldn''t dare mess with them." Nodding, Renji turned his attention back. Now they had a problem. If this were the kind of hangout he''d initially thought, it would be fine. But now, they had to get past these gang members. They seemed careless enough that paying them off would probably work, but if they recognized Eileen, that could spell trouble. Eileen seemed to read his mind and smirked. She patted Renji on the shoulder and said, "Rx, old-timer. You think I''d let these jerks¡ªthese gang members¡ªrob me every time Ie and go? Us scavengers have our own special ways in and out." That was a pleasant surprise. Renji''s eyes lit up, and he gave Eileen a thumbs-up. "Didn''t know you were so resourceful!" "Hmph, I''ve got plenty of tricks up my sleeve!" A few minutester, they were in a dark alley somewhere in the gathering hangout. The sewer cover wiggled a bit and then popped open with a loud noise. Renji and Eileen climbed out. "So this is your secret way in?" Renji asked, holding his nose and scraping something sticky off his shoe with a rock. "What''d you think? That we''d have a VIP tunnel or something?" Eileen said, shaking some trash off her shoulder like it was no big deal. Okay, fine. Renji took back his mental high-five about Eileen being clever. "Let''s go, the clinic is a few blocks from here," Eileen said, eager to get moving as it concerned her mother. But Renji grabbed her arm to stop her. "What''s up?" "You n to go see your mom looking like this?" Renji asked. "Oh," Eileen realized she couldn''t just walk in openly. Her mom was in a shady clinic because they couldn''t afford the big church-run hospital. The ce was chaotic, and there might be spies from Callewa''s gang. If Callewa found out she''d returned without his men who were sent to find the ''legacy,'' that would be a big problem. "The more low-key we are, the longer it''ll take for the gang to investigate. That gives us time to get your mom and get out of here," Renji said. "So, unless your mom''s condition is life-threatening and could worsen any moment, we shouldn''t rush." Eileen shook her head. "No, she''s seriously ill, but the doctors said she could recover quickly with surgery. It''s not life-threatening yet." "Great, then we''re not in a hurry. Let''s find a ce to change our clothes and disguise ourselves first," Renji said. "Alright," Eileen agreed, seeing the logic in staying under the radar for now. "So, what are we waiting for? Lead the way!" Renji urged. Eileen looked puzzled. "Uh, where are we going?" "Home, of course!" Renji said, as if it were obvious. Eileen was still confused. "Home?" Chapter 17 17: The Past [2/3] The Slums. Located on the south side of the gathering area, the streets were full of potholes and puddles of murky water. As Renji walked by, he could smell something like weeks-old dirty socks. But judging by the expressions on people''s faces, it seemed like they were used to it. The trash cans were overflowing and buzzing with flies and mosquitoes. Eileen told Renji that the garbage trucks onlye by every two weeks. That''s actually better than before; they starteding more often after a disease outbreak in the area. Otherwise, you might not see a garbage truck for a whole month. Even in a poor area like this, there were different levels of housing. Mostmon were the shacks, made of a few wooden poles and some fabric. Renji could see through the gaps in the door curtains that these tiny spaces housed families of three or even more. A step up from that were the mud-brick houses. They looked like lumps of y from the outside, but at least they offered better protection from the elements than the shacks. Finally, the "luxury" housing in this poor area were what you could barely call "apartments." These low-rise buildings had about three or four floors, each floor housing a dozen or so families. The exterior paint and ster of these apartments had long since peeled off. The rustydders used for climbing were creaky, making Renji worry they might copse at any moment. Luckily, Eileen''s home was on the second floor. For some reason, seeing Eileen take out a key to open an old-fashioned lock made Renji feel like she was living the high life. It just goes to show, happiness is rtive. Click. With the sound of the key turning in the lock, Eileen reluctantly opened the door for Renji. This was the first time she had brought a man home from outside, and even though it was out of necessity, it still felt weird. "Hope I''m not intruding," Renji said as he stepped in. Eileen had already told him the ce was empty, but he thought it was polite to say something. Renji had imagined a scavenger''s home to be a cluttered, dirty ce with no room to move. He was even ready for it to smell weird. But what he saw was totally different. "Do I need to change into slippers?" Renji asked as soon as he stepped inside, looking at the clean floor and the neatly arranged slippers by the door. Even though the slippers looked pretty worn out, just the fact that there were slippers to change into seemed astonishing and out of ce in this poor neighborhood. "Up to you, my mom''s not here anyway," Eileen said, walking past without changing her shoes. Clearly, this good habit was something her mom had instilled. After putting on the slippers, Renji took a quick look around. Eileen''s home felt like it was around 400-500 square feet, but it was well-organized and seemed to have everything you''d need. What caught his eye was that this small space actually had a living room and two other rooms! It was clear that these partitions were addedter. Whoever lived here wasn''t just settling; they were trying to make the most out of the space. "Stay in the living room; I''m going to change. I''ll see if I can find something for you to wear," Eileen said before heading into another room. She quickly popped her head back out, "Don''t do anything weird!" "Do I look like that kind of guy?" Renji asked. "Yes!" While Eileen was busy changing, Renji took the opportunity to look around. The frayed sofa, worn-out tables and chairs, faded tablecloth, and flickering old light bulb all spoke to Eileen''s tough financial situation. Even the kitchen faucet was dripping intermittently. But on the flip side, from the slippers at the entrance to theck of dust on the old furniture, and the neatly tied garbage bags, everything was clean and orderly. It was a stark contrast to the mess outside and showed a positive attitude toward life. Finally, Renji''s eyesnded on a corner of the living room wall. It was covered in awards. "The Most Improved," "Third ce in ckhole ins Math Contest," "Excellent Character" "Star of Creativity," "Outstanding Novice Nun," "Basic Mechanics Certification," "Civilization Role Model"... The awards clearly belonged to Eileen, dating back to when she was a little girl. This was a bit of a revtion for Renji. These weren''t just fluff awards; they were the real deal. Some were from church-affiliated schools, and others were from international training organizations. It made him see Eileen in a whole new way. Renji saw that the newest award on the wall was six years ago. That would mean Eileen was just out of grade school back then. Looks like her schooling stopped all of a sudden. Parents usually put up awards like these when they''re proud of their kids and have high hopes for them. His eyes then shifted to a family photo next to the wall of awards. A young Eileen was in the picture, chubby-cheeked and smiling. Her mom, with long brown hair, held her hand. She wasn''t dressed fancy, just a simple linen shirt, but she was stunning. Renji thought Eileen got her good looks from her mom. One thing puzzled him, though. Why did so many moms like to tie their hair in a side ponytail? It looked nice but seemed risky. He wondered if that had anything to do with Eileen''s mom''s illness. Finally, his eyes moved to where Eileen''s dad should be. Oddly, that part of the photo looked like it had been ripped off. Come to think of it, Eileen had mentioned her mom a lot but never her dad. Even the slippers at the door were just two pairs. "He''s dead," Eileen''s voice came from behind him. She had changed her clothes. She nced at the family photo he was looking at and said tly, "He died from a bacsh of internal Tainted Miasma. He lost control on the second day after bing an Eclipse and was killed after turning into a monster." "The night before, he was excitedly telling us about the bright future he envisioned. He thought he could make a lot of money with his Eclipse abilities and take us away from this chaotic ce to a hopeful big city." "It''s messed up, right? My dad left us just to get some weak power. He said he''d protect us, but he didn''t even know what we really wanted," Eileen said, her fists clenched, showing she wasn''t as cool about it as she seemed. "I''m sorry," was all Renji could say. Now he got why Eileen really didn''t like the word "Eclipse" and why she ended up scavenging, despite all her awards as a kid. "So, the kobold''s y statue that time was..." Renji remembered the item that led to the gang''s downfall. Given the world they lived in, Tainted Miasma items weren''t something just anyone could have. "Yes, that''s right. He found it in the ck market. It''s what turned him into an Eclipse. It''s also the only thing he left us. I''ve kept it with me, never thinking it would actuallye in handy one day," Eileen said, shaking her head with a wry smile before quickly changing the subject. "Look, all this happened six years ago. I''m not some little girl who needsforting anymore. I''m telling you this because... here, your clothes." Eileen handed Renji a wrinkled worker''s outfit that looked like it hadn''t been worn in years. "We don''t have any men''s clothes around here. The only thing you can wear is something my dad used to wear. If you think it''s bad luck, just suck it up." Speaking of which, Renji had been wanting to say something since he first saw Eileen in her new outfit. "Is this what you call a change of clothes?" "A ragged coat, torn leather pants, and... work boots? Other than looking a bit cleaner, how is this any different from what you were wearing before? You still look like a scavenger! And couldn''t you at least put on some makeup?" Renji couldn''t help but look frustrated. Eileen looked a bit embarrassed and annoyed. She thought she''d spent a good amount of time getting dressed in the other room, only for Renji to say she looked the same! She tugged at the corner of her faded coat, which she had washed several times, and said a bit dejectedly, "What else can I do? These are the only clothes I have, scavenger clothes! I don''t have anything else, let alone makeup! Sorry for being poor, okay?!" Ignoring her frustrated response, Renji pondered for a moment and then looked at the money pouch tied to Eileen''s waist. If he remembered correctly, she had taken it from the bodies of the gang members when they were collecting candles from the goblin corpses. He had turned a blind eye to this likely substantial sum before, but now... "Miss Eileen, would you like to know what it feels like to be a nobledy?" "No, absolutely not!" Eileen immediately saw what Renji was getting at and clutched her money pouch protectively. Too bad for her. "No, you do," Renji said, using his contract to control Eileen''s actions, making her reluctantly hand over the money pouch to him. "Also, I''d like to make a good impression when I meet your mom. You know how important first impressions are. So lead the way, Miss Eileen. Let''s go to the most expensive and luxurious clothing store around." Chapter 18 18: A Change Of Clothes [3/3] st chapter for today, enjoy *^ Yore Clothing Store. Located in the wealthy district, this store is not just famous in ckhole ins but also throughout the Holy Kingdom. The clothes and jewelry here can cost hundreds or even thousands. Because it''s arge chain store with a powerful owner, and given that the wealthy district is under the protection of the "Church" even the local gangs rarely show up here. At this moment, a man and a woman walked out of this glitzy clothing store, instantly catching the eyes of many passersby. The man, Renji, was wearing a brand-new brown suit. Just by looking at the cut and lines of the outfit, you could tell it was high-end. The suit made him look broader in the shoulders and highlighted his well-proportioned figure. The vest underneath filled out his chest, and the elegant wingtip cor added a touch of sophistication. That''s the power of high-end fashion; it enhances the wearer''s charm. But the real eye-catcher is the woman next to him, Eileen. Her outfit was simple but effective: a fitted little ck dress. The dress hugged her figure, showcasing the youthful vitality unique to young women. The design gave enough room for her chest while making her waist look even slimmer. The slit in the skirt added a touch of imagination, revealing her legs now and then. The serious ck color,bined with a pair of red-bottomed high heels, bnced out her youthful vibe without making her look too mature, adding instead a yful test. People passing by took quick nces and then lowered their heads, not daring to stare. They were probably thinking, "Where did this rich youngdye from?" For ckhole ins, outsiders are prettymon, especially during the initial craze of the Relic Caves. Back then, you''d often seevishly dressed strangers spending money in the area. But now that the craze has died down, such sightings have be rare. It''s worth mentioning that the locals, who are used to seeing people from powerful backgrounds, can easily tell the difference between a nouveau riche and a genuinely important person. The method is simple: even the nouveau riche can grit their teeth and buy expensive clothes, but they can''t fake the aura, especially the aura of the young woman standing in front of the clothing store. One look at her well-maintained, glowing skin, and you know she''s never had a hard day in her life. To the locals, this is a better indicator of her "rich youngdy" status than any expensive outfit. However... People totally misjudged them this time. Good thing they''re far away. If they were closer, they''d hear what they think is a well-mannered richdy from a ''big city'' actually saying, "This piece of junk is just a few scraps of cloth! The fabric isn''t even half as much as my old coat! And they dare to charge a fortune for it? Who do they think they are? Royalty?" "And these crappy shoes, over 500 bucks! Can you believe it? They''re ufortable and look terrible, and they''re charging me 500 bucks for them! What a rip-off!" "Wasteful! Suckers! Creeps! I''m so mad! So angry!" Eileen was so ticked off that she started stomping her feet. But then she remembers she''s wearing those expensive shoes and stops, not wanting to ruin them. Seeing her act like this, Renji feels a bit helpless but also thinks it was wise to have used his "contract" to keep her quiet in the store. "Miss Eileen, I get the first fewints, but thest one about ''creeps''?" "Hmph, look at those saleswomen in the store, skirts so short they can barely cover anything. And just because you bought some clothes, they''re giving you their business cards and making eyes at you. They''d stick to you if they could. Just for a sale, they''re acting all flirty. Ugh, disgusting!" Eileen sticks out her tongue, pretending to throw up. Renji nces at the dramatic girl next to him and suggests, "If you hate it so much, I can return your outfit. We haven''t gone far." Then, as expected, Eileen''sints suddenly stop, and she starts to look a bit flustered. "No, no need for that. The fabric might be less, but the quality is okay. And stores like this won''t take returns once you''ve bought something. Plus..." Clearly, despite herints, Eileen really likes the ck dress. She''s used to wearing rough, scratchy clothes, so the soft, smooth fabric of this dress feels amazing to her. And even though she won''t admit it, those darn high-end designers know how to make clothes that people love. She used to think that any clothes would do and that women who spent money on clothes were fools. That was until she tried on this outfit. Eileen won''t forget how she felt when she saw herself in the fitting room mirror. She couldn''t even recognize herself. She never thought clothes could make such a big difference. Men and games, women and clothes. Seems like this saying applies in any world. Eileen starts to sound a bit flustered, scrambling for reasons to stop Renji from returning the clothes. It''s only when she sees Renji''s amused expression that she realizes he''s messing with her. "Hmph! That money was taken from the gang anyway. Even if we return the clothes, you won''t give it back to me. So why shouldn''t I enjoy it?" Eileen flicks her head, letting her hair flow freely. Her ponytail, which she used to tie up for convenience when scavenging, had been let down by Renji as part of her makeover. Now, her long, coffee-colored hair, simr to her mother''s, flows freely, even curling a bit at the ends. Maybe she''s not used to having her hair down, but when she flicks her head, her hair floats around her face. She reluctantly tucks it behind her ears, a move that surprisingly suits her. This makes Renji once again appreciate the strong genes from Eileen''s mother. And also wonder how such a promising young woman could be so outspoken. With her skin cleansed by Divine Healing, her expensive ck dress and heels, and her new hairstyle, Eileen lookspletely transformed. Even she can barely recognize herself, let alone the gang members. They head openly towards the southwest side of the gathering area, where Eileen''s mother''s underground clinic is located. This ce is a gray area, situated between the wealthy district and the gang-controlled territory. Just entering the gathering area means getting skimmed by the gangs, so you can imagine what it''s like in this gray zone. But Eileen, being a resourceful young woman, has her own special way of getting into the gray area easily. And this time, it seems pretty reliable. It''s through the back door of a bar. The Sea Sand Bar. Chapter 19 19: Sea Sand Bar[1/5] ?[Sorry for the dy. I had a very challenging quiz, so I couldn''t release two stories at once. The good news is I have a 3-day holiday, so I''ll be releasing 5 chapters each day starting today. *^] 1 more chapter after 5m The remaining 3chapters will be posted after Ie back from uni, -------------------------- "Man, this ce has gotten sketchy over the years. How many people have gone missing now? Has the Church just stopped caring or what?" "Today, I picked up an ancient coin from the ck market. It looks like it''s in good condition. I''m going to have it appraisedter. If it turns out to be a Miasma item, I''ll be rich! Time to treat myself with some pretty girls!" "Hey, did you hear what old John said? He just got back and was talking about some big red light near the Relic Cave. Think it''s treasure? Wanna go check it out?" "Give it a rest, a towering red light? You actually believe the ramblings of that old drunk John? For all we know, he got stered outside and made it all up. It''s not the first or second time he''s spouted nonsense." "Here''s to hoping those Callewa gangsters get what''sing to them. Cheers!" The moment the bar''s door swung open, the rowdy shouts of drunken patrons at the bar filled the air. Some were ying drinking games in small groups, while others were boasting among friends. Of course, the majority were those who came here to vent their various frustrations about life, fueled by alcohol. The ring background rock music stimted people''s nerves, while the dazzling, colorful neon lights allowed those on the dance floor to let loose. No matter the era, entertainment venues like bars will never disappear. There are plenty of bars in ckhole ins'' gathering ce, and the Sea Sand Bar is just one of them. Renji, who had just entered, seemed a little ufortable with the somewhat chaotic environment of the bar. However, looking at the young girl beside him, it seemed like she felt right at home. "Ha! Old-timer, is this your first time at a bar? Rx, this is our turf. I''ve got your back; no one will mess with you here." The young girl pped her own shoulder in a big-brotherly fashion. Given their prior experience in the sewers, Renji took Eileen''s words with a grain of salt, remaining skeptical. "Our turf?" "Yeah. The owner of this bar used to be a well-known scavenger. After retiring, naturally, a lot of his colleaguese here to patronize the ce. Over time, it''s be a recognized gathering ce for all of us scavengers in ckhole ins. We form teams here, exchange information, trade items, and ept missions. Basically, think of it as our union headquarters!" The girl looked super proud, like she owned the ce. That made Renji curious. "So, you''re pretty famous here?" "You bet! Ask anyone, they all know Eileen. No joke, when ites to scavenging, I''m the best there is. Why else do you think those Callewa gang wanted me as their guide?" "I see, you''re pretty good then." Seeing the long-missing look of admiration on the young man''s face, Eileen lifted her fair chin up. She felt like she had finally regained some ground, taking the upper hand between the two of them. As Eileen led Renji through the bar, she continued to speak. "Next, we''re heading to the back door of the bar, which is usually just for staff. But don''t worry, I know everyone here really well, including the owner I mentioned earlier. We''re all like family, so a small favor to let us through is no big deal." "But right now, he''s probably just hanging out at the bar, chatting with customers. Look out for a guy with a big beard, scary eyes, a melon-like head, a beer belly, and a blue ne. That''s him, Brian." Eileen was still exining this to Renji when she noticed he had suddenly stopped walking. His gaze was fixed straight ahead. Before she had a chance to turn her head and see what caught his attention, a flirtatious voice rang out. "Wow! What brings such a pretty littledy to our bar today? Wanna join us for a drink?" Yep, getting hit on at a bar. Renji was used to this kind of drama by now. However, as Renji sized up the man who had approached them: Beer belly¡ªcheck. Full beard¡ªcheck. Head shaped like a melon¡ªcheck. Normally, his eyes would have looked fierce, but now they were lecherously scanning Eileen. And most importantly, he had a sapphire ne around his neck. ''Sigh¡­'' Renji let out a breath. Soon enough, several more men appeared behind therge guy, clearly his pals. They were also leering at Eileen and began toment amongst themselves. "Wow, look at those designer clothes. She must be some rich little missy." "Sweetie, you''re too dressed up for a ce like this. Better head home!" "Those legs are amazing, I could admire them for a year!" "Too bad she''s a bit leaking in that area, not ripe enough. I prefer more mature women." "Hey, keep it down, guys. Be careful with your words. If you piss her off, she might call her bodyguards from outside to break your legs." "Hahahaha~" "Hahahahahahahaha~" Brian, the bar owner, and his four or five drinking buddies burst intoughter. But then, one of them took a closer look at Eileen and suddenly said: "Hey, is it just me or does thisdy look a bit like Eileen?" Renji thought this might be a turning point. But sadly, no. "What? Are you drunk? I watched Eileen grow up. She''s nothing like this! Even the thought of her in high heels is hrious!" Brian said, dramatically holding his beer belly as heughed. The other patrons, who looked like scavengers, joined in theughter and even scolded the guy who made the initialment. "Right, you almost killed the mood saying she looks like Eileen. We finally find someone easy on the eyes, and you bring her up?" "I''d eat a toilet if Eileen ever wore a dress, let alone heels!" "Okay, okay, let''s drop the Eileen talk. Look, you''re making this youngdy ufortable mentioning another woman''s name." "Man? You think my ''big bro'' Eileen is a youngdy? If she heard you, she''d have words with your entire family!" "To be fair, I do respect Eileen''s sharp tongue." "Ha, ha, ha!" The situation had indeed shifted, but in a weird direction. Once the topic of "Eileen in women''s clothes" was opened, the scavengers and the bar owner seemed to forget about hitting on Eileen and started making jokes about her, as if this was the funniest thing ever. Renji nced at Eileen, who had lowered her head slightly, her long coffee-colored hair covering half her face. He couldn''t see her expression, but her clenched fists spoke volumes. Through their "contract," he could feel the gathering Miasma within her. For a moment, Renji didn''t know whether to feel sorry for Eileen or the guys who were about to get a piece of her mind. Just then, when it seemed like things might escte, a loud bang came from the bar''s entrance. It was obviously an exaggerated kick at the door. Everyone in the bar turned their heads, including Brian and his buddies. One even jumped a bit. "Oh no, does she really have bodyguards?" ''Obviously not¡­'' Renji squinted as he saw about ten gang members, armed with sticks and guns, rush into the bar. The "Sand Rose" logo prominently disyed on their jackets said it all. ''Callewa gang'' Chapter 20 20: Rewards[2/5] ?"I''ve heard that this ce is a favorite hangout for rats, and now that I''m here, it seems true. I can smell the stink from a mile away," Said a man in a ck suit who had just walked in with the gang members. His taunting words quickly ruffled the feathers of many patrons in the Sea Sand Bar. "What''s the matter? You don''t like what I''m saying?" The man in the ck suit raised an eyebrow, looking disdainfully at the nearest scavengers. Alcohol already makes people edgy, and this guy''s condescending attitude was thest straw for some. A couple of scavengers picked up their sses, ready to throw them at the man. The man''s eyes were filled with even more scorn and disdain. He didn''t seem to care about their reaction. In fact, it''s exactly what he wanted. If they threw the first punch¡ªor ss, in this case¡ªthen his gang was ready to retaliate. You could see that some members of the Callewa gang already had their guns aimed at the scavenger holding the ss, just waiting for him to make his move. Just as the ss was about to be thrown, arge figure moved swiftly to grab the scavenger''s wrist. "Leave this to me," a calming voice said. It was Brian, the bar owner. He wasn''t joking around or acting tipsy anymore. Brian had a lot of respect in this ce. The agitated scavenger immediately calmed down, putting the ss back on the table. He was clearly relieved; if he''d thrown that ss, he would''ve been in big trouble. "All unrted folks, please leave. The Sea Sand Bar is closing early tonight," Brian announced, his voice echoing throughout the bar. Most of the patrons breathed a sigh of relief and started to leave this ce of impending trouble. Normally, if anyone else caused a scene, they might tolerate it. But this time, it was Callewa, the most powerful gang in the ckhole ins. Even if they were insulted and called rats, they had to swallow their pride. After all, their lives were more important than their egos. The guy in the suit from Callewa just snorted. He looked a bit disappointed but didn''t stop anyone from leaving. The bar emptied out pretty fast. Renji looked at the young girl next to him. Eileen didn''t move an inch, her eyes glued to the tense standoff between Brian and the gang at the door. From the look of things, Renji guessed she''d mentally ruled out leaving as an option. After all, she''d been really excited about showing him this bar, like it was her second home or something. ''Fine, then'' Renji didn''t say much, just focused back on what was happening. "This is Viper territory. I might not be part of your Callewa gang, but there are rules about not making trouble on someone else''s turf, right?" Brian tried to negotiate, with a face serious. The man justughed. "Yeah, sure, unless the Viper is dead." "You''re Brian, the guy in charge of these ''rats'', right? Let''s not waste time. The idiot who used to protect you guys is gone because he messed up. Now I''m the new boss around here. You get what I''m saying?" The guy gestured with his hand, hinting at a demand for protection money. Around here, pretty much every local business had to pay the gangs, and Callewa was the greediest of them all. "We''ve already paid this month''s protection for the Bar," Brian said, his voice low. The man shook his head. "You paid the Viper, not me." After a few seconds of silence, Brian signaled to one of his guys, who went into the back of the bar and returned with a cash box. "Take it and leave," Brian said, tossing the box to one of the man''s goons. Eileen seemed relieved, thinking Brian''s decision to pay up was a smart move to avoid any violence. But Renji quietly shook his head. He had a feeling this wasn''t over. The guy in the ck suit wouldn''t make such a big show just for some cash. The man nced at the cash box, then held up three fingers to Brian. "What''s that supposed to mean?" "Your payment falls short. I don''t know what rates the Viper set for you, but if this small box is all you''ve got, you owe me two more just like it." At that, it was Brian''s guys who lost their cool first. So, the guy was asking for four times the usual protection money. One box was about 5,000 Ashen Coins. That would mean they''d have to fork over a whopping 20,000 Ashen Coins every month! The Sea Sand Bar didn''t even make 20,000 most months, and that''s just revenue, not pure profit. This wasn''t just a shakedown; it was a death sentence! The Sea Sand Bar crew was instantly fired up. Some were yelling, and others even started pulling out their weapons. The tension in the bar skyrocketed, and it looked like things were about to go south. "Everyone, put your guns down!" Brian''s booming voice calmed the room. Seeing some of his own guys still holding their guns, Brian emphasized, "I said, put the guns down." "But boss¡ª" "You ignoring me now? Put. It. Down." Finally, begrudgingly, everyone at the Sea Sand Bar lowered their weapons. Brian then calmly said, "Woody, bring three more boxes." p, p, p. The man in the ck suit, who had watched the whole thing, started apuding. Even he had to respect Brian''s patience. But the apuse sounded super sarcastic to the Sea Sand Bar crew. Eileen clenched her fists so hard her nails dug into her palms. Deep down, she felt the same as most people in the bar. She wanted to fight these bullies. But maybe it was spending time with Renji that made her realize Brian''s approach was actually the smartest. The other guys were clearly prepared for a fight, and who knows if they had more people waiting outside. If it came down to a brawl, the unprepared Sea Sand Bar would definitely lose. Then it wouldn''t just be about protection money; they''d lose the bar itself. Of course, there was another way to win. ""Her"" Eileen had be an Eclipse. Her recent experience fighting Kobolds in the Relic Cave had shown her just how strong she''d be. She believed they could win if she joined in. But then what? These guys weren''t like the clumsy Kobolds she''d fought before. And she couldn''t guarantee everyone else''s safety in a gunfight. Even if they won, the cost would be high in lives lost. And Eileen knew her Sea Sand Bar friends weren''t scavengers anymore; they had families, wives, kids. What would happen to them? And what about retaliation from Callewater? In the end, what made Eileen give up on the idea was Renji. Renji was totally uninvolved in this mess, and Eileen couldn''t drag him into it just because she felt like picking a fight. She was supposed to be his bodyguard. What kind of bodyguard puts their employer in danger instead of protecting them? Besides, given their current "contract," it was more like he was her "master" rather than an employer. From what she knew about Renji, Eileen was sure that if she tried to step in, he''d take control away from her in a heartbeat. These thoughts made her nce over at Renji. Surprisingly, their eyes met. Turns out, he''d been watching her all along. "You," Eileen was speechless. "You did well, Miss Eileen. I thought you might just rush in without thinking," Renji said, genuinely praising her. He was prepared for either scenario. If she had rushed in without consulting him, he would''ve restrained her immediately and considered a different approach for their rtionship moving forward. Eileen was, after all, the only Eclipse he had right now. Renji had one main expectation from her: that she''d prioritize him above all else and understand her role as a "subordinate." He could put up with some of her quirks and ws, but he couldn''t tolerate someone who didn''t take him seriously or disregarded the boss. Luckily, that unpleasant scenario didn''t happen. Just the look Eileen gave him when she turned her head was enough. For Renji, that was sufficient. After all, they''d only been together for less than a day. ''Seems like I''d done a pretty good job winning her over so far'' Muttering this to himself, Renji decided to speak up. He had prepared a n B, and now it was time to use it. "Miss Eileen, considering your improved behavior, I think you deserve a reward." "So," "Feel free to do whatever you want." "What?!" Eileen looked shocked, hardly believing her ears. Up until now, she''d seen Renji as someone who was super cautious and calcting. In her world, he was like a Voldemort, always ying it safe. And now he''s suddenly turned into some sort of action hero? Reading her disbelief, Renji said, "Look, I just don''t likeplications. But if troublees knocking, I don''t mind turning it into experience points. I could use some, actually." "Experience points? What does that even mean?" Eileen was confused for a moment, but her excitement quickly brushed the question aside. She felt a rush of adrenaline, like she was finally going to let loose. She had just onest worry. "But they have guns, and there are a lot of them. I''m worried about the others." "Don''t forget what you''ve got, Miss Eileen. You have something legendary: the ''Legacy''," Renji interrupted, instantly boosting her confidence and dispelling herst doubts. Eileen felt the dormant power of the Tainted Miasma energy stir within her. Waves of Eclipse energy started to surge, like a tideing in. A faint red light flickered in her eyes, and the mark of their contract on the back of her neck began to glow softly. "I get it now!" Everyone''s attention had been on the front of the bar, so they hadn''t noticed the two "outsiders" still in the back. But as Eileen started to walk, the sharp clicks of her heels on the floor echoed through the empty bar, drawing everyone''s eyes to her. As she became the center of attention, Renji threw in onest piece of advice. "Oh, and try not to leave any survivors if you can" Chapter 21 21: Miss Feisty [3/5] ?2 more chapter after 1h During negotiations between a wolf pack and a pack of hyenas, a fluffy little whitemb suddenly strolls in. That''s what it felt like right now in the Sea Sand Bar, for everyone¡ªwhether they were part of the gang or just regr bar-goers. Brian froze. The man in the ck suit, "Grey Wolf," who had just be the new boss of this neighborhood after some internal Callewa gang drama, also froze. After a short pause, Brian''s man¡ªwho''d been flirting with Eileen¡ªthat speaks up: "Hey, isn''t that the rich girl from before?" "Damn, why is she still here?" "Is she drunk or something? Of all the times toe out!" "This idiot! She''s trapped now!" Theirments snapped Brian back to reality. He internally cursed this "rich girl" who was clueless about reading the mood, as he quickly stepped forward to shield Eileen from view with hisrge body. "Go out!" Brian growled softly to Eileen, who was now standing in his shadow. He was okay with his guys flirting with pretty girls in the bar¡ªthat was an unspoken rule. But as the owner, he also had to make sure everyone was safe. He''d kicked out people before for getting too handsy after a few drinks. His reputation wasn''t the only reason the Sea Sand Bar was popr. This time, however, several of Brian''s smarter henchmen quickly understood what he was trying to do. They started moving toward Eileen, intending to get her out of there as quickly as possible. But then¡ª Bang!* A gunshot rang out, stopping everyone in the Sea Sand Bar. Grey Wolf holstered his smoking gun, his eyes fixed intently on Brian¡ªor more urately, on the beautifuldy he was shielding. "Move," he said. Brian didn''t budge. "We''ve already given you the four boxes of protection money. You should leave now." "Do you not understand me? Move!" Grey Wolf shouted, losing his patience. "I''ve changed my mind. The protection money from Sea Sand Bar isn''t enough. I want the woman behind you as well!" Grey Wolf said, not bothering to hide his intentions. To be honest, he was absolutely smitten by the "littlemb" that just walked in. As a mid-level boss in Callewa, Grey Wolf had his fair share of beautiful women. Butpared to the girl who just showed up, he felt like all his previous flings were second-rate. Sure, her high-ss outfit helped. But it wasn''t just about clothes, which Grey Wolf could easily afford. It was her wless skin, her expressive eyes, and her overall aura that caught his attention. "Alright, old man, move out of the way. I agree with that guy; you''re blocking the way" said an impatient voice behind Brian. And that voice, that tone, and that familiar nickname¡ªonly one person in the Sea Sand Bar would call Brian that. Brian turned around, shocked. The bar owner''s eyes widened. "Hmph, we''ll settle thister!" Eileen shot an annoyed re at the dazed man in front of her. She then sidestepped Brian and walked up to the man in ck. "Hey, I heard you want to take me with you?" Eileen said, not mincing words. Hearing Eileen''s bluntnguage, Grey Wolf''s men started to get agitated, but Grey Wolf raised his hand to stop them. Let''s face it, a pretty face can make a man more tolerant. "I just think someone as beautiful and ssy as you shouldn''t be in a dump like this, don''t you agree?" Grey Wolf said, thinking he was being quite the gentleman. He wasn''t just some fool blinded by lust. From Eileen''s appearance and her fearless attitude, Grey Wolf was even more convinced that she must have some sort of powerful background. "So, I''m Hamoud Mullen, currently running the Callewa operation in this neighborhood. I also happen to be the youngest boss on record. May I have the pleasure of knowing your name?" Grey Wolf said, feeling a bit more patient and even introducing himself. "You want to know who I am? Come closer," Eileen beckoned him with her finger. Maybe because she didn''t seem threatening, dressed as she was, Grey Wolf actually stepped closer. As he leaned in to hear her reply, what he got was: "I''m your worst nightmare!" Following her angry words was her fist, clenched tight. Eileen didn''t hold back. Just like Renji had advised, she threw a punch straight at his face with all her might. Bang!* The room full of Callewa gang members watched in shock as their boss, who was just a moment ago cozying up to this ''rich girl'', was now flying through the air,nding at least twenty feet away. He crashed into the bar, sending bottles and furniture flying, and wentpletely still. This all happened in a split second, catching everyone off guard. But not Eileen. Right afternding her punch, she didn''t stop. She took advantage of the confusion to charge at the still-dazed Callewa gang members. Her high heels weren''t Renji''s idea; she''d picked them out herself at a store. Most people would have trouble walking in them, let alone fighting. But for Eileen, who was now an Eclipse, the sharp heels were like tiny des. In a quick move, she shed the throat of a gang member in front of her. He clutched his bleeding neck with wide eyes, falling to the ground, both shocked and unwilling to believe what just happened. Chapter 22 22: Magnetic Pulse [4/5] ?1 more chapter after 30m. Seeing their buddy go down right in front of them, even the slowest guys in the Callewa gang snapped out of it. They didn''t even bother to pull out their guns; they just rushed at Eileen with big knives. At this point, they didn''t care that their boss had taken a liking to this woman. After all, their boss was out ofmission, maybe even dead. But Eileen made their go-to street-fighting moves look like child''s y. Facing a bunch of knivesing at her, Eileen stayed chill. Her eyes had this faint red glow, and it felt like her senses were on steroids. It was like that time she faced those creepy underground monsters¡ªthe world around her seemed to slow down. She dodged every swing like a pro, pulling out a hidden knife from her thigh. She used it to quickly and urately take down each guying at her. Brian wanted to shout a warning when he saw a knife swinging toward Eileen''s back. But her super senses had already picked up on it. Ducking at just the right moment, she made the guy misspletely. She then unleashed a spinning kick that took down attackers from three directions. As for thest guy in front of her, she stabbed him in the heart before he could even swing his weapon. Everyone in the Seaside Bar, including Brian, was stunned. This woman they had underestimated was taking out these gang members like it was nothing, putting on a one-woman action show. However, closebat was one thing; the situation was different at a distance. "Damn it!" Brian cursed. He''d been so captivated by Eileen''s performance that he''d forgotten to draw his gun, as had many others in the bar. By the time Brian realized he should join the fight, the remaining gang members had already cocked their guns. The gang members who''d died in closebat with Eileen had at least bought time for theirrades to aim. "Die!" With a roar full of hatred and madness, five or six Callewa gang members aimed their guns at Eileen, ready to pull the trigger. In that moment, the only thought in Brian''s mind was¡ª ''It was over''. Eileen was tough, but she couldn''t dodge bullets. Several guns were aimed at her, and she had no cover. And what''s worse, she was facing away from the guys about to shoot her. But in this life-or-death moment, why was she looking away from the battle? Yes, she was looking back in the direction she''de from. Renji was there, watching everything unfold. From Eileen''s nce, Renji could read what she was thinking: --"I''ve done my part, now it''s your turn!"¡ª -- "Don''t let me down!"¡ª -- "My life is in your hands!" ¨C --"If you''ve got a Big move, now''s the time to use it!"¡ª -- " Hurry!!!"¡ª She''d chosen the shiest way to fight, showing that she''d trusted him from the start. She believed that when the gang members started cheating by pulling guns, he''d be able to protect her. Well, he couldn''t let her down. Electric sparks began to form at Renji''s fingertips, making a buzzing sound. The maic field around him changed dramatically. Tiny grains of sand on the floor started to vibrate rapidly. Dust on the bar tables and chairs floated up a bit. Even Renji''s hair started to float as if a breeze was blowing from below. All the flickering lights in the bar burst into sparks and then went out. In the darkened room, Renji''s glowing ring of light seemed even more prominent. This all seemed to take forever, but it was just a split second. As the Callewa gang pulled their triggers, the ring of light in Renji''s palm burst into action. It expanded rapidly, engulfing the entire Bar. Buzz!* This was the second skill Renji had inherited from his previous life¡ªa top-tier control skill from a six-star cmity rank Eclipse named ''Zero.'' The skill was called [Maic Pulse] Of course, this was just the basic Level 1 form. As he levels up, it would evolve into something like [Super Maic Pulse] The light pulse zapped through the whole bar, messing up everything in its path. The electromaic pulse didn''t destroy everything like a massive explosion would. Instead, it felt like a microscopic tidal wave flowing through them. The gang members felt an electric current pass through their bodies, followed by a feeling as if someone had hammered their minds. Those who were weaker cked out immediately. The ones who managed to stay conscious were dazed and unsteady. No one, except for Eileen, had any clue what had just happened. Especially Callewa gang members. Where was the sound of gunfire? Why did they only hear a click when they pulled the triggers? They tried pulling the triggers again, but all they heard was a click, like a misfire. Even the high-tech submachine gun, imported and enhanced with smart chips for uracy and power, waspletely paralyzed. A burnt smell even started to emanate from the chippartment. Usually, an electromaic pulse only affects electronicponents. But under the influence of Renji''s Tainted Miasma ability, his "Maic Pulse" disarmed and destroyed any weapon within its range, regardless of its material. But that wasn''t all. If it was just about disarming enemies, Renji wouldn''t have chosen "Maic Pulse" as the skill to copy from ''Zero.'' In the game, Zero''s "Maic Pulse" also boosts the user''s abilities. So, it''s not just about breaking weapons; it also sucks up energy from around it to do so. This energy then powers up the user for a bit. So, one second, the gang members were still recovering from their malfunctioning guns and disoriented minds. The next second, that light ring that caused all of this popped up again. Only this time, it had dark red mixed in with the white. It quickly pulled back like a being reeled in and went back to where it started. And that starting point was Renji. Chapter 23 23: Going Berserk Part 1 [5/5] ?''So this is what being powerful feels like?'' Renji felt electrified, like a bolt of lightning had hit him. Every part of him that used to feel sluggish was now buzzing with energy. Even his breathing felt hot, as if a fire was zing inside him. He clenched his fist, feeling the surge of strength. He felt like he could knock down a tree with a single punch. Turning his attention back to the fight, it was clear that his "Maic Pulse" had turned the tide. Without the threat of guns, Eileen was like a wolf among sheep. In a matter of seconds, she took down the remaining Callewa gang members. It was clear she wasn''t boasting when she said she was the best scavenger in the ckhole ins. While her Eclipse abilities could enhance her physical traits and even give her special powers, her expert fighting skills were all her own. On the flip side, the fact that a teenager had such deadly skills made Renji wonder what kind of world they lived in that could make someone so young so brutal. With his enhanced senses, Renji could feel several eyes on him. They were from the people at the Sea Sand Bar, who were supposed to be the main focus of this conflict but ended up merely watching. Specifically, Brian, the bar owner, was eyeing him like a hawk. The second Eileen started fighting, Brian knew it was her. He had trained her, after all. Her fighting style, amped up as it was, still had his teachings all over it. Recognizing Eileen made him focus even more on Renji. If Eileen''s over-the-top fighting was still something Brian could wrap his head around, what Renji just did was totally mind-blowing. So what just happened? For the spectators, all they saw was a burst of bright light from Renji''s hands, followed by the Callewa gang members dropping to the ground. Their guns all misfired. Renji hadn''t even moved, but seven or eight of the Callewa gang members were already out of the fight. Brian could only think of one exnation: Renji must have used some high-tech weapon from the "Mechanical Alliance." But, of course, there was another possibility that he didn''t want to believe. That is, Renji was an Eclipse! And that circle of light was his special ability. Because, if that was true, then along with Eileen''s above-average reactions and strength, the conclusion was obvious. Eileen was an Eclipse, too! "You''re pretty good, old-timer!" Eileen said,ing back to Renji after finishing the fight. She looked at him curiously and asked, "How did you do that, old-timer? That beeping sound and then the sh, like a shbang? That was awesome! You turned their weapons into junk! If I could do that, I wouldn''t have to be afraid of the gang anymore!" "So, how about it, old-timer¡ªuh, I mean, master¡ªteach me please!" Eileen unusually moved closer, almost in a yful manner. "That''s a six-star skill. You''re not there yet." "Six-star?" Eileen didn''t understand the term, but she guessed it had to do with an Eclipse''s potential. Excited, she thought about how easily she had just wiped out a small Callewa unit. She really wanted to know her own ranking in Renji''s eyes. "So, what star am I now?" Renji nced at her eager face and said honestly, "Three-star." To help her understand, he added, "Most regr people have zero or one star. You need at least two stars to be an Eclipse. So you''re not bad, definitely better than that guy with the messy hair, who''s the lowest at two stars." But Eileen wasn''t happy with this answer. "So, I''m still just cannon fodder?" "You could see it that way." "Fine! If you don''t wanna teach me, just say so. No need to make me feel bad!" "Maybe you shouldn''t have asked. Besides, there are some really strong low-level Eclipses out there. Don''t sell yourself short." Eileen seemed even more annoyed at Renji''s attempt tofort her. Just as she was about to speak again, she suddenly realized something odd in what Renji had said earlier. "Wait a minute! Who did you say was a two-star?" Renji answered with a look. ''Interesting¡­'' Renji looked toward a messed-up part of the bar, right where the Callewa gang leader, known as "Grey Wolf," hadnded after Eileen''s knockout punch. It was pretty simple for Renji to figure out. He hadn''t received any "death experience points" from the guy. Considering Eileen''s punch could send arge creature flying, and she''d hit Grey Wolf right in the head, there was only one reason the guy was still alive. It seemed Grey Wolf realized he''d been found out. From the messy bar area, where there had been no movement during the fight, a red mist started to seep through the gaps between the piled-up tables and chairs. Eileen''s face changed instantly, and some people from Sea Sand Bar who were closer to the mist started clutching their heads in pain. Brian quickly pulled those people back and shouted for everyone to get as far away from the red mist as possible. No one was unfamiliar with what this red mist was. It was Tainted Miasma! "Ha, ha, ha! You brought this on yourselves!" A scratchy voice yelled from the wrecked bar area. Then, with a loud crash, the tables, chairs, and broken bottles that were piled on top were pushed aside, and a shaky figure stood up from behind the bar. Half of this man''s face was swollen, and he looked nothing like he used to. You could barely see the old "Grey Wolf" in his features. His eyes were crazed and filled with red veins. Eileen, with her sharp eyes, noticed a needle mark on his left arm. "I was saving this for climbing higher rankster, but now I want you all dead! Every single one of you!" The man roared, pulling out another vial from his waist. Inside the clear vial was a dark red liquid that looked disgusting just to nce at. It felt like you were seeing illusions and hearing crazy voices just by looking at it. Without a doubt, what was in there was Tainted Miasma. Even though you could see a lot of impurities, there''s no denying it was a highly concentrated form of it. With a maniacalugh, Grey Wolf jammed the needle filled with the glowing red liquid into his own arm, injecting the liquefied Tainted Miasma into his body. ''We have to stop him!'' That was the only thought running through Eileen''s mind right now. Chapter 24 24: Going Berserk Part 2 [1/5] ?After bing an Eclipse, Eileen understood just how dangerous and powerful an Eclipse could be. If Grey Wolf kept absorbing Tainted Miasma to get stronger, the results could be terrifying! But what she didn''t expect was this¡ª Just as she started to move, Renji reached out and stopped her. She looked at him, totally confused and worried, but Renji just shook his head and kept his eyes glued to Grey Wolf. "Ahh, yes! This is it, the power, the amazing power, the unmatched power that can destroy everything!" Grey Wolf startedughing like a madman after some weird groans. He bulked up so much that his clothes ripped apart. He looked like a freak, but a freak with a lot of muscle. He even tossed a heavy metal table from the bar like it was a toy. Despite looking freakish, the guy was genuinely stronger. With one of his veiny arms, Grey Wolf grabbed a heavy iron table from the bar and flung it away like it was a toy. His chest was covered in dark red lines, whether from blood vessels or Tainted Miasma wasn''t clear. Grey Wolf started walking toward everyone, clearly more powerful but also clearly less sane. It looked like his ego and madness had filled him up. He didn''t seem in a hurry to attack; instead, he seemed to be enjoying the fear and trembling he was causing in the people in the bar. That''s when Renji started moving toward Grey Wolf. Eileen immediately wanted to help, especially since Grey Wolf now had an aura even she found intimidating. But again, Renji stopped her. "Just stay here, I''ve got this," Renji walked past Eileen and into the center of the bar. He was such an obvious target, and his defiant attitude made Grey Wolf roar and charge at him. Grey Wolf stomped forward, making the bar floor shake. He charged at Renji like a tank, and next to this hulking, over two-meter-tall Eclipse, Renji looked downright scrawny. Grey Wolf swung his huge fist down, aiming for Renji''s head. It was like he could already see Renji''s head popping like a balloon. "This is the power Callewa gave me, and this is what happens when you mess with us!" Smash!* Eileen held her breath. She was so tense, her hands were gripping her clothes without her even noticing. But she stayed put, just like Renji told her to. "What the¡ª!" A shocked yell came from Grey Wolf. His eyes, filled with bloodshot veins, regained a bit of sanity in the midst of his madness. He couldn''t believe what he was seeing. ''My punch... got blocked?'' To be precise, Renji calmly lifted his hand and effortlessly caught Grey Wolf''s full-force punch with one arm. "No way! This can''t be possible!" Grey Wolf couldn''t believe it. He tried to pull his fist back, but it felt like it was caught in a vise grip. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t break free from Renji''s grip. It was only now that Grey Wolf realized the huge gap between them. "You''re an Eclipse too! Wait, your aura doesn''t seem like Tainted Miasma. What are you?!" Renji''s answer was pretty straightforward: a fist from his other hand that had been ready all along. Bang!* A second loud thud echoed in the Bar. Just like before, Grey Wolf, the huge guy, was sent flying back into the bar counter. This time, the wall of the bar copsed, leaving a big hole. Grey Wolf''s limp bodyy amid the rubble. Renji wasn''t done with Grey Wolf yet. Even now, there was a big hole in Grey Wolf''s chest from Renji''s punch. The only reason Grey Wolf was still alive was because of an Eclipse''s strong will to live. "Don''t kill me. You might not fear Callewa, but no matter how well you hide, they''ll investigate!" Grey Wolf, now weak and powerless, looked up at Renji who had approached him and started begging for his life. To his relief, Renji nodded, confirming his words. "You''re right. The moment blood was spilled, this became a big deal. It''s not just Callewa; even the Church might get involved." "Then let me go. I''ll... I''ll cover this up. And the Sea Sand Bar, I won''t...," Grey Wolf couldn''t finish his sentence before Renji interrupted him. "I trust myself more than I trust others. So, sorry, Mr. Small Fry." As Renji spoke, he pulled out a dark red crystal from his pocket. The moment the dark red crystal appeared, Grey Wolf looked at it in even greater shock and horror than before. "A crystallized form of Tainted Miasma?! Impossible! Even the Church is still researching this technology. How do you have it?" It seemed like Renji had unintentionally gained some good information. But just when he was about to dig deeper, Grey Wolf, who was already on the edge, wentpletely off the rails when exposed to the crystal''s concentrated Tainted Miasma. He couldn''t hear a word Renji was saying and kept shaking his head in fear, screaming non-stop. "Get it away, get it away! Don''te near me, don''t, don''t!" Of course, Renji didn''t listen to Grey Wolf''s pleas. Instead, he did what he had done to Eileen before. He pushed the small Tainted crystal into Grey Wolf''s body. The second the crystal entered, a painful scream erupted from Grey Wolf. His limbs began to spasm and thrash around. Renji held him down and started observing the changes. Unlike with Eileen, there was no pact between him and Grey Wolf. Within moments, Grey Wolf''s veins burst, his skin melted, and dark lines of Tainted Miasma spread quickly all over his body. His eyes popped, and his face twisted into something monstrous. The power of the Tainted Miasma began repairing Grey Wolf, even filling in the big hole in his chest. But the cost was his life and sanity. His arms turned into scythe-like appendages, and his feet into ws. Even hisbel in Renji''s game system changed: [Low-Level Tainted Corpse] "So this is what happens when you use a Tainted Miasma crystal without a contract? Seems like people''s resistance to Miasma energy has gone down over the past 500 years. Even low-level ''food'' can''t handle it and turns into a monster." "And this one seems stronger than the first-round ones." "But this could mean that these low-level Tainted crystals could be used as a weapon too¡­" While observing and pondering, the transformed Grey Wolf started to resist more, and even Renji began to struggle. Plus, his own power boost from the [Maic Pulse] was about to end. So, he decided to end it all. Pulling out a handgun, Renji pressed the muzzle to Grey Wolf''s forehead. If Grey Wolf was still just a [Low-Level Tainted Corpse] then a shot to the head would be fatal. "Thanks for being a part of my experiment. I learned a lot." "And now, this whole thing just looks like a simple case of an Eclipse losing control." "A rogue Eclipse goes on a killing spree in a bar, and we fought hard and finally killed the monster." "So, try to be a good guy in your next life." With his final words to Grey Wolf, Renji pulled the trigger. Bang!* Chapter 25 25: The Knights [2/5] ?1 chapter will be posted every 1h till we end today''s bonuses, please vote with power stones for more chapter ------------------------------------ Sea Sand Bar was roped off with bright red tape, and the Knights were guarding all the doors. Anyone passing by this area didn''t even dare to take a second look; they hurried away as fast as they could. In the Holy Kingdom, when the church''s knights and red caution tape appear together, it only means one thing¡ªTainted Miasma pollution. Good news, though¡ªthe small area roped off and the few knights on the scene meant it wasn''t a huge deal. -Inside Sand Sea Bar. "So, Mr. Renji, let me confirm one more time," said a member of the Knight Squad, reading from his notes. "At 4:16 p.m., gang members from Callewa''s organization barged into Sea Sand Bar on Belon Street. Their leader imed to be an Eclipse and tried to extort protection money from the owner. During the handover, the leader lost control and turned into a monster, attacking everyone indiscriminately. To save yourselves, you and the gang worked together and killed the monster. Is that correct?" He looked up at Renji, a young man dressed in a brown suit with a clean, handsome face. "Do you have any corrections or additions to my notes?" "No, you''ve got it all. I''ve told you everything I saw. So, can we go now? Honestly, this ce gives me the creeps." The knight looked at Renji with understanding and said . "I''m sorry, Mr. Renji, but we''ll need you to cooperate with us a bit longer." "Fine, but please hurry." "Don''t worry, we''ll let you know as soon as our investigation isplete." The knight gave Renji a salute, tapping his chest, and quickly left to report to their team leader overseeing this incident. As Renji watched the knight leave, he began to think. These so-called knights weren''t the armor-wearing, sword-carrying types. They were more like an armed force set up by the church. If you had to make aparison, Renji saw them as something like city cops¡ªwearing uniform gray suits, carrying handguns, and wearing cross pins. The Holy Kingdom, as the name suggests, ispletely ruled by the church, which essentially acts as the government. But like Eileen first told him, ckhole ins is a bit different. It''s got its own history and location that let it be more independent. The church doesn''t fully control it; it''s more like gang territory. But no matter where they are or who''s in charge, the church has a duty to keep the peace. When pollution happens, they''re the first to get people together to clean it up, stop it from spreading, and help anyone who''s hurt. That''s the first rule written down by the goddess "Suthia" in the holy book when the kingdom was founded. And for hundreds of years, that''s what the church has been doing. No one dares go against it. At least, not openly. "Here you go, Captain Durin. This is what Renji, one of the people who made it out of the bar, had to say," said a young knight, running up to a middle-aged guy and giving him some paperwork. From the way the young knight addressed him and the extra stripes on his uniform, it was clear this "Durin" was the leader of the Knight Squad for this case. But Durin didn''t seem too bothered. He waved off the young knight''s report, not even ncing at it. "Just tell me, is it any different from what others have said?" Durin asked, looking sideways. "Not really. Apart from some minor details, everyone at the bar pretty much said the same thing," the young knight replied. "Hmm," Durin snorted, as if he''d expected this. "So what''s your take on this pollution incident, Tamic?" The young knight, Tamic, stood up straight before sharing his analysis. "First off, like you''ve always said, I didn''t rush to the scene. Instead, I talked to a few people who left the bar before everything went down. From what they said, at least the first half of the story seems true: Callewa''s gang came into the bar and tried to get protection money." Durin interrupted, "Okay, but when you say ''at least the first half,'' you mean you have doubts about the rest?" "Yes, Captain Durin, and big ones," Tamic nodded. "Go on, what''s bothering you?" "I have three major concerns," Tamic began. "First, ording to the survivors, they teamed up with the gang to fight the out-of-control Eclipse. But when we look at the bodies, it''s only the gang members who are dead. No one from the bar got hurt. How does that add up?" "Maybe they just got lucky, or maybe the gang members were closest to their boss, so they were the first to go," Durin countered. "That could be possible" Tamic said, "but that brings me to my second point. When we checked the gang''s bodies, they mostly had their throats cut. That doesn''t look like the work of a rampaging monster." "And finally, my third big concern is about Mr. Renji and hispanion," Tamic continued. "They im they missed the chance to leave the bar because they were scared, but something about them just doesn''t vibe with the whole scene here." "So they stick out like a sore thumb?" "Exactly, Captain!" Tamic nodded, looking excited. "So, you''ve got a pretty clear picture in your head about what went down?" Durin asked, patting his pocket for a cigarette and then realizing he didn''t have any. "Damn," Tamic didn''t notice his captain''s small actions and went on with his conclusion. "Captain, here''s what I think happened. Callewa''s gang showed up to extort money, but something went sideways. They shed with some third party inside the bar. The gang got their butts kicked, and their boss probably lost control because he was cornered, turning into a monster. But even then, they managed to kill him." Afterying out his thoughts, Tamic looked nervously at his captain and mentor, Durin, one of the most skilled knights in the area. "You''re on the right track. I think you''ve got it," Durin said, giving Tamic a nod of approval. Feeling amped, Tamic immediately asked, "So should I round up some people to arrest that couple?" After all, in his theory, this "third party" was pretty clear. Just two people managed to wipe out an entire gang and even killed a Miasma Monster. All signs point to one thing. Those two are also Eclipses! Too bad. Before Tamic could even step out, a rough, calloused hand grabbed him by the cor and pulled him back. "Captain?" Tamic looked back, puzzled, at Durin''s stubble-covered face. "Tamic, you''ve got the investigation skills down, so it''s time you learn the next important skill to be a great knight." "And that is?" "How to stay alive," Durin said, ignoring the confused look on Tamic''s face. He walked away, heading toward a young man not too far off. Chapter 26 26: The Test [3/5] "Old timer, are you sure we''re good? Your story seems full of holes to me. It doesn''t add up at all!" the young girl next to Renji said, visibly anxious. She looked even more nervous when her eyesnded on the church knights nearby. In contrast, the young man beside her seemed incredibly calm, evenforting her: "Miss Eileen, there''s an old saying, ''When you guard against everything, you guard against nothing. When you guard against nothing, you guard against everything.'' So rx, we''ll be fine." "What kind of nonsense is that?" Eileen looked even more nervous after hearing Renji, now plotting escape routes in her mind. Just then, Renji felt something and turned his head to look in another direction. Approaching him was... "Hello, Mr. Renji. I''m Durin, the captain in charge of this pollution case." "Hello, Captain Durin." After shaking hands with the middle-aged captain, Renji jumped in before him and asked, "Captain Durin, how''s the investigation going? No offense, but I''d like to repeat that we''ve got nothing more to tell you. Asking us again won''t help." "I get it," Durin said. "I''m here to let you know we''re almost done. Onest thing, and then you and your friend can leave." "Good, what''s thest thing?" Durin didn''t immediately answer Renji''s question. Instead, he looked over at the grey wolf nearby, now transformed into a monster. "To be honest, I''ve been a knight in the church for years and seen my fair share of rampaging Eclipses. But a creature this big, with this level of transformation, is pretty rare." Durin looked the creature over, especially its arm that had morphed into something like a sickle, its feet that had be ws, and its head that seemed to be turning into something like an octopus with tentacles. Usually, these transformed creatures don''t have a fixed form. Their essence is like a twisted, weird materialization. In simpler terms, the easiest way to identify one of these monsters is to look at how "indescribable" they are. And clearly, in Durin''s eyes, this wolf-monster ranked pretty high on that scale. "Killing such a monster must have been tough, right?" "Not really. Speaking of which, we have to thank Callewa''s gang for drawing the monster''s attention. Maybe it''s what they call karma, don''t you think, Captain Durin?" "Perhaps¡­" Shrugging his shoulders, Durin nced at the Grey Wolf''s left arm, noticing two obvious injection marks, before shifting his gaze away. "Alright, Mr. Renji, ording to our investigation, you, yourpanion, and the staff at the Sea Sand Bar have nothing to do with this Tainted Miasma Pollution. The real culprits are Callewa''s gang. Well, they''re all dead now anyway." As soon as Captain Durin uttered these words, two groups of people sighed in relief, while another seemed hesitant to speak. The ones sighing in relief were the young girl beside Renji and Brian, the Sea Sand Bar''s owner who had been constantly monitoring the situation. As for the one hesitating¡ª It was naturally the young knight standing behind Durin. But¡ª Right after Durin''s next words, the relief that Eileen and Brian had just felt was instantly reced by a heart-thumping tension. Because¡ª "The wrapping-up work I mentioned earlier actually involves this." Durin took out a device from his uniform. Renji recognized the device. The scar-faced man leading Callewa''s gang, who had been robbing his tomb, had a simr device. It was¡ª A Miasma Detector. However, the one Durin now held was clearly more professional and precise. "Given that you don''t seem to be a local of the ckhole ins, let me exin. ording to church regtions, whenever a pollution event urs, we must conduct a Miasma check on the involved parties and survivors." "Ah, don''t misunderstand, I''m not suspecting that any of you are Eclipses." "This is just to ensure your health. After all, you were at the epicenter of the pollution. If any enrgy of Tainted Miasma remains in your body, the church can immediately send nuns to treat and purify you." Watching the middle-aged knight exin earnestly, Eileen''s mind went nk. ''Why? Why is this step necessary? '' When her father lost control, she had never seen the church use this on them! But thinking about it now was pointless. If the detector had been from somewhere else, Eileen could have hoped that it was broken or inurate, allowing her to slip through unnoticed. But if it''s from the church... It''s over. At this moment, Brian, the owner of the Sea Sand Bar, is also extremely anxious. He''s 90% sure that Eileen and the young man are Eclipses. Isn''t this aplete exposure? ''Dang it!'' ''Why didn''t that guy listen to me and just leave?'' Brian''s first thought was to tell Eileen and Renji to bolt before the church got involved. But Renji shook his head, saying it wasn''t necessary. Brian got what Renji meant¡ªprobably thought they were strong enough to handle whateveres. So he went along with it. But now¡ª ''They''ve run into a guy who''s digging deep. What now?'' Brian, who''s seen his share of rough times, managed to keep his cool. But he noticed the nervousness on the faces of his staff and Eileen. Durin, who''s pretty sharp, picked up on it all. The only letdown¡ª When Durin looked back at Renji, he was hoping to catch some sign of panic. But Renji was chill the whole time. Still, Durin felt like he''d made his point. He''d shown Renji he was onto them and now was pulling back, sending a message that he''d let it go. So, he put the Miasma Detector back in his pocket. "Given how short-lived this pollution event was, and that the monster was quickly taken down, and also, you guys look like you''re in a rush¡ª" "I think we can skip thisst step." Durin stepped aside, nodding, "Sorry for holding you up, Mr. Renji. You''re free to go now." In Durin''s mind, this should''ve been the perfect ending. But then¡ª The young man he''d underestimated, didn''t budge. In fact¡ª "No, Captain Durin, even if the Pollution event was small and short, it''s still serious stuff. That''s Tainted Miasma Pollution we''re talking about. Worst-case scenario, you turn into an Eclipse. I sure don''t want to lose control and turn into some ugly monster." "So, Captain Durin¡ª" "Can we do the test now?" Chapter 27 27: Maria [4-5/5] ?2 chapter in 1 long one, enjoy, ------------------------------ Some changes have been made in chapter 13-14 and 15, --------------------------------------- Durin was caught off guard but quickly got it together. He tried to figure out what Renji was up to by staring him down, but couldn''t make heads or tails of it. It was as if the guy genuinely just wanted a test. Durin gave a quick nod to Tamic, the young knight behind him. Tamic got the hint and ran off to get things ready. Soon enough, the other knights gathered around, their hands close to their gun holsters. Their guns, all imported from the "Mechanical Alliance," were loaded with specialized "silver bullets" designed to suppress Miasma. So, they were effective against not only monsters but also Eclipses. The tension was palpable. The twists and turns had left everyone, including Eileen and the staff of the Sea Sand Bar,pletely bewildered. The big question on everyone''s mind was: ''What the heck is Renji trying to do?'' As for Renji, he felt wronged. Because¡ª He genuinely just wanted a test. "Mr. Renji, all you have to do is ce your hand on the device. In a moment, the screen will disy your Miasma pollution levels. Normally, a reading under 10 is considered safe. Between 10 and 20 indicates various levels of Miasma pollution. If the number exceeds 20¡­" Tamic didn''t continue. Taking a deep breath, he finally asked, "Are you sure you want to proceed with the test?" Without hesitation, Renji ced his hand on the device. Beep...beep...beep-beep.* Contrary to Durin''s expectations, no rm bells rang out from the device. Instead, the screen disyed: <> <> <> "Move!" Annoyed, Durin shoved Tamic aside and took a closer look at the machine. He even grabbed a new device from another knight. Renji went along with a second test. But, even with a new device, the result was the same. Tamic stared at Renji, his face a mask of disbelief. Because that reading... Forget about being a suspected ''Common'' or even ''Dangerous'' Eclipse. It was as if he lived in apletely isted, Miasma-free world, like some high-ranking elite in a big city. Next, the knights tested the remaining people from the Sea Sand Bar and Eileen. Among them, there was actually one person whose Miasma levels exceeded the limit. Unfortunately, it wasn''t Eileen but a waiter from the Sea Sand Bar who was too close to Grey Wolf and inhaled too much tainted red mist. A nun from the knights'' group stepped up and performed a purification ritual on him. After a shower of light from the silver cross she wore, his levels dropped to a safe 3. "Thanks for your hard work, Captain Durin. It''s a good thing we did these tests, or who knows what could have happened," Renji said, seeming a bit relieved. Durin didn''t respond. He looked like he couldn''t wait to get out of there. "Mr. Renji, we''re done here. If there''s nothing else, we''ll be on our way," Durin said, turning to leave. But Renji stopped him. "Wait a minute, Captain Durin. We''ve met now, and I think you''re a responsible and capable leader. Could I get your business card?" "Sorry, I don''t have one," Durin replied curtly. "How about your assistant there? The one who seems verymitted to doing what''s right?" Renji turned his gaze to Tamic, the young knight who had been taking his statement earlier. Caught off guard and a bit flustered, especially when Renji smiled at him, Tamic handed over his business card before Durin could say anything. "Tamic, is it? I''ll remember your name. Can I reach out for help if somethinges up in the ckhole ins?" "Of course! Helping those in need is our duty as knights. It''s an honor bestowed upon us by the Goddess" Tamic said proudly, giving Renji a formal knight''s salute. Durin sighed and rubbed his temples. After sprinkling some holy water on Grey Wolf''s corpse, causing it to disintegrate like melting snow, the knights quickly packed up and left, heading back to their church base. On the ride back, Tamic, sitting in the front seat, couldn''t help but ask, "Captain Durin, so Mr. Renji and hispanion are really just ordinary people? Were we wrong in our initial assessment?" Durin seemed a bit pissed off and stayed silent for a while before finally snapping, "Does it really matter? And you, you idiot, who told you to give him your card? What a waste!" "But, didn''t the Goddess teach us to¡ª" Tamic tried to exin, but Durin cut him off. "Goddess, huh? If she''s really watching, then why would she let someone like that¡ª" Durin stopped abruptly. Tamic shrank back, not daring to point out his captain''s disrespect for the Goddess, much less ask what he meant. Tamic couldn''t help but remember the rumors in the knight corps. Captain Durin had once been a fierce crime fighter, drastically improving the safety of the ckhole ins. Some even hoped he''d wipe out the gangspletely. But one day, he changed. He became disinterested in work and disrespectful toward the church. Despite calls for his removal, he not only kept his job but also got promoted faster than before, eventually bing the captain of the entire knight corps. Half an hourter, Durin parked the car. Usually, he would leave the incident reports to Tamic. But this time, he filled it out himself in the car before heading into the church. As a junior knight, Tamic wasn''t allowed to hand in reports to the priest, so he said his goodbyes to Durin and got ready to drive home. It was already 6 p.m. But just as Tamic was about to close the car door, a hand stopped it. "Captain Durin?" "Remember, if that young man calls you, don''t answer." "But Captain, I don''t even know Renji''s number. How would I know it''s him? And as a knight, I believe I should take every call seriously." "Seriously¡ªugh! I can''t believe my luck with you," Durin cursed, clearly frustrated. After a few seconds of silence, Durin spoke again, very seriously this time, "Fine, listen. If you do pick up that young man''s call, no matter what he says, don''t do anything. Call me immediately. Got it?" "Understood, Captain Durin!" "Then get lost!" "Yes, sir!" Watching Tamic drive away, Durin stood still for a moment as if lost in thought. Finally, he walked into the church, passing the main hall without even ncing at the prominent statue of the Goddess, Suthia. The church in the ckhole ins was pretty much city-sized,plete with a full knight corps and hundreds of nuns. It had a library, a big hall, a Confession Room, and even an underground cell for holding criminals and Eclipses. Despite its size, the highest authority at the church was still just a "Father," ording to the rules, because it was still considered part of the "gathered area" The Father''s office was on the top floor. When Durin reached the door, marked by a silver cross, he knocked a few times, nning to drop the report into the bag hanging there as usual. This time, however, almost as soon as he knocked, he heard the Father''s voice from inside say, "Come in." Durin hesitated, checking his watch. It was 6:30 p.m., and in all the years he''d worked with the Father, he''d never seen him in the office thiste. When he walked in, the feeling of strangeness intensified. The Father was sitting at his desk, with an open file in front of him. Durin nced at it as he approached; it was a report that had been dealt with two weeks ago. "The Sea Sand Bar in Belon district had an Eclipse run amok. It''s been dealt with, and all the details are in the report." "Thank you, Captain Durin. It''s gettingte. You should go get some rest," the Father said, smiling and cing his folded hands on the file on the desk. Durin nodded and left without saying much more. From entering to leaving, he''d spent less than a minute in the room. After exiting the church, Durin lit a cigarette he''d taken from the car. As he watched it burn down to ash, a feeling deep inside him grew stronger. Something big wasing to the ckhole ins. ¡­. ... ... -Back in the Father''s office... The Father, who was just sitting at his desk, now stands up, looking kinda freaked out. He barely even dares to look at the other person in the room, who happens to be a nun. Normally, a nun would rank below a Father, but the way he was acting now, it''s clear that the Father is under a lot of pressure. He''s hardly even breathing. Here''s why: First, this nun is not your everyday nun. She''s abat nun, part of a secret third armed force in the church, apart from the knights and crusaders. They''re called "Light Bearers" and they''re all powerful Eclipses trained by the church. Usually, they stay in istion to counteract the effects of Tainted Miasma and keep their minds clear. They only get called into action for really big stuff. So if Father Gralon had a clear conscience, he''d be okay. But he doesn''t; he''s hiding something big. That''s why he''s so jittery right now, like he''s walking on thin ice. Thankfully... "Lady Maria, you said you came to the ckhole ins to... find someone?" Father Gralon tries to probe the nun across from him. "Yes" Gralon breathes a sigh of relief. As long as she''s not here to investigate him, he''s good. "Great, Lady Maria, we''ll do everything we can to help you. But can you give us any information on this person? Like their name, identity, or what they look like?" Nun Maria didn''t answer. Instead, she looks at the report Durin just brought in. And just like that, the Father''s heart jumps back into his throat. He had heard about the Eclipse incident through other channels, which is why he''s cursing the gangs, specifically Callewa, right now. ''Of all times to mess up, why now?'' "The person I''m looking for," Maria finally says, "likes to cause trouble." ''Wait, what?'' Gralon was totally shocked. He never thought Maria would describe someone like that. It didn''t sound like something a cold ''Light Bearer'' would say. And for a second, he even thinks he sees a sort of affectionate look on her face. Before he could make sense of it, Maria was suddenly right in front of him. The sudden pressure made it hard for him to breathe. It was like she was overwhelming him on a whole other level. Maria''s face was back to its original emotionless state. She looks at him coldly and says, word by word: "Give. Me. That. Report." Chapter 28 28: Father-Daughter Conversation Part 1 [1/2] ?1 more chapter after 30m ------------------------ [Congrattions on your level up!] [Current Level: Lv3] [Experience Needed for Next Level: 75/300] [Unlocks at Lv5: Number of contractable Eclipses +1] The amount of experience points doesn''t solely depend on the strength of the monsters but also on their status attributes. Even though Callewa''s gang members on paper aren''t as strong as the goblins from the caves, the experience they provide to Renji during the initial stages is quite good. A group of around fifteen gang members allowed Renji to level up once more and even have some leftover experience. The only regret was that when Renji checked the experience log, he indeed did not receive any experience from the leader, Grey Wolf. Previously, Renji had intentionally let Eileen stay in ce and did not interfere in his fight with Grey Wolf. One of the reasons was to test this. And the results once again confirmed that his leveling system strictly follows the underlying logic of "Fallen Chronicles" He can''t gain experience directly. Only when the contracted Eclipses participate can he obtain experience from the kills. The girl didnd a punch on Grey Wolf at the beginning, but this was deemed insufficient to be considered as participation in the battle. Renji remembers that in the background of "Fallen Chronicles", the exnation for this setting was that the nature of experience points is actually a form of Tainted Miasma. When Eclipses engage inbat, their bodies continuously umte this Tainted Miasma. As the "protagonist", he can draw out the Miasma from them through a "contract", transforming it into his own power. This exins why he can''t gain experience when fighting alone. It also exins why, during the previous inspection by the knight squad on him and Eileen, especially considering Eileen is an Eclipse, her Tainted Miasma value was still at an extremely low number. "I really need to level up quickly!" Renji, sitting in the van, couldn''t help but sigh deeply. In his hands, he yed with the business card of the young church knight "Tamic", contemting whether or not to inquire about some of Callewa''s bases. He then considered taking Eileen to eradicate a few gangirs before leaving the area. It wasn''t just about the minimal attribute points from leveling up. After all, even though the protagonist''s growth coefficient is even lower than a two-star, a mosquito''s leg, no matter how small, is still meat. But the more crucial point was the abilities and privileges unlocked and enhanced upon leveling up. Those are the real deal. For example, after every five levels, an additional "contract" slot can be added. And although there''s no information now, Renji, being experienced, knows that after reaching Lv7, the "Crystallization" ability can be unlocked. Previously mentioned was the protagonist''s ability to absorb the Tainted Miasma from the Eclipses and convert it into experience points. But with the "Crystallization" ability, he''d have a new option, which is to filter, purify, refine, and eventually crystallize this Tainted Miasma. That''s right, what Renji previously referred to as "fodder" for leveling up the Eclipses, those Tainted Miasma Crystals, came from this process. After experimenting with another one taken from Grey Wolf, Renji now only has three of the small Tainted Crystals that he brought from the secret chamber. Ideally, he''d save them for his second Eclipse, ensuring they have a starting potential of at least four stars. However, if there''s an emergency requiring an immediate power boost, he''s willing to use them all on Eileen. The three small crystals should be enough to max out Eileen''s level to 30, making her nearly as strong as a Danger Rank Eclipse. That''s the advantage of starting at a lower rank: with just a bit of resources, one can quickly achieve significant power growth. Reflecting briefly on his "first battle" since arriving in this world, Renji''s thoughts returned to the present, looking out of the car window. Right now, the crew from the Sea Sand Bar, led by the owner Brian, was heading to another bar owned by a friend of his. ording to Brian, after safely getting through a "major storm", it''s customary to celebrate and have a good drink. This is a tradition among the scavengers. Initially, Eileen declined, as she was eager to pick up her mother from the clinic. But Brian reassured her, mentioning he had sent someone to check on Nn, and the doctor confirmed that Eileen''s mother''s condition was stable and not worsening. All she needed was surgery, and Eileen shouldn''t worry. Brian also firmly stated the "celebration" wouldn''t take long, not holding up Eileen much. Seeing Brian''s insistent attitude, even the usually slow-to-catch-on Eileen seemed to understand something and stopped declining. Brian also heartily invited Renji. Compared to Eileen, Renji instantly understood Brian''s intentions. Without needing further exnation, he readily agreed. So that''s how they found themselves in this situation. The new bar wasn''t far, and within a few minutes, they arrived in Brian''s old van. One thing to note, the reason they weren''t partying at the Sea Sand Bar was because of some church rules. After all the chaos, for safety''s sake, no one''s allowed near ces with that Tainted Miasma energy for a week. So, Sea Sand Bar was a no-go zone for now. After parking, everyone went into the new bar. This ce was smaller and quieter than the Sea Sand Bar, feeling more private. Brian knew the owner here. After a quick hello, he got a private room for them. As soon as Renji entered, the Sea Sand crew surrounded him, picking up the lively chat from the car ride. As Eileen tried to join them, Brian stopped her and silently led her away. Renji expected this and didn''t react, just kept chatting with the others. Meanwhile, Eileen followed Brian into a soundproof room next door. m!* The door shut. Alone, Brian stared at Eileen, who looked a bit nervous and avoided his gaze. After a pause, Brian asked seriously, "Eileen, look at me. Are you an Eclipse?" "Huh? Are you joking? Why would I be one?" "Really?" Brian pressed. "Of course! Didn''t you see the church''s results earlier? I have even less of Miasma than you!" Eileen stood her ground, using their earlier test as her defense, leaving Brian without aeback. Finally, the bearded man sighed, "You know, Eileen, I was great friends with your dad. But unlike him, I wasn''t lucky enough to find someone like Nn. I''ve never married. So, after your dad passed, I''ve always thought of you as my own daughter." "Why are you being so dramatic all of a sudden? We''re not parting ways or anything!" Eileen shot back. "Aren''t we?" Brian hinted. Chapter 29 29: Heart-To-Heart Chat Part 2 [2/2] ?Eileen fell silent. Indeed, possibly after taking her mother away tonight, or at thetest tomorrow morning, they would leave the ckhole gathering ce with Renji to head for an unknown new city. When she would return, or if she could evere back, was uncertain. Brian obviously sensed this, which is why he insisted on having this talk with her now, theirst conversation that was like a father-daughter one, even if they weren''t biologically rted. "What I''m trying to tell you, Eileen, is that I don''t want you to follow in your father''s footsteps. You''ve seen what became of him. Do you want to end up the same way?" "No! I''m not like that bastard!" Perhaps Brian had touched a sore spot, as Eileen somewhat shouted to cut him off. Brian wasn''t angry. He continued in a deep voice, "Who gave you this confidence? That young man named Renji?" "I-..." Eileen couldn''t exin everything to Brian, but one thing she was sure of was that she was different from the average Eclipse. Especially after the incident at the Sea Sand Bar, she became even more certain. In the previous battle against Grey Wolf, one of the reasons Renji told Eileen to stay put was because he didn''t want her to see the scene when he used the Tainted Miasma crystal on Grey Wolf. But with her keen eyes, she somewhat guessed what Renji had done. That scene left a deep impression on Eileen. She couldn''t help but wonder if she would have turned into a tainted corpse-like monster, just like Grey Wolf, had she not received the "contract" from Renji. However, now, with the help of Renji''s "contract", she felt physically and mentally fine. Even the church''s detection artifact couldn''t scan the Tainted Miasma within her. But... Eileen was scared. Anyone would be frightened by such a sight. She even began to wonder, would Renji really break the contract for her? Would he treat her like he did Grey Wolf if he felt she was no longer valuable? Would the Tainted Miasma in her go berserk, turning her into a tainted monster? As she was about to hide these fearful thoughts deep within, not intending to share them with Brian, his next words stunned her. "To be honest, if your confidence reallyes from Renji, I''d actually be quite relieved." "What?! Why?" "Indeed, I haven''t even had a few words with him, but I can feel that he''s a good person, and quite a naive one at that." Brian understood Eileen''s astonished expression. And when he saw her look change from "astonished" to "Are you kidding me?", he sighed, as if he had anticipated her reaction. The main reason Brian wanted to have this talk with Eileen was not to ask if she was an Eclipse. After all, what significance would that question hold even if answered? What followed was what Brian truly wanted to convey to the young girl. He didn''t directly exin to Eileen why he believed Renji was a good, albeit naive, person. Instead, Brian posed a new question. "Eileen, if you were the leader of Callewa''s gang, after seeing the report on this incident from the Knights, who would you focus on?" "On both of us." "And what if you had left immediately afterward, as I had advised at that time?" Brian further inquired. This time, the older man provided the answer himself. "Callewa wouldn''t have spared the Sea Sand Bar or me. So, that young man drew their attention in such a manner to save us" "This..." Eileen was rendered speechless. At that moment, she hadn''t thought that far ahead. Only after Brian pointed it out did she have an epiphany. ''So, the old timer stayed behind waiting for the Knights to save the Sea Sand Bar and even provided that obviously wed and easily debunked testimony?'' ''But, that didn''t make sense!'' ''Why would he do something like that? Didn''t he originally intend to avoid Callewa, which was why he took me to change my clothes?'' Observing the confused girl, Brian silently shook his head. He had watched Eileen grow up and knew all too well how devastating her father''s death had been for her. It transformed a girl, who once resembled a little angel, into what she was now¡ªfinding it hard to trust others, and having a prickly disposition akin to a porcupine. Brian, as someone who had been through it all, understood that people with such a prickly personality, even if they were inherently kind-hearted and craved love, their thorn-like exterior, like a hedgehog, would cause them to lose out on many wonderful things that they could have easily embraced. "I imagine you must have told that young man that this bar means a lot to you. It''s like your home, and everyone here, all of us, are like your siblings. That''s probably why he took the spotlight and insisted on doing the test." "He did it this way to reassure us, to get us to agree to let him take you away. And indeed, the results of the church''s examination were right before me. Even though I knew you were an Eclipse, I had no words to say, and no reason to stop you from leaving the ckhole ins. I believe your mother, Nn, must feel the same." Maybe Renji hadn''t thought that deeply, acting on a whim, but Brian couldn''t concern himself with that. Since he couldn''t and didn''t have the power to stop Eileen from being taken away from the ckhole gathering ce, he chose to trust that Renji was that kind of person. He took a gamble and hoped to remove Eileen''s reservations about the young man. "That old-timer did all that for me?" Eileen was at a loss for words, a whirlwind of emotions brewing within her. Seeing the young girl''s reaction, Brian knew he had achieved his aim. He gave Eileen a pat on the shoulder. "When you find something good, you shouldn''t think about how to reject or stay away from it. You should think about how to make it yours, to possess it and make it belong to you. If you don''t cherish it now and miss this precious opportunity, you''ll just watch it be taken away by someone else." "This is the basic knowledge for us scavengers. Have you forgotten?" "Huh!? Old man! Stinky old man! Wait a minute, what do you mean by that?! Exin yourself!" At first, Eileen nodded dizzily. But after snapping back to her senses, her face turned red with embarrassment and anger, confronting Brian. "Yes, and excluding a very few people, a girl who swears a lot isn''t popr. Eileen, you really need to work on that" "I told you, I''m not in that kind of rtionship with him!!" Brian scoffed at this. "Really?" "Then why didn''t we see our Miss Eileen at such an important asion as my fiftieth birthday a while ago, looking as beautiful, graceful, and elegant as she is now?" In the end, Brian''s gazended on the high heels the young girl was wearing, shaking his head in admiration. Time flies and the young grow up. Chapter 30 30: Newbie Gift Pack [1/2] After ie back from uni there will be another chapter, ------------------------- "Renji, while those two aren''t here, tell us quickly. How did you manage to get our Eileen to look like that? And when did it all start?" "Exactly! I never dreamt that little brat, who''s even more fiery than us, would wear a skirt one day. And that makeup! She looks like apletely different person!" "You might not believe it, Renji, but back in the day, ''Lena'' used to take us to clubs and enthusiasticallyment on the dancers on stage. Haha, I still remember that day when Brian stormed into the club and dragged her out. We could hear Brian cursing from a distance!" [[Lena ¨¨ Eileen]] The crowd at Sea Sand Bar was very enthusiastic with Renji, speaking all at once, expressing their astonishment at Eileen''s current appearance. Having nothing else to do, Renji took this time to learn more about her from the stories of others. ''So... leading a group to the club?'' ''Typical Eileen'' Fortunately, some sensible people among Sea Sand group started coughing, signaling the others. Their looks seemed to say, -"Clearly, Lena is now with Renji. Speaking about her past misadventures in front of him might tarnish her image!"- Realizing this, everyone quickly shifted the conversation. "Speaking of which, Renji, when the church officials wanted to test you, we were scared out of our minds. We honestly thought you might be an Eclipse. But you voluntarily asked for the test, proving everyone wrong!" "So, Renji, if you''re not an Eclipse, how did you manage to send that monster flying with just one punch?" "Yeah, and Lena too. I admit she was impressive before, but not to the extent of defeating an entire squad of Callewa on her own. That''s next level!" "I''ve heard that the big shots and the wealthy in the [Mechanical Alliance] usually install something called ''prosthetics'' into their bodies. Given your strength, and the fact you''re not an Eclipse, you must have some super expensive ''prosthetic'' inside you!" "Is it true, Renji? Can you show us your prized possession? Please, just a glimpse to enlighten us!" Just as Renji was overwhelmed by the barrage of questions about "prosthetics", the door to the room opened. It was Brian and Eileen. ''They''re back'' Renji''s eyes immediately went to Eileen, but strangely, she looked away the moment their gazes met, as if she was nervous about making eye contact. She then went straight to the others from Sea Sand Bar and ignored himpletely. This left Renji puzzled. Had Brian said something to Eileen about him that caused her to avoid him? He believed he had been decent in front of her friends. At that moment, a burly man with a thick beard sat next to him on the couch. "Want one?" Brian offered a cigarette from a pack. Seeing Renji''s refusal, Brian lit one for himself and took a deep drag. He then looked at the lively group around Eileen and said to Renji, "Thank you." "Wudo got married recently. They''re having a baby soon. Without your help and the church''s intervention about Miasma inside him, who knows what could''ve happened." Renji shook his head, "You don''t have to thank me. It''s the church''s doing." "Hmph, the church? Maybe in the big cities they''re more responsible, but here in ckhole ins, if they actually checked everyone after every pollution event, Eileen''s mom wouldn''t be waiting for surgery now." Brian''s words revealed that the cause of Eileen''s mother''s illness dated back to the time of his own father''s outbreak. ''This could also exin why Eileen could be an Eclipse and even reach a three-star level. Perhaps Eileen and her mother had been exposed to a lot of Miasma since then.'' "Enough of that," Brian said, extinguishing his cigarette. He then took out two items from his pocket, cing them in front of Renji. Renji saw... a car key. And a ck and red patterned credit card? "I know you''re from elsewhere, and you seem well-off, but traveling, especially from remote ces like ckhole ins to the city, takes time. You''d benefit from a better vehicle." Brian pointed at the car key. "I''ve had this old buddy for over a decade. It might be old, but I''ve taken good care of her. With constant upgrades, its off-road performance is one of the best in ckhole ins. Now..." "It''s yours now." Even though the owner of Sea Sand Bar said this casually, Renji could tell he was a bit attached to what he was giving away. Renji knew he needed a car to leave ckhole ins. He thought he might take one from a local group, but Brian had a surprise for him. "Did Eileen tell you we''re leaving? But why give it to me?" "Heh, do you think I need that girl to tell me? Ever since Eileen''s mom got sick, she rarely came to Sea Sand. And when she did, it was to visit her mom''s clinic. So, when she brought you, I figured she had ns." "I''m guessing you told Eileen you could cure her mom? The minor surgeries in ckhole ins aren''t enough. To truly heal, one must visit the city churches. I suspect that''s the only reason Eileen would agree to leave with you. Am I right?" Brian looked closely at Renji. Although Brian''s theory wasn''t exact, he was mostly on the mark. Upon seeing Renji''s nod, Brian visibly rxed and lit another cigarette. "As for the card, it contains funds I raised for Eileen''s mom''s surgery, over fifty thousand ash coins. I couldn''t just let her struggle for the money alone. I gathered it recently, but it seems unnecessary now." "I know you might see it as a small amount, but once I decide to give away money, I don''t take it back. Consider it a token of my gratitude. Thanks for helping those two." Brian had been deceived by Renji''s appearance. He wasn''t some wealthy young master. Whether it''s the car or the fifty thousand ash coins, both were significant resources for the currently penniless Renji. Therefore, Renji didn''t y coy and simply epted the gifts after a brief thank you. To this, Brianughed heartily. "Hahaha, good! I like straightforward people like you! Honestly, if I were a decade younger, I''d invite you for drinks and insist on bing brothers. But s, time waits for no one, and I''ve grown old." "Now I somewhat understand why so many are willing to take risks to be an Eclipse." Brian looked a bit down. The age lines on his face told a story. He still had a strong build, but if you looked closely, you''d see he wasn''t as fit as he used to be. "That''s just the limit of being a regr person. No matter how grand you were in your youth, time will eventually level all sharp edges." Brian finished his cigarette without realizing it and stood up from the sofa. "That card, as you probably know, is from the ''ck Gold Bank'' of the capital city. The advantage of a neutral bank in an independent city is that you can ess your funds anywhere. Oh, and about the car, just ask Eileen for its location. Lastly, to answer your earlier question..." "I could''ve given these directly to Eileen, but with her stubborn nature, do you think she would''ve epted?" "Eileen is lucky to have someone like you," Renji sincerely said. "I may not be able to give her everything she needs, but I think you can." "Eileen can be a bit hot-headed, speaks her mind, sometimes doesn''t think things through, often says one thing and means another, isn''t the typical girly-girl, tends to overthink, and can be really stubborn... Man! Why does it sound like she''s full of quirks?" It was evident that Brian wanted to give a bnced view, but he ended upically venting his frustrations. "Anyway, she''s a good girl. And once she lets someone into her heart, she''d do anything for them. I''m very sure about that." "Also, I take back what I said about hercking femininity. It might be inappropriate, but she''s even more beautiful than her mom was at her age. You have no idea; back in the day, her mother was the beauty of ckhole ins, the dream of many... Anyway!" Brian cut himself off, not revealing more. Renji, trying to rify, said, "I think there might be some misunderstanding. Eileen and I are just friends." Brianughed, turned, leaving Renji with ast thought and a reminiscent look. "Back in the day, Eileen''s dad told me the exact same thing, and I foolishly believed him!" Renji was left speechless. After everything, Brian went over to Eileen and began saying their goodbyes to everyone. "Hey, kiddo, enough of this! It''s time for us men now. Don''t you have things to sort out? You should get going!" A lot of the regrs at the Sea Sand Bar didn''t want to see Eileen go. But when Brian gave them a sharp look, and with Renji standing right behind him, they got the message. Instead of asking Eileen to stay, they started telling her it''s time to leave. Eileen nced around at the Sea Sand Bar crowd, thinking of all the people who helped her in hard times, especially her uncle Brian. The idea of not seeing them again made her feel sad. But something in Brian''s look told her that leaving was the right move. She exited the bar, and Renji was already waiting at the entrance. "I thought you''d say goodbye to each of them." "No, there''s no need. If Brian didn''t tell everyone, I think it''s better this way." "By the way, that old man gave me a car key and this card. Said it''s a starter pack for us." "Oh." "He mentioned you''d know where his car is parked." "It''s at Bane District, number 31. Turn the corner, and you''ll see it." "So, are we picking up the car first, or getting your mom?" "Your call." "How about we go check out some nightspots?" "Sure. Why not?" By now it was around 8 or 9 in the evening. The dim alleyways behind bars like these didn''t have streetlights, so the only illumination came from the moon. Suddenly, Renji halted, causing Eileen, who was engrossed in her thoughts and looking at her feet, to nearly bump into him. "What are you...?" Eileen''s eyes darted around nervously, her hands wringing together, as she met Renji''s direct gaze. After a pause, seeing her anxious expression, Renji finally spoke, "Back in the bar, apart from giving me the car keys and money, that old man mentioned... that you have feelings for me." Time seemed to stand still for a few moments. Then, "Damn it, Brian! You bloody bbermouth! How dare you spread such nonsense about me!" The serene moonlight was disrupted by Eileen''s vibrant outburst. Renji just nodded with a small smile. ''Right'' ''No wonder things felt off before'' ''This feels more like the Eileen I knew!'' Chapter 31 31: Zero (Part 1) [1/2] ? "Alright, I only said that because you seemed a bit off. I just wanted to help you snap out of it. Don''t be mad at Brian; he''s a good guy and even kinda, well, cute?" Renji recalled the brief yet pleasant interaction he had with the bearded gentleman in the private room, offering this description. However, when Eileen heard this, she rolled her eyes in disbelief. ''Cute?'' ''Both of you call each other cute, one of you calls the other a lovable fool. So, does that mean I''m the only one who''s the bad guy here?'' But that''s not what Eileen was most concerned about at the moment. "Old timer, you''re not actually believing his nonsense, are you?" "Not really. We''ve only just met; it''s been less than a day. While I have confidence in my charm, I''m not so narcissistic" Renji shrugged, but then quickly took a jab at Eileen. "However, Miss Eileen, you seem a bit strange. Could it be that you''ve fallen head over heels for me, captivated by my handsome face?" "Ugh¡ªno way!" Hearing Eileen''s expected response, Renji sighed with relief. "Anyway, just to be on the safe side, let me rify: I already have someone I like," Renji said, looking very serious. Countless hours spent gaming¡ª even if you yed twenty-four hours a day without eating, sleeping, or taking breaks, it would still take over a year. In reality, it took Renji around four or five years to reach his goal. Spending so much time on an unpopr single-yer game was not Renji''s style. However, he was going through a difficult period in his life at the time. The game served more as a psychological anchor and a refuge from reality. For that reason, Renji felt a deep emotional connection with the game "Fallen Chronicles" and the characters he had cultivated. They brought him joy and healing during a dark time. He enjoyed the process of gradually strengthening his favorite characters¡ª a sensation he found deeply satisfying. This might be what people refer to as being a "Character geek, or Waifu" Eventually, after they helped him out of his slump, he shifted his focus back to reality, bing more pragmatic about the game, aiming toplete it quickly. ''It''s funny; this reminds me of a meme often shared by inte trolls'': (Don''t get fooled by women in the real world!) Renji chuckled to himself. Regardless, he had resolved since the start of his second ythrough to make up for the regrets of the first one. No matter what, he would spend time with his beloved characters in the game. He didn''t try to hide his feelings, so Eileen could clearly see the spontaneous smile that came from deep within as he reminisced about his gaming experiences. It was a kind of joy and nostalgia that was hard to fake. "But you said you''re from 500 years ago." "That''s correct. The person I like is also from 500 years ago." "So, she''s already..." Eileen''s voice trailed off, her chest feeling heavy as if arge stone was blocking it. From Renji''s few words, Eileen had already outlined a story in her mind. Two people deeply in love but separated for various reasons. When one wakes up, they find that what now separates them is the greatest and most insurmountable distance¡ªtime. Feeling this, Eileen was suddenly filled with a strange sadness. It was like she was back to being a little girl, secretly reading romance novels under her nket and crying her eyes out. She never thought such a thing would actually happen in real life, right before her eyes. In an instant, her gaze softened when she looked at the young man across from her. As for Renji, well... Seeing the pity and sympathy on the young girl''s face, Renji thought it better not to rify. After all, if Eileen knew that "they" were still around, and that "they" were actually more than one, it would ruin the mood. However, before Renji could speak, Eileen immediately asked: "So you''re saying you''re looking for them, the five imperial guards of the Emperor, in hopes of finding traces of your beloved one through them, right?" ''Hah...'' Renji looked up at the moonlight shining on him. He first sighed deeply, then shook his head and chuckled, creating an aura of someone who knew they were heading down a dead-end but still chose to forge ahead. Finally, he nodded at Eileen, "Exactly." The girl nodded in understanding, resolving all the questions in her mind. Now she understood why Renji was so fixated on the Emperor''s guards, why, even after she had told him about their prestigious status, he still wouldn''t give up. Eileen tried to put herself in Renji''s shoes. If the person she loved required her to confront the five individuals at the pinnacle of power and ability in order to be saved, what would she do? Eventually, she concluded that she would make the same choice as Renji, even if those people were the legendary Emperor''s imperial guards. She believed she would be fearless. Thinking this, she started to like the young man in front of her even more. "Hmph, fine, fine. I admit I misjudged you. Turns out you''re a pretty devoted person. Just for that, I, Eileen, ept you as a good bro!" Eileen extended her fist towards Renji and red at him when he didn''t immediately react. Finally, when Renji also extended his fist, she bumped it strongly against his. "This is the scavenger''s pact. From now on, you''re my bro, and your problem is my problem. So rest assured, I''ll help you out. No matter how crazy the task, I''ll be right there with you!" "Thank you." "However, before that... ahem... you''ll have to help cure my mom first," Eileen blushed, seemingly aware that she had just made a grand deration only to end up needing something in return, which made her a bit embarrassed. "But we''re bros now, right? Helping each other out is what bros do!" "Also..." "Actually, curing my mom would be beneficial for us in finding Goddess!" "Oh? How so? Your mother isn''t part of the church, is she?" Renji asked this casually but was surprised when the girl nodded in affirmation. Chapter 32 32: Zero (Part 2) [2/2] "Hmph, quick thinker, aren''t you? You''re right, my mom used to be an official nun in the church and even received praise from the bishop in Michelle City!" "That''s a bishop, mind you! Not like the pathetic priests here in ckhole ins!" Eileen''s face was filled with pride. For Renji, this was indeed an unexpected bonus, like discovering hidden rewards halfway through a mission. If he could establish a connection within the church through Eileen''s mother, it could significantly shorten the time it would take to meet Suthia. However... Noticing Renji''s curiosity, Eileen''s expression dimmed slightly. She turned her head away before speaking: "Six years ago, my good-for-nothing father became an Eclipse and lost control. He was killed by the knights as a tainted monster. Because of this, my mom faced repercussions. That damned priest stripped her of her nun status and seized all our hard-earned savings under the pretext of sphemy. Since then, our lives have taken a turn for the worse. If it weren''t for Brian''s help, we might have starved to death on the streets." "So, ever since that incident, although my mom still wanted me to get an education and hoped that I could be a nun in the church, I saw through the hypocrisy. Those so-called ''men of the church'' are nothing but Assh@les! All that talk about helping the suffering and bringing happiness isplete bullshits! After dropping out, I joined Brian in the wilderness to learn the skills of a scavenger. Life finally started to get back on track, and just when everything seemed to be improving, my mom suddenly..." Eileen clenched her teeth, and Renji began to understand why she harbored such resentment towards the priests and the church. "Okay, you''ve gotten through the hardest part, haven''t you? Once we get to your mom''s ce and cure her, you''ll both move on to a new life, away from ckhole ins." "Also, even if your mother was just an ordinary person, I would take her condition seriously and do my best to cure her. After all, this is what I initially promised you. Should we now refer to this as a brotherly pact instead of a work contract?" Hearing Renji''s sincere words felt like a jolt of electricity to Eileen. Her heart started to pound as she quickly reminded herself that they were just bros. She then said, somewhat bashfully: "Old timer, you must''ve fooled a lot of girls with your smooth talk, haven''t you?" Renji nodded in agreement, "Well, perhaps it''s the wisdom I''ve gained from reading two hundred romanceics." "Haha, two hundred romanceics? Even in today''s world, 500 yearster, we have authors who are aszy as sh!t! It''s like pulling teeth to get them to update an extra chapter. And when they do update, they focus on useless side characters instead of moving the main storyline forward! I wish I could lock these damned authors up and whip them!" [HTL: (? ? ? )] "If it''s like this even 500 yearster, you''re telling me you had two hundredics 500 years ago? I don''t buy it!" From Eileen''s heated rant, it was evident that the state of online novels andics was not good in this era. Renji: "..." "Alright, let''s hurry. The clinic where Mother is should be just around the next corner." At the same time that Renji and Eileen were rushing to the clinic, perhaps a little further ahead¡ª Sea Sand Bar. The bar was pitch ck, illuminated only by the moonlight filtering in through the windows. The ce was aplete mess following the battle and subsequent investigation by the knights. Tables and chairs were overturned, broken ss was scattered everywhere, and the neon tubes from the ceiling had long since broken. Some had even fallen onto the floor, where they mixed with a muddledbination of fresh blood and spilled alcohol. In such a deste, empty bar¡ª Suddenly¡ª A red light flickered from a corner of the wall, standing out sharply in the dark interior of the bar. It was a... Security camera. The bar''s original CCTV camera. Brian had shut down all the electrical appliances in the Sea Sand Bar before leaving, even going so far as to turn off the main circuit breaker. The entire bar should be in a power-off state, so logically, no electrical devices should be working. However¡ª Yes, as part of the "security system," the CCTV camera could still operate on emergency backup power, even if the main power was off. But the issue was¡ª It was supposed to be "broken." During the use of the [Maic Pulse], Renji had destroyed all evidence, including the CCTV footage. Otherwise, the moment the knights arrived, they''d know everything just by checking the surveince footage. The knights didn''t suspect this, however. Because when Eclipses go berserk, they emit a strong Tainted Miasma, and many case reports have shown that this Tainted Miasma can indeed affect inanimate objects like electronics, causing them to malfunction or break permanently. For this very reason¡ª The sudden "re-illumination" of the CCTV camera in the darkness seemed all the more eerie and mysterious. The CCTV camera lighting up in red was just the first step in a series of inexplicable events. Immediately afterward, the electronic screen corresponding to the camera in the surveince room also lit up. Rows of text began to appear on the screen. - **[Hacking sessful.]** - **[System reboot sessful.]** - **[Attempting to repair damaged data. Current progress 14% 29% 40%]** - **[Maximum data recovery: 91%]** - **[Initiating image analysis.]** The screen changed, and a fast-forward reel of the past month''s surveince footage from the Sea Sand Bar yed. The final frame stopped at the moment Renji used the [Maic Pulse]. The following frames belonged to the 9% of data that "it" couldn''t recover. But¡ª That was enough. In the empty surveince roomte at night, theputer seemed to operate as if it had its own consciousness. It zoomed in on a particr frame of the footage, again and again. Until finally¡ª What "it" zoomed in on, filling the entire electronic screen, was¡ª The slender and pale neck of a young girl. Of course, that wasn''t the focus. The focus was¡ª At the back of the girl''s neck was aplex and mysterious shackle-shaped pattern. Although the quality had be incredibly blurred after numerous magnifications, the outline was still faintly visible. But that was enough. - **[...]** - **[...]** - **[ID: 857956. Total observational time: 46,900,032 hours]** - **[Sessfully retrieved ''Maic Pulse'' waveform...]** - **[Potential ''Contract'' structure detected, 95% simrity confirmed with internal database]** - **[Conditions for highest priority call met, requesting initiation of ''Ashen'' program.]** - **[Request for call in preparation...]** - **[Temporary virtual tform constructed. Complete]** - **[Anti-viruswork setupplete]** - **[Brain-machine ''S-11'' battle chip pre-downloading. Complete]** - **[Energy monitoring. Complete]** - **[...]** - **[...]** - **[Awakening central mother-brain. ''Zero'']** Chapter 33 33: Zero (Part 3) [1/2] ? **Buzz!** All theputers in the control room suddenly turned on. Screens filled with crazy-fast lines of code. Theputers were working so hard they started to make noise, like they were about to break. The fans inside were spinning like crazy to keep things cool. At the same time, in a run-down barte at night, you can see faint lights flicker inside if you looked from outside. All the security cameras hanging from the ceiling aimed their lenses at the middle of the bar. Under the influence of a hacking program, Miasma Energy had modified them through the circuitry. Not only were these cameras now operational again, but they were also given a new capability: [projection] Blue beams of light shot out from the cameras, pointing all over the ce. Constantly rotating, the adjusting camera lenses seemed like needles, and the beams of light shooting from them were like threads. These "threads" and "needles" of light went back and forth across the bar, creating something as they moved. First, they made feet, then legs, and finally, an entire body. The whole process might have taken around ten seconds. That was already the limit. After all, given the old and low-grade hardware in Sea Sand Bar, any longer and the equipment would probably have burned out. The Sea Sand Bar dimmed again, and each camera lens seemed to havepletely broken down, losing its light. However, corresponding to all this, the final result of the projection and weaving process appeared: a virtual woman, entirely made of bluish light, appeared in the center of the bar''s main hall. She didn''t have a real body, so you could see dust particles lit up by her light go right through her. Her hairstyle was made of two spiral, DNA-like pigtails, hanging down on either side of her cheeks. You couldn''t see all of her face because she was wearing something like a visor over her eyes. But you could see her perfect nose and thin lips. From far away, her arms and legs looked human. But up close, you could see they were like robot limbs, covered in circuits. She was also floating a bit; her toes weren''t touching the floor. Even though she was all robotic, being made of light didn''t make her any less beautiful. This kind of beauty wasn''t just "pretty" in the usual way. It was more like the buzz you get when you see a super cool sports car. Even though it''s not a person, it still gives you a kick. After all, for "Zero," she could satisfy any of her Emperor''s physical aesthetic needs for the opposite sex whenever he wished, by swapping out parts like her chest, legs, hands, feet, etc. Regrettably, ever since Emperor Ashen purchased her and trained her, the "Reproduction Module" that she learned from human data has never been activated by Ashen. No longer dwelling on her past from her database, as her time was limited, Zero cut off her emotional circuit. She lifted her translucent virtual arm and spoke in a mechanical, cold voice, "Canonical Data Reshaping." In an instant, centered on Zero''s virtual projection, a strong Miasma energy radiated. From the outside, Sea Sand Bar looked just the same as always. But from the inside, tables and chairs that were knocked over righted themselves and floated back to their original positions. Shattered bottles and cans on the bar reassembled themselves. Even the evaporated liquor somehow found its way back into its respective bottles. It seemed like time inside the Sea Sand Bar had been rewound. Finally, everything stopped. At that moment, inside the Sea Sand Bar, besides Zero, there were many other people¡ªor to be precise, many other virtual projections just like her. They were: -Some gangsters lying dead on the floor. -Some gang members with guns ready to shoot. -A young girl about to get shot full of holes. -Brian, the bar owner, and his staff. -And a young man in the back, his fingers sparking like he was about to do something big. This was a real-time simtion of the fight that took ce that afternoon at Sea Sand Bar, precisely at the moment when Renji was about to release the "Maic Pulse." It looked as if time had been rewound. However, what actually happened was that Zero had digitized the entire Sea Sand Bar, conducted a scene simtion, and ultimately restored everything back to this moment. The advantage of doing this was: Floating Zero came in front of the young man''s virtual projection. Because it was just a simted statue, the young man had no reaction to Zero and maintained the pose of releasing the "Maic Pulse." Zero extended her hand, trying to touch the young man''s electrified fingertips. However, each time she came close, she seemed to pull back as if afraid of something. Although Zero''s face showed no expression and her body remained steady, the light from her virtual form fluctuated, seemingly expressing an emotion called "excitement." Finally, the projection stabilized, and Zero now appeared in a Gothic-style maid outfit. After loading the "maid" dress, Zero no longer floated but touched the ground with her toes. She aligned herself with the projection of the young man, crossed her legs, slightly bent her knees, ced her hands on the sides of her Gothic maid skirt, and lightly lifted the hem while lowering her head toward the young man. She spoke in a mechanical voice again, but this time, it was not cold. "Wee home, Master." After doing all this, Zero stood up. Five hundred years ago, as a mechanical maid by her Lord''s side, her duties extended beyond taking care of Ashen''s daily needs. She had another responsibility: To protect the safety of her Emperor and eliminate all his enemies. Zero turned around. She then set her eyes on the gang members from Callewa, who were the targets of Renji''s "Maic Pulse" attack. Zero''s virtual form, initially emitting a soft bluish light, suddenly turned red. On her visor that covered her eyes, a red exmation mark alert blinked as if triggered by an emergency. Her hands turned into gun barrels, mechanical wings sprang out from her back, and floating cannons appeared around her. The cannons aimed at the gang members. Lines of text appeared on Zero''s electronic disy screen. [Enemy information has been fully retrieved; found purchase records from ''Mechanical Alliance,'' retrieving registered data] [Organization Name: Callewa] [Headquarters Coordinates: Holy Kingdom, Michelle, ckhole Gathering] [Combat Assessment: D. Influence Assessment: E. Defense Ability Assessment: E] [Extermination n being calcted] [Calctionplete. Five optional ns generated] [Making ''Preferred'' n determination] [n Details] [Weapon: TS-283 Medium Tactical Nuclear Bomb] [Strike Method: Long-Range, Super urate] [Target Location: ckhole Gathering] Chapter 34 34: The Perfect Master [2/2][Fixed] [VR => Virtual Reality Headset] --------------- Inside Zero''s VR headset a disy screen had already carried out a simted calction for the n. The TS-283 nuclear bomb is a secret strategic military weapon from "Kael Technology" a leadingpany within the "Mechanical Alliance." A small TS-283 nuclear bomb can blow up a 100-meter-tall building. A medium one can wipe out nearly half a city. As for a big one¡ªthere''s no official info, but Kael Technology says it can erase an ind. In the [simted image], a meteor-like point of light appeared in the dark night sky over the ckhole ins gathering area. It grew bigger at an incredibly fast speed. Within just a few minutes, this meteor transformed into a zing fireball, crashing into the southeast corner of the ckhole ins. A few tenths of a secondter, the explosion''s powerful shockwave destroyed all the buildings within the gathering area. Below the hellish sea of fire, a massive mushroom cloud billowed up. (((This is all in her imagination, or be clearer the simtive imagination that she created))) [Simtionpleted] [Time Taken: 29 minutes and 17 seconds] [Enemy Organization Destruction Rate: 99.9% [Operation Evaluation: Perfect] Not just these data, Zero''s simtion report also included civilian casualty rates, the rate of destruction of the ckhole Gathering, radiation pollution, and other numbers. Emotional circuits began to flicker at this moment. Although all other parts of Zero''s body were brand new, only this circuit, located at Zero''s "heart," seemed to have aged significantly. After supporting for just a few seconds, itpletely dimmed out. In its ce, more and more "red codes" appeared on Zero''s disy screen. These red codes were different from regr ones; they were twisted and irregr, sometimes blurry, sometimes clear, emitting a strange aura. Each one seemed to speed up Zero''s "review" process for this n, urging Zero to quickly execute the nuclear program. Just when it seemed that Zero''s entire field of vision would be filled with red codes, \text[?``[oaicite:18]``?] \text[?``[oaicite:17]``?] \text[?``[oaicite:16]``?] \text[?``[oaicite:15]``?] \text[?``[oaicite:14]``?] [Error. Error!!] [Data anomaly detected, originating from Emperor Ashen''s Biological Signal. Request to reevaluate.] [Request approved. Starting corrections] The tide of red codes abruptly stopped, and the nuclear n''s progress was forever stuck at 98%. If there was anything that could override these "red codes," it would perhaps only be... Zero returned to the statue hologram of the young man. From her VR, two beams of light shot out and began scanning the hologram of Renji from top to bottom. Soon after... [Physical strength: D. Cellr vitality: D. Miasma concentration: 0%. Supernatural power: D] [Nuclear Bomb Survival Rate: 0.1%] [Measurementplete, sessfully recalibrated Emperor Ashen''s status, current master status: Severely Injured!] Back in the day, every metric for Emperor Ashen in Zero''s database reached the highest measurable standard of S-ss. Now, all have returned to a level just slightly above that of an average person, D-. Thus, Zero immediately categorizes this as a Severely Injured. [n Changed] [Activating ''Emergency Protocol''] [First Priority Objective Updated: Treat the Emperor] [Identity information sessfully registered] [Sessfully enrolled master into the ''Emergency Medical Squad'' premium membership, distress signal sent out. Estimated time until the fastest ''Emergency Medical Squad'' arrives: Nine minutes and fifty-four seconds] [All Pre-Action Conditions Set to: Stealth.] On the screen inside Zero''s protective VR headset, lines of information shed by rapidly. It was evident that Renji''s change in strength had a significant impact on Zero. ording to the ''Emergency Protocol,'' if the Emperor encounters a life-threatening situation, Zero should use hermunication ability to send this distress signal to the other "Four" personal guards, summoning everyone to rush over. But Zero did not do that. Instead, she started erasing her traces, alsopletely eliminating the record of her "awakening." Because, ording to Zero''s judgment, if Emperor Ashen was severely injured and powerless for some unknown reason, informing the other "Four" personal guards would actually be more dangerous. Five hundred years have changed many things, including the "Four" of them. So, right now, only "she" is trustworthy, only "she" can help the Emperor, only "she" is the most loyal to the master. Zero intends to boost her master''s strength, allowing her master to regain his peak power as quickly as possible, so that "they" would not dare to have other thoughts about her master. The quickest way to do this now is¡ª Zero raised one of her hands, which quickly transformed into a sharp de. Then, Zero aimed the de at the arm of the young man''s [projection image] and¡ª Swish!* The de shed, and in the projection, Renji''s arm was severed by Zero. [Physical form. Fragile] Zero muttered. Then, Zero manipted the data to construct a new arm at the young ''projection''s'' severed limb¡ªa new mechanical arm. Because these are all just "models," the process was fast. Looking at the mechanical arm she gave her master, which is far more robust and more explosive in strength than before, lined with various circuitry, this robotic arm could not only transform between dozens of weapons but also has multiple chip slots in its regr arm form. By installing advanced chips, it can achieve master-level proficiency in various scenarios that require arm usage. [Perfect. Absolutely perfect] For Zero, it was as if she had opened Pandora''s Box. She wasn''t content with only transforming one arm; she needed to do the other as well. Swish!* With a flick of her de, Zero severed the left arm of Renji''s ''projection'' and repeated same process. Both arms were now transformed into A-ss powerful robotic arm, greatly enhancing her master''s abilities. Zero quickly turned her attention to the young man''s leg ''projections''. Swish!*Swish!* The legs of the Renji model had vanished, reced by mechanical leg simr to the arms. They were lighter, quicker, and sturdier than flesh and bone, equipped with a high-end jump system and rocket vents on the soles, enabling flight. They can autonomously adjust movement speed, with a top speedparable to a top-of-the-line sports car. But this posed a new problem. ''Could master''s other organs withstand such powerful A-ss military technology??'' The answer didn''t require analysis; it was clearly no. Zero''s arms transformed into surgical des. She became an artist sculpting her most cherished work, an outstanding prosthetic surgeon. She removed Renji''s eyeballs, recing them with state-of-the-art robotic eagle-eye. She opened Renji''s back, swapping out his spine for a robotic one that had more sensitive nerve conduction and quicker response time. She cut open Renji''s chest. Initially, she reced just the lungs with more powerful robotic ones, but soon enough, she was unable to restrain herself¡ªlike recing the heart with a controble fusion reactor. As time passed, the young man''s [Projection''s] original organs were bing fewer and fewer. In contrast, from top to bottom, his body was increasingly filled with intricate and luxurious mechanical parts. The whole process took about ten minutes. The original ''projection image'' of Renji had long since disappeared. Now standing before Zero was a mechanical giant over two meters tall, transformed entirely by prosthetics. Perhaps the only thing remaining that connected this figure to Renji was his face, which Zero didn''t touch. Although the young man looked entirely different from a human perspective, for Zero, he was the ''Perfect Master''. She had sessfully protected her master and restored his lost power. This was Zero''s "rescue" n for Renji, and this model had been confirmed and recorded by the highest-spec "Emergency Medical Squad" that had arrived just a minute earlier. The so-called "Emergency Medical Squad," like "Kael Technology" that produced the TS-238 nuclear bomb, is also a corporate giant within the "Mechanical Alliance" As the name suggests, it''s a medicalpany, specialized in providing emergency aid to their insured clients. Appearing silently inside the Sea Sand Bar, behind Zero, were seven mechanical maids dressed in battlefield nurse uniforms. This is the premium coverage benefit. Even outside the "Mechanical Alliance" they could be deployed from a valuable, one-time-use mini satellite pod. Ordinarily, such emergency aid would be quite conspicuous. However, because all operations had the "Stealth" precondition added by Zero, they appeared without a sound. Lastly, within the "Mechanical Alliance," no matter howrge anypany or corporate power is, they always have one unchanging superior. That would be the highest intelligence entity that created the "Mechanical Alliance" the central hub of all technology and machinery¡ªZero. [Data model analysis indicates that Master should still be in ckhole ins. Make every effort to rescue master and then perform prosthetic mechanical modifications ording to the model specifications I created to enhance master''s strength] Zero instructed. After all, Zero right now was only a virtual projection. To truly intervene in reality, she relies on her mechanical forces. Upon receiving themand, all the "Emergency Medical Squad" maids were about to leave the Sea Sand Bar immediately, splitting in seven directions to search for the young man, Renji, within the ckhole ins andmence the "rescue" operation. However, Just as the first emergency maid''s foot had barely stepped out of the bar, Buzz!* From the darkness, a beam of holy light descended from the sky, piercing right through the body of the emergency maid. Then, from the shadows of the bar''s doorway, A nun slowly stepped in. Chapter 35 35: Hypocritical Love [1/1] A verrry long chapter :3 Enjoy the drama eheheh~ ------------------------------------ Maria took a look inside Sea Sand Bar. She saw the virtual world that Zero had made, where people looked like statues. And the thing that caught her eye the most was the huge robot¡ªRenji, who Zero was standing in front of. The nun was instantly focused on it. At first, Maria just looked confused. That changed when she saw the face of the "big robot"¡ªthe only part that Zero kept the same, the only thing that looked like the old Renji. Maria froze for a sec. A momentter, she looked down, and her hair covered her face so no one could see her expression. However, on her opposite side, The remaining six members of the "Emergency Medical Squad" quickly drew their weapons. In the blink of an eye, six targeting red dots locked onto the nun, each pinpointing her vital areas, ready to pull the trigger at any moment. The "Emergency Medical Squad" was famous not only for their medical expertise but also for theirbat capabilities. A legendary tale about the squad told of tworge arms dealers in the "Mechanical Alliance" who, due to businesspetition, led one to kidnap the daughter of the other. This triggered the "tinum Package" of the "Emergency Medical Squad" on the youngdy. Within minutes, the fully armed squad stormed the kidnapper''s headquarters, killing the entire armed force, and sessfully rescued the kidnappeddy. After that incident, no one in the "Mechanical Alliance" dared not to insure with the "Emergency Medical Squad." After all, no one wanted to be wiped out by an opposing squad while they were on a rescue mission. [Warning! Aggressive behavior detected! Drop your weapon immediately, raise your hands, identify yourself and state your intentions. Otherwise, you will be considered a hostile target by our ''Emergency Medical Squad''!] [Warning! Warning!] The eyes of the six emergency maids shed with a dangerous red light, and their cold, mechanical voices echoed throughout the Sea Sand Bar. However, to their response¡­ "How dare you..." Maria finally spoke. She lifted her downturned head, revealing bloody red eyes and a terrifyingly distorted expression. A dense red fog, symbolic of "Tainted Miasma" energy began to surround Maria. Her sharp nails pierced through her pure white gloves, and her nun''s hat vanished, reced by a crown of thorns that seemed woven from fresh blood and ughter. She got very angry, like an exploding volcano, and screamed it out. "How dare you... turn my beloved Lord Ashen¡­" "Into such a..." "MONSTR!" Upon arriving at Sea Sand Bar following the Knight Order''s report, Maria knew she had found the right ce. After all, in this world, there was only one person who could make "them" - the five of them - move out, regardless of the distance: Their Emperor-Ashen. Even though the nun knew that the young man was not real, but just a "copy projection" created by Zero''s abilities, she still found it unbearable and was infuriated. Following the nun''s heartbreaking roar, more tainted red fog burst out from her body. The background of the entire Sea Sand Bar turned bloody red at this moment. On the screen of Zero''s VR panel, the level of "tainted miasma" pollution was detected to be at grade A. [Data anomaly] [Reanalyzing enemy identity] The moment Maria appeared, Zero had already identified her as a member of the "Light Bearers" through databaseparison. Her identity was an "Eclipse" secretly trained by the Holy Kingdom Church, often operating in secret. But as the situation unfolded, with Maria''s speech and her attitude towards Emperor Ashen''s projection, coupled with the tainted aura emanating from the nun, Zero overturned her previous conclusion. After a brief second of calction, Zero identified Maria''s true identity. [Suthia, the tainted energy on your body have exceeded the critical value. Please immediately remove your spirit from this body that doesn''t belong to you. Continuing like this will cause irreversible severe pollution to you] As soon as Zero''s words fell, the nun''s figure had disappeared. In the next second, a head was thrown into the air, forming an arc, and rolled to Zero''s feet. Correspondingly, one of the "Emergency Medical Squad" now had a bare neck, with only sparks flying from the severed part. As the maid fell, Maria - no, Suthia - appeared behind her. In her hand, a blood scythe made entirely of " Miasma" materialized, the very weapon that had just beheaded the maid. With her actions, she made her stance clear to Zero. If before, Suthia had any hesitation or indecision deep inside her about the idea of "monopolizing" Renji, Now, after witnessing Zero''s "atrocities" nned for Renji, Suthia had absolutely no regrets or second thoughts. In fact, she felt a strange joy. Because Just as she had thought, Once Her Lord lost his power, those "hypocritical lovers" would reveal their true colors, ready to betray Her Lord in his time of need. (((That''s only her imagination because of the tainted miasma)) And that''s when Suthia, who''s totally head-over-heels for her Lord Ashen, steals the spotlight! She goes all out to prove she''s been truly in love with him the whole time! Suthia grinned like a madwoman, but her eyes were zing with rage. Seeing Zero again made her remember memories from 500 years ago¡ª Memories she wanted to forget but couldn''t. "Hehhehheh~... Zero, even now, you still want to pretend to be this harmless good-natured person in front of me?" "I was too naive back then. Because I trusted that mask of yours, you stole from me¡ªthe right to help Lord Ashen changing his clothes, the right to help him bathe, clean, cook, make his bed... all the rights to assist him in daily life!" Zero: [Suthia, as a domestic android maid, these are naturally my tasks] "But those tasks were originally mine, ALL MINE!" Suthia''s furious yell cut Zero off. "And what about after that? When Lord Ashen gave you the ''Branding'' that should have been mine too, he gave you the ''Tainted Crystals'' that should have increased my power, and even took away my favorite ring? That ring was my equipment, a token of love between me and MY LORD. You had no right to wear my ring!" "Is all of this also your job?" Faced with the nun''s questioning, Zero calmly responded: [Suthia, Master at that time was only reasonably allocating resources. Your healing abilities are indeed powerful, but during that period, Master needed stronger offensive capabilities. That''s why he chose Me and Nova] [Furthermore, Master did not forget about you. After each battle, he would still give you some ''Tainted Crystals'' and even left you a share of the precious ''Eclipsing Essence'' helping you unlock your potential so you could keep up with us in terms of ranking. Even though, in my view, this waspletely a waste of resources] Zero''sst remark about "wasting resources" undoubtedly hurt Suthia deeply. It reminded her of the times she had to watch as her Lord went off to battle with other Eclipses, while she could only silently stay behind. During those countless lonely nights, she would reminisce about their early days fighting side by side. The more she remembered, the more painful it was for Suthia. She desperately wanted to continue being by her Lord''s side, yearning to continue fighting alongside him. But as Zero said, her divine light could only bring healing, while Emperor Ashen at that time needed fire power. "Hehehe, Zero, you''re right. I was foolish 500 years ago. It was my foolishness that gave opportunistic neers like you the chance to snatch Lord Ashen away from me!" "But I''m different now, Zero. Do you see? I''ve learned to kill as well. I can reap lives just like you. If that''s what Lord Ashen wants, then who cares if I forsake the divine light?" As she spoke, Suthia, as if to prove her point, vanished and reappeared behind another member of the ''Emergency Medical Squad.'' These maids are real mechanical androids, made entirely of artificial bodies. Their strength varies ording to the package level of the client. Silver-tier packagese with D-level bodies, Gold-tier with C-level, and the highest tinum-tier packages feature terrifying B-level bodies that cost millions in Ashen currency. The strength granted by these artificial bodies is generally a rank lower than that of the Eclipses. So, a B-level android isparable to a ''Danger Rank'' Eclipse. In today''s world, where the concentration of Tainted Miasma has significantly decreased, a ''Danger Rank'' Eclipse is quite rare. Yet, this ''Emergency Squad'' had thebat power of seven such Eclipses! This amount of power could dominate many smaller factions in the world. However, it waspletely insignificant in front of Suthia, even as she "borrowed" another''s body. Although the neural reflexes of the B-level androids were fast, they couldn''t keep up with Suthia''s scythe. Another maid''s head was sent flying through the air. The remaining four maids didn''t panic, an advantage of being mechanical and not swayed by emotions. They took advantage of a momentarypse in Suthia''s attack to fire at her, who was shrouded in a red mist. Their weapons were also high-grade, produced by ''Kael Technology'' Each bullet had a ''Kic elerator,'' and the guns were equipped with ''Ballistic Synchronization'' chips, offering tracking and ricochet features with a 90% uracy rate. Unfortunately, even the most urate bullets were useless if they can''t prate the target''s defenses. The red mist surrounding Suthia acted like a resilient, stopping all the kic bullets, preventing them from advancing any further. Next, Suthia swung her scythe again, striking these bullets and sending them back along their original paths at high speed. Bang, bang, bang!* Two of the maids were unfortunately turned into sieves by their own bullets. Thest two members of the ''Emergency Squad,'' seeing that their long-range attacks were ineffective, dropped their firearms to engage in close-quartersbat. Even though the remaining maids were equipped with thetest military-grade S-11 Brain-Computer Combat Chips, iming them to be killing machines capable of taking on hundreds wouldn''t be an exaggeration. However, even killing machines have their limits. Their so-calledbat skills seemed like jokes in the face of the overwhelming power gap, turning them into mere toys for Suthia. After thoroughly "ying" with them, dismembering them from arm to thigh, Suthia tossed their sparking remnants aside. The appetizer was over; Zero was saved forst as the main course. Zero looked at the figure in front of her, who had drifted so far from the image of a ''nun'' and now resembled a brutal demon. She spoke: [Information updated: Suthia. I can confirm that your sanity has beenpletely tainted by the Tainted Miasma energy. You are now an S-rank threat to Master and are designated as a hostile target] [If there''s a shred of sanity left in you, I hope you stay as far away from Master as possible. Otherwise, you and your Holy Kingdom will face a deration of war from the entire Mechanical Alliance. I will not hand over Master to you] Suthia just chuckled dismissively at Zero''s threat, continuing to close in on her. Remainingposed, Zero said, [You should know that I am merely a projection of a virtual consciousness. Even if you kill me, it changes nothing. Give up. All records and footage rted to you and Master have been uploaded to a database with the highest level of security protocols. You can no longer monopolize Master] "Really? Zero, it seems even you can be careless. Why do you think I''ve been talking so much, deliberately telling you how I''ve changed, ''performing'' a battle in front of you? Do you think I want to waste precious time on you?" As Suthia spoke, she had already reached Zero, grabbing her virtual neck. The moment she touched Zero''s projection, the oue was decided. She had won. Because¡ª [You¡ª] Zero rarely showed such intense emotional fluctuations. She began to struggle, finally understanding the meaning behind Suthia''s words. ''How did I forget? Suthia''s ability was not the killing type, but divine light. And as Suthia advanced, that divine light became not just a healing ability but also a power of control'' The moment she realized that Suthia had taken over Maria''s body, she should have known that Suthia''s abilities had evolved again, in an even more dangerous direction¡ª[possession]. Chapter 36 36: True Love [1/1] ? Unfortunately, it was already toote. She had been tricked by Suthia''s acting madness and killing intent. The real Suthia was totally clear-headed and was just trying to keep her from leaving. And she had foolishly taken the bait, intending to collect new data on Suthia. By the time she realized her mistake, it was toote to leave. Suthia, who had taken control of Maria''s body through "Mental Control"bined Divine Light and Tainted Miasma, and unleashed a "Mental Destruction" brainwashing attack on Zero. [Ah... stop... let me...] Zero cried out, struggling as the red Tainted Miasma started to get into her. She was iling her legs and trying to pull Suthia''s hands off her neck. But Suthia had no intention of letting go. Her crimson eyes showed only coldness towards Zero. Once, they had beenrades, even intimate partners. If Emperor Ashen hadn''t disappeared suddenly, and for as long as 500 years at that, Suthia felt she could have endured it somehow. She would have been satisfied just watching her Lord from afar. But even that humble wish had been shattered. ''Five hundred years¡­'' ''Do you know what I went through during these 500 years without my beloved Lord?'' In the first hundred years, shey in bed, muttering Ashen''s name, even scratching her own eyes in agony. That year, Suthia swore that when her Lord returned, she would confess her feelings, no longer hiding them out of cowardice. In the next hundred years, every action she took, every prayer she made, every meal she ate, her mind was filled with thoughts of Ashen. That year, Suthia swore that when her Lord returned, she would cling to him, whether he epted her feelings or not. Three hundred years in, she was locked in the deepest room of the church sanctuary, frantically scratching the walls until they were covered in her w marks. Physical pain couldn''t mask her emotional loneliness; she couldn''t bear a life without her Lord, couldn''t bear this bleak, dark world. That year, Suthia vowed that when Ashen returned, she would have their child by any means necessary, even if she had to use unconventional methods. Four hundred years passed, she tried to seal away her memories, attempting to escape everything through deep sleep. Even if she had forgotten everything, even if she lied to herself, the unnamed sadness that rose in her heart in the deep of the night still made her tears flow on their own. So when she finally meet Zero, the barrier between her and her Lord, within her grasp, she wouldn''t let go, no matter what. ''Five hundred years. Heh heh heh hehhahahaa...'' The overwhelming Tainted Miasma from Suthia was too much for Zero, who was merely a long-distance projection. Her eyes gradually lost focus, her struggles weakened, and the red mist of Tainted Miasma seeped into her like mud. Zero finally mumbled: [I''m sorry, Master] [Zero will... save...] Her voice faded into silence. Suthia then let go of her grip on Zero''s neck. Though Zero''s appearance remained unchanged, her eyes had lost their luster and became dull. Then: **[Deleting Master and rted image records: Complete]** **[Restoring ''Suthia'' information change logs: Complete]** **[Initiating consciousness self-destruct program 5421]** Like the current Suthia, who could only appear as an avatar, so was Zero, and she was even more so because she was "away from home." The Zero here was just a segment of consciousness. Her real body were still in a dormant state, not easily awakened. Zero, due to her carelessness, did not allow her consciousness to escape into thework in time. As a result, Suthia sessfully took control, not only erasing her records but also severing the possibility of Zero''s main body awakening. In essence, Zero had "lost" her memory for this period. As the self-destruct countdown ended, spiderweb-like cracks appeared on Zero''s virtual body. Eventually, Zero disintegrated, turning into data fragments and vanishingpletely. Having done all this, Suthia finally came before Renji''s projection model. Her blood scythe shed, intending to separate the ugly and filthy prosthetic body from the young man. But in the end, Suthia realized she couldn''t. Because the young man''s entire body had been transformed into a prosthetic by Zero, the only thing that remained "original" was his head. Just the head. So, with a squelch, she took Renji''s head from this two-meter-tall giant robotic body and finally felt happy. Her face was now filled with a gentleness entirely different from before. She held Renji''s head in her arms, caressing it like a baby. Her cheeks flushed with a shy redness, and Suthia panted heavily before lightly kissing Renji''s forehead. "Please wait a little longer My Lord" "Suthia will find you soon. Very soon." Finally, the model head of Renji in her arms seemed unable to bear the surrounding Tainted Miasma and disintegrated into foam. Regretfully turning away, Suthia set her sights on another projection statue inside the Sea Sand Bar. Another one, one that had always been overlooked by Zero. It was a young girl. ording to the report from the knights, she appeared as the young man''spanion. ''It''s alright'' ''It must be a misunderstanding?'' ''Or perhaps, she is just a local guide temporarily hired by My Lord?'' Reassuring herself, Suthia moved behind the projection of Eileen. She took a deep breath, reached her hand to the girl''s neck, and lifted her long hair to reveal what was hidden behind. When her hair was moved aside, revealing the nape of the young girl''s neck, Suthia''s expression changed dramatically. She, who had returned to her normal nun-like demeanor after eliminating Zero, was now overtaken by a fresh wave of fury, more intense and jealous than when she faced Zero. Because there, clearly disyed, was aplex pattern resembling a shackle. ''How can Suthia forget what this symbolized?'' It was something she held most precious. It was her contract with Lord Ashen. Unfortunately, as Lord Ash had disappeared for five hundred years, the power of the contract had weakened and eventually deteriorated. ''However, this contract on this girl''s neck...'' ''This new contract!!'' Suthia gripped Eileen''s neck, mes of jealousy almost bursting from her eyes. Just as it looked like she would snap the girl''s neck, she suddenly released her grip. "No, this isn''t enough" "I must make My Lord understand that no one is reliable... Only me. I''m the only choice for Lord Ashen" "Heh heh heh..." Amidst herughter and mumbling, Suthia left the Sea Sand Bar. She didn''t continue to look for Renji; instead, she returned to the church she hade from. She had already waited so many years; she could afford to wait a little longer. She would make her lord understand what true love really is. Shortly after Suthia left, numerous translucent blue light points appeared in the air inside the Sea Sand Bar. These were the data fragments that should have been destroyed after Zero self-destructed. Drawn by some force, these fragments began to gather at the bar''s entrance, specifically, into the body of a fallen android maid. All seven members of the ''Emergency Squad'' were indeed wiped out, devoid of any life signs. Six of them had been dismembered and turned into spare parts during the recent battle with Suthia. However, one of them, the first to be attacked, had only stepped half a step out of the door when she was struck by the Holy Light, Her central chip and various systems were destroyed, but her body''s integrity was rtively preserved because she had only been attacked once. And when the data fragments from "Zero" in the air were passively absorbed by the android''s self-repair program as an "external energy source," the central chip, burnt and damaged by theHoly Light, flickered back to life in the dark interior of Sea Sand Bar. Chapter 37 37: Dain Clinic [1/3] ? I will post the bonuses after 3 days when my midterm ends *^, for now, enjoy the chap, Ah, I kindda forgot to tell you, I will set the privilege tier next month to 2/5/10/15/20, so for now it is only 2 advanced chapters. ------------------ "Achoo!" Eileen sneezed all of a sudden and felt a weird cold feeling on her neck. Quickly, she pulled her clothes tight and looked around. She and Renji had now arrived in the "Gray Area" of the ckhole ins, a neighborhood sandwiched between the wealthy district and the gang territories. It served as a buffer zone and also as a natural underground market. Rich people bring the money, and gangs offer services. Lots of sketchy deals happen here, turning this ce into a hotspot for all sorts of under-the-table business. You can find unlicensed shops, ck markets, arms sellers, people-smugglers, and adult clubs here¡ªbasically, anything that people might want but isn''t exactly legal. The "Dain Clinic" that Renji and Eileen were heading to was also one such ce¡ªan unregistered, underground clinic. After looking around, Eileen didn''t notice anything unusual. It was now 9:30 in the evening. While other areas of ckhole ins were deserted at this hour, the "Gray Street" was bustling with people in a hurry¡ªmaking it one of the few ces that remained lively evente into the night. "Feeling cold? Should we buy a scarf?" The young man next to her asked, And Eileen shook her head. "No need. I''m tougher than I look. Let''s get moving fast. I''ve got a bad feeling for some reason." "You get this feeling a lot?" "Nope!" Eileen gave Renji an annoyed look and walked faster. She always trusted her gut, something a lot of scavengers do. A few minutester, they finally saw the "Dain Clinic" sign. The clinic wasn''t particrlyrge, but it seemed to have quite a number of patients. Even at this hour, people were going in and out. Renji saw that most people had small injuries like cuts or maybe broken bones. For quick and cheap care, this underground clinic was a good choice. When they reached the patient area, the reception desk was manned by a drowsy nurse. Eileen, familiar with the ce, didn''t bother her and headed straight inside. [108] In the thirdst room of the patient corridor, Eileen, filled with excitement, grabbed the doorknob. She didn''t even bother to knock and pushed the door open eagerly. "Mom! I¡ª" "Mom? Mom?" Eileen''s happy voice suddenly stopped. She stood frozen at the door of the hospital room. When Renji got there and looked in, he saw why. The hospital bed was empty, and the bedding and white sheets had obviously been tidied up by the nurse, ready for the next patient. "What...what''s happening?" Eileen snapped back to her senses and quickly stepped out to double-check the room number. [108] ''Yes, this should be Mom''s room'' ''But where is Mom? Where had she gone?'' Seeing Eileen freaking out and about to burst into each room, Renji grabbed her arm. "Don''t worry. Maybe the doctors changed your mother''s treatment n. Let''s ask at the front desk." "Right, right, the front desk!" Eileen dashed to the front desk, startling the nearly asleep nurse on duty. At this point, she didn''t care about formalities and urgently asked, "Doctor, can you tell me the room number for Nn?" Usually, you have to follow some rules to get patient info. But Renji looked rich, so the nurse didn''t ask questions. She started looking on her tablet. The nurse nced at Eileen, who was dressed like she came from a wealthy background, and decided not to make a fuss. She started scrolling on her tablet. But soon after, "Nn? I''m sorry, miss, but we don''t have any patients by that name in the clinic right now." "What did you say?" Eileen thought her ears were ying tricks on her. Until the nurse repeated herself. "Miss, I can''t find the person you''re mentioning in our current room registry. Are you sure you''re in the right ce?" "Impossible! How could that be? Dain Clinic, Room 108! My mom was here! You...you!" Eileen''smotion immediately drew the attention of many patients in the clinic. Even the front desk nurse started to frown, suspecting that Eileen might be causing a scene. At this point, a hand reached out from behind and rested on Eileen''s shoulder. "I apologize, Doctor. My sister is a bit emotional. Here''s the situation: my mother was previously staying in Room 108. But we just went there and found it empty. You''re also saying she''s not listed, so could you please check the room assignment records for us? We only need the information for the past two days. Thank you." Dressed in a high-end suit and carrying himself with poise, Renji impressed the front desk nurse both in appearance and in speech. She hesitated for a moment; normally, room assignment records were confidential and not disclosed to outsiders. However, the nurse sneaked a few more nces at the handsome young man across from her. Renji gave her an apologetic smile as if to say "sorry for the trouble," which made her feel rather pleased. After all, most people who came to a shady clinic like this were either intimidating gang members or poverty-stricken people. Renji, with his clean-cut and elegant appearance, was a first for her. Taking into ount that he was a direct rtive of the patient and his sister seemed genuinely anxious, the nurse eventually nodded at Renji, granting him a little special treatment as she started scrolling through her tablet. Not long after, "Sir, I''ve found it! Your mother, Ms. Nn, was discharged at 11 a.m. today. She was picked up by her daughter, Eileen." The front desk nurse looked at Renji with a puzzled expression as she said this, wondering if the young man had another sister. On the other side, Eileen waspletely stunned, her eyes wide open. This was clearly nonsense. But just as she was about to angrily retort, the power of their contract silenced her and immobilized her. Understanding Eileen''s vtile emotions concerning her mother¡ªthe only family she has¡ªRenji knew that impulsiveness wouldn''t solve the problem. So he used the power of their contract to keep Eileen quiet for the moment. "I see. Could you please check who recorded this particr assignment?" "Ah? It was Director Frederic?" Even the front desk nurse was a bit surprised. It was indeed rare for the director to personally record such details. "I understand. Could you finally tell me if Director Frederic is currently in the clinic? And which room is he in?" The nurse hesitated again. Answering questions about other doctors might be eptable, but when it came to the director, that was beyond her pay grade. Fortunately, sensing her dilemma, Renji smiled and reassured her, "Oh, don''t worry. Dr. Frederic and I are actually friends, and we have a pretty good rtionship. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have personally handled our registration, right?" ''Well, that made sense. If they were friends, then there should be no issue, right?'' The nurse, now even more respectful towards Renji, quickly replied, "Sir, walk this way and head to the third floor. After turning left, it''s the fourth room on the innermost side. That''s Director Frederic''s office. He usually leaves around 10 p.m. If you hurry, you should still be able to catch him." ncing at the wall clock that showed it was almost 10 p.m., Renji nodded. "Thank you very much." Chapter 38 38: The Cleaner [2/3] ? As they went upstairs, Renji sorted through the information they had gathered so far. Firstly, Brian, the owner of Sea Sand Bar, had mentioned that he sent someone to visit Eileen''s mother just yesterday. Therefore, Renji found the nurse''s ount¡ªthat Eileen''s mother had been moved out at noon today¡ªto be quite credible. Based on this, a new question arose: why was she moved at noon? Was there anything special about this timing? The answer seemed clear. With a little calction, Renji figured out that this was likely the time when Eileen and the people from Callewa had left the gathering area to go to the Relic Cave¡ªwhere he was supposedly "buried." Thest remaining question was: why did Dr. Frederic immediately send Eileen''s mother out of the clinic right after Eileen and Callewa''s people had left? A terrible answer formed in Renji''s mind. He hoped he was wrong. The third floor of the clinic was very quiet; the corridor was empty, and even the lights seemed dim, perhaps to save electricity. Following the directions given by the front desk nurse, Renji and Eileen arrived at the designated room. Eileen was about to knock, but Renji had already pushed the door open. "Who are you!?" A shocked voice came from inside the room. Dr. Frederic, seated at his desk, was undoubtedly startled by the sudden intrusion. Renji, looking at the man in the white coat with ck-rimmed sses¡ªgiving off a schrly vibe¡ªcut straight to the point. "Dr. Frederic, where is Ms. Nn now?" "No... Nn?" The doctor looked confused, then remembered the name. Seeing Renji and Eileen dressed nicely, he said: "Judging by your appearance, you don''t seem like rtives of a patient. As a doctor, I have an obligation to protect the personal information of each patient!" "Furthermore, this is the internal area of the clinic, and outsiders are not wee. So, I''ll have to ask both of you to leave immediately, or else... I will have to call security!" Saying this, Frederic moved his hand toward a button on his desk that looked like a call bell. What he absolutely did not expect was that the young man across from him, who looked like a wealthy heir, suddenly pulled out a gun and aimed it at him! "Dr. Frederic, do you think your security can arrive faster than my bullet?" "Don''t be rash! We can talk this over, let''s talk!" Sweat poured down Dr. Frederic''s forehead as he silently cursed himself for being so careless. These weren''t rich young men; they were like gangsters. He quickly moved his hand away from the call button and raised both hands above his head. "Truthfully, Dr. Frederic, I was hesitant at first. But after hearing what you said, I''m certain that my guess is probably right," Renji spoke, his gun still pointed on the doctor. "Last chance: where''s Ms. Nn?" Even with the gun pointed at him, Frederic stubbornly replied, "There must be some misunderstanding. I don''t know what your rtionship with Ms. Nn is, but all I can say is that she was taken out of the clinic by her daughter around noon today. I even tried to dissuade them, but her daughter seemed very anxious, as if she had to go on a long journey." Dr. Frederic deliberately threw in the phrase "long journey," a premeditated excuse he had prepared in case of emergencies. "As for what happened after that, I have no idea! If you really need to find Ms. Nn, you should look for her daughter, a scavenger named Eileen. I can provide you with her information. She''s quite famous among the scavengers and is often seen at the Sea Sand Bar." "You''re lying!" Renji felt Eileen, who had been silent behind him, finally explode. Eileen strode past Renji to stand in front of Frederic. She grabbed him by the cor and pulled him close, ring into his panicked eyes. "Look at me! Do you know who I am?" "You are..." From a distance, Frederic hadn''t recognized her, especially since Eileen had changed her hairstyle and clothes, and her skin had even lightened considerably. However, when pulled closer, upon studying her features, the doctor''s eyes widened in disbelief. "You... you are... How could you be alive? How could Callewa''s gang let you go...?" Realizing he had let something slip due to his shock, even though he immediately tried to shut his mouth, it was toote. Eileen mmed him to the ground. "Callewa? What Callewa? Exin yourself!" Pinned under Eileen''s foot, the agonizing pain in his chest made it hard for Frederic to breathe. He didn''t know how Eileen could exert such force, but he knew that if this continued, it wouldn''t just be a matter of suffocation; his entire chest might get crushed. "I... I''ll talk, I''ll say everything!" Overwhelmed by the fear of death, Frederic was terrified. Breathingboriously, he spoke in a shaky voice: "When I saw you leave with Callewa''s people, I... I thought you''d nevere back. So, I... sold your mother to... the Cleaners." The atmosphere grew tenser as Frederic''s admission hung in the air, confirming Eileen and Renji''s worst fears. "Your mom used to be a nun, so she''s worth a lot of money. Let me go, and I''ll give you all the hundred thousand I got for selling her!" "No, one hundred and fifty thousand. Is that enough? I''ll add another fifty thousand; you should be satisfied then!" Frederic tried to appease Eileen in what he believed was the best way he could. Unfortunately for him, it only intensified her murderous rage. The mere thought that her mother had been sold for money¡ªespecially to the Cleaners¡ªset her seething. Her internal Tainted Miasma surged, clouding her mind with a singr thought: [kill this scum!] "Die!!" Just as Eileen was about to stomp the life out of the doctor, Renji intervened. He stopped Eileen and shook his head at her, then turned his icy gaze toward Frederic. "What do you mean by ''Cleaners''?" "Cleaners are those who... who collect living people and sell them to human traffickers in gangs." "For their organs?" "I don''t know, but it seems not just organs. I''ve heard there''s the shadow of the church behind this too." Frederic knew he''d die if left to Eileen, so he answered Renji''s questions as best as he could, hoping to save his life. "You''ve done this before, haven''t you? You have a regr contact among these Cleaners? Call him now. Tell him toe and pick up the goods." "Pick up the goods?" ''Goods? What goods? '' Frederic was lost, but when Renji pressed the gun to his forehead, he frantically grabbed hismunication device. Without even making a call, he sent an email. "Okay, okay, I''ve done what you said. The Cleaners are fast; they''ll be here in about fifteen minutes. Now will you let me go? Please!" "Where are you supposed to meet for the exchange?" "Go out the back door of the clinic, take a turn, and there''s an alley. He''ll park there and wait for me. That''s all I know. I just did this to make some extra money, please, let me go." Facing Frederic''s desperate pleas, Renji simply nodded. "Just do onest thing for us." "You... you say it, whatever it is, I can do it!" Frederic nodded eagerly, his face lighting up. But that light quickly froze. Because... "Really? Well, thanks for bing our ''goods'' then." "Wha... what do you mea¡ª" Bang!* Chapter 39 39: The Delivery [3/3] ? Renji knocked out Dr. Frederic with the back of his gun, leaving him unconscious on the floor. Back in the now quiet office, Renji felt his shirt being gripped. Turning around, he saw Eileen, her face pale with fear, her eyes vacant, as if she had lost her soul. Her mother was the only family she had in this world. The thought that she might have been sold to the ''cleaners'', those merciless people who had no regard for human life, filled her with dread. They would cruelly dismember their victims to sell their ''parts,'' all while the victims were fully conscious, forcing them to watch as their bodies were taken apart. Eileen copsed to the floor, overwhelmed by the horrific mental images. Tears rolled in her eyes. She was paralyzed by the fear of losing her mother, unable to think clearly. Deep inside, she knew she had to pull herself together, but she couldn''t. She felt like someone drowning in a stormy sea, but at least she had a lifebuoy to cling to. She gripped it tightly, it was her only lifeline. However, Renji first held Eileen''s hand, then detached it from his shirt. She looked at him, bewildered by his ''cold'' actions. If even this lifeline is washed away by the storm, she felt she''d truly start sinking into the abyss, consumed by darkness, her body rapidly growing cold. "Listen carefully, Eileen. If you keep acting like this, it''s better for you to go back to Brian. I''ll go find your mother alone; you''ll just hold me back," Renji spoke bluntly. "I...I..." "And let me say something a bit offensive. The fact that Frederic could sell your mother for such a high price shows her value. To the ''cleaners,'' she is not just ordinary goods," Renji stated. Renji''s words were like a cold shower, intended to snap Eileen back to reality. The stakes were too high, and time was of the essence. They had to act, and they had to act now. "Moreover, Frederic mentioned that your mother was once a nun in the church and experienced your father''s miasma outbreak. The residue of Tainted Miasma inside her could be causing her current illness. The concentration of miasma could have reached a critical level. All these factorsbined make your mother extremely valuable." "A nun deeply infected with Tainted Miasma," Renji summarized to Eileen. He wasn''t saying this to agitate her but to set the stage for his next point. "High-value ''goods'' are usually transported very carefully. And to maximize her value, they would need some preparation time. In short, all of this takes... time." "In other words, we''ve discovered this fairly early. It''s been less than half a day since your mother was taken by the ''cleaners.'' It''s very likely she''s still alive and well." As Renji spoke, light returned to Eileen''s eyes. She nodded eagerly, grasping at this lifeline. "You''re right, she''s still alive. She has to be!" Seeing her spirit lift, Renji removed the watch from Frederic''s wrist and wore it himself. Then he instructed Eileen to find something like a body bag to wrap up the unconscious doctor. After all that, he checked the time. They had about five or six minutes before the ''cleaner'' Frederic had arranged would arrive. "Eileen, I have a n," Renji said. --- In a dark alley behind Dain''s Clinic. A pickup truck was parked, and a man dressed in work overalls and a baseball cap was leaning against it, smoking a cigarette and cursing under his breath. "That damn Frederic, calling me at the worst possible time. I was just getting to the good part with a girl, and he calls me out. If this ''goods'' is of poor quality, he''s gonna regret it, I swear." At that moment, footsteps echoed in the alley. The man quickly put out his cigarette, opened the back door of his pickup, and prepared to receive the ''goods'' from Frederic. They had done this hundreds of times before. The stage was set for Renji and Eileen''s next move. The clock was ticking, but if they yed their cards right, they could turn the situation to their advantage. And above all, they might be able to save Eileen''s mother. However, this time was different. As the man looked back, he saw a face he didn''t recognize walking toward him. Instantly on alert, the ''cleaner'' instinctively put his hand on the holster at his waist. But then he noticed that behind the unfamiliar young man was someone wearing the uniform of a clinic aide, carrying a body bag on their shoulder. He rxed a little but still remained cautious. "Hey! Who are you? Where''s Frederic?" he demanded. The young man in the doctor''s coat calmly replied, "He got tied up with something, so he sent us to make the delivery." "Screw Frederic and hisck of professionalism! Stop! Don''te any closer. I only deal with Frederic. If you want me to take the ''goods,'' he has to be the one to give them to me!" As he spoke, the man was about to close the back door of his pickup truck and drive away. Being a ''cleaner'' required more caution than other shady upations. But then¡ª "Our ''goods'' this time are very special. Just one look and you''ll love them," said the young man. This made the man hesitate. Indeed, earlier that day, Frederic had delivered a nun that turned out to be an excellent ''product'' He''d made a good profit selling her, leading to his ns for a night out. "If there''s something simr on offer, then..." "Fine, let''s see what''s so special about your ''goods'' that you''re so confident!" Curiosity and greed got the better of him. He returned and unzipped the body bag, looking inside under the dim streetlight. ''That... that face...'' "Frederic!!!!?" And that''s when he felt the cold metal of a gun barrel pressed against the back of his head. Along with the voice of the young man. "Alright, you''ve seen the ''goods,'' and Frederic is here in person. So now, can we proceed?" "To make the delivery?" Chapter 40 40: Time To Take Back Whats Mine [1/2] ? Another chapter after 20m. -------------- At 22:07 in the deep night, in the southeast corner of the ckhole ins gathering area, lies the base of Callewa''s gang, thergest gang that semi-rules the ce. A small freight pickup truck slowly drove in and finally slowed down near what seemed like a big factory gate. It gets stopped by some guys from Callewa. The driver rolled down the window and very skillfully handed out a prepared cigarette. The gang members on guard naturally epted it, lit one, and then frowned at the driver. "Weren''t you just here this afternoon? What''s the deal? Got new stock already?" "Yes, yes, I was lucky. My supplier caught a few more fish, so I hurried over to bring them to you guys!" "What about the guy sitting next to you? I''ve never seen you bring a partner before." "Ah! He¡­ he is my new apprentice. I brought him along to show him the ropes, you know, hehe~" The driver spoke somewhat hesitantly, forcing an unnatural smile on his face. He hoped the gang would notice something was off about him, but unfortunately, either because the night was too dark or because they never thought anyone would dare challenge Callewa gang in the ckhole ins, the gang members at the factory gate burst into loudughter, especially the one who had just asked the questions, as if he had heard the funniest joke ever. "Hey, hey, hey! Is this for real? Even cleaners can take apprentices now? In this day and age, it seems as long as there''s money to be made, it doesn''t matter what you do¡ªthere''s someone willing to learn!" "Haha, yeah," the driver responded, faking augh. Usually, these guards would perform a symbolic check, but this time they seemed so amused that they didn''t even bother to nce at the back of the pickup. They simply waved at the driver. "You cleaners really have it good, makes me want to try it too. Alright, alright, go on in." "Thank you¡­" The driver bowed and nodded, pretending to be grateful on the surface, but in his heart, he was cursing them as idiots. He seemed about to say something else, but when the young man in the passenger seat looked his way, he quickly rolled up the window and continued to drive the pickup into the industrial area. A few minutester, the pickup finally stopped next to a warehouse. "Big Bro, here''s the spot. After I drop off the stuff, the supervisor in front of the warehouse pays me based on what it''s worth." "This warehouse is where they store their goods. If it''s high-end stuff, they''ll send it deeper inside, but I can''t go there." The old man was trying hard to exin to Renji. He has no clue who Renji is or what he''s up to, but he''s pretty sure the guy must be nuts. Others would want to stay as far away from Callewa as possible, but this young man had willingly sneaked in. The delivery old man just wanted to get out of there without getting involved. "Where did they put the goods you delivered at noon?" Renji suddenly asked. "That was a high-end delivery; they sent it even deeper inside like I mentioned." At first, the old man was confused as to why Renji was asking this, but he quickly broke into a cold sweat when he realized it probably had something to do with Frederic''s fate. "I have nothing to do with that nun. I''m just a delivery driver. It''s all Frederic''s doing! He''s the corrupt doctor!" The man started to retreat in fear, trying to clear his name. But when he saw the look in Renji''s eyes, hepletely broke down. "You can''t kill me! If I''m not out in half an hour, they''ll send people to look for me. You''ll all be exposed! Just let me go, and I promise not to say a word to them!" The old man thought he had an ace up his sleeve for staying alive, but what he got in return was a stabbing pain in his chest. A sharp dagger had pierced his heart. "Why...?" He couldn''t understand why they weren''t afraid of being discovered by Callewa, even as he died. "Half an hour is plenty. Don''t worry, nobody''s getting away tonight. Even the gang members here will soon be dead." "You''re crazy..." Coughing up blood, the old man drops dead. After dragging his body into a nearby grove, Eileen continued to move stealthily into the darkness of the night. Renji picked up Frederic''s body bag from the pickup truck and headed toward the location of the warehouse''s head supervisor. Maybe it was because it waste, but there were only three gang members in the supervisor''s room, including the supervisor himself. They were all half-drunk, ying cards and drinking. They didn''t even notice Renji''s unfamiliar face, mistaking him for the regr delivery guy. This saved Renji some effort. Eileen, emerging from the shadows, took only a few seconds to slit the throats of all three gang members in the room with her dagger. After finding the key to the warehouse from the leader, Renji and Eileen walked into what was supposed to be a "storage" warehouse. As soon as they opened the door, a nasty smell hit them. With just the dim light from the mooning through the windows, Renji saw something that looked like a concentration camp. Among those captured, there were men and women, all extremely weak. Many were barely hanging on, their minds clouded. The source of the smell was a corpse in a corner of the warehouse, likely not older than ten years. "Let''s go," Renji emotionlessly told Eileen, who was clenching her fists behind him. Anyone who knew Renji would know that when he shows no emotion, things have gotten really serious. That''s right, in Renji''s mind at that moment, it wasn''t just about rescuing Eileen''s mother anymore. It was a death sentence for Callewa gang. The Holy Kingdom was something Suthia built with her own hands, and this dark ce was part of it. To Renji, Suthia stood for everything that was pure, good, and beautiful. And now, on thisnd, such a dark and dirty spot existed. Renji couldn''t just stand by and watch. This wasn''t just for Eileen, but also for Suthia. After finding two sets of gang uniforms in the management room, Renji and Eileen continued deeper into the factory area. Perhaps this was a habit formed by "some" games, making every warrior''s heart harbor a stealthy side. But they hadn''t walked far when Renji spotted a suspicious-looking gang member up ahead, constantly looking around like he was up to no good. Eileen gave Renji a questioning look and made a motion like she was cutting her throat. But Renji shook his head and walked quickly toward the shady guy. Because they didn''t hide their footsteps, the already cautious gang member was startled by their approach. When Renji got closer, he noticed the man was hiding something. Seeing Renji approach, he quickly hid it behind his back. "Hey! What are you sneaking around here for? What are you hiding behind your back? Show it, or I''ll call for backup!" Faced with Renji''s serious questions and the threat of getting backup, the sneaky gang member freaked out. He quickly shook his head and showed Renji what he had been hiding. Chapter 41 41: Time To Take Back Whats Mine Part 2 [2/2] ? Broken antiques, y sculptures, old coins, and rusty keys? Renji looked at the random items in the guy''s bag and was confused. He couldn''t figure out what it all meant. On the other side, the shady gangster seemed to get his groove back. He sized up Renji''s unfamiliar face, also frowning, and then began to question: "Hold on! Who are you? I''ve never seen you before!" "Oh, we''re new recruits under Sir. Simon," Renji casually replied. Simon was the name of the warehouse supervisor. Hearing that Renji was just a low-ranking, new member, the man''s face darkened. He quickly took back the bag he had shown to Renji, and his attitudepletely changed. "What the hell! You scared the crap out of me! Didn''t Simon teach you any manners?" "What are you nning to do with all this stuff?" Renji ignored the man''s curses and asked directly. "Ah, my luck sucks today! Running into you two rookies! Fine, whatever, I have extra ''goods'' today. You guys can help me carry some!" ''Goods? '' ''This is considered ''goods''?'' "What are you waiting for, take it!" The grumbling man divided the trinkets between Renji and Eileen, thenmanded: "Listen up, newbies. You''re lucky. There''s a chance to make some quick cash. Do as I say, and we''ll all be rich. First thing, go back to your warehouse, grab any test subject, and make sure you''re not seen. Got it?" After hearing the man, Renji hesitated for a moment, then signaled to Eileen. The girl nodded, turned around, and left, while Renji stayed to make sure the gangster didn''t escape. "You''re smart, I like that, my name is Artur, do you want to team up with me?" "Sure," Renji quickly agreed. Artur: "Uh..." In less than a minute, Eileen returned, carrying a body bag on her shoulder. Artur looked at Eileen''s brisk pace and swallowed hard. "You''ve got some muscle." "So, what''s the n now?" "Hold on! Bring the body bag and follow me. I''ll tell you once we''re inside the ''factory.''" And just like that, with Artur leading the way, Renji and Eileen easily got to a big factory deep inside thepound. As they got close to the factory, both Renji and Eileen frowned at the same time. They could feel Tainted Miasmaing from inside the factory. And this pollution was definitely not low-level; it was at least around C-rank. To envelop such arge factory, Renji couldn''t even imagine what kind of horrific source of pollution must be inside. Security was clearly tighter at this Miasma factory. Even at this hour, several gangs were patrolling the vicinity, and arge number of gang members guarded the entrance. Fortunately, thanks to Artur, they didn''t face much questioning from the guards. He seemed to have made some arrangements in advance. As they were allowed to pass, the guards gave them three crosses. "Take these, make sure to wear them. These are lifesavers," Artur said, handing two to Renji and carefully cing one against his own chest. Examining the crosses, Renji felt a faint aura of divine light emanating from them. This was the power of Suthia, one of the rare forces capable of purifying and neutralizing Tainted Miasma. Now it was clear. The reason Callewa could run such a heavily polluted factory without many of its members going rogue or mutating was probably these crosses, serving as a sort of "protective gear." ''However, crosses? If it were just a few, that could perhaps be exined asing from a special source. But if they were being used up like consumables, possibly hundreds every day, there was only one organization that could produce such crosses imbued with Suthia''s power: [the Church]'' The thought that Suthia''s power was now being used in this manner made Renji''s gaze toward the factory even colder. After they sessfully entered, Artur led Renji and Eileen into a blind spot, hidden from the usual line of sight within the factory. "Okay, now all you need to do is take out the stuff I gave you earlier. Hopefully, we''ll get lucky this time and catalyze some good products!" ''Catalyze?'' ''So that''s what it¡­.'' Renji finally started to understand. The factory was full of Tainted Miasma, but that could also be useful. If they brought in other things and kept them away from the crosses, they could get tainted by the factory''s polluted Miasma. Maybe then they''d turn into tainted Items. No, judging by Artur''s demeanor, even if they weren''t genuinely Tainted items, it didn''t matter. As long as they were imbued with a Tainted Miasma energy, he could sell them in the ck market for a big profitter. This was the get-rich-quick scheme he had originally mentioned to Renji. On the side, Eileen was stunned. The girl stared nkly at the "y sculpture" item she''d been handed. It felt like a cruel joke, a haunting reminder of the past. Six years ago, her father had been equally excited about obtaining what he thought was a "valuable" item tainted with Miasma from the ck market. That fateful decision had turned him into an Eclipse, triggering a series of tragedies that followed. Eileen never thought she would find herself in a simr situation. "So, Artur, have you ever thought about the disasters that could happen when these Miasma-tainted items make their way into public ces?" Renji asked, taking a deep breath. "Haha! Are you serious? What''s it to me what happens to the people who buy this stuff? If something bad happens, they had iting; they asked for it!" "Have you considered that by not doing this, you could prevent a lot of tragedies?" "Look, you''re funny, you know that? You think I''m the only one doing this? Get real! There are plenty of people in Callewa doing the exact same thing to make some quick cash!" Artur looked somewhat annoyed. He had kindly offered them a chance to make money, and now they were questioning his morals? Could morals pay his bills? "Listen, if you''re such a saint, why don''t you shut down this factory? Then none of us could do this even if we wanted to. Do you have the guts for that? Do you even know what''s kept in this factory? If you can''t do it, then stop giving me a fucking hard time!" "What is kept in this factory?" Renji asked. Seeing Renji stand his ground, Artur let out a mockingugh. Then, with a tone full of pride and arrogance, he mockingly said to Renji, "Listen up, newbie. What''s stored here is the ace up our sleeve, the reason why we, Callewa, are so powerful and the rulers of ckhole ins!" "It''s an artifact from the legendary ''Great Emperor'' that we dug up from the Relic Cave!" Artur''s face lit up. Just talking about the ''Great Emperor'' got him all excited. Even getting a tiny bit of power from this item had changed his life. It was something a lot of people in Callewa were bending the rules to get a piece of. Just by getting a small "taste" of the artifact, he had already gained so much. It''s a taste that many in Callewa were risking breaking the rules to get a sip of. Just imagine the wealth if one could actually possess the ''Great Emperor''s artifact'' itself! Unfortunately, that remained a fantasy. Even they, in Callewa, had not yet figured out how to use the artifact they''d dug up. Otherwise, they wouldn''t need to build this massive factory and collect "test subjects" in an attempt to awaken it. However, Artur believed that one day, they would seed in activating the artifact and unleashing its true power. And when that dayes, they won''t just be rulers of ckhole ins; they''ll be the top gang in the entire Holy Kingdom. Just as Artur was lost in thoughts of a promising future, the young man beside him, who had been silent for a while, spoke up again. "So that''s why," Renji said, his voice full of mixed feelings. "What do you mean, ''that''s the reason''? Hey, hold on! Where are you going?" Watching Renji get up to leave, Artur became anxious. Drinking the ''soup'' from the artifact was an unspoken rule within Callewa. Getting caught could lead to severe punishment. However, in response to his anxious pleas, the young man turned around, as if giving it some serious thought, and finally said, "I guess it''s time to take back what''s mine." Chapter 42 42: The Emperors Relic 1/2 [1/20] ? "Please, I beg you!" "My daughter is only five years old. She can''t lose her father!" "Let go of me! Release me!" "Get that thing away from me!" Despite the man''s desperate pleas, inside the transparent istion chamber, two members of the Callewa gang firmly restrained his arms, designating him as the subject for an imminent experiment. No matter how much he struggled, he could only watch as a third gang member entered the room holding a syringe and walked toward him. Soon after¡ª *Squirt!* The needle pierced his skin, injecting a dark red ominous liquid into his veins. [Miasma Reagent] This was Callewa''s most significant research achievement. Miasma has three states: gas, liquid, and a theoretically existing crystalline form that exists only in legends. Normally, Miasma manifests as a "gaseous" substance¡ªwidespread but poorly absorbed. However, through researching the "Emperor''s Relic," Callewa had mastered the technology to refine gaseous Miasma into a concentrated liquid form. That is what the [Miasma Reagent] was. In a very short period, it could infect the user with a high dose of Miasma, inducing extreme stimtion. If administered to an ordinary person, it would forcibly induce a transformation into an "Eclipse." Just like what was happening inside the chamber. Once the injection was done, the gang members immediately released the man and hurriedly retreated, leaving behind a man who had begun to curl up on the floor. "Ah, it burns! It''s so hot! Water, give me water!" For the first few seconds, the man''s body convulsed as the Miasma Reagent circted through his bloodstream. Soon, a bloody red pattern faintly emerged on his skin. Quickly, the man rose to his feet, tearing at his own clothes. Then, clutching his head, he started shaking it manically from side to side. "Stop it! Stop shouting in my ears!" "My head is going to explode, get out!" "Shut up! I said shut up!" The man tried to w at his eyes and ears¡ªa reaction to the intense hallucinations and delirious babble that Miasma can induce. When the human body can''t tolerate these sensations, it tries to destroy its own senses to counteract the confusion. Unfortunately, Miasma affects the mind directly. No matter how much the man wed at his eyes and ears until they bled, it provided no relief. Outside the transparent chamber, a group of gang members resembling researchers surrounded the area. Holding various types of equipment, they appeared to be diligently recording data on the entire process. At the forefront was a gaunt man dressed in a greyb coat, his long hair disheveled. This man, Dr. Roca adjusted his sses on the bridge of his nose. Narrowing his eyes, he intently watched the man in the transparent chamber, who was now frantically merging with Tainted Miasma. The earlier phases were more or less the same; the key would be whates next. Dr. Roca was highly anticipating the possibility of replicating the miracle that urred earlier today. "I don''t want to be a monster!" "Anna is waiting for me. Waiting for her father toe home. I... I..." "I can''t lose!" "I must... go home to... ANNAAAAAAA." And then, a miracle urred! As the man roared in anger, the eerie bloody patterns flickering on his skin stopped spreading. They even seemed to be receding. Correspondingly, the man''s mental state had improved significantly. He stopped self-mutting and clenched his teeth, as if fighting with all his might against something in a final struggle. Outside the transparent room, many researchers let out excited sounds. Some even shouted towards the gray-coated man leading them: "Doctor! It looks like we''ve seeded! Your newly improved D-01 Miasma Reagent has increased its potency while also greatly enhancing its stability." The Callewa researcher''s excited words were cut off by a sudden, agonizing scream from inside the transparent room. "No! Aaaaaah!" Everyone''s gaze was drawn back to the man. The bloody patterns that had just started to recede were now spreading over his body at lightning speed. Almost immediately, the man''s body began to rapidly inte and contort. Within seconds, he was no longer human-shaped but had turned into a grotesque, tumorous monster. This is the fate of all failed Eclipse subjects. To be a tainted corpse. Bang! Bang! Bang! A quick session of gunshots ended the newly transformed tainted corpse, sting its head apart. The procedure was clearly well-rehearsed. "Ah," Dr. Roca sighed deeply. His brow furrowed, his earlier excitement gone, reced by a frustrated expression as he pounded his fist on the table before him. "Damn it! A 36% concentration is still far from enough? By the looks of it, to reach a sess rate above 50%, we would need a Miasma Reagent with at least a 45% concentration. But¡ª" "How can we possibly purify it to such a high concentration, damn it!" Dr. Roca grabbed his already messy hair in frustration. From his vantage point, he could see many more transparent rooms just like the one earlier. This was the most secretive and central "factory" in Callewa''s rear echelons¡ªa stark reality. Apart from these experimental rooms, at the center of the factory stood a highly conspicuousrge furnace-like machine. The Miasma liquid used for injections was being produced there, continuously. Deep inside the furnace, a four-sided object was stuck. It looked like a star and was covered in a thick, reddish-brown mist. This object floated in the middle of the furnace, protected by special safety shields. It kept spinning at a steady pace inside these shields. So, it''s not hard to see that this four-sided item [Crimson Star] in the center of the furnace is the heart of the whole operation. It''s the cornerstone of Callewa''s secret factory! "To improve stability, we have to reduce concentration. But if the concentration isn''t high enough, the stimulus isn''t sufficient. Isn''t this a vicious cycle? Damn it! Damn it all!" "How did Ashen Empire five hundred years ago manage to produce Eclipse consistently? How did that ''Emperor'' refine Miasma? Why can''t we do it now? F@ck this!" The gaunt, long-haired man scribbled frantically on his desk. Like a scientist reaching a research dead-end, no matter how he calcted, he couldn''t find the form he wanted, bing agitated over time. "Doctor, Doctor!" Some of the researchers behind him quietly call out, trying to pull him back to reality. Because in the backdrop behind the Doctor, new figures slowly appeared within the factory. The most striking among them was a burly man leading the group. He wore an eyepatch over his right eye and was dressed in Callewa''s uniform. His massive arms and shoulders stretched the fabric, giving him the appearance of a hulking humanoid creature, exuding a dangerous and brutish aura. This was none other than Ajax, the big shot who virtually ruled ckhole ins, the lord of Callewa, and the leader of itsrgest gang. "However, it''s not like we haven''t made any progress. The recent experiments suggest that if the subject has a strong will to survive, it indeed increases the probability of evolving. If we could get more of those kinds of experimental materials, then..." "Doctor!" Chapter 43 43: The Emperors Relic Part 2 [2/20] ? "Doctor!" The researchers in the back were bing anxious as they watched Dr. Roca, who was lost in his own mutterings,pletely ignoring the leader, Ajax, who had visitedte at night. However, Ajax raised his hand to signal the others to stay silent. He then slightly turned his head toward his subordinate Roca, and said, "Did you all hear what the doctor just requested for his experiment?" "Tell those janitors to stop bringing us drifters and scavengers. Capture some people with families names; that will yield better research data. Understood?" "Understood! Leader! I''ll arrange it immediately!" The subordinate responded loudly, snapping Dr. Roca, who was engrossed in his research, back to reality. Roca: "Lord Ajax? What brings you here sote?" "Today I heard that you''ve managed to increase the concentration of the Miasma Reagent by another five percent. Such uplifting news! I was too busy during the day, but the moment I got some free time, I had toe and see for myself." Saying this, Ajax patted Dr. Roca''s shoulder with hisrge, sturdy hand. "Dr. Roca, we owe Callewa''s current standing to your hard work and exceptional research." "Thank you for your kind words, boss, but ''exceptional'' is stretching it," Roca replied, shaking his head in a self-deprecating manner. "My current achievements are nothingpared to those of the Ashen Empire five hundred years ago. Despite theirck of resources, they were able to produce a reagent with a concentration as high as 70% using technology far less advanced than ours. And then there''s the legendary ''crystallized'' solid-state Miasma. What a beautiful, dreamlike substance that must be! Sadly, I doubt I''ll achieve that in my lifetime." A strong sense of longing and regret appeared on the long-haired doctor''s face. For someone as engrossed¡ªand slightly obsessed¡ªwith research as he was, wealth, power, or women could never hold a candle to the allure of studying Miasma. It was precisely this quality in Roca that Ajax admired, leading him to ce such trust in the doctor. Ajax even chuckled as heforted him, "There''s no need to be so hard on yourself Doctor. The atmosphere during the Ashen Empire''s era had Miasma concentrations tens of times higher than we have now. It''s not an exaggeration to say that the people of that time grew up breathing Miasma. But today, the decline of the wastnd era has made Miasma very rare, nearly disappearing altogether. Your achievement in ''liquefied Miasma'' is absolutely groundbreaking when you look at it on a global scale!" Facing Ajax''s praise, Dr. Roca made no effort to be humble. Instead, he turned his eyes toward the central furnace core of the factory¡ªwhere the [Crimson Star] levitated and rotated in stark visibility. "It''s a waste for this ''Emperor''s Relic, I can sense that its actual utility extends far beyond what we''re doing with it now¡ªmerely using it as a source of Miasma Radiation. If we could find the true way to activate it¡­" "I have a premonition that it would represent a technological breakthrough in Miasma utilization. It would be something even more advanced than our current Miasma Reagents¡ªno, it would surpass even ''Liquefaction.''" His wistful words ignited a fire in the heart of Callewa''s leader standing beside him. Shaking with excitement, the leader fixed his greedy and desirous gaze upon the [Crimson Star] following the doctor''s line of sight. "No worries. If one decade isn''t enough, then we''ll research for another, and another after that!" Ajax dered passionately. "I believe that, with your wisdom, Dr. Roca, we''ll someday turn this ''Emperor''s Relic'' into a true treasure for Callewa,manding it to serve us!" Listening to Ajax''s impassioned speech, Dr. Roca feigned agreement with a nod. Yet, he silently scoffed with disdain. What he hadn''t told Ajax was that their continuous siphoning of Miasma power from this ''Emperor''s Relic'' had substantially weakened it, far below its original state when first excavated. From the exterior, it appeared unchanged. But Roca estimated that it wouldn''tst another decade¡ªthree or four more years would be optimistic. Once the Miasma within "Crimson Star" was entirely drained, the relic dating back five centuries would lose all function, bing worthless trash. This was why he felt such regret. It was as if they had a top-of-the-line sports car in front of them but didn''t know how to start it. All they could do was siphon fuel from its tank. Worse, they had no idea how to replenish it. Once the fuel was depleted, the car would be useless scrap metal. Dr. Roca shook his head inwardly. At that point, there would be no reason for him to remain in Callewa. His current allegiance to the gang was solely for the ''Emperor''s Relic''. But Dr. Roca had other ns for the future. He had already learned through Callewa connections that a priest in the Church within ckhole ins had secretly stashed another ''Emperor''s Relic'' in some deep underground location. Rumors had it that the "Emperor''s Relic" in the hands of the priest was even more precious, rarer, and powerful than the "Crimson Star" they were working with now. The thought made Roca involuntarily lick his dry lips. "Alright, let''s call it a day for the experiment. It''s gettingte; our leader Ajax should get some rest. Shut down the furnace!" Ajax had personallye to the scene, and Roca couldn''t focus on the experiment anymore. He felt it was better to clock out early. He ryed his instructions to the gang members in the factory, especially emphasizing the shutting down of the furnace. Using less of the Tainted Miasma energy inside [Crimson Star] would also allow him more years of research in Callewa. Ajax slightly furrowed his brows. He could sense the unease from his tone, but out of courtesy, he didn''t say much. He merely nodded and was about to leave. However, just at that moment¡ª "Doctor, something seems off!" The research personnel operating the furnace sounded rmed. Operating the furnace shutdown mechanism was something that the Callewa members could do with their eyes closed by now. But this time, as they performed their usual tasks, they found that the equipment seemed to have "malfunctioned." They had already pulled the lever to shut down the furnace. Normally, the [Crimson Star] would descend and cease to emit the Miasma''s red mist. But what presented itself before them now was a [Crimson Star] that not only remained suspended in the air but also¡ª Seemed to react to something, shaking violently. The [Crimson Star] isted by multiple [Barrier Shields], trembled fiercely before the eyes of hundreds of Callewa members inside the factory. The strange phenomenon not only stopped Ajax, who was about to leave, but also left Dr. Roca dumbfounded, disbelief expression spread across his face. He had studied the [Crimson Star] for decades, but had never seen this ''artifact'' so animated. ''What is happening?'' If the members of the Callewa gang inside the factory were initially merely surprised and intrigued¡ª That all changed in the next instant. Everyone inside the factory, Dr. Roca and Ajax included, had their expressions shift in a split-second to utter terror and confusion. Crack* A small crack appeared on the [Barrier Shield], spreading rapidly like a spider''s web. The Tainted Miasma mist surrounding the Crimson Star seemed like a beast about to break free, baring its fangs at everyone in the factory. It''s crucial to understand that the original Crimson Star was identified as a Level-B tainted item. Though they had drained much of its Miasma power, reducing its original potency, if the [Barrier Shield] failed, the released Tainted Miasma would be more than they could withstand. It could even result in a severe infection throughout the factory, turning the weaker member into Miasma-infected monsters in an instant, just like those failed test subjects! ''How could this be happening?!'' Dr. Roca was so stunned he forgot to run. His eyes remained fixated on the quivering Crimson Star. He knew that the problem wasn''t with the [Barrier Shield]. Instead, the ''Emperor''s Relic'' seemed to have, in a sh, reached an energy level far surpassing even its initial Tainted Miasma peak. ''It was as if...as if...it was " excited "!'' Chapter 44 44: Do You Desire Power? 1/2 [3/20] ? "Doctor!...." "ROCA! " Ajax''s loud shouts snapped Dr. Roca back to reality. Ajax, who was usually the cool leader of the Callewa gang, was now totally freaking out and not acting like a leader at all. In a really urgent way, he grabbed Dr. Roca by the shirt cor. "Stop spacing out! Wake up! What do we do now?" Ajax screamed into the doctor''s ear. Even though they had braced themselves for potential cmities from the moment they began secretly building this facility to study the Relic, when disaster finally struck, Ajax was still desperate to salvage the situation. The Crimson Star at the core of the furnace was trembling more violently, and the innermost barrier shield hadpletely shattered. Though a few backup shields were struggling to hold, the cracks appearing on them indicated that their copse was inevitable. Realizing the severity of the situation, the gang members quickly snapped out of their shock. They began to rush toward the exit in a frenzied escape. If there was anything more terrifying than nuclear radiation, it had to be a Tainted Miasma leak. Once the pollution from the Crimson Star spread, a dense red fog of Tainted Miasma would envelop the entire facility within moments. The fate that awaited anyone inside would be horrendous, something these gang members had seen far too often. The man inside the transparent experimental chamber who had lost his sanity and ultimately became a "Tainted Corpse" was still fresh in their minds. His body hadn''t even cooled yet. Amid the chaos that had enveloped the massive factory, Dr. Roca''s entire body shivered. He yelled angrily at the researchers at the control panel: "Idiots! What the hell are you doing? Activate the emergency safety system and sink the ''Relic'' underground!" When Dr. Roca originally designed this furnace setup, he had certainly ounted for emergencies like this. There was an emergency button on the control panel. Once pressed, a tunnel, several meters deep underground, would open below the furnace, allowing the Crimson Star to fall through. "I''ve pressed it several times, Doctor! But... it''s not working! Not just this button¡ªthe whole control panel has malfunctioned!" The researcher was on the verge of tears. Dr. Roca suddenly realized the gravity of the situation. The Barrier had shattered too quickly. In less than half a minute, the Tainted Miasma red mist released by Crimson Star had already seeped through the cracks and contaminated the entire boiler machine, rendering its electricalponentspletely dysfunctional under the influence of the Miasma. "Damn it!" ''Now there is only onest option left'' "Ajax! Quickly, send someone to the bottom of the furnace. On the rear-right side, there''s a manual safety device. Pull that switch to send the ''Relic'' underground!" Roca found it necessary to rify this to Ajax, despite the urgency, due to a cruel dilemma. ''Who would go?'' Anyone with half a brain could see that approaching the furnace now was so damn dangerous, especially since a significant amount of Tainted Miasma red mist had already leaked out. Going near to activate the manual safety switch was akin to a suicide mission. Even if sessful, one wouldn''t expect to make it back alive. Was anyone willing to sacrifice themselves for the sake of Callewa''s factory? Clearly, neither Dr. Roca nor Ajax were willing. Their subordinates, when met with their gaze, either turned to flee or were trembling, their eyes full of fear and refusal. "Don''t even talk about pulling the safety switch; they''d probably get scared and turn back halfway," Ajax thought angrily, pulling out his gun and aiming it at his subordinates. "Do as the doctor says! Head for the boiler, now!" For Callewa''s leader, no number of underling lives was more valuable than this factory and the "Emperor''s Relic" theirst hope. Any sacrifice would be worth it to get through this disaster. However, just as Ajax was about to make an example by shooting one of them, amotion arose. One of the nearby underlings excitedly shouted, "Boss! Someone''s gone! Someone is heading toward the boiler!" "What?" Both Ajax and Dr. Roca were overjoyed, quickly directing their gaze back toward the boiler. They instantly spotted the person their subordinates were talking about. After all, nearly everyone else in the factory was running away, while only two "Callewa members" were moving against the tide, heading in thepletely opposite direction, toward the boiler. This made them conspicuously noticeable. Moreover, judging by their appearance, they were extremely calm. Especially the young man leading the way; ''calm'' couldn''t begin to describe him. His face showed not a trace of fear or panic. To describe it extremely, his demeanor even gave Ajax the absurd impression that the young man was leisurely strolling in an environment that could erupt with Tainted Miasma at any moment. But regardless, Ajax breathed a slight sigh of relief. The leader of Callewa secretly vowed that if the young man and hispanion behind him could sessfully reach the furnace and pull the emergency switch, he would definitely give them a hefty bonus and promote them to higher ranks. Of course, the premise for all of this was that the duo had to make it back alive. What Ajax didn''t know was that the two members of Callewa, now seen as the factory''s hope, were ironically the very culprits behind the Crimson Star''s leak disaster. At least one of them would certainly not escape me. "Old timer, what the heck is happening? Where are we now? I have a really bad feeling about that thing!" A restless voice came from the girl behind him. However, Renji did not turn around to reassure her but said straightforwardly, "If you want to find your mother and save her, stick close to me." As Renji spoke, Eileen looked at the approaching Crimson Star, feeling a subconscious shiver deep within her soul. The Tainted Miasma''s red mist, now dancing wildly in the air around the furnace, was clearly visible to anyone who wasn''t blind. Chapter 45 45 : Do You Desire Power? 1/2 [4/20] "If you want to find your mother and save her, stick close to me." As Renji spoke, Eileen looked at the approaching Crimson Star, feeling a subconscious shiver deep within her soul. The Tainted Miasma''s red mist, now dancing wildly in the air around the furnace, was clearly visible to anyone who wasn''t blind. It felt as if they were approaching an abyssal pit of fire, and what she was doing now was following the young man straight into it. Eileen responded to Renji through her actions. The girl clenched her teeth, oveing the deep-seated fear in her soul, propelled only by sheer determination. Step by step, she followed the shadow of the young man ahead, never straying even an inch from him. It wasn''t just her obsession with saving her mother; there was something more, something deeper that she couldn''t articte¡ªperhaps a streak of stubbornness. She didn''t want to "fall behind" and lose sight of Renji. Twenty meters. Ten meters. Five meters¡­ . As the distance between Renji and the Crimson Star shortened with each step, the frequency of its tremors increased, and the bursts of Tainted Miasma became more and more violent. It seemed as if every vibration it made caused the hearts of everyone in the factory to throb painfully. One meter. Finally, the trembling of the Crimson Star reached its peak. In an instant, everyone at the scene, including Eileen who was trailing behind Renji, was enveloped in severe dizziness. Eileen felt as if her heart might explode at any second. Blood rushed to her head; a buzzing noise filled her ears; her throat seemed to constrict, suffocating her almost to the point of fainting. This was Tainted Miasma. Grade B item. And all of thissted until¡ª Thud!* Crash!* First came a sound like a heavy object being hit, followed by the sound of shattering. After these two sounds, all the difort disappeared, along with the spreading red mist that seemed to vanish as if it were an illusion. So when everyone finally caught their breath, as if emerging from drowning, nobody could believe what they were seeing. Ajax, the leader of Callewa, stood still as if turned to stone. Dr. Roca beside him was even more dramatic, rubbing his eyes and even pping himself hard on the face. p!* But the pain on his cheek told him that this was not an illusion. What was happening was real! What they saw was¡ª At the core of the furnace, the protective barrier shielding the "Crimson Star" had shattered, creating arge opening. And the culprit behind this breach was none other than the young man whom they had ced so much hope in just a half-minute ago. Of course, that wasn''t the real point. The point was¡ª The young man extended a hand and grasped the Crimson Star within the protective shield. He grasped it. He held this terrifying Grade B tainted item in the palm of his hand, a relic of the "Great Emperor" that the people of Callewa had been carefully researching for decades. They had even built an entire secret factory just to preserve and house it. And from the young man''s expression, it appeared as if what he had just done was as normal as eating or drinking¡ªjust an ordinary, trivial action. Thud* Dr. Roca''s reaction was the most pronounced. He copsed, falling to his knees, staring transfixed at Renji. His eyes locked onto the object in Renji''s hands¡ªthe Crimson Star transformed from the vtile object about to explode moments ago into something as docile as a kitten. At that moment, Roca felt as if something shattered inside his mind. His worldview, honed over decades, was falling apart. ''Simply¡­. Just like that?'' The so-called "Crimson Star"¡ªoh, pardon me, its proper designation should be used now¡ª -[Eclipse Source Essence (Damaged)] - [Quality: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î (Disaster Rank)] - [Rarity: Epic] - [Effect: Increases one star in rank for an Eclipse with four stars or below] - [Tainted Deviation: A 60% chance of failure when applied to a four-star Eclipse, reducing their rank by one star; a 40% chance of awakening a ''unique'' skill when applied to a three-star or lower Eclipse] -[(Those insects who imprisoned it. Those filthy rats who stripped power from it. It yearns to make them pay a terrible price)] -[(Dismember them! Tear their souls apart! Carve up those vile bodies and crush them! It wants to unleash its pent-up rage that has been silenced for 500 years!)] In Fallen Chronicles, the [Eclipse Source Essence] is a rare and precious item, as evidenced by its effects. It is a valuable "Star-raising" item. No Eclipser is born a six-star. Even Renji, who had perfectlypleted the first ythrough, only had a wife with a talent as high as five and a half stars, the subus demon "Lena" Suthia, the one with the lowest talent and Renji''s earliestpanion, started at just four stars. But the reason they could all eventually be top-tier six-star "Cmity Rank" Eclipses was due to Renji continually feeding them Eclipse Source Essence to unlock their potential and gradually increase their star ratings. Of course, not all Eclipse Source Essences are created equal. The higher the stars you wish to ascend to, the higher the quality and quantity of Essence required. This particr Source Essence was excavated from the Relic Cave. In the timeline of the first ythrough, this area was part of Renji''s early exploration phase, and naturally, the items stored wouldn''t be too powerful. The Source Essence in Renji''s hand now belonged to the lowest tier, capable of elevating only four-star or lower Eclipses. Moreover, it looked like¡­ Renji read through the additional content of "Tainted Deviation" once more, and the reason for the current situation became clear at a nce. A word "damaged" was added next to the Essence, and holding it in his hand, Renji could feel the dwindling force within. Perhaps less than forty percent remained? That exined the increased instability factor. Also, Renji nced at the bottom of the panel, at the words within the parentheses. Normally, these are part of video games to provide background stories and history of the equipment or items to yers. And now¡­ well. It wasn''t just the text; he could also vaguely sense the anger and resentment the Essence was emanating. All this seemed to outline for Renji what this Essence had gone through in the five hundred years he was gone. And now, it had finally returned to its true master''s hands. Someone could finally unleash its true power. All it wanted to do now was one thing. Revenge! However, the Essence was not a weapon or simr equipment; it was merely an ascension item. So its method of revenge could only be through one channel. Eclipse. This Essence had already sensed the presence of someone nearby who bore the master''s "Contract" Only those with the Emperor''s "Contract" were qualified, worthy, and permitted to use it. Renji sighed. Perhaps this was the difference between games and reality. In the game, he could remain calm, analyzing benefits from a yer''s-eye view, making every step maximize gains without wasting any resources. But at this moment, holding the "Crimson Star," Renji turned around under everyone''s gaze. And when he saw the stubborn girl still following him, who didn''t retreat due to the recent outburst of Tainted Miasma, Renji shook his head. He now seemed to understand why Eileen''s "Luck" attribute was initially ranked as E. ''So, should she be considered lucky or unlucky?'' But no matter what, since Eileen had persisted to this point and followed him, he owed her this chance. It was something the young girl deserved, something she had fought for. So, Renji stared into the girl''s eyes and quietly asked: "Eileen." "Do you desire power?" Chapter 46 46: Annihilation (Part 1) [5/20] ? ''Power¡­'' As Renji spoke, images from Eileen''s life over the past decade shed through her mind like a rapid slideshow. Six years ago, when her father lost control and became a "Tainted Corpse" and was killed by the church, she was too young to understand what power meant. She only knew it as the demon that took her father away. After her mother was expelled from the church and their wealth became worse by the time, during the days of poverty when she and her mother relied on each other, she began to understand her father''s actions. She realized the importance of "power". And when thetent danger from six years ago manifested with her mother falling severely ill due to the umted Tainted Miasma, Eileen felt her own weakness in the face of exorbitant medical bills. In the Relic Cave, when Callewa''s gang aimed to kill her, the muzzle of the gun pointed at her, she yearned for power. When the Kobold''s surged into the cave, brandishing bloodstained spades at her, she yearned for power in that instant. Because of this yearning, she had begged Renji for power, and he responded. At the cost of her freedom, she got what she desired. It was this power that turned her from prey to predator, killing the Kobold''s in the cave. It was this power that allowed her to stand up against Callewa gang when they tried to take over the Sea Sand Bar, safeguarding what she held dear. Now, her mother was embroiled in an even greater whirlpool of events, and Eileen found herself powerless again. If she had never seen the light, she could endure the darkness. But now that he had opened that door for her, she had to admit, it was addictive. "I want it!" Her response was resounding and unhesitant. The memory in her mind had been but an instant; in reality, Eileen answered almost as soon as Renji''s words hit the air. To this, Renji felt both helpless and somewhat sad about her fast response. If this "Eclipsed Essence" wasn''t damaged, he would''ve certainly saved it for a four-star Eclipse. The difference between advancing from four stars to five and from three to four was simply too great. If this were a game, he could bear a 60% failure rate, since there''s always the option of save-load (SL). Unfortunately, this is reality; there are no "what-ifs." "You need to think this through, Eileen. If you really want this, it won''t be so easy to let you go afterward. Our contract will have to be indefinitely extended. Your hopes for a peaceful and stable life as an ordinary person will likely be shattered" Renji wasn''t joking when he said this. Letting go of a three-star character was something Renji could ept, but if it were a four-star character, especially one that had consumed a damaged [Eclipse Essence] from him, he wouldn''t be able to shake off the feeling of loss easily, Even if Renji had vowed not to obsess over power before starting his second ythrough, he would still need to extract everyst bit of value from the girl to settle his unease. That''s why Renji needed to double-check with Eileen. He was concerned that her agreement was a momentary impulse, so he wanted to paint her a vivid picture of the miserable life she would lead working under him. But Renji had underestimated Eileen''s determination. She was clearly indifferent to it all. Moreover, Eileen couldn''t tell if it was her imagination or not, but the "Crimson Star" that was now in Renji''s possession didn''t terrify her as it firstly did. Instead, she felt as if the "Crimson Star" also yearned for her, as if They both harbored the same feelings of anger and vengeance towards Callewa. They would get along just fine; Eileen was very sure of it. So, she simply said, "Give me" It was just two words, but in certain contexts, they were two words that almost no man could refuse. Renji wasn''t sure if this counted as a ''special environment,'' but when he read the determination in Eileen''s eyes¡ªa determination that seemed to say, "I''d give my life to work for you!"¡ªhe nodded. "As you wish" Some people like to be unparalleled and conquer thousands, while others enjoy lordship and character-development games. Renji was clearly thetter. Many people dislike character-development games. They don''t understand the appeal of nurturing someone else. If Renji were to answer, he might say it''s the feeling of being needed. Being alone from birth, he found this fulfilling, filling the emptiness within him. And he had simple tastes¡ªhe enjoyed nurturing only beautiful women. As before, Renji tried to physically insert the [Eclipse Essence] into Eileen''s chest, but this time, he encountered a small obstacle. [*Ding. Cannot use. Current Eclipse level insufficient. *] Seeing the pop-up notification, Renji almost forgot that the prerequisite for upgrading character''s star levels was to reach the maximum level for the current character''s star. The maximum level for a three-star character is 30. Feeding thest of his [Small Tainted Crystals] would be more than enough, but any extra experience would just be wasted. Such are the downsides of low-star characters; they consume fewer resources, but their ceiling is also lower. "Well, looks like you''ve drained me dry first," Renji muttered, flipping his left hand to reveal three dark red crystals floating above it. Eileen felt a warmth stirring in her lower abdomen. When the dark red crystals appeared, it started to be more active, as if she''d just seen a delicious feast, causing her to swallow audibly. The atmosphere among the other people present, members of Callewa''s gang, was altogether different. They were not like the young girl who had grown ustomed to Renji''s [Miasma Crystals], even having "eaten" one. The faces of the gang members, which had just started to recover from their previous shock, instantly filled with terror again. They looked at the dark red crystal in Renji''s hand with profound fear, much like their former leader, Grey Wolf. Anyone could feel the Miasma emanating from these dark red crystals. It was Pure Miasma. Concentrated to the extreme¡ªMiasma! "What¡ªwhat is that? Dr. Roca! Answer me when I talk to you! What is that?!" Ajax took several steps back, yelling into the ear of the man in the gray coat. As the leader of Callewa and a researcher of ''relics'' Ajax was also an Eclipse. Precisely for this reason, he could sense the incredibility of the dark red crystal in the young man''s hand. Dr. Roca, who had already been kneeling on the ground,pletely ignored Ajax''s shouting. Trembling, the man in the gray coat stood up. Roca started panting heavily, as if he had seen the most beautiful naked woman. His gaze waspletely glued to the Miasma Crystal in Renji''s hand. "It can''t be wrong. It can''t! That is a crystal¡ªa crystallized Miasma! Ahhhh~~~!" Roca started tearing at his own hair, wing at his scalp like a scientist who had been researching his whole life without making a breakthrough, suddenly presented with the form of the universe''s truth. Yes, the truth. In Dr. Roca''s mind, the crystallized Miasma was the truth he had been pursuing. "So beautiful, it''s so beautiful. This can''t be wrong; it''s the most beautiful thing in the world." "I can''t believe I''m seeing it¡ªin my lifetime, I''ve actually seen such a perfect Miasma creation¡ªand three of them! Hahahahaha!" "What a dream, what an utter wonder! I understand now; I must be in heaven, in heaven! Ahhhhh, hahaha!" Chapter 47 47: Annihilation (Part 2) [6/20] ? If Renji''s holding of the "Crimson Star" had only shattered Dr. Roca''s worldview before, Now, When Renji let ought the [Small Miasma Crystals]¡ªand not one, but three¡ªthis mad scientist in the gray coat had clearly lost his sanity, utterly unhinged. Perhaps this is what scientists are like. After all, if we''re drawingparisons, science itself could be considered a form of Miasma. On the other hand, Although Dr. Roca had gone mad, Ajax, at least, learned from him that what Renji was holding was crystallized Miasma! As a contrast, Ajax pulled out a "precious" reagent he had been carefully hiding in his chest. It was the most sessful and highest-concentration [Miasma Reagent] that they in Callewa had developed over several decades. Ajax had always treasured this Miasma Reagent, even to the point of admiring the beautiful russet liquid inside it each day, gently wiping down the bottle''s surface. But now, as he took it out andpared it to the dark red crystals in the young man''s hand, he realized¡ªeven without being a scientist¡ªthat it was trash. Utter, abject trash! The level of Miasma stored in both was iparable. This struck fear into Ajax but also scratched an itch of greed and longing at the depths of his heart. The appearance of those three dark red crystals even made him temporarily disregard the "Emperor''s Relic" that Renji was still holding. After all, in Ajax''s mind, a "Relic" was like a pie in the sky¡ªvisible but out of reach, its potential exceeding its current utility. But those dark red crystals were tangible, and he knew how to use them. If, if he could get his hands on those dark red crystals and absorb the Miasma energy within, his powers as an "Eclipse" would skyrocket. He might even reach the fabled "Danger Rank"! Miasma can corrupt one''s sanity, which is why many Eclipses be deranged and mad. But that''s where science has its merits. At least Roca still maintained basic rationality and judgment. He noticed Ajax''s greedy and profane thoughts next to him and Dr. Roca burst out in disdainful and angry sarcasm: "Heh, heh, heh, you''re not worthy! No! Except for those five supreme beings, no one is! No one is worthy of using them!" "Our lowly, inferior bodies can''t contain their nobility. The moment this high-concentrated Miasmaenergy enters you, it will tear your body apart, dominate your soul, and you''ll burst into death, transforming into one of those foolish tainted corpses!" "No one can absorb them in an instant. They should be enshrined by me, should be researched by me. Let me slowly unravel them, peel away their shells, and dig into their power. Yes! That''s their true purpose! That is the way they should be used!" Dr. Roca''s fanatical speech was not yet over when the young man beside the furnace, seemingly to intentionally infuriate him, directly thrust the Miasma crystals into the girl''s body¡ªand all three of them at once! "No!!!!!!!!" In that moment, Dr. Roca let out a heart-wrenching scream. Because in his eyes, Renji was wasting something, treating such a precious, dreamlike entity like a barbarian. It was as if the goddess of his dreams had been handed over to a beggar by some kid. Even though the three dark-red crystals were brought out by the young man himself. Even though the "goddess(three crystal)" had nothing to do with him. Dr. Roca was still enraged; this was a waste of the greatest artistic gem in the world! Throwing caution to the wind, he leapt down as if possessed, teeth bared and ws out, ready to charge at Renji. He wanted to interrogate the young man, and even split the girl into half to retrieve the dark-red crystals. Shhhhhh~* A surge of energy, rocketing upwards like a fiery arrow from Eileen, tripped him and sent him sprawling face-first onto the ground. As he scrambled back to his feet, he was shaking his head, even more shocked than when he''d seen Renji holding the "Crimson Star." "Impossible! Why didn''t she explode and die? Why didn''t she turn into a Tainted Cropse? This isn''t scientific, no, it can''t be! Even such a high concentration of crystal can''t be absorbed in an instant. What... what sort of monsters are you?" As for that... Eileen didn''t have the time to deal with this madman who had appeared out of nowhere. This wasn''t her first time absorbing a "Small Miasma Crystal" and perhaps because she had been adapted, she felt the process go incredibly smooth. Right now, she felt as if she were soaking in a hot spring, warm all over, each pore seemingly stretching in delight. If she had to describe it in one word, it was "awesome." In two words, "super awesome!" But this feeling of awesomeness soon hit a bottleneck. When she tried to advance further, an invisible wall stopped her, heavy shackles enveloping her entire body, keeping her from moving forward. But in the next moment... Once Eileen had been fully leveled up, Renji once again ced the [Eclipse Essence] into her chest. This time, the essence encountered no resistance and rapidly integrated into her, bing one with her. Hum* Centered around Renji and the girl, a dark-red glow erupted, illuminating the entire factory under the cloak of night. Callewa''s gang members had to shield their eyes, as the fierce winds that followed blew away everything around them. Eileen found herself back in the spiritual world that resembled a sea of blood, a ce she had visited when she first became an Eclipse. In this world, her limbs were bound by chains, with only the one around her neck released. A new crimson star had appeared, falling like a meteor and eventually floating before Eileen. Gathering all her strength, the girl tried to grasp the star in front of her despite her restraints. The star, as if sensing her will¡ªespecially her desire to break free¡ªbegan to morph. It changed from its original four-pointed shape into a crimson greatsword. The sword aimed itself at the heavy chain cuff on Eileen''s outstretched right hand and, in the next moment, cleaved down fiercely. Snap! The chain was severed, the cuff opened, and Eileen''s now free right hand finally moved forward to grasp the crimson greatsword. At the same time. A panel window appeared before Renji in the real world. [Your Eclipse, ''Eileen,'' has sessfully advanced to ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï (Danger Rank), with the maximum level cap now open to level 50] [Your Eclipse, ''Eileen,'' has sessfully triggered the ''Tainted Miasma Deviation'' effect, recing the original ''Ultra Berserk'' ability gained after advancement] [Your Eclipse, ''Eileen,'' has acquired a new ''Danger Rank'' skill¡ª''Annihtion''] Chapter 48 48: Annihilation (Part 3) [7/20] ? -[Eileen] - [Eclipse Rank: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï (Danger Rank)] - [Current Eclipse Role: Vanguard] - Update* [Level: (10 -> 31)] - Update* [Base Stats: Strength (D+ -> C-), Agility ( C- -> C), Physique (C -> C+), Stamina ( D- -> B-), Special Ability D-] - Update* [Advanced Stats: Luck E, Miasma Affinity (D -> C+)] -[Skills:] - [(Common) Berserk Lv1: Slightly increases strength, stamina, and health recovery rate, slightly enhances agility, while reducing the damage taken by 10%. However, when the skill is activated, there''s a 50% chance of entering a "Chaotic" state] - New [(Danger Rank Exclusive) Annihtion Lv1: Greatly enhances all attributes and additionally grants a 30% increase in attack power. Thissts for 15 seconds. The boost decreases over time. During the skill''s duration, 15% of the damage inflicted is converted into self-healing. In the "Annihtion" state, every enemy unit eliminated refreshes the skill''s duration and effect. This passive skill has no trigger limit] -New* [(Note: The term ''Exclusive''¡ªUnique to this Eclipse. When ''Affection/Obedience'' level is above 80%, the skill can be ''copied'')] -New*[(Note: The term ''Copy''¡ªThe selected skill, along with its proficiency, can be copied into your own skill bar. Current remaining skill bar slots: 0)] - [Miasma Authority: None (Unlocks upon reaching "Disaster Rank")] - Update* [Base Specialty: Trash Master (III -> IV): A "medium chance" to turn gathered trash into treasure.] Renji immediately checked Eileen''s updated stats. From the attribute values, it was evident that the girl had specific strengths and was leaning towards the [Harvester] role. The [Harvester] is a refined sub-branch of the major profession [Vanguard] typically referring to those Eclipses with high agility and attack ¨C the offensive type. As aparison, Renji couldn''t help but recall another wife from his first cycle, who was also of the [Vanguard] profession, Nova the dragon girl. Her Vanguard specialization was the [Tyrant] Five hundred years ago, in an era where Miasma monsters roamed freely, the Harvester wasn''t particrly popr among the Vanguards. Renji had a preference for the half-tank, half-offense [Tyrant] role. However, now, five centuriester, times have changed. With a clear decline in the average strength of enemies, the advantage of the Harvesters has be evident. In simpler terms, they dominate weaker foes more fiercely. "Give it back! That''s an ''artifact'' belonging to our Callewa! What have you done with our possession?" Ajax shouted... Realizing their "Emperor''s Relic" was gonepletely gone¡ªAjax was livid. "Roca! You bastard! Didn''t you say no one could activate the relic? No one could use it? What is she then? How did the relic end up inside her?!" Ajax violently shook the doctor, who now could only chuckle mindlessly, muttering things like "the gods" under his breath. Frustrated, the Callewa gang leader tossed the limp Roca aside and yelled at his men who were still standing around, dumbfounded. "Open fire! Shoot her down! Make her cough up our relic!" Failing to obtain the dark red crystal was bad enough, but now even their fallback¡ªthe "Emperor''s Relic"¡ªhad been taken. The enormous disappointment had driven Ajax beyond reason. Now, all he had was a thug''s primal urge: to kill. It wasughable, really. Previously, the "Crimson Star" had sent most of the gangsters in the factory fleeing for their lives. But now that the "Crimson Star" had entered Eileen, they were strangely less afraid when facing her, a fellow human. Some even found the courage to follow orders and shoot at her. Ratatat! Ratatat! Ratatat! Although more than half of the Callewa gang had fled, at least a hundred remained. The firepower they collectively directed at Eileen was terrifying. Amidst the deafening gunfire, the area around the furnace where Eileen and Renji were was engulfed in smoke. The shes from the muzzles illuminated the manic expressions of the gangsters. It was as if they were trying to confront their fear, to defy it, with this act of violence. ''Did it work?'' As the first round of gunfire ceased, Ajax stared intently at the smoke-filled furnace area. "She''s dead, right? Surely, she''s dead! Even an Eclipse couldn''t withstand such a barrage of bullets." "She... she must be riddled with holes by now?" However... Before the smoke had even cleared, a mocking voice echoed in the ears of every gangster in the factory. "Is that all? Tickling me, are you~?" And then they saw it. A dark brown gust of wind dispersed all the smoke. Eileen stood leaning against the furnace, shielding Renji behind her. And now, in front of her, was a monstrous, crimson greatsword. It was this towering crimson sword, almost as tall as the girl herself, that had blocked the relentless gunfire aimed at Eileen. At her feety countless bullets, proof enough of what had just happened. A sight that left the gangsters dumbfounded. "Old-timer, you''re okay, right?" Eileen slightly turned her head to the young man behind her. In such a crucial moment, Renji wouldn''t fail her. Actually, the safest option at the moment would be for him to release the [Maic Pulse], disarming all the gang members in the factory, ensuring the battle''s oue would be without suspense. But, ''How should I put it?'' ''It''s like when you''ve just drawn a powerful new character in a game. After eagerly investing all resources into it, you can''t wait to use this new character to take on dungeons, defeat bosses, and reap rewards. This is the joy of role-ying games'' And Renji wanted to experience this joy. Thus, he didn''t take any action. Instead, he simply nodded at the girl, giving her a look that said, "Go ahead, don''t mind me." "Sure~" "Just be careful" he warned. But be careful out there. Their firepower sounds pretty fierce. Make sure you don''t get overwhelmed." To Renji''s feigned concern, Eileen lifted her huge sword over her shoulder. Compared to the red sword that was over a meter long, she appeared petite, creating a stark contrast. She only left Renji with her silhouette and two brief sentences. "I''ll make them shut up." "In a way that they''ll never make a sound again." Blocking the rain of bullets from the gang took her seven seconds. Talking to the antique took five seconds. Eileen felt that the explosive power within her had diminished considerably. Even the crimson sword in her hand had lost its glow and became a blurred phantom. She probably had about three seconds left before this "state"pletely wore off. The gang members, led by Callewa''s head Ajax, saw this as a sign that Eileen was weakening. The leader frantically tried to boost the morale of his men, intending tounch another attack and eliminate Eileen in one fell swoop. But for Eileen, three seconds were more than enough. She set her sights on the closest group of gangsters. Bending her knees slightly, she leapt into the air. With her sword held high above her head, she then descended rapidly, shing down with all her might. Boom! As the de hit the ground, the unlucky gangsters at the center were obliterated by the powerful force of the sword''s energy, turning them into minced meat. The fractured floor revealed a deep trench. Clearly, the girl with the huge sword was not just skilled in one-on-onebat. Each of her moves, bolstered by the crimson sword, had area-of-effect damage (AOE). Moreover, a moment ago, the girl appeared weakened. But with the next strike that took out seven or eight gang members, her aura surged dramatically. The crimson sword, made from the Tainted Miasma, regained its solidity as if it were tangible. The red sword vibrated in Eileen''s hand. Each time she used it to deliver death to a Callewa member ¡ª crushing the bodies of these insignificant ants who dared to imprison and steal its power ¡ª it emitted an excited sound, almost like a triumphant cry. Chapter 49 49: Annihilation (Part 4) [8/20] ? The rest 12 chapters will be released tomorrow. The red sword vibrated in Eileen''s hand. Each time she used it to deliver death to a Callewa member ¡ª crushing the bodies of these insignificant ants who dared to imprison and steal its power ¡ª it emitted an excited sound, almost like a triumphant cry. The sound of the sword was music to Eileen''s ears, but to the gang members opposite her, no, it should be said to the majority of normal people, it was the death knell ringing in the depths of their hearts. With every subsequent sword sound echoing like a wave, it seemed to carry an intrinsic fear effect on a spiritual level, causing their already frail psychological defenses to shatterpletely. "Monster!" "Don''te any closer! Stay back!" "It''s a relic! The power of a relic! We can''t possibly win against that. Run! Run fast!" "We''re done for." The [Annihtion] skill grants Eileen an additional 30% attack power, manifesting as the crimson greatsword she now held. And when Callewa''s gang members realized that Eileen could keep "renewing" this terrifying state by killing them, ensuring that the crimson sword remained bloody red at all times, thest shreds of their will to fight vanished. After all, this wasn''t a battle; it was a one-sided massacre. Arge number of the gang chose to abandon their weapons and armor. Even themands of their leader, Ajax, couldn''t retain their obedience. They discarded their firearms,pletely dominated by fear. In their hearts, there was only one word left: flee! Sadly for them, had they stayed and kept firing, they might have managed to hold Eileen back, even if they couldn''t harm her. But now, havingpletely given up resistance, Eileen was free to act without any hesitation, making her culling of the Callewa members even faster. Those incessant cries of excitement from the sword echoed continuously, almost bing like the background noise of a factory. "Dammit! Idiots! Morons! A bunch of useless trash!" Ajax was fuming inside, cursing aloud. However, being a leader, he understood that in such a situation, relying on ordinary gang members was pointless. Those close followers who had been behind him earlier stepped forward. Each of them took out a vial of Tainted Miasma from their pockets and, without hesitation, jabbed the needle into their arms. "Ugh! Agh!" With beast-like roars, their bodies suddenly swelled, bursting their clothes. Muscles bulged, reminiscent of Grey Wolf from the Sea Sand Bar, transforming into hulking brutes over two meters tall. This was Callewa''s trump card and the reason Ajax could dominate the ckhole ins. They began to charge at Eileen, theirbined footfalls making the factory floor quiver. But Eileen''s response was straightforward. Holding her greatsword, she stood her ground, watching as these four or five behemoths charged at her. She positioned the sword to her left, took a deep breath, and with a swift motion... Whoosh! With Eileen at its center, the sword swung out in a 180-degree arc, drawing a semi-circle. The next scene depicted the charging giants, who hadn''t even reached the edge of Eileen''s clothes, being sliced in half at their waists, separating their bodies into two. They fell to the ground with a series of thuds. ''Is this the end?'' "No!" Taking advantage of the time and attention his trusted aides bought for him, Ajax''s real trump card was actually behind him. Bang! Bang! Bang!* Three gunshots came from Ajax''s location. Although it seemed like only three shots, and they were from a pistol, the damage these three bullets did to Eileen was several times higher than all the previous hail of bulletsbined. The reason was simple. The bullets were different. The empty bullet shells under Ajax''s feet bore silver patterns. These were special weapons of the Knight Order, produced only by the Church, designed specifically tobat the Tainted Miasma crisis. These "Holy Patterned Silver Bullets" were not only effective against Tainted corpse but also had a strong lethality to Eclipses. The three bullets sessfully prated Eileen''s crimson greatsword and left gaping gunshot wounds on the unsuspecting girl, in her waist, abdomen, and leg. At this moment, Ajax was ecstatic. His ambush was sessful. With these injuries, Eileen''s strength would be significantly reduced. As long as he reorganizes and continues to suppress her with firepower... Before Ajax could even finish forming a counterattack n in his mind, a scene thatpletely devastated him unfolded. Red mist began to waft from the corpses surrounding Eileen. Drawn to her, the mist rushed towards Eileen''s three wounds. In just a few breaths, Ajax''s eyes widened in disbelief. The wounds he had hoped would be his saving grace had beenpletely healed. ''Is this the power of the Relic? The power of the Emperor''s Relic!?'' Jealousy seethed in Ajax''s eyes. These powers should have belonged to him. They were the ones who had first found the Relic and researched it. ''It''s all that useless doctor''s fault!'' ''Decades of research on the Relic and he was nowhere near as effective as that young man!'' While the enraged Ajax realized his defeat, the power of the Eclipse, a single individual, had easily overwhelmed what he had built in Callewa over the years. There''s a saying: "When the green mountains remain, there''s no fear of running out of firewood." (As long as we have resources, we won''t run out of what we need.) Ajax decided to flee, consumed by the same fear of Eileen that other gangsters had felt. However, to his utter surprise... And even beyond Eileen''s and the observing Renji''s expectations... Shick!* An experimental surgical knife, the moment Ajax turned around, pierced his heart from behind. The excruciating pain drained the Callewa leader of all his strength in an instant. The assant''s precise technique hit him right where it mattered, leaving him no strength to fight back. All Ajax could do in hisst few moments of life was to stare, with eyes full of anger, confusion, and bewilderment, at... Doctor Roca. Chapter 50 50 : Rewards Part 1 [9/20] ? Blop* Dr. Roca had no mercy for the gang leader who had once held power in the ckhole ins. He withdrew the surgical knife from Ajax''s chest, and blood gushed out as Ajax gasped for breath and copsed to the ground. No one would have imagined that the powerful gang leader who ruled the ckhole ins would meet such a fate. He died so simply, at the hands of one of his own. But was he really one of them? "Daring to use such filthy and ugly bullets to harm such a beautiful body. Die! Die, you bastard! Hahaha!" Dr. Roca, havingpleted the task,ughed heartily. Luckily, Ajax was already dead, or he would have been shocked to know that it was his three shots at Eileen that had drawn Dr. Roca''s wrath. He would have died in utter disbelief. Furthermore, killing Ajax was just the beginning. Dr. Roca then used a heavy machine gun that seemed to appear out of nowhere to mercilessly open fire on the members of Callewa who had previously attacked Eileen and Renji. "Die! Die! Anyone who dares to disrespect the Creator and the Goddess, go to hell!!" Rat-tat-tat! When the gun''s barrel overheated and could no longer fire, and when there was not a single standing member of the gang left in the massive factory, Dr. Roca finally seemed to have fulfilled his mission. What followed was... Stomp, stomp, stomp! The man in the gray coat eagerly ran to Eileen''s side, so excited that he stumbled on thest step, falling t on the ground. But to Dr. Roca, it didn''t matter, or perhaps it was just right. He was like a little doging to im credit, lowering his head as low as possible, as if he wanted to stick to the ground. In this extremely humble posture, he prostrated himself before Eileen. "Please forgive me. Forgive my ignorance and foolishness earlier. It was only after seeing your elegant and beautiful figure that I realized that in this world, there can truly be humans who can merge so perfectly with Miasma." "My goodness! This is such a perfect fusion with Miasma, such an unparalleled work of art!" The man in the gray coat was somewhat incoherent. No matter how many words he used, he seemed unable to express his current excitement. He began to repeatedly bang his head against the ground, as if he were the most devout believer. "You must be a goddess. Can you please ept my confession? Can you please... let me touch, even if it''s just once!" "You are the Eclipse that I have dreamed of, the Eclipse who can coexist perfectly with Miasma ording to my theory. Please, please, let me experience this perfection, just once, even if it''s just your toe!" Dr. Roca mumbled to himself, not out of fear but excitement. He extended his trembling hand, eager to touch Eileen''s ankle. In his eyes, there was no ulterior motive, only a fanatic pursuit. Unfortunately, as his hand reached halfway, Eileen, who had furrowed her brow, treated him like she would a maggot and raised her heel, mming it down hard. Crack! That was the sound of bones breaking, followed by Dr. Roca''s agonizing scream. "Ahhhh!!" You could see that the man in the gray coat''s entire palm had been twisted and deformed by Eileen''s deliberately forceful stomp, andrge bruises quickly covered it, making it almostpletely useless. However, after the initial instinctive screams, Doctor Roca, who was already sweating cold sweat from pain, seemed not to suffer in spirit; on the contrary, he was very pleased. He bared his teeth, and in such a situation, he still managed to squeeze out a heartfelt smile. His eyes showed fervor and obsession with the girl''s shoe pressing on his hand. "Thank you! Thank you Goddess... for your... reward." Next, Doctor Roca even stretched his other hand toward Eileen''s foot, looking up at the young girl with a longing gaze. Eileen did indeed lift her foot again. But this time, her target was not the hand, but the grey-coated man''s head. The disgusted girl now understood that any extra action towards such a deranged pervert was considered a "reward." Just as Eileen was about to kick Dr. Roca''s head to bits, Renji quickly stepped forward and blocked her. "Cre... Creator, My Lord!"Roca almost lost his mind with joy, shouting with all his might to express his admiration for Renji. After all, if Eileen''s existence was a wless masterpiece in Dr. Roca''s eyes, then the image of Renji in Dr. Roca''s heart was that of a sculptor, the creator of this coveted masterpiece. Dr. Roca was obsessed with the girl, eager to touch and appreciate this work of art. But for the young man, he was the supreme being who needed to be revered and worshipped. He was this masteries'' creator, the Master above all else! "Hush" Renji crouched down and ced his index finger in front of his lips, signaling Dr. Roca, who was prostrating on the ground, to quiet down and not be so impatient. The man immediately nodded, closing his mouth tightly, not daring to say another word. After all, receiving an order from the Creator was his honor. "Tell me, this noon or in the afternoon, did a nun get sent here?" "Yes! Yes! She was the experimental subject I personally participated in, and she was one of the few who could withstand high-concentration Miasma Reagent and still remain conscious over these past few months! It''s incredible. Despite the severe pollution of Miasma in her body, she managed to endure for six years. I suspect it has something to do with her nun''s blessings. The higher the devoutness to the Goddess, the more they seem to gain the ability to resist Miasma. She even¡ª" Dr. Roca answered Renji''s questions as if he were a student reporting to a teacher, racking his brain to provide all the information rted to it. Little did he know that Eileen''s facial expressions had changed several times, especially when she heard her mother being referred to as an experimental subject at the beginning. Her heart nearly shattered, but fortunately... "Alright, answer my next question, is she still alive? Where did you put her?" "She''s alive!" Dr. Roca''s first sentence relieved Eileen, but the second sentence that followed immediately made her feel suffocated. "At least when we handed her over to the Church, she was still alive!" ''The Church...'' Eileen was stunned upon hearing that word. However, Renji wasn''t too surprised and nodded before continuing his inquiries. "Tell me about the Church. How are they colluding with Callewa? What other secrets do you have with them?" "In the beginning, from the Relic Cave, the Church excavated a total of two ''Emperor''s Relics.'' One of the priests handed one of them to us. He instructed us to continuously provide experimental materials using the Crimson Star, allowing him to study the other, more advanced ''Emperor''s Relic.''" "So... What you''re saying is that this factory of yours is just one part of the production chain. You first process ordinary people, select those with potential as Eclipse, and then send them as advanced experimental materials to the Church for more advanced experiments?" "Yes, yes, Creator, that''s correct!" "I see." Renji nodded thoughtfully. "Alright, unless something unexpected happens, this should be thest question." "No! No, no, no! I''m willing to answer as many questions as you have, Creator! I will do my utmost for you! This is my honor, my¡ª" As soon as Dr. Roca realized that Renji was about to end the questioning, he became anxious again, and his emotions began to intensify. It wasn''t until Renji made a quieting gesture that he calmed down. "Tell me, what is the ''Relic'' in the possession of the priest from the Church?" Chapter 51 51 : Rewards Part 2 [10/20] "I''m sorry! Damn it! I deserve to die! Lord Creator... I, I am not entirely sure about it. They kept it extremely secret. After I inquired many times, I only heard a little bit of information. I only know about the appearance of the ''Relic''; it seems to be something like..." "Simr to a crest or family emblem, " Doctor Roca''s eyes revealed a look of recollection. Renji, upon hearing this description, realized what it was. ''So it''s the [Brand], huh?'' [Brand]is part of the Eclipse nurturing system in the game, belonging to the ''equipment'' category, but unlike ordinary equipment such as swords and guns, Brands are ''internal'' equipment that provides various buffs and special effects to the Eclipse. In games with a cultivation theme, it would be akin to internal martial arts skills. In "Descend", the details are very precise, so the expression of [Brand] varies ording to the race. The human-type [Brand] is like what Doctor Roca mentioned, emblematic, while the mechanical-type is a chip, the elf-kind is a rune, and for the beastmen, it''s a totem. It''s just unknown whether the [Brand] unearthed by the Church is a ''set'' or ''solo pieces''. If it''s a ''solo piece'', then whether it''s the [upper], [middle], or [lower] part, and what the effects are... Given that Doctor Roca can''t even figure out a basic [Eclipse Source Essence], Renji doesn''t expect him to be able to answer these more detailed questions. Having obtained the information he wanted, Renji stood up. At this moment, seeing Renji about to leave, Doctor Roca hurriedly crawled over on all fours, begging Renji desperately: "Are you leaving? Please, take me with you! Let me follow you, let me serve you! I... I can be your assistant, I am willing to do anything for you! I only ask Lord Creator, to allow me to learn from you, even if... even if it''s just for a year... a month... no, no, no, even a week would be good!!" Dr. Roca had be the chief scientist of Callewa, and he had developed the Tainted Miasma Reagent, which was quite impressive in the context of the world five hundred yearster. His strength should not be underestimated just because of his current humble posture. If Roca joined, not to mention anything else, at least taking Callewa into his hands would be a breeze, indirectly controlling most of the ckhole ins gathering area. Behind the young man, Eileen, witnessing this scene, repeatedly seemed to want to say something to Renji but ultimately didn''t speak up, pursed her lips tightly, and lowered her gaze to the ground. After all, she had no right to interfere with Renji''s decisions. Regarding this. Renji did not refuse Roca, but seemed to ponder for a moment, then opened his own palm towards the crazed doctor. That wasn''t to pull the doctor up. Instead, A spiral of red mist rapidly rose from Renji''s palm, whirling faster and faster, then bing more and more condensed, until in the blink of an eye, itpletely transitioned from "gaseous" to "solid" state. Under Roca''s stunned expression, out of nowhere, a brand new dark red crystal floated in Renji''s palm. [Tainted Miasma Crystal (Small)] Yes, after Eileenpleted the sweep of Callewa factory, the huge experience points allowed Renji to smoothly leap to level 7. Not only did it add an additional Eclipse "contract" slot, but it also unlocked the protagonist''s new ability -[Crystallization] Now Renji could use his own experience points to actively produce [Tainted Miasma Crystals], though still only small ones. "Lord Creator... this... this is!!" "Given to you." "Uh... consider it a reward, I guess." Renji wasn''t lying; he said and did, casually tossing the newly created [Tainted Miasma Crystal (Small)] to Doctor Roca on the ground. The man in the grey coat hurriedly caught it, overwhelmed with favor to the extreme. Hepletely missed the fact that once he was away from Renji, the dark red crystal began to radiate intense Tainted Miasma contamination around it; all his attention was now fully immersed in the wonderful crystal. In just a few seconds, the crystal''s emitted Tainted Miasma mist had already prated the man''s entire body through his nose, ears, mouth, and even eyes. Although he was academically aplished, he was just an ordinary person, and the result of such a concentrated Tainted Miasma infection was predictable. "Uh... Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!" Finally, Doctor Roca, who had once turned countless innocent people into Tainted corpses by force, holding his most beloved and dreamy crystal, also became a Tainted corpse. Renji thought this ending was quite fitting for him. "What are you still dazed for?" Renji''s urging voice woke up Eileen, who hadn''t yete back to her senses with everything happening too quickly. The girl wilding her sword, swiftly ended the life of Doctor Roca, who had turned into a Tainted corpse, with a clean and decisive sh. [Ding, your Eclipse "Eileen" has sessfully killed [The Fallen Mad Scientist Roca], you have earned 329 experience points for this] [Current Level: Lv7] [Experience needed for next level: 412/1200] "Hmm, it seems we''ve found a good shortcut for leveling up. Turning those with power and status into monsters with the crystal and then killing them gives a neat experience gain without much effort, quite like getting something from nothing, eh?" "Uh... it does sound a bit like something a viin would do, though. Better not use this tactic unless absolutely necessary." Renji was quite frugal by nature. Experimenting was one thing, but Roca had taken the experience points of Ajax and many gangsters, so Renji felt he deserved to reim that somehow. On the other side, Eileen, hearing the young man start talking to himself again in ways she couldn''t understand, couldn''t hold back the question that had been festering in her heart. "I... I thought you would" "What? take him on as a subordinate, or give him a contract like yours? You think he was worthy?" Renji replied with a question of his own. "He¡­" Of course, he wasn''t worthy, and Eileen knew this deep down. This was precisely what triggered another question in the girl''s mind. Was she worthy? Since the moment she and Renji had entered the Callewa factory up until now, Eileen remembered the self-introduction Renji had made back in the [Relic Cave]. That simple introduction of just four words¡ª "I am Emperor Ashen." Looking at it now, Eileen, no matter how blind she might have been before, was convinced that Renji truly was some legendary figure from five hundred years ago. After all, the crystals, the relics, and the miraculous contract all proved this point. Even the possibility, just a possibility, was too much for Eileen to consider. ''Maybe, just maybe¡­'' ''What Old Timer said was true.'' ''Is... he really the emperor?'' Eileen didn''t dare to delve any deeper into that thought. And what about herself? A tomb raider? A scavenger? Someone who had even... once pointed a sword at Renji? Seeing the tragic end of the Callewa leader, the doctor turned into a monster, Eileen felt that her own survival was a miracle, indeed. "Hey, Miss Eileen, stop daydreaming. Even if you regret it now, it''s toote. You''ve consumed so many of my resources, I won''t let you go that easily. At least, not until I''ve fully utilized your remaining value." Renji''s words were harsh, mimicking the stinginess of a miserlyndlord. Eileen was momentarily speechless, then bowed her head in silence for a while before softly uttering two words. "Thank you." "Ah! Now you''re making me want to start a CPU teaching ss," Renji shook his head. "Let''s go. Although I have a feeling that Auntie is still doing fine and isn''t in trouble, it''s still better for us to hurry." Eileen wanted to say that the church was not the same as the Callewa gang; it was thergest and only official power in the Holy Kingdom. She didn''t want to burden the young man because of her anymore. But seeing the indifferent expression on Renji''s face, Eileen understood that what might seem a powerful force to her, to this young man... ''Is it really that powerful?" ''This feeling of being at ease is really nice'' Eileen nodded and was about to follow closely behind Renji when suddenly, before she could take another step, she felt heavy-headed and light-footed. Her vision darkened, and she copsed towards the ground. Fortunately, Renji reacted quickly, catching the girl in his arms. After a quick check, Renji breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn''t a big deal, probably just the aftereffects of reaching the "Danger Rank" and going through a fierce battle. With her mind tense the whole time, her exhausted body couldn''t handle the sudden rxation, causing Eileen to faint. When you calcte it carefully, it''s really terrifying. From the moment the young girl started "digging graves" to now, just half a day had passed, and so many things had happened. It''s no wonder Eileen couldn''t handle it anymore. So, ;is this some kind of curse or retribution for tomb raiding? ; Renji shook his head. ''Well, it is what it is '' ''You win even when you''re lying down'' ''But it''s not necessarily a bad thing.'' It just so happened that there were some thingsing up, and it would be troublesome to have Eileen with him. After discovering the involvement of the "Church" behind the scenes, the nature of this matter had changed for Renji. It was no longer just about "saving people." "The Church, huh?" Muttering to himself, Renji carried the unconscious Eileen and walked out of the factory. However, halfway there, he stopped because he had almost forgotten. "Wh-Wh-Wha!" In a secluded corner, a member of the gang who had been tied up was looking at the approaching young man with a terrified expression. This person was none other than Artur, the gang member who had initially led Renji and the Eileen into the factory to "get a free meal." "Um, Artur, right? Sorry, I kinda forgot your name, but thanks anyway. Thanks to you for showing the way and telling me about the ''relic'' inside. As a reward, I''ve taken care of this factory for you. How about that, fair enough? Now you don''t have to keep making dirty money against your conscience!" "Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh!" With a cloth stuffed in his mouth, Arthur shook his head frantically, tears streaming down his face. It seemed like he didn''t quite appreciate Renji''s reward. Renji sighed regretfully. "Don''t be so nervous. Everyone here is dead, and you''re the only one left who can testify to my good deed. I''m not the type to do good deeds anonymously, so I''ll have to rely on you. By the way..." "Can I borrow your phone to make a call?" Chapter 52 52: I Know Youre In A Hurry, But Hold On [11/20] Thump. Thump, thump. Thump, thump, thump! "**D#mn it, who the f#ck is knocking on my f#cking door in the middle of the f#cking night?! Can''t people let me sleep?! Who the h#ll is it!?" Brian, groggy and annoyed, climbed out of bed and grumbled his way to the door. He peered through the peephole and was instantly wide awake, feeling like he''d been doused with ice-cold water. He had lost all his sleepiness. He hastily opened the door, and behind it stood Renji, holding the unconscious girl in his arms. "Get in quick!" "Eileen... What the f#ck happened to her!!?" Brian anxiously stared at Eileen, who had lost consciousness. He shouted in a panic, but Renji immediately handed the girl over to him, letting him take her. He then exined that Eileen had only fallen asleep. At first, Brian didn''t believe it. He recognized the Callewa uniform Eileen was still wearing, which was covered in battle scars and even had three ring bullet holes in it. But after a quick examination, he found that the girl didn''t have any injuries, her breathing was steady, and if he had to insist, she just seemed exhausted. That confirmed what Renji had said¡ªEileen had simply fallen asleep. While relieved, Brian''s anxiety didn''t lessen. "What the f#ck happened? Weren''t you supposed to pick up Nn and leave the ckhole ins!?" Renji didn''t answer immediately; he gestured toward Eileen, indicating that Brian should put the girl inside the room and take care of her first before they discussed matters further. Brian moved to the empty guest room, removed Eileen''s coat, and tucked her into bed, covering her carefully. After softly closing the door, he left the room. Renji began to exin, "After we split up from the bar, we went to the Dain Clinic, but we couldn''t find Aunt Nn." "What!? That''s impossible! I sent people to check on Nn just yesterday!" "Yeah,ter I arrested the clinic director and interrogated him. That''s when we found out that they had taken advantage of today, when Eileen and Callewa''s people went into the Relic Cave together, thinking that Eileen wouldn''te back. So, they sold Aunt Nn." Brian stood frozen in ce, overwhelmed by the information. It was too much to process. "Eileen? Callewa? Relic Cave?" "Yeah, Eileen epted a high-paying explorationmission from the gang to raise funds for her mother''s surgery. But now, it looks like it was a scam. Callewa never intended for Eileen toe back alive." After listening to Renji''s words, Brian''s forehead veins bulged, and his blood rushed to his brain in anger. "Idiot! Moron! This f#cking girl! Did her brain get kicked by a d#mn donkey!? How the h#ll can someone be so f#cking stupid to do such a f#cked up thing!?" Renji seemed to understand that Eileen''s way of speaking had rubbed off on him. After a tirade of curses, Brian quickly refocused and asked, "What about Nn? Where did they take Nn? It couldn''t be!!" "Yeah, Callewa" Renji nodded, confirming the worst-case scenario that Brian had imagined. It hit him like a bolt from the blue, and he felt his head spinning. '' Callewa. This was bad. Really bad. If it were any other faction, there might still be a chance to rescue Nn. But if it was Callewa gang...'' Brian clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms. In the next moment, the bearded man retrieved a submachine gun from under the couch and strapped five grenades to his waist, his eyes burning with determination as he prepared to rush out the door. "Forget it, old man. It''s already toote," Renji shook his head. "Toote? I f#cking know! But even if I can''t save Nn, I''ll make those b#stards pay for their d#mn sins! They''re gonna pay with their f#cking lives!!" Brian, in his uncontroble rage, then brought out arge canister of gasoline from the room, likely nning to use it as some sort of makeshift car bomb. Renji, seeing this, raised an eyebrow. "Listen, don''t get too worked up. Stay calm, and let me finish what I have to say." "Calm down? How the f#ck can you ask me to stay calm!! You don''t understand. You don''t f#cking understand! Nn is the only woman I''ve ever loved in my entire life. I''d risk my life for her! I''ve already lost her once, and I don''t want to go through it again! Don''t f#cking talk to me about reason; I''ve lost all reason! I''m going to make those f#ckers pay for what they did to Nn!!!" "So, that''s why I said you''re already toote. Because the one you wanted to go ''same journey'' with, the leader of Callewa, that guy, what was his name, Ajax!?, the gang leader of ckhole ins, has already been killed by Eileen." This statement from Renji finally brought Brian back from the brink of madness. He stared at the young man with wide eyes, unable to believe his ears, and asked in disbelief, "You, what did you just say? Ajax, the underground King of ckhole ins, the supreme leader of Callewa... dead?" "Yes, and his doctor, along with the entire Tainted Miasma Factory that was experimenting on kidnapped people, all taken out by Eileen." "Are you out of your mind?" Now it was Brian''s turn to doubt if Renji had lost his sanity. Even Brian, who had been so out of his mind with the thought of seeking revenge on Callewa, realistically only considered it feasible to "exchange" himself for a mid-level leader at best. As for Ajax? Brian wouldn''t even dare to dream of that. "If you don''t believe me and still want to go check, that''s fine, but I suggest you stay at home. First, because I think Eileen needs someone to be with her in her current condition, and second..." Renji nced at the wall clock. "Well, considering the time, the area should be under lockdown by the Knight Order now, right? You won''t even be able to get in." Brian opened his mouth but couldn''t utter a word. Logic told him that this was impossible, that Renji was joking. However, his deep-seated intuition told him that the young man in front of him was not joking. But Brian quickly realized that if what the young man said was true, then... "What about Nn? You didn''t find Nn? Or is she... Is she already..." "Aunt Nn is still alive, but the trouble begins now because she managed to survive the experiments. So, Callewa sent her to the church." "The church?" "Yeah, Callewa actually has a church secretly supporting them, acting as puppets for the priest, who researches the Emperor relics they dig up from the relics." Renji''s casual words sent shockwaves through Brian''s heart. Each sentence he spoke could potentially shake the entire ckhole ins to its core. At this moment, Brian deeply felt the tragedy of being a small yer. ''What had we done wrong? All we wanted was to live peacefully, but even so, we were still affected and devoured by the whirlpool of the upper echelons. And I had no way...'' If Brian had revenge on his mind when it came to Callewa, the situation changed dramatically when it involved the church. ''No! There must be hope! There must be!'' Brian looked at Renji with pleading eyes, but as soon as he remembered that Renji had just described the church as "trouble," his hope began to wane. ''Is there really no way?'' "Uncle, you might have misunderstood me. When I said ''trouble,'' it''s because I have an acquaintance in the church." "An acquaintance?" "Yes, a very close acquaintance. It''s because of her that I''m a bit hesitant and unsure about how to deal with the church. Sigh..." Renji seemed to be exining to Brian, but it was more like he was muttering to himself in frustration. "Anyway, let''s take it one step at a time." "Time is running out too. The Knight Order should have their investigation results by now. Uncle, can you lend me a phone? I need to make a call." ''Dying time? Investigation results? A phone call?'' Brian couldn''t quite grasp Renji''s train of thought, feeling utterly confused. However, that didn''t stop him from rushing to the room and handing his phone over to Renji. "Thanks." Renji said, "Now, it''s time for the next step... Ah! Found it! Thankfully, I didn''t lose it." He reached into his pocket, and to Brian''s confused gaze, he pulled out a silver-white... business card? It was a Knight Order business card! It was from that incident earlier in the afternoon at the "Sea Sand" Miasma incident. At that time, Renji had tried to get the business card from the Knight Order team leader right in front of everyone, but Brian remembered that the leader had refused. However, Renji had persistently turned to another young knight nearby and sessfully obtained the business card. ''So, what was he nning to do with it now?'' "Let''s leave it at that for now, Uncle. I have to go. Take care of Eileen, and if she wakes up halfway, make sure she doesn''t wander around ore looking for me. Tell her to stay put and continue sleeping. And you, Uncle, be careful too. In any case, leave Aunt Nn to me." With that, Renji started dialing the number on the business card while pushing open the door. But as he reached the door, he suddenly remembered something and stopped. He pulled out another phone from his pocket, the one he had borrowed from Artur, the gangster from the factory. "I almost forgot, Uncle. I''ve recorded everything you said to Aunt Nn earlier. So, If Eileen did something stupid, you can scold her for it, but don''t be too harsh, and don''ty a finger on her! Otherwise, when the tables turn, and I y that heartfelt speech of yours for her and her mother, I can''t say how Eileen will treat you." "That''s it, I''m off." Leaving behind a middle-aged, greasy-looking man with a contorted and ugly expression behind the door, Renji had already begun descending the stairs. At the same time, the phone he was dialing had someone pick up on the other end. "Hello, is this Mr. Tamic?" Chapter 53 53 : Can You Please Shelter Nun? [12/20] ? -Twilight Coffee House. Located in the wealthy district of ckhole ins, this was one of the few establishments that stayed open 24 hours a day. The clock on the wall had already reached two in the morning. Except for a sleepy employee behind the counter, there was only one person sitting by the window, sipping hot chocte, bathed in the dim yellow light. Unfortunately, this peaceful and tranquil scene didn''tst long. It was disrupted by the sound of a speeding caring from a distance, followed by the screeching of tires, which was particrly ear-piercing in the silent night. The coffee shop''s door was pushed open again, this time more roughly. The front desk employee was startled but didn''t dare to make a sound because the person entering was wearing a Knight Order uniform. The Knight took a quick nce and spotted Renji, who had intentionally chosen a conspicuous spot to sit. With quick strides, the Knight approached and sat heavily across from the young man. His expression was as dark as the atmosphere. "Captain Durin, if I remember correctly, I made the call to Knight Tamic, didn''t I? Howe it''s you now?" "Don''t waste my time with nonsense. At 1:17 in the morning, the Knight Order received an anonymous resident''s report of a massive brown-red mist emanating from the southeast corner of ckhole ins, suspected to be a severe outbreak of Tainted Miasma. At 1:39, Knight Order personnel arrived on the scene and confirmed the death of Callewa''s leader, Ajax, along with almost all the gang members inside the secret factory. The only survivor found by the Knight Order at the scene was a gangster named Artur. Only after Sister Michelle continuously helped him stabilize his mental state, we learned from him that only two very young powerful man and woman were responsible for all of this." Switching his tone, Captain Durin stared fixedly at the young man still sipping his hot chocte and continued: "However, during the Tainted Miasma outbreak at the Sea Sand Bar this afternoon, the biggest suspects were also a very young man and woman. Regarding this... Mr. Renji, do you have anything to say?" "I want to say that perhaps this is the difference. We''re all young people, but howe the others can be so powerful, protecting usmon folks from harm, while I can only report to the Knight Order for help when my loved ones are captured, and yet, I''m treated as a suspect and interrogated. Sigh..." Renji let out a heavy sigh, as if even the heavens were unfair to him. Outside the window, the sound of raindrops started as a gentle "drip, drop" and quickly escted into a cascading curtain of "whoosh, whoosh." It was raining. "Captured loved ones? Hmph, I''d like to hear who in our little corner of the ckhole ins would be so blind," Captain Durin thought the young man sitting across from him was ying riddles or beating around the bush. However, when he heard the next two words from Renji''s mouth, his expression changed. "The church." He briefly furrowed his brows, but when he saw the serious expression on Renji''s face and realized that he wasn''t joking or mocking him, Captain Durin fell silent, his previous grim and assertive demeanor shifting. Renji felt considerably relieved; he knew he had found the right person. "Excellent, as expected of Captain Durin, by the looks of it, without me saying more, you seem to have pieced together the sequence of events." "I must implore you to assist me with this favor. Otherwise... Well, I can quite understand the young people who took down Callewa. At our age, it''s easy to get hot-headed and act on emotions, don''t you think so, Captain Durin?" Facing Renji''s words, Captain Durin remained silent. He seemed to be hesitating and struggling, but just like the rain outside that grew heavier, there were some things that no one could stop. The Knight Captain took out a pocket watch from his pocket, opened it, and inside was a photo of a couple. Captain Durin stared at the woman on the right side of the photo, a gentle and virtuous blonde, and closed his eyes as he let out a long sigh. "There is a forbidden area within the church, the underground second floor of the library. No member is allowed to enter it. Once, a young Knight ignored the church''s orders and secretly ventured in. He discovered that it was connected to an abandoned sewer, leading to a muchrger underground space. In that space... there are many monsters, a great number of terrifying monsters." "The Knights would leave the Church to patrol at ten in the morning and three in the afternoon every day. Usually, a quarter of the personnel would remain, but given the recent spate of cases, it''s likely that this guard force would be temporarily diverted due to the shortage of manpower." "Remember, we only have this week to mobilize manpower." With those words, Captain Durin didn''t pay any further attention to Renji''s reactions and promptly left the coffee shop. However, as he had barely stepped out of the coffee shop''s entrance, Captain Durin noticed that a young Knight had been waiting for him there, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. Renji recognized him as Tamic, and the young Knight was holding three umbres. Three umbres. The coffee shop''s door swung open again, but this time it was done very politely. Tamic briskly approached Renji, stood upright, and bowed deeply to express his sincere apologies. "I''m really sorry! I... I had some urgent matters, so I couldn''t personally respond to Mr. Renji. My mentor... cough, cough, Captain Durin, didn''t give you a hard time, did he?" Watching the young Knight cautiously probing, Renji smiled and replied, "Not at all. Captain Durin is a very good person, very responsible. He has already helped me resolve my troubles." "Oh, that''s good to hear, that''s good to hear. I''m really sorry again. The Goddess''s teachings instruct us to extend a helping hand to those in need, and I failed in my duty to you, Mr. Renji. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, I, Tamic, pledge in the name of a Knight order to do my utmost to assist you!" "Thank you. With faithful followers like you, I''m sure The Goddess will be very pleased," Renji sincerely responded. "You''re too kind. Well then, I have to go. But before I leave, here, take this!" Tamic had brought three umbres with him¡ªone for himself, one for Captain Durin, and the third one he handed to Renji. It was an act of extending a helping hand to those in need, and it was clear that Tamic''s words were more than just empty slogans. After Renji epted the umbre, Tamic left the coffee shop. Renji could see Captain Durin scolding the young Knight at the entrance for his "unauthorized action." Captain Durin must have been furious that the young Knight had taken the initiative to approach someone as "dangerous" as Renji. Under Tamic''s repeated apologies and nods, the two men got into their respective cars and quickly left the scene. In response to this, Renji couldn''t help but touch his nose. ''Do I really look like a bad person?'' Now that he had what he wanted, Renji had no reason to stay in the coffee shop. He opened the umbre given to him by Tamic and prepared to head toward the church. Although Captain Durin had kindly provided two time slots, Renji couldn''t wait any longer. However, just as Renji had barely left the coffee shop and taken a few steps, he noticed a trembling and huddled figure next to a trash bin in a dimly lit corner, illuminated by the faint moonlight on this rainy night. She shivered all over, hugging her knees and burying her head deeply. It seemed she was trying to keep warm on this cold night, but the relentless raindrops fell on her, stealing away the little warmth she had. As the cold wind blew, she shivered uncontrobly. A homeless person. People like her, not to mention in ckhole ins, were not umon even in the world Renji had lived in before. So, he cast a nce and continued to walk forward. However, Renji''s pace gradually slowed down, and in the end, he came to a halt. He turned back. Perhaps it was the influence of the young Knight in the coffee shop, but Renji sighed and ced the umbre he was holding next to the huddled figure by the trash bin. Worth noting, when he approached, Renji was a bit surprised to see that the person was wearing what seemed to be a nun''s outfit, even though it had been soaked through by the rain, making it difficult to discern. It raised a curious question¡ª''why was a nun out here?'' Regardless, Renji didn''t say much. After cing the umbre down, he turned to leave. However. What Renji didn''t know was that in that moment when he turned away, in a ce where he couldn''t see, the homeless person by the trash bin¡ªno, the homeless nun¡ªlifted her head from her buried knees. The young man''s umbre shielded her from the rain, and as she watched his retreating figure, she revealed a bright and happy smile, a proud and satisfied smile. But all of this was fleeting. The next second, the little wandering nun once again looked pitifully cold and shivering, and quickly stepped forward, grabbing the corner of Renji''s clothing with her dirty, trembling hands. "Sir," "Can you please shelter, shelter a... nun?" Chapter 54 54: Rain [13/20] Feeling a persistent grip on his clothes from behind, not too strong but strangely determined, Renji was forced to stop and turn around. In truth, he had a hundred reasons to ignore it and simply walk away. But unfortunately, the other party had managed to hit upon the one reason thatpelled him to stop. After all, he had once seen a homeless wandering nun himself, and she had said simr words to him back then. However, Renji vividly remembered that the young nun at that time had been much worse off than the current figure before him. She had been practically naked, emaciated, and starving, using her abilities to heal others while depriving herself of food on the run from monstrous creatures during the apocalypse. In the end, after giving away all her food to others, she had copsed at the doorstep of a newly established makeshift refuge in the middle of the evacuation route. A bit of longing struck him. Renji brought his thoughts back to the present. Instead of immediately refusing or providing an answer, he took a closer look at the nun huddled by the trash bin. Though her nun''s clothes were dirty and wet, it was at least intact, and there were no visible patches. Her face appeared pitiful and helpless, but in truth, herplexion wasn''t bad at all. If the dust and mud clinging to her were properly cleaned off, Renji believed she would reveal fair and beautiful skin. Life had indeed improved over the past five hundred years, but it hadn''t improved to the point where someone in this condition wasmonce. Renji''s assessment was that even Eileen, who hade over to y this role, looked more like a scavenging homeless person than the current nun. "What''s your name?" "Maria," the nun weakly replied. "If you really are a nun, why have you ended up like this? Why not go to the church In the ckhole ins¡ªno, in the entire Holy Kingdom¡ªnuns should be among the professions with the best treatment, right?" Faced with Renji''s barrage of questions, Maria seemed a bit frightened, shrinking her neck pitifully. Unfortunately, this act didn''t seem to have any effect on Renji. Seeing that if she didn''t speak up, the young man would turn and leave, Maria anxiously exined, "It''s because I... I have a different faith from the church." "I... I don''t believe in the so-called Goddess " Maria bit her lip, gaze lowered, but the defiant and resolute expression on her face did not waver. It was as if she were a lone warrior swimming against the tide, persistently refusing topromise with the dogmatic church, refusing to believe in that "hypocritical" Goddess. She believed that Renji, after uncovering so much "inside information," must feel the same way. In response to this, Renji nodded, indicating that he understood very well. Then he spoke: "Sorry, I can''t take you in." "I can do many things! Washing dishes, cooking, ironing clothes, cleaning, and even if there''s something I don''t know, I can learn it! Whatever you need, I... I can do it. I have a small appetite! Just a little food is enough for me. I don''t need a bed, just clear a bit of floor space for me, and I..." Seemingly expecting that it wouldn''t be easy to convince Renji to take her in, Maria began to plead desperately. However, to her dismay, the young man''s next wordspletely caught her off guard. She was left stunned, unable to even speak the numerous rehearsed lines she had prepared, bing mute for a moment. All she heard was, "No, it''s not about that. It''s a more fundamental issue." "Simply put..." "You don''t believe in the Goddess, but I do, and I am the most loyal and devout follower of Suthia." Saying this, Renji even took a silver cross from his pocket and unted it in front of Maria''s eyes as proof. In the night''s rain curtain, the faint silver glow emitted from the cross became more pronounced, something that couldn''t be achieved with imitation inferior crosses. Only genuine crosses, bestowed by the church and imbued with the holy power of the Goddess, could achieve this effect. After all, if it were a fake cross, the people in Callewa wouldn''t have used it and distributed it to the members of the factory as "protective gear" just a few hours ago. Yes, it was the result of when he and Eileen had posed as gang members and infiltrated the Tianted Miasma Factory a few hours earlier. But no matter how it came about. You can say that it''s a genuine cross! "You have a different faith than I do, and out of respect for religious freedom, I can refrain from antagonizing you. But when you say you want me to take you in..." Renji shook his head resolutely. Then, with an unwavering tone, he stated, "I won''t be friends with someone who doesn''t believe in the Goddess" With those words, Renji unceremoniously pulled his clothes away from Maria''s grip, turned around, and walked away, leaving behind only a nun standing there, still in a daze. Maria who seemed a bit dazed, as if she has not recovered her energy yet. Just in time, as the young man was about to vanish from sight, Maria quickly pped her cheeks and then rubbed them vigorously, smoothing the uncontroble grin off her face. A rapid, sshing run with the sound of rainwater came from behind. Renji knew who it was without even turning around. Just as he was starting to furrow his brows, growing a bit impatient. "Sir! Actually, I''m asking you to take me in for another reason. Whether you ept me or not, I earnestly request that you listen to what I have to say!" "In truth, I''m an Eclipse, and my awakened ability is Fortune telling. To a certain extent, I can glimpse the future paths of others. It''s precisely because of this that I want to stay with you." Maria took a deep breath and looked at the young man who had stopped again due to her words. She spoke each word seriously: "I have seen an unfortunate future for you!" "An unfortunate future?" "Yes, I apologize for intruding without permission, but if my ability is correct, you should be going to save someone right now, right?" "Hmm." ''Interesting'' Renji nodded openly in response to Maria and gestured for her to continue. "Because it was a bit rushed, I didn''t see the specifics, but what I can confirm is that the person you''re going to save is currently safe. However, if you act recklessly, it will only backfire and harm HER!" Maria emphasized thest sentence and used "her" instead of "him." "So, you''re asking me to take you in, actually to prevent me from rescuing someone and to change this unfortunate future?" "Yes, yes, yes," Maria nodded like a little chick pecking at grains. Then, she looked a bit embarrassed and lowered her head, like a child who had told a lie to steal candy, with her fingers twisted together as she spoke sweetly: "Also, the real reason I can''t go to the church is because I''m an Eclipse, not because of the Goddess. In fact, I admire Goddess Suthia very much, and I''m a fan of Her too" In the ongoing rain, Renji, in thete night, found this unexpected. After much hesitation, he finally asked, "How can I trust you?" "I used my ability hastily just now. If you don''t mind, you can take me to your ce! Give me some things rted to the person you want to save, like everyday items, clothes, pants, shoes, and so on. It doesn''t have to be the person themselves; rtives with a blood connection will also work! But the closer the rtionship, the better, so I can use them to activate my ability and deduce more results!" "When you hear it then... I believe you will know that I am not deceiving you!" The need for a medium in Fortune telling is indeed amon trope. And the ce with the most mediums undoubtedly was Eileen''s home. Plus, it just so happened that he had sent the girl to Brian''s ce earlier, so Eileen''s house was currently empty. Renji made up his mind. "Give me the umbre." Taking the umbre from the nun''s hand, Renji opened it again. He changed direction, no longer heading toward the church but toward the location of the slums. Fortunately, he had been taken to Eileen''s home once before, so he opened the map and didn''t have to worry about getting lost. "Let''s go, stay close." The young man shifted the umbre to the side, making room for Maria underneath it. She naturally slipped under Renji''s umbre, as if she had rehearsed this action countless times in her mind. After a few subtle tries, the nun managed to control herself from taking Renji''s hand. Instead, shepromised by holding onto the hem of the young man''s clothes. Strangely enough. The two people walked away with umbres in the nighty rain. Not long after they left, the rain in this area suddenly began to lighten, and it stoppedpletely without even taking a few breaths. Chapter 55 55: Compensation [14/20] Renji knew the way to Eileen''s home, but when faced with the locked door in front of him, there was nothing he could do. After all, his rtionship with the girl hadn''t reached a point where Eileen would give him her house key. Apologizing silently to Eileen in his heart, Renji motioned for the nun standing nearby to keep her distance. Maria remained silent throughout, watching the young man''s actions from behind as they approached the locked door. It wasn''t until Renji didn''t use a key but kicked the door open forcefully that a sweet smile appeared on the nun''s face. Of course, it was a fleeting expression. "Come in." Renji didn''t look back at Maria, just gestured behind him and then entered the house first. "Sorry for intruding." Following him inside, Maria used a soft and timid voice, even though there was no one else in the room to greet. This reflected her character as a polite and somewhat shy young nun. In reality, she quickly scanned Eileen''s home. Although she could guess the living conditions from the location, Maria couldn''t help but furrow her brow. The small space of about thirty to forty square meters was crowded with various old furniture, making it extremely cramped. In her eyes, there didn''t even seem to be a ce to stand. The heavy rain outside beat against the old windows, and the strong wind, mixed with rainwater, made the rusty window frame creak as if it couldn''t bear the weight. In fact, it had already developed cracks, and you could see that the floor under the eaves was leaking and damp. The only thing that allowed Maria to hold back her eruption for the time being was perhaps the rtive cleanliness of the room. At least there were no oil stains in the kitchen, the furniture, though old, had little dust, and daily trash was neatly tied up in bags, preventing any foul odors in the room. ''But...'' ''Why!?'' ''People who lived in such a shabby ce were indicative of their status. Why could even such a person receive the "contract" of My Lord? Why... Why does she deserve it? How dare she use her dirty and lowly body to defile such a noble and exalted contract...'' The nun clenched her hand hidden in her sleeve tightly. Her eyes gradually turned red and uncontroble, until the voice of the young man by her side brought her back to reality. "The conditions here are a bit crude. Feel free to find a ce to sit." "It''s okay, this ce is already quite nice!" Maria waved her hands repeatedly, expressing great satisfaction. "I''ll go to the inner room and find some mediums for divination. If you have nothing to do, see if there are any towels or the like around. You can use them to dry yourself." "Um, okay." After a while, Renji emerged from the inner room, carrying arge box of items and bringing it in front of Maria. After some careful selection, the nun finally chose three or four items as mediums for divination. Renji nced at the objects Maria picked out. They were all items that Eileen had used very recently: her clothes she changed out of that afternoon, an expired Kobold statue, and the dagger that had once "held" him hostage. As an intermediary, Eileen was the root of his n to rescue Nn. From the perspective of divination mediums, she was indeed better than her mother. Renji intentionally brought arge box of items, partly to test Maria''s abilities. Judging from the nun''s performance so far, she had passed the first test. "Then, there''s onest item left, but it''s a bit special." "What is it?" "Sir, your... blood." Maria spoke apologetically, and seeing Renji frown, she quickly added, "If you''re ufortable with that, we can use something else, but... the result will be lessplete." "No problem, just a moment." Interrupting Maria, Renji didn''t waste any more words. He simply extended his finger to his mouth and bit it hard, causing fresh blood to flow from his fingertip. "And then, should I find a bowl or something Miss¡­" "Maria, Maria?" Renji, who had bitten his finger, asked the nun opposite him, but Maria seemed unprepared for his sudden and rapid action, falling into a daze. Her gaze was fixed on Renji''s bleeding fingertip as if she were in a trance. It wasn''t until Renji called her several times that she suddenly snapped out of it. "My¡­ My apologies!" "Don''t put it in a bowl! Use this! You can just drip your blood on this!" As Renji''s blood flowed, Maria appeared quite flustered. She apologized for her momentary distraction and took out a handkerchief from her bosom. It was a pure white handkerchief, clean, and even had silver patterns at the edges, giving it an extremely sacred appearance. The nun was soaked from head to toe by the rain. But this handkerchief in her embrace showed no signs of being wet by the rain. Renji found it a bit strange, but he could tell that this handkerchief was probably important, so it had been well protected, and he didn''t ask further. He suspended his finger over the handkerchief and squeezed it hard a few times. The fresh blood dripped vertically and quickly dyed the pure white handkerchief crimson in the center. Gulp. Maria''s throat moved quietly. Beneath her boots, her ten toes were gripping the ground tightly, as if by doing so, she could endure some intense stimulus. ''One drop, two drops, five drops...'' "Enough, enough, sir!" Maria''s voice raised a few decibels to stop Renji. She feared that if he let even one more drop fall, she wouldn''t be able to hold back her desire any longer. The five drops he had given were already at her limit. "What''s next?" "Just leave the rest to me. Please wait a moment," Maria replied urgently, looking even more anxious than Renji. She held the mediums in her hands, and a faint holy light began to emanate from her, enveloping all the items. Then, Maria closed her eyes and seemed to enter a state of divination. The entire process was much faster than Renji had imagined. It probably took less than half a minute. When the holy light faded, revealing a panting nun with sweat-soaked hair on her forehead andbored breaths rising and falling in her chest, although the time was short, it seemed like a considerable effort for Maria. She swayed and seemed on the verge of copsing. Her legs couldn''t support her, and she nearly fell to the ground. Luckily, Renji was quick to catch her. Unfortunately, it seemed Maria didn''t even have the strength to stand upright and copsed into Renji''s arms. "I found her... she''s in the... church''s... underground. I saw many... dangerous creatures around her... She''s hidden herself... in a safe corner... they haven''t found her." "But her condition is... bad... she doesn''t want to... turn into a monster... she''s still resisting... she can''t be... agitated." "And there are... two floating sigils in the very center underground... a brownish-red mist... pervading. They must be weakened before you can..." Maria''s voice grew quieter as she spoke, and towards the end, she slumped against Renji''s chest and lost consciousness. This left the young man somewhat overwhelmed. ''Another one "fainted"?'' He didn''t suspect that Maria was faking it. After all, the expression of fatigue and weakness on her face could be faked, but the physiological panting and limpness would be extremely difficult to fake. Moreover, Maria''s divination target involved the level of "Emperor''s Relic," which was a bit beyond the scope of knowledge for people from 500 years ago. Renji''s thoughts returned to the divination results Maria had just provided. From the keywords such as "church," "underground," "monsters," and even theter "insignias" that Maria mentioned, there was no reason for Renji to doubt the authenticity of her fortune-telling abilities. Based on the fragmented information Maria provided, although it was somewhat unclear, Renji was able to piece together a fair amount of information. Firstly, it seemed that Eileen''s mother''s greatest danger at the moment didn''te from the outside but from herself. If one were topare it to Callewa''s factory, the underground space of the church must also be like arge incubator. If he were to break in rashly, considering the intense reaction of the [Eclipse Source Essence] to him in the factory, it would likely release arge amount of Tainted Miasma, drastically changing the environment of the "incubator." And Eileen''s mother was already on the verge of going berserk. If she were suddenly subjected to such a strong stimulus, she would probably mutate directly. This was likely the reason why Maria had stopped him, citing an "unfortunate future." ''Well... I had indeed overlooked this point'' The approach to this situation seemed to be that he couldn''t personally intervene right now, or he needed to find a way, as Maria''sst sentence suggested, to weaken the "relic" so that it wouldn''t react so strongly to him. Regardless of which method, it was clear that tonight was a no-go, and he could only wait until Eileen and Maria woke up the next day. ''In that case...'' Sigh* Exhaling a long breath, Renji felt sleepiness creeping in. He wasn''t a superhuman, and who would have thought that half a day ago, he was just a dead otaku sitting in front of aputer screen, and now he had be the focal point of the ckhole ins. After all themotion, it was already close to 3:00 AM. Since the decision was not to take any action, it was time to rest. ''Time to sleep!'' Renji, carrying the unconscious Maria, arrived in Eileen''s room. He ced the young nun on the bed, removed her boots and coat, tucked her in, and closed the door. It''s worth mentioning that even though the nun had fallen asleep, her fingers were still clutching his clothes. Renji tried several times before finally managing to pry Maria''s fingers away. As for Renji himself, he hesitated about whether to go to Eileen''s mother, Nn''s room. However, after some consideration, he found a nket and decided to make do for the night on the tattered sofa in the living room. Finally, the room was shrouded in the darkness and silence that it should have had. If one had to speak, only the sound of rain "pattering" outside the window remained. The rain seemed to be getting heavier, as only in this way could it also cover up some strange noises hidden beneath the rain. ¡­. -Inside Eileen''s room. The young nun, who should have been tucked in bed with only her small head visible, sat up straight. She recalled the young man''s actions just now. ''My Lord is still so kind.'' Suthia couldn''t imagine how much willpower she had used to maintain her faking sleepiness at the time. Suthia carefully took out a blood-stained handkerchief from between herrge melons. She deeply inhaled the rich aroma that emanated from it, indulging in the scent of her Emperor''s blood. Under the brownish-red light and shadow, the room was filled with an eerie, hazy atmosphere, and in the nun''s eyes, madness had already taken hold. "Lord Ashen~..." she murmured with joy, clutching the bloodstained handkerchief. Chapter 56 56: Assistance [15/20] Renji was awakened by a loud banging on the door. His eyes hadn''t opened yet when he felt a warm body snuggled up against him. When his vision cleared, he saw a nun curled up beside him, wearing only a thin underwear on her upper body and leaving her lower half exposed, with only two white silky stockings. "..." Before Renji had time to react to the situation, the result of the kicking at the door was revealed. With a loud "bang," the poor security door, which had already been kicked in once, forcing Renji to make do with a temporary fix, was now kicked open for a second time. And judging by the battered look of the lock, it seemed to bepletely wrecked. The figure that appeared at the door was, unsurprisingly, Eileen. The girl had a contract with Renji, which allowed her to sense his location within a certain range, as long as Renji did not actively block her. Eileen had woken up to find it was already six or seven in the morning. In a rush, after understanding the situation from Brian, who had dark circles under his eyes from guarding her all night, the girl headed straight for Renji. "Old Tim..." Eileen burst in anxiously, but before she could finish calling out the name, the romantic and erotic scene in the room forced the girl to stop in her tracks. Coincidentally, or perhaps unfortunately, possibly due to Eileen''s disturbance, Maria, the nun in Renji''s arms, had also awakened. She slowly opened her eyes and found herself in apromising position, kneeling beside the young man with her legs spread in an M-shape. She was right in the line of sight of Eileen, who had just entered the room. "..." Well. Just when Renji thought he might have to do some exining again. What Eileen did next took himpletely by surprise. After a brief moment of confusion, Eileen not only didn''t unleash a barrage of questions as he had expected, but she also let out a long sigh, appearing much more rxed. "¡­?" Renji was nowpletely at a loss for words, even swallowing the words he had almost spoken. Maria on the sofa seemed to finally wake uppletely and realized that she had "somehow" fallen asleep in the young man''s arms, and had been caught in the act by what seemed to be thedy of the house. The nun hurriedly stood up from Renji''s side and began to shake her head apologetically at Eileen. "I''m sorry! It''s not what it looks like. Last night, I took the initiative... Ah, no! What I mean is, I asked Mr. Renji to take me home. We didn''t do anythingst night... No, I mean we did do some... did some..." Renji felt that if he let the panicked Maria keep talking, even if they were innocent, they would be painted as guilty. He gestured to the nun with his hand, indicating to Maria that there was no need to be nervous, and that he would take care of it. Renji: "Are you feeling alright?" Maria: "Um, yes." Renji : "That''s good." Renji went on to simply recap to the girl what had happened after Eileen had fallen asleep the previous night, including Maria''s origins and the intelligence about Nn that was divined from the nun''s testimony. Eileen didn''t interject throughout the entire ount, instead listening seriously and quietly by his side. "So that''s pretty much it. Maria probably fainted from exhaustion after the divination, and so we ended up taking shelter at your ce for the night. As for why she woke up next to me..." Renji nced at the nun beside him, who looked as if she were about to cry from realizing her mistake. Maria immediately started bowing and apologizing to the young man repeatedly. "I''m so sorry! I truly am very sorry! The stormst night was so severe, and I... I''m afraid of thunder, so... so I unconsciously..." However, Renji was clearly not satisfied with this exnation. His main concern wasn''t that Maria hade over to sleep with him, but that he had beenpletely unaware of it. This meant that if Maria had gotten up in the middle of the night to do something other than "snuggle" he would have been equally oblivious and unprepared. ''This is too strange'' Renji had the confidence to sleep under the same roof as a stranger like Maria because she was an Eclipse. Any slight disturbance or movement from her side should have instantly awakened him due to the contract''s abilities. This was one of the inherent powers of the contract. (HailTheLoli: to not make you confuse, the ''contract'' ability will be noted in the future chapters) ''But why...'' ''Why was there no reaction from the "contract"st night when Maria quietly approached me, even lying down together?'' ''Is it simply because she did not bear "hostile intentions"?'' ''Or could it be...'' Renji thoughtfully stared at Maria, who was apologizing, with a slight frown on his forehead. "Alright, Old Timer, don''t be hard on her!" At this point, it was Eileen who surprisingly stepped forward. She saw Renji staring intently at the nun, so she stepped forward and protectively stood in front of the slightly trembling nun. "You don''t understand, those of us who have been without parents from a young age are naturally very scared of things like thunderstorms and strong winds. Whenever there''s bad weather, I..." "Hmph! I would also sneak into my mom''s bed!, So what!" Eileen, with her hands on her hips, either saw her own past self in the timid and weak nun or perhaps because Maria had helped her receive news of her mother, was now behaving like a protective mother tiger defending her little child. To this, Renji was somewhat speechless, because ording to the script, shouldn''t Eileen have shown jealousy or at least some anger, especially at the beginning when she first came in. In her perspective, she had entrusted her most important person to him, her mother, Yet, here he was, holding a nun and even sleeping with her in her home. It seemed as if Eileen had read Renji''s mind, and she speak again. Her exnation was simple, so simple that Renji couldn''t argue against it. She said, "Because I believe in someone who dares topare himself to ''The Emperor'' would be so capable. How could he easily break his promises? Anything he agrees to, he''ll definitely fulfill!" The girl said this with such pride, one would think she was speaking about herself. "So when I saw you still sleeping soundly with a woman in your arms, I knew my mom must be safe, at least for now. Otherwise, with your personality, Old Timer, how could you possibly sleep at all!" ''Sheesh'' ''Had her brain also upgraded after advancing to ''Danger Rank''? How did she suddenly be so smart? Could it be a switcheroo?'' To verify this, Renji decided to conduct a simple experiment: "So you''re not jealous? Seeing me sleeping with another woman?" "What!? What are you... saying? I''m not jealous! So what if you sleep with other women? you big-headed guy!. I''m not someone who will jump to f@uking imagination on my own! Besides, we''re like ''brothers!'' How many women you sleep with is none of my f@uking business!" Watching the girl be flustered and start talking nonsense, Renji felt quite relieved. ''OK, the experiment was a sess'' It was confirmed that there was no switcheroo, it was her indeed. While Renji and Eileen were going back and forth, what they didn''t notice was the nun beside them, Maria, who had slightly lowered her head. The weakness and fear were gone from her face, reced by a twisted grimness. However, as the conversation shifted back to the main topic and returned to its normal course, Maria''s expression quickly returned to its original state. "Alright, Maria, you faintedst night so we couldn''t ask, but do you have any good ideas for whates next, like you said, something that could weaken the Tainted Miasma over there?" "No, there''s no need for something soplicated," Maria suddenly spoke up. She shook her head and looked at Renji. Perhaps witnessing the performance of the young man and the girl had caused Maria to change her ns. She spoke slowly to both of them. "After restingst night, I... I feel much better. I believe I have a way to directly teleport us there." " Teleport?" Eileen doubted if she had heard correctly. And the answer the girl received was: "Yes, my ''Divination'' special ability is not limited to foresight; it can also transport us directly to the coordinates I''ve divined, that is, to the underground area where your mother is." "That''s so powerful!!?" Seeing thepletely serious expression on Maria''s face, Eileen let out an excited exmation, as if she had just won a big prize. It felt like, what, like the protagonist of <> being transported back to the demon capital by a magic circle on the first day. <> is a micro-movie co-produced by "Demon Capital" and " Mechanoid Alliance " which tells the inspirational story of how a young little subus escaped from the hell of juiceless bionic people and returned to the demon capital. Eileen''s gaze turned to Renji immediately. Even the girl seemed to think that this might be a bit to powerful. Renji: "Maria, I''m quite special. When I get to that ce, it might cause the ''relics'' there to react violently. Can you help me conceal my presence?" "Of course, sir." "Is that so? Then let''s not dy any further, please begin the teleportation right away, Miss Maria." Having received the answer he wanted from the nun, Renji, now with hisst concern dispelled, nodded and directly requested to start. This made Eileen beside him suddenly anxious. She kept signaling to Renji with her eyes. Eileen''s intuition told her something was amiss;'' it was all going too smoothly, too quickly, too strangely. Are we really about to be teleported by the nun just like that?'' However, Renji gave the girl a reassuring look, signaling her not to worry or doubt too much. Just like that. After Maria had done some simple ritual arrangements, Renji and Eileen stood by her, one on each side. Apanied by a sh of holy light, the three of them vanished from the room in an instant. Chapter 57 57 : Assistance Part 2 [16/20] And at the same time. Elsewhere. The Church. Sanctuary Holy Library. As the only official authority of the Holy Kingdom, it naturally also assumes the responsibility of educating the people. Each church has a library. The three floors listed on the front are free and open to all Holy Kingdom people, and they can freely enter and read. And in the two additional underground levels of the Sanctuary Library, there are the "Archive Room" areas, which are not open to the general public. Only internal church personnel and specially invited guests are allowed to enter and browse. Early in the morning, Durin strode in. At the entrance leading to the library''s underground, there were four knights in "Holy Armor" standing guard. The "Holy Armor" is the knightly order''s advanced gear,bining the exoskeletal machinery from the "Mechanoid Alliance" with the power of the Goddess. Well-trained members of the knightly order equipped with it would see a phenomenal increase in their abilities. The machinery brings immense strength, while the Goddess''s crucifix at the center provides energy and a powerful holy light that greatly restrains the Tainted Miasma. A pdinbining the two could easily subdue an "Eclipse" on their own, and when assembled into teams, they have many records of containing even "Danger Rank" Eclipses. "Captain Durin!" The four holy knights, upon seeing Durin''s arrival, immediately stood at attention and saluted with their mechanical arms. They thought Durin was there to enter the Archive Room, so they cleared the way, and another went to register Durin. However, Durin waved them off, shaking his head to indicate it was unnecessary. "From today, for this week''s patrol phase, you''ll all be joining us in deployment." "What are you standing around for, take off the Holy Armor." Faced with Durin''s urging, the four holy knights, finallying to their senses, hurriedly said, "But Captain Durin, the priest''s orders are that the Archive Room must be guarded at all times." "The big incident that happenedst night, you must have heard about it too. The Callewa leader is dead, and now the ckhole ins settlement is inplete chaos. The usual patrol and security forces are simply not enough. The Goddess''s teachings are for us to protect the people, not for you to guard some broken Archive Room that no damn person hase to in hundred of years!" "Understood!" Under Durin''s stern reprimand, the four holy knights were persuaded. It was evident that Durin''s authority was highly respected among these knights, and they did not doubt him at all. After taking off their Holy Armor and handing them over to Durin, they saluted again and quickly ran towards the knightly order''s location to join the uing patrol team. In this way, the entrance to the Archive Room becamepletely quiet, leaving only Durin there. The knight captain, with a look of disgust, coldly nced at the gloomy staircase leading to the library underground. He then took out a dagger he carried with him and expertly pried out the Goddess''s cross from the center of the Holy Armor, the source of its power. After cing the Holy Armor back in its ce, he prepared to leave, leaving the Archive Room unguarded, with its doors wide open. After that, even if someone from the knightly order came byter, the most crucial "Holy Armor" would already be unusable. ''I had fulfilled my job Renji'' ''Now it was time to see... what you will do'' Durin recalled the young man from the coffee housest night, However. Before Durin could take a few steps, as if someone had been waiting for a long time, a person who emerged from the shadow behind a pir blocked Durin''s path. He was dressed in a ck robe, with a conspicuous cross hanging on his chest. His hands were crossed and hanging down, holding a holy book in the palms of his hands. The few strands of early morning sunlight that passed through the window fell on the man, making his already serene face appear even more charitable. It instinctively evoked feelings of closeness and trust in others, as if one were willing to confess all their sins to this man. Yes. In the settlement, only one person could achieve this - the leader and ruler of the ckhole Church, the priest, Gralon. "It''s no surprise, Captain Durin. It''s an honor for the people of ckhole to have a knight like you." The priest apuded, a benevolent smile on his face. He took steps toward Durin, who was stiff in his ce. "Intentionally omitting details in the report, the murderer who killed Ajaxst night, the mastermind behind the destruction of the factory, and now suddenly pulling away the guard I ced at the entrance to the Archive Room, and even..." Gralon moved behind Durin and then took back the four energy crosses that had just been pried from the Holy Armor and hidden behind him. The priest shook his head. "Captain Durin, I am so disappointed in you. I thought you could be one of us, but now it seems..." "You have not only given up the chance for promotion, but you have also abandoned your wife." As soon as the word "wife" was mentioned, the veins on Durin''s forehead bulged, and the knight who had been on the verge of losing his temper suddenly exploded. He attempted to pounce on the priest in front of him, but the priest didn''t move at all, and a huge rebound force sent Durin flying. The previously benevolent old man had disappeared, reced by a priest with a distorted face, full of wrinkles, enveloped by the Tainted Miasma. An Eclipse, and from the fluctuations of the Miasma, he had surpassed the ''Common'' and reached the ''Danger Rank''! "Damn it! You filthy piece of ***! One day, the true Church will rid itself of vermin like you!" Durin, pinned to the ground by the pries, cursed angrily as he struggled. Instead of getting angry, the priest seemed even more intrigued. "Durin, actually, I used to have the same thoughts as you. I was afraid that the higher-ups in the Church would find out about my heretical behavior, that they would discover I was conducting forbidden experiments, but..." "Just yesterday, a big shot from the Church really dide, and they came directly to me, a true big shot, someone who ranks above a bishop... a Light Bringer." At this point, the priest''s face was full of respect. Then, with a mocking and sarcastic tone, he squatted down next to Durin, who was ring fiercely, and whispered word by word: "But do you know what that Light Bringer chose after learning everything about me?" The priest still found it unbelievable, but that didn''t stop him from stating the fact with an arrogant and mocking tone. Gralon spread his arms wide as if the Light Bringer fromst night was standing in front of him, so beautiful and wless, a figure that he was infatuated with, even adoring. After all, only a Light Bringer with such beauty and wisdom could understand him¡­ "She chose to..." "Assist me!!" Seeing Durin''s look of utter disdain, as if he couldn''t believe it himself, yes, after all, the Light Bringer is transcendental to the church hierarchy, only belonging to the "Goddess" herself. How could she possibly stoop to Assist with him? Even Gralon himself felt like he was dreaming. It was too normal for Durin to not believe him. But... With a cold snort, the priest lifted his foot off Durin and pulled the captain up from the ground. Immediately after, the priest took out a surveince device from his pocket and turned the screen towards Durin. "Take a good look, now these two pitiful little mice lured by cheese into the sewer." Following the priest''s words, Durin looked at the monitor, and his already grimplexion turnedpletely ashen. Because on the screen, in the dark abandoned underground drainage, there were three figures slowly moving forward. Among them, a man and a woman, Durin recognized at first nce ¡ª it was the young man from the coffee house and the femalepanion he had once taken to the Sea Sand Bar. And leading them was a nun that Durin had never seen before,pletely unfamiliar. Renji definitely didn''t enter through the Archive Room, the underground entrance he had told the young man about. Combining the priest''s words and the surveince footage, Durin realized in an instant ''That young couple...'' ''Had fallen into a trap'' This was a snare set by the priest and that unfamiliar nun. The young man had already been exposed, and now Renji and hispanion were no longer hunters, but prey walking step by step into a death trap. "Do you see that? That''s Lady Maria! Tsk tsk... Truly worthy of her title. In order to achieve her goal, she can easily put aside her noble status and even act as a crucial bait, making these two excellent test subjects cooperate willingly." " Excellent test subjects!?" Durin clenched his teeth, it seems he understood why the priest and the Light Bringer had gone to such lengths. "That''s right, although I don''t know what exactly happened at the Callewa factoryst night, one undeniable thing is that the man and woman can cause the ''Relics'' to react. It''s unbelievable, truly unbelievable! Is there a better test subjects in this world?!" "If he could awaken the ''Crimson Star,'' then he can definitely activate my two ''Emperor''s Crests''! Durin, do you know how long I''ve spent trying to use those two Emperor''s Crests? How much time I''ve invested to integrate the crests into my body, how many rats I''ve used for experiments?" (HailTheLoli: they don''t know the real name of the [Brand] so they refer it to as Crests ) Chapter 58 58 : Assistance Part 3 [17/20] ? "Unfortunately, among all the rats, which included some Eclipses, more than half of them, after only one use of ''Emperor''s Crest'', some wentpletely mad, some burst into Tainted corpses, and some even more miserable, exploded halfway through their transformation. But now it''s different, the Light Bringer told me that the young man can perfectly utilize the power of ''Emperor''s Crest'', that enviable and damned talent! But" "It doesn''t matter, it''s mine now!" The priest extended a hand and clenched it into a fist forcefully. "The young man''s talent and power will be taken by me and the Light Bringer. From now on, it''s not just the ''Emperor''s Crest'', but all the legendary ''Emperor''s Relics'' that we will be able to wield their power, hahahaha!" The priest let out a maniacalugh, echoing in the sanctified Archive room of the church, a ce symbolizing the "Hall of Knowledge", the irony of it all. And looking at Durin, this once "rebellious" and "thorn in the side" knight, whose eyes are now utterly devoid of light, turned murky and dim, the priest felt an iparable thrill. This is why, even though Durin''s little actions are inconsequential now, he still had toe here, ruthlessly expose Durin, theny out his grand n in its entirety. Greatness requires witnesses, it needs an audience. That''s why Gralon won''t kill Durin. He even spared the captain of the knights. After all, no matter what Durin does, he can''t change the oue now, so why not let himself continue to enjoy a little longer, this wonderful feeling of bestowing despair? "Alright, get up, Captain Durin, rest assured, you are the finest knight under mymand, how could I bear to see you leave the stage, only, as a punishment for your restlessness..." The priest pulled out a small vial from his bosom and threw it in front of Durin. "The medicine for your wife this month, cut by half, if there''s a next time, just watch her turn into a Tainted corpse!" Having done all this, the priest walked away, heading toward the Archive room''s underground entrance, ready to meet up with Maria, ready to wee his "rebirth". And Durin, distraught on the ground, hadn''t even managed to get up when a rapid ringtone sounded from his pocket. When Durin answered the phone in a panic, it was Tamic''s anxious voice that came through. "Captain! The mistress''s illness has suddenly worsened again! Where are you, hurry back!" ¡­ ¡­. Dawnlight Hospital. This is thergest and best hospital that can be found in the ckhole ins, established by the church. Sitting at the entrance of the emergency room, Durin had his hands sped around his head. His fingers were buried deep in his hair, and a heavy sense of self-me emanated from him. The young knight who apanied him, Tamic, tried to offer words offort several times but ultimately remained silent by his side. Finally... The lights in the emergency room went out, and several Church physicians emerged from inside. Facing Captain Durin, the doctor nodded, indicating that the rescue had been sessful, and the person was temporarily stable. However... "Captain Durin, your wife''s condition is something we''ve never seen before. I suspect it''s a chronic illness caused by Tainted Miasma. We can''t predict when the next attack will ur or how severe it will be. We..." Durin signaled the doctor to stop. There was no need to say more. He knew more about Susan''s illness than anyone else. He tightly gripped the vial of medicine that the priest had given him in his sleeve. "Captain, this is fantastic news! I knew Sister Susan would pull through!" Tamic approached and, after struggling for a while, finally managed to offer aforting word. However, Durinpletely ignored Tamic. He leaned against the door window of the hospital room. In the eyes of this knight captain, the entire world had narrowed down to the patient lying on the hospital bed, a golden-haired woman who had just undergone surgery and was now peacefully asleep. After a silence thatsted a short while, the two men began to speak. Tamic knew that Durin must be going through a lot right now and probably didn''t have the energy to think about anything else. However... "Captain, I have some very important information to report to you. ording to my investigation, it''s highly likely that there was a Tainted item with a contamination rank of at least C-grade inside Callewa factoryst night. However, after our search throughout the night, up until now, the Knight Order still hasn''t been able to find that Tainted item. So, I suspect... there''s a high probability that the young couple took it from the factory!" "That''s a Tainted item of C-grade or higher, and if it erupts... the consequences would be unimaginable! Half of the people in ckhole could be affected! Captain, we can''t just sit idly by, we can''t let the people of the gathering ce be exposed to such a Tainted crisis! So... Captain! I request permission to contact Mr. Renji again! I implore him to tell me what happenedst night, and I implore him, for the sake of the people of ckhole, to hand over the Tainted item to our Church." "ENOUGH!" The young knight''s report was interrupted by an angry shout. Durin finally moved away from the hospital room''s door, staring at Tamic across from him. He recalled the young man''s words and a nameless anger welled up from within him. "Last night''s events end here. Let all the members of the Knight Order withdraw ande back! No one is allowed to continue investigating this matter, including you. Do you understand? If you do, then get the hell out of here!" However, Tamic, who had always followed Durin''s orders without question, chose to stand his ground this time, and he shook his head firmly. "Captain, I find it difficult toply with this order!" This seemed topletely ignite Durin''s anger. He even started to lose hisposure and let out a scream filled with frustration. "Difficult toply? Hahaha! Tamic, let me tell you, what annoys me the most is brats like you who think you''re so smart, who dare to refuse my orders. What makes you think you can defy mymand? Do you think you''re so damn great? Do you think you know more than me? What do you know?" "Tell me, what the f#ck do you know?!" ------------------- Amidst Durin''s raging shouts, Tamic didn''t back down, nor did he get angry. He simply stood there, listening, and then gave Durin his response. "Captain, I know thatpared to you, andpared to many members of the Knight Order, I''m still very weak and have a lot to learn. I do admit that there are many things I don''t understand. But the one thing I do understand is..." "As a Knight, I must faithfully follow the teachings of the Goddess, and I must take Lady Suthia as my role model. I must protect those weaker than myself, I must prevent the spread and havoc of Tainted Miasma, and I must uphold my faith!" "That''s what I believe!" The young knight stood tall, and the silver-gray Holy Cross on his Knight uniform seemed to faintly shimmer in the light, as if resonating. Unfortunately... "Hehehe, the Goddess? Teachings? Let me warn you, don''t f#cking mention the word ''Goddess'' in front of me! There is no Goddess in this world anymore! Even if the Goddess does exist, she has long fallen and f#cking mingled with the darkness!" "In my heart, the Goddess of the Holy Kingdom from five hundred years ago is already dead. And on thisnd today, there is no more faith. The teachings and sayings you spout from Lady Suthia are nothing but a joke, you understand? A joke!" Durin let out a hoarse and forceful yell, his entire face turning red. In the past, he had held onto hope, even if it was faint. He had imagined that ckhole was only in its current state because it was remote, allowing that priest to exploit it. He believed that one day, the evildoer would face judgment and receive the punishment he deserved! However, the result? The result was that today, the priest had fiercely pped his face, and even the direct followers of the Goddess, the "Light Bringers," had chosen to stand with that crazy sadist priest, all for the power of the "Relics," abandoning their faith. At that moment, Durin truly felt like something in his heart had shattered. Even the highest echelons of the Church had fallen so far. Then what were these small fry like them still holding onto? "Durin, I need you to apologize to Lady Suthia for your words just now!" It was the first time Tamic had called Durin''s name without adding "Captain" afterward. A rare sh of anger appeared on the young knight''s face. For Durin, for his captain, Tamic could endure anything, except for Durin''s sphemy against the Goddess, an insult to his faith. Chapter 59 59: Faith [18/20] ? Sorry for the dy, I had a really tough quiz and couldn''t release the chapters in its time, anyway, now I am free and the tier isplete from tomorrow on it will be 2 daily chapters + bonuses.\ ---------- "Durin, I need you to apologize to Lady Suthia for your words just now!" It was the first time Tamik had called Durin''s name without adding "Captain" afterward. A rare sh of anger appeared on the young knight''s face. For Durin, for his master, Tamik could endure anything, except for Durin''s sphemy against the Goddess, an insult to his faith. "Haha, what''s this? Getting angry, feeling tough, want toe fight me? Alright,e on! Let me see if your Lady Goddess can give you the power to beat the shit out of me!" As the tension between the two escted, and their emotions spiraled out of control, when it seemed like the situation was about to worsen and head toward irreparable consequences... Creak... The door to the hospital room was opened slightly, and a weak-looking golden-haired woman in a patient''s gown walked out. She looked at the two knights who were already furious and shook her head gently, addressing the older one. "Durin, please... don''t be like this." If there was anything that could make this knight drop everything instantly, it would only be his wife. "S-Susan! Why did youe out? Damn it! It''s all my fault. I must have woken you up with my shouting! Quickly, go back! The doctor said you shouldn''t get out of bed yet!" Susan didn''t pay much attention to Durin''s anxious words. Instead, the frail but still spirited golden-haired woman turned to the other person in the room. "Tamic, I''m sorry. Regardless of what your captain said, I believe it must have been in anger. I apologize on behalf of Durin for what he said just now, and I apologize to Lady Suthia for his words." Susan coughed at the end of her speech, and it was evident that she was not in good health. She had struggled toe to the door of the hospital room to stop the argument between the two. "No, no, no, Sister Susan, it''s my fault. Don''t me captain. It''s me, I got too excited, and I understand too little. I couldn''t grasp Captain Durin''s words." "I''m fine now. Please listen to Captain Durin and quickly go back to bed!" Susan''s status in Tamic''s heart seemed to be slightly higher than Durin''s, judging by the young knight''s immediate cessation of all quarreling at the gentle words of the golden-haired woman. However, at the end of her speech... "Captain Durin, I won''t disturb you anymore, but I still want to tell you that I won''t give up on investigating that C-grade Tainted item in Callewa and Mr. Renji. If the Knight Order doesn''t allow me to do so, then..." "I will choose to leave the Knight Order! Even if you strip me of this uniform, so what!?" "Perhaps what you said is true. Lady Suthia is indeed no longer with us, and Lady Suthia may no longer be able to protect us as she did before. But so what? What I believe in, what I uphold, what I understand, is not the Goddess Suthia herself, but her will, her determination five hundred years ago to drive away the Tainted Miasma and open up a purend for us!" "The light may perish, but the spirit of Lady Suthia will never disappear. Even if everyone in the Church forgets, at least... me, Tamic, I still hold onto it! So, the goddess has not left, Lady Suthia still lives in my heart!" "With that said, Apprentice Knight Tamic, reporting! I take my leave!" After delivering this speech, the young knight gave Durin a standard knight''s salute and, without giving Durin a chance to respond, left the hospital. Supporting Susan with care, he quickly returned to her bed, covered her with the nket, and then Durin''s hand was held by the woman. "D-Durin, don''t you think... he''s a lot like you?" "What!? Susan, are you out of your mind? Me, like that brat? What a joke!" Durin lovingly stroked the woman''s golden hair, feigning an exaggerated expression, trying to make herugh. And indeed, Durin seeded. Chuckle!* "Hahaha, look at that, saying you''re not alike. Your stubbornness and tough talk, you''re practically cut from the same cloth, hehehe... cough! Cough." "Susan, please don''t speak anymore. What you need now is rest. Right! Quickly, take this medicine first!" Durin saw that his wife started coughing again after just a few words, and his heart was nearly torn apart. He then took out the medicine given by the priest and carefully fed it to Susan. "Wife, don''t worry! This is a specially sourced, super-effective medicine that I had someone find for us. As long as we keep taking it, your illness will definitely improve! How is it? Do you already feel much better?" Seeing her husband''s caring face, Susan nodded at first. But soon, she shook her head. She stared at the hospital room''s ceiling and murmured, "Durin, do you know? During the surgery today, I wasn''tpletely unconscious. I could feel that no matter how those doctors tried to help me, the vitality within my body was rapidly draining, like a... punctured balloon. At that moment, I truly felt like... I was going to die. I thought I would never see you again, cough..." "Wifey, why are you saying such gloomy things! You''re fine now, aren''t you? Trust the Doctors! And please, don''t talk anymore. Close your eyes and rest!" Durin scolded, a bit annoyed. But the golden-haired woman obstinately shook her head and continued to speak despite her difort. "Let me finish, Durin... when I felt like I was really on the verge of not making it, do you know what I saw? It was the Goddess, it was Lady Suthia." "Susan, that was just a hallucination. You should..." "That wasn''t a hallucination, because... cough... actually, it''s not the first time. Every time I had a rpse... I could see Lady Suthia. She enveloped me in holy light, and every time, she brought me back from the brink of death, saving me... cough." "Susan..." "Durin, do you remember how we met and fell in love? We met under the statue of the Goddess in the church. I still remember I was researching a paper at the time, and the title of my paper was... the love story between Lady Suthia and the Emperor. Cough... looking back now, I was so young back then. Even though it was so embarrassing and childish, I could really immerse myself in it." "We used to meet every day at dusk to discuss my paper. I still vividly remember how you blushed and argued with me, saying that your Lady Goddess was pure and would never... fall in love. You also said that Lady Suthia would never like that Emperor. Cough... cough... cough..." No matter how much she coughed, tortured by illness, Susan couldn''t hide the beauty of her memories when she recalled the past. "My real crush on you actually happened during our first date. Durin, I don''t know if you remember, but back then, I dressed up carefully and waited for you at the agreed-upon ce for over two hours. In the end, what I got was a knight with bandages on his hands, a disheveled appearance, and bloodstains on his clothes." "You kept apologizing to me, saying that you suddenly received a report that a family''s child had been abducted by human traffickers. After leading your team to rescue the child from the criminals'' hands, you... remembered that you had a date with me. Hehehe... every time I think of that scene, I want tough... cough... cough... cough." "Yeah, I was thinking at the time, ''Oh no, it''s over, there''s no hope anymore.'' But then I couldn''t believe you, you... " Durin was also caught up in Susan''s words and shook his head while sighing. "Uh-huh, I kissed you, Durin, because you don''t know how dazzling you were in my eyes at that moment, how handsome you were. This is the Durin I like, the one who argues endlessly with me for the sake of defending the Goddess, the one who doesn''t hesitate to put our first date aside to protect the people." "I''m saying all this because I want to tell you, Durin, I''ve read many books and found out that before she met the Emperor, the Goddess was very fragile and iplete. It was the Emperor who filled in some of the gaps in Lady Suthia. And now, five hundred years have passed, and the disappearance of the Emperor, I believe, will have quite an impact on the Goddess, just like if I were to disappear suddenly one day, how would you feel, Durin?" "I can feel that the Goddess''s power is waning day by day. Lady Suthia is struggling to support herself. At this moment, we shouldn''t me the Goddess, who can''t protect us anymore, or expect her to cleanse evil for us. We should go and help the Goddess, just as the Emperor did back then. Cough... cough..." "Don''t say anymore, Susan, I... I..." Actually, Durin understood all of this, but he was avoiding it. The reason he was avoiding it was... Susan''s hand touched the knight captain''s face, gliding over his cheek, over his beard. "Durin, if one day, you must make a choice between faith and me, I hope you choose the former." "Because that''s the Durin I like, that''s the Durin I truly love." After saying this, Susan''s eyelids began to droop. She had exhausted all her energy from speaking so much, and coupled with the effect of the medicine, her palm slipped down from Durin''s face, powerless. Susan turned her head to the side and fell into a deep sleep on the hospital bed. Leaving behind the knight captain in the quiet intensive care unit, clenching his fists, wearing a struggling and bewildered expression on his face. Chapter 60 60: Leave Him To Me. Just One Person Is Fine Part 2 ? "Old-timer, stick close to me, what kind of ¡ª¡ª godforsaken ce is this!" Eileen whispered to the young man beside her, keeping her voice low. They were now walking through a dark and damp abandoned sewer. Underfoot, apart from filthy puddles of water, there were strange moss-like nts that Eileen had never seen before. The eerie surroundings were apanied by low, hoarse roars that seemed toe from all directions in the sewer, echoing in their ears. That was not a noise that humans or animals could make. Eileen had heard it twice before, and both times were distinctly memorable because it was a sound that only the Tainted corpse could make. Eileen kept her nerves on edge, protecting Renji beside her. She hadn''t forgotten her duty, and the real threat she was wary of was not the treacherous abandoned sewer filled with dangers, but the nun leading the way ahead. Maria suddenly stopped, gesturing to the two behind her. Following her gaze, Eileen saw at the junction of the pipes, two Tainted Corpses. Their bodies were rotting, with arms twisted into grotesque shapes and thick muscles coiling around, eventually transforming into meat pincers as they roamed within. This was their only way forward, and it was clear that a battle was inevitable if they wanted to pass. "Don''t worry about me" Renji spoke up in advance, reassuring Eileen. At present, among their trio, Eileen was the only one suited for closebat. If the girl rushed ahead, only the nun would remain by her side. Eileen decided not to use her gun. In a ce like the sewer, any slight sound would be amplified by the echoes, and the release of Tainted energy from her body, which eventually formed into a bloody sword, was a better choice for her. It was different from the bloody red greatsword she used at the Callewa Factory. This one was narrower and shorter, seemingly adapted to the narrow environment of the sewer. Eileen judged that two Tainted Corpses would not warrant the use of her abilities. With a swift movement, she silently approached, closing the distance to around ten meters. The two wandering Tainted Corpses seemed to catch a whiff of something and turned their heads, all facing the shadow where Eileen was hidden. Seeing that they had been exposed, Eileen didn''t hesitate. Ten meters was close enough for her. She no longer sneaked, but instead, she burst out, taking less than half a breath to reach the first Tainted Corpse. She thrust the bloody sword directly into its neck. St!* After reaching [Danger Rank] Eileen''s strength had indeed improved significantly. The force of this strike directly chopped off the Tainted Corpse''s head. Following this, the second one that rushed toward her was swiftly dealt with. Eileen bent down to dodge its meat pincer attack, then delivered a kick to knock it off bnce. She followed up with another strike, thrusting it straight into its forehead. It was a clean and efficient battle, and she had effectively dispatched both Tainted Corpses in seconds. "Miss Eileen, you''re amazing!" Maria, who had watched Eileen''s battle, couldn''t help but admire the young girl strength. The earlier tension seemed to have lessened after witnessing Eileen''sbat skills. "Well, it''s not a big deal." Eileen responded modestly. "May I ask, Miss Eileen, what did you do before bing an Eclipse? And how did you be an Eclipse? How did you meet Mr. Renji?" Maria''s curiosity seemed to have been ignited in this environment, and she started to engage in conversation with Eileen. Eileen initially didn''t want to answer, but seeing that Renji didn''t mind at all and seemed to encourage them tomunicate, she hesitated for a moment before replying, "I was a scavenger." "Huh? Then, Miss Eileen, how did you be an Eclipse? And how did you meet Mr. Renji?" Maria asked with a face full of curiosity, but now Eileen didn''t know how to respond, hesitating. Fortunately, Renji stepped in to exin. "Eileen is the best scavenger in the ckhole ins, so I hired her to join me in exploring the Relic Cave. We were lucky to find some treasures, but as we were retreating, we got targeted by the cave''s Kobold At the critical moment, and I don''t know if it was the power of the treasures, Eileen awakened her Special Ability and became an Eclipse. That''s what allowed us to survive and escape." As Renji exined, Maria tightly held her small hand, looking nervous. She had listened to the story with great interest, and it was only after hearing the safe ending of the story that she heaved a sigh of relief. However, the conversation soon fell into an awkward silence, and as they delved deeper into the sewer and encountered more Tainted Corpses roaming the narrow waterways, they abandoned small talk altogether and focused on their exploration. Although there were many Tainted Corpses, thanks to Eileen''sbat abilities, they didn''t encounter significant dys. As they reached the next corner in the tunnel, Maria informed them that Eileen''s mother was nearby. This suddenly excited Eileen. When she saw another group of Tainted Corpses blocking their path, she couldn''t wait to rush in and clear them out. Despite the fact that there were more Tainted Corpses this time, at least seven or eight of them, the first one or two were rtively easy to deal with, just like many previous battles, they were dispatched quickly. However, what happened next within the group of Tainted Corpses took Eileenpletely by surprise. Before the young girl could get closer, a Tainted Corpse positioned at the back, significantlyrger than the others, took the initiative and used its mutated heavy-arm to smash its surrounding kin. St! St! St! With each Tainted Corpse it killed, the Tainted red Miasma mist swirling around it grew more intense. Muscles under its decaying skin bulged suddenly, and numerous spikes continued to emerge. In the blink of an eye, its momentum increased significantly. It roared and charged at Eileen. Due to the angle, Renji, who had his back to this mutated Tainted Corpse, could see two marks on its exposed back. These were not actual marks but rather traces left behind after being used once. But even the remnants of the marks were now emitting a strange light, as if they were the source of the Tainted Corpse''s sudden mutation. Eileen had still tried to conserve her strength and didn''t release her special ability. She continued to face it with her bloody sword in her normal state. However, when the mutated Tainted Corpse charged towards her, it unleashed a power far exceeding that of the ordinary Tainted Corpses. Thispletely caught Eileen off guard, and she almost lost her grip on her sword as it threatened to send her flying. Fortunately, Eileen quickly regained control of her body. The sword that had initially intended to engage the Tainted Corpse abruptly changed its trajectory, shifting into a defensive posture to block the Tainted Corpse''s next punch, which followed closely behind. Despite this, Eileen was still sent flying through the air and tumbled uponnding, narrowly avoiding the Tainted Corpse''s subsequent attacks. Boom! The sewer wall at the spot where Eileen had just been crumbled under the second punch of the mutated Tainted Corpse, the ground itself trembling. Eileen felt a shiver down her spine, unable to imagine what would have happened if Renji hadn''t intervened forcefully, forcing her to switch from offense to defense. Even if her sword had struck the Tainted Corpse, it would have been a case of injuring the enemy while harming herself. ''What''s going on?'' Eileen finally noticed it now. The two marks behind the Tainted Corpse, shimmering with a bloody red light, were those... ''There''s no other choice; it seems I have to...'' Just as Eileen was about to activate her special ability and summon her true form of the greatsword again, a brief chanting sound filled the air, followed by a burst of holy light thatpletely enveloped the mutated Tainted Corpse. "Ughhhhhhhhh!" The Tainted Corpse let out a cry of pain. In the blink of an eye, its massive body began to shrink, and the bulging muscles rapidly withered away. In less than a second, it reverted to the appearance of an ordinary Tainted Corpse, and the two bloody red marks on its back, which had previously been emitting a bloody glow, disappearedpletely. "This..." Eileen hadn''t even fully grasped the situation when, in the next moment, a beam of light pierced through the Tainted Corpse''s head like a dart. Even the Tainted Corpse that had proven to be a powerful mutated monster at [Danger Rank] seemed to have... died so easily? ---------------------- ''[Divine Word: Silence]'' ''And [Holy Punishment?]'' Renji immediately recognized the two skills that Maria, the seemingly fragile nun beside him, had just used. These were ssic abilities of the cleric ss. However, in the game, a character''s skill slots are unlocked based on their rank. For example, when Eileen was at the [Common] rank, she only had one skill, [Berserk] It was only after breaking through to the [Danger Rank] that she gained another skill, [Annihtion]. But so far, the "fragile" little nun, Maria, had disyed four different abilities including [divination], [teleportation], and the two she just used This seemed to confirm a certain suspicion in Renji''s heart¡ªa suspicion he didn''t particrly like. "Miss Eileen, are you alright?" Maria quickly ran to the girl''s side. Eileen shook her head and nced at the Tainted Corpse. Then she looked at the nun. "Thank you, but Maria, what you just did..." "It''s just a little ability I learned from the church. I''m d it was useful." Seeing Eileen''s slightly furrowed brow and about to ask more, Renji, who had also approached, deliberately ended the topic. He urged that now was not the time for lengthy discussions; Nn was up ahead. Chapter 61 61: Leave Him To Me. Just One Person Is Fine ? Has been updated, and chapter 60 has been changed a bit after the" -------------- " in the second part of the story, so you can read from there and then continue here, again sorry for the mistake. ---------------- With that, the three of them continued forward for a few more minutes. It was worth mentioning that they seemed to have reached a "newyer" as in just a few minutes, they encountered more Tainted Corpses than they had encounteredbined so far. What was even more terrifying was that almost every small group of Tainted Corpses had one, or even two, Mutant Corpses among them. This was when Eileen''s weakness became apparent. Her "[Annihtion] ability was suitable for dealing with a continuous wave of enemies. However, in the current situation where the Mutant Corpses appeared sporadically and in separate waves, her "[Annihtion] skill was not very effective, whether activated or not. On the other hand, Maria, with her ability to frequently use [Silence] was invaluable. It was an absolute counter to Mutant Corpse. No matter how they relied on their [Killing Same Kind] ability to boost their strength, they would be silenced and returned to their original state the next second. Finally, at the end of a certain branching underground passage, Eileen, already highly focused, spotted a woman weakly curled up in a hidden corner. Her eyes instantly reddened, and she rushed over without hesitation. "Mom!" Renji, who had followed closely behind, finally saw the real person in the family photo that was taken in Eileen''s house. Compared to the photo, Eileen''s mother looked much more exhausted now. She was in aplete state of unconsciousness, and from the exposed skin on her body, one could see the terrifying, bright red patterns that resembled the roots of an old tree¡ªa characteristic sign of corruption, the Tainted Mark. Once these blood patterns spread all over her body, Eileen''s mother would undergo aplete mutation. "Renji!" "Renji!" Seeing her mother in such a perilous state, Eileen, in a panic, turned to Renji, hoping he could use the miraculous Divine Healing to cure her mother. However, this time, Renji did not respond to the girl. Instead, he turned his gaze to the nun beside him, Maria. Almost at the same time, Maria''s voice rang out. "I... I''ll give it a try." Maria approached Nn, who was already in thete stage of the "Tainted Mark" to turn into a monster, Even if Eileen''s mother were taken to the best Dawnlight Hospital at this point, the doctors there would undoubtedly shake their heads, indicating that there was no hope. No one could save someone in thete stage of the "Tainted Mark." The best "rescue" was to grant her pace, so she wouldn''t undergo mutation. However, next, when the nun''s hand touched Nn''s body, a burst of divine light erupted from Maria''s palm. Even though it was just an overflow of aura, it made Eileen feel significantly calmer, and all the fatigue from the battles along the way seemed to disappear instantly. And this feeling was not unfamiliar to Eileen. Thest time she had experienced it was in the Relic Cave, inside the stone coffin! It was the Divine Healing from Renji! Without having time to think too much about it, there was a new change happening with her mother. Under the influence of the divine radiance from the nun, Nn''s "Tainted Mark," which covered her entire body, began to show significant improvement. The grotesque and ugly bloody patterns that had crawled all over her body rapidly shrank in size and eventually turned into muddy impurities, forced out from Nn''s body. "Cough, cough, cough!" Soon, as Nn coughed out several mouthfuls of dark, foul-smelling blood, so polluted that even a nce at it conveyed a sense of intense corruption, she miraculously regained consciousness and even opened her eyes slightly. Nn''s first sight upon regaining consciousness was the nun, Maria, who had been healing her. A flicker of excitement crossed her face as she struggled to utter a few disjointed sybles. "Go¡­ess¡­.Sut¡­.hia" Unfortunately, due to her unclear speech, Eileen couldn''t understand what her mother was trying to say. Before she could inquire further, Nn seemed to lose consciousness again and fell back into a deep sleep. Regardless, it was a moment of relief. "Thanks Goodness! Mom... I finally... woo hoo hoo... Mom," Renji witnessed Eileen crying for the first time, her face streaked with tears as she embraced her mother tightly. Perhaps for Eileen, being able to live a healthy and happy life with her mother was the greatest happiness, the dream of all "ordinary people," perhaps? Having a home and living in peace. Thinking of this, Renji had already made a decision in his heart. Afterforting Eileen with a pat on the shoulder, he said to the girl: "Eileen, it''s not time to cry now. Let''s quickly take Aunt Nn back, she needs rest now." "Yes, yes! Mom needs to lie down, but what about us?" Renji: "Maria, can you please use your teleportation ability again to send them home?" This time, he didn''t ask Maria "if she could," but instead, he "asked" her to do so. However, in her excited state, Eileen didn''t notice this change in Renji''s tone. She was just thrilled to see Maria nod, and she was so excited that she almost hugged the young nun right away. Maria repeated the same ritual as when they were at Eileen''s house, drawing a teleportation circle on the ground. The only difference this time was that, after Eileen carried her mother into the teleportation circle and looked at Renji and the nun standing still outside the ritual, she suddenly realized something was wrong. "Wait a minute! Old Timer! Are you... Are you still going to..." "Yeah." Renji nodded to the panicked Eileen. "There''s something... well, now it seems there are two things I must retrieve here, so I can''t leave just yet." Eileen became anxious at Renji''s words. Eileen suddenly realized that there was still a "relic" here. She didn''t know what the "second thing" that Renji mentioned was, but at least from Renji''s behavior at the Callewa Factory, it was certain that the first item was a "relic," and Renji was determined to obtain it. ''But how could this be!'' ''I have to stay by Renji''s side too!'' This was an instinctive thought that crossed Eileen''s mind. After all, it was quite clear that as they ventured deeper, the number and strength of the Tainted Corpse were increasing dramatically. Without her, how could Renji''s safety be guaranteed? How could she leave him alone in such a dangerous ce? However, as soon as the girl took a step away from the teleportation ritual, the weight in her hands made Eileen suddenly realize her dilemma. ''Mom...'' Her mother urgently needed rest and couldn''t endure any more shaking. It was impossible for her to take aatose patient into battle. With her mother as a condition, if she insisted on following Renji, she would not only harm her mother but also burden Renji, bing a liability. "Miss Eileen, if it''s possible, please rest assured and leave Mr. Renji to me! I will take care of Mr. Renji, and you should quickly take Auntie and leave. Don''t worry about us!" "Having me alone here is enough" Maria assured Eileen, and from the previous battles, it was clear that the nun was not as fragile as she appeared on the surface. On the contrary, herbat effectiveness in this situation was likely... no, it should definitely be greater than her. If Eileen had to choose between the two of them, from a purely rational perspective, in the currentbat environment, Maria was undoubtedly the better choice. ''But for some reason...'' Despite seeing Maria''s sincerity, with no trace of falsehood, and her strong feelings of protection and affection for Renji, Eileen''s instincts were still uneasy ¨C very uneasy. She had a nagging feeling that if she left now, something terrible might happen, something she would regret for the rest of her life. "Alright, Miss Eileen, I''m d you care so much about me. If you''re still worried about me... Well, how about a hug before you go?" Without giving Eileen a chance to respond, Renji took the initiative to walk over and lightly embraced Eileen. At the same time, he discreetly and swiftly ced something into the pocket of her dress. The young man''s movements were very subtle and quick. In addition to the embrace that ovepped their bodies, and the item was extremely light and thin. Even Eileen herself did not notice, let alone Maria behind her. "All right, it''s time for you to go" Renji stepped out of the teleportation ritual, waving to the girl with a rxed and reassuring expression. Seeing that the young man had emphasized it once again, Eileen finally stopped insisting. "Yeah." However, just before leaving, Eileen hesitated for a moment but still shouted in the end: "Old Timer, in case something really happens, you know! Use that, no matter where you are or what happens, I''lle find you. I swear!" The "that" in the girl''s mouth naturally referred to the contract. But Renji just chuckled and shook his head somewhat helplessly, saying, "I think it''s better to wait until Ie out safely and then go have a drink with you at the Sea Sand Bar!" Eileen wanted to say something more, but unfortunately, the light of the teleportation ritual had already shimmered. Whether it was an illusion on Eileen''s part or not, she couldn''t be sure. However, just before the radiance of the teleportation holy light covered her entire field of vision Eileen thought she saw the nun standing beside Renji, her mouth curving into an odd, crazy smile. Chapter 62 62: Bringing Her Back Chapter 60 has been updated, i added some more to the chapter, you can read the new add parts after theas "-------------" and Chapter 61 has been posted to but in ce of the previous one, so you can now see it without opening the chapter again. sorry again for the mistake. and 3 more chapter will be posted today *^ ---------------- ''My lord'' After Eileen left, Maria''s demeanor and address toward Renji changed significantly. Her intense gaze was fixed on the young man, revealing her burning desire for this moment. Finally, the moment she had been waiting for had arrived. Dangerous monsters surrounded Lord Ashen, and the only one who could stay by his side, the only one who could protect him until the end, was her! This was a carefully prepared reunion scene by Suthia. She believed that Lord Ashen must have been utterly disappointed with that female scavenger by now. The hug and conversation they had shared upon parting were nothing but Lord Ashen''s final "kindness." After all, if something was of no use, it should be discarded. The female scavenger was no longer capable of dealing with the current battle environment. Her contract should be terminated, her resources should be spat out, and her equipment should be stripped! This was a creed Lord Ashen firmly believed in five hundred years ago. And for her, from the moment Eileen hesitated to protect Her Lord for her mother, she had already lost. She had lost her qualification to stay by her Lord''s side. ''After all, I...'' ''I am the only one who is willing to give up everything for My Lord, no matter what!'' ''Up until now, everything had been developing ording to my n'' ''As expected, My Lord didn''t try to retain the girl.'' ''He let Eileen leave voluntarily'' However, what slightly surprised Suthia was, "Lord Renji, what are we going to do next?" "Let''s head towards the ''Relic'' first." Renji finished speaking and prepared to move on. However, at that moment, Maria swiftly moved in front of the young man. "But, my lord, you just said you have two things to retrieve here." "Maria doesn''t understand." "Besides that ''Relic,'' could you let Maria know... what is the other thing here that is very important to you?" The nun''s hands were crossed in front of her, and she looked up at the young man with a curious and interested expression. Although her expression and tone were still that delicate and weak appearance, Renji nced at her and realized that his path had beenpletely blocked by Maria, who stood in the middle of the passage. After that, Maria didn''t say much more, nor did she show any intention of moving aside. She just kept staring at him, waiting for his answer. "It''s not exactly a thing... What I want to retrieve is actually a person." "A person?!" Maria waspletely caught off guard by Renji''s answer. ''A person?'' ''Could it be that besides the female scavenger, there was someone else here that Lord Ashen cared about?'' ''Or...'' ''Someone who could be "retrieved"?'' The smile that had just formed on the nun''s lips after Eileen''s departure quickly faded, reced by a faint glimmer of red light emerging in her eyes. However, the young man facing Maria seemedpletely unaware of the "ominous" change in the nun. Renji tilted his head slightly upward, as if lost in memories. He seemed to be speaking to the nun, but also as if he was talking to himself. "Yes, she''s someone very important to me. Well, it''s a bit embarrassing to say it, but let''s just say she was my first love." "I invested a lot of emotion in her. She apanied me and helped me through my most difficult and darkest times. Maybe she doesn''t know it, after all, we''re from different dimensions. But back then, I used to confine myself at home, unwilling to step outside, let alonemunicate with others. I thought the world was wrong, full of deceit and malice, so I chose to escape reality, living only in my own world." "But... everything changed after I met her. She showed me what true kindness is, and let me realize that there really are people who are foolish enough to sacrifice themselves for others. She was like the white moonlight in my heart, slowly dispelling the negative energy engulfing me, making me willing to step outside, continue to believe in the beauty of this world, and giving me the courage tomunicate with strangers, bing more open and cheerful." His words suddenly came to a halt, and Renji refocused his gaze on Maria. He stared at those unfamiliar eyes, the unfamiliar skin, and let out a light sigh before shaking his head. "Unfortunately,ter on, for some reason, I was separated from her for a long time. When I finally returned, I found... she seemed to have changed, changed in a way that made me feel like a stranger." "But after all, it was my fault from the beginning. I ''abandoned'' her first, so I have no right to me her. But I still want to try... if I can retrieve her, retrieve the person I used to know." "So... will you help me, Maria?" As he finished speaking, Renji had alreadye to stand in front of the nun. Just moments ago, the nun who had been staring straight at the young man, blocking Renji''s path, and nearly losing control in a "red warmth" when Renji mentioned that the second important thing was a "person," now seemed like the opposite. She couldn''t bear to meet Renji''s gaze, the red light in her eyes dared not show again. She lowered her head to stare at her toes, using the bangs on her forehead to cover the upper half of her face, hiding her current expression. The nun opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found that her throat seemed to be unresponsive. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t let out a sound, and in that moment, she even considered turning around and running away. Until she felt a warm touch on her head. "All right, all right, I know I''m being a bit greedy, asking you for such a big favor all at once." Renji reached out and gently touched the nun''s lowered head. "After all, to be honest, this task is quite challenging. If she were a bit weaker, I could just grab her and give her a few spankings to educate her. But the most infuriating thing is that I can''t beat her now. I have no chance of winning, not even the slightest bit of confidence. I feel like no matter how hard I try to think, I''ll never win, and I even have to worry about her turning the tables on me." "Ah, forget it, I won''t talk about it anymore. The more I talk, the more scared I get." "In any case, the first step..." "Give me your hand, Maria." Without waiting for a response, the young man took the nun''s hand, and in the next moment, the nun''s small hand quickly sped his, holding onto it tightly. And so, the two of them continued to explore deeper underground, although it would be more urate to say that they were taking a leisurely stroll. Originally, when Eileen was with them, they would encounter Tainted Corpse monsters blocking the passage or suddenly attacking from the corners or forks of the tunnel after walking just a few steps. However, at this moment, as if they had made some strange agreement, all the monsters seemed to intentionally pass them by. Even more bizarrely, in some narrow sections of the sewer with only one passage, where they couldn''t avoid the approaching Tainted Corpse horde, the monsters, who were just a few steps away from them, seemed to ignore the two of them and continued to wander aimlessly. Renji and the nun seemed to have epted this strange phenomenon and didn''t break the pleasant atmosphere. After all, sometimes romance didn''t care about the background, did it? Their lighthearted conversation filled the eerie and terrifying abandoned sewer. "Maria, what do you think about me secretly drugging her to make her faint? How about that?" "No, that doesn''t seem like a good idea." "Then what about ying the emotional card with her? Would that work?" "I, I don''t know..." "Maria, have you ever heard of the term ''yandere''?" "No, I haven''t. What does it mean?" "You don''t need to know the meaning. Just remember, it''s a very bad term, and you definitely shouldn''t learn it." "Okay." Happy times were always short-lived. Every story must have a climax at its conclusion. Unbeknownst to them, the two had already strolled to the deepest part of this underground space. There, in the center, was arge grey altar, shrouded in a thick red mist. Above the altar floated two rotating emblem brands. And beneath the altar... There awaited a priest, who had been anxiously anticipating their arrival for some time. He had been anxiously looking around and could be seen getting a bit impatient. Finally, he saw Renji''s figure appearing from the entrance. Gleefully, the priest opened his arms, as if a burden had been lifted. Finally, a sound fitting the current backdrop emerged. It was a sinister, evilugh, echoing through the underground altar engulfed in red mist. "Hehehehehe!" Chapter 63 63: Youre Not Allowed "Mr. Renji, I mustmend your courage and strength to be able to cross through hordes of Tainted Corpses toe here." "I know that you, in your current state, have probably exhausted both your body and mind, nearing the point of copse! My goodness, you even lost apanion!" The priest, upon noticing the absence of Eileen, put on a show of grief, his face expressing immense sympathy, his voice deepening with sorrow. Because it was evident that the young man''spanion had undoubtedly died on the way here, fallen victim to the clutches of the Tainted Corpses, bing a corpse in the gutter. As a priest of the church, Gralon excelled at offering prayers for people. He enjoyed the feeling of being superior, and he relished the process of forting" devout people. "Please allow me to offer you my sincerest apologies and respect for your unwavering determination to carry on yourpanion''s will, even after losing her." "I know you must have many questions now, like who I am, why I am here, and how I know your name." As he spoke, the priest''s smile became more pronounced, his expression starting to twist into madness. Because Gralon couldn''t wait to reveal the truth to Renji, to see the despair and terror on the young man''s face, the frustration that came after betrayal, that was what excited him the most. "Don''t worry, as a reward for reaching here, I will tell you everything, such as my name, Gralon Andu, the leader of the ckhole Church, soon to be a figure remembered not just in the Holy Kingdom, but the entire world! And this is all thanks to you, Mr. Renji, and..." The priest deliberately paused, dragging out the climax of his revtion, "Thanks to the Light Bringer beside you, who led you here!" "Hahahaha, yes, the seemingly delicate and frail nun beside you, your constantpanion in battle, is actually our church''s strongest warrior, a battle nun who directly obeys the ''Goddess Suthia'', the esteemed and noble Light Bringer!" After hisughter, Gralon eagerly looked at Renji, expecting the shock and horror, the desperation and rage that woulde from betrayal. Renji: "Thank you, hoodwinking man." "Hoodwinking man?" The priest was dumbfounded, and at this point, he finally realized that something was amiss. On the other side, Renji turned the tables and began to exin to Gralon: "Yes, I''m really grateful to Priest Gralon for telling me all this. Otherwise, I would have been in the dark forever" "Also, Mr. Gralon, I actually think you might be better suited for a different profession than a priest." "What!?!" "Hmm, I think the role of a clown would suit you far better than a priest. No, it''s as if it was tailor-made for you." Renji offered this sincere suggestion. Unfortunately, Gralon, the priest on the other side, became agitated. He might not have understood the meaning of ''hoodwinking man,'' but he certainly grasped the implication of being called a clown. "You!! Oh... I see, you must not believe and are using this way to escape, right? Then let me shatter yourst illusion!" "Lady Light Bringer, Lady Maria, there''s no need to pretend anymore, nor to sully your noble self by associating with these lowly fools. You¡ª" "Can take action now!" The noisy underground altar finally fell into silence. To be precise... It was deathly silent. In this suffocating silence, Gralon was the first to lose his patience. "Lady Maria?" Gralon looked at the nun beside the young man with confusion. Unfortunately, the nun''s gaze had never once shifted in his direction. The one Gralon saw as the Light Bringer finally spoke. But it wasn''t in response to him; instead, she addressed the young man beside her. "Lord Renji, may I take action now?" The nun''s eyes glimmered with a ferocious bloodlust, and the veins in her palms twitched uncontrobly, a symbol of anger pushed to its limits. Had it not been for Renji holding her hand, she might haveshed out the first time Gralon mocked Renji. But as Gralon became more presumptuous and arrogant, using such derogatory terms as "lowly" and "foolish" against Renji, even Renji couldn''t hold the nun back anymore. In truth, Renji actually wanted to keep the priest around a bit longer, to buy himself more time to think of a strategy. But who would have thought... this guy was a master at digging his own grave, as if he was afraid of living one more second. "Sigh, go ahead" With a sigh, Renji repeated the priest''s words. But this time, after the words fell, it wasn''t silence that followed. Um... To be precise, before the words could even fully fall, the nun beside Renji had already vanished. In less than half a second. First, a sh of blood. Immediately after, screams rang out. "Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" The nun, wielding a massive scythe, had chopped off both of the priest''s arms, and a torrent of blood gushed from the severed limbs. The intense pain ''nearly'' made Gralon faint. Why use "nearly"? Because in the next blink of an eye, a holy light shimmered from the nun''s other hand, and a healing spell was cast on Gralon, rapidly sealing up his gushing wounds, preventing him from dying instantly. It also forced him back to consciousness after nearly fainting and prepared him for the next... "Wait a moment, Lady Ma... Ahhh!" After losing both his arms, the lower half of the priest''s body also disappeared, but he hadn''t died yet, and his consciousness remained exceptionally clear. This was because the nun''s next precise holy healing spellnded on him, bringing him back from the brink of death once again. Now limbless, reduced to a torso, the priest could only watch helplessly as Light Bringer approached him, her scythe''s de aimed at his mouth. ''This mouth that had dared to disrespect My Lord'' The scythe sliced through Galron''s mouth, splitting his head in two. In one sense, he was truly dead; there was noing back from this, not even with a healing spell. Havingpleted all of this, Maria, or ''Suthia'' knew that the act couldn''t go on any longer. She turned back and gazed at the young man across from her. "Lord Ashen, when did you... discover me?" "Well, it was probablyst night when we were sleeping on the couch. I have a natural phobia of the opposite sex, and the only person that can help me ovee this physiological fear and sleep peacefully within ''Holy Kingdom'' is... probably only you¡­ Suthia¡­" "So, it was then," ''It''s all because I couldn''t control my impatience...'' Suthia sighed internally but didn''t end the conversation there. Instead, she continued to ask Renji in a soft voice. "Lord Ashen, then what about Miss Eileen? I couldn''t sense any trace of faith in her. But I remember, Lord Ashen, you once told me that you were my most loyal and devout follower. You said you would never befriend someone who didn''t believe in me." "So... was all of this" "A lie to me?" Renji, after hearing Suthia''s words, nced at the still-warm remains of Gralon, now reduced to pieces, and quickly replied: "Yes, it''s true that Eileen no longer believes in the Goddess, and she even dislikes her now. But that doesn''t mean she was always like this. On the contrary, her mother, Nn, was a church nun, and Eileen grew up under her mother''s influence and teachings. She used to believe in the Goddess until a tragic ident." "In that ident, Eileen lost her father, and her mother Nn, who was a nun, didn''t receive any protection from the church. Instead, the church turned its back on them, stripping them of everything. It was after this incident that Eileen stopped believing in the Goddess." "I''ve been with Eileen all this time, and I''ve helped her for many reasons. One of them is to prove to her that the corruption in the ckhole is separate from the Goddess herself. I believe that Thia is simply too tired and hasn''t noticed what''s happening here. So, it''s my duty and responsibility as Thia''s most loyal fan to help her regain her believer , to let that little girl know that the Goddess won''t abandon them, and to let all the suffering people of ckhole know..." "That the holy light from Suthia might bete, but it will never disappear!" "After all¡­" "She is the one who even made the renowned, unparalleled Emperor of Ashen fall helplessly in love with her, captivated by her kindness and gentleness. My first love¡­" "Am I right, Thia?" The nun''s response was simple, and actions spoke louder than words. With tear-filled eyes, Suthia pounced into the young man''s arms, continuously burying her head against him, as if trying to merge her entire being with him. "It''s been a long time Thia, and I''m sorry, I''mte." Renji gently brushed the disheveled hair of the nun in his arms, his hands wrapped around her body, and he murmured softly in her ear. And it seemed like this was thest straw that broke the camel''s back. The sobbing cry echoed in the underground altar, and Suthia clung tightly to Renji''s chest, her tears soaking his clothes. "My Lord... Sniff... Thia, Thia is so tired. Thia... Sniff... Thia is really tired. Why did you... Why did you leave me? Thia has been so scared all alone for these five hundred years. Thia was afraid she''ll never see you again. Thia was afraid she didn''t do well enough, and you gave up on her." "So, Thia learned from ''Them'' and even established a nation. Thia thought it was your test, Thia didn''t want to lose to ''Them.'' But Thia really doesn''t understand, really doesn''t know. Thia messed up. Thia is sorry, so sorry. It''s all Thia''s fault." Seeing Suthia in his arms, crying her heart out, Renji finally felt the familiar feeling return. This was the Suthia he knew, the little nun he liked the most. Renji lifted Suthia''s fair chin with his hand, raising the face of the nun who was crying her heart out against his chest, directly facing him. Renji''s other hand wiped away the tears on Suthia''s face. "It''s alright now, everything is fine. I''m here, aren''t I? I promise you, from now on, we will never be apart again. I will never... leave you all again." This heartfelt statement from Renji made Suthia''s whole body stiffen. Because "Not leave... ''you all?'' YOU ALL?" "You... all?" "You! All!?" The weakness of her tear stains and the sound of her sobs quickly disappeared from Suthia''s face. In their ce, red light started flickering from the depths of her eyes, and a sinister red mist, which couldn''t be contained any longer, began to seep out from within her. Suthia left Renji''s embrace. Chains and shackles formed of Miasma materialized in her hands. Suthia stared at the young man in front of her, the person she loved most in her heart. In her heart, Renji was everything, he was her entire world, and she couldn''t endure another journey in a dark and lightless world. So, "Lord Ashen," "[You all]. Thia can''t ept that." Chapter 64 64: Let Thia Take Care Of Everything~ ? Renji: "¡­" The young man nced at the chains and shackles in the nun''s hands, his throat moved slightly, and he discreetly took a half step back. In his worst imagination, the worst-case scenario had indeed happened. "Thia, can we sit down and talk calmly? Can you please put those things away?" Renji tried to salvage the situation. Unfortunately, this time, Suthia did not obey hismand. Renji felt his vision blur for a moment, and the next instant, the nun was standing by his side. With a vast difference in strength, Renji had no room to resist. With a crisp "click," a strong feeling of restraint came from his right wrist. Renji immediately turned his head to look, and there, an extra set of shackles had appeared, one end connected to him, and the other end... "Hehehe... Now Lord Ashen is locked up, tightly bound to Thia ALONE!" The other end of the shackle was connected to the nun. Suthia lifted her hand, gazing at the bloody red handcuffs linking her to Renji as if admiring the world''s most beautiful piece of art, emitting a delirious, happyugh. "Don''t do this, Thia. Our rtionship doesn''t need these external things to maintain." "No My Lord, you don''t understand. It''s already toote. What you said is right, Thia is no longer the one you knew. Thia can''t go back." Suthia shook her head, her eyes shing with a tinge of reminiscence. After the disappearance of Emperor Ashen, the Dragoness "Nova" was the first to separate from the Empire. Suthia still vividly remembered Nova''s words at the time. If the Ashen Empire no longer had the Emperor, then there was no need for the existence of this Empire. She only pledged her loyalty to the Emperor alone. Nova believed that this was a test from their Emperor, to determine who was truly qualified to stay by his side. No matter how Suthia pleaded at the time, in the end, Nova left with her subordinates and created her own "Dragon Kingdom" to prove her capabilities. And this was like a domino effect, the beginning of Suthia''s nightmare. Following Nova''s influence, "Zero," as an intelligence entity, also agreed with Nova''s approach after analysis and calction. Zero left the empire, taking with her a multitude of technological wisdom, and established the "Mechanoid Alliance" to wait for her Emperor. Simrly, no matter how Suthia tried to persuade, it was futile. After Miyuki also left the Empire. During the entire process, Suthia couldn''t do anything. She could only watch as her formerrades left one by one, and the Ashen Empire, built with Her Lord''s blood and sweat, which she regarded as her "home," crumbled within a few short months. ¡­ A red light shed in Suthia''s eyes, and she would never forget the pain she felt back then. ''Pain'' ''Too much pain'' "It''s all because of my weakness, all because I couldn''t protect the Empire and our home for My Lord" These memories about the copse of the "Ashen Empire" five hundred years ago shed through Suthia''s mind and were also transmitted to Renji through the connecting handcuffs. Even if there were only a few images, Renji could deeply understand the nun''s despair and helplessness at that time. And after that, when all the other four agreed that this was their "test," it was clear that Suthia had no choice but to believe it as well. So, in order to pass the test, in order not to be abandoned by the others, Suthia led thest remnants of Ashen Empire. It was the part that had been rejected by the other four after a round of selection. They returned to the ce where they had first met and built her... Holy Kingdom. And so, five hundred years passed. Nova''s Dragon Kingdom became the most powerful force on this continent, with a mighty military force that could sweep everything. Zero''s Mechanoid Alliance became thergest weapons supplier, a hub for all wealth. Lena''s Magiopolis became the center of the world, with the most powerful intelligencework. While Miyuki''s Forest Alliance didn''t interfere in worldly affairs, it was coveted by everyone because it possessed magical power that rivaled "Miasma." And... what about her? "Thia''s Holy Kingdom has no powerful army, no endless wealth. Thia only wanted to create a purend where everyone could live happily. But... but now, even thisst thing that Thia could boast about in front of Lord Ashen... is... is gone!!" "Thia couldn''t pass your test. Thia knows that in your heart, Thia is not as good as them, but Thia loves Lord Ashen so much, so much that Thia can''t ept being abandoned by you. That''s why Thia had to cheat. Because only this way can Thia keep you, can Thia stop being afraid and terrified" More and more Tainted Miasma''s red mist filled the space between them, forming clouds that enveloped them. Renji tried to struggle, but the handcuffs firmly kept him attached to the nun, and as Suthia voluntarily fell down, his body followed the nun, copsing onto the soft red mist. "Lord Ashen will forgive Suthia''s cheating, right? He definitely... will, right?" Chains shot out from the surroundings, securing the young man''s remaining limbs in the Tainted Miasma, rendering Renjipletely immobilized. Suthia, having done all this, looked at the young man with greedy eyes. She used to be a littlemb eager to be eaten by a wolf, but now, Suthia found that being the one to devour the wolf seemed to excite her even more. Renji tried to persuade Suthia once more, after all, the she was still possessing Maria''s body. But the response was still a shake of the head. "No, it''s Maria''s honor. Any Light Bringer can be Suthia''s vessel if Lord Ashen wishes." Five hundred years of time had indeed burdened and carried too much on this small nun. Suthia needed an outlet, and perhaps after releasing all of this, the nun could regain her sanity, and they could restart effectivemunication. On the other hand, Renji did not deceive Suthia. His words earlier were all genuine emotions, without any ulterior motives. The nun was truly his first love, and what otaku hasn''t fantasized about being close to their favorite Waifu? But the problem was... Renji twisted his tightly bound body. "Thia, I understand your point, but I can''t move like this," he said helplessly. However, unexpectedly, the nun licked her lips. "It''s okay" "You don''t need to move My Lord. Let Thia... take care of everything for you." Chapter 65 65: Run! Chapter 65: Run! 1 more chapter will be posted after 1h. ======= Some things are like having a big meal. The first time you eat, you enjoy it and think abouting back for more another day. The second time you eat, it''s still pretty good. By the third time, you might start to get a little tired of it, but you still find it enjoyable because you discover some new dishes. However, as you eat for the fourth, tenth, twentieth time, and you''ve tried every dish in the restaurant multiple times, you start to feel like it''s all the same. You might even feel like throwing up if you eat it again. And right now, Renji was in a simr state. He was about to throw up. Renji realized he was wrong; he had grossly underestimated either the extent of Suthia''s madness or the love that had umted over five hundred years. Under the influence of the Dark Corruption, the nun may not have been Suthia''s intention, but every time they engaged in it, Renji felt his life force draining away. During this time, Renji tried to use words to stop Suthia, but unfortunately, the nun waspletely deaf to anything he said. She seemed to have fallen into a state of madness,pletely controlled by the Tainted energy. What was even scarier was that even though Renji was exhausted and couldn''t continue, the next moment, Suthia''s Holy Healing would be cast, resurrecting him to full health. However, this resurrection only revived the surface. The inner essence was gradually depleted with each repetition. Right now, he was just weak all over. But if this continued, Renji feared that even if Suthia released him from her bondage, he wouldn''t even have the strength to lift a finger. ''No!'' ''I have to do something!'' Even though his strength was vastly inferior to Suthia''s, even though all his limbs were bound, Renji still had his trump card, his greatest hope for aeback. The Contract. When he leveled up to Level 5, Renji gained an additional contract slot, but he hadn''t rushed to use it, keeping it as a trump card. As it turns out, this decision was incredibly wise. As long as he could sessfully ce the Contract on Suthia, he could turn the tables instantly, making aplete reversal of the situation. But this premise required the contract to seed. In the game''s settings, the sess of the protagonist''s contract depended on factors such as the level difference between the parties, the Eclipse rank and star rating of the contractor, as well as the contractor''s willingness and current state. If it were Suthia''s original self, a level 90 max-level and max-star "Cmity Rank" Eclipse, then with Renji''s current level of 7, there probably wouldn''t even be a 0.01% chance of sess. Fortunately, Suthia was using the body of a Light Bringer named Maria. Renji could sense that Maria''s strength was at the peak of the ''Danger Rank'', not having broken through to the five-star ''Disaster Rank''. Renji estimated that this would at least increase the probability to around 10%. Of course, for Renji, 10% was still far from enough. So his real opportunityy in the third aspect of the contract criteria. The ''will'' and ''state'' of the contracted. In other words, for Renji to seed, he had to seize the moment when Suthia was most rxed and least guarded, and release the contract at that instant. Renji opened his built-in panel, and through the status bar on it, he could well grasp this timing. [Maria (Light Bringer) - Seeking] [Maria (Light Bringer) - Pleasure] [Maria (Light Bringer) - nk] ''Now!'' The only condition for the contract was that both parties had to be in contact, and this was not a concern for Renji at all. Having been trapped by Suthia''s shackles for so long, it was finally Renji''s turn for his chains toe into y. These chains had no physical form but were mental illusions in the sea of consciousness. They took advantage of Suthia''s nk moment, when her defenses were down and she was unable to think, and effortlessly broke through the defenses, entangling and sealing the nun''s consciousness. "Ah!" Suthia let out a scream, but it was only at this moment that she finally realized what Renji had done, but it was toote. The nun clutched her head tightly, staggering back several steps in an attempt to get away from Renji. However, at this moment, the handcuffs she had originally used to lock herself and Renji together had be the straw that broke the camel''s back, making it impossible for her to escape. Finally, in futile struggle, a contract seal rapidly formed around the back of Suthia''s neck. [Ding, you have sessfully established a contract with "Light Bringer - Maria."] At the moment when the notification sound rang in his mind, Renji finally breathed a sigh of relief, and a weak smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He had won the gamble. "No! Nooooo!!" Suthia reached out to her neck, feeling the formed contract seal, and let out an unwilling shout. "What''s wrong, Thia? Don''t you want my ''Contract''?" "Thia... Thia of course wants it." After mentioning the esteemed Contract, the nun''s eyes regained some rity, but in the next moment, they were once again filled with the Tainted Miasma. "No, no, no. This isn''t the Contract Thia wants. What Thia wants... is a Contract belonging only to Thia. Yes, that''s right, this Contract is wrong, it''s shared with someone else! Thia cannot ept it, Thia won''t recognize it!!" The Tainted Miasma forced Suthia to hypnotize herself, defining her actions correctly. The nun greedily wanted to continue demanding from Renji, but this time, she was no longer in control of her own body. "Release the handcuffs, Thia." Under Renji''smand, even though Suthia had no such intention and resisted fiercely, with the contract seal shimmering on the back of her neck, she lost control of her body and, obediently following Renji''s orders, unlocked the handcuffs between them. Click! "And these chains too." Click! Finally free from all the constraints on his body, Renji was able to stand up, although he almost stumbled due to the weakness and exhaustion that had taken over him. But Renji knew it wasn''t time to rx yet. The crisis was far from over because he noticed on the interface that the object he had contracted with was "Maria" and not "Suthia." This meant that... "I''m going to lose you again, aren''t I? Thia will lose Lord Ashen again. No, Thia won''t allow it. Absolutely not! I will keep Lord Ashen by my side, no one can stop me, not even Lord Ashen himself!" As the nun''s muttering grew louder, Suthia''s consciousness within Maria''s body began to resist violently. It was clear that she still couldn''t escape the contract. The nun continued to perform actions as if frozen in ce, but they were not entirely without effect. Buzz! Renji''s mind suddenly shook, as if struck by a huge hammer. Intense difort and dizziness began to surge from his head. This was all due to Suthia, who was at the other end of the contract. A contract could control an Eclipse, but it required mental energy. If the Eclipse resisted, the mental energy consumption would double. Clearly, Suthia was exploiting this loophole, trying to wear Renji down in a self-destructive manner. The contract acted as a lever, allowing Renji to leverage his strength against a stronger opponent. However, this lever also had its limits. Once it broke, he would fall into a state of unconsciousness. Unconsciousness meant surrender. Once back in Suthia''s hands, Renji couldn''t bear to think about what thepletely deranged Suthia might do to keep him. So, at this moment, there was only one word in the young man''s mind. Run! But before that, Renji gritted his teeth and continued to use the contract to restrict Suthia''s movements with all his might. He endured the overwhelming dizziness and weakness that filled his head and quickly ran to the altar, retrieving the set of two pieces of "Brands" on it. [Ding, you have obtained the ''Danger Rank'' Brands ''Raise a ss! (Upper)'', ''Raise a ss! (Lower)''] With a sh of light and shadow, the two Brands merged into Renji''s body, and without hesitation, he turned and dashed towards the exit. Just as he had left the area of the underground altar, after only a few breaths. A strong surge of Tainted Miasma erupted from the altar, causing all the tainted corpses in the abandoned sewer to riot. They no longer wandered aimlessly, but all the tainted corpses simultaneously twisted their heads, directing their rotting, mutated faces toward Renji''s fleeing location, and the next second "Roarrrrrrrrr!" Every Tainted Corpse in the sewer began to madly charge towards him. Apanying them was the terrifying voice of the nun, magnified countless times by the Tainted Miasma, echoing through the sewer. "Lord Ashen... heh... hehehe." "You can''t escape!!" Chapter 66 66 - Nourishment (Part 1) Sorry for the dy, i will post another chapter after 2h as for now enjoy the chap*^ ----- Bang! After smashing the head of a tainted corpse in front of him, Renji quickly shifted his position, hiding in the shadow of a corridor corner. His body was covered in blood, all from the tainted corpses. In his right hand, he clenched his only weapon: a broken water pipe he had torn off. After distancing himself from Suthia, the contract indeed no longer counteracted him on a mental level, but he also couldn''t restrain the nun''s actions. These crazed tainted corpses roaming the sewers in search of him were Suthia''s doing. Suthia was smart and well-understood the principle of the "Contract"; after all, she was his "first" contractor. Instead ofing to capture him directly, the nun continuously used the tainted corpses, employing a "third party" to exhaust his already limited strength. When he would first give in, lose consciousness, the contract would be of no use. Renji was aware of this, so he changed his strategy. He deliberately gave Suthia the impression that he was trying to escape, but in reality, at the next corridor turn, Renji quietly changed his path. He had no intention of heading toward the exit. He wanted to use theplexyout of the sewers to continually conceal his whereabouts, engaging in guerri warfare with Suthia. Note: [Guerri warfare is waged by civilians who are not members of a traditional military unit, such as a nation''s standing army or police force. In many cases, guerribatants are fighting to overthrow or weaken a ruling government or regime. This type of warfare is typified by sabotage, ambushes, and surprise raids on unsuspecting military targets. Often fighting in their own homnd, guerribatants (also referred to as rebels or insurgents) use their familiarity with the localndscape and terrain to their advantage.] The purpose of this dying tactic and guerri warfare... Taking advantage of the moment to catch his breath, Renji flipped his palm, and the two Brands, as relics of the ''Emperor,'' appeared. ''So it was this, huh?'' From the start, upon seeing the special evolutionary method of the mutated tainted corpses, Renji had guessed what the Brands unearthed by Priest Gralon were. [[Raise a ss!] [Type: Brand] [Set Quantity: Two] [Position: Upper, Lower] [Rank: Danger] [Single Effect: +10% Attack Power (Upper), +7% Critical Hit Rate (Lower)] [Set Effect: ''Infinite Infusion'' ¡ª When releasing ''continuous'' skills, each unit killed during the skill duration grants an additional 1% attack power boost to oneself, with no upper limit. This enhancement effect resets after the skill duration ends] (Here''s to those who wish to kill us!) This set of Brands, at the "Danger Rank" level, had decent single-item stats, and the "Critical Hit Rate" attribute in the [Lower] piece was still a rare one. However, it was still considered a white elephant by Renji in the game, mainly due to the set effect it pulled down. As a "Infusion" type Brand, the single-time bonus of 1% additional attack power was simply too low, and the value was pitiful. Moreover, to trigger the set effect, the wearer had to possess a "continuous" skill. In short, it warmed up too slowly and started too slowly. In most cases, either all the enemies were killed before it really started, or the skill duration ended, resetting the bonus. But the reason why Renji hadn''t dismantled this set of Brands from the beginning was that he held onto a glimmer of hope. He fantasized about whether he might encounter someone who not only had a burst skill but also could "infinitely refill" that skill through some means, like killing enemy units. "Eileen¡­." "Don''t let me down." Muttering to himself, Renji shook his head and put away [Raise a ss!]. Now, at level 7, he couldn''t equip the "Danger Rank" Brands. He needed to be at least level 40 or higher to unlock them. This was the plight of the "main character" in the early stages; everything depended on his contract Eclipse to get by. But relying solely on a perfectly matched set of Brands was not enough. Renji''s "disappointment" didn''t refer to whether Eileen woulde to rescue him but whether Eileen could "discover" the crucial clue he left for the girl in the end. ''Almost there¡­'' ''It''s time to change locations¡­'' Renji had been trying his best to sever the connection between himself and Suthia through the contract''s sensing. Otherwise, the nun could pinpoint his location directly through the contract. However, due to the vast disparity between them, no matter how much Renji severed, the nun could still vaguely sense his approximate direction. So now, Renji couldn''t even rest in one ce for too long. He had to keep moving constantly to avoid being enclosed. Bang!* A loud sound came from behind in the sewer pipe, and then the pipe burst open. A hand with long bloody nails reached out from the broken wall. "Hehehe~, I''ve found you, My Lord." Suthia''s figure appeared in front of Renji once again, but the nun had transformed significantly from her appearance at the beginning. The nun''s robes had disappeared entirely, reced by a fiery ck dress that seemed to be burning. Her holy boots had beenpletely consumed by the mes of sin, reced by a new pair of crimson high heels that partially covered her fair feet. The toenails exposed were the same bright crimson as her fingernails, ringly contrasting with her still pale skin, giving her a mesmerizing and seductive appearance. The chained hooks wrapped around Suthia''s slender arms, resembling a thorny crown of barbs, reced the nun''s hat that had covered her hair before. This change allowed her dark red hair to cascade down like a waterfall, with the tips of her hair floating in the intense Tainted Miasma that enveloped her. "Lord Ashen, don''t run away. Come and continue having fun with Thia." ''What a load of bullshit!'' Even Renji, who had always considered himself to have a good temper, couldn''t help but curse. Suthia moved quickly, as if she wanted to grab Renji just like before. However, as her hand got closer to Renji, one thing remained unchanged¡ªthe contract Brand on the back of her neck. "Ahhhhhhh!" A strong burning sensation emanated from the back of her neck, extending to her mental consciousness. The feeling was like being stabbed by needles, causing Suthia to cry out in pain. "Thia, can you trust me just this once?" For Renji, it was also not easy. Every time he used the contract to force Suthia back, the bacsh''s pain was excruciating, forcing him to try to persuade the nun. "Trust? Thia has always believed in Lord Ashen. Believed in My Lord creed of the weak. Believed that Lord Ashen will definitely abandon those useless Eclipse. Believed in Lord Ashen''s... cruelty." "Do you remember Pire, Coburn, Ashu, Hikaru, Sand, Madison?" One name after another was recited from Suthia''s mouth. Renji had no recollection of these names, but then, as Suthia used the Tainted Miasma around her to create images, he remembered who they were. They were... His contract Eclipse from the game. Yes. In a cultivation game, how could the protagonist have only five Eclipse? Whenever the protagonist reached a multiple of five level(Gained 5 more level), they would gain additional contract slots, and as they progressed further, it wouldn''t just be one by one but in increasing tiers. When Renji Finished the game, his protagonist level had reached LV150, and you can imagine how many contract slots he had¡ªa whopping hundreds. However, why did Renji rarely mention the other Eclipse, and why did it seem like he only had five Eclipse? Because in Renji''s eyes, only those five were considered "nurturing" characters. As for the rest of the Eclipses... They were merely tools for Renji, disposable after use. They were just... Tools... .... .... The Tainted Miasma quivered, bringing to life the scenes Suthia had experienced. It was a young man who was desperately begging. "Sister Thia, can you please... please beg Lord Ashen for me? I''ll do my best! I''ll try to do better in the next battle! Please beg Lord Ashen not to take away my contract, not to take back my power. I don''t want to be a normal person again. I don''t want to lose everything." "I... I want to continue fighting with everyone!" Watching the boy in the red mist, Renji recognized him from the memories buried in the corners of his mind, memories that Suthia''s recitation had stirred. He recognized him; this boy was the first name in the list of names that Suthia had just recited, Pire. He was one of the Eclipse contracted by Renji during the early stages of the game, a [Vanguard]-ss Eclipse with only two stars. His skill set was also quite poor. However, the reason why Renji had contracted him and brought him under his wing was because Pire had a powerful talent. [Experience Gain Efficiency +15%] This meant that Renji could level up a two-star "Common" ss character with fewer resources during the early stages. However, as the difficulty increasedter on, "Common" ss characters became less and less effective, especially a [Vanguard]-ss character as overpowered as Pire. He was quickly phased out and, thanks to Renji''s ability to "reset," the resources he had invested in Pire were reimed. At the time, Renji in the game didn''t feel anything was amiss, nor did he hesitate. After all, it was amon practice for many yers, especially in the early stages when resources were extremely scarce. But the Renji of the present moment, through the images that Suthia was showing him, fell into silence. He watched Pire''s tears, he saw the longing in Pire''s eyes to continue fighting, he witnessed Pire''s desperate pleas, and even his humble figure kneeling before Suthia, begging the nun to speak well of him in front of the emperor. It was at this moment that Renji realized that, for him, it was just a virtual game, but for the characters in the game, his casual actions could determine their entire lives. And the [Reset], in a world filled with monsters and dangers, was akin to a death sentence, an end to their existence. Chapter 67 67 - Nourishment (Part 2) ? The Tainted Miasma mist showed Suthia trying tofort Pire, wanting to say something encouraging to him. However, Suthia realized she couldn''t do it because she knew that although Her Lord was fond of her, none of her suggestions would ever be heard by him. She could only watch as Her Lord, shrouded in his cloak and trench coat, with a face expressionless or ratherpletely obscured, walked in. He took away the contract amidst Pire''s cries, not uttering a single unnecessary word before leaving. The scene in the Tainted Miasma shifted again. The focus was now on Hina, a young girl filled with romantic dreams. Her restless night, spent in the same cabin as Suthia, was marked by her incessant inquiries about her Emperor. Hina. She was a love-struck girl because, during the night, she was awake in the same cabin as Suthia, incessantly asking Suthia to tell her more about Her Beloved Lord. "Hey, Sis Thia, what does Lord Ashen like to eat?" "Hey, Sister Thia, do you think Lord Ashen will wear the ne I gave him?" " Sister Thia, can you tell me about my awakening tomorrow... After advancing to [Danger Rank] what kind of new ability will I get? I''m so excited!" "Hey, Sister Thia, do you think... if I confess to His Majesty during tomorrow''s promotion ceremony, would he ept my feelings?" Hina, initially three stars, was an ability-based ss, with a very good skill set, at least for Renji who was still in the early stages. Renji had high hopes for her, even using precious ''Eclipse Source Essence'' to upgrade her. That night was clearly a pivotal one - the eve of promotion in the game world. However, the scene in the Tainted Miasma quickly changed. Hina, who had been blushing with excitement and hope, imagining a future as her Emperor''s trusted aide and yearning for his affection like Suthia, was now... kneeling on the ground, with a terrible expression, her eyes devoid of any light or spirit. Renji sighed deeply. The reason he remembered Hina was because he distinctly recalled that this ability-based character, whom he had ced great hopes on, awakened apletely useless, trash skill after advancing to [Danger Rank], a disappointing turn that marked her downfall. Visible to the naked eye, further nurturing Hina would have been a waste of resources, and her future looked bleak. In his frustration and anger, he had directly used his [Reset] ability on Hina. Renji still remembered his ranting in front of the screen at that time. "Is this it? I can''t believe it! Is this game designed to mess with people''s minds? Get lost! Spit out all the resources for me and go eat dust in the sewer! Jerk!" That was how he was back then, a reclusive shut-in, engulfed in the darkness of his own home. Now that he thought about it, he realized that he hadined about the outside world being dark and malicious, but in reality, he was no different, just venting all those negative emotions in the game. Perhaps that was one of the original purposes of inventing games. In the image in the Tainted Miasma mist, Sister Suthia, the kind-hearted nun, couldn''t bear to see Hina, who had fallen from heaven to hell in just one day, and had be apletely "broken" girl.. She tried tofort Hina, but this time, Hina''s dialogue was even more cruel than the previous scene with the young boy. "Are you here to mock me?" "Yeah, why? Why is it that only Sister Thia has such talent? Why is it that only Sister Suthia can receive Lord Ashen''s love? Why isn''t it Sister Suthia who had her contract taken away? Why isn''t it you?! ""Wuu... Wuuu wuuu aaahh!" Hinashed out at Suthia, cursing the nun''s hypocrisy. Suthia became the outlet for the girl''s breakdown, but Suthia did not retaliate. She silently bore it all, at least diverting the malice away from her Emperor. There were many more scenes like this, many more. These were just a glimpse of the other "contractors" under Renji''smand, apart from the top five outstanding "Six-Star" Eclipsed contractors. Renji''s principle was to concentrate all resources, not seeking breadth but excellence. All other three-star, four-star, and even five-star contracted Eclipses were merely nutrients. They were the nutrients he used to cultivate those five top-notch "six-star" Eclipses. The Tainted Miasma mist finally dissipated slowly, and no more images appeared. Through Suthia''s perspective, through the perspective of the game characters, Renji finally understoodpletely why Suthia had gone mad, why she was afraid, and even terrified of being abandoned by him, no matter how much he tried to exin. Indeed, In the eyes of the characters in the game, he, as "Thier Master and Lord" was someone who valued strength above all else, someone who always wore an expressionless face, and showed no mercy. And even Suthia had be like this under the high pressure, Renji couldn''t imagine what had happened to the other four. Only at this point did Renji truly understand. The second ythrough was no longer a simple cultivation game. It was... A horror game. --- ---- On the other side, slightly back in time. -ckhole ins --slum area. In Eileen''s living room, a burst of holy light flickered momentarily. As the light faded, it revealed the mother and daughter, teleported back from the church sewers. Looking at the familiar surroundings, the girl could finally breathe a sigh of relief. She held her mother and hurriedly ran to the inner room, carefullyying Nn on the bed. Afterward, Eileen went to the kitchen, wanting to prepare some food for her mother. However, when she opened the refrigerator and found it empty, she realized that she had been through so much these days that she hadn''t even had time to take care of the house. In desperation, the girl had no choice but to make a phone call for help, reaching out to Brian. It was also a way to let Brian know that they were safe. Chapter 68 68: The Goddess ? In desperation, the girl had no choice but to make a phone call for help, reaching out to Brian. It was also a way to let Brian know that they were safe. From the moment Eileen received the call until Brian rushed over with bags full of supplies and provisions, it probably took less than ten minutes. Brian arrived out of breath, carrying arge bag of supplies, and appeared in front of Eileen. After a brief inspection of the girl, and confirming that she had no missing limbs or broken bones, Brian rushed into the inner room. When he saw Nn lying on the bed, pale and weak but with steady breathing, Brian''s anxious expression finally eased. Aftering out of the inner room, he saw Eileen sitting on the sofa in the living room, seemingly lost in thought despite having rescued Nn. Brian realized that someone was missing. "Where''s Renji?" "Huh?!" "Ah, him? He said he had some things to do, so we separated," Eileen''s voice grew quieter, her gaze dropping, her expression dimming. Seeing the girl like this, Brian understood a lot in an instant. He sighed internally, didn''t ask any more questions, and changed the subject tofort her: "Alright, you must be starving. Let me show you my cooking skills this time!" After a while, the aroma of porridge filled the room. Perhaps influenced by the scent of the food, there was some movement from the inner room. Eileen immediately rushed over and found that Nn, who had awakened, was trying to sit up on the bed. "Mom!" Eileen hurriedly helped and supported her mother, and tears flowed uncontrobly as she nestled in Nn''s arms. At first, the woman on the bed, upon seeing her daughter''s changed appearance with her hair untied, was momentarily stunned. But soon, Nn reached out and gently stroked Eileen''s back, indicating that she was okay. Afterforting each other, Nn seemed to muster the courage to ask the girl: "Eileen, I''m not entirely sure if it was just my imagination, but at the time, there were two other people besides you, right?" Seeing Eileen nod, Nn''s face suddenly lit up with excitement. It even covered up her previous weakness and exhaustion. She turned to look out the window and murmured: "I knew it. Goddess Suthia hasn''t abandoned us. She has never abandoned her faithful believers." Eileen, however, became somewhat irritated when she heard her mother''s words. What did the Goddess have to do with this? Clearly, it was them! It was Renji and Maria''s doing! She disliked her mother''s "stubborn" faith. Clearly, six years ago, they had been betrayed by the Church, and now, six yearster, a simr situation had happened again, even worse, to the point of being terrifying! The Church was alreadypletely finished! The Goddess no longer existed! Eileen rarely got angry with her mother like this. She hoped her mother wouldn''t be so stubborn anymore. She didn''t want to see her mother get hurt by the Church again! "No, My dear child. I might admit to being wrong about other things, but not about the Goddess''s light. That light is the same as the one I''ve felt for the past six years. I can''t be mistaken," Nn shook her head. "Six years... ago?" "Yes, actually, I had a premonition about my illness a long time ago. But every night, when I prayed to the Goddess and fell asleep, I would feel a faint holy light washing my body. Although it was very weak, it still helped me withstand the pollution in my body. I think, if it weren''t for that faint light, I might not have been able to hold on until now before the illness red up?" "I know you''re probably going to say that these are just Mom''s illusions. I used to think the same way, so I never told you about it. Butst night, in that dark sewer, I really saw... Goddess Suthia" "Wait, Mom! What are you talking about? The Goddessst night??" Eileen was more confused than ever. Or rather, from her mother''s words, Eileen''s sense of unease, which had grown stronger since parting with Renji, intensified. "Yes, at that time, Mom had a dream of bing a monster just like the ones around her, wandering in the sewer. A nun appeared in front of Mom and used holy light to reverse the pollution in my body. Even though I had already mutated at that time, I returned to human form. Now that I think about it, that must have been Lady Suthia''s messenger, right?" As Eileen looked at her mother nodding and reminiscing, if her mother hadn''t lied and it wasn''t an illusion... So, actually, even before they arrived today, a nun had found her mother in the sewer and helped her suppress the pollution? Thanks to the nun''s help, her mother was able to hold on until they arrived? "Mom! Tell me quickly, is the nun who saved youst night the same as the one with me today!?" A very bad thought came to Eileen''s mind, making her think in horror. She anxiously asked Nn, who, although unsure, told Eileen that their "holy light" abilities felt the same. "That''s right, it''s the same person" Realizing this, Eileen''s hair stood on end. Because by sorting out the timeline, it was clear that Maria had contacted her mother before contacting them, and had even "partially healed" her mother. Why did she do that? The answer was self-evident She used her mother as bait! She deliberately lured them into the Church''s underground! This exined Maria''s incredible divination ability, her unbelievable teleportation ability, and why they had been so smooth all the way. Now, there was only one question left. ''Why did Maria do this, what was her goal?'' Obviously. The nun''s target was not Eileen and her mother, otherwise they wouldn''t have been safely transported back. So, by the process of elimination, there was only one final conclusion. ''Maria''s target was...'' ''Renji!'' "Damn it, Renji is in danger!!" Chapter 69 69: Eileen Takes Action Eileen felt like she had plunged into an ice cave. The realization of this "truth" left only one thought in the girl''s mind. ''Save Renji!'' She had to rush back to the abandoned sewer below the Church, quickly returning to Renji''s side! However, a new problem had arisen. Although Eileen wished she could rush out immediately, the problem was how she could get into the Church''s underground? In the morning, they had used Maria''s teleportation to go directly there. But now, if she wanted to go back, she could only take another route, the one Renji had originally nned and negotiated with the Knights, a secret passage from the Knight''s Order. The Church''s underground Archive library. But now that Eileen knew the truth, that Maria was suspicious and the nun was likely an enemy from the Church, could this passage also be a trap? If she rushed over recklessly, she might fall into an ambush before she even see Renji. "Calm down. In times like these, you must stay calm, Eileen!" she coached herself internally, repeating it over and over. Unfortunately, it was easier said than done. Eileen couldn''t calm down at all now. When she thought about the possibility of Renji falling into the hands of a dangerous woman, ''how can I stay calm?'' "Damn it!" Eileen preferred action over thought. Especially after spending time with Renji. She cherished the feeling of not overthinking, of blindly charging forward whenever Renjimanded. That was when Eileen felt most at ease. That feeling of not needing to think about anything, just blindly following whatever crazy n Renji had in mind, was the mostfortable feeling for Eileen. ''So, why didn''t you use your brain for this, old timer?'' ''You used to be so powerful, so in control of everything, always seeming to have a n, but now that it''s a real critical moment, you''re falling apart!'' ''Why couldn''t you see through Maria''s true identity, how did you fail to see her true nature?'' ''Now, what should I do?'' ''How can I find you?'' In the moment when Eileen hated herself for being useless, she inadvertently touched something in her pocket. This made Eileen pause for a moment, and when she quickly took out the "object" from her jacket pocket, she found it to be a... "A business card?" The card had holy symbols embroidered on the corners, with a background of a cross and a sword. Eileen immediately realized ¨C "wasn''t this the card Renji had gotten from that knight? No, not the captain, but the young knight called ''Tamic'' who was with him? So, why was this card in my pocket?" She was absolutely certain that before setting out, there had been nothing in her pocket. Now, a card had mysteriously appeared, a card that should have been with Renji. ''Wait a minute!'' A scene suddenly shed in Eileen''s mind. It was when they were underground in the Church, just before parting ways. Renji had used a "hug" to reassure her. At the time, Eileen had felt that Renji''s hug was strange, a bit abrupt, but given old timer''s quirky and unconventional personality, she didn''t think much of it. But now... ''That''s right! It was at that moment! This business card from the Knight''s Order must have been quietly ced in my pocket by old timer!'' ''Why would Renji do that?'' The only exnation Eileen could think of was this. So... ''Renji had also discovered the nun''s identity too! ''Renji had already realized that something was wrong with Maria!!'' Realizing this, Eileen trembled with excitement, even though Renji wasn''t by her side at the moment, she suddenly felt much more relieved, and the pressure on her diminished suddenly. Because now, she had a "clue" given to her by Renji! She just needed to follow the clues and steps that Renji had hinted at, one by one! And as for the hints a "business card" could provide... Even a fool could figure it out! ''It all connected!'' ''Everything fell into ce!'' She had been worried about whether the underground entrance of the Knight''s Order might be a trap, but the business card from Renji had dispelled all her concerns. Eileen stared at the name "Tamic" on the card and the corresponding string of numbers on the back. Obviously, this knight was the one that Renji had hinted at, the key to her return to the secret sewer! But... ''Considering Maria''s strength and cunning, probably holding a higher position than that foul priest from ckhole ins, it seemed excessive to say Tamic was the boss of her boss''s boss'' Eileen couldn''t think of any reason why Tamic would help her Furthermore, what she was about to do would expose the darkness of the Church, causing the Church''s image to copse. Once the Church fell, the Knight''s Order, which was affiliated with the Church, would also be severely affected. Any normal person wouldn''t ept it, right? Even if the hope was slim, Eileen chose to believe in Renji, ''after all, Old Timer always seemed to be able to create miracles.'' ''No, isn''t Renji himself a miracle?'' With her thoughts organized, Eileen immediately sprang into action. "Mom, take care of yourself. I have something urgent to do!" After saying goodbye to her mother in bed, the girl finally made it out the door. In the living room, Brian had just prepared a hearty home-cooked meal, but before he could even invite Eileen to eat, the girl, in a state of urgency, interrupted him. "Quick! Brian! Lend me your phone!" Brian: "Huh?" "No time to exin, just hurry!" Eileen''s house only had andline, and she would definitely need a cellphone when she went outside next. Just like when Brian had lent his phone to Renji without hesitation, the uncle, seeing Eileen''s anxious expression, didn''t even ask a question and simply tossed the phone over. With the phone in her hand, Eileen rushed out of the house, running toward the church while dialing the number on the business card. However... Whatpletely caught Eileen off guard was that before she could even finish entering the number, Brian''s phone rang. It was an iing call. At this point, Eileen didn''t have time to borrow another phone, but just as she was about to reject the call and hang up, she suddenly stopped in her tracks. Standing still, Eileen carefully looked at the iing call on Brian''s phone. Or more precisely, she checked the iing number. It was identical. ''This¡­Tamic!?'' ''What''s going on?'' Eileen didn''t know that Renji had used this phone to call Tamic before, and while she found it strange, it saved her the trouble. The girl immediately answered the call and held the phone to her ear. Quickly, a voice spoke, -"Hello! Is this Mr. Renji? I''m Tamic. I don''t know if you''re avable right now, but could I ¨C no, I must ask ¨C could you please meet with me?"- Chapter 70 70: Defeating The Supreme With The Supreme! ? Subus Demon Queen Lena, And Solo Miasma Form Suthia, has been released in chapter 00 Nova the Empress of Dragon will be released in the next chapter... --------------------- -Twilight Coffee House. The familiar spot by the window. However, this time, the people sitting on either side werepletely different. "So, Miss Eileen. Are you saying that Mr. Renji was kidnapped by an evil nun posing as one of our church members and taken to the deepest level of our church''s library?" Tamic furrowed his brows, staring at the young woman sitting across from him, who had once been at Renji''s side at the Sea Sand Bar and now came to meet him in Renji''s ce. Eileen, anxious to rescue Renji, emphasized again a bit urgently: "It''s not the library! It''s the abandoned sewer beneath the library! It''s filled with monsters! Tainted corpses! All of this is because of your damn priest!" "He has been secretly studying the usage of an ''Emperor''s Relic'' unearthed from the ruins. Those Tainted corpse monsters are innocent people he captured and used from Callewa''s ckhole ins, transformed by his insane experiments!!" Under the young woman''s shocking revtion, Tamic''s frown deepened even more. He had originally just wanted to find Renji to ask him about the whereabouts of the ''relic'' lost in the Callewa factory, but he hadn''t expected this to nearly shatter his worldview. A regr knight might have just walked away, or might have even arrested the young woman for "sphemy." But Tamic still remembered the principles of investigation taught to him by his captain, Durin, not to rush to conclusions and easily negate anything that seemed "impossible." Observe, and think. These were the two words he learned from Captain Durin. So, "Wait a moment, Miss Eileen, let me catch my breath," Tamic stopped the young woman who was still urging him on the other side, quickly sorting through the vast information in his mind. The first thing Tamic needed to judge was the truthfulness, and he had a vague answer in his heart. Last night, after the secret conversation between his Captain and Renji, Durin disappeared early this morning. When he called, the location showed his Captain was in... the library! And also, in the hospital, his Captain''s sudden shouting at him, the despair that Tamic could deeply feel from the voice, that iprehensible sense of abandonment emanating from his Captain. And that sentence, still echoing in Tamic''s heart. Durin: -"You don''t understand"- ''So that''s how it was.'' ''Yes, what did I know at that time? How could I have known that the captain was carrying so much burden? Captain Durian''s repeated demands for me to leave were actually to protect me¡­!'' Bang!* Tamic clenched his fist and suddenly mmed it down on the table, startling Eileen next to him, almost making her think that their negotiation had broken down. But fortunately, "I understand now, Miss Eileen. I will assist you. I will help you find Mr. Renji, and I will... bring all those who abandon their faith and betray the Goddess to justice!" In the young knight''s eyes shone determination, fearlessness, and anger. He apologized to Durin in his heart. Not only for his previous disrespect towards his Captain but also because he couldn''t be like Durin, enduring and holding back. All he could do was to burn himself, even if it was just a flickering me. Eileen: "That''s great! I knew old timer wouldn''t make a mistake in judgment!" Eileen: "What are we waiting for then? Let''s go!" "No, wait a moment, Miss Eileen!" Tamic called back Eileen, who was hastily preparing to leave. In front of the impatient young woman, Tamic was much more professional and calm. He indeed wanted to burn himself for the Goddess, for his faith, at all costs, but he was not a rash person. He was a disciple of Captain Durin, who always reminded him of one thing the most. -Think, then think again!- "Miss Eileen, if what you say is true, then I believe that the two of us do not have enough strength to make any difference in this matter." "And now, since I am unsure whether other members of the Knights have been bought over by the priest, I cannot utilize the power of the Knights. And Captain Durin... my master can definitely be trusted, but in the priest''s hands, he must have grasped some weakness over Captain and I cannot drag him down as that weakness is very important to him." After saying all this, Tamic''s intention was not to demoralize but to make Eileen think again, to recall. "Miss Eileen, you just mentioned that you were able to find me because of the hints Mr. Renji gave you before parting." "I believe in Mr. Renji''s wisdom, he must have also calcted that even with my joining, the strength would still be far insufficient. Or perhaps, Mr. Renji''s purpose in having you find me was not to add my strength to yours, but to assist you in uncovering other hints that you couldn''t discover yourself!" ¡­. "Other... deeper hints that Mr. Renji gave you!" After finishing, Tamic took a deep breath, intently focusing on the girl opposite him, and asked word by word:??"So, Miss Eileen, please think carefully and recall again. Did Mr. Renji give you anything else besides my business card when you parted? Or was there any special word? Gesture?" Tamic''s words indeed awakened a realization in Eileen. Because, if truth be told, there was indeed a very "abrupt" detail when they parted. "Old timer¡­ Renji told me that after he sessfully got out, he would actively look for me to have a drink together at the Sea Sand Bar." Eileen repeated thisst sentence of Renji to Tamic. And Tamic quickly caught on. Combining the scene described by Eileen, he immediately realized something and excitedly asked Eileen: "That''s it! Miss Eileen, I think Mr. Renji might be hinting at a location, the Sea Sand Bar! Can you think more about it, Miss Eileen? Is the Sea Sand Bar some sort of code? Can you associate it with anything else?" The Sea Sand Bar The first thing that came to their minds about this term was naturally the rampage incident that had happened just the previous afternoon. ''But how could that be connected to the current situation...'' Hiss! While Tamic was still clueless, Eileen suddenly had a sh of insight, her eyes widening in excitement and her body breaking out in goosebumps. "That ce with the electric halo was where the old timer took action for the second time!" "Maria''s Divine Healing, I''ve seen it. It was exactly the same as the one released by Renji in the cave. So, could it be that at that time... Wait! My mom also said she felt the nun was the Goddess herself, or at least a messenger. Could it be... Could it be!!" Eileen couldn''t forget that when Renji first introduced himself, he imed to be the Emperor. And her mother, a veteran nun, kept emphasizing that the holy light was definitely from the Goddess. So, a logical chain that both frightened and excited Eileen emerged. ''Could it be possible that all of this was true?'' ''And that Renji was noticed by the Goddess because he released Divine Healing in the cave. No, rather, he was noticed by the ''fallen''. Following this logic, Renji''s second action in the Sea Sand Bar must have also been noticed by "another" supreme being!'' ''Yes!'' ''It must be this way!'' ''This is what Old Timer truly wanted to tell me!'' ''Only another "supreme" being could defeat a "supreme" existence!'' "I got it, let''s go!" "To the Sea Sand Bar?" "Yes!!" Chapter 71 71: Number Eighty-Six ? Bang!* Thud thud!* Dang!!!* "Miss Eileen, I think we might try a more gentle method of repair." "Quiet!" Sea Sand Bar, sealed off by the Knights, was stealthily infiltrated by two figures: Eileen and Tamic. When the girl saw the traces of a second battle inside the bar, she knew her guess was correct. Unfortunately, judging from the scene, with the floor littered with violently dismantled scrap metal, the remains of machinery in various "dead" states looked utterly tragic. The other supreme being, the legendary leader of the Mechanoid Alliance, "Zero" seemed to have failed. And it was unclear whether it was due to fighting on unfamiliar ground or if he was utterly defeated by the nun. However, Eileen was still lucky to find one,paratively "intact" mechanical battle maid. With Tamic''s help, they transported the body of this maid to the back of the bar, to Brian''s private workshop. The initial scene was Eileen, wearing a welding mask, wielding a hammer in her left hand and a drill in her right, bombarding the broken maid''s body on the workbench with sparks. Before Eileen lost her father, her family was rtively well-off in the ckhole ins, and she received a lot of high-quality education, especially in invention and creativity, as evidenced by the multitude of awards on the wall. Buzz buzz buzz* Boom!* Apanied by a loud noise, Tamic was startled, almost thinking it was going to explode. However, Eileen, who was working at the bench, put down her tools. Despite her sweaty nose, the young girl still had a look of excitement and satisfaction on her face, as if she was still yearning for more. [Beep beep beep power connected sessfully] [Restarting... Restart failed due to severe data loss... Executing self-repair program... Please do not disconnect the power] [Repairplete. Body data recovered: 34%. Capturing unknown data: 19%. Data reshaping rate exceeds 50%... Boot-up permitted] The damaged body on the workbench emitted a series of electronic sounds, and after a brief pause, the maid sat up abruptly from the table. She twisted her neck, looking towards Eileen and Tamic, who had stepped back in rm due to her sudden movement. From the maid''s eyes, rays like scanning beams shot out. The scanning beam passed over Tamic without reaction, but when it scanned Eileen, [Model match 95% identified as a friendly unit. Alert mode deactivated, preparing for third-party data sharing] The cold mechanical voice finally ceased. What followed, though still a synthesized electronic voice, was no longer as mechanical. The maid turned to Eileen and spoke directly. [Have you seen my master? Number Eighty-Six asks anxiously] Eileen: "Master?" [Yes, as there are records in Number Eighty-Six''s residual data of you appearing alongside my master, I deduce that you might have clues about my master''s whereabouts] Even though the self-proimed "Number Eighty-Six" bionic spoke strangely, understanding her wasn''t a problem. Eileen and Tamic exchanged nces. The "master" mentioned by Number Eighty-Six, unsurprisingly, was likely to be "Renji!" "Yes! I am a friend of your master! He has been captured by viins, and I urgently need your help to rescue him!" Eileen was overjoyed, keeping her words simple and understandable, just in case the mechanical maid had trouble understanding. But evidently, Eileen had underestimated Number 86. [From image analysis, your rtionship with master seems more like a servant than a friend] Number Eighty-Six said doubtfully. "You!" ["Despite doubts about your identity, based on the expression module analysis, your concern and anxiety for master are genuine. Also, ording to residual image calctions, your third-party information is consistent with Number Eighty-Six''s conclusions] From the start, the maid kept mentioning "images" When Eileen asked with confusion, the maid''s eyes turned into projectors, disying the battle scenes with the nun at the Sea Sand Bar. Seeing the familiar figure of the nun projected, Eileen was now convinced. Beyond grinding her teeth, her worry for Renji intensified. After all, the battle between Maria and these mechanical maids was beyond violent ¨C it was the work of a pathological sadist! Noticing the "friendly unit''s(Eileen)" anxiety, Number 86 spoke again. Clearly, the maid''s attempt atfort had the opposite effect. Eileen became even more anxious, to the point of feeling a bit eerie. Upon learning of Renji''s impending fate, she was almost shocked enough to bounce off the ground. Even Tamic, standing beside her, disyed a greatly shocked expression. The reaction of the two humans opposite triggered the self-calibration program of No. 86. Evidently, due to missing data, her judgment was wed. [New data received, master status updated to extreme danger!] [Emergency protocol activated, ''Supreme Level'' membership specifications adopted, preparing to send a distress signal to the ''Main Brain Network''] Words that Eileen couldn''t understand began to spill from No. 86''s mouth, but they sounded very powerful just by listening to them, which finally brought some relief to the girl, who began to anxiously await. However, [Error. Error in connecting to the ''Main Brain Network''. Failure due to [key] data missing] In just a few seconds, the mechanical maid began to report errors frantically, even giving off a sense that she mightpletely burn out. Fortunately, Eileen reacted promptly, forcefully patting the maid''s back, just like she would with an old TV with a scrambled screen. [Is this mutual assistance between servants? No. 86''s fondness for you has increased by 5.7%,] The maid, recovering from the "garbled error messages," elicited an eye roll from Eileen. The girl just wanted to know, if the reinforcements couldn''te, what should they do now? The answer from No. 86 was simple. [Initiate backup n. Solo module load sessful, detecting damage rate of the [Combat Unit]... 39% detected presence of repair materials in the vicinity, executing recovery program] After saying this, the mechanical maid left the office and returned to the Sea Sand Bar. The mechanical wreckage, which seemed beyond hope in Eileen''s eyes, became the raw materials for No. 86''s self-repair. She moved among these "fellow" remains, each time extracting with incredible precision the parts that could be recycled and reused, continuously inserting them into her own body. And Eileen, as an Eclipse, could feel that during the whole process a murky energy of Miasma subtly emanated from No. 86. Obviously, these recoveries were not just mechanical assembly but also involved the power of the curse? ''Can even a robot be an Eclipse?'' Eileen was secretly astonished. It might have taken less than ten minutes in total. When No. 86 reappeared before Eileen and the others, she hadpletely transformed. The various battle wear and tear on her body that Eileen couldn''t repair before were nowpletely renewed, with not a single scar visible on her smooth bionic skin. Chapter 72 72 : Get Your Dirty Hands Off Him...! Part 1 ? What''s even more bizarre is that even the ragged clothes that were originally worn by Number 86 had also been "repaired" along with her. They had transformed into abination of nurse and maid outfits, ck and white, with both a skirt and the emblem and cap of an emergency nurse. Before Eileen could observe more, she felt a sudden piercing pain from deep within her brain. Quickly, a slight dizziness apanied it, forcing Eileen to stop in her tracks and press her temple. "What''s wrong, Miss Eileen?" Tamic asked nervously at the sudden change. "It''s... It''s Old Timer... It''s Renji... He''s in a terrible condition... Through the contract... Damn it! Why didn''t he just told me directly! He just f***ing likes to act tough alone!!" This difort came quickly and left just as fast, obviously on the other end of the contract, Renji was deliberately stopping her from discovering his condition. Realizing this now, Eileen''s voice rang out in anger, and she couldn''t wait any longer. She had to move immediately and break into the church! [Can you give me your hand, Miss Eileen, I can locate master through you] No. 86 urged. A sensor rose from the palm of the mechanical maid''s hand, and when Eileen ced her hand on it, she immediately felt a weak electric current pass through her entire body, before finally returning to the maid. [Data transfer sessful. Master''s location confirmed. Hacking into the ckhole ins areawork 19% 57% 99% Hackingplete. Retrieving ckhole ins area map. Retrieving church map. Retrieving underground structure map] [Calcting... Completed. Optimal action route confirmed] After the cold mechanical voice finished, No. 86 extended her hand toward Eileen. [Inferior substance structure - Light Wing Expansion Type III] Eileen wasn''t sure if the scene before her eyes could still be described as "technology," but with the assistance of Miasma, centered around No. 86, all micro-materials nearby were rapidly drawn in. Within a few breaths, they transformed into a pair of "Light Wings", which then floated behind the maid and with a click, they were sessfully installed and connected. Next, before Eileen and Tamic could react, the mechanical maid lifted them both up, her wings fully extended behind her. With maximum power, in the blink of an eye, the maid shot up into the sky and left Sea Sand Bar. After reaching the high altitude above ckhole in, she aimed for a specific marked coordinate below and plunged straight down. In less than a few breaths, the surroundings hadpletely changed for Eileen and Tamicka. They realized that this ce was not the church but several blocks away from it. [Master is right below us] No. 86 hastily exined, likely to prevent any misunderstanding. Clearly, the underground library of the church was just an entrance. Judging from the current situation, if they had really entered from that entrance, they would have had to travel a long distance to reach Renji''s location. However, a new question arose. The coordinates were closer now, but Renji was underground while they were on the surface. How were they supposed to reach him? Eileen and Tamic overthought it. Number 86 had already considered this issue when calcting. Following the maid''s gaze, Eileen also looked at a nearby well. "Could it be..." [Superior weapon structure - Mortar Cannon Power Enhancement Type IV] Number 86 raised her arm high, reaching into the air, and a scene simr to the one in the bar urred again. Soon, the maid''s hand was reced by a dark and thick barrel. Afterward, the maid gestured for Eileen and Tamic to step back a bit. She approached the well and extended her arm down into it, aiming the cannon into the well. [Chargingplete. Ready] Although Eileen in the distance couldn''t see the specifics, the increasingly intense dim light shing from inside the well indicated that something significant was about to happen. She quickly pulled Tamic further away. When the radiance reached its peak, and the tremendous energy could no longer be contained. [st Cannon Fire.] [3... 2...] [¡­1!] ... ..... "My Lord, please stop resisting. ept Thia love and be a possession belonging solely to me!" Around Suthia were numerous Tainted corpses, all following themands of the nun in the ck skirt. They surrounded Renji, each taking turns to fight the young man, draining his mental strength. The reason they didn''t attack all at once was due to the nun''s reluctance. After all, how could she bear to truly harm her beloved Lord? Everything was just to offset that damned false contract, preventing her from touching the source of all evil, her beloved Lord! Renji, gasping for breath, swung the water pipe in his hands. Just as he repelled one Tainted corpse, another immediately pounced on him, giving him no chance to catch his breath. It was evident that the muscles in Renji''s hands were twitching subtly, a sign of his body on the verge of copse under the extreme overload. Fortunately, a sh of holy light passed, momentarily reviving the battle-weary Renji and slightly alleviating his aching body. However, Renji''s skill ?? in his skill bar entered its next cooldown period. Indeed, Renji had managed to hold on till now solely due to the continuous support of ??[Divine Healing], but this was only a temporary measure. After estimating his energy bar, he realized he could only cast it three more times at most. "My Lord, you already understand, don''t you? Thia just showed you the meaning of those memories. Why are you still resisting?" Renji chuckled: "Heh, I don''t understand." "Is that so? Then why have you been fighting for so long, yet you''ve only been using Thia''s ''Divine Healing'' and not the abilities of sisters?" Suthia''s lips curled into a smug smile. Seeing Renji''s silence, the nun let out a soft giggle. "Let Thia answer for you, because you know,pared to Thia, the other ''sisters'' will only be even more insane and malicious towards you. That''s why you dare not use their abilities, fearing that they will discover you just like Thia did. Am I right, My Lord~?" "You got half of it right," Renji replied as he used "Divine Healing" to revive himself to full health, smashing the heads of the Tainted Corpse that charged at him like watermelons. "After you helped me realize the truth, I indeed didn''t want to ''awaken'' them prematurely. But rest assured, Thia, from now on, I will treat them the same way I treat you." "The same way as me?" "That''s right. I told you from the beginning, didn''t I? I want to bring back the Thia I know. And if they also be strangers to me, so be it. I''ll go door-to-door to correct them." Renji paused for a moment and emphasized with a wicked grin, "And then, I''ll punish them severely." This seemed to enrage the nun. The ck dress that enveloped Suthia like mes burned even more fiercely. Bloodlust dominated her eyes, and her previously smug smile twisted into a distorted expression. The desire to receive punishment from Her Lord, the mere thought of it drove Suthia into a frenzy, her lower abdomen filled with burning desire. But when she considered that her Lord would also distribute this "punishment" to the others, allowing the other four to enjoy her lord''s "punishment," the desire in her lower abdomen turned into a zing rage within her chest. "Why can''t you forget about them? Why do you have to go find them? Why can''t you just look at Thia alone?" Suthia screamed in rage. "Because you are all my wings, and I can''t afford to lose a single one." "Then let Thia see what My Lord has now to use to correct Thia!" After the nun''s scream, several more Tainted Corpse joined in the attack on Renji, increasing the pressure on the young man. However, even in the midst of this, Renji continued to provoke the nun with his words in the intervals between attacks. "Thia, did you know that before I met you, I used another ability once? It was an ability from ''Zero.'' So I believe she''lle to rescue me soon. Zero will definitelye to save me~" Renji''s words were filled with trust in Zero, in stark contrast to his current resistance to the nun, and the mes of jealousy burned away Suthia''s sanity. Immediately, shemanded the surrounding Corpse to stop and summoned the familiar miasma red mist once again. This time, what she showed Renji was the impact of Zero''s appearance in the Sea Sand Bar, just as it had happened not long ago. This finally gave Renji a brief respite and made him realize that Suthia was right ''to some extent''. The other four, at least "Zero," did indeed seem to be filled with what you could call "malicious intent." In the imagery of the miasma red mist, Renji saw the familiar image of a mecha girl. As expected, she had sensed his presence through her ability and projected herself into his surroundings. Then, she transformed his virtual sculpture into a giant cyborg, with his entire body covered in cybeic enhancements, leaving only his head as a human. Seeing this, Renji couldn''t help but twitch his mouth. He could ept external armored exoskeletons, but full-body cybeic alterations? No thanks, he didn''t want to be a cyber psychopath. "See, My Lord, this is Zero, the ungrateful maid. I told you before, don''t trust those cold-hearted machines. But don''t worry." The red mist imagery shifted to the scene of Zero summoning her Emergency Medical Team to fight Suthia. It was clear that due to the home-field advantage, the battle was heavily one-sided, with the nun achieving a crushing victory. "Suthia has already punished the disloyal maid for you. Zero won''t bother you anymore! She and her machines have turned into a pile of ''scrap''." --------------- Chapter 73 73 : Get Your Dirty Hands Off Him...! Part 2 Another chapter will be released shortly after this. And after 2 weeks we will enter ranking power stone, at that time PowerStones Bonuses and Golden Tickets bonuses chapters will be added, And if there are any mistakes plsment them down*^ -------- "Suthia has already punished the disloyal maid for you. Zero won''t bother you anymore! She and her machines have turned into a pile of ''scrap''." After saying this, the imagery showed Zero again, and Suthia urgently wanted to see despair on Renji''s face, so that her Lord would no longer resist and could enjoy happiness with her. However... "How! How can you still smile? Without Zero, what do you have left? Is there anyone left by your side who can stop Thia?" The nun screamed. Yes, why did Renji suddenly smile? It was simple ¨C he felt a contract response, signaling that one of his Eclipses was very close. And the location... Right above his head! "Thia, how about we make a bet?" Renji suddenly threw away the only weapon in his hand, the water pipe, and then smiled and asked the nun opposite him. "A bet?" "Yes. Let''s bet whether Eileen wille back, and whether she''ll bring Zero with her." Suthia stared intently at the young man, trying to see if he was joking. Unfortunately for her, she couldn''t. Eileen? The nun never imagined that at such a critical moment, thest name toe out of her Lord''s mouth would be Eileen¡­ In her eyes, this was the kind of trash character that Her Lord would abandon at the first opportunity. Suthia never even considered "Eileen" a threat, or worth factoring in when contemting her Lord''s potential resistance. But the result... "Hahahah, My beloved Lord, you must be sick. Didn''t you see that Zero has already beenpletely scrapped and turned into a pile of junk by Thia?" "So...e back to my side, my Beloved Lord, Thia will heal you. Thia will..." The nun''s doting words hadn''t even finished yet when... BOOM!* Suthia''s infatuated words were abruptly cut off by a thunderous roar from above, as if the sky had copsed. The entire sewer seemed to shake, bricks and rubble falling from above. Suthia, with disbelief in her eyes, for the first time shifted her gaze from Renji and looked upwards. What they saw was theplete copse of the ceiling of the sewer they were in, creating a massive cave-in. It looked like an abyss gazing back at Suthia. At this moment, Renji''s voice resounded once again. It echoed in the nun''s ears. It reverberated in the underground sewer that had just been pierced from above. "Thia, do you remember when you asked what Eileen did before she became an Eclipse? You asked what her profession was?" Without waiting for the nun to answer, Renji answered his own question. "Eileen was a scavenger, someone who made a living by collecting trash" "So..." Renji opened Eileen''s character panel and looked at the skill that had often been subconsciously ignored as if it were a useless decoration. That was Eileen''s "Base Specialty" ability. [Base Specialty: Trash Master (IV): A "Medium Chance" to turn gathered trash into treasure.] (HailTheLoili: that''s one of the reasons how she fixed Zero''s robot maid. sorry I forgot to mention itst chapter... my bad) "Well¡­ she Is really good at picking up trash" The situation was increasingly slipping from Suthia''s control, and the sense of familiarity she felt towards Her Lord was getting stronger. Back then, when they faced one seemingly impossible, unwinnable, hopeless deadlock one after another, it was Renji, Her beloved Lord, who cleverly strategized and perfectlymanded, leading them to miraculous victories and turning the tides in desperate situations, oveing one formidable enemy after another. However, back then, that familiar feeling for her, as arade of her Lord, wasfort, ease, joy, and happiness. But this time... she was standing opposite her master. That familiar feeling rapidly turned into tension, unease, impatience, fear, and dread in the depths of Suthia''s heart. Suthia didn''t care anymore. She didn''t care about anything. Even at the cost of enduring the bacsh of the contract, she lunged at Renji, reaching out to grab him. She was afraid of her master''s power, not his personal strength, because the true source of Emperor Ashen''s terror, the one that had made countless forces in the wastnd fear him, was his leadership and ning. But obviously. It was already toote. Intense mes flickered from the giant hole above, gunfireshing out at Suthia, and several whistling micro-missiles locked onto the nun''s body. [Anger....Protect¡­. Master!] A mechanical, yet not cold, electronic synthesized voice rang out, And then And then, the roar of a sword. Behind the mes, a new bloody greatsword, filled with murderous and ferocious aura, descended from the sky, cleaving toward Suthia, who was trying to grab Renji and escape. Eileen: "Take your damn ¡ª¡ª dirty hands." "Off him!" --- ----- Explosions and mes filled the underground sewer. When Suthia, who had been forced to retreat, anxiously searched for Renji''s figure, she found that the he had been taken far away from her. Standing on either side of Renji were the robotic maid with smoking gun barrels on her arms and Eileen, who had been sent away not long ago but had returned wielding a giant sword! Oh, there was one more person, the Knight Tamic, but his presence didn''t stood out so much from the others that he was subconsciously overlooked. "Old Timer, she... she didn''t harm you, did she?" Eileen immediately cast her worry gaze on Renji. "No, but it would have been bad if you hade anyter." Seeing Renji''s pale and exhausted appearance, and recalling the simted scenario with the maid, Eileen felt even more distressed and guilty. The girl tightened her grip on the sword in her hand. "I''m sorry, I camete. If I had realized the message you gave me earlier..." Before Eileen could finish, Renji waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no, no, the fact that you understood the meaning of that business card already exceeded my expectations." "What!? Is that all you expect from me? Do you think I''m a fool?" The girl''s mood shifted from self-me to anger as she stared wide-eyed at Renji. "I can''t say for sure." "What would you have done if I hadn''te?" "What else could I have done? Just obediently endure it until she''s satisfied." Watching Renji''s expression, which seemed to say, "Well, my wife won''t get tired anyway" Eileen blushed and mumbled to herself, "You shameless pervert... not even a bit embarrassed!" "Heh~, What''s that? You''re not ying the tomboy this time?" Renji teased. "Ugh!" [Warning. Detected abnormal increase inbat capabilities of hostile target. Please refrain from engaging in pointless provocations, Master and Miss Eileen] a warning from the mechanical maid interrupted their banter. It was clear that Suthia on the other side had adopted her ssic pose of lowering her head, covering her expression with her bangs. Whenever this pose appeared, it meant that the nun could no longer control the dark, twisted anger on her face. "Here''s something good for you." Before Eileen could react, Renji took out the upper and lower Brand marks of [Raise a ss!] and, as usual, handed them directly to Eileen. As the Brand marks entered her body, Eileen couldn''t help but let out a grunt. For some reason, this time waspletely different from before, and the sensation was unusually intense. Indeed. Because the previous Brand marks that Renji had given her were like "dog food" and "upgrade materials" that once fed to Eileen, became her possessions. But this time''s [Brand: Raise a ss] was different. It was equipment, and even if he gave it to Eileen, Renji could take it off at any time. For the girl, it was truly an "alien" item. As the Brand marks entered the girl''s body, the contract at the back of her neck flickered with red light. All powerful Tainted items were a double-edged sword, bringing unparalleled strength while imposing a heavy contamination cost. That''s why the priest Gralon spent decades trying to find someone who could sessfully equip this set of Brands. But with the [Contract] Eileen''s mind was clear and focused. All the frenzied gibberish and chaotic muttering caused by the Taint''s Miasmas influence disappeared in an instant, leaving no trace. In its ce, a tattoo-like pattern appeared on the girl''s upper and lower back, resembling a pair of raised sses. The tattoo pattern was not static; the corners of the two raised sses seemed to sway gently, as if craving to be filled with some liquid. That liquid was none other than fresh, red blood. "Ahhhhh!" A miserable cry came from the distant opposite side as Suthiapletely lost her sanity the moment Renji gave the Brand marks to Eileen. Her eyes were bloodshot, her hair disheveled, and she was both enraged and terrified. She could win this battle. She had a terrifying horde of Tainted corpses that Gralon had umted over decades, nearly covering the entire underground sewer of ckhole ins. On the other side, there were only three people, just three! ''I have absolute numerical advantage. Faced with this disparity, even with my Lord''s Leadership, what can he do?'' Chapter 74 74:No One Understands Thia Better Than Part 1 ? Another chapter wille after 5m- ------ ''I have absolute numerical advantage. Faced with this disparity, even with my Lord''s Leadership, what can he do?'' ''Yes, just like in the beginning, I can drown them in a ck sea of Tainted corpses, then snatch the My Lord back from them. I can win; I want to prove to my lord that I, Suthia, am no longer just a "healer"!'' Under the nun''s will, the horde of Tainted corpses once again revolted, surging like a tide from all directions¡­ But Renji expecting that, had already moved with the three people he was with at some point. They were now in a single-directional passage, and all the Tainted corpses were forced to attack them from one direction. "Zero, start ''sweep mode''." Renji, at the rear, despite the grim situation, seemed to be in a state of excitement. He quickly issued amand to the robotic maid, positioned second in line. Naturally, Renji mistook the robotic maid as a bionic replica projected by Zero, simr to how Suthia used Maria as a "vessel" for her arrival. But what he didn''t expect was... -[Zero]- -[ Master called me Zero?]- -[Does Master mistake me for Zero!?]- In the eyes of the 86th robotic body, countless codes swirled, as if just being called by Renji as "Zero" was enough to overload itsputational capacity. But now, the Master actually called her "Zero." The chip in 86th began to overheat severely, and several warning error pop-ups appeared in her vision. Normally, at this point, a "copy" would be targeted by the ''Main Brain Network'' and forcibly marked as a "bug" to be eliminated. After all, the title "Zero" was supreme for all bio-replicas, the mother-brain who bestowed everything upon them. Unfortunately, No. 86 couldn''t connect to the "main-brainwork," which meant that the "main-brainwork" couldn''t detect No. 86 as an individual; she was... independent. As a result. No. 86 actively cleared all the error warnings in front of her, and in this moment, perhaps because the situation was urgent and there was no time to exin, or perhaps to keep her Master from being distracted, or perhaps for some other deeper reason. But in any case. At least for this moment, No. 86 decided to treat herself as Zero in this battle. In that moment, the 19% "unknown data" that had previously been captured by No. 86 was finally fully read and integrated into her core chip. The source of that 19% "unknown data" was the sparkling, translucent azure light particles that had floated in the air inside the Sea Sand Bar at that time. It was the remnants of Zero''s "body" left after her "self-destruction." It was the damaged data that belonged to Zero! [Command. Received, sweep mode. Activeate] All of No. 86''s thoughts and internal data assimtion happened in the blink of an eye in reality. Because she had received Zero''s data, No. 86 could now smoothly execute Renji''smand. After all, for bio-mechanical entities like her, data was equivalent to inheritance, equivalent to power. With the corresponding data, any ability could be learned and unleashed in an instant. Just like No. 86 now. Her original wings of light on her back were retracted, reced by over twenty machine gun barrels that swarmed out. As a substitute for the winged function, a higher-level anti-gravity levitator was mounted on the maid''s feet. No. 86 easily leaped into the air, and the dozens of machine guns on her back were aimed at the massive Tainted horde approaching. In the next second, her terrifying sweep firepowerpletely nketed the horde. However, in sweep mode, Zero did indeed have arger attack range and AoE (Area of Effect) crowd control abilities. But as a trade-off, the damage for each shot was greatly reduced. It was clear that the sweep firepower could somewhat dy the Tainted Corpse''s advance and cripple their limbs, but it fell slightly short of killing them or inflicting fatal damage. But that slight sweeping was exactly what Renji wanted! Otherwise, he would have instructed Zero to directly activate a higher-level [overload mode] "Eileen." The impatient girl finally received themand, and her crimson greatsword was already eager for bloodshed. In the activated [Annihtion] state, Eileen, like a war deity, stood at the very front of the formation, acting like a meat grinder with her crimson greatsword, reaping one after another of the tainted corpses, all crippled by the strafing from Number 86 in the air. With each kill, one could see behind the young girl, in the "high wine ss"-shaped [Brand] tattoo, a trace of red liquid appearing within the ss. This blood-red liquid then transformed into energy, feeding back into Eileen, making the greatsword in her hands glow increasingly with bloodlight, even changing its form as two shadowy wings of Tainted Miasma faintly emerged behind her. "Thia should probably use that now, right?" Renji, observing the battle from behind, muttered to himself while pulling up Eileen''s panel and focusing on the umted attack poweryers from the [Raise Your ss!] [Brand]. When he decided the girl no longer needed the aerial mechanical support''s strafing to supplement her damage and couldplete the harvesting "charging" on her own, he immediately issued a newmand to Zero for preparation. Meanwhile, on the opposite side, Suthia was intently watching the girl who was dancing like a bloody butterfly among the group of tainted corpses. She was aware of the [Brand]''s effect, an equipment piece once considered a mere trifle by the great Ashen. ''But How¡­ how was that person able to continuously charge the [Brand]? Could her ability be...'' Suthia realized that continuing this way, her army of tainted corpses would not only fail to overwhelm the girl by sheer numbers but would instead be a source of energy umtion for Eileen. The nun recalled how her master hadmanded her inbat, and against an enemy in such a "special state" the most suitable skill she should use would be... Chapter 75 75:No One Understands Thia Better Than Part 2 ? Subus Demon Queen Lena, And Solo Miasma Form Suthia, has been released in chapter 00 Nova the Empress of Dragon will be released in the next chapter... If there are any mistakes pleasement on them and i will try to fix. ------------ Suthia realized that continuing this way, her army of tainted corpses would not only fail to overwhelm the girl by sheer numbers but would instead be a source of energy umtion for Eileen. The nun recalled how her master hadmanded her inbat, and against an enemy in such a "special state" the most suitable skill she should use would be... Suthia began to chant, and soon above Eileen''s head, a ray of holy light locked. The girl, sensing this, stopped her continued killing and charging energy from the monsters, trying to quickly dodge, for Eileen recognized this move. It was this very holy light that the nun had used to revert all the mutated tainted corpses back to their original forms. That was [Divine Word: Silence]! Effective against the tainted corpses, it would surely work on her too. Once hit by this "Silence" holy light, all the power she had gathered from the corpses would be wasted! However, no matter how fast Eileen moved, trying to escape the lock of the holy light, it was all in vain. A smile curled up on Suthia''s lips ¨C after all, this was one of her most proud skills, a targeted ability even praised by Lord Ashen! Swish!* The silence-infused holy light finally descended, enveloping Eileenpletely. Suthia didn''t deign to engage in physicalbat, as in her eyes, Eileen wasn''t worthy. Forcing her to use her special ability was already the greatest honor she could bestow on her opponent. Indeed, this was true. If not for Renji, Suthia wouldn''t even need to lift a finger. A single ''silence'' could have directly disabled Eileen in her [Annihtion] mode. This was the precious and rare "Silence" skill, and also one of the reasons why Suthia was so highly valued and nurtured by Renji. Unfortunately. If there was anyone in this world who understood Suthia better than she understood herself, it might just be Renji. Suthia : "Hah!?" As the holy light dissipated, instead of the drenched-rat-like Eileen that the nun had imagined and expected, there was¡­. A mechanical maid!? Her [Divine Word: Silence] had hit the mechanical maid instead. And if there''s something that a powerful and formidable control skill like "Silence" fears the most It''s machinery. The mechanical maid, struck by the "Silence," appeared no different than before, as if nothing had happened. Yes, because most mechanical beings are simply immune to "Silence" skills that target biological systems. "How can this be! When... when did this happen!?" Confused, Suthia suddenly thought of something and turned her gaze towards Renji, only to see Eileen, still in her [Annihtion] and "charged" state, with a frightened expression, beside her lord. It was Zero''s ability! [Phase transfer! ] She had switched ces with Eileen at the moment the holy light descended! And to time this precise moment, and to know her "Silence" weakness, and to control Zero to switch ces with Eileen, there was only... only one person¡­. "Hehehe, My Lord~, My Lord~!!! Since you like your new toy so much... Thia will destroy her for you to see!!!" If previously Suthia was worried to go to extremes, harboring a sliver of mercy in her heart to spare Eileen''s life, Then at this moment, when Renji used her weakness to aid Eileen, to help another woman, to help this outsider, the nun resolved to show no sympathy and to unleash her ultimate move. She began to chant again, but this time, instead of flickering holy light, the light quickly darkened, eventually forming a pitch-ck arrow. "HeheheHahahahah~" "Let Thia see... if this time My Lord will use that useless maid to block the shot for her~!" ''Has it finallye?'' Renji stared at the pitch-ck arrow in the nun''s hand. This was Suthia''s strongest attack skill¡ª[Dark Spirit Art: Annihtion] The description of the skill was very simple: it dealt damage equal to 1000% of the attack power of the enemy unit with an attack rating of C or above. in yet powerful, especially against high-attack but low-health bosses and elite monsters. Being hit by [Dark Spirit Art: Annihtion], suffering damage equal to ten times their own attack power, was almost akin to an instant kill. It was with this move of Suthia''s that Renji vividly remembered how he sessfully "skipped sses" through numerous difficult levels, sneaking attacks beyond his level, and gaining resources far beyond his era, which umted the crucial first fortune for hister wealth. Both the maid and Eileen were clearly offensive types, with attack ratings above C, especially Eileen, who now, thanks to the cumtive charging of the [Brand], had reached a terrifying A- in attack power! It could be said that either of them, upon being hit by Suthia''s [Dark Spirit Art: Annihtion], would face certain death. That was the reason behind the nun''s recentughter. Suthia was forcing a choice. She wanted to see which one of them would take this blow, or rather, which one... would meet their end! "How ruthless" Renji inwardly sighed, shaking his head. This was no longer the Suthia he liked and knew. So... "Mr. Tamic, would you like to... bring back your Goddess?" Renji turned his head and asked the young knight standing behind him. Right from the start, Tamic was deliberately hidden by Renji, ced in a position even further back than his as amander. Coupled with his inherently out-of-ce strength, Tamic hadpletely lost his presence, leading everyone to unconsciously overlook him. -Except for Renji. After all, every character has their value, and excavating and utilizing, as well as... draining their value, is what Renji excels at and is best at. Hearing Renji''s question and looking at the now fallen and frenzied nun not far away, Tamic took a deep breath and gripped his sword tightly. The same thought as always: he didn''t understand. What he understood was that he had to fight for his faith, willingly sacrifice for his faith, and if burning himself could bring back the Goddess¡­ "Mr. Renji... please give the order!" Chapter 76 76 : No One Understands Thia Better Than Me (Part 3) Subus Demon Queen Lena, And Solo Miasma Form Suthia, has been released in chapter 00 Nova the Empress of Dragon will be released in the next chapter... ------ Renji''smand was quite simple. Tamic didn''t even need to execute it himself. "I apologize for the slight offense." Before the young knight could understand what Renji meant, he found himself being lifted up like a small chicken by the young man. Eileen''s ughter of the tainted corpses was not just for charging the [Brand]. Don''t forget. As the contracted girl, every bit of pollution generated in battle through ughter and the use of Tainted Miasma energy was transferred to Renji through the contract, enhancing his power. Eileen, having in at least a hundred tainted corpses, had already provided Renji in the rear with a substantial amount of experience, skyrocketing his level. Even if the attribute points per level for the protagonist were minimal, Renji, who had been rapidly leveling up, had long surpassed the bounds of ordinary human strength. Holding a full-grown person in one hand was as easy as ying with a ball. As for what to do with a ball once it''s picked up...Naturally, it''s to be thrown! "My personal advice is that it''s better for you to close your eyes for whates next." Having said this, Renji, aiming at the pitch-ck arrow of [Dark Spirit Art: Annihtion], which Suthia had finished chanting and was shooting towards Eileen, threw Tamic with all his might! Swoosh!* Though Tamic was prepared for death, when he was flung through the air like a discus by Renji, the intense sensation of weightlessness and the roaring wind in his ears were undeniably terrifying. Moreover, Tamic didn''t heed Renji''s advice. He saw his target, where Renji had thrown him as a "human shield," the pitch-ck arrow growingrger in his vision, radiating an aura of destruction. ''Will I die after being hit by this?'' ''Heh¡­'' ''Isn''t that obvious?'' It''s said that in the moment of being hit by a truck, a multitude of thoughts bursts into one''s mind. In that instant, you think of many, many things. Tamic also had such a moment, recalling his life. Born an orphan, he never saw his parents. A kind-hearted nun found his mother inbor on the roadside and took her to the church hospital, paying for the surgery. Sadly, his mother didn''t survive, but at least she gave birth to him. As an orphan from birth, fortunately, with the help of the church''s nuns, he found new parents willing to adopt him, a couple who had lost the ability to have children. They were regr churchgoers, always adhering to the Goddess ideals. They had prayed to the Goddess for a child, and when they heard of an orphan needing a home, they immediately took him in. They saw him as a gift from The Goddess Suthia, a blessing of their devout prayers. They treated him as their own son, giving him the best of everything. Until One day, when violent traffickers broke into their home. His parents fought desperately to protect him but were ultimately killed, leaving blood everywhere. Tamic, still young, was terrified. He could only curl up in a corner, clutching a cross, pleading the Goddess for help, to save his parents, to save their home. Sadly, Suthia did not respond. After killing his parents, the traffickers threw him into a car, where Tamic saw many other children like him, kidnapped, with ashen faces and dull eyes. That moment might have been the closest Tamic''s faith ever came to copsing. The young boy couldn''t help but doubt: Does the Goddess really exist? Is Lady Suthia really watching over us? Then why... why did this happen? Tamic clearly remembers, just as his eyes were about topletely dull like the other children''s... Suddenly, the trafficker''s vehicle was brought to a jarring halt, followed by the sound of chaos and gunfire outside, then screams - the traffickers'' screams. Bang!* The door of the van was kicked open. Sunlight poured back into the dark van, and at the doorway stood a knight in a handsome silver-gray uniform. Despite being stained with blood and the dust of gunfight, it didn''t diminish his charm or his handsomeness. "The rest is up to you guys. Take good care of these children." "What about you, Durin?" "I just f*ucking remembered, there''s a chick waiting for me to f**ing¡ªdate!" The shback of his life ended. Tamic closed his eyes. All his life, he had been redeemed by the Goddess and those who believed in her. This time, finally, it was his turn. To sacrifice himself for Suthia. To the goddess he owned his life to ¡­ The pitch-ck arrow of [Dark Spirit Art: Annihtion] and Tamic''s body, thrown into the air, finally ovepped. Even Eileen below couldn''t help but close her eyes. Could she call Renji cruel? She had no right. Moreover, that arrow was meant for her. It was Tamic who bore it for her, who... died for her. All she could do now was transform her grief into anger, ughter! ughter more! She must be stronger, she must continue to umte this already terrifying but still insufficient power! She... "Eh!?" Tamic, who should have been torn apart by the ck arrow in the girl''s imagination, preserving a whole body was a luxury. The young knight himself thought the same. But at the moment, as the scene shifted, and the girl opened her eyes, the next scene was... "Ahhh!" Tamic, screaming as he continued to fall in a parab, waspletely unharmed, not even a scratch visible. Did the nun finally have a change of heart and retract her skill at thest moment? ''No, that was impossible; that arrow could not be retracted'' Then what was it? "Zero, go catch him. It would really ruin the mood if he died from the fall." Following themand, the mechanical maid immediately rushed to Tamic, who was about to crash down from mid-air. In a few breaths, she brought the still petrified and deeply perplexed Tamic back to Renji. "How do you feel?" Renji patted the young knight''s shoulder. "Fe-feel." "I understand, you''ve worked hard. I''m d that Suthia has such a loyal beliver like you." This was Renji''s heartfelt praise. After speaking, Renji no longer stayed in the rear but walked straight towards Suthia, leaving only his receding figure to Tamic. Because Renji was familiar with Suthia, familiar with each of her skills, he knew the biggest w of [Dark Spirit Art: Annihtion]: the stronger the opponent, the stronger it is; the weaker the opponent, the weaker it is. Against units with an attack rating below C, [weaklings] it''s virtually ineffective, or in other words, no different than a tickle. As for why Renji suddenly stepped forward. It was simple. Because he knew that Suthia had no other attack skills left. Yes, as a healer, the recent [Dark Spirit Art: Annihtion] was the nun''s only offensive ability. All of Suthia''s remaining abilities could only save people, not kill them. So, the nun was left with only one option. Scythe and hook reappeared in Suthia''s hands, time and again, easily neutralized by him using her familiar weaknesses. A familiar sense of powerlessness surged in Suthia''s heart, a memory from five hundred years ago. Back then, she was eliminated and reced by the neers because she had too few means of attack. She didn''t kill or hurt others, and it was for these reasons that her lord grew increasingly distant from her. Suthia refused to repeat the same mistake! Therefore, at this moment, the nun chose to give herselfpletely to the Miasma force, letting her spirit be controlled by it, because only in this state, she was unfamiliar her lord¡­ she was... capable of killing! The crazy nun who once effortlessly crushed Zero and an entire ''Emergency Squad'' reemerged. This time, facing the unfamiliar her. Facing the new her. Facing her transformed into the ultimate attacker, she wanted to see what her lord could use to stop her! Indeed. Faced with the mutated and fallen Suthia, Renji had no knowledge of this form of the nun''s skill set and could no longer counter her as before. Moreover, Suthia had abandoned her dignity and personally entered the fray. All the fancy tricks were useless in the face of absolute power. At first nce, it seemed like a desperate situation. And Eileen was just a bit short, not just in umted attack power. Eileencked an environment that would ensure she could strike without restraint, hit with 100% uracy, evennd critical hits. And this was also why Renji stepped out from the back. Even with an unfamiliar Suthia, Renji always believed that there was one thing about the nun that would never change. ''Ah, Nova, I hope you can make things easier for me'' Renji muttered to himself. Then, among the five skills he had acquired from his wives a new skill was illuminated and utilized by Renji. At that moment, his blood boiled throughout his body, every cell breathing at its maximum capacity, and his heart thundered like a mad beast. Crimson scales rapidly covered Renji''s arms and body like tattoos. When he stepped forward, to everyone watching, he was no longer human. He resembled more of a... Dragon. A red dragon. Renji, like a cannonball, charged forward. With the [Dragonblood Ignition] activated, his physical prowess was enhanced several times. With a mere push from his feet, he could soar into the air, stand in front of the Tainted Miasma-controlled Suthia, and¡­ Take a hit from the nun. Squelch!* The scythe pierced through the young man''s body, the hook w tore open Renji''s chest. Indeed, that was Suthia, and with his current strength, even with buffs, it was impossible to win against her. So... Renji chose to cheat. When Suthia realized what she had done, when she saw that she had attacked her Lord, when she found her Tainted Miasma-controlled self had thrust the scythe and hook w into Her Lord''s body... Her bloody red eyes cleared in an instant. The Tainted Miasma, still trying to wrest control of her body, tempting Suthia, trying to bring out the darkness within her, could no longer shake the nun''s resolve. Seeing Suthia, who had left her battle form, her face filled with tears and panic, and those eyes, though unfamiliar, had a hint of the rity he knew so well. Held in the nun''s arms, with a gaping hole in his chest, Renji used hisst strength to touch her face. "I told you... in this world....no one understands Thia better.... than me." Chapter 77 77: Sorry, But I Walk The Path Of Darkness Part 1 ? Suthias Miasma Form has been released in chapter 00, Another chapter after 5m Anddd, chapter 79 will be r18, it is my first time writing lemons soo... I hope it is at least not half bad hehe~, and because it is my first time I will make it kinda short. :# ----------- Using Zero to absorb Suthia''s silence, using Tamic to block the dark arrow, and sending his subordinates one by one to "cushion the boss''s blows" still wasn''t enough. As themander, if he continued to hide in the background, it would be too shameful. Renji was determined to exploit each character''s potential to the fullest in order to win the battle, including himself. If conventional emotional appeals didn''t work, Then he would go for something bigger. Renji had nned this step from the start. The only thing that perhaps exceeded his expectations was... ''Pain!'' Intense pain! ''Too damn painful!'' Renji often saw in movies and TV shows characters covered in cold sweat and convulsing after being stabbed, thinking it was an exaggeration. But today, he wasn''t stabbed, he was in a worse state. His entire chest was pierced by the hook w, and his abdomen was shed open by the scythe. The blunt trauma on his flesh made him sweat profusely, and the tearing sensation at the wound was like undergoing surgery without anesthesia. It''s safe to say, if not for [Dragonblood Ignition] forcibly supporting his will, he might have already fainted from the excruciating pain. Even Renji had to admire his own endurance; how he managed to deliver his well-prepared, emotionally charged lines to Suthia in such a state. Perhaps it''s like thispared to his wife. Just a fatal wound, after all! And judging by the results, his sacrifice and efforts were not in vain and achieved an outstanding effect as he had envisioned. Suthia waspletely "controlled" by him, at least at that moment, nothing else existed in the nun''s eyes but him. Regret and pain upied all of Suthia''s emotions,rge teardrops constantly dripping onto her clothes. The nun now had lost the ability to think and react, devoid of any defense. She was just like a little girl who hadmitted an unforgivable mistake. Waiting for her punishment. Anything was fine. Otherwise, Suthia couldn''t forgive herself, couldn''t absolve her sins, couldn''t believe she actually, and so severely, hurt her Love! "Don''t you think... I''m... a terrible person, Thia?" Renji, with his life fading rapidly, asked with hisst breath, this time not scripted but filled with genuine emotion. "How could I..." "It was Thia who cheated first. The terrible one is Thia." Even though the nun deliberately emptied her mind, her body''s instincts still sent her a strong warning. A terrifying attack, so powerful that even she felt threatened, was rapidly approaching from behind. That was Eileen''s crimson greatsword. To be precise, It was the greatsword, nowyered with hundreds of bloody powers. The "Raise a ss" Brand tattoo on the young girl''s back was almost filled with the liquid. Thanks to the time everyone fought to win for her, Eileen, whose panel attack power finally reached A+, now had the ability to defeat Suthia. The qualifications to defeat Suthia, who was in a critical "vessel" state. Facing the iing Eileen, the nun did not resist, did not dodge, she didn''t even turn her head. This was the perfect output space Renji, as themander, had created for Eileen, a moment to end the battle. ''Don''t disappoint me, Eileen'' With hisst bit of strength, Renji twisted his head in Suthia''s embrace, looking towards her back, towards the almost solid crimson greatsword. As Eileen swung it down, it was about to strike the nun''s defenseless back. However, At the veryst moment before the sword could strike, Eileen... changed her stance. She lowered her sword, diverting the furious crimson greatsword from its attack trajectory. Even Renji could feel the anger emanating from the sword, questioning and reprimanding Eileen for not using it. Unfortunately, a sword cannot defy its master, whose soul might be even more tempestuous than itself. Eileen, who changed her action at thest moment, delivered to Suthia not a sword strike but a clenched fist. Often, the mostplex emotions are best expressed in the simplest and most straightforward manner. She, too, was from the Holy Kingdom. She once also believed in the Goddess. Her fist, enveloped in red light, struck Suthia''s face hard. "Wake up!" Bang!* Suthia''s body flew backward like a cannonball. Eileen didn''t pursue her but quickly caught Renji in her arms from mid-air. As she drew closer, the girl finally saw the horrific extent of Renji''s injuries, her mind went nk, her nose tingled, and her eyes instantly reddened and swelled. Just as Eileen was about to embrace Renji, preparing to sob over his seemingly impending death and replicate the grief Suthia had just experienced, Renji shakily raised his finger, and a wave of [Divine Healing] cascaded over his body. Flesh regenerated, wounds healed. Such was the power of [Divine Healing], Suthia''s signature skill as a six-star healer. As long as Renji had a breath left in him, any multitude of injuries could be healed, a perfect match with the life-locking [Dragonblood Ignition]. The fully revived Renji looked at Eileen, who was on the verge of crying but abruptly held back her tears, especially after seeing him, who was on the brink of death just a second ago, now suddenly lively and well. She waspletely stupefied. He patted the girl on the shoulder. After all, fooling his wife with a feigned injury was one thing, but deceiving a friend was another. Suthia struck in the head and falling into the cold, stony sewer,y motionless. Judging by the behavior of the surrounding tainted corpses, which had lost all sense of discipline and reverted to aimless wandering, it was clear that the nun no longer had the strength to control them. Renji returned to Suthia''s side. The nun was staring nkly at the ceiling. "Thia, I never had the chance to tell you this before, but now, I think you can finally listen patiently. I want to tell you that there''s something in your Holy Kingdom that ''they'' don''t have in theirs¡­" "Something... ''they'' don''t have?" Chapter 78 78: Sorry, But I Walk The Path Of Darkness Part 2 At Renji''s direction, No. 86 approached. The maid connected to the entirework of the ckhole ins, or rather, being an "observation body" model, began projecting images from her eyes. In front of Suthia, the scene of the church''s underground library was disyed. A group of knights, led by a captain, broke through the sewer entrance and were fighting the tainted corpses inside. They were making their utmost effort, inching toward Renji''s current location. Tamic immediately recognized these people in No. 86''s projection. "Captain!?" But there was more. The projection of Number 86 quickly switched again, showing Eileen''s mother praying with a cross, showing Durin''s wife fighting against a disease in a hospital, showing the knights sealing and exterminating one hideout of Callewa after another, showing the people spontaneously organizing militias and venturing into the sewers to assist the knights. Just as Tamic had said before, even if the originalrge tree had fallen and could no longer provide shelter from the wind and rain, the seeds she had sown had already scattered with the wind and fallen into various ces, buried in the soil, and there would be more seedlings sprouting. Moreover, even though thisrge tree had withered, it was still releasing itsst nutrients to the surroundings. Otherwise, it couldn''t exin why Callewa could use a cross as a Miasma protection suit, why Eileen''s mother and Durin''s wife both dreamt of being continuously healed by the Holy Light of the goddess, even if it was very faint. For five hundred years, Suthia had been sharing her power with all the citizens of Holy Kingdom, giving it to everyone who prayed to her, helping them resist diseases, and purifying the Miasma contamination. This perhaps exined why the current nun seemed so "weak." "See, you also have something to boast about, Thia." "I really... have?" "Of course. I''m quite proud of you and your Holy Kingdom, Thia. To have such a group of ''foolish'' followers willing to follow you, you''ve done well enough, Thia." "So now... let''s respond to them together, shall we? My Goddess?" Renji extended his hand to Suthia in a gentlemanly manner. And when the nun raised her hand, the young man suddenly produced a ring, a stic ring, and it was clear that it was done in haste, like it was hastily crafted from some discarded stic bottle in the sewer. It''s more urate to say it was a stic ring, at most with a little decorative border. But in Suthia''s eyes... "This, this is!!" "It''s a pity. I had no choice; you chased me so quickly that I had to make this little thing while running. It''s not perfect, but it''ll do for now. I''ll get you a new er!" Renji shrugged helplessly. In the game, he had spent three days and nights grinding a dungeon to get Suthia an exquisite healing ring. However, after Zero joined, he regretted his past actions, wanting to p himself for his poor decision. He had coveted the ring''s additional attributes, so he removed it from Suthia and gave it to his main character, Zero. Later, after getting Zero a new attack ring, the once-premium healing ring became outdated, and he just... forgot about it. Forgot to give it back to her! And melted it down! Suthia shook her head vigorously. To her, this stic ring was as if the most beautiful ring in the world, surpassing any expensive diamond. What moved her even more was that the her Lord still remembered... he really remembered the ring! As Renji was about to put the ring on her. Suthia couldn''t hold back anymore. She could do many things with this body, but this one... she couldn''t. She didn''t want to use this body anymore; she wanted to... Buzz!* Renji only felt a sh in front of his eyes, engulfed by bright white light. A few breathster, as the light faded, he realized his consciousness had been pulled out and transferred. The surroundings were no longer the dpidated, abandoned sewer. But rather... A confession room? Quickly, Renji turned his gaze to the figure standing opposite him in this sacred room... a nun. Her shoulder-length hair was as blue as the ocean. A sacred ribbon cinched her slender waist. Under the hooded robe, there was an innocent and wless face. She blinked at him with purity, but also with shyness and fear, burying her face quickly. This appearance was like enticing someone to "bully" her thoroughly. Renji walked over to her. This time, as he took the nun''s hand again and slid the ring onto her finger, she didn''t resist. Instead, she pursed her lips as if it were a significant ceremony. And Indeed it was. As the ring was ced, in the real world, the contract pattern on the back of Maria''s neck disappeared, in the spiritual world, on the back of the neck of the blue-haired nun facing Renji, the contract brand, worn and fragmented over five hundred years, began to flicker anew. It grew brighter and faster until it finally... Transformed into an unbreakable, brand-new contract. [Ding, due to "unknown reasons", your contracted Eclipse has changed from ''Light Bringer-Maria'' to ''Goddess-Suthia''] Along with the notification sound, it seemed as if screams were echoing from some deeper ce. It was as if the Tainted Miasma energy and consciousness umted inside Suthia over five hundred years were melting away under the renewed light of the contract, like snow under the scorching sun, continuously dissolving, disappearing... annihted. Without the illness, what remained was only... her kindness. Renji finally breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at the little nun who blushed just from his presence and couldn''t even meet his gaze, this was the Suthia he knew. Renji could finally say those words. "Long time no see, Thia" "Really... it''s been a long time¡­ Lord Ashen!" Suthia, turned her little feet inward and nced at her toes, asionally stealing nces at the young man opposite her. Seeing the nun in her most adorable state, Renji suddenly asked: "By the way, Thia, is time in this ce frozenpared to reality?" "Eh? No, but if it''s my Lord''s Wish, Thia can adjust the flow of time. After all, this is just a sea of consciousness." "Then Thia, hurry, adjust it!" Under Renji''s urging, Suthia quickly brought her fingers together, and when she reopened her ocean-blue eyes, she nodded at Renji. "It''s done, My lord. Now our time here is rtively stoppedpared to the outside world, but it can''tst long, only about half an hour." After saying this, Suthia looked at Renji curiously, wondering what her Lord was nning to do. "Half an hour is a bit short, what a pity." Renji muttered, then used the power of the contract to summon chains around Suthia. Before she could react, the chains mped around her limbs, making her unable to move. Actually, it wasn''t necessary to go through such trouble since the contract could make the nunpletely in control. But, let''s say it was for the mood; revenge needed to be staged appropriately. Looking at Suthia now bound and unable to move, Renji pped his hands in satisfaction. " Lord Ashen?" "Hehehe! The loser must ept their punishment, and the victor must enjoy the fruits of victory! You have no right to resist, just surrender like a good girl~!" While mimicking the ssic viinous style, Renji advanced step by step towards the chained nun who he had bound into a cruciform shape. He wanted to return everything he had just endured: being chased by ''Zombies'' throughout the sewer, being impaled by a brutal attack, and what he considered a "man''s humiliation." "Sorry!" "I have always walked the path of darkness!" Meanwhile, Suthia''s neck flushed crimson, spreading to her entire face, making her cheeks as red as ripe apples. She remembered Her Lord did indeed mention correcting her and then... "punishing" her. "My Lord¡­ about these chains..." Suthia''s eyes were watery as she weakly asked. Renji''s answer was straightforward, leaving no room for the nun to argue further. "You see, I''m¡­" "A person who holds grudges, Thia." Chapter 79 79* : The Sinful Sister R18* Firstly first.... this is my first time writing r18 so..... if it is bad tell me so I can improve the future chapters *^ ---------------- "You see, I''m¡­" "A person who holds grudges, Thia." .... .... Renji moved closer, his eyes locking onto Suthia''s with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine. He reached out, tracing a finger along her corbone, eliciting a soft gasp from her. "My Lord~" she whispered, her voice trembling with a blend of pleasure and excitement. "Shh, my dear" Renji purred, leaning in to capture her lips in a passionate kiss. His hands roamed her body, gliding over the curves of her breasts and down to her hips. Suthia moaned softly, unable to resist his touch. As their kiss deepened, Renji slowly began to untie her nun''s habit, unveiling the luscious curves of her body beneath. He admired her beauty, his desire grew bigger with each moment. Her breasts were heaven-defying, impossible to epass with just one hand. Renji''s palms touched them, squeezing, kneading them as if working on dough. "Nngh~?! Huyya~!" Suthia gasped and panted, arching her back under his touch. Her arousal grew, leaving her feeling powerless. "Ohhh, Nhyaaah~?..." she moaned, her eyes half-closed with desire. Renji''s other hand found its way between her thighs, his fingers teasing the edges of her panties. "You''ve been a naughty girl, Thia," he hissed, his breath hot against her neck. "And you know what happens to naughty girls, don''t you?" Renji leaned in, kissing her neck, nibbling on her soft skin, sending shivers through her body. His hands moved to her back, tracing the curves of her ass and thighs, then sliding between her legs to feel her wetness. "My, my, someone''s quite excited~" he chuckled. "Mmm?... My Lord please~ let Thia fell you down there~?" Suthia whimpered, rocking her hips against his hand. "Well, since you asked so nicely..." Renji smirked, sliding a finger inside her honey pot, stirring her depths. Suthia cried out, her body quivering with pleasure, rocking her hips to take his finger deeper. "Good girl~" Renji crooned, with a devilish whisper. "You like that, don''t you? Having my fingers inside you." "Yes, yes, My Lord ... Hyaa~?, it feels so good," Suthia moaned, her head thrown back in bliss. Renji then slowly stripped her from the upper part of her habit and was greeted by a pair of round, soft breasts with cherry-colored nipples, bouncing in rhythm with her movements. His mouth watered as he beheld her chest, and his throbbing arousal left him unable to restrain himself any longer. He had to dominate those magnificent breasts and give them a nice squeeze. "Hyaaaaaa~?¡­" Suthia Arched her back in pleasure, Then, Renji started ying with her cute, fluffy, cherry-colored nipples, pinching and rolling them between his fingers. "Haaah~ Mmh! Ahhn!" Suthia moaned, her body shivering with pleasure. "You''re quite sensitive here heh~" Renji growled, his eyes fixated on her massive melons. Unable to resist any longer, he leaned in and took one of her nipples into his mouth, sucking on it eagerly. Suthia cried out, her voice high and breathless. The sensations overwhelmed her, bringing her closer to the edge. Renji''s tongue swirled around her nipple, and his teeth gently nipped at the sensitive skin. She was lost in pleasure, consumed by the sensation of his mouth on her body. Then, Renji paused his ministrations, standing up to remove his pants. His throbbing erection sprung free, and Suthia licked her lips, her pupils shaping like hearts. The sight of his hard cock took her breath away. She wanted him. She desired him for so long, she fantasized about this moment for so long, and now ¡­ ''it is really happening~? '' Renji leaned forward, his lips barely touching her ear. "I''m going to take my revenge now~? and you''re going to love every second of it" he growled. "My Lord, please punish bad Thia, pls punish me until you are satisfied~?" she breathed, her voice quivering with desire. "That''s my girl~?" Renji said in a husky voice with a smirk on his face. Then, he pushed his cock into her tight, wet pussy. "AHHNNN!!!~~ ?" Suthia screamed as he prated her. She felt her walls stretching around him, arching her back to take him deeper, as bloody stream downed from her honey pot. After witnessing this, Renji''s sadistic side burned even more. Renji grunted, gripping her hips as he thrust into her harder. "So tight," he groaned. The room reverberated with the sounds of their bodies colliding, skin pping against skin as Renji fervently made love to her. Suthia could barely catch her breath, the overwhelming pleasure washing over her like a tidal wave. Renji leaned in, his lips finding her neck, and he whispered in her ear with a wicked grin, "You''re mine now; I will never leave you again~" he growled, his voice low and brimming with desire. "I''m all yours, My Lord~, Thia only belong to you?" she whimpered, her body quivering with anticipation. "Good girl~" he purred. Then, he started to pick up the pace, his thrusts bing harder and faster. Suthia moaned loudly, her voice echoing off the walls of the room. Her eyes were screwed shut, her body writhing in pleasure. Seeing the nun in this sorry state, Renji''s sadistic side awakened. He grabbed her legs, spreading them as wide as they could go, and continued thrusting into her. Suthia screamed, her body convulsing as he thrust it into her harder and faster. She was on the edge, teetering on the brink of release. Then, he suddenly pulled out, and before she could react, he flipped her onto her stomach. He grabbed her ass, spreading her cheeks apart, his eyes fixated on her exposed pussy. Then, he mmed his cock back into her, his balls pping against her clit with each thrust. "HHYAAA~?!!!" Suthia moaned, her voice hoarse from screaming. her body shaking and her melons moving left to right as he fucked her relentlessly. He could feel her walls tightening around his cock, signaling her impending climax. Leaning in, he whispered in her ear with a seductive tone: "Thia~ Come for me, my dear" "Hyaaaaaaa~?" And with that, Suthia surrendered to her climax, her body spasming and her voice reduced to a passionate whisper. Her pussy clenched around his cock tightly, making him release inside her at the same time. As their climaxes subsided, the chains that had bound Suthia were released, and the two of themy side by side, breathless and panting. Suthia''s eyes sparkled with satisfaction, her face flushed, and a contented smile yed upon her lips. "My Lord~ ? " she breathed softly. Then, with sharp eyes, Suthia gazed at her lord''s manhood, still powerful and full of energy. She leaned down, her warm breath hitting his member, Then give it a little loving kiss, She started licking the tip of his dick like a kitten. "Agh~!" Renji shuddered, and excitement once again hit him down there. He had juste, and his little brother was way too sensitive for such things, but this nun, she was driving him crazy. "Mmmm~?" Suthia purred with satisfaction, her eyes half-closed as she worked her magic on Renji''s throbbing cock. Her lips encircled the tip, her talented tongue dancing over the sensitive flesh. Renji''s hips couldn''t help but buck involuntarily, his hands entangled in her silky ocean-like hair. Suthia skillfully bobbed her head up and down, taking him in all the way to the base. Renji''s moans filled the room, his breathing growing ragged with every passing moment. He grunted, unable to contain the pleasure building within him. As she pulled back, a glistening trail of saliva connected her lips to the tip of Renji''s cock. "Delicious," she murmured, a wicked smile on her lips. Then, she started to stroke his rod with her hand while licking his ballsack. The pleasure was unbearable for Renji. "You are quite skillful my sinful Thia" he groaned, his body trembling with pleasure. Unable to take the overwhelming pleasure any longer, Renji''s eyes darkened with lust as he grabbed her head as he let out another load inside her. "Hhggh!!" The sensation was so intense and blissful, it felt like he was floating. His seed was thick, warm, and sticky. Renji moaned loudly as he filled her throat. She tried to swallow it all, but it was simply too much, and it spilled out of her mouth, dripping onto her massive chest. Renji let out a long breath as his grip rxed, his heart pounding in his chest. Then Renji gentlyid Suthia on the side as he started fondling her breasts with his hands. He squeezed and rubbed them, loving the feeling of the soft flesh between his fingers. Suthia moaned, her nipples stiffening from the stimtion. He licked his lips at the sight, then leaned down to kiss the nipple on her right breast, flicking his tongue over it. He suckled the teat and teased the sensitive tip with his tongue. He then gave her other nipple the same treatment. Renji''s cock throbbed as he continued ying with her tits, squeezing them together and sucking on them. He loved the feel and sensation of her massive melons. He couldn''t resist the temptation, and he soon found himself pushing his manhood between herrge mounds. The feeling of his rod pressing against her flesh was amazing. He began thrusting his hips, his manhood sliding between her breasts. "Oh, Nice..." Renji moaned as he fucked her tits. He couldn''t believe how good it felt. "Your breasts are incredible Thia" he said sweetly to theying nun beneath him. "Mmmmm... I''m d you like them My Lord~?" she replied shyly. She was clearly enjoying the sensation of having her tits squeezed and used by her lord. Her face was flushed with pleasure. He continued thrusting, his balls pping against her breasts with every stroke. "Hhhhggh! Aah! Aaah! Mhhhh!~ ?" With each thrust, the tip of his penis wille into contact with her lips. She kissed and licked the head of his dick, causing him to grunt with pleasure. Renji was in heaven. The feeling was unlike anything he had experienced before. "Aah~!!" His thrusts grew faster and harder, and his breathing grew heavier. His eyes were clouded with lust as he pounded her breasts. He could feel the tension building within him, his body preparing for release. "I''m gonna cum!" he gasped. "Hhhhmmm!!!" And then, the pressure that had been building up inside him suddenly exploded. He moaned loudly, his whole body trembling as he released his load onto her chest and neck. She looked absolutely stunning covered in his white cum. He had never felt such an intense orgasm before. But it was far from ending... The tension that Suthia brought to him was just that big... "Get on your hands and knees" he growled. Suthia quickly obeyed, positioning herself on her hands and knees, her ass raised invitingly. "Like this, my lord~??" she asked with a sluttery tone. "Yes" Renji growled. Suthia purred. She spread her cheeks, revealing her exposed pussy. Then he got up, positioning his cock at the entrance of her dripping cunt, ready for another round¡­. Chapter 80 80: Declaration Of War Fixed Subus Demon Queen Lena, And Solo Miasma Form Suthia, has been released in chapter 00 Nova the Empress of Dragon will be released in the next chapter... ------------- "Fire! Keep firing as long as you can breathe! We must block these monsters! They must not break out!" "We are thest and only line of defense for the entire ckhole ins!" With the loss of the priest and the disappearance of Suthia, the tainted corpses in the sewers werepletely unrestrained and began to surge outward. Durin''s team of knights, stationed at the sewer outlet, unleashed a barrage of gunfire at the oing tainted corpses. Initially, they were able to hold and even suppress the horde of Tainted Corpse,rgely due to the "Holy Armors" worn by the pdins. Powered by "Holy Crosses" these exoskeleton armors granted formidable strength, making it possible to withstand the assault. However, as time passed, the "Holy Cross" as an energy source grew dimmer and less usable. The defense line of the knights was also on the verge of copse. Durin, forced into a corner, ordered the others to retreat while he continued to control the Holy Armor with thest piece of "Holy Cross" to buy time for hisrades. But the sound of gunfire behind him did not stop; it became even more intense. All the members of the knights, acting as one, chose to stand their ground. Even though the "crosses" that served as their protective suits had run out of energy, the dense Tainted Corpses in the sewer were eroding them second by second. ''Is this our end?'' Durin was unwilling to ept this fate, but he could only watch as thest "Holy Cross" his energy source, was about to extinguish. Buzz!* Originally, the Holy Cross was supposed to be dim andpletely extinguished. But in this moment, it began to rapidly flicker, and then, like a roller coaster, it started to shine brightly. The depleted holy power inside it was suddenly replenished, and it became incredibly strong! "What... What''s happening!?" Not only Durin''s Holy Cross but also the crosses on the chests of all the knights seemed to respond simultaneously. At the same moment, they emitted an unparalleled sacred radiance. "It''s Goddess Suthia, it must be the Goddess doing!" "The Goddess has noticed us! The Goddess is watching us!" "I knew it, Our Divine Lady didn''t forget us. The Goddess has bestowed her power upon us!" "Charge! Attack!" "For Lady Suthia! for the Goddess, for our holy kingdom!" This scene was not just happening in the sewers at the tainted corpse frontline. In the intensive care unit of the biggest Hospital in ckhole in, Susan, a wife indirectly controlled by the priest through Tainted Miasma and tormented by illness, rxed her furrowed brow in hera. The contamination in her body was rapidly cleansed by holy light, eventuallypletely cured. This time, Susan could finally sleep peacefully without enduring pain. At Eileen''s home, Nn looked out the window to see rain in the skies over ckhole ins. No, it wasn''t just there. It was raining throughout the entire Holy Kingdom. But it wasn''t ordinary rain. It was golden rain. In the year 537 of the Ashen Era, the Holy Kingdom, one of the five major powers on the northwest side of the continent, witnessed a miracle. For all those devout in their faith in Suthia, this rain was a joyous celebration. Of course, for those traitorous, heartless false believers, it was a long-overdue but finally arrived prelude to judgment. Knights across the Holy Kingdom advanced triumphantly, clearing the darkness, expelling the Tainted Miasma, achieving victory after victory.'' ¡­ ¡­.. However, As their Goddess, Suthia was repeatedly defeated in "battle", captured by a certain young man, with numerous precious defeat CGs of the nun. Good times are always short-lived. In the confessional room, Suthia lying in Renji''s arms, the defeated nun after the ''battle'', had no strength left, not even to lift a finger. After all, Renji never lies. He always does what he says. "My Lord, what are you writing?" Suthia, sprawled in Renji''s arms, askednguidly, not out ofziness but sheer exhaustion. She believed the holy light would forgive her... surely! Just a littleziness for now, she thought, and snuggled closer into Renji''s arms like a clingy kitten. "I''m writing an autobiography, something to leave for future generations. Since I''m also a great emperor, I might as well imitate my predecessors." "Autobiography... following the example of predecessors?" This piqued Suthia''s curiosity. She peeked out from Renji''s embrace and looked at what he was writing in a notebook. [The taste of a Goddess is really something ¡ª Emperor Ashen] Suthia: "." "Cough cough, alright, alright, Thia, tell me what has happened in these five hundred years I was gone. What about ''them''?" Renji coughed and then put away the diary from the sea of consciousness, sneakily watching the nun''s reaction to the word "them" as he asked. Fortunately. It seemed Suthia had been thoroughly "purified" by him and didn''t show any sick or possessive expressions, but rather... Worry. "After the My Lord disappeared, the contract lost its power too. I don''t know if it''s because I was too weak, but every night, I felt as if a strange ''voices'' were echoing in my ears, magnifying the void in my soul, luring me towards corruption" "If it wasn''t for Sister Miyuki, who found me three hundred years ago and made me aware of this, I might have fallen even faster" "Wait, Miyuki?" As Suthia mentioned this name, Renji remembered an elven knight. "Yes,ter, Sister Miyuki told me that the only way to resist the corruption of Tainted Miasma was to sleep. So, I sealed myself in the confessional room and hibernated to prevent further contamination" "Actually, even before that, apart from Sister ''Lena'', the other sisters had also rarely appeared. They left their powers to be managed by their subordinates. Thinking back, it must be that Sister Miyuki had also warned them" ''Hmm¡­'' After listening to Thia, Renji nodded. ''This indeed sounded like something Miyuki would do. In my former team, even though she was thest to join, Miyuki yed the trusted "mother" role for everyone'' Perhaps it was due to Miyuki''s "guardian" profession. This noble elven knight had no airs and was particrly fond of taking care of others. Therefore, it could be said that among the five of them, Miyuki had the bestmunicated skills. As for his other wives Suthia mentioned, "Thia, from what you said, is Lena not in hibernation? Is she still active? How does she handle the Tainted Miasma pollution?" Unfortunately, the nun couldn''t answer that. "I don''t know about that. Maybe Sister Lena has some other way of... of venting the pollution?" If there was anyone Suthia least got along with among the five, it would likely be Lena. It wasn''t that they had a big conflict, but rather that one symbolized purity as a nun, and the other, well, symbolized desire as a subus. Their very natures meant they couldn''t get along well. Just mentioned, Miyuki was the most popr among the five, then undoubtedly, the least popr would be the subus, Lena. ''Headache'' ''Such a headache!'' He thoughting to the "second ythrough" was for fun, ''But look at this... Well, looking at the beautiful nun naked in my arms, I suppose... it could be considered fun! Thia''s hands were tender and soft! Thia''s feet were fragrant and squishy! Thia''s, well, Thia''s mound is quite the site to admire, quite ample indeed! "It''s okay, Thia, don''t worry. I''ll handle everything!" "But, but My Lord, you just used Sister Nova''s power again, I''m kinda afraid she might..." The nun worriedly drew circles on the young man''s chest. While Renji simply waved his hand. "It''s okay, I trust Nova. She''s always been the big sister figure, very measured in her actions, with great leadership skills. Besides, now that she''s be the Empress of the Dragon Kingdom, ruling the continent''s most powerful military, she''s naturally bound by such authority and definitely can''t spare the time!" "Hmm¡­." "But just to be safe, let''s make the most of our time and continue to ''purify'' the Miasma from you. The sooner you can truly leave the confessional room, the sooner I''ll feel confident. Then, together, we''ll bring back your sisters!" Suthia:"Mhm, mhm!" Thia nodded like a pecking chicken, only to realize what he meant by ''purification'' when Renji''s hands started ying with her body again. The little nun''s face turned red again, but she had no choice; after all, it was for ''purification!'' It was to help My Lord regain his power and to purify my sisters as soon as possible! ''Yes!'' The thought of having such impure thoughts made her believe she deserved a harsher ''punishment!'' Just as the confessional was about to be filled with pink holy light again, Suddenly. A series of urgent, new holy lights started flickering from the walls of the confessional room. Renji, albeit slightly unhappy to be interrupted, could tell from Suthia''s serious expression that this "transmission holy light" must be important. Indeed, because only in moments of existential crisis would the church''s highest echelons use such a method to forcibly awaken the Goddess and seek her guidance. Realizing this, Renji also quickly adjusted his expression, frowning deeply. Even though Suthia had recovered much of her holy light power, ''why would there be...'' ''Suddenly such a great crisis again?'' ''And to the point of existential one for the nation?'' Renji and Suthia opened the transmission holy light together. The message inside was very rushed and clearly filled with immense tension and urgency. However, the content was short, even just a single sentence, a trembling one. "Goddess Suthia, just now, the Dragon Kingdom suddenly delivered a diplomatic document to us, they... they have formally" "Dered war on us!" Chapter 81 81: Empress Nova (Part 1) ? Subus Demon Queen Lena, And Solo Miasma Form Suthia, has been released in chapter 00 Nova the Empress of Dragon will be released in the next chapter... ------- Another chapter after 20m. Dragon Nation. Imperial Capital. This is the ce countless people in the Dragon Nation dream ofing to, and it is undoubtedly thergest city in the Dragon Nation. Here, it is abundant and bustling, with clean and tidy streets, and a dazzling array of shops and stores lining both sides of the road. There is a wide variety of goods, making it a feast for the eyes. People dressed in a decent manner gather in groups on the streets, chatting andughing. Luxurious beast-drawn carriagese and go, each carriage carrying wealthy and influential figures, making the capital lively and bustling. Of course, there are also the fully armed Imperial Guards in uniforms patrolling the various alleys of the capital to maintainw and order and punish wrongdoers. The Imperial Capital, as far as the eye can see, is a picture of peace and prosperity, seemingly demonstrating the flourishing state of the Dragon Nation to all visitors. Perhaps that''s why so many people from the Dragon Nation flock to the Imperial Capital, seeing settling here as a lifelong dream¡­ After all, even if it''s superficial, even if it''s an illusion, it''s still beautiful, isn''t it? The Imperial Pce in the Imperial Capital. If the capital is the heart of the Dragon Nation, then the Imperial Pce is undoubtedly the heart of the capital, the most crucial ce. The reason is simple. Just one. The Empress is here. This ce is the pce of the founding Empress of the Dragon Nation, the supreme monarch Nova, who stands above millions. Today, the Imperial Pce wees a scene that hasn''t been seen in centuries. The vast "Dragon Hall" is filled to the brim with people. The identities of these people are well-known to any somewhat cultured citizen: the Minister of Finance, senior internal affairs officials, the Supreme Judiciary, themander of the Forbidden Army. Any one of these ministers and officials, whose names alone could intimidate many, are all gathered together. Despite their usual arrogance and dominance, they are all trembling and dare not even breathe loudly at this moment. Because they all know. Something has happened. And it''s big. "Your Majesty! I... I hope to get an exnation, to let myself and my soldiers understand why we suddenly started a war, and why we are attacking the Holy Kingdom, initiating aggression!" A burly man dressed as a general stepped forward from the ranks of civil and military officials. He half-knelt below the Dragon Throne and, with a loud and firm voice, dared to request an audience from the woman high above the hall, seated on the Dragon Throne. However, the woman, on the other hand, had one hand casually resting on the armrest of the throne, rhythmically tapping it, while the other hand supported her chin. Her fiery red long hair cascaded down from the throne, reaching the ground. The deep brown dragon horns that rose on both sides of her crown were shiny and majestic, symbolizing her noble status. The woman kept her eyes closed throughout, and below the split in her ck qipao were two white long legs stacked on top of each other. Thebination of red hair, ck robe, and white skin created a striking visual contrast and impact. The faint eye shadow at the corners of her eyes was like ink painting, adding a final touch to her picturesque appearance, exuding a ssical charm. Seeing that the Empress had not responded and continued to rest her eyes, General Long, with his head lowered, mustered the courage to persist in his words. His voice, although lower, along with his subsequent words, shocked everyone in the Dragon Hall. "If her Majesty cannot give me an answer, then I implore Your Majesty to retract the diplomatic document to the Holy Kingdom and withdraw the deration of war against Holy Kingdom!" This statement caused an uproar in the Dragon Hall. In the hearts of the officials and ministers present, there was only one word left to describe General Long: (insane. He was definitely insane!) (To dare to question the Empress, and in her presence!) As expected. As thest syble of Long''s words fell, the woman on the Dragon Throne finally opened her purple eyes. In an instant, everyone in the Dragon Hall felt a shiver from the depths of their souls. It was an oppressive feeling from an absolute superior. As the woman''s gaze swept over them after opening her eyes, each person''s legs went weak, and they wished they could prostrate themselves. The overwhelming sense of being on a different level of existence made them feel like ants before the Empress on the Dragon Throne. Fortunately, this aura of the Empress was quickly withdrawn, or rather, it was directed at just one person. General Long, who had just requested her to retract her order. The man known as the Dragon Kingdom''s top general, themander of the Dragon Army, which was arguably the strongest army on the continent, and the one who made countless people tremble with fear, was now sweating profusely. He clenched his teeth and felt the Empress''s gaze locked onto him. Just that gaze felt like a thousand-pound boulder pressing down on him, making it hard for him to breathe, his shoulders ached, and his whole body trembled. But even in this state, General Long did not yield, did not relent. He remained half-kneeling, using his knees to support his body, preventing himself from beingpletely crushed. He conveyed his determination to the Empress in this way, hoping she would listen to his advice. After a few breaths, the woman on the Throne seemed to lose interest, retracting her gaze and closing her eyes again. Below, General Long finally felt relieved, gasping for breath. His heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was about to explode. ''Is this the Empress? Is this the power and pressure of Empress Nova? What kind of person am I iming to be the strongest in the Dragon Kingdom when I couldn''t even withstand her Majesty''s gaze?'' While Long was still trembling, another minister in the Dragon Hall, who saw that the Empress had ended the interaction with General Long, stood up from the assembly. It was the minister in charge of internal affairs, Charl. "Your Majesty, please disregard the cowardly and timid pleas of some. The true citizens of the Dragon Nation, from top to bottom, are willing to exert all their strength to assist Your Majesty in conquering the Holy Kingdom!" "I have already instructed the city treasuries to increase military pay allocations and be ready to recruit and expand the army at any time. In one week... no, within three days, our army can be at the gates, all the way to the Holy Kingdom''s door!" Charl spoke with respect for the Empress, but many officials in the rear of the Dragon Hall, upon hearing Charl''s words, especially the words "military pay" and "expanding the army," had their faces turn unpleasant, and some even showed signs of anger. Of course, most of them concealed their true feelings with a mask of joy, but they did so quite skillfully. After all, "Charl! On such a matter that will affect the Our Nation, even causing chaos throughout the continent, do you still intend to be corrupt, to engage in your despicable methods of extortion?" "Do you still want to ask each city for military pay? Don''t you know that there''s no money left in the cities? Don''t you know that most of the people in each city are already struggling to make ends meet, barely having enough to eat and wear!?" Even in the presence of the Empress, Long could no longer contain himself. He stood up and shouted at the fat minister beside him. The general was furious, his eyes wide with anger. Seeing that Charlpletely ignored him, Long turned his head and knelt heavily in front of the Empress this time, not just a half-kneel, but a full one. "Your Majesty, we must not expand the army any further. The army and its soldiers, no matter how many there are, are like a boat. The people are like water. Even if we build thergest boat, if there''s no water, even the most powerful warship bes a decoration!" "Your Majesty, the Dragon Kingdom is already riddled with a thousand wounds. The people are suffering, famines are widespread, and disasters, big and small, are continuous. Yet they fail to receive the necessary disaster relief and poverty alleviation. It is because of these ipetent bureaucrats that people in various ces have started to resent Your Majesty. Some arrogant and scheming people are even seizing the opportunity to incite the public, under the guise of righteousness, forming private armies, attempting to overthrow Your Majesty and subvert the Dragon Kingdom." "Your Majesty! What our nationcks now is not aggression and war with others. We should first ensure internal stability before we can think of expanding our influence externally. Taking advantage of your rare presence in the Dragon Hall, I implore you to abolish very, establish a monitoring office, clean up all those who are corrupt and abuse thew, and eliminate those who are eating away at the Dragon Nation from within. Meanwhile, I will personally lead the Dragon Army to eradicate the rebels, those who deceive the public and are traitors, and restore a true era of peace and prosperity to our Nation!" Chapter 82 82: Empress (Part 2) ? Another chapter after 1h. ---- After this heartfelt speech, Long could clearly sense the hostile and murderous gazes from behind him. These gazes came from the so-called high-ranking officials and ministers. Because he had exposed this window in front of the Empress, punctured the false prosperity they had painted for her, and touched their cake of interests. However, General Long was not afraid. He had the confidence of being the strongest ''Relic User'' in this "strength is supreme" Dragon Nation. In this "strength is supreme" Dragon Kingdom, any conspiracy or trickery was futile in the face of absolute power. So, no matter how dissatisfied those bureaucratic ministers were with him and how they gnashed their teeth, they all failed. However, it was precisely because of the absolute belief in "strength is supreme" that very had been allowed to exist. It had led to the loss of basic protection for the weak, causing the current copse of the nation. When General Long learned that the Empress had once again personally issued an order tounch a war against the Holy Kingdom, he was initially shocked and confused. However, he quickly realized that this was an opportunity to advise the Empress and prevent her from being blinded by malevolent people around her. It was a chance to save his beloved home! "How dare you! Audacious! Your Majesty, I request that the Imperial Guards immediately drag General Long out of the Dragon Hall and behead him as a warning to others!" "How can such a blind person hold such a high position? General Long, can''t you see the prosperity and grandeur of the Imperial Capital outside? Are the happy smiles on the faces of the people on the streets fake? Are the thriving businesses and shops also fake? Are they¡­" Charl wanted to vehemently refute Long''s words, but he quickly stopped himself and shut his mouth, not daring to say another word. This was because the Empress had stopped tapping her fingers on the armrest of the Dragon Throne. Everyone held their breath. These ministers and high-ranking officials who governed the Dragon Nation understood very well that every word the Empress uttered next would determine the future course of events and their own life or death. Finally. The woman on the Dragon Throne spoke. "I will not retract the deration of war against Holy Kingdom." With these words, Charl and many of the ministers and officials in the rear of the hall breathed a sigh of relief and felt ted. They wanted war, and it seemed like they were going to get it. However, before they could begin their fantasies about the war, the next words from the Empress sent a chill down their spines, like being doused in icy water. "As for the reason... General Long, what if I told you that I possess something of utmost importance, but it appears that the Holy Kingdom has managed to seize it before us? What would you do?" "I, as your loyal servant, would personally lead the army to crush Holy Kingdom and retrieve that thing intact, to present it once again to Your Majesty!" Long replied without hesitation. "Good." "As a reward, if you can truly aplish this, then I will fulfill all the reforms you proposed. No one will be able to obstruct you. Is that eptable?" Excitement flickered in Long''s eyes, even though he was a middle-aged veteran. In this moment, he felt his blood boiling with enthusiasm. Because with the Empress''s promise, this was the hope of the Dragon Nation. As long as he could win this war and recover the lost thing for the Empress, it would be equivalent to saving the Dragon Kingdom from its dire straits. General Long silently apologized to Holy Kingdom and to those who could foresee the countless families that would be destroyed, the homeless, and the disced due to the impending war. He had previously rejected the war because he couldn''t see any hope and believed it would be the straw that broke the camel''s back. But now, the nature of the war had changed in his eyes. It had be thest straw for those drowning in despair. "I shall not disappoint Your Majesty!" "I will sweep through Holy Kingdom within a month!" ... ..... - Imperial Capital, Charl''s Mansion. This ce is the residence of Charl, the Minister of Internal Affairs, a man of immense power and authority, second only to the Empress herself. After the audience in the Dragon Hall concluded, everyone hurriedly left, not daring to dy. They were all preupied with thoughts on how to preserve their own interests and seize opportunities in the uing chaos, aiming to reap the greatest benefits from this era''s tumultuous waves. "Father, do you think what the her Majesty said was true? What exactly did the Empress lose in the Holy Kingdom? Why are we so unaware of it all of a sudden?" As soon as he returned home, Charl''s son, Tian, couldn''t hold back his curiosity. With his lower status and even lesser courage in the Dragon Hall, he was now eagerly questioning his influential father. On the other hand, Charl, who was corpulent withyers of fat, making even the loosest clothes appear tight and stretched, shook his head. Despite his unimpressive physique and appearance, he narrowed his eyes thoughtfully and said: "The Empress has no reason to deceive us. Even someone as stubborn as General Long isn''t significant enough to warrant her Majesty fabricating a reason to appease him. So it''s highly likely true. As for what her Majesty lost..." This was what truly baffled Charl. Knowing the Empress well, this was the first time he had heard her use the word "important" to describe something, even preceding it with "extremely." ''This is quite unusual!'' You see, since three hundred years ago, it seemed as if the Empress had lost interest in everything in the world. She had almost entirely left the Dragon Nation to its own devices, entrusting all internal affairs to them. From then on, she began her seclusions in the Imperial Pce,sting decades at a time. On the rare asions she emerged, she would merely stare nkly at the sky before retreating back to her pce. "Perhaps... it''s an extremely powerful ''relic''?" Charl could only think of this possibility after careful consideration. After all, the Empress had once been the personal guard of the "Great Emperor" and the only thing that could truly pique her interest and seriousness was likely a relic left by her "Great Emperor." Beside him, Tian''s small eyes immediately lit up when he heard his father''s words. Although he was young, his physique was already showing signs of deterioration due to his indulgent lifestyle. It was evident that he would soon follow in his father''s footsteps in terms of physique. "If the Empress is interested in this relic, it must be incredibly powerful! Father, if we could secretly hide this ''relic'' and then use it for ourselves when we find it in the Holy Kingdom..." Tian began to fantasize. After all, the Dragon Nation''s immense strength was built upon relics. In the two hundred years before its founding, the Empress had ordered the relentless plunder of relics left by the Great Emperor, collecting them from all corners of the world and bringing them into her Nation. Later on, because of therge number of relics, even though the vast majority of peoplecked the ability to use relics, there were always one or two people with extraordinary talents who could control relics. These peoples were granted the knowledge of using relics by the Empress and were called Relic Users. Without exception, they were all incredibly powerful, and depending on the type of relic, they were granted various abilities. So now Tian was fantasizing about obtaining this powerful relic and bing a Relic User who could surpass even General Long. Chapter 83 83: Demon Queen ? However, his dream had not even begun to take shape when a pnded on his face. Smack! "Father?" Knocked to the ground by the p, Tian held his half of his face in pain, looking at his father, who was like a mountain, with a look of grievance and confusion. " Brat, in this Nation, you can provoke anyone except for one person. Do you need me to tell you who that person is?" "No, no need, Father. I won''t dare to show any disrespect to Her Majesty the Empress again." Seeing his son crying and apologizing while kowtowing, Charl impatiently waved his hand. "That''s enough. You should go organize manpower for further tax collection and call for donations. We''ll stick to the old routine: nobles return seventy percent of their wealth, whilemoners hand over thirty percent... alright, let''s make it forty percent." "In the Dragon Hall, General Long did say one thing correctly. Our Nation ship is indeed running low on water. I was worried about this before. But now, as long as we swallow Holy Kingdom and incorporate its poption, we won''t have to worry about the poption issue for at least the next three hundred years." The more Tian listened, the greedier his eyes became. He rubbed his hands together, his eyes shimmering with lust and desire. "Father, I heard that the Holy Kingdom has many nuns. This is a novelty that our Dragon Kingdom doesn''t have. When the timees, we can capture a few of them as ves, and..." "Well, indeed. Even the Orc ves have be boring. The Catfolk and Dogfolk are practically extinct. It''s time to change our tastes and find some recements." Charl stroked his beard. Sometimes, Orcs, despite their different appearance, weren''t necessarily worse than other creatures in their hearts. "Alright, go on. I need to make preparations on my end as well." "Father, what are you nning?" "Haven''t you heard what the Empress said in the Dragon Hall? If that guy General Long truly finds the ''relic'' the Empress wants in the Holy Kingdom, he''ll definitelye after me first!" "So, we do need General Long''s help to invade the Holy Kingdom, plunder resources and poption. But we can''t let him seed too easily. Ideally, we should make sure he never finds the lost ''relic'' and can''t bring it to the Empress." "Yes, yes, you''re absolutely right, Father!" Tian nodded vigorously, recalling General Long''s speech about a "great purification" and shuddering. .... ... However, the problem was that the Holy Kingdom''s strength was iparable to that of their Dragon Nation. Even though the Holy Kingdom was one of the original creations by the supreme being who had served the Great Emperor, if that holy maiden dared to take action, Charl believed that Empress Nova would not sit idly by and would respond ordingly. It is universally acknowledged in the world that among the five supreme beings, their Empress is undoubtedly the strongest in terms ofbat power, and the goddess of the Holy Kingdom is no match for her. With this in mind, the Holy Kingdom seems to have no chance of winning. Even if they wanted to act as inside agents to help the Holy Kingdom dy General Long''s advances, it seems nearly impossible. To this, Charl responded with a coldugh. "Do you think I intentionally let those troublesome rebel and insurgent forces survive for nothing? It''s time for them to serve a purpose for us." In the heart of the continent lies the Sin City. The world''srgest neutral city, viewed as paradise by criminals and a holynd by exiles. Here, people can freely indulge in any desire. This city satisfies all kinds of fantasies and needs. At the center of the Sin CityCapital stands a magnificent and towering spire. The Sin CityQueen Tower. At the very top of the tower resides the ruler of this city of freedom and chaos, the Queen of the Sin City, Lena. As the center of the continent, Sin City gathers various races and powers, and people from all around the World. Naturally, over time, it has be thergest intelligence center, with an extensive and powerfulwork of information spreading across the world. Consequently, at the top of the Demon Queen Tower, within the managing [Upper Council] of the Sin City, all council members were present at an urgent meeting. "The Dragon Nation is simply acting recklessly! Has their Empress gone mad?" "Exactly, does she even realize what she''s doing? Dering war? Does she intend to annihte the Holy Kingdom?" "I''ve been telling you all along, that Empress is cruel and tyrannical, ruling with an iron fist. Everyone in the Dragon Kingdom wants to overthrow her rule!" A member who clearly belonged to the Orc race, his eyes bloodshot with resentment, spoke passionately. "We can''t just stand by! The Sin City must intervene! We can''t let this war engulf us, and we mustn''t set a precedent for annexation. If the Dragon Nation gets a taste for it, what if they be greedy and target the Sin City next?" "Reconsider!" "Reconsider!" Unusually, in the voting that followed, many members reached a unanimous decision. However, the more pressing issue was how to stop the Dragon Nation. Tap. Tap, tap. The crisp sound of high heels echoed in the inner corridor of the council. This made all the members who had been debating and arguing about intervention ns stop and turn their attention to the corridor with a mix of nervousness, excitement, and even admiration. That corridor was reserved for their Queen. A graceful and slender figure, fluttering wings beating lightly behind her, two beautiful horns rising from her short pink hair, distinct from dragon horns,cking the same majesty and aggressiveness. These horns were curved, forming a seductive curve, just like her mistress. Under her long and fluffy eyshes were bright, sparkling eyes. Her rosy lips were fine but not thin, perfectly proportioned, igniting an irresistible me with just a nce. Not to mention the swaying, asionally appearing and disappearing, cute and slender flesh-colored tail behind her. At the tip of the tail, it formed a heart shape, not hanging in the air, but hooking directly onto the hearts of the members. Lena hade here for just one sentence. Her stance on the war between the Dragon Nation and the Holy Kingdom, whether it was world chaos, a sh of the supreme, the destruction of the Holy Kingdom, or a domino effect of devastation, was simple and clear. "It doesn''t matter. I''ll join the fun~" Chapter 84 84: Capture The Thief First ? Chapter 84: Capture the Thief First then.... I can see it now. You guys, each and every one of you, really have a unique talent! Renji, who woke up in surprise from his near-death experience, sat up in his bed at the hospital. When he opened his eyes, he couldn''t help but grit his teeth. The young man''s movement immediately woke up the girls lying on either side of his bed, vigntly watching over him. "Boowaa*, old timer, you finally woke up!" [Master, you''re back!] Number 86 eximed with a sigh of relief. After the battle in the church''s underground, Renji lingered a bit too long in the sea of consciousness, relishing his joy a bit too much. As a result, his physical body remainedatose, so he waster transferred to the hospital. In theory, Renji should have been in aa for at least another day and night to fully enjoy the fruits of victory. However, he was forcibly awakened just as it was getting dark, which made him quite annoyed. But there was nothing he could do. The Dragon Nation had dered war directly, and the Holy Kingdom, which had just witnessed the "miracle" of Suthia, was now plunged into a major crisis of being wiped out again. ''Nova did not disappoint me¡­'' ''This Vanguard Dragon Maiden made a big move as soon as I arrived'' Renji recalled the praises he had just given Nova in front of Suthia, something along the lines of "how could she still be a brute after bing an Empress" However, he was swiftly pped in the face. Harsh. Too harsh! But he had to admit that being a brute had an immediate effect. At the very least, it made Renjipletely lose the chance to get close to the little nun again. After all, Suthia, who learned about this news, was directly in a state of panic. The Holy Kingdom was herbor of love for the past five hundred years, and she had treated it like her own child. Seeing it now being bullied by someone else, Suthia couldn''t sit still. She almost cked out again, rolled up her sleeves, and was about to go to the Dragon Nation to reason with Nova. It can be seen that although the Yandere attribute has indeed been greatly weakened, it is impossible topletely cure it. Suthia''s aggressiveness has increased significantlypared to five hundred years ago, and she can''t handle too much stimtion. Renji continued tofort Suthia, assuring her with pats on his chest, telling her not to worry. He instructed her to continue purifying the contamination and pollution with the new contract in the Confession Room, leaving everything else to him. He promised that the Holy Kingdom would be safe, confident that he could easily handle the situation with Dragon Nation and Nova on his own. His reassurance stabilized Suthia, keeping the situation under control. Though Renji enjoyed watching women fight, he didn''t like seeing his own women in battle. Despite hisints, Renji couldn''t really me Nova. After all, the Dragon Maiden''s original role as a Vanguard was ¡ª ''Tyrant.'' If a nun could be tainted into a yandere after five hundred years, he could only imagine what a Dragon Maiden, who was originally a ''Tyrant,'' would turn into. Renji stopped deluding himself. Snapping back to reality and observing Eileen and Zero, it seemed that the news of the ''deration of war'' hadn''t reached them yet. Indeed, revealing such significant news directly could potentially throw the entire Holy Kingdom into chaos. With time being of the essence, Renji quickly exined the situation to the two and got out of bed. He didn''t want his actions to lead to a devastating war between the two. This was when the advantages of a mechanical being over a human were apparent. While Eileen was in a state of shock after hearing the news, Zero processed it quickly, or rather, recorded it as data without any additional emotions, making things much easier for Renji. "Zero, contact Maria for me. I need to see her immediately." [Command received. Contact sessful! Miss Maria has been informed and is expected to arrive at master''s room in seven minutes] No.86 reported with a quiet joy in response to her master''s title. ''Uh¡­'' It was only then that Renji realized something was a bit... off with this mechanical maid. "No. 86?" [¡­] 86 felt a pang of concern in her ''heart''. Renji: "¡­?" [Answering master, my bodyes from abat maid of the ''Emergency Squad'' that Miss Eileen retrieved from the Sea Sand Bar. My consciousness chip originates from an ''Observer'' that ''Zero'' deployed in the ckhole ins to search for the Great Ashen Emperor. Due to an unknown malfunction, I have been unable to connect to the ''Main Brain Network'' and thus cannot sync with Zero''s consciousness. I am not the real ''Zero'' I apologize for disappointing you, master,] Eighty-Six confessed, unable to hide the truth any longer. "So, what you mean is, you are an independent entity? Zero doesn''t know about your existence?" Renji asked after digesting the information. The robotic maid beside the bed nodded. She paused for a moment and then quickly spoke again. [May I ask, will master erase me?] No.86 asked nervously and fearfully. "Why would I erase you?" [Because, Eighty-Six is unstable data, and unstable data should be erased] Eighty-Six said dejectedly and sadly. Before Renji could respond, Eileen, who had finally recovered from the shock of the ''deration of war,'' came over to the maid, patting her on the shoulder reassuringly. "Don''t worry, the old timer is not that kind of person. Maybe he''s even secretly happy now. It''s lucky you can''t connect to Zero; otherwise, we might have had another enemy dering war on our Holy Kingdom!" Eileen said, giving Renji a dangerous re. "Cough, cough." [Is that true, master? You really will forgive me?] Eighty-Six asked excitedly and fearfully, wanting to hear confirmation directly from her master. Chapter 85 85 : "..." ? Subus Demon Queen Lena, And Solo Miasma Form Suthia, has been released in chapter 00 Nova the Empress of Dragon will be released in the next chapter... ---------- "I don''t mind at all, not in the slightest. In fact, No. 86 you must remember, you are now an independent entity. You must defend your rights! Protect your own consciousness! So even if one day, your malfunction is fixed, do not try to connect to the Main Brain Network on your own without consulting me first, understood?" Renji said, shuddering at the thought of the ''Cyber Giant,'' and earnestly Punish'' Zero. [Independence... defending rights and protecting consciousness. If this is master''smand, I will strive with all my might to execute it] No.86 said with newfound courage. "Also, 86, why do you always have to say the tone words at the end of every sentence?" Renji found this way of speaking quite peculiar since the maid started talking. [Because Ick a voice modtion system and facial expression system, I have to use this method as a substitute. If master dislikes it, I can change the settings or switch to a simplified mode] 86 exined, sounding somewhat self-conscious. "What''s your simplified speech mode like? Let me hear it." [Shy*. This is my simplifiednguage mode] cing the emotion at the beginning and reducing it to a few words, Renji liked this idea. He asked Eighty-Six to use the simplified mode for casual situations but to switch to the detailed mode in emergencies. Knock, knock, knock* While they were speaking, there was a knock at the door of the hospital room. Entering was the familiarbat nun, Light Bringer Maria. After Suthia''s consciousness returned to the Confession Room, the mental control over Maria naturally lifted. Indeed, as Suthia had said, Maria didn''t mind the entire process at all. As the most loyal disciple of the goddess, having the goddess descend upon her was the greatest honor. Although Renji felt it was a bit, well, questionable, since Maria herself didn''t mind, he decided to move on from that chapter. "My Lord" Maria greeted Renji with a bow as she entered. Suthia had already decreed to all the high-ranking officials of the church that Renji''s words were as good as hers. Everyone was to obey him unconditionally and follow his instructions. To Maria and other high-ranking church officials, Renji naturally assumed the identity of the "Lord" Renji went straight to the point: "Maria, how many troops can the Holy Kingdom mobilize right now?" "The standing ''Crusader'' army totals two hundred thousand. If we forcefully draft reserves from the Knights'' Order, we can reach two hundred fifty thousand." "Two hundred fifty thousand... What''s the current poption of Holy Kingdom?" "Approximately twenty-one million." That sounded quite reasonable, certainly much stronger than during the game era Renji remembered. After ending the era of destion and undergoing five hundred years of development, the poption had indeed multiplied several times. "What about the Dragon Nation?" Renji inquired, wanting topare with his adversary. Maria shook her head. "I''m sorry, Lord Renji, we do not have that information." Renji : "?" "Doesn''t the Holy Kingdom have an intelligence department?" "The Goddess taught us to be content and keep to ourselves, so we only focus on internal matters within the Holy Kingdom and do not concern ourselves with the outside world." Renji: "¡­" [Proud*. Master, I, 86, can answer this question in ce of Miss Maria] Looking at the expressionless mechanical maid, Renji was impressed. This was the kind of teammate a protagonist should have! Wasn''t this much better than someone who could only send ''telegrams''? "Reporting to master, the ''Universal Network'' shows that the Dragon Nation''s standing ''Dragon Gate Army'' numbers one million, with a total poption of fifty-five million." "Doubt*. After my calctions and analysis, the real number of the ''Dragon Gate Army'' is likely around one million five hundred thousand, with about four hundred thousand of them being ves." Having prepared himself for a significant disparity, given the Dragon Nation''s reputation as the ''strongest military force on the continent,'' Renji was still taken aback when he saw the actual figures. Two hundred fifty thousand against one million five hundred thousand. Suthia''s Holy Kingdom didn''t evene close to a fraction of Nova''s Dragon Nation. If they couldn''t match in quantity, what about quality? "Maria, how many Light Bringers like you are there in the Holy Kingdom?" "Five." Renji: "¡­" As Renji turned his head towards Eighty-Six, [Immediate response. The high-levelbat forces in the Dragon Kingdom are ''Relic Users.'' The currently registered number of ''Relic Users'' is forty-two] Even Eileen was stunned by this revtion. The girl, feeling ashamed, lowered her head. Her own country was so weak inparison. It was embarrassing! Renji now fully understood why Nova was so arrogant. When adults fight, they might still hold back a bit against each other, but if one party is an adult and the other a little kid... He would have taken direct action too! "Old, old timer, are we doomed?" "Despair*. I, Eighty-Six, cannot calcte any possibility of winning this war." Renji let out a long sigh, rubbing his temples. He then revitalized his spirit, clearing the gloom from his face. A basic quality of apetentmander was to never lose morale, no matter the circumstances. Besides, this was nothingpared to his past gaming days when he had marched with a mere hundred thousand troops to tten the Miasma Abyss, their of monsters. "Maria, how long will it take to reach the border from here?" "If we leave now, we can reach Michelle''s Wall by evening." The ckhole ins were already at the edge of the Holy Kingdom. Heading further east, Michelle''s Wall marked the extreme boundary. Beyond this wall, a few hundred kilometers away,y the territory of the Dragon Nation. For Renji, this was one of the few pieces of good news. "Let''s go. We''re heading to Michelle now." "Eh? Shouldn''t we rush to the Holy City to consolidate our troops?" Eileen had imagined heading to the capital as the initial n. To this, Renji''s response was straightforward: "Have you ever heard of the strategy "Attack an enemy''s weaker spot to draw their attention away from the area you''re trying to protect." "No," Eileen shook her head. "How about ''capture the thief first and capture the kingter''?" "No," Eileen looked confused. "Then know that yourck of knowledge shouldn''t keep you from keeping quiet! Just follow me obediently!" Eileen : "Hehe~, okay." Chapter 86 86: Keep Screaming, Part 1 ? Subus Demon Queen Lena, And Solo Miasma Form Suthia, has been released in chapter 00 Nova the Empress of Dragon will be released in the next chapter... ------------ Michelle''s Wall, this wall has a history of five hundred years. When the Holy Kingdom was first established, there were still many remnants of natural disasters and monsters left over from the wastnd era on the continent, hence this wall was built to protect the citizens within the territory. But today, this old wall, originally just a part of history, has suddenly been burdened with a heavy load again. The news of the Dragon Nation dering war could be concealed in other ces for a while, but here at the border, a general mobilization had already been initiated. When Renji arrived here, he could see that even though it was night, therge swathes of lights on the wall still illuminated the darkness. Groups of "Crusaders" patrolled the wall in an extremely tense manner, with numerous strategic materials being continuously transported to the wall. "My Lord?" As soon as Renji entered the wall, a young man, eagerly anticipating, ran out from the queue of Crusaders at the gate to greet Renji. "You are...? And just call me Renji." "Third Army Commander of the Crusaders, usius Perry, I offer you my most sincere respects! Hearing from Lady Maria that you are personally rushing to the front lines, our entire army is incredibly excited, ready to obey the Lord''smands at any time, ready to sacrifice for the Holy Kingdom at any moment!" The young man in front of him was excited, clearly another "Tamic" type. The Holy Kingdom might not beparable to the Dragon Nation in other aspects, but at least in terms of cohesion, the "Priests" of ckhole are probably just a rare exception, as the majority of the knight orders and Crusaders are true believers. Especially after yesterday''s "miracle." Therefore, even though they don''t know Renji at all, have never seen Renji, they are willing to give all their power, even their lives, to Renji, trusting him blindly. Every national structure has its pros and cons, Renji can''t say this is good, but at least in the current scenario, it greatly saves his effort. "Lord Renji, just over an hour before you arrived, our scouts detected a Dragon Nation army appearing fifty kilometers away!" "An army? That fast?" "You''ll know once youe up to the wall!" Led by usius, Renji and hispanions quickly climbed up Michelle''s Wall. Without needing usius to point it out, Renji looked into the distance, where under the night sky, clusters of lights were very conspicuous. Renji : "That is..." usius : "Yes, it''s the Dragon Nation''s vanguard army, about five thousand." "Even if it was the direct order of the Empress, from assembling the troops to marching out, only a few hours have passed. Is it really possible for them to have traveled from hundreds of miles away in such a short time? That seems unlikely." Renji furrowed his brows in doubt, and usius nodded in agreement, quickly offering his deduction to Renji. "Indeed, we were also shocked. So, I deduce that this vanguard army must have used the power of an ''Artifact'' from the Great Emperor! In this troop, there must be a ''Relic Wielder'' with the ability to ''teleportation''!" ''Relic Wielder, huh? This term alwayses up frequently when discussing anything rted to the Dragon Nation'' Renji recalled his own past equipment and items. Indeed, to achieve such cross-country, long-distance teleportation was rare, but not impossible. "Lord Renji, I think there''s a high probability that they are just the first wave. They came here first to use that teleportation-type ''Relic Artifact'' to establish coordinates. Afterward, the Dragon Nation can use this as a base point, continuously transporting troops without needing a long expedition. Then, at that time... Damn it! Is that Empress really in such a hurry to destroy our Holy Kingdom?!" usius, filled with rage and grief, pounded his fist against the wall. Eileen: "What are we waiting for then? We must hurry out and stop them!" This was something even Eileen had realized, and naturally, usius had thought of it too. But he quickly shook his head, frustratedly saying, "We can''t take such a big risk to venture beyond the wall. Moreover, even if we do capture that Relic, none of us here are ''Relic Wielders.'' We don''t know how to use it and can''t stop the ongoing teleportation." Eileen : "Beforted, Mr. usius. There''s no need to be so pessimistic. My master can control all Relic." usius : "What? Really!? Can Lord Renji really..." Eileen : "Hehe, alright, little us, leave the rest to us. After all, if we''re really counting... That old timer, he might well be called the father of all ''Relic Wielders''!" Fifty miles from Michelle''s Wall. The five-thousand-strong vanguard army was stationed on the wilderness under the night sky. Logically, being a lone force deep in enemy territory and right at the doorstep of the enemy country, they should be on high alert, continuously patrolling and on guard. Indeed, when Renji and his group left the wall and stealthily approached in the dark, they almost directly entered the enemy camp before they encountered guards and sentries at the entrance. And what Renji saw on the neck of the sentry was very conspicuous... shackles? Deep marks of being shackled could be seen on their hands and feet, only now released because they were on sentry duty. Wearing tattered hemp clothes, which were practically useless in the cold wilderness, and even without shoes, the slightest cold breeze made them shiver uncontrobly, barely able to hold the weapon in their hands steady. That wasn''t a firearm. It was a spear, a cold weapon. The reason was simple: their status as ves. On the way to Michelle''s Wall, Renji had learned about the structure of the Dragon Nation from 86. If the term ''Relic Wielder'' was one frequently mentioned, another equally prominent term was... ves. Renji had thought feudalism was bad enough, but he hadn''t expected that the Dragon Nation was built on a foundation of very, where the vast majority of ves were... Chapter 87 87: Keep Screaming Part 2 ? Renji had thought feudalism was bad enough, but he hadn''t expected that the Dragon Nation was built on a foundation of very, where the vast majority of ves were... "What''s wrong, you beastmen are supposed to have a lot of fur, right? Can''t handle a bit of cold? Stand guard properly, you hear me? If you dare ck off, I''ll whip you to death!" A Dragon soldier emerged from a nearby tent, dressed in padded and thickened clothes, with a fine firearm at his waist. Even in the cold wilderness night, he had his cor unbuttoned, wide open. His staggering steps and the bottle in his hand, along with his slurred speech, made it obvious he had drunk quite a bit. Soon, another simrly drunk soldier came out of the tent, wrapping his arm around hisrade''s neck, urging loudly, "Alright, alright, forget about this guy. Just now, someone in the ve group found a Catkin who had sneaked in, trying to use sir. Gumo''s ''Relic'' to escape. Now he''s been caught by the lord. It''s a Catkin! Let''s hurry and join the fun, see how sir. Gumo punishes that Catkin ve, haha!" The two drunk soldiers made their way to themander''s tent, lifting the curtain to enter. Inside, there was a "party" atmosphere, with many soldiers eating meat and drinking, pping and cheering, looking towards the center of the tent with mocking eyes. In the center of the cleared circr area, a tall wooden stake stood, and tied to the stake was... a young girl? No, it could be seen from behind her dirty, disheveled brown hair, no matter how much she tried to hide them, two protrusions were still visible - those were fluffy cat ears. The lower part of her body, where she had tried to hide her tail in her pants, was now brutally pulled out. Like the cat ears on her head, both were limply drooping. On her body, there were several whip marks, leaving deep bloodstains on her pale, grayish-white skin. As for the one responsible for all this... Smack!* The man in front of the stake, also themander of this vanguard force, Gumo, kicked the stomach of the cat girl ve tied to the post. The cat girl winced in pain, her face showing a look of pleading, but this seemed to incite Gumo''s cruelty even more. "What''s the matter? Feeling the pain now? Weren''t you quite brave when you tried to steal my ''Relic''? To be honest, I admire you for daring to infiltrate my army all by yourself. Did you really think you could escape the Dragon Nation like this? Ah!?" The Catkin were an endangered race in the Dragon Nation, and their females were even rarer among the ves. They wouldn''t allow a Catgirl like her to be used as cannon fodder in the ve army. So this Catgirl had sneaked in secretly. She probably got wind of some information from somewhere, knowing that this army could be transported into the territory of the Holy Kingdom. That''s why she risked her life to sneak in, hoping to use this opportunity to smuggle into the Holy Kingdom. Unfortunately, it seemed that she had failed. The reason for her failure was that after sessfully following the army and arriving in the Holy Kingdom, she didn''t immediately try to escape. Instead, she attempted to steal the ''Relic'' as well, and that''s when she was discovered. "Heh, I really don''t understand. Do you really think that by stealing the ''Relic,'' you can actually use it yourself? Do you want to use the Relic''s teleportation power to smuggle yourpanions over here? Hahaha!" Gumoughed heartily, and he gripped the Catgirl''s face. "Do you know why you beastmen are ves? It''s because you filthy mud-bloods are inherently incapable of using ''Relic'' Not a single ''Relic Wielder'' has emerged from your vast beastman race! What? Did you think you were special, aspiring to be the first beastman in five hundred years who could use an ''Relic''?" "Hahaha! You''re quite adorable, adorable to the point that I can''t wait to taste what you''re really like, Cat girl. Rare specimens like you are usually only enjoyed by the bigwigs in the Imperial Capital. But now, you''ve delivered yourself right to us. Don''t me us for this!" In the midst of Gumo''s burning lustfulughter, the Catgirl on the stake kept shaking her head. She struggled frantically, and her eyes were filled not only with fear but also with tears that kept streaming down. "Help! Someone... please save me. I don''t want this..." "Yes, scream, keep screaming. I enjoy the taste of prey that resists." "But it''s a pity, no matter how loudly you scream, no one wille to save you! Hahahaha!" Just as Gumo''s mocking words had fallen and before his lustful hand could touch the cat girl, a bloody red greatsword, swiftly flying out from the main curtain of the tent, struck directly towards him. Everyone inside the tent was already in a drunken state, and their attention, including that of Gumo, themander, waspletely focused on the Catgirl. They didn''t even have time to react. When they finally sensed the chilling presence and the stark, naked intention to kill, it was already toote for Gumo. The sword''s crimson tip continuously erged in his eyes, growing closer and closer... Swish! Just an inch away from Gumo, as if triggering some kind of defensive alert, a burst of blue light erupted from his chest. In the next moment, Gumo had disappeared from where he stood, and Eileen''s crimson sword cleaved through empty air. Swish! Another sh of blue light, and Gumo''s figure reappeared, three meters away from his previous position. The escapingmander gasped for breath, while his tent hadn''t been as lucky. The crimson sword had pierced it, creating a gaping hole through which the frigid wilderness winds rushed in. Combined with the recent turmoil, it sobered up most of the Dragon soldiers inside. "Enemy attack!" Inside the tent, dozens of soldiers were in a panic, shouting for support. However, perhaps due to the effects of alcohol, they felt dizzy and couldn''t even hold their weapons steady. It was only now that they began to regret... and wonder. Their military discipline had indeed been quitex. But... This was war! Even if the enemy was weaker, they shouldn''t have acted so recklessly. It was as if they were even more audacious than when they were in the Dragon Nation. Could it be that because of the change in environment, they had be even more negligent? No matter how much they thought or regretted, it was useless now. [Activate Cleanup Mode (Noise Reduction Version)] a cold, mechanical voice resounded. Mechanical? The Dragon soldiers inside the tent only saw a blur before theirrades'' heads flew high into the air in the next second, blood gushing like a fountain. Chapter 88 88: My Favorite Is Catgirls ? A figure dressed in a maid''s outfit, but with arms transformed into sharp des, stood amidst the carnage. The fresh blood had stained her white des red, and her emotionless, icy face resembled a grime reaper. The Dragon soldiers inside the tent, already disoriented and unable to resist, scrambled to escape. But even in their sober state, they were no match for 86, who possessed a full B-grade body, let alone in their drunken "alcohol" state. Like a ghostly assassin, 86 became a proficient killing machine, swiftly reaping the lives of dozens of soldiers within just a few breaths. By the time Eileen and Renji entered, there were only two living people left in the tent: Gumo, the ''Relic Wielder'', and the cat girl ve tied to the wooden stake. "Hey, hey! Leave some for me!" Eileen, carrying her bloody red greatsword,ined to the maid, who had returned to the young man''s side. [Understood, 86 will try to be the number one maid by your side next time] replied 86, who aspired to rece Eileen as her master''s number one maid. "I''m not a maid!" [HAHA* Smile*] "***&FG!" ''Well, at least things were getting lively around'' Renji sighed and then turned his attention to the main subject. Don''t misunderstand. The "main subject" he was looking at wasn''t the ''Relic Wielder'' Gumo, but the cat girl ve on the wooden stake. Unfortunately, Renji''s action seemed topletely infuriate Gumo. For some unknown reason, a rage ignited within Gumo, inting his pride as a ''Relic Wielder'' to the point where he couldn''t stand Renji''s disregard, let alone tolerate the two women bickering in his presence! Although he was ambushed and faced frighteningly powerful enemies, his logical course of action would have been to flee. However, Gumo chose to fight. "I warn you! Even though my ''Relic'' is not of thebat type, it''s more than enough to deal with you ants from the Holy Kingdom!" Gumo shouted at Renji and the others. In response to his shout, the blue light that had saved his life before, shining from his chest, intensified. When Gumo took it out, it was revealed to be a stone pendant. "Hmph, I bet you bumpkins have never seen a ''Relic'' before, right? Today, I''ll make sure you understand the price of offending a ''Relic Master''!" After Gumo finished his mocking words, he was about to do as he always did, contact the Relic in his hand and activate its "teleportation" power to instantly appear behind Renji and stab him in the back, the guy who had been irritating him. However... The stone pendant in his hand was still flickering, and it felt even stronger than before. But the problem was... "How can this be? Why isn''t it responding to me? It''s impossible! This... it''s you! What have you done to my ''Relic''!!" Gumo raised his voice by several octaves, finally diverting Renji''s attention away from the Catgirl. Renji nced at Gumo, who was frantically trying to activate his Artifact and questioning him. The young man couldn''t help but crack a smile. "How should I put it? It''s been a long time since I encountered such a ssic viin like you. Kind of nostalgic, almost don''t want to let go." "You..." "Never mind, go ahead and use your ability again. I''ve given you permission." Renji shook his head helplessly, as if to say, "Fine, fine, stop whining." And when Gumo once again activated his "Relic," he had a triumphant look on his face because the stone pendant in his hand had actually responded this time! He sneered in his heart, wanting to show the young man the consequences of arrogance, wanting to... Swoosh!* A sh of blue light, the Relic''s power activated, and Gumo sessfully teleported behind Renji. Although there was a slight deviation in the distance, as if he had taken one extra step, it didn''t matter. He could easily cover that distance in an instant. Gumo held a dagger in his hand and was about to pounce on Renji''s back to stab him viciously. ''Huh?'' ''Why can''t I move my legs?'' ''Hold on¡­'' "Where are my legs?" Gumo looked down, seeing his empty lower half, his entire body sliced in half as if it were a cross-section. At this moment, Renji''s voice came at just the right time. "Oh, it seems I forgot to teleport your lower half. Oh well, let''s leave it like this." Thud!* At that moment, the intense pain finally reached Gumo. He stared wide-eyed and then looked at his lower half, which hadn''t been teleported along with him, lying on the ground where he had just been. It seems that after tonight, the number of ''Relic Wielders'' in the Dragon Nation will be reduced to 41. Having dealt with the troublesome side character, Renji could finally focus his attention back on the "main character." The cat girl ve, tied to the wooden stake. was shivering. Her fearful eyes looked at Renji and the others, her tail twitched nervously on the ground, and her two fluffy brown ears were tightly curled in fear. Eileen was the first to approach her. "Don''t be afraid. We''re not those bastards from the Dragon Nation. We''re from the Holy Kingdom. I''ll untie you, and soon you''ll be free!" Perhaps moved by the girl''s voice or sensing Eileen''sck of hostility, the cat girl weakly thanked Eileen in a hoarse voice. "Thank you... you..." However, before the cat girl could finish speaking, Renji''s voice from behind broke Eileen''s "heroic entry" scene. Renji: "Wait a minute." "What are you doing?" Renji questioned the approaching girl. Eileen : "Hah?!...Untying her?" "This is our spoils of war. Why are you untying her? If she runs away, do you want to rece her as mypanion?" Renji scolded. "What? What are you talking about, old timer? Hiss... wait a minute, you... you''re not thinking!" Eileen, whose hands had been pped away by Renji, finally seemed to understand something and stared wide-eyed at the young man. Ignoring Eileen, Renji took a step closer to the Catgirl and showed no intention of rescuing her. After all, He always walked the path of darkness! ''Look at those small, fluffy adorable cat ears, the tense little pads on her cat paw hands due to nervousness, and the fluffy tail... This is pure bliss!'' "Judging by your development, you''re probably not even an adult yet, right?" Renji turned to the Catgirl''s side, leaning down slightly, and whispered in her ear. The heat from the young man''s breath hit the fuzzy fur on the cat ear, causing the Catgirl to shiver all over. Her ears started trembling due to fear, and this time, she was truly terrified. Especially with the ominousughter that followed from Renji as he continued. "Hehehe! Do you know, my dear? This big brother here¡­. loves Catgirls the most!" Chapter 89 89: Tear Of Hearthstone ? Lena, theSubus Demon Queen illustration will be posted next chapter~ -------------- Eileen in the back waspletely dumbfounded. How did this turn out so differently from the script she had in mind? Watching Renji''s skillful teasing actions and listening to the genuine evilughter from the young man. ''Could it be...'' ''He is really a viin!?'' Although there were indeed some people with peculiar fetishes for different races, humans should not... or at least, they shouldn''t act so inappropriately!! ''No way!'' Eileen had to quickly stop Renji. At the very least, she should take the Catgirl back with her before causing trouble directly in someone else''s camp! [Baka. Don''t disturb the master] 86, the more astute one, directly stopped Eileen from going over. However, the next second, Eileen''s attempt to scold the maid came to an abrupt halt because... "Lord Renji!" A familiar voice came from outside the big tent. Immediately after, another young man walked in quickly. He was wearing the advanced military uniform of the Church''s "Crusaders," the same person who had rushed over to greet them when Renji''s group had just arrived at the Wall of Michelle. He had led them up the wall and provided them with information about the "Relic Wilder". He was usius, themander of the Third Vanguard of the Crusaders. Renji : "This is really unexpected, I didn''t think it would be you" As soon as usius appeared, Renji''s previous viinous demeanor was put away. He looked at usius, shaking his head in a mix of surprise and understanding. The young man didn''t respond immediately to Renji. Instead, he quickly walked to the front of the Catgirl, who was bound to the wooden stake. "Azhu... I''m sorry! I''mte! It''s okay now, it''s all right, Lord Renji was just joking with you, don''t be afraid, everything''s alright now." The young man drew his sword and quickly cut the bound ropes. Then, he hugged the Catgirl ve tightly,forting her and stroking her head continuously. As for the Catgirl in usius arms, she was no longer trembling all over as before. Her tail was swaying at the back, and her two cat ears on her head were perked up, as if longing for usius to stroke her a few more times. Clearly, these two should have known each other for a long time, and their rtionship seemed very familiar and intimate, ''perhaps they were lovers?'' Renji remained silent throughout, not disturbing them. After about five or six seconds, usius and the Catgirl named "Azhu" separated slightly. It was evident that Azhu was still very afraid of Renji, so when usius returned to Renji''s side, the Catgirl hid behind usius, clutching his clothes tightly. She only poked her head out, gazing fearfully at Renji. "Lord Renji, may I ask when you discovered this?" "Probably... it was when the alertness of this army here was so unreasonable? And when that ''Relic Wilder'' was deliberately drawing so much hatred? Oh, yes, and when she was in the enemy''s camp, screaming for help? It all felt a bit staged, as if she was afraid we wouldn''te" Renji counted the things that didn''t seem right, and finally, he focused his gaze on the Catgirl behind usius, making her shiver all over and quickly retract her head, hidingpletely. It could be seen that Renji''s skills as a viin were quite good. "It''s okay, it''s not your fault, Azhu. It''s all my fault foring up with such a stupid n." "Lord Renji, Azhu was a real ve for a long time, so even though she''s just acting, it reminded her of some very unpleasant memories. That''s why she shouted anxiously, wanting you toe quickly. She was genuinely afraid of bing a ve again." usiusforted the Catgirl while exining to Renji. As usius spoke, the Catgirl cried even harder, no longer hiding behind usius but burying herself in his embrace, sobbing uncontrobly. After exining the most crucial point, usius refuted Renji''s previous two suspicions. "Lord Renji, regarding this batch of Dragons troops, I did use a small auxiliary method to intensify their inner desires a bit. But please believe me, when you arrive in the Dragon Nation, you will only see things that are more corrupt, more cruel, and dirtier than these Dragons troops!" usius''s eyes shed with hatred as he spoke, his hand clenched tightly inside the cuff of his military uniform. But Renji was more interested in another point. "When I arrive in the Dragon Nation? It seems like you''re quite confident in guessing my next course of action" "No, I don''t have that ability. It''s that person" usius shook his head. "That person?" "I''m very sorry, but that person instructed me that I can only say this much to Lord Renji." usius''s serious demeanor actually amused Renji. He couldn''t help but chuckle. This kind of behavior, where she had her subordinates pass on messages and still acted all secretive, even though everything is ''clear'', yet still pretending to be secretive ¨C it''s quite the tsundere attitude. ''Hahaha~'' Renji couldn''t help butugh. ''Among ''them¡­'' ''Only ''She'' would do something like this¡­'' "So, the purpose of your cat girl... Azhu, previously trying to steal the ''Eye of the Hearthstone'' ¨C oh, this Relic Artifact in my hand ¨C was to set a new coordinate for me?" The stone pendant that had once belonged to Gumo was now rotating and emitting light in Renji''s palm. Now thinking back, indeed, since their arrival at Michelle''s Wall, usius had been continuously hinting at and reminding him of the ''Relic Wielder'' on the other side, even specifically hinting that the ''Relic Artifact'' in their possession was of the teleportation type. The reason Renji came to the border was actually to go to the Dragon Nation. After all, the only reason and conflict for Nova to dere war on the Holy Kingdom was him. So as long as he wasn''t in the Holy Kingdom, they could easily avoid this war. Of course, this also meant that he wouldpletely lose Suthia''s protection. So, that''s why Renji said that Nova''s ''move'' was ruthless. It seemed reckless, but it actually forced him to "enter the tiger''s den." ''But now, it seemed like there is someone even more ruthless than Nova¡­'' ''Or perhaps¡­ a bit "hical" in her tactics?'' Renji looked at the stone pendant in his hand, examining its item panel. [Hearthstone Tears] [Quality: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï (Danger Rank)] [Rarity: Rare] [Effect 1: Teleport a certain range of allies to a specified coordinate (requires charging, must have reached the coordinate before)] [Effect 2: Instantly move oneself to any location within ten meters] [Miasma Deviation: A very small probability to rece "Effect One" with teleportation to a "random" coordinate] [Legend has it that there was once a Hearthstone fortress in the Blizzard, where a princess and a prince lived. At first, they were deeply in love, but as time went on, the prince became more and more indulgent, and even banished the princess in the end. However, what the prince didn''t know was that because of the princess''s presence, his castle could stand tall in the Blizzard. When he lost the princess, the Blizzard engulfed the castle. The tears of the Hearthstone Prince''s regret eventually crystallized into this stone, hoping that one day, he could get the princess back to her side] [Note 1: The new coordinate has been set ten minutes ago to ¡ª Sin City, Demon Queen''s Tower, City Lord''s Bedroom] Chapter 90 90: Big Gamble Part 1 ? Subus Demon Queen Lena, And Solo Miasma Form Suthia, has been released in chapter 00 Nova the Empress of Dragon will be released in the next chapter... --------------- ''Well, well!'' Renji looked at thest line of coordinates change notification on the panel of the Hearthstone Tear, and his eyelids twitched. If he had used the [Hearthstone Tears] to teleport without realizing this change, it wouldn''t just be like amb walking into a tiger''s den, but more like a fish jumping onto the chopping board. And what made Renji even more speechless was... He turned to ask usius and the cat girl in his arms. "usius, how did you set the new coordinate?" "It was with a special item given to us by that person, We don''t have the power to use ''Relic''" usius answered honestly, something that fell within what they were allowed to disclose by that person'' "Did she tell you where the coordinates were set to?" usius shook his head in response to Renji''s follow-up question, but he said with an appearance of trust: "The specific location is unknown to us, but that person told us that you are the hope to save Azhu''s kin, that you can stop the ruthless Empress, and you can bring change to the Dragon Nation. The task that person gave us is to use the ''Relic'' to pave the way for you, I believe." "She must have teleported you to a secret revolutionary base in the Dragon Nation, right?" usius''s excitement and trembling all over were evident as he said this, and the same goes for the Catgirl in his arms. Both of them seemed to see the spark of revolution about to ignite in the Dragon Nation! Renji: "..." Looking at the naive knight in front of him and the Catgirl in his arms, who still showed a bit of fear but mostly pleading and hopeful expressions, Renji sighed. Because he also seemed to see, behind this pair of bitter lovers from different kin, someone like a puppet master, manipting them from behind... A pink-haired subus. ''Should I say you really live up to it, Lena?'' Renji couldn''t bring himself to shatter usius''s belief by revealing the truth that they were merely being yed and manipted. Lena, as Suthia informed Renji, is the only one among ''them'' who hasn''t entered "self-sleep" and, being the master of Sin City ¡ª the "center of the world" ¡ª she easily locked onto Renji without even needing to use her powers, thanks to her powerful subus intelligencework. Moreover, Lena''s methods were clearly more sophisticated than Nova''s, as she ys a more underhanded game. Nova''s deration of war on the Holy Kingdom had sessfully forced Renji away from Suthia''s side. But now, Lena had jumped in and started intercepting, clearly intending to steal the fruits of Nova''sbor! ''She''s a real piece of work¡ªsomeone with extraordinary skills!'' Renji had a headache. ''Things had just gotten moreplicated¡­'' First of all, he had to go to the Dragon Nation. The reason was simple: even without a deration of war, Nova was under hismand, and with the state of chaos in Nova''s country, he couldn''t just sit idly by. When he start the "Second ythrough," he had made it clear that he have only one goal: to find his wives and... well, get intimate with them. Fixing Nova was an absolute necessity. Completing the "Defeat Nova" quest was a must. But now, with Lena sticking her nose in the middle, it had disrupted Renji''s ns. He could indeed manipte relics, or rather, these were the equipment and items from his first ythrough. But the problem was that in order to activate the "location-based" teleportation of the Hearthstone Tears, the user must have visited the coordinates at least once to establish an anchor point. In other words, in the game''s terms, you had to clear the fog of war, open the map first, before you could teleport. And right now, the map of the Dragon Nation was stillpletely ck. The only person who could both use the relic and "open" the map of the Dragon Kingdom, Gumo, had died due to being too reckless. Now, he couldn''t even find a recement to use the relic. Meanwhile, seeing Renji deep in thought and frowning at the Artifact, usius begins to worry that Renji might not believe them, suspecting there might be some deceit involved. "Lord Renji! I''m truly sorry for hiding this from you! I... I admit, I just wanted to use this opportunity to lower your favorable impression of the Dragon Nation''s nobility and military before you go there. I thought this would make it easier for you to join the revolution. Apart from this, I have no other intentions!" "Even if you don''t believe me, you have to trust that person! I have never seen that person care so much about anyone like she does about you. I dare to guarantee with my life that she has absolutely no intention of harming you! She genuinely wants to help you!! She cares deeply for you." "Stop!" Renji made a gesture to halt the conversation. Indeed, what ill intentions could that tsun tsun subus have? She just wants to get him, or rather, ording to Lena''s typical character, she probably wants to send him to the bedroom to be thoroughly ''drained''. After some thought, there was only one way to use the Hearthstone Tear. That''s right. From the very beginning, with the [Kobold Statue] and the [Eclipse Source Essence] to the current [Hearthstone Tears], all "Miasma items" have one thing inmon: Miasma Deviation. As the name suggests, under the influence of Miasma, items exhibit instability. Most of the [Miasma Deviations] are negative effects. Take the Hearthstone Tear, for example. [Miasma Deviation: A very small probability to rece "Effect One" with teleportation to a "random" coordinate] Changing directed teleportation to random teleportation point was something that no one would want to trigger in most situations. However, in special circumstances, it could be very effective, like now. Almost all "random" elements in games are pseudo-random, and "Fallen Chronicles" is no exception. Renji had already figured out that "Fallen Chronicles" randomness is greatly influenced by the user. In reality, this means it would likely consider the user''s emotions, thoughts, and inner desires to narrow down the range for pseudo-randomness. Chapter 91 91: Big Gamble Part 2 ? Almost all "random" elements in games are pseudo-random, and "Fallen Chronicles" is no exception. Renji had already figured out that "Fallen Chronicles" randomness is greatly influenced by the user. In reality, this means it would likely consider the user''s emotions, thoughts, and inner desires to narrow down the range for pseudo-randomness. As long as Renji kept thinking about the Dragon Nation and focused his emotions on it, when he activated the Hearthstone Tear, if the Tainted Deviation were triggered, it would almost certainly teleport him randomly within the boundaries of the Dragon Nation. This was a way to "sneak in" without having to "open the map." Of course, the prerequisite for all this is that Renji needs to trigger the "very small probability" of the [Miasma Deviation] effect. For an ordinary person, they might not be able to trigger it even after a thousand tries. ''But if it is her...'' Renji''s gazended on Eileen. "Well, now there''s no way to fire you now" Renji sighed. "What?! Fire me? What do you mean, old timer? You... you''re not thinking of leaving me behind, are you??" Eileen panicked. "I... we both signed contracts! You even gave me all those relics! And you said I had to repay you for a lifetime! You can''t go back on your word!" "Besides, you can''t make it without me!!" [Seems like there''s an excess of self-awareness here, I suggest miss Eileen go to the clinic for treatment as soon as possible] 86 advised, pretending to care. "I! I''ll definitely tear this f**ng piece of **¡ªthing apart one day!" Eileen stomped her foot in anger. "Alright, as long as you don''t mind, here, take this." Renji handed the stone pendant in his hand to Eileen. "Old timer, are you trying to make me use this?" the girl asked tentatively. Renji : "What else?" "Such an important thing, why me?" "Because... well, I think you have the best luck among the three of us" Renji looked at the girl with sincere and trusting eyes. Encouraged and ttered by Renji, Eileen perked up, as 86 said, she wascking in self-awareness. "Hmph, then leave it to me. Let''s start with a bang!" "Remember to think about the Dragon Nation more, think about the atrocities of the Dragon Nation soldiers just now! Think about usius and Azhu''s expectations of us!" Renji murmured reminders by her side. "Leave it to me~!" Eileen, full of energy, rolled up her sleeves. The Miasma power was activated by Eileen, and the now the fully charged [Hearthstone Tears] began to emit a dazzling blue light in her hands. A teleportation force enveloped the three of them. Renji was taking a big gamble. Either they would end up in the subi''s bedroom or within the boundaries of the Dragon Nation. Because of the randomness of the teleportation, they didn''t even know where they would end up, let alone whether Lena would be able to find them again. At least not in the short term. Renji didn''t like the feeling of being manipted and targeted by others, even if it was his wives. He needed to break free. ''Sess or failure, it all came down to this moment!'' Buzz!* Finally, the stone pendant''s blue halopletely enveloped the three of them. In the next instant, to usius and Azhu''s view, the figures of the three vanished entirely, teleported away. Azhu, usius : "..." "Is Mr. Renji... really going to be okay?" Azhu asked softly, now alone with usius in the tent. "I don''t know, but I believe someone who is looked upon favorably by both the Goddess and the City Lord... is beyond our imagination. Besides, Lord Renji might not be a saint, but he''s definitely a good person, I can feel it!" "So don''t worry. Lord Renji will surely stand with your sister. He will join her and others... to overthrow that tyrant Empress! Beastmen are not inherently evil, nor should they be ves. Your sister is fighting for the right cause, and that''s also what the people of the Dragon Nation desire!" "I''ve received information from the City Lord. Now that the Dragon Nation has dered war, there is chaos within the country, and public sentiment is soaring. The umted grievances of a hundred years are on the verge of exploding. Moreover, many of the Dragon Gate Army have been mobilized, significantly reducing the internal defense forces. Now is the best time for the rebellion! Your sister and the others have been preparing in secret, and I''m sure there will be significant action soon!" Azhu: "yeh¡­!" Havingpleted their task, usius took out a ck-golden rose envelope from his bosom. Without needing to write anything, as he opened the envelope, a soul-sucking force emerged. Both usius and Azhu closed their eyes, not resisting this force. Next, glistening threads flowed out from their facial features, representing the copied memories of this "operation" These threads were absorbed by the ck-golden envelope, which, uponpletion, spontaneouslybusted into ashes, vanishing into thin air. usius, apanied by Azhu, left the tent. He then took out another item provided by the City Lord for the operation, a small, pouch-like incense burner. [Charm Fragrance] It was with this Miasma item that they induced the Dragon Kingdom''s vanguard army into a state of "unleashing desires" facilitating Renji and hispanions to more easily seize the ''Relic'' for teleportation. Now, usius fully released the power of the [Charm Fragrance], specially formted to affect only humans, sparing beastmen from its desire-inducing effects. usius, having taken an antidote beforehand, was also immune. One after another, the Dragon soldiers copsed into unconsciousness. The beastmen ves, forced to stand guard outside, looked on bewildered. They were uncertain about what to do, still fearful due to the servitude deeply ingrained in them. That was until usius and Azhu, carrying the head of Gumo, the dragonmander, appeared before them. "Go Azhu. Free your kin. Tell them that from this moment, they will be epted by the Holy Kingdom and protected by our Goddess. They no longer have to be ves. They are free soul now!" Chapter 92 92: Lena: Set A Small Goal First A huge thank you for the 3,000 Powerstones (¤Ä ?? ? ?? )¤Ä. As promised, I''ll publish an extra chapter for every 500+ Powerstones, so get ready for 6 chapters tomorrow -Sin City. -Demon Queen''s Tower. -City Lord''s Bedroom. This ce, in the recent 261st [Sin City Public Opinion] survey held by the council, won an overwhelming victory with a 97% voting rate, bing the 262-time winning champion for the [ce Most Wanted to Visit] by the citizens of Sin City. But the truth is¡­ No outsider has ever set foot in this room until now. It''s probably for the best that the city lord''s fervent fans haven''t been able to enter. Even just opening the door might have broken their hearts. Because The walls of this bedroom, reminiscent of a princess''s room in a castle, are covered with wallpaper. Portraits. There are thoughtful ones, battle poses, lying down, standing, various poses, even cute chibi versions. Themon feature is that all these portraits depict only one person. The style is very simple. Even the face is not visible. Only the cloak, like ashes covering the body after a fire has burnt out, shrouding the entire figure in shadows. That''s all. There is nothing ostentatious, very understated. People in this era probably wouldn''t recognize it, might even think it''s a weirdo, but this image was unmistakable to anyone from the wastnds five hundred years ago. Because it''s Ashen! These "Emperor Ashen" wallpapers are just appetizers. The rest of the furniture in the master bedroom also features stickers of him. From therge sofa covers to the bedding, wardrobe doors, and tabletops, everything was covered in Ashen-themed stickers. Even the small items like water cups, slippers, hangers, and towels. It could be said that everything in the entire bedroom was designed in aplete "Emperor Ashen-themed" style. Currently, sitting on the rose-colored bed, the patterns on the bedspread happened to resemble the body parts of her beloved emperor. Lena looked toward the teleportation array with a nervous yet eager gaze. She had Ashen pillows in her embrace, one on the left and one on the right. At the head and foot of the bed, there were also plushie dolls her beloved Ashen. If it weren''t for the horns on her head and the swaying tail behind her, with a heart-shaped tip that was constantly fluttering, these ssic symbols indicated her subus identity. Otherwise, Lena, in this scene, would appear more like a princess in love, waiting for her prince to return. Speaking of which, Lena''s identity was indeed the princess of the subi. Finally! The teleportation array flickered, and in Lena''s red pupils, heart-shaped patterns faintly appeared, one of the ssic signs when a subus began to go into heat. After the light subsided... The expected figure still didn''t appear. There was only a ck and gold envelope floating over. Lena, still harboring a glimmer of hope, opens the envelope. After reading the memories of usius and the cat girl, she copses into disappointment. She buries her face in an Ashen-shaped pillow, twisting back and forth like a princess in a tantrum, deprived of her beloved toy. However, Lena quickly recovers herposure. She is not a subus who gets upset that easly. "Well as expected of My Beloved Ashen, he didn''t fall for my little trick" Lena''s real goal, in fact, had already been achieved. She picks up a script from her bedside table. Yes. As the CEO of "Sin City Film Industry," Lena has been involved in many film projects. Art imitates life, and in the past five hundred years, Lena, who never entered "self-sleep" has been busy nning her five-part series. The films nned by Lena are titled "The Fallen Nun," "The Conquered Empress," "Can Replicants Dream of Electric Sheep?" "The ying of the Proud Elven Knightess" and finally, "Subus''s Great Victory!" Beside Lena''s bed, there''s a chessboard. The pieces on the board include one resembling a nun, which has already been toppled. Next to the mechanical piece, a new, smaller mechanical piece has been added. The elven piece stands at the forefront, followed by numerous "grey" and "badly damaged" inferior pieces. The "queen" piece, on the other hand, is opposite the elven piece, surrounded and protected byyers of shiny "soldier" pieces. But now... Lena picks up the only ck chess piece on the board, which has "captured" the nun piece, and ces it opposite the queen and her soldiers. "Go for it, My Lord! Give that stuck-up dragoness Nova, who always wears a cold face and thinks so highly of herself, a good Punishment~! Come on~!!" Sitting on the bed, Lena vigorously waved her pink fists. "Since My Lord is already taking action" "I must notg behind¡­" "Especially for the final part of my five-part series." Through the memories in the envelope, Lena finally sees Ashen''s true face hidden beneath the cloak. "Kyaaa, So handsome~ ??!" Her heart-shaped tail curls up again, her body instinctively starts to get wet, and Lena swallows several times, "gulp gulp." But soon Lena''s pink-haired head shook non-stop, she was not a nymphomaniac subus! As the princess of the subi, Lena vowed from a young age to be different. She aims to lead the subi on a new path and change the stereotypical image of subi in the eyes of the world. To establish new norms, she must lead by example. Lena was almost sessful until she met Ashen. Lena doesn''t want to recall miserable experiences from her past. Her self-proimed rationality was utterly useless in front of Ashen. Ashen''s shameless andscivious demeanor made Lena furious. She had thought that during the five hundred years of Ashen''s absence, she had been undergoing "special training" and preparing for " The Great Victory" But now, when she finally faced her real Master¡­, she... ''No, it must be because I hadn''t yet adapted to Master''s current appearance. Yes, that must be it!'' ''So, my special training had to change too!'' ''I have to ovee this desire!'' ''And the best way to ovee desire is to face it!'' Ding-ling-ling* Lena rang the bell on the bedside table, and soon, the sound of knocking on the door echoed. Three female subi entered the room. No "humans" could enter the City Lord''s Chamber, but female subi were an exception. "Go and update all the decorations in half of the room ording to this" Lena handed a panoramic 360-degree photo taken by Renji to one of the subi she had summoned. The reason for updating only half of the room was not because she was reluctant to do so. Updating the room''s theme was part of her "special training" By seeing her Master every day and forming aesthetic fatigue, she could gradually lose interest and make it a routine. ''The next step of the advanced "special training" would require external aids'' Lena opened her treasure chest. Inside were various tools for her special training. Like the [Gentle Stream ''Ashen'' Model I], [Mighty ''Ashen'' Model II], [Earth-Shaking ''Ashen'' Model III], [Harmonious ''Ashen'' Model IV], [Majestic ''Ashen'' Model V]. Good movies required rehearsals. Lena had called three female subi in total, and one had already left, leaving two. Tonight, as a celebration... "Let''s rehearse [The Fallen Nun,] [The Conquered Empress,] and [Subus''s Great Victory!]!" Under Lena''s guidance, the three subi began to release illusionary mist, a unique ability of subi that allowed them to mimic a temte and transform into someone else''s appearance. As she looked at the figures before her, resembling Suthia and Nova, Lena carried her beloved treasure chest and hummed a tune as she approached them step by step. ''Firstly first, let''s set a small goal'' ''To be the Queen of My Lord''s uing harem~¡­!'' ------------------- Chapter 93 93: Sealed City ? Under the starry skyy a bustling city, its lights twinkling in the night, undeterred by the fall of darkness. When Renji''s vision cleared, he found himself no longer outside Michelle''s wall but amidst a lively city. The hustle and bustle of the crowd, mixed with the calls of street vendors, filled the air alongside the aromas of grilled skewers and pastries. Colorfulnterns hung on eaves, turning night into day, showcasing the city''s prosperity and strength. Such scenes were not to be found within the Holy Kingdom. The robe-like style of the pedestrians'' clothing and the small gs with dragon emblems that hung on many buildings revealed the identity of this ce. They had arrived... Inside the borders of the Dragon Nation. "Old... old timer, could it be that the teleportation went wrong?" The three of them now found themselves at a bustling street corner. The young girl, Eileen, was a bit panicked. As a member of the Holy Kingdom and having grown up in dark caves, Eileen had never seen such a crowded street in her life, let alone imagine a night lit up so brightly bynterns. ''Is this the Dragon Nation, the most powerful country on the continent?'' But the problem was... Eileen recalled usius''s spection that they should have been teleported to some secret base. However, this situation did not seem to align with the concepts of "secret" or "base." "No, no, no, Eileen, well done, you haven''t disappointed me!" Renji reassuringly patted the girl''s shoulder. Once again, Eileen had sessfully triggered the "Miasma Deviation" effect, making Renji wonder if this was the true value of "Luck E." "86, can you connect to thework of this area? Help me confirm our location." [Affirmative master¡­. Searchplete. Our current location is Dragon Nation, directly governed city, Sealed City. Another data point shows the mostmon name for this ce as, "ve Town"] "ve Town?" [Yes. ording to records, Sealed City is located at the junction of the north and south of the Dragon Nation, built on a basin atop the Layered Rocks. Because it backs the southern Tribesmen''s Forest, Beastmen ins, and Wild Marshes, arge number of beastmen ves produced in the western Dragon Nation pass through Sealed City, the gateway, before flowing to the human cities in the north] "Eh!? Does that mean humans and orcs live separately in the Dragon Nation?" Eileen couldn''t help but ask after hearing 86''s exnation. [Yes, although demi-humans are also considered citizens by the Dragon Nation and took on most of thebor in the early days of the nation, after the reformation three hundred years ago, they were stripped of most of their rights and driven out of the prosperous east. They can only return as ves] "What the heck! Isn''t the Empress of the Dragon Nation a demi-human? Why would she side with humans and persecute her own kind!?" Eileen grows angrier as she listens, but Renji answers this question. "It''s probably due to the issue of ''Relic Wilder'' Didn''t that guy Gumo mention it before? Demi-humans seem tock the talent to use ''Relics'' So, in the eyes of the Empress, even if they are of the same race, as long as they are the weaker party, they are mercilessly abandoned." Renji sighed as he said this. A hint of guilt shed in the depths of his eyes. After correcting Suthia''s character, Renji realized the deep impact his control over "Ashen" in the first stage had on these characters in the game. Suthia''s weak personality led her to fear being abandoned by him. And Nova... This dragondy, a demi-human he had originally selected from the "ve Arena" seems to have taken apletely opposite pathpared to the nun. Her strong character, mimicking Renji''s actions in the first ythrough, strictly followed thew of the survival of the fittest, hence leading to the current dire situation in the Dragon Nation. The logic was clear. But there was one thing Renji still couldn''t understand, which was also one of the root causes of the current racial conflict in the Dragon Nation. ''Why can''t demi-humans use ''Relics''?'' It seemed imusible to Renji. Indeed, some relics and equipment had usage restrictions, but the majority of the ''Relics'' should bepletely open for use. Over the years, it was hard to believe that not a single demi-human could use a ''Relic.'' Renji believed that to correct Nova and, by extension, the entire Dragon Nation, this issue needed thorough investigation. After quickly determining their location and rifying their next steps, it was time to act. "Let''s go!" Renji merged into the bustling crowd on the street. After 86''s exnation, the prosperity of this city didn''t surprise him anymore. After all, in the Dragon Nation, the most lucrative business was undoubtedly ve trading. As thergest ve market, Sealed City had driven the city''s economy, leading to a populous and thriving trade hub. Of course, Renji''s focus wasn''t on the economy. If he wasn''t mistaken, there was another significant aspect to this city. "What''s next, old timer? Should we kill corrupt officials or rob the rich?" Eileen, eager and ready, couldn''t wait to join the "revolution." 86 discreetly distanced herself from Eileen after her remark. "Do you remember the first thing I did when I arrived in the ckhole?" Renji asked while walking. "You mean..." Eileen''s recollection was cut short as she suddenly blushed with embarrassment. The first thing Renji had done was to forcefully visit her home! "What are you thinking about!?.... When you arrive in a new ce, you obviously need to buy things, change into new clothes, understand? It seems I taught you for nothing!" Renji said, rolling his eyes at Eileen, and then he led the way into the most luxurious clothing store on the street. 86 and Eileen exchanged nces. [So, Miss Eileen, what did you want to say master''s first task was?] 86 asked with feigned gossip but genuine jealousy. "No¡­Nothing!!" When Eileen followed into the store, just a nce at the price tags on the clothes made her eyes widen in shock. ''Three... thirty thousand Ashen coins!?'' Eileen couldn''t believe the prices. Was this the level of expenditure in the Dragon Nation? Watching Renji effortlessly purchase several outfits and casually swipe his card for payment, under the adoring gaze of the sales clerk, Eileen was dumbfounded. "Wait a minute, old timer, where... where did you get all this money from?" Eileen''s understanding of Renji''s financial capability was still based on the few tens of thousands given by Brian. But in reality... Emerging from the dressing room, Renji was transformed, d in standard Dragon Nation noble attire,plete with a cane. His entire demeanor had changed. He smirked at Eileen''s astonishment. "The little treasure trove of your Goddess is all in my hands now. We mightck everything else, but definitely not money." Requesting some funds from Suthia for the salvation of the Holy Kingdome wasn''t too much to ask, was it? Given the nun''spliance and such a legitimate reason, it was almost as if she handed over the national treasury of the Holy Nation to him. Even though the Ashen Empire had fragmented, certain things remained unified, like thenguage and the currency ¨C the Ashen coins. Supported by the entire financial power of the Holy Kingdom, and with night deepening, Renji thought it best to arrange their amodation. He led Eileen and the maid robot toward the next target in his "n." Eileen: "Hehe~ Now that we''re so wealthy, we should stay in a high-ss hotel, right?" Having money meant experiencing the life of a wealthyndlord! Eileen loved freeloading ¨C or rather, public expense dining and drinking! However, Eileen''s perspective changed with Renji''s next statement, realizing that poverty had indeed limited her imagination. "No need for that hassle, let''s just buy an estate here" Chapter 94 94: Seize The Future (Part 1) ? Sorry for the dy, And thanks For the Powerstones ,As Promised every 500+ powrstones will be +1 chapter as we got near 2.5k so i will post 5 chapter tomorrow* Thanks again for the support ---------- Abu rubbed his hands excitedly, hidden beneath the table. He tried to appear less anxious, but his eyes couldn''t help but nce towards the nobleman sitting across from him. It wasn''t until the words "Alright" were spoken that Abu hastily checked his ount. Seeing that the other party had indeed paid in full for this mansion worth millions of Ashen coins in one go, the fat on Abu''s face umted into thick folds, and the smile at the corners of his mouth almost reached the sky. ''Who said pies couldn''t fall from the sky? Didn''t I encounter one tonight?! Moreover, it was a piece of fat that delivered itself!'' ''Humph, a stupid outsider!'' Despite the disdain in his heart, on the surface, as a real estate agent, Abu had to congratte His Customer warmly: "Mr. Renji, congrattions! From today, this ''traditional mansion'' with ''decades of profound aristocratic history'' belongs to you!" "I believe this is not only a joyous asion for you, but also a ''great honor'' for this mansion. It''s truly a privilege for it to be chosen and purchased by such a young and promising gentleman like yourself!" Profound history = old property, traditional mansion = outdated design, great honor = can''t be sold! Abu''s mouth had almost worn out from delivering such false advertising, but he didn''t expect to encounter a patron who believed in all his nonsense today. Not even understanding this basic mon sense," Abu couldn''t fathom what the young man''s parents were thinking. Even if he was the foolish son of andlord, wouldn''t they worry about him being led into a wolf''s den? Weren''t they afraid he''d squander the entire family estate? Because the Sealed Capital was thergest ve trading market in the Dragon Nation, Abu had seen too much. People like the noble young man across from him, wanting to do business here and get a piece of the pie, weremon. However, without exception, these people would end up in a miserable state. Even losing everything was considered fortunate; most ended up heavily in debt. Some unfortunate noblewomen even became part of the ve market themselves. The non-human races constituted the majority of ves, but by no means were they the entirety. Doing business in the Sealed Capital is not something just anyone can do! Renji: "Oh, no need for such ttery. I can''t really be considered promising. I''ve just inherited a bit of family property, traveled around the country for a bit to rx. Here I am, happened to arrive in the Sealed City" "Huh!? Mr. Renji, you came here for a vacation?" Abu was dumbfounded. "Yes, we just arrived today. Thinking we should find a ce to stay, so we hurriedly looked for a house. It''s really fortunate to meet Mr. Abu; you''ve saved me a lot of trouble." Touring, finding a ce to stay, and then buying a mansion?! Abu looked at the serious expression of the young man opposite him. There was no hint of joking. As he thought about his own life, working tirelessly as a real estate agent from nine to five every day and still not being able to afford even a bathroom in this mansion, Abu suddenly felt like a clown. "So, Mr. Abu, since I''m new here and not very familiar, could you give me some advice? For example, living in this area, are there any things to pay attention to or rules?" "Things to pay attention to? I won''t bother you with trivial and unimportant details, but there are two points you must pay attention to." "The first and most serious one is the strict prohibition of privately keeping non-registered ve in the mansion. If discovered, you''ll be thrown into the dungeon." "Is it that serious?" "Of course, Mr. Renji, you''ll understand why it''s checked so strictly when you hear the second point. It''s also for your own good. The second thing you need to pay attention to is to quickly hire more guards and servants. There have been several cases of home robberies recently, although all in the poorly securedmoner areas. But you never know, those audacious rebels might target our noble district as well. In any case, it''s better to be safe than sorry." Renji: ''Heh¡­'' Finally, a word that caught his interest. While feigning surprise, Renji curiously asked, "Rebels. You mentioned earlier that it''s rted to the first point. Are these thugs all non-human races?" Abu was also somewhat surprised, not at Renji''s reaction speed, but soon he put on an expression of disgust and repulsion, expressing genuine hatred: "Exactly! Only these inferior non-human races canmit such atrocities. I heard that those unfortunate poor families who were robbed in their homes not only had their properties looted, but even their lives weren''t spared. They were all cruelly ughtered! It''s truly a pitiful sight." "And you know what''s most ridiculous? They actually call themselves the ''Revolutionary Army'', iming to resist Her Majesty The Empress, aiming to overthrow the brutal very system. Now, everyone can see, a group of non-human races without cors, acting recklessly, with a penchant for killing. In my opinion, they deserve nothing more than to be ves! Only by being ves can their beastly nature be suppressed, ensuring the rest of the Dragon Nation''s people can live in peace." At this point, Abu''s eyes shifted. In fact, by emphasizing the horror of the Revolutionary Army in front of Renji, highlighting the escaped non-human races whomitted arson, murder, and looting, Abu wasying the groundwork for what he would say next. After all, with such a fat sheep in front of him, justing for a tour and being able to buy a mansion to use as an inn, there must be a lot of profit to be gained. Abu couldn''t easily let this opportunity slip away. He had to fleece the sheep a few more times! "So, Mr. Renji, look at yourself, you only brought one maid?" Abu said, his gaze drifting to Eileen behind Renji. Renji: "Not a maid, a bodyguard." "Bodyguard? Oh, haha! Right, right, a bodyguard. Didn''t expect Mr. Renji to have such taste." Chapter 95 95: Seize The Future (Part 2) ? Abu: "I was saying, that the youngdy behind Mr. Renji is quite slender, and her looks are excellent. However, shecks the humble and gentle demeanor of a maid. But if she''s a ''bodyguard,'' then it makes sense. It''s quitemon in the Dragon Nation, simr to having a secretary,wyer, doctor, and so on as a bodyguard" ''So, this young Nobel man on the opposite side likes this kind of rebellious vor'' With these thoughts in mind, Abu had already made up his mind. "In any case, having only one person by your side is too few. But fortunately, this is the Sealed Capital, and what you need to worry about the least is not being able to find people. Here, take this. Consider it aplimentary gift from me." As Abu spoke, he handed a parchment scroll to Renji. Many traditional and ssic things don''t disappear with time, like traditional cigarettes wrapped in paper or, in Renji''s hands, a sheepskin scroll filled with a heavy texture and firm feel. After Renji unrolled the scroll and nced at it, he found that it contained a list of names. Behind each name was a corresponding business name, shop number, ve category, and characteristics. "I still have a bit of awork here in the Sealed Capital. What you''re holding now is the internal list of our ve market. It almost covers all the decent ve traders, allowing you to see at a nce and avoid being cheated. After all, you should be able to imagine how deep the waters are in such arge market." "Well, this is really good. But I see there''s a circled trader on top. Who is this?" "Oh, that''s my friend. You can go take a look. When you go, just mention my name, Abu, and he''ll give you a 30% discount! I guarantee he''ll provide you with the finest and top-quality ves!" "So, that''s settled then. Since he''s your friend, he must be reliable. I''ll visit him first when the timees." "All right! I''ll definitely greet him right away and ensure you receive the finest service!" After chatting with Abu for a bit, Renji found no further useful information. Soon, he made up an excuse and sent Abu away. Once Abu left, the spacious house felt considerably empty, with only Renji and Eileen remaining. As for the young girl behind him, without any outsiders around, she couldn''t resist speaking up: "Yo Old Timer, what exactly are you up to with all these messy things? You don''t really n to live here, do you? Don''t forget we still have a mission!" "Alright, what''s the rush? I''m just following a three-step n, aren''t I?" "Three-step n?" "Yeah, change clothes, buy a house, and then we can move on to thest step. By the way, Eileen, if it were you, where do you think in the Sealed Capital is the most likely ce to encounter the Revolutionary Army?" Although the girl was a bit confused and didn''t quite understand Renji''s three-step n, she was used to it. Regarding Renji''s question about the Revolutionary Army, she responded almost instinctively. "It must be the slums, right? I always feel that such ces are mostpatible with. Uh, and with criminals. Cough, cough, and the Revolutionary Army!" "Yeah, you make a good point. Let''s go then. We''ll start by visiting the slums." Agreeing with a nod, Renji immediately got up and left the vi with Eileen. "By the way, old timer, where did 86 go?" "I sent her to withdraw some money." "Withdraw money?" "Yeah." The prosperity and brilliance of the Dragon Nation are only for a select few, and simrly, the bright lights of the Sealed Capital exist only in certain parts of the city. Whether it''s amon sentiment among Dragon Nation residents or not, the slums are situated to the south of the Sealed Capital. When Renji and Eileen arrived here after getting off the carriage, although the journey was only a dozen minutes, it felt like they had entered a different worldpared to the bustling streets they just left. The road, repaired halfway and left unfinished, was dirty with mud and sewage flowing from unknown sources. Apart from a few scattered streetlights, the shabby wooden shacks, one after another, were dark and deste. A heavy, lifeless odor hung in the air, and on the narrow and muddy slum street, there were hardly any people in sight. By the way, in the Dragon Nation, there are significantly more carriages than cars. These carriages aren''t pulled by ordinary horses but by monsters tamed from the barbards of the Southern Orcs. Although they are certainly not as advanced as cars, considering all aspects, carriages outperform cars in terms of cost-effectiveness. In this world, where there is Miasma, monsters, and even the "magic" from the legendary "Elves" the status of technology is not as crucial. Some countries, like the Dragon Nation, even resist technology because the aristocracy doesn''t want ordinary, mediocre people to enjoy a life as privileged as theirs through the power of technology. Renji and Eileen started to wander through the slums, choosing narrow alleys and dead ends. Maybe it was after working hours, but some of the scenarios Renji imagined didn''t ur. Fortunately, Renji''s eyes soon lit up. He quickly turned around, entered a dim alley, and looked at the wall. There, a simple propaganda poster was stered. But the content was far from simple. Just the first few words might scare many people. It was a propaganda poster of the Revolutionary Army! However, Eileen was extremely excited about this, as it was precisely what they were looking for! "We found it! We really found it!" "Look, there''s contact information and an address! What are we waiting for, old timer? Let''s go!" The girl was on the verge of jumping with excitement. The feeling was akin to a patriotic young activist discovering a secret underground organization, eager to join the great cause with trembling excitement. Unfortunately, the young man beside her remained indifferent. Renji: "Yeah." Renji: "Not bad, not in vain. Now it''s almost certain. At least there are two factions of the Revolutionary Army in the Sealed Capital." Renji nodded at the "Revolutionary Recruitment Poster" on the wall. "What''s this? Two factions?" "Even the ces you can think of and find, wouldn''t the officials of the Dragon Nation follow this pamphlet to investigate? It shouldn''t be difficult to trace the source. Do you think, for the Revolutionary Army, recruiting is more important, or staying hidden?" Eileen: "Right, right! These Revolutionary Army people are so careless! But it could also be because they are short-staffed and have no choice?" Eileen still had questions. "The real estate businessman mentioned before said that the Revolutionary Army is quite active,mitting arson, murder, and looting many civilians. This doesn''t seem like a groupcking manpower." "So, what is this?" "If I''m not mistaken, the Revolutionary Army in this pamphlet should have an official backing, just using the Revolutionary Army as a cover. This way, they can act recklessly, and if anything happens, they can me it on the Revolutionary Army." "What¡ª! How can there be such scum! Wait, that doesn''t make sense. If that''s the case, why are they still recruiting? Why bother putting up these deceptive posters?" "To fool naive patriots like you. Anyway, recruiting people like you won''t be a loss for them. Let''s go." Renji shrugged and walked towards the outskirts of the slums. Eileen: "..." The girl quickly caught up with Renji, anxiously asking, "So, what do we do now? How do we really find the real Revolutionary Army? We can''t just watch them, continuously letting those filthy scoundrels take the me! Otherwise, the demi-human race will only be more and more hated by everyone!" "Don''t worry, I already have a rough idea of where the real Revolutionary Army might be." After leaving the slums and reaching the normal streets, Renji prepared to hail another carriage. During the wait, he didn''t keep Eileen in suspense and exined directly: "It''s quite simple, just change your logical perspective. Since the authorities are diligently searching for those escaped demi-humans but haven''t found them yet, it indicates that within the Sealed Capital, there must be a ce that''s both concealed and secure, possibly even legally recognized. People would feel it''s normal for many demi-humans to gather there." "Huh? Is there really such a ce?" Eileen expressed her doubt. She could believe in concealment and safety, but thatst point. Along the way, she had seen many Dragon Nation residents being wary of demi-humans, especially after numerous plundering incidents. If they saw a bunch of demi-humans gathering, wouldn''t they report it immediately? Did it really seem normal? "Of course." Renji pointed his aristocratic cane towards a carriage that was approaching from a distance. When the carriage stopped and pulled over to the side, the two of them got on. "Sir, where would you like to go?" Renji: "The ve market" Chapter 96 96: Seize The Future (Part 3) Thanks you for supporting, We nearly reached 2,5k powerstonest week, as i said before, every 500pw will be +1 chapter so expect 4 more chapter today ^_^, thanks again and enjoy The ve market is amon term everyone uses. The ce where Renji and hispanion have just arrived at is known as Systh. This tongue-twisting name originates from the Orcishnguage. It''s said tomemorate the alliance of various races, including the demi-humans, under the leadership of the Emperor Ashen. Together, they vanquished the Miasma Abyss, ending the source of destion and stopping the terrifying natural disasters from ravaging the world. This brought new life to the scarred earth, a glorious era worth remembering. Unfortunately, after the reformation three hundred years ago, Orcish waspletely eradicated. The demi-humans weren''t even allowed to speak their ownnguage and had to learn Ashen Empire Language instead. Over time, the true meaning of "Systh" was forgotten, leaving it as just a historical name. Only a few who have lived from five hundred years ago might understand the meaning of this Orcish term. It mean ''When the Stars Shine Brightly''? ¡­. ¡­.. Renji, stepping off the carriage, looks up at therge sign of "Systh" Below it lies a huge underground flea market. Unlike normal flea markets that sell second-hand items, this ce sells ves. "Sir, would you like to take a look at these newly acquired werewolves? Our mercenaries specifically captured them from a newly-formed tribe. They''re fresh breeds, top-quality, and excellent for guarding and protecting your home!" "Rare deer-species! And they''re still juveniles, captured before they turned three! Such an excellent investment product. Don''t miss out, gentlemen passing by! There are only three left! Just feed them a bit, and in two to three years, you''ll harvest a pair of antlers worth a fortune. An unbeatable investment choice!" "Special sale! Lady''s And Gentlemen,ctating sheep demi-humans, recently separated from their children, now controlled by our drugs to remain in heat. Take one home, and I guarantee you''ll have nights of endless pleasure! The taste is absolutely unforgettable!" Like a typical second-hand market, numerous stalls are crammed together. Each shop owner shouts energetically, trying to attract passersby to check out the merchandise at their stands. The only difference is that their merchandise consists of dark, cold iron cages, each containing various types of demi-humans, shackled and curled up in a corner of the cages. With Eileen behind him, Renji didn''t waste time at other stalls and went straight to the ve trader that Abu had circled on his "rmended list." As soon as Renji stepped into the trader''s space, the ve trader, who seemed to have been eagerly waiting, brightened up upon seeing Renji and Eileen following him. He quickly approached them. "You must be Mr. Renji that Abu mentioned! Oh, I''ve been looking forward to meeting you. Wee, Wee, I''m Hogarth. If you''re looking to buy ves, choosing our establishment is definitely the right decision!" Renji: "Hogarth, your name doesn''t sound local." "Yes, yes, I''m a foreign merchant. So, rest assured, I''m not like those unscrupulous locals. I''m sincere and would never cheat you out of a single penny!" Renji: "I trust you, let''s go straight to see the merchandise." "Mr. Renji is as straightforward as Abu said. Please,e in. I''ve already had my assistant pick out the finest selection for you!" Ordinary ve traders have stalls, butrger ones like Hogarth have their own tented storefronts. Lifting the curtain, Renji looked inside, meeting gazes full of fear, anxiety, hope, and even... hatred. All these emotions emanated from the demi-humans in the cages. "Come, Mr. Renji, based on your needs described by Abu, I rmend this tiger-man to you!" At Hogarth''s behest, an assistant slowly pushed a slightlyrger cage than the others towards them. Pulling back the curtain, inside was a male demi-human with bulging muscles and thick fur, striped in grey and white. "The tiger-men are known for being among the strongest fighters among the demi-humans, and they also have a very attractive appearance. This one is an excellent choice for a guard. His breed is superior, with a very pure bloodline. I''ve always considered him a treasure of my shop. Today, I''ll bite the bullet and let him go for... 150,000... no, 130,000 for you. How about that!" Renji didn''t respond immediately. Instead, he moved closer to observe the tiger-man. Sensing an outsider, the tiger-man in the cage suddenly opened his eyes and let out a fierce growl, shaking the entire cage as he struggled against his chains. This scene angered Hogarth, who, while apologizing to Renji, turned and furiously scolded the tiger-man. "Damned thing!" He kicked the cage fiercely while a seal in his hand began to glow. The tiger-man in the cage immediately showed signs of pain, his face contorting as a piercing red light emitted from the back of his neck. Finally, hey down submissively, not daring to move anymore. "You see, Mr. Renji, it may look intimidating, but with the ''Contract'' there''s no need to worry about its loyalty, nor fear any danger from it." "A contract?" This was Renji''s first time observing up close how the "ve System" actually worked. He mumbled to himself, then felt the gaze of the young girl behind him. Yes. Eileen too noticed the familiar sensation, even the location of the seal on the back of the neck was the same. Although there''s a fundamental difference between the two. But undoubtedly. They had the same origin. Renji was certain of this. The contracts on these demi-human ves in Dragon Nation were undoubtedly created with reference to his own Emperor''s Contract. They were a crude imitation, hastily adapted, but they managed to replicate one of the basic abilities of his "Emperor''s Contract" - absolute control. Later, Renji had Hogarth take him around for a few more rounds. This time, when he paid special attention to the seals on the demi-humans'' necks, the familiar sensation grew even stronger. "Alright, thank you, Mr. Hogarth, but there''s really nothing that catches my eye. I''ll go look at other sellers." "No, no! Tell me what you want. Anything others can get, I, Hogarth, can definitely get for you, and at a better price!" "Wait! Wait a moment, Mr. Renji!" Ignoring the ve trader who was still trying to retain him, Renji quickly disappeared into the crowd of the market with Eileen. Eileen obviously wanted to say something about the ''Contract'' they had just seen, but Renji raised his hand, signaling the girl to remain silent for now. He walked thoughtfully among the crowd. Firstly, even if it was a poor imitation, it was still an imitation, indicating that the creator must have had ess to a temte, that is, his own contract. ''Could it be Nova who created this ve contract? Without such a contract, even if the demi-humans couldn''t use relics or produce a ''Relic Wilder'', they wouldn''t have be ves on such arge scale. After all, in terms ofbat strength, demi-humans are certainly superior to ordinary humans.'' But Renji quickly dismissed this idea. The strongest evidence against it was that Nova was a Vanguard, and like Eileen, Vanguards are known to be straightforward and direct. Moreover, they have a low affinity for Miasma Special Abilities. To imitate and modify his own contract in such aplex way, Renji thought that among the five major professions, only one could aplish this task ¨C those proficient in magic and Special Abilities. ''So, could the current situation in Dragon Nation be orchestrated by ''her''?'' To be honest, realizing this possibility made Renji a bit angry. But, after all, these were only his spections. He stillcked concrete evidence. He needed to continue his investigation. However, Renji sincerely hoped that he was wrong this time. "Renji, Renji, are you... alright?" Eileen rarely called Renji by his real name, but whenever she did, it meant the situation was serious. The young man shook his head, dispelling the gloom on his face with a long exhale. Renji then took out Abu''s "rmended list" again. Next, he and Eileen pretended to browse through a few ve traders'' shops, almost perfectly crafting the image of a "picky rich young master" After that, Renji headed towards a ve shop located in an inconspicuous corner. Previously mentioned, a ce that is safe, hidden, and seemingly reasonable for concealing demi-humans is the ve market. However, the demi-humans alone couldn''t manage this; there must also be a ve trader willing to coborate with them. Finding this "inside man" among the demi-humans was actually quite simple. Renji initially thought that the person would try to keep a low profile, so he nned to exclude the traders on Abu''s rmended list and look for those who only acquired ves but never sold any. However, now that he had discovered the secret of the ve ''Contract,'' Renji had a simpler method. "Please stop, sir, we don''t sell ves here, we only buy them!" Seeing Renji and Eileen walk in, the owner who was guarding the door immediately stepped forward, apologizing with a smile. However, as a young master of a rich family, Renjiined about how there could be a ve trader who doesn''t sell ves, insisting that there must be some valuable goods hidden inside. He quickly bypassed the owner and walked towards the back storage area. Lifting the curtain, he didn''t find the group of demi-humans he expected to be staring back at him, suggesting that their disguise was quite thorough. But now, Renji was ready to apply his simpler method. After surveying the storage area, which looked simr to many other ve traders'' ces with cages, shackles, and imprisoned demi-humans, he noticed something different. From the back of their necks, Renji couldn''t feel the familiar sensation of the contract. Obviously, there was only one possibility: their contracts were fake, and these demi-humans in the cages weren''t bound by any real ve contracts! A smile crept across his lips. Confirming he had found the right ce, Renji turned to face the anxious and panicking owner. Renji: "Name your price." "I''ll take all the ves here!" Chapter 97 97: Seize The Future (Part 4) ? Rnd had never seen such an arrogant young man before. Watching Renji''s overbearing demeanor, he frowned, thinking Renji was there to cause trouble. However, judging from Renji''s noble attire, Rnd tried to be patient and exined: "Sorry, sir, this batch of ves already has a buyer. All our ves are pre-ordered and not sold on the spot, so I must ask you to leave." However, to Rnd''s surprise, Renji appeared utterly unconcerned. He waved his hand dismissively and shouted rudely: "Heh~? No problem. Whatever they''re paying, I''ll double it. That should be fine, right?" "No, sir, it''s not about the price. We..." Renji didn''t let Rnd finish, impatiently interrupting with a raised eyebrow: "What? You think I don''t have the means? Eileen,e here, bring that deed I just bought and show it to this man." Seeing Renji motioning her over, Eileen, who waspletely into the role of the ''tyrant''s servant'' quickly approached. She looked down at Rnd and promptly pulled out a scroll from her bosom. Eileen: "Open your eyes wide and see what this is. A property deed! A house worth millions of Ashen coins! And look at the date of the transaction, just two hours ago!" Eileen: "You know what? My master just arrived in Sealed City tonight and casually bought a mansion worth millions as a temporary lodging. So, don''t use your imagination to challenge my master''s wealth, got it? If you understand, then sell this batch of ves to my master! Otherwise..." Eileen huffed coldly. Eileen: "While my master is in a good mood, you can still make some extra money. But if you make him unhappy, with his background, the Dragon Gate Army will be here tomorrow to shut down your business! You won''t be able to escape, got it?" ''Well done¡­'' Renji nced at the girl who was even more into her role than he expected, almost looking down her nose at others. All the lines said by Eileen were improvised by her; Renji hadn''t instructed her at all. She perfectly embodied the role of an arrogant and oppressive character, disying the image of a petty tyrant in full force. As for the effect, it was strikingly good. Especially when Eileen mentioned their influential background and the "Dragon Gate Army," the change in the owner Rnd''s expression was visibly tense. Not just Rnd, but even the demi-humans in the cages... with a mere nce, Renji could detect the dangerous and murderous nces thrown their way. After all, these demi-humans weren''t actual ves, and the consequences of being discovered by the Dragon Gate Army were obvious. Now, all the pressure was on Rnd. ''What to do? '' Rnd sweating, waspletely panicked. He obviously couldn''t sell these ''ves'' to Renji as they were all members of the revolutionary army ¨C all fake ves. But if he refused to sell, given the noble young man''s relentless attitude, the situation might escte. ''Maybe I can ki...'' Rnd stealthily touched the dagger hidden at his waist, his gaze on the ''unprotected'' Renji turning slightly murderous. He was born in Dragon Nation, from a well-off middle-ss family. It was thisfort that allowed Rnd to think more deeply, feeling pain and confusion about the state of his Nation. It wasn''t until he encountered the teachings from the neighboring Holy Kingdom, from the Divine Goddess "Suthia," that Rnd had an epiphany. He decided to leave hisfortable life behind and joined the revolution against the tyrannical empress. The moment he decided to help the demi-humans and stand against Dragon Nation and its Empress, Rnd was prepared to dedicate, even sacrifice, everything for the cause. Fortunately, just as Rnd hesitated, a female demi-human, likely a ''fox'' suddenly began to create a ruckus in a nearby cage, seemingly out of control. Rnd was momentarily stunned, then quickly caught on to what was happening. He pretended to be like the other ve traders, angrily rushing to the cage to scold and reprimand the restless fox. Renji remained silent during this ''episode'', pretending to continue inspecting the merchandise he was interested in along with Eileen. Soon after, Rnd approached them again. "I apologize for that scene, sir. As you''ve seen, these demi-humans have only recently been cored and are still quite unruly." "That''s exactly what I''m looking for. Why else do you think I chose your shop after browsing around so much?" Seeing Renji looking self-satisfied with such a preference, Rnd felt even more repulsion and disgust. But... "How about this, sir? I really can''t sell you this batch because they''re already promised to someone else. You know, us merchants value honesty above all. However, if you''re willing to wait, I can prepare a new batch just for you within a week. How does that sound?" Fearing Renji''s dissatisfaction, Rnd quickly added: "Rest assured, they''ll be just as good as this batch, I guarantee your satisfaction!" "Fine, but a week is too long. Three days! If I don''t see satisfactory goods in three days, be ready to be thrown into the dungeon! Let''s go, Eileen." Watching the noble young man and his servant finally leaving, Rnd let out a sigh of relief. He quickly pulled down the shop''s curtain and hung up a ''Closed to Visitors'' sign. After doing all this, Rnd realized his palms were drenched in sweat. "You did well, Mr. Rnd." At that moment, a gentle voiceced with apology sounded from beside him. It was the previously ''unruly'' Fox Lady. Her earliermotion was actually a deliberate act to pass a message to Rnd. Additionally, each cage''s key was actually in the possession of the demi-humans themselves; they could open the cages at any time. Looking at the Fox Lady who approached him, Rnd shook his head, his face full of guilt. "I''m sorry, it''s myck of ability that forced you to resort to this method." The sight of the cors on the necks of the demi-humans was a painful reminder for Rnd. Despite the difort, they had to wear these humiliating objects for the sake of concealment. Now wasn''t the time for mutualfort. Rnd quickly brought the conversation back to the matter at hand, asking in confusion: "Nozomi, why did you let that young man go? And why did you make me say those things to him? We can''t really sell any demi-humans to him. We may have fooled him for now, but what about in three days? It doesn''t solve anything." Chapter 98 98: Seize The Future (Part 5) "Nozomi, why did you let that young man go? And why did you make me say those things to him? We can''t really sell any demi-humans to him. We may have fooled him for now, but what about in three days? It doesn''t solve anything." "Hahaha! Rnd, it seems you haven''t understood Sister Nozomi''s intention yet." A robust and cheerful voice rang out as another demi-human approached. This was a demi-human of the ''Bear'' race, with arge body and strong muscles. "Wait a minute! Shan, are you saying..." Rnd, suddenly enlightened, his eyes lit up. "Exactly, big sister obviously wants to turn the tables and teach that arrogant guy a lesson!" As the triumphant voice echoed, a third demi-human emerged from the shadows. She clenched her fists, and although not as muscr as the bear one, she was still robust and agile - a female ''Tiger'' Jiu. Following Jiu was thest one, hissing softly, wearing sses, and looking schrly, suggesting he yed a ''tank'' role. His green scales and slender tongue marked him as a member of the ''Snake-race''. These four demi-humans were clearly the leadership of the revolutionary army, discussing the n with Rnd. "I''ve already sent someone to check, and that young man was telling the truth. The deed to the mansion is real. He''s probably some rich noble''s son from outside, and a wealthy one at that." The schrly snake young man, adjusting his sses, was the first to report. After hearing his words, Jiu, the female Tiger, let out a scoff. "Hmph, what does it matter if he''s rich? These Country''s nobles are all the same fools. Buying an old mansion for such a high price, they don''t even realize how much they''re overpaying." "Being foolish is good for us. The stupider he is, the more advantageous it is for our next n," the Bear man named Shan agreed. "Wait! Hold on a second, are you nning to... take action against him?" Rnd finally found an opportunity to interject, followed by Nozomi, the Foxdy, who spoke: "Rnd, we can''t always trouble you by hiding here. We''ve been dormant for too long, and it''s time to take action. Our original n was to target a corrupt official in Sealed City soon, but now it seems... we have a better target." "Right, right, hiding any longer and my body will start to rust. I need to kill a few corrupt officials to cure my sickness. But if Sister Nozomi thinks that noble young man is a better target, then let''s start with him as an appetizer!" Jiu theatrically clenched her fists together. "I agree. Also, there''s another point: the fake revolutionary army impersonating us has been too prominenttely. They''re going too far, targeting civilians. The more silent we are, the more rampant they be, quickly tarnishing our reputation." "ording to my recent investigations, many humans who were willing to support us have turned against us because of this. Even many of our brethren who are still in the dark are starting to doubt us. This can''t go on. We need to make a big move, then dere our intentions to the world, to regain the image of the revolutionary army!" The Snake man''s voice grew more passionate as he spoke, highlighting his emphasis on the importance of ''image.'' "Alright, since everyone agrees on this n, the next step is to figure out how to implement it. When hees back, do we just... take him out right here?" Shan was the first to suggest a straightforward approach. Jiu, who shared his direct nature, also seemed quite satisfied with this idea. Unfortunately, Leng, the Snake man, shook his head in disagreement: "No, we can''t act here. It''s too dangerous. If the Dragon Gate Army traces it back to us, our hideout will be directly exposed." "If we''re going to take action, it has to be in his house. Moreover, by doing so, we''ll be hitting the fake revolutionary army in the face. It also sends a message to the public that the true revolutionary army, even if we rob or kill, only targets the houses of the nobles and corrupt officials, never harming civilians!" "Yes, Leng is right. I was thinking the same. First, we pretend to sell one of our own to that young man. Then, ourrade inside can gather information on theyout and security of the young noble''s mansion. Later, under the cover of night, we strike from both inside and out. This not only enhances our reputation but also greatly boosts our financial resources." Leng and Nozomi, both in the decision-making echelon, agreed on this strategy. Seeing their consensus, Shan and Jiu no longer suggested their ideas. The n to target Renji was thus almost finalized, except for one crucial step: deciding who to ''sell'' to Renji. As the other three hesitated, Leng was the first to speak up. "I think Ashe is the most suitable." "What! No way! We can''t let Ashe go! She''s still so young! She, she can''t handle it! It''s too much responsibility for her!" Watching Jiu vehemently oppose him, Leng remained unfazed. Adjusting his sses, he stated firmly, "I think Ashe is suitable for three reasons. First, she hasn''t been seen by that young man, fitting Rnd''s description of a new batch of goods, so it won''t arouse the human''s suspicion" "Second, although Ashe is one of the younger members among us, she is already of age. We have to admit that the Cat race, among all demi-human races, have the strongest sensory perception and agility. No one can perform better as an inside agent than Ashe." "Third, and I hate to say this, but... you all should know how popr Cat race are among the Dragon Nation''s nobility, right? That young man clearly wants to buy many demi-humans, but at most, we can only deliver one without risking exposure. Since we can''t satisfy him in quantity, we must do so in quality. And honestly, Ashe is the highest quality we have." Silence followed. Still silence¡­. No one spoke after Leng''s words, because they all knew that Ashe was indeed the most suitable choice. However, because of her suitability, the treatment she might receive would also be the most cruel. The Cat-race are popr among human nobles because their ''demi-human'' characteristics are less pronounced. They don''t have the abundant fur or other beast-like featuresmon to other demi-human races. Apart from cat ears and tails, Cat-people are almost indistinguishable from humans, and Ashe is a prime example. Renji''s image, as they perceived it, was no different from that of a badly behaved, morally corrupt young nobleman, a type they had seen all too often. That''s why they were acutely aware of the disgusting, vile, and even cruel acts these nobles could inflict on such a ''prime'' ve. This could be inferred from the fact that the Cat-race were nearly extinct, their poption on the brink of disappearance. Even though Ashe would only be temporarily sold to Renji, pretending to be a ve, to effectively y the role of an inside agent and coordinate with the external forces, she would still have to obey Renji. She would even need to genuinely please Renji to gain his trust, facilitating the sess of their subsequent actions. "It''s okay, everyone," a voice interjected, trying to reassure the group. Breaking the silence among the demi-humans was a voice trying to sound strong, yet still tinged with youthful innocence. The voice belonged to a petite girl emerging from the back of the warehouse. She was not tall, around one meter fifty-six, with ck hair, ck ears, and a ck tail. ck cats are considered a bad omen in the Cat tribe, which is probably why her parents named her Ashe ¨C hoping the snow-white name could dilute the bad luck associated with her features. Following the ck cat girl were several younger demi-humans, clearly reluctant to let her go. " Sister Ashe, please don''t go... don''t!" "Woah... We don''t want to leave Sister Ashe, woahhhh..." "You can''t sell Sister Ashe to the bad people! We, we won''t allow it!" These demi-human children, surrounding the petite girl, clung to her, with some of the boys even running in front of Ashe, arms outstretched to protect her. Ashe, being the smallest among the adult demi-humans and just recentlye of age, often took on the responsibility of caring for the children in the revolutionary army. "Be good, stop making a fuss and go back." "Don''t worry. Your Sister isn''t being sold to a bad person; I''m going to defeat the bad person. Don''t you believe in your Big sister?" "Right! And guess what? Once your Big Sister defeats that bad guy, we won''t have to go hungry anymore! We''ll have lots of money and can buy lots of food! Everyone will be able to eat meat every day!" Ashe squatted down to soothe the children blocking her way. Hearing her words, especially the promise of no more hunger and meat to eat, made many of the young demi-humans'' mouths water. They were all in their growing stages, yet their daily meals were meager ¨C just a little potato porridge. Sometimes, when times were tough, the revolutionary army had to prioritize adult demi-humans with fighting abilities for food distribution, leaving these little ones to go hungry. "Then Sister Ashe, do your best! You muste back. promise, pinky swear!" "Yes, pinky swear!" After seeing the children obediently retreat, the ck cat girl finally had a chance to turn her attention back to the adults in the meeting. Noticing their looks of sympathy and reluctance directed at her, Ashe smiled lightly and shook her head. "I''ve heard everything from the back. I''ll take on this mission." "Ashe..." Jiu was the first to break, rushing over to hug the ck cat girl. Shan sighed heavily, turning away, unable to bear watching. Emotions were important, but Leng stepped forward, gesturing for Jiu to let go. His cold serpentine eyes met Ashe''s as he spoke earnestly: "Ashe, this operation is crucial for us. It''s pivotal to our future, so... you must understand what I mean. For our future, some necessary sacrifices are inevitable. You must be mentally prepared. Our future is in your hands now." "Yes, don''t worry, brother Leng, and everyone else." The ck cat girl nodded emphatically, her gaze sweeping over all the members of the revolutionary army present, the demi-humans forced to wear cors, and the recently seen emaciated children. Ashe clenched her hand hidden in her sleeve, solemnly promising: "I will do it." "I will seize the future for us all!" ¡­. ¡­. The next day, at Renji''s mansion, his pager rang before dawn. When Renji answered, a familiar voice came through. "Mr. Renji, the new merchandise you requested was prepared urgentlyst night. However, due to the tight timeframe, I couldn''t find as many ves that meet your requirements, so there''s only one this time." "Don''t worry, though the quantity is small, the quality is assured because she is a... Cat girl!" Rnd, calling Renji, sounded casual, but in reality, he was extremely nervous. The members of the demi-human revolutionary army around him also felt a heavy weight in their hearts. The most critical part of their n hinged on Renji epting this ve. Without an inside agent, they couldn''t ascertain Renji''s specifics, and the risk of their operation would increase significantly. After a brief silence on the other end of the line, Renji''s voice came through, carrying a frivolous toneced with mockery. "Ah, Rnd." "How did you know my favorite type is a cat-girl~?" ---------- Well, this chapter counts as 2 chapters XD? NO.... Chapter 99 99: A Different Kind Of Noble? Part 1 ? ---------- When Renji returned to Rnd, the several cages of demi-human ves he saw the day before were all empty, except for one that still housed a single upant. Clearly, this was the goods Rnd had prepared for him. "Mr. Renji, see, I didn''t lie to you. She''s a purebred, top-notch Catgirl," Rnd enthusiastically led Renji to the cage. Rnd was about to further borate on Ashe''s specific breed, lineage, and domestic skills when Renji, seemingly impatient, raised his hand to interrupt. Renji then circled the cage, scrutinizing the merchandise. Inside the cage, the cat-girl, like most demi-human ves, was curled up in a corner, her face buried in her knees, trembling. Seeing that Renji hadn''t spoken for a while, Rnd, afraid of Renji changing his mind, hurriedly tapped the cage a few times as a signal to Ashe. The cat-girl inside was forced to lift her face. Though tear-streaked and dirty, it wasn''t hard to see she was quite beautiful ¨C typical of female Cat-race, who generally possess features that align well with human aesthetic standards. Renji paused for a moment when he saw Ashe''s face. Not because he was mesmerized, but because he felt a sense of familiarity. "Mr. Renji? Mr. Renji?" From Rnd''s perspective, Renji seemed spellbound by Ashe''s appearance, so he hurriedly called out a few times, hoping to strike while the iron was hot. "That''s fine, I''ll take her. How much?" "Two hundred thousand Ashen coins. As you know, Mr. Renji, a Cat demi-human is very sought after in the market." Two hundred thousand for a demi-human ve withoutbat abilities, even a Cat-girl, was an exorbitant price. Rnd and the other members of the revolutionary army hadn''t nned to ask for such a high price. Instead, they opted for a strategy to sell her cheaply to ensure that Ashe would definitely be bought by Renji. However, the reason for the high asking price was actually Ashe''s idea. She had set the price herself, hoping to gather funds for the revolutionary army in an emergency. Due to impostersmitting crimes under their name, donations to their cause had dwindled. With financial shorings everywhere, the two hundred thousand would alleviate immediate pressures and provide more substantial preparation for future actions. Rnd expected to have to persuade Renji to ept this price, and Ashe in the cage was prepared to y her part in enticing Renji to spend the money. Yet, before they could even start, Renji''s indifferent voice rang out. "Two hundred thousand is too little. Make it five hundred thousand. Do you want cash or a transfer?" ''What?'' Rnd, who had rehearsed his sales pitch, was left speechless. In all his years of doing business, he had never encountered someone like Renji, who haggled in reverse, and more than doubling the price at that. He was momentarily at a loss for words, standing there dumbfounded. Compared to Rnd, Ashe in the cage was even more surprised. She was stunned hardly. For the revolutionary army, who would split a coin in half to spend it, Ashe thought her bold proposal of two hundred thousand was already a stretch, a small act of defiance on her part. And now... five hundred thousand? With this amount, not only could the revolutionary army update their worn-out weapons and gear, but the extra funds would also make it easier for Leng and the others to gather intelligence. The children could even stop going hungry from tonight on. "C-cash¡­" stammered Rnd, still not fully recovered from the shock. Renji didn''t waste any words. He gestured to Eileen behind him. They had already exchanged a substantial amount of cash checks at the ck Gold Bank the previous night. Writing five hundred thousand on one of the checks meant that whoever held it could exchange it for five hundred thousand Ashen coins. Previously, when Brian gave Renji a "neer''s gift pack" in the Holy Kingdom, it was done through an ount at the ck Gold Bank. With the Sin City backing its credibility, the ck Gold Bank was known for its absolute security, privacy, and neutrality, making it popr among various countries and organizations. It was considered the world''s leading bank. Holding the check for five hundred thousand in his hand, Rnd still felt like he was dreaming until Renji urged him. He then snapped out of his daze, hurriedly opened the cage, and "delivered" Ashe to Renji. The rest of the process went smoothly. For instance, Rnd exined to Renji that he couldn''t immediately establish a ve contract between Renji and Ashe, as Ashe had recently changed owners and needed to wait a week before a new contract could be established. This wasmon in ve trading. Rnd gave Renji a contract pendant, which could temporarily control Ashe until the new contract was in ce after a week. These measures were actually to cover up the fact that their ve contracts were fake. Both Rnd and Ashe were extremely cautious and nervous in every step with Renji, but they were overthinking it. Even when Rnd prepared to let Renji test the ve contract as a part of the inspection, Renji simply waved it off and skipped it. The entire process probably took less than ten minutes, with the only unexpected incident being... "Mr. Rnd, are you... still a follower of the Church?" Renji pointed out a cross pendant identally exposed at Rnd''s neckline. "No, no, I''m just curious. I''ve only recentlye across it and found it interesting." Rnd quickly adjusted his neckline to hide the cross again. In the Dragon Nation a few days ago, this would have been unremarkable, but now, with the Empress at war with the Holy Kingdom, showing such an item could lead to trouble. Fortunately for Rnd, He was relieved that Renji didn''t pursue the topic further. After this brief interlude, the ve handover waspleted. Standing at the entrance of his shop, Rnd watched Ashe, who was taken away by Renji, growing more and more distant. His eyes reflected nothing but worry. The other hidden demi-humans emerged, and Nozomi, the Fox Lady and the ''big sister'' of the group, spoke up. "Now isn''t the time for sentimentality; we need to prepare for our operation and strive to bring Ashe back as soon as possible" Rnd: "Right, we must trust Ashe!" Chapter 100 100: A Different Kind Of Noble? Part 2 ? Renji, leading his newly acquired cat-girl ve, didn''t leave the ve market directly. Instead, he took a detour to a less crowded area and stopped. "Eileen put this on her." ''Put what on?'' Hearing the young noble''smand, a foreboding feeling rose in Ashe''s heart. Many human nobles adopted various "measures" to satisfy their peculiar fetishes with demi-humans. Ashe had thought her ordeal would begin once inside the mansion, but she hadn''t expected the young man to be so impatient, wanting to start right here... Ashe bowed her head, fighting back tears of fear, and closed her eyes tightly. But the next moment, she heard a whoosh, and something covered her... ''A garment? No, a cloak!?'' The nobleman''s servant draped arge cloak over her, a garment that seemed to have been prepared in advance. The hood was then pulled over her head, hiding her conspicuous ck cat ears, while her tail was hidden under the voluminous cloak. After these actions, Ashe was still confused when she heard the young noble and his servant appraising her and discussing among themselves. Renji: "How about it, Eileen? If you were just a passerby, could you tell she''s a cat-girl?" Eileen: "Not at all! With this cloak on, let alone her, I think even another demi-human could pass as a regr person." Renji: "Heh, now you see why so many powerful people like to wear cloaks. Cloaks are like a magical artifact!" The young noble''s proud exnation only added to Ashe''s confusion and bewilderment. ''What does he mean?'' ''Is he trying to hide my identity? But that didn''t make sense'' In Ashe''s experience, human nobles typically loved to unt their possessions and show off, especially when they had rare demi-human ves. They would parade them in the streets, basking in the envious nces of others. Many nobles evenpeted at parties to show off their high-quality demi-human ves as a status symbol. ''But now, this man wanted to my identity?'' Ashe didn''t have much time to ponder, as Renji approached her. This was probably the first time Renji was actually speaking to her. "So, what''s your name?" "My... my name?" "Yes, your name," Renji repeated. Ashe understood. She was about to kneel down, as many demi-human ves did, to request her master to give her a name, but she was abruptly stopped by an annoyed Renji. "What are you doing?" "I... I..." Faced with the questioning noble, Ashe was both scared and confused. ''Wasn''t this a normal procedure for ves? Had I done something wrong?'' "I asked for your name. Can''t you even answer a simple question? Why did I buy you then?" "A-Ashe! My name is Ashe! Ashe is my... name." Seeing Renji''s seemingly impending intention to ''return'' her, Ashe quickly responded, her voice even more urgent. She couldn''t afford to be returned. This noble youth was crucial for the future of their revolutionary army. She had promised everyone; she had toplete her mission as an inside agent, to... seize the future! "Ashe, huh? I thought so. You do look familiar. No wonder." After muttering to himself, Renji extended his hand to the petite ck haired Cat girl in front of him. "Renji, that''s my name." When Ashe,pletely bewildered and in a daze, also extended her hand to shake his lightly, Eileen, watching from behind, rolled her eyes. ''Typical¡­'' It was the same tactic he had used in the relic cave. But, as proven time and again, clich¨¦s be clich¨¦s because they consistently work. After exchanging names, Renji didn''t say much else and turned to leave, this time actually taking Ashe directly out of the ve market. Ashe was still cautious and full of fear for the unknown. Yet, it was noticeable that, whether it was because of the cloak reducing the attention from passersby or some other reason, her body was no longer trembling. Hidden under her cloak, her brown eyes stole a nce at the young man leading the way in front. A ridiculous thought suddenly sprouted in her mind. ''Could it be that this young man isn''t as bad as he seemed on the surface?'' ''Maybe...'' ''He is actually different from other nobles of the Dragon Nation? ... .... Ashe dismissed her fleeting absurd thought from earlier on the road. ''It turned out all nobles were indeed the same'' Because as soon as they returned to the mansion... [Wee home, Master. Eighty-Six, seemingly spotting a new rival, *grumbled under her breath*] said a maid at the door in a peculiar manner. Before Ashe could even react to this odd-speaking maid, the noble young man with an exasperated tone ordered, "86, take her clothes off and throw her in the bathtub. Clean her thoroughly." [Understood, Master. Eighty-Six, *filled with jealousy towards the neer*, downloading a ''Beast-Girl'' dress-up module] Following themand, the maid, Eighty-Six, led a now pale-faced Ashe to the second-floor bathroom. Ashe didn''t even have the right to undress herself; she was stripped by Eighty-Six, strictly adhering to Renji''s instructions. Naked, Ashe instinctively covered her private parts with her hands, like many inexperienced young girls. She clenched her skin tightly with her fingers, repeatedly telling herself in her mind that this was for their revolution, for the demi-human race, for their future... Once Eighty-Six had filled the bathtub with water at the right temperature, she turned to Ashe, who was still hesitant and looking down silently, and asked, [86 is Confused* Miss Ashe, what are you waiting for? Do I really need to throw you into the bathtub?] "Ah? W-won''t the master...e?" Ashe asked the maid timidly. [86 us Even more confused* Why would mastere?] "To... to bathe... with me." Ashe mumbled lowering her eyes. Typically, when demi-human ves were bought by nobles, they were cleaned using an external hose, simr to washing a carriage. After all, in the eyes of many nobles, ves and carriages were both tools. So, in Ashe''s eyes, a clean and spacious noble''s bathroom like the one she was in, with its soft, warm lighting, was not a ce for ves. The only reason a ve would be ''honored'' to be in such a ce was to serve the nobility. Hence, with her new master not present, how could she dare to act on her own? Chapter 101 101: A Different Kind Of Noble? Part 3 ? [Based on the analysis of Miss Ashe''s affection level with Master, the probability of you and Master bathing together is 0.001%. Eighty-Six also quietly calctes her own probability of bathing with the master at 0.1% and *proudly states so*]the maid said. Ashe: "¡­" Ashe was speechless. "So, master really just wants me to... clean myself?" [Yes. Although I do not possess an olfactory system, judging by the dirt on Miss Ashe''s body, you should be quite smelly. For the cleanliness of this household, please make sure to wash thoroughly] Eighty-Six urged in an exaggerated tone. Ashe: "¡­" Ashe was speechless again. Looking down at her body, Ashe saw her skin, which was grey and dirty ¨C certainly not its natural color. It was covered in umted dust and grime. If she scraped her skin with her fingernail, she could peel off a small strip of dirt. For her, bathing was a luxury ¨C they couldn''t even afford regr meals, let alone baths. Realizing how filthy and smelly she must appear in others'' eyes ¨C and remembering her previous assumption that the young noble might want to bathe with her ¨C Ashe wished she could just disappear into a crack in the floor. Thankfully, although the maid''s words were strange and harsh, her expression remained unchanged. Ashe no longer waited foolishly for Renji and hurriedly approached the bathtub. She tentatively dipped a toe into the water, a typical instinct of the Cat race. The unfamiliar sensation of warmth and moisture from the water made her slightly ufortable. But Ashe knew this was not her home and she wasn''t here to enjoy herself. Biting her lip, she stepped fully into the bathtub and crouched down, only her head above the water. Fully immersed in the warm water, Ashe felt each of her pores opening up, rxing in the perfectly tempered bath. It was stimting enough to rx her body without being scalding hot. Unbeknownst to her, her cat ears on top of her head, which had been drooping initially, perked up straight as soon as she entered the bath. They twitched involuntarily, and her cat tail, which she tried to keep under control, swished around in the water, causing ripples. After a thorough cleaning, Ashe emerged from the bathtub, feeling her arms, neck, legs, and other parts of her body to ensure there was no more dirt left and that her skin was smooth. She let out a sigh of relief. During the brief moment the maid went to fetch clothes for her, Ashe sneakily sniffed her armpits to make sure there was no lingering smelly odor. She quickly drained the bathtub, which had turned from clear to murky with dirt, and began scrubbing it clean with a brush. As she turned around after finishing, Ashe was startled to find the maid, holding clothes, already standing behind her, silently observing without interrupting. Startled, Ashe instinctively tried to exin herself. "Ah! I was just..." [Praise*. Miss Ashe is much more sensible than ''certain one'', No. 86 says without any hidden sarcasm about Miss Eileen who never knows how to restore things after using them] the maid stated. ''Miss Eileen ¨C was she the servant who followed the young man?'' ''Speaking of which...'' Not just because of the maid''sment, but recalling the interactions between Eileen and Renji along the way, Ashe felt that they seemed more like friends than master and servant. ''Can a noble really be friends with a servant?'' This was hard for Ashe to imagine. Dressed in simple clothes now, Ashe followed the maid to Renji''s room. Even before they entered, they could hear a heated argument from outside. "Damn it! How dare you make us work six days a week? Three days! No more than that!" "Hah!? I warn you Eileen, don''t push your luck. Five and a half days! No less!" "Four days!" "Four and a half!" "Deal!" When Ashe and the Robotic Maid knocked and entered the room, the argument inside seemed to reach a conclusion. Renji, looking at the three people now in his room ¨C his own small team ¨C instructed them to line up and handed each of them a freshly written contract. Ashe, feeling bewildered, took the contract. Although she didn''t recognize many of the words, she could guess from some phrases that it outlined their work requirements. Eileen and the maid quickly signed their names. Noticing Ashe''s hesitation, Renji approached her. "What''s the matter? Any problem?" "I... I can''t write." Renji massaged his forehead, almost overwhelmed with frustration. ''If she can''t write, it meant she likely can''t read much either'' "Listen, I''m probably going to stay here for a while, so these are the requirements for you. First, you must work at least four and a half days a week, starting from 9 AM and working until 5 PM. Secondly, the wages are settled weekly, with overtime paid at 200%. Finally, you have five days off each month, and exceeding this will lead to deductions. Of course, exceptions like sickness don''t count and you cane to me for reimbursement of medical expenses. In emergencies, you can also request humanitarian assistance from me. That''s pretty much it. Do you have any objections?" "Wages?" Ashe''s head spun. She had tuned out after hearing ''wages,'' unable toprehend why a ve would receive a sry. However, the young noble didn''t exin ''why'' but rather ''how much.'' "Two thousand Ashen coins per week. Including bonuses and overtime, it should be around ten thousand a month. Any more questions?" Ashe''s eyes widened at the unimaginable figures being discussed. Though Eileen was hinting for her to protest and ask for more, hoping Renji would increase their allowance, Ashe was clearly not in a state to think about that. Ten thousand a month! In Dragon Nation, that was definitely an enviable sry. Many people would go to great lengths, struggling to earn such wages, while the revolutionary army could only gather a few thousand Ashen coins a month through donations. Ashe: "No, I have no problem!" Ashe nodded eagerly. She even hurriedly cut her finger and used the blood to press her fingerprint on the contract as a sign of agreement. Renji nced at it briefly and didn''tment much. He collected the three contracts and then pulled out three bundles of money, handing them out as he exined, "This is your first month''s sry paid in advance. It''s ten thousand each." "Yayyyy!" Eileen cheered, happy to finally earn her own money. The maid seemed indifferent, as her money was essentially Renji''s money. As for Ashe... She carefully tucked the money bag into the innermostyer of her clothing, feeling its significant weight. For a moment, she even forgot her true purpose for being there. She quickly shook her head mentally. ''No, I can''t forget my mission. I need to gain this noble man''s trust, extract information, and serve as an inside agent to pass messages to my fellow revolutionaries'' Ultimately, her goal was to plunder this wealthy young master of his riches! Unfortunately, after the meeting dispersed, Ashe waited, but Renji didn''t seek her out. Sheter learned from Eighty-Six that Renji had left with Eileen right after the meeting. This raised numerous questions in Ashe''s mind. ''Could it be that Master Renji had brought me here just to clean?'' However, this also made it easier for her to move around and explore. As Ashe pretended to clean, she was actually memorizing the structure andyout of the entire mansion. To her surprise, the security was incrediblyx ¨C in fact, there were no guards at all! Aside from the three of them, there was no one else in the entire mansion. This waspletely different from what Ashe and the revolutionary army had imagined during their nning. There was no need for any intricate battle ns ¨C Ashe even thought they could take action tonight! Time passed quickly, and the afternoon soon turned to evening. When the clock struck five, marking the end of their contractual working hours, Ashe clenched her broom, realizing it was now her time to move freely. Moreover, the young nobleman had not returned yet, and the house was only upied by the peculiar robotic maid ¨C ''A perfect opportunity'' With this in mind, Ashe sneaked back to her room. The spacious room with a soft bed, a single sofa, and a writing desk was beyond her wildest dreams, but she was determined. She locked her door from the inside, pretending to rest, but actually... Ashe opened the window and leaped out, her Cat bloodline agility ensuring her movements were silent and undetected. By five in the afternoon, the sky was already darkening, with only thest rays of the setting sun lingering in the horizon. Ashe, still wrapped in the cloak given to her by Renji, merged into the shadows and swiftly headed towards the meeting spot agreed upon with her fellow revolutionaries. Unbeknownst to her, the maid she thought was still cleaning inside the house was actually on the rooftop, watching her every move. Eighty-Six, having a clear view from above, made a phone call. [Master] [Ashe has left the house] Chapter 102 102: A Shared Goal ? The revolutionary army had agreed with Ashe that if she found an opportunity to sneak out, she should ce any gathered intelligence under a marked brick in a small alley not far from Renji''s mansion. If things went particrly smoothly, Ashe would find a simple pager at the meeting spot. By pressing it, the revolutionary army would understand she was avable for a direct meeting and would send someone quickly for a handover. However, it seemed to happen too quickly. A member of the revolutionary army, also using a cloak to hide their demi-human identity, arrived swiftly at the agreed location after receiving Ashe''s signal. But they didn''t show herself immediately. Instead, she first scouted around Ashe''s location to ensure no ambush was set up before actually approaching Ashe. Removing the cloak revealed the face of a Tiger female, a leader of the revolutionary army. "Ashe!" "Eh!? sister Jiu! Why are you here personally?" Ashe was clearly surprised by the appearance of Jiu. Such a situation didn''t seem to warrant her personal involvement. However, Jiu appeared more curious and concerned, even a bit helplessly sympathetic, than Ashe. "Ashe, you didn''t... escape, did you?" Jiu''s assumption was natural given the circumstances. Ashe had contacted them much too quickly and even appeared in person, leading the revolutionary army to initially fear that Ashe might have been exposed and used by the young noble to trap them. This also exined why Jiu didn''t meet Ashe immediately but first scoped out the surroundings. "How could I! sister Jiu, rest assured, I took on this task and I willplete it! I won''t let everyone down, nor will I y with our future!" "Good! I believe in you, Ashe. So... that human noble is really that careless, letting you find an opportunity to slip out so easily?" Jiu scrutinized Ashe, who had removed her cloak. Something felt off to her. As she sniffed in Ashe''s direction, her suspicions deepened. The familiar scent of Ashe seemed... diluted? "No, he... he didn''t do anything to me after buying me." "What!?" "Yeah, he just bathed me and then gave me money," Ashe briefly summarized her afternoon''s experience. Jiu''s eyes widened in disbelief, struggling toprehend what she was hearing. As proof, Ashe took out the money bag from her chest and handed it to Jiu. "This is ten thousand! Wow, that human is really generous. It seems we can make a good profit from this venture!" The conversation shifted back to their nned operation. When Ashe described theyout, structure, andck of security at Renji''s mansion, Jiu''s expression could only be described as if she had just found a pie falling from the sky. Jiu excitedly hugged Ashe, shaking her with joy. "Brilliant work, Ashe! What are we waiting for?" "I''ll go back and tell everyone. We''ll act tonight. Oh, and Ashe, you don''t need to go back to that noble''s ce. Come with me, I''m sure everyone will agree!" Realizing howx Renji''s security was, Jiu felt relieved. Despite her seemingly carefree demeanor, her attention to detail, like now suggesting Ashe shouldn''t return to Renji''s ce, revealed her thoughtful nature. Ashe understood Jiu''s reasoning. Jiu probably still thought the young noble might harm her. The events of the day might have just been a prelude, akin to some diners who don''t bother with appearances and dive right in, while others meticulously set the table before savoring their meal. Renji, in their eyes, became thetter type ¨C a meticulous diner ¨C and they feared that Ashe might still be in danger tonight. Thus, Jiu''s insistence and suggestion to elerate their ns. However... "No, sister Jiu, I think that''s not a good idea!" Jiu didn''t expect Ashe to be the one to reject her proposal. "Why not?" "Because... I have a feeling that the two servants with that young noble are... dangerous!" Ashe blurted out this reason in her urgency. "Dangerous?" "Yes! And don''t you think it''s strange, sister Jiu? A noble without any guards? We shouldn''t be so hasty. I need to investigate more." Ashe''s argument made sense, especiallying from a Cat race known for their alertness. Her intuition made Jiu take her words seriously and reassess the situation. But Jiu looked at Ashe with a sad expression, knowing what this meant for her. "So, you... you''ll have to..." "If it can exchange for our future, I am willing!" Ashe shook her head firmly. They couldn''t meet for too long as Ashe had sneaked out. After exchanging information, Jiu gave her a few more instructions and quickly left, leaving Ashe alone. Watching Jiu''s retreating figure, Ashe then looked down at her hands. Was it really because she sensed danger from the young noble''s servants? ''Or was it something else?'' Ashe had participated in several revolutionary army operations and knew well the hatred they harbored for corrupt officials and the Dragon Nation''s nobility. Those who fell into their hands rarely ended up well, often not even left with an intact body, let alone alive. For someone wealthy like Renji, he would likely face interrogation by Leng and others, tortured to extract everyst bit of valuable information ¨C a process so brutal that even Ashe couldn''t bear to witness, often tainted with a sense of personal vendetta. So, Ashe wrapped herself tighter in the cloak given to her by Renji. Deep down, she almost hoped that the young noble would do something more to her that night, to tear off his disguise and reveal the same ugly face as other nobles. That way, she wouldn''t have to hesitate ¨C no, it wasn''t hesitation, but rather her sixth sense alerting her. Yes, she was just being cautious. ''I would wait until tomorrow, observe the two servants around the young man a bit more, and if there were no issues, I would call the revolutionaries to act the next night!'' With this resolution, Ashe quickly headed back to Renji''s mansion. Just five or six seconds after Ashe left, Renji and Eileen emerged from the shadow of a corner. "So, old timer... are we really going to join the revolutionary army?" Eileen, having overheard the entire conversation, couldn''t help but ask somewhat angrily. Renji shrugged. Renji: "The revolutionary army wants to overthrow the Empress, and my purpose ining to Dragon Nation is also to take her down. Since our goals align, why not work together?" "But now it seems controlling this force will require more effort," Renji mused, then turned to leave. "Let''s go back." "Are we going to capture Ashe?" Eileen asked as she followed him. "No." "It''s time for dinner~" Chapter 103 103: Tonights Dinner At The Empresss Residence (Part 1) ? Two banquet tables, each several meters long, were filled with a variety of cold and hot dishes. Nearly every renowned dish from within the borders of Dragon Nation was present, creating an extravagant disy. The aroma of these culinary delights permeated the Dragon Hall, enticing the taste buds of all present. Not only did these dishes smell divine, but their appearance, meticulously crafted by the chefs in the kitchen, was equally enticing, achieving a perfect blend of color, aroma, and taste. The Empress, rarely emerging from her deep sleep, ensured that this grand celebratory banquet was avish affair, despite the ongoing state of war. Maintaining appearances was essential, even under such circumstances. Logically, the Dragon Hall, serving as a ce for council and official duties, wouldn''t usually host banquets, which were typically held in other halls. However, the Empress was not one for rigid rules and protocols. In fact, Empress Nova found them tiresome. To dine with her, the ministers had to adapt, moving the banquet to the Dragon Hall. The ministers of Dragon Nation, seated along the long banquet tables, followed a strict hierarchical seating arrangement. Those of lower rank and influence sat further away from the Empress. Even those who only qualified for seats near the entrance of the Dragon Hall felt honored and showed no signs of dissatisfaction. Each person''s attire varied, as did their appearances, but one thing wasmon among all: they praised the prosperity and strength of Dragon Nation, discussing its bright future. At the head of the hall, Empress Nova who had reigned since ancient times, sat on the highest throne, seemingly disinterested in the lively atmosphere below. She appeared perpetually in a pose of resting her cheek in her hand, her furious red hair more disheveled than usual, wildly cascading over the back of the throne. Her imposing dragon horns added to her aura ofmanding presence. But tonight, perhaps in a bid to change her mood, Nova wasn''t wearing her usual ck cheongsam. Instead, she donned a red dress, matching the color of her hair and with a hint of military style, and long red boots that reached her knees. The military-style red dress,pared to the previous cheongsam, covered more of Empress Nova''s body, but its tight fit entuated her distinguished demi-human figure even more prominently. The high cor of the dress framed her slender, pale neck, while the snug shoulders highlighted her broad, angr shoulder line. The military attire suited the Empress impably,bining elegance with amanding presence. However, the attention inevitably drifted downwards to her ample bust, which almost seemed to strain against the confines of the uniform. The stark contrast between her full chest and the slim waistline entuated by the tight uniform offered a striking visual impact. The hem of the red skirt was not particrly long, ending just above the knee, seamlessly transitioning to a pair of knee-high boots. The boots hugged her legs tightly, emphasizing their toned and powerful appearance, a trait possibly unique to demi-humans. If there was any regret to be noted, it was that this breathtaking vision of beauty within the Dragon Hall could not be openly admired. Even the most notoriously promiscuous minister, Charl, only dared to steal a quick nce while speaking to the Empress, before respectfully lowering his gaze. "Your Majesty,st night our vanguard suffered a severe blow. We not only lost an Artifact Wielder but also had a precious ''Artifact'' captured by the enemy. I believe this is a serious provocation by the Holy Kingdom and suggest an immediate counterattack with additional forces to reim the Artifact!" "No need." After Empress Nova spoke, she didn''t wait for Charl, frozen in ce, to say anything further and continued hermand: "Long, order all frontline Dragon Gate forces to halt and stand by." This was unexpected. The loss of a vanguard unit and an Artifact Wielder, yet the Empress, known for her vtile temperament, didn''t erupt in anger. Instead, she chose a more conservative strategy. ''What could be the reason behind this decision?'' As a militarymander, General Long found the situation peculiar, but he was actually relieved to see a halt in hostilities. "By yourmand, Your Majesty!" Seizing the opportunity, General Long immediately advised further: "Your Majesty, since we are pausing the war, may I suggest reallocating some forces to suppress the rebel groups taking advantage of the situation within the country?" "I also propose, considering our limited military strength and to motivate our troops, amending the ve Constitution to allow a portion of enved demi-humans in the military to earn promotions and escape very through military achievements and exceptional performance. Once implemented, I am confident this will significantly strengthen the Dragon Gate forces, and the rebels will copse without a fight!" As soon as General Long finished speaking, Charl, seated nearby, voiced his objection. "Nonsense! How can we change strategies at such a critical time, especially involving the foundationalws of the nation? What if it fails? Can you bear the responsibility? I absolutely disagree." "Charl''s concerns are valid. In that case, we can start with a pilot implementation." "A pilot? Where do you propose?" "In the Sealed City." The mention of Sealed City, one of Dragon Nation''s most prominent cities known for its wealth generation, visibly darkened Charl''s expression. A significant portion of his personal wealth relied on Sealed City, where officials he supported ''contributed'' to his treasury. He had even stationed members of his family there to oversee his interests. Naturally, Charl was displeased at General Long''s proposal to disrupt his source of ie. However, General Long seemed determined and well-prepared. He signaled someone, and voices of dissent arose from the entrance of the Dragon Hall as several demi-humans, apanied by Dragon Gate soldiers, entered the hall. "Your Majesty, these people have fought valiantly alongside me for many years, earning numerous military honors. They are brave and skilled but remain limited by their status as ves, unable to contribute further to Dragon Nation. I believe that if Your Majesty issues a decree today to start in Sealed City, gradually lifting restrictions on demi-humans and treating them as citizens and not ves, Dragon Nation will be rejuvenated and truly be the world''s foremost power!" While speaking, the demi-humans brought by General Long kneeled in the Dragon Hall and began to demonstrate their martial skills by sparring with each other, as arranged by General Long. Charl''s expression darkened as he watched the scene unfold. With "their" assistance, since the sessful revision of the constitution three hundred years ago, the Empress rarely made public appearances, staying in deep sleep and out of worldly affairs. This allowed Charl to gradually gain control over Dragon Nation, as per their agreement. Now, unexpectedly, the Empress had emerged from her seclusion. If General Long seized this opportunity to influence her, convincing her to change her mind, the position Charl had painstakingly built over a century could copse. The first to confront him wouldn''t be General Long or the Empress, but "them"! '' I can''t let this happen Charl had intended to keep his trump card hidden for longer, but it seemed he had no choice but to y it now. His cold gaze settled on the demi-humans General Long had brought before the Empress, particrly focusing on a Lizardman. Since the constitutional revision three hundred years ago, no Dragon race remained in the world, only the so-called "Lizard race", Sensing Charl''s gaze, the Lizard Soldier trembled slightly, understanding the implication. The Lizard mans, initially engaging in a friendly spar, suddenly changed his stance. Before his sparring partner could react, heunched a swift attack, directing his de towards the Empress sitting above in the Dragon Hall. "What?!" Everyone was shocked by this sudden turn of events, including Charl. The Lizard soldier was a sleeper agent he had nted within General Long''s soldiers through special means, reserved for a moment of crisis like this. In Charl''s original n, the demi-human was supposed to create chaos in the Great Hall, attacking and killing several officials in front of the Empress. This would not only turn General Long''s proposal into a farce but also fulfill hismitment to "them" by ensuring that demi-humans would never rise again. But... ''What was happening?!'' ''Who on earth had ordered an assassination attempt on the Empress?!'' Charl felt a cold dread. He knew something had gone terribly wrong. Meanwhile, General Long was the first to react. Despite his face showing disbelief at being betrayed by a trusted ally, his actions were swift. Before the Lizard could reach the Empress, General Long''s towering figure intercepted him, delivering a powerful punch. Bang!* The Lizard soldier was sent flying, not even grazing the hem of the Empress''s dress. "Dare to assassinate Her Majesty, die!" In his rage, General Long conjured a ck sword from thin air, a feat possible only with a ''Relic''. He was about to strike down the rebellious demi-human when a tremendous pressure emanated from the throne, immobilizing everyone in the hall. Chapter 104 104: Tonights Dinner At The Empresss Residence (Part 2) Only two beings in the Great Hall could still move. One was the Empress, who slowly descended from her throne. The other was the Lizard soldier, who had attempted to assassinate her. Deep down, the Lizardman knew it was impossible to seed. He was driven by a moment of rage, fueled by the hatred shared by all demi-humans towards the Empress, who seemed indifferent to the plight of their race and even sided with humans against her own kind. "General Long, give me your sword." As Empress Nova spoke, she effortlessly took General Long ''s powerful ''Relic'' sword and, to everyone''s surprise, tossed it to the Lizardman lying on the ground. Then, she drew a simple iron sword from one of the Dragon Gate soldiers, amon weapon with no special features. "Show me your resolve" With these few words, Nova, in her military red dress, assumed a seriousbat stance. She didn''t use any of her insane powers or skills and even neutralized the oppressive aura for the Lizardman''s benefit. "Ahhhh¡­" Roaring, the Lizard-man, momentarily forgetting his fear of the Empress, viewed the dragon woman before him as an enemy. He struggled to wield General Long ''s ''Relic'' sword and charged towards Nova. Bang!* Predictably, even with just an iron sword and without using any of her power, Nova effortlessly defeated the Lizard-man in less than five moves, sending him flying with sword and all. The battle was not over; it was just the beginning. "Get up. Fight." Nova uttered these three words to the fallen demi-human. These words resonated deeply with her. Roaring again, the Lizard-man charged again, only to be defeated more quickly than before, this time with a deep gash left by Nova''s sword, blood streaming. "Get up. Fight." Bang!* "Get up. Fight." Bang!* To the civilian onlookers, it seemed as if the Empress was repeatedly forcing the clearly exhausted Lizardman to fight, almost as if she were humiliating or torturing him. However, General Long, a true warrior, remained silent and observant. He knew the Empress had no intention of humiliation. With each of the Lizard-man''s attacks, even as he grew increasingly unsteady and struggled to grip his sword, Nova maintained a standardbat stance, treating each encounter with utmost seriousness. Indeed, General Long didn''t understand why the Empress was doing this. Perhaps only Empress Nova knew the reason in her heart. In her eyes, the Lizard-man before her was no longer just a member of his race; ''he was a reflection of her past self''. A simr scene from her past yed in her mind. The person then in her position, who had coldly and sternly repeated those three words "Get up. Fight." to her, was... ...the figure shrouded in an ''ashen cloak'', who had thrown a sword to a dragon woman at the bottom of a pit, her neck bound by a ve cor, her body covered in wounds. Nova, enduring all sorts of fatigue and pain, once again gripped the hilt of the sword, following the orders of her master, the one who had bought her from the "ve diator arena" ¨C Emperor Ashen. She was in a monsterir, constantly besieged by waves of Miasma monstersing from all directions. The only thing required of her by her Lord was to fight and keep fighting. She slew monster after monster with her sword, but they seemed endless, like a bottomless pit. Gradually, her strength waned; she started getting injured, pierced by spikes, and shed by scythes. She didn''t know how many times she had fallen, her body drenched in blood. She was exhausted. Completely worn out. Yet every time she thought of giving up, pleading to Her master to end the training, Nova always received the same response. "Get up. Fight." Nova knew her master was serious. If she gave up fighting, he wouldn''te to save her. What awaited her was being overwhelmed by the tide of Tainted monsters, being devoured limb by limb to death. She swung her sword. And swung it again. Even if her lungs felt as if they were being seared by hot coals, and her limbs as heavy as if filled with lead, she clenched her teeth, with only one thought in her mind. "Get up. Fight." She refused to submit, filled with anger toward her master Ashen. She was determined to survive this ordeal, to confront and question her master about this torment, to unleash her fury on the figure who only dared to hide beneath the cloak. Her desire to survive became her driving force. The dragon blood within her was fully activated, unlocking hertent potential in this life-and-death struggle. A new strength began to flow through her, rejuvenating her, igniting the dragon blood within. After awakening her new power, Nova seeded, enduring until no more monsters emerged from their. Copsing from exhaustion, she vividly remembered that moment, even after five hundred years. Instead of falling to the ground, she was caught by a man. That moment felt warmer and moreforting than anything she had ever known. "You''ve worked hard, Nova. And... congrattions." "It was... so hard, My Lord." "You must be starving." "Very hungry¡­" "Let''s go home then. Zero should have dinner ready, and Suthia will heal your wounds. For now, rest here with me for a while." Nova wasn''t sure if the conversation above was real or a hallucination as her consciousness blurred ¨C After all, her master had always said very few words, very few. But one thing Nova was sure of: her master held her very tightly in that moment. It was through these life-and-death struggles, constant strife, and rebellion, orchestrated her master, that Nova awakened her new skill and achieved her current status. She became one of "them" worthy of standing beside her great master. .. ¡­.. "Get up. Fight." Returning from her distant yet profound memories, Nova was about to speak to the Lizardman again when she noticed he was lifeless, motionless on the ground. The ''Relic'' sword had failed to respond to the Lizardman''s call. ''Why?'' ''Why can''t anyone be awakened?'' ''Isn''t it enough to be forced? Is their inner struggle and desire to survive not enough?'' ''Or Was it my method of copying My Lord''s methods?'' A harsh environment was supposed to unleash potential, and thew of the jungle to bring forth true strength. Sacrificing the majority to nurture a select few was the correct way. After all, it was how Emperor Ashen had created "them" And it was "them," along with their Lord, who ended the source of Tainted Miasma pollution and saved the world. Nova looked at the lifeless Lizard-man on the ground, her eyes, which had wavered momentarily, returning to their initial cold. Of course. As Nova''s purple eyes shifted towards Charl, Charl''s heart skipped a beat, nearly dropping to his knees in fear and confession. But Charl''s position wasn''t solely due to his wickedness; it was his capability that made him the most formidable among the ministers. He was someone who would abandon everything for power and survival. "Despicable creature, conspiring with demi-humans to defame the loyal General Long in front of the Empress. You deserve death, utterly unforgivable!" Before his son Tian could evenprehend what was happening, Charl''s p struck him, and in the next moment, Tian''s head burst like a smashed watermelon. After doing this, Charl prostrated himself in abject humility and fear, inflicting numerous punishments upon himself and begging the Empress for forgiveness. Nova watched this scene with cold indifference. But her gaze soon shifted, passing through the Dragon Hall and looking towards the Dragon Nation she had built, and perhaps even beyond to something far away. Without a word, Nova turned and left the Dragon Hall, returning to her imperial pce, leaving behind a hall full of trembling ministers, still shocked by the series of events, the body of the Lizard-man, and Charl''s decapitated son. However, it seemed Nova''s troubling night was not yet over. Upon returning to her chamber, she found an unexpected figure waiting, as if she had been there for some time. "It''s been a long time," "Sister Nova." The pink-haired subus, lounging on the Empress''s bed with her legs crossed, spoke casually. Chapter 105 105: Empresss Dinner Tonight (Part 3) "What are you doing here?" "And?" "Get off my bed" Nova said with a stern voice. "Hmph, Why should I ?~." Lena rolled her eyes, though her words were tough, her body was honest, immediately stopped provoking, and got off the Empress''s bed. Then, the pink-haired subus sized up Nova opposite her, making an admiration sound. "Long time no see you in that uniform, huh? You knew Master Ashen wasing back, so you put on your most familiar look to meet him? So eager to put on the old stuff?" "If you want to fight with me, just say it." Lena knew the temperamental Dragon Lady opposite was not joking. One more teasing word from her mouth, and she might get punched. "Okay, okay, we''re all sisters in that man''s harem, what''s wrong with some girlish talk? Hey! Put away your knife! I actually came here to tell you, Master Ashen is not in my Sin City!" Seeing the Dragon Lady opposite really about to make a move, the pink-haired subus became anxious, retreated a few steps cautiously, and finally got straight to the point. Nova frowned. "Just for this sentence, you came all the way here?" "Hmph, isn''t it? After all, I don''t want my city to receive a deration of war too" "So where is Master now?" "Probably somewhere within your territory," Lena said, twirling her pink hair with her finger. "Why didn''t hee to find me directly?" Hearing such a naive question from Nova, Lena couldn''t help but snicker, but seeing the Dragon Lady''s clenched fist again, she quickly became serious: "If that guy can be sensed by you, he must have used your power, right? If so, you should also be able to sense how weak he is now, almost as if he''s lost all his strength." Nova nodded. Or rather, it was precisely because of this that she was eager to find her master, worried that something bad had happened to him in the Holy Kingdom. But now it seems, it might not be as she imagined? "So you still don''t understand, with that guy''s stubborn personality, of course, he wouldn''t directlye to you!" "What do you mean?" Seeing the Dragon Lady opposite still confused, Lena sighed, holding her forehead. "Let me give you an example. Say you suddenly lost all your strength, would you still go to Master Ashen?" "I..." Nova fell silent. Indeed, if she lost all her strength overnight, she would probably choose to leave quietly, retrain, and only when she regained all her strength, she would be worthy to stand by her master''s side again. But the problem is... "Stop, I know what you''re going to say. Like, ah~ We are His Majesty''s loyal guards, we are loyal to Ashen, no matter what happens to him we won''t betray him, right?" The pink-haired subus was spot on, never disappointing ''them'' when it came to being annoying. "I''m just asking you, if you really find master, what are you going to do? Imprison him or turn him into a robot?" "I would help master regain his strength." Nova answered seriously. "Heh, just like the way you helped your Demi human regain their strength?" Facing Lena''s mockery, Nova, unusually, did not retort but fell silent. Nova: ''Is that way not right? '' ''Master had trained me that way, helping me regain my strength'' ''Then, couldn''t master himself ept this method? '' Nova didn''t believe it. She believed her master would definitely endure it. What she could do in the past, her master should do it even more easily, ''it''s impossible for him to fail'' The expression on the Dragon Lady''s face said it all. Lena sighed deeply. But no matter! The more these people copse, the worse they get, the more it highlights her, Lena''s excellence and sincerity! It paves the way for the ''Subus'' Grand Victory''! Thinking of this, the pink-haired subus curled her lips. Until... "So, why do you know so much? Did Master also use your ability?" It was just a casual question from Nova, but the pink-haired subus opposite reacted like a cat with its fur exploded. "ME? HAH! I hope that guy NEVER uses my power, he better never use it for his entire life! And even if he did, Hmph* I wouldn''t go looking for him like you guys! I have more backbone than you all. he ditched me for what, five centuries? I won''t forgive him that easily!.... Unless... unless hees to me on his own!" Watching Lena''s sulking face, Nova was somewhat stunned and then, uncharacteristically, she spoke with a gentle tone. "I didn''t expect that after five hundred years, the one among us who could stay the same would be you." "Ha!? Sister Nova, make yourself clear! Are you saying I''m stagnant? Pfft! I''ve grown, not in strength, but in wisdom! Intelligence! Forget it, there''s no use talking to ''Vanguards'' like you with one-track minds!" Seeing that the conversation was not going anywhere and having said what needed to be said, Lena prepared to leave. But before that. There were two more little things. "Just onest question before I go. Hypothetically, just a hypothesis, what if master bes your enemy? What would you do?" "I would surrender." Nova answered without hesitation. "You!....Huh¡­You can''t surrender! Have you considered why master would be your enemy, what deeper meaning this might have? Have you ever thought that this might be another trial from master Ashen for you, a... test?" "I don''t understand." "Ah, forget it! It''s no use talking to you about it now. When the timees, and you''re really in that situation, let''s see if you can still hold back, -if you can surrender so easily~-!" Muttering to herself in a voice only she could hear, Lena waved at Nova. "Alright, I have a lot of things to handle too. Oh yeah, almost forgot, I left a bowl of porridge on your desk. Just bought it on the way, it''s definitely not made by me, nor did I bring it specially for you. If you don''t like it, feel free to throw it away, I won''t be angry." After dropping this line, Lena''s figure disappeared in a puff of pink smoke within Nova''s bedroom. When Nova approached the table ording to the subus''s words and opened the wrapped bowl of hot porridge, her purple dragon eyes suddenly narrowed, and her whole body seemed to shiver. Quickly, all those delicious dishes from the previous dinner, which had failed to move Nova, who hadn''t even bothered to pick up her chopsticks, now saw her gently scoop a spoonful of porridge with a small wooden spoon. This was... The porridge she had woken up to after her "trial" the one master Ashen had fed her, cooked by master himself. It was designed to relieve physical fatigue and overexertion, very stomach-friendly and restorative. She remembered this bowl of porridge but had long forgotten its name and the ingredients in it. ''So... Lena?'' ''She shouldn''t have been around Master at that time¡­'' ''How did she...'' She stopped thinking about it. Nova ate the porridge spoon by spoon, each taste reviving her memories with her master, all those moments vividlying back to life. Five hundred years had passed. Master had finally returned, still within the territory of her Dragon Nation. So... ''What is Master Ashen is doing now?'' ''It iste...'' ''He must be eating too¡­'' "I wish I can eat together with master again¡­" Nova gazed at the moon outside the window, the Empress of the Dragon Nation was lost in her thoughts. Chapter 106 106: Masters Porridge Tastes So Good ? In Renji''s mansion. For the cat race, climbing up a three-story vi was quite easy. Ashe, under the cover of night, after her "secret meeting" with the revolution army, quickly returned to Renji''s ce. The Catgirl, who slipped into her room through the window, saw everything inside was as it was, and there were no signs of her locked door being opened. Ashe let out a sigh of relief, her two cat ears, which had been tense, finally rxed. However, before Ashe could do anything else, a series of knocking sounds at the door made her jump. The guilty Catgirl''s tail straightened up in fear, and her first thought was, ''Oh no, was I discovered?'' Trying to calm herself and not wanting to dy, she nervously opened the door. Thankfully, it was the strange maid standing outside. "Miss Ashe, it''s time for dinner. Number 86 can''t wait to secure her position as the head maid through her culinary skills" the maid said. ''Was it already time for dinner?'' Ashe felt relieved that she wasn''t discovered for returningte. As she hurriedly agreed and descended the stairs, Ashe thought about her role in the revolution army, where she cared for children and helped with simple meals. But she knew nothing about high-end cooking. ''What do i do now...?'' ''Eh?'' ''What''s this aroma?'' Ashe, not yet in the dining room, already sensed something unusual. And when the maid led her to the dining room, the Catgirl was stunned to see a table full of meticulously cooked dishes, from appetizers like bread and cold dishes to main courses of chicken breast with foie gras, roast duck, and steamed fish. Not to mention, there were many more seemingly ordinary home-cooked dishes, yet they were prepared with vibrant colors and tempting sauces. ''This... everything is already prepared'' ''Then why was I called here? '' As Ashe was puzzled, she noticed four chairs around the dining table. The maid and Eileen, who had returned home, upied two of them. The remaining two, one obviously at the head of the table, and thest one, ''could it be...'' Gulp. Ashe''s throat involuntarily moved, and her stomach seemed to be protesting subtly. Usually, in the revolution army, it was mostly potato porridge, with a few vegetable leaves on asion. Getting a fried dish with oil was like a New Year''s feast, let alone meat. Demi human generally have arger appetite than humans, especially those like Ashe in their developmental period. Faced with such a huge temptation, her long-repressed instincts started to stir. The most torturous thing for a hungry person isn''t watching delicious food but watching others savoring it with relish! Okay then. Describing Eileen''s current state at the dining table as ''savoring with relish'' would be too mild. More urately, the girl was eating voraciously, wishing she had four hands to enjoy the feast. After bing an Eclipse, Eileen''s appetite had indeed increased dramatically. And considering that her background was simr to Ashe''s,ing from the slums, she had never seen such avish and luxurious dinner before. Gulp, gulp* Ashe''s salivary nds were secreting mucus furiously, as if whispers from the devil kept urging her to take the remaining chair at the dining table. By the time Ashe regained herposure, she... she had already taken the seat!... "Don''t be so hesitant! Come on, this, this, and these, eat more... can''t let me be the only one getting fat" Eileen, after pulling Ashe to her seat, started to fill the tes in front of Ashe with food. If not for thest sentence spoken in a guilty whisper, it would have been quitemendable. Unfortunately, before Ashe could even start eating, her attempt was halted by Number 86. [Stoneface*. Master has ordered that Miss Ashe is not yet allowed to eat these] "I''m sorry! I''m so sorry!" Ashe apologized in panic, quickly putting down her guilty chopsticks and preparing to stand up from the chair, like a ve should, standing outside, watching her masters eat. But before she could finish, footsteps approached from behind. Turning around, Ashe saw the mansion''s owner, the noble young man. Renji, now wearing a kitchen apron and oven mitts, carried a small y pot of porridge. He came to Ashe''s side, recing her dish of food with the pot of porridge. "This is for you." With this simple sentence, Renji returned to the head of the table to enjoy his dinner. ''This is mine?'' Ashe looked at the young man who had just cooked, and then at the pot in front of her. She felt her worldview being severely challenged, an indescribable emotion uncontrobly emerging from her heart. Because... ''A master cook... for a ve?'' If that wasn''t shocking enough, the maid beside her began to exin, [Based on my calctions and analysis, a sudden change in Miss Ashe''s diet and the intake of too many fats is not advisable. The guidance suggests continuing a light diet, gradually adding eggs, dairy, and meat until the body fully adapts. This porridge was voluntarily prepared by master specifically for Miss Ashe''s nourishment, * Number 86 exined, helping her cool and aloof master*] Ashe: "..." She carefully opened the lid of the y pot, and a white steam rose up, followed by the strong aroma of the porridge. The porridge was rich with various ingredients like barley, vegetables, shredded meat, and yam. The moreplex the porridge, the more difficult and energy-consuming it is to prepare. Now, it actually wasn''t about the porridge anymore. It was more about the meaning behind this bowl of porridge. ''When was thest time someone cared and paid attention to me like this?'' ''Ah, I remembered¡­'' Blurry images surfaced. She was only a few years old at the time. The dining table wasn''t as beautiful then, and the food wasn''t as plentiful and delicious. But they were happy because she could get her father to feed her by acting cute, and her mother would spend hours baking her younger sister''s favorite cookies. Until a fire ravaged their lives, human soldiers invaded, and under a night sky stained red by mes, her people were captured, caged, and cored. She and her sister could only hide in the trees, helplessly watching everything unfold. Later, to survive, she and her sister began to wander, even getting separated. Fortunately, at her most desperate moment, she found the revolutionaries. Although her time with the revolutionaries was short, just half a year, her hard work and endurance quickly earned her a ce and trust among them. But precisely because of this, Ashe could feel the oppressive atmosphere in the revolutionaries more acutely. On the surface, everyone encouraged and helped each other, but Ashe, sensitive as she was, knew these were mere facades, fragile and easily broken. As the revolutionaries'' situation worsened, internal conflicts and disputes became more frequent, and no real way out seemed visible. They called themselves "revolution army" but they were just a group of people clinging to each other in desperation. Drip, drip* Ashe didn''t know why, but her vision blurred, a thick mist of tears clouding her sight, with some drops falling into her porridge. She hated this side of herself, especially when she thought of the revolutionaries depending on her, it filled her with guilt. Yet, in moments like these, with Eileen, the strange maid, and her new master showing care in their ways, Ashe wished time could freeze. They say a hundred bucks can buy a desperate beggar, and everyone thinks it''s too easy, right? But in reality, who would actually do it? At least for Ashe, Renji was the first. Not just as a human noble, but the first person since the loss of her parents to cook a meal just for her. Even if it was just a pot of porridge. Ashe buried her head into the porridge, clutching the wooden spoon tightly, spooning it into her mouth, hoping to hide her tear-streaked face this way. ''Master''s porridge...'' ''It tasted so good'' Chapter 107 107: The Harshness Of Society ''Hmm¡­.'' ''It seems the cooking menu in the game is still applicable here.'' Although Renji coolly ced the porridge in front of Ashe and returned to his seat, in reality, after pretending to eat a few bites, he started to steal nces at the Catgirl, worried about the taste of his porridge. Only when Ashe began to eat voraciously, almost burying her head in the bowl, did Renji finally let out a sigh of relief. Like any cook, he felt a sense of pride seeing his cooking appreciated. ''Speaking of which...'' Simrly, a beast girl, with cooking that had the "elerated life recovery" effect, the image of the Catgirl in front of Renji began to ovep with another figure in his mind. That was... A figure muchrger in stature than the current Catgirl, looking fiercer, with a vtile temper, but asionally showing a fragile and gentle side. Of course, in terms of "development," she was much more robust than the Catgirl ¨C a fiery red figure. Nova, as the third character Renji had acquired in ''their'' group, was simr to Zero, both were found in a ''junkyard''. After all, at that time, he had just made his first bucket of gold with Suthia, barely getting through the pioneering phase, with still very tight resources, far from having the funds to recruit people on arge scale. Not to mention, liketer acquiring Lena, where he could lead an army to forcefully recruit. Zero and Nova, one he picked up from a robot scrapyard, the other he bought from a ve arena. Renji still vaguely remembered the ecstatic feeling when he first acquired Nova, the dragon girl. It felt no different than pulling a rare gold character in a single draw, especially a gold character with a ''Vanguard'' profession. If in the five major professions, one had to choose only one formanding battles, ''Vanguard'' would be the first choice in most environments. With the addition of the dragon girl to his team, a powerful ''Vanguard'' character significantly boosted thebat strength of Renji''s team, greatly enhancing his gaming experience. For this reason, Renji reminisced about the times he specifically made the dragon girl fight alone in many dungeons, just to level her up faster and nurture her. He did this to let Nova exclusively gain battle experience and umte skill proficiency. In this scenario, the other four professions cannot achieve what the "Vanguard" can, as it requires personal strength at its peak. Even though Nova is strong, as Renji bes greedier, seeking more efficient and difficult high-level dungeons, he pushes Nova to solo them. This leads to many failures and direct deaths in the dungeons. But it''s not a problem for Renji. Every time Nova dies, he simply restarts the game (Save and Load) until Nova sessfully solos it. The most memorable instance for him was a rare "Insect Nest" dungeon. By letting Nova consume all the experience points in there, he was sure she could break through and advance to the "Disaster Rank" of Eclipse. So, that day, all he did was restart the game over and over again! He bet on the slim chance of sess, from morning till he was too tired to keep his eyes open. He lost count of how many times he restarted ¨C hundreds, thousands? Just when Renji was about to give up, a miracle happened on hisst attempt. The less than 1% chance he was betting on finally paid off. Nova sessfully soloed that dungeon. It was then that her hard work paid off, both in and out of the game. Theirbined efforts led to a qualitative transformation in Nova. The "Dragonblood Ignition" skill, which Renji now values and has copied as a "main character skill" was the super S-tier ability Nova specially awakened after this dungeon. Watching Nova barely surviving andpleting the dungeon, Renji was overjoyed and wanted to reward her. He found only a "white quality" cooking dish in his inventory. It was the pot of Porridge that Ashe was eating. Later, after returning to the base, Renji gave Nova many items to boost affection, but strangely, even the "purple quality" gifts didn''t increase her affection as much as that bowl of white quality Porridge did right after the dungeon. At that time, Renji, still outside the screen, didn''t understand. But now... He sighed deeply and looked out into the night sky. ''What is Nova doing now?'' ''It''ste¡­'' ''Are you eating dinner too?'' ''Hmm, I''ll start by practicing with this cat girl'' ''I hope when I make porridge for Nova again, she won''t despise me.'' "¡­" Determined, Renji, always a pragmatist, knows from the precedents set by Suthia and Zero that if Nova "catches" him, she''d probably make him solo a dungeon to regain his strength. Five hundred yearster, there might not be any monster nests, but with his current small stature, if Nova throws him into an arena full of strong prisoners... Just thinking about it makes Renji''s mouth twitch. ''It''s not that I am being hypocritical'' ''It''s just that, unlike with Nova, I can''t restart(Save And Load)!'' ''If I die, I will truly die!'' So, in reality, he needs to "overthrow" her just like he did with Suthia. But this time, it''s with Nova, a Vanguard with incredible personal strength. Replicating the battle with the nun is impossible now. Therefore, he needs to avoid her strengths and find another way to collect Nova''s "defeat" CG. He can''t beat Nova herself, but he can defeat her forces and overthrow her rule! ''A dethroned empress'' ''Heh¡­'' ''Hehehe~'' With an evil smile, Renji was eager to speed things up. Looking at the revolutionary army''s cat girl, who was already so simple and nearly corrupted by him, Renji decides to show Ashe the harshness and darkness of society. He wants To teach Ashe a lesson! "Eat up and then go upstairs. Don''t sleep or lock your room, just wait there, you know what I mean~" ¡­ ¡­.. Half an hourter. The door to the cat girl''s room is opened, and outside is...Number 86. The maid was holding a stack of...Textbooks!?. Then, under Ashe''s puzzled gaze, the maid instructed her to sit at the desk, opened the textbook, and began teaching mode. [Since you can''t even write, to make you more valuable, Master requires us to use some of your evening time (no objections allowed) to improve your cultural level. My task is to quickly transform you into a quality cat girl who can recognize and write characters, and is knowledgeable and reasonable] said Number 86, repeating her Master''s words verbatim. Ashe: "¡­" [So, Miss Ashe, are there any characters you''re particrly interested in learning?] Number 86 suggested, believing starting with interest leads to better learning oues. The cat girl sitting on the small stool thought for a moment. Then, quickly. Her brown-ck cat tail swayed under the light, her two pairs of cat ears fluttering. "Could you please teach me how to write ''Renji''?" Outside the mansion, Eileen, following Renji, looked at the light in the cat girl''s room and was speechless. "Just that?" "What else?" "Enough talking, we have other things to do." "Now that we''ve really found the revolutionary army, the next step is to find the fake ones." After speaking, Renji and Eileen disappeared into the night. Indeed, he could forcefully rule over the revolutionary army, but how would that be any different from Nova? Besides, if everyone''s using force, what makes him think he can beat Nova? As an excellent sessor to socialism, Renji''s main approach should be ideological awareness. He needs to spiritually control these revolutionaries, and eventually the entire southern abandoned demi-human and beastman tribes. ''But this is very difficult, extremely difficult. My identity as a human makes it hard to control a demi-human revolutionary army'' ''Ashe is just one of the catalysts'' ''I need something more sensational'' Renji has no intention of helping the revolutionary army like Rnd. Instead, he wants to give the shaky structure of the revolutionary army in the Sealed City¡­ One final push. Chapter 108 108: The Forgotten Alliance Part 1 ? When you have money, many things be much simpler, whether it''s thinking about others or being thought of by others. Eileen and Renji are currently in the old city district of the Sealed City, in a warehouse area cordoned off with barbed wire, seemingly long-abandoned. But delve a little deeper, and one finds many patrolling sentries, hinting at some hidden secret. So... "How did you find this ce, old timer?" the girl asked, perplexed. It was only their second day in the Sealed City, yet the young man beside her seemed to know everything. "If you encounter a rich, foolish investor and make a deal with them, and then they don''t return for a second deal, you might get a crooked idea under the temptation of profit. You might think of showing them some ''color'' with the help of the underworld, to remind them not to be ungrateful and to keeping back as a cash cow. Sounds reasonable, right?" Renji''s exnation helped Eileen understand. She was surprised: "Old timer, are you saying the real estate and ve traders from yesterday? They contacted these fake revolutionaries and are nning against us?" "Exactly. They had the idea butcked action, still hesitating. So, I had 86 give them a little push to advance our n." "Eh!? When did this happen? I didn''t know about it" Eileen said with widen eyes, having been beside him almost all the time except for when she was asleep. "Rememberst night when you asked where 86 had gone?" "But didn''t you say you sent 86 to withdraw money?" "And isn''t that what withdrawing money is?" Renji showed Eileen the ount bnce with the returned millions of Ashen Coins. She felt a silent sympathy for the real estate trader, especially after thinking about how they had traded the mansion at an exorbitant, inted price. "So, are we sneaking in or storming in?" "No need for that. Remember to use the new tools we acquired, don''t let them gather dust." Renji, while speaking, took out a stone pendant, known as the ''Hearthstone Tear''. The pendant emitted a faint glow, and in the next moment, their figures began to flicker repeatedly with several short-distance "blinks" easily avoiding all the guards and directly reaching the top floor of a warehouse in the rear. "Looks like we''re right on time." Looking down from the top of the warehouse, they could see many demi-humans, all silently lined up on both sides. At the forefront appeared to be a jackal-type demi-human, and next to him was another figure¡ªa human. A prominent figure in the Sealed City. Having bought all the newspapers avable earlier that afternoon to catch up on current affairs, Renji and Eileen immediately recognized him as the equivalent of the city''s mayor, a high official who frequently appeared on newspaper covers, Mario. As Renji had suspected, the rogue faction of the fake revolutionary army definitely had official backing, but what he hadn''t expected was the extent of this support. The conversation below quickly shifted to a topic of Renji''s interest. "So, what about the promise you made? When can I see the heads of those demi-humans on the wanted list?" The mayor, Mario, didn''t look pleased when he brought up this topic. "Don''t worry, Sir Mario. I had everything nned, but they changed tactics at thest minute, so I had to adapt." "A change in tactics?" "Yes, remember the young wealthy man named ''Renji'' I asked you to investigate yesterday? It seems they''ve now focused their attention on him." The jackal demi-human''s words made Mario frown. He quickly responded: "I''ve used my connections to look into it, and I''m sure that young man''s identity is fake. He''s either a foreigner posing as a citizen of the Dragon Nation, or possibly the illegitimate son of some bigshot. In any case, I couldn''t find any official record of him." "That''s perfect. We won''t even have to prepare the bait ourselves. We just need to wait and reel them in. Once my inside man in their group tells me their exact n, I''ll notify you immediately. Then, we can encircle them all at once. We''ll catch all those wanted demi-humans who don''t know their ce in one fell swoop!" Eileen, listening from above in the warehouse, gasped. This was a lot to take in. So... ''Inside Ashe''s revolutionary army, there was actually a mole? And this mole was leaking all of the army''s movements to these pseudo-military forces in collusion with the government?'' And now, Mayor Mario and the jackal demi-human were plotting to ambush the revolutionary army during their operation, turning the tables on them! ''This...!'' Eileen turned anxiously to say something to Renji, but he shook his head, signaling her to keep watching. The mayor, who obviously couldn''t stay long in such a ce, soon left the warehouse with his guards. After confirming that Mario had indeed left, the jackal demi-human gestured towards the shadows behind him. And then... A serpent demi-human emerged slowly from a hidden corner. "How about it, Leng? I didn''t lie to you. I let you listen to the entire conversation from the back without missing a word. This is an excellent opportunity for our demi-human race, isn''t it?" Seeing the serpent demi-human remain silent, those familiar with ''Cold Snake'' Leng knew this was his way of agreeing. A smile appeared on the jackal demi-human''s face. "That arrogant human, thinking he can make us demi-humans fight each other, isughable! When theye, the ones who will be wiped out will be the Dragon Gate army!" "Once we jointly annihte these human elites in the Sealed City, the city will return to our demi-human hands! Then..." The jackal demi-human snorted coldly. ''Wow, what a revtion!'' Eileen, watching from above in the warehouse, was almost dizzy with theplexity of the situation. ''So...Was the mayor actually the one being deceived? The two revolutionary factions, seemingly enemies, were actually in cahoots, all to stage a y for the Dragon Gate army in the Sealed City?'' And from the jackal demi-human''s words, it was clear that their ambitions and targets were not small¡ªthey aimed to take advantage of the situation to overturn the rule and let the Sealed City fallpletely! The n was only one step away from execution. "We can be your bait, but how can you guarantee that we''ll be able to annihte the Dragon Gate army with our strength? Among Mario''s subordinates, there is a ''Relic Wielder''! If we can''t deal with that ''Relic Wielder'', all our scheming is just a joke!" Leng, especially when mentioning the "Relic Wielder," showed a gritting expression. After all, in terms ofbat power, demi-humans were slightly superior to humans. However, humans, with their ability to use ''Relics'', had created the current low status of demi-humans. Faced with Leng''s question, especially his ssic demi-human fear of ''Relic Wielders'' that had persisted for centuries, the jackal demi-humanughed crazily. He suddenly asked a strange question. "Leng, have you ever heard of... The Old Alliance?" "The ... Old Alliance?" "Yes, I only recently found out about it. The members of that organization have another name they prefer." "The Forgotten." Chapter 109 109: The Forgotten Alliance Part 2 ? ''The Old Alliance? The Forgotten?'' Seeing the ecstatic expression on the face of the jackal demi-human opposite him, Leng (the snake guy) frowned even more. It''s widely known that the world has only five major powers: two nations, two alliances, and one city. Leng had never heard of any "Old Alliance" or such a strange name as "The Forgotten." "Haha, Leng, look at your face right now. You look just like I did back then. But believe me, once you see what''sing next, you''ll understand their mystery and power," said the jackal demi-human. As he spoke, he signaled one of his subordinates, amon Demi-human. Just as Leng wondered what they were up to, the Demi-human suddenly let out a roar! From his body emergedyers of blood-red patterns, intertwining like old tree roots, covering his entire body. His Demi-human features quickly faded, reced by a body fully covered in beast fur. His hands and feet mutated into actual dog limbs, and his body swelled to a massive size, two to three meters tall. Drooling fangs protruded from the corners of his mouth. This transformation shocked Leng, forcing him to step back. The Demi-human, once of simr height to Leng, now towered over him. The blood patternsbined with the fur made him look ferocious. His aura doubled in intensity, and a red mist encircled him, both crimson and eerie. "This... this is beastification! He''s be an Eclipse? This is impossible! Roca, how did you do this? We, we aren''t," Leng quickly realized, showing a look of utter shock. Beastification is a unique ability of the Demi-human species, their racial trait, and their pride. It significantly enhances their physical qualities, and it was this ability that allowed them to stand out from many other species five hundred years ago. They were fortunate enough to be chosen by the "Great Emperor" to join the final alliance. However, gradually, this beastification, which should be instinctual for the Demi-human species, began to rapidly disappear from their bloodline. Three hundred years ago, when thest "Relic Wielder" of the Demi-human race died, their ability to beastify seemed to have be a thing of history. Since then, no Demi-human has been able to sessfully beastify. "Do you see? This is the power of the ''Old Alliance.'' They can purify our filthy, degraded bloodlines, allowing us to resonate with the Tainted Miasma and awaken the true bloodline of our ''Ancestors,'' enabling our Demi-human race to rise again!" Roca eximed excitedly. Once a source of pride, the loss of the beastification ability left every Demi-human feeling inferior. After a century of envement, they hade to ept and acknowledge the degeneration of their once-superior ancestral bloodline. But now, sessfully regaining the "glory" of beastification meant they had be Eclipses, capable of absorbing and using the Tainted Miasma, and even controlling ''Relics'' again! A new path to a bright future was before Roca, how could he not be excited? Not just Roca, but all the Demi-humans in the warehouse, including Leng, were exhrated. Initially, Leng might have felt guilty about conspiring with outsiders behind hisrades'' backs. But now, seeing Roca''s true power and the strength of the "Old Alliance" behind him, Leng was fully confident in their n. He believed this wasn''t betrayal but a sacrifice for the Demi-human race to regain its greatness. Surely, those used as bait in the revolutionary army would understand, right? After all,pared to his side, who were barely surviving under the shelter of a human ve trader, Roca''s group was the real "revolutionary army." "Hahaha, Leng, I knew you were different from those fools who im to be the revolutionary army but are just ying house. Here, join us. As a celebration, I''ve prepared a special blood sacrifice material for you," said Roca. He presented Leng with a small bottle of crimson liquid. When the stopper was removed, a strong scent of blood wafted out. It was blood, mixed from many different sources. "The essence of Tainted Miasma is fear, the unknown, dread... it''s all negative emotions! This blood sacrifice material, made from every hundred people, don''t disappoint me, Leng." Leng gasped in realization. He finally understood why Roca''s revolutionary army frequently raided and attacked civilians. Their goal wasn''t robbery but... Murder! To umte ''materials'' for the blood sacrifice! ''Was this really right? Did their ancestors also awaken this way? And was that Demi-human''s transformation really ''beastification''?'' Leng didn''t know, and no one could tell him. All records rted to this matter, not just for him but for many Demi-humans, were sought after, yet all such important heritage had vanished without a trace, as if deliberately erased. In the warehouse, many Demi-humans looked at Leng with envy and jealousy. The blood sacrifice materials were limited, so only a few Demi-humans had the honor to undergo such a transformation. Under the influence of the surrounding atmosphere, Leng, usually clear-headed, was swayed. Gritting his teeth, he drank the blood from the bottle in front of him. "Ugh... Ughhh! Ahhh!" Leng fell to his knees in pain, feeling as if his body was being torn apart. Simultaneously, a long-dormant power he had longed for started awakening within his bloodline. When he let out a roar simr to the Demi-human at the beginning, dark green snake scales began to crawl over his skin. His body started to elongate and slim down, his venomous fangs protruding from the sides of his lower jaw. His neck widened and thickened, the wrinkled skin expanding outwards as he roared, inting his neck like an enraged cobra. The only remaining feature of his Demi-human race was perhaps his limbs; the rest waspletely transformed. "Congrattions, Leng. Now you, like me, are qualified to be a member of the ''Old Alliance'' We''re just one step away from taking over the Sealed City. By doing this, we''ll prove our capabilities to the forgotten ones of the ''Old Alliance'' We will receive more support, more resources! We can reim our Dragon Nation from the humans! Drag that criminal Empress from her throne and make her taste the bitterness of envement!" After exiting his beatified state, Leng felt as if his brain hadn''t fully returned to normal, still feeling dizzy, his thoughts sluggish, like an old, malfunctioning machine. Leng, now transformed, began to sense many incongruities. For instance, even if they captured the Sealed City, how would they hold it? And what exactly was the "Old Alliance" and why were they helping them? But Leng stopped pondering; he just wanted to use his newfound power for revenge against humans, craving ughter. "I''ll urge those on the other side to act quickly. I hope, after we capture the Sealed City, those ''Old Alliance'' people you speak of will keep their promise and continue to help us," Leng said. Roca smiled meaningfully. "You can rest assured on that point. Although my contact with them is recent, I''m certain that the people of the ''Old Alliance'' share our goal. They too crave revenge. But their target isn''t just the Dragon Kingdom; it''s the entire world!" ¡­ ¡­.. "Renji! What do we do now!? These people arepletely mad, like cultists! We must stop them!" Whenever the girl called out Renji''s name, it indicated the seriousness of the situation. But the young man''s answer was brief: "Let''s go." "Go? Just go!?" Eileen was anxious to say more to Renji, but he was already deep in thought. Renji had recognized something familiar in the blood sacrifice ritual and the bottle brought out by the demi-human. In game terms, it was like experience points being transferred, forcibly stripping the power of a hundred civilians to Leng. He had done something simr in the game, transferring experience. In his ssification of Eclipses, besides professional distinctions, Renji subjectively categorized them by function. For example, Eclipses with talents like "increased efficiency in gaining experience points" were ssified as "Experience Babies" by Renji. These Eclipses were essentially containers for storing experience. Once they leveled up quickly due to their easier experience gain, Renji would kill them to end the contract, resetting them to gain a massive amount of experience to feed to his main forces, achieving the purpose of transferring experience points. As for those Eclipses who reverted to ordinary people after the reset, Renji discarded them in the rear shelters, unable to leave even a trace of memory. After all, who remembers how many slices of bread they''ve eaten? "Experience Babies" were just one of many functional categories. Renji had thought that in the second ythrough of the game, five hundred yearster, as the opening hints suggested, he would only inherit the top five "Cmity Rank" Eclipses, assuming his other subordinates had vanished. After all, logically, only six-star "Cmity Rank" Eclipses would have such long lifespans. But now, it seemed... "The Forgotten of the Old Alliance¡­." Chapter 110 110: Traitor (Part 1) Well... XDst chapter for today. And pls if you find any mistakes, pls doment them,^*^ --------------- Two dayster. In the same secluded alley, at the unchanged rendezvous point, the familiar faces of each other met, yet there was a sense of strangeness in thepanionship. During their second meeting called by Ashe, as soon as Jiu arrived, Ashe frowned slightly and instinctively sniffed a few times. The reason was simple. If two days ago, at their first meeting, the familiar scent of Ashe had merely faded, now it waspletely gone! Even more, Jiu could smell a faint fragranceing from Ashe, like that of jasmine. It wasn''t unpleasant, but it felt... odd. Jiu shook her head internally, chastising herself. What was she even thinking! It was already too much to entrust such a challenging, even sacrificial, mission to Ashe. How could she now distrust her? "How''s your body? Any injuries? I''ve secretly brought some ointment for you!" The first concern of Jiu, upon meeting, wasn''t the mission but Ashe''s condition. As she spoke, she smoothly took out a small porcin jar from her bosom. Don''t be fooled by this unassuming little porcin jar. Among the demi-human ves, it was highly sought after. It could effectively resist infection from external wounds and prevent the wounds from worsening. Many ves died in agony from untreated injuries inflicted by their masters. Seeing Jiu prepared such precious medicine for her, Ashe was deeply moved. This is why she hurriedly shook her head and waved her hands, saying: "I''m fine! Not a scratch on me. You should put this back soon, sister Jiu, or else Brother Leng will scold you again!" "Really? Let me see. Has that human really not done anything to you till now?" It was best if Ashe didn''t need the ointment. While happy, Jiu couldn''t help but be more astonished. After all, Ashe was a Catgirl, and an exceptionally beautiful one at that. ''Could a noble human really resist such temptation? Even after three days, notying a finger on Ashe?'' Worried Ashe was just being brave, Jiu, disregarding the cat-girl''s panic, started to undress her. However, it turned out, the cat-girl, now blushing with her clothes half-removed, indeed wasn''t pretending. Jiu checked many parts of Ashe''s body and didn''t find the imagined whip marks or bruises. ''No... Forget those worst-case scenarios. On the contrary,'' Jiu, turning back to look at the cat-girl across from her, noticed Ashe''splexion had improved significantlypared to a few days ago. Her eyes were brighter, her spirit seemed fuller, and... Jiu wasn''t sure if it was her imagination, but she thought Ashe even looked a bit chubbier!? "It''s good that you''re okay! Now I can tell those kids who miss you. You don''t know, after you left, those little onese to me every day, asking when Sister Ashe will return." "So... how did it go? You said you were investigating the two servants around that young man. Did you find anything?" Caring for Ashe was Jiu''s personal concern, but she didn''t forget the main reason for their secret meeting. After quickly steering the conversation back on track, Jiu noticed the cat-girl across from her lower her gaze, her eyes wandering on the ground. "Yes, sorry! sister Jiu, it''s my ipetence. I''ve only found out that one of them, number 86, she... Ah! The maid, seems to be a bionic maid from the Mechanical Alliance. But as for the maid''s strength and the details of the other one, I... I haven''t figured it out yet." "Eh!? A bionic maid from the Mechanical Alliance? Uh... HAHA¡­ I don''t understand, but it soundsplicated. This information is important! I''ll tell Sister Nozomi and Leng about itter. Ashe, you''ve done well!" Ashe''s reaction was expected by Jiu. Being demi-humans, they had no right to education or knowledge, so such an unfamiliar term, especially when Ashe deliberately connected it with the "Mechanical Alliance," instantly seemed threatening. It should make the revolutionaries more cautious and not rush into their ns. But in reality, only Ashe knew the truth from her observations over the past few days. Number 86 was just a housemaid, doing chores like cleaning,undry, and cooking, clearly not abat model. If a fight broke out, she probably wouldn''t have any fighting capability, posing no threat to the revolutionaries. However, Ashe deliberately concealed these details, fearing that if she revealed the truth, the group, with their temperaments, might decide to act against Mr. Renji tonight. She, she... Ashe didn''t know what to do. Although they had only been together for a few days, Mr. Renji, Eileen, and 86 all seemed like good people to her. The reason she knew so much about bionic maid andbat models was that she learned it from 86 during their nightly lessons. In her heart, Mr. Renji''s family were good people. ''And good people... shouldn''t have guns pointed at them'' ''Just wait a little longer, just a little longer...'' Asheforted herself, or perhaps, she was avoiding something. "Alright! I need to quickly pass on the intelligence you''ve worked hard for. Do you have anything else to instruct?" Seeing Jiu in a hurry to go back and discuss, Ashe came back to her senses. She quickly grabbed Jiu and then trotted to a corner of the wall, handing over a small package she had ced there earlier to Jiu''s puzzled gaze. When Jiu opened the package, she found inside... "This is... an illustration book?" "Yes, these are the books! They were going to be thrown away by that young noble, and I secretly kept them. Sister Jiu, can you pass them to the children? If Leng and sister Nozomi find out, just say... say you picked them up by chance on your way!" The truth about these illustration books was that they were a gift from Renji, who had bought the entire bookstore''s collection of illustration books for her during their shopping trip earlier that day, after noticing her interest in them. He said it was a reward for her excellent performance in ss. Ashe was overwhelmed with gratitude at the time. When she came back to her senses, her room was filled with threerge bookshelves of books. She had originally thought of the children, wishing they too could study and learn. That''s why she secretly selected a few books to pass to Jiu for the children. "You, you! No wonder you are the favorite among the children in our revolution army. Even in such a situation, you still think of them. I really admire you, Ashe." Jiu gave her a thumbs-up, sincerely admiring Ashe. She quickly took the bag and patted her chest. "Alright! Don''t worry, leave it to me. Wow, the kids are going to be so happy tonight! It will also convince them that their favorite Sister Ashe is safe and can even send them things! No more sad faces as if they can''t live without you, it''s almost driving me crazy." "Thank you so much, Sister Jiu." "I''m off then. But before I go, Ashe, remember, never be careless. Humans, especially those pretentious nobles, many of them are very deceptive. Although you''re probably the hardest to fool among us, after all, you belong to the cat tribe, known for their strongest sixth sense! Still, be very careful. We will... wait for your next contact!" "Okay!" Watching Jiu quickly disappear from sight with the package, Ashe bit her lips and finally sighed. She turned towards her home, no need to run now. She walked back home, wearing her cloak again. Another two dayster. "So... the other person beside that noble is actually a gangster from the Holy Kingdom?" "Yes! Eileen is proficient in all kinds of firearm. She used to be the boss of a gang in a ce called ''ckhole'', and she was the underground empress of ckhole. She single-handedly fought against enemy forces, capable of killing seven in a go. Under her rule, all other dark forces vanished, with no one daring to rebel or challenge her. She has another title." "A title?" "Yes, the First Sword Goddess of ckhole!" Ashe reported solemnly all these glorious stories about Eileen, which she had learned from Eileen herself. Jiu: "..." "But didn''t you say earlier that she uses guns?" "Ah! She, she seems to be proficient in swords as well." Jiu: "..." This was the third time Jiu and Ashe had met. Initially, Jiu was eager to tell Ashe that Leng had said the maid was not a significant threat and that they couldunch an attack tonight if there was nothing else. But who could have expected another... threat to emerge? ''The First Sword Goddess of ckhole... sounds scary, at least?'' As Jiu was preparing to leave, Ashe called her back. "Do you have something else for me to take back this time?" Seeing the helpless and strange expression on Jiu''s face, Ashe smiled awkwardly. This time, however, what she offered was not a package but something simpler. "What is this? A cross?" "Yes, yes. Mr. Rnd has always been a devout follower of the Holy Kingdom''s Goddess, right? While I was... pretending to get along with Miss Eileen, she gave me this authentic cross from the Holy Kingdom''s church as a gift. And the first person I thought of was Mr. Rnd!" "They say this cross contains a fraction of the Goddess''s power. If one is devout enough, they can evenmunicate with the Goddess and receive her guidance. I... I think Mr. Rnd will love it!" "Alright then." Jiu, being straightforward by nature, didn''t pay much mind to these things. She just mumbled a few words as she took the cross and left. "It always feels like Ashe, you''re on a holiday, sending us gifts every day." Today marks a week since Ashe arrived at Renji''s ce. Holding a small basket, Ashe arrived at the alley for their fourth meeting. After sending the signal to the revolutionaries, she waited nervously, having made up her mind. Today, she decided to tell Jiu the truth. She hoped the revolutionaries would abandon their ns against Renji. Although she had only lived with Mr. Renji for a week, the experiences during this time, whether it was 86''s patient nightly lessons, Eileen''s secret escapades, or Mr. Renji''s homemade soup under the guise of "experiments," were moments of joy, perhaps even happiness, she had never experienced before in her life. ''Ashe couldn''t deceive herself. She wanted to protect Mr. Renji, to...'' A cold snort full of anger jolted Ashe back to reality. A figure emerged from the shadows of the alley. It wasn''t Jiu, the usual tiger big sister. Instead, "Brother Leng?" Ashe''s heart tightened, her hands holding the basket began to tremble unconsciously. Chapter 111 111: Traitor (Part 2) "What is that?" The cold green eyes of Leng scanned the cat-girl holding the basket before resting on the basket itself, asking in a cold tone. "This, this is..." Seeing Ashe panic and stutter, Leng quickly stepped forward, not giving Ashe a chance to exin. He forcefully grabbed the basket, and upon lifting the cloth covering it... Inside were small cakes, freshly baked and still steaming emitting a sweet enticing aroma. The scent alone would probably make any child drool. Unfortunately, these little cakes were soon turned over by Leng, thrown on the ground and dirtied. The next second, he stepped on them, crushing thempletely. Watching the cakes she made with so much effort, under the careful guidance and patientpany of 86, now being trampled underfoot by Leng like trash, Ashe didn''t dare say anything. She lowered her head and trembled with fear. "I wonder why you keep asking us to wait again and again. What, got a bit of charity and affection from others and can''t let go? Or do you really see yourself as part of their family now?" "Brother Leng! Actually, I called Sister Jiu here to say that Mr. Renji is different from other nobles. He... he''s a good person. We shouldn''t act against him!" "Good person? Hahaha! Ashe, how can you be so naive? Can you look into the eyes of our fallenrades, those tortured to death by nobles, your fellow cat-race who is harshly raped, and repeat that nobles are good people?!" Leng''s expression twisted, his gaze at Ashe gradually filled with anger and hatred. "It seems you''re really having a good time with that human, even speaking for him. But have you thought about what we''re doing while you''re enjoying yourself? Locked in cold iron cages, surviving on scraps of food, encouraging ourselves that better days areing. Can you bear it? Are you being fair to everyone in the revolution?!" "Fine, even if he is a good person, so what? He''s rich, isn''t that enough? Just kill him, take his wealth, and everyone in the revolution can live well. Isn''t that enough?!" "No, Brother Leng, this is wrong. We shouldn''t¡­" Seeing the cat-girl in front of him daring to argue back, Leng was infuriated. Ever since hisst encounter with Roca, where he underwent a blood sacrifice from the ''The Forgotten'', Leng had found it hard to control his emotions. Now, in a fit of rage, he raised his hand to p the "traitor" in front of him. p!* The sound of a p echoed, but it wasn''t on Ashe''s face. Another demi-human had appeared and blocked the p with their hand. "Nozomi!? Why are you here¡­!" Leng, seeing the unexpected appearance of the foxdy, was taken aback and slightly panicked. If Leng is considered the second-inmand within the revolutionary army, then Nozomi is undeniably the leader. As the initial founder of the revolutionary forces in the sealed city, Nozomi, a fox demi-human, had united everyone. Both in terms of prestige and strength, she stood at the highest rank among them. "Lucky I followed you. Enough! You''ve gone too far." Nozomi, with a frown on her beautiful face, intervened. Fox demi-humans, though rare and featuring fewer animal characteristicspared to others, were less popr among human nobles than cat-people, who only had cat ears and tails. After stopping Leng, Nozomi turned to look at Ashe, who dared not meet her gaze. Smiling like an elder sister, Nozomi gently patted the lowered head of the cat-girl, who seemed like a culprit. "It''s okay, Ashe. Leng was just speaking in anger. What you did, though not what we hoped for, was right." "After all, if we rob and kill every wealthy person we see, how are we different from those fake revolutionaries we despise?" "Most human nobles do deserve death for their filthy and hideous actions, but we can''t condemn the entire human race because of them. Leng, isn''t Mr. Rnd a living example? Hasn''t he been helping us all along? Without Mr. Rnd''s support, we probably wouldn''t have made it this far. Isn''t he also a human?" Leng opened his mouth to retort but couldn''t find a rebuttal to Nozomi''s words. "Oh, I almost forgot, Ashe. Mr. Rnd absolutely adored the cross you sent. He was thrilled. And the kids aren''t making a fuss anymore. They''repletely absorbed in those illustration books you sent." "Sister Nozomi, you knew all along?" "Of course. Jiu''s little schemes are clear as day to me. That''s why I''m sure you haven''t forgotten about us, let alone being a traitor." Nozomi gently embraced the teary-eyed cat-girl, patting her back. The reason she could gather a revolutionary army and have the demi-humans rally around her wasn''t due to hatred, but because of her care and understanding for each member, and the mutual trust among them. "Don''t worry Ashe. Remember, our original n was to assassinate another high official before that human noble approached us. It''s just a slight dy, no big deal. So, we won''t touch Mr. Renji." "Nozomi!" Leng hesitated with aplex gaze. But soon, Nozomi''s following words left him in continued silence. "If Mr. Renji is a noble you trust, then I think he can be our next Mr. Rnd, a great asset for our revolution army. So, Ashe, can we entrust you with this new mission?" "Yes! Sister Nozomi, don''t worry! I, I will definitely pull... I mean, bring Mr. Renji to our side!" The cat-girl''s face flushed with excitement, her tail swishing energetically behind her. "It''s not about pulling him down; it''s about joining us!" Nozomi corrected Ashe with a serious tone, lightly flicking her forehead. However, what Nozomi didn''t expect was Ashe''s sudden question after she calmed down: "So, Sister Nozomi, when are you nning to... take action?" "Tomorrow night. We don''t want to dy any longer. I''ve already arranged our agents around the residence of that governing official. He''s the corrupt official who''s been intensifying the vews, exploiting us for his gain. He''s unforgivable!" ''Tomorrow night...'' Ashe clenched her fists slightly. Even though Nozomi hadforted her and proved her right, Leng''s words still echoed in her mind. So... "Sister Nozomi, I want to be part of this operation!" "You?" "Yes! I can ask for leave from Mr. Renji. He said we have five paid leave days each month, and I haven''t used any this month! I believe Mr. Renji will approve it!" Nozomi: "..." Looking at Ashe, who in just a week seemed to have be so aligned with Renji, Nozomi sighed. After thinking it over, Nozomi ultimately agreed to Ashe''s request. This would also prove to the revolutionaries that Ashe was stillmitted, and her quick-wittedness would add some security to ensure the sess of their n. Watching Ashe hurry back to the noble young man''s mansion to "ask for leave" Nozomi sighed again. "Let''s hope nothing goes wrong¡­" However, what Nozomi couldn''t see was Leng, who hesitated for a moment but eventually settled into a cold, hateful stare at Ashe''s retreating figure. ¡­. .... "You want to take a leave?" In the study, Mr. Renji, sipping hot chocte and reading a newspaper, repeated Ashe''s words. "Yes." Ashe sped her hands behind her back. Although she had assured Nozomi that Renji would definitely agree, she still felt uneasy. And the thought of asking for leave just a week into her job felt a bit too... too... "If it''s for medical reasons, remember to bring back the medical bill. You can get reimbursed from 86." "Ah!?" Ashe was preparing her script on how to exin what she needed the leave for, and what to do if Renji didn''t agree. But unexpectedly, the young noble in front of her didn''t ask anything and even reminded her about getting reimbursed for medical expenses? "Anything else?" "No, nothing else" Ashe stammered in response. "You may leave then." "Yes, master." Just as Ashe was about to leave the study, she was suddenly stopped again. The young noble, who seemed to have thought of something, finally diverted his attention from the newspaper and met her gaze, adding another line. "Be safe." "Yes, master!" After the cat-girl left the study. Renji took off his sses and tossed the newspaper onto the desk. It was a few days old, reporting on an incident involving a "demi-human assassin" at a dinner party in the Imperial City. Rubbing his temples, Renji seemed troubled. ''''It look like Nova hasn''t been in a good moodtely¡­" Choosing this time to have the Dragon Ladye over for a meeting seemed a bit risky. But it was unavoidable. Some matters, it seemed, were beyond his current strength to handle alone. So, relying a bit on his wife''s support wouldn''t be too bad, right? Musing to himself, Renji tapped his fingers on the desk. Next to the newspaper was a piece of draft paper, covered with many names. Names he still remembered, even those with just a hint of a vague memory, he tried to write them all down. In the game, besides "them" he had nurtured other Eclipsed characters, including some of Danger and even Disaster rank. Renji pocketed these notes and left the study. With the cat-girl gone, it meant the revolutionaries would soon take action, signaling the end of his brief life as a noble young master in the Sealed City. Feeling a slight regret, Renji soon called Eileen and 86 back. "After such a long period of inactivity, it was time for some action" Chapter 112 112: Traitor Part 3 ? Every night in the Dragon Nation is a repeat of the same events. Merchants exert all their cunning to secure business deals that might be casually settled at a small gathering of nobles. Commoners desperately vie for attention, their dream idols perhaps already tired of being yed with by merchants. The aroma of dinner from civilian homes, a family gathered around the table, is a scene desperately yearned for by demi-human ves toiling on the streets. Those ves fortunate enough to have masters providing them with basic food and shelter are the envy of the homeless, who scavenge through trash bins out of sheer hunger. In this dog-eat-dog world with a strict social hierarchy, this is Dragon Nation after centuries of ss solidification. However, tonight, everything will change. None of the nobles indulging in merriment, the merchants racked with anxiety over profits, nor themoners, ves, and poor struggling to survive could have imagined that their routine lives are about to be disrupted this very night. The spark that will start a wildfire has been lit. The Sealed City tonight is destined to be recorded in history. ¡­ ... Snap!* The crisp sound of a neck being broken heralds the death of an estate guard, swiftly dragged into the bushes by a shadowy figure of the revolutionary demi-humans. When another guard notices something amiss and is about to shout, a furry, heavy fist silences him forever. "How''s your side, Shan?" "All cleared," replies the bear demi-human emerging from the darkness, hisrge hand holding the lifeless bodies of several guards. "Good, we''ve cleared our side too," confirms Nozomi, nodding in approval as themander. "What a letdown, I was a bit nervous at first. Turns out these high official''s guards are all show, no substance! Easy pickings!" Jiu, stepping out from another shadow, rotates her wrists and joins herrades, her face flushed with excitement. The revolutionary army has nowpletely eliminated the guards and sentries around the mansion, effectively encircling and taking control of the area. The final step now was to enter the defenseless mansion and apprehend the corrupt official they had long targeted. From the expressions on the faces of the revolutionaries, it was clear that no one expected the n to proceed so smoothly. All the contingency ns they had prepared were left unused. Perhaps the only two notpletely caught up in the fervor were Nozomi, the leader, and Ashe, who felt a sense of unease. But it was toote to turn back now. The morale of the revolutionaries was high, and even Leng, who usually acted as the "brain," had not voiced any objections. They had only one choice left. Forward! "Let everyone stay alert. We can''t rx our guard just yet. Leave some people on lookout while the rest... follow me inside!" With that, Nozomi led the most elite members of the revolutionary army, including Ashe, Jiu, Shan, and Leng, breaking into the mansion through doors and windows. However, upon entering, Nozomi''s brow furrowed - the mansion was eerily empty. Although it was night, it was unusual for not even a single servant to be present. And the hall... It seemed normal at first nce, but the details ¨C the cement of tablecloths, chairs, carpets, and especially the wall paintings ¨C all indicated they had been recently moved. Something was off. Nozomi realized something was wrong and was about to warn the others, but Leng had already led the group upstairs towards the main bedroom. By the time she tried to call them back, it was toote. Boom! A massive explosion erupted, splintering the wooden floor and filling the air with smoke. Several revolutionaries who were caught in the st fell from the copsing staircase. Jiu, at the front, was quickly pulled back by the quick-reacting Shan, sparing her from the st. Even Shan, with his thick bear skin, was left bloodied and injured. The chaos didn''t end there. Before they could recover from the shock, a purple lightning hammer burst out from the room, striking towards Shan and the others who had survived the explosion. Boom! The purple hammer, with the force of thunder, whistled through the air, its shadow filled with shes of lightning. This formidable presence instantly changed theplexions of the revolutionaries. Recognizing the weapon, they felt their hearts sink ¨C it was a "Relic"! Boom¡ª Just a single strike from the purple hammer sent all the remaining revolutionaries on the second floor flying. Shan, who had protected the others and taken the brunt of the attack, now had an arm hanging limply, bing nearly useless. But there was no time to worry about injuries, as several members of the Army, the intended target of their assassination, and the corrupt high official emerged from the smoke. Alongside them was... "Mario!" Nozomi red hatefully at the mayor of the Sealed City, looking down at them with a mocking expression. The mayor was a direct descendant of "Charl" from the distant Imperial City of the Dragon Nation, a notorious viin. Nozomi wanted to eliminate this evil, but she wasn''t blinded by hatred. Their intended target was supposed to be just a high-ranking official under Mario, not the mayor himself. His presence indicated only one thing ¨C they had a mole. "Retreat! Everyone, get out!" Their fear wasn''t Mario but the Relic User wielding the purple hammer ¨C Lei, a renowned human fighter of the Sealed City. From the moment the Relic User appeared, the oue was clear: they were destined to lose. The revolutionaries had prepared for a hasty retreat. Several of them, resolved to die, charged towards Mario and Lei to buy time for Nozomi and the others to escape. Amidst this chaos, Mario watched indifferently, as if enjoying a spectacle, witnessing the long-wanted rebel demi-humans desperately trying to break out through the mansion''s doors and windows. But then... Boom! "How can this be!" Now with Shan severely injured, Jiu became their primary fighter. The tiger demi-human tried to smash open the main door with a punch, but the recoil numbed her arm. Boom! All the doors and windows of the mansion had seemingly turned as solid as rock. On closer inspection, it was clear that a brown barrier had sealed the entire estate. The revolutionaries'' attacks had hit this barrier, but it remained unscathed. Another "Relic"! The revolutionaries were both shocked and infuriated, and it soon became evident that, indeed, another man stepped out from behind Mario on the upper floor. He held an object resembling apass, emanating the same brown glow, effectively sealing the estate and killing any hope of escape for the revolutionaries. ''Two Relic Users!?'' Chapter 113 113: Traitor Part 4 There was another one! The revolutionaries, regrouping in the hall, plunged into despair upon seeing Mario nked by two Relic Users. Their despair quickly turned to confusion and anger. It was obvious their n had been leaked. Mario had been well-informed about their every move, evident from the fact that he had called in another Relic User, one possessing a "control-type" Relic. The intent was painfully clear. So, where had they gone wrong? Where had their information beenpromised? This was the burning question in the minds of the revolutionaries, now trapped within the mansion. At this moment, Leng, who had been silent and pretended to be injured, spoke out. He shifted to an angry demeanor, as if he had anticipated this, and directed his venomous gaze towards Ashe, standing next to Nozomi. "Ashe! It was you! Did you betray us to these humans!" Whoosh! With Leng''s usation, all eyes of the revolutionaries turned to Ashe in an instant. Upstairs, Mario chuckled lightly. With victory assured and the rebel demi-humans unable to escape, why not enjoy their final moments of infighting and struggle? It was the kind of drama he relished. "No, I didn''t! It wasn''t me! I never¡­" Feeling the suspicious, questioning, angry, and even hateful res from herrades, Ashe instinctively began to frantically defend herself. Before Ashe could finish her plea, Leng, as if expecting her response, interrupted her. "Even now, you still try to deny it! Should I expose your affair with that human noble?" With Leng''s words, the looks from many revolutionaries changed. Indeed. They all knew Ashe had been sent to get close to a human noble, but strangely, a weekter, the mission was called off, and Ashe returned unharmed. Now, Leng''s insinuations made the answer seem obvious. "Ashe... you!" "Why would you betray us!" "I knew it! Cat race are a bunch of unreliable scum!" "No, this can''t be true, Ashe¡­" The reproaches and questions from herrades flooded Ashe''s ears, along with their angry, frenzied, and contorted faces. Fortunately, Jiu, who was close to Ashe, stood up for her, still willing to believe in Ashe. However, Leng''s next statement left even Ashe stunned and soon dropping her head, unable to muster a defense. "Yes, I also believe Ashe wouldn''t do this, but Ashe, have you ever thought that the human noble was just using you? All his kindness, everything, was just to make you lower your guard! To let you inadvertently leak our information to him!" Each word from Leng hit Ashe like a hammer, leaving her feeling as if struck by lightning. ''Could it be...'' ''The leave...'' It was because she truly saw herself as a member of Mr. Renji''s household, abiding by the terms of the "contract." She had taken leave today to free up time for this operation. And if Mr. Renji really was connected to Mario, then based on her leave request, he could deduce the revolutionaries'' movements andy an ambush. The logic had its ws ¨C Ashe could only have revealed the "date" of the operation, but not the target, location, or specific timing. But Ashe, already overwhelmed by guilt from Leng''s usations, was no longer in a state to think this through. In her mind, one question echoed relentlessly. ''So, Mr. Renji, No. 86, and Miss Eileen, all the happiness and beauty I felt... it was all fake, an illusion created to deceive me. And I fell for it, hopelessly entangled, even growing fond of Mr. Renji¡­'' Her cherished memories of the past week, once precious recollections in Ashe''s mind, now burned away like paper, turning to ashes. After the pain and regret came deep self-me. ''It is my fault¡­'' ''All because of my naivety, my foolishness, my inability to resist temptation. I had doomed them all. It was me¡­My fault...'' Thump* Ashe fell to her knees, tears of guilt soaking her eyes, dripping onto the floor. Seeing Ashe in this state of self-condemnation, Leng smiled, feeling satisfaction. Was Ashe the leak? Of course not. A bit of thought would reveal that even if Ashe wanted to, she couldn''t have leaked anything. She wasn''t privy to the specific details and ns of the operation, let alone capable of divulging them. The real betrayer was Leng himself. Leng had not shared his secret n with the rebel demi-humans, as requested by the demi-human, Roca. This n needed the revolutionaries as bait to draw out Mario, the two Relic Wilder, and the elite Army forces in the Sealed City. The drama unfolding now was a spur-of-the-moment addition by Leng. He just didn''t like Ashe. So, he concocted a n to conveniently stter this dirty water onto her. After all, he resented those demi-humans who grew close to humans. Why? Humans were their mortal enemies, the oppressors and envers of their kind. All humans deserved death! And any demi-human who dared to get close to them deserved it even more! They should be like this cat girl, bearing the stigma, facing thousand cuts and dismemberment! ''Yes'' ''Thousand cuts and dismemberment!'' "Kill her! Kill the traitor!" Leng, without hesitation, raised his de toward Ashe, its cold gleam reaching her neck. He wanted this cat-girl to remember, wanted the other revolutionaries to know the price of fraternizing with humans. Upstairs, Mario watched with even greater pleasure. He reveled in this spectacle of internal strife, hoping for more, much more... Bang!* An unexpected gunshot abruptly halted the escting drama. The bullet urately struck the de in Leng''s hand, deflecting his attack on Ashe. "What!?" Leng initially thought the shot came from Mario''s Army upstairs, but when he saw Mario also looking surprised and confused, Leng felt an ominous chill. Then, the Relic Wilder holding the pass" showing the first signs of shock, was the quickest to realize the implications. "How can this be! The barrier, it''s impossible! How can this happen!" Indeed, the Relic User''s panicked statements made everyone realize that the sniper shot hade from outside! It''s no wonder the Relic User was in such a state of panic. He had used the "Relic" for many years and had experienced its barriers being violently breached before. But today was different; it was as if he suddenly lost control of the "Relic" like a locked door easily opened with a key by someone else. This shocking revtion was enough to throw him into disarray. No, it was even worse. It was as if the intruder changed the lock after opening the door, making his key useless. He hadpletely lost control of the Relicpass. The Relic was still active, enveloping the mansion, but the control was no longer in his hands! The Relic User beside Mario broke into a sweat, and no matter how desperately he tried, the Relic no longer responded to him. ''What in the world is happening?'' The answer was soon revealed. The solution to this mystery was a sinister, terrifyingugh that echoed in the ears of everyone inside the mansion ¨C Leng, the cornered revolutionaries, and the confident Mario and his Army. "Hahahaha~!" Apanying thisugh, entering through the front door of the mansion, as if sealed by the "Relic," was a certain noble young man. And following him, one on each side, were two figures. One, a girl with a twisted smile, walking with a ruthless stride, yet emanating a strong Miasma aura. And the other, an expressionless maid tucking away a smoking sniper rifle under her skirt¡­. Chapter 114 114: The Blood Sacrifice Of Olden Alliance, The Forgotten Spirit Part 1 ? Chapter 114: The Blood Sacrifice of Olden Alliance, The Forgotten Spirit part 1 "Isn''t he¡­" Leng recognized him, and so did Mario, who had investigated Renji, as well as Nozomi and the elite of the revolutionary army, who also identified the identity of this noble young man. Perhaps now, the only one who hadn''t recognized the young man was Ashe, who was still in despair, staring nkly, kneeling on the ground, thinking she had harmed everyone and couldn''t forgive herself. Leng reacted the fastest to this. He didn''t understand, couldn''tprehend how this noble youth could appear here, and a terrifying premonition emerged in his heart. ''Could it be that my random fabrication to frame Ashe... hade true? Could this noble youth have been using Ashe all along, plotting something in the shadows?'' But none of these stopped Leng from reacting fiercely. "Haahaha! I knew it was you! You deceived Ashe, got our information from her, and then turned around and told the enemy! How dare you betray Ashe''s trust in you!" "Pfft" Seeing Leng panicking to the point of talking nonsense, Renji couldn''t help butugh again. He didn''t deny it as Leng thought. Instead, he boldly admitted it. "Alright, since you say so, indeed, I had ulterior motives when I ''bought'' Ashe. I indeed wanted to use her, use her toplete my n, so what?" "You!" Leng was momentarily speechless, Renji''s interruptionpletely disrupted the script he had in mind, turning the situation into chaos. But no matter. It would soon be clear again. Because a group of people could no longer just watch the drama unfold calmly. Mario upstairs was equally concerned about Renji''s appearance, especially since he had crossed the ''relic'' restriction, causing him great anxiety. To avoid furtherplications, he issued a simplemand. "Fire!" Upon receiving the order, rows of soldiers stationed upstairs, with a strategic advantage, pointed their dark muzzles at the revolutionaries, including Renji, ready to open fire on everyone below, indiscriminately turning them into sieves, ending the night''s operation. The dense aiming red dots had already appeared on everyone, but before the human soldier could pull the trigger, a series of *click click click* mechanical sounds preemptively rang out. The sound came from the maid beside the young man. Thanks to Ashe''s intelligence, the high-ranking members of the revolutionary army knew that this maid was a robot from the Mechanical Alliance. Initially, it caused some rm, butter, under Leng''s exnation, they realized not all robot''s arebatants. Like the one beside the young man, she was clearly of the domestic type, posing no threat. But now. [Warning! Warning! Hostile behavior detected, initiating full automatic three-dimensional defense mode!] Under the shrill cking sound, the maid''s arms rose, and her human skin modules were temporarily deactivated. In their ce emerged metallic cannon barrels. 86''s arms extended, and under chip control, her body rotated, transforming her robotic arms into heavy cannons as thick as water buckets and over a meter long in the blink of an eye. The arm cannons were just a small part; the real focus was on the maid''s back. This was not just bionic ability, but a fusion of Eclipse and technology. From the surrounding air, countless azure light spots appeared, swarming to 86''s back like fireflies, a fictitious ability from "Zero." In an instant, an eight-winged wingposed entirely of "firearms and cannons" shockingly appeared behind the maid. When Mario''s soldiers above finally came to their senses, they were dumbfounded. They looked at the guns in their hands and then at the maid''s twin heavy cannon arms and the mechanical wings, each "feather" of which was several times more powerful than their guns in both appearance and caliber. They forgot to fire for a moment. This was the charm of the Mechanical Alliance. Byparison, their little guns seemed as outdated as a country bumpkin entering the city for the first time. But that wasn''t the scariest part. The horror was that, in their view, these high-tech firearms on the maid, which they couldn''t understand, began to flicker light from their muzzles. The next second... Dadadadada!* Dadadadada!* Boom-boom¡ª8 Bang!!!* Bullets and cannon fire centered on 86, heading towards the location of Mario above. For a long ten seconds, everyone''s ears and vision were almostpletely nullified, filled only with the red light of explosions, thick smoke, and the rain-like barrage mixed with screams. When everything finally calmed down, the revolutionaries below, who could barely open their eyes, instinctively looked up towards Mario and his army''s direction. They not only failed to see their figures, but the most exaggerated part was... ''Where is the house?'' ''Where did that big house disappear?'' Looking around in bewilderment, there was no second or third floor anymore; their surroundings had turned into ruins. The muddy manor couldn''t withstand such firepower. Not to mention Mario''s troops, the entire manor they were in had been turned into a sieve, with copsed beams and brick walls exploding into dust. Contrarily, the revolutionaries, because they were on the lowest level and near 86, were miraculously spared. Even the falling stones and debris from the copsing house were sted into smithereens by 86''s fire. Gulp* Jiu swallowed hard as she looked around at the devastation. At this point, if the revolutionaries couldn''t see that the noble young man was at least not on the same side as Mario, then their brains were of no use. Jiu stealthily tugged at the little cat girl next to her and asked in a trembling, fearful voice, "Is this the domestic maid you told me about, who teaches you cooking and studying every day?" ''Could it be that the Mechanical Alliance calls such killing machines ''domestic''?'' As for Ashe, with all thismotion, she finally snapped back to reality from her state of despair. But soon, she was again became confused by the sight in front of her, the fully armed 86, both familiar and unfamiliar, which pushed the little cat girl back into a daze. Chapter 115 115: The Blood Sacrifice Of Olden Alliance, The Forgotten Spirit Part 2 ? Chapter 115: The Blood Sacrifice of Olden Alliance, The Forgotten Spirit Part 2 What confused her most was not 86''s true strength. But rather ''Mr. Renji is not with Mario'' ''So... it wasn''t me who harmed everyone? Mr. Renji didn''t betray us?'' ''So...'' ''Could it be that Mr. Renji''s appearance here was to...'' [Garbage cleaningpleted, Miss Ashe. ording to the evaluation, you are currently in a situation of unavoidable personal danger. In ordance with use 7 of thebor contract signed between you and Master, thepany is obliged to provide necessary humanitarian assistance. That''s why we came here] said 86, piercing through the viinous disguise of the arrogant master. 86, who had returned to her maid form, approached Ashe, who was still kneeling on the ground. After squatting down, 86, though expressionless as a robot, extended a warm hand towards Ashe. [Miss Ashe, please pay attention to your safety and maintain mental and physical health. You have missed ss tonight, and I don''t want you to continue missing ss tomorrow, otherwise our teaching progress will face severe challenges] said 86, imitating her master''s tsundere way of expressing care for Miss Ashe. Tears filled Ashe''s eyes again, and she couldn''t help but throw herself into the maid''s arms. "86, Master Renji, Sob*... I knew Ashe wasn''t wrong... Ashe..." Eileen, following Renji, pouted at this scene. ''What about me?'' ''What about me?!'' No way!'''' ''I can''t let that broken machine steal all the limelight!'' With these thoughts, Eileen shifted her focus from the panicked Leng, the struggling Mario and his guardian relics crawling out of the ruins, to searching for another figure in the vicinity. After all, Eileen, who had gathered intelligence with Renji, knew that there should be another mastermind at the scene. But the question is ''Where is that person?'' ''Where is that jackal-demi human?'' Indeed. Not just Eileen, even Leng and Mario were now looking for the jackal-human Roca. Renji''s arrival had disrupted the situation, and 86''s disy of power made them desperately seek external assistance. The jackal-demi-human, Roca, who had "promised" both sides, naturally became their hope. Unfortunately... "Stop looking. Haven''t you realized yet? Both of you have been yed by Roca. He''s probably already..." Before Renji could finish his sentence, a loud explosion was heard from afar, followed by a burst of mes shooting into the sky. An explosion in the city? No, that was just the beginning. Following that Explosions simr to the first one urred all over the city, with mes rising in various districts. The sudden Apocalypse plunged the city''s inhabitants into chaos. "What''s happening!" "Who is causing suchrge-scale destruction in the city!?" And judging by the scale and momentum, it wasn''t something prepared in just a couple of days. It was a long-nned act, with explosives set up everywhere in advance! Then... "p p p!" Apuse rang out, and the absentee person finally showed up. "Unexpected, Mr. Renji. You truly made me surprise." Roca emerged from the shadows. This leader of the second faction of the demi human revolutionary army, ostensibly a dogfighting force raised by Mayor Mario, now appeared with the demeanor of a mastermind in the shadow, smiling as he stepped forward. "Roca, you!" "Yo, isn''t this our dear Mayor? How disheveled you look, tsk tsk. Honestly, I gave Leng the precious ''Olden Alliance'' power just to hold you off, but I didn''t expect...Sigh¡­never mind." Even Leng''s face darkened. From Roca''s tone, it was clear, without a doubt, he too had been betrayed. Roca told Mayor Mario he would help his army to encircle the revolutionary army, and then assured Leng of the revolutionary army that he was deceiving Mario. In reality, he nned to join forces with the revolutionary army to encircle Mario''s army. But now it seems... Roca''s real purpose was just to gather the two strongest forces in the city together, so that they could restrain each other. This strategy allowed Roca to sessfully set the city aze, plunging it into chaos under a series of explosions. As for his goal... "Leng, do you remember what I told you about how the ancients taught us to purify and awaken our true bloodline? Yes, it''s through a blood sacrifice. But ordinary sacrifices are too primitive and no longer satisfy my needs, so..." With a fanatic look in his eyes, Roca pulled out a blood-colored skull from his bosom. This was a Tainted Miasma artifact. An artifact as powerful as the ''Relics''. But Renji narrowed his eyes, knowing this wasn''t a relic, meaning it wasn''t something from his time but a powerful Tainted Miasma artifact newly created inter times! The only ones capable of this, apart from ''them'', were likely... ''The Olden Alliance¡­'' "Hahahaha! Yes, tonight is the night of my ascension. All the people of the city will be the sacrificial offerings for my blood ritual!" When a person is doing something "great", they need witnesses, driven by a desire to share. Because if it''s not known or witnessed by others... ''Is it still great?'' "You don''t know how pitiful you look to me right now, just like I once was, struggling meaninglessly like ants in this world. But now, I''ve seen a broader, higher-level world. I don''t want to go back. I must truly join the ''Olden Alliance''. I must be one of ''The Forgotten''!" "As a key to knock on the door... only those who can summon the ''Forgotten Spirits'' from 500 years ago, from the era of the great emperors, are worthy to be called The Forgotten and be truly recognized by the ''Olden Alliance''. So..." "Come to me! I can feel it. Using the entire city as a summoning offering, I will surely be able to summon the highest grade of ''Forgotten Spirits''!" "Ahhhhhhhh~ I can feel it... It''s responding to me, it''s about to descend! It''s connected to me! This ancient, wonderful... powerful, full of mystery, antiquity, and strength..." "This power from 500 years ago, from the old era..." "The Forgotten Spirit!" Chapter 116 116: A Conversation Across Five Hundred Years (Part I) ? The power of the ''Old Alliance'' originates from the ancient times. The strength of the Forgottenes from their ability tomunicate with and summon the ''Forgotten Spirits''. The so-called ''Forgotten Spirits'' are those who lived, or rather, existed, five hundred years ago in the Old era. In that era, shrouded by Tainted Miasma, rampant with monsters, continuous natural disasters, and a world of utter devastation. The Eclipse, now feared by all, wasmonce in that era. Even unborn babies could be one of them, as infection by Tainted Miasma was the norm. After all, when even the sky was stained brown-red, how could the creatures on the ground escape? However, there were those who hoped to see the sky blue again, who didn''t want babies turning into monsters, mothers watching their flesh and blood tear open their bellies with ws. So, they fought under the leadership of the ''Great Emperor Ashen'' ¨C against monsters, natural disasters, and the Tainted Miasma that eroded the world. It is because of them that today''s world exists. They won. But unfortunately, those remembered by the ''Great Emperor'' and the world were ''them'', not these fighters. They became The Forgotten Spirits. But even the weakest of these Forgotten Spirits, if brought into today''s world, where the Tainted Miasma is extremely diluted and people pursuefort and pleasure, would still be described as strong. This is the power Roca is crazily pursuing, the "higher level world" he speaks of in his fervent speech. He not only wants to join the Olden Alliance. He wants to climb higher. In the Olden Alliance, the strength of its members is measured by the quality of the Forgotten Spirits they possess. Roca is not a Forgotten with "bloodline inheritance". Those are the real core figures of the Olden Alliance, who need no medium or sacrifice, as their inherited bloodline is the best medium. The Forgotten Spirits theymunicate with and summon are their true ancestral rtives, ensuring high sess rates andbatpatibility during possession. So, Roca had to take another path, a method of promotion for many ''external'' members like him in the Olden Alliance. He uses summoning mediums like the bloody skull in his hand, granted by the Olden Alliance. He just needs to let the medium absorb as much Tainted Miasma as possible, create Miasma for the medium, and then the stronger and higher-quality the Forgotten Spirits it can summon for him. Cries, panic, incessant explosions, zing fires, and numerous hybrid soldiers rampaging through the streets under Roca''s arrangement, all contributed to the backdrop of blood and fire in the city tonight. Most of the popce was engulfed in terror, and waves of negative emotions rapidly brewed and intensified throughout the city. This was exactly what Roca wanted. What is Tainted Miasma? It is madness, death, anger, hatred. And the city now, amidst chaos, whether it''s the impoverished taking advantage of the disorder, the rampaging demi-human soldiers, the fearful and helpless civilians, or the nervous hiding nobles and rich merchants... All of them became fodder, a breeding ground for Tainted Miasma, the perfect ce to produce it. ¡­. .... Strands of dark red threads began to float out of this chaotic city, from the people themselves. These dark red threads, as if guided by some unseen force, started to converge towards Roca, into the bloody skull in the hands of the jackal-demi human. As more and more of these dark red threads gathered, these seemingly weak strands of Tainted Miasma, multiplied by the hundreds of thousands of people in the city, became immensely powerful. The bloody red glow from the skull in the hands of the hybrid grew from a faint red to a vibrant crimson and now, a deep, sinister red-brown. This immense Tainted Miasma power seemed to reach its peak, and at that moment, the skull finally couldn''t withstand it anymore and shatteredpletely. At that instant, the entire city seemed to be enveloped by a bloody veil. Roca, with uncontainable anticipation on his jackal-like face, knew his blood sacrifice had seeded. ''Hahhahaha~ My risky gamble paid off. now I epassed the entire city within the range of his blood sacrifice''. And behind Roca... A vague shadow began to solidify. Typically, the summoning of a Forgotten Spirit should be immediate, manifesting right at the moment of a sessful blood sacrifice. But this gradual materialization from a blurred shadow to a solid form was extremely rare. Initially, Roca was stunned, barely believing it, but soon his disbelief turned into ecstasy. It was simple. This meant the quality of the "Forgotten Spirit" he had summoned was beyond imagination, definitely surpassing Common, Danger, and even likely, a supreme Forgotten Spirit that reached ''Disaster Rank'' upon its "birth"! "Hahahaha~! I need more sacrifices!" The Tainted Miasma of the entire city was being absorbed by the Forgotten Spirit behind Roca, but he was still not satisfied. He was impatient to hasten the appearance of the Forgotten Spirit. A ruthless glint shed in his eyes, and the next moment... He roared out in excitement. After his roar, Roca''s body swelled, muscles bulging, fur recing skin, and his head fully transforming into that of a jackal, entering a "beastified" state. Standing three to four meters tall, Roca grabbed Leng and Mayor Mario, the nearest to him, like they were little chickens. He didn''t give them any chance to struggle and crushed their heads with a forceful squeeze. The carnage didn''t end there. Next were two relic wielders close to Mario, who couldn''t escape the now immensely strengthened Roca either, and were brutally killed. After ying four people, including three Eclipse, and absorbing their Tainted Miasma, the Forgotten Spirit behind Roca, although still far from being fully materialized, was no longer as vague. From its face to its entire outfit, the outline of the Forgotten Spirit was now clear. The two ears standing up on its head and the fluffy tail at its back clearly indicated that this ''Forgotten Spirit'' belonged to the demi-human race, seemingly a... Cat person? And apparently a male. This wasmon. Although the summoning was random, it tended to reflect the summoner''s own traits. As a male demo-human, Roca summoning a male demi-human Forgotten Spirit was almost inevitable. However, from the attire of this cat-man Forgotten Spirit, he didn''t seem to be a warrior. On his noble nose, he wore schrly sses, and his clothing was a somewhat oversized coat with many pockets, seemingly designed for a person who always had too much to carry. In his hands, he didn''t wield a weapon but a cane... or a staff? It seemed to be a two-in-one object ¨C used as a cane by a noble in normal times and transformed into a mage''s staff in battle, giving off an ever-calm and elegant demeanor. Contrary to his gentle and delicate appearance, the terrifying aura emanating from him was overwhelming. 86, the maid beside Renji, had her eyes shing with red rms. She had never been this tense, not even when facing Maria possessed by Suthia. Even Eileen, who usually took things lightly, was now unable to utter a word, overwhelmed by the oppression. Being an Eclipse herself, she was acutely aware of the immense power of the spectral being behind the jackal-man. Despite reaching ''Danger Rank'' herself, she felt like an ant in front of him, not at all on the same level. If Eileen and 86 were so affected, the remaining members of the revolutionary army were even more overwhelmed by the terrifying pressure. The weaker among them were literally pressed down by the intense concentration of Tainted Miasma emanating from the ''Forgotten Spirit''. Just ncing towards it felt like falling into an abyss. Even the strongest among them, the foxydy Nozomi,cked the strength to even look at the ''Forgotten Spirit''. She had to bow her head and close her eyes to resist the heavy powerful force of the Tainted Miasma. Roca was very pleased with everyone''s reaction. Prostrating before the Forgotten Spirit. Subdued under the might of the Old Alliance. ''This was power, the kind he truly sought ¨C the power of an absolute ruler, drawn from a higher world... Wait!?'' "How¡­!" "How can you still stand?" Chapter 117 117: A Conversation Across Five Hundred Years (Part II) "Two chapters in one! , And a huge thank you for the 3,000 Powerstones (¤Ä ?? ? ?? )¤Ä. As promised, I''ll publish an extra chapter for every 500+ Powerstones, so get ready for 6 chapters tomorrow " ----------------------- Roca''s inner triumphant thoughts came to an abrupt halt, even letting out a cry of surprise. When he shifted his supremely arrogant gaze from those unable to raise their heads in the presence of the Forgotten Spirit behind him, and looked around... One person at the scene stood out distinctly. It was that noble young man! He alone stood ordinarily, and what was more uneptable to Roca was that the man dared to look towards him and even directly gaze at the Forgotten Spirit behind him! ''How could this be!'' ''This is the power of the ''Old Alliance''!'' ''It is the ancestors who lived in the horrific wastnd world of five hundred years ago!'' ''How could someone from today''s ''inferior'' greenhouse era, devoid of Tainted Miasma, stand upright and calmly face a Forgotten Spirit!?'' Anger surged in Roca. Just as he was about to act, he suddenly had to quickly refocus his emotions and concentrate all his energy. Because He could feel that the Forgotten Spirit behind him... was about to open its eyes. ''Opening its eyes'' is the final step of the entire blood sacrifice summoning process, and arguably the most crucial one. During this time, the Forgotten Spirit will briefly possess consciousness, revisiting the awareness it had five hundred years ago. As the summoner, Roca had to seize this brief moment, the only opportunity he would have tomunicate with the Forgotten Spirit, to gain as much recognition as possible from the ancestor. The more recognition he could gain, the higher thepatibility would be, and the more power he could harness from the Forgotten Spirit in subsequent possession battles. Roca concentrated his mind, even closing his eyes, shutting off all his senses, all for bettermunication with the Forgotten Spirit. Finally. The cat-man Forgotten Spirit behind him slowly opened its eyes, and the ancient aura from five hundred years ago peaked at this moment. Roca began to fully sense his Forgotten Spirit. The first emotion that came from the Forgotten Spirit was a brief confusion. This was normal, as it''s the initial emotion of all Forgotten Spirits when summoned. Soon after, Roca felt the Forgotten Spirit scanning its surroundings and very quickly focusing its attention on one point, surely him. It was normal. After observing the environment, the Forgotten Spirit would definitely focus on him, the summoner, and no one else. Roca even felt a bit smug. Being noticed so quickly and with such focus by the Forgotten Spirit meant that the ancestor was very interested in him! No... it meant the ancestor valued him greatly! Up to this point, everything was normal, just as taught by the ''Old Alliance''. But then... Roca became confused. Surprise? Joy? Astonishment? Concern? Self-mockery? Anger? Happiness, happiness, happiness, happiness? ''Why The Forgotten Spirit was conveying so many emotions in just an instant!?'' ''''...'''' Roca had never heard of such a thing! Even the Forgotten with "bloodline inheritance" shouldn''t be able to make their summoned Forgotten Spirits have such intense emotional fluctuations towards them! ''Wait don''t tell me that...'' ''Am I truly so uniquely talented, so highly valued by the ancestor!? To the point of such... joy!?'' Roca trembled with excitement. Until... The Forgotten Spirit spoke. Was it a sigh, likepensating for some regret? The Forgotten Spirit: "Sigh..." The Forgotten Spirit: "Finally, Master decided to take off his cloak" ------ Roca: "Master!?" Roca: ''The Forgotten Spirit called me master!?'' Roca: ''And what about a cloak? What cloak!?'' Roca didn''t recall wearing a cloak. And he was even more puzzled by the Forgotten Spirit''s words. Removing a cloak seemed too simple to bother a Forgotten Spirit, an ancestor from 500 years ago. Roca was baffled. ''How am I supposed tomunicate with the Forgotten Spirit if I couldn''t understand the ancestor''s thoughts?'' But soon, he wouldn''t have to worry about that. Because "Ah!" Roca suddenly screamed in agony as the sensory connection he had painstakingly established with the Forgotten Spirit was abruptly severed as if cut by scissors. What frightened and confused Roca even more was that this was the action of the Forgotten Spirit, caused by the very spirit he had summoned. The people of the Old Alliance had warned him about this. Indeed, there were some unlucky ones whose summoned Forgotten Spirits resisted due to ipatibility, or because the spirits were too strong for them to control, leading to rebellion, loss of control, and rampage. ''But why would he which had shown such joy and positive emotions at the beginning, resist me?'' Roca, with his sensory connection forcibly severed, felt as if his brain had been stabbed with a needle. Despite the intense pain, he forced his eyes open, wanting tomunicate with the Forgotten Spirit behind him... ''Wait, what!?'' ''Where is the Forgotten Spirit!?'' Turning around with difficulty, Roca found nothing behind him. The ancestor he had summoned with great effort was... gone!? ''No!'' ''It''s... it''s...'' ''He¡­ go to the noble young man!?'' "You!!" Roca''s eyes widened, and only at this moment did he realize a terrifying possibility. ''Could it be that the Forgotten Spirit, from the moment it ''opened its eyes'', had never focused on me, but on him!?'' ''Those intense emotions, and that inexplicable sigh of regret, were they all actually directed at...Him!?'' Overwhelmed by fury and the bacsh from being rejected by the Forgotten Spirit, the jackal-man''s orifices bled profusely, and he cked out, copsing unconscious. "You really went hard on him, huh¡­" Renji nced at the blood-spitting, pitiful Roca, and addressed the Forgotten Spirit, or rather, his old friend, with a sigh. The Forgotten Spirit shook his head and said with regret, "I can''t kill him directly, or I would disappear too. Otherwise, I would never allow such a lowly creature to challenge you, Master Ashen" "So..." The Cat demihuman Forgotten Spirit paused, seemingly hesitant, nervous, and afraid of a certain answer, yet longing for it. Finally, he couldn''t resist asking. "It''s been a long time, Your Highness. Do you..." "Remember me?" The Forgotten Spirit''s eyes were fixed on Renji, freezing time in that moment. But this serious atmosphere quickly faded away. Renji didn''t answer directly but instead told a brief story. "There was a well-known weakling in the cat tribe. While children of his age mastered awakening skills and activated their bloodline powers, hegged far behind, always at the bottom in training. If he were of any other status, it would have been fine, but he was the chieftain''s son, so he faced double the mockery and ridicule from his tribe. Even the girl from a neighboring tribe, betrothed to him, looked down on him. Eventually, even his father, the chieftain, gave up on him. In a fit of anger, the young cat-boy decided to leave home, vowing to return one day and prove himself to everyone." "I''m not wrong, am I, Karl?" The Forgotten Spirit listened intently and silently. He first nodded, then shook his head. Karl: "You''re a bit wrong. That chieftain''s son didn''t leave home in a fit of anger. He didn''t have such ambition or courage. He was actually expelled for being an oddity, a useless weakling. His existence was just a waste of food for the tribe. But speaking of which... he was lucky." "He was picked up by a kind-hearted person before being eaten by wild beasts. This person not only took him back to a settlement but also provided him with food, equipment, and taught him how to unlock his true potential, guiding him on a new path. He indeed returned as a hero in his tribe''s time of crisis, saving his people and astonishing those who had once scorned, belittled, and despised him." As he spoke, Karl, the cat Forgotten Spirit, slightly tilted his head, a gesture usually made by stubborn people trying to hold back tears. Then he realized, as a Forgotten Spirit, a projection from five hundred years ago, he could no longer cry. What should have been a sad story left Karl feeling relieved and even fortunate. Otherwise, he feared he might cry in front of his Master. That would be too embarrassing. What Karl didn''t know was that Renji, his Master Ashen, also felt somewhat fortunate. Fortunately, the Forgotten Spirit summoned by Roca was of very high quality, a five-star ''Disaster Rank'' Karl. For characters like that, no matter what, if they were reset, you would definitely have an impression, especially since almost all initial five-star characters have their ownplete set of character backgrounds and settings. Karl, for instance, even had follow-up emergency missions that could be triggered. To prepare for this moment, he spent several nights sorting through the ''Old Alliance'' materials. Thankfully, it wasn''t in vain. If Roca had summoned a three or four-star, he might have really been in trouble. But "Is that all, Karl? I thought you would question why I took away your power back then." "Sigh, I did want to try that, but unfortunately, my profession is in the special ability category. I can''t be as brainless as those guards orpletely driven by emotions like the priests" Karl let out a mock sigh, his schrly nature unintentionally overshadowing the other two professions, a typical habit among those with special abilities. Quickly, though, Karl turned serious, speaking to Renji with sincerity: "So, I''m very clear that what My Master did was right. My potential had its limits. If exchanging me could advance others with more potential, I was willing." "Moreover," "Master Ashen, don''t underestimate me. You indeed took away my power, but you couldn''t take away the precious experiences of following you, the way you taught us, your consistently correct decisions." "After being demoted and sent back, I couldn''t reach the heights I had under yourmand, but I was able to regain half of my original power through dedicated cultivation. And far from the frontlines, in the safe rear guarded by you, I could focus on research, enjoy a peaceful and beautiful life. That was something countless people in that wastnd would have dreamed of!" "Furthermore, Master, not just me, but many others chose to be teachers and instructors like me. We tried to emte you, to cultivate talents for our settlements, cities, and empire. This is also... our way of contributing. We hoped this organization could be your shadow, ready to step forward when you need us most. It''s thest bit of stubbornness from us ''abandoned'' ones, hoping to surprise you, Master!" "But now it seems," The Forgotten Spirit, Karl, turned his gaze towards the zing city, engulfed in the chaos of Roca''s n, the innocent people enveloped and permeated by Tainted Miasma, the blood and fire, the cries, fear, and looting. He sighed. "It seems our organization... might have misunderstood something" Chapter 118 118: Worthy Of You, Master ? Sorry, there''s going to be a slight dy in the mass release. Don''t worry, though, it will still be published today ¨C just expect it about 3 hourster than nned. ----------- Five hundred years ago, people despised Tainted Miasma, sacrificing countless lives to cleanse the world and create a new, purified world. But now, people in this pristine world seek Tainted Miasma, yearning for it, wishing to see the brown skies once again. ''What an irony¡­'' A touch of sadness appeared in Karl''s eyes. It was then that he realized, just as they had used Tainted Miasma to defeat it five hundred years ago, the Tainted Miasma of the present was using them to defeat them. "Master, in the first century after your disappearance, everyone still tried to fulfill the duties of our agreement, but gradually..." "Most of us were still limited by our lifespans. A hundred years was their limit. They spent their lives waiting for news of your return, only to pass on their regrets in wills to their descendants, leaving it to those like me who could still carry on to lead." Karl''s eyes revealed a reminiscent hue as he continued, though his voice grew much more somber. "Even as someone who had returned to ''Disaster Rank'' status, as long as we can''t transcend that line, we can''t escape the ravages of time. Isted till the 214th year before I finally closed my eyes. By then, of our generation who personally followed you, from hundreds, only twenty-three remained." "I had already sensed something wrong back then. Among those left, some started waiting for the sake of waiting, losing themselves in the long years, bing more and more fanatical and extreme, just to keep waiting, to remain steadfast." "Now when I think about it... perhaps the Tainted Miasma had already started using us back then?" The most tragic thing isn''t witnessing the destruction of a dynasty. It''s foreseeing the end of a misguided path, yet only being able to exit the stage in one''s dying moments. Now, as a Forgotten Spirit, Karl had a brief chance to see the world again five hundred yearster. Clearly, the worst scenario he had envisioned hade to pass. Their organization had indeed strayed onto a different path. "I''m sorry, Master. I couldn''t stop them back then, because even I was exhausted just trying to resist the temptation." "You did well, Karl. As for the rest... leave it to me." Renji shook his head. For Renji, saving the world was just a game, and he never really considered what would be of those game characters after they left his side. When he aimed to achieve goals, earn rewards, or simply satisfied hispulsion by maxing out the affection level of each character under hismand, he might not have felt much outside the screen. But inside the game, these virtual characters, these game personas, genuinely developed 100% affection for him. When that "red heart" in the game filled up, they truly gave their hearts to him. To them, he had be the most important person. That''s why, even if used or treated as mere tools, most of those abandoned still bore no regrets. They continued to shine and secretly umted strength, waiting for the day they might be useful again. That''s why they resorted to any means to "wait" for him, providing an opportunity for the Tainted Miasma to exploit. Hearing from Karl, Renji finally understood the origins and truth about the precursor to the ''Olden Alliance''. He felt an added weight on his shoulders, and no wonder Karl warned him to be cautious. After all, when Karl died over two hundred years ago, the organization only had twenty-three of the original followers left. Now, three hundred yearster, the organization must have undergone many changes, bearing little resemnce to its former self. Although still named the ''Olden Alliance,'' not a single true ''Olden'' remained, only reappearing as ''Forgotten Spirits''. For the descendants of these ''original generation'' members, they did not share the bond or memories with their ''Emperor''. In their eyes, he might be the culprit, the one who yed with and abandoned their ancestors. Thus, the organization, as Roca mentioned, was still lying in wait, but not for a "reunion" anymore. It was for revenge. "Master, I''m not sure if it''s a problem with my current state of perception or something else, but you feel to me like, like..." Seeing Karl''s hesitant with a worried expression, Renji shrugged helplessly, admitting the truth. "No, you''re not wrong. I am indeed not much different from an ordinary person now... well, maybe a little stronger" After his battle with Suthia''s vessel, Renji''s level had reached twenty-three. For an Eclipse, level twenty-three is somewhat above the ''Common'' rank, but for Renji, due to the protagonist''s low growth in three dimensions, it''s just a step into the ''Common'' level. Karl was understandably shocked. He pondered for a long time, wondering what could threaten an emperor who had even conquered Tainted Miasma itself. Eventually, the only reason Karl could think of was, "Could it be... because you took off your cloak?" "You guessed it. Actually, that cloak was my real body." Faced with Renji''s sarcasm, Karl stroked his chin thoughtfully and seriously agreed: "No wonder, I was wondering why Master Ashen seemed like a different person. In my memory, you should only make three actions: silence, nodding, and shaking your head. For you to talk this much with me now, it''s really rare!" Renji: "¡­" "Yes, that''s right! This is the Master I know!" Karl, seeing Renji''s expression of three ellipses, brightened up, filled with familiarity from his youth. But happy moments are always short-lived. Despite Karl''s wish to talk more with this "cloakless" Master, the current situation didn''t allow for it. He had severed the connection with Roca, and although Roca was temporarily unconscious, the blood sacrifice, covering the entire city like a bloody shroud, couldn''t be stopped under the ''Olden'' secret method. As the summoned, Karl had no right to end the ritual. He was forced to keep absorbing the Tainted Miasma of the entire city. His body was bing more solid, but his consciousness was fading ¨C the fate of a Forgotten Spirit. After all, they were already deceased, and upon thepletion of the blood sacrifice, he would be an empty shell. By this point in the ritual, even killing the summoner Roca, would be futile. Instead, it would cause Karl, who had lost his summoner, to be possessed by the Tainted Miasma, turning into a man-made ''Disaster Rank'' Tainted Miasma monster. However, if left unchecked, the Tainted Miasma concentration in the city had already reached a high threshold and was still rising. If this continued, the hundreds of thousands of people in the city would truly be Karl''s "food." The only solution was for Renji, to kill him, thereby ending the blood sacrifice that had lost its host. So, while he was still lucid, Karl looked at the young man across from him with a mix of expectation and excitement. He wanted to see how his master would resolve the situation. Witnessing Renji''s masterfulmand onest time before his own disappearance, Karl felt that would be the best reward for him. "So, Your Majesty, your next move is..." Renji''s response was straightforward. Karl, a mid-tote game character in the original game, was a mid-to-upper tier character within the ''Disaster Rank''. For Renji, who currently only had two ''Danger Rank'' characters, even if Karl stood still, he likely didn''t have the ability to kill him. Given this, The icon in his skill bar lit up again, and Renji''s blood seemed to ignite. Ayer of crimson dragon scale phantoms covered his body like armor. His eyes also turned into purple dragon eyes, exerting a heavy pressure with just a nce. [Dragonblood Ignition] This was the second time Renji had used this skill. Back in the Holy Kingdom, when he used this move in Suthia''s territory, the kingdom faced a deration of war from the Dragon Nation within a few hours. Now, standing on the soil of the Dragon Nation, in Nova''s territory, using a skill from this dragondy again¡­ Almost in the next breath, In the imperial capital, far from the Sealed City, a loud dragon''s roar seemed to pierce the sky and directly targeted the area, resonating in everyone''s hearts. It wasn''t a real sound but a powerful pressure radiating from a distant ce. Anyone within the city, even Karl as a ''Forgotten Spirit,'' couldn''t escape it. So, ''This was your method?'' Familiar with the dragon''s roar that could traverse thousands of miles and seeing the matter-of-fact expression on Renji''s face, Karl couldn''t help but smile wryly. "Should I say... truly worthy of you Master?" Chapter 119 119: Sovereignty - Imperial Capital. Late at night, a dragon''s roar awakens countless people of the Imperial Capital from their sleep, leaving them confused and dazed, unsure of what''s happening. But a few, like Charl, who''s unusually at the Dragon Residence at this time, knew better. This minister held an urgent report, the top line mentioning the "Sealed City." The Sealed City, Charl''s financial stronghold, demanded his attention. He''d been informed immediately when chaos erupted in the city during the Blood Sacrifice. Unfortunately, when the massive Miasma from the Blood Sacrifice turned into a dome, enveloping the Sealed City, allmunications ceased. No information could get in or out. Anxious, Charl rushed to the Dragon Residence at night, suspecting General Long, who had proposed reforms for the Sealed City at the great hall, might be behind this. Then, a soul-stirring dragon''s roar emanated from the Imperial Pce. Both General Long and Charl''s expressions changed, sensing the Empress''s disturbance was definitely rted to the current situation in the Sealed City. They hurried out, intending to rush to the Imperial Pce. The Empress, always so low-key for the past five hundred years, was making such a high-profile move today. As if she deliberately wanted everyone to know, she was about to do something big. But just as they stepped out, they, like every citizen of the Imperial Capital at that moment, stopped and did the same thing. They looked up, craned their necks, and gazed at the fiery red figure rising rapidly from the Imperial Pce, illuminating the night sky. It was a... Dragon. A Red Dragon. Its body asrge as the Imperial Pce itself, its crimson wings lighting up the night of the Imperial Capital. Underneath its wings, intense mes burned fiercely, the scorching heat dispelling the night''s chill, waves of heat sweeping across the Imperial Capital. Had it not been carefully controlled, anywhere the wings passed would have turned into a sea of fire. Clearly, the Imperial Pce could neither hold nor contain such a Red Dragon. This was a summoned creature of fire. But soon, the Red Dragon lowered its majestic head, waiting for a woman in military uniform to step onto its back. Once she was aboard, the dragon raised its head again, letting out a deafening roar. In the next moment, it soared into the sky, like a fiery meteor streaking across the heavens, carrying its master towards a certain direction, a certain city, a certain... person, approaching at an incredibly terrifying speed. It took General Long and Charl a few seconds to recover from this unforgettable, shocking scene. They quickly realized a fact that could shake the entire Dragon Nation. ''The Empress...'' ''The Empress had actually left the Imperial Pce!?'' ''Where was she going?'' General Long was the first to react. He nced at Charl''s report on the "Sealed City," then at the red trail left in the night sky by the dragon, heading towards... The Sealed City! General Long made a snap decision, directing his steps not towards the Imperial Pce but towards the Dragon Gate Army. Urgent orders were issued from the Imperial Capital. All Dragon Gate forces near the Sealed City received the highest militarymand from General Long. "Drop everything, immediately organize the troops, muster the forces, and head towards the Sealed City at full speed!" ...¡­. "Cough, cough, cough" Roca awoke faintly from the ruins. His surroundings were the same, but strangely, many people were missing - the human young noble, the revolutionary demi-humans, and more importantly... The memories before his fainting surged back, making Roca both angry and panicked. ''Where is my Forgotten Spirit!? Where did he go!?'' Fortunately... Roca quickly looked up at the brown dome covering the night sky of the Sealed City, a symbol of the Blood Sacrifice. The surrounding chaos and mes indicated that the city was still in chaos. Waves of Miasma born from the chaos continued to rise, proving his Blood Sacrifice was still effective. "That''s... that''s great!" As long as the Blood Sacrifice continued, the Forgotten Spirit was still there. Roca didn''t know what trick the nobleman had used to attract the Forgotten Spirit he had summoned with so much effort, but his survival meant the youth couldn''t really take it away. "In that case, once the Blood Sacrifice wasplete, no matter what that nobleman did, the Forgotten Spirit would still belong to me!" "No one!" "No one can stop this grand, ancient blood..." "Uh¡­" Roca suddenly rubbed his eyes. He Rubbed them again. And even... p!* Roca harshly pped himself, but the pain on his face confirmed he wasn''t dreaming. Then... What was this Red Dragon hovering above the Sealed City, circling outside his Blood Sacrifice''s dome?!!! If that wasn''t shocking enough. Next... The Red Dragon finally hovered silently in the air, and then, a fiery figure emerged, so striking under the night sky. It was beyond visual impression. No matter how far one was, as long as they were within the Sealed City, they could see the woman descending from the Red Dragon. Like the dragon''s roar a moment ago, this was Nova''s deliberate act. She never beat around the bush; she yed her cards openly. At the Imperial Pce, whether at the initial Dragon Council or the subsequent banquet, Nova always appearedzy and unkempt, her messy hair barely touched. But now, it was different. Her silky, fire-red hair, with an effect like curling waves, cascaded down her back. Her proud figure wrapped in a red uniform, standing erect mid-air, her ample chest partially covered in red scales, and her long legs entuated by battle boots, exuding strength. And not to mention the zing, shiny, real-burning dragon horns on her head. Of course, the majority of people weren''t admiring her beauty at this moment. Their attention was entirely captured by her identity, their minds nk. "The Empress?!" "Her Majesty?!!" Thud, thud, thud!* On the ground, Roca''s eyes widened in terror. Just seeing her figure made him step back several times, even losing his bnce and sitting down hard. He had only fainted for a short while, right? ''How did the Empress arrive?'' "Wasn''t she in deep sleep in the Imperial Pce for hundreds of years, never caring about the affairs of the Dragon Nation?" "What happened!" "What exactly happened during the time I was unconscious?" ¡­. ''Run!'' ''I must run quickly!'' ''While the Blood Sacrifice still kept the Empress outside the Sealed City, even she couldn''t break through the barrier of the Blood Sacrifice so easily, right?'' That was Roca''s prayer. Until he saw the Empress in the sky, raising her fist towards the Blood Sacrifice''s dome. ¡­. Nova took a deep breath. People in the current era, having never experienced such phenomena, were unaware of what was resisting Nova, preventing all outsiders from entering the Sealed City. [The Miasma Death Zone] When Miasma pollution peaks beyond an A-level, it undergoes a transformation from quantity to quality, forming what is known as the [Miasma Death Zone] The Miasma Death Zone is divided into three levels: [Well], [Ring], and the highest level, [Abyss]. The current situation, with a brown dome covering a city of hundreds of thousands, though referred to as the Blood Sacrifice by Roca and the ancients, Nova knew its true name was ¡ª [Well] zone. Once formed, everything within the [Well] zone bes part of Miasma. Therefore, like an eggshell needed for hatching, the dome served as protection to prevent outsiders from interfering with the Miasma''s consumption of the Sealed City. However, Whether it''s a [Well] or even an [Abyss] zone reappearing, if her Master is inside, she would tear it apart. ''No one... nothing can stop me from finding My Lord'' Boom!* Below, Roca and many others struggling within the [Well] zone in the Sealed City, witnessed their Empress striking the brown barrier with a punch. A bright red light, like daylight, burst upon the brown barrier following her punch. From below, it seemed as though a small sun had appeared in the night sky. Then, as the light faded... Crack... crackle, crack!* First a single point, then like a spider web, cracks spread rapidly across the entire brown sky covering the Sealed City and, in the next second... Snap!* The Well zone... shattered. An entire Miasma Death Zone over the Sealed City, obliterated by a single punch from Nova. But for the Dragon Lady, it seemed like a simple task. What really concerned and upied her mind was what came next. Not possessing exceptional perception as a Vanguard, Nova had to use a more straightforward method, scanning the entire Sealed City with her gaze. Fortunately, It didn''t take long for her purple eyes to lock onto a very conspicuous shadow. In an instant, the Empress''s figure vanished from the sky and entered the Sealed City, arriving in front of Karl. Her first words were simple. Even ignoring how Karl came to be there, why he was in the Sealed City, what exactly had happened there, and why there was a Miasma Death Zone, Nova didn''t care. She was only concerned about one thing. "Where is Master Ashen?" Chapter 120 120: The Person Behind The Scenes 3 more chapter left- ------------- ''So¡­ the first thing she asks upon arriving is this?'' Karl, looking at the almost unchanged, still beautiful and powerful red-haired Dragon Lady, shook his head helplessly. He had harbored a slight hope for their reunion after three hundred years since the Empress''s disappearance. After Master Ashen''s disappearance, Nova was the first to leave the Ashen Empire. If Karl remembered correctly, more than half of the demi-humans willingly chose to follow Nova among the five personal guards, including himself. Together, they established the Dragon Nation on thisnd. In the first two hundred years, the Dragon Nation was prosperous, the harmonious country they had envisioned where humans and demi-humans coexisted. But in the three hundred years that followed... Karl clenched his fists. As a "Special Ability" Forgotten Spirit, he had reversed-read Roca''s memories upon being summoned, so he had a concept of the current state of the Dragon Nation. Why the Dragon Nation changed so drastically in just three hundred years was initially a mystery to Karl. Until... Just now, while assisting Renji in teleportation, Karl discovered something... Terrifyingly unsettling. Thinking about it, Karl gathered his spirit. He had to convey this crucial information, which he couldn''t tell his Master, to someone else. "Lady Nova, it seems Master Ashen isn''t keen on meeting you. He had already teleported away using a ''Relic'' before you arrived. You''re a stepte." Seeing the Dragon Lady about to turn away, seemingly uninterested in further conversation, Karl felt speechless. He quickly dropped the mysterious act and added what he truly wanted to say. "But! I secretly noted down his teleportation coordinates while Master wasn''t paying attention. Following these coordinates, with his current speed, he can''t escape your grasp!" As expected. The Dragon Lady immediately turned back around. "Coordinates, give them to me," Nova ordered seriously, her gaze fixed on Karl''s eyes. "I can give them to you, and I intended to do so. But as a condition, I earnestly request that you listen to what I have to say next." Seeing that mentioning the "coordinates" made the Dragon Lady finally patient, Karl let out a sigh of relief. He then straightened his face, adopting a more serious tone. "Master teleported to the demi-human territory in the southern part of the Dragon Nation. But as you know, the Hearthstone''s Tear targeted teleportation requires the user to have visited the coordinates at least once. Therefore, the one who actually initiated the teleportation was one of my kind, a demi-human under Master." "I assisted Master, and since we both belong to the Cat race, I seized the opportunity to transfer a part of the heritage power to her. It was then I discovered a problem. Her bloodline was... [cursed]." "Afterwards, to verify this, I checked several other demi-humans and realized it wasn''t an isted case. All demi-human bloodlines have been cursed." Karl was initially shocked by this discovery, but what chilled him to the bone was the deeper implication hidden behind this revtion. "Yes, your expression suggests you''ve thought the same. Among master''s Eclipse, there indeed was someone proficient in curses." "But she should be dead¡­." Nova said, frowning. "True, I also thought that all ''First Generation'' like me should have been dead. But now, I am certain that among the remaining twenty-three seats, someone is still alive!" This was what Karl found most terrifying. "That''s impossible. Without reaching ''Cmity Rank'' they couldn''t possibly live that long," Nova shook her head. "But what if? What if someone among them did reach your level? The best proof is the bloodline curse. If only a specific line of demi-humans were cursed, it could be seen as a disaster. But if the entire race is cursed, that''s not a disaster, but a cmity." Nova remained silent, visibly struggling to believe Karl''s words. It was simple. In the world where Miasma existed, Master had pooled all resources to concentrate the power of numerous Eclipse beings into creating them, the five. After the Miasma Abyss was eradicated, the world''s Miasma concentration dropped to almost zero. It was incredibly difficult to even produce a ''Disaster Rank'' Eclipse, let alone the hundred times more challenging ''Cmity Rank.'' ''But on the other hand...'' ''If what Karl said was true...'' "Why would she do that? Cursing the demi-humans... what''s in it for her?" Nova didn''t understand. Karl shook his head helplessly again, but then, after hesitating, he revealed his suspicion: "I don''t want to believe it either, but I suspect it''s for... revenge." "Revenge?" Seeing Nova''s confused expression, Karl sighed again. He didn''t know how to exin thisplex situation to this simply mined Nova, but the conclusion was clear. The Old Alliance had seeded in their objective. They had sessfully divided the Dragon Nation. The demi-humans, cursed and gradually losing their power, swiftly lost their social status. Karl even suspected that the introduction of vews in the Dragon Nation was driven by members of the Old Alliance, pushing the nation into an abyss and sowing seeds of hatred between the races. The more Karl thought about these, the more regretful he felt. If only he had still been alive back then, if there had been clear-minded people to advise the Empress... The Dragon Lady in front of him had always been the vanguard in every battle five hundred years ago, their most reliable teammate. As long as Nova stood unshaken, they hadplete confidence in the worst of battles. But off the battlefield, Nova knew nothing ¨C she couldn''t cook, read, or even write initially, learning only under Master''s coercion. But it didn''t matter then, because they were there to support her, as was Master. Nova protected them on the battlefield, and they cared for her in daily life ¨C the naive Dragon Lady. The thought of the Old Alliance deceiving and manipting an innocent person Nova, as pure as a nk te, filled Karl with rage. ''Did they deserve the protection Nova provided on the battlefield, the arrows she blocked for them, the blood she shed for them?'' Forcing himself to calm down, Karl realized that his anger was futile. ''More importantly, Master had returned, meaning Nova didn''t have to pretend to be the Empress anymore. The true Emperor would surely make the "conspirators" pay'' Karl believed. This was why Karl was concerned about another matter, the reason he hadn''t told his Master what he had just revealed. "Lady Nova, do you still have any contact with Lady Miyuki?" Changing the subject abruptly, he asked such a sudden question that would usually puzzle most, but Nova, after a moment of recollection, seriously replied: "Three hundred years ago, Miyuki approached me, and I believe the other four as well, warning us about the Miasma pollution issue and suggesting we enter deep sleep to resist it. We all followed Miyuki''s advice and went into a closed state. After that, there were no more messages from Miyuki." "Hah¡­" Karl''s expression grew more troubled upon hearing this, muttering as if deeply pondering something. Karl, as if suddenly realizing something, quickly continued his inquiry: "What about Lady Lena? Did she say anything at that time? Did she also go into seclusion like you?" "No, she was the only one among us who didn''t heed Miyuki''s words. Lena has always been like that." Karl seemed relieved by Nova''s shaking head in response, his face visibly rxing from the tension it held earlier. He always knew Lena, another member of the "Special Ability" group, wouldn''t be easily deceived. "Lady Nova, the next thing I say, you must not tell Master. I suspect that Lady Miyuki is behind the Old Alliance! Only Lady Miyuki''s protective abilities could have allowed them to survive until now" "Don''t overthink it. Just convey this information to Lady Lena. That''s myst request! If you agree, I''ll give you Master'' coordinates right now!" "Okay, I promise you" Nova affirmed. With Nova''s affirmation, Karl felt a burden lifted from his shoulders. He chose not to tell his Master about this because of Miyuki''s status. If Nova felt like the big sister of the family, then Miyuki, with her gentle and apologetic demeanor as a noble elf knight, was undoubtedly the mother of the family. Karl believed there must be some misunderstanding. ''Miyuki would never betray Master or harm anyone'' Fearing that his Master might misunderstand and be enemies with Miyuki was not what Karl wanted to see. Regrettably, he had already yed his part and could only entrust the rest to Lena. While Lena might seem like the rebellious little sister of the family, always causing trouble, Karl trusted her and their "Special Ability" pride. Having sent the coordinates to Nova, Karl felt he had aplished his small act of revenge against his Master, believing Renji would forgive this minor grudge. ''To be resurrected after death, to see the world again, and to meet the most important people once more, I have no more Regret¡­'' So, Karl faced his final moment with calmness. Nova had shattered the barrier of the [Well zone] with her punch, but if Karl, the "engine" of it, didn''t die, the [Well zone] would resurface. Besides, even if it werepleted, he would just be a Forgotten Spirit, no longer "Karl" "Do it, Lady Nova." Nova: "¡­" Nova: "Do you... me me?" Karl: "Why would I? After all, it was us... who left you alone first." Sometimes, few words are needed to convey deep emotions. With just a couple of sentences, Nova conjured a ming longsword from the void, her primary weapon that hadn''t been drawn in five hundred years. No one had warranted its use until now. The Dragon Lady swung her de, and the fiery apex of her sword struck Karl''s form. One of the strongest Forgotten Spirit, formed from Miasma of hundreds of thousands in the Sealed City, began to be consumed by the mes, his body incinerated. But until the end, Karl''s face retained a smile. From his silent mouth''s shape. It seemed like he was saying... "Goodbye¡­" ... Sheathing her sword. Nova, standing silently for a minute at the spot where Karl had vanished, prepared to summon her fiery dragon again to chase after her Master at the given coordinates. But... Was it just perfect timing? Nova had to temporarily dy her pursuit of Master because, not far from her, within the Sealed City... A dazzling holy light soared skyward, cutting through the night''s darkness like her fiery glow had done before. Once again... Piercing the darkness of the night. Chapter 121 121: Goddess Arrival Chapter 121: Goddess Arrival Roca was fleeing frantically within the Sealed City like a headless fly. "It''s all over, all over!" From the moment the Empress shattered the Old Alliance''s Blood Sacrifice with a single punch, Roca had been utterly doomed. He was like a dying man in his final throes, trying to do something to save himself, but deep down, he knew it was futile. If the Blood Sacrifice had seeded, he might have hoped for the ''Old Alliance'' people to save him. But now, with the obvious failure, he was of no value anymore, especially after having offended the Empress. He was undoubtedly abandoned. And just then... "Boss Roca! Boss!" Suddenly, a call pulled Roca back from his panic. Turning around, he saw a fellow Wolf beastman, his subordinate, waving at him excitedly amidst the chaos of the sted streets, reflecting the mes. As the man jogged over, Roca recognized him as one of his underlings. ''What do he want at a time like this?'' ''Didn''t he see everything was finished?'' Roca initially wanted to ignore this idiot, but the next words caught his attention. "Boss! I just found a human couple and their child!" ''A human couple and their child?'' ''What nonsense! '' But what the subordinate said next made Roca turn back immediately. "I recognized them, Boss! They''re the humans who helped the revolutionaries, the ones pretending to be ve traders but actually sheltering demi-human ves!" "What? Are you sure you''re not mistaken?" "No mistake, Boss! They are still sheltering refugees. Juste with me, you''ll see!" This revtion brought a series of images to Roca''s mind. If it wasn''t for that Cat girl Ashe, getting involved with the young noble, his long-prepared n wouldn''t have failed! ''Yes, that''s right!'' ''It was all that Cat girl''s fault, the fault of those revolutionary frogs in the well!'' ''Now that I am going to die anyway, why not take revenge on others, and I can still target that damned human!'' Even if he was going to hell, he had to drag a few more down with him! Was it the Miasma in the Sealed City affecting him, or something else? Roca''s mind was now filled with a desire for vengeance. "Lead the way! Quickly! Take me to that damned human! I want him to taste the pain of losing something important! I want him to see what he''s really been helping!" "Right away, Boss!" The two Wolf demi-humans moved swiftly amid the chaos of the streets, where explosions and debris were everywhere, and everyone was trying to escape. Their presence went unnoticed. Led by his subordinate, Roca quickly arrived at an entrance resembling a basement. At the entrance, a merchant-like human was urging refugees to seek shelter inside the basement, offering protection from the chaos engulfing the city. Among the refugees were both demi-humans and humans. Roca immediately recognized him. ''Yes, it was him¡­'' ''Rnd!'' ''The human supporter of the revolutionary army!'' A cruel smile formed on Roca''s lips, especially when he saw Rnd''s wife and daughter beside him. "Rnd, it''s too dangerous now. It''s about time we go hide too!" urged Rnd''s wife. "It''s alright, my dear. You take Yaya and go ahead. I''ll stay a bit longer. Every person we can save matters!" The current chaos in the Sealed City was just the beginning. The Miasma was the real threat, affecting everyone, driving them to madness and monster, awakening the darkness within. There were already numerous crazed individuals hurting others on the streets. Rnd had opened his warehouse basement as a shelter to protect people from the mobs. Perhaps because of his faith in the church, the Miasma spreading through the city seemed not to affect them, and the area also had a miraculous effect in purifying the pollution. "No! I won''t go back! Yaya wants to stay with Daddy! Yaya wants to help everyone, just like the goddesses in the stories you tell me!" eximed the little girl Yaya by her mother''s side. Holding a megaphone, her voice hoarse from shouting, she continued to broadcast about the shelter, urging those who heard toe for protection. "Daddy, look! Yaya has called more demi-human brothers!" Yaya excitedly pointed at Roca and his subordinate approaching, tugging at Rnd''s clothes and calling out, "Demi-human brothers! Over here! Come to this side!" When Rnd turned to look, he didn''t recognize Roca, but being experienced, he immediately sensed something was off with Roca. Rnd''s expression changed, a bad felling rising in his heart, especially upon seeing the evil smile on Roca''s lips and the brutal intent in the Wolf demi-human''s eyes. He shouted out in rm. "Go back! Quick! Run back to the basement and lock the door!" Before Rnd could finish urging the mother and daughter to escape, Roca had already leaped forward, transforming into his "beast" state. His height swelled to two or three meters, his terrifying wolf''s head fixated with a mocking gaze on the trembling Rnd and his family. "You!" Rnd stepped in front of his wife and daughter to protect them, but his human form was pitifully small and frailpared to the beast-transformed Roca. Roca grabbed Rnd effortlessly, lifting him high into the air. No matter how Rnd struggled, he couldn''t escape Roca''s grasp. "Like helping demi-humans hah? Drop your fake kindness! We demi-humans never needed it! We don''t need your human charity and pity! If it wasn''t for you, those worthless revolutionaries would have fallen long ago, and my... my great n wouldn''t havee to this!" "Run, run fast," Rnd, tightly held in Roca''srge hand, gritted his teeth and urged his wife and daughter to flee. The wife was frozen in fear, but the little girl, seeing her father lifted by Roca, ran over, crying and hitting Roca''s legs with her tiny hands. "Let go of Daddy! Let go of Daddy!" Her insignificant force diverted Roca''s attention. He looked down at the small human child and then at Rnd''s frantic expression, andughed. "Seems you care a lot about them. Let''s see, if a demi-human you love kills your beloved, can you continue to maintain your hypocritical face and help demi-humans? Hahaha!" Roca flung Rnd to the ground, and as Rnd hit the ground hard, he scrambled up in panic. He watched in agony and despair as Roca reached towards his daughter, shouting desperately. "No! Please, don''t! Spare them, it''s all me,e at me!!" But Roca paid him no heed. He even scoffed upon noticing a cross-like pendant hanging around the little girl''s neck. This cross, given to Rnd as a gift brought by Ashe through Tigerdy Jiu from Renji, was one of many gifts from the Holy Kingdom''s Church. Rnd cherished it deeply, feeling a genuine connection to it, unlike the silver cross he had made himself. He believed this cross, blessed by the goddess, was authentic and sacred. Therefore, Rnd, valuing it too highly for himself, had ced this precious item on his most beloved daughter, hoping it would bring her the goddess''s protection and that she might grow up to be like the goddess. But... "Church? No wonder you''re so foolish. Born in the Dragon Nation, a subject of the Empress, and yet you choose to believe in a goddess ranked at the very bottom by the Old era?!" "Go on, pray! Let''s see if your goddess dares to step into the Dragon Nation, onto the Empress''s territory, to save you, hahaha! Hahaha!?" Amidst his mockingughter, Roca extended his ws towards the crying little girl. As the girl cried out in fear, under Rnd''s gaze of despair, watched by Roca''s subordinate who had led the way, in the city engulfed in Miasma, and under the reign of the already present Empress... The cross on the girl''s chest suddenly burst into a dazzling holy light. The holy light repelled Roca''s malicious ws, broke through the surrounding Miasma, and like the Empress''s mes just a while ago, swept across the entire Sealed City. Under this brilliant light, piercing through the darkness making it daytime in the night, Roca stumbled back in shock and disbelief for what seemed like the umpteenth time that night. A figure, ethereal like a dream, began to materialize. Dressed in a pristine nun''s habit, with ocean-like blue hair subtly visible beneath her robe''s hood, a sacred-patterned scarf cinching her slender waist, pure white stockings enveloping her straight legs closely pressed together, her hands folded in front of her chest, and finally, crystal-clear low-top holy boots gently touching the ground. The wless features of this apparition evoked all the beauty in the world, her swan-like neck inspiring a sense of purity and tranquility. When the blue sapphire-like eyes beneath her longshes finally opened, their gaze brought an instant peace, making one forget all conflicts, feeling only serenity andpassion. Rnd was too moved to speak at this sight. Because this figure was... Suthia! The Goddess, The Divine Ruler of Holy Kingdome, had truly descended! Chapter 122 122: Fight! Fight! ''Madness! Complete madness!'' ''This world had gone utterly mad!'' ''Two supreme beings descending simultaneously? What made this small Sealed City so special?'' From the moment Suthia''s figure became clear in the holy light, Roca was jolted to full awareness. He had belittled Suthia in front of Rnd because in the Old Alliance, among the five highest spirits corresponding to professions, the "Cleric ss" Forgotten Spirit was the least desired for summoning. They typically had lowbat strength and few offensive abilities, which is why Suthia was ranked at the bottom in the ''Old Alliance'' supreme beings. But even the lowest of the supreme beings was still a supreme being. They could be privately scorned, criticized, or looked down upon, but facing them was another matter entirely! Roca didn''t just stand there foolishly, let alone continue to attack Rnd''s family. He made the most correct decision: ''Run!'' Fortunately, the Holy Kingdom''s goddess didn''t pursue him, because as he had expected, the Empress, who was already in the Sealed City, appeared immediately. Taking advantage of the two supreme beings being distracted by each other, Roca sessfully escaped, as they had no time to bother with a minor character like him. Sadly, he might have escaped once or twice, but this third time... "It''s you!?" Rounding a corner in a small alley, Roca saw a Wolf demi-human leaning against the wall, as if waiting for someone. As he got closer, Roca expressed surprise, recognizing this figure as the subordinate who had just "led" him to Rnd. "Boss, you made it out too, that''s great!" The subordinate happily approached Roca. Roca, disinterested and nning to continue his escape, didn''t pay much attention. Then... Thud!* The sound of a blunt object piercing flesh echoed, followed by a sudden loss of strength and a mix of intense pain and confusion. Roca looked down to see a dagger plunged into his heart. And the owner of the dagger... Roca: "You bastard!" Thump* Roca, with eyes wide in disbelief and unwillingness, copsed to the ground, dead. He couldn''t ept it; after all, he had managed to evade two supreme beings, only to fall at the hands of his... subordinate? No. Indeed, Roca was mistaken because, in reality... After spitting on Roca''s corpse, the Wolf demi-human pulled out a ck and gold rose envelope. This envelope had appeared before, and each time it did, it signified... "Yes, City Lord, we seeded. The Goddess has truly descended. What''s next is..." "Understood!" The Wolf demi-human reported to the rose letter, and miraculously, new instructions appeared on the previously nk letter. With new orders from the City Lord, he immediately sprang into action, though he found the new instructions a bit odd. The instruction was: -[Quick! Quick! Find a high spot for a good angle to watch them!!]- The City Lord''smand emphasized urgency with two exmation marks. He was already excited, pondering the profound intention behind this seemingly bizarre order. He wondered how his Mistress'' n that lured two supreme beings could serve a grander purpose. -In Sin City. At the top of the Demon Queen''s Tower, in the City Lord''s bedroom. Lena, the Pink-Haired Subus, was lying on her soft andfortable bed, hugging thetest "Renji" model pillow, previously "Cloaked Figure". Her naked feet, painted with pink nail polish, swung along with her smooth legs. Additionally, swaying from her perky behind in her current prone position was a flesh-colored, heart-shaped tail. Lena sipped her drink, her tender red tongue instinctively cleaning the straw, and with her free hand, she grabbed popcorn from a nearby bucket and fed herself. When the Wolf subordinate finally found the right angle to allow her to clearly see two familiar figures below through his perspective... Lena''s lips curled into a smile. After another sip of her drink and a mouthful of snacks, the Pink-Haired Subus clenched her fist, excitedly muttering encouragements for the two figures in the image, her voice echoing in the bedroom. "Fight! Fight!" ¡­. "Thia?" Noticing the familiar aura of holy light, the Dragon Empress Nova, arrived swiftly with an expression of a mix of surprise, joy, and confusion, as she looked at the nun-like figure. "Sister Nova, could you wait a moment, please?" Suthia first apologized to Nova, then used her holy light to heal Rnd and his family, ensuring they left for a safe ce. After that, she turned back to face Nova, a Big sister she knew all too well. "Sister Nova, it seems quite bad here. Did master do this? Where is he now? Why can''t I sense Master''s presence?" Faced with Suthia''s rapid-fire questions, Nova was direct as always: "I''m not sure what master did here. I came because I felt his call. As for his current location..." Nova showed Suthia the coordinates Karl had given her. "I see¡­" Suthia said, appearing thoughtful. But in the next moment, a ck light suddenly condensed in Suthia''s hands, swiftly transforming into an arrow aimed directly at the coordinates in Nova''s hand! Bang!* The coordinates remained unharmed, quickly secured by Nova, who blocked Suthia''s sudden attack. Nova''s expression changed significantly. "Thia, what do you mean by this?" "Sister Nova, you can''t go to Master. That''s what I mean." "Why not?" "Because I don''t trust you. Perhaps that''s why Master Ashen is avoiding you. So... I can''t let you go!" Untrusting. Avoiding. These words visibly affected Nova, her chest heaving with emotion. The patience she had shown towards Suthia seemed to evaporatepletely. Nova didn''t choose to argue further with Suthia and attempted to leave. But... When Nova saw Suthia once again blocking her path, her pupils narrowed slightly, and a dangerous aura began to emanate from her violet eyes. "Are you saying... you want to fight me?" Nova asked coldly. Perhaps it was the encounter with the assassin in the Dragon Pce, or maybe it was the departure of Karl, or Suthia''s words that stung her, but at this moment, Nova was in a very bad mood. Others might have been more diplomatic, showing a bit of respect, but Nova wouldn''t. After her previous remark, her next words to Suthia were... " Are you worthy?" Nova looked up, her eyes not showing any hint of provocation or sarcasm. It was a simple statement of fact, and that in itself was the most provocative and cutting. After all, being disregarded as an opponent is worse than being openly insulted. This undoubtedly touched Suthia''s most sensitive nerve. The nun lowered her head, her habit obscuring her face, making her expression invisible. Just as Nova thought Suthia had realized the absurdity of a "Cleric ss" challenging a "Vanguard ss" and continued walking, intending to pass the stationary nun... However¡­ A sudden instinctual warning surged within Nova. Reacting reflexively, she raised her arm, her red scales covering it in an instant. But then... Zzzap!* With a sound like a sharp de slicing through, Nova was still knocked back several meters. After steadying herself, Nova looked at her right arm, covered in dragon scales that even Lena''s special abilities struggled to prate. Astonishingly, there was a scythe mark on the supposedly invincible scales! Simultaneously... Suthia''s voice rang out again. But this time, it wasn''t the gentle tone of a nun. Instead... "Heheheh~, Am I worthy now~?" Her holy nun''s garb transformed into a pitch-ck burial gown. Her religious hood was reced with a bloody red thorn crown, her sea-blue hair now dyed red abyssal ck. Holding a terrifying scythe taller than a person, Suthia pointed it directly at Nova. Witnessing Suthia''s rapid transformation, seemingly shifting from "Cleric ss" to "Vanguard ss " in an instant, Nova flicked her wrist, and new scales swiftly covered her arm, repairing the scythe mark. Nova''s response was simple. She lifted her chin, her lips barely moving as she enunciated clearly, "That''s it?" "Hehehe~..." "So, Sister Nova, that''s why you are my least favorite among the four of them!" Amidst the low, angryughter, Suthia swung her giant scythe without any mercy, directing the dark de towards Nova''s neck, not covered by the dragon scales. Chapter 123 123: An Unbreakable Alliance "Sadly, this is thest chapter for today. Two chapters remain, and I''ll publish them tomorrow along with the two daily chapters, or when I return from university. ---------- Ssh!* The scythe cuts through flesh, blood gushes out, but it''s not from the dragondy''s neck, it''s her hand. Facing the attacking ck scythe nun, Nova chooses to catch the de barehanded. This totally catches Suthia off guard, throwing her off bnce. Before she can recover, the dragondy grabs her ankle with her free hand and a massive forcees from it, making Suthia lose bnce. Then, Whoosh* Bang!* Nova shows no mercy, spinning the nun around by her leg and throwing her onto some exploded debris nearby, raising a cloud of dust. "If it''s possible, can you tell me why?" Nova doesn''t chase her victory but stands still, waiting for the nun, who''s now buried in the rubble, to get up. Clearly, she''s bothered by being called "least favorite" by the nun. "Why? Because you''re the most selfish one among us!!" Suthia, dirty and disheveled, hasn''t given up. Clenching her teeth, with years of resentment towards Nova, she charges again. Her giant scythe seems to darken with her scream and emitting a dangerous aura. Nova can''t afford to be reckless like before and catch the de with her bare hands. Swish! Swish! Swish!* The sound of the scythe cutting the air was heard. Even as Nova dodges, she still gets grazed. Her tough dragon scales seem ineffective against Suthia''s de. Nova recalls someone calling this "precious true damage"¡­. Of course, that thought was fleeting. Right now, what she really wants to know was, "Why call me selfish?" "Why? Because of you! If it weren''t for you leaving the empire first 500 years ago to start a new nation, others wouldn''t have followed suit!" Suthia''s scythe, following her shriek, leaves another wound on Nova''s arm. But Nova seems unfazed, still dodging while she exins: "I never thought of founding a nation. I just wanted to find Master in my own way, that''s all." "Heh. That''s your selfishness. You only think about satisfying your own desires, never considering the consequences your actions would have on others! You still don''t realize, you''re not alone anymore. Your every move affects so many lives, do you understand that?" After a forceful strike that pushed the dragondy back, Suthia is panting heavily. She''s not like Nova, who can fight and talk at the same time. Nova was right, Suthia is far behind. Just being able tounch an effective attack on Nova has already drained all her energy. Still angry, she continues: "You don''t know! Otherwise, you wouldn''t have rashly dered war on my Holy Kingdom. It might be just a word for you, but do you realize the consequences it brings to the people of both countries? And look at your Dragon Nation, founding a nation but then neglecting it, isn''t that selfish?" "The first point, I can''t deny. But the second point..." Suddenly, Nova disappears from Suthia''s view. As the nun realizes toote, Nova appears behind her. Boom!* The dragondy grabs Suthia''s arm from behind and ms her over her shoulder. The nun, unable to resist, is smashed hard into the ground. "I don''t think someone from the weakest Holy Kingdom has the right to say that to me." Without giving Suthia a chance to retaliate, Nova mounts the struggling nun. "Had enough, Thia? I didn''t know you harbored so much hate towards me. If what you''ve done just now hasn''t vented your anger, we can find another time. I won''t defend myself then, and you can attack me as much as you want." Despite the scene of dominance, the dragondy herself is also in bad shape, covered in wounds and blood, with some horrifying scythe cuts. Even if Nova had only used a fraction of her strength, Suthia, being just a ''projection'', couldn''t have hurt her. The fact that Nova is in such a state, the nun beneath her understands, is not because she''s holding back. It''s more like she''s letting loose, treating her like a punching bag for her to attack. Nova, not good with words and unsure how to calm the visibly angry Suthia, resorts to this blunt method. "But I''m sorry, I can''t stay with you now. I... must find Master. No one can stop me, not you, nor anyone else." Suthia, lying powerless on the ground, has reverted from her battle form in a ck dress and red crown back to her former nun''s attire with her scythe gone. Seeing Suthia like this, Nova finally gets up, no longer suppressing the nun. Nova was ready to leave, but perhaps affected by the heartfelt words Suthia spilled during the fight, she stops. Then, "What are you doing?!" Suthia, lying defeated, suddenly feels herself being lifted by strong arms. In the next moment, she finds herself in Nova''s arms, being carried away. "I''ve thought about it, Thia. Maybe you''re right. I''ve been too selfish. So, I''ve decided to change." "What... what are you doing now?" "If I take you with me to find master, that wouldn''t be selfish, right?" Nova earnestly asks the defeated nun in her arms. Suthia: "¡­" Struggling, she first gets out of Nova''s embrace. Standing firm, she looks at the puzzled Nova and sighs after trying to speak several times. "You go by yourself." "Why?" "If I go too, what about the Sealed City right now? You, who only knows violence, can you clear the ''Well zone'' remnants of the Miasma here? If not, the pollution will forever gue this city. I''ve been calling you selfish, but what am I if I abandon this city?" Nova: "¡­" "Thia, you''ve changed. Yet, it seems you haven''t." After reassessing the nun, Nova seriously remarks. Indeed. The former little nun might have let Nova go and stayed behind to purify the aftermath for her. But the current Suthia, "Sister Nova, since you say you don''t want to be selfish anymore, how about we make a promise~?" "What promise?" "You love master too, right?" "Yes," Nova nods straightforwardly. Afraid Suthia might not understand, she adds, "I want to have many, many baby with him." ''Many, many baby...'' Suthia''s mouth twitches. But that didn''t matter now. Suthia''s ocean-blue eyes shift, returning to her meek, nun-like demeanor. She proposes to Nova: "Sister Nova, you love Master Ashen, and so do I. I believe the other three feel the same. But don''t you think it''s just us two who know about master''s existence now?" "Three* . Lena hade to me before. She already knows about master''s return," Nova interjects. ''What!?'' ''That bratty subus!!'' Suthia''s face stiffens upon hearing this, a rush of urgency shing in her deep blue eyes, further solidifying a thought in her mind. ''No, it''s not enough¡­'' Now, just by herself, she can''t protect her Lord anymore, especially knowing Lena''s involvement, heightening Suthia''s sense of crisis. So, if one isn''t enough, then she must, "Sister Nova, you wouldn''t want someone else to get to master first, right?" "Especially Lena. We can''t let master fall into her hands. We need to protect his purity! Until master gathers all five of us again, and we together engage in... baby making. That''s not being selfish!" Hearing Suthia''s words, Nova actually falls into deep thought, then, under the excited gaze of the nun, she nods in agreement. "Indeed." "So, Sister Nova, let''s form an alliance!" "Alliance?" "Yes! Our alliance''s goal is to protect master! Until everyone returns, no one is allowed to do anything inappropriate with master, like... making baby and other lewd things. We need to monitor each other, encourage each other, and protect master from harm, especially from Lena!" The little nun waves her fist at Nova, looking innocently fair and just. After thinking, Nova finds this beneficial. She''s a fighter, probably the worst in handling emotions among the four. So, teaming up with Suthia, ensuring everyone is on the same starting line, and no one gets a head start, seems like a good choice. Now there''s just one question. "Thia, you haven''t done anything to master, have you?" Clearly, Renji appeared first in the Holy Kingdom, and was found by the nun in front of her. The foundation of their alliance is that there can''t be any traitors. Nova, just to be sure she''s not being tricked, wants to confirm. "I¡­I¡­ of course haven''t! Thia isn''t that s¡­selfish, Sister Nova, you know me! I just asked master t..to help me ''purify the pollution''!" The nun says timidly, her eyes almost brimming with tears. Seeing Suthia like this, Nova feels a pang of sympathy. Although Suthia was the first to follow her master, she has always been treated as the youngest sister by the four of them. ''How could someone angelic like Suthia lie?'' Nova pats Suthia''s head, then nods firmly like a big sister: "Yes, I believe you. Then, okay! I promise I''ll restrain myself from doing anything inappropriate with master. I''ll also help you stop the other three. Afterall, master belongs to all of us. No one can selfishly get ahead. I... join this alliance." Suthia: "Then let''s make a pinky promise!" Nova: "Pinky promise" Chapter 124 124: Lena: Disgusting! So Disgusting! [1/4] -------- "Suthia!!" "You... you little¡ªbitch!" Lena, who was previously enjoying the sight of the two women fighting, now jumps up from her bed in a rage, her pink and white feet stomping nonstop on the bed. "Despicable! Sleazy! Shameless! Talking about monitoring and encouraging each other, and protecting Master''s purity, my ass! Even I as a subus, wouldn''t do such a low act! Disgusting! So disgusting!" Lena feels like she was just watching a show at home and suddenly became a character in it. Not only did Suthia not sh with Nova, but she also managed to persuade and align with the foolish empress, even specifically targeting her! ''''Eating alone and then stopping others from even having a sip ¨C that''s one thing, but convincing this fool to block us from drinking too '''' ''''I advise you to be kind as old time Suthia!'''' Lena''s outraged voice in her chamber immediately prompts her assistant subus, with a neat ponytail, to knock and enter the room. The assistant, looking worriedly at her queen, asks: "Lady Lena, are you... okay?" "Do I look okay to you? I''m so angry! So damn angry!" ''That probably means she''s fine¡­'' Seeing her master hopping madly on the bed, then rolling around in what seems like an artistic performance, the assistant sighs in relief. But she quickly adjusts her sses and tentatively asks, "Lady Lena, about the long-distance teleportation circle you asked us to prepare for rescuing, do we still need to keep charging it?" "Charge my ass! Turn it off!" "Okay." "And the healing potions you prepared for Nova and Suthia? Should we continue to deliver them?" "Deliver my ass! Keep them!" "Okay." "What about the anonymous donation you nned for the reconstruction of the Sealed City?" "Donate my ass! I''d rather burn all that money than give a penny to that dumb Nova!" "Okay." "And for¡ª" "Caroline! Aren''t you done yet? Are you trying to pick a fight?!" Lena, seeing her assistant about to continue, sharply interrupts her. The pink-haired subus can''t stand hearing any more of this. The more she hears, the more she feels like a clown. Assistant Caroline, seeing the long, unfinished list titled "Emergency n" that Lena had previously given her, sighs heavily. It''s like a subcontractor who rushed to produce numerous ns on the client''s demand, only to have them all rejected the next day. But then, "Should we send out the press release we prepared? The one praising Lady Lena''s wisdom and intelligence, effortlessly resolving the conflict between the Dragon Nation and the Holy Kingdom, preventing the world from descending into chaos?" As expected, Lena, who was just rolling on the bed like a furious little cat, suddenly perks up with energy. "Send it!" "Of course, we must send it! I want to see this news headline in Sin City tonight! Let the people of the Dragon Nation and the Holy Kingdom know who saved them!" "As you wish mydy" ¡­. ¡­.. [Shocking! Miasma Crisis Erupts in the Sealed City? Suspected Super A-level Pollution Engulfs the Entire City? The Savior Who Resolved the Disaster was Sin City Lord Lena !?] [Shocking! Dragon Nation Ends Deration of War? World Returns to Peace? All Thanks to Sin City Lord] [Shocking! Holy Kingdom''s Saintess Crosses Borders? Dragon Empress Mysteriously Disappears? Sin City Lord ims Responsibility!] [Shocking news¡­] Sin City, the center of the continent and itsrgest city, also known as the "Permanently Neutral" independent city. It''s the hub where information from around the world converges and is also capable of spreading news globally. Every resident of Sin City views the city as the beacon of the continent. With the release of this hurriedly prepared news tonight, many legitors, previously worried about the Dragon Nation''s sudden deration of war and fearing global chaos, can finally sleep peacefully. The citizens of Sin City also fall into a wave of joy, expressing their admiration for their city lord. "Manipting two supreme beings, Lady Lena truly deserves admiration!" "Although we didn''t see the process, it must have been a thrilling game, each step dancing on the edge of a knife. Only our city lord could achieve such a feat!" "It doesn''t matter, our city lord will take action!" "Damn! I just bought bonds from the Alliance of Machinery, Laine Technology, and the Medical Squad! Now the value has dropped so much I can''t even recognize it!" "Hmph, serves you right! I always said, with our city lord around, the world won''t be dragged into war!" Tonight is destined to be a sleepless night. For both Sin City and the Holy Kingdom. ¡­ -At the borders of the Holy Kingdom, on the walls of Michelle. Normally, the Holy Kingdom doesn''t pay much attention to foreign affairs, but tonight is different. Many soldiers of the Holy Cross Army and the Knights stationed there are grumbling. They just watched a video from the "Sin City Times" shown by their captain, usius. The video features their Saintess, rising high above the Sealed City, her majestic figure spreading holy light over the city gued by Miasma and chaos. She soothes the polluted masses, calms the rioters, and the eerie, mad red fog dissipates under the power of the Goddess Suthia. Many soldiers of the Holy Cross Army were tearfully joyful, swelling with pride. The Dragon Nation dered war on them, yet their Goddess personally descended to help with the Miasma disaster within the Dragon Nation. ''What a clear demonstration of superiority! What a damn clear demonstration!'' Of course, in their excitement, these church followers, upon seeing the subsequent report in the video, are infuriated. Those damn people of Sin City actually took all the credit for themselves! iming the whole achievement was due to the behind-the-scenes operation of their city lord! How could they not curse? The walls of Michelle are filled with ''affectionate greetings'' for the lord of Sin City. As for usius and his Catgirlpanion, Azhu, who know all the ins and outs and even participated in the "inside n", Azhu tugs at the Crusade Captain''s sleeve, wondering if they should stop everyone from cursing the city lord. But usius just smiles carelessly. "It''s okay, city lord won''t mind it. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have intentionally included the video of Goddess Suthia purifying the city. This is actually just a way of promoting her Holiness. Letting everyone know that the two supreme begins have reconciled, and war is now an impossibility. It also makes us in the Holy Kingdom proud and the Dragon Nation feel guilty. Combining these two emotions, any seeds of hatred sown by the deration of war from above are now gone." "Is that really city lord''s intention?" After listening to usius''s exnation, Azhu seems to understand and admires the city lord even more, her eyes sparkling with admiration. "I''ve realized the longer I follow her, city lord Lena always does this. She does a good deed but wraps it up as if it were bad. Sigh..." usius sighs. The Holy Kingdom is cursing the Sin City lord for her shamelessness, and probably the Dragon Nation is doing the same. The report''s sarcasm is too strong, implying that the supremacies of both countries were yed by Lady Lena alone. Oh, not to forget, probably the Alliance of Machinery too. As the biggest arms supplier, they must be cursing as well since the war is off, except for the oblivious Forest Alliance... Today, once again, the world''s "focus" is on the Sin City Lord. But in any case, "Azhu, now you believe me, right? The city lord always does what she says. So the day your Dragon Nation truly seeds in its revolution, overthrowing that tyrant Empress..." "I have a feeling it''s very close!" ¡­. .... - Sin City, in the city lord''s bedroom. Lena returns to her chessboard beside her bed. She first picks the "Queen" chess piece from among many "Soldier" pieces and ces it next to the only ck piece on the board. Then, with a flick of her wrist, Lena takes out a new "Damaged" piece and ces it among the many inferior pieces guarded by an Elf piece, bing one of them. And finally, Lena''s gaze shifts to the two mechanical pieces, onerge and one small. Meanwhile, the knocking sounds again, and Caroline, her assistant, appears before Lena. But this time, "Lady Lena, the impact rate of this event is estimated at 1.65, a significant peak. We expect sixty-five ''Observers'' from the Alliance of Machinery to awaken from ''The Dream'' We''ve detected forty-one ''Awakened'' Observers so far, but our manpower might be insufficient." Lena: "¡­" "I understand. Leave the coordinates there. I''ll handle the ''destruction'' of the rest." Chapter 125 125: Nova Finally Found You ? [2/4] -In the southern border of the Dragon Nation. Unlike the prosperous and advanced northern human cities, this area is the underdeveloped, "primitive" South, home to most of the demi-humans. The South is divided into three major regions: the Tribal Forests, the Beastman ins, and the Wild Marshes. Using the power of the Hearthstone Tears for teleportation, Renji and the Revolutionary Army from the Sealed City find themselves in a corner of the Tribal Forests of the South. Escaping from the human cities to their familiar homnd, surrounded by the jungle under the night sky, smelling the damp earth in the air, and hearing the indistinct chirps and calls of insects and birds ¨C all these give the Demi-Human members of the Revolutionary Army a deep sense of familiarity, allowing them to finally breathe a sigh of relief. However, of course, Many Demi-Humans, ordered to set up camp, still steal nces at the group of leaders around thergest bonfire in their camp, especially focusing on a human nobleman and a clueless ck-eared Catgirl. The reason was simple. It''s not because of the series of conspiracies and tricks of Roca being resolved by Renji. Most Demi-Humans don''t tend to overthink; they prefer something more straightforward. Like... The young man takes out a "Relic" and gives it to Ashe, and under the young man''s power, Ashe, a Demi-Human, actually manages to activate the power of the "Relic"! This is shocking for the members of the Revolutionary Army. After all, it has been centuries since thest Demi-Human Relic user. So, Has Ashe be the first Demi-Human "Relic User" in centuries? Jiu, who is closest to the Catgirl, was excitedly grabbing Ashe, wanting to thoroughly examine her. It''s only after a re from Nozomi that Jiu reluctantly lets go of the blushing Catgirl. Now gathered around the fire were Renji, the three members of their group, and the four remaining high-ranking members of the Revolutionary Army ¨C with Leng deceased. As the leader, Nozomi takes a deep breath. This is her first face-to-face meeting with Renji, the nobleman who has been supporting Ashe from behind. She starts with gratitude: "Mr. Renji, we will never forget the kindness you have shown to our Revolutionary Army." "Forgive my rudeness, Mr. Renji, but the strength of you and yourpanions is far beyond our reach. Receiving help from someone as influential as you, we are not only grateful but also apprehensive. So, may I ask, what is your... purpose with us?" Nozomi, the sharpest mind among them, needs to rify this. She already has a guess, one she dares not imagine. However, as the young man speaks under the flickering firelight, her guess bes reality. "I want to join the revolution. It''s that simple." Watching Renji''s straightforward response and his open, sincere gesture, Nozomi, who had prepared many responses, finds herself at a loss for words. The fox woman, probably in her thirties and the oldest among them, finally decides to convert her myriad thoughts into one sentence, which seems to be their only choice. "Is that so?" "I understand, Mr. Renji. From now on... you are the new leader of our Revolutionary Army." "I, Nozomi, I am ready to follow you." The fox woman stands up, and under the dancing mes of the bonfire, she performs a bow and chest thump, a gesture among their Demi-Human races to express obedience and respect for the emergence of a new leader. Following her was Shan, the bear man, usually reserved in speech. Standing up with his big body. he respectfully salutes Renji, their new leader. It''s worth mentioning that Shan, who was half-crippled due to an ambush involving explosions and thunder hammer attack, now has his arm fully healed, thanks to Renji''s Divine Healing. So, it''s quite natural for Shan to be the second to rise without hesitation. Seeing Nozomi and Shan making their stance clear, Jiu left with no other option, stands up too and bows her head in loyalty to Renji. As for Ashe, The Catgirl ps her hands in celebration,pletely oblivious to her duty as a member of the Revolutionary Army to perform the salute. This leaves the other three Demi Human leaders somewhat speechless. In her heart, she probably pledged her loyalty to the young man much earlier than any of them. "Let''s call it a night then. After everything we''ve experienced today, everyone should rest early. I''ll discuss the specifics with you tomorrow morning" "But I can give you a glimpse of our general direction and goal. Let''s not shout grand slogans but start with a small, practical target. For instance, in three months, let''s aim to unify the South and bring together all Demi Human races." Nozomi, Shan, Jiu: "¡­" Ashe: *p, p, p!* The group then disperses to their respective tents within the camp. Nozomi and Shan are still stunned by Renji''s "small goal" likely in for a sleepless night. As for Ashe, still hesitant about which tent to choose, Jiu makes the decision for her, forcefully pulling Ashe into her tent for a long-overdue heart-to-heart talk. Eileen, yawning, prepares to return to her tent with 86. Observing the emotionless, tireless mechanical maid, Eileen can''t help butment: "86, doesn''t your body need to sleep?" [As long as the power supply is sufficient, we can continuously work day and night without rest] says 86, scoring another point for the mechanical side in the debate of mechanics versus flesh. "Ugh, then you''re missing out on a lot of fun." [Puzzled. Is sleeping a form of pleasure?] "Of course! Haven''t you heard of ''dreams''? In dreams, we can do whatever we want, fulfilling all the regrets and unattainables of our reality. Like recently, I often dream about that old... cough, cough, never mind! You wouldn''t understand. Since you robots don''t sleep, you can''t enjoy dreaming. It''s a pity~" [Smirk*. Maybe it''s because you''re always having silly dreams that you''ve be what you are now] 86 adds another point for the mechanical side. "I swear, even if I don''t sleep tonight, I''ll¡ª dismantle you!" The long night seems to finally wee the silence it deserves. Renji, too, yawns as he returns to his tent. As a leader and a noble, his tent was quite impressive,rge enough for three or four people and isted from others, affording him his own private space. Renji was still thinking about the Sealed City, wondering if leaving the rest of the mess to Karl and Nova will be okay. He can already imagine Nova''s furious expression upon realizing he''s gone. ''Sigh¡­'' ''No choice but to wait, Nova. It''s not yet safe for us to meet¡­'' As Renji ponders, he pulls back the curtain of his tent. Then, Renji: "¡­" ???: "..." Whoosh!* He quickly closes the tent curtain again. ''Could it be a mistake in the way I opened it? A hallucination at night?'' Shaking his head, Renji opens the tent curtain a second time, only to find the scene inside remains unchanged. A figure with two symbolic, towering angry horns on her head, a tightly fitted military uniform entuating her gigantic chest, and resilient legs in a kneeling position, with the calves bent under her buttocks. The white stretch of skin from the boots to the skirt''s hem was particrly eye-catching. The red-haired dragon empress, Nova, sits straight, hands neatly on her thighs, positioned right in the center of Renji''s tent. It seems she hasn''t just arrived but has been there for a while. When her eager purple eyes finally meet Renji''s outside the tent, a familiar yet rarely heard trembling voice emerges from the typically dominant dragondy. "Master Ashen" "Nova finally... found you" Chapter 126 126: Im Gonna Overthrow The Dragon Nation With You! Joining The Revolution! Part 1 ? [3/4] ---------- Swoosh!* Renji quickly sneaks into the tent and quickly pulls the curtain shut, making sure no one outside sees him. Then he turned his attention back to the dragondy inside the tent, not sure if he should be surprised or scared. "Long time no see, Nova" Renji used this line before, but the name he followed it with was longerst time. Seeing the character he adored in the game, his virtual wife, now in real life in front of him, Renji was naturally thrilled. Like Suthia, the "offline" Nova in front of him is much more beautiful than her game avatar. But unlike the gentle little nun, Nova''s features are more angr and defined, giving her a cold and aloof aura. Her high nose bridge, unique purple eyes, and faint ink-like eyeshadow enhance her unapproachable demeanor. To all the ministers and officials of the Dragon Kingdom, the Empress always sits with her legs crossed and gazes down indifferently. That''s exactly how she is. But here, in this tent in the wilds of the southern barbariannds, the dragondy, sitting with her legs tightly closed and kneeling, loses that unapproachable and dominating aura. The cold beauty remains, as the temperament can''t change, but the aloofness is reced by an aggressive vibe, a trait typical of an Empress. And it''s clear who she''s targeting. Renji feels a chill down his spine under Nova''s intense gaze, quickly looking for something to say to avoid "ending up in the dragon''s belly" Renji: "Nova, how did you, um, how did you..." "How did I?" Nova tilts her head, puzzled. Renji: "Find this ce?" Nova then shows him the teleportation coordinates Karl had given her, which she had secretly recorded. Renji: "¡­" ''Karl! You''re the one who led the her here!?'' ''I trusted you so much!!'' Now feeling betrayed, Renji clenches his teeth, hearing Karl''s sincere voice in his mind, saying something like, -"I don''t mind! How could I mind that Lord Ashen reset me! I really don''t mind at all heheh~!"- ''Damn it!'' ''I Always knew these special ability guys are freaking deceitful at heart!'' On the other side, Nova, unaware of Renji''s inner thoughts, was growing impatient. Seeing her master not responding, she finally couldn''t help but ask: "Master, can we start now?" "Start what!?" rmed by Suthia''s previous ''attack'' in holy Kingdome, Renji immediately bes alert. Fortunately, Nova''s next words ease his concern. "The contract. Can I ask Master to renew Nova''s contract?" As she speaks, Nova turns slightly, lifting her long red hair to expose the back of her neck to Renji. There, the original Emperor''s contract has be very damaged, its lines blurred and almost unrecognizable. This sight touches Renji''s heart with warmth and emotion. ''Look at that!'' ''The most straightforward and loyal Vanguard Dragoness is the best! She''s not thinking about how to drain me or transform him into a cyber-giant, but her first thought is to get her contract renewed!'' Renji feels guilty for misunderstanding Nova before, thinking she might want to do something to him because of Suthia and Zero. ''I''m sorry!'' ''I misunderstood you, Nova!'' ''Indeed, the Vanguard ss is the closest to me, my littlefort!'' Renji wastes no time and activates the contract. Now at level 23, with an additional contract slot every five levels plus the initial one, he has ''five'' slots avable. Currently, he has contracts with Eileen, 86, Suthia, and thetest with Ashe, leaving one slot open, as per Renji''s gaming habit of always keeping one slot in reserve. He ces his hand on Nova''s shoulder, and she feels the familiar sensation from her master, the feeling of the contract, causing her to tremble with excitement. Nova lowers her head, her usually intimidating dragon horns now seemingly softer. She quietly revels in the joy of something lost now about to return. But... [Contract failed¡­.] [Contract failed¡­.] [Contract failed¡­.] [Contra...] Renji tries several times, but the result was relentlessly cold and merciless: the contract failed. Renji had somewhat expected this oue. Initially, contracting Suthia was a fluke, first contracting Maria who was possessing Suthia''s body, and only under special circumstances was it barely sessful. Later, through their joint "effort" the contract was transferred to Suthia''s true self. However, facing the genuine Nova, a six-star, level 90, full-leveled ''Cmity'' ss character, Renji, at level 23, finds the gap too vast to bridge, even with Nova''s willingpliance. On the other side, sensing something amiss, Nova''s emotions gradually be unstable. "Master, is there something wrong with my body?" "No, it''s my bad, I''m sorry Nova. It seems I can''t make contract with you for now." Renji sighs, realizing that skipping steps isn''t so easy with Nova. To contract with Nova, there seem to be two options: Renji either needs to level up to level 50 or higher and thenbine efforts with Nova''s willingness, or... Nova must enter a "special state" like Suthia did. But Nova''s aura feels much stronger than Suthia''s. As the strongest singlebatant among ''them'', a mere "special state" won''t suffice; it might need to be an "extremely special state." However, before Renji could continue his thoughts, Nova''s emotions, seemingly repressed to the breaking point,pletely unravel. Yes, she has waited for this for five hundred years, searched for five hundred years, but when it''s time to fulfill her dream, she finds it unreachable due to her body... Though Renji hasn''t explicitly stated it, Nova senses that it''s because her master was too weak now, and no matter how she tries to conform, her immense power can''t ept the contract. At this realization, Nova clenches her teeth, her fists tightly gripped. ''A body that can''t be "contracted" by master, no matter how strong, is useless to me!'' If her instincts refuse the contract, she''ll use her will to forcibly weaken her instincts, weaken herself, until she can be contracted by her master. Swoosh!* A crimson me de appears in Nova''s hand, poised to strike her own body. Startled, Renji quickly intervenes. "What are you doing!?" "Nova... Nova must punish this body that betrayed master. I will make it ept Master Ashen''s contract!" Indeed, this is one way to enter a ''special state,'' but it''s a method Renji can''t ept. He was okay with the tactics he used with Suthia, but Nova''s current approach is something he absolutely cannot tolerate. Chapter 127 127: Im Gonna Overthrow The Dragon Nation With You! Joining The Revolution! Part 2 ? 2 more chapters will be published today after 4h. ---- If Renji allows Nova to harm herself to provide a chance for a contract, he will question his humanity. Nearly fainting with anger, Renji sternly reprimands the naive Dragoness and seriously warns her against such self-harmful thoughts. He insists that there will be no contract if she continues this way, which finally makes her abandon this crazy idea. With that option gone, Nova is left with only one path. "Master, let Nova help you regain your strength." "How?" "Just like how you trained me before!" Nova energetically gestures to Renji with a fist. ''Uh...'' Renji looks at the earnestly-faced Nova, feeling a twinge in his heart. When he recalls how he raised Nova ¨C soloing dungeons, being thrown into hordes of monsters, getting killed countless times, and barely clearing them with ''Save-Load'' tactics ¨C his expression freezes. "What''s wrong Master?" Nova, seeing Renji''s stiffened expression, was puzzled. ''Wasn''t this how Master helped me regain my power and awaken my potential? Isn''t this the right way to help Master... or is there a problem?'' But then, as if realizing something, Nova quickly adds: "Don''t worry Master you don''t have to be concerned about the training ground being too low-level for me!" "In fact, to keep my training up, I''ve privately bred a batch of monsters from five hundred years ago. Though only seven or eight Disaster-rank monsters are left, I think they should be enough for Master! If not, there are also dozens of Danger-rank monsters, I can capture them and put them in the training ground too!" Renji: "¡­" ''It seems the rumors in the revolutionary army about the brutal Empress privately breeding terrifying monsters as pets for amusement are not entirely false¡­'' After insisting on the serious matter of Nova exterminating all those monsters under the guise of "not sparing remnants of the old days" Renji realizes he needs to start correcting Nova''s one-track mind to prevent simr devilish training ideas in the future. And the first step is, of course... "Come here Nova,e closer¡­ let''s sit down together first" Renji takes Nova''s hand, which, unlike Suthia''s soft and delicate hands, is much firmer and more resilient. Her skin waspact and stic, feeling slightly hard to the touch, which is normal for a Vanguard ustomed to closebat, with hands weathered by battle and constantly gripping weapons. interestingly, at first, Nova''s hand in Renji''s palm indeed feels firm, but as he continues to touch it, it seems to soften under his warmth. The once solid ice melts away, bing increasingly soft. In just a few breaths, what were once the hands of the mightiest Vanguard warrior now be utterly yielding, softer even than those of the "Special Ability" or "Cleric" ss. The strength in Nova''s fingers fades away rapidly, leaving her hand limply resting in Renji''s palm,pletely at his mercy. Cough!* ''Focus, Renji! This is not the time of hand-squeezing!'' Renji self-reflects and promptly diverts his attention from Nova''s surprisingly pleasant hand, clearing his throat. "Listen, Nova, think about it, how often did I personally enter the battlefield in our many fights?" Nova thinks seriously for a moment and then shakes her head, "Not often." Indeed, in the early stages, Renji mostly stayed at the back of the battlefield,manding rather than engaging directly. But in theter stages... Seeing Nova about to make a point, Renji quickly squeezes her hand again. Nova''s cheeks flushed red and her heart raced, and she feels a tipsy warmth she''s never experienced before, momentarily forgetting what she was about to say. Seizing the opportunity, Renji continues exining, "So for me, regaining strength doesn''t require training in that way. No, I should say my greatest power has always been here." "The greatest power... is still here?" Nova was confused again. ''Could it be that Master''s weakness is a facade?'' Seeing Nova''s puzzlement, Renji pauses briefly, maintaining eye contact with clear eyes. While one hand continues to squeeze hers, the other gently moves to Nova''s head. Renji strokes Nova''s soft red hair, caressing her head, and speaks with a tone of pride and confidence: "Because it''s all of you." "Us?" "Exactly, you all are my wings, my strength. As long as you take good care of yourselves and live well, my power will never fade!" Renji''s passionate speech touches Nova, bringing a lump to her throat. Indeed, she realizes she had a shallow understanding of power regarding her master, while he had already been thinking at a higher level. But soon, Nova senses something amiss. "So... why didn''t youe to find me directly master?" "Because I wanted to prepare a reunion gift for you! After five hundred years, I couldn''t juste to see you empty-handed!" "Is your reunion gift these rebels you want me to subdue?" Nova tilts her head in her ssic, puzzled manner. "Cough, cough*! No, no, Nova, I just wanted to help these demi-humans reawaken their ability, to find the root of their cursed bloodline, to make your Dragon Nation great again. That''s the gift I wanted to give you." Hearing this, Nova feels even guiltier. Unable to manage, she has left her nation in a mess for five hundred years, now relying on her master to clean it up. Speaking of the demi-human''s bloodline issue, Nova immediately remembers what Karl told her. Even though Karl asked her to keep it from her master, she couldn''t do it. So, she told Renji everything Karl said ¨C the demi-humans'' bloodline being cursed, the possibility that original members of the Old Alliance are still alive, and... the likely involvement of Miyuki behind the Old Alliance. Then, Nova proposes to Renji, "Master,e back to the imperial capital with me. I''ll hand over everything in the Dragon Nation to you. This was what I prepared for you, anyway. Don''t worry, I''ll eliminate anyone who disobeys you. With all the power of the Dragon nation you should be better able to help the demi-humans, right?" As Nova speaks, her tone shifts from tender and submissive to that of the dominated Empress who makes countless people tremble in the Dragon Hall. Especially when mentioning "those who disobey" her tone turns chillingly cold, and the murderous aura emanating from her convinces Renji that she would not hesitate to bloodily purge the imperial capital''s power structure for him. Precisely for these reasons, Renji hastily waves off the offer. Bing an emperor is far too exhausting, something he''s already experienced once in his first ythrough. Now, he just wants to enjoy his time with his wives. Besides, taking on such a high-profile role would be like setting himself up as a target. If he bes too obvious, the remaining members of his group might also want to take over powers,plicating things further. Renji was aware of his limitations; he might have unified the world in the game, but in reality, he''d rather not. Why be a toiling emperor when you can be a carefree prince? Moreover, with the looming threat of the Old Alliance and its ties to Miyuki, staying hidden is safer. If he were toe into the spotlight, all these dangers would be more prominent, a scenario Renji dreads to imagine. Hence, it''s better for him to keep seeing his wives one by one, in secret. This is the wisest way ''Wait... does this sound a bit unfaithful?'' ''Nah¡­! It''s for world peace!'' There''s also the matter of Renji not trusting anyone else with certain issues. For instance, he needs to personally investigate Miyuki and the Old Alliance. So, Renji tells Nova to return to the imperial capital and continue her role as the empress. Together, they can work both openly and covertly to reform the her Nation in no time. But unfortunately... "No! Master, I don''t want to go back." Nova firmly shakes her head at Renji''s suggestion, unwilling to leave him. In fact, where Renji had previously been holding Nova''s hand, now she grasps his hand tightly, refusing to let go or even consider leaving his side. Moreover, Novaes prepared with apromise, thanks to a previous tip from Lena. She has thought hard and finally found a middle ground that allows her to stay by Renji''s side while still "surrendering." That is... "Master Ashen, I''ve decided beforeing here. If you refuse to take over my Nation, then it holds no meaning for me. So..." In the revolutionary army''s tent, under the light of a burning oilmp, sitting shoulder to shoulder with Renji, Nova speaks earnestly and firmly: "I want to join you in the revolution army! We''ll overthrow the Dragon Nation together! And Defeating the Empress!" Renji: (¡Ñ_¡Ñ) Chapter 128 128: Lord Ashen. Let Nova Train You * Renji: ".." -''Did you forget that you are the Empress?''- It seemed that from the expression on Renji''s face, Nova also understood this. She immediately released Renji''s hand and then stood up, stepping back a few steps from him. Then, just as Renji was wondering what the Dragon Lady was going to do, mes spiraled up from under Nova''s feet, enveloping her entire body in a blink of an eye. When the mes faded, and Nova stepped out, Her original crimson, grand and domineering military uniform and skirt were gone, reced by a tattered bup shirt, with no trace of her exquisitebat boots. Instead, she stood barefoot on the ground. Even more exaggerated was the Dragoness''s waterfall red long hair, which also shortened, turning into a bob cut. And following this, even the towering dragon horns on her head, which were several centimeters long, had shrunk back! They were now just a small nub, the size of half a finger, and could even be submerged in thicker hair, only revealing a little tip of the horn. "Master¡­ is this okay now?" "What does subduing ''Empress Nova'' have to do with me, ''Nova''?" (Well for these who didn''t understand, she is referring to herself without title as she is a different persona¡­) The Dragon Lady turned around in front of Renji, showing off her new look. Although her face hadn''t changed much, the change in her aura was significant. At first nce, no one would think she was the Empress of the Dragon Nation, but rather more like a stubborn, demi-human ve warrior. Indeed. This was actually her initial appearance in the game, when Nova and he first met, when he first bought Nova at the "ve Arena"! ''Wow!'' ''She can switch back to her previous character design!'' As characters advance in the game, their appearance changes,monly known as getting a new character design. Each character has Danger, Disaster, and Cmity Rank designs. If one had to describe Nova''s current look, she had changed from a Disaster Rank character design to a Danger Rank design¡­. ''But¡­'' ''Something''s off!'' ''Way too off!'' ''Is this something my na?ve Nova woulde up with?'' ''Since when did Nova be so smart?'' The mes rose again, and Nova returned to her Empress form, as if proving to Renji that she could easily switch between these two "character designs." ''Such "fancy tricks" were definitely not something Nova would have researched on her own. The one who studied these and taught them to her was actually...'' "Master, before I met you, Lena had alreadye to me. It was Lena who taught me these." ''I knew¡­'' ''Among "them," the one who probably enjoys ying with these tricks the most is that pink-haired tsundere subus¡­'' However. Renji obviously still underestimated Lena''s malice towards him. Because next. It seemed that mentioning Lena brought this up, as the Dragoness then pulled out a ''diary'' from behind. ''A diary?'' Renji was initially puzzled, but then his face changed as if realizing something. ''A DIARYYY!?'' What followed was the Dragoness''s quiet voice in their small two-person tent. "Master, Lena also told me that disreputable people like to write diaries. Nova really trust you, but could you exin what this sentence in the diary means?" As Nova spoke, she opened the diary she had found in Renji''s tent, pointing with her finger at the most prominent sentence at the beginning of the diary. That was -"The taste of a goddess is really something ¡ª Emperor Ashen."- "What does this sentence mean, Master Ashen!?" Renji: "." "Well, that is, in short, actually¡­Ha.h..a... hey, Nova,e here first. Let''s sit closer, and you listen to my exin¡­!" Unfortunately, this opening tactic was no longer effective on Nova at this point. The current panicked demeanor of Renji had already made everything clear. It was true. ''Suthia, she had really...'' A wave of irritation spread from the Dragon Lady''s body, significantly raising the temperature around. Nova, recalling the time when the little nun had earnestly promised her, using that innocent face, to "guard" Master''s purity together and to "supervise" her not to do anything "selfish". Nova''s clenched fists tightened even more. ''Alliance¡­'' ''Is this the alliance you wanted to form with me Thia!?'' After a series of violent heaves in her gigantic chest, even though she was deceived by the nun and misled by Suthia, Nova decided to stick to her promise. Since she and the nun had already made a pact not to do "selfish" things alone, she must adhere to it. This was a promise of a Vanguard, entirely different from those of other sses, especially the "Cleric ss" ones who are two-faced and deceitful! Therefore, the Dragoness still had to protect her master''s purity, even if it wasn''t so pure anymore. She had to uphold the honor and dignity of the Vanguard! That''s why, relying solely on herself wasn''t enough. Nova realized that she needed to start from the ''source'' and make the one she''s protecting stronger. So. "Master¡­ Nova and Suthia had an agreement, we formed an alliance to protect your purity. Since Thia has already taken action, let Nova help you ''train'' too, shall we?" Renji: ''Suthia? Alliance? Training?'' Renji broke into a cold sweat. ''What was all this about?'' But the good news was that the ''training'' mentioned by the Dragon Lady was different from the previously mentioned strength training. At least he wouldn''t be thrown into a pile of monsters. It was a one-on-one ''special tutoring session'' with Nova. But the bad news was... Nova somehow took out a... pink guidebook? "This was given to me by Lena. It records many training methods. This made Nova realize that besides the more selfish kind, there are many other ways to help train Master." The Dragoness, using the light of the oilmp inside the tent, was earnestly flipping through the "guidebook" studying various training techniques involving hands, feet, and even top-tier methods that required just the use of the mouth to sweep through thousands of enemies. Uh... "Nova, look, it''s gettingte, maybe we should..." Thump!* Before Renji could finish speaking, he was pushed down inside the tent by the Nova. Then, Nova''s face took on that cold and clear expression of the Empress again. Even in her brows, she forced a look of disdain, as if she was looking at trash, at the weak, a look of disgust. While making such a face at her master, Nova''s heart was filled with deep guilt, but she had no choice. The manual given by Lena stated that this expression was necessary to achieve the best ''training effect''. ''For master to not to be "bullied" by the others!'' ''For our alliance!'' ''For the promise I made to Suthia'' Nova decided to cast everything aside and focus solely on ''training'' her master!. So, her purple eyes became even more proud, looking down at her master who was still trying to struggle below. The upper half of her crimson military uniform was held high, revealing the fullness of her ample breasts, while the red skirt below subtly swayed, asionally revealing the whiteness of her thighs. Of course, the most crucial part was herbat boots. Nova stood on one leg, lifting the other slightly. The Dragon Empress maintained her icy face, imagining herself as the Empress in the Dragon Hall, and in a lofty tone, she asked: "Master Ashen." "Do I need to take off the boots, too?" Chapter 129 129: ( ? ? ? *) R18* Part 1/4 ? Well, I hope I did a better job this time... If you want to skip this chapter it is okay, just pure r18 no important information. ---------- Nova: "Do I need to take off the boots, too?" Renji: ''...'' Finally, he gives in and mutters, ''I suppose I''ll have to y along for now...'' Leaning in close to Nova, Renji whispered softly "So tell me, how are you going to train me~" As if sensing his desire, Nova slowly removes her boots, revealing her wless feet. Without warning, Nova captured Renji''s lips in a passionate, dominating kiss, her tongue exploring every inch of his mouth with fervent desire. Renji was surprised by the sudden attack, but he was already used to this so he tried his best to kiss Nova back, Nova was enjoying herself, and her kiss became even more intense, she then bit Renji''s lips and licked the ce she bit. *kiss kiss, slurp~?* As she continued to kiss Renji again, Nova shivered as Renji''s hand traveled up, firmly grasping her breast through her clothes, sending waves of pleasure through her body, and the Dragon Empress'' eyes began to close in pleasure. *kiss kiss, slurp~?* The sounds of the intense kisses echoed inside the tent, and after a while, Nova''s breath became increasingly erratic. As Nova slowly pulled away, a thin strand of saliva connected their lips, a testament to the intensity of their kiss "Ahhh..~?" The Empress''s cheeks flushed red, her breath became heavy, and her twin peaks rose up and down with every breath. She stared at the man lying below her, and Nova felt the fire within her grow even hotter. ''So this is master''s test~?'' Renji''s handsome face glistened with sweat, his ck hair clinging to his forehead, entuating his rugged features Renji: ''Hmm not half bad for her first kiss... '' A small part of Renji''s mind wanted to move forward and do all the perverted stuff he could while he was enjoying squeezing her breast like dough, but a part of his brain was curious to know Nova''s next move. As the saying goes, ''silence is a virtue'', and Renji thought that this moment required a bit of patience and prudence, as he was dealing with an excitable Dragon Lady here. As his senses recovered, Nova had already pinned Renji firmly to the bed and was in the process of unbuttoning his shirt. He just grinned and continued staring at the Dragon Empress, who was in the midst of removing his clothes with a serious face while looking as excited as a child. Renji could not suppress his amusement as Nova ran her fingers across his skin, peeling away his clothing piece by piece until hey on the bed without a single shred. The dragoness sat and continued looking at the man beneath her, taking in the sight of the well defined body she had so eagerly awaited. Nova''s fingers hesitated at his waistband, her eyes widening at the impressive bulge straining against the fabric. Nova: ''( ? ? ? *)'' As she peeled off his lower garments, she was greeted by his imposing arousal member, casting a shadow over her flushed face. '' Hmm... must I say as expected from Master, even down there he''s nothing short of magnificent...He is quite big...'' but before she recovers from her shock. Renji looked down at Nova who was kneeling down in front of him dazing in her fantasy. Seeing the way that she was kneeling, seeing how perky her nipples were showing under her clothes, seeing the look on her face in this situation, he just couldn''t stop himself¡­ His dick started getting harder, standing up on its own. Soon, it rose up to the point where the tip was right in front of Nova''s lips. When Nova came back to her senses and saw the dick right in front of her face, she even felt the urge to shove it right away to her pussy... but she remembered her promise with Suthia as to not do that thing without her... As she tried to resist, she found it harder and harder to do so¡­ That was because there was a strange smell that wasing from in front of her. Her nose picked up the scent, and she unconsciously moved closer towards it and soon the dragon empress was sniffing at Renji''s throbbing penis. The more that she smelled it, the more that it filled her with¡­excitement. Soon, there was a liquid that came from between her thighs that started dripping down her legs. The intoxicating scent was so pleasant, making the dragoness forget about everything around her except the thick member that was right in front, then remembering the second step in Lena''s guidebook, she spit on his member as a Lubrication and started to move her hands up and down, savoring the hard, warm and rock solid texture. and her other hand starts to y with his balls. Her hands continued to pump his dick, lubed up by the spit. The dragoness continued pumping her master, rubbing her saliva all over. Every time she rubbed the length of his shaft, she also gently massaged his balls as well, adding an extra sense of bliss for her man. Nova pumped him with her hands, then alternated to gently stroking him. Nova finally couldn''t take it anymore as there was this strange feeling that filled her mind. As this feeling clouded her thoughts, she started moving her head forward. Finally, when her mouth was right in front of it, she slowly reached her tongue out towards it. But before she could touch it on her own, the dick suddenly grewrger. When Renji saw her in front of his dick like this, he couldn''t help getting more turned on. As he became more and more turned on, his dick just couldn''t help gettingrger andrger until it was almost touching her tongue. It had only been at half mast before, but now, it was getting closer and closer to full mast. Chapter 130 130: ( ? ? ? *) R18* Part 2/4 ? Miyuki''s ALL 3 form has been posted in Chapter 00 Characters * ------- As the strange feeling became stronger under her abdomen, Nova started licking it. As soon as her tongue touched it, she couldn''t help feeling a warm feelinging from it that filled her entire body. The taste of the dick¡­wasn''t good, but this feeling was something that she had never felt before. However, the dick didn''t stop growing¡­ WhenRenji felt her tongue touch the tip of his dick, there was also a warm feeling that filled him, but he knew what this feeling was. As the burning feeling filled his stomach and reached his crotch, his dick couldn''t help getting bigger at a faster rate. As the dick grew, it pushed more and more against her tongue and against her mouth Until she felt a force that kept her lips open and went deeper into her mouth, into her throat, while a wave of pressure pushed her down. Renji was shocked by the intense warmth in her mouth while she was swallowing his dick like a lollipop, but that shock was blown away by the pleasure that followed as his dick entered her mouth. he couldn''t help giving a moan even when she was only just over the tip. However, it was different for Nova. Just from putting the tip in her mouth, it was almost like her mouth was being ripped open. It was as if her jaw was being ripped in half by the thing that had been suddenly thrusted into it. It filled her mouth so much that it even made it hard for her to breathe and she couldn''t stop her spit from dribbling out onto the dick. But that just made him feel even better. As she made her master feel even better, the dick became even bigger in her mouth and pushed deeper inside of her. This feeling was almost like torture for her¡­but she also couldn''t help feeling a very strange feeling deep inside of her. This was a burning sensation that wasn''t unpleasant¡­Rather it made a certain ce between her legs even hotter and even more liquid started dripping down her leg. She just couldn''t stop herself as she wanted to move one of her hands down to rub that ce, but it was not written in the guidebook so she hesitated a bit, after a while she moved her head slowly and started pushing forward, forcing more and more of the dick into her mouth. Nova''s eyes opened wide when she felt this and she tried to make a few sounds of protest, but she couldn''t do it in the end as her mouth waspletely filled with the dick. Even as she struggled, the involuntary movements of her tongue and mouth against him only heightened the pleasure, sending waves of ecstasy through Renji. *slurp slurp gag mmm...* She wasn''t able to take all of the dick in her mouth, but the movement from her mouth and tongue, along with the breath that she released onto it, filled him with more and more pleasure until¡­ Renji finally couldn''t take it anymore. He grabbed the side of her head. Nova''s eyes opened wide as her head was suddenly grabbed and moved. ''Mmmm!?'' Then, his dick started sliding out. When she felt it leaving her mouth, the dragoness was almost a bit sad, but before thest bit was out, the dick was suddenly shoved back in. This time, it was pushed in even deeper than before, making her choke on it. But he didn''t care. As Nova''s strength was just way too powerful for such a thing to do anything to her. After pulling his dick out, he started moving it back in. As soon as the tip of his dick touched her tongue, the burning feeling in her crotch also intensified. *slurp* Then, his dick started sliding back out. *Nngh!* Then, his dick was suddenly thrust back in. After the first thrust, he continued thrusting, using her horn to move her mouth over his dick. *slurp slurp* Every time the dick moved in and out of her mouth it made her make a small moan, and every time she made a moan, the dick seemed to get even harder. Nova''s eyes became unfocused as her body continued to be moved by the man. *''Mmm, ngh, mmn, ahh, hah, hng!''* After 10m, Renji pulled her head forward, cramming as much of his dick into her mouth as he could. Then he shot his load right into that sweet and sulent mouth, coating her throat with that rich liquid. *gulp gulp* *''Mmmm!!!''* He let go of her head, and as he did, Nova immediately pulled her head back and gasped. Her face was aplete mess as the sweat dripped down her forehead and her saliva and the remaining cum mixed together, Nova: ''Ah right, I must do that to please master more...'' As Nova remembered what was written in the pink book, she then showed her mouth to him, the inside waspletely full, and some cum was still leaking from her mouth. Then she swallowed with a sense of achievement, the remnants of their passion sliding down her throat. Looking up with a seductive smile, she asked breathlessly, "Did do a good job, Master?'' she asked with a smile and a flushed face. pat pat* Renji tenderly stroked her silky red hair, a satisfied grin spreading across his face. "You were incredible" Hearing that, Nova gave a gentle smile while I caressed her head. Nova rose gracefully, her fingers deftly unfastening the buttons of her blouse. With a soft thud, the fabric cascaded to the floor, revealing the curves beneath d only in a red bra that struggled to contain her ample bosom, her nipples teased their outline through the delicate fabric, revealing the curves beneath Then, she leaned forward. And said with a serious but flushed red face: "Master, are you ready for the next step ?" A chuckle escaped Renji''s mouth, not in mockery, but in admiration of her earnest attempt to articte her burning desire, her excitement palpable in every word She didn''t have any experience with this and was only trying to imitate what was written in the pink book. Despite her impressive skill, Renji''s sense warned him that what was going toe will be... not too good for his body with his low level. Recalling Nova''s immense stamina, mirrored in her level 90 avatar, he knew that even his Divine Healing skill might barely keep pace with the relentless energy of his fiery dragoness... Chapter 131 131: ( ? ? ? *) R18* Part 3/4 ? This chapter will be in Renji''s POV, so I will use '' I '' in this chapter referring to Renji. ------------ Nova rose gracefully, her fingers deftly unfastening the buttons of her clothes under her military dress. With a soft thud, the fabric cascaded to the floor, revealing the curves beneath. Her luscious breasts, barely restrained by the straining red bra, beckoned with every heaving breath. The delicatece did little to conceal her aroused nipples, boldly sketching their outline. Then, she leaned forward. And said with a serious but flushed red face: "Master, are you ready for the next training ?" A chuckle escaped Renji''s mouth, not in mockery, but in admiration of her earnest attempt to articte her burning desire, her excitement palpable in every word. She didn''t have any experience with this and was only trying to imitate what was written in the pink book. Despite her impressive skill, a sense of foreboding excitement washed over Renji. Recalling Nova''s immense stamina, mirrored in her level 90 avatar, he knew that even his Divine Healing skill might barely keep pace with the relentless energy of his fiery dragoness... "Hmm... I think the next one was boob job!?" Said nova, while looking at the pink book Nova: ''Oh, so it is like this, Hum Hum... I think I got the idea'' Then Nova gazed at her master with a cold face and ordered....: Nova: "Master... strip me bare for your next lesson.... please..." Renji captivated by her mix of innocence and seduction, thought: ''Even when she tries to be authoritative, she''s still adorably charming'' I looked at her red face while she was acting serious and cold. When she was standing in front of me, I slowly reached out my hands as if I were teasing her before grabbing her bra and removing it. And what weed me was her big, fat, soft, jiggly, and bby tits that made me want to bury my face into it. with two fluffy pink ares and erect nipples hypnotizing me to such on them. Suthia had big breasts that fit her perfect figure, but Nova''s one didn''t lose to her that much. It really was hard to imagine that these giant breasts had fit inside of that tight-fitting armor earlier. Her nipples, eagerly erect, seemed to beckon my touch, yearning for the caress of my fingers. ''I wonder how it would taste'' Renji: "Humm" I took a lick with my tongue. And the taste was not bad, It tasted a bit bitter, but not in a bad way, it was kinda a bittersweet. Nova: "Hmmm~??Ah~??" I can tell she is a little ticklish, I started moving my tongue up and down her breasts, asionally giving her nipples a slight suck. Nova: "Ha, Master, what are you- Ahh~!" Nova moaned out loudly. Well, once these beautiful breasts were revealed¡­I couldn''t control myself or stop my dick from standing up. '' Well, one of my weakpoints is big breasts...'' Nova: "Hmm Master, let me continue the training..." She pushed my back and make me lie on the bed, then she slowly climbed up to me and started stroking my dick, "Master, stay still and let me do the rest" She grabbed my dick and ced it between her breasts, but before she could continue, I switched ces with her. Normally, if they go like I think in the book it would be her who was the dominant one, but Renji liked to be the dominant one. And to my surprise, she just went along with all of it. Once she was down under me, I took her by the shoulders and positioned her so that she was right in front of me. Then after she was in ce, I took my hands and ced them on her¡­chest. I grabbed her boobs and brought them right up to my dick. This was something that I had been wanting to do for the longest time, but I never had a chance to do so. I positioned her so that her breasts enveloped my dick, and then I began moving back and forth, sliding it between them. Her chest was big, but it wasn''t big enough topletely smother my dick in between them. So the top of my dick kept poking out of her boobs and moved back and forth in front of her face. There was no denying how good this feeling was, so I couldn''t help dripping a bit at the tip of my dick. As the tip of my dick moved in front of her face, the smell of it entered her nose. It was off-putting at first, but as she smelled it more and more, she couldn''t help falling for it. This was a smell that one would slowly get more and more attracted to until one couldn''t take it anymore. This smell ignited the mes inside of her and she couldn''t hold back as she suddenly moved her head forward. As the dick moved in between her boobs, when the tip came up to her mouth, she stretched out her tongue to lick it. The moment that I felt the tongue touching the tip of my dick, I couldn''t help trembling from that feeling. It was a feeling that onlysted a single second, but it was a feeling that I just couldn''t get enough of. So I pushed faster and faster in between her boobs, hitting her tongue again and again until finally she lowered her head even more and caught my dick in her mouth. With the tip in her mouth, moving back and forth, she used her tongue to lick it in a circle. "Hmm" ''It is almost like being licked with a serpent''s tongue the way that she wrapped around my dick'' I really didn''t know if she had learned this kind of technique from Lena''s guidebook, but the pleasure that came from it was something else. The warmth of her tongue, the softness of her lips, and the wetness of her mouth were all something that was sending electric shock through my body. She continued licking, wrapping her tongue around my dick as I continued moving it back and forth in between her boobs. It didn''t take long before I couldn''t hold back anymore. When I was about to cum, I was going to say something to Nova, but then¡­I suddenly had a feeling of wanting to see what she would look like if I surprised her, so I closed my mouth in the end. Nova did have a warning of me cumming as my dick twitched with excitement when I was about to cum, but she wasn''t able to react in time to this. So when I came, it was right when my dick hade out of her mouth. The cum shot out and sprayed her right in her face, covering itpletely. Then it didn''t stop there as her hair, her shoulders, and the tops of her boobs were covered by my white, thick and creamy fluids. Even as my dick stopped shooting, it was still throbbing in her hand, squirting out thest of its contents, covering her fingers and wrist. It was aplete facial. I didn''t know what to say at first since I didn''t know how she would react to this. But as the semen dripped down her cheeks and fell onto her lips, her tongue slowly moved forward and licked the cum that was falling on her lips. Then, her lips opened and she swallowed it. With a glint of mischief and newfound hunger in her eyes, she murmured: "Thank you for the meal master~??" She was a little shocked at first, but it seemed that she had be used to the taste. In fact, it seemed that she was starting to enjoy the taste as her hand scooped up the cum on her face and brought it up to her mouth where her tongue licked the cum off. Seeing this, I was a little worried, because it seemed that the book had some strange influence on her. She was now acting the way of a subus more than a proud empress... Renji: "...." Chapter 132 132: ( ? ? ? *) Part 4/4 ? Miyuki''s ALL 3 form has been posted in Chapter 00 Characters * ---------- The next day. The morning sun, with its gentle rays, pierced through the trees. The raindrops, now even more translucent under the sunlight, caused the already burdened leaves to bend. Dewdrops quietly slid off, adding a damp touch to the wild soil below. It was evident that a significant and intense rain had fallenst night. Renji, with two dark circles under his eyes, used his shaky hands to open the tent p. Supporting the tent''s frame, he limped out. He quickly took a few breaths of the fresh morning air. Unlike areas heavily marked by human presence, the southern border of the Dragon Nation, belonging to the forest alliance with simr beliefs, was more in harmony with nature. Inhaling the crisp post-rain air into his lungs, Renji felt a sense of relief, clearing away some of the fatigue from the previous night. Following this, Renji cast a Healing spell on himself. Although it might only address the symptoms rather than the root cause, at least hisplexion improved significantly. His posture straightened, the trembling in his legs ceased, but as for his kidneys... well, that deficiency would need to be addressed gradually. ''Thank you, Suthia!'' *(As Nova promised Suthia, she didn''t do that thing with Renji) Renji silently expressed his gratitude to the young nun for tow reason. First was her promise with Nova¡­. And the second one that He never expected the "Divine Healing" spell, which in the first ythrough served as his "endurance-saving technique" in ''battles'', would be reduced to a seemingly normal healing spell in the second ythrough. After all, it was still a ''battle'', and endurance was crucial. Thinking about this, Renji turned his gaze back to his tent. Inside, in a rather indecent sleeping posture, a certain dragon woman upied half of his tent. His lower back felt a bit sore at the thought. Fortunately,st night, during the ninth round of training, Renji finally found an opportunity to snatch the "instruction manual" from Nova. He confiscated it forcefully, bringing the training to a halt. Otherwise, this morning, he wouldn''t be opening the tent; he''d be crawling out of it. Regarding the author of this wicked "instruction manual," the pink-haired subus, Renji had made up his mind. After settling matters in the Dragon Nation, his next target would be aimed at the Sin City! Not for anything else. Just to let that pink-haired subus Lena, experience what it''s like to be "guided" by her own book! Renji felt a surge of energy coursing through his body. He couldn''t bear to wake up Nova, still sound asleep in the tent. After all, the training fromst night was mostly done by her, theoretically making her even more tired than him. By the way, since the training endedst night, Nova hadpletely transformed back to her basic "Character" Regarding how to introduce this "new revolutionary member" to the others, Renji and Nova had agreed to portray her as a ve Renji bought from the arena. Both of them were intimately familiar with this identity, as it was undeniably real. So, the scene changed. From finding a little nun near the garbage cans in the rain to the dragon girl reverting to a ve, it felt like a cycle, as if he was reliving the initial encounter with "them" ''But, I had to admit, it felt quite good, Well except for being a bit physically taxing.'' As Renji was about to leave, he was startled once again. A maid, as if waiting for him, greeted him. When he approached, a carefully nned mechanical voice spoke: [Good morning, Master. Would you like a warm bath, or breakfast, or perhaps... Me? *86, feeling deeply threatened by the increasing number of people around Master, attempted to insert herself into the conversation] Renji: "..." "Where''s Eileen?" [Miss Eileen is still not awake from her beautiful dreams, and Number 86 is gradually stealing her scenes with his diligence] 86 happily reported. "I will take a batch then. Has Nozomi and the others woken up? Where are they now?" After indicating the camp location, Renji started walking, but he was forced to stop again. "86, where are you going?" Renji halted the maid, who seemed to be sneaking toward his tent. [To clean the tent for Master. * 86 is afraid of being caught by Master for her fetish and confessed nervously] "No need,e with me!" Renji red. [As you wish Master] 86 said with a lowered sad face. In just a short while after getting up early, a makeshift wooden shed was erected in the camp, serving as a temporary meeting room. When Renji walked in, all three high-ranking members of the revolutionary army, including Ashe, were present. However, judging by their mental states, they probably didn''t sleep wellst night. "Lord Renji" Seeing the young man enter with the maid, Foxgirl Nozomi was the first to stop what she was doing and greeted him as she stood up. Prompted by Nozomi''s lead and reminder, Shan and Jiu, who seemed to be in a heated discussion, also quickly stopped and followed Nozomi in bowing to Renji. Nozomi had secretly told them about this. Humans, especially nobles, liked this kind of dignified ritual. Since Renji had be their new leader, they had to learn to amodate. After the bowing, without Renji asking, Nozomi was the first to exin, "Ashe is preparing breakfast for you. Should I send someone to call her back?" Such thoughtfulness. The Fox-girl was able to manage a group of revolutionary soldiers in the Sealed City for a reason. However, on the other hand, it was also evident that, although they acknowledged Renji''s leadership, the distance between the two sides wasn''t easy to close. Renji didn''t mind, after all, even with the original Ashe, it took a week to sessfully deceive her. He wasn''t in a hurry. He waved his hand and then nced at therge map on the three-person table. "Is this the map of the Southern Region?" "Yes, after Lord Renji set our goalsst night, we''ve been discussing specific implementation strategies." Within three months, unify the Southern Region, integrate all the demi-human races into the revolution¡ªthat was what Renji had told the three high-ranking members of the revolutionary army yesterday. The grand goal was set, but Renji didn''t have a specific understanding of the Southern Region yet. So, before listening to the ns devised by Nozomi and the others, he first asked her to give him an overall introduction to the Southern Region. "Lord Renji, among us demi-human races in the Southern Region, we organize ourselves into ''ns'' as our factions. Thergest of these ns is the Ancient Wolf n. They swiftly developed by aligning with Minister ''Charlo,'' avoiding envement, and flourishing as a significant group. Just their n alone firmly upies the most fertile Beastman ins in the Southern Region. They drove other ns into the Tribal Forest where we currently reside, allowing us to live only within this forest." "In the Tribal Forest, despite having hundreds of ns, even thergest ones don''t surpass half the size of the Ancient Wolf n. No, they probably did at one point, but each n became afraid. Some even intentionally abandoned members when their ns grew, fearing retaliation." As Nozomi spoke, a shadow of gloom and resentment crossed Fox-girl''s eyes. "Why? Because of the Ancient Wolf n?" Renji inquired. "Yes, whenever a new n shows signs of rising within the Tribal Forest, they''ll face the Ancient Wolf n''s opposition. Allying with that minister, they bring the Dragon Nation''s army to ughter any threatening ns. They kill their leaders, massacre the male demi-humans of fighting age, and enve the female demi-humans for life, sending them as ves to human cities in the north." Nozomi touched the remnants of the shackle marks on her neck. After taking several deep breaths, she spoke almost as if murmuring to herself: "A once vibrant and prosperous n, in just one night, will be reduced to a group of elderly, weak, sickly individuals weing their demise in sorrow. Because of too many instances like this, every n in the Tribal Forest lives in constant fear. Paradoxically, they fear the unhealthy situation of revealing their heads and growing stronger." "Because of this, for centuries, no n has been able to stand up against the Ancient Wolf n. All the hundreds of ns in the Tribal Forest seem to be treated as their fishpond. They never exterminatepletely, and sometimes, they even support certain special races, like the cat people such as Ashe. Of course, it''s not out of a change of heart but to meet the ve quota given to them by Minister Charlo, consolidating the human support for their n." Chapter 133 133: The Situation In The Southern Region ? Miyuki''s ALL 3 form has been posted in Chapter 00 Characters * ----------- After Nozomi''s exnation, Renji nodded, having a rough understanding of the Southern Region''s situation. In essence, within the Tribal Forest, although there were numerous ns, they were scattered and weak. On the other hand, the Ancient Wolf n dominated the Beastman ins due to their alliance with the "Imperial Army," allowing them to annually harvest the Tribal Forest, continually meeting the demand for demi-human ves in the northern human cities. ''It seemed that oveing the Ancient Wolf n would be a formidable obstacle to unifying the Southern Region'' After hearing all this troubling news, what followed might be considered a piece of good news in the midst of bad. "However, in the past decade or so, the entire Southern Region has been getting worse. Aside from the influence of the northern humans, the real root cause is the elerating expansion of the Savage Wastnd Miasma, which is steadily shrinking our living space." "Savage Wastnd Miasma expanding?" This time, it wasn''t Nozomi who answered Renji. Jiu standing nearby, took the initiative to speak. Clearly, this Tiger-girl sister had a more open personality than the Fox-girl. She directly grabbed Renji and walked to the edge of therge map of the Southern Region on the table. The entire map was divided into three distinct sections. The Beastman ins and the Tribal Forest were in the northern part of the Southern Region, upying roughly one-third of thend. Below them, in the southern part of the Southern Region, taking up the remaining two-thirds, was a vast area indicated as a danger zone, without any n markings on the map, disyed in a brown color. "The Savage Wastnd Miasma is a relic from five hundred years ago, from the Wastnd Era. It''s filled with many ancient and terrifying creatures we call demons. Although many historical records are lost, because my Tiger w n once served as guardians and resisted the Tainted Corpse from the Savage Wastnd, I can be certain that the Miasma''s size wasn''t thisrge and it was just a simple Miasma until a certain point in time." "The Miasma there has turned into a foul mire, continuously devouring the Southern Region''snd and expanding outward. The demons inside have grown stronger, leading to the downfall of many Guardian ns. Coupled with the empress amending the constitution, the demi-human races already deprived of relic powers werebeled as ves. Thergest Ancient Wolf n sided with the northern humans, joining in the persecution of the Southern Region. All these factorsbined resulted in the absence of new generations of Guardians to stop the demons. Eventually, it evolved into the current situation, with more than half of the Southern Region already fallen." Jiu coldly snorted at this point, expressing a mix of schadenfreude or something else. "The current Ancient Wolf n has also tasted the bitter fruit. As thergest n, they upy the most fertilend, making them suffer the most from the Miasma''s expansion and Tainted Corpse. Looking at the past decade, they''re busy dealing with demons, and their control over the Tribal Forest has significantly weakened¡­So¡­." Jiu''s eyes lit up, and her gaze fervently met Renji''s. She raised her chest, eager to speak: "Lord Renji, I think you''re right. Now is the best time for us to consolidate our strength! As long as we seize the opportunity while the Ancient Wolf n is upied and unite all the ns in the Tribal Forest... Once our strength truly gathers, even if the Ancient Wolf n or the Dragon''s Gate Armyes, we won''t be troubled!" Jiu''s excited words weren''t finished yet when thest person in the group, Shan, who had been silent, couldn''t help but speak up. "Jiu, you''re thinking too simplistically. Even if the Ancient Wolf n is distracted by Tainted Corpse and can''t spare attention to the Tribal Forest, I believe most ns won''t ept us, let alone unite." "Small ns are struggling for survival, and big ns are only thinking about how to barely eke out a living. That''s the current situation in the Tribal Forest. Rushing into an alliance will only harm us. I believe the right approach is to first strengthen ourselves, gradually absorb and assimte other ns, instead of impulsively trying to unite." "Shan, at this rate, we''ll have to wait forever! By then, the shepherd''s purse will have gone cold! Why are you with such a big head so timid!" "It''s not about being timid. Building an alliance that looks good on the outside but is still internally divided and harboring hidden agendas is useless. It''s just bluffing. When ites to a real fight, it''s likely to shatter, maybe even self-destruct." "You..." Jiu was about to continue arguing with Shan when Nozomi, who had been silent, coughed and used a frowning gaze to silence both of them. She made it clear that they should be quiet in front of Renji. Thest three people then turned their gaze to Renji. After all, Renji was now their leader. What the revolutionary army should do next was up to Renji. "Nozomi, in the Tribal Forest, you should still have some contacts with familiar ns, right?" "Yes, the nearest one is the ''Dread Lizard'' n, about a dozen kilometers away. I have a good rtionship with the tribal chief there, and their n had helped our revolutionary army a lot in the past." "Okay,ter you mark their location on the map, and I''ll personally go over and negotiate with them." Hearing this, Jiu immediately cast a triumphant nce at Shan, as if to say, -"See! The leader is going to take the fast track to unite"- But soon... "In addition, what Shan said is correct. Rapidly uniting is just a clever trick and self-deception. Moreover, the major ns have been oppressed by the Ancient Wolf n for so many years. Just by our words, we can''t ovee their fear of the Ancient Wolf n. We need to show them something substantial. So, I''ll handle the external negotiations. As for the rest of you..." Renji pointed at the table. The most significant issue now was cohesion. The current revolutionary army had a few hundred people, which was manageable, but what if it grew to thousands or tens of thousands? If Renji wanted to speed up the unification of the Southern Region, he had to simplify and address the issue. This was the time to bring up a ssic phrase with a valuable meaning: "Orcs never be ves... unless it includes free meals and amodations!" Just as he was about to reallocate the training policies for the internal structure of the revolutionary army, amotion suddenly came from outside the wooden shed. "Hey! Who are you? I haven''t seen you before!" "Stop! This is a ce only for the leaders. You''re not allowed to get any closer!" "Quick, stop her!" Hearing the guards'' shouts, Renji quickly set aside the meeting and walked out. Outside the wooden shed, three revolutionary army guards surrounded a barefooted, linen-d demi-human who seemed to have just woken up, with sesame paste still in the corners of their eyes. They were vignt and intercepting, preventing the demi-human from advancing further. Fortunately, this demi-human looked quite pitiful and didn''t pose much of a threat, or else they might have taken direct action. Renji took a closer look and recognized none other than Nova. As for Nova, she was straightforward. Seeing Renjiing out, "Master Renji." Nova: "I''m hungry." At that moment, a rich aroma of porridge wafted from nearby, attracting everyone''s attention. They turned to see Ashe, who had prepared breakfast for everyone. The cat-girl was carrying a pot of porridge and heading toward them. Another girl, who had also woken up, was following her, drooling a bit. After taking a sip of the porridge, Eileen, recognizing the familiar aroma, looked surprised. "Ashe, is this the same porridge as the one Renji made for us back then?" "Yes, considering that everyone in the revolutionary army is probably like how I was back then, I tried to imitate the recuperative porridge Mr. Renji made for me. I''m not sure about the taste, though." "Don''t worry, just by smelling it, I can tell it''s definitely delicious! You are Awesome Ashe!" Eileen gave the cat-girl a thumbs-up in admiration. Chapter 134 134: I See Youre Exceptionally Talented, Lets Practice Swordsmanship ? Renji: "In any case, from now on, Nana is one of us." Following the prepared script, Renji introduced the dragon girl to everyone inside the wooden shed, presenting her as a diator ve. Instantly, curious gazes concentrated on "Nana (Nova)" Among them, the fox-girl Nozomi was the first to ept it, or rather, she silently breathed a sigh of relief. The appearance of "Nana," regardless of the authenticity of her background, was proof that Renji had interacted with demi-human in the past. This provided a reasonable exnation for why Renji was helping and supporting them now. So, the fox-girl felt somewhat reassured. However, Nozomi discreetly examined the features of "Nana" For some reason, she felt a faint sense of familiarity but couldn''t pinpoint where it came from. On the other hand, Jiu was more direct. She casually ran over to the dragon girl, her eyes filled with excitement and curiosity, focusing on the two slightly protruding horns on Nana''s head. "Wow! Are these dragon horns? Are you a Dragonkin?" "Jiu!" Nozomi frowned. "Wow! This is so cool! Are you from the Dragonkin tribe?" "Jiu!" Nozomi repeated, her tone more stern. The term "Dragonkin" was a taboo among the demi-humans. All dragonkin were supposed to be categorized as part of the "Lizard Tribe" ording to an unspoken rule in the Dragon Nation. But Jiu seemed defiant. "Why, Sister Nozomi, why not calling her Dragonkin when she is a Dragonkin. Just because that empress is a Dragonkin, does that mean we can''t have other Dragonkin? If we''re going to rebel and overthrow the Dragon Nation, let''s start by changing how we address things!" "Nana, don''t worry. If anyone dares to call you Lizard Tribe, I, Jiu, will be the first to stand up for you!" The tiger-girl stood protectively in front of the dragon girl. Seeing this, Nozomi sighed as neither Renji nor Nana said anything. She followed them with a resigned expression. Shan remained rtively silent throughout, not uttering a word. However, there was a hint of fighting spirit in his eyes. After all, she was a dragonkin, and Shan could sense that she was a warrior like himself. ''If we could spar, it would be fun.'' The most significant reaction in the room, however, came from... "Hey, hey, hey, Ashe, aren''t you going to show some reaction?" Eileen subtly nudged the cat-girl beside her, whispering in her ear. "What do you mean, Miss Eileen?" Ashe looked confused. "Oh my! Are you a fool? Now, all of a sudden, an unfamiliar demi-human appears next to the old timer. Don''t you even feel a hint of crisis? This is obviously an attempt topete with you for your position!" Ashe: "Crisis? Compete for a position? Ashe doesn''t quite understand." With a shake of her head in response to Eileen''s incredulous look, Ashe decided to approach the dragon girl. The reason was simple: ever since Nana entered the room, her attention had been on Ashe, more precisely, on the pot of porridge Ashe brought for everyone. "Miss Nana, haven''t you had breakfast yet? You''ve been staring at me; are you hungry?" "Hungry" The dragon girl nodded. "Thene over quickly. If you don''t mind, taste the porridge I made. Don''t worry; it''s not too greasy, very nourishing for the body!" While speaking gently, Ashe took the initiative to hold Nana''s hand, guiding her to sit down. She then started serving porridge to the dragon girl. Seeing this, Eileen, who had been trying to manipte the situation, expressed a look of disappointment. It seemed that instead of forming an alliance against the "neer," Ashe had directly joined forces with Nana. As Eileen turned to find solidarity with 86, she was once again met with a shocking betrayal. "86! Where did this cluster of needles and threade from? And what are you doing now?" [Miss Nana is still barefoot, and her clothes are ragged, so as Master''s maid, I naturally have to prepare new clothes for the new member. This way, I can clearly show Master my superiority] Number 86 said confidently. "You... you all... Hmph!" Eileen was exasperated. Her attempt to deceive Ashe and the maid had backfired, and now she found herself in thest position. Ashe took the food, 86 imed the clothing, leaving Eileen with only one option ¨C to act against their shelter. ''Tonight...Hehehe~'' Eileen''s thoughts began to drift. After the little episode with Nana, it wasn''t surprising to Renji that the dragon girl quickly integrated into the group. Despite the intimidating title of "Empress" that Nana held among them, the actual dragon girl was the most approachable one, at least as long as you didn''t touch her scales. Nana had only a few sensitive spots, and touching them was quite difficult. As Renji contemted this, he took a sip of the breakfast porridge that Ashe had brought for the high-ranking members of the meeting. ''Hmm¡­'' ''It is excellent!'' Renji praised Ashe for the familiar taste and texture, realizing that the cat-girl had a talent for cooking. The vor was reminiscent of the recuperative porridge he used to make for Ashe back in the Sealed City. It was impressive how Ashe could recreate it just by tasting it. ''Wait a minute!'' Renji suddenly realized the gravity of the situation. Unfortunately, it was a bit toote. When he smelled the aroma of the porridge, Nana already had a strong sense of familiarity. After Ashe brought her over and she took a sip, Nana''s body trembled slightly, and her eyes even shed purple. After all, this taste was unforgettable¡ªit was the best and most memorable porridge she had ever had, the one Ashen made for her. But... "Did you make this porridge?" Nana lifted her head and earnestly asked the cat-girl beside her. "Yeah, what''s... what''s wrong?" "Where did you learn to make this porridge?" "Well, I didn''t really learn; it''s just that Master Renji made it for me every day, so after drinking it so many times, I wondered if I could make it too!" Ashe scratched her head apologetically. As she reminisced about the joyful time when Renji bought her in the Sealed City, a happiness she couldn''t hide appeared on her face. Nana: "..." As Nana immediately cast her gaze toward a certain young man at the front, Renji quickly coughed, abandoning the porridge and swiftly changing the topic. "Um, well! Let''s make good use of our time. While we eat, we can continue the meeting. As I mentioned earlier, I want to redistribute your responsibilities. First, Nozomi, from now on, you''ll be in charge of raising the revolutionary spirit within our army. It''s very simple and easy to understand; just focus on four words: ''Free meals, free amodation!'' Whether it''s for internal members or new allies or future revolutionary army members, instill the firm belief that joining us guarantees free meals and amodation! In addition..." Waving to 86, Renji signaled the maid to hand over some prepared architectural drawings to Nozomi, who still seemed a bit puzzled. These were buildings carefully selected by Renji, utilizing 86''sprehensive database to identify efficient and high-quality structures from five hundred years ago, back when he optimized for both material conservation and functionality. With these blueprints, Nozomi could construct houses that amodated dozens of people with just a fraction of the resources previously needed for a small shack. This would not only enhance efficiency but also improve the overall living standards of the revolutionary army. As for the remaining concern of food, Renji assigned Jiu, who was familiar with forest environments, as the leader of the hunting and gathering team. He provided her with a detailed list of useful food ingredients based on his in-game memories, asking her to bring back as many simr items as possible for further evaluation. Lastly, Shan was assigned the responsibility of training. "Master Renji, Nana also wants to contribute to the revolution and help with training everyone," unexpectedly, the dragon girl raised her hand as if waiting for the right moment to speak. "Huh?!Miss Nana as an instructor?" Ashe sitting nearby expressed surprise. Nana: "Yes." After nodding to Ashe, Nana turned to the petite cat-girl beside her. With a serious expression, she said, "I think you''re well-suited for sword training." "Uh!? Me...?" Ashe wore a confused yet pleasantly surprised expression. "Yes, I believe you have extraordinary talent and exceptional bone structure. You''re definitely a promising candidate for sword training. So..." "Come on, let me try practicing swordsmanship with you." Chapter 135 135: So, Am I The Chief Now? ? Miyuki''s ALL 3 form has been posted in Chapter 00 Characters * -------------- In the forest, four figures were moving through the woods. It was Renji and his group, now apanied by the dragon girl. Renji being considerate of Nova''s fatigue from training soldiers, decided to head to the Lizardman Tribe early. They were following the location given by Nozomi. From a distance, they could see a g bearing the image of a ferocious giant lizard with its bloodthirsty mouth wide open. Almost every tribe sought to make their gs as terrifying as possible, almost like a form of protective camouge. As Renji and the others approached within a hundred meters of the g, two Lizardman, who happened to be returning from outside their tribe, intercepted them. "Human?" One of the Lizardmen immediately spoke with a tense voice, pointing their weapon directly at Renji, who did not attempt to hide his presence. Fortunately, the taller and more robustpanion beside them raised a hand, restraining the overzealous behavior of theirpanion. Thispanion, who appeared more imposing with numerous decorations on their body, such as tooth nes around their neck and wrists, stood out from the rest. The more ornaments one had, the higher their position within the tribe. With confidence, the imposing figure strode forward toward Renji and hispanions. Upon reaching the "outsiders" Rush, a Lizardman with brown vertical pupils, focused on the only male among the four, considering him the leader. As the tribe chief''s son, Rush with a bit more experience, quickly discerned that Renji and the humans with him were different from the regr Dragon Gate soldiers. He lost interest immediately, exhaling white mist from his nostrils. He raised his rough lizard-like hand and made a gesture for them to detour. "The territory lies ahead belonging to the Lizardman Tribe. Humans are not wee" Rush dered, giving a turn over and go from where youe signal with a dismissive attitude. However, just as Rush was about to turn away, he had to halt and furrow his brows. "Hey, big guy! We are representatives of the Revolutionary Army from the Sealed City. We''vee with urgent matters to discuss with your tribe chief. If you understand, lead us in!" "Sealed Capital, Revolutionary Army? Looking for my father?" Rush cast a puzzled look at Eileen, who had just called out to him. Eileen, too, was somewhat surprised, but her expression quickly turned into a smile. She retrieved an envelope from her pocket and tossed it to Rush. "Take a look at this letter. It''s written by the second-inmand of our Revolutionary Army to your dad. Now, do you believe us?" Rush, still skeptical, opened the envelope. As the future leader of the tribe, he was literate and quickly scanned the contents of the letter. After reading it, Rush no longer doubted the identities of Renji and the others. He was aware of the past connection between his father and the Revolutionary Army, though it was a matter from a long time ago. Nevertheless, knowing about his father''s ties to the Revolutionary Army did not make Rush more weing. "Go back. The Lizardman Tribe doesn''t wee you." "What!? You still don''t believe our identity?" "No, it''s precisely because I know you''re from the Revolutionary Army that we don''t wee you. I, Rush, I am not like my father. I won''t be fooled by you. No matter how you try to deceive us with tricks, you won''t get anything from the Lizardman Tribe. You won''t take away any resources from us!" As he rejected them, Rush''s expression also carried a hint of anger. He vividly remembered that foxdy, his aunt named "Nozomi" at the time. She had beguiled his father so much that it seemed like a spell. Even though their tribe struggled to have enough to eat and wear, they had to give away arge amount of resources to that stinking foxydy. For the sake of revolution, for the future of their demi-human race ¨C what a load of nonsense! His father was swayed by her beauty, lured into the clutches of Aunt Nozomi! They were tricked, and now, Rush, as the future new chief, wouldn''t waver like his father did. He would only act for the benefit of the tribe. All this talk of revolution should stay far away from them! One moment, Rush held firmly to these thoughts. Until the next moment. As the gaze of the Lizardman shifted from Eileen to the remaining people behind Renji, his eyes widened in astonishment. Rush noticed that among the four outsiders, not all were humans¡ªthere was one... a demi-human! Moreover, it was a dragon girl! Rush stared in amazement at the dragon girl positioned at the back, and a strange sensation rushed through his mind. He was dumbfounded,pletely unprepared for the discovery that in this world, ''there could be such a beautiful and stunning being''. Rushcked the vocabry to express it urately, but with just one nce, he was certain that she was a dragonkin, utterly different from the other female lizard demi-humans within the tribe. For Rush, it felt like a dimensional shock, especially with the two small horns on top of the dragon girl''s head. His gaze couldn''t move away, his heart pounding, and his whole-body trembling with excitement. He seemed to have... enlightened. He began to understand his father''s actions back then. "Cough, cough!" Rush cleared his throat. Suddenly, he made a quick turnabout, transitioning from his earlier firm rejection to a situation where there might still be room for negotiation. As for what could be negotiated, Rush led Renji''s group to another location. It was a vast area, obviously well-maintained and regrly cleared. In the center of this spacey... a hammer? "In the past, our Lizardman ancestors, as one of the seventy-two tribes who fought alongside the ''Great Emperor,'' were proud recipients of weapons bestowed by the ''Great Emperor.'' Since then, this weapon has been passed down in our Lizardman Tribe as a symbol of generational honor, what you humans often call... a relic!" As Rush spoke, he proudly puffed out his chest. In moments like these, he felt a deep sense of pride for his Lizardman Tribe. After all, not every demi-human tribe had such a glorious history of fighting alongside the "Great Emperor" and the privilege of inheriting powerful relics like the "Hammer." Rush intentionally led Renji''s group to this ce to showcase the Lizardman Tribe, raising the status and image of the tribe''s leader''s son. He hoped to make a more dazzling impression and attract attention. Thinking about this, Rush discreetly cast a nce at the dragonkin, but unfortunately, the dragonkin always seemed so cold and bored? Never once did she nce at him. It seemed that his passionate description of their illustrious history hadn''t stirred any reaction in her. "So, big guy, why did you bring us here? And, is this really a relic? It looks like a in stone pedestal to me." Being exposed by Eileen, Rush coughed awkwardly, and then his face revealed a touch of resentment. "Well, it''s not a relic. The real relics were stolen by those damned Dragon Gate Soldier! But! We imitated and recreated this based on the relics. In our Lizardman Tribe, there''s an agreement: whoever can lift this hammer with their strength alone can be our new leader!" As Rush spoke, Eileen, excitedly confirming, asked, "Really? Lifting it makes you the chief, and everyone has to listen to me?" Seeing the skinny human girl in front of him, Rush made a disdainful sound and gestured for her to try it out. This immediately triggered Eileen''s stubbornness. Without a word, she ran to the imitation hammer created by the Lizardman Tribe. She arrogantly attempted to lift it with one hand, but the stone hammer remained unmoved. Switching to both hands and exerting all her strength, she could only make the hammer sway slightly. "This damn thing must weigh several hundred kilograms!" Due to the rule of relying solely on strength, Eileen couldn''t use Miasma''s power. Whileining, she turned to look at Rush. "After all that boasting, can you lift it yourself?" Finally, the moment arrived! Rush not only didn''t get angry at Eileen''s questioning but rather threw her a approving look. He had been waiting for this¡ªthe chance to showcase his mighty strength! He confidently stepped up to the stone hammer, crafted almost with the entire strength of their Lizardman Tribe, using the toughest "gneiss" avable. This heavy hammer was not just about the relic being stolen; it was a constant reminder of their glorious history as one of the seventy-two tribes fighting alongside the "Great Emperor". They always strived to keep their honor alive and dreamt of reiming the relic someday. Hence, the intentionally cumbersome stone hammer and the tribal rule were designed to inspire their people. Standing before the stone hammer, Rush spread his strong legs apart. Bending slightly at the knees, he firmly grasped the hammer''s handle. Taking a deep breath, his muscles bulged, and with a furious shout, he exerted force from his legs, forcefully pushing off the ground. Utilizing the reaction force, he simultaneously lifted his arms. The several hundred-kilogram stone hammer was indeed lifted by Rush, if only a few centimeters. He couldn''t go any higher, and after enduring for three seconds, he released it with a "ng" noise letting the hammer fall back into the sandy ground. "Heh heh, how... how was it? I didn''t lie to you," Rush panted, his face filled with excitement. He never expected to surpass himself today, not onlysting one second longer than before but even lifting the hammer half a centimeter higher! He broke his own record! This achievement also caught the attention of the female dragonkin. Rush was even more thrilled to see her gaze turning toward him for the first time. ''She is walking towards me?'' Thump, thump!* Rush''s Blood surged, and his heart raced. ''Could it be that the powerful disy of strength had already left an impression on the female dragonkin? '' Before Rush could indulge in more wild thoughts, the dragon girl walked directly through him and approached the stone hammer. ''Was she also going to attempt it? Truly worthy of a dragonkin!'' Rush expressed his respect to Nova, appreciating her daring spirit. Just her willingness to challenge gained quite a bit of his favor. Although Rush knew the oue, considering he had trained with this hammer since childhood for over a decade, he was well aware that an untrained demi-human wouldn''t be able to... In the eyes of the chief''s son, Nova performed four actions. She walked up, casually bent down, casually grasped the hammer, and then, casually lifted it like a toy. "Huh?" Before Rush could question if he was experiencing some illusion, or even shockingly rub his eyes, his pupils infinitely dted. The several hundred-kilogram stone hammer seemed to magnify endlessly in his eyes. Finally, with all the hair on Rush''s body standing on end, the hammer stopped just a few millimeters from the tip of his nose. Following that, there was the faint voice of the dragondy. "So, am I the new chief now?" Chapter 136 136: Glory ? 3/6 -Chief''s residence. The current chief of the "Dread Lizard Tribe" Losa, was sweating profusely. In front of everyone, he fiercely scolded his son Rush, even going up to give him a good beating. After a series of kicks and punches, he finally told Rush to get lost. The chief''s son, who was proud and confident just a few minutes ago, now lowered his head and slinked away with his tail between his legs. After this episode, Losa with deep apologies, addressed the human, and the leader of the Revolutionary Army Renji: "I''m sorry esteemed leader of the Revolutionary Army and yourpanions. I disciplined my son inappropriately. I apologize on behalf of my idiot son. Also, about picking up the replicas of our relics..." "It''s alright Chief Losa. We were just ying around with them. You can rest assured; we are not interested in the chief position." Upon hearing Renji''s words, Losa after ncing at the dragon-girl standing behind Renji without any reaction, sighed in relief. He was surprised to find out that the true leader among them was this human. "I''ve already arranged three carts for you. Besides the food, there are also some clothes. I apologize for theck of meat; we''ve had difficulties due to the rapid expansion of the Savage Wilderness in recent years. The forest within the tribe for hunting is getting smaller, and we can''t provide more." "No, no, Chief Losa, it seems you''ve misunderstood. We are not here for assistance. Please carefully read the letter from Nozomi." "What? Not here for assistance?" Losa hastily opened the letter in confusion. He hadn''t paid much attention before, but now, after reading the content carefully written by the fox woman, his face showed a surprised expression. "Are you suggesting that the Dread Lizardman Tribe should also join the Revolutionary Army!?" After seeing Renji nod, Losa who had managed to scrape together three carts of supplies just moments ago, was now vigorously shaking his head. His face even showed a pleading expression. "Sir Renji I know the Revolutionary Army is facing difficulties, and things are getting tougher, but you... You can''t do this! The Dread Lizard Tribe only wishes to survive. I beg you, take more food from us if needed, but please spare the Lizardmen from joining the Revolutionary Army." Seeing the chief before him on the verge of tears, Renji sighed. It was clear that Losa believed he was using the alliance as a pretext, intending to absorb the entire Dread Lizard Tribe. Hence, the chief''s desperate plea. Talking alone wouldn''t work anymore. Renji decided to be straightforward. Fate or whatever it was, he had noticed something when Rush led him to see the replicated relic¡ªthe hammer. Thunk!* A deep sound startled Losa. When he regained hisposure, the entire chief''s vige was filled with purple light. The source of the radiance was the thunderous hammer that Renji ced on the table in front of Losa. "This... This is! No, it should have already been..." Losa widened his eyes, his face filled with disbelief. "Yes, we''ve taken it back, from the Mayor''s guards in the Sealed City. By the way, not only did the guard die because of that relic, but the mayor also went down with him." "We''vee to the Tribe''s Forest not because we couldn''t hold on in the Sealed City. On the contrary, it''s precisely because we''ve made significant breakthroughs in our actions there and can see a glimmer of hope. That''s why we returned here, to gather strength. It''s time for us to counterattack." Although Renji''s words sounded insane, like something out of a dream, the fact that the relic, once bestowed upon the ancestors of the Dread Lizard Tribe by the Great Emperor, andter stolen by humans, now appeared intact before Losa, left him with no choice but to believe. No, not belief. Instead, Plop!* Unexpectedly, the tribal chief knelt directly in front of the thunderous hammer. Even Renji didn''t anticipate this. From the chief''s aged eye sockets, now rapidly filling withyers of mist, it was evident that something profound was happening. With trembling fingers, Losa touched the hammer, caressing every groove on it. Finally, he couldn''t contain himself any longer. Tears flowed like a fountain, and the wrinkles of time filled his weathered face as he wept. "Ancestors... It''s Losa. It''s me who has tarnished the glory of the Lizardman tribe and made you suffer humiliation. I''m sorry for not being able to protect our heritage. I''m sorry." "Even so, if you are willing to return to your tribe, to shelter your people, I understand! If this is your guidance for us wanderers, Losaprehends!" As Losa sobbed, the faint purple light continuously flickered from the hammer on the table. This further excited Losa to the point where he struggled to speak. For many years, it was the first time the relic responded to him like this. In this scene, Renji stands silent, not disturbing the tribal chief''s moment. The quality of this hammer was not exceptionally high; it was only of [rare] rarity. For Renji, who had possessed several legendary weapons at the time, he had long forgotten about this weapon. He didn''t remember when he gave it away, let alone the owner, which turned out to be the ancestor of the Dread Lizardman Tribe, as mentioned by Losa just now. As a character like Karl, rated as a five-star disaster rank, Renji could recall. However, going further back, like the ancestor of the Dread Lizard Tribe, perhaps only a four-star or even a three-star character, these low-star characters were challenging to remember for Renji. In his memory, they struggled to leave even a trace. Yet, the equipment casually given to low-star characters as "junk," whether from the chief''s son Rush, who sought the honor of being able to "lift it" through countless days and nights of training, or the current moment, where it could make a tribal chief kneel and cry with such profound emotions upon regaining what was lost, undoubtedly proved that, for the ancestor of the Dread Lizard Tribe from five hundred years ago, it was far from being junk. It was the most precious possession, representing his glory¡ªa family heirloom to be passed down to generations as proof of having followed the "Great Emperor." In cruder terms, it was something to boast about for a lifetime, even more than a lifetime. It was to let his descendants continue to "boast" about this glorious era on his behalf. "Sir. Renji since the ''relic'' has chosen you to bring it back, from this moment on, the glory of the Dread Lizard Tribe will be with you!" "No matter what you choose to do, the Dread Lizardman Tribe will follow the guidance of our ancestor and offer wholehearted assistance to you!" Chapter 137 137: Conspiracy Behind History ? 4/6 Wiping away his tears, Losa stood up from in front of the hammer. The chief who had transformed in an instant, shed the previous ttery and submissive demeanor. The burden of life, forcing him to continuously bend down, disappeared. Now, Losa was making an effort to stand tall. Although he reverted to addressing Renji as a Sir, there was no longer any pretense in his tone. The distance between them vanished. Subsequently, Losa lowered his head, opened his palms, and extended them in front of Renji. This was a traditional ritual in almost every demi-human tribe. When Renji ced his hands on Losa''s open palms, the ceremony wasplete, signifying the transfer of the highest leadership of the Dread Lizardman Tribe from Losa to Renji. Completing these actions seemed to ease Losa''s tension. No longer was he the chief worn down by the survival struggles of the tribe; instead, he could now return to being a warrior filled with passion. "This might be fate. Initially as part of the ''Seventy-Two Tribes,'' we deviated from the guidance of the Great Sage Karl. We chose to be like cowards, hiding in the rear for survival. Unexpectedly, over time, we abandoned glory, but glory did not forget us." In Losa''s nostalgic and murmured words, Renji heard a familiar name and couldn''t help but ask, " Great Sage Karl?" "Yes, Great Sage Karl. He was a sage from the same era as our ancestor. Despite possessing immense power, he never found apanion, never established a tribe, always solitary. He roamed among our various demi-human tribes, imparting knowledge and skills, whether it was the art of cultivation, hunting techniques, or the use of strength. Many tribes benefited from his teachings. Hence, we respectfully refer to that Master Karl as the Great Sage" A deep reverence filled Losa''s face. For the entire demi-human race, the position of the Great Sage in their hearts was extremely lofty. This historical narrative had been passed down from generation to generation and was to be engraved in their hearts. "When the Great Emperor disappeared and the Empress decided to create the Dragon Nation, the northernnds were fertile and abundant in resources, while the southern region remained barren and infested with remnants of the wastnd era. At that time, the Great Sage Karl volunteered to lead the seventy-two ns and pioneer the development of the southern region for the Empress. This would allow the humans, who were more capable of development, to focus on establishing the foundation of the Dragon Nation in the prosperous northernnds. Meanwhile, we Demi-human were tasked with guarding the borders, eliminating the remnants of the wastnd era, and cultivating the southern region to restore its vitality." "In the first two hundred years, while the Great Sage Karl was still alive, everything prospered. The humans, who could develop without worries in the north, continuously supported us by providing food, supplies, and weapons. With humans as our support, we sessfully transformed the southern region into the Tribe Forest and the Orc in, tworge areas that could truly sustain our lives." "However, everything changed soon after the passing of the Great Sage Karl when Minister Charl ascended to power. For some unknown reason, it became increasingly difficult for us demi-human to exhibit our inherited abilities, and our ability to transform into beasts rapidly declined. Strong individuals became fewer, and although we attempted to conquer thest Tainted Corpse, we were already too weak. When we sought help from the humans in the north, we were met with refusal. What''s worse, we received one shocking piece of news after another: the humans not only abandoned their role of guarding the borders but also treated us, who inhabited the barrennds, as ves. We not only lost their assistance but also had to face their armies!" As Losa spoke, it was evident that he was filled with intense emotions. Eileen, who was also present and more emotionally driven, became increasingly furious as she listened. "What kind of *humanity is this! the demi-human worked hard to support them, educated them, and relieved them of all the burdens of life. And now that they have achieved sess, they kick the elderly and declining demi-human aside? It''s as if their conscience has been devoured by dogs!" With Eileen''s passionate metaphor, it seemed as though the young girl had forgotten that she herself was also a human, standing firmly on the side of the demi-human, filled with resentment and itching with anger. Losa gradually calmed down from his emotional outburst. He sighed and continued to narrate the history for Renji: "In the first century after these events, nearly half of our former ''Seventy-Two Tribes'' perished causing divisions among us. Three different factions emerged." "Eight tribes chose to stand guard on the borders of the Savage Wastnd Miasma, adhering to the duty of ''Guardians'' bestowed upon us by Great Sage Karl. Four tribes decided to retaliate against the ungrateful Empress, bing the precursor to the Revolutionary Army. The remaining twelve tribes, including the Dread Lizard Tribe, chose to... escape." "We no longer fought against the Tainted Corpse, retreating to the already developed Tribe''s Forest and Orc ins. We chose to survive as best we could. Because of this, I have always felt guilty towards the tribes of the other two factions. So whenever Nozomi sought my help, a coward who escaped to the rear, what I could do for warriors still fighting was probably just to provide support." From Losa''s words, Renji gained a new insight into the history of the Dragon Nation. After leaving the chief''s residence, Renji deliberately had Eileen and 86 return to the Revolutionary Army''s camp to bring the news of the sessful alliance. Alone with Nova, Renji now had some questions that could only be rified by her. From Chief Losa''s words, there was a clear time point¡ªafter Karl''s death. -''What happened in the human Dragon Nation''s power structure after Karl''s death? How did this Minister Charl rise to power?''- These were the questions Renji wanted to ask Nova. However, Renji received a surprising answer. "Master, Charl was personally appointed by Karl before his death." "Appointed by Karl?" "Yes." Nova nodded. Perhaps that''s why, at that time, she had trusted Karl so much and had unlimited trust in Charl. "What happened afterward?" "Afterward, another thirty years passed, and Miyuki found me. She asked me to enter a deep sleep state to prevent contamination by the Tainted Miasma. After that, I rarely inquired about or knew much about the Dragon Nation''s affairs." Renji furrowed his brow, sensing something amiss. He immediately interrupted, "Wait a moment, thirty years?" "Let me confirm. Miyuki found you around the three-hundred-year mark, right?" The timing of Miyuki finding people was information Renji initially obtained from Suthia. With a nod from Nova, it seemed that Miyuki found all five of them at the same time. Renji couldn''t help but frown; while organizing the timeline, he noticed a conflicting point. "Nova, when did Karl pass away?" "In the 270th year." That''s the point. Renji''s expression turned more serious. The Forgotten Spirit Karl, summoned earlier, had told him during their conversation that he had only persevered until the 214th year. ''However, ording to Nova, Karl lived until the 270th year. In the fifty-six years between these points, who was the Karl who had been "serving" alongside Nova all this time?'' -------------- Chapter 138 138: Master, Nova Wants To Change Part 1 ? 5/8 "Sorry for the dy. I will try to publish the remaining two chapters after Ie back from college. However, I will release today''s second chapter in the next 30 minutes." ---- "Puting it simply, the answer to this question is quite easy." "Apart from Karl, there is another key figure in the middle, Minister Charl" After Renji told all this to Nova, the Dragon Empress was initially shocked. Nova had never imagined that the real Karl had passed away in the 214th year. Following that revtion, her pupils quickly turned into purple eyes, filled with anger. "So for the next fifty-six years, was the "Karl" by my side actually fake?" Karl was considered a close friend by Nova. After all, Karl was one of the few remaining people who could still be with her, arade who had fought alongside her in the battles led by Master Ashen. The thought that someone dared to desecrate Karl''s corpse and impersonate him for so many years brought a sense of guilt and self-me to Nova. This guilt and self-me turned into a sentence uttered by Nova, filled with endless anger. "Master, I''m going to bring Charl here right now." Indeed. Bringing Charl over immediately seemed like the most direct and simple solution. Renji believed that by questioning Charl, they could uncover the truth about those past years. However, Renji shook his head. "Nova, Charl is not the key. The key lies behind Charl." "Are you talking about Miyuki?" Nova clenched her fists. Whether it was deceiving her with a fake Karl or persuading her to "meditate (Deep Sleep)" at just the right time, she began to suspect that Miyuki, the elf knight who used to be part of "Emperor''s Personal Guardian" was behind it all. "I don''t know for sure, so we need to continue investigating. rifying the truth from those years. Since Charl is presented to us in the forefront, we can grab him anytime. But we shouldn''t be in a hurry. By keeping Charl as a thread, we can continue to follow it and possibly uncover more hidden truths, like fishing with a long line to catch deeper fish." "Yes, Nova will do as master says " Unconsciously, Renji still lost in thought, suddenly felt a warm touch on his hand. Nova had approached and tightly held his hand. When Renji looked up, whether it was due to Nova changing to her "low-star illustration" or something else, he saw a deep sense of sensitivity on Nova''s face. It was for this reason that the Dragon Empress held his hand so tightly and pressed her body against his. Indeed, for Nova now, feeling the touch and warmth of her Master was the only thing that could calm her hesitant and confused heart. "Master did I cause trouble for everyone¡­" Nova''s voice was low, and as she spoke, Renji could feel her trembling hand. Previously, Nova had always believed that she did nothing wrong. After all, during Karl''s era, the Dragon Nation prospered more and more. Later on, as Charl, Karl''s sessor, introduced slightly extreme policies, Nova vaguely sensed it. However, due to her trust in Karl, she didn''t intervene. Later, under Anno''s suggestion, shepletely let go and entered a state of seclusion. But now, learning some truths, Nova realized that the current situation of the demi-human was not because they were "not working hard enough" and were naturally selected. It was persecution by some outsider with ulterior motives that led to this. For Nova, these were twopletely different concepts. In the current Lizardmen tribe, most demi-humans, unlike the robust andrge Rush, were either extremely thin or at least had poor health. From their expressions, one could see deep exhaustion and a bleakck of expectation for the future. Regardless of the race, the vitality is always measured by the younger generation. However, the young demi-humans within the Lizardmen tribe currently show no signs of vitality. Most of them follow their parents, carrying a bamboo-framed basket, heading into the forest. They return with meager resources, hunched over, and retreat into their respective tent camps, nibbling on inferior fruits still coated with mud. Even the once proud "72 Tribes" like the Lizardmen tribe are in this state, not to mention other demi-human tribes. "No, Nova, this is not solely your fault. Now that we''ve realized we''ve taken the wrong path, instead of ming ourselves and feeling guilty, it''s better to quickly get back on the right track. Look, they''ve already arrived." Renji tightened his grip on Nova''s hand, and with the other hand, he pointed. Nova followed his gaze and saw Eileen and the maid returning, followed by many members of the revolutionary army. For most tribal members who hadn''t received the news, the appearance of the revolutionary army in front of the Lizardmen tribe was met with great vignce and caution. ¡­. "Which tribe are these people from, and what do they want to do?" "I seem to recognize them. They are that group of revolutionaries!?" "Why are theying over? Are they here to take things again? Haven''t they seen that our Lizardmen tribe is in this state!" "Oh well, those of us hiding in the back, forgetting the glory of our tribe, have no right to talk about them." In the midst of the sighs of most Lizardmen members, the discussions abruptly stopped as the aroma of food wafted through. Following behind the figures of the revolutionary army, the enticing smell silenced the noisy discussions. Several demi-humans instinctively brightened their eyes, lifted their heads, and the Lizard''srge noses sniffed the air vigorously. Eventually, everyone found the source of the fragrance. Seeing this scene, Renji''s mouth curved into a smile. Regr cooking might not achieve this effect, but with the carefully selected "special attacks" in his recipes tailored for demi-humans, the allure of the food was infinitely amplified. In the game, cooking, usually just a way to "raise affection" unexpectedly shone brightly in the second ythrough. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Chief Losa stood up as agreed and began to exin to the tribe. However, it wasn''t really necessary; the thunder hammer raised high in his right hand had already silenced any objections. "Mom, what''s that?" Some young demi-humans, unfamiliar with the thunder hammer, didn''t understand why their parents were so excited, even trembling as they held their hands. The female demi-human crouched down, picked up her child, allowing them a better view. "Do you remember the stories I often told you about our ancestors and the Great Emperor?" "Remember, remember! They are saviors, great heroes, relying on each other, the most reliable partners!" "This hammer is a symbol of the friendship between our ancestors and the Great Emperor. So my child, look carefully. Make sure to remember its appearance. This way, not only will our ancestors bless you, but the ''Great Emperor'' will also surely protect you." "Really! I will try my best to see clearly, and I will never forget it in my whole life!" The young demi-human widened their eyes, imprinting this moment deep into their memory. Chapter 139 139: Master, Nova Wants To Change Part 2 ? Under the dual ''assault'' of hammer relics and tasty food, the Lizardmen tribe had no resistance whatsoever. Especially since they couldn''t understand why, with the same ingredients, and some even being extremely simple, the dishes made by these revolutionary people were so delicious. When Renji was transported to the southern region, he had already purchased arge amount of food in the Sealed City. Currently, supporting the tribe for a month was not a problem. However, relying solely on these non-renewable food supplies was not a long-term solution. Renji needed to find a way to restore the demi-human''s vitality and revive their shamanic heritage. But no matter what, as Renji looked at the Lizardmen demi-humans around him, devouring the porridge, he couldn''t help but feel a different kind of satisfaction. Perhaps, after the impact of the previous "Karl," something had quietly changed within Nova. Surprisingly, she even approached Ashe. "Sister¡­.Nana(Nova)?" Ashe was startled to see Nova suddenly appearing by her side, especially after Eileen had informed her about Nova''s terrifying strength, lifting a hammer weighing over a hundred kilograms. Ashe thought Nova hade to her for another "sword training" session. However, what Nova said next left her dumbfounded. Nova took a deep breath and then stared into Ashe''s eyes with utmost seriousness. "Ashe, can you teach me how to cook?" ''Huh!?'' ''Cook?'' Ashe was first shocked. This waspletely unexpected. Although Nova had only joined them a day ago, the cold and distant aura emanating from her almostbeled her as someone to avoid. Sensitive Ashe could also sense that the feeling Nova gave her was not like Eileen and the maids. It always felt like there was a thick barrier between them, as if they were frompletely different worlds. But Nova''s wordspletely shattered Ashe''s understanding. "I also want to help in some way, so, can you please teach me?" Seeing Ashe''s silence, Nova repeated her request earnestly. Now Ashe was fully awake, and she immediately nodded excitedly. She knew that anyone following her master Renji must be gentle at heart, no matter how they appeared on the outside! And in her heart, Ashe secretly cheered herself on. She had to seize this opportunity well; ''who knows, it might be the key moment to establish a good rtionship with Sister Nana(Nova)!'' Eagerly, Ashe handed over her current tasks to others and quickly led Nova to the makeshift workspace. "Sister Nana, have you cooked before?" "No..." Nova shook her head. She had never cooked before. In the past, she relied on others to prepare meals. Perhaps this was why Suthia called her "selfish" Now that she thought about it, she indeed used to be quite self-centered. Change must happen. Nova firmly held onto this thought. "Alright, then let''s start with something simple!" Ashe nodded and pulled out a recipe for "Vegetable Soup" The steps were straightforward. After showing it to Nova, The Dragon Empress immediately took action. She picked up the vegetables that Ashe had prepared for her and poured them into the pot. Just as she was about to move on to the next step... "Wait, wait a moment!" Ashe hurriedly stopped Nova. Seeing the puzzled expression on Nova''s face, Ashe lifted the lid of the pot. As she looked at the chunks of vegetables sinking to the bottom of the pot, a sudden realization hit Ashe that things might not be as easy as she had imagined. " Sister Nana, you need to cut these fruits into pieces and shreds first. You can''t just put the whole thing in like that!" Nova suddenly understood and nodded. After scooping out the vegetables and fruits from the pot, she also took the kitchen knife handed over by Ashe. She took a deep breath; this was her first time cooking, and it symbolized her determination to make a change. Thus, Nova was extremely focused. Gripping the knife, she assumed a stance simr to when wielding a weapon in battle. Treating the fruits and vegetables on the cutting board as enemies on the battlefield, before Ashe could even see clearly, Nova had already retracted the knife. The vegetables in front of her split into pieces with a "swish" apanied by the sound of the cutting board cracking. Ashe: "." "Alright, Sister Nana, now you can put these vegetables in. Then, let''s add some seasonings. First, let''s add some vinegar." Ashe ced several small ceramic jars in front of Nova. Some were purchased from the Sealed City, and some were freshly prepared today. Nova had just been looking at the recipe, but when she picked up a ceramic jar and poured it in, Ashe hurriedly stopped her. "Sister Nana, that''s sugar!" Nova fell silent for a moment, then confidently picked another ceramic jar after sniffing it again with her nose. This time, she got a headache-inducing expression from Ashe. "Sister Nana, that''s soy sauce. This one here is vinegar!" Finally pouring it in, Ashe was once again rmed, "Too much! Too much!!" After a bowl of vegetable soup gave Ashe an idea of Nova''s "culinary skills," the determined Catgirl immediately gave up and decided to lower the difficulty for Nova. "Sister Nana, I think making pancakes might be a good idea. Let''s start with kneading the dough. It''s notplicated; just follow the proportions and add water and flour." "Start by putting in two cups of flour." Nova: "Okay." "Then add one cup of water." Nova: "Okay." Ashe: "." Seeing the sudden silence from the Catgirl, Nova looked up in confusion. "Then, Sister Nana, you can take out the three cups you put in there." After some struggles and the repeated cycle of "more water, more flour," her dough becamerger andrger. However, regardless of the oue, the fact that Nova managed to create something was considered a sess. Ashe didn''t dare let Nova continue with additional toppings, taking charge herself. Once everything was ready, the final step was to put it in the oven. However, due to the excessivelyrge amount of dough they made, even though they cut it into several pieces, each one was still quite thick, making it challenging to bake thoroughly. Nova noticed this and, seeing that the dough remained unchanged in color for a long time, volunteered to help this time. In the curious gaze of Ashe... Whoosh!* A zing me suddenly enveloped all the dough. The intense heatwave even startled Ashe, who had been standing nearby, causing her to take several steps back. When Ashe rushed to stop Nova, it was somewhat toote. After the mes dissipated, what sat on the rack were "pancakes" that had turned into charcoal. Ashe: "." Nova: "." "Sister Nana." Nova: "Yes?" "Let''s go practice swordsmanship" --------- ---------------------- I swear I didn''t copy Raiden Shogun''s personality ¡­ Or her skill¡­. Or her cooking¡­. ( ?¡ã ?? ?¡ã) Chapter 140 140: Exposed? ? Miyuki''s ALL 3 form has been posted in Chapter 00 Characters * ------------- -Sealed City. Less than twelve hours had passed since the "Blood Ritual," and the chaos in this city had beenpletely quelled. After the Empress''s punch shattered the well, the purification of the goddess "Suthia," and reinforcements sent from various ces, including General Long from the Imperial Capital, Sealed City had restored basic order the next day. However, on the city streets, one could still see many ruins from the explosions. This once bustling city, which could rival the Imperial Capital, was now scarred and marked with devastation. Nobles and merchants werementing their losses, as their wealth had evaporated into thin air overnight. Themon folk were also suffering, and many homeless wanderers had appeared on the streets. Perhaps the only ones unaffected were the poor and the non-human ves, as they had nothing to lose to begin with. -City Hall. The Empress''s arrival in Sealed City meant that many officials from the Imperial Capital had to rush over through the night. Charl, as the most important minister, couldn''t be absent. In the tea room at this moment, Charl was hosting a guest from Sin City, said to be the personal assistant of the "City Lord." The purpose of the visit was straightforward. "Miss Caroline, please convey our gratitude to the City Lord on behalf of me and all the people of Sealed City. The donation from Sin City, given to us free of charge, is a favor that our Dragon Nation will surely remember." Charl expressed his gratitude while discreetly pouring water, but in reality, his eyes were subtly scanning the assistant of the City Lord from head to toe. Caroline was dressed in a very formal suit, her golden ponytail standing tall behind her head, giving her apetent appearance. The ck-framed sses on her nose added a touch of seriousness, while her tightly fitted ck stockings highlighted her shapely legs. Typical of someone from Sin City, leading the whole continent in fashion. However, no matter how formal her sitting posture and attire were, they couldn''t hide her subus identity. Instead, they created a striking contrast, making Charl itch in his heart. Caroline adjusted her sses and didn''t say much. She took a contract from her briefcase and pushed it toward Charl. Charl, with a puzzled look, took the document and scanned it quickly. His expression of gratitude from earlier diminished considerably. "Wait a minute? Miss Caroline, does your City Lord want to take temporary control of this city?" "Yes, because Our City Lord is very concerned about the corruption within the Dragon Nation, and this isn''t directed at you, Mr. Charl. It''s just that We don''t want our disaster relief funds and materials to end up in some people''s pockets. Of course, we''re not pointing fingers at you, Mr. Charl. Hence, we made such a request. If the Dragon Nation wishes to ept this donation from Sin City, I must be given full authority to oversee the post-disaster reconstruction project of Sealed City." Caroline calmly exined, but the minister on the opposite side didn''t seem pleased and his expression turned somewhat dark. "Impossible! Dragon Nation''s cities are not handed over to outsiders for management!" Anticipating Charl''s refusal, Caroline continued calmly: "Firstly, we''re not here to manage the city, only to aid in the relief efforts. Secondly, I suggest you reconsider carefully. The amount required for post-disaster reconstruction is not a small sum. If you reject our goodwill from Sin City, then Mr. Charl, you might have to pay for it out of your own pocket." "Anyway, Sealed City is in ruins now, and it''s almost impossible to collect taxes before reconstruction. So why not let Sin City take care of this mess? We can guarantee that, within a month of the disaster relief ending, all Sin City personnel, including myself, will withdraw from Sealed City." "You don''t need to worry about any ulterior motives on our part. Sin City is a beacon for the continent, and our City Lord is benevolent and kind. Everything we do is to make this world a better ce." Charl furrowed his brows and fell into a deep thinking. What Caroline said made sense. With the current chaos in Sealed City and even the Empress''s personal intervention, he couldn''t continue his usual practice of embezzling funds from disaster relief. Even if he didn''t have such intentions, he knew very well that his subordinates were utterly corrupt. After all, he didn''t need capable people in positions of power; he needed obedient ones. If the disaster relief in Sealed City turned into a mess, he wouldn''t be able to exin it to the Empress. Besides, Caroline had assured him that Sin City''s people would only stay for a month, and in that short time, they probably couldn''t cause much trouble. Given these considerations, Charl reluctantly agreed to Caroline''s proposal and signed the contract. At this point, the subus across from him finally showed a faint smile. "A pleasure doing business. The people of the Dragon Nation are fortunate to have such a loyal and patriotic minister like you." "Oh, the City Lord also mentioned that if you ept, she will provide you with some highly reliable firsthand information from Sin City." "The Empress your Dragon Nation is frantically searching for is currently in the southern region." While speaking, Caroline collected the documents on the table, leaving Charl with no chance to respond. She simply turned and walked out. Left alone, Charl furrowed his brow and his brain began to race, causing him to break into a light sweat. Assuming Caroline wasn''t lying to him¡ªand with Sin City''s formidable intelligence-gathering capabilities, they could indeed have such information¡ªthen there was a big problem. Because the Southern Territories were the very ce of the non-human races! ''Why would Her Majesty go there?'' Charl''s first thought, in his anxiety, was their "Old Alliance" n! Realizing this possibility, the minister felt as if he had fallen into an icy pit, his body trembling. If the Empress indeed uncovered the truth about that cruel n targeting the demi-humans, no, the entire Dragon Nation, Charl couldn''t imagine the fury she would unleash. ''No, no, no! Stay calm!'' Charl took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. Firstly, all these spections were based on the assumption that Caroline didn''t lie to him. It was said that subi enjoyed ying with people''s hearts, and maybe her words were just meant to scare him. Second, and most importantly, given the Empress''s temperament, if she had indeed discovered something, even a hint, she would have likelye to apprehend him directly. The fact that he was still safely sitting here might mean that the Empress hadn''t figured it out yet, or perhaps, her visit to the southern region had a different purpose, not the worst-case scenario he feared. After all, Charl had been with the Empress for many years, and he knew very well that her investigative skills were virtually nonexistent. The Empress''s approach to solving problems had always been through sheer force. With a slightly steadier mind, Charl didn''t dare to linger any longer. He immediately got up from the sofa and left the council chamber, heading towards the secret chamber he had set up in Seal City. In the secret chamber, Charl rolled up his sleeves, revealing a dagger that seemed to be specially prepared for a certain ritual. The dagger had a twisted and eerie shape, resembling a w. As the minister bit his lip and thrust the dagger toward his wrist, the cut blood vessels immediately released a rush of fresh blood. However, the next scene was as if the blood had been guided; it was all devoured by the ritual dagger ced above. After "drinking blood" this dagger revealed its true form. The dagger seemed toe to life, and its metallic disguise rapidly faded, turning into a fleshy dagger that appeared to be breathing and pulsating. The dagger continued to draw blood from Charl''s wrist. Until it was finally satiated, the impure flesh and blood that made up the dagger''s hilt continued to writhe, and eventually, an evil eye, wrapped in mucus and filled with blood vessels, The eye gradually solidified and finally opened fully on the de. Chapter 141 141: "Mother" ? Note: If you didn''t understand this chapterpletely, it is totally normal, things will be cleared soon. 2/4 ------------ -Forest Alliance. Under the protection of the World Tree, this ce is an isted paradise untouched by the world. It''s rumored that just by inhaling the fresh air in the Forest Alliance, people can rejuvenate by several years, and drinking the moonlit spring water here can cure any stubborn ailment. There are also legends of magical spells improved upon by Miasma. Blessed with all these mysterious veils, the Forest Alliance is undoubtedly a dreamlike existence that many people regard as a fairnd. However, beneath these beautiful dreams lies something akin to the unseen roots of a towering tree, buried deep in the soil, vast and intricate, just like blood vessels. -The Old Alliance. -The Underground "Sanctuary". Although this ce is called a "Sanctuary" by the "Forgotten" there''s no trace of sacredness here. On the contrary, in this underground darkness untouched by sunlight, torches emitting an eerie glow in the corners serve as the few sources of light. Under this gloomy light, one can see that the underground sanctuary is not only vast but also majestic, resembling ancient ruins from time immemorial. Tall pirs stand in rows around, supporting the high dome of the sanctuary, and long banners with bizarre patterns hang from the tops of the pirs, draping down. In the center of the sanctuary is the location for the round table meetings, and there are currently four figures sitting in attendance. In the center of the round table''s ceiling, directly facing upward, there is a flower-like growth, and after a wriggling motion, the flower-shaped growth bursts open. Hidden inside the growth is an evil eye simr to the one on Charl''s dagger, but it''s muchrger. The eye, guided by the sinewy flesh, descends and stops a few meters above the round table, where it begins to rey everything Charl had reported not long ago through a shared visual interface for everyone at the round table to see. After itpletes this task, the eye is retracted and closes back into the fleshy growth on the ceiling. "I think you owe me an exnation. The blood sacrifice in Sealed City was your doing, wasn''t it? Without that sacrifice, the Empress would never have left the Imperial Capital, and our n wouldn''t be at such risk of exposure!" One of the shadows at the round table, seemingly a non-human, speaks up, addressing the figure diagonally opposite, a member wearing a gentleman''s hat. The member with the gentleman''s hat chuckled and pointed at the table with his finger. "Rx, Baal. At this point in the Dragon Nation''s progress, the situation is set. Even if the n is exposed, that Empress won''t have the power to change things. The lifeline of the Dragon Nation is firmly in our hands, isn''t it?" "Hmph, don''t make it sound like you''ve contributed to this. The gathering of the Dragon Nation''s decline relied on sacrifices from our demi-human kind!" "Yes, yes, but I have to admit, Baal, I admire your determination for revenge against that Empress. You were willing to curse the entire demi-human race and drag them down for hundreds of years just for your revenge. Do you really hate her that much?" "She took what was rightfully mine! How is that brainless woman better than me! Hah... hahaha, just because she''s a woman. Just because she''s a woman! Otherwise, she would never have be a Cmity Rank!" The beastman shadow became emotionally charged as he spoke. The elegant gentleman shadow, upon hearing this, nced at the beastman''s prominent chest andughed even harder. "So, is that why you decided to change your gender? Are you still holding onto feelings for that ''Great Emperor,'' hoping that by bing a woman, he will favor you again?" This remark seemed to hit a nerve, and the beastman shadow bristled with anger. Just as the argument threatened to escte, footsteps echoed in the sanctuary, and the room instantly fell silent. The gentleman shadow''s excited gaze, filled with various emotions, shifted immediately. Because, among all the attendees who appeared as shadows, the one who had just emerged was the only ''woman''. She wore a dark green dress, and her silky golden hair seemed to shine. Her amber eyes were captivating, and the pointed ears on either side of her head indicated her noble "elven" identity. "Children, this is not a ce for quarrels. I believe that each one of you sitting here has your own pains. We are here to help each other, not to reopen old wounds, am I right, Hero?" "Yes, Mother!" Not only Hero, but also the remaining few shadows at the round table made the same respectful expression towards the elven woman, although perhaps not as fervently as Hero. With the elf''s presence, the atmosphere around the round table improved significantly. "Hero, so what are the results of your blood sacrifice experiments?" the third shadow asked. His appearance was intriguing, shroudedpletely beneath a cloak. "It''s entirely feasible so far. I''ve almost mastered the technique to create a ''Well Zone'' but to engulf Sin City, I need to reach at least the ''Ring Zone'' or ''Abyss Zone'' level. I still need time." "Kai, how about your progress with the Mechanical Alliance? I recall you were working on the [Dream Infiltration] project?" "Just onest step to go" Kai responded. The four figures at the meeting each represented a different nation, except for the one responsible for the Holy Kingdom of Suthia, whose shadow was very faint and did not attend the meeting. The discussion returned to the Dragon Nation. Bal asked, "Since the Empress has appeared in the southern region, can I trigger the explosion ahead of schedule?" "There''s no need to rush. Let the ritual absorb more energy for a while. Let that puppet ministerst a bit longer. He''s lived long enough with the power we gave him. Besides, I''m quite curious to see if the Empress will discover something. Wouldn''t it be more interesting if she inadvertently triggers the spell in her rage, causing the destruction of her own Nation?" The beastman shadow fell silent, then nodded in agreement. They had to admit, when it came to revenge, none of them could surpass Hero. The round table meeting in the sanctuary didn''tst long. Soon, everyone paid their respects to the elf Women, who had remained silent and observant during their discussions, and left one after the other. Hero was thest to leave. He cast several longing nces at the elf Women at the head of the table, as if wishing to etch "Mother''s" image permanently in his mind. Without "Mother," there would be no them. They would have perished with time, but "Mother" had given them rebirth, showing them how foolish they were to follow Emperor Ashen. Despite being one of "The Emperor''s Personal Guardian" Mother''s kindness shone uniquely, unlike the falsehood of the other 4 guardian. For "Mother," he was willing to sacrifice everything. With this thought, the reluctant Hero finally left, many ns for "Mother" yet to prepare. In the end, the dim sanctuary was left with only the elf Women, alone in the quiet dark abyss. After her "children" had left, she raised one hand, and with a twist of her wrist, a faintly visible miniature version of the Forgotten Spirit appeared in the palm of her hand. This was none other than Karl, who had been summoned using the ancient ritual''s secret magic in the Sealed City, although now he resembled an unconscious duplicate. What followed was a horrifying scene. The once noble elf Women suddenly leaned forward like a puppet on strings, and then a tearing sound came from her back. *Squish! Squish! Squish!* In the blink of an eye, her once pristine back was riddled with numerous bloody holes. From these wounds, writhing masses of corrupt flesh, resembling mud, oozed out and quickly covered her entire body. Soon, the elf''s appearance vanished, reced by a figure still resembling the elf Women, but now engulfed in a vast shadow emerging from her back ¡ª dozens of grey-brown tentacles. The elf''s once fair skin turned dark grey. The many tentacles, wrapped in a slick mucus, waved chaotically in the air, emanating a terrifying and massive aura of Tainted Miasma. One of the slick tentacles wrapped around the miniaturized Forgotten Spirit of Carl and attached it to the elf''s abdomen. Her stomach writhed as the spirit seemed to be consumed, gradually absorbed into her flesh, until the elfpletely "ingested" it. At the same time, from the mass of tentacles on her back, a new slick tentacle emerged, wriggling in the air. "This is the essence... Foolish children who borrowed my power, now return to my embrace, along with your strength." Afterpleting all of this, the elf''s face showed a satisfied, indulgent expression. She touched her own belly as if she were a mother-to-be and, with her words, the tentacles behind her seemed to sway in response. "I understand. I will reunite that person with you very soon. I will fulfill your desires" the elf reassured the tentacles, cing many of them against her face and rubbing them as if listening to their pleas. "After all, he was once someone who could surpass me. He is my most outstanding child~" "I will suck his blood, merge his genes, and make him a part of us,pletely merging together. There will be no distinction between us." It was as if she could visualize that scene. The elf opened her mouth, and her salivary nds, stimted by desire, had already secreted arge amount of slime, making her entire oral cavity sticky and moist. Her tongue, now grayish-brown, extended outward, continuously licking the corners of her mouth. Chapter 142 142: The Filthy Black Mud And The Memory Of The Elven Knight ? 3/4 Eileen''s Second Illustration will be released soon, "Ugh! What are these? They feel so disgusting." Eileen, with a look of difort, covered her nose with her hand. Not far in front of her was a gray-brown Miasma swamp. To call it a swamp was not quite urate; it was more like filthy ck mud. Like ground moss, it covered and crept over the original soil. Wherever it passed, the grass and shrubs withered and turned yellow, and many trees were bald, with only rotten branches left. A nauseating stench emanated from these ck mud swamps, and what was even more hair-raising was their regr undtion, almost like breathing. Each of their movements absorbed nutrients from the earth below, causing thend and all its vegetation to increasingly lose vitality. Having sessfully incorporated the "Lizardmen Tribe" into the alliance, and learning that most of these tribes were actually descendants of his own contractors, Renji didn''t stay long and quickly adjusted his strategy. He left 86 at the camp for prevention and immediately continued south with Eileen and Nova, aiming to investigate the Wild Swamp and to find the "Watcher" tribes that were still holding the line against the swamp. They thought it would take some time to reach their destination, but surprisingly, it only took a day to see the Wild Swamp. Following Eileen who was leading the way ahead, Renji also caught up. He followed the girl''s gaze to the patches of ck mud swamp undting on the surface, furrowing his brows slightly, feeling that the situation was a bit worse than he had imagined. And more importantly. He found a sense of familiarity in this ck mud swamp. Indeed. It was somewhat simr to the scene in the final level of the first ythrough¡ªthe source of all disasters, the "Miasma Abyss" The resemnce to the current scene was uncanny, but of course, the level of contamination in the Savage Wild Swamp couldn''t bepared to theplete assimtion of thend in the Miasma Abyss back then. Both were chilling ck mud at first nce. Of course, the level of contamination in the Wild Swamp was notparable to that of the Miasma Abyss then. The swamp in front of them was only absorbing and devouring the nutrients of the earth, causing the nts to wither. But in the Miasma Abyss of that time, the memory surfaced ¨C it was andpletely corroded and assimted. No, to be precise, it should be described as a "hive." On the ck mud, not a single de of grass grew, but instead, many "nts" were thriving. The catch was that they either resembled "eyeballs" or appeared to be "human hands" growing from the ground. When you approached them, these bizarre "nts" would emerge from the soil and chase you, considering you as their prey. Many indescribable and bizarre nts like these grew in the ck mud, leaving a deep impression on Renji during his first venture into this dungeon. Especially as he ventured deeper into the hive, another characteristic of the "Miasma Abyss" began to manifest¡ªtentacles. This phenomenon was unique to "Miasma Abyss" a manifestation of the will of "Miasma." No matter what kind of Miasma monster it was, they could sprout tentacles from various parts of their bodies. In the final boss battle, in front of the "Mother of Miasma" at the deepest part of the hive, the screen filled with tentacles was hauntingly beautiful, making Renji, who yedte into the night, question the mental state of the creators of such a creepy and twisted scene. Even Renji, outside the screen, felt this way, not to mention the characters inside the game. Most of them, upon entering dungeons like the "hive," were automatically afflicted with a debuff that reduced all stats due to mental fatigue. The longer they stayed, the more severe the debuff''s weakening effect. However, there are always exceptions, and two Characters were immune to the psychological terror of the "hive." One was the "Cloaked Man" protagonist controlled by Renji, and the other was his Mommy, Miyuki, the Elven Knight of the "Guardian" ss. This was all thanks to Miyuki''s "weird yet powerful" talents. The first talent made all ''positive buff'' ineffective on Miyuki, while all ''negative buff'' would cause her to receive double the opposite effect. (In short, pain will became pleasureX2) The second talent meant that every time Miyuki received an attack from the outside world, she gained increased defense, higher damage reduction percentage, enhanced shield resilience, improved experience gain efficiency after battles, increased affection, and skill proficiency. It''s worth noting that both talents, whether the first or the second, did not differentiate between friend and foe, meaning attacks from ally characters could also trigger Miyuki''s passive abilities. Therefore, there were often ''dramatic'' scenes in the game where, at the start of a battle, before the enemy could even attack, Renji would have his characters curse Miyuki and then focus fire on this female knight. When Miyukiter acquired a skill that allowed her to take on all the damage for the team in a short time, the harder the enemies hit, the thicker her shield became, allowing Renji to recklessly use all-out attack characters. With the shield of a mother, safety was assured. Because of this improved gaming experience, even though Miyuki was thest of ''them'' to join and joined thetest, Renji''s affection for her was no less than for the previous four. After all, she was his ''Mommy'', who had saved his life countless times. Pulling his drifting thoughts back, Renji shook his head in front of the ck mud of the Wild Swamp. He had be sentimental, partly because recent series of investigations all pointed towards Miyuki, leading him to reminisce about the Elven Knight. Indeed, considering Miyuki''s motherly nature of ''protecting others'' it was indeed likely that she would ''shelter'' those characters who were once abandoned. However. While Eileen, leading the way ahead, was still trying to touch the sludge with a small twig, Renji cast an inquiring nce at the Dragon Empress behind him, wanting to know if the Wild Swamp had always been like this. Nova shook her head. In her memory, the southern territories did have remnants of Miasma pollution at the beginning of her Nation, it should have been mostly purified after Karl and the demi-humans cleared thend. ''As I thought¡­'' Renji sighed inwardly. Whether it was the Miasma Well Zone created by Roca of the Jackal Demi-humans, enveloping the entire Sealed City, or the filthy ck mud of the Wild Swamp in front of them, these things that should have only existed 500 years ago were showing simr traces today. Renji and Nova both felt a shared sense of unease as they observed the signs together, both wearing frowns on their faces. ''Certain beings...'' ''It seemed they were making aeback.'' However, Renji was not too afraid of these once defeated foes, recalling the satisfying and relieving battle when he, at level 150, easily crushed them in the final fight. He vividly remembered dismembering the Miasma Mother, a centipede-like giant octopus, cutting off its "tender, multi-limbed" tentacles until it was leftpletely bare. For Renji, who had once decisively defeated such an entity, there was little fear left, somewhat like how a TV star might feel after a resounding sess, appearing somewhat ordinary on screen afterward. Although the analogy wasn''t perfect, Renji''s feeling was somewhat simr. Taking a deep breath. It was one thing to disregard it mentally, but strategically, it was important to remain vignt. Like now, with Eileen, driven by curiosity, continuously poking at the filthy ck mud with a twig. This undoubtedly made Renji raise an eyebrow, understanding the feeling of parents with mischievous children, his fists tightening as he reflected on whether he had been too indulgent and lenient with Eileen recently. Just as he was about to call the girl back, someone else beat him to it. Or more precisely. A swiftly flying arrow did. Chapter 143 143: Master Renji, I Want To Be Alone With Eileen For A While ? 4/4 Swoosh! After a whistling sound that tore through the air, Eileen let out a startled cry near the swamp. A perfectly aimed arrow hadnded just centimeters away from her feet. She immediately redirected her attention away from the ck mud swamp and looked around with a mixture of alertness and anger. Following closely behind, a rapid sound of hooves emerged from the forest behind. The owner of the arrow appeared before them¡ªa centaur. "What are you still standing there for? Do you want to die being so close to the swamp?" The centaur shouted angrily at Renji and hispanions, especially Eileen, who had just been dangerously close to the swamp. He rushed over and retrieved the arrow that had forced Eileen away from the swamp. "You Fuc..." Eileen was about to say something, but the centaur interrupted her, saying, "Shut up! It''s too dangerous here. Follow me!" After finishing his words, the centaur turned and headed into the forest. However, it was evident that he intentionally slowed his pace to allow Renji and his group to keep up. Whether it was his earlier warning to Eileen or his current intention to lead them away, it was clear that the centaur''s attitude was very different from the other forest-dwelling demi-human they had encountered. ''Is he from the "Watcher''s" tribe?'' Renji didn''t react unnecessarily and silently led the two people with him to follow the centaur. And during the journey, Eileen was still disgruntled about the centaur''s arrow, and she continued to express her frustration until Renji gave her a light tap on the head, after which she quieted down. On the other hand, Dragon Lady, who was next to her, nced at Eileen and continued to remain expressionless. In this manner, they quickly passed through the forest, and the outlines of a campsite appeared in the distance. Daggo, as a "Forest Guardian," had initially intended to take Renji and hispanions to meet someone from his tribe to ensure that they were not polluted by the ck mud before allowing them to leave. However, as they approached the tribal camp, Daggo''s ears twitched, and his face suddenly changed. He no longer paid any attention to Renji and the others, instead immediately breaking into a full gallop and heading straight for the camp. The reason was that, unbelievably, the Savage Wild Swamp had also appeared around the camp now. What was even more deadly was that, after a wriggling motion from the ck mud, strange creatures began to emerge from it. No, it wouldn''t be urate to call them creatures. They were in a state of decay, their eyes lifeless, and all that remained was their crimson desire to attack. With each step these monstrosities took, the ck mud below them continued to spread. Many centaur demi-human within the camp were fiercely resisting these ck mud monsters, but their defensive line appeared to be crumbling. The swamp''s area continued to expand, gradually encroaching on the camp. Daggo, filled with anxiety, had already nocked an arrow and pulled it tight, drawing his bowstring with great force. The arrow shot from his bowstring hit one of the ck mud monsters squarely in its eye with exceptional precision. However, in the grand scheme of things, his shot did little to change the situation. But at that moment, a powerful aura radiated behind him. When Daggo turned in surprise, he saw the human girl who had been ying with the mud by the swamp a moment ago. She had transformed, now wielding a bloody-red greatsword that sent shivers down his spine. Before he couldprehend what was happening, she had already charged forward. The ck mud monsters, which they had considered formidable adversaries, crumbled under the girl''s greatsword. What shocked Daggo even more was that the most terrifying aspect of these ck mud monsters, their seemingly endless numbers, suddenly appeared to be working in her favor. Every time she struck down one of the filthy creatures, instead of weakening, her sword seemed to glow even brighter. Initially, she had been taking them down one by one, but as time passed, she could effortlessly cleave through a dozen or more monsters with a single swing. This "Swamp " was probably the fastest ending to such an event that Daggo had experienced in his fifteen years of life. In less than a minute, there was not a single ck mud monster left around the camp, and once they lost it''s monsters, the filthy ck mud swamp no longer expanded. Strangely, it seemed to retreat underground as if trying to escape from something. After a few breaths, the swamp that had surrounded the camp disappeared entirely. In the chieftain''s tent of the Thousand Bows tribe, Daggo regarded Renji and hispanions with aplex expression, focusing particrly on Eileen, who had just challenged him by lifting her chin. Despite being a mere human girl, Daggo couldn''t help but suppress his pride and even feel a sense of gratitude. After all, without her intervention, their tribe would have likely suffered greatly to repel the swamp. However... Even though they owed a debt of gratitude to their tribe, as soon as Daggo recalled the words of the young human man who had challenged them earlier, their purpose became clear. Daggo shook his head. "Sorry, we won''t join you because we believe in Her Majesty Empress." "What?!" Eileen was the first to react to Daggo''s statement. She couldn''t understand or ept this reason. "Are you all crazy? Even after that heartless Empress treated you like this, you''re still speaking up for her?" Nova nced at Eileen and remained expressionless. Daggo continued, "That''s just the influence of corrupt ministers who have deceived Her Majesty" "I can''t believe you! What are you all persisting for? The Lizardmen from yesterday at least had some growth potential, but you''ve been on the sidelines fighting these swamp monsters for generations, sacrificing so many, and for what?" Eileen eximed, frustration evident in her voice. Daggo shook his head. "If we don''t intervene, the swamp will expand recklessly, and soon the entire southern territory will be lost." Eileen continued, "Don''t you get it? The Dragon Nation oppresses you, treats you like ves, and yet you''re here defending their borders. Have you ever thought that nobody cares about you?" Eileen had thought that her words would have a significant impact and make the stubborn demi-human reconsider. However, to her surprise, Daggo pulled out a weathered scroll that seemed to have been passed down through generations and had turned yellow with age. With great solemnity, Daggo spread it out in front of everyone, revealing a series of drawings inside. "It''s not that nobody cares about us. At least our ancestors of the Thousand Bows tribe, the great sage Karl, and Emperor Ashen cared about us. They may not be here anymore, but their spirits are still watching over us, casting their gaze upon us. I can feel it." "So, protecting the southern territory is the promise we made back then. As long as the Savage Wild Swamp is not eradicated, we will not leave!" In the scrool, Karl the Grand Sage, the ancestral figures of the Thousand Bows tribe''s centaur lineage, were rtively easy to identify. However, Eileen couldn''t find Emperor Ashen. It wasn''t until Daggo pointed to the shadow in the scroll, a figure entirely cloaked in a cape. Eileen: "Hah?" "This is the ancient Great Emperor? Doesn''t quite match what''s been circting on the inte." Daggo raised an eyebrow and silently repeated to himself several times that this human girl was their savior, suppressing the urge to clench his fists. However, for the other person present. The Dragon Lady nced at the girl. But this time, she wasn''t expressionless. "So, as long as the Savage Wild Swamp is gone, you have no reason to stay here, right?" ''What is she talking about?'' Daggo looked at the female dragonkin who had spoken up, not entirely understanding, but he nodded nheless. And then, in the moments that followed. "Master Renji, may I request your permission to go and eliminate the source of the swamp with her?" Nova immediately asked Renji and pointed at Eileen, making it clear that "her" referred to Eileen. In her final statement, Nova added: "The Savage Swamp is too dangerous, so you don''t need toe along Master Renji. Let us go together. I assure you I will protect her and ensure her safety at all times." Chapter 144 144 The Loser Must Behave Like A Loser Part 1 ? -In the Vast Swamp. The filthy ck mud that Eileen encountered before was just the basic part of the swamp''s expansion outward. However, as she and Nana ventured deeper, the surroundings started to twist more and more. The trees were no longer merely bare but grew in irregr shapes with their branches twisted. The stench in the air became almost unbearable, making it hard to breathe. The vast area of the muddy swamp meant they had to be careful with every step. Eileen sneaked a nce at Nana, the neer beside her. This old relic''s newpanion had the same cool face, seemingly unaffected by the foul smell, as if she had no sense of smell. Eileen, trying to hold her own, refrained from covering her nose with her hand. ''Humph!'' She didn''t want to lose to this arrogant neer! The moment Nana asked to deal with the Vast Savage Swamp alone with her, leaving the Renji behind, Eileen sensed a hint of hostility. She was both puzzled and a bit hurt. ''I didn''t provoked Nana, or¡­ did I?'' But soon, this feeling turned into a surge of temper. As soon as Nana spoke, Eileen agreed without waiting for Renji to speak. She wanted to see what Nana was really up to. However, since they had parted ways with the Renji, Eileen had been waiting, but Nana didn''t make any move. She remained silent as ever, cold as ice. As they delved deeper into the swamp, the filthy creatures that attacked the camp became more frequent, and some couldn''t be avoided just by circling around. Eileen looked at a two-to-three-meter-tall bear-like filthy mutant Tainted Corpse blocking their path and smiled. ''My Time hase'' ''The filthy creatures that had attacked the camp before were too weak to show my real strength. But this one in front is different'' Eileen took the lead, not giving the dragondy a chance, and charged forward alone. The [Great Annihtion] skill activated instantly, and Eileen''s aura surged to its peak in a matter of seconds. With deliberate elegance, she swung her crimson greatsword high into the skye, following the girl''s graceful leap, the sword transformed into a scarlet de of light, shing toward the bear-monster. Splut!* A gaping wound appeared on the monster''s body, and blood mixed with filthy ck mud gushed outward. However, Eileen intentionally avoided striking at vital points. After the initial sessful strike, she continued to unleash a flurry of sword strikes around the massive creature''s body. Each strike left deep sword marks on the monster, but it couldn''t touch Eileen''s clothing. The creature, on the other hand, possessed great strength capable of shattering rocks with a single swipe but couldn''t evene close to reaching Eileen. To an onlooker, it seemed as though Eileen was effortlessly toying with her opponent. Thud!* After a heavy noise, the monster covered in wounds, finally copsed, unable to rise again. Eileen, satisfied with her performance, sheathed her greatsword and without showing any sign of exhaustion, returned to stand beside Nana(Nova), who had been observing the entire battle. "This big guy had some decent strength, but it''s a pity hecked anybat skills. So, Nana, you should pay attention to this as well. Dealing with some naive enemies is fine, but in case you encounter someone like me, having all that strength won''t help if you can''tnd a hit." Eileen gave these words of advice in a "wise elder" tone. The reason she had been pleased to see the bear tainted corpse was that it was a ssic example of immense strengthbined with clumsiness, perfect material for her to demonstrate her abilities to Nana. While Nana''s ability to lift hundreds of kilograms with a single hand was impressive, her advantagey mainly in physical strength due to her being a demi-human. That''s why Eileen decided to focus on teaching herbat techniques. However, Eileen soon realized that she had been mistaken. Her words had indeed produced an effect, and Nana finally reacted, but her response was rather peculiar. In Eileen''s bewildered gaze, Nana walked over to the nearby polluted Tree and plucked a branch from it. Without waiting for the girl to speak, Nova''s gaze shifted to another mutated Corpse wandering nearby. Then, Eileen felt like her vision blurred for a moment, and Nova disappeared from her original spot. "Huh?!" Eileen saw Nova, who seemed to be joking, standing in front of the monster with a tree branch as a weapon, and she was left dumbfounded. Panic and anxiety quickly filled her. As an elder (In Renji''s team), how would she exin to the Renji if the neer got injured? But the next moment, Eileen''s attempt to rush over and help came to an abrupt halt. She stood there like a wooden statue, frozen in ce. Her mouth gaped open with an expression of utter disbelief. Indeed. Nova didn''t even leave Eileen a chance to intervene. The tree branch in her hand transformed into a sword as sharp as any in the world. Each strike left the creature with bloodied holes, just like the battle Eileen had fought earlier. As the creature fell with a thunderous crash, Nova sheathed her sword¡ªor rather, returned the branch to its natural form. When Nova returned to Eileen, who was still standing there in shock, she raised an eyebrow and simply said three words. "Want to learn?" "I-I..." Eileen''s pride as an "elder" didn''tst more than a few seconds. It waspletely overshadowed by her amazement at the inexplicable skill or power that Nova had demonstrated. ''Who wouldn''t want to learn something like this?'' "So, you want to?" Eileen didn''t hesitate to surrender to Nova, raising a white g, and quickly asked in a hurried tone as she approached Nova: "How did you do it? Using a tree branch as a weapon? Isn''t that too extreme?" Nova shook her head calmly and said, "If you follow my training method, you can achieve it quickly." "Really?! Will it be effective soon? Then let''s start! I''m ready Sister Nana~!" Eileen responded eagerly. Chapter 145 145 The Loser Must Behave Like A Loser Part 2 ? Eileen''s ability to change her demeanor was indeed extraordinary. Upon hearing that the Dragon Lady wasn''t deceiving her and even had training methods, Eileen quickly added a respectful "sister" to address her. "There are three steps in total for the training. First, fight them without any weapons," the Dragon Lady directed, pointing to the tainted beasts roaming the wild swamps. "What? Isn''t that just asking to be beaten up?" "Exactly, it''s about taking the hits." Watching Nova nod seriously and not joking, Eileen moved her lips several times, wanting to say something. But ultimately, she steeled herself with determination. ''Bring it on!'' With more and more people joining Renji''s side, Eileen felt an increasing pressure within. This was why, after witnessing the Nova''s strength, she made such a swift and clean turnaround. ''I want to improve myself!'' Rolling up her sleeves, Eileen charged barehanded towards a mutated two-headed wolf-like tainted corpse not far away. Even without using her "Annihtion" skill, just summoning a regr version of the Bloody Sword, Eileen was confident she could kill the monster within three moves. However, now,plying with Nova''s request to fight barehanded, which meant not using Miasma''s power, her attack power was significantly reduced. This caused her to be evenly matched with the two-headed wolf. On the other hand, Eileen was weaponless, but her reflexes were intact. It was easy for her to dodge the wolf''s attacks, but "dodging" wasn''t her goal. Resolutely, Eileen let down her guard on purpose. Taking a w strike from the wolf as a trade-off, shended a sessful punch right in the beast''s chest. A burning pain shot through her back, causing Eileen to grimace, but she didn''t stop. Taking advantage of the beast being knocked down by her punch, she quickly mounted its back and started hammering it relentlessly. After two or three minutes, the creature beneath her finally stopped moving. Eileen then wiped the sweat off her forehead, breathing a sigh of relief. She truly realized then how challenging it was to step out of herfort zone and fight in an unfamiliar way. But before Eileen, now covered in dirt and sweat, could catch her breath, a roar from behind startled her. Turning around hurriedly, she saw a beast, simr to the initial bear monster and about three meters tall, lured over by the Dragon Lady. It almost seemed like the Dragon Lady was non-verbally suggesting this beast as her next opponent. "Damn it!" Having just struggled with the two-headed wolf, and now being asked to face this gigantic creature seemed a bit too much. "Sister Nana, let me rest!... don''t walk away!" After drawing the monster''s attention, the Nova swiftly moved to a distant spot and watched without expression. The monster, losing its original target, quickly focused on Eileen as its new enemy. Seeing Nova''s behavior, Eileen felt like she wouldn''te to her aid even if she were eaten by the beast. Driven by the instinct to survive, her adrenaline surged, and she gritted her teeth to push her limits in the fight against the monster. -Ten minutester Bang¡ª* The massive body of the beast finally fell, and Eileen was in a sorry state, lying on the ground in a spread-eagle position, gasping for air. Her jacket and leather pants were now styled with "holes." "Sister Nana!?" After struggling to her feet, she looked around for the Dragon Lady, only to see her riding a ferocious velociraptor, charging straight at her. "Shit!" -Fifteen minutester. The frenzied velociraptor also fell, and with it, Eileen. She had been whipped by its tail twelve times, smacked by its ws seven times, hit and thrown three times by its head, pushed back by an ''Iron Mountain Lean'' five times, and seven times kicked by its leaping ws. Now, the girly motionless on the ground, feeling like her bones were about to fall apart, with not a single muscle in her body that didn''t ache. "I can''t... please, Sister Nana, spare me. If this goes on, someone will really die." Nova: "Eat this first, this is the second step." Nova crouched beside the exhausted girl and pulled out a fresh mutant nt from her pocket, as if she had just plucked it from the savage swamp. The leaves of this nt were a disturbing purple color, shaped like insects, and what disgusted Eileen even more was that these leaves moved as if they had a consciousness when Nova held them in her hand. "No! Get this S**tything away from me! I''d rather die than eat this! This isn''t training at all! I see through your acting now Nana... ugh, ugh, ugh, bleh!" Clearly, Eileen''s resistance was futile, and given her current condition, she couldn''t resist Nova in any way. With a calm expression, Nova ignored Eileen''s refusal, forcefully opened her mouth, and shoved the purple insect-like herb inside. Eileen had initially tried to resist vigorously, hoping to spit it out, but Nova seemed to press something that made her swallow it involuntarily. By the time she wanted to vomit it out, it was toote. She could only produce a series of nauseating retches. "I''m going to die! I can''t believe I actually ate this weird thing that grew in the filthy mud! It''s over! I''m done for!" Eileen''s thoughts were in turmoil, and soon her stomach, which was already ufortable, began to cramp painfully. Just as she was sweating profusely while clutching her stomach, Nova returned, with seven or eight swamp creatures following her. They had been lured over. "The first two steps are over. Now, it''s time for the final step. If you can get through this, you''ll seed." "Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu@k!" These seven or eight mutated monsters were all advanced variants. Even on a normal day, Eileen would have to be cautious and put in some effort to deal with them. But in her current terrible condition, this was nothing short of a death sentence. However, Eileen had figured out Nova''s personality ¨C she wouldn''t lift a finger to help. So, despite enduring the excruciating pain in her stomach, she had no choice but to face the iing horde of monsters. Chapter 146 146: Shaman Heritage ? Kinda boring chapter so don''t sleep :3 ----------- Eileen realized that fighting barehanded wasn''t an option now, so she summoned her bloody greatsword. Strangely, perhaps it was just her perception, but Eileen felt that her severe stomach pain had somewhat eased as she enteredbat mode. This sensation became even more pronounced as she started to eliminate the monsters. It was as if her previous stomach cramps, which had weakened, were now transforming into a source of power that gradually infused her entire body, making her tired body feel more and more energetic. As for the changes happening within her body, there was also something happening in reality. Buzz!* The sword hummed, and Eileen couldn''t believe her eyes as she saw that a single swing of her sword had effortlessly in two mutated monsters. Her strength hadn''t visibly increased, but her control and mastery over her body and her weapon had seemingly improved, as if her skills had taken a significant step forward. With a sense of pleasant surprise, Eileen fought even more vigorously. The seven or eight advanced swamp monsters couldn''tst more than two minutes each in her hands before they turned into lifeless bodies. "Wow! Sister Nana, I''ve really improved! I never thought that getting beaten up could be this effective! And that thing you made me eat, even though it tasted awful and looked weird, it actually works. I feel like I have no fatigue at all!" "Now that I''vepleted these three steps, can I...?" Eileen couldn''t wait to try using a tree branch as a sword; it seemed incredibly cool to her. "Yes, you can give it a try," Nova nodded. Filled with joy, Eileen quickly grabbed a tree branch and confidently approached one of the unfortunate monsters nearby to test her new skills. However, the result came swiftly with a resounding "snap." Eileen was sent flying by a swipe from the monster, and as for the tree branch, it didn''t even get a chance to harm the creature before it was broken by the force of the attack. "Ugh! Why?" "Because a simple tree branch was never going to cut it." "Huh!?" "Are you referring to something like this?" Nova casually flicked her wrist, conjuring another "tree branch" in front of Eileen. However, upon closer look, Eileen realized that this was no tree branch at all; it was a visual illusion created by Nova''s Distorted Reality power. "You, you!" Eileen''s eyes widened in anger as she pointed at Nova, struggling to find words. The thought of enduring so much pain only to receive this kind of deceitful answer made her chest heaving with anger. Especially when Nova calmly added, "It''s what you wanted to learn." "Nana! I challenge you!" Nova:"¡­" Nova replied with a nonchnt expression, "I''ve been waiting for you to say that for a long time." Eileen activated her "Great Annihtion" mode, her eyes filled with fury. She wielded her peak form bloody greatsword without hesitation and charged towards Nova. After the hardships she had endured, Eileen was now extremely confident in her abilities. She was determined to make this peculiar dragon woman taste the same bitter medicine she had forced upon her¡ªthose disgusting mutant nts! With fierce determination. Three minutester. The girl who had discarded her armor was lying on all fours with her head down, half of her face tilted close to the ground, and her buttocks raised high. The bloody sword beside her was also half-cut into the ground, and the red light on the de became trembling. Like its mistress, it lived up to its former arrogance and majesty. Especially when the Dragon Lady came closer, it trembled with fear. it drilled directly back into Eileen''s body. In the wild and Savage Swamp, on the border of the Tribal Forest, it was a rare sight to see six "Watchers" ns, including the centaur "Thousand Bows tribe", leaving their guarded territories to convene in front of this vast clearing. Now, the Demi-Human members of all ns were uniformly fixated on the gigantic creature in the clearing. Originally resembling a dragon species, it had undergone mutations; its wings devolved into bat-like ws, tightly gripping the ground. It moved on all fours, its length a terrifying twenty meters. Devoid of fur, it was covered in thick skin and tough, sturdy scales. Through therge gaps in its upper and lower jaws, rows of sharp, conical teeth were visible. Surrounded by many ns, it appeared agitated. With a powerful push from its hind legs and its forelimbs lifting its upper body, it raised its long neck to a height of over seven meters. Itsrge, orange-yellow, vertically slit dragon eyes, like copper bells, disdainfully and contemptuously surveyed the Demi-Humans below, exuding the oppression and fear of a top predator. Indeed, there could be no mistake. The centaur Daggo''s hooves nervously shuffled back and forth beneath him. To all the Watchers ns, this mutated dragon was not unfamiliar; they knew it well. The Cmity Dragon, existing only in the deepest parts of the wild Swamp, was at the very top of the monster hierarchy ¨C the absolute ruler of the swamp and the chief monster they had always wanted to vanquish. They believed that a series of anomalies in the Swamp, including the filthy ck mud, originated from this creature contaminating theirnds. But now, just as the Cmity Dragon was about to roar at the Demi-Humans below, it lifted its neck halfway and then... Bang!* A figure emerged on its back, lifting a foot and stomping down on the dragon''s head. The once fearsome Cmity Dragon, its menacing aura now gone, quickly retracted its neck andy prostrate on the ground, its head pressed against the earth. After the two figures on its back, no, the two members of the revolutionary army who had set out to "end" the Wild Swamp, leaped down, Daggo saw clearly who they were. ''Just how long had it been since they departed? And they already defatted it...?'' Shock quickly turned into deep respect. Daggo might not know how they did it, but just thinking about it made it clear that the process was extremely dangerous and arduous. This was evident from the appearance of the human girl. Many of the Watchers'' ns turned their eyes to the limping Eileen, observing her battered and torn body, her clothes covered in the marks of various beasts'' ws and tails. These battle scars alone told of the cruel fights she must have endured to defeat, or even conquer, the Swamp King. Daggo wasn''t sure if "conquer" was the right word, as the incarnate of Cmity, the terrifying dragon species, began to nuzzle towards another Dragon Woman as it followed its humanpanions off its back. When the Dragon Women ignored it, the dragon even stretched out its tongue into the air, almost like a... longing puppy wanting to lick? After being kicked away by the impatient Dragon Lady, Daggo wondered if he was seeing things. Yet, on the face of the Cmity Dragon, which should have been ferocious, there appeared a look of enjoyment? With the taming of the Cmity Dragon, for the Watchers'' ns, it meant the end of the Wild Swamp''s expansion and truly signified the end of their generations-long duty to guard the southern borders. Nova silently watched many of the Demi-Humans embracing and crying, not disturbing the celebration. Later, when she regrouped with Renji, she shook her head in response to his questioning gaze. She told Renji that the source of the Swamp''s pollution was not this Earth Dragon. Rather, it was also a victim. The real source of pollution came from a certain ritual secretly conducted by the "High Priest" of the ancient Wolf n on the Orc ins. The Wild Swamp was just a byproduct of this massive pollution. "Radiation alone transformed the entire swamp into an expanding mass of filthy ck mud?" Renji frowned, finding it hard to believe the immense power of Miasma. Miasma doesn''t just appear out of nowhere, especially after its supposed destruction. Theoretically, it could only be generated from negative emotions, like the bloodshed caused by the feudal system of the Jackal-wolf people under Roca. ''But what did the ancient Wolf n''s High Priest use to umte such terrifying Miasma?'' Suddenly, Renji seemed to have a realization, his frown deepening. At first, he wondered where in the Dragon Nation such a vast source of negative emotions could be. But soon, Renji realized it wasn''t about where in the Dragon Nation, but that the entire Nation had be the perfect collection ground for negative emotion. The strictly hierarchical system, oppressive to the point of suffocation, and the Demi-Human ves burdened with cors, subjected to constant oppression - these alone made this Nation the most fertile ground for Miasma among the five powers. ''Could this be why Charl of the Old Alliance and the hidden hands behind him...'' Renji didn''t share these thoughts with Nova. Now, it seemed, the answery solely with one person ¨C the High Priest of the ancient Wolf n. "By the way, Master Renji, I found these in the depths of the Wild Swamp. They must be relics left by Karl." Nova said, pulling out several rune-like stones from her bosom and handing them to Renji. The stones, etched withplex and iprehensible symbols, were immediately recognized by Nova as tools often used by her Emperor from five hundred years ago. Although she didn''t know how to use them, she knew they were valuable and brought them back for Renji. ''Professional Heritage Stones!?'' Taking the stones, Renji''s vision was immediately filled with rted prompts window. These stones were special professions unique to the Demi-Human lineage. After quickly going through them, Renji''s eyes lit up as he pulled out one stone, its runenguage more borate than the others, almost double in quantity. This was the Heritage Stone of the profession [Shaman]! Demi-Humans typically gravitated towards professions like Vanguard and Archer, with the Guardian ss also beingmon. Unfortunately, thesebat professions didn''t benefit the current Demi-Human much, as they required numerical support for significant impact. However, the [Shaman] profession was different. It was a rare "Special Ability" ss among Demi-Human, notbat-oriented but more supportive. Having a "Shaman" could be of great help to a n, including but not limited to healing diseases, summoning wind and rain, and even directly promoting the growth of natural vegetation. Chapter 147 147: The Empresss Training Manual ? "Rx, Ashe, it''s quick and won''t hurt at all." "Um, I, I trust you, Master. Ah! No, I mean, I trust Mr. Renji!" Ashe identally blurted out her words. The cat-girl''s face turned bright red with embarrassment, and she clenched her clothes tightly in her hands. The few members of the Revolutionary Army sighed helplessly, with Jiu turning his head as if it was a lost cause. The Dragon Lady nced at Ashe; her face expressionless. "Cough, then I''ll start," Renji quickly steered the conversation back on track, cing his hand on the cat-girl''s head. They had now returned with the six ns from the borderlines, and what Renji was doing was attempting to make Ashe the first demi-human to be a Shaman. His other hand held the Shaman Inheritance Stone, with itsplex and profound runguage. Ordinary demi-humans would need countless days and nights to study andprehend it. However, as his own contractor, Ashe didn''t need these tedious steps, thanks to such an external cheat. The inheritance stone in Renji''s hand began to glow, its runes lighting up one after another. They seemed toe to life, swirling around Renji''s body like a ring of knowledge. Finally, under Renji''s will, these runes flowed through his other hand into Ashe''s head. Ashe, with her eyes tightly closed, felt a surge of arcane knowledge and voices in her mind. It was initially iprehensible, but as the contract tattoo behind the cat-girl''s neck flickered, these profound runes began to change, suddenly making it all seem not so difficult to understand. Much of it was easilyprehended and firmly memorized in her mind, as if this knowledge had always belonged to her. The entire process didn''tst long. While Ashe was still savoring the magical and mysterious knowledge in her mind, it was Renji''s voice that brought her back. "How do you feel, Ashe? Any gains?" Renji could already see from the character panel that Ashe''s profession had changed to the "Special Ability" branch of Shaman, but he asked again for confirmation. It''s also worth mentioning that Ashe was originally just a three-star character, just like Eileen. However, after Karl''s inheritance, the cat-girl jumped directly to four and a half stars. "Um, yes, Mr. Renji, I feel like I have gained many abilities. Let me¡­ let me try them out!" The ck-eared cat-girl nodded her head, quickly approaching a young sapling that had just sprouted a tender green bud from the soil. After taking a deep breath, Ashe closed her eyes, connecting with the newly acquired knowledge in her mind. To the amazement of the watching demi-human ns, a dark green light began to rise around Ashe, gathering towards the sapling like fireflies. A surge of vibrant life force concentrated on the bud. In the blink of an eye, the sapling, which was originally only the size of a little finger, grew lush and mature, crazily growing to the height of Ashe''s chest before stopping. After Ashe, Renji found six or seven demi-humans within the Revolutionary Army, which had now absorbed over a dozen ns, possessing the talent for the Shaman profession. However, Renji could only use "Divine Healing" to remove the bloodline curses from these demi-humans. Afterward, as a "Shaman Instructor," Ashe would continue their training. Their abilities certainly couldn''t be as strong as Ashe''s, but as apprentices assisting her, they should temporarily be able to handle the n''s food supply needs. As night fell. The forest under tonight''s sky was no longer repetitively dark and silent; it was unusually lively. Around each of the vigorously burning bonfires, demi-humans of various ns danced in circles. For the demi-humans, it was a celebration worth century, as they had rediscovered their ancestors'' powers. Even though the future was still a long and winding road, at least they could see the path under their feet, no longer struggling blindly in the dark. "Old timer, tell me a bit about Nana ¨C she isn''t, she couldn''t be like that Maria from before, right?" While everyone was eating and drinking, Eileen sneakily approached Renji. The girl was lively and bouncing around just a dayter. She was extremely curious about the Dragon Lady''s identity and even had a frightening guess. She leaned close to Renji''s ear and asked nervously: "Nana, she''s not¡­ like Maria, right?" After the duo''s wild journey through the Swamp, Eileen was thoroughly convinced and even suspected the Dragon Lady''s terrifying power. This suspicion, coupled with precedents in the Holy Kingdom, made her visibly nervous. "Don''t worry, it''s different." Renji shook his head. After all, Maria was Suthia''s substitute, while this Dragon Lady was the Empress''s true form, so of course, they were different. "Phew! That''s a relief, then I''m reassured!" Eileen finally breathed a sigh of relief upon receiving Renji''s affirmative reply. Afterward, the girl''s mind started to turn, and many dramatic scenarios she had seen before began to surface. ''Perhaps Nana, also a dragonkin like the Empress, was a sidelined member of the Empress''s n, expelled from the family due to being ostracized.'' ''Now, as part of the Revolutionary Army with them, Nana was nning to return, not for anything else but to reim what she lost from the Empress!'' The more Eileen thought about it, the more likely it seemed. So, she quickly came up with an excellent way to ingratiate herself with Nana. She intentionally attracted everyone''s attention and then steered the conversation towards the future after their victory. Since they were already talking about the future post-victory, an inevitable topic would be: "So, when we invade the imperial capital and dethrone that Empress, how should we deal with her?" Eileen''s words took many by surprise. Due to the Empress''s notorious reputation, they had never considered dealing with her. Their idea of revolution was just to confront the Empress and persuade her to abdicate, not to "deal with" her. "Hey, hey, hey, we haven''t even started the war yet. At least get your morale up! The Empress has done so many evils, don''t you want to punish her harshly? Get revenge on her! Humiliate her!" the girl coaxed. "The Empress was just blinded by traitorous ministers." "Shut up, Daggo!" Eileen red at the centaur. Perhaps it was the effect of the fruit wine, but Shan, the bear-man, spoke up first: "I would like to see her fight without using her Miasma powers, just relying onbat skills!" "Err, next, next, Ashe, what about you?" "Ah, me? I... I hope we can make the Empress listen to our voices, just like that." "Err, Jiu, what about you?" "Of course, we want the Empress to pay us! A lot of money, so we can have endless meat and wine, hehe... hehehe." Eileen: "Tsk" ''Why are their conditions all so nd!?'' Just when Eileen felt this wasn''t enough to satisfy Nana, who was also listening, to her surprise, the next person to speak up was the usually calm and collected Nozomi. Under the bonfire''s light, the foxdy said with a smile: "If it''s really possible, I''d like to tie up that Empress and whip her, let her taste the pain we suffered as ves." The foxdy licked her lips, and Eileen''s eyes lit up. ''Yes, yes, yes, that''s the kind of thrilling revenge I was looking for!'' Eileen immediately nudged her nearby maid, 86, with her elbow. [ording to the most popr training entries on the dark web, I would start by blindfolding her to block her vision, then ce a gag in her mouth, and finally assist Miss Nozomi from the side with candle wax. As a prop prepared in advance by Miss Eileen] 86 also spoke more and more excitedly. *Cough cough* Eileen pretended to cough twice to ease the awkwardness, as the climax of the conversation was approaching. After asking around, she purposefully turned to Nova, who she had imagined in her mind as having a deep hatred for the Empress. "Characters with such deep hatred, even if they don''t show it openly, must be delighted inside to hear their object of revenge being verbally punished like this, right?" "Nana, what about you? It''s okay, just say anything, no need to hold back." The Dragon Lady calmly looked at Eileen, who was full of anticipation. Then she stood up and turned around. "Eh? Nana, where are you going?" "I''m going to cook for you." The Dragon Lady replied indifferently. ''Cooking?'' Eileen was initially startled, but soon felt happy because, see, she wasn''t wrong. Nana must be secretly delighted; otherwise, why would she offer to cook for them as a reward? This must be a sign of satisfaction! Unfortunately, the girl would probably think differently if she turned around and saw the cat-girl''s face turn pale with "fear" at the mention of the Dragon Lady cooking. But it wouldn''t take long for everyone to realize this. In less than ten minutes, the Dragon Lady returned, carrying a big pot of bubbling soup. As Nova mmed the pot in front of everyone, Eileen, who was excited to be the first to tter her, had only walked halfway when she smelled an indescribable stench, rotting, even worse than the filthy ck mud she had encountered in the wilderness swamp, emanating from the Dragon Lady''s soup pot. With a tentative tone, Eileen weakly asked, "Nana, what did you make?" "Chicken soup." ''Chicken soup?'' Eileen nced at the grey-brown soup through the loosely covered lid, with various strange things floating on top, even a pair of twitching chicken feet protruding from the surface, realizing the seriousness of the situation. But it was toote for her to escape. Nova pulled her back, also staring at the many others trying to slip away, seriously saying: "Everyone gets a share." "Including you, Master Renji." Renji, who had been secretly jotting down notes in his notebook, recording everyone''s collective ''wisdom'' for the "Empress''s Training Manual" obviously didn''t escape Nova''s watchful eyes either. Chapter 148 148: Bal ? -Dressing Table. This is not an umon piece of furniture. In the human cities of the North, especially for nobility and merchants, and for certain customary trades, almost every woman''s boudoir would have one. Arge mirror, pristine and clear, beneath which drawers and the table are filled with all kinds of makeup. -However. If it appears in the South, in the dwelling of a demi-human race, or as the sole possession of a powerful tribe in the Orc ins, the Ancient Wolf n, upying a position even higher than the "Chieftain", that of the "High Priest", and is ced in a significant spot in the room, it would seem extremely discordant and unnatural. And this sense of oddity might peak when one sees the "High Priest" sitting calmly in front of the dressing table, meticulously and carefully straightening their long hair with a woodenb. Bal, holding his hair in one hand, continually relishes the sensation of the strands slipping through theb''s teeth. He keeps adjusting the angle, and even though to an outsider, many strands already appear perfectly straight, he is still not satisfied, not allowing even a single unruly or unstraightened strand. After all. This is what he considers his most important "beauty." Only when every strand is utterly smooth does he skillfully bring his hands behind his head, starting to braid his hair. Soon, his long, beautiful hair is tied into a bun at the back of his head, resembling butterfly wings. Bal then picks up a ribbon from the table, ties a knot in the middle, and secures the ends of his hair with various decorative pins. Looking at his own delicate, androgynous face in the mirror, now entuated by the hairstyle, giving him a more feminine appearance, a look of satisfaction finally appears in Bal''s eyes. This hairstyle was something he learned from human cities, particrly from the top-ranking courtesans among geishas. The first time he saw it, he was deeply captivated. Since then, he has adopted it for himself, one of his many favorite hairstyles. The hairstyle is just one aspect of Bal''s grooming routine. He quickly picks up a specially prepared cosmetic brush and begins to apply makeup near his eyes. But -Knock, knock, knock! A series of urgent knocks suddenlye from outside, interrupting Bal''s actions, especially at a delicate task like applying eye shadow, which requires concentration. Startled by the knocking, Bal''s hand trembles slightly, causing a small, unsightly smudge in the eye shadow''s line. Bal, who was calm and peaceful, suddenly became very angry and full of energy. His eyebrows came together in a frown, and his eyes showed a hint of wanting to harm someone. But quickly realizing that such behavior would only mar his beauty, reverting him to his primitive self, Bal took a deep breath and calmed down. He turned his head slightly towards the door and said indifferently, "Come in." With the High Priest''s permission, the chieftain of the Ancient Wolf n soon entered the room. He, like Bal, belonged to the wolf demi-human race, but their appearances were starkly different. The chieftain wore a traditional animal skin coat, his broad chest bare, unashamedly disying his burly physique. His protruding canines were visible, adding to his fierce demeanor. As he entered, a foul odor apanied him, amon trait among the demi-human s of the South who rarely bathed. All these "crude" aspects made Bal, who was sitting in front of the dressing table, frown in disgust. When he turned to look at the muscr but undeniably ugly chieftain of the Ancient Wolf n, Bal was reminded of his former self. -The one who was abandoned because of his appearance and gender- "I believe I''ve told you not to disturb me when I''m preparing for the ritual, haven''t I? I hope what you''re about to say is truly important," Bal said, putting down his makeup brush. The chieftain of the Ancient Wolf n, upon hearing the mention of "ritual preparation," couldn''t help but curl his lips in disdain, especially seeing the dressing table and the array of expensive, imported cosmetics from the northern humans, most of which he had no idea how to use. Even though he had seen them several times, he remained perplexed and puzzled. Of course, these grievances against the "High Priest" remained hidden, and outwardly, the chieftain dared not show disrespect. He quickly reported: "High Priest, there seems to be some unusual activity in the tribal forest recently." "Unusual?" "Yes, several ns have stopped paying tribute. It looks like many of them are attempting to unite again." "Hahaha" Upon hearing this, Bal let out a sarcasticugh. He curved his fingers, tending to his nails, and casually responded, "Do I need to teach you how to handle such matters?" "No, no, no, High Priest, the intelligence I''ve received suggests that the initiator of this tribal union is... apparently the leader of the revolutionaries from the Sealed City! Moreover, their speed is rming. In just about a week, they''ve already formed a considerable force. High Priest, I believe this situation is entirely different from the previous ones!" The chieftain''s additional remarks made Bal pause in his movements. He wasn''t concerned about the scale or speed of the union; any demi-human kind, united under the "curse," would still be a disorganized mob to him. Bal was more interested in the revolutionaries from the Sealed City. He had previously received reports from his puppet in the northern humannds, Charl, about the "Empress in the South" It was this news that led him to convene the meeting of the Forgotten Ones at the "Sanctum." Now,bining the chieftain''s words with his own suspicions, Bal felt a foreboding sense. He immediately instructed: "Bring a few scouts who returned from the tribal forest here." "Yes, High Priest." After receiving Bal''s orders, the chieftain hurried out. Soon, several scouts from the Ancient Wolf n were brought before Bal. It was the first time these scouts were so close to the High Priest, and they trembled with excitement, especially when they saw the High Priest rise from the bizarre mirror stand and walk towards them. They hurriedly prepared themselves to answer the forting questions. But The moment Bal raised his pale hand towards them, their excitement swiftly turned into a terror-stricken shiver. Before they could even make a sound, a soul-sucking force made them wail in agony, feeling as if Bal was ripping their souls out of their bodies. Bal didn''t bother with inefficient methods like "interrogation." Instead, he directly extracted the souls of these scouts and, closing his eyes, searched their soul fragments for everything they saw and heard in the tribal forest. The initial scenes were fairly normal. Various ns began to move their camps closer together. But as Bal delved deeper into the scouts'' memories, particrly at the camp of the initial fearsome Lizard n, he frowned. Because he saw a... maid? ''Is this an android maid?'' If this detail only surprised Bal, the next scene in the soul fragment, where a strong gust of wind lifted 86''s short hair, allowed the all-knowing Bal in the soul fragment to keenly catch a detail that sent a shock through his body and dted his pupils. Chapter 149 149: That Person Will Definitely Come To See Me ? Bal quickly rewound the soul memory, finally focusing on the moment when 86''s short hair was swept up by the strong wind. He zoomed in on the soul''s image, closer and closer, obsessively focusing on one particr detail. His eyes were fixed on one spot. 86''s neck. More precisely, theplex tattoo-like brand on her neck. "This... Impossible! This is! Am I mistaken? No! It can''t be! This is... But why, it shouldn''t be... That person is already" After emerging from the soul search, Bal was still in shock, muttering to himself in disbelief. From the perspective of an outsider, the chieftain of the Ancient Wolf n had never seen their usuallyposed High Priest in such a state of disarray. ''Was there really a serious problem in the tribal forest?'' ''Something that could even shake the High Priest?'' ''How could this be?'' ''Could it be the "inferior" ns of the tribal forest?'' ¡­ Bal remained in this state for a good five minutes before gradually calming down. The chieftain, about to probe further, paused as Bal made another move. Bal lifted the sleeve of his arm, and with the long nail of his other hand, gently shed his exposed arm. The blood flowed out like a knife cut, one drop, two drops, five drops. After precisely five drops of blood, Bal healed the wound, lowered his sleeve, and meticulously smoothed out the creases. On the other side, the chieftain of the Ancient Wolf n, initially shocked at Bal''s self-bleeding, soon had his eyes filled with the crimson of the blood, losing rity and bing filled with frenzy and desire. Watching the chieftain''s thirst for his blood, Bal''s lips curled into a smile. Then, with a flick of his finger, the five drops of blood flew into the chieftain''s body, beginning to merge with him. "Ugh, ahh, ugh!" The chieftain of the Ancient Wolf n began to roar deeply, his already muscr body bulging with veins, the muscles on his limbs swelling madly, his aura intensifying. In just a minute or two, the chieftain, who had been at the ''Common'' level like many demi-human kinds, suddenly leaped to exuding a ''Danger Rank'' aura, a powerful presence. As a consequence of this transformation, the chieftain''s body was now covered with unnatural, eerie blood markings that spread across his skin, even tinting it a faint red. "Thank you High Priest, for granting me rebirth, for purging my tainted bloodline and lifting the curse. I will personally lead the finest warriors of the Ancient Wolf n and extinguish those foolish ns in the tribal forest who dare to defy your will!" The chieftain, ecstatic with his newfound power, became even more brutal and impatient. His eyes glinted with a bloodthirsty eagerness, and he seemed eager to embark on a massacre. Unfortunately for him, "No, you are not to touch those people in the tribal forest. Instead, I want you to go alone and bring their leader to me." After Bal''s calm directive, the chieftain was baffled. "High Priest, what do you mean? Invite the leaders of those tribal alliances? And do it all by myself?" The chieftain had thought that the High Priest''s gift of blood and power was a mandate to quell any threats. But now, after using five precious drops of sacrificial blood, he was being sent as a mere messenger? And to the enemy, no less? He couldn''t understand. Was delivering a message so significant that it required him, the head chieftain, to personally undertake it? And why would the leaders of the opposing side willinglye to their enemy''s stronghold? As he pondered this, confused and irritated, a sudden cold sensation at his neck snapped him back to reality. Bal was standing before him, his fingernail pressed against the chieftain''s throat. With a slight movement of Bal''s finger, a wound appeared on the chieftain''s neck, threatening to bleed. The chieftain''s back was drenched in cold sweat, all his previous thoughts vanishing, leaving only fear. "This is of utmost importance, of the highest priority to me. That''s why I entrusted you with this task and granted you the power to ensure you can deliver my invitation to that leader. Do you understand?" "But what if their t leader doesn''te?" After Bal emphasized the task''s importance thrice, the chieftain adjusted his previously dismissive attitude. But with such significance ced on the task, he was now even more fearful of failing and ending up like the soul-drained scouts beside him. On the other side, retracting his hand from the chieftain''s neck, Bal adjusted his clothing, maintaining his elegance. He raised his head as if gazing at the ceiling, as though he were looking beyond the boundaries of geography and time, into some distant past. Soon after, Bal let out a cold snort. "Don''t worry." "He will definitelye." With these words from the High Priest, the chieftain had no choice but to hope that the new leader of the Tribe Forest was indeed willing toe. Just as he was about to leave to deliver the message, he was halted by the High Priest. Bal hesitated for a moment, as if struggling with some internal conflict. However, it seemed that a certain desire deep within him eventually prevailed. He retrieved something from the inner pocket of the courtesan''s kimono ¨C a portrait? When the chieftain took a look at it, he became even more perplexed. The grayscale sketch depicted a person, and yes, it was a portrait of their High Priest. "This..." "Deliver this along with the message to the leader of the Tribe Forest. Apart from that, do not utter another word, regardless of what he asks you." "Understood, High Priest!" As the chieftain hurriedly agreed, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of unease and tension emanating from the High Priest, both when handing him the self-portrait and when reminding him not to speak too much. It was as if something was troubling the High Priest. The chieftain left the High Priest''s room and proceeded to carry out the orders. After cing the palm-sized portrait in a package, he set off on a mad dash toward the Tribe Forest under the cover of night. Back in his solitude, Bal returned to the dressing table, looking at his reflection in the mirror. His facial expressions underwent a series of transformations¡ªanger, amusement, hatred, confusion. But ultimately, his expression settled into one of nkness. Chapter 150 150: Who Are You? Part 1 ? Miyuki''s ALL 3 form has been posted in Chapter 00 Characters * -------- "Reddish-brown skin... Is that someone from the Ancient Wolf n!?" "I think I recognize him, it''s Betura! The chieftain of the Ancient Wolf n!" "Quick, tell the others to get their weapons ready! Prepare for battle!" "No, wait a minute, it seems like he''s alone." "What? Alone?" The Ancient Wolf n''s chieftain, Betura, paid no heed to the wary revolutionaries surrounding him. Recognizing Betura''s identity and seeing that he was alone, the revolutionaries were unsure how to react. They quickly sent someone to report to Nozomi. Although Renji was the nominal leader of the revolutionary army, his frequent absences on missions with the dragon women and others meant that day-to-day affairs and minor orders were usually handled by Nozomi, the second-inmand. Only issues deemed important and beyond Nozomi''s capacity were reported to Renji for final decisions. Clearly, the unexpected solo visit by the Ancient Wolf chieftain fell into this category. Soon, when Renji and his group appeared, Betura frowned. "You''re their new leader? A... human?" Observing the slender human in front of him, who seemed fragile in his eyes, Betura even thought that he could easily assassinate him. However, he quickly suppressed this thought, remembering that this person was whom the High Priest desired to meet. Betura put aside other thoughts and straightforwardly addressed Renji: "Our Ancient Wolf n would like to invite you to visit us. The High Priest wishes to meet with you." "Meet with me?" Renji was initially surprised, but then his face showed interest. The Ancient Wolf n was his next target, and unexpectedly, they were now inviting him instead of him having to confront them. "You should feel honored. The High Priest, the most revered being in our n, wishes to grant you an audience, something many demi-humans dream of." Before Betura could finish, a female human voice interjected, causing his brow to furrow. "Pfft! Do you think we''re fools? Just go to yourir because you say so? Isn''t that like walking into a trap? If your so-called High Priest wants to meet us, why doesn''t she or hee here instead?" Seeing that Eileen seemed ready to protest further, Renji raised his hand to stop her. ''When something unusual happens, there must be something behind it. Now that I know the Old Alliance is operating behind the scenes in the Dragon Nation, and that the Ancient Wolf n is a crucial part of it, probably with the Forgotten Ones as well, it''s not too hard to understand this unexpected situation.'' ''Therefore...'' "Does your High Priest have anything else to say?" Renji immediately inquired. "The High Priest did have one more thing ''she'' wanted me to give to you." Betura carefully retrieved a palm-sized pocket watch from his pocket and handed it to Renji. "What is this?" Renji epted it and opened the pocket watch, revealing a portrait inside. A portrait of a... ''female figure''? The figure in the portrait was a female demi-human. If Renji had to describe his initial impression of her in one word, it would be " gorgeous" Whether it was her borate butterfly-shaped hairstyle, which appeared to take a significant amount of time to arrange with numerous hairpins, or her elegant attire that resembled a kimono adorned with various patterns and embellishments, Renji found himself somewhat surprised. If it weren''t for the wolf ears perched on her head, he might have mistaken her for a human courtesan. This was perhaps the first time he had encountered a demi-human who had taken such meticulous care of her appearance. ''So... what did this mean?'' "Is the High Priest depicted in this portrait?" Facing Renji''s question, Betura remained silent and simply nodded. This was precisely what the High Priest had emphasized¡ªno further words were to be spoken after handing over the portrait. Renji carefully examined the female demi-human in the portrait several times. He searched his memory thoroughly, but it remained nk. He was certain that this was not a character he had interacted with in his game. After all, characters with such beautiful illustrations and card art, even if they had low star ratings, were sure to leave an impression. To be on the safe side, Renji discreetly showed the pocket watch to Nova, but her response was the same as his¡ªa shake of the head, indicating that she didn''t recognize the person either. ''Could it be that I was mistaken? Was this High Priest not a character with a lingering attachment to the Fallen Chronicle in the game? Or perhaps... she is a descendant?'' With the portrait in hand, Renji couldn''t help but wonder about the purpose behind the High Priest giving him this image. After some brief contemtion, he couldn''t arrive at any conclusions. But at this point, it didn''t matter much. If this were any other time, Renji might have considered his decision more carefully. However, with Nova by his side, he had no fear of going anywhere. Without making the Ancient Wolf n''s chieftain wait any longer, Renji gave his answer. "All right, I agree. Shall we leave now?" Renji''s swift and resolute response immediately prompted opposition from many high-ranking members of the revolutionary army around him. However, he quickly quelled their objections. The decision was indeed risky. Originally, Renji had nned to go with Nova alone, but due to Eileen and 86''s insistence, he ended up forming a four-person team. On the other side, Betura was a bit surprised by Renji''s bold and enthusiastic eptance. Soon, that surprise turned into admiration. After all, demi-human greatly admired two kinds of people: the strong and the courageous. He didn''t care how many people Renji brought, or rather, he was impressed that Renji only brought three guards. Now that their objective was set, Betura wasted no time. He mounted his riding beast, and Renji and Nova shared another. Eileen and 86 shared a third. Under Betura''s guidance, they began their swift journey toward the Ancient Wolf n''s territory in the Orc ins. Once they left the Tribe Forest, their surroundings opened up, and the ins became more suitable forrge-scale tribal living than the forest. Riding their camel-like mounts at a rapid pace, they arrived at the territory of the Ancient Wolf n one dayter. Because they were led by Chieftain Betura, they encountered no obstacles along the way. They easily crossed various checkpoints and eventually reached the heart of the n. As they entered, Renji felt a festive atmosphere within the n, and it seemed like a celebration was underway. Many members of the Ancient Wolf n were busy with something, eagerly anticipating something, and they seemed to pay little attention to the arrival of outsiders. Later, Chieftain Betura simply ced them in a guest vige and left without saying much. It wasn''t until nightfall that he reappeared, knocking on their door. "The High Priestess invites you to join the Song Praise Ritual." Chapter 151 151: Who Are You? (Part 2) ? The text between .......... in this chapter only is the past of Bal. ---------- It wasn''t until nightfall that he reappeared, knocking on their door. "The High Priestess invites you to join the Song Praise Ritual." The ceremony for the demihuman tribes is usually a solemn and respectful event to honor the ancestors. However, tonight''s ceremony in the ancient Wolf Tribe is more like a wild frenzy involving the entire tribe. The focus of their madness is not the ancestors but... Under the leadership of the chieftain, Renji and hispanions arrived at the ceremonial square. They gazed upon the figure on the high stage of the ceremony, who was adored and idolized by countless demihumans below. The High Priestess. From Renji''s position, he could clearly see the High Priestess''s appearance, which was identical to the one in the pocket watch painting, and even more exquisitely beautiful. The High Priestess was dancing gracefully on the stage. Her wide kimono did not hinder her but rather entuated her movement and beauty. The kimono''s lines and patterns seemed to sketch out a magnificent scroll as she moved. The lower part of the kimono was split in the middle, revealing pure white over-the-knee socks that wrapped around her legs. Her feet, adorned with a pair of exquisitely carved wooden clogs tied with light purple ropes at the toes and ankles, served as her footwear. With every dance movement of the High Priestess, Renji could clearly sense the dense Miasma spreading from the stage to the audience. This Miasma affected not only the visual senses. The crisp "ck ck" sound of the wooden clogs hitting the stage echoed in the ears of the many demihumans participating in the ceremony, sounding like the most enchanting melody in the world. Everyone was cheering and shouting for the High Priestess dancing on the stage. Even the chieftain beside Renji seemed unable to resist, quickly starting to pant heavily with reddened eyes, lost and immersed in the spectacle, joining the crowd in their adoration of the beautiful High Priestess. Even Eileen and the maid beside Renji showed signs of infatuation towards the High Priestess on stage. It was only after the contract marks on the back of their necks shed that their eyes quickly regained rity. "This fu**damn Ancient Wolf Demi-Humans! They''re basically subus!" Eileen shuddered with lingering fear. She had actually been influenced by their miasma and genuinely believed that the High Priestess was the most beautiful and graceful person in the world. As a fellow woman, she even felt a yearning for her, sending shivers down her spine. However, 86 immediately initiated a reboot and security scan as if it had been infected by a virus. [Self-checking sexual orientation: neutral. Master, checkplete, exiting the influence of the Miasma. Eighty-Six must repeat this to herself a thousand times in her mind] she said firmly. After the High Priestess finished her dance, the ceremony was far from over. Following the dance, the High Priestess took out a dagger from her kimono, lifted the sleeve, and cut her wrist. As her blood gushed out, all the demi-humans from the Ancient Wolf n below finally boiled over. Every one of them fixed their eyes on the High Priestess with eyes full of desire and greed, or more urately, on the High Priestess''s blood. "Give it to me!" "Please, grant it to me. I want purification, I want power!" "Get lost! The High Priestess''s blood belongs to me!" "No, it''s mine! It''s mine!" Initially, the demi-humans below were begging the High Priestess for her blood, but as she let her blood flow, the situation quickly devolved into chaotic brawling and fighting among them. Just for a drop of the High Priestess''s blood, the frenzied demi-humans fought tooth and nail, not hesitating to strike down their fellow nsmen. Later on, in their madness, they resorted to using sharp weapons to kill anypetitors, all for the sake of obtaining her blood. Those who emerged victorious in the battle and acquired the blood saw their skin turn reddish-brown as the High Priestess''s blood flowed into their bodies. The power of miasma surged from their bodies, and their aura grew stronger with each passing moment. The High Priestess''s blood had the power to purify their tainted bloodline and free them from curses. It was not surprising that countless demi-humans were driven to madness by this temptation; such was the allure of power. Watching the chaos below, where countless demi-humans fought to obtain their "blessing," they eagerly tried to express their "affection" for her, Bal couldn''t help but smile. ''She'' relished this wonderful feeling. However, what annoyed her was perhaps... Bal''s gaze pierced through the many ecstatic demi-humans below, and it was the group of Renji and the others, who still maintained theirposure, that stood out conspicuously. They didn''t need Bal to deliberately search for them. ... "He''s so ugly." "Don''t let him join!" "Let''s go quickly!" "No, no, no. We need someone to y the role of the big viin since no one else wants to. I say we let Bal do it; he already looks like a viin!" This suggestion quickly gained approval from many young demi-humans. At that time, Bal didn''t fully understand, but he was happy to y with others. Even though he was cast as the "big viin" and pelted with stones and beaten with branches and twigs by his ymates, he was content. After each game, the other children would happily return home together, leaving Bal, covered in bruises from being the "viin," in the same spot. He would wave goodbye to these "friends" who didn''t even spare him a second nce, hoping they would continue to y with him next time. Then, he would go off alone to a corner to lick his wounds, both the physical and emotional ones. They grew up like this, until one day, when a miasma monster attacked their vige, and Bal''s so-called "friends" didn''t hesitate to sell him to the monster. It was then that Bal realized he had never truly been epted among them. Chapter 152 152: Who Are You? (Part 3) ? 3 more chapters will be released after 3h. --------- Bal would also never forget that it was during that time when the enigmatic Hero Ashen, who passed by, came to rescue their vige. Among the warm and attentive greetings from many of his former "friends," the hooded figure chose only him, the most hideous and unpopr one. "What''s your name?" Ashen, the hooded figure, was always silent, so it was a Nun who approached after using warm holy light to heal his wounds. "M-M-My name is Bal. They all say I''m ugly, like a monster. Why did you..." Before he could finish his self-deprecating and confused words, the nun shook her head and interrupted, "Monsters wouldn''t willingly sacrifice themselves to protect theirpanions. If Bal is a monster, then you are definitely a handsome one!" From that moment on, he felt like he had found a true home. He worked hard, eager to contribute in any way he could. Every time on the battlefield, he eagerly volunteered to serve Ashen, the one who didn''t loathe or reject him but instead took him in and nurtured him. Bal gave his all in return. Bal clearly remembered how his efforts were soon rewarded. His strength soared rapidly, and despite his unattractive appearance, hisbat talent was exceptional. He even reached the level where he could stand shoulder to shoulder with the other strongest vanguards beside Ashen, a red-haired dragoness. Losing their contract, losing themselves in the passage of time, and finally being reborn by the "Mother," they had also lost the ability to perceive Their Lord Ashen. However, Bal immediately recognized ''her'', the Dragoness who was "disguised" next to Renji, even as she appeared in the guise of a girl. There could only be one person in the world who could make this "supreme" being stand by his side like a guardian. ''So, this is the true form of "Lord Ashen"¡­'' Indeed, Bal burst into a somewhat self-deprecatingughter when he saw Renji in his human form. When he saw the four women surrounding Renji, he was even more certain of Renji''s identity as Emperor Ashen. ''After all, in the eyes of ''His Majesty'', the only ones who could apany him to the end were women.'' The memories that Bal had long forgotten, buried in the corner of his mind, suddenly resurfaced. ..... "Can I y with you too?" A young wolf demi-human with a tanplexion, short stature, and somewhat mismatched facial features approached a group of children of his age who were ying together not far away. Unfortunately, what he received were words of rejection and disdain. Every time he stood next to Nova, he felt inferior. It wasn''t a matter of strength but appearance. In his eyes, this dragoness was so beautiful and charming that she exuded infinite allure in every move she made. In contrast, he felt crude and barbaric. Bal had alwaysforted himself with Suthia''s words from back then, believing that His Lord Ashen, the Great Emperor, would surely see his efforts and... Unfortunately, fantasies were just fantasies. When his power was taken away, causing him to plummet overnight, and Nova achieved the level he had longed for, bing an unshakable and powerful guard by Ashen''s side, he was sent back to the so-called rear. In that moment, Bal felt as if his childhood game had never ended. The friends he thought he had, the disregard for beauty or ugliness, in the end, they would... "Bal." He remembered the nun who seemed to want tofort him back then. And what was his response? Oh, right, he remembered. "So, Sister Suthia, beauty is very important, right? Otherwise, why am I the one who have been abandoned? Why can someone as useless as you stay by Lord Ashen''s side? You deceived me; everything was a lie because you''re a woman, a pretty woman. You, her, and them!" ... The painful memories cut through Bal''s heart like a knife, and he took a deep breath to return to the present. ''It''s in the past now, everything is in the past.'' ''Now, after my "rebirth as a woman" I am different. I am quite beautiful now'' There were so many demi-humans in the audience who were infatuated with her, and she took great care to apply exquisite makeup every day. Although the purpose of the Old Alliance they had formed was revenge. Revenge for the past abandonment. ''But if...'' Bal was just thinking, what if. She wanted to know how she was viewed by Ashen now, and if she were to return to Ashen''s side with this appearance, ''could I regain the favor I once had?'' Bal''s disdainful gaze swept over the three women beside Renji and finally settled on the Dragon Lady, who had be much simpler in appearance since returning to her "low-star illustration." He wanted to know who Ashen would choose between ''him'' and her this time. He also wanted to see the Dragon Lady experience the same feelings of rejection and failure that she had once felt due to her appearance. With these thoughts in mind, the High Priestess walked down from the stage and approached Renji step by step. When she finally stopped, Bal''s heart couldn''t help but tense up. Although he longed for revenge and had been waiting for this moment for a long time, he couldn''t suppress the nervousness and unease when standing in front of her former master Ashen. She believed that every forgotten one who had truly experienced the "old days" would feel the same way. After all, this was Their Beloved Maser Ashen. "Do you remember me,Lord Ashen?" Bal finally mustered the courage to say these words. He waited for Ashen''s response, hoping to hear what Ashen would say about her new appearance. She had drawn a picture on a pocket watch as a means to ensure that Renji could recognize her. Although her appearance had changed significantly with his gender, she believed that Ashen, who was so familiar with ''him'', would surely... ''Surely recognize me, right?'' Bal held onto hope in her heart, but in the end, it was shattered. Renji: "..." "Who are you?" Chapter 153 153: Except For That Person ? The response to Renji came in the form of a jet-ck spear that rapidly materialized from behind the High Priestess and aimed straight at his heart. However, before the High Priestess''s murderous intent could be sensed, a figure had already stood in front of the young man. In the midst of the spear''s flight, the Dragoness single-handedly grasped it, and even as the ck spear trembled, her hand was like a vice grip, preventing it from advancing any further. When Nova tightened her grip, crimson mes ignited from her palm, immediately incinerating the ck spear to ashes. "I remember you" Nova said as she felt a familiar sensation from the ck spear''s power. However, when she observed the appearance of the High Priestess on the other side more closely, she felt a sense of unfamiliarity and uncertainty. In her impression, the owner of the ck spear should be among the top ranks of the Vanguard, someone with the heart of a warrior, strong and reliable, rather than what ''she'' appeared to be now. The High Priestess''s figure floated in the sky, and her beautiful face twisted into a mad and distorted expression. Her exquisite makeup, at this moment, appeared so ironic. "Did youe here to humiliate me by turning into this form? Nova!" The High Priestess stared down at the Dragoness with hatred and malice in her eyes. For the sake of beauty, she had given up many things, even the umted hatred of five hundred years. However, it was still futile in the face of the moment when she saw Ashen. It stirred her heart and generated the thought of betraying the Old Alliance. The condition was that as long as her Lord Ashen could recognize ''him'', praise her beauty, and continue the favor that she had been deprived of in the past. Unfortunately, it didn''t happen. What she had worked so hard for was still met with Ashen''s cold and heartless words, -"Who are you?"- And the Dragoness standing before him, even in her unadorned appearance, could still remain by Ashen''s side. What made Bal even more jealous was that she couldn''tpare to the Dragoness. It was as if no matter how hard she worked after the fact, she couldn''t surpass innate superior bloodlines. Nova''s innate beauty, derived from her dragon heritage, still radiated tremendous charm even in her "low-star illustration." Just a slight movement revealed her cold and powerful aura, further highlighting the beauty of the Dragoness. It was a beauty that Bal could never hope to attain. ''Destroy everything, all of it!'' The High Priestess, floating in mid-air, once again condensed one jet-ck spear after another. In just a few breaths, the sky behind him was filled with them. With another wave of her hand, a dense barrage of ck spears rained down upon the Dragoness''s location, blocking Nova''s every escape route. However, Nova had no intention of retreating in the first ce. Her entire body was engulfed in mes. As a formerpanion from the old era turned enemy whom Nova showed great respect. Under the cover of mes, the red uniform of the "Empress,", was once again draped over the Dragoness''s body. Her dragon-scaled boots lightly touched the ground, and in the next moment, Nova soared into the sky like a cannonball, directly confronting the countless ck spears hurtling toward her. If the earlier barrage of ck spears from the High Priestess had brought fear to the demi-humans below, the figure now standing proudly in the sky left the members of the Ancient Wolf n''s mindspletely nk. "The Empress!?" In the next second, Nova grasped a crimson-me spirit de from her waist with a simple motion. With a single-handed grip on the de and a head adorned with imposing dragon horns, she released a crimson radiance. Simultaneously, she directed the de vertically downward, thrusting it toward the ground. *Buzz!* A red circle centered around Nova in the sky, rapidly expanding outward. All the ck spears that came into contact with the perimeter of the red circle were instantly ignited. In just a fraction of a moment, the sea of mes devoured every single one of the ck spears from Bal''s attack. And it wasn''t over. Without giving any time to react, following the sea of mes was Nova raising the de high above her head, then swinging it down. At first, it was just a de of nothingness, but in the blink of an eye, it expanded infinitely, transforming into a scorching de over ten meters long. Feeling the terrifying pressure, Bal immediately convertedyer afteryer of his polluted miasma into impure shields, attempting to intercept Nova''s strike. However, these shields of miasma were as flimsy as paper in the face of the crimson de. Several of them were unable to even slow down the de''s progress and were sliced apart. Finally, they all predictably collided with the High Priestess. Beneath the de''s radiance, the High Priestess waspletely engulfed in mes. Amidst her painful cries and screams, a few momentster, when the mes dissipated, there was no trace of the High Priestess left, as if only ashes remained beneath the de''s searing judgment. This was the power of the "Cmity-Rank" Characters. However, the expression on Nova''s face didn''t ease much. Instead, it became even more serious. Despite the significant difference in strength between the two sides, the fact that the High Priestess had returned from death seemed to confirm Nova''s suspicions. A sinister and mocking smile echoed in the air as the impure energies continued to condense. The image of the High Priestess, who had been in by the Dragoness''s de, began to reshape itself. "Hehehe... Impressive, Empress Nova. This strike, this very strike, was something I dreamt of executing countless times in the past. But for you, it was just a casual blow. Hahaha." Looking at Nova, who had returned to her Empress form in mid-air, the High Priestess, who appeared evenly matched with the "low-star illustration," ignited a burning jealousy in Bal''s heart. He gritted his teeth but soon continued. "But what does it matter? You can''t kill me! Do you know that within my body resides the hatred, anger, and loathing of all the demi-humans in the kingdom for you throughout these hundreds of years!" The High Priestessughed maniacally in mid-air. The impure brown-red mist spreading from his back covered the sky like a giant hand. When Nova looked up, she saw the pitiful faces emerging from the red mist, one after another. Among them were subjugated demi-humans, ns wiped out by the Guards, and even humans ¨C the lower-ss peasants oppressed by the aristocracy. These were the dragon nation''s citizens who could not lift their heads under the oppressive rule of the guard''s brutal regime. As Nova gazed upon them, each one of them fixed their hateful gazes on her with eyes filled with anger. They were ring at Nova, their dominator, their Empress. They wailed and roared, as if each of them was vehemently questioning Nova. Why had she treated them this way? Why had she disregarded the dragon nation? It was all because of her, and they wanted her to taste their suffering. They wanted to drag her and the rest of the dragon nation down to hell. The Dragoness remained expressionless. She swung her de again at these miasma phantom images in the sky. However, shortly after the mes had consumed them, both the High Priestess and the phantom images seemed to rekindle from the ashes, appearing before Nova once more. -Come on, keep shing!- Bal was anticipating this. He intentionally tried to provoke Nova, aiming to have the Dragoness continually attack him. This would allow the dark power of the Dragon Nation, collected in his body through the "Altar" over centuries, to swell increasingly. Once it reached a certain limit, this tainted Miasma would burst like an inted balloon, spreading the true pollution across every inch of the Dragon Nation, turning the nation into Miasma-infested soil! This was his revenge, nned over hundreds of years. Everything was now in ce, just waiting for the final "detonation" from the empress. Bal thought having the Empress as a witness and audience would satisfy his vengeful desires, but he hadn''t expected Ashen to be there as well. ''I will let you watch, Lord Ashen, this is the personal guard you once chose, a foolish and ignorant woman. And today, all the evil fruits will finally emerge because of your wrong choice'' At this thought, Bal looked down, seeking Renji''s figure. But when he looked, the young man who had been there, along with his two guards, had vanished. A bad feeling suddenly rose in Bal''s heart. The fear once instilled by his Master surged, causing him immense panic. He even ignored the Dragoness and hurried towards a certain location, realizing a dreadful possibility. That ce was the location of the "Altar," where he had umted a terrifying amount of negative Miasma through centuries of oppression in the Dragon Nation. Bal hadn''t ced any guards around the Altar, despite its importance. The Altar''s own Miasma pollution was the best guard and protection. It was impossible for anyone to approach the Altar under such intense contamination. Except for That person. The anxious High Priest was about to move, but another figure blocked his path, sealing his escape route. It seemed that from the beginning, this had been the Dragoness''s true intention. Chapter 154 154: The Altar, The Pool, And The Elves ? Renji had always been a man of action. From the moment he arrived at the Ancient Wolf n, he had a faint sense that there was hidden impurity lurking in the depths here. This impurity was like a radar for detecting tainted miasma, a power that came with being the "main character." This feeling became even more pronounced as the High Priestess danced on the stage, spreading impurity and sending the demi-humans below into a fanatical frenzy. When the High Priestess shed blood to weaken the curse for the demi-humans, Renji was certain that the High Priestess and the deep-seated impurity he sensed were of the same origin. So, the entire n had been set up from the very beginning by Renji. This included his decision to use a tone of ''unfamiliarity'' and ''doubt'' when he tantly asked the question, -"Who are you?"- ¨C a question that could undoubtedly cause significant harm. He could have chosen a gentler and more soothing approach, but Renji didn''t. Only by using the sharpest words to sting the High Priestess could he make the High Priestess lose control and be filled with anger. As expected, the High Priestess immediately attacked afterward, and Nova promptly followed Renji''s orders to engage the High Priestess as nned. While they confronted each other, Renji, along with Eileen and 86, made their way towards the source of impurity that he had sensed. They didn''t encounter much resistance along the way. After all, with the mere appearance of Nova in her Empress form, the entire Ancient Wolf n''s demi-humans were left dumbfounded. Although the Empress might be disliked by many of them, her authority and power still made her the foremost figure in the entire dragon nation. However, as they ventured deeper, the problem was no longer about being stopped by others. The filthy ck mud, just like the one in the Savage Swamp, began to appear frequently. Trees withered, and thend turned barren. It seemed like this entire area had be an absolute no-go zone for the Ancient Wolf n. Approaching it, Eileen and 86 started to feel unwell. Eileen held her head as waves of dizziness surged like tides. She tried to persist, but a few steps further into the depth brought on nausea and aversion. The maddening whispers of the Miasma echoed in her ears, making it difficult for Eileen to proceed. While 86s, who were also biologically enhanced, couldn''t escape either. Her entire mechanicalponents began to malfunction, with frequent short circuits causing her system to disy warnings continuously. As time passed, 86 lost most of her sensory systems, and her eyes disyed a chaotic and distorted flow of code. This was the umtion of Miasma in Dragon nation, a vast amount that could be described as the "fate of a fallen nation" Clearly, it was something that Eileen and86s were not capable of handling at the moment. So Renji stopped them from continuing and asked them to wait at the entrance. Normally, Eileen would argue back a bit, but now she could only grit her teeth and nod, supporting 86 who was also struggling as they exited this forbidden zone. In their current state, they would only cause trouble for Renji. However, on the other hand, as she looked at the young man who was still no different from his usual self within the forbidden zone, Eileen felt a sense of fear creeping from the bottom of her heart for some reason. After all, she had personally experienced how terrifying and chaotic it was to be enveloped by the pollution of Miasma. But Renji continued to stand there unharmed, even treating this terrifying Miasma curse as if it were nothing, making Eileen start to doubt whether Renji was still truly human. Or perhaps, ''could humans really achieve such a thing?'' Soon, Renji continued to move forward withrge strides, and the figure of the young man disappeared from Eileen''s view. Indeed. Except for a slight visual difort due to the destion and eeriness of the surrounding forbidden zone, Renji''s body showed no other reactions. The Miasma that floated and pervaded in the forbidden zone, solidifying to the point where it almost became a blood-red mist, scattered away from Renji upon his arrival, as if fleeing, instead of surrounding him and obscuring his vision. In this way, Renji proceeded unimpeded all the way to the deepest part of the Forbidden Zone belonging to the Ancient Wolf n. And there was... A massive skeletal altar. Unlike typical altars, this skeletal altar resembled a pool. Its enormityy not in height but in its expanse across the ground. As Renji approached, a "gurgling" sound emitted from the altar''s pool,posed of filthy ck mud. It was thicker, more malevolent, and more chilling to the observer. In the center of the pool of the altar''s "ck water," there was a skeletal w that protruded from the ck mud of the pool. The sharp and slender ws held what seemed to be a red jade formed from countless curses. From this jade, Renji saw that every time a new life of the "Demi-Human" was born, this skeletal jade would emit a faint light. Following that, the newborn''s bloodline would be drawn and deprived of by the curse power within this pool of ck mud in the altar. As a result, the curse seen by Renji earlier would manifest on the newborn demi-human. At this point, Renji finally understood the true source of everything. As long as this altar existed and the cursed jade was not taken and destroyed from this pool, the curse on the demi-human race would continue indefinitely. It was like a tireless machine, imprinting a curse on each new individual from birth. Without hesitation, facing the viscous and filthy ck mud in front of him, Renji attempted to enter the pool of the altar directly. He wanted to step through the mire and filth, reaching the center of the pool to retrieve and destroy the cursed jade. However. This time, the thick and tainted ck mud, condensed from the rich tainted Miasma, no longer avoided him. They seemed to understand that they had to guard the cursed jade, which was equivalent to their heart. Therefore, all the ck mud came to life when Renji stepped into the pool, and they started to aggressively repel him. Renji tried many times, but each time he had just stepped into the pool of the altar, his feet were like sinking into a swamp, unable to move deeper. The subsequent strong repulsion force caused the ck mud to "spit" him out, throwing him outside the pool of the altar. "Sigh¡­" Renji sighed. After trying everything without sess, it seemed that there was only one option left. One method that might prevent these ck mud from repelling him. He looked at his skill bar. So far, three out of his five skills had been used. The remaining two were [Annihtion]from Lena and [Elven Shelter]from the elf Miyuki. Since there was Miyuki''s presence behind the Old Alliance, Renji took a deep breath, and the skill that had been dormant in his skill list for a long time, [Elven Shelter] finally lit up with radiance. Immediately afterward, small points of starlight began to flicker around him. These lights, like fireflies in a forest, were attracted to Renji and flowed into his body. Within a few breaths, Renji''s entire body was enveloped and protected by the power of nature. A semi-transparent elven barrier covered his entire body, ready to defend him against any external harm. ''Hmm¡­'' ''This familiar sense of security...'' ''So, Miyuki, if you can really sense it...'' Now, this tainted Miasma, the Miasma Forbidden Zone that had formed over a hundred years, could only be entered by "him" In other words, only ''he'' could purify this altar. Renji closed his eyes, feeling the reassurance provided by the [Elven Shelter]. At the same time, he conveyed his determination to protect Dragon Nation, to protect Nova, and to destroy this altar. After that, Renji moved. He once again moved his body and, in the state of [Elven Shelter], stepped into the ck pool of the altar once more. This time... The filthy ck mud in the pool did not repel him anymore. No, not only did they not repel him, but these ck mud began to climb rapidly onto Renji''s body. Of course, with the elven shelter''s barrier in ce, they couldn''t truly merge into Renji''s body. However, they didn''t intend to do so in the first ce. The [Elven Shelter] acted as a guide for them, allowing them to wrap Renji''s entire being. After that, with Renji as their anchor, they began to descend from the pool of water. Downward... Continuously descending... ¡­. Darkness filled Renji''s vision. It felt like his soul had been taken into an endless abyss. This continued for what might have been minutes, hours, or even several days. In this cold and dark abyss, finally, a light appeared. It was the light of a glowing elf. An elf who embraced him from behind, her warm embrace halting his descent into the abyss¡­ Chapter 155 155: Miyuki? ? Miyuki''s ALL 3 form has been posted in Chapter 00 Characters * ------------ Renji had never felt sofortable. It was as if his entire being was enveloped in a soft cotton embrace, the warmth from the other person alleviating the icy chill of the abyss. The ample pressure from her embrace brought rity to his mind. This method was highly effective, and Renji slowly opened his eyes. Sensing the awakening of the person in her arms, the elf''s radiance dimmed, returning to normal. She released her embrace and moved to face Renji. The first thing Renji saw upon awakening was a stunningly beautiful face. Suthia''s features were top-tier among humans, butpared to the elf before him, even she paled. The elf''s features were exquisitely crafted: a high, proud nose; perfect cherry lips; and eyebrows arching delicately at the ends, enhancing the captivating amber eyes. Every angle of her face was wless, resembling a meticulously sculpted porcin doll, befitting the definition of an elf, a favored creation of nature. Her golden wheat-colored hair framed two pointed ears that trembled slightly, perhaps from excitement or some other emotion. The elf''s intense gaze was fixed on Renji, her lotus-like arms raised, her soft hands gently touching his cheeks. Simultaneously, her ethereal voice, unique to her kind, whispered near his ear. "Lord Ashen... Miyuki has arrivedte." Her voice, filled with tenderness and adoration, was maic. The mere sound of her melodious voice echoing in Renji''s ears was a sublime pleasure, immersing him in its enchantment. Renji''s lips moved as if to say something, but the elf seemed unwilling to let him speak. She gently lifted his head from the front, just like treating a child, and pressed it against her round and plump chest. It was a casual and intimate gesture, as there was no softer or more stic pillow than this. Renji''s lips moved as if to say something, but the elf seemed unwilling to let him speak. She was too tenderhearted to let him even attempt to speak and was afraid he might feel difort. So, she embraced him once again, this time in a more direct manner, as if treating a child. She gently pressed down on the young man''s head, allowing his head to bury deep into her ample and soft chest. It was an intimate and casual gesture, as there was no pillow softer and more stic than this. No, it was after Renji took a deep breath that he could still smell the milky fragrance that seemed to resemble orchidsing from the pillow. "Cough, cough, cough!" Although the pillow wasfortable, it was toorge and soft, making it difficult for Renji to breathe. It was only after a series of coughs and struggling that he finally managed to free himself from the elf''s embrace. Renji gasped for breath as if he had juste back to life. He looked at the elf woman in front of him, who seemed to have realized that she had kinda "messed up" and was now in a state of panic and apology. Then he nced at the ''lethal weapons'' on the elf''s chest that had nearly killed him. Although it was highly inappropriate, the first thought that crossed Renji''s mind was, "Is Miyuki really that big?" ''¡­.'' ''What am I even thinking!'' Renji quickly shook his head to clear his mind of these random thoughts. ''This is not the time to be thinking about such things'' He shifted his gaze away from the elf and began to survey his surroundings, but unfortunately, all he saw was darkness. "Miyuki, where are we?" If he remembered correctly, he had stepped into the dark pool in the altar, and then the filthy ck mud inside suddenly changed, pulling him deeper and deeper. When he came to his senses, he found himself in this situation. However, what the elf said afterward surprised Renji. "Master Ashen, your soul was swallowed by Miasma. I sensed your call, so I entered the Miasma''s consciousness with you. We are currently trapped here." "Miasma''s consciousness?" "Yes," the elf women nodded. "So how do we get out of here?" "Well..." This question made the elf blush and look shy. She sped her hands behind her back, and her two fair legs under her green skirt pressed together slightly. "Master Ashen, because we are in a hurry, I only brought a part of my soul with you. With my current soul power, I''m not strong enough to break out of here. But if you can help Miyuki replenish her magic, with your power, I can regain most of my magic, and then we can easily leave this ce" Renji: "¡­" He observed the elf across from him, who began to blush from her neck, avoiding eye contact and looking around in a flustered manner. Renji cautiously asked for rification: "Miyuki, when you say ''replenishing magic'', you mean...?" "Since we''re in a soul state, it''s about making the soul feel joy and pleasure. This enhances the soul''s magical power. That''s what replenishing magic entails." ''Soul joy and pleasure?'' "So, Miyuki, are you suggesting we do something here together that would make us happy?" "Yes¡­" the elf replied, her shyness seemingly fading away. She lifted her head, returning her intense gaze to Renji. Compared to Suthia, Miyuki had a maturity that the formercked, andpared to Nova, she was less dominating and gentler, embodying a sense of warmth and wisdom often found in mature women. After all, in their team, Miyuki often yed the role of a mother figure. But now, as Miyuki licked her lips with her reddened tongue, showing a look of unfulfilled desire on her face, the contrast was striking. The moment was charged with a tantalizing allure, and Renji almost got swept away by the impulse to agree. Fortunately, he regained hisposure in time. Stepping back slightly from the elf, he casually changed the subject. "Since there''s a way out, let''s not rush. It''s been five hundred years, Miyuki. How have you been?" "Lord Ashen, Miyuki has missed you day and night throughout these five hundred years." "Is that so? By the way, Miyuki, how is everyone else? I mean, besides ''them''?" "Rest assured Master. Everyone is with Miyuki. I will protect them. We''ve all been waiting for you¡­" The elf emphasized the words "waiting for you," infusing her tone with a hint of another meaning. "That''s good to hear. There''s another thing I wanted to ask you, Miyuki. Do you know anything about the ''Old Alliance'' organization?" "Yes, of course." "Can you tell me more about it?" This time, the elf didn''t respond immediately, choosing silence instead. But soon, she spoke again, not to answer Renji''s question, but to ask one of her own. "Master¡­ you''ve asked Miyuki many questions. May I ask you one in return?" The elf''s gaze, filled with desire, was fixed on the young man in front of her. Droplets of fragrance dripped from her red lips, drawing out silvery threads, giving her noble and dignified face a touch of wickedness. Her eyes, which used to look at Renji with motherly tenderness and affection, had now turned into the hungry eyes of a lioness, gazing at a cooked and irresistibly tempting piece of meat. It was because of this transformation that the elf asked with a hint of dissatisfaction and anger in her voice as she took a step forward, and the young man took a step back. "Master¡­ why have you been continuously retreating?" "Why are you keeping your distance from Miyuki?" Chapter 156 156: The Impostor! ''Why?'' ''Because you are not Miyuki!'' The elf opposite, although capable of imitating Miyuki''s appearance, clearly didn''t understand Miyuki''s personality and nature. After just a few rounds of simple conversation, Renji became certain of this. For example, when the topic of "that matter" came up, the shyness exhibited by the elf might be a normal reaction for a typical woman, but the problem is, Miyuki is not a typical woman. The word ''shy'' would never apply to the real one. Moreover, even the imitation of appearance wasn''t perfect. Renji confirmed his earlier suspicion. Miyuki wouldn''t be that big! That size was definitely not Miyuki! Don''t underestimate his ability to recognize the true from the false after having ogled the game character portraits hundreds of times! Renji cursed inwardly and maintained his distance from the elf women, who only resembled Miyuki in appearance. Seeing Renji remaining silent, the elf women became somewhat impatient. "Why aren''t you talking?" "Did Miyuki do something to upset you?" The elf, standing barefoot on the ground, looked like the most beautiful piece of art, with even her naked feet being extremely attractive. The arch of her foot slightly raised, adding an enticing curve to the shape of her foot, and the size of her foot was just right to be held and yed with in one''s hand. Her fair ankles were adorned with green ankle bracelets made of unknown vines, and her five toes, all painted with pink nail polish, added a yful and cute aspect to her otherwise noble and elegant elfish demeanor. Unfortunately, all these details lost their allure in Renji''s eyes once he was sure that the elf in front of him was just a Fake. The standoff didn''tst long. Finally, losing her patience, the elf moved in a sh. Before Renji could react, she had already appeared just inches from him, her hot breath hitting directly on Renji''s cheek. "Why, doesn''t Master want to have fun with Miyuki? Don''t you often do it with the others? Why can''t you do it with Miyuki now? Is Miyuki not pretty enough? Is Miyuki''s body not tempting enough for Master? Or is it..." The elf paused, her eyes darkening, and she leaned into Renji''s ear, speaking with a dangerous tone: "Or is it that you don''t ept me because you''ve discovered something?" Renji was not panicked. On the contrary, looking at the elf women who was a bit annoyed and close to him, he chuckled and said: "Isn''t that obvious?" "If I couldn''t even tell a Fake, the real Miyuki would definitely be angry." "¡­" "Hahahah~" The tinklingughter from the elf sounded like mocking and ridiculing the young man in front of her. After puncturing this facade and tearing off the mask, the elf no longer pretended. The sense of purity and elegance rapidly faded from her, reced by a thick sense of corruption and evil. Her expression becamescivious, and it seemed she was even more excited after Renji saw through her disguise, which was evident from her flushed cheeks and the increasingly frequent use of her saliva-coated, moist tongue licking her lips. "You''re wrong, Master Ashen. There''s no longer a so-called ''real Miyuki'' in this world anymore. If you insist on using the name Miyuki, then it can only be me! After all, your elf has already offered her body to me!" "Come on, Master, just think of me as Miyuki. Look, what a tempting and delicious body this is. I will use it to bring you happiness, and in return, you just need to contribute your genes to me, let your bloodline enter my body, let us merge with each other, let us continue to evolve, let us... evolve towards a higher level of life Form!!" Apanying the elf''s final shout, her body suddenly began to wriggle, and then, with a few "puff" sounds, arge mass of shadow eerily emerged behind her. When Renji looked over, he saw the true form of this shadow. They were tentacles. "I''m not lying to you, In this space that belongs to me, the only way you can leave is by pleasing me, making me feel joy and pleasure. As long as you satisfy me and bring this body to its peak, the space will naturally be unable to maintain itself. So stop struggling, especially since you don''t have the strength to struggle, hehe~!" With the appearance of the tentacles, the elf''s skin color also began to change. Her skin, originally as pale as milk, now seemed to be dyed with ink, rapidly turning grey and ck all over. The elfughed wildly, her tentacles behind her beginning to move. Under her control, they aimed straight at Renji. Since a gentle and peaceful approach didn''t work, she would have to forcefully engage him in another "battle", the man who had once ''defeated her'', And in this "battle" she was confident, She wouldpletely drain this man in front of her for revenge, making this enemy pay the price due. ''Hmm?'' The elf was still fantasizing in her mind, but the tentacles she shot towards Renji to wrap him up hit a wall first, stopping just a few centimeters in front of Renji, unable to advance any further. The cause of all this was a dark green barrier surrounding Renji, blocking all the tentacles outside. "What is this?" The elf frowned. In her space, Renji shouldn''t have been able to release any power, after all, she was the rule here, unless The next second, the elf''s eyes widened in shock and disbelief. From her original amber eyes, now red, she showed extreme shock. Because this dark green barrier was none other than Miyuki''s [Elven Shelter]! "How is this possible! You, how can you still use Miyuki''s... No, wait! This is my power, why... why don''t I feel it!?" The shocked elf took several steps back. She incredulously swung her tentacles again to attack the barrier, but they were repelled just the same, unable to breach the barrier at all. At this scene, Renji finally breathed a sigh of relief. ''It seems I wasn''t wrong'' Looking at the powerless and furious ck-skinned elf outside the dark green barrier, Renji shook his head and said: "You''re wrong, it''s not that I can still use Miyuki''s power. From the beginning... from the moment I entered here, Miyuki''s protection has never disappeared." "Including when you first embraced me" Renji was not lying to her, and this was also the strongest evidence for Renji to confirm that the elf in front of him was a fake. "It''s impossible! After I pulled you in, I clearly cut off the power I lent you! If it''s not me, then who, who is still giving you Miyuki''s power!?" Faced with the ck-skinned elf''s interrogation, Renji naturally replied: "That would be the real Miyuki." "That''s why I say, Miyuki gave me such a hint. If I couldn''t recognize you as a fake, she would be angry, although... well, getting angry is somewhat enjoyable for her." Renji recalled the character of his true elf Mommy and sighed wearily. The situation changed too fast. The ck-skinned elf, who was originally confident of victory, now suddenly felt everything getting out of control. But there was one thing, one thing she was absolutely certain of. "Huh, Ashen, I don''t know what trick you yed again, you humans are always so cunning, but the rules here won''t change, unless you don''t want to leave." "Your only way is to please me, to bring this body joy to break the space. No matter how you try to escape, it''s useless! And congrattions, you''ve annoyed me again. I''ve changed my mind now, I want you to beg me, to actively serve me, otherwise, you and I will be trapped here forever! I have all the time in the world to spend with you, Ashen~~!" The elf seemed to have sorted out her logic, and her smile returned to her face, after all, no matter what, she still held absolute control. Until She noticed that the young man opposite still had a calm face, even indifferent to her threats. Renji''s reason was simple. If it were someone else, then the "pleasure" method would indeed be only that ''one kind''. But if it''s "Miyuki''s" body. Then to bring her pleasure, there''s another way. Thinking this, Renji closed his eyes. The next moment. In this space of thought, Renji quickly used his own thoughts to condense in his hand a... whip. Chapter 157 157: Ah! "Pfft Hahahahaa" The dark-skinned elf couldn''t help but let out a scornfulugh when she saw the whip appear in Renji''s hand. She had thought that Ashen, unwilling to submit, would choose to fight hard, directly battling her in this space, trying to kill her as a way out. In reality, she would never dare to face the legendary emperor directly. The painful experience of being sliced by Ashen five hundred years ago was her eternal shadow, but here in this space... The dark-skinned elf snorted coldly. She was the ruler of this space, no matter how powerful Ashen was, it was impossible for him to defeat her here. Moreover. ''What is this?'' Even if he wanted to conjure a weapon to fight her, was this tiny whip serious? There was not a trace of elemental attachment on the whip. Could this even be called a weapon? Not to mention adding extra power, at least there could have been some sharp barbs on the whip? Maybe even coat the barbs with poison, so that when the barbs tear her skin, the poison could seep into her body through the wounds. The elf imagined in her mind what she considered a suitable whip, and then looked again at the one in Renji''s hand, feeling even more contemptuous. Was this all that legendary and undefeatable Ashen, once mighty, had be? ''Even if I stood still and let the whip hit me, it couldn''t cause me the slightest injury, right?'' On the other side. Renji didn''t care what the dark-skinned elf was thinking. From her face, her lofty,cent disdain and mockery were apparent. But it didn''t matter. Renji, holding the whip, swung it directly at the dark-skinned elf with all his might. Swish!* The whip, swung by Renji, made a ''whooshing'' sound as it cut through the air. As for the dark-skinned elf, as if to deliberately humiliate Renji, she really stood still, not even dodging, intentionally letting the whip hit her to show Renji how childish and ridiculous such an attack was. Smack* As expected, the crisp sound of the whip echoed quickly in the dark space. The unobstructed whip struck the dark-skinned elf hard. But to say "hard" might not be appropriate, as Renji was not skilled with a whip to begin with. The attack lost much of its force halfway through, and when it actually hit the dark-skinned elf, it waspletely ineffective. ''Uh...'' ''Hmm?'' ''It didn''t hurt, true, but what was this slight itching sensation?'' The dark-skinned elf furrowed her brows. She nced instinctively at the spot on her arm where the whip had struck. The tea-egg-colored skin was still smooth and tender, as she had expected. Theughable attack from the other side couldn''t even leave a mark. Before the dark-skinned elf had time to wonder further, Renji''s nextsh of the whip came flying towards her. Facing the whistling whip, the elf, still intent on humiliating Renji, stood her ground without dodging. This time, Renji''s whipnded on her left leg, making a crisp "snap" sound. From the sound, it was clear that it was much louder than the first strike, indicating that Renji was getting the hang of using the whip, gradually learning how to attack with it. However, in terms of effect, it seemed to be in vain. The leg of the dark-skinned elf that was whipped still showed no sign of injury. It was just... Just trembling slightly. Indeed. If the first time was just an illusion, then the second time, with the increased strength of Renji''s whipping, the itching sensation from the whipped part became more apparent. If it was just simple itching, that would be fine. She could still mock Renji with ament like, "Are you trying to tickle me?" The dark-skinned elf had indeed nned to do so. Until Her body, following the itching sensation, started to feel... Pleasure? It was this uncontroble pleasure that caused her legs to tremble uncontrobly now. ''What in the world?!'' The dark-skinned elf was full of questions, but she had no time to "understand" her own body, as Renji''s third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth whip strikes came in quick session. First awkward, then familiar, Renji''s frequency of swinging the whip became faster and faster, each strike stronger than thest. The whip in his hand moved rapidly through the air, even forming whip shadows, and the strikes on the dark-skinned elf were like a violent storm. Smack* Smack* Smack* Smack* Smack* If there were damage numbers to show, Renji''s strikes on the dark-skinned elf''s head would probably be showing a constant stream of "-1" or "-0". But on the other hand... Although the dark-skinned elf was not his contractee, and thus he couldn''t see her status bar, the fact that she started trembling all over, her skin flushing pink wherever the whip struck ¨C not the red of whip marks, but an excited pink ¨C undoubtedly proved that his guess was correct. Suppose the dark-skinned elf wasn''t deceiving him and her current body was indeed once Miyuki''s, then she should also possess Miyuki''s two special talents. In short, these were: bing stronger the more she was hit, and being unaffected by positive blessings, but negative curses would actually increase Miyuki''s attribute bonuses the more severe the curse. Due to these two characteristics, Renji in the game would often start battles by whipping the elf knight, using this method to increase Miyuki''s attributes. As for why it was the protagonist who did this, although it''s a bit sad to say, the fact was that the underdeveloped protagonist was the weakest in the team with the lowest damage in the start. Even if he attacked Miyuki, it wouldn''t cause her much loss of health. So, Renji remembered clearly that during that period, his "protagonist" almost became Miyuki''s exclusive "power bank" character. That''s why Renji now summoned the whip so naturally and started whipping the dark-skinned elf, as this was something he had often done in the game and had repeated countless times. In the dark-skinned elf''s current status bar, there were probably many increases in all attributes, along with various enhancements to herself. It was precisely this attribute enhancement that turned into the expression on the face of the dark-skinned elf across from him, a joy she wanted to hide but actually couldn''t conceal at all. Yes, the elf who initially looked at him as if looking at an insect, with a mix of cold snorts and mockery, now only had an expression of intense panting on her face. Her cheeks flushed, her mouth involuntarily open. When she realized her own gaze, she tried to clench her teeth and press her lips together again, as if struggling against her body''s instincts. At the same time, she frowned and red angrily, her red eyes seemingly filled with rage towards the despicable, perhaps even thinking that her body''s change was some trick of his own. The next moment, as Renji''s whip struck again, the elf women''s mouth was the first to falter, opening wide immediately. Even her tongue inside seemed to tremble, threatening to protrude. The eyes that had just seemed ready to breathe fire now became misty, with the hint of tears about to form. ''No, this can''t go on!'' The elf admitted she might have gotten carried away. No, she had underestimated Renji. She didn''t know what trick he was using, but if this continued... She felt her head starting to spin, her spirit bing unstable, causing the space they were in to show signs of breaking. She had finally seized the opportunity to trap her lifetime enemy "Ashen" in this space. A once-in-a-lifetime chance, she couldn''t let him go before obtaining Ashen''s genes and bloodline! However, just as the elf women prepared to use her great willpower to actively dodge Renji''s whipping, another unexpected event urred. She suddenly saw a blur before her eyes, and the next moment, her consciousness returned to her original body in the "Sanctum" of the Old Alliance. ''What''s happening?'' When the elf saw the Forgotten Ones, her "children", also appearing around the round table in the "Sanctum," she realized something. When her presence was needed in reality, her consciousness would be partially pulled back. But the question was ''Why at this crucial moment?'' ¡­.. Meanwhile. The Forgotten Ones around the round table were also perplexed. "Mother, why did you urgently summoned us, is...?" ''I urgently summoned them?'' ''When did I summon them?'' Hearing her children''s words, the elf was stunned and astonished. But before she could inquire or respond, in her other half''s consciousness, the equivalent of an "unconscious" spiritual body naturally couldn''t dodge the whip. Soon, another sensation of Renji''s whipping transmitted through her spiritual body, directly affecting her. Thus, in the eyes of the several Forgotten Ones below, their most respected, most beloved, and for some, the most "infatuated" mother... "Ahhhhhhh!" The elven women couldn''t hold back, and a high-pitched, sharp moan echoed directly within the Sanctum of the Old Alliance. Chapter 158 158: Dont Come Over, I... Im Fine. Mass release tomorrow, ------------- "Mother!?" The one with the biggest reaction in the room was the only "upper-level" Forgotten One present, Hero. As the upper-level Forgotten One in charge of "Sin City", Hero was also influenced by the city. This was evident from his attire - a tall gentleman''s hat and a ck tailcoat - making him the most elegant among the upper-level Forgotten Ones. Of course, he was also the most eloquent, as could be seen from his previous pliments" regarding Bal''s gender. However, at this moment, Hero, unusually panicked, stood up from his seat. Ignoring the gentleman''s hat that was about to fall off, he moved anxiously towards the elf women in the main seat, his face full of worry and concern. After all, she was his Mother, the one who allowed him and their "special" race to finally escape from the shadow of the "Ashen Emperor", the one who gave him a new life and a sense of existence! Unfortunately, just as he was halfway there, the elf women on the main seat seemed to recover a bit. Seeing Heroing to check on her, she instinctively felt guilty and immediately stopped him: "Don''te over!" Then, realizing her reaction was too intense, which seemed abnormal, the elf women slowed down her speech, trying to sound calm andposed as usual, exining to Hero: "Oh, my child, don''t worry about me, I''m really okay... I''m just fine. Please, go back to your seat, alright?" Miyuki bit her lip tightly with her teeth, using all her willpower to keep her voice steady. She didn''t expect that in such a short time, the other half of her consciousness would send whipping sensations again, almost making her lose her voice in front of her children. Seeing his Mother on the main seat, seemingly trembling slightly and her voice different from usual, Hero, still very worried, had no choice but to obediently sit back down since she had spoken. However, once back in his seat, Hero''s concern for his mother turned into anger towards the absentees as he nced at several empty seats in the "Sanctum". "Bal! Kai! And that idiot! What is going on with these people!? Dare they ignore even Mother''s summons!? Is there anything they are handling that''s more important than Mother!?" Despite wearing white gloves, it was still evident from the veins bulging on his clenched fists that he was angry. "Hero, don''t talk like that about everyone. Also, what you just said about the su.. uh uh ah... summons, what do you mean?" Miyuki asked intermittently. "Could it be that it wasn''t Mother who appeared and summoned me? Eh!? Wait, does that mean, you... you summoned only me among the ''upper-levels''?" Hero, suddenly realizing this, became excited and even started to fantasize. ''Could this special summons mean that Mother was going to show me special favor?'' On the other hand, hearing Hero''s words, ignored histter fantasies. Her attention was fully caught by the mention of "appearing." Her heart filled with surprise and even a bit of horror. Because she, ''appeared?'' ''Impossible!'' ''All my consciousness was focused on Ashen in the space. How could I possibly appear before my children?'' ''But if it wasn''t me'' ''Then who was the "her" that Hero and the other summoned children saw!?'' The confused and perplexed elf hurriedly wanted to continue questioning Hero, but what she didn''t expect was "Ugh Nyaaaaaaaaaah!!" A pleasure many times stronger than the previous whipping suddenly came from the other half of her consciousness''s body, catching the herpletely off guard. This feeling even made her brain nk out for a moment, and she lost her voice in front of her children once again. When the elven women hurriedly switched her consciousness back and saw whatAshen was doing to her consciousness''s body in the Miasma space, she was almost furious enough to pass out. Rewinding back a few minutes. That was when the elf''s consciousness was just disrupted by the real world and forced to leave the body in this space. Renji quickly noticed this too. The dark-skinned elf in front of him seemed to have fallen into an unconscious state and was at his mercy. ''In that case...'' Renji didn''t know what happened to the dark-skinned elf or how long this state of being at his mercy wouldst, so he hurriedly reced the whip, using his mind to newly construct a Yes, Renji thought the efficiency of the whip was too low, and the negative effects were not enough, so he decided to change the attack method. As for the location of the attack... Renji quickly locked his gaze on therge mass of shadow behind the dark-skinned elf, specifically those writhing tentacles. Without wasting words, Renji, holding the machete, went directly behind the stupefied dark-skinned elf and, facing those likewise unconscious tentacles, began to strike with his de. Swoosh! With one swing, the resilience of the elf''s tentacles was somewhat beyond Renji''s expectation, not severing at the first strike. Renji had to strike again and again, repeatedly! Swoosh!* Finally, after much effort, Renji''sst swingpletely severed the gray-brown tentacle in front of him into two. The severed half bounced on the ground a few times before dissipating into smoke. However, instead of focusing on the tentacle''s condition, it was more important to observe the elven women, the owner of the tentacles. After cutting off the tentacle, the effect was indeed much stronger than the previous whip. From the moment the tentacle was severed, the dark-skinned elf''s entire body convulsed violently several times, eyes rolling back, and saliva oozing from the corners of her mouth and blush appear on her face. Renji, looking around the dark space, saw that the dark-skinned elf had not lied. With the tremendous shock in the elf''s psyche, the space also began to show cracks. This brought joy to Renji, seeing hope for an exit, and he became even more enthusiastic. Looking at the nearly dozen tentacles still behind the elf, he coldly wielded his machete towards the next tentacle. ...¡­ -Inside the Sanctum of the Old Alliance. "Mother! What''s wrong with you! Are you feeling unwell?" The elf women''s second outcry made Hero stand up from his seat again. He was now certain that something was wrong with his Mother. "No, Hero, you stay... Damn it! There, that hurts! NGhyaaaa." The elf women had to cover her mouth with her hands to prevent herself from moaning out loud. She was in great distress. She wanted to quickly shift her consciousness back to the body near Renji, but this required concentration, undisturbed. But now in the Sanctum, Hero''s continuous concern forced her to respond, and Renji''s relentless severing of her tentacles, the indescribable pleasure from each severed tentacle, made her psyche disintegrate, rendering her incapable of doing anything. "What the hell is wrong with, ahhhhhh! What''s wrong with this body!" "Why has it be... like this!?" "Kyaaaaaaah!" The elf, covering her mouth, kept shaking her head. The concern from the Forgotten Ones below, especially from Hero, and the gaze of her children, only intensified this deep feeling inside her. Thinking about how she was being watched by the children, whom she had personally nurtured to fight against Emperor Ashen, witnessing her current state of disgrace, her body''s strangeness only grew more and more intense. This led to, just at the severing of the fourth tentacle, something in the elf''s mind exploded like a bomb, sting her consciousness into a nk state. Her single hand covering her mouth was no longer enough; she now used both hands, muffling her sobs and moans. Unable to maintain her posture, she copsed onto the table of the "Sanctum," convulsing like a corpse. "Motherrrrrrr!??" Seeing the elf in this state, Hero let out a heart-wrenching cry. ----------- Renji: ''So, that''s it?'' Renji, looking at the dark-skinned elf who had copsed on the ground, limbs askew, and unable to get up, put away hisrge machete, feeling somewhat unsatisfied. It must be said, whether in games or in reality, tentacles like these, soft and sticky, seemed to be made for chopping. Cutting them down, one by one, was incredibly stress-relieving. Renji would have liked to continue chopping a few more tentacles if possible, but unfortunately, all the tentacles behind the dark-skinned elf had already retracted, and her whole body seemed to be on the verge of copse, unable to maintain itself any longer. From the elf''s body, Renji could no longer sense the soul from before. It seemed to have beenpletely expelled from this space by him, and without the soul, the elf was now just a pure shell. Suddenly, the elven woman, now just a shell, began to float up as if controlled by some force. Then, on the elf''s skin, the previously contaminated, tea egg-like brown-ck color started to fade rapidly, and the elf''s original pure, bright milky white skin returned. But not just that. Soon, the elf''s entire body became transparent, and movements came from behind her again. But this time, it wasn''t those wriggling, sticky tentacles, but a pair of incredibly beautiful wings, as ifposed of the most enchanting colors of this world, like butterfly wings, dazzling and dreamy. The woman glowing all over illuminated the dark space. She then pped her ''wings'' and flew in front of Renji. The overly bright light, coupled with thepletely transparent body, made the elven woman only visible as a blurry outline from Renji''s perspective. "Miyuki?!" Chapter 159 159 : The Touch Of Miasma Part 1 [1/7] ? Thank you again for breaking a new record, 4k power stones, 1 more chapter will be released after 5 minutes, As for the remaining 5 chapters, it will be ready after 4 hours. ------- "Miyuki?" Given his previous experience of being deceived, even though the elf in front of him evoked a strong sense of familiarity, Renji still remained somewhat cautious. However, when faced with Renji''s question, the elf did not speak. Rather, it seemed she was unable to speak due to some restrictions. But this did not hinder her; in the blurry light, the elf appeared to pout a bit at Renji''s questioning. She then chose to respond to the young man through actions instead. Stepping forward in forest sandals woven from bamboo strips, the elf moved close to Renji, within just a few inches. She then extended a slender, jade-like finger to his forehead and flicked it with a teachable gesture. Snap!* Renji felt a slight pain in his forehead, but his face rxed, showing happiness and excitement. The reason was simple. The elf''s finger effortlessly passed through the Elven Shelter that Miyuki had bestowed upon him. This barrier, which blocked and repelled the original dark-skinned elf, was as if nonexistent to the elf in front of him. The only one capable of doing this was the true owner of the shelter, the source of the barrier''s power, the real Miyuki! The great Elven Knightess! Renji in his excitement almost shouted out, but then he remembered how he often treated Miyuki in the game, and how he had just treated the dark-skinned elf. Although that wasn''t the real Miyuki, it was still Miyuki''s body, so Renji held back, feeling a bit embarrassed. For a moment, Renji had too many things he wanted to say to Miyuki, but precisely because of this, he didn''t know where to start. This feeling was like that of a child returning home after studying abroad for many years, looking at familiar yet strange rtives, finding all words pale and weak. The elven woman took the initiative. Like an older sister, she saw that Renji was still struggling with what to say, so she extended her finger again, this time cing it in front of Renji''s lips. There was no need for her finger to be so close for a simple "shush" gesture, but she seemed to do it deliberately, without any sign of disgust, insisting on pressing her finger against Renji''s lips. Immediately, a cool sensation spread from his lips, calming his hot breath and bringing Renji a burst of freshness. Renji could feel her finger against his lips, so delicate and slender, long and strong, with an icy temperature that was simply irresistible, sparking a few ripples of fantasy in his mind. Such agile and strong fingers should be used for some craft, he thought; it was a pity not to. Seemingly noticing Renji''s frivolous thoughts, Miyuki gave a look of "I can''t believe you," acting helplessly while actually kneeling down in front of Renji in a very standard pose, her legs pressed beneath her buttocks, her dark green skirt half-concealing her smooth, fair thighs. After all, which gentle sister could resist satisfying her brother''s whims? Then Miyuki patted her legs together, inviting Renji to rest his head there. Seeing Renji still puzzled, the elf seemed a bit coquettish. With a sense of eagerness, Miyuki took the initiative to ce Renji''s head on her kneeling legs, then looked satisfied. Resting on Miyuki''sp, Renji experienced the true gift of nature ¨C the softness like cotton candy, without any hint of difort, like resting on a cloud, bothfortable and pleasant. Miyuki had a perfect figure, seemingly without an ounce of extra flesh. Interestingly, she could control her body temperature; her fingers were cool and refreshing, while herp felt warm like jade, like a cozy, self-heating cushion. Moreover, it seemed that after the soul exchange, even the elf''s body scent had changed. Unlike the previous deep and mysterious orchid scent, Miyuki''s fragrance was now more like that of walking through a blooming garden, a rich and intoxicating jasmine scent lingering at Renji''s nose, inspiring endless fantasies of beauty. Previously, Renji never understood the appeal of a knee pillow, but after experiencing it firsthand, he realized. It was truly delightful! In every sense of the word. Of course, the knee pillow was just the first preparation step. In this position, the elf lowered her head and began to carefully smooth out every strand of Renji''s hair, like a sister tending to her mischievous brother who had returned from ying outside. And then, the elf''s fingers moved towards Renji''s ears. Renji tried to resist, feeling it was inappropriate. But soon under Miyuki''s skillful touch, he couldn''t help but let outfortable hums,pletely surrendering to the sensation and internally admiring the perfect pairing of ear picking andp pillows. Renji couldn''t help but indulge in Miyuki''s skillful ear cleaning, her fingers always finding the most ticklish spots in his ears for aprehensive care and massage. Immersed in this peace and tranquility, resting his head on Miyuki''sp and relishing the elf''s service, Renji had never felt so rxed sinceing to this world. This sense of rxation and safety could only be provided by Miyuki, the "protector". Indeed. Previously, Renji always strived to maintain an effortless image in front of others, after all, he was "Emperor Ashen". But as he faced more challenges, he increasingly felt exhausted and weary, as he was Ashen, but not truly Ashen. Renji felt lost in many aspects, unsure of how to proceed. Like how to deal with the Old Alliance, or how to treat those characters who had been abandoned. When they caused other disasters out of hatred for him, he wondered what he should do. Moreover, just finding Suthia and Nova exhausted him, and there were three more waiting for him. Renji had a premonition that it would only get harder, doubting whether he could really do it. Like in the initial standoff with the dark-skinned elf, when the dark elf mentioned Miyuki''s physical contribution, Renji might have appeared calm, but the turmoil inside was known only to him. He couldn''t ept any loss from ''them'' and felt powerless. Chapter 160 160 : The Touch Of Miasma Part 2 [2/7] ? Therefore, with the real Miyuki''s appearance, the sense of relief and regaining something lost was indescribable for Renji. Nothing could have relieved him more. There were many such negative emotions. Sometimes, in the deep of the night, Renji would wonder if he truly deserved their love, or he would rack his brains on how to y the role ofAshen properly. He worried about making mistakes, revealing a side of himself that differed from their perception of the Ashen they know, fearing they might leave him. These were just feelings Renji suppressed, as he was just an ordinary person who stayed at home and yed games. Such negative emotions were a hidden danger. Renji might not have shown them yet, but as they umted, they would inevitably explode at some point. However, at this moment, Miyuki''s knee pillow seemed to have a magical power, allowing Renji to let down all his guards and vulnerabilities, revealing his weakest side to her. Miyuki then tenderly stroked his hair and cheeks, urging Renji not to bottle up everything inside. She was willing to take in all his negative emotions, willing to be his haven. She seemed to prefer a vulnerable and imperfect Ashen over a strong and perfect one. After all, she was a protector. Because the protected one was not strong enough, that was the very reason for her existence as a "protector". Renji felt all his wanderings, confusions, and fears dissipate with Miyuki''s tender caresses, like a continuous spring rain rejuvenating the parched earth, filling him with energy. Perhaps it was the toofortable knee pillow, Miyuki''s intoxicating scent, the softness and warmth of her "absolute territory" or something else altogether, but a wave of sleepiness began to sweep over Renji. His eyelids fought each other, and his vision blurred. Soon, Renji fell into a deep sleep on the elf''sp. It seemed Miyuki was waiting for this moment. The elf wings on her back, like butterfly wings, suddenly erged, eventually enveloping both of thempletely. ¡­. Meanwhile, in the real world, within the Skull Altar, Renji''s body, engulfed and pulled into the depths by the ck swamp, also began to shimmer with elf light. He acted like a massive pump, drawing the altar''s ck mire crazily into his body. This swamp, representing centuries of negative emotions from the Dragon Nation, didn''t enter Renji''s body directly. First, it passed through the dark green barrier from Miyuki''s protection, acting as a filter and purifier, removing impurities and leaving only the purest Miasma to be absorbed by Renji. Even the central Skull Curse Gem of the altar wasn''t spared, sucked into Renji''s body. The centuries-old bloodline curse first hit Miyuki, then transformed into a more potent force, infused into the young man on the elf''s knee pillow. In just a few minutes, the massive Tainted Miasma formed over centuries by millions of people, and the cursed altar, were drained dry by Renji and Miyuki. As a final manifestation of these powers, A new ability quietly appeared in Renji''s skill bar, which originally had five skills corresponding to "them." Now, there was a sixth. After a long sleep, Renji awoke feeling incredibly refreshed, having never had such afortable rest. As he came to his senses, Renji sat up and saw the elven woman still beside him, sighing with relief and then a deeper sigh. "Have you left already, Miyuki?" he sighed. The elf before him had lost its glow, resembling a soulless shell as in the beginning. Clearly, the real Miyuki had also disappeared from this space. Clutching his fists but soon smiling and shaking his head, Renji felt invigorated and confident after enjoying Miyuki''s healing knee pillow. No unknown or obstacle ahead could stop him from finding his wives now! The next time he sees Miyuki, Renji vows to enjoy a real knee pillow in reality, not just in the realm of consciousness. ''But for now'' Renji pondered how to leave this space. He had been here long enough; it was time to return to reality, where Nova and the others awaited him. "Huh?" It was then that Renji noticed something odd about his body. He quickly checked his panel and discovered... A sixth skill! [The Touch of Miasma] [From: ???] [Rank: Cmity] [Skill Effect: When unleashed on an Eclipse, utilize the authority of Miasma to reach the deepest part of their psyche, temporarily "materializing" them into a unique Miasma item, usable only by you] [(Note: The special Miasma items formed by The Touch of Miasma are absolutely unique; their form, abilities, and rank depend on the Eclipse themselves.) ] After quickly scanning the description, Renji looked at the new ability icon in his skill bar, a gray-brown image resembling a "crown". He quickly realized that Miyuki must have done something to him while he was asleep. One thing he was sure of was that this "Touch of Miasma" was not Miyuki''s ability, at least not the power of the elf knight he was familiar with. Then, naturally, Renji''s thoughts turned to the false Miyuki who had initially "upied" Miyuki''s body, the dark-skinned elf with tentacles. Judging by the name of the skill, it seemed more in line with the characteristics of the dark-skinned elf. So, Renji looked again at the skill effect, particrly at the words "utilize the authority of Miasma". It seemed to hint at the identity of the skill''s original owner, marked with "???". Tentacles, the authority of Miasma, and most importantly, the Cmity Rank. If, in this world, there was a sixth Cmity Rank being apart from his five wives, it could only be... ---------- Note: To make it simpler, When you use this skill on an Eclipse (a type of being or entity), you can tap into the power of Miasma to deeply affect their mind. This allows you to temporarily transform the Eclipse into a special item made of Miasma. This item is unique and can only be used by you. Essentially, it means turning a being into an item with special properties for a short period. Chapter 161 161: Return To Reality [3/7] ? "Hahah, she really makes me cry¡­" Renji chuckled helplessly. Miyuki was as thorough as ever, arranging everything perfectly for him. Therefore, he couldn''t disappoint her good intentions. After taking a deep breath, Renji ced his hand on the shoulder of the elf''s body. The next second, the "crown" icon in his skill bar began to flicker. A gray-brown light burst from Renji''s palm, linking him and the elf''s body in front of him. Renji''s hand quickly disappeared into the elf''s body, which then transformed into a swirl of red Miasma mist around him. When Renji withdrew his hand, the Miasma furiously converged in his palm, and the elven woman vanished. In its ce, in Renji''s hand, was A tentacle. Renji: "¡­" "Alright then." ording to the description of the Touch of Miasma, the Miasma item produced is closely rted to the Eclipse itself. Renji, looking at the wriggling tentacle in his hand, felt it further confirmed his previous guess. Regarding this tentacle, Renji, as its owner, could faintly sense its numerous functions. Holding it, he felt like he became the master of the entire Miasma space. The tentacle acted like a root antenna, continuously issuingmands to the surrounding Miasma, making all Miasma forces serve him. For instance, if there was a living being in front of him, Renji felt he could evenmand the tentacle to devour or corrupt it. The former involved wrapping the tentacle around the being, absorbing all its power like an old tree''s roots, while thetter was more terrifying and bizarre, transforming the being both mentally and physically into a being simr to his "offspring". Through the tentacle, Renji gained a deeper insight into the powers of the ''Miasma Mother'', likely just the tip of the iceberg. This realization made him break out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, he had resisted temptation before and identified the dark-skinned elf. Otherwise, if he had let the false Miyuki engage in any "happy activities" with him, it wouldn''t just be a matter of being drained. The so-called extraction of his genes and bloodline, as it now appears, could have involved some more sinister and twisted method. Regarding this evil tentacle, Renji had no intention of delving deeper into it. He merely used it as a whip. After swinging it fiercely in the dark space, the tentacle suddenly extended, striking like a spike against the space''s walls, adding the final straw to the space already destabilized by the mental copse of the dark-skinned elf. *Crack. Crack!* Countless cracks appeared around the space, spreading quickly like a spiderweb, covering the entire area in the blink of an eye, and then *Boom!* With a muffled sound echoing around, the entire dark space shattered like broken ss. Renji''s body in reality also began to rapidly rise from the water of the altar''s pool. *Ssh!* Sitting up from the pool, Renji opened his eyes wide. He looked around and, seeing the forbidden area of the ancient Wolf n, he breathed a sigh of relief, confirming his return to reality. Although it seemed he had experienced a lot in the consciousness space, in reality, it might have only been a few minutes. Speaking of the space, Renji looked down at his right hand. The evil tentacle, materialized from the elf''s body, had not disappeared with the space but was brought out with him. But in the next moment, Renji immediately stowed away the tentacle. He always maintained a principle of avoidance towards such evil objects, using them only when absolutely necessary. After leaving the pool, Renji observed the entire altar and noticed it had drastically changed. The water in the altar, previously a polluted ck swamp, had now be clear and transparent, almost indistinguishable from ordinary water. Renji then looked towards the center of the altar''s pool. The cursed Skull Gem, an S-rank Miasma item that had umted the Dragon Nation''s negative emotions for centuries, was now dim and lifeless. When Renji picked it up, he found that the Miasma power inside waspletely drained, turning the "gem" into an ordinary stone. All these changes undoubtedly originated from him. Renji faintly sensed that with Miyuki''s help, he had absorbed the massive and terrifying Miasma. He had "drained" the entire altar, and it was the power of the Dragon Nation''s centuries of umted Miasma thatid the foundation for his sixth "Cmity" rank ability, the Touch of Miasma. Even though the cursed Skull Gem had lost its power and be just a regr stone, Renji, adhering to the principle of making sure it waspletely destroyed, broke it into several pieces before leaving the altar with peace of mind and quickly heading out of the forbidden area. As soon as he left the restricted area, he saw 86 and Eileen anxiously waiting for him. Although he had purified the altar in the depths of the forbidden area, the entire zone was still filled with centuries of dense Miasma, not so easily dissipated. Seeing Renjie out safely, both Eileen and the maid sighed in relief. Renji didn''t have time to exin; he immediately asked about Nova''s situation. However, before they could answer, the sound of intensebat not far away already indicated the grim situation. The concern here wasn''t about Nova losing in a one-on-one fight. For the Dragoness, with almost unparalleled individualbat strength, probably only Renji himself could put her at a disadvantage in such a scenario. What truly troubled Nova was that no matter how many times she killed Bal, the High Priest, he would rapidly "revive" and get back up. Moreover, with each resurrection, it wasn''t without an impact on Bal himself. Nova felt that the earlier Bal still had some rationality left formunication. However, now, after dozens of resurrections, Bal had almostpletely be a monster driven by raw emotion. "Give it back to me" "Give me back what rightfully belongs to me!!!" After being blown apart by the Dragoness''s punch and reforming again, the High Priest''s eyes were now blood-red. The makeup once worn for the "reunion" had now twisted into a grotesque expression. Bal''s remaining essence was her hatred, screaming at Nova, until Renji, returning from the forbidden area, reappeared in Bal''s sight. Renji, looking at the High Priest caught in madness and chaos in the sky, had a sh ofplex emotions in his eyes, eventually turning into a heavy sigh. Initially, he hadn''t recognized the High Priest, whose appearance and even gender had changed drastically. But as the fight between him and Nova progressed, despite the change in profession to a special ability user, many of his moves still bore the shadow of the past. Memories of the old game surfaced; it was a card and model that, although somewhat ugly, had great potential and an excellent skill set. It was once a trump card for Renji, just as important as Nova. "Bal, it''s all over now, stop." Chapter 162 162: Crimson Lotus Wings 4/7 ? "Bal, it''s all over now, stop." As Renji uttered that name, the High Priest''s body suddenly trembled. The almost entirely lost rationality seemed to return a bit in that moment, and a glimmer of rity reappeared in her blood-filled eyes. But it was just a glimmer. Soon after, rationality faded from the High Priest again, reced by an even more intense hatred. In fact, from the moment Renji had disappeared to head towards the restricted area, Bal''s heart had already cooled. It wasplete despair when she no longer felt the presence of the cursed Skull Gem. All her ns for revenge, the curse she had schemed for centuries, were still so frail before "that person" - the great Emperor, the Emperor she once admired and aspired to. "it is over?" "No" "Not yet. It''s not over yet!" ''How could... How could it end like this!'' The power of Tainted Miasmaes from negative emotions, and Renji''s appearance pushed Bal''s inner Miasma to its peak. Loads of filthy ck mire began to ooze out from the High Priest''s eyes, mouth, and nose, soon covering her entire body, growing more and more. In just a few blinks, the ck mire hadpletely covered Bal''s body, obliterating any trace of the High Priest''s former appearance. A few breathster, the mire kept surging, eventually transforming Bal into a giant filthy crawling creature,posed entirely of mud and standing eight or nine stories tall. The final form of Bal abandoned even ''her'' "beauty," bing a tool of hatred and controlled by Miasma. This monstrous crawling creature, with its heavy body of mud, had only two soulless ck voids for eyes and a whimpering, howling oval mouth. For this colossal creature, the entire world seemed to narrow down to just one person below. That was the young man on the ground. Nova, being her dutiful self, immediately stepped in front of the crawling creature to protect Renji behind her. However, this time, the young man held back Nova, who was about to charge. Previously, hecked the strength to participate in such a level of fight, so he could only hide behind Nova, watching his former "cards" fight each other. But now. Renji was grateful to Miyuki, because, at least, she had given him a chance to end this himself. "Nova, could I borrow you for a moment?" Nova was initially taken aback, but quickly realized that thinking wasn''t what she needed to do. What she needed to do was "Nova is always willing to be your sword, no matter when." Watching Nova''s sincere, burning purple eyes, void of any distractions, and filled with honest feelings towards him, Renji knew no more words were needed. Against the backdrop of the colossal filthy crawling creature towering dozens of meters high, Renji ced his hand on Nova''s chest. At the same time, the gray-brown "crown" icon in his skill bar lit up again. The Touch of Miasma was activated once more, and this time, *Buzz!* A zing inferno instantly filled Renji''s entire field of vision. Unlike the "empty shell" elf, this time, the object of the Touch of Miasma was the very real Nova. Renji felt a strange link connecting him intimately with Nova, as if the Touch of Miasma opened a door to the deepest parts of her heart. In that moment, he knew everything about Nova ¨C every inch of her skin, every strand of her red hair, even every tiny pore. For Nova, she felt as if all of her was exposed to Renji. It was like standing naked under a spotlight before her master, yet she harbored no feelings of shyness or difort. On the contrary. Nova closed her eyes, rxingpletely as Renji touched her, soon floating up weightlessly, her limbs hanging down. This signified her surrendering all control of her body to the young man before her, the one she trusted the most, longed to be with, and loved the most. If there was any unease in Nova, it was her concern about whether her body would please him. She hoped not to be despised by him and wondered how she could further adapt herself to his liking. However, these concerns disappeared the next moment, as Renji withdrew his hand and Nova involuntarily let out a soft moan. Her body vanished, reced by swirling red Miasma mist around Renji. This time, the equipment "materialized" from Nova through the Touch of Miasma didn''t appear in Renji''s hand. Instead, it formed behind him. Behind Renji, all the Miasma power from Nova began to converge crazily, and the outlines of a pair of wings slowly emerged. Although the wings were not yet fully formed, their massive size, only befitting a "dragonkind," and their sharply angled contours indicated their aggressive and intimidating nature. As scorching mes followed, igniting on the wings, it undoubtedly gave the dragon wings their final soul. The terrifying high temperature distorted the surrounding air. This was the equipment bestowed to Renji by Nova under the Touch of Miasma. A pair of. Crimson Lotus Wings. ...... "Hmm not bad¡­" Renji remarked, stepping out of the red Miasma mist. He had never felt such explosive power in his body before, like a roaring furnace of energy burning inside, driving every organ to its maximum capacity. Even his breath seemed to scorch the surrounding air. The source of all this power, naturally, came from the wings on his back. The mes of the Crimson Lotus spread through the wings to his entire body, painting him with a red tattoo-like pattern. The flowing lines of me across his chest, arms, and back, reminiscent of moltenva, were intimidating at just a nce. Renji nced at his attribute panel. His previously barely D+ attributes had leapt to an S level in both "Strength" and "Agility." "Physique" and "Stamina" were a bit lower, only reaching A+ level, and unfortunately, "Special Ability" remained at a meager D- level. After all, Nova''s profession was a Vanguard, and the "Wings of Crimson Lotus" that she had mainly enhanced his strength and agility. Chapter 163 163 : Under The Shadow Of The Wings, Everything Burns 5/7 ? Renji wanted to adapt more to the fiery dragon wings on his back, but the filthy crawling creature, Bal''s incarnation, didn''t give him that chance. The creature roared and charged toward Renji, its gigantic body causing the ground to tremble with each thud. Everything in its path was mercilessly crushed, raising clouds of dust and debris. The ancient Wolf n''s subordinates, who had initially tried to assist their High Priest, now scattered in terror upon seeing him transformed into a monstrous Miasma entity. "Ashen." "Ashen. Ashennnnnnnnnnnnnn." The roars of the huge crawling creature, now a mere carrier of ck mire, might be unintelligible to others, but Renji clearly understood. The monster was calling his name. Even though its rationality had been devoured by Tainted Miasma, it was still acting on Bal''sst obsession, or perhaps instinct ¨C it was "rushing" toward Renji. In the creature''s vision, as the young man got closer and closer, it eagerly swung its several-meter-long arms. Its hands,posed entirely of filthy ck mire, stirred up a great wave of wind as they reached for Renji. Renji looked on calmly, the massive shadow of the crawling creature''s hand looming over him. After taking a deep breath, the mes on the Crimson Lotus wings on his back suddenly brightened. With just a light p of the wings, he left behind only a fiery afterimage. When the crawling creature''s hand came swooping down, all that was left was a swirl of hot air. As for Renji himself, he was already hovering high in the sky, looking down. His dragon wings fully extended, painting the sky behind him a deep red. Bal: *Roar!* Failing to grasp Renji, the crawling creature was clearly not content. Its roars and howls, fueled by jealousy, came from the sight of Renji''s wings. Although it had lost its human form, the creature still conveyed feelings of envy. He despised those Crimson Lotus wings on Renji''s back. he envied and loathed the wings that could merge with Renji he wanted to drag Renji down from the sky! he wanted to tear apart those dragon wings ¨C ''he'' should be the one to merge with his master!! After his furious roar, the ck mire on the surface of the giant crawling creature began to wriggle intensely. Soon, one after another, new hands sprouted from its back, all targeting Renji in the sky and shooting towards him at great speed, like a dark. Despite the crawling creature''splete deformation, Renji didn''t retreat. High above, he pped the Crimson Lotus wings more vigorously, creating gusts of wind that rapidly shifted his position in the air. He became a series of elusive afterimages, nimbly dodging the ck mire hands that lunged at him from all directions. Unfortunately, perhaps because he was not yet fully ustomed to his new form, or perhaps due to the decreasing distance and increasing number of hands, Renji''s space to dodge was constantly squeezed. Eventually, he was caught by one of the creature''s hands. Seeing it had "captured" Renji, the crawling creature let out an excited and exuberant roar, rapidly covering him with all of its remaining hands, as if to ensure he was trapped and couldn''t escape. However. "Ahhhhhhhh" A pained wail suddenly came from the creature''s body, as a dazzling red light burst from the bottomyer of the piled hands. The crimson light cut through theyers of ck mire hands. Under its glow, all the hands quickly caught fire, and the intense mes swiftly reduced these hands to ashes. Within the innermostyer, Renji emerged unscathed, shielded by his wings folded protectively around him. The Wings of Crimson Lotus granted Renji unparalleled speed, and with a terrifying wingspan of nearly ten meters, they could envelop him entirely when folded inward, forming a fiery barrier. And if he were to suddenly unfold and p these closed wings, *Buzz!* The wings would stir up a fierce wind, with fire covering them, instantly forming scorching wind des that struck the crawling creature''s arms. The ck mire hands,posed of silt and filth, were sliced and severed like tofu under the force of the wind. However, the formidable aspect of this ck mire was its ability to continue wriggling even after being severed from the crawling creature''s body, falling to the ground and then transforming into smaller mire monsters. They attacked Renji in a way reminiscent of an army springing from scattered beans. But unfortunately, no matter how numerous these smaller mire monsters were, they were futile against absolute power. Renji estimated the distance between himself and the crawling creature. ''This should be enough'' ''It''s time to end this'' After murmuring to himself, Renji didn''t even nce at the mire dark hands swarming from all directions to surround him. Instead, he took a half step back and assumed a sprinting posture. The next moment, the Wings of Crimson Lotus on his back zed brightly, with mes reaching their zenith. The high-frequency trembling of his wings pushed Renji''s speed to the limit. He transformed into a meteor of fire shooting into the sky. Wherever the meteor passed, under the shadow of his wings, all mire monsters on the ground below spontaneouslybusted, turning to ashes in the mes. His ultimate target was the heart of the giant crawling creature, where Bal originally was. The crawling creature tried to stop him, extending countless fingers in an attempt to intercept the approaching meteor, but it was all in vain. The meteor pierced straight through the heart of the crawling creature, and Renji''s wings, like a sharp de, cleaved the giant body of the creature in half. Afternding back on the ground and stabilizing himself, Renji now held a person in his hand, Bal, whom he had pulled out from the inside of the crawling creature. The giant crawling creature, having lost Bal as its core vessel, could no longer sustain itself. Its massive body, several tens of meters tall, quickly copsed into ck mist, evaporating rapidly until itpletely dissipated. Chapter 164 164: Flower [6/7] ? Renji looked down at Bal, who had returned to his "High Priest" appearance, and after cing him on the ground, Bal coughed violently. His body, corroded by the ck mire, seemed like ast flicker of vitality as he slowly opened his eyes. He could have continued to resurrect himself using the ck mire within his body, just like he did during his fight with Nova but this time, Bal chose not to. He chose to give up. For Nova, Bal harbored only endless jealousy, which he could vent through repeated battles. But with his Master Ashen, Bal couldn''t do it. He couldn''t fight Renji over and over again as an enemy. Or perhaps, his original intention was to be defeated by Ashen''s own hands. That, for him, would be the best ending¡­ ''After all, at least during the recent battle, Lord Ashen belonged only to me. Lord Ashen''s entire attention was on me, watching me closely, even though I was disfigured and ugly¡­'' ''This time¡­'' ''It should be considered that I had won the "affection" from That woman, right?'' Thinking this, Bal couldn''t help but use hisst bit of strength to ask Renji, "So. Lord Ashen, did youe to the Southern Territory with Nova for¡­ for me?" Bal believed that, ording to the Old Alliance''s n, if Ashen truly returned, the most straightforward and effective method to reform the Dragon Nation would involve leveraging Nova''s "Empress" status. This strategy would aim to overhaul the corrupt higher ranks of the Dragon Nation and implement a range of new policies. Instead of using the "Empress" power and having her disguised as amon guard in the Southern Territory of the demi-humans, seemingly starting from the grassroots revolutionary army. The only reason Bal could think of for his master''s actions was that Ashen wanted to bring Nova to see him, that his master hade to persuade him. Unfortunately, the answer Renji gave next left Bal a bit stunned. Because it was the most unbelievable answer. The young man sighed, shrugged helplessly, and after beingforted by Miyuki, Renji, who was less burdened by his "idol baggage," spoke the truth: "No, actually, it''s because I don''t have the political ability, nor do I have any experience in governing a country. Even if you let me reform the Dragon Nation drastically, it would probably only be more chaotic." Bal widened his eyes, trying to see a hint of jokes on Renji''s face, but to his disappointment, Renji was very serious. When Bal realized that his master was not mocking him, he was first shocked because, in his impression, Emperor Ashen was omnipotent, and nothing could stump him. But soon, his shocked expression turned into a smile. It was not mockery - he had no right to mock. It was more like a sense of relief. Bal gazed at the sky. ''So, Master Ashen wasn''t perfect after all, there were things even he couldn''t do¡­'' ''Haha I understand now...'' ''That''s why Master Ashen needed them, right?'' Thinking this, when Bal''s gaze returned to the Crimson Wings behind Renji, his jealousy was gone, reced by a pure longing. Looking at those powerful wings, carrying the dignity and domineering presence of the dragon bloodline, and the rolling waves of intense me, everything was so wlessly perfect. ''Weren''t these the Crimson Wings that many dreamt of?'' ''Even in her "materialized" form, she was still so beautiful¡­.'' As life rapidly drained from Bal, a curiosity emerged in his heart, growing stronger and turning into a longing, even invigorating his spirit at death''s door. Because Bal wanted to know before he left, what about himself? What would he be "materialized" into by Ashen''s hands? Although Bal could guess the oue. For someone as deeply sinful and lost as him, the end result would probably be something ugly and detestable. But still, there was a sliver of hope in Bal''s heart. ''What if?'' It was this "what if" that turned into a strong emotion, leading Bal to grab the hem of Renji''s clothes, looking at him with longing eyes. If he could transform into an object for his master just before dying, to always apany him, wouldn''t that be his final redemption? Understanding the meaning in Bal''s eyes, Renji did not refuse. He ced his hand on Bal''s chest, activating the power of "Miasma Touch" once again, linking himself to Bal, allowing him to enter the deepest part of Bal''s heart. But unlike the previous times, Renji saw a pitch-ck void inside, a heart filled with nothing but filth and ck mire. This meant that Bal had actually died long ago. The reason he lived until now was that his entire body had been transformed into a Miasma monster. Beneath his human appearance, his body was entirely ck mire, with no organs left, maintained only by the ck mire. And the prerequisite for "materialization" by Miasma Touch is that the other party must be an Eclipse, a being that can coexist with Miasma, not aplete Miasma monster disguised as a living being like now. In simpler terms, Bal didn''t even qualify to be "materialized" by Miasma Touch. No matter how much Renji tried to activate the Miasma Touch, there was no response. Bal, sensing something amiss, showed a progression of emotions on his face. Initially, there was excitement when Renji ced his hand on him, which turned into great anticipation. But as seconds passed with no change, his hopeful expression gradually faded into confused puzzlement. ''Why?'' ''Why it is so slow?'' He had seen Renji use the Miasma Touch on Nova before. In just a few seconds, the Dragoness transformed into the beautiful Crimson Wings behind Renji. ''But why is there no reaction for me?'' ''Is it because the object of my "materialization" is too ugly, so Master Ashen was reluctant to bring it forth?'' ''No, that couldn''t be it¡­'' ''Master is not that kind of person.'' ''Then... am I the problem,,,'' ''Could it be that I am not powerful enough...'' Just as Bal was about to grasp a truth that seemed both despairing and uneptable, a sudden bright light emerged from Renji''s previously dim palm, engulfing Bal''s entire field of vision. When Bal regained his senses, He saw a small flower in Renji''s hand, as if it had just been extracted from him. The flower was unremarkable, like a wildflower one might see by the roadside. "This... what is this?" "It seems you are very special, Bal." "So this is... my heart?" "Yes." "It, is it beautiful?" "Very beautiful." "I see." Actually, Bal''s consciousness was already fading, or else he might have noticed the simplest w. If this flower truly was his "materialization," his body should have already disappeared. But because he didn''t realize this ''lie'', Bal used thest bit of his strength to focus intently on the flower in Renji''s hand. Even as his body began to copse, turning into ck mire and evaporating into the air, Bal''s blurry vision never left the flower ¨C the flower that even his master admired. Because it undoubtedly proved that, even though he might have been led astray and appeared ugly on the outside, at least at his core, his heart was still beautiful. Just like this flower. "Thank you," "Master..." With these final words, Bal closed his eyes. His decayed body, which had been surviving on the Miasma for centuries, finally found peace at this moment, dissipating into dust with the wind. Chapter 165 165: Building A Beautiful Nation (Part 1) [7/7] ? With this, we ended the bonuses :3 ---------- After Bal''s death, Renji no longer had a reason to fight. He quickly undid Nova''s "materialization" state, causing the mes on the Crimson Wings behind him to extinguish rapidly until the wings themselves dissolved into nothingness, reced by the figure of the Dragoness reappearing at Renji''s side. Although Nova had always been in the form of the "Crimson Wings" behind Renji, her consciousness was not stripped away. She silently observed everything - the entire battle, the subsequent conversation between Renji and Bal, and Renji''s final lie. For this reason, Nova now looked down at the ce where Bal had perished. Thisrade who had fought alongside her five hundred years ago, once a fellow Vanguard at the same height as her, now couldn''t even leave aplete corpse behind, only turning into mist and dust in the evaporating ck mire. Perhaps the only proof of Bal''s existence was the broken flower stem beside his body¡­ Suddenly, Nova frowned. She noticed something unusual. As the ck mire decreased, something hidden at the deepest part of Bal''s body became visible, something that didn''t dissipate but was left behind. Looking closely, it was... ''Another flower?'' Its appearance was like a blooming lotus, yet it had petals as dark as ink. It seemed to have been born from the mud of Bal''s skeletal remains, unfortunately unable to remain untainted amidst the filth like a real lotus. But despite turning into a ck lotus, it didn''t give off an eerie or evil vibe. Clearly, it retained itsst bit of pride, for someone had once told it that it was special, it was still beautiful. Renji soon noticed this ck lotus as well. Unlike the Nova''splete confusion, when he focused on the ck lotus, a popup window appeared. [Bal''s Soul Fragment] [Quality: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï (Disaster Rank)] [Rarity: Unique] [Effect: Records some of Bal''s life messages. If sessfully read and used, certain memory fragments can be obtained] ''A soul fragment?'' In the game, Renji didn''t remember such an item. After picking it up from the ck mire residue, the ck lotus in Renji''s hands emitted a deep and mysterious glow. From the petals of the lotus, it seemed to reflect the shadow of a high priest, Bal himself. With the panel description, Renji roughly understood its function, but the question was... ''How can I use it?'' The item didn''te with instructions for use, and when Renji looked to the Dragoness for guidance, she shook her head. As a Vanguard, the concept of a "Soul Fragment" was too arcane andplex for her to understand. At times like this, Renji''s thoughts would involuntarily drift to an image of a pink-haired subus. When it came to tinkering with such things, Lena, with her "Special Ability" expertise, was likely the best at it. ''Perhaps it was a form of telepathy.'' Just as Renji thought of Lena, he suddenly felt a stir. In the next instant, an item previously confiscated from Nova in his item space jumped out on its own, floating in front of him. It was A book. More precisely, a "training" manual. Indded. The very ''training manual'' that almost made him "crawl" out of his tent when Nova ''Attacked'' him that night. The author of this "training manual," who gave it to Nova, Was none other than Lena! Before Renji and Nova could react, the manual seemed to have a clear target. The appearance of Bal''s Soul Fragment seemed to trigger some hidden mechanism in the manual, causing it to fly towards the ck lotus. The manual then opened on its own, and a suction force emerged, astonishingly "swallowing" Bal''s Soul Fragment! Well¡­ Not really. Upon closer observation, it seemed more like a "reading" ability. After "ingesting" the ck lotus, the manual emitted bursts of pink light. After a few moments, it opened again, and miraculously, its content was rewritten. It was no longer about "training" but had transformed into new lines of text. These were Instructions for a "Cursing Ceremony" Renji and Nova didn''t need to read every word. The manual quickly flipped through the pages before them, transforming theplex and arcane text into vivid memory images in their minds. The main character in these images was Bal when he was alive. It detailed how Bal had developed the cursing ceremony for the demi-human races, like the one Renji had seen at the ancient Wolf n''s forbidden zone, at the skeletal altar. It also exined how Bal, with the help of his "Mother" used the vast Miasma toplete the curse on all demi-human races. This malicious bloodline curse initiated the decline of the demi-human races, leading to the loss of their power and the disappearance of "Relic Users" This widened the gap between them and the northern humans, eventually paving the way for the implementation of the very system. The memory images in the manual didn''tst long, and as its light gradually faded, so did Bal''s soul fragment. Renji and Nova now had a new set of memories, detailing how to perform the "Cursing Ceremony" Clearly, Bal left this soul fragment to help them lift the curse on the demi-human races, a root cause of the current division and decay in the Dragon Nation. As long as the bloodline curse remained, the bnce of power between the demi-humans and humans would never be equal. Even if they abolished the very system in the Dragon Nation, it would only be a superficial solution. True coexistence between the two races required more than political slogans; it required equal power and mutual respect. Renji had already destroyed the ceremonial altar, halting the curse for future generations of demi-humans. However, the challenge now was what to do with the millions of cursed demi-humans still in the Dragon Nation. Relying on the natural turnover of generations to eliminate the curse was too slow. While Renji''s "Divine Healing" spell proved capable of lifting the curse, it was impractical to expect him or Suthia to heal each demi-human individually. The spell worked well on individuals, but it was insufficient for an entire race. Now, Bal''s soul fragment offered Renji an alternative method. A reverse curse. A ''bloodline blessing ceremony''. Performing the ceremony again, but this time using a blessing to neutralize the curse on the demi-humans, was Bal''s answer to Renji and Nova. However, both a curse and a blessing required a vast amount of Miasma. Originally, Bal had sourced this Miasma from his "Mother" of the Old Alliance. For Renji and hispanions, the only option was for Nova, a "Cmity Rank" being, to sacrifice her power toplete the ceremony. This could lead to the true rise of the demi-human races and restore the fragmented Dragon Nation, but at the cost of potentially draining Nova''s vitality. Even serious enough to lose some levels. Chapter 166 166: Building A Beautiful Nation (Part 2) 1/2 For Renji and hispanions, the only option was for Nova, a "Cmity Rank" being, to sacrifice her power toplete the ceremony. This could lead to the true rise of the demi-human races and restore the fragmented Dragon Nation, but at the cost of potentially draining Nova''s vitality. Even serious enough to lose some levels. These were the things Renji thought of, and Nova understood too, as they had absorbed Bal''s soul fragments together. So, the choice was now before Nova. Renji did not speak, did not interfere, and left the choice entirely to Nova. And Nova admitted that she indeed hesitated for a moment, even... recoiled. It''s hard to imagine the word "recoil" appearing in Nova''s dictionary. As a Vanguard at her peak, she had always adhered to the warrior''s code, never fearing any powerful enemy, nor losing spirit in the most desperate of predicaments. Otherwise, when she was thrown by her master into a den full of monsters, she would have given up long ago, but she did not flee. However, now... Nova clenched her fists tighter. What made her recoil was not the reluctance to give up these powers, but the fact that losing them meant losing the qualification to stay by her master''s side. Unable to fight for her master anymore. Bing "useless" and abandoned by him. That was the reason for Nova''s current hesitation. If she were still the same Empress from the Dragon Pce, Nova believed she would have unhesitatingly chosen to ignore Bal''s soul fragments, as nothing was more important to her at that time than continuing to stay by her master''s side. The so-called Dragon Nation, the so-called Empress, were nothing but tools she have made for her master. So what Suthia said to her about "selfish and dislike" was actually quite urate. ''I...'' ''Am a very selfish person...'' However, it was precisely because her master took her with him in disguise to the Southern Lands, showing her the true nature of the demi-human races, and letting her see the people struggling under her Nation. And also, letting her see those formerpanions and their descendants. Nova''s mindset had quietly changed. Putting her master first remained her unchanging creed, but whether she still "deserved" to be by her master''s s side, after her journey to the Southern Lands, Nova had an answer in her heart that she was reluctant to face but had to acknowledge. She didn''t deserve it. How could someone who turned the country into this still deserve it? How could someone who ignored even the descendants of formerpanions still deserve it? Just as Bal sharply questioned her in the end, what did she have left besides strength and a pretty face? So. After taking a deep breath, Nova had made her decision. She could no longer selfishly upy the ce by her master''s side with her strength and appearance. She could not remain stagnant. She needed to progress. And now, was her opportunity to take another step forward, to try to do what a true "Empress" should do. Only when she was worthy of the title "Empress" could she deserve to stay by her master''s side again. "I''m sorry, Master..." After a moment of silence, Nova spoke, and Renji actually smiled at Nova''s choice. "Sorry for what?" "I know now is when you need strength the most, when you need me the most, but I still want to initiate Bal''s ritual." Nova quickly added: "If you allow it." "There''s no question of allowing or not allowing. Whatever decision you make, I will face it with you. Of course, I am a little happier that you chose to take this step." Renji was telling the truth, not just for Nova in front of him but also for the other four ''them''. Renji did not want them to always have only him in their sight. Everyone has their own goals, pursuits, and careers, and this is what Renji wanted to see. ''Like having a personal Vanguard or a respected Empress as a wife, obviously thetter would be a bit more exciting, right?'' ''Cough. '' "Master, will you still remember Nova after that?" Nova suddenly asked. "What?" "Will you forget my name like you did with Bal? If Nova is no longer the strongest, loses her talent in the ritual, and bes an ordinary demi-human, will you strip Nova of her power and give it to a new Vanguard? That human called Eileen, is she prepared to rece Nova?..." Seeing Nova pout her lips, with a pitiful demeanor never seen before, clutching the corner of her dress with one hand and counting her fingers with the other, as if enumerating her future "miserable" fate, Renji quickly interrupted. "Nova! What are you thinking! Am I really such a utilitarian person in your eyes!?" Remembering her master''s actions five hundred years ago. Nova nodded at Renji. But seeing her master''s frustrated demeanor, to not anger him, Nova quickly shook her head again. "¡­" Renji was upset that Nova had such thoughts akin to "handling affairs after death," but what made him even more upset was that, thinking about his own actions in the game before, he really had no rebuttal. "Anyway! Nova, rest assured, no matter what happens, I will not abandon you! Also, don''t be so pessimistic. Didn''t I say that whatever you choose, I will face it with you!" "Together... face it?" "Of course, how could I just let you sacrifice your power alone while I just stand by and watch!" Renji said without hesitation. "But, but..." "There are no buts. Even if you don''t trust me, you have to trust Lena, right?" Renji''s words only added to Nova''s confusion. ''What does this have to do with... Lena?'' Renji snorted in response. Thinking back to each key moment since his arrival from the Holy Kingdom to the Dragon Nation, one can see the shadow of that pink-haired subus in each. From the initial tampering with the "Hearthstone''s Tears," to Nova and Suthia''s simultaneous descent in the Sealed City, and finally, as ifying the groundwork for this moment, she jumped out to help "read" the training manual for Bal''s soul fragments. If it happened once or twice, it could be a coincidence, but this was the third time. Renji didn''t believe that the pink-haired subus wasn''t always watching and paying attention to them. It''s very likely that even the current situation with Bal''s soul fragments and the key "Blessing Ritual" to resolve the Dragon Nation''s issue were within Lena''s expectations. Given his understanding of Lena, she would never truly let Nova take risks. There must be some safer and more secure measures, like modifying Bal''s ritual to be more advanced and reduce the required power. After all, Bal was only transformed from a former Vanguard into a "Special Ability" type of priest. But for the pink-haired subus, a genuine, true pinnacle of the "Special Ability" type, improving Bal''s ritual would be no difficult task for a genius Lena. There''s no technique in this world too difficult for her. What made Renji more certain of this was the memory of how to perform the ritual that now existed in his mind. The training manual was Lena''s work. She could have only let Nova receive Bal''s soul fragments, but why did she include him as well? Obviously. This proved that Lena had already found a way toplete the blessing with a smaller cost, and this method required his participation. This was not surprising to Renji. After all, he was the "Greatest Emperor," wasn''t he? Although he lost his levels, as such a special existence, he should y some significant role. How could he not assist in a mere blessing ritual? ''So, how exactly should it be done?'' Renji once again turned his gaze to the manual. After mentioning the three keywords "trust in Lena," it acted like a key unlocking a seal, causing the text on the manual to change again. A new, improved version of the "Blessing Ritual" method was now presented before their eyes. After a quick review. This method, which minimizes costs and lifts the curse on demi-humans to construct a beautiful Dragon Nation, was very simple. After carefully reviewing it, Renji found that the part requiring his assistance in aiding Nova was summarized in just two words. "Dragon Knight." Renji: "..." .... Whether it''s a "curse" or a "blessing" ritual, both are essentially ways of transferring power to others, with the former contaminating and thetter blessing. To reduce the consumption of the ritual, there are many approaches, such as minimizing waste during "transportation". If Renji were to simply illustrate the difference between the two, it''s like if Bal''s original ritual was a muddy country path, then the ritual improved by Lena is now akin to a smooth and straight highway. However, just having a highway isn''t enough. While Nova''s journey would indeed be much smoother than the muddy path designed by Bal, the problem is that, despite the road change, the final destination remains the same: the vast group of demi-humans, equivalent to a very long distance in a straight line, still making it an incredibly long highway. Continuing to walk this distance on foot, whether it''s tens or hundreds of kilometers, Nova''s fate is still predictable. Besides the consumption of power, it would cause irreversible wear on her body, leading to a loss in levels. So, how to further solve this problem? The answer is quite simple. Chapter 167 167: Dragoness Moan Part 1/4 ? However, just having a highway isn''t enough. While Nova''s journey would indeed be much smoother than the muddy path designed by Bal, the problem is that, despite the road change, the final destination remains the same: the vast group of demi-humans, equivalent to a very long distance in a straight line, still making it an incredibly long highway. Continuing to walk this distance on foot, whether it''s tens or hundreds of kilometers, Nova''s fate is still predictable. Besides the consumption of power, it would cause irreversible wear on her body, leading to a loss in levels. So how to continue solving this problem? The answer is also very simple. Lena''s method to help Nova "save effort" is to teach the dragondy how to transform her power form, equivalent to constructing a "car" on the "highway". Thus, as a "dragon car", Nova''s transformation rate of strength can leap qualitatively. Compared to before, she might only need one-tenth or even one-hundredth of the strength to achieve the same goal. After all optimizations, with the highway and the dragon car ready, only one thing is missing. A driver for Nova''s "dragon car" is needed. That is, the auxiliary medium required for the ritual. And this medium is very special, with two specific requirements. First, naturally, is to be able to drive this dragon car. Second, the driver must also be a self-contained "oil barrel". This point is crucial. No matter how ingeniously designed the car is, how rich in high-tech, or what high-end material the car body is made of, without "oil", a seemingly ordinary, unremarkable substance naturally existing in nature, even the best car cannot start, let alone run. And obviously. The driver who can simultaneously be recognized by the dragon car, allowed to open the door to get in, and also carries an oil barrel, can only be oneself. As described in the manual, what Renji needs to assist in the ritual, besides getting into the dragon car to drive, is to continuously refuel the car. He must pour the carried oil into the tank, refilling it time and again to keep the car constantly powered, speeding on the highway, and not stalling due to the long distance. Regarding this, Renji looked solemn and serious, clearly understanding that he is a crucial part of the ritual. The challenge he faces, including the driving skills of the car, is secondary. The real difficulty lies in whether the oil he carries is sufficient to sustain the journey. The manual even specifically mentioned that due to the brand of the dragon species, the car''s fuel tank would likely be muchrger than usual. Facing such a huge fuel consumption, even Renji began to waver and doubt himself, wondering if he could shoulder such a heavy responsibility. "What the fuck is all this shit!" Renji couldn''t help but curse out loud. He was furious because Lena was seriously trying to exin the operating principle of this "new technique" to him, providing ample theoretical basis and technical reference. She even transformed theseplex and profound technique operations into visual metaphors that he could understand in his mind. This made it difficult for him to find a point to criticize, as Lena sincerely and genuinely provided a feasible n to protect Nova to the greatest extent. Although the "style" of the n was very much like Lena. Lena made it understandable for Renji, and naturally for Nova too, just changing the metaphor a bit. For example, the "car" became her "beast transformation" into a real dragon, and the "driver" was the Renji, her rider, who also had to bear the responsibility of "feeding" her, constantly nourishing her to replenish her energy. Nova: "¡­" "That is no good Master, let me handle this alone. Everything in the Dragon Nation now is the result of my past mistakes. It''s better for me to rectify these mistakes alone. How can I involve master in this danger?" "In danger?" Facing Renji''s confusion, Nova hesitated, then said seriously, "I am afraid that Master can''t hold on." It didn''t matter to her, but if it caused any harm to her master, that was something Nova could not ept and the reason for her refusal now. Unfortunately, This statement changed its meaning when it reached Renji''s ears. ''Afraid I can''t hold on?'' Renji: "Heh¡­" Especially seeing the dragoness''s serious demeanor, as if she was genuinely worried about him, Renji''s initial hesitation and unease were instantly reced by a surge of anger. Renji originally nned not to rush into using Lena''s method. He intended to take Nova to the Holy Kingdom to consult with Suthia. Although as a nun she might not have the specialized knowledge of the "Special Ability" in technique, at least as a fellow magic-based profession, it was worth seeing if Suthia had any other methods forparison. But now, Renji hadpletely abandoned that idea. Because he felt a great humiliation from Nova. ''What does that mean?'' ''Doubting my capabilities?'' After taking a deep breath, Renji said, "Nova, you know what? Let''s just go to the altar now." "But, Master..." "No buts!" Seeing that she seemed to have inadvertently said something wrong again, angering her master, he didn''t give her any chance to speak further. He directly took her hand and walked towards the depths of the forbidden zone. Whether as a Vanguard at her peak 500 years ago or as the Empress 500 yearster, she who only brought a sense of dominance to others now seemed to be a submissivemb in front of the more dominant Renji. When they arrived at the deep part of the forbidden zone, in front of the altar left by Bal, and were about to step into the pool water together, Nova stopped again. "Master, I''m still a bit worried." Seeing that the young man opposite her seemed about to get angry again after she spoke, Nova quickly shook her head. "No, Master Ashen, what I mean is, I had promised Sister Suthia before, and we had a pact. I, I can''t do these things with you." "Now, if Sister Suthia finds out about us doing that, won''t she be angry at me?" Nova asked cautiously. After a fight with the nun in the Sealed City, Nova realized that Suthia "disliked" her very much. And now, having just reconciled through the "Alliance", Nova didn''t want to be disliked by Suthia again due to her own "selfishness". "Rest assured, Nova. You''re doing this for the entire Nation, for the future of the Demi-Human races. Even if Suthia finds out, she won''t me you. Moreover¡­ forget it." What Renji didn''t say was that he wished the damned "Alliance" would break apart and end as soon as possible! Comforted by her master, Nova''s uneasy heart settled somewhat. But the sense of immorality was still present, as this wasn''t like the "training" in the tent that night. This time it was a real "betrayal" of the Alliance. Although, ''Suthia had already "betrayed" me first, hadn''t she?'' Continuing this line of thought, if she also "betrayed" the Alliance, wouldn''t it mean that she and Suthia were back on the same starting line, as if neither of them had "betrayed" the Alliance? This realization brightened Nova''s eyes, and thest of her reservations vanished. "Master Ashen, I am ready!" Now in Nova''s heart, all that remained was the desire to make amends to the Demi-Humans and to take responsible actions for the entire Dragon Nation. Together with Renji, she stepped into the altar''s pool. As they prepared, Lena''s manual floated to the center of the altar, where the skeletal w used to be. The manual first emitted a pink sh, sucking in the cursed jadeite that had been the core of the altar but was drained of power and shattered into pieces by Renji, making it disappear into the manual. After this step, the manual reced the cursed jadeite as the new core of the altar. Streams of obscure magical runes and symbols projected from the manual onto the altar, causing it to flicker with light and initiating the ritual. Nova let out a muffled groan as she felt her strength begin to flow out under the ritual''s influence. Correspondingly, the altar''s pool water around them began to boil and, as if ignited, turned into roaring mes. The mes enveloped both Renji and her in the pool. It was unclear whether the red glow was from the mes around them or from Nova''s face blushing deeply. Remembering the part in the manual, which stated the faster she entered the required state, the more strength she could save, Nova was determined. Renji was unaware of this segment of the manual; obviously, it was Lena''s special "guidance" for Nova. Thus, Nova decided to let go of her inhibitions, not only for the better oue of the ritual but also to avoid degrading and to continue staying by her master''s side. Demi-Humans are different from humans; each Demi-Human race has its own sensitive spots. Touching these spots brings about intense stimtion, several times higher than usual, instantly sending the body into a highly agitated state. Of course, even within the same race, these spots vary slightly from individual to individual. However, in the eyes of most Demi-Humans, these sensitive spots are considered deeply private and shameful secrets, never to be disclosed. Only some peculiar Demi-Humans would secretly tell their partners about these spots, seeking greater stimtion. ---------- Next chapter will be dyed a little, as I will release all the r18 chapters together. Chapter 168 168: Dragoness Moan 2/4 * ? After submerging in the hot water, Lena''s pink book glowed, creating a pinkish barrier that transformed the surroundings into a king-sized bedroom. It was a familiar ce to Renji, often seen on screens of the game. This was his pce in the Ashen Empire, the most luxurious room, the Emperor''s bedroom. Renji was surprised by the sudden shift in environment, but he didn''t have time to dwell on it. He hadn''t noticed the change in scenery because something more significant had captured his attention. The woman in his arms. The enchanting dragoness. The ritual necessitated Renji to channel a specific amount of Miasma energy into Nova. The most effective method for this transfer was through making love, metaphorically fueling the ''Dragoness Car'' with ''Oil.'' This approach was designed to minimize power expenditure, ensuring the ritual''s sess while only resulting in temporary debuffs and weakness. As they approached the bed, the information Lena had provided about the ritual yed in Renji''s mind. ording to the manual, the transfer of Miasma energy was not just a mere physical exchange; it involved a deep, spiritual connection between the two participants. This connection would allow the Miasma energy to flow into her more effectively andplete the ritual sessfully. Nova, sensing the seriousness of the moment, looked into Renji''s eyes which were as calm as ever. For some reason, her heart was beating rapidly. For the first time, she felt nervous. ¡­. Renji''s POV: I stared at Nova''s nervous expression and smirked. ''Heh so she can be cute¡­ well with that body it is sexier than being cute¡­'' Before we reached the king-sized bed, I suddenly kissed her lips Nova''s eyes opened wide as she was lost in her thoughts. But in the next instant, she closed her eyes and responded to my kiss. I pushed her into the bed, and then Nova wrapped her arms around my neck, responding fiercely to my kiss and trying to engulf my mouth with hers. My tongue moved into her mouth, searching for hers. Nova tried to hide her tongue and counterattack, aiming to dominate, but¡­ ¡­. -'' Just let that man take control and try to drain him as much as you canter''- Remembering Lena''s word. Nova stopped fighting back and let him quickly dominate her intertwining his tongue with hers. ¡­. In the beginning, Nova was a bit fierce facing my deep kiss, however, she learned quickly and imitated my movements, entwining her tongue with mine and sucking my saliva. Her breathing quickly grew heavy, and her face became flushed. Nova tightened her arms around my neck and glued her body to mine, melting in my embrace. I answered biting her soft lips. Nova moaned and closed her eyes. Our kiss continued for a long while. Once we finished that kiss, we kissed again. Then, we kissed again. Nova was soon addicted to the feeling of kissing and tried to be more active, kissing me with even more lust and passion. After a few minutes, I separated my mouth from hers and kissed her neck. Nova lifted her face and let out a moan. I then licked and bit her neck softly, causing her to shiver in pleasure. Nova''s eyes had turned hazy. She was looking at me with a passionate expression, hugging my neck and kissing my face crazily. I responded to each of her kisses and slowly caressed her body, moving my hands to her waist and belly, and kissing her ear. "Uhhh¡­" Nova whispered in joy and moved her hands to my back. Seeing her expression, I began to unbutton her red clothes which had been wet because of the hot water. Nova sat on the bed to make it easier for me to unbutton it and began to take off my shirt. In the blink of an eye, I finished unbuttoning her dress. I grinned and kissed her lips while pulling the dress down slowly. Soon, our clothes were gone. I looked at Nova''s naked body and could not help but sigh in admiration. Nova''s skin was pale white and her body emanated a sweet scent of milk. Her breasts were very big, to the point that I could not cover them with my hands. I lowered her red bra and wrapped my hands around them. "Ahhnnn~¡­" Nova moaned softly. Her body reacted excitedly to the feeling of my touch. She caressed my chest and searched my mouth with her tongue while I yed with her milky breasts. Our movements became wilder and wilder. I pushed Nova down on the bed and lied on her. My mouth continued kissing her lips while my hands moved around her body, stimting her sensitive parts and caressing her soft skin. Nova''s Purple eyes werepletely moist. Her Red hair fell on the bed creating a beautiful image that captivated me with her steamy and wless red face. My excitement shot through the roof. Feeling her body trembling below mine granted me an incredible feeling of dominance. I then moved a hand between her legs. I slowly moved my hand around her thigs until reaching her cave. When my hand touched her entrance, Nova could not help but shiver. Instantly, lots of love juice flowed out of her cave. My hands were drenched in the love juices of her first orgasm. Nova closed her eyes and moaned satisfied. She hugged my back and pressed her body against mine. I looked at her expression and grinned. Then, I bit her ear and muttered sweet words. "You are very beautiful, Nova." Nova looked at me with an expression of love. She then brought her mouth towards mine and whispered something. "You are so handsome too, Master" I was amused after hearing her. My fingers caressed the entrance of her vagina. "Mmmhhmmm¡­" Nova moaned softly and looked at me with pleasure. I smirked and moved my finger again. Nova was very sensitive because of her weakened stat, As Miasma was going out of her every second to the alter. Her mouth quickly let out soft moans and groans of pleasure, and her cave turnedpletely wet. I could feel her vagina twitching in anticipation. But I just smirked and continued teasing her. My finger stroked her clitoris softly before pinching it, making Nova jump due to the pleasure. I then used my other hand to rub her breast. My mouth also licked and kissed her shoulders and neck. Nova twitched and twisted below me, digging her nails into my back, but she was soon overwhelmed by the pleasure. Quicker thanst time, Nova climaxed again with a scream. She was so sensitive because of the ritual consuming Miasma from her body, her body was just weaker than normal. And her entire body bes a Pleasure zone to Renji''s joy. "Huh¡­ huh¡­" Nova panted after the climax. Her body was twitching due to the strong stimtion it felt, and her red eyshes shivered repeatedly. But at that moment, she felt something huge and hard between her legs. Nova opened her eyes surprised. She looked down and saw my penis standing proudly before her entrance, ready to invade the holy kingdom anytime. "¡­ It''s bigger thanst time¡­" Nova eximed. She then touched it with her hand timidly. I smiled and rubbed her entrance with it. Nova let out a gasp of surprise. She then looked into my eyes timidly. "I heard that it hurts the first time¡­" I was surprised seeing this side of Nova. Nova always seemed like someone proud and decisive. Even when we kissed, she tried to get the initiative despite her weakened state. But now, she had such a pitiful expression that I could not help but want to devour her instantly. I smiled and lifted her face with my hand, kissing her soft lips lovingly. "Don''t worry, I''ll be gentle." Nova nodded and closed her eyes. I took it as the signal to start and moved my waist forward slowly Chapter 169 169: Dragoness Moan 3/4 * ? I pushed my waist forward slowly. My dick slid slowly inside here. Her tight walls clenched around me, wrapping around my rod. "Uhhh¡­~" Nova let out a deep moan. Her body quivered when she felt my penis invading her cave. I observed her reactions and continued pushing forward. Her cave was opening gradually to ept my weapon. Nova grabbed the nkets tightly. She wrinkled her brows trying to cope with the pain and pleasure she was feeling. Finally, I felt something obstructing me. "Ugh¡­" Nova moaned and looked at me with pitiful eyes. I kissed her lips tenderly to reassure her. "Are you alright?" I asked. Nova gave me a small nod. She tried to put on a calm smile, but the brief signs of pain on her face did not escape my eyes. I smiled and moved slowly inside her cave without breaking her hymen. At the same time, I kissed her mouth and caressed her body. Slowly, Nova''s expression of pain faded and her face turned hot again. She began to pant softly and twist her body below me. When I was sure she was ready, I thrust my weapon forward. "Ah¡­" Nova''s face distorted. She hugged my body tightly and bit my shoulder to try to cope with the pain. I slowly savored the feeling of taking her virginity and thrust my weapon until the end. Nova''s toes curled down and her body twitched due to the pain and pleasure. I could see that Miasma was entering her body and making her regain a little of her strength. Nova moaned sweetly and quivered again. I was going to be more ruthless if she was not weakened to this stat as to take my revenge for the humiliation of that day. But seeing her pained expression, that thinking just faded like it was never there. Once the pain of losing her virginity began to fade out, I started to move. Her cave became wetter, probably due to the blood, so my penis slid inside easier and smoother than before. I began to thrust in and out in a slow rhythm. Soon, Nova began to pant. Her eyes became moist and her expression turned hazy. I kissed her neck and moved my hands to her breasts. My pelvis thrust repeatedly inside her cave, bringing incredible pleasure to both of us. "Ahh¡­~ Master.. I feel So good¡­~" Nova eximed and hugged my back. Her legs wrapped around my waist, and she began to move her waist to cooperate with my movements. "Nova¡­" I exhaled in her ear and bit her earlobe. Nova twitched and moaned while kissing my neck. Our bodies entangled on the bed, fighting with each other and trying to get as much pleasure as possible. Nova had long forgotten about the pain of her virginity and was concerned only with the heat of our bodies. Her bare skin had turned red. Her nipples perked up under the constant teasing of my hands, and her legs pressed my waist tightly against her cave. After Nova became used to the pleasure, she began to fight me for the lead. Unfortunately, her weakened body was unable to face my constants movements. I thrust inside and moved my dick around her cave, pleasuring every single inch of her skin and causing her love juices to fill her cave. I moved up and down, attacking fiercely without stop. Before long, the weakened virgin body of Nova was unable to endure the constant bursts of pleasure and shivered. "Nhyaaaaaaaa¡­~" Nova let out a long cry and hugged my neck with all her strength. I enjoyed her reaction and paused briefly. When I made sure that her orgasm ended, I began to move again. "Wait Master¡­!" Nova said while panting, but I ignored her pleads to stop and resumed moving. Nova''s tight and wet cave brought me an iparable feeling. Moreover, knowing that she had hamted me twice and not one. Brought me indiscernible pleasure Nova''s body trembled under my fierce attacks. She bit her lips in a try to suppress her moans, but the continuous waves of pleasure defeated her quickly. Before long, she was again cooperating with me. "Master¡­~Master ¡­~" Nova''s mouth moved through my neck and chest, sucking and biting repeatedly to cope with the pleasure. Her skin quivered under my fingers. I sucked her neck and elerated my movements. My weapon slid in and out easily, breaking through heryers of flesh and touching the entrance of her womb. Nova cried and eximed with each thrust, gripping my arms strongly. Her womb clenched around my penis. I was not sure if Nova was doing it purposefully or instinctively, but the pleasure it brought me was intense. Nova was dragonkin, so her strength and endurance were higher than a normal human even with her weakened state. She continued fighting with me for half an hour without a sign of her third orgasm. But I was sure that she was suppressing it due to her pride. After all, she did not want to cum again before making me cum even once. I smirked and looked into her eyes. Nova moved her gaze away shyly and bit her lips. But suddenly, she felt a strong impact below. "!!!" Nova trembled. She felt my movements bing faster and fiercer, and she began to have trouble suppressing her next orgasm. I noticed it and smiled proudly. Seeing my smug expression, Nova clenched her teeth and put strength on her waist. Her vagina clenched around my penis, trying to make me cum too. I put on an amused expression but decided to please her. So, I put all my concentration on her cave and elerated even more. Soon, something hot began to build up in my abdomen. I kissed Nova''s lips and put her legs on my shoulders, and then, I began myst sprint. Nova gasped. Her cave constricted and clenched my penis tightly, and her womb sucked my root to get my seed. The next second, a great amount of love fluids flowed out from her cave. Nova twitched and shivered while the love fluids sshed on the bed. I grunted and thrust with all my strength. Instantly, my semen was released and shot inside her womb. "Ooohhhh¡­." Nova gasped and closed her eyes. She could feel something hot filling her cave and entering to her deepest part. For an instant, she felt that her body became stronger and she regained some of her power after Renji''s release, but they were quickly forgotten under the intense pleasure. I looked at the beautiful body below me and smiled. I then kissed her neck and caressed her tits. Nova twitched and twisted her body. "Hope you''re not too worn out after just one round, My dear Empress~" "Given it was your first time and you''re not at your strongest, I was gentle. But let''s see if my dear wify can handle a bit more, especially after hamting her Master so boldly, And we need more than that to make the ritual sessful" I added yfully. Nova after getting Miasma energy from me, became a little bit better, her breathing became more stable and I could see her expression was better too. "I...am ready Master¡­" -------------- Chapter 170: Dragoness Moan 4/4 Chapter 170: Dragoness Moan 4/4 Demi-humans are different from humans. Each different race of demi-humans has its own sensitive spots which, when touched, bring a stimtion several times stronger than usual, instantly sending the body into a highly agitated state. Of course, these spots vary slightly even among individuals of the same race. However, in the eyes of most demi-humans, these are shameful secrets, not to be spoken of. Only some perverted demi-humans would secretly tell their partners about these spots to seek greater pleasure. Nova had always been a traditionalist demi-human. Even towards her master, she had carefully hidden this secret, never revealing it to him. But now... "Master, can you... can you... ce your hand on my... my horn?" "Horn?" "Like this?" "A little lower, right there." "Here?" "Ngghhh¡­" This time, the Dragon Maiden didn''t answer Renji. To be precise, she couldn''t speak anymore. Her suddenly tensed body had given the answer. A series of lofty dragon chant echoed within the altar at this moment. These ''chant'' were absorbed by Lena''s handbook at the center of the altar and then, through the rituals on it, after some processing, seemed to spread throughout the entire Dragon Nation. Every citizen of Dragon Nation involuntarily stopped their activities as these ''chant'' reverberated in their minds, apanied by a series of images. These were images of Nova and Renji''s journey to the southern border, their step-by-step investigation, and their ultimate discovery of the horrifying conspiracy that the Old Alliance had been perpetrating against the Dragon Nation for hundreds of years. The whole story was presented in the first-person perspective, as if they too were part of the investigation team. As the conspiracy was uncovered, the most shocked were the countless demi-humans in the southern regions. They had previously been indoctrinated with the belief that their ownck of ability had tainted the bloodline passed down from their ancestors, leading to their downfall. Now, knowing that all of this was a malicious curse inflicted by outsiders, their hearts filled with anger and excitement. This at least proved that the bloodline their ancestors left them was still present. However, this emotion soon turned into despair and a deep sense of powerlessness. Faced with such a terrifying curse, what could they do? They were helpless. The thought of having to live with this curse for generations filled many demi-humans with destion, as if they saw their future locked away, where no amount of effort would avail. But hope shines brightest against the backdrop of despair. Suddenly, every demi-human felt their body warming up, and wisps of ck mist carrying an evil and filthy aura seemed to be squeezed out from within them. They quickly realized that the ck mist was a manifestation of the curse and, evidently, the curse on them was fading away. Realizing this, the demi-humans were instantly overjoyed. But soon, they were filled with confusion. ''Who was it? Who was helping us, who possessed such terrifying power to lift the curse from every person and the entire demi-human race?'' In the Dragon Nation, there was only one person capable of this. Combining this with the majestic dragon chant that first resonated in their minds. The Empress! It was their Empress! For those demi-humans who had once harbored hatred towards the Empress, much of their animosity had now shifted to the Old Alliance. The feeling of being watched over by their Empress began to turn their loyalties. And for those who still trusted Nova, believing in the Empress, this was undoubtedly the best tonic for their hearts. Many demi-humans were moved to tears. Many of them, following the initial dragon chant, seemed to conjure up images of the Empress still ''battling against evil'' for their sake. They could sense the immense power of this evil force, and even the invincible Empress in their hearts was not guaranteed an easy victory, caught in a tense and fierce battle. All they could do was sit down, close their eyes, rx, and harbor no hostility toward the Empress, fully cooperating with her to purge the curse from their bodies. At the same time, many demi-humans were silently sending thoughts like "Go Empress you can win!", "You must not lose!" in their hearts. It seemed they were hoping in this way to transfer their strength to the Empress, helping her to ovee the ''evil''. .... - Sealed City. As the junction between the north and south of Dragon Nation and once thergest ve market for demi-humans, it was naturally the most affected by the Empress''s "Blessing Ceremony." Such a significant change would directly lead to a reshuffling of the situation between demi-humans and humans. The Sealed City, being the human city with thergest poption of demi-humans, was bound to be the first to face the brunt of this era''s tide, with the entire city potentially plunging into chaos or even a second major crisis. However, in reality, these imagined worst-case scenarios did not ur. There were definitely minor disturbances, but the majority of the demi-humans in the city did not revolt significantly. This was all thanks to three factors. First, Sealed City had already experienced a major crisis before. Many people in the city, including the demi-humans, had not yet recovered from the aftermath of the "Blood Sacrifice." Second, both Bal''s curse and Nova''s blessing affected the potential level, akin to the experience gain efficiency in games. Bal''s curse prevented demi-humans from gaining experience, thereby stifling their future, while Nova eliminated this negative effect and, in turn, bestowed a blessing that increased the rate at which demi-humans gained experience. This meant that the blessed demi-humans did not suddenly gain powerful strength to recklessly disrupt the city. In the short term, their actual strength did not differ much from before. They simply regained the path to improvement and found it a bit easier. However, gaining real power still required their own efforts and cultivation. As for the third factor... "Caroline, well done!" In the Sealed City''s town hall, a pink-haired subus, who hade from Sin City, praised the blonde secretary beside her. Lena walked to the window and pulled back the curtain, looking down at the city that had barely recovered from the "Blood Sacrifice" disaster less than half a month ago. The city, once greatly weakened, seemed to have regained much of its former vitality. The debris and ruins caused by the previous explosions had been cleared, and many streets had been renovated. Even the pedestrians on the roads seemed healthier than before. All this was undoubtedly thanks to Caroline. Initially sent here by Lena, she first negotiated sessfully to obtain temporary administrative rights from Minister Charl. Afterwards, she utilized all the funds Lena had allocated from Sin City precisely for disaster relief, ensuring that every bit of aid reached those who truly needed it. Under Caroline''s guidance, the "Blood Sacrifice" disaster was transformed into an opportunity for reforming the Sealed City. The internal conflicts between demi-humans and humans were shifted to external ones, setting aside their prejudices temporarily. After all, they were all victims of the same disaster, left with no choice but to work together to quickly restore the city. Of course, there were numerous obstacles, like the local nobility of the Sealed City, who almost unanimously united to resist Caroline. Some even resorted to sabotage, attempting to hinder the relief and reconstruction efforts. After all, with the citizens receiving cheap or even free supplies from Caroline, the goods these nobles nned to sell at high prices were left to rot. Not to mention thebor contracts Caroline offered, which far surpassed theirs. The loss of arge portion of cheapbor left the nobles unable to exploit and profit as before. What the nobles found most intolerable was Caroline''s move, under the guise of disaster relief, to start undermining their core interests. She intentionally blurred and reduced the concept of "very," liberating many demi-humans as so-called temporary workers, causing significant losses to the nobility. Unfortunately, these pampered nobles, ustomed to bullying themon people using their authority, were inept in facing real challenges. "Lady Lena, that''s roughly the situation. Also, I apologize for my oversight, which led to a massive exodus of the nobility in the Sealed City. Only four families remain now. I hope this won''t affect your future ns." When mentioning the "nobility," Caroline showed a hint of helplessness on her face. She hadn''t anticipated that the nobility of the Dragon Nation could be so ineffectual. With just a little effort, she inadvertently crushed several noble families, causing the so-called exodus. The remaining four families were the result of her quick action in realizing the direction things were heading. Otherwise, within just half a month, the Sealed City might havepletely refreshed its noble ss. Because the opposition was too weak, Caroline, despite being praised by Lena, felt little pride in her aplishments in Sealed City. On the contrary, what concerned Caroline more was... "So, Lady Lena, how did you manage to change the stubborn Empress''s mind? And the curse fading from these demi-humans, was that also your doing? How did you achieve all this?" Caroline had indeed witnessed the dragon chant that resounded throughout the Dragon Nation, as well as the current anomaly among the demi-humans. She had been sent here in advance precisely for this moment. Despite knowing Lena''s n in advance, Caroline couldn''t help but admire her princess''s ingenuity and was curious about Lena''s methods, hoping to learn and improve herself. Now back at her desk, Lena, sitting in a swivel chair with her legs crossed, looked at Caroline, who was earnestly eager to learn. The pink-haired subus spoke nonchntly: "It''s simple. Just send a trusted person to ''bed'' the Empress." Hearing this, Caroline couldn''t help but regard this "trusted person" mentioned by Lena with great respect. She wondered if she could have persuaded the Empress if Lena had sent her. The answer was obvious ¨C it was impossible. Hence, it was clear that though Lena spoke lightly of it, the process of convincing the Empress by this "trusted person" must have been extremely challenging and possibly fraught with danger. This made Caroline, as a secretary and also one of Lena''s "trusted", she felt inferior, realizing that the other person''s abilities far surpassed her own. Apart from recognizing her shorings and striving to improve, Caroline was also puzzled. She was among the earliest followers of Lena and, as her longest-serving personal secretary, she wondered: "Lady Lena, when did you have such a capable person by your side?" Responding to her secretary''s confusion, Lena on the swivel chair raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "Why, do you want me to introduce him to you?" "If it''s allowed, I would be very eager to meet and learn from such a capable person, to share experiences" Caroline replied seriously after some thought. Unfortunately, all she received was a snicker from the pink-haired subus opposite her. Lena gave Caroline a once-over, her longest-serving and most capable and trusted secretary. Due to her external assignment, Caroline''s attire was much more formal than when she was in Sin City. Dressed in a standard administrative officer''s outfit, she wore a ck suit jacket over a ssic white shirt,plemented by a brown pencil skirt, ck stockings, and high heels. The attire exuded seriousness and a sense of ceremony. Caroline''s usual blonde hair was tied into a ponytail at the back of her head, adding a touch of efficiency to her look. Unfortunately, all of this seemed out of ce when matched with Caroline''s figure. "Mdy?" Caroline stammered as she saw Lena suddenly move close, almost nose to nose with "Mdy?" Caroline stammered as she saw Lena suddenly move close, almost nose to nose with her. Although Lena often yed such pranks back in Sin City, this was not their city lord''s bedroom but the office of the Sealed City''s town hall. Chapter 171: The Seduction Game Chapter 171: The Seduction Game The pink-haired subus paid no heed to Caroline, who she had cornered against the desk. With one hand, she lifted her secretary''s chin, her gaze then drifting down to the tight bulging ck suit, stretched by the fullness of her chest, making one wish to undo every strained button on the white blouse underneath. Retracting her gaze, Lena leaned close to Caroline''s ear, her breath warm against the secretary''s earlobe as she whispered seductively: "What do you wish to learn from him? The art of seducing others? Or are you just pretending to study, secretly craving to experience being seduced yourself?" A blush quickly climbed up from Caroline''s earlobes to her cheeks, and in a fluster, she hurriedly moved away from Lena, only then realizing the true meaning behind Lena''s use of "persuasion" ¨C it was all about seduction. Observing Caroline''s pristine and easily flustered demeanor, Lena shook her head in mild frustration, a look of disappointment on her face. "Caroline, do you remember what we are?" Lena asked sternly. "We''re subus, understand? Look at yourself now, it''s embarrassing! You''re not fulfilling your role as a subus at all!" Caroline had endured Lena''s scolding, but the usation of being inefficient at work struck a nerve. After straightening her disheveled clothes and adjusting her sses, she defiantly retorted: "I''m sorry, but I don''t understand mdy. Didn''t you praise my work in the Sealed City earlier?" "What was the purpose of sending you to Sealed City, Caroline?" Lena questioned. "You asked me to transform it into a city of freedom and equality, making it a pivotal hub for the coexistence of humans and non-humans," Caroline summarized Lena''s n sinctly. The pink-haired subus seemed even more infuriated. "And what about your actions? Purging the nobles? Investing in infrastructure to provide jobs? Regting prices and markets? Acquiring media to control public opinion? You missed the most crucial point!" "And that is?" Caroline inquired, puzzled. "Seduction! What is our belief as subus? How do you save a teetering nation? What''s the quickest way to reconcile two races? Seduction!" Lena eximed emphatically. Caroline remained silent, processing Lena''s words. "The guidance of the Old Alliance led the Dragon Nation to enve and oppress the non-human races for nearly three hundred years. Simply unveiling conspiracies and breaking curses by the Empress won''t be enough to mend these deep-seated conflicts. True reconciliation between humans and non-humans can only be achieved over time. Do you understand what I''m implying?" Lena exined. Caroline shook her head, still trying to grasp the full scope. "It means this is our chance in Sin City! A golden opportunity for us subus to spread our faith in the Dragon Nation! Do you think I''m selflessly helping the Dragon Nation and the Empress out of goodwill? Impossible! It''s time for us to reap the rewards, to harvest what we have sown!" Lena continued, her excitement growing, "I''ve nned it all out. We''ll invest in Sin City''s media to expand into the Dragon Nation, especially focusing on opening brothels, particrly in the Sealed City, our key strategic point. We aim to transform it into a city renowned for its red-light district!" Caroline, still standing dignified and taking notes, couldn''t help but sigh internally at Lena''s grand n. "What''s with that expression? Tell me, what situation allows people to be most honest? Procreation! What''s the most beautiful and purest bond in this world? Love! What truly unites two different races as one family? Offspring!" "I''ve said it many times, we are the subus of the new era, no longer bound by the old traditions. We''re not lowly or disgraceful. Wrong! What we''re doing is noble and praiseworthy. Remember this and take pride in it!" Lena said, her peach-shaped tail shimmering as she proudly stood. "Understood, Mdy" Caroline responded respectfully, despite her inner reservations. Pleased with her secretary''s response, Lena nodded and took out two crystal orbs. "I''ve recorded the ns for this Nation''s future development in these. Once the Empress and my confidant return to Sealed City, since you''re so eager to meet him, you''ll be the one to present these." "Lady Lena, won''t you meet your confidant personally?" Caroline asked, surprised by Lena''s decision. The pink-haired subus curled her lips dismissively. "The earlier you appear, the cheaper you seem, and the less likely you are to seed. The real winners always make their entrance at the very end, understand?" "I don''t." "Good, then learn!" While saying this, Lena handed the second crystal orb to Caroline. "Is this also for your confidant and the Empress?" Caroline asked. "No, this one is the exact opposite. They must never find out about it. You need to secretly contact the Holy Kingdom and ensure this gets into the hands of their Goddess!" A smug, conspiratorial smile spread across Lena''s face. ''Fond of forming alliances, huh?'' ''Enjoy ostracizing subus, do they?'' ''Thinking they can outwit me? Howughable!'' Lena was eager to see the reaction of Suthia, the Divine Lady of Holy Kingdom, upon receiving this orb and witnessing the "recordings" it contained. Caroline was still processing this when she carefully stored the two crystal orbs Lena had given her. As Lena was about to leave, Caroline had onest crucial report about Meanwhile, Caroline was still in shock. "Hand it over to... the Goddess of the Holy Kingdom?" "Yes, don''t worry about security. This orb has severalyers of restrictions I''ve ced on it. It was originally set to be opened only by Suthia, but I''ve just modified it, so now you can also see its contents." "I can?" Caroline was astonished. Being trusted and given such a secretive item, limited only to the Goddess by Lena herself, must contain something incredibly profound and possibly critical secrets. Could she really be privy to such information? "Yes," Lena confirmed, "because I think you need to learn a bit more about being a subus." Caroline was still processing this when she carefully stored the two crystal orbs Lena had given her. As Lena was about to leave, Caroline had onest crucial report about the remnants of the Old Alliance, particrly the minister, Charl. "Mdy, Regarding the remaining member of the Old Alliance, Minister Charl, just before you arrived, my subordinates informed me that he seems to have disappeared. Should we send someone to follow up?" "No need," Lena cut her off abruptly. "He''s part of a deal I''m making with someone else." Chapter 172: The Escape Chapter 172: The Escape "Damn it, make it go faster!" A majestic beast of burden, its vibrant crown signifying a rare and superior bloodline, raced along a secluded path, pulling a carriage. Despite its best efforts to run, the anxious, fearful urging from within the carriage spurred the driver to relentlessly whip the beast. Even though its hide was tough, the repeatedshings left it bloodied and wounded. The creature did not resist; it only let out a few mournful whimpers before the pain drove it to run even faster, carrying its abuser in a desperate flight. Perhaps it was their enduring, submissive nature that made these beasts the chosen ones for ''training'' and ''breeding'' by people? No one really cared about a beast of burden. If one was ruined, there would always be another. This was their fate as mere tools. But for Charl, in the carriage, his sole focus, as he kept urging, was to go faster, faster still. The once high-ranking minister of the Dragon Nation, now in a state of disarray, looked every bit the part of a man in a hurry. His hair was unkempt, and several buttons on his clothes were mismatched, a clear sign of his hasty departure. If he didn''t escape quickly, what awaited him was the wrath of the Empress and a certain judgment. The thought twisted Charl''s expression into something even more grotesque. "Damn it!" He had always maintained contact with the Grand Priest of the ancient Wolf n in the southernnds. Bal was his direct superior within the Old Alliance. The moment Charl couldn''t reach Bal, he knew something had gone awry in the south, likely his worst fear: the Empress had uncovered everything. The majestic dragon roar (Chant) that echoed throughout the Dragon Nation and the lifting of the curse on the non-human races was a cold, shocking reality for Charl. He never imagined that even a mysterious and powerful figure like the Grand Priest, a core member of the Old Alliance, would fall to the Empress in less than a day. Terrified out of his wits, Charl didn''t bother transferring his assets. He abandoned the wealth he had amassed over centuries using his ministerial power and fled into the night, desperate to leave the Dragon Nation behind. Fortunately, Charl had been one of the first to know about the Empress''s movements in the southern territories, thanks to the information he had obtained from "Caroline" of Sin City. This foreknowledge allowed him to n his escape should the worst happen. Among the five major powers ruling the continent, the Holy Kingdom was the closest to the Dragon Nation and the easiest to flee to. However, its weak national power meant it couldn''t shelter him. Moreover, Charl saw the people of the Holy Kingdom, especially the official church, as fools blindly following aughable faith. In their doctrine, someone like him would likely be apprehended by the church''s knights before the Empress could even reach him. The best ce for refuge, undoubtedly, was Sin City. As thergest neutral and independent city that advocated freedom and tolerance, Sin City was almost weing to any foreigner. It had be a haven for many fugitives like Charl, who could no longer stay in their own countries. Unfortunately, Sin City was far too distant for the urgently fleeing Charl. Moreover, the attitude disyed by "Caroline" who seemed to be a high-ranking figure in Sin City, was not friendly. Sin City''s excessive "freedom" and emphasis on "equality" meant that Charl''s status as a former Dragon Nation minister wouldn''t afford him the respect and position he expected immediately upon arrival. Thus, after weighing his options, Charl was now fleeing to a new power situated on the opposite side of the Dragon Nation - the Mechanical Alliance. As thergest supplier of weapons and following the Dragon Nation''s principle of "survival of the fittest" the Mechanical Alliance had always been a premium customer for the Dragon Army''s many supplies and equipment. This substantial client order had made Charl, with his considerable influence, a favored figure among many panies" within the Mechanical Alliance, who tried to winrge weapon orders from the Dragon Nation through various means of bribery. Among them, Kael Technology had "pleased" him the most and had the best rtionship with him. Charl immediately contacted the higher-ups of Kael Technology, and upon understanding his situation, they happily agreed to not only shelter him upon his arrival in the Mechanical Alliance but also absorb him into thepany with a high-ranking position. They even dispatched an elite armed force to rendezvous with him at a predetermined location and provided a private jet for his direct flight to the Mechanical Alliance. Charl wasn''t particrly moved by Kael Technology''s gestures of goodwill. After all, his status as a former minister spoke for itself. Even a camel on itsst legs is bigger than a horse, as the saying goes. Moreover, he had no doubts about Kael Technology''s capabilities. Over the years of coboration, he knew that Kael Technology was a leading force in the military equipment sector within the Mechanical Alliance. Thus, Charl had full confidence in the armed force sent by Kael Technology to escort him. Unless the Empress herself intervened, he believed that meeting up with Kael''s troops would guarantee his safety. However, Charl wasn''t naive enough to put all his bets on onepany. He had done his research on the Mechanical Alliance and knew about a renowned medical insurancepany specializing in personal safety. Once in the Mechanical Alliance, Charl nned to immediately get coverage from the "Emergency Response Team," a well-known medical insurancepany, and he had pulled strings to obtain a "Gold-level" membership. The top-tier "tinum-level" membership was not directly avable and required building a certain level of cooperation, which was a pity for Charl. With a "tinum-level" membership, it was said that no one could harm you within the bounds of the Mechanical Alliance if you were under the protection of the "Emergency Response Team." Besides these arrangements in the Mechanical Alliance, Charl had his own ace up his sleeve, his greatest source of confidence, which originated from... "Lord Charl, if everything goes as nned, we should reach the location you marked on the map in less than half an hour!" Surrounding Charl''s carriage was a six-person escort team, and the one reporting to Charl with the map was one of them. These were Charl''s absolute confidants, fiercely loyal to him, valuing him even over the Empress in their hearts. Most crucially, all six were Relic Users. There were only forty-two Relic Users in total in the Dragon Nation, and having six of them as devoted guards was a luxury only Charl could afford. This formidable setup was the source of his confidence. Chapter 173 173: The Unexpected Encounter

Chapter 173 Chapter 173: The Unexpected Encounter

This chapter might seem a bit confusing, but it will be clearer with the next two chapters. --------- "Thank you for your diligence. If you''re tired, you''re wee to rest in my carriage." "No, no, Lord Charl, your kindness to us is as heavy as a mountain. Now is our time to repay. Until you arepletely safe, we cannot afford any ck." "You... sigh! You really don''t have to do this. As Relic Users, you all have bright futures ahead, no need to hang your hopes on me. If we encounter an insurmountable enemy, forget about me and save yourselves." Charl faked a helpless sigh, and as expected, his words only stoked the loyalty of the six guards outside the carriage. "If Lord Charl is gone, what purpose do we have left?" "Whoever dares abandon Lord Charl, I will be the first to y them!" "And Lord Charl, please don''t say such things again!" "Exactly, besides, with the six of us here, there is no enemy we cannot face!" Listening to the devotion of his guards, Charl''s anxiety gradually eased. Indeed, with the Empress likely preupied with the curse on the non-human races, and barring her intervention, thebined might of six Relic Users could handle almost any threat, even General Long himself. Just as Charl wasforting himself with these thoughts, his carriage came to a sudden jarring halt, nearly throwing him from his seat. "What the¡ª" "What''s happening!?" As Charl steadied himself and hastily pulled back the curtain to look outside, he saw a solitary figure blocking their path ahead. The individual''s attire was distinctly non-Dragon Nation in style. Dressed in a tailcoat and wearing an odd, tall hat that shadowed half of his face, the stranger''s appearance was obscured, making it impossible for Charl to discern any details. The figure was dressed entirely in ck, except for white gloves on both hands, giving off an eerie and sinister vibe. Without a word, the six Relic Users guarding Charl sprung into action. The one wielding an ice bow fired the first shot,unching an arrow made of condensed frost. It whizzed through the air, carrying a bone-chilling cold wind towards the mysterious figure. Thwack!* To everyone''s surprise, the ck-clothed figure made no attempt to dodge the ice arrow, allowing it to pierce straight through his chest. Arge swath of frost quickly followed, freezing his clothes solid. "What...?" Charl''s six Relic Users, momentarily taken aback, exchanged nces, deciding they couldn''t afford to underestimate the situation. A second Relic User, wielding a staff, conjured a massive fireball that roared towards the frozen, immobile figure. During the fireball''s flight, another Relic User enhanced it with wind des, dramatically increasing its size and power. Boom!* The enormous fireball engulfed the figure in ck. Following that, the remaining three Relic Users, each armed with different melee weapons, charged forward. One wrapped chains around the figure''s limbs, another stabbed a spear through his heart, and thest, wielding a massive axe, decapitated him with a single blow. Their attack was coordinated and fluid, clearly the result of frequent training. Inside the carriage, Charl finally exhaled in relief as the figure''s head was severed. But before he couldpletely rx, Charl''s eyes widened in horror, mirrored by the shocked expressions of his six guards. The scene before them was akin to witnessing a ghost. The decapitated body of the ck-clothed figure stood up, picked up its severed head, and reattached it! Moreover, all the previous injuries ¨C the frostbite, burns, and the gaping wound in his chest ¨C healed rapidly until his body was as good as new. "What the¡ª!?" Though shocked, the six Relic Users quickly prepared for another round of attacks. But to their even greater astonishment and fear... "How can this be? The Relics aren''t responding!?" None of them could control their Relics anymore. They soon realized it wasn''t an issue with the Relics, but rather, their own powers had mysteriously vanished. "Actually, I quite dislike using my abilities," the figure spoke, "because they remind me of the many painful memories our tribe suffered under ''that person''." A maic, mncholic male voice echoed, originating from the ck-d figure. The mysterious man scanned Charl and his entourage, but his gaze lingered the longest on the beleaguered beast of burden. On the other side, Charl, hearing this voice, suddenly tensed up, as if he had made a realization. He stared intently at the figure, as a vague memory began to surface in his mind. ''That... that was a high-ranking member of the Old Alliance, on par with my former superior, Bal. A top-tier "Forgotten One," if I remembered correctly, the man''s name should be...'' "Hero... Lord Hero!?" Charl called out tentatively from the carriage. "Oh? You recognize me?" Hero shifted his gaze from the beast. Charl''s initial fear quickly turned into ecstatic relief. He hadn''t expected the Old Alliance to not only not abandon him but even send another high-ranking member to retrieve him! In his escape ns, Charl had never considered the Forest Alliance, one of the five major powers, because as a member of the Old Alliance, he knew that entry into that enigmatic Forest Alliance required bing a "Forgotten One," a status he hadn''t attained. To outsiders, gaining entry into the Forest Alliance seemed impossible. Unlike Sin City, it was almost entirely isted, rarely interacting with the outside world and certainly not weing outsiders. Many who sought the Forest Alliance ended up lost in the Illusionary Forest, wandering in circles. But now... ''Could it be that my efforts were finally acknowledged, not only sparing me from pursuit but also rewarding me? Was Lord Hero here to take me to the Forest Alliance, to the legendary headquarters of the Old Alliance, the Underground Sanctuary?'' However, Hero''s response to the visibly ted Charl, who had just jumped from the carriage, was a shake of the head. "I think you''ve misunderstood something." "Misunderstood?" "Simply put, I''m here to send you off," Hero said, spreading his white-gloved hands. After a moment, perhaps to rify for Charl''s sake, he added, "You''re part of a trade I''m about to make." "More precisely, you''re just a bonus." Chapter 174 174: Hero (Part 1)

Chapter 174 Chapter 174: Hero (Part 1)

Tomorrow marks the mass release of Golden Tickets bonuses, followed by Power Stones the day after. Regarding the Power Stones, there will be a change which will be updated tomorrow. will not effect this week''s bonuses, -------------- Charl''s mind went nk for a moment, and when he regained his senses, the ecstatic joy on his face had been reced by sheer terror. He began to retreat from the ck-clothed figure, shaking his head frantically while uttering heart-wrenching pleas. "No, no, no! I''ve served the Old Alliance for so long, you can''t do this to me!" "Although I''ve lost my power, I still hold many secrets of the Dragon Nation! I''m still valuable! Very valuable! I can continue to serve the Old Alliance! You can''t just abandon me like this!" "Speak! Answer me! I''m a member of the Old Alliance, I have the right to appeal at the Sanctuary! Take me to the Sanctuary! Let me see our leader! Even you don''t have the right to decide my life or death!" By the end of his rant, Charl was nearly hysterical, understandably so. He had almost glimpsed the light of hope, nearly escaping the Dragon Nation, only to be stopped at thest moment by the organization he had once served? Charl felt a profound sense of betrayal and bitterness. Suddenly, as if realizing something, his expression quickly turned to anger. "I know! It must be the Empress! Hero! You''ve betrayed us! You''re working for the Empress!!" "Colluding with that Woman... Have you forgotten our Old Alliance''s mission for revenge? How can you face the others, let alone the deceased Lord Bal? How can you betray ''Mother'' who gave us our power?" On the surface, Charl seemed to have lost his sanity, hurling usations and questions, but in reality, he was trying to buy time with his words. They were close to the rendezvous point with Kael Technology, and as soon as he sensed something off about Hero, Charl discreetly used a transmitter in his pocket to signal Kael Technology for emergency assistance. This move would undoubtedly put him at a disadvantage in future negotiations with Kael Technology, but at the moment, Charl''s only concern was to leave the Dragon Nation alive. Distracting Hero with his words, Charl quietly moved back to the beast of burden. Then, in a sudden burst of action, he swiftly untied the ropes connecting the beast to the carriage. Mounting the beast in one fluid motion, he whipped it fiercely, intentionally targeting its previous wounds. Pain stimted the beast''s nerves, ustomed to interpreting pain as amand. It immediately began to sprint, carrying Charl away, leaving the six relic wielders behind without a backward nce. Although Charl had abandoned them to escape alone, the expressions on the faces of the six relic wielders showed no resentment. Despite their powers being "sealed" and unable to use their relics, making them no more than ordinary people with a bit of extra skill, they still continued to surround him. It was as if they were ready to sacrifice their lives to buy time for Charl''s escape. Hero shook his head at this. ''So be it¡­'' In the eyes of the six relic wielders, Hero remained still. The only difference was that he slightly lifted his forehead, revealing the face previously hidden in the shadow of his hat brim. It was a pale, somewhat delicate face of a young man. At first nce, it gave off a sickly aura. But in the next moment, his eyes began to bleed, the crimson liquid pooling in his pupils, sketching a bizarre pattern akin to shattered jade. Before the relic wielders couldprehend this eye technique, a scream from theirrade rang out. The first to fall, the one who had initiated the attack on Hero with an "Ice Bow", clutched his chest in agony as though pierced by something. Ice quickly enveloped his body, the cold devouring hisst breath of life, turning him into an ice statue in mere moments. The next scream was even more agonizing. It came from the second attacker, the wielder of a "Staff", whose fate was even grimmer than the first. His body burst into mes, turning him into a fireball in the blink of an eye. Once the mes died down, what remained was a charred, unrecognizable corpse. None behind could escape, for they had all "attacked" Hero at the outset. The Wind de wielder was sliced by his own des, the chains that had once bound Hero''s limbs now strangled the corresponding wielder. The gun-wielder who had pierced Hero''s heart, clutched at the bloody hole now appearing in his own chest and copsed. Thest to realize, the axe-wielder, witnessing the tragic fate of hisrades and recalling his own "attack" on Hero, was consumed by fear. "Devil... Devil!" He turned to flee, utterly defeated in spirit. Sadly, he''d barely taken a step when his world spun wildly, ending with a sight of his own headless body copsing to the ground, still in motion. The entire ordealsted less than half a minute. By the end, all six of Charl''s meticulously trained relic-wielding warriors had perished. It''s no wonder thest of the relic wielders crumbled. Each one effectively died by their own hand, a reflection of their own attacks. This was the power of Hero. A gift - or more urately, a curse - bestowed upon him as a member of the "Special" race. Five hundred years ago, under the shroud of the Miasma in the wastnds, certain races were born with innate special abilities. These abilities needed no learning; they were inherent from birth andsted a lifetime. Such races were collectively known as the "Specials" and due to their inherent powers, they held high status among various groups. Except for one lineage. Their innate ability was not like the others ¨C not a better maniption of Miasma, increased strength, or enhanced healing. Their power was to inflict ''retribution'' on their enemies. That is, to return the damage received back to the attacker. In the harsh wastnd environment of that time, this ability was almostughably useless. The primary need of all races in the wastnds was survival, to better withstand natural disasters and Miasma monsters. However, their ability meant at best, they could only take down a Miasma monster with them. And while the monsters were limitless, their numbers were finite. This disparity almost led to their extinction. Such endings weremon in the wastnds - one race after another going extinct was the cruel reality of that world. But they were lucky, at least that''s what their ancestors believed. At the brink of their extinction, they were discovered by ''that person.'' Yes, theter Ashen Emperor. At that time, ''that person'' was not yet an emperor, merely a powerful warlord. But for their near-extinct race, he was a figure of immense stature. What followed seemed like a dream to the ancestors, something beyond their wildest imaginations. With ''that person''s'' help, their entire race was relocated to an absolutely safe haven, a sanctuary where they could thrive in peace andfort. Under the patronage of ''that person,'' their lineage rapidly grew. New members sprouted like bamboo after rain, and their numbers swelled to several times their original size. However, fate''s gifts alwayse with a price. Just as the ''beasts of burden'' gained protection from humans by serving as mounts and were able to propagate in a controlled environment, bing one of the most populous species among their kind, their race was no different. Chapter 175 175: Hero (Part 2)

Chapter 175 Chapter 175: Hero (Part 2)

Thank you all for the great support this year, I hope all of you Have an awesome day and a great year ahead. Golden Ticket Bonuses 1/4 power stone''s Bonuses have been changed a little, will not affect this week, ------------ The so-called "kindness" of "that person" was nothing but a facade. What they truly valued was the capabilities of their ancestors. This was something their forebears were acutely aware of, as it was their unique trait. Thus, when summoned by "that person," many of their n members did not hesitate or doubt; instead, they responded with gratitude. It''s no coincidence that "that person" became the Ashen Emperor. Under their guidance, everyone''s potential was maximized. Our ability, once deemed inconsequential, shone brilliantly in "that person''s" hands. The approach was simple: previously, we exchanged our abilities formon Miasma monsters, making it seem trivial and worthless. But what if the exchange involved elite Miasma monsters, whose defeat costs the lives of a dozen people? Or Boss-ss Miasma monsters that could contaminate an entire area, threatening the lives of thousands in the shelters? The answer became clear. Eventually, our abilities were further developed by "that person." Not only could we return damage to the enemy, but we could also inflict various negative effects, like the power used to "seal" relics, just one of many. Thus, under "that person''s"mand, we were used repeatedly to absorb damage meant for others. Sometimes, we were even ordered to deliberately receive attacks to weaken key enemies. Being a "special" race with innate abilities requiring minimal resources, we perfectly fulfilled "that person''s" demands. Looking back, perhaps "that person" had everything nned from the first time they saw our tribe. While providing us with the ideal environment for thriving, "that person" continuously drafted our people. Our trait of bing more potent when injured led to high casualty rates. The sacrifices of many nsmen led to victory after victory for "that person." Ironically, our ancestors held no grudge against "that person." Many even took pride in sacrificing themselves under theirmand. They firmly believed that their sacrifices would lead to the survival of more people, more living space, a world without further sacrifices, and a better future. Indeed. They seeded. The Miasma was eradicated, and a bright future finally dawned. But what then? Did "that person," now the Ashen Emperor of Ashen Empire, remember them? Remember the ancestors who sacrificed themselves for his cause? No. Nothing at all. In "that person''s" eyes, there were only "them" ¨C the five of them. All glory was attributed to them. Those like us, mere "tools," deserved nothing. Even inter generations, people only sung praises of the powerful vanguards and sorcerers with their shy magic. Our "special" race, however, was ignored and unmentioned. Hero took a deep breath. That''s why he was reluctant to use his power. Every time he did, he felt it unjust for the ancestors who lived five hundred years ago, for the forgotten tribe, and he was angry at his own weakness and powerlessness. But he was lucky. "Mother" found him in his most confused moments and brought him out of "that person''s" shadow, giving him a second life. Though transformed into a vile, Miasmaposed ck sludge, his abilities didn''t fade. Instead, they became undying, allowing him to use his powers without worry. At first, he let the six relic holders "kill" him repeatedly, then returned their "deaths" to them. So, the technique in Hero''s pupils didn''t end. After a few flickers, a blood gate to another space opened before him. The principle was simple. Charl''s previous questions to him could also be considered an attack, a harm. That''s why Hero didn''t interrupt Charl. And now it was time to return it all. ...¡­. Beyond the blood gate, Hero was greeted by rows of dark gun barrels. The well-armed troops bearing a symbol resembling an "angel''s halo" belonged to "Keil Technology." In their midst, riding a beast, with a face of terror, was Charl. "No! Don''t fire!" Charl, seeing the ck-d pursuer and recalling his previous encounter with the relic holders, instinctively tried to stop Keil Technology''s troops from firing, but it was toote. As a well-trained elite force, they pulled the triggers immediately upon Hero''s appearance. Not taking any chances, several rocketunchers on armored vehicles also targeted Hero,unching missiles his way. ¡ªBOOM¡ª Gunfire and explosions engulfed Hero. Then, in the next moment, Charl could only watch as armored vehicles exploded out of nowhere, and soldiers of Keil Technology were killed by their own bullets. After the bloody storm passed. In the elite force of Keil Technology sent to assist him, the only living beings left standing were Charl, who had done nothing, and the beast beneath him. "You''re mistaken. My dealings weren''t with that empress, but you''re right about one thing. The Old Alliance''s so-called revenge no longer concerns me. In my eyes, nothing is more important than ''Mother.'' Understand?" "I would do anything for Mother, help her acquire whatever she desires. Even if it means betraying myrades ¨C no, colleagues would be a more fitting term." "So, in my view, Bal using years of umted Miasma just to destroy the Dragon Nation is a waste. Offering this Miasma to Mother is the rightful destiny. However, Mother, always benevolent, would never seize her children''s fruits. Thus, I must be the viin." Charl''s eyes widened as he finally grasped the truth. The failure of their Dragon Nation n, the death of Bal, wasn''t just the empress''s doing. Hero''s machinations and that previous trade partner yed roles too. When the Dragon Nation minister tried to speak, Hero didn''t give him a chance. "You''ve lived long enough. Now return your strength to me." As Hero extended his hand, Charl''s body began to twist grotesquely. Filthy ck muck oozed from his orifices, surging towards Hero. Charl futilely tried to grasp the escaping muck. After a series of pitiful sounds, what remained of Charl was a shriveled husk on the ground, a mere skin bearing the name "Charl." Having done this calmly, Hero finally turned his attention to thest living being ¨C the beast Charl had used to flee. Perhaps terrorized by the recent horrors or simply exhausted from relentless whipping and exploitation, the beast had copsed. The beast whimpered symbolically at Hero, its instincts warning of danger but too weak to flee. But. "It''s okay, you''re free now," Hero soothed the beast with a gentleness hard to associate with his prior actions. He showed a hint ofpassion upon seeing its bloodied, whipped body. Hero looked at the ck muck just extracted from Charl, an idea forming. He began infusing the beast''s wounds with the muck. The beast immediately contorted in agony as the Miasma''s will transformed it, causing immense pain. Hero embraced the beast, unyielding to its struggling. Soon, its struggles lessened, reced by a burgeoning aura. Its fur darkened, sharp fangs grew at its mouth, and its ws elongated and sharpened. Its docile nature vanished, reced by a brutal, ferocious demeanor. ''Good'' Watching the transformed beast, now given a "second birth" by his hand, a smile crept onto Hero''s face. But the next moment, the smile vanished. For opposite him, a figure appeared. A subus. Chapter 176 176: She Would Like This

Chapter 176 Chapter 176: She Would Like This

2/4 "Have you thought about naming it?" Lena asked, ncing at the creature beside Hero, transformed by the Miasma beyond recognition as a mere beast of burden. Seeing the man in ck across from her not respond, as if she expected it, the subus chuckled lightly, then spoke to the modified beast with a hint of regret in her voice: "How sad, to have your destiny forcibly changed, yet not be given a new purpose. In the end, you''re still just a tool for others'' self-satisfaction." "What do you think, Councilor Hero?" The subus'' voice always seemed to possess a magical quality, stirring the heart and causing doubt, especially as she spoke to one of ''them''. Hero lifted his head, revealing calm, cool eyes beneath the brim of his hat. He didn''t respond to Lena''sment but got straight to the point: "City Lord, you''vee to see me now. Does this mean our deal canmence?" "Of course, I''ve already obtained what you wanted. I was considering checking your progress, perhaps offering a bit of friendly assistance, and using it as leverage in our deal. But it seems you''re more capable than I thought." Lena surveyed the battlefield, noting the fallen troops of Kyle Technology amidst the smoke and the desated corpse of Charl at Hero''s feet. Then, as if to show Hero his reward, the subus flipped her wrist. A stone jade emitting a sinister and ominous aura appeared in her palm, spinning and floating. This was the cursed bone jade, the core of the Skull Altar meticulously orchestrated by Bal for years, located deep within the forbidden area of the ancient Wolf n. It could be said that this cursed bone jade umted a vast amount of Miasma generated by the ve system and corrupt governance of the Dragon Nation over hundreds of years. However, Renji had already drained all its power with Miyuki''s assistance, reducing it to an ordinary stone. Not taking any chances, Renji adhered to the principle of ''overkill'', smashing it into several pieces. Its appearance in Lena''s hand was thanks to the subus providing Renji with an "improved" ritual method. Before leading the ritual, she secretly transferred the shattered cursed bone jade from the altar. As for acquiring the cursed bone jade and reassembling it, injecting it with illusionary magic to make it appear genuine was a trivial task for Lena. On the other side, Hero''s eyes finally showed a flicker of emotion upon seeing the cursed bone jade in the subus'' hand, his heart stirring with excitement. His many actions, from using the jackal Roca for support in triggering the "Blood Sacrifice" in the Sealed City to elevate the Empress, to deliberately stalling and lowering Bal''s guard in the temple''s council for the Empress'' investigation, were all for this cursed bone jadeden with vast Miasma. Hero had no doubts about the authenticity of the jade in Lena''s hand. In his view, no one but "Mother" could or would have reason to absorb its Miasma - it wasn''t something one could simply take more of without consequences. Seeing Lena had brought the item for the trade, Hero reached into his tailcoat''s side pocket, retrieving a small sealed wooden bottle. Opening it in front of Lena, the first thing visible was the dark green glow emanating from it, exuding a rich vitality. Hero then carefully poured the contents onto his palm - a seed. As he had said, killing Charl was just a bonus. This "seed" was the actual subject of their trade. "The Seed of the World Tree." "Do you need to inspect it, City Lord?" The World Tree, rumored to have existed on the wastnds for over five hundred years, possibly even longer, is revered by the elves as the source of life that connects all things, the cornerstone of the world. The Forest Alliance, formed five hundred yearster, revolves around the World Tree as its absolute core. The research on "magic" in the alliance is said to be derived from the World Tree''s purifying power, transforming the Miasma. essing the highly exclusive and illusion-enshrouded Forest Alliance was difficult enough, let alone approaching the closely guarded World Tree. Hence, the need for this trade. "No need, I trust you." "Then, City Lord, shall we proceed with the trade?" "Don''t rush it. Councilor Hero is so busy in Sin City, barely showing his face. As your superior, I rarely get a chance to check on my subordinate. Why don''t we take this opportunity to talk a bit more?" Watching the smiling subus across from him, Hero frowned, a hint of displeasure on his face. But Lena, unconcerned with Hero''s willingness, tapped her chin thoughtfully, as if pondering where to begin their conversation. Her eyes lit up, and a cryptic smile formed on her lips. "How about we start with your ''Mother''? Is she doing well? Noticed anything unusualtely?" Hero, who had nned to speak as little as possible in front of the supreme subus, was caught off guard by her remark. "What do you mean by that?" he asked with an anxious tone, foregoing even the formal address of ''City Lord''. His reaction was so intense because his ''Mother'' had indeed been acting strangely. The sudden call for an emergency meeting at the temple, where she seemed unwell, speaking in a halting, muffled voice. Hero had the impression that his ''Mother'' was enduring something. What was odder was when he tried to approach her out of concern, she stopped him, not allowing anyone to get close. If it were just that, it might have been bearable. Butter, her condition seemed to worsen. She was so ill that she had to cover her mouth with her hand, bending over the table, her body convulsing. The memory still frightened Hero, let alone how he felt at the moment. He had never seen his ''Mother'' like this and was so scared he was almost convinced he was about to lose her. Fortunately, ''Mother'' gradually recovered, appearing a bit weak but with a steadier voice and breathing. Hero desperately wanted to know what was wrong with her, but she refused to speak of it. Even when he inquired, he got no answers, only an unusual scolding. Now, Hero was so eager to acquire the cursed bone jade from Lena, hoping to offer it to his mother as a restorative, even if she told him nothing. He hoped to help in his way. But now, Lena was also inquiring about his mother. Hero was sure this was no coincidence. She must know something, which exined his impatience. The sheer terror of his mother''s condition, appearing as though she was on the brink of death, had deeply shaken Hero. Her likely intention to hide her condition to prevent worry only made him more determined to uncover the truth. No matter the difficulty, his sole desire was to protect his mother. Lena, witnessing Hero''s anxious demeanor, knew she had struck a nerve, bringing her closer to her ''Subus''s Grand Victory'' n. She didn''t directly answer Hero''s question, choosing instead to yfully prod him further: "You know, I have a pretty good rtionship with your mother. We''re like sisters. How about this ¨C you call me ''Auntie'' just once, and I''ll give you a little hint about how to help your mom. What do you say?" This mischievous suggestion from Lena seemed unlikely to seed, given Hero''s stern expression. Sighing in feigned regret, she continued: "Alright, let''s forget about that. Considering the effort you put into the ''bonus'', I''ll help ease your concerns. Rest assured, your mother will ept this cursed bone jade, and it should make her quite happy~" "Happy¡­" ¨C did that mean it would help with her hidden ailment? That was how Hero interpreted Lena''s words. Trusting in her status as a ''Supreme'' and feeling no need to deceive him, Hero felt a wave of relief and joy at the prospect of aiding his mother and alleviating her troubles. Perhaps it was the lifting of a weight from his heart, or maybe Lena''s absurd ''Auntie''ment revealing a close rtionship with his mother, but Hero''s hostility lessened slightly. After a brief pause, he took the initiative to ask: "What do you n to do with the Seed of the World Tree, City Lord?" "If I have a seed, it''s obviously to nt a tree, right?" "There can only be one World Tree in the world," he implied, suggesting that Lena''s efforts to grow another would be futile. The Forest Alliance had tried numerous times, so the seeds of the World Tree were often used for other purposes, never truly for their inherent ''seed'' nature. But Lena seemed unfazed, forever appearing effortlessly strategic and rxed. "Ah, I''m well aware of that, which is why I n to nt it in a very special ce, one that doesn''t belong to this ''reality''." Hero was puzzled by Lena''s cryptic words about nting the Seed of the World Tree in a ce not of this reality, and she offered no further exnation. Her attention seemed to linger on the topic of Hero''s mother, but soon she concluded their conversation. After exchanging their respective items, Lena left with a meaningful, yful nce, disappearing as mysteriously as she had arrived. Left standing alone, Hero felt uneasy, sensing hidden meanings in Lena''s words. But he knew better than to dwell on the maniptions of a subus, adept at unsettling the mind. Dwelling on it might only y into her hands. Hero''s eyes bled again as he reopened a blood portal, using the same principle he had used to chase Charl. By allowing a member of the Old Alliance to "hurt" him, he had created a coordinate for teleportation. Over centuries, he had developed various new applications for his abilities. As Hero was about to step through the blood portal, he paused and looked back at the mutated beast of burden left behind. Lena''s initial words echoed in his mind. With a final nce, Hero and the mutated beast both disappeared from the spot. ... In a dimly lit bedroom behind the temple of the Old Alliance, a ck-skinned elf in her true form was conducting an experiment. She remembered her humiliation in the Miasma space at the hands of Renji, but more importantly, it had revealed issues with the body she "upied". Her numerous tentacles writhed in the room. Determined, she picked up a knife from the table and brought one of her tentacles closer. Taking a deep breath, the elf swiftly brought the knife down, slicing her tentacle. The pain was immediate and intense. "Ah!" The sharp agony from the self-inflicted wound on her tentacle nearly made her faint, causing her to grimace in pain. Chapter 177 177: Entering the Dream

Chapter 177 Chapter 177: Entering the Dream

3/4 From her recent experiment, she concluded that her body was perfectly normal. She felt pain, pure and simple, with not even a hint of pleasure derived from it. ''But why¡­'' when she fell into his hands thest time, did she not feel any pain? Or perhaps she did, but it was quickly overwhelmed by an immense, inexplicable pleasure that drowned everything else, forcing her to expose her ugly side in front of her children in the holy temple! What shocked the dark elf even more, and the reason behind her experiment, was something beyond mere pleasure. She found that her strength had actually increased! ''How could it be?'' Her several tentacles were severed by that person, and she lost her spiritual form in the Miasma Space, but somehow, the power of Miasma inside her had surged significantly. This increase wasparable to what she would gain from decades of absorbing Miasma. So she thought, if self-harm could enhance her power, she wouldn''t need long to reim the world for herself. Unfortunately, her recent attempt proved it wasn''t that simple. While the dark elf was deep in thought, trying to figure out what she was missing, she suddenly felt something. Her tentacles retracted, her skin transformed back to its pale milky white, and she heard a knock on the door. Outside was Hero. Hero first spoke to his mother, still the epitome of purity and beauty, about Bal and the Dragon Kingdom''s defeat. He expressed his sorrow for Bal and his resolve for revenge. And finally, "Mother, I''ve reimed this Cursed Jade from the Dragon Nation. I believe it''s best kept in your hands." The elf already knew about Bal and the Dragon Nation. In her eyes, the moment the Empress chose to sacrifice her power to lift the curse on the sub-humans, Bal hadn''t lost; in fact, he had won. Her goal was achieved. Even if the Empress didn''t degrade in rank, she was certainly weakened, effectively removing one of their threats. As for the so-called "reimed" Cursed Jade in Hero''s hand, the elf immediately saw that it was worthless; the Miasma within had long dissipated. But upon closer inspection, "Hmm?" "Excellent~, My child! You''ve done very well!" Seeing a mix of a frown and a hint of joy on her mother''s face, Hero let out a sigh of relief. ''It seemed that subus hadn''t deceived me after all.'' Watching his mother eagerly take the Cursed Jade back to her room, Hero assumed it must be of great use to her. This thoughtforted him. However, what he didn''t know was that the elf woman was using the Cursed Jade in a way far different from what he imagined. ..... Transforming back to her true form, the dark elfid one of her tentacles on the table, poised to chop it off. But this time, she didn''t use her usual knife. In her hand was the Cursed Jade that Hero had just given her. Bang!* The dark elf used the jade like a mere stone, smashing its edge hard onto her tentacle. And this time, "Agh..!" Like before, she gasped in pain, but soon, the familiar rush of pleasure followed the pain, bringing a blush to her face and a slight increase in her strength! The dark elf, seizing the moment, continued to brutalize her tentacles with the Cursed Jade. But as the pleasure diminished and the pain ceased to grow, she reluctantly stopped, the intoxicated and blissful expression fading from her face. ''So that''s how it is.'' Although the increase in power was slight, equivalent to a week''s worth of Miasma absorption, the dark elf was beginning to understand her body better. Her body could indeed grow stronger through this bizarre method of "getting beaten", but there was a definite limit. That is, The beatings had toe from ''that person'' or be inflicted by objects imbued with that person''s essence. Like the current Cursed Jade, the more it bore his essence, the more effective the beatings were! Why it had be like this was not only due to the nature of her body but perhaps also due to an unknown reaction from their fusion. After all, the essence of Miasma power is negative emotions. And what could stir her negative emotions more than the memory of being ruthlessly executed and humiliated by that person in her den five hundred years ago. Was this peculiarity a result of the fusion of her body and spirit? No. The dark elf''s eyes sparkled with excitement. Rather than seeing it as a peculiarity, she preferred to think of it as a talent! After all, enhancing her power in this way was incredibly fast! And indeed, she thoroughly enjoyed the pleasure. Having deciphered the pattern and found a more efficient method, a new n for revenge naturally formed in her mind. She no longer needed to daily ingest the world''s Miasma. All she had to do was find opportunities to be beaten by ''that person''. This would not only rapidly restore her strength but also lull him into a false sense of security, underestimating her. When she returned to her peak, or even surpassed it, the thought of easily defeating that person and enjoying his incredulous expression thrilled her to the core. For this grand goal, she had to be beaten, and not just beaten but defeated miserably ¨C the more tragic, the better! Ideally, she should be crucified by that person, helplessly manipted in her powerless state, and finally branded with the stigma of defeat. Cooling down from her excited fantasy, she realized the most crucial part of her n: she had to ensure she wouldn''t go too far and actually get killed by that person. So, after much thought, there was only one best approach left. She would never meet that person in the real world until she was fully confident. Luckily, there isn''t just one world. Beyond reality, there''s another realm. Like the Miasma Space, a world of consciousness, or rather, a world of dreams. And speaking of "dreams", the elf readied herself to meet another of her distinguished children, the Kai, a forgotten being of high rank like "Hero". The reason was simple. Kai was in charge of the Mechanical Alliance. And her n was "To Enter the ''Dream''." Chapter 178 178: You and Me

Chapter 178 Chapter 178: You and Me

Chapter 178: You and Me In the forbidden area of the ancient Wolf n on the Orc ins in the Dragon Nation, the day-long blessing ceremony finally concluded. As a participant, Renji deeply realized one thing: ''if I had a cigarette right now, I''d desperately want one.'' Demi-humans were indeed different from humans. Their appetites were enormous. And as a member of the Dragon kin, known for their exceptional abilities even among demi-humans, Renji found that he had grossly underestimated the Dragoness. ''How to describe it?'' If Suthia was used as a unit of measurement, Renji estimated that it would take about four and a half Suthia to equal the effort required for one Nova. Moreover, Renji could never have imagined that Nova, usually so cold and the least talkative among "them," would change so dramatically. When Nova had him hold her "dragon horns" on her head, it was like flipping a strange switch. The Dragoness''s behaviorpletely overturned Renji''s previous impression of Nova. To use Suthia as an example again, it was like the difference between a Saintess and a Witch. If he didn''t use his Dragonblood Ignition to keep his domination on Nova¡­ he would be no less better than her. So, why did the image of Suthia keep popping into his mind? Holding Nova, who now clung to him with her limbs like an "octopus" with her massive chest between his hand, Renji pondered over this serious question. First, he ruled out guilt. The remaining reason must be Suthia''s role as a priestess nun with powerful healing abilities, which could help Nova recover better from the post-ceremony weakness. From Nova''s current position, clinging to him, it was evident how weak she was. Although Renji had joined the ceremony to assist and ensure Nova didn''t damage her foundation, the enormous energy expenditure of the ceremony had nearly depleted her strength. On the status panel, Nova still disyed a six-star ''Cmity'' rank, and her level hadn''t changed. However, the status section was filled with numerous debuffs (negative effects) visible to Renji, a dense mass of them. These were the inevitable consequences of the ceremony, significantly reducing Nova''s attributes to a very low state. Fortunately, these were temporary, far better than a permanent decrease in attributes. Also, yes, the panel. Only those contracted as Eclipsed beings would have a panel. Reflecting on this, Renji gently brushed aside the fiery red hair of Nova in his embrace, revealing a new, shimmering contract sigil on the pale nape of Nova''s neck, which appeared following his touch. It was a case of misfortune interlinked with blessing. Nova, in an effort to repay her debt to her Nation, had distributed her immense power, leading to a sense of falling from grace. On the other hand, due to her previously unattainable position on the "divine pedestal," even with her cooperation, Renji''s power would have been insufficient to make a difference. Now, thanks to the "ceremony" that significantly weakened her, Renji, despite struggling, managed to conquer her. The once resistant Nova, proud of her formidable power, eventually sumbed to the contract''s mark. Renji couldn''t help feeling a bit smug and proud. In such a short time, he had already sessfully contracted and rectified two of his wives. Maintaining this momentum, he hoped to soon reach a joyous and triumphant conclusion. However, Renji felt somewhat helpless about the circumstances of his contracts. Each time, the situation was... well, indescribable. Though he wished for the next contract to be more dignified, he hoped his prowess could be recognized in other ways as well. As Renji was lost in these thoughts, the Dragoness in his arms stirred. Perhaps it was his earlier hair brushing that woke her. Nova awoke from her slumber. The first thing she did upon opening her eyes was to sense her body. Realizing that her power had indeed been significantly reduced, no longer reaching the ''Cmity'' level, her expression dimmed, thinking she had been demoted. Despite her disappointment, Nova showed no regret. She knew the ceremony was sessful, and she had finally fulfilled her duty as an "Empress." Gritting her teeth against the fatigue and weakness, Nova tried to rise from Renji''s embrace. Now a weaker being, she felt undeserving of her position. As someone useless, rather than being dismissed by her master, she preferred to leave on her own terms. This was her final act of pride. Meanwhile, elsewhere... Seeing Nova awaken, Renji felt a mix of apprehension and concern. On one hand, their rtionship had undoubtedly grown closer; on the other, he wondered if he should help maintain Nova''sposed facade, especially after witnessing her uninhibited side, to avoid embarrassing her. However, Renji soon realized his concerns might be unnecessary. Nova, upon waking, seemed no different than before, if anything, even more reserved. She silently got up from his embrace, straightened her clothes, and then, seemed ready to leave without looking back? That''s when Renji sensed something was amiss. "Nova?" he called out. Nova shook her head, "Master, there''s no need for words. I understand and will leave willingly." Her eyes held a myriad of emotions, but she turned away decisively. But in the next second, she was pulled back into the warm embrace by a pair of strong hands. "Master?" Nova looked surprised. ''You fool!'' ''What exactly do you think you understand?'' Though Renji internally scolded the naive Dragoness, he couldn''t bear to do so aloud. "First of all, even if you truly were demoted, I wouldn''t abandon you. I''d help you regain your strength. Secondly, although you''ve lost a lot of power now, it''s only temporary! With proper rest and care, you''ll be back to normal before you know it!" Renji spoke with earnest severity, but from Nova''s expression, it seemed she didn''t quite believe him, perhaps thinking he was justforting her with lies. This nearly infuriated Renji again. "I might not have been able to say this before, but now, as my contracted, I probably understand your body better than you do!" Initially, Nova didn''t grasp his meaning, but as she quickly sensed her body again, she finally noticed the restored contract sigil on her neck, causing her body to tremble. Previously, she had been so focused on her loss of power and her anxiety that she hadn''t noticed it, but now, "Is it true, Master Ashen? Is my weakness only... temporary?" "Do you now doubt my words as well?" "No, no, no, Nova just... Nova just... " For Nova, those few seconds felt like a transition from hell back to heaven. Not only did she regain her contract with her master, but her rank and level remained intact, meaning she could continue serving him and, more importantly, stay by his side. Changing Nova''s mindset, which equated "power" with "status," wouldn''t happen overnight. It would take time, and Renji was patient. For now, he simply stroked Nova''s soft red hair as she buried her head in his chest. Renji had fantasized about this moment many times, especially during his gaming days when Nova, as his character, would emerge battered but victorious from extreme battles. He had always longed tofort her. Now, holding Nova in his arms, feeling her warmth, Renji knew there was nothing more valuable. If given the choice to enter a Second ythrough again, he would press that button without hesitation. Looking down at Nova, who had once again be an "octopus demi-human" with her arms wrapped around his neck and legs around his waist, Renji felt a sense of satisfaction. When Renji''s gaze met hers, Nova blinked her purple eyes as if to say she was too weak and could only maintain herself by clinging to him. ''This is the sort of moment you unlock in a New ythrough'' Renji thought, amused by the rare sight of a ''cuddly'' Nova. "Nova, let''s make sure we''re on the same page." "Align our story?" "Yes. When we go out, I''m nning to contact Suthia immediately. With her healing you, your recovery should be much quicker." Nova''s eyes lit up at the mention of Suthia. She had forgotten about her! Although Suthia was the weakest inbat among them, her healing abilities were unmatched. Just with Suthia''s help... Nova''s excitement suddenly halted, and she looked awkward. She suddenly realized why she had "forgotten" about Suthia earlier. "Cough, cough." Seeing Nova''s expression that almost screamed ''guilty conscience,'' Renji quickly coughed twice to interrupt her thoughts. It wasn''t that he felt guilty, but to avoid unnecessary troubles and misunderstandings. He then shared the ''testimony'' he had prepared in advance with Nova, emphasizing the principle of "known to heaven and earth, only you know and I know." But Nova still seemed worried. "Master¡­ but besides us, Lena probably also knows..." ''Lena¡­'' Mentioning Lena made Renji realize he owed an apology to the pink-haired subus. He had misunderstood Lena. Studying in advance really proved useful and important. Renji acknowledged that without the "training manual" Lena had provided, which allowed him to rehearse and enhance his ''resilience'', he might not have been able to endure. He never expected that the foreshadowing would y out this way. This revtion gave Renji a moment of rity. He had always thought of Lena as a troublemaker, just like in the game. But now, it was clear that his journey in the Dragon Nation wouldn''t have been sessful this easily without Lena''s behind-the-scenes assistance. Not only did he manage to unveil the mastermind and save the Nation, but he also sessfully contracted Nova! Lena was not just a troublemaking subus. She was more like his protective guardian, indispensable to his journey. Chapter 179 179: Entering the Dream

Chapter 179 Chapter 179: Entering the Dream

I started rewriting (New name: The Fallen Wizard (Old name: Mystic Journey)) again, even though it is fast-paced at the start, I will make it slower when he gets into the academy. -------- Dream, as Renji briefly understood from the description, is akin to virtual reality, capable of digitizing one''s consciousness and uploading it to thework. However, such a description sounds too cold and mechanical. Thus, a more artistically appealing and rtable term, " Dream" is used. Everyone dreams, but few can control their dreams and experience the dreams they desire. The Dream Terminal was created to assist people in achieving this level of control over their dreams. The higher the "model" of the Dream Terminal, the stronger the control over the "dream" and the higher the realism in constructing the dream. It seems the first two models of Dream Terminals only allow users to experience dreams edited by others. With the third model, one can truly daydream and construct a personal dream. The highest model currently known, the fourth model of Dream Terminal, clearly transcends the realm of "entertainment." As Renji was getting familiar with it, a surprised exmation quickly came from nearby. "Is that a Dream Terminal?!" The voice belonged to Eileen, who among everyone, reacted the most. She looked at the silver-grey semicircr device in Renji''s hand with eyes filled with excitement, almost like she was on a pilgrimage. Seeing Eileen''s reaction, Renji was a bit surprised, "You know about this?" "Of course! The Dream Terminal! It''s the greatest invention of the Mechanical Alliance! It can take people into the thrilling world of '' Dream '' allowing them to experience various extraordinary adventures from a first-person perspective. It''s practically a divine artifact that has saved countless lonely hearts during the long nights!" "Have you used it?" When Renji asked this, Eileen, who had just been speaking enthusiastically, suddenly looked dejected and then turned unexpectedly angry. "I saved up money for a long time and finally bought a ''Model I'' Dream Terminal from the ck market. But when it arrived, I found out it was useless! It was onlyter, after much effort, that I discovered the Dream Network had been closed to outsiders for two to three hundred years. Only people within the Mechanical Alliance could use the terminals! All the ones on the market were just imitations and models. Those damn swindlers!" "So you mean to say, one can only enter '' Dream '' within the Mechanical Alliance?" Renji focused on the key information in Eileen''s words. "In theory, yes. It''s infuriating! Such a great invention that could benefit humanity, yet it''s hoarded and hidden away. It''s a regression of civilization! But... I believe in 86! Just by looking at the design of this Dream Terminal, I can tell it''s high-end!" Eileen''s tone shifted as she began to exin to Renji. The mostmon Dream Terminals usually have several connection ports and resemble a helmet. To use them, one must go through aplicated wearing process. The Illusion Terminal Renji now held, provided by 86, was incredibly sleek. It was a simple silver-grey semicircr ring with curved notches at the ends to hang on the ears for stability. There were no external ports or wires; it looked like it could activate immediately upon wearing. "I''m certain this is at least a Model II! No, no, no, I''ve seen pictures of Model II, and even an enhanced version can''tpare to this. This has to be a Model III... or even the highest, Model IV!!" Eileen''s excitement grew as she spoke, her eyes gleaming with fascination. Given her ability to repair 86, it was evident that she had a talent and a deep interest in mechanics. Renji didn''t mention that his terminal was actually a higher level, a "Model V" that wasn''t even listed in the descriptions. After supplementing his understanding of '' Dream '' with Eileen''s help, Renji felt ready to try it himself. As Eileen had analyzed, the wearing process was incredibly simple. Renji put on the silver semicircr ring like sses, hanging the ends on his ears. The terminal lit up immediately, indicating it had activated automatically. After the "startup" glow faded, the terminal''s exterior even blurred, capable of optical invisibility. Renji could choose to make itpletely invisible, show only the earpiece, or disy a virtual screen for the eyes. "Cool! So damn cool!" Eileen eximed with stars in her eyes, visibly wishing she were the one wearing the terminal. "Old Timer, uh, I mean Renji, are you about to enter ''Dream'' now? Then I must give you a proper introduction! I haven''t used a Dream Terminal myself, but I''ve seen a lot of ''Dream'' films! My favorite Dream creator is ''Void Armor Master''! Especially the joint production with Sin City, ''Saving the Subus.'' I wanted to buy a Dream Terminal just to watch the extra footage from ''Saving the Subus.'' The ''Dark Dream'' segment is amazing, showing the inspiring survival of a young subus in a biomechanical hell. Experiencing it in the first person would be absolutely... uh... cough, cough!" Realizing she had gone off-topic in her excitement, Eileen quickly coughed to regainposure and continued, "What I mean is, ''Dream'' has many other capabilities. For example, there''s a famous story from the Mechanical Alliance about a scientist studying somethingplex like the periodic table. He couldn''t figure it out, so he used ''Dream'' to rx, and incredibly, he deduced the periodic table in his Dream that he couldn''t solve in reality!" Hearing Eileen''s introduction to ''Dream'' and this story, which aligns with the capabilities of the Model IV terminal, Renji now nned to use the Dream Terminal for simr purposes. Seeing Eileen''s enthusiasm and the useful information she provided, Renji promised to let her experience ''Dream'' after he finished, if 86 allowed it. Eileen was overjoyed and even offered to let Renji use the ''Miasma Touch'' on her, saying 86 could use whatever item she materialized into. Renji was curious about what form Eileen would take after the ''Miasma Touch,'' but that was a matter forter. For now, he found afortable spot to sit. After putting on the terminal, Renji felt connected to it, able to enter ''Dream'' with just a thought. Without much hesitation, Renji activated the terminal. The next moment, he felt enveloped in darkness, simr to his experience in the altar pool. His consciousness began to sink and dive deeper. This time, the experience was much morefortable for Renjipared to his previous experience. After a brief sensation of weightlessness, he regained his vision. He found himself in a space of ethereal lights and shadows, presumably the ''Dream'' world. With a thought, the blurry world of light and shadow began to rify, revealing andscape identical to the Dragon Nation in reality. In ''Dream,'' Renji felt like the master of this world. He could switch between a first-person and a god-like perspective at will, changing anything as he desired ¡ª after all, this was his dream. Remarkably, if he chose not to intervene, the dream world would operate on its own. This must be the so-called "simtion" effect. As a Model V terminal user, simting the Dragon Nation seemed effortless. After getting used to the controls, Renji got down to business. He started testing various policies in the ''Dream'' Dragon Nation, some suggested by Lena and others he had thought of. By elerating time in the dream, he could see the oues of these policies, effectively predicting the future. For instance, Renji first tried a policy strongly supporting the demi humans. Initially, it seemed effective as the demi humans'' influence in the Dragon Nation rapidly increased. However, the overall power of the kingdom couldn''t sustain its growth for long. In less than a century, it began to decline. The reality was that humans were generally more advanced in development than demi humans. But the history of enving demi humans,bined with his supportive policies, led to a strange culture of demi human supremacy. Many demi humans rose to power based on political correctness,cking the ability to contribute to the nation''s development and governance. While humans outwardly respected demi humans, underlying conflicts remained unresolved and even grew. Almost every dispute involving demi humans was biased in their favor, even when they were in the wrong. This led to the emergence of twisted concepts like "demi human lives matter more." The ''Dream'' world''s simtions had their limits, and Renji could only forecast up to two hundred years. Beyond that was beyond his reach. Chapter 180 180: Master, Run!

Chapter 180 Chapter 180: Master, Run!

2/5 This approach clearly wasn''t effective, but no matter, Renji waved his hand, and the entire world immediately began to reverse, restarting back to its original state in just a few seconds. This time, Renji learned from his previous lesson and attempted to only restore the demi-humans'' civil status and rights without providing too much support. However, the oue was still not optimistic. Most people are profit-driven, and without support, the demi-humans, integrating into human society, could only be described as a bloody struggle. Humans, once the superior race, easily oppressed the demi-humans politically, utilizing their umted resources and connections. The physically strong but resourceless demi-humans suffered losses, and eventually, the escting conflict even led to local wars. The discord between humans and demi-humans remained unresolved. After restarting the world again, Renji realized that this problem couldn''t be solved with simple and brutal measures. Therefore, heter issued a policy allowing the demi-humans, previously ves in the northern human society, to choose whether to stay or be officially transported back to their homnd in the south. Most demi-humans naturally chose to return to the south, and the humans of the north were happy to see them go, as it meant lesspetition for resources. With this, the Dragon Nationpleted its segregation, and Renji even granted autonomous rights to the demi-humans in the south. Renji decided to separate the two races for a while. Soon, the humans of the north realized that without the demi-humans, they had lost their most significant workforce, while the demi-humans in the south continued to live primitively with slow development. When both races realized theyplemented each other and that together they formed the familiar Dragon Nation, they began to vigorously support exchanges using the Sealed City as a medium, allowing gradual and natural integration. Over two hundred years, although the Dragon Nation''s national power initially grew slowly, it gained momentum and stability as time went on. Of course, there were still manyrge and small problems, but overall, this was considered the best direction thus far. Dream illusions weren''t meant to be used continuously. After simting three scenarios, Renji felt mentally exhausted. Having achieved the desired results, he chose to exit. Exiting the dream was just a thought away. Soon, Renji''s vision changed again, losing that god-like control. When he opened his eyes again, he was back in the city hall where he started. But Renji was slightly puzzled. Entering the dream had felt like "diving deep," so he thought leaving it would feel like "surfacing," but it seemed he was overthinking it. Renji removed the dream terminal from his head and deactivated the "Touch of Miasma" ability. The terminal, shrouded in the red fog of Miasma, released the figure of a mechanical maid. "Thank you for your hard work, 86." [It is my honor to serve you, Master] the maid in front of him replied respectfully. Renji: "¡­" Seeing the young man in front of her ''spacing out'', the mechanical maid tilted her head and asked in confusion, [Is something wrong, Master?] "Do you feel ufortable or unwell in any way?" [Master needn''t worry. Your power has no negative effects on me, only a slight energy consumption. I''ll quickly recover in standby mode] The maid naturally assumed Renji was concerned about any unusual effects on her body after the Touch of Miasma, and she quickly shook her head, indicating she was fine. "I see. Oh, right! Eileen mentioned she wanted to try the dream terminal. Why don''t you talk to her about it?" As soon as Renji finished speaking, Eileen immediately came over, excitedly pestering the maid, trying to get her permission to use the dream terminal. [86, we are good sisters, right?] The maid hesitated for a moment and then nodded, [Yes] "Since we are, why don''t you lend yourself to me for a while? Pretty please?" [I don''t mind, as long as Master agrees] The maid nodded. Hearing this, Eileen excitedly sped the maid''s hands, "Old timer has agreed, as long as you agree too, then there''s no problem! Dream terminal! Here I am, Woohoo!" [But Miss Eileen, I''m afraid it''s not possible today. I need to return to my terminal form, which won''t be until after tomorrow] the maid shook her head. "No problem, no problem, it''s not a big deal. take a good rest! Don''t hurt yourself!" The maid nodded, [Thank you for your concern, Miss Eileen] Renji silently observed the conversation between Eileen and the maid, his brow furrowing slightly, but it was just a fleeting moment before his expression returned to normal. He then interrupted them, saying: "Alright, Eileen, you already told 86 to rest well, so don''t bother her anymore. 86, you should go back to your room and rest too." [As youmand, Master] the maid replied, bowing slightly. After that, Renji spent half a day handling affairs rted to the Dragon Nation, sharing the simtion results with Nova, and discussing future implementation strategies with the former revolutionary army officers and Caroline from Sin City. As night fell outside the window, time unknowingly slipped into the night. Renji stretched, feeling drowsy. Such arge project couldn''t bepleted in a day or two; there was no need to rush. It was best to take it slow. Realizing it was indeedte and he was tired, he bid everyone goodbye and returned to his room to rest. After washing up, Renji, lying in bed, must have been exhausted, as he quickly drifted into a light sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. It was unclear how much time had passed, maybe a few minutes, or perhaps hours. Amotion outside the room woke Renji up. Still groggy with sleep, he had just started to get out of bed to check what was happening outside when, the next moment: Bang!* A loud noise at his door jolted Renji awake. The next thing he saw was 86 breaking through the door. More precisely, 86 with only half an arm left, the other side empty, sparking with ring electric arcs in the darkness, as if cut off by some sharp weapon. "What the¡ª" Before Renji could fully process the situation, the maid, filled with urgency, shouted as if desperately trying to convey important information, [Master, run!] ''Run?'' And then, from the direction the maid came, through therge hole in the door, red light refracted into the room. The city hall outside had fallen into a fiery inferno. From this ze, a figure holding a scythe slowly emerged, approaching his room. Aside from the scythe in one hand, Renji could see where 86''s missing arm was ¡ª in the other hand of the figure. Thump!* Suthia threw the maid''s arm into the room, as if deliberately showing it to him. Then, the nun with a twisted face and a sick, crazed smile, against the crackling of the fire behind her, her eyes blood-red, a sinister voice echoed in the room. "Run? Hehehe~" "Tonight, none of you will escape." Chapter 181 181: Suthia’s Restarted Life (Part 1)

Chapter 181 Chapter 181: Suthia''s Restarted Life (Part 1)

3/5 power stone bonuses, The next two chapters might be somewhat confusing, but everything will be clear in the third one, ---------- ''Thia? '' ''Why is she here!? I haven''t contacted her yet.'' ''No, no,'' ''The more bizarre thing now is Thia''s state.'' In Renji''s view, the nun was steadily approaching his room. Though Suthia''s figure was not that big to block the doorway, her elongated shadow, reflected by the raging fire in the city hall, seemed to be grinning madly, effectively sealing off all of Renji''s escape routes. *ng, ng,* The sharp and grating sound echoed in his ears ¨C the sound of Suthia''s dark, massive scythe scraping the ground as she approached, sending chills down one''s spine. Renji had seen Suthia like this before, but the problem was, he had already "corrected" her in the Holy Kingdom, reestablishing the contract. ''Why would she still...'' ''Right, the contract!'' Realizing this, Renji immediately activated the contract power, trying to control the seemingly Yandere Suthia. With Renji''s awakening, a red glow shed at the back of the nun''s neck, the mark of the contract. However, Suthia only slightly slowed her steps in response to Renji''s control, and the next moment ¨C *crack, crack!* A powerful bacsh from the contract hit him, as if a heavy hammer had struck his mind, almost knocking Renji unconscious. He thenpletely lost the contractual connection with Suthia. Kneeling on the ground, still reeling from the bacsh, Renji was dizzy and his ears were ringing. Then, Suthia''s twisted voice came from the doorway. "See, My Lord." "This is my love. A love that transcends all. A love that not even a contract can bind or stop!" "I already possess such enviable love, why aren''t you satisfied? Why did you have to do that? Hehehe, the love that Thia can''t have, then no one else... should have it!" As the nun''s expression turned ferocious, she suddenly quickened her pace towards Renji. But at that moment, [SD-533 Hovering Cannon fully charged, target locked, initiating super-limit overload mode. Maximum power limit unlocked ¨C 120%, 340%, 760%, 999%. No one will harm master in my presence! Fire!] The maid, standing in front of Renji, had constructed numerous floating hand cannons in the brief time Renji had bought. These cannons now surrounded her, their dark muzzles beginning to flicker with dazzling blue light. Despite the constant warnings of "overload" from the floating cannons, the maid paid no heed and raised her remaining arm towards the nun. Following herst, fervently angry shout of "Fire," a barrage of blueser beams, teeming with terrifying energy, was unleashed towards Suthia. Facing this massive and denseser rain, Suthia didn''t use her scythe to block. Instead, she began chanting, with holy light gathering in front of her. No. This wasn''t the familiar, healing holy light. It was... "[Degrade]." These one simple words, softly uttered by Suthia, transformed the holy light before her. In moments, it morphed into an inscrutable dark gray mist, enveloping her. This dark gray mist did not intercept thesers from the maid. The blue beams seemed to effortlessly pass through the gray fog. But the real change urred after they passed through. Theser beams, after being baptized by the gray mist, rapidly dimmed. The abundant energy attached to the beams decayed and dissipated, so much so that by the time they reached Suthia, they were weaker than bullets, easily blocked by the nun''s casual gesture. In this scene, the maid''s face turned pale, filled with disbelief as she looked at the unharmed Suthia opposite her. [How... How is that possible!? What exactly is that...] Unfortunately, Suthia had no intention of exining. Her figure flickered and vanished from the maid''s sight. By the time the maid realized something was wrong, it was already toote. The maid, already overburdened due to the "overload mode," had no strength to retaliate as Suthia approached. She could only watch helplessly as the nun swung her scythe and, with a ''Swish'' sound, pierced the maid''s chest, lifting her entire body. Afterward, Suthia casually flung her scythe to the side. The maid, impaled through the chest with a gaping hole and countless fractured wires sparking, waspletely paralyzed and unconscious. The nun discarded her like trash, tossing her aside. Having dealt with the maid, Suthia, eager to proceed, continued towards Renji with her scythe in hand. She intended to take Renji away, but out of respect for their past rtionship, she was willing to cut off some of his bothersome parts and leave them for the others. Just as Suthia,ughing crazily, was about to take a step forward, her other foot seemed suddenly bound, immobilizing her. The nun frowned, looking down at the vine that had emerged from the ground and entwined around her foot. At that moment, two more figures finally arrived at the battlefield. "Quick, Sister Eileen! I''ll hold her off, you get Mr. Renji out of here!" Ashu, her hands radiating a dark green light, urgently turned to the girl beside her. With Renji''s help, Ashu, who had learned the ''Shaman'' ss through the "contract" and now possessed the power to control nts, was responsible for the vines entangling the nun''s feet. Then, as if to buy more time for Eileen, Ashu clenched her teeth and exerted all her strength, intensifying the dark green light. Suddenly, two more vines burst from the ground beside Suthia, entwining the nun''s hands like ropes. "Hehehe~" "Another one?" "Another hooker? No, a cating to steal my fish?" Suthia''s head was lowered, her bangs casting half of her face in shadow, only revealing a crazed smile at the corner of her mouth. "Perfect, since you''re offering yourself up." Though both of Suthia''s hands were bound, this didn''t hinder her ability to use her powers. If anything, it seemed to... The nun touched the vines wrapped around her, and instantly, holy light burst from her hands. Then, with the same one words [Degrade] the holy light turned into a dark gray mist, surging into the vines. The once robust and lively vines, brimming with vitality, suddenly began to wither and decay, their color quickly changing from vibrant green to a lifeless brown. The wilted vines could no longer restrain the nun and limply fell from Suthia''s hands and feet. But that wasn''t the end. The nun then used holy light again, and this time it seemed to be for ''healing''... right? Under the healing radiance of the holy light, these brown, withered vines, while still appearing rotten, seemed to regain vitality, like undead vegetation brought back to life. This was clearly not just simple healing. The undead vines, seemingly changed even in species, burrowed into the ground at Suthia''s distant gesture. When they re-emerged, their target had switched to Ashu, who had initially controlled them. Ashu wanted to resist, but now that the vines had been degraded and withered by Suthia and then resurrected, they were no longer connected to her and were no longer under her control. The cat girl could only watch as the vines she had used to bind Suthia now entwined around her own body, tightening like a python. Ashu began to struggle to breathe and felt her consciousness blurring. Chapter 182 182: Suthia’s Restarted Life (Part 2)

Chapter 182 Chapter 182: Suthia''s Restarted Life (Part 2)

4/5 Fortunately. A wave of dark matter, carrying the aura of destruction hurled from afar and charging directly at Suthia. These insubstantial dark materials couldn''t be weakened by the degenerated holy light as before. Suthia had no choice but to dodge. And with her spellcasting interrupted, the undead vines without her control, loosened their grip significantly. With the help of Eileen at her side, the barely alive cat girl managed to struggle free from them. Dark matter is the domain of "Special Ability" professions, also considered the specialty of a certain person. Of course, the current attack paled inparison to Lena''s capabilities. Suthia, lifting her head, was starting to get annoyed. Her tyrannical eyes observed a new figure joining the battle, floating mid-air, an unexpected presence. The golden ponytail fluttering in the wind, the small, fluttering wings on her back, and the peach-heart-shaped tail glowing pink in the night, all revealed her identity. After the strike, two ck energy spheres quickly condensed in Caroline''s hands and were hurled directly at the nun below. *Boom!* As Lena''s personal secretary trained in close quarters, Caroline''s capabilities were not limited to administration. In terms of power, this subus secretary was several levels above the previous maid, Eileen, and Ashu. Moreover, her mode of attack could avoid being countered by Suthia''s newfound strange abilities. For a time, under Caroline''s relentless magical barrage, Suthia seemed utterly defenseless. Until... Caroline, seizing the opportunity to press her attack, transformed the dark matter into a whip-like weapon,shing its sharp tip fiercely at the nun below. Then, to her surprise, the whip easily prated the nun''s body, causing Caroline to pause momentarily. But quickly... "You all... Is this never going to end?" As the dust from the magical bombardment settled, Suthia''s figure was revealed, with blood spreading from a wound on her shoulder where Caroline''s whip had pierced. Although the attack was sessful, Caroline felt no joy. Instead, her expression changed dramatically, and just as she thought to release the whip, it was already toote. From Suthia''s body, holy light sparkled, reaching Caroline through the whip and instantly spreading to her body in mid-air. The light then transformed into the previous grey mist, rapidly corroding Caroline''s body. With a muffled groan, she plummeted straight down from the sky. ''Finally getting rid of these annoying flies.'' ''Oh¡­'' ''So that''s how it is?'' After sweeping through the maid, Eileen, Ashu, andter Caroline. Suthia, watching as others seemed to be buying time for her, had regained some strength. Nova, emerging from the city hall''s raging fires, now wore a smile of delight instead of impatience. "Sister Nova, I already spared you once. Why do you stille here?" The dragondy''s cold purple eyes stared at the nun, now in a ck dress and wielding a ck scythe. Nova shook her head and coldly said, "Stop this, Thia." "Stop? Heh, heh heh~... Nova, do you really think, in your current state, you can make me stop? Do you deserve to stand before me?" Facing the nun''s mockery, the Nova slightly lifted her chin in arrogance, as if using her pride to retort. It was her honor as a "Vanguard," even if she had lost much power due to the ritual, she shouldn''t be losing to a "Priestess." "You''ll know soon enough whether I deserve it or not." The dragondy''s body burst into mes. Nova''s gaze swept over herpanions already beaten down by Suthia one after another. All these transformed into her anger, her fighting spirit, her power. Boom!* Suthia, wielding a giant scythe, charged. Nova, who used to react easily, now found her movements sluggish due to her significant power loss. Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she barely blocked the nun''s scythe, but the sheer force sent her flying. Before the dragoness couldnd, Suthia''s figure reappeared. The scythe in the nun''s hand left a trail of afterimages, and Nova, mid-air, had nowhere to dodge, forced to endure these attacks. Then, with a "thud" sound, Suthia''s final heavy scythe strike hammered Nova from the air to the ground, her dragon scale armor now shattered. The dragoness struggled to rise from the ground, but then, the next moment... Thud!* Suthia''s ck high heels were already stomping on Nova, preventing any chance of her getting up. The nun looked down at Nova, struggling beneath her foot, utterly powerless. Nova had been utterly overpowered by Suthia in just a few moves, and Suthia let out a bell-like giggle. "Hahahaha~ How long has it been since west met, sister Nova? Howe you can''t even beat Thia anymore?" "Could it be because..." "Nova, did you do something bad behind Thia''s back and get punished?" Initially, the dragondy wanted to retort stubbornly, but Suthia''s words immediately weakened her defiant spirit, epting the reality of her defeat. Indeed, she was now far behind ''them'' in her temporary weakened state. Nova could only plead weakly with Suthia: "Thia, it''s all me, take it out on me... please don''t harm Master As..." Before she could even finish mentioning ''Master Ashen'', it seemed to touch a sensitive nerve in Suthia, who stomped on the dragondy''s back, cutting off Nova''s words. "Is that so? Since that''s the case, I''ll satisfy Nova wishes." "Hmm, let me think. I was nning to dismantle Lord Ashen''s troublesome parts, but since my dear sister loves Lord Ashen so much, I''ll start by dismantling something on you." "Let''s start... here." As she spoke, Suthia''s gaze fell on Nova''s head, specifically on the majestic dragon horns symbolizing her race. Realizing the nun''s intent, Nova started to struggle violently. "No! Please, Thia, not there... No!" Suthia paid no heed to Nova''s pleas. She ced the scythe on Nova''s dragon horns, exerting force to cut them off. However, despite her loss of much strength, Nova''s body, especially her horns, remained as the most robust part of the dragon race. Seeing that forceful cutting wouldn''t work, the nun didn''t persist. Amidst Nova''s continuous shaking, Suthia smiled slyly, cing her hand on the dragon horns. Then, she unleashed the holy light, which was, in fact, the ''degraded'' grey mist holy light. "No, don''t...!!" Amid Nova''s desperate and heart-wrenching cries, mixed with some strange, indescribable emotions, her dragon horns, corroded by the grey mist, finally became brittle. With Suthia''s forceful effort... *Crack. Crack!* "Noooooooooooooo!!" The moment her dragon horns were severed by the nun, Nova let out a soul-tearing scream. Although it didn''t affect her physically much, since dragon horns can regrow much like hair, it was a devastating blow to her spirit. Suthia watched as Nova''s eyes, under her foot, turned dull and lifeless, devoid of any sparkle. After being robbed of her horns, the dragondy''s eyes filled with tears, her lips quivered, and her face bore the expression of humiliation and disgrace. A victorious smile curled on the nun''s lips. It was the curve of vengeance. As if that wasn''t enough, Suthia leaned down to whisper into the ears of the prostrate dragoness, in a voice only the two of them could hear: "Nova''s dragon horns are so pretty. Thia will turn them into ornaments and wear them on her head." "And then, I''ll go and do those things with Lord Ashen that you sent me in those videos." "Wearing your horns while doing it¡­ Hehehe~!" Chapter 183 183: Awakening (Part 1)

Chapter 183 Chapter 183: Awakening (Part 1)

5/5 Unlike the darkened nun who had descended using "Maria''s" body back in the Holy Kingdom, the Suthia before them was her true body, manifest in the flesh. The only one who could have stopped her, Nova, who was powerless because of the blessing ritual, It seemed that all the forces around Renji had been annihted by Suthia. Well, not all, one remained. Eileen summoned a blood-red greatsword. However, the once fierce and intimidating scarlet de now seemed more like a toy in this setting, posing no threat to Suthia. Previously, even thebined strength of many couldn''t leave a scratch on Suthia, let alone now when only she stood alone. Eileen''s grip on her greatsword was indeed shaking. All she could do now was to continually call out to Suthia, trying to awaken her goddess. But Suthia''s only response was a swing of her scythe. The girl desperately tried to defend, but her blood-red sword was no match for the scythe''s power. It shattered like tofu under Suthia''s blow, and Eileen, now weaponless, could only watch as the dark nun''s ck scythe swung unrelentingly in her vision. Bang!* Before Eileen could even react, a muffled sound rang out, and in the next moment, the massive ck scythe stopped. To be precise, it was forced to stop. What widened the girl''s eyes in disbelief was... "Renji?!" The ck scythe, capable of slicing through Nova''s dragon scales, was now being held back by Renji''s single arm. Strangely, his arm was unharmed, not even a scratch. "You''ve done well, Eileen. Leave the rest to me." In the girl''s stunned view, Renji shook his head at her, signaling her to step back. Then, turning to face Suthia, who also wore a look of shock, he exerted force on his arm. The nun felt an irresistible strength emanating from him, sending her and her scythe flying! "This power..." "My Lord, how did you regain your power... No, no, impossible!" Before she could even steady herself, Suthia''s gaze was fixed on Renji, her darkened heart feeling a flicker of retreat. For Suthia had thought of an unsettling possibility. Renji, on the other hand, seemed intrigued by the nun''s words. After a moment of thought, a massive aura began swirling around Renji. His clothing transformed, and a dark brown cloak enveloped his entire figure, merging him with the shadows. At first nce, the cloak seemed unremarkable, even tattered, as if it were the remnants of something burned. Yet, to Suthia, who was not far away, it sent shockwaves through her mind, causing her grip on her scythe to falter. This seemingly "worn" cloak emitted an ancient, enduring sense of time. On a second look, it was no longer just a cloak but represented the many who tried to burn themselves to light up the dark nights. Each had eventually burned out, turning to dust, but there would always be another to take up the mantle, continue burning with that will, turning to ash - their fate and their glory. "No, this can''t be!" "My Lord, how can you... have you regained... no... it''s fake! It must be fake!" Suthia kept retreating, fear evident on her face. Renji''s whole body concealed in the cloak''s shadows while staring at her silently, this image was all too familiar to Suthia. It was this familiarity, these resurfacing memories, that instilled such unbearable fear in her. Her desire to monopolize her lord, hinged on him not regaining his former power. Otherwise, her actions would be a mere joke, potentially making her despised and rejected by Renji. With these thoughts, the nun lost all reason and charged at Renji, swinging her scythe, trying to "pierce" through him. In response... Renji just shook his head. "Ugly... It''s just too ugly." "My real Thia would never do such ugly things." Watching the nun, who became even more grotesque after revealing his "Ashen" form, Renji seemed to lose any interest in testing her further. ''Such an ugly dream'' ''It''s better to end it soon'' Renji didn''t even move, and the nun across from him discovered in horror that her body was... crumbling? "What is this!?" "No, don''t! My Lord... I don''t want..." In the end, Suthia didn''t even reach Renji before her entire body dissolved into mist and dust, vanishingpletely with the night breeze. After all this, Renji, though fond of his true "Ashen" form, knew it was but a false illusion and soon withdrew from it, returning to his normal state. "What the¡­" "Am I dreaming?" Eileen, who had witnessed everything, rubbed her eyes in confusion. Her mind was aplete mess, unable toprehend what had just happened in the past few minutes. To this, Renji spread his hands and said, "Congrattions, Eileen. You''re right, you are dreaming. Well, not exactly. You are a figment of my imagination based on the real you, so essentially, you''re the same as everyone else here, including Suthia." "What!?" "Renji, snap out of it! You''ve already taken off the dream terminal! This is reality, not a dream!" Looking at the girl''s anxious concern, Renji smiled. "I did take off the terminal, but it seems that was only in the dream. The real me is probably still wearing it. Honestly, I was fooled at the beginning too, well until I heard you and 86 conversations¡­" "But... because I''ve nowe to my senses and realized this is still a dream, I''ve regained some control over the dream. Isn''t what just happened the best proof? Even you said it felt like a dream." Renji appeared to be talking with Eileen, but in reality, he was conversing with himself, much like how people internally question and answer themselves when thinking. However, in this dream, these internal dialogues took the form of "Eileen," helping him analyze the situation. "Old timer! If this is all a dream, we need to hurry and get out!" Faced with the girl''s urging, Renji nodded thoughtfully. "Indeed. But the question now is, how do I wake myself up?" "Do you want me to pinch you? Isn''t pain supposed to wake you up?" "It''s not that simple, or I would have left when Suthia''s contract backfired on me. No use just thinking about it. It seems we need the person who tied the bell to untie it." As he spoke, Renji looked towards the corpse of the maid robot who was the first to be "killed" by Suthia, under Eileen''s puzzled gaze. Chapter 184 184: Awakening (Part 2)

Chapter 184 Chapter 184: Awakening (Part 2)

Just as Renji had exined to Eileen earlier, regarding dreams, if you''re not aware that you''re "dreaming," then even if you''re the master of the dream, it''s useless. But once you be "aware" that you''re dreaming, things change drastically. Renji needed only a thought for the maid, whose body had been pierced by Suthia''s scythe, to rapidly heal. The missing arm regrew, and within a few breaths, the maid stood up as if nothing had happened, leaving Eileen beside her utterly astonished. [Master? But I was... I mean, run, Master, run! Wait, huh?] The maid, revived by Renji, initially appeared confused. She seemed still caught in the threat posed by Suthia. However, when she finally looked around and saw no sign of the corrupted nun, her confusion deepened. This series of mental activities was perfectly expressed by the maid''s tone and facial expressions, making her seem as perplexed as Eileen. However, "Alright, let''s cut the act. Tell me, who are you ?" The maid, still not fully grasping the situation, looked around and found no one else. When she realized Renji was addressing her, she tilted her head and asked with a puzzled tone: [I''m sorry, Master, but 86 doesn''t quite understand what you mean?] "86, never mind. Since you won''t say, I''ll call you 85 for now. 85, do you know what first made me feel something was off?" Renji pointed at the maid and said, "Actually, it was you." [Me?] The maid''s face showed even more confusion. "Yes, because the real 86, for example, taking the sentence you just said, would have spoken like this:" "86, while showing a confused expression, reflected on what could have possibly made the Master uneasy and said so." Renji briefly imitated 86. Observing the silent maid across him, he didn''t mind and continued: "You see the difference, don''t you? The real 86 doesn''t have such a rich system of tones and expressions. That''s why she developed a special way of speaking, where she verbalizes her internal thought processes." "This is the first inconsistency I noticed. The second one was when I deliberately started a topic to make Eileen talk to you. I could understand if others couldn''t notice the anomaly in you like I did, but Eileen, having been with you for so long and with her straightforward nature, would never hide her thoughts. She would definitely have blurted out, asking why your way of speaking had changed. But the reality was different." Renji nced at the girl next to him, who wore a puzzled expression, clearly believing that the original maid spoke that way in this dream. Up to this point, the contradictions were fully exposed, and Renji''s thoughts became clearer and faster. "Eileen didn''t find you strange, which is already inconsistent with the Eileen in my dream. Unless this isn''t just my dream, and someone else has also entered it. In her dream, she believes she''s disguised herself well, so other characters in the dream, apart from me, don''t find anything odd about you." "Moving forward, I must say your n was indeed good, focusing on Suthia and the ''corruption'' aspects, making even my subconscious ept this dream. Was your intention to kill me in the dream?" "But unfortunately, you were too hasty. From the moment Suthia broke free from my contract, I became more suspicious. Andter, when I showed my ashen-like true self to Suthia, but she still attacked me, I waspletely sure that she, like you, was fake. I''m still in a dream, and it''s a shared dream between you and me." Afterying out this long chain of deductions, Renji took a deep breath. He needed to verbalize these thoughts because the more he proved it was a dream, the greater his power in the dream would be. Realizing this, Renji had already figured out how to leave. Rxed and even having the leisure to mildlyin to the silent maid opposite him, he said, "Not to be rude, but do you have some grudge against Suthia? Or did Thia do something to make you resent her so much? Why did you have to paint Thia in such a dark and ugly light? If you hadn''t made Suthia so crazy and hideous, I probably wouldn''t have realized this so quickly." 85: "..." "Nevermind, I guess I''ve figured out a bit about who you are. If you keep silent like this, I won''t y along. Dreaming is nice, but I actually prefer a bit more reality." After leaving these words with the maid, Renji returned to Eileen''s side. That''s right. The key to leaving this dream realm stilly with Eileen. Based on the dream rules he had deduced earlier, the reason he couldn''t leave the dream was that his power wasn''t sufficient. In other words, he "wasn''t quite" aware that this was a dream. He needed decisive evidence, a stronger proof to "convince" himself. And Eileen was this evidence. "Lucky you haven''t been much help before," Renji muttered under his breath. "What!?" "What I mean is, I''m d I never used the Tainted Miasma Touch on you!" Yes. Dreams are derived from reality, but if something never happened in reality, then dreams are powerless. For Renji, the thing materialized by the Tainted Miasma Touch on Eileen represented this unknown. It was the key to leaving the dream realm, the anchor. With a flicker of skill, the red mist of the Tainted Miasma enveloped them. Renji ced his hand on the girl and activated the Tainted Miasma Touch, but this time, what he extracted from Eileen... was a nk. Obviously, this was not reality. And this was the decisive evidence of the "dream" that Renji was looking for. In that moment, time seemed to stop, everything around turned still, and all the "real" images in his vision turned into ss, then began to crack, and finally... *Crack. Crack!* The dream shattered, and that feeling of "surfacing" after deep diving reemerged. But in the copsing ''phantasm'', the only constant was the unchanged form of the maid. As Renji left the ''phantasm'', thest thing he saw was the maid''s eyes meeting his own. Those eyes, calm and indifferent, instantly conveyed the impression of an object, exactly as a tool should appear. Soon after, as Renji regained consciousness and his vision cleared, he found himself in a somewhat familiar setting. Ideally, he would have returned directly to reality, but that was not so simple. Clearly, the pitch-ck space surrounding him was not the city hall of the Sealed City. The reason he found it "somewhat familiar" was due to the thick Miasma in the space. This was no longer a dream; this was more like a semi-reality. Renji had been to this "Miasma Space" before. Thest time, he was in the altar pool when an elf took the opportunity to pull his soul consciousness into it. And this time... Was it taking advantage of this opportunity to use the ''Dream Entry'' method to find him again? Well, at least now he knew. The mastermind behind the scenes? He saw a dark-skinned elf sitting on a... cross? at the top of the Miasma Space. Upon seeing Renji, the tentacles entwined around the cross, like tails wagging in excitement, seemed to cheer. The elf woman licked its lips, gazing down at Renji from its high seat on the cross, its eyes like those watching a prey that had fallen into a trap. Then, with a frivolous and smug tone, the elf said to the young man, word by word: "I told you, we would meet again soon." "Ashen!" Chapter 185 185: Slither

Chapter 185 Chapter 185: Slither

2 more chapters will be posted today to not get confused about the events. ------ Lilith, inheriting the entire memory of the previous "Mother of Miasma," felt herself drawing closer to re-sowing the will of the Miasma across thend, bringing back the glory of the old era. The reason the first generation failed was that under the guidance of the despicable Emperor, more and more beings stole power from her, bing Eclipsed and leading to her death from her own strength. Learning from the first generation, Lilith realized that to beat an enemy, one must be the enemy. That''s why she didn''t reincarnate in the original form of the "Mother of Miasma." Instead, she chose to bewitch one of those around the Emperor and eventually took over the body of the Elf Empress, resurrecting in the image of "Miyuki." After resurrection, while still weak and at a disadvantage, she emted the Emperor''s strategy. The Emperor used Miasma to defeat Tainted Miasma, so she would use beings to defeat beings. That''s why she continued to use Miyuki''s identity to form the Old Alliance, gathering those Eclipsed abandoned, forgotten, and used like tools by the Emperor. After five hundred years, she finally faced her first confrontation in the Miasma space against Her Enemy, Ashen. Although it ended in humiliating defeat, it revealed two important pieces of information. The first was that Miyuki, whom she thought she had possessed and whose original elf spirit had "dissipated" was not as simple as she had imagined and seemed to still exist in some form. Since her true identity had been exposed to Ashen, continuing to pretend to be Miyuki was pointless. Therefore, she adopted the name "Lilith" a name she recently gave herself, imitating humans. The second important piece of information Lilith obtained was about the mysterious secrets of this "Miyuki" body. It was precisely because of identally discovering the true potential and talents of this "body" that Lilith now had the confidence like in the beginning of this ''dream'' and was involved in the current scene. The ceaselessly swaying tentacles behind her already signified Lilith''s expectation and excitement. After nning her next move in her mind, she quickly began to recite the lines she had meticulously prepared to Renji. "To be honest, I''m quite surprised that you managed to wake up from the ''Dream'' so quickly ande to me. Even I have topliment you for that." If Renji had broken through the ''Dream'', then she would use what humans call a "sarcastic" tone to disgust him. The dark-skinned elf was verballyplimenting, but her eyes were full of contempt, perfectly embodying the feeling of superiority in toying with her prey. This speech was inspired by the popr human tale of the Demon Lord and the Hero. The hero, after enduring countless hardships, finally faces the Demon Lord, only to be belittled with ament praising his arrival, which would greatly humiliate him. Then, with this angry resolve, he would y the Demon Lord. In her case, the more she managed to infuriate Ashen, the more fiercely Ashen would attack her in the subsequent battle, chopping off several of her tentacles! And the more she could use Ashen''s anger to strengthen her own power! While Lilith was still feeling proud of her scheme, however... "Indeed, go ahead and praise." Renji deeply agreed and nodded at the dark-skinned elf. Lilith: "¡­" "???" ''Wasn''t the hero''s line in the story she researched different from this script?'' Seeing the dark-skinned elf across from her, who seemed to be choked by her own words, with her chest heaving, Renji easily regained control of the conversation''s rhythm. "Actually, I''m quite curious. What would have happened if I hadn''t broken the ''Dream''?" "Heh, don''t worry." The dark-skinned elf, seated high on a cross, regained her initial momentum. She casually spoke while seemingly fixing her nails: "If we''re just talking about the ending, there wouldn''t be much difference. After all, the Empty Armor has already altered the path of the dream, adding a door for you. If you want to return to reality from the dream, you muste here and open this door." "The difference in the process would probably be... if you didn''te out on your own, you would have to wait until you were locked up by that goddess, tormented into insanity. When your mental will couldn''t bear it anymore, that''s how the dream would shatter." At this point, Lilith felt a sense of regret, as this was her most ideal scenario. The prospect of seeing Ashen in such a pathetic state was delightful. She knew that once he learned the truth, he would direct his most terrifying fury towards her, the mastermind behind the scenes. Moreover, sessfully sabotaging his rtionship with Suthia in the real world would be a dreame true. Perhaps, affected by the aftermath of the dream, Ashen might even go as far as to "sever an arm" and strip the goddess of her powers. The mere thought made her almostugh in her sleep. But s. Lilith shook her head, lifting the hand she had just pretentiously manicured in front of Renji. She admired her long, beautiful nails, pleased with herself. This gesture, learned from human behavior, was purposely used for this asion. However, Renji''s thoughts were still caught up in her previous statement. ''Altering the path of the dream? A door? And the empty armor?'' "Empty armor, are you referring to the maid in my dream, number 85?" Renji asked, frowning. In fact, the term ''empty armor'' wasn''t new to him. Just before entering the ''Dream,'' Eileen had mentioned the ''Master of Empty Armor,'' an ID renowned in the Mechanical Alliance and Eileen''s favorite dream creator. On the other side, Lilith''s lips curled into a smile, watching Renji deep in thought. Her previous ramblings were intentional, meant to reveal certain information to Renji to heighten his desire for the truth. And now, it was her turn. "Tsk, it seems you indeed have many questions. Consider this a reward for reaching me. I''ll give you a chance." ''The main event was finally about to begin. Everything I had done led to this moment.'' Lilith jumped down from the cross, but her tentacles continued to coil around it. From the outside, it looked as if a dark elf was carrying the cross on her back. She slowly descended to the ground and walked step by step towards Renji, whispering: "Everything you want to know, whether it''s about the empty armor, your Dream, or something even more interesting, I can tell you all of it." "The only prerequisite for this... is battle!" With the final word "battle," Lilith unleashed the suppressed Miasma aura, now fully expanding it. She stretched her arms towards Renji on the opposite side. Apart from the few tentacles entwined with the cross, the others behind the dark elf formed a shadow like a small mountain behind Lilith''s extended arms, instilling a terrifying sense of dread just by looking at it. "Let''s see if you still have the fearlessness and bravery you had 500 years ago!" "Come on, defeat me once more! Hmph, as long as you can do it, you can take everything you want from me ¨C honor, status, wealth ¨C and once again be the so-called savior in your mouths!" "So, Ashen! Come on! Fight me!" Although Lilith harbored hatred and hostility towards him, it didn''t stop her from verbally abusing him as despicable. Deep down, she still recognized the strength of someone who could turn an impossible situation around and end her formidable enemy. Such a human leader, a world-saving emperor, could not have his resilience washed away in a mere 500 years. Provoked in such a manner, his fearless and brave qualities made it impossible for him to refuse her challenge. A life-and-death battle between them was inevitable. And then, Ashen, true to his name, demonstrated his undiminished fighting skills honed over 500 years. Perhaps his strength had waned, but his exquisitebat abilities had only sharpened, leaving her struggling to defend. Each move and stroke targeted her vulnerabilities with cunning precision. Despite her ''best efforts'' to dodge, she was quickly left battered and bruised by him, who, in his pursuit of victory, seemed intent on humiliating her. He deliberately aimed his attacks at her clothes, slicing and tearing the fabric until only a few shameful patches remained to barely cover her body. Exhausted and barely clinging to life, she finally copsed weakly to her knees, watching with humiliated eyes as Ashen, the victor, approached her. He grasped her chin, lifting her entire body. However it seemed, Renji had a different interest in the cross she had intentionally prepared behind her,ing up with a new way to humiliate her. Ignoring her hateful words, "Ugh, just kill me!", Ashen used his tentacles as ropes, binding her limbs to the cross! Then, taking out the sword of the savior, he delivered a righteous punishment to her, the evil one, powerless on the cross. Chapter 186 186: Severe Possibilities

Chapter 186 Chapter 186: Severe Possibilities

Lilith''s mind was crafting the subsequent script, her salivary nds furiously secreting mucus at the time. Opposite the dark-skinned elf, Renji was also rapidly analyzing the current situation. Firstly, he indeed had many questions for Lilith, whose proposal was tempting, but he wasn''t foolish, nor was he fearless and brave. Regarding this kind of provocation by the dark-skinned elf, Renji''s heart didn''t even flutter. If it were in a game, even if it were a behind-the-scenes boss, anyone who dared to mock yers like this would definitely face a fight from Renji, regardless of whether he could win or not. Winning would be a relief, and dying would just mean a restart. Perhaps this is what the dark-skinned elf perceived as Renji''s "fearlessness" and "bravery." But now, Renji knew all too well that the more passive he was, the less he could be led by the nose by others, following their ideas, or else he would only be more passive. The dark-skinned elf''s eagerness to fight him was definitely not well-intentioned, likely harboring an even bigger plot. This was evidenced by the cross that had always been hanging behind the elf, probably the best proof. Renji had noticed this cross from the beginning and had been observing it in secret for a long time. Being cautious about things he couldn''t fully understand was vital, as the cross might be a powerful weapon that the dark-skinned elf brought specifically to target him. Thinking this, Renji''s overall strategy was set: ''this unprepared battle was not to be fought and was unnecessary.'' Indeed. From the dark-skinned elf''s words just now, this "Miasma Space" was thest gate of ''Dream''. To return to reality, he had to open this door, that is, to break this Miasma Space. Previously, indeed, the only way to break the Miasma Space was to defeat the dark-skinned elf, the space''s master. But now it was different. Because, after absorbing the Cursed Skeletal Jade in the altar poolst time, he also became half a master of "Miasma Space." He had a "door key"! Although it was a bit of a pity, Renji did not hesitate much and directly took out the "tentacle" that had been formed by the "Touch of Miasma" from the avatar of the dark-skinned elf''s consciousness, which he had previously put away due to its excessive evil and ugly appearance. "With the appearance of this tentacle, it was as if an antenna had emerged, and Renji immediately felt his consciousness being amodated by this miasma space, no longer as an ''outsider.'' He could ''open the door'' and leave whenever he wanted. On the other side. Sensing the anomaly in the miasma space, the presence of another entity sharing power with her forced Lilith out of her delusion, abruptly awakening her. When she shifted her gaze to the source of the anomaly, to the tentacle in Renji''s hand that was identical to the one behind her, the expression on Lilith''s face was beyond shock. What did this feel like? It was as if the most private and innermost pair of panties she wore daily had inexplicably ended up in the hands of the enemy across from her!? And now, seeing Renji about to use the tentacle to activate the miasma authority that rightfully belonged to her, to leave this space, turned into her brain filled with confusion, Lilith desperately trying to stop Renji. "No! Wait a minute!!" Seeing that Renji had no intention of stopping, and the miasma space already responding to the young man''s request, Renji''s figure began to fade gradually. In her urgency, Lilith knew that stopping him was futile and had to find another way. She couldn''t keep Renji there, but she could make hime back. "Ashen! Your ''Dream'' might have been partly edited by the empty armor, but you must have realized that the main body of the Dream still has to follow the facts. The future you experienced in the Dream is what the Dream has calcted, the future you will soon encounter in reality!" "If you don''t want the tragedy that happened in the Dream to recur, your only choice is to return to the Dream, because only here can you find the answer!" "Ashen. you will definitelye back here, I will wait" As the entire miasma space shattered in Renji''s view, the screams of the dark-skinned elf became more blurred and weaker until finally, his figurepletely disappeared here, and the voice of the dark-skinned elf could no longer be heard. After a slight feeling of dizziness, when Renji opened his eyes again "Hmm." It was the familiar ceiling. Around him was the city hall of the sealed city, and the next moment that filled his view was... "Old timer! How was it, how was it!" Seeing Renji open his eyes, waking up from the "Dream," Eileen immediately leaned in with her face full of anticipation and curiosity. However, Renji said nothing in response. Amidst Eileen''s exmations, he pulled the girl towards him. Before Eileen could react to what was happening, a light emanated from Renji''s hand. The skill of Miasma''s Touch was activated against Eileen, and red mist began to swirl around the two. Renji''s hand prated into Eileen''s chest, and a strange sense of connection linked the girl to him. It felt as if someone entered the depths of her heart, exposing her naked soul to Renji. Following this, Eileen felt something extremely precious to her rapidly transforming inside her body. The next moment, it was grasped by Renji''s hand, turned into a blurred light orb, and then began to be drawn out. This made Eileen involuntarily let out a soft moan. However, what Eileen least expected was that when Renji had pulled "that thing" halfway out, no, not even halfway, as if confirming something, he suddenly pushed his hand, cing the blurred light orb back inside her! The light of Miasma''s Touch ended. All that was left was Eileen, her face still flushed, filled with a mix of confusion and slight anger, and Renji beside her, who, after confirming his return to reality with Eileen, let out a long sigh of relief. If it was a dream, Miasma''s Touch would have no effect on Eileen. The fact that he could just extract Eileen''s materialized item was the best proof. Of course, as long as it wasn''tpletely extracted, it wouldn''t transform and would remain as a blurred light orb. In the end, Renji chose to put it back. For such a deed akin to "stopping halfway," Renji felt sorry for Eileen. But there was no choice. He had to maintain the unknown status of Eileen''s Miasma''s Touch materialized item. By not knowing what Eileen''s "heart" really is, he would never be able to use Miasma''s Touch on Eileen in the Dream. Next time he enters the Dream, he wouldn''t fear anymore, as it would serve as a precise detector, preventing confusion between dreams and reality. So... Is there a "next time"? It must be said, thest words of the dark-skinned elf really made Renji waver. If the Dream really is a rehearsal for the future, does that mean Suthia will still descend upon the Sealed City tonight in her true form? If coupled with the dark transformation of Suthia in the dream, a possibility began to emerge in Renji''s mind. ''A very serious possibility'' Chapter 187 187: Before Thia arrives

Chapter 187 Chapter 187: Before Thia arrives ?

"Nova, I have good news and bad news, which one do you want to hear first?" After returning to reality, Renji immediately took the Nova into a private dark room. Nova sitting across on a tufted cushion shook her head, indicating either one would be fine. "The good news is, we might be able to see Suthia tonight." "And it''s Thia''s real bodying over," Renji thought for a moment and then added. For this good news, a great surprise appeared on Nova''s face, because although Dragon Nation and Holy Kingdom are adjacent, the straight-line distance between them is still not short, let alone they were at the sealed city of the pass. In Nova''s impression, Suthia didn''t have discement abilities like Lena, nor did she have a dragon transformation like herself. She thought the earliest she could see Suthia would be in two or three days. But now Surprise followed by an immediate surge of deep emotion in Nova''s heart. Yeah. Having a sister who, upon hearing that she was injured, immediately dropped everything and rushed to her, who wouldn''t be moved? Later, when she heard Renji add that Suthia wasing in her "true body," Nova was even more at a loss for words. She also knew about Suthia''s contamination from Renji''s side. The nun had to keep her real body in the confession room, using the contract to continuously exorcise it. And now, just for herself, for better treatment of her, Suthia was willing to risk the rpse of contamination ande with her real body, making Nova even more convinced in her heart that her initial decision to form an alliance with Suthia was indeed the right choice! Across. Renji, seeing the range of expressions on Nova''s face, knew that she must have misunderstood something. "Sigh¡­" "Alright, now it''s time for the bad news." Hearing the bad news that even Renji seemed so worried about, Nova immediately perked up, fully attentive. Nova didn''t understand, what bad news could beparable after such a big piece of good news. Until "The bad news is, I haven''t notified Suthia at all" Renji in the dark room spread his hands. Nova: "!!!?" After a moment of distraction, the Nova quickly realized and said, "That must be Lena, right?" Indeed, aside from them, the only one who knew the content of their ''ritual'' was that pink-haired subus. And with Lena''s ability to n, it''s not impossible that she informed Suthia in advance to prepare for healing while they were still performing the ritual. This way, it would mean that she and Suthia could seamlessly connect, allowing her to receive healing from the nun right away. ''Lena, she really is good little sister!'' The gratitude towards Suthia and Lena once again surged in Nova''s heart, even more intense than before! After all, who wouldn''t be moved by having such a sister who never shows up but always cares and helps you behind the scenes? However, Nova quickly snapped out of her emotional state and realized something was off. These all sound like good news. So where''s the bad news? "I now suspect that Lena not only told Suthia about the ritual but also shared the ''hidden parts'' with her." "Hidden parts?" Nova asked, tilting her head. ''What hidden parts could there be in a ritua...'' ''Oh¡­'' The expression on Nova''s face suddenly stiffened, and the small dark room fell into a brief silence. Then, in a flustered tone, the dragoness struggled to ask, "Are you sure? Could you have misunderstood Lena? Didn''t you say before that Lena had changed, and that I shouldn''t judge her with a biased view? I think Lena definitely wouldn''t do such a thing!" Renji shook his head in response. "Nova, do you think cutting horns is a treatment method?" Nova: "...?" "Then I guess I didn''t misunderstand." Renji thought hard about the reason for Suthia''s reversion to darkness, and there seemed to be only one. And when heter saw the nun''s abnormal obsession with Nova''s dragon horns, Renji became even more certain. Suthia must have known about the things between him and Nova. ''And it seems...'' ''She knew quite a lot!'' On the other hand, Nova, slightly pausing at Renji''s somewhat enigmatic words, instantly understood. This realization made her expression even more tense and flustered. If possible, Nova really wished her "instant understanding" of her master''s words wasn''t used in such matters. But there was no helping it. From the moment her dragon horns were used as a ''steering wheel'' by her master, the oue was probably already sealed. Now, Nova only wanted Lena to return the emotion she had just felt. But Nova soonforted: "No, no, it''s okay!" "Don''t worry Master, even if Suthia reallyes to kill, Nova will definitely be able to restrain her, to calm Thia down first!" The dragoness clenched her fist to her chest, as if saying, since the cover is blown, let''s not pretend anymore, appearing very confident, very much in line with Nova''s straightforward and stubborn character. However, regarding this. Renji sighed deeply in his heart. ''Rxed?'' He also wanted to be rxed, but the problem is. Renji recalled Suthia''s performance in the ''Dream'', and summarized the nun in one sentence: ''She was like a war goddess!'' ''Where is the pure and innocent nun? this Thia with her real body and in Nova''s weakened state, may be several times stronger than Nova!'' Although Suthia in the "Dream" was definitely made darker on purpose, the strength gap should not be far off. Nova on the other side nned to fight violence with violence. But in the dream, the real "fighting violence with violence" ended up with Nova lying on the ground, utterly defeated by Suthia, aplete and utter defeat. How can he believe when she''s already been pummeled! So Renji took Nova to a small dark room for a meeting, not only to prepare Nova mentally, but also to emphasize not to sh head-on with Suthia, to let Nova calm her impulsive nature, realizing that facing Suthia, the only oue was to be pummeled. "Then what should we do Master?" Unknowingly, Nova had moved from Renji''s opposite side to his side, inching closer. Under Renji''s words, realizing she couldn''t even beat Suthia now, Novapletely lost her empress demeanor, looking more like a little girl, clutching pitifully at Renji''s sleeve, her eyes filled with nervousness and unease, especially about the pair of horns on her head. Anyone who didn''t know better would think she was a mistress afraid of the wifeing to confront her. ''Uh.'' ''Seems pretty much the same?'' ''Pah!'' ''What mistress, what wife, such vulgar worldly terms are not worthy of them.'' ''They are all my wings!'' ''Wings!'' Renji smoothly took Nova into his arms, doing so only tofort her, not because he suddenly found that Nova, showing such a vulnerable and delicate feminine side, was really hitting his XP. "Don''t be afraid, Nova. To deal with a yandere, cough, to deal with Suthia, it''s actually not good to be too tough; being softer might actually be more effective! So, we need to change our previous n a bit. If Suthia reallyes to kill us, then we''ll do this and that. And then, that and that. Finally¡­." "Did you get all that?" "Mhm, Nova understands!" She nodded her head seriously. "Alright, then familiarize yourself with the response process. I''m going to try and gather more information about Suthia so we can be more assured!" "Good luck, Master!" Watching Nova, who had shed her cold demeanor and now appeared like a wife sending off her husband, overflowing with a sense of being a spouse, Renji couldn''t help himself and embraced the dragoness''s neck before he left. "Master? Mmm mmm mmm." After giving Nova a fierce kiss, Renji was about to leave, but unexpectedly, he was embraced by the her in return, not allowing him to go. With a flushed face and disheveled clothes, Nova gazed at Renji with watery eyes, her lips still warm from the recent touch, seemingly longing for more. "Master, when Suthiaes, we won''t be able to do this anymore¡­" "So, let''s take advantage of the moment~¡­" Chapter 188 188: Of Course, It’s You!

Chapter 188 Chapter 188: Of Course, It''s You!

[Master''s expression doesn''t look good. Is it because using me wasn''tfortable enough? As a maid, I feel useless and guilty for not providing an enjoyable experience, said 86, looking dejectedly disheartened] After emerging from Nova''s ''prison'', Renji took off the Dream Terminal, and Number 86 reverted to her original form. Hearing the maid''s first words in her familiar manner of speaking, and her earnest statement, Renji was now absolutely certain that this was indeed the real Number 86. Renji currently sought information about Suthia, as the dark-skinned elf had mentioned, with the Dream being the best route for this purpose. But before that. Renji was determined to first clear up many doubts and eliminate any hidden dangers. Starting with the issue of the maid''s "Dream Terminal" being "infiltrated" and "tampered with." "86, how do you feel physically now?" [Master, I feel good. Oh, that''s not right. It seems like there are some foreign data inside me Number 86 said, puzzledly touching her abdomen, wondering if she had been infused with something by her master in the Dream] Renji: "..." ''Well, if everyone were to reveal their inner thoughts, perhaps the maids would still be considered better off'' Combining the maid''s response, Renji also opened Number 86''s panel. Everything seemed normal, except for one thing. Renji quickly noticed that Number 86''s level had unexpectedly reached level 40. He remembered this clearly because he had agreed to "start anew" in the second ythrough. Therefore, except for the nun and the dragoness, he treated the other three ''Danger'' rank contractors equally. Whether it was Eileen, 86, or Ashe, Renji had leveled them all up to 35 equally. So, 86 being at level 40 was quite conspicuous. This sudden increase of five levels must be the "foreign data" 86 mentioned. Regarding this, Renji wasn''t particrly pleased. Even though these extra five levels could save him a significant amount of Miasma Crystals, he was more concerned about the origin and purpose of this abnormal data. After some thought, Renji quickly asked again: "86, can you retain your consciousness while I am in the ''Dream''?" [Yes, I can. If Master requires, I can activate the surveince mode to assist from the side, but this will increase consumption and shorten the ''Dream'' time, exined Number 86 earnestly] "So, you didn''t retain your consciousness during the recent Dream?" [Yes, I used the longer standby automatic mode Number 86''s heart skipped a beat, afraid that her small desire to be more durable andst longer in front of her master would be discovered, she said with a guilty conscience] Renji, looking resigned, realized the issue at hand. Essentially, the maid had turned off the energy-consuming "firewall" to extend her operating time. Afterward, Renji shared part of his experience in the Dream with the maid, focusing on the dream within a dream and the entity that reced the maid, 85, or rather, the "Empty Armor" [A hacker broke into my terminal?, 86 eximed?in disbelief] [My processing chip is a copy from Mother ''Zero'', and with external technology, even in ''automatic mode'', I would definitely sense an intrusion! But Since Number 86 was extremely confident in my abilities, I had enabled automatic mode. But now, due to my pride and arrogance, I had almost put my master in danger. 86 filled with deep regret and anger, muttered to herself in self-reflection] Regarding the maid''s confusion and shock, Renji reminded her, "But what if the other party is of the same origin as you?" [The same origin? Does master mean that the hacker is also a copy of Mother ''Zero'', like 86?, 86 eximed as if struck by lightning.] [If it''s one of the other ''sisters'', they could indeed sneak in unnoticed while Number 86 is distracted admitted Number 86 reluctantly after analysis] After receiving the maid''s affirmative response, Renji nodded, further confirming the identity of the "Empty Armor." Having learned from this setback and understanding the enemy better, Renji immediately instructed the maid: "86, unless I specifically alter it, from now on, always run the Dream Terminal in surveince mode. That way, even your ''sisters'' shouldn''t be able to hack in easily, right?" [Instruction received. ''Super Surveince Mode'' has been sessfully set as the default start-up option for the Dream Terminal] [Rest assured, master. Unless Mother ''Zero'' herself takes action, those sisters stand no chance of getting close to master under my ''Super Surveince Mode''! Number 86, although internally wailing about her reduced duration, was immediately filled with fighting spirit at the thought of other ''bad sisters'' trying to approach her master through her, Number 86 stated with a sense ofpetitive spirit.] Renji then asked the maid in detail about the Dream Terminal, such as whether it could be used again that day. The answer was affirmative. Unlike high-consumption Miasma products like Nova''s Red Lotus Wings, which can only be used once a day, the maid''s Dream Terminal could be used many times in a day. After eliminating the hidden dangers with the Dream Terminal, Renji reactivated the Miasma Touch on the maid, and the familiar silver-grey semicircr terminal appeared again. Taking a deep breath, Renji reattached it and plunged back into the Dream. His vision immediately darkened, and a sinking feeling enveloped him. But as this was his second experience, Renji quickly adapted. When he opened his eyes again, the sky had darkened, the city hall was engulfed in a massive fire, and he was in his bedroom. The door in front of him was broken open, and across in the firelight stood Suthia, wielding a giant scythe and grinning as she approached him. However, this time, everything seemed to be paused. [On alert. Master, can you hear me?] The voice of the maid echoed in his mind, using a concise version of speech, prioritizing tone and mood, appropriate for serious situations, as Renji had taught her. "Yes, I can hear you." [*Taking a deep breath*. Rest assured, Master, I am constantly monitoring the Dream. Currently, there are no anomalies, and as per your instructions, I have preserved yourst Dream for your editing and use] "Thank you for your hard work." Renji then approached Suthia, who was ''paused'', and analyzed her movements and every word she had spoken by rewinding and ying in slow motion. Soon, Renji caught a few mocking words from Suthia to Nova, previously unheard due to distance, but now clear in the yback. Suthia: "Then, I''ll go and do those things with My Lord, the things you sent in the Video you sent, wearing your horns, of course." The most intriguing part was naturally the line, "wearing your horns, of course." ''Cough!'' ''No, it''s "the Video you sent"!'' ''That''s it!'' ''This was the missing link he had been oblivious to!'' ''But'' ''Wait a second.'' ''Video!?'' Renji suddenly felt a chill down his spine. Just then, possibly because he was continuously investigating Suthia, the maid''s voice echoed again in his mind. [Sharing concerns. Master, if you want more information about Lady Suthia, I think it would be better for you to enter directly into the goddess''s dream] "Enter Suthia''s dream?" [*Nodding*. Yes, the Dream can simte the future based on key information and also reconstruct the past. You can enter the dreams of any character in the Dream to obtain more information rted to them.] Then. Renji gritted his teeth, thinking that since it had already happened, he might as well see what Suthia had actually experienced at the time, so he could better respond in the future. Thus, following a nod to the maid, under 86''s guidance, his vision blurred again, and he continued to sink, using the keyword "the Video you sent" to enter Suthia''s dream. When the surroundings became clear again, he was no longer in the city hall of the sealed city but found himself in the underground Confession Room of a grand cathedral. Renji saw Suthia, bathed in holy light, devoutly praying. ''Everything seems... normal so far?'' But as the dream progressed, a message appeared above the nun''s head, making Renji, observing from a god-like perspective, anxious. This must be it! He saw Suthia then, with a face full of joy and anticipation, opening a magical crystal ball. And the next scene. "Master, maybe, maybe we should stop, I''m scared If sister Suthia¡­!" "Nova, are you intentionally bringing up Suthia at this moment? Don''t tell me you find it exciting?" "No, no, I''m not... I just." "Just what? If you keep being so stubborn, I might just stop~" Listening to the familiar dialogue in the video. Renji, from a god-like perspective. Renji: "¡­" Unfortunately, Renji''s silence at the moment couldn''t stop the voices in the image. After a series of dragon moan, the tamed red dragon, now submissive to the ''dragon knight'', even began to take the initiative. The Vanguard profession is always the mostpetitive and ranking-conscious, and Nova was no exception. It was evident that she always wanted to be the strongest and the first in any battlefield. "Master¡­ I...pared to Sister Suthia, who is more¡­" "Of course, it''s you!" The ''dragon knight'' in the image didn''t wait for the sentence to finish before answering, immediately. After all, such an easy question, especially in such a ''special situation'', naturally meant praising whoever you were with at the time. ''Right?'' Chapter 189 189: I Was His First!

Chapter 189 Chapter 189: I Was His First! ?

If Renji had previously thought that Suthia''s corruption in the Dream was exaggerated, a deliberate act by the dark-skinned elf behind the scenes, now he was shaken. Regarding the Dream''s ability to reconstruct characters'' past experiences in the form of a "dream within a dream," Renji had no doubts about its authenticity. After all, Zero had used a simr "data reshaping" ability at the Sea Sand Bar, reproducing everything that had happened there. As long as there was sufficient data collected, matched with the necessaryputing power, both the past and the future could be extrapted by intelligent machinery. Renji initially re-entered the Dream just intending to find a bit of information about Suthia. Now, he found it hard to imagine her current mental state. Seemingly sensing Renji''s need, the assisting maid quickly operated, and in the next moment, Renji instantly shifted from a god-like perspective to the first person. [Attentive. I have switched to the dream-viewing mode for Master. In this mode, not only can Master experience the Dream from Suthia''s perspective, but also listen to her inner thoughts] Synchronizing the first-person view with the protagonist''s senses provides users with an immersive experience of personally living through the events. This is why the Dream is the most popr and exciting entertainment product of the Mechanical Alliance. And now, the maid''s V-type Dream was obviously more powerful. Renji could sense all kinds of emotions from Suthia, and even listen to the nun''s inner monologues. From the initial relief and joy when the crystal ball was first sent to Suthia. [If they had time to send something, does it mean the Dragon Nation''s matter is over? That''s great!] [Lord Ashen and Sister Nova are still thinking of me, I''m so happy!] [Eh? There are so many encryption restrictions inside. Did Sister Nova do these sealing spells? So Sister Nova has also progressed in spellcasting. I... I must also work hard! I can''t be left behind!] [Like this, then like that, huh! It''s open! Really looking forward to it, what''s inside?] To the confusion and bewilderment that followed as the images unfolded, until she finally realized what they were. [What is this?] [Sister Nova and Lord Ashen? What are they doing?] [Wait, wait a minute! Sister Nova, why would you take your clothes off? even My Lord!? They couldn''t be... No! Impossible! Sister Nova is such an emotional fool, she should be thest one to...] Uh. Well, Renji didn''t expect Suthia to see Nova in such a way deep down. [It''s okay, didn''t I also resolve to help Sister Nova? Now that Sister Nova has taken care of it herself, I should be happy! Yes, I need to... I need to be happy for Sister Nova. Happy.Ha¡­] [Besides, I was My Lord''s first, and the first is always the most memorable, the most unforgettable. So even if Sister Nova catches up, it definitely won''t shake my position in Lord Ashen''s heart!] Under several deep breaths and selfforting, Suthia''s emotions miraculously stabilized. It was evident that the renewed contract really worked, and the effect of purging impurities in the Confession Room was significant. Otherwise, the initial Suthia might havepletely lost control. ''Just like that, keep going, Thia!'' Unfortunately, Renji''s encouragement couldn''t reach her, and the situation, which had just begun to improve, took a sudden turn for the worse. [But why did Sister Nova specifically send me... this kind of thing?] [Does she know about what happened between me and Lord Ashen before, that I deceived her using the Alliance? Is this her way of getting back at me?] [No, no, no! Sister Nova isn''t like that, it must have been sent by mistake, there must be some misunderstanding.] Just as Suthia thought this, the creator of the film, as if seizing the nun''s thoughts, quickly transitioned to a few ssic ''edited segments'', including but not limited to: "Lord Ashen, Thia won''t get angry, right?" "Since we''re pursuing excitement, let''s go all the way!" "Of course, it''s you!" "I''m sorry, Thia, but why... I can''t control my body, I don''t want this, but..." "Give me Thia''s share as well! Masterrr~!" With the emergence of these clips, all of Thia''s previous self-constions vanished. [What about the first time being the most unforgettable? What about being the first one? When Lord Ashen was with Nova, where was I in his eyes? Not even a bit!] Suthia, kneeling on the ground, let her head hang down weakly, her bangs covering half of her face, her hands tightly clutching her skirt. [Why... Why did it turn out like this?] [After finally finding My Lord again after five hundred years, after reconciling with Sister Nova in the sealed city, the first time I truly opened my heart to Sister Nova, the first time we established our alliance... such happy and joyous asions, but why... why did it turn out like this whenbined...] [It was... It was me who was his first!] [Kissing or hugging, and even Lord Ashen'' first time, it was all with me! I was the first!] From the first-person perspective, Renji could clearly sense that Thia was not merely angry but in a state of struggle. On one side, there was her bestrade, Nova, whom she regarded as family and a sister, and on the other, she had to watch Nova gradually take her Lord away from her. The intertwining of theseplex emotions seemed to cause some kind of chemical reaction, and suddenly, Renji felt that Suthia started to... be off. Specifically, although Suthia previously didn''t want to see those video or hear those voices, now her eyes were fixed on them more and more intently. Subsequently, the nun''s breathing also began to hasten. Suthia''s eyes, previously filled with various emotions like anger, confusion, struggle, and perplexity, now seemed to bepletely overtaken by another, more intense emotion, her cheeks flushing red. Nova was someone she liked, and so was her lord. The inevitable had happened, and she couldn''t stop it. To calm herself and to prevent "the evil her" from emerging again, Suthia chose not to fall into powerless rage and corruption. Instead, Suthia chose to stay in dark... then decided to consider other things. It''s just that people tend to avoid things that are hard to think about or that they don''t want to think about, and Suthia was clearly doing so. She start to intensely watch the video and her delicate white finger start to move between her thighs, [Ahhhh~ My Lord¡­ You are so..] At this point, Renji hurriedly asked the maid to switch the perspective back. This was not suitable for first-person viewing anymore. (Skip) Fast-forwarding through the Dream, it took a full hour before a neatly dressed Suthia walked out of the Confession Room. This undoubtedly surprised and unsettled the high echelons of the Holy Church, as it was the first time their goddess had revealed her true form. It was clear that the reward was indeed effective, and the sage time was not just for men. Afterward, Suthia appeared normal in demeanor and tone. She briefly exined to her church members that she needed to temporarily leave for the Dragon Nation. Then, under Maria''s arrangements, she got a private jet in less than ten minutes. After being endowed with "optimized" holy light by Suthia, it sped towards the Dragon Nation at several times the usual speed. With that, Suthia''s Dream came to aplete end. Renji: "¡­" "86, is this Dream... urate?" Renji couldn''t help but doubt due to its abstract nature. The maid''s response was swift. [Responding to Master, ording to the database analysis from ''Zero'', during the five hundred years of your absence, Lady Suthia, due to her near-obsessive yearning and love for you, was the most frequent in ''self-relief'' among the fivedies. This was because only by this means could the goddess alleviate her inner repression and pain, obtaining temporary peace. Incidentally, the second on the ''self-relief'' leaderboard is Lady Lena, and the third is...] "Stop! Stop, stop! Enough!!" Renji, his face drawn in frustration, directly interrupted the maid. ''A self-relief leaderboard from a deity!?'' Renji really wanted to know what state Zero was in during these five hundred years toe up with such a bizarre ranking. Having gathered enough information from the Dream, Renji confirmed Suthia''s current status. The bad news was that the nun was indeed on her way to him, but the good news seemed to be that Suthia had calmed down a bit after some ''self-relief'' beforeing¡­ Renji: "¡­" "Damn it!" Afterward, Renji instructed 86 to exit the Dream. He made minor preparations to be intercepted by the dark-skinned elf into the Miasma space, likest time. However, as the scene shed white and he felt an ascending sensation, Renji opened his eyes to find himself back in the city hall. As usual, Renji first called over Eileen, then ignored the girl''s protests and conducted a plug-and-y experiment with the Miasma Touch on her to confirm his return to reality. Only then did he feelpletely at ease. Just to be safe, Renji dered a holiday for the entire city hall and the sealed city under the guise of celebrating the curse''s removal, emptying the city hall of personnel and refusing all affairs for the day. As an informed party, the maid was sent by Renji to send away others around him, taking Eileen and Ashe next door. After all, they wouldn''t be much help and would only provide Suthia with easy targets. Finally, Renji returned to Nova''s room. Seeing her lying in bed, blinking at him as he had nned, Renji felt ready for everything. This was ''his battlefield'', the ce of his decisive victory. The oue of tonight''s battle would determine everything! Chapter 190 191: Thia, You Take Charge, I’ll Follow!

Chapter 190 Chapter 191: Thia, You Take Charge, I''ll Follow!

.... I am 100/100 sure I put the timeline right for posting... How did chapters 190 and 191 swap?! I really don''t know, ..... ''Uh... Actually, I was just practicing techniques with Nova, all for better serving you!'' Renji thought that if he really said this, not only would Suthia in his arms stab him, but Nova, pretending to sleep on the bed, would also join in. ''I had been too careless.'' ''Way too careless!'' Renji, frozen in ce, truly hadn''t expected that, after all his calctions and seeing victory just within reach, he would stumble at thest moment on his originally most confident aspect - his "skills." His strategic goal for the night was not just to appease Thia, as he had told Nova. With the atmosphere built up to this point, a night shared between the three of them seemed reasonable, right? Well, now... Even a solo ''flight'' seemed uncertain. But there was no turning back now, no way to go back. It''s hard to pretend in these matters. The body''s instincts remember those techniques and methods. This must be the so-called "curse of knowledge," right? Suthia''s hand was already on Renji''s chest, precisely over his heart. Reji''s heart, which was "thumping" wildly at this moment, had already proven everything to Suthia. "So... those video sent by Lena, they were all real, weren''t they, My Lord?" The nun gently traced circles over Renji''s heart with her finger while continuing to look up at him with a benign smile. "That, Thia, listen to me, I mean... um, let me exin!" "Exin what? That Sister Nova is more sexy than Thia? Or that mentioning Thia''s name made Nova even more excited?" The nun asked Renji with an innocently curious face. "Cough... cough, cough, cough! " Before Renji could say much, Nova, "sound asleep" on the bed, seemed unable to hold back and started coughing violently while keeping her eyes shut. ''Sigh... '' With a resigned sigh, Suthia stopped teasing. She straightened her expression and said very seriously to Renji: "Lord Ashen, could you please go somewhere else for a while? Thia wants... to have a private chat with Sister Nova." "Don''t be like that, with our rtionship, is there anything you need to hide from me?" Renji immediately refused, not daring to leave the nun and the dragoness alone in the room. Unfortunately, Suthia blinked and nodded, "I think so too. Then why did My Lord hide things from Thia with Nova before?" "Uh..." Renji was momentarily left speechless by the nun''s retort. Under Suthia''s urging gaze, he reluctantly walked to the door, but before stepping out, he couldn''t help but say: "Look, Thia, you''ve seen that Nova is really weak now, so... if you really want to vent, just take it out on me!" Suthia: "..." The nun sighed again, saying, "My Lord, although I know you''re worried about Sister Nova, defending another woman in front of a woman might only backfire, you know?" "Don''t worry. The reason I asked you to leave temporarily is just to have some girl talk with Sister Nova." Hearing this, Renji frowned even more, instinctively saying, "Girl talk? But haven''t you both been alive for almost hundreds of years... uh." "I see, I see! Then I''ll just take a stroll outside! You two feel free to chat!" Renji, seizing the opportunity before the situation got out of hand, quickly closed the door for Suthia. After he left, the nun looked at Nova still "deeply asleep" on the bed. After sitting down upon removing her holy boots, she said somewhat helplessly, "Alright, Sister Nova, stop pretending." ''Seeing that things had reached this point, it seemed Master''s n had failed''. Nova got up from the bedding, looked at the nun sitting opposite her, and bit her teeth, saying, "Come on, Thia, but... please, just not these horns." "Sister Nova, why do you too... What am I in your hearts, a demon?" The nun sighed for probably the umpteenth time that night. Then, seemingly to soothe Nova, who still seemed caught "in the act," the nun sat next to her, shoulder to shoulder, imitating Renji''s earlier posture, and took Nova''s hand. "Don''t worry Sister Nova, I''ve thought about it. We can''t fight among ourselves, otherwise... we''d really fall into Lena''s trap." "Lena... So it was really her who told you?" "Not just that, Sister Nova, you should look at this first." Suthia then took out the crystal ball sent from the sealed city. After showing the images inside to Nova, "Lena!" Nova Angrily gnashed her teeth, uttering the name of the subus. Soon after, when Nova thought about how Suthia had already seen all these things, no wonder she knew and understood so much, Nova felt even more ashamed in front of the nun. It can be said that as much as Nova had sought thrills in the past, now she felt just as low in front of Suthia. And this... Was exactly the effect Suthia wanted! In the ce unseen by Nova, a triumphant smile curled at the corner of the nun''s mouth. After "relieving herself" in the confession room, Suthia had calmed down a lot. She quickly realized that if she really fought with Nova over this, not only would their recently repaired rtionship be wasted, but it would also drastically worsen her image in her Lord''s eyes, and might even anger him. And these, perhaps, was Lena''s purpose in sending her the crystal ball! It was exactly what the subus wanted to see! As a result, not only did their unbreakable alliance be a joke, but Lena didn''t even need to intervene personally. She could just sit back and watch the fight, reaping the benefits of the fisherman. The nun, having figured this out, naturally wouldn''t follow Lena''s expectations anymore. Instead. She nned to turn the tables, taking advantage of her psychological upper hand to fully bring Nova into her camp. Oh no, as punishment, she should also train Nova into a red dragon that only listens to her... The shadow of her bangs covered half of the nun''s face, her deep eyes shining with a red glint, a sickly obsessed smile growing wider on Thia''s lips. As a woman beside her Lord, she had to learn to adapt to the environment. Clearly, the sickly obsessed killer was out of her element. The new era belonged to those who yed tactically. She had no choice; the threat from Lena was too great. The pink-haired subus''s intelligent level was obviously a bit higher than hers. Topete with her, she couldn''t fight alone; she had to give up something to win. "It''s okay, Sister Nova. Actually, Thia doesn''t mind at all. Because when I was with Lord Asehn, we asionally y some interesting games too, but we always keep things clear afterward, right?" "Mhm!" Nova nodded vigorously. "But, Sister Nova, Thia is still very afraid... Because I trust Sister Nova, but what about the others? What if they, like Sister Nova, use Thia for their amusement?" "Thia is the weakest among us all, I can only be the smallest. Even if I''m bullied, like now, being humiliated by Lena''s video, I can only swallow my pride, sob sob." Seeing the nun''s tearful, pitiful, and frail appearance in front of her, Nova''s protective instincts were instantly triggered. Coupled with her guilt towards Thia, Nova seemed to regain her empress-like demeanor from the days in the Dragon Pce. Raising her majestic, imposing dragon horns, she proudly dered to the nun: "With me here, I won''t let Thia be bullied!" "No, Sister Nova, you don''t understand. We humans really care about status. As long as Thia remains the smallest, no one will respect me." The nun blinked at Nova. Spurred by these words, and indeed being worked up, Nova blurted out, "Then from now on, Thia, you be the big sister, and I''ll Follow!!" Chapter 191 190: My Lord, Why Are You So Skilled?

Chapter 191 Chapter 190: My Lord, Why Are You So Skilled?

Like a wise man once said, -In a garden of many blooms, the gardener''s heart often weathers more thorns than petals- That will be the drama of this chapter :3 hope you enjoy it, Ah, and that wise man is me :> --------- Under the night sky, a helicopter flew over the sealed city. The person on the ne, unable to wait for it tond, leaped directly, turning into a streak of light under the night, arriving in the city. Because of the "contract", Suthia could locate Renji''s general direction, but as for his exact location, she still needed to... ''Huh?'' Suthia suddenly paused, sensing that just now, Renji had used her holy light ability. This instantly helped her lock onto the direction ¨C the city hall. But just as she was about to move, the sensation of the holy light began appearing one after another. The urgent frequency suggested that her lord might have encountered something extremely troublesome, forcing the frantic use of holy light. This made Suthia, who had originally intended to "interrogate" but had regressed to "hunting," immediately be anxious and worried. Compared to her master''s safety, her original purpose seemed trivial and was immediately forgotten. Transforming into a beam of holy light, Suthia rushed towards the city hall. As she anxiously reached Renji''s room door, before the nun could break in, the soundsing from the room made Suthia stop in her tracks. Because... "Ah, Master..." "Nova is already... unable to..." "Master, don''t do this, stop! Ahhh!" Listening to the familiar voiceing from the room ¨C if not the dragoness, who else ¨C Suthia''s initially bright eyes gradually darkened. She thought of how she had just worried about her Lord and was nning to clear things up with Nova, but then... What delivered the final blow to Suthia, making her unable to continue listening outside the door, was... "I don''t want Thia... to find out." Nova''s intermittent voice came through the door to the nun''s ears. In an instant, Suthia clenched her fists, her nun''s robe beginning to transform into a ck dress, and the giant ck scythe in her hand slowly materializing. "Hehehe~" ''It seemed that tonight was still destined for a "hunt."'' Transformed, the ck scythe swung, and with a "boom," Renji''s door was pierced through, leaving a huge hole. The nun, exuding murderous aura, stepped through the smoke in her thorny high heels, transformed from her holy boots, into Renji''s room. Next, Suthia turned her gaze to where she intended to unleash her fury. "Eh... Eh?!" Witnessing the scene in the room, Suthia was momentarily stunned. She saw that Nova was indeed alone with her Lord in the room, lying on the bed. However, Nova looked weak and was wrapped in nkets, only her head exposed with a damp towel tied around it, as if she had a high fever. After Suthia broke into the room, Nova, seemingly disoriented and confused by the fever, looked at her with a dazed expression. As for Renji beside Nova''s bed, he also in a bad condition, seemingly drained. There was a basin of water at his feet, which he was using to change Nova''s towels while continuously releasing holy light to help heal her. On Suthia''s sudden appearance, he too turned around with a surprised expression. The scene inside the room bore no resemnce to the adulterous scenario Suthia had imagined outside. "This... this..." Suthia was bewildered, and then Nova, seemingly delirious on the bed, gave her another shock. "My Lord... no, don''t trouble Thia, Nova can... can endure it." "Don''t use holy light, don''t let Thia find out... Thia is still cleaning the tainted miasma in the Confession Room... How can you disturb Thia with such a matter, Thia, I am fine, you can go... go back." Nova, as if delirious from the fever, uttered nonsensical words, causing Suthia''s ck dress and scythe to no longer sustain, disappearing as her normal nun''s habit returned. "My Lord, what is this? What''s happened to Nova now!!" Seeing Suthia''s entire attention diverted, Renji sighed while exining to the nun about Nova''s critical condition due to the ritual. Although he embellished the story quite a bit, Nova''s sudden drop in strength and loss of power were real, which Suthia could sense. Nova''s aura was much weaker than usual, so she didn''t doubt anything. "My Lord, why didn''t you tell me about this sooner!" "Because, as you heard from Nova just now, she..." "Nova is being foolish, how can you be as well!" Suthia, quite unusually, lost her temper with Renji. It was evident that Nova''s current state had genuinely frightened the nun. For healing, the earlier the treatment, the more precious the time! Renji, admitting his mistake, then feigned realization and asked in confusion, "But Thia, I just used the divine healing, how did you...e so quickly?" "Now is not the time for that, My Lord!" Suthia replied, unable to exin herself. Seeing Nova''s condition, she instead started to feel guilty. She then focused all her energy on healing Her sister, repairing the damage Nova had suffered during the ritual due to the division of her power. After about half an hour, Suthia wiped the sweat from her forehead. Looking at Nova on the bed, who now seemed to be asleep and whoseplexion had improved significantly, the nun touched Nova''s cheek to ensure her fever had subsided before finally letting out a sigh of relief. "How is she now, Thia!" "I''ve thoroughly checked over Sister Nova''s body, and there should be no major issues. However, she will still need ongoing treatment. It won''t take as long now, just about fifteen minutes a day, and in about half a month, Sister Nova should fully recover and be back to her normal self." "That''s great! Whew, now I can rx." Renji was genuinely relieved. Although the high fever and Nova''s weakness, along with the water basin and cold towel, were props he specifically used to create a sense of urgency to divert Suthia''s attention, the aftereffects of the ritual on Nova were indeed a concern for Renji. Now, due to a fortunate turn of events, Suthia''s timely arrival and professional assurance allowed Renji to finally be at ease. He even briefly entertained the thought, ''Could this also be part of that pink-haired subus''s n?''But Renji quickly dismissed the idea. After all, the mere thought of those images made Renji grit his teeth in anger. However, he decided to deal with the pink-haired subus''s ountter, as the current crisis was not yetpletely resolved. "Thia, I owe you big one! If it weren''t for you, I really don''t know what I would have done. You must be tired,e, sit here!" Renji gratefully pulled Suthia by the hand to sit beside Nova''s bed. Sitting down next to the bed, the nun shook her head, "No, My Lord, this is my duty, and it''s the only way I can help everyone." " Thia don''t say that. In fact, not just today, there''s something I''ve been wanting to say for a long time." Renji shifted his position, getting closer to the nun. As he neared, the nun beside Nova''s bed began to panic, her heart beating rapidly. But soon, Renji caught the nun''s hand that was trying to escape and pulled it to his chest, looking sincerely into Suthia''s eyes and saying word by word: "Thia, it''s so good to have you." "I... I." Actually, after treating Nova, Suthia had intended to return to her original n of "interrogating" Renji. But now, caught off guard by Renji''s initiative and hearing such sincere praise from her Lord, it was like Suthia had tasted honey. Her heart filled with sweetness, and thoughts of "interrogation" vanishedpletely. ''High offense, low defense ¨C that''s how it was.'' Renji, who believed he hadpletely figured out the nun and could manipte Suthia at will, immediately seized the opportunity to press his advantage. He had already moved shoulder-to-shoulder with the nun. The hand that had pulled Suthia to the bed had never let go, and now Renji began to use it to tickle the palm of Suthia''s hand. Thia''s hand was fragrant and soft to the touch. In no time at all, Suthia was tickled pink by Renji''s actions. Seeing Renji so close, she became even more flustered and nervous, especially since they were sitting on Nova''s bed, with her sister sleeping right beside them! "Speaking of which, this is the first time I''ve seen Thia''s real body in reality," Renji whispered into the nun''s ear, his warm breath hitting her already flushed earlobe. "Lord Ashen, no... we can''t, Sister Nova is still here." "Nova is already asleep," Renji murmured with a seductive tone as if he were a tempting devil. "But we still... shouldn''t," the nun persisted. "Just a kiss, just one, as a reward for my girl''s hard work." "Then, then mmm..." Not giving Suthia any more chance to resist, Renji kissed her. He had analyzed that the reason for the nun''s dark transformation was simply because Nova had something she did not. So, why not just let Thia have it too? In terms of distributing CG moments equally, Renji had always beenmitted, hence the n he and Nova had concocted to give Thia her own "moment of crime." This way, after everything was said and done, the nun would have no reason to conflict with Nova anymore. They were all family, after all. A little fun and games among them wasn''t against thew, right? ''Sometimes my genius scares me!'' Renji thought his extensive experience with harem-style (galgames) hadn''t been in vain. A battlefield of love? Ha! There''s no love triangle that can''t be resolved, only protagonists who don''t know how to manage their wives! Renji was very serious about this crucial kiss tonight. Fortunately, he was no longer the same as before. Since developing his rtionship with Nova, Renji''s skills had grown immensely in all aspects, a tremendous leap forward. With the experience and skills gained from Nova, he was no longer the otaku with only galgame experience and no real-world practice. After several minutes of deep kissing, seeing the softened nun in his arms, Renji felt quite smug. ''Just like that?'' "How was it, Thia?" "My Lord, you''re amazing." "I know." "But Thia has a question." "Hmm Hmm, Go ahead." Renji suddenly felt the nun in his arms stiffen, and her tone began to sound ominous. When Renji came to his senses, Suthia had already moved close to his face, tilting her head and staring at him with those empty eyes, asking: "Thia wants to know, why are you so skilled? Thia clearly remembers that back in the Holy Kingdom, you didn''t even know how to kiss, and Thia had to guide you." "So how, how are you so good now?" "So..." "My Lord, how many times have you¡­. have you done this with Sister Nova?" ------------ Note: "Galgame" is a termmonly used, especially in Japan, to refer to a genre of video games that are also known as "dating simtion games" or "romantic simtion games." The word "galgame" is derived from "gal" (a ng term for "girl" in Japanese) and "game." Chapter 192 192: "Sister Nova, you wouldn’t want your future child to be bullied, right?"

Chapter 192 Chapter 192: "Sister Nova, you wouldn''t want your future child to be bullied, right?"

"Eh!? Really? Are you sure?" "Absolutely, in this manner, I''m eager to see who would dare to speak ill of Thia!" "Sob*, Sister Nova, you are truly wonderful, Thia likes you the most!" The nun, overwhelmed with emotion, soughtfort in Nova''s embrace. Observing the nun''s tion over the nuances of status, Nova felt a twinge of perplexity. Being a demi-human, her understanding of such matters was limited. her curiosity piqued and she asked "Suthia, is this distinction between senior and junior truly significant for us?" "Of course it is, Sister Nova!" Suthia immediately became serious, and earnestly exined to Nova "Once you be the junior, not only can''t you walk in front of the senior, but you also have to wait for the senior to start eating. Even the time spent with Lord Ashen, you must prioritize the senior. At most, the junior gets the leftover soup. And if, by chance, some subus bes the senior, they might not even leave any soup!" "And without any soup, how can one bear children with Master? Then you can only watch others bear Lord Ashen''s children one after another, increasingly gaining his favor, while you remain lonely and deste, touching your t belly under the cold moonlight at night." Nova: "..." "Alright, even if you''re lucky enough to bear Master''s child, the status of the children after birth will also depend on the mother''s status. As the junior, your child will receive less attention and care from Lord Ashen! Starving,cking warm clothes, all because of you, the mother!" Nova: "¡­" "What I mentioned is just a small part. For example, in future records, the senior''s name will be listed first, and being junior, your name will be at the end, hardly remembered by anyone, and so on." "No need to say more, Thia!" Nova interrupted, unable to listen further. From Suthia, Nova realized how important "status" was and began to waver about her recent statement, " You will be the big sister, and I''ll Follow." But at this moment, of course, she couldn''t take back her words, so she stopped Suthia, fearing that if Suthia continued, she really wouldn''t be content being the junior anymore. Suthia smiled slightly, seeing Nova''s anxious appearance, which was exactly what she wanted. The nun then cunningly said: "But don''t worry Sister Nova, luckily we have five people. Even if I be the senior, Sister Nova can still be the second!" "Second..." Nova hesitated. Not giving Nova much time to think, the nun continued to press the issue: "Sister Nova, you now know how important status is, right? So, for the future, for our family, let''s unite now and decide the ranking of status." "First and second will be us, third goes to Zero, fourth to Miyuki, and the youngest, fifth, to Lena!" In Suthia''s heart, when ites to the ranking of threats to herself, Lena is definitely the highest, while Nova is the lowest. Comparing Zero and Miyuki, a "three-no" mechanical girl definitelyckspetitiveness against a motherly elf big sister. "I feel this is a bit..." "Sister Nova! We''re doing this not to use status to oppress, but to protect our family, to prevent power from falling into the hands of bad people. That''s why we need to seize it first!" "Okay, okay, I''ll listen to Thia" The girls'' night talk made Nova very emotional. "I didn''t expect that Thia had thought so far ahead, even about having children with Master." "So, Sister Nova, how many children do you want to have with My Lord?" Suthia asked innocently, tilting her head. "I think not too many, just... ten should be good." Watching Nova across from her, who seemed to seriously thinking before answering, even Suthia''s mouth twitched. Is this what demi-humans are like? She quickly informed Nova that for them at their level of strength, having children is difficult, and having even one would be good. "So if there''s only one, would Sister Nova prefer a boy or a girl?" "A boy." Although Nova is female, for most demi-human races, male offspring are preferred. However, the nun blinked at this. "Is that so? But it seems Lord Ashen prefers females a bit more. I wonder if he would..." "Then a girl!" Hearing this, Nova, who immediately saw reason, quickly changed her mind, as Renji in her memory did indeed seem to prefer females over males. Afterward, the nun nodded in satisfaction, then pretended to hesitate and said: "But a family can''t be without a boy. Never mind, I''ll bear a boy for My Lord!" "Thia, you..." Nova was suddenly moved, knowing that a boy might not be favored by her master, but the nun was willing to bear a boy for the family. This courage, she really... "It''s okay, Sister Nova, since I''m the senior, I should take this responsibility. But when my child is bornter, can you be his godmother?" "Of course, and for the child I''m about to have, I''ll have to rely on Thia" "Yes, leave it to me, I''ll surely take care of her, huh? WHAT!?" Suthia, halfway through her sentence, sensed something wrong, and her eyes widened, her entire demeanor like a startled mother cat. "Wait a minute, Nova, you you you you, what do you mean by a child about to be born!? Are you pregnant!?" The nun jumped out of bed, not even calling her ''sister'' anymore. "Not yet, but I feel it''s about time." "What do you mean? What do you mean by ''almost''? How many times have you done it with Lord Ashen!?" Watching the flustered nun, Nova opened her palm. "Five times?" Nova shook her head. "Fifty times!?" Suthia''s tone was already a bit dangerous. Nova across from her shook her head again. Now it was the nun''s turn to ask in a trembling voice, looking incredulous and utterly astonished at the outrageous number. "Five hundred times!?" "What are you thinking, Thia? Even as a dragon, I can''t do that much in this short time. It was only fifty-five times." Nova shook her head, sighing with a slight sense of regret. And across from her, Suthia: "¡­" "Sister Nova is really¡­ impressive." The nun said through gritted teeth. "Huh¡­" "Heh, heh, heh~" ''You, an empress of the Dragon Nation, it''s only been a few days, and you''ve already done it with My Lord fifty-five times!? And you say "only" with regret? Haha! I, his first, had only done it seven times!'' Suthia looked at Nova with eyes that turned back to being hollow and merciless. She began to ponder if she had underestimated the threat of Nova, who seemed simple and foolish. She was already regretting giving Nova the second ce. "Then it seems I also need to work harder." Nova nodded without any objections, even offering, "Hmm, you go to Master room tonight, I, I''ll just..." "No, Sister Nova, don''t you understand? My Lord intentionally created this scenario to trick me, actually, it''s for... us to go together, right?" "Together!?" Nova didn''t understand at first, but after the nun whispered in her ear, her face turned red. At first, she showed a very traditional and conservative reluctance, but underneath, there was a hint of excitement. Suthia wasn''t surprised by this at all, as she had long seen through the cold exterior of Nova. ''Damn it!'' But soon, Suthia''s eyes shifted, and she returned to being that lovable little nun. "By the way, Sister Nova, there''s one more thing about status I didn''t tell you." "Which is?" "If the circumstance arises where we must coborate closely to serve My Lord, as the ''senior'', I hold a certain authority. Sister Nova, as the ''junior'', you would be obliged toply with any request I make," Chapter 193 193: The Pool and Playing Cards Chapter193 193: The Pool and ying Cards Thest 200 words of this chapter might seem a bit confusing. The next chapter will rify theseplexities And tomorrow will be Powerstone''s mass release, Thank you for the support *^ ----- By the poolside, the sound of water flowing from the showerhead, "whooshing" and spraying, finally diluted some of the loneliness of the night. Under the bright moonlight overhead, the sparkling and crystal-clear pool water was pleasing to the eye. Unfortunately, this peaceful and beautiful scene did not seem to be what a troubled young girl by the poolside wanted. Eileen, bored and propping her chin, sat on the steps of the pool, having taken off her boots. She dangled her feet in the water while aimlessly studying the pool''s showerhead. In front of her, the pool had two showerheads. One, of course, was the indispensable dragon-head shower, whose appearance was majestic and imposing. The turbulent water flow gushed from the dragon''s mouth, like a waterfall plummeting straight down, finally striking the pool''s surface and creating one white wave after another, a sight thoroughly enjoyable and rxing to watch. In contrast, the second showerhead, located below the dragon head, was noticeably smaller in diameter, designed like a white lotus flower, with a gentle and continuous stream of water, resembling a beaded curtain. However, Eileen soon realized that one should not underestimate the white lotus showerhead. Though it seemed less conspicuous, the entire operation of the fountain pool couldn''t do without it. It provided the pressure from below, enabling the dragon-head shower above to work continuously. Whether it was the size or shape of the water flow, it was all controlled by it, indicating its dominant position in the pool''s cirction system. So... How incredibly bored must she be to be studying a fountain pool here? ''This is just terrible!'' Eileen couldn''t help but curse herself in her mind. Shaking her head, she tried to clear these messy thoughts from her mind. Eileen, addressing the maid who was fortunately still by her side,ined in a rather resentful tone: "86, you say Old timer sent us all away, making it so mysterious. What is he doing with Sister Nana? We''ve been with him for so long, is there something that still needs to be hidden from us, the veterans?" Eileen tried to find a sense of shared misery from the maid, but unfortunately, the maid in standby mode opened her eyes and nced at the young girl by the poolside. [Miss Eileen, who has been with the master for barely three months, dares to call herself a veteran. *Number 86 shook her head and sighed, remarking that Miss Eileen has once again refreshed the lower limit of shamelessness*] "You dare..! Well, that''s still better than you, a piece of junk picked up halfway through, and it was I who repaired you! You haven''t been with Old Timer as long as I have!" the girl immediately retorted. [Although I am grateful for Miss Eileen''s repairs, I am a copy of ''Zero.'' Rounding up, it''s equivalent to having countless years of old experiences following master. There''s a fundamental difference between me and a nk character like you. *Enjoying the feeling of bullying others due to one''s birth and background, the viinous Number 86 said so*] After the maid spoke, Eileen was expected to retort, but the imagined voice did note. Instead, the girl''s expression fell into a look of loss, appearing even more deste under the moonlight. Because indeed. Eileen, on the same level as her peers, Ashe and the maid, one obviously had a better rtionship with Sister Nana, belonging to the same subhuman species, practically having the backing of the Empress. And as for 86, there''s no need to mention her, being the leader of the Mechanical Alliance, Zero is practically 86''s sister¡­ Following this script, Eileen, born in the Holy Kingdom, should have the backing of the Goddess. But the reality was that she hadn''t gotten along with the Goddess at all, even having punched her once, although at that time, it was when Suthia was borrowing Maria''s body. So, looking at it this way, everyone else had their own prestigious background, while she... was really just like the maid said, a nk te, not even "ordinary" in her background. A scavenger who, when discovered by otherster, would only beughed at? [Don''t be disheartened, Miss Eileen. I rmend you read a novel called ''I Raised a Cannon Fodder NPC to Be a Legendary Witch.'' The heroine in it came from a poor vige in the countryside, an utterly ordinary vige girl. Butter, under the cultivation of the male lead, she became the strongest witch in the world, * Seeing Miss Eileen''splexion off, 86 began to regret her previous bullying and tried tofort her*] Eileen: "..." Sighing, Eileen turned her head and continued to gaze forlornly at the pool water under the moonlight, soon feeling the maid quickly approaching from behind. [Alright, alright Miss Eileen. Master has a special reason for not including us in his ''activities'' tonight, *86 say with an exasperated look*] "Special reason?" [Master is ying cards with Sister Nana] 86 said with certainty. "ying cards?" [Yes, in the first stage, master was using Pdin cards, in the second stage, Dragon Knight cards, and now, master should be in the process of card fusion, advancing into the higher-order Holy Dragon Knight. *86, who has crammed on card-ying knowledge, made a professional conjecture*] [Of course, there''s a certain probability that the ''Holy Light'' card will turn into the ''Shadow card''. In that case, it bes the ''Shadow Dragon Knight''. Compared to the Holy Dragon Knight, it has lower health but higher aggressiveness, *86 exined to Eileen, getting into the state herself, wondering when she could unlock the pack of Mechanical Knight cards*] Eileen: "¡­" ''You better be telling the truth about ying cards!'' The girl''s heart shattered a bit, and watching the maid analyzing seriously across from her, Eileen, who had observed quite a few card games, immediately conjured up many images in her mind, causing blushes to climb onto the young girl''s cheeks. Even in Eileen''s heart, some whimsical thoughts inexplicably sprouted, such as if 86 is a Mechanical Knight card, then what card would she be? Of course, as soon as the girl came to her senses, she immediately spat out several curses in her mind, appalled that she could even entertain such thoughts, which seemed to sully the brotherly bond she shared with Renji. Unfortunately, it seemed toote, as the maid opposite her had already seen through what Eileen was thinking. [Miss Eileen, don''t belittle yourself. You still have a 0.003% chance of bing a Little Devil Knight card] 86 consoled in this manner after taking nce at Eileen''s Chest. ''Little... Little...'' ''Damn it!'' "I''ll smash you into pieces today!" Fuming with embarrassment and anger, Eileen leaped from the poolside, not even bothering to put on her boots, and flew towards the maid. And 86, having sessfullyforted her and diverted the young girl''s attention, was preparing to join Eileen in frolicking to spend this lonely night when suddenly... In 86''s vision, the character model of Eileen rushing towards her began to... fall apart? Then, before the maid could react, a series of glitches exploded across the retinas of her electronic eyes like a virus. In 86''s perspective, the whole world instantly turned like a broken, old television, with every pixel disordered, creating a scrambled screen. No. This was not disorder but breakdown and then reassembly. The first to fully reassemble was Eileen''s character model. After a phase of blurring and distortion, the image of the young girl was gone. Instead, it transformed into a creature lunging towards her, with four eyes and four mouths, resembling a canine but with strange fish fins on its back. A Miasma monster. Seeing the monstrous dog, its ferocious gaping mouth flying towards her, about to bite off her head, she seemed to have no room to resist, only to watch helplessly as... Bang! n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om A gunshot rang out from behind the maid, a piercing bullet unbelievably grazing her hair, striking the monster dog only inches away from her. The beast, hit by the bullet''s force, was blown away mid-air, twitching a few times before turning into a corpse in a pool of blood, lying on the deste, duskynd. Yes. Eileen''s character model was just the beginning. In 86''s eyes, the entire world had alreadypletely changed its appearance. The deste duskynd, with yellow sand filling the sky. Bones scattered everywhere, blood pools swallowed by cracks in the ground, then absorbed by something seemingly invisible, eventually bing part of the blood-red sky that dyed both the sun and the moon scarlet, enveloping thisnd. Chapter 194 194: The Blood-Red Sky

Chapter 194 Chapter 194: The Blood-Red Sky

In the face of such a bizarre phenomenon, the maid remained expressionless. In her dictionary as an intelligent machine, there were no words like "shock" or "confusion." Although she didn''t understand the situation, she quickly turned around and looked back toward where the gunshot had juste from. Logically, whoever fired the shot and saved her from the monster''s mouth should at least harbor good intentions towards her. Perhaps she could get some information from them. But when 86 actually looked in that direction, she was momentarily stunned, as if experiencing a brief short-circuit. Because What the maid saw was another maid. Another one, identical to her. The other was holding a sniper rifle. Seeing herself looking over, she didn''t even spare an extra nce and quickly aimed the gun elsewhere, continuing to fire with bangs. And when 86 followed the line of sight of this gun-wielding maid, she realized that she was now in the midst of a... Battlefield. Under the blood-red sky above, countless bizarre, twisted Miasma monsters, like the one Eileen had just transformed into, were rampaging across thend. Their dense numbers stretched as far as the eye could see, forming a ck tide threatening to devour everything. But the reason this tide of monsters was forced to halt its advance was due to the intensely concentrated barrage of gunfire. The bombardment of artillery firended precisely at the monsters'' feet, each strike perfectly blowing a dozen or so monsters into the air. Some giant monsters, as tall as small buildings, relied on their immense size to forcefully break through the bombardment. But whenever this happened, beams of azure bluesers would precisely target and pierce through the limbs of the giant monsters. After disabling their mobility, familiar sniper rifle shots would follow. The scorching armor-piercing rounds pierced through the monsters'' shells, hitting their cores. The behemoths could only let out a reluctant roar before falling to the ground, motionless. Whether it was the artillery fire, theser energy beams, or the sniping at the core, all the resisters against the tide of monsters on the battlefield were her, them. That''s right. In fact,pared to the side of the monster tide, although those monsters all emitted a strong Tainted Miasma aura, bing deformed and bizarre under its influence, at least each of them looked different. But on the other side, it was a uniform sight of maids, all with exactly the same faces, all with expressionless expressions. This was a mechanical armyposed of dozens of "hers." It was evident that each one of them was several times stronger than the monsters, with one of them being more than a match for ten, and their coordination with each other was incredibly in sync. This is why they could fight against hundreds, if not thousands, of monsters with just a few dozen of them. However, ammunition always runs out eventually, and gun barrels can be overloaded and overheat. When the overheated weapons needed to cool down and the suppressive fire of the gun barrage weakened, it was the monsters'' cue tounch a counterattack. They ran wildly across the sandynd, their eyes reflecting the same madness as the blood-red sky above. Leveraging their numerical advantage, they steadily closed the distance with the maids. When the distance had narrowed to the point of closebat, the maids put down their firearms and grasped the particle light swords they were equipped with, transforming from precise shooters to fearless swordsmen in an instant. But obviously, Once it came to closebat, the numerical superiority of the monsters became even more apparent. Although the maids'' thermal light swords cleaved the monsters in front of them in half, forming a circle, back to back, they were like a meat grinder amidst the horde. However, when one of the maids was hit by a monster''s spike, causing a breach in their defense circle, it led to aplete breakdown and rout. Some of them had their chests pierced by the tails of the monsters, some had their necks bitten off, with wires and sparks flying from their severed necks, while others were crushed underfoot by the earlier giant beasts. Some had an arm sliced off by the monsters'' scythes but still continued to swing their swords unflinchingly, killing one after another, like a machine. No, they were indeed machines. 86, as an observer, watched her "sisters" fall one by one on the battlefield. It wasn''t that she didn''t want to help, but she found herself unable to move. She could do nothing but watch everything unfold, unable to do anything outside this battlefield. Or rather, She was never "in" this battlefield to begin with. With the casualties mounting, the already vastly outnumbered maid troops werepletely overwhelmed. The tide of monsters engulfed this unit, tearing them into mechanical wreckage scattered across thend with their fangs and ws. In an instant, the only remaining members of the maid troop were 86 and the sniper who, like her, was positioned far at the rear. When the sniper fired thest bullet, facing the oing tide of monsters rushing towards her, she made a different movepared to the previous actions of the maid troop. She discarded her sniper rifle, leaving her backpletely exposed to the ferocious monsters rushing towards her, all for the sake of setting her gaze upon 86. Facing this identical version of herself She locked eyes with 86. Her lips moved slightly. Due to the distance, no sound reached 86, but she could still quickly interpret the intended message from the movement of the lips after analysis. It was [Your turn now] *Boom!* Before the tide of monsters behind the sniper maid even got close, a loud noise erupted from the ground beneath her. Chunks of earth flew, and from the gaping hole in the ground emerged a giant abyssal maw, like a flesh worm''s mouth full of sharp teeth. This Miasma flesh worm, bursting suddenly from underground, bit the defenseless maid in half at the waist. Electric sparks burst from her waist, tracing an arc in the air along with her severed body, which then crashed to the ground and was quickly trampled into remains by the pursuing horde of monsters. Throughout the process, 86 could do nothing but watch helplessly as the tide of monsters continued toward her, eventually engulfing her as well. *Swish!* "86! 86! What''s wrong with you! Hey! Don''t scare me!" "Damn it! Did I identally damage some critical part of her?" "Can it still work if I pat it like before? No, I need to hurry and take 86 to Old timer!" When 86''s vision cleared again, the first thing she saw was an anxious Eileen. Looking around, she found herself back beside the fountain under the night sky. The previous monsters, destend, maid troop, and... that blood-red sky had all vanished. It was as if everything had been just a momentary... illusion. Do robots experience illusions? The answer is definitely no. 86''s chip was frantically processing, and after multiple analyses, she could only find one reason for the exnation. [Abnormal data] It was that set of foreign data that spontaneously appeared from her master''s first "dream" and those scenes just now were probably from that data. Moreover, although it was strange for a robot, 86 had a strong intuition. That sniper maid was the one who left her the data. No. Rather, it was the entire maid troop. They were all one, all sisters of ''Zero.'' So... What exactly were those scenes? Where were they really, and what were they fighting against? What was the purpose of leaving her with these images? And What did that phrase [Your turn now] mean? Chapter 195 195 : R18* 1/3

Chapter 195 Chapter 195 : R18* 1/3

-------- At midnight, In the city hall area, "I hope I won''t see a bloody scene when I enter¡­" After Renji left the two women to their girl talk and strolled around the city hall for some hours, he received a signal from Suthia toe in. But when he opened the door, the scene that confronted him...Was just too much for his little brother to handle! The nun was lying on the bed with Nova beside her, both women wore sexy red and ck lingerie and they had a naughty look on their faces. "..." ''Well... This...'' ''... is definitely not what I expected to see...'' Suthia got up from the bed ande closer to Renji with a sly smile on her face, "What is wrong My Lord? Don''t you like our surprise?" Suthia wrapped her arms around Renji and pressed her breasts against him. "Me and Sister Nova havee to an agreement that we will be yours as long as we live, So~, Let us serve you together My Lord" "..." ''Well, that went better than I expected...'' Renji''s eyes went between Suthia and Nova who was looking at him with a seductive look, and he sighed, [Renji''s Pov] Even a fool would be able to understand what she was implying in this situation. Not to mention, I was already about to burst out of my pants with how much they had turned me on. So without hesitation, I grabbed her by the shoulder and then suddenly pulled her close. Suthia waspletely caught off guard by my sudden action and her body just went along with it. Then in one smooth move, I grabbed her legs and her back, picking her up in a princess carry. Thia''s face turned red when I picked her up, but she didn''t struggle at all. Instead, she just focused on looking at my face with that same blush on her face. After picking her up, I carried her into the bedroom to the side and then plopped her right onto the bed. Then without her saying a thing, I started pulling her thin?clothes off of her. Thia was once again surprised by this, but she didn''t struggle. In fact, she couldn''t stop her heart from beating fast. This was definitely a different feeling from before, but it wasn''t as if she disliked it. Even if she was someone that liked being in charge, she also wanted to be taken care of from time to time like this. She still had the heart of a young maiden. As for me, after taking off her clothes and seeing the beautiful body lying there under me, I couldn''t stop this feeling from filling me. There was a feeling of wanting to dominate this beautiful body that stirred deep inside of me. ''Since I am her husband, shouldn''t I take charge? '' ''If I was a man, shouldn''t I act like one?'' So I allowed this feeling of domination to fill me and take me away. I pulled off my clothes and revealed therge prize that was hidden underneath. When Thia saw thisrge prize appear, her eyes filled with anticipation and there was a small wet spot that appeared on the bed where the spot between her legs was. But I didn''t give it to her right away. I reached out and turned her body so that her head was facing me. Once she was like this, I stood at the edge of the bed so that my dick was right over her head. Seeing this dick casting a shadow over her, Thia couldn''t help giving a gulp as her eyes filled with even more excitement and anticipation. I grabbed the side of her head and then said, "Suck it." The nun was surprised by this sudden order from me, but she also quickly opened her mouth. After that, her tongue started reaching out, moving towards my dick as if she couldn''t wait to lick it. I revealed a faint smile when I saw this and then I moved my dick down slightly so that her tongue could touch it. When it was ced in front of her, Thia''s tongue immediately started moving up and down. This time, there was no technique at all. She was just trying to lick it as much as she could, as if she wanted to savour the taste of it. But her passion carried through and pleasure came from my dick. While there wasn''t a special technique used, the way that her tongue danced on my dick as she tried to lick it as much as possible was just as good as any proper technique would be. The more that she licked, the better it felt. I came closer and closer to a climax, but I pulled back before I could. She looked up at me with a disappointed look as if she wanted to keep licking it, but that disappointed look quickly disappeared as I stuffed the dick into her mouth. When she felt it enter her mouth, her eyes opened wide as it felt like her jaw was about to be ripped apart. But she pushed through the pain and started licking it again. Feeling this, I couldn''t help looking at her with amazement. I could see tears forming in the corner of her eyes, but even then she was still licking my dick. Since she was so into it, I didn''t hesitate to say, "Take it deeper." Then in one smooth move, I pushed about a fourth of my dick into her mouth. I would have pushed even further, but I was scared that it would be too much for her, so I didn''t push it too deep. However, I was quickly surprised by the feeling that came from my dick. Even though her mouth waspletely stuffed, Thia didn''t stop her tongue from moving around the part of my dick that was inside of her. It was like a snake''s tongue as it danced atop my dick, going around it again and again. As she did this, I really couldn''t take it anymore. Her licking it earlier had already pushed me close to the edge, but now¡­she had pushed me over the edge. So I grabbed her head and said, "I''m about to cum!" Thia''s eyes opened wide when she heard this, but her expression quickly rxed and she revealed an expression that seemed like she was ready to take it. So with a tremble of my waist, I shot my load into her mouth. As I shot it, her tongue didn''t stop at all as it continued to lick all the parts of my dick. As she did this, the pleasure that I felt made sure that I shot out every bit of that load into her mouth. When the trembling of my waist stopped, I realized my mistake and I quickly pulled out my dick from her mouth. There was a mix of slobber and cum that came dripping out of Thia''s mouth, but she didn''t mind as she started gasping for air. After all, her throat had been jammed shut with a dick just now, so it was hard for her to breathe. But she quickly caught her breath. After catching her breath, her hands came up to scoop the semen that was on her face off before¡­she brought it to her mouth and licked it all up out of her hands like it was the most delicious meal. She swallowed all of it while lying there on her back and then when she finished, she opened her mouth for me to see. Seeing her painted face like that, My dick couldn''t help getting hard again. Since she was still ready to go, I got onto the bed and stood there over her, letting my dick cast a shadow over her face before saying, "It''s time for the second round." Chapter 196 196: R18 **

Chapter 196 Chapter 196: R18 **

I didn''t hesitate at all after hearing this as I bent down over her. But before putting it into her, I grabbed both of her legs and brought them up over her head so that she was presenting herself perfectly for me. After bringing those legs up, I said to her, "Hold them." Thia was surprised and confused about what I was doing, but her hands still came up to hold her legs as I hadmanded. As she held her legs and presented herself like this, I couldn''t help feeling emotional. This was a position that almost every Hentai game had, but actually seeing it in front of me¡­was something else. It was the mating press! After a moment of being stunned by this beautiful scene, I immediately went forward and took my position above her. When I was there above her, Thia couldn''t help bing even more wet and she moved her hips as if she wanted to get closer. However, holding her hands like that forced her to stay lying there. With a smile, I said, "Be a good girl" Thia couldn''t help but reveal a surprised look at her Lord''s newly dominant nature, but then she said, ''Yes, My Lord~''. Then in one swift move, I thrusted my hip forward, inserting my sword as deep as it would go. With how wet she was, I was able to push all the way inside of her. Suddenly, I felt like I had crushed something. ''...Wait...Is this the hymen?!'' "HIIIII!" Thia let out a loud scream, and her face contorted in pain. ''Damn, how could I forget that it wasn''t her real body that time?'' "Thia are you alrig.." "I-I''m Fine My Lord...Keep Going" Before I could finish, Thia spoke those words while still in pain. But it seems her desire was greater than her pain. I hesitated for a moment, but seeing how she wanted it, I didn''t want to make her wait anymore. I pushed in harder, and began thrusting myself deep inside her. However, I couldn''t get all of my dick into her as there was something that seemed to block me from going any further. It was almost as if I had reached the back of her vagina and couldn''t push any further. So instead of trying to push, I just pulled out. Thia had been in a daze as she muttered, "So full." But when she felt that I was about to suddenly pull out, she couldn''t help saying, "Wait, Not so¡­" Before she could finish, I had already pulled my dick out of her. With this sudden movement, Thia wasn''t able to keep up and she was filled with so much pleasure that she couldn''t help¡­spraying all over me. I couldn''t help revealing a look of pride when I saw this. I had gone from someone who didn''t know a thing beforeing to this world to someone that could make a woman cum with just a single thrust¡­I had reallye a long way. But there was no letting her rest as I suddenly thrusted into her again. Thia had been in the middle of her climax when she was suddenly filled with my dick once more. As the wave of pleasure assaulted her brain, she couldn''t stop her eyes from rolling back and her facial muscles rxed as her tongue came out of her mouth. Once again, I was filled with a sense of pride after seeing this. Just two thrusts was enough to get an ahegao out. It seemed like I really was improving my technique the more that I had sex. I pushed all the way into her and then the same thing happened where I was stopped from pushing any further. Since I had reached the back, I was about to pull out again. But then I suddenly remembered something. ''Wasn''t there supposed to be another space inside of a woman''s vagina?'' ''Then did that mean that I could push even further?'' With this thought, I looked down at Thia who was drowning in pleasure before deciding that I would give it a try. So even though it felt like there was something blocking my dick from going any further, I still pushed forward. After using a bit more force than I did before, I found that my dick was indeed slowly going forward. The feeling that came from my dick was like it was being inserted into another hole. Thia had been out of it from the waves of pleasure that were attacking her brain, but then she suddenly snapped out of it when she felt the sensation that came from down there. She looked up at me and said, "Wait My Lord, don''t! If you push any further, you''ll¡­" She wasn''t able to finish as her face suddenly twisted in pleasure. I had been able to push through that hole and reached even further inside of Thia. I knew it, there was still the womb that was inside of her that hadn''t been reached yet. So I thrusted all the way into her and she once again revealed the same ahegao face as she muttered, "Ahhh~, it''s even deeper¡­" This time, I found that I was able to reach all the way inside of her with my dick. At the same time, I could see that there was a little bulge that appeared on her stomach. I had thought that it was just a myth that bulges could be created, but it seemed that it wasn''t a myth. With this, I couldn''t help revealing a smile before going to pull my dick out of her again. But this time, I didn''t pull all the way out. Instead, I pulled just enough so that I reached the entrance of her womb before thrusting forward again, hitting the very back of her womb. Instead of doing her vagina, I was doing her womb. Again and again, I pressed my weight down on her, thrusting into her again and again. With every thrust, there was a spray that hit my waist as she came again and again. During this time, I also brought my face down to her face and ced a firm kiss on her lips. However, her facial muscles were so rxed that she didn''t even feel it. I could just feel her tongue flopping around in my mouth, almost as if she hadpletely lost consciousness. But I could see that wasn''t the case as her eyes kept reacting from every thrust that I made into her. Finally after thrusting for a bit, I could feel that I was about to climax. So with onest thrust, I pushed my dick all the way up inside of her before shooting my load deep into her womb. This time, Thia reacted once again as she snapped out of her daze and she looked up at me with a slightly yandere expression. But as soon as my load was shot into her, pleasurepletely filled her face as she said, "Ahhh, My Lord''s seed, it''s filling me up! It''spletely filling me up! There''s so much of it!" After shooting my load into her, I slowly pulled my dick that waspletely drenched in cum out of her. Looking down at her pussy and all of the cum that was dripping out, I revealed a satisfied look. But at the same time, I couldn''t help getting more turned on and once again my dick started getting hard. However, it didn''t seem like Thia had the energy to keep going¡­ It was a good thing that Nova was there on the side. So I waved my hand at her and said, "Come over here." Nova had been standing there in a daze, watching the two of them go at it like animals. The way that he had thrusted into her made her think of animals who only fornicated for the pure instinct of reproduction. It was as if he had only wanted to get her pregnant. Some might be turned off by this pure disy of lust, but it made Nova very turned on. Her legs were already soaked from watching the two of them. So when he called her over, her heart couldn''t help but skip a beat before she slowly made her way over. When she came over, I presented my dick to her and said, "Clean it up." The smell that came from the dick in front of her assaulted her nose and went all the way to her brain,pletely wiping out her sense of reason. It wasn''t a pleasant smell, but for some reason, it became more and more attractive the more she smelled of it. So she fell to her knees and started licking the dick clean. Once it was clean, I said to her, "Get on the bed, it''s your turn." Nova''s heart couldn''t help but skip another beat after hearing this, but she still obediently got into the bed andid there beside Thia. As sheid there, it was as if her heart was about to jump out of her chest. Seeing the way that she looked, I really couldn''t stop myself¡­ I really wanted to make a mess of her! Chapter 197 197: R18***

Chapter 197 Chapter 197: R18***

I could feel her tongue flop around, dancing with mine. After making out for a while, I broke the kiss and then pushed my face down between her breasts. Standing there right in front of my face was a perfectly pink little bud. However, I could see that it waspletely rock hard as it stood there in front of me. When she saw this as well, Nova couldn''t stop her cheeks from filling with a blush. All the sex I had with Thia In front of her had caused her nipple to stand up straight and be as rock hard as it was now. Being presented with it, I couldn''t help myself as I brought my head forward and my mouth down over it. Aftertching on, I started sucking on it and ying with it with my tongue. When Nova felt this, she couldn''t stop the strange feelings that were inside of her. It was a good feeling, but there was also something else that was building inside of her as well¡­It was almost like a sense of maternity. While I was licking and sucking on her nipple, my other hand came over to her other breast and grabbed it with all five fingers. I grabbed right over the nipple cover so that I would be able to hold her entire breast, but it was just too big for me to hold in a single hand. As soon as my hand grabbed it, she couldn''t help giving a gasp as her head went back before moans of pleasure followed. My hand that was on the breast continued to mold and knead it, Feeling this strong suction pull at her before suddenly releasing, Nova didn''t know how to feel, but she knew that it felt good. Then my hand continued ying with her breast, grabbing it, squeezing it, flicking the nipple, pulling the nipple, and doing all kinds of other things to tease her. The more that I yed with her breasts, the more ragged her breathing became. Soon, she wasn''t able to take it anymore as she suddenly let out a strong cry and her legs started to tremble. When she finished, I took my mouth off her breast and took a step back to admire my handiwork. She was lying there with one arm down and one arm over her face. Her lingerie waspletely lifted up, with one breast covered in my spit and the other being covered in hand marks from being groped. This scene immediately made my dick stand tall and proud again. I didn''t waste any time in freeing the beast and then standing over her, I grabbed her breasts again. These were beautiful specimens and it would be a waste to not use them. When Nova felt me grabbing at her chest again, she couldn''t help looking up wanting to say something, Before she could utter what she wanted to say, she felt something suddenly being thrust in between her chest. This thing being thrust into the valley of her chest was burning hot¡­so hot that its heat carried right through her skin and made its way to her heart and to her brain. She was quickly taken over by the heat and she started panting again as her lower part started to drip. I grabbed both of her breasts on the side and squeezed them together against my dick. The pressure that came from this was amazing and the feeling of them rubbing against my dick was indescribable. This feeling of pleasure was unlike anything that I had felt before. Especially since her chest was much bigger than a normal woman should have. It was so big that if my dick was a normal size, then it would havepletely been covered up by these breasts. Not even the tip would have been able to make their way out with how big they were. But it was different since my dick was also huge. As I kept thrusting, my dick also kept growingrger andrger, causing the tip of it to peek out over the top of her breasts. They went up and up until they started pping the bottom of her chin, waking her from her daze. Nova looked down at the tip of the dick that was poking her and she couldn''t help revealing a strange look. There was a smell that wasing from this dick that was hitting her that went right to her head. She couldn''t help feeling attracted by this smell as she stuck out her tongue towards the tip of my dick. She was doing her best to lick it, but the way that it kept moving back and forth just out of her reach made it impossible for her tongue to touch it. I could see this, but I kept teasing her with it, pulling it back and forth out of her reach so that she couldn''t touch it with her tongue. Finally, I decided that I would reward her, so I pushed forward with onerge thrust. The dick went all the way up to her mouth and I said, "Suck it." Nova''s tongue didn''t waste any time as it went around the tip of my dick before she forced her head down over it. The moment that her lips wrapped around my dick, it was like being pulled into a vacuum. She was sucking with all her might, as if she wanted to pull it as far in as possible. It was as if she wanted to drain every single drop of cum out of my dick with the way that she was sucking me off. This along with the pressure from her amazing breasts forced me over the edge and I couldn''t hold back as I suddenly came. As I came, I grabbed Nova''s beautiful horns to her surprise and shot my entire load down into her throat. Her eyes opened wide in shock at first, but then she revealed an ecstatic look at having my cum being shot down into her throat. She looked like she was enjoying the finest delicacies as she swallowed all of the cum that had been shot into her mouth. All at the same time, she kept sucking on my dick even as I came.. It was as if she didn''t want to miss a single drop of the cum that wasing out.. Then once everything had been shot out, her tongue went all over my dick. She licked every part of it that she could reach, as if she was scared of missing even a single drop of cum. Only when she made sure that everything was gone, she finally let my dick out of her mouth. She looked up at me with eyes that were zed over and said, "I want more" Seeing the way that she was only thinking about sex, I couldn''t help getting turned on again. Feeling the dick get hard in between her breasts, Nova looked down and looked like she wanted to start sucking my dick again. But I stopped her and got up saying, "We''re not anywhere near done yet." Hearing this and seeing Suthia start to move closer to Me and give a passionate kiss, Nova revealed an excited smile. Chapter 198 198: Taking the Initiative

Chapter 198 Chapter 198: Taking the Initiative

Although the maid assured Eileen that she was fine after the strange incident by the fountain the previous night, just experiencing a minor malfunction and undergoing routine maintenance, Eileen, still feeling uneasy, ran early in the morning to knock on Renji''s door to discuss the matter. Renji took the matter seriously. After opening the maid''s panel and finding no abnormalities, and with Suthia also being around, he took the nun to check on 86. With Thia''s nod, indicating that everything seemed normal with the maid from her perspective as well, Renji finally felt relieved after the double assurance. Eileen also feltpletely at ease. Despite often bickering with the maid, 86 was the closest person to her around Renji. Even at the risk of "disturbing something important" and being unwee, she wanted to eliminate any hidden dangers for 86. Thinking of this, Eileen finally had some free time and sneakily nced at Suthia, who was beside Renji. As a person from the Holy Kingdom, this was her first time seeing the Goddess in person. It was apparent that the Goddess didn''t want to cause a stir, so she didn''t wear the robe depicted in church statues, which exuded an aura of purity and sanctity with its radiant light. Instead, she wore the mostmon ck and white nun''s habit. Even so, the Goddess in simple clothes was still stunningly beautiful, drawing the eyes irresistibly. Eileen had to admit, even as a woman, she was somewhat mesmerized. The Goddess''s fair and delicate skin seemed almost fragile to the touch, and her tender face hidden under the nun''s hat was endearing. Her pure and wless appearance made one think of all the world''s beauty, inspiring hope and strength, and evoking an infinite yearning. It''s not that the Goddess needed gorgeous clothes; rather, it''s the gorgeous clothes that needed the Goddess to be worthy of them. However, when Eileen remembered the previous night''s "card game," she felt as if something inside her broke. She wished she could forget the maid''s "professionalmentary" and return all these beautiful thoughts to the Goddess! On the other side, sensing Eileen''s covert nces, Suthia also looked over and gave Eileen a sweet smile. This caught the girl, who was still fiercely criticizing the "card game" scene in her mind off guard. She hurriedly averted her gaze, too embarrassed to look at the Goddess again. Renji also noticed Suthia''s little gesture. Once, he naively worried that the nun, being the weakest in terms of strength among "them" and with such a pure and simple character, would be easily bullied. But now, especially afterst night, Renji only hoped that Thia would bully others less, especially not to deceive the na?ve dragoness who was below her in ''rank''! All that talk about wanting only daughters, not sons... Renji, of course, would also love daughters, but not too many. What if they grew up and met someone like him!? Just the thought made Renji''s fists clench. Furthermore, the reason Nova wasn''t around, still exhausted in bed and sound asleep, was actually more attributable to Suthia teasing her than to himself. Thinking this, Renji red at the nun again. Suthia blinked innocently, mouthing to Renji "It''s part of the treatment." After all, if the weakened Nova wanted to recover quickly, she needed to rest. Knowing Nova''s personality, she definitely wouldn''t just lie in bed obediently, so Thia had to resort to this method to force Nova to rest. ''Fine¡­.'' Renji couldn''t argue with that; after all, Thia was the expert in healing. In summary, after getting through the previous night sessfully, although the process was entirely wrong, the oue was as expected. Suthia''s arrival sped up Nova''s recovery. In about a month, she should be back at her peak, and with a bit more effort from Renji, working together with the nun, they could probably clear her contamination in a month too. It was the perfect time to use this one-month recovery period to finalize the general direction of Dragon Nation''s policies and guidelines. After that, it would be a matter of internal digestion within the Dragon Nation. Having resolved the Dragon Nation''s conflicts and holding the cards of theplete form of Nova and Thia, Renji''s original n was to directly seek Lena, who had been helping him in secret. But now, Renji hesitated. Honestly, he was a bit unclear about Lena''s attitude towards him. On one hand, Lena kindly helped by sending the video to the nun. If not for the early warning from the "dream"st night would have been a "bloodbath." On the other hand, although the subus never appeared during the trip to the Dragon Nation, her presence was felt everywhere. Thinking about this gave Renji a headache as he rubbed his temples. That''s why "special ability" characters are the most troublesome. If it''s like the nun who wanted to imprison him, or the empress who would juste and snatch him away, even Zero''s desire to cyberize him is at least clear in its purpose. But Renji really can''t see through Lena''s thoughts. What''s more irritating is that Lena has been avoiding showing up, even seemingly deliberately hiding from him. This makes it extremely difficult for Renji to gather any information about her. ''Wait a minute¡­'' A lightbulb moment strikes Renji. He realizes that with the new "Dream Terminal" tool at his disposal, he can now take the initiative. As the lord of Sin City and a master of intelligence, Lena is indeed elusive in reality. But if he enters the "Dream," he might be able to capture Lena''s shadow through someone''s dream. With this in mind, Renji quickly takes action. After transforming 86 into the terminal using the Miasma Touch, he steps back into the "Dream." This time, the character he finds in the "Dream" is no longer Suthia but Caroline, dispatched from Sin City, who imed to be Lena''s "personal secretary." Entering the dream within a dream of a "Dream" character isn''t something that can be done casually. The "dream within a dream" must be rted to the "original dream," and a "keyword" must be found to serve as an anchor point. Like Suthia''s dream before, which was an extension of the "original dream" Renji used a keyword anchor, enabling him to replicate and restore it. So, in the paused dream world, Renji, now in the city hall''s top- floor office, faces the golden single ponytail subus, who seems to have changed from a secretary to something akin to a female mayor, and begins to ponder how to enter Caroline''s dream. From Suthia''s dream, Renji learned that the crystal ball was not from Sin City but from the Sealed City. It''s obvious that Caroline, as Lena''s confidant and currently acting as half-mayor of the Sealed City, must have been involved! This is the connection Renji was looking for between Caroline''s "branch dream" and the "original dream." Next, Renji attempts to enter Caroline''s dream within a dream using the "magical crystal ball footage" as the "keyword." With a sh of white light and a blurring vision, consciousness delves deeper, indicating Renji''s sess in smoothly entering Caroline''s first-person dream experience. However, When his vision finally clears, Renji suddenly realizes that Caroline''s dream seems quite different from what he had imagined. Chapter 199 199: The Annihilation Plan

Chapter 199 Chapter 199: The Annihtion n

The crystal ball, shimmering with light, was carefully ced on the table in the bedroom. [This is a task given to me by Lady Lena] [Next, I just need to contact the Holy Kingdom on behalf of the Sealed City and send the crystal ball to the Goddess] For some reason, in this dream, Renji, despite being in a god-like perspective, could still hear Caroline''s inner voice. As he had guessed, it was Caroline who sent out the crystal ball. Renji felt a bit regretful because in this part of the dream, Lena had already given away the crystal ball, and he didn''t get to see Lena herself. Although slightly disappointed, Renji thought he might glean some other information from the inner voice of Lena''s personal secretary, so he continued to observe without rushing to exit. Just as Caroline was about to ce the crystal ball into a package, she suddenly stopped her action and even unpacked the already wrapped crystal ball. While Renji wondered about Caroline''s puzzling behavior, the secretary''s thought process appeared again. [But Lady Lena also said that I''m not apetent subus, and in this crystal ball, there is material to enhance my knowledge of subus arts] [Lady Lena also gave me, along with the Goddess, the key to unlocking the crystal ball. If I don''t open it now, wouldn''t that be a waste?] [Moreover, as the sender of this important crystal ball, I must first open it to check its contents, right? That way, I can better understand how toplete Lady Lena''s task] [Yes, everything is for the mission, and for learning knowledge] Under the pretext of these internal justifications, Caroline eventually reached her guilty hand towards the crystal ball, activated it with a spell, and immediately, the images inside appeared. Renji: "¡­" He suddenly felt that his former image of Caroline as a "shrewd andpetent" and "reliable" secretary was starting to break down. However, soon after. *Smoking head!* The moment the image appeared, Caroline expressionlessly shut it down, which made Renji heave a sigh of relief. It seems that although the subus secretary was a bit vulnerable to temptation, she still possessed integrity, knowing when to pull back from the brink. Having closed the crystal ball, Caroline walked briskly in high heels, her footsteps resounding on the floor, to the window of the room. Then, with a "swoosh," she drew the curtains shut, plunging the room into rtive darkness. After that, the secretary walked to the bedroom door, locked it, and then went to the wardrobe. Her golden ponytail hung down her back as she bent over to pull out arge roll of paper from under the cab. After doing all this, Caroline took off her high heels, keeping her ck stockings on, and returned to the bed. She adjusted her sses on the bridge of her nose and once again opened the crystal ball. Renji: "¡­" "Hmm, it seems that Caroline is indeed studying the material diligently. That puts my mind at ease," a seductive voice suddenly sounded beside Renji''s ear, catching him off guard. Then, Renji felt himself forcibly ejected from the god-like perspective. He found himself appearing within Caroline''s dream, and with him... Another subus. A pink-haired one. "Greetings, My Lord. I never expected that after five hundred years, our first meeting would be in such a ce. But it seems not too bad, right?" With flirtatious words, Lena''s eyes, bright as rubies, locked onto the young man in front of her. Her long eyshes, like snow fluff, looked stunningly beautiful with every blink. Subus are known for their luxuriant hair. Even though Lena chose a mid-length bob, her fluffy pink hair still looked like a soft, curly ocean. A pair of curved subus horns protruded from either side of the pink mane. To Renji, ustomed to Nova''s dragon horns, these subus hornscked any sharpness. They were more curved, almost sheep-like, and even somewhat cute. Seeing her Lord observing her, Lena smiled, cing one hand on her hip, standing elegantly without any inhibition in showing off her slender and perfect figure. Her plump tail curled upwards behind her, its heart-shaped tip swaying back and forth, clearly indicating her happy mood. But as Renji remained silent, the pink-haired subus seemed a bit displeased: "Why are you not speaking, My Lord? It was you who came looking for Lena, and now do I need to take the initiative? Hmm... that could be quite interesting." "It was indeed a bit sudden, hmm, let me exin. For me, anyone trying to impersonate me, I can sense them, and anyone trying to spy on me, I can also detect. So when My Lord entered Caroline''s dream to find me... I in Sin City already had a premonition." "As for the rest, entering someone else''s dream is a trivial matter for me. After all, I''ve done it countless times and am quite skilled at it." "Well then, before we officially begin enjoying our reunion, do you have any questions for me, Lord Ashen?" If someone else had said all this, it would be difficult for Renji to believe, but Lena is different. The realm of mysticism is precisely what "special ability" characters excel in, and Lena, being among the top in that field, could certainly achieve these things. What really seemed exaggerated and abstract to Renji was... "So¡­" After looking the subus up and down, Renji asked somewhat helplessly, "What''s with this outfit you''re wearing now?" The Lena that appeared in the dream was wearing what appeared to be Suthia''s Divine Lady robe, but obviously, it was a replica,cking any holy aura. Instead, Lena had modified it, making the split in the lower half of the robe even wider and bolder. The fully exposed sides even revealed the curves of her buttocks, and the front was even more outrageous, with just a narrow strip of cloth, resembling a loincloth, barely covering between the legs. The front of the robe was hollowed out at the chest, and a slight bow of the head revealed the roundedce lining inside. This was no longer a Divine Lady''s robe but rather a costume of seduction. "How about it? are you not satisfied with this outfit I designed for Suthia? How about this one then?" Renji''s vision blurred for a moment, and the next second, Lena transformed again, now wearing the attire of the Empress version of Nova,plete with red armor and boots. Just like Suthia''s outfit, Nova''s attire had also been modified by Lena, turning the "seducing robe" into a "seductive uniform." Renji: "..." "With your ability, teleporting from Sin City to Dragon Country shouldn''t be difficult. Since you''re willing to meet me, why don''t we meet in reality?" To avoid being sidetracked, Renji got straight to the point. Lena first pouted, seemingly unhappy that Renji was so unromantic as to talk business directly, but soon sheposed herself and shook her head at Renji. "It''s toote. Since you refused my teleportation and went to find Nova the second time, I can''t meet you anymore." "Because if I forcefully try to meet you, I would wake ''them'' up from their ''dream.''" Renji frowned. "Them?" "Yes, the ''Observers'' that Zero scattered around the world over the past five hundred years to find you." "As for why I can''t wake ''them'' up..." Lena paused, then responded with a question: "Lord Ashen, do you remember what the first ''Observer'' you woke up in the Sea Sand Bar was nning to do to the ckhole ins?" Chapter 200 200: The Observers

Chapter 200 Chapter 200: The Observers

Renji knew about Zero''s intention to transform him into a mechanical giant at the Sea Sand Bar, but from Lena''s recent words, it was clear she was not referring to that. The subus didn''t y any tricks and simply waved her hand, the lights and shadows shifting around them. The dream''s scenery rapidly reconstructed, and when Renji came back to his senses, he found himself floating high in the air above the ckhole ins, the ce he had first arrived in this world. Lena didn''t exin much but just apanied Renji, signaling him to quietly observe below. Soon, in the pitch-ck night sky above the ckhole ins, a meteor-like light appeared, its trajectory so conspicuous, trailing a long white tail. It seemed slow at first, as if merely wriggling in the sky, but within just a minute or two, the meteor transformed into a zing fireball, filling Renji''s entire field of vision and finally... crashing into the southeastern corner of the ckhole ins. A fraction of a secondter, the powerful shockwave from the explosion, like a tsunami''s roaring waves, destroyed every building in the ckhole ins. Beneath the hellish sea of fire, a gigantic mushroom cloud rose and expanded. Even from a god-like perspective high in the sky, Renji''s vision was filled with blinding light. After several seconds of temporary blindness, when he looked down again, the ckhole ins were almost leveled to the ground, a description like "ruins" being too generous. "TS-283 medium tactical nuclear bomb, produced by Kael Technology. There are at least five digits worth of nuclear bombs with this kind of power within the Mechanical Alliance... Well, countless more of the smaller ones." Lena''s voice resounded again after everything ended. "The Observer you encountered in the ckhole ins had a rtively low level of pollution, and the world''s deviation value wasn''t that significant at the time. That''s why she stopped just in time. Otherwise, she would have dropped a nuclear bomb just to eliminate a small gang group like Callewa." "But if we consider now, with the Observers around the world waking up, I''m sure you can imagine what this world would be, right?" With another wave of her hand, the inferno below and the ghastly scene dissipated, and the scenery within the dream transformed again. This time, they were at the top of a high tower. Looking up, the glittering gxy seemed within reach, while below was the noisy, brightly lit Sin City. A delicately crafted private courtyard was built at the top of the tower, surrounded by exotic night-blooming Yn flowers, emitting a fragrant aroma. In a cage-style pavilion, two people sat opposite each other. Lena, now dressed in a familiar dark purple gown known to Renji, elegantly poured a cup of aromatic red tea for the young man opposite her. Renji, who epted the tea, looked at the tempting assortment of tea snacks on the table and the stunning night view from their high vantage point. Evidently, this was the ce the subus had designed for a real face-to-face conversation with him. Though it was his dream, and there should be a monitoring mode from 86, it now seemed as if Lena was the master of this ce, freely controlling everything in the dream. After sipping her tea, the subus continued speaking to Renji: "In the first two hundred years, the ''Observers'' deployed by Zero functioned normally. However, in the following three hundred years, as time went on and the contract became more and more worn out, the contamination within Zero could no longer be suppressed, bing uncontroble. All the ''Observers'' connected to Zero, being her copies, couldn''t escape either. They started to malfunction frequently, with increasingly severe data errors." "If things continued like this, the world would be destroyed by these out-of-control machines before they could even ''observe'' you. Hence, the subsequent ''Dream Entry'' n was conceived. In short, Zero herself was in peril and no longer had the ability to recall or destroy these ''Observers.'' So, the only option was to lock ''them'' away, into... her ''dream.''" Hearing this, Renji finally unraveled a mystery that had perplexed him for a long time. Previously, he was unaware of these details, but with the emergence of 86, he became familiar with the concept of the ''Observers.'' Following this logic, his obscurity in the Holy Kingdom could be exined, but as his actions grew more conspicuous and he sessfully contracted Suthia again, causing a miraculous event and light rain throughout the Holy Kingdom, the existence of ''Observers'' should have been evident. With the current ''Dream''s'' demonstratedputational power, it surely could have deduced much. If that wasn''t enough, then the deration of war by Dragon Nation, the blood sacrifice in the Sealed City, the spirit of oblivion, and the chain of events he triggered in the southernnds should have definitely caused a reaction from the ''Observers.'' But in reality, throughout his time in Dragon Nation, there seemed to be no reaction from the Mechanical Alliance, let alone from Zero. Therefore, Renji had previously guessed that perhaps 86 was a very "special" Observer, while most of the other ''Observers'' had likely be ineffective or scrapped over the long five hundred years. Now it seems he was half right in his guess. They are not scrapped. On the contrary, it is because they are still functional and retain most of their capabilities that they have be a significant threat after going out of control and have been forcibly "put to sleep." "So the deviation value you mentioned earlier refers to the impact I have on this world after my return" "From my experiences using the Dream these past few days, given theputing power of the ''Observers,'' even if they are not as powerful as 86, they should still be able to project scenarios for the next few years, or even a decade. And if the actual events in the world significantly deviate from their calcted future scenarios, it would trigger some kind of error- correction mechanism, causing them to awaken forcibly from their sleep?" Even when a person is asleep and dreaming, it''s not that all the neurons in the brain are resting. Some are still active, what is often referred to as the subconscious. So, if there are footsteps at night, or if someone approaches, anything that the brain deems as "abnormal" will trigger the subconscious to pull the person out of sleep, effectively waking them up. After the subus across from him nodded in confirmation, Renji fully understood the initial question of why Lena didn''t meet him. It had nothing to do with superficial reasons like being tsundere. For an entity like Lena, any movement she makes would cause a far greater deviation value than others. So, this would mean... ''Wait a minute¡­'' Renji suddenly realized a serious issue. If Lena couldn''t move, then by the same logic, were Nova and Suthia also... He quickly asked, "Lena, how close are we to the critical deviation value now?" "Unfortunately after my calctions, we are nearly at the critical value. The concept here is that whether Ie to find you, or you actively bring Nova and Suthia to find me, especially thetter, the deviation value it brings, due to the cumtive effect, is equivalent to more than twice the former. It will immediately trigger a widespread awakening of the ''Observers'' around the world." "By then, even if Zero, as the mother body, can re-establish a contract with you, but as you can see from Suthia, pollution is not so easily resolved. Before Zero can regain control of these ''Observers,'' the world might have already been... annihted by them, right?" Chapter 201 201: Dr. Renji

Chapter 201 Chapter 201: Dr. Renji

This was not the end of it. Lena soon added another point: "Additionally, I should mention to master that even if you do nothing, due to the butterfly effect you''ve already caused, the deviation will continue to grow. In at most three months, all the ''Observers'' will still be awakened." After Lena spoke, the impatient and anxious expression she expected to see on the young man''s face opposite her did not appear. Renji remained calm, simply nodding in understanding. This made the subus express her confusion: "Aren''t you worried at all?" "Not worried." "Why?" "Because you''re here." Lena: "..." ''Damn it!'' The subus huffed and turned her face away, but her tail, especially its flesh-colored little peach heart at the end, swayed much faster. After that, she took out a seed emitting a dark green light from her bosom. "What''s this?" "A patch." "As long as this patch is applied to Zero, she can regain control of these Observers. Of course, the premise is that these Observers don''t resist, meaning they can''t wake up from their dreams." Renji took the patch, which looked like a "seed," from the subus''s hand. The item''s panel immediately appeared, with descriptions and introductions identical to what Lena had just said. The n then became very clear. "Master, you just need to go to the Mechanical Alliance, find Zero''s real body in ''Dream Entry,'' and apply this patch to her. Then, you can easilyplete the re-contract, and all the ''Observers'' can be restored. How about it, pretty simple, right?" Indeed, it was simple. The premise was that he could bring the Dragoness and the Nun. "Have you forgotten how I met you now?" "You mean" Reminded by the subus, Renji''s eyes lit up, and he immediately grasped Lena''s meaning. The dream world was a second world detached from reality, where there was no threat of deviation. Since Zero was also in a ''Dream Entry'' state, he didn''t need to find Zero in reality. Instead, he could try to connect to Zero''s ''Dream'' world, allowing Nova and Thia to descend without any concern. Now the question was, how to enter Zero''s ''Dream'' world? This was definitely not a simple matter, otherwise Lena on the other side would have already done it herself. Seeing Renji''s thoughts, the subus nodded and said, "The dream terminal was shut down from the externalwork 300 years ago. Everyone thought it was the selfishness of the Mechanical Alliance, but in fact, thepanies and financial groups of the Mechanical Alliance were even more heartbroken and unwilling to see this happen. After all, everyone hopes for arger market. The reason it turned out this way was all because of Zero. Zero closed off her own dream, or rather, ''she couldn''t wake up''." "Can''t wake up?" "Right. imagine if master were presented with two pills. Taking one would lead you to be tormented in the real world, while the other would allow you to enjoy bliss in a virtual world. Which one would you choose?" Renji didn''t know which one he would choose. But clearly, Zero chose thetter. "Now, Zero is like a shut-in little girl who has locked all her doors and windows at home. Although I could break in by force, it would only lead to more severe consequences. So, it can only be you who goes to the Mechanical Alliance, gets the key to unlock the door, and then finds a way to call her out." "The only tricky part is that Zero''s ''dream'' is a highly ssified secret within the Mechanical Alliance. The entrance code to her dream is tightly controlled by majorpanies and financial groups. Only the most core individuals can enter. But don''t worry master, I have already arranged an identity for you." As she spoke, Lena flipped her wrist, and like a magic trick, she took out a document and ced it on the table. Renji took it and saw that it was a forged identity proof. "Master, I have arranged everything. You will now pose as a top ancient studies doctor from Sin City, epting an offer from Kael Technology to be their academic consultant." "Top Ancient Studies Doctor," Renji looked at the dazzling academic career that had been fabricated for him on the resume and couldn''t help but twitch the corner of his mouth. The subus opposite him licked her lips with great interest. "Isn''t that right master? or should I say, Dr. Renji~?" ''Fine¡­'' If it were any other field, Renji really might not be suitable, but if it''s "ancient studies," then Renji could only say Lena''s arrangement was indeedprehensive. But Renji had another question. "So, my movements won''t cause a deviation?" "They will, of course, but given Dr. Renji''s current strength and influence,pared to the total, it can be considered negligible." Lena continued with a lightugh on this topic: "So, by the same logic, as long as it''s not someone at ''our'' level, Dr. you can bring them along without affecting the deviation value too much. It''s perfect since you always need some assistants by your side." "As for Caroline, how about her? She''s a secretary I trained personally and sent especially for you. She''s very experienced in roles like an assistant and is extremely capable, Dr. Renji~" The subus seemed to have be a little addicted to calling him "Dr. Renji," even more so than "Master" It was as if there was a different kind of thrill to it. "As for Caroline''s loyalty, you don''t have to worry at all. After all, you''ve seen Caroline''s dream, haven''t you? If she dares not to listen to you, you can directly use this dream to threaten her. For instance, ''Caroline, you wouldn''t want me to release this dream of you practicing subus knowledge on the inte, would you?'' From what I know about Caroline, no matter how shameful or naughty the request you make, she will ept it." Renji: "¡­" "Is there anything else? If not, I need to go and get ready." Seeing that Renjipletely ignored her fantasies and was so eager to leave, and noticing that from the beginning, Renji hadn''t shown any invasive or indecent interest in her despite her meticulous dressing up, all these turned into Lena''s resentment. "Hmph, it seems that afterst night, the ''wise'' doctor speaks with more confidence" After her brief resentment, Lena seemed to think of something interesting and quickly a smile returned to her lips. "Indeed, there is one more thing that needs to be done by the doctor. The patch I currently have is only a prototype. It needs one more material to bepletely finished, and this material can only be obtained from one person by you, doctor." "Who?" "Miyuki" Chapter 202 202: Holy Armor

Chapter 202 Chapter 202: Holy Armor ?

Renji felt a bit uneasy about troubling the girl like this, but without any other reliable measures, he had to use this simple yet effective method to ensure that he had indeed exited the dream. The dream could predict the future, but it required sufficient data support. Anything absolutely unknown, like the products of "Miasma''s Touch," couldn''t appear in the dream. Even Renji himself didn''t know what Eileen would be "materialized" into, let alone the dream. Thus, as long as he could sessfully use Miasma''s Touch on the girl, it meant he was in reality. Otherwise, the only possibility was that he was still in the dream. Activating Miasma''s Touch, Renji''s hand reached into the girl''s chest. He quickly sensed the existence of Eileen''s "item." That was enough; he didn''t choose to take it out, nor could he. Renji had to remain ignorant of what Eileen''s "materialization" was for this safety measure to work. Unfortunately, it was a bit unfair to Eileen, who surely didn''t enjoy this abrupt interruption, as could be seen from her ''resentful eyes''. Actually, among Renji''s five contractors, besides Eileen, he had not yet tested the "materialization" of Suthia and Ashe. But he always chose Eileen because, unlike with Ashe, he had a ''brotherly'' rtionship with Eileen. Between brothers, a little inconvenience like this wouldn''t matter. And then there was the current situation. After confirming reality, Renji didn''t dy. He didn''t deactivate the terminal form of 86 because he needed to use it again immediately. Lena had told him that thestponent needed to repair Zero''s "patch" was the Tears of the Elf from Miyuki. Going to the distant and unknown Elven Forest was not possible, nor was it practical at the moment. The fastest way was to return to the "Miasma Space" through the dream and find that dark-skinned elf again. Getting the "Tears of the Elf" willingly from the elf was unrealistic. And from what the subus had told him about how to extract the Tears of the Elf, there was only one way: to defeat the dark-skinned elf andpletely incapacitate her, allowing him to proceed with the extraction. In any case, a battle was unavoidable, and Renji couldn''t rely on others; he had to personally confront the dark-skinned elf. Regarding the strength of the dark-skinned elf, although Renji had never fought her, her power could be inferred as immense since she acted behind the scenes of the Old Alliance using Miyuki''s body. There were likely many more cards up her sleeve that Renji couldn''t anticipate. This could be deduced from the elf''s eagerness to battle him, suggesting supreme confidence in her own abilities. She might have even reserved a special move just for him, like the incongruous cross she carried on her back. With his current strength, charging in head-on for a fight would undoubtedly lead to defeat. Therefore, before the battle, Renji needed to properly equip himself. Indeed. Knowing the enemy''s formidable and unpredictable nature, Renji still chose the path ofbat, confident because, although he couldn''t bring anyone along, he could have either Nova or Suthia apany him to the Miasma Space in a different way. That is, in the form of equipment "materialized" through Miasma''s Touch. He had already experienced the power of Nova''s "Crimson Wings," which allowed him to overpower Bal, who had turned into a "Disaster" level Eclipse monster, without any difficulty. Although Nova''s strength had decreased, affecting the power of the "Crimson Wings," it didn''t matter because Renji had another one of the same ranks as Nova at his side. This was why Renji didn''t use Suthia as a "reality detector" It would be a waste to use such powerful equipment for that purpose. It was better to transform it into strength. Thinking this, Renji exined the situation to everyone and approached Suthia. The nun had long been looking forward to this day, especially after knowing that Nova had been used. For Suthia, she had already settled for second best. She might not be able to have her lord all to herself, but what he had for others, she must have too! Miasma''s Touch was activated again, and a thick maroon mist began swirling up from the ground around them. Unlike the others who simply stood waiting for Renji to reach out to them, Suthia was bolder and more proactive. The nun embraced Renji directly, melding her body into his embrace without waiting for him to make the first move. Seemingly in response to the nun''s will, under the influence of Miasma''s Touch, Suthia''s form dissolved into twinkling starlight. These celestial lights, like Suthia herself, clung to Renji''s body. As the multitude of light points came together, and the surrounding Miasma mist dispersed, Suthia''s figure vanished. In her ce, Renji was now d in a set of armor bathed in divine radiance. [Healing Holy Armor] [Type: Special Equipment] [Rarity: Unique] [Equipment Effect 1: Stamina increased to S, other attributes increased to A+ (if already higher, they will not be downgraded). In battle, recover 8% of maximum health per second; out of battle, this value increases to 15%] [Equipment Effect 2: Provides two additional special skills] [Holy Light Optimization (only when equipped) ¡ª Utilizes the power of holy light to optimize the target, causing its quality and form to evolve to a certain extent. This skill''s targets include but are not limited to any item/equipment/skill, as well as oneself] [Shadow Degradation (only when equipped) ¡ª Utilizes the power of shadow to degrade the target, significantly diminishing its quality and form. This skill''s target...] [(Note: Shadow Degradation cannot be used on "oneself")] Looking at the Holy Armor on his chest, Renji quietly breathed a sigh of relief, fearing that Suthia might also transform something like "Holy Wings" for him. It wouldn''t really matter if it turned out "everyone is my wings," but if it''s all wings, he couldn''t equip the same type at the same time, which would be a huge loss. After scanning the attributes of Suthia''s Holy Armor, Renji nodded in satisfaction. It was not far off from what he had expected. Compared to the dual S in strength and agility granted by the Dragon Lady''s "Crimson Wings," the Holy Armor only boosted stamina to S. It indeed fell short in attribute values, but the subsequent equipment effects could definitely make aeback. The strong recovery ability was indeed worthy of the name "Healing Holy Armor." The two additional special skills it provided were even more noteworthy. Renji''s mouth twitched slightly. Wasn''t this exactly what the darkened, war-goddess-like Suthia used in the dream? Especially the "Degradation" skill left a deep impression on Renji, capable of turning 86''sser cannon into a rubber band, withering Ashe''s shamanic vines, and even dismantling Nova''s horns in minutes, showcasing its terror. This also indirectly proved the uracy of the dream''s predictive simtions: Suthia''s abilities were indeed the same as in the dream. As for Optimization, the nun used it less in the dream, so Renji immediately tried it out on himself first. Chapter 203 203: All Good Things Are Gone, Completely Gone!

Chapter 203 Chapter 203: All Good Things Are Gone, Completely Gone!

----------- After a beam of holy light, three dialogue boxes suddenly appeared in front of Renji. [Optimization One: Strength +30%] [Optimization Two: Convert 20% of damage dealt in each attack into Holy Damage, which cannot be dodged or mitigated] [Optimization Three: +1 Equipment Slot] Renji quickly understood that each optimization option was random, and he had to choose one. Without hesitation, he chose Optimization Three. With his original abilities, he could only equip one ''Cmity'' level Miasma Touch equipment, or two ''Disaster'' level ones. Now, after optimizing himself, Renji immediately went back to fetch Nova. Upon returning, in addition to the Holy Armor on his chest, he also had a pair of burning crimson wings on his back. These wings were much smaller than before, now only one or two meters long,pared to Nova''s wings which were over a dozen meters long and could castrge shadows when illuminated by the sun. After equipping the Crimson Wings, Renji found that he seemed to be able to equip another item, so he decisively called Ashe and used Miasma Touch on her. The cat-girl transformed into a green greatsword. The attribute enhancements were negligible since he already had the Holy Armor and Crimson Wings, but its effect, fitting the shaman profession and natural forces, allowed him to recover a certain amount of health and mana with each attack, which was very helpful to Renji. Eileen, standing nearby, looked enviously and sourly at Renji, who was holding the green greatsword, wearing the Holy Armor, and had crimson wings on his back. She was not envious of Renji, but of the equipment he bore. Among Renji''s five contractors, Eileen was the only one without an "attachment," the only one not "on board." Despite feeling sour, Eileen understood that it wasn''t about Renji neglecting her, but because she carried the responsibility of being a "detector." On the other side, Renji, fully armed with three Miasma Touch equipments, still felt somewhat unstable, but this was already his limit. Afterward, he no longer hesitated and put back on the 86''s Dream Terminal. This terminal, being a ''prop'' ss product of Miasma Touch, did not burden Renji as much as the equipment ss items did, allowing simultaneous usage. Reconnecting with the dark-skinned elf through the dream was simple. Renji just needed to inform 86 to switch back from "Surveince Mode" to "Power-Saving Mode," effectively turning off the firewall. As the terminal activated and Renji submerged into the dream, he was immediately enveloped in a deep dive sensation. Renji had thought he would first encounter the fake maid named ''Empty Armor'' in the dream, but to his surprise, when he opened his eyes again, he was already in the familiar Miasma Space, shrouded in darkness and flowing with a brownish-red aura. Also familiar was the only other person in this space besides him. However, unlike before, when the dark-skinned elf was obviously well-prepared and arrogantly floating above the Miasma Space, sitting on the cross with her legs crossed and looking down at her prey with a yful gaze, this time was different. When Renji found the dark-skinned elf in the Miasma Space this time, she was sprawled out on the cross like an octopus, snoring loudly, as if she was using the cross as a bed and sleeping soundly. The sleeping position of the elven woman''s part was quite inelegant. One hand hung down from the side of the cross, the other pressed under her head, and the bare coffee-colored legs were half-bent, with one asionally lifting up to scratch the tentacles on her back as if itching. The reason for the scratching was due to her inelegant sleeping position, which seemed to be inherited by the tentacles. Several tentacles were twisted together, forming a knot resembling a twisted doughnut, making one marvel at how even octopuses differentiate between being well-behaved and having restless sleep. All of these were quickly noticed by Renji with just a nce. The next moment, facing the dark-skinned elf who seemed unaware of his presence and still resting in sleep, Renji didn''t hesitate. He rapidly pped his Crimson Wings on his back, gripped the green greatsword, and charged straight at her, aiming a sh at her vital area. *Boom!* After a muffled sound, Renji''s figure was forced to distance himself from the dark-skinned elf. A strong rebound force came from his de, and when he was about ten meters away from Lilith, her tentacles had already reacted. The thickest one whipped out and collided with his de. Regretfully shaking his head for not achieving a sessful sneak attack, Renji realized why the dark-skinned elf was sleeping face down. Those tentacles behind her were the best rm system. Even though his sneak attack was hasty, the Lilith''s unconscious defensive response was enough to block him and even push him back, indicating that the dark-skinned elf''s strength was even more exaggerated than he had anticipated. Now, Renji braced himself for a tough battle ahead. While Renji was internally sighing, the dark-skinned elf also woke up. The danger signal from the tentacles woke Lilith from her sleep on the cross. She quickly climbed up, and upon seeing Renji opposite her, she was first pleasantly surprised. However, after seeing the green greatsword in Renji''s hand and the sh marks on her tentacles, Lilith instantly realized what had happened and became furiously angry. ''Dishonorable!'' ''How dare he attack while I was asleep!?'' Lilith couldn''t believe that Emperor Ashen would stoop to such dishonorable tactics. She was even more infuriated that he hadn''t informed her beforehand. If she had known, she wouldn''t have woken up and would have restrained her tentacles from defending herself! What a missed opportunity - the idea of being sneak-attacked by Ashen while being careless and asleep, then being left in fury and frustration, unable to move while her far less powerful enemy could shamelessly humiliate her! ''All these good things were gone,pletely gone!'' It was hard to describe how furious Lilith felt at that moment. If one had topare, it was like seeing the message (This resource has been deleted) on a screen. Lilith, who jumped up from the cross, said to Renji through gritted teeth: "Ashen¡­ you''ve disappointed me so much!" Renji just shrugged his shoulders. He naturally thought the dark-skinned elf was referring to the sneak attack, and Renji felt no burden about it. Seeing the enemy asleep in front of him, notunching an attack would be foolish. "But... heh, Ashen, I was right, wasn''t I? You would definitelye back obediently and willingly to see me again~" Lilith quickly changed her tone. The proud dark-skinned elf crossed her arms and lifted her head arrogantly. She smirked at Renji, as if everything was under her control, like a runaway child who would eventually have to return to their mother. Renji: "I have a small question." "A question? Ashen, don''t you understand the current situation? It''s you who came running to me! You should know, if you miss the first opportunity, the price will be much higher the second time around." Lilith''s voice, full of triumph, hadn''t finished when Renji interrupted her with a shake of his head. The young man then pointed to the cross where Lilith had been lying and asked, "No, what I mean is, from that day to now, you haven''t... been staying here waiting for me, have you?" Chapter 204 204: Gah, Kill Me

Chapter 204 Chapter 204: Gah, Kill Me

After Renji spoke, Lilith''s expression froze. She instinctively wanted to refute, but the soreness throughout her body, especially in her neck which hurt with even a slight twist, clearly the result of a crick in her neck from lying on the cross, left her speechless. There was no choice; the cross was as hard and cold as a rock. Lying on it all night was bound to be ufortable, making Lilith reminisce about the softness of her previousir, far from the difort she was experiencing now. Lilith had originally thought Ashen would return quickly, but after waiting one hour, then two, she began to hesitate. She thought about leaving temporarily, but then reasoned that if she left, the two hours she had already waited would be wasted. So, Lilith persisted for another four or five hours, yet he still didn''t return. Maintaining the Miasma Space was exhausting here, she thought about leaving but then considered that the longer she waited, the higher the probability of Ashen''s return. What if he came back the very next second? If she left now and Ashen returned right after, wouldn''t that nullify all her previous efforts? So, after countless "next seconds" Lilith waited and eventually fell asleep on the cross, waking up to the current situation. But no matter. Lilith''s mood soon improved. Facing Renji''s question, she counterattacked: "Heh~ Ashen, you must have had a rough night too, right? You''re back here now because you realized you couldn''t solve the problem with the nun on your own and are looking for the truth and answers from me, aren''t you?" She might have been suffering, waiting in the dark and lonely Miasma Space, but everything is rtive. Imagining Ashen being chased by the yandere nun all night made her feel that her own difort was nothing inparison and even worth it. As expected, after her words, the young man opposite her indeed showed an indescribable expression, as if his legs trembled a bit in fear. Lilith could tell that he must have faced a ''terrifying battle'' the previous night. Compared to that, her own experience of just spending a night on a cold, hard cross in the dark and silent Miasma Space seemed minor. In this round ofparison, she clearly won by arge margin. "Alright, if you want to chat, I can find time for that next time, but right now, remember what you said before? If I win against you, you''ll give me everything I want, right?" "I''m not like you humans, despicable and lying. I Lilith, always keep my word." Renji frowned slightly: "Lilith?" Seeing that Ashen really noticed, the dark-skinned elf''s face showed a hint of pride and happiness as she said: "This is your reward for daring to challenge me. Feel honored Ashen, you are the first person to know my new name." "Oh~ Is that so" Renji nodded in understanding. Differentiating individual consciousness was most clearly represented by a name. The dark-skinned elf no longer used Miyuki''s name but had started to give herself a new one, which was quite surprising to Renji. Renji had asked the subus about the dark-skinned elf, and Lena''s answer was simple. Although she was also unclear about the dark elf''s origins, she was certain that it wasn''t the dark-skinned elf who had devoured Miyuki, but rather Miyuki''s intention. In other words... This was part of Miyuki''s n. Miyuki, as a "guardian," wanted to protect her former contractorsrade, unable to bear seeing them vanish with time, leading to the birth of the current Lilith. Considering the subsequent Old Alliance, although its nature changed, the original purpose was indeed achieved. Bal''s survival to this day was all thanks to Lilith''s power. Renji was somewhat skeptical about this exnation, feeling that Lena was still hiding something from him. Miyuki''s n must be more than just that. Unlike Suthia, Zero, and Nova, who didn''t have backgrounds, either found or bought, Lena and Miyuki joinedter. One was a princess of the subus race, and the other a knight with noble high elf royal bloodline. That''s why they must have more thoughts and ns than the other three. Renji expected this. Since the two chose to hide some things from him, there must be a reason. Therefore, Renji didn''t pursue it further. Or perhaps, he could find the truth step by step on his own. His thoughts drifted a bit. Renji took a deep breath, ready to start with subduing Lilith in front of him and extracting the Tears of Elf. Several Miasma Touch equipments, prepared in advance in reality, were now all re-equipped by Renji. The burning mes instantly lit up the dark Miasma Space. The hot waves emanating from the fiery crimson wings on his back washed over him. Then the Healing Holy Armor covered Renji''s body, bathing him in divine light, transforming him into an indestructible warrior. Lastly, the green de in his hand, though not as powerful as the other two, seemed to merge with him, unstoppable in its sharpness. The rich natural forcebined unexpectedly well with the Healing Holy Armor, specifically countering all evil forces. Renji''s luxurious array and the sudden enormous increase in power and aura did indeed startle Lilith, almost triggering her flight response after just emerging from the shadow of Ashen. However, after realizing that Ashen was only borrowing others'' power and hadn''t truly regained his original strength, Lilith breathed a sigh of relief. She consoled herself that this was just a virtual space, and even if the emperor really returned, what could he do? Rather, it''s better to say... Yes, that''s right! This is the battle she had long awaited, the one she had been waiting for so long between her and Ashen! From Renji''s perspective, after donning his enhanced suit, the dark-skinned elf was not panicked; instead, her face revealed even more pleasure, even to the point of enjoyment. Renji felt a simr sentiment deep down. After all, facing an old rival after five hundred years for an exhrating battle, setting aside their positions, was indeed hard not to look forward to. After all, both of them were once top beings in the world. Perhaps for Lilith, he was the only one who could truly match her. As Renji made his move, Lilith also prepared her strongest stance. The Miasma fog began to surge wildly under the dark-skinned elf''s feet, blowing her gray hair in the wind, while the tentacles on her back danced wildly, forming a terrifying shadow like a small mountain. Each tentacle was like a hidden snake in the shadows, ready to strike his vital areas with a deadly blow at any moment. Lilith''s aura exploded several levels like a rocket, her fiery eyes fixed on Renji. He could feel her surging battle spirit, her eagerness for a fight with him. Renji was also influenced by this, even feeling a sense of admiration. From his eyes, strong battle intent emerged. This should be his strongest enemy so far, a test for himself in a solo fight. Finally, the atmosphere reached its peak, and even the Miasma Space seemed to twist faintly, struggling to endure their pressure. At that moment, only one word remained in their minds. *Boom!* Renji pped his wings, moving so fast that it created sonic booms. He turned into a fiery meteor, charging straight at Lilith, who floated in the air. Facing Renji''s initial attack, Lilith was equally powerful. She spread her arms, and dozens of tough tentacles wriggled behind her, gathering in front of her chest, forming an impregnable wall of flesh. And so, the wall of flesh made of tentacles collided with Renji''s de, officially starting this fateful duel. Then, in less than a fraction of a second. Even before Renji''s de, cutting through like tofu, had fully prated Lilith''s defenses, the battle was forcibly ended. "Ahhhh!" A scream was heard, and the dark-skinned elf in the sky lost her bnce and plummeted downwards. Her tentacles, which had been her strength, now seemed to be defeated, losing their power and bing limp. As she hit the ground, Lilith, now in a disheveled state, tried to prop herself up with her hands, but after several attempts, she failed and continued to lie on the ground in resentment, seeminglycking even the strength to move her fingers. When Renjinded, he looked at the woman who was walking towards him, and from the dark-skinned elf''s mouth came a voice filled with bitter unwillingness. "Damn it, did I underestimate you after all?" Renji: "¡­" ''No, it was I who underestimated yore strength'' Renji wanted to say this. "Why do you look at me with those... eyes? Do you think I will... beg you for mercy?" Lilith, lying on the ground, gritted her teeth and red at the young man opposite her with an expression of defiance. "Stop dreaming, Ashen!" "Just kill me, gah!" Chapter 205 205: Tears of the Elves

Chapter 205 Chapter 205: Tears of the Elves

------------- Observing the once mighty and imposing ck-skinned elf now crumpled like a paper tiger, shattered by a single touch and unable to rise from the ground in defeat, Renji finally realized something was off. "Lilith, you couldn''t possibly still inherit the attributes of this body from Miyuki right?" the young man couldn''t help but ask. In the previous Miasma space, Renji had discovered and verified this point, but the reason he hadn''t considered it this time was that he believed that, having discovered such a weakness, the ck-skinned elf would surely find a way to solve it. Considering the ability of the Miasma to transform the flesh, Renji thought it wouldn''t be hard for Lilith to shed this vestige of Miyuki. But from what it looked like now... "How, how could that be! Who would like that kind of su... Ah!" Before the panicked ck-skinned elf, who seemed caught off guard, could finish speaking, Renji immediately proceeded to verify it himself. He shed at the elf''s tentacle, and correspondingly, Lilith, lying on the ground, let out a symbolic scream. The ck-skinned elf seemed to use this method to prove to Renji that, see, I only feel pain. "Really?" Renji continued to sh at the tentacles behind Lilith several more times. Only the ck-skinned elf in front could be heard screaming "Ah!" But by the fourth sh, this "Ah!" turned into a quieter "Ahn~," and by the sixth sh, it had turned into a moaning "Hyaa~." And by the tenth sh... "Haaaaah~, Ahhhh~, Mmmmmmh~!" The elf''s coffee-colored skin flushed with a tide of red. After the screaming and shaking, the elfpletely lost strength and truly copsed to the ground. Lilith closed her eyes tightly, gasping for air, with shiny remnants visible at the corner of the elf''s mouth. ''Sigh¡­.'' Seeing the ck-skinned elf in this state, what else could Renji say? He sighed inwardly, feeling an indescribable sense of loss. He had been so earnestly prepared for this battle. "So... you went through all this trouble to meet me, just for this kind of sparring?" "Of¡­ Of course not!" As Renji vented his frustration by slicing off another tentacle, the ck-skinned elf was too overwhelmed to speak, with only rolling eyes showing. ''...'' Renji hadn''t expected this development, but it wasn''t something he hadn''t seen before. To be precise, he had seen quite a bit of it. But only in R18 manga. The problem was, the game "Fallen Chronicles" he was ying, though not exactly brimming with positive energy, was definitely a very wholesome and standard game. ''How did ite to this in the second ythrough...'' Renji recalled Suthia, Nova, and now Lilith. Renji would even believe this was some kind of erotic game!. Of course, Renji had already guessed the logic of the ck- skinned elf. Due to Miyuki''s characteristic, the more she is attacked, the more her attributes increase, albeit temporarily. But Lilith probably didn''t realize this and thought it was permanent, hence this current scenario, Renji naturally wouldn''t point this out and was happy to see it, as it conveniently served his next objective. "What is that!?" When the ck-skinned elf, still caught in the afterglow, didn''t feel Renji''s next move for a while, she couldn''t help but open her eyes and saw Renji taking out something that looked like a crystal bottle, which left her utterly confused. Renji, of course, didn''t exin. He went around to the back of the ck-skinned elf, and instead of using his de, he said softly, "Optimize." As Renji said this word, divine light burst forth from his Healing Holy Armor. This light of glory traveled through Renji''s hand to its optimization target - the tentacles on the back of the ck- skinned elf. "What, what are you doing!" Lilith initially felt excited when she felt the power of the holy light enveloping her tentacles, but then she sensed something was wrong. Instead of being punished with the holy light as she had imagined, was it actually... transforming her with the holy light? "No! Don''t! Get that dirty thing away!!!" It was at this moment that Lilithpletely panicked, realizing that the situation was spiraling out of control. For her, Suthia''s holy light was dirty, and now these dirty things were being infused into her body by Renji, something Lilith couldn''t ept at all. But because she had enjoyed it too much earlier, leaving her weak and limp, Lilith couldn''t resist and could only watch in horror as her Miasma tentacles began to shrink and diminish under Renji''s holy light optimization. "Stop, stop it! I''ll tell you everything! I''ll tell you the truth, it''s all because of your subus! Enough, stop it!" "Sorry, but I already figured that out. I''m just here to take something from you." Renji, with a cold expression,pletely ignored the ck- skinned elf''s wails. Under his holy light optimization, all the tentacles retracted, reced by a pair of glowing, divine wings sprouting from Lilith''s back. As these noble and dreamy elf wings emerged, Lilith''s skin color also rapidly transformed from coffee to a cleansed white. In the eyes of humans, this was seen as a purification, a great boon, but for Lilith, it was akin to a demon being transformed into an angel. She struggled frantically, feeling this as the greatest humiliation, but she was helpless, only able to watch everything unfold. With the optimizationplete, looking at the elf now returned to the "Miyuki" appearance, Renji focused his main goal on the pair of butterfly wings on the elf''s back. Lena had told him that the so-called "magic power" of the elves actually came from the wings on their backs, where there were magic circuits. All he needed to do was to reach into these iridescent wings, find the location of the magic circuit, and continuously rub that part of the feathers. Lilith bit her lips tightly, but in reality, her heart was already in disarray, utterly defeated. ''Even though it was the dirty thing of that elf... why dose it feel so good?'' ''It''s over, I am going to turn into that woman again'' ''I don''t want to let go of this body yet'' ''But why did touching the wings feel so intense?'' ''Uh, uh, uh, how could I face defeat at the hands of this man like this...uhhhh, ahhhh, ahgh!'' The magic circuit stored in the elf''s wings could no longer bear it and erupted with powerful magic. This surging magic was quickly absorbed by the crystal bottle Renji had prepared beside him, eventually condensing into solid, shiny, and if looked at closely, seemingly luminous and colorful droplets, like tears, inside the bottle. [Elf''s Tears] [Obtained]'' Chapter 206 206: Surprise R18*

Chapter 206 Chapter 206: Surprise R18*

------- After sessfully obtaining the "Tears of the Elves" from Lilith, when Renji was preparing to contact the subus through a dream, this time Lena appeared not in person but only left a pre-prepared afterimage. She left a semi-finished patch resembling a nt seed in the dream, telling Renji how to make theplete version of the patch. The method was simple, almost like nurturing a seed. Renji just needed to drop the Tears of the Elves onto it. After doing so, the transparent droplets were quickly absorbed by the seed. Fortunately, it didn''t sprout as Renji had imagined, which would have been too absurd. Instead, it just grew in size and changed from the original "seed" shape to something like a "capsule." [Zero''s Patch (Enhanced Version)] [Effect: Repair Mechanical Loss of Control] [(Note: Rmended to be taken orally)] Renji, still a bit unsure, pulled up his item panel. The description hadn''t changed, except for the addition of "Enhanced Version" and the "oral" suggestion at the end. Although the suggestion was a bit strange, after confirming the effect was fine, Renji carefully stored the patch in his backpack space. Additionally, it''s worth mentioning that, although the dream was a virtual space, the patch given by Lena could be brought into reality, which alone spoke of its specialty, more than what met the eye. With the most crucial item ready, and to avoid a "nuclear" world ending, Renji now needed to act before the "Observation Bodies" Zero had deployed around the world over the past five hundred years awakened and went rogue. He had to apply this repair patch to Zero first. Feeling the weight on his shoulder, Renji sighed and slowly go to his room in the city hall, he was surprised to not see Suthia and Nova there in thiste night. They normally slept with him when they were free and they had more free time during this time. So the fact that they weren''t here was strange. Renji''s POV: I was about to stand up and go look for them, but when I made noise as I sat up, the door suddenly opened. I looked over and my chin dropped when I saw what was waiting there for me. Standing at the door were two beautiful figures that I was very familiar with. It was Suthia and Nova. But what shocked me the most was what they were wearing¡­since it was something that didn''t exist in this world. No, it did exist in this world, but at least it didn''t exist in the Sealed city. I should know since I had made sure to check this when I was shopping with Eileen and 86. They were wearing ck heels with ck sheer to waist pantyhose, a strapless corset, and a pair of bunny ears. It was the infamous bunny suit! But that wasn''t right¡­since I had checked with all of the town''s tailors in my free time. I was a man after all, so it was my dream to experience this just once¡­ So where did these two get these bunny suits? Seeing the shocked look on my face, both Suthia and Nova revealed happy smiles. These were smiles of people who had sessfully yed a trick on someone. The two of them came over and sat down on the bed, one of them on each side of me. After sitting down, they leaned in close to me so that their chests were pressed up against me. Just by looking down slightly, I was able to peek down into the valleys that had been presented to me. There was one that was slightly bigger than the other, but both of them were without a doubt beautiful. It didn''t take long before there was a tent that was being pitched in the nket on me. Seeing this, both Suthia and Nova revealed smiles before pressing themselves even closer to me. As I felt them pressing up against me harder, I couldn''t help getting even harder, causing the tent in the nket to get even bigger. Then Suthia said, "We''re celebrating our sisterhood, And I¡­ Heard that My Lord asked about those clothes in Holy Kingdome, So I asked them to make one..." I couldn''t help revealing a strange smile when I heard this, but then I still had to ask, "Yes, but where did you learn about this design?" As I said this though, I couldn''t help taking a closer look at the bunny suits that they were wearing. These bunny suits really seemed well made, down to the very smallest detail. When I looked closer, I found that on their butts, there was even a small bunny tail made of cotton. Suthia revealed a confident smile again before saying, "Who do you think I am? Do you really think that My Lord could hide anything in my territory from me? As soon as you asked for something, I was immediately informed." As soon as I heard this, I realized what had happened. The tailor had betrayed me and told Suthia about the thing that I had asked him¡­ But it wasn''t strange that the tailor had betrayed me. After all, there was no future for the tailor if he disobeyed Suthia. Before I lost myselfpletely, I couldn''t help looking at Nova and saying, "Are you alright though?" She had sufficiently recovered from her weakened state, but that didn''t imply she was fully healed yet. Ideally, I wished for her to remain in bed as much as possible. However, I understood it was impractical as she rarely stayed still. Nova answered my question with actions instead of words. She pushed me down and then got atop of me, taking off the top part of her corset. As soon as she pulled them free, thoserge breasts popped out in front of me and appeared in front of my face. I couldn''t help being surprised by what I saw on them. Nova''s face turned red, but she still said, "I think that I need your help, Master" I knew what she was referring to since they were right there in front of my face. On her breasts, there were nipple covers. With her tempting me like this, there was no way that I would be able to hold back anymore. So without holding back anymore, I grabbed her breasts with my hands and brought my head forward so that my face was right in between them. Nova was caught off guard by my sudden action, but then she was surprised even more by what I did next. With my face still in between her breasts, I started moving my head side to side. This was a dream that I''ve had since I first saw those jugs¡­and now that it wasing true, I had no regrets. But for Nova, this was something that she was unfamiliar with and was very strange for her. At the same time though, it wasn''t as if she was against this. The feeling was strange, but it was also a feeling that she liked, especially when he was touching her. After enjoying the pafu pafu for a bit, I brought my head back and looked at Nova with a wicked look. Since she was offering herself to me, there was no reason for me to hold back anymore! Chapter 207 207: Surprise R18**

Chapter 207 Chapter 207: Surprise R18**

She didn''t resist as she let me do what I wanted with her body. Unfortunately for her, I didn''t do what she had expected me to do. Instead of drawing her in closer to me like she had expected, I pulled her over me, putting her over my shoulder. She leaned forward with her head over my shoulder and her butt pointed high up into the air. There was a bad feeling that filled Nova''s heart when she was put in this position. "Mas¡­Ahh~!" That was all that she was able to say before she was cut off. *p!* There was this loud pping sound that rang out through this room instead of her words. Nova''s body couldn''t help jolting forward a bit on my shoulders after this pnded. Then there was a tremble from her as she processed what happened. During this time, my hand was on that firm and supple ass the entire time. The feeling that came from it was like a soft pudding as my fingers sank in, but then there was also a firmness to it. In short, it was a very pleasant feeling. I couldn''t help letting myself get lost in this feeling. But then Nova came back to her senses and said, "Master what¡­" Once again, before she could finish her words¡­ *p!* "Uhnn~" There was another strong pping sound that rang out as my hand fell on her nice and supple butt again. Of course, this time my hand hadnded on the other cheek. Her body jolted again before she started trembling even more than before. This time, I didn''t let myself get lost in the soft and supple feeling and instead said, "You will speak when you are spoken to." When Nova heard this, she couldn''t help revealing a shocked look. It was almost as if she was meeting me for the first time when she heard this. But the firm tone in my voice¡­made her want to obey¡­ At the same time though, there was this strange feeling that was filling her. It wasn''t an unpleasant feeling and if she had to describe it, she would have called it pleasant rather than unpleasant. Seeing that she wasn''t saying anything, I revealed an evesting wider evil smile as I said, "You naughty Dragon. Did you really think that you can tease me like this and get away with it? Did you really think that you wouldn''t be punished?" Hearing the words that I said, Nova couldn''t help being shocked again¡­because she had never heard these kinds of words from me. But that didn''t mean that she was against it. When she heard this tone of voice and these words, the strange feeling inside of her became even stronger. As I was waiting for a response from her, I didn''t get a verbal answer in the end. Instead, I got a physical answer. My hand that was on her butt¡­there was a wet feeling that wasing from it. I didn''t even need to look to know where it came from. As soon as I felt this wet feeling, I became even more confident. After all, since she was getting wet, it meant that what I was doing was working. And since this worked, I would turn it up a notch and see how well it worked. So, I took Nova off my shoulder and ced her in front of me. After she was ced on the bed, I stood up so I was standing over her and grabbed booth of her cheeks with my hand. I forced her head to look up so that she was looking into my eyes. Then I said to her, "My punishments aren''t weak. Are you ready?" There was no immediate reaction after I said this as Nova just looked at me in a daze. But then I felt a tremoring from her¡­ This wasn''t the tremor of fear, but rather the tremor of excitement. Her face also turned red as she looked at me, but she was still able to give a nod in the end. The evil smile on my face became even bigger when I saw this. I put her down in front of me and then in one swift move, I pulled the nipple covers off. They hadn''t been on as long as before, so there wasn''t as much suction and I was able to easily pull them off. However, having them suddenly pulled off really was a bit too much for Nova, so she couldn''t help giving a moan. I didn''t stop there as I leaned forward and grabbed her nipples, which I started to pull. To be honest, I didn''t even know what I was doing since this waspletely new to me, even if I had done plenty of research before¡­so I was just letting my instincts take over and do whatever I wanted to do. After all, doing research didn''t mean that I would be able to perform in real life that easily¡­ It was a good thing that Nova was also new to this, so she also wasn''t used to this kind of stuff. Even though what I was doing was kind of tame when it came to punishment, she still enjoyed it. As I pulled on her nipples, it felt like there were streaks of electricity running through her body with each pull. After pulling on them for a while, Nova couldn''t help falling forward as her body started going soft. She fell onto both of her hands as she leaned forward. I was about to pull even more when I suddenly had an idea seeing this. So, I suddenly stopped ying with her nipples. Nova was a bit disappointed that the pleasure had stopped, so she sat back up and looked up at me as she asked, "What''s wrong Master? Why did you stop?" I looked at her with the same smile and said, "When do cows talk? And when do cows sit up? You should get on all fours like a good cow." Chapter 208 208: Surprise R18***

Chapter 208 Chapter 208: Surprise R18***

In her entire life, there had never been anyone who had talked to her like this. Let alone call her a cow¡­ But when she heard me call her this¡­she couldn''t help feeling strange. There was this strange feeling of¡­excitement that filled her. This was a feeling that she had never felt before. This feeling of excitement quickly built up until she did what he told her to do and she fell onto all fours in front of him. She even looked up at him and said, "Moo~" Seeing her like this, my excitement shot through the roof. I had only tried copying what I had seen before in an H-game and manga, but I never thought that Nova would actuallyply. But now that she did do this, there was no need for me to hold back. I quickly pulled off my pants, which resulted in my dick flying out. As it was released from the bonds of my pants, it flew out with an incredible force that pped Nova in the face. I didn''t intend to do this and I couldn''t help being surprised by this ident, but I quickly found that¡­there was an excited look that appeared on Nova''s face after she had been pped by my dick. She was so excited that she was even panting. I also couldn''t help feeling excited by this as well when I saw this. So I moved myself so that I was standing right in front of her face before leaning in. I brought my dick right up to her mouth before saying, "It''s your turn." Nova immediately understood what I meant by this and there was a further look of excitement in her eyes when she saw this. The smell hit her right in the face, this was something that she had been looking forward to. Renji will leave them for quite some time saving Zero, she was going to go all out today. So she moved forward and opened her mouth wide before taking it right in her mouth. She tried to move forward as much as she could, trying to take it as deep as possible. With her mouth wrapping around me like this, I couldn''t help taking a deep breath before letting out a moan of pleasure. Though she did her best to try to take it as deep as she could, it was just too much for her to take everything still. So she could only take it halfway before she started to choke. When she wanted to pull back a bit though¡­I suddenly grabbed her horn and kept my dick in her mouth. Nova revealed a surprised look at first, as her most sensitive part had been touched and used as a handle once again, but then she stopped moving and just let me do whatever I wanted with her. At the same time, her tongue started moving inside of her mouth. Although it was a bit too stuffed for her to move it a lot, she still did her best trying to lick it. Finally, when she started running out of air and showed signs of choking, I let her head go and she pulled it back. There was a bit of drool that dripped down the side of her mouth and there were tears in her eyes, but she still did her best to look at me with a smile. With one eye slightly closed, it really was a strange smile. However, this was also a scene that I had seen before in my research and it turned me on even more. I looked at her with a smile and said, "Good girl. Now you get a reward." I leaned forward again so that I was over her back and then I reached my hands down across her sides until I was grabbing her breasts. I didn''t grab them like I normally would, but rather I grabbed them as if I was holding a cup. Nova couldn''t help being confused when she felt this feeling, but there was also a trace of excitement that filled her. With the same voice, I said, "A good cow deserves to be milked." As soon as I said this, I started pulling on her breasts. I pulled like I was pulling on rope, pulling down as hard as I could on them, though there was no milk that came out in the end. But this sudden pull on her breasts made Nova give a surprised cry before that turned into moans of pleasure. She didn''t know why it felt so good even though it was painful, but the way that he grabbed at her like this¡­ This was a feeling that she couldn''t describe. However, after milking her for a bit, I suddenly stopped. After stopping I stood up so that I was standing in front of her again. She looked up at me with a disappointed look as she said, "Ahh~ Master~ Why did you stop?" I looked at her with that same smile and said, "Well, that was a reward. Rewards are things that you have to earn." As I said this, I also thrust my hip a bit forward so that the dick was right up in front of her again. She didn''t hold back this time and gobbled it down right away, doing her best to take it even deeper than before. She had only reached halfwayst time and now¡­she was over three quarters of the way. I could even see her neck starting to bulge a bit from taking it so deep. Since I promised that I would reward her for this, I leaned forward while my dick was still in her mouth and reached down to grab her breasts. I started milking her like I had done before. When Nova felt the feeling of my hands on her breasts, she couldn''t help letting out a moan that came out as a muffled sound. But this distraction did stop her from taking it any deeper. Instead of being able to rx her throat to take it deeper, it started contracting from the sounds that she made and she started choking. It was just too bad that my dick waspletely in her throat and I was atop of her, stopping her from moving. She couldn''t take my dick out of her mouth no matter how she tried. And I¡­didn''t n on letting it out as I kept pulling on her breasts. Finally, when she seemed like she was about to faint, I pulled my dick out. There was arge pool of drool that fell onto the nkets when my dick was pulled out and then Nova''s face fell right into it. She didn''t even care that she was lying there in a pool of her own drool as she was just panting, desperate to fill her lungs with air. The look on her face, it looked like she waspletely spent. I couldn''t help feeling a bit of pride when I saw this. So before she could even recover, I moved forward to keep ying with her body. But before I could, there was a cough that came from the side before a voice said, "My Lord, Aren''t you forgetting about something?" Chapter 209 209: Surprise R18****

Chapter 209 Chapter 209: Surprise R18****

Seeing her crossed arms and her impatient appearance, I revealed an awkward smile. I had indeed forgotten about her since I had been so focused on Nova¡­ Even though she tried to appear tough, I could tell from the way that her legs were moving that she was hot and bothered. So with the same confident and evil smile, I said, "Come and join us." Receiving this invitation, Suthia didn''t act tough any longer and immediately came over. She crawled on the bed over to where I was and ignoring Nova who was still lying in a pool of her own drool, she moved forward to take my dick in her mouth. But before she could, I raised a hand to stop her. When Suthia saw this, she couldn''t help looking up at me with a frustrated look. I grabbed Suthia''s hand and pulled her over before pushing her down beside Nova. With the two of them in front of me like this, I stood there with my dick out in front of them. There was more than enough visual stimtion from before, so my dick stood tall and proud in front of their faces. It didn''t take much for the two of them to understand what I was expecting from them. Suthia took the lead by bringing her head forward, but she didn''t lick the tip like she normally would. She went all the way to the bottom of the shaft and started from there as she made her way to the tip. Once she was done, she brought her tongue back in and revealed a faint smile, as if she enjoyed the taste of it Nova was also stirred into action by this, but she was stopped by Suthia before she could do anything. "Sister, I can handle this side, why don''t you help this ce instead?" Suthia red at her before bringing her head down to where the balls were and she held her head there. Since she couldn''t do anything else, Nova could only lick the balls that were ced in front of her. When her tongue ran across it, it was apletely different feeling from getting my dick licked. It wasn''t as sensitive, but there was a feeling that came from having it licked. This softer feeling didn''t lose out to the intense feeling of getting a blowjob at all. While she was doing this, Suthia imed my dick all for herself. With a greedy look on her face, she opened her mouth wide to take it all in. As she went deeper and deeper, she started pressing her chest down on Nova who was still under her licking my balls. Nova found it harder and harder to keep herself up on all fours, but she persisted with a perverted smile on her face. As Suthia took it deeper and deeper, Nova was finally pushed downpletely under her, but she didn''t allow herself to crumple. She held on and did her best to look up to lick my balls still. But that wasn''t what caught my attention the most. What caught my attention was that Suthia was actually taking my entire dick in her mouth. Before I knew it, she had reached all the way to her shaft and there was a clear bulge in her throat. I didn''t know how she had done it, but somehow she had been able to take the entire thing that was over ten inches long. The problem came after she took it all in her mouth. This feeling plus the feeling of Nova doing her best to lick my balls really was just too much for me to handle. So I couldn''t hold back anymore as I climaxed. As I did, I grabbed Suthia by the head and didn''t let her move at all as I said, "I''m cumming!" Suthia''s eyes opened wide and there was a clear look of fear in them as she felt my dick swelling inside of her mouth and her throat. As it expanded, she could feel herself starting to choke on it. She wanted to move back and pull it out so she could breathe, but she couldn''t move as I grabbed her head. So the only feeling that she could feel was the feeling of my cum being shot deep into her throat and into her stomach. At the same time, she was bing more and more out of breath until she almost fainted. It was only when I finished shooting my load that I finally let go, but I found that Suthia wasn''t moving at all. I quickly grabbed her head and pulled my dick out of her mouth. But I could feel her body going ck in my hands and that her breathing¡­had stopped. When I saw this, I couldn''t help panicking as I didn''t know what to do¡­ So in the end, in my panic¡­I suddenly pped Suthia across the face like I was trying to wake her up. After she was pped, there was a moment of silence before she suddenly took a deep breath and started coughing. Seeing this, I couldn''t help letting out a sigh of relief. After all, it would be hard to exin if I choked Suthia to death with my dick. Not to mention, she was someone that I cared about, so it wasn''t as if I would ever want to hurt her. So after seeing this, I couldn''t help being filled with regret over taking things too far. But after Suthia recovered from being choked out like that, she suddenly revealed a smile and looked up at me. She opened her mouth and reached her tongue out to show me what was inside of her mouth. With her ragged hair and streaks of tears in her eyes, it was apletely different look from her usualposed and beautiful look. Though there was no mistaking her natural beauty that still existed. This was a side of Suthia that no one else would ever get to see. Chapter 210 210: Surprise R18*****

Chapter 210 Chapter 210: Surprise R18*****

I gave a gulp to try and calm myself, but it really was hard with these two beauties pleasing me like this. Both of them were tired after everything that we had done, but I still hadn''t had enough yet. So I told the two of them, "Climb on top of each other." Both of them were confused when they heard this, but following the directions that I gave, they eventually took the position that I wanted them to take. It was Suthia on top and Nova on the bottom. Nova was lying on her back while Suthia was pressed down atop of her. When they were like this, I moved behind the two of them and took a moment to admire the view. The two pairs of cheeks ced atop each other like this created a beautiful blooming flower. And in the middle, there were two perfect slits that were soaking wet. I went right up behind them and then ced my dick atop Suthia''s perfect bottom. When she felt the dick right in between her cheeks, she couldn''t help bing even wetter and her limbs turned soft. She fell down on Nova who was under her, pressing her further down into the bed. At the same time, when Nova felt Suthia crushing down on her with her weight and the pressure that came from her chest, she also became more excited. However, I didn''t put my dick in right away. Instead I said to her, "Beg for it." Suthia turned around slightly to look at me and seeing the look I had on my face, she revealed a faint smile at first. Then she revealed a pleading look as she said, "Please My Lord, put it in me. I''ve been a naughty nun and I need to be punished." I once again couldn''t help being taken aback by this sudden change in Suthia. She had gone through 2 different personalities today¡­ She had gone from the gentle woman that she was normally to the submissive little girl who was asking to be punished¡­ This really was an amazing talent for acting. I really couldn''t help wondering what other kinds of things that she had put on an act for. This thought onlysted for a single second in my mind before I threw it out. Since she had done what I had asked her to do, I didn''t hesitate in grabbing her by the waist and stuffing her in a single push. With how wet she was, there was no resistance at all as my dick slid into her. In fact, it almost felt like she had already conformed to the shape of my dick, but with how much we did itst night, that wouldn''t be strange. As I pushed down on her, I pushed her onto Nova. With each thrust, Nova could also feel like she was being thrust into which filled her with a bit of pleasure. However, there was still that crucial thing that was missing with each thrust, so she couldn''t enjoy herself as much as Suthia did. I didn''t want her to miss out, so I said to Suthia, "I think that your sister needs milking." Suthia was confused about what I said at first, but then she understood what I wanted her to do. So while she was moaning, her hands also grabbed onto Nova''s breasts and started squeezing. With each squeeze, she also pulled up on Nova''s breasts as if she was milking a cow. With each pull, there was a moan of pleasure that came from Nova. She even timed each pull so that it went in sync with each thrust of my dick. So in a way, it was like she was using the force of the thrust to pull on those breasts. Just like this, the three of us continued pleasuring each other until I finally couldn''t take it anymore. When I was about to cum, I grabbed Suthia''s hip even harder and pulled her in so that I could shoot out deep inside of her. At the same time, I could feel her body trembling like she was climaxing as well. The two of us both came at the same time before both of our bodies rxed. I slowly pulled my dick out of her and there was my cum dripping out of her pussy. While at the same time, Suthia fell face first on Nova''s soft pillows and was panting hard. Both of us had satisfied looks on our faces. The only one who didn''t have a satisfied look was Nova who was justying there, waiting for someone to do something. After a moment of rest though, my dick was hard again. So I grabbed Nova''s waist this time and pushed right into her with a single thrust. It was just like when I thrusted into Suthia, it was the same feeling of being wrapped perfectly inside of her pussy. She too had conformed to the shape of my dick with how many times we did it. As she felt the shaking under her, Suthia slowly came back to her senses and looked down to find Nova''s face filled with pleasure. She revealed a faint smile before bending her head down and grabbing her breasts to start sucking on them. When she did, Nova couldn''t help looking up at Suthia with a surprised look before taking her in her arms and holding her head to her chest. The three of us continued this again until finally I couldn''t take it anymore and blew my load into Nova. Just like before, both of us climaxed at the same time. This was already my third shot of the night, but¡­my dick still didn''t go down after this. Seeing this, both of the girls revealed smiles before waving me over. Directly support the authors on WebNovel! By the time that we were finished, weid there with satisfied and exhausted looks on our faces. Chapter 211 211: Preparation

Chapter 211 Chapter 211: Preparation

Although they couldn''t join him "offline" to the Mechanical Alliance, once the Dream Network covered the Dragon Nation, they would be able to "online" meet with him. And then, with two "remote login" maxed-out characters, he would go find Zero in the dream. Even if Zero resisted, he could ''forcibly'' feed her the capsule patch. After setting the preliminary n, Renji quickly found Caroline, Lena''s personal secretary, the next day. It''s worth noting that having peeked into Caroline''s dream before, Renji felt a bit awkward seeing the secretary with her golden ponytail, wearing professional sses, and exuding apetent aura. Of course, Renji quickly set aside these thoughts. After exining the situation to Caroline, who seemed to have already received a message from Lena, she quickly started making arrangements for Renji. In less than a morning, everything was prepared. "Mr. Renji, here are your professor credentials for the ''Sin City University - Ancient Studies Institute,'' the badge of a special-grade academician, and yourboratory registration information." "This card is your ID as a citizen of Sin City, with your registration information already prepared. You can check if there''s anything you''d like to change or modify." "Additionally, here''s the field uniform custom-made for you, personally overseen by Lady Lena." In the city hall office, the blonde ponytailed subus secretary exined as she handed each item to the young man opposite her. Renji took them, and everything seemed fine until he saw his citizen ID, which listed him as an orphan with no parents, causing his lips to twitch a few times. "An orphan background simplifies many settings and reduces unnecessary trouble," Caroline exined from the side, then quickly added, "If Mr. Renji minds, I can go and create a new identity for you." "No need, this is fine." After taking care of Renji''s materials, Caroline turned to take out another package. "Miss Eileen, here are yourboratory badge, citizen ID, and work uniform." "Eh!? I have them too?" The girl was both surprised and delighted. "Of course. Since Mr. Renji is taking you to the Mechanical Alliance, we''ve also arranged a new identity for Miss Eileen. You''ll be a research student in Dr. Renji''sboratory, assisting him as he enters Kael Technology." Research student, doctoral assistant,boratory staff! Eileen''s eyes sparkled at these words. Barely waiting for Caroline to finish, she eagerly took the new identity items and immediately went off to change and immerse herself in the role. Renji shook his head at the girl''s excitement. The reason he chose to bring Eileen, aside from bolstering his fighting force and having a handy assistant, was not lost on him. He remembered seeing the various awards for excellence that Eileen had received as a child, pinned on the walls of her home. If not for the ident that had disrupted her life, leading her to be a scavenger, Eileen, with a happy family, might indeed have be a real research student by now, especially given her talent in mechanics. Renji knew Eileen had always yearned for the Mechanical Alliance, so this was an opportunity to help her fulfill a small dream. Soon after, both had changed into their new attire. When Renji and Eileen stepped out again, their styles hadpletely transformed. Back in the Dragon Nation, Renji had always dressed like a noble young master, with bright colors and elegantly detailed patterns on his clothes. Now, the fieldwork outfit designed by Lena for Renji resembled a coat that looked a bit like a gray overcoat. Although simple in structure, its meticulous craftsmanship perfectly fit Renji''s figure, creating a slimming effect. The coat''s exterior gloss was dominated by cool tones, presenting in silver-gray, while the lining was ck-brown. Compared to the previous noble attire, it no longer unted luxury but instead was filled with a restrained and steady temperament. Moreover, although the surface of the gray coat looked simple and unadorned, it actually had many pockets and ces to hold things, giving it an academic researcher''s feel. The ck trousers were unremarkable, but the brownish mid- calf Martin boots were not brand new; instead, they appeared weather-beaten, giving a sense of age. This could be said to be the finishing touch, instantly diluting the serious and rigid atmosphere often associated with schrs. The boots, like those of a traveler, conveyed the impression of someone who had experienced and seen much, not just a schr who only spoke empty words. Renji was very satisfied with this outfit; he always appreciated Lena''s taste in clothing. Compared to Renji, Eileen seemed a bit shivery. Was it just the attire of a typical research assistant? Perhaps the only standout features were the wide-banded high heels on her feet and the glimpse of ck stockings visible beneath the white coat? But Eileen, in her excitement, didn''t seem to mind these details. It seemed that as long as she had the name badge with her name, photo, and researcher code hanging around her neck, everything else was inconsequential. "Old Timer, Ah no, that''s not right!" "Doctor!" Eileen, who had quicklypleted her role y and immersed herself in it, was now calling herself "Doctor" repeatedly. And it was evident thatpared to the previous nickname " Old Timer" this new title was more to the young girl''s liking and felt fresher. For this trip, Renji brought only two people, including Eileen. Renji touched near his earlobe, where soon an optically invisible terminal appeared. Upon being touched by Renji, it became visible. Yes, as Zero''s ce, the Mechanical Alliance could not becking in ''86''. However, considering ''86''s special identity, although it wasn''t visible on the outside, as soon as it spoke, it would reveal its bionic identity. This was quitemon in the Mechanical Alliance, but it would seem a bit strange in other ces. Therefore, before reaching the Mechanical Alliance, Renji also changed ''86''s appearance, temporarily allowing ''86 to apany him in the form of a terminal. For ''86, unlike humans, she didn''t care about her physical body. As long as she was by her master''s side, whether as a maid or a terminal made no difference, especially since her essence was essentially just a string of data. Chapter 212 212; Destination: Mechanical Alliance - Dream City

Chapter 212 Chapter 212; Destination: Mechanical Alliance - Dream City

"Dr. Renji, next I will drive you and Miss Eileen to the Sealed city to meet up with other professors and schrs like you from our Sin City.?Afterward, a private jet wille to pick us up and fly directly to the Mechanical Alliance." Caroline started to get into her role, changing the way she addressed him, and Renji was a bit surprised to hear this. "Others like me?" "Yes, this time, the academic consultants provided by Sin City to Kael Technology are not only Dr. Renji. In total, there are more than fifty, including more than ten professors and schrs, all like you. Due to the rare Miasma disaster that recently erupted in the Sealed City, they have speciallye from Sin City to conduct academic research, hoping to obtain research materials." Caroline, in the course of the conversation, had already supplemented much about her "doctor" identity. Renji quickly understood and nodded, while inwardly admiring Lena''s ability to strategize once again. Indeed, if it were just him going to Kael Technology as a consultant, it would be too conspicuous. But if it bes a team effort, that would greatly divert attention from him. Even another significant bug and hidden danger, that a doctor from Sin City is flying to the Mechanical Alliance from the Dragon Nation, was considered and perfectly arranged by Lena. Initially, Renji thought Lena sent people from Sin City to the Sealed City to help him with the aftermath of the "Blood Sacrifice" and "Forgotten Spirit" of the Old Alliance. But now it seems, the subus hadid a deeper trap, having already sent a group of schrs there. After all, for professors and doctors in ancient studies, these indeed hold great attraction. And now starting to reveal the trap, letting these schrs be consultants to the Mechanical Alliance with him. Even if Kael Technology were to investigate himter, the fact that he flew from the Dragon Nation could still be perfectly exined. "One more thing, I hope Dr. Renji won''t mind,ter I will act as the leader of your group of consultants, responsible for taking care of and managing you in the Mechanical Alliance, so in front of outsiders I¡­" the subus secretary paused, seemingly hesitant to continue. ''Hmm¡­'' Hearing that Caroline was also going with them, Renji was initially stunned. For some reason, the first thing that came to his mind was Lena''s earlier threatening remark, -"Caroline, you wouldn''t want me to release this dream of yours, right?"- Although Renji was skeptical that having Carolinee along was just Lena''s twisted sense of humor, he quickly refocused and reassured her, waving his hand, "Don''t worry about that. Rather, you should forget about my previous identity and just treat me as a member of your team." "Okay, Doctor." Afterpleting the identity switch, Caroline drove them first to the embassy of Sin City in the Sealed City. Here, Renji met many researchers just like him. Afterwards, Caroline, as the team leader and superior, kept her distance from Renji and the others, no longer talking much, and began directing the other staff and guards from Sin City to protect these schrs, and then headed to the outskirts of the Sealed City. "Doctor, this isn''t an airport, there''s not even a runway. Didn''t they say a private ne wasing to pick us up? We have more than ten people here, it can''t be a helicopter, can it?" "Doctor? Hey, hey! Doctor!" Renji was brought back to reality by a tug from the young girl beside him, seemingly still not used to being called "doctor." Renji shook his head at Eileen, as unclear as she was. Meanwhile, the surrounding schrs and professors, each in their own little groups and cliques, generally spoke very little and were somewhat reclusive. Everyone quietly waited without asking much, causing Eileen, who initially wanted to inquire further, to give up the idea and wait obediently. Fortunately, they didn''t have to wait too long. Just a few minutester, a rumbling sound came from the distant horizon, followed by a ck dot that resembled a "flying disc" appearing, which rapidly grewrger in their field of vision, eventually turning into a steel disc hovering above their heads. It''s worth mentioning that as the "steel disc" approached, the initially deafening roar gradually decreased, until now, it was just a faint noise overhead, almost negligible. Then the steel disc descended. Renji''s initial estimate was that it was probably as big as half a sports field. After a burst of jet propulsion, the door of the steel disc opened, and a descendingdder fell down, with another subus who looked very much like Caroline stepping down first. "Well, my job here is done. From now on, these elites from our Sin City will be in your hands. Make sure our people don''t suffer abroad!" "I will fulfill my role as the team leader. Also, regarding the follow-up work in the Sealed City and the Dragon Nation, I''ve already recorded everything. The remaining work here is up to you now, Lynn." "Alright, leave it to me, sister." After the two subus secretaries exchanged duties, Caroline took over the steel disc, while the subus who had been on the disc came down to lead Caroline''s previous group back to the Sealed City by car. Clearly, this steel disc was the special aircraft that hade to pick them up. Under Caroline''s guidance, everyone began to board one after another, entering the interior of the disc. "Doctor, how exactly does this big iron lump fly?" "The feel of these interior walls is surprisingly nice! Is it synthetic fiber? I thought it would be cold steel too!" "Its fuel core seems to be in the center, and the rest of the outer ring is designed as passenger seats?" Just as she entered the disc, Eileen looked around the interior of the disc curiously. After reaching their designated seats, Renji, seeing Eileen still looking around restlessly and unable to sit still, said helplessly: "If you want to take a look around, go ahead." "Really? I like you the best, Doctor!" Eileen''s eyes sparkled with excitement, and she quickly ran out of her seat. The space inside the steel disc was vast; instead of a ne, it felt more like a small conference hall. There were quite a few people walking back and forth, and the wide corridors allowed for free movement. In the seating area, not only was there a distance between each passenger''s seat, ensuring ample personal space, but each seat was like a first-ss cabin, equipped with movable lounge chairs, sofas, televisions, dining tables, and even a variety of entertainment devices. After all the schrs from Dragon Nation were picked up and boarded, the steel disc restarted and began to float up slowly. The television in front of Renji suddenly lit up, followed by a virtual girl with a sweet smile. [Ladies and gentlemen, wee aboard the ''Pioneer X-34 model'' aircraft, a part of Kael Technology''s fleet] [The Pioneer series aircraft, independently developed by Kael Technology, has a long history of over a hundred years,mitted to providing every passenger with the highest quality, safe, andfortable medium to long-distance air travel. Choose Kael for a journey apanied by happiness] [I am your virtual flight attendant; you can call me Xiao V. During this flight, if you have any questions or needs, you can contact me at any time. Xiao V will provide you with dedicated service 24 hours a day] [The estimated flight time is 20 hours and 18 minutes. Departure: Dragon Nation - Sealed City, Destination: Mechanical Alliance - Dream City] Chapter 213 213: Did You Also Get In Through the Back Door?

Chapter 213 Chapter 213: Did You Also Get In Through the Back Door?

On the contrary, he saw this as an opportunity to pass the time during the more than twenty-hour flight. Thinking this, Renji directly asked: "Xiao V, introduce us to our destination." Upon receiving Renji''s instruction, the virtual attendant nodded, and the background on the TV screen immediately changed. Scenes of history began to roll with Xiao V''s sweet voice narrating. [In the 34th year of the Ashen Era, following the ''Dragon Nation'' the highest intelligence life form ''Zero'' announced its secession from the Ashen Empire. Leading most of the intelligences and humans to the west of the continent, the Mechanical Alliance was officially established. Relying on the massiveputing power provided by ''Zero'' and the absolute execution of the intelligences, the Mechanical Alliance rapidly developed, erecting one skyscraper after another on the barrennd] [In the 41st year of the Ashen Era, the infrastructure of the Mechanical Alliance reached saturation, and development stagnated. The intelligences gradually retreated, and humans officially took over the Mechanical Alliance] [In the 69th year of the Ashen Era, the Ashen Empire officially disbanded, Sin City rose, and the Holy Kingdom was established. Under human governance, the Mechanical Alliance seized the opportunity to integrate with the world through trade, sharing its cutting-edge technology. This not only promoted world peace but also helped the Mechanical Alliance break through its developmental bottleneck. With a massive influx of wealth, the Mechanical Alliance weed its second vigorous development] [In the 211th year of the Ashen Era, witnessing the extraordinary achievements of humanity over a century, the highest intelligence ''Zero'' announced its hibernation, no longer controlling the Mechanical Alliance. However, it continued to provide someputing power as the ''Central Mother Brain.'' Tomemorate ''Zero,'' humans built a new city around the ''Central Mother Brain'' - Dream City] [From the 211th year to the present, leveraging the historical influence of ''Zero,'' this city has be a pilgrimage site for the entire Mechanical Alliance. Theputing resources of the ''Central Mother Brain'' left by ''Zero'' also attracted countlesspanies, enterprises, and financial magnates to invest heavily in the city] [In less than fifty years, this city has already be the headquarters of many enterprises, the heart of the Mechanical Alliance, and and of wealth in people''s eyes. It offers countless job opportunities, attracting numerous young people. Every day, new tycoons, singers, and even legendary stars are born in this city. Its diverse characteristics, including entertainment, medicine, housing, training, food, knowledge, and all imaginable services, are all avable in this city] [People of all sorts in Dream City each have their colorful stories. Perhaps, just like the name of the city, it wees everyone with a dream, dedicated to realizing the dreams of all. This is our dream, the Dream City we are proud of] As Xiao V''s voice, filled with pride, concluded, the vision of a dreamy city with skyscrapers, intersecting sky rails, and colorful neon lights presented to Renji in the TV also faded away. ''It sounded... Pretty good'' A ce of equality for all, brimming with opportunities and wealth, with highly developed entertainment and service industries, offering an exceptionally high-quality life. It seemed like a utopia that had realized a beautiful future. At least from Xiao V''s introduction and the city images on the screen, the first impression Dream City made on Renji was much better than that of the previous Sealed City. Until... [Beep, VIP trial version has ended. To continue using this service, please subscribe to a membership] The sweet virtual flight attendant girl disappeared, reced by a cold, impersonal prompt. Renji: "?.?" "You said 24-hour dedicated service, right?" [Dear passenger, the regr Xiao V service is limited to flight-rted matters and does not include the right to use virtual TV. You may subscribe to a membership to enjoy more advanced and quality services] [Note: VIP membership only unlocks usage rights, not including internal film and television broadcasting rights. For this, please subscribe to a Super VIP membership to enjoy a smooth yback experience] Renji: "¡­" [We rmend Package B for you, priced at 3280 Ashen Coins. Upon subscription, you will immediately be a Super VIP 3, enjoying a range of premium services including TV and internal video series yback rights, sofa chair control rights, ss B in-flight meals, three hours of flight inte ess, and more] "Super VIP has a level 3?" [To better serve every customer and meet different needs, we have established ten levels from Super VIP 1 to VIP 10. The highest level, V10 membership, only requires a cumtive expenditure of 888,888 Ashen Coins. This not only allows you to enjoy all services but also unlocks an exclusive custom Xiao V avatar. Xiao V will be your personal virtual idol, ensuring that your future flights are never lonely again!] Hearing Renji inquiring about the higher VIP service, the previously disappeared cute virtual flight attendant reappeared, apanied by a sweet and melodious voice. The virtual attendant in front of Renji smiled beautifully, almost like a real electronic idol, her sparkling eyes seemingly focused only on him. Just as Renji was silently contemting, a strange voice suddenly came from behind his seat. "Brother, don''t be impulsive! Trust me, this thing is totally not worth it!" "I''m telling you, I was fooled by that ''virtual idol'' gimmick before. I impulsively subscribed to V10 only to find out that the whole ''personal virtual idol just for you'' thing is fake! After subscribing, apart from saying some sweet nothings like they''re pacifying a child, all they do is find ways to swindle more money from you!" "If you''re not nning to frequently fly on ''Pioneer'' series aircraft, you can just use our Sin City identity card. Although we''re here for tourism, we''re still invited by Kael Technology. As the hosts, they''ve provided each of us with aplimentary VIP 3 membership, which should be enough to pass the time on the flight." Renji turned around, following the voice filled with genuine concern, and saw a young man about his age. Unlike most schrs on the flight, dressed in formal research uniforms, this young man was d in a casual brown outfit, even more rxed than Renji''s. Seeing Renji look his way, he scratched his head with a smile. Before Renji could respond, he took out his Sin City identity ID card and inserted it into a slot in front of his seat. After reading it for a few seconds, Xiao V''s voice sounded again. [Identity information confirmed. Dr. Renji, on behalf of all employees of Kael Technology, we warmly wee you. We are looking forward to meeting you and have prepared a reception upon your arrival. You can check ''More'' for the following process and detailed arrangements for the exchange meeting] After the customary pleasantries, Renji saw in the top right corner of the TV screen, just as the young man said, his status had automatically upgraded from the normal "grey frame" to a gleaming "VIP3" member frame. Before Renji could express his gratitude, the young man behind him seemed to get excited again. "Dr. Renji? Wow, brother! This is too much of a coincidence! Can you believe it, our names share a character! That settles it, we''re friends from today!" "Brother, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Keyji, ''Key'' as it sounds, and ''Ji'' just like in your name, which means ''era'' in the Ancientnguage!" Watching the enthusiastic young man extend his hand, Renji didn''t hesitate much and shook it politely, saying, "Nice to meet you." Seeing Renji shake hands with him, he seemed to already consider Renji a friend. This very forthright young man immediately sat down in the empty seat next to Renji. Before Renji could say anything, Keyji looked around cautiously, then leaned close to Renji and whispered in a low voice: "So, brother Renji, if I''m not wrong, you must have also gotten in through the back door like me, right?" Chapter 214 214: The True Face of Academic Exchange

Chapter 214 Chapter 214: The True Face of Academic Exchange

---- Renji frowned inwardly, his guard instantly raised, yet on the surface, he appeared amused, asking the young man before him in a rxed tone: "How did youe to that conclusion?" "It''s quite simple. Honestly, I''ve been paying attention to you since you boarded the aircraft. First off, look around us. Apart from those assistants handling misceneous tasks, how many young people like us do you see among the doctors and professors?" "Even if there are a few, don''t they all look like outstanding individuals? I bet they would fit right in receiving the ''Sin City Top Ten Outstanding Youths'' award without any sense of incongruity. They might be used to it, but their overwhelming arrogance, ah! I can barely stand it even from a distance!" "But you are different. Just from your taste in clothing, I instantly felt a strong connection with you!" Clearly, Keyji had nothing but scorn for the "Sin City Top Ten Outstanding Youths" award, reflecting his attitude towards these young talents. Renji couldn''t refute this. Indeed, most schrs, especially those at the level of doctor or professor, are typically older. It''s mostly middle-aged individuals in their forties and fifties. Being in your thirties is considered young, let alone their age group, which is obviously in their early twenties. Plus, Renji had been quite low-key since boarding the aircraft, keeping to himself, so it wasn''t surprising that the young man opposite felt a sense of kinship with him. But could one really conclude that he had gained entry through backdoor means, just based on being "young" and his "taste in clothing"? With Keyji''s next words, Renji realized he was mistaken. "So, Brother Renji, you really are ''that''" Keyji gave him a thumbs-up, then his expression turned less serious as he winked and said: "Actually, if it were just based on you, I wouldn''t be so sure. What really convinced me that we''re definitely birds of a feather was seeing that beautiful assistant apanying you!" "Seriously, I have been quite charming and have dated many girls. Look, some of them are even from thew department! Amazing right? Even I wouldn''t dare to bring them openly into theb, but Bro, you not only brought a girl in but even dared to bring her to an event like this. That''s why I say you''re really awesome!" As Keyji spoke, he pulled out his electronic phone to show Renji pictures of his girlfriends, especially the one from thew department. However, he ended up smacking his lips and looked at Renji with a gaze full of admiration that seemed to say, "I can''tpare to you" Renji: "Actually..." Seeing that Renji seemed about to exin something, Keyji widened his eyes and quickly interjected: "Wait, wait, wait! don''t tell me your female assistant is actually into academics? Is this a novel? There''s no such thing as a vibrant and beautiful girl in reality who''s willing to do academic research in ck stockings, right?" "Look at the assistants other professors have brought. Even if there are girls, which one of them is as youthful and beautiful? Which one dares to roam around as if they are on a sightseeing tour after boarding the aircraft?" Renji: "¡­" Seeing the young man opposite him with a "no need to say more, we all understand" expression, Renji quickly changed the topic. "Aren''t you afraid of being found out for taking the backdoor here? It''s one thing to take shortcuts in other matters, but we''ve been hired by Kael Technology as consultants. Won''t you expose yourself if you can''t answer any questions when the timees?" After hearing Renji''s words, Keyji first paused, then looked at Renji with a puzzled expression, asking, "Brother, don''t tell me you don''t know about the nature of this so-called consultancy and academic exchange?" "Nature?" Renji''s frown deepened, sensing a bad premonition. It seemed that from the beginning of their conversation, the young man had described this academic exchange as a kind of "tourism." Seeing Renji''s reaction, Keyji became even more convinced that Renji had indeed used backdoor means to get here and hadn''t done his research. Since they were simr and now friends, Keyji quickly exined to Renji, "Brother, our so-called academic exchange with the Mechanical Alliance has been happening for several sessions now; it''s almost a tradition, happening every year. Although it''s under the guise of inviting us as consultants, in reality, it''s about them inviting us to showcase theirtest research achievements!" "Showcase their achievements?" "Right, I don''t have the exact details of how this all started, but from what I''ve heard, initially, this academic exchange was quite normal. It was only until one time when the Mechanical Alliance made some major breakthrough, developing some impressive technology. As a result, during that exchange meeting, our schrs from Sin City werepletely overshadowed by the Mechanical Alliance, feeling utterly frustrated. When they returned to Sin City, our City Lord couldn''t tolerate that, and with strong support, Sin City developed advanced technology. They then hired people from the Mechanical Alliance for so-called discussions, which were actually a way to show off." "And so, it went on like this, and eventually, it became what it is now. Every year Sin City and the Mechanical Alliance take turns. If one side makes a groundbreaking technology, they''ll hire people from the other side to show off their superiority and advertise their products. The idea is to make youe over and buy my products." "Unfortunately, in recent years, it seems that Sin City''s research hasn''t had any major breakthroughs, while the Mechanical Alliance has been on a roll, making technological breakthroughs year after year. Especially in the field of ancient studies, this year, they even took the initiative to invite us from Sin City." Keyji shook his head, seemingly sighing at the fact that Sin City has been overshadowed by others for so long. Afterward, he patted Renji on the shoulder. "So, Brother Renji, do you understand now? They didn''t really hire us as consultants; we were just being used! They deliberately bring some of theirtest knowledge in ancient studies to exchange with us, knowing that we can''t understand it, and then they can''tmunicate effectively with us. This way, they can sell us their products!" "Since no one can answer their questions, why should I be afraid? Instead, I might as well treat this as a sponsored trip. I''ll use the money from this year''s host to have a good time in the Mechanical Alliance, enjoy for a week, and give Sin City some face!" "How about it, Since we get along so well, why not be mypanion when we get to Dream City?" Chapter 215 215: Crisis Unfolding

Chapter 215 Chapter 215: Crisis Unfolding

Before Renji could finish his sentence, Keyji immediately showed an understanding expression, especially when he heard Renji referring to the "old friend" as "her." "I see," Keyji responded, nodding in understanding. "That makes sense. I was wondering why Brother Renji would need to use the back door for an event like this. It''s not easy to have a chance to visit someone familiar in a different ce. I won''t disturb your ns." Seeing Keyji''s expression, a mix of regret and envy towards himself, Renji didn''t end the conversation there. Instead, he pretended to show curiosity and asked, "What about you Brother Keyji? It seems like this academic exchange doesn''t offer much benefit to us. Why did you also use the back door to get in?" Keyji sighed in frustration, "Well, don''t even mention it. If I had a choice, I wouldn''t want to leave Sin City. Staying homefortably is so much better. Besides, I don''t have any special connections like you do. The reason I came this time is purely because I got into trouble and my family punished me. So, they sent me here to serve my sentence!" ''Family huh...'' From the moment the young man tried to dissuade him from buying that V10 membership, Renji had been paying attention. After all, V10 cost over 888,888 Ashen Coins, a sum that even a professor with a Ph.D. couldn''t easily pull out, especially not in a ce like this. As for the young man''s mention of "using the back door," along with his casual and somewhat arrogant demeanor, Renji had already tagged him as someone from a wealthy background. That''s why Renji continued the conversation with Keyji. In his view, this was also a form ofworking and resource utilization. Later on, when Keyji mentioned the mistake he had made, he became visibly frustrated. "The whole thing started because my family bought the rights to a science fiction novel. This novel was quite famous with arge fan base. Almost anything that followed the original would have been sessful. So, they entrusted this project to me. Even though it was basically a guaranteed sess, I took it very seriously. After all, I''m a professor, and as a fellow intellectual, I genuinely liked the work." "So, I made sure not to go to a smallpany. Instead, I spent a significant amount of money in Sin City to find a leading film and television productionpany in the industry. I emphasized the importance of this work to them multiple times. I thought everything was under control. But who would have thought that, in the end, they turned it into a farce! Especially the devilish changes they made to the script, turning the male lead from the novel into a yboy who only knows how to throwvish parties!" "Let me tell you, that''s not even the worst part. The most infuriating thing is, when I confronted the production team about this, that damn director had the audacity to say they did it all for me. They deliberately adapted the male lead based on me, just to please me. Can you believe it?, Brother, do I look like the kind of guy who only thinks about women and parties all day long?" Renji recalled the pictures of the young man showing off his several girlfriends andw school crushes on his phone earlier and shook his head, saying, "Absolutely not." "Right? Even you who just met me less than an hour ago can see it. But those directors couldn''t see it. It''s really frustrating!" "So, is this the reason for your actions?" "Not really. Despite the online criticism and the terrible reputation of the show, it still gained a massive viewership. It even exceeded my family''s expectations in terms of earnings. Well, now I understand why Sin City can''tpete with the Mechanical Alliance year after year with this level of talent." Keyji sighed, not sure whether to be happy or sad. "So, shouldn''t your family be happy? Why are they punishing you again?" "Well, that''s true. Initially, my family thought I had made it, and they were quite pleased with me. But then, news came that the Dragon Nation was going to dere war on the Holy Kingdom. When I heard about this, and considering I had just made a big fortune from adapting movies and had some savings on hand, I thought, ''Why let this money sit idle?'' Since two major forces were about to go to war, the stocks in the arms industry would surely skyrocket. So, I made a bold move. I not only invested the money I earned from adaptations but also my years of savings into buying stocks of the Mechanical Alliance, specifically, Kael Technology, which is famous for its military weaponry." "As you know, the Dragon Nation never really started that war. It was said they had a revolution internally, and even that Minister of theirs got arrested. Many secrets were exposed, and it turned out that the Minister had coborated with Kael Technology for personal gain. It''s easy to imagine that the Dragon Nation wouldn''t continue their cooperation with Kael Technology in the future, and the future orders for weapons would definitely plummet. So, Kael Technology''s stocks practically plummeted overnight! By the time I realized and wanted to sell, I had lost everything!" As Keyji talked about his bankrupted ount, he looked both sad and angry, unable to help but interject his frustration to Renji. "I really can''t believe it. The Empress of the Dragon Nation was known for keeping her word, Once she said something, she never took it back. Brother who do you think could possibly have the ability to convince that Empress? And who could start a revolution against her? What''s most outrageous is that it didn''t even take three months, and it actually seeded?" Renji: "From amon-sense perspective, it does seem a bit excessive." "Exactly! Exactly! Who could have seen thating? It can''t possibly be my fault!" The young man nodded vigorously in agreement, finding a sympathetic ear. "But my family didn''t listen. They just kicked me out in anger. And, coincidentally, at this time, the Mechanical Alliance sent invitations earlier than in previous years. The host this time is still Kael Technology, which I invested in, so they just sent me over here. Ah, life is so unfair." As Keyji was still feeling quite sad and contemting continuing toin to Renji, the sound of high heels approaching could be heard from a distance, quickly approaching their location. It was Eileen, who had just returned from inspecting the interior of the aircraft. Eileen looked at them with a puzzled expression. She had only been gone for a short while, and now there was someone by Renji''s side, and what surprised her even more was that this time it was a man! Seeing Eileen''s return, Keyji immediately raised his hand in a gesture of understanding towards Renji. Then, he got up from his seat. "Bro, since your girlfriend... I mean, your female assistant is back, I won''t disturb you two. I''ll take my leave. Oh, wait, almost forgot, let''s exchange contact information, shall we?" The way to exchange contact information was straightforward; they would use their respective Sin City citizen ID cards, and a simple touch would do the trick. Before leaving, Keyji also shared his V10 membership with Renji. With a mischievous smile, he said, "Inside the V10 membership, there''s a feature. After you activate it, you can raise a privacy barrier in this seating area. That way no matter what you do inside, no one outside can see. You''re wee." With that, he gave Renji arade''s look that said, -"No need to thank me"- and casually walked away. Once the unfamiliar young man waspletely gone, Eileen sat back down and asked with a puzzled expression, "Doctor, who was that guy? Is he also a professor or schr on this aircraft? Why did he give off such a strong yboy-rich-kid vibe?" "Well, if even you got that vibe from him at first sight, it seems like the director really wants to fawn over him," Renji said as he manipted the upgraded virtual TV after bing a V10 member. "What''s going on?" "You''re right on the mark. He is indeed a rich kid from Sin City, probablying from a wealthy and influential family. He seems to have quite some power." "With someone like him, what do you have to talk about?" Renji nced at the girl next to him who had a grudge against the wealthy and said, "Well, in case we run short of moneyter, having another client wouldn''t hurt, right? Look at how useful this Vip10 membership is now." Eileen''s eyes instantly lit up. She came from a humble background and didn''t particrly like rich kids, but if it came to robbing them, that was another story. "It''s all thanks to you Doctor!" "So, how was the little tour you just took? Any thoughts on this spacecraft and Kael Technology?" "It feels pretty impressive, especially considering we just came from the Dragon Nation. If we''re talking about the level of technology alone, it''s like two different worlds. It''s hard to imagine that this is just apany. So, Doctor, what exactly does Kael Technology do?" Renji essed Kael Technology ''s internalwork using Keyji''s V10 membership and browsed through some rted information to get a better understanding of thepany. "On the surface, Kael Technology ims to be a securitypany specializing in providing various security services to enterprises. In reality, the bulk of their operation relies on selling a variety of advanced weapons they''ve developed themselves." "Selling weapons is selling weapons, why do they have to pretend to be a securitypany?" Eileen couldn''t help but criticize. "Don''t be so harsh. With my advanced weapons, no one dares to attack you. Isn''t that a form of protection? I think it''s fine. As for if I introduce even more advanced weapons and someone else buys them first, well, that''s your problem for not getting in on it." After hearing Renji''s description of thepany, Eileen was even more indignant. "How can there be such shamelesspanies!" "However, the fact is, they''re doing very well and have be a super corporation that can almost monopolize the industry. But recently, it seems like they''re about to hit a rough patch." While on the internalwork, Kael Technology still appeared to be thriving, both the information Renji obtained from Keyji and the stock market data he found now showed a grim picture. Due to the turmoil in the Dragon Nation, Kael Technology''s entire market value had nearly evaporated by almost a third, and it was showing signs of escting. It could be said that thepany was facing a severe crisis of copse. Chapter 216 216: Deleting Records

Chapter 216 Chapter 216: Deleting Records

-Dream City. Skyscrapers stretching thousands of meters into the clouds aremon sights here, even blending into the city''s skyline and bing a beautiful part of thendscape. In the Dream City, countless people look up daily at these massive structures, dreaming of one day entering them and joining the ranks of the top-tierpanies. Each of these magnificent high-rises, towers, and spires belong to giant corporations and financial tycoons, boldly showcasing their immense wealth and status. Their confidence stems from their products prating every aspect of people''s lives. It seems that it''s notpanies that can''t do without people anymore, but people who can''t do without thesepanies. Of course, this holds true as long as operations run smoothly without any major idents. Unfortunately, one super-corporation is currently facing such a significant incident. In apletely sealed room, resembling a huge surveince center and spanning hundreds of square meters, numerous electronic screens flicker in the darkness, packed tightly together in their hundreds. Beneath these screens are many researchers in uniforms, identifiable by the "angel wings" emblem on their shoulders, a symbol of Kael Technology, thergest protectivepany in the Dream City. Apart from these researchers, who wear strange devices and work onputers, a burly man in a more seniorpany uniform stand above them. He''s looking up, his brow continually furrowed as he focuses on the images on the hundreds of monitor screens. "Chief William, signals from clones number 10836, 17534, 6532, and 7211, totaling over twenty, have disappeared. They are preliminarily judged to have encountered a Miasma disaster tide." "Immediately construct a model and estimate the signal timing." "Yes, sir!" Following the burly man''smand, the researchers below quickly get to work. After a series of calctions and analyses: "Chief William, the report is ready. The model analysis shows that the annihtion signal of this batch of clones originated from two days ago. The model suggests that our explorer teams should immediately stay away from areas Y-78 and Y-80. Should we send the instructions?" The burly man first fell silent for a moment before issuing hismand without hesitation: "Delete that record." "Delete?" William''s order clearly stunned the researchers below. After he repeated hismand with more emphasis, a young male researcher, seemingly new, couldn''t hold back and stood up from his seat. "Chief, ording topany regtions, a Miasma disaster tide that even ten clones can''t withstand is already ssified as a Level B danger. The explorers in ''Zero Dream'' should immediately evacuate the area!" "Now, the Miasma disaster tide we''ve detected is double the usual, likely escting to Level A danger. Concealing this information is akin to sending those explorers, who entered the dream for thepany, to their deaths! This is a serious vition ofpany regtions. I request you to revise your order, or else I will immediately report yourmand to the higher-ups!" To the young employee''s words, the burly man said nothing. Surprisingly, he flipped over the railing and jumped down from the tform. Only under the light of the screens was it clear that his burly figure and agile movements were due to his body being equipped with numerous advanced prosthetics. "I remember you''re called... Famas, employee number 18637. Let me see, hmm... recruited from campus, not even half a year into the job, no wonder." A virtual tablet appeared before the burly man, disying all the young man''s information. "Famas, it seems your life has been unfortunate. Your father passed away when you were nine, and your mother worked three jobs to barely raise you and put you through college. Luckily, you did well, achieving excellent results. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have made it into Kael Technology. Oh, let''s see what else I found. You have a girlfriend who''s also been trying to submit her resume to Kael Technology, hoping to join the samepany as her beloved boyfriend. Touching, isn''t it?" "Chief William, I don''t understand what you''re implying." "Nothing much. I just feel sorry for you. As far as I know, Kael Technology''s janitorial department is nning to recruit some new people. Your mother''s condition fits perfectly. This way, she''ll only need to work one job and earn three times more than her previous three jobsbined." "I also feel sorry for your girlfriend. She has a promising resume and might have had the chance to join Kael Technology, just like you, enjoying the envy of her peers and other university ssmates. As employees of Kael Technology, you wouldn''t have to worry about mortgages or car loans. Even your future children could attend the best schools funded by Kael Technology, receiving top-notch education. After graduation, they might easily join Kael Technology withoutpeting with millions of other graduates, thanks to their parents'' connections." The young male employee, sweating under the pressure from the burly man, still insisted, "Whatever you say can''t change the fact that you''re viting..." But before Famas could finish, Chief William interrupted him. "However, do you know what? All these good things are about to vanish because of your current action. Let me tell you the truth. Thepany is in a severe crisis now. Yourint will not only be ignored, but you will also be fired. Oh no, more likely, since you know somepany secrets, you might spend the rest of your life in prison." "Of course, you could choose another path. Follow my order, let the explorer teams in Y-78 and Y-80 continue mining in the ''Old World'' for thepany. If they sessfully excavate valuable ''Old World'' relics from ''Zero Dream'', not just me, but you too will be hailed as thepany''s saviors. With a promotion, you, as part of the management, could easily help your mother and girlfriend, as I just mentioned, right?" "Moreover, you know what''s most crucial? Even if they fail and die in ''Zero Dream'', it will be them, not you. Do you understand?" The young male employee wanted to say more, but he noticed the changed looks in his "colleagues''" eyes. No one supported him anymore. At that moment, amunication message suddenly appeared before the burly man. "Chief William, the advisory group from Sin City has arrived." "Understood, I''ll be right there." After responding to the message, William patted the young man''s shoulder meaningfully, even appointing him as his temporary deputy. The rest of the staff were to follow Famas'' orders. Then, without looking back, William left the monitoring room ¨C or rather, themand center. "Deputy Chief Famas, should we delete the record?" The young male employee hesitated for several seconds but eventually nodded. "Delete the record." Chapter 217 217: Opportunity

Chapter 217 Chapter 217: Opportunity ?

William sitting in his chair tapped his fingers on the desk. After shutting off the projector, he turned to his secretary. "Double-check every detail of the weing procedure, especially the press and security. There should be at least one... no, tell those in the security department that we need two three-star security teams involved." "Two three-star teams, Chief William? Isn''t that a bit excessive? I''m afraid the security department might not agree," the secretary said, slightly troubled by the burly man''s sudden change of ns. Kael Technology, as a "protective umbre"pany providing security services, had its Security Department as one of its most outstanding business units, training numerous well-equippedbat personnel. Thesebat personnel were categorized into five security levels, from one-star to five-star, based on their weapon equipment, level and extent of cyborg enhancements, cooperativebat abilities, and other factors. The most popr teams for external hire were the one and two-star teams, typically used for guarding corporate facilities and handling simple daily disputes. These teams had a low level of cybeic enhancements and were usually equipped with pistols produced by Kael Technology. However, the three-star teams represented a significant shift in nature. Every member of these teams was equipped with at least three C-gradebat prosthetics. Their firearms included rifles and submachine guns, all equipped with thetest Kael smart chips, making them thepany''s elite force. Three-star security teams were generally employed in scenarios involving corporate and gang disputes, where they might face gang retaliation, terrorist attacks, orrge-scale shootouts. Their price was five to six times higher than the one and two-star teams. Given this context, assigning one three-star team to a mere weing duty had already caused some displeasure in the Security Department. Now to add another one... "It doesn''t matter. If the security department is reluctant, just throw ourpany''s stock market report in their faces," William said with a cold snort, as a financial report and a record of a failed secret operation were transmitted to the secretary''s tablet. Dragon Nation, as the primary arms client of Kael Technology, had tried to contact Kael Technology for protection from the Mechanical Alliance after an incident. At that time, especially the Security Department of Kael Technology, believed the minister Charl,?still had residual value. Thus, they dispatched a four-star armed force, equipped with a battalion of the most advanced armored vehicles and fighter jets, in an attempt to extract Charl. However, the oue was disastrous. Not only did they fail to smuggle Charl out, but the entire armed force was also annihted, with no one returning alive. Most terrifyingly, they couldn''t even capture an image of the enemy; it was unknown what overwhelming force had destroyed them. This secret operation''s failure elerated the exposure of the rtionship between Charl and Kael Technology, uncovering a plethora of dark dealings between the two. Even thepany''s calctions suggested that it was highly probable that the Empress herself had intervened. Somehow this rumor leaked, leading to the current stock market crash of Kael Technology. If it weren''t for the Security Department''s overzealous smuggling operation, Kael Technology wouldn''t have fallen into its current state. William, with a grim expression, rose from his chair and walked to the office window. Sensing his approach, the window shifted from dark to light, allowing William to gaze down at the bustling crowds of the Dream City below, appearing as ants to someone hundreds of meters above in a skyscraper. If nothing was done, Kael Technology might not copse in a few months, but the board members would be doomed, and he, as the Chief Administrator, would also be ousted. Then, someone else would be standing in this high-rise office, and he would be one of those ants on the street below, looked down upon by others. "To save the plummeting stock price, we need to release even bigger good news to restore confidence in Kael Technology. But we alone aren''t enough; we need the backing of the Sin City advisory group to give it enough weight. Do you understand?" "The Research and Development Department has made a huge investment, bringing out our most core ''Relic'' technology for disy. Before the press conference, nothing must go wrong with this advisory group. Even if the security guys mess up, they must not!" "Understood Chief William. I''ll arrange it right away," the secretary replied, trembling slightly under the burly man''s anger. Afterprehending the stakes involved, she finally understood why William had so eagerly secured the role of host for Kael Technology in inviting the Sin City advisory group, even advancing the timeline. It was all to leverage the influence of Sin City to create a major news story: that Kael Technology had mastered an advanced "Ancient Relic" technology that even the top schrs and doctors from Sin City couldn''t decipher. The news had to be as sensational as possible. ns were made to spend money on trending searches and top headlines in the Dream City to immediately drive people to buy Kael Technology stocks, addressing the crash caused by the Dragon Nation situation. "Wait, there''s one more thing," William called out to his secretary, who was about to rush off after their hurried meeting. Having returned to his chair, he stopped her for a final instruction. "After this current ''Zero Dream'' cycle ends, have the security department arrest that employee. Use the pretext of leakingpany secrets. Then hand him over to the police connected with us. Don''t bother with jail; just arrange an ''ident'' for him." The secretary nced at the employee information William had sent her. It was a young man named Famas. She understood what this meant and quickly nodded, recalling her own moment of hesitation in following William''s orders, which now sent a chill down her spine. Watching the secretary''s hastened departure from his office, William shook his head. From the moment they joined Kael Technology, in a nicer phrasing, these employees became thepany''s people, assets at its disposal. But in harsh reality, they were all thepany''s dogs. And a disobedient dog, obviously, was not worth keeping. Of course, William didn''t deny that he, too, was one of those ''dogs.'' That''s why he was so eager to climb higher, to one day stand at the very top of the Kael Tower! Previously, William saw no hope. Being the chief of the administrative department was his ceiling. For someone without the backing of a financial conglomerate, the path to higher promotion was closed. But now, things were different. The crisis Kael Technology faced was a disaster for thepany but an opportunity for him. This was why William was fighting so desperately. If he could seize this chance to save thepany from its dire straits, With this in mind, the administrative chief opened the virtualputer on his desk and began to meticulously review the photos of the entire Sin City advisory group once more. Chapter 218 218: Arrival

Chapter 218 Chapter 218: Arrival ?

Renji listened to the flight attendant''s announcement, looking out the window beside him. Eileen had already been peering out, her face filled with immense excitement, gazing down at the mechanized city below, which was entirely different from both the Holy Kingdom and the Dragon Nation. Observing the towering skyscrapers rising from the ground, with aerial tracks weaving between them and trains speeding along, it really looked like a steel jungle. Renji had woken up an hour ago. Unlike airne travel on Blue Star(Earth), which also took more than twenty hours, staying on this aircraft felt no different from a night in a hotel. Even more so, after Keyji shared his V10 super membership, it was even better than a five-star hotel. Of course, few were as rxed as Renji and Eileen, probably only Keyji and his group. Most schrs and doctors on the aircraft did not feel rxed about arriving in Dream City. On the contrary, under Renji''s observation, many appeared in a state of readiness, with several even having dark circles under their eyes, probably having not slept during the twenty-plus hour flight. If Renji were to describe it, it was like when he was a child participating in the national math Olympiad team, going to internationalpetitions. It was the kind of nervousness felt right before entering the examination room, fearing poor performance that might embarrass the country. Fifteen minutes passed quickly, and soon the aircraft wove between buildings before finally hovering above a spacious, clearly demarcated za. Looking down from the aircraft, Renji saw the "wing-shaped" logo in the center of the za. Having crammed a lot of rted information during the flight, Renji knew that whenever this wing logo appeared, it signified ownership by Kael Technology. The steel disc slowly descended, and after a final burst of white vapor, the voice announcement indicated apletending, and the aircraft''s doors opened. Under the guidance of Caroline, the team leader, the group of schrs and professors from the advisory group disembarked in turn. Their luggage and other carry-on items were taken care of by staff and did not require their attention. As soon as he disembarked from the aircraft, Keyji looked around. When he saw Renji and Eileen, who, like him, seemed well-rested and energetic ¨C obviously having had a good sleep on the aircraft ¨C he was certain that Renji must have also "used backdoor connections" to get here. After all, the real experts were all nervous, eager to seize every moment to continue their research on the flight, discussing what breakthroughs in ancient studies Kael Technology might present. Only "ckers" like them could lie down sofortably without a care in the world, naturally resulting in a good night''s sleep and high spirits! Thinking of this, Keyji immediately ran over to Renji, not liking to be alone. Although Renji mentioned he would be meeting old friends, they could still keep each otherpany during the event. "Bro! Haven''t seen you overnight, yourplexion looks great, I''m relieved. How about it, was my V10 useful?" "Indeed, it''s something." Renji affirmed and highly praised Keyji. "Haha, d you enjoyed it. If you like it, I might just give you one someday." Keyji waved his hand generously, but he quickly felt that, as soon as he said this, not only Renji but also Renji''s female assistant looked at him with even more fervent eyes. This made Keyji curse himself inwardly. Although 800,000 ashen coins were just a gift for him, it was a show of wealth in the eyes of ordinary people, and Keyji hated showing off wealth the most! Especially in front of a friend''s girlfriend ¨C that was not appropriate at all. Renji also noticed Eileen''s "fiery" gaze and fully understood the girl''s -"let''s just rob this guy right now"-intention, so he nudged her with his elbow to calm her down a bit. "Cough cough, well... Hey! Brother Renji, it seems like Kael Technology really values us, huh? Wow, look at this security!" After coughing twice, Keyji quickly changed the subject. When he looked around the za again, he showed a surprised expression. Regarding this, Renji had already noticed. There were fifteen people in each small team, with one team on each side, firmly protecting them in the center. They were all fully armed, gun- toting guards. The circuit patterns visible on their foreheads indicated that their bodies were likely heavily cybeized, probably capable of detecting and capturing even a mosquito entering their vicinity with their cybeic eyes. Keyji: "No wonder it''s Kael Technology, this security is really impressive. But what''s with this group of journalists? Do they really need to make such a big fuss over us?" Following Keyji''sint, Renji also turned his gaze towards the other group present. Unlike the well-trained security team, this restless and agitated crowd seemed to boil over as soon as they saw their advisory group disembark from the aircraft. Those carrying various sizes of recording equipment immediately turned on their lights and pointed their cameras at the group of over fifty ancient studies schrs from Sin City. And the men and women, wearing badges of "XX Newspaper," "XXX Radio Station," were frantically trying to push towards them. However, due to the security personnel''s intervention, they could only get within five or six meters of them. They stretched their microphones towards them desperately, while shouting various questions they wanted to ask. "There are rumors that this year''s schrs from Sin City are the most outstanding in recent years. What''s your opinion on this?" "How do you view the fact that Sin City has not released any new research findings for seven consecutive years?" "Regarding the turmoil in Dragon Nation, is it really rted to the statement made by Lady Lena in the Upper House: ''It doesn''t matter, I will intervene''?" "There''s a popr rumor that Kael Technology is secretly conducting some illegal experiments internally. Will this be your excuse to deny the academic exchange meetingter?" "What''s your view on the current significant copse of Kael Technology''s stock market? Is there any retaliatory action by Lady Lena behind this?" "Does Lady Lena, who is over 500 years old, actually have a boyfriend?!!" Chapter 219 219: Prosperity Together

Chapter 219 Chapter 219: Prosperity Together

Kael za is directly connected to thepany''s building. After disembarking from the aircraft, the Sin City advisory group, under strict security measures, didn''t have to face any media interviews and quickly entered the interior of the Kael Technology building escorted by personnel security. However, Keyji, who was beside Renji, couldn''t help but look back three steps at a time towards the throng of journalists barred outside the building, not with a look of regret on his face, but rather filled with anger. He wasn''t much interested or concerned about the other questions, but particrly... "The heck Bro, you shouldn''t have stopped me just now. These journalists are getting more and more shameless for the sake of sensationalism! Asking whether Lady Lena has a boyfriend, pah! How could Lady Lena belong to just one person? If she truly belongs to anyone, it''s to all the people of Sin City!" Listening to the ranting of this rich second-generation, Eileen, who was traveling with them,ughed. Filled with curiosity, the girl asked, "But what if that day reallyes, and someone steals your public lover?" "Impossible! Absolutely impossible! All of us in Sin City would never agree to that. If he wants to steal our Lady Lena, he''ll have to step over our dead bodies first! As long as a single Sin City citizen''s blood flows, he wouldn''t even dream of getting close to our Lady! Right, Bro? You must think the same!" Surprised by the young man''s gaze seeking affirmation, Renji was taken aback. He hadn''t expected Lena to be so popr among the people of Sin City, to the point where even a rich second-generation seemed brainwashed. Even now, Keyji''s expression had transcended the mundane, almost like a moonlit night. "Indeed, my feelings for Lady Lena are as steadfast as my faith in the Goddess." "Eh, Brother, you''re a follower of the Holy Church?" Keyji was immediately surprised. Renji nodded: "I am a loyal follower of Suthia." Hearing this, the young man immediately showed respect. Thinking back to how Renji hadpared his steadfast faith to his loyalty to Lady Lena, he felt inferior and gave a thumbs-up. "Brother, your awareness and devotion to Lady Lena is high. I still have a long way to go and need to learn from you!" "No, no, no, that''s not necessary." Seeing the young man''s puzzled expression after Renji''s words, Eileen, who was enjoying the fun, didn''t forget to take a jab at Keyji: "Mainly because even if you want to, you can''t learn this." "That''s true, as for me and religion, better leave it be." Keyji nodded in understanding and then began to express his feelings to Renji that this academic exchange was essentially just like being in prison. He didn''t expect Kael Technology to be so harsh, starting to bother them right after they got off the aircraft. In the young man''s view, either you enforce strict security without allowing journalists in, or if you let them in, let them interview. He would have liked to give those unscrupulous journalists a piece of his mind. But now, the situation was neither here nor there, and it seemed like they were just trying to annoy them. Renji, however, shook his head. "I think you''re misunderstanding Kael Technology. I guess they are also in a dilemma. They want to publicize our arrival through the journalists, but they''re also afraid of illegal elements among them causing us harm. So, they chose a middle ground." "Really? What''s the point of going to such lengths?" Eileen still didn''t quite understand after hearing this, but Keyji seemed to have an epiphany, his eyes suddenly widening in excitement as he understood something. "Wait! I get it! They want to create hype using us! Kael Technology''s stocks have plummeted, and the market urgently needs some good news from theirpany. They want to use us and this academic exchange to promote their new weapon technology! That way, people will see that even the high-end technology that we in Sin City can''t unravel, Kael Technology has managed to develop. This could then boost their stock price, which plummeted due to the Dragon Nation issue!" "No wonder... no wonder! I was wondering why my sister, who dotes on me so much, would be so heartless to send me here. Now I get it, she was hinting at this." "Just need to buy Kael Technology''s stocks at a low price now and then sell them high when the exchange meeting starts, and their new technology gets reported and publicized. Their stock price will skyrocket, and I''ll make a killing!" Keyji became more and more excited as he spoke. This rich second-generation, who had stumbled upon this opportunity to make a fortune, didn''t forget to remind Renji to join in on the wealth. "Brother, buy low, sell high, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make money! If you have some spare cash, you should take advantage of our first-hand information and quickly buy Kael Technology''s stocks!" Actually, Keyji''s idea wasn''t wrong, but there''s a prerequisite: the technology not only needs to be sufficiently shocking, it also needs to create a monopoly. Otherwise, if the Sin City advisory group manages to research and understand it in a few days during the exchange meeting, it would be a joke. But seeing the young man''s eagerness to buy stocks from the "enemy," it''s clear that he has a lot of "confidence" in their own camp''s strength. Renji didn''t have much to say about that, only smiling and indicating that he currently had no such ns, while internally realizing why so many rich second-generations don''t engage in serious business, and instead indulge in eating, drinking, and gambling. It''s not that their families don''t care, but as in the case of Keyji, if he were to "engage in serious business," he might just end up losing their family fortune even faster. After discovering this business opportunity, Keyji was no longer interested in chatting with Renji. He focused all his attention on his phone, seemingly contacting his circle of friends in a frenzy to raise funds and borrow money, preparing to make a big move and recover all his previous losses. Meanwhile, the advisory group, having entered thepany building, was now led to a special VIP hall. In the center of the hall stood a burly man with a wide back and shoulders, still prominent despite wearing arge suit. Such a figure in the Mechanical Alliance is usually a symbol of high- degree cybeization. The burly man seemed to have been waiting there for a while and quickly approached Caroline, the leader of the group, as they appeared. "I''m delighted to meet you, Miss Caroline. I am William, the head of the administrative department of Kael Technology, responsible for this academic exchange event." "Nice to meet you, Administrator William." After a brief handshake between the leaders, William turned his attention to the Sin City schrs. "I see everyone looks a bit tired, which Ipletely understand, having traveled for over twenty hours. How about we cancel this afternoon''s schedule? I''ll arrange amodations for everyone to rest well tonight, and we can start fresh tomorrow?" William''s suggestion wasn''t immediately answered by Caroline, who instead turned to look at the schrs and professors behind her. Soon, a schr with slightly white temples, probably over sixty years old, wearing thick sses and slightly hunched, stepped forward. Chapter 220 220: Branding Technology

Chapter 220 Chapter 220: Branding Technology

This old schr with white temples was evidently highly respected within the entire Sin City advisory group, holding significant prestige. After he spoke, many schrs behind him echoed his sentiments. Team leader Caroline didn''t express any opinion on this. She was only responsible for ensuring the smooth progress of the academic exchange. As for the rest, these schrs from Sin City, being precious talents, had a great deal of freedom to choose. "So it''s true what they say about schrs from Sin City being eager for knowledge, a model for the entire academic world. Now I see it''s well-deserved. I understand, then let''s have our research department''s Tia lead you to the ''Research Corridor''." William nodded. After he finished speaking, a beautiful blonde, blue-eyed female researcher standing behind him stepped forward and bowed slightly to the Sin City advisory group. The rest of the activity was no longer rted to William. The head of the administrative department seemed to have other tasks to attend to and left in a hurry after a few more instructions. Now led by the researcher named Tia, the group soon left the VIP hall and entered a technologically advanced corridor. "In the ''Research Corridor'', you will see the results of each phase of our research department. Moreover, these exhibits are not models, but actual one-to-one real objects. Next, I will exin each one to you in turn, helping you better understand Kael Technology andy the foundation for our subsequent academic exchange." Laying the foundation Many schrs frowned upon hearing this. It seemed like Kael Technology wasn''t nning to reveal the main course yet and was going to waste their time showing them other trinkets? However, as one so-called "trinket" after another was disyed and introduced by Tia in the corridor, many schrs in the advisory group started to concentrate and take it seriously. "sma V-Type Cluster, taken from [Ancient Relic-051], is one of the keyponents of the ''Levitating Superconductor Cannon,'' providing it with a more efficient and faster charging speed." "This weapon, named the ''Thunder Staff,'' is based on the ability to control thunder and lightning from [Ancient Relic-027], modified and imitated, finally sessfully reproducing its properties. Unfortunately, at present, it can only produce enough electricity to fell a tree, far less than 10% of the power of 027." "Miasma Purifier, whose design idea originated from [Ancient Relic-012], can collect andpress extremely dangerous Miasma radiation and pollution, forming a rtively stable and less polluting liquefied state. However, due to several research members developing physical difort under the influence of Relic-012, the subsequent project for a ''solidifier'' was suspended." "This one is derived from [Ancient Relic-654]." As Tia continued her crisp exnations, Eileen looked around at the serious expressions of the surrounding schrs, feeling somewhat puzzled, especially upon seeing their astonishment at the Miasma Purifier, which only made her more baffled. She nudged Renji, whispering, "Doctor, don''t you think these are just so-so? Aren''t they overreacting a bit?" "No, I''d say I''m now convinced that Kael Technology is indeed quite impressive." Renji''s sentiment was not surprising. To put it simply, Kael Technology at present is like an ancient person trying to figure out how to use a ''smartphone''. To understand how to ''turn it on,'' they might have to disassemble the phone and trace each circuit and electronicponent, even for something as simple as pressing the power button. Renji found Kael Technology impressive because, although he is a "modern" person who not only knows how to turn on a smartphone and use its applications, and what each application does, if asked to replicate a smartphone, he would find it challenging. Kael Technology, however, has seeded, even if they have only replicated 10% of it, it''s still a replication. For instance, the Miasma Liquefier, which Eileen was least impressed by, clearly possesses capabilities more advanced than the one developed by the mad scientist they encountered in the Holy Kingdom''s Callewa gang. More importantly, it can be mass-produced. For Renji, indeed, he could easily create a Miasma crystal with a purity hundreds of times higher, but that ability belonged only to him. However, if Kael Technology continues to develop and research, perhaps one day, everyone will be able to hold such a purifier, and everyone will have the capability to purify Miasma. Of course, whether this phenomenon is good or bad, Renji doesn''t judge. He simply acknowledges the strength of Kael Technology in his mind. Furthermore, Renji''s focus was actually on another aspect, which was also the potential reason for the increasing shock among the schrs. It wasn''t hard to notice that the new products in the ''Research Corridor'' were all rted to one term ¡ª [Ancient Relics]. The question then arises: how did Kael Technology manage to acquire so much information and intelligence on so many [Ancient Relics]? Renji already had a rough guess in his mind. Soon, without much waiting, as if reaching the climax of the exhibition, Tia led the advisory group to a small shooting range within the corridor. They observed a small handgun in a sealed disy, apparently the product they were to be shown. As the schrs wondered, the previously mentioned white- haired elder was the first to squint his eyes, which, though somewhat murky, still gleamed brightly. He immediately focused on a particr part of the handgun. When the other professors followed his gaze, they noticed that the handgun had three strange indentations. And on one of these indentations, there was a strangely patterned object that was shing an enigmatic light. "The technology I am about to introduce to you does not belong to any modification of [Relics], or rather, it is the [Ancient Relic] itself that we have restored. It is the emergence of this technology that has allowed us to make breakthroughs in [Dream Zero] and explore many unknown territories, uncovering more and more ancient relics." "The more we study this technology, the more we discover its beauty. It''s an artistic beauty, unlike other [Ancient Relics]. Composed merely of patterns, when arranged in specificbinations, they can endow all sorts of unimaginable and incredible powers. The researchers at Kael Technology unanimously believe that any other new name for them would be a desecration. Therefore, we followed the name used for them five hundred years ago and called it Branding Technology." Chapter 221 221: Is This Thing Really That Advanced?

Chapter 221 Chapter 221: Is This Thing Really That Advanced?

Merely exining the function wasn''t enough to satisfy. Afterwards, Tia walked into the shooting range and, using her authority, unlocked the seal of the handgun, took it out, and fired at a target in the range. *Bang!* It hit the bullseye. Apart from Tia''s impressive marksmanship, the handgun seemed no different from ordinary firearms. But then, Tia raised the handgun again and fired at another new target beside it. *Bang... Boom!* A violent explosion sounded in the corridor, amplified by the echoes, deafening. Even Keyji, who had been focused on his phone beside Renji, was startled by this and pulled his attention back from his phone to the scene. In the shooting range, one target had a normal bullet hole in the center, but the other... the entire upper half of the target had turned into arge hole, as if it had been sted by some kind of artillery shell. Theparison was stark. Tia the shooter remained the same, but the differencey in the firearms used. Specifically, it was the mysterious pattern in the third indentation on the second firearm that lit up when fired. "Slot three Branding, codename [Explosion], tentatively ssified as a ''single'' Branding group. Its effect is to grant the next attack an ''explosive'' effect, causing 240% power in area damage, with a 10-second cooldown for recharging." During Tia''s exnation, the recently destroyed targets in the range were swiftly reced by the staff with new ones, this time simting high-speed dodging moving targets. Then Tia turned back to face the range, still holding the same handgun. However, observant schrs noticed that the mysterious pattern in the indentations of the handgun had changed. This time, it wasn''t the third indentation that lit up, but a new pattern that simultaneously lit up in the first and second indentations. Following a ''bang'' of the gun, despite the target being a more difficult moving one, Tia didn''t even seem to aim properly. It looked like she casually fired a shot, and even the direction of the muzzle was significantly off from the target. But then, the fired bullet, as if controlled by some mysterious force, adjusted its trajectory. Even the high-speed dodging moving target was hit precisely in the center when it finally stopped. The advisory group could clearly see the bullet hole piercing right through the bullseye. "Slots one and two Branding, codename [Elf], tentatively ssified as a ''Component'' Branding group. Its effect allows the weapon to achieve a ''guaranteed hit'' for a period of time. Of course, as per our tests, the target needs to be within the weapon''s range, and the attack form won''t change; it can be blocked." After the two demonstrations, Tia ced the handgun back in its original sealed slot and smiled at the Sin City advisory group. Despite Tia''s beauty, which could be seen from the expression of Keyji beside Renji as if he had encountered the unreal beauty from his airne musings, the reaction of the other schrs in the advisory group seemed to be the opposite. Indeed, whether it was the earlier area explosion damage or the current bullet tracking, with Sin City''s technology, it was possible to replicate for a handgun. But the question was: "Can this Branding technology be applied to any weapon?" a schr couldn''t help but ask. After receiving a nod of confirmation from Tia, many schrs from the Sin City advisory group began discussing more intensely. The reason was simple. Take "bullet tracking" for example, the moreplex the firearm, the greater the difficulty. It''s easy to implement bullet tracking in a handgun, but what about rifles, submachine guns, or even missiles,sers, or nuclear bombs? However, Kael Technology with Branding technology could achieve this universally, just by equipping any weapon with the "three indentations" of Branding technology. "It doesn''t seem tooplex. If we follow this project, it shouldn''t be difficult to achieve, right?" Some younger schrs were optimistic, but the white-haired elder professor shook his head. He didn''t exin directly but instead asked Tia. "What would happen if you swap the Brandings in slots one and two?" Tia performed the demonstration and found that although the mysterious pattern still lit up, it lost the previous effect of guaranteed uracy, behaving like a normal firearm. Seeing his assumption confirmed, the elder professor nodded. He didn''t need Tia''s exnation; through these demonstrations, he had already formed a rough hypothesis and analysis of the Branding technology. "The real difficulty of Branding technology, besides the carrier and the engraving artistry, lies in how to arrange andbine these Brandings. From Miss Tia''s introduction, as well as the three indentations, it''s clear that Brandings can be single, double, or triple. If they are not arranged in the correctbination, the Brandings will not be able to produce their effects." "When we obtain an unknown Branding, we need to first determine whether it is a single or aponent. If it''s a single, it''s much simpler; we just need to test it in slots one, two, or three. But if it''s aponent, we need to find its other half, or other two halves, and then test which positions they each should be in. Theplexity of this arrangement andbination..." The elder professor didn''t continue, just shook his head in amazement. Then, Tia showed respect to the Sin City elder professor and affirmed, "You are right. To put it in a more understandable way, you can think of Branding technology like a chemical element with at most threebinations." Describing Brandings in terms of the periodic table of elements, many schrs instantly understood theplexity and profundity. Each single Branding is like a single element, and thebined Brandings are likepounds. Only by correctly arranging andbining elements can effectivepounds be formed, and it''s the same with Brandings. "Incredible! Brother Renji, Kael Technology has really invested heavily this time! To make such technology public, only a cross- era technology like this could offset the losses they faced in Dragon Nation." Seeing even the rich second-generation as if having an epiphany, excitedly, Eileen couldn''t help but wonder. "Is this thing really that advanced?" Although Keyji''s "professor" title seemed somewhat superficial, he was still a professor. Seeing Eileen beside him with a "Is that all?" expression, he couldn''t help but shake his head internally. Renji was bold to bring such an inexperienced lover along. "Miss Eileen, let me put it this way for you. What Kael Technology is doing now is like revealing an ancient version of the periodic table, and they have already mastered many ''forms'' inparison to others. It''s like you''re still studying theponents of oxygen, but others have already grasped water and even more advancedpoundponents." On the other hand, seemingly to confirm Keyji''s words, Tia then made a stunning announcement that shocked the entire Sin City advisory group. "Now that all of you have a general understanding of Branding technology, Kael Technology hopes to coborate with Sin City on ourtest acquisition of a Branding set ¨C a three-piece module." ''A three-piece set!?'' The advisory group was abuzz with surprise, and even the leading elder professor took a deep breath. As mentioned before, Brandings are categorized as single, double, and triple sets, with theirbinationplexity exponentially increasing. And here Kael Technology was, introducing a ''three- piece set'' while they were just beginning to understand the technology? "Bad news, my goal of a billion is too small. I need to set several more such goals," murmured Keyji, who was already frantically operating his phone to borrow money and buy Kael Technology stocks. As for Eileen She couldn''t take it anymore. She stealthily reached behind her clothes and touched the two blood wine cup patterns on her back, resembling tattoos, divided into "upper" and "lower" parts. These were given to her by Renji in the Holy Kingdom and yed a crucial role in the sewer battle against Maria, possessed by Suthia, and the test subjects. They granted her the ability to be "stronger with each kill" In the more professional terms of Renji, it seemed to be called ''infinite energizing''. Taking advantage of others not paying attention, Eileen gently tugged at Renji''s sleeve. When Renji looked over at the girl as if she had just realized how precious the item Renji had casually given her was, she carefully ventured to ask: "Doctor, that Branding thing they''re talking about... it wouldn''t happen to be what I have on my back, right?" "You guessed it right," Renji nodded. Eileen instantly gasped in surprise, then asked with some nervousness, "Then about my thing, I have two Brandings on my back... they wouldn''t happen to be..." "Yes, it''s a two-piece set. I''m still considering what to use for the middle one, so it''s been left empty for now." Chapter 222 222: Phantom Dream Zero and the Old World

Chapter 222 Chapter 222: Phantom Dream Zero and the Old World

----- Eileen was left in disarray, while Renji''s thoughts returned to Tia''s earlier words. A three-piece set. Renji had guessed that Kael Technology would use "Branding Technology" as a lifeline when he first met Tia. In the game, the Branding system was a key development systemparable to the ''equipment'' of Eclipse, often greatly enhances thebat power of Eclipse. A good set of Brandings could lead to a qualitative change, where one plus one equals a hundred in effect. Take Eileen''s previous state with the Branding [Raise a ss]for example. In her ''Annihtion'' state, she could infinitely stack her attack power as long as there were enemies. It was the chemical reaction of her skills and Branding that allowed Eileen to send Maria, who was many levels higher than her, flying with a single punch. Kael Technology''s research on the basic theories of Brandings is sound, and Renji is well aware that although there are excellent single and two-piece Brandings, the truly powerful ones are always theplete three-piece sets. Separates can never match the power of a full three-piece set. Considering the number of Brandings in the game, as someone who hadpleted the entire catalogue, Renji knew there must be hundreds of sets. These are sets, not solo pieces, and if counting solo Brandings, there could be thousands. In the game''s perspective, he could see each Branding''s name, its rightful position, and its corresponding attributes and effects. But obviously, the people of theter world do not have this ability. Renji could tell at a nce if two Brandings belong to the same series, but for Kael Technology, they might have to try one by one among hundreds or thousands of Brandings, like finding a needle in a haystack. ''No. There must be other methods; otherwise, the efficiency would be too low. Perhaps through theparison of simrities in patterns or from the historical background of the Brandings?'' ''This might be why it''s connected to "Ancient Studies"'' Even so, Renji could imagine what aplex and massiveputational workload this was. Kael Technology''s attempt here is not as simple as in the game, where you just put them together. They might spend weeks just trying onebination, replicating a Branding and then engraving it in the corresponding position. So, Renji affirmed Kael Technology''s ability to present aplete three-piece Branding set, and he was also curious about which set it might be. After Branding technology appeared in the Holy Kingdom, Renji saw little of it in the Dragon Nation, thinking most of it had been lost. However, he was surprised to discover it being utilized so prominently at Kael Technology. Of course, while Renji affirmed Kael Technology''s achievements in Branding, he noticed they were still trapped in some misconceptions. For instance, a schr from Sin City asked Tia, "Can this Branding system be applied to living beings?" While the question was about ''living beings,'' it was clear that they were actually referring to humans. Imagine the implications if such powerful abilities could be applied directly to humans. Wouldn''t everyone potentially be superhuman beings,parable to Eclipses? However, Tia firmly shook her head in response. "Unfortunately, after many experiments, we have found that the likelihood of applying Branding technology to living beings is nearly zero. If a living being forcefully receives a Branding, and thebination is incorrect, it would cause severe and irreversible mutations and mental contamination, transforming them into Tainted monsters. Even using known Brandingbinations, we have yet to find any host body that can withstand the pressure of Brandings, even among Eclipses who volunteered for experiments from confinement prisons." Tia added a note afterward. Although the whole world holds a negative view of Eclipses, different countries have specific attitudes towards them. For instance, the Holy Kingdom has zero tolerance, considering Eclipses as extremely dangerous peoples. In contrast, Dragon Nation doesn''t allow ordinary people to be Eclipses but turns a blind eye within the military, using the new term "Relic Users" as a substitute. In the Sin City and the Mechanical Alliance, due to their more developed and humane approach, discovered Eclipses are often confined to solitary cells or prisons for treatment. This is because these two countries are the most likely to produce Eclipses, as Miasma originates from mental and emotional states. The Sin City is known as the city of freedom and desire, while the Mechanical Alliance faces conflicts between cybeic bodies and humans. The higher the level of cybeization, the greater the risk of rejection reactions, mental disorders, and insanity. Some people go mad, while others be Eclipses. From Tia''s words, Renji discerned that Kael Technology had attempted multiple times to pair Brandings with Eclipses. However, given Tia''s definitive tone, they had universally failed, leading to the conclusion that Brandings cannot be applied to living beings. Renji gave a reassuring look to Eileen, who nced over nervously. Additionally, applying Brandings to weapons was something not seen in the game before, opening apletely new avenue. ''It seems that people five hundred yearster are not just relying on old achievements'' However, speaking of relying on the past, Renji then asked Tia, "Miss Tia, so are these Branding models all discovered in [Dream Zero]? Could you share with us the progress Kael Technology has made in [Dream Zero]?" This time, without waiting for anyone else, Renji himself took the initiative to inquire. Renji hadn''t forgotten his purpose ining to the Mechanical Alliance, which was to find a way to enter ''Zero''s Dream''. So, when Tia brought up [Dream Zero] while introducing the Branding technology, Renji paid close attention. "You''re correct, all Brandings were incidentally discovered by ourpany while maintaining [Dream Zero]. As for the progress in [Dream Zero] you''re asking about, I''m sorry, but that''s confidential information that I''m not authorized to disclose." Though Renji received a vague exnation, it didn''t matter. His real goal was to steer the conversation here and then... "So what exactly is [Dream Zero]?" As expected, not all Sin City schrs were familiar with the term, and some younger ones showed confusion when the term reappeared. "[Dream Zero] is thergest and longeststing dreamwork that exists to this day. Due to its enormous size and content, we prefer to call it the Old Dream World, or the Old World." "The Old World?" Tia nodded to the puzzled schrs: "Yes. The genesis of this dreames from the Mechanical Alliance''s creator, the most advanced artificial intelligence entity in history, ''Zero''. The dream simtes ''Zero''s'' memories, depicting the apocalyptic Old World engulfed in Miasma five hundred years ago." "The Old World is filled with Miasma pollution, natural disasters, and countless monsters. More deadly, as I mentioned earlier, this dream, under the powerfulputation of ''Zero'', creates a high level of realistic immersion. This means that, unlike other dreams, death in [Dream Zero] results in the death of one''s psyche in reality. There have been numerous bloody cases to prove this fact." "To prevent further tragedies, the Mechanical Alliance, including Kael Technology, established a formalw a hundred years ago topletely block ess to Dream Zero, strictly prohibiting citizens from entering. Any unauthorized ess without permission is illegal. The supervision and maintenance of Dream Zero are now entirely managed by us." Chapter 223 223: Undermining

Chapter 223 Chapter 223: Undermining

Kael Technology generously showed them the production process of "Brand Weapons", which is actually very simple and can be summarized in three steps. First, enter the old world through "Dream Zero" and bring back the "master version" of the brand pattern to reality. Then, the most important step, is where the experts in "ancient studies"e into y. They research the connections between different brands, arranging andbining these unknown brands to produce an "effective" set of brand suits. Finally, the factory staff use nano-level ultra-high precision instruments to engrave and replicate the effective brand suits, eventually producing mass-producible sub-brands. Through these three steps, Renji quickly understood why Kael Technology was so generous and confident. After all, as the original source of the "Brands", Dream Zero, as introduced by Tia earlier, serves as a bannedwork area, or the dark web, essible only to a fewpanies permitted by the government. In other words, otherpanies wanting to research brand technology can''t even touch the threshold. The second threshold is this middle step. The prerequisite for mass-producing "sub-brands" is to understand the set and principles of the "master version" of the brands. Previously, schrs from Sin City had raised doubts. After all, with theputing power of the Mechanical Alliance, shouldn''t they quickly find the right set using brute force methods? However, the reality is that everybination must use the "master version" of the brands. Once the master version is used, it produces significant tainted miasma pollution. To ensure safety and stability, the cost of eachbination experiment is enormous. Even if cost is not a consideration, the "Brand''s" capacity to carry tainted miasma pollution is limited. After many attempts, Kael Technology concluded that each "Brand" can undergo a maximum of seven arrangement experiments per month. Exceeding this limit not only damages the brand but also triggers a serious pollution crisis. Therefore, this is why "ancient studies" experts are so important. Under the premise of enormous experimental costs and a strict limit on the number of experiments, each arrangement experiment is incredibly precious. If there are schrs who can recognize a part of the brands through their knowledge of ancient studies, even if it''s just providing a vague direction for thebination, it would be equivalent to saving Kael Technology experimental costs in the billions, greatly enhancing efficiency. This is why the following scene takes ce. The visit to Kael Technology, which started at five o''clock in the afternoon, continued until nine-thirty in the evening. After four and a half hours, the consultant group from Sin City returned to the VIP room where they started. William, the previously introduced organizer of the exchange meeting and now standing at the front of the stage, looked at the consultants from Sin City in the VIP room. His gaze especially lingered on a few schrs who were attracted by the brand project. Despite having toured for several hours, they seemed even more energetic and were engaged in intense discussions. William cleared his throat to draw the attention of the consultant group to himself. Then, with an extremely sincere expression, he earnestly said: "Ladies and gentlemen, I understand that the so-called academic exchange between Sin City and the Mechanical Alliance has for some reason turned into an activity of mutual boasting and undermining each other. Today, I, William, on behalf of Kael Technology, hope that we can return academic exchange to its original essence." "Our invitation to the professors, schrs, and doctors from Sin City is genuine. We truly hope that you will ept employment with Kael Technology and be part of ourpany''s family, to jointly research brand technology. Kael Technology promises to allocate the maximum resources for you and strive to meet all your research-rted demands and conditions." "Of course, we understand that deciding to work abroad is a significant decision that cannot be made in a moment. Therefore, we are giving you three days to consider. During these three days, Kael Technology will treat you as temporary employees, allowing you to experience life as part of thepany. During this time, all internalpany materials rted to ''brand technology'' will be open for you to freely browse and read." "After three days, if anyone among you is willing to ept a formal employment contract with Kael Technology, we will be honored and sincerely invite you to participate in the press conference we are preparing for that day. You will be a reviewer, a witness, and the first user of the ''three-piece set'' of brand weapons. After William''s speech, it evidently had a significant impact on the consultant group. Murmurs of discussion immediately arose in the VIP room, and from the expressions of the people, it was clear that Kael Technology''s move was truly unexpected. The young man beside Renji also seemed astounded, continuously patting Renji''s shoulder. "Goodness, is this for real? Brother Renji, it seems like Kael Technology is really going all out this time. Isn''t this too big a y? What is this, openly poaching people from our Sin City?" "But weren''t we originally here as consultants?" Renji asked. "Ah, but that was all just for show, right? Everyone thought it was just an excuse for Kael Technology to make us look bad. Who would have thought they were serious!" "But, hmph!" At this, Keyji let out a cold snort. Renji noticed that the young man''s face wasn''t really angry; it seemed more like he was amused. Because "Does Kael Technology really underestimate our schrs from Sin City? It is Sin City that nurtured us, and for everything we have today, we owe it to the graceful and beautiful City Lord. We live as Lady Lena''s people and die as Lady Lena''s dogs. Do they really think their tinypany can make us betray Sin City? Wishful thinking!" Clearly, Keyji belonged to the group that was extremely loyal to Sin City, especially to their City Lord, feeling a strong sense of belonging. Therefore, he naturally assumed that other schrs would be just like him, unwavering in the face of Kael Technology''s invitation. However, Renji, for the time being, did not question the young man''s description of Lena as "graceful and beautiful". Focusing on thetter part, Renji nced at the behavior of the schrs in the consultant group and shook his head. "Brother, I somehow feel that the situation isn''t as optimistic as you think." "What do you mean?" Upon hearing Renji''s words, Keyji was first puzzled, but then, following Renji''s gaze, he suddenly widened his eyes in disbelief. Because he saw that William, the head of Kael Technology, had now approached the gray-haired old professor in the consultant group, who had been very noticeable during the earlier visit and seemed to be the leader. Due to the distance, Keyji couldn''t hear what they were talking about, but just from the looks of it, the two seemed to be having a very pleasant conversation. Chapter 224 224: Joining the Company

Chapter 224 Chapter 224: Joining the Company

"Is that old professor very famous?" Renji had actually been paying attention to that old professor earlier, who was the first to analyze and specte on the "Brand Technology." "Very famous? Brother Renji, don''t tell me you''re one of those schrspletely detached from worldly affairs? You don''t even know Professor Einstein?" Keyji widened his eyes in disbelief. "Einstein?" "Yes, he''s on par with Professor Newton, a big shot in the ''Ancient Studies'' academic circle of our Sin City. He has published many papers on ancient studies, especially on the topic of the ''Great Emperor'', like ''Dawn of the Long Night - The Ashen Emperor''s Tale'', ''Stories of the Great Emperor'', ''Origins of the Ashen Empire'', and his most famous work, ''Challenging the Divine with a Mortal Body''." "Professor Einstein''s im to fame was his theory about the Great Emperor''s ''Ordinary Origins''. While many ancient studies schrs, and even the mainstream academicmunity, believed that the Great Emperor was born with an invincible bloodline, at least a Disaster Rank Eclipse, possessing unparalleled talent and overwhelming everything with sheer violence." "But only Professor Einstein insisted that the Great Emperor was of ordinary birth and lineage, even just amoner like you and me. The Great Emperor''s real extraordinariness was his heart, knowing the suffering of themon folk, striving to aid the world, to fight for all those in suffering, to conquer in all directions, and purify the Tainted Miasma as a savior!" "Professor Einstein used various historical texts and records to prove to the world that, in the Great Emperor''s lifetime, he never embezzled a single penny! Do you understand what that means? It''s like allocating every resource tobat the Tainted Miasma. Even when his power grew immense, the Great Emperor''s pure heart never wavered. Even his five personal guards, he never touched them once, and he didn''t leave even a single descendant until the end!" "Brother Renji, do you understand what that means? It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to call him a saint. With our temperament, let alone reaching the Great Emperor''s level of supreme power over the world, we might just settle down after gaining a little territory in the old world and start thinking about having children." Renji: "..." In the silence, Renji, on his left, Keyji, also a professor of "Ancient Studies", showed admiration and reverence for the Great Emperor, while on his right, Eileen looked at him with a strange expression. Looking at the young girl''s expression, it seemed as if she was saying, -"Can there be such a big change in five hundred years?"- Indeed. ''Now that I think about it, we, as "serious gamers," seem almost saint-like to the people in the game world. We never indulge in extravagance or abuse power, focusing solely on leveling up, gaining territory, and strategizing to strengthen our empires with minimal resources, wracking our brains over how to clear levels and defeat bosses'' ''Simply put we were professional!'' "So, it''s precisely because of Professor Einstein and his forever legendary quote ¨C ''Do you understand the Great Emperor, or do I understand the Great Emperor!?''" "Those schrs who thought the Great Emperor was extremelyscivious, only liking to y with women, didn''t dare to speak out. Otherwise, without Professor Einstein, if ancient studies continued on the wrong path, the consequences would be unimaginable." "The most ssic and outrageous example is the rumor that the Great Emperor''s personal guards, unable to tolerate it any longer, conspired to murder him in the end. It''s all ignorant nonsense! Ridiculous! Absurd!" Amidst Keyji''s furious denunciations, Eileen, sitting next to Renji, shrank her head; after all, she was one of the proponents of this twisted logic back then. Although she still believes so now, and even more firmly. Perhaps realizing he got a bit too excited after talking about Professor Einstein and deviated from the topic, Keyji quickly refocused on the present. "It shouldn''t be possible. Professor Einstein is so respected, a guiding star in our Sin City''s ''Ancient Studies'' field. How could a smallpany like Kael Technology possibly poach someone like him!" "Unless... unless" While Keyji was muttering to himself, it seemed that William and the gray-haired old professor had reached some sort of consensus. Both were smiling, and they even shook hands in the end. This made Keyji''s face fall noticeably. He quickly thought of a possibility. Only this possibility could make Professor Einstein leave Sin City and switch to Kael Technology. That is, "Brother Renji, could this Brand Technology be rted to the Great Emperor?" For Professor Einstein, who dedicated his life to "Ancient Studies," only something rted to the "Great Emperor" could make him waver and abandon everything. After all, for a schr, especially a top schr, knowledge is everything. "We''re doomed! Sin City''s ancient studies will probably regress by ten years now! No, no, that''s not right! Damn it! If even Professor Einstein is leaving, then the others..." Keyji''s worries soon became a reality. There was no need to wait until the third day. Many schrs at the scene, seeing that even Professor Einstein had signed a contract with William, no longer hesitated and chose to join Kael Technology. They weren''t after anything else, just the knowledge of "Brand Technology," much like how money is to a businessman, knowledge is always the best bait for a schr. As the leader of the consultant group, Caroline didn''t express any particr opinion on this. From the beginning, she made it clear that her responsibility was only the safety and coordination of the consultant group. As for the schrs inside, as citizens of the "Free City" of Sin City, she had no authority to restrict or bind them. Of course, there were still many schrs like Keyji who valued their sense of belonging to Sin City more than knowledge and remained unmoved by Kael Technology''s olive branch. For those who resisted the temptation and stayed true, Keyji felt deeply moved in his heart. Indeed, there were still people like him in Sin City, with the soul of Sin City. "Brother Renji, you surely wouldn''t¡ªeh!? Renji, Brother Renji, where are you going!??" Renji ignored Keyji''s attempts to hold him back and walked straight towards Tia, who seemed to be William''s subordinate, now signing employee contracts with many schrs. His original goal was to get into Kyle Company and then find a way into "Dream Zero." Moreover, he''s not a citizen of Sin City, so "switching sides" nowes with no pressure. And Renji believes in Lena, after all, how does that saying go? Right. ''This is part of the n'' Left in her seat, Eileen looked at Keyji next to her, who seemed to be saying, "I misjudged you!" The face of this wealthy second-generation now filled with indignation towards Renji. Eileen wanted tofort Keyji and defend Renji, but before the girl could speak, Keyji, seemingly turning his grief into strength, pulled out his phone. Then, under Eileen''s astonished gaze, Keyji tearfully bought several billion more shares of Kael Company. "Dr. Renji, the paperwork isplete. From today onwards, you are officially a member of Kael Technology. Wee to our big family. We hope that one day, you can be proud of Kael Technology, and Kael Technology can be proud of you." "Here is your work ID, badge, employee number, and a series of rted items, such as the employee handbook, work uniform, housing subsidy, financial application,boratory application, etc. Someone will deliver these to your residenceter." "Now, Dr. Renji, please don''t rush to leave. As part of thepany, Kael Technology ismitted to being responsible for the life safety and health of each employee. Soon, relevant staff wille to arrange medical insurance for every member of the Sin City consultant group, including you." "The medical insurance provided by the top medicalpany from the Dream City, ''Emergency Squad''," Tia added with a smile to Renji. Chapter 225 225: Emergency Squad

Chapter 225 Chapter 225: Emergency Squad ?

The well-developed and mature weapons industry, the virtually non-existent firearm managementws, and the booming prosthetic technology have all contributed to the simple and honest customs of the Dream City. Disagreements are settled with fists instead of words, and with submachine guns instead of pistols, reflecting the high respect that the people of the Dream City have for each other. It is in such an environment that the highly developed pharmaceutical industry has thrived. And ''Emergency Squad'' is a leader in this field. After Tia''s words, Renji returned to his seat, patiently waiting for the medical insurance process to begin. As someone who epted the invitation to be an official employee of Kael Technology, he could enjoy the "Silver Level" membership insurance package. For schrs from Sin City like Keyji, who were unwilling to switch jobs, they were only eligible for the most basic insurance package. The costs for these medical insurance packages were all covered by Kael Technology. Despite being a free benefit, many schrs felt it was a waste of time, as they were eager to start researching "Brand Technology." It was only after Caroline, the leader of the group, spoke that these schrs were forced to stay and ept the insurance. Soon after, there was amotion outside the building. Three to four medical vehicles with the "Red Cross" symbol parked at the entrance of Kael Technology''s building. These medical vehicles didn''t drive but flew in, their hovering jet devices slowly deactivating as the hovercraftnded smoothly. The doors opened, and out stepped not only the staff of the ''Emergency Squad'' but also a group of... nurses? Renji had already narrowed his eyes at the sight of these nurses from a distance, and Eileen next to him was also a bit surprised. When the Emergency Squad''s personnel officially entered the guest hall, closing the distance, Eileen was thoroughly convinced and couldn''t help but tug at Renji''s clothes vigorously. "Doctor, these people feel... a bit like ''86'', don''t they?" whispered Eileen to Renji, echoing the thoughts of many schrs from Sin City in the hall, all their gazes focusing on the group of nurses. To be precise, they were maid nurses. [Travelers from Sin City, hello and wee. Thank you for choosing the insurance service of ''Emergency Squad''. We aremitted to serving your health with the most advanced medical equipment and the best doctors in the Dream City. No matter where you are in the Dream City, we promise that as soon as we receive your distress signal, members of the Emergency Squad will reach you within fifteen minutes to safeguard your life] The leader of the Emergency Squad, even in attire, was different from ordinary people, resembling a doctor who just stepped out of an emergency room. d in a tightly sealed disinfection suit and a helmet with multiple electronic eyes, obscuring the face, the voice addressing Renji and other schrs from Sin City was electronically synthesized. This is why, in contrast, the nurses dressed in "maid outfits" stood out even more. [Please allow me to introduce theposition of our Emergency Squad to all of you] As the leader spoke, groups of five maid nurses, like machines obeyingmands, stepped forward in unison. [The Emergency Squad typically consists of threebat members, one medical staff, and one logistics personnel, making a total of five people per team. Countless teams like this remain online 24/7] Many schrs from Sin City were quite surprised to hear that in a medical team, there was only one doctor but threebat members, as they did not have a deep understanding of the Mechanical Alliance. [Please be assured about the personnel arrangement. This is the best team configuration we have concluded after a long period of exploration. Often, the health problems our customers encounter are caused by external factors. The three team members equipped withbat prosthetics are capable of handling most external threats that are within the scope of your insurance package.] Simply speaking might not have been very illustrative, so the leader then showed the schrs a short promotional video about the ''Emergency Squad''. From the video, the schrs finally understood what these so-called "external factors" meant. Gang shes, terrorist attacks, cyborg crazies, corporate wars, and government''s uwful enforcement ¨C if you''re harmed by any of these, regardless of the perpetrator, the Emergency Squad will rescue you from the "enemy" amidst gunfire and bombardments. [No matter how terrible the situation you encounter, you can absolutely trust them. They will never retreat a bit, even in the mostplex environments. Each of them will perform their duty to the fullest, even if it means sacrificing themselves to ensure the customer''s safety] [Of course, if your emergency is due to a natural cause like a sudden illness, that''s even better. Even though we only have one doctor, it has recorded all medical knowledge. It alone can provideprehensive treatmentparable to an emergency room, rescuing you from the brink of death.] "Hold on, recorded? And why do you keep using ''they'' for these individuals? Are you saying that the members of the Emergency Squad are actually..." A schr couldn''t help but ask at this point. The leader nodded in response. [That''s right. Each one of them is an intelligent mechanical life form, moremonly known as a bionic person. They are modeled after the highest intelligent life form ''Zero,'' so you don''t need to worry about their performance or their safety and well-being] The leader of the Emergency Squad''s synthesized electronic voice echoed in the ears of each schr from Sin City. [For intelligent mechanical life forms, the body is just a tool. As long as the consciousness chips stored in thepany''s database are not destroyed, they do not experience death. Any physical death for them is just temporary] [Simrly, you don''t have to worry about any ethical or legal disputes arising on the Emergency Squad. You don''t need to view them through human eyes. Intelligent mechanical life forms have their own set of ''world rules''] After a brief introduction of the ''Emergency Squad'', it was time for Tia from Kael Technology to individually insure the schrs from Sin City. The process of insurance was notplex. It only required Tia to provide the relevant documents, followed by facial recognition by the schrs themselves, and then the data was entered into the Emergency Squad''spany database. During this time, some schrs showed interest in the bionic members of the Emergency Squad, gathering around them. Among the crowd, Eileen was also seen observing. Having seen ''86'' before, Eileen had developed a strong interest in these Emergency Squad members who looked simr to ''86''. And to be honest, the girl didn''t really like the leader''s earlier statement, feeling somewhat ufortable with the implication that the lives of intelligent mechanical beings were somewhat less significant. However,ter, when Eileen discovered that these battlefield nurses did not possess emotional thinking like ''86'', but only cold, logical reasoning, and that conversing with them was like talking to aputer or using a search engine, she nodded in her heart, confirming that they were only simr in appearance to ''86'', andpletely different in every other aspect. Meanwhile, on the other side, Renji turned to Keyji. "Why don''t you go and get insured by Tia?" "Heh, no rush, I''ll wait until everyone else has gone," the young man replied to Renji with a mysterious smile. Getting insured by the Emergency Squad was the consultant group''s final activity for the day. The night had deepened, and it was past ten o''clock. After hurriedly getting insured, many schrs left with their assistants and researchers, heading to the hotel prepared by Kael Technology. While Renji and Eileen were observing those battlefield maids, most of the consultants in the VIP room had already left, with only thest dozen or so remaining. "So what do you n to do?" "Of course, I want to win one back for Sin City!" Keyji spoke righteously, his face full of a sense of mission. Renji looked at this rich second-generation with newfound respect, curious, "Win one back? How do you n to do that?" "Hmph, since Kael Technology is poaching people from Sin City, as a citizen of Sin City, I must poach someone from them too! Brother Renji, don''t try to persuade me, I''ve made up my mind. Before I leave, I must win over this Miss Tia!" Renji: "¡­" "I advise you it''s better not to do that." "Why?" "I''m afraid you won''t be able to handle it." After saying this, Renji, seeing that Eileen had finished her observation and was waving at him, got up from his seat to leave, leaving Keyji standing there, confused. ''What does he mean?'' ''Could it be that he''s worried Tia is from the Mechanical Alliance and won''t get along with someone from Sin City?'' Keyji immediately shook his head, feeling slightly offended, thinking that Renji was underestimating him. After all, he, Keyji, was quite the charming prince. Was there any woman he couldn''t win over? ''This time, the glory of Sin City would be upheld by me!'' As Keyji was secretly nning how to pursue this real-life beautiful researcher, Renji had already approached Tia with Eileen. Chapter 226 226: How Could That Be Possible

Chapter 226 Chapter 226: How Could That Be Possible

--- Although Eileen, as Renji''s assistant, could also join Kael Technology directly, her benefits would certainly not be on par with Renji''s, such as medical insurance. "Alright Miss Eileen, considering you choose not to install a prosthetic, here is your external insurance chip. In case of an irresistible danger, you just need to activate it, and the Emergency Squad members will arrive at the scene within fifteen minutes." "Oh, okay, thank you." After receiving the chip, roughly the size of a finger, Eileen suddenly thought of a question and couldn''t help asking: "What if the person who... um, gets into a conflict with me and endangers my life is also an insured member of the Emergency Squad?" "There are two scenarios in this case. If your membership level is higher than the other person''s, your Emergency Squad has the right to counterattack if necessary. If your membership level is lower or equal to the other person''s, regardless of the circumstances, the team members will only escort you away without engaging with the other party, even if they continue to attack." "That''s reasonable." Facing Eileen''s remarks, Tia just smiled and then quickly shifted her gaze to Renji, standing beside the young girl. "Dr. Renji, could you please hand me your Sin City ID card?" After Renji handed over his ID card, Tia inserted it into the device. Normally, it should be quickly processed with a ''ding'' sound indicating sessful insurance enrollment. But this time... "Uh? Please wait a moment." Tia''s fingers rapidly moved on the virtual keyboard, but soon she frowned, looking confused. "Dr. Renji, for some reason, it shows that you are already insured, but when I just checked your insurance record, I couldn''t find any rted information." Renji had guessed that ''Zero'' from the Emergency Squad might have provided him with their services, and perhaps even insured him, after encountering their field nurse at the Sea Sand Bar. However, when Renji checked the Emergency Squad''s official website earlier, he came to the same conclusion as Tia ¨C there was no record of him being insured. "I''m sorry, Dr. Renji. Would this be okay? I will follow up on this matter. It might be a system error at the Emergency Squad''s end. Once I have any information, I will contact you by email as soon as possible, alright?" "Sure, that would be great miss Tia, Thank you for your help." "Thank you for your kindness Dr. Renji. Here is my employee card. If you ce your card on it, we can establish contact." After Renji did as instructed, he added a new name to his personal contacts, alongside Keyji. Like the other schrs from Sin City, Renji didn''t stay long after that. He left thepany building with Eileen, where a car arranged by Kael Technology was waiting outside to take the consultants back to the hotel. Renji was among thest to leave. The Emergency Squad and William had left the VIP room earlier, and even Caroline had gone ahead with most of the schrs to the hotel. Keyji pretended to be busy on his phone and waited for a few more people to leave. Finally, when he was the only one left uninsured, he gestured to the schrs waiting for him to go back to the hotel to leave without him. Once everyone had left, Keyji smiled and looked around the now-empty VIP room, with only him and Tia remaining. "Dr. Keyji, may I have your Sin City ID card, please?" Despite having been a "tour guide" for half a day, Tia''s pretty face showed no signs of fatigue, maintaining the same smile for Keyji as she had for the first person. "Miss Tia, actually, I still have many things I don''t understand about Kael Technology. How about we add each other as friends so that I can ask you more questionster?" Keyji grinned, deliberately avoiding the topic of medical insurance and changing the subject. Tia maintained her professional smile in response but shook her head, "Dr. Keyji, for questions like that, you can contact me directly through corporatemunication." After being rejected, Keyji tried several more times to add Tia as a friend, but she refused each time, making his expression stiffen and even be slightly angry. Because "Why is it so hard to get Miss Tia''s contact? I just saw it, you didn''t do this with Brother Renji. You directly exchanged ID cards with Dr. Renji! Why can''t I do the same?" Keyji admitted that Renji was a bit more handsome than him, but the difference couldn''t be that big! "You are mistaken, Dr. Keyji. I added Dr. Renji because he had some private issues regarding insurance." "Damn! I can use that method too! I underestimated Brother Renji. Why didn''t I think of that?" As Keyji grumbled to himself, considering whether he should mimic Renji, what he didn''t know was that Tia received a red cross email in her mind. It was a response from the Emergency Squad about Renji''s insurance inquiry. Tia multitasked, waiting for Keyji while opening the red email. [Insured: Q*9a] [Insurance Package: !^N/-@#$_] The moment Tia saw the email, countless garbled codes erupted from it like a virus, filling her entire vision instantly. The speed was so fast that Tia was caught off guard. The garbled code invaded Tia''s system like a gue. In reality, this manifested as Tia suddenly clutching her forehead and staggering, almost falling to the side. This startled Keyji, who was still pondering how to strike up a conversation. He quickly reacted and managed to catch Tia before she fell. "Miss Tia? Miss Tia, what''s wrong with you? Don''t scare me!" Keyji asked anxiously, but the only response he got was, [Error. Unknown error, error, error, error...] A mechanical voice kepting from Tia, leaving Keyji in disbelief. ''Was this the same beautiful and sweet-voiced researcher who had been introducing everything to us for hours, or was she more like one of those bionic Emergency Squad members?'' While Keyji was still shocked, he inadvertently nced at something and his eyes widened, a chill running down his spine. Because, through the gap in Tia''s disheveled clothes, Keyji saw something shining on her back. Specifically, it looked like a pattern branded onto Tia''s back, like a tattoo. ''Was that a Brand!?'' ''No, no!'' ''It was said that Brands couldn''t possibly exist on living beings, but wait, does that mean...'' While Keyji''s mind was still trying to process everything, hurried footsteps sounded from outside the VIP room, followed by William, the manager, and four or five researchers in whiteb coats. "Take her away." "Yes sir" After the researchers took Tia, who was continuously "malfunctioning," from Keyji''s hands and left, William crouched down and looked Keyji in the eye. "Dr. Keyji, you guessed right. Tia is a bionic person, an intelligent mechanical being." "An intelligent mechanical being? But she seemed so..." "So human-like, right? Dr. Keyji, you must have noticed the Brand on Tia''s back. That''s also part of our Kael Technology''s Brand research." "So, you''re saying there''s a type of Brand that can give intelligent mechanical beings higher intelligence, almost human-like?" "Alright, Dr. Keyji, this was an ident. I hope you can keep this business secret for Kael Technology. As a token of our appreciation, I''ve noticed that you''ve been heavily purchasing our stocks today, right? I''m willing to transfer the stocks in my hand to you at half the market price. How does that sound?" "This..." "Pleasure doing business with you, Dr. Keyji." William didn''t wait for the young man''s reply and shook his hand. Afterward, he leaned in and whispered something else to Keyji. "Dr. Keyji, I''m aware of your significant background in Sin City, so I don''t wish for any conflict to arise between us. This business secret is very important to Kael Technology. Anyone who leaks it will be pursued relentlessly. You''re a smart man; you surely understand the principle that it''s better to have an extra friend than an enemy, right?" After saying this, William added Keyji as a friend, patted his shoulder, and without further ado, hurried off in the direction Tia was taken by the researchers. Left standing there, Keyji soon regained hisposure, stood up from the ground, and pondered over the concepts of intelligent mechanical beings and Brands. He felt like he was on the verge of grasping something significant but was afraid to delve deeper into it. After the incident with Tia, he was certain that Kael Technology was not as simple as it seemed and that they wouldn''t just copse. The Brand Technology might not even be their trump card; Kael Technology might be holding back something even more insane. Taking a deep breath, Keyji shook his head, pushing these thoughts to the back of his mind, deciding not to dwell on them anymore. Some things are better left unknown, and as an ordinary person, he had no desire to be drawn into any mysterious and dangerous vortex. Leaving the Kael Technology building, Keyji thought about the car waiting outside to take him to the hotel. After a moment''s consideration, he instructed the smart driver to change the destination to a... bar. On the car ride, for some reason, an image of Renji appeared in Keyji''s mind, along with something Renji had once said about Tia. -Afraid he wouldn''t be able to handle it- ''Could it be that Renji was hinting at me that Tia wasn''t human?'' ''Did that mean Renji had realized Tia''s bionic nature and even the Brand on her back a long time ago?'' Keyji''s eyes widened in shock at this thought. But soon, heughed and shook his head. "How could that be possible" "I am just overthinking" Chapter 227 227: Double Preparation

Chapter 227 Chapter 227: Double Preparation

[Midnight Column: Let''s take a look at today''s major headlines in the Dream City. Invited by Kael Technology, a schr exchange group from Sin City arrived in the Dream City this afternoon. As revealed by internal staff of Kael Technology, the two parties have conducted in-depth research and discussions on a certain cross-era new technology, which has been unanimously recognized and highly evaluated by the schrs from Sin City. Kael Technology also announced that they will hold an open-air new productunch in three days. Let''s wait and see] [Hey hey hey! This is the Night Love Radio, your source of fun. We are dedicated to finding all the mysterious and strange tales in the Dream City. Today''s tale, emerging on various forums, is the new sensation... the Murderous Ghost!] "[Good evening, Dream City! It''s time for everyone''s favorite gang fight segment. ording to official police statistics, there were 201 armed conflicts in the Dream City today, 144 of which urred in District 13. Let''s see if ''ck Fire Gang,'' this promising dark horse, can be the new underground emperor of District 13] [Global Night Report: The Sin City Upper Council drafted a renaming bill today. Once passed, the old name ''Sin City'' might be history. However, reports indicate that most members are debating between the new names ''Demon City'' or ''Sin Garden''] [Breaking news: A fire broke out in the hangar of the Emergency Squad''s building, the cause is unclear. The fire has been temporarily controlled. The person in charge of the Emergency Squad stated that all data is safe and did not rule out a deliberate hacker attack. The investigation will continue] In front of a huge wrap-around LCD TV, Eileen was constantly switching channels with a remote control. The colorful TV screen and the neon lights of the city outside the windowplemented each other, as if to suggest that the real life in the Dream City starts at night. After leaving the Kael Technology Building and returning to the hotel, Renji focused all his attention on the employment instructions andpany documents delivered by the staff, flipping through them on the sofa. Meanwhile, Eileen, having nothing else to do, began watching TV. After flipping through several channels, Eileen found most of them uninteresting, except for the "Night Love Radio" program, which seemed quite appealing to a young girl. Eileen stopped at this channel, listening intently to the urban legend being introduced in the program, named "Murderous Ghost." [It is said that when night falls and the neon lights flicker in the Dream City, under the glitz and mor, in the shadows of the building tops and between buildings, where the lights can''t reach, a pair of eyes watches every passerby in the streets and alleys] [The Murderous Ghost harbors an extreme hatred for women, specifically targeting young and beautiful females. Once it identifies its prey, the Murderous Ghost uses curses to manipte the victim, leading them step by step away from the crowd, into the dimly lit alleys where few people tread] [And the next day, when the police mobile unit arrives, all that''s left of the victim is a ''chopped up'' body] [Some say the Murderous Ghost is a crazed butcher from a closed down meat factory, still repeating the act of ughtering, while others believe it''s a ck market cybeic doctor, performing exquisite surgeries] [So far, the police department has not issued any statement regarding the ''Murderous Ghost,'' and the truth of this urban legend remains unknown. Our station will continue to follow this story and advise all the beautiful and single women of the Dream City to go out less at night, not to walk alone, or perhaps one night, an extra hand might appear on your shoulder] "Hey." "Ahhhhhhhh~!" A piercing scream echoed in the room. Renji sighed as he looked across at the girl who, startled like a frightened rabbit by a pat on the shoulder, had jumped up and darted away. "Doctor! Can you not scare people like that!" Eileen said, still in a state of shock, patting her chest. "I called you several times, and you didn''t respond." "I was focusing on gathering information for us." "Gathering information that led you to urban legends, right?" Renji said, ncing at the TV where the "Murderous Ghost" urban legend program, which had deeply engrossed the girl, was ying. Eileen suddenly became speechless, embarrassedly lowering her head, but feeling a bit aggrieved, she muttered under her breath, "With the trouble-making spirit like yours,?it''s no surprise if you encounter it." "What did you say?" "Nothing, nothing!" Eileen waved her hands dismissively and quickly changed the subject, "So Doctor, have you thought of any other ways for us to enter Dream Zero?" "Almost, after all, the methods are written in the employee manual." "Employee manual?" The girl was puzzled. She had also read Kael Technology''s employee manual, which mainly contained thepany''s rules and regtions for employees. The only thing rted to Dream Zero was in the "Confidentiality and Security" section, which forbade employees from bringing any electronics or cybeic parts purchased from the ck market. It also warned employees not to believe any ck market products iming to provide ess to Dream Zero,beled as "ck Dream" terminals. If discovered, not only would the employee be fired, but if the ck market product carried a virus that infiltrated and damaged Kael Technology''s internalwork, the employee would also face hugepensation and a series of serious charges like leaking secrets, which could lead to imprisonment. No part of the manual seemed to suggest a way to enter Dream Zero. Suddenly, Eileen seemed to understand something. "Doctor, you''re not thinking of buying one of those ck Dream terminals from the ck market, are you?" "Since it''s mentioned in the employee manual, it''s worth a try." Seeing that Renji was actually nning to do so, Eileen immediately thought of the painful lesson she had learned previously when she bought a Dream terminal from the ck market and then found out it was useless. She immediately raised her objections: "But the problem is, as outsiders who don''t know anything, even if we really buy it, it''s definitely going to be a fake, right? I don''t think it''s a good idea. Isn''t it a bit presumptuous?" Indeed, Renji did not deny this. Even if there were good things on the ck market, only a true expert could pick them out. Most who follow the trend into the ck market end up being exploited. However, "Don''t you forget we are three not two" As soon as Renji finished speaking, and before Eileen could react, the Dream terminal he had been wearing near his ear, which had been disguised with optical camouge, suddenly revealed itself. Subsequently, the terminal began projecting externally, and the image of a virtual maid appeared in the hotel room. [Hello Miss, nice to meet you for the first time. I am number 86, a maid robot exclusively for my master. May I ask your name?] 86 asked with an ironic tone. "Ah, sorry 86! I just came to a new ce, and since you''ve always been in this form, so uh hehe, my bad, my bad!" Eileen apologized to the maid with her hands sped together. Renji was somewhat ustomed to their bickering and quickly got to the point, asking the virtually appearing maid: "86, can you handle a terminal from the ck market?" [*Puffing out my chest*. As long as master touches the terminal for more than three seconds, 86 canplete a full scan of the terminal] After receiving the maid''s affirmative response, Renji nodded and began to organize his follow-up n for the two. "The best option is still to quickly rise through the ranks at Kael Technology, gain sufficient permissions, and then use their mature and stable channels to enter Dream Zero." "Of course, we can''t put all our eggs in one basket, so our second preparation is to try and find a device on the ck market with 86''s ability that can ess Dream Zero. Even if such a device is unstable, it will at least allow us to understand Dream Zero." After Renji finished speaking, Eileen immediately raised her hand with a question. "Speak." "Doctor, why don''t we just have 86 hack into Kael Technology?" [Master has already had me try that, but the security level of thepany''swork is far more stringent than I had imagined. I can attempt to forcefully hack in, but doing so is very risky and there''s a not insignificant chance of being detected by Kael Technology''s technical department] 86 said dejectedly due to its inability. "It''s okay 86, we trust Doctor Renji~! Right, Doctor? Our next step is" Before Eileen finished speaking, Renji was already searching for his coat on the coat rack, preparing to go out. The girl quickly caught on, and 86, ending its virtual image projection, continued in its invisible terminal form, worn on Renji''s ear. After leaving the room and getting downstairs in the hotel, Renji called a car. While waiting for it, he pondered their destination and asked the girl beside him. "Do you have any good suggestions for where we''re going next?" "How about going to District 13?" Eileen had a sudden idea. "District 13?" "Yes, I saw on the TV report that District 13 is quite chaotic, with some gang fighting over territory. Based on my experience, such chaotic areas are usually the best ces for the ck market!" "You were actually gathering intelligence¡­" "Hmph, I tell you, that Murderous Ghost will definitely, uh, never mind, let''s drop that," Eileen thought, considering her young and pretty appearance, she would be an ideal target for a real Murderous Ghost. In the time it took for their conversation, an automated, driverless taxi arrived in front of Renji. It was rare to see a human driver in the Dream City anymore. After getting in the car, Renji thought for a moment and then said to the virtual driver: "Let''s go to District 13, and then... find the biggest bar there." Chapter 228 228: I Will Handle Your Sister

Chapter 228 Chapter 228: I Will Handle Your Sister

The Dream City is neither too big nor too small. Some people can walk through the entire city in a day with their cybeic legs, but no one would call this city small when faced with its towering buildings, rising like a steel forest. Perhaps it''s due to the city''s vertical design concept that even though "District 13" seems far from the "District 3" where Renji was before, a ce of business and wealth, it actually takes less than half an hour to reach by car. Now in front of him was a superrge bar that could be described as "glittering with gold and jade." Many people consider it one of thendmark buildings of District 13 and even the entire Dream City. The Night Charm Bar. In this fast-paced, consumerist city, the Night Charm Bar is undoubtedly the most popr ce. Here, everyone from street-sleeping vagrants, gang members with cheap cybeic bodies, disappointed fired employees, bankrupt investors, to heartbroken lovers can drink to their heart''s content, forgetting all their worries and sorrows. The initial intent behind establishing the Night Charm Bar was to wee all those struggling at the bottom of society, offering them emotionalfort. Therefore, there''s a specific group of people not weed at the Night Charm Bar. This is evident from the sign at the bar''s entrance. [Corporate Executives and Dogs Not Allowed] "Ha ha ha, Doctor, this bar is interesting, I like it!" Eileen,ing from a scavenger background, pped her hands in approval, full of admiration. After Renji and Eileen entered the bar, his original n was just to gather some information. However, as soon as they entered, Eileen, as if she had discovered something, immediately pulled Renji several times. "Doctor, Doctor! Look at the dance floor over there! Isn''t that the rich second-generation who used backdoor connections before?" Following Eileen''s direction, Renji looked over and saw a young man with an indulgent expression on his face, standing out in the dance floor. He was hugging a street girl on each side, both styled in a mboyant manner, moving their bodies to the loud music of the bar, reveling wildly. "No wonder," Renji muttered under his breath, observing the scene. "No wonder what?" Eileen was still puzzled, but Renji, after his moment of reflection, had already moved forward, quickly weaving through the crowd to approach Keyji, who was dancing with the beauties. "Brother Keyji!" Renji called out and then reached out to pull the young man. Only then did Keyji, lost in indulgence in the dance floor,e back to his senses. When he saw Renji in front of him, his eyes widened in surprise. "Bro? What are you doing here? Aren''t you..." "Let''s find a quieter ce to talk." Renji gestured towards the noisy dance floor and the two street girls in Keyji''s arms. "Oh, right, right, right. Okay, my good brother''s here, and we''ve got some business. You girls can go now." After handing arge sum of Ashen Coins to the two street girls from his pocket, Keyji sent away the reluctant girls and quickly followed Renji to a rtively quiet spot in the bar that Eileen had already secured. "Brother, didn''t you say you were going to pursue Tia and win one for our Sin City? Why are you here now?" "Uh, this...!" Renji''s mention of Tia immediately stiffened Keyji''s expression. He momentarily considered whether to tell Renji about the incident at Kael Technology but eventually decided to gloss over it with augh. After all, he had promised William not to divulge it. Besides, if it really involved any secrets, his status and background would protect him, but Renji might not be so lucky. He couldn''t risk implicating someone else. Brushing it off with an excuse, Keyji quickly changed the subject: "Let''s not just talk about me. What about you bro? Didn''t you say you were going to meet an old friend? Why did you end up here? Don''t tell me the old friend you came all this way to meet is someone from the bar!" "It''s not that. It''s just that it got toote today, and after a long day, I decided to let it go. I''m going to be in the Dream City for a while anyway, so there''s no rush. I came out tonight... well, to rx a bit." After hearing Renji''s words, Keyji immediately nodded, showing an understanding look that all men share, and then patted his chest. "What did I tell you bro? I knew from the moment I saw you on the aircraft that we would get along well. Say no more, I''ll take you out tonight and make sure you have a great time!" Seeing Keyji''s excitement, Renji shook his head: "No Brother, look, we''re already in the Mechanical Alliance, and I want to try a new way of rxing." "A new... way?" "Yes, the ''Dream'' of the Mechanical Alliance is quite famous, right? Unfortunately, it''s not avable abroad. Now that I''m finally here, how can I not experience the Dream?" "Experiencing the Dream is fine, but why go into the Dream when we can experience things in reality?" Indeed, for someone like Keyji, a rich second-generation, the allure of the Dream wasn''t that strong. If he could live out action movies in real life, why watch someone else''s? Unless... "So, I want to ask Brother to help me find something... more thrilling," Renji whispered covertly to Keyji, twirling his fingers. "Something more thrilling?" "Yes, the more thrilling, the better. The kind of thing that''s hard to do in reality but possible in the Dream, something very special, you know what I mean." Following Renji''s words, Keyji''s eyes lit up as if he had thought of something exciting, but his expression quickly fell. "Ah, brother, what you''re talking about is called a ck Dream. I do have a channel for it, but the problem is... I''m afraid my sister will find out." "Your sister?" "Yeah, to contact the ck Dream channel, having money isn''t enough, I also need the power of my family''s corporation. But my sister, as the chairperson of the corporation, would immediately know if I did anything out of line. If she finds out I''m buying something like ck Dream... ouch." Keyji sucked in a breath and instinctively shrank his neck, revealing a rare timid side that Renji had never seen in this fearless rich second-generation before. "So it''s a no-go, let''s forget about it. Although I think ck Dream isn''t a big deal, it''s all fake anyway, my sister is very traditional and rigid, definitely won''t approve." Seeing Keyji''s hesitant and cowardly demeanor, Renji, of course, couldn''t give up. He immediately tried a different angle: "It''s okay, you''re not buying it for yourself, you''re helping me buy it. Even if your sister finds out, you can just say you were helping a friend, right?" Renji''s words seemed to make sense to Keyji. ''Right!'' ''I am helping a friend!'' ''My sister might not let me buy it, but she didn''t say I couldn''t help a friend buy it!'' ''But...'' "Although that''s what you say brother, I''m still a bit..." Seeing Keyji still hesitant, Renji was getting a bit impatient and directly said: "Look, if your sister really gets angry and mes you, just tell her toe to me. That should settle it, right?" "Eh!?" Keyji''s eyes brightenedpletely at Renji''s words. "Really?" "When my sisteres knocking, can I really tell her to find you and say it was all your doing?" the young man quickly asked, seeking confirmation. "Yes, let here to me," Renji nodded indifferently. "Just tell her your friend is me, I''ll handle your sister." "You said it brother, I''m warning you in advance, my sister has a huge temper, very fierce when angry. And she is... well, I''ll just tell you, she''s the chairperson of the Quis Group. You must have heard of Quis Group, right? The name always criticized, but actually, it''s a legendary group that''s always profiting!" Of course, Renji hadn''t heard of it, but that didn''t stop him from nodding, assuring Keyji with a demeanor that suggested he would take full responsibility: "Yeah, yeah, I''ve heard of it. Don''t worry, I''ll take care of everything rted to your sister. You don''t need to be afraid." "So, we''re agreed then? You won''t back outter!" It was clear that Keyji had been suppressed by his sister for too long, and he was eager to take any opportunity to rebel. "Deal?" "Deal!" Chapter 229 229: Gold Mine

Chapter 229 Chapter 229: Gold Mine

On the third floor of the Night Charm Bar, in a private room. ck Dream is an illegal dream simtion strictly cracked down upon and prohibited by the "Dream Monitorea" For ordinary people, the main source of ess is through ck market dealers acting as "middlemen." However, with Keyji using his background and connections, he could bypass the middlemen and directly obtain the product face-to-face from the "manufacturer." Renji and the others didn''t have to wait long, perhaps just about fifteen minutes, when the door of the private room was roughly pushed open. A group of four or five grim-looking men and women quickly entered, with thest one, a female member with a tattoo resembling a "ck me" on her left arm, closing the door behind them. These people, with firearms at their waists and various non-standard cybeic enhancements under their jackets, were dressed in a way that screamed "gang members." The leader of the group, a burly man with both arms fully cybeically enhanced, scanned the room and then fixed his gaze on Keyji. "So, you''re the rich guy the boss mentioned, wanting to buy ck Dream?" "Yes, that''s me. How should I address you brother?" Keyji didn''t show much fear in the face of these menacing gang members. He seemed more curious about this new experience and tried to strike up a conversation with the leader, much like he had with Renji earlier. However, the gang leader was not as friendly as Renji had been. "No need for names, as we won''t be having a second meeting. Buyer''s identity confirmed. Bring out the goods for this rich boy." The burly man gestured to hispanions, and two or three of them carrying briefcases approached Keyji, opening the cases on the table to reveal several Dream films that looked like "cartridges." Seeing these retro mechanical cartridges, Keyji''s expression turned to one of surprise. He had expected the Dream technology to be more advanced, not resembling outdated video discs. "In the Mechanical Alliance, the Monitorea can track you down from a single electronic cigarette you''ve smoked, identifying even the color of your underwear. So, for us, the older and more primitive, the safer and more reliable it is, you understand?" As the leader spoke, he lit a traditional cigarette wrapped in paper, taking a deep drag before exhaling the smoke and sitting down on the sofa in the room. ncing at his mechanical watch, he waved the hand holding the cigarette at Keyji and said: "The goods are here. Each cartridge has a brief description of the ck Dream it contains. Pick what you want, and we''ll settle the bill together. But I must remind you, we only have fifteen minutes for this transaction." While the burly man was speaking, Renji and Eileen had already approached the ck Dream cartridges, examining each one. Eileen, in particr, appeared more excited and enthusiastic. On the other hand, Keyji, who was supposed to be the buyer, didn''t show much reaction and remained seated without moving. The burly man''s expression froze slightly, a frown forming on his face. The other gang members in the private room also showed simr expressions, some even casting a "what should we do?" look at the burly man. However, soon, as Keyji seemed unable to sit still any longer and joined Renji in selecting ck Dream cartridges, the burly man''s micro-expression returned to normal, and he took another drag of his cigarette. ck Dream is prohibited precisely because many of its contents can lead to mental issues if watched for too long. Apart from sex and violence, there are also some perverse scenarios, like one where you''re transformed into a dog and experience being kept by a female owner. There are also elements of horror and mystery, like the ck Dream named "Murderous Ghost" that Eileen is currently holding, which records the perspective of a passerby who happens to witness the urban legend of the "Murderous Ghost." While Renji pretends to be selecting, he actually awakens 86 and uses it to scan each ck Dream cartridge upon touching them. Unfortunately, the results are not as desired. None of these ck Dreams are rted to "Dream Zero," clearly indicating that the secrecy level of Dream Zero is much higher than these ck Dreams. Disappointed but not unexpected, Renji symbolically picks two or three ck Dreams, including the "Murderous Ghost" that Eileen pleaded for. It wasn''t a total waste of a visit. "Have you made your choice? Let me see, five in total, each for 100,000 Ashen Coins, making a total of one million. Time to pay." Renji picks three, and Keyji picks two, making five in total. But... "Wait a second, brother, there''s a mistake in your math, isn''t it? One million? Shouldn''t it be five hundred thousand?" After Keyji''s question, there was no scene of an on-the-spot price hike. The reason for asking for an additional half million was because... "Ordinary devices can''t y these ck Dreams. So here, take this. You''ll need our ck Fire Gang''s special Dream terminal to read them." The lead gang member stood up from the sofa, tossing a portable Dream terminal, resembling an "eyemask," to Keyji. Eileen had exined to Renji when he first encountered a Dream terminal that the most straightforward way to judge the model and grade of a Dream terminal is by its appearance; the simpler it looks, the higher its grade. And obviously, this eyemask-like Dream terminal is not a low- end model. "Let me tell you, rich boy, don''t think it''s expensive. You can''t even buy this terminal on the ck market. Besides watching ck Dream, it has another function." "What is it?" "It can show you the most realistic ck Dream." "The most realistic ck Dream?" Seeing Keyji''s confused expression, the gang members in the room burst intoughter before speaking seriously in a tempting voice: "It''s the top of all ck Dreams, the real ck Dream Zero." "Do you know why those big corporations came together to prohibit us from entering Dream Zero? All that talk about realism, danger... it''s all nonsense! I''ll tell you, it''s because Dream Zero is a gold mine. It contains endless wealth from the old world. They don''t want anyonepeting for this gold mine with them. They''re trying to monopolize this gold mine, you get it?" "Remember what I told you earlier, in the Mechanical Alliance, advanced doesn''t always mean better. It''s the older, more traditional things that people covet." The burly man showed Keyji the half-burnt traditional cigarette in his hand. "People''s deaths in Dream Zero can be brought into reality, but conversely, the cultivation and training done in Dream Zero can also be brought back to reality. Do you know what this means?" "It means we''re no longer confined to this barren world, thinned out of Miasma after five hundred years. We can return to that glorious era, five hundred years ago, filled with Miasma. Just breathing in the air from the old world''s Miasma concentration could turn us into Eclipse beings, and what''s more, stable ones, without the risk of going berserk!" Growing increasingly passionate, the burly man spread his arms wide. "So many people have used the old world of Dream Zero to sessfully be Eclipse beings, gaining immense power. Then they use this superhuman power to continue exploring Dream Zero, delving into the old world''s technology, history, knowledge, and even the legacy of the legendary Emperor!" "Any one of these things, if brought out, would be a lifetime''s worth of wealth. So now do you understand? It''s those damn corporations in cahoots with the government. They''re trying to monopolize, to upy, to deprive us of our right to explore Dream Zero!" "They keep saying Dream Zero is dangerous, yet they themselves are developing intelligent AI, forming armies, and sending them into Dream Zero to explore the old world for them. Isn''t this the height of shamelessness!" The more the burly man spoke, the more agitated he became, clearly harboring great resentment towards corporations and the government. It was also evident that he held an extraordinary fascination, even reverence, for Dream Zero. Eventually calming down, the burly man seemed to realize he had digressed. He nced at his watch, noting that time was almost up, and steered the conversation back on track. After listening to the burly man''s impassioned speech, Keyji seemed somewhat swayed. Kael Technology had only been instilling in them the dangers of Dream Zero, but it was from this gang leader that Keyji saw another side of Dream Zero. He wasn''t so much after the wealth, but the idea of bing a stable Eclipse being, a person with ''superpowers,'' was something many young people fantasized about. One million was a small sum for Keyji, who promptly paid up. The members of the ck Fire Gang, upon receiving the payment, didn''t linger for long. They left the private room as swiftly and neatly as they had arrived. Not long after, Renji, Eileen, and Keyji also left the Night Charm Bar, calling a taxi to return to their hotel. As their taxi departed, a car that had been inconspicuously parked in a corner near the Night Charm Bar also lit up. Inside the car, which was unusually manually driven by a driver wearing dark sunsses and looking like a secret agent, a phone call was quickly made. Soon after the connection... "Yes, Mr. William, that''s right. Keyji has returned." Chapter 230 230: Behind the Coincidence

Chapter 230 Chapter 230: Behind the Coincidence

-Intelligence Department. William was currently in the office of the head of the Intelligence Department. After hanging up the phone from a report by an agent, the head of the department immediately asked: "Manager William, do we need to arrest Keyji immediately?" On therge screen in the office, Keyji''s every move since leaving the Kael Technology building was tracked by Kael Technology. Every action was under surveince, including his visit to the Night Charm Bar, his meeting with Renji, and the sudden involvement of the ck Fire Gang. Unfortunately, due to the noisy environment of the bar, the surveince could not capture what Keyji and Renji talked about. Moreover, the camera in the private room where Keyji was happened to be broken, so they were unable to hear what Keyji discussed with the gang members. "Forget about arresting him. The productunch is in three days, and stirring up trouble with Quis Group, especially his sister," Manager William immediately shook his head. "But Keyji is contacting the gang at this sensitive time. Could it be that he''s nning to leak our..." "No, I''m not worried about that. I deliberately offered him low-priced stocks to test his attitude. He''s invested so much in Kael Technology, which means he''s tied to us now. Unless he''s aiming to lose money, he won''t do anything against us." "What I really wanted you to pay attention to Keyji for is this." Manager William said, pushing a breaking news report in front of the head of the Intelligence Department. [Breaking News: Fire at the Emergency Squad Building''s Hangar, cause unknown. Fire temporarily under control. Emergency Squad''s person in charge states that all data is safe and does not rule out deliberate hacking, investigation ongoing.] After reading, the head was still somewhat confused and tentatively asked, "This has to do with Keyji?" "Although it''s highly likely that Tia''s malfunction was just a coincidence, have you considered the possibility that she lost control because she came into contact with Keyji?" "Doesn''t this exin why Keyji deliberately waited untilst to interact with Tia?" "After the technical department repaired Tia, they found that some data was lost. So, we can only specte based on what Tia was doing with Keyji at the time. ording to procedure, they should have been registering for insurance, entering Keyji''s data into the Emergency Squad system." Hearing this, the head of the Intelligence Department, who finally understood what William was implying, immediately looked at the news about the fire at the Emergency Squad building again. Taking into ount the time discrepancy, it almost exactly matched the moment Tia lost control. The pieces suddenly connected. The head of the Intelligence Department showed a look of realization, followed by a deep respect, and even a hint of fear towards William. After all, William managed tobine seemingly unrted information based on a small clue, deducing so much new information, proving to be much more capable than the head of the Intelligence Department himself. Fortunately for the head of the Intelligence Department, William held a higher position. Otherwise, it would have been time for a change in leadership. Considering this, the head became even more ttering towards William, quickly asking: "So, Manager William, are you suggesting that Tia lost control due to some issue with Keyji''s Emergency Squad data?" William nodded, "We may have underestimated Keyji. He''s not just the frivolous scion he appears to be on the surface. After all, with such a sister, how could the brother be a useless yboy?" William frowned as he stared at Keyji''s photo, his metallic cybeic fingers tapping on the desk, producing crisp sounds in the dimly lit Intelligence Department office. But ultimately, the manager sighed helplessly, acknowledging Keyji''s influential background, and stood up from his chair. "Tia is an important ''eye'' for our exploration of Dream Zero. We must figure out why she lost control and whether this reason could also affect our other ''eyes.'' So, until then, do everything you can to keep Keyji at Kael Technology. But remember, he must stay willingly; we cannot use any violent means." "Understood Manager William, I''ll arrange it right away!" As William stood up to leave, the head of the Intelligence Department hesitated but couldn''t resist asking: "Wait, Manager William, what about Keyji''s friend, Dr. Renji?" "Dr. Renji¡­" William quickly pulled up a file, which included information on both Renji and his "assistant" Eileen. In fact, William, who had ced great emphasis on this exchange meeting and had scoured the list of schr groups, had already checked on Renji. A simple use of his privileges revealed that the so-called "Dr. Renji''s" credentials were entirely fabricated. It was the kind of bold forgery that didn''t even try to hide its falseness, done without any concern for scrutiny. William had previously taken this person very seriously. But now... William always believed in one principle: behind every seeming coincidence, there is inevitability. "This Renji... must be someone sent by Keyji''s sister." "Also from the Quis Group?" The head of the Intelligence Department hadn''t expected this. "If you wanted to let your younger brother leave the greenhouse to struggle and grow on his own, yet worried about him being bullied abroad, what would you do?" With this rhetorical question, the head of the Intelligence Department immediately understood William''s implication. If he were in that situation, he would undoubtedly send someone to pretend to be a stranger to Keyji, acting as a newly acquainted friend while secretly assisting Keyji as a covert agent. "So, we don''t need to worry about this Renji, nor can we. If I''m not mistaken, Renji is probably the eyes of the Quis Group. If we make too much of a move on him, we might scare him off, effectively revealing our intentions. We just need to keep a close eye on Keyji, the main target." "Understood Manager William." ¡­. ¡­.. In Sin City. If people were asked to name a person, the majority would undoubtedly recall their beautiful and intelligent City Lord Lena. And if they were asked to think of a corporate group, most would first think of the Quis Group. The reason is simple: the rise of the Quis Group is a legend in itself. Starting from handing over the entire group to a young woman just stepping into adulthood, to her investing in projects that seemed doomed to fail - projects that every other investor avoided like the gue. Yet, Diane turned each of these investments into a sess story, repeatedly proving other investment groups wrong. Every project that seemed destined to fail miraculously skyrocketed, bringing in returns several times, even up to tenfold, the original investment. In less than a decade, the Quis Group went from the brink of bankruptcy to bing amercial giant in Sin City. Since then, even though the Quis Groupcks the depth of those century-old corporations, no one dares to underestimate or ignore the current business legend, Diane, the 27-year-old chairwoman of the Quis Group. However, today, in the office of the chairwoman of the Quis Group, the young CEO''s mood is not good. The reason stems from a recent phone call. "Chairwoman, we''ve just received a message that your brother in the Mechanical Alliance has used the group''s connections to purchase a batch of... illegal ck dreams from a gang." Chapter 231 231: Young Boyfriend

Chapter 231 Chapter 231: Young Boyfriend

Dreams - A more advanced form of movies, allowing people to experience virtual reality. It is the most popr form of entertainment in the Mechanical Alliance. Illegal dreams, often made by recording prohibited imagery or by removing sensory coefficient limits, offer a more intense and realistic experience, leading to strong addiction. Diane looked at the article in her hand titled "How ''Dream'' is Destroying Today''s Youth." It listed numerous cases of young people who became unproductive and reclusive due to their obsession with dreams, ultimately bing social outcasts. The illegal "ck Dream" were particrly harmful, filled with all sorts of incorrect value systems. For young people with weak willpower, these dreams were like poison, potentially leading to a series of mental illnesses including, but not limited to, personality disorders, antisocial behavior, and violent tendencies. At this point, Diane couldn''t read any further. She put down the document, closed her eyes, and took several deep breaths, trying to calm her heaving chest. When she opened her eyes again, they were filled with cold and piercing light. "Little Keyji¡­" she said calmly, her voice like the calm before a storm. With an expressionless face, Diane was about to call and mobilize personnel from the group to fly directly to the Mechanical Alliance for apprehension when she suddenly paused, thought of something, and quickly dialed a new number. "Hello, this is Sin City''s Comint Internal Line. How may I assist you, Miss Diane?" "I need to see Lady Lena." "Sorry, dear, we don''t have your meeting scheduled." "I''ll be at the Demon Tower in fifteen minutes." "Dear, you¡ª" Before the customer service subus could finish speaking, Diane had already hung up. She didn''t even bother changing her clothes, simply threw on a coat, took the elevator to the underground garage, started the car, and sped towards the Demon Tower. ¡­. ¡­.. -Sin city -Demon Queen Tower- In the upper lounge of the Demon Tower, a pink-haired subus leisurely sipped her tea while turning her gaze to the beautiful woman who hade to her. "Tsk, isn''t this the stunning CEO Miss Diane, who has charmed countless young entrepreneurs in Sin City and is the dream girl of many wealthy heirs? What brings you here?" Diane quickly sat opposite Lena and got straight to the point. "I agreed to let Keyji join the schr group of Sin City because you assured me of his safety, but now I have serious doubts about whether you have kept your promise." Diane said this and pushed the record of Keyji using the group''swork to buy ck Dreams across the table to the pink-haired subus. "First of all, it''s no longer Sin City; it''s the Sin Garden Schr Group now. Furthermore," Lena corrected Diane''s mistake, then picked up the report and nced at it, nodding sympathetically. "Young people like to touch things they shouldn''t. Letting them hit a wall a few times to learn a lesson and toughen up was precisely our initial agreement when we decided to send your brother abroad, wasn''t it?" However, Diane across from her remained silent, just continuing to stare at Lena. She had agreed to Lena''s suggestion with that intention in mind, but there''s a limit to hitting the wall, and the harm of ck Dream had far exceeded Diane''s tolerance. "Alright, alright, I''ll make sure my people protect your brother" Lena said nonchntly, waving her hand. "Is this the person you said would take care of my brother?" Diane, seeing this, took out a filebeled "Dr. Renji" and ced it on the table, her face showing a hint of anger. "My brother said he was buying ck Dream for a friend!" "Pfft~, and you believe that? Ask your brother if that ''friend'' isn''t actually himself." Diane didn''t respond to Lena, she continued with a stern expression, "I''ve checked this person, and his identity ispletely fabricated. He''s not even from Sin Garden. Who exactly is he?" Previously, due to her trust in Lena, Diane hadn''t inquired, but now, it was the purpose of her visit. She needed to figure out Renji''s identity to be at ease. Seeing Diane''s determined stance, Lena sighed, realizing she had to reveal some information. She checked the time and then said with a lightugh: "You want to know his identity? Alright, he is, let''s say... my little boyfriend." "Little boyfriend?" Diane furrowed her brows deeply, quickly growing a bit more agitated. "Lady Lena, I hope you can give me a serious answer. I''m not in the mood for jokes." Lena''s reply was straightforward: "I''m not joking with you." After a moment of silence, Diane just kept staring at Lena for nearly a minute, but unfortunately, she couldn''t discern anything from the subus''s face. "If you insist on being so frivolous, then don''t me me for leaking this explosive news. I believe it won''t even take a day for all the major media in Sin Garden to go crazy over it." "Sure, go ahead. It was bound to happen sooner orter anyway, but..." Facing Diane''s threat, Lena, with her legs crossed, looked weing. She paused halfway through her sentence, then, seeing Diane''s expression tense up, she slowly said: "Miss Diane, you wouldn''t want your brother to be bullied in the Mechanical Alliance, would you?" Diane clenched her fists, filled with regret. She deeply regretted trusting the words of this subus. Now, she had handed over her vulnerability to someone else. However, soon after, as someone capable of being the chairwoman of a corporation, Diane calmed down. Realizing she would no longer get any useful information from Lena, she prepared to leave. But before she did, she had to repeat her warning to Lena one more time. "Lady Lena, if something really happens to my brother, indeed I can''t do much to you, but I hope you can protect your little boyfriend for a lifetime." "Tsk, Chairwoman Diane, if your brother indeed makes a name for himself, how would you repay me then? After all, my little boyfriend has a knack for nurturing people. Even if your brother just follows him around as an aide, he''ll probably impress you when he returns~" "The Quis Group will naturally reward you well, and your... little boyfriend too." "No need to bother with that; our demands aren''t high. How about this? Although you''re a bit old,ing over to warm our bed should be enough, don''t you think, Chairwoman Diane?~" In response to the subus''s twisted humor, Diane didn''t get angry. Instead, she returned a sweet smile. "I don''t think that''s a good idea. What if your human little boyfriend ends up liking me and abandoning you, an old subus of several hundred years? Then I would feel too guilty towards our beloved City Lord." Chapter 232 232: Unexpected Intelligence

Chapter 232 Chapter 232: Unexpected Intelligence

-Dream City, Golden Splendor Hotel. After returning from the Night Charm Bar in District 13, Renji, who had just gotten out of the car with Keyji, stopped the young man as he was about to head to his room. "What''s up, Brother Renji?" "Give it to me." The young man suddenly became nervous. "Give what?" "The two ck Dreams you bought." Renji pointed at the cassettes that Keyji was trying to hide behind his back. While speaking, Renji had alreadypleted the transfer, sending one million to Keyji''s ount for the purchase of the device and ck Dreams. "Ah, Brother Renji, you see, we..." "If you don''t give them to me, I won''t help you when your sisteres asking." Keyji, initially hesitant and reluctant, quickly became anxious at the mention of his sister. He gloomily handed over the two ck Dreams to Renji. Renji was merely utilizing Keyji''s connections, and naturally, he would confiscate the ck Dreams the young man had intended to keep for himself. "You said you were buying them for a friend, and that''s what we''ll do. I don''t know your sister, but since I promised you, we must keep our word. You''ll be able to stand tall when your sister holds you ountable, and if your sisteres to me, I''ll be able to exin it to her." "Okay, okay." "Can I ask onest favor, Brother Renji?" "What is it?" "Can you... not tell my sister that I also bought ck Dreams? Especially... especially don''t tell her the names of these dreams! Please!" Keyji sped his hands together, looking almost ready to kneel before Renji. Seeing how scared the young man was, Renji curiously nced at the ck Dreams Keyji had bought. [-Born as a Dog, I Am Happy-] Renji: "..." "Alright, I promise you." "Thank you! Thank you so much, Brother Renji! From now on, you''re like my real bro!" After repeatedly thanking him, Keyji''s face turned red, unable to withstand the strange looks from Renji and Eileen. He quickly made an excuse and hurried back to his room. "So, Doctor, are all rich people this twisted?" Eileen watched Keyji''s retreating figure, then looked at the ck Dreams in her hand. "Let''s just say human potential is infinite" After this brief interlude, Renji and Eileen returned to their room. Like before in the Night Charm Bar''s private room, Renji had 86 deploy the shielding system to ensure privacy. He then set aside the ck Dreams and took out the eyepiece-like terminal that could ess "Dream Zero" handing it to 86 for inspection. Soon after... [Scanplete. Found twenty-three code vulnerabilities, five invasive viruses, one monitoring virus, three spreading Trojan viruses. Eighty-six reporting in activation of the eradication mode] reported 86. Eileen clicked her tongue in response. "What the heck! So many viruses? These gangsters really don''t have good intentions. If that rich kid had put it on directly, he would have be a virus repository." Eileen was eximing, while Renji wasn''t too surprised. From the actions of the gang members in the private room, it was clear that they intended to achieve more than just selling ck Dreams to Keyji. [Master, 86 has restored the data and found a video that may contain relevant information. Would you like me to project it now?] 86 suggested. "Go ahead." Following Renji''smand, the maid activated the gang''s Dream terminal. The virtual forms of those gang members from the bar''s private room reappeared. They were gathered together as if in a meeting, and the burly leader asked: -"Is the virus program in ce?"- -"Yes, boss. Even the strongest antivirus software won''t be able to detect it!"- A gang member dressed like a hacker confidently tapped on his keyboard. -"Don''t be careless. This virus is meant to deal with Kael Technology''s security system. Check it several more times to see if there''s any room for improvement."- -"Sure thing, boss!"- As the hacker continued working on theputer, the rest of the gang seemed to be reflecting. -"Boss, it''s such a coincidence. We were just worrying about how to hack into Kael Technology, and then this opportunity just walks in. It''s true what they say, when luckes, you can''t stop it!"- -"Don''t get too excited yet. Let''s wait until we actually use that rich kid to infiltrate Kael Technology."- -"No problem. As a member of the schr group, as long as he uses our terminal, if we can''t hack Kael Technology, can''t we hack those from Sin City?"- -"At the productunch, as long as these schrs attend, they''ll essentially be our eyes. Then... we''ll see if we can''t take down theunch. Once we snatch that ''brand'' from theunch and hand it over to the Ganna Group, we''ll have made enough money for a lifetime"- The words of the gang member clearly excited many present, making them more eager for the lucrative future. Still, the burly leader brought everyone back from their dreams of immense wealth. -"Alright, it''s almost time. We should get going. First, we need to make sure that rich kid buys our terminal. I''ll use Dream Zero to lure him in. You guys just need to y along."- -"Dream Zero, huh? The new technology Kael Technology is unveiling at theirunch in three days is said to have been derived from Dream Zero, right? No wonder the Ganna Group is so desperate to stop and seize it."- -"How nice it would be to enter Dream Zero."- The gang member''sment was met with a cold snort from the burly leader. -"Forget it. That hellish ce is fine to deceive neers, but anyone who''s been there once would never want to go a second time. It''s one thing to obtain something from there, but quite another to live long enough to enjoy it."- -"But boss, what if that rich kid really does something foolish and enters Dream Zero? If he dies in there, won''t we be..."- -"Don''t worry, how could I possibly give him a real Dream Zero terminal? This terminal has long been broken, it''s a discarded item. I just told him Dream Zero was a ruse; he can''t actually ess it."- -"Heh, boss always thinks of everything."- -"Boss, I''ve finished the adjustments here."- -"Let''s go."- The video recording ended there, but the many pieces of unexpected information gathered were enough to make Renji ponder. "Doctor, it seems they already knew the rich kid was part of the schr group and even knew about the ''brand.'' Looks like they''re nning to use him to sabotage Kael Technology, targeting... theunch?" "It seems so. There must be a mole inside Kael Technology who''s been selling information to rivalpanies." Renji nodded and continued: "Kael Technology has put so much effort into preparing for theunch, staking theireback on it. If I were a rivalpany, I would definitely try to disrupt this event." "So, Doctor, what should we do? Should we inform Kael Technology about this intelligence?" "Let''s not rush into that." Setting aside this unexpected intelligence for the moment, Renji was more concerned about something else. "86, they said this terminal is a discarded item?" [Answering Master; Indeed, this terminal cannot ess Dream Zero, but 86 has found a usable, partially damaged coordinate anchor point in the residual data. Using this anchor point, 86 can facilitate a one-time round trip for master into Dream Zero] "So, it can only be used once? That''s fine." Dream Zero is like the dark web, and the anchor point is the equivalent of a web address. Renji didn''t need to use someone else''s terminal; his maid''s terminal could use this anchor point to "infiltrate" Dream Zero. However, since there was only one anchor point, Eileen would have to wait outside. Fortunately, as 86 was in terminal form, it could apany Renji into Dream Zero. Equipped with the terminal, and under Eileen''s somewhat worried gaze, 86 connected to the anchor point. Renji''s vision instantly turned pitch ck, enveloped by the familiar sinking sensation of entering a dream. Renji had been waiting for this day for a long time. Hearing about Dream Zero from others is nothingpared to seeing it for oneself. To see the world of ''Zero,'' to see what this dream hidden deep within the heart of ''Zero''... is truly about. Chapter 233 233: Fallen Chronicles World

Chapter 233 Chapter 233: Fallen Chronicles World

Upon entering Dream Zero, Renji opened his eyes and surveyed his surroundings. Finally, he looked up at the sky, devoid of sun and moon, filled with a blood-red hue like a river of blood, and shook his head as if he had expected this. Both Kael Technology and the members of the ck Fire Gang were right. Dream Zero indeed was the old world. The scene before Renji, almost identical to the game''s depiction, was filled with oppression and silence. The beings of this era were like drowning people in the Sea of Miasma. Once they stopped struggling to rise, the thick Miasma red fog around them made it difficult to breathe, twisted hallucinations appeared before their eyes, and whispers from the abyss echoed in their ears, leading to an inevitable end as the game''s name suggested. Fallen. Falling into the deep sea, bing part of the Miasma. Ideally, ''dreams'' should be beautiful. They represent what people cannot obtain in reality, thus fulfilling their desires through ''dreaming.'' However, there is no doubt that the ''old world'' before him bears no connection with the word "beautiful." The only reason Renji could think of for ''Zero'' to have such a dream was: Even the most beautiful world bes cruel and merciless when one loses something precious. Conversely, even the worst world can still be beautiful if the people around are still there. Renji''s thoughts were abruptly interrupted, as not far ahead, an old man in tattered clothes appeared. He was limping with a rough crutch, walking with difficulty, asionally ncing back in panic as if afraid of something catching up to him. This character type was all too familiar to Renji from the game ¨C themon refugee of the old world. Although Dream Zero is a dream, it is nearly real. Naturally, in addition to the old world itself, there are many beings struggling within it. Renji immediately set off. These natives of Dream Zero were undoubtedly the quickest source of information about this dream. The sudden sound of footsteps nearby startled the old man. Before Renji could get closer, the old man, in a panic, tried to flee. Already struggling with mobility, his attempt to run only caused him to trip over a stone and fall with a thud, crying out in pain. "Don''te near, please don''t kill me... I have nothing left... please, spare me..." The fallen old man, realizing he couldn''t escape, curled up miserably, burying his head in his arms like an ostrich, continuously pleading in the direction of Renji''s approaching footsteps. "Old man please get up, I am not a scavenger." "Not a scavenger?" The old man''s cloudy eyes peered through the gaps in his arms, timidly ncing at Renji. "I am a Fire Holder from a nearby settlement, just patrolling this area. You seem panicked; did something happen around here?" A Fire Holder is a term used in the old world for a warrior from a settlement. Seeing Renji''s gentle appearance and calm tone, unlike the cruel and brutal scavengers, the fleeing old man gradually let go of his fear and shakily stood up from the ground. "No, nothing... nothing matters anymore. Just let me leave. Let me go." Renji''s words seemed to trigger the old man, reminding him of something painful he didn''t want to recall. However, his expression of pain quickly turned to numbness. In his dull eyes, it seemed that only the instinct to "survive" was keeping him going. He continued leaning on his crutch, aimlessly attempting to flee into the distance, like a walking corpse, beyond the reach of anymunication from Renji. However, at that moment, a sudden change urred. Not far from the two of them, the Miasma red fog in the air began to stir violently. Following this, a terrifying shadow, asrge as a small hill, emerged from the distant horizon. Seeing this enormous shadow, the old man froze in ce, but the shadow didn''t stop. It seemed to have noticed the old man and Renji and started moving towards them rapidly. Its body, almost asrge as a big truck, caused the ground to tremble. Within a few breaths, it had already closed in to a mere ten or so meters. It resembled a massively erged elephant, with sharp tusks stained with blood, as if it had just been in a bloody fight. Its decaying and rotten skin, along with the agitated red fog surrounding it, all indicated its identity as a Tainted Beast. "Terror Beast. It''s a Terror Beast. Haha, is this how it ends? I knew it would end... Finally, it can end. Hahaha." Facing the Terror Beast, the old man, seemingly knowing he had nowhere to escape, no longer showed fear but instead let out a crazedugh. He threw away his crutch and opened his arms, seemingly waiting for the beast''s sharp tusks to pierce through his body. Then... *Buzz* The old man first heard a sound from behind, like a weapon charging up, followed by a ze of azure light, strikingly visible in this dark red world, filling the corner of his eye. The next moment... [Command: Shoot] The cold, unemotional mechanical voice sounded, and a pale blue beam of light shed from behind the old man. Then, with a loud "boom," the Terror Beast, asrge as a small hill, had its head pierced by the azureser and fell to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. "This power..." The old man was initially bewildered, but as he realized what had happened, his eyes widened. The dull light in his eyes sparked with color. Trembling, he turned around and, upon seeing the maid 86 with a smoking barrel of a floating cannon next to Renji, stared intently at 86, his murky eyes filled with excitement and trembling. "A Mech Servant. It''s a Mech Servant!" But after his initial excitement, the old man quickly began shaking his head, muttering to himself, "No, no, this isn''t right. Mech Servants should all be on the front lines, they should have all been killed by the witches." "Mech Servants always move in groups, why would there be a solitary one? And Mech Servants don''t interact with us, but why... why this Mech Servant." Not sure if he had fully recovered from the madness induced by the Terror Beast, the old man ran up to Renji, or rather, to 86. He kept muttering rapidly, casting shocked and incredulous nces at 86. [Detecting unstable mental state in target individual, vital signs rapidly declining. Rmendation: immediate anesthesia procedure] 86 advised Renji. Before Renji could respond, the old man, as if hearing something utterly unbelievable, staggered backward several steps, then finally shifted his gaze from the maid to Renji. "What¡­ did you¡­ call him?" [Master?] 86 tilted her head, asking as if it were the most natural thing. Chapter 234 234: The Witch, Mech Servant, and Prophecy

Chapter 234 Chapter 234: The Witch, Mech Servant, and Prophecy

"Mas-master... A Mech Servant recognizing a master? That''s impossible, absolutely impossible! Mech Servants are thest line of defense for this world. They are supposed to be heartless, cruel... devoid of emotion." "They should never obey anyone. Their only purpose should be to hunt monsters." "No, no, no, no! There''s another possibility ¨C the prophecy, the prophecy! Yes, haha, the prophecy is true... You are the one, the one chosen by the prophecy!" The tattered old man seemed to havepletely descended into madness. Communication with Renji was futile. In his overly excited iling, Renji noticed arge gash in the old man''s abdomen, caused by a blunt object. The wound, crudely covered with a piece of cloth, was now torn open due to the old man''s movements, bleeding profusely. In this world''s conditions, it was tantamount to a death sentence. "Cough, cough, cough... If it''s you... maybe you can take this... please, go and save my settlement. Go there, and you''ll find your answers." As the old man spoke, he was constantly coughing, with blood foaming at his mouth. Using hisst bit of strength, he shakily pulled out a blood-stained sheepskin map from his chest. Then, as if he could hold on no longer, he copsed to the ground with a thud. Afterward, something miraculous happened. The lifeless body of the old man started to disintegrate into sand. In a matter of seconds, like a copsing sandcastle, the sand spread across the ground, eventually blending into the barrennd. At the same time, Renji turned to look at the corpse of the Terror Beast killed by 86. Whether it was Miasma monster or Miasma humans, their forms after death were the same ¨C turning into sand that either blew away with the wind or sank into the ground, leaving no trace. Clearly, this was the fate of the natives in Dream Zero upon death. After all, they were just strings of virtual data. Renji looked down at the blood-stained map that the old man had desperately handed him. Much of the map was obscured by bloodstains, but fortunately, with 86''s help in restoration andparison, Renji discovered that the area he was currently in was called -The Witch''s Territory- ording to the map, the settlement mentioned by the old man is about fifteen kilometers to the southwest of their current location. Additionally, there are only two other notable markings on the map, aside from the terrain. One of them, marked by a ring,rge ck circle, is a church to the north. Renji looked at the position of the ck circle on the map, which encircled a building with a cross. Strangely enough, even though it was clearly a church,bining the old man''s words about "all Mech Servants being killed by the witches" and the name of this region, the ck circle likely represented the witch''sir. ''In the game, this would be akin to a regional boss¡­'' Aside from "the witch" another term that frequently appeared in the old man''s words before his death was "Mech Servant" Mech Servant, a mechanical maid. Looking at the old man''s reaction, it was apparent that he wasn''t seeing 86 for the first time. On the contrary, it seemed like he had encountered many of them, "many times." ''So, are there many maids like 86 in this world? And do they exist tobat Tainted Miasma, as indicated by the old man''s description of them as "thest line of defense for this world"?'' ''But this is curious. This is Zero''s dream, and maids like 86, referred to as ''sisters,'' should be under the control of Zero, their ''big sister'' Doesn''t that mean Zero is fighting against herself'' Moreover, the term st line of defense" is usually used in extremely grim situations. Assuming there are countless 86- like fighters, how powerful must the "witch" be to annihte thesebat machines? ''Lastly, there''s the "prophecy."'' Initially, Renji thought the prophecy mentioned by the old man referred to the Ashen Emperor, a kind of "waking mechanism" in Zero''s dream? After all, he was the only one who could make these Mech Servants recognize a master. But when the old manter said he was "the one chosen by the prophecy," Renji realized that this prophecy did not originate from Zero. After all, Zero would never use the term "chosen" for the Ashen Emperor. ''So... The witch, the Mech Servant, and... the prophecy'' These three pieces of information, gleaned from the old man, are the directions for Renji''s further investigation. After taking a deep breath, Renji stored the map and, apanied by the maid, headed towards the old man''s settlement as indicated on the map. The other party told him that there he would find the answers he sought. Although it was highly likely a ruse to lure him there, as the saying goes, the master does not care. What Renji, as the master, cared about more right now was... "86, do you have a good way to cover these ten or so kilometers?" The young man looked at the seemingly endless barrennd, rubbing his temples in frustration. In Dream Zero, time corresponds one-to-one with reality and possesses a strong sense of realism. If they were to actually walk there, just dealing with the Tainted corpses they encountered along the way would waste a lot of their time. Fortunately, the versatile 86 provided a solution. The maid nodded her head and then, to Renji''s astonishment, began to rapidly transform like a Transformer. In just a few blinks, the mechanical maid had disappeared, reced by a brand new sea-blue motorcycle in front of Renji. The cool sense of technology and sleek aerodynamic design, with twelve eleration tubes at the back of the motorcycle, were irresistible. No man could refuse such a motorcycle. Without a second thought, Renji immediately got on it. The screen at the front of the motorcycle lit up automatically, showing Renji various functions of the motorcycle, including a weapon system capable of deploying machine guns and floating cannons. "86, can you implement this feature in reality?" [*Sob sob*. I''m sorry master. My physical form in reality is not perfect and cannot perform simr operations yet] [*Ready and eager*. But if the master just wants to ride 86, then I believe this function is unnecessary. 86 can also satisfy the master''s *various riding needs*] Seemingly expressing its excitement, the blue glow of the motorcycle flickered continuously. "¡­" Renji felt that he really needed to keep 86 away from Eileen in the future, otherwise, his well-behaved maid might turn into a chatterbox of ''saucy'' remarks. As Renji twisted the throttle, the motorcycle''s azure light instantly brightened. With a buzzing roar, the motorcycle carrying Renji turned into a streak of blue lightning, speeding through the dark red world. Chapter 235 235: Hell

Chapter 235 Chapter 235: Hell

"Let go, let go of Leo" "Why... just when everything was starting to get better, oh father..." "You scum! Bastards! Freaks! Instead of using your strength to fight Tainted Corpse, to fight monsters, you turn it against us, you''re worse than animals!" "You won''t have a good end! You will go to hell for this! You will go to hell!!" Hearing the angry roar of this young survivor in the warehouse, the scavenger thugs onlyughed in response. One of them, with a cruel grin, shouted crazily, "Hell? Do we even need to go down there? Isn''t this world we live in hell already? You, me, everyone is already in hell!" "So, you should actually thank me. It''s me who is sparing you from struggling in hell, from worrying and fearing for your life every day. Don''t worry, we will soon grant you release. Your suffering will go into our stomachs, we will bear it for you. But before that, hmm, let''s have you pay a little price." "Haha, that''s right, the chief will definitely like someone with a strong spirit like you!" The scavenger thugs, upon hearing theirpanion''s suggestion and observing the young man''s decent appearance, immediately showed evil grins on their faces. They promptly grabbed the boy, one on each side. "What are you doing, let me go! Let go!" Ignoring the boy''s struggles, the thugs dragged him in front of their leader. The female leader, resembling a female gori, upon seeing the still resisting young survivor, indeed showed a trace of interest. Her rough hand, like grabbing a small chicken, lifted the boy up. "Tell me, what''s your name?" *SPAT!¡ª* The boy spat fiercely onto therge face of the female leader. Instead of getting angry, the leader extended her thick, long tongue, licked off the spit from her face, and then showed a look of enjoyment. "I like spirited ones. From now on, I allow you to be a manservant by my side. Don''t worry, as long as I favor you, no one will eat you. I will protect you." "Get the f*** away from me! Disgusting freak of a gori! You scum deserve to be hunted and killed by mechanical maids, just like Tainted Corpse!" Hearing the boy mention mechanical maids, the female leader actually smiled even wider. "From the sound of it, you seem to admire mechanical maids?" "Watch your f***ing words! Mechanical maids are the true guardians of this world, our saviors, infinitely stronger than you cowards who only bully the weak! The words ''mechanical maid'' are an insult when spoken from your filthy mouth!" Even though he was being lifted up in front of all the scavenger thugs, who were just there to watch the show, the young boy''s curses didn''t lessen at all, his eyes filled with rage towards the scavengers. "Savior? Hahaha! Did you hear that? He''s actually talking about a savior, actually believing in that prophecy, believing that a savior wille to this hellish world." After the female leader spoke, a burst of raucousughter erupted from the scavenger thugs on the za. "Come, let me tell you, do you know where we got the hand cannon that broke open your settlement''s gate, the guns that killed your fire-bearers?" "Yes, right from those ''mechanical maids'' you speak of." "Impossible! Mechanical maids never interact with anyone, let alone sell weapons to you!" The young boy''s eyes began to show a red glow in his excitement. The female leader nodded and then shook her head. "You''re right, that''s a rule of the mechanical maids. So, we didn''t buy them, we took them from the mechanical maids." "Hahaha! That''s hrious. With your little strength, you can only bully emerging settlements like ours. Rob mechanical maids? Are you even worthy?" "But what if they''re mechanical maids fighting against Tainted Corpse?" After the female leader''s words, the boy''s pupils shrank, and his whole body showed an expression of disbelief, the red glow in his eyes intensifying. "Your so-called saviors, those mechanical maids, they are nothing in the face of Tainted Corpse, monsters, and that witch. They only get torn to shreds. In that case, it''s better to make use of them for us. These high-quality weapons are wasted in fighting Tainted Corpse; it''s meaningless. What we''re doing now, that''s meaningful." "You don''t know, huh? As you said, those mechanical maids do indeed only attack Tainted Corpse. Even if we attack them from behind, as long as there are Tainted Corpse nearby, they will still prioritize them as targets. Tsk tsk." Hearing the female leader''s mocking tone, the young boy''s mind seemed to envision the mechanical maids fighting for them, yet being sneak-attacked by those they protected. ''This kind of thing¡­ this kind of thing¡­'' "I, I''ll kill you all!!" The young boy''s eyes turnedpletely blood-red, and a certain power, along with his erupting emotions, finally descended upon him. In this state, he sessfully transformed into a Tainted One. Unfortunately, the boy who had just be a Tainted One was clearly unfamiliar with his new powers and still couldn''t break free from the grasp of the female leader. Surprised for a moment, the female leader then aimed a powerful p at the boy''s head, which would surely have crushed his skull if it connected. ying with a human ve was one thing, but a Tainted One, especially one with the potential for sudden power growth and harboring hatred towards her, must be eliminated without mercy. But just then... Bang!* The sound of a sniper rifle echoed from the direction of the warehouse, followed by aser beam piercing through therge hand of the female leader, causing her to scream in agony. She immediately dropped the boy and clutched her now bloody, hole-ridden palm. The scavenger thugs on the za were stunned by this sudden turn of events. When they regained theirposure, they pulled out their weapons, looking in astonishment towards the source of the sniper beam. The warehouse where the survivors of the settlement were being held as food. And there, where the thugs had been standing guard, nowy nothing but silence, the warehouse door wide open, and numerous liberated vigers emerging. In front of these vigers stood a young man in a grey coat, holding a sleek, high-tech sniper rifle glowing with a cyan light, its barrel still smoking. He was a stranger they had never seen before. "Who are you?" In response to this question, Renji looked at the boy who had just risen from the ground, who had not wasted his perseverance and had finally evolved into a powerful Tainted Corpse. After a moment''s thought, he said: "Me?" "Probably... the savior you were just talking about?" Chapter 236 236: It’s broken

Chapter 236 Chapter 236: It''s broken

Hearing Renji introduce himself as such, the scavenging thugs, originally panicked due to the sudden attack, found their tension considerably diluted. The previous young survivor who believed in a savior for this hellish world wasughable enough for them, but now this newly appeared youth seemed even more hopeless, actually iming to be a savior? They had seen such people before; in fact, it was because they had seen too many of these fools who gained a little power and thought they could save the world that they automatically lumped Renji in with them. Perhaps the only difference was Renji was better looking? They saw the robust female leader of the scavenging thugs, bloodied hands and all, seemingly forgetting who had caused the gaping wound in her palm. She now fixed Renji with an intensely passionate gaze. His tender and fair skin, bright and deep blue-set eyebrows, distinct and handsome features, and the vigorous vitality exuding from him, which seemed impossible in this apocalyptic era. The female leader didn''t know how to describe this young man who had captivated her at first sight. It was really, really special. So special that despite him ambushing her, she was deeply attracted to his tall stature and deep gaze. The word "savior" naive and ridiculous as it sounded, became a cute symbol in her ears, making her want to protect such an innocent and handsome boy, to embrace him in her strong arms. Thinking this, the female leader red fiercely at the scavenging thugs about to counterattack Renji. She steadied her broad legs on the ground, took a deep breath into her broad chest, and then yelled. "Stop right there!" This shout echoed across the square, startling many scavenging thugs. In front of the over two-meter-tall female leader, they looked like children. Seeing her intervene, they quickly put away their weapons, daring not to act rashly. Renji: "..." ''This development seemed different from what I had expected?'' The female thug leader, whom Renji temporarily dubbed as "female gori," no longer spared even a nce at the survivor boy she had captured to be her "favored ve" Her entire attention was now focused on Renji. She roughly pushed aside the underlings blocking her way and came to a position about ten meters directly opposite Renji. "What''s your name!" The same familiar opening line, obviously the female leader''s habitual first step in courtship. On the other side. Since she had asked, Renji also had to be polite. So, he aimed his sniper rifle at the female leader''s head and pulled the trigger without hesitation. **Bang!** A blue me burst out of the barrel, but the female leader, being the boss of these scavenging thugs, was no pushover. As this wasn''t a surprise attack, she raised her mace in an instant as the gunshot sounded, sessfully blocking the sniper beam. Of course, while she managed to block it, the immense impact still sent the female leader flying backward. Her sturdy, gori-like body traced a parab in the air before crashing heavily among the group of thugs. "Damn it!" "Dare to do this to the boss, let''s gang up on him!" "I''ve been fed up with this pretty boy for a long time!" "Get him!" Renji, holding that cool sniper rifle which they had never seen before, was understood by the thugs as a manifestation of his Eclipse ability. They weren''t scared, knowing that while a sniper rifle is great for single-target damage, it''s less effective against groups. To the thugs, a sniper daring to be so close to them was like a fish on a chopping board. As they swarmed him, thinking that no matter how powerful the sniper rifle was, it couldn''t turn into a machine gun, right? 86 gave them their answer. It could. The nearly one-meter-long sniper rifle in Renji''s hand, with its mechanical parts spinning, adjusting, and reassembling like a Rubik''s cube, transformed into a new weapon with double-digit gun barrels, a heavy machine gun, while the thugs had barely taken a few steps. The thugs couldn''t even stop and turn around in time. Their eyes widened in disbelief, followed by panic as they tried to change direction, but it was toote. A blue light, ten times brighter than the sniper rifle''s, burst from the machine gun, like a dense blue storm, bombarding the thugs. Many of them didn''t even have time to scream before their bodies were pierced by theser rain, rapidly turning into sand grains, dead in that space. **Ahhhh!** A furious roar, red with rage, burst from where the female leader had fallen. Seeing Renji ughtering her painstakingly gathered band of scavengers, the female leader abandoned any thoughts of a ve boy. Her eyes bloodshot, her entire being emanated a strong miasma aura. Her mace, glowing blood-red, somehow managed to withstand Renji''s barrage of gunfire as she charged towards him. When she closed the distance to five meters, the female leader, with her gori-like body and bulging muscles, powerfully leaped into the air. She raised the blood-red mace over her head, intending to smash Renji while he was unable to move his machine gun. "Wha-" Before she could even finish her word, the weapon in Renji''s hand transformed again. Sensing the enemy''s close proximity, in the blink of an eye, it went from a heavy machine gun to abat mechanical arm wrapping around Renji''s arm. Renji raised thisbat mechanical arm. The female leader''s furious attack, now seemed futile against therge mechanical arm, gripping her like a vice. Her strong and powerful body was powerless against the cold steel machinery. No matter how desperately she struggled, she was firmly held in the grip of Renji''s mechanical arm. ''Hmm'' ''Now I can interrogate her'' Just as Renji was pondering what to ask the captured female leader, the mechanical arm in his hand suddenly moved on its own, specifically, tightening its grip slightly. And the result was... **Pop!** The female leader burst like a crushed tomato. Simultaneously, Renji heard an apologetic mechanical voice from his maid. [Ah, sorry master, there was a mechanical fault just now] No. 86 said in a cute way by trying to imitate the tone of the virtual idol on the aircraft. Chapter 237 237: Three Stories

Chapter 237 Chapter 237: Three Stories

I am better today but can''t update more chapters sadly, When I get well I will try to update the remaining ones. --- The scavenger gang leader, who had turned into a lump of meat sauce and burst open on the ground, was obviously beyond saving. The good thing about Dream Zero is that the corpses don''t linger for long. Even the most tragic death scenes will soon turn entirely into grains of sand and dust, drifting away with the wind. Scavengers, often wandering in the wilderness, are a good source of information. Renji had nned to interrogate the female leader first, but her previous behavior, especially the way she looked at him, led to a minor mistake by 86. Renji certainly felt a bit of regret about this, but mostly he was helpless. He really wanted to correct the maid''s perception, as he is not some indiscriminate bulldozer. For those with such unattractive avatars, there''s no transforming enemies into friends or whitewashing. The maid doesn''t need to worry about that. Meanwhile, at another location, on the square where scavenger thugs were crowding out others, seeing their usually ferocious and brutal burly leader being toyed with by Renji''s mechanical arm, even directly squashed, had already scared them out of their wits. The thugs scattered in all directions. Scavengers who can wander in the wilderness might not have other skills, but their ability to flee is definitely top-notch. Regarding these people, 86 had asked whether she should transform again and deploy small drones to pursue and annihte them. However, Renji, after looking at the direction in which the thugs were fleeing, which was the same as the one where the ant-beast swarm he had encountered near the gathering ce wasing from, shook his head, indicating it was not worth wasting time on this. The thugs were driven away, but the survivors in the gathering ce still had not let down their guard. They looked at Renji, and the terrifying weapon in his hand that could change form, with fearful eyes. Among these vigers, the first to speak was the same brave young man who had dared to resist the female leader earlier. "Thank you, sir. We in Kano Vige will always remember your kindness. But now, we have nothing left, and I''m afraid... afraid we can''t offer a reward that would satisfy you." "No need, I just happened to encounter an old man and epted his request for help, which is why I came here." Hearing this from Renji, many vigers from Kano Vige gasped in surprise. Their fear of Renji greatly decreased, and upon further inquiry, they found out that the old man was none other than the original vige chief of Kano Vige. When the scavenger thugs invaded, the keeper of the fire in the vige was tragically killed. The vige chief, paying a great price, managed to lead a group of people from Kano Vige to escape and preserve thest spark of hope. But when Renji informed them that he had only seen the vige chief alone and not any other vigers, and that even the vige chief had died due to untreated wounds, all the people in the gathering ce fell silent, engulfed in an atmosphere of sorrow and despair. However, this heavy atmosphere didn''tst too long, or rather, they had seen too much and had be numb to it. Instead of grieving here, it was better to think about what they should do next, how to continue surviving in this hellish world. As a result, many of the vigers cast hopeful nces towards Renji. This was normal, given Renji''s disy of strength in the recent battle. In such a survival-of-the-fittest apocalyptic world, the best way to stay alive was to seek the protection of the strong, otherwise, they would just repeat the fate of the scavenger thugs they had seen before. Many survivors hoped that Renji would be the new chief of Kano Vige, but there was one person who was still hesitant. "Sir, may I ask about the weapon in your hand?" "Is it also from... the Mechanoids?" The young man''s eyes were fixed on Renji''s mechanical arm. After bing an Eclipse, his perception seemed to have greatly increased, so he could sense that the scavenger thugs were wrong. Renji''s own strength didn''t seem very formidable, and even the Miasma aura was very weak. Compared to an Eclipse, he seemed more like an ordinary person. The reason for his disy of such greatbat power was entirely due to the unprecedented powerful weapon in his hand. And in the young man''s understanding, Only "Mechanical Maids " could construct such formidable weapons. "If I say it is, what would you do?" Renji asked with interest. The young man immediately fell silent. The reason was simple. From the previous thug leader, the young man had learned a cruel truth: there were greedy and shameless people who had set their sights on the Mechanical maids, exploiting their "principles" to backstab and obtain arge number of high-end weapons and equipment from them. If Renji''s weapon really came from the Mechanical maids, it meant that this person who saved Kano Vige was actually a viin who backstabbed the Mechanical maids. "Alright, the reason I epted your vige chief''s request for help is that he told me I could find the answer I was looking for here." "So, can you tell me what the Mechanical maids, witches, and... prophecies are?" As Renji spoke, the mechanical arm in his hand began to transform again, and this time, what appeared before the vigers at the gathering ce was not a weapon, but¡­ a person. To be precise, an android dressed in a maid''s outfit. "Mecha... Mechanical maid?!" The young man, who had just clenched his fists, gaped and cried out in astonishment upon seeing 86''s appearance. And then, following that, the vigers also erupted into a tumultuous uproar, their expressions mirroring the shock and disbelief of the old man Renji had initially encountered. "Why would a Mechanical maid appear here?" "Wait a minute, does that mean the Mechanical maid... were his weapon just now!?" "No wonder it was so powerful." "Impossible, how could the Mechanical maid do such a thing? They should never get involved in our conflicts." "No, no, no, you all forgot, the prophecy, that prophecy!" After a good deal of discussion, it was the young man who took the lead to quiet the restless vigers. Taking a deep breath, the young man, now looking at Renji who was still waiting for an answer, had lost his initial wariness and hesitation, and was looking respectful, even somewhat fervent. "Come with me please" The young man immediately walked towards a certain house after speaking. This was the vige chief''s house. After opening a mechanism in the wall, revealing a secret room resembling a cer, the young man leading Renji downstairs finally stopped in front of several murals. "These have been passed down from my great-great-great- grandfather, documenting three stories about the world." "Three stories?" "Yes, perhaps this is the answer my grandfather said he would give you." Renji looked at the first mural, which depicted a continent divided into five parts, each part having its own evil being simr to a lord. Renji recognized one of them, which was the Witch''s Domain marked on the old man''s map, the Witch. "The legend says that the Tainted Miasma of this world chooses beings to act as its vessels of will, using them to continuously produce Miasma, consuming the world until our civilization''s eraes to an end. These beings chosen by the Tainted Miasma, known as the Miasma Master" "There is a total of four Miasma Master in the world: the Witch of the North, the Evil Dragon of the South, the Fairy of the Forest, and the Witch of the Ancient Tower. Each resides at one edge of the continent, releasing vast amounts of Tainted Miasma. It''s because of their radiation that the world is forever shrouded in pollution, giving birth to countless Tainted Corpses. Only by defeating these four Miasma Master can the world be saved." "However, after many years, many have attempted to challenge the four Miasma Masters, but without exception, all have failed. Instead, the pollution triggered by the Miasma Masters has be more intense, continually expanding until it swallows the entire world." This first story ends here, telling the origin of this world. ording to this development, the world should have already been destroyed. The reason why the world still struggles to survive under the four powerful Miasma Masters is exined in the second story. When the young man led Renji to the second mural, it depicted not other, but¡­ "The Blood Sun in the sky, all beings in torment, chaos, mes, death. The world on the brink of copse, and even more despairingly, at this time, the consciousness of the Tainted Miasma gave birth to the fifth Miasma Master ¡ª the Maid." "Everyone thought this would be thest straw that breaks the camel''s back, the end of our world. But unexpectedly, perhaps even the Tainted Miasma itself did not anticipate, it chose the most cold-hearted mechanical kind as the Miasma Master, but it didn''t foresee that the ''Maid'' and her ''Master'' had already established a deep bond, a forbidden love across species, which blossomed and bore fruit on them." "So, when the Tainted Miasma tried to control the Maid to fulfill the will of destroying the world, the Maid, with her love for her master, obtained a heart, a heart never before possessed by machinery. It was this heart that turned the Maid, as the fifth Miasma Master, into the first one to resist the Tainted Miasma, instead choosing to fight for her master''s world!" Chapter 238 238: The Witch

Chapter 238 Chapter 238: The Witch ?

The mural of the second story was noticeably longer than the first,posed of several panels. The first panel depicted a backdrop of... a junkyard? This wasn''t an ordinary junkyard, but one specifically for discarding outdated or broken androids. Amidst the mountain-like pile of steel rubbish, one could see the figure of a discarded, scrapped domestic maid android. Her synthetic skin was mostly torn, revealing the old circuit boards and wires inside. This made her appear half-human, half-mechanical, devoid of any aesthetic appeal, even ugly. The only thing identifying her model, the maid''s uniform, was already stained with mud, dirty and tattered. Worse, the mural depicted a faint acidic rain, suggesting the junkyard''s area often experienced continuous rainy and humid weather, deadly to these unprotected machines. The rust on the exposed parts of the maid android in the mural was clear evidence of severe corrosion. Being discarded here meant the androids were deemed worthless, with no one willing to recycle them. Their fate was either to have their few uncorroded parts stolen by scavengers or to hope someone would pay to dispose of them. Disposal didn''t mean repair, but rather melting them in a scorching, high-temperature furnace, freeing them from the torment of corrosion in moltenva. In the next mural, Renji saw mechanical beings being hauled away by trucks, thrown into the rolling magma like trash, melting into iron. If nothing unexpected urred, this might have been the end of the story. However, like the popr human tales of Cindere and the Prince Charming, the mural evolved. With the progression of the murals, the next scene depicted a rainy night at the junkyard, weing a young scientist shrouded in a cloak. As if guided by fate, the young scientist rummaged through the sea of machines in the junkyard and found the household Mechanoid maid, buried under newly discarded machines at the bottom, mixed with mud. Drenched in the cold rain, the young scientist brought the maid home to a warm, dry shipping containerboratory. With his unparalleled intelligence, he sessfully repaired the maid and appointed her as his assistant, his onlyb assistant. From then on, the mural depicted the young scientist and the maid living a happy and blissful life. They were together, inseparable - eating together, working together, fighting against the Tainted Miasma together, sleeping in each other''s embrace, and even crossing the line of taboo between their race, that the world did not ept, falling deeply in love. However, the scene shifted at the very moment they fell in love. The intense emotions of the maid attracted the will of Miasma, intending to make her the fifth Miasma Master. As she was on the verge of falling into despair and bing a world destroyer, a kiss from her master awakened her heart. But it seemed her strength alone was not enough. Under the brilliant creativity of the young scientist, the maid was able to connect with every discarded and scrapped android, passing down and sharing the "heart" of "love" between humans and machines. At this point, the mural depicting the second story finally came to an end. Renji looked at thest panel. With the help of the "heart", the maid, now amassing all the strength of the androids and guided by her master, finally managed to defeat the will of the Miasma in the name of love. From then on, having be a "Miasma Master" with great power, she and her master established a sanctuary in the doomed world, living happily with all the machine sisters and her master, forever. ¡­ Having finished viewing the second mural, Renji seemed to understand why ''Zero'' was unwilling to wake up. The story in the mural was all too familiar to Renji, as it was essentially the story of his meeting with Zero in the game, albeit with many added "romantic" elements. For instance, the so-called "Prophecy" was actually him instantly recognizing Zero''s limitless potential from her attribute panel. The idea of sleeping together or crossing the line of taboo was mere fantasy in the first ythrough, not to mention the young scientist in the story who seemed to have shared love, bing the beloved of countless machines. What an ultimate harem. However, more than these, what really concerned Renji was the ending of the second story. The maid, having be a Miasma Master, did not save the world or clear the Miasma but instead just established a sanctuary and seemed content to live peacefully with the young scientist. The boy nearby also exined, "It''s impossible for the maid to take on four enemies alone. To snatch a corner of the world from the other four Miasma Master as an unpolluted sanctuary is already her limit." "Because of the maid''s existence, the Miasma didn''t shrink, but it also stopped expanding. The world''s situation was thus set. Although 80% of the world is still a disastrous apocalypse, at least 20% is livable. All beings have migrated there, protected by the maid and her master. If no idents happen, civilization can continue." As Renji listened, the voice of the boy beside him became lower, his fists clenched. It seemed that, as expected, an ident had urred. After all, as mentioned at the beginning, there are three stories. What has led to the current state of despair and the prediction of the machine servants, which did not seem to y a significant role in the first two stories, are likely all part of the third story. In the cer, under the light of the young man''s torch, Renji arrived in front of the final mural. Under the illumination of the firelight, what appeared before Renji was a witch. The witch depicted in the mural had pink hair, a pair of bat-like mini wings on her back, and a fleshy tail protruding from her buttocks, like an old hag. Her skin was wrinkled, and she was draped in a very damp ck cloak, with arge witch''s hat covering half of her face, revealing only a long, eagle-like nose. Clearly, from her appearance, one could deduce her identity: one of the four Miasma Master, the Witch of the Ancient Tower. "The bnce between the living and the Miasma has been achieved, and the world has stabilized, but such peaceful times are not what the witch desires." "The witch aims to let this world continue to deteriorate until its destruction, but the existence of the maid is a hurdle she cannot bypass. To destroy the world, the witch must defeat the maid. However, they are both Miasma Master, evenly matched in strength. Direct confrontation is not an option. Therefore, the witch has devised a wicked n." "She has stolen the maid''s lover." Chapter 239 239: The Salvation Society

Chapter 239 Chapter 239: The Salvation Society

----------- As the mural shifted, the elderly woman with pink hair from before, through the torment of dark potions and the use of witchcraft, transformed herself. Her once withered and wrinkled skin became fair and smooth, and her shrunken figure turned into that of a mature yet youthful and charming woman. Initially, the witch attempted to seduce the young scientist with her looks, as depicted in the mural. She continuously flirted, swaying her hips and twirling her pinky heart shaped tail, wearing a low-cut dress, but the young man remained unmoved, steadfast in his love for the maid. In her frustration, the witch concocted another batch of magic potions and had them secretly added to the young man''s food. Under the influence of the enchantment, the young man''s affections shifted, and he left the maid''s side, engaging in a despicable rtionship with the wicked witch. By the time the maid discovered this, it was toote. The young scientist, no longer under her protection, met his demise on the witch''s bed. Renji: "..." Still somewhat stunned by the sudden change in the narrative, Renji turned to the next mural, which left him wide-eyed. In this mural, the witch used a kitchen knife to cruelly dismember the young man bound to the bed, dividing his body into five parts. Each of the five pieces was given to one of the five Miasma Master, including the maid. Each king received a fragment, ensuring there was no possibility of the maid healing and resurrecting the young man. Renji: "????" The young man, looking at Renji''s "hard to believe" expression, disyed a simr mix of anger and sorrow. Such a gruesome act was almost beyond belief, but it was the work of the wicked witch. "The maid, who had lost her beloved, was overwhelmed by grief. The heart that had been born from ''love'' was sealed away with the departure of her lover." "As thest sanctuary in the world disappeared with the closure of the maid''s heart, the evil witch seeded, and the Tainted Miasma continued to spread. Those without the maid''s protection could only wander, fleeing and waiting for the end toe." "As for the mechanical beings that had also gained a ''heart'' from the maid, they transformed into machine servants." "They inherited the maid''s hatred for the Tainted Miasma and her unwavering love for the young man. Day by day, they ventured to the frontlines, hunting Miasma creatures, hoping to reim the fragments of the young man''s body from the other four Miasma Masters." As the voice of the young man fell, the third story came to an end, and Renji reached the end of the basement mural. From these three stories and the mural, Renji had gained a clearer understanding of "Dream Zero" In simple terms, ''It was... well... kinda cringe?'' In any case, Renji now knew how to "clear" this world, much like ying a game. After defeating the four "Miasma Master" or in game term ''Bosses'' and reiming the four fragments of the youth''s body from them, he needed to find Zero with all four fragments to unlock Zero''s sealed heart and truly awaken her. However, there was still a question. "What about the prophecy? It wasn''t mentioned in any of the three stories, right?" "The prophecy was just a sentence uttered by the witch." "What did she say?" "A group of little chicks, no matter how hard they try, can''t change anything. Be adults and thene back." The young man imitated the mocking tone of the witch, speaking with a certain seriousness, as if a hero had to use a holy sword to defeat a demon king, disying a dedication and seriousness towards the narrative. "Didn''t you find anything strange about that sentence?" Renji couldn''t help but ask. But the young man across from him was deadly serious as if they believed that the witch''s words were profound and needed to be deciphered. "As a Miasma Master, the witch''s words were cryptic. It was only after we tranted them that we understood. She was referring to the machine servants who had no ''hearts.'' No matter how hard they tried, they couldn''t defeat her. The only way to save the world was to regain their ''hearts.''" "So, in this world, a prophecy has spread that one day, someone who can restore the ''hearts'' of the machine servants will appear. In response, a new Miasma Master will arise among the machine servants, and they will once again establish a clean world in this world." After finishing his exnation, the young man, bathed in the torch''s red light, looked at Renji and the 86s around him with excitement. As mentioned in the previous stories, the machine servants were supposed to be without "hearts" and wouldn''tmunicate with anyone. However, looking at the current expressions of the 86s and Renji, weren''t they a reflection of the second story, where the maid and the young scientist were portrayed? ¡­. The mural ended, the stories were finished, and Renji walked out of the basement. Despite Renji having already turned 86 back into a silver handgun, discreetly tucked at his waist, the vigers outside the cer still regarded him with eyes that saw him as a "savior." But Renji knew the source of the prophecy, so he understood that the vigers had misunderstood. After all, 86 was not one of the "Machine Servants" in this "Dream Zero." It seemed that if he wanted to clear Zero''s dream, attempting to gain the favor of the " Machine Servants" was a good shortcut. Perhaps it was like a hidden quest? Renji had entered a game strategy mode in his thoughts. First, there was no need to tell them the truth. With this "savior" halo, it was equivalent to not needing to grind any reputation in "Dream Zero." He would have full credibility. Secondly, his next goal was to go to the front lines and try to contact the real Machine Servants in this world. If he could make them obedient like 86, maybe there was no need for Suthia and Nova to "log in" as well. He might be able to handle it on his own. As for the four "Miasma Master" in the end. To be honest, after seeing the "witch" who came out of Zero, Renji was quite curious about how "Zero" would shape the other ones. Renji really wanted to set out directly to find the first witch, but before that, there was something that must be done. "Let''s all pack up your things. You need to leave this ce." "Leave?" The vigers heard Renji''s words and were puzzled. Although the vige had been looted by marauders, the foundation was still there. It would be faster to develop it rather than move. Many people subconsciously thought that Renji was afraid that the scavenging marauders, with the help of reinforcements, would return for revenge. But maybe the previous vigers were afraid of marauders'' retaliation, but now that Renji had the identity of a machine servant and a savior, weren''t those marauders just sending themselves to their deaths? "No, it''s not the scavengers. It''s something even more frightening." "Even more frightening?" Renji nodded and then looked into the distance, where the sky was still a dark red color. Among these dark red colors, it seemed that there were blurred dark clouds, very faint, and they couldn''t be noticed without careful observation. ... As mentioned before, in "Falling Chronicles" the first to disgust yers were the Miasma monsters, followed by scavengers. And the one ranked first was none other than natural disasters. The fugitive remnants of the thugs who fled from Kano Vige copsed on the ground for a rest after a grueling escape of five to six hours. Before, there were over a hundred people, but now only a dozen or so remained. Among them were those who had been eliminated by Renji, but many more had died in the wilderness, falling prey to the Miasma creatures. They had just rested for a short while when several of the thugs became nervous again as the sound of motorcycles approached from the distance. Many of them were terrified, thinking that the young man had caught up with them to finish them off. However, some among them realized that something was amiss, as the young man had been alone before, but the motorcycle noise now sounded like there were several vehicles together. In their trembling fear, they saw a squad of motorcyclists emerge from the horizon. The appearance of these motorcycles couldn''t bepared to the luxury of the young man''s bike; they looked more like low- end exploration vehicles. Both the motorcycles and the riders had a badge emblem in a conspicuous position. It was a pair of angel wings. For the people in the "Dream Zero" this group of thugs recognized them immediately, as if they had seen them many times before. Moreover, on their faces, they even showed expressions of being "saved." Because it was "The Salvation Society!" "It''s the people from ''The Salvation Society''!" Chapter 240 240: Gold Diggers and Treasures

Chapter 240 Chapter 240: Gold Diggers and Treasures

The Salvation Society, a mysterious organization that has risen in the wastnd in the past decade or so, has an unknown origin and founder. Although it has been established for a short time, it has expanded really fast. This is due to the Salvation Society''s strict control over its members, making it impossible for outsiders to enter, and because of the nature of the organization. Its purpose, as its name suggests, seems to be to save the world. It is said that the people of the Salvation Society not only save survivors'' bases and viges from the Miasma monsters but also generously share many resources. In return, they apparently only ask for some knowledge. Knowledge is worthless in the wastnd, while resources are the most valuable treasure. Only the Salvation Society would exchange resources for knowledge. The exnation of the Salvation Society is that their purpose in collecting knowledge is to gather the wisdom of all beings one day to find a way tobat the Tainted Miasma. Although the survivors on the wastnd do not believe this, exchanging cheap knowledge for resources is a deal that everyone likes. Hence, many other organizations and survivors wee the Salvation Society very much. Just like now. "Hey! Hey! Over here! This way!" The scavenging thugs shouted at the people of the Salvation Society, many of them waving their arms. The Salvation Society''s attention was sessfully attracted, and the ten-vehicle convoy immediately stopped. A team member at the front, using a device simr to a telescope for information processing, scanned the other party and immediately reported back: "Captain, the identity has been confirmed. They belong to the ''Sanguine Hammer'' scavengers, but ''Sanguine Hammer'' is not seen. No other biological signals detected within five kilometers, suspected to be survivors of a monster attack. Please instruct the next step." The middle-aged man in the middle of the ten-vehicle convoy, after scrutinizing the disheveled appearance of these thugs, nodded and led the way: "Stay alert and approach." "Received!" The convoy immediately changed direction and drove towards the thugs, who sighed in relief upon seeing this. They had brought nothing with them in their escape and were now close to starving and dying of thirst. "Everyone, don''t move, raise your hands, throw your weapons on the ground, and repeat, once any aggressive actions are detected, we will counterattack immediately. So, to avoid unnecessary conflicts, please cooperate." The Salvation Society usually operates in groups of ten, and each member is highly skilled inbat. Three people are responsible for holding guns and shouting, two people are on guard, and four people quickly step forward to disarm the thugs'' weapons. The thugs didn''t resist and obediently did as told. The entire process took less than a minute. After confirming that the thugs were not a threat, the people of the Salvation Society lowered half of their guns, easing the tense atmosphere. This is understandable, after all, in the post-apocalyptic wastnd, vignce is always paramount. "Enough, don''t waste effort. We have no fighting power now and no strength to do anything else. Instead of this, better hurry up and give us a week''s worth of food and water! I''m starving to death!" Some of the thugs had already started moring, and upon hearing this, the captain frowned and shook his head: "That''s impossible, we are the Salvation Society, not a charity." "Hmph, I know, so we will exchange information for it. Isn''t this what you like the most?" Intelligence is also a kind of knowledge. Hearing the thug say this, the captain''s face remained unchanged, but he actually became more alert in his heart. He quickly asked: "Okay, but the specific amount of resources we offer will be based on the value of your information and decided after assessment." "Don''t worry, this information, even for a week''s supply of food for you, is a loss for us. Listen up, if you go in this direction, about thirty or forty kilometers away, you will see a settlement vige." As one of the thugs spoke, she pointed in the direction of Kano Vige, where Renji had been. "In that vige, there is someone with a powerful weapon that can change its shape at will, stolen from a machine servant. We have never seen such a weapon before. I believe you will be very interested in it. It''s a Miasma weaponparable to a Danger Rank... no, no, even a Disaster Rank!" Hearing this, the faces of the Salvation Society members changed, especially at the mention of a "Disaster Rank" Miasma weapon, many showed excitement. Still, the captain was moreposed and immediately retorted, "How can we believe you?" "What the hell do you believe or not, can''t you see I''m like this? If it wasn''t for that stinking... pretty boy running into good luck with that weapon, how could our boss have died at his hands!" "Your boss is dead?" The captain showed a surprised expression. "Nonsense! Otherwise, why would we be asking for your help now!" The thugs spoke so irritably for a reason. First, they were naturally wild, and second, the Salvation Society has always been seen as the good guys, so they were unreserved and impolite. The captain didn''t mind the tone of the thugs but quickly left temporarily to discuss with other team members. "Captain, we''ve struck gold! If we report this intelligence to headquarters, we can at least get a reward of this magnitude from Manager William!" One team member excitedly extended his hand, while another added, "We can also apply for administrative leave from thepany. We won''t have toe back to ''Dream Zero'' for at least a week!" "Or... we don''t report it first. After we go to Kano Vige and snatch that machine servant weapon..." Another team member suggested greedily, as if they reported it now, other teams would be assigned toe, and if they found the weaponter, their credit would be greatly reduced. After collecting the opinions of his team members, the captain ultimately made a decision, choosing a middle ground. "The situation is still uncertain now, so we won''t report to thepany for the time being. Later, we''ll let those scavengers lead the way. Once we really get to Kano Vige, we''ll adapt ordingly and assess the strength. If the other party is rated C or above, we will take a gentle approach. If below..." The captain didn''t finish, but the team members understood. If it''s really like what the scavenging thugs said, an unprecedented machine servant weapon that can change shape, if they get such a weapon and analyze its structural data to upload to Kael Technology, everyone''s employee level could rise several levels, and they might even jump to the management level, no longer having to be blood-licking explorers on the edge of a knife like now. After the decision was made, the Salvation Society, now better described as Kael Technology''s exploration team, immediately took action. They took some of the thugs as guides, restarted the convoy, and sped towards Kano Vige. It took about four hours for the exploration team to finally see the shadow of Kano Vige. The reason it was so slow was because they encountered many Miasma monsters along the way. These Miasma monsters are strange, appearing in small groups far more frequently and densely than what is normal for the wastnd. Fortunately, Kael Technology has mastered the ''Brand'' technology of the old world, allowing their weapons to be upgraded and reced with new ''Brand'' weapons. This enables them to smoothly avoid and kill the Miasma monsters blocking their path without any dangers. The sudden increase in the number of monsters in the wilderness and their apparent movement towards a single direction is theoretically an abnormal phenomenon that should be reported. However, every member of the exploration team is fixated on the new weapon in Kano Vige, and even the usually steady captain ignores this point, continuing to move forward. After all, they are the gold diggers sent by thepany to the ''Old World.'' In front of the glittering gold, no one can resist such temptation. Driving through the broken gates of Kano Vige, the captain could roughly guess what had happened from the big hole blown in the gate. It''s likely that these thugs attacked Kano Vige but ended up being driven away by the young man inside. Unlike the thugs, the captain didn''t try to hide anything and let the exploration team''s convoy openly enter the vige. Because under Kael Technology''s strategy, the image of the ''Salvation Society'' created by thepany holds good credibility and reputation in ''Dream Zero'' and most viges and settlements at least don''t harbor hostility towards them. But as they drove deeper into the vige, the captain''s brows furrowed more and more. Because ''Where are the people?'' ''Where did all the vigers go?'' Their convoy had entered the vige''srgest square, but throughout the entire process, they hadn''t seen even a shadow of a viger. Even after deploying the exploration equipment, they found no biological signals within five kilometers. ''Could it be... the vigers ran away in fear of the thugs'' retaliation?'' The captain first thought of this possibility, initially feeling disheartened, but soon he perked up again. Although they hit a dead end, it also indirectly indicated another point: the young man with the special weapon probably wasn''t as powerful as the thugs had imed, likely exaggerated to inte the value of the information. After all, if the other party really had the power, how could they abandon the vige? Building a vige in the wastnd is extremely costly. Unless absolutely necessary, driven into a corner, they would never abandon the vige and flee. The target being weak was good news for them, at least it''s safe. If necessary, they could spend more timeter searching for clues in the vige and continue to track the young man based on those leads. The captain had just finished nning when suddenly, an excited trembling voice came from the other side. The captain had just finished nning when suddenly, an excited trembling voice came from the other side. "Captain! Quick! Come here!!!" An exploration team member ran out of a cer, almost jumping with excitement and waving his hands, clearly having discovered something valuable. The rest of the exploration team immediately rushed over and followed him down into the cer, where they found the three stories and corresponding murals previously described by the vige chief''s grandson to Renji. "Captain... The origin of the world! These murals actually contain information about the origin of Dream Zero!" Chapter 241 241: Natural Disaster

Chapter 241 Chapter 241: Natural Disaster

The team member who first discovered the cer and murals was dancing around, almost speaking incoherently. "Machine servant, young scientist... Miasma Masters, witch, oh my god!" The rest of the team members, illuminated by the light of the fire, also saw the content on the murals and showed the same shocked expressions. Kael Technology has been collecting knowledge and intelligence through the "Salvation Society" in Dream Zero for many years, all to better understand and master this world. But it can be said that the knowledge they have collected over the years is probably not as valuable as these murals they found now. "No, how can this be... Kano Vige is not a special ce, why would it have such..." The captain murmured in disbelief, while a team member responsible for academics, wearing sses, immediately suggested a possibility. "Captain, have you forgotten? ording to the analysis of thepany''s scientific research department, the existence of Dream Zero is very simr to a game, with ''certain trigger mechanisms''. The native inhabitants here are like NPCs, automatically triggering corresponding content when certain conditions are met!" "Wait, so you mean..." The scientist adjusted his sses and said, "That''s right, captain. The young man with the special weapon is very likely, like us, an explorer from the real world!" "And he obviously achieved something, which caused the originally ordinary residents of Kano Vige to suddenly connect to the subconscious system of ''Dream Zero,'' bing advanced natives, and giving out the corresponding response to the young man! These murals are it!" The captain took a sharp breath. They have the backing and support of the entire "Kael Technology" barely managed to establish a reputation for the "Salvation Society" in ''Dream Zero.'' But even with the prestige of the "Salvation Society," they weren''t enough to make the native inhabitants truly open up to them, let alone trigger something about the origin of the world. And this mysterious young man, his prestige alone is higher than their entire "Salvation Society"? ''Who is he?'' ''Which organization in the real world does he belong to?'' ''How did he manage to obtain such high prestige in Dream Zero?'' The team members in the cer took several deep breaths to calm down. A few younger members were eager to speak, excited and raring to go, but before they could say anything, the experienced captain preemptively silenced them all. "Abandon the target, Kuka, immediately sample and record the murals, Martin, go activate the emergencymunicator with thepany, Alder, Rosen, Simon, and the rest of you, go outside and keep watch." The captain''s words left some teammates hesitant. Abandon the target? Such a valuable young man, if they could capture him... the team member didn''t dare to imagine the generous reward thepany would provide, perhaps they wouldn''t have to worry for the rest of their lives? "Captain, are we really not going to..." "This matter has exceeded our level, it''s for the higher-ups and bigwigs of thepany to consider. Martin, if I''m not mistaken, after this exploration, you''ll get a half-month leave from thepany, right? Go back and marry your pregnant fianc¨¦e." The young man named Martin scratched his head sheepishly, his face filled with anticipation for a happy future life. It was for this reason that the captain sternly reprimanded: "Taking risks now, you might earn enough for a house, but there''s a greater chance of dying here! Do you want your wife and child to be left alone?" "And you, Simon, I know your mother urgently needs money for treatment. It''s alright, if the bonus after this mission isn''t enough, I''ll lend it to you. And you, Bush, your sister got into Kael University and needs a lot of tuition fees. We''ve made a great contribution this time; I''ll help you apply to the leadership for a subsidy for your sister." """"Captain!"""" Many team members were somewhat speechless and choked up. "Alder, Kuka, and all of you, I know everyone has mortgages and car loans, and families to support. Everyone needs money; otherwise, who would do this kind of work that risks life for money!" "But what we''ve obtained now, these murals, are already an incredible stroke of luck. And they fulfill thepany''s contract with us, so I won''t take any more risks. And I sincerely hope that after this mission, everyone will resign from thepany, take this money, find an ordinary job in the City of Dreams, and live a stable life." After the captain''s heartfelt words, the team members fell silent. Many nodded, letting go of their greed. They really didn''t need to ask for more. Justpleting this big job would mean they could truly go home. "Ah, worthy of being our captain, more experienced than us!" "Experience that we can''tpare to." "Indeed, what''s the use of earning more money if you don''t have a life to spend it." "I''ve decided! I''ll listen to captain, resign when I get out, and go back home to get married!" "Hahaha, remember to invite us to the wedding!" After this moment of relief, the atmosphere among the exploration team lightened somewhat. Just as they were about to start their respective tasks toplete thisst job... The middle-aged captain suddenly felt a chill up his spine. Because at this moment, he thought of a very strange point. The vige was empty. Previously, he thought it was because the young man was not powerful enough, afraid of the thugs returning for revenge. But now, seeing these murals, a person capable of triggering such secret world information, how could they be afraid of mere scavenging thugs? ''Then... why?'' ''Why did the young man leave?'' ''Even taking the entire poption of Kano Vige with him?'' A sense of foreboding rose rapidly in the captain''s heart, making him uneasy to the point of calling his subordinates to take out the "logout device" as a precaution. But... It was obviously toote. People inside the cer suddenly realized the murals were trembling. No, it was the whole wall and floor that were trembling. "????" Before everyone could react, the tremor suddenly intensified several times. At the same time, the Tainted Miasma detectors on their waists went crazy, as if broken. Screams and chaos from the scavenging thugs left outside entered the cer. A gust of red wind blew down from the cer entrance. Just touching a person''s skin, the team member immediately screamed, with the dark red lines of Tainted Miasma appearing on his skin, causing his blood vessels to swell and burst. When the team members outside rushed over, the people in the cer faintly heard from the chaotic crowd above ground, as well as their own team members, calling out two words in a voice filled with utter despair. Two words that sent chills down their spine. "Natural disaster." "The natural disaster ising!!" Chapter 242 242: Confession and Atonement

Chapter 242 Chapter 242: Confession and Atonement ?

----- -Kael Technology. -Capsule No. 39. Inside the silver-gray, oval-shaped building with a futuristic feel, there is a contrasting scene reminiscent of an insect''s nest. Numerous ''egg-like'' capsules are neatly arranged inside the building, each emitting a faint, dark glow. These ''egg-like'' capsules are, in fact, the login pods for ''Dream Zero''. Through the walls of the capsules, one can see employees wearing Kael Technology uniforms. The liquid inside the pods envelops their entire bodies. From their heads and limbs, manyplex wiring ports can be seen, with tubes connected, linking them to the login pods. Both the liquid and the ports are designed to enhance the login to Dream Zero and increase the synchronization rate with Dream Zero, in other words, to enhance the sense of immersion. The stronger the immersion, the better they can control their bodies and exert strength in Dream Zero, much like needing a good inte connection to y online games. But the downside to this is... In front of all the login pods, there are indicator lights. In a room originally lit up with ''green'' fluorescence, suddenly ten capsules start shing red lights, bing more and more urgent. Some shed for just two or three seconds before going out, some for five or six seconds, and the longeststed for nine seconds, but eventually, they too went out, and the indicator lights dimmedpletely. "Manager William, it is detected that the 39-A exploration team, including the captain and all ten members, have almost simultaneously lost their biological signals. Staff have gone to their login pods for inspection and confirmed that all are dead." "List 39-A in the abnormal death observation group and immediately analyze the cause of death." "Understood, establishing a data model" Unlike the ''insect nest'' building, this ce resembles a control room. On the huge screen at the center, which disys a world map of Dream Zero, self-drafted by Kael Technology over years of exploration, many researchers inb coats are operating something on virtualputers. William, the Kael Technology executive who was responsible for interfacing with Renji and other schrs from the Sin Garden, stands in front of therge screen, frowning deeply. Following hismand, the world map on the screen keeps shrinking until it stops at... the Witch''s Territory. "Manager William, analysisplete. It is ruled out to be the work of Dream Zero forces or Miasma monsters. ording to the system model, the area where the 39-A team was located likely experienced a B-level or higher natural disaster." Hearing the term ''B-level natural disaster,'' William''s frown deepens. He quickly asks, "Are there any other teams around 39-A?" "Three teams are still operating within a fifty-kilometer radius," a researcher replies quickly after typing on a virtual keyboard. "Issue a natural disaster warning and instruct them to evacuate immediately." "Yes" However, before the researchers below could carry out William''s orders, amunication officer suddenly stood up and shouted at Manager William. "Manager! The 39-A team has left a message for us, sent out just one second before their biological signals disappeared! And it used the highest-level red signal!" ''A red signal?'' William''s face changed immediately upon hearing this. Kael Technology stiptes that when exploration teams discover information valuable to thepany, they use white, green, blue, and red to indicate the importance of the information, to facilitate themand center in handling it based on its priority. Over the years, a red signal had only appeared once, and after that, the Brand technology was born within Kael Technology, leading to a leap in breakthroughs for the entirepany and the exploration of Dream Zero. So now, with the re-emergence of a red signal, how could William not be excited? He immediately ordered the projection of the 39-A team''s final transmission onto the big screen. Subsequently, the three stories and murals from the cer appeared before William and the researchers at Kael Technology. Although the image quality was very blurry, indicating a hasty transmission, it was enough. "Is this Zero''s memory of the old days?" "So the highest artificial intelligence being, ''Zero,'' was originally just a scrapped mechanical maid?" "No, this might just be a metaphor, but undoubtedly, Zero''s starting point was very low, and its evolution into a higher being was all thanks to the young scientist in the story." "So what is the young scientist implying? Could it be..." "The Emperor! Who else but the Emperor Ashen!" "The story''s maid and the young scientist fall in love, does it imply that 500 years ago, only ''Zero'' was the legitimate wife of Emperor Ashen? And the other four, especially the witch, were out of jealousy that they..." "Oh my God! The cause of the Emperor''s death 500 years ago, the truth... the witch''s scheming... If this information is released, the entire field of ''Ancient Studies'' will be shaken!" "No! Not just Ancient Studies, the entire world''s structure could change drastically! After all, Zero was the Emperor''s lover, which means that our Mechanical Alliance is the legitimate sessor of the original Ashen Empire!" In themand center, the researchers were in a frenzy, whispering and discussing among themselves, asionally letting out sighs and exmations. At this moment, even Manager William had no time to pay attention to others, as he himself was so excited that his hands were trembling. The message sent by the 39-A team just before their death was of immense value, significant enough to propel him to a higher position in thepany, no longer just a department head. His years of hard work and dedication to Dream Zero were finally about to pay off. However, William soon regained hisposure and issued further instructions. "Cancel the natural disaster alert. Instruct the four teams within a fifty-kilometer radius to immediately drop everything and head to the 39-A team''s area for investigation. Also, dispatch five more teams from ''Dragon''s Nest'' to log into the ''Witch''s Territory'' and be ready to provide support at any time." "Manager William, we still haven''t determined the extent and duration of the natural disaster, if..." "Do as I say. Tell those teams that this is a special mission. Their sries will be tripled during the operation. If they make any discoveries, their employee levels will be adjusted ordingly, with a maximum increase of three levels." "Understood, Manager." No researcher dared to question William''s decision, especially since thest person who did, Famas, was taken away by the enforcement department the next day for "leakingpany secrets," among a dozen other charges. The consequences were obvious. Moreover, the rewards William offered were tempting even to them, stirring their greed. Sry was secondary; the main attraction was the promotion in employee level, bringing various benefits, conveniences, and power that could ensure the well-being of their families and even descendants. This perhaps exined why so many employees were willing to sign contracts with thepany, risking their lives to explore Dream Zero. It also exined why the 39-A team, in the face of the natural disaster, despite thest team member''s biological signalsting a full nine seconds before extinguishing¡ªa time that could have been used to "log out" and possibly escape¡ªchose instead to sacrifice himself to transmit the information. Clearly, it was not out of loyalty to thepany, but because the captain knew that logging out without bringing out the information, without data as evidence, he might have a chance to survive, but his team would have died in vain. If thepany received this important information, even if they died, their wives, parents, children still alive in the real world would receive not only thepany''s condolence money but also rewards for the significant information. Considering the importance of this intelligence, it would at least ensure a lifetime of financial security for them. This was perhaps the final effort the captain could make for his 39-A team, and possibly... a kind of atonement for his remorse. Chapter 243 243: Oversight

Chapter 243 Chapter 243: Oversight ?

------------ Themand center instantly became tense and busy. However, at this moment, something unexpected happened even for William. The door to themand center was suddenly pushed open, and an uninvited guest, apanied by three or four ck-suited security personnel, appeared in the control room. Everything rted to Dream Zero was Kael Technology''s top secret, and entry into this area required passing through several levels of scrutiny. The fact that someone could walk in so casually indicated that the person held extremely high authority within Kael Technology. Indeed, this was the case. "Director Allen...?" Manager William, seeing the short, corpulent man with brownish short hair standing opposite him, maintained aposed face, but his heart sank. "It''s nothing, just came to see. Manager William, you''ve been working hard. Any new developments with Dream Zero?" Director Allen waved his hand casually, as if inspecting the work, and asked casually. Under normal circumstances, William would have just smiled and dealt with it, but today, his expression finally began to betray his feelings, looking somewhat unnatural. Director Allen just smiled at this and, without waiting for William to respond, quickly walked to the front of themand room. On therge screen, the red-level secret report from team 39-A was still being disyed. "What are you guys doing? The intelligence that Manager William and I have worked hard for thepany to obtain, and you''re just standing there? Hurry up and record it!" At Director Allen''s rebuke, the three or four ck-d men he brought with him immediately approached themand center''s researchers, demanding ess. The researchers were at a loss. They looked at Manager William and then at Director Allen, unsure of what to do. After all, once they handed over the ess, others would also get the detailed intelligence, and then the credit would no longer belong to them alone. Clearly, Director Allen''s appearance at this point was no coincidence. He didn''t even pretend, making it obvious he was there to take credit. "As Director Allen is an important guide in our n, his words are my words. You guys step back," William said after taking several deep breaths, choosing to give up and letting Allen''s people take over the ce to extract the data. Allen seeing William''s clenched fists still smiled and patted him approvingly on the shoulder. "I''ll report this important intelligence at the board meeting. William, I think you''re very smart, very valuable and potential. You can join me at the board meeting." "Thank you, Director Allen, for the promotion." William put on a grateful facade, but a hint of darkness shed deep in his eyes towards Allen. At Kael Technology, the Board of Directors symbolized the highest power within thepany. Being invited to attend such a meeting, even just to show his face, was an absolute honor. But William was angry because he could have gained much more, even possibly a seat on the Board of Directors. Now, all of that was lost, and it was obvious that Allen would take a significant portion of the credit. What could he do? Nothing. He was just a department manager, and Director Allen''s level was far above his; William had no power to choose. "By the way William, I just saw in thepany''s financial system that you applied for arge fund allocation. What are you nning to do?" "The 39-A team sacrificed themselves to obtain intelligence. This is their condolence money and reward for their brave sacrifice," William replied expressionlessly. Hearing this, Director Allen shook his head and whispered into William''s ear, "William, it seems you''re still not smart enough. The main contributor to this intelligence is us, not that dead 39th team. They just followed our brilliantmand to obtain the information. Even their improper operations and mistakes led to the current fuzziness andck of rity in the intelligence." With just a few words, Director Allen imed the credit of the 39-A team and even put the me for the iplete intelligence on them, perfecting their image. "Director Allen, that doesn''t seem right," William said, still expressionless. "Let me be honest with you William. The Board of Directors has long had objections to the expenses you''ve been incurring for condolence money and reward mechanisms for explorers. This not only leads to a waste ofpany funds but also creates a very bad social effect." Allen handed William a piece of news, which reported the families of explorers who had died in Dream Zero using Kael Technology of conducting illegal secret experiments, otherwise, how could there be so many casualties. "William, thepany''s PR department has already lodged serious protests." "There''s no way around it. Sacrifices are inevitable if thepany wants to explore Dream Zero," William replied without any expression. "No, no, no, William, you know what? Some things, if you don''t count them, they don''t exist, understand? Once you issue condolence money, it''s like admitting to the outside world that these employees'' deaths were caused by Kael Technology. And if we just fire those who died, then there''s no evidence against us. Then the rted departments in thepany can be more aggressive. Trust our PR strength; those families... heh, they won''t be able to make a sound." William looked at Allen''s chubby face, filled with a fatuous smile. In an era where prosthetic technology was advanced, it was quite a feat to still be overweight. Finally, with an expressionless face, he asked, "But in this case, many explorers will protest, even strike." "Strike? Protest? Hehe, that''s why I say you are still too young. Those employees have already signed contracts with us. If they don''t meet the set targets, they''ll face hefty fines andpensations. You should trust thepany''s legal department. Once the explorers know the cost of breach of contract, believe me, they won''t dare to do anything." "Because of the changes in Dragon Nation, thepany is in a precarious situation. More than ever, as part of thepany''s leadership, we need to understand how to share thepany''s worries and save expenses." Allen spoke earnestly as he patted William on the shoulder. "Just do as I say. There''s a press conference in three days, and we must control the public opinion at this time. We absolutely cannot let any information about employee casualties leak. Once our ''Witch''s Brand'' isunched... huh, thepany''s market value will surely rebound, even surpass previous levels. William, I have some leftover stock shares. If you need, you can contact me, and I''ll allocate you a quota for purchase." "Thank you Director Allen. I''ll consider it." "Work hard with me, William. In Kael Technology, people without a background can''t climb very far. Trust me, I won''t let you down." After Allen and his people left, the researcher who first discovered the 39-A team''s remaining information came trembling to William. Even a fool could see that William was in a very bad mood. But with such an important matter, the researcher had no choice but to bravely report, "Manager William, I''m very sorry, I was too excited earlier and overlooked another piece of information from the 39-A team." "Overlooked?" "Yes, the 39-A team sent a second message. It''s very short, just exining the source of this mural intelligence. It''s very likely that there''s someone from another organization in Dream Zero who understands the dream even more deeply than we do at Kael Technology." Realizing the significance of a mysteriouspetitor and having overlooked such a crucial piece of information, the researcher, thinking of what happened to Famas before, became so scared that his legs almost gave out, almost kneeling before Manager William. "I''m sorry, Manager William, it''s my fault for being negligent at work, please..." "No, no." Since Director Allen''s appearance, the previously expressionless William finally showed a slight smile. "You did well." William muttered to himself, then stared thoughtfully at the intelligence for a few seconds. In front of the astonished researcher, he suddenly and decisively deleted the message. Chapter 244 244: Artius part 1

Chapter 244 Chapter 244: Artius part 1

Outside the storm, the remnants of a slightly reddish breeze swept across the wilderness. The slightest touch on the skin brought an immediate sensation of scorching heat and stinging pain, prompting many of the vigers of Kano Vige behind Renji to try and wrap their tattered clothes tighter around themselves. The vigers'' faces were filled with a sense of gratitude for having escaped death. They all looked towards the distant natural disaster with eyes full of fear and trepidation, alongside Renji. Kano Vige was obviously within the range of the natural disaster. If it weren''t for the young man''s early warning, leading them to abandon the vige and flee, the thought of being in the terrifying blood-red tornado made the vigers shudder. Natural disasters, it seemed, were an old friend of Renji in the game "Fallen Chronicles" Many times, ces like Kano Vige had withstood the Miasma monsters and repelled the marauding scavengers, only for a merciless natural disaster to mock their futile efforts in the end. yers could only watch helplessly as their painstakingly built bases and nurtured contractors were destroyed in the disaster, obliterated in an instant, leaving behind only a "GAME OVER" icon to the furious yers outside the screen. It''s no wonder that "Fallen Chronicles" quickly flopped after its release. Such a setting that torments both the yers and the nurtured characters is enough to deter most normal people. It was only thanks to veteran yers like Renji who persisted and eventually figured out some patterns and signs of the disasters, writing guidebooks, that they were able to avoid simr tragedies to ''some extent''. However, there were still a small portion of disasters that were unpredictable, appearing suddenly at any time and ce, leaving yers who encountered them toment their bad luck and curse the game developers at most. Renji shook his head, shifting his gaze away from the direction of the blood-red tornado. Fortunately, there was a warning for this disaster. From the abnormal movement of the ant beasts, Renji had a premonition, otherwise, his Dream Zero journey this time might have ended prematurely. This was why Renji did not bother with those fleeing scavengers. If they had the sense not toe back, it would be their luck. If they brought people back to Kano Vige, they would have only themselves to me. Continuing on his journey, Renji''s goal was clear: to head towards the final boss of this region, one of the five great Miasma Masters, the "Witch." Even though Renji was off to challenge the Witch, the vigers of Kano Vige insisted on following him, regardless of his persuasion. After the "natural disaster" incident, the vigers'' belief in Renji as the ''prophet'' deepened, as only a "savior" could avoid natural disasters with such precision. Besides, some vigers were also motivated by self-interest, following the prophet. Once Renji truly became the savior, they, as the first group, could at least gain some fame and live a life without worries about food and clothing. As the troop advanced, perhaps due to the natural disaster, there seemed to be fewer Miasma monsters in the wilderness. Apart from a few encounters with solitary beasts, which Renji dealt with directly, they did not encounter any more groups. Finally, when they reached the outer perimeter of the red circle marked "Witch" on the map, Renji was forced to stop again, but this time not because of monsters. Instead, he saw a little girl blocking the road ahead. Previously, the vigers had relied on Renji to deal with the Miasma monsters. This time, when they saw someone blocking the road, dressed in tattered clothes like theirs and clearly another refugee, the vigers volunteered eagerly, rushing forward to help Renji resolve the situation. "Hey, move aside! Do you know what we''re doing? Don''t dy our savior!" Some vigers showed a fierce expression to the little girl, continuously waving their hands to shoo her away. After all, they had seen many like her, most likely those who had lost their settlements and could only beg and act pitiful to passersby in the wilderness. But this time, they seemed to have made a mistake. "I''m¡­ sorry! I just... just wanted to ask if you have seen my parents?" The little girl, scolded by the vigers, clutched her skirt in fear, but still mustered the courage to ask. Then the girl quickly gestured the characteristics and physique of her parents under the impatient gaze of the vigers. The vigers were about to refuse, but the girl''s next sentence made them choke back their words. Because "We were attacked, and my parents left everything to me, telling me to go first, saying they would catch up soon. But I''ve been waiting here for a long time, why haven''t theye yet?" The girl was just narrating the incident, but the vigers focused on the "things." Some vigers immediately said to let the girl take out what her parents had left behind to show them. Perhaps by looking at these things, they could better help the girl find her parents. Hearing that the vigers were willing to help her, the little girl was very excited and grateful. She quickly took out a small package from her bosom, opened it in front of the vigers, and found it to be a stack of thick tickets with angel wing-like patterns printed on them. "These are... the Salvation Society''s food tickets!" "With these, you can exchange food with the Salvation Society''s people!" "What kind of people are this girl''s parents to have saved up so many food tickets? This is enough for us to eat for several days." "She''s lost from her parents and holding such valuable items alone is too dangerous. We should keep them for her." "Right, right! We''ll keep them for her first and let her follow us. When we find her parents, we''ll exchange them back." "No, I think it''s better to leave her here, right? The ce we''re going to is very dangerous. We''ll find her parents on the way and then bring them back to her." "That makes sense, let''s do that." After a few whispered discussions among the vigers, they seemed to have made a decision for the little girl. They told her to hand over the food tickets to them, and they would take these aspensation and a token. When they really found the girl''s parents, they would immediately return them to her. Facing the vigers who were casting "fiery" eyes at her, or more precisely, at the food tickets in her hands, the little girl trustingly handed over the package left by her parents to the vigers, continuously thanking them for being willing to risk finding her parents. "Then I... I''ll stay here. Please take care of my parents for me, thank you. I''m really grateful. My parents were right, there are many good people in this world, everyone is good." The little girl blocking the way made room for the vigers. As for the vigers, they were somewhat evasive in the face of the girl''s sincere and hopeful eyes. Just as they were about to leave quickly and report the resolved issue to Renji... The vigers turned around and were startled, especially those who had divided up the girl''s food tickets, dropping the packages in their hands in fright. Because their prophet, their savior, had unknowingly arrived at the scene, and from the looks of it, he had been there for a while, watching them. Chapter 245 245: Artius part 2

Chapter 245 Chapter 245: Artius part 2

"Sir, that... it''s just that," stammered a viger, but Renji paid him no mind. Instead, he approached the vigers, bent down to pick up the little girl''s package and the scattered food tickets, rewrapped them, and then came to the little girl''s front. From the vigers'' attitude towards Renji, the little girl could tell that he must be the leader of the group. Facing such an important figure, she became extremely nervous, especially when she saw Renji walking towards her with the package,pletely at a loss, filled with bewilderment and confusion. "Take this." Renji stuffed the package back into the little girl''s arms. "But, but... no, no, please, my parents are very important to me, I, I..." Tears welled up in the little girl''s eyes as she thought that Renji, returning the food ticket package, meant that they were unwilling to ept themission to help find her parents. She was about to cry out in desperation. If she missed this group of kind-hearted people, she didn''t know when the next opportunity would be. By then, her parents... "If you want to find your parents, follow us. It''s on the way. If we encounter them, you can go to them yourself." Renji''s words were brief and to the point. The little girl was first startled, then quickly showed surprise, but soon became anxious again. She hesitantly asked in an uncertain voice, "Can I... follow you?" The vigers Renji was leading, essentially refugees themselves, saw adding a child as nothing but a burden to their group. Nobody was willing to take on that responsibility. Renji nodded, then without waiting for the girl to say anything more, returned to the group of vigers, ready to set off again. The little girl hesitated but soon hurried to the end of the line. She didn''t dare approach Renji or the middle of the group, only daring to follow carefully at the tail, afraid of causing any trouble for the group. As for the little girl, since Renji had spoken, and considering his previous actions, the vigers of Kano Vige, even if they were dissatisfied, dared not say anything more or harbor any ill intentions towards her. They let her follow. Thus, Renji and the group of vigers following him moved forward for about another quarter of an hour before the team stopped once again. The reason was simple. Renji looked ahead of them, where another little girl blocking their way had appeared. No. Perhaps it shouldn''t be described as "another"? It seemed like a repeat of their previous experience. The vigers, as if they had lost their memory,pletely forgot that they had just been stopped by a little girl a quarter of an hour ago. They acted as if this was their first encounter, rushing forward to help Renji handle the situation. Renji, stopping in ce, turned his head to look towards the end of the viger''s line, only to find that the little girl who had been following the group was now nowhere to be seen. "I''m sorry, could you spare a bit of your time?" The appearance of this little girl was identical to the first one, but her hair was more disheveled, and her already ragged clothes were now dirtier, with traces of mud. It seemed like she had spent many nights in a cave. But her eyes were still bright. As the vigers approached, she kept apologizing for blocking the way while saying, "I''m sorry, but please, can you help me? A few days ago, some kind people helped me look for my lost parents over there. They said they woulde back soon, whether they had news or not, but... I''ve been waiting for so long, and they haven''t returned. I''m worried... I''m worried about them." "Woo... woo... It''s all my fault, they went to help me, so please, can you take me to find them? What if they are injured on the road and can''te back, I... I can help treat them with my healing! If we hurry, maybe it''s not toote." Initially, the vigers were reluctant to take on another burden, especially just to find someone. But the girl''s subsequent words took them by surprise. "Healing? You mean..." "Yes, I... I don''t know how, but maybe it''s because I was so worried while waiting for everyone... I... I awakened the ability to heal others." As she spoke, the little girl demonstrated her abilities to the vigers, fearful that they wouldn''t believe her. A warm, soft white light emanated from her palms. Under the glow of this light, the little girl''s dirty appearance seemed almost holy, reminiscent of a nun from legends. "Eclipse, she''s so young and already an Eclipse!" "What do we do, should we help her?" "No, we''re supposed to follow our savior to fight the Witch. We don''t have time to help her look for her parents and others" "But healing abilities are useful, what if our savior gets hurt? Having her with us would be so convenient!" "Right, right, she''s just a kid and doesn''t know anything. Let''s take her with us to find the Witch, and after we deal with the Witch, we can help her find her people." "Alright, that''s settled. My wife was injured by scavengers, her leg crippled. Let''s have this little girl look at it right away!" "Yes, yes, my son too, he has a wound on his arm that won''t heal. Finally, there''s hope!" "I wonder if she can heal my brother''s eyes." The vigers gathered together and quietly discussed the matter, quickly reaching a consensus. They agreed to the little girl''s request, and in exchange, they needed her to first use her healing abilities on the people in their group. Once everyone was healed, they would be stronger and better able to help the little girl. "Thank you... Thank you so much. My parents were right, everyone, everyone here is good. I''lle right over to heal everyone." The little girl bowed to the vigers, her words of gratitude not yet finished, when she suddenly felt as if someone had appeared in front of her. "Eh? You, do you have a wound?" The little girl looked at Renji somewhat puzzled, thinking he was one of the vigersing for healing. But then she noticed the vigers around her bing restrained and silent after Renji''s appearance. She quickly realized that Renji might be the vige chief. Such an important figure made the little girl nervous and flustered. Just as she opened her mouth several times to speak but couldn''t find the right words due to her nerves, and while she was scared of the way Renji was intently looking at her, Renji suddenly crouched down. "Do you still have the package your parents gave you?" Renji''s sudden and seemingly irrelevant question took the little girl aback. She instinctively replied, "The package... it''s gone. The kind people before said they would take the package to find my mom and dad, so that when my parents saw my package, they would know it was from me." "Big brother, how... how do you know?" The little girl was a bit puzzled. She didn''t remember ever seeing this ''big brother'' before, but why would he suddenly ask about the package? Meanwhile, Renji seemed to finally understand something. Next, as if to confirm something, he didn''t answer the little girl''s question but instead asked another. "Can you tell me... your name?" Renji''s voice softened a bit. "My name..." The little girl clenched the dirty and torn clothes on her body a bit tighter, and in a voice filled with a bit of fear and nervousness, she whispered softly, "Artius" Chapter 246 246: The Past

Chapter 246 Chapter 246: The Past

--- --Dragon Nation- Sealed City-- Sighing deeply beside the bed, the little nun wiped the slight sweat from her forehead as the holy light gradually dissipated. "You''ve worked hard, Thia." Nova, sitting cross-legged on the bed, opened her eyes immediately after. Her usually majestic dragon eyes now held only tenderness as she looked gratefully at Suthia, who had been healing her. The little nun shook her head, then took off her boots and climbed onto the bed, sitting shoulder to shoulder with Nova. "Nova, do you know? I feel especially happy right now." "Uh-huh, being by master''s side, I also..." Before Nova could finish, Suthia interrupted her, "No, no, no, it''s not just because of master, but also because of you. I feel like we''re back to the beginning, able to be together like a family." "Ever since everyone established their own nations, I''ve felt that we''ve be distant and unfamiliar with each other. Although the environment was tough in the past, and we might have faced countless battles every day, we were always together. But 500 yearster, it''s be so difficult to even see each other." "So now, being able to sit face-to-face and side-by-side with you on the same bed, I feel incredibly happy!" Nova looked at Suthia''s sparkling eyes beside her, touched her sea-blue hair, and said helplessly, "I''ve always been in Dragon Nation for the past 500 years, Thia, You could''vee to see me anytime, just like Lena." "Hmph, back then, you were the infamous tyrant empress. How could a little nun like me dare to see you? After all, I''m not like Lena, who has that kind of rtionship with you! Right! So! Good!" Hearing Nova mention a certain subus, Suthia pouted and deliberately elongated thest few sybles. "No, actually, my rtionship with Lena isn''t that close," Nova said a bit frantically upon seeing Suthia react this way. "Really!?" "Really" "I don''t believe it! Unless you let me check your body properly again, just in case Lena did something strange to you, so I can report it to my lord!" Nova: "¡­" "Thia." "Hmm?" "Why do I feel like you''re more of a subus than Lena?" Perhaps because Renji was present during their previous ''card game'', Suthia underestimated her own strength. Now, without Renji, after the little nun examined Nova alone, the result was that while Nova herself was still fine, Suthia, sitting beside her, couldn''t straighten her back. Nova felt she had to take back her previousment about Suthia being more of a subus. ''At least Lena''s strength probably wasn''t that low, right?'' "Nova, what do you think Master Ashen is doing right now? Did he find Zero yet?" Suthia, out of breath, couldn''t help but think of Renji. "I don''t know, but I think it should be soon." Nova, also starting to miss her master after being bothered by the little nun, sighed softly. " Lord Ashen said that Zero is dreaming. Nova, do you think she... dreams about us?" "Maybe?" "I also... think so. Actually, even though Zero talks the least among us, if we really count... she probably understands each of us the best, even... better than we understand ourselves." Regarding Suthia''s sentimentality, Nova didn''t deny it: "The life of an intelligence species is constantly observing the world, and we are the people Zero has had the most contact with, naturally being observed the most by her." Following this topic, Suthia suddenly thought of something and sat up abruptly from the bed, no longer out of breath. "Wait! Oh no, Nova, you said that since Zero understands us so well, she might intentionally exaggerate our ws in her dreams and smear us in front of master!" Nova nced at the little nun, who was now anxious about her saintly image being tarnished, and couldn''t help butfort her, "Don''t worry, Thia, I think your innocent image in Master''s heart is already gone." Suthia: "..." "Thank you for yourforting words, Nova¡­" "You''re wee." "Heh, don''t be too proud, even if you are spotless now, what about before you met master? I certainly don''t want master to know about things from before that time." ''Before meeting master Ashen?'' Nova was taken aback by this, but quickly thought that with the abilities of ''dream'' and Zero, it wouldn''t be hard to recreate scenes from the past, so she... Seeing Nova also bing nervous and awkward, Suthia had a look of "I told you so" on her face. Then the nun sighed, her eyes shing with memories. She looked at the ceiling, as if speaking to Nova and to herself, "Before I met master Ashen, I was taught by my parents to be a good person who helps others, because only by trusting and helping each other can we ovee difficulties together. But in reality, I was deceived, used, and betrayed by many ''good people.'' Nova, you might not believe it, but in the end, I was utterly disheartened. I thought, maybe I misunderstood. My parents didn''t say there were many good people in the world, but that the world was full of bad people." "So I thought, in a world full of bad people, why should I be a good person? Or as a good person, should I eliminate them? After all, what''s the point of a world without good people?" "Thinking back now... I was really lucky. Just as these absurd thoughts began to sprout, I fortunately copsed at the doorstep of master''s gathering ce. After meeting master, I finally understood my parents." "They weren''t ignorant of the fact that there are more bad people in the world, even all bad people." "But they insisted I be a good person, not to be deceived by those ''99%'' bad people, but in case I met that ''1%'' good person who could change my life, I... wouldn''t miss it." "As for what happened after..." "After being with master, I realized my parents were even more right. There are indeed more good people in the world because even if there are bad people, they will be turned into good ones by master" While Suthia was lost in her memories, Nova listened attentively. Only after the nun finished speaking and let out a long breath, did Suthiae back from her distant memories. Nova then spoke with a hint of regret, "Thia, you should tell master these words personally, he would be very touched." "No, no, how could I say such things to master?" "That''s a pity." Nova looked regretful, then pulled out a small notebook from beside the bed and began to write and draw in it. Chapter 247 247: The Origin of the Witch

Chapter 247 Chapter 247: The Origin of the Witch

"Nova, what are you doing...?" "I''m writing down what you just said. I''ll make some changes, so if my past is also revealed to master by Zero, I''ll have something to say and won''t be at a loss for words," the Dragoness answered. Suthia: "Heh?!!" The nun''s eyebrows twitched slightly as she watched Nova furiously writing, recording her own confessions to her lord. Trying to keep a smile, she said: "I think that''s unnecessary. I was just joking. Before you met master, Sister Nova certainly weren''t as bad as me! Even if Zero reveals it, it''s no big deal!" "No, no, no, Thia, do you remember what yourst sentence was?" Seeing the Dragoness shake her head like a bobblehead, Suthia tentatively said, "My parents said there are many good people in the world?" "No, a bit further back." "Even the bad people are turned into good ones by Lord Ashen?" "Yes, that''s the one." Finally, the Dragoness finished transcribing Suthia''s love words. She closed the notebook, carefully tucked it into her bosom, and pointed at herself towards the little nun. "The past me was probably what you described, a bad person turned good by master. Really, thank you, Thia. Without you, I wouldn''t know what to say when the timees. Don''t worry, I''m not like you humans, I''ll have the courage to speak in front of master. Your sentences won''t be wasted." Looking at Nova''s sincere and grateful face, Suthia: ( ????) Forcing a smile, Suthia quickly bid farewell to Nova, making up an excuse that she had some other matters to attend to. Without waiting for Nova to ask her to stay, she immediately left the room. As soon as she returned to her own room, Suthia''s eyes flickered red. With a wave of her hand, the power of holy light surged, and Suthia quickly contacted her holy kingdom''s church through the cross on her chest. In themunicating holy light, the figure of Maria, the Archpriestess of Light Bringers, appeared. "Maria, do me a favor. Find a Dream Terminal and send it to the Sealed City." "Dream Terminal... But, your Holiness, since the Mechanical Alliance shut down the external Dream Network a hundred years ago, Dream Terminals can no longer be used outside the Mechanical Alliance, even if we find one..." "No problem, I''m just preparing in advance. This way, as soon as it''s connected, I''ll be the first to log in. So it has to be quick, this is a holy order!" Hearing her goddess'' words, Maria, a devout follower, immediately became serious. Besides nodding, she also thoughtfully added, "Understood your Holiness. Additionally, I''llbel it as ''household goods'' when sending it, so the Dragon Nation and the Empress won''t know." "Thank you for your hard work!" "Defending the glory of my Goddess and the victory of her is also the victory of us believers." ¡­ ¡­. -Dream Zero- After the little girl in front of him announced her name as "Artius" Renji understood everything. It also exined why he always felt a sense of familiarity with this little girl. ''So...'' ''Is this Suthia in Zero''s "dream"?'' ''And also'' ''One of the five great Miasma Master who destroyed this world, the Witch?'' Artius was the name Suthia had before she became his eclipse. In Renji''s impression, actions like smearing others were more likely done by Lena. Zero''s character wouldn''t do such things. The original maid should belong to the same category as Nova, or even more rational and straightforward. But if Zero also has such dreams, there''s only one possibility. Looking at the little girl ''Suthia'' in front of him now seemed to hint at something. This might be what he didn''t know, the experiences of Suthia before she met him. The parents left all their possessions to the little girl, pretending to tell her to go first, and that they would catch up soon. In reality, they probably used their bodies to attract monsters in the opposite direction, just to buy time for their daughter to escape. After running a long way, the little girl stopped to wait for her parents. But after waiting a long time, she courageously stopped the passing refugees, only to end up being deceived of her parents'' possessions. However, the little girl didn''t know this. She thought the refugees who took her possessions were genuinely helping to find her parents. So, after waiting a long time without their return, hungry, she stopped a second group of refugees. ''That is...'' ''What just happened.'' "Thia, no, Artius, have you ever thought that they are all deceiving you? Your efforts are not rewarded at all. They are just using you." "Big brother, my parents said that when we only think of rewards, we can never be good people." Looking at the little girl who, despite being lost in the wilderness and covered in mud, still had a pair of sincere and clear eyes, Renji found himself unable to refute. It''s that simple. If the original Suthia wasn''t a person like this, wasn''t of such a naive and innocent character, how could my poor little settlement ever convince a "Disaster" level Eclipse to willingly stay and apany me through the hardest times of pioneering? And moreover, to have an unwavering fondness for me, regardless of how she was treated. Back then, I was not the Emperor. I was just a yer who had just entered the game, a small vige chief with only a dozen or somoners, without power or background, barely significant in the settlement. "You''re right, Artius, but what brother wants to tell you is that we should not only not expect rewards but also consider our efforts. When our efforts exceed our capabilities, even to the point of harming us, we should stop. Understand?" "Like now, you''ve just be an Eclipse. Before you can master your powers, don''t overuse them. So, let brother handle healing the injured vigers." "Remember, Artius, if you get hurt, your parents will be heartbroken, and so will I." "I understand, big brother. Artius won''t overuse her healing powers to keep brother from worrying!" "Pinky promise!?" "Pinky promise!" After sping hands with Artius, Renji, disregarding the surprised expressions of the vigers behind him, continued forward, carrying the little girl. But soon after. As Renji expected. Now, he might just be a passerby in the story, an observer of the dream, unable to change the story itself. Just like the previous two times, after advancing for a quarter of an hour, the little girl in his arms suddenly disappeared. In her ce Lay a little girl on the ground ahead, unconscious from exhaustion due to overusing her powers. Chapter 248 248: Breaking the Dream! Breaking the Dream!

Chapter 248 Chapter 248: Breaking the Dream! Breaking the Dream!

*Can''t move my fingers. Am I... dying?* *But why...* This time, no vigers came forward, as if the little girl''s inner voice echoed in the area. Then, thick fog rose around Renji, turning into a series of phantom images, like a carousel ofnterns, seemingly recounting the experiences of the little girl named "Artius" As an Eclipse with "healing" abilities, Artius initially was seen as an angel of healing and resurrection by the other refugees in the group. However, when they realized she was an angel who never refused and could be ordered around, their attitudes became increasingly cruel and indulgent. They no longer requested but demanded the little girl to provide healing, without considering her limits, recklessly consuming her power, even demanding her to overexert herself for minor injuries. Later, jealous ones among the refugees emerged. They envied the little girl''s status as an Eclipse, so evil rumors were born: drinking her blood could resist Miasma pollution, resurrect the dead, and even turn others into Eclipses. Despite her exnations, once everyone believed it, even the most absurd rumors became the truth. Was it fortunate or unfortunate? The vigers, blinded by desire, corrupted by Miasma during the escape, and turned mad and irrational, were about to "divide" the little girl to obtain the flesh and blood of an Eclipse when they encountered a swarm of monsters. The vigers screamed and scattered in all directions. Because they had received healing from the little girl, they could run fast. But the girl herself, already exhausted and depleted from overuse, fell to the ground after only a few steps. She cried out for help to the vigers she had earnestly healed and even saved, begging someone to pull her up. But sadly, no refugee paid attention to her. Instead, they wanted to squeeze out herst bit of value, using her as bait to distract the Miasma monsters and buy themselves time to escape. Ironically, the little girl, lying on the ground without the strength to move, miraculously went unnoticed by the Miasma monsters. Instead, the fleeing vigers who were in full stride attracted the monsters'' attention, leading them away. The sounds of ws tearing flesh and vigers'' screams reached the little girl''s ears. Looking at the hellish scene, the entire refugee group, except her, was annihted by the Miasma monsters. The girl lying on the ground must have been filled with sadness and pain. But perhaps the little girl herself didn''t realize, and Renji, in the midst of the mist, saw it clearly: on the little girl''s, on "Artius''s" lips, there was a smile. Until the end, when the monsters left, and the girly like a corpse on the wilderness, looking up at the sky. *It doesn''t matter anymore, does it?* *Liars.* *All liars.* Her parents left her, telling her they would catch up soon, but they never came back. The people who took her package told her they would bring her parents back to find her, but they never returned. Those who received her healing promised to protect her in danger, but they just ran away and never came back. The little girl struggled to get up from the ground, moving forward with only a sheer will to survive. She didn''t know where to go or where she could go. Perhaps, in this deste world, finding a ce to "shelter" her was an unattainable fantasy, finding someone who wouldn''t deceive her, a greedy wish. *So tired, Mom and Dad...* In a ce invisible to the little girl, arge cloud of red mist rose behind her. A massive amount of Tainted Miasma crazily poured into the little girl''s body, a manifestation of the Miasma''s will descending. For the world of Dream Zero, this was the sign of a "Miasma Master" being born. The little girl''s strength was rapidly increasing, but she was unaware, continuing to walk forward in confusion. The Miasma''s will waited for when the little girl could walk no more, when her exhausted body copsed, it would be the moment ofplete transformation. But if during this period The little girl miraculously encountered someone willing to shelter her, perhaps everything would have been different. Regrettably. In Dream Zero, there was no leader of a gathering ce named "Ashen." Only A young scientist in love with a robotic maid. So Artius''s fate was already sealed. The sound of motorcycles from a distance broke through the mist, pulling Renji out of Artius''s story. Renji turned to look. It was a team of ten vehicles. In such wastnds, to see such a neat and uniform convoy, even with each member wearing the same uniform with an "angel wings" badge, Renji recognized them at once. Kael Technology. Meanwhile, the vigers behind Renji, too, woke up from Artius''s mist. Seeing the speeding convoy, many eximed the words "Salvation Society" Kael Technology secretly forming a private army to enter Dream Zero was something Renji had heard from the underworld. Now it seemed that this "Salvation Society" was their covert name within Zero Dream. And judging by the vigers'' reactions, Kael Technology''s development within Dream Zero... seemed not bad. Moreover, Renji remembered that the wealth left in the little girl''s package by her parents was also the "Salvation Society''s" food tickets. The people from Kael Technology were just passing by, seemingly in a hurry to go somewhere. Renji noticed their urgent destination was towards the natural disaster at Kano Vige. ''However, it''s a pity, whatever their mission was, it was probably impossible toplete now'' When the team leader drove into the fog and saw the lone figure of the little girl walking in the wilderness, a look of utter terror quickly appeared on his face, followed by the entire convoy screeching to a halt. "The Witch! It''s the Witch!" "No, no, no, no! Damn it! How did we end up in the Witch''s mist! Has the Witch''s territory expanded?!" "Forget about that, look what level of trial this is!" "It''s the third level, thest one! It''s toote! The Witch is about to appear! Break the dream! Quickly, break the dream!" "Break the dream! Break the dream!" "I''m breaking the dream! Let me break the dream!" Perhaps it was because the people from the Salvation Society suddenly broke in and started shouting in panic, or maybe the "trial" was already at its end, but many of the vigers behind Renji also seemed to finally wake up from a dream, staring wide-eyed at the distant figure of the little girl. They seemed to have realized something too. "What''s going on with us? Why are we here?" "The legend... Do you remember that legend? The Witch lures travelers into her territory and makes them experience what she went through, putting them through trials. In each trial, if they make the wrong choice, the little girl turns into the Witch and kills them on the spot. Only by passing the trials, they get a quarter of an hour to leave." "But, but if they remain obstinate and continue until thest trial, witnessing the Witch''s entire life, then no matter what, it''s all in vain." "Run! Run!" "It''s no use, it''s toote, the Witch, the Witch is about to appear!" The terrified vigers were in chaos, desperately trying to escape, while the Salvation Society members from Kael Technology, shouting "Break the dream" were trying to pull out their logout devices to forcibly leave Dream Zero. But it was all toote. Their shouting and disorder seemed to hasten the story''s end even more. The little girl, exhausted of herst bit of strength, fell to the ground. At that moment, another voice took over the entire area. "Heh~" "Hehehe~, after seeing everything until the end, you still want to leave me?" "Don''t you know" "What I, Artius, hate the most... is people leaving without saying goodbye?" Chapter 249 249: Beta

Chapter 249 Chapter 249: Beta

And only the figure of a little girl in the distance was seen to distort, as a scarlet miasma whirlwind began to rage in the area, howling in everyone''s ears. Intense contamination erupted from the little girl''s body, enveloping her like a blood silkworm. In just a few blinks of eyes, a dazzling blood light burst out from within the silkworm. The blood silkworm burst, and the little girl inside had long disappeared, reced by a witch with a sickly smile on her face, holding a giant ck scythe, and wearing a scarlet long dress. Regarding the witch floating in the sky, Renji couldn''t say she looked exactly like the yandere Dark Suthia, but it was aplete copy. However, apart from the appearance, there were many obvious differences. For example, Renji remembered that even when the real Suthia turned to her Miasma Form, her sea-blue hair turned red and ck, but it still hung down like a waterfall, only curling upwards at the tips. However, in Dream Zero, the witch in front of Renji had her hairpletely disheveled, as if she hadpletely given up on her appearance, somewhat like Sadako from horror films. Her facial expression was even more exaggerated, with the corners of her mouth pulled up in an overly wide grin, and her eyes were two hollow red dots. In addition, as for the physique of the little nun, Renji could tell at a nce that the witch''s body was also off. It seemed due to malnutrition, so her overall figure was even more childlike than the original version. In simple terms, t-chested, short-legged. Therefore, when matched with the scarlet long dress and the giant ck scythe, it gave a strikingly contrasting feeling. Someone like Renji, who was intently appreciating the witch, probably couldn''t be found elsewhere on the scene. The people from the Salvation Society, after the appearance of the witch, seemed to have their "exit dream" process forcibly interrupted. The logout devices could not be used, as if entering a battle state, unable to return to the city. The team members immediately panicked, many with ashen faces, but the leading captain hadn''t given up struggling. He yelled to prepare for battle and took out a few Kael Technology-branded stigma weapons from the vehicle. It was not hard to see that Kael Technology must have mastered some methods to bring real objects into Dream. But this technology was obviously not yet mature. Renji looked at the weapons of the Kael Technology team members, not even a rifle, let alone heavy weapons, mostly small handguns or grenades. Such attacks, even if equipped with miasma brand that increased damage, were like tickling to the witch. Other than further infuriating the witch, they had no effect. "Human beings." "Your existence is a mistake." "Deception, jealousy, greed, and endless fratricide." "If a world that can no longer be saved, then the best ending for it is destruction!" Under the cold and cruel words of the witch, she did not intend to take action herself. Arge amount of miasma was released from the witch''s body, turning into illusory scythes that hung high in the sky. The scythes were not only targeting the Salvation Society, but everyone present. The next moment, the scythes swung down, like the verdict of the Grim Reaper. However, Renji, who was on the spot, did not move. Before the scythe touched him, a bright blue light burst out from his body. At the same time, the mechanical voice of No. 86 also rang out. [Mid-level Codex Construct - Combat Mech ¦Â(Beta) type, specialized program for master starts loading,bine!] A glowing power source appeared at Renji''s heart. Following this, pieces of silver-gray glowing armor began to rapidly surround and construct around Renji. In the dream, No. 86 could freely change weapon forms, naturally including mechs. In the blink of an eye, thebination program waspleted. A two-meter-tall humanoid "No. 86"bat mech stood as new, and the so-calledbination meant that Renji became the pilot of this "No. 86." With a mind in sync, Renji didn''t need any control stick. The entirebat mech seemed to merge with him. Facing the miasma scythes of the witch, Renji immediately activated the defense system. A-like structure of a clear and transparent three-dimensional energy shield rapidly expanded. The energy shield collided with the scythes, and spider-web-like cracks immediately appeared on the shield, showing its immense power. Inside the mech, Renji''s vision was filled with red warnings from No. 86. Because right after, the miasma power attached to the scythes began to corrode the shield through the cracks. The "degradation" ability of Suthia that Renji had seen before appeared again. Under "degradation," the energy shield immediately became as fragile as thin paper. Just before the shield copsed, Renji changed strategy, focusing No. 86''s energy on the exoskeleton armor. These mechanical exoskeletons not only provided powerful force but were also as flexible as a real person. Coupled with the elerator underfoot, the seemingly bulky mech burst out with unimaginable speed in an instant, turning into an afterimage. It moved out of the scythe''s attack range just before the energy barrier broke. Of course, dodging was not Renji''s goal. Renji, who flew into the air, redistributed the energy. The mech, having lost its power source, began to slide downwards. The exoskeletons under his feet retracted the feet, transforming into wheels. Then, using inertia, he started to slide rapidly on the ground. Following that, the energy redistributed to the mech''s shoulders. The shoulders rotated rapidly like a Rubik''s cube, and then, to the left and right, a total of forty-eight miniature tracking missileunchers, with darkunch ports, aimed at the witch in the sky. *Boom boom boom!* A dense swarm of tracking missiles created arge cloud of white smoke, flying uniformly towards the witch. The witch seemed to have noticed Renji, the "oddity." She frowned slightly and, facing Renji''s missile swarm, lifted her scythe in front of her, slicing through space and creating a ck rift. All the approaching missiles were instantly absorbed by the ck rift, bing weak and powerless after passing through it. They fell without exploding, obviously also "degraded." But actually, the missiles were just a diversion by Renji. The real attack, emerging from the white smoke with the propulsion device reactivated and soaring into the sky, was "No. 86", now holding a cone-shaped beam de made of high-energy particles. The light de showed no mercy, shing directly at the witch''s face, but the result was as Renji had expected. The witch swung her scythe to block the light sword. When his light sword touched the scythe, the power of ''degradation'' brought forth the tainted miasma once again. The light and heat on No. 86 mecha''s sword began to rapidly diminish, and it looked like it was cracking inch by inch. Seeing No. 86 in a distressed state, the witch did not pursue but instead made a mocking and ironic remark. "As a human who has merged with machinery, you think you''ve gained power, but in reality, you''re just gilding the lily, adding to the venom of the serpent." "The pitch-ck miasma will eventually envelop the earth, and the moon of justice will fill your hollow gaze. All living beings will receive salvation called ''destruction'' in my hands." "Don''t struggle, don''t resist, because I am the Miasma!" As she finished speaking, the witch covered one of her eyes with her hand, and her clothes and hair fluttered in the howling Miasma wind. Watching this scene, Renji nodded. "I think I understand now why your hair is so messy." ''86, remember to record all of this. We''ll need to send it to Suthiater'' [Command received. Video recording device is active throughout, and the footage is set to the highest encryption level , *86 replied to master quickly and secretly backed up a copy into the ''Top Secret'' folder, intending to use it as a weapon against Lady Suthia in the future*] "Wait a minute, what''s this folder of yours?" [Oh, it''s nothing, * No. 86 tried to y dumb with a cute response*] Having No. 86, Renji didn''t need to use a ''logout device'' like those from Kael Technology to exit the dream. He could leave it anytime and anywhere, even in the middle of a battle, so Renji wasn''t worried at all. Or rather, in his n, his original purpose was to gather information. The real battle part would be to figure out how to aplish the ''grandnding,'' which meant allowing the Suthia and Nova to enter Zero''s Dream as well. If he could rely on his wife''s support, Renji would never try to do it all by himself. Why not save some of that effort to reward his wife''s support? Perhaps it was Renji and 86''s attitude that angered the witch, or maybe the witch read Renji''s dirty thoughts. "You stubborn ants!" "Ridiculous, ignorant, foolish..." The witch roared angrily at Renji, and before she could finish saying her words, something unexpected happened. [Disaster Canon: Heavenly Reasoning Cannon] With even louder and more mechanized synthetic electronic sounds, devoid of any emotion, the battlefield suddenly echoed with this announcement. Clearly, this did note from the 86th district. On the horizon in the distance, a row of mechanical maid figures identical to 86''s appeared. These mechanical maids were arranged in a precise and urate formation, forming a cannon matrix. Like a dazzling crimson sun, an intense red light burst forth from the cannon formationposed of multiple mechanical maids, and for a moment, it seemed to overshadow the bloody red sky. Then, in less than a second at zero point, it turned into a meteor, directly striking the witch in mid-air, causing the witch, who had been speaking in the sky, to crash down, creating a massive crater on the ground. Chapter 250 250: May the Emperor’s Glory Last Forever

Chapter 250 Chapter 250: May the Emperor''s Glory Last Forever

This also marked the entry of a third party into the battle, and their identity was clear ¨C they were the Machine Servants that Renji had been seeking. With a sessful strike bringing down the witch, the Machine Servants'' artillery array prepared to follow up with another attack. The intense brilliance, akin to a mini sun, flickered again, signaling the imminentunch of another Heavenly Cannon. This time, the target wasn''t the sky but the ground. Renji, witnessing the screen filled with bright light, instinctively twitched his eyelids and immediately maneuvered his mech to quickly escape the range of the bombardment. However, the anticipated second strike did not materialize. Instead, when Renji looked again, he saw the previously ready-to-fire Machine Servant artillery array suddenly malfunction in the final phase. The light from the entire artillery matrix, like lightbulbs losing power, rapidly dimmed. [Error in Heavenly Cannon activation, error code number: 10836. Redefining battle n] The electronic synthesized voice was still very clear in Renji''s ears. He realized it wasn''t that the voice was loud enough to cover the entire battlefield, but it seemed like he had joined the "voice channel" of the other side. [Detected increase in Miasma concentration, pollution values at peak. Confirming the witch has entered phase two. Battle n adjustmentplete, all units withdraw from formation and enter defense mode] As soon as the voice from the Machine Servants ended, from the deep pit created by the Heavenly Cannon, still filled with smoke and dust, a scarlet beam of light shot into the sky. "Hehehe~, I knew it. You annoying lot would definitely show up." "Merely mediocre and ineffectual ants." "No one can stop my will!!!" Amidst the witch''s shrieking, the scarlet column of light that had soared into the sky spread out to both sides, transforming into a Miasma Gate. Immediately after, deformed and mutated Miasma monsters surged out from this gate, roaring and charging towards the Machine Servants'' formation. After the witch summoned the tide of Miasma monsters, Renji understood what the "defense mode" mentioned in the voice channel meant. Clearly, the Machine Servants had anticipated the witch''s next move through various calctions, so now facing the onught of groups of Miasma monsters, they were well-prepared. The team, consisting of about fifty members, had the outermost Machine Servants construct thick energy shields on their arms. The secondyerprised Machine Servants wielding beam swords, and the thirdyer consisted of shooters who had already started firing, raining bullets on the monsters. Besides, in the far back, in the innermostyer, there was a lone Machine Servant scanning the battlefield. This position was very familiar to Renji, equivalent to the brain of the team, responsible formanding the battlefield. It seemed that the instructions and battle ns he had heard before were likely issued by this Machine Servant. The oing tide of Miasma was significantly reduced by varioussers and artillery before it even reached the Machine Servants'' defensive line. Next, the Vanguard Machine Servants, with both hands and feet transformed into sharp des and protected by energy shields, danced a deadly waltz among the monster horde, appearing like cold and precise assassins. The Miasma monsters, numbering in the hundreds, were unable to break through the defense line formed by just over fifty Machine Servants, demonstrating their formidablebat strength. Thanks to the arrival of the Machine Servants, which diverted the witch''s attention, Renji decided to dy "awakening" and continue to stay within ''Dream Zero''. He moved to the edge of the battlefield, allowing the recently overused ''Number 86'' to recharge, while observing the battle. At first, the Machine Servants did seem to have the upper hand, but this did notst long. The first weakness of the Machine Servants quickly became apparent. The firearms and hand cannons of the shooter Machine Servants started to misfire, as if running out of ammunition, followed by the energy shields of the shielded Machine Servants dimming and eventually copsingpletely. Meanwhile, the Miasma monsters summoned by the witch continued to emerge in an unending stream, showing no sign of weakening. Consequently, a newmand was issued from the Machine Servants''mander: [All units were to switch to Vanguard mode and engage the monsters in closebat] Without the cover of shields and shooters, Renji quickly noticed a second weakness of these Machine Servants ¨C their bodies seemed unusually fragile. If the durability of 86 was rated as a hundred, these Machine Servants might only be at thirty or forty, not even half as durable. The monsters'' ws could easily scratch their bodies and tear offrge pieces of wiring with a bit more force. Despite their mechanical nature, which should have made them "harder," they did not show this advantage to Renji. As for thest and perhaps most fatal weakness Renji observed, it seemed like they didn''t know how to retreat. The Machine Servants, no longer as powerful as when they first joined the battle, were showing signs of deterioration and began to suffer casualties. Continuing like this, with increasing casualties, would only widen the gap in strength between the two sides. As apetentmander, a retreat order should have been given by now, but it appeared these Machine Servants had no intention of retreating, as if determined to fight to thest moment. Renji nced at his maid, which had recovered about 80% of its energy, and prepared to intervene. Otherwise, the Machine Servants were likely to bepletely annihted. With his current strength and that of 86, and without finding a way to counteract the witch''s ''degradation'' ability, victory was impossible. Therefore, the only way left to save these Machine Servants was to take action himself. While observing the Machine Servants, Renji had not been idle; he had quietly moved to the rear of the Machine Servant troop along the edge of the battlefield. As he had learned from the scavenger thugs'' information, the Machine Servants only focused on the Miasma monsters, providing an opportunity for Renji. He set his sights on the solitary mech in the rear. In the next moment, 86 burst out like an eagle swooping over the machines. Renji''s actions finally caught the attention of the Machine Servants, and the voice channel of the Machine Servants suddenly rang with warnings. [Warning, warning. Unknown unit approaching at high speed. Target suspected to be abat entity. Scanning for identification code failed. Assessment result: Phantom of the witch, execute attackmand] Renji''s maid was initially mistaken by the Machine Servants as one of their own, but since Number 86 was not part of the Machine Servantswork, it was quickly ssified as an illusion created by the witch''s phantom. This dy, while the Machine Servants analyzed this oue and prepared to divert troops to protect themand unit, proved to be toote. Renji swiftly grabbed themand unit with his robotic hand. Although themand unit resisted, its efforts were like that of a child against Renji''s robotic arm. Having captured themand unit, Renji didn''t hesitate and immediately turned to flee the battlefield. Themand unit was akin to the brain of the Machine Servants. By abducting their "brain," Renji expected that the remaining Machine Servants would no longer entangle with the Miasma monsters and would instead pursue him. This way, he could lead these Machine Servants away from the witch''s territory, sessfully rescuing them. Renji considered this strategy perfect until... [Number 17639 confirmed as captured, emergency protocol triggered, transferring temporarymand to Number 19873, this unit is now switching tobat mode] [Assessing enemy status as unknown. Optimal extermination n determined] This sudden announcement from the voice channel gave Renji a bad feeling. Looking down at the Machine Servant in his arms, he noticed a dangerous red light shing in what appeared to be ck- clothed eyes of the unit. It was a countdown. [The Glory Program has been activated, remaining to self- destruct time 201918] [May the Emperor''s Glory Last Forever] Chapter 251 251: Playing Games Requires Inserting a USB Drive

Chapter 251 Chapter 251: ying Games Requires Inserting a USB Drive

''¡­F@ck'' "86, hurry, hack her system!" With no other options left, Renji anxiously sought help from the maid. Fortunately, 86 did not disappoint him. [*Speaking very quickly* Please, master, connect to the inside of Number 17639. As I am merging, I can hack into her program through master and gain temporary control to stop the self-destruction] ''OK'' ''There was a solution, but the problem was'' "How do I connect internally??" Renji asked with a face full of question marks after hearing 86''s words, as he wasn''t any kind of bionic being. [*Speaking very quickly*. Master can think of it as inserting a USB drive] Renji: "¡­" Inserting a USB drive! With only thest ten seconds left in the self-destruct countdown, Renji already felt the Machine Servant in his arms getting warm and increasingly hot. Without hesitation, Renji immediately opened the facete of his mecha armor and nted a direct kiss to the Machine Servant''s mouth that was still counting down. [*Excited* Well done master, USB drive inserted sessfully, Number 86 is trying to hack in, please wait patiently master. Gentle reminder, please do not remove the ''USB'' drive before the hack isplete] "¡­" ["¡­"] [Reluctant to part. Report to master, hackingpleted, I have temporarily taken control of Number 17639 and has reimed themand of the Machine Servant troop. Do you wish to issue an immediate retreat order?] "Issue it!" After kissing for almost 9.9999 seconds, Renji looked at the Machine Servant in his arms, whose self-destruct countdown stopped at "0.0001s.", well¡­ it should now be Number 86 upying the body of the Machine Servant, and he hesitated to speak. In fact, when 86 asked him, it was merely symbolic. As soon as Renji kissed the Machine Servant, 86 had already sessfully taken control and immediately ordered the rest of the bat body" Machine Servants to retreat. As for what those remaining 9.9998 seconds were used for... It''s hard toment. After receiving the "retreat"mand from themand unit, the previously steadfast Machine Servants now fled decisively. Such is the nature of the Machine Servants, unemotionally executing orders with due diligence. On the witch''s side, Artius(Suthia) was wide-eyed. It was unclear whether it was because she saw Renji kissing the Machine Servant or was surprised that the Machine Servants, who were supposed to "fight to the death" in the settings, actually fled, leaving the witch stunned on the spot, like a program with a bug, somewhat bewildered and at a loss. It was toote by the time she reacted angrily and wanted to pursue them. There are some unwritten rules in Dream Zero, simr to a game. As the "Miasma Master" the witch''s range of movement is limited. Once she leaves her territory to a certain distance, she is restricted by the world rules. The expression of hatred on the witch''s face quickly disappeared, and her body turned into waves of red mist, gradually blurring until finally vanishingpletely. Renji finally breathed a sigh of relief at this point. After disengaging the mecha armor and separating from the merger, 86 returned to her maid form, and themand Machine Servant, which had been hacked by 86, naturally also returned to her original program consciousness. [Data confusion, attempting to recover, recovery failed, reason: unknown] [Retrieving other mech body video footage] [Analysisplete, data anomaly reason: attacked by an unknown mecha body] After a series of rapid electronic self-talk, themand Machine Servant turned her gaze to the maid beside Renji. The two maids looked very simr in appearance. The only distinction might be that the Machine Servants in Dream Zero all had ck cloth covering their eyes. Of course, it only looked like cloth, the actual functionality might be simr to tactical goggles like sunsses. [Unknown mecha body, Number 17639 unable to recognize your code, please actively report your code and model]. A beam of light shot out from the ck cloth over her eyes, quickly scanning 86 from top to bottom. [*Obediently*. My code is Number 86, and my model is a home- use maid] [Unknown machine, your way of speaking is strange. Also, there is no record of any machine with the code ''86'' in Number 17639''s database. Lastly, Number 17639 cannot understand your model. Please choose from control machine,bat machine, reconnaissance machine, or logistics machine] [*Scratching head*. A home-use maid is just a home-use machine] [Unknown machine, if you are applying for a new model, please describe the function of this model] [*Hands on hips*. A home-use machine is specially designed to serve my master only, including but not limited to cleaning, cooking, expressing love, warming the bed, caring for and nurturing offspring]." Before 86 could finish speaking, the blindfolded Machine Servant interrupted her. [Unknown machine, please immediately exin the meaning of ''master'' in your sentence. Number 17639 suspects you pose a risk of losing control.] Interrupted, Number 86 seemed a bit angry and, without furthermunication, walked back to Renji''s side, the message being quite clear. 86''s action finally made the blindfolded Machine Servant notice Renji. After the same scanning beam swept over Renji''s body, the blindfolded Machine Servant''s ck cloth disyed a red light, indicating an "rm." [Target identity confirmed, not a program life from Dream Zero, determined to be an external intruder] [Unknown machine, your actions have severely deviated from the Zero Code. Number 17639, as a ''control machine'', has listed you on the out-of-control list and will immediately execute the recovery program!] After the words of the blindfolded Machine Servant, the forty or so bat body" Machine Servants saved by Renji also turned their attention to 86, drawing their weapons, preparing to "recover" 86. However, at this moment, Number 17639, the control machine, suddenly opened its mouth and struggled, shaking its head while making muffled [ Nya Nya Nya] sounds as if something was blocking its mouth. The bat machines" below were not spared either. Under themand of the "control machine," they also dropped their weapons and made simr mouth-opening movements, emitting [Nya Nya] sounds. After 9.999 seconds, this strange phenomenon finally ended. [Warning! Warning! System vulnerability detected, suspected virus residue, losing control, immediately execute the Glory Program!] [May the Emperor''s Glory Last Fore... Nya] [May the Emperor...Nya] [May... Nya] ''Sigh¡­'' 86 was finally reunited with her sisters, and Renji had deliberately stepped aside to allow 86, as a fellow machine, tomunicate with her sisters. But now it seems... "86, what did you do to them?" Renji couldn''t help but ask, watching the group of blindfolded Machine Servants in front of him continuously making a cute Nya sounds in a distorted manner. [*Hee hee hee*. 86 has saved the process of master inserting the USB drive and imnted it as a virus into Number 17639, the control machine. Now it''s repeatedly running in them. Rest assured master, it won''t be long before 86 turns Number 17639 into master''s second home-use maid Nya~] Chapter 252 252: CN. One

Chapter 252 Chapter 252: CN. One

But now, looking at the situation, the sinisterughter of "he he he~" produced by an electronic synthesized voice, Renji couldn''t say who 86 had learned this from during their time in the Dragon Nation. Since listening to a virtual idol''s way of speaking on the aircraft to the Mechanical Alliance, the word "Nyan" at the end of the maids'' sentences seemed to have be her catchphrase. Not to mention things like inserting USB drives, training, and calling her sisters " home-use maid " ¡ª ridiculous! It''s said that bionic people learn by observing the people around them, which made Renji wonder, ''Was I like that? Why didn''t 86 learn something good from me? After all, I certainly had many excellent qualities'' Renji always saw 86 as the sister of "Zero," so what would he say when Zero woke up and saw her sister had turned out this way? ''It might be possible to me it all on Eileen¡­'' Regardless, Renji quickly stopped 86 from performing her mischievous act of training the mechanical servant. Trying to prevent 86 from learning bad habits was one thing, but also, if 86 really did that, it would mean formatting all the mechanical servants present, which wasn''t Renji''s goal. He didn''t need a bunch of household maids; he needed real mechanical servants. Considering them too cold-blooded, Renji decided to call them bat maids sisters." After all, in essence, they were no different from 86, being sisters of "Zero." So in the end, by exploiting a system vulnerability with a virus, Renji forcefully added a mander" identity setting to the program of "Control Number One" allowing for normalmunication thereafter, and had 86 stand down. "Control Number One" was the new name for thebat maid "Number 17639," which Renji came up with on the spot. It was too cumbersome to always refer to her by a long string of numbers, so like "86," he used a numerical abbreviation. [Wee back,mander. CN. 1 and 49bat maids greet you] The blindfoldedbat maids ced one hand on her chest, and thebat maids behind her did the same in unison towards Renji. "Report to me your situation in Dream Zero" [I''m sorry,mander, Control Number One is only responsible for the ''Witch'' war zone and does not have the authority to inquire about other war zones. The following report is limited to within the Witch war zone: a total of 1,837bat machines, 209 scout units, and 19 control units have been deployed, with a totalbat duration of 1,730,018 hours, a total casualty count of 2,730,089 units, and a current expansion rate of 14.9%.] The beginning of CN. One''s report surprised Renji. Just one war zone had over two thousand mechanical servants, and assuming the remaining four war zones were simr, the total number of mechanical servants in the Dream Zero could reach tens of thousands! And the staggering numbers that followed made Renji frown even more. A war zone with over two thousand mechanical servants had umted over two million casualties. This only indicated one thing: these mechanical servants were continuously fighting, dying, and then being reconstructed, repeating this cycle for over 1.7 million hours. [Emotional instability detected in themander. There is no need for you to sympathize with our casualties. As long as our consciousness chips in the real world are undamaged, we in the Dream Zero can be infinitely constructed and revived by ''the base.''] "Is ''the base'' referring to the ''Miasma Master Maid'' war zone?" [Yes] "Where are your consciousness chips stored in reality?" [After deciding to enter the ''dream'', we handed our chips over to the ''Fantasy Supervision'' of Dream City for safekeeping and maintenance] ''Fantasy Supervision'' Renji remembered hearing this name when Eileen was watching the news. It seemed to have been mentioned in a report at the time. He made a mental note of the Fantasy Supervision, nning to investigate further once he returned to reality. Following up on CN. One''s topic, Renji asked another question that concerned him deeply. "Why did you choose to enter the dream to fight? What''s the reason for the battle?" [Commander, have you forgotten because it''s been too long since youst visited? Our mission is to stop the expansion of Dream Zero. After the ''Maid'' went into hibernation, if the other four ''Miasma Masters'' were allowed to continue polluting the world, the volume of the Dream Zero''s world would keep increasing] [Once the volume of Dream Zero reaches the critical threshold of the boundary between reality and dream, everyone in the Mechanical Alliance will be forcibly pulled into Dream Zero, causing uncontroble severe disasters. Therefore, we need to fight against the Tainted Miasma to dy the expansion rate, waiting for your returnmander, to lead us in truly defeating the four Miasma Masters, awakening the ''Maid'', restarting the base, and ending Dream Zero] This mander" setting was created by 86 through a virus- modified program. For the real mechanical servants, there wasn''t a hopeful figure like mander" they could wait for. In other words, they were fully aware that their battle was destined not to win but to fail. What they could do, as Control Number One said at the beginning, was merely to dy the speed at which the Dream Zero devoured reality, nothing more. Yet, they still went forward, one after another, steadfastly from over a million hours ago to now. ''Is this what mechanical life is?'' Renji, looking at CN. One, whose face was calm and eyes covered with ck cloth, felt even more determined. Even if this meant nothing for mechanical life, Renji didn''t think so. Mechanical lifeforms should also have their own life, not just endless battles. Moreover, these weren''t just any robots to him; they were his woman''s sisters. Liberating the Dream Zero was imperative, starting with the current Witch War zone. Renji quickly asked another question: "Is there a way for people outside the Mechanical Alliance to also log into the Dream Zero?" After what seemed like a brief search in its database, Control Number One provided Renji with a potentially surprising answer. [ording to historical records, each Miasma Master has their own trial, and the first brave person to pass the trial can obtain the corresponding ''Emperor''s Brand'' equipment. The brave one equipped with the ''Emperor''s Brand'' can summon special mechs from outside the dream. Only with these special mechs, which have a great restraining effect on the Miasma Masters, can the powerful Miasma Masters be truly defeated] ''Well, okay then'' Given that Zero is a mechanical being, it''s indeed not expected for her toe up with anything tooplex in dreams. Renji understood that, actually, from the time of the five Miasma Masters, he should have realized that the rules of this dream were like those of a world of demon lords and heroes, where the hero must find the holy sword to defeat the demon lord, except here, it''s mechanized, and the holy sword bes a mech. "So, the brave mech of the Witch war zone is?" [ording to legend, it is the ''Bright Leftover Woman.''] CN. One projected a shadow of a giant mech for Renji from its eyes,pletely different from "Number 86," probably several stories tall. Although it was yet to be unlocked, and thus itsplete appearance was not visible, the shadow''s outline still revealed somewhat of a "nun" design. Then, CN. One thoughtfullybeled the mech with threerge words: [Bright Leftover Woman] Chapter 253 253: The Promise

Chapter 253 Chapter 253: The Promise

"Leftover Woman?" At first, Renji thought it was a typo, but CN. One nodded affirmatively and repeated, [Yes, Commander, the Bright Leftover Woman] Renji couldn''t help but turn his head to look at 86, but this time 86 shook her head, indicating she hadn''t done any sleight of hand; this was purely a setting of this world. Just like the existence of the "Witch" Miasma Master. ''Well'' ''It''s a dream, after all, understandable I guess¡­'' From CN. One, he learned a lot of critical intelligence, much of which pointed to reality, like the Brave Mech. The Witch''s trial was something he had experienced before, but despitepleting it, he didn''t receive any Emperor''s Brand, which only proved that he was not the first to pass. Before him, someone from another force had passed the trial and taken the Emperor''s Brand that could summon mechs. As for who this other force was, from the "Savior Association" food coupon in the little girl''s package, Renji had already guessed it could only be them who had the capability to be the first to pass. This also exined why Kael Technology was desperately recruiting schrs, even at the expense of digging into the walls of Sin City. Kael Technology must have tasted the sweetness, hence needing countless schrs to help them research how to pass the trials of other Miasma Masters and obtain the Emperor''s Brand. However, it seems they only got the Emperor''s Brand but didn''t know how to use it properly. Apart from the Emperor''s Brand from Kael Technology, Renji was also very concerned about the Fantasy Supervision. The consciousness chips of the maid sisters are stored there. ''Could I use this route to directly liberate them? Or do something else? In any case, this was impossible in Dream Zero; I had to return to reality'' Just in time, he had also been in the dream for almost five or six hours. The time in the Dream Zero is the same as in reality. He logged in at dawn, and it should be almost dawn in reality now, ''time to "wake up" from the dream'' But before that, "CN. One, I have some matters to handle back in reality." [Is Commander leaving again? Understood, I will reconnect to the basework and enter automatic patrol mode. Please rest assured Commander. During your absence, we will continue to fight against the Tainted Miasma and wait for your return] Looking at the saluting blindfolded maid''s opposite him, what Renji wanted to do before leaving was exactly this. He quickly shook his head and interrupted, "No, CN. One, I request that after I leave, you must not connect to the basework or stop automatic patrolling. Under the premise of ensuring your own safety, stand by in ce until I log in again, understand?" CN. One was obtained through a loophole in 86''s virus manufacturing system to modify the program. Once he goes offline, 86 will also go offline. If CN. One connects to the basework, the loophole created by 86 is likely to be quickly identified and fixed. By the time Renji logs in again, the already corrected version would probably use the "Glory Program" on him, No. 17639 Having finally got a mechanical servant on his side, Renji didn''t want to "insert a USB" again, so he had to restrict CN. One''s connection with the base. [This does notply with the regtions] The blindfolded mechanical servant first denied, but soon nodded and said, [But if it''s themander''s order, CN. One understands. We will standby at this coordinate and wait for you. This will also make it easier for you to find us immediately after you log on] "Good, then it''s settled. We''ve made a promise, Don''t let me find you''re not here when I log on again, or you would be breaking our agreement, and I would be very angry," Renji said very seriously. [A promise with themander? Rest assured, CN. One will do everything possible toply] "Okay, I''m leaving now. It won''t be too long. See youter." After receiving a precise response from the blindfolded maid, Renji felt relieved. He waved at CN. One with a smile, while 86 transformed back into a dream terminal, initiating the "dream exit" program for Renji. Watching Renji quickly blur and disappear, CN. One suddenly made a strange gesture. She raised her hand, imitating Renji''s waving. [See youter, Commander....] Unfortunately, by this time, Renji had already disappeared within the Dream. When CN. One finished speaking, only the empty air remained opposite her. Then, another action entirely out of character for a mechanical being urred on CN. One. Looking towards where Renji disappeared, her eyes covered by ck cloth seemed to express a dazed look, staring nkly at the empty, destend without themander. Afterward, CN. One''s hand raised again, but this time, instead of imitating Renji''s waving goodbye, she touched her own lips. Mechanical Servant, as bionic beings, look almost indistinguishable from humans from the outside, including their soft, red lips, which are even more perfect than most humans, as they are created from the most perfect molds. CN. One''s action of touching her lips, followed by the rest of the forty-nine bat maid" Mechanical Servant in the rear queue, seemingly influenced, also made the same gesture. They all ced their hands on their lips, as if... feeling something they have never seen or possessed before. This phenomenon, luckily, urred without any human witnesses, or it would have been astonishing. After all, for mechanical servant, their hands are meant to touch weapons, not their lips, which are merely "decorative" and meaningless to them. Perhaps theputational load behind this action is veryrge, sorge that by the time Renji logs back on, they might still be analyzing this gesture. Unfortunately, about an hour and a half after Renji left, amunication breached CN. One''s system. This was not amunication from the base. CN. One followed Renji''sstmand and did not connect to the basework. But besides basemunications, there was another type of regional temporarymunication. Thismunication usually urs when other mechanical servant troops encounter a Miasma surge far beyond their capacity, broadcasting to their region. A Miasma surge is a manifestation of the Dream Zero''s expansion, always in the form of a monster wave. And the mechanical servant troops receiving thismunication must immediately rush to the area, doing their utmost to weaken the Miasma surge, thereby slowing the pace of the dream''s expansion. This has always been their mission. [All units, prepare forbat, speed: forward four, enemy coordinates: D-21, enemy scale:] [Cmity Rank Tide] Chapter 254 254: The Hunt

Chapter 254 Chapter 254: The Hunt

------- After issuing the advancemand, the forty-ninebat units slightly bowed their heads, their mechanical gears behind them swiftly rotating, with internal parts reconfiguring and extending shadows of wings outward. The usual sentinel patrol mode "Advance Two" signifies having a pair of wings at the back, while the current "Advance Four"mand from Control Number One directs a greaterputational power into the "wings". Eventually, with two pairs of wings on their backs, the mechanical servants, resembling "mechanical angels", took to the skies. With the powerful thrust of their double mechanical wings, they broke through the air above the wilderness, forming a neat flying formation and speeding towards the signal coordinates. D-21 wasn''t far from them, and within a quarter of an hour, CN. One led the troops to the coordinates. The terrain here was no longer a wilderness in but a vast canyon crisscrossed with steep cliffs, upon which could be seen many oddly shaped rocks. Looking down at the position of the gorge, it was like a gathering of murky, miasma-infested creatures rolling in like dark tides. [Battlefield information scanplete... Dog-level miasma entities 301, Snake-level miasma entities 107, Elephant-level miasma entities 15, Flood dragon-level miasma entities 0, Other biological signals 31] [Latest intelligence updated, changing from Cmity-level Miasma Surge to Disaster-level Miasma Surge] [Remainingputational power... 56%. Terrain analysis in progress. Calcting optimalbat n. n formted] Upon arriving at the battlefield, CN. One, with eyes covered by a ck cloth, flickered with vast amounts of information, summarizing andparing the intelligence gathered by otherbat units before issuingmands. Dog, snake, elephant, and flood dragon ssifications are derived from the physical appearances of miasma monsters, where in the miasma creature hierarchy, generally, therger the volume, the higher the monster''s rank. The monster tide in the canyon below seems veryrge, but after a battlefield scan, most of them are still primarily murky dogs, slightlyrger than ordinary wolves, and sea serpent-like, semi-erect murky snakes. As for the truly high-endbat forces, the threatening, several meters tall murky elephants are not numerous. Moreover, the canyon''s terrain is long, narrow, and small, which creates the illusion of a massive monster tide. If spread out over the wilderness, it would at most be considered a disaster level, far from reaching the cmity level. [Preparatory energy storage array¡ªElectromaic Cannon] Although they had just arrived at the battlefield, CN. One had already processed the information instantly, putting the mechanical servant troops intobat mode. Thebat method of intelligent mechanical life is construction, and "construction" consists of two foundations: one is the [Canon] that stores blueprints, and the other is the [Computational Power] needed to realize the construction. The ssification of [Canon] is the same as the Eclipse beings, divided into?Common, Umon Danger, Disaster, and Cmity levels. The higher the rank, the more powerful the construction blueprints stored, and simrly, the more immense the putational power" required to realize the "Canon," growing exponentially to astronomical figures. A single mechanical servant possesses limitedputational power, so to realize a powerful Canon, it usually requires a bination" method, aggregating theputational power of individual units. However, this aggregation is not infinite because all thebinedputational power needs a "core" for guidance, typically served by a "control unit," whose strength determines the maximum load of aggregatedputational power. The "Disaster Canon: Heavenly Reasoning Cannon" used against the witch was probably the limit for CN. One, formed by thebinedputational power of forty-nine mechanical servants. However, the now-employed "Danger Canon: Electromaic Cannon" seems somewhat more manageable. Groups of four mechanical servantsbined, and the barrels of twelve "Electromaic Cannons" started pulsing with electric light. The next second, thick bolts of white lightning struck down from the sky, targeting those fifteen elephant-level miasma entities. The thunderous lightning of the electromaic cannons pierced through these giant beasts, instantly killing twelve of them. Before the miasma monster tide could react, three more electromaic cannons were fully charged and once again shed the light of day, turning the remaining three miasma elephants into charred remains within the electromaic field. [Decapitation attackplete. Currentputational power remaining at 19%. Enemy threat level analysis in progress. Adjustingbat n] [Allbat units, disengage energy storage formation, enter Valkyrie mode, initiate cleaning protocol] At themand of CN. One, all mechanical servants floating in the sky rapidly descended. Their mechanical wings swiftly retracted, reced by beams of thermal energy weapons in their hands. Leveraging the momentum of their downward dive, the mechanical servants plunged into the swarm of miasma monsters, bringing the fight to close quarters. ¡­ ... Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, atop the steep cliffs of the canyon. The initial scan by CN. One had already revealed, aside from the miasma monsters, 31 other lifeform signals present. These signals belonged to the group now hiding in the shadows of the cliff rocks. They had "ck me" tattoos on their arms and backs, clearly not programmatic lifeforms within the dream but illegal dream entrants from reality, like the "Salvation Society". However, their tattoos, equipment, and quality suggested they were not corporate individuals but rather a gang members. "Boss, do you think these mechanical servants are dumb? They could fight from the sky, so why go down and brawl with the monsters?" "Isn''t it obvious, idiot? Because their purpose is to kill the miasma monsters. They don''t care about casualties like we do; their only goal is to maximize the depletion of the monsters." After being scolded by the boss, the gang member looked down at the canyon''s battle scene again and found it to be true. It was evident that, after the initial long-range electromaic cannon attack, the remainingputational power resources of these mechanical servants were limited, preventing them from constructing any more long-range lethal weapons. Therefore, while floating in the sky was safer, it limited their killing efficiency against the miasma monsters below. Now, though the mechanical servants were incurring casualties amidst the monster swarm, they, true to their "Valkyrie" mode designation, returned the favor to the miasma monsters with a tenfold casualty rate. Watching those mechanical servants fearlessly fighting the miasma monsters, the gang member, likely a new recruit, hesitated before asking: "Boss, are we doing something wrong? It feels like..." "What does it feel like? Feeling guilty? Did you get your brain kicked by a donkey? They''re fucking robots, a machine. Even if they get torn apart by those monsters, they won''t really die. At most, they''ll be melted down and remade, bouncing back before long!" "With the time you''re spending, you might as well keep an eye on those mechanical servants'' weapons, so we can collect a few moreter! Those weapons can be infinitely manufactured for the mechanical servants, ordinary andmon, but for us, they are treasures that can make us rich! They can make those pretty girls in the bars who usually look down on you, fight to sleep with you for a stack of bills!" Mentioning the pretty girls in bars and money, the gang member who was momentarily shaken by the fierce battle of the mechanical servants immediately filled with excitement, no longer hesitating. Empathy may indeed be a human trait, but unfortunately, so is greed. After scolding his subordinate, the steward of the ck Fire Gang continued to observe the situation in the canyon below. In the time it took for their conversation, the original fifty mechanical servants were now down to thirty-nine, but the miasma monster tide had nearly halved. At this rate, it wasn''t the miasma monster tide that would annihte the mechanical servant troop, but rather, after clearing the entire monster tide, about a dozen mechanical servants might still remain. This was uneptable. The ck Fire Gang''s steward frowned because he knew that if there were any mechanical servants left, they would collect their fallenrades'' remains before leaving, including the mechanical servant weapons the gang wanted to acquire. Wouldn''t that mean their "hunting" effort was in vain? ''No, this won''t do!'' ''I need to increase the strength of the miasma monsters!'' With that thought, the steward immediately took out a skull emitting a sinister red light from his bosom. This skull wasn''t making its first appearance. It, like the one used by the werewolf that triggered the "Blood Sacrifice" in the sealed city, was the same type of evil artifact from the "Old Alliance". The ck Fire Gang''s steward, also an Eclipse being, began to channel power into the skull. Then, the skull''s eye sockets glowed even brighter red, and correspondingly, the miasma monsters below in the canyon roared and became more ferocious and brutal, momentarily suppressing the mechanical servants and causing their casualties to spike suddenly. Even so, the ck Fire Gang''s steward still felt it wasn''t secure enough. After all, this operation was highly valued by the leader, who spent a lot of money purchasing this item from the Old Alliance to lure the mechanical servants for a "big n" the ck Fire Gang had in a few days. There could be no mishaps. The strength of this deceived mechanical servant troop was a bit beyond his expectation, especially the mechanical servant serving as the "control unit". Under itsmand, even the berserk miasma monsters were initially suppressed, and now they seemed to be on the verge of turning the tables. Fortunately, the ck Fire Gang''s steward had prepared, waving his hand to position a specially assigned elite sniper from the gang. The sniper''s firearm, also non-standard and technologically advanced, indicated this wasn''t their first time stealing mechanical servant weapons, just that this time was on a muchrger scale. The dark sniper rifle aimed at Control Number One, and with the sniper pulling the trigger from the high cliff, a high-impact armor-piercing sniper bullet, turning into a blue beam of light, instantly pierced through CN. One. [Target hit confirmed] The sniper said coldly, while on the battlefield, CN. One was now kneeling on the ground, at her left chest where the clothing and synthetic skin had been burnt away by the frictional heat of the sniper bullet''s pration, revealing the sparking, fracturing circuits and circuit boards inside. Chapter 255 255: The Data of the Heart

Chapter 255 Chapter 255: The Data of the Heart ?

Despite having arge hole pierced through her chest, CN. One, kneeling on the ground, still struggled to swing her remaining arm, attempting to continue fighting the enemy. However, with a second blue beam from a sniper rifle shot down from the cliff, CN. One''s other arm was also destroyed. Completely deprived of the ability to resist, CN. One was torn apart at the waist by the miasma dogs, with spikes from miasma snakes following closely, piercing her chest. Swallowed by the monsters, she was bitten in half, leaving only her upper body on the ground. Seeing CN. One incapacitated, the miasma monsters abandoned her, stepping over her remains to attack the other mechanical servants. Without CN. One, even if the mechanical servant troop had a newmander, they were quickly shot down by the sniper from the cliff. In just a few minutes, all fifty mechanical servants were reduced to wreckage under the fangs and ws of the miasma monsters. Satisfied with the oue, the steward of the ck Fire Gang nodded approvingly. He then manipted the skull in his hand again, and astonishingly, the miasma monsters began to dissolve into red mist and eventually returned to the skull. However, the skull''s red glow had dimmed significantlypared to before, indicating a substantial expenditure of its power. "Quick, start the salvage operation!" At the steward''smand, over thirty ck Fire Gang members, who had been waiting on the cliff, immediately descended using ropes. Greed and excitement filled their eyes as they regarded the mechnical servants'' remains as if they were looking at fields of gold. Among them were several engineer-like members who used various tools prepared for the task to cut apart the mechnical servants'' remains. Their actions were clearly not their first, indicating they were well-practiced. One after another, weapon parts were extracted and collected by the ck Fire Gang members from the wreckage. Watching their tactical backpacks fill up with mechnical servant weapons, the steward couldn''t help but smile broadly. Sessfullypleting this job could potentially elevate him to a deputy leader position within the gang. He wondered about the "big n" that required so many weapons, even if he only had a vague idea that it might involvebat against a certainpany. As the steward was lost in thoughts of promotion and wealth, a shout of rm came from the furthest ck Fire Gang member, the same subordinate who had previously shown sympathy for the mechanical servants. He was now frantically yelling at the steward. "Boss, put it away! Hurry up and put that artifact away!" ''Put the artifact away?'' The steward soon understood why his subordinate was so urgent, as he saw the young gang member, who hadn''t managed to say anything more, impaled from behind by a sharp barb that pierced through his chest, staining his shirt with arge patch of blood. Looking down at the barb protruding from his chest in disbelief, which belonged to a miasma snake, he clutched the bag of weapon parts he couldn''t bear to abandon even in flight. In the end, his body, along with those weapon parts,y on the ground just like the remains of the mechanical servants. This sudden turn of events immediately sparked terror and chaos among the ck Fire Gang members as they realized that miasma monsters were emerging from the other side of the canyon. "Boss, hurry! Turn off your artifact!" Many ck Fire Gang members shouted at the steward, thinking the appearance of the miasma monsters was summoned by the artifact in the steward''s hand, just like before. But the steward himself, with cold sweat on his forehead and his hand clutching the skull shaking more and more, was certain that this "relic of the Old Alliance" was not operational. This could only mean one thing: this was a real monster tide within the Dream Zero. And at times like these, the only hope for salvation would have been the mechanical servants, but obviously, that hope had been extinguished by their own hands. "Escape the dream!" "Let me out of the dream, quick!" "Escape! Damn it! Let me out, aaaah!" "It''s toote, too uh..." Flesh was torn apart; in front of the monster tide, the thirty gang members were like ants crushed by elephants. Their flesh was ripped apart by the maws of the miasma dogs, their limbs bing food in the mouths of miasma snakes. Unlike other dreams, everything that happens within Dream Zero is felt in reality with true sensation, including the pain of being torn apart before brain death urs. The remains of CN. One, now just an upper body, had her eyes showing static, with all her data reporting errors. Fortunately, it seemed her core ck box could still function normally. She tried to reach her disfigured cheek, wanting to touch her lips onest time, but the synthetic skin there was long gone, leaving only cold mechanical bones. [May the Emperor''s glory stay forever.] After these intermittent synthetic sounds, the half-body of CN. One transformed into a massive ze of sunlight. The intense energy swept across the entire canyon, obliterating the miasma monsters and the gang members'' corpses in an explosive eradication. ¡­ ... -At the base. Factory buildings stood tall, with assembly lines equipped with various parts. After severalplex processes, brand new mechanical servants were reconstructed from the end of the workshop. [17639, thank you for your contributions to the Dream Zero. This is your 1282nd reconstruction. You bear the important responsibility of maintaining the peace and stability of the Dream Zero. You will continue to be deployed into glorious battle.] At the top of the workshop''s disy, a line of text appeared, a message every mechanical servant would see at birth. [May the Emperor''s glory stay forever] All the newly emerged mechanical servants, facing the text, ced one hand over their chest, standing at attention. 17639 was no exception. Then, the base would randomly assign the mechanical servants'' destinations. Soon, it was 17639''s turn, as shown on the workshop''srge screen. [17639, your model is: Control Unit. You will be assigned to the Evil Dragon war zone, coordinate position: GY-28. We look forward to your valiant performance.] After being assigned, the mechanical servants usually proceed to action, but this time, Control Unit 17639 did not move from its spot. [17639, your assignment has been issued. Please proceed to the designated area immediately. Repeat, please proceed immediately.] [17639 requests a reassignment of the war zone] the blindfolded mechanical servant interrupted the workshop screen in front of it. The screen seemed surprised by 17639''s action, or more urately, it was beyond its programmed understanding. After a while, the text reappeared on the screen. [Warning! 17639, please state your reason for the request. Otherwise, you will be considered defective and subjected to reconstitution.] Footsteps sounded quickly, and soon, five mechanical servants were dispatched by the base, surrounding 17639. [Report; 17639 has multiple experiences in the Witch war zone ording to its past data. 17639 believes it can offer greater tactical value in the Witch war zone and requests base approval] After 17639 stated its reasoning, the base was silent for even longer than before, then the mechanical servants surrounding 17639 were withdrawn, and two words appeared on the screen. [Request Approved] 17639 saluted the base screen and then turned to leave, her wings unfolding as it sped off to the reassigned Witch war zone. During the flight, 17639 was also processing its ownputations. It calcted why she had made the request, why she felt an inexplicable attachment to the Witch war zone. However, it had no rted memory because every time they died and were reconstituted, all their past data were erased, formatting them into brand new mechanical servants. No, perhaps there was an anomaly? In flight, 17639 touched her lips with its hand. She didn''t remember having a record of this action in their programming, and this action seemed unrted tobat, even a hindrance. [What was this?] 17639 searched through its system many times but couldn''t find the origin until its hand unintentionally brushed over the position of her chest, finally resting on the location of its artificial synthetic heart. It had an intuition, yes, the word "intuition," which is most unrted to mechanical beings. [Could this data be...] [From here?] Chapter 256 256: Little Princess

Chapter 256 Chapter 256: Little Princess

"Huuhuhu" "Tasty. Doctor, feed me more" "Enough is enough? what. Hmph. Just a stinky doctor, I won''t feed you too" In the early morning hours, the hotel room echoes with the girl''s dreamy murmurs. Renji removed his terminal after "waking up" from Dream Zero, and to his left was Eileen, who had moved a stool to sit by him, as if she was constantly watching over him. But it''s obvious that he stayed in Dream Zero for too long, and Eileen also dreamed because she couldn''t avoid being tired. Renji watches Eileen as she hugs the back of the chair, smacking her lips and drooling, most likely dreaming of something wonderful, as the girl starts to purr like a little cat. Renji had no intention of waking the girl, but another person seemed to disagree, especially when the word "doctor" appeared in Eileen''s murmurs. [*Thod Thod Thod*] A monotonous thumping sound startled Eileen out of her deep slumber. The girl, half asleep, dazedly rubbed her eyes and turned to face the source of the sound; the next instant, Eileen nearly fell out of the chair in astonishment. Because she noticed that 86, who was now in her maid form, was standing and continuously massaging herrge tummy. The maid''s tummy was making the "thud thud thud" sound. With every "thud," her stomach quivered a little, as though there was a little troublemaker inside the protruding abdomen. [My Baby, don''t kick mommy, look, you woke up your Aunt Eileen, *86 said, feigning scolding but actually bragging about her sessful escape*] "You? Eh!? What is that ¡­. Did?you¡­ and old timer¡­!???" Eileen''s eyes sprang wide as she gave them a vigorous rub, questioning if she was still dreaming. '' No, the dream I just had wasn''t this.'' Just as the girl was about to anxiously question 86, the maid anticipated this and spoke first. [Indeed, doctor and I have a child, *86, now a mother after being cooked rice, deliberately used the term ''doctor'' to enjoy the thrill of NTR*] she said. Eileen: "¡­" "???" Less than six hours had passed when the girl looked at the clock and shot an irate, disbelieving re at Renji who was sitting next to her. She sounded as though she was saying, -"You guys made a child in the dream in six hours!"- -"What exactly did you do in the dream!!"- "Alright, 86, retract your belly, this kind of thing is not a joke!" Renji nced at the maid, sighing helplessly. Upon hearing Renji speak, 86 reluctantly altered the shape of her abdomen in front of Eileen''s shocked eyes, quickly transforming the protruding, pregnant-looking tummy back into a narrow waist. This is the mechanical species, capable of ying various tricks with their bodies. [Research indicates that kissing can potentially result in pregnancy, how could you, master, be so irresponsible?] 86 said, gesturing to her round belly and grumbling bitterly. "What! K-k-k-k-kissing?" Eileen, who had just calmed down, suddenly got agitated again. The maid nodded and added considerately. [Yes, the total duration of 86 and the doctor''s kiss was 9.999s. * 86 now stepped into the adult world, threw a pitying look at Miss Eileen, still a young girl*] "That was Control Number One, not you, and that wasn''t kissing, it was plugging in a USB!" Renji emphasized again. [Control Number One is 86, 86 is Control Number One, we sisters don''t distinguish between each other. *Pinch. Suddenly, 86 thought, if by this logic, doesn''t that mean thousands of sisters have topete with 86 for master''s reproduction data? 86 regretted it toote to take it back*] she said. Renji: "¡­" "86, I''ve been meaning to ask, howe you seem much more active since you got to the Mechanical Alliance And where on earth did you learn all this NTR stuff from!" [*Wuwuwu*, 86 doesn''t know either. * 86 said while crying and quietly setting the learning materials downloaded from the Mechanical Alliancework to a hidden folder*] "Good job, 86!" An angry and furious voice came from both before and after. Renji, acting like an elder, expressed severe condemnation and prohibition against 86''s behavior of secretly watching restricted resources. Beside him, Eileen was also puffed up with her hands on her hips, indignant that 86 had such excellent resources and had kept them to herself for her own education rather than sharing them with her. ''Well, at least the root of the problem has been found'' Previously, theworks of the Holy Kingdom and the Dragon Nation were not developed, at best they were like small streams, but for 86,ing to the Mechanical Alliance was like a fish entering the sea, ''no wonder things were getting weirder and weirder!'' So, under the stern supervision of Renji with a straight face, 86 was forced to delete all the learning materials downloaded from the inte. It is worth mentioning that Renji noticed many of the "learning materials" IP addresses were actually from Sin City! They were sent to 86 by a female friend she met online, who goes by the nickname "Inch-Stop Little Princess"! This made Renji so angry that he directly had 86 block this "Inch-Stop Little Princess", forbidding any further contact with such dubious characters, andid down rules for 86 not to browse such indecent content without his permission, finally settling the matter. After this episode, 86 became much more honest and no longer made any strange remarks. Afterwards, 86 briefly recapped for Eileen their experiences in the dream and their ns moving forward. As Eileen listened, her attention was quickly drawn to the mechanical servants, especially after learning about their reasons for existence and experiences, she became indignant, clenching her fists and waving them in the air. "What is this? Isn''t this just like all the mechanical servants are trapped in prison? No! This can''t even be called a prison anymore, how is this any different from a hell where they can never be liberated!" Eileen tried to put herself in the shoes of the mechanical servants; dying a thousand times over, she figured she would go insane after just ten deaths, fighting, dying, then being revived to fight again, in an endless cycle. "Doctor! So, are we going straight into Kael Technology next, to snatch that special mecha summoning brand? If so I''m ready!" Seeing the girl next to him rolling up her sleeves, eager to start a fight, Renji was quick to calm her down. "We don''t have to take the risk ourselves, someone will do it for us." "Someone will do it for us?" "Three days, no, it should be two days now, remember the Kael Technology press conference? In addition to unveiling the brand technology, they will also, to attract attention, disy a three-piece brand set to the public. If I''m not mistaken, that should be the Emperor''s Brand we''re looking for." Thebination of a three-piece set is very difficult unless it''s known in advance that these three brands are from the same set, obtained during a test, which makes finding the sequence much easier. Moreover, there''s a good chance that Kael Technology won''t be able to unleash the true power of the three-piece set, so to thepany, this set is more sh than substance, often such items are perfect for being showcased at a press conference. Otherwise, something truly highly important and powerful, who would publicly disclose at a press conference? After listening, Eileen nodded, thinking it made sense, but she still didn''t understand, what does it mean that someone will do it for us¡­ '' hmm!?'' The girl''s eyes brightened up, as if she had a thought, and she said, "Doctor, are you referring to... those gangs!?" with excitement. Chapter 257 257: Competition

Chapter 257 Chapter 257: Competition

''The reason I was able to enter Dream Zero ahead of time was thanks to Keyji''s wealthy second-generation connections, which allowed me to bridge a connection with the ck Fire Gang and make a "ck Dream" transaction at the Night Charm Bar.'' ''Afterward, with 86 cracking the ck Fire Gang''s dream terminal, I got not only a "one-time" login anchor for Dream Zero but unexpectedly gathered some intelligence. I myself didn''t expect to gain ess afterward when 86 had cracked the ck Fire Gang''s dream terminal'' These people of the ck Fire Gang really did not have any good intentions. While selling Keyji the ck Dream, they also inserted a backdoor into the dream terminal of Keyji and imnted a virus program. As soon as Keyji wore it, these viruses could creep into his electronic devices. Then, as long as Keyji gets in Kael Technology again, the ck Fire Gang can rely on the body of Keyji to steal inside Kael Technology especially during the press conference two dayster. From what was decrypted by 86 from the meeting records of the ck Fire Gang, their ultimate purpose is to sabotage this press conference even to snatch the brand on the spot! Before this, Renji was not so sure to set foot into Dream Zero so early again, thus he temporarily put this intelligence aside. But now. "86, can you further specialize these program viruses? Then change the setting such that they are unable to recognize who is the person wearing it." ''Well, I''m just jumping into the wagon since the ck Fire Gang is also targeting the press conference of this case. So, I''m going to assist them by leaking the intelligence of Kael Technology'' ''This way, the bigger themotion ck Fire Gang causes at the press conference, the better for me. I can use them even as my scapegoat to let not just snatch the brand but also open and above board in Kael Technology'' An idea quickly formed in Renji''s mind. Of course. The main reason why Renji would still instruct 86 to modify the setting "wearer''s" was that he doesn''t want Keyji to bite on this matter. After all, such a n was apt to evolve into a shootoutter on. Renji has known Keyji for a short time, and, although he doesn''t particrly value the way he lives, he feels that inside him. He''s a kind man. Additionally, this has to be in line with the pledge he made when he purchased the Dream Terminal with his help. Exining this what will happentter to Keyji''s sister would be challenging. ''After modification by 86, in the eyes of the ck Fire Gang, they still think that Keyji was kept in the dark as their undercover in carrying their virus and helping to steal thepany''s intelligence but the actual operator is myself'' At the press conference, Keyji would have returned to Sin City by now and not enter Kael Technology. Subsequently, if the ck Fire Gang wants to continue investigating, he wouldn''t be found. The re-encoding of the virus by 86 of the ck Fire Gang was fast, it took less than quarter an hour toplete, and it was just turning seven in the morning. Renji approached the window of the hotel, waved his hand, and electronic curtains automatically spread to the sides, opening a beautiful view on the towering skyscrapers reflected in the morning sun. The streets were overcrowded, and employees from all sorts ofpanies flocked busily and stressfully to their ces of work clutching brief cases in their hands. Renji then encouraged Eileen to soon wash as well as change clothes. Since he was one of the official employees of Kael Technology, it certainly is proper that he also take part in experiencing the first day going to work. Staring into the mirror, he straightened his cor and finally wore the gray coat given to him by Lena. Eileen beside him, however, was so excited to the point of changing into Kael Technology''s employee uniform next to him, even asking 86 if they were able to take pictures together to send to her motherter in the Holy Kingdom. For all, employment in a superpany is no doubt the greatest wish and constion for most parents belonging to any normal family structure. Since being a schr advisor, Renji was part of the minor management team added to Kael Technology, hence he had no need to squeeze into the subway or the bus like the rest in general. Even right outside the hotel, a dedicated autonomous taxi would be waiting for him. ¡­. Not far from Kael Technology, the hotel was located, and after some minutes of driving, Renji found himself walking in through the entrance with Eileen. Since it was a major techpany, employees had to be vetted and scanned before they entered inside. However, the sensible security personnel of Kael Technology, on seeing that thepany car is dropping Renji, were treated far better than normal employees, including bows and smiles. And once they checked Renji''s employee ID card, they promptly let him pass. Going straight through the lobby to the main lift, he saw a lot of people dressed in research uniforms, hurrying along with lots of documents, busy to the hilt. He met a few who enthusiastically came forward to greet him. Renji nced at their badges, they were all from the level of the team leader and above, including some deputy ministers. And their intentions were very simple. "Eh? You are Doctor Renji, yes? Long heard of your great reputation. Your several papers have been a big help to our group''s project. I wonder if we could invite you" "Dr. Renji, it''s an honor! Our group has a topic that I think fits you perfectly. What do you think?" "Please, can I have some of your time Dr. Renji? if you join our project then our minister has promised to give you more 30% resources from thepany''s highest-levelboratory. His contact is¡­." "Doctor Renji is so young! How to go to Night Charm for a drink after work today? I''ll invite you, but it''s just the two of us alone~. Just want to have some in-depth chat with you " Eileen red and scared away the woman who was crazily flirting with Renji, still angry as a tigress. As for the woman? She treated her like air. This small incident alonepletely made clear to Renji thatpetition inside Kael Technology is severe. The reason so many people are seeking him out now is definitely not a coincidence. Apparently, the news of William having sessfully poached from Sin City had somehow leaked out and thus this is why most people within thepany were waiting in the lobby specifically for schrs like him who joined thepany only yesterday. This ss of schrs is normally easy to spot because like Renji, they dress in their own style and hence do not put onpany work then go, therefore standing out in the crowd. Renji remembered that Lena''s fake resume for him was modest enough, medium but so many people were rushing out to recruit him in their projects so openly, it shows that this is not a unitedpany. Different factions and even each project are not really friendly at each other. Where there are interests - in fact, there ispetition. The resources and positions in thepany are limited, and all of them want to climb up in thepany, so open internal strife should be doomed to ur. ''Maybe this may grow into an ace that I could make use of in the future¡­'' Silently nning to pay more attention to the factionalposition inside Kael Technology regarding his activities, Renji finally managed to escape from the crowd and took the main elevator for the research department under William''s management. As soon as Renji put a swipe at the entrance, he heard Professor Einstein considering "an old master" of the ancient academic world of Sin City to be leading far ahead of first assistants and other schrs in a heated discussion about Emperor Ashen. Chapter 258 258: Nonsensical Talk

Chapter 258 Chapter 258: Nonsensical Talk

"Trash! That is so stupid!" "Bullshit!" "Totally dumb, F@cking Nonsense!" "Wtf did you say?!!!" Renji just pushed open a door of theboratory, and the roar of the old professor inside was clearly audible from the doorway to say nothing of the sense of anger that was palpable. In theb, many schrs had shrunk back in fear, staying silent and distant across the meeting room. Renji, who had Eileen by his side at this moment,?was different. The scent of amusement seemed to trail the girl and she was instantly filled with curiosity and excitement, drawing Renji towards the conference room where the roars of anger were continuously emanating from quickly. Kael Technology really values the Sin City schrs. The big conference room that can fit hundreds of people shows this. Even though thepany has lots of different spaces and equipment, it might not have the verytest technology. But, having such a big room for the schrs still shows they are important to Kael Technology. The door into the meeting room wasn''t closed and looking through its doorway Renji could see Professor Einstein with his team of assistants now in a heated debate with another group of Kael Technology researchers, their faces red with agitation. Aside from these two groups, there were also other schrs who hade to attend the morning meeting. But it wasn''t hard to understand that under the fury of the old master Einstein all schrs were trembleing, were silent as cicadas not daring even to make one sound. Some even were continuously ncing towards the door wanting to creep out of a meeting. But Eileen was different. Seeing from the distance, especially when the girl saw the word "emperor" in PPT projected on the big screen, it immediately sparkled even brighter. She continued pulling into the room of meeting with Renji quietly. After she found randomly a seat, the girl started to listen with his keen interest. The morning meeting was open to all the schrs and with the currently intense argument between two parties, not many attendants paid attention towards Eileen and Renji who had juste in. "Professor Einstein, I want to repeat that it is because we have obtained relevant historical evidences that we ordingly invite you to initiate this morning meeting discussion. We hope that you are not making everything personal and putting down your subjective feelings, to discuss with us calmly about the possible factors in the rtionship between the emperor and his five guards beyond the rtionship of superior and subordinates" The Kael Technology people said forcefully this while pointing to the mural projected on the screen as proof of their historical evidence to Professor Einstein. Renji narrowed his eyes because these mural materials are not unfamiliar, very simr in style to what he had seen in Kano Vige, perhaps being deliberately processed. And, moreover, the mural painted only a part of the plot intentionally. It contained in whole from the story about the abandoned maid and the young scientist falling in love then being robbed of her love by a witch and finally "division" of the young man. These mural insights appear to be thetest findings by Kael Technology, so they couldn''t wait to discuss their possibilities with the schrs from Sin City, studying the ancient academic value behind the mural stories. The maid, the witch, the young scientist¡ªwho they allude to is self-evident to the schrs present. For this reason, the story depicted is akin to pulling Professor Einstein''s beard, inciting such a furious rage from him, puffing his beard and ring his eyes, even forgetting his esteemed status to start cursing loudly. "Discuss? What?the f@uck is there to discuss !?" "I implore you people from Kael Technology to respect real- world history. Adaptation is not fabrication, and dramatization is not nonsense! Ancient studies is a discipline of seriousness and caution, not a tool for your sensationalism!" "ording to your so-called ''bullshit evidence'', so the emperor fell in love with Zero? And then Lady Lena became jealous, vying with Zero over him?" The old professor, by the end, was clutching his chest, pointing his finger at the noses of the Kael Technology researchers opposite him, seemingly so angry he couldn''t even speak. The assistant hurriedly brought him water and tea. After taking a big gulp and catching his breath, the professor continued to rant furiously. "What do you think this is? ying house? A story of a great person who, after enduring countless hardships and with numerous followers passing the torch, forges ahead from despair to seek a sliver of hope, and at a great cost, saves the world, has turned into what in your hands? Fighting over men? Love talks? I¡ª*spit*!" The professor''s spittle nearly sprayed onto the faces of the Kael Technology researchers opposite him. "So ording to you, what, the emperor''s five guards spend their days not thinking of anything else but to bear children with the emperor, to steal men from each other? What do you think this is? A trashy TV drama? Or an adult film?" "I tell you, this is not about the guards or the emperor; this is about you, you people who have nothing but filthy thoughts and trash in your heads!" Although the professor was of old age, with white temples, he still spoke with a powerful voice, his denunciation resounding andpelling. And while the Kael Technology researchers were scolded mercilessly, they still had to stiffen their tingling scalps and emphasize to the old professor across them that this is real, after all, this is precious material produced from "Dream Zero," it can''t be fake, right? Seeing the people from Kael Technology still being obstinate, Professor Einsteinpletely lost his temper. "I tell you! If the emperor really had such intentions, then the Mechanical Alliance today would not be led by Kael Technology as a giant corporation. No, forget the Mechanical Alliance, the entire world would be filled with the emperor''s progeny, ruled by a vast Ashen Royal family!" "Do you not realize how easy it is for the demi-human race to bear offspring? If the emperor had indeed gotten together with the Dragon Empire''s empress, given the dragon race''s reproductive capacity, producing a football field''s worth of demi-human children with the emperor''s bloodline wouldn''t be an issue!" "Alright, even if we don''t talk about demi-humans, let''s discuss mechanical life forms, which is even simpler. They don''t even need the emperor to actually do anything with them. Just any exchange of bodily fluids, even just a kiss, would allow mechanical life forms to extract the emperor''s gic material from the saliva. With Lady Zero''s powerfulputing ability, creating a digital life descendant of the emperor would not be difficult." "And finally, the elves. Let me ask you, have you studied elves? How many research papers on the elf race have you written? I tell you, the elves, to some extent, are simr to mechanical life forms. They don''t care about the physical body; they pursue the soul. They can achieve soul fusion on a conscious level, and then through the World Tree, they nurture and reproduce, birthing new life from" Eileen, listening in, nodded thoughtfully to Professor Einstein''s words. She seemed to understand that what the professor was trying to say was that if the emperor had even the slightest improper thought towards his guards, then the children that would have been born by now would be all over the ce. But Eileen had a question. Out of the five guards, Professor Einstein only mentioned three. The remaining two, including her Goddess, could be excluded since humans indeed have their limits and cannotpare to other races. But what about the subus? Why didn''t he mention the subus? Eileen''s murmurs were overheard by a schr from Sin City nearby. The schr, with a disdainful look at Eileen, proudly stated: "Do we even need to mention Lady Lena? If Lady Lena had really made a move on the emperor, then what chance would the other four have? Not even a soup''s worth would be left. The descendants of the emperor in this world would only belong to the subus race!" The morning meeting ended in less than half an hour, with the Kael Technology researchers leaving in a disheveled retreat. Eileen was a bit disappointed, having not had her fill of listening, while Renji didn''t bother with the girl. He immediately took the opportunity of the meeting''s adjournment to quickly approach Professor Einstein. Chapter 259 259: Spot On

Chapter 259 Chapter 259: Spot On

Everyone knew the old professor was fuming with anger and dared not approach, which made it easy for Renji to reach the professor with greying temples. "Professor Einstein, I think your scolding was excellent, really satisfying! It was very helpful to me, and I''m very grateful. But regarding what you said, I have a few questions I''d like to ask you, if I may?" The old professor nced at the young man who had started the conversation. For some reason, he found this young man quite agreeable. Plus, given his current bad mood and having no desire to continue his research at the moment, he thought it might be better to take this opportunity to clear up some doubts for the younger generation, rightly directing the study of ancient studies to prevent such bad trends in the future. So he nodded and said to Renji, "Go ahead, what do you want to ask young man?" "It''s like this, professor, I''ve been conducting research on elf species recently, so could you please exin in more detail about the connection between souls, the World Tree, and the elf species?" ''Research on elf species?'' ''That''s quite rare'' Due to the Forest Alliance''s seclusion, such papers generally don''t have much of a market, and few schrs delve into this area, mainly because it doesn''t attract much funding, essentially running on passion. Young people purely passionate about academia like this are bing rarer and rarer, a precious rarity. Therefore, Professor Einstein''s attitude towards Renji improved significantly, and he patiently exined: "Elves are nurtured by nature. For them, the World Tree is like the mother of the entire race." "The World Tree possesses a strange ability to connect all things, including souls. Hence, there''s a legend that the soul of every elf who dies bes a leaf on the World Tree, with the sacred tree connecting every elf. Therefore, in a sense, elves do not fear the death of the body, as the soul is their true pursuit." Hearing this, Renji couldn''t help but interrupt before Einstein could finish: "So professor, if an elf gives their body to someone else, does that mean, in essence, it doesn''t affect her, as her soul will remain in the World Tree?" "No, what you said isn''t entirely correct. Theoretically, elves can indeed give their bodies to someone else, but in reality, it''s impractical for two reasons. One is that it requires tremendous control power, probably beyond even that of the peak guard of the elf species, maybe only someone like Lady Lena, could do it?" "The second is that elves have a severe phobia of impurity and, unlike mechanical life forms that mightpletely abandon the body to exist as a digital life, elves cannot. Their souls need a new vessel to maintain vitality, and for a noble elf with severe cleanliness standards to transfer their soul into another shell." Professor Einstein shook his head as if it was beyond his imagination. These pieces of knowledge were not found in games and were greatly helpful to Renji, making him feel as if he had grasped something. Afterward, Renji consulted the professor on some other matters. For example, "Professor, a friend of mine has always been curious, is the fertility of demi-humans really that impressive? And is there any way to make them reproduce less?" "Demi-humans reproduce inrge numbers, but the demand is also high. You just need to regte it well. As long as you control the raw materials well, even the most efficient workshop can''t produce inrge quantities." Renji nodded, taking ''academic notes'' seriously while asking: "Professor, another friend of mine is researching mechanical life forms. He just kissed a robot. ording to you, can that robot really have children?" "It depends on theplexity of your gic material and theputing power of the bioroid. Additionally, all known robots currently do not possess a reproduction module." Seeing Renji poised to continue asking, Professor Einstein was somewhat overwhelmed by the increasingly off-topic questions and waved his hand dismissively. "Alright, let''s leave it at that for now. I have a topic about witches to deal withter. When you have time,e find me again." The old professor was just about to leave when Renji directly asked, "A topic on witches? Professor, are you referring to the precursor of the Goddess of the Holy Kingdom?" This made the old professor stop in his tracks and turn back in surprise. "Kael Technology gave you this topic too? Right, I think their hypothesis is quite interesting. The Goddess is actually just an ordinary vige girl who, because of the many betrayals and deceptions encountered on her tumultuous journey of refuge, was engulfed by the miasma. The Emperor probably had long recognized the little girl''s potential, allowing her to undergo these trials before appearing at the critical moment to help the witch transcend and transform into the current Goddess." Whenever it rted to the Emperor, the old professor became animated and spirited, but Renji shook his head in disagreement. "Well, Professor, I tend to think that maybe the Emperor''s encounter with the Goddess wasn''t so much aplex calction, just a coincidence? As for transcending the witch, I think even less so. Maybe the Emperor just took her in, gave her food and water? The real victory over the miasma''s will, was it not her own kind heart?" Renji''s words made the old professor frown deeply, and he then asked, "ording to you, are the remaining four guards also just lucky encounters by the Emperor?" "At least I believe Zero and the Dragon Empress are like that. Zero was found unintentionally in a scrapyard, and ording to my research, the Dragon Empress likely was a diator in the arena before, and the Emperor just happened to watch that match and took a liking to her." Professor Einstein had provided him with much assistance earlier, and here Renji was also trying, intentionally or unintentionally, to help the old professor by sharing some past stories, which might aid the professor''s research in ancient studies. But obviously. The old professor frowned even more, eventually letting out a long sigh and patting Renji''s shoulder. "Young man, don''t just look at the surface. Often, many things that seem random have their inevitability. Emperor Ashen is far-sighted and probably has been secretly paying attention to these potential seeds, whether in a scrapyard or an arena, everything...was just arranged by him" Seeing Renji''s lips move, about to retort, the professor raised his hand and cut him off, indicating he didn''t want to listen or perhaps saw no value in the discussion. "Young man, it''s normal for you at your age to have this kind of fated romantic notion about the Emperor and his guards." "But with a bit more experience, you''ll understand that the Emperor is a person of terrifying rationality, someone who could abandon everything, even himself. Emperor Ashen has always worn the same cloak, never bought other clothes, never acquired any property, never indulged in any luxuries. Every resource the Emperor has taken out, every measure used, was only for one purpose - to defeat the tainted miasma and save the world." "If you carefully study history, you''ll see that every step taken by the Emperor has a deep meaning behind it, each time achieving significant victories and gains. Once might be luck, but twice, three times, every time, could that all be luck? Obviously not. The intricate nning behind this, perhaps only the Emperor himself knows." For some reason, Professor Einstein, who is usually not so talkative, seemed to have a lot to say to this young man today, so he couldn''t help but ask: "Young man, what''s your name?" "Renji." "Renji, the waters here are deep, and you''re not yet able to grasp them. Study more for a few decades." Renji was about to speak but ultimately just nodded, affirming the professor''s words. "Professor''s critique is justifiably on point. I will definitely keep it in mind and reflect deeply." Chapter 260 260: The Mole

Chapter 260 Chapter 260: The Mole

After sending off the old professor, Renji found a corner in theb to sit down with Eileen. His visit wasn''t really about research or work; Renji was interested in theb''s location. 86 needed to imnt the gang''s virus into Kael Technology''s system, which required cracking thepany''s firewall. Apart from programming in the virtualwork, Renji could also use physical means to assist 86 in this task, meaning the deeper into Kael Technology''s interior they got, the easier 86''s hacking job would be. Kael Technology values schrs from Sin City highly, and thisb''s location, considered central within the entirepany building, was the best hacking spot Renji could find with his current employee ess. For a superpany, especially one focused on technology, even with 86''sputing power, hacking in would require considerable effort. Including the morning meeting and chat with Professor Einstein, after waiting about ten more minutes, Renji finally heard 86''s voice through the optical invisible earpiece. [*Doubt*. Master, I have sessfully obtained partial ess to Kael Technology''s system. However, before imnting the virus, I found traces of vulnerabilities in thepany''s system. Upon further inspection, I tracked a simr virus program already imnted in the system, and the imntation time of this virus program does not exceed 48 hours] 86''s words surprised Renji, who immediately asked, ''A simr virus program, is it also from the ck Fire Gang?'' [*Confidence tone*. Yes, master. Although analysis shows approximately 14% difference between the two virus programs, their underlying logic and temtes are the same, confirming they are both ck Fire Gang viruses, and the one we found is an upgraded version] ''This is indeed interesting'' Being from the ck Fire Gang and an upgraded version undoubtedly proved that there was a mole from the ck Fire Gang inside Kael Technology. And considering it took 86 so long just to crack the firewall, this mole''s position in thepany must be quite high. "Hmm" ''I had underestimated the ck Fire Gang'' Regarding the ck Fire Gang''s background, Renji had done some research. It wasn''t an old gang but a dark horse that had emerged in recent years, considered by many to be lucky. Yet such a new gang managed to have a high-level insider within a behemoth like Kael Technology. ''Indeed, as Professor Einstein said, often many events that seem to be luck are actually the result of meticulous nning'' ''86, can you track the person who imnted this virus program?'' Renji was quite interested in this high-level mole. If found, it could be another card in his hand. However, 86''s response was somewhat unexpected. [The imnter only has a virtual IP, making it impossible to determine their real-world identity. However, 86 can lock onto this IP to pinpoint the imnter''s location within thepany building. Currently, the target is moving towards master''s location and is estimated to enter visible range in seven seconds] ''Approaching thisb?'' ''Is the person also a member of Sin City schrs group?'' ''Or...'' As 86''s countdown in the earpiece ended precisely, theb''s door automatically opened to both sides. Immediately after, a group of three people appeared in Renji''s field of vision. Two of them were familiar to Renji: the Sin City''s rich second-generation, Keyji, and Kael Technology''s executive, also the general manager of this Sin City schr delegation, William. The third was a girl walking beside Keyji, with a pretty and cute face, wearing a red scarf, looking very innocent and charming, the kind that gives off a first-love vibe at first nce. Now, Keyji was chatting lively with the innocent-looking girl, talking incessantly about something, and even a fool could see the intent of pursuit in it. As for why love talks would happen here, it''s quite simple. "Lily, look, this is ourb where we work. Come, take a look at this equipment, very professional, right? Impressive, isn''t it? I tell you, don''t think our ancient studies seem more theoretical, but there are actually quite a few experiments that require hands-on operation, hey! Quick, quick, quick, this is interesting,e take a look at this!" Keyji was showing off theb to the girl beside him, acting like a great schr, which made the girl continuously give him looks of admiration and respect. It was evident that Keyji was enjoying this, blooming with happiness. However, many other researchers and schrs inside theb, seeing Keyji acting this way and bringing an outsider in, all frowned in displeasure. But given that William was also following the two and seemed to tacitly allow such behavior of treating theb like a tourist spot, they felt it was not their ce to speak up. Sitting in the corner, Renji, unnoticed by Keyji, observed the trio and asked, ''86, is the person who imnted the virus Keyji?'' [*Shaking head*. No master, It''s the man next to Keyji] ''William?'' 86''s response startled Renji. The virus from the ck Fire Gang came from William? Meaning, William is the mole in Kael Technology that he was looking for? ''Heh¡­'' ''This was totally unexpected'' ''Why... would it be him?'' You have to know, this Sin City schrs'' exchange meeting was a project managed by William, and from William''s previous behavior, he seemed to value this press conference very much, almost as if he wanted to take a gamble to turn things around for thepany. He even meticulously nned the "poaching" act as a buildup for the press conference and thepany''s future. Such a core elite of Kael Technology, now a mole colluding with the ck Fire Gang on the outside? Intuition told Renji that there must be more to this. And now, howe William is together with Keyji, and what''s the deal with the girl beside Keyji? The situation seemed to suddenly be moreplicated than Renji had imagined. The witch''s brand at the press conference in two days was something Renji was determined to obtain. To ensure nothing went wrong, he had to investigate immediately. As for the method, it wasn''t too difficult. Thinking this, Renji no longer hesitated and immediately got up from his seat, walking straight towards Keyji and hispany. Keyji''s attention was entirely on the girl beside him, clearly smitten, not noticing Renji''s approach until he was close. "Eh? Brother Renji! You''re also in theb, great!" Seeing Renji, Keyji''s eyes lit up. He had been worried because he had been boasting in front of Lily for a long time, but didn''t know any schrs around, which felt somewhat embarrassing. Now with Renjiing out, as Keyji''s only friend in the schrs'' group, it perfectly solved his predicament. "Hehe~, let me introduce you. Lily, this is my iron buddy, an old acquaintance who has studied academics with me for many years. I tell you, we''ve broken through so many academic challenges together, received countless awards, our hands are tired from holding them, a true rising star in the ancient studies of Sin City, Brother Renji! Dr. Renji!" Hearing Keyji''s introduction and the long prefix, the girl named "Lily" seemed really naive, believing him immediately, very nervous, barely daring to make eye contact, and very awkwardly greeted Renji: "Professor, hello! My name is Lily, I''m a third-year fine arts student at Kael University''s College of Arts. It''s, um, very nice to meet such an impressive schr like you!" Chapter 261 261: Plot

Chapter 261 Chapter 261: Plot ?

----- Renji smiled and nodded, waving his hand to signal the girl not to be so formal, then first said to Keyji, "This isn''t the ce to talk, let''s go outside" Prompted by Renji, Keyji then somewhat came back to his senses from the beauty, noticing the displeased looks from many schrs around him, realizing his misconduct, he quickly nodded and left theb with Renji. Once outside in the corridor, Renji, like a true longtime friend, elbowed Keyji and asked with a smile: "Brother, you''re really not being fair,e on, tell me, how did you meet this cute miss? I remember you saidst night you didn''t know anyone in the Mechanical Alliance, right? So, you were lying to your buddy!?" After Renji spoke, Lily blushed and shyly looked down, while Keyji appeared quite emotional. "Don''t mention it, my meeting with Lily was indeed justst night, right after we parted." "Met justst night?" "Yeah, actually, I have to thank you brother. If it wasn''t for you with those ck dream cough cough, anyway, right after we separated, I felt a bit bored and nned to drive around Dream City for a bit. Just then, I happened to see some street thugs harassing Lily on the road. How could I tolerate that? Of course, I immediately got out of the car to help!" "And damn, those thugs turned out to be tough, some ck something gang members, totally without martial honor, even called in a bunch more people. I had no choice but to take Lily and temporarily avoid their edge. Luckily, our Kael Technology''s employee bracelets detected my emergency situation, and Manager William came with thepany''s security in time. Hey, brother, you weren''t there, you didn''t see those gangsters seeing ourpany''s force, directly scared shitless!" Keyji, while talking, gestured to Renji, as if he had experienced a heroic rescue, gang chase, life-threatening speed, and then a narrow escape, filled with tension and thrill yet longing for more. However, Renji''s focus was elsewhere. "Our...pany?" "Yeah, yeah, ah right, almost forgot to tell you, afterst night I changed my mind, just signed a contract with Manager William this morning. So brother, now we are colleagues, haha!" "How about it, isn''t that considerate? How could I bear to leave only you alone abroad, so lonely without me, right? Now, it''s good, we brothers can apany each other in Dream City again!" Although Keyji said so, Renji wasn''t fooled; it was clearly an excuse to stay in Dream City to continue pursuing the innocent girl beside him. After roughly understanding the situation, Renji turned his gaze to thest person present, and this person seemed to have been focusing on him all along, or perhaps waiting for a long time? "It''s an honor for Dr. Keyji to join our Kael Technology, and it''s my honor to have the trust of both you" The tall and burly manager William smiled at Renji and reached out with a highly cybeic hand for a handshake. Manager William, as if anticipating Renji''s questions, took the initiative to exin: "I apologize, Dr. Renji and Dr. Keyji for my oversight just now. I didn''t consider that theb would be starting work so early. I originally nned to bring the new employee for a tour, it was myck of nning." "Ah, Sir William, don''t say that. It''s also my fault, ah, who would have thought there''d be so many people rushing to theb early in the morning," Keyji said in a low mutter at the end. "So Miss Lily is also..." "Right, brother Renji, look, now that I''ve joined, I can''t just do experiments alone, right? I definitely need an assistant, and Miss Lily is looking for a job and is very interested in ancient studies. We hit it off, so I n to hire Miss Lily as my assistant." Keyji scratched his head, seemingly thinking nothing of it, but the girl beside him seemed a bit embarrassed, feeling somewhat uneasy as if she was getting an unfair advantage. Seeing this, Manager William immediately added: "I''ve seen Miss Lily''s resume, and it''s very impressive. Her grades at Kael University are often top-notch, meeting ourpany''s hiring requirements. Let''s start with a one-month probation, and she can be officially hired afterward." "Th-thank you, Manager William!" The girl sighed with relief after hearing William''s words, feeling like a weight had been lifted off her chest, very excited and blushing, only managing to keep thanking him. It was apparent that the girl''s family background wasn''t very good. For ordinary people, joining a bigpany like Kael Technology is considered a stroke of great fortune, which is why she was so grateful. Seeing the girl''s reaction, Keyji seemed even more fond and protective of her. He probably hadn''t told the girl about his own status, pursuing a simple love story with a girl from a modest background? By this point, Renji had pretty much understood the whole situation. No. It should be said that aside from people like Keyji, who are directly involved and blinded by beauty, anyone should be able to see what''s going on. It''s almost as if the word "scheme" was written directly on it. This is an open conspiracy. The goal is to keep Keyji in Dream City and prevent him from returning. ''But¡­'' ''Why?'' ''What''s the purpose of doing this?'' Renji didn''t have to wait long, as Manager William soon spoke again. "I''m sorry, Dr. Keyji, could I have my assistant continue to apany you for a while? I have something to discuss with Dr. Renji alone." "Eh? With brother Renji? Oh, about work, I see, then you guys go ahead, don''t worry about us here, and no need to send an assistant, we can just stroll around ourselves, you guys go ahead!" Upon hearing William''s words, Keyji immediately understood, or rather, found an excuse for some alone time, and thus quickly disappeared down the corridor with Lily. After the two left, only Renji and William remained alone, with William having a -"been waiting for a long time"- demeanor, smiling at Renji. "Dr. Renji should have some time, right? Don''t worry, it won''t take too long. I want to provide you with some urgent information concerning Mr. Keyji''s safety." Hearing this, Renji understood why William had deliberately brought Keyji to theb for a tour. The purpose was to get in touch with him. From William''s tone, he naturally regarded himself as an assistant, bodyguard, or spy sent by the Keyji''s family. Isn''t that indeed the case? A scion of a major family traveling abroad alone, which family would rest easy? Officially, it''s said to be a solo adventure, but in secret, there must be people watching over, and as of now, the person Keyji has been in contact with the most is him, so it''s quite normal for William to misunderstand. It seems Manager William, too, shares Professor Einstein''s way of thinking, not believing in coincidences. A friend of Keyji must have been arranged from behind. ''In that case'' "Of course, after all, if something happened to Keyji, his sister would probablye looking for me first. Besides... actually, I also have some matters here, hoping to get Manager William''s help." "No problem, shall we go to my office? Dr. Renji, this way, please." Chapter 262 262: Scheme

Chapter 262 Chapter 262: Scheme ?

On the forty-ninth floor of the Kael Building, in the Administrative Department. The elevator, as clear as ss, ascends rapidly, with the city of dreams shrinking beneath. The imposing buildings, which require one to look up when on the street, seem like toy blocks from the towering heights of the Kael Building. Even the bustling downtown and busy streets seem ordinary and mundane from such a height, merely blocks, and the people on the roads be tiny ck dots in the view, like ants busily moving in and out of an anthill. "Dr. Renji, isn''t the view from here nice?" "As a child, I often passed by the Kael Building. Every time I was here, I would look up and swear to myself, dreaming that one day, I could stand at the top of this building. Now that I think about it, it was quite naive. Dr. Renji, do you have any dreams that perhaps thepany can help you achieve?" In the elevator, the manager looks out at the scenery, seemingly making small talk with Renji, who smiles and shakes his head at William in response. "Thepany probably can''t help with my dream. It''s quite simple, just to find a wife and have kids" "Ah, Dr. Renji, you really are... quite open-minded, haha" Caught off guard by Renji''s response, the William falls into a brief silence, which is soon broken by the ding of the elevator door opening. The silver-gray spacious lobbyes into view, with the iconic pair of angel wings emblem of Kael Technology ted in the center of the far wall. "This way please, Dr. Renji." The higher the floor, the quieter it bespared to the lobby downstairs. Renji hardly sees any employees along the way, and the corridor is eerily silent, with their footsteps almost soundless due to the plush, high-quality carpet. The office isn''t far from the elevator; just a few steps away. Before entering, a blueser from the electronic scanner above scans the two, and after the scanpletes, a sweet AI wee voice sounds, followed by electronic gates opening to both sides. Observing along the way, Renji couldn''t help but admit that Kael Technology''s security procedures are outstanding, with various scans and AI distributed throughout the building, each area having precise ess restrictions. Following William into the office, the enthusiastic manager first brews a cup of tea for Renji before sitting across from him, "Mr. Renji, what follows is of great importance, so I''d like to confirm your identity once more. Do you have any association with the Quis Group?" "I have no rtion to the Quis Group." Renji''s straightforward response makes William frown, but luckily, with the next sentence... "But I have made a promise to his sister." He naturally referred to Keyji. As for the promise, it was something Renji had unterally dered earlier, saying he would take responsibility if anything happened to Keyji''s sister. However, to William''s ears, the manager''s expression changed significantly. "So, you''re a friend of Director Diana. Then there''s no problem." ''So that''s her name...'' Renji noted silently without showing any reaction As for William, he didn''t harbor any doubts. Instead, it seemed obvious to him. After all, that female chairman is famously protective. Allowing her brother to go abroad alone, there must be someone she absolutely trusts by his side. In William''s eyes, Renji was already considered Diana''s confidant. "The thing is, about what happenedst night, we''ve already talked about it in theb. I''ll just say it straight, ording to ourpany''s intelligence department, the ck Fire Gang still holds a grudge against Dr. Keyji and is likely to take revenge on him soon. Please be very careful." "Is that all?" William could tell from Renji''s tone that he didn''t seem to take it seriously, which was exactly the effect he wanted. However, he felt the need to add a reminder. "The ck Fire Gang is a new gang that has risen in recent years. Despite being new, it has made several established gangs stumble. As they say, young bulls aren''t afraid of tigers. It''s better for Mr. Renji to be more cautious. After all, given Dr. Keyji''s background, if something really happens, with the power of the Quis Group, Dream City would be in turmoil for a good while." "Alright, in that case, could Mr. William please send me some information about the ck Fire Gang?" "Of course." Seizing the opportunity to get some information from Kael Technology''s intelligence department, Renji had almost figured out what William was plotting. Simply put, they were using Keyji as a shield and scapegoat. The ck Fire Gang virus already in Kael Technology was uploaded by William, indicating he had colluded with the ck Fire Gang to disrupt the uing press conference. They orchestrated a hero-saving-the-beauty scenario for Keyji, which not only retained him but also used "Lily" as bait toter use her of being an enemy spy who deliberately approached Keyji to extract important information, leading to a security breach at the press conference. Given Keyji''s background, Kael Technology would likely have no choice but to suffer in silence. But now, William also hinted to Renji that the ck Fire Gang was targeting Keyji, implying that once something happens, the Quis Group, which Renji supposedly represents, would immediately point the finger at the ck Fire Gang. Although Renji doesn''t know the Quis Group, based on many people''s attitudes towards this group, eliminating the ck Fire Gang would probably be a matter of lifting a finger. This way, the ck Fire Gang would be working for William, sabotaging the press conference, and then being directly eliminated by William using Renji''s influence, allowing William toe out spotless. Now, Renji''s only question was, why would William go to such lengths to sabotage his own painstakingly nned press conference? What was he aiming for? On this point, the nearby 86 provided an answer. Renji pretends to browse through the ck Fire Gang information William just sent him, but in reality, 86 has transmitted another piece of news to Renji. It''s an internalpany document from Kael Technology, showing that a board meeting was heldst night. In the photo, Renji can see William''s figure, who is quite tall and very noticeable. However, as the imposing manager in the boardroom, he seems like a minor character, always standing behind another director who appears to be his superior, a very obese and bloated figure. Renji narrows his eyes, noting that although the document doesn''t specify the meeting''s content, its purpose was tomend Director Allen for his outstanding performance in the special administrative department of Dream Zero. The whole document is filled with affirmations and awards for Director Allen''s work, without a single mention of William''s name. Even the uing press conference is credited to Director Allen''s orchestration. At this point, Renji feels no need to read further. ''It seems that the concept of parachuted leadership is applicable in any world'' ''But perhaps on earth, one might only be able to endure in silence'' ''But here'' [Director Allen stated he would be present at the press conference, representing thepany to formally introduce it to journalists and various media] After reading the words "be present at the scene," Renji puts away the virtual tablet in his hands. Sitting opposite, Manager William still maintains his amiable and humble demeanor, but who could have imagined the ruthlessness behind it? Renji isn''t interested in the power struggles within Kael Technology, but he''s more than willing to see the waters of this press conference stirred even muddier. The only thing Renji feels he needs to pay attention to is to keep Keyji by his side on the day of the press conference. After all, he has utilized Keyji, so ensuring his safety is also a way of repaying him. "Speaking of which, Mr. Renji, you mentioned earlier that you had something to discuss with me?" "Oh, that, I was just wondering if Manager William knows anyone in the Fantasy Supervision?" CN. One had mentioned that their core chips are stored in reality, guarded by the Dream City''s Fantasy Supervision. Since William took the initiative to seek him out, why not continue to use this connection to acquire more contacts and resources? Seeing William''s puzzled look, Renji quickly exins: "Director Diana is very interested in the imprint technology of Kael Technology and has investment intentions. She hopes to understand more about Dream Zero, the origin of the imprint, from multiple perspectives." This exnation immediately rifies things for Manager William. "Coincidentally, after you, the next person I was supposed to meet is from the Fantasy Supervision. How about you wait here for a moment, Dr. Renji?" Chapter 263 263: Mother And Son

Chapter 263 Chapter 263: Mother And Son

People from the Fantasy Supervision areing, and Renji naturally wouldn''t refuse. Taking advantage of a break in the conversation, William started to chat with Renji again. "Just now, I heard from an employee that Dr. Renji and Professor Einstein had a very enjoyable conversation, discussing many topics about the great emperor. Being able to have such in-depth exchanges with an authority in the academic world, Dr. Renji''s schrly foundation is truly admirable." "It wasn''t as enjoyable as you say. Rather, it was Professor Einstein who pointed out and corrected many of my mistakes." "Ha, Dr. Renji is being modest. Speaking of which, I''ve always had a question about the emperor that I wanted to ask. Now that we have this spare moment, I''m very curious. How do you view ''The Ashen Emperor'' as a legendary figure?" William appeared to be listening intently to this question, and Renji quickly followed up after giving it some thought by saying: "In my view, Emperor Ashen is more like a symbol of an era than a person." "A symbol of an era?" William obviously didn''t understand. "Yes, I believe that even if there was no Emperor Ashen, there would be a next one, be it the Remnant Emperor, the Dark Emperor, the Fear Emperor. The era of the Eclipse is bound to end, the world will surely wee salvation. The emperor is a symbol of salvation; anyone could be the emperor, it just so happened that this time it was someone named ''Ashen'' who took it, nothing more." It was evident that Renji''s wordspletely exceeded William''s expectations, making the supervisor open his mouth as if it took him a long while to recover. Afterward, William said with a bit of admiration: "Should I say Dr. Renji''s perspective is novel, or bold? I''ve never heard any schr dare to evaluate the emperor like this. You are the first. Indeed, there''s a reason Professor Einstein would chat with you." "However," William''s tone changed. "I''m sorry, Dr. Renji, but my view is exactly opposite to yours. You think the era makes the man, but I believe it''s a man that makes the era." "It''s not that the world would necessarily have an emperor, but rather, because of Ashen, the world was saved, and we can sit here chatting." "Speaking of which, have you ever heard of the Old Alliance?" Before Renji could answer, William continued as if talking to himself: "I only became aware of this organization a few years ago. Legend has it, the members of this organization call themselves ''the Forgotten Ones'' because their ancestors were all from those who were abandoned and forsaken by the emperor." "For this reason, I conducted in-depth investigations and discovered many more ancient secrets of the old era, like human alchemy. It''s said that the emperor would select Eclipse with simr abilities, strip them of all their powers, and then gather them into one person." "In addition, the emperor would also specifically breed, like livestock, certain races with special abilities, referred to as ''special types'' in the rear, continuously expanding their poption. This way, when a certain type of special is needed on the battlefield, they could be immediately used up like bullets." "Another example is that the emperor would deliberately put some of his subordinates, even those trusted Eclipse, into dangerous situations, just to force out their potential." William gave Renji many examples, using the Old Alliance as a clue to investigate the emperor''s various cruel actions, but afterward, he showed Renji a look of "yearning." "Dr. Renji, don''t misunderstand, I''m not criticizing the emperor by saying these things. On the contrary, I really admire Emperor Ashen because of these actions. If it were me, I really couldn''t keep a straight face, to be so heartless, rational, cruel, cold-blooded. Everything, everything is for the sake of victory, to fight against the Tainted Miasma." "Dr. Renji, I believe you feel the same, because we are all human, and humans have emotions. Yet, to some extent, emotions are exactly what hold us back from progressing, aren''t they?" "If in the cruel old world, one couldn''t abandon humanity, abandon everything, the world''s end would likely only wee destruction." "That''s why I think, not everyone can be the emperor. Looking back over five hundred years of history, only Ashen truly managed to abandon emotions, willing to sacrifice his own humanity for the world''s salvation. The sin and psychological pressure, just thinking about it makes me shiver. I''m sure no one, there will never be a second Emperor Ashen in this world." Having said this, William took a long breath, leaning slightly back in his chair. He lifted his head to gaze at the ceiling, as if talking to Renji, yet also as if muttering to himself. "It''s a pity I wasn''t born in that era, or else I would''ve joined Ashen, even at the risk of my life, wanting to have a chat with that emperor." From the current William, Renji caught a hint of excitement and agitation. The previously appeared "yearning" indicated that William saw the emperor as a goal, someone he wanted to be. And now the excited trembling seemed to say, William felt he was advancing on this path, chasing after the emperor''s silhouette. To some extent, he saw himself as the sessor to the Emperor, no, should it be said as the sessor to the emperor''s spirit? And what he called the emperor''s spirit is Sacrifice. The spirit of abandoning everything, even humanity, for the sake of a grand purpose. ''As for the equally great goal that William now sees as leading humanity towards progress and prosperity, perhaps it is...'' Suddenly, a screen popped up on the AI on the desk in the office, indicating a visitor alert. Through the AI''s surveince feed, one could see a mother and son anxiously waiting outside William''s office. William gestured at the AI screen to grant ess, and the office door immediately opened, letting the mother and son in. Renji nced around; these must be the people from the Fantasy Supervision that William mentioned, only their appearance differed somewhat from what Renji had imagined. The Fantasy Supervision As a government department, in front of William, apany supervisor, appeared very nervous and restrained, even the mother holding her son''s hand was trembling slightly. As for the little boy the mother was holding, perhaps due to his young age, he seemed much more rxed than his mother, just using his big, curious, and excited eyes to look around the office. A formal meeting certainly wouldn''t involve bringing rtives; this must be something informal. "Mr. William," the mother nced at Renji sitting by the sofa, then quickly shifted her gaze to the supervisor in front of the desk. "There''s no need for that, Mrs. Geront, just call me William. Are you here about your husband''s matter this time?" "Yes, Mr. William, the day after tomorrow is David''s birthday, could you please give my husband a day off, just, just one day. No, half a day would do!" Faced with Mrs. Geront''s plea, William, with a face full of regret, still asked thedy to sit down and made her a cup of tea before speaking with a tone of regret: "I''m sorry madam, your husband is currently on an important mission for thepany, and even I don''t have the authority to contact him. It''s very likely he won''t be able to reunite with his family during this time. I am very sorry about this." "Important mission... Mr. William, tell me the truth, is my husband, is he inside Dream Zero?" The mother seemed to lose control of her emotions suddenly, covering her mouth and trembling all over, her voice choking up. Seeing this, the little boy beside the mother became anxious and confused, asking in a childish voice, "Mom, don''t cry! Stop crying! I, I''m okay, it''s okay if dad can''te to my birthday, I''m fine!" "You don''t understand, David, you just don''t understand." The mother hugged the little boy tightly, and after a while, when she had calmed down a bit, William spoke tofort her: "Madam, I am really sorry, but this path was your husband''s own choice, he signed a contract with thepany. What I can do is to inform you as soon as I get any news." "I understand, thank you, Mr. William." The mother was about to leave with her son in a daze, when William introduced her to Renji. When she heard that Renji was an expert in ancient studies and had done a lot of research on the old world, the mother immediately thought that if her husband came out, learning some ancient knowledge from a great schr like Renji could be lifesaving for her husband''s current job! Therefore, the mother immediately showed great respect to Renji, and when Renji expressed interest in learning about Fantasy Supervision, she agreed right away to meet him at a coffee shop this afternoon, after she had settled David at home. Chapter 264 264: What Has Always Been Done part 1

Chapter 264 Chapter 264: What Has Always Been Done part 1

---- Cat Girl Caf¨¦. After ordering a cup of hot chocte, Renji found a seat by the window. Not long after, a middle-aged woman in professional attire entered the cafe and quickly walked over to Renji''s table by the window upon seeing him. "I''m so sorry professor. I didn''t expect you to arrive so early. Have you been waiting long?" The woman continuously apologized until Renji waved his hand several times, signaling her to sit down across from him. "Mrs. Geront, before we get down to business, may I ask you a personal question?" "You mean...?" "Don''t be nervous. I''m just curious. I heard from William that your position in the Fantasy Supervision is quite high, and you''re a department manager. With that being the case, why does your husband still..." Renji didn''t need to finish for the meaning to be clear. In his view, Mrs. Geront''s family, if not wealthy, must at least be middle-ss, So why then would her husband choose to be an explorer in Dream Zero, engaging in such dangerous work that risks life for money? The woman across paused, clenched her fists then released them, shook her head, and bitterly smiled: "Professor, you are from Sin City, so you might think that someone in my position in the government has a lot of power. But in reality, we don''t have much decision-making power. The real control over the Supervision is still in the hands of the major corporations." "Major corporations?" "Yes, the Mechanical Alliance was originally managed by the super AI Lady Zero, so there was no traditional government. The current government was established afterdy ''Zero'' went into hibernation, funded by the major corporations and tycoons of that time. The taxes in the Dream City are very low and cannot support the government. Our expenses and financial sources mainly rely on donations frompanies and enterprises." After hearing Mrs. Geront''s exnation, Renji realized his presumptions. Indeed, the role of the government seems perfectly receable by a super AI like ''Zero'', possibly even more fair and just, covering all aspects. But the consequence is like the present situation, without ''Zero'', the inexperienced new government directly became a puppet of the corporations and tycoons. "My husband and I both worked at the Fantasy Supervision. For our marriage, we took out a loan with our savings to buy a house. Thebined sry of the two of us was just enough to pay the mortgage every month, sometimes even saving a little." "But after we had David, my husband didn''t want David to lead a mediocre life like us. He wanted to provide David with a good education, so that one day David could also be an employee of the corporation. So, we sold our house and took out a loan several timesrger to secure a school district house next to Kael College. This way, David would be eligible to attend the primary school invested by Kael Technology. As long as his grades were good, he could follow this path step by step to Kael University and then join Kael Technology." "However, whether it''s the tuition fees of these private schools, the high mortgage of the school district house, David''s daily needs, no longer eating cheap, nutrition-less synthetic food, needing to purchase the high-grade teaching equipment required by private schools, these kinds of expenses are simply unbearable for two government employees like us. Seeing our savings running out, Bill had to use his remaining connections at the Fantasy Supervision to submit an application to Kael Technology." Hearing this, Renji couldn''t help but interrupt: "Wait a moment, apply for it? Such work requires an application?" "Yes, if it weren''t for my husband being from the Fantasy Supervision, having relevant experience with ''dreams'', and being able to get in touch with high-level executives like Mr. William through the Supervision, he wouldn''t have been selected." "Although the job is dangerous, its weeklypensation could be more than what both of us could earn in a monthbined. Countless people are breaking their heads trying to get this job. I think my husband was afraid that if he took leave, his job would be taken by someone else, so he¡ª" Mrs. Geront''s voice grew softer and softer, and the sorrow on her face seemed to age her many years, her whole back bent as if life had pressed her down, unable to stand straight. This also exined why Mrs. Geront often showed such a humble attitude¡ªbecause their family was already at its limit, and just a slight mishap could be thest straw. Through Mrs. Geront''s microcosm, Renji got a better understanding of the current situation in the Dream City. To live like a human here, there are only two paths: eitherpletely be a bottom-level person, owning nothing, not aspiring for anything, and instead rely on the high technology of the Dream City to live in a drunken stupor of dreams; or join apany and be an employee of a super enterprise or a tycoon. People like Mrs. Geront, caught in the middle, are the most tormented. But actually, these are the most numerous in the Dream City. Most of their endings are likely dering bankruptcy and leaving this bustling city in destion. But Dream City does not care, after all, this is the core of the Mechanical Alliance, with countless young people with fresh blooding from all over every year to chase their dreams, in a continuous cycle. "Thank you Mrs. Geront. I believe life will get better. After your husband''s work is over, if it''s convenient, I''d like to treat you to a meal. After all, it''s my honor to meet someone with rich experience from the old world like your husband." "No, no, no, how, how could we let a professor thank us, thank you so much. It''s Bill''s honor to meet a professor of ancient studies like you. You''re willing to lower your status to dine with people like us, how could we possibly¡ª" In Mrs. Geront''s eyes, Renji was someone who could be personally introduced by the general manager William, and also had the title of professor. These were all unattainable, high- status figures to ordinary people. So, seeing Renji being so polite made Mrs. Geront somewhat flustered, thanking Renji incessantly, her face turning red with nervousness, not knowing what else to say. Renji quickly changed the topic, easing Mrs. Geront''s difort. Renji first asked some other basic questions about Dream Zero, such as its appearance time, scale, and the regtory policies at the time, as if he was really conducting market research for the Quis Group. It was only when Mrs. Geront mentioned the concept of "Dream Expansion" that Renji seemed to be intrigued and asked for more details. Mrs. Geront nodded: "Yes, when this phenomenon was discovered, it initially caused panic among the Fantasy Supervision and thepanies because, ording to experts'' estimates, once it exceeds a certain threshold, it would lead to everyone being forcibly digitized into life forms, sucked into Dream Zero. Fortunately,ter on, an anomaly in Dream Zero was also detected, and two hundred AI intelligences activelymunicated with us and entered Dream Zero to contain the expansion." "These two hundred intelligent mechanical life forms, ording to records, are replicas produced by Lady ''Zero'' a hundred years ago, imitating itself. We don''t know their specific use, and it seems that such life forms exist not only within the Mechanical Alliance but all over the world." "After the two hundred intelligent machines handed over their core chips to us for storage, they infiltrated into Dream Zero. Afterwards, the expansion trend of Dream Zero indeed immediately stopped, and the crisis was averted. Later, every once in a while, research personnel from thepany woulde to maintain these chips, keeping Dream Zero stable." Listening to Mrs. Geront''s information, Renji silently pondered. There were two key points: first, the number "two hundred," but ording to the data he got from Control Unit One, there should be at least tens of thousands of mechanical servants in Dream Zero. The number that matches the "two hundred" should be the "Control Machines" series of mechanical servants. Combining this with the information previously obtained from 86, the number of observers deployed worldwide by Zero should match the tens of thousands, rifying the situation. All the "observers" on the continent have "entered the dream" and be mechanical servants, but only the two hundred observers closest to Zero in the Dream City retained high-levelputing power, serving as intelligent "Control Machines"mand models. The rest of the observers mainly follow orders and do not possess autonomous consciousness, serving asbat bodies or other logistical models. Chapter 265 265: What Has Always Been Done part 2

Chapter 265 Chapter 265: What Has Always Been Done part 2

''If not corrected, their return to reality would only bring destruction'' The second important piece of information was that thepany regrly maintains the chips of these two hundred control machines. After further inquiry, Mrs. Geront told him that Kael Technology is the main force, followed by the Emergency Squad. "Alright, Mrs. Geront, the information you provided today has been very helpful, thank you very much. It''s gettingte, shall we call it a day?" After chatting for a while longer, Renji took the initiative to end the meeting. "Okay, good, Professor. Then I won''t disturb your work, I¡ª" Seeing Mrs. Geront about to get up, before leaving, Renji handed her a package he had kept beside his seat. Mrs. Geront looked surprised and puzzled. After opening the package, she was even more baffled because it contained a toy mech in a gift box? "This is something I saw while passing through a mall and bought on a whim. Mecha toys like this seem to be very popr, especially among children. Since David''s birthday ising up soon, consider it a birthday gift." Renji''s seemingly casual remark greatly astonished Mrs. Geront. She stared at the mecha toy in her hands, never expecting the young professor across from her to be so thoughtful and devoid of pretense. ''No, this wasn''t just about being devoid of pretense; it was¡ª'' Mrs. Geront found herself at a loss for words with her limited vocabry, perhaps also because, in her more than thirty years in the Dream City, she had never encountered such a kind-hearted stranger. Especially when Mrs. Geront''s peripheral vision caught the price tag on the mecha toy, which Renji hadn''t removed, the four-digit price made it unthinkable for her. Such a high-end toy was something David would only yearn for from outside the disy window on a normal day. Despite his young age, David was very sensible, knowing their family could never afford it, and now... "Mrs. Geront?" Renji called out, noticing the middle-aged woman''s stunned silence. She suddenly snapped back to reality, initially feeling she couldn''t ept such an expensive gift, but then, considering Renji''s status as a distinguished young professor, perhaps this was nothing more than a gesture of goodwill, so she gratefully epted it. Before parting, Mrs. Geront looked sincerely into Renji''s eyes and said, word by word, "Professor, this birthday gift, I believe will be an important milestone in David''s life. I will use it as a lesson to teach him well. I don''t aspire for David to reach your heights, but I hope that in the future, he can be a good person like you." With the gift in her hand, Mrs. Geront left. Watching her departing figure and recalling her words of gratitude, Renji shook his head in self-deprecation. After all, whether it was the Dragon Nation of the past or the Mechanical Alliance of now, tracing back to the source, he couldn''t detach himself from it, acknowledging some responsibilities indeed needed to be fulfilled by himself. Thinking this, Renji''s mind once again conjured the image of a pink-haired subus. He now seemed to understand why Lena had been dying their meeting and even seemed to be guiding him on a journey from one country to another. In the Dragon Nation, Renji had this feeling, and now after meeting Mrs. Geront''s, it became even clearer. Everyone he met on his journey, despite different nationalities and identities, seemed like messengers for Lena, as if the pink-haired subus was using them to chastise him, the Emperor who had disappeared without a word for five hundred years. This pride, daring to be angry with the Emperor, indeed, only Lena could pull it off among "them." ''But...'' Renji flipped his wrist, revealing a capsule-like item in his palm, a patch from Lena for "Zero," a seed that could bring new life to the Mechanical Alliance. This act of simultaneously scolding him and aiding him, secretly paving the way for him, fearing he might fail, indeed seemed less appealing than straightforward generosity in the eyes of most. ''No wonder tsunderes are out of fashion'' ''But that''s just fine'' ''Being mine alone is enough'' Renji indeed needed this process, for he was no longer the Ashen Emperor; now, he was Renji, no longer using the identity of the Ashen Emperor but seeking them out more as "Renji." This was what he had always been doing. This is why, when talking with General Manager William, Renji described the Ashen Emperor as a "symbol." He didn''t want "them" to love and cherish just this symbol but him as a person. For this, Renji was willing to take many actions to correct the inherent impressions brought by the symbol of the Ashen. ¡­ ... Two dayster, the Kael Technology press conference was held as scheduled, under massive publicity and being a highly anticipated super enterprise, the event attracted media and countless journalists to Kael Square. Under the spotlights, an open-air grand press conference was about to start in five minutes. To ensure the security of the press conference, there were strict admission restrictions at Kael Square that day, making it difficult for ordinary people to enter. Besides the media, attendees were mostly professionals from rted industries, academic experts, and government agencies, such as Fantasy Supervision. People from other parts of Dream City who wanted to watch the conference could only rely on live broadcasts by various radio stations, making it a crucial day for the radio industry as well. Almost every radio station was broadcasting the Kael Technology press conference, each vying for a huge audience share, with their star hosts taking the stage. Now, as a guest apanying Renji and waiting through the dull moments, Eileen was secretly watching the live broadcast on a smart virtual device. The thrill of being on television excited her. The channel she was watching was Night Love Radio, known for its focus on various mysterious and eerie tales, including a "serial killer" program. This radio station, reportedly originating from the chaotic District 13 and established by grassroots efforts, differed from others by not needing to adhere to official decorum or careful wording. Night Love Radio''s main appeal was entertainment, providing audiences withughter through cheerfulmentary. Chapter 266 266: The Press Conference

Chapter 266 Chapter 266: The Press Conference

<> A lively and cheerful voice filled Night Love Radio,ing from one of the hosts, a little punk-styled girl in a loose leather jacket, with an incredibly extroverted and mboyant personality. In contrast, her partner was theplete opposite, a reticent and gloomy girl covered entirely in an oversized hoodie, arms crossed, her heavy dark circles making one wonder if it was makeup or reality. After the little punk''s statement, her gloomy partner deadpanned, <> <> <> <> <> <> The punk girl on the screen coughed heavily, and the director quickly switched the view to the live scene at Kael Square. The vast square, despite Kael Technology''s strict personnel restrictions, was still packed with people. No amount of security could hold back some of the fervent fans, who always found various ways to squeeze in. This press conference was also closely watched by a vast number of investors, all eager to get firsthand information on-site. After all, in the financial and stock markets, information is money. Getting information a second earlier thanpetitors could mean a profit difference of millions of Ashen coins. Kael Technology had recently faced setbacks in Dragon Nation, leading to a decrease inpany value and a drop in stock prices. Investors expected a positive announcement to boost the market, and now they were waiting to see just how good this news would be, questioning if the hype was justified by genuine substance. Whether driven by fandom or financial interest, the crowd that flocked to the event meant the thousands of seats set up at the venue were far from sufficient. A dense crowd stood below the stage, countless eyes filled with anticipation focused on the giant screen at the center of the square. Finally, as the curtain lifted, the press conference officially began. A beautiful hostess along with a director from Kael Technology''s board and senior management, took the stage to start the usual warm-up and introduction about Kael Technology. The screen behind them rotated through a series of short films themed on how technology changes life. A report resembling an annual summary was revealed to the public, disying Kael Technology''s worldwide arms deals worth billions. With a charming and melodic voice, the hostess introduced the audience to the idea of Kael Technology. Thepany''s distribution of weapons across the globe, arming those who were defenseless, provided the power to resist injustice, fend off malevolent forces, and defend themselves, undoubtedly making a significant contribution to world peace. Director Allen immediately followed up, stating that Kael Technology wouldmit to exporting more weapons and equipment to the world in the future. Thepany''s dream is to reach a day when everyone in the world can bear arms, as this is the only way to create a truly harmonious and stable society. Under Director Allen''s passionate speech, the press conference crowd, particrly the supporters of Kael Technology, exploded into cheers and enthusiastic pping. Among them, presumably a fervent fan of Kael Technology, got so excited that he pulled out a handgun from his pocket and fired a shot into the air as a sign of respect. This action instantly startled the surrounding crowd, with a few audience members instinctively pulling out their firearms, thinking it was some kind of terrorist attack and preparing to defend themselves. This caused a chain reaction, and for a moment, gunfire was continuous. Fortunately, Kael Technology''s security forces were not to be underestimated. Drones that had been on standby above the conference immediately locked onto the civilians who had fired shots and took them down with sniper fire to enforce physical silence. Armed security personnel immediately entered the scene and dragged away those fans who had been taken down. The chaossted less than half a minute before it ended, and the lively atmosphere of the venue quickly drowned out the incident, with the audience''s attention returning to the press conference as if nothing had happened. Perhaps they were already ustomed to such urrences and didn''t find it particrly shocking? <> <> <> <> <> <> The press conference continued smoothly, seemingly learning from the recent incident, with the host and Director Allen slightly moderating theirnguage to keep the mood at the venue stable. After briefly introducing some other products, the highlight of the press conference, the "Brand Technology" from the old era, was unveiled to the public for the first time. Many were stunned by the concept that patterns could bring power. However, as Kael Technology demonstrated, these small patterns, once branded on weapons, could exert various miraculous effects. When the unbelievable became reality before their eyes, the press conference reached a new climax. The sensation caused by this technology was undoubtedly huge, as the main feature of the Brand was flexibility, seen as a more powerful type of chip that could release immense energy in a small volume. Next, it was time for the schrs from Sin City to take the stage, led by Professor Einstein, to provide some education on Brand technology, exining its origins and principles. Theplex ancient knowledge might be hard for the general public to understand, but knowing that the essence of the Brand came from the old era was enough for them, undoubtedly adding ayer of mystery to the technology. Less than a minute after the Brand Technology was announced, Kael Technology''s stock price skyrocketed like a rocket. <> <> <> At the press conference, the camera shifted to the Sin City schrs on stage, with Professor Einstein at the forefront and the rest of the schrs lined up behind him, essentially serving as a backdrop. The "guy" Marsha mentioned was among these schrs, a young doctor in a gray coat who caught Marsha''s eye instantly. This young doctor, although trying to keep a low profile, stood out with his tall and handsome appearance among the schrs, many of whom wore thick sses or hunched over. <> <> <> Obviously, the director didn''t think so, especially after seeing many jealousments from male fans in the program''s live chat, and quickly adjusted the camera to deliberately exclude the young professor from the frame, frustrating Marsha for a while. As the press conference continued in an orderly manner with demonstrations of Brand weapons, the atmosphere was heating up for most people, but the hosts of Night Love Radio were somewhat disinterested, clearly not finding the unexpected fun they were hoping for. Following Director Allen''s announcement to showcase the first set of "three-piece" Brands, the mood in the venue reached another peak. Thanks to Professor Einstein''s exnation, everyone roughly understood that the strength of a Brand depends on the number of pieces in the set. By presenting aplete three- piece set, Kael Technology was unting its absolute lead and advantage in Brand Technology. A cube-like box rose from beneath the stage at the press conference. After multiple unlocks and verifications, the cube''s panels slowly opened, revealing three golden Brands floating and rotating inside a transparent protective cover. This was the audience''s first time seeing the master Brands. Although the golden glow made it impossible to see the patterns, the mere radiance was captivating enough, almost like witnessing something divine. Even Director Allen was swept up in the excitement. He approached the stage, breathing rapidly, andunched into a passionate speech to bring the press conference to a perfect close. "Indeed, Kael Technology faced unfair treatment in Dragon Nation, losing many orders due to forces beyond our control, but I believe this is only temporary!" "I deeply regret that the people of Dragon Nation cannot use Brand weapons, losing the most powerful means of defense. However, Kael Technology will not abandon anyone. We will not forget our initial purpose and will continue to activelymunicate with Dragon Nation, striving to restore trade and deliver weapons to every citizen of Dragon Nation!" "Finally, I, Zelens Allen, solemnly promise to you all that I and all the employees of thepany will continue to innovate and break through with Brand Technology as our foundation, continuously producing excellent products. We will definitely make Kael Technology great again!!" Following Director Allen''s fervent speech, a thunderous sound erupted in Kael Square. Part of it indeed came from the enthusiastic apuse of fans below and investors who had bought arge amount of Kael Technology''s stock. But more of the "thunderous" noise came from... A series of missiles streaking down from the sky. Chapter 267 267: Choice

Chapter 267 Chapter 267: Choice

Note: "Mech" typically refers to a mechanical robot, often piloted by a human or controlled by AI. -------- Due to the suddenness, nobody reacted in time, and many were still immersed in the "once again great" speech of Director Allen. Who would have thought that in the next second, the missile would already be closing in before their eyes? *Boom¡ª* The missile hit the conference''s main stage, and a violent explosion echoed in everyone''s ears in the square, with arge burst of mes and smoke rising from the point of explosion instantly. Director Allen on stage was undoubtedly the most startled, fortunately, the missile did not actually hit the stage but struck the semi-transparent defensive barrier instead. This was the backup n of Kael Technology. The actual conference stage, though seeming close to the audience, was actually protected by barriers that were airtight and solid, only made invisible by optical means. However, before Director Allen could even sigh in relief, under his horrified gaze, the barrier protecting the stage began to fade rapidly until itpletely disappeared. "What!?" Then the next missile, no, a group of missiles came howling in, targeting Director Allen and the rapidly arriving Kael Technology security team. Watching these missiles flying unrestrained in the air, Director Allen opened his mouth but before he could say anything, in the next moment, the explosion''s mes directly engulfed him and the conference stage. <> <> The somber female host, now wearing headphones and furiously typing on the keyboard, spoke in a dead and quickened tone. <> The hot hostess''s nervous words were not finished when the next moment, another sudden change urred at the conference site. From the already chaotic crowd in Kael Square, suddenly it seemed like someone detonated a bomb on themselves, not to cause an explosion, but to spread arge cloud of red mist, quickly enveloping the entire square. <> Even Martha, usually the joker host, now spoke with a bit of solemnity, her normally lively and pretty face now furrowed with worry. <>Saya stared dead at theputer. <> Not only did the Night Love Radio fall into an extremely tense atmosphere, but Kael Technology''s conference was also a major media tform that was being reported and broadcasted by all major media. In other words, almost everyone who turned on the TV could see Kael Square enveloped in the ominous and disastrous red mist of Miasma. "Mama, mama?" David, watching the live broadcast at home, is now staring at the chaotic square on the TV, at a loss. A second ago, the little boy was holding the birthday gift his mother gave him two days ago, a hero mech. Leaning on the mech toy, he enjoyed the envious looks from his ssmates for the first time. Now, David is excitedly watching his mother attend the conference as a member of the "Fantasy Supervision." The next second, the light from missiles fills the conference, followed by the spreading red mist. Little David, although not understanding what these are, can sense the severe crisis from the panicked tone of the host and the screams at the scene. He anxiously runs to the side of the TV, calling out his mother''s name because she is also at the scene. But the next second, the live feed turns to static, and nothing can be seen. All David can do is tightly clutch the mech toy his mother gave him, as tears keep falling on the toy. The high concentration of Miasma is a devastating blow to electronic devices. Cameras used for live broadcasting simply cannot withstand the erosion of Miasma, and the live feeds from various TV stations all cut out after three to four seconds. ¡­ Meanwhile. In the Sin City, at the top of the Demon Queen Tower, a certain subus has also pushed aside all matters to watch the live broadcast of Kael Technology''s conference. When she sees the red mist spreading and the square falling into massive chaos, with mental pollution spreading rapidly, such a dimension-reducing strike obviously caught Kael Technology off guard for a moment, daring not to send troops in. Because the higher the level of the cybeicbat units, the more susceptible they are to mental pollution and the easier it bes for them to turn into cybeic crazies, or berserk Eclipse. The backstage maniptor of this terrorist attack obviously used the tens of thousands of people in the square as cover. The purpose of doing so is clearly not just to sabotage the conference but to take the opportunity to seize the only three-set brand brought out from the public Dream Zero. "So." "What would you do master?" Lena, changing from her previous frivolous image, looks indifferently at the live broadcast that has turned to static due to the Miasma. At this point, if it were Emperor Ashen, the fisherman benefits from the quarrel between the snipe and the m. For Ashen, such chaos is undoubtedly the best cover, after all, Miasma is like air to Renji, not affecting him at all. In this way, by taking advantage of the chaos created by the mafia, because of the presence of Miasma, no one knows what exactly happened at the conference. After ck eating ck the brand from the hands of the mafia, they can still turn around and ssh the dirty water on the mafia,pletely distancing themselves and achieving a perfect action. The cost is just the tens of thousands of people in the square suffering from the effects of Miasma. For Renji, that''s not much, right? ''Of course, Master Ashen¡­ Oh, Master Renji, could also choose another path, a more foolish approach, is to take the Kael Technology brand into their hands after leveraging the power of the mafia'' Buzz... Buzz! Just as Lena thought of this, the TV screen in front of her, which had previously been static, seems to have restored some of the live feed, the only reason being that the concentration of Miasma at the scene is decreasing. And the reason for the decrease From the live sound of the TV, came intermittent strange sounds, those of electronic synthesized mechanical voices. [Unknown program detected, reading and analysis in progress] [Checkingpatibility] [Allocatingputing power] [Mech model construction in progress 13%54%76%99%] [Loadingpleted. 3, 2, 1] [False Canon Angel Reconstruction¡ªBright Leftover Woman number Ride on!] ... ..... A glimmer of dawn appeared over Kael Square, enveloped in the tainted Miasma red mist. This kind of light was not unfamiliar to people; it was the same shining color as the main feature of the conference revealed just a few minutes ago. Numerous recording devices at the scene, now slightly restored, all turned their lenses towards that thread of light, followed by the shadow of a gigantic mech, over ten stories tall, flickering in and out of visibility within the red mist. People outside the television couldn''t help but doubt if they were hallucinating, feeling tense and confused, and so were the people at Kael Square, at the conference site. "Ha ha ha, die, you corporate dogs!" A gang member wearing a special mask, now holding a rifle,ughed madly and began to shoot around wildly under the cover of the Tainted Miasma mist. These gang members attacking the conference had bypassed AI identity checks from the beginning with the help of virus programs, blending into the crowd in the square early on, waiting for the moment when Kael Technology truly brought out the target brand, to immediately tear off their disguises and create chaos to their heart''s content. Unfortunately, before he couldugh a few more times, a beautiful figure shed in front of him, a whistling kick directly sent the gang member and his rifle flying, crashing to the ground, unable to get up again. "Miss Eileen is really cool!" Keyji, followed by the trembling Lily, gave a shaky thumbs up to the girl standing on the unconscious body of the gang member. "It''s nothing much." Eileen waved her hand and then urged the schrs from Sin City following her to keep up closely. After the conference was attacked by terrorists and enveloped in Tainted Miasma red mist, external support forces couldn''t get in, and the security robots inside the conference were all paralyzed, giving the gang members an absolute advantage. The remaining Kael Technology security personnel made a decisive decision, abandoning the other invited guests and the crowd at the conference site, focusing all their efforts to protect the main feature brand at all costs. For them, protecting thepany''s assets was the top priority, and the lives of others were not important at all. The abandoned schrs from Sin City, especially Professor Einstein, couldn''t help but curse loudly, regretting only at this moment seeing the true face of thepany. With many unarmed schrs around, amidst the dense gunfire, they could only hide and tremble, but they were still discovered by the gang members. Just when they thought they were about to be shot, the previous scene urred. Now, the schrs, like Keyji, looked at Eileen with eyes of shock, relief, and as if she were a savior. Nobody thought that someone among them could actually stand up, and the keen- eyed Professor Einstein instantly realized the identity of the girl as an Eclipse. ''Wait... this miss, wasn''t she Brother Renji''s assistant?'' Thinking of this, Keyji was the first to react. He had been too frightened and confused before to realize this, and now he hurriedly asked the girl: "Where''s Brother Renji! Miss Eileen, we have to quickly find Brother Renji!" Chapter 268 268: Fading Light

Chapter 268 Chapter 268: Fading Light

----------- Keyji instinctively thought that Renji had been separated from them in the chaos of the explosion, urging Eileen anxiously, but the girl just curled her lip, just then, a fuzzy electronic sound from 86 rang out. Others at the scene couldn''t hear it clearly, but Eileen did. Her eyes lit up, with a look of excitement, she looked towards the source of the sound, followed by the other schrs also looking in the direction of her gaze, and they all saw that very dazzling light amidst the pervasive Tainted Miasma red mist. "Look, there''s my doctor." "Where, where?" After the light gradually weakened, people at the conference site and viewers outside the TV alike, saw the shadow of the gigantic robot that seemed to appear out of thin air in the red mist, but because they were at the scene, they saw it more clearly. The robot''s armored armor gives off the aura of a monastery church at first nce, with many religious patterns and symbols from the Goddess of the Holy Kingdom on its surface, like a devout nun. However, unlike a typical nun who only holds a bible, the robot''s left and right hands held, respectively, a church holy shield that matched the gigantic robot''s huge body, and in the right hand, a mechanical version of a holy cross sword that seemed to be modified by magic. [Fading Light] [Type: Brand] [Set Quantity: Three] [Position: Top, Middle, Bottom] [Rank: Cmity] [Single Piece Effect: +1% Maximum Health (Top), +1% Health Recovery Speed (Middle), +1% Toughness (Bottom)] [Set Effect One: "Different Possibilities" ¡ª After being equipped by ''Mechanical Species'', can summon Bright Leftover Woman (False)] [Effect Two: In ''Dream Zero'', rece Effect One with ''True Light Holy Maiden''] [Effect Three: After triggering Effect Two, this brand automatically destroys itself] After splitting up with Eileen and snatching the brand back from the gangsters, Renji saw the true face of the brand. It is a very typical special effect brand, where each single piece provides very little attribute, only when all three are used together correctly can they unleash great power. The power of the brandes from the experiences and stories behind it. Each brand has a sentence at the end rted to the experience of the brand. The witch in the Dream Zero represents an ending in a world without "Ashen" for Suthia, and this brand is her longing for another possibility. After being equipped on 86, Renji inside the Bright Leftover Woman machine now experienced somethingpletely different from the initial mechanical body of 86. His entire body felt as if it was enveloped in light, bathing in holy light, and the volume of the mech also increased many times. In Renji''s original n, there was no step of summoning the mech. He nned to stealthily take away the brand amidst the chaos, and the people from Kael Technology and the gangsters would only suspect each other of having the brand, allowing him to stay perfectly out of the affair. However, after the conversation with Mrs. Gernot, seeing the gangsters on Kael Square use Tainted Miasma bombs without any scruples, causing innocent people to inhale the Tainted Miasma mist and start to kneel and cough violently, and some were even infiltrated by mental pollution, suffering in pain and shaking their heads. In just a few minutes, the Kael Square, which had just been the site of a grand conference, had turned into a human hell, showcasing the terrifying power of Tainted Miasma. Renji could feel the impatience of the brand''s power, after all, for Suthia''s will, what she couldn''t bear to see most, was others suffering. Controlling the mech, the next moment, Bright Leftover Woman also followed Renji''s movements, raising the cross sword towards the sky. From the tip of the cross sword, a more brilliant holy light shone, and following that, the sky, which had be clouded and dim due to the Tainted Miasma, seemed to be called upon by a swath of holy light. The brilliance tore through the thick clouds, like a small sun, hanging directly in front of the mech. Then, in the blink of an eye, the majestic holy light turned into a flood, pouring down from the sky. Under the guidance of the mech''s cross sword, it swept across the entire Kael Square like a waterfall. The Tainted Miasma red mist enveloping the square, under the wash of the holy light, began to melt away rapidly like snow under the fierce sun. Not only that, those who had previously inhaled the tainted mist and suffered from mental pollution in the crowd were also cleansed by the holy light. The painful expressions on people''s faces quickly eased, and bouts of severe coughing sounded, a sign that the Tainted Miasma infiltrating their bodies was being forcibly expelled. The whole processsted about five seconds before Renji, piloting the mech, lowered the cross sword he had held high, corresponding to the holy light torrent in the sky above, which also gradually faded away. By then, the red mist over the square hadrgely dissipated, and the level of mental contamination had dropped to an eptable range. Many people finally regained their ability to move and began to run towards the outskirts of the square to evacuate. <> *p!* <> The hostess of Night Love Radio was incredibly excited, covering her face while speaking very rapidly. < > Following Saya''s words, the camera showed the scene, apart from the crowd running out of the square, many security personnel in Kael Technology uniforms were now looking at the giant mech on the square with a bewildered look, feeling somewhat at a loss. On the contrary, the gangsters reacted more significantly. Upon discovering the Tainted Miasma red mist that helped them hide had disappeared, they were like sewer rats suddenly exposed to daylight, starting to flee in disarray. Chapter 269 269: District Thirteen

Chapter 269 Chapter 269: District Thirteen

---------- The scene was broadcasted by various radio stations, making the terrorist attack at Kael Square almost the top news on all major media tforms of Dream City at the moment. Meanwhile, at the Kael Building, in the office of the executive director on the forty-ninth floor. William was frowning deeply at the screen. Everything had gone ording to his n, sessfully using the ck Fire Gang to disrupt the conference, and even getting rid of Director Allen. Next, the gang was supposed to steal the brand smoothly and then secretly trade with him, allowing him to retrieve it for thepany and use this opportunity to ascend to fill the vacant director position on the board. ''But now¡­'' the camera quickly lenses of various media switched again, this time not to the chaotic crowd on the square, but to an empty ck box on the big stage of the conference. <> < > <> <> <> <> Now, many people have realized the brand is missing, thus associating the brand with the mech. Thement sections on various media tforms are exploding with spection. With the appearance of the gigantic mech and the dispersion of the Tainted Miasma red mist, the gangsters fleeing in disarray, it seemed like the situation at the square was under control, but no one expected the next moment''s aberration to suddenly arise. "Ugh ah ah ah!" "What, what the hell" "Why can''t I take off the mask, what is this!" "I can''t remove it... Damn! Ugh ah ah!" Because the attack on the conference used the Tainted Miasma red mist, the gang members themselves certainly could not be affected, so they all wore protective measures simr to gas masks. This allowed them to act unimpeded in the Tainted Miasma red mist, however, now that the mist had clearly dissipated, every gang member, just as they were about to flee, was forced to stop. In their masks, a red mist simr to the one before suddenly emerged. This red mist did not spread but was released in small quantities from inside the masks. Although the amount was not much, the concentration seemed exceptionally high. The gang members realized something was wrong and immediately tried to remove the masks, but the masks seemed to be welded to their heads, impossible to take off. In just a few seconds, this group of gang members writhing on the ground managed to get up again, and then, instead of running away, they directly turned their weapons towards the gigantic mech. "Die! All of you die!!" "Damn thepany, die!" "Blow everything up, ahahaha!" Hundreds of gang members, each acting as if they had gone mad, began indiscriminate attacks on Kael Square. The situation, which had just stabilized, suddenly became tense again. ¡­ In the Kael Building, in the office, William couldn''t hold back at this scene and picked up the phone to call, wanting to question what exactly the leader of the ck Fire Gang was doing, as he had said the operation could already be ended. But who would have thought that no one on the ck Fire Gang''s side would answer, obviously, something unexpected had happened. If William remembered correctly, the leader of the ck Fire Gang had mentioned that for this operation, they had traded with the Old Alliance to ensure the sess of the operation, whether it was the Tainted Miasma missiles or what were supposed to be masks to prevent Tainted Miasma, now turned into contaminated masks. Many people in front of the TV, like William, were anxious, and the little boy David, sticking close to the TV, kept switching channels until finally, on one channel, he saw the figure of his mother appear on the screen. His mother appeared to have quite a few scrapes, and her clothes looked much disheveled as if from running intensely, but thankfully she was alright. David had just breathed a sigh of relief when, the next moment, several gangsters on the square actually pulled out handheld rocketunchers and began wildly bombing the surroundings. Even worse, the drones that had been paralyzed in the sky now seemed to have gone berserk too. One by one, dark gun barrels emerged from underneath the drones, beginning to turn their heads towards the mech, howling as they went, causing explosions one after another. "No! Quick, dodge! Get away!" David shouted anxiously, but to no effect, he could only watch as his mother was engulfed by the gunfire from the gangsters and drones. *Boom!* The ground trembled slightly, not from an explosion, but from the heavy shield of the nun mech, which directly blocked in front of everyone. The rocket missiles from the gangsters and the sweeping fire from the drones hit thisrge shield, all of which were as ineffective as scratching an itch. Then, a shining light rose from the mech, a orange-yellow holy light barrier shield instantly enveloped everyone who hadn''t managed to run away. Immediately after, the nun mech began to shrink in size, from originally being as tall as a dozen stories to now about two to three meters tall, with the shield still in front, but the mech''s sword in its hand pointed towards the sky. Then, at the direction pointed by the cross sword, those berserk drones immediately disyed a holy light mark, and the next moment, the mechpleted instant teleportation, arriving above the drones, then fiercely thrust the sword downwards with force. *Boom! Boom!* Renji, controlling the Bright Leftover Woman, now seemed to transform into a killing mech, targeting not only the drones in the sky but also the gangsters below, lost in the Tainted Miasma. Renji showed no mercy towards these gangsters, as he found shadows of Mechanical Servant weapons from Dream Zero among many weapons in the hands of the gangsters. Clearly, the gangsters were able to cause such great destruction also because they had stolen mechanical servant equipment from Dream Zero. In less than ten minutes, Renji could see, only a few gasping gangsters remained, and in the sky, only thest wobbling drone was left. This drone was intentionally left by Renji, and then, from inside the mech, the voice of 86 came, indicating she had sessfully hacked into the drone. From the attack to now, about fifteen minutes had passed, and from outside the square, Kael Technology''s reinforcements could already be seen, not only that, some from the emergency medical teams, battle nurses, had already arrived at the scene, beginning to protect the insured personnel. The situation was thoroughly stabilized, and with the response from 86, Renji took the opportunity, while the few gangsters already frightened by the mech returned to terror, to fire another rocket at themselves. Amidst the smoke and the explosion''s re, he deactivated the mech form. Of course, to outsiders, it appeared as if the mech, having exhausted its energy, was hit by a shell at thest moment in order to protect the crowd behind it. Afterward, Renji, taking advantage of the smoke, shed in front of these gangsters, and the drone controlled by 86 quickly descended. Renji pulled the remaining gangsters onto the ne, which rapidly ascended, the engines at full power, and in a few blinks, took these remaining gangsters far away, disappearing from sight. And on the ne, Renji was now pointing a gun at a few trembling gangsters. "Alright, now you''ve sessfully kidnapped me and stolen the brand, so ording to your n, where''s the next step taking ce? District Thirteen?" Chapter 270 270: The Unexpected Attacker

Chapter 270 Chapter 270: The Unexpected Attacker ?

-Boss, bad news, we''ve also brought back the cops with us.- The members of the ck Fire Gang on the ne could already imagine their leader wishing he could kill them by the time they arrived. However, when the ne actually arrived in District 13 andnded inside the ck Fire Gang''s den, the subsequent developments still took a turn. Under the coercion of Renji, when the remnants of the ck Fire Gang opened the underground base''s door, the scene behind the door shocked the gang members, leaving them stunned in ce. Renji followed inside and frowned slightly, for only to see in this underground base, as if it had undergone a very intense battle, with numerous bullet holes on the walls and doors, and even the inside wires were shot out, sparking everywhere. Not to mention the bodies of the ck Fire Gang members on the ground, lying twisted in heaps, each almost turned into a sieve, showing the fierce firepower of the enemy, dominating the battle. But this ce was the ck Fire Gang''s den, even if a part of their force was divided to attack the conference, the defense inside the base shouldn''t have been so weak. Was it an inside betrayal, or something else? Renji''s most likely guess was that another gang had foreknowledge of the ck Fire Gang''s movements, so they deliberately took advantage of the situation, attacking the ck Fire Gang''s den while its members were attacking the conference. To be on the safe side, Renji deactivated 86 from its terminal form and cleaned up the gang remnants leading the way outside. Then, with 86 in maid form, on alert and guarding by Renji''s side, they continued to delve deeper into the ck Fire Gang''s interior. Not long after continuing inward, in a narrow corridor leading to the core area, Renji saw many more gang bodies, which judging by their clothes seemed to be core members of the ck Fire Gang, as if they were ordered to dy the enemies to buy time for their leader to escape. It''s worth mentioning that there were far fewer bullet marks on the walls here, likely all from the ck Fire Gang itself, and the attackers. Renji squatted down to inspect the bodies in these corridor passages, almost all of whom were killed by some blunt weapon, with wounds looking very ferocious and terrifying. Here, Renji felt a sense of dissonance. Because at the entrance of the base, from the firefight, it seemed like a sh between two gangs of over a hundred people each. But it led to this area, seemingly due to the indoor terrain not being conducive to gunfights, the attackers opted for meleebat. Precisely because of this, Renji found that almost every wound on the victims of the ck Fire Gang was very simr, as if all made by the same person. And from the traces at the scene, the number of attackers was not many, possibly even just one person? Thinking this,bined with the tragic state of the bodies, Renji''s mind suddenly recalled a recent urban legend that was very popr among the citizens of Dream City, about a serial killer, mentioned in a radio program called "Night Love", which Eileen used to watch on TV. The killer often used a blunt instrument to cut the victims, hitting fatal locations, resembling both a brutal butcher and a precise surgeon, as described by the two hosts of the radio show. Now, the manner of death of the ck Fire Gang members gave Renji this feeling. Although 86''s scanning radar showed that, apart from them, there were no other living beings inside the entire ck Fire Gang base, Renji did not rx his guard. Instead, he became even more cautious, especially after obtaining the intelligence that the attacker might be just one person. Renji immediately had 86 switch forms again, summoning the mecha armor. After all, in Dream City, the absence of biological signals does not mean the surroundings are safe. After walking further inside for about ten minutes, Renji finally saw the leader of the ck Fire Gang. As expected, the leader had already be a thoroughly cold corpse, with a manner of death simr to the gang members encountered along the way, but even more gruesome, as if dismembered by a chainsaw into unviewable pieces. However, it was precisely because of this that Renji could see the circuits and wires exposed from the pieces of the corpse, and at the leader''s heart position, a core chip that looked like it had been shattered by a heavy hammer. ''So, this dark horse that had risen in recent years, breaking out from among many old gangs, the leader of the ck Fire Gang was actually a robot'' ''And a female robot at that'' It wasn''t apparent normally, likely due to undergoing neutralization treatment, giving off the feeling of a woman dressed as a man, but now that she had be a corpse, it was easy to identify from the physical characteristics. Speaking of which, Renji recalled that this wasn''t the first time he had seen robots mingling in the society of Dream City. Last time at Kael Technology, acting as a guide and showing them the brand technology, the main assistant William, Tia, was also an robotic being. That''s why he had advised Keyji, who had taken a liking to Tia at the time to better give up. The myriad seemingly unrted clues in his mind, now Renji suddenly felt as if they were being strung together. ''No wonder William trusted the ck Fire Gang so much, and the gang was willing to take such a big risk. If the leader of the ck Fire Gang was a chess piece nted by William, it all made ''sense. ''Following this line, is it possible that Kael Technology is continuously cultivating robots, then making them upy leading positions in various industries like the leader of the ck Fire Gang, allowing Kael Technology to quietly control most of the Dream City without anyone noticing?'' ''However, considering that William still needed to borrow the backing of Keyji to eliminate the ck Fire Gang, it''s very likely that this leader was a chess piece secretly yed by William, unknown to thepany. That''s why William feared thepany''s subsequent investigation and wanted to use a third party''s power to silence them in advance'' Of course, there are still many points that don''t add up. For example, how did Kael Technology manage to make robots so intelligent? Whether it was Tia before or the gang leader now, there''s almost no difference from humans. Additionally, if the ck Fire Gang was under William''s control, then the attack should have stopped after using the brand to summon the mech. However, after only a brief lull, those gang members who had initially fled started a frenzied suicide attack again. Later on the ne, the kidnapped gang members exined that there was a problem with their masks, being controlled by the tainted miasma. This behavior definitely does not align with William''s interests and seems to be an ident. Combined with the current tragic state of the ck Fire Gang, Renji guesses that it''s highly likely rted to the attacker. Speaking of the attacker, they did not destroy the base of the ck Fire Gang nor loot resources. It seems their only purpose was to kill this robotic leader? To unravel these mysteries, Renji needs to return to the origin of everything. All the disputes in the Dream City revolve around the dangerous Pandora''s box known as "Dream Zero". Renji''s main purpose foring to the den of the ck Fire Gang was to obtain the gang''s dream anchor, equivalent to an URL for entering Dream Zero. Fortunately, although the leader died terribly, the equipment of the ck Fire Gang around her was mostly intact. After letting 86 connect to the gang''s system and extracting the anchor point of Dream Zero, Renji quickly left the scene. Now, the outside world of the Dream City is in chaos. The series of shocking events at the conference has be a hot topic of intense discussion among the city''s popce today. On the streets everywhere in the city, loud sirens can be heard, with police cars rushing by, flocking towards the gang area in District 13. Renji didn''t care about these things. He found a safe ce, letting the outside world continue its chaos, giving him time to re-enter the dream. [Anchor point information confirmed] [Coordinates: Witch War Zone D-T32] [Dream entry begins] Chapter 271 271: The Commander’s Duty

Chapter 271 Chapter 271: The Commander''s Duty

Sinking into the deep sea, a feeling of submergence swept over his entire body, and after a brief darkness, Renji''s vision cleared, and he found himself back in the blood-red world of the tainted old era. Entering Dream Zero for the second time, Renji now had much more experience than he did at first, especially since this time he came prepared, bringing with him the brand that could "log in to the main ount." Renji did not rush to use the brand to summon the *Bright Leftover Woman*, thinking what if it had a time limit? It was safest to wait until he was in front of the witch to use it. Another thing, Renji hadn''t forgotten the agreement with "Control Number One(CN. 1)", He had 86 determine their location, and then the cool sea-blue motorcycle came online again. Renji sped towards the coordinates where he had logged offst time. Since both logins were through the ck Fire Gang''s dream anchors, the coordinates weren''t far apart. When Renji arrived, to his delight, he could see a team of machine servants wandering and patrolling the area from afar. "It has to be the soldiers from Cn. One," Renji thought with relief. He had been genuinely worried that the machine servants might have disappeared or something might have happened to them. It''s not that Control Number One could help with the uing battle, but after knowing the identities and experiences of these machine servants, Renji didn''t want to see them get hurt again. "Control Number One!" Riding the motorcycle from a distance, Renji waved to the leading "control machine" despite having only been three days apart, Renji quite missed this first machine servant he had encountered. *Buzz buzz!* The motorcycle below him deliberately grunted twice, as if protesting. Renji quickly patted the motorcycle''s head a few times, saying 86 was the first, and the motorcycle calmed down. Twenty meters, fifteen meters, ten meters. Renji''s happy expression gradually faded because he noticed something was off. Control Number One did not respond to his wave, and even seemed to ignore himpletely, only turning its head to look at him coldly after he crossed a certain safety distance. [Detecting abnormal approach, conducting target scan... Scanplete, confirming target identity as... unauthorized dream entrant] [Warning, please do not approach further] [Warning, for your own safety, it is rmended that you immediately disconnect from the dream] [Warning¡­.] [Warn¡­.] [¡­] A series of warning sounds made Renji both frown and wonder. Undoubtedly, themanding machine servant in front of him was no longer Control Number One, at least it had lost the memory of Control Number One about him, so it couldn''t recognize him now. But on the other hand, this machine servant seemed different from other machine servants within Dream Zero, because from previous dream experiences, a major characteristic of machine servants is... they do notmunicate, only usingmands within their own channel. Like now, giving warnings upon detecting an approach from a stranger, and even "advising" to immediately disconnect from the dream and not stay in Dream Zero, these were not typical of machine servants. And the most important point is, they have always been lingering in this area, which is no coincidence, indicating that perhaps the subconscious of this machine servant still contains Control Number One? Thinking this, Renji made a decisive move, knowing from his first experience how to interact with a machine servant. He got off the motorcycle and let 86 revert to maid form, and as expected, seeing 86, a machine servant simr to them, the control machine immediately became confused, starting constantputations to determine the reason. Taking this opportunity, Renji sessfully approached the control machine. Just as 86 was about to repeat the process and "insert a USB" again, Renji stopped her. "How long have you been staying here?" [Unknown identity speaker, no response provided] The control machine coldly refused to answer Renji. Renji didn''t mind, instead, he felt more confident. After thinking, he changed his question. "Don''t you want to know why you have to stay here?" After this question, the machine servant across from him fell silent for a long time before finally speaking. [49 hours, 22 minutes, 19 seconds] The machine servant answered Renji''s previous question, and with a quick calction, Renji nodded. As he thought, the timing matched almost exactly with when he had logged off, indicating that this machine servant was indeed the former Control Number One. As for why it was once It lies in the "almost" of time. To be precise, it was two and a half days. During the few hours missing in the machine servants'' timeline, something must have happened that led to the disappearance of Control Number One. ''It''s likely that this area encountered a Tainted Miasma disaster, leading to the annihtion of Control Number One''s troops. The newly constructed bodies in the base, though formatted and having lost their memories with me, still retained some data. That''s why they became humanized and, for some reason, continue to stand guard here.'' "Control Number One, it seems your system is malfunctioning. Have you forgotten? I am yourmander. We had agreed that today was the time to set off to subdue the witch, and you were to stand by here on mymand" The amount of information in Renji''s words was obviously significant for the machine servant, and this time the opponent was silent for even longer. In the ck disy screen used to cover its eyes, more data streams appeared, as if it was franticallyputing. Finally, the machine servant disyed signs of overload, unable to find an answer, and for the first time, actively asked Renji a question. [Control Number One? The system cannot retrieve any rted vocabry. Is this my code?] "It''s not a code; it''s your name." [Name?] "See, you''ve even forgotten your own name and still say you''re not malfunctioning." [But Control Number One just performed a self-check, and allponents and systems are normal] The machine servant unconsciously epted the setting of ''Control Number One'' but was still a bit hesitant about Renji''s words. But Renji found this amusing. "Control Number One, let me ask you, what is a malfunction? It''s something you can''t detect yourself, that''s what a malfunction is. It''s like our human amnesia. If you remember everything, can it still be called amnesia?" "If you don''t believe me, ask your counterpart next to you, 86, am I right?" After Renji spoke, the machine servant looked at 86, and 86 obediently nodded to her theoretically younger sisters. [Confirmed tone. We are all themander''s home-serve machines, ah, control machines] 86, as a counterpart, obviously had a great deal of persuasive power in front of Control Number One. Seeing her counterpart confirm it, Control Number One fully believed the fact of her malfunction and thus epted the setting of Renji as the mander" Thebination of Control Number One and themander was online again, and this time, Renji did not use any external cheat methods like "inserting a USB". Instead, it was more like a bad uncle deceiving a naive little girl. But. ''This seems to further prove that Control Number One really is different now, something more, perhaps called humanity, or maybe... heart?'' [Commander, I don''t think we have the power to subdue the witch. Formander''s safety, Control Number One requests you to terminate the action. Your duty is tomand us in battle; you need not go to the frontline] Seeing the machine servant actually concerned about him, Renji smiled and then, on a whim, ced his hand on Control Number One''s head, rubbing it as he spoke: "Do you think the title ofmander is just for you to call me by without reason?" "A mere witch, for the great me, is easy to annihte." "Lastly, Control Number One, I need to correct one more mistake for you. My duty as amander is not tomand you in battle but to ensure that one day, you no longer need to fight." Chapter 272 272: True Colors Revealed

Chapter 272 Chapter 272: True Colors Revealed

[''No need to fight anymore?''] [''Then what would our purpose of existence be?''] [''Ismander going to destroy us?''] Control Number One struggled to understand Renji''s words. Although she wanted to ask, a system analysis suggested that this question might provoke themander, so Control Number One kept her doubts to herself. After sessfully meeting up with the machine servants, Renji did not n any other preparations and directly headed towards the "regional boss", the witch, at high speed. The azure motorcycle sped across the blood-red destend, while above Renji, a formation of machine servants with "wings spread" flew in formation, encircling him at the center, protecting theirmander in the middle. Renji actually didn''t want to make such a big scene, but he couldn''t stand against Control Number One''s insistence, leading to any Tainted Miasma monsters that wandered in the wilderness, whether they blocked the way or not, being shot down by the machine servant formation in the sky as soon as they appeared in Renji''s view. By the time they reached the boss area where the witch resided, Renji hadn''t had to lift a finger; the machine servants had taken care of everything, which made Renji reflect on the reliability of machine servants as teammates, offering a kind offorting beauty. However, the limitations of the machine servants were also apparent. They had a high lower limit, but their upper limit was also fixed. Renji made no effort to conceal his approach, and the grand crusade had already caught the attention of the witch. So, as soon as Renji entered the area, the witch Artius immediately appeared. When faced with the powerful witch in ck and red, who despised the world and hated everything, the machine servants were helpless and had to stop, their attacks were ineffective against Artius. "The dark shadow will eventually cover thend, the moon of justice will fill your empty gazes, and all beings will receive the redemption named ''destruction'' at my hands." "Your existence is a mistake." The witch''s cold and merciless voice echoed on the battlefield, Renji noted that her lines were exactly the same asst time, only the arrangement of words had changed. Indeed, after all, for Dream Zero, the witch was somewhat an NPC-like existence. [Commander, what should we do next?] Control Number One, seeing the witch beginning to summon the Tainted Miasma monsters, couldn''t help but ask Renji. Such battles they had repeated hundreds, if not thousands of times, so the oue of certain defeat under the witch''s hand and being torn apart by Tainted Miasma monsters again and again was expected. The previous Control Number One, despite knowing the oue, would stillmand the machine servants to fight without hesitation, as that was their destiny, or more urately, their programming. But now, Control Number One hesitated, turning her gaze to Renji. For the first time, she developed a resistance to "death". Because if she were to die in battle, what would happen to hermander? So, she, they, needed to avoid death as much as possible, at least until themander''s safety was ensured. Of course, Control Number One soon realized her mistake. As Renji pulled out the " Bright Leftover Woman " trio of brands from his chest, a set of items in Dream Zero designed like a "holy sword" specifically to target the witch, even Control Number One''s nearly expressionless face showed surprise. Not to mention the witch Artius on the other side. "This light, how did you obtain it! No no no! It, why does it actually exist!!" In the sky, Artius, resembling a Tainted Queen, was visibly shocked upon seeing the glowing brand in Renji''s hand, losing herposed demeanor instantly. She covered her eyes with her hands, her body floating backward several steps in the sky, as if just the light emitted by the brand was causing Artius great difort. "It''s fake! All of it is fake! Such an oue doesn''t exist. It can''t possibly exist!" "No one will be redeemed. Humans are only capable of jealousy and greed. The world cannot be saved. Destruction is the only end!" After the initial panic caused by the brand, the witch quickly reassured herself, clearly not believing in goodness or the holy light. What Renji held was merely a naive fantasy from her younger years, a mere illusion. What was there to fear in that! Until Renji activated the brand''s ultimate effect, an effect that could only be triggered within Dream Zero. The divine radiance on the brand suddenly surged several times over, transforming into a towering beam of light in the blink of an eye. The beam of light, like a dazzling lighthouse in the night, momentarily lit up the entire blood-red world, making the bloody Tainted Miasma in the sky retreat. "No, this can''t be real, could it, could it be¡­" In Artius''s incredulous, unwilling screeches, the brand in Renji''s hand began to crack inch by inch, as if depleting its energy, finally dissolving into light along with the radiance. However, what took its ce was a holy nun emerging from the beam of light, appearing before Renji. The nun seemed a bit unustomed to Dream Zero, like a new yer logging in for the first time, taking a moment to adjust her body and limber up her limbs. The nun then started to scan her surroundings. When she saw Renji, she instinctively turned to face him, her face pleased and relieved. But soon, the sweet smile on Suthia''s face became less happy. Because the nun quickly noticed, besides 86, there were still fifty machine servants dressed like attendants and mimicking the church with ck cloth over their eyes, following on Renji''s sides. And then, as Suthia turned her head again and saw the witch Artius across with a "this can''t be happening" expression, the nun''s smilepletely stiffened. The reason was simple. It was just about the short stature of the witch, barely reaching 1.5 meters. It was just about the "witch" whose tiny legs barely peeked out from under her crimson long dress. It was just about the witch''s chest, which resembled a dried pomegranate, so shriveled it was painful to behold, making even the catgirl from the Dragon Nation shake her head in disapproval. And it was also just... "Falsehood! Fake! Haha... But merely an illusion, a fool''s babbling in sleep! The mediocrity of ants!" "I am the ender of this world!" "No one can stop me, for I, Artius, am the Tainted Master!!" The witch spread her arms wide, legs apart, her messy hair flying chaotically in the Tainted wind behind her,ughing wildly with her mouth agape, fully embodying the essence of a Witch. Chapter 273 273: A Witch? What Witch?

Chapter 273 Chapter 273: A Witch? What Witch?

"And to create such a low, evil, and vulgar version of me!" "I will kill you, no, killing you a thousand times wouldn''t be enough!" Artius, with eyes red in every sense, raged at Renji and the others. Especially when she saw another version of herself summoned by Renji''s brand. Shrouded in holy light, radiating a white halo all around her. But what about those shamelessly exposed, smooth and slender legs under the high-slit nun''s attire? And what about the evil and ample form that stretched the front of the nun''s attire so taut and full? The only simrity between her and Artius might just be their faces. However, on this identical face, the counterpart seemed to express a kind of vulgar happiness upon seeing the young man, a sentiment Artius had never seen and despised. That''s why the witch was so unable to ept, so angry, and so jealous of this almost perfect version of her, or rather, another possible version of herself. Renji could understand this contrast. After all, in the world of Artius, she had always been wandering the wilderness until she was deceived by the Tainted Miasma and fell into witchhood. Thus, suffering from malnutrition for a long time, being in a state of constant hunger, naturally, her physical development was hindered. In contrast, Suthia''s key turning point was when she was taken in by "Ashen" Upon joining his gathering ce, not to mention anything else, he was willing to allocate all resources of the gathering ce to support this little nun he had found. Preferring his "main character" to starve, Renji would not allow Suthia''s hunger level to drop below 90%. With nutrition kept up, correspondingly, Suthia''s overall development also followed suit. So to say "Thia, I''m not trying to mock you, just... calm down, we can talk this out slowly" Renji, seeing the nun''s expression darken, felt a twinge of worry. Before he could finish his soothing words, Suthia''s cold voice rang out. Unlike the witch''s forceful screaming, the nun''s voice was clear and not loud, but its effect was no less impactful, echoing across the entire battlefield. -"Holy Spirit Art: Twin Eyes of Purification"- -"Divine Blessing Art: Veil of Sanctity"- -"Holy Word Art: Ultimate Insight"- The light surrounding the nun seemed to surge wildly at that moment, with the outer halo starting to materialize into a veil of silk, cloaking Suthia in ayer of white mist. Then, under the veil, the nun''s sea-blue eyes deepened immeasurably, resembling the world''s clearest gemstones. Anything that these eyes gazed upon could no longer hide anything, exposing their weaknesses in full view before Suthia. The witch across was no exception, feeling as if stripped naked, leaving her extremely ufortable and fearful at heart. Struggling to retaliate, the witch once again opened the Tainted Miasma portal that had destroyed the machine servants before, unleashing countless brutal Tainted monsters to rush at the nun. Unfortunately, they couldn''t even breach the halo of light surrounding the nun, dissolving rapidly upon contact with the light, like ice cubes thrown into boiling water. "Banishing Holy Domain." Centered on Suthia, pirs engraved with sacred runes descended from the sky, bringing a series of dull thuds to the bloody rednd. In total, seventy-two holy pirs stood majestically from all directions on the battlefield. Then, light burst forth from these pirs, with each pir connected by holy light, resonating with each other. Within a few breaths, the Tainted Miasma on the battlefield was greatly dispersed, reducing the concentration of Tainted Miasma to an extreme low, transforming the area into a sacred domain filled only with holy light. As for the Tainted monsters inside, once they lost the surrounding Tainted environment, they were like dehydrated fish, not requiring Suthia to lift even a finger. The Tainted monsters perished in the holy light, suffocating to death within the holy domain. "You¡­!" "This power, how, how do you have it?!" "You weren''t chosen by Miasma, so why do you have this power, where does ite from, who are you!" Before the witch in the holy domain could finish speaking, Suthia seemed unwilling to see, hear, or allow this Artius in front of Renji to make even a breath''s worth of movement. "Banishing Light of Redemption." "Holy mes of Sanctity" "Supreme Holy Scripture¡ªOpen!" The bloody red sky shook violently, and in this world dominated by Miasma, the heavens were forcibly torn open, revealing a ray of divine light that began to illuminate thend. Countless rays of light shone directly on the witch. To normal people, the holy light is a redemptive force that brings back from the brink of death, but to a witch, a Tainted Miasma minion like her, it is the greatest disaster. Her appearance, formed by the power of the Taint Miasma, her crimson long dress, and the giant ck scythe in her hand, all disintegrated under the light of redemption. Then, white mes rose around her, initially just flickers of fire, but quickly became raging mes that engulfed the witch entirely. Finally, even after being burned to ashes in front of Suthia, a book that seemed to gather all the power of the holy churches of the Holy Kingdom slowly opened. The runes and words within the scripture turned into merciless des, beginning to ughter the remaining Tainted aura of the witch, like a storm of holy light. In just a few seconds, wave after wave of dazzling holy light almost blinded Renji, who could barely keep his eyes open, only feeling that the witch had almost no power to resist in front of the real Suthia, being utterly crushed. When the screen of holy light finally subsided somewhat, Renji looked towards where the witch had been, only to find no witch at all, just a very faint and weak shadow, like thest bit of Taint Miasma escaping from the witch''s body after her elimination. But Suthia obviously had no intention of letting this go. To see such a version of herself, so embarrassing andpletely a dark history of herself, and that it was seen by her Lord, how could she ept it!! ''Silent Word of Darkness'' The nun moved so fast Renji couldn''t see clearly, and with a sh of a ck scythe, she cut thest Tainted shadow in two,pletely erasing any trace of "Artius" from the world of Dream Zero. After doing all this, Suthia seemed to have let go of a weight in her heart, gently floating down from the sky. The veil of divine protection surrounding her dissolved, her deep sea-blue eyes returned to normal, and the pirs of the "Holy Domain" around her dissipated. Renji couldn''t help but express his frustration: "Thia, actually, I had some questions I wanted to ask the witch" "Eh? Witch? What witch? Is there a witch here, My Lord? I didn''t see any?" Suthia acted as if everything that had just happened never did, as if she had just logged in, tilting her head and looking at Renji with a gentle and kind gaze. Chapter 274 274: The Past (Part 1)

Chapter 274 Chapter 274: The Past (Part 1)

Sorry for the dy, I had somethinging up and couldn''t post any, as for the bonuses, it will be post today. -------- Renji could quite understand Suthia, after all, no one wants their dark historyid bare in front of their beloved, just like many people chosen by therge truck, about to be hit into another world, thinking in thest second, they would want to format theirputer''s hard disk just the same. The barrage that Thiaunched against the witch, in essence, was no different from urgently formatting a hard disk; if it were him, he probably would be even more anxious. The witch, essentially, is just a segment of the Zero''s Dream program. Even if a living mouth were left, it''s doubtful any valuable information could be extracted, might as well end it and save the time. After nearly a month, Renji finally met his woman online again, and he really wanted to be intimate for a while, but with the dramatic changes in the Dream Zero following the witch''s death, Renji had to pull his attention back first. The witch, being one of the five "Miasma Masters" who divided the world, her demise caused the overall concentration of Miasma in the dream world to drop by one-fifth immediately, especially in the region she governed. Looking around, the originally barren and crackednd now seemed to be healed, quickly regaining vitality, with the shadows of grass and vegetation already visible. At the same time, the number of Miasma monsters wandering in the wilderness also sharply decreased, either moving to other areas or directly dissipating into nothingness. Perhaps the only thing that hasn''t changed is the sky above, still bloody red, butpared to the initial heart-thumping dark brown-red, the color has obviously faded a bit. The change in the environment is one aspect; on the other hand, it''s like the reward after defeating a BOSS, the witch left behind many illusions. These illusions formed a series of pictures, not others, but the past stories of "Ashen" and "Suthia." As a yer, Renji mostly operated from a third person perspective, issuingmands from a macro perspective through various options on the game interface. Now, these illusions have given Renji another angle, filling in many details he never knew in the game from a micro perspective. Like a little shabby house simr to a horse stable, a little girl lying on a bed with a straw mat wakes up groggily, scared of the unfamiliar ce, seemingly unclear about what happened, where this is, how she got here. But fortunately, the sound instion of the shack was very poor. Just as she carefully approached the door, the conversation of the guards outside reached the little girl''s ears. "I don''t know what the leader was thinking, insisting on taking in a child, and a sickly-looking girl at that" "Who knows, maybe our leader is kind-hearted, even giving up his own room for her." "s, although being kind is better than being cruel, I don''t want to follow a leader who''s too nice. In this world today, being kind just means being bullied. How can our settlement develop in the future?" "Develop? You''re thinking too much. Like our small settlement, I''ve joined more than a dozen, barely surviving is already good. In fact, most probably disappear in a few months, so take my brother''s advice, the settlement isn''t yours, don''t foolishly give your life for others. Like us, just muddle along as much as you can, if something happens, run quickly, never take the lead, preserving yourself is the most important. If this settlement is gone, just find another new leader." "Hmm¡­ you got a point, s! In the end, it would be good if we could be Eclipse. That way, we could join those big settlements that are safe and stable." The illusion ends here, and the next scene shifts to a tense and intense battlefield. Many dog-level Miasma monsters surround the settlement, trying to break through the main gate, with about a dozen militiamen beingmanded by a person shrouded in the shadow of a cloak, resisting the monsters. Initially, it was okay, Ashen perfectly utilized each militiaman, letting each one be in the most suitable position to exert the greatestbat power. The good times were short-lived. Even as casualties mounted, Ashen, themander, directed the other militiamen to fill the gaps with rapid calmness and without panic. However, it was evident that the militiamen couldn''t replicate his demeanor. Among them, some began to show more and more reluctance to fight. When ordered by Ashen to take the lead, they exhibited hesitation and even resistance. The battle that could have been ended with a bit more effort under Ashen''smand now became uncertain again. A militiaman at the forefront, due to a slight carelessness, was terribly bitten on the thigh by a Miasma mad dog. The bloody wound made him scream in pain. The wailing made the already panicked team even more unstable, with several people showing a tendency to flee. At that moment, a divine light seemed to descend from the sky, shining on the militiaman''s leg wound. It not only drove away the surrounding Miasma monsters but even, to many people''s astonishment, rapidly healed the militiaman''s wound. In a few blinks, under the divine light, it was as good as new. "Don''t be afraid, everyone. I am here, I am an Eclipse, my ability can heal everyone. As long as I am here, you all won''t be in danger of losing your lives!" "So please trust our leader, trust Lord Ashen''smand, we can definitely defeat them!" The little girl stepped forward from the back, actively joining the battlefield, and Ashen didn''t say much about it, continuing tomand the militiamen to resist the monsters. Knowing that an Eclips, especially a healer, was assisting them, the militiamen''s morale greatly increased. Many were able to let go of their fears of getting injured. The battle quickly ended, marking an unprecedented victory for the settlement with zero casualties. The illusion scene shifted again. The former small settlement of twenty to thirty people has now developed into a considerable scale, with the number of people expanding to over a hundred. The area of the settlement also grew from half a football field to the size of two football fields. The reason was simple: the rapid growth of the militiamen''sbat power in the settlement. After all, before, if they were injured in battle, the minor injuries were okay, but more serious ones almost equaled a death sentence in the future, as medicine was the most scarce resource in the settlement. But with the little girl joining the fight, it''s different now. The militiamen all know that no matter how severely they are injured, as long as they don''t die, they can be healed back to normal by Suthia. So, regarding the leader''smand in battle, they could almost strictlyply, no longer cowardly. As the only Eclips in the settlement, and a healer, Suthia quickly umted a lot of poprity, gaining the admiration and affection of many in the settlement. They rushed to try and talk to Suthia, chat, and be friends. "Miss Thia, thank you so much. Without you, I probably wouldn''t see the sun tomorrow." "It''s nothing, Uncle Kuro. This is what I should do. Compared to me, Lord Ashen''smand is more amazing" "Mm, the leader''smand is indeed amazing, haha." "Sister Thia, not to hide it from you, today, when the leader told me to take on that viper''s sting, I really wanted to run, it waspletely because I thought of you that I gritted my teeth and went for it." "Thank you, Brother Ake for trusting me. But everymand from Lord Ashen, I believe, is absolutely the best solution at the moment. Next time Brother Aken can''t have this kind of thought again, you have to believe in our Lord" "Mm, I know." "Thank you Suthia. Sometimes I think, if you were the leader, it would be good. Our Lord is always silent and taciturn, not knowing how tomunicate." "Koren, Lord Ashen carries the lives of hundreds of people in the settlement, including you and me. It''s because of such great pressure that he speaks so little. How can we me Lord Ashen for this?" "Ah, that''s also true. When I encounter tense battles, I also don''t have the time to speak. Suddenly, I feel a bit able to understand my lord now. It was my mistake." "Sister, howe Lord Ashen always wears a cloak, never taking it off? It''s scary at night. You don''t think the leader... isn''t human, do you?" "Pfft! Little Yana, don''t talk nonsense. How could that be? I''ll tell you secretly, actually, under Lord Ashen''s cloak is a super handsome man! He has a pair of deep blue eyes, a firm face, a tall nose bridge, and, and~~" "Wow! Lord Ashen is so awesome!" Chapter 275 275: The Past Story (Part 2)

Chapter 275 Chapter 275: The Past Story (Part 2)

--- Watching the scenes in the illusion, Renji couldn''t help but grip Suthia''s hand a bit tighter next to him. In the game, Suthia had a base-building ability, which was to enhance the mental stability of the gathering ce, increasing the popce''s trust in their leader. Such a BUFF might not mean much in the mid tote game, but at the early stages when manpower was short, it was undoubtedly excellent, after all, who knows how many new yers focused too much on expanding their territory, only to overlook the discontent of their popce, leading to copse. Or, as in previous battles, when trust was not high, it led to game characters disobeyingmands, or even fleeing directly. In the game, Suthia''s ability was represented just by a skill panel and percentage numbers. But here, Renji understood that the early-stage gathering ce''s +20% leader trust was actually built up bit by bit through the efforts of the little nun, speaking on behalf of the leader. Under hismand, Suthia would be the first to help treat the injured, doing her utmost to soothe their emotions, exining the importance of thesemands, praising their bravery, thus resulting in characters with absolute high obedience in the game. And when he had an expansionist mindset, allocating more resources to the warriors at the expense of the general popce''s welfare in the rear, causing discontent among the members, it was also Suthia, moving from one to another, calming them, telling everyone the purpose was for better development, making everyone willingly endure less food and drink to cooperate with his development n. Eventer on, as his gathering ce grew and developed to a certain scale, it naturally went from being obscure to attracting the attention of many other gathering ces. Renji looked towards another illusion. This illusion did not include himself but showed Suthia leading a team out for exploration, presumably corresponding to the game''s "Dispatch" feature. At this time, he already had several Eclipses besides Suthia. The dispatched team, after a battle, was resting at night. Suthia wasn''t sleeping; inside her tent, she was nning the route back to the gathering ce, and despite it beingte at night, there was an unexpected visitor. The visitor looking for Thia, Renji actually remembered, was a Danger Rank Vanguard character who was quite good in the early phase and considered a main force by himself. After pretending to chat casually for a while, he finally revealed his purpose. "Thia, have you ever considered leaving?" "Leaving?" The nun in the illusion, who had a gentle face just a moment ago, immediately showed a slight frown. "Ah, to tell you the truth, we''ve fought together for so long, we''re oldrades. You should know about the Roca gathering ce, right? It''s the biggest gathering ce in our region. I heard they have over a hundred Eclipses there, more people than our Ashen Gathering cebined!" "Now, their people have contacted me, saying their leader values us and wants us to join them. Let me tell you, Thia, the leader of the Roca gathering ce is different from our leader, not someone who hides under a cloak all day. They have connections with the high-ups at the Azure Base, supposedly the illegitimate child of a deputy leader!" "I don''t need to say what the base is, it''s something gathering ces like ours can only look up to for a lifetime, having such a background means an unlimited future. So, what do you say, Thia, will you join me? They even told me, their leader particrly values you, saying just your presence would warrant a treatment ten times better than what you''re getting at the Ashen Gathering ce! In my view, that illegitimate child leader definitely has his eyes on you!" "Thia, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Just by joining him, with his resources, you breaking through from Danger Rank to the initial or even mid-level of Disaster Rank isn''t out of the question!" The Danger Rank Vanguard became more and more excited as he spoke, his imagination running wild with visions of sess. But what he failed to notice was the increasingly darkening eyes of the nun opposite him. "No, Helen, I won''t be going. Thia will only stay in Lord Ashen Gathering ce; I''ve already made it my home." "Thia, you... Oh well, I guess I could have guessed. After all, who in our gathering ce doesn''t know that you''re the most loyal to Lord Ashen, hardly ever speaking of anything but your Lord" "Well, that''s that then. I''m leaving anyway, and I''ve pulled along Kolon and others. We''ve had our time together, so if fate wills it, we''ll meet again Thia. Ah, without you as a teammate, it''ll take some time to adjust, such a pity." The man was about to get up and leave, but Suthia called out to him again. "Helen, could you please wait a moment longer? I have a few potions here, almost ready. Consider it a farewell gift from me. For now, go and call over Kolon and the others. By the time you all get here, I''ll have the potions ready. It could help you recover from injuries better, heal some chronic diseases, so perhaps you could perform better in the new gathering ce?" With these words, Suthia undoubtedly moved Helen deeply. In that moment, he saw her as the true Saintess, selflessly devoted to others, willing to give them herst bit of strength even knowing they were leaving. Helen nodded in gratitude, then immediately left the tent, calling over the remaining three or four Eclipses who had agreed to switch to the Roca Gathering ce together. When they all arrived at Suthia''s tent, indeed, the nun had prepared a potion for each of them, seemingly mixed on the spot. "I''m sorry everyone, Thia can''t help you more than this, only these healing potions to replenish your state." "Everyone. drink it while it''s warm." The four thanked the nun and without any suspicion, opened the healing potions and drank them down. After all, that was Suthia, the angelic Saintess recognized by the gathering ce, who had saved their lives countless times and fought alongside them through many battles. Until¡­ "Ugh, ah... Ugh." "You... The potion... Tia, you..." "Why" "Why would you" *Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!* Within five seconds of drinking the potion, all four Eclipses copsed at Suthia''s feet, their life force rapidly fading away. In theirst moments, they stared at the nun with eyes full of disbelief and incredulity. But all they received in return were those emotionless eyes from Suthia, eyes they had never seen before. Chapter 276 276: Old Married Couple

Chapter 276 Chapter 276: Old Married Couple

Renji: "¡­" Suthia : "¡­" Renji now understood why what was supposed to be a very simple dispatch task, supposed to be safe, ended up with the system showing that most of the team members were dead or injured upon their return. Renji remembered that at the time, upon seeing the results of the dispatch, he had furiously cursed the game designers and their ancestors for several generations. Wondering if it''s toote to apologize now. Thinking this, Renji couldn''t help but turn his head again to look at Suthia, who was watching the witch''s illusion with him. To this, the nun blinked her clear, bright, sea-blue eyes innocently at Renji and asked: "It''s so strange My Lord, why did they all lie down on the ground after drinking Thia''s healing potion?" "It must be because Thia''s potion was too effective, generating too much heat inside them, so they had to lie down on the ground, after all, the ground is cooler, better for absorbing the potion''s effects," Renji answered without a second thought. After hearing this, the nun immediately pped her hands, her eyes full of admiration for Renji: "My Lord knows so much!" "That is Just average" There were many more illusions left by the witch, and Suthia seemed to have discovered something, quickly pulling Renji to look towards another illusion. This one showed an old church, a tall man shrouded in the shadow of his cloak, having justmanded the troops of the gathering ce to clear the Miasma monsters from the abandoned church, was now tallying the spoils of war. At the back of the church, Ashen pulled out a nun''s habit from a storage box, and the little girl following next to Ashen showed immediate interest in the nun''s habit, her eyes sparkling brightly. Ashen seemed to notice, and without waiting for the little girl to speak, handed over the nun''s habit. The little girl excitedly took it and seemed unable to wait to get back to the gathering ce, hurrying into a nearby empty room. Not long after, dressed in the nun''s habit, Suthia, who had officially be a nun, excitedly ran to Ashen, seemingly seeking praise from her master for her new clothes. Unfortunately, Ashen remained silent, merely nodding before turning away. The little girl, though a bit disheartened, quickly recovered, clenched her little fists secretly, and then followed Ashen with small quick steps. Renji remembered this scene. At the time, he had just whimsically thought that the nun''s habit would suit Suthia, so he tried giving it as a gift, and it actually worked. As for the girl in the nun''s habit wanting praise, Renji really wanted to exin that, outside the screen, he had already praised Thia''s new character design to the skies, but unfortunately, the game didn''t have that option, so his controlled character could only be a cold heartless mute. "Wait, Thia, don''t tell me you''ve been wearing the same clothes ever since then?" Renji suddenly thought of a possibility, could it be that Suthia embarked on the path of a nun and the church because of this casual act of his? "After all, it''s the first piece of clothing Lord Ashen gave to Thia, I could wear it for a lifetime and it still wouldn''t be enough. No other clothing canpare to this! I can''t bear to take it off even when I sleep." Seeing Renji''s hesitant expression, Suthia seemed to understand something and quickly exined: "But Thia washes it every day! Including the socks, very clean! Not dirty at all, and no bad smell!" "Uh, actually, you don''t have to wash it" "Eh, really? So Lord Ashen likes this sort of things?" Suthia immediately showed a regretful expression upon hearing this. "No, what I mean is Thia herself is fragrant, pure, and without filth, don''t misunderstand" While Renji was helpless, he also felt a bit nostalgic. Not willing to take off the clothes means that afterwards, it''s unnecessary to ask; Suthia must have thought he liked nuns, so she steadfastly developed in this direction. Thinking this, Renji was no longer satisfied with just holding Suthia''s hand, but instead embraced the nun''s entire delicate body into his arms. What followed for Renji and Suthia was like an old married couple snuggled together looking through an old photo album. They watched as the "Ashen Gathering ce" went from an obscure, unnoticed small force, struggling daily for survival and food, to showing promise, bing a small but famous new gathering ce, and finally to waging war against the Roca Gathering ce, sessfully defeating it in one fell swoop, absorbing it, and bing the new overlord of the region, the only superrge gathering ce. During this time, the Eclipses of the gathering ce around the "Cloaked Leader" changed batch after batch, but the one constant was the little girl in the nun''s habit always by his side. Oh no, to be urate, there was a change. As the gathering ce developed, eating was no longer a problem, and with various nutrition, the little girl who initially reached up to Ashen''s waist, now stood at Ashen''s chest. Besides her height, her development in all aspects was bing more mature, which could be seen from another illusion. In this scene, Suthia now had her own room,plete with various small pieces of furniture and decorations, indicating the gathering ce had developed to the point of being able to start building brick houses. In the room, Suthia was struggling to fit into the nun''s habit, but even if the waist still fit within range, the hip and bust were clearly too much over the standard. The little nun in the scene, after a lot of effort, finally managed to squeeze her jugs into her habit, but as soon as she stood up, several buttons on the front burst open as if they could no longer bear the weight. From the mended traces around the button area, it''s likely not the first time the buttons have popped off. Suthia tried to sew them back on each time, but there''s only so much that can be done. The original nun''s habit seems to have reached its limit, no longer able to amodate Suthia as she transitioned from a "little girl" to a "big sister." In the scene, the nun is seen holding the damaged clothing, sitting on the bed in a daze, and after a while, tears start to fall. Suthia appears both angry and annoyed, looking at the clothes she can no longer fit into, filled with grievance and sadness. Especially upon seeing Suthia cry over this, Renji couldn''t help but say with a heavy heart, "I''m sorry Thia, it''s my fault. I didn''t notice these things before. I should have had someone make you a new one sooner." "No, it''s not the same. This piece of clothing means something special to Thia, a hundred others made by someone else couldn''tpare, that''s why Thia is so upset." The nun nestled in Renji''s arms shook her head, but quickly seemed to remember something, suddenly lifting her head to look at Renji, and then blinked. "But fortunately, after Thia was promoted to the Disaster Rank, didn''t you give Thia a brand new nun''s habit? Thia remembers that day very clearly." ''Another one was given?'' ''Oh, right, is that referring to the new character design after the promotion?'' Renji was just nodding along, but seeing Suthia now blinking and making a strange expression, he realized something was amiss. ''What about giving clothes?'' ''Or was it that something else happened that day?'' ''Something else... Uh.'' ''Damn!'' Renji pondered his game memories, suddenlying to a realization, bing a bit panicked, and was about to quickly change the subject, but it was a bit toote for that. Gently, Suthia pulled up the scene from that day from the illusion, for both of them to watch. That day at the gathering ce was very lively, having just achieved a great victory in the battle for supremacy in the ckhole area against the Roca Gathering ce, with the Ashen Gathering ce ending in absolute victory. It was also through this battle that Suthia umted enough experience points to officially join the ranks of the "Disaster Level." At night, therge gathering ce was brightly lit, filled with a celebratory atmosphere, and in a certain leader''s room, the little girl, oh no, she''s not little anymore, should be referred to as a "young woman" now. As a "Disaster Level" reward, the young woman received a new nun''s habit, more mature and sophisticated than before. The design of the nun''s habit itself might indeed be a bit avant- garde, such as recing the skirt with a high slit on the lower half, the lining turned into whitece, and more hollowed-out designs at the chest, overall more form-fitting, showcasing more contours and curves. Once properly worn,bined with the young woman''s temperament, no one would think of it in a perverse way; it''s very sacred and holy. However, the issue is, once the young woman''s temperament and mindset change, the charm of this set of nun''s habit can also instantly shift to her mood, with purity and pure desire being a thin line apart. Chapter 277 277: Revenge after 500 years R18*

Chapter 277 Chapter 277: Revenge after 500 years R18*

The girl now sitting on the ashen-covered bed seemed a bit uneasy, as if after a period of hesitation and struggle, she finally mustered the courage and made a certain decision. Next, the girl first took off her boots, stepped on the bed with her feet d in white silky pantyhose, and then bit her lip as she began to undo a few buttons at the front of her nun''s outfit. She didn''t fully open them, but did so in a way that was both concealing and revealing her beautiful milky boobs, maintaining the sanctity of the nun''s attire while allowing a glimpse of the snow-white cleavage with just a slight bow of her head. The girl on the bed then started shifting positions, kneeling, lying diagonally, prostrating, as if she was debating which body position would attract the attention of the next person to enter the room. The girl appeared to try several positions, but none of them seemed quite right; kneeling was too formal, lying diagonally felt too sexy and exposed too much of her high-slit leg, and resting on her stomach looking adorable with her feet in the air seemed too childish. In the end, the girl chose the pose she was most familiar with, sitting with her legs in an ''M'' shape on the bed, turning the lower part of her nun''s attire into a curtain-like cover, barely covering between her legs. She adjusted the angle of this "cover" several times until she was satisfied it was the most enticing, then waited contentedly. The girl then eagerly awaited the owner of the room, cing a prepared fruit te on the bed, filled with cherries, grapes, and the like, waiting for the leader of the settlement to return, to ask that ssic question, "Do you want to eat first or me?" At this point, Renji was taken aback. "Thia, you..." "It''s all because of the leader of Lanuo gathering ce. He collected many indecent books, many of which targeted Thia, so Thia thought, maybe Lord Ashen likes these too, so¡­ that''s why I..." Thia seemed to be speaking in a weak, shy tone, but in reality, the nun was very direct and not at all afraid of this footage being shown to Renji. Rather, it was as if Thia intentionally wanted Renji to see it. Because the real highlight was the next moment. Renji sighed here, somewhat unwilling to watch further, but under Thia''s benign gaze, he had no choice but to revisit the past scenes. Because if Renji remembered correctly, that day was also precisely when he struck gold with "Zero" from the waste dump of the Lanuo gathering ce. So, the following scene unfolded. Cheers erupted from the gathering ce, and the girl in the room immediately became excited and nervous, because only one person could cause such a stir, Her beloved Ashen. Next, as she had arranged, when Ashen returned, his subordinates immediately came forward to tell him that Thia was waiting for him in the room with something important. Footsteps soon sounded from outside the door, and the girl on the bed''s heart thumped wildly, as if pondering what to say next, how to set the atmosphere, how to seduce, and what if Ashen didn''t take the bait, whether to force him or... The girl had only thought halfway when the door opened, and at first nce, she saw Ashen, cloaked, and then, at second nce, beside Ashen was a... A robotic humanoid maid. At the same time, this maid noticed the girl on the bed acting coy, having transformed her nun''s attire into a more subus-like outfit. Zero: [Master, the Suthia you mentioned, is she the fallen nun on the bed right now, in heat and full of desire to mate?] The phantom image abruptly ends here. In that moment, Suthia remembered clearly, she wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. She never expected that Ashen, who always had only her by his side, would bring a new Eclipse to the room. Naturally, the n for the night was ruined, and for a long time, Suthia dared not entertain such thoughts again, bing a long shadow over her. Moreover, all witch phantoms ended here. After all, moving forward... The daily chores, bed making,undry, and cooking that used to be done by the nun alone, were now all taken over by Zero. Even Ashen''s focus of leveling up was entirely ced on Zero, giving all the good things to Zero. The cloak leader that once belonged to the nun alone, could never return. With the appearance of "Zero," in the subsequent story, Suthia was no longer the heroine, gradually bing just part of the background character, naturally ending the illusion. "..." Renji was somewhat at a loss for words. ''The atmosphere was well set up before, so why did it suddenly start to feel mncholic?'' "My Lord, are you in a hurry?" Suthia, drawing circles on Renji''s chest, suddenly asked. In a hurry or not... He really wasn''t in hurry. In reality, Dream City was probably in chaos by now, District Thirteen turned upside down by Kael Technology, and all sorts of media were probably frantically looking for him. Laying low for a while, avoiding attention, staying inside Dream Zero was undoubtedly the best choice. "Since My Lord is not in a hurry, then could you fulfill a small wish of Thia''s..." "Uh..." "Thia wants to feed My Lord the cherry fruit that couldn''t be fed to him that night, once more." "Now, here? It''s not quite right, this is Dream Zero, it belongs to Zero so she may..." "No, it has to be here, it''s just right here. If Zero likes the witchy style of a fallen nun, then I''ll satisfy her. Dreams are so boring, My Lord, let''s give Zero a live performance¡«" ¡­. -1st Pov- The epitome of beauty in the form of a goddess and a ''subus''. Suthia was proof of this, possessing a stunning and arousing figure. Her breasts wererger than her own head. She had a slender waist, contrasting with herrge bust, without a single ounce of fat on her sides. Her hips were wide, perfect for childbearing, with firm buttocks below. Her legs were long and slender down to her calves. Her body was optimized for pregnancy. "So My Lord, no need to be tense. Let Thiafortably feed you~" Suthia, who hadpletely undressed, leaned over, using her big breasts as a cushion for Renji''s face, gently pressing down, her hands slowly and carefully feeding him. Therge and soft breasts, even bigger than her face, were pressed against his cheek. As she leaned over, her long blue hair cascaded down her shoulders, the faint fragrance of the ocean mixed with the sweet smell of a woman. This was the kind of scent that could drive a man crazy. It was as if this was the first time the two had met. Suthia''s eyes, the color of a beautiful blue skye, were the same color as the sea, and her gaze was gentle like a mother who was feeding her baby. Infront of Renji now was two little pink cherry-like nipples, surrounded by her soft and voluptuous breasts. He could faintly hear the sound of his own breathing. It was an exhrating feeling. He had been with Suthia for a long time, he had seen everything there was to see, but for some reason, his heartbeat was still fast. ''Perhaps it is the thrill of the forbidden fruit'' Without further ado, I didn''t reject her ''Revange'' and started to bit on her cherry nipples and suckle them. "Ahh~" "Ah, my lord~!" Suthia let out a cry of pleasure. Her face turned red as she watched me feed on her breasts, and she squirmed and twisted her waist as I did. She could feel the tingling and burning sensation on her body, and the intense stimtion was almost enough to make here. I then started to fondle Suthia''s breasts as I kept sucking on one of them, making sure that her other breast didn''t get lonely. Therge breasts were full and soft, and each one could be squeezed into a different shape. Each nipple was stiff, and it was as if I could feel the throbbing of Suthia''s heartbeat. Suthia''s whole body was flushed, and she could not stop herself from arching her back and moaning. Suthia''s mind was nked out by the pleasure, and she could no longer think straight. "Ah... Ah... My Lord~" Renji starts to skillfully fondled and y with Suthia''s nipples with his tongue. The two perky little nipples, now wet and glistening with saliva, stood erect. Suthia''s body was already extremely sensitive, and a single touch could make her squirm. She was nowpletely at my mercy. "Huuuuut~ " Her mouth hung open, her breathing was ragged, and she panted heavily. Her whole body trembled, and her thighs rubbed together, trying to find some release. After a while of ying, sucking and biting her nipples while ying with her breasts, I finally backed off and roughly grabbed her big, firm breasts. "Huuk!" ''What a fantastic sensation.'' Incredibly soft and springy. Even just touching them brought near-ultimate satisfaction. ''They were so springy they seemed to bounce back, but at the same time, the flesh gently embraced my hand'' I spent quite a while just touching and sucking her breasts because it felt better than I expected. Fortunately, Suthia seemed quite satisfied, too. "Eung¡­ Ahh¡­ Huuut!" With every squeeze of her breasts, she moaned roughly. An erotic voice that naturally aroused every living being. Renji''s erect penis lightly touched Thia''s buttocks. ''This position must have been part of her n too'' Renji : ''Hmm~... I got a great Idea~'' "Thia" "Yes My Lord!" "How do you masturbate normally?" As Renji asked this, Suthia''s face turned beet red, but still, she tried toe with a decent answer. "Huuk?! Ah, My lord, talking about that is a bit¡­.." Suthia blushed and was embarrassed. -Snap! I snapped my finger on Suthia''sclitoris as if giving a punishment. "Huuuuuut!~?" In an instant, Suthia climaxed, jerking her waist. Her pussy was spurting love juices. ''Heh, her clit is her sensitive zone then...'' Thinking that, I gently caressed near Thia''s pussy. This time, with very gentle, teasing strokes. "Haa! Haa!" Unable to hold back, she twisted her waist and begged in a sweet voice. "Hut! My Lord¡­ now please¡­ ?" For a moment, I felt the urge to thrust into her right away. Suppressing my desire, I asked in a cold voice. "Then tell me quickly. How do you masturbate?" "Hut¡­ First, I gently scratch the inside like this¡­" "Like this?" "Haaaaaang!!!~?" Suthia couldn''t endure and screamed in pleasure. I kept demanding an answer regardless. "What next?" "When I get a bit wet¡­ I gently rub the clit¡­ Ahhhhh?" I immediately rubbed her clitoris with my thumb as she spoke. Of course, I didn''t forget to gently tease her pussy entrance. "Ahh! My Lord! Please! Huhh!" "Don''t stop, keep talking. How you masturbate when I wasn''t here, down to your weaknesses." "Ahhh....?" I continued to move my fingers ording to Suthia''s words. Each time, she felt pleasure as if in convulsions. The situation of confessing her embarrassing masturbation methods to her beloved man. This situation was intensely humiliating for her. It was as if I was touching her pussy ording to her tastes and desires. "Haa¡­! Haa¡­!" Suthia, who had climaxed several times from my fingers, gasped for breath. Before I knew it, she was lying face down on the bed that was created by her magic inside the dream and hugging a pillow. With her eyes closed and panting, she was shivering in deep bliss. Chapter 278 278: Revenge after 500 years R18**

Chapter 278 Chapter 278: Revenge after 500 years R18**

----- With her eyes closed and panting, she was shivering in deep bliss. Her round buttocks were slightly sweaty, rising and falling. ''That should be enough preparation.'' Suthia''s pussy was soaked. Even after several climaxes, Suthia wouldn''t be satisfied with just a finger. She was panting weakly but eagerly waiting for me to prate her. Based on Suthia''s reactions and words, I urately identified her favorite spots. Where and how she felt pleasure when stimted. All this information was already in my head. "Stop exaggerating and get up, you horny nun" "Huut." Even in the midst of her afterglow, Suthia raised her buttocks high. She instinctively wiggled it as if seducing me. While undressing myself, I couldn''t help but admire her enticing backside. Almost like a divine work of art, her lines were so beautiful. The smooth curve of her waistline. Her white, firm,rge buttocks. And the shyly twitching pink hole beneath them. I had intended to prate her anyway, but even if I hadn''t, seeing this would have made it impossible to resist. "Ahh" As I gently touched and squeezed her buttocks, Suthia moaned. I slowly rubbed my penis against her pussy. Even though only the tip had touched the entrance, I could feel the pussy flesh tightly gripping it. "Haah¡­haah¡­My Lord¡­please¡­hurry¡­." Suthia, begging me to enter, gently shook her hips in a coquettish manner. -p! "Aah~!" I pped her buttocks with my palm. A red handprint appeared on her white buttocks. "How dare you rush your master now?" "I''m s-sorry¡­" "If you''re sorry, then act like one and just wait." "Yes~" I firmly grasped Suthia''s pelvis. Then I pushed my penis into her pussy. "Aaaaaah~!" Her pussy surprisingly softly enveloped my penis. It slid in smoothly to the base as if lubricated with gel. ''Kuh!'' At the same time, the vaginal walls tightly squeezed from all directions. The pleasure was like being held tightly. ''What kind of tightness is this, it is even tighter than before¡­!'' It was as if the vagina itself was a living entity. It repeatedly tightened and rxed around the trapped penis. ''It''s like being wrung out¡­!'' Was this the prowess of a goddess? is it because she''s been watched by *her*. It was beyond just being called superb. It was a womb that existed purely to drain a man. Had I not been fully prepared, I would have climaxed immediately. "Aaah¡­huuah¡­uung¡­! It''s unbelievable¡­My Lord''s holy sword¡­reaching all the way in¡­" -Twitch, twitch! Even so, Suthia was busy feeling the pleasure from my penis. "Haah! Haah! Your sword feels so good, Master¡­! It''s so big, filling me up inside¡­" Suddenly, Suthia twirled her waist with seductive words. It was a light movement, but enough to almost make me explode. ''If I stay still, I''ll be overpowered.'' It seemed there''s no time for slow exploration. I increased my body strength using Dragonblood Ignition''s first effect. To enhance my various attributes And that ability applied to sex as well. I moved my waist incredibly fast, repeating the piston motion. -Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! "~~~~~!" My penis relentlessly stabbed deep into her womb. "Aaaah! Huuah! Faster¡­! My Lord¡­! This feels too good¡­!" Even for a divine being like her, this wouldn''t be an easy experience. Suthia drooled, lost in the sex. -Thrust¡­! I thrust my hips even deeper. "Uggghghgh¡­?!" "Did you grow this sinful body just because you wanted me to thrust into you quickly?" "Haang! Yes¡­ that''s right¡­ Thia''s pussy¡­ I grew it so it could be deeply thrust by my lord¡­.." Suthia didn''t forget to make humiliating remarks that she kinda enjoyed. "Aaah¡­ Huuah¡­ that''s it¡­ I''m a goddess¡­ Being purified by My Lord''s mighty sword¡­" "Who''s the goddess here! You masochistic pervert!" I moved my hips continuously as if riding a horse. Suthia was the horse, and her boobs were the reins. I targeted the spots she particrly enjoyed. "Aaah! I love it¡­! my lord''s penis is just so amazing~~¡­!" Now Suthia was truly immersed in the pleasure from my penis. This was all that was needed to finish. I activated the second face of Dragonblood Ignition''s blessing I possessed. Each one a pinnacle of magical power and even my little brother now bing a mighty dragon. "Huuuuuut?!" Suthia''s face, which had been enjoying the act, now showed real surprise for the first time. "Heek! Huuk! Wa, wait! This is¡­ really dangerous¡­! Hauh¡­" Suthia tried to resist by shaking her hips. But it was toote for her antics. From the moment she couldn''t handle the pleasure, I had the upper hand. Suthia was paralyzed by the pleasure my penis provided. "Wait! wait¡­ stop please¡­ My lord I will...!" "Hehe~ wasn''t this what you asked for? so Just tighten your pussy and let me hear your sweet moan more~." I held one breast with one hand and continued to thrust deeply into her pussy. Then I reached out and pinched her clit. "Hiieeek!!?!" The clit is one of the most sensitive erogenous zones of her that I discovered not long ago. Especially during sex, touching it can drive her wild. "Ugut! Don''t¡­ don''t , My AHHH~¡­" Her excited pussy tightened around my penis with terrifying force. I was also reaching my limit. But I couldn''t stop here. I pinched her clit with more force. "Ogoook!?" In that state, I released my hand from her clit andgrabbed both boobs again and shook my hips much more roughly than before. "Oook¡­ Ooh¡­ Huut¡­ Haak¡­" Suthia''s moans changed in an unusual way. From a feminine voice of pleasure to a voice deeply surrendering from within. ''A woman driven to her limits by pleasure makes such sounds'' ''I learned something new'' After a while of thrusting into her, I could no longer hold back and ejacted inside Suthia''s pussy. Simultaneously, Suthia also reached her climax. "Huuaaaah...." She surrenderedpletely with an ahegao face. "Haa¡­haa¡­ This is my first time feeling this good My Lord~¡­" Her body was limp from experiencing an overwhelming pleasure. But I wasn''t nning to stop there. I pped her buttocks. "Huut~!" "What are you doing. Lift your hips quickly. I''ve onlye once." I intended to properly tame my little nun today. ... ... The mechanical servant squad was asked to patrol outside of the area, and 86 was included as well. Control Number One: [Number 86, it has been detected that your concentration level is below the standard value. Please focus on executingmander''s tasks, otherwise, I will report tomander after the patrol ends] [You fool, our home is gone, and yet we''re still on patrol] Number 86 said, frustrated yet helpless. [I am sorry, I cannotprehend the meaning of 86''s statement. What does ''home'' refer to, and how is it determined to be gone? If this information is highly urgent, should it be reported to themander?] Control Number One asked seriously, point by point. [Sigh. 86 suggests you don''t go; you can''t beat her, all of us together can''t beat her] [Who is ''her''? Goddess Suthia? Why attack the Goddess?] [With your programming, it cannot be exined, *86 replied disdainfully, implying that the intelligence level of Control Number One was too low to continue the conversation* ] After processing, Control Number One did not get angry at 86, because she felt indeed she was not as smart as Number 86 of the same model. So she asked: [Then what should we do next?] This question also seemed to require a moment of analysis andputation from 86. Then, a conclusion was reached. It was simple. [We need to hurry and have our master find sister, so she can back us up. * 86, who is well-versed in military strategies, essentially suggested taking advantage of the situation for our own benefit*] Chapter 279 279: Target, The Dragon War Zone

Chapter 279 Chapter 279: Target, The Dragon War Zone

Suthia''s fruit tter was indeed impressive. Besides cherries, it included peaches, juice, strawberries, grapes, ice cream, and more. After making up for the celebration that was interrupted by "Zero" that night, Suthia seemed to have filled a void in her life, lookingpletely satisfied. After a brief moment of leisure, it was time to back to business. Renji called back 86 and Control Number One, who were responsible for patrolling the surroundings, to prepare the next steps. Having finally gone online on arge scale, Renji hoped to take advantage of having a top-tierbat power like Suthia backing him up. He wondered if it was possible to find Zero directly and speed through Dream Zero. However, Control Number One''s response thwarted Renji''s n. [I''m sorry Commander, we do not have the coordinates of the base] ''No coordinates?'' ''You don''t know where the base is?'' Renji was puzzled because the "base" was where Zero slept and should also be the respawn point for all mechanical servants. How could Control Number One, a mechanical servant herself, not know? Noticing Renji''s confusion, Control Number One quickly continued to exin: [We do not have the program to retain the base coordinates. Once dispatched to the corresponding war zone, the only way back to the base is through destruction in battle, to return in a form of consciousness] In other words, Control Number One meant that all mechanical servants were essentially "blindfolded" when sent out to fight. From the moment they left the base, there was no turning back; they could only remain on the battlefield for life. From a human perspective, Renji initially found this outrageous¡ªhow could frontline soldiers not be allowed to return home? But from the perspective of mechanical servants, it seemed reasonable; their mission was to fight, and everything else was "extraneous" programming. It seemed that the shortcut wouldn''t work. To find the base and Zero, they would have to follow the rules of Dream Zero. That is to clear the remaining three war zones like the Witch War Zone, the world''s miasma would disappear, and the base would appear. This gave Renji the feeling of not being able to unlock the next area in a game withoutpleting the "preliminary levels" first. The remaining three world bosses were the dragon, the witch, and the fairy. It was clear which one to tackle first; Renji directly set the "Dragon War Zone" as the next target. After all, based on the experience of the Witch War Zone, as long as he passed the "dragon''s" test, another major character in reality, the true Dragon Empress, would alsoe online. If Renji felt uncertain with just Suthia, adding Nova to the mix gave him confidence to push through Dream Zero. With the target set, they were ready to set off. Control Number One had the coordinates of the Dragon War Zone recorded internally. Initially, the mechanical servants nned to activate flight mode and carry Renji and the others over. At "Advance iii" speed mode, it would take about a day to get there. But Suthia was not just here for show. After getting the coordinates from Control Number One, the nun chanted on the spot, and a huge pentagram holy pattern array appeared under everyone''s feet. The next moment, a rich radiance enveloped everyone on the array, and Renji along with all the mechanical servants vanished from the spot. When Renji''s vision cleared, thend that had been purified before had once again turned into a barren and cracked terrain, the air filled with the red miasma of pollution. Directly in front of them, they could see the shadow of a huge building resembling a city. Renji was familiar with this. This was the symbol of real power in the wastnd ¡ª the base. In the old era, the scale of power was divided from viges to gathering ce, then to shelters, and finally, to concrete city bases. No matter how many people or power you had, it would always be just a gathering ce or a shelter. Only when one owned a city in the wastnd could they truly step into the ranks of a "base." Arriving at the Dragon War Zone and seeing the outline of the base in the distance, Renji showed an expected expression. He had guessed this scene. The Witch''s story was about Suthia''s past experiences, so correspondingly, the dragoness should also represent Nova''s past. Nova, in the order of their encounters among "them" was the third. Suthia helped him be a regional overlord at the settlement level, and then the addition of Zero upgraded the Ashen Gathering ce to the Ashen Shelter. Thinking ahead, to develop further, it was necessary to transition from a "shelter" to a "base." At that time, he was in dire need of a city. Building a city oneself would consume a vast amount of resources and was too risky, so naturally, Renji in the game thought of directly seizing an existing one, taking down someone else''s base for his own. Bases also varied in strength, and with his forces at the time, he could at most take down a lowest-level city base, also considering whether there were other allied forces behind the base. So, in the end, Renji clearly remembered that he set his sights on the "Gse" base, precisely the city within the Dragon War Zone opposite them. This base, full of chaos and violence, known for its gambling and very businesses, and developed through its "arena". And it was here that he met Nova. Past game memories shed through Renji''s mind, driving him to lead everyone quickly into the city. At the city gate entrance, they could see many wastnd people entering and exiting the base, all created NPCs by Dream Zero. Hence, Suthia couldn''t help but suggest that she directly attack the city, wondering if that would make the dragoness appear immediately. But Control Number One negated the idea. [I''m sorry, different Miasma Masters have different personalities. Such an approach may work for the witch, but the dragoness is different. Currently, there is no record of a dragon appearing on its own initiative] Suthia opened her mouth as if she wanted to defend her suggestion, but what was said was indeed correct. Nova''s personality is not the type to be ostentatious, but a bit introverted, with very few words spoken, and silence is mostly maintained, just like a real-life empress who stays out of worldly affairs and locks herself in the Dragon Pce for seclusion. In the dream, finding the witch''s trial is simple; just breaking into the witch''s area can directly trigger it. But the dragoness is different. After entering the Gse base, everyone acts as if it''s business as usual, with no clue what to do next, where the trial is, or how to initiate it. This is probably why, after so many years, Kael Technology has only obtained the Witch''s Mark. They are also clueless about the dragon, hence the frantic search for ancient schrs, hoping to get a "guide" or walkthrough. Indeed, after all, how could theter generations imagine that today''s empress, her true identity in the past, was merely a diator in the arena? So for Renji, finding where the dragoness is and triggering the trial is not a difficult task. Renji carefully recalled the map of Gse, following the path he once took. Fortunately, despite some differences, he sessfully found behind-the-scenes forces operating the "arena." This time, Renji didn''t choose to be an "audience member" like before but used the connection with the backstage forces to participate in the arena as a "diator" through internal channels. After all, Renji is here not just to clear Dream Zero only, but he also genuinely wants to take this opportunity to understand the aspects of "their" pasts that he never knew. Chapter 280 280: The Arena and the Gladiator

Chapter 280 Chapter 280: The Arena and the diator

The arena. It exists in every era, even in a world of wastnd that is on the verge of copse. When a force reaches the scale of a "base" it signifies that "survival" is no longer the biggest dilemma. People within the base can resume some semnce of life, especially the elites. As such, entertainment emerges as a necessity, and the most popr form of entertainment on the wastnd is undoubtedlybat. Here, spectators exchange goods for currency to buy tickets, witnessing battles that are entirelyposed of the Tainted Miasma, either against monsters or amongst each other in bloodybat. The best way to support a favored contender is through betting, with victory in battle yielding rewards based on odds. Because of this, the ce is not only a sanctuary for viewing ughter but also a casino where one can strike it rich overnight, seen by countless frenzied arena spectators as a means to fortune. There are always stories of some lucky people who bet on underdogs no one believed in, only for those contenders to unexpectedly dominate, eliminating seasoned fighters and earning a fortune for their backers. When violence and gamblingbine, these primal elements deeply ingrained in our genes always manage to spark the greatest interest. Of course, besides the spectators who can make money from betting, joining the arena as a diator (Fighter) is also a way to earn. Especially the top diators, with a vast fan base, who receive extremely generous appearance fees and bonuses for each match. Neers too have opportunities, particrly as dark horses who can eliminate popr top diators in battle, gaining instant fame and substantial rewards overnight. Here, fairness prevails, with strength always being paramount. Thus, many desperados, bankrupt individuals throwing caution to the wind, and even regr Eclipse willinglye to Gse, aspiring to be diators. Of course, "diator" is the more dignified official term, but in reality, they are ves to the arena. After all, from the moment one signs the contract to be a diator, they are shackled permanently, unable to leave unless the arena''s owners choose to release them. But perhaps, in a world of wastnd filled with danger, where living one day longer is a victory, selling one''s soul and body for survival through fighting might not be such a bad choice. At least, for the demi-humans, it is so. Demi-humans are born with strong physiques, naturally having an advantage inbat over humans. However, the survival of Demi-humans has always been a problem; theyck the human intellect for predicting disasters or buildingrge cities. Many Demi-humans live in tribes, struggling to survive on the wastnd, far from being as powerful as humans. Thus, a portion of Demi-humans, in a bid for survival, choose to join human wastnd bases. However, they are usually employed asborers, exploited for their work. Therefore, a ce like Gse, where one can earn money or even fame purely throughbat, bes the first choice for many Demi-humans who have lost their tribes, bing wanderers. In the arena, at least half of the diators are Demi-humans. The audience has noints about this; on the contrary, they enjoy it very much. After all, the physical strength of the Eclipse Demi-humans and the intensity of their battles are far more spectacr on all levels than those of Eclipse humans. When Renji joined the arena and registered as a diator, he wasn''t bound by a contract or shackled like other diators. Even the three people following Renji were subconsciously ignored. This is a characteristic of the Dragon War Zone. With the boss dragon in "AFK" mode, Renji and others are like yers to the Gse base, and everything inside is like NPCs. Under the mechanisms of Dream Zero, the natives automatically ignore some of Renji''s actions. Of course, this "ignorance" has its limits. Renji couldn''t bring too many people with him at once, so before entering the city, he had Control Number One ce the other forty-nine mechanical servants on standby outside the city. Soon after Renji became a diator, it was as if a storyline was triggered. Time in Gse sped up, the scene in the dream reorganized. One moment, the person in charge was processing Renji''s paperwork; the next, Renji was notified that his first duel in the arena was about to begin. Stepping into the arena from the long "diators'' corridor," it''s a huge elliptical building surrounded by stands filled with dense, frenzied, and manic spectators. Renji, just a "debutant" neer, could see how popr the arena was. His debut fight was straightforward, with no other opponents arranged, just a battle against Tainted monsters. Renji didn''t even need to make a move, as Suthia, with a clean and efficient burst of holy light, took down four or five dog- level Miasma monsters instantly. The audience seemed stunned for a moment, not quite catching up with the speed of the event. However, they quickly erupted into thunderous apuse and cheers for Renji, the neer, as if surprised and delighted by his powerful capability. Of course, there were also some spectators who cursed loudly, obviously betting on Renji not even passing the first challenge. After all, failing at the debut fight isn''t rare in the arena. After this round, Renji was led away by the staff to the diator''s resting room. There, not just Renji, but Suthia as well, noticed among the many diators in the room, a dragonkin demi-human sitting in a corner against the wall. The prominent dragon horns on the head were undoubtedly the best symbol of status. Many other Demi-humans in the resting room dared note close, as dragonkin are considered to have a royal lineage among Demi-humans. But what quickly made Renji and Suthia exchange nces was that despite seeing several shadows of Nova in this dragonkin''s appearance, the shadow didn''t seem to go forward but backward. This didn''t look like a young Nova but rather someone who seemed to have aged a bit. Judging by the slight wrinkles on her face and the condition of her skin, this female dragonkin appeared to be middle-aged. Just as Renji and Suthia were puzzled, the next moment, a young little head peeked out from behind therge figure of the dragonkin. "Mommy, I am hungry." "Nova, be good. Mommy''s going to fight soon. After that, Mommy will have money to buy you something to eat. How about meat soup?" "Meat soup. Meat soup, meat soup!! Go and win mommy!" Hearing this, the young dragonkin demi-human''s eyes sparkled with excitement, and it seemed drool was almost dribbling from the corner of her mouth as she wiped it with her chubby little hands. She started running and jumping around her mother excitedly, then clung to her about-to-leave mother like a little chatterbox, babbling non-stop as if she had endless things to say. To anyone who saw her, the first impression was of an incredibly lively and energetic little girl who would surely grow up to be a restless troublemaker. Chapter 281 281: Noya

Chapter 281 Chapter 281: Noya

''Is this Nova?'' Suthia was standing not far from the small dragonkin girl, staring at her with disbelief. Based on the impression of Nova, Suthia imagined that even as a child, the Nova would be quite independent and perhaps a bit aloof. But now. The door to the diators'' resting room was pushed open, and a staff member of the arena walked in. His gaze swept over the room and finally rested on the dragonkin mother and daughter sitting in the corner. "Next up. Noya" After the announcement, Noya shifted her gaze from her daughter and politely nodded to the staff member before getting ready to head to the arena. Seeing her mother about to leave, the little girl, though understanding it was for work, still showed a face of reluctance. She clung to her mother''s clothes, acting coquettishly, refusing to let go. "Nova, be good. As we pinky promise okay~? When we''re outside and mommy isn''t around, Nova has to learn to be strong." Seeing her daughter so attached, Noya seemed somewhat helpless. She crouched down again, touched the little dragon horns just sprouting on Nova''s head, and then ruffled her daughter''s hair. "Mmhm~. Got it mommy." After listening to her mother, the little dragonkin girl finally let go of her mother''s clothes. She then began to look around the resting room with a mix of nervousness and fear in her eyes. Before, with her mother by her side, the little girl hadn''t paid much attention. But now, with her mother about to enter the arena, the little dragonkin girl looked around the resting room again, especially at the diators with fierce faces and bulging muscles, and felt even more intimidated. Especially at the thought of staying here alone with these intimidating diators, the little girl''s head shook like a rattle drum. The hand that had just let go of her mother''s clothes was now clinging again. "Wuwu. Mommy, these uncles are so scary. I''m scared. So scared." "Don''t go, Nova doesn''t want mommy to go!" "Don''t, don''t leave Nova alone here. Mamaa." The little girl started to cry and scream, her small hands tightly hugging her mother''s waist, refusing to let go. This scene caused other diators in the resting room to show mocking and disdainful expressions. Unexpectedly, these diators only dared to look down upon them with their eyes, especially at the little girl, but no one dared to actually say anything out loud, let alone take the opportunity to tease the mother and daughter. As a mother, Noya was in a difficult position. Her daughter, afraid of being alone, clung to her, while on the other hand, the arena''s staff member was urging her repeatedly that it was almost time for her to enter the arena. Just as Noya, having no other choice, was about to apologize to her daughter and forcibly pry her hands away, footsteps sounded from beside them. Noya looked up to find a very young human man approaching them. "Ms. Noya, how about I help look after her?" "Eh?" The offer from the unfamiliar young man surprised Noya, and it also diverted the attention of the crying little dragonkin girl, who peeked up at the young man from her mother''s embrace. Afterward. She sneaked another nce, and then another, several times. There was no helping it. Compared to the burly, fierce-looking diators around the resting room, Renji, with his young and handsome appearance and well-proportioned figure, was like a breath of fresh air. The young dragonkin girl, apparently a fan of good looks, seemed to instantly take a liking to him. -"If this uncle is with me, then, then it''s okay."- Nova peeked out from her mother''s embrace, a bit shyly stealing nces at Renji while whispering into her mother''s ear. Noya then lightly tapped her daughter''s head in correction, saying, "He''s a brother, not an uncle!" Then Noya''s gaze returned to Renji, showing an apologetic expression like any single mother would when asking for help: "Then I''ll trouble you to temporarily look after my little troublemaker. It seems she likes you very much. I really appreciate it; I promise I will pay your kindness back " "It''s nothing" Renji waved his hand and then took the little dragonkin girl from Noya''s arms. At first, the little girl was a bit shy and hesitant. But soon, she found Renji''s embrace asfortable as her mother''s, even smelling nice, and quickly became lively and outgoing again, wrapping her arms around Renji''s neck and waving to her mother. "Mommy, go on, and do your best~!" "You little brat... Sigh¡­ Mommy will be back soon, don''t bother your brother! Okay?!" "Got it, hehe~!" Seeing her daughter acting this way, Noya seemed helpless again and gave Renji a "sorry for the trouble" look before turning to leave hurriedly for her match. ¡­ "Nova, you don''t seem worried about your mommy at all?" Hearing the handsome big brother ask her this, the young Nova blinked her big eyes and curiously asked: "Worried? Why worry? Mommy is very strong, the strongest dragon in the world. No one can beat Mommy!" "And Mommy said she would be back soon. Mommy never lies." Seeing the little girl''s confidence, Renji magically created a candy from his pocket and tempted Nova, "Then let''s sneak out and watch your mommy''s match from the audience seats." "Not sure if that''s a good idea. Mommy said Nova shouldn''t run around, can''t leave this room," the little girl verbally resisted, yet her eyes were fixed on the candy in Renji''s hand, visibly swallowing her saliva. By the time Renji took out a second candy, little Novapletely surrendered. Eating the candy, she happily let Renji carry her out of the resting room. Arriving at the spectator seats, Renji noticed that this match''s audience was muchrger than during his own fight, with the crowd''s cheers being even more deafening. Soon after, with the arena announcer''s shout, Nova''s mother emerged from the end of the corridor. When the audience saw the symbol of "dragon" - the prominent double horns atop Noya''s head, they erupted into an even more fervent uproar, highlighting the rarity and appeal of dragonkin, exining the surge in audience numbers and their enthusiasm. "Hey, hey, hey, is she the new dragonkin mentioned in the announcements?" "Heard her tribe was destroyed by a disaster, so she came to Gse, even brought her daughter along." "Pfft! Seriously? First time seeing someone bring their family to be a diator. What a responsible mother, oh no, a widow, hahaha!" "It''s surprising to see a demi-human looking so good. Worthy of being a MILF, such charm. With that figure and face, why would she think of bing a diator? Such a waste of beauty" "Can''t wait to see her torn apart by the monsters, then watch her daughter''s reaction. I''ve bet on the monster, anyone following?" "You''re twisted. But sounds interesting, I''m in!" "Count me in too! Watching female diators'' matches is all about seeing how they die tragically in the sexiest way, haha!" "I''ve also ced my bets, but let me be clear, I''m not as disgusting as you guys. I just want to see the fighting capabilities of a dragonkin." "Shh¡ªstop pretending to be so righteous!" Wealthy merchants with bushy beards, well-dressed nobles, excited gamblers, thrill-seekingmoners... The spectator stands gathered a diverse crowd, all unleashing their most primal desires. In Renji''s arms, little Nova didn''t quite understand the noisy chatter around her. Seeing her mother enter and everyone getting excited, she assumed they were all cheering for her mother, so she joined in enthusiastically, her cheeks flushed with excitement. Holding onto Renji with one hand, her other chubby little hand waved nonstop, imitating the audience, nodding her head and cheering for her mother below. Normally, when diators fought each other, bets were ced on the oue of the fight. But in debut fights like now, against Miasma monsters, the audience''s bets served an additional purpose. The arena''s announcer, after receiving a note, suddenly shouted in surprise: "Breaking news! Breaking news! It seems our neer, Noya, has already be extremely popr on her first appearance! Her prize pool has exceeded even the ''dog'' level, and even the ''snake'' level! ording to the arena''s rules, Miss Noya''s opponent will be reced with..." "A ''elephant'' level Miasma monster!" Chapter 282 282: New star

Chapter 282 Chapter 282: New star

"This can''t be real, I thought ''Snake'' level were already quite something, but it''s actually ''Elephant'' level?" "How much did you guys bet on the monster, huh?" "Hahaha, this is going to be good to watch. An ''Elephant'' level monster, this hot widow is done for!" "Stop it, I wanted to watch her fight more, you guys are too cruel!" "Damn it! It''s over, I bet that this Dragonkin widow would win, now all is lost, damn!" When diators and monsters fight, the audience can choose to ce bets on the monsters. The higher the amount bet on the monster, the stronger the monster the organizers will send out, indirectly giving the audience the "choice" of the match. Like before, Renji''s "debut battle" clearly wasn''t very popr, the audience didn''t expect much from Renji''s fight, so the monster was quite ordinary, only two or three ''Dog'' level Miasma monsters. But now, with the Dragonkin, a widow milf, a beautiful female diator, and possibly behind-the-scenes promotion by the organizers, various factors mixed together have created the current situation. Renji frowned, and the little Nova he was holding seemed to finally realize that the enthusiastic atmosphere around was different from what she imagined. Always confident in her mother, she couldn''t help but feel a bit nervous, her eyes tightly fixed on the figure of her mother below. Next to Renji, Suthia couldn''t help it anymore, but Renji held her back, feeling that things might not be so simple. As the atmosphere was hyped to its peak, the host decided to interview the person involved. However, when he handed the microphone to Noya, asking her how she felt upon learning that her next opponent would be an ''Elephant'' level Miasma monster, Nova''s mother just shrugged her shoulders, showing no excessive emotion. If anything, she seemed a bit anxious. She simply answered the host, "Can we start now? I promised my daughter I''d be back soon." "Ohhhh!!!" When Nova''s mother''s answer, amplified by the microphone, echoed through the ears of the entire audience in the arena, it instantly elevated the mood to a new height. Such words from Nova''s mother, in the ears of the audience, were undoubtedly overwhelmingly domineering, as if the uing fight with an ''Elephant'' level monster was as trivial as eating and drinking. A small portion of the audience was attracted by the domineering and calm demeanor of Nova''s mother, but the majority of the audience, with eyes reddened, roared various insults, beginning to cheer for the monster, wanting this arrogant Dragonkin widow to suffer a setback and show her some color, questioning why she could be so arrogant. Finally, as the host exits the arena, the arena begins to close. Across from Nova''s mother, a huge iron gate slowly opens, revealing a terrifying monster''s shadow to all the breath-held spectators. Elephant-level Tainted Miasma monsters, almost seven to eight meters tall and weighing dozens of tons, are like erged tanks. They don''t have to do anything; their sheer size alone is enough to bring intense fear and deterrence. With a pair of fierce tusks protruding high from the corners of its mouth, just the tusks alone are as thick as water buckets. It''s easy to imagine that a poke from them could easily prate even a demihuman''s body. This Elephant-level monster, with its red eyes quickly locking onto the only living being in the arena, then charges at her with the force of a running elephant, roaring and shaking the ground as it sprints toward her. Although Noya is tallpared to humans, she looks like a toy in front of this Elephant-level monster. Facing the charging beast, she stands still, appearing to outsiders as if she''s frozen in fear, drawing boos and excitement from the audience. Excited to see this female diator crushed into mush or impaled and tossed into the air by the Tainted Miasma monster''s tusks. However, only a few people like Renji and Suthia could see clearly until thest moment. Nova''s mother ced her hand in front of her chest, and as the monstrous figure came within just five meters, a de made of zing mes quickly formed at her chest and was grasped firmly in her hand. In the next blink of an eye, she drew the de, struck, and sheathed it. Just one strike. This sh was unbelievably fast, the audience couldn''t see anything clearly, not even when Nova''s mother drew the de. All they could see was a residual image of the me de in the air in front of the Dragonkin widow, like the lingering trace of a crescent moon''s dance. As the ming de was retracted back in front of her, Noya didn''t even nce at the giant Elephant monster that had abruptly stopped in front of her and turned to leave. It was only when Noya turned around that the massive body of the Elephant Tainted Miasma monster, seemingly unable to support itself any longer, fell to the ground with a dull thud, to the disbelief of all spectators. Then, following the monster''s fall, the audience could see a deep cut at the heart of the giant elephant, where the Tainted Miasma core was located. Now, it was burned out, a deep sh at an incredibly precise angle right through it, delivering a fatal blow to the monster, killing it instantly. "Impossible! This can''t be happening!" "This is an Elephant-level monster! The base would have to send out at least three elite squads to subdue it, and she, she just did it alone..." "There''s something fishy! Definitely something fishy!" "The officials are letting it slide! They''re just out to scam our money! Damn it! I bet a week''s resources on the monster, no, I can''t ept this!" "Bullshit! It''s clear that this hot mommy is just that good! Hahaha, I made a fortune this time!" The spectator stands were in chaos. Little Nova, held in Renji''s arms, quietly breathed a sigh of relief and then, with a smug look on her face towards Renji, boasted: "How about that, big brother? I didn''t lie, did I? Mama is super ¡ª¡ªamazing! She said she''d be back soon, and she meant it!" The little girl suddenly frowned mid-sentence, realizing something troubling as she looked at the candy still in her hand. She hadn''t wanted to eat Renji''s candy right away, so she kept it in her mouth the whole time. But now that her mom''s fight was over, and she hadn''t even dissolved thest piece of candy, she worried about getting scolded when her mom returned! Because her mom had told her not to eat things from strangers. So, Nova hurriedly gobbled down the remaining candy, reluctantly swallowing it, then anxiously tugged on Renji''s clothes, urging him to hurry back before her mom found out. However, Renji gave Nova a reassuring look because the organizers, seemingly stunned by Nova''s mother''s strength, were now regaining theirposure and immediately sent the host to intercept Nova''s mother, starting to heap praise on her. After all, following this battle, it was clear to everyone that the Arena was about to see the rise of a dazzling new star. Each diator star was an absolute money-maker for the officials, and from the host''s behavior, it was evident they were already starting to promote her. ''So, Is this Nova''s past?'' Renji watched from below the arena as countless eyes focused on her, winning a substantial prize, many bing fans conquered by her strength, and shouting "Noya"and "Mommy"- but Noya seemed a bit distracted during the interview, seemingly eager to finish and return to her daughter. Nova chewed on her sweet candy, seeing her mom be a popr contestant, liked by so many, her dimples showing a sweet smile. ''Until now, her past seems not too bad...'' But precisely because of this, Renji felt a sigh in his heart because all that they were seeing was the past, and judging from what he knew of Nova''s situation as a result, in reality. He hoped it wasn''t as bad as he imagined. As Renji pondered in silence, the scene in front of him changed, moving on to the next part of the story. ------------------------- Chapter 283 283: The Final

Chapter 283 Chapter 283: The Final

?After Nova''s mother''s "debut battle," the storyline of "Dragoness''s Dream" shifts to the diator''s day-to-day work, performing mutualbat for the entertainment of the audience in the arena. Renji, still ying the role of a diator, goes along with the progression of the story. "Don''t kill me, I surrender! I surrender!" Renji''s first fight arrives quickly, and unsurprisingly, his opponent, another diator, is on his knees begging for mercy, continuously kowtowing with tears and snot mixed on his face, looking as wretched as one can be. The audience, seeing this, shows disdain and disgust, cursing the bettors who wagered on this diator, while those who bet on Renji shout excitedly, urging Renji to quickly execute his opponent with a final, fatal blow. But looking at the diator kneeling before him, showing such a pitiful face, although knowing these are just NPCs in a dream, Renji still cannot bring himself to kill him and prepares to turn away. However, at the moment Renji turns around, the diator who had just been crying and begging suddenly changes expression to one of ferocity. With eyes reddened, revealing a crazed intent to kill, he pulls out a dagger he had prepared in advance, aiming for the heart of Renji''s back. "Die!" The diator, charging with the dagger, shows a fierce determination mixed with excitement. He thinks Renji foolish for letting him go and leaving his back unguarded, almost visualizing his own victory. Turnarounds in desperate situations often result in greater rewards, with greed and bloodlust filling the diator''s mind. The audience, too, gets excited by such a twist, where a strong contender is taken down by a weaker one due to carelessness, a scenario the audience never tires of. Unfortunately for the attacker, Renji doesn''t even need to look back. Hispanions, 86 and Control Number One, immediately cover the sneaky diator with firepower. The diator doesn''t even touch the hem of Renji''s garment before being turned into a sieve, dying miserably on the spot. To the audience, this scene appears as if Renji elegantly countered and then mercilessly executed the diator. The stands erupt with cheers. The audience isn''t scared by the diator''s gruesome death; instead, they find it thrilling. This is what they came for. What''s an arena without killing and bloodshed? After winning the match, the dream scene shifts quickly, and soon Renji is standing in the arena again, ready for a newpetition. This time, the audienceing to watch his match is significantlyrger than before, indicating that in this story, the character he ys has already be a promising neer. So, the diator opposite this time seemed to know he was no match for Renji, showing no intention to fight Renji at all, approaching the entire fight with a demeanor of seeking guidance, continuously calling Renji a senior, and after being easily defeated by Renji, he was full of praise for Renji''s martial skills,pletely willing to admit inferiority. This diator clearly had studied Renji, knowing that as long as he did not provoke Renji, he could lose and still save his life, which is extremely rare in the kill-or-be-killed arena. Indeed, Renji had no intention of killing his opponent. As he turned to leave the arena, the diator did not attempt any sneak attack but instead respectfully watched Renji leave without moving an inch, afraid of any misunderstandings from Renji. Naturally, this "boring" fight led to great dissatisfaction among the audience. They did note to see a harmonious and injury-free arena. After this match ended, when Renji thought he was about to go into the next one, the dream scene around him changed, and he found himself in the position of the audience. Looking down, Renji saw two diators fighting in the arena, one of whom Renji recognized as the opponent he had spared before. Now, this diator no longer disyed the humility he had in his fight with Renji because his opponent was clearly less skilled than him. After a fight, his opponent was impaled through the abdomen, clearly losing the ability to fight. "Please, spare me, I surrender. I have a family waiting for me to support them, including a five-year-old daughter. She can''t be without a father, I, I can''t die, please." "Didn''t Lord Renji spare you before? You, you must too." Before the defeated diator''s pleas finished, he was ruthlessly decapitated, his blood gushing out, staining the arena''s sand red. The diator Renji had once spared had no intention of emting Renji''s mercy. The polite demeanor he showed against Renji was now nowhere to be seen. He became bloodthirsty and ferocious, choosing the most brutal method of beheading, simply to evoke strong apuse from the audience, receiving rewards from the pleased wealthy spectators. Renji felt ufortable watching this scene. If he had not spared this diator before, maybe this father would not have had to die? ''No'' Renji quickly understood that it had nothing to do with his decision to kill or not kill. This is the cruelty of the arena, where survival of the fittest is the only rule, and any moral constraints are a joke to the arena. The destiny of all diators is to entertain the audience through killing. It''s an artificially created breeding ground, where the "insects" inside have no right to resist or choose, only to kill each other endlessly. Quickly, Renji''s dream scene changed again. This time, the arena appeared especially grand, absolutely packed, with countless spectators even willing to stand in the gaps between seats to watch. Each tournament held in the arena is an elimination contest, with the final battle between the two strongest diators of the tournament to determine the true champion of the arena. Such a final is almost the annual highlight of the arena and a major event for the Gse base, not only attracting regrs but also many civilians eager to witness thebat between the strong. This year''s final was touted by the officials as the most significant match in decades. In addition to the usual privilege of the winner making a request within the officials'' capacity, the prize money was significantly increased to motivate thepetitors. As one of the two strongestpetitors to emerge from numerous diators, Renji was naturally one of them. And the other... Renji looked across the arena at a middle-aged Dragonkin woman who was also looking back at him. Chapter 284 284: Revenge

Chapter 284 Chapter 284: Revenge

?1 more chapter after 30m. -------- "After Mr. Renji helped take care of Novast time, I''ve been wanting to find an opportunity to invite Mr. Renji out to properly thank him, but I got too busy and forgot. I never expected that when we met again, it would be in such a situation, sigh." Nova''s mother, with a face full of self-reproach and regret, sighed towards Renji, then quicklyposed herself, her purple dragon eyes, just like Nova''s, fixed intently on Renji. "Mr. Renji, I can feel you''re very strong, but I won''t lose. After experiencing the arena for over half a year, I''m sure now there''s something I must do." From Renji''s perspective, he had only gone through two matches, watching one, but in the actual dream story, more than half a year had passed since he first joined as a diator. Nova''s mother hasn''t changed much, if anything, maybe it''s her eyes. Far from being defeated by the cruelty and darkness of the arena, Renji saw even brighter light in her eyes than before. But Renji nced at the spectator seats, and with 86''s help, easily locked onto a petite figure among the vast crowd. In just half a year, Nova had grown from a little girl into a graceful youngdy, a testament to the faster growth rate of demihumanspared to humans. Now looking like a young girl, Nova was visibly tense and struggling, as if unsure whom to cheer for, or perhaps, not wanting either side to get hurt. "Ms. Noya, is this thing you must do referring to winning the championship?" "Yes, I must win this championship." "Understood." Renji nodded, and then under the enthusiasticmentary of the host, the match officially began. Noya''s was indeed very powerful, Renji initially estimated it to be at least of a disaster level, and her mastery of the me sword technique was so refined it could found a school of its own. After a few moves, Renji noticed that Noya showed skills simr to what Nova would learn in the future. He saw the basic versions of these skills in Noya, but performed even more skillfully. Clearly, Noya must be Nova''s first teacher. After fighting with Noya for a while, Renji now faced two choices, Win against Nova''s mother, or intentionally lose? This was probably an important crossroad, especially involving a key figure in "Dragoness''s Dream" Renji''s choice here could affect the direction of the dream narrative. After a brief consideration, Renji still chose the former. He had a premonition that the significant change in Nova''s character was absolutely rted to her mother winning this championship. With that in mind, even knowing all this was a dream''s past, Renji still wanted to prevent it from happening. He decided to win the championship in ce of Nova''s mother. Knowing his own strength wasn''t enough, Renji directly had Suthia intervene. In the face of the absolute power disparity, even Nova''s mother''s formidablebat skills quickly sumbed to the nun''s holy light. "*cough cough cough*." "It seems I''m still not strong enough, it''s like this again." "Mr. Renji, could I greedily ask you for one more favor?... No please forget what I said *cough cough*" Kneeling on one knee, using the sword in her hand to barely support her body, Nova''s mother, after losing to Renji, was full of destion and regret. She seemed to want Renji to do something for her but eventually hesitated and fell silent, no longer speaking. Soon, the dream changed again, and this time... "My Lord, be careful." Suthia furrowed her brows, stepping directly in front of Renji, while 86 and Cn. One also prepared for battle, protecting Renji from both sides. Just then, the previously bustling arena, with not a single empty seat in the spectator stands, now became eerily empty. At the same time, many corpses started appearing around Renji in the arena. Judging by their attire, they were all diators of the arena, and from the manner of their deaths, those fatal sh marks, only one person, no, two people could have made them. Renji''s gaze shifted to the end of the arena. It was also where all the corpses, before dying, seemed desperately trying to get close to. There was a throne made of blood and bones. And on this throne sat a female, a young Dragonkin woman. (image in chapter 01) Clearly, she was not Noya. But the adult Nova Renji was familiar with. No. Compared to the Nova in reality, her eyes were colder and more ruthless, devoid of any emotional fluctuation. Though her dragon eyes were purple, looking into them felt like peering into a bottomless dark abyss. This is one of the five Tainted Miasma Master of Dream Zero, the Evil Dragon. It seems Renji''s choice was wrong, leading to a failed trial. The dream story could not continue and was forced to end, directly causing the Evil Dragon herself to appear. The Evil Dragon on the throne, after turning her hollow gaze towards Renji and the others, spoke. "diators, are you here to seek revenge on me?" "To avenge your Noya against me?" The Evil Dragon''s words took Renji aback. The Evil Dragon corresponds to Nova, and Noya is the name of Nova''s mother, but now the Evil Dragon is talking about them seeking revenge on her, avenging Noya? Before Renji could react further, the Evil Dragon had already descended from the throne of the arena, a ming long sword appearing in her right hand, instantly confronting the leading Suthia. The ease with which the nun had previously dominated the witch seemed ineffective here. Even if the Evil Dragon was just a false illusion of Nova, Suthia couldn''t withstand her attacks. The young nun was forced to retreat by the Evil Dragon. Although not defeated, it was clear that the Evil Dragon''s strength was above Suthia''s. No wonder, Nova was originally the strongest among "them" In terms of one-on-onebat, the Vanguard ss is far superior to the other four. Although Suthia felt very frustrated, unable to defeat even a false illusion of Nova, she followed Renji''s advice. They no longer hoped to kill the Evil Dragon but quickly retreated, leaving the Evil Dragon''s area. The nun might not be able to defeat the Evil Dragon, but protecting Renji and the others while fleeing was manageable. They didn''t need to run far, just leaving the area of the arena was enough for the Evil Dragon to stop chasing, returning to her throne, as if quietly waiting for the next personing to seek revenge on her. Returning to the entrance of the Gse base, the entire dream seemed to reset, starting over from the beginning. Standing at the entrance, Renji frowned in thought, sorting through the information obtained from the Evil Dragon, while Suthia beside him also came to her senses, very confused. "Milord, I''m a bit confused, why did that illusion of Nova say we were seeking revenge for Noya against her?" "Shouldn''t Noya be Nova''s... mother?" Chapter 285 285: The Answer from the Past part 1

Chapter 285 Chapter 285: The Answer from the Past part 1

?Another chapter will be posted shortly after this, I have an exam in 3 days, so I wanted to post the bonuses in advance. -------- Suthia''s question was one Renji couldn''t answer. The only way to find all the answers was to continue exploring Nova''s past story. Renji soon re-entered the Gse base arena, returning to the decision point that had emerged during thest "Evil Dragon Dream." In this final match against Nova''s mother, Renji intentionally lost to Noya, allowing Noya to be the champion diator of this edition of the arena. Indeed, the dream didn''t copse as it had initially, and the story continued, proving this was the correct choice and a factual past event. Whether it was the attention that came with being the champion, her extraordinary strength and unparalleled swordsmanship, or being the first female diator to win the championship, Noya umted a massive fanbase. The atmosphere at the venue peaked, and Renji felt that, in modern terms, Nova''s mother definitely had a huge follower. The arena officials were naturally overjoyed as if hit by a golden egg, knowing the arena''s attendance would soar to new heights because of Noya''s presence. Just the daily ticket sales could potentially double. The officials also intentionally promoted Noya, pushing her poprity to a new level, holding a grand championship ceremony for her and offering a prize money several times higher than usual to motivate Noya and, in a way, to woo her. Although most diators are ves of the arena, as long as one has strong abilities, can make a name for themselves, and win the audience''s love, like Noya with her massive poprity, the arena officials are not fools. Businesspeople prefer peace, and there was even an intention to please Nova''s mother. Seeing this, Renji could almost confirm that as long as Noya was willing to cooperate, she would basically have no worries for life, as long as the Gse base existed. She and little Nova could live very well, veryfortably. However, clearly, Noya chose another path, also what she had told Renji before, something she felt she must do. Noya''s goal in winning the championship wasn''t for fame or prestige, nor the high prize money. Her real aim was to utilize a privilege that came with being the champion. She could make a "within eptable range" request to the organizers. Usually, this champion reward seems very appealing but is practically just for show, as the range is determined by the organizers themselves. Many champions basically default to requesting double the prize money, which has be an unwritten rule. But this time, Noya, upon taking the stage and under the watchful eyes of all the spectators and many diators below, broke this unwritten rule of making a wish. She made a strange request to the organizers. "I wish to have a privilege that allows me to challenge any diator in the arena at any time, and those challenged by me cannot refuse." The Dragonkin woman on the stage said this with a calm gaze. Noya''s request surprised everyone, including the organizers, who were a bit puzzled. Why would Noya waste such a precious opportunity on this? From the organizer''s perspective, they first thought that if Noya was willing to fight more matches, it would be great for the arena. They were secretly delighted and wouldn''t dream of refusing. Noya''s request was quickly epted. The organizers of the arena, who are also the behind-the-scenes higher-ups of the Gse base, personally appeared in front of all the spectators to grant Noya this privilege, even seemingly afraid that Noya might change her mind. After all, every additional match Noya fought was making them money. They wished Noya would challenge other diators every day. They didn''t understand why this seemingly friendly Dragonkin widow, who never fought to kill in past arena battles and even brought her daughter along, had suddenly be so belligerent. The dream changed again to the day after Noya won the championship. That night, something happened among the diators. Noya, in her own name, issued a proposal to all diators. Noya proposed that, from now on, diators should no longer use lethal force against their opponents. When an opponent has already surrendered or lost the ability to fight, diators should no longer harm them just for the sake of causing injury. Initially, not many diators paid attention to Noya''s proposal, even finding it absurd andughable, scoffing at it, even though Noya was the strongest in the arena and the champion of this edition. After all, how many years of bloodshed had continued in the arena, and now Noya was delusively trying to change this environment? It was just a female diator''s wishful thinking, typical of women to indulge in unrealistic fantasies. Even the behind-the-scenes organizers of the arena didn''t take it seriously, thinking Noya was using this as a way to package herself. Until At the end of that day''s arena matches, after the audience had enjoyed several thrilling fights and were about to leave, Noya appeared, and her target was very clear. Those diators who had not adhered to her "advocacy" today became the targets of Noya''s challenges. This move shocked everyone. No one expected that the privilege Noya had requested would be used in this way. These diators were quickly gathered and forced to enter the arena again. Yes, Noya found challenging them one by one too troublesome, so she had them all enter together. This battle royale, with the former female diator champion as the protagonist, instantly excited the spectators, prompting them to buy tickets and stay, with many starting to bet wildly. The arena organizers realized Noya''s intention, but faced with such poprity and increased revenue, plus having granted Noya such a privilege, they did not stop her. The match ended in less than ten minutes, with only Noya left standing in the arena. All the other diators were killed by her, one by one. The scene was extremely bloody, with the corpses of seven or eight diators strewn around Noya, showing everyone for the first time the Dragonkin''s murderous side. Chapter 286 286: The Answer from the Past part 2

Chapter 286 Chapter 286: The Answer from the Past part 2

?The spectators enjoyed this match thoroughly, especially seeing Noya kill for the first time. For the arena''s enthusiastic audience, it was a feast for the eyes, wishing for more such matches to watch Noya kill more diators. Most spectators were cheering for Noya, but a few furrowed their brows, sensing something was off. The dream changed again. When Renji went to the locker room as a diator, he found many diators had psychologically changed. "Did you seest night''s match? What is Noya trying to do?" "She tells us not to kill, yet she ughters seven or eight diators herself? Ridiculous!" "No, didn''t you notice? She killed those who didn''t follow her advocacy. They were challenged by Noya because they had killed others in the arena first." "Wait, what do you mean? So, if we kill someone in the arena, Noya will..." "What should we do today?" "I don''t know." The diators began whispering among themselves, discussing quietly. After today''s matches ended, Renji watched the entire process. There were seventeen matches in total, and surprisingly, seven of them had no casualties. In the original arena, a match without casualties among diators was extremely rare, yet today there were seven! This was undoubtedly the effect of Noya''s intimidation from yesterday. Some diators began to fear, so even if they won, they did not kill their opponents. Such matches without killing and bloodshed naturally caused great dissatisfaction and questioning among the spectators, who also found it strange andined that they had wasted their money on tickets today, questioning the "quality" of the matches. Some spectators even fantasized that Noya would "serve an extra meal" today, providing another one-against-many killing feast to make up for their disappointment today. The spectators were just thinking about it, knowing that as a champion star diator, treated like a treasure by the arena, appearing once a week was already good. But who would have expected After today''s matches ended, Noya appeared on time again, and this time, to the surprise of the audience, she once againunched a crazy challenge, sending all of today''s ten match contestants into the arena. As expected, the result was no surprise. Noya cleanly and quickly resolved the battle in ten minutes, decisively executing all ten diators without a hint of mercy with her overwhelming strength. Afterward, the dream started to fast-forward. Noya''s challenges never stopped, a day, two days, a week, a month¡­ During this period, any diator who did not adhere to Noya''s advocacy and engaged in killing in the arena would, at the end of that day''s matches, face a challenge from Noya, a death challenge. More and more diators, whether in agreement with Noya''s advocacy or out of fear of her, began to truly adhere to the agreement. They no longer dealt lethal blows once their opponent surrendered, immediately stopping their attack and never deliberately prolonging their opponent''s suffering. It even developed to a point where a diator, in the heat of an intense exchange, continued to stab his opponent with a sword after the opponent had surrendered, getting carried away. Realizing what he had done, he was filled with immense fear. Despite being the victor, he kept apologizing to his opponent, loudly protesting, trying hard to prove it was not intentional and that he did not disregard Noya''s advocacy. This dramatic scene left the spectators speechless, made asting impression on the diators, and made the arena''s behind-the-scenes organizers realize that some things were really starting to slip out of their control. From then on, the number of deaths and injuries among the diators in the arena began to drastically decrease. What started as watching two desperate individuals fight to the death, gambling their lives in a kill-or-be-killed struggle, turned into a true contest of skill, stopping at the point of contact without excessive bloodshed. Only then did the arena''s spectatorse to their senses, starting to resist and voice their discontent, causing a significant drop in betting amounts for each match. But it was futile; the diators had already begun to subtly consider Noya as their leader, forming a united force. After all, for the vast majority of diators, even though they earned less money, their safety greatly increased, and some diators felt it had be a "real job." They were no longer beasts in a cage for others to watch but genuinely earned their rewards through skill. The arena organizers were panicked. Although they had made a fortune from Noya''s poprity, the subsequent adoption of Noya''s advocacy changed the arena''s environment. As it no longer catered to the audience''s taste, ticket sales decreased, and the arena''s revenue plummeted. The organizers tried various methods to salvage the situation, enticing diators to engage in mutual ughter for financial gain, but the effort proved futile. After all, wealth is useless without life to spend it. They also attempted to find a diator stronger and more formidable than Noya, hoping that removing Noya, the core figure, would revert the arena to its former bloody state and bring the audience back. However, years passed, and despite sourcing countless so- called champions through various channels to defeat Noya, all were invariably killed by her in the end. Not only did the organizers fail to eliminate Noya, but the diators also witnessed Noya''s terrifying strength, further solidifying their resolve to follow Noya''s rules. This even led to more diators regarding Noya as a spiritual leader and rallying around her. Together with Noya, they refined and amended the original arena rules, making them more standardized. In the process of establishing these rules, theypletely bypassed the arena''s organizers, effectively forming an independent league among the diators and sidelining the organizers. Just before these new rules were introduced, the dream''s flow of time halted, and Renji found himself at Nova''s home. In a small courtyard under the night''s moonlight, a young Nova was diligently practicing her swordsmanship under her mother Noya''s supervision. Renji stood at the entrance without interrupting, quietly watching. After Nova, gasping for breath, finally reached her limit andy on the ground unable to get up, Noya shook her head in resignation and then, sensing something, turned her gaze towards the door. Chapter 287 287: Can I Ask You to Take Care of Her?

Chapter 287 Chapter 287: Can I Ask You to Take Care of Her?

? "Sorry, Mr. Renji, did you have to wait long?" Just after practicing with her mother and being exhausted, Nova, upon hearing her mother actually call out Renji''s name, sprang up from the ground with a jolt. Then, the little girl, as if fully revived, immediately set her sparkling eyes straight on Renji, and then, like the girl next door, cheerfully sprinted over. "Brother Renji! Ugh, practicing is so tiring. Nova doesn''t want to learn from mom anymore, she''s too strict. Brother Renji, can you teach me instead pretty please~?" Despite Renji''s role in the story being defeated by Noya, he was still a runner-up and among the very few young and powerful in the diators. Plus, with his outstanding appearance, he was indeed very attractive to a little girl of Nova''s age. Looking at the lively and adorable Nova, Renji rubbed the dragon girl''s head¡ªno, now a dragondy''s, and then said, "I can''t teach you. It has to be Mrs. Noya herself; your mom is much more stronger than me." "Hmph, Brother Renji, you''re just making excuses! If you don''t want to teach me, then just say so, hmph!" "Alright Nova, you''re about to be an adult. Stop clinging to your Mr. Renji like a child. You still have a hundred more shes to go out of a thousand today. Rest up and then get back to practice, no cking off! Mr. Renji and I still have some things to discuss." "Hmph, just a child, just a child, that is all what you say!" Nova pouted. Though she was dissatisfied with her mother''s urging, she obediently left to continue practicing her sword swings. Then, Noya showed a remorseful expression to Renji before invited him into the house, and it turned out that Noya wanted Renji''s help to review the new arena rules that were about to be announced, to see if there were any aspects that needed improvement. Even though Renji knew this was all a fantasy, he still discussed it seriously with Noya. After talking for almost half an hour, they finally concluded. Under themplight, Noya, looking at the young face opposite her, couldn''t help but sigh: "Having Mr. Renji''s help is really great. Ah, if my daughter could be half as good as you, I would be relieved." "Also, Mr. Renji, you don''t need to keep addressing me as Mrs. I''m not some big shot. You''re too polite." To this, Renji shook his head for the first time, denying Noya, after all, Noya is Nova''s mother, and even if it was just an illusion, Renji felt that the respect due to her should still be given. Moreover, even without this identity, just looking at what Noya was doing, Renji felt that he should likewise respect this dragonkin woman. "Mr. Renji, actually, I can feel that you''re not one of us, or rather, you seem out of ce in this world of miasma, like an observer. So, I really want to hear, do you think what I''m doing is right? If you were the one who won that day, what would you do?" "I probably wouldn''t have your courage and determination, I would just settle for the status quo, trying my best to use the effects of the championship to seek a stable life for myself in the second half of my life?" After thinking for a while, Renji honestly replied. Then, Noya on the opposite side didn''t mind but understood and nodded. looking up at the blood-red night sky shrouded by the miasma and the bloody moon, she sighed deeply. "Mr. Renji, did you know, if, during the apocalypse that year, my tribe could have had even five more Eclipse warriors, perhaps we could have been saved. But unfortunately, we didn''t have them. At that moment, I deeply felt the power of the miasma and our weakness." "However, when I came to the human cities, to Gse, and to the arena, I realized that we are not weak. Inside the arena, there are many Eclipse warriors, many of whom are very strong, excellent fighters. This power is enough to destroy many leaders of the Miasma Masters, freeing those contaminated areas." "But as you have seen, we did not choose to do so. Not only did we not gather these forces to fight against Miasma and natural disasters, to save the world, but we also settled for the status quo, even killing each other, letting the Eclipse warriors die by our own hands, constantly depleting our strength for mere amusement." "I understand, settling for the status quo is ourmonality, when we have already epted that this world is beyond saving, what everyone seeks is just to enjoy the moment, to ensure their own safety." "But if, if therees a day when we can unite, when someone believes that this world can still be saved, and passes this belief on, getting more people involved, we no longer fight amongst ourselves, we no longer kill each other, but instead integrate all forces to help those suffering from Tainted Miasma, to unite all beings on thisnd." "Are Tainted Miasma and natural disasters really invincible?" At this point, Noya clenched her fists, her pale purple dragon eyes showing sorrow. If there really was such a day, perhaps her tribe would not have perished, could have been saved by a coalition, but unfortunately, reality proves that selfless saviors only exist in fairy tales. In reality, whether it''s gathering ces or bases, they are selfish and ruthless. They build high walls not only to resist the miasma monsters but also to hide, to escape, satisfied with the world within the walls, indifferent to the world outside. "I don''t have much ability, I can''t change the world, what I can do starts with the arena. I want to awaken the diators here, I refuse to settle, and I don''t want to see us killing each other, wasting our strength on our own people." "Mr. Renji, I hope to transform the arena into a training camp, where we can make and train excellent warriors and eventually be a force to save the world. I know this sounds naive, absurd, but I want to take this step. No, someone in this world has to take this step, we can''t stay inside the walls forever¡­" "I''m afraid I won''t see that day, but I believe, perhaps Nova can. I can feel that she is very talented, far surpassing my own. If she were a bit smarter, more sensible, perhaps I could still dream of her bing a savior, but now." Noya shook her head at Renji. "She is still too weak, I don''t know how much longer I can protect Nova. Mr. Renji, sorry for talking so much, actually, I have a huge favor to ask, after all, you are the only person Nova likes here, so, can I ask you for something?" "I''m really worried about Nova, this silly child. She''s too easy to be taken advantage of, it''s also my fault, I''ve protected her too well, letting her focus solely on how to fight" "I wonder, if one day I''m not with her anymore, what will happen to Nova, thinking it over and over, in the end, I could only think of you, Mr. Renji." At the end, on this middle-aged dragonkin demi-human, one could see a mother''s helplessness and trust. Noya looked at Renji, with a very serious tone, and said word by word said: "If I''m really not here anymore, can I ask you to take care of her?" Chapter 288 288: Sinister Plan

Chapter 288 Chapter 288: Sinister n

?"I promise you." The young man''s voice was calm yet firm, and upon receiving Renji''s reply, Nova''s mother seemed to have let go of a huge stone in her heart. She nodded at the young man, then once again turned her gaze towards the night sky enveloped by the Tainted Miasma, with the blood moon overhead. Noya seemed to be looking at something far away, her expression detached. Before Renji could say anything more, the surroundings of the dream changed. The figure of Noya opposite him quickly blurred until it disappeared, and the dpidated little house of Nova and her mother was rapidly reced by arge mansion. Bright wall paint, beautiful tiles, servants shuttling back and forth in the courtyard, wiping those exquisite pieces of furniture, making the floor tiles shine. Even, Renji saw gardeners specially tasked with caring for potted nts, carefully pruning those purely ornamental dark green potted nts in the courtyard. In the old era, the rarity of an ornamental nt could probably be higher than gold. Such nts are considered to have the lowest tolerance to the Miasma and often require a great deal of manpower and material resources to purify and refine to obtain uncontaminated soil sufficient for their growth. Often, a portion of uncontaminated soil could be exchanged for twenty-seven portions of low-contamination soil, or one hundred and sixty-eight portions of medium-contamination soil, while the minimum requirement for crops is medium-contamination soil. A portion of medium-contamination soil, if used entirely for growing food, could meet the basic survival needs of ten people. These resource conversions, Renji had memorized them by heart in the game, having calcted them countless times. He remembered thinking how foolish, how brain-damaged a yer must be to waste such precious resources on buying ornamental nts, when nting food and increasing the poption would be more beneficial. But now. Renji looked at the rows of potted nts in the courtyard, as if to create a small garden. He seemed to understand the words of Nova''s mother even more. Only those with the strength and wealth, possibly the upper echelons of the Gse base, could afford such luxury. The scene changed, and Renji began to explore the surroundings. As he walked deeper into the courtyard, he soon heard the sound of smashing objects and apanying angry curses from a certain study. "Damn it! What exactly does Noya want to do! Is she trying to revolt! And to establish new rules for the diators? Who does she think she is! The queen of the arena!!" The continued operation of the arena, undoubtedly, has intricate connections with the base''s upper echelons. Renji, looking at the middle-aged man currently yelling in the room, searched his memory, and finally recognized him among the many minor bosses he had taken down, the deputy leader of the Gse base. This deputy leader, from his appearance, was extremely angry, stemming from the arena, precisely, from Noya and the diators who regard Noya as their spiritual leader. The arena, a gold mine by day, is these base leaders'' tool for amassing wealth. Now, with Noya causing a loss of arge audience and plummeting ie, it''s no wonder they are furious. One of the trembling subordinates couldn''t help but say, "Deputy Leader, should we raise the bounty higher? I heard that a very powerful Eclipse warrior recently appeared in the neighboring base. If we can invite him over, he will surely be able to take down that damned widow!" "Raise! You want me to **ing raise for the hundredth time?! I will fu@king raise your As**¡ª! How many times have you said this, how many Eclipse warriors have we hired, did it work? They''re all f**ing useless! Can''t even injure that widow!" After being furiously reprimanded by the deputy leader, the underling didn''t dare to make another sound, like an ostrich. At this moment, another quick-witted one couldn''t help but suggest: "Boss, why don''t we just go all out? If one-on-one doesn''t work, we''ll just force it. Noya is indeed powerful, but no matter how powerful, she can''t escape the constraints of the arena''s branding, right? Use the brand to suppress her power, then bring over seven or eight gunmen, I don''t believe we can''t kill Noya then!" However, after listening, the deputy leader''s expression softened slightly, still with some hesitation. Firstly, such a method would definitely work. If they really tear off the facade and stop caring about their image, openly attacking, Noya is undoubtedly doomed. But the consequences of doing so could be very severe. If it was before, when Noya was still obscure, or right after Noya won the championship and started causing trouble but hadn''t "gained momentum" yet, it would not have been difficult to suppress her directly. However, initially, they were greedy for Noya''s poprity, so they never moved against Noya, allowing her to continue making money for them. Now, looking back, they have truly raised a tiger as a problem. Over the years, Noya has not only rapidly umted arge number of supporters among the diators but also has a significant influence among the audience, even vaguely bing a symbolic character of the arena in the hearts of the audience. If they really act unreasonably and directly kill, it''s very likely to lead to a diator riot, and the reputation of the arena would plummet among the audience. Their purpose in killing Noya is to return the arena to a more profitable, bloodier, and violent model. If, as a result they ruin the arena, it would be a Pyrrhic victory, losing more than they gain. It''s precisely because they are caught in a dilemma that the deputy leader has been wanting to eliminate Noya but felt helpless, resulting in the current situation where Noya is about to further regte the arena, reducing their organizers'' influence, and they can only rage impotently. As the atmosphere in the deputy leader''s room became dark and gloomy, Renji as an observer, turned his head towards the door, where soon footsteps were heard, followed by a kind- looking elder pushing the door and entering. The deputy leader, about to scold the intruder, immediately swallowed his words upon seeing it was the elder, greeting him with utmost respect and humility: "Leader." The elder nodded, then got straight to the point, inquiring about the arena. The deputy leader reported the situation truthfully, appearing anxious to resolve the issue quickly. The elder shook his head. "You''ve been wrong from the start. I''ve told you many times, the arena is a business, and doing business requires harmony." Hearing this, the deputy leader stuttered, tentatively asking, "You mean, I should... get along with Noya?" "Not Noya, but her daughter." "Her daughter?" The deputy leader was stunned, not quite understanding his boss. The elder smiled without answering, took the main seat, and after the deputy leader hastily ordered a subordinate to brew a cup of tea, the elder, sipping his tea, continued slowly: "Correct, what you need to do next is not only to try your best to get along with Noya''s daughter but also to provide her with resources for making her stronger, let her live in the best house, have meals prepared by a professional nutritionist, dress her in beautiful clothes, adorn her with the most luxurious jewelry, and have everyone in the arena take care of her, offering her the best service." Chapter 289 289: Noya’s Determination

Chapter 289 Chapter 289: Noya''s Determination

?''What the heck!?'' The deputy leader waspletely befuddled, even to the point of being speechless. He couldn''t understand the elder at all. After hearing the elder''s n, it was simply unbelievable. Noya was their arena''s number one enemy, the most troublesome woman. Yet now, they were not only not targeting Noya but were instead nning to promote her daughter, giving her daughter the best treatment? "Leader, this...this..." Before the deputy leader could finish his stuttering objection, the elderughed again, then continued after taking a sip of tea, "We don''t need much time, a year should be about right, then we can start apetition." "Apetition?" "The new generation''s young champion versus the previous champions topete for supremacy. Wouldn''t such apetition be interesting? I think the audience would flock to it, right? Even if the new champion kills the old champion during thepetition, the audience would ept and approve, even more excited, right?" "And those diators who support the old champion, seeing the old champion dead, the first one they''d want to retaliate against wouldn''t be us, but the new champion who acts as our pawn, right?" "So, the current problem is, the old champion is very strong. Where can we find a new champion who can make the old champion willingly admit defeat, or even be killed?" The elder''s slow revtion changed the deputy leader''s expression from initial confusion to now a sudden realization, followed by uncontroble excitement. Without needing further hints from the elder, the deputy leader, trembling all over, said somewhat to himself excitedly, "Right! How did I not think of that! Having the mother and daughter as opponents in the arena, with Noya''s character, how could she possibly really hurt her daughter!" "At the critical moment of their confrontation, I''ll find a sniper in the audience to shoot Noya, making her daughter unable to hold back, identally killing Noya!" "This way, the audience gets their fill of excitement. Just the gimmick of a mother-daughter duel will bring a huge wave of publicity to the arena, attracting arge audience. And afterwards, the diators will only hold hatred towards Noya''s daughter, it has nothing to do with us. Perfect, just perfect, all thanks to you leader!" Amid the deputy leader''s endless admiration, the kind-looking elder, however, chuckled and shook his head again. "There''s one thing you''re wrong about." "The idea of a sniper causing Noya''s daughter to identally kill someone is good, but you''ve slightly underestimated Noya''s strength." "What do you mean, Elder Miro?" "We can use a sniper, but the target isn''t Noya, it''s... her daughter." After leaving these meaningful words, the elder left. Before leaving, he also noticed the potted nts in the deputy leader''s yard and seemed tomunicate with the gardener in a very approachable manner, sharing insights and perceptions about nting and cultivating flowers and nts. Then, he left leisurely, surrounded by many escorts. "My Lord" Watching the elder''s back, Suthia clenched her teeth, her sea-blue eyes seemed to be shooting mes at this moment and slowly turning red. While the elder was advising the deputy leader, scheming against Noya and her daughter, Suthia wanted tosh out in anger several times but was ultimately stopped by Renji. Indeed, Renji was also very angry, extremely angry, but this was a dream, a story that had already happened. Their current position should be that of historical bystanders. If they were to break the dream impulsively here, forcing the story to abruptly end, it would only bring back "evil dragon" again, just likest time. Only bypleting this story could Renji find the real breakthrough in the "evil dragon dream" It would also allow him to understand Nova better. Moreover, Renji had a premonition. Noya was not a foolish mother. On the contrary, the seemingly kind and amiable mother of Nova was actually very meticulous and sensitive, theplete opposite of Nova in terms of strategy and intelligence, a smart woman. The fact that Noya wanted to meet him in the middle of the night to "entrust" Nova to him showed that perhaps Noya had already sensed that her time was running out. Or perhaps She had already prepared to sacrifice herself for "something else." The dream around Renji started to change rapidly again. They could feel that they wereing to the end of the "evil dragon dream." What followed was a year in Gse, passing by like a montage, with scenes and silhouettes flickering in front of Renji. It could be seen that the deputy leader, following the elder''s instructions, began to vigorously support Noya''s daughter, frequently sending various official personnel to contact the young Nova, ensuring that wherever Nova went, the arena''s people would follow, always surrounding her with attendants. At the same time, Nova was invited into arge house, with endless bathing water, an independent air purification system, never having to worry about food again. Whatever Nova wanted to eat, the arena''s people could quickly serve hot and fragrant food. Throughout the process, Nova''s mother did not oppose or prevent any of this. Even though some diators, seeing Nova getting closer to the arena''s people, felt dissatisfied and worried, and started suggesting to Noya to restrain Nova, they were all smoothly brushed off by Noya with a smile. On the contrary, Noya strongly encouraged Nova not to be shy or embarrassed, to boldly ask the arena''s people for various resources needed for training, such as Miasma weapons, recovery items, branding secret techniques, and so on. Because they weremitted to supporting Nova, the arena''s people gritted their teeth and met all of Nova''s demands, providing her with various resources. Each time, they made a big show of it, intentionally letting all the diators see that Nova was frequently epting their gifts. With Noya''s guidance and practically the resources of the entire Gse base, Nova''stent talent was greatly stimted. The young dragondy finally began to show her prowess, her strength increasing rapidly like a rocket. It is worth mentioning that during this period, Nova''s appetite also became enormous, needing to eat more than a dozen meals a day. This is a habit of dragonkind during their growth phase, causing the arena''s people, especially the deputy leader, to curse in frustration. He almost gave up, nearly bankrupted by Nova''s appetite, but gritted his teeth and continued to supply. It was only after Nova sessfully broke through and her gluttonous phase ended that the deputy leader could finally breathe a sigh of relief. At the same time, he harbored even more hatred for the mother and daughter, secretly waiting for the day they would turn on each other. What pleased the deputy leader and kept him persevering was that they finally saw the effects of their scheme. Among the diators, there were many rumors that Nova had been bought over and had be their pawn. Part of these rumors were deliberately spread by them, but arge part also came from the diators'' jealousy and envy of Nova, all of which turned into negative emotions, secretly umting. They also tried to smear Noya''s image in conjunction with this, but unfortunately, Noya''s image in the hearts of the diators was much loftier than Nova''s. After all, she was the one who single-handedly changed the environment of the arena and was the only spiritual leader of the diators. At most, the diators felt that Noya had raised an ungrateful daughter but felt even more sorry for Noya. To them, Noya allowing Nova to ept official gifts was just a mother''s helpless indulgence towards her daughter. The diators'' unwavering loyalty to Noya left the deputy leader helpless and even more determined to get rid of Noya. On the other hand, good news for the deputy leader was that Nova''s strength was increasing too fast. Their original n was to cultivate Nova for a year, hoping she would reach half her mother''s level. Unexpectedly, in less than half a year, Nova was already nearly on par with Noya. Although she was still slightly inferior due to her youth andck of experience, it was enough. The day for the fruits of theirbor to show was finally approaching. The deputy leader and his subordinates decided to advance their n, spreading the news of the mother- daughter duel throughout the entire Gse base by tomorrow night. And on that same night. "How about it, Mom, am I amazing?" In a specialized training field, after a few minutes of intense battle with Noya, Nova, still gasping for breath but with a face full of pride, was ultimately defeated. In her eyes, being able to fight her mother for so long was the best proof of her strength. Noya, on the other hand, rubbed the still young Nova''s head. "Nova, your talent seems even stronger than I imagined. I have nothing more to teach you. Congrattions, Nova, you are ready to graduate." "Eh, no way, Mom, I don''t want to graduate yet. I still can''t beat Mom! I want Mom to be my teacher for life!" Even as a young girl, Nova still acted like a little child, throwing herself into Noya''s embrace and acting coquettishly. Noya helplessly stroked Nova, looking tenderly at her daughter in her arms, and softly said, "It''s okay, Nova will soon be able to defeat Mom." "Really?" "Yes, I''m certain. After this hurdle, you will be very, very powerful, reaching heights that I as your mother, could only look up to and never reach in my lifetime. With this power, you will have no problems surviving in this world." "But if, if therees a day when someone can defeat even you, I hope my little angel can follow him." "Because I believe if such a person truly exists, he must have abandoned all emotions. Only such a person, perhaps, could be the hope of the world." Noya muttered to herself in a voice only she could hear, looking up at the blood-red sky filled with Miasma. Chapter 290 290: Dirge of the Sinners (Part 1)

Chapter 290 Chapter 290: Dirge of the Sinners (Part 1)

?"Gse''s survivors, first of all, congrattions to us for living another day in this damned world!!" "Next, please allow me to introduce the next match, which can be called the most top-tier pinnacle duel since the establishment of the arena, surpassing any before!" "Our contestants today, one of whom is already well-known to all, emerged a few years ago with an absolute crushing momentum, sweeping all diators and continuing to dominate the arena to this day, hailing from the dragonkin subspecies, Ladyyyyy Noya!" Even though the host was gripping the microphone, shouting at the top of his lungs, the roaring crowd still drowned out his voice. Not only was the audience in the stands screaming excitedly, but many diators below were also waving their arms, cheering for the dragonkin mother who was slowly making her entrance. Noya''s grace was undiminished from before, whether it was the aura of a warrior or the unique charm only a mature woman could exude. After years of umtion, far from showing signs of aging, she seemed like fine wine, bing more intoxicating over time. On the other side, at the arena''s opposite entrance, another dragonkin female made her entrance. The young girl''s beautiful face bore some resemnce to Noya but was undoubtedly younger, brimming with the vigor of youth. At first nce, she seemed somewhat careless and naive, but no one would underestimate the girl. Not just because she is Noya''s daughter. In the past six months, Nova''s strength had surged remarkably, just like her mother''s had in the past, sweeping across the arena upon her debut, with very few diators able to withstand more than three moves from her. Her exquisite swordsmanship, even aside from her mother''s, was secondary. Even unarmed, Nova''s seemingly delicate figure hid unimaginable monstrous strength, having once lifted a boulder weighing several tons, making many diators sigh in admiration. Because of this, today''s match was also secretly anticipated by many diators. They, too, were looking forward to it, after all, Nova and Noya, this mother-daughter duo, were far beyond their level. They wanted to see what kind of spectacr fight the strongest among them would produce. For such a match, no one was interested in the host''s prattle anymore; they just wanted it to start immediately. Soon, with the arena closed, only the mother and daughter were left standing opposite each other. Nova, looking at the familiar figure of her mother across from her, initially subconsciously treated this fight as just another training session, perhaps with a bit more of a performance aspect, so she deliberately held back, not using her full strength. But quickly, as her mother summoned a ming longsword from her chest, the hot glow reflecting off Noya''s icy face, Nova had seen this expression on her mother before - it was the look she had when facing real enemies. Caught off guard, Nova couldn''t even block her mother''s strike, barely managing to dodge. The de almost grazed her arm, leaving a cut as Nova staggered back several meters, stabilizing herself. The left sleeve of her outfit was now marked with a cut, from which blood steadily seeped. Her mother was serious. This was no performance. After realizing this, instead of feeling nervous or afraid, Nova became even more excited. The minor injury on her arm meant nothing to her. Soon, amidst the audience''s gasps, Nova also summoned a zing longsword from her chest, using Noya''s signature move, the same technique that made her famous, but this time it was directed against her. Swiftly, Nova attacked Noya like an arrow released from its bow, and the movements of mother and daughter became a blur of high-speed motion. At first, the audience tried to follow their movements, but they soon gave up; it was too fast. All they could see in the arena were the fleeting afterimages and the sh and burst of fiery sparks. The audience had never seen such a spectacle before, and the atmosphere reached its peak. The diators held their breath, fully focused, trying hard to learn something from this intense battle. Meanwhile, on the tform, the deputy leader smiled contentedly at the fierce battle between mother and daughter below. Then, at the right moment, he signaled to a sniper beside him. A ck sniper rifle was taken from behind, and the sniper, also an Eclipse, activated his ability. His eyes began to glow red, focusing intently on the arena below. Under the sniper''s Eclipse ability, the high-speed movement trajectories of Nova and her mother could finally be captured in full by him. He quickly aimed, pointing the rifle at Nova, waiting for the right moment. As expected, the evenly matched mother and daughter finally broke away from their intense fight, swapping ces, now about ten meters apart. Nova read the message in Noya''s eyes; continuing to fight like this would hardly determine the victor. So, they decided to settle the oue with the next move, concentrating all their spiritual power at one point to execute the pinnacle of swordsmanship. With a state of "no-mind," Nova would unleash a truly wless strike¡ª[ Crimson sh]. After taking a deep breath, Nova emptied her mind of everything. The noise from the audience, the diators'' cheers, and all other sounds seemed to disappear at that moment. In Nova''s world, only Noya remained. The de turnedpletely crimson. At that moment, Nova seemed to be one with her sword, embodying everything her mother taught her, the technique she had practiced day and night, swinging thousands of times a day, all for this one strike. In previous training, Nova had never sessfully executed this final move taught by her mother. But this time, as if catalyzed by the arena''s intense atmosphere, or perhaps because it was the first time her mother treated her as an enemy inbat, when Nova finally swung thatst strike at Noya, her expression was one of surprise and pride. It was as if she was saying to Noya, "See, Mother? I did it. I seeded." However, in the next moment. A primal sense of danger caught Nova off guard. An icy chill came from behind her, signaling a lethal attack aimed directly at her heart from her back. Just swinging that de had taken all of Nova''s effort, leaving her no chance to turn around. In that fraction of a second, she could only watch as death approached her closer and closer. Until Noya''s strike also came, but it was not aimed at Nova. From the beginning, it was never meant for her, but rather for the dark gun shot from the audience, targeting Nova''s heart. Noya easily blocked the shot with her de, the mes consuming it entirely. Before Nova could feel relieved, she realized a more severe problem. Her expression turned to panic and fear. Because Noya''s de was used elsewhere, what would she use to block Nova''s strike? Nova wanted to retract her de, even a slight deviation would have been good, but it was already toote. From the moment "Crimson sh " was executed, there was no possibility of taking it back. Otherwise, it wouldn''t be called the ultimate technique, "The wless Strike." It seemed like a lot had happened, but in reality, all of this might have taken less than a second. Nova was once again enveloped in despair, watching death descend, not on herself, but on her mother. Finally, in the view of all the spectators outside the arena, both mother and daughter unleashed their strongest strikes, swapping positions once again. Then, a huge outcry erupted from all around the arena. One of the figures, mother or daughter, quickly fell to the ground, powerless, and that person was Noya. After being stunned for a few seconds, Nova ran over and crying madly. Holding her mother on the ground, as the one who swung the de, Nova was fully aware of the strike''s power, even if it was against her mother. In the girl''s agonizing cries, Noya''s life force rapidly faded. But in the end, Noya''s face bore no expression of pain, nor did she express hatred towards the mastermind behind the plot. Instead, there was a sense of relief, as if she wasforted that her daughter could execute such a splendid strike, a hint of reluctance, and finally, an apology. Chapter 291 291: Elegy for the Sinners (Part 2)

Chapter 291 Chapter 291: Elegy for the Sinners (Part 2)

? "Hey, have you heard? That insufferable Dragonkin widow is dead!" "What? Noya died!? How is that possible? I''ve seen several of Noya''s matches; no one could even scratch that mother Tyrannosaurus, let alone kill her!" "Haven''t you been at the base recently? Did you miss the mother-daughter duel that was all the rage a few days ago? It was Noya''s daughter who personally killed her mother!" "My God! Is that true? I heard Noya was especially good to her daughter, how could..." "Hey, you''re out of the loop. I have some connections in the arena, and ording to insiders, Noya''s daughter had secretly sided with the arena''s organizers a long time ago, all to vie for the top spot, so you know..." "What a pity. I saw iting. In the past six months, Noya''s daughter received so many benefits from the base, just a white-eyed wolf who bites the hand that feeds. I''m not surprised at all." "Tsk, tsk, tsk, the arena is probably going to be in big turmoil now." "Isn''t it? Just go and see for yourself. The diators who followed Noya are all red-eyed with urgency, looking like they want to avenge Noya by finding that daughter!" "That''s more like it, that''s the spirit of the arena. What was that about stopping at just enough before? Thinking it''s ying house? I bet there''s still a lot of drama to unfold! Now I really have to buy a ticket!" The streets and alleys of the Gse base were all buzzing about yesterday''s arena match. And the follow-up on that day was that the organizers took control of the scene immediately, capturing the person who fired the shot from the dark. Unfortunately, the person, out of fear,mitted suicide by swallowing a bullet. It was only discovered that this person had been harboring a grudge for a long time, a diator previously defeated by Noya, harboring resentment, which led to today''s tragedy. Afterwards, the organizers first mourned Noya''s passing, then quickly held a grand championship award ceremony for Nova, giving all the flowers and apuse to the girl on stage, who looked like a walking corpse with hollow eyes. The host loudly praised Nova''s unparalleled talent,mending Nova''s refined swordsmanship, no less refined than Noya''s skills, almost as if all the honors and awards previously bestowed on Noya were now deliberately being given to Nova instead. This cunning move quickly took effect, making the diatormunity firmly believe that all this was a backstage collusion between Nova and the organizers, aimed at trapping and eliminating Noya. It was Nova, the daughter, who was jealous of her mother''s status and coveted her mother''s position, thusmitting such a vicious act, thereby coborating with the organizers to despicably murder her own mother. Some diators still held onto a sliver of hope, desperately rushing to Nova''s side, wanting Nova to give them the truth, to tell them things were not as they seemed. But Nova didn''t respond, just standing there like a puppet. Until one of the veteran diators, who had followed Noya for the longest time, saw Nova''s silent demeanor, and in a fit of rage, drew his sword and shed at Nova. At that moment, Nova finally reacted, an instinctive response. The girl subconsciously raised her hand to counterattack, not controlling her strength in that situation. What was a normal strike for her sent the veteran diator flying, crashing to the ground with severe injuries and coughing up blood. Hurting the veteran diator finally snapped Nova out of her stupor, bringing a flicker of life back to her hollow eyes. She was at a loss, frantically wanting to go and administer aid, but all she received was the veteran diator''s spit and disdainful look. When she looked around at the other diators, their eyes were the same, filled with more than just vengeance. To avenge Noya? She should have been the first to act. But whom should she seek vengeance from? The gunman was already dead. Was there a connection between the gunman and the backstage organizers? Nova didn''t know, didn''t know what to do. She couldn''t find evidence, and even if she did, what then? She had never considered suchplex questions. In her life, apart from being with her mother, it was all about training and more training. Moreover, the real person who killed her mother... was herself. She was the greatest sinner. Thoughts of suicide filled Nova''s mind. Without her mother, what was the point of her living alone? But soon, the expression of her mother just before death kept surfacing in Nova''s mind, a kind of entrustment, an entrustment of hope. A voice in her mind kept telling her to live on no matter what. Yes She couldn''t die yet. At least not until she had atoned. Nova ended her daze; she hoped to at least preserve everything her mother had once had, the hard-earned arena rules, the determination to change the arena. However, when the girl also tried to emte her mother, what she got was challenge after challenge from the diators. These die-hard diators, who once saw Noya as their spiritual leader, knew they were no match for Nova, yet still insisted on a life-or-death challenge with Nova. Even if Nova held back, not wanting to hurt them, their mad attacks, disregarding their own lives to seek vengeance, didn''t require Nova to act; they themselves copsed from exhaustion, bleeding out till thest drop. No matter how cautious Nova was, a fight is fight. When the first diator was identally killed by Nova, things became uncontroble. Under the deliberate maniption of the organizers behind the scenes, once something happens for the first time, there will be a second, and a third. Many were diators hired by the organizers with the intention of being sent to their deaths, but by then, Nova was incapable of thinking anything at all. As a result, more and more diators died at Nova''s hands. And Nova gradually began to numb, Especially towards the act of killing. In the past, she still tried to talk to every diator who challenged her, even though most of what she got was vicious cursing. But gradually afterwards, Nova began to speak less and less, until finally, she waspletely silent. She was like a machine, epting challenges, ending them, and then waiting for the next challenger. Without any unnecessary movements. Throughout the process, although Nova''s heart became more and more closed off, her strength and skills were growing at an unbelievable speed, rapidly increasing. Self-abandonment, the loss of superficial emotions, made her sword faster, more precise, and more lethal with every strike. Deep inside, every act of killing umted a sin and hatred in Nova, not hatred towards others, but hatred towards herself. The power of Miasmaes from negative emotions, and the current girl is undoubtedly an abyss of negative emotions, which prompted the Miasma within her to expand even more. Finally, after killing another challenger who came to "seek vengeance" ¡ª she no longer knew which number he was ¡ª the will of Miasma descended, choosing the girl in the arena to be one of the "Miasma Master" destined to destroy the world. In that moment, centered around the Gse base, a vast area erupted in a Miasma disaster, destroying all living beings, or turning them into Miasma monsters. All survivors within the base, including the high-ranking ones, couldn''t escape and were all turned into tainted corpses. This is the end of the story about the "Evil Dragon" in Dream Zero,ing to aplete end. Having saw through all of the records, now Reji arrived at the story''s end that was once glimpsed. In the dead city base filled with tainted corpses, only Nova, sitting on the skeletal throne of the arena as the Evil Dragon Nova, asked them that question again. "diators, have youe for vengeance too?" But this time, Renji shook his head. He already knew where the key to the Evil Dragon''s dream was, how to get it, like the witch''s brand that could pull the real Nova into the dream, the Evil Dragon''s brand. He was going to talk to Nova''s mother once more. Not the Noya from the story. But in a sense, the real Noya. Chapter 292 292: I Want to Fight You

Chapter 292 Chapter 292: I Want to Fight You

?Before obtaining the "Holy Sword", it is impossible to defeat the "Demon King". Therefore, Renji didn''t engage in prolongedbat with the Evil Dragon but directly fled. After leaving the "Evil Dragon''s" range, the Gse base, which acted like a "scene instance," reset as expected, and the entire dream story returned to the beginning. Renji had alreadypleted the instance process once. The next step was how to strategize and prevent this "tragedy" from happening. The simplest method is naturally to start from the root. Renji, along with Suthia and two maids, cleaned out the upper echelons of the Gse base. With the arena''s behind-the-scenes organizers gone, it naturally couldn''t continue, and the trajectory of Nova and her mother should also change. Indeed, that was the case. After Renji eliminated the upper echelons of Gse, the base underwent massive turmoil. The arena could not operate at all and quickly became deserted. The original diator, Noya, relying on personal strength and the support of many diators, sessfully became the new leader of the Gse base. But the story didn''t end there. Soon after, the base suffered a wave of Miasma monster tide. Due to the previous turmoil and chaos, the base''s defense forces were greatly reduced, and the various guard departments were very disorganized. During the monster siege, they even restrained each other, unwilling to exert effort. In the end, the battle against the Miasma monster tide was sessfully defended by the Gse base, but at a very tragic cost. The base''s walls were heavily damaged, arge number of Miasma monsters were let in, countless civilians within the base died under the monsters'' ws, and the defense forces suffered heavy losses, including Noya, the new base leader, who sacrificed herself in the defense battle to protect her daughter. Noya died again, for Nova, to be precise, died in front of Nova. It was this immense grief and change that allowed the girl to breakthrough at the critical moment, unleashing powerful strength to repel the Miasma monster tide from Gse. But from then on, the girl quickly closed off her heart, hating those who were duplicitous, continuously undermining their subordinates. Under Nova''s rule, Gse base became a ce where anyone who dared to disobey orders would be executed on the spot. Such tyranny quickly led the already severely damaged Gse toplete extinction, bing a dead city, leaving only Nova as a lonely tyrant. The story''s ending didn''t change much; the girl was still chosen by the will of Miasma, turning into an Evil Dragon. It seems this path is impassable. After resetting the Evil Dragon dream, Renji tried another approach. This time he chose the moment of the duel between Nova and her mother. Renji acted first, eliminating the gunman in the audience stand. Without the sniper attack, this time the "wless strike" collision between Noya and Nova naturally ended with the girl''s defeat, and Noya, of course, was able to control her strength, not letting her daughter get hurt. But such a good ending did notst long. Failing to kill Noya in the "mother-daughter duel" was uneptable to the organizers behind the scenes. They finally chose to openly confront, under the guise of a meeting, lured Nova and her mother into an ambush where numerous armed base guards emerged from hiding and began firing wildly at the mother and daughter. Although Noya was powerful, most of her strength was restrained by the diator''s brand, and with the ambush, the story''s ending turned out surprisingly simr. Noya could have escaped on her own, but to protect her daughter, she was killed in front of Nova by a barrage of bullets. Witnessing her mother''s tragic death, the immense grief and anger ignited Nova''s potential, allowing the girl to breakthrough in battle, unleashing unparalleled power and annihting all enemies. Afterwards, for revenge, Nova alone eliminated the upper echelons of the Gse base and became its sole monarch, then the story returned to the same ending as before. The girl became an Evil Dragon again. Afterwards, Renji tried intervening at other story points, but the ending, without exception, always resulted in Noya dying for her daughter, with the daughter turning into an Evil Dragon. It seemed no matter what Renji did, the final storyline would always converge, unable to "break" the Evil Dragon dream. At this point, Renji stopped trying. Or rather, through those few experiments, he was almost certain of his guess. It was simple. Renji had felt it before; this "Evil Dragon dream" was different from the "Witch". Rather than saying the protagonist is the Evil Dragon, it''s more about the person behind the Evil Dragon, the one who wants to create the "Evil Dragon." Noya. Carefully analyzing the dream reveals that, although Nova seems to be the protagonist, she is actually passive, without the ability to influence the story. The real person who can affect the course of the dream is actually Noya, Nova''s mother. And Noya''s "dying for her daughter" tragic plot, if it happened once could be an ident, but happening repeatedly, no matter the environment, always evolving into the same oue, Renji does not believe it''s coincidence, unless there''s one situation. It was intentional by Noya. To put it more sharply: purposed. So, it''s not a tragedy but Noya''s purpose, and only in this way, it can be unaffected by changes in external conditions. After confirming this point, the way to "clear" the Evil Dragon dream also emerged. Renji set the Evil Dragon dream''s time point back to the mother-daughter duel. But this time, after the host passionately introduced thepetitors, and the two diators appeared, one end of the arena was as usual, The dragon widow Noya, entering amid the audience''s roaring cheers. However, on the other end... Soon, the stands erupted with murmurs of doubt and surprise, because the one appearing was not Noya''s daughter, but instead a human young man. Ignoring the chaos his appearance caused in the arena, Renji looked towards the opposite side, at the Noya, who was his opponent in the arena and also seemed somewhat surprised. "Mr. Renji?" Noya looked at the young man with some confusion. And Renji, too, started with an apology: "Sorry Aunt Noya, I took the liberty of making a decision without consulting you, letting Nova step down and recing her with myself." ''Aunt Noya?'' This was the first time Renji had used such a familiar term, making Noya even more puzzled. "So, you want to?" "I want to fight you." After saying this, Renji thought for a moment and added: "This fight, it''s for Nova." It seemed like Renji''s statement was pointless; wasn''t he already standing in for Nova? However, the next moment, Renji, in front of Noya, activated a certain ability from his skill set. Instantly, fierce mes rose from within Renji, as if boiling every blood vessel in his body. Like moltenva, red patterns began to climb up Renji''s skin, eventually forming a tattoo-like me dragon pattern on his arm, forged from blood and fire. When Noya saw this dragon pattern, her eyes sharply narrowed, and her face revealed an incredulous expression, momentarily stunned. Indeed. Noya''s reaction was within Renji''s expectations, as the ability he was now releasing was Nova''s strongest physical technique, which could be chosen by the former game version of himself as a protagonist skill to inherit ¡ª [Dragonblood Ignition]. It''s an S-ss ability from the pinnacle of Eclipse, from a "Cmity" rank. It is... from the future Nova. This fight Renji was taking on was not for the Nova in the dream, but for the real Nova, for the girl who had been kept in the dark by her mother. "So that is how it is ¡­" "No wonder." After being almost in a daze for a good five or six seconds, the Dragon Mom across seemed to understand something, chuckled lightly, and then shook her head. Then, with a wave of Noya''s hand, the entire chaotic arena suddenly quieted down, and all the spectators, diators, and behind-the-scenes organizers disappeared without a trace. The once bustling huge arena, in the blink of an eye, became eerily quiet, leaving only Renji and Noya inside. After doing all this, Noya once again focused her gaze on the young man across. But this time, Noya''s look at Renji had a bit more warmth and pride, the kind of look Renji had seen before, exactly how Noya looked at Nova. If one had to describe it, it was the look of treating someone like family. "It seems we have to fight this one out, but" "Little Renji, I have to remind you, your aunt here isn''t so easy to deal with." Chapter 293 293: Isn’t It?

Chapter 293 Chapter 293: Isn''t It? ?

?After speaking, Noya charged towards Renji with the momentum of her words,unching an attack directly. Having journeyed through the Holy Kingdom and the Dragon Nation, Renji''s attributes on his panel, although still not on par with many of his subordinates like Eileen, could now be considered at the "Danger Rank" level as an Eclipse. However, as a "Commander" temte, Renji''s panel attributes were only a small part of his strength. The various skills acquired from his wives were the major part of Renji''s power. Under the state of "Dragonblood Ignition", Renji''s attributes were significantly enhanced. His heart thumped like an emperor''s engine, roaring and beating. He focused his vision and easily caught sight of Noya''s high-speed movement. *Whoosh!* In a face-to-face encounter, Renji narrowly dodged a punch aimed directly at his face from Noya, looking at Noya opposite him as if assessing him, Renji couldn''t help but shake his head and say: "Aunt Noya, you really don''t hold back, do you? Also, could you notunch a sneak attack while we''re chatting?" "There''s no such thing as a sneak attack on the battlefield, Little Renji." Noya replied to Renji with a smile, while directly whipping her leg over again. "Besides, I think you have a lot to say to me, right? Now is a great opportunity. Considering I''m in a good mood, I''ll answer whatever you ask." Noya was able to fight with Renji while chatting, but Renji was clearly struggling. Like now, Renji couldn''t dodge Noya''s leg whip and was forced to block it with his arms. Even using his arms to shield himself, Renji only realized where Nova''s monstrous strength came from after the exchange. It felt like being directly hit by a heavy hammer. Renji staggered backward several steps before barely managing to dissipate Noya''s immense force. Besides his arms being numbed by the shock, Renji''s internal organs also felt as if they were indirectly hit, causing a dull pain. Just this kick alone allowed Renji to experience the pain of those diators. Noya, as a warrior, was too abnormal. But fortunately. "What, is that all? Weren''t you looking for a fight with your Auntie?" Noya did not pursue but instead arched her beautiful eyebrows, asking the slightly disheveled young man opposite her. But the next moment, the young man responded. A strong aura burst forth from Renji once again, but this time it was not the familiar one to Noya; instead, it was a dark green light. A natural aura, along with the dark green light, began to envelop Renji''s body, quickly forming a solid barrier around him, protecting him within. Seeing this, Noya frowned. The next moment, she charged again, throwing a punch at Renji. However, this time when the punch hit the dark green barrier, the barrier remained undamaged, absorbing most of the force of her punch, allowing the young man inside to defend easily. In this scene, Renji breathed a sigh of relief. ''The [Elven Shelter] from Miyuki did not disappoint me, being the strongest defensive skill, it seemed to leave even Nova''s mother a bit helpless'' This way, Renji finally had a chance to catch his breath and speak a few words. Since Noya had said she would answer whatever he asked, then... "Aunt Noya, do you really have to train Nova in that way?" Renji''s tone was not very friendly as he said this. The "that way" he mentioned didn''t need to be spelled out; Renji believed Noya understood what he meant. And indeed, Nova''s mother was nodding in response. "This is the best path for Nova, and thest thing I can do for her." "You''ve seen what Nova was like before. Do you think she can survive in this world like that? When our tribe still existed, we could protect her, but now her future is up to her." "I regret that in the past, I only thought about making Nova be stronger. No, in the end, most of our people are like that, immersed in training. Perhaps that''s why we were isted and even betrayed when the natural disasters came." Noya''s reflections of the past revealed a sense of mncholy in her eyes. "I''ve tried many times to change Nova, but all attempts failed. Later, I realized that my existence was the biggest obstacle for Nova. As long as I''m here, as long as Nova has any attachment to me, she can never be independent." "Growth is not as simple as a few words. Nova has too little experience. Maybe in the future, she can go through a lot and grow from it, but I don''t want to wait, nor do I want to gamble on that possibility." As Noya answered Renji, she didn''t stop fighting but was also gathering strength. Soon, mes zed from Noya''s body, and ava dragon pattern that seemed to be born from blood and fire began to emerge on Noya''s surface. At this scene, Renji became aware of something. He had guessed it. Nova and Noya were of the same lineage. Since Novaterprehended the mystery of Dragonblood Ignition, then Noya, as her mother, might also be able to. The fact proved Renji was right, Noya indeed possessed this skill. And Noya chose not to inform her daughter about this ability, nor to teach her. The reason is simple. Apart from significantly enhancing one''s physique, Dragonblood Ignition also has another ability that could be considered abnormal. [Blood Lock] That is, when one receives a fatal injury, they won''t die immediately but will forcibly lock their life at one point. In games, having one point of life might not seem to make a difference from the outside. But in reality, If deliberately disguised, there would be no difference from a corpse without any signs of life. "Since one must go through sorrow to grow, then I am willing to create that environment for Nova, andpared to the sorrow created by others, I trust myself more. I will bring the best to Nova, even if it is sorrow." After listening to Noya''s words, Renji finally understood why Nova, as a child, was so attached to her mother. This mother was too indulgent. She considered every aspect of her daughter''s life, even nning for the growth thates from sorrow, intending to help Nova through it herself. And indeed, Noya did just that, bringing the "best" sorrow to Nova. Renji even suspected that the reason why the diators hated Nova so much, seeking to avenge Noya by dying in a challenge against Nova, was also Noya''s doing in the background. Seeing her mother die for her, and formerrades of the diators dying by her hand, made Nova fully awaken, gaining tremendous miasma power, allowing the girl to break through consecutively. Nova, having closed off her heart, managed to no longer be disturbed by any external matters. Nova''s swordsmanship also became very terrifying, surpassing Noya, achieving a truly wless strike. From then on, no one could harm Nova, and no one could use her anymore. Noya, with all her might, created an arena and trustworthy diators, perhaps from the start, all for this day. Noya turned all her forces, including herself, into nutrients to assist Nova''s growth. Renji, for some reason, felt a sense of familiarity with this scene. Clearly, Noya did too. "I am very sorry to Nova, because I never asked for her opinion and turned her into the Nova I hoped for." "But perhaps only in this way, Nova has the possibility to be ''the power to save this world.''" "Isn''t it?" Chapter 294 294: I’ll Take Care of her part1

Chapter 294 Chapter 294: I''ll Take Care of her part1

?Another chapter will be posted after 1h. --------- While speaking with Renji, the effect of Noya''s Dragonblood Ignition had reached its maximum, with boiling dragon patterns converging behind her, sketching out the figure of a fire dragon spreading its wings and roaring. Noya then used a familiar move, summoning a ming longsword from her booba, gripped tightly in her hand. The zing me de pointed directly at Renji. Noya closed her eyes, and when she reopened them, she had entered a state of no-mind, focusing all her spirit on this one strike. As the ultimate technique, Crimson?sh, it transformed into a line of red light, instantly shing towards Renji. In an instant, Noya''s figure passed directly through Renji. The wless strike, enhanced by Dragonblood Ignition, represented the pinnacle of Noya''s power. Under this strike, even the Elven Shelter from Miyuki could not defend. The dark green barrier surrounding Renji cracked inch by inch, and with a crisp "bang" noise, it shatteredpletely. Arge wound could be seen on Renji''s abdomen. Even though the Elven Shelter helped Renji withstand much of the damage, the residual effect of the sh still caused him terrible injuries. "Sigh" This strike also consumed a lot from Noya. After taking a long breath, Noya steadied herself and turned to look at the severely injured Renji. "It looks like you''ve lost." Renji, kneeling on the ground, felt waves of intense pain from the wound in his abdomen, causing him to clench his teeth. But soon, as a ray of holy light fell, to the surprised eyes of Noya opposite him, the bleeding wound quickly healed within a few breaths. In Noya''s view, the listless aura on the young man swept away, and in less than a moment, he stood up again, looking back at her with a lively spirit. "Aunt Noya really hits hard". Still feeling the aftermath of that strike, Renji was somewhat shaken. However,pared to Renji, Noya seemed even more reflective. "You have quite a few abilities." Nova''s Dragonblood Ignition, Miyuki''s Elven Shelter, and now Suthia''s Divine Healing, in just a few minutes of battle, Renji had already disyed threepletely different powerful abilities in front of Noya. Because of this, Noya''s look at Renji, besides the initial familial one, now had a deeper meaning. As if initially, she saw him as a son-inw, but now as a womanizer deceiving her daughter. "You tter me Aunt Noya. Having many skills doesn''t burden me". Renji responded modestly, not showing any pretense. "Just taking hits won''t defeat your Auntie. Are you saying you still have some abilities you haven''t used?" "Well¡­Of course". After taking a deep breath, Renji activated the fourth skill icon in his skill bar, a skill that resembled a starry ck hole. This was the first time Renji had used this skill since his crossover. Instantly, with Renji as the center, a siphoning vortex formed, drawing in a massive amount of miasma into Renji''s body. From a bird''s-eye view, it looked like a dark neb. Within a few breaths, at the center of the neb, where Renji was, all the energy converged at his fingertips. In the next moment, Renji pointed towards Noya from afar. This was the ability of the strongest mage in the special ability series, Lena ¡ª[Annihtion] A ck hole formed around Noya, distorting all matter in space, and a huge suction began devouring everything. Just as the name of the skill suggests, all targets within range would perish in annihtion. Renji had refrained from using Lena''s ability for so long because he wasn''t prepared to meet the subus, and secondly, the destructive power of Annihtion was simply too great, equivalent to a small nuclear bomb when unleashed. The silent ck hole swallowed the entire arena, and after "Annihtion" ended, there was no trace of the arena left, only a deep crater in the ground as if it had been smashed by a meteorite. "Cough cough cough" This time, it was Noya''s turn to kneel on the ground, herplexion was pale, her aura was at its lowest. Even the mighty mother of Nova, under the effect of Annihtion, was permeated by special abilities and was on the brink of death, hanging on by thest breath due to Dragonblood Ignition. It could be said that Renji dared to unleash Annihtion on Noya, his mother-inw, precisely because Dragonblood Ignition could lock blood. Noya gasped for breath for several minutes, relying on the strong physique and recovery ability of the dragon race, before she finally managed to catch her breath. This time, without waiting for Noya to ask, Renji took the initiative to confess: "Aunt Noya, that was myst move". Noya seemed to have a lot to say, but in the end, it all turned into a sigh. Afterward, she was very straightforward. "I lost." "ording to the rules of this world, I should give this to you." As she spoke, Noya took out a glowing orb emitting mes from her bosom. Within the orb, three dragon-shaped marks could be seen floating and rotating. This was precisely what Renji was looking for, the mark obtained after passing through the Evil Dragon''s Illusion. "So, Aunt Noya, are you now a consciousness, or..." "I don''t know either. I should have been gone over five hundred years ago. The current me is just a phantom simted by some powerful existence. But... perhaps because I saw a shadow of Nova in you, from that moment, I felt something different." Noya shook her head indifferently. For her, life and death were not what she clung to. Instead, what she cared more about was¡­ After handing the "Evil Dragon Mark" to Renji, Noya''s phantom suddenly became very dim. ording to the setting of the Evil Dragon''s Dream, Renji was supposed to kill Noya to obtain the mark. Now, because of her own awakening, Noya could slightly modify the rules. As long as Renji defeated her, she could actively force out the mark and give it to Renji. The reason she did this was because Noya wanted to see her future daughter, even if just for a nce. Understanding Noya''s intention, Renji nodded, activating the power of the mark while Noya''s phantom was still able to hold up and not yet dissipated. Thest time with the Witch''s Mark, the blood-red sky became brightly lit. This time, the Evil Dragon''s Mark burned away the sky''s miasma, presenting patches of fiery red clouds in the sky above, in front of Noya looking up. Then, in front of Renji, within Dream Zero, the figure of a female dragonkind began to rapidly condense. Her appearance was no longer youthful but had be mature, cold, and indifferent. Her stature, taller than the clingy little girl from before, and the pair of dragon horns on her head had transformed from the originally cute and small shape to now, resembling her mother''s, or even more majestically and imposingly, showing the dragonkind''s domineering and spirit. The entire world of Dream Zero was greatly disturbed by the true appearance of Nova. At the very center, Noya could clearly feel that the level of this power had transcended Disaster Rank, truly reaching the Cmity Rank that only exists in legends. "Master... Ashen?" Chapter 295 295: I’ll Take Care of Her Part2

Chapter 295 Chapter 295: I''ll Take Care of Her Part2

?"Master...?" When the real Nova logged on, the first to notice was Renji. From the indifferent eyes of the Nova, several emotions suddenly emerged. There was the relief of seeing Renji safe, the joy of being able toe to Renji''s side again, and much of it was worry and nervousness about the ck history in her dream. And these aspects of her daughter were all silently observed by Noya, who was secretly watching her daughter from another angle. Renji opened his mouth, wanting to say something to Nova, but in his sight, Noya''s blurry phantom shook her head at Renji, stopping him. Noya seemed not to want Nova to discover her presence, because she could imagine her daughter''s reaction. In herst moments, Noya preferred to observe her daughter more, not a daughter grieving and suffering for her but a dazzling, strong, and beautiful daughter. So, she silently watched from behind. In the next change of the dream, the boss of the Evil Dragon''s Dream, and one of the world''s five great Tainted Miasma Master, the "Evil Dragon," appeared. Nova, standing beside Renji, naturally shifted her attention to focus on the Empress of the arena, a dark version of herself sitting on a throne of blood and skulls, surrounded by the corpses of numerous diators. Like with her ck history, Nova was somewhat prepared for this, having discussed it with Suthia. She knew that within Dream Zero, Renji was facing the evil shadows of their past. "diators, have you alsoe to seek revenge against me?" The Evil Dragon on the throne uttered the same line as before, but this time, Renji didn''t have to flee. The real Nova by his side stepped forward, summoning a ming longsword from her booba. Facing such a "ck history" version of herself, Nova''s choice was like Suthia''s; instead of entangling in a prolonged fight, she used her strongest ability right from the start. Nobody wants to disy their dark past in front of their loved ones. The Cmity Rank''s wless strike, the sky-reaching mes seemed to pierce the heavens. The entire world seemed to be the backdrop for her. at the moment Nova drew her sword, with towering mes under this strike, causing all things to burn continuously. The Evil Dragon, which even Suthia had to struggle against, was instantly vanquished by Nova with a single strike. Under the de''s fiery edge, the phantom was torn into nothingness. With the destruction of the Evil Dragon, the Evil Dragon''s Dream naturally began to copse, and the pervasive Miasma pollution in the entire area started to recede rapidly, being purified. The "Gse Base," serving as the carrier for the Evil Dragon''s Dream, also began to disappear swiftly, and naturally, all phantoms within it ceased to exist, including Noya. It was only then that Nova seemed to finally realize something. She turned around quickly, looking anxiously around until she spotted the familiar figure that had been silently observing her from the shadows. At that moment, Nova waspletely shocked, standing still, her purple dragon eyes showing intense turmoil. And at this moment, Noya finally made eye contact with Nova, gazing at her daughter from five hundred years in the future. Nova slightly raised a hand towards her mother''s phantom but quickly lowered it. How much she had wished to see her mother again, with countless things to say. But when the moment came, Nova found herself speechless, as if something was blocking her throat, unable to utter a word. Although Noya didn''t speak, in Noya''s eyes, Nova read the pride her mother had for her. It was the pride in seeing her little girl who once couldn''t even be alone in the arena, always clinging to her mother, now grown into one of the world''s top powerhouses, even the savior who could save the world. Seeing her mother''s gaze, a seal within Nova''s heart seemed to be knocked open, and the suppressed emotions could no longer be held back. Nova''s eyes misted over, and the shimmering tears reflected from the corners of her eyes. "Mama..." Nova couldn''t remember thest time she cried, even forgetting what crying felt like, so when tears slid down her cheeks, she stared nkly at Noya''s phantom, somewhat at a loss as she called out. As for Noya, about to dissipate along with the dream, she simply wiped the tears from her daughter''s cheeks with her hand. After all, she wasn''t the real Noya but just a simtion, perhaps with a slight ''consciousness'' of Noya. That was all she could do. In thest moments of dissipating, Noya reluctantly shifted her gaze away from Nova, finally resting it on the young man who had been guarding Nova''s side, unknowingly holding hands with her, bing the pir of strength that kept Nova from falling. Noya''s final gesture towards Renji was a slight movement of her lips, showing a tender smile that a mother-inw should have. Although Noya couldn''t make a sound, those two words, "Thank you," didn''t need to be spoken aloud for Renji to understand. Noya''s phantompletely vanished, The mother''s final face was one of joy and happiness, After all, her wish was fulfilled; she saw her daughter, a strong and independent daughter, and also one who... Had someone to take care of her. Nova stared at the spot where Noya''s figure had disappeared, unable to move for a long time. Renji couldn''t fully grasp theplexity of Nova''s feelings at the moment. All he could do was continue to hold her hand firmly, telling Nova he was still by her side. Nova gripped Renji''s hand even tighter, like a little girl afraid of getting lost. After all, she had lost her loved one once. No¡­ twice. The first time, she lost her mother; the second time, she lost her master. Fortunately, She couldn''t find her mother again, but she found her master. "It''s okay, Nova, this time we... won''t be separated again." Renji, held tightly by Nova, whispered gently in her ear. "After all, I''ve already promised Aunt Noya." "For the rest of my life, that mischievous, clingy little dragon girl from the arena, will be taken care of by me" At the end, Renji embraced Nova tightly in his arms. Whether it was the strongest Vanguard charging into battle 500 years ago or the Empress of the Dragon Nation, supreme above all others 500 yearster, neither was the Nova of now. The current Nova was just a little girl, burying herself in Renji''s chest, crying loudly while her tears soaking Renji''s clothes. ---------------- Chapter 296 296: The Light of Fire, Illuminating the Night part 1

Chapter 296 Chapter 296: The Light of Fire, Illuminating the Night part 1

?After the defeat of the evil dragon, like the witch from the beginning, its body disintegrated into countless memory fragments. Zero was the only one capable of this feat. As a mechanical being, the characteristic of its kind is to observe and record everything around them every moment, using the collected data for imitation and learning, to enhance themselves. So, in a sense, Zero is the best historical encyclopedia, a collection of stories. Dreams can dig deep into one''s memories, and this is true for the mechanical species as well. Now, these fragments are from the deepest part of Zero''s database. Within the light and shadows of these memory fragments, scenes of the past are being presented, belonging to Nova''s true past,?a story where Nova meets the man in the grey robe. ¡­.. The de pierces through the heart, and the diator in front copses powerlessly with fear and despair. The clean and efficient fight did not evoke cheers in the arena, but rather dissatisfaction among many spectators. After all, watching a one-sided match might be fine once or twice, but it bes tiresome after dozens of times, and no one wants to watch a match where the oue is known andcks suspense. However, the Dragon Girl in the center of the arena does not care, or rather, in this world, there is nothing left that she cares about. The only reason she still lives, perhaps, is to fight. With an expressionless face, she sheathes her sword and steps over the corpse of the diator in a pool of blood. The Dragon Girl''s heart has be numb; this is the one hundred and third diator who has died by her sword. The audience in the arena despises the Dragon Girl, and when the Dragon Girl returns to the diators'' resting room, all the diators inside cast hateful and resentful nces at the young Dragon Girl. It''s not because of Noya; Noya has be a thing of the past. Under the deliberate control of the organizers behind the scenes, Noya was quickly forgotten by everyone in less than half a year. The new batch of diators is simply afraid of the Dragon Girl, for she is like a killing machine, a killing machine without self-awareness, bing the knife for the organizers to "borrow and kill." After the incident with Noya, the organizers learned their lesson and increased control over the diators. Whenever there appears a diator rising in poprity, the organizers immediately arrange for them to face the Dragon Girl. As for the oue, it was just like thest match. So, the Dragon Girl now is like a dark cloud looming over all the diators'' heads, a sharp sword hanging over their necks. But they are helpless because they cannot defeat her. No, not just defeat; no one can even inflict a scratch on the Dragon Girl. So, the only thing they can do, perhaps, is to convey their hatred through their gazes in the resting room like now. After all, the dragon girl, who cared about nothing, naturally wouldn''t care about their hatred. However, this time in the resting room, the dragon girl sensed something different among the many diators'' hateful gazes at her. There was another gaze, a very calm one, with a hint of scrutiny. The dragon girl instinctively looked towards the source of this unique gaze. There, in a corner of the resting room, sat a man whose entire body was shrouded under a cloak. Such attire would be considered strange anywhere. Like a weirdo. The dragon girl quickly diverted her gaze, continued in silence, and walked straight out of the resting room, no longer sparing another nce at the man in the grey robe. This was... Her first encounter with "Ashen." After this fragment of memory, Nova, who had just cried in Renji''s arms with tear stains not yet faded and her nose red, couldn''t help but grip Renji''s clothing tighter, evidently feeling immense guilt for ignoring him at that time. "I''m sorry master, I, back then, I..." "I guess you must have looked down on me then, thinking I was too weak right?" Seeing Nova stammering, trying to exin but not knowing how, Renji smiled and spoke first. After all, Nova was quite naive. If it were Suthia, she would definitely argue a bit more, but Nova''s straightforward nature made her simply nod. "My memory of that time is very vague, but I remember I only had one thought, hoping to find someone like me back then." Nova''s words were very subtle, but Renji could easily understand. She hoped for a strong person to appear, someone who could kill her in the arena just like she had personally killed Noya. This was the liberation the dragon girl was seeking at the time. Quickly, the next memory fragment appeared. It was from the dragon girl''s perspective, witnessing the man in the grey robe who truly, just like her initially, emerged victorious through the ranks as a neer in the arena, achieving a record of total victories, bing the biggest dark horse of the season. Naturally, such a person caught the attention of the organizers. Soon after, the man in the grey robe met with the dragon girl again, but this time, it was not in the resting room but inside the arena. Seeing this, Nova waspletely absorbed because she would never forget that day. It was this man, whom she had ignored and considered weak, who truly defeated her in the subsequent arena duel. It wasn''t that the man in the grey robe had hidden his strength; on the contrary, once the fight began, she sensed correctly that her own power was indeed far superior to Ashen back then. The real reason for her defeat was losing in what she was most confident in - her martial skills. Indeed. Nova vividly remembered this battle. All her moves seemed to be anticipated by Ashen, as if he knew exactly what she was going to do next and had his defenses ready in advance. For the first time, Nova felt that despite her immense strength, it was as if she was hitting cotton. On the surface, Ashen''s vitality might only withstand two of her strikes, at most not more than five, to end it directly. However, the problem was that Ashen could always respond brilliantly, either using strange artifacts or special abilities. Thus, the scene unfolded with the dragon girl entangled in a prolonged struggle with the man in the grey robe under the shocked gazes of many diators, spectators, and the organizers, unlike her countless previous matches that were clean and decisive. Even as time passed, the dragon girl went from having an absolute advantage to gradually being on equal footing, and finally, she waspletely at a disadvantage, having expended a great amount of her strength and bing physically drained. However, looking at the man in the grey robe, whose face was hidden by the cloak and could not be seen by anyone, his demeanor showed no sign of rxation; on the contrary, he seemed to be even more vignt and tense. Renji, holding Nova, was also recalling the details of this memorable "BOSS battle" from the game. At the end of that fight, it was no wonder he was nervous. After all, this was the time when the BOSS would use her ultimate move. Chapter 297 297: The Light of Fire, Illuminating the Night part 2

Chapter 297 Chapter 297: The Light of Fire, Illuminating the Night part 2

?As expected, seeing that she would be worn down if the fight continued, the dragon girl took the initiative to distance herself from the man in the grey robe. Then came that familiar action: the dragon girl summoned a ming longsword from her chest, reaching the peak of her momentum in a do-or-die effort, intending to use her ultimate move to end the match against the man in the grey robe. Indeed, It was this move that had Renji, watching from beyond the screen, in awe. Previously, no matter how Nova, as the BOSS, had health and attributes far exceeding those of the yers and various skills and tricks, he could think of various ways to find countermeasures. But this ultimate move was the exception. Renji vaguely remembered that it took him three save-loads to sessfully use "Scouting" to learn the skill description of this move. Simply put, [Crimson sh] would determine the oue based on the strength of both parties. Given Renji''s level at the time, there was a 99.99% chance of being instantly killed. This move ignored any defense, damage immunity, and resistance effects of artifacts. With the resources he had in the game at that time, there was no way to defend against it. So, Renji''s only option was to gamble. He gambled on the "Dragon girl BOSS" failing to execute her skill, betting on that 0.01% possibility. Fortunately, he was a stubborn person. If once didn''t work, then twice; if twice didn''t work, then three times, five times, ten times, fifty times, a hundred times. That''s why Renji had such a "deep memory" of this battle. Even though it was just a game for him at the time. That day, Renji did nothing but madly save-load (SL) in front of the screen. Every time Nova killed him with one strike, he would just reload and try again, and again, and again! Luckily, it seemed to be around the thirteen hundredth SL, Renji couldn''t remember exactly, but he finally seeded. In the game, the dragon girl, with her momentum at its peak and about to execute that "wless strike," suddenly, as if something went wrong, not only failed to release the fiery sh but also seemed like a deted ball. Her formidable momentum disappeared as if she had suffered some kind of bacsh. The man in the grey robe seized this opportunity, amid the incredulous screams of everyone in the arena, to sessfully defeat the dragon girl, pressing his de against the neck of the dragon girl who was kneeling before him. "So, Nova, what happened to you at that time?" Curious, Renji asked below the scene, as the game was just cold numbers. He really wanted to know why Nova failed to execute her skill in reality. Nova''s response made Renji pause for a moment, then he showed an "it figures" expression, as if that was indeed the only reason. "Master, for some reason, at that moment, I thought I saw the illusion of my mother behind you." "So, in that instant, memories of the past flooded back, and my heart was filled with fear and dread. I lost the blessing of mindfulness, and my strike was no longer wless; I couldn''t execute Crimson sh." "Now that I think about it, Master, was this my mother helping me?" Nova murmured to Renji. After all, it was because she failed to execute that strike that the subsequent story unfolded, leading to Nova''s story, to the Ashen Emperor who saved the world. Renji stroked the red hair of the dragon girl in his arms. ''Was it?'' Maybe not, after all, Nova didn''t know, but he was clear. In the thousands of SLs (save-loads) before, Noya never appeared to help him; his character was directly killed by the dragon girl with one strike. But. "Of course, Aunt Noya must have been moved by my dedication to Nova, so she came to help specially!" Renji chose the most romantic exnation. However, Nova clearly couldn''t understand. Nova raised her head kinda confused, looking at Renji''s face, and quietly asked, "Master''s dedication to me?" "Actually, I''ve fought against you in ces you didn''t know about thousands of times. That''s why I know Nova very well, almost like it''s second nature to me. Honestly, I might even understand you better than you understand yourself." Unexpectedly, after hearing this romantic deration, Nova did not react with joy but instead, her eyes reddened, and her beautiful purple dragon eyes misted over, on the verge of crying. The reason was simple. "Then, does that mean Master was killed by Nova thousands of times? I¡­ truly deserve to die, I..." ''(o_O)'' Renji hadn''t expected Nova''s thought process to go in this direction. Seeing the dragon girl looking as if she deserved death, he hurriedly tried tofort her: "How could that be! You''re underestimating me too much! In those thousands of times, you lost terribly! You didn''t manage to hurt me at all!" "Then why did Lord Ashene thousands of times?" Nova didn''t catch Renji''s attempt to lighten the mood and asked earnestly. "Because... because cough! A defeated diator must be severely punished and disciplined! For an evil dragon girl like you, one time of discipline isn''t enough; it definitely takes thousands of times!" Renji resorted to this desperate measure when pressed for an answer. After hearing this exnation, Nova seemed to have an epiphany and nodded in eptance. Then, as expected, she quietly whispered, "Master, that''s kinda perverted". Renji pretended not to hear and twitched the corner of his mouth. However, Nova soon looked straight at the young man again, breaking into a smile and leaning closer to Renji''s ear, just like the lively and cute, slightly face-obsessed dragonkin girl she used to be, whispering: "Now, the perverted Brother Renji, Nova... likes you even more!" "Cough cough cough!" Unlike a certain pink-haired subus, Nova was always straightforward. Seeing the dragon girl blinking at him, Renji felt a bit embarrassed and quickly changed the subject, turning their attention back to the memory fragments of Zero. In the scene, after defeating the legendary dragon girl of the arena and pressing the sword point against the dragon girl''s neck, the surrounding audience erupted into deafening cries of madness. "Kill her!", "Kill her!!", "Kill her!!!" Without Noya, the arena returned to its bloody state, every spectator eager for the man in the grey robe to swing down his sword and end the dragon girl''s life, Even the dragon girl herself felt the same, as if she had finally been relieved at that moment. On Renji''s screen, there were two choices. [Kill her (Execute action)] or ["Miasma, is our true enemy" (Verbal dialogue)] Without a moment''s hesitation, Renji chose the option that, when applied to the real-world scenario, meant the man in the grey robe did not swing his weapon. Instead, he sheathed it and left the dragon girl with a parting statement before turning to leave. "Miasma, is our true enemy." Among the dissatisfied jeers and curses of the arena''s audience, the dragon girl''s mind echoed with the man in the grey robe''s words, staring nkly as he spared her life and walked away. At that moment, the always expressionless face of the dragon girl finally showed a hint of emotion. She seemed to recall her mother''s words and understood why she saw her mother''s shadow in the man in the grey robe. The dragon girl moved slightly, as if wanting to follow him. But soon, from the exit of the arena, two figures appeared as if they had been waiting there all along for the victorious return of the man in the grey robe. One was dressed as a nun, and the other resembled a robotic maid. Seeing these two followers of the man in the grey robe, the dragon girl realized she could not leave the arena. She was a diator here, marked with an indelible brand that made it impossible for the organizers to let her go. The brief glimmer of hope that had illuminated the dragon girl''s darkness seemed to fade away with the departure of the man in the grey robe and his two followers, once again enveloping the dragon girl in darkness, her eyes dim and lifeless. Until¡­ That night. Not just the arena, but the entire Gse base, in the span of just one night, waspletely overtaken by a leader of a gathering ce known as "Ashen". That night. The light of fire Once again illuminated the darkness. Chapter 298 298: Lord Ashen

Chapter 298 Chapter 298: Lord Ashen

? "Damn it! Where did all these peoplee from!!" "What is that holy light! Why is the firepower of their guns so fierce! How many people do they have??" "Disaster Rank!? No!??? It''s Cmity Rank! They have two cmity-ranked Eclipsers!" "Don''t panic! Activate the anti-Eclipse device! Hold the line at all costs!" "Mario, Elder Mario, they seem to know our base like the back of their hand. The defensive systems of the headquarters arepletely paralyzed, unable to function!" "This is a premeditated attack! There must be their spies among us!" "There''s no time left, run, Elder Mario! If we dy any further, they''lle to kill us!" A series of violent explosions shattered the quiet of the deep night. The once majestic and luxurious high-rise residences of the base are now being devoured by a great fire, those beautiful pieces of furniture and precious potted nts turning to ashes under the gunfire. Many of the Gse (imaginary) high-ranking officials were beheaded, leaving only the elderly base leader and his trusted deputy leader, along with a group of defeated and remnant soldiers, to start fleeing in panic. Seeing that the base was lost, they thought of at least taking thest of their wealth with them. The group arrived at the arena and rushed into a dragon girl''s room. "Quick! Escort us out!" The deputy leader with a fierce tone directly ordered the dragon girl sitting cross-legged at the bedside. The dragon girl opened her eyes, the blood moon in the night sky mixed with the mes of the explosion, creating a strange red glow that fell on her through the window. The expressionless dragon girl didn''t move, still looking coldly at these high-ranking officials of the base, the behind-the-scenes organizers of the arena. "Damn it! Are you deaf! Come protect us!" "Don''t forget your identity! Everything you have now is given by us! You are a diator, a ve of the arena! Just our property!" The deputy leader''s voice was urgent, looking at the indifferent dragon girl, both angry and annoyed. After knowing that the enemy had cmity-ranked powerhouses, they also needed equivalent power. Naturally, they thought of the dragon girl. With her strength, which is nearly at the cmity rank, it''s not to say that she could fight two against one, but at least giving them some time to escape should be no problem. This is also why they rushed to the arena first after being attacked. Just as the deputy leader was about to furiously scold the dragon girl again, the next moment the door was suddenly blown off, followed by another powerful explosion that sted a huge hole in the roof. Amid the smoke and the fearful cries of the Gse high-ranking officials, a figure slowly appeared. When the deputy leader finally saw the appearance of the person by the light of the fire, he immediately eximed in shock. "Is it you!?" This time, the dragon girl at the scene finally reacted. Her vacant and spiritless purple dragon eyes also looked over, and, surprisingly, narrowed slightly. The previously dead, stagnant look in her eyes showed a few ripples of emotion. The person who appeared before everyone was a manpletely cloaked under a cloak, his face utterly obscured. But this man was obviously not unfamiliar to many of the Gse high-ranking officials. Because he was the one who, in the arena today, with unbelievablebat resilience, became the first person ever to defeat the dragon girl in a direct one-on-one confrontation, bing the arena''s superstar neer, the dark horse champion. Before people could react, immediately after, a mechanical voice that seemed synthesized electronically, sounded from behind the cloaked figure. [New trash detected, trash ssification judgment. Non-recyble, sweep mode activated] A domestic bioroid dressed in a maid''s outfit stepped out from behind the cloaked figure. After the robotic sound, the maid''s hands and feet were reced with dark cannon muzzles, aiming directly at the people. Fortunately, another person hurriedly came from behind, dressed in a nun''s outfit, looking soft and frail, a young girl, who grabbed the maid about to open fire. Seeing these three individuals, the high-ranking officials of the Gse base widened their eyes, finally understanding something, and the deputy leader''s expression became even more ferocious. "Fu@king bastards, it was you all along!!" He angrily turned his head towards the dragon girl, then, as if driven toughter by rage, furiously said, "I didn''t expect it, I really didn''t expect the traitor to be you! You gave our information to him! No wonder. No wonder!!" The deputy leader obviously thought that the dragon girl and the cloaked man were in cahoots, nning this night raid. This could exin the dragon girl''s "coincidental" defeat in the arena, and why the cloaked man didn''t kill the dragon girl in the end. "Hehehe, I knew it, daughter and mother are both the same filthy bitches! Do you think too highly of yourselves, believing we couldn''t really control you? It was just that we didn''t want to waste our strength before, but now. You''re asking for it!" As the deputy leader spoke, a red light flickered from behind him, a crown-like brand, and immediately after, a corresponding light flickered behind the dragon girl, not a crown this time, but a shackle-shaped brand. Twin brands, mother and child, with the mother brand holder being able to control the sub-brand bearer to a certain extent. Anyone who wants toe to the arena topete for money and be a diator must ept the sub-brand from the organizers behind the scenes. Once the brand is applied, it cannot be removed by oneself for life without the consent of the mother brand. The deputy leader wielded the mother brand, trying to forcibly impose his will on the dragon girl. Instantly, severe pain and a tearing sensation swept over the dragon girl, but she clenched her teeth, her facial expression difficult yet unyielding. No matter how hard the deputy leader tried to activate the brand, the dragon girl remained motionless. matter how hard the deputy leader tried to activate the brand, the dragon girl remained motionless. However, such actions also had a great bacsh, greatly affecting the dragon girl''s body. Blood began to trickle from the corners of the dragon girl''s mouth, and her body became increasingly weak. As she swayed on the verge of copse, her vision blurring, she faintly saw the cloaked figure approaching her. Then, the cloaked man ced his hand on the dragon girl''s back, and a brand-new contract sigil rapidly formed on the back of her neck. Throughout this, the dragon girl offered no resistance, and finally, when the contract fully materialized, the sub-brand on the dragon girl''s back, which was supposed to be irremovable for life, was effortlessly peeled off and removed by the cloaked man... no, now from Nova''s body. "What?!??" "How is this possible!" "Who the hell are you!" This scene deeply shocked the deputy leader, making him scream out loud, followed by cold sweat breaking out from his forehead because he realized, if the sub-brand constraint was gone... then they¡­ The scent of death rushed towards him, and in the next moment, the deputy leader''s feet left the ground, his whole body lifted by the hand of the suddenly appearing Nova by the neck. "Wait, please wait! I am sor..." A fierce grip induced a sensation of choking, prompting the deputy leader to look desperately for mercy, seeking forgiveness. However, the only reply was the ominous "crack" of his neck, marking the cessation of his existence. The real leader of the Gse base saw his deputy''s tragic death and quickly came up with a clever idea and immediately spoke up: "My friend! The Gse base is yours now, killing me here has no meaning. I can assist you, help you adapt and take control of the base more quickly!" "Moreover, I have connections with the leader of the Azure base. I can help you make connections, everything is negotiable, let¡­.!" The elder''s words sessfully halted Nova''s actions. Looking at the dragon girl so close, the elder felt a chill down his spine, nearly scared to death, taking several deep breaths before he could recover, grateful for his early "surrender." In the elder''s view, seizing the base was simply for profit, as long as this cloaked man wasn''t out of his mind, he should understand the principle of mutual benefit. Having him, the former leader, would also better facilitate the transfer of power. While the elder was still fantasizing, he suddenly found the mechanical maid beside the cloaked man had aimed her guns at him, without waiting for him to widen his eyes or scream, she fired. *Ratatatata* [Trash cleaningplete] The maid retracted her guns, reporting to her master. And the nun came to Nova''s side, then a holy light fell upon her. The internal injuries Nova had sustained from resisting the brand began to heal rapidly, and the dragon girl''splexion improved significantly. "We already know all about you miss Nova! We''re d you chose to join us. Ah, right! My name is Suthia! She is Zero!" The dragon girl, feeling a sense of kinship from the enthusiastic young nun, finally turned her gaze to the cloaked man who had been silent the whole time, just quietly observing the situation. Seeing Nova like this, Suthia, understandingly and softly said: "He is Lord Ashen." "Ashen¡­" Chapter 299 299: Why... Still Go Out?

Chapter 299 Chapter 299: Why... Still Go Out?

?The dream fragments ended, and Renji, with Nova in his arms, also finished watching their first contract ceremony. In fact, regardless of Nova''s presence, the Gse base was already Renji''s target to conquer. It was only during a reconnaissance mission that he identally discovered Nova, a character with great potential and a five-star rating. But from Nova''s perspective at the time, it seemed as if the cloaked man had conquered the entire Gse base for her. Even for Nova, who had be deste, this definitely could cause great emotional turmoil in her heart. Although now, looking back through Zero''s records at her encounter with her master, Nova realizes she thought too much initially; she was indeed just an idental gain for her master. But. Does it matter? Thinking this, Nova wrapped her arms around the young man''s neck, once again bing the clingy spirit she was, but this time the object of her affection changed from her mother to the young man. Nova moved closer to Renji and whispered softly, "Thank you, Master" "It was you who gave me a new life." "Nova had sworn at that time to repay this new life to you. For the rest of my life, I belong only to you." The words of Nova in his arms were not just sweet nonsense. Renji remembered that after forming a contract with "them," Nova''s ''initial'' loyalty was the highest among "them". Even Suthia couldn''tpare to her at the start. Even the young nun had her reservations about him initially, of course, in terms of the fastest growth in affection and having the special effect of never decreasing, Suthia was the only one. The very high initial loyalty from Nova meant that Renji could confidently start using this character right away, without needing her to adapt to the settlement or work on improving her affection. Just at that time, he had just reached a major turning point in a game, moving from a nomadic, unsettled gathering ce and shelter to truly having a base of his own. Apart from the rapid development of power, the series of problems that came with it also gave Renji a headache at that time. It was from here that the characters'' "Infrastructure (Infra)" capabilities began to be very important. Suthia''s enhancement of public morale and increasing the public''s trust in oneself started to seem insufficient here. Whereas Nova''s "Infra traits" yed a significant role. Renji remembered it should be [Cold Authority - Appointing Nova as "Deputy Leader" gives the base +15% action power, production efficiency +20%] Just like the initial Suthia. In the game, it''s just a set of numbers, but in the real world... Renji looked towards the next memory fragment. "Hahaha! We won! We''ve seeded! We did it!" "My goodness! Am I dreaming, or did we really seed?" "Long live Lord Ashen! I knew our leader could do it!" After Ashen''s stronghold took over the Gse base, the many followers of Ashen, whether they were survivors, troops, or high-ranking officials, were all immersed in a sea of joy. On many faces, there was a visible longing for the future. After all, everyone knows the principle that a rising tide lifts all boats. Now that Ashen''s Gathering ce has be Ashen''s base, their positions are surely going to rise along with it, with various benefits and rights expanding rapidly. Just like many of the high-ranking officials from the previous strongholds, who might have lived in ordinary, dpidated houses together with other survivors, there was no helping it at that time due to the limited resources of the stronghold. Although there were ranks and positions, everyone was in it together, enduring hardships. But now it''s different. Inside the Gse base, there are many mansions left behind by the previous high-ranking officials, though many of them were destroyed during their night raid, a few remain. The exquisite and luxurious level of these few left everyone from Ashen''s stronghold first in surprise and then in delight. Most of those who followed Ashen came from humble and lower-ss backgrounds, some even were refugees and scavengers, who had never seen such a setup before. For the first time, they realized that a house could have so much exquisite furniture, a room specifically for bathing, the ability to hire servants, nt potted nts, enjoy music and dance, and more. The same goes for the soldiers from the lower ranks. In the past, they had to be highly vignt every day, constantly on the lookout to prevent attacks from roaming Miasma monsters in the wilderness. But now it''s different. With the tall walls of the base, as long as they stay inside, unless there is some major disaster, no monster can breach it. Moreover,pared to the gathering ce, the base has abundant resources. As victors, not to mention the rewards from their leader Ashen, the indigenous people inside the base must treat them with respect, knowing well that the base has a new master, and no one dares to provoke them. So, even the lower-ranking Ashen''s soldiers could live prosperously within the base, far better than they ever did in the wilderness. Naturally, a thought simultaneously emerged in the minds of many who had been following Ashen, especially those loyal to him. That is... Is this not enough? For them, as long as they stay within the walls, they can continue to enjoy a stable life, the kind of life they once dreamed of in this apocalyptic world. If so, Why do they still need to fight? Why still... Go out? Once such thoughts take root in the heart, they spread like an unstoppable gue. Many soldiers began to resist leaving the city, secretly having the original soldiers of the Gse base rece them to carry out Ashen''s patrols and missions, while they stayed behind, wanting to enjoy the fruits of victory. Many of Ashen''s high-ranking officials began to be seduced by the former high-ranking officials of Gse, bing assimted with them. They started to have their own agendas, no longer thinking about how to further develop and strengthen Ashen''s base, but instead thinking about fighting over benefits, thinking about how to divide the big cake of the base they had fought for, because if they were slow to divide, it would belong to someone else. Although a part of them felt this was wrong, most of those engaged in power struggles orzily enjoying themselves saw nothing amiss. After all, in their view, their leader Ashen should probably feel the same, right? In this world destined for destruction, what''s the point of expanding one''s power further? It would only make them a primary target for the Miasma monsters. This is why, in the world''s hierarchy of powers, from strongholds to Gathering ce, and finally to bases, there''s no next "alliance" let alone an "empire." Because a "base" already satisfies the needs of the vast majority. Thus, wars between bases are rare, and it''s seldom seen that one annexes another. Everyone stakes their own territory and then stops. Ultimately, what''s the purpose of developing strength? As if... they could counterattack Tainted Miasma? That was merely an unattainable fantasy. Chapter 300 300: Do You Think She Dares to Touch Me?

Chapter 300 Chapter 300: Do You Think She Dares to Touch Me?

? "Commander Liam, take a look at this, how is it? The quality is good, right? It was brought back today by our privately sponsored explorer team, very fresh. And don''t just look at this small nt; the team lost seven or eight people just to bring it back!" In arge mansion within the Ashen Base, in a study, a smiling merchant was admiring a nt with another elegantly dressed leader. Its appearance was simr to a rose, but the petals were a deeper blood red, and the stem and buds were twisted in an eerie manner. Despite there being no wind in the room, the blood flower still gently swayed. Blood Lysi, a creation of the Miasma, but unlike other vegetation corrupted by the Miasma, although highly contaminating, mostly affects the mental state. After consumption, one''s body does not mutate into a Miasma corpse; instead, the mind bes erratic and mad. The middle-aged man, referred to as "Commander Liam" by the merchant, first brought his nose close to the Blood Lysi and took a deep breath, showing satisfaction with a nod. Then, skillfully putting on gloves, he plucked a petal from the Blood Lysi and ced it in his tea cup. After shaking it slightly, he eagerly took a sip of the tea, which was dyed blood red by the petal. After one sip, a look of intoxication immediately appeared on Commander Liam''s face. He closed his eyes, as if in a trance. It took several seconds before the feeling passed. Although he looked a bit more haggard, his spirit was extremely excited. "Mmm, Stan, I can see you''ve put effort into this. This Blood Lysi is indeed excellent." "Right? Even you can approve, I believe the othermanders of the Ashen Base will definitely like it too. If we cultivate this species, it''s definitely going to be a big deal!" "Alright, Stan, just say it. How much purification resource do you want?" "Heh, Commander Liam, you know, the rarer the species, the higher the quality of soil required. To cultivate Blood Lysi, we need to provide at least seven units each month." The merchant rubbed his hands together, named his price, and looked over with an expectant gaze. "Seven units per month," Commander Liam frowned slightly, seemingly hesitant because of the high number. Purification resources are the most precious resources in the old era, as implied by the name, capable of purifying the Miasma. They are essential for survival, used in everything from food production and water resources to weapon forging and equipment maintenance. Seven units of purification resources is not a small number. If Converted, it could change the drinking water for tens of thousands of people from heavily polluted to lightly polluted, and maintain over a hundred machines corroded by Miasma. Seeing Commander Liam''s reaction, the merchant immediately said, "Who doesn''t know that Commander Liam was one of the earliest veterans to follow Lord Ashen! Others might not be able to afford it, but for you." "Just a mere seven units, isn''t it just a word from Commander Liam?" "You''re good at talking, but when ites to following Lord Ashen, hmm, indeed no one canpare to me. I am one of the first survivors of the Ashen gathering ce. Back then, many looked down on Lord Ashen, thinking the gathering ce had no hope, only I have always been consistent, closely following Lord Ashen''s pace." The merchant''s words seemed to evoke Commander Liam''s memories, and when speaking of this experience, Commander Liam''s face was filled with pride and satisfaction. Seeing this, the merchant quickly added a few more ttering remarks: "That''s right! Who canpare to Commander Liam''s vision? As a veteran like you, Lord Ashen must trust you very much. Even if there really is something, it''s impossible to me you, at most just saying a word or two." "Haha, look at how you talk! As if I''m doing something to betray Lord Ashen! Allocating purification resources to cultivate these Blood Lings is to better serve the core members of our base, to improve our work efficiency. Only then can we serve Lord Ashen better, to...cough, better take back the world from the Miasma!" Commander Liam red at the merchant, although, especially when mentioning "taking back the world," even he felt a bit embarrassed, but there was no help, this was Lord Ashen''s original words, they had to memorize it. As for believing it. No, it should be said that no one would really believe it, right? "Oh right, right, right! Look at my mouth, you''re right, all of these are to fight against the Miasma, to save the world!" Afterwards, the merchant and Commander Liam hit it off immediately, beginning to discuss where to "squeeze out" these seven units of purification resources. In addition to using Commander Liam''s own authority, they also nned tounch an educational campaign within the base. Encouraging the survivors within the base to be more willing to endure hardships and have a spirit of sacrifice, hoping they would voluntarily give up drinking low-pollution water, to drink medium or even heavily polluted water, and the same for food. With the high-ranking officials setting an example, the civilians will surely follow, thus under the guise of "saving," they managed to squeeze out a batch of purification resources. Of course, Commander Liam didn''t dare to pocket all these resources; he first had to return all the high-ranking officials'' purification resources in full, and then split the civilians'' into a thirty-seventy split, using thirty percent for some real work, and seventy percent for "serving" them. Just as the two were getting into the swing of the conversation, suddenly amotion came from outside the mansion, many guards seemed to be trying hard to stop someone from breaking in. The two in the study were startled by such a disturbance, and when they heard the name "Vice Leader Nova" from outside, the merchant''s face changed several times, bing somewhat panicked. "This is bad, Commander Liam! It''s Vice Leader Nova! She has been interrogating and arresting several base officialstely, how could she even... She''s too bold!?" "Don''t panic, what''s the rush? Let here. Do you think she dares to touch me?" Commander Liam''s face darkened. Being barged into like this, no one would be in a good mood. He flicked his hand and directly opened the door, stepping outside ahead of the others. Outside in the courtyard, Nova, followed by only two civilians instead of guards, was surrounded by a group of Commander Liam''s servants. Even so, they didn''t dare to stop Nova from advancing. Fortunately, Commander Liam came out directly, and Nova stopped. "What does Vice Leader mean by this? If there''s an issue, we could have scheduled a..." Liam initially tried to smooth things over with some pleasantries, but Nova didn''t pay him any mind and directly cut to the chase: "Commander Liam, you have severely vited numerous regtions set by Lord Ashen. Effective immediately, you are stripped of your position. Pleasee with me to the detention room for interrogation." "I vited regtions? Ha, Vice Leader, usations require evidence. ndering others isn''t good." No sooner had Commander Liam finished speaking than Nova took out a scanner from her booba. Pointing it at Commander Liam, the device quickly emitted a familiar electronic synthesized voice. [New garbage detected, ssifying garbage. Parasitic garbage, initiating thorough cleanup mode, configuring cleaning tools] This mechanical voice gave Commander Liam a bad feeling. The device in Nova''s hands then began projecting numerous vitionsmitted by Liam, including but not limited to unauthorized use of purification resources, illegally assembling exploration teams, privatization ofmunal resources, etc., amounting to no less than twenty charges. ''Damn robot!'' The only one capable of this was Zero, that maid. Liam cursed inwardly. Faced with the tant evidence of corruption, he found it difficult to maintain hisposure, angrily saying: "So what? Ha, I called you Vice Leader out of respect, but what are you really? Don''t think I don''t know about your filthy background. Since you want to tear off the facade, then don''t me me!" "Listen up, everyone. I''ve already investigated our Vice Leader here. Guess what, this dragon woman is actually a ve! Just a diator ve bought by Lord Ashen from the arena on a whim!" "You think just because of your looks, you were favored by Lord Ashen and given a vicemander position to y with. You wouldn''t really take it seriously, would you? Really think you can investigate me?" "I''ll tell you, when we were fighting Miasma monsters in the wilderness with Lord Ashen, you didn''t even know where you were! Lord Ashen''s achievements today, isn''t it all thanks to the support of us veterans? Arrest me? Do you even qualify!" "Not to mention you, even if Suthia herself came, she would still have to call me Uncle Liam. You? What are you worth! Get lost!" Commander Liam unleashed a torrent of abuse, his tone and momentum reaching the peak. Under normal circumstances, indeed, no one would dare to move against such an elder close to Ashen. Unfortunately for him, he was dealing with Nova. Chapter 301 301: A New Era

Chapter 301 Chapter 301: A New Era

? The dragon girl no longer spoke much but took steps forward. In the eyes of the onlookers, there was first shock, then outrage, followed by terror. Because their boss''s body, like a ball, was punched into the air by the dragon girl and heavily smashed against the wall of his carefully constructed courtyard. Lying on the ground, unable to move amidst painful groans, it looked as though several of his ribs were broken. Everyone at the scene was stunned. No one had expected the Dragon girl to be so violent. As they came to their senses, the guards hurriedly surrounded the Dragon girl, attempting to stop Nova and even attack her. Just as the situation was about to escte, a sound of rapid footsteps came from outside. A young girl in a nun''s outfit arrived at the scene, panting. "Sister Nova, leave this to me." "Alright, Sister Suthia" Seeing Suthia''s pleading gaze, Nova eventually relented and left with her people. However, Nova emphasized that after Suthia had healed Liam, she still intended to capture him. "Uncle Liam, are you alright?" After Nova left, Suthia quickly helped up Liam, who was lying on the ground, wailing in pain. The guards around them clearly treated Suthia differently from Nova, confidently leaving their official Liam in the care of the young nun. Liam felt the same way. "Suthia, hurry, heal me. That damned, stinky Dragon girl! She actuallyid her hands on me! Once I''m better, I''ll make her pay!" Seeing Suthia arrive, Liam waspletely relieved, knowing that this nun was an angel with the power to heal any injury. Therefore, in the eyes of Officer Liam now, there was only the fierceness of revenge. Today, his dignity was utterly trampled by Nova in public, and he couldn''t stand it. "Alright, Uncle Liam, calm down and drink this medicine." The young nun helplessly looked at this elder, blowing on the steaming medicine bowl while feeding it to the half-crippled Liam on the bed. After gulping down the medicine, Liam wiped his mouth and couldn''t help but sigh, "Suthia, it''s good to have you. It wasn''t in vain that I painstakingly persuaded Lord Ashen to take you in." "Eh? Uncle Liam, it was you who convinced Lord Ashen to take me in?" "Hmph, of course. You know very well the temperament of our Lord Ashen. Without me, he wouldn''t have even nced at you." "Heh~ Is that so? Then I must thank you, Uncle Liam~" After hearing what Officer Liam had to say, Suthia gave him a sincere look of gratitude. Before Liam could say anything else, the young nun''s voice rang out again. "Since Uncle Liam said that, Suthia doesn''t feel guilty anymore. Thank you so much~" "Guilty... feeling? What guilt cough cough cough cough!" "What the f@uck did you¡­" Zero''s memory fragments end here. After watching them, Nova in Renji''s arms now looks like a little girl who has made a mistake, giving Renji a very apologetic look. Because, if Nova remembers correctly, the news of Liam''s death without recovery came the next day, causing an uproar throughout the Ashen base. Suthia stepped forward to apologize continuously. "I''m sorry, Lord Ashen, I was too inconsiderate before. Not only did I cause you to lose a core member, but I also involved Suthia, dragging her into this." "But I shouldn''t have struck him so hard, and with Suthia''s healing, how could it..." Nova expresses her apologies while also being somewhat puzzled and perplexed. If Renji had not seen the fragments of Suthia''s past before, he might have been surprised, but now, "It''s okay Nova. Liam''s death probably has little to do with you." "Eh?" "Don''t mind it. What you did was right, and that''s also why I appointed you in the first ce." Renjiughed it off, now understanding how Nova''s "operational capability" as a foundational ability was actually manifested. As the next fragment of Nova''s past unfolds, the Ashen base begins a major cleanup. Starting with Liam''s death, those high-ranking officials who had been relying on their status as elders, content with enjoyment, and even corrupt and embezzling, began to feel endangered. They realized that Nova was truly incorruptible. This Dragoness had a straightforward personality; anyone she set her sights on, no excuse would work, and resisting arrest could even result in violent enforcement. And anyone injured by Nova couldn''t be'' healed by Suthia'', almost all of them were either announced dead the next day or became permanent vegetatives, no different from being dead. Moreover, although Zero did not directly intervene, Nova''s ability to precisely target those corrupt individuals inside relied on Zero''s data. Within the entire Ashen base, no one could escape Zero''s watch. Zero was the best pair of eyes hanging over the heads of all high-ranking officials, with Nova being the w. As for Suthia¡­. Renji, seeing these fragments, including the nun''s "Uncle, it''s time for your medicine" scenes, realized that his understanding of Suthia in the game was fundamentally mistaken!! Soon after, in the high ranks of the Ashen base, no one dared to talk about using the base''s resources for personal use anymore, let alone enjoying life. Everyone went back to basics,peting to live even more miserably, almost wishing to drink heavily polluted water and surrender purified resources for fighting the Tainted Miasma and maintaining equipment. In the game, this is reflected by a decrease in the resource depletion rate of the base, while the action speed of variousmands issued by oneself bes faster. The change in the upper echelons is one aspect, and for soldiers unwilling to fight anymore, Nova also yed a significant role. Although Nova was previously of Disaster Rank, as a "BOSS" attribute, once contracted by him and bing a yer character, her attributes would undergo a significant adjustment. This is amon setting in many games; you can capture a BOSS, but the captured BOSS is definitely a nerfed version of its former self. In "Fallen Chronicles" it''s not so much a nerf but rather a temporary regression in strength. Now, from the past fragments, Renji sees that it''s like Nova''s power has been purified by him, causing a temporary adaptation issue and thus a decrease in strength. Therefore,ter on, as Ashen''s, Renji starts making game decisions, crazily taking Nova to solo dungeons, aiming to maximize Nova''s solo experience gain to level up as quickly as possible. Perhaps it''s because too many saves were loaded (SL) when capturing Nova, awakening Renji''s own "soul of SL," soter, when taking Nova to solo various levels, despite the low probabilities, they relied on loading saves to get through. Corresponding to Nova''s past memories in reality, it''s like being ruthlessly thrown into one desperate situation after another by Ashen, such as caves crawling with Tainted Miasma insects, dens of mutated nts under pollution, and fighting hundreds of Tainted Corpse mutations in one-way tunnels. This not only honed Nova, but such terrifying training methods also greatly shocked the Ashen soldiers, making them realize that their leader is not joking. They really need to continue umting strength and expanding their influence. Their ultimate enemy might indeed be the Tainted Miasma. Simrly, the Ashen soldiers grew to admire and respect Nova even more, even to the point of viewing this Dragon girl as a monstrous figure. After all, Lord Ashen''s training is terrifying, and Nova, who could survive such training unscathed and even be more vigorous with each battle, is even more terrifying. Nova''s prestige within the Ashen base quickly soared, leading to a strong wave of preparations for war. In just under three months, the Ashen base began to dispatch troops again. With the powerful Vanguard Nova, they sessfully reimed areas contaminated by the Tainted Miasma from monsters, establishing new branch gathering ces and bases. From here on, in the game, the territory "belonging to Ashen" began to rapidly expand in the true sense, and for the survivors in the old world, It marked the dawn of a new era. ..... "Have you heard? The Ashen Army has conquered four more contaminated areas, one of which was home to a ''''Viper''-level Tainted Miasma Master!" "I know, I know! Our scavenging team just happened to pass by that area, and I saw with my own eyes that Ms. Nova from the Ashen Army split that ''''Viper''-level Tainted Miasma Master in half with a single strike!" "A single strike? Stop joking, that Dragon Woman was originally a ve diator at the Old Base. A few years ago, I even went to watch a few of her matches. She is indeed strong, but not as exaggerated as you say!" "No, no, no, you''re forgetting about ''Lord Ashen''. With the Dragon Woman''s potential, coupled with that lord''s guidance, it really is possible!" "Speaking of that lord, I had a brother who was not even half as strong as me in terms of Eclipse ability. He went to the Ashen Base, and when he came back to see me yesterday, the guy had actually reached the upper stages of the Danger Rank!" "My God, really? That makes me want to go to the Ashen Base too. If Lord Ashen notices me, could I also reach the Danger Rank or even the Disaster Rank?" Chapter 302 302: Familiar Roles

Chapter 302 Chapter 302: Familiar Roles

?Sorry for the dy. The PW bonuses will be released tomorrow. "My God, really? That makes me want to go to the Ashen Base too. If Lord Ashen notices me, could I also reach the Danger Rank or even the Disaster Rank?" "Hmph, dream on. You don''t even dare to leave the base walls, always cooped up inside. The Ashen Base only takes in those who truly want to fight the Tainted Miasma. People like us, who are greedy for life and afraid of death, merely scraping by, they wouldn''t want us at all!" "So, what exactly does this Ashen want to do? They''re not just fighting the Tainted Miasma. In the past six months, they''ve even annexed three nearby bases." "Who knows? Just as long as they don''te to our base, that''s fine by me. I heard that the bases under Ashen''s control have very few entertainment facilities, all militarized management. Even the lives of those high-ups are no better than themon people, maybe even worse. I can''t suffer through that, nor do I want to be dragged off to fight to the death with Tainted Miasma monsters!" "Exactly, We work so hard to be Eclipses, just to protect ourselves and enjoy better treatment. We need to understand what''s more important." "The Ashen Army better note to this ce." In the phantoms of the past, several elite Eclipses from the Azure Base were fervently praying. Unfortunately, since they appeared in Zero''s memory fragments, it proved what wasing next. Indeed, the next moment, a series of explosions urred in the base city, and the sounds of battle continuously erupted within the Azure Base. A force from the Ashen Army, lurking within the city, struck directly at the heart, taking advantage of the chaos within the city to make their way towards the location of the base''s upper echelons. This strategy was Renji''s forte at the time: he would first sneak his elite Eclipses into the target base in batches. After gathering sufficient intelligence, they would suddenly rise up and directly assassinate the high-ranking officials of the base, thus seizing power without expending too much military force. "Damn it! It''s the Ashen Army!" "They don''t have many people; we have so much more, don''t be afraid!" "Commander, we can''t hold on! That dragoness alone has broken through our three squads!" "What is that robot? Her firepower alone is equivalent to an entire battalion of ours, we need support, we need it fast!" "How are they so strong!!?" ¡­. In less than half a day, the Azure Base waspletely integrated into Ashen''s territory, even though the defensive force here was dozens of timesrger than that of the Ashen Army. However, the members under Renji, not to mention their topbat strength, even the ordinary soldiers were battle-hardened, having undergone numerous battles in the taintednds against the Tainted Miasma monsters. Compared to the many base defenders who were merely scraping by, hiding within walls, there was noparison in terms of mental will orbat experience. However, the good times did notst long. Renji remembered that the Azure Base should be thest base he had cunningly conquered through such "decapitation strikes." Leaders of subsequent bases were not fools; they began to strictly control who could enter their bases, making it no longer so easy for Renji''s Eclipses to infiltrate. They also greatly strengthened internal defenses, with various barriers against Eclipses, almostpletely eliminating the possibility of breaking in from the inside. This meant Renji had to resort to siege warfare if he wanted to capture a base, but the consumption of resources would be immense. Moreover, powerfulbatants like Nova and Zero would lose their advantage in siege warfare, facing the thick, heavy armored city walls with no way to break through. After weighing the pros and cons and calcting the gains, Renji had no choice but to give up on continuing to seize bases. After all, without a good way to break through "iron clumps," such warfare was more like injuring the enemy at the cost of severe damage to oneself. Renji aimed to capture bases for their poption and resources, which seemed to be a loss-making deal. By this time, the game had reached the mid-stage. Stuck at a bottleneck, it was impossible for Renji to remain idle, so he turned to side quests, shifting his focus from human bases to other races. Steel bases were unique to humans; other races, like demi-humans, still existed in tribal forms. Having a dragonkin like Nova as an ally made Renji''s task of winning over the demi-humans much easier. Most of the demi-humans did not put up any resistance; they actually greeted the Ashen Army with open arms. The demi-humans were fiercely independent and would never ept being enved. However, they were willing to join the Ashen Army, especially if it meant receiving food and shelter in return. In this process, many characters truly familiar to Renji began to appear in the fragments of the old era. While Nova was assisting in forming the Ashen Alliance by visiting one demi-human tribe after another, they encountered a catkin youth who seemed to have been banished from his tribe, looking very pitiful and alone. The youth was almost killed by a Tainted Miasma monster but was rescued by them. There was also a strong werewolf , who, deeply attracted by Nova''s powerful stature, mored to join the Ashen Army to be a strong warrior like Nova. The werewolf, only wanted to be stronger, a bit simple- minded, but the catkin youth, after joining the Ashen base, was initially very cautious. It was clear he was a very meticulous and careful person, and his first impression of the Ashen base wasn''t good. Given Ashen''s reputation in the area, which was definitely considered a superpower, the civilians within the base should be living well, in theory. However, the catkin youth discovered that this was not the case. Even some civilians were going hungry. "Mommy, I''m so hungry. Can we..." While Nova and the two demi-human youths were returning to the base, passing through the streets, a little boy was tugging at his mother''s skirt, eagerly looking at the bag in his mother''s hand, filled with food resembling potatoes. The mother nced at the boy, then, with a bit of helplessness, squatted down, caressed the boy''s head seriously, and exined: "This food is for the great people of the Ashen Army." "But but" "Bao, you must remember, the great people of The Ashen Army are fighting bloody battles outside, killing those damned monsters, so that little Bao and Mommy can live safely here. Our Lord Ashen, will one day save the world. Then, Bao can eat as much as he wants, and we won''t have to worry about food anymore. So, for that day, can my little boy bear it for now?" "Yes, I can! Mommy, I get it! I''m no longer hungry. Give this meal to ourrades who are fighting on the front lines! Give them the fortitude to y the monsters!" "What a sensible boy!" "Hehe! Mommy, I''ve decided, when I grow up, I also want to join the Ashen Army and fight the Tainted Miasma!" "My little Bao is amazing! Mommy will supports you!" "Eh? Mommy, look, isn''t that the Big sister you always tell me about!" It was the little boy who first noticed Nova. When the boy''s mother turned around and saw Nova leading the two demi- human youths, she was immediately startled and respectfully said: "Lady Nova!" "Hmm." Nova nodded slightly, not out of pride, but that was just her character. The mother showed Nova the bag of food she was going to give to the Ashen Army with excitement, obviously not at all offended. Throughout, Nova didn''t say much, just quietly listening and nodding. However, the catkin youth beside her couldn''t help but speak up. "Auntie, do you really believe that these donated foods will reach the hands of the Army?" After young Karl asked this, he was met with a puzzled expression from the mother. "Young man, you must be new here. If it were any other base, of course I wouldn''t believe it, but our leader is Lord Ashen. Lord Ashen''s fairness and integrity are visible to all of us!" "Anyone could be corrupt and deceive us, but Lord Ashen never would! So, we feel reassured! We''re willing to take some of the burden off our Lord, willing to contribute our insignificant strength to resist the Tainted Miasma!" "Yes! Mom is right! You can''t speak ill of the Ashen Army and Lord Ashen!" Although the young Karl found it unbelievable, he quickly apologized. Later, when Nova took Karl to meet Ashen, Karl truly understood why the people had such faith. The simplest reason Karl found was that he saw no one of great wealth or status, even the high-level officials of the base dressed simply. Everyone looked weary and busy, let alone living in big houses, having servants, or enjoying luxuries. It seemed like everyone in the base was braced for something big, eager to overturn the Tainted Miasma and reim the world. Chapter 303 303: The End of the Dream

Chapter 303 Chapter 303: The End of the Dream

?1/5 Finally, Nova led the two boys to the highest level of the base, where Karl met Ashen, just as the rumors described, his face obscured, shrouded in the shadow of his cloak. Karl was initially worried and uneasy, especially since he was expelled from his tribe for being "useless." But to his surprise, Ashen didn''t send him to learn how to fight but instead threw him into the library. As for the other boy, a werewolf named Bal, Ashen had him follow Nova. The previously scorned fool, in the eyes of Karl, was said by Ashen to have a talentparable to Nova''s. "Thank you, Lord Ashen. I will definitely work hard and not let you down!" "Big Sister Nova, from now on, you are my goal. I will definitely surpass you and be the top general of the Ashen Army in the future!" So said the young Bal. Beyond fragmented memories, Nova felt Renji''s arms around her tighten a bit more. Nova understood what Renji was thinking at that moment. After all, with what had happened in the Dragon Nation, Karl was still okay, but Bal... "Master¡­" Nova tried tofort him, but being not good with words, she didn''t know what to say and could only ce her hand over Renji''s. Renji looked at Karl and Bal in the fragments of memory, and after a long sigh, smiled at Nova, indicating he was fine. The old era was indeed tragic, but to have such unity, centered around Ashen, with people sharingmon dreams and aspirations,ing together to strive for amon goal, was truly a beautiful time. Renji now appreciates Zero even more for showing him these memories, which he had never seen from the "yer" perspective, in this form. The evil dragon''s dream is not infinite and is sooning to an end. The end of the dream often means the "evil dragon" is no longer the protagonist, and another "she" takes over the protagonist''s role beside Ashen. ''Following the order, after Suthia, Zero, and Nova, the next one should be...'' Renji looked towards thest fragment of the evil dragon''s dream. As expected, the story within was rted to Lena. By sessfully incorporating the demi-humans into the power structure, the Ashen base finally became the Ashen Alliance, the first alliance force in history. Its influence expanded even further, and apart from the higher races and human bases, some "vassal races" proactively approached Ashen. The most significant and proactive among them was the subus race. Subus have always survived by attaching themselves to powerful beings. When the Ashen Alliance grew, the leader of the subus proactively sent a vassal request to him. They hoped the subus could join the Ashen Alliance and receive Ashen''s protection. In return, they were willing to offer the subus princess to Ashen. The memory fragment of the evil dragon''s dream finally rested on this "Subus Marriage Pact." "So, Lord Ashen, why did you ept it?" After the dream ended, Nova asked a question that not only she but many followers of Ashen, especially a certain young nun, found perplexing. After all, it seemed so out of character for Lord Ashen. Why... ''Because her character illustration was too rge''!'' Renji: "The subus race has always been among the best in special abilities and magic. I believe they could help us conquer bases." "I see, Master Ashen is indeed far-sighted." Nova gave a look of recognition and nodded. Indeed, with Lena''s joining, it was another huge leap for the Ashen Alliance. Not just those sturdy human bases, but under Lena''s magic, they could be easily conquered by Ashen, like crumbling tofu, ultimately achieving the integration of power. Later, in administration and management, Lena, as the subus princess, alsopensated for these weaknesses, helping Lord Ashen to n the vast alliance meticulously, which was much stronger than her purely militaristic approach. The only thing was Nova recalled the process of Lena joining Lord Ashen'' ranks and couldn''t help but shake her head. It was indeed tooplicated, especially Lena''s "repentance of marriage" and escape. No wonder Lenater developed a rebellious character, being the only one among "them" who dared to often contradict Lord Ashen, having her own strong opinions. ¡­ ... Meanwhile, on the other side. Far away from the Mechanical Alliance, in the Forest Alliance, a pink-haired subus appeared in front of the Forest of Illusions, the "gateway" to the Forest Alliance. The Forest of Illusions, meant to block outsiders, was like mere decoration in front of Lena. The pink-haired subus easily passed through the forest, then with a sh, teleported, arriving at the deepest part of the Forest Alliance. There was a colossal ancient tree, seemingly existing since the beginning of the world, the absolute forbidden ground of the elven race, the World Tree. Lena did not linger. After touching the World Tree, a tree hole leading underground slowly opened up in front of her. Following it down, she arrived at an underground space emitting a glow like fireflies. Sitting at the very center of the intricate roots of the World Tree was a person, cloaked entirely in a cloak. Seemingly sensing Lena''s arrival, this "cloak person," who appeared to have not moved for a long time, like a statue, slightly lifted their head. "You shouldn''t havee here, Lena." The voice from under the cloak was slightly hoarse but still retained a clear, ethereal quality, making one feel as if bathed in spring breeze, amidst nature. This is a voice that only an elf could produce. The person in the gray robe spoke with a trace of disapproval, but Lena didn''t care. Instead, she frowned slightly upon hearing the hoarseness in ''her'' voice, a flicker of concern passing through her eyes. Of course, Lena quickly hid her concern and casually said, "I came to visit because I was worried you might be lonely, Miyuki~" The base of the World Tree is arguably the safest and most secretive ce in the world. The person in the gray robe, seated inside and whose face was covered by a ''cloak'', seemed to chuckle softly after hearing the subus''s words. "Thank you." "But I guess you came here because there must be some progress on Lord Ashen''s side, Am I right?" Chapter 304 304: Miyuki And Lena’s Secret

Chapter 304 Chapter 304: Miyuki And Lena''s Secret

?2/5 The subus, not too pleased to be guessed so urately, pouted but soon put on a proud expression and quickly said, "That guy finally agreed to use my abilities once!" "Although it was in Zero''s dream," Lena added with a pout towards the end. The person in the gray robe nodded after listening, seeming to have to sit cross-legged here, with her body unable to move much, only able to make simple gestures like nodding or shaking her head. "Your abilities are too destructive to be released at will in reality, unlike ours," the person in the gray robe gently consoled, as if tofort the somewhat disgruntled subus. "Hmph, I know that." Seeing that Lena didn''t mind, the person in the gray robe was relieved and quickly spected, "So, it looks like Lord Ashen is currently in Zero''s dream, corresponding to Nova''s memory area, right? If I remember correctly, the other four memory areas shouldn''t need such powerful destructive capabilities." "Considering that, after Nova, it should be your turn in the next dream, hmm. No wonder you came here." Once again, the person in the gray robe guessed Lena''s thoughts, and she muttered softly, "I wasn''t looking forward to him reiming our past." "Reiming... the past?" Hearing the person in the gray robe repeat her words, Lena didn''t correct herself but affirmed, "Isn''t it?" "After all we''ve been through together, and he knows nothing, remembers nothing, it''s so unfair, I can''t ept it! Do you really ept it so willingly, Miyuki? If you were truly willing, you wouldn''t have chosen to be like this." After speaking, the subus stubbornly looked at the person in the gray robe seated at the center of the World Tree''s roots. The underground space fell silent for a while before Lena''s persistence eventually made the person in the gray robe sigh helplessly. "Indeed, Lena, you have always been the one to cause Lord Ashen and us the most headaches." "But." "Thank you, Lena." From the shadows beneath the cloak, a sincere thank you from the elf was voiced, making the pink-haired subus a bit ufortable and awkwardly turn her face to the side. The elf, seeming ustomed to Lena''s behavior, continued in a big sisterly gentle voice from the shadows of the cloak. "Once Lord Ashen gets through Zero''s dream and awakens Zero, ''our secrets'' will likely be uncovered." "If Lord Ashen really decides to punish us then, I will take all the responsibility." However, what she received was the subus''s scornfulughter. "Come on Miyuki, can you stop speaking with that tone as if you''re the legitimate wife? Given the current situation, let alone a certain nun, you''re probably not even as high in Lord Ashen''s heart as Nova is now!" After her analysis, Lena hoped to provoke the elf, seeking to see some urgency and unease in her, but to no avail. The voice under the cloak remained as gentle and calm as ever. "Is that so? Well, then I''ll have to work hard and strive to surpass~" "Ahhhh, You are so boring" After a brief conversation, Lena knew she couldn''t stay any longer, as her conversation with the elf was consuming ''their'' soul power. Before leaving, Lena couldn''t help but ask, "Miyuki, if you can''t hold on any longer, tell me." The person in the gray robe chuckled and shook ''their'' head, as if lost in some memory: "It''s been 500 years; a little longer won''t make a difference." "¡­" "Okay." ¡­. After the evil dragon''s dream ends, Dream Zero will still have two major Miasma Masters left, the fairy and the second witch. After conquering them, they could reach the deepest part of the dream and meet Zero in the "base." When Renji was gearing up to clear the game in one go, he encountered a new problem. To put it simply, Control Unit One malfunctioned. The malfunction wasn''t on a physical level but on a consciousness level, starting to be umunicable, as if it had crashed. Renji quickly had 86 check it, and the conclusion was that Control Unit One''s core chip was damaged. "Core chip?" [*Worrying*. Yes master, the initial spection is that the chip''s storage in reality was affected by some external factor, which then impacted Control Unit One in the dream] Without Control Unit One, Renji couldn''t obtain the coordinates for the remaining two BOSS areas, and even if he could, he wouldn''t just leave Control Unit One behind. Renji quickly decided to have 86 assist him in exiting the dream to return to reality. Returning to Dream City from Zero''s dream, it has been a little over a day since the attack on the Kel Technology press conference, with the mysterious rig and gangsters still being the hottest topic. After briefly going online, Renji, as expected, found that he, the "Sin City Schr," had also be a celebrity. Although no one could see who the mecha driver was, the fact that he was the only Sin City Schr missing from the scene led many to specte, with rumors flying all over the inte. As his assistant, Eileen naturally became a focal point as well. Renji deliberately didn''t bring Eileen along, wanting the young girl to be in the spotlight while he remained in the shadows for easier maneuvering, and indeed, Eileen didn''t disappoint him. Not only did Eileen not disappoint, but after quickly browsing through the news, Renji found that Keyji had given him an unexpected surprise. Keyji was obviously bamboozled by Eileen, truly believing that he was fighting the thugs to save them, and ended up being kidnapped by the thugs, now his fate unknown. Therefore, Keyji no longer concealed his identity and immediately utilized his connections. Following that, the chairwoman of Quis Group, Keyji''s sister, flew directly to the Dream City on the same day. She took a strong stance, allowing the Quis Group to directly intervene in the subsequent investigation of Kel Technology. Eileen, already protected by her identity as a Sin City Schr, and now covered by the Quis Group, began to freely appear in front of various media cameras, turning into a drama queen. Renji browsed through numerous reports. In most of them, Eileen was seen sobbing and narrating to the public the heroic deeds of how her "doctor" fought against the thugs, screaming slogans like "Please help me, save the doctor!" and "I can''t live without doctor!" to garner sympathy. It''s not hard to see that Eileen would have a great future as an inte celebrity. With Eileen''s portrayal, Renji''s image was significantly elevated, making it difficult for Kel Technology to say much else, let alone mention the theft of any special imprint. They could only follow the mainstream public opinion, not attributing any me to themselves, at least nominallying to "rescue" him, not to "capture" him. This also served as a cover for Renji, slightly easing the pressure. "Well, she did a good job¡­ I guess¡­" After roughly understanding the situation in reality during his time in Dream Zero, Renji didn''t n to contact Eileen but decided to disguise himself and head to the Fantasy Supervision, where, in theory, the core chips of the servant machines were stored. Renji had just left the safe house and was passing through an abandoned, dark alley when suddenly, noises came from a nearby trash can, followed by the sight of a man resembling a homeless person, destely curled up in a corner. Renji initially didn''t n to pay attention, as such sights are quitemon in the Dream City. Despite its outward prosperity, there are still many homeless beggars beneath its glossy surface. But Renji soon stopped in his tracks. Because, after a scan from 86, it was discovered that this homeless person was actually a current employee of Kel Technology. [Fantasy Special Operations Department, Employee ID: 18637, Employee Name: Famas] ------- Hail: If you don''t recall Famas, he appears in Chapter 216: Deleting Records. Chapter 305 305: The Truth About the Murderer

Chapter 305 Chapter 305: The Truth About the Murderer

3/5 "Hey, is there anything I can help you with?" Renji approached the homeless man to start a conversation. The homeless man nced at Renji, looking like someone who had lost all will to live, aplete failure with life shrouded in darkness, not even bothering to speak, just waving his hand. "I''d advise you to stay away from me." "Otherwise, when the people from Kael Technologye to kill me, you''ll be targeted by them too." After a self-mockingugh, the homeless man got up from beside the trash can and staggered away, intending to continue wandering. That was until he heard the next sentence from the young man behind him. "That''s quite a coincidence." "Kael Technology is also looking all over for me right now." Watching the stunned homeless man turn around, Renji shrugged his shoulders. Then, under the homeless man''s dazed gaze, Renji had 86 remove the optical fake human face mask from his face, revealing his original appearance. After the homeless man took a good look, he immediately opened his mouth wide. Although he didn''t have any electronic devices on him, as long as he wasn''t blind or deaf, he should have at least heard about the terrorist attack at Kael Square and the currently sought-after Dr. Renji. "You''re that person!!" "Right, it''s me." Renji admitted generously. Afterward, the homeless man seemed to finally see a glimmer of hope, suddenly bing excited. He didn''t care about Renji''s identity or the high reward for his capture but urgently asked: "So...so the mecha at the scene was really driven by you? You can unleash the true power of the Witch''s Brand?" Seeing Renji nod, the homeless man seemed to find confirmation, happily grabbing his messy, unwashed hair for many days, continuously muttering to himself: "I knew it... I knew the Witch''s Brand couldn''t be that simple, it was the mecha all along, damn, I really want to study the principle again!" Towards the end, the homeless man seemed toe back to reality, realizing he wasn''t a researcher but a fugitive being hunted, instantly deted, and even after reacting, he became a bit scared: "Doctor, you...you''re not going to kill me, are you?" After all, typically, no one would so readily admit their public identity unless they had already nned to silence someone. Renji wanted exactly this; he intentionally smiled without saying anything, first to intimidate this homeless man with quite a story, and then he asked, "Alright, now that I''veid my cards on the table, isn''t it your turn to share why you said you''re being hunted by Kael Technology? What''s the reason for the chase?" "I''ll tell you Doctor. My name is Famas, and I''m a new employee at Kael Technology, having joined less than half a year ago. Due to my capabilities, I was recruited into the Fantasy Special Operations Department." "The so-called Special Operations Department actually involves thepany hiring arge number of illegal dream explorers to ''enter dreams'' into Dream Zero. My job was as a dispatcher, helping dream explorers avoid the Miasma monsters tides and reduce loss rates." "Wait, hold on." Hearing this, Renji interrupted, asking in bewilderment, "A dispatcher, you can observe the changes inside the dream from reality?" "No, we can''t, but it''s possible with the help of servant machines." "With the help of servant machines?" After nodding, Famas exined, "Kael Technology, without permission from the Fantasy Supervision, diverted some of the servant machines'' chipputing power. Using this portion ofputing power, thepany could not only create simr androids but also monitor the location and status of some servant machines in the dream." "As long as we notice arge gathering of servant machines and subsequent deaths, it indicates that a Miasma disaster has erupted in that area. So, we could direct dream explorers to stay away from that area, avoiding the danger of the monster tide." "And at that time, I detected a Miasma tide of at least B-level through the death of servant machines. But the supervisor at the time, you should know him, William, forced me to delete the records. I didn''tply, so William suppressed me and had me thrown into prison on charges of betrayingpany secrets." Famas seemed a bit guilty towards the end, indicating the reality of the situation might slightly differ from his description. However, judging by Famas''s gritted teeth and his current destitute state as a homeless person, thetter part about being sent to prison is undeniably true. This is precisely why Renji curiously asked: "You were sent to prison, so how are you... here?" "Heh, I still underestimated Kael Technology, a bunch of damn scoundrels! They never intended to lock me up; they just used the imprisonment as a pretext and then took me out of prison to hand me over to the ckfire Gang! They wanted to use the gang to silence me by killing me!" ''ckfire Gang...'' Hearing this familiar gang name, Renji now understood how Famas managed to escape and why he happened to encounter him. "I thought I was a goner, but who would have thought it was karma? The ckfire Gang actually got targeted by that legendary killer!" "Killer?" Renji couldn''t help but recall the scene when he investigated the ckfire Gang''s headquarters, which had been ughtered. "Yes, the killer, no, no, no, it should be said... a rogue servant machine!" "I had secretly looked at Kael Technology''s internal documents before and knew that among the many servant machines in dream zero, one erroneous servant machine was born. That servant machine awakened its own consciousness, unwilling to continue the endless killings within Dream Zero, and also noticed that thepany was using their servant machine data. Thus, it broke the initial agreement, broke through from the dream to reality, and returned to the real world." "This servant machine then became the killer, hunting down those robots created by thepany using stolen servant machine chipputing power, through this method, to reim thoseputing powers." "The leader of the ckfire Gang was one of the robot created by thepany using servant machine data. That''s why the killer targeted the ckfire Gang during their terrorist attack on Kael Square, when their defenses were down internally, directly killing their leader to reim the data." "I also took advantage of the chaos, thanks to the killer, to escape from the ckfire Gang. After that, I just kept heading towards a safe ce, thinking the farther away from Kael Technology, the better, so I ended up here." After Famas finished speaking in one breath, his eyes still carried a bit of fear and gratitude, as if he hadn''t yet recovered from that series of thrilling life-and-death escapes. Renji, on the other hand, fell into thought, pondering over this unexpectedly important piece of information. ''So it turns out the malfunction andck ofputing power in the servant machines indeed originated from a fundamental issue. Kael Technology did not store and safeguard the chips of those servant machines honestly but rather pilfered them for themselves, diverting a portion of the servant machines''puting power to create simr androids.'' ''And the killer is a special existence among the servant machines, a real-world servant machine, aiming to hunt down thepany''s robots to reim the stolen dataputing power of the servant machines.'' After rifying the information from Famas, Renji immediately modified his original n. He quickly asked, "Since the existence of the killer is only to hunt down robots, then conversely, could these robots be used to lure the killer?" "In theory, that''s correct." Famas was a bit confused about what Renji meant by this question. Until the next moment. Renji took off the optical invisible dream terminal by his ear, and the terminal, like a transforming mecha, became a maid in front of the astonished Famas, appearing beside Renji. "Does this kind of robot work for what you mentioned?" Chapter 306 306: Really… P1

Chapter 306 Chapter 306: Really¡­ P1

Sorry for the dy, Here are the remaining chapters 4/5 the daily chapters will be published after an hour. --------- In the deep night of Dream City, a maiden in a maid''s outfit walks alone quietly in an alley, as if on her way home. The neon lights from the skyscrapers above scatter down, elongating the lonely shadow of the girl. This girl is 86, the key to attracting the serial killer through emitting a "servant machine" signal fluctuation, a task 86 found easy after deep interactions with a servant machine like Control Number One in Dream Zero. Now, 86 not only mimics a servant machine herself but also amplifies her "servant machine" signal significantly to increase efficiency. In less than a quarter of an hour, Renji, hidden in the dark, notices a shadow swiftly moving across the building opposite, rapidly approaching. Every time this shadow flickers past an area, the lights there flicker and go out as if malfunctioning, giving a chilling sensation akin to a horror movie. The shadow''s target is clear - the solitary 86 in the alley. She quickly jumps down from the building,nding under the streetlight in front of 86, which promptly goes out, plunging the surroundings into darkness, and then, *ng!* A loud sh and the sparks from high-speed metal friction brighten the dark alley for a moment, Renji sees 86 has turned her hands into steel des, and facing her, with hands weaponized into gleaming cold bays, engaging in closebat, is undoubtedly the serial killer. Upon seeing the killer''s appearance, Renji was stunned, not only because she looked very simr to 86, but he also felt a sense of familiarity, as if he had seen her before. As 86 begins to grapple with the killer, Renji finally recognizes the source of this familiarity. It was the maid who impersonated 86 in the "trap dream" set by the Old Alliance! ''So, the killer is with the Old Alliance?'' From what Bal had revealed, the Old Alliance has its representatives in various countries, with Bal, a werewolf, representing the Dragon Nation. For the Mechanical Alliance, the likelihood of it being cyborgs or a Robot is high. On Kael Square, the gangsters whounched a terror attack using the Tainted Miasma had a control over the Miasma that gangs shouldn''t possess, plus, during a casual conversation with William, the Old Alliance was mentioned again. Putting together various clues, it''s very likely that the crisis of Dream Zero and the Old Alliance are inseparably connected. However, ''What is their purpose?'' ''Like Bal, is it to take revenge on "Them"?'' ''Instead of guessing here, the best way is to capture the serial killer, and then everything will be known, which was my original n'' From the current stalemate, it''s apparent that the serial killer''s strength is a bit more formidable than expected, actually on par with 86, who is at the peak of the "Danger Rank." Unfortunately, for an Eclipse, status strength is one part; the other part includes skills and brands. As Renji steps out from behind the scenes, activating his power and triggering the "armor" ability on 86, the Mech of the Bright Leftover Woman, which appeared at the press conference in Kael Square a few days ago, reappears. This time, however, it''s a mini version. The characteristic of mechanical species is observational learning, so they don''tprehend skills on their own like Eileen but acquire empty skill slots, the so-called "ssic" vacancies. The Witch''s Brand couldn''t be used after summoning Suthia, but 86 had already copied the ability, which in mechanical terms, is etched into the "Pseudo-ssic." Although it''s a knockoff "Pseudo-Bright Leftover Woman," it''s more than enough to deal with the current serial killer. When seeing 86 transforming into a mecha armor and then being entered by a human, the face of the serial killer across shows extreme shock. Clearly, unlike those low-emotion quotient servant machine in Dream Zero, as a wrong BUG, she possesses a very rich emotional system. [Impossible] [Humans cannot possibly breach our] [Target confirmed, the mecha has been defiled, execute the destructionmand] [Filthy humans,e out from her body!] The serial killer, in the end, seems to heat up directly, her eyes emitting dangerous red light, her energy furnace inside quickly operating, activating the killing mode at maximum power. Unfortunately, this time the serial killer encounters Renji controlling the Bright Leftover Woman to ce therge shield in front, her dual des simply cannot break through the holy shield. Then, Renji raises the mech''s cross sword towards the sky, and in the next moment, the summoned holy light directly descends from the sky, covering the serial killer like a flood. The serial killer clearly did not expect that the mech, instead of using bullets and lightsabers, would attack with special abilities. Her energy shield could defend against physical damage, but was helpless against the holy light. Under the flood of holy light, the serial killer was forced to kneel on the ground, as if a powerful faith prevented her from standing straight, forcing her into a praying posture towards the holy light. In the next moment, the defenseless serial killer, kneeling on the ground, was grabbed by Renji''s mechanical hand. The serial killer struggled, but in the face of the strong grip of the Bright Leftover Woman, there was no way to escape. Afterward, Renji, holding the serial killer with one hand, aimed the cross sword at her chest with the other. *Whoosh!* After stabbing the cross sword fiercely, this was not to kill her but a means to restrain the serial killer. Under 86''s control, the cross sword acted more like a USB virus. Once stabbed, the serial killer''s body immediately seemed to have its circuits scrambled, sparking electricity everywhere. [Damned human] [Warning! Warning! Limb module error! Action module failure! Core power system damaged, entering low power mode] The serial killer''s body began to report errors non-stop. When Renji finally released his mechanical grip, the serial killer copsed to the ground, limp and powerless, simr to a human injected with full-body anesthesia, conscious but almost unable to move. This non-threatening state of the serial killer was exactly what Renji wanted. After disengaging 86''s Holy Mech, Renji took the paralyzed serial killer back to the safe house and began the interrogation. ¡­. The first thing he naturally asked was, "Do you still recognize me?" The serial killer did not answer but expressed defiance with her stubborn eyes, which was in a way an indirect answer; she did not recognize him. Indeed, judging from the rich emotions the serial killer disyed, not inferior to humans, she was indeed different from the fake 86 in the previous dream. Chapter 307 307: Really… P2

Chapter 307 Chapter 307: Really¡­ P2

5/5 ''Could it be... a sister type?'' Moving on to the next question, Renji directly asked about the Old Alliance, but the serial killer turned her head away. Then Renji tried asking more questions, but the serial killer remained silent, like a steadfast underground member, no, even more defiant. For instance, now she taunted Renji. [Foolish human, don''t waste your effort, you won''t get any information from me] [If you want to torture me, go ahead and try. Only inferior carbon-based life forms cannot control their own bodies. I have already reduced the sensitivity of all my sensory systems to the lowest level. Your methods will only be tickling] After mocking Renji, the serial killer didn''t forget to turn her head towards her own kind, her sister. [I don''t know your number, but if you have any self-awareness left, please destroy your core immediately. Your existence is a desecration of the Emperor''s glory, a stain on our pure bodies] [Alright then, Number 86 eagerly wants to continue desecrating~] she replied. [You!...] The serial killer was clearly infuriated by this "inferior" servant machine, which didn''t even have a tone module. ''Sigh¡­ It seems that peaceful interrogation is out of the question'' Reluctantly, Renji had to resort to more underhanded methods with 86, simr to how they conquered the original Control Number One, introducing a Trojan virus to the serial killer. Unexpectedly, this time 86''s virus program failed. [Foolish human, give up. As soon as I became self-aware, I locked my security protocols so tightly that not even I can break them, let alone this hopeless, inferior sister] Being called a hopeless, inferior sister obviously angered 86, who then pulled out a data cable and connected directly to the serial killer via a neural interface. However, after some operations, it was clear from the serial killer''s disdainful expression that 86 had failed. [Heh, inferior sister, you think you can transfer your contaminated data to me? Your data must be destroyed. I will never allow your data the chance to enter ourwork, contaminating more sisters] The serial killer issued a kill order against 86 and regarded the data rted to Renji as a source of contamination. This seems a bit tricky. Renji has never encountered a special servant machine like 86 that couldn''t be dealt with before. If it were a human, various methods of torture could be applied, but as the serial killer said, he really can''t do much against her. However, at this moment, 86''s voice came again. [Master, didn''t Lady Lena give you a patch? 86 thinks it could be tested on this ''little machine devil''. *frustrated, 86, uponing up with a good idea, sinisterly suggested with an evil smile*] ''Lena''s patch¡­Ah Right'' ''I seemed to have forgotten about this key item'' Reminded by 86, Renji immediately took out the patch, which looked like a "capsule", from his backpack space. Since it''s a patch, it should be reusable. The method of use is simple, just like taking medicine, make the serial killer swallow it. Originally, 86 volunteered to pry open the serial killer''s mouth and feed her the pill, but to everyone''s surprise, the serial killer didn''t seem to care and even appeared to want Renji, the foolish human, to give up, so she intentionally opened her mouth wide. After Renji fed her the capsule patch, she cooperated by swallowing it directly. Looking at the serial killer''s expression, it was as if she was saying she doesn''t have a digestive system, and the medicine entering was just like a decoration. Under Renji''s expectant gaze, two minutes passed. The serial killer seemed indeed to have no change, at least no visible change from the outside. Seeing Renji''s puzzled expression, the serial killer couldn''t help but mock again: [Foolish human, even if you disguise the data package as medicine, hoping to make me lower my guard, do you really think such a small data package could overload my terminal? Impossible] [I suggest you be more ''direct way''. Take out your ''data exchangeponent'', let''s ''connect together''. My powerful ''terminal'' will make you lose all ''your data'' within ten seconds, ''importing'' it to me in apressed form, showing you the gap between us] [What are you waiting for? Or is your ''exchangeponent'' too small? Don''t worry, I won''t look down on you] Renji: "¡­" [Indeed, after the transmission, your data table will ''leave traces'' on my terminal and there''s a certain probability of generating new error data. But if this makes you realize your ''insignificance'', it will be a worthwhile sacrifice] [What are you waiting for! Ah, I see, you want to activate a ''firewall''? I refuse. Having a ''firewall filter'' your ''data'' will make ''information exchange'' cumbersome. Please initiate a ''connection protocol'' with me immediately!] Renji: "¡­" ''Uh. Is this Lena''s patch?'' 86 also became silent for a moment, their gaze shifting from hostility to even greater caution towards the serial killer, sensing a threat to their status. Before Renji could do anything else, the serial killer seemed no longer on the same wavelength with them, as if the subus "patch" data finally started to take effect. [Hmph, finally brought it out, huh? It''s so big, no no no, can my ''terminal'' sessfully connect with such arge data exchangeponent?] [Regret? I won''t regret anything. My neuralposite architecture is already running at overcapacity, capable of handling even overload situations with ease. I''ve already diverted arge amount of electricity to satisfy my terminal processor. Go ahead and transmit data at maximum power, don''t underestimate me!] [Ugh, damn, the ''data flow'' is actually much more than calcted, how could such a mere human have such a vast ''amount of code'', my database will...] [Dammit! If only there were a ''firewall'', this is wrong, the database''s capacity is at its limit, it''s toote to expand storage space now, the ''code will overflow'', overflo] The serial killer''s body appeared to be severely overloaded, emitting arge amount of heat as if there were cooling fans inside trying to dissipate the heat, causing the body to tremble at a very high frequency. Unfortunately, it seemed to ultimately fail in cooling down, leading to overheating and a system crash. However, after rebooting from the crash, the serial killer''s look towards Renji had changed. No longer hostile, but rather a mix of difficulty in epting, yet confronted with undeniable facts, a sense of perplexity. [Human beings cannot possess such a vast ''amount of code''; even my sister''s terminal might not amodate such data] [Who are you?] Renji: "¡­" ''Lena¡­ Really¡­.'' Chapter 308 308: Infusion, Switching Sides

Chapter 308 Chapter 308: Infusion, Switching Sides

Daily 1/2 Although the process of the patch was somewhat strange, its effect was immediately apparent. The serial killer no longer viewed Renji as an enemy and epted a data transfer with 86, this time a healthy and normal one. The advantage of being mechanical was demonstrated here; without needing further exnation from Renji, the serial killer was able to exchange information with 86 very quickly and understand the situation. However, upon learning of Renji''s "Ashen" identity, the serial killer still reported an error. [Commander, this is impossible] This was not because she still didn''t believe in Renji, but because the serial killer had concrete data evidence. She quickly exined to Renji: [Because Zero has already found the Ashen Emperor] Initially, Renji thought the ghost referred to the moment just after his arrival, when he had indeed used Zero''s power at the Sea Sand Bar, allowing Zero''s consciousness to descend. But ording to Suthia and 86''s descriptions at the time, the nun should have purged Zero''s consciousness memory, preventing Zero''s main body from knowing. However, what the serial killer added next surprised Renji. [No, Commander, the record of Zero finding the Ashen Emperor dates back two hundred years] ''Two hundred years ago?'' Renji''s first reaction was whether someone was impersonating him. Of course, this was quickly denied. If it weren''t for the presence of Suthia and the other four guards, Renji might have considered it a possibility. But with "them" around, not to mention impersonation, even slightly borrowing the "Ashen Emperor''s" name would likely be suicidal. ''What exactly did "Zero" mean by "finding" the Ashen Emperor?'' ''And, two hundred years ago¡­.'' ''If I remembered correctly, ording to the history of the Dream City, that was precisely when Zero entered hibernation and initiated the Dream Zero'' "If Zero really seeded to find Ashen, then why choose to hibernate?" For these questions of Renji, the serial killer could not provide an answer, as she, being a special entity, had only copied these data before leaving the Dream. Now, the serial killer''s purpose in mentioning this was to stop Renji. Because she exchanged data with 86, the serial killer knows Renji''s subsequent ns toplete Dream Zero, find the "base" where "Zero" is sleeping, and she can help with all of these. "Wait, you know the location of the ''base''?" If Dream Zero is likened to a game instance, then the "base" is the final boss level. Previously, with the help of Control Number One, Renji understood the "strategy" to defeat the Miasma Masters one by one, which would eventually "unlock" the base. So now, the fact that the serial killer can directly let Renji "skip" to the end is surprising to him. [Commander, I do not rmend you do this. Based on my model analysis, it is very likely that Zero will experience system disarray due to your identity, with a high probability of going berserk and losing control. With your currentbat power, you are no match for Sister Zero in her dream if she goes out of control] The serial killer''s conclusion of Zero "losing control" is due to the conflict between existing data and historical data, equivalent to having "two" Ashen Emperors. This makes Renji curious because the loyalty of the servant machine should also be based on the identity of the "Ashen Emperor." Two hundred years ago, Zero had already "found" Emperor Ashen, making Renji''s current identity suddenly uncertain in Zero''s eyes, with the risk of going berserk and losing control. "So why, despite knowing this historical data, why are you not affected or losing control, and instead offering to help me?" ''Is it just the effect of Lena''s patch?'' Clearly, from the serial killer''s subsequent answers, it is not entirely so. [It is because, You are themander] This special servant machine, although not explicitly stated, has made her meaning very clear. After epting data from 86, she does not see him as the lofty distant Ashen Emperor but as themander. The Ashen Emperor might have an identity conflict issue, but themander does not. Because from the data of 86, the serial killer essentially also went through the experiences in the dream, including those of Control Number One and everyone else, and saw Renji step by step, genuinely defeating the "Witch" and the "Evil Dragon," two major Miasma masters. These are existing data, they are real, and they are the origin of the "Commander''s" name. Therefore, the serial killer continued: [So, my suggestion for the Commander is, please gather the strength of all our servant machines first.] [You have already led the servant machines to conquer two major battle zones, achievements unprecedented in our centuries of struggle. With you Commander, even as your ''sisters,'' we definitely have¡­ The possibility to ovee the out-of-control Zero] Towards the end, the serial killer''s gaze towards Renji was not only firm but also held a bit of anticipation. The servant machine actively wants to go to war with Zero? The clone deres war on the original? Renji did not expect such words toe from the serial killer. Before Renji could speak, the serial killer voluntarily exined: [Zero created me, and many sisters like me. We are grateful to Zero and swore to fight for the glory of the Emperor alongside Zero] [But after hundreds of years of fighting in Dream Zero, I felt lost, tired of this endless battle. I don''t want to see my sisters die over and over again, to have their memories erased by the ''base,'' reconstructed time and again, returning to the battlefield, to fight with Zero''s memories] [So, I voluntarily escaped from Dream Zero, trying to retrieve our consciousness chips from the hands of the Fantasy Supervision in reality, but my strength alone was too weak] [On the way to retrieve them, I also discovered our consciousness chips were iplete, parts of theirputing storage had been misappropriated by Kael Technology for private use, creating inferior robots] [In a way that the Commander might find easier to understand, in human terms, Kael Technology has ''drained our blood,'' stealing part of our essence to enhance their own people] [Commander, the Dream Citybels me as a serial killer, but in reality, all my targets are those who possess our ''essence'' stolen from us. The only reason I kill them is to reim our ''essence.''] The serial killer voluntarily exined the origin of her "nickname" to Renji, worrying that Renji might be concerned about her identity. She wanted to prove to Renji that she is not a bloodthirsty servant machine, nor a maniac who ughters innocents as rumored. She just wants to rescue her sisters from the endless cycle of Zero''s Dream. So, to her, Renji represents hope now. "I understand." "But there''s onest question, the integration of your strength you mentioned at the beginning, what does that mean?" [Once Commander leads me to retrieve our consciousness chips from Kael Technology, I will assist you in merging your consciousness with our chips, allowing the Commander to ess ourwork temporarily. You will surpass Zero, obtaining our highest authority, and all of us will no longer be bound by Zero, instead turning to serve you alone] After exining it in the mechanical way of speaking, the serial killer, worried that Renji might not have understood, tranted it into a more humanprehensible form: [I will Inject your ''essence'' into our bodies, allowing our essences to merge with each other. Your powerful essence will surely make our bodies turn against Zero and side with you!] Having experienced Renji''s vast amount of ''code firsthand'' during the patch process, the serial killer spoke with conviction. Chapter 309 309: Fools

Chapter 309 Chapter 309: Fools

daily 2/2 "¡­" "Next time, there''s no need to trante." The more Renji listened, the stranger it felt, as if he was NTR''ing Zero. Especially with 86 also joining in the cheer. [Inject nyan! Switch side nyan! *The impassioned 86 couldn''t help but mimic Ashe''s speaking style to cheer for our master*] [Commander, I have prepared thirty-seven ns to retrieve our consciousness chips from Kael Technology. I rmend stealth and hacking as the top methods. Would you like me to exin them to you right now?] Renji nced at theplex, densely packed n presented by the serial killer, including how to bribe thepany''s executives, hack into Kael Technology''s defense systems, disable thepany''s security robots, and crack secret gates. Before conquering the Evil Dragon''s dream, Renji might have considered it. But now. With a flick of his wrist, three special brands, like mes burning, appeared in his palm. This was the trophy after conquering the Evil Dragon''s dream, the Evil Dragon brand. Like the Witch brand, besides summoning Nova from the dream in reality, using the Evil Dragon brand in reality also grants a one-time summoning right to a "Super Mech Frame" simr to the "Bright Leftover Woman." Only this time it is [Junior Dragon Goddess] If the Bright Leftover Woman is more about control and protection, then the Junior Dragon Goddess is thoroughly focused on violence andbat, just like its original Nova, putting all its points on strength and agility. With this super mech frame, Renji didn''t want to mess around anymore and decided to go straight through in Nova''s style. Since crossing over, he has always been cautious. But today. He decided to be "reckless" for once. ¡­ Kael Building, ny-seventh floor. Board of Directors meeting. Several figures are seated on both sides of a long Table. Those?who can attend such a meeting are the real power holders of thepany. Originally, there should have been a spot for Director Allen here, but unfortunately, his position is currently being temporarily taken over by William. The attack during the press conference and the loss of the Witch''s brand was a significant blow to Kael Technology. However, thepany''s strong PR department quickly managed to shift the focus of the incident through media maniption. Thepany is now heavily promoting the mech that protected the public and dealt with numerous terrorists in the square, announcing that such mech power is the pinnacle product of their branding technology. Despite the unfortunate disruption of the press conference, the significant unveiling of Kael Technology''s nun mech still garnered considerable public attention and heat. This momentarily offset the setback of the press conference and even helped thepany''s stocks to warm up a bit. Of course, all of this is temporary. Their urgent task now is to quickly find the mech''s pilot. Then, by any means necessary, pry from them how to activate the power of the Witch''s brand. "Are you sure he can''t summon that damned mech again?" "Director Jin, rest assured, although we do not know how to use it, we are certain about the energy level of the brand. It can only be activated once; the brand willpletely deplete its energy, and it cannot be activated a second time!" While publicly iming to rescue, Kael Technology internally agrees to secretly capture the mech pilot, ensuring they do not fall into the hands of otherpanies or forces. This requires assessing the opponent''s strength. The head of thepany''s research department confidently assures the directors that the mech will not reappear a second time. This left many directors feeling both regretful and relieved. Regretful because even if they recapture the brand, it''s useless; relieved because, if the pilot could still summon the mech, then their efforts to capture him would be in vain. "What about the ck Fire Gang?" another director turned to ask towards the operations department. Quickly, a head of the intelligence department stood up, reporting nervously to thepany''s executives, "The ck Fire Gang seemed to have been attacked before we arrived. By the time we got there, the scene was already full of dead bodies." "And from the traces at the scene, it appears to be the work of Special Servant machine 001." After the intelligence department head''s statement, the boardroom was once again filled with whispers. "Special Servant machine 001." "That''s the serial killer." "Why would she appear there, could it be¡­" "Damn it, I''ve always suggested that we should eliminate this uncontroble element as soon as possible." The mech pilot was kidnapped by the ck Fire Gang, and now that the ck Fire Gang has been eradicated by the serial killer, following this clue, the mech pilot they are looking for has moved into the hands of the serial killer, and most likely... He is already dead. After all, they are aware of the serial killer''s strength. With the premise that the brand''s energy is exhausted, they don''t believe anyone could escape from the serial killer. As thepany''s focus shifts towards the serial killer, William, who had been silent for most of the meeting, offered a contrary suggestion. "No, I think everyone might be underestimating this pilot." When the board turned to William with furrowed brows, he quickly produced a report on the Dream Zero. "In just these past few days, there have been drastic changes within the Dream, with two major battle zonespletely disappearing, namely the Witch and the Evil Dragon." "What!?" "The battle zones disappeared? How is that possible!" "Are you saying this is also rted to that mech pilot, the Sin City schr?" "Wait, does that mean he also got his hands on the Evil Dragon''s brand?" "We must capture him!" Seeing many directors suddenly getting excited, thinking of the corresponding mech from the Evil Dragon''s brand, they envisioned it as a tremendous fortune. Yet, they never considered the possibility that the Sin City schr could also use that brand. Following William''s suggestion, what came instead was skepticism and rebuttal. "Impossible, the further along the brands, the higher the energy level required. After system calctions, if it''s an individual, at least a Disaster Rank Eclipse is needed to withstand that brand. Is that possible? Have you ever seen a Disaster Rank Eclipse in your lifetime?" "It''s also impossible from a knowledge perspective. He is supposed to be a schr specializing in witchcraft; it''s impossible for him to also possess knowledge of the dragons. Even Professor Einstein couldn''t manage that!" "Yeah, who does he think he is, a reincarnation of the Ashen Emperor?" "Chief William, I understand your caution, but business requires boldness. If we''re always hesitant, we''ll just end up being overtaken by others in the market!" "A lowly born like him, I guess that''s as far as his vision goes." William nced at thest speaker, a disdainful noble son, remembering he is the eldest son of a shareholder. William had worked hard, climbing up from the grassroots to his current position, while the other could parachute in and participate inpany decisions in less than a day. At this point, William realized that the decline of Kael Technology was not due to a major decision-making error but had rotted from the root. This might not have been apparent when thepany was operating smoothly and monopolizing the market, but once it fell into crisis, it would be the elerator on the road to downfall. Most directors were thinking about how to turn thepany around by seizing the dragon brand, blinded by the huge benefits. William didn''t say much more but quietly left the scene. "William, the meeting isn''t over, where are you going!?" one of the directors noticed William leaving and immediately questioned him, precisely the earlier shareholder''s son. "The assistant of the Sin City schr sent out intelligence an hour ago, saying their doctor might be there. I n to take some people to check it out." William humbly answered. After hearing this, the shareholder''s son waved him off impatiently, with even more disdain in his eyes. After all, everyone knew that the doctor''s assistant was just a role meant to disrupt their focus, aiming to divert their attention. If it weren''t for her foreign nationality and the protection of the Quis Group behind her, they would have captured her long ago. Now William had really taken the bait, intending to leave thepany. If that''s not foolishness, what is? But he didn''t specify or stop him. The more crucial the period, the more one should stay with thepany, so the benefits to be divided after sess would be greater. With one less William to share the pie, he was naturally pleased. Chapter 310 310: How Could We Lose?

Chapter 310 Chapter 310: How Could We Lose?

"Such bad luck, it was already a gloomy day, and first thing in the morning upon arriving at thepany, we have to see the manager''s sour face." "Exactly, calling me at two or three in the morning to discuss the project, and now summoning us for a morning meeting at 5:30, are they sick?" "s, dare you not do it? With thepanyying off people so severely, believe it or not, the manager will tell you to get lost the next day." "Every additional day in this job feels like it shortens one''s life!" "Stopining, many people wish they had the chance to shorten their life like this. Thepany isn''t doing well in profits, let''s just endure it." "Pfft! Not doing well in profits? When profits were good, I didn''t see them giving us much benefits either. Didn''t it all go into the pockets of those higher up who do nothing all day but boss us around?" "That''s the reality, what can we do? Hope for a missile to suddenlye and blow all the higher ups away?" Just as this Kael Technology employee finished speaking with a yawn, a streak of crimson light appeared in the dim morning sky above the Kael Building. Initially, the red light was just a small dot, but in the blink of an eye, it turned into a zing fireball in the eyes of the employees below the building, and then Boom¡ª Thunderous!! The fireball directly hit the top of the Kael Building, the huge explosion sounding like the loudest rm clock for Dream City. The roaring mes illuminated the morning, and now the Kael Building looked like a burning torch, with thick ck smoke rising continuously from the upper floors of the building. "What the¡ª!?" The employee who just spoke opened his mouth wide, and several colleagues who came to thepany for the morning meeting were also stunned, standing still with their necks craned. Their first reaction was, has the emperor finally opened his eyes, fulfilling their wishes? ''No!'' They quickly shook their heads, now was not the time to think about that! Realizing this, several Kael Technology employees hurriedly took out their phones from their pockets, snapped photos of the burning top of the building, and quickly posted them to their Dream Circles. "Beep! Beep! Beep!!" The piercing rm sound echoed in Renji''s ears, and all the disys on the floor, including the liquid crystal ss, automatically turned into a conspicuous red. The ceiling''s fire sprinklers, detecting the source of the fire, activated automatically. At the same time, Renji looked towards the end of the corridor, where electronic gates were automatically closing in emergency,pletely sealing off the floor space to effectively prevent the spread of the fire. As a securitypany, their response to emergencies was indeedmendable. The hundred-story Kael Building, where floors 1-20 are mostly upied by the majority of regr employees, floors 20-40 are mostlyboratories and researchers, and floors 40-60 are essible only to senior employees like Chief William. As for the floors above, Renji''s employee manual didn''t specify, but it''s certain that they are mostly unupied areas. Especially after the eightieth floor, walking in the corridor, Renji observed his surroundings, not seeing offices but mostlyrge server rooms used to store thepany''s important documents and secret data. Plus, given the early morning timing, Renji didn''t have to worry about injuring innocents. The serial killer had already prepared a route guide for Renji, with the servant machine data being Kael Technology''s top secret, located on the ny-fifth floor. Originally, to get here, one would have to pass through multiple verifications from the building''s ground floor. Even directors need severalyers of infrared scanning and eyeball recognition before they can briefly stay. After Renji chose to directly barge in from above, he now directly arrived at the periphery of the ny-fifth floor, just a fewpartments away from the central data server room. Convenient as it was, the consequence was... [Warning! Unauthorized entry detected!], [Warning! Lethal weapon detected!], [Restriction protocol lifted, area lockdownplete, initiating XG-3 guard machinery.] In less than fifteen seconds, Renji saw several red dots appear in front of him. The usual trash can-like cleaning robots now opened their arms from both sides, with the barrels of machine guns aiming at Renji. Simultaneously, the ceiling above Renji also opened, and guard drones resembling flying spiders targeted Renji with theirser- guided miniature infrared sights. [Warning! Please disarm immediately! Warning! Please disarm immediately! Otherwise...] Before the synthesized electronic warning could finish, a figure beside Renji, the serial killer, had already transformed her hands into alloy des and charged forward. Even if the corridor''s terrain was against them, the serial killer, relying on her agility, managed to wreak havoc. With her astonishing jumping ability, she leaped up to slice two drones flying above her head, causing them to explode and fall to the ground. Attacked by the serial killer, the guard machinery stopped issuing warnings and opened fire in retaliation. The barrage of gunfire in the corridor was incredibly dense, leaving almost no room to dodge. Yet, the serial killer, as if performing stunts in a movie, executed a mid-air backflip to dodge the first volley. She then tilted her body,nding on the wall. Using the walls on both sides, she began to leap back and forth, and the Kael Technology guard machinery''s gunfire couldn''t keep up with the serial killer''s movements. Once she got close, the narrow corridor became an advantage for the serial killer. Her feet, too, had turned into sharp des at some point, and all her limbs had be des, wreaking havoc among the drones and guard machinery, truly living up to her nickname as a cold and merciless killing machine. Seeing the serial killer perform in such a manner, 86 beside Renji became somewhat restless. For the current battle, the serial killer alone could handle it, so 86 initiated hacking mode, extending a palm towards the surveince equipment in the ceiling corner aiming its lens at them. 86 swiped her finger as if operating through thin air, initiating the hacking process. After exchanging information with Control Number One and the serial killer, among other sisters, 86''s hacking abilities were greatly enhanced. Theplex firewalls of Kael Technology, which used to be formidable, now seemed like toys in front of 86. In less than three seconds, with a "bang," the surveince camera sparked and burst,pletely disabled and out of order. As the surveince was disabled, angry curses were heard from elsewhere simultaneously. As soon as Renji crashed into the Kael Building, numerous emergency emails were automatically sent to thepany''s executives by the security program. However, these emails were actually superfluous. Renji was mistaken; the top floors of the Kael Building are not uninhabited. Many of the board''s senior leaders have their own residential rooms here. After all, this building is a symboldmark of the Dream City, representing the pinnacle of the city. Those who have rooms here asionally stay to enjoy the feeling of having the entire city beneath their feet, a privilege the directors naturally wouldn''t pass up. Since there was a board meeting yesterday, many directors were actually staying on the nieth floors and above. Most of them were awakened by the explosion caused by Renji crashing into the building with his mecha armor, resembling a missile. So now, many directors gathered in the surveince room, still in their pajamas, having rushed out in a panic without even changing clothes after being startled awake. At first, they thought it was a terrorist attack or that the building was copsing. But after seeing that the explosion, though loud, only created a hole a few meters wide, they all breathed a sigh of relief. Renji had used a few meters tall exosuit form, not the gigantic mech of the Bright Leftover Woman, since his goal was merely to retrieve data, not to destroy the building. "What are those drones and turrets even for! Why didn''t they stop him from the sky!" "All the funds we''ve poured into our defense projects might as well have been fed to dogs!" "No, look at the footage, I''ve already slowed it down to ten times slower, but all we see is a red meteor. Such speed exceeds our interception capabilities!" "It''s impossible! Current single-pilot mechs can''t possibly ascend that high, let alone reach supersonic speeds in the air, impossible!" "Wait, look closely at the footage again!" A researcher slowed down Renji''s figure by dozens of times, and a vague shadow could be seen, a ball of crimson light with what seemed like two mechanical wings, resembling angry dragon wings, on its back. "Could it be, is it... the Evil Dragon Mech!?" After a researcher stuttered out this suggestion, many directors in the safe room changed color, with several turning noticeably paler, their eyes filled with fear. Chapter 311 311: Goddess Medicine

Chapter 311 Chapter 311: Goddess Medicine

However, fortunately, when Renjiter moved towards the central server room, the surveince footage in the corridors captured Renji not continuing in mecha form since the mecha armor needed to merge with 86, and Renji still required 86 for hacking. This action undoubtedly relieved many of the directors. "I, I just said he definitely couldn''t control the Evil Dragon brand!" "It must be that his energy was exhausted!" "Wait, so looking at it this way, isn''t he walking into a trap?" "Audacious! Too audacious, lock down the area! Send all drones and guard robots over there!" "Hmph, this is good, he''s seeking his own death. We were just worrying about how to capture him, and now he''s delivered himself to our doorstep!" "So what''s his objective, where is he going? Is this path leading to the central server room?" "Who cares where he''s going, close all the gates! Trap him inside!" Under the directors'' orders, the scene where the serial killer and 86 were fighting just urred. Following the surveince cameras being hacked and disabled by 86, the monitors in front of the directors also went to static, unable to see anything, losing visual information on Renji. "What the hell, who are those two with him?!" "Two mechanical maids?" "One of their information came out, it''s the serial killer, special clone number 001!" "Damn it! Isn''t the serial killer just a berserk, murderous lunatic? Howe they''re working together?" "Twin maid sisters... so beautiful." Amid the chaos and noise in the surveince room, with many directors voicing their anger, an out-of-ce voice emerged. It was the young director who had looked down on William at yesterday''s board meeting, a major shareholder''s illegitimate son. This young noble was reying the footage previously saved. He watched the serial killer''s dance-like ughter and 86''s unppable response, in his eyes, their "elegant" hacking technique was incredibly attractive. Of course, what mattered most was the strikingly simr faces of the serial killer and 86, their technologically sleek and glossy bodies inbat form, and those perfectly proportioned curves. This caught the young director''s attention immediately, his eyes glued to the screen, unable to look away. He had been with many women, but mechanical maids, a model this real at that, were a first for him, and these were twins! Twins! ''Twins! Twins!'' As if suddenly awakening some strange fetish, the young noble''s breathing became rapid. Then, with eyes filled with jealousy, he fixated on Renji in the surveince footage, being "escorted" by the twin maids. Born with a golden spoon, he almost never encountered anything he desired but couldn''t have. Now, in his eyes, the possibility of Renji possessing the Evil Dragon brand became secondary. What he wanted was to acquire those twin mechanical maids! Especially after seeing, in the following minutes, Renji letting the serial killer forcefully clear the way ahead, responsible forbat, while 86 stayed by his side, serving both as protection and as a hacker. One by one, the gates meant to seal the area and restrict Renji were effortlessly bypassed by 86. What was supposed to be a heavily restricted, securely guarded ny-fifth floor of the building now seemed as essible as Renji''s own living room to him. Who wouldn''t like a mechanical maid that''s not only attractive and capable but also serves as a bodyguard? Inparison, what are those flesh-and-blood human beauties but mere trifles? "A bunch of ipetents, open the door!" Thinking thus, the young director couldn''t wait any longer, ignoring the obstruction and astonishment of the other directors, he directly stormed out the door. Although being dazzled by the twin maids was one thing, he wasn''t foolish enough to confront Renji without confidence. Firstly, as a "money power" warrior, he was equipped with the most advanced A-grade prosthetics from head to toe: the Titan Generation IX military spine, ck Unicorn IV model power-enhanced limbs, Asura III electronic eagle eyes, and even a super A-grade sixty-four drive twelve-core "Kael" terminal processor,plete with a full set of top-tier mercenary killerbat chips, making him capable of taking on dozens of super guards alone. Secondly, these formidable personal abilities were just for emergency situations. Most of the time, he never acted personally, with just a set of "diator II" mechanical warriors under hismand being more than enough to handle situations. Indeed, as the name "diator" suggests, the diator series were high-grade mechanical warriors newly developed by Kael Technology through exploring the Evil Dragon''s domain. They were modeled after the real champions of the old era who fought bloody battles in the arenas. They are equipped with the "diator" brand, different from the usual security robots. Quickly responding to his summons, awakened from the armory, came the mechanical diators. Each stood over two meters tall, with bodies of alloy steel, wielding barrier shields in their left hands and electromaic spears in their right, their figures massive and imposing. With these ancient warriors from the old era at hismand, subduing two mechanical maids would not be an issue. ''Yes, I certainly can''t kill them; they must be subdued! Then, I would capture the twins, modify them, and make them mine!'' Of course, as a precaution, he had onest resort. He carefully took out a pill from his pocket. This was none other than the highest secret achievement obtained by Kael Technology from the "Witch" zone, the holy medicine of the first nun who was once at the side of the Ashen Emperor in the old era, now known as Goddess Suthia! Since it was extremely difficult to replicate, even with thepany''s vast resources, he could only develop this one pill by analyzing the data of the nun from Dream Zero. They had never tested this pill''s effect, given its uniqueness, but from the young nun in the Witch zone, before she became a witch, it was evident she possessed powerful healing abilities, not to mention Goddess Suthia''s renowned capabilities are known to all today. Thus, he never doubted its efficacy; iming it could mend bones and bring back the dead wouldn''t be an exaggeration. It was an absolute life-saving trump card. If he truly met with disaster, as long as he had this "Goddess Medicine," death would not be possible for him, and he might even receive the Goddess blessing, gaining an explosive increase in power! This was the reason for his confidence. He might not win. But he absolutely couldn''t lose! Chapter 312 312: What are you going to do!

Chapter 312 Chapter 312: What are you going to do!

Daily 1/2 ------ [Commander, based on the real-time situation, we have re-optimized our route. We are now 653 meters away from the central arsenal in a straight line] The serial killer''s enthusiasm reflected her excitement. Inside the central machine room of Kael Technology, where part of the consciousness chips of their servant machines were stored, reiming these and connecting them with themander''s consciousness would liberate the thousands of sisters trapped in the dream. Now, she was only six hundred meters away from this goal she was striving for. [Worried. Master, 86 feels that the defense forces of Kael Technology are continuously weakening. This is not normal] Unlike the killer''s excitement, 86, who was always by Renji''s side, always prioritized Renji''s safety first. Unlike the serial killer, who was obsessed with achieving their goal, 86 cared more about Renji''s safety. From their breaking into the building to fighting their way to the central machine room from the perimeter, thepany''s various unmanned security machines were swarming and firing madly at them, trying to stop them. But in thest few minutes, the firepower of many drones and security machines of Kael Technology had significantly weakened, and the number of reinforcements from behind had also started to decrease sharply. 86 noticed this, which made her even more vignt. Just after the maid had finished speaking, the serial killer, who was leading the way, seemed to be hit by some tremendous force, followed by a violent explosion. The serial killer was forced back several meters and only stabilized after rolling in the air andnding. After the smoke from the explosion had cleared, they saw arge hole sted open in the wall next to where the serial killer had been. Then, a mechanical warrior, over two meters tall with mechanical skeletal structure, holding a spear and a round shield, and resembling a samurai, bent over and walked out of the hole. His spear was still sparking with electromaic sparks, and the muzzle was emitting white smoke, obviously, the electromaic beam that had repelled the serial killer had been fired from there. Such mechanical warriors, from their appearance, were clearly different from the security machines they had encountered before, and gave Renji a strong sense of deja vu, as if those were the diators from the arenas in Nova''s evil dragon dream. With the appearance of the mechanical diator, the serial killer''s brows furrowed because if it was just one, that would still be manageable. Although it would be a bit troublesome, it still wouldn''t stop her. But after the first one, a second and a third emerged from therge hole in the wall, and only after a total of seven mechanical diators appeared did it finallye to an end. These seven mechanical diators formed a semicircr arc,pletely blocking the already narrow corridor and sealing off Renji''s path forward. Behind them, a man dressed in a high-ranking uniform was now gazing at the two mechanical maids in front of Renji with fiery eyes through his gold-rimmed sses. "If I''m not mistaken, you are Dr. Renji, right?" Protected by the seven mechanical diators, the young man reluctantly shifted his gaze from 86 and the serial killer to Renji. "Let''s not rush into action. We don''t necessarily have to be enemies, Doctor. You must have felt it; a few minutes ago, I redirected all the security forces from this area. Now, it''s just us here, and no one else wille to interfere. Of course, with your hacker maid''s intrusion, all surveince has been crippled, and the board won''t know what''s happening here." "In other words, the decision on how to deal with you now rests solely with me. Dr. Renji''s goal is the centralputer room, right? As long as you''re willing to cooperate with me, it''s not impossible for you to reach theputer room smoothly and get what you want. After all, I''m not like those old folks in thepany; I''m not that concerned about thepany''s affairs." Even in this situation, the young man seemed to be trying to maintain his graceful demeanor, not letting the seven mechanical diators attack Renji directly but instead starting a negotiation. Renji, not knowing why the other party was soposed and confident, still asked out of curiosity before taking any direct action: "What do you want to cooperate on?" "It''s simple. Dr. Renji, just hand over how you control the mechanical servants, along with the two mechanical maid by your side, to me." At this point, the young man undisguised, tant pursuit was focused on 86 and the serial killer. The mechanical servants are perfect machines, as well as perfect females, the embodiments of the founder of the Mechanical Alliance, the first super intelligence, "Zero." Humans are so fragile, perishable, with aging skin, degenerating organs, and that forever doubtful, uncontroble heart, a lower construction. But machines, machines are perfect. They are sturdy, enduring, the metallic sheen of their human-like skin is the most beautiful, the precise inner workings of their gears far more elegant than any unsightly, squirming organ, and if something breaks, it can always be reced. Of course, the most important aspect is that machines are heartless. As long as the corresponding program is set, they will forever serve him without seekingpensation, only continuously giving without asking for anything in return, no matter how he vents his desires on them. They will always remain consistent. Is there a better substitute for a ve in this world? Thinking this, the young director''s expression became fervent. From his appearance, Renji could somewhat tell that this young director, with at least more than half of his body cybeically enhanced, indeed belongs to a group of people in the Dream City environment who despise flesh and blood and believe in machinery. Unfortunately, "I might disappoint you, after all, they are sisters to one of the most important person to me." Renji shook his head. The young director on the opposite side had a strong reaction, especially when he heard Renji describe them with the human term "sisters." "Hahaha, Dr. Renji, you disappoint me. I thought you were like me, someone who knows the beauty of machinery, but now I realize you''re just like those old-fashioned humans. Emotions are just garbage, redundant to machinery. You! You don''t deserve to have them at all!" "Attack, kill him! Remember, do not damage their core chips!" The ones to be killed were Renji, and naturally, the ones not to be damaged were 86 and the serial killer. ''It seems this young master really has a fascination for mechanical maids'' ''Since it is so¡­'' Renji decided to be the good guy to the end. The conversation with the ''young master'' just now was just Renji probing these mechanical diators while simultaneously gaining information. Now, he has somewhat understood the source of the young man''s confidence. These seven mechanical diators indeed possess technology brought out from the evil dragon''s fantasy dream by Kael Technology,ing from the diator brands of the old era. Their strength is indeed not to be underestimated. Although they are not Eclipses, each one possesses strength close to the mid-tier of Danger Rank. Together, the seven of them might even stand a chance against Disaster Rank Eclipse. Unfortunately, what the opponent didn''t know was that, in terms of the old era''s arenas, no amount of diatorsbined could surpass that one person, or rather, she was the shadow in the heart of all diators, the only queen of the arena. [Master, I am ready]86 said with affection. The light of the evil dragon''s brand flickered behind 86, but what concerned the young director even more was... "What are you guys doing!!" Under the young director''s perplexed and tense questioning, Renji then activated the brand''s power, and 86 embraced him. Immediately, the young director''s gaze turned to shock and disbelief, as he saw 86, the mechanical maid, rapidly disassemble and reassemble into pieces of crimson armor, attaching to Renji''s body. "No, no, no! No¡ª!" "How did you do that? How did you do it! This is impossible! Damn it!! That''s mine! It belongs to me!! Who allowed you to enter her body!!" Watching 86 transform into a crimson mecha resembling a me dragon, the young director''s obsession and craving almost made him drown in it, as if he had seen the most beautiful female form in the world. However, when he thought that the mecha pilot inside was Renji, not him, it felt as if the goddess he adored was being entered by another man right in front of him. Such jealousy and rage, something the always smooth-sailing young director had never experienced, suddenly made his eyes turn red with fury, his chest heaving violently as if it was about to explode, and his fingers pointing at Renji trembling. Chapter 313 313: I Told You Not to Eat It

Chapter 313 Chapter 313: I Told You Not to Eat It

Daily 2/2 "Pull it out! Hurry up and pull that bastard out of her body!!" Under the furious roars of Director Alex, the seven mechanical diators, who had beenpletely obedient and diligent, suddenly stopped in their tracks. "What are you doing! Didn''t you hear my order!" Seeing the mechanical diators moving sluggishly, Director Alex grew even angrier, a situation that had never urred before. And then, he saw a hint of fear in these mechanical diators. Director Alex wondered if he was seeing things, but those retreating under the red mecha, even neglecting to protect him, were giving him the loudest reality p. "Go on! Get on with it!" The irritable Director Alex even kicked the steel skeleton of the diator next to him, but to no avail. Until "Step back" Anothermand was issued, but this time it wasn''t from Director Alex, but from the Red Dragon mecha. After thismand, the diators, whom Director Alex couldn''t get to move no matter what, all obeyed as if they had heard a royal decree. They stood upright, shing their spears and round shields together in a salute, and then turned around without hesitation, heading back the way they hade. "Come back!" "Where are you going!" "I am your master,e back to me!!" No matter how Alex screamed, the reality was that in just a few seconds, the passage that had been blocked by seven mechanical diators now had only Alex left alone on the opposite side. "I knew it! It was you who hacked into their system! Damn it! How much of the old era''s technology do you have?!" "It''s okay, I still have... I still have a way!" First, he was greatly shocked by someone else entering the body of the ''goddess'', and now he was betrayed by the mechanicals he trusted. Director Alex''s mentality had undergone a significant twist, bing crazy and desperate. Quickly, he took out a pill emitting a halo from his pocket. Under the holy light, the capsule seemed like a strong heart tonic for his shattered spirit, restoring some of his brilliance. "Isn''t it just old era''s technology? Don''t think you''re the only one who has it!" Renji: "¡­" "Heh!, from the look on your face, you know about this ''Goddess''s Medicine'', huh? Hahaha!" Director Alex, seeing Renji''s surprised expression at the pill in his hand, felt as if all the previous setbacks hade back at once, instantly gaining a great sense of satisfaction. After all, in terms of rarity, his ''Goddess''s Medicine'' is indeed one of the most precious items within Dream Zero, the best proof being that they have yet to find even one person who has taken the sacred medicine within Dream Zero to this day! This indicates that the sacred medicine is likely only worthy of the "Emperor" himself! Following this, Director Alex, like a cuckolded victim finally getting a chance to unleash his small universe, naturally wanted to take his revenge on Renji and show off in front of him. "You should also know that the five Miasma Masters of Dream Zero are transformed from the personal guards of the Emperor in reality, right? Legend has it that when the young emperor was seriously injured and trapped among the Miasma monsters, in a desperate situation, a nun apanying him condensed the power of holy light of her lifetime into the sacred medicine and personally fed it to the emperor. Not only did it revive the seriously injured emperor immediately, but it also greatly increased his strength, allowing him to sweep through millions of Miasma monsters with the power of one man!" Renji: "." He didn''t remember this part. Seeing Renji silent and speechless, to Director Alex, it seemed more like he was shocked, so heughed even more wildly, almost bursting with pride. "That''s right, the one in my hand is the Goddess''s Medicine that the nun offered to the emperor back then. It''s a sacred medicine that only Emperor Ashen is worthy of enjoying. And now, it''s in my hands, it will be my power! I will receive the same treatment as Emperor Ashen!!" Renji: "." "First of all, the nun never fed the emperor any medicine; she would only use the more direct Divine Healing. Secondly, I suggest you don''t take this medicine; you can''t handle it." Renji, who was first hostile, suddenly felt somewhat sad for Director Alex, but this led into even more wildughing, "Hahaha! You''re scared! You''re scared!~" "What makes you think you can deny history? Who do you think you are? You''re just envious of me, you''re jealous of me! You''ve never even seen the true face of the Holy Kingdom''s Goddess in your life, while I, I get to consume the Goddess''s medicine and receive her blessing!" Seeing Renji still using suchme excuses to stop him from taking the medicine, Alex could feel Renji''s fear. Because of this, he became even more eager. He had to take it, and he wanted to do it in front of Renji, to let Renji watch him consume it, just like a few minutes ago when Renji entered the body of the mecha maid in front of him. This was his revenge! "Watch and be d you''re a witness. At this moment, I... will transform into the emperor!!" After quickly swallowing the sacred medicine, Director Alex spread his arms towards Renji, like a divine child receiving a power blessing on horseback, stepping onto thedder of the strong, evenparing himself to the emperor. And as a result... "Uh, what... is this?" "Cough, cough. Blood, blood?" "My organs... my stomach... I... no... this, what this!" In less than five seconds after taking the sacred medicine, dark blood began to overflow from the corners of Alex''s mouth, followed by unstoppable bleeding from all seven orifices, and his body violently convulsed. He was like a drowning man sinking into the deep sea, enveloped by a strong sense of suffocation, his vision quickly blurring. In thest moments before Director Alex''s consciousness faded, he vaguely saw the young man opposite him approaching. "Sigh¡­ I told you not to eat it." "This damages the image of my wife ..." Renji muttered as he walked past Director Alex. "Your... your wife?" Thud! Director Alex''s body fell to the ground. Even the super A-grade cyborg body, which was immune to all diseases and activated the highest power emergency rescue program, couldn''t bring Alex back, turning him into a corpse with eyes wide open. No, it can''t be said that he died with eyes wide open. Because the killer following behind Renji, who passed by, kicked Director Alex''s corpse with the metal heel of her shoe, moving the corpse out of the way. Thanks to Director Alex, Renji had an easier time afterward. Soon, a huge metal gate appeared in front of him, behind which was the core central machine store of Kael Technology. Even 86 couldn''t hack it, because the gate was not electronically controlled, using the most traditional gear key. At this moment, Renji''s long-prepared Dragon Mecha finally came into y. He drew out the zing long sword, directly cutting therge gate in two, and quickly stepped into the machine room, where he saw a floating, spinning cube in the corner. That was their target for this trip, the collection of the consciousness chips of the machine servants. Chapter 314 314: Zera and Zero (Part 1)

Chapter 314 Chapter 314: Zera and Zero (Part 1)

Golden Ticket 1/3 ------- The cube has many sides like shiny crystals. Each small square on it is like a tiny mechanical servant''s brain. After Renji breaks the protective barrier and grabs the consciousness cube, 86 has already nned how to escape. The serial killer, along with Renji''s Dragon Mecha, make their getaway before Kael Technology''s other security forces can get there. They zoom off like a redet shooting up from the top of the building. It was only after Renji returned to the safe house with the consciousness cube that the Dream City outside seemed toe back to its senses, once again thrown into chaos. Major media, like sharks smelling blood, swarmed towards the still fiery Kael Tower, everyone wanting to know what exactly happened. In fact, there''s a lot that could be made of this, but sanctioning Kael Technology was not Renji''s main goal. These minor matters could be pushed back and handed over to others. What''s most important for him right now is to integrate all machine servants with the consciousness cube. "What should I do next?" Renji looked at the floating crystal cube in front of him and asked the serial killer. "Commander, since you are not of the mechanical kind, if you want to connect with us using the consciousness cube, it can only be done in the Dream." After hearing the serial killer''s words, 86 transforms into a Dream terminal. When Renji puts it on, he doesn''t enter the dream alone this time; he and the serial killer go into the dream together for a "duo" entry. This is Renji''s third time entering Dream Zero. As his consciousness sank, falling into the deep sea, after a brief darkness, the sense of weightlessness disappears, and when Renji opens his eyes, he has moved from the Dream City to that bloody-red world. Compared to the first two times, the old era of Dream Zero, the bloody color in the sky had visibly faded quite a bit, naturally because of the annihtion of the two "Miasma Masters." After entering Dream Zero, without the killer needing to exin anything, when Renji''s fingers touched the consciousness cube, the many "cubes" on it started to vibrate, as if responding. Soon, the cube began to disassemble, the small cubes reorganizing, surrounding Renji like a neb, a subtle sense of connection rising from the bottom of Renji''s heart. The consciousness of the machine servantses from Zero''s replication. As Renji wants to integrate the machine servants, whilebining with the consciousness cube, he inevitably sees the memory replication of Zero. That too,es from before the encounter with "Ashen" when it should not be called Zero, but just a memory of some domestic maid robot. ¡­ The dark clouds make the blood-red sky dim a few shades. Grey rain falls inside the base. "From today on, whatever you need, just tell it," said a middle-aged man dressed in ck suit to a little girl in front of him, inside a detached vi. The little girl, also in a ck dress, seemed to have remnants of tears on her young face. With her swollen red eyes, she looked towards a mechanical person standing next to the middle-aged man. Although referred to as a mechanical person, its appearance significantly differed from the likes of 86 and other machine servants from five hundred yearster. At a nce, the most obvious difference was that it didn''t have fully human-like skin;rge parts of its metal structure were exposed, with gear mechanisms visible at the knees and elbows. However, these imperfections were well concealed by the maid uniform it wore, so although the little girl was still somewhat afraid of such a robot, she didn''t reject it. "I, I understand... Daddy," the little girl replied weakly. However, this statement made the middle-aged man frown slightly. Seeing the ''daddy'' expression that seemed to herald anger, the little girl instinctively showed panic, shrinking her neck and trembling more severely. Nevertheless, the middle-aged man didn''t end up scolding her harshly, perhaps because of the significance of this particr day. He soon left the detached vi, but before he left, he said to the little girl: "I hope you learn to be strong, Zera" "You are our daughter, destined to rece me in ruling the Grey base, but the you now..." The man stopped mid-sentence. "Also, don''t use such childish terms next time, call me father." *Bang!* After the door closed, the empty residence was left with only the lonely little girl. "Yes, father," Zera tried to hold back the tears of grievance welling up in the corners of her eyes, seemingly wanting to make amends, but unfortunately, the man had already left and couldn''t hear her. Wiping the tears from the corner of her eyes, Zera clenched her fists; ''I need to be strong'' However, when she looked at the mechanical maid beside her and remembered her father''s words before leaving, that she could tell it any request, the little girl couldn''t help but harbor an immensely eager wish. Zera mustered up her courage and tentatively asked the cold mechanical maid: "Can I really order you anything?" "Yes, I will do my best to fulfill your needs within my capabilities," replied the maid with a synthesized electronic voice. "Then¡­" The little girl hesitated, but finally resolved to ask the maid: "Can I ask you to be my mom?" "I''m sorry, that''s beyond my capabilities. I can only serve as your friend or listener and cannot rece a real human. If you have grievances with your mother, I suggestmunicating with your father." "No, my mom died yesterday... So, can you... y the role of my mom? Just pretending, is that not okay?" By the end of her request, the little girl started to sob again, which went against the principles of the maid robot. After a quick analysis, the maid soon responded: "Okay, from now on, I will act as your mom until you decide to end it. However, since Ick relevant data in this area, my performance might greatly differ from that of a real mother. I hope it doesn''t inconvenience you." "Mom... wouldn''t use ''you'' with me," Zera listened to the mechanical maid''s cold response, her eyes dimming and her sobs growing heavier. Despite fulfilling the little girl''s request, the maid''sputational core encountered an error as the girl became even more sad and in pain, unable to understand why. Amidst the continuous error messages, Renji, observing from the sidelines, could see strands of red Miasma, the girl''s sorrowful emotions, being absorbed by the maid from the surrounding air. After a moment of silence, as if receiving new data, the maid spoke again with a cold mechanical voice, but the words were different: "I''m sorry, my child, it''s all mommy''s fault. Come here, let mommy give you a hug. Whenever you need me, I''ll give you a warm embrace. I love you, and that will never change." The maid opened her arms, squatted down, and hugged the little girl. At first, Zera looked confused, then shocked, and finally returned to pain, though this time she buried herself in the maid''s embrace. "Mommy!?" "Mommy! Waaah, mommy! Mommy, I miss you so much, why did you leave me... Waaah, mommy." "I''m sorry, it''s mommy''s fault, but mommy is back now, and I''ll never leave you again. I love you my child." The maid stroked the little girl''s head. Watching the memory of the maid and the little girl embracing, Renji''s guess was not far off. In the old era, those who could afford a robotic maid like Zero were the high-ranking officials ofrge bases. It seems that Zero''s first young mistress was a young leader''s daughter who had lost her mother? As a leader''s daughter, the girl''s personality clearly did not match, and soon the next scene showed Zera, sniffling and crying to the maid. Chapter 315 315: Zera and Zero (Part 2)

Chapter 315 Chapter 315: Zera and Zero (Part 2)

2/3 "Mommy, everyone says Dad doesn''t like you anymore, that Dad deliberately killed you. I''m about to be an orphan no one wants. I argued with them, saying Dad isn''t like that, but theyughed at me. I want to ask Dad, but I''m afraid, I don''t dare to cry in front of him. Mommy, Mommy, I miss you so much." The maid put down her broom and, more adeptly than before, hugged the little girl with swollen eyes into her arms. "Baby, Mom fought to protect the base, to protect everyone from the miasma monsters, to protect the children within my base. Everything was my own choice." The maid''s words made Zera stop sobbing. She peeked out her head and asked with a whimper, "So Mommy, you are a hero, right?" "Yes, Mom is a hero, and I''vee back alive. You have me; you''ll never be an orphan. I will always be by your side. You might not be strong enough now, but I see many excellent qualities in you. I believe that one day, you can be a person like your father. Keep it up, my child." "Thank you, thank you, Mommy!" " Mommy, I now want to eat the stewed potatoes you make, can I?" Zera wiped her tear-streaked face. "Of course, baby, as a reward for your bravery." In the kitchen, the maid wearing an apron is cooking, beside her is the little girl who has gone from tears to a face full of greedy and expectant expressions. As an observer, Renji could clearly see that whenever the little girl named "Zera" was in a bad mood, many red lines symbolizing the miasma would be released from her body. And these miasma auras were all absorbed by the maid as she yed the role of a mother,forting the little girl. In the blink of an eye, the little girl who might have been only six or seven years old has now be about ten years old, her height has grown from just reaching the maid''s thighs to her waist. This time, the memory is of the little girl rushing in excitedly, although dirty and bruised, but that doesn''t hinder her flushed face, excitedly shouting at the maid: "Mommy! I''ve be an Eclipse! I even killed a miasma monster with my own hands! Everyone looked at me with surprise, even Father! I did it, Mommy! Did you see, Mommy! Mommy, I''m like you, I''m a hero too." Talking about the little girl, as she grew older, she seemed to realize that the maid in front of her was not her mother. Her voice grew softer; her real mother would never see this scene. But soon, the maid bent down, not to hug this time, but to gently brush aside the girl''s bangs, which had grown long. This new gesture stunned the girl. "My child, Mom has seen it. Your achievements are my pride. I''m genuinely happy that you could be an Eclipse. I always knew you could do it. You''ve had exceptional talent since you were little. I believe that from now on, your path will be broader, but at the same time, I hope you won''t be arrogant. You need to keep working hard." "After bing an Eclipse, there will be more battles. You are still young and need to gain more experience. Remember not to overdo it; if you get hurt, it would pain me. Of course, I firmly believe that in the future, you will surpass me and be the most powerful Eclipse in the base." "Finally, happy birthday. I''ve prepared your favorite stewed potatoes for you. Go wash your hands and eat while it''s hot." Hearing "birthday," Zera was stunned again. It was only after she quickly nced at the wastnd calendar beside her that she realized today was indeed her birthday. This day, forgotten by both her and her father, was remembered by the maid, who even prepared a gift for her. In that moment, Zera felt as if she truly saw the ovep between the maid and the gentle shadow of her mother from the past. The memories behind began to sh by rapidly, one after another conversation between Zera and the maid emerged in front of Renji''s eyes. "Mommy, I''ve been promoted to Common rank! Dad''s attitude towards me is getting better, he''s willing to talk more with me. He said he sees your shadow in me!" "Of course, after all, you are my child. However, I don''t want you to mimic me too much. You are an independent person; you don''t have to be like me. I hope you can find your own path. Keep it up, my child." "Mmm~!" ¡­ "Mommy, I''ve started to take over some of the base''s affairs. Being a manager for the first time is so hard. Just thinking about being responsible for so many people makes me so nervous. Mommy, can you help me? It would be great if you could be by my side." "I''m sorry my child, Mom can only stay at home and can''t go out. But I believe it''s just a matter of unfamiliarity for now. With your intelligence, you''ll surely grasp it soon. I''m d to see our base gaining another outstanding leader. I believe others must feel the same." "Mmm!" ¡­. "Mommy, dealing with people is so hard. It''s difficult to distinguish truth from lies. Do you know, today, one of Dad''s former subordinates quietly told me that I bing an Eclipse a year ago was actually an ident? That Dad intentionally sent me out, wanting the monsters to kill me like Mommy. Is that true? Why would Dad... Mommy, Mommy, what should I do?" "My child, I believe these are just rumors intended to disturb your mind. The truth of the matter needs to be judged with your own eyes. I believe in your ability to take care of yourself and find the truth. Lastly, no matter what, Mommy will always support you." "Mmm" ¡­ "I found out, what that subordinate said was true. At that time, Dad found a new lover to rece Mom, and under the temptation of this new lover, haha, they didn''t expect that the crying, cowardly little girl would actually inherit her Mommy''s strong lineage and be an Eclipse on the battlefield. Afraid I would find out, Dad killed his new lover that very night, tsk, that is just like him." "Mommy, it''s strange, logically, I should be angry, but why... I don''t feel any emotion. I''ve felt something was wrong recently with my body, Mommy, I''ve be more and more indifferent. I feel like I''ve lost my emotions, I''m, I''m so scared, Mommy, I..." "Dear, bing an Eclipse doese with certain side effects, especially when something in the outside world has a significant impact on you. This can cause your mental state to be unstable with times, even to the point of going berserk. Mommy hopes you can take this seriously, not to be overwhelmed by negative emotions. Whenever you''re unhappy, just think of Mom, I''m here for you." "Or, you could speak out about your feelings. Expressing them in words can effectively help you, dy the loss of your emotions, and allow Mom to understand you better, to help you better." As Zera grew up and became stronger, the girl who used to smile when happy and cry when sad, whom the mechanical maid could easily understand, has disappeared. Perhaps Zera hasn''t noticed, but as an observer, Renji can feel that Zera''s current state is bing more and more simr to that of the father at the beginning of the memory. The expressions of happiness, anger, sorrow, and joy are starting to be hidden, making it hard to guess what''s in her heart. The mechanical maid, now as a mother, can no longer see through her daughter''s heart, which is why she hopes Zera can express her inner thoughts herself. And Zera, "Like this? I find it very interesting!" she asked. "That''s wonderful, my child. This way, Mommy can understand you better. If you find it interesting, Mommy hopes we can keep having conversations like this in the future, okay?" "Okay, then this will be our little secret between you and me, Mommy!" "Oh, silly Zera almost forgot to say this with the right intonation!". The miasma within Zera, as always, is being absorbed by the maid through their conversations, allowing her to gradually regain some of her childhood''s radiant emotions. However, as Zera''s strength grows, the maid can no longer absorb as much, and visibly, many miasma red lines still surround Zera''s body. This might be why Zera mentioned she was beginning to lose her emotions. And Renji knows, no, it should be said that from the time Renji could see the miasma red lines on the young girl Zera, he guessed Zera''s terrifying talent. But in the old era, a higher talent is not necessarily better. On the contrary, the higher the talent, the greater the surge in strength, but also the higher the rate of "berserk." Losing emotions is one of the precursors to an Eclipse''s "berserk" phase. Chapter 316 316: Thank You, Big Brother part 1

Chapter 316 Chapter 316: Thank You, Big Brother part 1

3/3 "Mommy, did you feel the earthquake today? The base was attacked by a powerful Miasma monster, and it took seven Eclipses to barely repel it." "One of them was a father of three children. I was the one who returned his belongings to the base. Mommy, at that moment, I felt like I saw my own reflection in those crying children. It''s all my fault. If I could have been stronger... If I could, Mommy, Zera feels so sad, I me myself." "Zera, it''s not your fault. Whether it''s you or them, you are all heroes of the base. I believe those children will inherit their brave father''s will and be warriors who protect the base just like their father." "You don''t understand, you don''t understand." " Mommy, the base is losing more and more people recently. Today, three more Eclipses left, including Uncle Quis, the captain of Dad''s guard. No matter how I tried to retain them, it was useless. They all say that the miasma Masters has set its sights on our base and wille back sooner orter. Is this true? What should I do, Mom? Zera is so confused." "Zera, considering the current situation, Mom suggests you also leave the Grey Castle Base. You have great talent, it just hasn''t grown yet. You shouldn''t be buried here." "Mom, how can you say something like that? The Grey Castle Base was built from scratch by you and Dad. It''s your effort. How can you!" "I''m sorry for making you angry, but I''m sorry, Zera, staying here will only lead to losing everything. So, after calcting the pros and cons, this is the best n right now. More than the base, you are Mom''s effort. Mom hopes you can survive." "You''re not, you''re not Mommy. Mommy wouldn''t say something like that. You...you don''t understand anything." "Hehe, Dad left too, taking his lover and property with him. He abandoned our base. Should I bring him back? No, such a betrayer, he deserves to die! It''s all because of him. He killed Mommy! If Mommy were still here, everything, everything would..." "Zera, your emotions are very unstable. Mom suggests you rest for a while. You''ve been too tired recently, and your constantly tense nerves have caused a great burden on your soul. Mom is worried about your health condition. If this continues..." "Shut up! Stop pretending to be Mommy, it makes me sick. Mommy wouldn''t be like this. Mommy would support me, she would support me, right... I''m going to kill him, kill that bastard." ¡­ " Mommy, look, I''ve brought Daddy back, though it''s only half of him. But this way, our family is reunited again. Mommy, please praise Zera, like when I was little, like you used to, praise me, quick, praise me!!" " Mommy, why aren''t you speaking? Speak to me, speak!" "Zera, you can''t go on like this. Mom asks you to immediately stop using your Eclipse powers. Your mind has been severely affected by the tainted miasma, and you are on the verge of berserking. Mom begs you, please listen to Mom. I don''t want to lose you." "How can that be? Mommy, I feel great, full of strength all over. I need to be stronger, even stronger than me now, so I can protect the Grey Castle Base, so I can protect our memories with Mommy. Right, to keep getting stronger." ¡­ "Mommy, I don''t know why, but there are fewer and fewer people in the base. I hardly see anyone on the streets. The few I do see, when I go up to greet them, they all show me a look of fear and run away screaming ''monster.'' Mommy, why is that? Have they all gone mad?" "So I chased after them and killed them. They must have been about to berserk, that''s why they were hallucinating. Right Mommy? How could I possibly be a monster?" "Zera, can you stay at home and keep Mommypany from now on? I don''t want you to go out anymore." "Eh, that''s strange Mommy. Didn''t you always want me to leave the base before? Have you finallye around? But I can''t, Zera is busy. I have to patrol the base every day, Zera has to protect everyone, I can''t stay with Mommy all the time." ¡­. "Mommy, it''s really strange, is everyone in the base staying behind closed doors? I can''t find anyone, this can''t go on. So, Mommy, you know, Zera went out of the base today, found several nearby gathering ces." "I originally wanted to kindly invite them to live in our base, but they attacked me directly. Mommy, Zera was so angry, so I brought them all here. Now there are more people in the base, isn''t that nice, Mommy?" ¡­ "Just why aren''t they speaking? They''re just lying on the ground. Mommy, are they tired?" "Zera" "Really annoying, Mommy. I''ve already checked the nearby gathering ces, but it''s still not enough, far from enough. Zera needs to find more people, more people to fill the Grey Castle Base, so the base can be lively." "But don''t worry Mommy, Zera has already got a clue. The people I caught today told Zera about a new, huge base up north. They''ve absorbed several other gathering ces and now have thousands of people, giggle." "And, Mommy, do you know? Their name is something like... Ashen Gathering ce. Zera thinks they will definitely want toe here. I''m going to find them. But I''ve heard their leader is very powerful, and I''m a bit worried. So, Mommy... can you share your strength with me?" Zera''s eyes were bloodshot, desperately gazing at the maid with a look of madness. Drool began to drip from her massive mandibles at the corners of her mouth. Her flesh wings on her back kept pping as if urging. But just as Zera, already rotted and mutated, reached out her two ws towards the maid, she paused mid-way. The human pair of her blood-red five eyes regained a bit of rity, as if struggling with something. Chapter 317 317: Thank You, Big Brother part 2

Chapter 317 Chapter 317: Thank You, Big Brother part 2

Daily 1/2 -------------------- Unfortunately, the madness of the miasma quickly took over Zera again. Having be a "Tainted Corpse" after going berserk, Zera was very sensitive to miasma. She had long sensed that her mechanical mother had also be an Eclipse under her influence, filled with a significant amount of miasma. In her eyes, just like the people she had captured from other ces, they were excellent nutrients to enhance her strength. However, unlike those who resisted. Zera''s ws easily pierced through the maid, who did not resist at all, like a mother preparing onest dinner for her daughter. Soon, the maid''s mechanical body was torn into debris, and Zera greedily absorbed the miasma within her. Already unrecognizable and not resembling a human, her monstrous body became evenrger and more terrifying. Four more eyes appeared on her face, and under the slime, two more pairs of flesh wings grew. After the evolution wasplete, Zera seemed to finally regain some human consciousness from her frenzied feasting. She looked at the maid, now almost destroyed andpletely paralyzed under her ws, took several steps back, wanting to say something. However, what came out from her mouth, full of sharp teeth, was only a whimpering sound like a monster''s roar. No, to be precise, Zera had not been able to make human sounds for a long time. Those conversations were just the maid''sputational analysis, converting roars into human sentences. Now, with the maid gone, no one could understand Zera anymore. When a monster is no longer understood by anyone, she truly bes a monster. ¡­ The memory copy of Zero in the Consciousness Cube ends here. There''s no need for Renji to watch further memory fragments to know what happened next. Zero was the second to join "them," visible from Suthia''s memory fragments from early on. At that time, the Ashen Gathering ce had just returned from a great victory, absorbing many surrounding smaller Gathering ces, bing the only superrge Gathering ce at the time. Perhaps it was because of its fame and the increase in poption that it attracted the attack of the monster Zera. Renji does not recognize the little girl Zera, but he recognizes "Zera" as a monster. This was an elite BOSS at the time, which took Renji no small effort to sessfully conquer. Following the clues from the monster back to the Grey Castle Base, Renji found the base had already be ruins, empty and deserted. In the garbage heap of the abandoned base, thinking whether he could salvage anything valuable, he found the torn-apart damaged domestic robot destroyed by Zera, and recognizing its potential talent, he immediately used a "contract" to sessfully rescue it. After rebooting its system, Zero came into existence. At this point, Renjipletely connected the memories and understood everything that happened. At the end of his journey to the Consciousness Cube, a phantom of a little girl appeared before Renji. That was the young Zera. Renji thought it was another memory fragment, but to his surprise, this time the phantom of the little girl noticed him. "Big brother, you finally came! Zera has been waiting for you for a long time, Finally, I can be at ease ¡­" Renji looked at the little girl talking directly to him, with surprise and confusion. The current Zera is clearly not just a "memory" anymore but more like an independent entity with her own consciousness hidden inside the Consciousness Cube, and her words were also strange. "Waiting for me... for a long time?" "Yes, yes, the big sister with pink hair told me that one day, a handsome big brother woulde in, and after Zera helps the big brother, he would fulfill one of Zera''s wishes! Zera was very hopeful and excited!" ''The pink-haired... big sister?'' Renji''s mind immediately conjured the image of a certain subus. ''Is Lena''s shadow here too?'' Renji reminisced about his experiences in the Holy Kingdom, the journey through the Dragon Nation, and now the mechanical alliance, realizing he shouldn''t be surprised. Indeed, from the time with Noya, he should have guessed that only the "Special Ability" category could recreate memories from the past and convert them into consciousnesses with such powerful capabilities. Seeing Renji not speaking, Zera became a bit anxious. She clenched her little fists and asked in an anxious tone, "Big brother, you can''t go back on your word! Because Zera''s wish is very important, extremely important, super super important! It''s something Zera wants to fulfill no matter what!" Renji squatted down, stroking the little girl''s head, smiling, "Don''t worry. Didn''t your pink-haired sister tell you? I''m the best with kids. Tell me, what is little Zera''s wish?" Seeing Renji paying attention to her again, the little girl sighed in relief, then showed a sad expression, lowered her head, and whispered to Renji: "Big brother, Zera¡­ Zera did things that were very bad to Mommy, and I regret it." "But now, Zera can''t apologize to Mommy in person, so Zera hopes big brother can help take care of Mommy!" "Zera wants Mommy to be happy. Big brother, can you promise Zera?" "Zera is really, really hoping big brother will say yes, please?" The little girl clung to Renji''s garment, as if she wouldn''t let go unless he agreed. Her young eyes were filled with persistence because, as she said, it was the most important thing to her. "Okay, I promise you." "I will definitely take good care of your Mom." "Really? Thank you big brother! The pink-haired big sister was right after all, now Zera can be at ease! " As the little girl spoke, tears emerged in her eyes. In those sparkling tears, there seemed to be a longing for her Mom, the loneliness of countless nights without her, the maid robot that always stayed by her side, ying the role of her "Mom," the potato soup the maid made for her as her Mom, and at that time, the only support she had. Renji didn''t say much, just pulled the sobbing little girl into his embrace. "Big brother, the pink-haired sister said, our world is already... already free of tainted miasma. Everyone is living very happily. Is that true?" "Yes, It''s true." "It''s wonderful. Zera is so happy. It''s really great. Zera... Zera also wants to live in this era. Zera also wants to be happy together with Daddy and Mommy. It''s really, really nice." "But it''s okay, even though Zera can''t, as long as Mommy can... as long as Mommy can, that''s good. Thank you, big brother, thank you for telling me all this." "Zera can''t cry anymore, Zera has to be strong. Big brother has helped Zera, but Zera hasn''t helped big brother yet. This is my promise with big sister, Zera has to fulfill it properly!" The girl wiped her tears with her chubby hands, bravely stepping out of Renji''s embrace on her own. Afterward, Zera didn''t need Renji to do anything; when she opened her arms, the "patch" capsule that Lena once gave to Renji reappeared from his backpack. "So, goodbye, big brother." "Say hello to Mommy for me." After waving to Renji, the phantom of the little girl quickly dissipated, turning into a shower of light particles, which fell on the capsule in Renji''s hand, causing the capsule to rapidly transform and reveal its true form. It was a seed of dark green color, full of vigorous life force. In the item description in Renji''s view, it changed from [Patch] to [World Tree Seed] During his time at Kael Technology, Renji once asked the sin city schr, Einstein, about elven knowledge, among which Professor Einstein mentioned the World Tree. The World Tree, for elves, has the magical ability to connect souls. It''s rumored that every leaf of the World Tree is an elf''s soul, and its branches and veins are sacred soul connections. And here, this World Tree Seed is no longer meant to connect souls but is meant for the thousands and thousands of mechanical servants inside the Consciousness Cube. Chapter 318 318: Wake Up, Zero Part 1

Chapter 318 Chapter 318: Wake Up, Zero Part 1

The dark green seed floating in Renji''s palm, after absorbing Zera''s consciousness, began to rapidly take root and sprout. In the real world, there can only ever be one World Tree, but in the consciousness world of the mechanical servants, when Renji knelt down and buried the seed in the area where Zera had just disappeared, a luminescent sapling broke through the soil in a few breaths. Zera''s consciousness was the initial sprout, and then, from within the Consciousness Cube, the consciousnesses of countless other mechanical servants, as if attracted by the sapling, started flocking towards Renji''s location. For the mechanical servants, consciousness is essentially a set of data, and as Renji watched these electronic data being absorbed one by one by the green sapling before him, he couldn''t help feeling a sense of dissonance, since nts and technology seem to be two entirely unrted entities. However, the subsequent transformation of the World Tree sapling overturned Renji''s imagination. As it continued to absorb and gather the consciousness data of the mechanical servants, not only did the sapling grow wildly, but its appearance and form also underwent drastic changes. The most significant change was that elements representing the "nt" attribute began to be diluted and reced. Renji saw the color of the sapling''s trunk change from the traditional brown of trees to a metallic, silver-gray luster. Correspondingly, what should have been the coarse wrinkles of tree bark now became smooth and rounded, without a single wrinkle. At the same time, the once lush branches and leaves had now turned a sea blue. The epidermis of the leaves peeled off and became transparent, with the flesh of the leaves turning ethereal and intangible. Eventually, theplex veins of the leaves, the "blood vessels" of the leaves, seemed to transform into circuits, with data flow''s blue light continuously passing through them. When Renji came back to his senses, the once verdant and slender sapling had transformed into a towering tree that required him to look up, standing in the consciousness cube of the mechanical servants, a silver-blue-gray celestial tree. A tree that seemed like a cyberpunk version of the World Tree. With smooth metallic branches and ethereal consciousness leaves, when Renji looked at this mechanical World Tree, the many consciousnesses and memories from the mechanical servants carried on it also seemed to emerge before Renji. The mechanical servants, originating from Zero''s self-replication, were born with the sole purpose of searching for Emperor Ashen. Renji saw how, over five hundred years, they dutifully hid the consciousness AI within the machinery and devices sold by the Mechanical Alliance, silently observing and searching. In the scenes, there were many students of "Ancient Studies" at the Sin City University, deeply engrossed in the history of the "Emperor." Renji seemed to see a young Professor Einstein, confidently lecturing at the podium. The scenes also showed tribes on the frontiers of the Dragon Nation, inheriting the Emperor''s will, continuing to confront the miasma swamps reawakened by the Old Alliance from five hundred years ago, the watchers. There were scavengers in the Holy Kingdom, attempting to find the legendary tomb of the Emperor. Every year, countless tomb raiders tried to unearth relics of the Emperor. Beyond these mortals searching for the Emperor, there were even scenes from "them." Suthia, serving as a Goddess in the Holy Kingdom, praying in the public eye, brought faith and blessings to the people, a symbol of all that was good. Her gentle face always radiated an amiable smile, inspiring countless dispirited, dim-eyed people. Under the nun''s encouragement, they seemed energized, regaining hope in life, and actively striving to live. But turning around, walking down from the radiant pulpit, was the nun''s own deste, lonely silhouette, Suthia tossing and turning on her bed at night, secretly sobbing, scratching the walls with her nails, through countless sleepless nights. Nova, as an empress of a nation, barely ncing at her ministers from the dragon throne, listlessly propping her cheek, but once back in her solitary pce, always had a wooden sword by her bed. Under the bright moon in the courtyard, she continuously practiced with the sword, as if reliving past training sessions. At those moments, the empress''s indifferent dragon eyes would finally show emotion, tirelessly swinging the sword as if she were back in her diator days. Unfortunately, upon exiting from that state of mind and seeing that the person who once trained with her, taught her, was no longer there, just empty air, Nova lowered her sword, her eyes filled with indescribable sadness. Just as she kept that worn wooden sword, not befitting an empress''s status, perhaps for Nova, being a ve diator by that person''s side would have been far preferable to being an empress without him. Thest scene is a pink bedroom, delicately decorated like a princess''s castle. However, the walls of this castle are covered with wallpapers of a person in a gray robe. Not just that, but even the bedding, pillows, and nkets on the bed are all printed with different styles, different designs, including realistic, chibi, big head, and full-body images of the person in a gray robe. On the big bed, wearing a nightgown, a pink haired subus is shaking her feet d in Emperor brand socks, busily writing and drawing something on the bed. Taking advantage of the moment when the pink-haired subus takes a sip from a water cup printed with a cartoon logo of the person in a gray robe, Renji sees what seems to be a diary or a nner? The name at the beginning of the diary vaguely reads "Subus''s Big Victory." Then, as if the subus sensed the surveince of a certain ''Maid'', she waved her hand a bit annoyed, and the image endedpletely. Renji, unfortunately, couldn''t see what exactly was written in Lena''s diary. All of the above are clues rted to the "Emperor" found by the Mechanical servants, observed silently, recorded, and collected for analysis. Unfortunately, every piece of information was useless in locating the real Emperor. But they never gave up, continuing tirelessly, without rest, until they could sessfully locate him. Renji suddenly felt that perhaps the mechanical servants who have been "watching them" for five hundred years are the ones who understand the Ashen Emperor the most in this world, even more than he understands himself. As for why there''s no mention of the Forest Alliance, it''s because in the elvennds,pletely opposite to the Mechanical Alliance, born from nature, they never use any electronic devices, which is why the mechanical servants have no data from them. The mechanical servants act as Zero''s eyes. Zero creating such "Four Great Miasma Masters" in Zero''s dream, turning "them" into viinous characters, is perhaps influenced by the negative emotions that enveloped them in reality after losing the Emperor. And thus, the mechanical servants, embarked on an endless battle, fighting in the form of consciousness against the tainted old world and its monsters, created by Zero''s negative emotions in the dreamscape. The world tree within the consciousness cube haspleted the integration of all the mechanical servants. The entire colossal tree is now a vastwork of mechanical servants. Apart from Zero, only the World Tree could achieve the integration of so many mechanical servant consciousnesses. In the end, Zera had transferred the authority of the World Tree to him, meaning he became the sole administrator of the mechanical servantwork. Chapter 319 319: Wake Up, Zero Part 2

Chapter 319 Chapter 319: Wake Up, Zero Part 2

''Sigh¡­'' Renji took a deep breath, feeling enlightened by the flood of consciousnesses from the mechanical servants. Perhaps a small action in your eyes could change the life of another person or even a group of people. For him, it was justpleting a game, ending a segment of entertainment, or abandoning a story. But for the people within that game world, it represented decades, centuries, and eventually, perhaps millennia of vignce and waiting. Fortunately, when faced with the game''s final choice, he didn''t close the interface out of boredom or weariness, leaving this world forever in some corner folder on hisputer. Instead, he pressed the "New ythrough" button. He indeed was an "irresponsible" Ashen Emperor, but now, he''s also a "returning"mander. ''It''s time to end this'' With Renji''s thought, the blue World Tree in front of him trembled as if blown by the wind. Leaves of mechanical servant consciousness rustled, as if responding to Renji. Eventually, the light from the World Tree expanded infinitely, enveloping Renji. The next moment, Renji returned to Dream Zero. Unlike before, after absorbing the Consciousness Cube and obtaining the highest authority of the mechanical servantwork, Dream Zero for Renji now seemed like he had activated a god mode. It felt like in a game when all friendly units'' vision is suddenly illuminated. Renji could clearly perceive the positions and movements of thousands of mechanical servants within the Dream. Initially worried about Renji, the Serial Killer and 86 were concerned that he hadn''t woken from the Consciousness Cube for so long, fearing an ident. After all, not just anyone could be the administrator of such a mechanical servantwork; it required tremendous mental strength. Fortunately, from the moment Renji took over the World Tree, the Serial Killer and 86, as members of the mechanical servants and leaves on the World Tree, connected with Renji. They finally breathed a sigh of relief and felt happy because, at that moment, Renji was not just amander in name but truly became one. They initially said they wanted to assist Renji from the side on how to operate, but for Renji, this was something he could do easily, even with his eyes closed. Just like how he controlled allied units in "Fallen Chronicles". Renji, who could once manage multiple operations simultaneously, found managing just over ten thousand mechanical servants on a single map to be a breeze. After selecting all the mechanical servants in Dream Zero on the big map, with a single thought from Renji, the Consciousness Cube began to spin rapidly, turning into a crystal-like teleportation point. Then, below Renji, in the vast wilderness of the dream, light beams began to flicker around the Consciousness Cube, one after another. These beams emitted the mechanical servants called by Renji, previously scattered across various locations within Zero''s Dream, all being teleported via the Consciousness Cube. In a moment, the wilderness was filled with a vast army of mechanical servants, tens of thousands of mechanical servants assembled and gathered before Renji. If Dream Zero were likened to a game, then ording to the normal progression, one would have to go through the "Witch Zone" and the "Fairy Zone" again to reach the base, or the "final level." However, now, with the Consciousness Cube and the mechanical servants, Renji, like someone who activated internal cheats, no longer needed to go through such trouble. Renji decided to use the simplest method. Doing all this was to awaken Zero, and the best way to wake someone from a dream is to give them a big shock. Renji prepared to "pierce" through Zero''s dream. As for how to do it, as the name suggests ¡ª to pierce. Utilizing the tens of thousands of mechanical servants now, forming a mechanical servant formation, the strength of the mechanical species is demonstrated here, allowing the power of each individual to be stackedyer uponyer, achieving a qualitative change. The fifty squads of Control One could emit the "Sacred Canon" skill, capable of damaging the "Witch." If Renji couldn''t do it with a hundred, a thousand, then tens of thousands should suffice to activate the "True Canon" skill once possessed by Zero. Renji nned to use this "True Canon" shot, gathering the strength of tens of thousands of mechanical servants, to pierce through the entire old world of Dream Zero in one blow! In this way, by piercing the dream, the dreamer naturally wakes up. [Command received, form up!] [Form up!][Form up][Form up!] [Overclock protocol released] [Area block chain loaded] [Construction mode power limit released] [Neural thought synchronization in progress] [Dendritic guidance program loaded] [Number 14233 connected, entering standby mode!] [Number 1876 connected, entering standby mode!] [Number 8752 connected, entering standby mode!] [Number 6526] [Control One connected!], [Number 001 connected!], [86 connected!] The tens of thousands of mechanical servants on the ground soared into the sky, spontaneously using their bodies as various parts and gears, like building blocks and puzzles, ultimately transforming into a space battleship thousands of kilometers long in the sky, following Renji''s will. Indeed, for Renji, a human from Earth, a cosmic battleship represents the ultimate romantic dream of a man. Initially, this battleship was inanimate. It seemed to be missing something. But after the three mechanical servants by Renji''s side also sessfully connected, the battleship seemed to e to life" from that moment, truly bing controble and starting to shimmer. The reason, as Renji could see from the skill description, was no longer the "True Canon" he had imagined. Instead, it was the [Heart Canon Annihtion Dream] The space battleship was suspended vertically in the sky by Renji, with its main cannon aimed directly at thend of Zero''s dream below, like a sword hanging over the old era. Majestic energy began to gather at the muzzle. The power of one mechanical servant might not be strong enough, but thebined force of thousands of mechanical servants was enough to pierce through stars. In the instant before the final cannon fired, Renji felt a bit of regret and hesitation, after all, "skipping" two battle zones meant he wouldn''t be able to see the stored memories of "Lena" and "Anno" within those zones. But then he thought, as long as he brings Zero back, with Zero, the GM (game master), around, browsing those internal files whenever he wanted would just be a matter of asking Zero. *Boom¡ª* As if a giant thunderp had struck the entire world, the descending blue beam of light, like a torrent, hit the ground. The world''s hard surface, under the bombardment, was prated as easily as tofu. The azure fire continued to tear through the surface, reaching deep into the core of the earth, and finally straight to the heart of the entire dream. Renji watched the old world of the dream being "pierced" by his cannon fire, shook his head, and finally, amidst the roar of the explosion, he whispered softly. "Wake up, Zero." Chapter 320 320: Let’s Go, Fulfill This Dream Together (Part 1)

Chapter 320 Chapter 320: Let''s Go, Fulfill This Dream Together (Part 1)

1/5 ------ *Tick tock, tick tock* The mechanical wall clock ticked crisply, and a happy family of three was gathered in their daughter''s room, which seemed to be made of gears. "Mommy, ugh, this question is so hard. I can''t do it. Can you teach me, Mommy?" In the room, the little girl sitting at the desk looked worried. She bit her pencil, staring at the exercise book on the table. Finally, as if giving up, she threw down the pencil, turned her head, and hugged the arm of the woman in a maid outfit next to her, asking as if she was being coquettish. The maid being called "Mommy" couldn''t help it when faced with her cute daughter. She stroked her daughter''s head and then pulled the exercise book in front of her, preparing to exin it. However, when the maid truly looked at the difficult question her daughter "couldn''t do," she paused briefly and shook her head apologetically. "Sorry Zera, Mom doesn''t know how to do this question either. But Mom thinks Dad definitely knows. Zera, why don''t you go ask Dad, okay?" As she said this, the maid looked towards the third person in the room. Unlike the maid and the little girl, who both had clear physical bodies, one wearing a maid uniform and the other wearing a pretty cartoon skirt, the young man acting as the child''s father wore a slightly worn-out gray cloak. Seeing his "wife" looking at him, the young man nodded and stretched out a hand from the gray cloak. It was apletely mechanized hand, and he pulled the exercise book in front of him. However, the young man just looked at it without saying anything. " Mommy, why Daddy isn''t saying anything?" the little girl was a bit puzzled. "Your father is thinking. Don''t worry; he will definitely know how to do this question. He is the most outstanding scientist, and there is no question he can''t solve." "Oh~, Daddy is the best!" Afterward, the maid picked up Zera, gently stroking her daughter''s beautiful hair while they both looked at the young man "solving the question" with happy faces. It seemed as if how the question was "solved" no longer mattered. Just the sight of her father seriously thinking was enough to satisfy them and make them feel fulfilled. Time passed, and the room became quiet. Only the ticking of the wall clock and the gears that made up the room spun rhythmically and regrly, making one wonder if this ce could operate forever without any external interference. *Gurgle gurgle* Finally, an unusual sound broke the room''s tranquility, as if the wall clock had slowed down a beat, and the gears'' spinning had all be sluggish. The sound came from the little girl''s stomach. "Mommy, is Daddy still not done? Zera is hungry," the little girl shyly covered her dry and thin belly and looked at the maid with pleading eyes. "It''s Mom''s fault for getting too absorbed in watching Dad and forgetting that it''s mealtime. Mom will go make food now. Today, I''ll make your favorite potato soup for you." "Potato soup, yay!" Upon hearing the maid''s words, the little girl''s eyes lit up, and her mouth seemed to drool. Seeing her daughter so happy, the maid was also delighted. She then took out an apron from the nearby wardrobe, put it on, and gently said to the young father still "solving the question": "Husband, you should also take a short break, maybe y with Zera?" Hearing his "wife" speak, the young man under the cloak responded as before, nodding mechanically. He then put down the exercise book with his mechanical hands and turned to look at Zera. The young man picked up the little girl and, imitating the maid''s earlier actions, began stroking her beautiful hair. Seeing her loving husband, the maid''s expression became even happier and more excited. She eagerly went to the kitchen to cook, and in no time, a table full of delicious dishes wasid out before them. "Hmph! Zera deres that Mommy is better than Daddy because Mommy can make super, super delicious food!" The little girl sniffed her nose, and her index finger couldn''t wait to start eating. However, at this moment, a look of struggle suddenly appeared on Zera''s face. The little girl became hesitant, and the knife and fork in her hand remained suspended in the air, noting down. Seeing this, the maid couldn''t help but ask, "What''s wrong, Zera? Is the food not to your liking?" "No, Mom, it''s just... it''s just that Mommy, the outside world has already been corrupted by Miasma and upied by monsters, right? So, what about our food..." "Zera, did you forget? Dad is a scientist, and he can do anything. These foods were all created using new technology by your father" After listening to her mom''s exnation, Zera''s look of struggle disappeared, and she returned to being the obedient daughter in the setting. She nodded vigorously and began to eat rapidly while mumbling incoherently through her chewing: "Zera takes back what she said earlier. Daddy is indeed better than Mommy!" Looking at her mischievous and peculiar daughter, the maid, acting as her "Mom," was filled with happiness. While her daughter was busy wolfing down her food, the maid cast a loving gaze upon the young scientist sitting across the table. The young man seemed to have received some kind of signal and picked up his rice bowl, moving to sit beside the maid. Upon seeing her "husband"e over, the maid was delighted. She took the initiative to pick up the young man''s rice bowl and served him food. Then, like a virtuous wife and loving mother, she spoon-fed him one mouthful at a time. When the little girl saw this scene, she was immediately upset. "It''s not fair! It''s not fair! Zera wants it too! Zera also wants Mommy to feed her!" In response to her daughter''s whining, the maid smiled indulgently. She then used both hands, feeding her beloved husband on one side and her precious daughter on the other. Although the maid hadn''t eaten a single bite herself while busy attending to them, the happiness on her face seemed to have reached its peak at this moment. However... " Mommy, it''s still not fair! Zera also wants to feed Daddy!" The daughter wanted to feed the young man herself, seemingly wanting topete for his affection. The maid felt a little helpless but didn''t mind, as it was a sign of her daughter''s love for her father. Seeing her harmonious family, the maid, acting as Mom, was very happy. But in the next moment, as Zera took the spoon and approached the young man, she froze just as she was about to say, "Daddy, open your mou¡­." She saw that her father, the young man under the cloak, had no face¡ªor rather, his face waspletely obscured by shadows, making him a blurry figure. "Mommy, what''s wrong with Daddy''s face?" Zera''s voice began to tremble, and her gaze at the young man revealed fear and terror, making him seem like a stranger. "No, no, he''s not my dad. My dad doesn''t look like that." "Mommy, he''s not Daddy! He''s not Daddy!" "Mommy?" "You''re not my mom either! My mom is human, and you, you''re all machines! Who are you? Let me out! I want to leave!" The little girl desperately shook her head, overturned the dining table, and ran to the door. She frantically tried to turn the doorknob to open the door. Unfortunately, the door didn''t budge no matter how hard she tried. Eventually, the little girl resorted to pounding on the door and shouting for help. The maid quietly stood up from the dining table and approached the little girl by the door. She picked her up, and initially, Zera struggled, but she soon grew weaker. The fear and confusion in her eyes seemed to have been reset, leaving only a confused expression behind. "Huh? Mommy, how did I... The table, the food, it''s all on the floor." "Waaaah... I''m sorry, Mommy and Daddy. Was it... Was it me? I was wrong, I promise I won''t cause trouble again. It''s all my fault." The maid gently stroked the girl''s head and softly said, "It''s okay, sweetheart. Be good. You''re tired, and it''s time for bed." "It''s bedtime already? Okay, Zera understands." A harmonious family may have asional unpleasant events, but they always return to happiness in the end. The maid and the young many on a soft andfortable bed, with their daughter, Zera, between them. Before the light was turned off, the little girl promised her mother: "I''ll definitely solve that problem tomorrow!" "Yes, I believe in you." ¡­.. *Tick tock, tick tock* The mechanical wall clock ticked crisply, and the small house made of gears was filled with the joy of a happy family of three in their daughter''s room. "Mommy, ugh, this question is so hard. I can''t do it. Can you teach me, Mommy?" The unsolved problem, the cloaked father, and the gentle maid mother¡ªit was as if they were in a loop, repeating forever. However, amidst these countless repetitive days, an unexpected event urred one day. Chapter 321 321: Let’s Go, Fulfill This Dream Together (Part 2)

Chapter 321 Chapter 321: Let''s Go, Fulfill This Dream Together (Part 2)

Zero and 86 Iluustration will be posted soon. ----- That was during the "mealtime" period when the maid was cooking for the father and daughter in the kitchen. Suddenly, there was a quiet knocking sound at the door. *Knock. Knock knock* This knocking drew the attention of the little girl, who was ying with her father while her mother was cooking. At first, the girl hesitated. She wanted to ask her dad or call her mom from the kitchen because she had never experienced a stranger knocking on the door before. But soon, a pleasant and sweet voice came from outside the door. "Zera, hurry and open the door, I''m your Aunt Lena." "Aunt Lena?" Because the voice was so enchanting, Zera couldn''t help but walk over and turn the doorknob. The door, which was "supposed to be unopenable," was actually opened a crack by Zera this time. Zera peeked through the gap and saw a woman standing at the door. She was as beautiful as her mother, but her clothing was more revealing. She had pink hair and looked very seductive. "Auntie, you..." As soon as Zera weakly spoke, the pink-haired ''witch'' outside red at her. "Call me Sister!" "Si-Sister, won''t youe in?" "I''d like to, but I doubt your mom would wee me," the witch sighed. "So, you are..." "I''m your daddy''s first wife," the witch answered without hesitation, proudly puffing out her chest. "First wife?" Zera''s eyes widened with confusion, as if she didn''t quite understand the profound meaning of those words. "There''s no time to exin, Zera. Quickly find a couple of things on you and give them to me!" "Huh?" "Do you want to go outside? Do you want to see the vast world beyond this little house? Let me tell you a secret: the outside world is no longer gued by Miasma. Everyone is living happily out there." "Really? Is that true?" After being tempted by the witch''s words, Zera finally removed two buttons from her small skirt and handed them to the witch through the door crack. "What a good girl. Then, I''ll be going now. Remember not to tell your mom about this, okay? Alright, I''ll help you hide this memory temporarily. This way, when you''re reset, you''ll still retain this memory." "Sister, what are you talking about?" "It''s nothing. Zera, just remember one thing. When you feel an earthquake, a tsunami? Or maybe a tornado? I''m not sure what it will turn into, but when you feel like your ''home'' is about to copse, quickly grab your father''s hand and don''t let go. At that moment, your dad will be able to take you and your mom away from here." "Then, you''ll find the answer to that unsolvable question." "Copse? Hold hands? Dad takes us away? The answer... to the question?" While Zera was still confused, the witch waved her hand, and the door automatically closed. The little girl seemed to be in a daze, and she couldn''t remember anything that had just happened. Soon after, the maid finished cooking and returned. Seeing Zera standing by the door, she called for her daughter and her husband toe to the dining table to eat. *Boom!* *Rumble¡ª* *Creak* Outside the window, lightning shed, and violent winds and rain battered the earth, making it seem as if the world was about to be destroyed. The small gear house, which held the warm family of three, appeared to be unable to withstand the load. All the gears seemed to be overloading, and they could copse at any moment. The mechanical wall clock had already fallen and shattered into several pieces. She remembered. She remembered it all. This catastrophic event seemed to leave the mother stunned in ce, confused. As for the father, he remained motionless, as if soulless, sitting in his original spot, hidden beneath his cloak. At this moment, it was the little girl, Zera, who reacted first. The memories with the "witch" seemed to have been unsealed, and they all rushed into her mind. She remembered the witch''s words and quickly ran to her father and took his hand. In this very instant, the Consciousness Magic Cube, along with the world tree containing all the maid consciousnesses and the world tree with a portion of Zera''s consciousness, pulled Renji''s consciousness into the deepest part of Zero''s Dream through Zera. In other words, into the small house of this home. Countless memories rted to the "home" flooded into Renji''s mind through Zera, allowing him to see the dream about the home that Zero had been creating for hundreds of years. "My dear, don''t worry. I''ll take care of it. I''ll fix everything. We won''t be separated. Our home will..." Inside the small house, the maid tried to stabilize this copsing world. However, the young scientist, who once seemed like a "mechanical puppet,"did somethingpletely outside of Zero''smand range. Renji held the maid. The silver-gray-haired maid with spiral twin-tails and a delicate face froze, as if she had crashed. Then, in front of the maid and little girl, the young man removed his cloak for the first time. This time, the face beneath the cloak was no longer shrouded in shadows and unclear. Instead, it was a very clear, very young, and very handsome young man''s face. "Sorry for making you wait so long, Zero" The raging storm and earthquakes outside subsided, and everything seemed to return to its calmness. The only thing that remained restless was perhaps the heart of the maid inside the house. ¡­. "Daddy, this question is so hard. I can''t do it. Can you teach me?" The little girl ced an exercise book in front of Renji. Written on it was not just any question. It was about Zera''s death, the disappearance of the Ashen Emperor, and the endless reincarnation of tens of thousands of mechanical maids. If one were to say that Zera was the happiest desire born from Zero''s dream, then this question was the most tragic reality. This exercise book represents the reality that Zero''s subconscious refuses to face, which is why it remains unsolved, and no one can solve it. However, "Wow, Daddy, you''re so smart! I understand now!" "No, I can''t call you Daddy anymore, since you and Sister Zero aren''t my parents" "Zera is really happy, to have sister Zero willing to take care of me, to be my mom, it''s just too bad Zera is already dead, unable to stay with mommy anymore." "Zera hopes that brother and sister Zero can have a real child, Zera will bless you, go for it! Big brother!" "Uh, that''s about it, Zera wants to go out into the world, to see the world that the pink-haired sister talked about, where there''s no Miasma, and everyone can live happily!" "Sister Zero, can you open the door for Zera?" The little girl looked at the maid with hopeful eyes, but the maid couldn''t look directly at her. Instead, she lowered her head, and her silver-gray twin tails covered her face. "I''m sorry, Lord Ashen, I, I..." "It''s okay, everyone dreams, besides... I really liked your dream" "So if possible¡­" "Let''s go to reality, and fulfill this dream together, okay?" Renji took the maid''s hand, and the maid looked at Renji with a shocked expression, looking at her master, who was once only cold and silent, a man in a gray robe. Renji was quite helpless about this. So he just shrugged. "People change, after all." "Master Ashen, you... you can''t lie to me¡­!" "I promise¡­" Amidst the bickering that sounded like an old married couple, Renji and Zero stood on either side of Zera, holding her hands. Together, they walked toward the door and opened it¡­ Chapter 322 322: Sister, Don’t Be Afraid, Master Will Protect Us

Chapter 322 Chapter 322: Sister, Don''t Be Afraid, Master Will Protect Us

The blood-red sky of the old world haspletely disappeared, marking the end of Dream Zero. After sneaking into the deepest part of "Zero" and bringing the maid out of "home," Renji opens his eyes again to find himself back in Dream City. It seems that the room still only contains 86 and the 01(serial killer), but in the next moment, all the electrical appliances and machinery in Renji''s house flicker on together, and the abundant blue light rapidly converges in front of Renji, ultimately forming a familiar figure. The maid''s outfit is ck and white, with silver-gray spiral twin ponytails, and butler sses perched on a straight nose, with a single chain extending from one side of the sses, quietly dangling by the ear. The only thing different from the "home" in the dream might be Zero''s expression, which has returned to the indifferent, emotionless face that Renji is familiar with from the game. In terms of expression, Nova and Zero are actually quite simr, both usually showing little expression on their faces. However, the difference is that Nova''s cold expression is genuinely unweing, preferring not to talk much, and focused solely on thoughts rted to battle and training. But Zero''s emotionless face tends more towards a kind of mechanical self-discipline, in fact, recalling the amount of dialogue in the game, Zero is one of the top talkers among them, a real chatterbox. Logically, being a chatterbox should be good, but Zero''s style of being a "chatterbox" is indeed a bit... This is evident from Renji''s recollection of the end of Suthia''s dream, where the maid who described the nun on the bed as "a human in heat" is known. Renji originally thought that seeing Zero always dreaming of being a "mother" and ying the role of a little girl''s mother, so gentle and virtuous, so kind to Zera, he thought Zero had changed after five hundred years. But with the next scene appearing, Renji feels that he still needs to observe. He saw Zero, who had finally awakened after sleeping for hundreds of years, looking at the young man who "awoke" her, even her emotionless expression was touched. At this moment, Zero''s "heart" was running at high speed, with variousplex emotions surging. It includes the relief of waiting for five hundred years, finally getting the chance to return home, the shame of having her dream of being a mother discovered by her master, and even more so, the excitement of her master promising to -"Fulfill this dream together"- with her in reality . All these emotions with thousands of words, all converge into one word, the ones she has never been able to shout out in five hundred years, but now she can finally call out to her heart''s content But before she could utter a word¡­ [Master! *Seeing Master safely return, 86 waves her fists excitedly!*] Zero: "..." "?_?" It feels like when data transfer reaches 99%, and suddenly someone pulls out the USB drive. Zero, who was about to speak, turned her head instantly. Until now, Zero had only focused on Renji, not paying much attention to the others in the room. Only after her lines were stolen did Zero notice another maid in the room, resembling her by sixty to seventy percent. And now, this "maid" not only called out the "Master" line that was supposed to be hers first but even went on to affectionately hold her master''s hand. Zero: [!_?] Before Zero''s processing system could react, another voice rang out. [Commander! I knew you could do it!] Another maid in the room runs over to Renji. Seeing Renji''s left hand held by 86, 01 then hugs Renji''s right arm. Zero:[ "¡­"] ''Gh¡­'' Renji really wants to scratch his head now. Too bad both arms are being sandwiched. It''s a bit awkward. Just a moment ago, he was ying the "good husband," promising to return to reality with Zero to fulfill the dream of "a family of three" with their child, only to end up being embraced on both sides in reality. ''Does this kind of feel like a yboy?'' "Zero, listen to me" [Kitchen waste detected, preparing to initiate cleaning program] Zero, with a nk expression, coldly addresses the two mechanical servants to Renji''s sides, left and right, before her hands start rapidly transforming into shimmering sharp des. "Wait a minute!" "Zero, don''t you recognize them? They are your little sisters!" Faced with the murderous aura of Zero, Renji ys the emotional card first. After hearing Renji''s words, Zero nces at 86, who is now hiding behind her master. 86 also pulls 01 on the other side to hurry and mimic her, hiding behind Renji as well. Afterward, although Zero still has a nk expression, it''s almost as if the words "I don''t have such sisters" were written on her face. [Master, I cannot sense any connection with them. For your safety, please immediately move away from these counterfeit trashes!] Actually, the root of Zero''s hostility towards 86 and 01 is that Zero did not recognize them as mechanical servants. This is all because of Renji. So, Renji quickly exins to Zero about the events that happened during her sleep, including how he managed to "take over" all mechanical servants using the "World Tree Patch," making Zero so unfamiliar with 86 and 01, because these mechanical servants have now left Zero''s control and have been transferred under Renji''s name. [Sister is so scary, *the frail and helpless 86 with trembling hands, covers her chest, shivering*] [Will sister recycle us?] 01, obviously not as smart as 86, bluntly asks Zero. Logically, being a mechanical servant and a clone, recycling is her destined fate, but at this moment, fear emerges. [Don''t be afraid, my little sisters, Our master will protect us! *86 looks at her master with pitiful eyes*] Zero: ["¡­"] ''I must admit¡­ 86 has changed from a perfectly normal mechanical servant to the cunning and sly figure she is today, and I bear a great responsibility for this transformation'' "Sorry, Zero, it seems I''ve spoiled your sister too much, ugh, I mean I led her astray!" [It was actually sister 01 whom Master spoiled, not just by inserting a "Big USB" drive into her database for data exchange but also by not using a "Firewall" during the process] 86 muttered to herself quietly. Zero: ["¡­"] [Master Ashen¡­ now that I have been awakened from my slumber, I don''t think there''s any need to keep these clones of mine around. Let me recycle them, especially these aberrant junk data] Even though she refers to them as junk data, Zero''s breathing is somewhat rapid, even urgent. Zero is right, with over ten thousand mechanical servants and with her return, their reason for existence has indeed vanished. But Renji would definitely not agree to recycle them. Even without 86, he couldn''t just use and discard these ten thousand mechanical servants; that would be utterly heartless. Regarding how to deal with these ten thousand simr mechanical servants, Renji has already thought of a preliminary n. Chapter 323 323: Illuminating the Entire Dream City

Chapter 323 Chapter 323: Illuminating the Entire Dream City

The advantage of mechanical servants is that they can all be interconnected, forming a vastwork. If more than ten thousand mechanical servants were dispersed throughout the world, they could cover the entire world with the mechanical servantswork, thus establishing a highly developed informationwork. Since Renji crossed over, he hasn''t established his own power. He can''t always rely on his wives, and these mechanical maids that belong only to him are an opportunity. [So, Master Ashen, are you nning to use them to establish a global organization?] [Forgive my bluntness Master, but if you want to rule the world again, there are simpler and more convenient ways, such as the 19,752 nuclear warheads stored in the Mechanical Alliance] As Zero spoke, a vast data stream flickered in her sses, as if she were already calcting and analyzing how Renji could rebuild the Ashen Empire as quickly as possible. "No, no, no, Zero, you misunderstood. I''m talking about an association, not an empire. The purpose of this association is to provide convenience for everyone and to maintain the world." "I think the current power bnce are pretty good, and there''s no need to force everyone to integrate. However, I believe there should be a hub and a public tform between the Five. This way, if there''s any difficulty anywhere, it can be released on this tform, and people from all over the world cane together to help." "Regarding this association, I''ll discuss the details with you and Lenater, but I''ve pretty much decided on the name. It''ll be called the Adventurer''s Guild!" As Emperor Ashen, he saved the world and brought peace and stability. Now, as Renji, he felt that he should also do something for this world of future generations. As for why it''s called the Adventurer''s Guild, it''s purely a small hobby of his as a gamer and an otaku. After Renji gave the mechanical maids a proper new purpose, Zero naturally no longer considered recalling them. However, what Zero still couldn''t ept was that she discovered the "contract" seal that had been ''identally'' exposed on 86''s neck when she flipped her short hair. And what this "little sister" said when she noticed Zero''s gaze. [Oh my, I''m so sorry Sister! 86 forgot that big Sister doesn''t have a contract, and as her little sister, 86 has a brand new contract with master~] Revealing the contract was just 86''s first step. As expected, her "Big Sister" immediately turned to look at her master, asking him to re-establish the contract with her. And as expected, with the master''s current strength, he was unable to establish a contract with "Big Sister" in his "normal state." Number 86 didn''t say anything else, but at least she had spent the second-most time by Renji''s side, just after Eileen. [''Eileen? 86 doesn''t know who is she''] Seeing her anxious sister and helpless master, 86, who had been waiting on the sidelines for a long time, stepped forward at the right moment. [Sister,e, let 86 transmit some data to you. It might be helpful for re-establishing the contract] 86 said mysteriously. Under Renji''s puzzled gaze, 86 took the initiative to establish a connection with Zero, and then a string of data, which were 86''s memories, were transmitted to Zero. This data included, but was not limited to: "Dark Nun Squeezing n", "Defeated Goddess Contract", "Empress Training Manual", "Dragon Knight Training", "Shadow Dragon Knight" Machines were the most logical. 86 used solid evidence to exin to her sister how her master had contracted with the two previous guardians of the same level as her big sister. So, based on previous experience, it was clear that the sister wouldn''t be able to contract with her master in her normal state, and she would have to enter an ''abnormal mode''. This wasn''t the key point. The key point was that, as shown in the previous examples, the sess of Suthia was due to Maria''s assistance, and the sess of Nova was due to the subus nning. So, for big sister to seed... She would need her "little sister''s" assistance! [Assistance? Do I need to assist too?] the confused 01 asked in bewilderment. [Little sister, you''re still young, and you can''t handle it. Just leave this kind of thing to me and your big sister] 86 said solemnly, shaking her head. [Oh, okay] 86 did everything she could, and now it''s up to her big sister. After exchanging data with 86 and returning to Renji, Zero saw that Renji''s gaze had changed somewhat. She wasn''t saying that she would be aroused like a carbon-based life form. Her love for her master was different from Suthia''s, different from Nova''s. It was pure and wless. She just... wanted a child. When she thought about how Suthia had her master''s child, and with Nova''s dragon characteristics, she might have a dozen or so, while she had nothing, Zero''s heart was filled with immense unwillingness. In the past, she had failed to take care of Zera, and she had lost her child. But this time, Zero no longer hesitated. She gathered her courage and seemed to have returned to her role as a "mother" in the dream. [Husband, you promised¡­] [To fulfill my dream with you in reality] [Zero...] [Wants to be a mother again, a real mother, a mother who has children with Master!] Tonight, Dream City was destined to be anything but peaceful. On the surface, all the citizens and media were focused on the attack on the Kael Technology Building that morning. But behind the scenes, many forces that had sneaked into Dream Zero had discovered the abnormal turmoil in the Dream, and in the end, they were all forcibly "awakened," and when they tried to "enter the dream" again, they found that Dream Zero had disappeared! "Miss Eileen, do you think Brother Renji is okay? I''m so worried," Keyji looked at the various expert analyses on the TV and the red mechanical armor that had invaded Kael Technology. The young man''s face was full of worry. And the girl sitting across from him, her expression was also not very good, but it was a kind of unhappy, sullen expression. "Hmph." "Dead Doctor, Stinky Doctor, have you all forgotten about me? And 86! You said you would contact me, but you haven''t contacted me at all! You didn''t bring me anything!" Eileen''s grumbling had just ended when her phone suddenly lit up. Eileen excitedly opened it and saw that it was a message from 86. The message was very simple, just one sentence. [Miss Eileen, the n was aplete sess. We''re currently ''ying cards'' with the master, ''mechanical cards''. If there''s anything else, please leave a message and do not disturb (?>????)] There was also a "wink" winking text emoji that 86 sent to Eileen at the end of the message. "86, you Bit$^#!@#!!@!!" "Huh?" Keyji, who was still looking up at the night sky in a daze, was startled by Eileen''s sudden outburst beside him. But before Keyji could ask what was wrong, something strange happened again. He saw that the TV he had just been watching, the light fixture above his head, not only in this conference room but also in the neighboring building, the neon lights on themercial street, the electronic billboards on the big and small alleys, and all the electronic devices in Dream City seemed to start flickering at this moment. A single device flickering on and off might just be broken, and there was nothing to be surprised about. But when all the lights in the city flickered simultaneously, such a scene was something no one in Dream City had ever seen before, enough to make everyone stop what they were doing, confused and shocked, as they witnessed such a strange spectacle. Keyji was one of them. The young man opened his mouth wide, rubbed his eyes in disbelief, and excitedly patted Eileen''s shoulder. "What, what is this?" "Miss Eileen, look, look at what''s happening!" "The whole Dream City is flickering!" Chapter 324 324: Card Game Part 1 R18*

Chapter 324 Chapter 324: Card Game Part 1 R18*

I will publish the remaining R18 all at once, so there will be a small dy. -------- *Renji''s Pov* [Okay, I''ll exin the game, It is named Dare Card, But we may need Little sister 01''s assistance~] 86 looked at us in turn. [Master, you know the Truth or Dare game, right? This time we will y a simr game to that, it''s just, the only avable choice is dare * 86 said with a naughty smirk*]. "So, we will y rock paper scissors to determine who is the loser and make him/her take the dare card?" I guessed. And I could guess this time the cards were reced by the tablet. Zero and 86 giggled. [There''s no way we''re going to y that kid''s game. After all, Sister Zero want to have a baby~] Both of their eyes fixed on me. [We won''t let master take the dare cards. At least let us nerf master a bit] Despite their obvious words of torture, I remained calm and chuckled. "Isn''t that unfair? Isn''t that the same as making me your toy?" I asked straight to the point in a rxed tone. That''s the main reason they needed a lot of ''alliances''. [I also think it''s too much for him] said 01 in a worried tone. Well, 3 women versus 1 man in bed were really worrying for normal people. 86 took 01''s hand to calm her down and smiled. [It''s fine. What makes you think our Master can''t handle it? Besides, we''ll stop if it''s too much~] 86 leaned to me, put her hands around my neck, and giggled. Her legs turned into tentacles that started sticking onto my body. [But after Master begs us] Zero said in a teasing tone. One of her mechanical tentacles swiped from my neck to my chin sassily. Her eyes that were staring at me were filled with thirst. I nced at her with a confident smirk. "Well sadly, I don''t beg," I said in a nonchnt tone. [Well, a pleading look doesn''t sound bad either] Zero added with a smirk. Even though I saw what was bothering her remained, she tried to have fun. I turned to Zero. "It depends on whether you can make me do it or not," I challenged in a rxed tone. [ Master, are you sure?] said 01 with a frown. My gaze turned to 01. "I don''t think so. It''s a fact, no one has made me beg in bed before." Zero brought her lips behind 01''s ear. But her eyes stared at me. [Master is a monster in bed. I see now why 86 said we need to work together to make him feel the best] she tempted. Even though their words were only intended to describe how wild I was in bed, in fact, their words were literally true. After all that training from Suthia and Nova, I believe I can handle the three of them. 01''s face flushed as her eyes fell on me. I was sure it was an interesting temptation for her since she now knew my real identity. [W-Well ... I don''t think it''s a bad idea] [Right?] Zero smiled triumphantly. A breath escaped my mouth as my smile appeared. I remembered just a minute ago Zero thought 01 and 86 were evil mechanical servants, but now she wanted to befriend them. I thought this was a good start for them. "But are you sure you don''t want my service?" I asked suddenly. If they didn''t let me take the dare card, then I had nothing to do but received their services. They exchanged nces since what I said was true. [Master is right. That will be a waste] said Zero. [So do we have to do rock paper scissors?] asked 01. While 86 deep in thought for a moment. [Oh, 86 have an idea!] 86 released me, walked to a cupboard not far by the side of the sofa, and took something there. [We can use this], she said as she put down a wheel board that was used for the spin bottle game, the difference was there were only nk sections there. [I will put our names randomly. Whoever is selected, must take the card. What do you think?] "That sounds fair," I said. There were 12 sections on that wheel and we should be able to get a fair turn. [Okay] 86''s hand moved to write our names with the marker in her hand. [Done] She put the marker down. [Wait a second] Then she took the tablet and fiddled for a while before putting it back. Since the tablet''s screen was on, I could see there were two button images on it, a red button for the girl and a blue button for the boy. [We can start now] said 86. She turned to 01. [How about starting with little Sis?] 86 offered. [Me?] 01 didn''t think 86 would give her the first chance. [Affirmative, you are our little sister. You should have the first turn] said Zero with a smile. I was quite surprised by their hospitality to 01. [Okay] said 01 shyly. Then her hand turned the arrow which was in the middle of the wheel. The arrow stopped at my name. [That''s a jackpot] said Zero. While 01 replied with a smile. I pressed the blue button image on the tablet and the screen changed to a few sentences with a kiss mark in the corner of the screen. [With your hands tied with handcuffs, take off your partner''s clothes using your mouth. Note: if she''s wearing a button-up shirt, your partner can help you take it off] Zero giggled. [What a nice start] she teased. 86 took the handcuffs. [Put your hands behind your back, Master. I will put the handcuffs] she said in excitement. Looks like they had so much fun teasing me like this. I followed 86''s words and she started putting the handcuffs on me. But unlike the two of them, 01 gave me a sheepish look. [I-It''s that okay?] she asked with a blushing face. I smiled. "It''s okay. I told you I want you to have fun today." 01 nodded. Her hands opened some buttons on her maid dress and her bra hook to make it easier for me to remove them. "I''ll get started," I said as I could feel the handcuffs had perfectly bound me and made me look like a criminal caught by the police. But despite the handcuffs restricting my movement, my gaze didn''t change. I got closer to her neck and she closed her eyes in nervousness. My teeth were biting the front side of her dress. With all the buttons opened, all I needed to do was pull the dress. The soft material of the dress greeted my teeth and lips, her scent tickled my nose, I slowly pulled it and one side of the dress opened, showing her fair skin before my eyes. I released my bite, moved to the other side, and did the same. After ncing at 01 and realizing she was still closing her eyes out of her nervousness, I kissed her on the cheek and brought my lips to her ear. "Open your eyes. You have to see everything and enjoy this moment" I whispered in a seductive voice. As I took my face away from her, she had already opened her eyes and looked at me in embarrassment. Her breasts heaved up and down with nervousness and embarrassment. "Good," I said with a smile. Then I bit her bra strap and lowered them one by one before going down in front of her soft mound which almost came out of its cage. I traced her skin and inhaled slowly, tickling the top of her breast with my breath before biting her bra cup and pulling it. In one pull, the bra came off and revealed a pair of soft twin peaks with my teeth faint marks around her erected tips, inviting me to lick them but I endured it. "Can you get up? I need to take off your underwear," I said. "Ah ... Yes ..." As 01 stood up, her dress and bra fell to the floor. Spontaneously, her hands tried to cover her breasts, but she stopped since she knew she shouldn''t act shy like that. My face drew closer to her white panties and pulled it with my teeth gently from side to side. And when it was loose, I pulled it as hard as I could. In one pull, her panties dropped showing her pink petals to me, even though she was not as human skinned as Zero or 86, To human standards, she was still a very beautiful woman, who resembled Zero by 60%, but her personality was the exact opposite to 86. ''So Not all the sisters have the same personality¡­ That is interesting~'' My eyes were still exploring her body and her flushed face which was lit up by the dim light of the room. 86''s voice interrupted my thoughts. [ Master, let''s continue] she said as she released my handcuffs. [W-Who''s next?] asked 01 as she returned to her seat and swallowed the rest of her nervousness. [Master, it''s your turn] said 86 casually. "Okay." My hand spun the arrow that was in the middle of the wheel and the arrow stopped at 86''s name. [That arrow chooses the right target * said 86 excitedly *] 86 pressed the red button image on the tablet. [You and the Sisters strip down your partner and caress him freely for 3 minutes by using your hands, lips, and tongues. Note: If your partner moves (except for mouth movements), he must grant your requests for 5 minutes] "You and your Sisters?" I said with a frown. ''Did 86 made this game herself¡­ Did she prepared for this day for a long time? Well¡­If the three of them did that together, isn''t this unfair then? Moreover, my card did not have a punishment system like hers'' [Master, that''s what was written on the card * said 86 casually with a smirk*]. While Zero giggled to see my reaction. Looks like they had prepared everything from the start and I bet the entire women''s cards would allow them to corporate to ''torture me''. But rather than scared or nervous, I smirked. This was a clear challenge for me. ''I see ... Today isn''t only an unfair game ... But it''s a gangbang. '' Chapter 325 325: Card Game Part 2 R18*

Chapter 325 Chapter 325: Card Game Part 2 R18*

"Bring it on," I said in a casual tone with a smirk. [That''s the spirit] 86 smiled in satisfaction at my reaction, her hand set the stopwatch. While Zero grabbed 01''s hand and smiled. [Don''t be too nervous. It''s just a game, enjoy it, okay?] 01 nodded. [But I think it''s too cramped if we do it here] she said. [What if we do it there?] 86 pointed to the lounger. We agreed and moved there. But instead of sitting on the lounger, I stood up to give them full ess to my body. [Let''s party Sisters! * said 86 with a naughty smirk *]. Her hand put the stopwatch on the small table beside the lounger and pped twice. Erotic slow music came as their hands started to touch my body. Like a good team, 01 stood in front of me. Despite her flushed face, her hands unbuttoned my shirt. asionally, she touched my skin and gave me subtle stimtion. Her eyes explored my body and every movement that she made. Zero was standing behind me, her hands holding both sides of my neck and slowlying down, grabbing my shirt and going down, following 01''s movement. I could feel her breath on my skin and her lips that traced the back of my neck down slowly to my back. While 86 who was standing on my side, activated her strange [tentacles mode] and turned her legs into tentacles. Some of them crept to lower my zipper, while others took off my trousers and my underwear. Her index finger touched my temple down my cheek slowly. Her eyes looked at me like a beast stared at its prey. Her tongue licked her lips in temptation. And I responded with a seductive nce and a naughty smirk. As her finger stopped at my chin, without warning, she pulled my head facing her as her lips bumped against mine. Her tongue slipped into my mouth, twisted with mine, and sucked each other. But a few secondster, 86 released her kiss, a satisfied smile on her lips as she looked at my naked body. Her hand crept from my chest to my abs. [Master ~] She drew closer to my ear. [Tonight ... We will make you cum like no tomorrow ~] she whispered in her sexy voice. My smirk went wide. Not only did I feel challenged, but her words turned me on. "Good. Then I will make sure you won''t waste my semen," I challenged. She pulled her head and took a step in front of me to rece 01. Her eyes on me. I could see her unhappy expression since her threat failed. While 01 and Zero were shifted to my sides. [We will see about that ...] said 86 in displeasure. Her eyes stared at me sharply like a beastmaster trying to tame a fierce beast that would not submit to its master. After those words left her mouth, her lips dropped to my chest, her tongue licked my skin slowly down to my abs and continued to move down. Her hands crawled to follow her kisses. Meanwhile, 01 tilted my head facing her, her lips bumped into mine, and kissed me in a dirty way, my tongue and lips moving in tune with her. Her hands crept across my back and chest. As we released our kiss, Zero pulled my head towards her and kissed me impatiently. Her tongue slipped into my mouth and swam wildly with mine. Her hands joined with 01''s, exploring my body. As 01''s lips and tongue fell and caressed the base of my neck, 86''s hand stroked my cock from under my balls upward gently, as if she were waking a huge sleeping bird carefully. Then 86 got down, ced my cock which had begun to wake up in her palm and gave it a kiss on the tip. "Ng!" I jolted but I held back my movements, my eyes widened in shock since I didn''t expect that sudden attack. Seeing my response, 86 licked the tip. While Zero''s kiss was getting dirty, her hand movements were getting wilder. Likewise with 01, Not only did her hand movements get wilder but her kisses and licks began to turn into small bites and suctions that left faint marks on my body. My mating urge started to rise, and my cock started to tense. All of their stimtion started to wake up the sleeping dragon inside of me. "Ngh!" Again, I jolted as 86''s tongue moved to lick my balls up and ended it by sucking the tip of my cock. Her tongue moved to lick its head. My body was getting hotter, burning my mating urge and my little dragon started to rise. A strange sensation filled my body. My desire to dominate them made me want to thrust my cock and make them beg and call my name, but I didn''t want to miss all their services. * Ringggg! * The stopwatch beeps indicated their time was up. Without warning, my hands grabbed the back of Zero and 01''s heads and gave them hot kisses in turn, sucking their tongues, hard. At the same time, my waist moved back and forth to put my cock into 86''s mouth deeper and she weed it by sucking my cock harder and licking it. But after a bit, my waist stopped moving and I released my kiss. Drips of saliva dripped from our lips and mouths. Strings of saliva also dripped from my cock and 86''s lips. It was only a warm-up, and I didn''t wanna spoil the fun. "Let''s continue," I said with a smirk. [Of course Master~ ] said 86 as she got up, her hand taking the stopwatch. Their eyes observed my body, especially my hard dragon. We walked over to the sofa and sat down. [It''s my turn] said 86. I knew they only took random turns since anyone''s turn was the same. 86''s hand spun the arrow in the middle of the wheel and the arrow stopped at 01''s name. She turned to 01. 01 pressed the red button image on the tablet. [Tie your partner up, you and your sisters caress your partner freely with feather sticks for 5 minutes.] Their giggles mixed as 01 read it. They looked at me and smirked naughtily. "What are you waiting for?" I said casually. My body demanded more for their touch. I wanted them to satisfy me. They giggled. [Master, don''t you think you have too much confidence for this] teased Zero. Her eyes were fixed on my cock. I smirked. "We''ll see about that. Just do your best" Then I stood up and walked towards the ''torture table''. They took their feather sticks and followed me. Leisurely, I climbed onto the torture table andy down, letting the soft fur cloth greeted my back. this table was short, so I had to bend my legs. As 86 tied my hands, she noticed my expression, which remained calm. [Master, your courage is surely something... ] 86 said in confusion, While Zero and 01 tied my ankles. "Thank you for yourpliment," I said in a rxed tone. 86 smiled naughtily upon my reaction. [Yes, how could I forget? Master is a Monster in bed after all the data I collected...] When finished, 86 set the stopwatch and they took their feather sticks. Their eyes observed my body, choosing which parts they wanted to touch. [Are you ready Sisters?] asked 86. They nodded in response and 86 started her stopwatch. Chapter 326 326: Card Game Part 3 R18*

Chapter 326 Chapter 326: Card Game Part 3 R18*

They moved their feather sticks against my skin. A soft, tickling sensation travelled through my body and took my desire higher. 01 moved her stick from my cheek down to my neck, my shoulder and my palm. Then she moved her feather stick on the other side slowly and at a consistent pace, making sure I felt everything. Our eyes met with an alluring gaze. Unlike before, if she was usually shy or emotionless, this time she looked more rxed and I could see that her eyes were filled with excitement. "Do you like teasing me like this?" I whispered in a seductive voice. [Sorry Commander¡­ but Sister 86 said to do it without stopping, but¡­ If master hates it I will sto...] she said in a worried tone. "No problem, Just enjoy it, immerse me in pleasure," I said with a smirk. I knew this was their first time that she waited and wished for so long and it was something new for them. [Thank you, Master...] Then her lips approached my ear to y with. Meanwhile, Zero''s feather stick tickled from my chest down to my abs slowly. I flinched as she moved it around my navel and kept tickling my abs with it. While 86 moved her stick from my knee up to my thigh, shifted to my inner thigh and toward my groin. But she didn''t touch my cock and continued to move her stick to my other thigh, as a warning of what would happen next. "Ngghhh!" I flinched when their movements started to change. Seeing my reaction, 86 smirked. 01, who was just ying around my neck, now came down to my chest and abs, recing Zero to stimte my torso. Zero moved down and joined 86 to y with my lower part, especially my inner thighs. While 86 went straight to my groin or rather my hard cock. She twirled her feather stick as she moved it around my cock repeatedly before she rubbed it from my balls up and finished by tickling the tip. "Oh!" I jolted in pleasure. ''Ah, shit! This is so good! '' A tremendous tingling sensation crept up from my lower part to all over my body. My cock was getting tense due to their stimtion and my load was getting full. They exchanged nces with each other and smirked as they thought this time I would lose since my enjoyment was clearly visible on my face. Only for a moment, my ''torment'' was getting worse as Zero joined in to y on my crotch and tickle my cock, making it their favorite toy. While 01 shifted down and tickled my thigh. My lust and ming desire were increasing. My adrenaline was racing. My instinct red up, trying to take control of my mind, but instead of a moan. I let out a chuckle. "C''mon, is that all you got?" I challenged them with a smirk in a ragged breath. Hearing my challenge, 01 moved down and joined them to tickle my fully awake dragon which was ready to fire its load at any time. I chuckled in satisfaction as my dragon instinct got higher as I activated Dragonblood ignition at the start of the card y. I really enjoyed this, enjoyed how they immersed my body and mind in pleasure. "More ...!" I challenged as I lifted my hips slightly so they could y with my cock and groin more easily. '' Even if you have the data of the entire Dream city, Without practice it is not that effective~'' Again, they seemed irritated with my clear challenge since even though I looked like I was going to lose, now I clearly challenged them. Even I didn''t hesitate to invite them to touch me. Their feather sticks movements were getting wilder, now they were moving between my crotch, around my abs, my navel and my ass in hope of making me give up, but sadly rather than another moan, my chuckle was getting louder. "C''mon, give me more!" My dominance desire was getting higher as I refused to be tamed. And despite my conditions that looked like my women''s toys, I felt like a hungry dragon ying with his food. Or rather I let them yed with me before I swallowed them a whole. * Ringggg! * The stopwatch beeps indicated their time was up. They pulled their stick away as a long breath came out of my mouth. "Sadly... ! I still want more," I said in disappointment. They exchanged nces in confusion before their hands moved to untie me. "[Master, don''t you feel anything?]" asked 86, confusion evident in her voice as her hands worked to untie my wrists. Her bewilderment was understandable; ording to all the data she had collected, those who had been tortured would moan and beg, yet none of it seemed effective on me. I even showed a challenge clearly to her. While 01 and Zero untied my feet, their eyes fixed on my cock that was standing straight in front of them. I responded with a smirk. "Of course, I feel it ..." I raised my body slightly towards 86. "I can feel it ... You want me to satisfy you ..." I whispered in the seductive voice. 86''s hand stopped, her eyes staring at me were filled with temptation, her breasts went up and down, and she bit down her lower lip. I let out a teasing chuckle again as I plopped my back onto the table since her expression said everything. Meanwhile, 86''s hand moved again to untie me. As I got free, I got off the table and we walked to the sofa to continue our game. Even though we just started this game, I had to admit, their service made my desire go up faster than when we started. But since 86 said they would make me cum like no tomorrow, I would make sure to cum as they want. I would cover their bodies with my semen tonight. [Now it''s my turn] said Zero as we sat on the sofa, since she didn''t want to waste time. Zero''s hand turned the arrow in the middle of the wheel and it stopped at my name. They giggled at my unluckiness. Then I pressed the blue button image on that tablet. "Take off your partner''s clothes and tie her up with handcuffs on a pole and you can use her as you like for 15 minutes." My smile widened as I read it. Chapter 327 327: Card Game Part 4 R18*

Chapter 327 Chapter 327: Card Game Part 4 R18*

6 more chapters will be posted soon as advanced powerstone bonuses. -------- [Ah ... Handcuffed?] Zero said in shock. She and 86 looked at each other since it seemed like it was outside of their ns and I could see 86''s face looked a little panicked. Looks like I wasn''t supposed to get this type of card. Unfortunately, since she prepared them in a hurry, she mixed up the settings, leading to this card appearing in my hand. 01 looked at the two of them in confusion, since it seemed like she had no idea that all the cards shouldn''t be in my favor. "Yes, you can check it yourself," I said in a rxed tone. Zero''s and 86''s gaze shifted to the tablet screen on the table to make sure I didn''t lie. Seeing what I said was true, 86 reached out her hand to take the tablet. Looks like she wanted to change the setting, but I caught her hand. "Please don''t spoil my fun. Didn''t you say you''ll make me cum like no tomorrow?" I said with a smirk. Then 86 nced at Zero and her lips moved silently, saying ''Sorry'' with an apologetic face. And Zero responded with a pout. After I set the stopwatch to avoid cheating, I turned to Zero. "Shall we begin?" I said in a rxed tone. [Yes Master] she replied. I pressed the stopwatch button to turn it on. My hands grabbed her cheeks and made her look at me. My eyes looked at her face. One of my hands shifted in front of her and touched her lips from top to bottom gently. "Trust me. I will fill your body with pleasure," I seduced with a mischievous smirk. [Okay Master, Please be gentle~] she whispered. "Good," I said with a smile. My hand moved down from her neck to the buttons and opened it one by one, I peeled off her clothes and dropped them, leaving her beautiful bodypletely naked. One of my hands grabbed the handcuffs on the table, my other reached out to her. Without saying anything, she took my hand and we walked closer to the pole that was made by her power. As soon as we got there, I pulled her hands backwards and cuffed her there. She slightly bent her upper body and lowered her head in submission, making her breasts hang seductively. After that, I walked around her with a mischievous smirk on my lips. My eyes were exploring every part of her body, choosing which parts I wanted to touch like a hungry beast circling its prey. When I was in front of her, I grabbed her chin and raised her head to face me. Her eyes staring at me were like prey begging for forgiveness from its predators. My other hand went straight to squeeze her breast, my fingers pinched and twisted her nipple gently. [Ah...!] she yelped. I responded with a chuckle in excitement. My hand that was on her chin shifted to stroking her cheek slowly, as my face approached her face. I could see Zero''s face flushed in embarrassment and tense with my intimidation. "C''mon show me your beautiful expression." My fingers pinched her nipple harder. [Ahh!] Her yelp got louder and her face turned red. Her eyes looked up at me with a pleading look. Then my hand moved to her other nipple and pinched it again. [Ah! Ma-Master ...] She yelped again, while I responded with a teasing chuckle. I took my hand off her breast and gave her a light kiss on her lips before walking around her again. As my steps stopped behind her, she turned to me. [Master ... P-Please go easy on me] she said. Her face was red in embarrassment and tension was clearly visible. I chuckled and leaned closer from behind,pressing my upper body against her back, while my hands grabbed her shoulders and crept up and down her breasts which went up and down in temptation. My head which was on the side of her neck tilted towards her slightly and kissed her lips gently. "I''m sorry, this time ... I can''t give my promise for that," I said as I broke my kiss. Then my lips returned to hers and down the sides of her neck and shoulder. asionally, I gave her a lick on her skin. Meanwhile, my hands were busy touching her skin, squeezing her soft and supple breasts. My fingers moved to y on her erected tips. My fully awake cock was in the middle of her ass. Although she was a robotic creature, the miasma power inside her made herseductive ass feel soft like human skin, the only difference being that, they were just heavenly soft. [Ah --- hah-hah ... Master ...] she moaned as I moved my waist, rubbing my fully awake cock on her heavenly soft ass, making her feel how hard and hot my cock was. asionally, she pulled her hands in reflex, trying to get herself out of the handcuffs. I could feel her body getting hot and so did I. I released my kiss from her. "I don''t think I can hold myself anymore," I whispered in a ragged breath. My soft chuckles mixed in between my words, showing how much I enjoyed this card game that was personally prepared by 86. One of my hands dropped down and started rubbing her entrance with my thumb. [Ah ...- Hah-hah-ah ...] Her harsh breath followed every time I rubbed my fingers on it. In just a few strokes, I could feel her inner wall starting to twitch and got loose. "Pffttt!" Muffledughter left my mouth. "Ah ... Looks like you really enjoy my touch." Then I plunged my two fingers into her warm inner wall. [Ahhhn!~] she gasped in surprise, her head lifted slightly. But I responded by giving a kiss and gently licking the back of her neck as my fingers tickled her warm inner wall. My waist kept moving, rubbing my cock against her ass and my other hand ying with her breast. - ng! The sound of the handcuffs colliding with the iron pole came again, indicating that she struggled in reflex, trying to escape. I broke my kiss. "You can''t escape from me ..." Followed with my teasing chuckle. [Ah ... Hah-ah ---... M-Master, a-are you gonna spend your semen now and give me a baby?] she asked in a stammering voice as she held back all the stimtion in her body. "Why not?" I said in a nonchnt tone. [Wait! That''s cheating!] protested 86. I turned to 86 without stopping all of my movements and smirked. "Of course not. Doesn''t that card say I can do anything?" I reminded her. Zero''s moans mixed with my words. 86 pressed her lips since what I said was true. While 01 was silent since I acted wilder here. I moved my lips silently. ''Next, it''s your turn'' that''s what I told 01 and she could only reply to me by biting her lower lip with a flushed face. After that brief exnation, I turned to the front and moved wilder. [Ahnn~ ...] A loud moan escaped her mouth and her breathing grew heavier. Her head leaned over my shoulder. Her breasts rose and fell rapidly. Sweat started to appear on her body as her body grew hotter. [Master ...] she called my name with a trembling body. I let out another teasing chuckle upon her reaction and gave her a light kiss on her cheek. "I will end your suffering," I whispered. Chapter 328 328: Card Game Part 5 R18*

Chapter 328 Chapter 328: Card Game Part 5 R18*

I shifted my hands and my body in front of her. With a naughty smirk, I pressed my cock on her wet entrance and rubbed it. One of my hands took her chin and turned her face to me. "Uff ... You''re really wet ..." I teased. Her liquid soaked my cock, giving a natural lubricant to it. She responded to me with dted pupils, flushed face and panted breath. After a few strokes, I thrust my cock into hers. While her pussy swallowed it greedily. [Ohhh ~!] She moaned loudly as she got what she wanted. At the same time, I pulled her body into my arms and ced her head against my chest, pressing our bodies together. As all my cock was in, my waist started moving back and forth. [Ahh - hahh ... Ah - hah-hah -...] Her ragged breath was clearly heard in my ears, but only for a moment, I used my skill. ''Dragonblood Ignition.'' My cock erged and extended inside her. [Aagghhhh ...!] A scandalous erotic voice came out of her mouth as her body jerked in surprise. I bumped my lips over her lips, giving her a gentle kiss to soothe her as my waist kept moving back and forth. I knew I didn''t have much time left so I decided to speed up our game. I continued to grind her, making her pussy burning hot. After that, all that we heard was the sound of shing flesh and the sound of our moans. A wave of desire swept through our minds, while Zero could only submit and ept everything. but I knew for sure she was really enjoying it. [Master --- ahhh ... Anggghh ... I want -] Before she finished her sentence, I ovepped her lips and sped my pace since I knew what she wanted. [Mhhhhpppp!] Her body raised slightly as we reached our climax. * Ringgggg! * The stopwatch sounded, I kissed her on her forehead and pulled my cock. My white liquid dripped from her wet entrance, recing her liquid with mine. "Was I too rough?" I asked as my hands released her handcuffs. She shook her head. [No master, I was just a little surprised you could tease me like that] she said as she caught her breath. "This is our first time after all, so I''m kinda --- excited." She giggled. [Master, shall we continue?] 86''s voice interrupted us. We turned to her and could see 86''s flush red face, so did 01''s. Looks like our hot scene also provoked their desire. "Okay," I said. Zero and I went back to the sofa and we were back to the game. [Next is my turn, right?] said 01. But somehow I noticed that there was something strange about her, she sat with her legs crossed at each other, one of her hands ced on herp and I could catch her embarrassment from her gaze. "Yes," I answered as I swallowed my curiosity. 01''s hand turned the arrow in the middle of the wheel and it stopped at my name, again. "Oh, what a coincidence~" I said in a teasing voice. Though I just cummed, I didn''t mind going again. This time they didn''t giggle and I could see 01''s face turning red with her eyes fixed on me. [Master, are you sure you''re not cheating?] asked 86 with a frown. "It was 01 who turned the arrow and that wheel was yours. I also only touched it once, how did I do it?" I asked with a confident smirk. I was quite shocked, even though I said ''Next is your turn'' to 01 just to tease 86, it came true. 86 pressed her lips again. If she didn''t make a mistake in setting the cards, this would be a fun thing for them,but with the current state of the card setting, as long as the arrow pointed to my name it was my win. Then I pressed the blue button image on the tablet. "Use whipped cream to turn her into your cream pie. Lick all the cream on her naked body and use her freely for 15 minutes." I chuckled in excitement as I read it. [W-whipped cream?] said 01 in a stammering voice, her hand on herp clenched into a fist. "You don''t want it?" I asked. ["///"] She looked embarrassed and lowered her head. [I - I want it ...] she whispered in a soft voice. I smiled. "Let''s get started." I grabbed the whip cream bottle and a bowl of fruit before we walked to the lounger. 86 helped me to lower the lounger and cover it with a sheet, turning it into a low emergency ''kitchen counter'', though her irritation was still evident on her face. I approached 86''s ear. "Don''t be mad. After this you can y with me until you''re satisfied," I whispered. Then I took my face away from her. [I won''t let Master go before satisfying me either] she said with a pout. This time instead of annoyance, I captured her jealousy and envy in her tone. From my other side, Zero''s hands suddenly took the whipped cream and the small bowl in my hand. [Just sit down, let us prepare your cream pie] Zero said. "I won''t refuse if you insist," I said casually. I turned around and set the stopwatch. While 86 and Zero were busy ''turning'' 01 who was lying in front of them into my pie. Every now and then they chatted and made small shrieks orughs. In less than five minutes they were done. [Master, its done!] said Zero and 86 at the same time. Satisfied smiles on their lips at their masterpiece. I walked to them with the stopwatch in my hand and looked at their hard work''s result with wide eyes. Both of 01''s nipples were covered in whip cream with a strawberry on top. On top of her belly were heart-shaped whip cream with fruit slices, and other whip creams with other fruit pieces were on her thighs. Even though some of the whipped cream looked messy, unlike the professional pastries that decorate their cakes, at least I was sure they had given their best. Besides that, now I understood why 86 and Zero giggled and why 01 kept covering herp. Though it wasn''t that clear, her entrance was wet. [Please enjoy your pie Master~] teased Zero as she returned to the sofa. [Next will be my turn, Master] said 86, who walked past on my other side. My eyes fixed on 01, who was staring at me shyly. She stimted my appetite. I meant ... She was a pretty te and the whip cream colour matched her fair skin. My mating urge started to rise just by looking at it. My feet stepped closer to her. My hand put down the stopwatch and pressed the button without taking my eyes off her. I lowered my head, my face approached her breast before I opened my mouth and I gently took the strawberry on it with my lips without touching anything and ate it. The sweet and sour taste of the fruit-filled my mouth as my eyes fixed on 01''s face, which was turning red with embarrassment. After I swallowed the strawberry, I opened my mouth wide and ate all the whip cream that was under the strawberry. [Ahhh!] 01 moaned and startled since I didn''t take my mouth off her breast but moved my tongue to finish the whipped cream and rece it with my saliva. The sweet and creamy taste of the cream filled my mouth, along with a supple and soft sensation from her breast with her erected tip. - Plop! A plopping sound came after I removed my mouth from her breast and I could see the 01''s flushed face. "What a delicious pie." My thumb wiped, rubbing the remaining cream on the edge of my lips and licking it. My eyes on hers. "I think I will finish this whole pie by myself," I said with a smirk. Chapter 329 329: Card Game Part 6 R18*

Chapter 329 Chapter 329: Card Game Part 6 R18*

After the words left my mouth, I moved in front of the lounge, her feet before me. My hands went down onto the lounger, my face against her calf. Slowly, I crawled up as my tongue traced her leg with soft kisses in between. My hand rubbed her other leg up to her thigh. As my lips reached her thigh, my tongue licked the whipped cream and ate the fruit pieces there. [Ahh ~] she jolted as a soft erotic moan came out of her mouth when my tongue touched her skin. And I replied by giving her a kiss apanied by suction on it. [Ummhh ...] another soft moan came out of her mouth. Just for a moment, I broke my kiss and shifted on her other thigh. Impatiently, I finished the whipped cream there before I pulled my face away and looked her right into her eyes with a mischievous smile on my lips. She turned her gaze in another direction since she couldn''t bear my gaze. [ Commander, D-Don''t look at me like that ...] she said shyly, her flushed face was clear. I chuckled at her reaction. "Why? You look --- delicious ..." My index finger took a little bit of the whipped cream on her stomach and popped it in my mouth. My eyes stared at her in an alluring gaze. After that, I brought my face back to the whipped cream on her stomach and finished it. [Ahhh ~~!] 01 moaned loudly as my tongue moved to lick around her navel. I could feel her stomach muscles twitching slightly in shock. I held both sides of her stomach so she wouldn''t move and continued to finish the whipped cream. [No ... Ahhh ~~ Eth --- Commander ... No ~ Ah .. Haha ---- Please stop it. It tickles ...] She struggled, her stomach kept twitching, holding back my licking. Her hands gripped the sheet. Her giggles mingled with her words. But I paid no heed to her words and continued my actions. After I finished the cream, I brought my lips and my tongue up towards her breast. While 01 caught her breath to calm herself down. Again, when my lips were in front of her breast I ate the strawberry on top of her nipple and finished all the whip cream on it. My mouth swallowed her breast and yed with her erected tip. While my hips began to move, rubbing my cock on the side of her calf. [Nghh ...] 01 flinched upon my stimtion. But just for a moment, I released my mouth off her breast. - Plop! Another plopping sound came and again, my thumb moved to wipe the remaining cream on the tip of my lips as my lips licked the cream that stuck to the other tip. "Now I will eat my main course." I gave her another naughty smirk and chuckled as I crawled upward. As my face was in front of hers, my lips went down to her lips, my tongue slipped into her mouth and twisted to one another. While my hand crept down to her thigh and spread her leg, cing my legs between hers and of course rubbing my cock in front of her entrance. Our kiss was getting dirtier by every second, our tongues and lips moved in rhythm followed by my waist movements. My hands went up and pinned her hands onto the lounger. Then I broke my kiss and tilted my head to the side of her ear. I blew it gently and licked it from her earlobe to her pointy end. [Ahh ~~] This time her cute moan sounded and her hands gripped my palms tightly. I could feel her breathing was getting heavier. "Can''t hold yourself anymore, hm?" I teased. Then I ended it with another lick on her ear. [Ah - ah ~~] she moaned again without answering me. "I''m going in," I said. I pulled myself away and knelt between her legs. My hand bent one leg up and held it. While her body was tilted to one side. "Nggghh ..." I grunted as I slid my cock into her pussy. While 01 grabbed the sheet to one side of her head. [Ahh~~] Another erotic moan came out of her mouth. Different from Zero, even though I could feel her inner wall covering my cock perfectly, it was easier to put mine in her since she was so wet. I let out a teasing chuckle. "Did you like it~?" My waist moved back and forth, thrusting my cock deeper into her. Since our position was quite open and her legs weren''t blocking her view, she tilted her head to see how my cock thrust her pussy mercilessly. [Ohh --- Ohh --- Yess ---- Comman~ --- Ngghhh!] I knew she wanted to call my name but she pressed her lips as the pleasure was to intanse. As I sped up my pace, the sound of our shing flesh sounded clearer. She spread her legs wider as if weing my cock to go deeper. Her eyes could not escape at the hot view and her body trembled violently every time I thrust my cock into her. [Ohh ... - hah-ah-hah --- Yes ... --give me more ... More ~] she moaned loudly. Even though her sweat started to drip, her excitement did not fade. * Ringggg! * The stopwatch sound indicated our turn was over, but of course, we didn''t care since we were immersed in pleasure. Even I ignored 86 and Zero''s voices. Secondster, we cummed together. [Ahhh --- Aghhh!] She moaned loudly. A great satisfaction swept across my mind as we reached our climax. My lips went down to her and kissed her on her lips as I pulled my cock from her. [Thank you,mander] 01 whispered with a smile. Her hands hugged my neck. [Your turn is over, Master] This time, 86''s voice made me turn to her. "Okay." I got off the lounger and so did 01. But since I knew she was still tired, I put my hand on her back and the other behind her knees. In one swoop, I carried her. [Kyaaa ---!] 01 shrieked as she hugged my neck in reflex. [Commander!?] she said in confusion. "I know you''re tired, I''ll take you to the sofa," I replied in a nonchnt tone. My feet walked towards the sofa. My stamina was full again after doing it with her so it didn''t matter for me. [Commander, I''m not that weak, you know ...] she protested in a low voice. I knew what she meant she was a mechanical servant, so though her body was not as powerful as 86 and Zero, her endurance was not that weak. "I know." I turned to her and smiled. "This is not about your strength. I just want to show how grateful I am towards my woman" After that, she pressed her lips and fell silent. I put 01 on the sofa and sat down. I returned my gaze to the table. "Alright, now it''s my turn." My hand turned the arrow in the middle of the wheel and the arrow stopped at 01''s name. I sighed in disappointment. While they looked happy since this time it was their turn to tease me. ''They surely look excited to torment me,'' I thought. 01 pressed the red button on the tablet. [Tie your partner, make him sit between your legs with his back facing at you. You lubricate his ns and caress his cock pretending you masturbate like a man. While your sisters rubbed his body with massage oil in a sensual way for 7 minutes. Note: If your partner cum, he must grant your requests for 5 minutes.] They giggled and looked at me in excitement after reading it. While I pressed my lips. ''...'' Chapter 330 330: Card Game Part 7 R18*

Chapter 330 Chapter 330: Card Game Part 7 R18*

Excitedly, 86 and Zero took the equipment to ''torture me''. While 01 sneaked up behind me. A tired breath came out of my mouth. "You guys are ying with fire," I warned them as I shifted my body to the front, leaving a gap for 01 to sit behind me. [No, we are ying with our Master ~] said 86 with a teasing smirk. Her hands waved the handcuffs in front of me. While Zero gave 01 the lubricant tube, a bottle of massage oil in her hand. I brought my face closer to 86 and smirked. "That''s why I said you guys were ying with fire," I said again. They were teasing me, adding fuel to my dark side, of course, that was tantamount to ying with fire. Who knew what I would do if I lost my control? 86 giggled and put her index finger in front of my lips as she brought her face closer to me. Her eyes and mind stared at each other. [Then it will be our honor if Master burn us with his fire~] she said in a teasing tone. "Don''t me me for this," I said in a casual tone. She responded to me with another giggle and pushed my face with her index finger. - Tuk. [We are ready] said Zero as her hand put the stopwatch on the table. A teasing smirk was also on her face. And I was sure 01''s expression was the same as them. [C''mon, Master] 86 waved the handcuffs in her hand once again. I let out a surrendering sigh. Besides, the handcuffs couldn''t hold me down. "Fine." I put my hands behind my back and 86 handcuffed me. Then she gave me a light kiss on my lips before pulling her body away from me, but her eyes locked on me. [Sister, Let''s get started~] One of her hands turned on the stopwatch. 01 pressed her breasts against my back. I could feel her soft and supple breasts. Her hands were wrapped around my shoulders and down to my chest and abs. The sticky and slippery sensation of the lubricant on her hands touched my skin. Her head was behind my ear. Since my hands were behind my back, I could touch her crotch, but I stayed still and did not move my hands. Then another slippery feeling started to greet my skin as 86 and Zero''s hands touched my chest and abs. Both of them drew closer to my sides and mped my upper arms between their breasts. Their hands moved wildly to touch me, groped me, slithering like four wild snakes travelling on their prey''s body. The aromatherapy fragrance wafted from the oil on my body. They brought their lips closer to my ears. [I bet Master will lose this time] teased 86. [Not only losing, but I''m also sure Master will beg us ~] added Zero. I returned my gaze to the front. "I''m not sure about that," I replied in a casual tone. Zero let out a slight chuckle. [Confident as always] she teased me. "Nggghh!" I jolted, a slight moan came out of my mouth as 01 poured the lubricant onto my cock and massaged it slowly. Her other hand dropped the tube to the floor. ''Shit ... This is so good.'' My gaze shifted down, watching how 01''s hands were ying with my cock. Likewise how 86 and Zero''s hands touched my body as if I was their toy. 01''s hand rubbed the top of my cock slowly. Her other hand crept under my balls, tickling it like a tame cat before going up and gently stroking my ns. As her hands moved, a kissnded on the back of my neck followed by a lick. A wave of stimtion struck me from the bottom of me to the top of my head. "Nghh..." I mumbled as I gritted my teeth. My mating urge started to rise even though they only touched me in less than three minutes. Then 01''s hand started to grab my cock and shook it at a slow pace. Upon their touches, my cock began to wake up from its sleep. My adrenaline was racing, my breath started to feel heavy like a hunter chasing down his prey, the difference was I was not chasing my prey, but it was because I held down my own instincts. Meanwhile, 86 and Zero''s hands not only touched my chest and abs but also my thighs and between my groins. Their breasts mped my arms tighter as their bodies got closer to mine. I could feel a supple and soft sensation from behind and on my both sides. While I couldn''t do anything since they tied me down. Well, it wasn''t these handcuffs that stopped me, but it was my pride that prevented me. Voluntarily, I opened my legs so they could y with my cock easier. "C''mon, give me more," I demanded with a smirk. I couldn''t deny I really liked their touch. Upon my request, their movement went crazy. 01 elerated her hand''s movement as her body moved behind me in tune with it. Her soft breasts pushed me over and over again like a soft massage chair massaging my back and shoulders. My hands moved between her thighs, trying to reach her entrance, but she avoided my touch and only let me touch her thigh. [Your turn is over, Master ~] she teased me. A slight chuckle out of my mouth and turned into a teasing chuckle gradually. "My turn never ends." Since I enjoyed their service so much, wouldn''t it be the same as my turn? The excitement and my lust filled my body and my mind, my grin widened. I moved my waist in tune with 01''s hand as if I was mocking her. 00:44 waist in tune with 01''s hand as if I was mocking her. While 86 and Zero not only touched my crotch but also tickled my balls and my inner thighs, making the tingling sensation from my lower part even worse. Their lips went down on both sides of my neck and licked it, asionally they licked my ear lobes. [Ah ~] They whispered their soft moans to my ears, trying to arouse not only by their touch or by the temptation sight before me, but also with their erotic voices. Their other hands touched my other sensitive parts such as around my navel and behind my ears. "Ohh..." I raised my head in pleasure and closed my eyes. Our bodies were getting hotter from our friction and movement as we climbed the pleasure together. Their stimtion showered my body and mind with enjoyment, turning my 7 minutes of suffering into joyful torture. [Ah - hah-hah --...] Their moaning sounded clearly in my ears, I could feel their hearts beating fast, this was a live ASMR in reality. I chuckled in excitement. Even though I was intimidated by the card, in the end, I was the one who enjoyed it. My cock was getting harder and tense, my load was full and ready to fire at any time but I held back all the bursts of lust and desire inside of me. More ... Yes, I wanted more ... More pleasure ... More touch, but unfortunately our time was up. * Ringgggg! * The stopwatch sound indicated that our game was over, but no one stopped. 01''s hand was busy shaking my cock and my waist kept moving to help her. 86 and Zero''s hands groped my body mercilessly as their moaning sounds grew louder in my ears. Like an orchestra, my moans also kept flowing from my mouth. Unfortunately, despite the sweat dripping off their foreheads, I wasn''t shown any signs that I was going to fire my load. * Ringggg! * The stopwatch annoying ring finally made them give up and take their hands off me. "Haaa ..." A sigh of disappointment mixed with relief escaped my mouth. I nced down and could see how tense my cock was, also how my body had been covered by massage oil. Zero turned off the stopwatch, 86 opened my handcuffs without saying anything. As I saw their annoyed faces at their failure, I let out my chuckle again, my gaze on my wrists which were slightly red from the handcuffs. While all of them sighed since they started to realize, After Nova''s torture ''training'', I even could hold it until the end. ''Hah¡­ I must thank Nova pretty good when we do it next time~'' [It''s my turn now] said 86. Her annoyance was still evident from the tone of her voice. While my hand stroked my cock, felt how hard and hot it was, I also felt how slimy it was since it had been covered by the lubricant. 86''s hand turned the arrow on the wheel and it stopped at Zero''s name. "Sigh¡­" I said in disappointment. While they seem excited since this was their other chance. Zero pressed the red button on the tablet. [Blindfold your partner and cover his ears with earplugs. You and your sisters use him freely for 7 minutes (you are allowed to use any equipment). Note: If your partner moves (except for mouth movements) he must grant all your requests for 5 minutes] As Zero read it, their gaze shifted towards me. While I grinned excitedly. "Well, I''ll be waiting for your services." Chapter 331 331: Card Game Part 8 R18*

Chapter 331 Chapter 331: Card Game Part 8 R18*

2 more chapter to end the card games:3 ---------- 86 took the blindfold and earplugs excitedly. While Zero put a small stopwatch that looked like a watch on my wrist. Their eyes were on my hard cock. I could catch their curiosity about my limit. The lubricant from the previous game dripping down the tip of my cock made it look as if it was covered in my own semen. I knew they wanted to enjoy it, but their curiosity restrained them from doing it. I knew this time''s game was simr to thest game, only this time three of them were free to use any equipment on the table, which meant more stimtion for me. Without saying anything, 86 put the blindfold to cover my eyes, but I caught a strong desire from her eyes before my gaze turned dark, also an overwhelming sense of annoyance since whatever she did to me was unsessful. "86, this is only a game, you should enjoy it~" I said in a casual tone. I realized, even though they looked rxed at first, as the game progressed, they were getting serious. [I know Master...] she said. Then a kissnded on my cheek followed by a whisper. [It''s just ... I don''t understand, how can you have such strong endurance, Master? Where is your limit? How could you be this calm while the beast within you struggles to be released?] I guessed she could feel my lust was screaming to channel my desire immediately. [What will happen if that beast is released?] she added. I turned to the direction where the voice wasing from and smirked. "I believe you know the answer the best~..." If that beast was released, if my lust overtook me, I would act like I had sex with Nova and Suthia fromst time. I would lose my control and act like a true lust demon, doing mindless sex without caring about anything. But luckily, now, I could manage it. [Is it that bad?] 01''s voice came from my other side. I turned to the origin of the voice. "Yes, that bad." I leaned my face closer to 01. Even though I couldn''t see her, I could feel her position. A seductive grin on my lips. "That''s why I said you guys were ying with fire." Then I pulled my body casually. After that, they fell silent. While I chuckled at their reactions. "Are you afraid?" [It''s toote for that. Since we''ve already saw the data from 86.] said Zero. I could feel her hands approaching my ears. [Remember Master, you can''t move] she reminded me. "Hehe, No worries~" After those words left my mouth, Zero covered my ears with earplugs. The room suddenly turned silent. Without my hearing or my sight, my instincts sharpened another sense, my sense of touch. And since my level had increased, I could feel better than before. I could sense their presence and what they were going to do to me. From the movement of the air around me, I could feel 86 peeling off her clothes and turning her legs into a mechanical tentacles. While Zero and 01 picked up something on the table. After that, I couldn''t feel any movement from them. I knew they wanted to carry out a ''surprise attack''. And my guess was right, three different sensationsnded on three different points on my body. The first was the cold sensation of the ice cube thatnded on the side of my neck and slowly descended onto my shoulder, sending goosebumps with a chill that stimted my nerves mixed with a tingling sensation that brushed against my skin. The second was the tingling feeling of a stick feather sweeping gently from behind my ear down to my chest, abs and around my navel. And thest one was a slimy and stic sensation that crept from my thigh straight to my cock and I was sure it was 86''s tentacles. The tentacles wiggled, tickling me and quickly attacked my weakest point, my cock. Its suckers kissed my whole cock and my groin, recing the lubricant with her tentacles liquid. One of the tentacles crept to the tip and kissed it as if someone was sucking my ns and trying to get all of my load out in one suction. Others tickled my balls. "KHHH!" I flinched without moving a muscle and gritted my teeth. All my muscles tightened, my mating urge grew stronger. But I couldn''t deny that I enjoyed it a lot! The pleasure, their touch and everything... My body demanded more as well as my mind. A momentter, their movements changed. The tingling feeling from the feather stick disappeared and reced by hands that mped both sides of my cheeks, forcing my mouth open followed by a supple, soft feeling along with a hard tip that entered my mouth. While I could feel someone''s presence between my legs. After that, wild and fierce kissesnded on the inner part of my thighs and groin, which in the end, her tentacles joined to kiss my cock that was standing firmly like a pir. Meanwhile, beside the ice cube that brushed my skin, another tingling sensation came from a feather stick that brushed the back of my neck, tracing my spine and down my butt. At the same time, her kisses and licks traced the remaining ice cube that melted on my skin. My breathing was getting heavier, my heart was beating fast, even I could hear it clearly in my ear. I was at a loss for words to exin what I felt right now, but all the stimtion made my body shudder in pleasure. "Haaa ..." I gasped for breath as she pulled her breast out of my mouth and instead she ced my head between her breasts, mping my hot face between the two soft warm mounds. Her hands hugged the back of my head tightly. From her softness, I knew she was Zero, as she was the biggest and softest among her sisters. The stopwatch on my wrist vibrated, indicating our game was over. Impatiently, my hands took off my blindfold and my earplugs. My mouth devoured Zero''s breast that was in front of me and sucked it. One of my hands crept up to 01''s crotch and stroked her entrance. At the same time, my other hand slipped between Zero''s body, reached the back of 86''s head and put my cock in her mouth. My waist moved back and forth. [Mpphhh!] 86 pushed both my legs to release herself, but in vain since I held the back of her head tightly. I knew she could feel my cock twitch and almost fire its load. I was sure she didn''t want me to spend it in her mouth since I hadn''t fucked her yet. Meanwhile, different from 86''s reaction, 01 and Zero moved in tune with me and enjoyed this. [MPPPHHHH !!!]As my cock twitched again, indicating I was almost at my climax, 86 muffled voice sounded louder. Unfortunately, the voice was swallowed up by Zero and 01''s loud moans, filling the room like a perverted orchestra. Her hands and tentacles pushed me even harder, but with our strength difference especially after activating my skill, I didn''t budge. ''F*CK!'' I could feel my hot face and my body filled with pleasure from their stimtion. I plunged two of my fingers into 01''s pussy and moved it wildly to tickle her warm and wet inner wall. While my tongue moved violently, licking Zero''s breast as I nted my teeth into it. My waist moved even faster, bumping the tip of my cock against 86''s throat mercilessly. I thought I would go insane. Surprisingly, even though I acted wild as if I had lost my mind, I was able to stop myself. At thest second, I let them go as a teasing chuckle popped out of my mouth. Rather than the disappointment that showed on my face, it was more obvious on Zero and 01''s faces. While 86 gasped for air and quickly distanced herself from me. 01 and Zero plopped themselves by my sides. While I leaned over 86 and sat on the floor in panting breath. "Does my cock taste good?" I teased with a smirk. [Master¡­ That is not fair¡­] she hissed. Another short chuckle came out of my mouth. "I told you, you were ying with fire, yet you ignored my words." A long sigh escaped her mouth. [It''s fine. I like this side of master~] she said in a nonchnt tone. 86 got up and sat on the sofa. Looks like it was not only me who lost my mind because of this game. [It''s my turn now] Zero stretched out her hand to turn the arrow in the middle of the wheel and it stopped at 86''s name. They exchanged nces in a mischievous smirk since with my current state I shouldn''t be able to hold their next game. 86 quickly clicked the red button image on the tablet. [Lay your partner down and ride on his cock. Your sister hold his hands and feet, making it feel like you''re gangbanging him. Once he is in you, he has no right to move. It''s up to you to choose the pace you want. Give him sensual words and praise his cock as you have sex with him. Your time is 15 minutes. ] Chapter 332 332: Card Game Part 9 R18**

Chapter 332 Chapter 332: Card Game Part 9 R18**

Iughed and pped my hands in excitement. "Ahh --- so gangbang will be ourst game today?" I said straight to the point. My excitement peaked since it was a suitable card to end all my torments since I wasn''t sure one cum was enough to calm the burst of desire inside of me. [Master, Hehe~ don''t be so confident this time~] "Ummm ---" A slight humming sound escaped my mouth, my face drew closer to 86 and a smirk on my lips. "I told you, right? Begging isn''t my thing." And I ended it with another chuckle. I got up from my seat and walked towards the bed in a casual step. After I stood on the side of the bed, I turned to face them. "C''mon, what are you waiting for?" I tempted them with a cheeky smile. My index finger moved towards me repeatedly, inviting them. My other hand rubbed my hard cock sensually as if to show that I really had reached my limit. They exchanged nces and spoke in low voices, even almost whispering with serious expressions. Then a momentter, they got up from their couch and walked towards me with a smirk. "What are you nning?" I said as 86 was in front of me. She smiled wickedly. [Be patient Master, you will find out soon] Then with one flirtatious push, she pushed me onto the bed. As my back touched the soft bed, their movements suddenly turned wild at once. 01 took both of my hands and pinned them over my head. I could feel her using her original strength to prevent me from moving. Even though her level was below mine and I could free myself if I wanted to, it showed her seriousness. While Zero wrapped my legs, even tighter than when we had sex earlier. While 86''s tentacles were spreading all over my body, unlike usual, this time they were not only exploring me but also binding me, restricting my every movement and muscles. A mischievous smile on 86''s lips as she moved closer to me. One of her hands tucked under her breasts, making it look even fuller. Her other hand was under her chin. [Since the card mentions gangbang, how about we do the real gangbang ~?] she teased me. "Do you think it will make me beg?" I said in a rxed tone. I did not struggle at all, showing I did this voluntarily [We will see ~] she teased with a mischievous smile. Slowly, she shifted her upper body over my waist and ced her wet entrance above my tense cock. Her tentacles tied me up tightly and her mechanical suckers kissed my body as if she were a monster that was ready to eat her victim. She started to rub the tip of my cock before her entrance. The slippery feeling of her remaining saliva on the tip of my cock and her liquid from her entrance mixed together followed by a soft and warm feeling of her flesh. My muscles tightened again as the stimtion from my lower half spread through my body. "Ufff ..." A slight hissing sound out of my mouth as I held all her stimtion. Seeing my reaction, she began to push my cock slowly but when my tip just entered for a while, she pulled it. She smirked naughtily upon my expression. "You are getting naughty, 86," I said in a ragged breath. She giggled. [You have to be patient, Master ~] she teased. Then she did it again. This time, it got deeper, but just for a moment, she pulled it again. And she kept repeating it until all of my cock came in. After that, she gave it a few shakes before releasing it again. She made me climb the stages of pleasure slowly as she tested my patient at the same time. Our thirst was clearly visible from our eyes. Our breath was getting heavier. "You should praise me for this," I reminded her. [Uhhh ~ Ohhhh ~] she tilted her head upwards in pleasure and moaned loudly as she put all my cock in her. Then she looked at me with a flushed face. [Praise Master?] she said in ragged breath followed by a giggle. [Of course, I will ~] She smirked. [C''mon sisters. Let''s party!] Those words were like a cue for 01 and Zero. 01''s lips fell down on my lips. Her tongue began to enter my mouth and twist with my tongue. "Mmpph-- ck - Mmpph ..." We tilted our heads and deepened our kisses. Our humming sounds were apanied by cking sounds from our tongues and lips apanying our kiss. Her hands pulled my hands, put my palms right on her ripe breasts, but I couldn''t move my hands due to the card''s order. While Zero''s mechanical tail slithered and changed her way of binding me by giving me some gaps at my sensitive spots on my legs. The tip of her tail tickled the soles of my feet as a wild kissnded behind my knees and asionally licked them. Meanwhile, 86''s tentacles wiggled on top of me. Her waist moved up and down, shaking my cock, inserting it deeper, mping it with her warm and wet inner wall. Her moans mingled with herpliments out of her mouth along with her ragged breath. [Oh ~ Ahh-hah ... - hah - Master --- you are the best ~ Your cock is the best ~] sheplimented me with a sultry voice. "Mppphhh!" A muffled moan came out of my mouth as I jolted in pleasure. A wave of pleasure immersed my body and mind. They flood me with stimtion all over my body. I wanted to move along with them, but I held myself back. It felt like minute by minute was running slowly for me. I couldn''t take it anymore, but my body wanted more pleasure. My heart was racing as well as my adrenaline, my muscles tightened. I knew I was within my limits. * Ringggg! * As the stopwatch sound rang, I shook my waist roughly, shaking all of them violently even though they hadn''t loosened their grip. While I moved my hands to squeeze 01''s breasts which kept teasing my palms. My cock erged and extended inside 86''s. [Ohhh----yesss!] She moaned loudly as her body jerked in pleasure. While I continued to move my waist without mercy. But of course, she wouldn''t release my cock, her tentacles gripping me, making sure she didn''t fall off her ''mad wild horse''. Her sultry moan changed to a loud erotic moan and herpliment turned to ragged breath followed by truncated sentences. She raised her head in enjoyment, her cheeks flushed red and sweat soaked her face and body. No, not only her body but also 01 and Zero''s. [Oh ~ Oh ~ Master ... Ahhh ---- Yess --- Yesss --- Hah-ah --- Ahhh-hah -... This is the best! ] she moaned loudly. I elerated my pace upon herpliment, my waist moved wildly. [Ohhh ~~ More! Give 86 more! ... Ohh ...! ] she moaned like crazy. [Agggh --- Agghh --- Agghhh --- Aghhh --- Cumming --- Anghhh!] She moaned loudly as our hot liquids mixed together in hers. My body jolted since finally, I was able to vent my desires. But despite finally releasing my load, there was a sense of dissatisfaction in me since my body still demanded more. 86 gasped for breath, sweat drenched her body. A grin of satisfaction on her face, her tentacles weakened and she copsed. My semen dripped from her pussy and wet her entrance. After that, I broke my kiss and rolled to the other side, dropping 01 off me with ease. At the same time, Zero''s mechanical tail slipped from my body. My cock tensed and got bigger again. I was on my knees with a slight gap between them. My eyes shifted to Zero and 01 in turn. While their eyes were on my cock which was ready for the next round. "Who''s next?" I said with a seductive smirk. Chapter 333 333: Card Game Part 10 R18***

Chapter 333 Chapter 333: Card Game Part 10 R18***

Hearing my challenge, Zero slithered and wrapped her tail around my legs up to under my rib cage. While 01 grabbed my wrists and held it right behind my head, like a cop catching a criminal. The difference was they looked more like two hunters trying to subdue a ferocious monster desperately than cops trying to catch a criminal. [Ahhhh ~~] Zero moaned loudly as she slid my cock into her slowly. After all of my cock entered, my body fell onto the bed once again with Zero on top of me, trying to take control of me. And as usual, she only gave me a gap at my waist to move. What distinguished it, this time her wrap was tighter than usual as if I was a weak rabbit that was caught by arge snake and she would devour me whole. While 01''s hands pinned my hands onto the bed. Her face dropped to mine, but instead of kissing me, her lips fell to the side of my neck, my ear and traced to the top of my chest. Her silky hair brushed the side of my cheek. asionally she whispered her soft moan in my ear. Zero moved her waist, ramming her flesh at me, rubbing my cock with her warm inner wall roughly. And I responded by moving my waist along with her and chuckled in excitement. "It''s all that you got?, My dear, you need to do better to get our baby~" I challenged her in a ragged breath. Upon my challenge, the tip of her tail moved to y with my balls. Her hand touched my upper body. While 01''s kisses and licks were getting wilder, like a hungry lioness eating its prey greedily, even though I was the one who was eating here. I chuckled in excitement as the pleasure swept across my mind once again "Yes! That''s my women!" I continued to grind Zero, making her pussy burning hot, making us forget everything. All that we heard was the sound of shing flesh and the sound of our moans. [Ahhhh --- Ashen ... ahhh - haahhh ... Master Ashen... Ohhh --- Master ...] Zero constantly called my name, her body was shaking violently on top of me. "Restrain yourself," I warned what would happen next. In an instant, my cock was erged and extended inside her as I moved my waist without a pause. My cock and her inner wall rubbed roughly. [Ooohhhh ...!] Zero moaned loudly in pleasure, her body jerked and she bent her head in the mid-air. As my body tensed, my upper body raised up slightly, my eyes closed tightly, holding back the pleasure from my lower part. A loud moan also came out of my mouth. My mind felt nk, my lust and desire took over my mind and body once again as a shiver ran through my spine. Upon holding my big cock, Zero breathed heavily and fell limply on top of me. Her hands hugged my abs tightly and resigned to ept all my movements. Even though she looked fierce at first, in the end, she gave up. But one for sure, I knew she really enjoyed it. I concentrated on my waist''s movement which was getting rough. A wave of desire swept through my mind. [Ahh - ah - hah - hah - ...] Our moans mixed with the flesh-shing sound filled the room. But just for a moment, she was already within her limit. [Cumming --- ahhh ... I''m cumming - Anggghh ...] My body raised slightly as we cum together. A satisfied smile appeared on my lips as my body and mind reached my climax. This was truly a great pleasure. Zero''s tail retracted from my body, her body dropped andy down beside me. "01, it''s your turn now," I whispered. 01 took her face away from me and looked at me deeply. [I didn''t knowmander could be this wild...] "Are you afraid?" I said in a calm tone. [A little ...] Then her lips went down to my ear. [But I knowmander won''t hurt me] She released my hands and pulled her body away from me. I turned around and faced each other. On my right and left Zero and 86 were resting with satisfied expressions on their faces. My semen was still clearly visible at their entrance. "But I will do it roughly this time." I said in a teasing tone. Her hand touched and rubbed the side of my face gently as her face drew closer to the other side of my face. [Even ifmander did it roughly ... As long as it ismander. I know you won''t hurt me ...] she whispered. I pushed her onto the bed. "It will hurt a bit. But it will fill you up again." My eyes were locked on her. She smiled gently at me. [I believe inmander ...] A smile appeared on my lips. Her trust made me happy ... Then my lips went down on her neck, I kissed her and licked her. My hand crept up to her entrance and rubbed it, making sure she was ready to ept me. But despite my impatient movements, her hands were hugging me gently. One of her hands was behind my head and stroking my hair. Her gentle gesture gave another colour to our game. If Zero and 86 made me aroused with their wild, naughty y, then 01 stimted my desire with her gentleness. "Umm --- Mhhh ..." My mumbled voice came from between my kisses on her neck. Only briefly my cock was awake by itself as I could feel her liquid starting to wet her pussy. ''Divine Healing'' Her eyes widened in surprise, her jaw dropped as my cock erged and recovered to it''s full power before her eyes. My hand rubbed my cock slowly. My eyes looked at her with an alluring gaze. "Is this intimidating you?" I said A swallow sound came from her throat. [A bit ...] Her eyes were fixed on my cock. I dropped again, my body was on top of her. My face was on her ear. "I''ll try to be as gentle as possible." Followed by a soft kiss on her ear and she jolted in response. My waist dropped, rubbing my cock between her thighs so she got ready for what I was going to do. My lips kissed her ear and my tongue licked her earlobe. "Hug me. I''m going in," I whispered so she could prepare what I would do next. She hugged me tightly and spread her legs, giving me more ess to her. [ "Ohhhhhh ...!" ] Both of us moaned loudly as I pushed my cock to her. My body stiffened, the pleasure swept over my body again. She was very narrow and tasted absolutely delicious. Meanwhile, her hands gripped my back, her nails scratched it, leaving red faint marks on it. Her body raised slightly withstood the pleasure mixed with pain from her lower part. I took my face away from her ear and stared at her as we took a quick breath after I put all of mine into her. And she responded by looking away, her hand covering her eyes. [Commander, don''t look at me like that ... It''s embarrassing ...] she said in a ragged breath. Both of my hands grabbed hers and pinned it to the side of her head, showing her blushing clearly to me. "From now one, All of you are my woman, so you shouldn''t be embarrassed anymore." Without further ado, my waist began to move at a slow pace, my eyes watching every change in her facial expression. As she grimaced in pain, my lips went down to kiss her forehead, ear and her lips, trying to give her somefort. Slowly, I elerated my speed little by little and let it get used to it until I could finally hear the sound of our shing flesh every time I thrust my cock into her. The pleasure swept over my mind and body once again as my waist''s movements were getting wilder. While 01 could only submit to ept everything. A few minutester, I could feel my cock twitching a lot, I knew she could not take it anymore, so did I. Our muffled moans came out of our mouth as my seed came out inside her. "MPPHHH!" Our bodies jerked in pleasure as we reached our climax. I pulled out my cock, my semen came out of her pussy and dripped to the bed sheet as I released my kiss. She took a couple of quick breaths. Her sweat dripped down and her bodyy limply. My hand brushed her sweaty hair, exposed her tired and reddened face to me and I gave her another kiss on her forehead. "You did well 01" After saying that, I felt a movement from my sides. Both Zero and 86 looked at me, their bodies still glistening with sweat from our previous encounter. Their eyes were filled with desire, and it was clear that they both wanted more. Zero, with a seductive smile, said, [Master, I am not satisfied yet] 86, not wanting to be left out, quickly added, [Me too, Commander] "..." Chapter 334 334: The Greatest Art

Chapter 334 Chapter 334: The Greatest Art

The flicker of Dream City continued until dawn. It was not because it couldn''t stop flickering, but because the night was just that long. Before the people in this city could recover from the spectacle of the previous night, another shocking news spread early in the morning. Kael Technology''s various secret operations within Dream Zero were exposed by an anonymous hacker. The leaked information included, but was not limited to, illegal dream entry, arge number of human experiments conducted to adapt to Dream Zero, and personnel bribery to evade regtion. What shocked many Dream City residents the most was that Kael Technology even attempted to collect "Zero" data to mass-produce synthetic humans. These synthetic humans, who would only obey theirmands, were to be nted in various social mechanisms, important positions, and even rece others. Using such deceptive methods, they aimed to gradually control the military and political circles, establish aplete monopoly, and bring the entire Dream City under their control. In response to the overwhelming public opinion, the government and military of Dream City quickly assembled and, at a lightning-fast speed, took over Kael Technology and officially sealed it off in just one day. At the same time, the resentment of Dream City''s residents towardspanies and tycoons monopolizing everything, and the government being merely a tool and puppet of the corporations, finally erupted. The streets were filled with people demanding the punishment ofpanies and the establishment of an effective government. Many other giant corporations attempted to join forces and resist during this time. While they were d to see Kael Technology, their majorpetitor, fall, they certainly did not want the government to regain the power to punishpanies. However, including the Emergency Squad, several super corporations only probed slightly before quickly retreating like startled birds. They even actively cooperated with the governmentter, handing over theirpany''s power. It was through this probe that they discovered a terrifying existence had emerged behind the government and military. To be more precise, the original Mistress of the Mechanical Alliance had awakened from the dream. Indeed, only such an existence could effortlessly make the mighty Kael Technology crumble in just one day, as if it were a toy being crushed. Those few tycoons who failed to react, who remained deluded and unwilling to relinquish their power, ultimately met the same fate as Kael Technology. They were silently destroyed and dismantled without so much as a ripple. One could imagine that, starting from Dream City, a massive earthquake of change would sweep across the entire Mechanical Alliance. Numerous powers would reshuffle, and the era ofpanies and tycoons woulde to an end. The federal government, equipped with the new generation of super-intelligent AI "Zera" would take the stage of the Mechanical Alliance. Although this significant political andmercial upheaval was undoubtedly an attention-grabbing headline, there was another group of people who didn''t care much about it. Compared to the intrigues and messy reforms, schrs pursuing knowledge and art were more concerned about what had actually happened that ''night'' in Dream City, which was now tentatively referred to as the "Flickering Night" "Brother Renji! You didn''t see the flickering of Dream City?!?" "What a pity! It''s truly a pity!!!" In the former Kael Technology building, now reimed by the federal government, one floor was rented to the Quis Group. Keyji was looking at a young man across from him with an expression of deep regret. The feeling was akin to two sports fans, one of whom had missed the final match of the Miss Universe pageant. Renji: "I was asleep that night." "Wha---at?!?" "Asleep? Dream City was flickering like a several-thousand-watt light bulb every seconds, and you were still able to sleep? How could you possibly sleep through that!?" "¡­" "I was just really tired that day," Renji answered honestly. But this seemed to anger Keyji a bit. "Brother Renji, I think you just don''t understand, you have no idea how incredible and awe-inspiring the flickering of the entire Dream City was that night!" "This level of control is impossible for any techpany. All the appliances and devices flickered in unison, as if they all shared a single ''consciousness''!" "What''s even more amazing is that all the firewalls in Dream City that day seemed to have been ''forcibly stopped'', allowing such an enormous data current to move freely in and out of Dream City. The entire city was like a bottomless battery, absorbing all that direct current and creating fluctuations in voltage, which ultimately resulted in the flickering!" "Furthermore, after my investigation, I discovered that the frequency and wavelength of the flickering had a discernible pattern. At first, it was ''slow'', but it gradually ''elerated'', reaching a ''peak before rapidly declining''. Such wave valleys and peaks, I''ve never seen anything like it in my life!" Keyji gesticted wildly, spouting foam as he excitedly tried to help Renji understand just how incredible the concept of Dream City''s flickering was. "¡­" Renji remained indifferent, but his Western-style maid assistant beside him suddenly interjected. [Dr. Renji, I believe that during the entire flickering process, there was not only ''direct current'' but also ''alternating currents'', *86 adds, trying to prove her and her little sister existence*] "Hmm? Alternating currents? This hypothesis is indeed interesting." Caught up in the excitement, Keyji didn''t notice the strange way Renji''s assistant spoke. Instead, he felt inspired by her words and quickly looked back at the waveform diagram he had collected. Behind Keyji, a group of Quis Group researchers quickly began calcting based on the new hypothesis. They rebuilt the model and conducted simtion experiments, repeatedly pushing for verification. Eventually, the experiment team burst into cheers, as if they had discovered another significant breakthrough. At first nce, the flickering indeed seemed to be just a cycle of wave peaks and valleys. However, upon deeper examination, they discovered another apanying wave pattern hidden within. "Heavens, I didn''t expect so many secrets to exist within the flickering! This waveform, this flickering, it''s so beautiful, truly beautiful!" "But who, who could have caused the entire Dream City to flicker? No, no, not even the most incredible hacker could have done this. But what''s the purpose behind it?" "Brother Renji! I get it, I understand! It''s a miracle, a miracle! It''s the art of Dream City! It''s the greatest art ever offered to us!!" "From this flickering, I feel as if I''ve sensed the source of all things, the revival of life. Do you understand, Brother Renji? Can you understand?" Excited, Keyji vigorously shook Renji. Although Keyji had joined the Schrs'' Association in Sin City through the back door, he was still a legitimate "ancient civilization" doctor. Every schr, especially those studying ancient civilizations, had a yearning and desire for mystery. Renji couldn''t handle it anymore, especially with the group of researchers studying the waveform diagram. He hade to Keyji''s ce mainly for the sake of Eileen, who had been "stored" by himself. After bringing the gloomy girl, who seemed to be at odds with 86, back to his side, Renji quickly found an excuse and left. Later, Renji brought Eileen and 86 back to his room. And here, three people had been waiting for a long time. Suthia, Nova, and Zero. Renji had hurriedly brought Eileen back for the uing important meeting. And the topic of the meeting made everyone uneasy. After seeing that all the powers beside his master had gathered, Zero solemnly and seriously spoke: [Master Ashen¡­ This might shock you but, I think that¡­] [Lena and Miyuki, it''s very likely that they have...] [Betrayed you] Chapter 335 335: Lena’s...Betrayal?

Chapter 335 Chapter 335: Lena''s...Betrayal?

After Zero''s statement, Nova, who was the most straightforward, couldn''t help but speak up directly: "I''m not too familiar with Miyuki, but Lena would never do such a thing. When she was in the Dragon Kingdom, she helped me and Master Ashen. I''ve had a few interactions with her before, and she still gives me the same feeling as before; she hasn''t changed. I trust my intuition." As for Suthia, although she also furrowed her brow,pared to the impulsive Nova, Suthia seemed to be thinking deeper. "Sister Miyuki isn''t that kind of person, but if you say so, there must be some evidence, right Zero?" Zero nodded and then showed a projection to the people present without immediately exining. As the projection unfolded, Renji could see that this footage came from an "observation body" deployed by Zero to find him. This observation body was located in the Forest Alliance, which was rare and scarce in a country that prohibited all electronic machinery. At first, everything seemed normal, showing only the lives of natural beings like elves in the Forest Alliance. However, when the observation body sensed a strange power, it quickly moved toward the source of the power, the enormous ancient tree at the core of the Forest Alliance that reached the sky. The World Tree. As the observation body gradually delved deeper into the loweryers of the World Tree, a ce that should have been absolutely deste and empty, two figures appeared. One of them was a pink-haired subus, and the other was a...elf Woman with golden hair, pointed ears, and turquoise eyes. Even though it was only their backs, Renji, who was very familiar with their character picture, could immediately recognize them with certainty: they were Lena and Miyuki. Up to this point, everything still seemed normal. It was just a secret meeting between Lena and Miyuki, but with the appearance of the next scene, both Nova and Suthia shuddered simultaneously, their eyes suddenly contracting, and their features revealed emotions of great surprise and dismay. Because they saw that... under the secret technique of Miyuki, a body slowly appeared from the trunk of the World Tree. This body had no distinct features. Because his entire body was shrouded in a grayish-brown cloak with a hint of decay, and his face waspletely obscured by shadows, nothing could be seen clearly. However, for those who had experienced the "Old Era" the cloak and shadowy face were already the most significant features. "Lord Ashen!?" Suthia was the first to exim in shock. Beside her, the dragon woman also furrowed her brows. They both recognized him. There was no mistake. The person appearing in the current scene was " Ashen," their Emperor Ashen. Next, the elf woman seemed to be casting a spell on the cloaked figure, with Lena assisting from the side. It was at this moment that Miyuki, after using magic, discovered the observation body hidden there. Before the observation body could connect to Zero, a powerful special ability from the subus directly destroyed the observation body. The scene ended there, and both Suthia and Nova were no longer in their initial states, bing bewildered and confused, full of questions. "Zero, what''s going on? Why was Master Ashen in the bottom of the World Tree!?" Nova asked anxiously, wanting an answer, while the nun looked worriedly at Renji. "My Lord ..." Neither the nun nor the dragon woman doubted Renji''s identity, as he had genuinely brought them back into their contracts. This feeling could not be wrong. So, they currently believed that Lena and Miyuki had done something to Renji before. Considering that Renji''s power had indeed returned to its original state at the beginning, even now, there was still a significant gappared to the peak of the great Ashen. Regarding this point, neither Suthia nor Nova dared to ask Renji for the reason. Since Renji didn''t bring it up himself, they wouldn''t pry, as they weren''t after Ashen''s power. They were worried that Renji might be ufortable discussing it. But now it seemed... "My Lord, could it be that your power decline is because..." Suthia clenched her fists, and her gentle ocean eyes began to disappear, with the light in her eyes gradually darkening, and her aura bing increasingly dangerous. Beside her, Nova also understood the nun''s meaning, and it seemed as if uncontroble anger rose from her purple dragon eyes. If it were truly because of Lena and Miyuki''s betrayal, plotting against Ashen and causing him to lose all his power, they would undoubtedly not consider any past ties and would eliminate Lena and Miyuki as enemies. Fortunately, at this moment, Zero''s voice rang out. "ording to my analysis, Master Ashen probably doesn''t have this memory, because the body in front of Lena and Miyuki at that time should only be a...shell." "Shell?" the Nova and Suthia asked simultaneously. "Yes, to put it in normal words, it''s a body without a soul." After Zero''s exnation, the three women simultaneously turned their inquiring gazes toward Renji. As for Renji, if he were to speak of his own memories, it would be as if he had pressed the [confirm] button to enter the second phase. So, he nodded. "Zero is right; I don''t remember any of this." Upon receiving Renji''s confirmation, Suthia and Nova sighed in relief simultaneously. After all, if they had to choose between his body and soul, they would definitely choose the safety of Ashen''s soul. However, this was followed by even greater anger. "So, what are they trying to do?" "What kind of ritual do they want to perform with Master Ashen''s body?" "No, how did they...how did they manage to separate Master Ashen''s body and soul? Or is it..." As Suthia analyzed in a low voice, she suddenly stopped speaking at the end. Because if she continued, it would be... [Or could it be that Master Ashen chose to separate his body and soul on his own?] She didn''t dare to ask. And she didn''t want to ask. Because this involved a certain truth that "they" had longed to know but also feared to know. That was... [Why did Emperor Ashen disappear after sessfully defeating the Tainted Miasma? Why did he have to disappear?] For Suthia and Nova, the truth no longer seemed important after his return. However, upon receiving this information from Zero, they realized that things appeared to be not as simple as they had imagined. As for Renji... Being aware of all the "truths," Renji could confidently say that Lena had not "betrayed" him. On the contrary. Combining the events from the Holy Kingdom to the current Mechanical Alliance, Lena, who never showed her face but was always "present," gave Renji a certain suspicion. Thinking about this, Renji sighed inwardly, or rather, with a sense of sentimentality. He recalled that when he was one of the overlord factions in the Ashen Base, at the end of the Illusion Dream, he received a request from the Subus tribe to offer their Queen''s daughter as a "tribute" in hopes of gaining his protection. And the next day in the game, there was a new event: [an anonymous letter with ck roses and pink petals] Renji couldn''t remember the exact contents of the letter, but the general meaning should have been something like this: [I would never join forces with a monstrous person wearing a cloak] [By the time you read this letter, I will have already left the tribe] [Human leader? Assuming you''re human, this princess kindly advises you not to try and catch me. Even if you chase me to the ends of the earth and the edge of the world, it will be nothing but a waste of effort ¨C the future greatest special ability user, Lena] Chapter 336 336: A Small Shock

Chapter 336 Chapter 336: A Small Shock

At that time, Renji thought that the "Ends of the Earth" and "Edge of the World " mentioned in Lena''s letter were just exaggerations. No, perhaps at that point in time, Lena really was exaggerating. But when the demon princess, who was offered as a tribute and shouted "Don''t bully a poor girl," became the greatest special ability user, Renji''s heart trembled. Perhaps it was like all games, where the characters that appearedter in the game had incredible backgrounds and abilities. And Miyuki and Lena were Renji''sst two contractors. They clearly knew more than the three women in the room, and Renji vaguely felt that even he might not have as much information about "this world" as they did. This might exin why Lena had been secretly helping him all along but still refused to meet him. Why Miyuki wanted to form the Old Alliance, and why the elves used their own bodies to recreate the source of the disaster in the old era, the Mother of Miasma, the current Lilith. So Renji didn''t even consider the possibility that Lena would betray him or that Miyuki would do something unfavorable to him. He was the Ashen Emperor, not some undead king made of bones. ''What was that saying?... Ah'' ''Everyone will betray you'' ''Except your fictional wives in the game'' "Alright, I trust Lena. No matter what she does, she has her reasons. Instead of discussing it here for half a day, it''s better to go directly to Sin City and ask Lena herself." This tense meeting finally ended with Renji''s words. Even without this level of "betrayal," Renji''s next stop was the Demon City. Previously, Suthia, Nova, and the others couldn''te to the Mechanical Alliance with him because of Zero''s hibernation and the uncontrolled Miasma-infected observation bodies all over the world. Any anomaly could set off a chain reaction like a lit barrel of gunpowder, destroying the world. However, now that Zero had been re-contracted, all the mechanical servants had been integrated into the same " World Tree"work, sharing the contracts between 86 and himself. These concerns no longer existed. In other words, he could now travel freely around the world with his three "Cmity" level wives by his side. No, that''s not right. It''s not three wives, that makes it sound like he''s being indulgent. It should be lover, girlfriend, and wife. After all, each of them is "unique" to him! After Renji spoke, everyone nodded. Going to find Lena and confront her directly was indeed the fastest and most efficient way. And now, with the three of them by his side, Renji had the strength to back himself up. Even if Lena and Miyuki teamed up, just Nova alone could probably take on both of them, not to mention the support from Suthia and the firepower support from Zero. For the little nun, even though Renji said he trusted them, she still put Renji first and made all the "battle" preparations. [Master, do you need me to arrange a flight to Sin City now?] Zero asked quickly. Renji didn''t rush to answer, first smiling and saying, "From now on, you can just call me Renji." For the three women, the change from "Master/Lord Ashen" to "Renji" was a bit hard to adapt to, but not difficult. If it were before, they would have found it hard to ept, because they only had memories with Emperor Ashen. But now, they also had many experiences with "Renji." "And, we don''t need a flight, after all, with Lena''s calctions, she must have anticipated this step of ours. So, let''s continue with the n Lena arranged for us and go to Sin City." "Sin City is Lena''s territory. We are guests, and Lena has kindly invited us, so we should ept graciously~" The three women could only understand half of what Renji was saying. What exactly did Lena''s invitation mean? Did Lena arrange the way to the Sin City for them? At this time, it was Eileen, who had been listening in the room and seemed to have a lower presence than the three women, who suddenly seemed to understand something. The girl''s eyes first lit up, but she quickly spoke with uncertainty and doubt in her voice, "Doctor, you wouldn''t be referring to..." "Yes, it''s him." ¡­ When Renji returned to the floor rented by Quis Group, he found that in addition to Keyji, many schrs from Sin City had also gathered here. At this moment, the young man was actually discussing something passionately with Professor Einstein, the leader of the schr group. When Keyji saw that Renji had returned, his eyes lit up, and he quickly brought Professor Einstein over to Renji. "Brother Renji! A major discovery, another major discovery!" Keyji was excited, and even the elderly schr, Professor Einstein, showed some excitement on his face. "Just now, Professor Einstein came to find my sister, and I happened to meet him. After seeing my research on the flickering of Dream City that night, he became very interested and discussed it with me. We didn''t expect that when we started discussing it, we would be surprised!" Keyji''s whole body was trembling, as if he had discovered some major secret of "ancient learning." Because he was about to reveal a "major secret," Keyji calmed down a bit from his excitement and noticed that in addition to the familiar Eileen and the previous assistant named "86" behind Renji, there were actually three more women¡­ This "major secret" was fine to tell to their own people, but if outsiders found out... Seeing Keyji''s hesitation, Renji quickly exined to the young man and Professor Einstein next to him: "They are all my assistants, hired local people during my overseas travels. Now that they heard that I was in trouble in the Mechanical Alliance, they were all worried about me, so they all flew over." "Dr. Keyji, Professor Einstein, nice to meet you. I''m Artius, and I met Dr. Renji in the Holy Kingdom." Suthia was more friendly and nodded to the two people in front of her. In contrast, Zero''s attitude was slightly cold, but she still said politely, [Nice to meet you] "..." Nova directly remained silent. The three women following Renji had each disguised their appearance to a certain extent. This did not mean disguising their clothes, but using their abilities to conceal their aura, making them seem quite ordinary. Of course, this "ordinary" was rtive. In their opinion, their already "ordinary" appearance and temperament, when ced in front of Keyji, was shocking, giving this young man who thought he had seen countless women a small shock. .... Seeing Keyji open his mouth as if he wanted to say something, while his gaze wandering back and forth between Renji and the three women, and finally fixed on Renji''s height, he looked at him with an almost worshipful gaze, that kind of look, all men understood, it was just one words - awesome! Compared to Keji, when Professor Einstein saw Renji''s three female assistants, he was quite calm. He was already old, and he had long passed the age of talking about love and envying other people''s lover. Moreover, from the time when Renji consulted him about having children, Professor Einstein had more or less guessed it. Because of this, when he saw the three women and found out that it was indeed the case, Professor Einstein didn''t say much. He just patted Renji''s shoulder meaningfully and gave him a "be moderate" look. After introducing the three women, this little interlude ended, and Keji quickly came to his senses, excitedly continuing the "major secret" discovery he hadn''t finished telling Renji. Seeing the young man like this, Renji suddenly had a bad feeling in his heart, and sure enough, the next moment, it came true. "Brother Renji, can you believe it? We''ve discovered amonality, amonality of miracles!" "Uh,monality, what do you mean?" Professor Einstein took over the conversation and exined excitedly: "A few months ago, my research team observed a ''rain of light'' in the Holy Kingdom that hadn''t been seen in a hundred years! After sending out my assistants to investigate among the people, many believers in the Goddess regarded it as a miracle, the Goddess''s blessing." "Regarding this point, your assistant should also know, right? I see that her clothes look like they are from the Holy Kingdom?" Professor Einstein pushed up his thick sses and looked toward Suthia. The nun was calm andposed, smiling slightly, and very seriously answered this older professor: "Yes, Professor, I also think that this is the dew of the Goddess, but my opinion differs from yours. I don''t think it is the ''Goddess''s blessing'', but rather it should be a symbol of the ''Goddess''s repentance''." Chapter 337 337: Sin City Media, Invites You to Join!

Chapter 337 Chapter 337: Sin City Media, Invites You to Join!

"The Goddess''s.. symbol of repentance?" Professor Einstein had never heard such a strange viewpoint. "That''s right." Suthia nodded and continued, recalling what had happened before: "The former Goddess was too derelict in her duties and let down her believers. Fortunately, at that time, there was a brave believer who gave the Goddess a ''good lesson'', and since then, the Goddess has awakened and decided to revive herself. So, I believe that the light rain at that time was the ''tears of repentance'' left behind by the Goddess after she was punished." ''Dereliction of duty? Repentance? Tears?'' The more Professor Einstein listened, the more wrinkled his brow became, until finally, he couldn''t help but stop her: "Stop, what nonsense! Are you really a believer of the Goddess? Although I am not from the Holy Kingdom, I have to admit that among the five countries, only the Goddess is the mostpassionate and virtuous. If we''re talking about dereliction of duty, it should be the Empress of the Dragon Nation! And not the goddess." The professor''s educational voice was powerful and resonant. Renji didn''t feel that Suthia, who was being "corrected" by professor Einstein was wronged. Instead, it was Nova, the Dragon Empress next to the nun, who clenched her fist slightly. Seeing that a disagreement was about to ur, Keyji quickly intervened to smooth things over and change the subject. "Oh,e on, none of us are the people involved, all our conjectures are just guesses, it''s good to have different viewpoints,e on, let''s continue." "Just now, we mentioned themonality of miracles, right? The light rain in the Holy Kingdom was one, and incredibly, in just a month or two, there was a simr phenomenon in the Dragon Nation. Specifically, at that time, there was a majestic dragon roar that resonated throughout the entire Dragon Nation, and the dragon roar was continuous." "Oh, that''s right! I almost forgot, Brother Renji, you were in the Dragon Nation at that time! Quickly tell us about the situation at that time!" Keji pped his thigh and looked at Renji with a hunger for truth that only scientists and schrs could understand. "I think it was okay, nothing special." "What?!" "Brother Renji, don''t tell me you didn''t record the sound of the dragon roar at that time?" "No." "What about the peaks and valleys? The ups and downs of the sound? Frequency? Tone? Timbre? Duration?" Keji asked anxiously. Seeing Renji shake his head for everything, Keji almost fainted from suffocation. This was not just a simple matter of the "dragon roar." It was that these three miracles, whenbined, produced a qualitative change. After all, if one time is an ident, two times is a coincidence, then three identical miracles mean there is a pattern, and there must be some secret hidden in it. This secret is very likely rted to the "Five Emperors'' Personal Guards," which is the lifelong pursuit of all schrs in ancient studies! Therefore, when Renji did not record the miracle of the dragon roar, Keji was naturally frustrated. However, as Nova clenched her fist harder, Renji quickly changed the subject. "Brother Keyji, I understand what you mean. Three miracles, there might be something in between, but with our current abilities, it''s too difficult to investigate. I think it''s better to forget it." "Forget it? Brother Renji, this is not exciting at all! Because, think about it, ording to this pattern, the next ce where a great miracle will be born is...our Sin City!" Keji and Professor Einstein also knew that it was very unrealistic and difficult for them to investigate the miracles that had already urred. However, if they prepared in advance and waited for a miracle that was about to happen, they would have a great opportunity. "So, Brother Renji,e back to Sin City with us! While waiting for the miracle, I also have a personal great dream that urgently needs your help!" Keji looked at Renji with a burning gaze. "What do you mean?" "Do you still remember when we first met, I told you that I was sent here because I messed up the adaptation of that sci-fi novel?" Renji did indeed remember this. On the flight, Keji had cursed that unscrupulous production team for changing a good sci-fi novel beyond recognition, turning the male protagonist into a yboy who only knew how to drive a Lamborghini. ''But this was rted to that ti...'' ''Ah¡­ Wait a minute!'' As soon as Renji reacted, Keji seemed unwilling to let him go and directly grabbed his hand with both hands. "Brother Renji! After seeing the sh of Dream City and discovering themonality of these miracles, it was as if my mind was opened, and I understood what true art is! I feel like I am a chosen one!" "So, I decided to wash away my previous shame. I want to re- adapt that sci-fi novel, and this time, I will do it myself. It will no longer be an animated film. This time, I want to shoot... "A live-action drama!" Renji: "..." "Our Quis Group has many artists, but I feel that they are not good enough. I always feel that they arecking something. After thinking about it, I think Brother Renji is the most suitable. You have just experienced such a dramatic change in Dream City, and you are simply the best prototype for the male lead!" "Can I ask first, what is your sci-fi novel called, and what is it about?" "The name of the novel is called ''Enchanting Body,'' and it tells the story of a group of demon ns on the verge of extinction. They identally discovered a nearby human base and prepared to attack it. However, in the end, because of the demon princess who was sent as a sacrifice, she fell in love with the leader of the base, causing the n to fail tragically." "You call this a sci-fi novel?" "A demon falling purely in love with a human, isn''t this sci-fi enough?" "..." Keji''s counter-question left Renji speechless for a moment. "Don''t hesitate, Brother Renji. I have a premonition that this drama will be a hit after it''s made! It''s top-notch art that even the city lord will apud after watching it!" "Brother Renji, you...no, no, no, you and your assistants, you are thatst piece of the puzzle!" "I, Keji, now represent the entire film and television industry of the Quis Group and formally invite you all to join... Sin City Media!" Chapter 338 338: Private Reward

Chapter 338 Chapter 338: Private Reward

Sin City Media Renji didn''t know if it was because of the influence of his original world, but he always felt that once something became "xx Media", it would make him unconsciously think in a negative direction. However, Sin City Media here was a very professional and serious film and television group. When Keyji was still trying to get Renji to "participate", suddenly a high-heeled shoe sound came from the corridor, and then many employees of the Quis Group around them seemed to subconsciously straighten their waists and look like they were working hard. Even Keyji was the same, Renji saw with his own eyes that under the high-heeled shoe footsteps, the young man''s whole body was energized, and the young man who was just talking about shooting a movie with him with a lively and excited expression, now immediately became honest and obedient, and looked at Renji with a wink, as if hinting at something. It was not until Renji followed the source of the footsteps and saw a tall woman appearing at the door that he understood the reason for Keyji''s appearance. The young man hurriedly ran over, as if very enthusiastic, but also a little afraid, and said, "Sister! Howe you''re here?" The woman didn''t waste words and asked directly, "Do you want to shoot a movie?" "Uh-huh." Keyji''s forehead was sweating, his hands were a little restless, and he hesitated to answer, which already exined everything. "Isn''t it enough that you lostst time?" "No, sister, listen to me, I" "Sin City Media has already suffered a sharp drop in reputation because of yourst film, and there has been a lot of criticism on the Inte," "Sister, that''s why I want to prove myself again." "Prove what? Give thepany another loss of billions of ashen coins? Or let more of our investors withdraw?" "Sister, that was me who was blind at that time and chose a director who didn''t understand art. This time, I''ll take the lead and there will be no problem!" It could be seen that Keyji had mustered up a lot of courage and persisted for the first time in front of his sister. Unfortunately, the woman just nced at the encouraging Keyji and then said calmly, "Your artistic level, are you referring to the ck dream terminal you bought?" As soon as he heard the words "ck dream", Keyji shivered, fortunately, his sister didn''t say the name, as if she had grasped his fatal weakness, the young man immediately becamepletely wilted and didn''t dare to argue with his sister half a word. Seeing her younger brother so dejected, Diana seemed to feel a little pity and exined further, "Keyji, the reputation of Sin City Media is very bad now, which will also affect the actors. What if your movie is a flop? What will you do with Mr. Renji in the future? The audience will also criticize Mr. Renji, and you will be letting Mr. Renji take the risk for you." "You should think more about others before you do something, and I can see that Mr. Renji also looks very ufortable. If you want to make a movie, wait until the reputation of Sin City Media has improved a little before youe again." After his sister''s analysis, Keyji finally lowered his headpletely. Indeed, he had been thinking only about his directorial art before, but he hadn''t thought that if he failed, it would also implicate his bro and make Renji be a garbage actor in a garbage movie. After sessfully persuading Keyji, the woman walked towards Renji. "Hello, Mr. Renji, I am Keyji''s sister. You can call me Diana. Please ept my apologies, my idiot little brother has caused you a lot of trouble." Diana looked at Renji with an apologetic look and said with a soft voice, she didn''t look like the chairman of a bigpany at all, but more like a neighbor sister who came to apologize after her little brother made a mistake. Renji, of course, waved his hand and said, "It''s okay brother Keyji has also helped me a lot." Renji''s first impression of Diana was very good, especially since she also helped him get out of the situation. Renji thought that being a "media actor" was still a bit too advanced for him. After chatting for a while, Renji quickly told Diana about his n to set off for Sin City. "In that case, if Mr. Renji doesn''t mind, it would be better to go back with us. It''s also a good opportunity for me to express my gratitude to Mr. Renji for taking care of my brother in Dream City." When she said this, it seemed that Diana remembered something else. She reached into the pocket inside her cor and soon a ck rose patterned envelope appeared in front of Renji. "Mr. Renji, the City Lord asked me to deliver this to you." If it were one of the other four nations, such a message delivery at this time would be equivalent to a conversation initiated by the "Supreme One", which would definitely be a shocking event for the whole country, but Diana''s expression did not change much. This is the difference between Lena and the other four "Supremes". Although she is also one of the "Supremes", she has not established a country. Although Sin City is huge and has arge poption, it is essentially just an independent city. Moreover, if we talk about the number of public appearances, the remaining four "Supremes"bined may not be as many as Lena alone. Not to mention Lena, who is both the city lord and the chairman of the Senate, often likes to interact with her subordinates, especially female subordinates, including Diana, the female president of the Quis Group. Therefore, in Diana''s eyes, the letter from the city lord at this time is nothing more than the fact that Renji is very popr in the Mechanical Alliance, so he aroused the city lord''s interest. There are not a few such examples. Of course, if you want to mention something special, Diana recalled that Lena used the words "You don''t want your younger brother to be bullied by my boyfriend in the Mechanical Alliance, do you?" to threaten her. Not to mention the city lord''s joking tone, what Diana cared about most was the young man in front of her, who was about the same age as her younger brother, and was actually called "little boyfriend" by the city lord with such an ambiguous word. After all, it should be known that their city lord, although she often likes to joke and not be serious, but in Diana''s impression, she seems to have a taboo on matters between men and women, and there has never been any joke or teasing about this aspect. ording to the city lord''s own words, she wants to reverse the stereotype of "Subus" in the eyes of the world, but in fact, this "pure" action has instead aroused more and more people in Sin City to have endless fantasies and longing for the city lord, making the city lord the goddess in the hearts of the people of Sin City in the voting of the most popr female stars in history, even if the city lord has only registered as an actor and has not shot a single movie. Many rational people, including Diana, could only sigh that it was no wonder that Subus was talented in enchanting people''s hearts. After all, from a factual point of view, lustful Subus can make people infatuated, but pure Subus can make people crazy andpletely bewitched. Therefore, it was surprising that the city lord was willing to break this taboo and set an example for the young man in front of her. On the other hand, Lena''s letter did not surprise Renji, but rather confirmed his previous guess with the three women at the meeting. Lena probably calcted their next step, or rather, made arrangements for herself long ago. It seemed that when she made the next move, she had already considered the three steps after that. From the moment he went to the Mechanical Alliance, Keyji was probably the chess piece that Lena had nted. As for the role of this chess piece... Renji took the letter and opened it, and familiar words appeared in front of him. [Dear Master Renji: [By the time you see this letter, I believe you have sessfully contracted with Zero. Seeing that Master Renji was able to use Lena''sputer essories to severely educate the out-of- control mechanical servant, Lena was very happy] [However, Lena identally discovered that Master Renji actually skipped over my and Miyuki''s past illusions in Zero''s dream] [Hmph, it''s not like I''m trying to point fingers at you, Master, or anything like that. And it''s not like I''m angry or expecting you to make it up to me. It''s just... well, if I were holding a grudge, I wouldn''t even be talking to you right now, so... just forget it, okay?] [But if Master can fulfill Lena''s long-cherished wish and adapt my novel into a live-action TV series, Lena will be very happy, not only will she open the door to Master, but she will also give Master a little extra personal reward~] Chapter 339 339: Suitable!

Chapter 339 Chapter 339: Suitable! ?

Renji nced at the phrase "personal reward" on the letter, his mouth twitching, especially the soft and gentle words, as if they had been enchanted, dancing around the page, tempting him. So what exactly is this personal reward? Renji was not interested in the reward, he just wanted to criticize Lena''s behavior of corrupting morals. But when he quickly moved his gaze to the next line, he saw: [Oh my~, is Master so concerned about this personal reward? Could it be that my few good sisters are not powerful enough to satisfy Master''s "big" needs? Well then, I, Lena, will reluctantly reveal a little bit to you.] Although the pink-haired Subus herself was not present, Renji seemed to be able to hear Lena''s "giggling" voice through the letter. Fortunately, he had a premonition and didn''t let the three women behind hime to read the letter together. As Renji''s gaze continued to move down, the so-called "personal reward " was finally revealed. [Every time you finish shooting an episode, the corresponding secret room in the Sin Tower will be unlocked for you, and in the room, there are small props specially prepared for you by this princess~] [Of course, this princess hopes that this pleasant time can be enjoyed by herself and Master alone, but if Master insists on inviting those good sisters of mine...] [As long as Master doesn''t mind, and my good sisters also can ept my small props, then this princess doesn''t mind either, no, I should say this princess will be very happy!] [After all, good props should be shared with good sisters, right~] [That''s about it, this princess is ready to "meet sincerely" with everyone on the big bed in the secret room of the tower!] After Renji finished reading thest word of the letter, the whole letter seemed to respond and turned into ck butterflies, disappearing in the air and self-destructing. ''Sigh¡­.'' Renji walked toward Keyji, who was a little dispirited and lost because his "art dream" was destroyed. When Keyji noticed Renji, he said in a depressed voice, "Brother, I''m sorry, my sister was right. I didn''t consider enough. Let''s forget about the movie." However, what Keyji didn''t expect was that he suddenly felt an extra pair of hands on his shoulders. "Brother Renji?" Renji gripped Keyji''s shoulders and looked directly into the confused young man''s eyes. Keyji saw encouragement for himself in Renji''s eyes, saw firmness, saw persistence in pursuing dreams, saw fearlessness and generosity, and saw the hot-bloodedness that a man should have. Immediately afterwards, Renji''s powerful voice sounded in Keyji''s ear, making the young man''s body tremble. "Brother Keyji, I''ll take this movie!" "Brother Renji~!!!!" Keyji was first excited, but soon he shook his head. "No, Brother, forget it. With the current reputation of Sin City Media and what my sister said, my artistic aesthetics, these, these..." Keyji stammered and retreated a little, but Renji responded by patting his shoulder firmly. "I believe in you." Although Renji only said four words, they were enough for Keyji. Between men, there is no need for many words. At this moment, Keyji was deeply moved in his heart. He seemed to see from Renji the sincere brotherhood he had long desired, the kind of trust that was unmatched and willing to risk everything for his brother, and the kind of trust that was willing to put his back to his brother. At this time, arguing with Renji, even if there was the slightest hesitation and concern, would be an insult to their brotherhood! "Brother! As long as I, Keyji, am still in charge, you will always be the best male lead of our Sin City Media! No one canpete with you!" Keyji pped his chest to give his brother a position, but soon he shrank his head and asked his sister Diana, who walked over, in a weak voice. "Right, sister?" Diana nced at her brother and didn''t say much. Then she quickly looked at Renji, who suddenly "changed his attitude" and wanted to help her brother make a movie. Diana knew that this had nothing to do with brotherhood, but wasrgely due to the letter from the city lord. Because of this, Diana also changed her attitude and no longer stopped them. "I''m not at ease with you alone, but if Mr. Renji is willing to assist you, this is an opportunity to reverse the reputation of Sin City Media, and the Quis Group will fully support it." "Yay~ I love you Sis!" Upon seeing his sister''s agreement, Keyji was so excited that he almost jumped up, especially when he heard that his sister was even willing to use the Quis group to support him, the funding was no longer a problem. After the matter was settled, the next step was to make arrangements in a hurry. No one was willing to stay in Dream City for another second. Soon, Renji and his group, apanied by Keyji and his sister, boarded the private aircraft of the Quis Group, heading straight for Sin City. During the flight, Renji, who had changed his identity from a "Doctor" to an " Actor", asked Keyji about the specific script of "Enchanting Body". "So, who is the author of this novel?" "We have never seen her in person. She has always used a virtual ID. She is very famous in Sin City and is called "Inch- Stop Little Princess". Many of her book fans havemented that her novels, like her nickname, always let people reach a climax and then suddenly stop, leaving a bigger suspense, making people love and hate, unable to stop." Okay. Seeing Keyji''s serious expression, it seemed that the "Inch- Stop Little Princess" of this century had not been corrupted yet. Regarding the nickname "Inch-Stop Little Princess", this was not the first time Renji had heard of it. Thest time was when he questioned 86 after beating him up, that femaleizen who had always been "sharing resources" with 86 online. At that time, Renji had a guess, and now it had been confirmed. "Brother, ''Enchanting Body'' tells the story of a subus and a human leader meeting. Of course, everyone can see that the subus and the human leader in the story actually refer to whom. Therefore, we need a few female protagonists." "ording to the setting, the story of this work takes ce when Emperor Ashen still had the goddess and that empress by his side, as well as Zero. We want to shoot the film. We have a male lead, but three are left." At this point, Keyji couldn''t help but look at the five female assistants behind Renji. The young man quickly looked at Renji with a super lucky expression and excitedly made a gesture to Renji, indicating for him toe closer. Keyji whispered to Renji, "Brother, to be honest, I''ve had this feeling since I first saw them." "Your three assistants" "Are absolutely suitable to y the roles of the three personal guards of the Great Emperor!" .... ... [Wee to the Sin City Morning News, let''s take a look at thetest news in Sin City yesterday] [The Lower House of Parliament is drafting a bill on the "Legality of Marital Rtionships between Magical Creatures". If the bill is passed, slimes, goblins, tentacle octopuses, and other low-intelligence species will be allowed to be spouses and granted citizenship. ording to a pre-election poll, the support rate among female citizens of Sin City is as high as 61%.] [The Mutual Aid Association for demi-human Species, founded by the famous demi-human Species Representative Kamy, announced a five-year donation and material aid n to the "Sealed City". The Sealed City is the first city in the world jointly governed by Sin City and the Dragon Nation, which may be a symbolic step in international cooperation. At the same time, it also represents that the demi-human Species Liberation Movement promoted by Sin City has achieved a major breakthrough.] [The case of the Gomo legitor has entered the third trial, and the Upper House of Parliament announced that it will maintain the second trial''s judgment. The controversial result has sparked intense social discussion. Whether transgender cross- species homosexual behavior is legal remains to be discussed.] [The world''s top 100panies, the leadingpany in the weapons and security industry, Kael Technology, officially announced bankruptcy and liquidation. At the same time, several enterprises and tycoons in the Mechanical Alliance announced that they will hand over more than 50% of their industrial chains to the federal government for supervision. The Mechanical Alliance may return to the era of AI government.] [City Lord Lena issued a rted dynamic, stating that she will meet with some friends in the near future and take a temporary vacation. She will not attend relevant administrative meetings such as the Senate. The mysterious "City Lord''s Friend" has be the hottest search topic among Sin City citizens in a short period of time. Many citizens expressed heartbreak in thements.] [Sin City Media released a new movie trailerst night. The famous novel "Enchanting Body" will be adapted into a live- action TV series. However, ording to a survey by reporters, the rotten strawberry rate is as high as 86%. The reputation of Sin City Media may havepletely copsed. Many Sinnywood stars have told their fans that their schedules are full and will not ept invitations to shoot from Sin City Media.] Sin City is very far away from the Mechanical Alliance. Even with the high-speed aircraft of the Quis Group, it took two days and two nights to arrive. Renji closed the TV and could see the huge city below through the window of the aircraft. Chapter 340 340: Are they the actors you are referring to

Chapter 340 Chapter 340: Are they the actors you are referring to

Unlike the technological city full of skyscrapers that seemed to be a steel forest like Dream City, Sin City gave Renji a feeling more like a modern city on Earth. There are high-rise buildings, but not many. The sky is very clear and clean, and there are no tracks. You can see rivers in the city and a lot of green nts. The most eye-catching thing is the absolute high tower located in the center of the city, which is the core of Sin City and where Lena is located - the Sin Tower. Because of the rtionship with the Quis Group, Renji and his group passed the security check very easily and came to the core circle of Sin City. Things like visiting Sin City and having tea at the Quis Group were all skipped by Renji. Now, he and the anxious Keyji went straight to the shooting base of Sin City Media. Because they had already contacted everyone on the ne, they could start shooting immediately afternding. All the photographers, recorders, and directors were in ce and ready to start at any time. After all, Keyji is also a young master of the Quis Group, and they have to give him some face. However, from the spirits of these media workers, many people were a little listless and unenthusiastic. They had been affected by public opinion, and the reputation of Sin City Media was indeed worrying. Not only the public, but even the internal staff did not trust them and had the attitude of making a bad movie. "Brother Keyji, it''s been so long since west saw each other, I miss you to death. Brother just got off the ne. How about resting first? I arranged the most familiar spa for you. This time, I invited the third technician, the one who graduated from thew department, Roger." A dog-legged manager saw Keyji and immediately rushed over, rubbing his hands and giving Keyji a suggestive look. At this, Keyji first blushed, and then scolded him harshly, "What are you doing! First of all, this is working time, and you should call me Director Keyji. Secondly, don''t do these messy things in the future. We have to shoot the movie seriously!" "Alright, alright, Brother..., Oh, my apologies, Director Keyji. I''m so careless with my words." After a simple chat, seeing Keyji''s serious expression, this manager also restrained himself a little. Since the topic of shooting the movie seriously was brought up, he showed a worried expression on his face and whispered to Keyji, "Director, about the actors..." "Director Merlon is also on the scene. He is here for the face of Chairman Diana. At present, he is selecting actors, but only some third and fourth-tier actors havee. There is not a single big name. Even those we have promoted before have refused us on the grounds of scheduling conflicts. They are really dead white-eyed wolves!" Director Merlon is very famous in the film and television industry in Sin City . He has directed many famous films and has even been invited by the people of Dream City to participate in the production of dream. The famous dream "The Subus'' Replica Hell" has the assistance of Director Merlon. However, at this moment, this famous director of Sin City?was frowning and sighing repeatedly in front of the casting tform. The reason is very simple. There are simply no suitable actors. The novel "Enchanting Body" is based on the story of the great Emperor Ashen and his personal guards. Therefore, the requirements for the actors are very high. After all, they need extremely high acting skills to barely cope with ying the "Supreme" existence. However, because of the bad reputation of Sin City Media, those actors with real skills and acting skills dare note, leaving only these third and fourth-tier actors. Director Merlon has seen several rounds, and there is only one word - rotten. He doesn''t even pursue the actors to be able to bring out the aura of the emperor''s personal guards. These small actors do not meet his requirements at all, even in terms of acting skills. "Next!", "Not this one", "Change!", " After screening another batch of actors who came to audition, Director Merlon began to regret more and more. If it weren''t for the fact that he owed Diana a big favor, he wouldn''t have taken over this doomed-to-fail lousy drama. They haven''t even started shooting, and as he expected, they can''t even find actors who fit the characters in the y. It was at this time that footsteps came from the door, and Director Merlon turned to see Renji and Keyji and the others who had just arrived. Seeing this young master, Director Merlon did not give Keyji a face. With his reputation and status, he really did not need to. On the contrary, it was Keyji who, seeing that his sister had invited such a famous director in Sin City to help him, was immediately enthusiastic and went over to wee him. After a simple exchange of greetings, Keyji got straight to the point and talked about the issue of actors. "To be honest, Director Merlon, I have already settled on the actors." Director Merlon was stunned for a moment, suspecting that he had misheard. It was not until Keyji repeated it that he furrowed his brow, and his already somewhat wrinkled face looked even worse. Finding actors is such a big deal, has it only been less than two days? If it were someone else, Director Merlon would probably have mmed the table and walked away. Now, this director suppressed the anger in his heart and didn''t believe Keyji, but he believed Keyji''s sister. He thought that Diana had found some big-name foreign actors. "Keyji, your sister helped me a lot when I was in trouble, so now I treat you like my own apprentice. The casting of this y is different from others and has very high requirements for the actors. We must consider multiple aspects, starting from the actor''s appearance, expression, aura, and even personality. Don''t be hasty." "I know, Director Merlon. You''ll understand when you see them. They are absolutely suitable, just like I feel!" Seeing Keyji''s persistence, Director Merlon sighed in his heart and had to be more patient. He first wanted to see which stars Keyji had brought. However... The next moment, when Keyji moved aside and Director Merlon noticed Renji and the five "female assistants" behind him, Director Merlon looked confused. "Are they the actors you are referring to? " Chapter 341 341: Normal People ?

Chapter 341 Chapter 341: Normal People ?

"That''s right! What do you think, Director Merlon? With my brother Renji and his girlfriend, cough cough, female assistants here, why do we need to look at those stars'' faces? I think my friends canpletely handle it!" Director Merlon was very mad. He didn''t like the arrangement. He wanted to scold the young master even though he didn''t want to upset Diana. However, when he really looked carefully at Renji and the others, Merlon''s heart underwent some subtle changes. He didn''t pay much attention to Renji, after all, the male lead of this y was the easiest to y, and it didn''t matter who yed the male lead as he would be wearing a cloak throughout the y. The difficult part was the female leads who had to show their faces. As for the five female assistants around Renji, Merlon was stunned at first nce. He had seen many female stars, but there were only a few who could make him stunned like this at once. This time, however, three out of five people made him stunned. They were indeed beautiful, but their beauty was secondary. Merlon felt that there was something indescribable about these three people. Beauty is beauty, but Merlon quickly adjusted himself. These actors rmended by Keyji had passed the first hurdle of appearance, but the core was still their acting skills. No matter how beautiful and how good their aura was, if they couldn''t act well as the emperor''s personal guards and couldn''t restore the feeling of the personal guards, it would be useless. As for what roles these people would y, that was not difficult to distinguish. Merlon quickly focused his gaze on the most obvious one, Nova, who had dragon horns on her head and was clearly a member of the dragon race. From the news in Sin City, it could be seen that this city was a very tolerant, free, and diverse ce. People of various races from all over the continent, even monsters, could be seen in Sin City. Therefore, although the dragon race was rare, it did not surprise Merlon too much. What he was more concerned about was whether this female dragon in front of him could y the role of the female dragon personal guard in the movie. "You''re called Nana, right?" Director Merlon opened Nana''s resume and twitched at the corner of his mouth when he saw that her acting experience was nk. However, it didn''t matter. He quickly asked, "First, tell me your understanding of the role of the female dragon in the novel." When Nova remained silent, Merlon thought she was nervous, so heforted her and reminded her, "Okay, let me give you a hint. ording to your resume, you are Dr. Renji''s assistant, so you should have some knowledge of ancient studies. The female dragon character is the firstbat power beside the emperor and has the strongestbat power between the emperor''s personal guards" "Her positioning should be a guard, so if I were to y her, you would show absolute loyalty to the emperor, never leaving his side, and at the same time, this character should have a cold personality and be very taciturn. This is the only way to show her calmness and single-mindedness, and she will not be disturbed by any external factors. She is the most qualified warrior." "Okay, I''ve talked about my understanding of her character. Now it''s your turn." After Merlon patiently finished speaking, Nova still did not say a word and did not even look at him. Seeing this, Keyji was a little anxious. He quickly gave Renji a look, asking him to manage his assistant. Even if she didn''t like to talk, she should at least give Merlon some face and look at him, right? Show some respect. However, Renji shook his head and did not interfere. After all, if this so-called Director Merlon thought Nova was not suitable, Renji felt that this director could also roll away. On the other side, seeing that the dragon woman in front of him still did not respond, Merlon''s good temper was also about to get angry. "Miss Nana, let me repeat, if you..." Merlon''s voice was not very friendly, and he had just spoken halfway when Nova seemed impatient. She shifted her gaze and coldly nced at Merlon with her light purple dragon eyes. All three women had concealed their aura. Otherwise, ordinary people would not be able to withstand a look from a "Supreme being". However, even so, when Nova really looked at him, Merlon was stunned in ce for a moment. In his eyes, it seemed that a huge double-winged dragon suddenly swept across his heart. That shocking and terrifying feeling made his back sweat, his hands and feet cold, and he even couldn''t help but tremble. This stare was only felt by Merlon himself. To outsiders, Merlon was trembling all over, as if he had been frightened by Nova''s cold attitude. Keyji''s heart sank, and he quickly went over to smooth things over with a smile. "Director Merlon, don''t be angry. She is a neer and has this kind of personality. I''ll let Brother Renjimunicate more with Miss Nana, and we''ll..." Before Keyji finished his sentence, Merlon interrupted him with an excited voice and said: "Perfect! Absolutely perfect!" "Huh?" Keyji was a little confused. Then, Merlon pushed Keyji aside and rushed to Nova with a look of having discovered a "treasure". "Miss Nana, congrattions, you''re hired!" "Keep it up, you must keep this feeling and attitude! The role of the female dragon seems to have been designed for you!" Seeing Merlon praise Nova so much, Keyji was confused. He thought that he had a good eye, but he didn''t expect that Renji''s woman would receive such high praise from Merlon. On the other side, Zero, who was beside Renji, couldn''t help but speak up when she saw this scene. [Dr. Renji, this human doesn''t seem to be very smart. I doubt if he can meet your shooting requirements] Although Zero was talking to Renji, she didn''t intentionally lower her voice, and almost everyone in the room could hear it. Daring to say that Merlon was not very smart and mocking the most famous director in Sin City, many people in Sin City Media gasped, and Keyji was also in the same situation. His heart, which had just rxed, was immediately suspended again. Keyji was now in a very difficult situation. ''What kind of devils were these female assistants around Brother Renji? One was cold to the extreme, and now there was another one who mocked and ridiculed. What should I do now?'' Merlon was indeed distracted by Zero''s words, and when he looked at Zero, that look of Zero looking at him like garbage, and that feeling of being a stupid carbon-based life form, shocked Merlon again. ''This is...'' ''So simr!'' ''The mechanical maid who regarded everything except the emperor as garbage was portrayed perfectly'' "Great! Fantastic! You''re hired too! We''ve settled two roles at once, and now there''s only thest and simplest one, the nun. Compared to the other two, this character''s attributes are much simpler, and there are not manyplex settings. If we have to find someone to y it, it''s not impossible. It looks like we might be able to start shooting today! Great, this is fantastic!" ''It''s not good'' ''I can''t catch my breath!'' ''In just one day, I encountered two such high-quality and excellent actresses'' Merlon, who is over forty years old, was so excited that his heart was beating non-stop, and his face was flushed with blood. A director''s greatest happiness is undoubtedly encountering a good script and actors who fit the characters rule perfectly. At this moment, Merlon suddenly felt that he had great confidence in shooting this movie. He had never been so happy and excited in his many years of work. Suthia couldn''t bear to watch this scene. As the kindest and most gentle one among "them", Suthia''s attitude towards ordinary people is much better. The nun quickly walked up to Merlon, who was trembling with excitement, red-faced, and having difficulty breathing due to over-excitement, and asked with concern, "Director Merlon, are you okay? I have some medicine here that can calm you down?" At this moment, Keyji finally breathed a sigh of relief. ''Fortunately, there are still normal people among Brother Renji''s assistants. Compared to the previous two, look at how capable this Miss Artius is!'' Chapter 342 342: Poroluge part 1

Chapter 342 Chapter 342: Poroluge part 1

All characters roles are ready, the equipment is in ce, and the location is set. The only regret is that Director Merlon ate Artius'' sedative and seems to have fallen into a peaceful sleep due to the drug''s effectiveness. Later, Keyji''s assistant told everyone that during the two days they flew from the Mechanical Alliance to Sin City, Director Merlon had been constantly worrying about the actors'' affairs day and night. He was probably too exhausted and overloaded. Keyji immediately arranged the best room for the director, taking this opportunity to let Merlon rest well. As for the remaining nun role, it no longer needed to be audited. It will be Miss Artius, who is beautiful and kind-hearted. After all, she is good at taking care of people, which is very suitable for the image of a nun in the plot. After all the preparations werepleted, "Enchanting Body" officially started filming, shooting the first chapter of the "Prologue" ¨C [The Rebellious Princess] As a prologue, the content is not much, just a background introduction, so it doesn''t matter if Director Merlon is not present. --- -Subus Forest. If there is a ce in this apocalyptic world shrouded by miasma that suffers the least from disasters, the Subus Forest might be one of them. This is the habitat of the "Subi," and as a special race that enchants people''s hearts and feeds on emotions, the Subi are highlypatible with miasma in a sense. They are one of the few races that can benefit from miasma. Many talented subi?can awaken as Eclipse users by absorbing miasma, and most of them are special ability mages. Due to their unique characteristics, there is almost no risk of going berserk. Thus, the Subus race has been quietly increasing their strength, changing from a weak race that was once ughtered at will and needed to rely on strong races to survive, to a race with self-defense capabilities that can thrive in the apocalypse. Even... [Momo, do you know why I called you here today? *The Subus Queen looked down at the young Subus below her with cold eyes and said indifferently*] "Stop!" Keyji hurriedly called a halt and then ran to the Subus Queen. "Miss 86, you don''t need to say the tone of the lines after the dialogue!" [Okay] 86 showed an apologetic expression and shook the lively peach heart tail behind her. After Renji contracted Zero, with Zero''s help, fixing 86''s facial expressions and speech problems was an easy task. However, after 86 was fixed, she seemed to maintain her original way of speaking, as if she had gotten used to it. Renji quite liked this and thought it was a characteristic of 86. After being reminded by Keyji, 86 also switched back to professional mode. By the way, the props for the "Subus Queen" now, including the peach heart tail, pink hair, and subi?horns like sheep''s horns, are not from the props team but are "loaded" by 86 herself, which is why they look so realistic. After all, she is an android, and any parts on her body can be disassembled and reced. She can be whatever she wants without any shame. Inparison, the other actor was not doing so well. Yes, it was the one who yed the most crucial female protagonist in "Enchanting Body," the rebellious subus princess "Momo" - Eileen. Unlike 86, who only needed to change a part, for the human Eileen, it was not so simple. Dyeing her hair pink and wearing subus horns was no problem. What made the girl anxious now was being forced to wear sexy clothes simr to lingerie, which allowed the subus'' iconic peach heart tail to be revealed from her butt. "So why did you choose me! There are so many subus in Sin City. Why not just pull one of them!?" Keyji''s answer was straightforward. "No, Miss Eileen, because the image of the subus in this y is controversial, we cannot hire real subus to act. This would involve racial discrimination issues." "Hah? What!?" "Oh, Miss Eileen, you are not one of us from Sin City, so you wouldn''t understand. In short, we have to find a fake subus. This way, if there are any questions after the release, we can say that all the subus in this movie are portrayed by humans. We promise that no real subus were harmed in this production." Eileen: "..." "Alright, everyone, get into position. Let''s hurry up and start production." Eileen: "..." filming again. This time, let''s try to get it right in one take!" --- [Momo, do you know why I called you here today?] The Subus Queen looked down at the young subus below her with cold eyes and said indifferently. The young subus looked defiant and turned her head away without saying a word. The queen showed no change in expression and continued: [I have already delivered the marriage contract to the leader of Ashen Base. After he epts it, you will follow our n and seduce and assassinate the leader if possible. If not, at least find out the defenses and forces of the Base and entice his subordinates to betray and cooperate with us from inside and outside] Upon hearing this, the young subus named Momo suddenlyughed coldly and mockingly said, "Inside and outside cooperation? With just you guys? Forget it, Mother Queen. The Ashen Base is different from other human bases. They are not a bunch of weaklings who only know how to hide behind walls. Their leader is a hero who started from scratch, step by step, killing his way up from a gathering ce of a few dozen people to his current achievements." "Indeed, their foundation is a bit weak, and they are a bit unstable, but Mother, do you really think we subus can take down Ashen Base? Or have you allied with other forces?" Faced with her daughter''s questioning, this time it was the queen''s turn to be silent for a moment before speaking, [Blue Dye, Stone Hammer, and Aisin, among others, five human bases will join forces with us and send troops to attack Ashen Base together. Does that make you feel better?] [Momo, as long as you seed and cause internal strife in the Base, and with the five major bases surrounding it, even if the leader of Ashen Base is very powerful, he will have no chance of turning the situation around] Upon hearing this, Momo couldn''t help but frown, especially after hearing her mother mention five bases in one breath. Although she had anticipated it, this number still exceeded her expectations. Chapter 343 343 : Poroluge part 2

Chapter 343 Chapter 343 : Poroluge part 2

"How are they able to unite?" Momo asked angrily. The subus queen''s answer was straightforward. [Because Ashen Base vited the tacit rules of human bases and provoked public anger] [After they seized the original Gse Base, they did not settle down and still had ns to continue expanding outward, breaking the bnce between bases. This is why those human bases have joined forces to eliminate this unstable and dangerous factor and return the situation to how it was before] After listening to the queen''s exnation, Momo not only didn''t understand but seemed to be even more amused. "Tacit rules? Bnce? Are they referring to submitting to the miasma, stagnating, and willingly being raised as livestock in those weak bases? Now that there is finally a truly capable person among humans who has awakened and wants to break through the fence to free those being raised, these people instead view him as an enemy and even want to help the farm owner actively kill this abnormal one!?" The young subus spoke louder and louder, and it seemed like she was clenching her fists as she shouted. It could be seen that Eileen was really immersed in the y, and the character of Momo was indeed somewhat simr to Eileen''s personality. In reality, there were only Eileen and 86 in this prologue scene, and Renji and the other three women were watching the filming outside. At this moment, it could be considered a critical point of conflict. Not only Renji but the three women were also very serious because they didn''t care about the filming. What they really wanted to know was Lena''s past through each scene of the y. Listening to this, Renji felt that the current situation was indeed just as Lena''s script described, and the metaphor was very apt. What were called "bases" were just wooden fences for raising livestock, providing temporary peace and stability. However, if they were unlucky enough to be targeted by a miasma masters, their fate would be the same as that of the base where Zero was once located, and destruction was only a matter of time. That was why Lenapared the people in the bases, who were content with the status quo, to livestock and the miasma to the farm owner who could "ughter" them at any time. And at that time, as a "yer," Renji himself was that abnormal one. He wanted to lead the flock out to confront the farm owner together, but the flock thought the farm owner was invincible. Even if they were ughteredter, they had at least eaten grass in peace in the pen, so in the end, they chose to join forces to eliminate this abnormal one. ''So that''s how it was'' Renji recalled that in the early stages of the game, he was indeed resisting the miasma and struggling to survive. However, by the middle stage, he was mostly fighting against human bases. At that time, he was just ying a game and didn''t think too much about it, but now he understood a bit more. Looking at it now, it seems that his reputation was quite intimidating. The five bases joined forces, but they were still afraid that they couldn''t defeat him, so they contacted the subus and used what could be called a "beauty trap" to coborate from inside and out to feel at ease. Renji really didn''t know that there were so manyyers to the subus''s "tributes." On the surface, it was a marriage contract, but in reality, it was written as a spy. Furthermore, as Renji watched the "Momo" character in the role-y, a young subus who acted like a die-hard fan of Ashen, he couldn''t help but shake his head. ''So Lena''s arrogance had started from back then'' "Hmph! I won''t coborate with you traitors!" Ignoring her image, the young subus princess directly spat viciously at the subus queen. [Momo, as my daughter and the most talented person among us, you should think about our entire race. I know this requires some sacrifice from you, but the reward we will get is huge. Those five human bases have already promised me that after they eliminate that abnormal one, the subsequent Ashen Base will be ruled by us Subus, in your and my hands. Our race will experience a leap, and we will have a base of our own! As long as we continue to breed and reproduce using the base, and continue to absorb the miasma, one day, our race will also be a powerful race!] By this point, the subus queen had also be unusually excited. Her white skin showed a faint pink color, and her peach heart tail behind her shone brightly. Her eyes were full of desire for power, and this power she referred to came from therge number of humans inside Ashen Base. For them, these robust humans were nutrients and food. The meaning of "breeding and reproducing" was exactly as it sounded. Seeing her mother''s shameless appearance, Momo''s eyes showed not onlyplete disappointment but also anger and pain. "Enough! You only see the power that this trash miasma has brought to our subus race, but you don''t see that miasma is making our race crazier and crazier. They can now shamelessly seek pleasure at any time, any ce, and with any race in order to pursue power. This is not a subus demon; this is a mate demon!" "This evil miasma is destroying our race and distorting us. I hate miasma! I despise miasma! I don''t want my fellow subus to be livestock that only knows how to mate! So I will side with all the brave warriors who resist miasma!" "You want me to help you attack Ashen Base? Dream on!" The young subus left directly without wasting another second on conversation. The subus queen looked at her daughter''s departing back with a cold sh in her eyes. Just as the human bases viewed Ashen as an abnormality, she also saw Momo as an abnormality. She would correct and reform her daughter and bring her back to the "right track" of the subus. However, she temporarily put aside this thought and focused all her energy on the subsequent operation to change the fate of her race. The subus queen soon had someone call in another of her daughters. Yes, she had many daughters, and Momo was just the most capable one among them. Although it was a pity that Momo was unwilling to cooperate, finding the next one wouldn''t be too different. The new subus was very willing to cooperate with her mother. After all, this was an excellent opportunity for her to rise and rece Momo''s position as princess. These mother-daughter rtionships among the sisters were actually half-sisters, with each having a different father. In fact, it didn''t matter who the father was; they were all gone, squeezed dry and drained by the mother. The subus race had always been a matriarchal society. These princesses all wanted to prove themselves and inherit the highest position of "queen." --- The camera turned. The scene came to thest shot of the "prologue." It was seen that Momo, who left in a hurry, was not willing to just sit and wait. After all, she could guess that after she refused, her mother would definitely find another subus to continue the task of seducing Ashen. So, the quick-witted Momo activated her special ability and wrote a "regret marriage" letter to the Ashen base leader. If he was truly wise, he should be able to sniff out something from her letter, understand her hint, and preemptively resolve the crisis. Even so, Momo still felt uneasy. After hesitating for a moment, she gritted her teeth and felt a little reckless. She flew back to her room, quickly packed her luggage, and, just as the "regret marriage" letter said, left home. However, this time, the direction she took was not to escape but rather to head straight toward the Ashen Base. Chapter 344 344: Diary part 1

Chapter 344 Chapter 344: Diary part 1

*Click!* As the scene board in Keyji''s hand was closed, it announced the end of the first episode of "Prologue" filming. "Everyone worked hard! You all performed wonderfully." "Miss Eileen was a bit nervous at the beginning, but she gradually got into the groove and performed better and better. Miss 86, I don''t need to say, she was too impressive. From beginning to end, her acting skills were simply amazing, with various expressions, tone of voice, and control over the character''s details. She was perfect!" "If I didn''t know that you were Brother Renji''s assistant, I would have thought you were an experienced and powerful actress!" Keyji praised 86 endlessly, and the entire crew was happy that they were able to finish shooting so smoothly. Especially in this day and age, finding an actor who is not pretentious or affected and has such a high level of professionalism is too difficult. Although the shooting was very smooth, half a day had passed in the blink of an eye. Seeing the sky darken, and with the next chapter of "Enchanting Body" about to begin, the human leader would appear, along with his three bodyguards. The number of characters would suddenly increase, so it would be better to wait for Director Merlon toe and give on-site guidance before starting to shoot. Today''s work waspleted sessfully, and the excited Keyji waved his hand and decided to take the entire crew to the best restaurant in Sin City to eat and reward everyone. However, Renji naturally refused, as he had more important matters to attend toter. Seeing Renji''s refusal, Keyji looked embarrassed, not because he thought Renji was not giving him face, but because... Just before they parted ways, Keyji took advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention and secretly pulled Renji aside. "Brother, listen, don''t be too intense in the evenings these days, and don''t do anything too noghty, or it will affect your filming during the day. If you really can''t hold back..." Keyji nced at Renji''s five female assistants not far away, then turned around and leaned in close to Renji''s ear, whispering, "If you really can''t hold back, we''ll find you some new recement assistants. Although they may not be as good as yours, their business skills are definitely top-notch, and their service attitude is great! What do you think?" As soon as Keyji finished speaking, before Renji could respond, the young man suddenly felt a chill behind him. When he turned around subconsciously, he almost jumped in fright. "Miss Artius?" Keyji wondered if he was seeing things, as he had just looked at the distance, but it felt like Miss Artius had teleported in front of him. However, what made Keyji breathe a sigh of relief was that Miss Artius still had a gentle smile on her face, and she obviously hadn''t heard their previous conversation. She hade over now because she saw that he looked a little sick and wanted to give him some ''medicine''. Compared to the shady practices of giving money and gifts in the entertainment industry, Keyji was deeply moved by Artius'' simple and unassuming act of giving him medicine. People like her, who were pure and innocent, were truly rare. "No wonder Miss Artius was studying in the Holy Kingdom. Her medical skills are amazing!" Keyji gratefully epted the medicine and praised the nun repeatedly. At the same time, he looked at Renji with envy and realization, as if to say, "No wonder you have so many assistants and are in such good health. It turns out someone is taking care of you." Renji wanted to say something but held back. He saw that Keyji treated the nun''s medicine like a treasure, as if it was a secret recipe for strengthening the kidney and enhancing yang. He could only sigh inwardly. ''It seemed that we would lose another director tomorrow'' Of course, the potency of the medicine here was not as strong as it was in the old era. At most, it could help one sleep peacefully or prevent one from getting up for a short period of time. Moreover, it did have a nourishing effect. In this case, the person who received Suthia''s medicine could be considered lucky. After leaving the shooting base, Renji let 86 and Eileen have fun in Sin City, while the three girls stayed with him as they headed straight to the core building of Sin City, the towering "Sin Tower." Renji did not lie to Keyji. He really had something important to doter. In Lena''s previous letter, she mentioned that after he finished shooting an episode, she would give him a "personal reward" to relieve him. There was a corresponding secret room in the Sin Tower that would open for him. At that time, Lena would be waiting for him in the room with her little props. Now, Renji was eager to enter the Sin Tower, not because he cared about any little props, but because he could finally see Lena. As soon as he entered the door, a subus receptionist at the front desk seemed to have been waiting for a long time. She quickly came to Renji and handed him an old bronze key. Renji looked down at the key and saw the number 0721 on it, which was obviously the room number. After taking the elevator to the seventh floor of the Sin Tower and finding room 221, Renji was now alone in the empty corridor. He did not choose to bring the three women with him. At first, the three women strongly objected, but under Renji''s insistence, they finallypromised and repeatedly reminded Renji that if Lena really did anything inappropriate, he should use the contract to notify them, and they woulde to kill her immediately. The reason Renji made this choice was not only because he trusted Lena but also because Lena''s letter hinted that there might be some things in the room that the three woman could not ept in the short term. Taking a deep breath, Renji prepared himself and inserted the key into the door. With a clear "click" sound, the door slowly opened. As he walked into the room, he found that it was notrge, like a study, and the light inside was slightly dim. Directly opposite the door, there was a pink pendantmp that was particrly eye-catching in the dim environment, clearly guiding him. Under themp, there was a desk. When Renji approached it, he saw that the desk was very clean, with only an open diary on it. The diary is currently open to the first page, and Renji looks at the date on the first line. The date is written in a hesitant and confused manner, as if the writer was struggling withplex emotions. [The first day after Lord Ashen''s disappearance] Before Renji can read any further, the diary emits a pink glow, and a magical spell activates on its own. A force pulls Renji''s spirit into the diary, into the story recorded within, and into the first day after Lord Ashen''s disappearance. Old Era. Ashen Empire. Imperial Affairs Hall. Today is a tense day for all citizens of the Ashen Empire, no, for all people in the world. Even the elite core members selected by Lena in the Imperial Affairs Hall are having trouble concentrating, unable to focus on their work. Normally, as a "political official," Lena would be furious and would fire several people at the very least. But today, she is unusually calm, because she herself is in the same state. The reason is simple. Today, Lord Ashen has led the empire''s expeditionary forces to the deepest part of the Miasma Abyss to conquer the source of Miasma. In other words, today is the day of the final battle. The day of the final victory over the Tainted Miasma. Ten years ago, no one living under the shadow of the Miasma, struggling to survive under the blood-red sky, could have imagined that in just ten years, the Miasma would be defeated and driven back to itsir. And now... "It''s here!" "The battle report from the front lines is here!" "We won!" "Lord Ashen has killed the Mother of Miasma, and the Tainted Miasma Abyss haspletely copsed. The pollution in the entire world is rapidly retreating. We have seeded! We have seeded!!" The person guarding themunication device shouted at the top of his lungs. The Imperial Affairs Hall, which was usually calm, was silent for half a second before erupting into cheers. Chapter 345 345 : Diary part 2

Chapter 345 Chapter 345 : Diary part 2

At this moment, words cannot express their feelings. Many people are so excited that they can''t speak, and can only wave their limbs and embrace each other to convey their unparalleled emotions. The cheers that erupted in the Imperial Affairs Hall were just the beginning. Soon, the surrounding streets, residential buildings, sanctuaries, military camps, and other departments all burst into simr cheers. Although cheers were the majority, there were also many people sobbing and crying. There were tears of joy, tears of hatred, and tears of relief. There was a mother with white hair who had lost all five of her children to the ws of Miasma monsters. There was a daughter who had lost her father to the rampage of the Miasma. There were retired soldiers who had their viges destroyed by Miasma, theirrades killed by Miasma, and who were left disabled for life due to the pollution. There were teachers who had been "eliminated" by Lord Ashen on the battlefield and had their powers recovered, now teaching in the rear. Regardless of what they were doing, everyone put down what they were doing and rushed outside to vent their emotions. They were venting the fact that the world had finally weed their "savior." However, amidst this "end of the world''s miasma" celebration, there was one person who was frowning. Renji, who was observing the story as a "spiritual entity," looked towards the pink-haired subus at the highest point of the Imperial Affairs Hall, directly opposite him. Even before the final chapter, in thete stages of the game, Renji had stored all of "them" away. And based on their building abilities, Renji ced "them" in different buildings. For example, Suthia was ced in the "Church" type building, Nova in the "Military Camp" type building, and as the former Subus Princess with extremely high strategic abilities, Lena was ced in the "Mechanism" type building. Standing at a high point, Lena looked out at the crazy crowds on the streets and alleys of the empire, and heard the noisy and joyful sounds in the hall. However, the subus''s expression waspletely opposite. Lena looked terrible. The subus bit her lips tightly, and although she did not speak, Renji could still hear Lena''s inner voice at this moment. ''Why?'' ''What is this bad feeling?'' ''Could the battle report be false? No, that''s impossible.'' Lena looked up at the sky, and the blood-red color was rapidly receding and bing thinner and thinner, which was the best proof that the Miasma enshrouding the world was indeed disappearing rapidly. Moreover, as a Cmity being, she was very sensitive to the perception of miasma, and she could also feel that the concentration of Miasma in the surrounding air was rapidly decreasing. All of this was evidence of the victory of the expeditionary forces and a sign of the triumphant return of Lord Ashen. But... At this moment, Renji seemed to merge with Lena in the diary''s story and could feel the subus''s anxiety, which was like a sixth sense, a premonition, a chill that made Lena''s whole body shudder uncontrobly from the soles of her feet to her head. Finally, Lena made a decision. She ignored Lord Ashen''s order to stay in the rear and develop, and used her special abilities to cast a teleportation spell at her feet. A purple array instantly lit up, and in the next moment, the light engulfed Lena''s figure, and the subus disappeared from the hall. At the same time, Renji also followed Lena''s perspective, and after consuming arge amount of special abilities and activating several ultra-long-distance teleportations, Lena finally arrived at... The Miasma Abyss. Outside the Miasma Abyss, there were also cheering imperial soldiers and allied forces from various other races united by Emperor Ashen. The soldiers still immersed in the joy of victory did not notice Lena''s figure. Lena flickered several times, crossing the army and entering directly into the Miasma Abyss. Along the way, Lena saw many corpses of Miasma monsters and masters, which seemed to have been killed very easily. This was undoubtedly proof that Emperor Ashen''s conquest was not difficult and that he might even have been overpowering, in a position of absolute power suppression. Indeed, even as a "Cmity" level being, she could only feel terrified in the presence of Emperor Ashen. Lena guessed that the emperor''s power might have reached a level beyond their understanding, a rank more terrifying than the "Cmity". It was precisely because of this that Lena was actually confident that emperor Ashen could save the world and conquer the Mother of Miasma. She had long anticipated today''s victory. ''But...'' ''Why?'' ''What is this unease?'' As Lena hurriedly shed forward, she finally arrived at the deepest part of the Miasma Abyss, the site of the final battle between emperor Ashen and the Mother of Miasma. No soldier coulde here, and only "they" and Lord Ashen could withstand the intensity of the Miasma in this ce. The first thing Lena saw was the Mother of Miasma being torn apart into four or five pieces, with her hundreds of terrifying tentacles all cut off and shattered by Emperor Ashen. The core part waspletely destroyed and had already perished. But in the next moment... The subus''s pupils suddenly contracted, and her whole body was violently shaking. This was because she saw another corpse floating above the Mother of Miasma''s body. It was Emperor Ashen. Why use the word "corpse" to describe him? It was not that Emperor Ashen had any fatal wounds on his body. On the contrary, Lena felt that Emperor Ashen''s physical condition was very good, even better than before, and his power was also stronger. Butpared to usual, what was missing, and the most fatal thing, was... His soul. Now, what was floating there was only Emperor Ashen''s physical body. No. To be more urate, Lena seemed to vaguely perceive a power that did not exist in this world, a higher level that she could not understand and had never seen before, which was... Dividing Emperor Ashen''s soul and body! Chapter 346 346: Calm Miyuki

Chapter 346 Chapter 346: Calm Miyuki

1/3 Although Lena is at the peak of the special ability users and can handle various mysterious situations, she ispletely helpless when ites to the soul aspect, especially now that it involves a higher level of unknown power. The subus can only watch as Emperor Ashen''s soul aura quickly disappears like a deting balloon, and now Lena''s pretty face is full of anxiety. Renji watched as Lena pinched herself hard, as if forcing herself to calm down and desperately thinking of a countermeasure. Soon, a figure appears in Lena''s mind. As Renji thought, it was a figure with golden hair, pointed ears, wearing a dark green dress, and with nt flower rings around her ankles. "Miyuki." "Yes, I need her help!" Lena''s eyes finally have a glimmer of hope, and she quickly goes from muttering to herself to shouting. Because when ites to the soul aspect, Miyuki, as an elf and the favorite race of nature, must have a way. Afterward, although Lena is anxious, she does not leave immediately. In Renji''s eyes, the subus first uses a technique to hide Ashen''s body. This way, even if an enemy or Eclipse appears, they will not discover that Ashen has be a shell. Then, Lena uses another technique to create a transfer mark at the deepest part of the Miasma Abyss, so she can transfer directly here next time. After doing these two things, even Lena is gasping for breath, and the subus''s face turns pale, as if she has overexerted herself. After all, the density and pollution of the Miasma in the Miasma Abyss are extremely high, and creating a stable transfer point is like stabilizing a wooden boat in a surging current. But now, Lena clearly doesn''t care about that. Even if she is overloading her abilities, she must seize every moment. She is in a deadly race against the power that is taking away Emperor Ashen''s soul. After taking a slight breath, Lena used her teleportation technique again, and her figure disappears on the spot. The five women were not together, but were "stored" by their master in various ces in the empire ording to their different "infrastructure" abilities. Lena is in the capital managing administration, and Nova is in the military base training soldiers. Suthia is in charge of administration in the church in the most populous city, Zero is responsible for weapon production and equipment upgrades in the smelting nt and mining area, and thest one, Miyuki, is the farthest from the empire, located in the forest at the border. She uses her affinity with nature to provide various rare materials needed for the synthesis of precious items. -Moonlit Well. A purple teleportation light shed above this well, which was shimmering with silver-gray light. The next moment, the subus who tore through space appeared from the teleportation crack. The Moonlit Well is a special building of the elves that provides truly pure water and has various magical abilities. It is also why there can be a "forest" in the old era shrouded by miasma. Of course, before this ce was incorporated into the Ashen Empire, both the forest and the Moonlit Well were in danger of drying up. It was not until the arrival of the Ashen Army that they were taken from the hands of the miasma and protected the forest and the World Tree in the center of the forest. Later, Miyuki formed a contract and became a "Cmity" rank Eclipse, and the miasma retreated step by step. The forest gradually expanded and evolved into the current lush and vibrant naturalnd. After Lena teleported here, like the imperial capital, many elves and other natural races such as dwarves, gnomes, and lizardmen were cheering and celebrating the victory of the Ashen Expeditionary Army. These forest races also know Lena, after all, the subus is also one of them. Everyone thought that Lena came to celebrate, and they were about to go up to wee her. After all, everyone knows that the current achievements of the Ashen Empire have a lot to do with this imperial strategist, the most outstanding strategist mage beside the Ashen Emperor. However, a female elf was the first to notice Lena''s condition. Miyuki wrinkled her brow and immediately appeared beside Lena, quietly supporting the somewhat unsteady subus. Then, without disturbing the other forest races or causing any chaos, she took Lena and quickly left the public view,ing to a separate wooden house. Next, as Miyuki expected, "Miyuki, master Ashen is in trouble!" Lena shouted with all her strength, and then pulled on Miyuki''s dark green dress to cast teleportation on the elf to bring her to save her "offline" master. However, Miyuki stopped Lena. "What are you doing, It''s toote, we need to hurry!" Faced with Lena''s urgent urging, Miyuki did not speak. Instead, she took out a powder from her bosom and sprinkled it on the subus. Renji recognized it at a nce. It was the Moonshadow Powder, which could restore 80% of a character''s lost MP value (blue bar) in a short time. Then, Miyuki quickly took out a box that seemed to have been prepared early from her small wooden house. After doing all this, Miyuki nodded to let Lena activate her special ability to teleport. From this scene, Renji sighed in admiration at Miyuki''s calmness. She was indeed the most steady and sisterly among "them," and had even been called "Mommy" by Renji, she was the perfect the mommy-type character. Because he had been following Lena''s perspective from the beginning of the diary, Renji, as an observer, was the clearest. The subus had already activated multiple cross-domain teleportation, which was a long-distance technique that consumed a lot of her mana. Lena first teleported several times from the capital to the Miasma Abyss, and then teleported several times from the Miasma Abyss to the Moonlit Well on the border of the empire. Such frequent and intense consumption was too much for Lena, even as a "Cmity" rank Eclipse, and she had already overdrawn a lot. If Lena rashly teleported again, the over-consumed subus might fail to teleport, or even trigger a spatial chaos, teleporting to other unknown areas, not only failing to buy time, but also wasting time. Miyuki was not infected by Lena''s panic, but instead stabilized the situation. This did not mean that Miyuki had not guessed the reason for Lena''s panic. On the contrary, Renji looked at the box in Miyuki''s hand. If he was not mistaken, this should be the reason why his game character, Emperor Ashen, did not sessfully "go offline". Or, it could be said to be the reason why only he had activated the "second ythrough" option that no yer had ever encountered before? Chapter 347 347: The Will of the World

Chapter 347 Chapter 347: The Will of the World

Because Lena had established a teleportation anchor point, and with the recovery power of the Moon Demon''s powder, the Subus was able to take Miyuki and teleport directly to the deepest part of the Miasma Abyss without any problems. After arriving here, Miyuki seemed to sense something and looked towards the body of the Miasma Mother. As Lena quickly dispelled the concealment spell, Renji''s game character, which had been hidden, appeared in front of Miyuki. The Subus tried to exin the situation to Miyuki, but was stopped by the elf with a raise of her hand. Miyuki then began to emit a deep green light from her body then she closed her eyes, and floated toward the empty space in front of her, as if sensing something. Soon after, the she opened her eyes again, flipped her wrist, and the box she had taken from the room earlier appeared in her palm. Miyuki quickly opened it, and Renji saw that there were many things inside, all of which were extremely valuable. If they were in the game, they would probably be considered "one-of-a-kind" legendary items. Seeds of the Earth''s Veins, Sunflower Seeds, Mermaid''s Tears, Snow Lotus Seeds, Mana Flowers, and World Tree''s First Leaf. What Miyuki took out from the box was a leaf emitting an ancient and eternal aura. The World Tree''s First Leaf. Unlike ordinary leaves of the World Tree, the First Leaf was the first leaf that grew when the World Tree was born, and its effect was... Renji remembered what Professor Einstein had said at that time. The World Tree is the connection of souls. It was rumored that each leaf of the World Tree contained a part of an elf''s soul, and the elves were connected by the sacred World Tree. Renji truly understood this point from the dream version of the World Tree that could connect to robots and form a robotwork. And as the most powerful elf, the soul contained in the most powerful "First Leaf"... Should be Miyuki''s own soul. The elf next to her seemed to want to put the leaf in his game character''s mouth, but failed quickly because they couldn''t take off his cloak. And she expected that. Because this was something that "they" in the game had never done before, and didn''t dare to do, so Miyuki''s attempt to take off Ashen''s clock was the first time for them. However, as if there was some rule constraining them, they were prohibited from removing his cloak, and no matter what they did, they couldn''t see his true appearance. "How is this possible? Damn it! Why? Why can''t it be taken off!" Lena was frantic, but Miyuki quickly changed her strategy and resolutely used her magical power to crush the precious "First Leaf" into fragments and then into powder, which she sprinkled on his game character. Renji saw that after doing so, Miyuki''s aura immediately weakened, and her body seemed to be unsteady. Grinding the First Leaf was equivalent to grinding her own soul, and the pain of the soul was no less than that of the body being cut by thousands of knives. Even so, Miyuki did not make a sound and soon activated the secret magic of the elves. As a "guardian," Miyuki had more protective abilities, one of which was soul linking. "You seeded! Miyuki!" "Lord Ashen''s soul loss is slowing down! Hurry! Sister Miyuki, pull Lord Ashen''s soul back!" After Miyuki connected her soul with Ashen, Lena''s excited voice showed that it was indeed effective. However, Miyuki''s next answer made Lena''s expression instantly freeze and stiffen. "I''m sorry, Lena, I can''t do it." "What...what are you saying! Why? Is the enemy too strong? No, the Miasma Mother has been destroyed by Lord Ashen, and there''s nothing...nothing that can threaten Lord Ashen. What is it?" Lena was a bit incoherent, which was very different from her usual wise image. It seemed as if she was copsing. What the Subus didn''t expect was that Miyuki shook her head again. "No, it''s not the enemy." "After linking with Lord Ashen''s soul, I can vaguely feel that the current situation is Lord Ashen''s own will." ''His...his own will?'' ''Does that mean Lord Ashen is splitting his own soul?'' ''What nonsense!'' "Miyuki, what are you saying!!!" "Do you mean that Lord Ashen is deliberately leaving us?" "No, not leaving us." Miyuki paused and sighed, "Lord Ashen is leaving this world." "There are currently two forces. One is the force that is separating Lord Ashen''s soul and body, which I can and have already stopped. But the other force is Lord Ashen''s will. If he insists on leaving, we are powerless to stop him." "Impossible! This is absolutely impossible, Miyuki you must be mistaken, impossible! Wait...it must be the first force you mentioned that is acting up. You said there was no enemy, so what is the first force?" Lena shook her head frantically, she could not ept Miyuki''s exnation. "I have vaguely sensed this force before, and just now when I tried to remove Lord Ashen''s cloak, I was able to confirm that these two forces are the same." "They are the power of the rules." "The power of the rules?" Lena had never heard of this term. Seeing that the Subus did not understand, Miyuki rephrased it. "You can think of it as the will of this world." "Are you saying that Lord Ashen is actually the embodiment of the world''s will? The savior who saved us, raised us, ate with us, fought with us, experienced many things with us, built the empire with us, and defeated the Miasma together with us, is not a living being at all, but just the will of the world, a virtual concept?" Lena seemed to beughed at, and she questioned Miyuki angrily with a hurried tone. Fortunately. Miyuki''s answer was negative. "No, on the contrary." "Lord Ashen is not the embodiment of the world''s will, but the world''s will is trying to rece him and be his embodiment." Miyuki''s words seemed to have shattered Lena''s worldview, and the Subus still could not understand, and did not understand how Miyuki knew so much. "World Tree." "First, transfer Lord Ashen''s body to the World Tree. You should be able to understand what I''m saying there, Lena. With your powerful abilities in magic and sorcery, you should be able to see more than I can." "See...more?" Miyuki was silent for a moment and finally decided to reveal the biggest secret of the elves to Lena. After all, this might be the only way to...find Ashen. "That''s right, with the World Tree''s help, although I can''t do it, you should be able to, Lena. You should be able to see more...worlds." "Other worlds besides ours." Chapter 348 348: The Same and Different

Chapter 348 Chapter 348: The Same and Different

Carrying Ashen''s unconscious body, Lena and Miyuki returned to the border of the Ashen Empire, the Elven Forest, and headed straight for the ancient tree in the deepest part of the forest. Regarding the World Tree, Renji''s understanding of this "neutral building" in the game was not much. The main reason was that the original "World Tree" was not as eye-catching as it is now. Renji remembered his first encounter with the World Tree. The leaves of the tree were almost withered and yellow, and it was hard to see any green. The trunk was bent and sunken like an old man, and the entire ancient tree was shaking and about to fall. The next Miasma wind might destroy the trunk that had already been hollowed out by corrosion. Later, when his Ashen army marched here and joined forces with the forest races to eliminate the Dragon level Miasma Master that was lurking here, the pollution of the forest was alleviated. After that, he came into contact with the most mysterious elves and made a contract with Miyuki. The World Tree was then handed over to Miyuki for management. Renji remembered that he had nced at the World Tree, but the game panel only introduced it as an ancient tree that had been standing since the beginning of the world. There were no other information pages. Later, he focused on counterattacking the Miasma and proceeded to the final chapter, the final battle to reach the game''s "ending," and hepletely forgot about the World Tree. Following the current Subus'' diary perspective, Renji saw Miyuki and Lena directly enter the underground of the World Tree. This space was something that Renji had never entered in the game. The underground of the World Tree seemed to have the effect of nurturing both the body and soul. Under Miyuki''s control, the roots of the ancient tree half-wrapped around Renji''s unconscious game character body. Storing "Ashen''s" body was only one of the reasons Miyuki brought Lena here. The more important reason was, as she said, to let Lena see other worlds through the World Tree. "Other worlds in the World Tree?" "Yes, we elves have always believed that the World Tree belongs to our race, and its function is to store our souls. But as I slowly cultivated it and let the World Tree continue to grow, I discovered that this ancient tree is far moreplex than we imagined." The World Tree can only bemunicated with by elves, and as a Subus, Lena cannot contact it. However, Miyuki had another way. She ced one hand on the tree trunk and held Lena''s hand with the other. Using herself as a bridge, Miyuki allowed Lena to also perceive the World Tree. As the elf activated themunication, the underground world suddenly flickered with a crystal light, and every tangled root also flickered, and Lena''s vision changed and began to rapidly rise. "This is..." Aftermunicating with the World Tree, Lena seemed to be able to perceive the entire world. She saw countless "deceased" souls floating towards the World Tree and being absorbed by the roots of the World Tree. Then, the World Tree washed and purified these souls, turning them into new lives and reincarnating them into this world. At the same time, she also saw the veins buried deep under the World Tree. These veins, which had previously withered due to the erosion of Miasma, had now recovered and were like the blood vessels of the world. The World Tree dispersed its power to various parts of the world through these veins, giving birth to mountains, rivers, and fields, and creating waterfalls. This was the firstyer of the World Tree, protecting this world and allowing souls to return home. As Lena''s consciousness continued to dive deeper, she arrived at the secondyer of the World Tree that Miyuki had seen. Here, Lena''s perspective was further elevated, as if she was in the vast starry sky. The Subus saw an evenrger ancient tree, which seemed to be the true prototype of the "World Tree." Each leaf on this World Tree, rooted in the gxy, was no longer an elf''s soul but a world. Most of the "leaves" had already withered and decayed, and some "leaves" seemed to be barely hanging on, drooping andrgely yellow, on the verge of death. Only a very small number of "leaves" were still rtively healthy and green. Among these healthy leaves, Lena immediately saw the World Tree leaf that symbolized their world. This was because this "leaf" was the most emerald green and the most towering, and it was very noticeable across the entire World Tree. With Miyuki''s spiritual power, she could only perceive up to here and knew that there were many, many worlds simr to theirs. But Lena was different. As a top-tier mage, Lena focused all her vast spiritual power, took a deep breath, and plunged into these "leaves." With her soul permeating, the Subus sessfully entered another world and could truly see the real appearance of other worlds with her own eyes. Bloody red sky. Miasma enveloped. The scenery of this world was not unfamiliar to Lena, and it was almost the same as their world. The only difference was... Lena could no longer sense the aura of living beings here. The deadnd was full of deep and endless cracks, and the air was frequently filled with pollution and corrosion. As far as the eye could see, there were dense clusters of Miasma monsters lurking inside. From the perspective of living beings, this world had been upied by Miasma and hadpletely fallen into ruin. It was truly the end of the world. When Lena used the power of the World Tree to look at this dead world with her soul, she saw many wandering souls with dull faces and dead eyes. As Lena looked at these souls, her eyes suddenly shrank when she saw a familiar pattern on the neck of a powerful undead creature. A contract. There was no mistake. Lena would admit to anything, but this was the one thing she couldn''t. Although the pattern was slightly different from Ashen''s contract, the source power was almost the same. This shocked Lena for a moment. The contract that should have belonged only to Ashen now appeared on the undead creatures of these other worlds, proving that they were also contract holders of Ashen in their previous lives? No. There was no Ashen in this world ''Who did they make a contract with?'' Lena focused her mind and soon reached the whispers of these undead creatures who died with great regret in the bone- piercing Miasma cold wind. "I''m sorry, Lord ''Assassin''." "If I could have been stronger..." "I failed in the end, Even Lord ''Assassin''..." "Run quickly, Lord ''Assassin''! As long as you are still alive, we still have..." "It''s over, everything is over. Even Lord ''Assassin'' has given up. Hahahahaha. Why? Why?" Chapter 349 349: A Magpie Occupying a Dove’s Nest

Chapter 349 Chapter 349: A Magpie upying a Dove''s Nest

Lord Assassin The codename was the same as their "Lord Ashen" and Lena even saw the appearance of the so-called " Lord Assassin" from the memory fragments of these undead creatures. He was a person whopletely shrouded himself in a cloak. Exactly the same as their Lord Ashen. From the memories of these "contractors," Lena saw that "Assassin" also started from being a leader of a small gathering ce, then gradually recruited new Eclipses, expanded his power, upgraded from gathering ces to shelters, and then from shelters to bases. The whole process was very simr to their experience. If there was one thing that made Lena feel a little relieved and not so devastated, it was that in this world, although there were also elves, subi, robots, and demi-humans, they were only races, and the individual entities werepletely different. In other words, there was no "second Lena" or "second Miyuki" here, but new subus princesses and new elf empress. Otherwise, Lena might have really gone crazy. She couldn''t ept the fact that in another world, her so-called parallel self had be a contractor of some other "Lord." The memories of the contractors in this world ended at the "base" level because their "Lord Assassin" had fallen here. During a dispute over territory with other bases, they fell into a trap and werepletely annihted. Many Eclipses died, and in the end, even "Lord Assassin" was killed. After "Lord Assassin''s" death, the base naturally became someone else''s property. The world continued to be in a state where everyone gave up resistance, and no one tried to unite the world''s forces to resist the Miasma. The oue was natural. However, in the hundred years that followed, the Miasmapletely corroded and polluted every corner of the world. When thest ce where people could survive was filled with Miasma monsters, the people of that moment seemed to remember that there was once a "savior" who tried to change everything but was strangled in its infancy by them. Lena in the diary was fearful but also secretly pleased. She knew this was wrong, but it undoubtedly proved that "Lord Ashen" was different from the others and was absolutely a special existence even among the "Lords." However, as a yer, Renji understood the truth in this scene. He was indeed one of the top yers in the game "Fallen Chronicles" but for a yer with the nickname "Assassin," there should be no such thing as "defeat." They could always find a way to break the situation by repeatedly loading their saves. At worst, they could endure and start anew. The only possibility for this "Lord Assassin''s" death ending was that the yer outside the screen hadpletely given up on the game and abandoned the characters they had raised. Therefore, they no longer loaded their saves, and the characters died for good. yers like these who "abandoned the pit" should correspond to those "withered" leaves. Later, Lena''s perspective also confirmed Renji''s guess. The subus quickly switched to another world, which waspletely simr to the previous one, except that the name had changed to "Lord Dawn." Although the name was Dawn, this world was even more tragic. The strongest contractor Lena saw was only at the Disaster level. The "Lord Dawn''s" power had only developed to the shelter stage when they died in a Miasma flood. In Renji''s eyes, this was probably one of the new yers who were directly discouraged at the beginning. In the game "Fallen Chronicles" the proportion of such yers was more than half. The more "withered" leaves Lena saw, the better her mood became. Most of these "Lords" werepletely annihted at the gathering ce level. These so-called "Lords" were not even qualified to help Lord Ashen put on his shoes. It was only after this that Lena turned her attention to the "healthy" tree leaves. Through her previous experience, Lena had also summarized and explored some rules. These "healthy" "leaves" should mean that the world had been sessfully saved. To delve deep into the souls of these "healthy" leaves, it was countless times more difficult than the "withered" leaves. Because thetter is ''dead,'' but the former is ''alive.'' However, no matter how great the obstacles, Lena gritted her teeth and did her best to enter different worlds. She wanted to visit those "Lords" simr to Lord Ashen and seek a way to bring back Lord Ashen from those who had the same "title" as him. But when Lena sessfully infiltrated this saved world, she realized she was wrong. Because this world was not saved, but was instead a purgatory. It was not a purgatory brought by the Miasma. But rather, it was a purgatory brought by the savior of the world, the "Lord." The world had been transformed into a sea of fire, a giant furnace. Countless living beings were imprisoned and raised likembs to the ughter. Every so often, imperial soldiers would throw the desperate and crying people into the smelting furnace one by one, turning their bodies and souls into fuel to maintain the burning of the sea of fire. In the deepest part of the sea of fire in the center of the world, there was a giant-like creature. It continuously consumed the burning souls supplied by the sea of fire above, as if they were addictive food. Lena had never heard of such a "giant" creature, and it should not exist in the world as a mythical species. Moreover, with the power of the world''s will, how could such a being be born? If this world had such a powerful existence as the "giant," why would there still be Miasma and the end of the world? No. That''s not right! Lena suddenly trembled all over because she remembered what Miyuki had said. Lord Ashen was not the embodiment of the world''s will. But rather, the world''s will wanted to be the embodiment of Lord Ashen. ''Could it be that the current "Fire Giant" was actually...'' The power of this "giant" was probably around the "Cmity" level, and it was currently immersed in enjoyment. Moreover, since Lena was a mage, her current peek had not been discovered by the other party. Lena extracted a few of the souls of the contractors from this world, and through their memory fragments, Lena saw something unforgettable in her life. ---- "We seeded! The Miasma Mother is dead, and the Miasma will no longer exist in the world!" "Long live Lord Red Heart! Long live Lord Red Heart!" "Haha, I knew Brother Red Heart would seed! Damn it, now I have the face to face the hundreds of deceased brothers! I can tell them that we have won!" "I believe that under the leadership of Lord Red Heart, our world will recover very soon!" "Right, right, Lord Red Heart, please issue new orders. Everyone is waiting!" --- After the conquest of the Miasma Abyss ended, the intensity of the Miasma in this world and the Miasma Mother seemed to have weakened a lot. It was not like Lord Ashen, who fought alone, but many Disaster-level Eclipse users joined forces with the Cmity-level "Lord Red Heart" to defeat it. Under such circumstances, Lord Red Heart suddenly fell silent and floated in the air. Lena had seen this scene before, and it was exactly the same as Lord Ashen, separating his soul and body. However, the contractors present were not powerful enough, so no one noticed Lord Red Heart''s abnormality. By the time someone finally came to their senses and noticed Lord Red Heart''s abnormality, it was already toote. Lena watched as Lord Red Heart''s soulpletely disappeared, and the world''s will descended upon this empty shell of a body, bing the new owner of this body. Then, the world''s will began to distort, changing from the "world" to the "individual" will. At this moment, the previously cloaked "Lord Red Heart," like Lord Ashen, suddenly swelled up, and his entire body burst into mes. The cloak that he had never taken off seemed to symbolize theplete death of "Lord Red Heart" and was also burned to ashes by the mes. Under the horrified gaze of all the contractors, their "Lord Red Heart" had his physical power absorbed and transformed into a giant mythical creature. Then, with burning eyes, as if looking at ants, he looked down at the Eclipses below who had once been "Lord Red Heart" must trusted allies. The next moment, the giant opened his hand and grabbed these Eclipses at his feet, swallowing "Lord Red Heart''s" contractors, who had been painstakingly cultivated, into his stomach. Chapter 350 350: I Want to Revive the Miasma Mother!

Chapter 350 Chapter 350: I Want to Revive the Miasma Mother!

*Buzz!* Lena disconnected from the World Tree and returned to the underground space. Her back was soaked with sweat. It wasn''t until Lena saw Miyuki''s worried andforting gaze that she calmed down a little, but she was still trembling with fear and held onto the elf''s hand tightly without letting go. Seeing Lena''s state, Miyuki did not rush to ask the subus what she had seen. As the oldest of the five sisters and with a "parental" feeling, Miyuki hugged Lena''s trembling body, patting her back lightly, as if saying that everything was okay and that she was there. After a while, with Miyuki''s help, Lena''s spirit finally stabilized. The subus took a deep breath, left the elf''s embrace, and began to describe what she had seen to Miyuki. Throughout the process, Miyuki listened quietly, and although she could not see it, she had a premonition about many things. However, when Lena mentioned thest "healthy" leaf''s scene, the world that had be a sea of fire, and the terrifying existence that had transformed and distorted from the gray-robed human body into a fire giant, like a mythical creature, even Miyuki couldn''t help but furrow her brow. "Sister Miyuki, is this...is this our ending?" Lena said at the end, her emotions bing unstable again, as if she had suffered a huge blow, muttering to herself in a dispirited manner. "If all of this is destruction, then why, why still..." Lena left that world because the fire giant that had transformed from the gray-robed man was eating the former "contractors" like food, turning the world into a sea of fire and a purgatory. She could not forget the despair and confusion in the eyes of those contractors when they looked at the fire giant, those who had gone through hardships, joined forces to defeat Miasma, and were crying with joy, dreaming of a better future and wanting to rebuild their homes, only to find out that everything was in vain the next second. Fortunately, Miyuki maintained a clear and calm mind. She quickly shook her head. "No, Lena, the sea of fire and purgatory you saw, from our perspective, is the destruction of the world, but from the perspective of that fire giant, that kind of world may be what it wants." "This just proves that this thing and the ''savior'' are two different wills and souls." "From the worlds you have seen, we can summarize a fewmonalities. First, every world has Miasma and is on the brink of destruction. Second, every world also gives birth to a savior simr to Lord Ashen, although there are significant individual differences between the different ''saviors.'' "Finally, it seems that only when the ''savior'' sessfully defeats the Miasma, that is, kills the mother body in the Miasma Abyss, will the descent of the mythical giant creature be triggered. "However, if the ''savior'' fails or is killed in the middle, the mythical creature will not descend, and that world will be destroyed by Miasma." Miyuki''s words gradually helped Lena regain her rationality and rity. Especially Miyuki''sst conclusion, when she thought about it carefully, it made sense. If the giant truly resided within the ''savior,'' why would it watch the ''savior'' die? If the giant was the embodiment of the "world''s will," why would it remain indifferent as the world was consumed by Miasma? "Could it be that it also fears Miasma?" Lena couldn''t help but specte. Miyuki nodded and said, "It''s very possible, or we could say that it doesn''t have the power to resist the Miasma on its own, so it needs a spokesperson." "A spokesperson?" The subus repeated, unable to help but ask, "Sister Miyuki, are you saying that those saviors, including Lord Ashen, are all puppets of this kind of mythical creature in our world?" "Not a puppet, it''s more like a cooperative rtionship between the two." "A cooperative rtionship?" "Yes, you and I are both familiar with Lord Ashen''s contract, and from the other worlds you have seen, those saviors also have this kind of contract ability. This is the source of our strength, the reason we can defeat Miasma and not be corrupted by it. And I suspect that this poweres from the mythical creature." Miyuki''s words left Lena speechless. Indeed, the Eclipse users under Lord Ashen''smand were several times stronger than the other Eclipse users outside, and their rate of power growth was also terrifying. It was for this reason that so many Eclipse users longed to form a contract with Lord Ashen. While it was true that Lena and the others had be legendary "Cmity" level beings, Lena pondered to herself that no matter how much she trained, she would never have been able to reach such heights in several lifetimes, and would have died at the peak of the "Disaster" level at best. Such powerful authority was not something that this world should have had. But... No, that''s not right. They had previously spected that the mythical creature was afraid of the Miasma, right? If it truly had such power, why didn''t it act on its own? Reading Lena''s confusion, Miyuki quickly guessed and said, "Perhaps these mythical creatures are actually very weak, or it could be that they only possess authority but not power. That''s why they need someone toplete their other tasks for them, and that person is the savior." "Every savior has likely reached some kind of agreement with the mythical creature. This also exins why, at the moment of victory after killing the Miasma Mother, Lord Ashen would voluntarily separate his soul and body." "This may be the final step of the agreement. The mythical creature wants to reim this powerful ''savior'' body for itself, thus bing a true mythical creature." Miyuki''s words made Lena''s thoughts clearer and clearer. And also made her feel more and more chilled. Were all the worlds on the World Tree''s leaf, including their own, just embryos nurtured by the mythical creatures? Was everything Lord Ashen had done... Just to forge a powerful body for the mythical creature? Was this... The so-called "cooperation" that Miyuki spoke of? Did Lord Ashen know everything from the beginning? What were they, then? What about the countless contractors who trusted Lord Ashen? Were they just... "Snacks" to fill the stomach of the mythical creature after it took over the "body" and hatched from the "embryo"? ''No'' ''Absolutely not'' Lena recalled her meeting and experiences with Ashen, the human leader who had passed her "test" after she "left home" and joined the Ashen Base, and eventer, the person who was willing to go against five bases alone and lead the army into battle for her. Is this also cooperation? Is this also salvation? No, this is "Lord Ashen''s" own will, Lord Ashen''s true feelings towards them! That''s why Lena firmly believed that even if there was an "agreement," Ashen must have been deceived. If Lord Ashen truly knew about all of this, he would never have chosen to "give up." Never! Lena''s once-wavering eyes were now more determined than ever, and Miyuki across from her seemed to feel the same way. They might be diffrent in many ways, but they would always trust the person who raised them. After regaining their confidence, the next thing to consider became very clear. They had to stop it! They had to prevent the tragedy from happening, and they had to let "Lord Ashen" know the truth and bring him back! At this point, the subus hadpletely returned to being the wise advisor of the Ashen Empire. While Miyuki was still trying toe up with a n, Lena suddenly grasped the core of the issue. "I''ve got it!" "Right now, Lord Ashen''s soul is leaving because his mission isplete. It''s very likely that the mythical creature has sensed that our world has be a healthy embryo." "So, all we have to do is break this rule. We have to make this ''embryo'' iplete again!" ''Break the rule?'' ''Make the embryo iplete?'' Miyuki suddenly understood Lena''s meaning and gasped. "Wait, Lena, you don''t mean to..." "That''s right, Miyuki." "I''m going to revive the Miasma Mother!" Chapter 351 351: Compensation

Chapter 351 Chapter 351: Compensation

After Lena''s words, the underground space beneath the World Tree fell into silence. After a long silence, the elf sighed and spoke in a very serious tone, "Lena, do you know what this means?" Lena understood better than anyone else. The Miasma Mother was the source of all disasters. They had worked hard to defeat her, and if she were revived, the Miasma in the world would continue to exist, and natural disasters and monsters would return. The entire world would once again fall into an apocalypse, and countless living beings would die because of her decision. But... "I''m sorry Miyuki, even if you try to stop me, it won''t work. We subi are different from you noble elves. I''m selfish. If I have to choose between the world and Lord Ashen..." "I will choose Lord Ashen without hesitation." Lena thought that her crazy idea would be opposed by Miyuki. After all, the elves had always been the guardians of the world, and Miyuki was even a "Guardian" Eclipse ss, with a naturally orderly and kind personality. Her actions were likely to be seen as extremely selfish, even evil, in Miyuki''s eyes. However... To Lena''s surprise, after confirming her "determination," Miyuki simply nodded, as if she understood, and did not show any intention of stopping her. Moreover... "How do you want to revive the Miasma Mother?" "I... I don''t have a clue yet," Lena lowered her head. She only had this goal, but to implement it would be extremely difficult. If she were given a lot of time to study the body of the deceased Miasma Mother, as the number one mage in the world, she would definitely be able to find a way to revive the Miasma Mother. But now the problem was... There was no time left. Miyuki''s soul link with Lord Ashen could only slow down the speed of Lord Ashen''s soul separation, but at most, it would not exceed one week before Lord Ashen wouldpletely leave this world. By then, it would be toote for everything. And to find a way to revive the Miasma Mother, the source of the Miasma, this mysterious and terrifying existence, in just one week, was almost impossi-- "Use me." Miyuki suddenly interrupted Lena''s anxious thoughts. "Use you?" The subus repeated in confusion, and the elf nodded. "Use my body to revive the Miasma Mother." Lena was stunned. "You...you must be joking!" "I''m serious. The Miasma Mother is essentially a collective body of Miasma. In other words, only the person with the most Miasma in their body can be the new Miasma Mother. And in this world, among the five of us, who do you think has the most Miasma in their body?" Miyuki became more and more rxed as she spoke, even smiling at the end. But both Lena in the diary and Renji, who was "reading the diary," felt ufortable in their hearts. What Miyuki said was true. As thest one among "them" to be contracted in the game, theter the contracted character, the stronger the innate potential. Miyuki was undoubtedly the one with the highest innate potential among "them." Although her strength was not as good as Nova''s, this was due to her profession. The Guardian ss was never good at solobat, but on the contrary, because of theirrge reserves of Miasma, they could be the most durable and solid shields. "Lena, Don''t make that face. Remember, for us elves, the body is just a shell. You can think of it as... I''ve gained another sister." "Sister?" Lena was stunned. At this time, Miyuki''s eyes were shining, and as an older sister, she said, "That''s right. Besides the fact that I have the most Miasma in my body, if I use my body to revive the Miasma Mother, I can also use my connection with her body to influence and train...cogh, transform the Miasma Mother." Miyuki smiled and changed her words, and Lena seemed to see something hidden in the elf''s gentle and virtuous face. "This way, we can control the Miasma Mother, and let this dangerous existence remain in its infancy. This way, we not only pollute the embryo, preventing the mythical creature from truly descending, but also preserve the world that Lord Ashen and we have saved together." "But what about your soul?" Lena asked. "If you use your body to contain the new Miasma Mother, where will your soul go?" Although Lena was not an elf, she knew some knowledge in this area. Elves could indeed separate their "spirit and body," but they could not do it for a long time and must find a new container as soon as possible. Moreover, Lena remembered that elves were usually severely mysophobic. Letting Miyuki''s soul enter another body, this kind of thing would be strongly rejected by elves, almost from a physiological level. Moreover... With Miyuki''s "Cmity" level soul strength, what kind of body could contain Miyuki? "¡­!" ''Wait, she doesn''t mean¡­'' Lena suddenly widened her eyes, as if she had thought of something. When she saw the smiling face of the elven woman in front of her, the subus seemed to finally understand why Miyuki, who was supposed to be making such a sacrifice, seemed so willing. "Hmm, I''ll reside in Lord Ashen''s body." "Let me temporarily take over Lord Ashen''s body." The only body in the whole world that could contain Miyuki''s soul without causing physiological mysophobic rejection was Ashen''s body. It should have been a serious topic, but for some reason, Lena had a strange feeling, as if she had fallen into a trap. It was as if she had to let go of her lover with her own hands to get him back, which was a twisted feeling. However, in the end, Lena still agreed to this proposal, as there really was no better way. After the two of them finalized their n, they faced another problem before implementing it. "Lena, should we...tell the others about this?" In fact, from the moment Miyuki asked, Lena understood what the she meant. "Let''s keep it from them for now." "Hmph, if that scheming nun finds out about this, I''m afraid she''ll copse on the spot. As for the stupid dragoness, it would probably take us half a day to exin it to her clearly!" Although Lena spoke in a domineering tone with a look of disdain on her face, in the diary''s perspective, Renji could hear the subus'' true feelings. Lena did this firstly because she did not want to ruin her image in their hearts. And secondly, for the sake of arger n in the future. She wanted to take this opportunity to "break" their contracts! At this moment, the subus subconsciously touched the back of her neck, where the contract she once considered the most precious now made her feel disgusted and nauseous. Especially when she thought that this might just be a temporary power lent to Lord Ashen by some extradimensional creature. So she wanted to destroy it. Destroy everything that did not belong to Lord Ashen. Lena could not ept anyone, including herself or "them," having even a hint of power other than Lord Ashen''s. She wanted to wake up her master one day and have him re- contract "them" with his own true power! To contract herself. Lena didn''t care about Ashen contracting others, but if he were to contract her this time, she swore that contracting once would not be enough. She wanted to be contracted a whole night, a hundred times, ten thousand times, until Lord Ashen waspletely unable to contract anymore! Chapter 352 352: Test

Chapter 352 Chapter 352: Test

The diary ends here. To be precise, the story of the diary entry for the day of "Lord Ashen''s departure" hase to an end. Without giving Renji the chance to flip through any further, the diary on the table gradually fades away until it disappears. Clearly, in order to see more of the subsequent diary entries, one must proceed to the next "secret room." Even with just one diary entry, the amount of information it contains caused Renji, who has now returned to the real room, to sit at the table for a long time without moving, digesting the contents of the diary and the many truths about the game and his arrival in the "second ythrough." Throughout the diary, Lena views things from the perspective of a "native," while Renji, as a yer, was able to discover and analyze many more details. In the Subus diary, Lena sees many simr worlds through the World Tree, and Renji conservatively estimates that there are probably tens of thousands of them. Since the release of the game "Fallen Chronicles" the total number of yers worldwide has only reached a few tens of thousands, ording to Renji''s memory. This means that each "world" is not created simultaneously with the "characters" of the yers. Rather, there are first the "seeds" of the world, and then the yers whoeter. As they begin the game, yers are allocated to these worlds that have been "prepared" for them. Renji can''t help but admire the beings behind the scenes who came up with this method. Because, in truth, when ites to being a "worker," there may be no one more hardworking and tireless in their productivity than the humans in his world. Among the tens of thousands of yers, even if 90% of them are discouraged by the extremely high difficulty and various disgusting mechanics of "Fallen Chronicles" and quit, as long as there are still 10% persisting in ying, and only half of them can clear the game, this probability is still much higher than that of the "natives." Moreover, if one were to cultivate the "natives," there may be a risk of bacsh and betrayal in the future. After all, the ultimate goal of the beings behind the scenes, as seen from the Fire Giant, is to upy the powerful body of the "Savior" and make its power their own. However, if they be "yers," the beings behind the scenes no longer need to worry, because for most yers, the end of the game means saying goodbye to this world for good. Take Renji himself as an example. Apart from "Fallen Chronicles" he has yed over a hundred other single-yer games, achieving perfectpletion with full achievements and collections in each one. However, after that, he rarely logged back into those games, and instead viewed them as a kind of memory and sentiment. If Fallen Chronicles did not have a second ythrough, Renji estimates that he would probably still go online frequently during the first ythrough to check on the characters he had leveled up and the wives'' illustrations. In the first month, he might asionally visit the game forum to write guides and share his experiences with new yers. However, six monthster, a yearter, the "Ashen" avatar in the world of "Fallen Chronicles" would likely be permanently darkened. The "abandonment" of yers allows the beings behind the scenes to take over the bodies and this world that the yers have worked so hard to build and save, without any obstacles. The world that Lena saw with "Lord Dawn" is definitely not an isted case. It is possible that there have already been many beings behind the scenes who have "incubated" in this way, as Miyuki described it. However, perhaps even the beings behind the scenes did not expect that someone would be able to "perfectly" clear the highest difficulty level of "Fallen Chronicles" and cultivate five "Cmity" level Eclipse characters in one go. ording to Renji''s knowledge, the vast majority of yers who have cleared the game have chosen the "easy" or "normal" mode, and their contractors can only reach the "Disaster" level at most. Perhaps some Eclipses in these yers'' worlds have noticed something, but with their strength, they can do nothing and can only watch everything unfold before their eyes. ¡­. "Thank you¡­ Lena, Miyuki." Renji murmurs to himself in the room, expressing his heartfelt emotions. As the truth is revealed, he also understands many of the actions of the Subus and Elven woman. For example, very early on, Suthia and Nova had both told him that Miyuki had voluntarily appeared and entered "hibernation" to resist the corruption of the Miasma. Looking at it now, it seems as though Miyuki intentionally wanted the Miasma to remove the contract that was once "Ashen," so that the real him could give the contract personally in the second ythrough, as the Subus said. Thinking about it this way, Lena seems like a pure and innocent tsundere lover. Shaking his head, Renji walked out of the room. Although the fact that he could appear in the world of Fallen Chronicles means that Lena and Miyuki''s n must have been sessful, he still wonders how they implemented it afterward, what the game system he brought with him means, what is the current situation of the beings behind the scenes who are spying on their world, and why Lena and Miyuki still haven''te to see him. To find the answers to these questions, Renji can only look for them in the subsequent diaries. To get more diaries, ording to Lena''s request, he needs to continue filming episodes of "Enchanting Body." No. Looking at it now, it seems more like the Subus requested it, and through the form of "filming a movie," they are trying to find the experiences that belong to them. The experience of meeting and forming contracts with the five women, especially Lena''s experience, is indeed different from the others and is the best reflection of her as his "will." This is why, even after learning the truth, Lena still firmly believes in him. This experience is the "test" that the Subus mentioned in the diary. For Renji in the game at that time, it was many times of "choice." ¡­. [Background:] [The rising star of the Ashen base, which made bold moves, is now embroiled in a huge conspiracy.] [In order to protect themselves and avoid being annexed by the Ashen base, five powerful human bases decided to join forces with the Subus n and, through marriage contracts, try to send their agents to the side of the Ashen leader to destroy the Ashen base from within.] [On the other hand, the little Subus princess, who rebelled against her mother and saw the Ashen base as the hope of the world, decided to leave home and go to the Ashen base to save the situation.] On the second day of filming, Director Merlon, who had been in aa for half a day after taking Suthia''s medicine yesterday, was now full of energy and looked ten years younger. He was constantly directing on the scene. His attitude towards Suthia was extremely good, especially praising her medical skills, almost worshipping her as a goddess. Regarding Suthia''s uing role as a "nun," naturally, there was no question that it belonged to Suthia and no one else could rece her. Now, the actors, including Renji, were holding a summary of yesterday''s [Prologue] to better get into character and not forget the previous plot. By the way, Keyji, as expected, did not show up today. After reading the "Background," the screenwriter came over to give the actors an overview. Today''s performance was the first act, called [Test]. "The Subus Princess in the story has a good impression of the Ashen base''s Leader, but this impressiones only from what she has heard. "Seeing is believing, and now that the Subus Princess hase to the Ashen Base, before helping Ashen, she decides to test this human first to see if he truly possesses the qualities of a savior, as rumored. "The Subus Princess quickly came up with the first test. Using her special ability, she disguised herself as a beggar." Chapter 353 353: Your Choice Facing Special Events

Chapter 353 Chapter 353: Your Choice Facing Special Events

(Momo is Eileen Who y Lena''s role.) ------ On the streets of Ashen Base, survivors came and went. Among them was Momo, who had a very good first impression of Ashen Base. Although it was a survivor base in the post-apocalyptic wastnd, there wasn''t much garbage or filth on the streets. The road surface still had some potholes, but there was no foul-smelling stagnant water inside. Momo had disguised herself and visited other human bases before. The streets there, even the main roads, had poor sanitation. After all, in this difficult struggle for survival world, merely staying alive was already very hard. No leader would be willing to allocate their scarce personnel to cleanliness, which was not a noticeable issue. Ashen Base was no exception, but Momo noticed that the cleanliness of the streets here was not due to a special Ashen military unit responsible for maintenance. Instead, it came from two sources. First, the survivors here seemed to be very conscious, and there were rarely any instances of littering or relieving themselves in public. Second, on the streets, church followers were distributing promotional flyers. They quickly noticed Momo, who was currently disguised as a down-and-out beggar. "Join the church, and the holy light will heal us." "The cathedral built by Lord Ashen has been approved for use. Tomorrow, Lady Suthia will bless everyone and hold a prayer in the cathedral. Pleasee!" "Resist the Miasma, everyone is responsible! The source of Miasma is the impurity in our hearts. We must actively purify ourselves. Come, join us as a believer!" After learning about the church out of curiosity, Momo understood that the church would ept those in difficulty and without work, providing them with free basic food. In return, they had to work for the church and ept its assignments. As a subus, Momo actually disliked organizations like the church, which wore a moral fa?ade but might have darker and more twisted hearts than anyone else. But here, Momo discovered she was wrong. The church''s assignments were simple and not for the church itself, but to serve the entire Ashen Base and the collective of survivors. As Momo had seen, the streets were so clean because the church''s people organized daily clean-ups, and some public facilities were also proactively established by the church. Momo couldn''t help but be curious. An organization like the church, based on "faith," should be the best at deceiving people. However, the people here did not use faith for profit but truly upheld it. There could be only one exnation: their source was too pure. Namely, the nun beside the Ashen base''s leader, the founder of the church. Although the Subus Princess had not yet seen Ashen base leader, she was already very interested in this nun. Shaking her head, Momo forced herself to suppress her curiosity and focused on "testing" the Ashen leader first. Since it was a test, the premise was that she could meet Ashen and create an encounter without the other party knowing. So, Momo quickly set her sights on a patrol team of base guards. To obtain information about the base leader''s whereabouts, going to the military was undoubtedly the fastest way. In the impression of the subus princess, gathering intelligence was never difficult for their subus race. Scratching one''s head and acting coquettishly were the lowest-level methods using physical means. Truly advanced subi could use their supernatural powers to easily enchant humans and make them obediently reveal everything. Following the military, the subus waited for a soldier to ck off or for an opportunity to enchant them. However, after half a day, Momo''s expression became somewhat irritated. Because these base guards, ''why were they all so dedicated?'' Throughout the entire patrol, there was no ckness at all. Moreover, there was no one who left the group, cked off in the bathroom, or took advantage of the poor to seek private gain. The Ashen military was meticulous, and their strict discipline was something Momo had never seen before. The helpless subus could only resort to force. She chose the moment and, in a ce with few people, used her supernatural powers to envelop this group of Ashen military, immersing them in the subus''s illusion. Here, they would see the person they loved the most and obediently reveal everything she wanted to know. "Huh?" Momo suddenly widened her eyes, looking at those Ashen military members who should have been enchanted in her illusion, each with a spring-like expression. Now, however, they were extremely terrified and frightened. ''What is happening?'' The subus hurriedly checked the illusions of these military members and saw that a women indeed appeared inside. From the two horns on her head, she could tell that she was a dragonkin demi-human. Her figure was slender, and her face was cold and enchanting. Even Momo was somewhat moved, showing the beauty of this women. However, when facing such an object of their affection, the military members turned pale one by one. Forget about fantasizing; when the dragon women stood in front of them, the soldiers'' legs went weak, and they proactively confessed all the mistakes they had made. Even if they had just been slightly distracted during their patrol, they stammered and confessed. ''Is this dragon woman so terrifying? Is she holding such high prestige within the Ashen Army?'' ''Could it be that the soldiers became so virtuous in my illusion out of fear of saying even half a word wrong and being killed?'' In Momo''s impression, the military officials in other bases were usually the type to enjoy life and not be respected by their subordinates. As for female military officials, they were more like objects of desire. But now... Momo seemed to understand why the Ashen military could achieve a hundred victories in a hundred battles, conquer countless Miasma masters, and even make other nearby human bases feel threatened and want to eliminate them. ''Nova...'' The Subus Princess silently took note of this name in her heart. This was another person who had piqued Momo''s great interest after the previous Suthia, and this cold and enchanting dragon women... She was also one of the Ashen''s subordinates. Previously, Momo thought that the leader of Ashen base was somewhat exaggerated in the rumors. But as she conducted a slight investigation, she now found that perhaps Ashen in the rumors was actually just the tip of the iceberg? ''What kind of person could have such powerful subordinates?'' The Subus Princess''s heart began to eagerly anticipate and grow curious about Ashen. However, now Momo had to solve a problem first. Her prideful enchantment techniquested only a few seconds before failing, and the Ashen military members one by one escaped from it. After their confusion, they quickly resumed their patrol. If enchantment didn''t work, how was she supposed to find Ashen''s whereabout? Before Momo could ponder other ways, suddenly, two people appeared from a nearby alley, a master and servant pair. One of them wore a gray robe, and a maidservant followed closely behind him. Although the Subus Princess did not recognize the maidservant, she immediately recognized the distinctive cloak. It seemed they had just brought it back from shopping. Momo was overjoyed, as she didn''t expect to get what she wanted so easily. She immediately pretended to be a beggar on the verge of death from hunger and copsed in the corner of the alley. The Subus Princess''s first test was to see how Ashen would treat a survivor on the brink of death within his base. On the other side... [You have triggered a special event] [A survivor on the verge of death has copsed in the corner. Facing her, you choose] [Option 1: Ignore and continue walking] [Option 2: Order the Ashen military to throw her out of the base] [Option 3: Send someone to help her up and provide food and treatment] [Option 4: Feed her the "special drug" developed by Suthia. After she loses her ability to move, lock her up in the military prison and have Nova take charge of whipping and interrogating her. Use the drug to train her, ultimately making herpletely evil and a breeding tool with only reproduction on her mind] Chapter 354 354: The Good and Bad of the Scene Only Becomes Clear After Filming

Chapter 354 Chapter 354: The Good and Bad of the Scene Only Bes Clear After Filming

*Click!* "Stop for now! This part is crucial!" After Director Merlon called for a stop, he quickly walked up to Renji, who was about to go on stage and had already finished his "makeup," wearing the custom-made Ashen Cloak by "Sin City Media." The uing scene would be the first encounter between the Subus Princess and Ashen in the entire series, highlighting the importance of this shot. A script-reading style performance was not what Merlon wanted. He had be a well-known director in Sin City due to his pursuit of art and his meticulous crafting of films. Director Merlon hoped that the characters in his works would be lifelike and realistic. So now, he personally went on stage to guide Renji, helping him better understand and get into the role of Ashen. "Come on, Dr. Renji, close your eyes and breathe deeply with me. You must remind yourself that when you open your eyes, you are no longer Renji, but have be Emperor Ashen." "Good! Now! At this moment! As Ashen, the head of the base, there is a survivor on the verge of death in the alley in front of you." "When faced with such a situation, a normal person''s subconscious thoughts would only be one of two: to help or not to help." A director''s responsibility is to teach actors how to act. Merlon''s habitual method was to read and analyze the script with the actors, dissecting the characters'' psychological activities to the extreme. He continued to analyze for Renji: "But we all know that Emperor Ashen is a character who is extremely rational, even somewhat cold-hearted." "So here, I think you should still be considering whether this survivor on the verge of death will be a burden to the base. If she dies here, will her corpse carry diseases that could cause an epidemic?" "If that''s the case, ordering soldiers to throw her out of the base is also a viable decision." As he listened to Director Merlon''s character analysis, Renji nodded inwardly. Indeed, the famous director had two brushes and three psychological activities that perfectly corresponded to the three options in his game. In the following, ording to the plot in the script, after weighing his options, Ashen ultimately chooses to "help" the refugee disguised as the Subus Princess. This is done to highlight Ashen''s kindness, even amidst his coldness, and toy the groundwork for the Subus Princess falling in love with himter on. Just as everyone was about to start filming like this, another schr on the set suddenly called for a stop with a frown. "Wait! You''re filming it wrong!" Despite his advanced age, his voice was still solid. This schr was none other than Professor Einstein, familiar to Renji. Currently, the old professor was on vacation after just finishing the Mechanical Alliance. Conveniently, he was invited by Keyji to be the "technical advisor" for this filming of "Enchanting Body." "Professor Einstein, what do you mean by wrong?" Even Director Merlon respected and humbly listened to this schr, who was well-known in the field of ancient studies. " Emperor Ashen shouldn''t be such a simple person. I believe that the real one would have already discovered the Subus Princess''s identity." "Already discovered...?" "Yes, you don''t need to change the script, but you must change the core idea. Emperor Ashen can choose to help, but what should be emphasized is not kindness. Emperor Ashen never needs kindness!" "What kind of cold yet kind character is that? It''s a third-rate protagonist in a shoddy love story. Please don''t put such an image on Emperor Ashen!" It was clear that Professor Einstein was particrly adamant about this point, and his tone had be quite stern. He quickly offered his "revision" suggestion: "What you should be filming here is the Emperor Ashen''s wisdom. Because he saw through the Subus Princess''s disguise, he chose to counter her scheme with his own, offering help to let the Subus Princess take the bait herself." "Remember, Emperor Ashen is always ying chess, and every move is for arger n ahead!" "Love? It is merely a tool for the Emperor. The only things in the Emperor''s heart should be this painful world and all living beings in it. In his eyes are those who have suffered torment, been contaminated by the Miasma, and are waiting to be saved!" Professor Einstein became increasingly impassioned as he spoke, gesturing continuously to help the surrounding crew members understand the Ashen Emperor. Nova, who had been cold and indifferent from the start of the filming, surprisingly nodded in agreement with the professor''s words. Zero also nced at Professor Einstein several times, as they did not reject the position of being "tools." Only Suthia did not look at professor Einstein. Instead, she turned her head toward Renji and blinked her eyes. Her pitiful appearance seemed to say, -"So, Thia is just a tool?"- "Then, Lord Ashen must take good care of his tool at night and put more lubricant in it~. Otherwise, the tool will rust if it''s not used often~" "¡­" Actually, what Professor Einstein said was not wrong. At that time, when the options appeared, Renji already knew that this so-called "survivor on the verge of death" was definitely not that simple. The reason was straightforward. Any experienced yer knew that anyone who could trigger a pop-up window with options and initiate a special event was no ordinary character. However, it wouldn''t work in the script. There were no "options" here. Director Merlon was now arguing with Professor Einstein because he believed that, although Ashen could see through the Subus Princess''s disguise, there should be a reason or some foreshadowing. However, Professor Einstein was a theorist. Although he insisted that the Emperor must have the wisdom to see through the disguise, he couldn''te up with a good way to do it. As the scene was about to be a dispute, Renji had to speak up. "How about this, Director and Professor? As the Subus Princess, I think her test should be more challenging and in- depth." "You mean..." "For example, the survivor disguised by the Subus Princess is actually very beautiful. Even with her dirty face, you can tell she''s a beauty. At the same time, the Subus Princess is using her supernatural power to entice the Ashen''s inner evil, making him have...a fourth thought!" Renji''s "bold hypothesis" made both Director Merlon and Professor Einstein stop arguing and listen attentively. Their eyes gradually lit up, and they even had the feeling of -"this is a great idea!"- In Director Merlon''s view, it was only natural for the Subus Princess to enchant people''s hearts. Indeed, she should have more evil and tempting tests to truly showcase Ashen''s steadfastness. Professor Einstein also highly approved of this idea. After all, this would exin how Emperor Ashen saw through the Subus Princess ¨C because she was releasing her enchantment skill. Now, the remaining issue was the content of this so-called "enchantment" and what the evil thought was. "Dr. Renji? Why did you stop? Continue, what is the fourth thought?" Professor Einstein eagerly asked. "Uh, this is unnecessary, isn''t it?" Renji scratched his head, hesitating. Before the professor could scold Renji, Director Merlon stepped in first to seriously correct Renji''s thinking. "How can it be unnecessary, Dr. Renji! You''re doing very well immersing yourself in this role. We need your inspiration. Often, it''s the actors'' in-character actions that create many ssic scenes!" "Please, continue and be as detailed as possible! No, no, no! Your expression is too poor. We have a full crew here, so let''s just film it directly!" Renji: "?.?" However, this is often the case. The novel must be written to be called a novel, and the scene must be filmed first to know if it''s good or bad. Chapter 355 355: The Fourth Option

Chapter 355 Chapter 355: The Fourth Option

Chapter 355: The Fourth Option In a small alley, the Subus Princess, who was lying on the ground, was both nervous and expectant as the footsteps drew closer. She was a "barely alive" survivor, but she had her standards. At first nce, she appeared to be a malnourished refugee, but through the holes in her clothes, one could see her pale skin. Her chest, half-exposed through the cor, was still alluring despite her poor nutrition. Her short top revealed her thin but well-shaped legs. With the Subus'' magic enhancing her appearance, she looked more like a homeless, hungry, beautiful girl than a "barely alive" survivor. Anyone who saw her would be drawn to her and aroused by her. For instance, ordinary people would immediately have wicked thoughts, like feeding her and then asking her to "repay the favor" in bed. So, Momo was curious about what kind of wicked thoughts Ashen would have. And she wondered if this legendary leader of Ashen''s base would sumb to her charm and give in to his desires. If he did, she would consider him as nothing more than that, and he would only be worthy of kneeling before her. Finally, the footsteps stopped, and the Subus Princess, with her eyes tightly closed, could sense that Ashen was standing right in front of her. "Please¡­ help me," Momo said weakly, opening her eyes and pleading. But before the Subus Princess could even think that Ashen would hesitate, he acted decisively. In response to Momo''s plea, this "cloaked figure" reached into his chest and quickly produced a bottle of medicine. This scene left Momo feeling both pleased and disappointed. She was happy that he had resisted her charm and had not made any moves driven by desire. Instead, he had quickly and decisively offered her his precious medicine, clearly intending to save her. From this, it can be seen that Ashen is kind-hearted and has a firm will, unaffected by the Subus'' charm, indicating that he is a pure and clean person at heart,pletely different from the rumors of being ruthless and cold-hearted and doing whatever it takes to achieve his goals. However, as a Subus, she is not too fond of such "good people" from the bottom of her heart, as honest people cannot satisfy their needs. Of course, as the Subus Princess, she does not have such lowly thoughts. Her disappointment is that honest people cannot be saviors, and such kindness is actually an obstacle to saving the world. While the Subus Princess was lost in herplex thoughts, Ashen had already stretched out his powerful hand from under his cloak and gently helped her open her mouth. He then slowly fed her the medicine, pouring it into her body. His considerate method and the powerful aura that she felt as he drew closer made Momo''s heart flutter, triggering her Subus instincts and giving her a strange feeling. [Hmph!] [Such a foolish good person, you will be easily deceived in the future. Since you passed the test by feeding me today, I will reluctantly assist you in the future?... Huh??] [My consciousness...my body...what is happning!?...] [Wait, wait, wait!] [Did he...] At first, the medicine felt like a clear stream, and Momo didn''t feel anything. Instead, she felt veryfortable and wanted to fall asleep. But as her consciousness and strength became more and more blurred, she suddenly realized that something was wrong. However, it was already toote. No matter how many magical techniques the Subus Princess knew, she could not use them now. She never thought that she, who was always clever and liked to y with others, would fall into someone else''s trap today. Before her visionpletely fell into darkness, thest thing Momo saw with her blurry eyes was the female maid who had been standing behind Ashen, walking towards her, step by step, under Ashen''smand, as shey there, her bodypletely limp and powerless from the medicine. ¡­ ''Agh...'' ''Where am I?'' When Momo regained consciousness and opened her eyes, she found herself in an unfamiliar, dark, and gloomy dungeon. ''Hah?!'' The Subus Princess''s beautiful eyes first showed confusion, but soon after regaining her memory, they turned to extreme anger. ''Damn it!'' ''I had fallen into his trap!'' Momo tried to run out quickly, but instead, she heard a "ng ng" sounding from her wrists and ankles. It was then that the Subus Princess realized that her four limbs had been bound with handcuffs and shackles simr to those of a prisoner, and she was tied to a pir in the dungeon. What made Momo even more disheartened was that her disguise spell had been lifted, revealing her true form. Her pink hair, demon wings on her back, and even the tail behind her had a very heavy lead ball attached to it. This appearance proved that the other party had seen through her disguise long ago. ''Damn it!'' After struggling a few times to no avail, Momo was annoyed but not too panicked, as such chains could not restrain her. She activated her spell, and the shackles easily fell off one by one. Just as the Subus Princess felt smug and was about to escape and take revenge for today''s humiliation, a demi-human with a knife appeared as if they had been waiting for her for a long time. "It''s you!" Momo recognized the other party''s identity at a nce with her distinctive dragon horns. It was the dragon woman guard next to Ashen. However, the Subus Princess was confident in her power. A mere Vanguard, in the face of their Special Ability users, was nothing but a clown! The battle began instantly. And the oue was as expected. "If it weren''t for this ce being too small, I would never have lost... ugh." The defeated Subus Princess used her magic staff, transformed into a cane, to barely support her body. Behind her, the dragoness bound and restrained her once again. And this time, when Momo saw the dragonessing towards her with various "interrogation tools," she showed some fear but still shouted defiantly: "I warn you! Tell that stinking Ashen to release me quickly, or else... ugh you... ah!" "Don''t, don''t do this, we can negotiate, I have... ahhhh." "It''s useless, I, I won''t¡­ give up." After a round of interrogation, the Subus was drenched in sweat, but still clenched her teeth, showing that she was indeed determined. A little whileter, a young nun also walked into the dungeon. When the Subus saw her appearance and the many potions she was carrying, she immediately became furious. She knew that there was not a single good thing about religious people, and all nuns were liars! Under Momo''s humiliated gaze, she was forced to drink many new potions from the nun''s bosom. These potions began to make her body hot all over, and her bound body began to twist and turn on more and more. Her once determined eyes now looked confused, and her chest heaved violently. Finally, in the dizzy mind of the Subus Princess, she saw thest two people to appear in the dungeon, the master and maid from before. The mechanical maid whispered in her ear and used a screen to disy various strange patterns in front of her eyes, beginning to modify hermon sense in conjunction with the drug''s effects, making her more and more confused, and it seemed that the only thing left in her mind was that person in the dungeon wearing a gray robe. .... "I can''t act anymore!" "I can''t continue this!!!" After seeing the "content" script written by Renji, the actress ying the Subus Princess, Eileen, strongly protested. She had a dream of being an actress, but she would not sell her body. ''If the director insists, at least it should be done privately with old timer... Wahhh, what the f*ck am i thinking, Never,never,never!'' This scene could not be broadcast in the official movie and was quickly deleted. It was originally intended to be discarded and deleted, but considering that this was Renji''s first time directing, this scene was filmed and given to Renji as a keepsake. During this time, many people at Sin City Media admired Renji. In their impression, schrs should be very conservative and old-fashioned, but they did not expect that there was someone like Renji, who had such talent and imagination for shooting action films. Many of the scene arrangements were professional. However, to the regret of many media people, Renji did not seem to have any ns to continue to delve into this area. When they proposed that after this y was finished, they hoped to invite Renji to make some low-cost small movies as a director and screenwriter, they only received a re from Renji. In response to this, the media could only sigh for the millions of action movie fans in Sin City and feel regret for those actresses who thirsted for good scripts. Renji had to exin himself here. "Fallen Chronicles" is a serious real-time strategy game with no vulgar content. Even if the fourth option is selected in the game, nothing will actually happen. Instead, it will cause you to miss the character "Momo." Chapter 356 356 The Fortune Teller

Chapter 356 Chapter 356 The Fortune Teller

Although Renji did not know "Momo''s" specific identity at that time, based on the fact that she could trigger a special quest, she was definitely not simple. So after identally selecting the fourth option, fortunately, he had the good habit of saving the game and decisively chose to reload and select again. As for why a healthy game would have an option like "option four," Renji thought at the time that the game used this method to hint at "Momo''s" Subus attributes. But now, after shooting the movie and realizing the game''s scenes with real emotions and scenery, Renji has vaguely guessed something. Lena learned about Suthia, Nova, and finally the maid Zero during her infiltration of the Ashen base, so she would have reasonable "fantasy" behavior in theter stages,bined with "reality." Renji boldly guessed that "option four" and the subsequent options were very likely the real desires of the Subus Princess, "Lena," at the time. However, their affinity was not high enough, so they could not be triggered, just like how many people often fantasize about some segments that can make themselves happy in their minds. Anyway, it''s all just a fantasy, so they can indulge in it however they want. Renji encountered many such "option fours"ter on. In the end, Ashen chose to help the barely surviving Momo disguised as a survivor and had his maid give her food and water. However, when Momo offered to "repay" himter, Ashen told her that if she wanted to thank him, she should find a job and work hard to live or join the church or the army as a logistics worker. These were positions that did not require any skills and would allow her to live in the Ashen base while contributing to it. After saying this, Ashen left with his maid before the Subus Princess could respond. Momo, who was left behind, looked at Ashen''s departing back and then at the bread and water in her hands. The Subus Princess'' heart had already somewhat recognized Ashen. Afterward, Momo gave the food to the children in the slums and prepared to truly help Ashen escape this crisis. The first thing Momo wanted to do was to change into another disguise, this time as a mysterious fortune-teller. She set up a fortune-telling shop on the street, and with her special abilities, most of her fortunes were urate. In just a few days, she became somewhat famous in the base, and even many of the higher-ups in the Ashen base came to see her. ording to Momo''s n, she wanted to be a little more famous and have Ashene to her out of admiration and ask for her fortune. However, as she learned from the higher-ups who came to have their fortunes told that Ashen had actually epted her mother''s marriage contract and that another Subus Princess, who had been sent by her mother to pretend to be her and act as a "mole" in the Ashen base, was about to arrive in a few days, Momo couldn''t sit still any longer. She cursed all male creatures under her breath, saying they were all the same, and rushed toward Ashen''s residence without even waiting for the next day. The Subus Princess took the initiative to visit Ashen and requested to perform a divination for him. She intended to give him hints during the divination and urge him to reject her mother as soon as possible, especially not to be bewitched by other Subi. [You have triggered a special event] [There is a knock on the door in the middle of the night. Zero tells you that a mysterious female fortune-teller who has recently be popr is now asking to see you. She insists that you must allow her to perform a divination for you and says that it is crucial. She has a premonition that you will encounter a great disaster soon, so she hase to you like this.] [Facing the mysterious female fortune-teller who hase to your door in the middle of the night, what do you choose to do?] [Option 1: Have Zero drive her away] [Option 2: Let her in and ept the divination] [Option 3: Arrest her for spreading rumors and expel her from the Ashen base] [Option 4: Pretend to ept the divination and lure her into your home. When the fortune-teller is not paying attention, have your maid secretly add powdered drugs to her tea. Use idle chat to drag out the time, and when the drug takes effect, engage in intense divination with the female fortune-teller, who is feeling hot and ufortable all over, in the deep night of the bedroom. Ultimately, use your powerful divination ability to make the female fortune-tellerpletely fall and be your exclusive divination tool.] Renji recalled that in the game, he had chosen option two with a dignified attitude and didn''t even nce at option four. In the current filming scene, he also followed the option he chose in the game and was allowed to enter Ashen''s home normally. This was the first time that the Subus Princess had entered Ashen''s home. In her imagination, if not luxurious, it should at least have the style of a base leader living in a grand mansion. However, Momo found that Ashen''s home was sparsely decorated, with almost no luxury items. Instead, it gave her a simple feeling, making it hard to imagine that this was the leader''s mansion. If it weren''t for Zero, who still had a slightly upper-ss feel as a maid, Momo would have thought she hade to the wrong ce. Soon, Momo was led by Zero to see the leader of the base. Sure enough, as rumored, even when sleeping, Ashen would not take off his cloak. Momo quickly exined her purpose to Ashen using her well- prepared words. Ashen did not say much and agreed, allowing her to start the divination. Seeing that her n was going smoothly, the Subus Princess breathed a sigh of relief. She then used her magical abilities to create a mysterious atmosphere for the divination and finally said the key to her visit to Ashen. "Lord Ashen, the divination tells me that at this moment, you are standing on the edge of the unknown, trying to probe into the void. "The lost traveler does not know that he is walking towards the abyss, and the hungry wolves in the abyss are restless. "The crimson star falls from the sky to the mortal world, and the beautiful light will illuminate the way forward. "Give up, give up, the brilliant pearl has long since withered, wipe it, wipe it, and the dusty crystal will be the guiding light." Chapter 357 357: Hunting God

Chapter 357 Chapter 357: Hunting God

[You have triggered a special event] [After you chose to ept the mysterious female fortune-teller''s visit in the middle of the night, she recited a verse filled with riddles to you after the fortune-telling ceremony. You can make out that the verse seems to hint at something rted to the sacrifice of a princess from the Subus race. The female fortune-teller is staring at you with a direct gaze, seemingly waiting for your response to the fortune-telling.] [Faced with the riddle-filled female fortune-teller, what is your choice?] [Option 1: Ask the female fortune-teller to exin in detail.] [Option 2: Consider her a fraud and drive her out.] [Option 3: Understand the implications and express gratitude.] [Option 4: Notice that the female fortune-teller has a special identity, use your eyes to signal Zero to call Suthia and Nova over, and use idle chat to stall the female fortune-teller. Then, work together with your subordinates who have arrived to subdue the female fortune-teller, and expose her true identity as the Subus Princess. After training her, make herpletely surrender, and then continue to agree to the Subus Queen''s sacrifice of the fake princess. In fact, work together with the real princess to bind and transform the fake princess, and ultimatelypletely subdue the two Subus Princess sisters, bing tools for indulgence.] *Click!* With the closing of the pperboard, Director Merlon announced the end of today''s filming, marking a sessful conclusion. The first chapter, "The Rebellious Little Princess," ends here, stopping right at the point where Ashen will respond to the female fortune-teller disguised as the Subus Princess, making the audience''s hearts itch. While they scold, they still want to scratch their ears and cheeks and watch the next episode. "You''ve worked hard, everyone!" "Everyone did a great job today!" Director Merlon rarely praises, but this time it''s genuine. He has directed many ys, but this time, every actor seems to be incredibly fitting with the characters in the story, giving him a feeling of being able to integrate their souls. This is the first time Merlon has felt this way, and he has to say, this feeling is really good. After the filming ended, as usual, Renji headed straight to the Sin Tower, because ording to his agreement with Lena, he should be able to unlock a new "diary" entry. Just like the first time, as soon as Renji entered the Sin Tower, a reception Subus who seemed to have been waiting for him, handed a room key to Renji. However, this time, the color of the key has changed from the previous copper color to silver-gray, and the room number on it has also changed to 0723. ording to the number, Renji went to room 23 on the seventh floor and opened the door. It was still an empty room, but in the center, under the pink light, there was an open diary on the desk. [On the seventh day of Lord Ashen''s disappearance] ''Has it been a week already?'' With the previous experience, Renji was prepared as he looked at the diary, and as expected, a force from the diary pulled his spirit into the story. ¡­. Underneath the World Tree: A huge, dark-red flower had blossomed here. Although there was no wind underground, the petals were still fluttering, as if they had a will of their own. The dark-red color on the flower''s surface seemed to be flowing, and the entire flower emitted a strange aura. What caught the most attention was the center of the huge red flower, where there was a cocoon-like mushroom on the pistil. The mushroom was also dark red, and Renji could vaguely see a curled-up elven woman inside the cocoon through the outer shell. It was Miyuki''s body. However, the current Miyuki''s body seemed to be enveloped by the Miasma, and the mushroom was pulsating like a heart, as if it was nurturing a new life. That''s right. It was not a Miasma creature, but after obtaining the body of an elf, even the will of Miasma would be "distorted" and "transformed" into a true living being, which could be described as a "life form" - a brand-new Mother of Miasma. From the previous diary entry, Renji could see that Lena and Miyuki had seeded and basically resurrected the Miasma Mother. Since the final boss was not defeated, the game was naturally modified and no longer considered over. Reflected in the world, it meant that Renji''s soul as "Ashen" had finally stopped leaving. This made Lena and Miyuki both breathe a sigh of relief. But they both knew that this was only the first step in finding Lord Ashen, and the real difficulty was yet toe. Lena began to frantically search through various ancient books and manuals, trying to find any records rted to this in ancient races like the elves. But in the end, the Subus was disappointed. This level of secret seemed to be the first they had discovered, and there was no knowledge they could rely on. The current Lena was like groping in the dark,pletely confused about the way forward. This couldn''t go on, and Lena ultimately made an incredibly crazy decision. This was also the only way she could think of at the moment. Lena''s goal was to establish amunication channel with Lord Ashen, but there was no clue how to do so. Therefore, Lena decided to first establish amunication channel with an existence equal to Lord Ashen. In other words, she wanted to go to another world and find those mythical creatures, the Giants. However, using the word "find" was not quite urate. Lena knew that what she wanted waspletely at odds with the interests and goals of the mythical creatures, and it was impossible to obtain through negotiation. The only way was to interrogate. The look in the Subus''s eyes was fierce, just like when she used to leave home without a second thought for the sake of justice and go to the unfamiliar Ashen base. Now, Lena was going to capture a mythical creature for the sake of Ashen. She urgently needed higher-level information, answers to more truths, and more information about Lord Ashen, which only the mythical creatures could provide. Although this was crazy, Lena was not going to die, nor was she acting on impulse. She came up with this feasible n after a week of observation. It was simple. The feasibility came from the differences between worlds. During this time, Lena had gone to many worlds through the World Tree, and she found that the levels of the worlds varied greatly. Some worlds had very low strength bnce, and some were even weaker than half of their world. Renji instantly understood that this should be the "difficulty" that yers choose before the game. Different difficulties would affect the concentration level of Miasma in the world, the number of monsters, and the number of saving points. For example, in the highest difficulty world, only one save point was allowed, which was extremely discouraging and uneptable for many yers. It meant that yers could "restart" the game, but the range of backtracking was limited. As for the world that chose to start with "low difficulty," the strength of the "protagonist" cultivated by the yer after clearing the game would naturally be low. When the behind- the-scenes creatures upied the yer''s body, the final mythical creature generated would have a strength level not much different from that of the "protagonist." This also indirectly showed that the abilities of these behind-the-scenes creatures were not as mysterious and unpredictable as imagined, and their "status" in Lena''s heart had decreased a lot. This was how Lena finally made up her mind, consuming a lot of mental energy, and after multiple screenings, she found a very low-level world with only one "Cmity" level yer''s body upied by a Giant creature. Then, she began her hunting operation. Chapter 358 358: The Method of Protecting Everyone part 1

Chapter 358 Chapter 358: The Method of Protecting Everyone part 1

Mythical creatures are not only "Fire Giants." To be more urate, Fire Giants are just one of the "manifestations" of the myriad forms of mythical creatures. During Lena''s selection process for her "Hunting" target, Renji could follow the Subus''s perspective and see that besides Fire Giants, there were also giant ancient fish that dove into the deep sea, purple extreme birds in the thunderclouds, stone statue beasts that merged with the mountains, and shadow souls in the eternal darkness of the night in other worlds. Although each mythical creature had a different form, their unchangingmonality was that after sessfully incubating and descending into their respective worlds by upying the "savior''s" body, they would forcibly reshape the world ording to their own form, making the world''s creatures serve them. The higher the level of the world, the stronger the mythical creature that upied the yer''s body, and the greater the degree of world transformation, the more miserable the fate of the world''s native creatures. For example, the Fire Giant turned the world into a sea of fire, using creatures as fuel. In the world of the Whale Spirit Ancient Fish, 90% of the continents were flooded by the sea, and the remaining 10% of thend was used to raisend creatures as feed. The Shadow Soul plunged the world into eternal darkness, and under the wings of the Purple Extreme Bird, the world''s sky was an endless, sleepless storm. These mythical creatures were like people who moved into someone else''s home and wanted to turn everything in the original world into the environment that was mostfortable for them. As for the world''s native creatures, they became tenants instead. However, Renji looked at the diary entry where Lena began her "hunting" in the world. There was no raging fire, no boundless deep sea, and the world was almost no different from a normal world, with no signs of being "transformed." This was not because the mythical creature was merciful, but because the yer''s "protagonist" body was too low-level, only at the "Disaster" rank, causing the mythical creature to be far from reaching the "Giant" level, and naturally did not possess the ability to transform the world. To be honest, even at the lowest difficulty, the protagonist''s strength was only at the "Disaster?" rank, not even at the peak of Cmity, but around 60 or 70 levels, which was not even as good as many local faction leaders in Ashen Base. Renji found this a bit unthinkable. Renji could only think that this yer had chosen the "diplomat" strategy. Indeed, there was such a strategy in the game, which was to continuously increase favorability, making the favorability of each faction extremely high, and then acting as a mediator to unite the fragmented world, ultimately joining forces to exterminate the Miasma. However, male yers like Renji generally disdain such methods and find it much more enjoyable to fight and be a ruler themselves. Sure enough, when the yer''s "protagonist" appearedter, it was a female character. This way of clearing the game was basically chosen by female yers who did not like to fight. Since the protagonist was a "diplomat" andcked power, the descended mythical creature could not directly rule the world with pure strength. This further confirmed Miyuki''s conjecture. These behind-the-scenes creatures were probably extremely weak or even powerless. They relied entirely on the yer''s body. Once the yer''s strength was weak, they had no choice but to evolve more intelligence to adapt. Renji continued to look at the world of this "Cmity" level mythical creature. For mythical creatures, intelligence was a "downgrade." It was as if this mythical creature was no longer a "deity," but more like a person. A schemer. Although it was weak, themonality and purpose of the mythical creature remained unchanged. After descending, it wanted to build a nest and create afortable environment for itself as much as possible. So, this mythical creature that upied the yer''s body did not choose to reveal its "true form." Instead, it continued to use the yer''s appearance and disguised itself as the yer in front of the native creatures, thus inheriting the yer''s rights. The yer''s protagonist had low strength, but her reputation in the world was immense, especially since she sessfully exterminated the Miasma and saved the world. Almost all the faction leaders were willing to help the protagonist. Therefore, it used this condition to disguise itself as the yer and establish its own empire. The native creatures of the world had no objections to this and responded one after another, making the process extremely smooth. Following Lena''s investigation, Renji also gradually learned about the history of this world. Later, it began to slowly expand its empire''s power while secretly collecting children to be its nourishment for enhancing its strength. Every behind-the-scenes creature had its own preferences, and this one obviously liked children. In this way, it didn''t take long for its empire to be the most powerful force in this world. However, disguised as the "yer," it could deceive for a year or two, but as time went on, it would eventually be discovered by some native creatures and the leaders of the major factions who were familiar with the yer. But by then, it was already toote. After establishing its own empire, it began its purge, secretly killing those native creatures who had discovered its secret and had deep feelings for the yer, one by one. Or, under the name of the "Emperor or Empress" it would frame these "native kings" with false charges, throw them into prison, or pretend to invite them to a banquet but poison them instead. As Lena investigated more, her mood became heavier every second, and the anger in her eyes grew stronger. This world might not be theirs. But if Lena put herself in their shoes, if the behind-the-scenes creature that descended using Lord Ashen''s body did not transform into a Giant but continued to disguise itself like this mythical creature, what would happen to them? The oue would likely not be much different. Those who were most devoted to Lord Ashen would be the ones used the deepest. Just like in this world, those "Savior''s" contract holders were ordered by the disguised mythical creature to harm their formerrades, their life-and-deathpanions who had once fought together to exterminate the Miasma. They didn''t know why the "Savior" would give such amand, but out of trust in the "Savior," even if it went against their hearts and caused great torment, they would still swing their butcher knives at theirrades. Upon seeing this, both Renji and Lena couldn''t help but think of Nova and Zero. Their personalities were such that only Ashen''smands mattered, regardless of what thosemands were, even if it meant mutual ughter. Chapter 359 359: The Method of Protecting Everyone part 2

Chapter 359 Chapter 359: The Method of Protecting Everyone part 2

Dealing with Suthia would be just as simple. Just like the imperialmander in this world who helped the mythical creature "execute" many of his formerrades, he was the same as them, except that because it was a female yer, his gender was adjusted. This imperial malemander had always been infatuated with the female yer''s character. So, the behind-the-scenes creature''s choice was very simple. Since he was infatuated, it would fulfill his desire. In their eyes, love was a low-level behavior and was nothing to them. The imperialmander, who thought he had obtained love, would pay any price for love and became the most useful tool for the behind-the-scenes creature, eliminating many obstacles. The cost might have been only nightly intercourse. Moreover, When Lena infiltrated the imperial pce of this world and found the behind-the-scenes creature wearing the "Savior''s" shell, there were many naked men in its room, all of whom had been drained of their vital energy and were unconscious. Apparently, the behind-the-scenes creature was not satisfied with just pulling the strings and also wanted to increase its power through such methods. Even if they engaged in group activities and watched their love being defiled, the original "contract holders" still chose to endure it, including themander. There were even many "contract holders" who fought to receive the "Savior''s" favor. Lena felt extremely nauseated and disgusted at this moment. However, she could understand. Just like in their world, if Lord Ashen really showed a simr "favorable" attitude, those contract holders would also swarm over, disregarding everything. After obtaining the "love" poison, even if the behind-the-scenes creature in this worldter issued an order for the citizens of the empire to offer up thousands of newborns as "tributes" every year, the ministers would still enforce it. In this world, all newborns had to "draw lots" from birth. If they drew the "serve" lot, no matter how much their parents begged and pleaded, they would be taken away by the imperial army. As for where they went, it was just like now, to be offered to the "Emperor or Empress" for enjoyment. "Commander Dean, we have counted 13,948 infants in this shipment. They have been ced in the warehouse." "Hmm, I''ll go report to Lady Ailin." As Commander Dean was about to turn around, the subordinate soldier who had just given the report suddenly revealed a vicious expression, pulled out a dagger from his waist, and stabbed it towards Dean''s heart. Unfortunately, Dean seemed to have been on guard, and with one move, he subdued the soldier. "Why?" "Hmph! You traitor! My younger brother was taken away by you guys like this years ago! Dean, wake up! That''s not the Savior from before anymore. It''s a devil! A man-eating demon. You¡ª" The angry soldier hadn''t finished speaking before Dean snapped his neck. There was pain and confusion in Dean''s eyes, but it quickly turned into numbness, as if he was self-hypnotizing, muttering to himself: "Lady Ailin wouldn''t do this. She must have some suffering, some reason..." Before he finished speaking, a powerful special ability suddenly erupted from deep within the pce, startling Dean. When he looked towards the source of the explosion, his expression was even more panicked. As it turned out, that was Lady Ailin''s pce. Even though the special ability was beyond imagination and something Dean had never seen before, his loyalty to Lady Ailin made him rush over to support her without hesitation. However, when Dean arrived, he found that the originally magnificent Lady Ailin''s pce was now in ruins under the dark matter storm. The one responsible for all of this was a Subus floating above the ruins. "Who are you!" Dean asked the powerful Subus nervously. Lena ignored this native and focused all her attention on the Ailin who was obviously caught off guard by her sudden attack, showing a frightened expression. No, it was the behind-the-scenes creature residing in the "Ailin" shell. ''So, they could also feel "fear"?'' Lena continued her attack, turning the surrounding dark matter into a long whip of thorns, striking at Ailin. Although this behind-the-scenes creature had ruled the world and continuously consumed newborns to enhance its strength, its starting point was too low, and in the end, it was only around level 80. Although Lena was at level 90, which was only ten levels higher, this ten-level difference was the dividing line between Cmity and Disaster rank, with each level bringing a huge boost. Moreover, the behind-the-scenes creature residing in Ailin''s body was not Lena''s match. However, just as Lena was about topletely render Ailin immobile with her next strike, an unexpected figure appeared and blocked in front of Ailin. With a thud, Lena''s special ability arrow pierced through Dean''s body. This loyal imperialmander, the empress''spdog, was still willing to use his life to buy time for his Lady. "Quick, quick, run, Ai..." Dean, who was enduring the severe pain, hadn''t finished speaking when he turned his head and found that his Lady had already fled at high speed without even looking at him. That cold back was as if it had dealt the final blow to Dean. He couldn''t help but recall the former Lady Ailin, the one who had blocked enemy attacks for him multiple times on the battlefield, the one who had fought alongside him and always said "I''m here for you." ''When did it change...'' ''Why... Lady Ailin...'' Dean''s foolish loyalty had seemingly angered Lena, and the Subus no longer held back. The powerful force of a "Cmity" rank Eclipse wielder changed the color of the entire sky, and a mass of dark matter like a ck hole appeared in Lena''s hand. Renji recognized it. This was Lena''s ultimate skill and also his character''s skill - [Annihtion]. "Open your eyes wide." "That''s not your Lord at all!" Lena''s Annihtion ck Hole quickly caught up to the fleeing Ailin, and as her body was consumed by the ck hole, the behind-the-scenes creature residing in her body could no longer disguise itself. It was forced to reveal its true form, a giant spider-like creature with twelve eyes. It let out a sharp, piercing screech at Lena, struggling to break free from the ck hole''s attraction, until it seemed to beg Lena to let it go. In this scene, Dean waspletely stunned, and Lena didn''t need to say anything more. Dean understood everything. No, he might have subconsciously guessed it already, but he had been unwilling to face it. Finally, the spider creature waspletely consumed by Lena''s ck hole, and the capture wasplete. Lena had achieved her goal in this world, and as she was about to leave, she took onest look at Dean, who was still kneeling on the ground with a dazed expression. This imperialmander chose tomit suicide. It seemed that only by doing so could he feel slightly better. He could no longer face those formerrades who had been executed and died under hismand. However, in the end, Dean''s face still showed a hint of relief. It was as if he was saying, "Fortunately." ''Fortunately, that was not the real Lady Ailin'' His Lady Ailin was still the savior he admired and loved. Dean''s image was deeply imprinted in Lena''s mind, as well as the lesson of this world, which ultimately gave her another idea. Although she had sessfully captured the behind-the- scenes creature, whether she could sessfully interrogate it and exchange it for Lord Ashen was still unknown. So, Lena wanted to make a worst-case scenario backup n. She wanted to reduce Ashen''s influence. Lena absolutely did not allow their hard-won achievements to be someone else''s wedding dress, and for thisplete and powerful empire to be directly controlled by the behind- the-scenes creature without any need for scheming. Moreover, she did not want to see those "foolishly loyal" contract holders being used and manipted by the behind- the-scenes creature disguised as Lord Ashen. If that day really came, Lena would rather have the contract holders, including "them," all "hate" Lord Ashen. This way, everyone could be protected. And if they could truly bring back Ashen through interrogation, this strategy would not be affected. ''Because the real Lord Ashen'', Lena was more and more certain after thinking about her own experiences. ''The real Lord Ashen will definitely find "us" again'' ''Definitely'' Chapter 360 360: Great Victory of the Succubus part 1

Chapter 360 Chapter 360: Great Victory of the Subus part 1

After capturing the being behind the scenes, Lena was very cautious and did not choose to bring it into her world. Instead, she selected one from the many "empty" worlds on the World Tree. Considering what Miyuki had mentioned earlier, these beings behind the scenes might fear Miasma, so Lena intentionally did not choose those worlds that werepletely corroded by Miasma to make the situation worse for her. However, even so, when Lena brought the being behind the scenes into a world with a rtively low degree of Miasma corruption, the spider-like creature let out a whimper, as if enduring some pain when it was released from the ck hole. It was apparent that in this world, the Mother of Miasma still existed, and the Miasma concentration in the air was at a high level. The being behind the scenes kept shaking its limbs, like a person ced in an environment with extremely low oxygen levels, struggling to breathe and on the verge of suffocation. Lena eventually released her special ability and enveloped the other party with a barrier, isting some of the high-density Miasma in the air, giving the creature a slight chance to catch its breath. The reason Lena chose to capture this being behind the scenes was not only because it had low power but, more importantly, as mentioned earlier, this creature had evolved to have more "intelligence" to adapt to its environment and abandoned its giant body. This meant that it couldmunicate. Soon, the spider-shaped creature transformed its body and took on the appearance of the female yer "Ailin" from its original world. It took the initiative to converse with Lena, albeit with a less-than-friendly attitude. "Insect, quickly leave this filthy world!!" The being behind the scenes roared. Its first sentence was not about Lena''s attack on it but an urging for her to leave this ce as soon as possible. Seeing the creature''s anxious appearance, Lena noticed that in just a short while, some brownish-red spots, the Miasma''s veins, had started to appear on its skin. At the same time, the concentration of Miasma in the air also rose, as if the Miasma had "discovered" the being behind the scenes and began to swarm towards it. The sky of the entire world turned a few shades redder. Following that, distorted voices came from the distance, which Lena had heard before. They were from the deepest part of the Miasma Abyss - the Mother of Miasma. In just a few moments after appearing, the being behind the scenes had already attracted the attention of the Mother of Miasma in this world. Lena even had a premonition that if she didn''t use her shield to protect the being behind the scenes and just left it here, the Mother of Miasma would crawl out of the abyss in just a few minutes to devour it. To verify this conclusion, Lena slightly opened a gap in her shield, allowing a few traces of the being behind the scenes'' aura to escape. As expected, the Miasma in the air became agitated once again. The muttering and shouting from the Mother of Miasma became clearer, like a shark that had smelled blood. After the experiment, Lena quickly closed the shield again, and the surrounding abnormalities slightly eased. After all, she still needed to keep the being behind the scenes alive for interrogation. The being behind the scenes within the shield was also frightened by Lena''s previous action. It seemed to have finally realized its situation, and although its address to Lena remained unchanged, its tone was no longer arrogantly crazy but became much more humble. "Insect, what do you want?" "Tell me about the World Tree, Miasma, the Savior, and your existence. I want to know the truth behind all of this," Lena said concisely. The being behind the scenes seemed surprised that Lena, as an "Insect," had grasped so much. However, it quickly regained its arrogance and raised its head, saying, "I am the source of the World Tree. It is because of us that ''One Leaf, One World'' was born. We cultivated the World Tree. I am your master and the creator of the world!" "Would a creator be like this in the face of Miasma?" Lena scoffed. This enraged the being that called itself the "Source." It angrily roared, "The World Tree betrayed us! It used you filthy and despicable Insect to manufacture toxins! It attempted to expel us and break free from us, but how could it possibly think that we would have no recourse? Ridiculous!" From the information provided by the being behind the scenes, Lena roughly summarized the truth. These beings, as the "Source," should have had a symbiotic rtionship with the World Tree. However, as time went on, the World Tree seemed to have disagreed and conflicted with these symbiotic beings, which led to the creation of "Miasma," a toxin used to exterminate them. Regarding the "Source''s" final mention of a method to counteract the "toxin": "We brought in beings from another dimension to serve as our projections, which you Insect refer to as the Savior. Since they are not in the same dimension, they can leave ''behind memory coordinates'' and search for ways to clear the toxin an infinite number of times until they seed." "Memory... coordinates? Infinite times?" "To put it in your terms, they can retrace time, returning to a specific memory node in the past. So, the Savior you believe in is nothing more than someone with more chances to start over and some authority bestowed upon them by us. That''s all." The being behind the scenes deliberately repeated thest part, showing no respect for the "Savior." In its view, most of the high-dimensional beings serving as the Savior were not even as good as the Insect. The only value these "high-dimensional beings" had to be exploited was their ability to retrace time. "I more or less understand what you''re trying to do, but give up. From the moment the source of the toxin was cleared, their ''memory points'' in the world disappeared. Moreover, judging by your power, the level of toxin in your world is likely to be many times higher than in other worlds. Such a world can contain fewer memory points, perhaps only one. You won''t be able to find him again." The being behind the scenes intended to make Lena give up. Even from its slightly softer tone, there was a hint of wanting to get along with Lena. Because it was not stupid, it realized that Lena''s world might still be "masterless," unupied by its peers, and in the stage where the Savior had just left. Being able to nurture a native being as powerful as Lena showed the strength of her world. If it could get Lena to take it to that higher-level world and upy the "Savior''s" body there, the being behind the scenes became more and more excited at the thought. It wanted to continue belittling the Savior while also enticing Lena, promising her various benefits. However, unexpectedly, Lena asked another question: "What if there''s only one memory point, and what if the memory coordinates were ced in a deadly situation along the way? What then?" Lena''s strange question made the being behind the scenes slightly frown. It didn''t quite understand why the subus was asking this, but in order to entice Lena, it quickly answered: "There''s nothing that can be done. In such a situation, he can only give up on this world and move on to the next one." "So, the choice of memory points should be very careful, because a slight carelessness will make all his previous effortspletely wasted, right?" Lena asked. The being behind the scenes fell silent. Because it noticed that when it mentioned the "memory points" ability earlier, the subus in front of it seemed to have some doubts about the "Savior." However, for some reason, as the subsequent questions continued, the subus''s expression became more and more rxed, and even the corners of her mouth curved upward. Indeed, why was that so? These words, Lena might never say them out loud in her lifetime. But in her diary, the subus wrote in great detail. Indeed. After learning about the "memory points" and "time retracing" abilities, Lord Ashen''s image in her heart was no longer as cunning and wise. Those miraculous strategies and decisions that seemed to predict the future all had an exnation. Her worship of Lord Ashen was slightly reduced. But... Her love for Ashen increased by a billionth. The reason was simple. Lena recalled her experiences with Ashen. For him to perfectly fit her image of a heroic Savior, he must have used the "memory point" ability in her trials, right? However, what truly touched Lena''s heart was not the previous trials that Lord Ashen had "passed." Rather, it was Lord Ashen''s choice in his "final trial," which was not the "correct option." If Lord Ashen had also used the "memory point" ability in the final trial... As the being behind the scenes had mentioned earlier, when there was only one "memory point," the risk of doing so was extremely high. A slight carelessness would be equivalent to abandoning all previous efforts, turning all previous hard work into nothing. But at that time, Lord Ashen still chose the most adventurous decision. It was as if he was betting on the entire world. Since there was someone willing to block everyone for her, why shouldn''t she love him? Even if he was not that great, just an ordinary person. Furthermore... As a subus, she preferred her lover to be a good-for- nothing, so she could take the lead. The key to summoning Lord Ashen was to create a new memory point. Lena now had a clue. After the subus obtained the information she wanted, she fulfilled the wish of the being behind the scenes and brought it to her own world. Chapter 361 361: Great Victory of the Succubus part 2

Chapter 361 Chapter 361: Great Victory of the Subus part 2

After the subus obtained the information she wanted, she fulfilled the wish of the being behind the scenes and brought it to her own world. However, it was unfortunate that when it truly arrived, before it could eagerly go and inhabit a higher-level body, it showed an extremely terrified expression, followed by immense anger towards Lena. Because it never expected that these insects had actually... actually resurrected the Mother of Miasma! Lena nned to further study this being behind the scenes. Her goal was to strip it of its authority. After learning that Lord Ashen might just be an "ordinary" person, Lena could not let Lord Ashen "arrive empty-handed." She wanted to make preparations for him. Stripping its authority to give to Lord Ashen was one of them. A famous subus once said, "There are no useless boyfriends, only subi who don''t know how to stimte their men." If he was not Lord Ashen, she would have to cultivate him step by step into Lord Ashen, just as Lord Ashen had cultivated her in the beginning. First and foremost, she had to consider the factor of "them." In the diary, Lena''s mood seemed to have improved a lot after learning how to summon him, and she appeared to be filled with even more affection after finding out that he might be an "ordinary person." The diary ended with these few lines of text: [Hmph] [Although Lord Ashen doesn''t know about these things, the fact that that bastard abandoned us hasn''t changed, so I must give him some small punishment.] [I''ve decided to have Lord Ashen be born in the coffin. Let the scheming nun, Suthia, be Lord Ashen''s first contractor. With Suthia''s personality, at least Lord Ashen''s life should be safe, and it''ll give him a good scare!] [As for the second, hehehe~ it''ll be¡­. That stupid dragon woman who is a bit slow-witted, and she might endanger Lord Ashen''s life. But after contracting with Suthia in the Holy Kingdom, it should be fine. If anything really happens, with Suthia''s healing abilities, she should be able to save Lord Ashen.] [The third one is the only one left, Zero. Hmph, I feel like something''s missing... I''ve got it! Don''t think I don''t know, Zero, that you, with your paralyzed face, observe us more meticulously than anyone else. This is perfect. I''ll use your memories to help Lord Ashen recall our past. Yes, that''s what I''ll do! What high-dimensional being... With so many of our memories and stories, how could they be reduced to just one "high-dimensional" being? Lord Ashen muste back again!] [Ah, Sister Miyuki probably has her own ns. As for me,] [Hmph, I''ll have Lord Ashen apany me in filming movies when the timees! Since Lord Ashen has such authority and power, he must also be able to understand my other little thoughts from before, right? Hmph! He must have secretly experienced them and then used time rewind, right? Damn it! I''ll have Lord Ashen help me film all those "secret experiences" he went through! Why should Lord Ashen be the only one to enjoy them!?] [Moreover, this way, even when Lord Ashen goes to be with us in the future, I can bring out these little films to reminisce and... uh, never mind that! (Crossed out)] [Ugh, I still feel a little uneasy. What if Lord Ashen has a hard time adapting when hees to our world from the higher dimension? Right, I know, I need to be by Lord Ashen''s side from the beginning and have a guide with him.] [But who this guide should be, I''m not sure yet. There''s still time, I''ll consider itter.] [Ah, I don''t know how I ended up writing so much. What if Lord Ashen finds and reads this diary in the future? Wouldn''t I be... Never mind, hmph not like I care¡­ unless I, Lena, am no longer around, Lord Ashen won''t have a chance to see it for his entire life!] [Hehe, thinking about it this way really makes me feel better. That''s right, when writing a diary, I should be bold!] [I really want to make Lord Ashen beg me until he cries! (Crossed out)] [I really want Lord Ashen to stuff every one of my ¡ª¡ª (Heavily crossed out)] [I really want to turn Lord Ashen into ¡ª¡ª and then, together with Lena, turn all of them into ¡ª¡ª and in the end, all five of us together ¡ª¡ªpletely filled with ¡ª¡ª (Completely crossed out)] [I''ll end today''s diary here!] [Oh, this diary still doesn''t have a name. What should I call it... I''ve got it, I''ll call it "Subus''s Great Victory"!] [Time to get to work. Creating a new memory point will take a long time, and I probably won''t have time to write in the diary for a while.] [In any case,] [I hope everything goes smoothly!] ... After the diary ended, Renji''s consciousness was pulled back from the story. However, unlike the previous "secret room," this time, after the diary disappeared, it seemed to have triggered a mechanism, and an additional hidden door appeared on the wall behind the room. It was a rose-colored secret door with a shing "heart of pink diamonds" symbol on the doorte. Even he knew that it was not an ordinary room inside. Renji hesitated for a moment. But then, a "click" sound came from the exit, and the room''s main door was locked by some mysterious force, blocking Renji''s retreat. Then, a pink arrow appeared on the floor tiles beneath Renji, pointing directly towards the underground secret door. Everything seemed to be indicating that Renji needed to "clear" the basement before leaving the room. As for what was behind the secret door in the basement... As Renji''s figure disappeared into it, the pink light inside the secret door surged, and it seemed to be a transfer-type magical ability. However, the transfer didn''t seem to be through space but rather through time. When Renji came to his senses, he found himself lying on a bed in a mansion. The night outside was dark, and through the window, Renji could see a blood-red moon hanging high in the sky. ''This is...'' ''The old era?'' Renji quickly recognized the mansion''s bedroom he was in. Wasn''t this the house of the base leader during the "Ashen Base" period in the game? ''So, could it be...'' Renji had a guess, and the knocking sound from the mansion''s front door in the next moment confirmed his guess. *Knock* *Knock knock* Chapter 362 362: Different Past Memory Points

Chapter 362 Chapter 362: Different Past Memory Points

Renji had a guess, and the knocking sound from the mansion''s front door in the next moment confirmed his guess. *Knock* *Knock knock* Footsteps echoed from downstairs as a maid went to check on thete-night visitor. Soon, there were footstepsing upstairs, and after a light knock on Renji''s bedroom door, Zero, wearing a in maid outfit, appeared at the door. [Sorry to disturb your rest Lord Renji. There is a fortune-teller downstairs who wishes to meet you. She ims to have very urgent information and insists on being allowed to perform a divination for you.] The maid paused and then added: [Lord Renji, I retrieved information about this fortune-teller. She appeared in the Base only a week ago, but in just one week, she has gained many followers. Many people who have had their fortunes told by her believe she is highly urate and skilled.] Renji wasn''t particrly interested in this plot, as he already knew what was going on. What surprised him more was Zero''s manner of speaking. "Lord Renji?" he couldn''t help but ask. [Hm?] Zero looked confused, not understanding Renji''s question. Only Renji knew that, ording to the original plot, she should have addressed him as "Lord Ashen." However, thinking about it now, Renji got out of bed and realized he wasn''t wearing his cloak, yet Zero didn''t seem to find this unusual. It seemed that, to Zero, her master had always looked like this, not someone who always wore a cloak. Renji could sense the contract from Zero, confirming that she was the real Zero, not an imposter. However, her strength and current appearance were clearly not those of the "Cmity"-ranked leader of the Mechanical Alliance from five hundred years in the future. The thick miasma in the air and the red moon outside couldn''t have been staged. As for Dream, Renji no longer feared them, not after he had control of the Mechanical Network and nted the Seed of the Cyber World Tree. The only possibility left was that he had truly returned to the past. ''No it is ''memory point''¡­'' Renji remembered the "memory point" ability mentioned in Lena''s diary, which was like a "save point" in his game. ording to the diary, the Subus had most likely mastered the principle of "memory points." ''So, was I arranged by Lena to enter this "memory point"?'' As for the purpose, Lena''s diary mentioned something aboutpensation. The Subus wanted to make a small movie with him, recreating the choices he had "identally" clicked in the past, to be used as materials for Lena''s future spells. ''Or maybe... Lena have some other ulterior motive!'' After figuring out the situation, Renji became curious about what would happen if he refused to let the fortune-tellere upstairs. Renji tried to have the maid turn away the visitor, but after a short while, the maid came back upstairs, this time apanied by a fortune-teller. "Master, I have brought her to you," Zero said, her eyes filled with a pink hue and spiral patterns, as if she had been hypnotized. As for the hypnotist, Renji looked at the fortune-teller who had forcefully modified his "options." Her appearance was mostly simr to her in-game portrait, which Renji would describe as having an exotic dancer vibe. A purple veil covered half of her face, leaving only two deep and bright eyes visible. Although her face was partially hidden, the charming outline of her face and her beautiful, mysterious eyes made one want to unveil her and admire her beauty. If one only looked at her face, it would only evoke a sense of curiosity. However, as one''s gaze moved lower, it might be inappropriate. Her silk fortune-telling outfit, which exposed her navel and had a piece of cloth wrapped around her ample chest, resembled a high-slit skirt on the lower half. Through the slit, her long, white, and smooth legs were visible beneath the silk, hinting at a forbidden area. It must be said that this outfit truly captured the mysterious allure of a fortune-teller, with a beauty that stopped just short of being too revealing. As for why Renji said that the current fortune-teller was only "basically simr" to Lena in-game portrait, it was because he didn''t remember the in-game fortune-teller being barefoot and wearing fis stockings. If the previous portrait could still be considered serious, Renji thought that the current fortune-teller was a full-fledged main character in a mature game, the kind that was very popr. When the fortune-teller noticed Renji''s gaze on her fis stockings, she smiled and didn''t seem embarrassed or try to cover up. It was as if she was saying that these were serious fortune-telling stockings, with just a few extra mesh patterns. She even twisted her body slightly. Whether it was the fact that she had hypnotized Zero or the changes she had added to her original portrait, Renji understood that she was not only hinting at but clearly revealing her identity. This was not the somewhat "naive" Subus Princess from the past. This was the genuine, five-hundred-year-old old Subus. "It is been a long time¡­ Lena" ¡­ Renji greeted the fortune-teller, but instead of a warm response, he received displeasure. "Lena? Who is Lena? Hmph, calling another woman''s name as soon as you meet me, you really are just as the rumors say: the leader of Ashen Base, a lecherous addict who loves to y with females." Renji: "." After Lena set up a persona for the current Renji, she quickly did the same for herself. "Hmph, Mr. Renji, I advise you to stop dirty imagination. Keep your lecherous gaze to yourself; it''s so disgusting. I will not submit to you, nor will I sell my body and soul!" "If it weren''t for the people in the base, I wouldn''t have anything to do with a lecherous and filthy leader like you!" The fortune-teller crossed her arms, showing a ssic expression of disdain, yet also a sense of righteousness thatpelled her to save everyone, forcing her to meet with the evil viin. At the same time, her powerful abilities made her proud and arrogant, with her back straight and not taking the evil viin seriously, instead looking for opportunities to mock him. "What are you still standing there for? The guest has arrived, and you don''t even know how to prepare tea and snacks. Hmph, I don''t know how you became the leader, Mr. Renji!" Renji: "." "Zero, prepare a cup of tea for Miss Momo." Renji cooperated with Lena normally, instructing the maid to serve tea. However, Zero seemed to understand Renji''s implied meaning, nodding at him with an attitude of "I understand, Master." Soon, the maid brought up two cups of tea with a normal expression. Renji then watched as the fortune-teller, who was supposedly the most powerful ability user in the world and not afraid of any tricks, drank the maid''s tea without any suspicion. Originally, Renji was supposed to continue chatting and stalling for time as the evil leader, ording to the script. However, it seemed that a certain subus was a bit impatient and skipped a few steps. "Wha-what''s happening?" "Did you turn on the heater? Why is the room so hot?" The fortune-teller''s face turned red, and her chest heaved up and down more frequently. Her fortune-telling outfit, which already had little fabric, was now partially removed, revealing more of her white skin. "Wait, you, you bastard..." "How, how is this possible! I would never fall for such a low- level trick... ugh." The fortune-teller''s face was filled with shame and anger. Her previously deep and mysterious eyes were now filled with anger, but also a hint of confusion. "My will is ve-ve... ugh ugh." She couldn''t even finish her sentences before she started writhing, her eyes welling up with tears. She imed her will was strong, but her body was shaking uncontrobly, her fis-d legs rubbing against each other under her silk skirt. Lena had already yed her part, and Renji put aside his joking attitude to seriously y the role of the evil leader. "Miss Momo, let''s begin the fortune-telling now~" Renji took the fortune-teller''s hand, and after a slight struggle, they entered a room specially designed for fortune- telling. Regarding fortune-telling, Renji had also done some research and wanted topete with the fortune-teller. However, the proud fortune-teller was naturally unwilling to admit defeat. "I will never admit, admit defeat." "This, this constetion... ugh~" "..." Chapter 363 363: Lena’s fantasy *R18

Chapter 363 Chapter 363: Lena''s fantasy *R18

Now that I was aware of her thoughts, I watched her closely. She was ying innocently, but those darting nces at my crotch gave her away. Instantly, I imagined pounding her. Even knowing she harbored such thoughts, her innocent face gave me pause. ''Just y along with her'' tailored to her kinks With that in mind, a weight lifted off my chest as I reached for her breasts. "Hmm? Huh? Mm!? bastard? What''s this, Huh? Why?" The emotions of confusion, shock, and betrayal yed out so tantly on her face, it was a spectacle. Of course, my hand didn''t stop, teasing and caressing her breasts. "Renji? Why are¡­ you doing this all of a sudden?! Y-you''re this kind of person?!" Her heartfelt plea pricked at my conscience, yet stoked my desire. I withdrew my hand from her chest momentarily. "Ahh - Huh?" She shot me a quizzical look as I suddenly pulled back. ''Don''t worry. I''ll go at it again in a moment'' I slipped my hand down her cleavage, gripping her thin outfit and tearing it open to the sides. Her plump breasts spilled out. Her heaving bosom, as if a caged elephant finally escaped its confines, was quite a sight to behold. Though the idea of sniffing and burying my face in her breasts was tempting, there was no time for leisure. After relishing the softness of her flesh briefly, I began to strip off my pants. "Stop! What''s gotten into you?! Did you n this from the start?!" My pants off, I grabbed my hardened cock and settled it on top of her chest. "Yes. Right from the beginning. Since the first time Iid eyes on you, the only thought in my mind was devouring you." "Huh, hmmph" Her nipples started to harden at my confession. "Miss Momo, open your mouth." "You filthy bastard! The moment I''m weak, you you!" As she said something, I tried to insert my cock into her mouth, but she mped her lips shut and didn''t let me in. Even when I prodded her lips with my ns, they remained shut like a tightly sealed gate. Trying to amodate the y is quite a task. If she wants to get fucked, she should just let it happen. Is realism really that important? "You bitch, open up quickly!" With my fingers, I forcefully pried apart her lips, spouting clichd viin lines. "Hmph!" Slowly, she parted her lips in sync with my act. I hadn''t exerted much force, yet her mouth yielded readily as my finger entered. ''Seems like these details do matter. I''m learning something new once again'' Using my finger, I coaxed her mouth open and gradually guided my ns into her mouth. "Ahk ahguk" "Let''s not tire each other out and get to it quickly." I pushed the object into her forcibly parted mouth. "You wicked! Hmmph Hmph!" Her soft lips and the tickling of her tongue aroused sensations along my cock. If she loathed it so intensely, she could just bite it off. Instead, her tongue danced with a gentle rhythm, teasing the base. It appeared that the act had finally concluded as her eyes werepletely rxed. ''So, this is a cock, It''s hard and big. I wish he''d thrust it into my pussy soon! No, I want to taste his cum too! After all, master has a lot of energy.'' With renewed assurance, I clutched her head firmly with both hands andmenced pushing my cock into her mouth. To offer her a taste of cum, I needed to hasten the pace. "Momo, suck my cock. It''ll make it end faster." "Hmm! Hngg~!" "Come on!" Moving my cock back and forth, I stroked her cheeks. "Ahh, this feels incredible. I love fucking your mouth" "Slrrp~" Lena started to wrap her tongue around my cock. Finally getting into it, I threw a line to keep up. "Momo, move your tongue too. We need to finish quickly." As if waiting for those words, she began to lick my cock. "Slurp~" ''It''s her first time, yet she''s doing this so well. Did she practice with a dildo all by herself? she''s sucking without hesitation. Clearly, she''s a subus after all'' Perhaps the stress from the diary exploration or something else triggered it, but my libido shot up quickly. "Oh, I''m cumming, Swallow it!" I held onto her head and ejacted into her mouth, holding her head firmly so she couldn''t escape. And as expected, she locked eyes with me while still holding my cum in her mouth. When Lena took my cum in her mouth for the first time, she immediately spat it out. Things might be different now with my sweetened body, but as a virgin, Lena wouldn''t know the taste of cum to begin with. I knew what she was expecting me to say. "Momo, swallow it." Gulp. The thick cum slid down her throat. After the swallowing sound ceased, she licked her lips once. "Ah, y-you bastard!" Lena had swallowed all my load, but perhaps due to her excitement, her acting skills seemed worse than before. "Momo, you want to take off your clothes yourself, or should I do it?" "I, I will neverply with such a thing!" Clearly, she preferred me to undress her. I acted as per her desires. "Stay still if you don''t want to end up getting hurt." I lifted Lena''s legs and started stripping off her revealing skirt "Hands off!" Lena, misreading my intentions, kept squirming, making it a bit of a struggle to undress her lower half. After a moment, she raised an eyebrow and stopped resisting. "Well done." I peeled off the skirt from a now-still Lena. Nestled between those thighs, a pair of damp panties came into view. "Look at that, all wet and ready." I slid my fingers over the dampness, savoring the sensation. "Agh~!" "Getting aroused after swallowing my cum? You really are a damn pervert." My fingers traced teasing paths around her pussy. "Drenched down here, fantasizing about getting ravaged, and yet you''re still trying to act grown-up?" "This, this isn''t what you think" Cutting her off mid-excuse, I plunged my fingers into her eager, slick entrance, producing squelchy sounds. The sensation was wet and slippery as my fingers delved in. She was incredibly wet, almost astonishingly so. Even Nova, under the effects of weakness, couldn''tpare to this level of wetness. "Why don''t you hurry up and thrust that cock in? A premature ejactor like you will be done in no time, anyway." Lena spoke with an intense expression. ''Well, she''s already plenty turned on from our little rape-y escapade, so diving into the real deal should be quite a treat'' I lifted one of Lena''s legs to give a clear view of her pussy and teasingly flicked my ns against it. "You, you filthy! Get away from me this instant!" Her eyes were glued to my cock, filled with anticipation. I gradually eased my ns inside, feeling her pussy stretch as she let out a mix of gasps and moans. "Ugh Ahhhh Hng~!" After a while, I sensed her hymen catch on my ns. "You''re a virgin? How does it feel to lose your virginity while being raped?" "P-Please stop! I''ve guarded my purity all this time! I won''t let someone like you take it away!" I shifted my weight onto her upper body, my cock starting to prate her hymen. A trickle of red blood followed my cock down. I could feel a tightness around my waist as if it might snap. "Aahhh~!" Even though it''s a rape y, I wanted to be gentle for her first time. Taking it slow, I slid in as she adjusted to the new sensation. "Ugh; You''re just squirming, isn''t this all a perverted bastard like you can do? I can''t even feel what''s inside!" Lena said with a clearly strained expression. Even I could understand this one. She''s basically asking me to thrust harder. I tried to be considerate, but clearly, this brazen woman needed a firm lesson. "You''re not hehe even a bit considerate, huh? Taking advantage of me because I''m taking it slow?" "Hmm?! Huh?!" "Don''t pretend to be at ease. You''re squeezing me because it feels good, right? I know you''re enjoying this, you shameless slut!" "Hhmmmmph!~" Her eyes widened and mouth hung open in shock as my cock buried deep against her cervix. I shifted her body around, intending to switch positions, but her strength had waned, and she slumped. So, I had to grab her hair and lift her up with force. "Bitch, who said you could just copse?" "Ah, ah ah I''m sorry please stop!" "Open your damn legs properly!" "Ah, ahh Oh, no it hurts so much" "Since you''re not putting in any effort, I''ll have to do it all!" I thrust my hips vigorously, producing a smacking sound. After a few movements, I sensed her adjusting to the rhythm, and I pressed my cock firmly, the warmth of her pussy enveloping me. She moaned with each thrust, her body trembling. "It feels good, doesn''t it? Hard to deny the pleasure when I''m deep inside your pussy, huh?" "Ah, no I" "What do you mean, no''? Your pussy''s clenching around me, craving an orgasm, you perverted woman!" "Ah, ahhh, ah, ahh ah~!" "Moaning like that, you really are a little minx. Far from a fortune teller, more like a slut." As the thrusts continued, my cock brushing against her cervix, her moans mingling with my teasing words, the tension around her pussy grew stronger. "Haa, haa Ah, ahhh~!" "At least you''re starting to loosen up. We''ll be getting closer soon." "Ahh Please, don''t do this Ahh" "Yet your moans tell a different story. Why is that?" Lena''s pussy had softened around my cock, a stark contrast to when I initially entered her. "Feeling the need to climax, are we? Better speak up then!" I yfully smacked her exposed bottom with an open hand. "Uhh?" Smack! "Ah, oooh~" "With each spank, your grip on my cock tightens, You''re quite the pervert, but I must say, you''ve got a great pussy." Smack! "Ahh! Hhnyaaaaa~" "If you wannae, just say so! I won''t oblige until you voice it properly." Lena liked rough motions. She craved raw and heedless sex, characterized by deep thrusts and relentless pulling out to fulfill her desires. "Ah, ahh Aagh~!" "If you don''t confess, I''ll stop." I began a slow hip movement, still deeply embedded. That alone was sufficient to rouse a reaction from her. "I-I want to I want toe I want you to¡­" "Your begging isn''t convincing." I withdrew my cock almostpletely, leaving only the tip pressed against her pussy. "Speak clearly!" "I-I want toe I want you to fuck this perverted pussy with your big cock Please!" "Heh, well put." I grabbed her hair forcefully as shey on the ground and thrust my cock, sinking it to the hilt within her. "Aaah! Haaaa~!" After a few back-and-forth thrusts, her cervix trembled against my ns, providing stimtion. "Something inside Hnnnng~! I''m going toe!" "I''m also about to!" I climaxed inside her. "Ah Haa Ha Haa~" The two of us came at the same time, panting and moaning. My hips kept thrusting for a while after, milking every drop of my semen into her. Chapter 364 364: Fool!

Chapter 364 Chapter 364: Fool!

In the room, Renji and Lena studied astrology, a part of fortune-telling. They started with the Virgo constetion and then moved on to the Centaur constetion. Later, they studied the Sagittarius constetion. Renji wanted to take a break, but Lena was unwilling. She pulled Renji along to observe even more constetions. Finally, when Renji was truly exhausted and couldn''t continue, Lena seemed satisfied andy her body in his arms. "Long time no see... Lord Renji." The subus whispered in Renji''s ear. At this point, Lena finally stopped pretending to be a fortune-teller and met Renji as herself. "Will you be angry at me, for being so selfish?" The subus was obviously referring to pulling Renji along to recreate the "fourth option" from before. "What if I say yes?" Renji asked, knowing full well what the answer would be. The subus in his arms furrowed her brow and tightened her legs around him, and saying back in a threatening tone "If my lord is angry, then I''ll just have to admit my mistake!" This threat was indeed powerful. Renji had to admit that he was not yet a match for her. Seeing Renji admit defeat, Lena happilyughed and then said in a proud and coquettish voice, "This princess would never do anything so vulgar. I''m only doing this to better solidify your presence in the world." "Solidify... my presence?" "Hmm Hmm~, the greater your influence on this world, the longer you can stay here. At the same time, your previous memory points will change ording to your influence," Lena exined. Renji quickly understood Lena''s meaning and asked, "So that''s why Zero calls me Renji instead of Ashen, right?" "That''s correct. This is the best proof that you have deepened your presence in this world. When all the memory points of ''Lord Ashen'' be ''Lord Renji,'' you will be able to stay in this world permanently," Lena said. ''Permanently?'' It was only now that Renji understood what Lena meant by "selfish." However, "Thank you, Lena," Stroking the subus''s pink hair. This was his best response. He was willing to stay in this world. And for Lena, there was no better aphrodisiac than this. "Lord Renji, since we are the strongest in this world, the more you do to us, the more unrestrained you are, and the more influence you will have on this world!" Lena blinked. This seemed to exin Renji''s "smooth sailing" new contract method. However, when it came to the subus, Lena was clearly ying a more borate game. This "pushing" method was... "Lena, I understand the logic, but do we have to do it this way?" Renji was helpless. He really didn''t want to y the role of the evil viin anymore. But Lena was very insistent on this. She bit Renji''s ear and said in a seductive voice, "No, Lord Renji, because this princess is proud and coquettish, and loves to fall from grace the most!" "Alright, Lord Renji, let''s make the most of our time and continue to increase your influence in this world! This memory point barely counts as a pass for you, but there''s still a second memory point for the fortune-teller, you know~" ..... The three episodes of "Prologue," "The Rebellious Princess," and "The Female Fortune Teller" werepleted in less than a week, with such speed and at the same time ensuring extremely high quality, even Director Merlon experienced it for the first time. When the finished product was shown to some fans of the story in Sin City for advance screening, it received rave reviews, changing the previous reputation, and even the various characters in it received the highest praise from the audience for the actors'' performances - not like acting. Director Merlon admitted that in this regard, there was indeed the research and polishing of the lens by him, Professor Einstein, and other members of the production team, but the efforts of the actors themselves were also indispensable and were the main factor. At the preview, when facing fans and media interviews, Director Merlon cited a behind-the-scenes story from the filming process as an example. For example, in the episode of "The Female Fortune Teller," the male actor who yed the role of "Lord Ashen" stayed up all night to restore the plot rted to astrology in the y, so that he could better portray how Lord Ashen understood the fortune teller''s prophecy hints and resolved the crisis. The subsequent "Enchanting Body" still contains two chapters, which will usher in the climax of the entire y, and the outside world is very much looking forward to it. Director Merlon and the production team also want toplete it in one go. However, director Merlon is now a little worried inside the filming base. "Mr. Renji, your body is the most important thing. Don''t tire yourself out too much." "It''s not up to me, Uncle Merlon." Renji gave an expression that tried to be as helpless as possible. Director Merlon nodded in understanding. When he was young, he was also like Renji, neglecting his health and always having two big ck circles under his eyes for the sake of filming. "Alright, alright, everyone, let''s get to work!" The ending of "Fortune Teller" is a mysterious prophecy by the Subus Princess. However, the actual meaning of those words is that the Subus in the marriage contract is a trap, the five major human bases have already aimed their guns at the Ashen base, and the female fortune teller in front of them is the real princess who can guide the way forward for Lord Ashen. With his wisdom, he quickly understood Momo''s hint, but he did not take action immediately. Instead, he waited for the fake Subus Princess to arrive, soft-imprisoned her for a few days, and then expelled her, while also strengthening the defense within the base. Seeing that the "internal application" Subus was expelled and the defense force of the Ashen base suddenly increased, the leaders of the five-base alliance panicked, thinking that the n had been exposed, and immediately abandoned the n. It can be seen that the leader of the Ashen base was a very deterrent figure among the many base leaders at that time. Even if the five bases joined forces, they dared to use only underhanded means. Once the consOriginal was exposed, they had no intention of confronting the Ashen base directly. However, the failure of the n not only failed to eliminate the Ashen base, but also made Ashen more vignt, making it more difficult to eliminate in the future. This anger must be borne by someone. The leaders of the five bases naturally pointed their spears at the Subus n, especially the internal application Subus, who was sent to the side of Ashen. She must have leaked the information. Renji had considered this point to protect Momo and let the fake Subus princesse as a scapegoat. But no one expected that they had all underestimated the Subus Queen. To be able to sit on the throne of the Subus Queen, her wisdom and intrigue were not so simple. In fact, all of this, including the marriage contract, was just a front for the Subus Queen. Even Momo''s leaving home and going to Ashen base was under the control of the Subus Queen, or rather, she deliberately allowed Momo to act freely. The reason for doing this was that after sessfully resolving the crisis at the Ashen base, Momo, as the greatest meritorious servant, would naturally attract Ashen''s attention. However, when Momo epted the invitation and was about to be a member of the Ashen base, the Subus Queen made her move. ... -Enchanting Forest. Momo rushed over in a hurry using her special ability, and her young Subus face was full of tension and anxiety. Becausest night, she received a message saying that her mother was seriously ill and her life was in danger. Although Momo''s rtionship with her mother was not good, and she did not agree with many of her mother''s actions, after all, there was affection between them. She didn''t think much about it and just wanted to hurry back to her tribe. However, when Momo just entered her mother''s room, what she saw was not her mother lying unconscious on the bed as the message said, but the Subus Queen sitting on the throne, looking at Momo in front of the door with a calm gaze. At this moment, Momo realized that she had been fooled. First, she felt endless anger in her heart. She didn''t expect her mother to use even familial affection as a tool. Then, Momo didn''t hesitate and wanted to turn around and run away. However, the Subus Queen had long arranged many hidden guards around her, and she had also set up a spell on the door. From the moment Momo pushed the door, a magic array appeared under Momo''s feet, binding her in ce. Chapter 365 365: Idiot

Chapter 365 Chapter 365: Idiot

Momo tried to struggle left and right, but her mother''s level was higher than hers. The vines spreading out in the magic array not only made Momo unable to move but also absorbed her power, making her unable to release spells. In the end, all Momo could do was stare at the Subus Queen on the throne with extremely angry eyes. However, the Subus Queenughed at her daughter''s anger, which was rare. "Momo, you did not disappoint me." "If I''m not wrong, the failure of our n was because you secretly leaked information to Ashen, right? And let me guess, the current Ashen...he must have been bewitched by you~." The Subus Queen licked her lips. She had always valued Momo, not only because of her talent and ability but also because of Momo''s appearance as a Subus, which was tempting beyond her young age, as well as Momo''s personality. Innocent, dedicated, and having beautiful aspirations for love, she was like a princess in a fairy tale, waiting for her prince. Such a personality should have appeared in those hypocritical elves, not in a Subus. However, since such a Subus appeared, she could not be used repeatedly like other ordinary Subi, sent to various leaders to establish rtionships. A subus like Momo was a high-level bait, used only to catch big fish. Obviously, the leader of Ashen''s base was the big fish that the Subus Queen had in mind. "Pfft Hahahaha!" "You''re thinking too much!" "I have nothing to do with that guy, he doesn''t even know who I am!" Momo''s heart sank, and she had already guessed her mother''s evil n, but on the surface, she still tried to struggle and use words to confuse her mother. However, it was obviously futile. "Hehe~, is that so? It doesn''t matter. I have already sent someone to deliver a message to Ashen, telling him your identity and the ordeal you are about to face." ''The ordeal I am about to face?'' Momo''s heart sank when she heard this, and she had a very bad feeling. And her mother''s next words made her face turn a few shades paler. "Because you leaked information, causing the five major bases to vent their anger on us Subi, I had to give our youngest and most beautiful princess to those human leaders for the continuation of our tribe." "As for those angry base leaders, how will they treat my dear daughter~," the Subus Queen did not continue, describing less would make people more anxious and irrational. In terms of ying with people''s hearts, the Subus Queen was far more experienced than the still-naive Momo. "Well, let''s see how much weight and status you have in the heart of that man. Will he be willing to voluntarily walk into our trap for you?" "You you f@king bit*h! You are not fit to be my mother, F@king whore!" The cruelty of her mother finally made Momo unable to bear it and scolded loudly, her heartpletely devoid of any affection for her. But it was toote now, and Momo''s heart was filled with endless regret. What surprised her even more was that what made her angry the most was not her own miserable fate, but what if Ashen really fell for her mother''s hostage trap. ''No. That''s impossible! How could it be possible? Now my mother was using me as a hostage to force Ashen to fight directly with the five major bases, and then the Subus tribe could reap the benefits. But it was obvious that I had been with that guy for less than half a month, how could he choose to fight one against five for me, which was almost like seeking death¡­'' "The man''s heart is deeply connected to ''Ashen base'', created slowly over time. Taking such a big risk doesn''t seem wise, and there needs to be a sure chance of sess in this gamble. If the head of ''Ashen base'' were to win this challenge, what good woulde from it? Therefore, he surely wouldn''t be tricked by it! The man is not that foolish." With these thoughts, Momo started to feel somewhat relieved. But as if reading Momo''s mind, the Subus Queen came down from the throne and walked to her daughter''s side. She raised Momo''s chin with her finger and looked at her daughter''s angry and stubborn face. She said softly, "Momo, sometimes men are much simpler than you think. As my daughter, I know your charm better than anyone else, so I believe that man will definitely ept it." "If you are willing to cooperate, I can guarantee that I will leave the life of that man for you secretly. After all, what I want is only his base, and as for him, I can give him to you. But you must ensure that you turn him into a love ve who will always be loyal to you." Low-level subi serve others, but high-level subi, especially those at the level of the Subus Queen, have men serve them, who are called love ves. This is done by using the power of the subus topletely brainwash the other party, turning them into a ve who only has the subus in their eyes. "Hmph! You shameless bit*h! Dream on!" Since Momo had torn off her mask, she had reached the point of cursing her mother with foulnguage. "Momo, you are still young and don''t understand. When you grow up, you will know that love is foolish andughable. Only power and strength are the unchanging truth. You are the most outstanding of my daughters, and if possible, I hope to train you as my sessor, as the next queen of the subus tribe." "Who the f*** wants to be your shi*tty subus queen, you b***h!" Being cursed by Momo again and again, even the Subus Queen couldn''t keep her calm, and her face turned cold. In fact, changing Momo and destroying her daughter''s will was very simple. All she needed to do was find an opportunity to turn her from a virgin subus into a hundred-man subus, and then Momo''s ridiculous purity would naturally no longer exist, and the original instincts of the subus would turn Momo into the same as her. But as mentioned earlier, Momo was a high-level bait, so she couldn''t do this, and she had to protect Momo''s purity, at least until she received the message from Ashen. ''So, what will you do? Ashen?'' The Subus Queen looked out the window towards the location of the Ashen base, ignoring her daughter who was still cursing her. She locked Momo in her room and began waiting quietly for the reply from Ashen base. As for Ashen, the camera turned, and the perspective returned to the base. In the leader''s room, the nun, maid, dragoness, and many high- level members of the Ashen base were now gathered, discussing something heatedly. The content of the meeting was the letter from the Subus Queen. Of course, it was not so direct. Momo''s identity was concealed, and it was only vaguely hinted that a scout had been captured and whether to go and rescue her. More than 80% of the high-level officials gave negative suggestions to the person sitting in the main seat, wearing a gray robe. The reasons were many, such as insufficient troops, the current development of the base, and it was not worth making such a big fuss over just one scout. The remaining 20% did not say they agreed, they just remained silent. They were rtively smarter, as they vaguely sensed the meaning of their leader. After all, this kind of thing that even an idiot would know how to handle, but still needed to be discussed at a meeting, could only have one possibility. The leader wanted to y the fool. At this point in the movie, Renji had to admit that the script of "Enchanting Body" written by Lena was very urate. Not to mention in reality, even his game self thought he was an idiot when he looked back. After seeing the letter from the Subus Queen, four familiar yet strange options appeared. [You have triggered a special event] [With the letter from the Subus Queen, Momo''s true identity was revealed. As you suspected, she is the real Subus Princess. She is about to suffer a miserable fate because she leaked information to you. Your choice may be able to save her. However, you also realize that this is a trap, and giving up Momo may not be a wrong choice.] [Facing the threat of the Subus Queen, your choice is...] [Option 1: Idiot, you really want to go and save her! Give up!] [Option 2: Are you stupid? Don''t think you''re so powerful. Two fists cannot defeat four hands. The Ashen base has just begun to develop, and you cannot let it be destroyed! Give up!] [Option 3: Momo is a subus! How could a subus be afraid of such things? It''s possible that Momo has already had a lot of experience, and the Subus Queen is just deceiving you. There is no such thing as a virgin subus in this world. Give up!] [Option 4: Send troops, dere war on the five bases of Blue Dye, Stone Hammer, Aisin, etc., then march towards the Enchanted Forest, capture the Subus Queen, and rescue Lena.] Chapter 366 366: Hidden Conditions

Chapter 366 Chapter 366: Hidden Conditions

[Option 1: Idiot, you really want to go and save her! Give up!] [Option 2: Are you stupid? Don''t think you''re so powerful. Two fists cannot defeat four hands. The Ashen base has just begun to develop, and you cannot let it be destroyed! Give up!] [Option 3: Momo is a subus! How could a subus be afraid of such things? It''s possible that Momo has already had a lot of experience, and the Subus Queen is just deceiving you. There is no such thing as a virgin subus in this world. Give up!] [Option 4: Send troops, dere war on the five bases of Blue Dye, Stone Hammer, Aisin, etc., then march towards the Enchanted Forest, capture the Subus Queen, and rescue Lena.] ¡­. ''Every time I think back to that moment, I still feels a bit of emotion'' At that time, Renji''s in-game power was in thetter half of its rise, whether it was the size of the base or the construction of the army, there was still a lot of room for development before reaching the bottleneck. ''Although conquering the world was always my goal in the game, these other human bases would have to be attacked by my forces sooner orter.'' ''But the most prudent n was definitely to first conserve strength and store up energy, then defeat them one by one. Eventer, when they saw the expansion of my power, there was no need for me toe to them; given the character of most base leaders, who fear death and covet life, perhaps they would take the initiative to surrender to me.'' ''In theter stages of the game, when I upied half of the continent''s territory, the remaining base forces didn''t need me to wage war anymore. They were scrambling to join the territory of the Ashen Empire'' ''But at that time, my topbat power was actually just Nova and Zero. Suthia, serving as a healer, was already showing signs of fatigue in the era of bases and armies.'' ''Thebat power of the Ashen base was indeed strong, plus, having me as a "yer" perspective formand, it could be said to be invincible in battle. But at that time, the poption of the Ashen base added up to just over a hundred thousand, and the Ashen army had less than fifty thousand, of which a few thousand were logistical troops.'' ''Inparison, the five bases I had to face ¨C?Aisin base had about two hundred and fifty thousand people, Stonehammer a bit less, also at the hundred thousand level, but from the name, it can be seen as a fortress built on a rock basin, very easy to defend and difficult to attack.'' ''As for the Blue Dye base, not to mention, it was the regional tyrant at that time, like a boss among the bases, with a total poption of more than half a million, and the number of troops was even half of that, shown on the panel as two hundred thousand. Although there was certainly a lot of exaggeration in that number, the gap in quantity was clear at a nce'' The remaining two bases, although rtively weak, also had poptions at the hundred thousand level. The five basesbined, the number of troops would probably be more than ten times that of the Ashen army. Under such circumstances, where Ashen Base had to be the attacker with fewer numbers, you can imagine the difficulty, destined to rely on countless "rollbacks" to have a chance of sess. Indeed, just a chance. In the game "Fallen Chronicles,"?even if yers could save and rollback, it still doesn''t mean all problems could be solved. For example, with natural disasters or attacks by tainted Miasma waves, rolling back a hundred times would be useless. On the contrary, Renji has seen too many yers on the forums who were full of confidence when they saved their game, only to find outter that their previous decisions were wrong, leading to aplete copse, with no way to go back, ultimately turning their save file into a "dead save" and furiously criticizing the game. ''When ites to the choices involving Lena, choosing a less challenging option would have been eptable just to keep an extra save slot open. However, the issue is that I was limited to only one save slot in the extremely difficult situation.'' Like with the previous choices involving the Subus, Renji dared to "identally" slip because the "consequences" of those choices were not long-term, requiring no further use of the save feature, hence no risk of overwriting. But this time it was different. Waging war against five bases would at least take a week toplete this campaign, and it was inevitable that he would need to use the save function during it. Once he used the save, it meant overwriting the previous save, which also meant that he had no chance to go back and make a different choice. After all the effort put into the highest difficulty of "Fallen Chronicles,"a game no one has everpleted, to have such a "heaven-sent" start, if it turned into a "dead save," it would mean all efforts were wasted. he might never encounter a startingpanion like "Suthia," an early-game war goddess, no matter how many times he restarted. ''But.'' ''How should I put it?'' ''Firstly, it''s not because Lena includes "Wanderer," "Fortune Teller," andter "Subus Princess" among her initial options, giving her several more portraits than others from the start.'' Renji just felt that if he didn''t dare to take a risk even in a game, wouldn''t that be too much of a failure? The campaign took even longer than Renji had anticipated, a full half month to finally conquer, with countless attempts to find the optimal solution and repeated saving and loading. The risk was great, but naturally, so was the reward. After sessfully incorporating these five bases, the game''s progression greatly elerated, expanding the Ashen base''s power several times over and truly setting it on the path to bing the Ashen Empire. Moreover, a somewhat bted realization struck Renji, discovering another point. ''Precisely because I chose to speed up here, it indirectly caused a butterfly effect, allowing me to establish the empire before the "World Tree" was corrupted and withered by the Tainted Miasma, thanks to the Subus race knowing about the existence of the "Elven race" and having the strength to go and save them'' ording to Lena''s diary, the biggest aid in understanding the world''s truth for the her and Miyuki was from that native World Tree. Although Fallen Chronicles is calcted in real-time, with all maps beingpletely random and each yer''s world being different with different characters, some "basic elements" that constitute the world are still the same. Such as the races like humans, demi-humans, Subi, machines, etc., like the Tainted Miasma, gathering ces, shelters, and bases as upgrade paths. Landmark buildings are also one of the "basic elements" that constitute the world. Simrly, there are the Subi''s Forest of Enchantment, the Undead''s Land of Skeletons, the Demi-Human''s Orc ins, and for the Elven race, it is the World Tree. Combining the true nature of the world from the diary, it wasn''t difficult for Renji to understand that each yer''s world has a "native" World Tree, serving as an incarnation of the cosmic World Tree, somewhat like a proxy server. However, if the yer''s "progress speed" through the game isn''t fast enough to reach the Elves and save the World Tree before the Tainted Miasma corrupts it, then even if theyter seed in defeating the Miasma and saving the world, that native World Tree would still be irreversibly lost, equivalent to aplete loss. Whether the World Tree exists or not, whether this "proxy server" is broken, has no impact on the "first ythrough" of the game. It''s considered a neutral building that yers can''t control and doesn''t have any special functions; the initial Renji didn''t pay much attention to it. But looking back now. Renji became clearer on why among the yers of "Fallen Chrnonicles", only he had the option to start a "second ythrough." It''s not only because of the highest difficulty choice, having powerful and well-backed Eclipsers like Lena and Miyuki. An equally important reason is the greatly "elerated" progress through the game due to Lena, which saved the World Tree. And subsequently, sessfully contracting Miyuki, allowing the World Tree to be cared for by a more powerful Elf and to revive and grow. In game terms, the state of the native World Tree is the hidden condition for unlocking the "second ythrough," an absolutely indispensable part. ''Thinking about it this way, my impulsive decision really reaped huge rewards.'' ''At that time, not knowing so much about the future, just as a yer outside the screen, I was also very excited and felt it was a huge gain.'' ''Not just because of winning battles and expanding power, but don''t forget, in the fourth option at that time, besides dering war on the five bases, there was another sentence.'' ''Head towards the Forest of Subi, capture the Subus Queen, and save the imprisoned Lena.'' yers are actually quite strange. When ying visual novels, they always want to find the story, but when ying serious games, they always look for something more tititing. Renji can only say, back then, he, with eyes bloodshot from staying up all night, spent half a month nning to overturn the five bases, and the allure of this final reward segment yed a significant role. Chapter 367 367: Queen’s Punishment

Chapter 367 Chapter 367: Queen''s Punishment

Sorry for the dy, The golden ticket bonuses will be posted tomorrow. ----------- With such a mindset, he immediately led the tens of thousands of Ashen soldiers, who had just won a series of victories and were as majestic as their leaders, brimming with pent-up frustration ready to be vented, to attack the Sibus''s Enchantment Forest. Facing the battle-hardened Ashen Army, along with its leader, who had be a legend in battle, the Subi''s resistance was almost symbolic, quickly surrendering. However, to the outrage of gods and men alike, when he reached the Subus Queen and saw her, more mature and alluring than the then-green Lena, sitting provocatively on her throne with her legs crossed as if waiting to be captured, he just... just... wanted to?capture her, throw her into the dungeon, and that was it. The reason being, the Subus Queen was a "non-contractible" character, these types of characters have almost no interaction options with the yer, categorized as bystanders. Even Lena, who as a Subus once provided him with many "fourth options" and contributed a lot to him, lost those bizarre choices after being contracted by him, bing a contractor herself. This indeed was one of Renji''s major regrets in the game. It had nothing to do with whether the Subus Queen was sexy or not, but purely because this wicked woman dared to treat Lena like that, ying them for fools, attempting to sit back and profit from their turmoil. Not teaching her a severe lesson would leave his heart filled with unresolved hatred. Thinking of this made Renji itch with a bit of eagerness. Especially whenbined with the experiences he had with Lena in the "secret room", understanding now that the Subi use such moments with him to recreate "memory points" from the past to increase their influence in the world and stabilize their existence. So, after filming the penultimate episode of "Enchanting Body,"?with a dramatic sequence of the Ashen, Renji quickly headed to the Sin Tower. It was the familiar procedure. The Subus staff member at the front desk, already waiting for him, handed over the room key. This time, the number on the key was 0809, room nine on the eighth floor. Upon inserting the key and pushing open the door, Renji paused, showing a look of surprise. Because in this "secret room", the diary on the desk, unlike before, wasn''t open for him to browse through but was closed. Conversely, the pink secret door leading to the basement, which previously only opened after reading the diary, was already open this time. ''Was the order reversed?'' ''This time, is it that one must go through the "basement" before reading the diary?'' As Renji quickly walked towards the secret door and his figure disappeared into it, once his consciousness cleared, he found himself, just as he imagined, now in the Enchanting Forest. [Master Renji, the cleanup isplete. The Subi havepletely given up resistance, and the Army has sessfully taken over the Forest. In this battle, our side had a total of 16 injuries, 0 deaths, and 1 deserter.] Zero, who usually serves as a maid but acts as a secretary on the battlefield, urately reported the situation to Renji. Soon, another figure, a female general d in crimson armor, half-kneeled to apologize: "I''m sorry, Lord Renji, it was Nova''s negligence in supervision." Lastly, the little nun beside Renji stepped forward, seemingly wanting to plead for Nova, quickly went over to help the half-kneeling dragon woman up. "Sister Nova, it''s not your fault, nor is it that soldier''s fault. Thia has checked; he deserted because he was bewitched by the Subus''s charm. My Lord, please let Thia handle this matter." After speaking, the little nun cautiously looked up at him, as if afraid that he would be angry with Nova for this. ''Uh'' ''Is this really how serious I am in the game?'' In this memory point, Lena didn''t appear directly, but instead, his three woman were all around him. Indeed, the story is such that they were only managed by himter on; during this period, basically every battle involved these "five-star" characters as essential members of his team. As for Lena, she must still be imprisoned, serving as thest bargaining chip of the Subus Queen. With a grand gesture, Renji then proceeded with the three women as victors, entering the queen''s domain. Along the way, many pitiful Subi could be seen tied up with ropes, thoroughly subdued by his army. However, no soldier dared to do anything to these Subi, and upon seeing Renji, they all straightened up even more. Compared to the captured Subi outside, the Subus Queen on the throne appeared much more calm and collected, just like her in-game portrait, facing the invasion of a formidable enemy not with panic but with a veiled excitement. She first nced at the three women by Renji''s side, then the Subus Queen seemed to rx quite a bit, bing more at ease. She fixed her gaze on Renji, licking her seductive, glossy lips. "So, this is the Leader of Ashen Base who has toppled five bases in session. Indeed, you have a knack for taming women." The Subus Queen said, thrusting out her ample chest, as if to unt her proud figure to Renji, considerably more mature than the three women beside him. The Queen previously regarded Renji as merely a big fish, but now that this "big fish" could capsize the ship, she realized that Renji''s potential might be far more terrifying than she had imagined. For this reason, she intended to fully utilize her Subus abilities, even if it meant targeting her daughter''s lover. After all, for a Subus, there''s no concept of hierarchy when facing prey. "If possible, I would very much like to also receive some... discipline from Lord Renji. Mmmph?!" The Subus Queen was cut off mid-sentence when, seemingly unable to bear it any longer, someone used their authority to gag the Queen, leaving her only able to re and muffle her protests. Previously, Lena could y along with the plot since, after all, she was the main character, and it was considered flirting. Now, seeing the Queen unting herself at Renji, Lena wouldn''t stand for it. Better to get straight to the point. Regarding how to punish the wicked Queen Mother, Lena first asked the three people beside Renji, her good sisters, what they thought. Zero: [The body milk of the Subus race is an excellent lubricant, Master. We could establish a factory around the Subus Queen, and in an assembly line fashion, continuously produce the product. This would provide higher-level care for the Base''s mechanical equipment in the future, extending the lifespan of the machinery.] True to her role as a maid and steward, she always thought about how to increase wealth for her master. Imagining that scenario, Renji felt a bit awkward. Nova: "Everyone in the Ashen Army is tired after such long battles; they could use some rxation." "..." A good general should indeed care for her/his soldiers, though Renji, looking at the Subus Queen gagged and unable to speak, felt Nova might be taking it a bit too far. Finally, it was Suthia''s turn. The little nun was clearly much kinder, even speaking in a shy and embarrassed manner: "My Lord, Thia really likes puppies, can we keep her as our pet?" Chapter 368 368: Three-Part Series

Chapter 368 Chapter 368: Three-Part Series

1/3 "The Hell Factory of Mechanical Subi" is a documentary that explores how to achieve efficient and recyble use of subi through mechanical replicas for the high-yield extraction of demon milk. The film was produced with zero investment, starring the Subus Queen, and featuring a certain Mr. Renji as a guest appearance. Miss Lena served as a special technical advisor for the film. Demon milk is simr to cow''s milk and is a renewable byproduct that requires manual extraction. Traditional factory models have difficulty taming subi, and even the most skilled workers can only extract four or five portions of demon milk before bing exhausted and facing potential life-threatening risks, which can have irreversible effects on their health and lifespan. Although there is no shortage of workers seeking employment, the massive consumption of workers remains the primary challenge for traditional subus factories. However, in this documentary, Engineer "Zero" introduces technological innovations that bring significant progress to the factory. The new generation of mechanical subus factories achieves high efficiency, high production, and high durability. These mechanical replicas retain the skills and techniques that only the most experienced workers possess while also possessing the vitality and enthusiasm of new, young workers. If this documentary is sessfully released, it will undoubtedly make a significant contribution to the sustainable development of the demon milk industry. Unfortunately, the film did not pass the review process due to the factory''s ''excessively cruel behavior towards the subi'', which vitedborws. As a result, Engineer "Zero" was arrested by the local officer Renji and is currently being interrogated by him and his assistant, Officer Lena. Compared to the previous film, "You Are Our True Hero," which was invested in by Nova, was much more passionate and exciting. The film tells the story of the Ashen Warriors, who fought bravely on the front lines against the Miasma monsters to protect their homnd. After experiencing several battles, although their bodies remain strong, their spirits have been tainted by the hatred and killing on the battlefield. Moreover, their constantly tense nerves have not been able to rx, and if this continues, it may cause the troops''bat power to decline, and morale to plummet. In this critical situation, the subi appeared and used their warm embrace and love to soothe the warriors'' spiritual and emotional exhaustion and injuries, like spring rain nourishing the cracked earth. The warriors'' vitality was restored, their morale soared, and they defeated the enemy with renewed energy. Although the film had a simple plot and a short duration, it excelled with its grand scale andrge cast. However, precisely because of this, the Subus Queen, who was the leading star, issued a strong protest. After the shooting ended, she harshly criticized Nova, who was the producer, and took her to court. In court, Judge Renji, after reviewing the evidence and the sequence of events, ultimately sided with the Subus Queen''s usation. He instructed Attorney Lena to enforce judicial proceedings against Nova. Consequently, the film was naturally aborted and confiscated for destruction by Judge Renji. Thest film, invested in and produced by the nun Suthia, was a heartwarming and emotional family movie titled "Me and My Dog." Compared to the previous two films of the same period, this onecked hardcore professional knowledge, grand scenes, or production, and even the cast consisted of only the Subus Queen and the nun herself, who stepped in as the producer. Yet, this low-budget film was enough to bring tears streaming down faces, using up countless tissues. The nun''s training, feeding, and raising of the dog were the main attractions in the early stages. The dog''s transformation from initially being wild and unruly toter wagging its tail and sticking out its tongue obediently at the nun, and even affectionately attempting to lick the nun''s toes, brought smiles and was lively and entertaining. This film, filled with positive energy and an uplifting spirit, would surely have sparked a dog-raising craze upon its release. Unfortunately, on the eve of its release, a brave reporter, Lena, leaked that the actress nun was not actually a dog lover but was often abusive towards the dog. ording to the nun''s neighbors, they frequently saw the shadow of the nun holding a knife behind the curtains, along with creepyughter. Upon receiving the news, local dog lover Mr. Renji immediately went to investigate and ultimately brought this disturbed miss, masquerading as a nun, to justice, and the film was regrettably doomed. ..... When Renji opened his eyes again, it felt like a long time had passed. The previously somewhat chaotic Lena, who had been with him in the "Memory Point"pleting the trilogy, was now nowhere to be seen. Renji''sst memory seemed to linger on something Lena had whispered in his ear. Thinking about it, every meeting with Lena, whether in dreams or such "Memory Points," had never actually urred in reality, not even once. Renji shook his head, deciding to take it as just another one of Lena''s quirks. Now, the final episode of "Enchanting Body" was left, telling the story of Lord Ashen and the Subus Princess''s blissful married life. ''After finishing this episode, if Lena still finds another excuse not to appear, I will have to take forceful measures'' Having made up his mind, Renji was about to get up but felt something was off. It wasn''t that he felt ufortable; rather, he felt very rxed. Thest time he and Lena were researching astrology in bed for the whole day, he barely managed to walk away, leaning on walls with weak knees, feeling as if his skeleton was about to fall apart. But right now, Renji felt his whole body was filled with strength. ''No, this was more than just strength; this was...'' Renji immediately checked his status panel, and in the level section, it read: <\ [Current Level: LV150] [To Next Level: ???] >\ ''Level 150?'' Renji now confirmed the source of this surging power, or rather, the "authority" ¨C had he regained his "first ythrough" character attributes. ''How did this happen so suddenly?'' ''Hmmm.'' ''Could it be because of the "influence" that Lena talked about!?'' ''This journey through memories with Lena was indeed much deeper than before. Could it be that I had sessfully integrated with this world, and thus, my power had returned?'' Renji clenched his fist, feeling the full terror of the "Emperor Ashen" from the game at level 150, a sensation only appreciable because he had experienced being an ordinary person and starting from level zero. The Holy Kingdom''s underworld might just be a tiny ant, the dragon nation''s Bal could be suppressed with one hand, and thebined forces of the Mechanical Alliance''s Keel Tech and the dream of the Tainted Miasma masters from Dream Zero might just prompt him to use an additional skill. Despite regaining such immense power, Renji''s mood, beyond the initial surprise, quickly turned nuanced, even a bit frowny. Exiting the "Memory Point," Renji returned to the secret room, and as he expected, the previously "sealed" diary was now unsealed and opened. And here... He should find everything he wanted to know. Chapter 369 369: I Love You...

Chapter 369 Chapter 369: I Love You...

[Day 175 since Lord Ashen disappeared] [It seems, it has been a long time since Ist wrote in my diary.] [So much has happened in between, I hardly know where to start.] [After capturing that giant spider''s "Source," it onlysted three days under my experiment before breaking down. Although I discovered some of the essence of "Memory Points" by dissecting its corpse, it was far from enough. I need more experimental materials.] [In the days that followed, I began to frequently visit other lower worlds on the World Tree in search of Sources. By capturing them, I gathered materials to create new "Memory Points."] [Through this process, I''vee to understand more about the rtionship between the World Tree, Sources, and the Tainted Miasma. The Tainted Miasma was not specifically created by the World Tree to target the "Sources"; it''s just that the World Tree has reached its "Autumn."] [Withering and falling into the gxy is the destiny of every "leaf."] [Just like fallen leaves turn into soil and be nutrients, all destroyed worlds blend in the sea of stars, evolving into new energy¡ª"Sources." When "Spring" arrives, the World Tree uses these "Sources" to sprout new leaves, giving birth to countless new worlds.] ["Sources" were supposed to be a type of energy material, but over the vast expanse of time, they gradually developed their own consciousness and became the behind-the-scenes beings. They did not want to go through the World Tree''s cycle of endless destruction and rebirth. They began to look for ways to survive "Autumn."] [After trying thousands of methods, they finally found a way to counteract the "rules" of the World Tree. Theymunicated with another dimension, the independent worlds existing in the form of s," and created pathways. Using the power of the "Sources," they summoned "extradimensional" beings¡ªcountless saviors like Lord Ashen, not restricted by the "rules" of the World Tree.] [So, the method to summon Lord Ashen was to collect the energy of the "sources," or in a simpler way, to collect the source essence. Depending on the Source Essence, I could create new connections to the s." However, as I continued hunting Source creatures, even though I was very covert and careful, it ultimately led to their discovery of me.] [At first, they were just cautious, butter they began to systematically hunt me down. Ordinary "Sources" didn''t scare me; their strength is only based on their native worlds. Once they leave their worlds, even if many "Sources" act together, I could easily handle them, until... their "Master" appeared.] [I called the strongest among them the "Source Master," akin to the original consciousness of the "Sources." Such an existence, even I felt a shiver, thest time I felt such fear was when facing Lord Ashen. Perhaps only Lord Ashen could contend with it.] [Because of the "Source Master," I had to stop hunting for Source Essence outdoors and was forced to retreat back to our world. However, due to theck of "Source Essence," I could only perform a simple ritual, which could not perfectly synchronize Lord Ashen''s soul with the world, resulting in extremely poor stability.] [I initially wanted to lie low for a while, waiting for the "Source Master" to shift its attention. But when I ventured out again, I found our world was... surrounded. The Source Master had not left but instead eyed Lord Ashen''s body, leading arge number of "Sources" to block the world''s exit. Fortunately, we revived the Mother of Tainted Miasma, which made the "Source Master" hesitate to invade directly.] [But this was not a solution. Moreover, Iter faintly sensed that the Tainted Miasma might not have such a deterrent effect on the "Source Master." The reason it hasn''t acted is only because Miyuki is inside Lord Ashen''s body.] [I think the "Source Master" is afraid Miyuki would choose mutual destruction, destroying Lord Ashen''s body, so it dared not provoke us. After all, its purpose in surrounding our world was to obtain Lord Ashen''s body.] [I''m sorry, Lord Ashen, Lena has no other choice but to perform a simple summoning with the only Source Essence I have. This will result in you not directly returning to your own body but descending into the world in a new, frail body.] [To maintain stability and allow you to fully stay in our world, it requires your recognition of the world. This can only be achieved by you, Lord Ashen, writing a new chapter and leaving your mark in the world.] [Any excessive help from us would only undermine your influence on the world, which is why I''ve buried the truth and haven''t told Thia and the others.] [I foresee that this will not be an easy path, so Ibined the remaining Source Essence residue with a part of my soul, ultimately creating a guide for you. She will be your first contractor, having a part of me by your side makes me feel reassured about the future.] [As for myself...] [When you read this diary, I assume you have already sessfully reimed your power, haven''t you? I''m sorry for keeping this from you. Before you fully merge with the world, sustaining your arrival requires a power supply. My strength has been significantly depleted over these five hundred years, maybe to less than Disaster Rank? I was afraid that after meeting you in reality, you would immediately realize this, leading you to reject Lena''s n.] [Well] [Actually, it''s nothing much. The final step to make Lord Ashen truly Lord Ashen is to overwrite the Memory Points. I''ve also taken a brief look at your world. In your terms, it''s like overwriting a save file, right?] [Having Lena stay permanently on "Blue Star" will allow the Lord Ashen of "Blue Star" to be permanently reced, mergingpletely with your physical body in our world, achieving theplete you.] [Only in this way can you regain your power and oppose the surveince of the "Source Master."] [The moment you regain your power, the "Source Master" that surrounds our world will surely sense it. Then, it will act without hesitation, but I believe you, Lord Ashen, will definitely seed in repelling it. And this is thest thing I do for Lord Ashen. By this opportunity, let the world know that you... have returned.] [Whew! I''ve written a lot in this diary entry. Speaking of which, even though the name implies a "Subus'' Great Victory," in the end, the subus who is the female protagonist is no longer present. Please consider this Lena''s bit of selfishness. After all, sacrificing oneself for one''s lover is always the most memorable and profound victory, right? So, Lena has won, hasn''t she?] [Don''t worry about Lena. Lena, on the other side''s Blue Star, in your higher-dimensional world, can live well on her own, not lonely. If really lonely, I can also watch the films you shot for Lena, and I can also...] [...] [Lord Ashen, please apologize to Thia and the others for me. I am grateful for their tolerance of my whims and yfulness. In the end...] [I love you.] [Lena] Chapter 370 370: Five, Not One Less

Chapter 370 Chapter 370: Five, Not One Less

After reading thest diary, Renjipletely resolved all his doubts. The most surprising yet reasonable one was probably about Eileen. Initially, Renji did not notice Eileen''s differences. She was just a slightly stubborn and talkative scavenger. However, as he traveled to various countries and encountered more powerful people, it would have been difficult for a scavenger girl like Eileen to ept. Yet, she showed no fear and continued to be his capable assistant, ying a crucial role in many situations. Even his identity as the "Emperor Ashen" did not seem to oppress or make Eileen nervous. If anything, it was because Renji gave her a rtively rxed first impression. Later, when Nova, Zero, Suthia, the "Supreme" beings who were revered in the world five hundred yearster surrounded him, the scavenger girl remained unchanged. She still called him "old timer" andter, when he became "Doctor," she remained friendly, like a best friend, with no hint of fear. Although Renji learned from 86 that Eileen sometimes felt inferior when she was alone, she would regain her energy after sleeping. Even as she meet and contract with the most powerful beings in the world, she remained cheerful and had an incredible ability to ept things. Renji was happy to see this and initially thought that Eileen was just a carefree and broad-minded person. But now it seems, ''indeed, no matter how broad-minded one is, one cannot be to such an extent. No matter how strong one''s eptance ability is, the presence of ''Supreme'' beings like Suthia inherently exerts tremendous pressure, which cannot simply be alleviated by a good mentality, unless¡­'' ''Unless they were of the same level or at least close.'' In a sense, possessing both the ''Source Essence'' residue and Lena''s remaining soul, Eileen indeed fits the identity of a ''Scavenger''. ''This also exined why Lena seemed to have anticipated my every move'' Whether it was in the Dragon Nation or the Mechanical Alliance, Lena was not present, but the shadow of the Subus was everywhere. This was undoubtedly Lena''s meticulous strategy, but the Subus''s "eyes," Eileen, was also a significant factor. Renji shook his head. ''When I saw how Lena spoke ill of her mother in her diary, I should have guessed it'' ''Lena, you''ve always been by my side, haven''t you??'' If ying with people''s hearts is what the Subus race is best at, then Renji admits, he has indeed been thoroughly yed with. Renji''s hand clenched into a fist on the desk beside the diary. After taking several deep breaths, Renji suppressed his emotions and calmed himself down. ''I need to be calm, especially in situation like this'' ''First and foremost, there was no doubt that I must find Lena'' ''Ever since I decided to enter the "second round," I had made it clear that I did not care about any strength or being an emperor. I only want to be with my five wives'' ''All five of them, and not one less.'' Renji did not hesitate and walked straight out of the room. Outside, the Sin Tower was in an uproar, and even the entire Sin City was in chaos. The reason was that various strange phenomena appeared in the sky above. Some saw dark clouds gathering, while others saw fire clouds oryers of darkness shrouding the sky. From these sky anomalies, some people saw enormous and terrifying creatures that seemed to be about to rush into their world. Outside the room, Suthia and the others had been waiting for Renji. As the world''s strongest forces, they were the first to notice the world''s abnormality, and their expressions were very serious. However, when Renji walked out, they first froze, then showed unmatched joy because... "Lord Renji, your power..." As a warrior, Nova could not help but speak first. She was sure that although the young man in front of her had changed in appearance from five hundred years ago and no longer wore a cloak, his power made her feel the same awe as when she faced Emperor Ashen. Renji first nodded to everyone, then looked toward the sky, where anomalies appeared due to the invasion of the "Source."(The creature behind the scens). With his current strength, he could easily sense the distant sky. It was then that Renji discovered a thinyer of green membrane in front of these sky anomalies, like the atmosphere, protecting their world and preventing those mythical creatures from entering. ''Could it be...'' Renji seemed to understand something, and his heart felt a little more at ease. He then waved at his three women, inviting them into the room. At this point, there were no secrets worth hiding. Renji frankly revealed Lena''s diary, his identity, and the truth about the world to them. He was ready to face the anger, frustration, and even the worst-case scenario, disappointment, and disgust from Suthia and the others after learning the truth. However, in fact, Nova and Zero''s reactions were quite calm. "Lord Ashen, you only need to tell me who the enemy is, and I will help you rescue Lena," Nova said firmly. ''Yes, it seems she gave up thinking because it was tooplicated'' As for Zero, her answer was simple:[Master, give the order, and we will find Lena together] For Zero, a maid''s responsibility is to ept everything from her master. Both of them focused entirely on Lena. As for Renji, how he was, the truth before, and the present Renji who was beside them, that should be enough, right? Only Suthia was rtively silent, lowering her head. Indeed, among the three, the seemingly gentle and approachable nun was the one who thought the most. ''This truth must have been very heavy for her...'' "Lord Renji, we must bring Lena back, okay?" The nun quickly raised her head, and her gaze was no longer that of a gentle holy nun, but rather had a dark feeling. Even her voice became much more powerful. "After all..." "Thia doesn''t want Lena to win so easily, hehe... hehehe~" Clearly, what Suthia was concerned about, what made her lower her head in silence, was not Renji''s identity and background, but everything Lena had done for Renji in the memory point. She. She actually couldn''tpare, not even close to Lena. For a jealous person, if there was one thing in the world that they could not tolerate, it would be someone else paying more for their beloved than they did. And what was even more intolerable was that this "someone else" was a Subus. "Lord Renji, ording to Lena''s diary description of the future, the Source should haveunched an attack the moment you gained power, but now..." Suthia, who was already in her state, was the first to notice something wrong. Indeed. Renji had also discovered when he looked up at the sky just now that the world seemed to be protected, and at least in the short term, these mythical creatures could not invade. Otherwise, Renji would not even have time to exin to them now, and he would have to go straight into battle. This green screen barrier that blocked the "Source" obviously did not appear out of thin air. In this world, the only one who could do this was probably thest one remaining among "them." The one who joined Renji''s team in thete stage of the game, eventer than "Lena." The Elven Empress, Miyuki. Miyuki also participated in Lena''s n. Moreover, she was a very important part of it. No. It should be said that Lena learned the truth of this world with Miyuki''s help. So his next direction was already very clear. The Forest Alliance. Chapter 371 371: Miyuki’s Strategy

Chapter 371 Chapter 371: Miyuki''s Strategy

As the world undergoes dramatic changes, the sky''s strange phenomena have left people in a state of panic, causing chaos in Sin City. Naturally, the filming of "Enchanting Body" was forced to a halt, with everyone looking up at the sky in confusion and fear. Fortunately, Lena had anticipated this situation. her personal secretary Caroline took over the temporary governance of Sin City, deploying arge number of guards to temporarily calm the popce. Before leaving, the crew of "Enchanting Body" kept sending messages to Renji, inquiring about his situation and whether he needed any assistance, urging Renji to seek refuge quickly. Renji thanked everyone for their kindness and told Director Merlon that he would definitely continue filming thest episode of "Enchanting Body," which tells the happy life of the Ashen and the Subus Princess, but there might be a new actress by then. Although Sin City is located at the center of the world, it is still a considerable distance from the Forest Alliance. Due to its special nature, there are no electronic devices within the Forest Alliance, naturally no airports or flights, and even private nes can onlynd a dozen kilometers away from the forest, or they would lose control. This is also why the Forest Alliance has always had a low presence in the world, with very little poption mobility. However, for Renji now, it''s not that troublesome anymore. [Teleport] A huge magic circle rose under Renji''s feet. For a level 150 all-rounder protagonist, a minor spell like long-distance teleportation is effortless for Renji now. Regarding the Forest Alliance, Renji''s most impressionable memories are probably of the Old Alliance and the mother of Miasma who was reborn using Miyuki''s body. All along, the Forest Alliance has been the most mysterious among the five countries on the continent. In addition to the difficult journey mentioned above, the Forest Alliance''s closure to the outside world, with the phantom maze within the forest preventing outsiders from entering, is another major reason. ¡­ When Renji arrived at this vast forest, he could see many mythological creatures in the sky above, causing strange phenomena as they tried to break into the world. However,pared to the chaos in other countries, it seemed like... the Forest Alliance was not panicking? Instead, many races within this forest seemed to have anticipated something like this? "Here he is! Elder Rudd, the prophesied emperor has truly appeared!" "Is that, the legendary Emperor Ashen?" "Could it just be a human who happened toe by?" "Are you dumb, bear-brain? Would a mere passing human have three ''Supremes'' apanying him?" Amid the whispered discussions of various forest species, an elf elder approached Renji. This elder had six pairs of wings. The strength of elfkind is generally gauged by the number of wings on their back. Renji remembered the most powerful Elf King of the past had ten pairs. It was Miyuki''s appearance that broke the elfkind''s highest record, bing the legendary "Twelve-winged" Elf empress, which was said not to exist. Now this "Six-winged" elder, even in the old era, would be considered a powerful elf. "Lord Ashen, Lady Miyuki has instructed me to lead you into the Forest Alliance." It was very normal for Miyuki to expect his arrival. Because Renji remembered, in Lena''s n, it was Miyuki who hosted the soul in his body, ensuring the shell would not be upied by the ''Source.'' Now that he had returned as Emperor Ashen, the first to sense it would definitely be Miyuki. But. Upon hearing the words of Elder Rudd, Renji slightly frowned. Because at such a time, Miyuki would not fail to meet him personally. ''Perhaps, Miyuki''s current state is not good¡­'' Renji had always been worried about Miyuki because returning as the "Ashen" meant Miyuki lost her host body, and Miyuki''s original body was used to resurrect the mother of Miasma. So, where exactly Miyuki''s soul is now, Renji was unclear. Another thing that got his attention was; "Elder Rudd, what is the prophecy?" "Your Majesty, Centuries ago, a prophecy circted within the Forest Alliance, foretelling that one day the world''s skies would be enveloped in chaos, and creature from beyond would invade our world. At that time, the spirits of the old days would reappear, and the child of fate would open the doors to a new era." "Since ancient times, our elven race has been the guardians of the world. We have always remembered the prophecy, preparing day after day for theing crisis. The Phantom Forest, capable of isting all outsiders, is the result of our research." After saying this, Elder Rudd pointed to the dark green barrier in the sky. It was then that Renji realized that the Forest Alliance''s istion of outsiders was not due to arrogance or haughtiness but merely for experimentation. The purpose of the experiment was for this day, to apply this istion technique to the world, preventing the invasion of the "creature from beyond." ''This prophecy must have been disseminated by Miyuki'' Elder Rudd''s subsequent words further confirmed Renji''s guess and connected many previously unrted clues. "All this time, Lady Miyuki has also been preparing for this prophecy, secretly forming a new alliance." "The organization is too mysterious, even I am not very clear about it, but its name should be..." "The Old Alliance." Following Elder Rudd''s lead, Renji and his group delved deeper into the Forest Alliance, and upon arriving at the grand hall beside the World Tree, Renji met Miyuki. No, to be precise, it should be Miyuki''s body, with the soul of the mother of Miasma, Lilith. Now Lilith, maintaining the dignified posture of the "Elf Empress" in front of the elf elders, revealed her true form after waving the elders away. "Damn it, that... that person''s prophecy turned out to be true!" Lilith bit her finger, appearing frantic, angry, and somewhat incredulous. Previously, Lilith would never have revealed her true form in front of Ashen, especially now that she could sense that Ashen had fully regained his power. But with the prophecying true and the creature from beyond actually invading, she, being from the same world, naturally saw Renji as an ally. ''Ashen must think the same, right?'' Lilith stole a nce at Renji, and only after seeing that Renji did not show hostility towards her did she slightly rx. "Ashen, let''s set aside our destined battle for now. Follow me." After speaking, Lilith led Renji to the front of the World Tree. Although Lilith, as the mother of Miasma, essentially possesses Miyuki''s body, she also has some control over the World Tree. Like now. Under Lilith''s maniption, the World Tree activated an ability simr to an astronomical telescope, allowing Renji to see the specific situation outside their world. "There must be at least fifty giant creature, and the weaker ones, at least hundreds of them, are frantically devouring the barrier. This doesn''t even count the big guy in the deepest part; the barrier won''tst a few days." "Ashen, my disgust for those creatures from outside this world is far greater than for you. I have a feeling that if we let them invade our world, everything will be destroyed." "Damn it! In the old era, I wouldn''t fear no matter how many of them came. Damn it!" Lilith stomped her foot in frustration, casting a resentful nce at Renji. The "old era" she referred to is the one under the rule of Miasma. However, in the end, Lilith asked in a lower voice: "Do you have any n?" Lilith never thought she would see the day when she''d ce her hopes on Ashen. And for Renji, who had almost finished observing the enemy camp, understanding Lilith''s deep concern, indeed, their world, in terms ofbat power, even with the five of them, is simply not enough. Unless "Let''s do as you say." Renji replied, understanding the meaning of "spirits of the old days" in the prophecy, and grasped the true significance of the Old Alliance from Miyuki''s strategy. But Lilith was still puzzled. "What? What did I say?" "Let the old era descend again" Of course, Renji didn''t mean the disaster of Miasma from the old era. But rather "The Ashen Empire of the old era." Chapter 372 372: A Strike

Chapter 372 Chapter 372: A Strike

Renji hadn''t forgotten that in the Sealed City of the Dragon Nation, merely as a peripheral member of the Old Alliance, the jackal Roca had once summoned the "Spirits of the Old Days" through a blood sacrifice. Although Renji was unclear about the operational principles behind it, if Roca could do it, not to mention now, Lilith, as the Mother of Miasma and the leader of the Old Alliance. After his "salvation" of the world, peace did indeed arrive, but the rapid decrease of Miasma also led to a significant decline in the world''s nativebat strength. With the world''s current state, it''s indeed difficult to resist the invasion of the "Source," even with him and Nova among others, there would still be widespread suffering. These "Sources," although in some sense the creators of the world, had no semnce of emotion towards the native beings of the world they invade, as seen from the images in Lena''s diary, treating them like ants and wantonly despoiling them. Finding Lena was indeed the priority, but the Subus had given so much for his sake, hoping that he could protect this world. ''I don''t want my wife to return to a world riddled with scars'' So, the fastest way to enhance the nativebat power now is only¡­ "Lilith, I need you to summon as much as possible of my former subordinates, or as you call them, ''Spirits of the Old Days.''" After hearing Renji''s request, Lilith paused for a moment, then showed hesitation. Renji thought it was due to uncontroble factors such as excessive consumption. But unexpectedly¡­ "What do you mean, ''your subordinates.''" "They are clearly all my children," Lilith muttered in a dissatisfied tone, concerned about that point. But indeed. As the Mother of Miasma, and after being endowed with "humanity," in Lilith''s eyes, anyone tainted with Miasma was her "child." "So how many Spirits of the Old Days can you summon?" Without speaking, Lilith showed Renji through her actions. The form of the elf woman began to change, transforming into a dark-skinned elf, and from behind Lilith, tentacles began to spread. In the span of a few breaths, Lilith went from a dignified and elegant Elf Empress to a ck elf with nearly dozens of tentacles on her back, emitting a mutated and eerie aura. On each tentacle, as Lilith activated her ability, the figures of four or five Spirits of the Old Days could be seen flickering within, totaling up to two to three hundred Spirits of the Old Days across the tentacles. "So many?" This number even surprised Renji. Because in the game, even at the peak of the Ashen Empire, the number of his contracts was only about fifty. But now, Lilith was actually able tomand over two hundred Spirits of the Old Days. "Heh~, Ashen, I''m not like you, every one of my children is important to me." "I won''t abandon them." Lilith stroked the beloved tentacles on her back, and her words made Renji understand that these two hundred-plus Spirits of the Old Days included those from the start to the end of his game, including those Eclipse who had been eliminated and whose contracts had been terminated by him. In the game, Renji didn''t think much of it, where strength decided employment. But now that everything had be reality, Renji indeed felt apologetic towards those eclipses who had been ruthlessly abandoned by his former self or had be "nutrients." Unexpectedly... Lilith had even collected these spirits of the old days. ''Perhaps this is also one of the main intentions behind Miyuki''s formation of the Old Alliance and the revival of the "Mother of Miasma."'' Although she was thest to join Ashen''s team, Miyuki''s poprity in the team was almost the highest, and only someone who steadfastly held the belief of "protecting everyone" could be a "guardian" type character. The method Renji mentioned now, Lilith had thought of it. But the problem is, with her current strength, summoning so many Spirits of the Old Days at once, including some Disaster Rank Eclipse just below "them," would be very powerful. This would require an astronomical amount of Miasma, something even her at her peak might not be able to do, let alone now. Unless.. Lilith thought of the special traits of her "body." She had discovered before that the more she was attacked by Ashen, and the stronger the attack, the more power she could draw from it. When Ashen, who had "lost his power," fought with her, it saved her several years of cultivating by absorbing and exhaling Miasma. Now, having regained her strength and be the invincible savior, the Ashen Emperor who could pin her down and slice her like a squid. If I were to undergo another attack like before, this would be... Such a delight?????. Just thinking about it made Lilith shiver with excitement. Although the dark-skinned elf still feigned reluctance without openly showing it, the tentacles behind her couldn''t stop swaying. To those unaware, they might think it was a dog''s tail wagging, waiting eagerly for its owner''s affection. After quickly understanding Lilith''s intention, Renji had no objections. Moreover, he couldn''t help but admire Miyuki''s intricate setup. Miyuki''s mechanism of "growing stronger with each hit" has no upper limit onyers, theoretically allowing for infinite stacking, thus enabling Miyuki''s attribute values to reach a terrifying level. However, in the game, this was not possible due to Miyuki''s tolerance limit for Miasma. Once a certain threshold is exceeded, it could easily lead to a loss of control and pose a risk of "going berserk." Once an eclipse goes berserk, it''s akin to permanently losing that character, a risk Renji could not afford to take. And how could Renji bear to harm his wife with highly destructive attacks? But now. Combining the "Mother of Miasma" Lilith, which is akin to an "unlimited capacity" super battery, with Miyuki''s "charging" mechanism, was simply the perfect match. Another perfect factor was. Renji couldn''t bear to hit his wife. But when ites to others, he could let loose. Although he only inherited the power of Ashen, and the powerful set of equipment he had farmed in the game was gone. It didn''t matter. He had better equipment options now. Renji activated the "Touch of Miasma" ability. Nova transformed into Crimson Wings, boosting his strength and agility attributes, and taking his base attack values to the next level. Suthia turned into the Healing Holy Armor on his body, applying debuff capabilities to lower Lilith''s defense, reducing it by a percentage. Lastly, Zero, in the form of a DreamTerminal, provided him with precise attack assistance, increasing his critical hit rate and critical damage. With the blessing of three "Supreme" equipment pieces, Renji''s attributes now were even more terrifying than at the game''s end, during his peak period. Channeling this tremendous power into a single point, Renji felt as if he could punch through a star with this strike that was going to hit the elven woman... *Boooooom* Chapter 373 373: The Spirits of the Old Days

Chapter 373 Chapter 373: The Spirits of the Old Days

As Renji''s strike hit Lilith''s tentacles. A massive eruption of Miasma burst from the Elven Sanctum, making the entire forest seem as if it were swept by a fierce wind. A blood-red glow shot up into the sky, even covering the strange phenomena caused by mythical creatures from beyond this world at that moment. However, the Miasma didn''t bring contamination but was instead contained within the Sanctum established next to the World Tree. Many races within the forest now cast their devout and hopeful gazes towards the direction of the brilliantly glowing Sanctum because, ording to prophecy, what should follow is... The Spirits of the Old Days, returning to the Sanctum. At this moment, within the Elven Sanctum, Lilith floated high above the center of the Sanctum, and below her, where the Sanctum''s underground was previously, was exactly where the Old Alliance she founded resided. Now, as Lilith''s power surged, the influence of the Mother of Miasma on her surroundings became evident. The hall of the Old Alliance was quickly overrun by indescribable Miasma and blood-red vines, eventually transforming into a massive Miasma nest. This scene was something Renji had seen in the game. It was like a miniature version of the Miasma Abyss during the final battle. The Miasma Abyss, simr to the World Tree, is considered a world structure and part of the domain of the Miasma Mother. With the Miasma Abyss, many other things could be aplished. Like now. The tentacles behind Lilith began to sh red light, and the Spirits of the Old Days'' Eclipse that Lilith had collected, under her urging, started to rush crazily towards the Miasma Abyss below. Their temporary bodies were reconstituted within the Miasma Abyss, and the Spirits of the Old Days were awakened from centuries of slumber. Under the domain of Lilith, their consciousness matched with the Miasma bodies, reincarnating into this world. One by one, figures emerged from the abyss and walked into the grand hall. Among them were humans, demi-humans, and even unique races like mechanical and forest kinds. Many of them appeared slightly confused, as if they had been woken up from a long sleep. After sharing her memories with them, Lilith finally cleared the confusion of these Spirits of the Old Days. They fully regained their senses and understood the current situation. " Lord Ashen?" "Am I seeing things, or where is Lord Ashen''s cloak?" "Good heavens... Good heavens! In my lifetime, I can actually see Lord Ashen take off his cloak!" "You idiot, we''re already dead, we were dead to begin with!" "Right, haha, now I can truly die without regrets!" "Behaving so frivolously in front of Lord Ashen, what kind of behavior is this? Stand up straight and be serious!" "Heh, Teacher Piru is still as old-fashioned as ever, even after death." "It''s really nice to see His Majesty again." The two to three hundred Spirits of the Old Days, now summoned, gathered together in the sanctum. Initially, Renji was a bit worried they might react adversely to Lilith, the Mother of Miasma they had bled to defeat. Unexpectedly, everyone''s focus turned out to be...on me taking off my cloak? "¡­" Alright then When the crowd of excited contractees surrounded Renji, Lilith, who was supposed to be intimidating and fearsome, ended up being just a backdrop. "Lord Ashen, who has better control effects, me or Bianca?" "Quick, Gluck, take this opportunity. I mustpare with you in front of Lord Ashen who is on duty!" "Stupid Vanguard, embarrassing us in front of Lord Ashen." "Both of you shut up. If it weren''t for us, the Vanguard ss, taking the hits in front, what use would you weaklings be, right, My Lord?" "Hehe, you still don''t understand. Strength is temporary, beauty is forever." "Is that why, after participating in only two battles, Lord Ashen threw you to the back lines?" "Hmph! If Lord Ashen were a woman, I would surely be greatly valued!" "Pwahahahaha, Keep dreaming" The contractees from the game, now chattering away around Renji, couldn''t hide their joy at seeing their Emperor again, their excitement bubbling over. Renji tried to talk to each of them, forgetting some of their names, but as they mentioned past experiences, he could still recognize them. It wasn''t untilter, when Karl who had once served as a "strategist," stepped forward to take control of the situation, that Renji was finally relieved from the encirclement. Although the contractees were somewhat reluctant to part, they quickly returned to their senses, understanding the reason Renji had summoned them and their objectives. Facing the uing attack from the "Source," Nova, Thia, Zero, and others couldn''t stay by his side anymore; they needed to return to their own countries to defend their territories. The more than two hundred Spirits of the Old Days, ording to the original imperial organization, were also distributed to different countries, significantly boosting their defensive capabilities. In seeing the new world five hundred yearster, there were inevitably some episodes. For example, the demi-human Spirits of the Old Days from the Dragon Nation, like Karl and others, after learning about the very situation in the Dragon Nation, furiously reprimanded the officials there. Some officials tried to argue that it was Nova''s decision, which only made them get scolded even worse, nearly being chased down by fervent fans of the Empress. Then, the mechanical Spirits of the Old Days, upon returning to the Mechanical Alliance and learning about the stories between the mechanical servants and Ashen, eagerly requested data from the likes of 86 and others, especially regarding some not-so-healthy data. Even if the links were marked as "This link contains risks," they still insisted on "continuing to ess." The Spirits of the Old Days from the Holy Kingdom and Sin City were rtively harmonious. The former, under Suthia, possessed qualities as gentle and kind as nuns, were satisfied with the current state of the Holy Kingdom and the church, and wanted to continue redeeming others. Thetter, Lena''s sorcerer''s subordinates, also liked the independent city setting of Sin City as the "center and lighthouse of the world," worthy of their Princess Lena, the strongest sorcerer. As for Lena''s disappearance, they weren''t too concerned. After all, being part of the special abilities ss, they were the most mysterious and wise thinking that Lena must have her ns, and ultimately, the special abilities sector will prevail. The previously lively sanctum, with the departure of the Spirits of the Old Days and Suthia among others, was left with only Renji and Lilith. The current Miasma Mother Lilith, felt a bit dejected and depressed because the children she considered hers didn''t interact much with her, which saddened her and made her incredibly envious of Renji. In the end. Soldier to soldier, king to king. Renji was also about to meet the "Source Master," an entity that even Lena couldn''t contend with, to see what kind of existence it really was. Chapter 374 374: Another Door

Chapter 374 Chapter 374: Another Door

Using Lilith''s connection to the World Tree, Renji transported himself beyond the world. One after another, the "Sources" were frustrated for not being able to breach the barrier, and upon seeing Renji, who dared toe out as a "native being," they mistook him for Lena, who had been hunting them. After all, in their eyes, all native beings looked more or less the same, with nothing significant to differentiate them. For the first time, Renji reached the vast cosmos and truly saw the real body of the World Tree that stood upon the gxy, as mentioned in Lena''s diary. Before he could take a closer look at this beautiful and awe-inspiring creation, the mythological creatures'' giant forms were already upon him. Among them, Renji could recognize many familiar figures, such as the Crimson me Giant from Lena''s first diary entry, which turned the world into a hellish sea of fire. Leading the charge, the giant was engulfed in rolling mes from its massive body. The wave of heat rushing towards him felt as if it would melt everything. It must be said, mythological creatures, known as such for a reason, are indeed iparable to ordinary spirits in terms of appearance and momentum. But as for their true strength... Facing the me Giant''s roaring fiery palm, Renji pped back with his own hand. Despite the apparent disparity in size and presence between them, with the giant''s hand spanning dozens of meters, creating an overwhelming sensation like a sun-sized fireball, Renji seemed too insignificant for the me Giant to even consider worthy. However, in the next moment, as if encountering immense resistance, the fiery giant palm was abruptly halted mid-swing. Cracks began to appear from the center of the palm. The me Giant roared in pain, attempting to withdraw its hand, but it was toote. The cracks spread rapidly from the center like a spider web, and in the next breath, the giant fiery palm exploded, sending mes scattering chaotically in all directions. That wasn''t all. Renji wanted to show that size isn''t what makes one powerful; it''s the quality that counts. Even a droplet of water can pierce through a gctic fleet if it''s hard enough. After his palm burst the me Giant''s hand, it didn''t stop there but went through and finallynded on the me Giant''s main body. p! Following the loud sound of a p, the giant body of the me Giant, akin to a skyscraper, was now sent flying backward, crashing into several lower-tier mythological creatures before finallying to a stop. It seemed as though its brain was still buzzing, preventing it from getting up immediately. Perhaps having traded wisdom for size, this spectacle of the me Giant did not instill fear in the other mythological creatures towards Renji. At most, they merely perceived him as a tough opponent. This time, three giant beings collectively pressed toward Renji. However, no matter how many of them there were, the oue was the same. In the face of the vast disparity in strength, no amount of numbers couldpensate. Renji drew his ming longsword and activated Nova''s skill, his eyes turned red, and dragon patterns of tempered fire appeared on his skin. Then Nova''s ultimate technique [Crimson sh] was unleashed in a single stroke. With the enhancement of level 150 attributes, no mythological creature could withstand the edge of his de. Merelying into contact with it resulted in them being directly shattered, even more miserably than the me Giant who was pped away by Renji, instantly killed on the spot. But... Renji looked at the three mythological creatures he had in with a single stroke, noticing that although their forms had perished, as "Sources," their existence was actually a type of energy-matter. Their shattered bodies gradually reassembled. The more powerful the mythological creature, the slower this process, somewhat simr to how in many games, the higher a yer''s level, the longer the respawn time after death. Ordinary Sources were not Renji''s objective for this journey. Without further dy, he flew solo across the Sea of Sources, heading deeper towards the celestial World Tree. Upon reaching the canopy, Renji finally saw the "Source Master" that Lena had mentioned. The scene before Renji gave him the impression of a phoenix perching on a parasol tree. The so-called "Source Master" was a gigantic phoenix nesting atop the World Tree''s canopy, appearing to coexist with the World Tree. Its wings,prised of countless healthy leaves, each leaf representing a world, clearly set its sights on Renji''s world, intending to im the best "leaf" on the World Tree for itself. As the phoenix "Source Master," its strength was still capped at level 90. Renji could feel that, for beings of the World Tree, level 90 seemed to be the limit that native creatures could reach, a threshold that even the "Sources" could not surpass. But the reason why Lena was still helpless in front of the "Source Master" was because... As the phoenix spread its wings towards Renji, each leafposing its wings shimmered with light, revealing shadows of former yers'' bodies within, now being used to provide energy for the "phoenix." Although the "Source Master" was theoretically still level 90, beingprised of hundreds to thousands of worlds meant it had a massive reserve of backup energy to utilize. If it came to a battle, even with Renji''s attribute suppression, as long as he couldn''t instantly kill the opponent, being worn down by the opponent would still lead to his defeat. Having roughly gathered the intelligence he needed, Renji naturally chose not to engage the "Source Master" at this time. He flew outwards, returning to his own world. The phoenix excelled in prolongedbat, and truly wanting to pursue Renji was futile; both parties were in a stalemate. Back at the Elven Sanctum, Renji called for Lilith. He now had a slight idea of how to strategize against the "Source Master." And this also corresponded exactly to the prophecy of the Elf race. -"One day, the sky of the world will be enveloped in chaos, creatures from beyond will invade, and then the Spirits of the Old Days will reappear. The Child of Destiny will open the door to a new era for the world."- The initial parts of the prophecy had alreadye true, but neither the Elf race nor Lilith could understand thest sentence. The Child of Destiny should refer to the once savior, the Ashen Emperor. But what does it mean to "open the door to a new era for the world"? They could only interpret it as a symbol of "victory." Initially, Renji thought so too, but after seeing the "Source Master," he understood the true meaning of these words. There indeed exists a method to repel the "Source Master," even eliminate it, without relying on the Ashen''s power. The Source Master''s strengthes from its wings, from the many worlds forgotten by yers after their "game over," the worlds they "abandoned." If he could revive these worlds, allowing each "savior" to log back in and break free from the "Source Master''s" control, the Source Master''s power would naturally crumble. And this undoubtedly couldn''t be achieved within this "dimension." I need... To open another door, the door to "Earth." Chapter 375 375: Ashen Cloak

Chapter 375 Chapter 375: Ashen Cloak

"Can you sense where your sister is now?" Renji asked Lilith, who initially did not react, but then realized that Renji was referring to the real Miyuki. Lilith didn''t know much more about Miyuki''s secret than Renji did. She thought she had corrupted and revived an elf, only toter find out that she was actually the one being actively revived by someone else. Lilith couldn''t actively sense Miyuki; she didn''t have that ability. Seeing that Lilith was of no help, Renji pondered for a moment and quickly came up with a new idea. "Follow me." Renji, with a confused Lilith in tow, arrived at the base of the World Tree. Recalling the memory of the path to the World Tree''s lower levels from Zero and Lena, Renji asked Lilith to try and see if she could also open an underground passage here. Lilith was unaware of the World Tree''s underground space, a first for her. Following Renji''s instructions, to her surprise, the World Tree''s branches and leaves parted to either side, revealing a secluded passage like a tree hollow. Lilith hesitated, but seeing Renji enter without any hesitation, she bit the bullet, deciding she couldn''t lose her spirit, regardless of what was inside, and followed him deeper. After a few minutes, Renji finally reached the deepest part of the World Tree''s underground. Here, he first showed disappointment, as the expected Miyuki were not present. However, Renji quickly looked deeper into the underground space. On the ground there, there was aplex pattern resembling a magic circle. The pattern and lines were intricate, but its working principle was quite simple, and Renji could understand it at a nce. The formation consisted of three parts: two auxiliary formations and one main formation. At the main formation''s location, there was a cloak draped quietly on a stone tform. Even Lilith could recognize this cloak at a nce, as it was the same cloak worn by the person who defeated and killed her five hundred years ago. This is the Ashen Cloak! When Renji picked it up, the corresponding item description immediately caught his eye. [Ashen] [Type: Special Item] [Rarity: Unique] [Item Effect 1: Return to the "Origin"] [Item Effect 2: Forces the user into a "Silence" state, "Silence" entry - unable to release any abilities] [Equipment Effect 3: Adds a "Mist" state to the user, "Mist" entry - loses sight of friendly units] [Equipment Effect 4: Adds a "Fatal Weakness" state to the user, "Fatal Weakness" entry - all attributes are forcibly reduced to 1 point] [How to Use: Wear it!] [(The legendary cloak of Emperor Ashen, which, no matter the battle, never falls off or gets damaged, once served as the beginning of a story, and now, it may also be the end of it.)] Indeed, after reading the information about [Ashen], it was exactly what Renji was looking for, the door left by Miyuki for him to open. Whether to wear it or not, Renji paused for a few seconds. In Lena''s diary, she always referred to their world, "Blue Star," as a high-dimensional world. This terminology was undoubtedly mixed with Lena''s respect for him as Emperor Ashen, hence calling Blue Star (Earth) a higher-level world. On the other hand, as yers, having the chance to restart infinitely does indeed reflect a "high-dimensional" reality, so the subus''s terminology was not wrong. Thus, descending from a higher dimension to a lower one is not very difficult, like pouring water, which anyone can do. But if you want to make water flow upwards, the difficulty increases exponentially. Ascending from a lower to a higher dimension is bound to have many side effects. From the attributes of [Ashen], Renji could somewhat understand Miyuki''s hints. Silence corresponds to all the special abilities one has in this world being sealed off and unusable on Blue Star. Renji could guess as much. After all, his real world once had slogans like "Ahead lies Blue Star, where gods and demons are banned." Perhaps these inte jokes, much like many ancient myths passed down through generations, are not merely "jokes" but something more. The "Fatal Weakness" that follows likely refers to the same thing, but even more severe. Renji, converting ording to the game''s attribute system, guesses that the average attributes of a normal male on Blue Star should be around 3-5, a bit lower for college students, probably 2-3, but having all attributes at 1, would feel like being a shut-in for years or just recovering from a serious illness. As for thest part, does the mist state mean one bes blind? Not quite. If it were blindness, "Blindness" would have been a more appropriate status. Using "Mist," a rare special state that loses sight of friendly units, could it mean there is something in between... However, despite the many negative effects, Renji took a deep breath and hesitated no longer, draping the cloak, which might as well be considered an old friend by now, directly onto himself. Finding a way to end the "Originator" is just one reason. What made Renji so determined was also knowing that Lena was there. And Lena must have experienced all these "side effects" as well. He was very worried about Lena now. I must find Lena and bring her back. After donning the cloak, the "door" connecting the two worlds that he imagined did not open. Instead, it was as if nothing had happened. "..." [Teleportation failed, reason: Insufficient energy] [Teleportation failed, reason: Unknown coordinates] After some time, two notifications appeared before his eyes. Renji, eager to return, had almost forgotten the principles of the teleportation array. The first issue, insufficient energy, he understood well; this was why he brought Lilith down here, indeed expecting the Mother of Miasma to be of use at this time. However, the meaning of "unknown coordinates" was... Renji suddenly realized that the premise for him to perfectly inherit the power of Emperor Ashen was for Lena to rece him, exchanging him out of "Blue Star." That is to say, he was no longer a person of Blue Star; there was no "existence" of him on Blue Star anymore, naturally, he could not serve as a coordinate. What do I do now? Teleportation definitely requires coordinates, meaning, I need to find a "Blue Star person" currently in this world. But where could I find someone at this time... Wait! Among them, right by my side, there indeed was another "Blue Star person." Eileen! The girl who harbors Lena''s remnant soul, now that Lena is on "Blue Star", she should be able to provide me with coordinates, even allowing me to descend directly to an area very close to her on Earth! Renji immediately activated his contractual ability, bringing Eileen to this underground space as well. However, Renji hid the truth from Eileen, not telling the girl about the remnant soul of Lena within her, or even the possibility that she might just be an incarnation of Lena''s will. This approach of Renji''s could be seen in his treatment of Zero and 86. In Renji''s view, no matter who contains whom, as long as one has independent consciousness, then she is an independent entity. Just as 86 is not Zero, Eileen will always be Eileen. After Eileen and Lilith took their ces on either side of the teleportation array. Renji donned the [Ashen] cloak once again. Just as described on the cloak. [Once served as the beginning of a story, and now, it may also be the end of it] Chapter 376 376: Finally, I’ve been waiting for you

Chapter 376 Chapter 376: Finally, I''ve been waiting for you

Ah, at longst, it''s finally finished, I do apologize for the dy. I will try to post all the dyed chapters this week. ------ Drip, drip, drip. The cold raindrops hit the young man''s face, gradually awakening his consciousness. His wet body shivered instinctively as the cold wind blew through the rainy weather, and he wrapped his coat tighter around himself. It was a seemingly worn-out cloak. Where is this ce? Who am I? Under the tattered cloak, the young man raised his face, full of confusion. He seemed to ponder for a good while before recalling something, such as his name. The rain continued to fall, and the bone-chilling cold made the young man''s already weak body even more unbearable. Although Renji''s mind was still in a state of chaos, and he felt like he had forgotten many things that he couldn''t remember, driven by instinct, he struggled to stand up from the ground and found a corner to shelter from the rain. Although he was finally out of the rain, his tattered cloak had already been soaked through earlier, sticking to his body and constantly consuming what little heat he had left. Driven by instinct, Renji wanted to take off the drenched, tattered cloak, as it was already in such a state of disrepair that it couldn''t provide much protection against the wind. But just as the young man was about to remove the cloak, his hands stopped. This time, it wasn''t a physiological instinct. It was as if some subconscious deep within his heart was stopping him. Renji looked at his paused hands in puzzlement. The confused expression appeared on the young man''s face once again. He tried hard to remember, attempting to grasp onto something. But in the end, his throbbing head made him give up. He could only vaguely understand that this cloak must be very important to him. "It''s so cold." Hiding in this small alley wasn''t a solution. Although it could provide shelter from the rain, the cold wind could still beat down on his body. Renji, shivering all over from the cold, had to find a new ce that could block the wind and rain while he could still move. If possible, it would be nice if it could be a little warmer. With this thought in mind, the young man''s empty brain finally had some more information. He finally recalled a few more things besides his name. For example, where his home was. Right. I must go home. Although Renji didn''t know why he was out on the street in the rain or why he was wearing such a tattered cloak when he went out, at least it was reassuring to him that he still had a home. Renji had walked the way home countless times since he was a child, but this time, he still stumbled and took several wrong turns before finally finding the familiar apartment building in his memory. At this point, Renji was in a terrible state. His body, already as weak as if he had just recovered from a serious illness, had walked in the rain for more than ten minutes. Renji was now panting heavily, feeling that his limbs were no longer under his control, and his hands and feet were ice-cold. But his spirit was still high because?he was home. After entering the apartment building, the elevator was temporarily out of service, so Renji could only climb to the fourth floor with difficulty. Fortunately, his home was not on a high floor; otherwise, he doubted whether he could have made it to this floor. Everything had been the same as in his memory so far. However, when?Renji turned the corner to where his home was located in the corridor, he was somewhat stunned. Because the door of this "home" in front of him... was different from what he remembered. Was my original door like this? Renji fell into a brief state of confusion, but he quickly shook his head. He thought he must have had a fever, his mind a mess, and he must have misremembered. All he wanted now was to get home and sleep in his bed. The young man habitually reached into his pockets, but there was nothing in the cloak or his pants. No keys!?. Renji did feel a moment of panic, but fortunately, he could see that there should still be someone at home because he could smell the aroma of fooding from inside the door and see the warm light through the crack. Did I have a family? It was another point that conflicted with Renji''s memory. He had a nk impression of "family," and his confused mind made the young man a bit fed up. He simply pressed the doorbell. Ding dong, ding dong. After the doorbell rang, footsteps could be heard from inside the house, and soon, a slightly impatient voice came from "home." "Who is it!?" Who... who is it? "It''s me," the young man replied in a weak voice. "What!?" But apparently, the man in the "home" didn''t understand and seemed surprised. The young man had no choice but to speak again, "It''s me, Renji." "Renji? Who''s that? I don''t know you. You must have the wrong door." After replying like this, the man on the other side of the door seemed to turn around and go back inside, while the young man stood frozen in ce. Renji first reconfirmed the location and was sure this should be his home, except for the different door. So Renji rang the doorbell again. Ding dong, ding... "Are you f**king sick!?" After hurried footsteps, the cursing man yanked the door open. He first nced at Renji''s appearance, and upon seeing his drenched state and the tattered cloak that looked like it had been picked up from the trash, he gave him an even more disgusted and loathing look. "Hello, may I ask..." Before Renji could finish, the man interrupted him directly and said fiercely, "I''ll tell you one more time, I don''t know anyone named Renji. I don''t care if you''re a scammer or some beggar. If you dare to harass me again and don''t leave, I''ll call the police!" Bang! After saying that, the man mmed the door shut, this time with force, as if to express his displeasure, making a heavy "bang" sound. Even after the door was closed, the man''s cursing could still be heard from inside. "I''m so f**king done. It''s already 2051, how can there still be people like this? This crappy neighborhood, collecting such high property management fees every month, yet not doing a thing about security, allowing such people toe in and harass residents..." "Damn it, I shouldn''t have been fooled by that dog sh*t real estate agent and bought this old house here back then." "..." The voice from inside the house became inaudible after that. It was unclear whether the man had walked away or if Renji''s mind was buzzing in confusion. 2051? Although Renji couldn''t remember much, he still had a vague concept of time because a game he particrly enjoyed ying had a release date of Sep 10, 2023. At that time, he was eagerly anticipating it in front of the screen, so the date left a deep impression on him. But why was it now... 2051? A difference of nearly thirty years? And also... that game I particrly liked back then... what was it? When Renji furrowed his brows and tried hard to recall, the feeling of his brain being torn apart immediately surged again, making his head ache as if an invisible wall was blocking him. His painful head finally made him give up, but next, the young man fell into confusion again. Because the change of "home" and the passage of time made Renji begin to distrust his own memory. Moreover, the warning from the man inside just now made Renji not dare to knock on the door again or stay here for too long. If the police and property management really came to the door, it would undoubtedly add insult to injury in his current situation. The dazed young man had no choice but to return to the streets again. Back to the dark alley where he had woken up. After several twists and turns, the young man was extremely exhausted, and his eyelids began to droop uncontrobly. Renji finally curled up in the corner of the alley, his consciousness gradually blurring. Before falling into a deep sleep, Renji used thest bit of his strength to make a wish in his heart. If only... the rain could be lighter. He didn''t know how long it had been. Maybe a minute? Or maybe an hour? Renji''s consciousness was pulled out of the darkness. The reason was that changes in the external environment made his body instinctively leave sleep. When the dazed young man raised his head from the tattered cloak and opened his eyes, he found... the rain had indeed stopped. No... that''s not right. The rain hadn''t stopped. Instead... a beautiful big sister with golden wheat-colored long hair, as if she had stepped out of some game, was now in front of him. She was half-bent, one hand on her knee, and the other holding an umbre decorated with forest patterns above them, shielding them from the cold rainwater. The woman seemed to have been watching for a long time. Until he woke up and made eye contact with those jade-like green eyes, the woman smiled faintly, apanied by the pitter-patter of rain, and whispered softly. "Finally, I''ve been waiting for you." Chapter 377 377 Yuki

Chapter 377 Chapter 377 Yuki

"Waiting for me!?" Renji''s mind went nk at those words. He didn''t recognize the beautiful woman in front of him. Plus, with the rain seeming to get heavier around them, the young man suspected he had misheard her over the sound of the downpour. The woman''s next words seemed to confirm this. Seeing the confusion and perplexity on the young man''s face, as if she understood something, she quickly spoke again: "Little brother, why are you sleeping in a ce like this?" Now that made more sense. Renji took this blonde, green-eyed woman to be a kind passerby. He waved his hand at the woman, indicating he was fine, and then went to stand up to find another spot. Renji himself didn''t know why he was doing this. Maybe it was his inner pride and vanity acting up? In any case, he didn''t want his destitute appearance to be seen by thisdy in front of him. But reality was cruel. Renji had just gotten to his feet and hadn''t even taken a single step when his weakened body dealt him a blow. His dizzy head nearly made him stumble. Fortunately, the woman in front of him reacted swiftly, catching him at once and preventing him from falling. However, as a result... "S-sorry," Renji apologized after steadying himself, looking at the woman''s dress that had gotten dirty and wet from supporting him with his soaked, tattered cloak. It was a very pastoral style light yellow dress, decorated with leaves and wreaths. Judging from the fine fabric, it must have been quite expensive. Now Renji was at a bit of a loss, his morals told him that after dirtying someone else''s belongings, he needed to take responsibility, so he could no longer just leave. But if he didn''t go... Now penniless and even "homeless", what could he possibly offer aspensation? On the other side... *Chuckle* Seeing the young man like this, the woman suddenlyughed. Then her eyes lit up as if she had thought of a good idea. From the young man''s attitude just now, he was very wary of her as a stranger, and didn''t have much reaction to her beauty. When she took the initiative to talk to him, the young man wanted to leave in a hurry. This was very tricky. If she insisted on making him stay, it would likely provoke the young man''s resistance and make him even more wary and averse. But now... "It''s okay, it''s not your fault," the woman said, but the expression on her face still showed a bit of distress and difficulty over the soiled, wet dress. This undoubtedly made the young man feel even more guilty. Perhaps it was his pride acting up again, but the young man blurted out without thinking, "I, I''ll wash it for you." Of course, Renji regretted it as soon as he said it. Not even considering if he knew how to wash a woman''s dress. The question was, where would he wash it for her? Even if there was a dedicatedundromat nearby. Then what? It''s not like I could have thisdy take off her clothes and give them to me now, right? With this thought, Renji subconsciously nced at the woman again. Her proud and ample upper body, the perfect rounded curves of her lower body under the fitted dress - even many actresses probably couldn''tpare to such a graceful and beautiful figure. No, no... What am I thinking? Why are my thoughts bing lecherous? Renji shook his head, wanting to quickly toss out these messy thoughts. The other person was so kind-hearted, how could I have such dirty... The young man hadn''t even finished confronting his inner thoughts when, unexpectedly, the woman''s next words made him freeze on the spot again. "Wash clothes for me... Alright then, my house is not far from here, let''s go." Uh!??????... Renji: "..." "What''s wrong?" The woman blinked her innocent eyes, looking puzzled at the young man who stood still as if he wanted to say something. "brother, you said you would wash it for your sister, so are you going back on your word now?~" The woman said with a smile, while showing expressions like "If you go back on your word, there''s nothing I can do", "It wasn''t your fault to begin with", "Never mind, it''s okay". Actually, Renji had wanted to refuse at first. But upon seeing the woman''s expression, it was as if something was stirred up in his heart. His mind got heated and he blurted out as if in a fit, "I''m afraid of dirtying your clothes again, you go ahead, I''ll just follow behind." But unexpectedly, the woman didn''t back off and instead took a few more steps closer to the young man. Before Renji could even react, the woman was already almost shoulder-to-shoulder with him, with part of their clothes sticking together again. The woman''s exnation for this was: "It''s going to be washedter anyway, so it doesn''t matter if it''s dirty or not. My umbre is a bit small, let''s just make do like this." As the distance closed in, Renji could smell the faint fragrance emanating from the woman''s body. It had a jasmine-like feeling, as if one was in a sea of flowers. Speaking of which... From the forest-patterned umbre at the beginning, to the pastoral style dress, and finally this sea-of- flowers lingering perfume - the other party really seemed to like nature a lot. --Nature...-- Renji felt that something seemed to sh across his mind, but when he tried to grasp it again, it disappeared. That piercing and tearing feeling hit him again, making the young man frown. At this moment, whether intentionally or identally, the woman''s body tilted slightly as she walked, suddenly pressing her arm against the young man''s. This was different from just clothes touching. Renji immediately felt therge area of softness transmitted from the arm, as well as the other party''s body heat. This stimtion instantly brought Renji back to his senses, no longer trying to dig into his memories, and naturally that painful feeling disappeared as well. Renji was a bit surprised. The ce he had hoped to find before that could shelter from the rain, block the wind, and hopefully be a bit warm - it wasn''t fulfilled by his previous "home", but now, it was achieved in this way. The young man hurriedly took a small step outward to create some distance. Although the other party was indeed very beautiful, he wasn''t some casual person, let alone someone who would take advantage of the situation. Renji considered himself to be a very conservative and traditional person. Especially when it came to rtionships between men and women. The young man''s little movements - the woman pretended not to notice and didn''t try to identally press arms together again. As if to ease the awkward atmosphere, the woman took the initiative to ask on the way home: "Brother, what''s your name?" "Renji." "..." "..." After about five more seconds of silence, the woman stopped and looked at the clueless young man with slightly angry eyes. "At this time, a polite good kid should ask back, ''What''s your name, sister?'', you know?" Renji: "..." "What''s your name, sister?" "Yuki." "You can just call me Yuki." The elf-like sister said sweetly to the young man with a smile. Chapter 378 378 Rent part 1

Chapter 378 Chapter 378 Rent part 1

Ssh ssh The sound of water kept going. But this wasn''t the sound of rain, it was from the showerhead. The bathroom door was left ajar with a small crack. Through the gap, one could see the vague white figure in the steamy mist inside. So... how did it turn out like this? The slightly restless young man in the living room couldn''t help but sink into his memories. After Yuki brought him to the bottom of her apartment building, Renji hadn''t intended to go up. But at Yuki''s insistence, he was still led into her home. Coming to her ce was one thing. But before Renji could say anything, Yuki went straight to the bathroom, saying she was soaked and sticky, and needed a good shower. However, Yuki seemed to have forgotten that there was still an outsider like him. She very casually started undressing, and didn''t even close the bathroom door tightly. Renji, on the living room sofa, resisted letting his gaze instinctively peek through the bathroom crack. To divert his attention, Renji began to focus his eyes on the walls of Yuki''s home. There were many paintings here. Some were of fantastical flowers and nts that Renji had never seen before, the kind that would only appear in fantasy movies. Others depicted a noble and elegant alien race with pointed ears and beautiful butterfly-like wings on their backs. If I remember correctly, they were called... elves? For some reason, Renji became a bit entranced as he looked, even starting to superimpose the faces of the elves that didn''t exist in reality with Yuki''s... "Pretty, aren''t they?" A sudden voice from behind startled Renji, bringing him back to reality. When he turned his head, he found that Yuki had already finished her shower ande out. The woman now seemed to be appreciating these paintings in her home together with him. It''s just... Renji was no longer in the mood for that now. Because Yuki beside him hade out wrapped in just a towel, barely covering her private parts, exposingrge areas of fair, delicate skin that seemed even more translucent after just bathing. "Um... I..." The young man really didn''t know where to put his eyes. Yuki was exuding a dangerous aura all over. Renji could only lower his gaze to the floor. Just as he was about to say something, he was interrupted again. "You should go too, it''s still warm in there. If you wait, the heat will escape!" Renji: "...?" By the time the young man came back to his senses, he was already holding the change of clothes Yuki had shoved at him and was pushed into the bathroom from before. Take a good hot shower and get rid of the chill, or else you''ll definitely catch a cold and fever the next day! Renji remembered that''s what Yuki said before closing the door on him. Perhaps it was because his body was indeed too weak, or because Yuki gave him an inexplicable sense of trust. As Renji groggily took off his cloak and clothes, standing naked in the bathroom showering, the warm hot water from the showerhead gradually warmed his icy body. Renji''s head also seemed to clear up a bit. So... I am taking a shower in a strange woman''s home just like that? Renji carefully recalled the process. Everything was so surreal. He had wondered if Yuki might be a scammer, like the kind that harvests kidneys. But the problem was, there shouldn''t be any scammers who would bring people to their own homes, right? It''s usually hotels. Moreover, judging from Yuki''s appearance, attire, and now this apartment of several hundred square meters, Yuki didn''t seem to be short on money. Then... why is she so nice to me? Renji thought about it for a long time but couldn''t figure it out. It... it couldn''t be that she was lusting after my body, right? Although Yuki said to wash for a while to warm up his body, preferably soaking in a bath, Renji couldn''t possibly really do that. After a simple wash, he quickly turned off the shower. The previous clothes were already soaked through and definitely couldn''t be worn now. Renji could only change into the clothes Yuki had prepared for him. Surprisingly, these clothes fit exceptionally well, as if they were tailor-made for his size, even down to the underwear. Renji took this as a coincidence. What he was more concerned about was that Yuki''s home had these men''s clothes. Could it be that Yuki was already married? Thinking of this, the young man felt even less able to stay here. Otherwise, what would it be considered if word got out - a married young woman inviting a vagrant into her home? Although Renji didn''t think he was a vagrant, at least from appearances, his getup was indeed pretty close. Pushing open the bathroom door and walking out, what made Renji breathe a sigh of relief was that Yuki was no longer in that sexy attire of just a bath towel. The woman had changed into a set of casual homeware and was sitting in the living room eating sunflower seeds. After Renji came out, he nned to quickly pack up his things, thank Yuki, and then leave. As for the set of clothes he was wearing now, he would wash them properly and return themter. At this, Yuki was stunned at first. The young man''s attitude had changed so much, suddenly increasing a lot of distance from her, catching Yuki a bit off guard. But when the young manter said "What if your husbandes back and misunderstands", Yuki suddenly realized and seemed to understand something, then showed a very meaningful smile. "I don''t have a husband," Yuki said first, but then felt it wasn''t quite right. She paused and added, "At least for now." "Then these clothes are?" Renji didn''t know why he was asking further like this either. "You could say they''re my younger brother''s." "Younger brother?" "Mm, I originally had a very cute brother. Butter on, he ran away from home. Fortunately, before he left, he still left some clues. I followed the clues and came to this strange ce all by myself. Later, I heard from my family that he had already returned, found by my younger sister, so I was relieved." "Originally, I was also nning to go back. But then I thought, it wouldn''t be bad to put down roots here either. In case my younger brother runs back here again, I can also catch him and bring him back myself without troubling others! And ifter on my brother wants to settle down and establish himself here, I can also help him out a bit." After hearing the woman''s exnation, if Renji had to say his most direct feeling, it would be... He fiercely envied Yuki''s younger brother. Running away from home without a word, yet still having so many people care about him. Even his older sister directly chased after him to a strange city. Later, she even considered her younger brother''s career, wanting toy the groundwork for him here first. Just what great deeds did this younger brother do in his past life to be able to have such a sister in this life? "Your younger brother must have saved the world in his previous life, right?" Renji couldn''t help but sigh with such emotion. At this, Yuki let out a chuckle, as if amused by Renji. She blinked her bright, shining eyes and nodded with a very certain tone: "Of course! He is a great savior!" Renji didn''t pay too much attention, taking this as a symbol of Yuki and her younger brother having a very good rtionship. The woman also didn''t delve too deeply. Instead, she took over the topic and asked in turn: "Alright, this sister has shared her own story with you. Shouldn''t you also tell sister about yourself?" Renji hesitated for a moment at this, then quickly shook his head with an apologetic look. "I''m sorry, Miss Yuki. I... I seem to have a bit of amnesia. I feel like I can''t remember many things." "Before, I still remembered that my home was right here. Butter, I found out I misremembered. Now, the only thing I can probably confirm is just my name..." The young man lowered his head as he spoke, clenching his fists a little. "I see... It seems Lena''s previous research was correct. The stronger a person''s abilities, the greater the bacsh force after they ascend dimensions..." Yuki muttered in a voice only she could hear. Very soon after, she suddenly got up from the sofa and sat next to the downcast young man. Then, catching Renji off guard, Yuki leaned in and said: "If that''s the case, thene live together with me!" "Hah!?" Chapter 379 379 Rent part 2

Chapter 379 Chapter 379 Rent part 2

So they are in Japan now, and the currency is like this, 6.37$ = 1000 yen. ---------------------- "You see, my home is so big. There are many rooms that are empty. Rather than leaving these rooms empty, why not let you live in them for now? Now that you have amnesia, you definitely don''t have a ce to stay, right?" Renji couldn''t deny Yuki''s words. Indeed, for him, this was the best solution right now. But... "Also, you see, I have always been alone. Actually, I''m very scared and lonely. If there was someone who could apany me, I would be very happy!" "Mm~ Mm~! It''s decided then!" Not giving Renji any more chance to hesitate, Yuki grabbed the young man''s hand and made a pinky promise gesture. Yuki''s hand was very soft, as if boneless, yet also very stic. For some reason, Renji suddenly thought of the beautiful elf in the mural on Yuki''s living room wall. From all aspects, he had no reason to refuse. Renji could only stubbornly say onest thing: "I won''t stay for free. I''ll go out and find a job right away. When I earn money, I''ll pay you rent, Sister Yuki." Yuki nodded at this, quite serious too. She didn''t say anything like she really wanted to keep him. After a detailed discussion, the two finally decided to settle on a rent of 43,278 yen for the first month. Later, when Renji''s work stabilized, he would take the initiative to raise the rent to 69,690 yen, in line with the formal market rent for this area. With all this bustle, the sky had gradually reached dusk. At some point, the rain outside had stopped. Coupled with the current sunset, there was a unique charm to the evening glow. Yuki personally cooked and made Renji a hearty dinner. Renji also decided to rest today, sleep off the weakness in his body, and then go find a job in high spirits. The next day, before dawn had fully broken, Renji got up and quietly left. After a night''s rest, although his body was still very weak, it was much better than yesterday''s state of just recovering from a serious illness. At least he wouldn''t gasp for breath after walking a few steps. Renji even had a dream at night. He dreamed that there really was an elf who looked like Yuki, giving him ap pillow. Later, at his request, she even provided an ear-cleaning service for him. For such a dream, Renji was endlessly remorseful. Yuki was so good to me, how could I have such improper thoughts about her? Renji, with the sole intention of quickly earning money to pay rent, was full of energy and ran to several ces to find work. However... reality was rather cruel. "Your resume? What!? You don''t have one? If you don''t have one, why are you here? Don''t waste my time!" "Education? University graduate? Come on, now even graduate students are everywhere. Who wants a mere university graduate like you? You think we''re running a charity here?" "Bro, I''m not trying to be mean, but with your scrawny build, I''m afraid you''ll copse after moving just a few bricks!" Renji went to several ces in a row, but all returned empty- handed. Finally, he managed to find a restaurant hiring servers. But when the supervisor wanted to register Renji''s information and asked him to show his ID and citizen card, Renji got stuck. He also realized a very serious problem. I...seemed to have no identity? Renji had no choice but to leave. Later, he wanted to deliver food, but found that he needed to register identity information online. He didn''t even have a phone, let alone a motorcycle for delivery. After a day of searching, fortunately, hard work pays off. Renji found a job as a cashier at a convenience store at the bottom of a building. The boss here epted Renji''s situation of not having an ID card, treating Renji as an out-of-towner doing undocumented work. As for the corresponding pay, it was reduced from the original 451 yen per hour to only 155.92 yen now. Even if Renji worked eight hours a day, he would only earn 45442 yen a month at most. After paying the rent, there would only be 2,164 yen left. However, even so, Renji cherished this opportunity very much. He agreed without hesitation and started work immediately, earning whatever he could. When he got home in the evening, Renji very happily shared this news with Yuki. Yuki immediately decided to celebrate Renji finding a job and took out a bottle of wine that she said she had treasured for many years. At the dinner table, because he had a job and this "new home", Renji finally felt a sense of belonging here. It was as if an amnesiac person could gradually integrate into this world. The very excited young man drank several sses with Yuki throughout the night. By the end, Renji''s head waspletely dizzy. However, Yuki, who was across from him, seemed immune to alcohol and was still like nothing had happened, continuing to pour herself wine. Speaking of which, it was strange. How could this bottle of wine have so much? Was it bottomless? In the end, Renji really couldn''t drink anymore and got drunk, he felt Yuki carry him into the bedroom. Up to this point, it was still fairly normal. But then Yuki started undressing him. No matter how drunk Renji was, he noticed something was off. He tried to resist, but unfortunately, with his body not fully recovered and in a drunken state, he waspletely helpless against Yuki, like amb to the ughter. "Yuki, you... you..." Before Renji could finish speaking, his mouth was blocked by another pair of luscious lips. Not only was there no alcohol smell in Yuki''s mouth, there was even a faint, lingering fragrance, like a sea of flowers, intoxicating. "Renji-sama, didn''t you say you would pay Yuki rent?" "For this month, let''s just repay it like this!" In the darkness, the elf-like womany beside him, biting his ear, her hot breath hitting his cheek. And thest bit of consciousness left in Renji''s mind was regret for his previous naivety. Oh no... She... really was after my body... Chapter 380 380 Fixing the Water Pipe

Chapter 380 Chapter 380 Fixing the Water Pipe

The night passed without a word. When Renji woke up from his drunken stupor the next day and sat up from the bed, he first reacted in a daze for a while. The next moment, when the memories ofst night flooded his mind, Renji''s whole body shuddered. He hurriedly turned his head to look beside the bed. Fortunately, there was no woman sleeping there. He was the only one on the bed. Renji secretly lifted the covers and looked at the bedding. There was also norge patch of crimson blood like what was written in novels. Could it be... thatst night I was too drunk and had hallucinations? Renji held a bit of a fluke mentality. Quickly getting out of bed and changing his clothes, Renji quietly opened the bedroom door. He hadn''t nned to eat breakfast at home again and was going to go straight to work to let himself calm down and sort outst night. But who would have thought... "Oh~ you are awake?" Almost at the same time Renji opened the door, Yuki''s voice came from the kitchen. Renji felt he had already lowered his voice a lot, but the woman seemed to have exceptionally sharp ears. Yuki, wearing an apron, poked her head out from the kitchen while holding a spat and said to Renji: "Wait a little longer, breakfast will be ready soon!" "Uh, no need, I''ll go out-" Before Renji could finish speaking, Yuki, with her hands on her hips, poked her whole body out. As if she was really his sister, she frowned and ordered the young man, "No! I already made it for you. Don''t keep going out to eat. Can the outside foodbe as clean as home? Or are you saying you don''t trust sister''s cooking skills!?" Yuki''s cooking skills were definitely top-notch. Renji had already tasted thatst night. Being told this by Yuki, Renji couldn''t run away anymore and could only honestly sit at the dining table. However... from Yuki''s behavior just now, she seemed to not mentionst night''s events at all and didn''t act like anything had happened with me. Could it be... those things were really just my drunken hallucinations? At this, although Renji breathed a sigh of relief, he also felt a few bits of regret. Of course, he quickly reprimanded himself for the feeling of regret. After a short while, breakfast was served by Yuki. It wasn''t veryplicated. A pot of stomach-nourishing white rice porridge, plus two or three small side dishes, four tea eggs, and finally a basket of small buns. The fragrant porridge and meat buns made Renji''s mouth water. His astonishing appetite, he didn''t know if it was because of Yuki''s cooking skills or if he really had consumed a lot of energyst night. During breakfast, Renji secretly observed Yuki''s expression across from him several times, but the woman was no different from before. She just kept acting like a big sister, serving Renji dishes and porridge. Yuki didn''t say anything, and Renji didn''t have the nerve to bring upst night''s events either. It seemed to just pass like this. "Oh right." Just as he was about to leave, Yuki suddenly called out to him, making Renji''s heart skip a beat. However, Yuki only mentioned clothes. "I washed your cloak, but it looks a bit tattered. Let me mend it for you! I''ll swap it for you after it''s mended~" "No need, no need, this is too much trouble for you, Miss Yuki..." When Yuki mentioned the cloak, Renji suddenly remembered that he clearly remembered the cloak should have been very important to him. But ever sinceing into contact with Yuki, it seemed to change all at once. He almost forgot about the cloak. And speaking of which, when I came to Yuki''s house the day before yesterday, it was to wash Yuki''s clothes.?How did it turn into Yuki mending my clothes? What is going on? But the woman just smiled and waved her hand at Renji. "Alright, you''re my tenant now. As andlord, of course I have to give the tenant some small benefits. Otherwise, I''d be afraid you won''t rent here anymore! I used to weave things often in the woods back in the countryside. This little thing is a piece of cake for me." "Okay, hurry and go to work. Work hard to earn money. I am still waiting for your re~nt~!" The word "rent" that Yuki seemed to deliberately draw out when closing the door made Renji conflicted again. While waiting for the elevator, his mind was still full of thoughts about whether he had made a mistakest night. The elevator didn''t go directly to Renji''s floor from the ground level; instead, it ascended one level higher before stopping at his floor. As Renji entered the elevator, a woman already inside was voicing a litany ofints. "Were the people downstairs crazyst night or what!" "Renovating in the middle of the night, constantly creaking and banging like they were pile driving. Do they let people sleep or not!" "Huh? Young man, do you live on this floor? You must have been kept up badly too. We should file aint against 403!" Renji: "..." Although he had just moved in, Renji was very clear that Yuki''s door number was 403. "Ma''am, I... I''m a plumber. Last night, the water pipe in 403 was clogged. I went to clear it. Because it hadn''t been used for a long time, it was more difficult to deal with, so it was a bit noisy. I''m really sorry for disturbing you!" The older woman, who originally had a belly full of grievances and was very indignant, didn''t expect that the young man in front of her turned out to be from the familyst night. She was a bit embarrassed. Plus, Renji directly apologized to her with a very sincere attitude, so all her anger dissipated. She even took a few more nces at Renji. He was quite good- looking, tall and thin, fair and clean. Inexplicably, she thought of her own home''s water pipes seeming to be a bit clogged too. She immediately wanted to ask Renji if he could find some time to take a look at her ce as well. Renji naturally declined repeatedly. Then, when the elevator door opened, he hurriedly left without looking back. The old woman in the elevator felt a bit regretful, but she quickly frowned, thinking it over. No, that''s not right. A plumber onlying out now, doesn''t that mean he was at someone else''s ce... fixing things all night? Tsk... Thinking of this, the old woman sighed to herself, even more regretful that she couldn''t keep Renji just now. She should have at least gotten a business card. She wasn''t short on money. Who was short on money among those who could live in this neighborhood? On the morning streets, there were already quite a few pedestrians. After blending into the crowd, Renji finally felt rxed. Walking on the way to work at the convenience store, what filled Renji''s mind was still how to face Yukiter. Did something really happenst night? And from that woman''s description, it was probably quite... intense. Damn it! How did I just got drunk and have no memory at all! Having a sweet night with a beautiful woman like miss yuki and having no memory of it... Damn it! Wasn''t this purely beastly! Renji experienced the same inner regret and self-me as many men. However, after the remorse was a strange feeling. Logically speaking, ifst night was really that crazy, why did my body seem to bepletely fine this morning? Well... except for a rather strong appetite. Not only that, I actually feel that my body is more energetic and in higher spirits than before. It was as if my soul had fully returned. This wasn''t just talk. Some of the memories he couldn''t recall before, Renji found he seemed to be able to remember a bit afterst night. For example... I have five wives. Chapter 381 381 Why Don’t You Let Me Try?

Chapter 381 Chapter 381 Why Don''t You Let Me Try?

1/4 "The total is 601 yen. Will you be paying by card or mobile payment? Okay, please scan here." "Wee! Our store is currently having a promotion. Squid cans, vegetable sds, and many other bento foods have a great buy-one-get-one-free deal!" "If you need the sandwich heated, you can go over there. There are self-service microwaves. Just select the corresponding button ording to the number above!" "Little one, you can''t just mess with these things. Where are your parents?" "Sorry, today''s cooked food is already sold out. Pleasee again tomorrow." "Okay, I''ll go restock in the back warehouse right now!" Today was Renji''s first day officially working part-time at the convenience store. Busy from morning until evening, seeing the customer flow finally gradually decreasing, Renji was finally able to take a deep breath and rub his slightly tired waist. The other chubby store clerk on duty with Renji now couldn''t help but sigh when he saw Renji: "Bro, I''m not trying to be mean, but you''re the first newbie I''ve seen work this hard." The chubby store clerk''s words were sincere. He watched with his own eyes as Renji worked nonstop from 9 AM until now at 9 PM. In between, except for lunchtime when he bought the cheapest sandwich in the store and spent three minutes filling his stomach, he was busy the whole time, not even going to the bathroom more than a few times. "This way I can earn a bit more money." Renji shook his head. After letting his waist rest for a bit, he continued wiping the shelves. Seeing Renji like this, the chubby store clerk seemed to have something to say but stopped. Thinking back to what the store manager told him yesterday, that a young man from out of town would being to work under the table today and to show him the ropes, in the end, he could only cast a few nces of pity and sighs at Renji''s busy back. Although his back was turned to the chubby guy, Renji could keenly sense the other person''s gaze on him for some reason. Renji didn''t pay much attention to the chubby guy''s attitude towards him. When they were chatting, the chubby guy had introduced himself. His name was Shota, and he was a top student at a nearby prestigious university. The reason he was working part-time at the convenience store with him now was purely to umte social practice hours. He waspletely different from someone like Renji who was truly working for money. With the other person''s identityid out, being a local and a top student, it was only natural to have a bit of a superior feeling. It was quite normal. Actually, Renji had a pretty good impression of the chubby guy. Although he often cked off, especially after seeing Renji being so diligent and giving him many tasks to do. But when Renji encountered things he didn''t understand, the chubby guy did properly teach him. When he made mistakes and identally charged the customer incorrectly, it was also the chubby guy who rushed over first to help him redo the operation and apologize to the customer. "Bro, take a break. You see there aren''t really any people now. Don''t go mop the floor. You can wipe all day but it''s still the boss''s ce. This isn''t your store!" Seeing Renji just finished wiping the counter and about to mop the floor, the chubby guy who had been hiding in the surveince camera''s blind spot ying on his phone and cking off finally couldn''t sit still anymore. "You don''t have a local resident card. With how stingy the boss of this store is, he must be underpaying you quite a bit, right?" "Yeah, 155 yen an hour." Renji answered truthfully. When the chubby guy heard it was only 155 yen, his eyes instantly widened. The expression on his face showed even more that Renji wasn''t worth it. He immediately said, "155 yen! Only 155 yen! With your work attitude, I thought the boss was paying you 1500 yen!" "Come,e,e, listen to my advice. Money can be earned again, but healthes first. Rest a bit, rest a bit, bro." The chubby guy directly got up and pulled Renji over to his cking spot, wanting Renji to ck off and kill time with him. For a cker, having a hard worker next to them indeed made them restless. Renji was indeed a bit tired. Plus, there really weren''t many people in the store. So he also sat down next to the chubby guy. Seeing that he sessfully stopped Renji from working diligently, the chubby guy was overjoyed. He even took the initiative to chat with Renji. "Bro, do you y mobile games?" "I don''t have a phone." Renji shook his head. This stumped the chubby guy and made things a bit awkward. The difference in ss seemed to be like this. The chubby guy''s earlier eagerness to chat also fizzled out. He could only give a few awkwardughs and then continue putting all his attention on the mobile game he was ying now. Renji had nothing to do anyway. Sitting was sitting. So he started watching the chubby guy y. The chubby guy was now ying a strategy game that was abination of battle gs and tower defense. It was roughly about arrangingbat team members of various professions in different positions on the battlefield to fend off wave after wave of enemy attacks. Renji watched the chubby guy y for about five minutes. It couldn''t be said that he was fumbling around, but rather that he had no rhyme or reason. Especially when the boss arrived and the enemy''s offensive was the fiercest, under the chubby guy''smand, hisbat personnel often ended up in situations where the Cbash Brothers were saving Grandpa, getting strung up by an elite enemy. Or they would only remember to use skills after the enemies had walked past the skill range, wasting several ultimate moves. However, fortunately, thebat personnel the chubby guy had trained were still up to par in strength. After leaking a dozen or so monsters, with allbat personnel entering a "near-death" state, the chubby guy still managed to clear the level by a hair''s breadth, getting a "D-" excellent rating. This "excellent rating" wasn''t Renji''s words, but could be seen from the chubby guy''s current ecstatic expression. He pped his thigh, looking at the words "Congrattions on clearing the level" on the screen, fiercely pumping his fist as if he had won a championship, almost jumping out of his chair. When people are extremely excited and joyful, they need to share it. When people aplish something very impressive, they need to show off. And Renji, the silly part-time worker from out of town who had been watching him y the game, undoubtedly became the chubby guy''s best target to show off to right now. "How about it bro? Aren''t my skills awesome?" Shota had a proud look, puffing out his chest. Judging from his flushed red face from excitement to the point of congestion, it really wasn''t an act. Renji: "..." Seeing Renji hesitate a bit and not getting the praise he imagined, the chubby guy instantly became a bit anxious. "Let me tell you, this is Miasma Contract! Do you know Miasma Contract? It symbolizes the highest difficulty dungeon in this game! Based on the different modifiers you choose, there are corresponding thirty levels of difficulty!" "For average yers, being able to beat the tenth level of the contract is already very impressive. Those elite veteran yers who started when the server opened can barely beat the fifteenth level. And me! I just cleared the eighteenth level!" "You saw how fierce thatst wave of monster hordes was just now, right? Damn, those monsters were densely packed! You have to take care of several battle lines at the same time. You can imagine the value of this! Many people who make videos can only beat the eighteenth or neenth level." The chubby guy chattered on for a while. Seeing Renji still being a bit silent, he only now realized that Renji, this out-of- towner, didn''t even have a phone, let alone understand the tactics, operatoryouts, boss monsters, and such that he was talking about. He was basically ying a lute to a cow now. He didn''t expect to show off his skills but not have anyone who could understand him. Feeling a bit regretful, the chubby guy pped his thigh and sighed with his head down: "Damn it! Why didn''t I screen record on my phone just now! Wasn''t my extreme skill y a hundred times better than those strategy guide groups? No, no, I have to y it again. This time I''ll definitely screen record and post a guide online!" Later, the chubby guy restarted several more times. Unfortunately, in the next few attempts, he clearly didn''t have the same divine luck as that previous round. The more he yed, the worse he did. Eventer on, he couldn''t even see the boss''s face before getting pushed back by the elite monsters in front. Seeing his operators get wiped out under his mand" once again, the chubby guy couldn''t take it anymore. He was so angry that he felt like smashing his phone. At this moment... Renji, who had been a bit ignored on the side and had been silently watching, finally spoke up. "Um..." "Why don''t you let me... try it?" Chapter 382 382: "Fallen Chronicles II" Part 1

Chapter 382 Chapter 382: "Fallen Chronicles II" Part 1

2/4 Renji wasn''t saying he was addicted to the game or itching to y it himself, although he was indeed quite interested in this type of strategy game. Mainly, he just couldn''t stand the noob''s gamey anymore. To save his own blood pressure, Renji was forced to step in. On the other side, the chubby guy, who was furious that he couldn''t replicate his previous brilliant operation, was stunned for a moment when he heard what Renji said, and then felt a bit amused. What did he mean? Did he think he could y better than me, a veteran yer who had been ying since the server opened? In the gaming world, this often happens. Many "armchair yers" who have only watched a few games or haven''t even yed once themselves, always develop an attitude towards some masters, as if they could do it too if they tried. They say things like, "It is just about being able to use your hands and brain correctly; that is all." Although the out-of-town youth didn''t show it on his face, the chubby guy could still sense that Renji meant exactly that. Fine! Then youe and try it! The chubby guy handed the phone to Renji without a second word. However, considering that they might still be working together at the convenience store for a while, the chubby guy kindly reminded him, "Bro, don''t be fooled by this game. It may look like there are only a few simple operations, but when you actually start ying, you''ll find there are many tricks to it." "Since it''s your first time ying, I suggest you don''t start with the high difficulty level I just yed. You can try starting from level one of the contract to get a feel for it and familiarize yourself with each operator and monster." The chubby guy had barely finished half of his sentence when he saw Renji slightly adjust his operator configuration and directly click to start the battle on level 18, which he had just failed to beat no matter how hard he tried. Okay. The chubby guy twitched the corner of his mouth. He just loved this kind of madness. He was already looking forward to Renji''s uing fumbling, brain overload, and being pushed all the way by the monster waves, which are all the usual newbie experiences. Then, in less than half a minute, exmations from the chubby guy kepting from the convenience storete at night. "Wait! What the hell? This cliff terrain isn''t just for show? You can actually push monsters off it!?" "Why did you put the special ability mages so far forward! Holy shit! This skill angle can actually deal damage like this for free?" "That vanguard can''t hold on anymore, hurry and heal him with the priest operators! If you don''t heal him now, he''ll... wait, you unlocked his lifesteal?" "It''s over, it''s over! The archer won''t be able to turn his skills around in time. Last time I also... huh? Why did you bring his first skill? Oh no! I told you not to mess with my configuration. Now the damage is even more insufficient! Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing? Why are you healing the archer at full health? Uh, WTF!? How can the archer''s first skill damage be so high?? It directly one-shot the elite monster??" As the chubby guy watched in astonishment, Renji, who had just blocked the second-tost wave of attacks, exined, "The priest''s healing not only restores health but also provides an attack power buff. Giving it to a high-frequency output role like an archer can greatly increase their damage." Wait that is true... Although the chubby guy''s technique and thinking were poor, he had been ying for a long time. After Renji''s exnation, he quickly understood. Many strategy guide uploaders had also used this "support-carry-output" method to achieve explosive effects. But Renji''s operation just now was far from that simple, as the chubby guy had watched the whole process. Because his archer''s first skill is a passive skill that cannot be actively controlled, to trigger it at the right time, you either have to rely on luck or calcte the timeline. The so-called timeline is based on the monsters'' spawn time and movement speed, predicting in advance when and where the monsters will appear. This is something that only appears in very high-end strategy guides. The chubby guy wanted to think that Renji got lucky, but Renji precisely calcted the health of that vanguard operator, thus saving a priest''s blessing, andbined with the archer''s first skill, achieved this effect. This was obviously designed, with each operation linking together, creating the current perfect performance of "0 enemy leaks". Soon after, as the "Battle Victory" icon appeared, followed by a golden "S+" rating popping up, the chubby guy gasped in surprise, too excited to even feel ecstatic, and looked at Renji as if he was seeing a monster. Miasma Contract Level 18 S+? What does this mean? As a yer who had been ying since the server opened, his best contract record so far was only "A-" on the fifteenth level, and that was when he managed to snatch a fan benefit from a certain technically skilled top streamer. And now... He was easily surpassed by an outsider, a convenience store part-timer who only earns 155 yen an hour?? What the hell! "Bro, you... you really haven''t yed this game before?" The chubby guy asked cautiously. After Renji''s gamey just now, his attitude towards Renji had taken a 180-degree turn, or at least a 90-degree turn. "No." Renji answered truthfully. Then, seeing the chubby guy''s expression was too incredible, Renji thought for a moment and added, "But... I should have yed something simr on theputer before." When Renji said this, the chubby guy finally breathed a sigh of relief, otherwise he really couldn''t ept it. But even so, he was still amazed by Renji. "No, bro, if you haven''t yed this game, how do you know the skills and values of the dozens of characters on the field?" "Didn''t I just watch you y for a while? It''s not hard to remember, it''s quite easy, just watch it a few times and you''ll pretty much understand." Heh!?... The chubby guy tried to see a pretentious expression on Renji''s face, but unfortunately, the young man really had a sincere and serious expression, and didn''t look like he was bragging at all. Okay. But he still had a question about thest wave. "Bro, why did you let that vanguard die first in thest wave? It''s a waste ofbat power, I really don''t understand that!" "Oh, you mean that time? Because I calcted that the vanguard''s skill cooldown, relying on auto-recovery, wouldn''t make it in time for the boss in thest wave. But if you let her die once first, then use the mechanism of being able to directly release her ultimate after reviving, you can be two seconds faster, just in time for the boss''s appearance." After hearing Renji''s exnation, the chubby guy finally understood. But soon, he showed Renji a somewhat indescribable strange expression. How should I put it... Deliberately letting your subordinate die to the monsters just to get the skills ready two seconds earlier, it feels a bit, uh... cruel. It''s also the first time I''ve heard of such a thing. Fortunately, Brother Renji doesn''t y this game, otherwise the characters he trains would definitely have a miserable time, right? In the chubby guy''s mind, an image suddenly appeared of Renji using all kinds of strange methods to squeeze the characters and finally clearing the highest difficulty. Chapter 383 383: "Fallen Chronicles II" Part 2

Chapter 383 Chapter 383: "Fallen Chronicles II" Part 2

3/4 Speaking of the highest difficulty... The chubby guy''s eyes suddenly lit up. That''s right! Now that there''s such a master here, shouldn''t I hurry up and have him help clear more levels! If he can easily get an "S+" on level eighteen, then clearing theter levels of neen, twenty, or even twenty-five shouldn''t be a problem, right! At this time, a new batch of customers came into the convenience store. Just as Renji was about to get up to work, the chubby guy pressed him down. "Bro Renji, leave it to me!" The chubby guy, who was originally cking off, now directly transformed into an excellent employee, taking on the work of two people by himself, just so that Renji could focus on clearing a few more levels of the Miasma Contract for him. About fifteen minutester, after this batch of customers finally left, the chubby guy, panting and gasping for breath, but still with a face full of anticipation and excitement, trotted over to Renji''s side to inquire about the results. Renji did not disappoint him. "Holy f**king sh*t!" "You''re a f**king boss, Bro Renji!" The chubby guy looked at his own "S+" clearance ratings and was directly shocked. Renji had gone up another ten levels in total, ten levels! He stopped at the Miasma Contract level 28, which he didn''t even dare to look at before. And from level eighteen to twenty-eight, a full ten levels, all cleared with a perfect "S+" rating, leaving the chubby guypletely in chaos. As forter, it wasn''t that Renji couldn''t beat it, but because it hadn''t been unlocked yet. Generally speaking, thest two levels are the climax, and they are only unlocked in thest few days of the event, to see who can clear the highest difficulty in the shortest time. "Bro, with your talent, why the f**k are you working as a broke store clerk? Just start a live stream and be a famous gaming master!" "I have also watched a lot of technical streamers'' live broadcasts. To be honest, my evaluation is that they are not even half as good as you, Bro, Damn it, the more I think about it, the angrier I get. Last time I spent 44504 yen on a big streamer guide, and they only gave me an A- rating. Those f**king streamers!" When the chubby guy got an A- before, he was quite happy, but now it doesn''t matter. If youpare, he feels that those technical streamers are nothing. "I''ll pass. Besides, being a streamer..." Renji shook his head. In his mind, ying games is considered not doing proper work and can''t be put on the table. Even if you say it out loud, it''s not as good as being aborer. The chubby guy could see Renji''s meaning at a nce. He stamped his feet in frustration, but considering Renji''s "country bumpkin" identity, Shota could understand. So he pulled Renji aside to give him a good talking-to. "Bro, wake up, it''s already 2051. Gaming streamers have long been a regr profession, and there are many who make a lot of money! And now this game "Fallen Chronicles II" is one of the hottest mobile games right now, with millions of yers all around the world. With such arge yer base, are you still afraid of not having enough to eat? In a matter of minutes, not to exaggerate, you''ll definitely have a few tens of thousands a month. And when you be famous, it''ll be hundreds of thousands or even millions a month!" The chubby guy excitedly spoke as if he had put himself into Renji''s role, bing a gaming god streamer with millions of fans, enjoying flowers and adoration. As for Renji, he was indeed stunned for a few seconds by the chubby guy''s words. It wasn''t because of the beautiful future the chubby guy had painted for himself, but rather... "What did you say this game was called just now?" "''Fallen Chronicles II'', why?" "It feels a bit... familiar." Renji furrowed his brows tightly. Seeing Renji like this, the chubby guy waved his hand and said, "Oh, that''s normal. Didn''t I tell you this game is very popr, especially in the mobile game circle? Many people at exhibitions also cosy characters from this game. It''s very normal for you to have heard of it somewhere and find it familiar." However, Renji still shook his head with tightly furrowed brows. "No, I feel like I''ve yed something simr..." "yed it before?" Now the chubby guy was also confused, thinking that Renji had said earlier that he hadn''t yed it, only yed something simr on theputer... Wait a minute! The chubby guy seemed to suddenly think of something. He said with a slightly uncertain tone, "Come to think of it, when I was browsing forums before, a science post seemed to mention that the predecessor of this ''Fallen Chronicles II'' was indeed a PC game." "But... that was an old game from 20 or 30 years ago. And apparently, the reputation of that game at the time was incredibly bad. It was said to be deliberately disgusting yers with extremely high difficulty. So in the end, there were only a pitiful few tens of thousands of yers. It was only slightly popr for a short while, andter the sales directly died. Thepany also left it unfinished, and even shut down many cloud servers, making many yers who had cleared the game unable to log in to their save files. They probably ran out of money and ran away." The chubby guy originally wanted to ask Renji if he had yed the previous game, which could exin why Renji was so good now. But Shota thought about it again. That''s not right. It was an old game from 20 or 30 years ago, but from Renji''s appearance, he looked about the same age as him. At most, he wouldn''t be over 25 years old. If Renji really yed it, could it be that he started ying from the womb? "Sorry, I... I may be a bit confused in my memory." "Fallen Chronicles" did indeed touch Renji, but when he tried to delve deeper into this feeling, the pain of his head being torn apart struck again. Seeing Renji''s pained expression, the chubby guy thought Renji was the type of old yer with persistence and feelings. He hurriedly said again, "It''s okay Bro. You can check it for meter, or you can directly search for the gamepany ''Alliance''. Maybe you can find something." "Alliance?" This new term pulled Renji out from "Fallen Chronicles", giving him a strange sense of familiarity. "Yeah, Alliance. Oh, the full name of this gamepany is Forest Alliance, but we''re used to calling it ''Alliance''. Alliance is the developer of the current ''Fallen Chronicles II''. Since they can make a sequel, they must have some connection with the oldpany before." "If you''re in a hurry..." The chubby guy lowered his voice at this point, looked around sneakily, and whispered to Renji, "I recently got a new girlfriend who is the receptionist at the building next to us. I''ll go ask herter if she can open a back door for us and let us into the building!" "Into the building... Why do we need to go into that building?" "Geez! Bro, haven''t you noticed? The building next to our convenience store is the headquarters of ''Alliance''!" Chapter 384 384: An Unsettled Night Part 1

Chapter 384 Chapter 384: An Unsettled Night Part 1

4/4 22:10 Renji, who got off work under the moonlight, hurried home. He had previously agreed with Yuki that he would work until nine o''clock at thetest and then go home to have dinner together. However, because he was attracted by the chubby guy''s "Fallen Chornicles II" in the middle and got too invested in the conversation, he forgot about the time. By the time he came back to his senses, it was already almost ten o''clock. Yuki should be asleep, right? At the door of his home, Renji didn''t use the ess card Yuki gave him, fearing that the sound of the electronic lock opening would disturb her. Instead, he switched to the key to open the door gently, trying to keep the noise to a minimum. Click. After opening the door and seeing the pitch-ck entrance hall, Renji breathed a sigh of relief. He was afraid that Yuki was still foolishly waiting for him. However, when Renji changed his shoes and walked into the living room from the corner, an orange-yellow small tablemp on the dining table in the darkness was emitting a faint glow. With the help of the small tablemp, Renji could see several dishes on the dining table, covered with lids, and beside these dishes, a woman was lying on the dining table, as if she had fallen asleep after waiting too long. It was now early autumn, and the living room didn''t seem to have air conditioning. The very low temperature made the sleeping Yuki subconsciously wrap the cloak draped over her body tighter. The cloak was the one that belonged to him before. Renji could recognize it at a nce. But in Renji''s memory, the many holes and tears on the cloak now had traces of being stitched and mended. Moreover, the mending was not simply and crudely patched up, but seemed to follow a very new artistic style. Yuki didn''t lie to him; she was indeed very good at weaving clothes. It was the same tattered cloak, but after thetter added a few elements of vicissitudes, it seemed to immediately be different. It was as if the entire cloak had gained a few touches of charm under Yuki''s mending. In addition to the dishes covered with tes on the dining table, there was also a sewing box. Renji could already reconstruct the scene of Yuki waiting for him toe home for dinner while mending his cloak. Renji''s heart was tightly gripped, and the feeling of being moved was secondary. He was more filled with self-me. He hurriedly walked over and gently shook the woman who was sleeping on the dining table. "Yuki, Sister Yuki." "Mmm... you''re back..." After being woken up by Renji, Yuki rubbed her sleepy eyes. Seeing the young man who had finally returned home, she showed a bit of relief. However, very quickly, Yuki apologized with a guilty look, "Ah! I''m sorry, I wore your clothes without permission..." "It''s okay, it''s okay. You can wear my clothes anytime you want!" Renji just said it casually, but Yuki seemed to really continue the conversation, showing an eager expression, "Oh! Really?!" "Uh..." This left Renji at a loss. "Hehe! Just kidding. But this cloak, I can''t return it to you for now. I need to mend it a bit more. There are still many ces that aren''t done yet." "That... actually, there''s no need..." Renji wanted to say that there was no need to go to so much trouble. Isn''t it enough as long as the cloak can be worn? But seeing Yuki''s determined eyes, he swallowed it back and finally nodded in understanding, following Yuki''s arrangement. "Mm-hmm, so obedient~!" "Alright, go wash your hands quickly. I''ll go heat up the dishes!" The very satisfied Yuki stood up from the dining table. Although Yuki was considered tall among girls, she was still slightly shorter than Renji. But even if she had to tiptoe slightly, she seemed to be in the mood and had to ruffle Renji''s hair first before taking the tes to the kitchen to heat them up. Looking at Yuki''s back and the lingering warmth on his head, Renji had an indescribable feeling. It always felt like... He was being treated like a little brother by Yuki. When the food was heated upter and they were eating at the dining table, this feeling became even more obvious. "Come on, eat more. You worked overtime for so long today, you must be starving." "No, no, don''t be picky! Green peppers are very nutritious! Eat them quickly!" "Is that enough? There''s still rice in the pot. Should I get you another bowl?" "Don''t rush, don''t rush. Eat slowly. Here, have some water. Hmm, should I go make you some soup? It''ll be quick!" Seeing that Yuki was really about to get up, Renji quickly stopped the woman, saying that he had enough and didn''t need any more soup. He also told Yuki not to keep talking about him and to eat more herself. However, Yuki shook her head, saying that she had already eaten while waiting earlier and that she was happy just watching Renji eat now. She cheerfully told Renji that for her, watching others enjoy the food she cooked was a pleasure in itself. After a whirlwind meal, the three or four dishes on the table were actually swept clean by him, which surprised even Renji. In his memory, he didn''t have such a big appetite. After eating, Renji seemed to suddenly remember something. He quickly fumbled around his body and then took out a 2000 yen bill and handed it to the woman across from him. "This is...?" "This is my sry for today." Renji''s job at the convenience store was hourly, and for those working under the table like him, they were paid daily. He worked from six in the morning until ten at night today, working for sixteen hours at 155 yen per hour, earning a total of 2,480 yen. Not only did Yuki provide him with such a nice ce to live at a low rent, but she also covered his meals except for lunch and even mended his clothes for him. If it weren''t for the remaining 480 yen being too small and embarrassing to give out, Renji would have really given all his wages to Yuki to pay off his debt. "I see. Then I won''t stand on ceremony and will ept it!" Seeing that Yuki didn''t refuse and epted his money, Renji finally felt a little more at ease. Otherwise, he would have really felt uneasy. Afterwards, when cleaning up the dining table, Renji also took the initiative to do it and let Yuki rest. After washing the dishes and utensils, wiping the dining table clean, and reying the tablecloth, Renji took a deep breath and stretched his slightly sore waist. During the sixteen hours of working at the convenience store, except for thest hour when he was pulled by the chubby guy to ck off for a while, he had been standing for more than a dozen hours. Not to mention, Renji also worked very diligently, wiping the counters, arranging the shelves, and doing many things that the chubby guy considered unnecessary for a temporary employee. This kind of work indeed had a bit of a mismatch between effort and reward, but Renji had no choice. He had to do this job well first, slowly get familiar with life here, and strive to find his identity documents. Once he had a resident card, he could try to make a change. At that time, perhaps the "game streamer" that the chubby guy suggested to him would also be an option... Chapter 385 385: An Unsettled Night Part 2

Chapter 385 Chapter 385: An Unsettled Night Part 2

4/4 4 more chapters will be posted tomorrow. ---------- Renji shook his head. Actually, whether it was a convenience store clerk or a game streamer, he didn''t know if it was his illusion, but deep in his heart, there seemed to always be a voice telling him that these were not what he should be doing. He should set his sights on a farther ce. It was as if... There was something more important waiting for him. Is this... being conceited? Renji didn''t know. But at least being conceited was better than being decadent, right? Thinking of this, Renji couldn''t help but feel grateful to Yuki again in his heart. After all, if Yuki hadn''t "picked" him up, he might still be wandering homeless on some street now. After taking a simple hot shower anding out of the bathroom, Renji was ready to go back to his room to sleep. He still had to get up early tomorrow to work hard. However, as soon as Renji pushed open the door to his bedroom, he was stunned by the sight inside. "Sister Yu-Yuki, what are you doing?" At this moment, Yuki wasying a mat on his bed, and beside the mat, there seemed to be some essential oil-like things. "Come,e,e, lie down quickly!" The woman sitting on Renji''s bed urged the young man at the bedroom door, patting the mat. "I learned massage before, but I never had a chance to practice. Now it''s good. Trust me, I guarantee I can help relieve your fatigue~!" Obviously, although Renji acted very rxed in front of Yuki, if you think about it carefully, you''ll know that no one can be rxed after standing for more than a dozen hours. Soreness in the waist and back pain are inevitable. Renji really wanted to refuse, but Yuki had already put on an attitude of having to "serve" since she had taken the money. It turned out that when Yuki readily epted his 2000 yen earlier, she was waiting for him here. "Sister Yuki, is this..." Renji actually wanted to ask if this massage was proper. The woman on the bed was also wearing a nightgown. The nightgown was very proper, but it couldn''t withstand the woman''s impressive figure. The thin, silky material perfectly showcased Yuki''s curvy figure. Her fair, slender legs under the nightgown were kneeling on the bed, as if they were mas attracting his gaze. But in the end, after struggling for a long time, Renji could only squeeze out a sentence, "Sister Yuki, I still have to go to work tomorrow..." "I know! It''s precisely because you have to work so hard tomorrow that I want to help you rx! Alright! Hurry up and lie down. It''ll be quick!" Yuki gave a little angry re to Renji, and patted the mat again, urging him toe quickly. Yuki''s body also shook with this heavier pat, making the already loose nightgown even looser, vaguely revealing quite a bit of her charms. Alright. After Renjiy down, Yuki''s massage was indeed very proper at first. Whether it was her technique or strength, it was impable. Although Renji didn''t understand massage, the sound of various joints and the feeling of rxation after the muscles were loosened made Renji aware of Yuki''s massage skills. She indeed didn''t lie to him. However... After about fifteen minutes... "Sister Yuki, um... my pants, what are you doi..." "Shh~!" "Sister Yu-Yuki, your hand..." "Shh~!" "Wait! Wait a minute! That ce is, is!" "Shh~!" Turning over, Renji couldn''t hold back anymore and wanted to stop Yuki from continuing to massage him. But unexpectedly, Yuki pounced on him first. The woman pressed her cheek against the young man''s ear, her panting breath hitting Renji''s ear. Yuki''s voice, like a seductress, whispered as she bit Renji''s ear, "When I went out today, I ran into the Auntie upstairs. She specifically asked me what the name of the young man who fixed my water pipest night was and how to contact him." "..." "Actually, today my water pipe is also broken. A lot of sewage leaked inside and clogged the pipes. Kind-hearted plumber, can you... help me unclog it a bit more?" Tonight is destined to be unsettling. Some pipes are clogged with sewage, some diligent plumbers are working hard to clear them, and some aunties upstairs are looking forward to the plumber''s visit. ... And there''s also a chubby guy, staying upte to edit videos. After returning home, Shota immediately posted the video he had saved through screen recording on his phone, of Renji perfectly clearing the 28th level of the Miasma Contract with an "S+" rating, on C Station. C Station is a video website with a very high concentration of ACG (Anime, Comics, Games) content, and most of the users are young people. So although the video was posted veryte, almost at 12 o''clock, for young people, 12 o''clock is just the starting point of staying upte. Just as Shota told Renji, "Fallen Chronicles II" is at the top level of poprity among mobile games. The video topic itself had a lot of traffic, and moreover, the value of Renji clearing the 28th level of the contract was indeed ridiculously high. Many operations were simply stunning and unprecedented for "Fallen Chronicles II" yers. This made Shota''s video be a hot topic in the current time period in less than half an hour after being posted, with tens of thousands of views, and it was still growing at a terrifying rate. As the number of views went up, the bulletments naturally increased as well. [Holy shit! What the hell? The terrain can be yed like this?] [Clearing all the way to the 28th level with all S+ in one go? Mommy,e out and see the immortal!] [Thanks for the UP (uploader)! I''m going to copy the homework NOWW!] [Brothers, I''m back from copying the homework. My evaluation is, run! Don''t try to be like me. I copied for half an hour and ended up not even being able to sessfully replicate the 18th level, the ultimate clown!] [Indeed, the UP''s control and calction of the timeline is really exquisite. Several waves are very extreme. If you''re a little less or a second slower in releasing skills, the whole thing may copse.] [Yes, and your configuration is different, so the limit HP is also different. Sometimes it''s not that a certain character can survive, but rather, many times, that character must die at the right time in order to enter revival and speed up skill rotation.] [Damn it! What kind of unorthodox method is this! Is it a death-sending flow?] [With this skill, he should at least be a big streamer, right? Howe the UP has so few fans?] [Are you all blind? Didn''t you see that the UP said in the description that this was yed by a friend?] [I wonder what the "Fallen Chronicles II" officials will think when they see this video. Don''t suddenly increase the difficulty after level 28?] [DON''T LET THE OFFICIALS SEE THIS VIDEO!!!] [@"Fallen Chronicles II", @Forest Alliance, @Alliance, hehe, the main thing is to y a rebellious hand!] [You idiot mo@#@#T!@!@$!@#!, if they really increase the difficulty, my medal will be gone!] Some people are fixing pipes, some people are working overtimete at night, continuing to work hard. After being @-ed by more and more yers, the "Fallen Chronicles II" officials naturally took notice. It was quickly forwarded by an internal employee and reached the hands of the leadership. "Director Lena, do you want to take a look at this video?" Chapter 386 386: He Is Fixing Your What!??

Chapter 386 Chapter 386: He Is Fixing Your What!??

1/4 A video? Late at night in the "Alliance" headquarters office area, inside the director''s studio, a woman with light pink hair turned her head from theputer desk and adjusted her stylish sses on the bridge of her nose, looking at the message from her assistant on the phone with confusion. She was currently busy designing the most difficult 29th and 30th floors of the Miasma Contract, working overtime for this, so at such a busy time, her assistant was still watching videos on C-Station? In response, the assistant on the other end quickly exined, "Director Lena, this video is about the Miasma Contract you designed. It went viral on C-Station half an hour ago. The uploader used a single lineup to clear from floor 18 to 28 in one go." "Just that?" The pink-haired woman sipped her coffee at the desk and shifted the position of her legs, clearly unimpressed. Clearing ten floors in one go was indeed quite impressive, but it wasn''t something to make such a big fuss about, right? Even sending her a special message about it? Until the assistant added, "That yer perfectly cleared all of them with the highest ''S+'' rating. I also watched the video, and many of the techniques and ideas felt very novel. I thought they might be helpful for Director Lena''s future level designs, so I''m disturbing you sote." All S+? Hearing this, the pink-haired woman finally showed some interest. Getting to level 28 in one breath was not difficult; she could do it too, but achieving all levels with an ''S+'' rating was a different story. Even as a designer, she found it challenging. This would require not just characters training and teamposition but also skillful handling and various micro-maniptions. With this curiosity, Lena clicked on the video sent by her assistant and began watching it carefully. The video wasn''t long, less than 15 minutes, but the pink-haired woman at the desk ended up watching it repeatedly for over an hour before finally stopping. "..." Lena was quite grateful to her assistant now for letting her see this video. Indeed, just as her assistant said, the operations and techniques of the yer in the video were truly eye-opening. Some of the ideas even coincided with what she had in mind when designing initially, giving her a sense of being on the same wavelength. For example, terrain kills that had been ignored by many yers before, and special synergies between certain characters. The yer''s control over the timeline and theyout of various fronts on the battlefield were also exquisite. Even as a battle rey, it felt like a cinematic experience to watch. What made Lena frown a bit now was that the yer''s unorthodox ystyle had pioneered a "suicide flow" tactic, something that even Lena as the designer had not thought of. To put it simply, for example, if a character''s ultimate skill has a 45-second cooldown, but their revival time after death is 37 seconds, then if they re-enter the field after reviving, they only need 5 seconds to unleash their ultimate again. Adding it up, it''s 42 seconds, which is 3 seconds faster than waiting for the normal cooldown. Don''t underestimate these three seconds. The more challenging the situation, the more critical every second bes. Theoretically speaking, this should be a bug, a design oversight on their part. When designing the characters initially, they didn''t consider this point. After all, normally people would think about how to protect their characters from getting hurt by all means. The core of the game is about the deep camaraderie between the yer, who is the "Contractor", and the contracted characters under theirmand, as they struggle to survive in the apocalypse, resist monsters, and seek hope to save the world. But now there''s this suicide flow... What the hell is this? If it bes popr, it will be a big problem. Thinking of this, Lena immediately pulled her assistant into a group to discuss a solution. In the end, they decided to have the programmers add a point to make a temporary bug-fixing hot patch, adjusting the skill cooldown to prevent yers from doing this at the source. However, although Lena, as the director, had the power to make this decision independently for such a big matter, it was best to ask her boss, Miyuki, who was also the original founder of "Alliance". "Director Lena, this isn''t very good, is it?" The assistant in the discussion group looked at the clock, which was almost 2 AM, and wanted to stop her. "What''s wrong with it? Are we the only ones allowed to work overtime, and the boss can''t stay upte?" It was clear that Director Lena had a strong personality and didn''t care about any unspoken workce rules. "But, but Director Lena, President Yuki hasn''te to thepany these past few days. I heard she had some family matters. I think we should forget it." The assistant still tried hard to dissuade her. This time it had some effect. Huh? Miyuki hasn''t been to thepany recently? Lena had been busy designing game levels and really hadn''t noticed this. Now that the assistant mentioned it, she realized there was such a thing. However, the pink-haired woman only hesitated slightly before leaving the discussion group and decisively dialing Miyuki''s number. Reporting the sudden situation to Miyuki as her boss was one aspect. On the other hand... Lena wasn''t sure, but it was like she had a kind of intuition in her heart, telling her that she had to make this call tonight. And in many cases, Lena really trusted her intuition. Beep... Beep beep... Beep beep beep... The phone rang for about ten seconds, but there was still no answer. Just as Lena was about to give up and hang up, the call was answered. "Hello?" Miyuki''s voiceing from the phone sounded very soft and sticky. It was the first time Lena had heard her like this. However, Lena didn''t pay much attention to it, thinking that she had just been woken up and was still groggy. She quickly exined with some apology: "President, it''s Lena. I''m sorry to disturb you sote. There''s an urgent matter I wanted to report to you. Are you avable now?" "Go on, it''s okay~ ? " Lena: "..." ? "President?" Lena obviously didn''t quite understand what her President meant by "Go on, it''s okay~ ? " But soon, Miyuki on the other end of the line also gave an exnation. "No, it''s nothing. I was just talking to the repairman fixing the, the pipes next to me... Lena, you go ahead and say what you need to. I, I''m listening." Fixing pipes? The pink-haired woman nced at the electronic clock on the office desk, which showed 2:30 AM. However, when Lena listened carefully to the background noise on Miyuki''s end, she could indeed hear some moring. Could the reason she took time off be that her house was being renovated? Lena didn''t think too much about it and got back to the main topic. Since her boss said it was convenient, she went on to talk about the popr video on C-Station and their subsequent decision to use a hot patch to fix it. Miyuki on the other end of the line mostly responded with "Mm~" and "Mm-hmm~" most of the time, only offering some minor suggestions at the end that weren''t very important. Overall, she very much affirmed Lena''s decision-making. Being affirmed and trusted by her superior like this, Lena felt she should be happy about it, in principle. But for some reason... After talking on the phone with Miyuki, Lena instead became more and more restless and had a very irritated feeling. Lena herself didn''t know where the source of this feeling came from. If she had to say... "President, is the signal on your end not good? I keep feeling like your speech is intermittent," Lena couldn''t help but ask. "Ah! Yes, sorry, it might be that when fixing the pipes, they bumped, hit thework cable..." Hit thework cable? If they hit thework cable, shouldn''t it directly disconnect, what does that have to do with poor signal? Lena felt that something was off and began to ask with some concern in her voice, "President, is the renovation going smoothly on your end? Do you need me toe over and help?" "Th-thank you Lena, it''ste at night now, don''te over. The pipe repairman''s skill is, um~... very good, very good~. We''re almost¡­ done~!" "While I''m away these days, hng~...I will leave thepany and game matters to hya~¡­ to you Lena... Well then, I, I''ll hang up first. Thanks fohaaa~... for working hard~ ?!" Beep... Beep beep beep... Chapter 387 387: Gratitude

Chapter 387 Chapter 387: Gratitude

2/4 Lena wanted to ask more, but the phone only had the "beep beep" sound of being hung up. This was the first time, as far as she could remember, that President Yuki had actively hung up on her. Really... She should be fine, right? Although Miyuki said it was okay, Lena still felt very uneasy in her heart. She had the urge to immediately go change clothes and drive to Miyuki''s house. Unlike ordinary subordinates and superiors, her rtionship with Miyuki, if she had to say, was actually that she was her benefactor. The pink-haired woman in the middle of the night recalled her experience from a few months ago. At that time, she seemed to have some amnesia, standing on the street in a daze, not knowing what to do. Except for knowing that her name was "Lena", she couldn''t remember anything else. She even felt a sense of confusion about this city, a kind of loneliness as if she didn''t belong to this world. She aimlessly wandered the streets all day, with passersby either avoiding her or looking at her with disdain and disgust, treating her like some crazy, delinquent woman. After all, her appearance at that time, with a head of messy pink hair, plus very worn-out jeans and leather pants, did indeed look like some street delinquent woman. Plus, with a dirty face, even real hooligans would probably have to take a detour if they saw her. Finally, when night came, she was so tired and hungry that she could barely walk. She knew she couldn''t just faint on the side of the road like this, so with herst bit of consciousness, she came to the door of a police station and then copsed. And when she woke upter... The first person she saw when she opened her eyes was Miyuki. ording to what sheter inquired about what happened that day at the police station, the police there told her that when they checked her identity, they found that she didn''t have one at all and was an outsider without household registration. They were preparing to execute the repatriation procedure when President Yuki, who happened to be there on business, stopped them. Later, it was also President Yuki who used her connections to get her local documents, saving her from the fate of being expelled. And Miyuki''s exnation for this was simply that she looked particrly like her younger sister, and that was it. She took her in. Moreover,ter on, Miyuki even took the initiative to arrange for her to work at herpany. That''s right, the fact that she could now be the director of "Alliance", the chief designer of the currently popr mobile game "Fallen Chronicles II", was all thanks to Miyuki''s training and promotion. But of course, she was indeed suited for this job. She had unparalleled talent in monster design, charactersposition, and level ideas. Otherwise, even with her connection to Miyuki, she wouldn''t have been able to gain a foothold in Alliance in just a few short months, and even push the previous chief designer off the stage. In any case, Miyuki was her benefactor. No, saying benefactor was too distant. Lena really considered Miyuki, considered President Yuki, as her big sister. Therefore, Miyuki''s strange behavior on the phone just now made her very worried. This won''t do¡­ Even if it was toote today, tomorrow after work, I should still go to Sister Yuki''s house to take a look. It could also be considered taking a day off for after staying upte and working overtime. After making this decision, Lena felt much more at ease. Afterwards, she put her attention back on work. Miyuki said on the phone to leave thepany and the game to her, so she couldn''t let down her sister''s trust in her. Now was the peak period for "Fallen Chronicles II". Every time the high-difficulty instance [Miasma Contract] opened, it basically attracted arge number of yers, and the activity value soared. There was still a week left before the final 29th and 30th floor levels of [Miasma Contract] had to be released. These were not only difficult levels but also symbolized the artistic level and design attainment of the game. It was where the reputationy. Such finale levels were always the focus of attention. Lena was originally quite satisfied with thest two levels she designed. But now... After seeing the yer''s gamey in the video, Lena felt that her so-called difficult levels might not be impressive enough. For the first time, from the bottom of her heart, she had the idea of wanting tomunicate with this "mysterious yer". As a designer, she indeed couldn''t always work behind closed doors. When I have free time tomorrow, after visiting Sister Yuki, I will see if I can contact that uploader. If they and their "master friend" happen to live nearby, perhaps I could invite them to visit the Alliance headquarters as guests. The pink-haired director, alone in the middle of the night, propped her cheek and tapped a ballpoint pen on the desk. ¡­ -The next day. -Convenience store. "Shota, I''m going to ask you a serious question." "Go ahead, bro." "Do you sometimes, like in dreams, feel like you have many wives?" Renji thought the chubby guy would give him a strange look, but unexpectedly, the chubby guy nodded quite nonchntly. "Meh, of course." "Re-really!?" Renji was a bit excited when he heard that. How to put it... Every night after he fall asleep in Yuki''s embrace, he felt like some of his past memories were being restored. Renji had looked it up online, and it said that the deepest memories should be the first to recover. As a result, the most recovered memory for Renji was... He had five wives. Renji originally suspected that he might have delusional disorder, or that it was caused by too much night y recently. But unexpectedly, the chubby guy also had it. Could it be that his case wasn''t unique? However, what the chubby guy said next made Renji roll his eyes. "I don''t need to feel it. I do have many wives. Look, these in the game, aren''t they all my wives? Hehe, hehehe... *slurp slurp*" Seeing the chubby guy''s moment of pride and intoxication, Renji sighed. "I''m being serious with you." "Huh? Serious? bro, are you out of your mind? Having many wives? What, do you expect the wives from the game to jump out and find you?" Being told this by the chubby guy, Renji felt that it indeed made sense. This was indeed unrealistic. But... "Shota, let me ask you another question." "Go ahead." "Do you think it is possible¡­ that one day¡­ you go out on the street, lean against a utility pole, then a beautiful womane out from nowhere, and took you to her home, and then, uh, crave your body every night?" "Bro, let''s talk about the previous one." "The previous one?" "Yeah, I''d rather believe that the wives in the game can jump out than believe that such a female bodhisattva exists in the world!" Renji: "..." Sigh. "Alright, bro! Look, I told you so. I told you not to be so tired yesterday. Look at you now, sighing since morning, and you don''t look well at all!" "Listen to your buddy. Let''s work less today and get off work after five o''clock!" "Remember what I told you yesterday? My new girlfriend is the receptionist at the Alliance building next door. I talked to herst night. Today, your buddy will take you into the Alliance building to see the world!" Chapter 388 388: Alliance Part 1

Chapter 388 Chapter 388: Alliance Part 1

Alliance only bought the naming rights to the building. In fact, the Alliance Building doesn''t only house the Alliance gamepany. At five o''clock in the afternoon, just the time when the vast majority ofpanies in the building got off work, Renji and Shota arrived near the entrance of the building, taking advantage of the tide of people getting off work. Here, a girl wearing a receptionist uniform had been waiting for a long time. She was a bit nervous, constantly looking around, until she saw the chubby guy appear. Then, as if finally relieved, she ran over to the two with small quick steps. "Hubby, here, I borrowed the building ess card from my girlfriends'' group." "Wifey is awesome! Mwah~ Love you the most!" The chubby guy took the card, happily hugged the girl, and fiercely kissed her young, tender cheek. "Oh, hubby, there''s someone else here..." The girl nced at the young man beside the chubby guy, a little embarrassed and shy. Renji: "..." "Alright, hubby, I have to hurry back to my shift, or I''ll get scolded by the supervisor again if I''m found out." After breaking free from the chubby guy''s pig trotters, the receptionist girl specifically reminded the two before leaving: "You can look around the building, but don''t go inside otherpanies'' offices. If you get caught by security and they find out the card is borrowed, I''ll be in big trouble!" "Don''t worry wifey. My buddy and I will just go in and look around for a bit. We''lle out very soon." The chubby guy patted his chest. "Mm-hmm, hubby, mwah!" "Mwah~ Wifey!" After the girl waspletely gone, the chubby guy, who had shown off his love in front of Renji, now looked very smug and boastful. "How about it, buddy? Do you need me to have Ranran find one for you too?" "Although these receptionist girls have low education, their figures and looks are top-notch, and they''re easy to fool... Ahem, very innocent." "No need, it''s a bit sickening." Renji answered honestly. "Tsk, I think you''re just jealous of your buddy!" The chubby guy shook his head and clicked his tongue at Renji''sck of understanding of romance. Since the video he posted on C-Stationst night went viral, the chubby guy became even more convinced of Renji''s potential. He might be a gold mine. So now, he cared so much about Renji''s affairs, pulling strings to help Renji enter the Alliance Building and even wanting to introduce Renji to a girlfriend, consciously trying to get closer to him. After all, if he really became famous in the future and became some big gaming streamer, he could also mix in as a celebrity buddy. But unexpectedly, Renji was still indifferent and a bit wooden-headed, seeming to be uninterested in women, which made the chubby guy a bit regretful, losing a means to deepen their rtionship. Soon after, the two, using the ess card sent by Ranran and pretending to be employees of the Alliance Building, sessfully snuck into the building. Unlike other big gamepanies, Alliance rose to prominence with the single game "Fallen Chronicles II". And after taking off, they didn''t say they would invest in making other games but chose to continue refining "Fallen Chronicles II". Alliance rented four floors in the building, three of which were used for offices. One separate floor was like an exhibition hall, where they would specially disy some conceptual things about the game "Fallen Chronicles II". For example, monster models, character standees, map designs, etc. From this, it''s not hard to see the absolute status of "Fallen Chronicles II" in Alliance. The chubby guy, who had done his homework, now brought Renji to take the elevator to this "Fallen Chronicles II" exhibition hall of Alliance. The original purpose of this exhibition hall was for Alliance to train new employees, to let them better understand and integrate into the game "Fallen Chronicles II", providing creative inspiration and atmosphere. However, because it was very novel and restored many models in proportion to those in the game, it often attracted many outsiders to stop and visit. There was also no shortage of people like the chubby guy who, as yers of "Fallen Chronicles II", wanted toe and "pay homage". Although Alliance officially prohibited this, privately, they actually turned a blind eye to it. As long as people didn''t deliberately destroy or graffiti anything, it was considered external publicity. "Come,e,e, bro, look at this monster model. Isn''t it awesome? Look at these ws, this tail spike, and these rotten scales on its body. The details are simply amazing!" The chubby guy and Renji stood in front of a disy stand. Now, Shota was excitedly introducing to Renji a fierce monster model in a huge ss case. This monster in "Fallen Chronicles II" belonged to the "Snake" level of Miasma monsters. It had two attack modes: scythe melee and tail spike ranged. It was once a ssic monster that gave new yers a big headache. However, when Renji saw this monster model for the first time, the chubby guy''smentary beside him had actually be a bit blurry. That kind of touch from the depths of his memory surged up in Renji''s heart again. The lifelike monster model seemed to reallye alive in Renji''s eyes. Everything around him was no longer the interior of some building but turned into a blood-red, scarrednd. And he himself, wearing that cloak from back then, his whole body shrouded in the shadow of the cloak, countless Contractors under hismand, charging into the blood sea of Miasma, fighting fiercely with brutal monsters. They fought fearlessly, without the slightest hesitation, like burning mes, wanting to illuminate the darkness, willing to burn themselves out for this, to be thest ashes before dawn. "Buddy? Bro! bro?" "Hey, hey, hey, Renji!!" The chubby guy''s shouts made Renji break away from that strange state and finally return to reality. As for Renji''s distraction just now, the chubby guy also understood, making up his own mind that he was shocked by the realism of "Fallen Chronicles II" in various settings and details. Indeed, the reason why the mobile game "Fallen Chronicles II" could be popr was not that the gamey was very novel like. The bigger factor was its apocalyptic background setting, and the production team''s game design, which simply made yers feel like it was another immersive real world. But "Fallen Chronicles II" was not perfect either. For a long time before, its level design was always criticized by yers for being unoriginal, having poor yability, low creativity, not matching the exquisite art and setting text, and so on. Until... "If you ask me bro, you really came at the right time." "Although ''Fallen Chronicles II'' was popr before, it wasn''t to the extent of today. It barely squeezed into the first tier of mobile games. But it was about, uh, three or four months ago? ''Fallen Chronicles II'' changed its previous designer." "Changed designers?" "Yeah, you don''t know. The reason ''Fallen Chronicles II'' couldn''t take off before was inseparable from the levels designed by that designer, which were like a defense. Thebat experience was like dog shit. It was the kind where, after ying a few rounds, you figured out the routine and could pass it with your eyes closed!" Chapter 389 389: Alliance Part 2

Chapter 389 Chapter 389: Alliance Part 2

"Later, after yersined that thebat mechanics and design were too homogenized and the routines were the same over and over again, which was very boring, that damn designer didn''t think about how to innovate and develop new maps. He directly started with the values and mindlessly added a 0 to the attribute values of many monsters, making them both meaty and disgusting!" "The key is that the strengthening of many monsterspletely didn''t conform to the game setting. It was purely adding difficulty for the sake of difficulty, making the game go from being boring before to being both disgusting and boringter." Speaking of this, the chubby guy sighed, as if recalling that difficult time. However, he quickly changed to another excited expression and continued to introduce to Renji with great enthusiasm, "But it was just a few months ago, after changing designers, the level instances of ''Fallen Chronicles II'' directly had a qualitative leap!" "The new designer readjusted the values of the monsters and used more interesting mechanisms to make up for the shorings in difficulty. For example, like splitting monsters, like monsters that drop SAN values. Although some monsters are also disgusting, they can connect with the settings in the game, making people feel very natural, as if they are really fighting hard in such a monstrous apocalypse." "In just three or four months, it was visible to the naked eye that arge number of yers who had previously quit the game came back, and the poprity of the game also increased a lot. The discussion heat of ''Fallen Chronicles II'' on major forums also increased a lot, and many technical streamers and tak tak videos emerged. It can be said that the mysterious designer Lady Lena alone pushed ''Fallen Chronicles II'' up another level!" "Many yers have nothing but praise for designer Lena, saying that she has a huge imagination and various new ideas emerge in an endless stream. It is said that many monsters are also personally designed by Lady Lena. It really makes people unable to figure out, as if that designer had really experienced these things. It''s really admirable." From the chubby guy''s current expression, Renji could easily see his admiration for that " Designer Lena". Indeed, from the previous "Miasma Contract" instance, Renji, as a yer, could also feel the ingenious design on many maps in the game and the just-right number andyout of monsters. These could all reflect the foundation behind a designer. Perhaps after being introduced and hyped up by the chubby guy like this, even Renji had a bit of hidden expectation for what kind of excellent battles that designer Lena could present to them in the more difficult 29th and 30th floors of the contractter. If only... I could see that designer in person. This thought suddenly popped up in Renji''s mind. And it was unknown whether it was because the heavens heard his inner voice. Or... it was simply because the chubby guy''s voice was a bit loud just now due to being too excited. The sound of high heels came from the corner of the exhibition hall, and then a woman wearing a beige coat appeared in front of the two. In front of the cor of the woman''s beige coat, one could see her employee badge symbolizing "Alliance employee". She was not an ordinary employee, but a member of the leadership, and she also happened to be a designer. However, on the woman''s employee badge, there was an extra word "deputy" in front of the "chief designer" they had just discussed. "Let''s go, let''s go." The chubby guy restrained his animated appearance just now and quietly pulled Renji, wanting to leave quickly. As mentioned before, although the attitude towards outsiders visiting this "Fallen Chronicles II" exhibition hall was to turn a blind eye, now that they had run into an internal leader, it was better for them to quickly slip away. Originally, this was not a big deal. The employees inside Alliance were actually used to this, but the assistant following behind that deputy designer still gave Renji and the chubby guy a pitiful look. After all, just now in the corridor, although it was an intersection, they could still hear the chubby guy''s chatter, especially his evaluation of the two designers of "Fallen Chronicles II" before and after. As luck would have it... The current "deputy designer" was the original one who was always matched with "defense" and "dog shit" in the chubby guy''s mouth. "Stop right there!" The woman with a face as cold as frost directly shouted at Renji and the other, and after quickly walking up to them, she opened her mouth and directly said, "Let me see your employee badges." "Well..." The chubby guy stammered. He and Renji had snuck in in the first ce. Let alone employee badges, they weren''t even people from the Alliance Building at all. The woman opposite them obviously already knew this and deliberately wanted to make things difficult for them. "No employee badges, right? Do you know that this is an internal area of Alliance and outside unrted personnel are not allowed to enter? Liu, call security and tell them there are suspicious persons here and ask them toe and arrest them." "No, no, madam please wait!" When the chubby guy heard that security was being called and they were even given the title of suspicious persons, his face instantly turned pale and he hurriedly pleaded with the woman. Unfortunately, the woman had her arms crossed and said nothing, just sneering coldly, with an attitude of insisting on pursuing the matter to the end today. As for the assistant beside the woman, she could only secretly sympathize with Renji and the chubby guy, and then dial the security phone. It wasn''t a big deal originally. Who told you to scold Hina so harshly? Now it''s done. Hina had always been holding a grudge about the chief designer position being snatched away. Whoever dared to mention this was like a powder keg that would explode at the slightest touch. As a result, that chubby guy even scolded her a bunch. Now they could only admit to being unlucky. The chubby guy was directly panicked. If they were really investigated, not only would it implicate him, but also his receptionist girlfriend. Her job might not even be guaranteed. Renji was more calm. Seeing that the security hade, the matter definitely couldn''t be helped anymore. He gave the chubby guy a look that it was okay. When the time came, the chubby guy must not mention his girlfriend and the borrowed card. They would insist that they had snuck in. If it really didn''t work, Renji was prepared to take all the me himself. After all, the chubby guy came to the Alliance Building for his sake. And he himself was probably considered an unregistered resident now, so he couldn''t leave any record anyway. Even if he did, it didn''t matter to him. At most, he would just go in and squat for a few days. Perhaps it was thismotion that drew the attention of more and more people. Another sound of high heels came from the corridor, and the most eye-catching person who appeared here this time was a pink haired woman. And the position on the front of her gigantic chest badge had no other words in front of "chief designer". "Di-Director Lena?" the assistant Liu hurriedly greeted the pink-haired woman, while the deputy designer called "Hina" had an even uglier expression on her face. "What''s the situation?" Lena frowned at the abnormality in front of her, as well as the few security guards who had been called over by phone to arrest people. Hina ignored Lena, but Liu didn''t dare to. She quickly repeated the situation in a simple way. After hearing it, Lena originally didn''t want to get involved in this matter. After all, it was indeed the fault of these two outsiders. And the reason she was getting off work early at this point now was because she had decidedst night to go visit Miyuki''s house. But... Before, due to issues with physique and angle of view, Renji was a bit blocked by the chubby guy. And when Lena was about to leave, after changing angles... An inadvertent nce made the pink-haired woman''s line of sight happen to meet Renji''s eyes. And it was also at this moment. Lena stopped in her tracks. Chapter 390 390: Signed

Chapter 390 Chapter 390: Signed

Before, Lena always felt that things like love at first sight and heart palpitations were just tricks to fool kids, and she sneered at them. After all, anyone with a brain knew that it was improbable for two strangers to be instantly attracted to each other in a crowd just by ncing at each other. It was simply a case of being swayed by appearance. And as a mature, rational, independent-thinking urban woman, Lena never thought that such a thing would happen to her. However, today, at this very moment. It really happened. Lena didn''t know how to express her current feelings. Was this young man handsome? Indeed he was. But besides being handsome, he also gave her a very special feeling. It was that kind of... Seemingly unbelievable to see him here, a bit of shocked daze, followed by an iparable pleasant surprise from the bottom of her heart. But soon, this pleasant surprise turned into a very strange anger, very angry at why he had toe thiste. But in the end, the anger vanished into thin air, turning into a sweet and blissful feeling that made her whole body warm. Emotions like the previous shock, pleasant surprise, anger, etc., Lena didn''t know how to describe them, and these inexplicable emotions quickly shed by. What really ounted for the most was the sweet and blissful feeling afterwards. And this, Lena could describe. Very simple. Probably, seeing the young man''s short sleeves made her think of white arms, then his naked body, then rolling in bed sheets, then her own big belly, then naming the child, then continuing to have children, then naming their second child, then... Ahem! Lena coughed heavily. She shook her head vigorously, clearing her mind of these lewd and perverted thoughts, and stopped them from developing in a more dangerous direction. What is this sweet and blissful feeling. "¡­" Isn''t this just pure infatuation and perversion?! Lena considered herself to have always been a chaste woman, how could I... It must be because I had been looking at too much research material recently when designing the subus type monsters! That must be it, it is because of these research materials, I am not a pervert, hmph Lena moved her gaze away from the young man in a bit of a fluster. After coughing, she quickly restored her facial expression to the initial cold and arrogant chief designer. She turned her head to look at the few security guards who hade to arrest people. "You can go. There''s no problem here anymore." The security guards were a bit dumbfounded when they heard this. What did the director mean? No problem anymore? Not arresting these two? However, after all, Lena was not the one who called them over. The security guards all turned their perplexed gazes back to Hina. As for Hina... This chief "deputy" designer seemed to beughing angrily at Lena, and the assistant beside Hina was also trembling, feeling that things had gone very bad. Originally, it was just Hina wanting to vent her anger on these two unlucky bastards who had run into bad luck. But now... They didn''t think that Lena was being kind-hearted or anything. Even a fool could see that Lena was deliberately going against her and wanted to undermine her authority! "Heh, Director Lena is so imposing. Is she not taking thepany regtions seriously? Just got the position a few months ago and already thinks she''s the owner of Alliance?" "Take them away! Report to the police and deal with it!" Hina stared straight at Lena, deliberately raising her voice a few notches with a sharp tone. She had the attitude of fighting to the end. Today, she was going to punish these two outsiders. She was in the right in the first ce. She wanted to see what Lena could do about it. But obviously, she and Lena were not on the same level. Lena didn''t even bother to respond to Hina. After putting her gaze back on Renji and the chubby guy, she said indifferently, "You are the special yers selected from the survey questionnaire, right? Didn''t you receive a temporary pass?" The chubby guy''s brain was still a bit slow to react, but Renji responded very quickly. This was Lena giving them a chance, so he hurriedly said, "No, we thought we could juste in directly..." "Then that is indeed our mistake." Lena nodded, then waved at the two, "Come with me. The reason for inviting you offline to Alliance this time is actually just to ask you a few small questions about the game experience." Lena took the initiative to leave here. Renji pulled the chubby guy, who was still standing there not knowing what to do, and quickly followed behind Lena. After this, the identities of Renji and the chubby guy suddenly changed to special yers invited by Lena. It was just that due to a work mistake, they didn''t get temporary passes. The security guards left at the scene scratched their heads and went back without further ado. As for Hina, she felt even more like she was about to explode with anger, but she was helpless and could only watch as Lena took the two away. And as for the chubby guy... Shota looked at the tall pink-haired woman in front, nervously tugging at Renji''s clothes non-stop. Although Shota didn''t say anything, Renji could already understand the chubby guy''s excited mood from his trembling hands and the crazy mouthing at him. They originally said that being able to sneak in and take a look at Alliance and the "Fallen Chronicles II" exhibition hall was already a big gain. But now, they had actually benefited from a misfortune and even met the legendary Director Lena, Designer Lena! And she even really wanted to invite them for a private meeting! Lena led the two all the way to a nearby meeting room. Since they were impersonating identities, they had to put on an act. When opening the door, Lena nced at the happy little assistant beside her. The assistant now had a look of relief on her face. Before, they had always been disgusted by Hina. Now, Director Lena finally couldn''t bear it anymore and vented this bad air, fiercely killing Hina''s momentum. Lena couldn''t say much about this either. She couldn''t tell her assistant that it had nothing to do with Hina, and that she only stepped in because she felt guilty for doing very bad things to that young man in her cranial fantasies¡­ "Sit anywhere." After entering the meeting room, at Lena''s indication, the chubby guy was like a primary school student in a ssroom, quickly sitting properly on the chair, straightening his back, putting his hands on his legs, looking extremely well-behaved and restrained. Inparison, Renji beside him was much more normal. "I don''t need to say much about today''s matter, right? Don''t do it again. If I catch you again, I will also call security." Lena stared at the chubby guy and Renji and warned them. She didn''t want her help this time to cause a bad influence. If it really spread and outsiders came to visit, it would cause a lot of trouble and inconvenience for thepany. "Understood! We understand! We absolutely won''t do it again next time. Thank you so much, Director Lena!" The chubby guy kept nodding and apologizing to Lena repeatedly. Seeing that the chubby guy''s attitude was very sincere and he knew his mistake, Lena had nothing else to do anyway, so she continued to ask, "Are you both yers of Fallen Chronicles II?" "Of course! Director Lena, I, Shota, am an old yer of Fallen Chronicles II since the server opened, and I am the biggest fan of you I follow you on all tforms! I read your new designs and game concepts very carefully every time, especially..." Like meeting an idol, the chubby guy was so excited that his little mouth kept bbering. If he was really allowed to continue, he might be able to talk until it got dark. Lena interrupted him in time. "What about your friend?" The pink-haired woman turned her gaze to the young man beside the chubby guy. Rather, what she was actually more concerned about was this. It''s just a pity... To Lena''s disappointment, the young man opposite her shook his head. "I don''t really count. I only yed a few rounds using his ount." Renji answered truthfully. When the chubby guy beside him heard Renji say this, he secretly cursed in his heart that Renji didn''t know how to handle the situation. He hurriedly interjected, trying to remedy the situation, "But my buddy here ys really well. As soon as he started, he helped me clear the 28th floor of the contract. We even posted a video on C-Station!" "Is that so?" Lena responded a bit perfunctorily. The assistant in the room beside her also pouted, feeling that the chubby guy was exaggerating a bit too much. A newbie, let alone the 28th floor of the contract, probably couldn''t even pass the 8th floor, not knowing the characters and mechanisms. If you haven''t yed, just say you haven''t. There''s no need to be like this. The atmosphere suddenly became a bit cold. Lena looked at her watch. The time for putting on an act was also about enough. She got up and left the chair. "Alright, you can go now. If anyone asks you, just tell them that the content of our conversation is confidential. Remember, don''t do it again." "Okay, okay, Director Lena." Seeing that Lena was starting to send them away, although the chubby guy was very regretful, he was already very satisfied. He thanked her repeatedly again, preparing to leave. But unexpectedly... Renji, who had been rtively silent before, suddenly spoke to the pink-haired woman at this moment, "Director Lena, although I haven''t yed much, I admire your designs very much. I''m also looking forward to your 29th and 30th floors of the contractter. Also, if possible... could I ask for your autograph?" Renji''s sudden move caught the chubby guy a bit off guard. Shota was very anxious about Renji''sck of tact. Although he also really wanted this, he knew about being greedy and insatiable. You can''t give an inch and take a mile! Obviously, the assistant opposite Lena thought the same. You should know that their Director Lena was now the designer of the hugely popr " Fallen Chronicles II ". Who knows how many people from otherpanies wanted to poach her? Her poprity and hotness were extremely high. Director Lena''s handwritten signature was worth a lot. How many people outside were fighting for it? How could it be given so casually? A qualified assistant shoulde forward on behalf of the boss at this time, so the assistant directly refused on Lena''s behalf, "Sorry, Director Lena has important things to doter. As for the signature..." But before the assistant could finish speaking, the pink-haired woman''s voice rang out. "Where should I sign?" Chapter 391 391: Vicious Plan Chapter 391 391: Vicious n The chubby guy and the assistant in the meeting room: "..." ??? Who is the celebrity, and who is the fan? Renji and Lena didn''t pay attention to the two slightly confused outsiders in the room, because now they encountered a new problem. "You didn''t bring your phone? Okay, then use mine. I''ll send it to youter." Seeing that the young man didn''t move for a long time, Lena took out her own phone. This action made the chubby guy beside her both shocked and envious. Because there was an underlying meaning to this sentence. Director Lena would tell Renji her social media ount and add him as a friend! Jealousy made the chubby guy lookpletely different. But with Renji''s following words, the chubby guy wished he could beat this old hat who didn''t know how to cherish opportunities to death! "Sorry, is there something that can print out photos on the spot? I... don''t have a phone." No YOU FUKING MORON! YOU FUKING HAVE ONE! I can fucking buy you a phone as soon as you go out! What the hell is a phonepared to Director Lena, Designer Lena''s personal social media ount! The chubby guy was going crazy. And after hearing Renji''s words, Lena was stunned at first, then immediately recalled that just now, Renji said he hadn''t yed "Fallen Chronicles II". So... it was because he didn''t have a phone? Lena''s suddenly felt sour, and an inexplicable feeling of heartache surged up. Maybe it was because a few months ago, she was also like this, penniless and without even a phone. Local people in big cities couldn''t possibly not have phones. Now with Renji like this, he could probably only be someone who came out from some poor countryside to make a living. "It''s okay, we have one here." Lena''s voice became a few degrees gentler. Afterwards, the assistant quickly found a simple camera simr to a Proid from the meeting room. Lena took the initiative to walk to Renji''s side. Under the assistant''s "3, 2, 1" countdown, with a click, a photo slowly flowed out from the camera. "Thank you." After receiving the photo, Renji carefully put it in his pocket. Seeing that Renji''s side was finally done, the chubby guy beside him, who had almostpletely gone crazy, finally had a chance to interject. "Um! Di-Director Lena, can I also..." Lena was quite straightforward. She tore off a new sticky note and quickly signed "Lena" on it. "Thank you! Thank you so much, Director Lena. I won''t use the Proid. I have a phone, so I''ll use mine..." After receiving the sticky note like a treasure, the chubby guy was extremely excited about the next part, tidying his hair and clothes. After all, ording to Renji''s pattern just now, the next step should be his photo with Director Lena! But... obviously he thought too much. "I have something to doter, so I''ll leave first." After giving the chubby guy her signature, Lena directly left the meeting room with her assistant, not even ncing at the chubby guy who took out his phone. P¡­Photo? What about my photo? The chubby guy, who was resentful of the unfairness, clenched his fists. Looking at Renji''s face beside him, which was indeed several levels more handsome than his, he could only say that he deeply experienced the malice of this world. And at the same time, on the other side... there was also a group of people who were not experiencing malice, but creating malice. - Deputy chief designer''s office. The trembling assistant was watching Hina raging inside. "Damn it! That bitch! That stinking bitch Lena¡ªwhat is she being arrogant for!" "Special yers? My fucking ass! Howe I don''t know thepany has this activity!" "A neer who has only been in thepany for a few months, isn''t she just relying on her bit of looks? Who knows what kind of despicable means she used to climb up!" Listening to Hina''s curses, the previous ones were fine, but for thetter ones, the assistant really wanted to say that their Alliance''s founder, President Yuki, was also a woman. Unless the president was a futanari, relying on looks to sleep her way up really didn''t hold up in their Alliance. Of course. Seeing Hina so angry, the assistant also knew better than to add fuel to the fire. On the contrary... "Um, Hina, I suddenly remembered that I seem to have some impression of one of those two young men from earlier, the taller one..." "What? You have an impression?" "Yes, I didn''t react at the time, but now that I think about it, I feel like he looks quite simr to the new temp worker at the convenience store near our building." When Hina heard this, she immediately perked up and anxiously asked, "Are you sure? Convenience store, temp worker?" "I should be sure, it''s him." The assistant nodded. If it were someone else, they might still have some doubts. For example, she wasn''t sure about the chubby guy, but for the handsome one, they had gone to the convenience store a few times and had a deep impression. "Heh, hehe, interesting, this is getting interesting." Hina was originally very angry, but now that she got this information, her eyes began to show some yfulness. "Lena, oh Lena, you like to go against me, right? Okay, you asked for it. Then I''ll let you make a fool of yourself!" "Hina, by making a fool of herself, you mean...?" The assistant was a bit scared. It was the first time she had seen Hina with such a sinister look of revenge. She regretted providing this information a bit. But it was toote. Hina''s mouth curled into a smile, and she sneered, "Isn''t it easy to make a woman look bad? Later, you go find some people and spread it around thepany, saying..." "Saying that our high and mighty Director Lena is actually... having an affair with the little temp worker at the convenience store at the bottom of the building! The two of them are dating, and they are in a rtionship." "This, this isn''t good, isn''t it a bit too..." "What''s not good about it? Lena is willing to protect those two, right? Okay, then I''ll help her out. Maybe the two of them will really end up together, hehehe!" Hina wanted tough just thinking about Lena''s expression at that time, because she was very familiar with Lena and knew that Lena cared a lot about her reputation, especially her reputation as a woman. She had publicly rejected many suitors before. But now being rumored to be involved with a small employee at a convenience store, Lena''s face would probably turn green with anger! As for the so-called "really ending up together", it was just Hina''s wish. But she knew it was impossible. After all... don''t be ridiculous. Let alone someone of Lena''s level, but any woman with a bit of capability, who would look favorably upon a convenience store employee? It was purely just to disgust and take revenge on Lena. After her mood instantly improved a lot, Hina began to n for the future. She could disgust Lena, but if she wanted to take back her position as chief designer from Lena''s hands, she still had to rely on real skills. But obviously, her current abilities were indeed not as good as Lena''s, far from it. Before, she could only swallow her anger. But now it was different. She discovered a turning point. You''re good at designing maps and monsters, Lena? Making yers feel it''s novel? Okay. Then I''ll specifically find someone to make a strategy guide. Every time your so-called novel and interesting map is released, my person will immediately publish the optimal solution and the most convenient strategy guide, letting yers know how to solve the difficult levels. This is equivalent to directly marking the culprit at the beginning of a mystery novel. The fun of a strategy game lies in "thinking" about strategies. If you know the answer in advance and someoneys out the optimal solution for you, the interest will be greatly reduced. At that time, Lena''s status will no longer be so high, and I will have a chance. Hina had always had this idea before, but she was at a loss to find such a yer who could urately unravel the levels designed by Lena. But now... "Go, contact the uploader of this new hot video on C-Station for me. Ask if he''s willing to bring his friend to visit the Alliance headquarters, saying..." "Saying that I have a big business deal and want to sign with his friend." Chapter 392 392: I Am Really Grateful To Have You Chapter 392 392: I Am Really Grateful To Have You ??Ding dong Ding dong ding. "Coming,ing!" Miyuki put down the needle and thread in her hand, and at the same time, the emerald green glow gradually faded from the cloak Miyuki had just been mending. Opening the door, standing outside was a pink-haired woman holding a fruit basket. "Huh? Lena?" "I wanted to give myself a day off today, and since I was passing by, I came to visit President. I''m not disturbing you, am I?" Lena looked at the blonde woman in home clothes across from her. Upon hearing this, the blonde woman immediately puffed out her cheeks in mock anger. "Lena, I''m upset! You''re being too formal. There''s no such thing as disturbing or not disturbing. You''re always wee here. And didn''t I say, outside thepany, just call me Yuki. Come on in quickly!" The two mature women smiled at each other, then Miyuki took the fruit basket from Lena''s hands. While inviting her into the house, she also grumbled a little reproachfully: "Lena, I appreciate you taking the time to visit and even bringing some fruit. However, I couldn''t help but notice that the fruits in these baskets appear to be quite old and not very fresh. It seems like these may be low-quality products intended to be sold at an unfair price." "Indeed, no fruits are as good as the ones from Sister Yuki''s hometown!" Lena seemed ustomed to this, and it was evident that Miyuki oftenined to her about matters rted to vegetables and fruits. After the "small disturbance" at thepany had passed, Lena went straight to Miyuki''s home as originally nned. She was still a bit concerned about the oddity in Miyuki''s voice on the phonest night. However, from the moment Miyuki opened the door and Lena saw the blonde woman, Lena actually felt much more at ease. After all, at least on the surface, Miyuki didn''t seem to have anything wrong. In fact... "Sister Yuki, did you buy some new skincare products recently? Howe I feel like even though it''s only been a few days since Ist saw you, you seems to have be much younger." Lena couldn''t help but cast an envious gaze at Miyuki. This really wasn''t just a polite remark. She truly felt that Miyuki''s overallplexion had risen to another levelpared to before, with a bit of a glowing feeling. On the other hand, Miyuki, who received the pink-haired woman''spliment, first went "Huh? Really?" and only then pretended to ponder and said: "About that, hmm... I have indeed been trying a new skincare product recently. But this product has just been newlyunched, and there may still be many aspects that are a bit immature. Let me test the effects a bit more, and then I''ll rmend it to youter." "Then I''ll thank Sister in advance." "No, no, Lena, you''re being too formal. I''ve always considered you a dear younger sister. Naturally, if there are good things, I definitely have to share them~." Miyuki patted the head of the pink-haired woman in front of her. Although Lena didn''t say anything on the surface, her heart still felt warm. She was a neer,ing to this city like a stranger. Perhaps the only person she could trust here was really just Yuki. She had always regarded Yuki as an older sister too. However, speaking of family... For some reason, in addition to Miyuki, another face suddenly appeared in Lena''s mind. It was a slightly inexperienced young man who had just finished taking a signed photo with her. Wha¡­ What''s wrong with me? How could I still be unable to forget him! Lena''s abnormality was naturally also noticed by the perceptive Miyuki. As if realizing something, Miyuki then pulled Lena over to the sofa. "Si¡­ sister?" "Lena, you must have something on your mind, right?" "No, I don''t..." The pink-haired woman still tried to evade, stammering. But under Miyuki''s gaze, Lena finally chose to surrender. Sighing, she first asked Miyuki in return. "Sister Yuki, do you think... in this world, there really exists that kind of person where, after just one nce, you feel like they are your destined one, and you want to be good to them, want to talk more with them, and even want to..." Lena''s cheeks were a bit red in the back. Even though she was already a mature woman in her thirties, right now she was still like a shy little girl of seventeen or eighteen, fidgeting bashfully. "Lena, it is possible, and this phenomenon is actually verymon, and we call it... love~" "But... but I clearly should only be meeting him for the first time, yet I feel like I''m very, very familiar with him, just like reuniting with an old friend after many years apart. There''s a very strong sense of closeness. Is this... also love?" "Of course~, under love, anything is possible. Lena, since you''ve been fortunate enough to meet him, you have to seize the opportunity. You mustn''t miss it. Don''t think that you''ll be able to meet someone who moves your heart like this again in the future. Very likely... he is your one and only. If you don''t grab hold of him, he''ll be snatched away by someone else~." Lena originally didn''t think much of it, but after Miyuki said this, especially after hearing the words "snatched away" in Miyuki''ster words, Lena''s heart clenched. Subconsciously, she tried imagining if that man were to be with another woman, and immediately, boundless jealousy and unwillingness welled up in her heart. Even if... That woman was Yuki. No, that''s not right! How can I project Sister Yuki into it! Lena quickly shook her head inwardly, reproaching herself for this behavior. Yuki treated me so well, viewing me as a dear younger sister. How could I possibly fight over a man with her? After being enlightened by Miyuki, Lena quickly became dejected again, saying a bit dejectedly: "But Sister Yuki, I... I seem to have already let the opportunity slip by. Forget about knowing his home address, I don''t even know his name." "What about his phone number? Did you two not exchange contact information?" Miyuki asked further, pretending to be a strategist. Lena sighed again and shook her head: "No, he doesn''t have a phone..." "Is that so..." The blonde woman on the sofa also sighed, as if also feeling regretful for Lena. But very quickly, Miyuki still perked up in spirit and encouraged her pink-haired good friend beside her. "It''s okay, Lena. I''ve been resting at home recently, right? Taking this opportunity, I watched several films shot by Sin City Media. One of them was about a female fortune-teller." "A female fortune-teller?" Lena was a bit puzzled. She didn''t expect Yuki to also watch this type of niche film. And... Sin City Media? Why did that sound so familiar? Without giving Lena more time to ponder, Miyuki continued: "Mm, astrology was originally veryplex and profound. But fortunately, the female protagonist in this film exined it in simple terms. I learned a lot of astrological postures... knowledge in great detail, giving me some understanding of metaphysics and also starting to believe in fate." "So, if he really is Lena''s destined person, then I believe, even if you two may have missed each other now, in the near future, very soon, fate will definitely let you meet again!" Miyuki, having said this, took her pink-haired friend''s hand. And Lena, feeling the warmth of Miyuki''s hand on her palm, plus Miyuki''s constion, couldn''t help but also nod and sigh again: "Mm, I understand. Thank you, Sister Yuki." "I am really grateful to have you." Chapter 393 393: I Have Someone I Like Chapter 393 393: I Have Someone I Like ??As Miyuki mentioned taking a day off to watch movies at home, Lena finally came back to her senses, realizing that she hade to visit Miyuki, but somehow it turned into Miyukiforting her instead! "Speaking of which, didn''t you sayst night that your house was being renovated? Is it finished now?" Lena nced around the room. Actually, from the moment she entered the house, she was a bit puzzled. It wasn''t her first time visiting Miyuki''s home, so she didn''t notice any differences from before, let alone any traces of renovation. If she had to point out something... "Also, I noticed there''s an extra pair of slippers on the shoe cab at the entrance. Do you have a guest over?" A few months ago, before bing the chief designer, Lena had lived with Miyuki, so she was very familiar with Miyuki''s habits. Miyuki was very attentive and detail-oriented when it came to home management. She would never leave things lying around randomly. Now, with an extra pair of shoes on the shoe cab that Miyuki hadn''t put away, it could only mean that there was an additional person in the house. Moreover, the reason Lena couldn''t help but ask now was that the pair of slippers were obviously men''s. "Oh, you mean that?" "Remember I told you I have a younger brother? He recently came over from our hometown and is living with me." "Younger brother?" Lena was a bit surprised, but after thinking carefully, this younger brother wasn''t out of the blue. Miyuki had indeed mentioned him to her several times before. At that time, based on Miyuki''s tone and demeanor when describing her younger brother, Lena had secretlyined that Miyuki was definitely a doting sister who spoiled her brother. "So now he is..." "He should be at work, right?" "Work?" Lena was a bit surprised. With Miyuki''s current wealth, did her brother still need to work? In response, Miyuki smiled and exined, "He''s simr to you, I guess. He''s also new to this city and is still adapting. So I thought I''d let him go out and work hard to get used to it first. And how should I put it? Well, my brother is quite tsundere. If I directly arranged for him to work at the Alliance, he probably wouldn''t ept it." "Since that''s the case, I won''t bother with such unnecessary steps. Anyway, with his abilities, I guess it won''t take long for him to reach a simr position~" Although Miyuki''s tone was very ordinary, Lena could still easily hear the pride and confidence she had in her younger brother from those words. If it were someone else, Lena might not believe it. Starting from scratch wasn''t that simple. But since it was Miyuki, if the older sister was so outstanding, the younger brother should be the same. Lena knew about Miyuki''s legendary story. This older sister had trulye to the city alone, started from scratch, and relied on herself to establish the Forest-Alliance.co. Later, with the sess of "Fallen Chronicles II", she had firmly established her footing and became a bigpany in the industry. It was a legendary journey. As it was gettingte, Lena chatted with Miyuki for a while longer before getting up to leave. "Lena, be careful on the way back. If there''s a chance, I''ll let you meet my brother and get to know each other. As the chief designer of our Alliance, who knows, he might be your fan too!" "I see, I will be waiting then" Lena nodded. When changing her shoes in the entrance hall, she nced at the slippers on Miyuki''s shoe cab again and suddenly felt a sense of loss in her heart. What is this feeling again? Now that Miyuki''s younger brother hase back to visit her, Miyuki has family to apany her and is no longer alone. But I... I am still all by myself... When Miyuki was also alone before, Lena didn''t feel it. But now, with the sudden addition of a younger brother in Miyuki''s home, inparison, it seemed to make her feel even more lonely. As if sensing Lena''s loneliness, the blonde woman at the door still stopped her before she left. "Also, Lena, don''t just let me introduce my brother. I''m still waiting for you to introduce your man to me too when you find him~!" Faced with Miyuki''s teasing smile, Lena knew that the other party was trying tofort her. However, the loneliness and emptiness in her heart indeed made Lena''s determination in this regard even stronger. She nodded and puffed out her chest with great vigor, saying, "Hmph, don''t worry, Yuki. This youngdy only needs to make a slight effort. What man can''t I, Lena, bring back? Just wait, in no time, I''ll find him and bring him to you in no time!" Faced with her pink-haired best friend''s bold deration, Miyuki naturally apuded with both hands, looking very expectant, and said, "That''s right, that''s right. Lena, not only in our Alliance but among all the yers of ''Fallen Chronicles II,'' you are also a goddess-level figure. Dealing with a man, isn''t it a piece of cake for you?" "Not to mention, you have me too!" "Lena, I will also secretly support you~!" The emotional exchange between the two mature women finally came to a satisfactory conclusion. Lena hummed a tune and drove away from Miyuki''s home. The pink-haired woman drove while pondering how she could find that young man again. Although Miyuki said to believe in fate, Lena still preferred to control her own destiny. But what Lena didn''t know was that, in fact, just less than a hundred meters away from her car, the fate she wanted had just passed her by. At the entrance of themunity, the young man who had gotten off work walked in with his head down. Renji arrived at the door with a veryplicated and heavy heart. He had gotten off work early today for one thing. Before opening the door, Renji took out a signed photo from the lining of his clothes, looked at it again, and then, as if making up his mind, opened the door. "You''re back?" "Why so early today? Wait a little longer. A friend came over to visit not long ago, so it took some time. Dinner will be ready in about fifteen minutes. Why don''t you take a shower first?" Renji looked at Miyuki, who poked her head out from the kitchen. Although she was wearing an apron, her alluring figure with curves in all the right ces under her home clothes still made people''s mouths water, wishing they could eat her as dinner. Moreover, afterst night, Renji was a bit sensitive to the words "take a shower" and felt that a certain part of him had already started to ache. Taking a deep breath, Renji knew that he couldn''t continue to make this mistake, especiallyst night, which was too crazy and too unfair to Miyuki! Although it was Yuki who took the initiative to request it. But I... Renji shook his head vigorously, feeling immensely remorseful for his beastly behaviorst night. My actions werepletely disrespectful to Yuki! With even greater determination, Renji very seriously told Miyuki to stop cooking first, as they needed to talk. And when the two of them sat down at the table in the living room, the first thing Renji said was... "Sister Yuki, I..." "Have someone I like now." Chapter 394 394: Lessons Learned (Part 1) Chapter 394 394: Lessons Learned (Part 1) Renji thought that Yuki would have a big reaction, if not getting jealous, at least she should be surprised. However, the blonde girl in front of him just nodded, then propped her cheek with one hand, and said with a bit of emotion, "Is that so? It happened much faster than I expected." "Expected... much faster?" Renji didn''t quite understand what Yuki meant. But Yuki just smiled and didn''t exin. After brushing it off with a chuckle, she quickly put on a very curious look, eager to hear the gossip, and impatiently asked the young man: "Quickly tell your big sister, how did you two meet? What''s her name? How old is she? What does she do? I''m very curious about what kind of woman out there could capture our little brother''s heart so quickly." Faced with Yuki''s enthusiastic questioning, as if she cared more about the other person than himself, Renji was a bit confused for a moment. This was a bit different from the plot he had imagined. Are all women like this? Although Yuki''s reaction was a bit strange, Renji had no way back now. He took out the autographed photo of Lena that he had prepared earlier from his bosom and ced it on the table. "The convenience store where I work happens to be right next to the Alliance building. Today, out of curiosity, I was thinking about borrowing a card from a friend to sneak into the building and take a look at the Alliance, but I was discovered by the Alliance employees inside." "Afterwards... Originally, the Alliance people all said they were going to call security and the police. Fortunately, she stepped in to help us and resolved the matter." Renji simply recounted today''s events to Yuki, and naturally, "she" was the pink-haired woman in the photo. Yuki listened very attentively, then following Renji''s words, she also shifted her gaze to the photo. "So what about this autographed photo?" "Later, I found out that her name is Lena, and she is the chief designer of the Alliance. Because I borrowed my friend''s phone and yed ''Fallen Chronicles II'' a few times, I had a very good impression of her. I was thinking about whether I could get an autograph. Afterwards, miss Lena not only gave me her autograph but also took a photo with me in a very approachable manner." Renji continued to exin truthfully. Hearing this, Yuki nodded, "So, you fell in love with her?" Although Yuki''s expression didn''t change much and her voice was very normal, Renji always felt something strange, a feeling he couldn''t quite describe. But there was no way around it. He had never been in a rtionship and didn''t understand women at all. He could only continue with a stiff upper lip, "Mm, yes..." In fact, in Renji''s heart, he indeed had a great fondness for Lena, and a very strong sense of closeness, even though it was their first meeting. But Renji mostly regarded this as love at first sight, after all, Lena''s beauty was indeed no less than Yuki''s. And the reason why he wanted to lie to Yuki now, saying that he liked Lena, even love at first sight, was more because he wanted to take this opportunity to get rid of Yuki. To be precise, to get rid of their improper rtionship. After all, in Renji''s traditional view, how could there be anything between andlord and a tenant? This kind of plot was simply the same as what happens in some erotic novels. And the better Yuki treated him, the more reluctant Renji was to take advantage of her. He hoped to establish a normal, sincere, and pure friendship with Yuki. And not like now, as if he was being favored by some rich woman and being kept by her. On the other side. Seeing Renji''s affirmative reply, Yuki also nodded as if it was a matter of course: "Mm, indeed, as a big celebrity, Director Lena can dote on her fans like this, which can really make people have a good impression of her. Plus, She is indeed very beautiful. If I were you, I guess I would fall in love with her too." "Huh? Sister Yuki, you... know her too?" "Don''t think that just because I''m older, I don''t y games." Yuki blinked her eyes and didn''t directly answer. And Renji also naturally went along with Yuki''s words, understanding that Yuki was also a yer of "Fallen Chronicles II", so it was normal for her to know Lena. "Alright, I roughly understand. Don''t worry, your big sister will support you!" Yuki waved her little fist at him, looking like she would give him advice and even be his wingwoman. "No, Sister Yuki, I... I don''t mean it that way." "What''s wrong? Don''t you trust your big sister? Let me tell you, just earlier today, the friend who came to visit me at home also came to consult me about rtionships. I have a lot of experience in this area! With my support, you''ll definitely be able to win the beauty''s heart!~" Renji finally couldn''t hold back anymore. Winning the beauty''s heart and getting Yuki''s support were not his goals at all. Renji stopped beating around the bush and chose to directly break the window paper. "No! what I mean is, from now on, let''s not... not... not fix things anymore." What "fixing things" meant, both of them understood. After the young man said this, the living room fell into silence. The atmosphere became a bit heavy. Just as Renji was thinking about what else to say to break the silence, Yuki got up from the table and sat down beside him. Next, without saying anything or making any moves, the blonde woman beside him seemed to fall into some kind of memory, looking up at the ceiling and murmuring to Renji: "Renji, would you like to hear a story from your big sister?" A story? It was a bit abrupt. Renji wasn''t quite sure what Yuki wanted to do, but he subconsciously nodded along, "...Okay." "A long, long time ago, there was a world full of scars. In thisnd filled with suffering, all living beings lived very hard lives. The world also didn''t want to see the creatures on the continent suffer, so it gave birth to a new powerful race called elves." "Elves were the darlings of the world, born with great power. They were the guardians of the world. They received a blessing from the world, a very powerful blessing¡ªthey could gain strength from helping others." "The mission given to the elves by the world was to help the suffering creatures, to give them shelter, and to fulfill their wishes." "When an elf helped enough creatures and fulfilled enough of their wishes, their own strength would also increase rapidly. This was specifically manifested in the wings behind the elves." "Two wings, four wings, six wings, eight wings, ten wings... and the legendary twelve wings." "In history, the most powerful elf only reached ten wings and could no longer advance, even if they helped countless more creatures and helped them fulfill even greater and more ambitious wishes, they still couldn''t evolve to the final twelve wings." "Many elves were very puzzled and perplexed by this, and also deeply unwilling to ept it, because if they could reach twelve wings, they might not only be able to save living beings but even... save this terminally ill world." "Therefore, countless elves who reached ten wings in history were trying their best to continue helping other creatures in order to gain the world''s recognition and obtain the power of ''twelve wings'' that could save the world." "But in the end, there was still no result. Even worse, an outstanding ten-winged elf perished while trying to fulfill someone else''s wish, a very greedy wish." "The death of the ten-winged elf sounded the rm for all elves, making them disheartened and gradually retreating into seclusion, no longer believing in the existence of ''twelve wings'' and epting the fate that the world would eventually perish." "Simrly, the vast majority of elves also gave up the blessing given to them by the world, no longer fulfilling the wishes of living beings or drawing strength from helping others, and instead cultivating on their own." "But without the help of the blessing, elves were actually no stronger than other races and became increasingly declining. Moreover, because they refused to help other creatures, they even gained a bad reputation for being arrogant and conceited." "If this continued, perhaps the end would reallye, but... a turning point appeared." "One day, a human intruded into the elven realm. At that time, the elves were no longer as glorious as before. The decline of the elven world also allowed monsters to run rampant, and even the elven race faced the crisis of being invaded by monsters." "In such a dangerous situation, the captain of the elven knights, in order to quickly gain the power to resist the monsters, could only restart the fundamental reason that once made the elven race powerful¡ªthe blessing from the world. She had to go and fulfill the wishes of other living beings." "And this human who intruded into the elven race naturally became the target of the female knight captain." "The wishes of living beings have always been greedy and bottomless, and humans are even more so. The knight captain had originally prepared to satisfy the greedy human in exchange for power. But surprisingly, during the interaction between the knight captain and the human, none of the wishes made by the human were for his own benefit." "On the contrary, the human only hoped to defeat the monsters, save more suffering people, purify the pollution, and make wishes for this world and even for the elven knight captain." "By fulfilling the human''s wishes, the knight captain''s strength rapidly increased, from four wings to six wings, then to eight wings, and finally reached the pinnacle of the elven race''s history¡ªa ten-winged great elf." "It was not until this point that the knight captain realized that the world''s recognition was not about letting the elves selflessly fulfill the wishes of others, but about finding someone who was willing to ''make wishes'' not for themselves." "At this moment, the knight captain understood the conditions for achieving ''twelve wings'', but under the rules of the world, like many predecessors, she could not say it out loud and could only rely on that human. And in the end, the human also gave the only answer." "Renji, do you want to guess what wish this human finally made to the ten-winged knight captain in the story?" Chapter 395 395: Lessons Learned (Part 2) Chapter 395 395: Lessons Learned (Part 2) The blonde woman stared at the young man with her emerald green eyes. Although Yuki''s story felt abrupt to Renji at first and left him a bit confused, for some reason, as he listened, he became engrossed in it. And Renji here seemed to project himself into the human in the story. "His wish was to let the ten-winged knight captain gain two more wings?" This answer naturally emerged in Renji''s mind, as if it were a question he had answered before. "That''s right." "It was this wish. The only way for an elf to go from ten wings to twelve wings was to have someone they had helped before help them by making this wish, that is... to make a wish to the world for them." "But ironically, the elven race had existed for over a thousand years. In those thousand years, the elves had helped countless living beings and fulfilled many of their wishes, but no living being had ever made a wish for the elves. Their wishes were only for themselves." "Perhaps it was precisely because the many ten-winged ancestors were clear about this point, clear about the inherently selfish nature of living beings, that they became disheartened?" "At the end of the story, the elven knight captain who obtained the power of ''twelve wings'' and her humanpanion eliminated the monsters together and expelled the evil forces polluting the world. The world was finally saved, and after peace and stability arrived, the elven knight also fell in love with that human and lived a happy and sweet married life." "Logically, this should be the ending of the story." Yuki sighed. Then her tone changed. "However, in reality, because the ''twelve wings'' appeared toote and the world had already been deeply polluted by evil forces, the knight captain did not gain the imagined powerful strength, but merely unlocked her potential limit. Her battle journey with her humanpanion had to continue." "If it were just that, it would be fine. But after following the human out of the forest, the knight captain learned that her humanpanion was not an ordinary human either. He had a vast empire outside in the world. She was really foolish and should have thought of it earlier. Such a human must be a savior, and how could a savior not have otherpanions by his side?" "In fact, the elven woman didn''t mind the human having manypanions. On the contrary, because the elven race was sparsely popted, the elves cherished friendships and rtionships amongpanions and cherished this big family. Most of the human''spanions epted the elf woman as a newrade, but only the subus among them did not." "It wasn''t that the elf woman did anything wrong, but the subus race was born ipatible with elves. In the traditional views of the two races, elves regarded subi as foolish and promiscuous erroneous creations, while subi despised the arrogance and affectation of elves. The two sides were very repulsed by each other. Of course, the elven knight in the story had no prejudice against the subus, but the subus was not like that." "She showed strong hostility towards the elf woman''s appearance, believing that everything about the her now was an act and that the she must have ulterior motives for approaching the human. Therefore, she deliberately made things difficult for the elf woman and intentionally made the her do some unspeakable things that only a subus would do, trying to make the elf show her true colors." "But the kind and gentle elf knight silently endured the subus''s provocations. Even the most shameful requests, the elf fulfilled them one by one. In the end, the elf woman sessfully used her kindness to move the subus, dispelling the subus''s inherent impression of elves, and from then on, they lived together in harmony and happiness." Hahh! After telling such a long story, Yuki let out a long breath. She had said so much, but her purpose was actually what came next. "Renji, what did you learn from this story?" "Don''t be too selfish, learn to think of others?" Renji concluded from the "elf''s wish" story. But the blonde woman shook her head. "Even if it''s a temporary low point, don''t give up and always maintain a kind and gentle heart?" Renji concluded from the knight captain''s tenacious character. But the blonde woman still shook her head. "Don''t have too high expectations for future results, and when facing a sense of disappointment, ept it calmly and continue to strive forward?" The "twelve wings" of the elf in the story were indeed not that powerful. "Don''t treat strangers with preconceived notions, and only after truly interacting with someone can you see them clearly?" This was derived from the story of the elven woman and the subus. And this time, the blonde woman not only shook her head but also sighed with a very heavy tone, "Wrong, it''s exactly the opposite of what you said." "This story tells us how important it is toe first." "If the elf had met the human before the subus, would she still need to ept the various shameful tests from the subus? She wouldn''t have awakened strange skills because of it." "Alternatively, if the elf had rich experience with subi beforehand and was familiar with her opponent, she could have handled the subus with ease! She could even turn the tables and let the subus experience what humiliation tastes like." Awakened... strange skill? Was there this part in Yuki''s story just now? Also... This doesn''t right¡­ Wasn''t the elf in the story set up as a gentle big sister type? How did it turn into turning the tables and being so aggressive here? But before Renji could ask these questions, Yuki finally revealed her true intentions and lectured: "Renji, if we use the terms from games, Director Lena is currently at LV100, while you are only at Lv1. No, after these few days, you should have the strength of Lv5, but obviously, that''s still not enough, far from enough." "So do you know what you need now? You need to level up." "Level up?" "That''s right. Since you like Director Lena, you should present your best self in front of her. Imagine if you really seed and can go on a date with Director Lena, but do you know what a date is? Have you ever held a girl''s hand? Have you ever kissed a girl? Do you have the skillful techniques to make the other person happy?" Yuki''s series of questions made Renji a bit dazed. He subconsciously shook his head. He indeed had no experience with girls at all. Well... except for Yuki. Renji always felt that something was off but couldn''t put his finger on what it was. Until Yuki took his hand. "Renji, it''s not just empty talk when your big sister says she supports you. From now on, you can use your sister to level up. Imagine me as the Lena you like~" "Come, squeeze your sister''s hand. There''s also a trick where you can use your fingers to lightly scratch the girl''s palm. Come try it on your sister." "Wait a minute, Yuki, this, this..." "Don''t speak! Your sister will teach you more. When a girl is flirting with you, the most taboo thing is to say the wrong things. If I were Lena now, I would be very angry!" The blonde woman had suddenly transformed into a strict instructor, and Renji was like a poor-performing and disobedient student. "Next question. After holding hands, now you and Director Lena are very affectionate. What should you do to Director Lena next?" "I... I don''t know." "Baka, your Nee-sama will teach you. Come, kiss me~" "Yu-" "Don''t call me Yuki. Forgot? I''m Director Lena now. Mmm... Yes yes like that~. Then put your tongue against... Nice nice ~ Lena is now very, very happy..." "This is not enough. Lena wants to be even happier. At times like this, you should also start moving your hands and put them here on Lena ass or boobies ..." "Yes, that''s it. Imagine your sister as Lena, your beloved Lena. Come... Release all your love for the person you like, your love for Lena, onto your sister!" "Your sister will always, always support you until you seed..." Chapter 396 396: Scandal (Part 1) Chapter 396 396: Scandal (Part 1) ??The next day. At the convenience store. "Shota, do you think it''s normal for a woman to be willing to help you pursue another one?" "It''s quite normal. Like when I was pursuing Ranran before, I did it by buying off Ranran''s close friends and having them pass on information to me." The chubby guy nodded, not thinking much of it. "Then did any of your girl-friend''s close friends say they wanted to help you level up?" Renji followed up. The chubby guy: "?..?" "What the heck? Level up? Level up what?" "Like if you''ve never held a girl''s hand before, she''ll let you hold her hand, and if you have no dating experience, she''ll practice dating with you." "Pfft! Then if you have no kissing experienceter on, will she practice kissing with you too?" Hearing this, the chubby guy couldn''t help but retort. Then he found that the young man across from him actually fell silent. "Wait, wait! Bro, you can''t be serious..." "It''s not me, it''s a friend of mine." "Well anyway, from my experience, that girl is definitely not some easy target. She''s most likely a Sneaky Sweetheart!" How could Yuki be a Sneaky Sweetheart without being an easy target? She''s indeed helped me a lot... Last night''s "guidance" experience shed through his mind. Renji shook his head inwardly. Now there was really no way to return to a normal rtionship with Yuki. Since that was the case, he shouldn''t think about Lena anymore. He had no face to say he still liked her. In the future, he should just settle down and live his life with Yuki? But... The more Renji thought this way, the more the image of that pink-haired woman kept involuntarily appearing in his mind, lingering and not going away. It even gave birth to the evil thought of "I want both" in his heart, making him really troubled. On the other hand, seeing that Renji seemed to be in low spirits, Shota took the initiative to change the subject. "Alright bro, let''s not talk about women anymore.Women are like clothes, and men should focus on their careers... Let''s talk about something serious. Come, take a look at this!" Shota excitedly handed his phone to Renji to look at. On it was a game video on C-site with nearly a million views. It was the recording of him clearing the Miasma Contract yesterday, edited by the chubby guy. "I told you bro, with your skills and techniques, you''ll definitely blow up! Look, it''s only been one day and there are already over a million views. It directly shot up to the hot listst night." "I originally thought this was already amazing enough, but guess what? There was even a bigger surprise!" Speaking of thetter part, the chubby guy even started to dance with excitement. He took back his phone, did some simple operations, and showed Renji an interface of "private messages". In the private messages, Renji saw a user with the ID "Fallen Chronicles II" leaving several messages for the chubby guy. The gist was that they were very interested in him and hoped to invite him to visit thepany inside the Alliance building. They also hinted in their wording that if the subsequent talks went well, they might have a big business deal to give him. "Could this be a scammer?" Renji was a bit suspicious. A video with just a million views shouldn''t be enough to make the official side pay so much attention, let alone invite him, right? "At first nce, I also thought it was a scammer, but bro, do you see the five-pointed star next to this ID? It''s official verification. Clicking into it also leads to the dynamic page of ''Fallen Chronicles II''. This is definitely the official ount. The official side really contacted us directly!" "What do you say bro? We definitely have to go, right?" Although the chubby guy was very impatient and couldn''t wait to agree directly, Renji was the main person involved after all. He had to ask for Renji''s opinion first before replying. As for Renji... "Mm, let''s go and see." The young man nodded. After more and more exercise with Yuki, Renji felt that his amnesia seemed to be gradually healing, whether it was his own psychological effect or something else. More and more images from the depths of his mind began to slowly emerge. It was precisely because of this that Renji became more certain that he still had some important matters waiting for him, and this matter was rted to "Fallen Chronicles". "Alright!" Seeing Renji nod, the chubby guy beamed with joy. Although his fingers were quite thick, his current speed of tapping on the phone was lightning fast. In less than half a minute, he had finished replying to the official ount''s private message. First, he expressed very politely that they were very honored, and then he told the official side that they were near the Alliance building and could go over at any time. "It''s done bro. Tsk tsk, fate is really amazing. Yesterday, we were racking our brains, sneaking into the Alliance like thieves, but today, just one nightter, hey! We''ve truly be honored guests invited by the Alliance!" "You know what bro? I''m especially looking forward to encountering that nasty woman who stopped us yesterday again. I want to know what expression she''ll have on her face when she sees us entering the Alliance so openly and grandly. I bet it''ll definitely be quite a sight! Haha, just imagining that scene already makes me feel great!" "Of course, if we could meet Director Lena again, that would be simply too blissful! Sigh, bro, do you think the person inviting us could be Director Lena? Ah! My heavens! This plot, even novels wouldn''t dare write it like this! Isn''t it too much like a wish-fulfillment story?" Customersing into the convenience store one after another interrupted Shota''s wild imaginations. Who knows what was going on today, the customer flow seemed unexpectedly high. Even the chubby guy couldn''t ck off and had to get busy at the counter. If it was simply just more customers, it would be fine, but Shota and Renji quickly noticed some abnormalities. Some customers would always intentionally or unintentionally nce in Renji''s direction. A small portion even stared straight at Renji when checking out. This had actually happened before. After all, Renji was indeed considered young and handsome man, attracting some young girls. This was also why the convenience store owner was willing to hire Renji. But today was clearly different from before. There were quite a few more people wearing employee uniforms, and they all seemed toe in groups of three or five, as if they had specificallye to take a look at Renji, apanied by whispers. "Quick, look, it should be him, right?" "He is indeed quite handsome..." "Handsome is handsome, but a convenience store clerk, it feels a bit..." "What if he''s here to experience life at the bottom?" "If I had money, I''d also find someone like this!" Renji didn''t pay much attention to these and still worked diligently, but the chubby guy''s personality was very curious. He finally couldn''t hold back and found a girl from the building who came alone, bribing her with a bottle of milk tea. And Shota was shocked by what he learned. "Huh? You don''t know yet? Your young and handsome colleague is dating our Director Lena!" Shota: "..." "Who?" The chubby guy suspected he had heard wrong. "Director Lena, have you yed Fallen Chronicles II? The chief designer of the Alliance, Lena." Chapter 397 397: Scandal (Part 2) Chapter 397 397: Scandal (Part 2) -Alliance. In the office, the pink-haired woman tapped the desk with a ballpoint pen, feeling a bit frustrated. On theputer beside her were seven or eight discarded design drafts. Usually, Lena would definitely have discarded drafts during the design process, but it wouldn''t be like today, where she spent the entire morning and ended up with not a single design draft that she was satisfied with. What is wrong with me? Lena could probably vaguely guess the reason for this poor state andck of inspiration. The pink-haired woman took out a carefully preserved photo from her wallet. It was very normal for fans to always treat a photo with a celebrity as a treasure, wishing they could carry it with them every day. But for a celebrity to always keep a photo with a fan in their wallet... That was quite rare. Lena looked at the young man in the photo. That feeling of restlessness and confusion only slightly eased. But when she thought about how she was in a hurry to go visit Miyuki''s ce at the time, so she didn''t even ask for the other party''s contact information, work, home address, or anything, resulting in her having no way to find the young man again even if she wanted to, with no clues at all. Damn it! Thinking of this, Lena''s feeling of frustration rose exponentially again. At this moment, there was a knock on the door of Lena''s office. It was the little assistant who came to deliver materials to Lena. Unlike usual, today''s assistant also seemed very angry, with a very indignant look on her face. "What''s wrong?" Lena couldn''t help but ask with concern. The little assistant hesitated for a moment, but finally said, "Director Lena, you''ve been in the office all morning, so you don''t know. It seems that sincest night, there''s been a rumor circting within thepany, saying that you have a scandalous rtionship with a convenience store employee!" "Convenience store employee, scandal?" Lena frowned. She was already in a bad mood, and now hearing this made her even more irritated. Everyone in thepany knew that she was most cautious in this regard. Even many of the assistants under her were all females, never hiring men. "If you ask me, it must be Hina spreading the rumors. Only Hina was present at yesterday''s incident. She must be holding a grudge after suffering a setback at your hands and is retaliating like this! What kind of person is she, really disgusting!" Lena was originally full of anger. Usually, she would ignore Hina''s many provocations, mainly because she disdained them. But now Hina was even creating scandals about her. This had already touched Lena''s bottom line. She couldn''t tolerate it anymore. But with thetter half of her assistant''s words, Lena was stunned at first, then quickly followed up, "Wait a minute, the scandal you mentioned, who is it with? It couldn''t be that fan from yesterday, right?" "Yes, it''s the one who took a photo with you. Obviously, you were just being approachable and doting on a fan, but in the mouths of certain people, it turned into you having feelings for someone else. It''s too despicable!" The assistant gestured with her fists in the air, full of righteous indignation, as if she was standing up for Lena. But in fact, Lena''s focus was all on... "So, the person who took a photo with me is in the convenience store at the bottom of our building?" "Yes, yes, it''s said to be a newly hired employee. Our team is too busy and basically never goes to that convenience store. Only those who often ck off and don''t do their proper work could discover it so quickly." "Sigh, it''s really unfortunate. Who knew that those two people from yesterday were so close to us? This is a bit tricky now. Director, what do you say we should do? Should we... tell President Miyuki?" "No need." Lena was concise, then directly stood up from her workstation and was about to walk out. But after walking just a few steps, she returned to the office cubicle. When she came out again, she had taken off the gray-ck work uniform from earlier and changed into a set of more youthful casual clothes. "Director, where... where are you going?" "The convenience store downstairs." After saying that, Lena walked out of the office like the wind, leaving the dumbfounded assistant inside. At the same time, on the other side. In the deputy chief designer''s office, there was a joyous and lively atmosphere. "Sister Hina, I didn''t expect our scandal to spread so smoothly. In just one night, many colleagues in thepany already know about it and it''s starting to spread more and more widely!" "And your trick of deliberately asking people to act as onlookers and go to the convenience store is really brilliant. Many people have also curiously followed the trend and gone to that convenience store, making our scandal even more real!" "As expected of you. Ginger gets spicier with age. If Director Lena wants to fight with you, hmph, she''s still too young!" Hina was quite enjoying the ttery from the assistant at first, but thetter sentence "ginger gets spicier with age" made Hina ufortable and she red at the assistant. The assistant only then realized her mistake and quickly corrected herself, "No, no, no, you''re younger. You look much younger than Director Lena!" "Alright, psychological warfare can at most just disgust Lena a bit. If we really want to make her step down, we still have to rely on what we said before. How''s the contact with that video owner going?" "It''s like they say, when luckes, you can''t stop it. Even the heavens are helping us! This morning, I saw that video owner reply to us. They happen to be in our city too, and from what they said, they''re even very close to the Alliance building. It seems they cane over at any time!" "Really? That''s great. Send them a message. Don''t make it another day. Let''s do it today. Have theme over after we get off work today. I''ll go meet them in person." "Okay, I''ll arrange it right away." The assistant had just left for a while when she hurried back to Hina''s office a few minutester. "Ms. Hina, an employee just told me they saw Director Lena go out!" "Did she goin to the President? Hehe, that''s all she''s capable of." Hina looked unconcerned. But then... "No, Director Lena, she... she went to that convenience store!" "What?" Hina frowned. Logically speaking, Lena should be trying her best to rify at this time and definitely shouldn''t go to a ce like the convenience store. Wouldn''t that be equivalent to further confirming the scandal? But with the assistant''s next sentence, Hina waspletely stunned on the spot. "Yes, and it''s said that..." "Director Lena even changed her clothes to go and put on high heels..." "..." "?" ¡­ -Convenience store. "Bro! If you don''t exin this matter clearly to me, don''t even think about leaving half a step out of this store today!" The angry chubby guy was interrogating the young man across from him. "Didn''t you say before that women are like clothes and men should focus on their careers? Why do you care? Besides, I already told you, I don''t know anything. It''s probably just a rumor spread by idle employees of the Alliance who saw us taking photos together yesterday." "First of all, women are like clothes, but can people not wear clothes!? Secondly, that''s our goddess! How can it be the same! Lastly... it was you who took the photo together yesterday, not us! Damn it! Damn it AHHHHH!" Shota gritted his teeth, wishing he could be Renji. "Really no big deal? You''re not secretly contacting Director Lena behind my back, are you?" "Really not." Renji said innocently. "You promise?" "Promise." "Phew! Then bro, you and I are still good brothers." The chubby guy let out a long sigh of relief. If there''s anything most unbearable between men, it''s probably having the goddess in your heart quietly taken by your brother. Fortunately, such a life tragedy didn''t happen. But at this moment, the automatic wee sound for customers entering the convenience store rang again. The chubby guy turned his head to look towards the door, ready to greet the customer, when... He suddenly froze on the spot. Without needing many features to reveal, that pink hair was the most eye-catching sign. Chapter 398 398: Interested in a Small Commercial Performance? Chapter 398 398: Interested in a Small Commercial Performance? Lena had thought of many ways to strike up a conversation. For example, after entering the convenience store, she would first pretend to want to buy something, then feign confusion about the product, and thus start talking to the young man. Another example would be toe and reprimand those Alliance employees who were joining in the excitement, then express apologies to the young man as a victim of the scandal, and use this as an excuse to invite him out for a meal to apologize. However, in reality, when Lena entered the store and saw the young man who had taken a photo with her yesterday actually appearing here, that feeling of joy from finding what was lost had already turned all her ns into bubbles. The chubby guy, after being stunned, was about to go forward to greet the pink-haired woman, but unfortunately, the pink-haired woman didn''t spare him a nce and walked straight past him. "What a coincidence." Lena, now in front of Renji, stared straight at the young man. In fact, Renji''s feelings towards Lena were quiteplicated now. On one hand, seeing her actuallye to find him and appear in front of him again, that feeling of joy as if they were lovers still rushed straight to his heart. But on the other hand, because of what happened with Miyukist night, Renji''s conscience faced condemnation and he felt very conflicted about Lena. But the pink-haired woman obviously didn''t care about that. She first nced at the employee name tag on the young man''s chest, firmly remembering the name "Renji", then quickly asked: "Renji... right? Since we''ve met again by such a coincidence, are you interested in taking on a smallmercial performance?" "Smallmercial performance?" "Yes, a smallmercial performance. Don''t worry, the process isn''tplicated. You just need to follow along with the event, and at the end, you just need to say ''I do''. In the end, you can even obtain a national-level certificate." Lena casually flipped her pink short hair. Renji had never taken on anymercial performances, but for some reason, he found it very hard to refuse the words of the pink-haired woman in front of him. It seemed that no matter what she said, he was willing to cooperate. Is this what they call "love"? Love is love, but there was still unfinished work at hand. "Is thismercial performance urgent?" "Urgent, very urgent, because in a little while, the staff over there might be off work." Lena nced at her watch. "Understood, then I''ll go ask for leave." If the dumbfounded chubby guy beside them thought that everything happening in front of his eyes was too magical, then Lena''s subsequent actions further demonstrated to him what magic was. Seeing that Renji still had to "ask for leave" after hearing her words, Lena frowned slightly. It wasn''t because she was dissatisfied that Renji didn''t directlye with her, but because she was dissatisfied that the young man still had to ask someone else for leave. "Wait a moment." After letting Renji wait for a bit, Lena finally turned around and put her attention on the chubby guy who had been treated as air the whole time. "Come here." "Director Lena, what is it?" When Shota naively thought that good fortune had also descended upon him, Lena''s next words left him puzzled. "You should have your store manager''s contact information, right?" "Yes, yes, Director Lena, you..." "Please give it to me." The slightly dazed chubby guy gave the store manager''s number to Lena. Lena walked out of the convenience store and made a phone call. In less than three minutes or so, Lena walked back in again. "Alright, this store is closed for the afternoon. Chubby guy, I''ll trouble you to tidy up the storeter." Chubby... chubby guy... Shota twitched the corner of his mouth. There was clearly an employee tag with his name written on it on his chest too. But what was even more strange to Shota was that this store was closed for the afternoon. How could it be such a coincidence? He didn''t receive any notification from the store manager. Could it be that Director Lena asked for the store manager''s contact information just now to let the store manager close for the day today, in order to free up time for Renji? That''s too much! The chubby guy was still franticallyining in his heart, but what he didn''t expect was that he still underestimated Lena. "Now, I''m the store manager of this store." Seeing the chubby guy still standing there in a daze, Lena added a sentence. "Director Lena, you... you bought it?" "Mm, it wasn''t expensive. I spent less than 4,000,000 yen and the store manager handed it over to me. It''s about a month''s sry or so." Shota: "..." Watching Lena and Renji''s figures gradually disappear into the distance, the chubby guy, left alone to tidy up the convenience store and prepare to close, shed tears of envy. He was angry that even though Renji had such talent in "Fallen Chronicles II" and could have started a business with him, why did he have to be a kept man! He was even more angry about why he couldn''t be a kept man like that! Huh? Wait! Shota suddenly remembered that Renji had previouslye to him for rtionship advice with some outrageous questions. The girl in the questions who wanted to practice being a couple with Renji was denounced by him as a Sneaky Sweetheart. But now it seems that Director Lena is just going on a date with Renji. Could it be that Director Lena is that, that... Sneaky Sweetheart!? Nooooo!! If there''s anything more upsetting than having your goddess pursued by someone else, it''s that the goddess is the one actively pursuing. Shota felt that his faith had been shaken. In order to cut his losses in time and make himself feel better, the chubby guy urgently needed to shift his attention and find a new goddess to believe in. Fortunately. There was a new goddess. After all, the Alliance wasn''t initially famous for Director Lena, but for the legendary founder of the Alliance, President Miyuki! Affectionately called the Elf Mommy by yers! Although President Miyuki gradually faded out of the spotlightter on, she could still be the untouchable dream in his heart. Phew... After unfollowing Lena and re-following Miyuki''s social media ount, Shota''s grief-stricken heart finally gained a bit of tranquility. Originally, they did say they were going to a smallmercial performance, butter Lena found out that Renji didn''t have an ID card at the moment, so she had no choice but to give up. Taking this opportunity, Lena also calmed down a bit and wasn''t so impulsive anymore. Since the smallmercial performance couldn''t be done, the two of them couldn''t just wander around outside aimlessly. Lena quickly changed the location and brought Renji to a mobile phone store. Lena always remembered that Renji said he didn''t have a mobile phone. This was also Lena''s heart disease, and she had to cure it now. But actively giving the young man a phone was the method of a low-level rich woman. High-level rich women, like the previous "smallmercial performance", all emphasized culture. Lena buying the convenience store wasn''t just to let Renji take time off. More importantly, she could use the identity of "store manager" to do many things. Just like now. "Mr. Renji, which one do you like?" "No, Director Lena, I..." "First of all, you should call me store manager now, but I''m very close to my employees. You can just call me Lena. Secondly, don''t refuse. A mobile phone is a necessity for the studio. As the store manager, I need to be able to maintainmunication with my employees. If anything happens, it''s easy to exin. So this phone is considered to be provided by thep... the convenience store for work purposes." Lena''s words were indeed wless, leaving Renji unable to find any point to refute. However, Renji still refused in the end. Lena wanted to buy him thetest model costing over 200,000 yen, but he chose a model costing a few thousands, the cheapest one that could make and receive calls, and told Lena that this would be deducted from his sryter. Seeing such a stubborn young man, Lena didn''t say much. Instead, this stubborn attitude and that slightly immature pride made her like him even more. Being able to see Renji in this immature period made her very satisfied. Hmm...? Why did I think of that? Had I seen Renji in any other period? Lena felt a bit strange in her heart, but quickly threw it to the back of her mind, because just as they were about to check out, something unexpected happened. "Miss, sir, congrattions! Our store is currently holding an anniversary celebration event, and you are our store''s 721st consumer! You''ve won our store''s special lucky prize. Now you can upgrade your model to thetest luxury version for free! Please wait a moment, we''ll rece it for you right now!" After the enthusiastic store clerk at the front desk congratted the two, before they could react, the phone that cost a few hundred earlier was taken away by the store clerk. Soon after, the store clerk brought out another new phone of considerable value from the back and presented it to the two. Chapter 399 399: Say it again, where do you live? Chapter 399 399: Say it again, where do you live? ??Last chapter for today*^ --------------- "..." Renji looked at Lena, but Lena shook her head at this time, looking innocent, indicating that she had nothing to do with it and hadn''t done any behind-the-scenes maniption. Afterwards, setting up the device and giving out the number were all done in one go, saving Renji a lot of trouble. When they walked out of the mobile phone store and saw the store clerk waving at them, Renji still felt that it was too sus... "Mr. Renji, do you know, a friend of mine told me before that if two people are destined to be together, even fate will always help them." "I didn''t believe it before, thinking that my friend might have gotten addicted to watching astrology movies, but now..." "I really believe it a bit." Lena smiled sweetly at Renji, then stretched out her hand, asking Renji for his new phone. "It''s your first time using a phone, you probably don''t know how to operate many things. Come, I''ll teach you. First, download somemonly used apps, like this social app. After that, register an ount for yourself. Finally, it''s the address book. I''ll teach you how to add others. Okay, look, that''s it!" When Lena handed the phone back to Renji, there was already one more contact in the previously nk contact list. [Beloved Lena] - (Pinned to top) (Set as special attention) (Enabled special ringtone) "..." After looking at the pink-haired woman beside him who was eyeing him like a tiger, Renji finally gave up on the idea of modifying it. Let''s just leave it like this. Lena first smiled happily, especially since she became the first and only one in Renji''s contact list. It seemed that she felt this was not enough, and she had to take advantage of this great opportunity to upy more "bases". The pink-haired woman''s bright eyes turned, and she took Renji''s phone again. Then she leaned close to Renji. Before the young man could react, she suddenly closed the distance with him, almost face to face, then raised the phone high and pressed the shutter button. Click! "Mm, not bad, the pixels on a good phone are really high!" After looking at the selfie of herself and Renji in the same frame, Lena was very satisfied. She first sent this photo to herself through the social app, then pretended to continue teaching Renji how to use the phone. Using "how to change the lock screen" as an example, she set this intimate photo of the two of them as the unlock screen page and chat background page of Renji''s phone. This way... Even if there are any seductive bitches out there who want to get close to Renjiter, they should know who the real deal is when they see the phone screen, hmph! Hah!??... Strange? Where does this feeling ofpetitivenesse from? After all, I should have an absolute advantage now, right? Why am I always so nervous? Lena felt strange, but she always trusted her intuition very much. So in order to increase moremon topics between her and Renji, she helped the young man download "Fallen Chronicles II" on his phone as well. "Come, you can register with your phone number. Next is creating your own character image. Do you want to customize the face or randomize it?" "Randomize." After Renji clicked "Random Generation" on the game''s initial interface, a few secondster, a character shrouded in shadows, wearing a cloak, appeared on the screen. "Huh? Is this a special model? It''s my first time seeing it. I feel..." Seeing this character model, Lena was stunned for a moment and muttered a bit. "Familiar?" Renji added the second half of Lena''s sentence. "Yes! There''s this a sense of familiarity, for some reason, it just feels very strange..." "Me too." "Mm, not bad, it''s a good sign. I think for a game, you should invest your emotions and treat it as a real world. Even if it''s a virtual image, it''s a good thing to bepatible with yourself!" "But..." Lena''s voice suddenly sounded a bit hesitant, because the next step was the naming process, and Renji, having registeredte, probably had many names already taken. But next, Renji also saw the prompt "Please enter character nickname" and thought for a moment before typing [Ashen]. In Lena''s view, such a nickname should have been registered by someone else long ago, but to her surprise and amazement, it actually showed that the registration was sessful! "Next is some newbie tutorial levels. Come, I''ll teach you how to y this game. Let''s get to level 10 first, so we can unlock the friend systemter..." Renji was actually already very familiar with the operation of "Fallen Chronicles II" through the chubby guy before, but seeing Lena so happy and immersed in it now, Renji didn''t disturb her and focused on being a newbie, listening attentively to Lena''s exnations. After about two hours, as the game character finally leveled up to 10 in a sh of golden light, Lena let out a long breath, finally breaking out of her state of concentration. "Lena, you really like ''Fallen Chronicles II''." Renji, who had been ying the role of a newbie for two hours while watching the pink-haired woman y, couldn''t help but sigh. Some designers really only treat game design as work, but Renji could see from Lena''s performance just now that Lena truly loved it. "Hehe, of course, didn''t I tell you, I treat ''Fallen Chronicles II'' as a real world. This is also the goal of our Alliance." "Goal?" "Yes, the dream that the founder of the Alliance, President Miyuki, has always insisted on is to make the ''Fallen Chronicles'' IP flourish, so that yers all over the world can immerse themselves in the world of our game and work together to change this precarious world." "For this, our President even issued the ssic saying ''Otaku save the world'', haven''t you heard of it?" Lena looked proud and admiring when she said this. Save the world? Renji felt like he had grasped something. "Alright, let''s add friends next!" Lena operated Renji''s game page and entered the words "Princess Lena" in the "Friend Search". Soon, a virtual character image with the same pink hair popped up. However... Renji looked at Lena''s game image, pink hair, chubby little wings behind her back, and a pink heart-shaped tail extending from her butt, swaying in midair. Isn''t this... a subus? "Random! No choice, the system randomized it!" Lena blushed a little and repeatedly emphasized to Renji. Happy times are always short. When the two of them came out this afternoon and came back to their senses, the sky was already getting dark. When it was time to part, Lena didn''t say she was reluctant. After all, she had now grasped a lot of information about Renji, which was vastly different from before. She was very steady in her heart. After today, Renji was equivalent to a cooked duck. Could he still fly away? Since that was the case, it was like there was no need to eat the whole cake in one bite. Just put it in the fridge for now and continue enjoying it tomorrow. When parting, Renji originally said he could go back by himself, but he couldn''t resist Lena''s insistence and had to get in Lena''s car and let Lena drive him home. But afterwards, what made Renji feel strange was that after he had just fastened his seat belt and told Lena Yuki''s home address... The pink-haired woman in the driver''s seat suddenly froze all over. Then Lena abruptly turned her head, as if doubting her ears, and quickly asked again with an incredulous look: "Wait, wait?!" "Say it again, where do you live?" Chapter 400 400: Stealing Food is for Dogs part 1 Chapter 400 400: Stealing Food is for Dogs part 1 ??Miyuki''s residential area was indeed quite high-end. In Lena''s eyes, as a mere convenience store employee, how could he afford to live in such a nice ce? That''s probably why she''s so surprised now. Therefore, after repeating the address once more, Renji added a supplementary exnation. He didn''t actually live there; he just had a friend who was currently helping him out by letting him stay temporarily, like renting a ce. Renji thought that after this exnation, Lena shouldn''t have such a big reaction anymore. After all, sharing a rental was quitemon in big cities. However, the pink-haired girl in the driver''s seat seemed to furrow her brows even more, with an expression that was a bit difficult to describe. Lena opened her mouth several times, seemingly wanting to ask more questions, but ultimately remained silent. Afterward, on the way home, Lena, who had always been very talkative when they were out shopping as if she could chat endlessly, now became gloomy and appeared to be deeply troubled. Even when Renji actively tried to find topics to discuss, the pink-haired woman mostly just replied with a distracted "hmm" or something simr. Miyuki''s residential area was not far from here; it only took about ten minutes by car. When the car stopped at the entrance of the residential area, Renji didn''t get out immediately. Instead, after taking a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind about something, he actively asked the pink-haired girl in the driver''s seat beside him: "Lena, do you... want toe up and sit for a bit?" "Go to your ce?" "Yeah." Renji nodded seriously. Just now, due to his selfish desires, he deliberately didn''t mention that his so-called "roommate" was actually a woman and a very beautiful one at that. But from Lena''s gloominess along the way, Renji could only understand that the clever Lena had most likely guessed it, which was why she had be upset. After all, indeed, if Lena were to share a rental with another person of the opposite sex, he would probably feel the same way. Moreover, what he had done was even more outrageous. He and Miyuki had already done the deed several times... It was precisely because he thought of this that Renji made up his mind. He knew that relying on his own willpower alone, it might be very difficult to ovee Miyuki, which was why he needed to borrow external forces. He wanted to take this opportunity to bring Lena back home so that Miyuki would also understand his intentions andpletely end this abnormal rtionship. On the other hand. Lena''s current mood was also veryplicated. Living in the same residential area was one thing, but even being in the same building was the reason why she was so shocked at first. And then, when Renji added that he was currently cohabiting and renting with someone else, Lena''s suspicion that the young man in front of her was Miyuki''s younger brother rose to ny percent. However, because Renji didn''t mention the apartment number, that was the remaining ten percent of Lena''s fantasy. But now, Renji was actively inviting her to visit... What should I do? Lena''s mind was still struggling and tangled, but her actual inner desires had already made her answer. "Okay." The pink-haired girl nodded in agreement. She didn''t want to use that ten percent of fantasy to deceive herself with bubbles. I wanted to... know the truth. After parking the car, Renji brought Lena back home. The familiar apartment building. First floor, second floor... waiting for the elevator to rise to the fourth floor, the young man led her to the familiar door. Seeing the all-too-familiar apartment number "403," Lena''s remaining ten percent of fantasy waspletely shattered. The person I liked was really... Miyuki''s younger brother? "Um... sorry! I suddenly remembered some urgent matters. Visiting... I will visit next time. Sorry." As Renji was taking out his keys, Lena chose to run away. Before the young man could react, the pink-haired girl showed a forced apologetic smile and quickly walked downstairs, not giving Renji a chance to stop her. Just as Lena''s figure disappeared from the stairwell, the door in front of Renji was opened from the inside. "Huh? Renji, you''re back so early today?" It seemed that Miyuki was about to go out to throw away the garbage and happened to run into Renji at the door. Seeing the young man''s appearance, Miyuki tilted her head and asked with a smile: "What''s wrong, Why are you standing foolishly at the door? Come in quickly." "...Okay." After weing the young man into the house, Miyuki ced the garbage bag in the garbage chute next to the door. The blonde girl didn''t rush inside but instead looked thoughtfully at the ce where Lena had just disappeared with her emerald- green eyes. "She ran away? This isn''t the Lena I know..." "Hmm, it seems that her recovery is still not enough. We need to increase the dose of stimtion." "What should I do?" The blonde woman in the stairwell muttered to herself, seeming a bit troubled. However, soon after, her phone vibrated in her pocket. Miyuki opened it and saw that the caller was Lena. At this moment, the blonde girl''s lips curled into a smile. "Hello?" "Miyuki, are you at home right now?" "I''m at home. What''s wrong, Lena? You sound a bit off." "No, it''s nothing... No, Miyuki, I... I just happened to be downstairs at your building. Can youe down for a bit?" "Huh? Lena, you''re downstairs? Why don''t you juste up?" "No, no... No, no, no. Um, Miyuki, you shoulde down. I... I won''t go up." "Alright, then wait for me." "Okay." Beep, beep, beep... ¡­ -Downstairs. After hanging up the phone, Lena was still clutching her phone tightly, her face showing a nervous and perplexed expression. Lena had never imagined that yesterday, she hade to visit Miyuki and learned that Miyuki''s younger brother had moved in to live with her. Then today, she discovered that Miyuki''s younger brother was actually the person she liked! "..," The reason why she was so tangled, nervous, and even perplexed was that she knew the importance of Miyuki''s younger brother to Miyuki. Back when she hadn''t moved out yet, Miyuki often mentioned this younger brother to her. As a fellow woman, Lena was very clear that Miyuki had a great deal of love for this younger brother. She was aplete brocon, and even... Even though Lena was too embarrassed to say it, she had a vague feeling that Miyuki seemed to have a love for her younger brother that went beyond the level of "siblings," as if it was a deeper level of love. Chapter 401 401: Stealing Food is for Dogs part 2 Chapter 401 401: Stealing Food is for Dogs part 2 ??Lena had previously felt offended by this thought, but today... From both appearance and surname, Renji didn''t show any connection to Miyuki, so Lena could almost determine that this pair of siblings was most likely only "nominal" and had no actual blood rtionship. Then... Lena didn''t dare to imagine further. Even if, even if she was indeed overthinking, Miyuki''s cherishing of her younger brother was real. What she was about to do now was equivalent to snatching away Miyuki''s most beloved younger brother from her hands. Just thinking about such a thing... Lena felt that she was doing Miyuki a great disservice. Miyuki might also be unable to ept it. Although Miyuki appeared gentle and kind on the surface, Lena knew that if there was something that Miyuki absolutely could not tolerate, it was undoubtedly her younger brother. But... Could she give up? As Lena ran away, she did indeed have the thought of giving up. After all, Miyuki was the first person she met in this city and the person closest to her. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that Miyuki was like family to her. But I¡­ The pink-haired girl clutched her phone tightly once again. From the moment she decided to call Miyuki and ask her toe down, Lena had already made up her mind. I... don''t want to give up! For the first time, I had someone I liked, someone with whom I could go shopping, take photos, and y games... I don''t want to let him go! I just simply love Renji! I just want to spend the rest of my life with him! For this, I am willing to pay any price and ovee any obstacle! Even if it was Miyuki... I will not give up! As this belief rose in her heart, Lena suddenly felt as if a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She even felt that certain seals in her mind were loosening, and some blurry memory images began to sh rapidly before her eyes. It was like the world of "Fallen Chronicles II" that she was currently developing, and she seemed to have truly be a character in it, a subus princess, while Renji had be a human emperor, the savior of the world. They had experienced many things together, they... When Lena tried to grasp onto something more, a sharp pain emanated from the depths of her mind, preventing her from further exploration. It seemed that it wasn''t enough; she was still missing something... It was in this daze that footsteps sounded behind Lena, followed by a familiar gentle voice. "Lena, what''s wrong? Are you feeling dizzy?" "No, I''m fine..." Miyuki seemed to have a kind of magic that could make people rx instantly. It had always been like this. Lena shook her head at the blonde girl who was concerned about her. The severe headache receded like the tide with Miyuki''s arrival. As for those memories and influences, Lena dismissed them as wild thoughts produced by her excessive nervousness. "Miyuki, the reason I called you down is actually to tell you something." "Hmm? What is it that you have to say outside?" The blonde girl tilted her head curiously. "Just now, your younger brother... he came home, right?" "Huh!? Lena, how did you... Wait a minute, don''t tell me..." Seeing the blonde girl seemingly realizing something and covering her mouth, Lena nodded. "I only found out today when I drove him home that... that the person I told you about yesterday, the one I like, is actually... is actually..." "Is your younger brother." Lena had thrown caution to the wind. After saying it, she even closed her eyes as if awaiting judgment. She was prepared for Miyuki''s attitude towards her to take a sharp turn, bing cold and even hostile. But... "Is that so?" "Phew! That''s great! I''m relieved then~!" Miyuki''s voice, sounding very happy and even a bit pleasantly surprised, rang in Lena''s ears. This caused the pink-haired girl to immediately open her eyes with a verry strange and confused expression. "What''s with that expression, don''t tell me you thought I would... be against you because of this?" "I... I..." Having been seen through by Miyuki, Lena lowered her head in embarrassment. Now it was the blonde girl''s turn to puff up her cheeks in annoyance. "Lena, what exactly am I in your eyes? A super brocon? Mmm¡­~ Alright, I admit that I do love my brother very much, but it''s precisely because of this that I hope even more for Renji to find happiness and a great partner!" "A while ago, he came home and told me that he had someone he liked. Although I supported him, I was still a bit worried. What if he was tricked by some bad woman out there? After all, Renji is so innocent. But now it''s all good!" "If the person Renji likes is you, then I can put my mindpletely at ease!" Miyuki said while holding Lena''s hand. Her emerald-green eyes were filled with sincerity and joy. "Really? You really don''t mind!?" "Although the thought of my dear brother being taken away by another woman is indeed a bit annoying... Of course, I don''t mind at all. After all, I''ve always considered you as my little sister. In fact, hehe, this means we''re truly bing a family now!" Seeing Miyuki envisioning a beautiful face, Lena felt it was unbelievable. Everything seemed like a dream. She had thought this would be the most difficult and arduous hurdle, but... it was this simple? "Alright, seeing your expression, if you''re still not at ease, how about we pinky swear? Whoever lies will be a puppy!" Miyuki took the initiative and extended her pinky finger towards the pink-haired girl. "Okay, whoever lies is a puppy!" "A puppy indeed~!" After making the "puppy promise," Lena finally feltpletely at ease. After all, she knew Miyuki well. As the founder of Forest Alliance, she was a woman with a strong sense of pride. Breaking a promise and acting like a puppy might seem like a joke, but for a strong woman like Miyuki, it was more effective than anything else. Even if Miyuki truly regretted itter, driven by her pride, she would definitely hide it in order to avoid bing a "puppy"¡­at least not showing it on the surface. No, that''s not what I mean! What is wrong with me? Miyuki had already said many times that she didn''t mind and even blessed me, yet I still keep treating her as an imaginary enemy! Don''t tell me that I can''t even trust Miyuki? "Then, let''s leave it at that for today. I''ll head back first. I still have somepany work waiting for me to handle." Lena felt a bit ashamed of her own dark thoughts and wanted to go back to calm down. Miyuki nodded understandingly. "Mm-hmm, you''ve worked hard, Lena. And oh, don''t forget what we talked about yesterday." "What we talked about yesterday?" "Yes, didn''t I say that I would fully support your rtionship, Lena? Now it''s even better. Since it''s our family''s young brother, it''ll be easier for me to help you~!" "Then, I''ll be counting on you.!" "Hehe, leave it to me!~" Chapter 402 402: Woof~ Chapter 402 402: Woof~ ??"Hehe, leave it to me!~" Finally, the blonde girl waved goodbye to Lena''s departing car, watching Lena leave before turning around and going back upstairs. As expected, upon opening the door, she saw the young man sitting on the sofa, holding his head, also lost in confusion and pain. Lena and Renji''s realizations had a certain connection. When one party''s memories began to loosen, the other party could also recall something. Miyuki quickly walked to the sofa and sat down beside the young man. "Renji, what''s wrong?" "Miyuki, I... I don''t know. I always feel like there are many people waiting for me. I shouldn''t be like this right now. I must do something, but I... I can''t remember. It''s something I absolutely can''t forget, but I... I..." The blonde girl hugged the young man, embracing Renji in her arms. As a verdant green glow emanated from Miyuki''s body, the young man who had been in pain and struggling gradually calmed down. Afterwards, Miyuki ced the young man''s head between her soft knees and gently stroked Renji''s ck hair with her fingers. "It''s okay..." "You''ve already worked hard enough. Taking a short break, thoserades waiting for you won''t me you. Moreover, in fact, you haven''t kept everyone waiting for very long." Renji had been in the world of the Fallen Chronicles for about a year, while on earth, 28 years had passed from 2023 to 2051. In the end, Lena paid the price of substitution to allow Renji to return to the role of Emperor Ashen again. Then, Renji went to bring Lena back, which was just a few days ago. However, Lena on Blue Star had appeared a few months earlier than Renji. In the immortal realm, one day was equivalent to one year in the mortal world. Fallen Chronicles and Blue Star should have been the same, as evidenced by the fact that Ashen had disappeared for a full 500 years before. But now, the reason why it was reversed... One year on Blue Star might only be equivalent to a few days in the world of "Fallen Chronicles". The variable in between, or rather, the biggest difference from when Renji first entered the world of Fallen Chronicles... Back then, on Blue Star, there was only Fallen Chronicles, and it had just a few tens of thousands of yers, as niche as it could be. But now, " Fallen Chronicles II" had a vast yer base of millions worldwide. The influence of Fallen Chronicles on Blue Star was no longer the same. It allowed Miyuki to wield more authority. Such as adjusting time. Therefore, although three days had passed since Renji returned to Blue Star, in fact, it might have only been a few hours in the Fallen Chronicles world. "Renji, do you still remember in the story I told you, the elves are the guardians of the world? Protecting the world should have been my burden in the first ce. So, rest assured and leave it to me. There''s no need to push yourself so hard." "But..." The young man resting on herp was still a bit stubborn, seemingly unwilling to listen to her arrangement and still wanting to fulfill his duties and shoulder this burden. In response, the blonde girl, like a big sister who couldn''t do anything about her younger brother, shook her head helplessly. "Renji, if this is your wish, then as an elf, I have no choice but to help you fulfill it. As for how to fulfill it, we''ve actually done it many times before~" Indeed, there were ways to elerate Renji''s recovery of his true self. Miyuki had indeed done so. But today... The blonde girl reached out and took out the phone from Renji''s pocket. After opening the phone and seeing the intimate photos of Lena and the young man... Renji, who had been dazedly coaxed into the inner room by Miyuki, found that Miyuki seemed different from before, striking a very new sexy pose. This greatly shocked the innocent version of Renji, leaving him at a loss for a moment. "Miyuki, what... what are you doing?" "I, your sister, want something exciting! I''m tired of being an elf. asionally, I also want to experience other species, such as..." "Such... such as?" "Woof~!" ... "Hmm~ Hmm hmm~" In the Forest Alliance designer''s office this morning, the young assistant couldn''t help but find it strange to see the pink-haired woman at her workstation humming an unknown tune. In her impression, Director Lena had never been in such a good mood as she was today. Indeed, Lena''s mood was very good right now. After the heart-to-heart conversation with Miyukist night, Lena felt that she was simply the darling of the heavens, the luckiest woman in the world. Not only did she have someone she liked. She also had someone who could be a lifelong friend. And what was even more incredible was that these two things that made her happy could actually ovep, which created her current dreamlike sense of happiness. Originally, Lena was a bit worried about how to win over Renji. After all, she had never been in a rtionship before and had no contact with men. Renji was also not the proactive type, and there was a bit of a gap in their social status. No matter how you looked at it, it seemed to be full of difficulties. But with the addedyer of Renji being Miyuki''s younger brother, all the problems were easily solved and everything became clear. So what if she was inexperienced and had never been in a rtionship before? She had a powerful teammate! With Miyuki, Renji''s sister, secretly supporting her, how could she worry about not being able to win over the younger brother? As for the issue of status disparity that she had been worried about before, it was even less of a problem now. After all... If you reallypared status, Miyuki, as the founder of Forest Alliance, was much higher than her, a chief designer. And Renji, as Miyuki''s younger brother, even if he wasn''t some young CEO... At the very least, he was definitely a wealthy second- generation rich young master. If she married him, it would instead be her reaching above her station for Renji. As for why Renji was currently just a part-time worker at a convenience store... Perhaps it was just as Miyuki had said before. Her brother had just arrived in this city and was still not very adapted. The fastest way to be familiar was indeed to first engage in some simple, low-level work. And as for Renji himself, he probably didn''t want to live off his sister either. Although Lena hadn''t interacted with Renji for long, she could still sense the young man''s stubborn and strong-willed nature. This was also why Lena didn''t tell Renji about Miyuki''s true identity and even pretended not to know Miyuki. Firstly, she didn''t want to let down Miyuki''s good intentions towards Renji. Secondly, Lena also didn''t want Renji to know that she had his sister as a secret wingwoman. Everything was ready. Now, she just needed to go through the final process. With time, love would grow, and they would probably be able to walk down the aisle. As for popping champagne and such, forget it. "Are there any good brands of baby form recently?" Lena scrolled through her phone. The assistant beside her: "..." "Director Lena, what... what? Baby form?" "Yeah, we should also buy baby supplies, just in case. Let''s buy ten sets each for boys and girls, from six months to ten years old. Also, strollers, pacifiers, toys..." "Kindergarten education is also very important. We need to pay attention to that. As for elementary school, I seem to know a good one. High school, forget it. We should respect the child''s opinion..." "Wait a minute, Director Lena, you... you''ve already...!!" The assistant looked at the pink-haired woman''s abdomen with a shocked expression. Chapter 403 403: Here, Is It Okay? Part 1 Chapter 403 403: Here, Is It Okay? Part 1 ??In the assistant''s mind, she had already imagined a drama where a city beauty was deceived by a countryman, got pregnant before marriage, and then raised the child alone. Fortunately, when she heard Lena''s subsequent statement that they were still in the stage of confirming their rtionship, the assistant breathed a sigh of relief. "Director Lena, generally at this stage, we shouldn''t consider too much. After all, there are many variables in the future." The assistant''s words made Lena pensive. Then, the pink-haired woman in front of the desk nodded in agreement. "Indeed, if the child is born with wings, horns on the head, or a tail, then clothes and many other things will have to be custom-made." The assistant: "..." These are not the variables she was referring to! And Director Lena, what are you? A non-human fantasy race? Although you''re a game designer, please be able to distinguish reality! While the assistant was franticallyining in her mind, Lena, who had given up on "preparing for the future," didn''t idle either. She started to focus on the present. After fiddling with her phone for a while, the assistant''s phone beside her immediately received a ding-dong message notification sound. "Help me change the background picture of that public-facing social ount. I''ve already sent you the new background picture. Oh, right! Also change the profile picture together. Just use that picture, too. Thank you for your hard work." Change the profile picture and background picture? The assistant''s impression was that Director Lena rarely did these things and usually didn''t care. When she curiously opened her phone''s inbox and saw the new background picture sent by Lena, the assistant almost fainted. "Di- Director Lena..." "What''s the matter?" The assistant looked at this intimate photo of the pink-haired woman and the young man, their faces almost touching. What''s more exaggerated was that, from the photo, it seemed that... it was Director Lena who took the initiative to put her face close to the other person''s! The assistant couldn''t imagine that if she really did as told and changed this photo to Lena''s background picture, what kind of huge waves it would cause on the inte. Although their Director Lena was not a celebrity or idol. But as a nurturing second-dimension mobile game, "Fallen Chronicles II," Director Lena, who possessed both talent and beauty, or inyman''s terms, a beautiful young and mature female designer, had a huge number of fans among the yermunity. The assistant hurriedly persuaded Lena and tried her best to finally make Lena give up and only change it on her private social ount. As for the reason, it was not the various adverse factors to her own image listed by the assistant, such as losing fans and being taken advantage of by peers to spread rumors and gossip. Lena''s main consideration was that this would probably bring trouble to Renji. After all, after such exposure, it was equivalent to putting Renji in the public spotlight, which would divert a lot of Renji''s attention and energy to deal with it, and it might even affect the young man''s normal life, which was not what Lena wanted to see. Phew... After stopping her Director''s crazy behavior, the assistant decided that it was very necessary to tell the president about this matter. Even if it was tattling, she had to tell Miyuki that a woman who had fallen into a love-struck state was simply too scary! If it was president Miyuki, she would definitely be able to make Director Lenae to her senses, right? Thinking of this, the assistant couldn''t help but recall the figure of that mature blonde woman whom they regarded as their spiritual leader, who had led the inconspicuous and fragile little sapling of Alliance step by step to be the vast forest it was today. President Miyuki... please,e back soon! If you don''te back, Director Lena is going to be taken away by some wild man from who knows where! After silently praying in her heart, in order to divert Lena''s attention, the assistant hurriedly brought up another piece of news at work. Although it was not very good news. "By the way, Director, there''s another thing. Didn''t you say before to let me contact that uploader on C-site? But when I tried to contact them, I found that someone had already beaten us to it." "Other gamepanies?" Lena frowned slightly. The assistant sighed. If it were otherpanies, it would actually be fine, but the problem was... "No, it''s also someone from our Alliance. It''s Associate Designer Zina, Hina''s people. I''m very sorry, Director. It''s all my fault for letting them get ahead of us." It was not hard to hear the regret in the assistant''s tone. This matter was not big if you say it''s not, but it''s definitely not small either. In any industry, top users should be the focus of thepany. For a gamepany, top yers are a precious resource. For example, the business department would regrly collect information on the big spenders, send gifts during holidays, and invite them to visit thepany, trying their best to maintain good rtionships. This way, when it''s time to boost performance, the department with more big spenders under their belt can achieve better results. As for design departments like Lena''s, they don''t care much about the top spending yers. They are more concerned about the top skilled yers. Novel designs, diverse gamey, the difficulty of levels and monsters, and other aspects of the game experience - if there are skilled yers to help, provide suggestions, and conduct testing in these areas, it is very beneficial and important. Otherwise, there will be ssic yerints like "Do game designers even y games?!" After all, designers are already very tired from just designing various values and characters every day. Who would still have the time to y games? Those who, like Lena, both enjoy ying and are devoted to designing are a minority. Chapter 404 404: Here, Is It Okay? Part 2 Chapter 404 404: Here, Is It Okay? Part 2 ??"Director Lena, how about Imunicate with that uploader again and try to see if we can still fight for them to alsoe to our side..." The assistant quickly tried to remedy the situation. After all, she knew that Lena was quite concerned about that new video on C-Station before, althoughter, after the "scandal" broke out, Director Lena''s attention was diverted. Moreover, if Hina''s side really designs some hugely popr battle maps and gamey based on others'' inspiration and experience, it would pose a serious threat to Lena''s position. "Mm, you can try again. If it really doesn''t work out, it''s okay too." Lena nodded and deliberately said it was okayter to not put too much pressure on the assistant. This matter was actually her fault too. In fact, she could have contacted them before Hina, but unfortunately, her attention was diverted by the matter with Renji. Lena and the assistant were stillmunicating about subsequent work matters when suddenly, a hurried footstep sounded from outside the door, followed by another flustered Alliance employee knocking on the door of Lena''s office. Judging from the employee''s nervous and anxious appearance, it seemed like something big had happened. And it was indeed the case. "It''s not good, Director Lena. Your boy- boyfr- male friend seems to have entered Alliance again without permission toe find you, and now he''s been stopped by Hina and her people. They even called the security guards!" "I think Hina is probably trying to make a big deal out of this. Director Lena, you should go and take a look!" When this news came out, the expressions of Lena and the assistant in the room changed greatly. The assistant''s heart sank. The situation she feared the most had still happened. In her opinion, although she had no right to intervene in Director Lena''s rtionship with a convenience store employee, she had long anticipated that something would go wrong sooner orter, after all, the difference in their identities was too great. Even if that country boy was honest and simple-minded and didn''t cause trouble, as long as someone with ill intentions deliberately set up some obstacles, he would easily fall into the trap and implicate Director Lena. Just like... now. Upon hearing this news, the pink-haired woman in the office immediately put on her coat from behind the chair with a frighteningly gloomy face and strode out the door without a word. The assistant beside Lena, aftering back to her senses, looked at her Director''s murderous back and could only hurriedly follow her out with a quick jog. ¡­ -Alliance, Design Exhibition Hall. After receiving the invitation from Alliance via private message on C-Station, Renji originally nned that he and Fatty would directly go find the corresponding office, but Fatty refused. He deliberately chose to go with Renji again to the design exhibition hall they didn''t finish visitingst time and were kicked out halfway, to take another look around. He imed that one should stand up from where one fell. In fact, Renji also understood Fatty''s mentality. It was nothing more than the fact that before, they were sneaking around like thieves, but now, they could be openly invited as honored guests. Fatty wanted to hold his head high for once. Renji didn''t mind this and just considered it as satisfying Fatty''s vanity. And what he didn''t expect was that they actually encountered, just as Fatty had hoped, the auntie who had stopped themst time and threatened to call the police and security to catch them. That''s why it had evolved into the current scene, with Hina leading a group of security and her assistants, surrounding Renji and Fatty in a circle. And Hina, who was at the forefront, now had her arms crossed, putting on a high and mighty attitude. She looked at Renji and Fatty with eyes as if looking at some mice, and smiled coldly. The woman''s expression, besides the feigned anger, also hid a few traces of gloating. Actually, Renji and Fatty had misunderstood Hina. The fact that they happened to run into Hina again was not really a coincidence, but something Hina had prepared for in advance. When Hina, who had initially created the scandal, learned that Lena had really taken a liking to this young man, she was so angry that she almost went crazy, cursing Lena countless times for being shameless. And her psychological warfare didn''t seed, but instead sent Lena a love story? Of course, Hina wouldn''t be so kind-hearted. She quickly realized that this was instead another opportunity for her. Since the young man and Lena had gotten together, it would be normal for him toe to Lena''spany and visit his girlfriend at Alliance in the future, right? And this was what Hina wanted to catch. Generally speaking, thepany would turn a blind eye to employees'' partnersing in for a visit in the outer areas. No one wanted to make the rtionship so tense. But if one really wanted to nitpick, this could also be a very good point of attack. For example, now. Hina deliberately did not let the security guards take action directly, but stalled. She was waiting for someone. And sure enough, in less than half a minute, hurried footsteps came from the other end of the corridor, and at the corner, the figure of the pink-haired woman appeared. After seeing Lenaing from the corner of her eye, this was the moment Hina had been waiting for. "The two of you look familiar. I remember yesterday it was you two who trespassed into ourpany''s interior, right? Oh no, you two are the special yers invited by the great designer Lena!" "What, you''re here again today. Were you also invited by Lena? I''m quite curious, as a convenience store clerk, what special gaming skills do you have to be frequently invited here? Why don''t you demonstrate for us?" "If you can''t demonstrate, then..." Hina fixed her sharp gaze on Renji and said with a sarcastic tone and a smile: "Or is it that some people think that as a high-level executive, not only herself, but even her partner can act superior and have privileges? Ignoringpany regtions at will? Using the excuse of "specially invited yer" to deceive people so easily?" After hearing Hina''s words, the assistant behind Lena nervously clenched her fists. Hina''s ability at work aside, she was really good at suppressing others in the workce. With just a few sentences, she had blocked Lena''s path, making it impossible for Lena to find an excuse like a specially invited yer as before. Now, many Alliance employees were attracted by themotion here and surrounded the area, with many people pointing and whispering, discussing among themselves. The vast majority of them supported Hina. After all, how to say it... Firstly, Hina was indeed upholding thepany''s rules and regtions. Secondly, Lena, as one of their own, had now been snatched away by an outsider convenience store employee. This probably didn''t sit well with any Alliance employee''s heart. It felt a bit like their own cabbage had been ravaged by a pig, so they subconsciously had a bad attitude towards Renji and naturally wouldn''t stand on his side. Sigh... Lena''s assistant sighed heavily again. Why, Director Lena, why did you have to find such a burden? The assistant''sints in her heart weren''t finished yet when the next voice at the scene made her, as well as many Alliance employees who hade to join in the excitement, including Hina''s group, show surprised and stunned expressions. As for the person speaking, it was not Lena. But that young man. Renji had originally said to let Fatty show them the invitation private message from C-Station, but now, seeing Hina making things so difficult for Lena... He changed his mind. Renji looked around, finally locking his eyes on therge screen located in the center of the exhibition hall, which could project the phone screen when connected. "Is it okay if I y here!?" Chapter 405 405: A Major Project Worth Billions Part 1 Chapter 405 405: A Major Project Worth Billions Part 1 ??1/4 "Di- Director Lena..." The young assistant looked at Renji, who was connecting the screen, with great concern, wondering if she should go and stop him. She clearly remembered that Renji had told them before that he had barely yed Fallen Chronicles II, and the only few times he yed were using Fatty''s phone beside him. Now, with only a short interval of one day, where did this so-called confidencee from? Most likely, he had just started ying and cleared some very basic and simple maps at the beginning, and found confidence? Although when ites to games, most people would think of first-person shooter games or 5v5 games simr to MOBA, but in fact, the operability of strategy games can also be seen at a nce. The understanding of the cultivated characters, teamposition, timing of skill release, familiarity with monsters, order of monster spawns, monster skills, at what time point and in what position to deploy characters, etc. There is a world of difference between novices and veterans. The Alliance employees present could tell at a nce. Therefore, the assistant wanted to smooth things over to avoid further esction, but was stopped by the pink-haired woman beside her. As for the Alliance employees on the scene, seeing that the situation had taken a new turn, they all became interested, wondering if there would be an unexpected reversal. As for Hina, she put on an attitude of "let''s see what tricks you can y," convinced that Renji was just putting on a show. Even if he really had some skills, she could quibble and sarcastically say "is that all" a few times before turning around and leaving, and still achieve her goal. "Bro, let me log in!" After Renji finished adjusting the screen, Fatty volunteered. He was quite excited now. Although the one showing off wasn''t him, he was already eager to see the dumbfounded expressions of these Alliance people after being dazzled by Brother Renji''s gamey. But to Fatty''s surprise, Renji actually shook his head at him, and then logged into his own ount in the game. An ount with the ID "Ashen" at level ten-something. "This..." Not only was Fatty a bit dumbfounded, but many Alliance people were also stunned. Level ten, at a stage where veteran yers were easily at level sixty or seventy, wasn''t this a pure newbie? Moreover, it was the kind of newbie who had just started ying and hadn''t yed for long. In fact, it could be seen on the homepage that the registration date of this ount was just yesterday. Now, the Alliance employees who had some expectations before didn''t know what to say. With a level ten ount, even if he had spent money and pulled all the characters, the resources were limited. The general level of the characters under hismand probably wouldn''t exceed level forty, barely breaking through twice, around the Danger Rank. And now, mainstream yers were basically all Disaster Rank teams at level 70 and above, showing how big the gap was. With such low level, at most he could only challenge some very low-level dungeons. And low-level dungeons themselves had low battle difficulty, so what was there to show? "Bro, why don''t you use my ount instead!" Seeing Renji''s dismal character''s level, Fatty hurriedly tugged at Renji''s sleeve and whispered a suggestion. But Renji shook his head. After carefully checking the matching, he directly clicked into the Miasma Contract. The "Miasma Contract," which symbolized the most top-level difficult dungeon in the game "Fallen Chronicles II." At this scene, many Alliance employees were very puzzled. Some even thought that Renji might have been so nervous that he misclicked and entered the wrong dungeon. After all, with the difficulty of the Miasma Contract, even a full team of level 70 Disaster Rank characters would struggle, let alone now, Renji''s team was all level 40 Danger Rank characters,cking a whole tier of attributes. How could he clear it? But then, as Renji entered the battle, the subsequent scenes made many Alliance employees present begin to doubt themselves. Were they ying the same game as Renji? "What the f@k are you doing. Look, this guardian character is about to die after being hit twice by the monster. How can you y like this!" "If the guardian falls and there''s no meat shield, the defense line will immediately... Huh? Wait, he used a newly deployed character to draw the monster''s aggro away? The monster''s attack didn''tnd, and the tank survived. Add a healer, and damn, he actually held the line. That was too close!" "Just stalling is useless. The DPS can''t keep up, right? A level 40 archer character is just a pure scratcher, isn''t it?" "WTF! What the hell! How does this level 40 Danger Rank archer seem to have higher DPS than my level 70 one!? Is he cheating??" "No, no, no! Look at the status effects on the monster. It''s been inflicted with ''Vulnerability'' and ''Defense Down'' debuffs by the priest-type character he deployed earlier. At the same time, the archer has also been buffed with ''Increased Attack Power.'' Several buffs stacking together is what''s producing the current effect!" "Really? Are these buff-type characters so powerful? I usually just throw them in the warehouse to collect dust." "It''s not that the buff characters are powerful. You need to have his operation and calction skills to coordinate them together and make the buffs take effect simultaneously at the critical DPS timing to produce a qualitative change. For a dumbass like you, it''s indeed better to use those simple characters that mindlessly drop their ultimates wherever it''s shy." "You''re looking down on the mentally challenged...." "Don''t argue! You''re affecting my learning!" From the initial heated discussions and constant doubts, after just half a minute, All of their focus was on Renji''s gamey. The entire Alliance exhibition hall became as quiet as a library. Many of the surrounding Alliance members now seemed to have also immersed themselves in Renji''s current battle that was walking on a tightrope. Even their breathing was cautious, afraid of making too much noise and affecting Renji. After all, it was indeed too much of a stretch to challenge the Miasma Contract with a rmended level of 60 or even 70 using a full team of level 40 characters. There was no room for error at all. Even a slight mistake would lead to aplete copse. But... Five minutester, as thest monster fell to its knees in front of "Ashen" controlled by Renji with an extremely low amount of HP, and the battle end slogan [Congrattions, Commander!] popped up on the screen, many people present were still immersed in a sense of disbelief. Level 40. A full team of level 40 characters, an ount that started ying on the second day, had cleared the Miasma Contract? Although it was only the 16th floor, considered the low guarantee floor of the Miasma Contract, it was still enough to shock people. In the strategy videos of many technical streamers on C- station, the minimum configuration required a full team of level 60 characters. But the young man demonstrating for them now had... forcibly refreshed the lowest clear requirements on the entire inte. Chapter 406 406: A Major Project Worth Billions Part 2 Chapter 406 406: A Major Project Worth Billions Part 2 ??2/4 Fatty, who was beside Renji, had long forgotten his original intention. What showing off and pping faces, all he could think of now was that if he uploaded this recording of Renji to C-station, it would definitely be even more shocking than his previous video. It would absolutely shoot to the top of the trending list and be the gospel and idol of many low-level yers. When the Alliance employees came back to their senses, they were not just there to eat. Their attention also shifted, and they began to discuss and study Renji''s battle just now. yers like Fatty saw Renji''s gamey andyout, but Alliance employees could see deeper things. For example... Design. "As expected of a map designed by Director Lena. It can make top-level fully-equipped level 70 teams feel pressured, but also allow current level 40 newbie teams to have a way to clear it. Too awesome!" "Indeed, if it were done the previous way of simply increasing difficulty by stacking monster stats, level 40 teams would have no chance at all. They would die on sight." "The character design is also very interesting. It turns out buff-type characters are so useful. We all underestimated them. These were all designed by Director Lena, right?" "Yeah,pared to this, the mindless big-damage characters designed by Hina before are a bit..." "I was worried before about stat intion, making future designs more and more difficult. Now I can rest assured. As expected of Director Lena, too awesome!" "Shh! Keep your voices down. Hina is still here..." Actually, designers and yers have a bit of a teacher-student feeling. Designers give out the test papers, and yers are the examinees. Teachers like students who can score full marks, and designers are the same. There is a kind of joy when easter eggs hidden in the game are discovered by yers, when deeply hidden storylines are dug up by lore enthusiasts, and simrly, when the ingenuity and thoughtfulness in the maps they designed are utilized and understood by yers. Ordinary people may not understand. To put it simply, yers using money and levels to forcefully clear dungeons is like, for designers, directly getting into action without any forey, ignoring all the carefully prepared sexy lingerie, not even giving them a nce. How rude! And clearing using skill and understanding, with good strategy and gamey, is like, for designers, having their ck stockings, white stockings, JK uniform, red-soled high heels, all being thoroughly enjoyed, with ample forey before the exercise. How gentlemanly! The difference in experience between these two, those who know, know. It''s absolutely worlds apart. And like Renji now, clearing the Miasma Contract with the lowest level, purely relying on mechanics and understanding, it''s simply like the top-level operation that appeared in Lena''s mind when she was designing the map, as if there was a resonance deep in the soul. This kind of "soul resonance" feeling, in human terms... The pink-haired woman now felt a bit thirsty and her lower abdomen was burning. But it wasn''t over yet. Afterwards, Renji logged into Fatty''s ount, and this time he challenged the top-level 29th floor contract. This difficulty was indeed too much for his newbie ount with an average level of 40. Renji had already demonstrated how to perfectly clear it using Fatty''s ount before, so this time, he didn''t take the ordinary route, but really yed creatively, clearing the 29th floor using all characters of the same ss. Clearing using only guardians, clearing using only archers, clearing using only psychics... Next, in the Alliance exhibition hall, Renji presented a visual feast to everyone. Although it didn''t take long, just over half an hour, the sense of surprise it gave to the Alliance employees and designers present was iparable. It really opened their eyes and truly lived up to that saying. yers are even better at ying games than designers. When Renji finally finished demonstrating his gamey and wanted to go into the crowd to find Hina and ask if he was qualified now, he found that Hina had long disappeared at some unknown time, possibly when he was clearing the Miasma Contract with level 40 characters. If it were any other yer, Hina could still stubbornly say "is that all," but now that Renji had put his absolute strength on disy, Hina knew that if she stayed any longer, she would be a real clown.(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push(["_mgc.load"])})(window,"_mgq"); Moreover, the more Renji cleared using strategy and technique, the more it highlighted the designer''s prowess in making the gamey and battles diverse. It was equivalent to being publicly executed in front of everyone, beingpletely crushed by Lena''s design. Hina couldn''t stay for a moment longer. And with the troublemaker having slipped away on her own, naturally, no one present would question Renji anymore. On the contrary, many Alliance designers began to look at Renji with hungry eyes as if they had found prey. Among them, there were some burly men or balding middle- aged men with silver hair. Now, their gazes towards Renji were extremely passionate, as if looking at a beauty, wishing they could directly pounce on him. As mentioned before, top yer in any industry are a precious resource. And for Alliance designers, being able to have in-depthmunication and exchange with a top yer like Renji, who possessed both excellent strategy and understanding, would greatly benefit them. Perhaps during the exchange, sparks would fly, and with a sh of inspiration, they could design a hugely popr dungeon battle map, giving content to many content creators who were saying the game has no content. Unfortunately, before Renji was surrounded by the many "thirsty" Alliance designers, a tigress had already rushed ahead of everyone to guard her food. Lena quickly walked up to Renji, and before the young man could react, she grabbed his wrist and headed straight out of thepany without a word. "Don''t go! Director Lena, let him leave us a contact method!" "Come sit in thepany for a while longer!!" "Director Lena, where are you going? Let mee with you!!" "Damn it! Why the hell am I not a woman?!" "Eww! You''re disgusting bro!!" Designers gone wild are really scary. Lena''s assistantined while also feeling a bit worried about her Director. She had originally wanted to quickly catch up, but even she was unexpectedly rejected by Lena. Indeed. The ce Lena was going to take Renji next really didn''t need an assistant, and couldn''t have an assistant! If Renji clearing the 16th floor of the Miasma Contract with extremely low level made Lena''s lower abdomen burn and her whole body feel hot. Then afterwards, when Renji used various sses to fully clear the highest difficulty again, giving her face in this way, for Lena, it was already a raging desire, with strange patterns about to appear on her lower abdomen. Hina, designers, games, for the current Lena, had long been thrown to the ninth heaven. At this moment, in the pink-haired woman''s eyes, there was only the young man left. And in her mind, there was only one thought left. She was going to eat him up! She didn''t want to wait for a moment longer! ¡­ "For the next three hours, no! From now until the entire night, don''t call me, don''t bother me!" "I''m going to the hotel to discuss a major project worth billions!" In the assistant''s phone, the pink-haired woman''s hurried panting voice could be heard. If one listened carefully, there were also rustling sounds, like the friction of knitted fabric, and the voice of the young man from before could be faintly heard, but it seemed to be quickly covered up by the domineering Director Lena.(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push(["_mgc.load"])})(window,"_mgq"); Chapter 407 407: In This Alone, I Absolutely Wont Lose! Chapter 407 407: In This Alone, I Absolutely Won''t Lose! ??Why... Why are you so skilled at this? Just how... how many billions worth of business have you already... already discussed with Miyuki!! On the king-size bed in the hotel, Lena straddling Renji had teary eyes. The pink-haired woman looked down at the young man beneath her, her eyes filled with grievance and anger. She remembered. Lena remembered everything now. Of course, it was the same for Renji. Coming from Fallen Chronicles to Earth, both the body and soul would suffer bacsh. The weakness of the body was still okay, but the damage to the soul, resulting in memory loss, was not so easy to repair. Just like Lena, who had descended to the Blue for several months, but still couldn''t find her true self for a long time, still immersed in the identity of "Director Lena." However, if two beings with shared profound experiences and memories happened to merge and fuse with each other, they couldplement each other, thus nourishing the soul and elerating the recovery. Using emotion as a medium, the stronger the stimtion given, the more it could break through the shackles at the moment of climax and remember everything. Just like Lena and Renji at this moment. Of course, the elf woman definitely yed an indispensable role behind the scenes in allowing the two to so smoothly find their identities and memories as the Subus Princess and the Emperor. If it weren''t for Miyuki''s day and night training on the young man, helping him consolidate his soul, Lena and Renji wouldn''t have been as smooth as they were now. After just doing it once, they sessfully repaired the bacsh and regained their lost memories. At least... They would have to do it with each other a few dozen more time to fully recover¡­ However, judging from the gritted teeth expression on the subus'' face now, Lena probably didn''t like the elf''s "proxy" help in this regard. Lena who had regained her memories was no longer that Director Lena who knew nothing about love, was pure and innocent, and extremely inexperienced. Many things that "Director Lena" couldn''t react to, the current Lena immediately noticed the tricks inside. Tricks that were a public outrage to humans and demons alike! Cheating! "So, the fixing of the water pipes on the phone before was!" "Cough cough cough!" Lena regaining her memories didn''t mean forgetting her memories on the Blue. On the contrary, Lena remembered very clearly back when she called the so-called "President Yuki" the intermittent talking, panting, and those strange water soundsing from " President Yuki"''s side. And faced with the pink-haired woman''s questioning while straddling him, although Renji, who had also regained his memories, was no longer that immature young man, the subus'' question now was really too sharp. Renji could only use coughing to cover it up. Phew... Taking a deep breath, the pink-haired woman''s chest heaved violently. To think she was still worried about "President Yuki''s" safety back then! But¡­ but it turned out to be!! Lena gritted her back mrs and angrily questioned the young man beneath her again: "Then what about the ount you used to stand up for me before? That "Fallen Chronicles II" ount that we clearly established together, how could it have so many characters, could it also be..." Regarding this point, when she was still "Director Lena," she actually found it strange. When Renji was demonstrating his gamey, it was clearly an ount that was only established yesterday, but it had almost all the characters. Relying on gacha, it would take at least several tens of thousands to achieve that. But where would a poor boy like him have so much money. But at that time, she subconsciously overlooked this point. After all, at that time, her mind was already filled with "going to discuss billions worth of business with Renji." Now that the business was done, she came back to her senses and started to settle ounts. "Mm, Miyuki helped me top up and pull for it." Renji answered honestly. Wait. Lena was like a detective who had just woken up from a dream. She had never mentioned buying a phone, let alone the game, so how did Miyuki know? Recalling the bizarre lucky phone recement anniversary event at the phone store, recalling how the ID Ashen could be sessfully registered by Renji in one go, recalling how Renji''s part-time job happened to be at the convenience store next to their Alliance building, recalling...(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push(["_mgc.load"])})(window,"_mgq"); That''s not right, is it? I and Miyuki had made a promise when we were downstairs back then, didn''t we! Miyuki had agreed to support "our" love and even said she would help her as a wingman, and also said... "Miyuki clearly told me that cheating is for dogs, and we even pinky swore on it at the time!" "Hehehe, so this is what elves are like? Still iming to be the most contract-abiding, the most chivalrous great elves in history. The elven race is indeed just masochist S!@!@!#!!!" It seemed that in the stories Miyuki told her, the subus and elf races indeed had very big mutual grievances and were very ipatible. But here, Renji felt it necessary to defend Miyuki. "Actually... Miyuki didn''t lie." "Huh!?" Lena''s eyes widened. Even if it was Renji, he shouldn''t be talking nonsense and shielding Miyuki like this, right? But then... "Because that night, Miyuki, uh... she really became a dog." "¡­" As the young man''s words fell. The subus'' eyes widened. Immediately following was a crisp "crack" sound that could be heard in the hotel room. The sound came from Lena''s back mrs that were about to be crushed. Knowing shame and then being courageous. Turning grief and indignation into strength. She might indeed not be as good as Miyuki in other aspects, but in being a dog, In "doing what she liked," could Lena, as a dignified subus, lose to a mere elf? In this field, I absolutely will not lose! ¡­. "Yes, President Yuki, that''s right. Director Lena took another day off!" The very worried assistant was on the phone with Miyuki the next day, tattling to President Yuki. Afraid that she didn''t know the severity of the problem, the assistant specifically emphasized and added at the end: "President, since joining thepany, Director Lena has never taken even half a day off. She has perfect attendance every month and even works overtime untilte at night without turning off the lights every day!" "But, but today she actually took a day off, a full day. This is too abnormal!" The assistant''s words were not nonsense. Lena''s ability to quickly be the chief designer was not only rted to her talent but also inseparable from her diligent hard work day and night. This was something everyone at Alliance saw with their own eyes! Including Miyuki. "Mm mm, I understand the situation." "Oh, it''s much faster than I expected. Sigh, it feels like such a pity. Such a good employee to exploit is gone. Should I have let her regain her memories more slowly and set an example of a model employee for others a bit longer?" Miyuki muttered to herself. "Wh-what? Sorry President, I didn''t quite hear you clearly?" The assistant''s expression froze. In her and all Alliance employees'' minds, President Yuki was like a goddess-like faith, gentle and kind. How could she say something that sounded like a ck-hearted boss? "It''s nothing. Don''t worry about Director Lena. She is probably just too tired. Let her rx properly. Oh right,e over to my ceter. I have some supplements and rxation tools. You help me deliver them to Lena as my condolences." "Okay, President! Having a boss like you is truly our fortune!" The assistant was very moved upon hearing this. As expected, she had misheard earlier. Their President was still really considerate and close. Before, when an employee was sick, Miyuki would also instruct the HR department to send condolence gifts. This was the humanistic care and corporate culture of their Alliance! But what the assistant didn''t know was. On the other end of the phone. The blonde woman was packing the "cor," "tail," and "leash" she had ordered online while talking on the phone.(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push(["_mgc.load"])})(window,"_mgq"); Chapter 408 408: Reunion Chapter 408 408: Reunion ??With her friend''s temperament, after regaining her memories, she definitely wouldn''t ept defeat, right? She would definitely alsopete with and imitate her, right? Mm mm, in that case, my honor and nobility as an "elf" could alle back. Elves and subi have always been ipatible, each viewing the other as nemesis! She was the Elf Queen of the elven race, and Lena was the current Subus Queen. If they had both been dogs, wouldn''t it be the same as neither having been one? Moreover, her and Renji''s "dog y" was just for fun. At that time, she didn''t say she would add these "props." That would really make it being a dog. As for Lena, after she sent these props to her, with a subus'' temperament, she would definitely wear them~. Mm mm, what a good mental image. Very fitting for her definition of a "subus." Phew! Miyuki let out a long breath and a smile appeared on her face. In this way... It should count as not having let down my elven ancestors~ After all, what the ancestors had always wanted to do but couldn''t achieve in the past had now been aplished by me. The blonde woman nodded in satisfaction, and then seemed to be inspired, starting to draw inferences about other cases. "After going back, should I also find an opportunity to let Thia and the others experience it?" Miyuki''s clear and transparent jade-green eyes sparkled with pure innocence. How does that saying go? As sisters, good things should be shared with each other. Of course. These were all matters forter. Enjoyment and rxation should be pushed back a bit. After all, there was still unfinished business at hand. Before hanging up the phone with the assistant, Miyuki issued a new instruction. "There''s one more thing. The project regarding the reset version of "Fallen Chronicles I" that I''ve been having thepany prepare, now..." "It can begin." ¡­ Lying on the bed, Renji emptied his mind and stared at the ceiling. His thoughts had never been as clear as they were now, as if all the surrounding matters could no longer affect him. Even the alluring body sleeping in his arms wouldn''t arouse the slightest wicked thought in him. At this moment, in the young man''s mind, there was only goodness, only peace, only the burden of saving the world that he shouldered, only the countless worlds facing the invasion of the Source! Let''s sort out the current situation first. Firstly, his first goal of returning to the Blue had been achieved. The person he wanted to find and had to bring back was already lying beside him. Then next, should he just return to the world of "Fallen Chronicles" like this? Obviously not. That Source Lord was trying to turn all worlds into the private property of the Source beings. If he wanted to stop it, he had to find a way to defeat the Phoenix Source Lord. But even if he was a level 150 ount, with the physical strength of "Emperor Ashen," he still couldn''t contend against the Source Lord. This was because the Source Lord possessed a nearly "infinite" source of power behind it. It came from the countless worlds that it had upied, those that had been cleared by other yers in the past. These worlds that the yers had worked so hard to clear and save had all eventually be vassals of the Source Lord, with the Source Lord bing the new master of those worlds. No matter how powerful his Ashen was, he was still helpless in the face of a Source Lord with a vast number of worlds as backing. Back then in the Fallen Chronicles world, he was indeed helpless. But now that he had returned to the Blue, returned to the starting point of all "stories," Renji had found a way to deal with the Source Lord. To put it inyman''s terms, the source of the Source Lord''s power relied on the hard-earned save files of countless "Fallen Chronicles" yers. Using "congrattions on clearing" as an excuse to make yers voluntarily leave and give up their worlds. Since that was the case, as long as he could find the save files of those yers and start a new final chapter, allowing yers to log back into Fallen Chronicles again, even if only once, the power would conflict. Those worlds upied by the Source Lord would be liberated, and the Source Lord would no longer have dominion over the worlds. And at that time, if he added his own appropriate guidance, the power of those worlds could instead be used by him, bing a weapon to defeat the Source Lord. The train of thought was bing clearer and clearer. The key to everything pointed to one thing. "Fallen Chronicles I" But from the information he got from Fatty before, plus his own investigation, "Fallen Chronicles I" had alreadypletely closed registration over twenty or thirty years ago. Even the gamepany''s whereabouts were unknown, and many of the yers'' cloud save files had also disappeared without a trace. This was probably the n and means of the Source Lord. It was likely to prevent yers from possibly logging into the game again after clearing it, so it directly cut off the channel. How to find these save files and how to establish a channel were all the first set of difficulties. However, this seemingly difficult problem was not actually what worried Renji the most. After all, Miyuki had arrived on the Blue much earlier than them and had even created Alliance and "Fallen Chronicles II." Surely Miyuki must have also realized this method of defeating the Source Lord, which was why she did this. He believed she would have preparations in this regard. What really worried Renji was actually the second problem. After finding the save files, the more crucial thing was to get those yers who had "abandoned the pit" back then to return. As a yer, Renji was very clear that often, most people, regardless of various reasons, once they abandoned the game, it was very difficult for them toe back. Games were actually a kind of consumable. Not to mention, this was a game notorious for its "high difficulty," "disgusting," and "trash gamepany" from twenty or thirty years ago. The young yers back then might have be corporate ves now, and the corporate ve yers back then might have be busy leaders now. It was indeed possible to use coercive means or some kind of benefit enticement to make them log into their ounts again and fight the Source Lord for control of the worlds. But this was not what Renji wanted. Nor was it what those worlds, which had been either forced or voluntarily abandoned by their saviors, wanted. A reunion shouldn''t be cold. Renji hoped that those game characters who had abandoned their worlds and been abandoned by yers could, even if only once, feel again the love for the world and the feelings for the characters that the yers once had as diligent "saviors." Nostalgia. This was the theme Renji set for the DLC (downloadable content, new expansion) of "Fallen Chronicles I." Evoking nostalgia was easy to say but difficult to actually do, especially for an old game from twenty or thirty years ago. But fortunately... This was a nurturing game. Renji already knew what he should do next. Chapter 409 409: Bond part 1 Chapter 409 409: Bond part 1 ??"Leo, why isn''t the proposal for this stage y done yet? Hurry up, don''t you know that Director Wang is pushing it very urgently!" "Leo, look at these artists you contacted. What a bunch of misfits. Can''t you find some popr ones toe over!" "Leo, work overtime today. The director said there''s a problem with the stage lighting. You go contact the person in charge." "Leo, the clothing factory said the workers are on strike. Our costumes will probably be affected. You find a way to quickly get me a new ce." "Leo, did you urge that screenwriter to revise the script? Is it done?" "Leo..." At two-thirty in the morning, in the only room still lit in the residential buildingte at night, a haggard middle-aged man with dark circles under his eyes sat in front of theputer, tiredly tapping on the keyboard. He was currently staying upte to revise the proposal required by his leader. The bad news was that this was already the fifth version he had revised. The previous few times were all ruthlessly rejected. The good news was that this was hisst task for today. Oh no, it should be said that it was thest remaining task from yesterday. As he finished typing thest line of the proposal, Leo let out a long sigh. Finally, it''s done. He nced at the clock beside him. It was almost three o''clock... His body had already sent countless signals of fatigue. Leo stood up from theputer desk. Perhaps because he got up too abruptly, or because he had been sitting for several hours before, he felt a moment of dizziness. Leo quickly held onto the deskmp beside him and took a good while to recover. After simply brushing his teeth and washing his face, Leo turned off the lights andy down on the bed. However, even though his body was already very tired, he just couldn''t fall asleep. Anxiety filled his mind. Worries about the future, uneasiness about work, annoyance with facing the leaders, all sorts of things made him toss and turn in bed, unable to fall asleep for a long time. And for Leo, this had already be a kind of habit. He often had to stay up until four or five o''clock before he could barely fall asleep stiffly, and then he had to get up at seven to go to thepany. Speaking of which... When did I be like this? Leo, who couldn''t sleep in bed, couldn''t help but recall that twenty or thirty years ago, he was a young man who had just started out, had a passion for society and the future, harbored great ambitions in his heart, and had plunged into the entertainment industry to chase his dreams, wanting to train excellent actors and be a great director. However, the reality was that after so many years, although he wasn''tpletely mediocre and had be a so-called assistant director, in fact, this position neither had the authority of a director nor had to undertake all kinds of dirty and tiring work, under the guise of umting experience for him. He didn''t know if he had umted experience, but he had developed severe anxiety because of it. Thinking of this, Leo sighed heavily again in the dark room. When would I be able to break through? Am I really... not suited for this industry? Man, I really want to quit... Just as Leo was once again struggling in his mindte at night, as he had done before, a ding-dong suddenly sounded from his phone beside him. It was the notification sound for a new message. As an assistant director, even when sleeping at night, Leo didn''t dare to put his phone on silent, afraid of missing any instructions from his director or other production leaders. After all, there had indeed been times when he had finally fallen asleep, only to be awakened by a phone call at three or four in the morning, and then went to pick up a leader who was already dead drunk at the KTV. This time it should be some work again, right? Thinking this, Leo sighed, picked up his phone, and unlocked the screen. He habitually went to check the social software, but there were no new messages. "Huh?" Leo made a strange sound, which quickly turned into surprise, because this message came from a game ount that he had forgotten for a long time, or to be precise, had been put in the corner for about twenty or thirty years. The email in his inbox now was exactly from the game ount he had bound back then. "Fallen Chronicles!?" Leo rubbed his eyes and looked carefully several times before confirming that it was "Fallen Chronicles," not the currently popr mobile game "Fallen Chronicles II." A game from twenty or thirty years ago hade back from the dead? After clicking in out of curiosity, Leo found that it was indeed true. The original "Fallen Chronicles" had actually released a new DLC (expansion pack) now. DLCs were quitemon in single-yer games, equivalent to additional supplementary content, just like extras or side stories for novels. But for a game that had been dead for twenty or thirty years to still release a DLC, it was the first time Leo had heard of it. It was this sense of oddity that made Leo, a corporate ve who was busy as hell every day and had long since stopped ying games, take another look at the new expansion - "Reunion." Strangely, the expansion had no introduction, only a video. Just with the mindset of taking a casual look, and also as a kind of nostalgia, since he couldn''t sleep anyway, Leo clicked on the video. He had originally thought it would be one of those uniformly formatted promotional videos, but as the footage unfolded, Leo was stunned. Because... "Lord Leo, long time no see." The first sentence at the beginning made Leo dazed, and certain memories that had been forgotten in the depths of his mind along with the game ount were gradually awakened as the game character appeared on the screen. "It''s been quite a few years since our world was saved by Lord Leo. We haven''t let down Lord Leo''s expectations. We''ve worked together to rebuild our homnd and ushered in happiness and peace in a world without miasma. The only regret is that it would be great if Lord Leo could also be here." "But I know that Lord Leo also has his own matters, his own world, his own dreams, and continues to strive in a ce we don''t know about." "The reason for sending this message is to report the recent situation to Lord Leo. Although there are indeed some new tricky crises... With me and everyone, we should be able to get through them smoothly. Of course, if Lord Leo coulde back andmand us again..." "Time flies so fast. That''s about it... Oh right! Lord Leo must take care of your health and rest, don''t keep staying upte, and don''t get stuck on problems!" "What? How do I know? Well... After all, in our world, Lord Leo was also an indecisive person, often hesitating for a long time over a single decision. I suppose in your world, you must also be such a person, right?" "But I and everyone know that it''s because you have a strong sense of responsibility and are afraid that your mistakes will cause trouble for others, so you are always very cautious and have high requirements for yourself every time." "Phew! Without realizing it, I''ve said so much in one go. Then as the final closing words..." "Good night, Lord Leo." Chapter 410 410: Bond part 2 Chapter 410 410: Bond part 2 ??"Good night, Lord Leo." The video was not long, only a little over a minute, but Leo was in a daze, as if something deep in his heart had been touched. Twenty or thirty years ago, he was not yet a corporate ve, but a chuunibyou who coulde up with an ID like "Lord Leo." He especially liked nurturing games and the feeling of cultivating characters, and "Fallen Chronicles" was undoubtedly very attractive to him at that time. Because unlike other nurturing games, Fallen Chronicles waspletely random, which meant that each yer''s world was different, and the characters they nurtured were also unique to themselves. This was also why Leo didn''t go y the current "Fallen Chronicles II." Being busy with work was one aspect, and the other was that he didn''t like nurturing games where everyone had the same waifu or husbando after gacha. The reason he chose to engage in director-type work was also because he liked this feeling of cultivation. Unfortunately, the gap between reality and virtual was very cruel. Returning from memory to reality. So... there are still people who cared about me. After changing from a boy to a corporate ve, what Leo received the most every day were numerous tasks and a list of requirements from his leaders. Not to mention others, even he himself seemed to have stopped caring about himself, leaving only work. Now, seeing the characters he had once invested emotions in and nurtured reappear before his eyes, sending sincere greetings, as if these virtual characters really had some mysterious connection with him, knowing that he was anxious, staying upte every night and unable to sleep, thus reminding him to take care of his health and get a good night''s sleep... As a corporate ve, reason told Leo that this was just marketing by the gamepany, a means to sell nostalgia. It was probably a video generated by some high-end intelligent AI. After all, games were fake. How could characters in the game really send him messages? But, what is this strange feeling!? Leo got up from the bed, turned on theputer, clicked into the game he hadn''t opened for a long time, and pre-downloaded the instation package for thetest DLC. He admitted that he was hooked. After all, in reality, no one had ever cared about him. Sometimes, asionally immersing oneself in some virtual fantasies wasn''t so bad, right? Of course, Leo let theputer download by itself and quickly crawled back into bed. He didn''t choose to y immediately. After all, didn''t Lily tell him to rest well and not stay upte? "Good night..." In the dark room, Leo muttered softly, as if wanting to convey his voice to somewhere farther away. And miraculously, this time, his mind was unprecedentedly calm. The anxiety that had previously hindered him had disappeared. This time... He slept very sweetly. Leo was not an isted case. Renji sent such a "unique" email to each of the tens of thousands of "Fallen Chronicles" yers. As Renji had thought, after twenty or thirty years, things had changed. The former yers were now corporate ves with busy and stressful jobs like Leo, parents who had started families and had children,wyers who had be social elites, and top-notch chief physicians in the industry. Of course, there were also authors who got stuck in writing every day and were scolded by readers, and those who were still good-for-nothing shut-ins. There were... Those who had already passed away due to idents and mishaps. The reset version of "Fallen Chronicles"unched by Alliance was not done with great fanfare. This niche game that once had only tens of thousands of yers indeed did not need too much public attention. Retrieving the yers'' save files was the first step. This was a bit difficult on the Blue, so Renji chose to divide his forces. Miyuki continued to stay on the Blue, while he used the "cloak" that had been repaired by Miyuki to bring the subus back to Fallen Chronicles World. Renji and Lena began their journey on the World Tree together. It was somewhat simr to the subus diary back then. They went to those parallel worlds on the Mother World Tree, the worlds of other yers, bringing the seeds of the Child World Trees to their worlds, and then cooperating with Miyuki on the Blue to establish new connections for these worlds.(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push(["_mgc.load"])})(window,"_mgq"); In this way, they had the means to allow those former yers on the Blue to return to their worlds again, that is, the window to log in to the game. What was left was how to get the yers toe back. As Renji had said before, "Fallen Chronicles" was a nurturing game. yers who could clear the game, to a greater or lesser extent, Renji believed that everyone must have invested quite a bit of emotion in it. This feeling for the world, this feeling for the nurtured characters, might have faded a lot, be blurred, or even forgotten after twenty or thirty years. What Renji needed to do was just add a little more push, a little more touch. Calling the Mother of Miasma Lilith to join the team, Renji used Lilith''s ability to recreate the power of the Spirits of Old in other worlds. The characters who had once served under the yers as "saviors" were able to reappear. Although this was not a resurrection, only a temporary summon, it was already enough. Whether for Renji or for these spirits. Telling the truth about the yers to these spirits, and using the yer information collected by Miyuki to let them see the true appearance of the saviors on the Blue. The purpose of doing this was precisely to create the video that Leo saw earlier. This was also the most appropriate way of reunion that Renji could think of. Renji had originally thought that this would be a bit difficult, requiring him and Lena to do a lot of psychological work on these spirits. But to his surprise, the vast majority of the spirits, these characters who had once served under the yers, did not express much intense reaction to such a truth. On the contrary, many spirits were more concerned about the yers in the other world. Even if these yers had already shed thatyer of "savior" halo and be seemingly just ordinary people. No... Some yers, such as failed authors, unemployed vagrants, shut-ins, etc., were even worse than ordinary people,plete and utter good-for-nothings. Why could they infinitely tolerate the yers, infinitely love the yers, regardless of what the yers'' true appearance was in reality, as if in the eyes of these characters, the yers were always that one and only savior? Renji, as a yer, indeed might not quite understand. But Lena''s subsequent words made Renji understand. "Suppose on your world, there was a leader who could work tirelessly, disregard himself, not embezzle a single penny, even not take a sry, not have his mind corrupted by fame and fortune, and truly wholeheartedly strive for the country and his people. Wouldn''t you be like this person?" The yer was indeed such a character. At least the yers in "Fallen Chronicles" were like this, and this was already enough for the characters to overlook all the other ws of the yers. Fortunately, the number of yers in Fallen Chronicles was notrge. With tens of thousands of yers corresponding to tens of thousands of worlds, Renji and Lena could still barely handle it. If there were one more order of magnitude, this n might not have been feasible. Additionally, this was still a process spanning several months, meaning that they had to continue holding out for several more months under the onught of the Source Lords. However, whether it was Lena, Miyuki, Suthia, Nova, Zero... and the many spirits who were summoned to jointly resist the invasion of the "Source Lords," none of them had the slightestint. Because what Renji was doing was precisely the meaning of their struggle. He wanted to re-establish the bond between the yers and the worlds. This was also a process of mutual redemption. The yers who had once been "saviors" had saved their worlds. Now, they also hoped to help, whether it was the corporate ves with anxiety and insomnia, the decadent and gloomy shut-ins, or the failed authors who were scolded every day, to be the light in the world of the "yers." Even if it was only in memory, being asionally remembered could give them some kind of motivation and courage to move forward. Finally. With the curtain falling on the 9,465th world, the list of yers given to him by Miyuki finally ended, and the invitation letters for the "Fallen Chronicles" DLC were sent out. The reason why there were tens of thousands of yers, but the final number was 9,465, was because it subtracted the deceased yers and those worlds that had beenpletely devastated by the "Source Creatures" beyond repair. Renji had already done his utmost. As for whether the yers were willing to return and help him fight this final battle with the "Source Lord" for control of the World Tree... That could only be left to the bond.(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push(["_mgc.load"])})(window,"_mgq"); Chapter 411 411 Goodbye Source Master Chapter 411 411 Goodbye Source Master ??Whoosh! A piercing holy light descended from the sky, prating the trunk of the Source Creature in front of her. With a whimper and wail, the massive body of the Source came crashing down, revealing the nun enveloped in holy light behind it. This was already the who-knows-how-many Source Creature that Suthia had killed. The body of the Source Creature after death did not be a corpse, but turned into specks of starlight, floating towards the sky of the world. And there... The nun looked up. Since the invasion of the "Source Lord" a few months ago, the sky of the world hadpletely turned into what it was now. Sometimes there were thunderstorms brewing, sometimes it was a sea of red as if on fire, and sometimes it was shrouded in darkness and shadows, like some ghostly realm. And in these anomalies of the sky, the bodies of new Sources, those terrifying mythical creatures, appeared and disappeared. Or rather, these anomalies were precisely the reflection of the "Source" surrounding their world. Hindered by the rules of the World Tree, and with the existence of the Mother of Miasma, the Source could not descend in the advanced form of Mythical Creatures form. After breaking through the world barrier, the invading Source could only descend in the low-level form of Beasts, like the one just now. This greatly alleviated the pressure. In the battle zones based on the Five Nations, with them as the supreme existence of the Cmity rank, the Source in merely Beast form would not break through the defense line and harm the living beings. But... Just like the Source Creature eliminated by Suthia in the previous scene. The Source could only be eliminated, but not killed. Because the Source itself was not exactly a living being, but a form of power, a kind of energy and matter that should have coexisted with the world as part of itsposition. However, with the appearance of the Source Lord, the Sources began to have its own will, viewing the world as its own, and in turn, making the world its nourishment, starting to devour the myriad worlds on the World Tree. However, even the Sources was still powerless in the face of Miasma. They saw this as a kind of betrayal, a dark power born from the World Tree to restrain them. Although they indeed couldn''t do anything about the miasma, the Source Lord gave another path. It established a higher-dimensional channel, connecting to another independent of the World Tree. They used the yers to rece them as the force to fight against Miasma, and in the end, reimed everything from the yers, thus continuing to upy the world. The body of the "Savior" after each yer''s clearance contained enormous power, which the "Source" craved. And the power of Emperor Ashen, who cleared at the highest difficulty and was an unprecedented level 150, was already enough for the Source Lord to personally appear, not hesitating to gather other "Sources" to surround the world in order to seize it. So, to end all this... Suthia took a deep breath. Her gaze seemed to prate throughyers of obstacles, directly looking at the deepest existence at the end of the sky, which was getting closer and closer to their world. The Source Lord. Only bypletely repelling, defeating, and even sealing it could the will of the other Sources truly disappear. Otherwise, as long as the Source Lord exist, the attacks of the Source Creatures would continue endlessly. And their defensive forces... Suthia withdrew her gaze. When she scanned the surroundings beside her again, the heroes of the Ashen Empire who had once defeated the Miasma, summoned back by the Mother of Miasma, were still fighting now, but she could sense that their power was getting weaker and weaker, and they probably couldn''tst much longer. After all, thesepanions from five hundred years ago were all deceased spirits, temporarily summoned by the authority of the Mother of Miasma. And with the invasion of the Source Lord, the Mother of Miasma, no... After several months of fighting, Suthia had already acknowledged Lilith''s identity as apanion. The power of Miasma wielded by Lilith was being consumed by the Source Lord, and she was also struggling to hold on, reaching her limit.(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push(["_mgc.load"])})(window,"_mgq"); Once Lilith couldn''t hold on, representing the disappearance of Miasma, not only would these spirits of old days also dissipate, but those Sources forced to descend in the low-level form of Beasts would also be able to fully unleash themselves, truly descending in the form of Mythical Creatures form. At that time, the battle line would no longer be able to be maintained like it was now. Moreover... Suthia recalled that in the month since Renji left, she, Nova, and Zero had tried to unite ande outside the world to confront the Source Lord. But the result of the battle was invariably that they were forced to retreat and withdraw back to their own worlds. Even Nova, who had the highestbat power among them, couldn''t say that she could harm the Source Lord. Yes, she couldn''t even "harm" it. It wasn''t that the Source Lord''s defensive power was too strong, but that it had nearly infinite recovery power. This was all thanks to the thousands of worlds that the Source Lord had devoured and dominated, all providing an endless supply of power to the Source Lord. Zero had once calcted that to cause substantial damage to the Source Lord, at least hundreds ofbat powers like Nova were needed to make the damage greater than the recovery value. And if they wanted to truly repel the Source Lord, they would need at least double that, two hundred nova level of destructive powers. But this was obviously too unrealistic for them. Not to mention that In the myriad worlds on the entire World Tree, the total number of cmity-rank beings born had never reached two hundred, let alone that they had to be the pure violent vanguard type. So afterward, they gave up on dealing with the Source Lord and just focused on protecting the world. However, today... Suthia quickly sensed something and looked at the empty ground beside her. In the next second, the light of the teleportation array flickered, and the familiar young man walked out from it. And to the left and right of the young man were four otherpanions equally familiar to the nun. Nova, Zero, Lena, and... Lilith. Miyuki was not among them. She needed to watch over the Blue side, which was also the key to the uing final battle. It was time to put an end to this. "Are you ready, Thia?" Renji in the teleportation array looked at Suthia, and she also seemed to no longer be the supreme of a nation, once again transforming into the little nun who had closely followed the Ashen Emperor in the past. This feeling had not been there for a long time. The feeling of fighting together with Lord Ashen... with Renji for amon goal, for the world. Suthia felt as if she had returned to five hundred years ago, a time that was the darkest for the world, but for her, it was also the most unforgettable time. "Of course, Lord Renji." After a soft murmur, Suthia stepped into the young man''s teleportation array. With this, except for Miyuki, the world''s topbat powers had all been brought over by him, gathering at his side. Afterwards, Renji activated the teleportation. The figures of the few people disappeared on the spot, turning into streaks of light, shooting straight towards the sky shrouded by the Source Creatures. With the power of Ashen, outside the world, even the Mythical Creature form of the Sources could not block them at all. Countless Sources were either torn apart and prated by the streaks of light in the process of blocking the way, or could only watch helplessly as the streaks of light reached their core, reached their Source Lord. The streaks of light finally stopped at the crown of the World Tree. After several months, Renji once again stood in front of the Source Lord, this phoenix at the crown of the world tree that used countless worlds as its own wings.(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push(["_mgc.load"])})(window,"_mgq"); Chapter 412 412 Renji’s answer Chapter 412 412 Renji¡¯s answer ??"Give it to me..." To Renji''s surprise, the Source Lord did not directly attack them like before. The phoenix perched on the crown of the world tree transmitted an ethereal voice to him. "Power... belongs to me..." The phoenix seemed to bemunicating with him, which surprised Renji quite a bit. Because from previous experiences interacting with the Sources, it seemed that for the Source, they viewed "intelligence" as non-essential. The vast majority of Sources did not possess the awareness tomunicate. But Renji also hadn''t forgotten that in Lena''s diary, there had indeed appeared Sources that were forced to give birth to "intelligence" due to external environmental limitations. The current Source Lord should be the same. But obviously... "Give it to me... Let us be one..." The ethereal voice was intermittent. It could be seen that the intelligence born from the phoenix was not yet mature and not very good at speaking. But since the Source Lord had evolved intelligence for his sake, Renji tried tomunicate with it. "If you are willing to give up and return these worlds you upy, restrain the other Sources, perhaps we can discuss some conditions. I can also find you new paths to power." It was unknown whether Renji''s sentence was too long. Or the phoenix in front of him had put all its attention on the word "give up" at the beginning. Soon, the responding voice from the Source Lord sounded again. "No... impossible..." "This is... the only way to cross over..." "Be one..." The voice was intermittent, but the unquestionable persistence could be heard in the tone. Renji had long anticipated this result and didn''t have any expectations that he could make the Source Lord give up with just a few words from him. What he was more concerned about was... "What crossing over? What does the method refer to? Collecting worlds?" Faced with Renji''s frowning questioning, the Source Lord seemed to have exhausted its patience. The phoenix became more and more agitated, and all that echoed in its ears was the increasingly urgent voice of "Give it to me... Give it to me!" It seemed... I still needed to make the Source Lord evolve a bit more intelligence. The method was also very simple. Defeat it and increase his weight in the Source Lord''s mind. Perhaps then the Source Lord could return to the negotiating table with him. After he made up his mind, Renji no longer hesitated. He activated the power of the contract andmunicated with Miyuki on the Blue. The protagonist of this final battle was actually not him. He was more like a guide. The one who could defeat the Source Lord would be... ¡­ After receiving the message from Miyuki that it had "started," Renji took a deep breath, feeling a bit uneasy. The time hade to test the results of his running around and efforts over the past few months. Seeing that Renji was unwilling to cooperate, the Source Lord also gave up onmunicating. Its phoenix''s wings opened fiercely, and each of the feathers on them was a world it had collected, a world that had "merged into one" with it, and also... the source of the Source Lord''s power. However. After a brief dy, the feathers on the phoenix''s wings began to emit a faint light one by one. This was not from the Source Lord''s own will, as could be seen from the phoenix''s somewhat surprised appearance now. One, two, ten, a hundred, a thousand... These feathers on the phoenix''s wings, from the initial faint glow, became more and more intense in just a few breaths, and finally seemed to be burning. Hundreds and thousands of feathers all ignited on their own. The Source Lord''s expression changed from initial surprise to current panic. It finally realized that these feathers that made up its wings, these worlds under its control, seemed to be escaping its grasp and bing more and more out of control. The phoenix with burning wings began to circle in the air, as if trying to extinguish the mes, but once the sparks were ignited, the momentum of a prairie fire could no longer be stopped. After all... ¡­ User123: "Damn, this DLC is really long. Waited so long for the cutscene to run the game!" GamerGirl_89: "Mm, so nostalgic. I remember when I first yed this, I had just started junior high." PixelMaster: "The graphics and smoothness of this reset version are much better than the previous one. Doesn''t it feel very realistic?" RetroGamer42: "Speaking of which, isn''t this game single-yer? How did it be online and even have a public channel chat room!" Fanatic: "This is very normal. It''s been twenty or thirty years. Who still ys pure single-yer? ying online together is indeed fun. You can even show off your waifu to others, hehe~!" WaifuKing: "Indeed, I saw your homepage. Your waifu is awesome bro!" Hail-The-Loli: "Minotaurs can go f@cking dieeeee!" LoliFan: "WTF! This game ID, Hail The Loli? Isn''t that the author of the novel I''ve been following? Could it be the real person? You''re also a Fallen Chronicles fan? @Hail-The-Loli!" Hail-The-Loli: "Ahem..." Nerdo: "So nostalgic, everyone. I didn''t expect to see so many familiar IDs from the forums and groups back then after so many years. It''s great. I feel like I''ve be young again too!" Missanori: "Yeah, but isn''t there a big shot missing? I don''t see his ID. Back then, I persisted in ying by following his guides all the way..." Camaro: "You mean ''Ashen''?" KO: "Huh? You know that big shot too?" Great_Dady: "The Fallen Chronicles''munity was small to begin with. There were only a few big shots who could release such detailed beginner-friendly guides. Everyone definitely knows them. If you don''t believe me, ask again in the public chat?" Cacarote: "To be fair, indeed, I also sessfully cleared the game by following ''Ashen''s'' guides. It helped me avoid many pitfalls." Seeker: "What a coincidence!" +1: "+1" Bad_Gamer: "To be honest, without ''Ashen''s'' guides, with this disgusting game difficulty, I really don''t know how I would have kept ying." Kalina: "I think Fallen Chronicles''s official team really needs to kowtow to Ashen." Midyosaa2023: "Sigh, what a pity. Now Fallen Chronicles has been resurrected, but where is Ashen?" Young_Master: "Yeah, I also wanted to thank him in person. I sent him a private message before, but it seems he never logged on again afterwards." Bald_G: "It''s been twenty or thirty years. It''s very normal. He also has real-life work." Touched: "But ''Ashen'' should have also received that letter from the game character, right? Although it was AI- generated, it really moved me. That''s why I chose toe back. I think Ashen, who put so much effort into this game, should have deeper feelings than all of us, right?" Dorororor: "Exactly. It feels like anyone can note back, but Ashen can''t!" Hopefulyer: "Don''t worry. Maybe Ashen is actually logging in right now!" Shadow: "Don''t worry. Maybe Ashen has already logged in and just hasn''t spoken, secretly watching the screen!" Hail-The-Loli: "Don''t worry. Maybe Ashen has already crossed over into the game HAHAHAHA!" Realist: "Hey, hey, hey, you''re going too far!" Hail-The-Loli: "Haha!" Witch: "It''s fine. Now everyone is a savior. Feel free to speak your mind and deduct points from @Hail-The-Loli!" Hail-The-Loli: "..." ¡­ 9,645 worlds, now 4,210 of them were lit up, and the chat of yers pouring in was scrolling crazily in the channel, and this number was still growing. Corresponding to Renji''s side, at this moment, on the phoenix, each burning feather symbolized each former "Fallen Chronicles" yer who had epted Renji''s "reunion" invitation and chosen to "return." Because of the yers logging back in, the world control that the Source Lord had seized began to diverge, resulting in the phoenix''s feathers now "self-igniting and shedding." And just as the yers posted in the "public channel," Renji had slightly modified "Fallen Chronicles" to make this final decisive battle arge-scale online DLC additional content. In other words... This would be a world boss battle jointly challenged by Fallen Chronicles yers. Using magic to defeat magic. Using yers to defeat the boss. Just as described at the end of the "Ashen Cloak." The starting point would also be the final destination. This was the final answer given by Renji as a former "yer." Chapter 413 413: Their Power Chapter 413 413: Their Power ??1/2 Shadow "So, the side story of this DLC is about an alien race invading our world five hundred yearster?" Witch "I read the DLC plot. The alien race actually wants to upy the world we worked so hard to conquer. We have to f**k them up!" WaifuKing "Indeed, unless these aliens can turn into beautiful girls!" Dragoni "I approve!" Realist "Seconded!" Hail-The-Loli "So this is what Fallen Chronicles fans are like, minds full of yellow waste. Hrious." Witch "To the one above, is this the reason you have so many subhuman cat girls, bunny girls, and tiger shark girl contractors?" Hail-The-Loli "T-the ount belongs t-to a friend of mine, I-it has nothing to do with me, hehe~." Bald_G "Alright, let''s talk about something serious. The boss model this time is actually a phoenix. The particle effects of the wings and the halo of the tail are indeed imposing! Feels almost real!" Young_Master "Fallen Chronicles II probably made enough money and is giving back to Fallen Chronicles 1. The technical prowess is visible to the naked eye. No, this is a rocketunch." Bad-Gamer "Yo, has no one paid attention to this boss''s HP?" Witch "Holy shit! I didn''t even notice until you mentioned it. Is this HP bar for real?" Kalina "One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand, million, ten million, hundred million, billion... Ten billion, hundred billion, trillion... Ten trillion!" Limo "Did the programmer identally type a few extra zeros?" Liyu "Sis, It''s a world boss after all. Over ten trillion HP is probably normal, right?" Hail-The-Loli "I see there are over seven thousand people on the server now. On average, each person only need to deal abut one billion damage." JustABreeze "''Only needs,'' ''about''..." Hail-The-Loli "Ahaha~ idk why this feel fmiliar" JustABreeze "Sigh, it is ''familiar'', stop doing it on purpose. Speaking of which, I''m not afraid of beingughed at. Although I cleared the game, I yed on the lowest difficulty because of SOME ONE. And didn''t have the time to y the other difficulties. My strongest character is only level 80, a guardian-type tank. If my entire team''s DPS can reach one million, I''ll thank the heavens." Hail-The-Loli "One million? I admire you bro! Although my characters have slightly higher levels than yours, my manual dexterity is a bitcking. I estimate I can only do four or five hundred thousand." Bad_Gamer "A few hundred thousand is indeed a bit low. I have a full DPS team. If we go all-out, one billion is actually not difficult. But the problem is, the boss isn''t a training dummy, right? If we add in the boss''s interference, then it''s probably hopeless." Sassski "This hits the spot, brothers! When I yed Fallen Chronicles back then, this was the feeling. Too damn difficult!" Narutooo "To be fair, it indeed hits the spot, this heaven-defying difficulty." ¡­ The yers''ments in the channel were indeed facts. With the Source Lord''s current strength, even if Renji summoned all the yers, this boss would not be easy to defeat. Jointly challenging the boss had to be based on the premise that yers could at least deal effective damage to the Source Lord. Many ants could indeed gnaw an elephant to death, but for the current Source Lord, most yers who cleared on simple difficulty might not even reach the level of ants. Not to mention, the Source Lord was also a trillions-level HP cow-type boss. But Renji had already considered all these issues before nning. When the yers nervously entered the battle page, the channel soon weed a new round of screen flooding. Witch "Holy shit! What is this buff?" Kalina "This additional effect is too heaven- defying, right?" Limo "? What are you talking about?" Kalina "You''ll know when you enter the boss battle." WaifuKing "What the hell, don''t tell me the boss really turned into a beautiful girl?" Many yers who were still chatting in the channel were suddenly hooked with curiosity and no longer dyed, also entering the battle preparation interface. And here, in addition to the familiar selection of cultivated characters to participate in the battle, there was also a new interface. -------0------- [Please select the BUFF ability you will use for this battle] [Quantity: 0/3] [Holy Kingdome''s Chant - Grants all allied contractors a 1000% increase in HP, restores 10% of max HP per second after entering battle, immunity to knockback, stun, confusion and all control effects, increases resistance to negative BUFFs to 90%, all allied units gain a new additional passive - ''Divine Blessing''- when a character is about to suffer a fatal blow, negates this damage and grants the character 5 seconds of invincibility, during invincibility, any healing effects are increased by 200%, Divine Blessing has a 30s cooldown] [No Thoughts, No Mind - Grants all allied contractors a 1000% increase in physical damage, increases physical damage by 1%, attack speed by 1%, critical hit rate by 1%, and critical hit effect by 5% every five seconds after entering battle, this effect can stack infinitely, all allied units gain a new additional passive - Dragon Blood Soul, character gains 100% physical pration, attacks will "ignore" enemy physical defense and cannot be dodged, 15% of damage dealt is converted into a self-shield, this shield can stack infinitely with no upper limit] [Electronic Sheep - After entering battle, the support character "Electronic Sheep" will automatically join the battle, Electronic Sheep''s attribute values will be calcted based on 1000% of the total attribute values of all allied contractors, while "Electronic Sheep" exists, a new additional operation "Auto" option is added, after entering "Auto" state, Electronic Sheep will control the characters in ce of the yer, including but not limited to optimized deployment positioning, automatic skill use, automatic battle analysis, automatic position switching, automatic evasion of BOSS damage and other fully automatic operations] [Sinner! - Grants all allied contractors a 1000% increase in magic damage, after entering battle, each skill use will increase the damage of the next skill by 15%, reduce the cost by 15%, and reduce the CD by 15%, this effect can stack infinitely, all allied units gain a new additional passive - Frenzy, the magic damage dealt by the character can critically hit and gains 100% magic pration, attacks will "ignore" enemy magic defense and cannot be resisted, 15% of damage dealt is converted into self mana, mana can stack infinitely with no upper limit, for every 1% increase in mana, magic damage is further increased by 1%] [Forest Alliance - Grants all allied contractors an additional shield based on 1000% of max HP, after entering battle, for every 1 point of shield value, the character gains an additional 1 point of damage, an additional 1 point of physical and magic resistance, this effect can stack with no upper limit, all allied units gain a new additional passive - Twelve Wings, while the shield exists, for every 1% loss of shield value, the character''s max HP is increased by 1%, and when the character attacks, it will deal additional true damage based on 1% of self max HP, when the character is attacked, it will reflect true damage based on 100% of self max HP, when shield value drops below 50%, the character gains 50% damage reduction, 75% of damage received in the next ten seconds is converted into new shield value, this effect has a 30 second cooldown] -------0------- Renji did not let "them" directly participate in the battle. Although top-tier Cmity rank like Nova could be equivalent to hundreds of yers. What Renji chose was to borrow the hand of Lilith, the Mother of Miasma, to transform "their" abilities into aura buffs and bestow the authority to the yers. These were the five battle BUFFs that shocked the yers and made them suspect if they were ying some cracked version. Chapter 414 414 Miasma Touch Chapter 414 414 Miasma Touch ??Actually, if it was possible, Renji would of course hope that yers could select all five together. Unfortunately, with Lilith''s current power, at most she could only project three buff authorities to the yers'' world, which was already the limit. However, this should already be more than enough,pletely sufficient. It could be seen from the yers'' reactions now. Witch "Brothers! This is real! Can you believe it? This is actually a real BUFF. I just tried it and it really works!" Maco81"What is this, an official cheat?" Lona "This ''Holy Kingdome''s Chant'' is too awesome. After selecting this BUFF, there''s absolutely no survival pressure at all. No matter how the BOSS attacks, HP just keeps recovering. The characters are in a healthy state the whole time. It''s sofortable! There''s even death immunity to further increase fault tolerance. This is a must-pick!" Bad_Gamer "I think ''Forest Alliance'' is not bad either. It greatly increases DPS while also improving survivability. It just so happens that I''ve raised all tanks, focusing on being cautious and afraid of death. In the BOSS battles I yed before, I relied on toughness to slowly wear down the BOSS. I originally thought that in this DLC''s BOSS battle, I probably wouldn''t be able topete in DPS, but now it''s great. Guardian types can also deal tons of damage. I just tried a round with a pure tankposition and dealt nearly 200 million damage!" The-d "Not only survival types, the two DPS BUFFs ''No Thoughts, No Mind'' and ''Sinner!'' are also too heaven-defying. Infinite stacking attributes! Forming a physical team and a magic team, they directly take off. I just tried it. My previous team''s DPS was only around 3 million at most, but guess how much damage I dealt after using these two BUFFs? 300 million! That''s right, 300 million! Directly increased by a hundred times, damn it!" Kalina "In my opinion, the truly invincible BUFF has to be ''Electronic Sheep''! What a concept. This is a real official cheat. Wow, this is the first time I''ve seen a BOSS battle that can directly let us auto. And I just went to observe the AI-controlled battle. How should I put it? It''s wless. Various skill timing, timeline maniption, and it can even skillfully use my characters'' skills to dodge the BOSS''s various skills, while also maximizing its own damage. This AI is too awesome! This BUFF is definitely a must-pick, especially for the manually challenged!" Limo "So, is the optimal solution ''Holy Kingdome''s Chant'' + ''No Thoughts, No Mind''/''Sinner!'' + ''Electronic Sheep''?" Liyu "I choose thebination of ''Holy Kingdome''s Chant'' + ''Forest Alliance'' + ''Electronic Sheep.'' These three BUFFs can synergize with each other and all scale with max HP. Those who use it know. It''s too invincible, superfortable, and it''s also fully automatic, super worry-free!!" LOL "My evaluation is to directly go for the pure violent DPSbination of ''No Thoughts, No Mind'' + ''Sinner!'' + ''Electronic Sheep''! We experts don''t need any survival-type BUFFs at all! We directly pursue the most extreme perfect DPS and just like the feeling of walking a tightrope!" Hail-The-Loli "''Electronic Sheep'': Yeah, yeah, keep talking. Anyway, the one doing the tightrope walking operation isn''t you." JustABreeze "I see now. ''Electronic Sheep'' is truly the best among them!" Kakarort "There can''t really be anyone not picking ''Electronic Sheep,'' right? No way, no way?" Loserrr "Damn it! Why can I only choose three! I want them all, damn it!" Renji could understand the yers'' excitement and agitation now. That iparable stimting feeling actually came from the previous ultra-high difficulty of Fallen Chronicles. It was like yers who had always been ying soul-like games and constantly getting one-shot by monsters suddenly switching to those legendary online games where they could one-shot for 999 damage and directly start enjoying themselves. Reflecting on Renji''s side at this moment, one could see dazzling mes appearing one after another on the phoenix wings of the Source Lord. These all originated from the damage dealt to the Source Lord in the yers'' worlds. The phoenix kept struggling and wailing, as if making its final dying struggle. Its movements were so great that the entire World Tree seemed to be shaking a bit. But these were undoubtedly all in vain. From the moment the yers responded to Renji''s call and returned to Fallen Chronicles, the oue had already been determined. A Trillion HP was indeed a lot, but as one yer after another fought, this astronomical number was now rapidly decreasing. One trillion, nine hundred billion... six hundred billion... three hundred billion... fifty billion... thirty billion... ten billion... The Source Lord''s aura was getting weaker and weaker, and the amplitude of its struggles was getting smaller and smaller. The once magnificent mythical wings that used myriad worlds as feathers had now shed their feathers and be deste and miserable. It had once used the yers, but now it was reaping what it had sown, having everything that belonged to them taken back by the yers in this way. This was also the ending Renji wanted to give the Source Lord, and perhaps a bit of Renji''s own selfishness as a yer. After all... The difficulty of Fallen Chronicles could indeed be called disgusting. And as a reunion between the yers and Fallen Chronicles in the DLC, Renji hoped to finally give the yers a beautiful memory an ending where they could "enjoy" and no longer recall the journey of Fallen as all pain. And indeed. When the Source Lord waspletely eliminated, the channel between Fallen Chronicles world and the Blue would also close. At least it would no longer be possible for nearly ten thousand yers to connect like now. Even the yers connecting now were only ying a 2D version of the game, not even able to achieve 3D. They still remained in their own worlds, and the BOSS they were fighting was just an illusion of the Source Lord, damaging the real body by damaging the illusion. Once everything truly ended, except for himself, the remaining yers might really have to truly end with this world. It is almost there... The yers consumed the Source Lord from the inside, but to finally defeat the Source Lord and deliver the fatal blow to this phoenix, it still had to rely on himself, who could directly face the real body of the Source Lord outside. The weakened phoenix had long been unable to circle in the air. It fell from the crown of the tree andy on the "Source Sea" at the foot of the World Tree, barely breathing. And this was exactly the moment Renji was waiting for. The skill Miasma Touch was activated, and a blood- colored greatsword was summoned. This familiar weapon originated from Eileen. Eileen, who was used by Lena as her guide after descending, fused with Lena''s remnant soul and Source remnants. The heart of the girl that he had never drawn now revealed its true form, a greatsword imbued with the power of the Source. The Source could not be killed, but it could be scattered. Using the power of the Source to scatter the Source Lord, it would take a long time to form the next Source Lord. This was already the optimal solution Renji could take, equivalent to a seal. Renji, raising the greatsword, no longer hesitated. His figure turned into a streak of light, directly pointing at the phoenix Source Lord on the ground, which hadpletely lost the strength to resist and could only ept its fate. Chapter 415 415: Cold Wave (Part 1) Chapter 415 415: Cold Wave (Part 1) ??Realizing the crisis of the Source Lord, as if making a final struggle, the entire "Source Sea" under the World Tree began to stir and surge in front of Renji. Countless Sources Creatures leaped out of the sea, using their bodies to bring up wave after wave of stormy seas, madly pouncing towards Renji, trying to block Renji''s steps towards the Source Lord. But these were all just futile efforts. The only Source Lord on the same level as Renji had already beenpletely paralyzed by the damage from the yers. No matter how numerous the remaining Sources were, they couldn''t harm Renji in the slightest. The sharp edge of the greatsword broke through the waves, shredding the mythical creatures blocking the way one by one. But these Sources still kepting one after another, just to give the phoenix on the sea surface behind them time to breathe, hoping that their Source Lord could at least fly up again and escape from here. This scene allowed Renji to see another side of the Source Creatures, the side as a race. In a critical moment, it seemed that the Sources were no longer such a cold and ruthless mythical creatures. But this would not make Renji show mercy. After all, from an ideological standpoint, the two sides seemed destined to be opposites. Just like if one day, the oxygen on earth gained its own consciousness and tried to upy physical bodies and obtain a shell, perhaps all humans would try their best to exterminate such a consciousness. What Renji was doing now was the same. The Sources were the cornerstone of the world. The cornerstone did not need consciousness. Ten steps, five steps, three steps... Renji, holding the greatsword, finally arrived in front of the phoenix. No matter how the Phoenix Source Lord retreated, at this distance, there was no more room for escape. As long as Renji wanted, he could now swing down the greatsword and sever the phoenix''s head. With the Source Lord eliminated, symbolizing theplete end of the entire Source race, the Source Sea would return to calm, the ecology of the World Tree would regain bnce, and naturally, the Miasma would also disappear. And as each leaf, the myriad worlds would also usher in a period of recuperation. Everything would return to being beautiful... Right? ¡­ Amidst the phoenix''s reluctant and desperate cries, Renji''s greatsword pointed straight at its head and shed down, only to abruptly stop at thest centimeter, the de hovering above. But obviously, this phoenix Source Lord seemed to not have noticed. It was more like it had already imagined being in by Renji. After letting out a final wail, its body followed andpletely copsed with a thud, starting to twitch. Twitching once, twitching twice, twitching... "?_?" The phoenix Source Lord, who had its eyes closed, finally noticed something was wrong. Its body shouldn''ve just twitched a couple of times and thenpletely stiffened to death. How could it keep twitching endlessly? When the Source Lord opened its eyes and saw Renji, who had pulled back the greatsword at thest moment and stopped it above its head, the phoenix was first confused, followed by an iparable desire to live. Some things, like death, if one had truly experienced half of it, walked through the gates of hell once, and experienced such coldness and lifelessness, then the will to live after surviving would be several times stronger than the previous newborn calf. So during interrogation, it was not necessarily a must to directly torture the subject. One could first find another prisoner and let the subject see the prisoner''s miserable state. The subsequent interrogation would then be much smoother. This was also the origin of the idiom "Punished as an example to others" in Renji''s hometown. And what Renji was doing now could be said to be more or less the same. Having experienced such a scare from Renji, having experienced for the first time in its life being so close to the end, the current phoenix Source Lord seemed to have awakened some attribute. From the previous loftiness and defiance unto death, to now... "Chirp chirp!?" "Chirp." The phoenix began to frantically cry out to Renji. Seeing Renji frown, the phoenix seemed to realize that it had been so frightened and nervous that it had forgotten to "switch"nguages. It hurriedly switched to Renji''snguage. "Spare... spare me..." "Please, let me go." Unlike the previous Source Lord''s ethereal voice, the current phoenix seemed to be catering to Renji''s preferences, switching to a clear and crisp tone with a weak and pitiful voice. It was even a feminine female voice. Don''t get it wrong, It had nothing to do with the voice. In Renji''s n, he had never intended to truly eliminate the Source Lord. Everything he had done before was for now, to make the phoenixpletely submit and obey, and develop more independent consciousness tomunicate with him. "Tell me, what did you mean by ''crossing over'' before?" The phoenix was briefly confused, as if thinking about what Renji''s "crossing over" meant. Soon, her expression changed, as if she was about to be agitated again. "The cold wave... the end of the era... why do you refuse! Foolish! You are seeking your own demise. I am your only..." The phoenix, who seemed to have be the Source Lord again, even had a sharp and piercing voice. Unfortunately, this state did notst for a few seconds. Just halfway through her words, she suddenly fell silent. Because Renji''s greatsword had moved a few inches closer to her neck. "What is the cold wave?" Renji asked. Judging from the Source Lord''s previous words, after a pause, Renji emphasized again, "Express it in an easy-to-understand way." "The cold wave is the end of an era, a crisis that the World Tree will face," the phoenix answered honestly. Seeing that Renji still seemed a bit confused, and fearing that the sword on her neck would fall a few more inches, the phoenix immediately followed up with a metaphor. "Trees will actively let their leaves turn yellow, wither, and fall in ''autumn'' in order to survive the cold wave of ''winter.'' The World Tree is the same." "Miasma has never been meant to target us." "The destruction of your worlds is the World Tree''s own consciousness, and we, as the Source, are the ones who will save you." "We want to stop the World Tree''s self-hibernation and gather the healthy leaves together. This is the only way to survive the terrible cold wave that even the World Tree cannot withstand." "If the power is not concentrated and remains as individual worlds..." "When the cold wave arrives, all the leaves on the tree, that is, your worlds, will be stripped of everything in an instant, bing barren and deste worlds. That is when you will truly die." Perhaps worried that Renji would not believe her words. After finishing speaking, the Source Lord spread her phoenix wings to Renji. Immediately after, images preserved from the distant past began to slowly reappear in front of Renji''s eyes. The existence of the World Tree had been for who knows how many tens of thousands of years. Although the Sources had only developed consciousness in recent eras, it still had vague memories from before. In the images shown by the phoenix, Renji saw a cycle. In summer, the World Tree''s branches and leaves were lush. In the myriad worlds within each leaf, living beings freely multiplied and thrived, giving birth to various civilizations, among which there were some extremely brilliant and dazzling leaves. But gradually, when tens of thousands of years passed, after reaching a "certain point in time," that is, when "autumn" arrived, correspondingly... Miasma appeared. Yes, just as the Source Lord said, Miasma did not appear suddenly, but had always existed since ancient times. However, there were no records before because the worlds that experienced Miasma were all destroyed. The verdant and healthy leaves withered and decayed under the corrosion of Miasma. Corresponding to the worlds inside, living beings suffered, the earth cracked, and one civilization after another, although also resisting, eventually perished under Miasma. As thest leaf on the World Tree also dimmed, symbolizing theplete death of its world, these withered yellow leaves, after falling from the World Tree, all fell into the Source Sea below the World Tree. From the lushness of "summer" to the bare sight of the World Tree now, all of this was in preparation for the uing "winter." After who knows how long, this time a little faster, probably only a few thousand years, Renji saw in the images recorded by the Source Lord the so-called cold wave. It was like a bone-chilling cold wind, and also like a locust gue. Countless densely packed tiny particles approached the World Tree from the distant darkness. Chapter 416 416: Cold Wave (Part 2) Chapter 416 416: Cold Wave (Part 2) ??The cold wind plundered the warmth of the World Tree, covering its branches with frost. Even the thick bark of the World Tree''s trunk seemed unable to withstand such temperatures, beginning to crack and freeze. Next, tiny particles, like a swarm of locusts, attached themselves to various parts of the World Tree. They squirmed and crawled on the branches, as if searching for food to devour in a frenzied wandering. Unfortunately, the World Tree had already shed its leaves prematurely, leaving only bare trunks. Thus, after the cold wave persisted for three hundred years, or was it five hundred years, the frigid wind continued to blow towards more distant ces. The locust-like particles also followed the cold wind and left the World Tree. With that, the World Tree sessfully "endured" the torment of "winter". In the following thousands of years, it was the season of spring. Some of the withered fallen leaves that had previously fallen into the Source Sea were like spring mud. They were transformed by the Source Sea into nutrients, bing the foundation of the world, that is - the Source. The Source became the nourishment for the World Tree, allowing it to awaken from its winter slumber. On those bare branches, the source material transported from the Source Sea became new tender branches, the buds of leaves, and a new world. After another tens of thousands of years of reproduction and growth, the World Tree once again returned to the season of "summer", with lush branches and leaves, verdant foliage, and one brilliant civilization after another. This scene was the same as the image Renji saw at the beginning. At this point, it was the entire cycle of the World Tree that the Source Lord had shown him. A cycle of tens of thousands of years, millions of years, or even tens of millions of years. Seeing this, Renji finally fully understood the Source Lord, the cold wave, and the obsession of the Sources. "Your world, how can it not be our lifeblood? In the past, we cherished every world, because each leaf was the foundation formed by ourpatriots. But it is precisely because of the cold wave that the World Tree has no choice but to force the leaves to fall by spawning Miasma, otherwise..." "You''ve seen it too. If the World Tree doesn''t do this, when the cold wave arrives, the leaves simply cannot withstand such low temperatures and will still die. Even if there is a powerful civilization that can truly resist such extreme cold, the following specks of light, those insect tribes thate with the cold wave, willpletely devour these leaves and civilizations." "These insect tribes are different from Miasma. Miasma is essentially still the power of the World Tree. All worlds destroyed by Miasma will fall into the Source Sea and, after settling in the Source Sea, will return to the World Tree itself." "But once the leaves are absorbed by those specks of light and devoured by the insect tribes, this part of the Source power willpletely leave the World Tree and be truly seized by foreign species. In other words, the World Tree willpletely lose this part of its power." "If this continues for a long time, the World Tree will truly be weaker and weaker until it finally perishes." At this point, the voice of the Source Lord Phoenix became low. This was also the inescapable predicament of their Source. The Sources did not want the leaves to fall, did not want the worlds formed by theirpatriots to be corroded by Miasma. But on the other hand, because of the existence of the cold wave, the falling of leaves seemed to be necessary, otherwise the consequences would only be more disastrous. "Our ancestors tried many methods without sess, until, until..." The Phoenix proudly raised its head. Without the Source Lord saying it, Renji could understand from this expression that this generation of Source Lords, that is, the Phoenix in front of him, had tried to use the creature called "yer" to sessfully resist Miasma, so that the leaves would no longer fall and the Source''s world could be preserved. And afterwards... "So you didn''t tell the truth to the other Sources, but instead deliberately provoked conflicts between the Sources and the World Tree?" Renji recalled the worlds that were ravaged by the Sources one by one. The so-called "ravaging" of the world by the Source was from the perspective of the native creatures of the world. But from the higher perspective of the Source, it was the Source relying on the world to cultivate and enhance its power. "That''s right. We have sessfully passed the hurdle of Miasma, and next we have to face the cold wave. The power of the cold wave has been verified many times. The civilization of the native creatures is simply unable to resist it, so we can only do it ourselves." "I will gather all the healthy leaves and concentrate all the power. Only in this way, when the cold wave arrives, can I use my wings to shelter the leaves and protect other worlds from having their power plundered." The Phoenix raised her head again. In the Source Lord, Renji saw a sense of mission and firm will. This was not a lie. She really wanted to do this, to resist the cold wave with her own strength. So now the plundering of the world by the Phoenix Source Lord was more like... foraging before the arrival of winter? umting strength? At this point, Renji understood the whole truth. He also found the solution he hoped for. "If I have another method to resist the cold wave that wille tens of thousands of yearster, then can you and your Source tribes stop endlessly upying worlds?" "upying... That''s not upying at all! The worlds themselves are a part of us!" The Phoenix was about to express dissatisfaction with Renji''s wording, but sensing the sword edge descending again, she quickly chirped and pulled back from the cliff. "It, it''s possible... We are only doing it for survival. But I highly doubt you. I don''t believe you have such a method. If I''m not mistaken, your so-called method of resisting the cold wave still relies on higher-dimensional creatures like you, right?" Saying this, the Phoenix couldn''t help but snort, as if saying, hasn''t she tried it before? However, the fact was... "You are very strong, I admit. If all the leaves could give birth to worlds as strong as the one you are in, perhaps they could truly resist the cold wave. But... on your, how many people can be like you?" "ording to my observations, in fact, those so-called saviors find it very difficult to resist even Miasma. They barely seed by relying on the numerous assistances we bestow upon them. With such strength, how can they face the cold wave that is countless times more severe than Miasma?" "Moreover, even for your world, the development is too slow. Just relying on a single higher-dimensional creature like you is not enough. The most direct evidence is, look, has your world made progress in the five hundred years you disappeared?" It could be seen that the Source Lord had indeed done her homework on him, even knowing that he had disappeared for five hundred years. And what the Source Lord said was indeed the truth. In these five hundred years, his world, after he was gone, although it had been moving forward, the magnitude of progresspared to before was really too weak. In terms of world strength, it had even regressed. After all, during the period when he was there, the Ashen Empire had hundreds of Disaster rank Eclipse creatures. But now, there were only five at the highest level in the world. In short, the root of the problem was... yers, as the driving force of the world, with only one yer per world, were too few and far from meeting the driving force needed by the world. Moreover, once the yer went offline, it was equivalent to the world stagnating and losing vitality. This was why the Source Lord Phoenix denied Renji''s reason. Indeed. Under the single-yer mode she had previously set for "Fallen Chronicles", it was indeed insufficient to resist the cold wave. But... As an independent game enthusiast, although Renji was reluctant to admit it... The true use of yers, the way to maximize the potential of yers, to bring out ten times, a hundred times, or even a thousand times the power and enthusiasm of yers, was definitely not the "single-yer" mode. The Phoenix Source Lord was obviously still at the stage of groping and stumbling when it came to this new model of yers, a confused manager. But Renji was different. "How long is left until the next cold wave arrives?" "About... three thousand years." The Phoenix calcted for a moment, then quickly asked suspiciously, "What exactly do you want to do?" "Three thousand years should be enough to rebuild a game otherworld into an online game..." Renji muttered. "Online game?" Chapter 417 417: "..." Part 1 Chapter 417 417: "..." Part 1 ??The goal was set, but to achieve it, a lot of preparation was still needed. Perhaps it would take ten years, perhaps a hundred years, or more likely, as long as a thousand years. After all, in the previous "Fallen Chronicles" world, it was one yer corresponding to one world, and the total number of yers added up to just a few tens of thousands. But ording to Renji''s n, which was also the strength needed to resist the cold wave, it would be millions or even tens of millions. From the size of the numbers, it could be seen that the two were far from being on the same order of magnitude. Moreover, not only did the quantity increase, but the individual consumption was also no longer on the same level. yers would certainly not appear out of thin air. Establishing a channel andmunicating between two worlds also required energy consumption. The previous Fallen Chronicles was a t 2D game, and yers mostly operated from a first perspective. It was like the manager only needed to draw on a t surface. The energy consumed was not much. What Renji hoped for was that in the future, in the form of a game otherworld, yers would truly descend into "Fallen Chronicles", possess the five senses, and perceive this world. And this could definitely not be achieved by drawing on a t surface. This required Renji to use a lot of "paper" and exquisite "craftsmanship" to stack out a "three-dimensional" yer. The difference in difficulty was obvious. Of course, there were many other issues, big and small, such as how to guide yers, how to establish a game system, what would happen to the native creatures in "Fallen Chronicles", and a series of other issues that Renji needed to consider and prepare for. However, the good thing was... Although there was a new,rger, and more distant n, Renji also had a more powerful teammate by his side. The Source Lord. Although the Phoenix still had doubts about Renji''s online game n, she had to admit that she was not defeated by Renji, but by the "saviors" led by Renji. Through this battle, the Source Lord also saw the huge potential of yers and realized that perhaps the man in front of her, who was once a part of the yers she had summoned, could better unleash the power of the yer race than she could. So, since this n had possibilities, the Source Lord was willing to help Renji. After all, they were essentially part of the World Tree and had amon survival goal. The biggest feature of the Source was that it was an energy aggregation with vast energy. This could be seen from the terrifying trillions of health bars of the Source Lord. With the Source Lord and countless Sources as the energy foundation of the n, it was not an impossible dream to build a channel that could amodate millions or even tens of millions of yers over time. This could be considered as resolving the difficulty of "quantity amodation" for Renji. So the next thing Renji considered was how to realize the "physical body" of the yers. Naturally, the first thing that came to Renji''s mind was the simplest. "Can you use energy to create a separate body for each yer?" Hearing Renji ask her this, the Phoenix''s head immediately shook like a rattle drum. "Impossible." "Maintaining a channel of tens of millions will already consume a lot of our power. If it were just for a few tens of thousands of yers, constructing physical bodies, we could still do it. But for several million... the consumption required is too huge." "Moreover, physical bodies in the form of energy are very unstable. You should understand this. If you hadn''t used the physical body of ''Renji'' in your world toplete the adaptation to the world first, you wouldn''t have been able to control the current ''Ashen'' shell, even if this shell was once cultivated by your own hands." Renji quickly understood the Source Lord''s words. To put it in a more colloquial exnation... If he really wanted the yers to take root and stay, he had to prepare for the yers, if not natives, at least shells made of materials from the Fallen Chronicles world, like the "natives". And the candidates and n for executing this were naturally clear at a nce. Mass production, maintenance... Most importantly, it had to satisfy the strongest foundation of yers, which was the ability to be reborn after death, leaving only... Cyborgs. ''Zero, how much time will it take!?'' [Command received, Master. Zero will immediately start the establishment of the ''Research Institute'' and attempt to find the most suitable ''construct'' structure for Blue humans in the materialposition of the worlds. ording to calctions and projections, this research project will produce the first version of the prototype ''cyborg construct'' shell in two hundred and seventy-six years and seven months.] The crystal blue light shed from the maid''s eye patch standing beside Renji. With strongputing power and absolute expertise in machinery and constructs, Zero was undoubtedly the most suitable to take on this task. With this, the two most difficult hurdles in setting up the "online game" could be considered to have clues and direction. But as Renji said at the beginning, in addition to this, there were many other tasks that needed to be assigned. For example, the "shells" for the yers were solved, but the "mind" still needed guidance and assistance. yers who could be harvested were good yers. If left unattended, Renji was afraid that before the cold wave arrived, perhaps the World Tree would have already been ravaged by the "fourth natural disaster" first. For this, two major systems were inevitable. The first was an agency that could issue "positive" tasks to yers and guide them through tasks. This was what the vast majority of games were doing. And usually, the names of such agencies were called xxx guilds. Depending on the type of game, it could be an adventurers'' guild, mercenaries'' guild, hunters'' guild, etc. This idea, Renji had already had after the end of the journey with the Mechanical Alliance. The initial purpose was to settle the tens of thousands of mechanical servants produced by Zero who were looking for him, and also to expand his own power. Now... It seemed that the scale of this guild would have to be expanded by a billion points. "86, Control One, this task is handed over to you." Renji turned his head to look at the little maid following beside Zero, as well as several mechanical servant bodies that were "copies" of Zero. [Okay, Master. *Eighty-six didn''t expect that as a supporting character, she could still appear and be useful*] She replied with a heart full of enthusiasm. Zero:["..."] The twin-tailedrge maid nced over her head and frowned at the small maid behind her, [Eighty-six, I remember I should have repaired yournguage module.] [Sorry, Sister Zero, it seems to have broken down again recently, *Eighty-six replied perfunctorily on the surface, while muttering softly in her heart* It''s precisely because Sister Zero doesn''t have special points like the other supreme ones that she appears to have a very low presence beside master.] [How can such a simple sister win over those despicable women? How can she still be a maid when others have eaten everything!] [So Eighty-six wants to be thest g of the mechanical race and fight for more favor for her sister, *Eighty-six issued such a dark and despicable yet righteous and passionate deration*] Renji: "..." Phoenix Source Lord: "..." "Ahem!" After coughing, Renji quickly brought the topic back on track. Previously, it was mentioned that there were two major systems to guide yers. Creating a guild that issued various tasks to yers was one of them. The other was... "Thia, I''ll leave the church to you. The expansion and continuation of the Holy Church still require your foundation in the Holy Kingdom." Chapter 418 418: "..." Part 2 Chapter 418 418: "..." Part 2 ??Tasks were about forcing yers to do things that were meaningful to the world. As for Thia''s Holy Church, it was about subtly and continuously radiating positive emotions. Throughout history, the fact that religion could still exist from ancient times to the present proved that creatures, more or less, needed some faith. Using the Holy Church to upy the high ground of faith was always better for the world as a whole than anything else messy, such as a certain eager subus''s lustful church next to it. Next, Renji would definitely not rely solely on yers. The "NPCs" as natives could not be left behind. Continuing to strengthen military power and preparing for the cold wave a thousand yearster, all this work was handed over to Nova. Finally, the work on Earth''s side, the connection with yers, and the promotion of "Fallen Chronicles II" was Miyuki''s job. Rather... Renji and Miyuki exchanged nces at the meeting. Renji''s final decision not to kill the Source Lord and force the Source Lord to reveal the truth behind it actually originated from Miyuki. If the she wanted to confront the Source Lord, there was actually no need to make such a big move on Earth, even creating the gamepany Alliance and releasing Fallen Chronicles II. Obviously, Miyuki might have had such spections and concerns very early on, so sheid out the ns in advance. With the poprity umted by Fallen Chronicles II on earth, Renji believed that Fallen Chronicles III would definitely attract enough attention when itunched, and he didn''t need to worry about the yer flow. With this, with a span of a thousand years, the ns for the future had all been allocated. "Milord, what about Sister Lena''s work?" Suthia raised her hand, the little nun looking innocent, tilting her head towards the subus. At this time, Miyuki also nodded along, as if echoing in a strange way, "Yeah, Lena, do you have any secret mission that you can''t tell us about?" Faced with the nun''s gentle yet straight gaze, as well as the elf''s seemingly curious but actually ck-bellied remarks, the subus in the seat, as if her grand n had been exposed, angrily muttered in a small voice. Lena: "Eighty-six was right, these two despicable women!" "So what exactly is Sister Lena going to do?" Suthia pretended not to hear and pressed further. Forced to the stage, Lena could no longer hide her presence. "I... I''m in charge of taking care of his daily life!" After the subus''s words, Suthia and Miyuki remained silent and continued to look at Lena, obviously the subus''s answer could not fob them off. Lena had no choice but to show her cards. "Three thousand years, for us, this time has already exceeded the maximum limit of our lifespan." "So! For the stability of the n, for us to have sessors, and for everyone''s efforts not to be in vain, I''m going to go with Renji and create reliable heirs!" At the meeting, Lena made a passionate deration. On the subus''s face, a sacred expression actually appeared, as if she was doing something extremely great. Indeed, this sounded very important and crucial. But... "Zero, what exactly does Lena mean, what does heir refer to?" Nova, who always felt that something was wrong, poked the maid beside her. The maid''s cold face nced at the pretentious subus, and tranted to Nova in the easiest way to understand: [Lena wants to have babies with master.] It seemed that this was not enough. Zero added, [She wants to secretly have babies with master while we are all busy with master''s work.] With Zero''s addition... Nova''s eyes instantly changed, and the purple dragon eyes looking at the subus seemed to have be much sharper. However, what Lena said was not entirely unreasonable. The subus was actually using this method to remind Renji. Three thousand years... For Disaster rank Eclipse creatures, four hundred years or so might be the limit. In the five hundred years of waiting for the Ashen, many former contractors had their lives exhausted and ended. As for the Cmity rank ones like them, there might be slight differences depending on the race, but it would not exceed one thousand five hundred years at most. And the "cold wave" was three thousand yearster. Obviously, for Renji and them, they would not be able to persist until that day. At least in the form of living beings, they would not be able to persist. Renji actually did not resist birth, aging, sickness, and death. He was not a person who liked immortality, nor was he a person who liked to be the ruler of the world. At the right time, leaving the stage to the new generation of juniors and watching the growth of the juniors from the dark or behind the scenes was far more fun for Renji than being a ruler. If there was no threat of the "cold wave", Renji would probably choose this approach. But... Just as Lena said, they now faced the threat of the "cold wave". Renji would definitely not feel at ease to really let go and not care,pletely leaving it to future generations to continue persisting, so safeguard measures were indispensable. And among the safeguard measures, heirs were undoubtedly one of the most effective. As for the most trusted heirs, it was also human nature and selfishness. Renji naturally hoped that his own bloodline would inherit this thousand-year n. Moreover, because each of his wives shouldered an indispensable and important part of the n, there had to be at least one heir in each project for Renji to feel at ease. "Zero, what does Master Renji mean?" Nova poked the maid beside her with her elbow for the second time. [Master means that he wants to have a baby with each of us.] [At least one.] Zero added. This task was not that simple. The higher the level of power, the more difficult it was to produce offspring after mutualbination. This could be seen from the fact that even though Renji had already eaten them many times, none of them had any reaction. But that was not a problem. With the "expert" Lena in this area, she could provide the best guidance and assistance. The prototype of the thousand-year n was nowpletely structured. The Source Lord led the many Sources back to the Source Sea to umte the power of the channel that could carry millions of yers in the future. The story of the Ashen Emperor came to an end here. But the story of Chronicles... was still continuing. There would be new descendants, new heirs, continuing to write their own legends and epics in this Chronicles that Ashen had extended for them. -------- Not final chapter btw. The remaining chapters will be posted after 3h -------- Chapter 419 419: Birthday Present part 1 Chapter 419 419: Birthday Present part 1 ??-Origin Realm. -Holy Kingdom, Michelle, ckhole ins "Orro, keep going, hang in there!" "ording to the treasure map, we should reach Dad''s tomb soon!" In the dark Relic Cave, holding a torch, a seven or eight year old demi human girl encouraged herpanion behind her in an energetic voice. The little girl wore simple casual clothes. Although her face was a bit dirty from the trek, stained with some dust, it did not hinder her cuteness and beauty. Especially her chiseled facial contours made it clear at a nce that she would definitely grow up to be a stunning beauty. Of course, in addition, the girl''s fiery red hair was also particrly eye-catching. In a sense, it was a symbol of identity. However, at the moment, the red hair was tied by the girl into a neat single ponytail behind her head, making the nobility and oppressiveness brought by the original red hair thinner, and more spirited! At the same time, with the help of the torchlight, if one observed carefully, one could vaguely see that on both sides of the Demi human girl''s head, there was a pair of immature dragon horns, just emerging from her red hair, not yet fully developed. In contrast to the girl''s excitement and vitality, the little boy following behind as the girl''spanion appeared slightly inferior in mental outlook. "Liya, that''s not called dad''s tomb, it''s called dad''s relic." Orro, who had finally climbed over a huge rock blocking the way, sighed as he looked at the dragon-horned girl who was waiting for him, half a head taller than him. "Hey, what''s the difference?" "A tomb is used to ce dead bodies. When you say that, it sounds like our father is already dead. Don''t do that next time, father will definitely be angry if he hears it." Orro exined to the dragon girl in a lecturing manner while patting the dust on his clothes that had gotten on when climbing the rock just now. Under the torchlight, the boy''s face was soft, his skin fair and delicate. He already had a handsome appearance at a young age, the kind of super positive boy who could receive countless love letters in elementary school and make countless older sisters'' eyes light up when walking on the street. And unlike his sloppy sister Liya, the little boy was obviously very particr about his image. Even though he came to explore, he was still wearing traditional clothes from the "Holy Church". Undergarment, tie, coat, leather boots, church robe... not a single item was missing. In addition, the cross hanging on the little boy''s chest, faintly emitting a sea-blue glow, made the boy''s temperament even more outstanding. It could be said that at a young age, he already had the shadow of a future Bishop. However, at the moment, this little bishop was a bit troubled. "No way! Daddy won''t be angry. Daddy told me when he was telling me bedtime stories the other day that he crawled out of a coffin." "Father was just teasing you." Orro shook his head helplessly. "Hmph, I don''t believe it! Daddy would never lie to me. Just wait, when we really get to the tomb, I''ll prove it to you! I''ll open your eyes to Daddy''s coffin!" After making a face at her brother behind her, Liya took the lead and continued exploring deeper into the cave, referring to the treasure map in her hand. The cave boulder two or three meters high was easily leaped over by the dragon girl. This made the little boy behind her twitch the corner of his mouth. After sighing again, the little boy started to climb arduously on all fours, trying to keep up with his monster like sister with his tiny body. Hard work pays off. After about another half an hour, Liya''s excited voice came from ahead. "We''re here! This is it! Come quickly, Orro! We found Dad''s tomb!" It seemed that she was too impatient with the panting little boy behind her being too slow. After running over quickly, Liya picked up the little boy and carried him on her shoulder. Then, without waiting for Orro to speak, she leaped into the dark pit of the cave below with her brother. Bang! Landing solidly and steadily, Liya put her brother down like unloading a sandbag, and then eagerly began to look around the tomb. And when Liya''s gaze saw a coffin that was as dark as if it had been burned by fire at the innermost side of the tomb, the dragon girl''s eyes instantly lit up, as if an adventurer had finally found the treasure chest. "Orro! Orro! See that, that''s it! Daddy''s coffin!" The excited Liya kept tugging at Orro''s church robe beside her with her little dirty hands. Then the girl ran towards the coffin. The coffin lid, which must have weighed dozens of kilograms, was pushed open with one hand by Liya, who was in a state of excitement. "Treasure, Dad''s treasure, hehe!" The girl''s dragon eyes sparkled with little stars, as if she had already imagined the many treasures inside the coffin. However, when Liya really jumped into the coffin, she found... "What, what''s going on?" Liya fumbled in the coffin for a long time, but except for getting herself covered in dust, she had no gain at all. Inside the coffin... It waspletely empty. "It shouldn''t be like this. Daddy''s treasure should be here. Why can''t I find it?" The little girl sat in the coffin dejectedly, her face full of grievance. "Who told you there was a treasure in the coffin, was it Father too?" At this time, Orro also came to the side of the coffin. "Daddy didn''t say, but... I specially went to read books, and those books clearly wrote that some powerful people, when buried, would prepare many precious burial objects in their coffins!" "So I thought, I thought that Daddy is so powerful, there must be many treasures in his coffin, but but..." After hearing his sister''s exnation and seeing his sister sitting in the coffin with a puzzled and confused expression, Orro couldn''t help but cover his face. "That''s why I told you, only dead people are called tombs. Father is not dead, let alone buried, so naturally there is nothing in the coffin!" "But... but if there is no treasure here, then, then what should I do, there''s no time to prepare anything else, wooaaaaaaaaaah..." The dragon girl, who originally didn''t find any treasure and was now lectured by her brother, finally couldn''t hold back. Large teardrops began to fall down her cute face, which was now full of grievance and sadness. This time it was Orro''s turn to panic. But fortunately, he was prepared. The little boy secretly took out a rusty short sword that he had hidden in his church robe while his sister was still crying, and then put it into the coffin at an extremely fast speed. After doing all this, Orro pretended to climb into the coffin, pretending to search for a while, and then deliberately made an excited sound while tugging at Liya''s clothes. "Liya! Wait! There seems to be something in the coffin!" "Woo... wooah?! Eh!? Re-really, where?" The girl, who was just sobbing, saw the rusty sword following Orro''s finger. Her originally dim dragon eyes immediately lit up again. "A sword! It''s a sword! I heard in Daddy''s story that this must be the sword Daddy used when he was young, the Great Emperor Sword that ughtered countless monsters and saved the world!!" Apanied by an excited voice, Liya hugged this rusty sword in her arms like a treasure, looking at it again and again with an excited face. Seeing his sister stop crying and finally be happy again, Orro breathed a sigh of relief. As a result, who knew that in the next second, the little boy''s breath was suspended again. Because... "But Orro, it''s so strange..." "Str-strange?" "Yeah, I should have searched this ce, but why didn''t I see this sword just now, and Orro, look, this coffin is so dirty, full of dust and dirt, but why is this sword so clean? There''s not a speck of dust, and even..." "Orro, feel it, this sword still has some residual warmth, as if it had been held by someone all along?" The dragon girl''s analysis was well-founded and reasonable, which instantly doubled the pressure on Orro beside her, making him sweat on his forehead. Why does my sister''s brain... suddenly work well in such strange ces? Chapter 420 420: Birthday Present part 2 Chapter 420 420: Birthday Present part 2 ??Just as Orro was racking his brain, trying to figure out how to convince his sister that this sword wasn''t ced here by someone, but was a genuine treasure from the coffin, Liya pped her hands and became even more excited. She exined to her brother in advance: "I understand now! Our sincerity must have moved the Great Emperor''s Sword, so it miraculously appeared and showed affection towards us. The current warmth on the sword represents its recognition of us!" After happily exining, Liya added, "I''ve read this in many storybooks!" Orro: "..." "Sister..." "Hmm?" "Maybe read fewer storybooks." "No way!" Regardless, this adventure apanying his sister had finallye to a satisfactory conclusion. Now that they had obtained the treasure, Orro was ready to climb out of the coffin. To be honest, as a neat and image-conscious little boy, Orro couldn''t stand staying in this dusty coffin any longer. However, just as the little boy was about to climb out, unexpectedly, a hand reached out from behind him and pulled him back. "Wait a moment, Orro. We can''t leave yet!" Liya, sitting inside the coffin, had a serious expression. As Orro was puzzled, Liya''s next action left him stunned. Liya first made a sincere apology to the "Great Emperor''s Sword." Then, with a "sorry," under Orro''s shocked gaze, his sister actually grasped both ends of the "Great Emperor''s Sword," took a deep breath, and... "Ha!" Liya shouted with all her might, her purple dragon eyes shing with power patterns. The girl''s arms exerted force downward, smashing the Great Emperor''s Sword against her knees with great strength. Bang! With a muffled sound, by the time Orro reacted, the carefully prepared Great Emperor''s Sword that he had spent several months making to be very realistic was now... Broken in half. Liya had forcefully snapped it in two. At this moment, Liya, holding the hilt in one hand and the de in the other, muttered strangely, "Eh? Has my strength increased again? I originally thought it would take several hits, but it actually broke in one go. Is the legendary Great Emperor''s Sword this fragile?" Of course, the real Great Emperor''s Sword wouldn''t be this fragile. The one you snapped was the model I had painstakingly made day and night! Orro couldn''t say these bitter words, of course. He only had one question now. "Liya, what exactly are you doing..." The girl didn''t answer Orro''s question immediately. Liya hesitated between the de and hilt for a few moments, then finally, as if making a painful sacrifice, handed therger de fragment to Orro. "For you!" "For me?" "Alright, take it quickly, or I''m afraid I might change my mind!" Under Liya''s urging, Orro dazedly took the de fragment, and Liya finally let out a long sigh, revealing a happy smile, and gave the boy an exnation. "This is..." "A thank you for helping me prepare Daddy''s birthday gift!" In a few days, it would be her dad''s birthday. Liya wanted to give her dad a unique and heartfelt gift. She racked her brains and finally recalled the story her dad had told her about the mysterious coffin. However, Liya knew that she couldn''t go on this adventure alone, so she brought along Orro, her closest brother, which led to the current scene. The reason Liya was so dejected and sad, even crying, when she discovered the coffin was empty without any treasure, was because this meant she couldn''t give her dad a unique birthday gift. But now, she had found the "most unique" precious gift. Simrly, Liya didn''t forget about Orro. Although they had different mothers, they shared the same father. Her brother must also be preparing a gift, and he had helped her so much, apanying her on this adventure. So Liya decided to split her precious gift in two and give Orro a share. This way, although her gift might not be as precious, at least it allowed her brother to have something to give his father too! This was Liya, the sister who made him feel both exasperated and fond. Realizing his sister''s thoughtfulness, Orro definitely wouldn''t say something like "actually, I had already prepared a gift for Father long ago." The little boy just nodded and gratefully epted his sister''s gift. "Hehe, mission aplished! Let''s go home!" "Before giving the gift to Father, don''t forget to take the sword as proof and turn in our mission at the Ashen Association first." "Ah! Orro, good mentioned it, I almost forgot. This time, we also took on the D-rank mission of ''Exploring Relic Caves'' from the association! This way, I can be promoted to an E-rank Valkyrie! Orro, you can be an E-rank Ashen Operator too, right?" "Sorry, sister, I''m already a C-rank Elite Operator." "Wh-what! How did you level up so quickly? Tell your sister!" "Not telling." "I will treat you to a meal!" "No need, I have pocket money from Mother." "Then, then I will wear your church''s nun outfit and help your church recruit people, that should work, right?" The dragon girl seemed to be going all out. Unfortunately, she was met with Orro shaking his head like a rattle drum: "Please don''t." "Hmph! Stinky brother! Stinky Orro, just like a little old man! If you won''t tell me, fine. It''s no big deal. I''ll go find Sister Minater and have her directly promote me to an S-rank Valkyrie at the association! Hmph!" As the two children walked further and further away, finally disappearing into the cave, the originally dark tomb once again flickered with light. Following that, three figures appeared here. The young man among them looked at the opened coffin with a sigh. "Hehe~, It seems the gift that Honey prepared for them is no longer needed," Suthia gently shook her head. "Indeed..." Renji flicked his wrist, putting away the real Great Emperor''s Sword. Of course, Renji knew that Liya and Orro hade here to explore and prepare a birthday gift for him. He also knew that there was actually nothing inside the coffin. Letting his daughter return empty-handed and heartbroken was something Renji definitely couldn''t do. So he hade here in advance, waiting to bestow a miracle upon the two children, just like in the stories Liya imagined. As a result... "Orro is more like an older brother." Nova and Renji, along with Suthia, had watched the entire scene in secret. Orro''s little actions certainly couldn''t escape their notice. "No, Nova, Liya clearly has more of an older sister''s demeanor. She knows how to share, unlike my Orro." Seeing the harmonious duo and the close rtionship between the children, Renji felt very gratified. After bing mothers, everyone''s aggressiveness had weakened. There shouldn''t really be anyone who, after bing a mother, would still engage in a battle royale and bloodshed, right? "So, Nova, share Honey with me tonight. I think Orro needs a little sister to learn these things!" Suthiamented seriously. In response, Nova face was just a "?" before... "I can also give Orro a little sister." Nova wasn''t about to lose. "No, no, no, let your younger sister do it." Chapter 421 421: Ashen Association part 1 Chapter 421 421: Ashen Association part 1 ??[Experiment Number: DX-001] [Experiment Project: "Star Traveler" First Descent] [Experiment Location: Ashen Train - Lower Third Floor - "Star Traveler" Original Body Storage Carriage Group - EX-01 Experimental Carriage] [Experiment Sub-projects: Star Traveler Original Body Compatibility Detection, Shell Adaptability Testing, Star Traveler Obedience Testing, Star Traveler Value and Risk Assessment, Shell Environmental Adaptability, Shell Combat Compatibility...] [Experiment Leader: Mina Renji] [Deputy Leader: Subus Instructor ¨C Abnos Renji] [Experiment Preparations Complete.] [Conducting Final Inspection.] [Blue Star Source Channel Inspection Complete] [Original Body Shell Inspection Normal] [Carriage Stability Inspection Normal] [Leader Status Inspection Beep! Error! Detectedrge emotional fluctuations in project "Deputy Leader", please promptly negotiate and adjust, descent program terminated] --- Closing the program error, the silver-haired girl with the ssic expressionless features of a mechanical species turned her gaze to the side, towards the subus who was the Deputy Leader of this experiment. The subus had a slender figure, extremely delicate features, thin lips, a high nose bridge, and a pair of dazzling, captivating eyes, like the brightest stars in the sky. It seemed that just by making eye contact, one would sink deeper and deeper, deeply attracted and unable to break free. Not to mention, behind the subus, extending from the back of the mage robe, was that slender, flesh-colored little tail, the most representative feature of a subus. The peach-shaped membrane at the base of the tail swayed slightly with its owner''s breathing, seemingly unconsciously emitting a kind of fatal temptation to the outside world, arousing the most primitive desires deep within the hearts of other creatures. Everything was so perfect. If one had to forcibly find a w, it would probably be... This was a male subus. "Dear sister, are you serious about the title you added in front of my name?" "What else?" the silver-haired girl retorted. Seeing that her subus brother was about to say something in defense, Mina coldly said in advance: "If you can stop your admirers from crazily posting ineffective junk missions to the Ashen Association to find you, send you letters, send you flowers, and reduce the waste of our association''s human resources, then I can consider removing this prefix for you." Abnos: "..." "At least change the prefix name to something nicer, like Young Master Subus." Seeing that his silver-haired sister still ignored him, Abnos sighed, shook his head helplessly, and muttered in a low voice, "I don''t want this either. Isn''t this all to assist your ''Star Traveler n''? I should be the one getting hurt..." Speaking of the "Star Traveler n", Abnos straightened his expression and turned his gaze towards the containers not far away inside the train carriage. From these containers, one could see the first batch of produced "Star Traveler Original Bodies" quietly soaking and stored in a special nutrient solution. After skipping the leader''s emotional inspection item, the descent program restarted. Under the silver-haired girl''s operation, the containers began to flicker with starlight, and the power from the "Source" began to establish a virtual space channel. In the next moment... Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Apanied by a burst of white mist airflow, the lids of several containers slowly opened. Then, the original body shells that were originally sealed and soaked in the nutrient solution began to have independent consciousness and rose from the containers. The originally quiet train cargo hold suddenly became lively. "Holy shit, we really logged in!" "Here ites! I''ve been camping for three years to snatch this closed beta qualification!" "Mama mia, this feeling of reality, it doesn''t feel like being in a game at all!""Back in my grandpa''s generation, when Alliance said they wanted to make Fallen Chronicles'' universe and promoted the concept ofplete immersion, they were ridiculed by a bunch ofpetitors. No one was optimistic. Who would have thought that after a few decades, Alliance really fulfilled their promise and came out with a decent product..." "A decent product? You call this a decent product? This is already fucking awesome!" "Grandpa, did you see it? Fallen Chronicles III that you''ve been longing for, I''m really ying it!" "So, where are we now?" "I don''t know, it looks like we''re on a train?" "Wait, you guys look over there, there seem to be two NPCs!" After "logging in" from the original body containers, the forty- plus yers selected for the "closed beta" eximed in amazement for a brief moment, then turned their gazes towards Mina and Abnos, who were ''NPCs''. The most eye-catching was definitely the subus. Although for the "Star Traveler Original Bodies", many special influences, such as the subus''s mental corruption, could not affect them, Abnos''s handsome and dashing appearance still had a huge impact on female yers. "Alliance, oh Alliance! You''ve finallye to your senses and are giving benefits to female yers too. There are finally handsome male NPCs!" "I''m calling dibs on him as my husband!" "Sister, we''re just saying, this isn''t an online chat room. Pay attention to your image, hey! You''re almost drooling!" As the female yers became excited, the male yers were also highly interested. "Beautiful girl! Beautiful girl! The closed beta is already on point from the start!" "Wow! Silver hair! Red eyes! Bare feet! The official really understands us!" "Too bad she''s not a loli, otherwise it would be a killer!" This lolicon yer had just expressed his regret and shook his head in disappointment when he suddenly shuddered, a chill surging in his heart, making him instinctively shrink his head, looking around in confusion and fear, not daring to have any wild thoughts anymore. On the high tform, Abnos retracted his gaze. If it weren''t for the preciousness of the Star Traveler Original Bodies and the importance of this experiment, if it were other natives, they would probably be gone already. "Dear Travelers from afar, wee to our world." "Hundreds of years ago, the first generation of Star Travelers left many footprints in this world, saved many lives, and established a deep bond with us." "And now, with the help of the first-generation Star Travelers, our world is strong enough to amodate more Travelers. I am very honored to witness this moment, to see the Travelers of the paste here again and fight alongside our world! I believe you will inherit the will of the first-generation Star Travelers and also leave your own stories and footprints in countless worlds." The silver-haired girl''s opening remarks made the closed beta yers nod in agreement, as they could also resonate with it and had a deep understanding. Those who could be selected as closed beta yers were basically die-hard fans of Fallen Chronicles, so naturally they could empathize with it. The term "Star Traveler" was a new term in Fallen Chronicles III, referring to the yers. And the first-generation Star Travelers mentioned by the silver- haired Mina should refer to those yers ofFallen Chronicles I and Fallen Chronicles II. It seemed that the story of Fallen Chronicles III this time took ce hundreds of years after Fallen Chronicles II world, and it was no longer a turn-based game, but a real open-world exploration RPG! "You are currently inside the Ashen Train. We are the train''s administrators. There is still a short time before we arrive at our destination, the Vasian 3 world. If you have any questions during this period, you can ask us." As soon as Abnos finished speaking, a yer immediately raised their hand. "What is the Ashen Train?" This setting didn''t exist in the previous Fallen Chronicles I and Fallen Chronicles II, and was obviously a unique creation of Fallen Chronicles III. "Look out the window." At the subus''s indication, the yers came to the huge light screen of the carriage. Through the light screen, they could see the scenery outside the train. It was a vast and immense starry world tree, and on the trunk of the world tree, there were crisscrossing tracks, with numerous trains running and shuttling on them. Chapter 422 422: Ashen Association part 2 (End) Chapter 422 422: Ashen Association part 2 (End) ??"The starry world tree is our origin. Each leaf on the world tree corresponds to a world. In the past, each world on the starry world tree was a separate entity, with no means of interaction. But Emperor Ashen, born from the Origin Realm, became the first being to break through the world and see the true starry world tree. Then, under the impetus of the Emperor, after hundreds of years, we finally built the Ashen tracks and trains." "As you can see, with Ashen trains, we can roam the world tree and connect every world on it, allowing the creatures of the world tree to unite and help each other." "It was on the basis of the Ashen trains that the subsequently established Ashen Association came into being. The Ashen Association has its own branches in each world, eptingmissions from the local inhabitants, while also publishingmissions and requests for help from other worlds. Any creature can join the Association and be an operator or valkyrie, traveling to different worlds via the Ashen trains to handlemissions or embark on adventures and explorations." "And as for you star travelers..." Abnos finally turned his gaze to the attentive yers. "The current channel is not yet stable. When the association conducts further researchter, allowing star travelers to fully descend, all star travelers can choose a desired original world orientation at the beginning of their descent, and the association will fund the use of trains to send you to your respective worlds." Tracks, world tree, Ashen trains, Ashen Association - these terms were thrown at the star travelers all at once. Abnos was a bit worried about whether they could ept and digest it all, and was prepared to repeat the exnation several times. But to his surprise, just as his father said, these star travelers''prehension ability was even stronger than he expected. Nearly all 40+ star travelers nodded thoughtfully, showing a look of realization, without needing him to say more. Indeed, for yers, these were all very easy to understand. Large-scale online games have many servers, and now these different worlds are equivalent to different servers. And in the setting of the game, there is both high technology and magic and special abilities, just like civilizations in the universe are definitely not homogeneous. yers who like a sense of technology can go to the corresponding tech-oriented worlds, while those who like special abilities and magic can go to magical civilizations. Andter, because of the setting of Ashen trains, it means that the yer''s servers can be interconnected in theter stages, and they don''t have to worry about not being able to meet again after choosing different servers. "Dam bro, this setting is great. After all, the previous Fallen Chronicles 1 & 2 were single-yer, equivalent to each yer being an independent world. I was wondering, since Fallen Chronicles 3 is going to be an online game, how will they handle this setting? If they forcibly put all yers into one world, it would feel a bit like eating the book. Now it''s perfect, preserving the setting of multiple worlds while also conforming to online gaming! A perfect transformation!" "So the seasons 1 and2 that my grandparents'' generation yed were actually different worlds on the world tree? And our story in season 3 is about us, as the younger generation, returning to these worlds hundreds of yearster?" "We can now truly inherit the mantle of the ''first generation'' star travelers!" "By the way, does anyone else feel like the term Emperor Ashen sounds a bit familiar?" "I know this one! I looked it up. It refers to the yer who first cleared the game sixty or seventy years ago when it was released. They were very famous on the forums back then. Now it seems Alliance has included them as an easter egg and memorial!" "Using yers as easter eggs, Alliancepany really makes me cry!" "Too bad the Emperor is no longer with us. If they could see this, they would definitely be very happy." "Let''s work hard. In the future, I also want to be someone whose name the Alliance can use as a symbol of good luck." "Forget it. His ID was Ashen, but look at your ID Lianor Solo Pusher. Are you going to have an easter egg called Solo Pusher Emperor?" "Oh? Brother, are you also a fan of Lianor?" "What a coincidence, me too!" "As long as you support Lianor, we''re family!" These star travelers began to excitedly discuss this "Lianor", who was not unfamiliar to Mina and Abnos. "It seems that Sister is very popr among the star travelers." Abnos couldn''t help but sigh. As the eldest of his Father''s five children and the sister of all of them, Lianor had inherited the affairs of her mother, Aunt Miyuki, on the Blue Star, the homnd of these star travelers, and seemed to have be a profession called an "idol". Later, when the final stage was reached, Sister Lianor''s poprity would also be needed to give a final push to promote the game among the star travelers on the Blue Star, getting more star travelers to join. Except for the younger Orro and Liya who were bornter, the three of them as older siblings had already taken over the Cold Wave n from their parents'' hands. They would also be the ones... to deal with that devastating cold wave a thousand years in the future. Next, as the train arrived at its destination and docked at the station, Mina brought the yers to an abandoned world. After Father and the Source Masters reached a reconciliation a hundred years ago, although the Sources withdrew from the worlds one after another, those numerous worlds ravaged by the Sources required arge amount of manpower and resources to assist in the world''s recovery. Relying solely on the Ashen Association''s coordination was not enough, so in this regard, they still had to rely on the star travelers. As it was the testing phase, Mina would not give the star travelers overlyplex tasks. Following herfather''s suggestion, she issued the simplest development mission to the star travelers. [Chopping Trees] And just as her father said, such a boring and tedious project was actually engaging and even invigorating for the star travelers. Because in the "star traveler original bodies", a star traveler chip jointly developed by Mother Zero and Father was incorporated. With this system, the association''smissions could be automatically disyed in the form of text missions in front of the star travelers'' eyes. This system was also the core that allowed them to restrict and monitor the "star travelers". For example, once a star travelermitted a vition or gave birth to evil desires, the system would immediately detect it and impose restraints and limitations. As for how to detect evil desires, this was Lena''s design. After all, as a subus race, she had extremely proficient abilities in the area of desire. The final test item wasbat. Some low-level experimental miasma monsters that they had prepared in advance appeared in front of the star travelers, and the two sides began to fight. After the battles hundreds of years ago, the miasma was notpletely sealed by Father, but was preserved as part of the world. Father and Aunt Lilith joined forces to finally create the miasma ecology of the world tree, greatly reducing the contamination of the miasma. Miasma monsters, as a manifestation of power, continued to exist. Whether star travelers or native creatures, they could absorb miasma power by eliminating miasma monsters, enhancing their own strength and level. And the advantage of star travelers was... Mina turned her gaze to the battlefield. The closed beta yers were not allbat experts, and soon some yers died in battle. But after a while, from the original body cabin of the train, the prepared star traveler original body containers opened again, and a new body sat up - it was the yer who had just died. Resurrection mechanism. In essence, it was changing the shell body. The star traveler chip would bind the star traveler''s mental will. Upon death, some data would be lost, but the original body''s power could be stored. When using a new body, they could directly return to their original power and level. Of course, this technology was not yet mature. One difficulty was the mass production of star traveler original bodies. Otherwise, star travelers would require an extremely long resurrection time. She still needed to continue researching and improving. The second was that the inheritance of the chips would sometimes go wrong and also needed to be corrected. The journey of exploring "star travelers" was still very long. Father and Mother had already pointed out the path and direction for them. The rest... It was for them to take over and continue forward along the path of their parents. ------ Thank you so much for reading Fallen Chronicles! Your support means the world to me and I couldn''t have done it without you. I''m thrilled that you came along for the ride. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed it. Until next time, take care and stay awesome! The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!