《Mage Manual》


 Chapter 1 - 1 I Was Arrested

    Chapter 1: Chapter 1 I Was Arrested


    "Great Final Observer, Ash Heath! Good follows you, evil admires you! Light longs for you, darkness also hopes for you! You are a transcendent being, the color the gods have painted on all things!"


    "Great Final Observer, Ash Heath... "


    Ash sat on the cold stone seat, looking at the crowd of bizarre people in black robes kneeling and praying to him. Beneath his stern face, his heart was in a panic.


    You can''t blame him. After all, just a second ago, his memories were still in the damned mobile gaming company, staying up all night contributing his remaining value. The next second, he found himself in this strange underground hall being worshiped by all. Anyone would be at a loss in such a situation.


    Even more interesting was that Ash could understand their language as naturally as his mother tongue, needing no translation to grasp their meaning. As he gradually calmed down, he quickly concluded: He had crossed over, and it was a soul transfer into a person with the same name.


    Since childhood, many people told him that his name sounded fantastical, but Ash never expected to encounter such an overwhelmingly odd event one day.


    However, he did not possess the surname Heath, which allowed him to swiftly ascertain he wasn''t dreaming.


    Not only did their names match, but even their appearances seemed similar, and by moving his fingers and toes, Ash found no discomfort in the body, as if it was his original form. Everything was so nimble and natural that he had to wonder if he had crossed into a parallel world''s version of himself.


    For the sake of convenience, and since they shared the same name, in his mind, Ash dubbed the original owner of this body as "Heath."


    But these thoughts were meaningless to the current situation because Ash realized that Heath did not leave the most crucial thing for him: memory.


    Yes, memory!


    It seemed like Heath''s memory was formatted when crossing over, leaving Ash clueless about what to do next, maintaining a feigned calm tinged with wicked charm, fearing someone might see through him.


    Do not be fooled by the extreme reverence of those beneath the stone seat. If Ash exposed any flaw, they would become as cruel as they were now respectful. Considering they viewed Ash as an "Otherworldly Evil Soul" who erased Saint Heir Heath''s soul and took over his body, he was truly a heinous sinner. Adding to their intense religious colors, Ash felt it impractical to gain understanding by claiming, "I am also a victim."


    But just sitting there wasn''t a solution; Ash was finding it hard to maintain his subtle smile.


    Boom Boom Boom¡ª


    Suddenly, a rumbling vibration filled the underground hall. The people in black robes rejoiced, prostrating themselves with their foreheads touching the ground, chanting in unison:


    "Pray for the divine Lord to descend!"


    Ash, thinking it was an earthquake, tried to stand but found his behind glued to the stone seat and couldn''t stand up. Suddenly, dazzling rainbow light illuminated his eyes. Looking up, he saw four brilliant rainbow lights floating in the air, bringing color and endless warmth to the hall.


    "Great Final Observer, Ash Heath!"


    They spoke in unison, as if a million voices were speaking at once: "The only clean person in this foul world, the last Hero of the vast Earth, you bear the burden of saving the world and the mission of rescuing all beings!"


    "We shall cross the Silver Wheel of Heaven to grant you power, we shall break the Golden Balance to bless you with glory! Your name is holy, your will is our will, your kingdom is a place of happiness for all beings!"


    "Ash Heath!"


    Unconsciously, Ash found himself kneeling on one knee, respectfully lowering his head, awaiting the moment glory descended.


    The red light cluster on the far left said, "I am the Lord of a Billion Splendors, ruling over battle, courage, and honor! I grant you the Power Angel to clear all enemies for you!"


    A female angel wielding a spear and bearing a pair of wings flew to Ash. She wore red armor, was only the size of a finger, yet her aura was overwhelming. Ash felt he could see mountains of corpses and seas of blood in her eyes.


    The second blue light cluster on the left said, "I am the Lord of Wind, Rain, and Snow, presiding over wisdom, change, and fate. I grant you the Wisdom Angel to help you achieve all your goals!"


    A female angel wearing a blue hat and holding a notebook flew to Ash, also the size of a finger, her eyes deep, as if containing endless knowledge.


    The second green light cluster on the right said, "I am the Everlasting Fiery Heart, ruling over life, equality, and sharing. I grant you the Life Angel to keep you healthy forever!"


    A glowing green female angel, resembling a little girl, flew to Ash. She was adorable, surrounded by a glowing green halo, giving an incredibly warm and relaxing feeling.


    The pink light cluster on the far right said, "I am the Dreamlike Free Spirit, ruling over love, joy, and art. I grant you the Joyful Angel to enhance your irresistible charm!"


    A pink, beautiful female angel flew to Ash. Her figure was graceful, her eyes captivating; even at finger size, she seemed the most beautiful existence in this world.


    The four angels flew around Ash, adding a dazzling brilliance to him. In that moment, Ash felt power surging continuously, his body filled with energy, his mood extraordinarily joyful, his mind brimming with countless plans, everything seemed perfect!


    The Lord of a Billion Splendors, Lord of Wind, Rain, and Snow, Everlasting Fiery Heart, and Dreamlike Free Spirit simultaneously said, "The Fate-favored Hero, Observer of Causality, go forth to create miracles, save the world!"


    As the sound akin to shattering bubbles echoed, the four descending Heavenly Gods gradually dissolved, but the underground hall remained bright. With the four angels, Ash appeared as a walking rainbow.


    Ash clenched his fist, the corners of his mouth curved upward, revealing a confident smile.


    To think, to think! He thought this sudden crossing was a large pitfall, but it turned out to be a blessing. He became the Hero of this world, blessed by four divine beings and adored by countless followers, what an extraordinary script!


    Next was to defeat monsters, save the world, marry the most beautiful princess, become the king of this world, and reach the pinnacle of life!


    Boom!


    A loud noise came from the ceiling, and the leading black-robed believers said, "Hero, the Blood Frenzy Hunters have found us! Now we can only rely on you to drive them back!"


    Blood Frenzy Hunters? They sounded like villainous characters. Ash figured they were novice ones meant for reputation building and skill familiarization, so he boldly drew the saber from his waist and proudly declared, "My sword is unmatched! Let these Blood Frenzy Hunters be the first souls claimed by my sword! Someone, lead the way!"


    "No need, we''ll come ourselves."


    With a loud rumble, the underground hall''s ceiling exploded!


    Ash looked up to see a group of enemies wielding blood-patterned long swords, dressed in silver coats, wearing hunter''s hats, jumping down from above!


    "Good timing!"


    Ash shouted,


    "Power!"


    "Wisdom!"


    "Life!"


    "Joy!"


    The four angels simultaneously bestowed blessings upon Ash, and at that moment, he felt he could cleave the enemy in two with a single strike! He had no fear, shouting loudly, jumping up, and slashing at the forefront Blood Frenzy Hunter, even creating a sword aura that cleaved through the air!


    With the gods'' endowment, I became so powerful!


    Now with a protective barrier and endless stamina, I wondered who could defeat me!


    As he reveled in his thoughts, Ash heard a mocking laugh from the Blood Frenzy Hunter opposite.


    "That''s all?"


    The Blood Frenzy Hunter grinned sinisterly, casually swinging the long sword, which instantly transformed into a several-meter chain sword, unleashing a several-meter-long blood-red sword aura!


    Ash''s sword aura was instantly swallowed, and his protective barrier shattered instantly. The entire underground hall was cleaved apart by a single strike from the Blood Frenzy Hunter, with a massive crack spreading beneath Ash''s feet!


    Seeing the opposing force overwhelm him, Ash was momentarily stunned, "How is this possible..."


    "Merely possessing four two-winged Chaos Technique Spirits, not even yours, where do you get the guts to fight against my Three-winged Holy Realm?"


    With a swift gust of wind, three wings emerged on the Blood Frenzy Hunter''s back, namely Silver Wings, Golden Wings, and Seven-Colored Wings!


    He retracted the chain sword back into a long sword form, rushed into Ash''s embrace like a dragon, and pierced Ash''s chest with his sword, pinning him back to the stone seat!


    Once again, Ash had no choice but to sit down.


    He coughed up blood, blankly watching as the Blood Frenzy Hunter took down a small lantern at his waist. Not knowing how the Hunter activated it, the lantern suddenly emitted a blinding white light.


    The angels, still trying to bestow power upon Ash, each let out screams of despair and hatred under the illumination of the white light. They could no longer maintain their previous beauty, turning grotesquely ugly!


    The Power Angel became an ugly mantis,


    The Wisdom Angel transformed into a decaying fly,


    The Life Angel melted into a pale grub,


    The Joyful Angel became a cloud of pungent, malodorous gas!


    Courage, Wisdom, Joy, Life¡ªall forms of protection rapidly withdrew from Ash''s body. Stimulated by the intense pain in his chest, he fully regained awareness, showing bewilderment on his face.


    What just happened?


    He was an ordinary person who had just crossed over, knowing nothing about the information, why did he suddenly become so arrogant and boastful, entering a battle unrelated to him?


    How was this the action of a normal working person beaten down by society for several years?


    As Ash was lost in thought, the battle in the underground hall concluded. The black-robed believers were no match for the Blood Frenzy Hunters.


    Standing before him, the Blood Frenzy Hunter drew a scroll from his chest and unfolded it before Ash, revealing the red-stamped document inside:


    "I am Gerard Westminster, Blood Frenzy Hunter no. 307791 of the Crime Hunting Hall. The Crime Hunting Hall now suspects you of being involved in the case of the Gods of Four Pillars cult propagation, multiple kidnappings, murders, robberies, and other heinous crimes. This is the arrest warrant signed by the Kaimon City Crime Hunting Hall. Any objections to our law enforcement can be made at the 233 Citizen Avenue front desk of the Kaimon branch or directly to the mayor''s mailbox."


    "And now." The Blood Frenzy Hunter put away the arrest warrant, took out a pair of silver chains, personally placing the exquisite handcuffs on Ash, his mouth curving upward, revealing pale fangs:


    "Cult Leader of the Gods of Four Pillars, Ash Heath, you''re under arrest."

 Chapter 2 - 2 I Really Am a Bad Person

    Chapter 2: Chapter 2 I Really Am a Bad Person


    ```


    "Name?"


    "Ash... Ash Heath."


    "Age?"


    "I don''t know, I''ve lost my memory."


    "Gender?"


    "Let me see... male."


    "Race?"


    "Probably not a dog?"


    "Past experiences?"


    "I really don''t know, I''ve lost my memory."


    ...


    Blood Frenzy Hunter Emi watched the interrogation room through a two-way mirror, hearing the cult leader respond to the questions so nonchalantly and brazenly that her eyes turned into vertical pupils and her fingernails grew longer in anger.


    "Captain, does this scoundrel think everyone in the Crime Hunting Hall is an idiot? This interrogation isn''t working, let me do it. I learned some interrogation techniques from a priest during my school days and even got certified as a Level 1 Torturer. I swear on the name of the priest that I''ll make this bastard confess even to wetting his bed as a child!"


    "Burn your Torturer certificate," Gerard said calmly, "The ''Regulations on Human Rights Act Amendments'' abolished the torturer system twelve years ago, strictly prohibiting the Crime Hunting Hall from interrogating suspects. Violators face penalties ranging from revoking the hunter''s license to imprisonment for over a hundred years. The council is watching us closely, even if Ash Heath just has a bad night''s sleep, we''ll be in trouble. If you want the council to bite us, I won''t stop you."


    "Hmph." Emi pouted in anger and fear, changing the subject, "What about the Memory Master? We''ve had this scoundrel for so long, why isn''t a Memory Master here extracting his memories?"


    "The Memory Master will not come."


    "Why not? In cases like this, regardless, a Memory Master should extract memory evidence, right? I remember the ''Criminal Code'' says all criminal cases must have memories as direct evidence, right?"


    "But he''s different."


    "How is he different?"


    Gerard gave her a look, "He''s seen the Gods of Four Pillars."


    Emi was momentarily stunned, then understood.


    "Not just him, but all cultists cannot have their memories extracted."


    Gerard said, "Memory pollution is the specialty of the Gods of Four Pillars. In the cult case I helped solve 134 years ago, it was a Memory Master extracting memories from cultists that subliminally turned them into believers of the Four Pillars, causing the cult to rise endlessly from the ashes."


    "Then what do we do?" Emi was dumbfounded, "We can''t get evidence from asking, can''t interrogate, can''t extract memories... Are we just going to let him go free? Or make a special case?"


    "No need for a special case," Gerard replied, "There''s a form of execution perfect for such heinous criminals who stir public outrage... This interrogation is just a formality. The real trial will happen at 8 PM on the 15th, completed by all citizens."


    Emi immediately understood, but looking back at the cult leader who was still in the interrogation room repeating his lost memory, she couldn''t suppress her anger. She stuck out her tongue in disdain, turned, and walked away, dragging her gray tail.


    Gerard continued watching this pointless interrogation, which had to pause as it exceeded fifteen minutes to allow the suspect to rest. This was also mandated by the ''Human Rights Act'' as basic rights.


    The cult leader was drinking water, occasionally touching his recently pierced chest, his eyes showing surprise but quickly turning to worry.


    For some reason, Gerard felt he wasn''t lying.


    His reactions¡ªpanic, curiosity, fear, confusion¡ªwere very much like those of an ordinary person with amnesia.


    According to the ''Human Rights Act,'' conditions like split personality, amnesia, and mental illness could be seen as lacking self-management capacity, exempting one from criminal liability.


    If memory extraction showed Ash truly had amnesia, he could be released without charge.


    But these matters didn''t concern him, because due to the Gods of Four Pillars, no Memory Master would come to extract his memories, so...


    "Judging you is the people''s business. Our task is to deliver you into their eyes," Gerard said, turning to leave, continuing the pursuit of the next suspect.


    ...


    ...


    "This really is an early death, early reincarnation..."


    Lying on a clean, soft springy bed, Ash put down the paper in his hands, looking around the bright, spacious cell with its own private facilities, feeling utterly desolate.


    Although seeing those four ''angels'' reveal such an ugly form before dying vaguely confirmed Ash''s suspicions, he hadn''t expected reality to be worse than he imagined¡ªthe hunters'' accusations were completely correct; he truly was a bona fide cult leader.


    The gods that bestowed Ash with power were the infamous Gods of Four Pillars, notorious for always appearing together and sowing endless chaos in this world.


    The Lord of Infinite Radiance, also known as the tyrant, pursued endless war and mountains of corpses and seas of blood, killing everything his followers saw, even themselves;


    The Lord of Wind, Rain, and Snow, also called the traitor, was known for manipulating mortals with intrigue, granting followers'' wishes while driving them into extreme frenzy;


    The Eternal Flame, known as the Merciful Father, the source of all plagues and disease, was the final destination of decay. His followers became breeding grounds for disease, suffering horribly but never dying;


    The Dreamlike Spirit of Freedom, called the Prince of Lust, represented endless desire, most prominently ensnaring intelligent races. Once corrupted by desire, an intelligent being became an insatiable instinctive creature, intellect devoured by instinct.


    Ash had wondered if they weren''t fabricating the data to deceive him, but given he''d been captured, they didn''t need to go to such lengths; besides, the detailed photographic evidence of Heath''s crimes showed such brutality that Ash nearly regurgitated his mushroom soup chicken noodles.


    If Heath was truly a villain, then the Four Pillars were undoubtedly evil gods.


    Conversely, the Blood Frenzy Hunters chasing him were the rightful force¡ªor at least the ones maintaining societal stability.


    Within just half a day, Ash experienced extreme highs and lows¡ªinitially thinking he was a newly minted hero ready to leave the Newbie Village, only to discover he was a cult leader gearing up for the first angelic wave.


    Then he got farmed by the heroes like a wild elite monster.


    Not only did he cross over as a cult leader, but he did so right at the hunters'' exposition to purge the cult... was he just there to give hunters performance incentives?


    Ash tossed and turned in bed, lamenting fate''s inequity, pondering if perhaps he really died from overwork, but all his thoughts coalesced into one: How would they execute me?


    Although the interrogation felt courteous, with free meals and a luxury single room, aside from the need to wear fine bracelets and anklets, Ash felt like he was on vacation.


    But a falling hair''s worth of thinking told him they definitely wouldn''t let him go free.


    However, Ash faintly sensed civilization in this world seemed advanced, possibly having abolished the death penalty, leaving a glimmer of hope...


    Suddenly, a crisp notification bell rang in his mind.


    "Ding dong!"


    Ash felt a warmth at the back of his neck, and a Light Screen unfolded before his eyes.


    His heart skipped, deciphering the unfamiliar text on the Light Screen with countless expectations¡ª


    "Dear Mr. Ash Heath, Prisoner Number 4001623. The Kaimon City Hall formally invites you to be a special guest on Kaimon Channel One''s ''Blood Moon Judgement'' program at 8 PM on the 15th of this month. Please pay attention to your appearance. We''ll arrange for transportation to the live broadcast. To opt-out of the program, please reply ''TC.''"


    Although he had no idea what "Blood Moon Judgement" entailed, the name alone suggested nothing pleasant, and Ash quickly tried editing ''TC'' in the dialogue box.


    However, upon doing so, another prompt appeared on the Light Screen:


    "You are currently under arrest and on trial. The messaging function is prohibited."


    Damn, so that last line in the notice was just a joke on me!?


    Ash figured this "Blood Moon Judgement" likely signaled his execution, yet his focus remained on the Light Screen before him.


    He touched the back of his neck, feeling no discernible irregularity but clearly sensing a connection between his neck and the Light Screen, seemingly embedded there.


    Since something as significant as an ''execution announcement'' got communicated this way, Ash presumed this might be the world''s communication tool, not unique to him alone.


    Sure enough, when he mentally focused on the "?" icon in the top-left of the Light Screen, a string of information appeared:


    "Name: ''Heath''s Consciousness Light Screen''"


    "Version: 14.4.1"


    "Chip Model: Miracle 13"


    "Current Status: Messaging function prohibited, connectivity prohibited, channel access prohibited, image capture prohibited, kinetic output restricted, Void Realm access prohibited, magic power output prohibited..."


    "Main ID: 459105198"


    "Service Provider: Kaimon Communication"


    Ash promptly renamed it to "''Ash''s Consciousness Light Screen,''" marveling at this world''s technological sophistication, boasting Extraordinary Ability that enhanced individual combat power alongside these universally available tech peripherals.


    The funny part was that Ash initially mistook it for his cheat in this new world, only to find it was nothing but common property¡ªa classic case of a time traveler mistaking a cell phone for a Divine Artifact.


    Reflecting on his earlier naive thoughts, Ash felt a bit embarrassed.


    Although Ash wanted to tinker with this new gadget more, most of its functions were locked down. Besides the calendar, messaging, notepad, and calculator, there was only...


    "Aurora''s Mage Manual"?


    Ash was bewildered.


    ```

 Chapter 3 - 3 Mage’s Handbook

    Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Mage''s Handbook


    Ash''s previous company was named Aurora.


    Aurora had launched several popular mobile games, including "Aurora''s Dungeon Fortress" and "Aurora''s Exotic Domain," and "Aurora''s Mage Manual" was a new mobile game the company was testing.


    Ash wasn''t part of the new game development team; he was in operations. However, he had heard the new game was promising and expected to be a big hit. The planning department head intended for him to lead a small team to handle the marketing strategy for the new game, so Ash downloaded the demo of the Mage''s Handbook to research it, preparing to contribute to the company''s remaining value more quickly, better, and stronger in the future.


    However, before Ash even opened the game, he suddenly found himself transmigrated while working overtime.


    How did this mobile game transmigrate with him? And it automatically installed itself into his consciousness''s light screen?


    Ash was shocked and suspicious, but thinking that in a few days he''d become fodder on the chopping block, he no longer had the leisure to explore the game''s origins. He could only hope it would bring him a miracle!


    "Aurora''s Mage Manual is starting up..."


    "Checking/updating game resources for you... Unable to connect to the network, automatically switching to LAN mode."


    "Warning: Image system lost... Repairing..."


    "Warning: Instance system lost... Repairing..."


    "Warning: Data system lost... Repairing..."


    "..."


    A series of red warning prompts flooded across the light screen until a green prompt appeared, finally stopping¡ª


    "System search started normally."


    "Recharge system started normally."


    "Welcome to view the Mage''s Handbook."


    Damn!


    The whole game successfully started with only the card-drawing and in-app purchase systems working¡ªno surprise for my company!


    Ash entered the game with a face full of dark lines.


    Eighty percent of the light screen was blank, with only two rainbow-shimmering options in the upper-right corner available for interaction¡ª


    "Material Procurement" "Operator Search"


    Opening "Material Procurement," there were options to purchase Source Crystals¡ªone crystal cost 6 points, a set was 30 points, a pile was 98 points, a bag was 198 points, a box was 328 points, and a crate was 648 points, each with a first purchase double bonus...


    Even Ash''s toenail could guess these points were money, but without Alipay transmigrated with him, where could he get the money for a recharge?


    What was the company thinking? Testing Demo for internal staff, and you include a microtransaction system? Planning to reclaim our wages, perhaps... This company really would do such a thing.


    Opening "Operator Search," due to various missing resources, the operator search interface was also blank, with only two dry options: "Search Once" and "Search Ten Times."


    Ash wanted to play draw cards, but it actually took three Source Crystals for one draw! Where did he have the money for that?


    I mean, you need money even for the first draw in the test demo? What kind of shameless mobile game is this... Oh, ours. Alright then.


    Just as Ash was crestfallen, the light screen suddenly popped up a notification: "Sign-in system successfully repaired, connecting to main server... Unable to connect to the server, switching to LAN mode."


    The light screen displayed a third option: "Log In and Sign In."


    Clicking it opened a calendar, where Ash saw a check automatically placed in the box for April 11th.


    "Regular Supply: 1 Source Crystal."


    "Newcomer First Sign-in Supply: Operator Ten-Time Search Voucher."


    "Operator Ten-Time Search Voucher: An Aurora Investigation Department-issued permit for batch searching of high-value targets, allowing a ten-time search. A guaranteed operator will be found."


    Although he couldn''t understand the jargon in the introduction, it was irrelevant¡ªall Ash knew was whether he could escape the upcoming Blood Moon Judgment depended on this unknown game that transmigrated with him!


    Opening the "Operator Search" interface, Ash chose "Search Ten Times"!


    There was no fancy, luxurious card-drawing animation. Instead, a simple, straightforward card list appeared!


    "Energy Potion," "Energy Potion," "Experience Potion," "Experience Potion"... "Death Mad Sword Maiden," "Basic Combat Experience Card," "Training Wooden Sword"...


    A result!


    Then a message popped up: "Operator system repair successful, you can now manage your owned operators."


    Ash immediately checked the cards. The card featured a red-haired girl in a black camisole dress, with the girl-next-door purity smile on her face. Her hands were behind her, with long legs in black silk stockings and small leather shoes, tilting her head inquisitively, her pale red eyes full of curiosity.


    "Death Mad Sword Maiden."


    "Human Race ¡¤ Female ¡¤ 18 years old."


    "Bonds Level: 0 (30% Experience Sharing)."


    "Profession: Mage Student."


    "Professional Characteristics: Learning Efficiency +5%."


    "Innate Talent ¡¤ Sword Maiden (Lower): Gains 100% extra swordsmanship experience, with a low chance to gain 10,000% swordsmanship experience (Talent level can be unlocked as strength increases)."


    "Personal Skill ¡¤ Blackhearted Intuition: Stop potential dangers in their infancy. When an enemy intends to attack, there''s a probability of automatically retaliating based on the strength disparity between both parties."


    "Held Items: None."


    "Controlled Spirit: None."


    "Water Technique Faction: Not initiated."


    "Training Strategy: Not set."


    Ash stared at the character for a long time, not seeing anything indicating death or madness, becoming enraged¡ªaside from the cool, explosive name, wasn''t this just a plain beautiful girl illustration?


    Don''t think you can scam money by making a nice illustration, you bastards!


    The starting character given away can''t be immediately useful and players have to gradually raise them? Modern life''s rhythm is so fast, you won''t let players enjoy from the start and still need them to spend time? What garbage game is this, truly disgraceful!


    I should be the one doing the planning. I could do just as well!


    Plus, it''s one thing for the first card character to be trash, but if the operators can''t be summoned into the real world to help me fight, what''s the point of drawing cards?


    In a few days, I''ll be heading to the execution stage to be an Executioner''s KPI. If this mobile game can''t help me escape, should I be signing in every day before I die just to boost the traffic for this dumpster game? Truly worthy of being my company.


    With his last hope extinguished, Ash felt even more disheartened. Exiting the operator''s personal interface, he saw a red dot on the newly appeared "Operator Management" in the upper-right corner of the main interface, which his slightly OCD nature compelled him to click.


    In the next moment, he abruptly sat up from the bed.


    Because in "Operator Management," there were two operators.


    Besides "Death Mad Sword Maiden" he just drew, there was a slender young man in a black trench coat¡ª


    "Final Observer."


    "Human Race ¡¤ Male ¡¤ 25 years old."


    "Trust Value: ¡Þ."


    "Profession: Cult Leader/Ancient Historian."


    "Professional Characteristics: Being blessed by the Gods of Four Pillars, Luck Check +10; Easier identification of ancient artifacts, Ancient Artifact Identification Ability +5."


    "Innate Talent ¡¤ Mage''s Handbook (Lower): Logs other operators in the handbook, sharing their experience proportionally according to Bonds Level with the role. Current handbook pages: 0/1 (Talent ceiling can be unlocked with strength increase)."


    "Personal Skill ¡¤ Exotic Wandering Soul: Effect unknown."


    "Held Items: None."


    "Controlled Spirit: None."


    "Summoning Faction: Not initiated."


    Ash turned his head towards the single mirror embedded in the cell wall and compared it with the illustration on the light screen for ages, finally confirming the ''Final Observer'' was himself, Ash Heath!


    Both the innate talent ''Mage''s Handbook'' and personal skill ''Exotic Wandering Soul'' were metaphorically pointing to his current situation!


    Moreover, Ash remembered the term Final Observer¡ªthat was precisely the reverent title the Gods of Four Pillars'' believers had for him.


    Sounds impressive, but ended up being overrun by a group of Hunters, like a quintessential example of rebellion squashed by the police.


    Turned out to be his code name within the game, it was more insulting than harmful.


    But what''s up with this black trench coat? Ash couldn''t recall ever wearing it. He mused it might be Heath''s taste in attire? If so, his taste wasn''t exactly stellar.


    Ash reviewed the Death Mad Sword Maiden''s screen again, scrutinizing the ''30% Experience Sharing'' under Bonds Level for a long time, knowing in his heart this might be his only chance to escape!


    If his guess was right, as he nurtured the "Death Mad Sword Maiden" in-game, he himself could receive 30% of the experience points she''d gain! The stronger the Sword Maiden became, the stronger he would be!


    Hope reignited, Ash grew determined and checked the other junk drawn from the card: two Energy Potions, four Experience Potions, one Training Wooden Sword, one Basic Combat Card, and one Trial Card.


    "Energy Potion": In cultivation actions, grants an operator one action point, lasting seven days.


    "Experience Potion": During cultivation actions, operators gain a 10% increase in skill experience, lasting seven days, with a maximum of 50% boost per operator.


    "Training Wooden Sword": When equipped by an operator, increases swordsmanship experience gained by 15% during training.


    "Basic Combat Card": Grants operators organized battle training, leading to substantial experience gain over seven days (Risk level: low).


    "Basic Trial Card": Grants one trial to an operator, yielding varying amounts of experience, limited to once per week per operator.


    All designed for cultivation, exactly what Ash needed. If items to increase combat power were pulled, they''d be useless to Ash.


    Though, why does the combat experience card have a low-risk warning...


    He opened the Death Mad Sword Maiden''s training strategy, discovering a slew of intricacies:


    "Death Mad Sword Maiden."


    "Current Mood: 5 (Experience Bonus 0)."


    "Available Actions: Rest, Entertainment, Training, Trial."


    "Rest: Spends one action point, restoring a certain mood."


    "Entertainment: Spends two action points, greatly restoring mood."


    "Training: Consumes one action point, undergoing specific faction training."


    "Battle: Consumes one action point, requiring specific items."


    "Trial: Consumes no action points, requiring specific items."


    "Weekly Daily Action Points: 2 points (can use one Energy Potion to gain an additional action point)."


    "So that''s it, I have to consider the operators'' mood factors¡ªthe better mood they are in, the better their training effects. You must balance tension and relaxation, the core of education..."


    Ash appreciated this humanistic cultivation system, then decided to equip the Death Mad Sword Maiden with the "Training Wooden Sword," spending 1 Energy Potion and 4 Experience Potions, maxing out 3 action points!


    "Training Strategy: Training, Training, Combat!"


    "This week''s trial subject: Swordsmanship!"


    "I''m about to be executed, where would I have time to worry about the mood of a paper person?"


    When Ash clicked send in the "Training Strategy" interface, the light screen popped a prompt: "Would you like to activate Final Observer''s innate talent, logging Death Mad Sword Maiden in the Mage''s Handbook?"


    "Ah right, almost forgot to bind the Sword Maiden. Thankfully the game reminded me, or wouldn''t all the training be in vain?" exclaimed Ash, relieved by the reminder. Now with his life akin to a flickering candle in the wind, he couldn''t afford to waste any time, needing to squeeze every last bit of return.


    "Confirm to log Death Mad Sword Maiden in the Mage''s Handbook? Note: This action is irreversible."


    "Confirm!"


    "Operator bond successfully logged. Cultivation ongoing, scheduling in progress..."


    "Building trial scene... Scene materials missing, auto-completing... Found available scene, occupying..."


    "Trial subject missing, auto-completing... Found available subject, extracting..."


    With such game messages appearing, Ash found himself momentarily unoccupied. Perhaps from the excitement and stress of the day, when relaxed, Ash felt bouts of drowsiness, as though his energy was completely drained, with his eyelids constantly battling.


    Before his head touched the pillow, Ash sank into a deep sleep.


    Meanwhile,


    In a distant place three hours from Ash''s location by time difference,


    A girl who had gone to bed early for beauty sleep suddenly found herself awakening in a dream.

 Chapter 4 - 4 Observer

    Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Observer


    ```


    This was a small island.


    But this was only because Sonia couldn''t find a better noun in her limited vocabulary, after all, it was just a hand-sized little place suddenly jutting out of the sea, as if a bigger wave could drown it.


    Yet the sea level was very calm, extremely calm, without a breath of wind. Sonia''s legs were submerged in seawater, stepping on the damp sand, and she looked around.


    All around was thick milky fog, filling every inch of space. The sky looked like a spread of dark ink, dreary and heavy.


    I''m dreaming, Sonia thought.


    She remembered clearly that she was sleeping in the dormitory of the Sword and Rose Mage University, it was impossible to suddenly appear on a small island.


    Just thinking it was a dream, Sonia felt more at ease. She crouched down curiously to taste the seawater and found it was like the water she normally drank, even a bit sweet, not the salty bitterness described in the online education courses.


    Sonia became more convinced she was dreaming because she had never been to the seaside, had never tasted seawater, so she had no idea what it tasted like.


    "But if I''m dreaming..." Sonia looked toward the center of the island, "why am I dreaming of a corpse I''ve never seen before?"


    In the center of the island, an unfamiliar corpse knelt half-buried in the sand.


    He wore a pitch-black trench coat with a hood, his face indistinct, his clothing thick and heavy, giving no indication if he was male or female.


    A long sword pierced his chest, yet he did not fall; instead, he knelt on one knee. His left hand on the sword scabbard at his waist, his right hand gripped the sword hilt as if his heart had been pierced before he could draw the sword.


    Besides the corpse and the sand, there was nothing else on the island. Sonia couldn''t swim, and believing she was dreaming, she felt no fear of the corpse, so she boldly went over to observe it.


    She noticed the long sword through the corpse was still dripping blood, the blood flowed along the beautiful engravings on the blade, streaming to the dark ruby embedded in the sword''s guard, making the whole sword seem alive, it was amazingly beautiful...


    When Sonia came back to her senses, she had already gripped this long sword tightly.


    The sword scabbard fit her palm perfectly, the enchanting sword engravings struck her aesthetic sense, and that feeling as if it extended from her limb, this sword seemed...


    ...seemed crafted just for her.


    Without thinking, Sonia pulled the long sword from the corpse.


    She thought the corpse would fall immediately, so she stepped back as soon as she pulled it out, fearing it might crash onto her.


    However, the corpse did not fall.


    On the contrary, he stood up.


    The tap, tap of steel-toed boots on the sand echoed, and under Sonia''s horrified gaze, the corpse slowly straightened his back and drew out a sharp, cold long sword.


    With a swish, the sword edge sliced through the air, and the tip pointed directly at Sonia. Although she couldn''t see his eyes at all, Sonia felt a pair of emotionless icy gazes!


    "Don''t worry, Sword Maiden, this time, I am not your enemy."


    The corpse''s voice was neither male nor female, like the mechanical clinking of gears, "I am just going to kill you."


    You seem to have a very different definition of an enemy than normal people, hey... Sonia gripped the magnificent long sword tightly, as if that could give her a sense of security.


    "Who are you?" Her voice trembled a little.


    "I am called the Final Observer, you can call me Observer," the Observer said, "Within the next seventy-two hours, you can leave only by defeating me; otherwise, you''ll have to stay seventy-two hours to leave."


    "Isn''t this a dream?" Sonia''s eyes widened.


    "The difference between dream and reality is only that reality is a dream woven by everyone together, and a dream..."


    "Is a cage you construct for yourself."


    As the words fell, the Observer stepped on the sand and sliced forward, even though Sonia retreated as much as possible, she still couldn''t avoid the flashing blade light¡ª


    "You have ten seconds of rest time."


    Sonia knelt on the ground, both hands covering her throat tightly, her face full of terror.


    The ripping pain was incredibly real, as if her neck had just been severed by this inexplicable monster.


    If this was a dream, she should have woken up in her comfortable warm bed at the moment she felt such pain.


    However¡ª


    "The ten seconds are over, I advise you to hold your sword tightly. Only in that way can you..."


    Sonia lifted her head, seeing the Observer gripping the sword hilt at his waist, assuming a sword drawing stance, lunging toward her with force!


    Sonia hastily raised the long sword and retreated, but the Observer''s step bizarrely spanned a dozen steps instantaneously, and when she saw the Sword Light he left behind, the Observer''s voice sounded from behind her¡ª


    "... die with slightly more dignity."


    "You have ten seconds of rest time."


    At the moment Sonia snapped back to her senses from the decapitation pain, without any hesitation, she turned and jumped into the sea, not caring if she couldn''t swim!


    Perhaps fear of death unleashed potential, Sonia almost intuitively learned to swim, albeit in a very unattractive dog paddle filled with splashes, but as long as she could get away from that creepy island with the freak, it was fine!


    If not for the hunger in the dream, Sonia might have tried the fart propulsion mentioned in jokes.


    Amidst the splashes, Sonia clearly heard the Observer''s voice, "Running away is shameful."


    "And useless."


    Suddenly, a chill spread across the back of her neck, Sonia lowered her head and saw a cold sword tip sticking out from her throat.


    Before the wave of pain submerged her, Sonia found herself back on the island.


    "You have ten seconds of rest time."


    This time she didn''t flee but watched the Observer''s hand.


    "Are you expecting that once I throw the sword, I''ll be unarmed?" the Observer leisurely sheathed his sword, "Why are you still so naive after experiencing several deaths?"


    "You''re really unreasonable." Sonia smiled wryly.


    "Reason lies only at the tip of the sword. To reason, words are useless, use your sword to persuade me."


    Before the Observer finished speaking, Sonia splashed into the sea with a plop. But this time she didn''t swim, she chose to dive into the sea, trying to avoid the Observer''s attack.


    ''You can''t cut through the sea, can you?'' she thought.


    Indeed, five seconds, ten seconds, thirty seconds... a full minute passed, and Sonia wasn''t attacked.


    However, unable to breathe, she felt faint.


    If this was a dream, how could a lack of oxygen cause a lack of blood flow to her brain?!


    The pain from holding her breath was no less than decapitation, Sonia couldn''t take it anymore, choosing a spot at random to surface, trying to breathe before diving again, hoping, maybe: Can I breathe for just a second or two, no way he''ll find me that fast!?


    A few seconds later, Sonia sat on the island, covering her recently penetrated mouth, incessantly licking her teeth with her tongue to ensure it hadn''t been cut off by the Flying Sword.


    "You have ten seconds of rest time."


    "Observer!"


    Sonia shouted angrily, face flaring with rage, teeth clenched, hands gripping the long sword, mustering courage as she walked toward the Observer. The Observer raised an eyebrow, right hand caressing the sword hilt, saying, "If you wish to end the rest early, I have no objection."


    Snap!


    Sonia knelt before the Observer with a plop.


    "Great merciful and benevolent unknown ruler, Sonia is willing to pray to you day and night, listen to your holy words, follow your Wonders, sing your will... Please don''t torment me like this, just tell me what you want me to do, I am very obedient and well-behaved, I''ll do whatever you command, sob sob..."


    "Really anything?" the Observer asked.


    Sonia lifted her head, crying pitifully like a delicate flower, cheeks red with blush, she seemed to hesitate, biting her lip before nodding resolutely, "Anything."


    "Alright then, I order you to¡ª" the Observer gripped the sword hilt, adopting a sword drawing stance, "defeat me."


    Clang!


    "You have ten seconds of rest time."


    Sonia lay on the sand, staring blankly at the dark, ink-black sky, then flipped up, puzzled, asking,


    "No, but I''ve never offended you before, why waste so much time on someone insignificant like me? There are so many evil people in this world; if you wish to punish wrongdoers, I can recommend a few people; if you''re a big baddie, I can even recommend a few high-ranking hypocrites."


    "I''m just an ordinary female student; I''m not worth you going through so much trouble. Your actions now are like using a Spiral Light Cannon to kill mosquitoes, or making a Sword Master chop firewood, a huge waste of resources. Don''t you think?"


    "Just say what you want me to do. I look like a fragile rose who could be easily carried away by the currents..."


    Just as Sonia attempted to persuade with emotion and reason, the Observer shook his head, "You''re wrong."


    Sonia immediately said, "Where did I go wrong, tell me, I''ll definitely change."


    "You were wrong from the first sentence."


    "First sentence?"


    "How can you be sure," the Observer gripped the sword hilt, adopting a sword drawing stance, "you haven''t offended me before?"


    Clang!


    "You have ten seconds of rest time."


    Perhaps because she had died so many times, Sonia even felt that decapitation wasn''t that bad, accustomed to the pain it was nothing.


    She raised her gaze to the Observer, "As long as I stay here for seventy-two hours, I can leave this cursed dream?"


    "Yes," the Observer nodded, "However, there are no clocks here. Compared to a person''s lifetime, seventy-two hours isn''t long, but in the face of death, seventy-two hours is not short either."


    "Can you truly endure seventy-two hours of continual death?"


    "Moreover, why would you believe someone who keeps killing you in a dream? What if I''m lying?"


    "Take for instance that you manage to leave this dream tonight; what about tomorrow night? The night after that?"


    The Observer adopted a sword drawing stance, "Having tasted death, you should not harbor expectations of Miracles."


    Clang!


    The Observer stepped forward, sweeping his sword in a horizontal arc, his entire body spinning full circle, traversing more than ten steps in an instant, the long sword slicing through Sonia''s neck once more like a hot knife through butter¡ª


    Clang!


    For the first time, Sonia''s blade blocked the Observer''s edge!


    In that moment, Sonia''s face bore no expression, neither fear, nor anger, nor Killing Intent, nor plea, only the coldest silence. In her ruby-like pupils, she reflected the indistinct form of the Observer, as if imprinting him deeply in her heart!


    "You leave me no choice."


    ```

 Chapter 5 - 5 Trial

    Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Trial


    "You have ten seconds to rest."


    Sonia took a deep breath and raced against time to recall all the details of the battle just now. Although she believed she hadn''t lost any memory due to repeated deaths, if she had forgotten something, she wouldn''t realize it. She could only try to avoid the worst-case scenario as much as possible.


    She had lost count of the specific number of deaths, and she didn''t bother to keep track. Her mind was devoid of any extraneous thoughts¡ªher mother in reality, classmates, exams, and her dreams were all pushed to the furthest corners. She focused all her attention on the enemy before her, known as the "Final Observer," exhaustively analyzing every detail of his movements, memorizing each brutal moment with her body!


    She discovered that the Final Observer hadn''t mastered any Extraordinary Ability, not even holding any physical advantage over her.


    Compared to her, the Observer was merely an enemy who wielded a sword¡ªat most, a very skilled enemy with a sword.


    Sonia had seen Sword Masters who had refined their swordsmanship to its peak. Even an ordinary swing could impose a spine-tingling pressure on bystanders; merely holding the hilt of their sword could strike fear and submission into the weak.


    Compared to those true towering figures, the Observer was but a mundane stepping stone.


    Yes, just a stepping stone.


    Although she had experienced another death, Sonia had managed to counterattack the Observer in her desperate strike.


    But just like a thrown sword would return to his hand, the Observer, who had just been struck in the chest, had already recovered as if healed instantly.


    If there were a recovery time, Sonia would surely trade her life to gradually wear him down, but unfortunately, the duel was fair, leaving no such loophole for her.


    A fair duel, Sonia found it somewhat ironic in her heart.


    Yet she admitted, everything was indeed fair.


    Various unreasonable restrictions made her realize she only had one choice: to defeat the Final Observer with absolute strength in the duel.


    Ten seconds passed, and at that moment, time seemed to become a tangible entity. When time was up, Sonia instantly tensed her entire body and charged at the Observer with her sword!


    At the start of the battle''s first second, the Observer would always maintain his sheathed stance, then thrust forward with a Sword Drawing Slash. The further Sonia was from the Observer, the more intense the attack she received, potentially causing her weapon to be knocked out of her hand!


    This move was very similar to the rumored Iaido Sword Drawing Slash, and the way to counter it was quite simple, never dodge, but actively step forward to interrupt his swirl!


    Clang!


    Sonia''s arm was almost numbed by the shock, but she ultimately stopped the Observer''s swirl, successfully dragging him into the most deadly close-combat fight!


    Having died so many times, Sonia no longer cared about acquiring a few more holes in her body. As long as she could kill the Observer just before her own demise, it would be her victory!


    Clang! Clang! Clang!


    After several intense exchanges, Sonia silently counted; when she reached five, she sliced through empty air.


    The Observer mysteriously and abruptly evaded in the opposite direction and then stepped forward, slashing toward Sonia''s head with his sword!


    There was no warning, extremely perilous!


    Sonia once thought this was some Extraordinary Ability. After numerous deaths providing experience, she found it was a form of combat footwork.


    But even seeing through it, Sonia had no solution¡ªshe couldn''t predict where the Observer would evade!


    Because the Observer often evaded suddenly after seeing Sonia''s attack, then immediately counter-slashing, so Sonia named this move "Read."


    Iaido was easy to block, but Read was hard to defend against.


    So Sonia simply didn''t defend, directly raising her arm to block the Observer''s blade and rushed in to attempt to decapitate the Observer with a sword!


    The biggest weakness of Read was insufficient power, not enough to sever her arm!


    However, when the Observer struck her arm, his legs abruptly slid on the sand, again dodging in another direction, narrowly evading Sonia''s blade, then stepping forward to slash at her neck!


    Two consecutive Reads!


    "You have ten seconds to rest."


    Sonia patted her face, gripped her sword hilt, and looked at the Observer, "Bring it on!"


    The Observer had no objection, adopting the sheathed stance to launch the Iaido Sword Drawing Slash¡ª


    There was no metallic clash of striking blades. The Observer still maintained his swirling slash posture, but he hadn''t struck anything.


    Just as the Observer was about to hit Sonia, Sonia suddenly slid on the sand in an extremely uncanny manner, evading in another direction!


    At this time, the Observer was still in the rigidity of the swirl attack, while Sonia could attack him in turn!


    However, Sonia assumed the posture of sheathing the sword!


    "After dying so many times, even if I were a pig, I should have learned your moves!"


    With Sonia''s spirited shout, she stepped forward, whirled forward, and executed a Sword Drawing Slash!


    Read, Iaido, Sword Drawing Slash!


    Using Iaido as a follow-up move to Read to compensate for Read''s lower attack power!


    In fact, Sonia had already mastered the Iaido Sword Drawing Slash, but she had been holding back until she was confident in mastering Read, then unleashed both moves together, determined to kill the Observer in one slash!


    Accompanied by the powerful rotational momentum, Sonia felt almost no resistance; her blade smoothly sliced into the Observer''s chest like a hot knife through butter!


    It wasn''t that she didn''t want to behead the Observer. It was just that she wasn''t tall enough, and raising her arm even slightly during the swirl was a massive burden, so she could only settle for slashing his chest instead.


    Was it that easy? Sonia was somewhat incredulous, quickly adjusting her balance from the swirling slash''s aftereffects, watching the Observer warily, "Does this count as me defeating you?"


    "Yes," the Observer said, "Congratulations."


    "You successfully defeated me with just one sword."


    One sword... In the moment Sonia was slightly baffled, the Observer nudged the sand with his toes and gently hooked out a longsword from the sand.


    "Halftime is over; the second half begins." The Observer crossed the two swords into an X stance, "By the way, there is no ten-second rest this time."


    ...


    ...


    "Sonia, there''s an early class today, aren''t you going?"


    Sonia sat up holding her head, realizing only Ingrid was left in the dorm. Ingrid was already dressed and ready to head out.


    "What time is it?"


    "Seven thirty," Ingrid said, "There''s a public course this morning. I remember you usually get up an hour early to do skincare and makeup before public courses... They have already left... You don''t look so good."


    "Do I?" Sonia instinctively touched her neck and then regained her senses, shaking her head, "Maybe I had a nightmare..."


    "A nightmare? It will soon be forgotten," Ingrid said indifferently, "Remember to attend class, don''t be absent, or they will deduct points from the dormitory."


    Saying this, Ingrid left, closing the door behind her, leaving Sonia alone in the dormitory.


    On any other morning after oversleeping, Sonia would have hurriedly gotten out of bed to wash and put on makeup, but today she didn''t feel like it, sitting on her bed in a daze.


    Oddly enough, it was clearly a dream, yet it felt so real; even more strangely, she showed no signs of forgetting. She remembered every detail vividly, from her first death to her ninety-ninth death, all clear in her mind.


    Even every pain was still fresh in her memory.


    Once the Final Observer switched to dual-wielding mode, the intensity of their battles instantly multiplied¡ªSonia almost had no chance to breathe, opening her eyes only to find the Observer pouncing on her again, her arms becoming almost numb, nearly relying solely on her body''s instincts to withstand the Observer''s assault.


    Read, Iaido, Read to Iaido, Iaido to Read, Triple Rea, Triple Iaido... Sonia utilized all these moves against the Observer, exhausting all derivative variations.


    When she defeated the Observer, she felt almost nothing, continuously using Read and Iaido, dodging all the Observer''s attacks, attacking all his flaws, and then the Observer fell.


    But after defeating the Observer, Sonia felt no joy.


    Because the Observer said one sentence.


    "This trial is over, but your life has just begun."


    Although she couldn''t see his face or hear his tone, Sonia was utterly certain¡ªthis was definitely not a Blessing.


    "The Final Observer..." Sonia mulled over the name, as if gnashing it in her teeth before swallowing it down into her stomach to digest.


    Meanwhile, in the luxurious suite at the bottom level of Kaimon City''s Shattered Lake Prison.


    Ash yawned and sat up, not knowing why, but he felt extraordinarily tired from sleep as if he had been beaten up.


    Opening the Light Screen and Aurora''s Mage''s Handbook, Ash saw a brand-new message:


    "After the trial, your Bonds with the Death Mad Sword Maiden have deepened."


    Ash scratched his head, "...Arranging trials can deepen Bonds? Is there really such luck?"

 Chapter 6 - 6 Sonia Sevi

    Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Sonia Sevi


    The capital of the Kingdom of Stars, Jiale City, outside Sword Flower Mage University.


    As summer approached, the Heavenly Curtain''s Dazzling Stars increased from two to two and a half since spring. If you looked up carefully, you could see a small Dazzling Star, causing the temperature in Jiale City to rise: the light shone brightly, and just a few steps would make you break into a light sweat.


    Sonia, with small strides, came out and saw her mother Martha standing under the Dazzling Star, sweating profusely. She pulled her to the shade of a nearby tree with concern, "Mom, why are you standing outside like this? You should come into the university streets and avoid the sun..."


    Martha chuckled foolishly, "I was afraid Linda wouldn''t see me..."


    "How many times have I told you, call me Sonia, not Linda!"


    Suddenly, Sonia lost her temper, and Martha nodded repeatedly, stammering, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I forgot again. Oh, I also brought your favorite custard tart..."


    Seeing Martha''s ingratiating look, Sonia felt guilty again and took her by the hand to leave, "I''m not eating it, I''m on a diet lately and can''t eat anything so sweet."


    "You''re already so thin, why diet any more? Do you want to be as thin as paper? Remember Uncle Elmer? His son has a serious illness that hasn''t been cured, and he''s as light as a scarecrow in the field, thinner than you..."


    From a distance, Martha could see Sonia''s figure, not much thicker than a tree branch, and she felt a surge of heartache. Martha was a farmwoman from the agricultural town of the Kingdom of Stars, having never understood the slender aesthetics of a big city. In her heart, she hoped her daughter would be a little sturdier.


    Sonia didn''t interrupt her mother''s rambling. Only when her mother stopped did she say, "Since you''re here in Jiale City, let me show you around the capital..."


    "No need, no need!" Martha waved her hand hurriedly, "Don''t waste money, I saw a park over there when I walked by..."


    "Walked here!?" Sonia''s voice rose eight octaves, "Didn''t I tell you to take the tram after getting off the train? The train station is so far from the university¡ª"


    "It''s okay, it''s okay, I came early, and there''s so much time, walking was just a bit of exercise. I''m not old yet; walking is no problem..."


    At this point, Sonia noticed that Martha''s neck was sweaty. Today, the sun was out and the temperature was high. The students on campus were dressed in summer outfits, but her mother had taken the train last night to Jiale City, where it was already autumn with cool breezes, so she wore several layers. Just a short walk made her forehead sweat, and she looked like she had been fished out of the water.


    She wanted to tell her mother not to save on this small expense, but what came out was, "Let me take you to buy some clothes."


    Martha shook her head instinctively, "There''s plenty of clothes at home..."


    "Listen to me today!"


    Sonia Sevi, came from a poverty-stricken village in the Kingdom of Stars that couldn''t even be found on a map. To take a train to the capital, Jiale City, she had to walk a day along mountain roads to the nearest town where the train stopped.


    Among the village children, Sonia was the only one in nearly twenty years who, thanks to the Miracle Bracelet given for free by the kingdom, completed the basic education courses it provided. Before reaching the age limit, she took the kingdom-wide unified online admissions test for higher institutions and successfully entered the Sword Flower Mage University in Jiale City, abbreviated as Sword Flower University.


    Her father had drunk himself to death when she was very young. In her memory, he was just a drunken wastrel who would get angry for no reason. It was entirely up to her mother, Martha, to raise her.


    Precisely because of this, she could temporarily escape labor to focus on her studies, rather than like other children her age, working in factories by day and watching the only Meteor channel the village could receive at night, spending a muddled life in that small town.


    On her first day in Jiale City, when she saw the clean streets, towering buildings, flowing luxury cars, polite and civilized people, and the giant Light Screen broadcasting propaganda clips day and night, she knew that even if she died, it had to be in this city.


    That hometown she lived in for over a decade wasn''t even qualified to be her grave.


    In a short time, she learned makeup and clothing coordination and corrected her accent within a month of entering university.


    She obtained multiple part-time jobs thanks to her superior appearance, without neglecting her studies. With scholarships and part-time wages, she expanded her social circle and participated in various activities... Plus, after hosting several campus events last year with plenty of exposure, she had already been vaguely regarded by many as the Sword Flower of the 67th class.


    So many people in this world could find happiness, why couldn''t I?


    The entire afternoon, Sonia took Martha touring Jiale City. Under Sonia''s insistence, Martha reluctantly went with her to a stylishly expensive clothing store to try on clothes.


    Without her daughter, the contempt-hidden smiles of the shop assistant would have been enough to make Martha shrink away and leave.


    But as the price for buying clothes, Sonia didn''t spend any more money for the rest of the afternoon, not even on water, as Martha had filled her water bottle beforehand.


    "This is clean water from the train station, it''s good for me," Martha said. "Don''t buy those red or green drinks, I''m not used to them."


    Even for dinner, Martha said the bread she brought wasn''t finished and it would be a waste not to eat it. Sonia knew taking her mother to fancy restaurants would only make her uncomfortable, so they sat in the park and ate the bread.


    Before six o''clock, Sonia took Martha to the train station.


    The return train ticket had been bought long ago, bound to Martha''s bracelet: passing through the gate would just require scanning the bracelet.


    As they neared the gate, Sonia suddenly said, "Why don''t you stay for a night, I don''t have classes tomorrow and can keep you company for another day."


    Martha stared at Sonia blankly, her lips moved but she eventually shook her head and narrowed her eyes, "No, it''s a waste to refund the ticket, and I can''t get used to staying here. I don''t even understand what people say, and I have to hurry home to feed the chickens... Oh, look at me, I almost forgot..."


    She pulled out a tightly wrapped little pouch from her bosom and handed it to Sonia without opening it, "There are three silver coins inside..."


    "Mom, I¡ª"


    "I know you don''t lack money, but I can''t spend it at home."


    Martha tightly held Sonia''s hand, "Mom is useless, can''t help you with anything. But Linda, rest assured, Mom won''t burden you. You live well in the capital, I''m doing well at home, and neighbors will help me if anything happens. Just remember to write back, but don''t send money, save it for yourself. And the post office might even embezzle your money..."


    This time Sonia didn''t correct Martha about calling her by her nickname, "Linda." She quietly listened to her mother''s chatter, suddenly understanding why Martha didn''t wait for her inside the school. When Martha finished, she calmly said, "I will bring you to live the good life in Jiale City someday."


    Martha smiled and nodded, "Mom believes you. But also remember, no matter what happens, Mom will be at home with a good meal waiting for you. Big cities are too complicated, after all. Wouldn''t it be nice to return home and live simply..."


    Sonia watched her mother''s slightly hunched back get smaller and smaller until she disappeared into the crowd.


    Suddenly, she swerved to the right, avoiding a man who was about to bump into her. The man looked surprised, muttering something under his breath and hurriedly turned away.


    "Indeed, big cities are too complicated," Sonia murmured softly, "but I am precisely this kind of complicated person."


    She turned away from the train station, head held high, striding back to the bright lights and bustling din of the City of Eternal Night, Jiale City.

 Chapter 7 - 7 Glass House Friendship

    Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Glass House Friendship


    On the way back, there was a traffic accident, and the tram had to stop for half an hour. By the time Sonia returned to the university, it was already past 7 pm. According to the rules, Sword Flower University does not allow entry or exit after 7 pm. If a student returns late, they must register their name, and accumulating more than three such offenses would earn them a "thorn." Collecting three "thorns" would result in expulsion.


    However, with Sonia''s quiet explanation, the young security guard simply opened the gate for her without registering her name. Noticing the guard''s lecherous gaze that seemed as though it could penetrate her clothes, Sonia smiled and thanked him, while inwardly holding him in contempt.


    Did he really think that by guarding the gates of Sword Flower University he could get close to pretty female students? Lacking even self-awareness of this degree, no wonder he was just a guard.


    Benefiting from her beauty was something Sonia had understood since she was young, but it wasn''t until she came to Jiale City that she realized the power of beauty was so significant. Compared to that impoverished little village, the civilized people in the city were willing to provide more conveniences for beauty.


    In moments like these, Sonia would sincerely thank the Magic Master of Dazzling Star. It was due to this Divine Lord that the Kingdom of Stars developed into such a civilized and prosperous place, giving her a chance to squeeze into high society.


    If she were in those barbaric countries not covered by the Heavenly Curtain, she reckoned she would have been snatched up as spoils by some barbarian the moment her beauty began to blossom.


    She also thanked her mother. If her mother hadn''t had her study at home during childhood but worked in the fields instead, regardless of her natural beauty, the wind and sun would have roughened her into a coarse village girl.


    Upon returning to the girls'' dormitory, just as Sonia was about to push the door open, she heard Lois''s voice from inside: "It''s past 7 o''clock. That country mutt probably won''t come back tonight, right? Ha, finally can''t hide her tail anymore. She''s probably hooking up with some rich businessman now."


    Oh my, she happened to stumble upon the classic dormitory friendship moment, "trash-talking behind one''s back." Sonia immediately stopped and listened quietly to Lois''s impotent rage.


    Adelle pretended to advise, "Don''t say that, Lois, she might come back..."


    "Let her come, I want to call her shameless right in her face!"


    Lois grew angrier as she spoke, "You haven''t seen her flirtatious look, making eyes at someone even during class. Just a country mutt, apart from a pretty face, what''s so remarkable about her?"


    Ha, being prettier than you is remarkable enough.


    Sonia smirked coldly in her heart, knowing that Lois in the dorm hated her the most. Lois, the daughter of a local merchant in Jiale City, was full of pride about her superior looks, always subtly criticizing Sonia''s humble origins in the dorm room. But Sonia was indeed prettier, and whenever the two appeared together, the number of boys favorably inclined toward Sonia increased significantly more.


    However, during their first year, everyone managed to maintain a semblance of peace, until Sonia successfully won the host position over Lois in a school event, fully triggering Lois''s hostility.


    Lois wasn''t easy to deal with either, organizing several entertainment activities within the Water Magic Department, and even treating classmates at fancy restaurants at her own expense, but never inviting Sonia to join.


    Such a display of financial capability also attracted more suitors for Lois. After all, those looking for shortcuts did not differentiate between genders. Although Sonia was beautiful, marrying this rich and beautiful Lois would save one ten years of hard work.


    When it came to money, Sonia obviously couldn''t win, but she knew numerous ways to annoy. Every time there was a male admirer for Lois, one who perhaps made Lois''s heart flutter a bit, Sonia would "inadvertently" run into them, "accidentally" have some physical contact, and give a few glances, enough to charm them off their feet, even abandon Lois and turn to pursue Sonia.


    Lois''s explosive temper tonight was because Sonia "persuaded" a senior who had been pursuing Lois just yesterday. Honestly, Sonia despised Lois''s taste, for aside from being handsome, that senior was worthless and overly conceited. But to disgust Lois? She didn''t mind throwing a few flirtatious glances.


    Even though Sonia was sure to reject others'' pursuits, would Lois really deign to date "trash that even the country mutt Sonia doesn''t want"? So it was no wonder Lois was so furious.


    "Speaking of which, I heard from Desley. She saw Sonia talking to a peasant woman outside the campus at noon," Adelle suddenly recalled. "Could that peasant woman be her mother?"


    "Ha, having such a shameless daughter, I bet her mother is just as shameless¡ª"


    Bang!


    Before Sonia could push the door open and burst in, a loud noise came from inside ahead of her.


    Realizing what happened, she stepped back half a stride just as the dormitory door opened from the inside, revealing a single-ponytailed blonde girl with a sword bag on her back.


    "Good evening, Sonia," she said.


    "Good evening, Ingrid," Sonia replied.


    Ingrid left the dorm without looking back, presumably heading to the training ground for night practice. Inside, Adelle and Lois sat dumbstruck, their looks of terror still lingering.


    A new dent was on the training punching bag that Ingrid had bought, one that Sonia had never seen before.


    Sonia entered and closed the door, restoring calm to the dormitory.


    Since Ingrid had already helped her teach them a lesson, Sonia naturally wouldn''t repeat it, but she silently noted this account, determined that Lois would eventually pay her back with interest.

 Chapter 8 - 8 No, You Must Practice Swordsmanship

    Chapter 8: Chapter 8 No, You Must Practice Swordsmanship


    Sonia removed her makeup while leisurely opening .


    Using makeup removal time to read was the perfect choice; after all, removing makeup was troublesome. First, she had to meticulously clean each eyelash with a cotton swab and then bathe her eyes with eye wash liquid. Today she had applied sunscreen lotion on her arms, which the body wash couldn''t remove, so she bought a cheap and large bottle of makeup remover specifically for the sunscreen.


    After washing up, she''d also need to do her basic skincare routine¡ªspraying and applying serums couldn''t be skipped, even on her eyelashes, or they''d easily fall off, and she couldn''t afford to have eyelash surgery at "Perfect Starlight."


    All these miscellaneous tasks together took almost an hour, and if she didn''t sneak in some study time, how could Sonia have possibly received a scholarship last semester?


    She also planned to summon her first Water Technique Spirit by next year and, ideally, fully unfold her Silver Wings to become a One-winged Mage before graduating.


    Though Sword Flower University wasn''t a top-tier Mage University in Jiale City, its training of Sword Masters, Water Mages, and Wind Mages was unparalleled. These three disciplines promised limitless potential upon graduation.


    Among them, Water Mages often became Healing Mages due to their related healing spells, making it Sonia''s primary focus.


    Having witnessed the bustling world of Jiale City, Sonia knew that relying solely on herself would likely take decades to secure her position in this world. Finding a good man to shortcut her way into high society naturally became her top choice.


    Otherwise, all the time, effort, and money she invested in maintaining her beauty¡ªwas it just to benefit some poor man?


    According to Sonia''s research, over 50% of noble wives were Water Mages.


    If the nobles themselves were also Mages, this percentage could exceed 70%!


    There was no doubt that being a Water Mage was a major plus when nobles chose a wife!


    Compared to Water Mages, Wind Mages often became Meteorological Mages and had to work outdoors under harsh conditions; Sword Masters were even less desirable, with their physical prowess being a disadvantage for women...


    Sonia''s life plan was crystal clear¡ª


    Become a Water Mage, then find a way to participate in a campus activity at the Truth Mage University in Jiale City to attract a noble young master.


    Unlike Sword Flower University, Truth University was Jiale City''s premier Mage University, even the top university in the Kingdom of Stars. There, the students were either wealthy or prestigious. That was where Sonia''s future boyfriend would appear; she didn''t fancy any of the boys at Sword Flower University.


    Become a Water Mage, acquaint with noble students at Truth University, then enter high society as a noble''s wife. Using her husband''s social resources, she would gather enough wealth to stand on her own in Jiale City, even bring her mother over to live a noble life...


    "No, you need to practice swordsmanship."


    Hearing that familiar yet estranged voice of chaos, Sonia''s right hand instinctively wanted to grip a weapon.


    Had it not been for her sitting position restricting her movement, she might have instantly executed a stepping maneuver to evade.


    But the next second, she came to her senses, looking in horror at the mysterious figure that appeared out of nowhere, dressed in a deep black trench coat, with a face shrouded in shadowy obscurity!


    "If I were you, I would first observe the others'' reactions."


    The Observer leaned against the wardrobe, raised a finger, and gestured for silence, "If you want to talk to me, just recite in your mind."


    Sonia looked at Lois and Adelle. Adelle was tapping the air, clearly engrossed in the program on the Light Screen; meanwhile, Lois just happened to come out of the bathroom, passing by the Observer without a glance, as if the Observer didn''t exist at all.


    Sonia lowered her head to look at the ground, and instantly understood everything¡ªthe Observer had no shadow.


    Suppressing the urge to speak, Sonia asked in her mind,


    "Who exactly are you?"


    "I''m called the Final Observer; you can call me Observer. If you are already this forgetful at such a young age, I can only recommend you to abstain..."


    "You know that''s not what I meant."


    "But that''s all I can tell you."


    The Observer said, "And you know, I used to detest people who played mysterious tricks, especially those who withheld crucial secrets yet acted all ''it''s not the right time for you to know,'' making one want to beat the crap out of them."


    Sonia said nothing, just looking at the Observer.


    The Observer nodded, "Yes, just like you said, I''ve now become such a mysterious person because¡ªI discovered it''s indeed quite enjoyable. Especially seeing you hopping mad yet helpless, it truly made my visit worthwhile."


    "Isn''t that normal though? People often become what they most detest, or rather, more detestable people usually live longer."


    Sonia suddenly realized a question, sending chills down her spine.


    "You can hear my inner voice!"


    "If I couldn''t hear your thoughts, how would I be different from a mime?"


    "But you can''t¡ªyou don''t respect¡ªam I even stripped of my mental freedom?"


    "Don''t worry, Sword Maiden, I am not your enemy," the Observer said, "I''m not even a complete person now. If you strongly insist, I can choose not to appear before you."


    "Then what are you exactly?"


    "I''m merely a distant longing," the Observer shook his head. "Let''s not go off-topic; back to the real issue at hand. As I said, you will soon not care if I can hear your thoughts."


    "What real issue?" Sonia recalled the brutality in her dream.


    "First." A bottle of blue potion suddenly appeared in the Observer''s hand, "You need to drink this."


    "No, I won''t drink it," Sonia instantly replied.


    However, to Sonia''s horror, she saw the potion in the glass bottle vanishing at a visible speed, simultaneously feeling the liquid sliding down her throat!


    "Next." The Observer handed over a wooden sword, "You wish to train in swordsmanship."


    "No, I don''t want to!"


    The Observer was right; by now, Sonia no longer cared if he could hear her thoughts.


    Because, compared to controlling her words and actions, mind-reading seemed like an insignificant matter!


    Despite her utmost effort, Sonia could only watch herself slowly take the wooden sword, and then¡ª


    Whoosh!


    With the ear-piercing sound of the wooden chair scraping the floor, Lois and Adelle turned their heads and saw Sonia leaving the dorm with a wooden sword in hand, the door loudly slamming shut behind her, bam!


    "What''s gotten into her?"


    Lois muttered under her breath, then realized how cowardly that sounded and loudly sneered, "She hasn''t practiced swordsmanship in a year, and suddenly decides to train tonight? Could she be trying to flirt with some senior from the Sword Skill Department?"


    Adelle blinked, somewhat puzzled, "I don''t remember her ever buying a wooden sword, and Ingrid doesn''t have that type of wooden sword; where did she get it from...?"

 Chapter 9: Disruption

    Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Disruption


    ```


    "Ha!"


    With a shout, Ingrid raised her wooden sword high, stepped forward, channeling all her strength into the blade, and struck down with full force at the armored dummy in front of her!


    Crack!


    With the sound of the dummy shattering, the wooden sword stopped at the edge of the ninth ring.


    Ingrid withdrew her wooden sword and resumed a cautious stance, using the breathing techniques taught in school to exhale a long breath, quickly recovering her energy.


    ''At this rate, I should be able to summon the Slashing Sword Technique Spirit by the end of this month,'' Ingrid thought.


    As a Mage University with a legacy of centuries, Sword Flower University already had various guiding techniques for training mages. The training dummy in front of Ingrid was a tool designed specifically for Sword Master apprentices to get started.


    The dummy looked like a wooden stake with a core marked by ten rings, made of extremely hard material. When an apprentice could slice into the core''s tenth ring with a single strike, it indicated that their swordsmanship talent was sufficient to summon their first Sword Technique Spirit.


    Generally, there were three types of One-winged Technique Spirits that Sword Masters could summon, namely "Slashing Sword," "Piercing Sword," and "Cutting Sword." Ingrid, who was engaging in slashing practice, naturally aimed to summon the Slashing Sword Technique Spirit.


    Ingrid took a couple of seconds to adjust her breathing. By now, the dummy had returned to its original state, as if Ingrid hadn''t split it at all.


    This was the strength of the training ground at Sword Flower University¡ªno matter the extent of the damage, all the dummies in the training ground would quickly recover. As long as you still had the energy, you could thrash the dummy all you wanted, after all, it wasn''t the dummy that would end up crawling out of the training arena.


    Boom!


    As Ingrid continued her slashing practice, she suddenly heard the training ground doors being blasted open, and couldn''t help but glance over in distraction. Though the apprentices were sweating and shouting incessantly, this was actually a very orderly place, and seldom did anyone dare to cause trouble here.


    Those who dared to stir up trouble here would soon find dozens of Sword Master apprentices, all pent up with Sword Qi, looking for a "close physical exchange" with them.


    Last semester, Ingrid had a few persistent suitors, but they never dared to approach her in the training ground. After all, an action that disrupted training would only need a slight frown from Ingrid for the nearby hot-blooded apprentices to jump out and uphold justice.


    Hot-blooded, reserved, combative, filled with the scent of male hormones, these were the labels of the training ground.


    At Sword Flower University, there''s a well-known joke, "Some guys initially take up swordsmanship to pursue girls but end up practicing to compete with other guys. Perhaps it''s not that love loses to strength, but that compared to complex love, it''s easier to pursue pure strength?"


    But tonight, complex love had stepped into the territory of strength on its own accord.


    Appearing at the doorway was a figure with ruby-lustered hair, her skin dazzlingly white, features so exquisite they seemed to be meticulously sculpted by an artist, a slender waist that could be held easily, and long, shapely legs.


    A rose that should''ve bloomed at banquets had abruptly blossomed amidst a forest of swords in the training ground.


    But what caught the Sword Master apprentices'' attention the most was what she held in her right hand¡ªa training wooden sword.


    "Sonia?"


    When Ingrid watched Sonia walk across half the training ground, find an unused dummy, and start lifting her wooden sword to train, she was filled with confusion.


    Although Ingrid didn''t harbor any ill feelings towards Sonia, in her understanding, Sonia was someone who would never engage in swordsmanship.


    Unlike the graceful and elegant female sword masters depicted in "Fantasy Epics" and "Knight Dramas" in the Light Screens, real-life female Sword Masters, to summon Technique Spirits and master Spells, even had to train their physical attributes to surpass those of men.


    Calluses covering hands from wielding swords aside, arms, legs, and even waist muscles would become sturdier and well-developed due to training. Those actresses appearing in the Light Screens, employing exquisite swordsmanship with dainty, muscleless hands, simply didn''t exist in reality.


    Even the Sword Technique Spirits wouldn''t acknowledge a mage with a frail physique. Ingrid had grown tired of hearing the news about Technique Spirits that abandoned their masters as they aged.


    Although some said female Sword Masters had a kind of "strength beauty," Ingrid''s own observation was that there were far more men pursuing female Water Mages than those pursuing female Sword Masters.


    She admitted that even the likes of Sonia and Lois, these delicate Water Mages, looked much more attractive and refined than someone like herself, who was like a rough man.


    She harbored no resentment over this, as while she trained, Sonia and the others were applying makeup and skincare products. Everyone got what they were pursuing.


    That''s why Ingrid was so surprised; after all, if Sonia were to start training in swordsmanship now, wouldn''t it all be for nothing? It would not only hinder her Water Technique Faction studies but also affect her carefully maintained appearance.


    However, upon noticing a handsome young man nearby who was wiping his sweat and still wearing a full training outfit despite the hot weather, Ingrid suddenly understood.


    Felix Vosloda, a first-year student in their class, a genius apprentice in the Sword Skill department.


    Although Felix, like Ingrid, was still training hard to summon his first Initial Technique Spirit, unlike Ingrid, who merely aimed to summon the basic Slashing Sword Technique Spirit, Felix aspired to summon the Vosloda Family''s secret Technique Spirit, the "Wave Motion Sword."


    Each mage''s Initial Technique Spirit was crucial, even determining the mage''s future development path. Thus, families with the means would try to find suitable cultivation methods for their talented members to summon the strongest and most fitting Initial Technique Spirit.


    Even Ingrid, from a rural noble family, had a family-secret Technique Spirit cultivation method, just not one suitable for her.


    There was no doubt the Wave Motion Sword was superior to the Slashing Sword, and Felix''s training intensity undoubtedly surpassed Ingrid''s¡ªhe earned the title of Sword Skill genius because his swordsmanship skills and training intensity far exceeded those of his peers.


    Last semester, during the Sword Skill department''s end-of-term sparring, Ingrid lost to Felix, but she accepted it wholeheartedly. After all, not only was he more talented than her, but he was also more diligent. His reputation as a swordsmanship genius was deserved.


    But compared to his swordsmanship talent, what interested the girls more was the other side of Felix.


    Even though Ingrid came from the countryside, she knew the Vosloda Family was a top elite in the Kingdom of Stars and one of the Starry Council''s five pillars.


    Duke Vosloda, also known as the "Starforger," controlled the most advanced steel factories in the Kingdom of Stars, operating in fields spanning civilian and military sectors, bearing significant sway in military, political, and commercial spheres. He was arguably the most powerful person in the nation.


    As the duke''s second son, Felix should rightfully attend Truth University; however, for some unknown reason, he came to Sword Flower University. Many quietly speculated whether he was out of favor with the duke.


    Nevertheless, even if Felix wasn''t favored, he was still a direct descendant of the Vosloda Family, remaining a member of the top echelon despite any setbacks. Naturally, many sought to climb the social ladder by cozying up to him.


    And Felix''s social skills matched his swordsmanship talent, nearly swapping a female companion every week, changing women faster than changing clothes.


    During the busiest times, Ingrid noticed a different female companion visiting the training ground for five consecutive days, making her both disdainful and impressed¡ªhow could someone have the energy for other pursuits after such intense training?


    She herself felt like melting into her bed after training.


    Skilled, attractive, and with many rumored relationships, Felix undoubtedly was the focal point of the training ground. If Sonia had a special purpose, her only possible target could be Felix.


    But back when their dorm room relationship was better, during one chat about the boys at school, Lois, Adelle, and Sonia all made it clear that they kept their distance from Felix.


    After all, for a flirtatious noble scion like Felix, the inevitable outcome would be a politically arranged marriage by Duke Vosloda. Holding any expectations and clinging to him would surely result in being an insignificant part of his ex-girlfriend group.


    Although Ingrid, with her romantic fantasies, didn''t appreciate their naked materialism, she admitted their judgment was correct. Over the year, none of Felix''s girlfriends lasted more than a week.


    Was Sonia not here for Felix? But besides Felix, no one else here could catch her eye...


    As Ingrid pondered, Sonia, with a deliberate and measured manner, began her training.


    "Ha!" Accompanied by the breathing technique, Sonia struck the dummy with her sword, but she didn''t even pierce its surface.


    Ingrid watched for a while, shaking her head repeatedly: Sonia''s dominant hand was unstable, her off-hand weak, footwork loose, and overall sluggishness, none of her movements were proper.


    Even her attire wasn''t changed into a convenient training outfit, still wearing her fine, bright everyday clothes.


    Even the shout sounded more like a whine.


    Rather than saying she came to train, it looked like she was trying to grab attention.


    Whatever her purpose, it surely wasn''t training.


    Ingrid stopped paying attention and returned to her own practice. Swordsmanship training emphasized the unity of heart, body, and technique, with focus being paramount. Every strike required full mental engagement, calculating the strength to exert, the strength to reserve, the rotation of the shoulders, the wrist movements, the footwork... only when all these details were grasped could one call it a strike.


    Laziness bore no meaning, for every bit of effort by the mage apprentices was for themselves, not others.


    Only when an apprentice''s ability resonated with the Void Realm could they summon a Technique Spirit out of thin air, thereby crossing reality and obtaining the pass to the Void Realm, becoming a true Void Wing Mage.


    For Ingrid at her current level, she needed to rest slightly every three strikes, stop to relax her muscles after thirty, managing to swing her sword nine hundred times in two hours constituted one complete session, bringing exhaustion significant enough for her to fall asleep right touching her pillow post-bath.


    "Ha!"


    "Ha!"


    "Ha!"


    After a few minutes, Ingrid couldn''t contain her annoyance, looking at Sonia in dissatisfaction¡ªwithin just a few minutes, Ingrid heard Sonia swinging her sword dozens of times, with no breaks in between, which was sheer madness.


    Ingrid had every right to be angry, similar to a severe examination setting suddenly having a careless student not even reading the paper before writing answers, all the while commenting things like, "So simple," "This is it?" "Is it possible someone actually doesn''t know how to do this?" Surely the others would view that student as mischievous.


    Presently, Sonia''s actions were tantamount to mischief.


    Yet, just as Ingrid was about to warn Sonia, she realized she was mistaken¡ªeven though Sonia''s movements were still rough and rookie, each action strictly adhered to Swordsmanship Manual standards, each swing exhausting all her energy, with sweat dripping down her nose, undeniably not just playing around.


    Moreover, compared to a few minutes prior, Sonia''s swordsmanship had visibly improved, her wooden sword even managing to slice into the dummy''s first ring edge!


    Although still lowering the overall swordsmanship level of the training ground, she looked like she already had a bit of a swordsmanship foundation, something only a few months of practice could give!


    "She practiced swordsmanship before?" Ingrid pondered.


    Yet, she still believed Sonia wasn''t here for training¡ªas exhibiting such exertion and wastage soon would make Sonia unable to stand, far from achieving training effectiveness, though perhaps effective for weight loss.


    I see now, she must be here for body sculpting! I''ve heard of that!


    Ingrid suddenly felt she understood Sonia''s purpose, though, she thought Sonia wouldn''t last much longer.


    After all, even for Ingrid, a seasoned Sword Master apprentice, she could only manage two hundred fifty-six consecutive swings in eleven minutes.


    For a swordsmanship novice like Sonia to last a few uninterrupted minutes was already impressive.


    Just as Ingrid was feeling a bit tired and decided to pause for a break, she began counting Sonia''s swing repetitions, intending to guide her a bit when her form started faltering¡ªthough she didn''t believe Sonia would switch to the Sword Skill department, as long as it could foster a deeper interest in swordsmanship, that would be a positive outcome.


    ```

 Chapter 10 - 10 Sword Maiden, You Can’t Rest Yet

    Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Sword Maiden, You Can''t Rest Yet


    ```


    "How many minutes has it been?"


    "Ninety-six minutes. Has anyone counted how many times?"


    "I started counting first. I got to over seventeen hundred when I just happened to see her sword cut through the seventh ring, and I was stunned for a while. I can only say it''s around twenty-four hundred now."


    When Celia opened the door to the training ground, she saw an unbelievable sight¡ªthe swordsmanship apprentices, who usually squandered sweat and wasted youth, had all thrown down their practice swords and gathered around in a circle, discussing something.


    She thought they were watching her boyfriend Felix, wondering if he had successfully summoned his ''Wave Motion Sword'' Technique Spirit.


    With this thought, she quickly walked a few steps faster, contemplating where to celebrate later.


    To the Amber Original Club? Or perhaps the Golden Port Bar?


    However, Felix must be very tired now. Why not go directly to his place and spend a ''good rest'' with him? Felix has known her for so long, and it''s surprising that he has restrained himself from taking the next step. Celia felt she should be more proactive.


    Yet when Celia walked into the crowd, she realized she was mistaken¡ªbecause she found that her proud and handsome boyfriend Felix was just like an ordinary onlooker, showing a shocked expression as if he were a common fish, dumbly staring forward.


    Following their gaze, Celia discovered that there was a girl in the training ground even more beautiful than herself: a casually tied ponytail, a fair and tender neck, a face as flawless as if without makeup, and even the sweat dripping on it shimmered like pearls.


    An enemy and yet a fellow traveler, Celia sensed this immediately, even though the other party hadn''t said a word.


    Seemingly barefaced yet employing many makeup techniques to disguise a ''first love'' look, seemingly casual clothing that perfectly exposed her neck and wrists, seemingly simple yet perfectly accessorizing her beauty... If she hadn''t studied and prepared specifically, how could she disguise such an almost perfect ''dream goddess'' image that hit all male pleasure points?


    With a glance, she confirmed, she was also a Hunter!


    With this thought, Celia squinted her eyes, disregarded the sweat on Felix, and took the initiative to hold his arm.


    In her eyes, there wasn''t a better prey than Felix in the entire training ground, or even the entire Sword Flower University.


    Even considering Truth University, Felix was a first-class prize. As long as she could obtain the surname Vosloda, it would bring endless benefits to Celia.


    She had been planning for Felix for a long time, and even knowing Felix''s playboy nature, she had enough confidence to rein in this wild horse.


    If used well, even the trait of being flirtatious might not be a bad thing. As long as she could obtain the title of wife, Celia wouldn''t mind him sneaking around.


    It was hard to reach the harvest season, and Felix was planning to introduce her to Duke Vosloda at his birthday banquet. Now, suddenly, someone wanted to snatch her prey? Not a chance!


    "Felix, what are you all watching?" Celia asked nonchalantly, "I didn''t know the Sword Skill Department had such a pretty junior."


    "You''re here, senior." Felix only then noticed Celia''s arrival but his eyes didn''t even shift for a second to Celia, as if only the girl practicing was in his gaze. "She... she isn''t from the Sword Skill Department. She''s a first-year from the Water Magic Department, named Sonia Sevi."


    He even knew her name and year... Celia''s sense of crisis grew stronger, wanting to drag Felix away immediately, but she also knew the strategy of feigning disinterest, so she pretended to be curious and asked, "Why are you all watching her train? Because she''s pretty?"


    "No... not just that..." Felix shook his head. "Because you aren''t a swordsmanship apprentice, I don''t know how to explain it to you."


    "In my first year, I dual majored in swordsmanship for a few months. It''s just that I had more talent in the Water Magic Department, so I gave it up." Celia snorted. "Plus, aren''t you a swordsmanship genius? With your explanation, how could I not understand?"


    "Well, I''ll keep it simple." Felix said, "An hour and a half ago, she was a novice who couldn''t even hold the sword correctly. Now, she can slice through the ninth ring of the armor statue with one strike."


    "She must be pretending, right?" Celia didn''t say this out of malicious intent; she had seriously practiced swordsmanship for a few months. She understood what this meant¡ªeven she could only slice into the second ring, and her level was considered above average among first-year students.


    "Though I thought so earlier, or rather, I wanted to think so, which is why I kept watching her train. I hoped to see her hit a bottleneck, I anticipated seeing her make no further progress... But now, after an hour and a half, my humble jealousy has turned into full admiration."


    It was hard for Celia to imagine Felix speaking such humble and sincere words. Even when talking about his father, the Star-forging Duke, and his brother Demi, he always had a disdainful, indifferent tone.


    Yet towards an almost unknown girl, he expressed admiration and curiosity. This was a very dangerous signal¡ªcuriosity often leads as the vanguard to downfall.


    Furthermore, he had watched a girl for an hour and a half... an hour and a half?


    He watched for an hour and a half, so that Hunter girl named Sonia trained for a full hour and a half!?


    Celia then deliberately observed Sonia''s training moves: sliding forward, striking the face, steady as a rock, moving like thunder... Her every move completely followed the Swordsmanship Manual, without any shortcuts or borrowed strength, each sword strike exerted with utmost effort!


    Normally, people would need to rest after a few minutes of cultivation; Felix couldn''t train for more than three hours, with one hour being for rest and relaxation. Yet, according to them, this girl trained continuously for over an hour without stopping!?


    No wonder they were all watching¡ªcompared to a beautiful girl, these sword-obsessed young men were probably more curious about how to possess such terrifying endurance.


    But after watching for a while, Celia also merged into the crowd, her gaze uncontrollably drawn to Sonia''s training posture.


    Her movements were full of the beauty of swordsmanship, the beauty of strength, the beauty of a young woman. What''s more terrifying was that she seemed to improve at every moment, with each sword swing stronger, more precise, and more skillful than the last.


    This was a display of art, an art of swordsmanship.


    At this moment, Celia was utterly convinced.


    If this girl named Sonia was truly targeting Felix, Celia had almost no chance of winning.


    She knew Felix''s obsession with swordsmanship well. If her ''intellectual beauty senior'' image was worth eighty points in Felix''s heart, then Sonia''s ''swordsmanship genius beauty girl'' was at a hundred and fifty points.


    Clang!


    When Sonia''s wooden sword sliced into the tenth ring of the armor statue, everyone collectively inhaled sharply, and the temperature in the training ground seemed to drop¡ªthey witnessed a Miracle!


    An entrant-level swordsmanship apprentice, after nonstop two-hour training, successfully slashed into the tenth ring of the armor statue!


    Even if she did nothing else now, she only needed the timing to be right, and she would trigger the Resonance of the Void Realm''s knowledge, summon a swordsmanship Technique Spirit, and step into the Void Realm to become a Void Wings mage! Quickly, it could be a second; slowly, it could be months!


    You should know that not everyone can become a mage at Sword Flower University, with the graduation rate hovering at 50%. Every graduate Void Wings mage has a bright future!


    So starting from this moment, Sonia could already determine her carefree life for the rest of her days!


    Meanwhile, Sonia also put away her wooden sword, letting the boulder in everyone''s heart settle¡ªthe Monster covered in the appearance of a beautiful girl was finally tired.


    If Sonia continued her training, they would seriously suspect if wearing women''s clothes added to physical stamina. Although even now, it was already outrageous; a full two hours, averaging a strike every two seconds, thirty strikes per minute, totaling three thousand six hundred strikes in two hours... Just calculating this number was enough to make the swordsmanship apprentices'' scalps tingle.


    At this moment, Ingrid hurriedly went over, offering a towel and a cup of water, prepared to assist Sonia back to the dorm.


    When Sonia swung her sword a thousand times, Ingrid had already been won over by her, for the first time feeling the urge to get closer to her¡ªcould someone cultivating swordsmanship have any bad intentions?


    "Sonia, you''re tired, right? Shall we head back together?"


    Ingrid only knew one method to get closer: go back together, go to the restroom together, eat together...


    The nearly collapsed Sonia took the towel, wiped herself, took a shallow sip of water, showed Ingrid a relieved smile, and just as she was about to agree, suddenly felt a surge of energy coursing through her limbs, revitalizing her strength.


    Her expression suddenly froze, her gaze fixed tightly on Felix in the crowd.


    It was the look of a Hunter locking onto prey.


    Other swordsmanship apprentices sighed quietly, Celia bit her lower lip in frustration, and Felix lifted his chin slightly, showing Sonia a confident smile.


    The reason behind these changes was heartwarming.


    Because in Sonia''s line of sight, the Observer stood right behind Felix.


    That damned little noisemaker, waving his finger, said,


    "Sword Maiden, you can''t rest yet."


    "Next," he pointed to Felix, "you need to defeat this person."


    ```

 Chapter 11 - 11 If I Made a Mistake, Please Let the Law Punish Me

    Chapter 11: Chapter 11 If I Made a Mistake, Please Let the Law Punish Me


    ```


    "If I made a mistake, let the law punish me."


    Even in such a situation, Sonia did not lose her composure and scream; instead, she calmly complained in her heart to the Observer, "Forcing me to practice swordsmanship, then making me fight Felix, what exactly do you want from me? To infiltrate the Dazzling Star noble society and become your spy?"


    "It''s not as complicated as you think," the Observer said. "It''s just about arranging a battle for you, and the strongest person here happens to be him. Nothing more. Whether he''s a noble or not is irrelevant, though I''d love to see a noble get beaten up. If possible, after you win, could you step on his face... never mind, I heard some of the Dazzling Star nobles are quite perverted. Maybe you should spank him instead... forget it, I never said that."


    "Can we change the opponent? I don''t want to get involved with Felix!"


    "Why?"


    "I''ve researched him a bit," Sonia said. "He''s odd and dangerous."


    As the most approachable noble gentleman at Sword Flower University, Sonia naturally considered Felix as a potential target. But after gathering some intelligence, she abandoned this tempting option.


    It had nothing to do with his playboy nature; Sonia didn''t see ''womanizer'' as an obstacle. What truly stopped her was Felix''s family situation and his ex-girlfriends.


    Though rumors outside were that Felix was a walking breeding machine for ten women, Sonia discovered a secret after simple observation¡ªFelix had never taken a girlfriend to stay out overnight.


    Felix lived in a villa off-campus, driving home each night after training. His car, the ''Pentium Silver Tiger,'' was unique on campus, and Sonia would occasionally see him at night. He never drove a girlfriend out at night, always returning home alone.


    Of course, it might be he preferred daytime, but with the frequency of changing a girlfriend every three days, including noble ladies, Sonia doubted he could "consume" them that quickly.


    Rather than being lustful, it seemed more like he was collecting them.


    Additionally, as the son of Duke Vosloda, ending up at Sword Flower University inevitably made people wonder if he was involved in some political strife.


    Sonia had no interest in fighting or growing with him; she preferred to catch a young noble from the newly risen wealthy class, enjoying the benefits effortlessly with numerous opportunities. With the right skills, even splitting a family fortune wasn''t impossible.


    All these factors combined made Sonia distinctly uninterested in Felix.


    She had an entire forest; there was no need to cling to this single tree, even staying away¡ªpartly because Sonia had never dealt with nobility, her understanding of them entirely from novels.


    And in novels, traditional nobles, except for the protagonist, were invariably villainous, oppressive, tyrannical characters; ones not evil enough would even be stripped of their noble title to become commoners.


    Cautious or rather pessimistic by nature, Sonia did not believe she would meet a good noble. With Felix''s clearly villainous traditional noble image, Sonia naturally kept her distance.


    "So, if you battle him, you might get into trouble?"


    "Exactly!" Sonia quickly responded. "I don''t know what you want from me, but I''m too weak now; I need to develop first, to stay low-key if possible; it shouldn''t¡ª"


    "This is perfect," the Observer said. "I wish for you to cause trouble, to stand bold and bash every enemy in your path to nothingness... and isn''t that your ''Heart''s Desire''?"


    "Where do I have such childish, arrogant desires!" Sonia shouted angrily.


    "Then," the Observer bowed, "may your first battle be victorious, thrashing the sword genius, kicking the Dazzling Star noble."


    "No, I absolutely won''t¡ª"


    "Felix Vosloda, the genius of the Sword Skill faction."


    Sonia lifted her wooden sword, pointing at Felix, and spoke in an arrogant tone she''d never used, "All of Sword Flower, only you are qualified to be the stepping stone for me to summon a Technique Spirit."


    "Do you dare to fight me?"


    The training ground was abuzz, sword apprentices showing expectant expressions, Celia nearly biting through her lip¡ªas expected, her target was also Felix, and using such a cliche? yet effective way, she directly connected with Felix!


    Ingrid was taken aback, "Sonia, you''ve just trained for two hours, even if you must duel, shouldn''t it be tomorrow..."


    "No, it should be now." Felix stepped forward from the crowd, firmly fixing his gaze on Sonia, "Two hours, three thousand six hundred strikes, from a swordsmanship beginner to mastery. You are the most talented person I''ve ever seen, and the second to make me feel fear. If I don''t accept your challenge now, by tomorrow, I won''t even have the courage to unsheath my sword before you."


    "Now might be my only chance to defeat you. Even if others think I took advantage, bullied you while you''re exhausted, I can''t care¡ªat least after defeating you tonight, I''ll still have the right and courage to chase your silhouette!"


    "Moreover, you''re right, all of Sword Flower, only I am worthy of your challenge. Those older Void Realm Sword Masters can only understand the knowledge of the Void Realm by persistent effort, completely incomparable to you or I. So... come!"


    Meanwhile, the training ground had cleared a large space, the two standing across the expanse with training swords in hand, ready to face off.


    Sonia adopted the most common mid-level stance, while Felix held his sword in one hand, the blade raised sidelong, appearing full of openings.


    "Wave Motion Stance..." Even though Ingrid worried a little for Sonia, she couldn''t help but anticipate their duel.


    The Vosloda Family was renowned for swordsmanship, with four secret stances capable of summoning Technique Spirits, the Wave Motion Stance being one.


    In the Sword Technique Faction, a stance was both a method of cultivation, summoning, and combat.


    Or rather, a Sword Master could summon a Technique Spirit due to his profound understanding of a sword stance, resonating with the Void Realm, transforming the void''s knowledge into a Technique Spirit.


    Each basic Technique Spirit a Sword Master independently summoned indicated he had perfectly mastered the corresponding sword stance.


    Felix had previously duelled others, but due to Ingrid being focused on studies (and not well-liked), she hadn''t gotten word of it. This was her first time witnessing the legendary Wave Motion Stance, making her eager to find a chance to duel Felix someday.


    Then she noticed Sonia''s flushed cheeks and her constant winks. Ingrid felt puzzled, but upon slight consideration, she realized: Sonia was boasting about witnessing the Wave Motion Stance first!


    Though you may be geniuses, I''ll surely catch up to you!


    Ingrid clenched her fists, making a gesture of encouragement to Sonia.


    Sonia was utterly helpless¡ªwasn''t her signal for rescue obvious enough? Why wasn''t Ingrid hurrying to drag her away!


    "What''s the point in you controlling my body to fight? Even if I win, it''s your victory; I''d just be an onlooker," Sonia thought. "If you only want to manipulate my body, do as you please; I can''t resist anyway."


    "But you put me through challenges in dreams last night and made me undergo swordsmanship training; surely, you intended some growth for me, right? How about this, you let me control my body again, I promise to fight in battles, even two if needed, alright?"


    "You think this is arithmetic, one plus one equals two?" the Observer, standing beside Ingrid, said. "Besides, who told you it''s I controlling your body to battle?"


    "If not you, then who else? Me?"


    "Exactly, it''s you." The Observer walked beside her, raising her sword tip slightly. "You think I chose just anybody for you to fight? Do you think I genuinely disregard your will and forcibly control your body?"


    "Why practice swordsmanship? Because you defeated me in a dream last night, realizing your potential in swordsmanship, knowing you have the opportunity for power, understanding you''ve wasted too much time."


    "That''s why you''re here, pushing to the edge, just to be seen. To let your roommate, Ingrid, see, that besides your looks, you have gifts worth bragging about!"


    "Why challenge Felix? Since the first sight of him driving the Pentium Silver Tiger across campus, seen his popularity, and being the school''s spotlight, you''ve envied, admired, and hated him. You can''t blame your mother for the hardships, so you could only resent people born with better circumstances than you."


    "Why do they get everything by birth? Why do they surpass you in every aspect?"


    "Don''t lie to your heart, Sword Maiden," the Observer said. "It''s you who wants to defeat him, to prove that you, Sonia Sevi, are no less than anyone else!"


    "It''s you who came to the training ground, you who grasped the wooden sword, you who want to shine brightly! Every move comes from your true intentions!"


    "Indeed, I''m quite curious why you believed I was controlling you. After all, no one else can see me; aren''t you curious, don''t you suspect... am I a real existing Observer, or merely a phantom on which you place your heart''s desires?"


    "I''m done talking, now, you can put all the blame on me and then..." the Observer, standing beside Sonia, pointed at Felix, "...enjoy the rightful pleasure of crushing a genius!"


    Thud!


    With a loud bang, both simultaneously raised their swords forward, clashing in battle!


    ```

 Chapter 12 - 12 Do You Guess?

    Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Do You Guess?


    ```


    Clang! Clang! Clang!


    The clash of swords sounded like a symphony of steel, and Felix was somewhat surprised. The training sword he used was specially made from ebony and black steel, an excellent choice even as a weapon.


    The opponent was merely using a plain wooden sword, yet it managed to withstand so many strikes against the ebony sword without breaking. Either the wooden sword was exceptionally tough, or the opponent''s sword skills were superb.


    He believed it was both.


    In the instant the opponent retreated to defend, Felix''s eyes sharpened. He raised his sword high and then struck down fiercely, twisting his body to harness its power. To onlookers, it seemed as if he was "sliding at high speed," and the ebony sword crashed down like a shock wave!


    However, he hit empty air!


    Just like in previous attempts, when he was about to strike the opponent''s opening, Sonia would use an incredibly bizarre footwork. It interrupted all current movements, abruptly sliding across the ground, narrowly dodging his lethal strike each time, and then¡ª


    He turned his head to see Sonia''s calm and cold eyes, along with the afterimage of her wooden sword in a counterattack!


    Clang!


    He managed to parry the blow, but Felix was growing anxious. Although Sonia had not yet been able to injure him, he felt that she was gradually becoming more accustomed to the Wave Motion Stance, and the pressure she exerted on him increased steadily.


    Even though Felix had previously acknowledged that Sonia''s talent surpassed his own, he didn''t believe he would lose. Setting aside Sonia''s physical exertion, the advantage from the Wave Motion Stance alone put him in an invincible position.


    Sonia was clearly employing the Starry Stance from the Swordsmanship Manual. Despite the grandiose name, it was essentially a basic stance. Its strength lay in its solid foundation, allowing easy transition to other stances and the ability to summon three Technique Spirits: "Slashing Sword," "Cutting Sword," and "Piercing Sword." Its weakness was its mediocrity.


    The Wave Motion Stance, however, was a Vosloda family secret, famed for its explosiveness. The summoned "Wave Sword" Technique Spirit was also of the instantaneous burst type. Felix initially thought that a series of relentless attacks would defeat this sudden upstart swordsmanship genius.


    Unexpectedly, apart from the Starry Stance, she also mastered a bizarre footwork that allowed her to evade several seemingly inevitable attacks. Although Felix had almost figured out her rhythm by now, Sonia had simultaneously discerned the intricacies of the Wave Motion Stance, closing the gap between them!


    Additionally, she had mastered a Sword Drawing Technique.


    Yet, compared to the explosive power of the Wave Motion Stance, the Sword Drawing Technique fell slightly short. Felix actually hoped she would clash with him using the Sword Drawing Technique, as the sheer rebounding force of the weapons could shatter her wrist. Having suffered that fate once, Sonia had since abandoned the Sword Drawing Technique, focusing solely on maneuvering around Felix.


    Felix had no desire or ability to prolong this. Even if he wore Sonia out, it would only be a hollow victory.


    Furthermore, Sonia''s alluring and impressive physique seemed to harbor boundless energy. He sensed that it would be him who was exhausted by then!


    It was time to end this!


    He didn''t specifically target any openings, but instead suddenly took a step back, adopting the Wave Motion Stance once more. He exhaled a deep breath of turbid air, his eyes like swords, locking onto Sonia.


    "One more move, win or lose!" he declared resolutely.


    "Alright."


    The next second, the bystanders showed expressions of astonishment, while Felix was filled with rage!


    Because Sonia raised her wooden sword with her right hand, holding it high, and stood sideways facing him, exactly mirroring Felix''s stance. She had actually adopted the Wave Motion Stance!


    No one believed Sonia had learned the Wave Motion Stance. She had just seen it for the first time. Even if she had observed Felix training, it was unlikely she could learn it. Felix trained openly at the training ground, visible to everyone, but who had ever secretly learned the Vosloda family''s secret technique?


    A stance not only consisted of forms, but also breathing techniques, footwork, and precise exertion details, impossible to master through mere observation. Even with guidance, not everyone possessed the talent to comprehend it. Every magical faction capable of reaching the Void Realm had incredibly high thresholds.


    Thus, everyone concluded that the only reason Sonia adopted the Wave Motion Stance was to taunt Felix!


    Nothing was more humiliating than defeating someone with their own moves.


    The provocation clearly succeeded. Felix''s face darkened considerably, remaining silent.


    Only Celia couldn''t help but cheer inwardly. Provoking Felix in such a manner, Felix wouldn''t be able to forget her even if he wanted to. Who would''ve thought that among the freshmen, there would be a female Hunter with such skillful methods, who even taught her a lesson? But next, she should lose to Felix, offer him a step, and naturally arrange future duels, increasing her opportunities for interaction, right?


    "You humiliate yourself!" Felix shouted angrily, stepping forward, twisting his body, and dropping the single-handed sword like a whip, like a ball smashing down, like water flow pouring down!


    No fancy move names, the core of this attack was simply a "break": exhaust all efforts to breach the enemy''s defense!


    Felix zeroed in on Sonia''s knees. He had already noticed the only telltale sign whenever Sonia employed her bizarre footwork: the movements of her knees. He could predict Sonia''s evasive direction through the knees and adjust his sword to shatter Sonia''s resistance with a single strike!


    However, to his surprise, Sonia did not evade, but executed the exact same move as he did: stepping sideways, swinging her sword down!


    Might met might!


    Clang!


    Accompanied by a nerve-jarring roar, their figures crossed paths. The onlookers held their breath, waiting for the outcome to emerge.


    Snap.


    Sonia''s wooden sword snapped in half, falling to the ground.


    No one was surprised because they saw the One-winged Swordsman appearing on Felix''s shoulder, its sword made of black light¡ªthe Wave Sword Technique Spirit!


    "A breakthrough mid-battle! There truly is such a thing!"


    "Summoning the Lifebound Technique Spirit during battle!"


    "Indeed a feat of the Vosloda!"


    Ingrid went over to support Sonia, comforting her, "Don''t be discouraged, you''ll soon be able to summon the Technique Spirit, then..."


    "I didn''t lose," Sonia said calmly.


    Everyone paused, thinking Sonia was just trying to save face. However, in the next second, Felix''s ebony sword also broke and clattered to the ground.


    On Sonia''s shoulder appeared a One-winged Swordsman, but unlike Felix''s, hers was female, and its sword was made of white light.


    "The Wave Sword Technique Spirit?!"


    "How did she also summon the Vosloda''s Wave Sword Technique Spirit? Could it be..."


    "Did she learn Felix''s Wave Motion Stance during the fight and then summon it directly?"


    "Is that even possible..."


    "Wait, does this mean she went from apprentice to Sword Master in just a few hours?"


    These words left everyone nearly in shock¡ªmany had spent years without becoming Sword Masters, and Sonia achieved in one night what they couldn''t in years?


    The admiration of the onlookers, Ingrid''s surprise, Celia''s jealousy, Felix''s complex gaze...


    Yet Sonia was in no mood to care about these things.


    She stared directly at the Observer watching from the side, with an expression of "I already know the truth."


    She asked in her heart, "You mean you''re just a phantom manifested by my mind, not real? You merely represent my inner thoughts? You''re just my hallucination?"


    The Observer didn''t speak, simply crouched down to pick up the broken sword from the ground, then touching the break with his hand, the wooden sword was restored to its original state, without a trace of a crack.


    Even after completing such a miraculous act, no one noticed him, nor did they notice the wooden sword had been restored.


    He dusted off his hands, turned, and walked outside, leaving behind words that infuriated Sonia:


    "You guess?"


    ```

 Chapter 13: Sword Maiden Descends Beside Me

    Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Sword Maiden Descends Beside Me


    ```


    "Death Mad Sword Maiden completed a swordsmanship training, and the Sword Technique Faction experience increased significantly."


    "Death Mad Sword Maiden completed a swordsmanship training, and the Sword Technique Faction experience increased significantly."


    "Death Mad Sword Maiden completed a battle, the Sword Technique Faction experience increased significantly, triggered a talent for an additional 10000% experience, resonated with the Void Realm during the battle, and summoned the Technique Spirit ''Wave Motion Sword.''"


    "Wave Motion Sword"


    "One-winged Technique Spirit"


    "Restriction, must use a sword."


    "Basic Effect, emit a wave of Sword Qi."


    "Passive Effect, ordinary sword attacks are more likely to unbalance the target."


    "''The sword is not trembling, it''s just thirsty.''"


    Perhaps, for the first time since college, Ash was living a healthy schedule¡ªhe got up early at six o''clock to check the development of the Death Mad Sword Maiden in the "Mage''s Handbook," waiting with hope.


    The game didn''t disappoint him, as just in one day, the Death Mad Sword Maiden had made significant progress!


    "Death Mad Sword Maiden"


    "Human Race, female, 18 years old."


    "Bonds Level, 0 (30% experience shared)"


    "Profession, One-winged Sword Master"


    "Professional characteristics, reduce energy consumption by 10% when using swordsmanship Technique Spirit."


    "Held Items, none"


    "Controlled Spirit, Wave Motion Sword"


    "Sword Technique Faction, Silver Level"


    "Void Realm Exploration, 0.000%"


    "Water Technique Faction, not started."


    Although he didn''t know what a One-winged Sword Master was, Ash recalled that blood-crazed Hunter who hacked him with one sword seemed to have Three Wings, which meant having wings meant becoming a Transcendent.


    Since the Sword Maiden had become a Transcendent, as the hard-working, diligent player who nurtured her, should he not receive the 30% experience-sharing reward?


    Yet Ash waited left and right, constantly refreshing the game info bar, but still didn''t experience the enlightenment moment he imagined. The experience implant, the knowledge infusion¡ªnothing changed in the {Final Observer}''s operator interface.


    Ash''s current mood was like a naive elementary school student who paid an online scammer for a permanent QQ membership and got blacklisted, his hopes raised by greed devoured by deep disappointment.


    However, after thinking carefully, he suddenly realized he seemed to have missed a step: "Could it be because I didn''t top up money..."


    His family''s company was notorious for a game experience devoid of payment, though paying didn''t necessarily guarantee any. If not paying meant some game experience was cut, that was quite normal.


    If it was just not topping up, that''s easy to fix; at least there''s a chance to compensate.


    If due to the traversal, various modules were lost, causing function failure, then the game system Ash relied on could only be played like a Beautiful Girl Dream Factory...


    "Dear Ash Heath, Shattered Lake Prison has completed the life authentication for you. You may move freely in specified areas, more details can be found in the attached ''Shattered Lake Prison Life Handbook''. Note, meal delivery service will no longer be provided. Please proceed to the restaurant for dining."


    Meanwhile, the light above the door, thick as a fist, turned green, showing a ''pass'' icon of a little person. Melodious singing drifted in from outside.


    "If hurt enough, use these two hands, sever the curse of yesterday, await the bright tomorrow, leaving only scars..."


    This is absurd, what kind of song is this, meant to mock the prisoners?


    Ash was stunned for a moment, unable to grasp the situation, clicked open ''Shattered Lake Prison Life Handbook'', and each entry made him doubt if this information was meant to ridicule new inmates with an April Fool''s Message:


    "1 Free activity time from 7 AM to 10 PM; entry and exit areas include: Central Hall, Reading Room, gym, Video Room, sea-view rooftop, couple room (supplies provided), work room, dining hall..."


    "2 Dining hall open hours are: 7 AM-9 AM, 11 AM-2 PM, 5 PM-8 PM. For dining outside these hours, please use the room service."


    "3 Reading Room, missing books can be registered with the administrator, replenishment within three working days."


    "4 Video Room, currently only provides audio-visual programs from legitimate channels, movies currently showing need to await curtain-fall before being available."


    "5 Couple Room, used items should be placed in the recycling bin, do not wash them clean and put back to original place."


    "6..."


    Various tips almost entirely introduced the various facilities'' usage in this prison, enough to make Ash think he was here for a sightseeing day tour as a temporary prisoner.


    What surprised Ash the most was that this manual listed the rights prisoners had but didn''t mention any prohibitions they had to obey.


    As if they could do whatever they wanted.


    Aberrations always have a reason, but with meals no longer delivered, Ash couldn''t stay hungry in his cell. Besides, he was very curious about what this prison''s deal was.


    When he reached the door, the automatic door slid open on its own. Outside was a very quiet and clean hallway, surprisingly without a single Prison Guard, the wall prominently displayed a notice:


    "Central Hall¡û¡¤¡úEquipment gym, Sweat room"


    Just by looking at the notice, Ash could imagine the inmates in the cells around him must be muscle-bound men tirelessly working out, bathing, and sweating every day... Considering the couple room, Ash couldn''t help but clench his sphincters, planning to eat and then hurry back to the cell.


    Walking along the narrow hallway to the Central Hall, it suddenly opened up: the Central Hall was a very broad place, the ceiling was a glass canopy, letting morning sunlight freely fall on benches. There were potted plants on both sides, several people sat on the benches, some chatting, some reading, even some sleeping¡ªif they weren''t in prison uniforms, Ash would''ve thought he was in a park.


    What pleasantly surprised Ash was that there was a uniformed Prison Guard nearby.


    Although he seemed to be slacking off, playing with the Light Screen at work, his sheer presence relieved Ash¡ªat least there was someone he could call for help.


    Although Ash was thinking all about escaping, he was now truly a material waste, devoid of any combat capacity, possessing all psychological weaknesses of an overworked office worker. Without Law Enforcers'' protection, he wouldn''t even know if he could protect his own chastity¡ªHeath''s body looked rather alluring.


    On the wall in front of the hall was a Light Screen playing news, where it seemed like a parliament discussion was taking place. Just a few words were enough to feel the drudgery.


    Ash didn''t understand what was being discussed on the Light Screen, as the conversation of the two on the front bench was more captivating:


    "Didn''t expect Lorenzo to become a councilor; it seems he also joined the Immortal Wine Club. Andrey and his faction have completely overshadowed the mayor, the mayor might have to roll out after completing this year''s term..."


    "I don''t think so. Fernand mayor has Bishop Enrico backing him. You just wait, Lorenzo is not a signal of Andrey''s rise, but rather a death sentence for him, soonest in three days, at most a month, an important figure in Andrey''s faction is bound to die."


    "Andrey has rooted in Kaimon for decades, the Church won''t make a move to maintain stability."


    "Have you forgotten the Railway Department head suicide case fifteen years ago?..."


    Listening to two prisoners discuss political shifts in the prison provided a truly bizarre experience, and even more peculiar was that these two, one was a two-meter-tall green-skinned Beastman, and the other a short-legged Goblin only 1.3 meters tall.


    "If you''re interested in politics, I suggest you go to the Reading Room to chat with old Rein. Godol and Rudodo were merely a Government Affairs Hall secretary and a Development Office head before being here, having neither high nor low standing, with ice-cold understanding of the political landscape, chatting mostly about meaningless matters."


    "However, the infamous head of the Cult of the Gods of Four Pillars, Ash Heath, is also interested in Kaimon City''s politics?"


    Ash turned his head, facing the blonde man nearby: "You know me?"


    "Of course, after all, you were on the 7 AM news, the headlines for the day before yesterday and yesterday were all about you¡ªnews is our fastest way to learn about new comrades." The blonde man smiled, "Nice to meet you, perhaps you''ve seen me in the news too¡ªIgula Bokin."


    "Ash." Ash took a step back: "So everyone here is this friendly?"


    "Yes." Igula stated candidly, "We''re all quite friendly to newcomers because we are comrades with the same aspirations."


    "Same aspirations?"


    "Yes." Igula glanced at the Prison Guard on duty and extended a hand to Ash: "Interested in joining our jailbreak research group, becoming supportive friends?"


    Ash was secretly pleased, finding a warm pillow when feeling sleepy, eager to escape, unexpectedly finding an existing group in prison ready to accept him. Naturally, he extended his hand with pleasure: "Of course..."


    "If I were you, I''d punch him."


    Suddenly, a cold female voice came from aside.


    With a sidelong glance, Ash realized it was a young girl clad in a mink coat, ultra-short skirt, silk stockings, and long boots, with a decorative sword that seemed to enhance the intrigue attached to her waist¡ªher attire quite mature yet...girl?


    But he recognized her in the next instant; though the skin was different, wasn''t that appearance the Death Mad Sword Maiden!?


    The Death Mad Sword Maiden descending beside me?


    Ash barely hesitated and turned to punch Igula!


    ```

 Chapter 14 - 14 Miracle Chip

    Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Miracle Chip


    ```


    Zzz!


    "Warning, you are outputting excessive kinetic energy to a citizen! This is a prohibited activity!"


    Without Ash''s proactive call, a light screen suddenly popped up in his vision, streams of red warning messages cascading through his pupils like a waterfall. The piercing alarm, sharp as a scream, echoed endlessly in his ears, stunning him instantly.


    What''s happening?


    Have I been hacked by a virus?


    But I''ve just arrived¡ªI haven''t even visited any mysterious websites yet!?


    His body froze completely, unable to move, until after three seconds he regained control.


    "Looks like you''re quite satisfied with life in Shattered Lake Prison, Ash, so I won''t disturb you."


    Igula moved the fist that was almost touching Ash''s nose away and smiled, "By the way, Ash, your soft and powerless punch is quite adorable."


    The other prisoners in the hall glanced at them, including the guards, who seemed to briefly shift their attention from the light screen to them. However, everyone quickly looked away as if nothing noteworthy had happened.


    Watching Igula''s retreating figure disappear into the corridor, Ash lowered his head and looked at his own fist, filled with doubt.


    "What''s so surprising? Isn''t it just your Miracle Chip at the nape of your neck detecting your attempt to attack someone, emitting a nerve current to temporarily paralyze your body, rendering your attack ineffective?" the Sword Maiden said. "This technology is widely used in animal husbandry outside of prison, but it seems more practical when applied to humans."


    "Then why did you tell me to hit him?"


    "Though fighting and magic power are restricted here, there are still many little tricks you can pull."


    The Sword Maiden casually said, "For instance, using Technique Spirit to sign a Contract¡ªif I''m not mistaken, that man just now had a bit of Meiwa bloodline, and Meiwa is the easiest and best race at mastering the Spirit Faction... If you had responded to his request, shook hands, and signed a Contract, it would have meant becoming ''mutually helpful friends'' with him."


    "However, it''s merely a relationship where you must help him, and whether he helps you depends on his mood. Hmm, to a Spirit Mage, there''s not much difference between friends and slaves."


    Ash understood, if he had shaken hands with Igula earlier, it would have been the same as becoming Igula''s employee, possibly even an intern.


    How despicable this otherworld is, not even needing to sign a labor contract.


    Ash glanced at the other prisoners around him, "Can''t others see you?"


    "You can keep talking to me like this, as long as you don''t mind others looking at you like you''re crazy and avoiding you." The Sword Maiden: "Though I''d rather hear you spit out pearls than listen to the garbage in your mind, still, when a person is under a roof, they have to lower their head."


    Ash understood, seriously looking at the Sword Maiden, "So, are you really the Death Mad Sword Maiden?"


    "Yes, I am the Death Mad Sword Maiden." The Sword Maiden leaned idly against the wall, saying, "But you, Observer, if I hadn''t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn''t have thought you''d end up in a place like this... Do you mind if I mock you?"


    "Very much, but why aren''t you wearing the clothes from the artwork?"


    "Aren''t you also wearing this ultimate luxury edition classic Shattered Lake Prison inmate outfit?" The Sword Maiden rolled her eyes, "You don''t even look like your artwork¡ªhow dare you say that about me? I am a woman, you know. Do you expect me to show up every day in the same set of clothes without washing them?"


    Because the Sword Maiden''s reasoning was quite sound, Ash was convinced by her.


    However, he clearly didn''t care about these details, looking at the Sword Maiden with eagerness in his eyes, "Sword Maiden A Dream, since you''re here, help me escape from this prison!"


    "I refuse."


    "Huh?"


    "Why should I help you escape from here?" the Sword Maiden lazily said, "Here you have food, you have a place to stay, isn''t it quite suitable for a loser like you to remain? Why are you always trying to break out? Outside might be harsher than here, why not just retire early here and live the life you''ve dreamed of?"


    "But I''m carrying a huge burden, and in a few days, I have to participate in something called the Blood Moon Judgement. That thing definitely isn''t inviting me for a buffet, is it!?"


    "Oh, the Blood Moon Judgement..." The Sword Maiden nodded thoughtfully, "Hee hee, that makes me even less inclined to help you escape."


    Ash''s mindset almost collapsed; he thought he finally had a strong backer, but unexpectedly the silk stockings on the strong backer were too slippery to hold onto, "You can''t do this; I am your¡ª"


    "My what?" The Sword Maiden''s eyes suddenly became sharp as she poked Ash''s forehead hard with her finger, "What are you trying to say? What are you trying to say? What are you to me? Huh? Huh? Huh?"


    With each poke, Ash stepped back until he bumped into a long bench and sat down, leaning back to avoid the Sword Maiden''s finger, but still getting poked on the forehead. She leaned over, their noses touching, their eyes meeting, and Ash saw his reflection in her wine-red pupils.


    "Are you trying to say you are my¡ªMaster?" she sneered, "Heh heh, do you want me to call it out a few more times so your filthy mind has more material for reference?"


    Ash instead calmed down, "Is that wrong? You''re just a virtual character in a game; I''m the player. If I die, you naturally would cease to exist. With a bond like this, why can''t you help me?"


    At the word ''bond,'' the Sword Maiden seemed like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, instantly bristling, blood vessels spreading across her eyes, her expression becoming morose and terrifying.


    Ash was startled, but he didn''t back down; instead, he sat up straight, forcing the Sword Maiden to retreat, "Death Mad Sword Maiden, I''m not your Master, but likewise, I''m not your servant either. If you can''t treat me equally, you might as well roll back into the game as your data stream."


    The Sword Maiden''s bosom heaved, showing her mood was far from calm. Just when Ash thought she might kill him with a powdery fist, she suddenly smiled warmly, "A virtual character, huh? You have a point; I am indeed just an illusory thought... But Observer, you''d better remember what you said today."


    "You are not my Master," the Sword Maiden said word by word, "and you never will be."


    Ash: "I promise."


    "Swear it, liars will lose their face, never changing in ten thousand years."


    Though unsure why the Sword Maiden was so insistent, Ash indeed had no such worldly desires, so he said straightforwardly, "I swear, liars will lose their face, never changing in ten thousand years."


    The Sword Maiden seemed completely reassured, turned, and left: "Let''s go, talk while we walk."


    "Go where?" Ash immediately perked up.


    "To the cafeteria, aren''t you going for breakfast?"


    "What about escaping prison..."


    "To be honest, it''s not that I don''t want to help you, but I can''t," said the Sword Maiden. "As you''ve seen, besides you, no one else can see or touch me. I don''t have the ability to impact the physical world, so how am I supposed to help you escape from prison?"


    Ash was greatly disappointed, "Then why are you here, to show off your new skin?"


    "Didn''t you say it yourself? Bonds," the Sword Maiden said, "I''m here to pass on that 30% shared experience to you."


    "Alright!" Ash was thrilled, "Come on, I''m ready!"


    "Ready for what, humph." The Sword Maiden pouted, "Do you think a ''Bling'' sound happens and you magically gain all my swordsmanship experience? If you want to dream, go lie on your bed and dream."


    "Then how do you pass it on to me?"


    "Very simple, go pick a fight with someone, and while you''re fighting, I''ll transmit the experience to you, allowing you to naturally gain a lot of experience in battle."


    "No problem!"


    As they spoke, they arrived at the cafeteria.


    Like a typical dining hall, it had fixed seats, and as soon as Ash entered, he spotted a perfect target for a fight: bald, tattooed, muscular, with scars on his face, clearly a serial killer who killed hundreds.


    He walked over, pretending to accidentally bump into the bald guy''s cup, causing a full cup of milk to spill, drenching the guy''s shoes with white liquid!


    "Ah." Ash said nonchalantly, "Sorry about that."


    The bald guy glared at him, slammed his hand on the table, making the whole table shake, as if he was going to stand up and fight Ash!


    Ash swallowed hard, ready for his first veteran fight, but then saw the bald guy pull a tissue from his pocket and crouch down to clean his shoes.


    "Remember to be careful next time, the milk today is pretty good, I highly recommend it." The bald guy said to the stunned Ash.


    ```

 Chapter 15 - 15 You Will Die Under the Gaze of the Public

    Chapter 15: Chapter 15 You Will Die Under the Gaze of the Public


    ```


    "Give me a piece of toast, a glass of milk... What''s that? Braised lala fat? I''ll have that too."


    Ash held the tray as he sat down, observing the diners in the cafeteria.


    Aside from prisoners dressed in classic uniforms, there were quite a few prison guards eating here as well. This prison seemed not to foster a hierarchy; guards and prisoners appeared equal, or rather, the guards didn''t bother with the prisoners, and the prisoners didn''t deliberately provoke the guards, creating a harmonious prison environment together.


    Ash could understand prison guards not bothering with prisoners, after all, slacking off was human nature, but why did the prisoners also keep their distance from the guards?


    After all, people who are smart don''t commit crimes, so those who end up in prison must be fools who don''t know their place, like some cult leader arrested by police hunters.


    Accordingly, those prisoners must not be that bright either, but why wouldn''t they tease or provoke the guards?


    "Because they''re locked."


    Sitting next to him, the Sword Maiden poked at the braised lala fat with a finger and casually said, "The chips in your neck are locked. No attacking people, no insulting others, no harming yourself. That''s why Shattered Lake Prison is so free¡ªyou''re shackled with chains on every bone and nerve."


    "You see, on that wall is a poster for ''Creating a Civilized Prison,'' with a photo of death row inmates and students. Looks like the fostering of civilization here is quite successful; they even have students visiting for spring and fall trips."


    Ash instinctively touched the back of his neck, eyes widening, "This¡ªthis is like having a bomb on your neck¡ª"


    "Do you have to talk so loudly?" The Sword Maiden pointed at the prisoners who looked over upon hearing him.


    Ash quickly muffled himself with toast: "As long as I wear this chip, there''s no way I can escape, right? It must have a tracking function!"


    "More than that, if they wanted, they could send a strong current through the chip to stop your heart directly." The Sword Maiden spread her hands, "So, you''re right; theoretically, there''s no way to escape this prison. Forget about escaping; even if you wanted to dig a tunnel with a spoon, the chip would stop you from destroying public property."


    "Theoretically no way, so what about in practice?" Ash took a sip of milk, surprised by its sweetness.


    "In practice... there isn''t." The Sword Maiden rolled her eyes, "I''m not from here, how would I know so much?"


    "Then where did you get the info you just shared?"


    "There''s a ''Shattered Lake Prison Encyclopedia'' in your light screen folder. I was bored and took a look."


    Ash froze for a moment, realizing of course, the Sword Maiden was just a character from a game, how would she know anything about this world?


    But now it''s troublesome, she can apparently look through other files on my light screen. I was hoping to find any mysterious websites with black and yellow out there...


    "I can''t help with escaping, but if you want to get stronger, I have some ways." The Sword Maiden said, "In any case, first find someone to fight with. Nothing is easier to understand than a fight, right, Observer?"


    "Wait, according to what you said, prisoners can''t attack others, so how do I fight them?" Ash finally realized the prison had fundamentally prohibited prisoners from brawling.


    "Do you ask me about everything? Are you the one trying to escape prison, or am I?" The Sword Maiden mocked, "And if you''re hungry, do you have to call for your mom?"


    "Mom! Grandma!"


    "You''re looking for trouble!"


    Ash rubbed his forehead, thinking it was so unfair. The Sword Maiden was intangible, yet her flicks on the forehead hurt so much...


    Ash looked around and saw a bald, muscular guy who had taken a glass of milk, so he went over and sat in front of him¡ªknowing others couldn''t hit him made Ash bolder.


    "Hi, I''m Ash, what''s your name?"


    "Hi, Ash, I have a boyfriend." The bald guy was very friendly.


    Ash was stunned, noticing that nearby guards and prisoners also turned their heads, prompting him to quickly explain, "That''s not what I meant, I just have some questions for you!"


    "I understand, I understand, really." The bald guy nodded understandingly, "When you hit on someone and they proactively disclose having a partner, it''s indeed awkward. But my love for my boyfriend is pure and sincere, allowing no doubt, so I state my stance right from the start, being kind to everyone, including you, Ash. I''m sure you''ll find your own love."


    "I... no... I just..."


    "Ask away." The bald guy signaled with an encouraging look, "Don''t feel awkward; failing to hit on someone is quite normal. If you can''t think of a question to cover it for now, I can wait. But honestly, Ash, your way of getting my attention is outdated, knocking over my milk on purpose like a grade-schooler..."


    Now there was no refuting, with witnesses and evidence, Ash had no choice.


    Ash felt the nearby eyes becoming curious, and he opened his mouth, ultimately giving up on explaining, "I just wanted to ask, if I want to fight, is there a way?"


    The bald guy blinked, "You''re new here? Oh, right, you''re the one who''s been all over the news lately... the Four Pillars God Sect leader?"


    "Uh~ I''m actually quite interested in The Gods of Four Pillars, but unfortunately, I have a boyfriend, otherwise I could''ve given you a chance..."


    Ash was truly fed up and wanted to leave, but the bald guy''s next words made him stay: "If you want to stretch your muscles, you''ve come to the right person¡ªoh, I haven''t introduced myself. I''m Lanna, a member of the Death Battle Society."


    "Death Battle Society?"


    "Because of the chips, we can''t harm others. But the Death Battle Society has the warden''s permission, and during a death battle, we can temporarily lift the chip restrictions to fight. This is an exclusive benefit for Death Battle Society members."


    Ash was quite surprised, "The prison agrees to this kind of thing? How humane!"


    Lanna shook his head, "But there''s a cost to this, the biggest being what our society is named after."


    "Death battle?"


    "Exactly." Lanna finished his milk, sticking out his large tongue to clean the milk off his lips, looking at Ash with calm eyes.


    "If you join a death battle, someone must die for it to end. Death battle fights to the death."


    Ash blinked, "But... with so many measures to restrict us, would the prison actually allow us to kill?"


    "If someone dies, it doesn''t mean you killed them." Lanna smiled, "The death battle ring is next to the medical room. As long as the body remains intact and death is within five minutes, taking it to the medical room can revive them. Of course, any leftover sequelae are uncertain."


    "And even if a prisoner does die, the prison doesn''t mind. After all, every prisoner here is destined to die."


    His words carried the ''people die when they are killed'' vibe, and Ash agreed, "Yes, yes, people do indeed die."


    "Hmm? You seem to have misunderstood me." Lanna seemed surprised, "Haven''t you heard of Shattered Lake Prison''s reputation outside? Haven''t you watched the Blood Moon Judgment on the first and fifteenth of every month?"


    "Ah?"


    "Every prisoner in Shattered Lake Prison, every single one, is on death row." Lanna calmly stated, "No appeals, no escape, stripped of political rights for life."


    "Prisoners, after entering the prison, can eat well, sleep well, exercise, watch movies, and play games, but the only thing not allowed is taking a life¡ªnot even their own. Because we are only ever waiting for one outcome¡ª"


    "To participate in the Blood Moon Judgment and die a terribly tragic death in front of an audience."


    ```

 Chapter 16 - 16 The Contribution of the Death Row Inmate

    Chapter 16: Chapter 16 The Contribution of the Death Row Inmate


    Although he had expected it, Ash still felt a chill in his heart when he heard that the Blood Moon Judgment was indeed a death penalty.


    He had held onto a bit of fantasy, thinking perhaps the people here would recognize he wasn''t the Cult Leader, or that he''d go through a long trial, or maybe there''d be a two-year reprieve...


    This fantasy peaked after entering the prison, because, in Ash''s view, how could a death row inmate have such a nice room with its own bathroom?


    How could a death row inmate move freely within the prison?


    How could a death row inmate receive so many privileges from the prison?


    Lanna''s words shattered all his childish expectations¡ªit was precisely because they were going to die that the prison treated them so well.


    "The prison raises us like this, just to let us die in a more pathetic way?" Ash asked with difficulty, "Isn''t that a waste of resources?"


    "Would you complain that fireworks aren''t brilliant enough when they explode?" Lanna laughed, "I''m surprised, you really don''t seem to know much about the Blood Moon Judgment¡ªit''s a live broadcast program shared by every City, most citizens stay home at eight o''clock on the first and fifteenth of each month, turning on the Light Screen to watch the end of each criminal, and the ratings reach nearly seventy percent."


    "By the way, compared to the advertising revenue from the ''Blood Moon Judgment'' program, the cost of the prison raising us is insignificant."


    Watching executions is actually a popular show in this world...


    Ash tugged at the corner of his mouth, "It''s absurd; how can seventy percent of people watch an entertainment program at eight o''clock in the evening, don''t they have to work overtime? I think they''re not working hard enough..."


    Lanna was not surprised at Ash''s impotent rage.


    He had seen too many death row inmates disgracing themselves as the Blood Moon Judgment approached, from railing against societal systems to denouncing the ignorance of the populace. If you stayed in this prison long enough, you''d naturally see it all.


    "But if you want to escape the Blood Moon Judgment, it''s not impossible."


    Ash immediately perked up, "What''s the way?"


    Lanna didn''t tease him; he bluntly said, "Although each Blood Moon Judgment inevitably results in one person''s death, there are eight people who enter, and these eight spots are not fixed but are ranked by ''contribution''."


    "Every death row inmate starts with fifty contribution points, and ten points are deducted each month. However, even if it''s deducted to zero, the prison won''t do anything to the death row inmate."


    "But the higher the contribution points, the later the ranking in the Judgement Sequence, and the lower the points, the earlier the ranking. In theory, the top eight in the Sequence are the participants in the Blood Moon Judgment."


    "There are many ways to earn contribution; the simplest is to create value. Although our memories were extracted by Memory Masters before entering prison and our information is worthless, there are still many ways we can create contributions:


    Some came here for dereliction of duty and bribery; they can offer institutional reform plans to reduce the chance of future dereliction and bribery;


    Some came in because of illegal experiments; they can continue to do legal experiments and write papers in prison;


    Some inherently possess various talents, some even write best-selling books in prison, which naturally counts as creating value."


    "But in this prison, more people are those who came in for murder and are inherently averse to work, preferring plunder¡ªlike me."


    Lanna pointed at Ash, "Like you."


    "So how do we get contribution points? The Death Battle Society is our answer."


    Ash realized something, "You just said participating in the Death Battle comes at a cost..."


    "Besides death and pain, the biggest cost of a Death Battle is the transfer of contribution," Lanna said, "In each Death Battle, both parties must bet a certain amount of contribution points. The winner escapes the Blood Moon, and the loser faces judgment."


    "If the Blood Moon Judgment is the end of the road, then the Death Battle Society is the Blood Sea along the way¡ªalmost every death row inmate eventually participates in Death Battles, gambling their last bit of contribution and draining their last drop of blood, then ascending to the live broadcast room in a most desperate manner."


    "This is how we make contributions¡ªeliminating the weak and maintaining a bloodthirsty spirit!"


    "This is also why the prison allows the Death Battle Society to exist," Lanna''s voice was as calm as discussing someone else''s affairs, "Before going on stage, actors always have to put on makeup."


    Actors have to put on makeup, otherwise, the audience won''t enjoy watching.


    Even without watching the Blood Moon Judgment, Ash understood Lanna''s meaning.


    Just like how they meticulously create illustrations for mobile game characters, so-called ''Death Battles'' are the process of turning death row inmates into an illustration: gambling, fighting, despair, fear, pain... nothing evokes the bloodthirsty spirit in people more than ''fighting for one''s life.''


    When a death row inmate becomes hysterical from pain after numerous defeats in Death Battles, desperate and insane from fear, he becomes a ''main dish'' ready for serving. What is then presented to the audience is such a blood-thirsty, fighting-spirited, desperate, fearful ''beast.''


    Compared to a numb, decayed, sluggish ''human,'' naturally a ''beast'' that still seems to dare to resist is more entertaining to kill.


    This was an overt conspiracy that death row inmates could not refuse.


    Not only would the losers become the product needed by the prison, selling at a ''good price'' on the live broadcast, but the victors also merely drink poison to quench their thirst and will one day appear on the broadcast, walking down the same dead-end path.


    From the beginning, death row inmates had only one outcome: to be squeezed of all value by the prison and then die. The private-bathroom dormitories, good food, and comprehensive facilities were only to fatten them up.


    The so-called Judgment Sequence was actually an internal competition mechanism; everyone was in a zero-sum game. Either you accept the judgment, or I get the death penalty.


    But that''s actually quite reasonable; who can blame them for becoming death row inmates by breaking the law?


    And if a death row inmate doesn''t want to be exploited, he can just lie down and wait for death, but it''s the desire to live that stirs the competition.


    If Ash was outside the prison, he would definitely applaud this mechanism as a bystander.


    Unfortunately, Heath, as a Cult Leader, was not only weak but also incompetent, causing Ash to be caught up in prison, having to find another way to survive.


    "After hearing all this, do you still want to join the Death Battle Society?"


    "Of course!"


    Lanna was not surprised. He finished his milk and burped, "Then come with me. If we''re lucky, we might catch a glimpse of a fresh corpse."


    "People in Death Battles even early in the morning?" Ash asked curiously.


    "Although you need to wager contributions for a Death Battle, you don''t have to wager a lot at first. In the first match, you only need to bet one contribution point, then each match requires one more point than the last. The second match is two points, the third match is three points, and so on."


    "Although the bets accumulate significantly, losing the first five matches still leaves a chance for a comeback, so everyone tries to utilize the first five Death Battles to figure out others'' strengths and weaknesses, assessing their standing in prison."


    "Therefore, the frequency of Death Battles is quite high; one match a day is normal. With only a few days left until the fifteenth, those lower in the Sequence certainly want to escape judgment through Death Battles. I bet the bloodstains on the Battle Arena won''t dry these days."


    "By the way, do you want to buy meat?"


    Ash blinked, "Meat? What meat?"


    "The meat that falls on the arena. This is one of the few ways to spend contribution points. The meat on the arena belongs to the prison, and we can buy it back from the prison."


    Lanna turned to glance at Ash, revealing two rows of pale, neat teeth, "If you''re lucky, you can buy thigh meat, which tastes very good, whether as sashimi or cooked; highly recommended."

 Chapter 17 - 17 Death Battle Society

    Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Death Battle Society


    ```


    The first impression Ash had of the Death Battle Society was that it was dim.


    Unlike the bright places in other parts of the prison, the Death Battle Society had very few lights. Aside from the incandescent bulbs illuminating the deathmatch stage in the center, the surrounding high platforms for the audience had almost no lighting, as if the spectators were submerged in darkness, leaving only the two figures fighting on the stage.


    This was also the place where Ash had seen the most prisoners. Following Lanna all the way here, he had only encountered a few prisoners along the way. When passing by the library and gym, Ash had only seen about ten prisoners. However, after entering the Death Battle Society, even without bright lighting, just by listening to the whispers and making out the vague outlines in the darkness, Ash could tell that there were nearly a hundred people in the Death Battle Society!


    "Lanna, you''re here?"


    "A newcomer? Oh, the head of the Gods of Four Pillars. Bold kid, even daring to interact with the Gods of Four Pillars."


    "Gourmet Lanna has arrived!"


    "Lanna, is that your little boyfriend? Changed your taste, huh?" joked a burly man with a giggle.


    "Desmond, say that nonsense again and ruin the relationship between me and my boyfriend, and I''ll bite you to death!" Lanna retorted angrily, though it sounded more playful than genuinely mad.


    However, the surrounding laughter fell silent. The burly man named Desmond quickly brought his hands together in apology: "Haha, Lanna, I didn''t mean it like that. So, are you going to introduce the newcomer?"


    Lanna huffed, seemingly choosing not to pursue the matter. Desmond sighed in relief and quickly retreated into the crowd.


    Observing this, Ash quietly distanced himself from Lanna.


    He already felt it. Any seemingly ''weak and easy to bully'' bald bystander he found was likely to be an infamous killer in this prison.


    "Ash Heath, a newcomer who arrived in the past few days. He wants to participate in a deathmatch, so I brought him to have a look," Lanna said with a smile. "Who''s fighting now?"


    "''Diamond'' Tiger versus ''Blind Beast'' Rudor."


    "Why is Rudor... Ah, well, Tiger is an old hand, but he won''t even spare a bit of contribution. Didn''t you challenge Rudor?"


    "Of course, we wouldn''t miss this juicy opportunity, but Rudor hasn''t seen Tiger in a deathmatch, thinks Tiger is easier to bully, and Tiger''s stakes are high, so..."


    Ash leaned over to the audience seating, watching the one-sided massacre on the stage below¡ªa frail old white-haired man and a muscular green-skinned Beastman were battling barehanded.


    Yes, a one-sided massacre. Though both sides were attacking without defense, the white-haired old man endured a punch as large as a sand pot without wavering, without gasping, without even leaving a red mark on his skin, as if the green-skinned Beastman was hitting him with a baby''s strength.


    However, in return, every punch from the white-haired old man was as heavy as a thousand pounds, issuing sounds like stones shattering on the green-skinned Beastman''s body, which made one''s scalp tingle just listening.


    When Ash arrived, the green-skinned Beastman had already been beaten to a bloody pulp, not a patch of unhurt flesh left, a few teeth gone, and his eyes swollen shut.


    With a heavy blow, the green-skinned Beastman was struck several meters away, crashing against the wall with a thud, leaving a trace of blood as he slid down, unable to rise.


    Yet the white-haired old man glanced upwards, then surged forward to continue pounding the green-skinned Beastman.


    He seemed like a bathhouse worker scrubbing grime, punching again and again to strip the Beastman''s flesh away.


    Ash watched with some reluctance: "Isn''t the match over? Why hasn''t it ended?"


    "Game over? Not yet," someone nearby chuckled. "Try reaching out your hand."


    Following the suggestion, Ash extended his hand, only to find himself touching an invisible wall of air, which rippled with resonant waves. An invisible barrier encapsulated the lower stage, completely isolating it from the surrounding audience seats.


    "Only when one party dies or falls completely unconscious will the isolation barrier release, allowing a Medical Practitioner to emerge from that door to drag the body back for treatment."


    The person pointed to an inconspicuous door in the stage: "As long as the barrier remains, you can''t let your guard down, you must keep pressing and crushing your opponent."


    "Moreover, there''s no surrender in deathmatches. The defeated only have two possibilities: death or unconsciousness."


    "Many fools, overconfident and underestimating their adversaries, fall in these matches. They stop halfway through, treating it as a friendly spar, only to be killed by a counterattack from their opponent, losing a huge amount of contribution, skyrocketing into the upper ranks of the Judgement Series... But that''s also the point of the Death Battle Society, to shift contributions to those more deserving."


    Thud!


    Hearing a dull punch, Ash felt like the Beastman''s insides had been blasted out, and couldn''t help but ask, "Can they really save him?"


    "He hasn''t lost consciousness yet, but even if they save him, it won''t be much different from dying. Look up there."


    Ash looked up to find the ceiling''s glowing spot was a display Light Screen showing match information:


    "Tiger Norris stakes 35 contributions."


    "VS"


    "Rudor Tooth stakes 5 contributions."


    Astonished, Ash blurted out, "These stakes aren''t equal. Why would Tiger stake so much more?"


    "As long as both parties agree, even unequal stakes can be valid," the person explained leisurely. "Besides, it''s rare to see equal stakes in deathmatches. By the rules, every time you participate, you must stake slightly more than the previous match. Tiger has fought in 34 deathmatches before, so this time he must stake 35 contributions."


    "So this is Rudor''s fifth deathmatch?"


    "No, it''s his tenth. Every prisoner starts with 50 contribution points. With one additional stake per match, he staked a total of 45 points in his previous nine matches, leaving only 5 for this one."


    The person nearby sneered.


    "Thus, if Rudor loses this match, he will have no contributions left and can never earn more through deathmatches. Unless he can pull Gold Coins out from his stomach, he will always remain the first in the Judgement Series."


    "Oh," said Ash, suddenly realizing something. "Wait, does that mean he lost the first nine matches too!?"


    "That''s why they call him ''Blind Beast'' Rudor. He always chooses opponents he can''t defeat."


    Thud!


    Following a resonating punch, the green-skinned Beastman''s head looked like it was about to explode. At the same moment, the ceiling''s Light Screen chimed, flashing "The match is over."


    The stage''s barrier instantly dissipated, and the door on the stage creaked open. Three masked figures in black robes entered without a stretcher and just dragged the Beastman''s body away.


    "The old man is too wicked, playing the fool to fleece contribution from the Beastman."


    "Trick? I''ve always known the old man isn''t easy¡ªRudor''s got poor judgement and a poor head. You don''t even need to think hard to know that the elderly, women, or children able to survive here in the Death Battle Society aren''t easy to deal with."


    "How many has the old man carried off?"


    "Since the day I came here, the old man has carried off at least five."


    "Old man, you have so much contribution already, next time leave such opportunities for us young ones to toil over. That beast too, if it''s purely for giving contribution, better give it to me."


    The crowd chattered noisily in the dark as the white-haired old man wiped blood off his fists with a towel, suddenly coughing repeatedly, spitting out several mouthfuls of bloody phlegm, and gasped in alarm, "That Beastman''s punches pack quite a punch; I think I''m internally injured..."


    "Who believes you!"


    The crowd roared in unison, seemingly having seen others fooled once and then twice playing sheep and tiger with the old man.


    "He''s strong in this ring."


    Ash turned to his right to find the Sword Maiden suddenly there again.


    Different from the others, the dim lighting had no effect on her, as though she emitted her own light to dispel the darkness, starkly seated on the railing.


    Strangely, she had changed outfits, now appearing in a tight-fitting training kendo uniform, with her long red hair tied up, looking the part of a spirited swordswoman.


    Ash instinctively asked, "Why is he strong?"


    "Because in this ring, only attack permissions are open, while Magic Power remains limited."


    The person next to him and the Sword Maiden replied in unison.


    The Sword Maiden cast a glance at Ash, who had his mouth covered, then continued, "There are many types of Mages¡ªartisans, warriors, scholars, healers... But most mages can only command Technique Spirits through Magic Power. If you limit their Magic Power output, they are no different from ordinary people."


    "However, there''s a fraction of mages who, without Technique Spirits, still possess strengths beyond mere mortals¡ªthat''s the Body Technique Masters."


    "Generally, all mages involved in physical cultivation can be called Body Technique Masters, like Sword Masters, Boxers, Gun Masters, Long Spear Masters, Axe Masters... With appropriate weapons, they can also fight many at once. Yet, in terms of physical status, they don''t surpass ordinary people considerably¡ªthey hold ''skill'' advantages."


    "There''s a type of Body Technique Masters who, through relentless bodily enhancement and even Technique Spirit modifications to their flesh and structural framework, wield their own bodies as weapons, achieving crushing-level brutality. Even without Technique Spirits, their physical amplification doesn''t fade. In other places, it might not matter, but in this prison where Technique Spirits are banned, their advantages shine to the fullest!"


    "This type of Body Technique Masters is named¡ªa Weak Mage."


    "Flesh weakened, their bodies are no longer flesh constructions."


    Ash looked over to see the old white-haired man, upon leaving the stage, slicing his fingers across the railing, cutting it down as it crumbled away!


    ''Diamond'' Tiger... so that''s the meaning!


    "Since you''re here, start a fight," recommended the Sword Maiden. "Just avoid fighting that old man. Oh, by the way, for your first fight, pick someone who''s also barehanded, and you best fight barehanded as well."


    "Why?"


    "Because your body is too weak. If you wield a real sword, you might not even swing a few times before getting crippled; and if the opponent also uses punches, at least you can maneuver for a few rounds, buying time for experience transfer," she added, crossing her arms. "I''m more afraid of you getting disarmed, then decapitated by your own weapon in a graphic scene. Your first match should be bare-knuckle."


    "I''m not expecting you to win, but you should at least know how to take a hit?"


    Ash complied with the Sword Maiden''s suggestion and turned to ask the person nearby who''d been chatting with him, "I want to join a deathmatch, preferably against someone barehanded. Do you have any recommendations?"


    "Barehanded fighting? You''ve asked the right guy, brother. I''m into barehanded fighting myself. Let''s have a match; I promise not to bully you."


    "Sure, sure, but this is my first deathmatch, and I''ll only stake 1 contribution point. Even if you play dumb, you can''t earn much," Ash joked.


    "Don''t worry, brother. Not only won''t I take your contribution, I''ll even give you some. I''m quite weak, seeing as¡ª"


    Suddenly, the Death Battle Society''s lights brightened fully, consuming the darkness of the spectator area, making everything starkly visible.


    Only then did Ash realize that the ''friendly stranger'' he''d been chatting with was someone he''d met not too long ago.


    "¡ªeven you wanted to give my face a punch."


    Igula smiled at Ash and said, "We meet again, Ash, with your cute fists."


    ```

 Chapter 18: "Beautiful Beast" Igula

    Chapter 18: Chapter 18: "Beautiful Beast" Igula


    ```


    "The new cult leader is going to a deathmatch with the ''Beautiful Beast''!"


    "The Beautiful Beast doesn''t even let a single contribution point slip by?"


    "Could it be that the cult leader has already fallen for it?"


    "Oh hoo, then it''s not just a single contribution point; the Beautiful Beast might earn 50 contribution points this time..."


    Listening to the chatter from the audience, Ash, who was wrapping his fists with bandages, forced a smile: "Seems like you are indeed a wolf in sheep''s clothing."


    "I actually think it''s you hiding your strength to lure me in," said the fair-skinned, blonde-haired, blue-eyed Igula with a laugh, "You dare to oppose the Blood Frenzy Hunters and are the Four Pillars God Sect''s hierarch. While I''m just a mundane swindler, no matter how you think about it, your combat power should be higher, right?"


    Indeed, before the deathmatch with Igula, Ash had already asked Lanna about Igula''s criminal record.


    After all, almost every prisoner would first introduce themselves on the news channel upon arriving, so criminal records are nearly transparent to each other. Just like everyone knows that Ash is a small-time cult leader taken down by hunters.


    Igula Bokin, also known as the "Swindler," worked in the insurance industry and was imprisoned for defrauding many wealthy individuals of large sums of money. He was a Spirit Mage with a series of Technique Spirits like the "Contract" that could manipulate the mind.


    Although theoretically, the use of Technique Spirits is banned in the prison, this ban was only a ''direct'' ban, not a ''complete'' one.


    Spirit Mages like Igula, who focus on spiritual cultivation, can still use rhetoric, suggestions, body language, etc., to trigger their Technique Spirits. Just like when Igula invited Ash to team up in the hall, if Ash agreed, the Technique Spirit would silently imprint Ash''s spirit.


    It seems Igula indeed lacked direct combat ability, but¡ª¡ª


    Ding!


    The lights around the Death Battle Society dimmed again, leaving only the light screen above the arena, capturing everyone''s attention.


    "Igula Bokin bet 46 contribution points"


    "VS"


    "Ash Heath bet 1 contribution point"


    In a deathmatch, everyone only bets the minimum amount, meaning Igula had already participated in 45 deathmatches!


    Moreover, according to Lanna, Igula had a perfect record in the past 45 deathmatches!


    So why did Ash agree to this deathmatch?


    Because he already agreed.


    When Igula jokingly asked Ash whether he would fight, Ash casually replied, "Sure, sure," also as a joke. At that moment, he had already fallen into the trap¡ªhe couldn''t backtrack on this jest anymore.


    It''s hard to describe this feeling; it wasn''t as though his body was being controlled, but his perception was altered. It''s as if some absurd belief like "water is highly toxic" had emerged, and Ash was sure he had to fight Igula.


    Ash didn''t know the consequences of refusing, as the thought of ''refusal'' never even crossed his mind; it was as if even contemplating the freest of thoughts had been shackled.


    "So, always be cautious in responding to people''s invitations."


    The Sword Maiden leaned against the railing and said lazily, "You are the Final Observer; as far as I''m concerned, you should refuse anyone''s goodwill or malice, say ''no'' to everything, take over with your power, dictate everything with your will, and rule the world like a Demon King¡ª"


    "No!"


    "...You brat..."


    Just as the Sword Maiden was stumped, transparent barriers rose around the arena, announcing the official start of the deathmatch.


    As a ''ding'' sounded in his mind, Ash felt an internal shackle loosen, and the chip at the back of his neck no longer restrained them from attacking each other!


    Simultaneously, Igula darted forward, his agile body charging like a hunting leopard!


    Ash immediately raised his arms in defense and sidestepped, but Igula seemed to predict Ash''s reaction early on. He slid in with a tackle, causing Ash to lose his balance and fall face-first into the ground!


    Even though Ash quickly recovered and stood up, he still couldn''t avoid Igula''s follow-up, receiving a heavy punch to the abdomen with a muffled groan as if he was about to vomit bile.


    "Bite down," Igula ''kindly'' reminded him, then slammed another punch to Ash''s temple!


    Ash was hit dazed, his back against the wall, using his arms to protect his vital parts. However, Igula seemed to foresee all his moves, each direct punch and hook landing in areas Ash failed to defend. Before long, Ash''s face was bruised and swollen, wretchedly trying to evade while getting pummeled.


    He roared in his mind, "Has the transmission of experience not started yet? I''m going to get beaten to death like this!"


    "Damn it! Sword Maiden, take control and beat up this blondie!"


    "Mom! Sword Maiden, save me¡ª"


    The Sword Maiden spoke perfunctorily, saying, "Soon, soon, the more you get hit, the faster the experience transfers. Also, don''t just take the hits, try to counterattack!"


    "Will counterattacking speed up the experience transmission?"


    "No, but it''ll make this deathmatch more interesting. Watching you get one-sidedly beaten is quite dull, to be honest."


    She said this, yet the Sword Maiden was a bit surprised inside.


    She had anticipated Ash being beaten like a punching bag; after all, this was Shattered Lake Prison. Ash participating in deathmatches here was like a lamb walking into a den of wolves¡ªgetting devoured would be expected.


    She initially thought Ash would show an unbearable side, kneeling to beg for mercy while crying, yet, although Ash was wretched, he managed to do his best: leaning against a wall to reduce the target area, covering his face''s triangle area with both hands, quickly standing after falling down instead of being pinned...


    What surprised the Sword Maiden most was that Ash hadn''t cried.


    As a wandering soul from another world who lived in a greenhouse and had never experienced bloodshed, Ash''s resilience was unexpectedly strong, even exhibiting a certain degree of psychological self-comfort.


    He continuously mumbled to the Sword Maiden in his mind, using conversation to mitigate the pain, without distraction. His defense became more efficient, and his movements to dodge attacks grew quicker, an embodiment...


    An embodiment like a sponge that kept absorbing knowledge.


    The Sword Maiden suddenly felt that even without her, without the Mage''s Handbook, Ash would quickly adapt to this seemingly beautiful and cruel world after enduring the initial shock of crossing worlds.


    At his core, he wasn''t a cowardly person; changing environments would unveil his true nature.


    Indeed... he was the Final Observer...


    Snap!


    Ash felt like his arm bone was burning as if it were on fire. The Sword Maiden urged him to fight back, and just then, Ash was also fueled by the heat from the beatings. Even a clay figure would have three parts temper, not to mention that Ash wasn''t one to let himself be bullied easily.


    He had his own methods at work: apart from not talking back to superiors, he wouldn''t suffer losses among colleagues. Plus, being capable and knowing how to flatterled him to often clamor for recognition loudly, achieving a semblance of success in the workplace. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been appointed as the head of the new game''s operations team.


    Seizing an opportunity by recalling a punch from his military training, he threw a straight punch from a horse stance!


    "Soft as cotton, how cute."


    Igula dodged as if he were strolling, wearing a disdainful smile, avoiding Ash''s punch exquisitely, and striking Ash''s face with a counterpunch.


    "You!"


    "You¡ª!"


    "You¡ªyou¡ª"


    Ash couldn''t bring himself to curse, and he couldn''t land even a single punch.


    Igula could deliver a painful blow every time to Ash, evading all of Ash''s attempts, simply needing a slight turn to dodge Ash''s direct punch.


    To the onlookers, it seemed less like a fight but more like a performance¡ªas if Ash voluntarily offered his face to meet Igula''s fists.


    "There it is again, the Beautiful Beast''s magic trick."


    "Looks like the cult leader''s remaining 49 contribution points will also end up in the Beautiful Beast''s pocket."


    "Hmph, it''s all flashy tricks; if it were me¡ª"


    "What would happen if it were you?"


    "If it were me, he''d have to kneel down to check if I was still breathing!"


    "Though we couldn''t beat the Beautiful Beast, Master Tiger certainly could!"


    The white-haired old man, Tiger, hastily shook his head: "No, no, the young generation is surpassing us; an old man like me will sooner or later become a stepping stone for you..."


    Old man, could you let go of the rail before saying that? You''re about to twist it into a pretzel! Everyone cursed silently, and then someone turned to Lanna, nestled in a burly man''s arms: "Lanna, can you see through the Beautiful Beast''s tricks?"


    "I don''t know, and words won''t help; you''ll only know by fighting," Lanna said with a smile, "But I wouldn''t want to fight the Beautiful Beast. He''s not my type. Don''t worry, darling, as long as you''re breathing, I won''t set my eyes on anyone else."


    The brawny man Lanna was cozily leaning against broke into a cold sweat, forcing a smile in the dim light.


    In the deathmatch arena, Igula flicked the blood off his fist and casually asked, "Do you know why I''ve won all 45 deathmatches? Although my physique isn''t that great and my reflexes aren''t particularly fast, why is it that you can''t hit me, but I hit you every time?"


    Indeed, through the earlier fight, Ash noticed that Igula''s physical attributes were almost the same as his. Forget about comparing with a monster like "Diamond" Tiger; even an average brawny man could suppress Igula. Despite being on the same level, Ash could hit nothing but Igula''s face.


    If Igula''s boxing skills were extraordinary, it would make sense, but Ash could tell Igula''s combat skills were merely average; otherwise, Ash wouldn''t have lasted this long.


    Both were weak, so why could only you peck at me?


    "I have defeated Beastmen, Trolls, Goblins; their physical attributes far surpassed mine, yet they all fell on this arena, transferring the contribution points that weren''t theirs to me," Igula said leisurely, "The reason you and they meet such a pathetic end is one and only¡ª"


    "You are, all livestock."


    "Your life never belonged to you."


    "From the moment you stepped onto the arena, your neck was already wrapped in the chain I prepared for you. Before squeezing out your last contribution point, you are the livestock under my control!"


    "The fate of livestock is always one and only¡ª"


    "Bleeding, skinning, then..." Igula, tall and handsome, looked down at Ash, licking his lips with a cruel smile, "being slaughtered and cut into delicious pieces by their master!"


    "Keep going, Ash Heath, and don''t think about surrendering. There''s no such rule in a deathmatch. Rest assured, I''m gentle with my livestock; it''ll end soon."


    Ash straightened up, twisted his neck, and spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva: "Yes."


    The Sword Maiden nodded from the stands, lazily commenting, "It''s time to end."


    ```

 Chapter 19: Such a pretty face, a punch could make it cry for a long time!

    Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Such a pretty face, a punch could make it cry for a long time!


    Every era had its own theme, and in the age of mysteries before the gods shed their light, the theme was violence, plunder, and destruction. All creatures struggled for resources, betting their lives on survival and reproduction.


    In this era of the gods, Igula believed the main theme was domination.


    Domination of others, domination of organizations, domination of culture, domination of thought...


    Large-scale wars had become rare. People no longer expanded territories, instead everyone competed over existing resources, class had solidified, systems had become supreme, and plunder had been replaced by more sophisticated exploitation. All actions had to follow the rules of the game set a thousand years ago.


    Crude violence was no longer appropriate; only the romantic mind control could thrive in this world.


    And when it came to domination, Spirit Mages were undoubtedly the best choice.


    Although Igula was only a Two-winged Spirit Mage, in this class with fixed inherent paths, predetermined life trajectories at birth, and where most people never had the chance to enter the Void Realm''s Kingdom of Blood Moon, he was like a beast at the top of the food chain.


    The most dangerous knowledge was controlled by the Blood Saint Clan and the Moon Shadow Clan. Ordinary mages hadn''t even heard of the Spirit Faction, let alone knew how to defend against it.


    Even Igula''s psychic knowledge was due to the awakening of the Meiwa bloodline in his body, allowing him to find the two crucial Technique Spirits, "Resonance" and "Fulfillment," in the Void Realm, transforming him into a Spirit Mage.


    Additionally, he was a Contractor in the insurance industry, possessing the fundamental Technique Spirit "Contract," enabling him to create a miracle aimed specifically at intelligent beings, "Words Into Action"!


    Whether it was jokes or falsehoods, once someone made an agreement with Igula, he could use "Resonance" to establish a connection and bind with a "Contract," then demand "Fulfillment" to make them stick to their words!


    In a civilized society, this miracle was unstoppable. If he hadn''t hit a roadblock, he would be enjoying wine in a seaside villa instead of fighting in this prison surrounded by lake water.


    Yet, as long as there were rules, he would remain the master, and the prison was no exception.


    Even if Technique Spirits were banned here, since they were manifestations of knowledge, Igula could still achieve his goal indirectly.


    Technique Spirits were like a campfire for roasting meat, even if the fire was extinguished, with a little effort in fire-making, it could still be rekindled.


    "Contract," "Resonance," and "Fulfillment" were closely related to speech, so with the power of language alone, Igula could bypass the chip''s restrictions to invoke Technique Spirit resonance.


    In his past 45 death matches, he forced opponents to agree to fight using the miracle "Words Into Action," and even if they lost, they would agree to a second, third, and fourth match, until Igula drained their contribution completely.


    "He will attack my left cheek."


    "Weak, weak, too weak!"


    Igula easily dodged Ash''s attack and mocked, "Your punch still smells of milk, who do you think you can hit!?"


    "He will kick my left calf."


    "He wants to hug me."


    "He wants to use a right hook."


    Intense thoughts flowed continuously from his opponent into Igula''s consciousness. Igula looked at this man, like a trapped beast, with pity and a disdainful smile curled at the corner of his mouth¡ªas soon as the chains were placed, livestock had already lost the ability to harm its master!


    This was a small trick Igula invented after his imprisonment, not considered a miracle, only leveraging the "Contract" connection and enhanced by linguistic coaxing, enabling "Resonance" effects between Igula and his opponent to decipher their offensive intentions!


    If he could leave Shattered Lake Prison, perhaps Igula could invent a miracle similar to "Foreseeing Enemy Moves" from this.


    However, even an underdeveloped trick was enough for Igula to win 45 consecutive matches!


    But the winning streak would soon add another 10 matches¡ªAsh Heath seemed to Igula like a lamb ready for roasting, seasoned with cumin! This death match was just the starting point; next, Igula planned to win ten times in a row, completely taking away Ash''s initial 50 contribution!


    This was the essence of death matches, eliminating the weak, distinguishing the livestock!


    Crawl at my feet, let me trample you, livestock!


    "He will use a direct punch to hit my chest."


    Igula dodged his punch, responding with a counterattack, laughing, "Come on, you almost got me¡ªhuh?"


    Though his punch missed, Ash quickly ducked to evade Igula''s attack and even moved closer, raising his elbow.


    Naturally, Igula swiftly retreated, filled with suspicion¡ªthis was the first time Ash evaded his attack.


    Though one instance was insignificant, it was not a good omen.


    He couldn''t play around anymore; it was time to knock Ash out directly.


    Just as he thought this, Igula shook off the blood on his fist and lunged forward, focused entirely on capturing Ash''s intentions and targeted Ash''s vulnerabilities with his attack!


    "Beautiful Beast, stop wasting time and hurry up to the end!"


    "It''s rare to have a newcomer, don''t ruin the fun too soon!"


    "Beautiful Beast, you have so many contributions, why not let me enjoy once?"


    "Beautiful Beast, bring a knife next time; I want some meaty thigh meat! Lanna, don''t fight me for it!"


    The prisoners in the audience laughed and joked, but Lanna, who was outlining circles on his boyfriend''s chest, suddenly said, "Even if I don''t fight, you still won''t get to eat it."


    "Huh?"


    The prisoners were slightly stunned. As they watched closely, many people''s expressions changed, "This kid... is he a believer of the Gods of Four Pillars..."


    Despite Ash''s clumsy movements, his defensive efficiency visibly improved. Whereas Igula had landed every punch before, now landing one punch out of four was an achievement, and even that one might be blocked by Ash with his arm.


    His physical prowess hadn''t dramatically increased, instead, it seemed he developed fighting instincts.


    Ash''s movements didn''t speed up; in fact, they slowed due to fatigue and pain, yet became more adept, as if mimicking Igula''s steps. Whenever Igula gestured, Ash seemed to naturally follow.


    Honestly, Igula wasn''t considered strong in the Death Battle Society, not even in the second tier. His strength lay in thoroughly exploiting weak opponents, bypassing prison rules to drain their resources completely. But everyone had to admit Igula had a keen eye, always finding prey to bully, as evidenced by his record of 45 consecutive wins.


    When Ash faced Igula in the ring, everyone thought Ash would lose all his contribution and become a frequent participant of Blood Moon Judgement. Ash hadn''t demonstrated any combat ability and seemed more like a pretty face, causing many to suspect that the Gods of Four Pillars could very well be a rich women''s dating club.


    Yet, in just a few minutes of combat, Ash transformed from a delicate flower in a greenhouse into a poised and seasoned jungle predator, and seemed to take the upper hand subtly!


    "Master Tiger, looks like someone similar to you," someone laughed, "Never expected Igula to be played like a fool."


    "No."


    Typically timid, the old, white-haired man known as Tiger had a serious expression, "He wasn''t playing the fool before; he truly was a fool."


    "Bodies don''t lie." Lanna, sitting up straight on his boyfriend''s lap, said, "His body hasn''t undergone any combat training. He''s clearly a pampered scholar. I watched him closely when I brought him in. All his physical responses lack combat conditioning, even inferior to children."


    "Judging by his initial defensive stance, this might be one of the few close-quarter combats he''s engaged in over recent years."


    Someone muttered, "How could this be... does that mean..."


    "Exactly." From the shadows, Lanna wistfully stated, "A man in the wrong place, awakening the wrong talent. Truly... a pity."


    Smack!


    Using both hands, Igula blocked Ash''s punch¡ªhis first defense in this battle. Compared to the murmuring audience, Igula profoundly felt Ash''s rapid improvement¡ªtransforming from a silent, slaughter-bound livestock into a... ferociously roaring livestock nonetheless.


    "What adorable fists, softer than a baby''s," Igula sneered, "Are you tired?"


    Ash remained silent, pacing and facing Igula, looking for defensive gaps.


    "I have to admit, I underestimated you," Igula acknowledged. "Your learning speed exceeds my expectations. Is it a gift from the Gods of Four Pillars? Or a talent you just uncovered? I concede you have the makings to rise above livestock, but your physical condition is utterly dismal, so bad that simply delaying will wear you down!"


    "The 1 contribution you wagered can be your ransom for evolving from livestock to human. Rejoice, Ash Heath, as you''re the only one breaking free of the chains, yet that''s all you''ll ever be. Once this death match is over, I''ll have no dealings with you again, nor accept any challenges from you, and within the prison rules, you can''t retaliate against me."


    "Understanding rules, leveraging rules, mastering rules, that epitomizes true strength. Your battle potential merely raises you from livestock to a... beast!"


    "When engulfed by power and struggling in the Blood Moon Judgement, I''ll be somewhere safe, savoring red wine while watching your grotesque struggles. That''s the difference between you and me. That is the distance between the dominated and the dominator!"


    At that moment, Ash suddenly said, "Don''t cover your face."


    Igula sneered menacingly as if he''d heed that¡ª


    "You''re quite good-looking, let me take a good look."


    "You''re quite good-looking, let me take a good look."


    Ash''s words and genuine thoughts arrived simultaneously, catching Igula off guard. For the first time, such praise buzzed in his ears upon the platform, and out of a need to flaunt, he instinctively lowered his hands¡ª


    Smack!


    With immense strength, the pent-up punch crashed into Igula''s face, causing him to black out.


    Ding ding ding!


    "The victor is decided: the winner is Ash Heath!"

 Chapter 20 - 20 The Raven Medical Practitioner

    Chapter 20: Chapter 20 The Raven Medical Practitioner


    ```


    "Ash Heath, if you''re awake, walk out by yourself; otherwise, you''ll miss dinner. They don''t serve patient meals here."


    Bathed in the heat from the glaring white light, Ash swiftly sat up, touching his face and abdomen, feeling neither swelling nor pain, as if the beating from Igula had been just a dream.


    It wasn''t the first time he''d witnessed this world''s medical technology, but every time it left him amazed. The wound from the Blood Frenzy Hunter''s sword, which in his past life would have meant weeks in intensive care, had been healed here before the interrogation even began.


    It made Ash think they wanted to heal him first before administering a full set of interrogation "therapy."


    He glanced around, noticing this treatment room was unlike what he imagined. There was no smell of disinfectant. The environment, though clean and free of any clutter or bloodstains, had a predominant grayscale palette of gray, black, and brown, giving a ''dirty chaos'' impression visually.


    Not to mention the medical practitioner here, dressed in a full-body black robe, wearing an intimidating crow mask, holding a gleaming short knife.


    It looked less like a doctor and more like a cultist about to sacrifice Ash.


    The one speaking to Ash was a slightly short medical practitioner, indistinguishable by voice, as if the mask distorted the sound, making it more eerie.


    Noticing Ash staring, she asked, "Is there a problem?"


    Ash replied casually, "I think there''s still something wrong with my face."


    "Hmm? I''ve already healed all your injuries." The medical practitioner seemed puzzled, "Could it be a broken blood vessel inside?"


    "I feel like I''m not as handsome as before. Did you not fix that? By the way, do you offer cosmetic services here?"


    Originally, Ash was just making small talk to build goodwill, hoping for a fruit treat next time during treatment, but unexpectedly, the crow medical practitioner got excited, moving closer and saying, "Of course we do! Eye corner expansion, nasal bone adjustment, bone shaving, chin fillers, any technique you want, even changing to another race is possible! I highly recommend the Kazlan-Dai technique, which effectively enlarges your eyes..."


    Ash, looking displeased, pushed the medical practitioner away, "Your crow mouth is poking me!"


    "Ah, sorry, if you''re considering mouth-related cosmetic surgery, I also have the latest White Rabbit Candy technique, which can naturally sweeten your lips..."


    Seeing the medical practitioner''s insurance sales-like enthusiasm, Ash became a bit frightened, "I don''t have money!"


    "I don''t want your money, I just want you!"


    Ash''s body shivered, "That quick? We barely know each other! Wait, are you male or female? Wait, what''s your race..."


    Realizing her misspeaking, the medical practitioner waved her hands, "I mean, if you''re willing for me to perform surgery, that''s enough, no payment needed, completely free!"


    "Hmm..." Ash asked, "What if I want you to pay me?"


    "Uh...how much?"


    Seeing the medical practitioner really taking out a wallet, Ash hurriedly stopped her, "Stop, stop, I was just asking casually, I didn''t really intend to go under the knife. Are all medical practitioners this kind-hearted, doing surgery for free without asking for anything in return? Seeing you dressed like this, I thought you''d be the type to suddenly upcharge in the middle of a surgery."


    Medical practitioner: "Ah, isn''t that kind of thing normal?"


    "Huh?"


    For a moment, Ash couldn''t tell if she meant ''free'' or ''mid-surgery upcharge.''


    "So you really don''t plan to have cosmetic surgery?" The medical practitioner urged, "I''m a Silver-ranked practitioner with three Technique Spirits. Outside, you wouldn''t find another practitioner as capable and free as me. You''re lucky to meet one!"


    "What if you suddenly charge halfway during the surgery?"


    "Do you have money?"


    "No."


    "Then what are you worrying about!?"


    That made a lot of sense, as long as I''m broke, you can''t scam me out of money... Ash still shook his head, "In my line of work, they say ''the most expensive things are free.'' If I take this freebie, there must be a catch somewhere."


    Seeing Ash not take the bait, the medical practitioner admitted, "Well, if you''re willing to let me perform surgery, there might be a bit of risk."


    "A bit?"


    "Yes, a bit." The medical practitioner gestured with her fingers, "After all, I''m not particularly skilled in this technique, so I need more surgeries to improve, but I have three Technique Spirits, enough to ensure your life isn''t in danger..."


    From the medical practitioner''s explanation, Ash finally understood why they allowed patients free treatment: because the healing efficiency of Silver practitioners wasn''t guaranteed.


    Unlike the empirical medicine of his previous world, the medicine here evolved from Technique Spirits, with the most commonly used being the Water Technique Faction''s ''Water Therapy.''


    As long as the patient had moisture in their body, this Technique Spirit could be activated to rapidly regenerate wounds.


    By bleeding and scraping flesh, then activating the Technique Spirit to quickly regenerate the body, was the most common treatment method.


    Needless to say, this method had many flaws. Yet, all Technique Spirits had evolutionary traits, and this was most evident in the ''Water Therapy'' Technique Spirit: illnesses treated with ''Water Therapy'' would be remembered and optimized, allowing faster treatment of similar conditions next time.


    Moreover, if a medical practitioner treated enough cases, the ''Water Therapy'' Technique Spirit could even evolve into a Two-winged Technique Spirit!


    Therefore, Silver medical practitioners were eager for patients but couldn''t find them, while patients were willing to pay more for better Gold practitioners, avoiding Silver ones¡ªsince the weaker the practitioner, the less effective the ''Water Therapy,'' increasing the chance of patient complications.


    Shattered Lake Prison was a goldmine for medical practitioners¡ªinmates on the brink of death needed treatment daily, letting them gain experience rapidly, with a stable doctor-patient relationship; even if a patient died, there''d be no repercussions!


    The practitioner speaking to Ash wouldn''t have had a chance to gain experience here if not for her connections!


    Ash thought cleverly; the Death Battle Society was not only about encouraging inmates to outdo each other but also turning them into regenerable resources for practitioners to exploit for experience. This prison was quite the enterprising setup, completely favored by the prison''s management.


    However, treatment being free without consuming death row inmates'' contributions, showed the prison''s limited scope, falling short compared to Ash''s company¡ªhis company not only sold him sudden death insurance but also deducted his malicious overtime electricity bill from his paycheck, utterly destroying Ash''s mining-for-cryptos get-rich plan.


    ```

 Chapter 21 - 21 Ash’s Workplace Little Teaching

    Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Ash''s Workplace Little Teaching


    ```


    "If you want more people to come to you for treatment, shouldn''t you put some effort into your appearance?"


    In the treatment room, Ash looked at the medical practitioner wearing a crow mask, feeling a bit puzzled, "Dressing like this, it''s a wonder people don''t suspect you of robbery or preaching, let alone seek treatment from you. Or is this just a meaningless tradition?"


    "It''s a tradition, and it has meaning," the medical practitioner said, "Think about it, what if... if by chance... I botch your treatment, and when you wake up, you find you''re missing some parts, would you dare attack me when you see me looking like this?"


    "Not really."


    "That''s the point."


    The two stared at each other, and Ash suddenly realized, "So the scary attire and the eerie treatment room environment are all tools to improve the doctor-patient relationship... Wait, does this mean your treatment failure probability is high?"


    "It''s not very high, just a tiny possibility..." The medical practitioner spoke vaguely, not even daring to look at Ash, suggesting that this tiny possibility was about the size of the Milky Way.


    Ash said, "Your service attitude is inadequate. I''m sure no patients seek you out outside, right? They must even accuse you of poor treatment, so you''re forced to hide in prison to gain experience with us who can''t complain, correct?"


    The medical practitioner shamefully hung her head, clearly showing Ash had hit the mark, as she softly defended herself, "I did cure them, but they still complained and caused trouble everywhere, and some issues had nothing to do with me, they were self-inflicted... I only provided the most basic guarantee of treatment, yet they had so many demands..."


    As if Ash had broken through her defenses, the medical practitioner poured her negative emotions on Ash like a trash can. Her story sounded like she deserved it: in an era where most medical practitioners would charge some fee for the diagnosis, she asked for nothing, even made house calls, and consequently got accused of inadequate treatment, unable to survive in the city, resorting to gaining experience in prison.


    After listening, Ash thought for a moment and asked, "Do you know your flaw?"


    "I know, it''s my lack of precision..."


    "It''s that you don''t speak confidently enough!"


    "Huh?" The medical practitioner raised her head, her eyes behind the crow mask filled with confusion.


    "You speak so meekly and without assertiveness; once a medical mishap occurs, the patients will undoubtedly trouble you. Even if you don''t charge, you''ll still get bullied," Ash advised, "When you say you might not cure the illness, you need to speak loudly, stand straight, and say it with confidence and pride."


    "And that''s only the first step. The second step is to find the patient''s flaws. If the patient looks good, say they live too extravagantly; if they''re ugly, say they have no sex life; if they''re thin, say they''re malnourished; if they''re fat, say they''re over-nourished. There''s always a critique that fits. Nobody''s perfect, and you''ll certainly find something to put the patient down."


    "As long as you follow these two steps, you can establish your authority, suppress the patient''s status, and create an atmosphere where ''you should be grateful I''m willing to treat you.'' Even if something goes wrong with the treatment, patients will not blame you and might even explain on your behalf."


    The medical practitioner asked, "Does it really work?"


    "Absolutely!" Ash nodded emphatically, "This is based on my many years of personal experience!"


    Ash was well-versed in this kind of workplace PUA. First, pick out the other''s flaws to suppress them, then release your own goodwill, making them grateful as if they have Stockholm Syndrome. Newly graduated students are almost defenseless against this tactic.


    Using such a forbidden technique in the workplace should certainly be condemned, but as the saying goes, "A weapon''s morality lies solely in the wielder''s heart." For a medical volunteer like her willing to provide free medical care, even if there''s a tiny bit of negative impact, Ash felt her career path should be smoother.


    "So do you know what to do now?"


    "What should I do?"


    "No matter what surgery you perform in the future, always tell the patient, ''I''ve done my best!''"


    "I''ve done my best."


    "Louder, I can''t hear you!"


    "I''ve done my best!" the medical practitioner clenched her fist and said.


    Ash nodded in satisfaction, "You can slowly understand the rest on your own. I should go eat..."


    The medical practitioner was lost in thought, and as Ash put on his shoes and was about to leave, she suddenly stopped him and asked, "Are you sure you don''t want cosmetic surgery? Looking at the face in the mirror, don''t you feel it''s disrespectful to others to go out in public like that?"


    Ash''s body shook, his eyes filled with the satisfaction of a promising student¡ªgoodness gracious, she was using the newly learned skill on her teacher already!?


    If she joined our company, she''d at least be a team leader level expert!


    "It''s really about the lack of contrast causing no harm; compared to your crow face, I suddenly feel handsome. Maybe next time, when I feel ugly, I''ll come to you for cosmetic surgery," Ash brushed off the suggestion.


    "I''m not ugly, you''re ugly!" the medical practitioner was so angry she wanted to take off her mask, but as soon as her hand touched the crow mask, footsteps sounded from upstairs.


    She suddenly remembered something, "Oh, Ash, take this."


    Ash was handed a nameplate with the number [222] written on it.


    "What''s this?"


    The medical practitioner said, "It''s my ID badge. Remember to carry it with you every minute of every day, even while sleeping, so everyone knows you''re mine."


    Ash blinked, "So, what are you actually, GG or MM? I''m a pretty casual person, but if your conditions exceed my bottom line, I''ll have to charge extra..."


    "You''re not getting cosmetic surgery, so when you venture out, you''ll scare others into fighting you seven or eight times. With my ID badge, when you''re pummeled to a pulp, I''ll have priority in treating you. If your face gets ruined, I can fix that cosmetically while I''m at it." The medical practitioner pushed him out, "Now go eat, the cafeteria is about to close..."


    Ash thought briefly, put the nameplate in his pocket, and suddenly asked, "By the way, if I come back next time, could you cut an apple for me?"


    The medical practitioner was stunned, "Sure."


    Great, mission accomplished.


    Don''t think Ash was being trivial; this was his secret to workplace socializing¡ªgetting others to help him with a trivial matter strengthens the relationship. The ''feeling of being needed'' is a high-level emotional need, and Ash used this tactic to win the most votes in the ''Top Ten Employees'' poll, earning an additional six months'' bonus.


    "Let''s have a meal together sometime, I''m off now," Ash said, "See you next time, [222]... Almost forgot to say, thank you."


    "If you really want to thank me, let me give you a makeover¡ª"


    "Next time, definitely next time!"


    After Ash left, the medical practitioner continued to tidy up the treatment room tools.


    Suddenly, another door opened, and a tall medical practitioner walked in and sternly said, "Why are you still here?"


    The medical practitioner glanced at his badge, which was [176].


    Indeed, not only did the death row inmates not know the identities of the medical practitioners, but even the medical practitioners were unaware of each other''s identities. Except in their own dorms, they had to wear their crow masks in any public location, identifying each other by their badges.


    "A patient just woke up, which delayed me a bit. I gave him my ID badge to reserve his future treatments."


    "You didn''t chat with him, did you?"


    The tall medical practitioner''s tone became more serious.


    "You know, conversing with prisoners is against the rules. Our identities must be kept strictly confidential. If news of our rituals here spreads, the Human Rights Association will dismantle the council..."


    "I know." The medical practitioner stuck her tongue out behind her crow mask.


    "Then quickly return to your room, and submit your 11-inch blood magic thesis by this weekend. Don''t forget," the tall medical practitioner sternly said, "Don''t think a little talent allows you to slack off. Without the team leader''s permission, you''d have no qualification to be here..."


    In the past, the medical practitioner would have been fearfully self-reflective when criticized by a senior. But after chatting with Ash, a thought suddenly popped into her mind.


    "Is the senior deliberately criticizing my imperfections to establish his authority and suppress my status? My entry, facilitated by the team leader''s concern, was beyond my influence and unrelated to my skills; he can always criticize me on this point."


    Listening to the tall medical practitioner''s empty remarks, the medical practitioner found herself missing Ash''s pleasant words more and more.


    Now that I think of it, Ash''s recovery seemed much stronger than that of a typical body technique master, and the tactile feedback during treatment was really nice...


    I genuinely hope Ash gets beaten almost to death soon, she thought.


    ```

 Chapter 22: Invitation to a Deadly Battle

    Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Invitation to a Deadly Battle


    Shattered Lake Prison, Cafeteria.


    "I won 45 contribution points and still have to participate in the Blood Moon Judgement in a few days!?"


    Ash, who was gobbling down food, lifted his head in disbelief, wearing a betrayed expression, "Didn''t they say that those with more contribution points would be judged later in the sequence?"


    "That''s indeed the case."


    Lanna said while sipping her milk, "But there''s a condition¡ªall inmates must attend their first Blood Moon Judgement; only a select few escape this under special circumstances."


    "And those who experience a Blood Moon Judgement and survive will have their subsequent sequences arranged according to their contribution points."


    "What if I die in my first Blood Moon Judgement?"


    "If you''re worried about that, why not throw the match with me and hand over your contribution points?"


    "In your dreams!" Ash muttered, then thought for a moment and said, "Didn''t you say before that only one person dies in the Blood Moon Judgement?"


    "Yes, there are eight participants, but only one will die," Lanna said. "That''s only a 12.5% chance of dying, which is actually quite low¡ªthat''s under normal circumstances."


    "Am I a normal person?"


    "Obviously not. As the cult leader of the Gods of Four Pillars, you''re not. Murder, kidnapping, imprisonment, ritualistic sacrifices... The people victimized by you number in the thousands, and your notoriety is well known. Without any surprises, you''re bound to be a major focus during the Blood Moon Judgement."


    Heath bravely takes flight while Ash bears the blame... Ash harbored endless resentment toward Heath in his heart. Could Heath possibly drink six walnut drinks to get smarter!? What''s with all the cult activities?! It''s more infuriating than those relentless online loans!


    "How about it, if you''re going to give up anyway, why not give me your contribution points?" Lanna said, "I will remember your sacrifice and live happily with my boyfriend..."


    "Get lost!" Ash grumbled, "I might survive, you know? I won''t give up!"


    "Alright," Lanna didn''t seem to care about Ash''s 95 points of contribution. She said, "Someone wants to challenge you, do you accept?"


    "That''s the real reason you''re waiting for me in the cafeteria, isn''t it?"


    "Exactly." Lanna admitted, "As for why, you''ll understand when you see the amount of contribution points the other party bets¡ª37 contribution points."


    Ash squinted his eyes, "Someone who has already fought 36 death matches challenges me? I only bet 2 contribution points."


    Lanna shrugged.


    "That''s why I made a special trip to notify you."


    "Generally, newcomers challenge veterans in death matches because they can gamble small for a big return. It''s not unheard of for veterans to challenge newcomers, but usually, that''s after at least five matches, or else veterans aren''t even interested in gaining points."


    "So when a veteran challenges you, I''m quite curious and want to ask if you have a grudge with them."


    "Who is it?"


    "Valcas Uer."


    Ash shook his head, "Never heard of him."


    Of course, he hadn''t heard of him, because he didn''t have Heath''s memories. Even if Valcas had a grudge with Heath, Ash wouldn''t know.


    "Selin Dole."


    "Huh?" Ash blinked, "Who?"


    Lanna waved her hand, "Nothing, just reminded of someone familiar."


    "So do you want to accept Valcas'' challenge?"


    "What weapon does Valcas use?"


    "A sword."


    Ash felt a stirring inside and glanced sideways with the corner of his eye. He saw the Sword Maiden sitting cross-legged on the table, arms folded, calmly watching him, her legs wrapped in eye-catching black stockings.


    She gave Ash a sidelong glance, "Sneaking a peek at me is so interesting?"


    "Sorry." Ash turned his head to stare at the black stockings, suddenly having a thought, "Say, if you can touch me, does that mean I can touch you too? Ahem, Sword Maiden, wash up for later..."


    Clang! The Sword Maiden unsheathed her ornate decorative sword, and Ash instantly composed himself, saying to Lanna, "Tell Valcas to wash his neck clean for me tomorrow!"


    "Then show up at the Death Battle Society tomorrow morning. I won''t interrupt your meal any further; my boyfriend is waiting for me. Goodbye." Lanna said and left in a gust of wind.


    Ash thought that Lanna''s boyfriend was waiting for him at the lovers'' room, but after a couple of glances, he realized Lanna wasn''t heading towards the lovers'' room. Conversely, she left in the direction of the Death Battle Society... Maybe there was a late-night death match, wanting to work the medical practitioners to death, Ash thought.


    "Back to the dorm," the Sword Maiden jumped down from the dining table, "You have a busy night ahead. I''m going to take you exploring a world you''ve never known."


    Ash''s face flushed red with anger¡ªwhat do you mean a world I''ve never known!? Do I really look that much like a virginal boy!?


    This woman was speaking too arrogantly. If she continued unchecked, I''d have no standing left at all!


    "Why aren''t you coming?"


    "Coming~"


    ...


    ...


    At 8:45 p.m., in the Death Battle Society without any other spectators, an unknown death match was underway.


    "Ash agreed, but not because of the name you gave me, but because he looks forward to an opponent who uses a sword¡ªwhen I mentioned you wield a sword, he decided."


    "Thanks, this counts as me owing you a favor, Lanna."


    "Valcas, you can repay me right now if you tell me why you suddenly have your sights set on cutie Ash. Is it related to that name¡ªSelin Dole?"


    In the dimly lit stands, a thin middle-aged man was watching the feast on stage.


    Yes, a feast¡ªthere probably was no better word to describe it. Although the food moved, tried to escape, screamed, and begged for mercy, it ultimately was just food for devouring.


    "I don''t mind telling you, as long as you don''t regret it."


    "Then never mind, I''m blissfully happy with my boyfriend and satisfied with life. I don''t want to get tangled up in the chess games of the powerful."


    Lanna tore off a piece of warm meat and chewed it carefully, "But is Ash really the cult leader of the Gods of Four Pillars? I think I have pretty good judgment of people. He seems more like a student just starting out. I thought he was innocent."


    The middle-aged man snorted coldly.


    "Everyone who steps into this cesspool is far from innocent. The only difference is whether only their skin is stained or whether they willingly open their mouths to swallow the stench."


    "I''m eating, Valcas, can you not talk about feces."


    "Then I won''t disturb you. Enjoy your meal."


    ...


    ...


    As the doors of the Death Battle Society rumbled shut, the subtle wailing vanished into the thick darkness.


    Valcas walked through the prison corridors, each prisoner and guard he met keeping a cold distance from him.


    Occasionally, a newly arrived inmate spotted Valcas'' ears and naturally showed a schadenfreude expression.


    Because Valcas'' ears were pointed.


    When Valcas returned to his dormitory, he saw a prison guard waiting at the door.


    He had expected this, opening the door as he whispered, "Ash Heath has agreed to duel with me."


    "Make sure to completely crush his brain, heart, and spine, to a degree that not even a Two-winged Mage can heal," the prison guard said.


    "I will do what you ask, and what about what you promised me?" Valcas opened the door but didn''t enter, turning to gaze intently at the guard.


    "As long as Ash Heath dies tomorrow, after the next Blood Moon Judgement, you will disappear from this prison," the guard said. "But you and that kid can''t remain in Kaimon City, that''s Mr. Selin''s requirement."


    "I have no interest in continuing to breathe the same air as Selin," Valcas grimaced with disgust.


    "Free time is almost over; stop standing around outside and enter your cell."


    Valcas'' mouth twitched as he stepped into his room, letting the automatic door close.


    The prison guard turned away, a slight smirk forming, sneering softly.


    "A mere elf death row convict, yet still holding onto that noble pride... ha!"

 Chapter 23 - 23 Observer? Sword Maiden?

    Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Observer? Sword Maiden?


    ```


    "I''m exhausted, Ingrid. You first, or should I take a bath first?"


    The voice arrived before the person. Lois, who was reading in the dorm room, immediately frowned.


    The dorm room door swung open, and two girls with sword bags on their backs walked in, their faces sprinkled with beads of sweat. They laughed as they came in, like a breath of spring wind filling the room with vitality, carrying the fresh scent of budding soil.


    "I''ll go first," Ingrid said as she sat down. "I have to do laundry afterwards, and your legs are already weak. Sit for a while and regain your strength."


    "True," Sonia stretched lazily, sprawling over the table like a slime. "Ugh, I''m starting to regret transferring to the Sword Skill department. It''s exhausting. Besides regular classes, Professor Trozan insists I take two extra hours of advanced courses. I even have to spar with Trozan... then continue swordsmanship training in the evening to master the Wave Sword Technique Spirit. It feels like my whole day is packed."


    "Isn''t that great," Ingrid said enviously. "Professor Trozan is a Three-winged Sword Master and was even selected last year as one of the ''Dazzling Star''s Top Ten Outstanding Sword Saints,'' known as the ''Hidden Hand Sword Saint.'' It''s said he might achieve the legendary Four-winged status... At that time, Sonia, you''ll be an apprentice of a legendary Mage!"


    Lois unconsciously crumpled the pages of her book.


    Sonia waved her hand. "Professor Trozan hasn''t promised to take me as an apprentice yet, just thinks I have talent..."


    Ingrid sighed, "I actually wanted to be Professor Trozan''s apprentice from the start, but he never publicly accepted apprentices. You''re one of the only two exceptions over the years, Sonia!"


    "I''ll recommend you to Professor Trozan tomorrow, though I can''t guarantee anything. It might at least get you an interview¡ª"


    "No need, the professor is clearly focused on nurturing geniuses, and I''m just an ordinary person. Not only wouldn''t he accept me, but he''d probably dislike me for it." Ingrid said as she looked for clothes, "Besides, I''m about to break into the second circle; in a few months, I can summon my Technique Spirit. The Sword Skill department''s resources will open up for me too... Maybe I''ll even catch up to you eventually!"


    "I won''t wait for you." Sonia laughed. "Glad you''re here, Ingrid. Otherwise, I wouldn''t know how to reject Felix''s invitation."


    Ingrid asked curiously, "I heard he wants to spar with you again. Don''t you want a rematch?"


    "No way!" Sonia stated firmly. "He doesn''t want to spar, just wants to get closer to me."


    "Isn''t getting closer to Felix a good thing?"


    "Aside from him being a playboy, I can clearly see that my future achievements in swordsmanship will surpass his. I wouldn''t look up to a man who can''t beat me at my strongest skill."


    "Sword Flower University is too small. I definitely plan to develop over at Truth University in the future. As for romance, I''ll consider it once I''ve achieved something in swordsmanship."


    Lois''s fingernails almost pierced through the book''s pages.


    Adelle, who had been watching a program on the light screen, half-joked, half-questioned, "Sonia, are you transferring to Truth University?"


    "No, but Professor Trozan can help me register for swordplay competitions at Truth University and allow me to use their equipment. I might have to juggle between Truth and Sword Flower Universities." Sonia sighed, "The more I think about it, the more exhausted I feel."


    Adelle exclaimed, "Then you''ll get to meet top students from Truth University! If you find a handsome guy, remember to introduce him to us!"


    "No~ prob~lem~" Sonia elongated her words. "If there''s something good, I won''t forget my roommates, who''ve shared a joyful year with me. Right, Lois?"


    Lois''s face contorted with anger, but she managed a strained smile, "Of course, just afraid the Sword Saint Sonia might forget about us roommates."


    "How could I? I''m just a country village girl. I''ll need Miss Lois''s care in the future." Sonia said mockingly, "Ah, the lady is studying a Water Magic textbook? How envious, I wish I could continue learning Water Magic too, it''s so relaxing and respectable, unlike the Sword Skill department, which is too exhausting~"


    Ingrid realized then that although Sonia was chatting with her, her comments were aimed at Lois.


    Choosing to ignore their feud, Ingrid headed to the bathroom for a shower.


    Sonia was ready for Lois to explode, but Lois remained silent, as if resigned to the jibes.


    Since passive-aggressive banter requires a reaction, and her target had defensively retreated, Sonia found it uninteresting and picked up her bag. "Never mind, I''ll come back to shower tomorrow morning. I need to prepare for my first Void Realm trip in the meditation room. Everyone, have a pleasant evening."


    Ingrid was in the shower, and Lois stayed silent, only Adelle replied, "Goodbye, Sonia."


    ...


    ...


    As the footsteps faded away, only the sound of water from the bathroom remained in the dormitory.


    Adelle glanced at the silent Lois, thought for a moment, and approached her. "Hmph, that village girl Sonia is just a little tart who got lucky. So what if she''s got some talent in swordsmanship? You shouldn''t worry about it, Lois. Someone so arrogant will hit a wall sooner or later... Eh?"


    Upon closer inspection, Adelle found Lois genuinely engrossed in reading, even solving problems from a workbook.


    "This time, I lost." Lois remarked, "That village girl Sonia is now someone I have to look up to. If things continue like this, when we meet a few years after graduation, I''ll have to bow to her."


    Imagining her future humiliated self, Lois''s mouth twitched slightly. "I can''t accept it... I refuse to believe I can''t surpass that village girl!"


    Adelle didn''t disturb her, instead returning to her seat to continue watching her program.


    Though the show was still captivating, Adelle found it hard to focus.


    She turned and glanced at Lois again, seeing her still dedicated to studying. After some thought, Adelle turned off the light screen and took out her own books to study.


    Ingrid finished her shower and was slightly surprised to see the two in the dorm room studying diligently.


    But she said nothing, quietly heading to the balcony''s sink to wash clothes.


    ...


    ...


    After the guard checked her wristband information, Sonia entered a fully enclosed special building.


    Just crossing the threshold, Sonia felt herself pass through a thin, invisible boundary, her thought process suddenly accelerated, and the Wave Sword Technique Spirit bounced off her shoulder, looking very excited.


    "So, will you still be by my side when I enter the Void Realm?" Sonia asked.


    "That''s technically overtime work." said the Observer walking alongside her. "More than my service scope."


    "So you''re saying you don''t want to...?"


    "So, there has to be overtime pay!" The Observer rubbed his fingers together. "Even when you chat with someone at a bar, you buy them a drink, right? Going to the Void Realm with you for a chat and tour deserves some gratitude!"


    "I''m super broke!"


    "Besides money, you have plenty of other values to offer."


    Sonia raised an eyebrow, tugged at her close-fitting shirt with her finger to reveal a deep cleavage, "My most valuable asset is myself..."


    "That''s the answer I was waiting for! You''re now working for me." The Observer snapped his fingers. "Since you haven''t graduated, you''re still on a trial period. And during the trial period, there''s no employment contract, and as for the salary, the energy potion you drank and the wooden sword you''ve been using already cover that, so..."


    "So, you want me to work for you for free?"


    "Tsk, how you say that. I give various opportunities for your growth. In your growing phase, some work in return isn''t that the best employer-employee developmental relationship?"


    Sonia didn''t reject this unequal, exploitative contract but questioned, "You''ve invested so much, testing me in dreams, arranging training, and awakening my swordsmanship talents to make me work for you? What''s my job?"


    "Live."


    "Live?"


    "Living is the rarest thing in the world." The Observer seemed to smile. "Most people merely exist."


    "I still don''t understand." Sonia said, "Everything given must come with a price. You cultivated me intending to gain more from me. Unless you''re a phantom of my spirit, I can''t see why you''d be so selfless."


    "It''s not selflessness. On the contrary, there''s no one more selfish than I," the Observer laughed. "I''m asking you to live the way I want. Is there anything more selfish?"


    "But..."


    "Ha-ha, I was joking. How could I be so considerate?" the Observer laughed. "I do have something to genuinely ask of you. For some reason, I''m really weak now and can''t explore the Void Realm alone, so I need your protection."


    Mid-conversation, Sonia arrived at room 311. She used her wristband to open the door, revealing a narrow, empty meditation room with an orange carpet covering the floor and bright ceiling lights illuminating every corner.


    This was the meditation room at Sword Flower University, the best place Sonia could find for entering the Void Realm.


    She locked the door, sat cross-legged on the carpet, and let the Wave Sword Technique Spirit float on her palm. She poured all her focus into the Technique Spirit, seeking out the Gate of Truth hidden within, attempting her first journey into the Void Realm.


    Although Sonia managed to summon her first Technique Spirit, she wasn''t yet a One-winged Mage because she hadn''t condensed her "Silver Wings."


    Without Magic Power, without gathering phantoms, she couldn''t fully activate the Technique Spirit and thus wasn''t considered a Mage.


    Condensing the Silver Wings required entering the Void Realm, diving into the Sea of Knowledge, attracting knowledge with her soul, extracting Magic Power from knowledge, gathering it as Void Wings, and thus moving the Law Authority to become a Mage!


    The only way for ordinary people to enter the Void Realm is to find the Gate of Truth within their Technique Spirit, let their soul pass through it, and reach the magical world constructed of Law and Knowledge¡ªthe Void Realm!


    It''s rumored the Void Realm is tens, hundreds, or even thousands of times larger than the real world.


    Countless Mages spend their entire lives without ever meeting another person in the Void Realm, so all Mages must rely on themselves for exploring it.


    The Meditation Building provides a quiet space for Mages to explore the Void Realm. Apart from being undisturbed, Sword Flower University performed the Miracle [Starlight Chasing Shadows], speeding up students'' thought processes and helping them find the Gate of Truth more effortlessly. Additionally, it connects numerous starlights from the Magic Master of Dazzling Stars, making students'' souls exude a fragrance that attracts knowledge, helping them condense the Silver Wings faster!


    Quickly, Sonia found the Gate of Truth within the Wave Sword Technique Spirit.


    Since it was her first time, Sonia was as nervous as if she were renting a hotel room. She asked in her mind, "Observer?"


    "I''m here. Relax, there''s a sacred bond between us, a divine fate binding you and me."


    Sonia immediately calmed down, her consciousness touching the Gate of Truth, and her vision was consumed by darkness.


    When she awoke, she found herself lying in a boat, floating on a lead-grey sea.


    In front of her was an ink-black sky, surrounded by a misty fog.


    She lay at the stern and saw a familiar figure at the bow.


    Sonia: "Observer?"


    Ash: "Sword Maiden?"


    They both glanced at each other and breathed sighs of relief.


    ```

 Chapter 24 - 24 Void Realm

    Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Void Realm


    "Here we are, in the Void Realm..."


    Ash cupped a handful of seawater, sniffed it, licked it, and surprisingly, it tasted a bit sweet.


    Looking down, the surface of the sea was extremely blurred, making it impossible to see his own reflection.


    Examining his attire, he noticed he was wearing the same deep black trench coat as in the illustrations, looking quite dashing.


    "Just like the Void Realm described in the textbooks."


    Now that no one else was around, Sonia spoke freely, "This must be the Sea of Knowledge, also known as the Silver Sea, the Sea of Origin... Whether they''re a genius or a common person, a legendary Six-winged Divine Lord or a One-winged Mage, their first stop in the Void Realm is always this ocean."


    "The only difference is this." Sonia tapped the small boat, looked around, and discovered a book symbol at the bow and a sword symbol at the stern.


    "The textbooks say that mages arrive here stark naked."


    "Stark naked?" Ash looked at Sonia''s black camisole dress.


    Sonia''s face instantly turned dark, and she instinctively covered her chest, "Our images in the Void Realm are projections of our consciousness. ''Stark naked'' means we can''t rely on any external aids, like bringing items from reality here... I''ve heard people say that when they first enter the Void Realm, they swim directly in the seawater. There shouldn''t be a boat."


    "I get it!" Ash suddenly clapped his hands.


    "You get what?"


    "This boat must be your true form; you are just a soul phantom!"


    "What?" Sonia was taken aback.


    "Your consciousness has split into two parts, one part, the heavy soul, became this small boat to facilitate your navigation, and the other part, the vibrant mind, took the form you have now," Ash said confidently, "The soul is the boat, the consciousness is the person, and the boat carries the person across to the other side, that''s definitely it!"


    It sounded somewhat reasonable, but...


    "How do you prove it?" Sonia asked.


    Ash thoughtlessly said, "If you don''t believe it, jump into the sea and see. If I''m not mistaken, you can''t leave this boat!"


    Sonia acted on his words and dove into the sea. Fortunately, due to a recent dream trial, Sonia, although never having learned to swim, at least understood some basic swimming skills and didn''t sink like a stone.


    Soon, Sonia climbed back onto the boat, snorting coldly, "You were wrong. I can leave the boat, and this boat is not a transformation of my soul..."


    Personally verifying the Observer''s incorrect statement felt like a victory to Sonia, and she was quite pleased with herself. But then, she turned to see the Observer looking at her.


    Although his features were still shrouded in darkness, Sonia could fully sense his gaze. She looked down to find her clothes soaked with seawater, clinging wetly to her body, outlining her graceful curves.


    "You¡ª" Sonia, flushed with anger, raised her wooden sword, disregarding the disparity in strength, and was about to unleash the Wave Sword Technique Spirit with a single slash. Ash hastily retreated and surrendered, "Wait, where did you get that wooden sword?"


    Huh?


    Sonia looked at the wooden sword in her hand. She remembered not having a weapon just a moment ago. But seeing how infuriating the Observer was, she instinctively wanted to smack him with the wooden sword...


    "You see, when you wanted a wooden sword, it appeared. Clearly, this boat also appeared because you didn''t want to swim," Ash spread his hands, "I just wanted to test it, and doesn''t this prove that the boat is indeed formed by your thoughts?"


    "So was your peeking part of the test too? No, the wooden sword is my familiar weapon, so I could easily manifest it, just like I can manifest clothes!"


    "Don''t slander me, I wasn''t peeking; I was looking openly!"


    After this little incident, the initial sense of strangeness and fear of the Void Realm dissipated.


    Moreover, having someone to accompany them gave both of them a sense of security, as if there was always someone by their side to bear any misfortune.


    But just as Sonia didn''t know the difference between this ''Observer'' and that ''Observer,'' Ash didn''t know the difference between this ''Sword Maiden'' and that ''Sword Maiden.''


    ...


    ...


    One hour ago.


    After finishing their meal and returning to the prison dormitory, the Sword Maiden struck up an adult conversation with Ash.


    "I have two pieces of news for you. The good news is, you''ll have free state-provided housing for life."


    "What kind of good news is that?"


    "The bad news is, you might be taken out to be executed at any moment."


    Ash understood, "There''s no chance for me to escape, is there?"


    The Sword Maiden sat on the bed, propping up her legs and looking at Ash sideways, "You should know that mages are the most powerful group in this world, right? As a mortal, you stand no chance against them."


    "Even the Weak Mage who turned their body into diamond, once disconnected from the Void Realm, is just a diamond rat rolling in a dung pit."


    "Moreover, today''s experiences should have made you realize that as long as you''re wearing that chip in the back of your neck, no matter where you are, you''re bound by endless chains."


    At this point, Ash''s expression also changed slightly. He had initially thought the Miracle Chip was akin to an implanted computer, but he hadn''t realized it turned him into a computer¡ªand his admin privileges were remotely controlled by someone else.


    Whether he could hit someone, what content he could see, even what words he could say, were all under the admin''s control. Today, the admin could make him a polite and rule-abiding civilized youth; tomorrow, the admin could make him gobble up excrement.


    Before removing the chip, all his plans equated to a virus-infected computer¡ªthe admin only needed to reinstall the system to eliminate everything. If the admin felt that Ash was no longer repairable, they could even perform a factory reset, letting Ash''s life start anew.


    "Is there a way to remove the chip?" Ash gritted his teeth and asked, "For example, by cutting out the back of my neck..."


    "If it were that simple, this prison wouldn''t be so lively."


    The Sword Maiden sneered, "Though it''s called a chip, it''s already integrated deep into your bone marrow as you grew. Every bone, nerve, and muscle of yours now carries the mark of the chip. To remove it, go jump into the molten steel of a steel mill, and you might achieve it."


    "So, ordinary means can''t remove the chip," Ash said. "What about the mages'' methods?"


    "There are many ways," the Sword Maiden said. "The swordsmanship miracle ''Cut Me'' is your best chance."


    "''Cut Me'' is a defense miracle for Sword Masters, specifically used to purify abnormal states. Although it''s a silver miracle a One-winged Mage can use, it can purify most continuous damage from Two-winged Technique Spirits."


    "The Miracle Chip targets mortals and One-winged Mages but can''t resist the Two-winged power ''Cut Me'' miracle. Once you use ''Cut Me,'' you can instantly remove all Miracle Chips from your body, thus making an escape possible."


    "How do I acquire the ''Cut Me'' miracle?"


    "To perform miracles, you first need a Technique Spirit. There are four ways to acquire one," the Sword Maiden raised four fingers:


    "First, resonate with the Void Realm by learning knowledge, making the knowledge of the Void Realm manifest as a Technique Spirit in reality."


    "Second, go into the Void Realm to find wild Technique Spirits."


    "Third, kill a mage to seize their Technique Spirit."


    "Fourth, Technique Spirit trading."


    "Firstly, the first path is impossible for you." The Sword Maiden glanced at Ash, "The Miracle Chip has severed your link with the Void Realm long ago. No matter how much knowledge you absorb, you will never trigger Void Realm Resonance."


    Ash glanced at his status on the Light Screen and indeed saw a ''Void Realm Resonance Forbidden.''


    "The third path, of mortals killing mages, has happened. Most often during moments when a male or female pet murders their master during intimacy..."


    The Sword Maiden looked at Ash''s face and shook her head, "You have no chance on this path either."


    "Can''t you leave just a little bit of possibility open? I could rely on my looks!" Ash said.


    "And as for the fourth path, you have no assets to make a trade."


    "In short," the Sword Maiden cut to the chase, "your only way to get a Technique Spirit is to find a wild one in the Void Realm."


    Ash asked, "How do I get to the Void Realm?"


    "The only way to reach the Void Realm is to activate the Gate of Truth inside a Technique Spirit and let your consciousness directly traverse into it," the Sword Maiden explained.


    Ash blinked his eyes.


    "So you''re telling me, to get into the Void Realm, I need to have a Technique Spirit?"


    "Exactly."


    "And my purpose in going to the Void Realm is to find a Technique Spirit?"


    "That is correct."


    "Wait, wait, wait..."


    Ash held his head, stepping back.


    "Isn''t this like the dilemma of college graduates who find all job positions require three years of work experience?! I can''t enter the Void Realm without a Technique Spirit, and to find a Technique Spirit I must enter the Void Realm; isn''t this a deadlock?"


    "Who said you needed to use your own Technique Spirit to enter the Void Realm?"


    "Huh?"


    The Sword Maiden pointed to herself, "Did you forget? I already have a Wave Sword Technique Spirit, so I have the qualifications to enter the Void Realm. Observer, since you and I have formed a soul bond through the ''Handbook,'' and experience can be shared, taking you into the Void Realm is no problem."


    There''s such a feature? Ash instinctively opened his Mage''s Handbook, intending to look at his talents again, but then noticed a new function module had appeared in the game at some point:


    "Void Realm Exploration": Organize an operator team to explore the Void Realm.


    However, when Ash clicked "Void Realm Exploration," selected ''Final Observer'' and ''Death Mad Sword Maiden,'' and clicked "Ready," nothing happened in reality¡ªbecause the ''Death Mad Sword Maiden'' was still in "Preparing."


    "I''ve confirmed the preparation; you hurry up and confirm too," Ash urged.


    "Then I''ll go get ready; you wait here," the Sword Maiden responded, disappearing with a mischievous smile.


    Ash was stunned, "What do you need to prepare for?"


    "A lot, lots of things, which a virgin wouldn''t understand."


    "What proof do you have to call me a virgin¡ª" Ash couldn''t finish as he watched the Sword Maiden vanish into the air with her teasing grin; he could only lie on the bed and wait. Perhaps the regen-treatment had consumed too much of his strength, or the night without a smartphone was too dull; Ash soon fell asleep, his eyes closing wearily.


    When he woke again, he saw the Sword Maiden sitting on the same boat with him, floating on a fog-shrouded ocean.


    ...


    ...


    On the small boat in the Sea of Knowledge, Ash suddenly remembered something and silently tried to call out the Light Screen.


    He both failed and succeeded; he succeeded in bringing up the Light Screen, but most functions were unavailable. Indeed, the Void Realm didn''t support physical plug-ins; however, the Mage''s Handbook was still operational.


    He opened the Mage''s Handbook to "Void Realm Exploration," where a map suddenly popped up on the Light Screen along with a message:


    "You have entered Void Realm Exploration mode; please read the beginner''s guide..."


    On the other side, Sonia noticed Ash being silent, so she focused on the Void Realm, leaning over to stir the seawater with her hand, trying to move the small boat forward.


    "Wait, Sword Maiden, don''t be so anxious and mess around, let me do it."

 Chapter 25: Within 7 Steps, the Gun is Accurate and Fast

    Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Within 7 Steps, the Gun is Accurate and Fast


    ```


    "Are you coming?"


    Sonia looked a bit puzzled and cast a doubtful glance at Ash.


    In the life of a mage, Void Realm Exploration was undoubtedly a crucial part, perhaps even the most important one.


    Most of the world''s adventures, breakthroughs, and promotions occurred within the Void Realm, and many mages would spend their entire lives exploring it.


    Compared to the Void Realm, reality was merely a stage for mages to flaunt during their leisure time.


    Even though the Void Realm was so important, there were still no established strategies for exploring it.


    Perhaps there were some, but Sonia couldn''t access them given her current status.


    During her class that afternoon, Sonia specifically asked Professor Trozan for any helpful tips about the Void Realm, but Trozan could only spread his hands helplessly.


    "The reason mages have equal standing is because we''re all equally ignorant in the Void Realm."


    Sonia knew Professor Trozan valued her and could recognize that he was a typical swordsman, disdainful of lying to deceive the weak like her.


    Since even a Three-winged Holy Realm Mage had no effective strategy, Sonia did not place any high hopes on the Observer.


    "There are indeed dangers in the Void Realm," Sonia cautioned, "If I die here, it''d take three days to recover my spirit."


    Mages could indeed die in the Void Realm.


    The most common death was, of course, drowning.


    When mages tried to explore the Deep Sea or remained static in the water, the Sea of Knowledge could overwhelm them.


    That''s why Sonia was so surprised by the small boat¡ªit meant they were spared the risk of drowning.


    The death of a mage in the Void Realm would cause significant trauma to the soul. The stronger the mage, the greater the trauma and the longer the recovery period.


    A novice Mage like Sonia only needed three days of rest, while a formal Silver Mage would need at least fifteen days, and a Golden Mage would take months. It was said that the recovery time for Holy Sanctuary Mages and Legendary Mages was measured in years.


    Not being able to explore the Void Realm meant that one''s growth speed would slow down by 90%, so mages had various views on Void Realm Exploration: some were conservative, trying to grow steadily, while others loved to take risks, with the bet being lavish models if they won, and becoming the models themselves if they lost.


    Sonia used to lean towards adventure because she had nothing to lose. But now she leaned towards caution¡ªafter revealing her swordsmanship talent, Professor Trozan assessed her as ''reaching Gold in twenty years, and possibly the Holy Domain in forty.''


    In the Kingdom of Stars, a Two-winged Golden Mage could be considered a minor noble, achieving what Sonia considered her life goal.


    If she could ascend to a Three-winged Holy Domain, she might establish a family and become famous for a while.


    So Sonia''s petty mindset was quite normal. She wasn''t unaware of a better future, but the pressing reality forced her to hold onto what she had.


    The world was beautiful and worth fighting for. She could only agree with the latter half.


    But no matter how conservative she was, Sonia had to explore the Void Realm; staying put was not an option. Numerous school teachers, and even Professor Trozan specifically reminded her: never linger in the same place.


    No one knew what would happen if someone stayed in one place for too long, but those who stood still after entering the Void Realm soon stopped breathing in reality, unable to be saved even by a Healing Mage, because their souls weren''t in their bodies.


    Thus, there was a saying: if you stand still in the Void Realm, your body assumes you''re dead and dies on the spot.


    "I heard that when you first enter the Void Realm, it''s safest to head towards the shallowest fog," Sonia said.


    This was not a strategy, at most a tip summarized by the senior mages of Sword Flower University, with less than a 60% success rate, while the other 40% encountered danger.


    But on this completely unknown sea, a 60% chance was worth a gamble.


    "No, we need to go that way."


    Ash pointed toward the densest fog, through which nothing could be seen, instilling a hint of fear. Sonia wanted to say something, but the small boat automatically steered in that direction, diverting her attention, "You can control this boat? Is this boat yours?"


    "Yeah."


    "And yet you tricked me into jumping into the sea earlier!?"


    Seeing Sonia grasp the wooden sword again, Ash quickly explained, "I only just discovered I could control this boat. I sincerely meant it when I told you to jump into the sea!"


    "Sincerely hoping to make me look foolish?"


    "Sincerely wanted to see you wet... hey hey, calm down, calm down, we''ve entered an unknown area and might encounter danger at any moment!"


    The white fog rushed in, and the unknown could appear at any time, leaving Sonia no choice but to sit down in frustration.


    However, as they passed through layers of white fog, Sonia felt something flowing into her body. Her consciousness became more clear, her skin began to glow silver, and a wealth of swordsmanship knowledge suddenly surfaced in her mind.


    This was why mages had to explore the Void Realm¡ªsimply moving within the Void Realm allowed mages to automatically gain its knowledge and condense their knowledge into Magic Power of Silver!


    When a large amount of Magic Power of Silver settled and formed, it would manifest as a Void Wings Mage''s emblem of strength: Silver Wings!


    Suddenly, Sonia understood why mages loved immersing themselves in the Void Realm.


    This feeling of gaining knowledge every second and becoming stronger with each moment was akin to the comfort of stretching wide in the morning.


    While Sonia enjoyed the pleasure brought by knowledge, Ash behaved like a slacker student pulling small tricks during class, constantly watching the map on the Light Screen.


    In the center of the map was a small boat, surrounded by eight squares. The small boat was entering the upper left square.


    Indeed, this was the game''s "Void Realm Exploration" mode. As Ash moved the small boat in the game, the small boat in the Void Realm moved correspondingly.


    Besides moving, Ash could also check the information in these eight squares:


    "A Waste of Effort," "Seeking Death," "A Waste of Effort," "A Waste of Effort," "A Waste of Effort," "Worth Going," "Troublesome," "Better Not Go."


    Among the eight hints, "A Waste of Effort" clearly meant the square had nothing, "Seeking Death" indicated danger, Ash couldn''t figure out "Better Not Go," while "Worth Going" was clearly a game hint.


    Soon, after passing through layers of white fog, an island shrouded in thick mist appeared before the two.


    Seeing this, Sonia suddenly recalled that the place where the Observer once conducted her dream trial was exactly like the Void Realm!


    No wonder the Observer was so confident; being able to use the Void Realm for trials meant exploring the Void Realm was no big deal!


    The boat slowly came to a stop, and as the two stepped onto the island, the thick mist suddenly dispersed, revealing a Hunter wearing a wide-brimmed hat and holding a long rifle.


    "Beyond seven steps, the rifle is faster."


    The Hunter raised the rifle and took aim at the two of them, "Within seven steps, the rifle is both precise and fast!"


    ```

 Chapter 26 - 26 Hunting Record

    Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Hunting Record


    A gunshot rang out, and the two of them leapt in opposite directions to dodge the gun bullets!


    Suddenly, an explosion sounded in the air as the bullets fired by the hunter burst into shrapnel, and both Ash and Sonia were inevitably grazed by them!


    Ash thought it would hurt, but as the bullets passed through his body, he only felt as if he had lost something, and it felt as exhausting as running a 400-meter race.


    He suddenly remembered that he was in a state of consciousness, not actually a true physical body. Being hit by bullets only resulted in a loss of soul energy.


    Compared to Ash''s sudden realization, Sonia, who had attended Void Realm advanced courses, had foreseen this.


    After dodging, she immediately charged toward the hunter, raising her wooden sword high and slashing at the hunter from a distance. The blade gathered a faint white light, which transformed into a crescent wave moving toward the hunter as she swung it!


    "Wave Motion Sword!"


    This was the Vosloda Family''s secret technique spirit, Wave Motion Sword! Among the sword technique faction, it was a rare long-range attack technique spirit, capable of branching out into powerful attack miracles such as "Crack Wave Slash" and "Silver Wheel Burst!"


    "Three-thousand techniques, with a gun in hand, nothing can rival its speed, nothing can withstand!"


    The hunter sang as he dodged, and his long-barreled gun glimmered with light, astonishingly firing another bullet, even though it appeared to be an ancient flintlock!


    But Ash and Sonia, well-prepared, were naturally not flustered. Not to mention Ash dodging with a lazy donkey roll, Sonia directly sheathed her sword, performed an iaido step, and unleashed a rotating wave slash!


    Clang!


    Not only were the bullets deflected, but even the hunter, several steps away, was severely cut by the rotating slash, with the long barrel of his gun cleaved off!


    Without needing words, Ash rushed forward to bear-hug and restrained the hunter. Sonia, recovering from her iaido stance, took two steps in three strides, lifted the wooden sword, and struck fiercely!


    Without any sound, under the violent hit of the wooden sword, the hunter transformed into a thick mist and dissipated, dropping a cowhide-bound notebook onto the rocky ground.


    "Hey, hey, hey, you almost blew my head off!"


    Ash looked at the wooden sword embedded in the rock and touched his head fearfully.


    "There was just a little distance left," Sonia said with a tone full of regret, bending down to pick up the cowhide notebook. She flipped through a couple of pages, shook her head, and handed it to Ash.


    Ash took it and looked, discovering it was a... well, a hunting record?


    The first page was the information of a rat, detailing its weight, size, fur color, cause of death, and even a photo showing the rat pinned to a wall by an arrow.


    The second page featured a spider, the third a rabbit, the fourth a roe deer... and by the tenth page, there was finally something different. Not only was the prey this time a ferocious carnivore, a wild wolf, but the notebook''s owner had also learned a new skill: He trapped and killed the wild wolf using a trap.


    By the twenty-third page, the one logged in the notebook was a Beastman soldier clad in full iron armor, wielding a long-barreled gun.


    The next twenty pages were all Beastman soldiers shot to death, but what caught Ash''s attention more was that the notebook owner seemed to have abandoned his past archery skills, relying on the long gun brought by the Beastman soldiers and the use of traps in the jungle, single-handedly opposing an entire Beastman battalion.


    The notebook didn''t mention any details regarding the notebook''s owner, but Ash vaguely discerned a story: A young boy born in a hunter family, living in a jungle village, inherited the hunting skills of his ancestors, but a sudden Beastman army destroyed everything. Their proud archery couldn''t penetrate the Beastmen''s armor, while the Beastmen''s muskets easily shattered their bodies.


    The boy abandoned archery and quickly mastered gun techniques, hunting Beastman soldiers like a Death God in the jungle he knew so well he could navigate with his eyes closed, avenging the villagers.


    The formidable presence of the boy was evident from the Beastman''s expressions before death: The first few killed appeared calm, likely shot while urinating or defecating. The later ones showed increasing fear, clearly while fleeing. The last one abandoned his weapons, hiding in the bushes, face filled with piety, as if begging the Death God to overlook him.


    After all the Beastman soldiers had died, the notebook''s owner seemed to have gone through a period of confusion. The hunting targets in the notebook included animals, people, Beastmen, Goblins, rich men, robbers, prostitutes, and common folk.


    After one hundred pages, the hunting targets of the notebook''s owner suddenly stabilized on one: Beastmen.


    There were a full three hundred pages of information, all different Beastmen hunted by the notebook''s owner.


    Although nothing was directly mentioned, Ash speculated from the death causes of the Beastmen:


    First, the Beastmen were all killed by the notebook owner with a ''Type V Standard Tribal Rifle.''


    Second, the Beastmen bore more than one bullet hole.


    Therefore, Ash inferred that the notebook owner probably joined the army and killed Beastmen during the war.


    He didn''t just kill soldiers but also children, women, old people, and even his comrades... Regardless of who the target was, he never changed weapons, always ending their lives with a single bullet.


    Later, the notebook owner seemed to settle down, either because his hunting targets were herbivores like rabbits and deer, or because those dying by his hand were no longer soldiers and robbers, but maids, servants, and slaves.


    Notably, the servants'' death rate wasn''t slow.


    He likely owned an estate with many servants attending to him, but due to war aftereffects, he constantly kept a gun, and fired without hesitation at servants upon suspicion...


    Suddenly, an old woman appeared in the hunting notes.


    Ash guessed she might be the notebook owner''s wife because her eyes showed not horror, fear, or bewilderment, but pity.


    Pity towards the notebook owner.


    When Ash flipped to the last page, he confirmed that the deceased''s details were actually the notebook owner''s:


    "Carbin Story."


    "Human Race, male, 56 years."


    "Weight: 72 kilograms."


    "Height: 1.76 meters."


    "Features: Brown skin, abundant hair, body odor."


    "Cause of death: Killed by bow and arrow."


    The photo depicted a worn, yet dignified old man, already raising his hand cannon towards the enemy, but forever failing to pull the trigger, pierced through the eyes by an arrow.


    Ash didn''t know who killed him with a bow, possibly an old nemesis, the old woman''s son, or a burglar; Ash also wasn''t sure why he, despite being battle-hardened, was slower than the bow this time, whether due to body sluggishness, or contempt for the bow?


    Anyway, Carbin Story''s hunting record ended there. Perhaps his name would appear in someone else''s hunting record.


    Turning to the end, Ash discovered an iron medal inside. The words on the medal were unreadable to Ash, but since it was made of iron, it likely held little value, perhaps being Carbin''s first medal.


    Perhaps, this medal symbolized the golden moments of Carbin''s life.


    Ash picked up the medal, feeling a warm current flow into his hand, followed by a message popping up on the light screen:


    "Rapid Fire."


    "One-winged Technique Spirit."


    "Restriction: Requires possessing a long-range shooting tool."


    "Basic Effect: After one shot, instantly perform a second shot."


    "Passive Effect: Increases accuracy of long-range shooting."


    "''There are moments when a few seconds delay can never be caught up in a lifetime.''"


    At the same time, a message automatically popped up in the game:


    "Detected convertible currency, exchange for points?"

 Chapter 27 - 27 Mage’s Handbook

    Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Mage''s Handbook


    ```


    Ash had almost forgotten that the "Mage''s Handbook" game allowed for recharging.


    He had thought the source crystals he got from daily log-ins were his only means for card draws, and he hadn''t expected that this world actually had a currency recognized by the game.


    Regardless of whether its value was high or low, this discovery sent a thrill of excitement through Ash and gave him renewed motivation¡ªlike when a boss tells you, "work hard, and next time you''ll be promoted," even if the hope is slim, at least there''s something to look forward to.


    But he didn''t dare spend his medals so rashly, as he soon realized that these medals were actually the extraordinary foundation of this world, a source of power avidly sought by mages¡ªTechnique Spirits!


    "Do you want this Technique Spirit?" he asked.


    "Do you want it?" To Ash''s surprise, Sonia showed no interest in this Technique Spirit, responding, "Then you take it."


    Now Ash was curious: "This is a Technique Spirit, don''t you want it?"


    "It''s neither a Sword Technique Spirit nor a Universal Technique Spirit. It would be useless to me and a waste of my money."


    "What''s it got to do with money?" Ash asked, bewildered.


    Sonia felt as if the Observer was secretly mocking her financial struggles. After all, if the Observer could steer a small boat through the Void Realm, how could he not understand such basic mage knowledge?


    Or was the Observer so wealthy that he didn''t need to worry about feeding Technique Spirits? Novels often feature humorous scenes where "wealthy nobles don''t understand common knowledge," but she never thought she''d encounter such a nearly extinct species in real life.


    With Sonia''s explanation, Ash finally realized that the Technique Spirit ecology of this world was far more complex than he''d imagined.


    First, Technique Spirits needed to be fed, and they required currency to do so!


    Silver coins and gold coins were the main sustenance for Technique Spirits; a One-winged Technique Spirit needed to be fed silver coins, while a Two-winged Technique Spirit required gold coins. Technique Spirits that went unfed would dissipate on their own. Some poor mages might actually starve their Technique Spirits to death!


    Besides currency, Technique Spirits could also be nourished with other materials, but the materials required for each Technique Spirit were different and very tedious to find. However, since silver and gold coins served as universal feed for all Technique Spirits, mages eventually forgot how to properly feed their Technique Spirits. In the end, they just stuffed them with money.


    Additionally, Technique Spirits consumed a mage''s spirit merely by existing. Mages with numerous Technique Spirits, like men with many girlfriends, found not only their wallets but also their bodies strained.


    Therefore, for low-level mages, especially those with good proletarian traditions, Technique Spirits were not simply better in large numbers. They needed to selectively choose Technique Spirits suitable for them. "Fewer but finer" was the development strategy for most low-level mages.


    Secondly, there were usage restrictions for Technique Spirits.


    Based on these restrictions, Technique Spirits were divided into different factions, such as the Sword Technique Faction, which required swords, the Gun Master Faction for gun usage, and the Weak Faction, demanding physical prowess. Specialized Technique Spirits that imposed high requirements on mages were marked as specific faction spirits or specialized spirits, like the "Wave Motion Sword," which necessitated using a sword.


    Technique Spirits that imposed little to no requirements, or requirements that the vast majority of mages could easily meet, were termed universal spirits, like "Eagle Eye," which only needed a mage to have eyes to activate.


    Generally, a mage''s Technique Spirits consisted of both specialized and universal spirits. Ideally, the specialized spirits should not exceed two factions; the matching of universal spirits should be checked to avoid retaining useless spirits.


    Sonia would have inevitably sold this "Rapid Fire" spirit rather than waste money keeping it.


    The reason Sonia wasn''t interested in this Technique Spirit was simple: "Rapid Fire" wasn''t worth much.


    "''Rapid Fire'' is a product of the Flintlock Gun era from hundreds of years ago. We''re now in the age of automatic rifles and pistols, where pistols can unload seven bullets in a second, so there''s hardly a need for ''Rapid Fire''." Sonia spread her hands. "Although ''Rapid Fire'' can also be used in mortars, naval guns, and the like, those weapons have better Technique Spirit options and wouldn''t use ''Rapid Fire.''"


    "The school''s buying price for such outdated spirits is at most a silver coin each¡ªthe lowest price for a One-winged Technique Spirit."


    Ash had already known about the Sword Maiden attending school, but he didn''t pay it any mind, thinking it was just a game setting.


    "Then I''ll take it!"


    "Go ahead," Sonia said casually.


    Ash silently uttered "redeem" and the medal in his hand dissipated into mist, with a game notification popping up: "Recharge successful! You''ve gained 10 points."


    The lowest price option in the game was six points for one source crystal, implying that this "Rapid Fire" Technique Spirit could only get 1.5 source crystals, whereas a card draw required three source crystals, effectively valuing two One-winged Technique Spirits to equal one card draw.


    For a Technique Spirit to be an extraordinary force, its price was as low as that of a fresh university graduate''s salary... Ash clicked his tongue, glancing at the Hunting Notes in his hand. "What''s this notebook about?"


    "It''s the Mage''s Handbook!" Sonia gave Ash a strange look.


    "Mage''s Handbook?" Ash was taken aback.


    Sonia nodded.


    "The Mage''s Handbook summarizes a mage''s life in some form. For instance, this handbook documents the hunting targets of this Gun Master during his lifetime, indicating that hunting was a significant part of his life. Well, it''s essentially a mage''s diary."


    "However, this isn''t a voluntary diary written by mages but something that emerges naturally after their deaths. Their souls automatically return to the Void Realm as a mage''s projection, with their life memories condensing into a book¡ªmuch like birth, old age, sickness, and death, it''s an unavoidable natural law."


    "We call this book the Mage''s Handbook."


    "If the Void Realm is the graveyard for mages, then the Mage''s Handbook is the headstone."


    It was at this moment that Ash realized the Hunter from earlier was the projection of a dead person. He had previously assumed it was a living person and wondered how he could so easily encounter other mages.


    But even if it were a living person, he wouldn''t have held back; since dying in the Void Realm didn''t mean true death.


    Sonia continued, "Like medals, the Mage''s Handbook can also be used. You can absorb the handbook directly with your consciousness; this way, you''ll gain a randomly selected skill from the book that doesn''t belong to any Magic Faction¡ªentirely random."


    Ash asked, "Do you want it?"


    "I don''t want it. Just reading a few pages made me feel tired," Sonia shook her head. "But you''ve read through the whole handbook; you''re sure to absorb it without any contamination."


    "Contamination?"


    "The Mage''s Handbook is contaminative. Generally, mages can only read handbooks from those with similar worldviews, values, and outlooks. Forcibly absorbing incompatible handbooks could damage the soul and even cause schizophrenia."


    "Is it that serious?"


    "Serious, yes, but easily prevented. As long as you don''t feel uncomfortable while browsing a Mage''s Handbook, it means there won''t be a problem with absorbing it."


    Hearing this, Sonia was also curious: "From what I know, it''s fortunate for ordinary mages to find two or three absorbable Mage''s Handbooks out of ten. Some mages might never encounter one in their entire lives. How are you able to absorb any randomly picked Mage''s Handbook without contamination?"


    Ash couldn''t answer that. Following Sonia''s instructions, he guided his consciousness to the Hunting Notes in his hand.


    The Hunting Notes transformed into a light mist that flowed into him. Soon, Ash felt as if a chunk of ice in his consciousness had melted, flooding him with indescribable knowledge.


    When he checked the "Operator Management" in the game, he found a new skill added.


    "Counter Reconnaissance Mastery"


    As a jungle hunter and a war soldier, Cabin Stoli undoubtedly honed this survival skill in battle, even if he hadn''t formally learned counter reconnaissance. For Ash, who planned to escape, counter reconnaissance could come in handy.


    After Ash finished absorbing the Hunting Notes, they found the island was sinking. The two hurriedly returned to the boat, and before long, the island totally vanished, leaving the sea silent, as if nothing had ever happened.


    "This is the peculiar nature of the Void Realm, fickle meetings serving only inheritance," Sonia mused. "The Sea of Knowledge holds countless Inheritance Islands, quietly waiting to be found by new mages. Once an inheritance is taken, the island returns to the sea... Some say, islands are the evolutionary footprints of a mage''s obsessions, vestiges left by old mages wishing to be remembered by future generations, so they place their inheritances on the sea."


    "All mages leave deep traces upon the Void Realm. Here, we''ll encounter endless legacies of those who came before us, engage with gunmen from centuries past, converse with wise ones from millennia ago¡ªanything can happen... Yet our traces, too, will remain in the Void Realm. When, centuries from now, a mage tears through the white mist, they''ll face the challenges left behind by you and me."


    "Sounds quite romantic."


    "Does it? Do you think it''s romantic to have your life passed down in such an unvarnished manner for future generations to admire your great achievements?"


    Suddenly, Ash didn''t find it romantic: "Can mages delete some life records before they die, like ''Study Materials,'' ''Art and Life,'' and so on?"


    "How to die with dignity and how to live shabbily have always been two major research projects for mages."


    Although she hadn''t gained anything, since Ash benefited immensely, Sonia felt relaxed and stretched on the boat, "Where to next? You decide, I''m listening."


    The battle at the island was not at all dangerous. If Ash could always find such Inheritance Islands, Sonia would eagerly take the risk.


    If she could just once stumble upon a Technique Spirit from the Sword Skill or a suitable Mage''s Handbook, it would be a huge profit.


    Many mages'' greatest hope was a smooth exploration in the Void Realm. Encountering no dangers would already be enough to inspire their praise.


    "Let me see..."


    Ash opened "Void Realm Exploration" to check the surroundings:


    "Waste of Effort," "Waste of Effort," "Waste of Effort," "Waste of Effort," "Better Not Go," "Waste of Effort," "Waste of Effort," "Waste of Effort."


    "Ah, well?"


    ```

 Chapter 28 - 28 The Legend of the Golden Fish

    Chapter 28: Chapter 28 The Legend of the Golden Fish


    ```


    "He didn''t catch up, did he?"


    "No, no, he shouldn''t be able to swim, right?"


    "What kind of route is this? It''s really causing harm."


    "I did tell you there might be some danger before we set out. Who was it that confidently said, just like a student with a cheat sheet, that there''s no problem?"


    "Is this what you''d call just a bit dangerous!?"


    Amidst the white mist of the Sea of Knowledge, Ash and Sonia lay on the small boat, panting heavily, their forms as faint as the surrounding mist, as if they might fade away at any moment. Even their arguing was weak and feeble.


    Just moments before, having navigated for almost an hour without any success, Ash couldn''t help but suggest to Sonia that they venture into an area on the map marked "Better not go." Entering the Void Realm for the first time, Sonia was filled with confidence, and so the two of them broke through the white mist and entered the dangerous area.


    However, not only was there no Inheritance Island in the dangerous area, but there was also a huge fish with wings. It capsized Ash''s small boat and could shoot water cannons, causing sponges to blast up tens of meters high.


    Ash and Sonia just brushed against the water cannon, and their bodies felt as if they had been sanded down hundreds of times.


    Fortunately, the small boat was very sturdy; even when overturned, it stubbornly floated on the surface. The two scrambled back onto the boat, quickly paddling away from the dangerous area with their hands.


    That giant fish even continued to pursue them, flying towards the small boat. Fortunately, Ash acted quickly, using "Void Realm Exploration" to control the boat and accelerate away, barely dodging the fish''s headlong charge and avoiding their first drop of blood in the Void Realm.


    Having caught their breath, Sonia looked at a soaked Ash, her beautiful eyes flickering with doubt as she nonchalantly asked, "Couldn''t you kill that fish dragon?"


    Ash didn''t suspect anything, panting heavily, "If even you can''t do it, how could I?"


    Is the Observer really this weak?


    Many thoughts flashed through Sonia''s mind, but they eventually settled into silence. Even if the Final Observer was weak, she was helpless. She had no way to kill the Observer, and she hadn''t found a way to resist its control. Even Professor Trozan hadn''t detected the Observer''s presence.


    Moreover, after the Final Observer demonstrated its ability to explore the Void Realm, Sonia''s mindset subtly shifted.


    Even having just become a Void-Winged Mage, Sonia understood the importance of the Void Realm to Void-Winged Mages. She realized how remarkable and extraordinary it was for the Final Observer to have the ability to see through the Void Realm''s mist.


    It was well-known that no one could penetrate the Void Realm''s mist, and that''s why all mages were equal¡ªfaced with unknown risks and rewards, everyone was equal. The strong could fall, and the weak had a chance to rise overnight!


    This is what''s called equal opportunity!


    Now, here was a being who could discern unknown risks and stand above all mages!


    The highest among mages, the Final Observer!


    If following the Observer''s orders before had been somewhat involuntary, Sonia''s mindset had now mildly shifted. She was awed by the Observer''s abilities, even beginning to anticipate a bright future led by the Observer, much like a descent into corruption.


    Originally, Sonia wanted to ask why the Observer had chosen her, what made her different, but then she thought: if the Observer suddenly realized, "Oh right, I don''t need you," and abandoned her, wouldn''t she miss the chance to become someone significant?


    Moreover, without strong power, how did the Observer control her actions, see through the Void Realm''s mist, and drag her into dream trials?


    She had to be wary of the Observer playing the weak card!


    If Sonia fell for this, the Observer might take advantage of it, arranging harsher punishments to mistreat her!


    "By the way, what was that fish just now?"


    Here it comes, asking even such common-sense questions, acting, you''re just pretending!


    Sonia played along: "Fish dragon, one of the most common knowledge creatures in the Void Realm. Killing it can yield Technique Spirits from various factions, such as the Water Technique Faction and Earth Technique Faction. If this fish dragon had killed other mages before, it might contain other mages'' Technique Spirits."


    In the Void Realm, there were only two types of intelligent creatures: mages and knowledge creatures.


    As the name suggests, when a mage kills a knowledge creature, they can obtain the knowledge it condensed¡ªTechnique Spirits.


    Unlike the legacies left by mages, the Technique Spirits from knowledge creatures are not fixed. Although they generally belong to the same faction, a fish dragon won''t yield a Fire Technique Faction Spirit.


    Even within the same faction, there are many different Technique Spirits, and the spoils from knowledge creatures change with version updates.


    For example, if a mage in reality invented a new knowledge system and summoned a new kind of Technique Spirit, then other mages in the Void Realm could directly obtain this newly invented Technique Spirit by killing knowledge creatures.


    If the new knowledge system is too novel and crazy, it might directly spawn new types of knowledge creatures, expanding the biodiversity of the Void Realm.


    Like "equal opportunity," this is also one of the important premises of mage equality: "knowledge equality."


    No one can monopolize knowledge forever. No matter how you guard your newly invented knowledge, other mages can still obtain your results in the Void Realm. If you want to maintain an advantage, you must keep innovating.


    Those who cling to outdated methods, hoping for permanent lead with one invention, are no different from fools staying in one place in the Void Realm for too long.


    If you don''t venture forth, the Void Realm will devour you; if you don''t innovate, reality will beat you down.


    After introducing knowledge creatures, Sonia couldn''t help but probe, "Since you know there''s danger in the mist, can''t you detect what kind of creature it is?"


    "I can''t detect it, I only know the level of danger in the mist relative to us, not specifically what the danger is."


    Sonia was a bit disappointed, "Then you certainly can''t find the golden fish either."


    "Golden fish?" Ash was puzzled, "What''s that?"


    It was like someone asked her, "What''s one plus one?" Sonia pursed her lips, and suddenly a thought came to her: was he trying to use asking dumb questions to cultivate my obedience? If I resist, would he think my loyalty isn''t high enough, and then punish me severely?


    With that thought, Sonia became cautious and answered the seemingly simple question seriously: "The golden fish is a fish floating on the surface of the Sea of Knowledge. On its back is the Time Continent, and the Time Continent is where the Two-winged Mages go..."


    "Wait, a continent?" Ash interrupted, "How big is this fish?"


    "Huge. No one has seen the entire golden fish, and it''s said that the smallest scales on a golden fish are equivalent to a big city that can accommodate millions of people."


    "With a fish that big, shouldn''t it be easy to find?"


    "On the contrary, only a very few lucky ones have found the golden fish in the Sea of Knowledge, and without exception, those lucky ones have become renowned Legendary Mages."


    Ash uttered an "oh," "Then what''s the benefit of finding the golden fish?"


    "You ascend to the Time Continent and become a Two-winged Mage."


    "What?"


    "Directly become a Two-winged Mage." Sonia held back her impatience, thinking the kids she tutored weren''t this clueless: "The biggest difference between a One-winged Mage and a Two-winged Mage is that the former is in the Sea of Knowledge, while the latter is on the Time Continent."


    "When a One-winged Mage gathers Magic Power to the limit in the Sea of Knowledge and spreads out the Silver Wings, they can''t gain more power during navigation. If they want to ascend to a higher realm, they must advance to Two-winged."


    "The normal way to ascend is for a mage to study knowledge, summon a Two-winged Technique Spirit, and then find the Gate of Truth within the Two-winged Technique Spirit to pass through the Void Realm, reaching the second layer of the Void Realm¡ªthe Time Continent. Only on the Time Continent can a mage absorb more Magic Power and condense the second Void Wing: Golden Wings."


    A One-winged Mage navigates the Sea of Knowledge, condensing Silver Wings, while a Two-winged Mage walks the Time Continent, condensing Golden Wings... Ash initially understood the mage''s power system, but he had a question: "Can a One-winged Mage obtain a Two-winged Technique Spirit from someone else and then directly reach the Time Continent?"


    "Absolutely not." Sonia shook her head, "Unless it''s a Technique Spirit summoned by themselves, a mage can''t find the Gate of Truth inside it. Even searching within the Technique Spirit is very difficult¡ªTechnique Spirits are made of knowledge. If you don''t understand the structure of the Technique Spirit, how can you explore the secrets of the Technique Spirit?"


    Ash now understood how mages ascend: summon higher-grade Technique Spirits, use them to pass through higher Void Realms, and as they grow stronger, continue to summon higher-grade Technique Spirits, repeating the cycle.


    With "equal opportunity" and "knowledge equality" as premises, adventure and research run through the life of a mage. No one can retire comfortably; as long as you don''t give up your current benefits, you must continue to explore and create benefits.


    This process not only ensures a healthy development of the mage system but continually optimizes old mages who stop striving... Sounds a bit like a KPI system! Throw in an elimination system, and it''d be perfect!


    Realizing that mages are just another kind of working person, Ash suddenly felt confident: when it comes to hard work and competition, he''s never lost!


    "Wait, if we can find the golden fish in the Sea of Knowledge and ascend to the Time Continent, isn''t that a shortcut to promotion?"


    "We prefer to call that ''smugglers,'' smugglers sneaking from the bottom to the top... That''s why mages want to find the golden fish." Sonia shrugged, "Who can refuse the temptation of getting something for nothing?... So, can you find the golden fish?"


    "I wish I could."


    "Then why are you asking me so many questions? Let''s keep navigating." Sonia looked at her somewhat ethereal hands, "Let''s not go to places where battles occur. I''m a bit tired. If we navigate one or two more areas, I really have to leave the Void Realm."


    Ash nodded, feeling tired as well.


    Navigating the Void Realm is not without cost. While passing through the white mist concentrates their Magic Power, it also tempers their spirit, consuming their soul energy. When their soul energy drops to a certain level, they must exit the Void Realm to rest.


    Every ordinary voyage is filled with countless precious miracles.


    Ash activated the "Void Realm Exploration," and unsurprisingly saw many areas marked as "A Waste of Effort" and "Better Not Go."


    But this time, he noticed an area in the lower right corner of the map glowing gold!


    The note below the area read:


    "Welcome!"


    ```

 Chapter 29 - 29 Smuggler Ash

    Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Smuggler Ash


    ```


    "So this is... a Technique Spirit."


    In the single dormitory of Shattered Lake Prison, Ash looked at the Technique Spirit lying in his palm, sleeping soundly in its blue striped pajamas, resembling a human infant. He felt a kinship deep in his heart.


    On this night''s final adventure in the Void Realm, Ash and his companion ventured to a marked area enveloped in white mist labeled "Welcome," where they discovered an island of chance encounters.


    Unlike Inheritance Island, this small island presented no dangers and no trials. Wild Technique Spirits frolicked and played on the island.


    When they set foot on the island, the Technique Spirits scattered; despite their keen eyes and swift hands, they only managed to catch two Technique Spirits. These captured spirits, resigned to their fate, agreed to acknowledge them as their masters.


    Each of the two received a Technique Spirit; the one that Ash ended up with was the human infant peacefully asleep in his palm¡ª''Substitute.''


    "Substitute"


    "One-winged Technique Spirit"


    "Restriction: Magician must be a primate intelligent creature."


    "Basic Effect: Creates a phantom identical to a target that shatters upon impact. If the target is an intelligent creature, it will follow the magician''s commands."


    "Passive Effect: Slightly alleviates pain."


    "''If it hurts, just think of yourself as someone else, then it won''t anymore.''"


    The Sword Maiden acquired a Water Technique Faction Spirit, ''Rapid Stream.''


    "Rapid Stream"


    "One-winged Technique Spirit"


    "Restriction: Unclaimed liquid must be nearby."


    "Basic Effect: Shoots a stream of water with kinetic impact."


    "Passive Effect: Enhances control over liquids."


    "''Gentle flow is life; drastic flow is change. Nothing is immutable except the flow itself.''"


    According to the Sword Maiden, the Rapid Stream Spirit could fetch a high price in her school''s markets, as it was one of the rare high-burst attack Technique Spirits in water magic factions, capable of generating many powerful miracles. However, it was challenging to summon, resulting in an exorbitantly high price, even exceeding some Two-winged Technique Spirits.


    Although Ash wanted to comment that a paper figurine had no need for money, he reconsidered, realizing it might be a game mechanic for auto-upgrade. More importantly, he needed to cling to the Sword Maiden at this crucial project phase¡ªoffending the only tech resourceful person was unbelievable folly!


    So, they happily completed their division of spoils; the Sword Maiden was satisfied, and Ash was even more so, because the Substitute Technique Spirit was an essential Technique Spirit for the Miracle of Severance!


    Ash''s immediate priority was to gather the required Technique Spirits for the Miracle of Severance to entirely shatter the control of the chip on his nape; otherwise, he couldn''t even attempt an escape!


    Ash intently gazed at the Substitute Technique Spirit in his palm, pushing the mysterious mental energy he felt in his mind.


    Since returning from the Void Realm, Ash discovered his spiritual consciousness had materialized. It felt as though imagination had become a tangible force, like an invisible phantom limb, allowing him to use spiritual power to interact with reality.


    Without needing affirmation, Ash knew this spiritual energy was the Magic Power the Sword Maiden frequently mentioned. It''s a mage''s universal energy and the basis for them to command Technique Spirits. Without Magic Power, a mage was no different than an ordinary person.


    Conversely, if you possessed Magic Power, you were a mage, even if an unskilled one.


    But Ash remembered that before entering the Void Realm, he had no Magic Power at all.


    The sources of this Magic Power were clear to Ash. Together with the Sword Maiden, as they traversed the Void Realm, every layer of white mist they pierced not only honed his Spirit but drew in free knowledge, generating universal energy¡ªMagic Power under dual influence.


    Thus, upon returning from the Void Realm, Ash not only gained a Technique Spirit but obtained Magic Power, too.


    In other words, he was now a thoroughly genuine and highly pure mage.


    However...


    Ash tried using a mental probe to explore the Substitute Technique Spirit''s form, but the feedback was as perplexing as listening sections of a level-six foreign language exam¡ªmeaningless even when scrutinized sentence by sentence.


    It perfectly aligned with the Sword Maiden''s explanation that ''unless summoning a Technique Spirit personally, you can''t even parse its construction.''


    Unable to analyze it, Ash couldn''t possibly find the Gate of Truth within the Substitute Technique Spirit.


    This indicated that Ash was a mage incapable of entering the Void Realm willingly!


    This contradicted the Sword Maiden''s portrayal of the mage system¡ªevery mage, whether innately gifted or hopelessly inept, regardless of noble or orphaned beginnings¡ªhad no exceptions. They all learned and trained to summon a Technique Spirit before entering the Void Realm.


    Never in history had there been an unlearned mage!


    The term mage originally meant ''master of the craft,'' suggestive of each mage being competent to instruct in a specialized skill!


    But now, an exception had surfaced!


    Ash Heath, an unlearned wanderer from the Otherworld, crossed the threshold of knowledge and became an official mage!


    He suddenly recalled the Sword Maiden''s earlier mention of the golden fish and smuggler legend.


    "A Silver Mage who finds a golden fish can smuggle into the Time Continent and become a Golden Mage. Yet I rode the Sword Maiden''s coattail, smuggling into the Sea of Knowledge to become a Silver Mage..."


    Other smuggling involved movement within the mage hierarchy, akin to population movement between regions in one nation¡ªinternal conflicts, in essence, whereas Ash''s smuggling was akin to scaling from a primitive tribe to a developed country¡ªa biological invasion.


    This was a secret that must never be revealed, Ash determined.


    If other mages discovered he was a smuggler, they wouldn''t spare him in the interest of preserving biodiversity.


    Substitute!


    Ash silently invoked, but nothing occurred; the Substitute Technique Spirit remained asleep in his palm.


    The next moment, a Light Screen abruptly appeared, flashing a stream of information before his eyes.


    "Warning: You are attempting to output Magic Power! This action is prohibited!"


    Ash slapped his forehead¡ªof course, the chip that restricted his access to the Void Realm would certainly restrict his use of Magic Power too!


    To command a Technique Spirit to perform a miracle, he had to bypass the chip; to bypass the chip, he had to command a Technique Spirit to perform a miracle and purify the chip... Damn, another deadlock!


    "Sword Maiden A Dream, save me¡ª"


    "Sword Maiden?"


    Ash called a few times, but the dorm room remained empty. The elusive Sword Maiden hadn''t appeared this time.


    Thinking it over, he figured the Sword Maiden must be weary after the night''s exertions with him in the Void Realm; even virtual companions needed rest. He decided not to disturb her rest today.


    "If the pain was enough, use one hand to swiftly cleave, yesterday''s curse. Await night till daylight, leaving only scars..."


    Ash raised his head, realizing it was already 8 a.m. of the second day, and the prison''s wake-up song was, as always, timely.


    Time to go for breakfast; the Death Battle Society awaited his next duel.


    .....


    ..


    In the Meditation Building of Sword Flower University, Sonia slowly opened her eyes.


    She extended her hand, and a Technique Spirit, appearing as a girl in a white dress, manifested in her palm.


    If this Technique Spirit were known publicly, it would certainly attract much attention¡ªit was extraordinarily rare for someone to achieve success their first day within the Void Realm, let alone for Sonia to secure such a precious spoil.


    She hadn''t lied to the Observer; the Rapid Stream Spirit was indeed highly prized on Sword Flower University''s Technique Spirit trading platform, and quite possibly in the entirety of Jiale City, considered a first-sequence One-winged Technique Spirit.


    But she hadn''t revealed the full truth: that the Substitute Technique Spirit held considerable value as well.


    Common Technique Spirits were generally priced higher than specialized ones; unless limited in application, a One-winged common Technique Spirit could sell for the price of a Two-winged specialized one.


    After all, only certain faction mages needed specialized Technique Spirits, while any mage could utilize common Technique Spirits, creating a naturally high demand and price.


    So why did she keep this information hidden?


    She wanted the Observer to discern her ''little thought.''


    Back in the Void Realm, Sonia had realized that the Observer lost his ability to read her inner thoughts.


    Perhaps this was due to the Void Realm''s limitations, but ultimately insignificant¡ªsince upon returning to reality, the Observer could hear her thoughts again anyway.


    When they acquired the Substitute and Rapid Stream Spirits, even if Sonia couldn''t see the Observer''s expression, she saw through his body language that he greatly desired the Substitute Spirit. Hence, Sonia adeptly handed the Substitute Spirit over to the Observer.


    Once back in reality, the Observer would know through her thoughts that Sonia was aware of the Substitute Spirit''s value, yet she only told half-truths, pretending to profit greatly from obtaining the Rapid Stream Spirit, all to allow the Observer to graciously accept the Substitute Spirit.


    Such a small scheme, entirely for his benefit, executed with such blatant transparency, would certainly not deliver a critical hit to the Observer, but at least it would increase his affection for her.


    I thought you were on the first level, I on the second, only to find you on the third and recognized me¡ªbut the truth was I was on the fourth, awaiting your recognition.


    However, the premise for all this was Sonia''s ability to conceal her true presence on the fourth level. Not difficult for her¡ªtwo days of mental training enabled Sonia to preliminarily control her thoughts so as only to consider what she intended.


    Sonia retrieved the Rapid Stream Spirit and exited the Meditation Building.


    "Observer, I''m returning to shower. Please avert your gaze."


    "Observer?"


    Exiting the building, Sonia looked around to ensure the Observer was truly absent.


    For the past two days, every time Sonia called, the Observer would appear from a blind spot she couldn''t perceive, without exception. With several minutes having passed without his appearance, the conclusion was evident¡ª


    After the Void Realm Exploration, the Observer also needed rest, suspending his constant surveillance of Sonia.


    Yet Sonia felt no joy at regaining freedom; rather, it was as stifling as bringing a cake home to eat and finding the bathroom had exploded!


    I finally seized the chance for a sugar-coated cannonball, and you stole the sugar coating and vanished!?


    ```

 Chapter 30 - 30 Celia

    Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Celia


    ```


    "Good morning, Sonia."


    Sonia turned her head and saw Celia coming out of the Meditation Building. She couldn''t help but raise her eyebrows slightly.


    Although she didn''t want to get involved with Felix, it was hard to avoid him since Felix was also a student of Professor Trozan.


    Only swordsmanship geniuses could catch the eye of the "Hidden Hand Sword Saint."


    The more she interacted with Felix, Sonia naturally got to know Celia. In just a few encounters, Sonia realized Celia was the same type of person as her, the kind of woman willing to do anything to climb up the ladder.


    So naturally, Celia harbored hostility towards Sonia. After all, Felix was her target, and Sonia''s appearance was like struggling to capture a rare animal only to find a fully armed pet trainer next to the trap. Anyone would be on guard.


    Even though Sonia said she looked down on Felix, if Felix, the young master of the Vosloda Family, was willing to be her lackey, she wasn''t against giving it a chance, so she was a bit undecided and planned to wait and see.


    Celia glanced at Sonia, took a step back while covering her nose, "It''s the first time for a junior to enter the Void Realm, and she seems quite excited."


    Was that step back serious?


    Although Sonia hadn''t bathed after training last night, she had wiped herself with a towel and changed clothes, so there should be no smell. However, having just come out of the meditation room, her unwashed hair and unmade face looked embarrassingly untidy compared to Celia''s hour-long "no-makeup look."


    Sonia could tell at a glance that Celia''s "no-makeup look" couldn''t have been done in less than an hour.


    "Hello, Senior Celia," Sonia nodded slightly. "Did you come to the Meditation Building to use the bathroom?"


    Sonia wasn''t the type to take insults quietly. Mocking Celia for coming here to do makeup instead of meditation was a perfectly sharp retort without a single vulgar word.


    "I came to meditate and enter the Void Realm, of course," Celia forced a smile and extended her hand. "This is the Technique Spirit I found last night. What do you think?"


    A small boy holding a sword scabbard appeared on Celia''s hand. Sonia took a glance, her eyebrows rising as she recalled the information about this spirit.


    "Sword Scabbard"


    "One-winged Spirit"


    "Restriction: Mages must use sword weapons"


    "Basic Effect: When paired with other swordsmanship Technique Spirits, the first activation every ten seconds of the latter will have 150% effect."


    For a Sword Master, Sword Scabbard was a very practical Technique Spirit, and could even lead to forming a swordsmanship branch: the Assassin Sword Master.


    Through miracles like "Light-infused Scabbard," "Poised to Strike," and "Breaking Sword Qi," the Sword Master could and only could unleash a disabling Sword Qi that could pierce through any defense of the same level, its power unmatched by any faction Mage, a fatal strike.


    For a moment, Sonia even considered taking out her Rapid Stream Spirit to exchange with Celia.


    Although the Rapid Stream Spirit was more expensive than the Sword Scabbard Spirit on the trading platform, these spirits were often priceless. A suitable swordsmanship Technique Spirit was hard to come by, and even if found, it might not be obtainable.


    But seeing Celia''s playful eyes, Sonia understood everything¡ªthis madam was here to show off.


    "Do you think Felix will like it?"


    Sonia suddenly felt a twinge of guilt. Last night in the dorm, her appearance probably had the same punchable expression as Celia''s now. She was genuinely grateful for her roommates'' mercy.


    "Your boyfriend is so lucky," Sonia forced a smile, "This is a very precious Technique Spirit for a Sword Master."


    "Is that so? Since you said it, I believe you."


    Celia laughed, still on guard.


    After the swordsmanship match the night before, Celia had thought Felix might dump her for Sonia, but surprisingly, Felix had no such intent and was still good to her, just wanting another match with Sonia.


    Celia didn''t think Felix was two-timing; he wasn''t the type to hide his emotions. If he wanted to cheat, he would break up outright, not string her along. So Celia believed Felix wasn''t interested in Sonia, just fixated on winning or losing.


    But even so, Sonia was still a formidable rival in Celia''s heart. After all, sparks often fly in competitions between men and women. Felix might not think much now, but what about the next moment? Tomorrow? Next week?


    As long as Felix was breathing, there was a chance he might change his heart.


    Thus Celia had to closely watch her boyfriend, preventing any private contact between him and Sonia, like now.


    Not only that, she had to weigh her options further to intimidate Sonia and prevent any future troubles.


    "You must work hard too," Celia encouraged. "I heard your family isn''t well-off. Compared to us Jiale City locals, getting into Sword Flower University through the national exam shows your ability is much stronger than ours. You''ll surely be able to stay in Jiale City and bring your family to live in the big city one day."


    Here it comes, the contemptuous yet encouraging speech of the rich to the poor... Sonia showed a kind smile, "Thank you for your concern, Senior."


    "Sigh, you could have flown higher without the burden of family."


    This comment was partly insincere and partly genuine from Celia. She genuinely found Sonia''s situation unfortunate. Not to mention a noble family, even if Sonia came from a middle-class family in Jiale City, she would have a better future. But unfortunately, she was just a village girl from a poor agricultural town on the border.


    She didn''t notice the change in Sonia''s gaze.


    "You''re right, Senior."


    Sonia paused for a moment, revealing a helpless smile, "A person''s starting point often decides their endpoint. Birth is our first lottery ticket, and I only got a consolation prize."


    Celia wondered if she had been too harsh, causing Sonia to fall apart, and pondered how to comfort her junior.


    "Coming from a place as poor as mine, I can never change my humble nature. Look, I''ve been chatting with you for so long and forgot I hadn''t washed my face. It''s awfully rude to talk to you with such a messy face."


    "You don''t have to say that..."


    Just as Celia was about to comfort Sonia, she saw Sonia summon a Technique Spirit, conjuring a ball of water in her hand to splash on her face.


    "Washing up feels much better."


    Celia stared at the Technique Spirit in Sonia''s hand, "What is that..."


    "Huh?" Sonia was slightly taken aback, eyes darting, and stammered, "This, this is... an adventure I had last night in the Void Realm! Mm-hmm, a Rapid Stream Spirit I got from Adventure Island! Pretty lucky, huh?"


    Celia responded with an "Oh," her forehead metaphorically emblazoned with the words "I! Don''t! Believe!"


    How could anyone encounter Adventure Island on their first day entering the Void Realm?


    And acquire one of the most precious spirits of the Water Technique Faction, the Rapid Stream Spirit!?


    Did she take me for a fool?


    Could she have bought it? But where would this village girl get the money to buy such a rare spirit, and the Rapid Stream Spirit was priceless. Celia had wanted to buy one for a long time but couldn''t find a seller!


    If she didn''t buy it, someone must have given it to her.


    At Sword Flower University, there weren''t many who could casually give away a Rapid Stream Spirit...


    Celia barely managed her expression, pulling out a smile, "That is quite an important spirit for the Water Technique Faction. Are you considering switching to the Water Technique Faction?"


    "Well, I might have a talent for swordsmanship, but I''m also interested in the Water Technique Faction..." Sonia saw Felix coming out of the Meditation Building and quickly waved goodbye, "Senior, I have to go. See you later!"


    Celia wondered why Sonia hurried off, only to turn and see Felix emerging from the building.


    "Were you waiting for me, Senior?" Felix smiled, "The Void Realm is such an intriguing place... I want to visit the library to learn more about it. Would you like to join me?"


    Celia glanced in the direction Sonia left, then at Felix, sensing she understood something, her jealousy making her grit her teeth.


    But every word she wanted to say transformed into a sweet response.


    "Sure," she smiled, extending her hand, "I got this Sword Scabbard Spirit from the Void Realm last night, but I''m not into swordsmanship... what do you think I should do with it?"


    ```

 Chapter 31 - 31 The Orphans All Together

    Chapter 31: Chapter 31 The Orphans All Together


    Shattered Lake Prison cafeteria.


    Perhaps because he arrived unusually early today, Ash found the cafeteria packed with inmates having breakfast. A closer look left him wide-eyed in amazement. Aside from humans, beastmen, and goblins, the prison held many other species, some crawling on the ground, others with two horns or four arms...


    Ash even saw a particularly sensual-looking woman, with hooves and fluffy ears, exposing much of her body. He couldn''t determine her race, prompting a deep interest in this world''s health industry and some peculiar fantasies.


    He wasn''t into furries, but...


    "Do you want food?"


    The cafeteria aunt''s soul-searching question snapped Ash''s gaze back.


    Ash randomly ordered a few filling portions and noticed a unique dish at the window labeled "one per person," which looked particularly enticing.


    "Auntie, what is this?"


    "Royal Seafood Lala Fat, seasonal delicacy, very limited supply," said the auntie. "If you''re any later, it will be gone."


    "Alright, give me..."


    "Give me five pieces!"


    A loud, muffled shout interrupted Ash''s words. He turned to see a green-skinned beastman getting food. The auntie opposite took all five remaining portions of the seafood lala fat and dumped them into its gigantic bowl upon hearing.


    "What? How can it take five portions?"


    Ash was dumbfounded.


    "It''s a beastman," the auntie said matter-of-factly.


    "Why can beastmen take five portions?"


    "Beastmen can just take five portions, always been that way."


    "It took five portions, so there''s none for me¡ª"


    Ash''s words suddenly got stuck in his throat, as a Light Screen popped up, filling his vision with a series of red warnings:


    "Warning: You are attempting to express racially discriminatory remarks! This is prohibited! In the Kingdom of Blood Moon, racial equality is the first principle! Please be mindful!"


    Me saying beastmen eat too much counts as racial discrimination!?


    Ash gloomily took his tray and searched for a seat, finding the place fully packed. After much effort, he found an empty spot but discovered a blue-skinned monster with a particularly large butt sitting beside it, looking fiercer than the beastman and taking up two spaces.


    If it were his past life, Ash would have turned and left, but this was Shattered Lake Prison, where the other party couldn''t physically assault him, so Ash confidently walked over.


    "Hey, you''re taking up two spots. Move over."


    The blue-skinned monster, eating with its hands, glanced at him, then lowered its head to continue eating.


    "I''m an ogre."


    "Oh, and? You can''t take up two spots even if you''re an ogre¡ª"


    "Warning: You are attempting to express racially discriminatory remarks! This is prohibited! In the Kingdom of Blood Moon, racial equality is the first principle! Please be mindful!"


    Saying your butt takes up two seats counts as racial discrimination?


    Ash felt like swearing but couldn''t, as his words were blocked in his throat. He wanted to dump the tray over, but he couldn''t, as his hand remained stuck.


    Under the control of the chip at the back of their necks, every prisoner was the most loyal follower of the law. They had maximum freedom when not violating any moral or legal issues, but any attempt to breach these boundaries, even with a single word or look, would see them tightly shackled.


    Suddenly, a hand tapped his shoulder. A burly man nearby lifted his tray and stood up, signaling for Ash to sit there.


    Ash thanked him and found the man familiar, seemingly someone he saw in the Death Battle Society yesterday.


    "Desmond," he introduced himself, giving a disgusted glance at the ogre and goblin at the table. "I''m heading to the Death Battle Society. Join me for a round sometime."


    The surrounding people glanced at them upon hearing "Death Battle Society," scooting their seats away slightly. Ash sat down, listening to the ogre''s chewing noise like a tractor and the goblin across scattering crumbs everywhere, stirring a strong desire to escape from within him.


    This wasn''t like escaping because he knew staying would mean death; he wanted to flee because he hated the environment.


    The last time he felt this was during an internship under a dim-witted boss. If a colleague was the fool, he could retaliate or maneuver; if the boss was the fool, enduring was the only option without even verbal protest possible.


    He could put up with hardship because enduring meant a future without endurance.


    But if the boss was a fool, that meant endless endurance, making work pointless. Why work overtime anywhere else if you could just leave and find a more agreeable boss?


    The current situation was way worse than a foolish boss¡ªthe entire environment was foolish.


    You were seething, yet you couldn''t say anything; you wanted to fight back, but your body wouldn''t obey.


    Ash suddenly had an epiphany.


    He once thought Shattered Lake Prison truly treated its prisoners well.


    But in reality, by confining a group of God-Hated and Ghost-Despised death row inmates together, allowing no transgressions between them, forcing them to create value for the prison to escape the Blood Moon Judgement, was essentially a form of psychological slicing.


    Extinguishing their anger.


    Shattering their hopes.


    Eliminating their courage.


    Destroying their spirit.


    Sowing seeds of despair, frustration, regret, fear, etc., within them, letting them grow until they became mere skeletons, mentally collapsing, appearing at the Blood Moon Judgement as ''perfect perpetrators,'' welcoming their deserved tragic fate.


    Ash now understood why so many joined the Death Battle Society.


    It was the only place for death row prisoners to vent, the only place providing a whiff of fresh air in this prison.


    It was equivalent to a garbage dump.


    Ironically, it was Ash, someone unable to tolerate the environment, who was the garbage. It was these death row inmates who could leisurely enjoy their time here; they were the model prisoners.


    Finishing his meal quickly, Ash hurried to the place meant for garbage.


    No death matches were ongoing in the Death Battle Society. It was bright inside, and Ash saw Lanna lying in her boyfriend''s arms from afar.


    Was it an illusion, or did her boyfriend look thinner than yesterday?


    No way... was Lanna actually the draining type?


    "Ash." Lanna raised her hand to greet him, saying, "You''re early, just finished breakfast? Want to do some digestion before Valcas arrives?"


    Ash nodded, finding a place to sit. Someone immediately joined him.


    "Selin D''Or."


    "Who?"


    Ash glanced over at Igula, a trace of caution in his eyes.


    Igula raised an eyebrow, "No need to be tense. I''m not interested in challenging you to a death match¡ªI won''t participate in any battle I lack confidence in, and I won''t waste time on meaningless things like pride. I accept my loss, wholeheartedly."


    "You''re too cunning to trust for this kind of strategic play," Ash replied.


    "Then let''s skip unnecessary foreplay and jump straight to humanity''s oldest interaction¡ª"


    "Mating?"


    "Trading, trading!" Igula enunciated each word precisely as if trying to make them bleed. "You answer one of my questions, and I''ll answer one of yours."


    "I don''t have any questions for you."


    "Really? Aren''t you curious why that elf Valcas challenged you?"


    Elf?


    Ash was slightly surprised internally but maintained a neutral expression.


    "Well, I''m a bit curious, but how do I know you won''t lie?"


    "I also don''t know if you will lie to me," Igula laughed. "We both take the same risk."


    "Then what''s the point of this trade?"


    "Because I believe I can tell if you''re lying, and even if you do, I can guess the truth. Similarly, you can¡ª"


    "I can''t," Ash shook his head. "I didn''t study much; you''re sure to deceive me."


    Igula was taken aback, seemingly facing someone with such self-awareness for the first time.


    After a moment of silence, he said helplessly, "Then I''ll directly tell you the information, and you can judge its value. If it''s valuable, answer my question. Agreed?"


    The tone was as begrudging as someone from Sichuan agreeing to a divided hotpot... Ash pondered for a moment, feeling there was no risk of being taken advantage of, and nodded.


    "Valcas Uer was once a researcher at Kaimon University, imprisoned for stealing important patent technology, privately raising children, and murdering a colleague. Due to his elf status, he''s the only prisoner who hasn''t participated in a Blood Moon Judgement since his incarceration. He''s been in prison for five years without partaking in a single judgement."


    Ash gasped, remembering Lanna mentioning that every death row inmate must participate in their first Blood Moon Judgement, a rite of passage before they could create value in Shattered Lake Prison. Those who failed had only the fate of becoming fertilizer.


    "Why was he able to escape the Blood Moon Judgement? Because he''s an elf? Isn''t racial equality the primary principle in the Kingdom of Blood Moon?"


    "Racial equality is indeed the primary principle."


    Igula wore a mysteriously elusive smile.


    "But some races are more equal than others."


    Equality is indeed a horizon¡ªit exists everywhere, yet it can never be reached... Ash didn''t feel much of a sense of lament; his limited time here meant he didn''t fully understand how ''racial equality'' was enforced.


    "Why did he challenge me?"


    "That ties to the crimes he committed. While stealing patent rights and murder are serious crimes, they wouldn''t have sent him to Shattered Lake Prison. The offense that truly enraged the elite was his private raising of children!"


    Ash was utterly bewildered.


    What the hell?


    "Why is privately raising children the most severe crime?"


    "Because it''s forbidden; no one can privately raise children."


    Ash felt increasingly confused.


    "No one raises children, then you... how did we grow up?"


    "We all grew up in orphanages," Igula frowned deeply. "Socialized upbringing is a fundamental policy in the Kingdom of Blood Moon. Are you deliberately causing trouble with such questions?"


    Socialized upbringing?


    Ash tried to comprehend this unfamiliar term. "You mean we were raised by the state, and every individual is..."


    He wanted to say "an orphan," but the words got stuck in his throat.


    This time it wasn''t the chip stopping him.


    It was because Ash couldn''t find the words.


    He searched desperately through Heath''s mind, only to find that Heath''s native language didn''t even include words like "father" or "mother"! The only remotely related term was "guardian"!


    No stronger evidence was needed.


    The absence of words like "parents" proved there were no such roles in the Kingdom of Blood Moon''s social relations!


    Wait a minute¡ªsocialized upbringing of orphans and the neck chip controlling everyone''s words and actions...


    Ash suddenly felt a twinge of fear towards the outside world beyond the prison.


    What kind of world have I traversed into?

 Chapter 32: The Elf with a Mouth Smeared with Laxative

    Chapter 32: Chapter 32: The Elf with a Mouth Smeared with Laxative


    ```


    Igula felt puzzled.


    Ash Heath, after asking him a question so foolish it couldn''t get any more foolish, suddenly fell into deep thought.


    But Ash wasn''t foolish, of course, and Igula wouldn''t admit that he was outsmarted by a fool.


    "Have you figured out why Valcas challenged you?"


    Ash snapped back to reality and tentatively asked, "Is it because of that child?"


    Igula nodded.


    "I think so too."


    "Valcas had behaved himself in the prison for five years, rarely challenging others, and merely living comfortably by harvesting the contribution of those he disliked."


    "This time, he suddenly jumped out. Other than because of that child, there wasn''t any other reason. Back then, he even risked ruin and imprisonment to raise that child, which was enough to prove how much he valued that child."


    "That child has long been receiving education at the orphanage, and many people can interact with that child, but the ''key figure'' who would connect that child, Valcas, and you is only one."


    "That is Selin Dole."


    Meeting Igula''s confident eyes, Ash faintly felt this was a name he should know.


    But he just didn''t know it.


    "Who''s Selin?"


    Igula stared into Ash''s eyes and suddenly said, "Don''t move."


    He reached out a finger and poked Ash''s face, "Ask again."


    "Who''s Selin?"


    Igula paused for a moment, sighed, and withdrew his hand.


    "Selin Dole is a history professor at Kaimon Comprehensive University and also the president of the Elf Racial Rights Association. He has many, many titles, but those don''t concern you. Most importantly, he is the advisor to the Ancient Artifact Research Society at Kaimon Comprehensive University."


    Ancient Artifact Research Society?


    Ash blinked, realizing a possibility.


    "Was I once a member of the Ancient Artifact Research Society?"


    "Correctly speaking, you are still the president of the Ancient Artifact Research Society. Although I have no evidence, there should be a relationship of interest that transcends an ordinary teacher-student relationship between Selin and you."


    The Gods of Four Pillars cult!


    Could Heath, on his own, have enchanted so many heretics, and established the crime syndicate-like evil cult of The Gods of Four Pillars with personal charisma and leadership?


    Indeed, that''s possible, but more likely he received someone else''s gifts and assistance!


    Selin Dole was very likely one of the supporters behind Heath!


    "I''ve shown my sincerity, so are you willing to answer my question? Though I''ve already guessed the answer."


    Igula interrupted Ash''s train of thought.


    "Since you''ve guessed it, why ask me... go on, ask."


    "How did you manage to deceive me with heart whispers? Last night on the stage, I predicted your attack direction by listening to your heart''s whisper. This move of mine rarely fails because no one can deceive themselves."


    Ash was slightly stunned.


    "What, you can listen to my heart''s whisper?"


    "Only on the stage can I hear the whispering of your mind through your agitated emotions."


    Igula explained, typically avoiding weakness, and he even preferred when others feared him because of it.


    But for some reason, he felt posturing should be pointless with Ash, so he couldn''t be bothered to maintain the facade.


    "I didn''t use heart whispers to deceive you." Ash scratched his head, "I only realized now that you could cheat like this. No wonder I couldn''t land a punch on you earlier."


    "Then how do you simultaneously say ''you''re quite good-looking'' in your heart while punching my face?"


    "Saying you''re good-looking and wanting to hit you aren''t contradictory!"


    Igula had to elaborate a bit more: "Generally speaking, I can hear the truest desires from the depths of people''s hearts, so those shallow false thoughts can''t deceive me. If you want to hit me, I should hear ''I want to punch your face,'' not hear the compliment ''you''re quite good-looking.''"


    "Oh, I think I understand what you mean."


    Ash tilted his head.


    "I probably zoned out at that time."


    "Zoned out?"


    "Yeah, when I zone out, my mind wanders, looking for something captivating, so I genuinely thought you were good-looking."


    "So why did you suddenly hit me?"


    "Because after zoning out, I refocused and naturally entered work mode promptly." Ash shrugged, "Sensational images would only slow down my work pace."


    It sounded reasonable, misunderstanding Ash''s heart whispers due to zoning out¡ªwho would believe that!


    A Sect Hierarch of The Gods of Four Pillars, a genius warrior who rapidly grows in battle, zoning out in a fight?


    Plus, Ash acted genuinely unfamiliar with the mention of Selin Dole earlier, making Igula more inclined to believe Ash mastered the art of perfect disguise!


    "Impossible, even if zoned out, I should still hear your true heart whispers!"


    "Don''t be so sure, maybe your ability has limits..."


    "Since you put it that way, let me test it!"


    Igula reached out and touched Ash''s cheek, "I can tell whether you lied by the change in temperature on your face. Say a true or false statement at random! If my ability is limited, I should be able to distinguish between truth and lie!"


    Ash blinked.


    "What I''m saying right now is false."


    Igula was taken aback.


    Wait, is this statement true or false? If it''s true that he''s lying, then it''s a falsehood; if it''s false, then inversely it''s true...


    The nested logic scrambled Igula''s mind, and he sat in the audience like a toy wrecked beyond repair, mumbling about truth and falsehood.


    Ash shrugged. He had faced many such brain teasers during interviews. Apparently, kids in this world haven''t encountered such puzzles.


    Just then, commotion erupted at the entrance of the Death Battle Society.


    "Oh, isn''t this our esteemed Elf lord?"


    "Lord Uer, the humble Beastman offers you the rarest blessing. Do you need me to lick your shoes?"


    "Step aside, step aside, don''t sully the young elf lord''s clothes, you bunch of inferior races aren''t fit to come within five paces of an elf!"


    Though chips prevented prisoners from verbally abusing others, they only banned direct insults¡ªnot sarcasm.


    Ash was quite surprised by how these people could unite so well to ostracize a particular target.


    It wasn''t that he had high expectations for the intelligence or ethics of death row inmates, but here you couldn''t physically confront nor verbally bully, and can''t harm even a hair of the opponent; sarcasm was at its limits.


    Yet in the adult world, this level of bullying was akin to a girlfriend playfully thumping your chest¡ªnot appealing and rather pointless; ordinary people should quickly grow tired of it.


    If they hadn''t tired of it, then it could only mean...


    "Thank you all for your concern." Valcas bowed slightly, making a graceful gesture, "Your words are so pleasing, surely you wiped your mouths well before leaving the bathroom, right?"


    "Valcas, are you saying we ate shit?"


    "No, I''m just complimenting those who clean their mouths well after eating shit. Why jump out yourself? Do you eat shit as well?"


    "Val! Cas!"


    "Hey, here, you sound a bit intense, there''s a smell of urine¡ªyour diet seems diverse."


    "Val¡ªCas¡ª"


    "Hey, why so agitated? I wasn''t accusing you. Speaking of which, I remember a joke: I once threw garbage downstairs and accidentally hit a dog. The dog surely barked, didn''t it? So, you see, if you hear a dog barking when you throw trash, it must have hit the dog."


    "Valcas!"


    "I never expected so many people who wipe their mouths after using the toilet. I used to hear rumors that prisoners in Shattered Lake Prison eat crap and crap meals. I''ll definitely clear the air for you guys; it''s not a rumor."


    Igula couldn''t help but chuckle.


    "Such a peculiar argument, only in Shattered Lake Prison could you see this."


    Ash nodded, fully understanding why Valcas could subdue dozens of people with his words alone¡ªbecause no profane language was allowed. Once you attempted to curse, the chip would automatically choke you, causing crude words to ferment in your gut, effectively muting you instantly.


    Hence, those people couldn''t say another word after shouting Valcas''s name.


    Then Valcas would turn around and mock them, appearing as though they willingly sought reprimand.


    To bypass chip restrictions, knowing how to insult without profanity, and causing the insulter to lose sanity and be muted by the chip, were the two essentials of prison insults.


    Clearly, Valcas was proficient, like his tongue was buttered with lubricants, completely overwhelming the other death row inmates with his sharp wit.


    Someone even wanted to act out, but the chip directly took control, forcing them into submission, causing them to fall stiffly to the ground.


    "No need for formalities, withdraw."


    Valcas lifted his chin, gracefully stepping over them. Those who lost in the verbal spar, eyes aflame, glared at Valcas, unable to speak nor strike¡ªa living demonstration of impotent rage.


    No wonder these inmates weren''t bored with sarcasm. With Valcas, a master of verbal daggers, they experienced intense interaction¡ªlikely pondering tonight how to retaliate.


    "Ash Heath?"


    "Valcas Uer?"


    From afar, Valcas eyed Ash, his gaunt face returning to indifference.


    He pointed at the ring, "If there''s no problem, let''s start right away."


    The stares from the Death Battle Society converged, some expectant, some mocking, some curious, some frenzied.


    Igula glanced at Ash.


    Now Ash knew Valcas had ties with Professor Selin, meaning there must be something off about this death match. If he were Ash, he would refuse the fight¡ªnever participating in uncertain battles.


    "Sword Maiden?"


    Igula jerked slightly, hearing Ash softly utter a name. But there was no Sword Maiden here, and Ash''s eyes weren''t on anyone.


    "Feeling a bit lonely..."


    Ash murmured softly, turning to Valcas.


    For some reason, Igula couldn''t help but say, "Valcas is much stronger than me; he isn''t an opponent you can outsmart easily. And the sword''s destructive power is much greater, a single strike might decide the fight."


    "Thanks." Ash smiled, "This time, I don''t plan on using cunning."


    "Then what will you use?"


    "My life. I''ll bet my life that his first strike won''t kill me."


    Watching Valcas step onto the stage, Ash got to his feet as well.


    "As long as the first strike doesn''t kill me, the second strike will be my opportunity."


    ```

 Chapter 33 - 33 Miracle

    Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Miracle


    ```


    "Valcas Uer bets 37 contribution points"


    "VS"


    "Ash Heath bets 2 contribution points"


    Normally, it was already rare for a newcomer to the ''cesspit'' (affectionately named by death row inmates for the prison) to participate in death matches for two consecutive days, not to mention that his opponent was none other than ''noble'' Valcas, naturally attracting countless attention.


    Many who weren''t part of the Death Battle Society came to watch, and the audience stands were packed, with a large crowd standing at the entrance.


    "Both of them are using swords... is it a swordsmanship duel? It''s been a while since I''ve seen Sword Masters fight; every time there''s a swordsmanship duel, the whole stage reeks of fragrant blood..."


    "Human, hack that Elf to death!"


    "What''s with that sword grip, has he never learned swordsmanship? Could it be that he got scared seeing the noble pick up a sword and followed suit?"


    "If you can''t use a sword, don''t use a sword! Isn''t a spear easier to handle?"


    "Clearly, an axe would be better, with one swing, regardless of the weapon, everything turns to mush."


    "What... what nonsense are you spouting? Clearly, a spear is better for beginners!"


    "I... I''m not spouting nonsense! An axe is the best weapon for beginners!"


    Ash had one more reason to escape: he''d rather listen to people swearing than hear two old-timers with voices like Black Tornado arguing with elegant phrases like tsundere girls. It was as out of place as tofu in tom yum soup.


    "They''re so noisy."


    "That''s how the cesspit is, full of buzzing flies everywhere."


    Valcas looked at the iron sword in his hand and flicked it lightly with his finger, producing a clear and crisp sound.


    "Maggots can''t turn into butterflies. Even if they''re real butterflies, in a cesspit, they''re just bigger flies."


    Ash chuckled, "Seems like you have a lot to say about prison life. Interested in writing a book?"


    Valcas''s fingers gently brushed the blade, assuming a standard swordsmanship stance.


    "Ash Heath, I apologize."


    As the barriers around the arena rose, Valcas transformed into a swift shadow, the long sword in his hand seeming to extend over ten meters as it pierced through the air in an instant!


    Despite Ash''s careful vigilance, he still couldn''t block it with his sword in time. He could only barely avoid the vital point by darting to the right, and a small piece of flesh was sliced off his shoulder by Valcas''s sword!


    The intense pain caused Ash to gasp, but he had no time to rest, as Valcas was already within reach!


    Clang! Clang! Clang!


    Ash didn''t flee but instead went against the grain, charging right into Valcas''s grasp to bring the fight into the most dangerous distance!


    His rationality wasn''t drowned by the pain¡ªValcas was ten centimeters taller than him, with long limbs. At a medium-close distance, Ash had almost no room to retaliate. Only by closing the gap to extremely close quarters could he turn Valcas''s advantage into a disadvantage, rendering the sword unusable!


    "Haven''t you learned any swordsmanship?"


    Ash suddenly felt a chill over his entire body, catching a glimpse of Valcas twisting his wrist from wielding the sword forward to backward!


    Clang!


    Valcas''s sword blocked Ash''s thrust, and the Elf pivoted with an elbow, delivering a blow that hammered Ash''s forehead, exploiting his height advantage!


    Retreat! Retreat! Retreat!


    The force of the elbow strike nearly knocked Ash out, and at that moment, the Technique Spirit, dormant in his mind, began to circulate, emitting a cool aura that quickly restored Ash''s consciousness. His body maintained its combat instincts and decisively retreated!


    When Ash''s vision cleared, what met him was a glinting blade!


    Boom!


    Ash scrambled up, not daring to let his back touch the ground. He looked at the wall shattered by Valcas''s sword with terror, immediately followed by fear.


    Their swords weren''t sharpened!


    The prison wasn''t crazy enough to hand sharpened weapons to death row inmates to kill each other!


    Earlier, Valcas had used an unsharpened blade to slice a piece of shoulder meat from Ash, which was already incredible. Ash merely assumed Valcas''s sword was fast enough that even the meat on his shoulder didn''t react.


    But that was a stone wall!


    Solid stone!


    Stop it. This isn''t swordsmanship!


    This went beyond the jurisdiction of swordsmanship!


    "Technique... Technique Spirit?"


    "You seem a bit surprised."


    Valcas laughed.


    "Isn''t it normal for Mages to use Technique Spirits in combat?"


    "But the prison hasn''t lifted the magic power restrictions¡ª"


    "Some things can''t be locked. Even if you bind their hands and feet, they''ll still grow wings and fly. The Technique Spirits born from the knowledge I wholly mastered, even without a supply of magic power, are still my power and can turn every ordinary motion into a miraculous moment."


    Ash exhaled deeply; his clothes felt heavy, due to his shoulder wound soaking them with blood. He felt his strength ebbing away with the escaping blood.


    Unlike barehanded boxing matches, swordsmanship death matches using cold weapons had no flashy turns, only the instant breath between life and death¡ªthe strong live, the weak die.


    But somehow, he felt refreshed, the magic power in his mind even becoming active, and his shoulder didn''t hurt so much.


    "If a vital point is hit by such an attack, I probably wouldn''t be savable, right?"


    "I don''t know, I''ve never gone full force on anyone in a death match."


    "I''m the first?"


    "And the last."


    Boom!


    With a gentle flick from Valcas, the ground as hard as steel began to crack and explode, like a giant serpent rushing beneath the surface toward Ash!


    "Elf Swordsmanship Miracle, Shatter Mountain and Earth!?"


    "He actually used a Miracle!"


    "How can that be?"


    A murmur broke out in the audience, with the faces of death row inmates almost pressed against the invisible barriers, eager for more details on Valcas.


    Igula was no exception; he had seen Valcas in death matches before and anticipated Valcas''s ability to use Technique Spirits.


    But using a Technique Spirit and performing a Miracle were two vastly different concepts!


    Every Miracle required coordination of several composite Technique Spirits to be cast, but that didn''t mean having multiple composite Technique Spirits granted the ability to perform Miracles; just like how ordinary people and handsome men or beautiful women both have one mouth, one nose, two eyes, yet the results are a direct hit for angels with faces born sky-first.


    The difficulty of performing Miracles was so high that ''performing a Miracle'' was in itself a part of the Miracle.


    Remember, those who could become Mages were already prodigious, or they wouldn''t be able to advance a skill to the ''technique'' realm and summon Technique Spirits.


    And yet, most of these exalted ones merely aspired to master one or two Miracles in a lifetime, and this was also the average level among Mages¡ªthe ones below average hadn''t even mastered a single Miracle.


    With Miracles as rare as they were, their rewards and difficulty were naturally positively correlated. Compared to the straightforward effects of Technique Spirits, Miracles were more complex, grand, difficult to unravel, and even produced unpredictable effects that transcended factional chasms.


    For instance, a Sword Master''s Miracle might have a healing effect, a Water Mage''s Miracle could evaporate enemies, and a Gun Master''s Miracle might make enemies actively catch gun bullets...


    A prevalent saying among Mages is, "Technique Spirits are merely extensions of our skills; Miracles are the true wonders!"


    Igula also mastered Miracles, possessing all the Technique Spirits necessary for a Miracle, theoretically granting him the ability to perform one.


    But he hadn''t succeeded in performing a Miracle even once in prison.


    Not even once!


    If invoking a Technique Spirit in prison was like picking one''s nose with a foot, albeit challenging but manageable with practice,


    then performing a Miracle in prison was akin to applying makeup with one''s foot¡ªand it had to be an exceptionally beautiful job, or it wouldn''t qualify as a Miracle!


    Ash was done for now.


    Igula watched the earth-shattering scene on the death match arena and felt pity for Ash.


    Valcas was clearly aiming to kill. Under the crushing weight of a Miracle, a whole body for Ash wasn''t even a thought; even finding all his body parts amid the rubble would be unlikely, and the medical practitioners in the prison''s infirmary couldn''t handle such severe injuries, leaving Ash''s body to the ogres for processing.


    This was the reality in the Kingdom of Blood Moon, where beneath the tablecloths of ''racial equality,'' ''rule of law,'' and ''harmonious coexistence,'' carnivores still adhered to the cruel law of the jungle.


    Once interests were touched, even hiding in Shattered Lake Prison meant being crushed dead by the finger of an upper position''s holder.


    Too bad, he was quite an interesting man...


    As the earth-shattering sounds on the death match arena continued for a while, someone finally couldn''t endure it.


    "Why isn''t he dead yet?"


    "Even if the Miracle''s power was reduced to less than a tenth, it shouldn''t be possible not to kill someone who can''t even hold a sword steady, right?"


    Indeed, why wasn''t Ash dead yet?


    With all attention on the Miracle, the death row inmates now seriously observed Ash.


    There was no good ground left on the death match arena; confronting Valcas and his effortless Shatter Earth Miracle, Ash dodged like a frantic hamster, left and right, looking disheveled and almost getting crushed into paste several times.


    But he dodged every time! Every single time!


    Although his movements appeared clumsy, in the eyes of these death row inmates, they were becoming more efficient with no wasted effort!


    Even Ash''s sword holding was becoming steadier, even able to parry Valcas''s strikes!


    It was practically, practically like...


    "Just like yesterday''s death match with the Beautiful Beast."


    Someone murmured softly.


    As the first victim, Igula naturally felt this intensely. He''d watched Ash become stronger and more skilled during combat, evolving from a sheltered flower who couldn''t roll to a beast filled with combat instincts in just minutes.


    And now, a second victim emerged.


    This wretch Ash somehow managed to learn swordsmanship during a fight!?


    This was prison, not some genius training center, damn it!


    Yet many connected Ash''s talents with his criminal charges, recalling his origins.


    "The Gods of Four Pillars..."


    In the dimly lit audience, Lanna clung to her boyfriend''s neck, her eyes fixated on the two in the death match arena, a strange light blinking in her pupils.


    ```

 Chapter 34: Substitute Technique Spirit

    Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Substitute Technique Spirit


    ```


    "Why don''t you just kill yourself?"


    When Valcas said this, it didn''t mean he was confident of winning. On the contrary, it was a sign of his surrender.


    Suicide was permitted in the gladiatorial arena.


    Once a participant committed suicide, the death match would end, the chip restrictions would reactivate, and Valcas wouldn''t be able to desecrate the corpse.


    As long as Ash left himself a whole body, the Medical Practitioners could communicate with the Void Realm through the Technique Spirit and pull his soul back from the fog of the Void Realm into his body.


    When Ash dodged his first "Collapse the Mountain and Split the Earth Miracle," Valcas already lost. The subsequent attacks were nothing but desperate struggles with false hopes. Even if he could win this death match, he couldn''t accomplish the Task he''d shouldered: completely eradicating Ash Heath.


    Compared to failing the Task, the scene before him made Valcas feel worse.


    Nothing was more painful than witnessing the rise of a genius. If there was, it was being the stepping stone for that genius.


    Even though Valcas was a middle-aged elf over a hundred years old, this situation made him feel aggrieved¡ªwasn''t it unfair? With so many unfortunate people in the world, why should it be him?


    To be honest, Valcas''s mentality was already a bit shattered. He voiced the fast-track answer straightforwardly, hoping Ash would quickly end this nightmare.


    "Why commit suicide? I haven''t lost yet."


    "You think you have a chance to defeat me?" Valcas laughed in anger. "Oh really? Centuries from now, bards will recite your glorious deeds on the streets, ''Ash Heath, who never learned swordsmanship, faced an overconfident Elf Swordsman in a battle and miraculously defeated him. This marked the beginning of his undefeated and illustrious life.''"


    "Ah, merciful Mr. Ash, the humble Valcas pleads that you mention my name in your future autobiography, so I can be immortalized as a clown, alright? Hmm?"


    "So, Valcas, when are you publishing a book?"


    Ash raised his left hand with difficulty, wiping away the blood flowing down his forehead to prevent the blood stain from sticking to his eyelashes and obstructing his vision, his face still bearing a smile.


    "I just have a reason I must win against you."


    "What reason?"


    "I want to ask you, did Selin Dol send you to kill me, and is there another conspiracy behind my imprisonment?"


    Valcas flicked the sword, brushing away the blood and filth on it.


    "What''s that got to do with you needing to beat me?"


    "If I don''t beat you, will you answer?"


    "Maybe I will, maybe I won''t. Besides, even if I answer, could you tell if I''m lying?"


    "I asked someone else the same question earlier," Ash exhaled deeply. "He came to me to solve a mystery. I said, if I lie, can you tell? He said he really could."


    "So can you?"


    "No, I can''t. But I figured that an answer obtained after beating you is probably closer to the truth than just asking you, right?"


    "It''s been a long time since I heard such a pure reason since I left the orphanage."


    Valcas grinned; for the first time, his expression became grim, abandoning the elegance he maintained from entering the arena to fighting. "But if you don''t kill yourself, you might really die."


    "Then let''s see if your sword is faster or mine is."


    "Kill you before you commit suicide? Interesting, I accept this challenge."


    "Ah, that''s not exactly what I meant..."


    Ash gripped the sword hilt, clenching his muscles.


    "After all, I have no intention of retiring here. If I can''t even step over you, this stepping stone, what right do I have to leave this prison?"


    "Such bold words!"


    The already shattered ground cracked again. The invisible Sword Qi sketched a menacing outline with dust, like a giant sword thrusting at Ash from the earth!


    Ash didn''t blink, desperately dodging the Sword Qi and the crumbling debris, prolonging the battle to allow his body to absorb as much swordsmanship experience as possible!


    The Sword Maiden''s swordsmanship experience was genuine. From initially not being able to see Valcas''s sword, Ash could now predict Valcas''s sword movements just by looking at his shoulders. Though he might not be proficient in using the sword, he was at least skilled in dodging it.


    He wasn''t merely seeking death; he genuinely had confidence in defeating Valcas.


    With the Sword Maiden''s swordsmanship experience, the "Collapse the Mountain and Split the Earth" Miracle was no longer an insoluble mystery. On the contrary, under the constraint of Valcas being unable to exert full power, there was a faint exploitable flaw in this technique!


    Like the magical auxiliary line in the last question of the college entrance exam math test, Ash suddenly discovered a chance to conquer this difficult problem!


    If given a little more time, Ash felt he could even find a flaw in the strike surface of the "Collapse the Mountain and Split the Earth" and counterattack Valcas through the gap!


    Just a little more time¡ª


    Boom!


    Ash let out a muffled grunt as the Magic Power within his mind circulated again, emanating a cool sensation that forced his rationality to suppress the intense pain from his thigh, barely avoiding another "Collapse the Mountain and Split the Earth"!


    He glanced at his thigh with his peripheral vision, then dared not look down again.


    "Your growth rate is indeed admirable, but unfortunately, you''re tired."


    Valcas couldn''t conceal his regret in his tone. "You''ve been losing blood since the beginning, and after such intense fighting, you''ve lost so much blood that your brain is now oxygen-starved, making you physically depleted. You''re getting slower."


    "Even if you suppress the pain to keep fighting, your body can''t go on anymore. I''ve dug a chunk of flesh from your thigh. Along with the blood you''ve lost earlier, it''s quite surprising you''re not in shock."


    "Do you know why I''ve been talking to you this much? Because the longer this drags on, the more strength you''ll lose; your sword can no longer be faster than mine. Before you commit suicide, my sword will crush your remnants first."


    "Thank you, Ash. Sorry, Ash."


    With that, Valcas charged forward with his sword, and the fierce Sword Qi broke the ground again, "Collapse the Mountain and Split the Earth!"


    Was my capacity truly limited to this...?


    Ash sighed in his heart.


    Even before Igula informed him about the information on Valcas, Ash anticipated the dangers of this death match. After all, without any grievances, why would someone challenge him, a newcomer who''d only fought one death match?


    A strange colleague suddenly causing you trouble is definitely due to a conflict of interest.


    So why did Ash accept the death match?


    It''s important to know that even before entering the arena, Ash could directly refuse. Others couldn''t even curse or look down on him; Ash had that freedom.


    But Ash didn''t want to back down.


    First, he needed an opponent to digest the swordsmanship experience shared by the Sword Maiden. There''s nowhere more suitable than the death match arena, which is both dangerous and safe, to take a beating.


    Besides, avoiding temporarily won''t help; trouble will find him sooner or later.


    Most importantly, as he said, he was planning a prison break. If he couldn''t even step over a stepping stone like Valcas, what was the point in escaping? He might as well retire!


    But life doesn''t have so many "Miracles." Even if there are, they''re someone else''s...


    Just as Ash was about to swing his sword to cut his throat in surrender, he suddenly heard a familiar voice from the stands.


    It was the Sword Maiden.


    "If it hurts, just think of yourself as someone else and it won''t hurt anymore."


    In that instant, Ash felt something cool melt in his mind. The Magic Power was surging, but it was bound by an invisible cage, unable to touch reality!


    Magic Power could be locked, but knowledge couldn''t. Even if tight with restraints, it would grow wings and fly.


    The dormant Substitute Technique Spirit suddenly started dancing in Ash''s Consciousness.


    Without any hesitation, he didn''t dodge or retreat but chose to swing his sword, rushing towards Valcas!


    "It''s over."


    Watching as "Ash" was engulfed by the "Collapse the Mountain and Split the Earth" Sword Qi, Valcas felt a sense of melancholy. As a Sword Master, he had never seen a swordsmanship Apprentice with a Talent greater than Ash in over a hundred years.


    If in a different time, place, and identity, Valcas felt he might even be willing to be the stepping stone...


    Nothing was more torturous than watching the rise of a genius, and nothing was more exhilarating than witnessing it up close.


    Clap.


    Hearing a sound akin to a bubble popping, Valcas realized something was amiss. Staring intently, he discovered "Ash" dissipating under the Sword Qi impact, not even leaving any flesh¡ª


    It was a Substitute!


    "It''s over!"


    Valcas glanced sideways and saw that an area in his blind spot was covered in dust and rubble, kicked up by the "Collapse the Mountain and Split the Earth" slash, enough to mask a wounded person''s charge!


    As Valcas''s sword fell to the ground, Ash''s sword plunged into Valcas''s throat.


    The unsharpened blade pierced through the throat!


    Ding, ding, ding!


    "The match is decided. The winner is Ash Heath!"


    ```

 Chapter 35 - 35 Technique Spirit Transaction

    Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Technique Spirit Transaction


    """


    Shattered Lake Prison, treatment room.


    "Are you pretending I haven''t woken up as long as I keep quiet?"


    Ash opened his eyes and stared straight at the medical practitioner fiddling with his face.


    The practitioner wore a badge labeled [222], clearly the one from last time.


    "If you don''t want a messed-up face, then close your eyes!"


    "Got it."


    After fiddling for a few more minutes, the practitioner released his face, "All right, you can get up now. Here, the apples you asked for last time."


    Ash quickly sat up and touched his face, breathing a sigh of relief. By the bedside was a plate of apple slices shaped like rabbits, with toothpicks stuck in them. Ash picked them up, eating them one by one.


    "Phew, two eyes, one nose, one mouth, didn''t lose any. I thought I might contribute to species diversity."


    "I''m performing surgery on you, how can you doubt me?"


    The practitioner folded her arms, trying to appear angry, but her crow mask muffled her voice. Ash didn''t feel scared at all; in fact, he reached out his hand.


    "What''s up?"


    "You mentioned before that if I let you do cosmetic surgery, you would pay me, right?"


    "Oh." The practitioner obediently pulled out her wallet but then snapped to, "I did say that yesterday, but you didn''t agree!"


    "So did you actually give me cosmetic surgery or not?"


    "Cosmetic surgery is complicated, not as simple as you think¡ª"


    "So you did?"


    "Just a little, it was really just a tiny procedure... How much do you want?"


    "Give me a silver coin."


    The practitioner visibly relaxed, rummaging through her purse before looking up to ask, "How about a gold coin? I don''t have change."


    Ash, who lived off the state, had no concept of the economy. He was surprised, realizing silver coins were considered loose change given to beggars.


    One was willing to give it, and the other took it. As Ash accepted the gold coin, a surge of elation bubbled up in his consciousness.


    Feeling his palm heat up, Ash seemed to see a child in pajamas pat its full belly and fall asleep.


    He glanced at the gold coin, sensing it had become slightly smaller. Judging by this rate of consumption, it might last a year.


    So feeding a Technique Spirit was pretty easy after all.


    Though Ash casually asked for money, he had a reason.


    After all, the Sword Maiden told him Technique Spirits required money to sustain, and since he had none, he had to find ways to get some from those with lower IQs.


    Satisfied, Ash pocketed the gold coin and casually asked, "So what cosmetic surgery did you do on me?"


    "The Drue Technique for forehead skin extension and wrinkle removal, simply put, it gets rid of forehead wrinkles."


    The practitioner straightened up slowly and looked down at Ash through the crow mask, "You should be grateful I did this surgery for you. Know that forehead wrinkles severely affect appearance, and outside, this Drue Technique would cost a fortune¡ª"


    "What, you removed my most handsome, manly forehead wrinkles?"


    Ash was furious, "An unethical practitioner disfigures a sleeping patient, stealing their best features. Is there no justice? Isn''t it a medical malpractice, a plot to murder for money!"


    The practitioner was dumbfounded by Ash''s counterattack, hesitated, and then opened her wallet.


    "How much do you want?"


    "Hey, don''t be like that. I''m not that kind of person." Ash refused righteously, "I''m not the kind of criminal who extorts others with leverage."


    The practitioner pondered for a moment.


    "Wait here, I''ll find some news about you..."


    "In! Short!" Ash quickly stopped her, "I just wanted to ask you a few questions."


    "You''re not allowed to ask my name, take off my mask, or touch my skin!"


    The practitioner quickly swatted Ash''s hand away and crossed her arms defensively, making Ash truly feel his dignity as a death row inmate.


    Still, Ash was a bit curious, "Why not?"


    "It''s the rule in Shattered Lake Prison. Practitioners aren''t allowed private interactions with inmates. If caught, they''ll be dismissed and, if severe, imprisoned!"


    "So... we might soon become prison buddies?"


    "If you have questions, ask quickly and leave."


    The practitioner seemed indifferent about the rule, giving Ash the impression she wanted a long unpaid leave.


    "Is the elf I fought still alive?"


    "He was injured less than you and left long ago."


    "Less injured?"


    "It was only a throat cut, no big deal. He was healed in minutes. I spent over an hour regrowing your flesh."


    The practitioner spread her hands, looking honest.


    Ash examined his intact thigh and shoulder, wondering if treatment costs here were weighed by the pound.


    Was losing more flesh harder to treat, while a slit throat was no big deal?


    So the butt was considered a high-risk organ here, more important than the head?


    "Any other questions, ask quickly."


    "I wanted to know, is there a place in prison to trade Technique Spirits? A solitary man gets lonely and wants a pet..."


    The practitioner stared intently at Ash.


    "I''m going to report you for plotting to escape."


    "I''m a death row inmate. Even if you report me, can my sentence be extended?"


    "Yes, they can revive you and sentence you to death again."


    "What, there''s such a procedure!?"


    "Of course not, it''s too wasteful of taxpayer money and inhumane. It was banned a hundred years ago."


    "So, a hundred years ago, death row inmates could be killed multiple times..."


    "Either way, I won''t answer your question." The practitioner crossed her arms, "Death row inmates like you should be obedient medical material, and when you''re no longer useful, just die quietly."


    "You have surprisingly decent principles..."


    "How can you tell mine aren''t?"


    "Well, you chatted with me, a death row inmate, for quite a while. I thought you were someone curious about criminals."


    "I''m not curious at all. If I were, I''d just read the news reports."


    While gathering the medical equipment, Ash jumped down from the bed, stretching his thigh and shoulder.


    The surgery was successful, aside from some thigh and shoulder skin being paler than the rest.


    "If I said I was framed, would you believe me?"


    "Don''t think you can fool me." The practitioner sneered, "Since the memory evidence system was introduced, there''ve been no wrongful convictions. The Crime Hunting Hall must have found evidence in your memory before convicting you¡ª"


    "No, they didn''t get evidence from my memory."


    "How''s that possible¡ª"


    "You can check the reports yourself, but they didn''t take anything from my memory. I truly was framed."


    Ash spoke confidently, not mentioning the criminal was Heath and not him, and he didn''t even possess Heath''s memories, feeling zero guilt in his claim.


    The practitioner eyed Ash skeptically.


    "No tricks?"


    "If I lied, I''d work overtime without pay forever."


    "If you''re lying, you''re doomed. You better hope you don''t get hurt again, or I''ll change your race and gender."


    This remark hit Ash hard. Planning to explore the diverse healthcare in this world, he hadn''t expected their medical tech to change races and genders!


    Could he still believe any pretty girl on the street? Could people still trust each other?


    "But even if you say that, I still can''t answer you."


    The practitioner spread her hands.


    "Your magic power is restricted, and the first step in trading Technique Spirits involves the seller releasing with magic, while the buyer reactivates. Unable to use magic power, you can neither release a spirit nor reactivate one."


    Magic Power even had effects akin to cryptographic keys; Ash viewed it as universal energy. He''d be unsurprised if it had Bluetooth functions too.


    No wonder prisons didn''t confine their Technique Spirits. Spirits were likely unbindable; meanwhile, restricting magic power kept things under control.


    Ash pressed on, "No hope at all? Isn''t there a place like a Death Battle Society where we can lift our magic restrictions?"


    Having experienced a Void Realm Exploration, Ash realized gathering necessary spirits was a needle-in-a-haystack challenge. With enough time, it wasn''t impossible, but his time was limited.


    Ash wasn''t averse to risk, willing to gamble on odds but also wanted a counter-strategy. Like a company covering health insurance when making them work 996 hours; whether an employee collapsed or not, the company benefitted. As Employee of the Year, Ash embraced this exceptional corporate culture, always preparing a backup plan.


    If he could find a Technique Spirit trading platform, then even if he only found trash in the Void Realm, he could resell it for a profit.


    "There is, you don''t know?"


    The practitioner''s answer surprised Ash, "Why would I know?"


    "It''s an experience every death row inmate undergoes... Oh right, you just got here; you haven''t experienced it yet."


    Ash immediately understood her implication.


    "Blood Moon Judgement?"


    """

 Chapter 36 - 36 Blood Mage

    Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Blood Mage


    ```


    Ever since coming to this world, Ash had heard the term "Blood Moon Judgement" more than once.


    At first, he thought it was an execution show.


    Then, he thought it was a live-streamed execution show.


    Then, he thought it was an online guessing game where a lucky audience member was randomly chosen for execution.


    Now, Ash felt that Blood Moon Judgement should be an unrestricted fighting variety show.


    "Yes, when death row inmates participate in the Blood Moon Judgement, the prison will remove all your restrictions, and by then you can use magic power to drive the technique spirit."


    The medical practitioner extended her hand, and a kind-looking grandmotherly technique spirit appeared in her palm.


    "If you ask whether there''s an opportunity for trading in Blood Moon Judgement, theoretically there is, but no one can actually achieve it. As to why, I don''t need to explain further, do I? You''re not someone who hasn''t watched Blood Moon Judgement."


    "I haven''t watched it!"


    "Don''t think I''m so easy to fool!" the medical practitioner almost roared, "I won''t believe such a stupid lie!"


    Now the medical practitioner was unwilling to divulge any more information. That lame lie of Ash''s made her feel her dignity was insulted. It''s one thing to try to deceive her, but using a lie even a child wouldn''t fall for? Who does he take her for!


    Ash felt wronged too; he really hadn''t watched Blood Moon Judgement, but it was common knowledge here, so there was no need for further introduction.


    Since he couldn''t extract any information, Ash decided to go eat, but the medical practitioner wouldn''t let him leave now.


    "Why did you ask about that elf''s condition just now? Are you worried about him?"


    "Saying I''m worried is too embarrassing, I''m just a bit concerned."


    Ash scratched the new tender flesh on his shoulder, "After all, he''s technically the first person I killed. Isn''t it said that murderers always return to the scene of the crime to watch? I guess I have a similar mindset."


    "Really, he''s your first time?"


    "The way you put it can be quite misleading..."


    "You''re a death row inmate eligible for the luxury suite at Shattered Lake Prison! For you, destroying life should be as simple as dressing, torturing souls as routine as breathing, no?"


    "I''m not exactly a good person, but I''m really wronged!"


    "I''ll believe the first half of your sentence for now."


    The medical practitioner looked down at the technique spirit in her hand, pondering her words.


    "Alright, I''ll believe that it is your first time killing. So, why are you concerned about the elf''s life or death? Do you want him to not survive, or do you wish he wouldn''t die?"


    "Both."


    "Both?" the medical practitioner couldn''t help but laugh, "You want him both dead and alive?"


    "Honestly, I don''t really have the kind of grudge against him that requires him to die. If possible, I''d rather whack him with a baton shaped like a geoduck to vent my anger, and I have some questions for him, so I don''t particularly wish for him to die."


    Ash shrugged, "But if he really did die, I might just lament before falling asleep tonight that life is like the ocean, only those with strong will can reach the other shore... So even if he dies, I wouldn''t care much."


    "I''m inclined to believe it''s your first time killing someone," the medical practitioner said, "Your kind of statement pleases neither side. During case hearings, claiming to be merciful might gain the sympathy of human rights organizations, saying you uprooted with finality might win the support of extremists, but this vague indecisive talk would make all organizations dislike you."


    "Seems like the world outside isn''t easy to navigate either," Ash sighed, "But where in the world are there so many decisive and determined people? Aren''t most people like me, indecisive?"


    The medical practitioner was slightly taken aback, shrugged, "There are indecisive people, but one needs to have the capital to be indecisive, like¡ªbeing good-looking!"


    The medical practitioner took out a photo album, flipping it open in Ash''s face, "Look, these are trending handsome models of the past five years, do you want to choose one for your new face? I particularly recommend this Number 1 face. It''s very trendy, resembling current popular singers by ninety percent, you''ll definitely like this face..."


    "Clearly, it''s you who likes this face!"


    "So what if I like it, the one benefiting from having this face is you!"


    "Who says so, I''m not looking in the mirror all day, I usually can''t see my own face, what use is being good-looking to me? Instead, others stare at me all day, they enjoy it, and I have to endure their leering gazes, do you think I''d be willing to do such a self-sacrificial stupid thing?"


    Ash''s reasoning was so sound that the medical practitioner was convinced. Her crow mask sagged down, dejected, "Alright, you''re right..."


    "However," Ash''s tone shifted, "You''re willing to listen to my grievances and chat with me for so long, this is the only warmth I''ve felt in this cold prison. Since it''s a request from a friend, I can''t say I couldn''t agree..."


    "What, are we friends?"


    "If not, then I''ll be on my way..."


    "Alright, alright, so you''re willing to let me perform surgery on you?"


    "Actually, not that willing..." Ash hesitated, "I do quite like my current face, you know, having looked at it for so many years, there''s a bit of sentiment..."


    "So...?"


    "I need more money."


    "No problem!"


    The medical practitioner breathed a sigh of relief, "When should the surgery start? Hang on, there are some techniques I''m not too familiar with yet, let me review them over the next couple of nights... Don''t worry, it''s very safe, my technique spirit can effectively prevent malignant issues like flesh collapse!"


    Ash tugged at his mouth, "I, I''m very reassured, I''ll take my leave first then, you prepare slowly, don''t rush!"


    Magic power was the mage''s universal energy, and money was society''s universal energy. Although he hadn''t seen any hope of escape yet, Ash needed to find a way to earn some money for backup. All death row inmates were, needless to say, a bunch of poor wretches feeding off the state, so Ash pondered long and hard, feeling that his only option left was to trade his face for money.


    But it seemed the price was too high; the chance of a botched face was very high, and Ash was a bit scared.


    No wonder the medical practitioners were not allowed to reveal their names; probably to prepare for anonymous escape¡ªafter refining techniques through numerous medical accidents in the prison, they could just walk away, and death row inmates wouldn''t even have someone to curse if they wanted to.


    Ash walked to the door, suddenly turned back to survey the treatment room.


    "Speaking of which, I''ve wanted to ask for a while¡ªare you ostracized by your colleagues?"


    "Huh?"


    "Why do I always see only you when I wake up, where are the other medical practitioners?" Ash speculated, "Did they give the most troublesome work to you, and then pat themselves on the butt and clock out?"


    "Not exactly¡ªbut you being the most troublesome work, that''s true."


    "Really not? If you''re being ostracized and boycotted by your colleagues, remember to tell me."


    The medical practitioner glanced at Ash, chuckling.


    "Why tell you?"


    "Aren''t we friends? Friends are the ones who can gloat on the sidelines when the other encounters misfortune."


    "Get lost, get lost!"


    Ash waved goodbye, "Doctor [222], see you next time. The apple was delicious, thank you."


    ...


    ...


    The treatment room returned to silence, the medical practitioner packed up her toolbox, and pushed open the door to the public lounge¡ªthe medical practitioners'' area didn''t overlap at all with that of the death row inmates¡ªand then she saw a group of medical practitioners wearing crow masks waiting outside.


    The medical practitioner was startled, almost thinking they were here to hold her accountable.


    But upon taking a closer look, she noticed someone in the group of medical practitioners was not wearing a crow mask; judging by the build and the name badge, it was the tall medical practitioner [176] who usually scolded her. His appearance was that of a bluish-scaled fishman, but his eyes were pure crimson, like dazzling rubies.


    [176] not only wasn''t wearing a mask, but his hands were also bound behind his back, his face showed obvious bruising, and there was a dark green foam necklace around his neck.


    The medical practitioner knew exactly what that was.


    Miracle, Venous Foam.


    It was the most commonly used offensive miracle of the blood mages, integrating trapping and killing, capable of prolonged casting. A target hit by the venous foam would have all veins linked to the foam, and if the foam burst, it meant all the veins would simultaneously rupture, and the heart would quickly lose blood supply and result in instant death.


    Any mage, even the weakest, had the ability to instantly obliterate life.


    Being shackled with venous foam was the treatment reserved for criminals.


    "What did he do?"


    "He peeked at your healing technique, miss."


    A medical practitioner with a name badge [201] bowed and reported, even the distorted voice by the crow mask couldn''t hide his respect.


    "Attempting to steal the intellectual property of the Blood Tears Research Institute without permission violates the constitutional principle of ''the sanctity of individual and collective property,'' which is undoubtedly a crime."


    ```

 Chapter 37 - 37 Trial

    Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Trial


    ```


    In the passageway from the treatment room to the public lounge, a judgment was underway.


    The other medical practitioners looked at the slightly short figure of [222], their gazes behind raven masks filled with a mix of complex emotions.


    There was no doubt among them about [176] being accused of "technique theft"; they even deemed it quite reasonable.


    A healing technique was not merely a procedure but rather a method of learning a miracle.


    Unlike combat mages, healing and creation mages do not require PVP, so they can lower the casting difficulty by extending the casting time, whereas combat mages cannot¡ªan enemy would attack before you finish the cast.


    Therefore, healing and creation mages break miracles into many steps, combining a series of steps to form a miracle.


    These steps were known as techniques.


    Thus, once someone learned the technique, mastering the miracle was only a matter of time.


    Techniques were naturally regarded as crucial intellectual property. A mage who created a new technique could earn royalties from other mages studying them, even if his technique had a narrow range of application and was commercially unviable; this alone could afford the mage a longevity package extending life by ten years from the four major research institutes.


    This was also why every time Ash woke up, he found only one medical practitioner in the treatment room¡ªno one was allowed to watch the medical practitioners at work to prevent others from stealing their healing techniques.


    The medical practitioner looked at [201], "Were you sent by the teacher?"


    "I am a graduate student learning from your senior; she is my boss."


    [201] chose words carefully, not revealing any names, "The Warden of Shattered Lake Prison is friends with my boss... but my boss instructed me not to disturb you unless this scum went too far by stealing the institute''s property. Otherwise, I wouldn''t be here."


    The medical practitioner asked, "Now that my identity is exposed, should I leave here?"


    [201] laughed, "Miss, you jest. Those coming to Shattered Lake Prison for the ''Blood Embrace Ritual'' are invariably prospective members of the institutes under the four major research institutes. Why would we betray you? How dare we betray you?"


    The other medical practitioners collectively bent over in a bow, showing their respect.


    They couldn''t not lower their heads, as there were thirty-six research institutes in the Kingdom of Blood Moon, with twenty-four small, eight medium, and four large institutes.


    Most of them were only ''preliminary bloodlines'' from small institutes, whereas this young lady in front of them was a new member of the "Blood Tears" under the four major institutes, a world of difference in status.


    To be blunt, the best result they could hope for after completing the Blood Embrace and leaving prison was to become a Golden Bloodline, gaining a two-hundred-year life span, reaching no more than Two-winged in their lifetime.


    New members of the four major research institutes nearly all had a five-hundred-year lifespan as Holy Domain bloodlines, and even a thousand-year lifespan as Legendary bloodlines!


    The Three-winged Holy Domain was a starting point they had to reach, and Four-winged Legendary was not unusual; they might even touch the realm of the Divine Being, becoming demigod saints above all in the Kingdom of Blood Moon!


    "Miss, how do you wish to deal with this scum?" [201] asked.


    The medical practitioner was silent for a moment, looking at [176].


    "Do you have anything you want to say?"


    [176] raised a fishhead to glance at the medical practitioner, her large eyes showing the scarlet brilliance she was most familiar with.


    "How dare you!"


    With a snort, [201] pressed a venous bubble.


    [176] trembled all over, her face, already pale, now looking like a sheet of white paper.


    "I am not convinced."


    "What aren''t you convinced by?"


    "I am not convinced that you can become a new member of the Blood Tears Research Institute while I must bite and roll in a small research institute."


    [176] almost bit through her sharp teeth, "I also am a prodigy among fishmen; I too should become a supreme bloodline, but why is the resource gap between you and me so vast?"


    "I am not convinced. The Blood Embrace opportunity I exhausted my mind to obtain, you could get with ease; I am not convinced that the technique I covet is merely knowledge at your fingertips to you; I am not convinced that the best material from the prisoners is handled by you, while I can only get some tasteless scraps..."


    "What I am most unconvinced about is why you have such good talent!"


    [176] became more and more hysterical, "I cannot watch you surpass me... I can''t!"


    "What a piece of scum without the slightest remorse."


    [201] punctured another venous bubble, and [176] was nearly passing out this time.


    "His garbage talk is unnecessary to listen to... Miss, how do you want to deal with him?"


    [201] paused, "Generally speaking, he would be executed on the spot."


    The medical practitioner quietly looked at [176], who was almost about to collapse to the ground, pondering for a long time.


    "He doesn''t annoy me to the point of wanting him dead, but if he were to die, I wouldn''t particularly care either."


    "So what are you saying..."


    "Find a whip shaped like a razor clam, beat him until he is covered in scales and wounds, and do not heal him; expel him. By the way, isn''t he a Blue-scaled Fishman? A finger shark shouldn''t kill him. Throw him into the sea tonight and let him swim back on his own."


    [201] was stunned for a moment, "But Miss¡ª"


    "This is my decision." The medical practitioner looked at [201], "If you disagree, do as you see fit; I don''t mind."


    "I did not mean that." [201] bowed deeply, "Your will shall be carried out."


    "Then I will go back to rest."


    The medical practitioner threaded quickly through the people and left, seemingly eager to escape this suffocating atmosphere. But soon, a slow and heavy set of footsteps quickly caught up to her pace.


    The medical practitioner stopped at her dormitory door, looking at [201] who had caught up.


    "Is there anything else?"


    "Since I have already disturbed you, I thought I might as well take this chance to say a few words... a reminder." [201] deliberated over his words, "Just a few reminders."


    "Go ahead."


    "I noticed that the time you spend with the prisoners in the treatment room is slightly... against the regulations. Of course, this is entirely fine. I assure you no one will use this regulation to offend you, and I''m not here to warn you."


    "Were it not to avoid trouble from the Human Rights Association and the Racial Rights Association, we wouldn''t have to pretend to be medical practitioners to conduct the ritual here. Those rules merely reduce the chances of encountering trouble, but you, Miss, need not worry about it."


    Each of [201]''s words emphasized his humility.


    "I am just worried whether you, Miss, while playing, might develop unnecessary feelings for the material, delaying the Blood Embrace Ritual. If your progress with the ritual runs into problems, the boss will hold me accountable."


    The medical practitioner shook her head, "I have not forgotten the Blood Embrace Ritual; you can rest assured."


    She paused, "All the prisoners I treated have already had the Blood Embrace seed implanted by me. As long as they die in the judgment, the Blood Embrace seed will naturally condense their knowledge and magic power, turning it all into my Source Blood."


    The medical practitioner walked into her dormitory, reached up to remove her raven mask, revealing a pair of extremely violent scarlet eyes, gazing at [201] like a hunter, making [201] feel a chill running down his spine.


    "We of the Blood Saint Clan never develop feelings for bread."


    ```

 Chapter 38 - 38 The Mastermind Behind the Scenes

    Chapter 38: Chapter 38 The Mastermind Behind the Scenes


    ```


    Since it was already nearing 8 p.m. when Ash arrived at the restaurant, he naturally couldn''t order the special Lala Fat delicacies. He randomly picked some meat dishes and sat down to eat.


    "Does victory make the food taste better?"


    Ash looked up and saw Valcas sitting across from him with a cup of water.


    "To be honest, these leftovers are already a bit cold, and the Lala Fat has all been taken by you guys..."


    "You can order something, after all, you won 37 contribution points from me. Spending a few points to treat yourself isn''t excessive, is it?"


    "Huh? Order food? Spend contribution points?"


    "You didn''t know? Makes sense, you''ve only been here a couple of days," Valcas pointed to a menu sign next to the restaurant, "You can order anytime, unrestricted by the restaurant''s daily offerings. If it''s outside of free activity time, the restaurant will even deliver to your room¡ªas long as you spend contribution points."


    It was only then that Ash realized the menu sign was an ordering menu. He had previously thought it was just for show¡ªleadership showing they offered lots of dishes, truly not skimping on prisoners'' meals!


    The menu suddenly seemed cheap, any combination of three gourmet dishes cost only 1 contribution point. For example, ''Seafood Lala Fat'' + ''Cream Chicken Noodles'' + ''Mist Spinach and Egg Tart'' were only 1 contribution point, enough for a hearty meal.


    However, each death row inmate only had an initial 50 contribution points, with 10 points automatically deducted each month. Additionally, it was mandatory to apply for deathmatch. The lower the contribution points, the earlier the sequence for judgement, making it more likely to be selected for the live show ''Blood Moon Judgement.''


    Thus, contribution points in prison not only represented currency but also the prisoner''s life quota. Spending contribution points was akin to slow suicide... or perhaps there was a difference: with slow suicide, at least you didn''t know when you''d die, while with spending contribution points, you could watch your life quota decrease.


    "Although the prison doesn''t have much to play with, if you want to spend contribution points, you can surely find ways to do so," Valcas remarked, "Haircare, customizing prison uniforms, buying specific toiletries... You can even spend contribution points to get a better room, a three-bedroom with two living rooms and windows, at 1 contribution point per day."


    "1 point per day? That''s insane, who would stay there?"


    "There is, ''Diamond'' Taiger has been living in that VIP suite for years, his contribution points are so abundant that he can''t spend them all. There''s always some fool newcomer giving him points. If you calculate 1 contribution point as equivalent to 1 gold coin, Taiger might be richer in prison than outside."


    Ash raised his eyebrows, "So... in the prison''s evaluation system, we prisoners are only worth 50 gold coins?"


    "Does that seem little to you?"


    "Is it a lot?"


    "Most ordinary people who haven''t received higher education won''t earn 50 gold coins in a lifetime, even Mages who fare poorly can''t. With an annual salary of 1 gold coin, you can live a decent life in Kaimon City."


    It was then that Ash finally understood the true value of the gold coin in his possession and realized how corrupt the prison was¡ªthree meat dishes could cost a year''s salary! Was the Lala Fat here a Ph.D. graduate?


    "Suddenly, the leftovers feel quite tasty."


    Valcas snorted, just quietly watching Ash.


    Ash ate for a while before he couldn''t hold back, "Mr. Elf, I''m the type who can''t pee when someone''s watching."


    "Oh, oh."


    "I was just speaking metaphorically, you don''t have to whistle to agree!"


    "I thought young people nowadays enjoyed eating and peeing at the same time," Valcas chuckled, then returned to his indifferent expression, "I''m going to speak to myself now, most of it just nonsense ramblings. If you overhear it, it''s best to pretend you didn''t hear it."


    Ash was slightly stunned.


    "Selin Dore, besides being the president of the Kaimon City Racial Rights Association, a Kaimon council member, and a university professor, has a hidden identity¡ªone of the supporters behind the Woodpecker gang. On the surface, he opposes Blood Saint Clan members and Moon Shadow Clan members to protect other races'' interests, but he has secretly conducted numerous under-the-table transactions with Blood Moon members. The Woodpecker gang is his black glove, and Kaimon City''s mayor, Fernand, owes part of his ascension to him."


    "The cult of The Gods of Four Pillars hasn''t surfaced for many years, nearly disappearing without a trace, except for a baseless rumor¡ªin the Eastern Ruins archaeological excavation eight years ago, it was rumored that important ritual texts related to the cult of The Gods of Four Pillars were unearthed. The same year, the Eastern Ruins were struck by a Void Realm storm, destroying most of the archaeological achievements."


    "Professor Selin Dore was the main advisory consultant in the excavation team for the Eastern Ruins that year."


    "Selin is a very patient elf; at least I''ve never seen a being more tolerant. If he wants someone dead, it means that person possesses critical information that could cause him immense damage if revealed."


    Valcas took a sip of water to moisten his throat, glancing at Ash.


    "Theoretically, most of the death row inmates in prison have had their memories searched, so if there was any intelligence, it would have certainly been found by the Crime Hunting Hall... unless someone''s memory hasn''t been searched."


    So that''s how it was.


    Although Ash still didn''t understand his relationship with Professor Selin, he fully grasped why Selin would go to great lengths to murder him¡ªhe thought Ash possessed undisclosed secrets!


    Due to the cult of The Gods of Four Pillars, the Crime Hunting Hall didn''t dare to search his memories, thus making Ash Heath the only inmate in prison still holding secrets!


    This was Selin''s luck because Heath hadn''t divulged his information;


    It was also Selin''s misfortune because Heath could report him at any moment!


    To be honest, if Ash truly knew such secrets, he would definitely report them to the Crime Hunting Hall immediately.


    Not because he''s a detrimental bad guy, but out of curiosity about Selin, wanting to become close cellmates with him, and if given a chance, engaging in thrilling clashes in the deathmatch ring.


    But the problem was¡ªAsh truly didn''t know Selin''s secrets!


    Heath''s original memory, he hadn''t absorbed a drop!


    Annoying, Ash also wanted to use Heath''s memory to help the Crime Hunting Hall bring villains to justice.


    After all, so many have committed crimes, so why was only he caught!?


    Unfortunately, he knew nothing about it.


    Even more irritating, others feared his leaking secrets, so they would go to great lengths to eliminate him!


    Yet he knew nothing!


    It felt like being wrongfully accused by a teacher of stealing a classmate''s stationery when he hadn''t stolen anything as a child.


    "Hey, you''re still here? You didn''t hear my self-talk, did you?" Valcas stood up and said, "Let''s call it a day, I''ll find you for a brainstorm when I have time."


    "Really?"


    "Haha, kidding, I don''t have the time, and you don''t have the brains."


    "Wait, Valcas," Ash called after him, "Why are you helping me?"


    Although Ash thought Valcas might give him some information as compensation for losing, the way it was presented was completely different from what Ash imagined¡ªhe expected Valcas to confront him with some strong words, something like, ''I''m the weakest of the Dark Four Fellows, defeating me isn''t helpful, our people will soon give you trouble.''


    Ash didn''t anticipate Valcas''s defection to be so straightforward, feeling as if while punching someone he also carried moral correction with him?


    "I''m not helping you."


    Valcas shook his head.


    "I just wanted to give that bastard Selin some trouble."


    Causing trouble without benefiting oneself was a very reasonable reason. Ash, taking advantage of the opportunity, asked, "Do you know if there''s any channel to trade Technique Spirits in prison? If I can get a few swordsmanship spirits, I could give Selin significant trouble¡ª"


    "Not my problem."


    Ash was at a loss for words, deciding to take a concern approach: "By the way, Valcas, since you failed to kill me and lost, will you be in any trouble¡ª"


    "Not your problem."


    "Then at least tell me how Selin plans to deal with me, right?"


    Valcas glanced at him, leaving a parting remark before directly leaving.


    "The next time we meet, you''ll know Selin''s methods."


    Ash felt that Valcas''s downfall to imprisonment wasn''t unrelated to his foul mouth and enigmatic character.


    But at least now, he could be certain of one thing: the mastermind behind all of this had to be Heath''s former university professor, the elf scholar Selin Dore!


    ...


    ...


    After finishing his meal, Ash didn''t linger in the prison but hurried back to his room and immediately spoke out.


    "Sword Maiden? Are you there?"


    "Here, but not entirely."


    The Sword Maiden sat on the bed with her legs crossed, the deep black stockings outlining a graceful curve, resting her chin on her palm, casting a sideways glance at Ash.


    "Anything you need?"


    "Were you the one who reminded me in the deathmatch earlier?"


    Ash extended his hand, and the ''Substitute'' Technique Spirit appeared, lying on its back snoring soundly.


    "The chip still restricts my output of Magic Power, but why was I able to activate the Substitute Technique Spirit?"


    "Isn''t it obvious? You understood the Substitute Technique Spirit''s knowledge, and combined with suitable conditions, you directly triggered a resonance with the spirit, which then automatically exerted influence on reality. Other death row inmates wishing to activate spirits in prison use this method too."


    Though Ash had heard this many times, he still couldn''t help but be amazed at the phenomenon: that mature Technique Spirits would actually cast spells themselves.


    "But how did I come to understand the ''Substitute'' Technique Spirit?" Ash was still puzzled, "I''ve never learned any knowledge about Substitute Technique Spirits."


    "You did learn, and you understood."


    Ash was startled, suddenly recalling the Sword Maiden''s words of warning.


    "Was it due to this phrase? ''If it hurts, consider yourself as someone else, and it won''t hurt anymore''?"


    "Exactly," the Sword Maiden nodded, "When you understood those words, you naturally grasped this spirit. At its core, a Technique Spirit is just a collection of knowledge; once you have the spirit, even if you don''t actively study it, the knowledge of the spirit will actively pursue you."


    "Is it that simple?"


    "Not simple," the Sword Maiden shook her head, "Understanding knowledge and comprehending knowledge are two different matters... If you weren''t in extreme danger earlier, with your body covered in wounds and your consciousness nearly fading, you wouldn''t have resonated with the Substitute Spirit. Simply learning isn''t enough; empathizing is crucial to understanding the spirit."


    Ash gazed at the Substitute Technique Spirit in his palm, attempting to delve his consciousness into its core.


    This time went slightly better than the previous; Ash could comprehend the information flow the spirit fed back, but he still couldn''t understand its structure. If the Technique Spirit was a dish, last time Ash couldn''t even taste it, entirely unable to discern its flavor; this time Ash could taste it but didn''t know how to prepare it.


    "Understanding the spirit is already your limit; if a Technique Spirit wasn''t summoned by you personally, you would find the Gate of Truth it conceals."


    The Sword Maiden immediately saw his intentions: "Only a spirit born from the knowledge you possess will allow you to find its Gate of Truth. A spirit acquired through other means, no matter how deeply you understand it, is ultimately not yours."


    "Truth must be pure perfection, leaving no room for any flaw."


    Truth is indeed very stringent.


    Ash retracted the spirit, looking toward the Sword Maiden.


    "How come you disappeared for most of the day?"


    ```

 Chapter 39 - 39 Sword Maiden Mom

    Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Sword Maiden Mom


    ```


    "What do you take me for? A call girl at your beck and call?"


    The Sword Maiden crossed her arms, lifted her chest, and raised her chin, "Do I need to report to you wherever I go? Do I have to file an application to use the bathroom?"


    "I don''t mind, but do you need to use the bathroom? Do you prefer squat toilets or sit-down ones?"


    "I wasn''t talking about toilets!"


    The Sword Maiden suddenly stood up and approached Ash, who backed away until his back hit the wall under her sharp gaze. She stared intensely at him, pressing her finger against his collarbone.


    "Even though you promised to respect me before, it seems like you don''t actually think that way. You still see me as just an illusion made of data streams, a paper-thin figure born for your convenience... Even though we''ve communicated for so long, even though we''ve had Void Realm adventures together, you still can''t change your... condescension towards me."


    Ash didn''t refute, nor could he refute.


    The Sword Maiden wasn''t asking; she was stating facts.


    Under the premise that she could hear his inner voice, any lies were meaningless.


    "I can''t change how you think, but remember one thing¡ªI am also a person."


    The Sword Maiden said word by word, "I have my own life, my own hobbies, my own pursuits, and I have my own world to live in... You are not my whole life, just an unexpected part of it. Even without you, I can live perfectly fine in a place you don''t know about. Understand?"


    "If I help you, you should be grateful. If I don''t help you, you can''t blame me. Understand?"


    "Understood, thank you, Sword Maiden Mom, for your help all along!"


    "Don''t call me that!" The Sword Maiden poked Ash''s forehead hard, "Who wants to be called Mom at such a young age!"


    "Who said, I wouldn''t mind if you called me Dad..."


    Ash sensed she was about to poke him again and quickly changed the subject, "So, Sword Maiden, can you tell me something interesting that happened to you today?"


    The Sword Maiden sat back on the bed, looked at the water cup on the table beside her, and fell into a long silence.


    Just as Ash thought she didn''t want to reveal her whereabouts to a nosy man, she spoke again.


    "This morning, I showed off the Rapid Stream Technique Spirit at the Meditation Building entrance; by the afternoon, the whole school knew I''d gotten one from the Void Realm. Ha, even my high-and-mighty roommate came sucking up to me, asking if I''d sell it..."


    "So you had a good time today?"


    "Boring!" The Sword Maiden gave him a look, "What''s there to be happy about with this bit of superficial vanity? Why should I care about those strangers'' praise and jealousy? Only teenage girls would be smug about it."


    But I remember you are a teenage girl... Ash just had this thought when she shot him a fierce glare.


    Seriously, can''t even mention your youth? The Sword Maiden is so strict.


    "The air in a single man''s dorm is so stuffy and reeky, I''m leaving."


    "Apologize to the air purifier hanging on the ceiling! Right now, immediately!" Ash almost roared, "And I haven''t done anything these two days, I''ve been in the Void Realm with you at night, where''s the stuffy stink coming from!"


    "Maybe it''s because you''re breathing, or perhaps your heartbeat is too strong."


    Ash decided not to argue with her, "Then continue exploring the Void Realm tonight?"


    "Of course." The Sword Maiden paused, "Unless there''s a special situation, otherwise, I won''t usually appear. If you have something to discuss with me, wait until the Void Realm to do so. The Void Night is our mutual leisure time."


    Ash naturally had no objections, or rather, when she reaffirmed her right to freedom earlier, he vaguely expected that she wouldn''t continue offering 24-hour personal service.


    "But if something happens to me, will you be available?"


    "I already said, you are not my whole life."


    Ash nodded at these words to show he understood, then turned his head to look elsewhere.


    "But you are my unexpected event," the Sword Maiden glanced at him, "If you really encounter an accident, I''ll appear as soon as possible¡ªthen rush to the scene and mock you."


    "So don''t expect me to show up to chat when you''re lonely to the point of collapse, I don''t provide that service."


    "I''m a mature social person, I won''t be lonely."


    Ash patted his chest in retort, but the joy in his eyes was almost impossible to hide.


    Ha, how ridiculous...


    At this moment, the Final Observer was still afraid of loneliness, afraid of the strange prison, even seeing me as a lifeline, feeling panic if he didn''t see me for a day, just like a child...


    So, he wasn''t born so...


    But, fortunately, his mind isn''t working well now, I thought it''d be hard to hide it from him...


    A thousand thoughts flashed through the Sword Maiden''s mind, then she disappeared from the dormitory, returning to where she ought to be.


    ...


    ...


    Kingdom of Stars, Training Hall.


    "Sonia, can you still walk?"


    Ingrid looked at Sonia, who was almost melting into the ground, and couldn''t pull her up despite her best efforts¡ªshe was also exhausted from increased training intensity.


    "No, my legs have no strength at all, need to rest, rest..."


    The two girls sat right in the grass by the road, leaning on their sword bags, gasping for air.


    "Achoo!"


    "What''s wrong?"


    "My underwear''s soaked." Sonia fanned her collar for ventilation, "A breeze makes it a bit chilly..."


    "Hehe, I recommend you buy sports bras from the brand Fista, they''re quick-dry and breathable."


    "Really? Let me see."


    After discussing underwear purchases for a bit, Ingrid exhaled hot air, twisted open her water bottle, finding it empty, and turned to Sonia, "Sonia, where''s your water bottle?"


    "What water bottle?"


    "You don''t bring a water bottle to training?"


    "I... I just brought my sword bag, I forgot I also needed water."


    Being reminded by Ingrid, Sonia couldn''t help but gulp down, feeling her lips parched, "Do you have any water left?"


    "No!... maybe a drop or two?"


    Ingrid tilted her head back, and after a few seconds, a droplet fell from her water bottle. She licked her lips, marveling, "Why does this water taste so sweet?"


    "Let me have some too!"


    Sonia copied Ingrid''s action, pouring a drop of water into her mouth, sighing melodiously, "This isn''t just water, this is finer than any royal banquet wine!"


    "Have you ever had royal banquet wine?"


    "No, but saying so makes me sound impressive, doesn''t it?"


    "I''ve had it!" Ingrid laughed, "My father has a bottle in the basement he never opens, says it''s wine the Empress awarded him during a royal banquet... I was very curious as a child and sneaked to the basement to take a sip, then added water to the bottle to avoid getting caught, but got found out anyway¡ªit was the worst beating my father ever gave me."


    "How did he find out?"


    "My footprints were too small; the moment he entered the basement, he saw them leading straight to the bottle."


    "How did it taste?"


    "I forgot, but it must''ve been terrible. If it tasted good, I would''ve turned the whole bottle to water instead of just adding some."


    "Haha, you were so mischievous as a kid."


    "Of course, I once beat all the boys in town when I was younger." Ingrid raised her chin proudly, patting her sword bag, "And I still can."


    Above them was the glowing starry sky, beneath them lush green grass, and in front, students coming and going from the training ground; yet the two girls just sat there, hugging their knees, chatting and laughing aloud, letting post-training sweat drip down their faces onto the soil.


    Not far away came the rumble of an engine, and a silver luxury car slowly drove along the campus road, stopping in front of them.


    "Need a ride?" Felix poked his head out, calmly asking, "It''s no trouble for me."


    Ingrid shook her head, "No need, walking back is a good way to relieve leg fatigue, and we''re all sweaty, don''t want to dirty your car."


    "Didn''t Celia come to pick you up tonight?" Sonia asked.


    "We broke up."


    "Oh~" The pair didn''t know how to react, so they just let out a sound.


    Felix said nothing, simply drove away.


    Watching the silver car fade into the distance, Ingrid patted her pants and stood up, "Rested enough? Time to head back, the shower''s water pressure drops after 10 PM lately, going back late means no water to bathe."


    "You go ahead, I''m heading directly to the Meditation Building."


    Ingrid wasn''t too surprised, "Avoiding Lois? Haven''t figured out how to handle the Rapid Stream Technique Spirit?"


    "Yeah." Sonia sighed as well, "It''s not that I haven''t figured it out... I just want to trade it for a swordsmanship Technique Spirit more."


    When the news of Sonia having the Rapid Stream Technique Spirit spread, her roommate Lois immediately approached her to ask if it was for sale. Lois wasn''t looking to get it cheap, even offering 120% of the market price; Sonia wouldn''t get that on the school trading platform, selling to her wouldn''t be a loss.


    Previously, Sonia would''ve rushed to sell it and then giggle under the covers counting money, dreaming of ways to invest that "windfall."


    But under Professor Trozan''s guidance, Sonia''s perspective broadened, and she realized how crucial Technique Spirits are to a mage''s power; money was just a secondary resource, a cherry on top.


    Hence she hoped for a ''Technique Spirit exchange,'' using the Rapid Stream Technique Spirit to gain a swordsmanship Technique Spirit, boosting her strength for better exploration of the Void Realm.


    However, ''Technique Spirit exchange'' is rare; common spirits can be easily traded, but a rare spirit like Rapid Stream naturally needs to be traded for a rare swordsmanship spirit. Even though Professor Trozan promised to keep an eye out for her, there weren''t any buyers in sight yet.


    On one hand, there was Lois, who could pay a hefty sum anytime; on the other hand, an unappearing seller¡ªSonia was a bit indecisive and planned to hide for a couple of days to think it over thoroughly.


    "Actually, you have a third option, use it yourself."


    Sonia turned her head and found the Observer sitting right beside her.


    She suppressed a slight joy in her heart and nonchalantly asked in her mind, "When did you return?"


    "When you were discussing underwear."


    "..."


    "Don''t buy the Fista brand, Fista is for smaller-sized women. For your size, I recommend the Dosslyn brand, which has good shaping effects."


    "Enough, I don''t plan to discuss this topic with you."


    ```

 Chapter 40 - 40 Observer Dad

    Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Observer Dad


    Ingrid went her separate way, while Sonia headed to the Meditation Building on her own, asking in her heart, "You mentioned earlier that I can use the Rapid Stream Technique Spirit myself?"


    "Yes," the Observer walked alongside her, "Didn''t you have some foundation in the Water Technique Faction? I recall that a core Technique Spirit of a Sword Miracle involves both the Wave Motion Sword and Rapid Stream."


    "You know the specific secret of that Miracle!?"


    Sonia became excited instantly. If she mastered a Sword Miracle, she would not only gain Professor Trozan''s appreciation but also qualify to participate in the Jiale City''s college tournament, opening the doors to high society purely through her strength¡ª


    "I don''t know."


    "..."


    "But since you have these two Technique Spirits, you can invent this Miracle yourself." The Observer''s tone was relaxed. "Isn''t the wonder of being a mage in being able to combine any numerous Technique Spirits into an incredible, splendid Miracle?"


    "I also asked Professor Trozan, but even he would take months of effort to create a Water Sword Miracle based on the Wave Motion Sword and Rapid Stream..."


    "How can he compare to you? You''re the Sword Maiden I''ve found, after all."


    Sonia pursed her lips. She wasn''t a three-year-old child; she wouldn''t believe such cost-free compliments¡ªif you really thought so highly of me, just give me the Miracle Technique directly!


    I would remember your great kindness, and when I achieve success, wouldn''t I repay you?


    Even if you died before I achieved success, I would certainly prepare a grand funeral for you!


    She rolled her eyes, doing her best to control her mental fluctuations, continuing, "So, are you saying you took the Substitute Technique Spirit only to let me have the Rapid Stream Technique Spirit? You''re so kind to me~"


    The Observer shivered immediately, taking a step to the side, seeming somewhat uncertain, as his dim face watched Sonia.


    Sonia maintained her sweet smile, concentrating all her efforts to control her thought processes, doing her best not to let the Observer hear her true thoughts.


    "...Alright, stop probing. The Substitute Technique Spirit is something I need, which is why I took it."


    "At your level, you still need a One-winged Technique Spirit?"


    "Firstly, there''s no weak Technique Spirit, only weak mages¡ªa principle that should be taught in every mage textbook."


    The Observer said, "Secondly, I''m currently weak, weaker than you, and in danger, with my body imprisoned. Not only am I very weak, but I''ve also lost considerable memory during my waking process, so I need to learn the knowledge of mages through you."


    Currently weak... meaning he was stronger before?


    Lost memory... could he have suffered a Miracle that erases memory?


    No wonder he asked so many idiotic questions; turns out he really is an idiot.


    But even Sonia, who rarely read fantasy literature, instantly filled in the blanks about ''the return of the strong,'' ''the fall of the Legendary Mage,'' ''the revival of a great being,'' and such plots, and couldn''t help feeling intrigued¡ª


    Isn''t this exactly the potential ally she had always been looking for!?


    Although the current situation was not ideal, given time to grow, he was sure to become a peerless strongman, a towering tree, king of a faction, and enjoy great wealth and honor!


    Ordinary potential stocks still had an element of chance, whereas the Observer was reclaiming his peak, so given enough time, success was almost guaranteed!


    Sonia had always been uninterested in Felix, because she hoped to find a potential ally herself. After all, it''s not easy to benefit from nobles; even if Felix, this noble heir, was a fool, his parents weren''t fools. To rely on the power of great nobles, she''d surely have to sacrifice a lot¡ªliterally carving out a part of herself¡ªwithout giving birth to a child, don''t even think about escaping.


    If she could find a potential ally to marry, Sonia could not only enjoy wealth and honor but also maintain her independence, not entirely losing her voice in the family.


    Though the Observer was her superior, finding a marriage partner and finding a superior followed the same rationale.


    Rather than joining a large organization to become a cog in the machine, she would rather become a founding member together with her potential ally superior!


    "Do you have any danger, Observer? Do you need my help? Just say the word! Protecting your safety is my duty!"


    "...Next time during Void Realm Exploration, if we encounter the Technique Spirits needed for my Miracle ''Cut Self,'' just let me have them."


    "The ''Cut Self'' Miracle?"


    "Oh right, I haven''t told you yet, I''m currently imprisoned somewhere, and I need the ''Cut Self'' Miracle to escape."


    When the Observer explained the ''Cut Self'' Miracle in detail, Sonia was dumbfounded¡ªif she remembered correctly, this Miracle hadn''t been registered in the ''Dazzling Star Miracle Directory''!


    A Miracle that had never appeared in the Kingdom of Stars!


    And it was an incredibly useful Miracle, one a Silver Mage could use for self-healing sword techniques!


    Although Sonia couldn''t sell this Miracle¡ªshe couldn''t disclose the Miracle''s source at all, and she completely lacked the conditions to create a Miracle (she couldn''t even gather the Technique Spirits), selling it would only lead to the Mage Association recognizing it as the theft of someone else''s patent¡ªbut if she could authorize the sale of the secret of this Miracle, the money earned would be enough to make Sonia a small rich woman in Jiale City!


    This is why Sonia, a petite bourgeois, when discovered by the Observer for her swordsmanship talent, and taken on adventures in the Void Realm, only felt ''grateful.''


    However, when the Observer gave her a Miracle secret that she couldn''t currently use or sell, Sonia found it impossible to contain her joy, simply because the latter had more value in the Kingdom of Stars.


    This is called the future pie is no match for the present salary, spiritual satisfaction cannot replace material satisfaction.


    "Is this a sword Miracle you invented?"


    "No."


    The Observer glanced at Sonia.


    "I stole this sword Miracle from an enemy."


    Sonia blinked, "Will using this Miracle get me into trouble?"


    "You can rest assured, that enemy of mine will definitely not appear in front of you."


    He paused, "Definitely not."


    So the original patent inventor was dead?


    Sonia felt a surge of excitement, thinking once she fully unfurled her Silver Wings and found all the Technique Spirits needed for the ''Cut Self'' Miracle, couldn''t she claim this Miracle as her own and authorize its sale? Such small benefits and welfare, surely a big figure like the Observer wouldn''t care, right?


    "Okay, I will certainly work hard during the Void Realm Exploration to help you gather the Technique Spirits for the ''Cut Self'' Miracle. By the way, I actually have something I''d like to discuss with you..."


    "Let''s talk about it inside the Void Realm." The Observer stepped into the Meditation Building. "There''s plenty of time in the Void Realm, you can discuss anything you want. Oh, aren''t you annoyed by me listening to your thoughts? I''ve decided to accommodate your wish."


    Sonia beamed, "You''re going to stop monitoring my mind?"


    "No, I''ve decided not to seek you out usually." The Observer shrugged. "From now on, you don''t have to think ''Observer'' before going to the bathroom or taking a shower¡ªI''m not a toilet paper or towel."


    "How did you know that I think of you before going to the bathroom or shower?"


    "That''s not important!"


    The Observer waved a hand. "From now on, if you have anything to discuss, save it for the Void Realm. I won''t disturb your normal life, and I won''t appear when you call me."


    "What if... if you don''t listen to my thoughts, I''m still happy to have you around. Even if you insist on listening to my thoughts, I reckon I''m getting used to it..."


    Sonia''s response was somewhat hesitant, clearly she was a bit unsure as well. She undoubtedly disliked the Observer invading her privacy, but precisely because of it, she could bare her true self before the Observer, not needing or able to don any mask.


    This was also why Sonia was so pleased when she suspected earlier that the Observer was just an extension of her split personality.


    A wise presence that knows everything about oneself yet cannot affect one''s social relations, isn''t that the ideal confidant?


    "You talk as if your daily life is so fascinating that I''d shamelessly insist on watching." The Observer folded his arms. "I also have my own things to do; I don''t have time for the spring colors of a college student''s campus life."


    "In short, the hours in the Void Realm will be our communication time; at other times, I won''t come to disturb you, nor will I respond when you call me."


    "What if there''s something very urgent I need you for?"


    "Then there''s no use calling me." The Observer spread his hands. "The ''me'' that''s present with you is just a phantom, I can''t even lift a single hair, I can offer you no real help. If you summon me, all I can do is mock you."


    "Mocking is okay." Sonia was insistent, "Will you still appear when I call for you?"


    "It''s really hard to refuse such a request. But I''m curious, do you need me so much because I fill the lack of fatherly love from your childhood?"


    "So do you want me to call you Observer Dad?"


    "No thanks, just call me Observer," the Observer stepped back, "otherwise, I''ll have nightmares."


    As they talked, they arrived at a solitary meditation chamber. Sonia sat cross-legged, glanced at the Observer beside her, took out the Wave Sword Technique Spirit, sought the Gate of Truth, and entered the Void Realm.


    As Sonia closed her eyes, her consciousness connected to the distant Void Realm, the Observer suddenly sighed.


    How terrifying...


    In merely two days'' time, she had managed to find a way to conceal her thoughts from me, even deceiving me in her mind...


    Truly worthy of being called the Witch bearing the name of ''Death Mad''...


    This talent, this brilliance, is it for better or worse to have her unearth her potential so early...


    But that''s no longer my concern.


    The Observer shrugged, and his form disappeared from the meditation chamber.

 Chapter 41 - 41 Recommendation Guide

    Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Recommendation Guide


    In the Void Realm, on a small island within the Sea of Knowledge, the battle was coming to its final climax.


    ¡°The difference between swordsmanship and slaughter lies in precision.¡±


    Professor Trozan¡¯s teachings seemed to echo in her ears. Sonia tried her best to maintain steady breathing to prevent distortion in her movements. She quietly held the wooden sword in her hand, channeling her magic power until it boiled over and thrust with all her might!


    The wooden sword pierced into Ash¡¯s back, running through his chest!


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Ash grunted, the intense pain nearly causing him to lose his grip. The Void Realm didn¡¯t block the mages¡¯ sensation of pain. In fact, due to direct contact with the naked soul, the sensation of pain was generally 10% to 20% higher than in reality. Therefore, it was possible for a mage to suffer from so much pain in the Void Realm that they could actually die from it in reality!


    From the wooden sword that impaled Ash¡¯s body, a faint purple glow emanated. Then¡ª


    ¡°Inner Wave Blade!¡±


    With Sonia¡¯s sharp cry, the Wave Motion Sword Energy erupted from the wooden sword!


    The green-skinned beastman, whose shoulders were grabbed by Ash and waist was stabbed by Sonia¡¯s sword tip, let out a hysterical roar. Its towering and robust body burst open like a punctured balloon, with the lower half flying off completely.


    However, the fierce light in its eyes intensified. Its hands clutched tightly around Ash¡¯s throat, nearly wringing his neck like a wet towel¡ª


    Sonia decisively pulled out the wooden sword and made a swift slash, cutting open what had been the beastman¡¯s nearly impenetrable neck as if it were cake. As the beastman¡¯s head flew off, Ash also collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.


    ¡°You okay?¡±


    ¡°Other than briefly reliving my life in my consciousness and hearing what sounded like the calls of loved ones, nothing much.¡±


    Ash coughed twice and looked down at the part that Sonia had stabbed. Naturally, even the windbreaker was undamaged and the wound healed in an instant.


    He had learned from his first battle that any injury suffered in the Void Realm was illusory and that mages could recover almost instantly unless they died on the spot.


    Of course, all miracles come at a cost. Ash saw that the opacity of his palm had decreased significantly, indicating a substantial consumption of his soul energy.


    If he were to suffer such a severe injury again, he might really give up his ¡®first blood¡¯ in the Void Realm.


    He looked toward the dissipating head of the beastman with some lingering fear.


    This green-skinned beastman was the strongest opponent they had encountered in the Void Realm. If Ash hadn¡¯t volunteered to sacrifice himself as a Taunting Companion, and Sonia hadn¡¯t seized the opportunity to attack, the outcome of who would win or lose would have remained uncertain.


    Honestly, in terms of combat power, this green-skinned beastman was not much different from the gunner they faced before, both being low-level mages with very superficial combat modes.


    That¡¯s why ¡°Void Realm Exploration¡± defined it as an adventure worth undertaking, giving Ash a false sense of security.


    Then the Void Realm immediately taught Ash a lesson: Everything in the Void Realm carried risks. The waters of the Sea of Knowledge ran deep. You can¡¯t grasp hold of it, kid.


    Even among low-level mages, the gap between them might be greater than between races.


    Ash and Sonia could easily defeat the gunner but were crushed by the green-skinned beastman because the beastman¡¯s specialized faction was precisely the Weak Faction, which countered their abilities the most! The greenish skin shone with the color of tree bark, tough as if equipped with natural armor!


    Not just Ash, even Sonia could hardly make a dent in it, unable to truly harm it.


    More importantly, the beastman¡¯s combat experience was abundant. It seemed to have also learned some sort of boxing art. Every time Sonia tried to inflict heavy damage with the Wave Motion Sword, the beastman was either entangled with Ash or charged straight at Sonia, causing her to hold back her attacks and fight cautiously.


    As the prolonged battle wore on, they were increasingly drained, but the beastman grew ever fiercer, naturally making them anxious. After a quick discussion, they decided that Ash would engage it, block its vision, and create an opportunity for Sonia to strike.


    Their tactic was a success; the beastman died, Sonia¡¯s skills improved, and Ash experienced a rare life flashing before his eyes. Everyone gained growth.


    Naturally, after the battle was the time to search for spoils, and the beastman left behind two fang ornaments, each containing a Technique Spirit:


    ¡°Oak Skin¡±


    ¡°One-winged Technique Spirit¡±


    ¡°Restriction: The mage must possess skin that wraps the muscles.¡±


    ¡°Basic Effect: Transforms the skin into a material like tree bark. When on the ground, it can transfer 10% of the kinetic impact sustained by the skin to the earth.¡±


    ¡°Passive Effect: The skin can be trained through daily exercise to transform into tree bark.¡±


    ¡°Note: Frost, sunburn, deep cold¡ªall the hardships bestowed by nature will make you even more indestructible.¡±


    Both Technique Spirits were ¡°Oak Skin.¡± Ash found it strange, ¡°Why does it have two identical Technique Spirits?¡±


    Sonia explained, ¡°Because the Weak Faction values the passive effects of Technique Spirits more than their active effects, and passive effects can be stacked. Therefore, to quickly train their bodies to the limit, Weak Mages often try to obtain multiple identical Technique Spirits to accelerate their cultivation.¡±


    ¡°Do you need it?¡±


    ¡°No, Oak Skin is worthless and not suitable for me. Even if I wanted to enhance my physique with a Weak Technique Spirit, there are better options. Besides, Oak Skin is too ugly.¡±


    It¡¯s mainly about being too ugly... Ash recalled the beastman¡¯s skin that looked like a piece of paper crumpled hundreds of times before being unfolded, and he felt a bit repulsed.


    He didn¡¯t care much about his own appearance, but that was truly too ugly¡ªit was a blight on city aesthetics.


    Therefore, those two Technique Spirits naturally entered Ash¡¯s bag as a reserve of rechargeable funds.


    Sonia picked up a scroll dropped by the Beastman, glanced at it, and threw it to Ash with a disgusted look, muttering, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you can even absorb a Mage¡¯s Handbook like this?¡±


    Ash took it and immediately shuddered all over.


    The scroll left by that Beastman was indeed a... how should I put it, if put elegantly it¡¯s called ¡°Anthology of Beauties,¡± if put formally it¡¯s ¡°Research Materials on Otherworldly Customs,¡± and if put vulgarly it¡¯s ¡°Erection Recommender Guide.¡±


    The front of the scroll showed about a dozen artistic portraits of Beastmen; though their aesthetic was rather rough, Ash, who hadn¡¯t seen any risque? images in a couple of days, could appreciate the wild beauty in them.


    The middle part started to get exciting. There were humans, Elves, ogres, some with fluffy ears, some with scales, some with wings, some with horns, there were even Spiders¡ªno wonder this Beastman was a Weak Mage, who else but them would have the ability to conduct such detailed and diverse research!


    But there was one thing that Ash found dissatisfactory, and that was the Beastman¡¯s too singular taste, which only pursued ¡®size.¡¯ Big meant good, big meant beautiful, there wasn¡¯t a single female under two meters in the scroll, all were towering figures whom Ash could only look up to.


    ¡°If you like it, why not take it back and enjoy it at your leisure?¡± Sonia said with folded arms, her eyes not hiding her disdain, ¡°Ah, men...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be quick, I¡¯ll finish quickly, just wait a moment.¡±


    Although he said that, the scroll was incredibly long, listing at least a few hundred females, more than all the females Ash knew. Indeed, some died of drought, others of flood...


    When Ash reached the end of the scroll, he saw a photo of an ordinary Beastwoman who was very special¡ªher photo was the only one with clothed attire on the entire scroll.


    Based on the previous information, this probably meant that the Weak Beastman Mage hadn¡¯t engaged in reproductive activities with her.


    In the photo, she was holding two Beastman cubs, with a wooden house in the background. She was a bit short and plump but appeared very amiable. Even when she smiled, exposing ferocious fangs, she did not seem threatening at all. Dressed in a dirty apron, she looked like a Beastwoman farmer.


    Because there was no written introduction, Ash could only guess: Had this Weak Beastman Mage fallen for this Beastwoman farmer? But why hadn¡¯t he become her mate? Was it because the Beastman Mage was about to die, or because he contracted some illness from frequent health preservation activities?


    What a strange Beastman Mage...


    When the scroll turned into light smoke and dissipated, Ash acquired two new skills.


    ¡°Delight Secret Technique (Effective only on females over two meters)¡±


    ¡°Wild Intuition¡±


    Ash looked at the ¡°Delight Secret Technique (Effective only on females over two meters)¡± and was somewhat baffled.


    How to say, although he had no driving experience, he had obtained a heavyweight vehicle A1-class driver¡¯s license. From today onward, he was a licensed driver of the clouds.


    But the second skill ¡°Wild Intuition¡± seemed quite useful. It wasn¡¯t a racial trait of the Beastmen but rather a combat skill honed through long years of battle by the Beastman Mage, effectively allowing one to dodge sudden attacks from outside their field of vision in close quarters combat.


    After absorbing the Mage¡¯s Handbook, this Inheritance Island was about to sink again. Sonia sat at the stern looking at him, raising her eyebrows: ¡°So, you really could absorb that Mage¡¯s Handbook... Looks like your values are quite broad...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not really that, I just have more adaptable values.¡±


    In reality, Ash also felt something was off. The Sword Maiden couldn¡¯t absorb any Mage¡¯s Handbook, yet he absorbed every one he saw. Clearly, the problem wasn¡¯t with the conservative Sword Maiden but rather with Ash, who was too open, akin to a public bus.


    Ash suspected it was a hidden feature of ¡°Aurora¡¯s Mage Manual¡± the game, but without any relevant prompts popping up from the game, he could only fob off the Sword Maiden.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head to the next area. I hope we encounter an Inheritance Island of a Sword Master... or at least a lucky encounter on an island with a Technique Spirit of swordsmanship... anything but one belonging to the Weak Faction,¡± Sonia complained languidly as she leaned against the boat¡¯s side.


    Ash nodded, finding it hard not to support the suggestion¡ªfacing enemies that popped like shotguns was truly a terrible experience, he¡¯d rather deal with a murky Fish Dragon that could instantly slay them.


    He opened ¡°Void Realm Exploration,¡± checking for hints in the surrounding areas, when suddenly he saw an unfamiliar orange indicator underneath a right-hand area¡ª


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    Sonia waited for several seconds and noticing the boat didn¡¯t move at all, couldn¡¯t help but feel curious, ¡°Why aren¡¯t we leaving?¡±


    ¡°We have to wait a bit before we can go.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°How long?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°...Alright, we¡¯ll wait then.¡± Sonia stretched lazily, ¡°Speaking of which, I also wanted to discuss something with you that I had forgotten about just now.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about my daily training.¡± Sonia folded her arms, ¡°Could you cancel my forced training schedule?¡±


    Paper people these days, how they refuse to generate surplus value!


    She really must be the laziest paper person I¡¯ve ever seen.


    When have I ever encountered such a thing in mobile games before?


    Many thoughts raced through Ash¡¯s mind, but outwardly he intertwined his fingers, adopting a posture of open-minded listening: ¡°Of course, there¡¯s no problem, I respect your wishes, Sword Maiden¡ªbut I would like to hear your reasons.¡±

 Chapter 42 - 42 Experience Treasure Orb

    Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Experience Treasure Orb


    ¡°I hardly have any personal time during the day anymore.¡±


    Sonia vented her frustrations, ¡°Classes begin at 8 AM, and because I¡¯ve switched to the Sword Skill Department, I no longer have to take classes in the Water Magic Department. However, I still need to attend an introductory course and a practical sword-fighting course. Not only that, Professor Trozan checks on my progress in swordsmanship almost daily and spars with me once, leaving me practically no time to rest during the day.¡±


    Interestingly, Sonia found it peculiar that Professor Trozan, famed as the Hidden Hand Sword Saint and a signature Mage at Sword Flower University, was not some retired professor who idly tends to flowers and plants.


    Though it was true that Trozan had taken Sonia and Felix as research apprentices, it was not necessary for him to check on them daily. Trozan was no stranger to geniuses, and the time of a Three-winged Holy Sanctuary Mage certainly wasn¡¯t so cheap.


    Yet, Professor Trozan not only visited them daily but also made time to spar specifically with Sonia¡ªan honor uniquely hers, while Felix could only watch enviously.


    Felix, who was her senior, was visibly favored less by Professor Trozan, which left Sonia feeling both embarrassed and secretly thrilled.


    She considered the possibility of manipulation by the Observer but dismissed it¡ªafter all, this was the Hidden Hand Sword Saint!


    If the Observer could control her, it seemed unlikely they could exert the same influence over Professor Trozan.


    Moreover, if they could control Trozan, why would they have him simply spar with her?


    ¡°I know you want me to achieve something in swordsmanship.¡±


    Sonia tried to speak politely, ¡°But the amount of study during the day is already sufficient. I don¡¯t need to undergo two more hours of forced sword fighting training at night.¡±


    ¡°And those trainings are hardly meaningful. Now that I possess the Wave Motion Sword, I should focus on summoning other auxiliary Technique Spirits around it, rather than continuing basic training...¡±


    Sonia said this with some guilt.


    Although what she said was correct, after becoming a Mage, she should have shifted from sword training to ¡®Technique Spirit training,¡¯ essentially to enhance her proficiency with Technique Spirits.


    Some might find it odd. Wasn¡¯t the Wave Sword Technique Spirit something Sonia had summoned and fully understood herself? Why was there still room for improvement?


    This was because Sonia had fully grasped the ¡®theory,¡¯ but had not completely dissected the ¡®reality.¡¯ Utilizing Technique Spirits involved merging theory with reality in practice, and naturally, there was substantial potential yet to be uncovered.


    For instance, the ¡®Inner Wave Blade¡¯ Sonia used to kill the Beastman Mage was a result of her studies over the past few days.


    This move no longer treated the Wave Motion Sword as a long-range attack but concentrated it at the tip of the blade, causing explosive damage when thrust into an enemy, delivering catastrophic injuries at the moment of impact.


    There were many variations of the Wave Motion Sword left to explore, and training in Technique Spirits was undoubtedly necessary.


    Furthermore, if Sonia mastered the techniques of the Wave Motion Sword to the extreme, she was also likely to summon corresponding auxiliary Technique Spirits.


    For example, if Sonia fully mastered the ¡®Inner Wave Blade,¡¯ there was a good chance she would summon the ¡®Inner Space¡¯ Technique Spirit. Inner Space Technique Spirit could compress the power of the Wave Motion Sword Technique Spirit by one hundred percent, and even temporarily store it within an enemy or object, triggering a sudden explosion when the Mage willed it.


    By using two Technique Spirits, the ¡®Inner Wave Blade¡¯ had now become the stronger and more unpredictable ¡®Miracle¡¤Inner Wave Blade.¡¯


    Of course, this was a very rudimentary miracle, not even worthy of inclusion in the ¡®Mage Miracle Directory,¡¯ and carried no commercial value.


    But this reflected the normal growth process of a Mage: summoning a Technique Spirit, then based on this Spirit, summoning other auxiliary Technique Spirits, developing a complete Miracle System.


    Thus, Sonia¡¯s request was quite reasonable.


    However, the issue was, she was a Sword Maiden.


    There¡¯s a saying among Sword Maidens: if you just want to be an ordinary Sword Maiden, then follow the school¡¯s curriculum; but if you aspire to reach the realms of Two-winged Gold, Three-winged Holy Realm, or even higher, then mastering the three Technique Spirits of ¡®Slash Sword,¡¯ ¡®Pierce Sword,¡¯ and ¡®Cutting Sword¡¯ is essential.


    All Sword Technique Spirits ultimately derive from those three¡ªSlash, Pierce, Cut. While mastering these three Spirits doesn¡¯t necessarily mean you¡¯ll be powerful, not mastering them means you definitely have weaknesses.


    Therefore, it made sense to everyone that Sonia continued her basic sword training, even Felix didn¡¯t fall behind in training¡ªany ambitious Sword Apprentice would take this time to solidify their foundation.


    So why did Sonia propose to the Observer to cancel the training?


    Aside from truly being exhausted with no time for leisure, a minor issue, the main reason was that she wanted to test her own say in the matter.


    It wasn¡¯t about testing the Observer¡¯s compliance, but Sonia was not content to always be controlled.


    Even if the Observer refused this time, Sonia could gradually probe and strategize, ensuring the Observer was reminded daily of her great contributions and efforts¡ªafter all, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.


    One day, Sonia would fully understand the Observer¡¯s psychological boundaries and thought patterns.


    At that time, who controlled whom would remain to be seen...


    ¡°You make a lot of sense.¡±


    Ash nodded, seemingly truly convinced by the Sword Maiden.


    Sonia was briefly startled, thinking to herself, is the Observer this easy to talk to?


    ¡°But I have a question for you¡ªif you had an extra two hours at night, what would you plan to do with them?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it involves reading books, watching plays, and attending balls to make more friends?¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s all about entertainment and having fun, right?¡±


    Ash tapped his fingers on the boat, recalling how his previous boss used to deceive people.


    ¡°Have you ever met someone from a better family background than yours?¡±


    ¡°I have.¡±


    ¡°Have you met someone with both a better family background and talent equal to yours?¡±


    ¡°I have.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what the most terrifying thing in this world is? It¡¯s when someone with a better background and equal talent works harder than you!¡± Ash spoke earnestly, ¡°When you can¡¯t resist taking a break, others take that chance to widen the gap between you.¡±


    Sonia felt a slight stir in her heart, remembering Felix driving away in his silver luxury car.


    ¡°Do not waste your life during the years you should be working hardest, do not cling to enjoyment during the times you should be striving. There are too many people whose starting points are where we end. Are you content to only look up to others in the future, content to be just an ordinary person, leaving no mark anywhere other than the Sea of Knowledge?¡±


    Sonia¡¯s lips moved, and ultimately, she shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not content.¡±


    Ash continued sternly, ¡°So, Sword Maiden, this way of thinking is not good, don¡¯t blame me for criticizing you. You feel tired? Feeling tired is correct; comfort is reserved for the elderly. You want to enjoy life? Wanting is correct; enjoyment is reserved for the successful.¡±


    ¡°You, in the prime of your life, must bravely step out of your comfort zone and fill your life with effort. Do not let others¡¯ lives blind you. Do you want to be just an ordinary person in the future like them? Do not let your inner desires override your reason, hedonism only slows your sword-drawing speed.¡±


    ¡°Strive hard for the things you love, then in the future, when you fail, you can blame the world wholeheartedly instead of resenting yourself.¡±


    ¡°As Mages, we do not dwell on the past or hope for the next life, we only wish to live this life spectacularly, enjoying our triumphs and grievances!¡±


    Sonia was silent for a long time before nodding firmly, ¡°Observer, you are right!¡±


    Good, he had bluffed his way through... Ash breathed a sigh of relief. He was still a bit uncomfortable with this kind of work; after all, it used to be his boss who did the psychological building, and now it was his turn to do it for others.


    And you know, this kind of job that stirs up other people¡¯s anxieties is pretty interesting; no wonder his boss often shared anxiety-inducing posts in his circle of friends.


    ¡°Then reducing the training time from two hours to one hour shouldn¡¯t make a big difference, right?¡±


    Ash blinked, suddenly noticing that the regional tip in the ¡®Void Realm Exploration¡¯ changed from ¡®Wait a moment¡¯ to ¡®Now is the time,¡¯ and quickly changed the subject: ¡°No more idle chat, brace yourself, we¡¯re entering a dangerous area!¡±


    The small boat passed through layers of fog, and a small island came into view.


    On the island was a gigantic white fox, its fur reflecting a purple-white arc light, as beautiful as the moon fallen to earth, mesmerizing onlookers. It crouched under a tree, its body and tail curled into a fluffy ball, making one want to pet it.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Fox Dragon,¡± Sonia whispered, excitement barely contained in her voice, ¡°It¡¯s asleep!¡±


    They quietly approached the shore, tiptoeing up to the Fox Dragon¡¯s head, the two exchanged glances, ready to gather their strength.


    Sonia assumed the Iaido stance, while Ash summoned his Substitute Technique Spirit, both wielding unsharpened long swords, aiming at the Fox Dragon¡¯s head¡ªin the Void Realm, Ash¡¯s consciousness was free from the physical limitations of his neck chip, allowing him to use Technique Spirits.


    It was only after testing did Ash realize that although the Substitute would burst upon a single poke, it could still attack before being burst. Like in this situation, it could add to the damage.


    As for the unsharpened long sword, just as Sonia could wield a wooden sword, Ash could naturally summon the weapon he had used in life-or-death fights. Honestly, Ash would have preferred to summon a gun, but since he had never handled any guns in reality, he couldn¡¯t imagine it...


    Ready, they counted the beats silently, three, two, one, attack simultaneously!


    ¡°Iaido Wave Motion Sword!¡±


    ¡°Dual Slash!¡±


    The sleeping Fox Dragon was instantly decapitated by three swords, emitting a sharp roar that nearly caused Ash and Sonia temporary deafness, and the Substitute was directly shattered by the scream.


    But the Fox Dragon seemed dazed by the attack; it couldn¡¯t even stand up, and could only thrash and bite wildly on the ground.


    The two, unconcerned with any martial morality, seized the opportunity to pummel its head with their weapons while it was down, with Ash even taking the chance to stroke its fur.


    After several seconds, the Fox Dragon let out a reluctant roar and dissolved into a puff of white smoke.


    It left behind three sleeping Technique Spirits, who looked around bewilderedly at the unfamiliar Mages. But Sonia didn¡¯t look at the Technique Spirits; instead, she picked up a bright bead from the ground.

 Chapter 43: Is This What You Call Bonds?

    Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Is This What You Call Bonds?


    Human effort is finite, truth is infinite.


    In this world where knowledge can summon Technique Spirits, and Technique Spirits can derive miracles, the pursuit of knowledge by Mages is almost an instinct etched deep in their souls. However, as Mages forge ahead in their pursuit of knowledge, a colossal barrier stands before them¡ªlearning efficiency.


    No matter what race or realm the Mage belongs to, their way of learning is unchanged: memorize, understand, master. Mages of different races have their respective advantages; the Aerial Race, with their naturally sharp eyesight, excels in memory, the Elf Clan, with their powerful souls, excels in understanding, and the Beastman Clan, with their keen intuition, excels in mastery. While it is not equitable, all races have the potential to become a Mage.


    However, once Mages step into the Void Realm, they will find that their racial advantages are laughably insignificant in the face of the immeasurable amount of knowledge there.


    Even with their natural brilliance, the efficiency with which they acquire knowledge is like trying to drain the Sea of Knowledge with a straw¡ªthe only difference being the thickness of the straw.


    Mages have thought of many ways to address this, such as inventing miracles like ¡°photographic memory,¡± ¡°Thought Acceleration,¡± and ¡°Comprehension at First Glance¡± to increase efficiency, or extending their lifespan to compensate for the deficiency in learning efficiency.


    The ever-growing pursuit of knowledge and the lagging learning efficiency are contradictions in survival that Mages can never resolve.


    But the Void Realm has already prepared a solution for the Mages.


    ¡°This is a Radiant Faction Experience Treasure Orb.¡±


    Sonia gently held the bright and translucent bead, her voice light as if afraid a louder tone might harm it, ¡°Just by absorbing it, even someone completely ignorant of the Radiant Faction can immediately possess the silver-level knowledge of Radiance, becoming a specialist Mage in Radiance.¡±


    ¡°After returning to reality, with just a bit of study and organization of the knowledge, one could even summon a Radiant Technique Spirit with one¡¯s strength. Because what it provides the Mage is not just ¡®illusionary¡¯ knowledge but also ¡®actual¡¯ experience¡ªthe experience possessed by the fox mirror dragon.¡±


    ¡°If Technique Spirits are invaluable, then Experience Treasure Orbs are truly priceless.¡±


    Endless fascination filled Sonia¡¯s eyes. ¡°Even the poorest Mage would not sell an Experience Treasure Orb, and even the most generous Mage would covet it. Although one could take Experience Treasure Orbs out from the Void Realm, almost no Mage would do so¡ªupon acquiring an Experience Treasure Orb, the Mage would have absorbed it already.¡±


    Almost every Legendary Mage has absorbed a vast number of Experience Treasure Orbs. It is because of the existence of these orbs that Mages have the possibility of being proficient in the knowledge of various factions simultaneously, thus refreshing the old knowledge of factions, creating new miracles, summoning new Technique Spirits, and even founding new factions.


    The contribution of Experience Treasure Orbs to the development of the Mage civilization to its current state is indispensable.


    Ash could understand the wonder of Experience Treasure Orbs, but he could not comprehend Sonia¡¯s excitement.


    ¡°You talk about this orb as if it¡¯s very valuable, but didn¡¯t we obtain one quite easily?¡±


    Sonia took a deep breath and repeated ¡°The Observer is an utter fool¡± three times in her heart before explaining calmly, ¡°True, Experience Treasure Orbs are theoretically not difficult to come by, as any Knowledge Creature defeated might drop one.¡±


    ¡°However, let¡¯s not mention that Knowledge Creatures often possess the combat power to defeat a Mage of the same level; assume you find a Knowledge Creature you can defeat, but what often happens is¡ªjust as you are about to defeat the Knowledge Creature, it escapes.¡±


    ¡°Escape?¡±


    ¡°Since it¡¯s a creature, it naturally has the instinct to pursue good and avoid harm; how could it not escape?¡± Sonia retorted. ¡°Would a Knowledge Creature capable of birthing Technique Spirits be an idiot that lacks common sense?¡±


    Ash always felt like the Sword Maiden was insulting him, but he had no proof. ¡°Then isn¡¯t the Mage at a huge loss?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily. Knowledge Creatures also understand the principle of cutting off one¡¯s tail to survive, and as they try to flee, they would deliberately throw out a Technique Spirit to distract the Mage. As long as one defeats the Knowledge Creature, the Mage would at least acquire a Technique Spirit.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good then, at least you don¡¯t lose out if you win.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes winning feels even more painful¡ªif the Mage kills the Knowledge Creature, it¡¯s possible that they also destroy the Experience Treasure Orb.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°Experience Treasure Orbs aren¡¯t generated after Knowledge Creatures die; they exist inside Knowledge Creatures.¡± Sonia explained. ¡°Due to the fleeting nature of the Knowledge Creatures upon death, no one knows exactly where inside them the Experience Treasure Orbs form, not even where different Knowledge Creatures carry the Experience Treasure Orbs.¡±


    ¡°If the Mage isn¡¯t careful when attacking, they might very well destroy the Experience Treasure Orb.¡±


    ¡°Not finding a Treasure Bead after killing a Knowledge Creature is something all Mages experience. They also can¡¯t know if there was no Treasure Bead inside the Knowledge Creature or if they accidentally destroyed it.¡±


    ¡°Now you understand how lucky we were to get this orb?¡±


    Sonia looked towards where the fox mirror dragon had disappeared. ¡°If not for the fox mirror dragon falling asleep, if we hadn¡¯t concentrated our attacks on its head, if the Experience Treasure Orb just happened to be in the head of the fox mirror dragon, if the fox mirror dragon had the strength to keep fighting us... If any one of these ¡®ifs¡¯ weren¡¯t in our favor, we most certainly wouldn¡¯t have this orb in our hands.¡±


    At this point, Sonia couldn¡¯t help but gaze at the Observer with amazement¡ªthe Observer¡¯s earlier pause was undoubtedly to wait for the fox mirror dragon to fall asleep, this unheard-of cunning strategy was truly... fantastic!


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Ash nodded, his gaze fixed on the Experience Treasure Orb.


    Sonia clenched the orb, her body trembling slightly. But quickly, she exhaled and handed the orb to Ash: ¡°Here.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re willing to give it to me?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you in a dangerous situation, in urgent need of an item to enhance your strength?¡±


    Sonia feigned indifference, ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry, you can have this orb. Just don¡¯t compete with me for a swordsmanship orb next time.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Ash reached out to take the orb but couldn¡¯t move it.


    ¡°Let go!¡±


    ¡°I am letting go, I am letting go, but my fingers won¡¯t obey me!¡±


    Ash had no choice but to pry her fingers off one by one, under Sonia¡¯s reluctant gaze, and took the orb into his hands.


    As a warm current flowed into his palm, a message popped up on the Light Screen:


    ¡°Radiant Orb¡±


    ¡°Left by the fox irradiating dragon, containing the Truth Essence of hidden knowledge that ordinary mages cannot obtain through normal channels. After absorption, it grants a great deal of Radiant experience.¡±


    ¡°¡®The moonlight is a frolicking fox; the fox is the walking moonlight.''¡±


    Upon touching the orb, Ash also felt a throbbing in his heart, an indescribable hunger spreading throughout his body¡ªhe had never experienced such an intense desire for knowledge before, and it was even affecting his reason.


    It was an indescribable experience, more intense than the desire to know what happens next in a novel when it suddenly stops updating at a critical juncture, more frantic than the urgency of looking for answers during an exam and finding half missing, more exciting than the thrill of a risque? image loading to an important point only to suddenly freeze¡ªit was as if every fold of his body, every pore, was urging Ash to absorb the orb.


    Prisons, dangers, survival¡ªall were cast a thousand miles away at this moment. Knowledge became Ash¡¯s sole desire.


    Just as Ash could not resist absorbing the orb, a flash of wisdom illuminated his sense¡ª


    Wait, I smell the scent of residual value.


    Ash took a close look at the introduction of the Radiant Orb. Without a doubt, it read ¡°After absorption, it grants a great deal of Radiant experience.¡± That meant...


    ¡°Sword Maiden, you absorb it.¡±


    Watching the orb being tossed over, the usually graceful Sonia became flustered for a moment, catching the Radiant Orb carefully, both angry and shocked as she looked at Ash.


    ¡°Could it be that your Radiant Faction Realm has reached Silver Level, or even higher?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t understand anything about the Radiant Faction.¡±


    ¡°I get it, the knowledge of the Radiant Faction conflicts with the faction knowledge you¡¯ve already mastered? Like the Dark Abyss Faction...¡±


    ¡°Not at all, I know nothing, as you well know.¡±


    ¡°Then why won¡¯t you absorb this orb?¡±


    ¡°Because there are Bonds between us,¡± Ash said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. ¡°You becoming stronger means I become stronger.¡±


    Sonia had heard the Observer say ¡°there are Bonds between you and me¡± before, but she had always thought it was just a euphemism for a threat¡ªlike saying, ¡°I have a way to control you¡±¡ªuntil now, when she couldn¡¯t help but wonder: is this what Bonds are?


    As for the Observer¡¯s remark ¡°you becoming stronger means I become stronger,¡± Sonia took it as mere courtesy, similar to the saying ¡°if you¡¯re well, it¡¯s a good day for everyone.¡±


    Sonia didn¡¯t dawdle; she crushed the Experience Treasure Orb immediately, her body trembled slightly, her cheeks flushed with a hint of rosiness, and she let out a melodious sigh.


    Although the scene was very tempting, Ash was in no mood to appreciate it at the moment; after all, he was in a similar state to Sonia.


    This feeling was less like ¡®absorbing knowledge¡¯ and more like ¡®surging memories¡¯.


    It was like suddenly recalling the content taught by a teacher when facing a difficult math problem¡ªAsh naturally mastered a lot of related knowledge. He went from a newcomer who knew nothing about the Radiant Faction to an adept Mage specialized in it.


    It really worked!


    The Radiant experience absorbed by the Sword Maiden from the Experience Treasure Orb¡ª30% of it could be shared with Ash!


    This was why Ash had let the Sword Maiden absorb the orb: he would benefit 100% from absorbing it himself, but letting the Sword Maiden do it meant a 130% gain!


    Moreover, as long as the Sword Maiden continued to improve in the Radiant Faction in the future, Ash would have an endless stream of long-term benefits. Wouldn¡¯t the residual value created in this way be much stronger than if he had hoarded it all for himself?


    Thus, Ash was not blinded by the temptation of the Experience Treasure Orb: The orb was just a tool, like a hoe, no matter how cool, it had to be given to someone who could farm so that it could be put to its proper use. For someone with little Talent like Ash, waiting to reap the benefits was enough.


    Sonia slowly recovered from the aftertaste of being filled with knowledge and looked at Ash, her face full of gratitude. ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t let me down. Make sure to thoroughly research the knowledge of the Radiant Faction and don¡¯t neglect your swordsmanship training either!¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±

 Chapter 44 - 44 "The Death Mad Sword Maiden’s Silver Coins

    Chapter 44: Chapter 44 ¡°The Death Mad Sword Maiden¡¯s Silver Coins


    With the interlude of the Experience Treasure Orb, the distribution of the remaining three Technique Spirits naturally became relaxed and enjoyable.


    Although Sonia strongly requested that all three Technique Spirits be given to Ash, after careful consideration, he chose to take the two less valuable ones, ¡®Fox Fire¡¯ and ¡®Light,¡¯ and gave the most useful ¡®Moon Thread¡¯ to Sonia.


    ¡®Fox Fire¡¯


    ¡®One-winged Technique Spirit¡¯


    ¡®Restriction: The Mage must possess a tail.¡¯


    ¡®Basic Effect: Wield your tail to cast varying amounts of blue flames, which can adhere to specific objects and burn for a period without causing pain to the target, even inducing pleasure.¡¯


    ¡®Passive Effect: Body hair becomes more robust and flammable.¡¯


    ¡®¡±Pain and pleasure are but illusions; when you burn away the disguise that is your skin, the truth within reveals itself.¡±¡®


    ...


    ¡®Light¡¯


    ¡®One-winged Technique Spirit¡¯


    ¡®Restriction: The Mage must possess a luminous medium or be near a light source.¡¯


    ¡®Basic Effect: Emits a light that can be suspended in the air and move flexibly according to your will.¡¯


    ¡®Passive Effect: You become more spirited in well-lit areas.¡¯


    ¡®¡±It is not light that dispels darkness, but darkness that chases after light.¡±¡®


    ...


    ¡®Moon Thread¡¯


    ¡®One-winged Technique Spirit¡¯


    ¡®Restriction: The Mage must possess a luminous medium or be near a light source.¡¯


    ¡®Basic Effect: Creates multiple temporary, taut strands of Moonlight Silk suspended in air.¡¯


    ¡®Passive Effect: You become more agile under moonlight.¡¯


    ¡®¡±Listen, the moonlight weaves the veil of the night.¡±¡®


    Clearly, ¡®Fox Fire¡¯ and ¡®Light¡¯ must have been the main attack methods of the fluorescent fox dragon, with Fox Fire attached to Light creating a continuous and flexible flame attack.


    They were lucky to have beaten the sleeping fluorescent fox dragon; otherwise, just the ¡®Fox Fire Light¡¯ would have been enough to give them a hard time, not to mention the ¡®Moon Thread¡¯¡ªSonia gave it a try and found it could create steel-hard, suspended threads in the air. Anyone who bumped into them would instantly be sliced by the threads, making it a perfect trap for a staged accident.


    Originally, Ash wanted the ¡®Moon Thread,¡¯ but it was useless for him in prison since he couldn¡¯t use Technique Spirits, and having a great one wouldn¡¯t make any difference. Therefore, he chose ¡®Fox Fire¡¯ and ¡®Light¡¯ to immediately make an in-app purchase with¡ªneither of them had tails, and hence they did not meet the conditions to use the ¡®Fox Fire Light.¡¯


    The stronger ¡®Moon Thread¡¯ was handed over to the Sword Maiden for research; after all, her learning experience would also be shared with Ash, and he couldn¡¯t let her go without having a workbook in her hands.


    At this time, Ash suddenly realized a problem: ¡°Can we exchange Technique Spirits in the Void Realm?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Sonia knew what he was planning: ¡°You want me to help you find the Technique Spirit of the chopping miracle and exchange it in the Void Realm?¡±


    ¡°Yes, after all, you¡ª¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Never unlink your Technique Spirit in the Void Realm, it will lead to serious consequences.¡±


    Ash swallowed hard.


    ¡°What kind of consequences?¡±


    ¡°The Technique Spirit will run away instantly, in a heartbeat.¡±


    ¡°...Can¡¯t we catch it back?¡±


    Sonia shook her head, ¡°No Mage can catch them back¡ªyou may not realize, but to the Technique Spirits, we Mages are just foreign travelers. In this Void Realm, the Technique Spirits are the true masters.¡±


    ¡°Although Technique Spirits are not exactly living things¡ªthere¡¯s even a question mark over whether they can think¡ªthey undoubtedly have certain instincts¡ªsuch as a yearning for freedom.¡±


    Remembering how the Technique Spirits on the adventure island had promptly fled, Ash nodded but still seemed puzzled.


    ¡°The escape speed of Technique Spirits seems slow, why can¡¯t they be caught?¡±


    ¡°Because those are Technique Spirits that haven¡¯t been caught before. Do you think a mouse that has been caught once is more or less vigilant than one that hasn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Learning is also one of the instincts of Technique Spirits.¡±


    ¡°But even if Technique Spirits are highly vigilant, they can¡¯t move quickly.¡±


    Sonia nodded and then shook her head, ¡°In the real world, you¡¯re right. When you unlink from a Technique Spirit in reality, although it will flee, it does not greatly affect reality and can easily be captured.¡±


    ¡°But the Void Realm is the home of the Technique Spirits, this is where miracles originate.¡±


    ¡°If the Technique Spirit wills it, the whole Void Realm will help it.¡±


    ¡°Although we don¡¯t know what the Technique Spirit will sacrifice, numerous records show that if you unlink from your Technique Spirit in the Void Realm, it will disappear instantly, and to date, no Mage has been able to retrieve one.¡±


    Another path was blocked, and Ash sighed, just about to move on, but Sonia stopped him, ¡°Don¡¯t rush off, there¡¯s more stuff to split here.¡±


    Sonia walked to the small tree the fluorescent fox dragon had been coiled around and plucked two unripe little fruits from it. Ash took one and could not make out its variety at all.


    ¡°Void Fruit, Soul Fruit, Mysterious Fruit¡ªthis thing has many names and shapes, but the effect is the same¡ªeating it replenishes the lost soul energy and extends the exploration time of this trip to the Void Realm.¡±


    ¡°By the way, it tastes awful.¡±


    Ash gagged as he looked at the Sword Maiden, taking several seconds to recover from the nausea; it was as bad as eating excrement, ¡°Next time, could you put the important points at the forefront?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t bad at all, I don¡¯t want to eat a second one,¡± Sonia¡¯s face contorted with disgust.


    ...


    Perhaps it was the Experience Treasure Orb that had exhausted their luck, for Ash didn¡¯t find any ¡°worthwhile¡± or ¡°welcoming¡± areas in the following time. It was either a ¡°seeking one¡¯s own doom¡± or a ¡°wasted effort¡± zone, and ¡°run quickly¡± prompts even appeared at times.


    After leaving the Void Realm and returning to the prison, Ash recharged both ¡®Fox Fire¡¯ and ¡®Light,¡¯ each valued at 10 points. Together with the previously sold ¡®Rapid Fire¡¯ Technique Spirit, Ash had accumulated 30 points.


    Exactly, and in the game, ¡®a set of Source Crystals¡¯ was also valued at 30 points.


    Although Ash could continue to save up for a bigger purchase, the pressure in his heart grew heavier after hearing Professor Selin¡¯s order to hunt him from Valcas. The prison wasn¡¯t his shield¡ªdanger was everywhere!


    If you don¡¯t spend when you should, you won¡¯t have the chance to spend it later!


    Spending all 30 points to purchase ¡®a set of Source Crystals,¡¯ Ash received 6 of them, and thanks to the first-time top-up reward doubling, he actually obtained 12 Source Crystals.


    Adding the 3 Source Crystals he got from signing in over the past few days, Ash had a total of 15 Source Crystals, allowing for 5 card draws!


    Returning to the card draw after three days, Ash washed his hands first, clasped them together, and prayed to every Divine Being he could name; he didn¡¯t even spare the Origin of Miracles of this world, ¡°Void Realm, oh Void Realm, I¡¯m using your Technique Spirits for an in-app purchase to draw cards, which is to say I¡¯m actually drawing cards on your behalf. What¡¯s yours is mine, and mine will eventually be yours too, making me prosper is the same as making yourself prosper. I won¡¯t say much else; you understand...¡±


    Card draw!


    Not fulfilling the requirement for a ten-consecutive draw, Ash resorted to consecutive single draws, believing in the magic of his faith!


    White light¡ª¡¯Energy Potion¡¯!


    White light¡ª¡¯Basic Combat Card¡¯!


    Great, the Sword Maiden won¡¯t be having any rest next week either.


    Purple light¡ª¡¯Void Realm Telescope¡¯!


    Orange light¡ª¡¯Death Mad Sword Maiden¡¯s Silver Coin¡¯!


    Purple light¡ª¡¯Awakening Battle Record¡¯!


    Three new items in a row, is this the charm of single draws?


    ¡®Void Realm Telescope¡¯: While exploring the Void Realm, your observation distance is increased by +1.


    The shorter the description, the stronger the effect¡ªAsh understood immediately how valuable this item was. His current Void Realm observing distance was only 1, which meant he could only see the adjacent 8 grid spaces. With this telescope, his observation area would increase from 3¡Á3 to 5¡Á5, the number of observable grids jumping from 8 to 24!


    A significant reason Ash hadn¡¯t found a suitable exploration area was his ¡°short-sightedness¡± in the Void Realm, only able to take the safest routes before him. With this item, their Void Realm exploration efficiency would increase by at least 50%.


    ¡®Death Mad Sword Maiden¡¯s Silver Coin¡¯: One of the three silver coins long treasured by the Death Mad Sword Maiden, lost after many years. If someone were to meet the Death Mad Sword Maiden with this coin, they would receive a reward, or death. Once used, it expands the Bonds feature.


    Although the description was vague, Ash spotted the gimmick at a glance: wasn¡¯t this the full potential unlocking mechanism in mobile game card draws? When you draw the same character, you unlock more of the character¡¯s abilities, enticing players to spend more.


    Using ¡®Death Mad Sword Maiden¡¯s Silver Coin,¡¯ the information of ¡®Death Mad Sword Maiden¡¯ changed:


    ¡®Death Mad Sword Maiden¡¯


    ¡®Human Race¡¤Female¡¤18 years old¡¯


    ¡®Bonds Level: 1 (35% experience sharing)¡¯


    ¡®Bonds Resonance¡¤Insatiable Greed: While acting together, there¡¯s a chance to acquire better spoils.¡¯


    ¡®Profession: One-winged Sword Master¡¯


    ¡®Professional characteristics: Reduces energy consumption by 10% when using swordsmanship Technique Spirits¡¯


    ¡®Held Items: Training Wooden Sword¡¯


    ¡®Controlled Spirits: Wave Motion Sword, Moonlight Silk, Rapid Stream¡¯


    ¡®Sword Technique Faction: Silver Level¡¯


    ¡®Radiant Faction: Silver Level¡¯


    ¡®Water Technique Faction: Uninitiated¡¯


    ¡®Void Realm Exploration: 0.002%¡¯


    Aside from the experience sharing ratio increasing from 30% to 35%, the biggest change was obviously the new ¡®Bonds Resonance¡¤Insatiable Greed¡¯.


    This was clearly a flaw of the Sword Maiden, not really Ash¡¯s concern, but the effect was good; he would leave the final blow in battles to the Sword Maiden from now on.


    Ash looked at the last item drawn, the ¡®Awakening Battle Record¡¯.


    Drawn in purple light, indicating it wasn¡¯t just any common item but something as valuable as the ¡®Void Realm Telescope.¡¯


    ¡®Awakening Battle Record¡¯: Arrange a high-difficulty battle for the operators, thus entering an Awakening State. In the Awakening State, the operator gains 250% battle experience and is more likely to perform miracles, summon Technique Spirits, and break through realms (Danger Level: Medium).


    ¡°I hardly have any personal time these days...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so tired...¡±


    ¡°Can we reduce training to just an hour...¡±


    As if Sword Maiden¡¯s complaints echoed in his ears, Ash¡¯s face showed struggle. Just at that moment, the morning anthem of the prison played punctually:


    ¡°If hurt enough, take both your hands, and gladly sever, yesterday¡¯s curse. Through the night, till daylight, leaving scars...¡±


    The song seemed to steel Ash¡¯s resolve; he resolutely used the ¡®Awakening Battle Record¡¯!


    Selected target, Death Mad Sword Maiden!


    ¡°Sword Maiden, I¡¯m doing this for your own good!¡±

 Chapter 45 - 45 Don’t Blame Me

    Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Don¡¯t Blame Me


    Kingdom of Stars, Jiale City, Sword and Rose Mage University.


    ¡°...when facing a Turbid Heart Monster, unless a Sword Master can pierce its brainstem immediately¡ªdecapitation is useless, as long as the Turbid Heart Monster still has its brain it can launch an attack¡ªotherwise, they will be influenced by its Technique Spirit ¡®Frenzy¡¯. Upon noticing growing impatience, a Sword Master must pierce their own thigh to remain alert with pain, allowing the other ranged Mages in the squad to kill the Turbid Heart Monster...¡±


    The only sound in the terraced classroom was the teacher¡¯s steady voice. Sonia, sitting by the window, looked out at the three shining stars in the sky; warm sunlight spread over the grass, the walkways, and the benches, making all things in the world glimmer.


    ¡°Sonia!¡± Ingrid whispered sharply, ¡°Don¡¯t space out during class.¡±


    Sonia, who was resonating with the real-world light, smiled slightly, ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s an important class, and my bracelet is taking notes anyway, even if I¡¯m distracted...¡±


    ¡°This is the most important ¡®Introduction to Swordsmanship¡¯!¡± Ingrid said seriously, ¡°Don¡¯t you plan on entering the Abyss in the future? Aren¡¯t you afraid of danger? What good are notes from a bracelet? This class teaches the most vital knowledge about facing enemies; you can¡¯t be too careful when it comes to safety!¡±


    ¡°Cough cough!¡±


    The teacher on the podium coughed twice, and the two hurriedly sat up and listened attentively.


    ¡®Introduction to Swordsmanship¡¯ was not about teaching lofty theories, but about the responses a Sword Master should make against different enemies, in different environments. The reason for this course¡¯s existence is closely related to the future career direction of a Sword Master.


    A Sword Master was undoubtedly a pure Combat Mage, not like a Water Mage who could become a Healing Mage, or a Mechanical Mage who could become a Creation Mage. If there were an era of complete peace, the Sword Master would certainly decline and might even face the extinction of their lineage.


    The prosperity of swordsmanship in the Kingdom of Stars was because the world was not safe, constantly threatened by the Abyss.


    The Abyss was not a fixed location, but a randomly appearing nest of monsters. Though random, there were patterns to predict: it would only appear in populous cities, or rather, the more Mages in a place, the more likely an Abyss would appear.


    As a core city of the Kingdom of Stars, Jiale City naturally suppressed the largest Abyss.


    To this day, no scholar had been able to explain the origin of the Abyss, but the threat it posed had to be addressed. The Abyss could not be eradicated, and the deeper one went, the stronger the monsters became, with creatures of the Three-winged Holy Realm and Four-winged Legendary levels appearing in the depths, though surface monsters were far from easy to handle either.


    The terrain of the Abyss would drastically change after a period, preventing Mages from establishing camps, and it would periodically erupt, causing Legendary monsters to emerge on the surface; thus Mages had to withdraw from the Abyss during these times.


    Due to these restrictions, the ¡®regular sweeping of the Abyss¡¯ had become a very important social division of labor. Apart from a few who could become ¡®riot advisors¡¯ for nobles or companies, most Sword Masters would form squads with other Mages to venture into the Abyss and clear out monsters on a regular basis.


    This was not considered dirty work, but a very decent career path, because in addition to the ¡®extermination gold¡¯ awarded by the state, various spoils dropped by Abyss monsters were extremely valuable and sometimes scarce resource spots could be found in the Abyss.


    Many nobles had their origins in Abyss adventure teams, and countless Mages had found their fortune in the Abyss.


    But risk was proportionate to reward; nearly all Abyss monsters were inhabited by Technique Spirits and had combat powers no less formidable than Mages. Every day countless Mages perished in the Abyss, and entire teams could be destroyed, becoming nourishment for the Abyss.


    That was why Ingrid was so discontented with Sonia¡¯s attitude: listening for even one more second in ¡®Introduction to Swordsmanship¡¯ would add to her vigilance when faced with danger in the Abyss!


    But Sonia had just absorbed an Experience Treasure Orb and felt like a child with a new toy, her heart brimming with excitement, focusing entirely on corroborating the knowledge of the Radiant Faction. Moreover, she didn¡¯t believe she would venture into the Abyss¡ªthere might have been a chance in the past, but now, with her talent, and given the backing of the Observer, she could achieve the Three-winged Holy Realm just by following the steps. Why should she struggle in the Abyss with others, fighting for her life?


    ¡®Introduction to Swordsmanship¡¯ class ended, followed by ¡®Practical Swordsmanship¡¯, a sparring class among Sword Skill students. On her way to the Practical Combat Hall, she noticed students observing her and whispering.


    Sonia wasn¡¯t surprised by this; since Professor Trozan had her skip all procedures and transfer into the Sword Skill department, she had become a focal point and a daily topic among students.


    But today was different¡ªaside from Sonia, students were also observing Felix.


    ¡°Look, she¡¯s the one who dumped Celia...¡±


    ¡°Probably Sonia will get dumped soon too...¡±


    ¡°I knew she was just that type of person from the beginning...¡±


    Though she only caught snippets of conversation, Sonia had a rough idea of what had happened¡ªnews of Felix breaking up with Celia had spread, and as the most recent woman seen with Felix, Sonia inevitably became the center of everyone¡¯s attention.


    Don¡¯t cause me trouble... Sonia thought, wanting only to keep a low profile and accumulate her strengths, unwilling to be entangled in these trivial matters.


    But women have a strong capacity for Prophecy, especially when predicting misfortune¡ªas soon as Sonia entered the Practical Combat Hall, she found many unfamiliar faces, and the one person she did recognize

 Chapter 46 - 45 Don’t Blame Me_2

    Chapter 46: Chapter 45 Don¡¯t Blame Me_2


    Celia was wiping her tears at this moment, her eyes red and swollen, and with her simple elegance, she appeared pitiful and evoked sympathy. Although Sonia was confident in her superior looks, Celia had the advantage of temperament, atmosphere, and tear-stricken makeup; Sonia couldn¡¯t surpass her no matter what.


    ¡°Ingrid, I¡¯m skipping class.¡±


    ¡°Mm,¡± Ingrid also expressed her understanding.


    However, just as Sonia was about to leave the Practical Combat Hall, a thunderous shout shook the dust off the ceiling.


    ¡°Felix, come here!¡±


    A tall, black-haired Sword Master shouted loudly, ¡°You dare to toy with my sister¡¯s feelings, surely you are not too cowardly to show up?!¡±


    As soon as these words were spoken, everyone¡¯s gaze immediately turned to Felix and Sonia. Felix, however, remained calm. He seemed accustomed to such incidents and stepped nonchalantly into the Practical Combat Hall. Sonia, after an internal struggle, also gave up the idea of running away¡ªshe couldn¡¯t leave without saying a word, as that would signal cowardice, and running away would be a concession.


    In the countryside, cowardice and concession only make it easier for others to bully you.


    The same is true in the big city.


    Rural mice and city mice don¡¯t differ fundamentally when it comes to shortsightedness.


    ¡°Lauren, Celia, good morning,¡± Felix nodded to them. ¡°Would you like to join me for lunch later?¡±


    ¡°Forget it. Just looking at your face makes me want to puke.¡± The black-haired Sword Master didn¡¯t give the Vosloda young master any face, ¡°Draw your sword. Let¡¯s see the backbone of the Vosloda Family.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the nearby students began to whisper among themselves, and Ingrid couldn¡¯t help but exclaim silently, ¡°It¡¯s actually Senior Lauren!¡±


    Thanks to Ingrid¡¯s introduction, Sonia learned that this Senior Lauren was also a notable figure, a third-year swordsmanship prodigy. Although not favored by Professor Trozan, he had become an apprentice to a certain Gold Sword Master and had already become a One-winged Silver Sword Master a year ago, a member of the Sword Flower University competition team!


    Although he was from a mid-tier noble family, Lauren¡¯s future held at least the rank of Two-winged Gold, bright prospects, naturally not requiring respect for a mere Vosloda Family young master. Those who fend for themselves have firm resolve.


    Lauren and Celia weren¡¯t biological siblings; their fathers were brothers, and because they attended the same school and grade, they got along very well. It was almost Lauren¡¯s duty to stand up for Celia.


    But Felix didn¡¯t rise to the challenge and instead looked at Celia, ¡°Senior sister, is this what you want?¡±


    Others might think Felix was backing down, but Sonia knew he was genuinely puzzled¡ªas someone who could change girlfriends four times in a month, Felix naturally didn¡¯t harbor feelings for them, thinking the women approached him understanding this. Hence, his licentious behavior had never caused problems before.


    However, Sonia noticed the way Celia looked at Felix and understood everything.


    What had started as a casual affair had turned into real emotions for Celia.


    Only genuine feelings could explain Celia¡¯s current irrational behavior, severing the last threads between her and Felix and engaging in futile actions.


    Emotions are the most unpredictable things. Even Hunters sometimes step into their own traps.


    Women always assume they are the last one; men always believe they are the first. Those ensnared losers always hold unrealistic fantasies.


    Without a response from Celia, Felix turned to Lauren, ¡°Senior Lauren, do you mean... you want to give me a beating?¡±


    ¡°This is the Practical Combat Hall. Let¡¯s have a real combat training,¡± Lauren said with a sneer. ¡°The Healing Institute is next door, and I¡¯ll hold back as much as possible, so the Vosloda Family won¡¯t lose a promising young member. You¡¯re not scared, are you?¡±


    ¡°Good, very good. How could I possibly be scared? It¡¯s just a first-year student sparring with a third-year. A Sword Master who became a Mage just a few days ago versus a Senior who¡¯s been a Mage for over a year. Why would I be afraid?¡±


    Felix revealed a row of white teeth, each sentence accusing Lauren of bullying the weak. As a noble¡¯s son, he was no fool. How could he fall for such an obvious provocation?


    The surrounding students clearly disapproved of a fight with such a disparity in strength. This was no different from bullying. However, Lauren¡¯s expression remained unchanged, his gaze shifting from Felix to Sonia.


    Sonia suddenly had a bad feeling.


    ¡°Felix, I heard you recently gained a beautiful ¡®nice junior sister,¡¯ and the two of you even summoned a Technique Spirit during battle. Your relationship must be ¡®good,¡¯ and your personal connection ¡®deep,¡¯¡± Lauren said sarcastically, emphasizing his words. ¡°As a senior, of course, I wouldn¡¯t bully the young. I¡¯ll give you the chance to gang up on me¡ªsince I¡¯m taking this up for Celia, it¡¯s not enough to just challenge you, Felix. Let¡¯s have your junior sister join as well!¡±


    ¡°Me against the two of you!¡±


    Although Lauren didn¡¯t say it outright, every sentence he spoke hinted at the same subtext:


    I¡¯m going to beat both of you, you despicable couple!


    Sonia¡¯s current mood was nothing short of wanting to smash the head of the Observer¡ªhow did she, a bystander who prided herself on integrity, get dragged into this mess?


    Now, all eyes were on her, including Felix¡¯s.


    Sonia¡¯s gaze shifted. She did not step forward, remaining beside Ingrid and looking puzzled, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Senior Lauren. I don¡¯t understand what you mean¡ªalthough I study with Felix under Professor Trozan, we don¡¯t have much personal contact. This is your private dispute, and I have no reason to get involved.¡±

 Chapter 47 - 45 Don’t Blame Me_3

    Chapter 47: Chapter 45 Don¡¯t Blame Me_3


    ¡°Just because Lauren said something unpleasant, you¡¯re charging into battle alongside Felix?¡±


    Sonia was no longer a child; liking or disliking was not her only principle in taking action.


    All she wanted now was to grow unobtrusively; she had absolutely no interest in a friendship with Felix, and this was her best opportunity to make things clear¡ªif she really fought Lauren alongside Felix, it would be nothing short of confirming the suspicion of them being ¡°lovers.¡±


    No matter how she thought about it, withdrawing from this vortex was the wisest choice.


    Lauren no longer paid any attention to Sonia, scoffing, ¡°It seems Felix, your charm isn¡¯t that great after all.¡±


    ¡°You misunderstood,¡± Felix said indifferently, untying his sword bag and taking out a wooden sword, as the atmosphere tensed to a breaking point.


    Just when Sonia thought she could skive off the lesson, a hand suddenly landed on her shoulder.


    ¡°This is unreasonable¡ªa battle with such great disparity in strength, what¡¯s the difference from bullying? As a member of the Disciplinary Committee, I can¡¯t allow such unilateral crushing to occur.¡±


    An impressive-looking orange-haired swordswoman, holding onto Sonia¡¯s shoulder, pushed her forward. Sonia turned her head, only to see the swordswoman¡¯s badge pinned to her chest: ¡°Sword Flower Disciplinary Committee: Reonie Victor.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s senior Reonie!¡±


    ¡°How could she appear at the school?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the Orange Dancer herself!¡±


    The orange-haired swordswoman pulled Sonia into the middle of the field, her grip tight as a vise; Sonia had no way to break free.


    ¡°Felix junior, Sonia junior, you two should communicate more. If Professor Trozan knew that you two can¡¯t even manage mutual aid and affection, he would be very disappointed.¡±


    The orange-haired swordswoman looked at Sonia with a smile full of meaning.


    ¡°While it¡¯s true that Lauren may be suspected of bullying, you two are Professor Trozan¡¯s research apprentices; him bullying you is tantamount to insulting the Hidden Hand Sword Saint. How can you swallow this indignity? You know, Felix is now not only representing himself but also representing that he¡¯s one of only two apprentices of Professor Trozan. Sonia junior, you understand this logic, right?¡±


    Sonia reluctantly nodded, then shook her head, ¡°But this is their personal grievance...¡±


    ¡°The moment Lauren issued a challenge against both of you, even if it¡¯s for the sake of upholding the reputation of the Hidden Hand Sword Saint, you must accept the challenge. Besides, with two against one, the odds are so great, refusing would simply appear too cowardly.¡±


    ¡°As sword masters, you should have the courage to advance unflinchingly and the confidence to reason with swords! If you defeat your enemy, you are the one in the right!¡±


    ¡°Sonia junior, what do you think?¡±


    The moment the orange-haired swordswoman brought up Professor Trozan, Sonia knew this battle was inescapable.


    Regardless of whether Trozan actually cared or not, Sonia dared not risk it.


    Trozan was her biggest backer at the moment; anything that might jeopardize his impression of her was a risk she couldn¡¯t afford to take, let alone with hundreds of people watching. The news of her shrinking back, disregarding Professor Trozan¡¯s face, could spread throughout the Sword Flower within ten minutes.


    But she detested this feeling: being manipulated, being forced, being schemed against, and having to take part in a fight she didn¡¯t want to join!


    A strong sense of frustration and shame fermented within her, causing Sonia¡¯s shoulders to tremble slightly.


    But she was the girl who had come to Jiale City alone from the countryside; she quickly regained her composure.


    However, just as she suppressed the dissatisfaction in her heart, a familiar voice sounded by her ear.


    ¡°Do you need my help? I promise I can get rid of your annoyance.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°This is a promise from your own mouth, I¡¯m going first, don¡¯t, blame, me.¡±


    The Observer walked behind Sonia and after speaking, vanished into the air.


    The next second, Sonia looked at the orange-haired swordswoman.


    ¡°Sonia junior, your decision now is¡ª?¡±


    ¡°I refuse!¡± Sonia shook her head determinedly, ¡°I will not get involved in their private grievances, I will not fight alongside Felix, I will not battle senior Lauren!¡±


    The orange-haired swordswoman raised her eyebrows slightly, ¡°But in that case...¡±


    ¡°But!¡±


    Sonia looked at the orange-haired swordswoman and with forceful clarity, said her piece.


    ¡°As an apprentice of Professor Trozan, I cannot tolerate you repeatedly provoking me with Professor Trozan¡¯s reputation in my presence, I cannot tolerate you trying to stir up student sentiments to question the quality of Professor Trozan¡¯s teaching, and I cannot tolerate you using our victory or defeat to tarnish the character of Professor Trozan!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°No need to explain, as you said, if you conquer your enemies, you are the one in the right. So¡ª¡±


    Sonia undid her sword bag, took out her wooden sword, and pointed it directly at the orange-haired swordswoman.


    ¡°Reonie Victor, I challenge you.¡±

 Chapter 48 - 46 Supervisory Status

    Chapter 48: Chapter 46 Supervisory Status


    Sword Flower University, Practical Combat Hall.


    Looking at Sonia pointing her sword at Reonie, the only thought in the minds of all the onlookers was:


    ¡°What is she doing?¡±


    Felix, Celia, Ingrid, and others had the same thought:


    ¡°What is Sonia doing?¡±


    Even Sonia herself fell into contemplation:


    ¡°What am I doing?¡±


    On the contrary, after being momentarily stunned, Reonie couldn¡¯t help but cover her mouth and hold her stomach, her laughter almost seeping through her teeth and lips, obviously struggling to suppress it.


    After a good while, she took a deep breath, her face still showing traces of her uncontrolled laughter, and she asked as earnestly as she could:


    ¡°Junior Sonia, are you serious? You want to challenge me, Reonie Victor?¡±


    No! Not serious! It was the Observer who controlled me just now!


    Observer, you shameless little bugle controlling a young girl¡¯s body!


    Sonia was almost roaring in her mind, but she couldn¡¯t bring up this reason, and she believed that the Observer wouldn¡¯t show up again¡ªat least until she finished this round of practical training.


    It was only natural for everyone to react this way, because Sonia had challenged Reonie.


    At Sword Flower University, Reonie could be said to be the most famous student. Whether it was her talent, her award-winning history, or her various scandals, people reveled in discussing them.


    She had subdued all the new Sword Skill students on her first day of enrollment;


    In her second year, she became a one-winged member of Silver Wings and was taken as an apprentice by another Sword Saint of Sword Flower University, the Rhythm Sword Saint, Nidara;


    In her third year, she joined an abyss adventure team, and formed a squad with geniuses from Truth University, harvesting numerous achievements in the Abyss, full of miraculous encounters.


    Even Truth University wanted to poach her, and many people considered Reonie to be a Sword Saint seed, ready for the Holy Domain!


    More importantly, Reonie had been intensely participating in abyss adventures six months ago, and everyone knew she was seeking to break through her swordsmanship realm in battle and ascend to two-winged status!


    That also meant that Reonie had already fully unfurled her Silver Wings and was at full power as a one-winged Mage!


    In comparison, Sonia and Felix had only entered the Void Realm a few days ago. Not to mention Silver Wings, they hadn¡¯t even condensed a single silver feather. The gap in Magic Power between them was even greater than the gap between a child and an adult.


    Although Magic Power is just an energy resource and the actual combat relies on the Mage¡¯s level, no one believed Sonia had the slightest chance of winning¡ªnot even Sonia herself.


    Reonie definitely had more Technique Spirits than she did, and Reonie must have mastered swordsmanship Miracles, as well as having rich combat experience in the Abyss.


    The more Sonia compared, the more she fell into Despair¡ªwhy did the Observer have to do this to her?


    She might as well have challenged Lauren instead!


    Even if she lost to Lauren, people would only think that Lauren was bullying the younger, but losing to Reonie was different¡ªothers would think Sonia was arrogant and overestimating herself, failing to recognize her place!


    Not to mention the bold words Sonia had just spoken.


    If she loses badly, she would have no face to see Professor Trozan again.


    The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. It was the same last time; the Observer inexplicably made her challenge Felix, which led to today¡¯s troubles, and now the Observer repeated the same trick, making her provoke Reonie!


    But then again, the Observer wasn¡¯t wrong.


    In her heart, Sonia really didn¡¯t feel upset right now.


    Because all she could think about was going to the Void Realm tonight to strangle the Observer.


    But with the words already spoken, there was no way Sonia could take them back. She could only grit her teeth and nod: ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Good, I commend your courage. As a senior of the Sword Skill faction, I have no reason to refuse your challenge, junior.¡±


    ¡°However,¡± Reonie said with a smile, ¡°as a member of the Disciplinary Committee, I can¡¯t allow such a lopsided duel to happen on campus, so...¡±


    She walked over to the side, casually picked up a wooden training sword from the weapon rack, and said, ¡°Even though I¡¯ll try to hold back, anything can happen during a fight, so let¡¯s set a fair victory condition directly¡ª¡±


    ¡°In this practical training, even if my sword touches you once, it counts as my loss.¡±


    ¡°If your sword leaves your hand, it counts as my win.¡±


    ¡°Of course, if you make my sword leave my hand, it naturally counts as your win.¡±


    Bouts of laughter echoed around¡ªno one believed that Sonia could make Reonie¡¯s sword leave her hand. Reonie¡¯s statement seemed more like proposing a nearly impossible challenge.


    Reonie looked at Lauren and Felix, ¡°This rule applies to you two as well, Lauren either ensure you defeat Felix without harming him, or simply give up... As a third-year, you don¡¯t lack that kind of confidence, do you?¡±


    ¡°You can make the rules even stricter,¡± Lauren said coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Felix calmly said, ¡°Such easy victory conditions, I have no reason to refuse.¡±


    When Reonie looked at herself, Sonia suddenly realized the crux of the matter.


    Reonie hadn¡¯t appeared by chance; she and Lauren definitely had planned this in advance. The matter with Celia was just a convenient opportunity.


    Reonie was an apprentice of the Rhythm Sword Saint, and Felix was an apprentice of the Hidden Hand Sword Saint... was this a confrontation between two Sword Saints from Sword Flower University? Or did Reonie want to test their caliber?


    But regardless, Sonia had no reason to back down. Moreover, after Reonie proposed such ¡®generous¡¯ rules, a battle intent emerged in her heart... as well as the humiliation of being underestimated!


    Sonia took a deep breath and clenched the wooden sword in her hand, ¡°I have no objections, senior Reonie.¡±


    ¡°Then I announce, the battle... begins!¡±


    ...


    ...


    Kingdom of Blood Moon, Shattered Lake Prison.


    Ash looked at the empty dining room while eating braised Lala-fattened meat, pondering whether today was some kind of holiday.


    Why had he not seen any other prisoners all morning?


    Death Battle Society, Central Hall, Reading Room, gym, Video Room... There were no people in any of these places, only a few Prison Guards were idly playing with the Light Screen, as if everyone had agreed to stay in their dormitories and not go out for the entire day.


    But even if you don¡¯t go out, you still need to eat, right? It¡¯s not possible that everyone would spend contribution to have the canteen deliver meals to their doors, is it?


    The unease grew within him, Ash felt like a farmer who watched animals and plants take root and run away, knowing that disaster was imminent, but having no way to do anything but wait for death.


    When he was halfway through his meal, Ash suddenly stiffened.


    The Light Screen popped up automatically, a cold red message reflected in his pupils:


    ¡°Dear Mr. Ash Heath, Prisoner Number 4001623. Shattered Lake Prison formally informs you that you are now under supervision status. Please keep your mood smooth and comply with the supervisor¡¯s instructions.¡±


    He stood up abruptly, walked to the entrance of the dining room, and stood there straight as an arrow, without a hint of deviation or trembling, like a statue.


    After a while, seven prisoners successively came to the entrance of the dining hall. Their movements were as stiff as his, like puppets controlled by someone else, standing in line with Ash.


    There was a fist¡¯s space between each person, standing in a straight line like a military training team.


    Elf Swordsman Valcas Uer, ¡®Gourmet¡¯ Lanna¡¯s young boyfriend, was also among them!


    Every person¡¯s eyes were extremely complex; there was fear, relief, despair, relaxation, but no matter how Ash looked at them, he could only read one message:


    Save me!


    Another minute passed, and a tall burly Prison Guard came to the entrance of the dining room. He smiled slightly at the prisoners, revealing his ghastly white fangs.


    ¡°Hello everyone, I am today¡¯s supervisor, Nagus McMillen, pleased to meet you. Now please introduce yourselves one by one, from left to right.¡±


    ¡°Archibald Harvey.¡±


    ¡°Valcas Uer.¡±


    ¡°Ronate Weid.¡±


    ¡°Rudor Enfier.¡±


    When it came to Ash, he found he couldn¡¯t control his own mouth, which opened mechanically: ¡°Ash Heath.¡±


    After the eight men had stated their names, the Prison Guard Nagus nodded in satisfaction, saying, ¡°Then today¡¯s schedule is to finish lunch first, then in the afternoon I¡¯ll take you to watch a film, go to the Sea Viewing Platform to breathe some sea air... Mhm, due to recent proposals from human rights organizations, we will give you one hour of external communication time, allowing you to contact friends and family outside.¡±


    ¡°After dinner, there¡¯s not much to say about the plan. If anyone has any suggestions or questions, you can bring them up now.¡±


    Ash immediately raised his hand, Nagus looked at him: ¡°Please speak.¡±


    With the restriction on his mouth lifted, Ash swallowed, asking the most important question: ¡°I¡¯d like to ask, after dinner... what¡¯s the plan?¡±


    Although he had some anticipation, he still hoped for some luck.


    Nagus smiled, he¡¯d seen plenty of death row inmates who lied to themselves like this, but he didn¡¯t dislike crushing the hopes of death row inmates by his own hand.


    Imposing despair was both a responsibility and a pleasure for supervisors.


    ¡°Dear Ash, after dinner, of course, the plan is to take you to the live broadcast site of the Blood Moon Judgement.¡±

 Chapter 49 - 47 I’m Not Serving You, Mom

    Chapter 49: Chapter 47 I¡¯m Not Serving You, Mom


    ¡°Hey, stop attending classes and come to the Practical Combat Hall! Don¡¯t you admire the Orange Dancer the most? She¡¯s right here!¡±


    ¡°Can the person in front please step aside? If you¡¯re not from the Sword Skill Faction, get out of here! This is a class for the Sword Skill Faction!¡±


    ¡°This is the school¡¯s Practical Combat Hall, the ones who should leave are you from the Sword Skill Faction!¡±


    The Practical Combat Hall was overflowing with students, many of whom even called their friends to come and watch. After all, the emotional entanglement involving Felix, Sonia, and Celia was already thrilling enough, plus it now included the intriguing guest appearances by Lauren and Reonie, making it even more exciting for the students who gathered around, skipping classes.


    The instructor for the practical combat class simply stepped aside, letting them carry on with their strife¡ªsince the study of disputes among apprentices was none of his business, and as long as no one died, the fight was considered a legitimate student exchange.


    If it had been a clash between two equally strong students, the teacher might have worried they would get too carried away and be unable to stop, but this was arguably the safest situation possible.


    Because the difference in combat power was just too great.


    Hu!


    With a fierce shout, Sonia swung her wooden sword, creating a rustling wind sound. A pale purple Sword Qi wave formed a curtain in the air in front of her, acting as a wall blocking Reonie.


    ¡°The use of the Wave Motion Sword is not bad.¡±


    Reonie casually commented, lightly tapping the wave curtain with the tip of her wooden sword, then with a twist of her wrist, threw the wave curtain aside like a rag. She then stepped forward, swinging her wrist!


    Dang!


    The heavy force transmitted through the sword¡¯s tip forced Sonia to stagger backwards two steps, her hands nearly losing grip on the wooden sword.


    Sweat dripped down her face, smudging her makeup, and her clothes were nearly soaked through, making her pant heavily and inelegantly like a peasant. But Sonia had no time to care about her appearance as her eyes were firmly fixed on Reonie, not daring to slacken even for a split second.


    This was her first time experiencing what a true Mage was.


    Both Felix and she had just entered the Void Realm a few days ago and were nothing special; Professor Trozan¡¯s gap was far too great, and his sparring with her was mainly educational, never allowing Sonia to feel any real pressure.


    Plus, her journey through the Void Realm had been smooth, which even made Sonia a bit arrogant¡ªbeing a Mage didn¡¯t seem so difficult after all.


    Her modest behavior wasn¡¯t due to humility, but from arrogance: she believed her future was exceptionally bright, so she was willing to endure temporary solitude.


    It wasn¡¯t until Reonie appeared that she tore away Sonia¡¯s proud disguise.


    It had nothing to do with Technique Spirits; from the beginning to now, Reonie had only used the basic three Technique Spirits: ¡°Cutting Sword,¡± ¡°Stabbing Sword,¡± and ¡°Slicing Sword¡±; nor was it related to Magic Power, Reonie¡¯s attacks were pressuring but not unbearable.


    The truly fearsome power of a Mage, was knowledge.


    Every second, every movement, Sonia felt that everything about her was under Reonie¡¯s control. It was as if she knew all Sonia¡¯s derivative movements, and prepared countless countermeasures, easily resolving whatever Sonia did.


    This feeling, was like a child fighting an adult¡ªone hand on the child¡¯s head was enough to prevent any touches. Despite Sonia¡¯s intense efforts, the sense of impotence was growing in her heart, almost making her want to roar in frustration.


    ¡°Continue, Junior Sonia, show me all the moves you have.¡±


    Reonie slightly raised her wooden sword, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about hurting me.¡±


    These seemingly caring words were more sarcastic than any harsh speech, Sonia clenched her teeth, took a deep breath, ¡°Then, Senior, I¡¯m going full force, be careful!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±


    Sonia assumed a sword-drawing stance and Reonie raised an eyebrow, seemingly more interested, ¡°Iaido Sword Skill?¡±


    Steps, turning, a swing!


    A gust of wind rose abruptly, sending a Sword Qi wave sweeping across the battlefield, Sonia charged forward with the speed of thunder and in a blink, reached Reonie!


    This was Sonia¡¯s own creation¡ªthe Iaido Wave Motion Sword!


    ¡°Quite interesting, but...¡±


    Reonie accurately predicted Sonia¡¯s sword path, slicing down, ¡°Just like this¡ª¡±


    At that moment, Sonia suddenly stopped the Wave Motion Sword, her steps shifting eerily to dodge to the side and reorganize her sword stance for a counterattack!


    A sword technique skill taught by the Observer¡ªSeeing Cut!


    Dang!


    The wooden swords collided, producing a metallic clang. Reonie had more to say, but her expression suddenly changed the next second!


    Ding ding ding ding¡ª


    Sounds like the strumming of steel wires rang out, and faintly visible armor plating appeared on Reonie, hit by threads of moonlight on her chest, waist, and thighs, causing ripples to spread across the armor.


    ¡°What Technique Spirit is that...?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell, but it¡¯s definitely not from the Sword Technique Faction, it must be from the Radiant Faction!¡±


    ¡°Sonia just became a Mage a few days ago; how could she have such a Technique Spirit? The Hidden Hand Sword Saint didn¡¯t cultivate in the Radiant Faction either, did she?¡±


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t possibly be something she obtained from the Void Realm, right? She¡¯s only been there a few days!¡±


    As people buzzed about Sonia¡¯s new Technique Spirit, Reonie suddenly changed tactics, responding with a fierce assault to Sonia¡¯s ¡®surprise¡¯!


    Dang! Dang! Dang! Dang!


    Like a sudden storm, the onslaught left Sonia gasping for breath, her hands nearly numb.


    In her haste, she tried to use moves like ¡®Moon Threads¡¯ or Seeing Cut to hinder Reonie, but these unchanging attacks didn¡¯t delay Reonie even for a second and were instantly cracked by the Orange Dancer!


    ¡°Junior Sonia, to be honest, I was a bit angry just now,¡±


    Reonie said while slashing, ¡°When you hit my Sword Scale Feather Armor with the Radiant Trap, I felt humiliated by you¡ªI, a fully-deployed Mage of the Silver Wings, fighting with you who has just become a Mage, and yet triggered the Protective Miracle, it was truly the most embarrassing thing.¡±


    ¡°If Professor Nidara knew, I would definitely get a scolding.¡±


    ¡°But I quickly realized that I had no right to be angry. The person who should be angry is you. You invited me with the greatest courage to have a passionate swordsmanship duel with you, yet I treated you with the condescension of an adult lecturing a child, humiliating you. It was wrong of me, and I apologize.¡±


    ¡°You awakened me with your Radiant Technique Spirit, and it made me realize that you are not useless like Felix¡ªyou are a true Sword Master!¡±


    Sonia barely managed to squeeze out a few words amidst the beating, ¡°You¡¯re too kind¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, I must offer you my sincerest apology.¡±


    Reonie said slowly, ¡°Next, I will use all my power to respond to your fierce battle intent.¡±


    ¡°Sonia, watch me closely.¡±


    Reonie suddenly sheathed her sword and took a step back, but before Sonia could catch her breath, Reonie¡¯s figure vanished from her sight!


    A strong sense of crisis surged through her heart; Sonia got goosebumps all over and had no time to think, immediately swinging her wooden sword to the right to block¡ª


    Clang!


    Sonia turned her head, but only saw a fleeting orange afterimage!


    She could not capture Reonie¡¯s form at all!


    With her eyes rendered useless, Sonia could only depend on her instincts to defend!


    Clang!


    Around her, Reonie¡¯s voice, filled with surprise, rang out, ¡°It¡¯s not luck, but now let¡¯s see the real strength.¡±


    The next second, the feeling of impending doom came rushing like an overwhelming tsunami, with Sonia feeling like a little boat before the tsunami, merely the aftershocks enough to make her perish!


    She turned and blocked, just in time to see a streak of golden Sword Light lighting up the arena, like a Miracle punishing mankind!


    Clang!


    Sonia was sent flying, soaring through the air for several meters, but she immediately countered with the Wave Motion Sword to stabilize herself in mid-air, though her wrists were badly strained, and her body trembled uncontrollably.


    At that point, Sonia finally realized what move Reonie had just used.


    ¡°Miracle?Rhythm Melody!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s here, the true Orange Dancer! A speed almost impossible to capture, just a flicker of orange afterimage!¡±


    ¡°Has Senior Reonie already mastered the famous Miracle of the Rhythm Sword Saint? But wasn¡¯t this Miracle created by the Rhythm Sword Saint after becoming Two-winged?¡±


    ¡°That means Senior isn¡¯t far from reaching the Two-winged Gold!¡±


    Rhythm Melody, a sword technique Miracle created by Professor Nidara, is simple in effect: the first two strikes store energy, and the third strike explodes!


    It doesn¡¯t look like much, but once combined with the speed and invisibility Technique Spirits, Rhythm Melody turns into a deathly melody that harvests lives, easily destroying all defensive capabilities of an enemy in a short period and sinking any resistance with absolute violence!


    Just like how Reonie is now overwhelming Sonia!


    Clang!


    Another heavy strike, although not the third explosive one, was still too much for a weary and injured Sonia to easily block. She staggered back several steps, reluctantly glancing at the sliced moon silk in the air.


    ¡°If my reaction couldn¡¯t keep up with the speed, I would have died in the Abyss long ago.¡± Reonie¡¯s voice rose again, ¡°Traps like that are useless against me.¡±


    Just before, Sonia had secretly activated the moon silk Technique Spirit, setting a trap in the air, thinking Reonie would crash into it due to her high speed. But how could a mage fall for such an obvious survival flaw? Reonie had cut the moon silk before even attacking.


    Clang!


    Sonia was forced back several steps again, and Reonie calmly stated, ¡°Put down your sword, and it will count as a surrender.¡±


    Should I surrender?


    But if I don¡¯t, the next would be the third strike of Rhythm Melody. Sonia knew clearly that she would not be able to withstand another explosive energy release; Reonie would send her flying over ten meters away, resulting in a humiliating defeat.


    No matter how she thought about it, surrendering was the best choice.


    Moreover, surrendering now wouldn¡¯t bring shame on Sonia; fighting Reonie up to this point, not only did she bring out Reonie¡¯s Protective Miracle, she also forced Reonie to use Rhythm Melody.


    After this battle, no one would question Sonia¡¯s qualification as Professor Trozan¡¯s apprentice.


    After this battle, Sonia would become the most renowned swordsmanship prodigy among the first-years.


    She had gained a lot already, and this was the right time to step back.


    If she was lucky, she might even build a relationship with Senior Reonie, who, I hear, has teamed up with people from Truth University, essentially opening a channel to higher connections.


    Every rational thread in her mind knew what to do, her greatest asset since leaving the countryside to come to Jiale City¡ªshe never let emotions cloud her judgment.


    Yet at this moment, despite the numbing pain in her hands, despite her body being so tired she could almost fall asleep the next second, Sonia just couldn¡¯t bring herself to put down the sword!


    She! Would! Not! Give! Up!


    It wasn¡¯t about gains, the future, or likes and dislikes!


    She just wanted to win, she didn¡¯t want to lose, that¡¯s all!


    Rebellious blood seared through every piece of her flesh, and angry thoughts at this moment overwhelmed her reason. She seemed to have transformed into a sword, living through death, crazed by battle!


    ¡°Observer, you orchestrated all of this just to enjoy my miserable defeat? Well, let me tell you, I¡¯m not serving you!¡±


    Sonia roared furiously in her mind, gripping her wooden sword tightly, tears brimming in her eyes, teeth almost biting through her lips, her whole body tensed, ready to face the final strike of Rhythm Melody!

 Chapter 50 - 48: Awakening Battle Record - Mizuki

    Chapter 50: Chapter 48: Awakening Battle Record ¨C Mizuki


    Sigh...


    In this noisy Practical Combat Hall, in this moment of intense battle, Sonia suddenly heard a distant sigh.


    Then her vision split in two.


    On one side were the faces of other students in the hall, some sneering, some expectant, some envious, a myriad of expressions.


    On the other side, she saw a woman... who looked very much like herself.


    Although she looked similar, Sonia was certain that the woman was not her.


    The woman stood on the lake surface under the moonlight, and suddenly, a huge horned monster charged toward her from afar. The monster caused a storm-like torrent of darkness as it charged, devastating everything in its path, and even able to obscure the moonlight, as if darkness itself was collapsing!


    Compared to it, the woman seemed so frail and small!


    Yet, she did not dodge at all; instead, she stood her ground, summoned a Technique Spirit, and then¡ª


    One strike!


    The darkness was torn in two, and bright light shone through the monster¡¯s split, illuminating her brutal yet elegant sword stance!


    Sonia couldn¡¯t see her movements clearly, nor could she see which Technique Spirit she had summoned, but for some reason, Sonia felt she could imitate it.


    The desire to imitate was so strong that Sonia¡¯s body started moving on its own!


    ¡°Not abandoning the sword, huh...¡±


    Seeing Sonia showing no sign of conceding, Reonie, fluttering about, couldn¡¯t help but give her junior a high score internally. Conceding in a doomed fight is the rational choice, but stubborn perseverance could give birth to miracles.


    If one doesn¡¯t have the courage to challenge the stronger in such a safe environment, how could one ever forge the resilient heart of a Mage to face real-world dangers?


    Truly worthy of the Hidden Hand Sword Saint, who had picked a good apprentice...


    Although she admired Sonia internally, Reonie would not hold back.


    It wasn¡¯t just about maintaining the dignity of the Rhythm Sword Saint, but also that only through a clash with full strength could one truly respect a Sword Master!


    Miracle?Rhythm Melody?Third Movement!


    Just as Reonie launched her attack, she noticed Sonia making a strange gesture¡ªshe sheathed her sword.


    At the same time, many threads of moonlight appeared around Sonia, each connected to her body, as if she had turned herself into a trap.


    A trap?


    Mutual destruction?


    Many thoughts flashed through Reonie¡¯s mind, but she continued with her strike¡ªfacing unprecedented changes, a Sword Master only had one way to respond, and that was to cut through all obstacles with her sword!


    Forward, forward, forward, keep moving forward!


    This was the survival way of a Sword Master!


    Golden sword light flashed again in the hall, but just as the sword light touched the moonlight threads, Reonie suddenly felt something was wrong¡ªthe Rhythm Melody failed to cut through the threads!


    No, it wasn¡¯t just the moonlight threads!


    Upon closer inspection, she saw water flowing on each thread, not only dispelling the impact but also granting the moonlight threads unmatched toughness!


    No, the water wasn¡¯t just dispelling the impact!


    Reonie¡¯s eyes widened, realizing that as the sword light pulled on the threads, all energy flowed along the threads toward Sonia, who was in the sheathed sword stance. The threads and Sonia formed a spring system; when hit by an external force, Sonia connected to the threads would deliver the quickest counterattack!


    Water flow... Moonlight threads... and the Wave Motion Sword...


    This was a Counterattack Miracle!


    Clang!


    As Sonia swung her sword, releasing a nearly invisible Wave Motion Sword Energy, Reonie finally revealed herself, her feathered robe exposed, her hands empty.


    Snap, snap.


    As the broken practice wooden sword fell to the ground, the crowd in the Practical Combat Hall still hadn¡¯t reacted.


    ¡°Reonie... lost?¡±


    The speaker¡¯s voice trembled, as if afraid of fabricating facts, spreading false truths, and facing consequences.


    ¡°She lost... the Orange Dancer lost...¡±


    ¡°Reonie lost to Sonia!¡±


    ¡°What kind of technique was that? I¡¯ve never seen such a miracle... Is it a new Miracle!?¡±


    ¡°Just days after becoming a Mage, Sonia defeated the full-fledged Silver Mage Reonie!¡±


    ¡°A freshman has defeated a fourth-year student!¡±


    ¡°My God, am I witnessing the rise of a new Sword Saint!?¡±


    Amid the shouts and cheers of countless people, Reonie looked at Sonia, who was drenched in sweat and could barely stand, and asked with a smile, ¡°What do you call this Miracle?¡±


    In Sonia¡¯s eyes, the image of a woman dancing with her sword under the moonlight on the lake seemed to reappear, and without any thought, the name slipped from her lips:


    ¡°Water Moon.¡±


    At that moment, Ingrid, her face flushed with excitement from the duel, suddenly raised her right fist and shouted loudly, ¡°Sonia!¡±


    The freshmen of the Sword Skill cheered in unison, ¡°Sonia! Sonia! Sonia!¡±


    The supporters of the orange dancer were not to be outdone, ¡°Reonie! Reonie! Reonie!¡±


    For a time, only two names remained in the Practical Combat Hall: Sonia and Reonie!


    ¡°After today, you will become one of the brightest jewels of Sword Flower University.¡±


    Reonie raised her eyebrows, ¡°Just like me.¡±


    Sonia forced a smile, but at this moment, she could no longer hold on and her body swayed as if she was about to fall.


    Reonie reached out to support her, and as their eyes met, they exchanged a smile, which drew cheers from the crowd.


    Meanwhile, on the other side.


    Felix and Lauren, who were also breathlessly fighting, saw this scene and gradually stopped, their bodies seemingly losing all strength.


    They exchanged a glance, showing the same wry smile, and helplessly shook their heads.


    The fight that had started because of them ended up with them not being the main characters.


    For talents like them, who were naturally the center of attention, nothing was more distressing than being ignored.


    Lauren suddenly threw down his wooden sword, ¡°Stand still, let me throw a punch.¡±


    Felix was stunned, but Lauren walked straight up to him and punched him in the face, sending him flying.


    ¡°Remember this punch, Felix, not all women are to be trifled with,¡± Lauren said before turning and walking away.


    Felix sat on the ground, watching the two who were the focus of everyone¡¯s attention in the hall, and sighed softly,


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    At that moment.


    Felix didn¡¯t realize, and neither did anyone else, that behind him had suddenly appeared two visitors without shadows.


    In everyone¡¯s field of vision in the hall, these two were nonexistent, and when they spoke, all the commotion was automatically excluded, as if the world only contained the two of them.


    ¡°I remember, losing to ¡®Orange Flash¡¯ Reonie, should be one of your few great shames, right?¡±


    Faced with the Observer¡¯s teasing, the Sword Maiden appeared calm, ¡°Not really, I defeated her three years later, so I didn¡¯t dwell on it.¡±


    ¡°To think you remembered for three years...¡± The Observer muttered, turning his head to look at Felix sitting on the ground, pulling out a handbook from his bosom and flipping to a page.


    ¡°However, it¡¯s unexpected that the notoriously Evil Duke, who was once a swordsmanship prodigy, didn¡¯t have this period in his records.¡±


    ¡°For someone from the Vosloda Family, not being a swordsmanship prodigy would be more surprising.¡±


    ¡°Could it be exactly because of this learning experience that the Evil Duke knows how to counter Sword Masters, laying the groundwork for his future achievements as the ¡®Sword Saint¡¯s Burier¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? No one will know how their choices at this moment will affect their future selves. All Mages are the same creatures, digging on the land called Fate with their hands for the future they desire, yet unwittingly digging graves that can bury themselves... We are all foolish grave-diggers.¡±


    ¡°Why the sudden sentimentality? This isn¡¯t like the Death Mad Sword Maiden I know.¡± The Observer laughed, ¡°Just a touch from the current Sonia has caused such a big change in you?¡±


    Cling!


    The frost-cold blade of the sword kissed the Observer¡¯s neck, and the Sword Maiden said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t take me for a fool like that girl, you are just a loser under my sword, mind your attitude.¡±


    The Observer raised his hands in surrender, ¡°Sorry, I was out of line. If you¡¯re really angry, feel free to take it out on Ash, I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    The Sword Maiden snorted coldly and sheathed her sword.


    ¡°Speaking of which, the Water Moon Miracle I saw before wasn¡¯t like this. Could it be, Sword Maiden, that you still have the capacity to improve Miracles in such a state?¡± The Observer asked curiously, ¡°I thought we were all the same, only capable of declining, not improving.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong. This isn¡¯t a brand-new improvement, but an outdated remnant.¡±


    The Sword Maiden shook her head, ¡°What you saw was the most perfect ¡®Mirror Flower Water Moon.¡¯ Before that, I created many different versions. ¡®Moonlight Silk¡¯ combined with ¡®Rapid Stream¡¯ is one of them. Although it¡¯s not powerful, not fast, and not strong in defense, it¡¯s more than suitable for the current Sonia.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± The Observer nodded, ¡°There¡¯s no best Miracle, only the most timely one. Heh, I¡¯m looking forward to seeing what kind of Sonia will emerge without deep resentment or bitter enmity.¡±


    ¡°You might as well worry about Ash, today is his Blood Moon Judgement day.¡±


    ¡°Why worry?¡±


    The Observer laughed, but that laugh, devoid of any warmth, made the Sword Maiden unconsciously grip her sword handle tighter.


    ¡°The Gods of Four Pillars are watching him.¡±

 Chapter 51 - 49 The Traditional Virtues of Death Row Inmates

    Chapter 51: Chapter 49 The Traditional Virtues of Death Row Inmates


    Kingdom of Blood Moon, Shattered Lake Prison, dining room.


    Ash looked at the Furong Crab, lemon berry milk cake, Miracle Fattening Lala, and Gold Pineapple Juice in front of him, his nose filled with the fragrance of exotic delicacies, but his heart just couldn¡¯t muster any appetite.


    These few dishes were anything but simple; they only appeared on the restaurant¡¯s hidden menu and were usually impossible for the prisoners to order, even if they spent their contribution points.


    It was said that these dishes were especially high-end and rare delicacies outside. Take the Miracle Fattening Lala, for example¡ªthe raw materials alone were worth a third of an ordinary person¡¯s monthly salary.


    And their flavors were worth more than the cost. Ash suspected that the Chef had used Mage¡¯s techniques; he, a city dweller who had withstood the test of MSG and chicken essence, almost swallowed his tongue after the first bite¡ªit was so delicious that it made one feel dying without regrets.


    But the thought of actually dying soon killed his appetite.


    The other fellow death row inmates felt similarly, some pecking at their food, some eating while tears streamed down their faces, and some even reversed their utensils; it¡¯s fortunate the knives and forks were blunt, or they would have triggered the ¡®suicide prohibition warning¡¯ from the chips implanted in their necks.


    The only death row inmates who were eating heartily were a blue-skinned ogre and an Elf named Valcas.


    They seemed truly indifferent to the upcoming Blood Moon Judgement, with the ogre eating with his hands, ordering one dish after another; Valcas demonstrated ten different ways to use a knife and fork, displaying elegance as if he were dining in a skyscraper rotating restaurant.


    ¡°Do you have trouble eating? Need help?¡±


    The prison guard Nagu¡¯s seemingly kind voice was like a whip dipped in saltwater, startling all the death row inmates, who bowed their heads and ate furiously.


    Even Ash was no exception.


    The reason the inmates were so terrified was that an afternoon of ¡®supervision¡¯ had already completely worn down their arrogance. Faced with Nagu, who could control the chips in their necks, even the most rebellious person had to be honest¡ªif you weren¡¯t, your head would be forced down.


    To be honest, Nagu hadn¡¯t done anything too outrageous to them.


    He hadn¡¯t even touched a hair on their heads.


    He hadn¡¯t harmed them at all.


    He just made all death row inmates act according to his schedule.


    For instance, eating. If someone didn¡¯t eat, Nagu would activate the chip control system and use voice commands to control the inmate¡¯s eating:


    ¡°Open your mouth, put the food in, chew once, twice, three times, swallow...¡±


    Like watching a film, if someone didn¡¯t watch or fidgeted, Nagu would make them a model cinema audience:


    ¡°Sit properly, hands on your knees, watch the big Light Screen, remember to blink every five seconds.¡±


    Like breathing fresh air on the sea-view rooftop, Nagu stated that the higher-ups required all inmates to take a photo for remembrance and put forward the following requirements: tidy attire, smiling faces, reflecting a good Spirit, and the harmonious group atmosphere of Shattered Lake Prison...


    Undoubtedly, death row inmates couldn¡¯t meet the above requirements on their own, so Nagu ¡®helped¡¯ them a little.


    Ash was easy; he lay on the ground with a smile on his face, while Valcas was amazing¡ªsitting on the ogre¡¯s shoulders, his hands mimicking cat ears on his head, revealing a sweet smile at the camera with his gaunt and cold face.


    And one photo wasn¡¯t enough; they had to take several, from striking cool poses to embracing in a brotherly fashion, all kinds of Spirit were represented.


    The death row inmates, posed by Nagu in eighteen different positions, became completely numb, only focused on satisfying Nagu¡¯s requirements as quickly and efficiently as possible, even thinking it would be better to Fast Forward to the Blood Moon Judgement.


    Let it all end quickly; I¡¯m tired.


    Therefore, as soon as Nagu spoke, they immediately abandoned their mournful attitudes and hurried to eat.


    At this moment, the pressure supervisor Nagu put on them transcended the Blood Moon Judgement.


    After all, they hadn¡¯t seen ¡®Death¡¯ yet.


    But ¡®a fate worse than Death¡¯ was right before their eyes.


    Ash glanced at the empty dining room and quietly asked the person next to him, ¡°Why is nobody coming to eat now? Not eating at noon is one thing, but surely the others wouldn¡¯t skip evening meals as well?¡±


    The death row inmate next to him was Archibald Harvey, with dark skin and curly hair, appeared as though he¡¯d been doing heavy labor during the day, but in reality, he was a night shift worker: a Scavenger who specialized in dealing with corpses.


    Some might wonder, dealing with corpses is at most a crime of destruction of corpses, so how could one fall to a death sentence?


    It naturally had to do with the death standard: in the Kingdom of Blood Moon, only corpses announced as dead by a licensed Medical Practitioner were considered corpses.


    Without a Medical Practitioner¡¯s announcement, even if your head fell off, you were still legally alive.


    Because Medical Practitioners could indeed bring a person whose head had fallen off back to life, and many corpses, though breathless, could still be resuscitated.


    So Harvey, who specialized in handling corpses for underground organizations, naturally couldn¡¯t enjoy the decent treatment of being an ¡®accomplice.¡¯ Instead, he was seen as a ¡®serial killer with extremely serious nature¡¯: he had dealt with hundreds of corpses, and if each corpse were to be treated as a living person, few in the entire prison could compare to Harvey¡¯s sins.


    But this didn¡¯t mean Harvey was some good person who was wronged.


    Although he didn¡¯t have much time to reveal his dark past during the afternoon chat, from the two facts that he was a Necromancy Faction Mage and his remark that ¡®what¡¯s so good about a warm woman,¡¯ it was sufficient to judge that his preferences were premature for contemporary humanity.


    However, whether a person is bad or not doesn¡¯t relate to whether they are a warm-hearted netizen. In this afternoon of shared misery, Ash quickly became acquainted with him.


    Harvey answered, ¡°They already came to the dining room and finished their meals before 5 pm.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Because they want to avoid us, aside from us eight, other inmates will try not to leave their cells today. Those with enough contribution points order room service directly, and even those without enough do their best to avoid our meal times.¡±


    ¡°I know that, but why do they want to avoid us?¡±


    ¡°Traditional virtues.¡±


    Ash blinked.


    It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t understand the term; rather, the use of the word to describe the death row inmates here always felt a little strange.


    Harvey said, ¡°First, the chosen eight will be summoned by the supervisor to the dining hall at noon, so no one will come out all morning. Although the selection is based on the order of the Judgement Series, who knows if you might run into the supervisor on the way, and he decides to put you on the trial list just because he thinks you walk too arrogantly?¡±


    ¡°Do the supervisors have that kind of power?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, wanna bet on it?¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Harvey shrugged. ¡°Even after the eight are picked in the afternoon, no one dares to wander around. The first reason, naturally, is still the presence of the supervisor. What if he takes a dislike to you and swaps you with a lucky one? Wouldn¡¯t you regret it until your veins burst?¡±


    Ash nodded.


    Indeed.


    More enraging than just being unlucky is seeing others profit from your misfortune. Just the thought of it burns a hole in your gut.


    ¡°The second reason is a bit superstitious. The prisoners believe that people who are seen by our unlucky bunch have a high chance of becoming the next Blood Moon Judgement candidates.¡±


    Understandable¡ªeveryone fears catching bad luck. If the unlucky ones glance at you in the afternoon, and you can¡¯t poo in the evening, it¡¯s definitely not a physical issue, but rather the misfortune caused by their cursed gaze messing with gravity.


    ¡°And the third reason is that they don¡¯t know how to face us.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Say hello? Encourage? Console?¡± Harvey wiped his mouth with a napkin, ¡°If it were you¡ªah, no, Ash, you are already being judged. Right now, if you see other prisoners escaping the Blood Moon, wouldn¡¯t you feel like every punctuation mark they speak is filled with a sense of superiority?¡±


    Ash opened his mouth, thought about it, and agreed.


    Since I know I¡¯m going to die while you don¡¯t have to, I would naturally find your whole being reeking of an obnoxious stench.


    Not just speaking.


    Just seeing that you can still breathe.


    Would make me feel like you¡¯re mocking me.


    Encouragement? Sarcasm!


    Consolation? Ridicule!


    Pity? Contempt!


    No matter what nice things they say, to the eight of us, it¡¯s all foul language.


    Because of the fear of death, a tragic barrier formed between the eight prisoners and all the others.


    ¡°So, on the day of the Blood Moon Judgement, all the prisoners voluntarily stay in their cells and don¡¯t go out. It¡¯s to protect themselves, as well as those being judged.¡±


    Harvey looked at Ash, ¡°If you survive, you¡¯ll have to follow this tradition of virtue when the next Blood Moon comes around. This is the only kindness we can, and must, sustain. However...¡±


    ¡°However what?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen your news reports.¡± Harvey shrugged, ¡°To be honest, you are very likely the one who will die tonight.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a random killing?¡±


    Ash became nervous; the moment he learned the Blood Moon Judgement involved randomly selecting one person to execute from among eight, he¡¯d guessed that it had to be a random ritual¡ªif it weren¡¯t random, there would be no need to choose eight for one.


    ¡°It is random, but not that random, and sometimes, several people die... You¡¯ve really never seen the Blood Moon Judgement?¡±


    ¡°Really not! I have no idea about the rules of the Blood Moon Judgement!¡±


    Harvey smiled, ¡°Then you¡¯ll know soon enough... I was deeply shocked when I watched the Blood Moon Judgement for the first time as a child, couldn¡¯t believe that the world had such wonderful entertainment. I won¡¯t tell you the truth. The most despised act for a Necromancer is prophecy. Exploring the unknown is the greatest pleasure for a Mage, and death is the most magnificent mystery.¡±


    Ash clicked his tongue, still confused, ¡°If I¡¯m sure to die, why are all of you nervous?¡±


    Harvey shrugged, ¡°Because the Blood Moon Judgement isn¡¯t fixed. Sometimes there are changes that make the prisoners nervous, and they accidentally end up killing themselves... You¡¯re right, when I get there, I¡¯ll just close my eyes and lie down to sleep. As long as I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t be the one in eight, then by doing nothing, I¡¯ll surely not die.¡±


    With Harvey saying that, Ash became incredibly nervous even just eating his porridge.


    No way, am I really done for?


    Really no chance at all?


    The Void Realm Exploration was going so well, this morning I even drew the Void Realm Telescope, and maybe tonight I could collect all the Technique Spirits for Miracle...


    The Sword Maiden and I are getting stronger too, the Mage world had just begun to unveil its mysterious veil to me...


    I had just defeated Valcas and thwarted Selin¡¯s scheme...


    I¡¯m still growing, can¡¯t I have a little more time!


    Ash felt like an archer who was saving up for a big item but suddenly got dragged into a team fight.


    Victory seemed within reach, yet he had to hang on by a thread and fight for survival.


    He suddenly remembered a WeChat post his boss once shared: Life isn¡¯t like cooking, you don¡¯t wait until all the ingredients are ready before you start; when you see yourself sprinkled with cumin, you should realize you¡¯ve become an ingredient¡ªwho could guess the next day after posting that, he would announce that the whole company was switching from alternate weekends to a 996 schedule?


    ¡°Dinner time is over, wipe your mouth, and head to the restroom for personal hygiene; gather in the Central Hall within half an hour.¡±


    Note, Supervisor Nagu was not ¡®ordering¡¯ but ¡®inputting commands¡¯¡ªeveryone wiped their mouths with their napkins at the same time and then got up to go to the toilet.


    Before Ash entered the restroom, he heard Nagu¡¯s final command:


    ¡°Arrive on time at the Blood Moon venue at 7:45 PM to wait for the program to start.¡±

 Chapter 52 - 50: The Source Blood of the Blood Saint Clan

    Chapter 52: Chapter 50: The Source Blood of the Blood Saint Clan


    Kaimon City, Red Mist Research Institute.


    ¡°Your case has already been notified by Shattered Lake Prison. Since she has decided on your punishment, naturally, the institute will not defy her wishes.¡±


    In the office, a young scholar with red eyes and clad in a white robe looked at the blue-scaled Fishman before him, smeared with bloodstains, and calmly said, ¡°Lorenz, how is your blood heritage progress?¡±


    The blue-scaled Fishman lowered his head and said, ¡°I¡¯ve condensed two drops of Silver Source Blood and two drops of Gold Source Blood, but I¡¯ve spent more than ten days with no progress on the third drop of Silver Source Blood... This must be the limit for a student.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just short of condensing Seven-Colored Source Blood, what a pity. However, you don¡¯t have to be discouraged, maybe you¡¯ll have a chance to purify your bloodline in the future.¡± The red-eyed scholar first sighed, then became serious, ¡°So, you confirmed that you had no need to stay in Shattered Lake Prison to undergo the blood heritage ritual, and that¡¯s why you risked stealing someone else¡¯s technique?¡±


    The blue-scaled Fishman remained silent, offering no rebuttal.


    ¡°You were lucky this time, running into a kind-hearted person, but you won¡¯t be so fortunate next time.¡± The young scholar sighed, ¡°You will just stay in the institute and do your research for the next ten years, don¡¯t participate in any academic activities. After ten years, the person you offended should have condensed her Seven-Colored Wings, and you won¡¯t even have the chance to meet her.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Go back and rest, I will arrange for your office tomorrow,¡± said the young scholar as he knocked on the wooden desk, ¡°Remember to organize your study results and give me a report in a couple of days.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Teacher, goodbye.¡±


    The blue-scaled Fishman left the office respectfully and hurried out of the institute.


    It was already deep into the night outside. The Blood Moon hung high in the night sky. There weren¡¯t many people in the institute¡¯s campus, and Lorenz¡¯s pace quickened. As he passed by a tree, he suddenly punched it!


    Crack!


    The trunk buckled deeply under his punch, and the wounds on his fingers, bitten by sharks, bled again, even the scales cracked.


    His hand was in pain, his whole body was in pain, but these visible wounds were far less than the invisible wound in his heart which caused Lorenz a much sharper pain!


    He was the Medical Practitioner No. 176 who had been thrown out of Shattered Lake Prison last night.


    Originally named Lorenz Teuton, a member of the blue-scaled Fishman clan, and a scholar from the Red Mist Research Institute.


    After surviving a night and a day from the hunt of the inter-finger sharks, he returned to Kaimon City. After crawling back onto land, he didn¡¯t even bother to treat himself and rushed straight to the institute to inquire about his future¡ªif No. 222 pursued the matter to the end, the institute would not only strip him of his scholar¡¯s status but would even withdraw the ¡®Holy Blood¡¯ from within him!


    Lorenz had contemplated running away.


    But the chip check during the security screening immediately dispelled that foolish thought.


    Unless he went to the black market paying a large sum of money to find a Mage to remove his chip and thereafter depart from society to become a beast of the wild, in this era of comprehensive chip control, there were no places that could shelter a criminal.


    In the Kingdom of Blood Moon, if you offend the Blood Saint Clan, there are only two paths to take: grovel or await trial.


    Luckily for him, No. 222¡¯s punishment was over, and Lorenz still had a bright future ahead. He was still one of the most promising scholars of the Red Mist Research Institute, and he could still live for a century or two.


    Yet, it was precisely because he no longer had to pay the price that Lorenz felt an inexplicable bitterness!


    Maybe others would think this was kindness,


    but he only felt deep contempt!


    And the person indeed had the right to look down on Lorenz, just as the teacher had said, in ten years she would definitely achieve the status of Three-winged Holy Realm, while Lorenz¡¯s chances of even attaining a golden Two-winged status were uncertain!


    Both from the Blood Saint Clan, yet the gap between their bloodline qualities was as vast as heaven and earth!


    Yes, the bloodline!


    Lorenz was originally just a blue-scaled Fishman who grew up in an orphanage in the slums, but due to his exceptional learning capabilities, he was admitted to Kaimon City Comprehensive University. Before even graduating, the Red Mist Research Institute took him in, giving him the opportunity to undergo the ¡®Blood Exchange Ceremony¡¯ and become a member of the envied Blood Saint Clan!


    Like the Moon Shadow Clan, members of the Blood Saint Clan cannot reproduce through normal mating rituals; the only way for the Blood Saint Clan to develop siblings is by absorbing members of other races through a blood exchange.


    Although individuals from different races show the same features after the blood exchange, such as crimson eyes, theoretically speaking, the Blood Saint Clan is not a racial concept but a cultural one¡ªeveryone agrees that they are a superior race estranged from the lower ones.


    There are many benefits to becoming part of the Blood Saint Clan, with the greatest advantage being the complete detachment from the limitations of a mortal lifespan, eternal youth, and never aging, effectively making them an Undying Race.


    However, while the body does not age, the soul will deteriorate. Each race¡¯s soul has a lifespan limit. For example, a Human of the Blood Saint Clan would generally experience soul decay by the age of 150.


    Besides this, another enticing benefit of the Blood Saint Clan for Mages is blood healing!


    By consuming blood, a Blood Saint can hasten their physical and soul recovery!


    The reason Mages need to undergo a death cool-down of several days after dying in the Void Realm is to replenish their soul energy. Because Blood Saints can replenish their soul energy through blood healing, they can significantly shorten their death cool-down time, thereby increasing the frequency of their explorations in the Void Realm.


    Blood healing and immortality are the racial advantages that cement the Blood Saint Clan¡¯s ruling position in the Kingdom of Blood Moon.


    Such outstanding racial advantages notwithstanding, the Blood Saint Clan has severe shortcomings.


    Apart from adhering to many taboos, the greatest drawback for Blood Saints is that Mages cannot absorb magic power in the Void Realm.


    Indeed, they cannot absorb magic power!


    The Blood Exchange Ceremony inherently binds the soul deeply with the blood, which is the miracle why the body acquires the trait of immortality, and why drinking blood can heal the body.


    But because of this, the incomplete soul cannot absorb magic power in the Void Realm, meaning a Mage¡¯s prospects are utterly ruined.


    But the Mages of the Blood Saint Clan had already devised a solution. This is why Lorenz wanted to go to the Shattered Lake Prison as a Medical Practitioner¡ªthe newborn Blood Descendants all needed to use death-row inmates as sacrifices for the ¡®Blood Embrace Ritual¡¯ to condense Source Blood!


    Source Blood then acts as a medium to replace the soul in absorbing magic power, and according to different levels, they are classified from low to high as silver Source Blood, Gold Source Blood, Seven-Colored Source Blood, and Colorless Source Blood, each corresponding to the four types of magic power in the Void Realm.


    Every three drops of a lower-grade Source Blood can be combined into one drop of a higher-grade Source Blood, and Blood Saints must possess the corresponding or higher-grade Source Blood to absorb the respective magic power, such as silver Source Blood absorbing silver magic power, and Gold Source Blood absorbing Gold magic power.


    If one wishes to summon a Technique Spirit of a higher tier, one must possess a higher grade of Source Blood!


    Without Gold Source Blood, a Blood Saint cannot summon a Two-winged Technique Spirit, nor can they advance to become a Two-winged Mage.


    This is why the teacher felt it was such a pity for Lorenz¡ªif only he could condense one more drop of silver Source Blood, he would be able to synthesize Seven-Colored Source Blood, and the gates of the Three-winged Holy Realm would open for him!


    Now, Lorenz, with only Gold Source Blood, is destined to remain a Gold Two-winged.


    Only when he can purify his bloodlines to condense Seven-Colored Source Blood, will he have the possibility to step into the Three-winged Holy Realm!


    In addition, the higher the level of Source Blood, the more efficient the absorption of magic power.


    In the Sea of Knowledge, compared with a normal Mage, one drop of silver Source Blood has only a 30% base absorption efficiency, with every additional drop increasing it by 10%.


    This is why the teacher said Lorenz only needed to hide for ten years¡ªit¡¯s enough. With two drops of Gold Source Blood and two drops of silver, Lorenz has a total of 3+3+2=8 drops of silver Source Blood, 100% absorption efficiency;


    While new scholars from the four major research institutes can all condense one drop of Colorless Source Blood, synthesized from 3*3*3=27 drops of silver Source Blood, resulting in a 290% absorption efficiency!


    A threefold difference, and even if it¡¯s only a temporary advantage in the Sea of Knowledge, the accumulation over ten years is enough to make the opponent grow into someone Lorenz can only watch from afar.


    To that person, Lorenz is nothing more than a fart that can be easily let go, not worth paying any attention to.


    How could the future Three-winged Holy Realm be concerned with the grudge of a Gold Two-winged?


    Nothing could infuriate Lorenz more than this¡ªperhaps it¡¯s worthless, perhaps no one cares, perhaps it¡¯s a target of ridicule, but for a blue-scaled Fishman who struggled from the slums to the institute, dignity is the only wealth he possesses.


    Without dignity, he would really have nothing left.

 Chapter 53 - 51 Blood Moon Judgement, Begin (Added for the Alliance Leader)

    Chapter 53: Chapter 51 Blood Moon Judgement, Begin (Added for the Alliance Leader)


    Slap.


    As he turned the corner, Lorenz collided with a human scholar who was rushing by.


    Both steadied themselves slightly shaken, the human scholar glanced at the blood-stained watermarks on his white robe, his face darkened slightly, and just as he was about to say something, he looked up and saw Lorenz. He immediately restrained his expression and took a step back.


    ¡°Lorenz? Returned from Shattered Lake Prison? I¡¯m sorry for bumping into you just now, my apologies.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Where are you headed now?¡±


    ¡°To the bar, it¡¯s the 15th today. The Blood Moon Judgement is much more exciting when everyone watches together.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen enough while working at the prison?¡±


    The other chuckled, ¡°Guess who¡¯s on the list of inmates announced this morning? ¡ª Valcas Uer, the former Elf scholar from Kaimon University!¡±


    Valcas?


    Lorenz was slightly taken aback, wasn¡¯t that the patient he treated yesterday...


    ¡°Want to come along? It¡¯s been a long time since everyone saw you, your appearance at the bar would definitely give them a shock¡ª¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The human scholar¡¯s expression stiffened somewhat, seemingly not expecting the usually reclusive Lorenz to agree, given that he had only invited him out of politeness...


    ¡°Um... then, come with me. Oh, do you want to change your clothes and treat your wounds first?¡±


    Lorenz glanced at his blood-stained clothes, ¡°Isn¡¯t there Blood Wine at the bar? It can be used for treatment. Or is it inappropriate for me to enter the bar like this, would you all mind?¡±


    The human scholar immediately shook his head, ¡°No, no, of course not. I actually think you look quite handsome in this, quite trendy. Walking on the street would definitely turn heads...¡±


    Lorenz inwardly sneered.


    As the only Blue Scale Fishman in the institute, how could he not know the subtle discrimination and alienation from other scholars?


    But it had never bothered him before; he was single-minded in his pursuit of strength, happy to be ostracized and uninvolved in any group activities.


    Under the constraints of the ¡°Racial Equality Act,¡± these people, despite harboring many complaints, could only keep them to themselves.


    On the surface, they even had to maintain an attitude of ¡®I respect you¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t discriminate against you¡¯.


    Otherwise, if Lorenz caught on to any slight and reported them to the Racial Committee, it could directly ruin the discriminator¡¯s career prospects for the rest of their lives.


    However, Lorenz was in a terrible mood tonight, and faced with his colleague¡¯s insincere invitation, he suddenly felt a mischievous urge and casually agreed.


    But Lorenz soon regretted it.


    He had never been to the bar before.


    The blue and purple neon lights, the ambiguous and melodious music, the mingling of Blood Saint Clan scholars, each aspect made Lorenz feel very uncomfortable, even nervous to the point where his skin began to secrete mucus.


    ¡°Is that... Mr. Lorenz?¡±


    ¡°Congratulations to Mr. Lorenz on completing the Blood Embrace Ritual and returning!¡±


    ¡°Come, everyone, let¡¯s drink up!¡±


    After everyone caused a stir, they returned to their circles, and even the anthropologists who brought Lorenz didn¡¯t seem to want to include him in their group, vanishing swiftly.


    Relieved, Lorenz found an empty table, ordered a ¡°Blue Melancholy,¡± and soon, the bartender brought over a cocktail mixed with a haunting scarlet-blue hue.


    ¡°Your Blue Melancholy, 20% human child blood, 30% Blue Scale Fishman child blood, please enjoy.¡±


    Lorenz finished his drink in one gulp, licked his lips, and the rotting wounds on his lips began to heal rapidly.


    He observed the bar and felt it was no different from the Fishman bars in the slums¡ªthe bars there had pregnant women drinking, this section had Beastmen mating with humans, and some were overdosing on Moon candy, convulsing and rolling on the ground like dogs.


    However, the topics of conversation here differed from those outside; people were discussing ¡°whether any results came out,¡± ¡°someday we need to slaughter that administration,¡± ¡°this year is the last for ¡®promote or leave,¡¯¡± all adult problems that made the drinking disheartening.


    A gloom crossed Lorenz¡¯s crimson Fishman eyes¡ªsince the end of the Blood Embrace ritual, he had to sign a Junior Researcher Contract with the Institute.


    Given his current Source Blood quality and the institute¡¯s climate, he would likely have to compete in the ¡°promote or leave¡± challenge, failing to produce the required results within the time limit and not getting promoted to associate professor meant getting dismissed and thrown out from the institute; whether he headed to the Crime Hunting Hall or started his own business, there was no further progression at the institute.


    But the issue was that there were only a few associate professor positions, and he was competing against dozens of Blood Saint Clan researchers. It was rumored that an institute in Outer Sea City was worse, with 30 researchers vying for zero associate professor positions. When the twenty-year probationary period ended, they declared everyone unqualified and pushed these Blood Saint Clan researchers out into society, essentially exploiting twenty years of their labor for free.


    Lorenz took a swig of his drink, lowered his head, and flipped over the drink menu, only to discover familiar bar advertisements. Listed were the internal organ buy-back prices of the Blood Saint Clan, with the purchasing agency being the ¡°Red Mist Organ Exchange.¡±


    ¡°Human¡¤Blood Saint: Heart 80 silver coins, Lungs 50 silver coins, Kidneys 40 silver coins, Eyes 30 silver coins...¡±


    ¡°Blue Scale Fishman¡¤Blood Saint: Heart 44 silver coins, Lungs 23 silver coins...¡±


    The organ buy-back prices of the Blood Saint Clan were significantly lower than market rates, naturally, because after transforming into the Blood Saint Clan, their organs mutated, so their organs could only be sold within the same Blood Saint species, which wasn¡¯t a large market.


    Yet every Blood Saint could recover through blood therapy; the demand for organ trading wasn¡¯t high, hence the low prices.


    If traded from normal species, the prices would be at least two to three times higher, but for the normal species to regrow organs took too long and greatly impacted their lives.


    At his poorest, Lorenz sold his swim bladder and several thousand milliliters of his blood for some extra money.


    Lorenz thought, ¡®Now that I¡¯ve lost my job at the prison, my subsidy from the institute has greatly reduced. Things are getting tougher for Grandma Yarn at the Blue Scale Orphanage, I should sell some organs and send her the money...¡¯


    Grandma Yarn was responsible for the Blue Scale Orphanage, and she was also the guardian who raised Lorenz.


    The Blue Scale Orphanage was one of the few willing to accept Fishmen.


    After Lorenz became an adult, he typically sent half of his salary to Grandma Yarn to alleviate the orphanage¡¯s financial strain. After all, if Blue Scale closed down, hundreds of Blue Scale fry would die each year.


    In a free economy and market, infants not accepted by orphanages naturally had to be reincarnated.


    Anyway, Lorenz had no particular hobbies; he didn¡¯t like trading stocks or spending lavishly. He lived in the institute, and his little money couldn¡¯t buy any good Technique Spirits, so he might as well use it to provide for the little Fishmen at the orphanage.


    Just as Lorenz was contemplating which organs to sell, a Light Screen suddenly emerged in the center of the bar, allowing all the patrons to view the live broadcast.


    ¡°It¡¯s starting, it¡¯s starting!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Snake, come over, the market is opening!¡±


    ¡°Ahh, when will we see the ¡®battle royale¡¯ mode again? That was really thrilling to watch.¡±


    ¡°I think the ¡®electric¡¯ mode is the best, the visuals of electricity zapping out of eyeballs are fantastic.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a special day today. No way there will be special modes... Forget it, tonight is definitely the classic mode. I love the classic mode¡ªit¡¯s ordinary but thrilling.¡±


    When the Light Screen lit up, even Lorenz, who wasn¡¯t much interested in the Blood Moon Judgement, couldn¡¯t help but look over.


    The Blood Moon Judgement commenced.

 Chapter 54 - 52 Voting Segment

    Chapter 54: Chapter 52 Voting Segment


    Ash opened his eyes and found that he had left Shattered Lake Prison.


    He really had left.


    Because his light screen popped up with the message, ¡°Alert, you have now left the special service area of Shattered Lake Prison. The Kaimon service area welcomes you. Reply with ¡®KM¡¯ below this message to receive the latest travel information for Kaimon City.¡±


    But he hadn¡¯t completely left.


    After all, Shattered Lake Prison was just ten steps away behind him.


    It might not sound like much, but as mentioned before, the main reason Shattered Lake Prison had become an exclusive luxury hotel for death row inmates was its absolute confinement.


    And this absolute confinement was based on the fact that Shattered Lake Prison was a water prison isolated within an inland sea.


    So when Ash looked down, he could see the Blood Moon reflected in the dark lake tens of meters below, so beautiful as to make one doubt whether it was a dream, so magnificent as to make one feel the insignificance of oneself.


    This should have been a romantic moment that made one want to express their thoughts and feelings,


    But the only thing Ash couldn¡¯t help was his trembling legs.


    After all, when a person stood dozens of meters above the sea surface with only one square meter to stand on, you would tremble too.


    ¡°Ah! Ahhh!¡±


    Not far away, a death row inmate screamed tragically, ¡°How did I end up here? Let me go back, let me go back!¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t I just walking out of the restaurant?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the place for the Blood Moon Judgement!¡±


    ¡°I want to make a complaint, I want to complain to the council, you are ignoring the human rights of death row inmates!¡±


    As the death row inmates yelled and screamed, a familiar and frightening voice rang out from behind them, ¡°Gentlemen, ladies, death row inmates, it¡¯s 8 PM Kaimon time, good evening, I am your supervisor for tonight, Nagu McMillan.¡±


    The death row inmates turned around and discovered that they were indeed on the sea-view rooftop. The lights on the rooftop were bright, and Nagu stood at the edge of the rooftop, but he wasn¡¯t looking at the prisoners. Instead, he was looking at six floating orbs that seemed to be burning eyes.


    Although it was his first time seeing them, Ash guessed by intuition that those six orbs were the recording devices of this world.


    ¡°As everyone can see, the Blood Moon Judgement has already begun. Viewers who want to browse the specific data about the death row inmates can focus on the inmates¡¯ faces, and those who wish to change viewing angles can focus on different camera eyes on the left. Everyone can directly watch this judgement by mentally saying ¡®Kaimon First Channel,¡¯ and the rules of the judgement will be on the right side of the video.¡±


    Everyone...


    With a thought, Ash mentally said ¡®Kaimon First Channel,¡¯ and indeed, the live broadcast appeared on his light screen.


    He could even see someone in the broadcast sneakily turning their head back, which looked rather comical¡ªit was himself.


    ¡°Our mode tonight is the new mode ¡®Confession on the Steel Wire,¡¯ and the specific rules are as follows.¡±


    Nagu calmly stated, ¡°First, this is the breeding season for ¡®Finger-tip Sharks¡¯ in Shattered Lake¡¯s reverse currents, and according to records from previous years, there are 35,000 finger-tip sharks gathered in Shattered Lake. Any animal that falls into Shattered Lake will vanish into a splash of blood. The Fishing Association reminds that due to the profusion and availability of ¡®Finger-tip Sharks¡¯ this month, the fishing points for ¡®Finger-tip Sharks¡¯ will be temporarily canceled this month. Attention all members.¡±


    As he spoke, Nagu kicked a dead pig into the lake.


    When the dead pig hit the lake and splashed water, hundreds of finger-sized sharks swarmed, and the water seemed to boil.


    Two seconds later, the carcass of the dead pig had disappeared.


    Not to mention the flesh; the bones were gone too!


    Seeing this scene, Ash¡¯s legs were not just trembling; they were also getting soft.


    ¡°Second, the Meteorological Mage announced that tonight the Technique Spirits are in storm mode, and the northeastern territory of Kaimon is a no-fly zone. The Mage Association advises that storm faction mages please take safety precautions tonight and remove all metal objects before entering the Void Realm.¡±


    Nagu pulled out a metal strip and threw it into the sky.


    Snap!


    A bolt of lightning cleaved the night sky, shattering the metal slab!


    ¡°Third, when the judgment vote begins, the ¡®Executioner¡¯ will be generated on the platform where the death row inmates currently stand. This time, the Executioner will be empowered with the ¡®Purification Flame.¡¯ The Purification Flame will burn around the Executioner, causing no physical harm, but it will intensely scorch the sinners¡¯ souls, burning away their sinful delusions.¡±


    ¡°However, rest assured, death row inmates, as long as you are innocent or truly repentant, you can completely ignore the effects of the Purification Flame.¡±


    Got it, so the options are either to jump off and become fish food or stay put and be painfully tortured to death... Wait a second!


    Ash suddenly realized a loophole.


    He wasn¡¯t actually Heath Ash; what sins did he have?


    He had almost gotten too immersed; he was an innocent Wandering Soul from the Otherworld!


    ¡°Fourth, there is a steel wire in front of the death row inmates, extending to a safety platform in the distance with various weapons placed on it.¡±


    When the lights shone over, Ash finally saw the thin steel wire under his feet, which seemed like it could easily slice a person in half.


    At the end of the hundred-meter steel wire, there was a large platform on the ground cluttered with various weapons, including swords, spears, guns, and even cannons.


    ¡°Fifth, this is the well-known rule of Blood Moon. When the voting segment ends, the death row inmate with the most votes will have the privilege of winning tonight¡¯s redemption slot; if someone reaches 50% of the votes earlier, the voting segment will end immediately, entering the execution phase.¡±


    ¡°Every single vote will empower the Executioner. The Executioner, infused with the righteous sense of countless citizens, will execute the death row inmate, personally sending his soul to the Heavenly Kingdom of Blood Moon, where the Extreme Master of Blood Moon, benevolent and righteous, will forgive his sins and faults.¡±


    ¡°These are the rules of the Blood Moon Judgement.¡±


    Nagu turned to look at the death row inmates and snapped his fingers.


    ¡°Now, please, central control room, release the restraints on the eight redeemers.¡±


    As soon as Nagu finished speaking, multiple messages popped up on Ash¡¯s Light Screen:


    ¡°Void Realm access allowed¡±


    ¡°Magic Power output allowed¡±


    ¡°Attack restrictions lifted¡±


    Message after message appeared, dozens in total, and coupled with the sensation in his body like a sudden relief from constipation¡ªthis was indeed what the Medical Practitioner had mentioned, the only time when a death row inmate got all their freedoms back: during the Blood Moon Judgement, the prison would lift most restrictions on the prisoners!


    ¡°All you sinners, please make an effort to repent. Under the illumination of the Blood Moon, repentance is the only path to redemption.¡±


    Nagu smiled slightly, spread his arms, and loudly declared:


    ¡°The voting segment begins! Dear audience, please cast your solemn vote, transform it into a force for justice, into kindness for the redemption of sinners!¡±


    ¡°This moment is the time of judgment!¡±


    Ash suddenly felt a chill, as if the temperature around him had dropped ten degrees.


    He looked down and saw the radiance of the Blood Moon on the platform twisting and changing like tentacles, gradually forming into a crimson, fierce spike monster, appearing right behind him!


    Its body was entwined with a bluish intense flame, illuminating Ash¡¯s terrified face!


    Ash instinctively stepped back.


    But as he stepped back, his heel hit the edge!


    Had he not adjusted his balance in time, he would have nearly fallen down to become a midnight snack for the Finger Sharks!


    Why me... As Ash issued the mental cry that every unlucky person emits, the information that popped up in the upper left corner of the live Light Screen broadcast answered his confusion:


    ¡°Current highest vote-getter: Heath Ash, 49 votes.¡±

 Chapter 55 - 53 Purification Flame

    Chapter 55: Chapter 53 Purification Flame


    Red Mist Cafe?.


    ¡°Huh? Snake boss, why are the odds for him so high, and there¡¯s no ceiling cap? Aren¡¯t you afraid of losing big time?¡±


    The customers, looking at the ¡®execution gambling¡¯ on the local channel, found that the ¡®popular contestant¡¯ actually had odds of 1.65 and couldn¡¯t help feeling puzzled¡ªaccording to past experience, the odds for popular contestants were at most 1.0001 or even lower, and there was a ceiling cap with a limit per person.


    Because after each Judgement, they could nearly determine who would die after reviewing the convict¡¯s information, Snake boss naturally wouldn¡¯t just give away money.


    The popular bets in gambling often involved highly unpredictable categories, such as ¡®how much difference will there be between the highest and lowest votes¡¯, ¡®will the highest votes break 150,000 within 15 minutes¡¯, or ¡®will prisoners fight each other within 5 minutes¡¯.


    Leaning on the bar, Snake boss stuck out his tongue, hissing, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m losing big time. If all of you bet on him, I¡¯ll be in trouble, hiss~¡±


    A customer laughed, ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t want to profit from the Snake boss. I¡¯m just playing to lose, oh~ I¡¯m going to bet on the one with the lowest odds and a limit.¡±


    Lorenz looked at the gambling bouts on the Light Screen, wondering whether he should place a couple of wagers. He had been in Shattered Lake Prison for over a year and hadn¡¯t touched gambling in a long time.


    Almost everyone could initiate a local bet like this without any restrictions, but there was one condition: the bookie had to deposit a large sum of advance money into Kaimon Commercial Bank; otherwise, the bank wouldn¡¯t provide the money betting services for the bet, and it also effectively prevented bookies from running massive losses and evading debts.


    After browsing through the ¡®highest votes¡¯ odds for the eight convicts, Lorenz knew who would likely be the redeemer of this Blood Moon Judgement.


    The lowest odds, naturally, were for the one everyone believed was certain to die.


    Generally speaking, the one with the lowest odds is often the ¡®popular contestant¡¯ who could be identified from their information. But this time...


    ¡°Interesting...¡±


    Lorenz smiled, placing his bets to the max under the contestant with the lowest odds.


    ...


    ...


    Ash finally understood.


    Why Harvey was certain that tonight¡¯s draw would ¡®randomly¡¯ pick him¡ªwith the so-called draw being the audience voting!


    The convict with the most votes would win a first-class trip to the Heavenly Kingdom!


    The Executioner would send you straight to the Heavenly Kingdom!


    So why was it that as long as it was audience voting, Ash was doomed?


    Because Ash had been the hot news topic for the past few days!


    He was the ¡®popular contestant for this month¡¯, the ¡®cover figure of the news¡¯!


    The recent news was full of Ash Heath¡¯s story of his sinister cult¡¯s rise to power, explained in a way that was both detailed and easy to understand. Ash himself watched with great interest. It wasn¡¯t hard to imagine that most of the audience was now familiar with Ash.


    What is audience appeal?


    This is audience appeal!


    Since you are so well-known, let¡¯s choose you!


    Watching his vote count rapidly increase, the crimson ¡®Executioner¡¯ in front of him grew increasingly gigantic and fierce, taking up most of the platform¡¯s space, pushing Ash to the edge, both heels already off the platform.


    Every cell in his body was roaring, screaming at him to run away!


    Just when Ash could hardly hold on, a cry of alarm suddenly rang out next to him!


    ¡°Ahhhh!¡±


    The ogre prisoner beside him screamed like a little girl when touched by a hot iron!


    The ogre was grazed by the pale blue flame from the slim Executioner, trembling as he stepped back to the edge, clutching the steel wire, looking pitiable, weak, and helpless!


    At this moment, the other prisoners were also screaming in agony, every one of them in excruciating pain.


    He looked completely unscathed on the outside, but the pain seemed as if his fingernails had shattered and were embedded in his flesh.


    Even a goblin on death row, taking advantage of his light body, strutted directly on the steel wire.


    They would rather risk falling into the sea than stand with the Executioner!


    Is it really that painful?


    Although Ash knew they were on death row, because of the chip¡¯s restriction on the prisoners¡¯ behaviors, his understanding wasn¡¯t very clear.


    It was only now that he suddenly felt a sense of superiority.


    Oh my, how mournful you all scream, how terrifying, death row inmates, unlike me, I¡¯m not in pain at all~


    ¡°Violation... violation!¡±


    A death row inmate whose lips were burnt and bleeding by the Purification Flame bellowed loudly, ¡°This is a violation of human rights; the Blood Moon Judgement can¡¯t harm us during the voting phase!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re torturing us, trampling on our dignity, using torture as a means!¡±


    ¡°Human rights organizations, City Council members are also watching the Blood Moon Judgement, right? Quickly complain to them, stop them!¡±


    ¡°Right, we¡¯re supposed to be safe during the voting phase, aren¡¯t we?! Shattered Lake Prison is breaking the rules of the Blood Moon Judgement!¡±


    ¡°Stop the trial, quickly! Hurry!¡±


    Ash also found it strange, because from all the information he gathered, the Blood Moon Judgement usually only resulted in one death, with the remaining seven safely returning to prison.


    In fact, Ash had met mostly survivors from the Blood Moon Judgement, some of whom had even repeatedly tested the dangerous brink as regulars of the trial.


    Moreover, the Kingdom of Blood Moon paid great attention to racial rights and human rights (seemingly), and would never allow any torture-driven punishments or human-induced sentences.


    Even interrogations were uniformly changed to ¡®memory extraction¡¯.


    From arrest to imprisonment, criminals would not suffer any interrogation under duress.


    Speak or don¡¯t, your human rights won¡¯t be infringed upon.


    Of course, whether ¡®memory extraction¡¯ counts as a human rights violation is another matter.


    So the death row inmates¡¯ doubts about Shattered Lake Prison had some legal basis¡ªtheir current situation was undoubtedly pure torture, incompatible with the spirit of redemption of the Blood Moon Judgement, a sacrilege to the Extreme Master of Blood Moon, and a reversal of universal equality!


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    Nagu shook his head, ¡°The rules of this Blood Moon Judgement have been approved by the council, human rights organizations, and various racial advocacy groups, with no inhumane arrangements. Although your current situation seems very risky, as long as you stay still and do nothing, you will not suffer any harm.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Ah!¡± Just then, the beastman on death row¡¯s Executioner suddenly intensified slightly, and the flames of the Purification Flame licked at the beastman¡¯s skin, making this burly figure, who appeared as tough as iron, emit a scream like a little girl.


    ¡°This is called not suffering harm!?¡± The inmates trembled with rage, ¡°You... you ogre-goblin hybrid abomination, are you just like those pig-toothed green-skinned trash that only spews filth!?¡±


    ¡°Low-life scum bred from the slums¡¯ refuse!¡±


    ¡°Whorelings deflowered by goblin gigolos!¡±


    It was then that the inmates remembered that they had unlocked all their shackles and were no longer bound by rules of racial equality or language etiquette. They erupted with tremendous combativeness, as if they wanted to spew out all the swear words they had held in their throats all at once. In a single utterance, they managed to cover regional discrimination, racial discrimination, and gender discrimination, making Ash unable to help but listen intently.


    Until he heard Harvey shout from beside him¡ª


    ¡°Idiots who believe in The Gods of Four Pillars!¡±


    Ash looked at Harvey. Even though he wasn¡¯t one of them, he felt as if he had been insulted and shouted back, ¡°Necromancers who love to sleep with corpses!¡±


    Harvey glared at him. Ash glared back defiantly and then heard him ask in a suppressed voice:


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The Executioner didn¡¯t shove Ash into the sea, but those words almost scared him enough to take three steps back and fall off himself.

 Chapter 56 - 54 Interactive Segment

    Chapter 56: Chapter 54 Interactive Segment


    The prisoners soon stopped hurling insults¡ªbecause they realized that whenever they swore, the Executioner behind them would swiftly swell and grow taller.


    That¡¯s the thing about dimwits ending up as death row inmates; they actually forgot that hundreds of thousands of people in Kaimon City were watching them spew obscenities.


    The audience watched and thought, Good! Swear, you filth, you lowlifes! Here¡¯s a ticket for you; may you die sooner and find peace sooner!


    When things quieted down, Nagu slowly said, ¡°You will feel pain, not because of something we¡¯ve arranged, but because of your own doing. I¡¯ve said before that if you truly repent, you won¡¯t be affected by the Purification Flame. The Purification Flame ignites sin and burns calamity.¡±


    ¡°And not everyone will feel the pain. Look at Mr. Ash Heath and Mr. Valcas Uer; they aren¡¯t affected by the Purification Flame at all. Please learn from them.¡±


    It was only then that the crowd, writhing in agony, noticed that Ash and Valcas were almost stuck to the Executioner, with the boiling Purification Flame passing through their bodies, yet they stood erect.


    ¡°If you feel pain, you should take this opportunity to embrace the cleansing of the Purification Flame, to repent, and to start anew,¡± Nagu stated, not in mockery but as if genuinely exhorting them to confess, ¡°The Extreme Master of Blood Moon and the citizens of Kaimon City will see your true sincerity.¡±


    ¡°I admit my faults, I admit...ahhhhh!¡±


    Harvey was in so much pain that tears and snot ran down his face, and his gaunt face twisted like wood grain. Most of his body was exposed beyond the platform, his hands clutching the steel wires, deeply cut to the bone.


    Yet even such danger, such torment, was nothing compared to a singeing touch from the Purification Flame!


    ¡°You must fully recognize the unforgivable nature of the mistakes you¡¯ve made in the past and completely sever ties with your former sinful self in order to receive the Blood Moon¡¯s forgiveness.¡±


    Nagu¡¯s lips curled upward, ¡°Of course, there¡¯s a more convenient way: keep enduring the burning of the Purification Flame, and the sinful soul will turn to ash, leaving behind a virtuous soul.¡±


    Although it sounded absurd, Ash didn¡¯t think Nagu would lie, especially not on this live show watched by the entire populace.


    This meant that the Purification Flame had the effect of splitting personalities, by tearing out a kind persona from the condemned through immense and sustained pain and cruelly torturing the original persona to death!


    At these words, almost every condemned wished they could hang on the steel wires instead.


    Compared to death, they couldn¡¯t accept their souls being utterly destroyed!


    ¡°I understand... I understand...¡±


    Ash looked towards Harvey, who was muttering to himself, the latter choking up, twitching his lips, ¡°We¡¯re all done for this time...¡±


    Curiosity made Ash ask, ¡°What are you afraid of? Wasn¡¯t it said that only one would die in the Blood Moon Judgement? Just tough it out now; it¡¯ll be over soon.¡±


    ¡°Not all Blood Moon Judgements result the same, and this time we¡¯re facing the rare exception,¡± Harvey wept with a smile, ¡°I remember old man Rein said, the Andrem faction is expecting significant deaths soon, many government officials and council members are going to be purged...¡±


    ¡°What does political reshuffling have to do with the Blood Moon Judgement?¡±


    ¡°What do you think is more interesting in a Blood Moon Judgement, a serial killer or a government official caught in corruption and fraud?¡±


    Ash understood.


    The entertainment value of a beheading correlated directly with the condemned¡¯s former social status.


    ¡°The political strife in the Kingdom of Blood Moon is most brutal. Which official or councilor who¡¯s climbed to power isn¡¯t soaked in blood? The winner gets it all, the loser faces judgement; they¡¯re milked for their last drop of social value, which serves both as a statement to the public and a warning to other bureaucrats: be more secretive, leave no evidence...¡±


    ¡°You know quite a lot.¡±


    ¡°What do you think the corpses I used to handle belonged to?¡±


    ¡°But even if new inmates are to arrive, what does this have to do suddenly with the Blood Moon Judgement¡¯s indiscriminate approach?¡±


    The sulking Harvey replied, ¡°There aren¡¯t enough beds.¡±


    Ash was startled as countless herbs seemed to sprout in his heart.


    That made so much sense!


    Since there weren¡¯t enough dormitories, they had to kill some people to free up space for future down-and-out bureaucrats to move in. What a realistic reason that was laughably absurd.


    Because there were too many people in the prison, they had to die.


    How ridiculous, how cruel, how straightforward the logic was.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    At that moment, Harvey bit down on his teeth and hung his entire body on the steel wire, swaying forward toward the large platform.


    Each swing caused his palms to be abraded by the steel wire, and soon the flesh on his palms was worn away, exposing the bones in his hands that made one¡¯s teeth feel soft with trepidation. But Ash saw clearly that his bones were not the usual pale color, but were instead emitting a silvery light!


    After the flesh on his palms was worn away, Harvey¡¯s climbing speed suddenly increased. Even as the steel wire scraped against his hand bones with a grating noise like nails on a chalkboard, he seemed to feel no pain at all and looked very relaxed!


    It was a Technique Spirit!


    A Technique Spirit that enhanced the defensive strength of bones?


    The other convicts on death row also hurriedly grabbed the steel wire to escape. Some had such strong skin defenses that the wire could only leave a red mark on their skin;


    Others excelled in agility and ran straight along the wire;


    The most outrageous was the ogre, who turned out to be a Mage of the Temperature faction, rapidly cooling the wire to form a thick layer of ice on it and then swinging his body to slide straight across.


    The prison was indeed full of talented individuals, who were articulate and capable of various feats.


    Compared to these convicts hastily escaping, Ash, who was not affected by the Purification Flame, naturally had more time to think.


    He turned around and looked at Nagu standing on the viewing platform by the sea.


    Nagu, noticing his gaze, stood with his hands behind his back and smiled slightly. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. Instead of struggling with the steel wire under the rules of Blood Moon, why not break the rules and escape backward into the prison?¡±


    ...


    ...


    ¡°Right!¡±


    The customers in the Red Mist Cafe all came to their senses. ¡°If we jump back into the prison, can¡¯t we avoid these arrangements and break free from the Blood Moon Judgement?¡±


    ¡°Are there no other traps?¡±


    ¡°So the convicts just escape torture like that? What¡¯s going on with Shattered Lake Prison? How can such an entertaining judgment mode have such a major flaw?¡±


    ¡°A bunch of bastards born of whores, refund our money!¡±


    Lorenz sharply noticed that at this moment, the betting odds for Ash Heath had suddenly dropped from 1.65 to 1.45, indicating that the snake boss felt that Ash¡¯s chances of ¡®winning¡¯ had significantly increased, so he adjusted the odds in time to avoid losing money.


    The Fishman thought for a moment and understood why Shattered Lake Prison had set it up this way.


    The ¡®Blood Moon Judgement¡¯ event had been popular across the country for decades, not only because of its excellent watchability but also because of its strong interactivity.


    Such an obvious loophole was actually left intentionally by the prison for the audience to have an interactive moment of enjoyment¡ªto personally crush the hopes of the convicts!


    Was there any entertainment more thrilling than bestowing Despair?

 Chapter 57 - 55: I Haven’t Been Deprived of Political Rights for Life Yet

    Chapter 57: Chapter 55: I Haven¡¯t Been Deprived of Political Rights for Life Yet


    Upon hearing Nagu¡¯s words, the other death row inmates also came to their senses.


    Right, why move forward? They could just as well jump back to the viewing platform and still survive. It was only a ten-step distance, which was trivial for these death row inmates, even without the power of a mage, they could cross it.


    However, when they turned back and saw Ash¡¯s Executioner growing visibly larger again, they quickly snapped out of it, cursed Nagu for his shamelessness, and while taking delight in Ash¡¯s plight, they continued to climb the steel cable with their heads down.


    Going back was a trap.


    Nagu¡¯s words were the trigger for the trap.


    The moment Ash turned around, he knew he had messed up, because as soon as Nagu spoke those words, he saw his votes increase exponentially.


    The audience was frantic, they were frantic!


    Because Nagu was right, if Ash jumped back, he could disrupt the meticulous setup of the Blood Moon Judgement, and all the steel cables and Purification Flame would have nothing to do with Ash.


    However, his favorable experience was seen as a provocation by the audience¡ªan act of defiance by a death row inmate not repenting in the Blood Moon Judgement but instead exacerbating attempts to break the rules?!


    This was like an unrepentant student, who not only failed to admit their mistake when scolded by the teacher with ¡°why do you even come to school,¡± but instead had an epiphany and ran out of school to play.


    Such immature offenders, as societal monitors, the audience would naturally give him a chance to reform¡ª¡±Remember not to do this again in your next life, okay.¡±


    In the voting rules of the Blood Moon Judgement, aside from the highest vote-receiver being sentenced to death, if a person gets 50% of the votes, the voting phase will end and fast forward directly to the execution.


    The death row inmates had all their restrictions removed, the price being that their lives were no longer under their control. On the other end of the Light Screen, hundreds of thousands of citizens of Kaimon City each held a weight over their lives.


    Once anyone dared to go against this tide, the audience¡¯s weights would fall, turning into a heavy divine punishment, crushing their spine of resistance.


    So if Ash jumped back, awaiting him were heartfelt thanks from the other death row inmates, as well as the terrifying Executioner formed by 50% of the votes.


    But speaking of which.


    If Ash¡¯s votes continued to skyrocket, leading the others, and the audience stubbornly believed that the chance for redemption belonged to none other than Ash, he would definitely jump back.


    If he was going to die anyway, he wouldn¡¯t play into their hands.


    The reason Ash was still willing to abide by the game rules was because the current voting scenario gave him a glimmer of hope.


    ¡°Ash Heath, 42354 votes.¡±


    ¡°Valcas Uer, 31002 votes.¡±


    Ash glanced at Valcas¡¯s Executioner behind him, equally robust and fierce, only slightly smaller than his own.


    Noticing Ash¡¯s gaze, Valcas gave him a look and snorted coldly, before actually jumping on the platform and lightly landing on the steel cable, walking towards the distant platform with elegant strides.


    This cool and show-off scene instantly increased Valcas¡¯s votes by over two thousand.


    Unexpected, Valcas you bushy-browed, big-eyed guy, turned out you are also so hateful, almost catching up with me, indeed not a good elf... Ash muttered under his breath, looking at Valcas inside the Light Screen when suddenly the screen popped up a message:


    ¡°Would you like to view the criminal history of Valcas Uer?¡±


    Ash chose to view it, and the screen popped up a small window that played out the entire process from Valcas¡¯s first-person perspective, stealing technical documents at the university and then killing a fellow scholar.


    Seeing the fellow scholar collapsed in the corridor, his face filled with fear, tears and snot running, retreating while pleading:


    ¡°Please, let me go, Valcas, don¡¯t... ah!¡±


    With a scream, the colleague was stabbed in the chest by Valcas!


    It seemed that only the perpetrator¡¯s perspective wasn¡¯t thrilling enough, the latter half of the video shockingly switched to the first-person perspective of the victim scholar!


    Facing Valcas¡¯s approach, the video vividly showed the fellow scholar¡¯s despair, fear, and the agony of life slipping away!


    This was a memory fragment of Valcas and the person he murdered!


    The first time watching a memory fragment, Ash was deeply shocked by the technology, stunned by the powerful and elusive nature of the mage system, and appalled that the other death row inmates dared to commit crimes¡ªwasn¡¯t this as outrageous as relieving oneself in the streets? All crimes were clear as day!


    Any crime involving interaction with others meant exposure under the eyes of the Crime Hunting Hall, no matter if you tried to destroy the evidence, the Crime Hunting Hall would extract the dead person¡¯s memories!


    No wonder all death row inmates were highly skilled, after all, without real ability, how could they commit capital crimes before being caught by the Crime Hunting Hall?


    The slightly weaker criminals might get caught during their budding phase of theft and trickery and be sent by the Crime Hunting Hall for reeducation.


    After watching, the screen unexpectedly popped up a query:


    ¡°Would you cast a Redemption Ticket for Valcas Uer? Every Redemption Ticket you cast is a support for justice.¡±


    Ash was startled, a myriad of herbs sprouting in his heart.


    These death row inmates actually had the right to vote!?


    Hadn¡¯t their political rights been revoked for life?


    This was simply an insult to them, did the prison think that these death row inmates would vote for other candidates just to increase their slight chance of survival?


    Ash, while indignant at the prison¡¯s disregard for him, cast a vote for Valcas.


    However, although Valcas¡¯s murder memory was quite cruel, it couldn¡¯t have won him so many votes, right? What did Heath lack compared to him?


    Ash looked at his own avatar; although a small video also popped up, it wasn¡¯t his memory, but the enforcement memory of the Blood Frenzy Hunters.


    A bizarre underground hall, runes filled with blood, remnants on the altar, twisted piles of bodies... Ash only glanced at it twice before fast forwarding, he couldn¡¯t stand watching it himself, even feeling a bit of pain in his conscience.


    Damn, it really hurt, his spirit reacting with the Purification Flame.


    Ash silently repeated ¡°I am Ash, not Heath,¡± three times before the painful sting of conscience slowly faded.


    This incident also made Ash feel the power of the Purification Flame: he had merely entered into Heath¡¯s body and momentarily identified with Heath, and was already almost scorched senseless by the flame.


    Those death row inmates who truly committed crimes must suffer a thousand, perhaps even ten thousand times more pain.


    Thinking about it that way was rather satisfying for Ash, whose simple view of good and evil made him applaud such punishment.


    If he weren¡¯t in a live broadcast but instead watching this show in the cozy comfort of a small home, it would be even better.


    Ash then glanced through others¡¯ crimes, but due to time constraints, he only read the written descriptions.


    Sure enough, Harvey had the crime of desecrating a corpse... Although Ash was curious whether the ¡°corpse¡± was warm or cold, male or female, this kind of visual shock was still premature for him, and he dared not open the video.


    Hmm, this one was a serial killer, that one was a cannibal, this was a hitman, that was the leader of a violent gang...


    Quickly scanning through, Ash found that Heath¡¯s crimes were indeed the most brutal of all. Even without the recent news reports featuring him daily, Ash guessed the audience would¡¯ve recognized him as a hero.


    Surprisingly, Valcas¡¯s crime was the lightest among the eight, yet he received the second highest number of votes after Ash.


    Although puzzled, Ash no longer had time to think about it.


    The others were almost reaching the large platform, and Ash had to act too.


    It couldn¡¯t possibly be that he alone would stay here and die.


    But how could he get across?


    He couldn¡¯t fall into the sea; it was filled with Finger Sharks, and falling in would mean not even his fingernails might survive.


    He couldn¡¯t take to the skies, for it was some kind of Technique Spirit storm party, and all flying objects would be struck by lightning.


    But, Ash originally didn¡¯t have swimming or flying Technique Spirits, so these limitations didn¡¯t mean much to him.


    Ash looked down at the steel wire.


    He squatted down and touched it¡ªextremely thin and tough. Just touching it slightly cut a bloody gash in his palm.


    If he tried to grab onto the wire, there was no doubt he¡¯d lose his fingers, appetizers for the Finger Sharks.


    Ordinary people couldn¡¯t walk across; they had to use a Technique Spirit.


    But Ash only had one Technique Spirit!


    However, desperate times called for desperate measures.


    Substitute Technique Spirit!


    A substitute identical to Ash appeared beside him, making the already crowded small platform even more cramped, and Ash was nearly pushed off by the substitute.


    Although he summoned his substitute, Ash didn¡¯t know what to do next. He looked at the substitute, looked at the steel wire, pursed his lips and gestured for the substitute to go ahead.


    The substitute, naturally having no objections, stepped directly onto the steel wire. The wire effortlessly sliced through his cloth shoes, and with a snap, the substitute dissipated into a wisp of smoke.


    Even the slightest injury would instantly cause the substitute to burst and vanish.


    But Ash¡¯s eyes lit up.


    Although the substitute was cut by the wire, it indeed managed to walk across, and without fear, steady-handed like a faultless robot!


    Ash looked at his own shoes; they were the prison-issued cloth shoes, warm in winter and cool in summer, comfortable yet not cut out for walking on a steel wire.


    Ash looked around and then turned to face the supervisor, Nague.


    Nague raised his eyebrows, ¡°Planning to come over?¡±


    Ignorant of the Executor growing rapidly larger, Ash instead noticed Nague¡¯s steel-soled boots clinking as he walked.


    ¡°Supervisor, those boots are so cool. What brand are they?¡±


    At that, Nague brightened up: ¡°You have good taste. These are from the Dark Night King series limited edition by Infernal Lantern, which I had to pre-order three months in advance.¡±


    Ash¡¯s eyes filled with admiration: ¡°Indeed they are the Infernal Lantern¡¯s Dark Night King series limited edition! These are the only boots I¡¯ve ever wanted in my life!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Dark Night King. Dark Night Monarch is another series.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not important!¡± Ash waved his hand dismissively, ¡°What¡¯s important is that I hope to wear these boots before redemption, in this life, this is my only request, Supervisor sir, could... could you let me wear these boots?¡±


    Nague¡¯s face stiffened.


    ¡°That¡¯s not really good, I¡¯ve already worn them...¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, Supervisor, I don¡¯t mind!¡± Ash slapped his chest, ¡°Since you¡¯re giving these boots to me, how could I fuss over these minor details?¡±


    Nague¡¯s face twisted with anger because of his words.


    But I mind!


    And I never said I¡¯d give them to you!


    Giving you boots? I¡¯d rather give you a kick and send you down, damn scum!


    Daring to take advantage at my expense, Ash Heath, you¡¯re challenging the dignity of the supervisor, challenging the limits of Shattered Lake Prison!


    Nague snorted coldly and said loudly:


    ¡°Fine!¡±

 Chapter 58 - 56: It’s Time for You to Leave

    Chapter 58: Chapter 56: It¡¯s Time for You to Leave


    Nagu finally took off his boots, revealing a pair of adorable socks embroidered with tiny gold lion patterns.


    He couldn¡¯t possibly refuse this request.


    Hundreds of thousands of city residents were watching the live broadcast, each of them clutching a ballot in their hands. If Nagu wanted to leave the prison and further aspire to become a member of the City Council, he couldn¡¯t afford to do anything that would damage his public image.


    This Supervisor role was one he had specifically applied for at the prison. It was a strategy to increase his exposure, to familiarize the citizens with his face ¡ª all to lay the groundwork for his future competition for a council seat.


    If he couldn¡¯t even satisfy this ¡°tiny wish,¡± let alone becoming a councilman, even the prison would think poorly of his image and might remove him from his supervisor duties.


    Without this role ¡ª the easiest way to rack up points on his resume ¡ª he would be stuck as a Prison Guard in this jail until advancing to the rank of Two-winged Gold.


    Although the consideration of his interests was clear, when Nagu held his new boots that he had been looking forward to for a whole year and had barely worn for a month, he still couldn¡¯t suppress the sorrow that welled up from his heart, relentless and unending.


    ¡°Hurry up, hurry up, I¡¯m in a rush,¡± Ash urged.


    ¡°Can you catch?¡±


    ¡°I can catch!¡±


    ¡°When you¡¯re putting them on, your foot has to go in vertically, otherwise you¡¯ll wrinkle the surface pattern.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know.¡±


    ¡°I actually have another decent pair of boots. Maybe I should go get them for you now¡ª¡±


    ¡°Just throw them here!¡±


    A camera eye let out a hip-hop laugh. This was because if most of the audience watching the live broadcast reacted similarly at the same time, it would feed back to the camera eye, letting the live host know what effect their performance had achieved.


    Clearly, the interaction between Ash and Nagu amused the audience. Having watched the Blood Moon Judgement hundreds of times, they had never seen such a comically absurd executioner and supervisor.


    Nagu steeled his heart ¡ª he surely didn¡¯t want to become the butt of the joke in the citizens¡¯ eyes ¡ª and threw the boots at Ash.


    Ash caught the boots and upon close inspection, realized they were indeed of good quality, with a high-class texture and upscale appearance ¡ª no wonder Nagu looked as grief-stricken as someone who had lost a cherished consort.


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t stuff them like that. Are those too big for you? Don¡¯t be so hurried, take it slowly, you¡¯ll leave marks if you apply too much force! Can¡¯t you be a little gentler?¡±


    Nagu watched, feeling pained, as he counted on getting his boots back afterward. Anyway, Ash wouldn¡¯t survive much longer.


    Ash ignored him and, having put on the boots, once again activated the Substitute Technique Spirit, and a Substitute identical to him appeared at his side.


    Even the shoes were switched to the steel-toed long boots that Ash was now wearing.


    ¡°Stand on the steel wire for a few seconds and see.¡±


    The Substitute stepped onto the steel wire and stood firm; this time, the wire could no longer cut through his boots.


    And, unharmed, the Substitute naturally did not disappear.


    ¡°Good!¡± Ash said excitedly. ¡°Come back.¡±


    The Substitute came back.


    ¡°Squat down!¡±


    The Substitute squatted down.


    Ash got on the Substitute¡¯s neck, ¡°Carry me on the wire to the big platform on the other side!¡±


    However, this time the Substitute did not respond. Ash looked down and saw the Substitute serenely lifting its head to look at him.


    ¡°Carry me on the wire to the big platform on the other side!¡± Thinking that the Substitute hadn¡¯t heard, he repeated the command.


    After three seconds of silence, the Substitute seemed to finally understand the meaning of the sentence, or rather, it understood its fate.


    Ying.


    Ying.


    With every step the Substitute took, the steel wire let out a ying-ying sound, causing Ash to tremble with trepidation. When he watched other condemned men walk, it had seemed so effortless, but when it was his turn, just the thought of looking down at the sea beneath filled him with the urge to urinate.


    But he succeeded ¡ª the Substitute could indeed carry him across.


    Ash vaguely discovered another marvel within the Mage system.


    If ordinary people are ¡°limited to what is said to be possible,¡± then Mages are ¡°capable of anything not said to be impossible.¡±


    The former operates under disbelief, the latter under allowance.


    The effect of the Substitute Technique Spirit is to create a Substitute that is identical to him, disappears when harmed, and obeys his commands completely.


    Therefore, within the bounds of the restrictions, Ash could command the Substitute to perform unthinkable actions, even those that he himself could not do.


    Just like now, Ash had neither the ability to walk the wire nor the strength to carry someone across on it.


    But the Substitute could do it.


    Because Ash commanded it,


    Because theoretically, it was a task the Substitute could accomplish,


    So it could.


    Technique Spirits are not miracles; they cannot twist the rules of reality.


    They are but an Infinite Extension of knowledge, the theoretical correct answer, the best outcome allowed by reality.


    They are the limit.


    If only he could take the Substitute Technique Spirit back to his original world... Then I could let the Substitute take care of my parents at home...


    Ash reconsidered. Using it that way was a bit of a waste, wasn¡¯t it? Now that he had a Substitute, what was making his vision so shortsighted?


    Correct, it was capitalism.


    So I should have let the Substitute go to work while I stayed home to take care of my parents, but it¡¯s also likely that they would end up taking care of me...


    Lost in thought, the Substitute had already completed most of the journey. By this time, nearly all the other death row inmates had made it to the large platform on the other side, leaving only Ash and Valcas still on the steel cable.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, both of you! Don¡¯t come any closer!¡±


    A death row inmate with a scar on his face picked up a long gun and aimed it at Ash, ¡°If you dare to take one more step forward, don¡¯t blame me for sending you down to feed the fish!¡±


    The other death row inmates were slightly stunned, but soon they realized something and all stood to the side without uttering a word.


    Ash blinked and asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Valcas chuckled from a distance, ¡°Cowards always take advantage of others¡¯ vulnerability, scum will always measure others by their own standards, and weaklings can only live by stealing chances.¡±


    Although Valcas was being cryptic as usual, Ash realized that the inmates weren¡¯t looking at him but at the Executioner behind him ¡ª they were afraid he would rush towards them to use them as a Shield against the Executioner!


    Oh, right!


    There was such a strategy!


    No wonder they were death row inmates, their minds were so much quicker than his own when it came to thinking of ways to hurt others without benefit to themselves!


    The redeemer for tonight was undoubtedly either Ash or Valcas. If both of them reached the large platform, it meant that the Executioner would also come after them.


    The Executioner¡¯s fierce and terrifying appearance made it clear that its method of attack wasn¡¯t a clean and residue-free mental assault but more likely a sweeping, wide-range AOE physical attack.


    In other words, if it was executing someone, the other onlookers were likely to get implicated!


    So the death row inmates who had arrived at the large platform first began to get lively thoughts.


    They couldn¡¯t let Ash and Valcas reach the large platform!


    Otherwise, the end result would definitely be the annihilation of the group of eight!


    That¡¯s why the scar-faced inmate was holding the gun and threatening Ash not to advance. In his eyes, the best outcome was for Ash to be executed by the Executioner in the middle of the steel cable.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to drop down and feed the fish, then stay put!¡± the scar-faced inmate roared.


    ¡°I refuse!¡±


    Ash said righteously, ¡°What I enjoy most is saying ¡®no¡¯ when others threaten me! One step forward!¡±


    Ying ya~


    The Substitute took a heavy step forward, stomping on the steel cable and causing a commotion!


    Bang!


    The scar-faced inmate fired a shot, his scarred face twisting with fear and anger into something resembling a centipede, ¡°I will shoot, stand still... stand still!¡±


    ¡°I ¡ª don¡¯t ¡ª believe ¡ª you ¡ª will ¡ª shoot ¡ª me!¡±


    With each word Ash spoke, the Substitute took another step forward, arrogantly provoking like a sentient punching bag, hardening the onlookers¡¯ fists.


    Bang!


    ¡°Don¡¯t push me, I will really shoot, I killed nineteen people before I came in, you don¡¯t believe me, you can check my record!¡±


    However, Ash had long seen through his bluster and calmly stated, ¡°The fact that you thought of threatening me so quickly shows you¡¯re smart. But because you¡¯re smart, that¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t shoot.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because if I die here, then you will be the one executed by the Executioner!¡±


    Ash laughed and said, ¡°If we both survive, you can be sure the person to be executed will definitely be one of us. But if we die here, then the audience will choose one of you six to vote off!¡±


    The corners of the scar-faced inmate¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°So, what if it¡¯s not me?¡±


    ¡°No, it will definitely be you.¡± Ash grinned, ¡°Think about it, the audience is looking forward to our execution, and here you are ruining their fun. Guess if they¡¯re going to take out their anger in their vote?¡±


    ¡°Secondly, haven¡¯t you noticed all the others have moved away from you?¡±


    The scar-faced inmate paused, looking around only to realize that he stood exposed in the center while everyone else had retreated to the edges, as far from the scar-faced inmate as possible!


    ¡°Why would they avoid you? Because if you could trap us on the steel cable, they¡¯d have an easy time; if you shot us, you would undoubtedly become the audience¡¯s target for voting. Either way, they won¡¯t lose.¡±


    Ash gave a refreshing smile, ¡°Or are you saying that you¡¯re a model inmate with noble morals who has turned over a new leaf? Wouldn¡¯t you sacrifice yourself to protect your fellow inmates?¡±


    The hands of the scar-faced inmate trembled slightly, but the gun muzzle gradually lowered.


    ¡°And even if it¡¯s not you who is the execution target, so what? It¡¯s still between the six of you, and the Executioner will still strike this platform. Or perhaps, you believe your companions will act politely and jump into the sea if they¡¯re chosen, not causing any trouble for the rest by dragging you all down with them?¡±


    During the conversation, the Substitute had already carried Ash across the steel cable.


    Ash secretly let out a sigh of relief; his back was soaked with sweat.


    He wasn¡¯t as confident as he appeared; who knew if the scar-faced inmate would suddenly lose it and decide to shoot him in the face? Despite his rational talking, Ash¡¯s heart was pounding out of his chest.


    To avoid agitating the scar-faced inmate, he even signaled the Substitute to walk as slowly as possible, creating the illusion for the scar-faced inmate that ¡®he hadn¡¯t crossed yet,¡¯ buying more time for the inmate to think.


    Thinking is the best chiller for rage.


    The more he thought, the more cautious he became;


    The more he contemplated, the more fearful he became;


    The more he listened, the more he realized that Ash was making sense.


    When Ash¡¯s colleagues considered abandoning the project before, he often used this method of ¡®listening, feeling, thinking¡¯ to talk them into changing their minds¡ªat least they should wait until the project was over before fleeing.


    Ash jumped down from the Substitute and patted the scar-faced inmate on the shoulder, ¡°So, do you know where your path to survival is?¡±


    The scar-faced inmate grabbed at that lifeline, asking eagerly, ¡°Where is the path to survival?¡±


    ¡°Go back or hang on the steel cable.¡± Ash smiled, ¡°Now that I¡¯m here, the only way you won¡¯t die is to keep your distance from me.¡±


    ¡°This is my place, and you should be the one to leave!¡±

 Chapter 59 - 57 Two-winged Golden Mage

    Chapter 59: Chapter 57 Two-winged Golden Mage


    Red Mist Cafe?.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, just kill Ash! Can you tolerate his arrogance?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a serial killer? How can you be convinced like this?¡±


    ¡°This batch of death row inmates is the most cowardly I¡¯ve ever seen!¡±


    Seeing Scarface lay down his hand, many customers moaned¡ªone after another. They were all smart people who had foreseen from the trial arrangements that there would inevitably be conflicts among the death row inmates. Hence, they had bet a substantial amount of money on the ¡°death row inmates will slaughter each other¡± bet.


    Now that Scarface was persuaded by Ash, their bets were likely going to be wasted.


    ¡°But Ash is quite interesting. Can we see him in the Blood Moon Judgement a few more times?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather see his expression when he becomes a redeemer. It must be very amusing.¡±


    ¡°Is it still possible to reserve his full-blood and that of the elf now? I¡¯m getting a bit greedy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like there are no Blood Saint Clan members in prison. They don¡¯t even have enough for themselves, how could they possibly leave any for you? Booking full-blood... you might get a bit if you book hemorrhoid blood.¡±


    Lorenz, who was drinking alone, looked at Ash Heath on the Light Screen and suddenly remembered something from the past.


    It was several years ago, before he had undergone the Blood Exchange Ceremony and was still a student at Kaimon University when someone handed him a flyer in the second cafeteria.


    He vaguely remembered it was a student mutual aid group, focused on ¡®courage¡¯, ¡®wisdom¡¯, ¡®life¡¯, and ¡®joy¡¯. However, he was about to graduate at that time and naturally had no interest in it.


    Lorenz didn¡¯t know why this memory came back to him.


    But when he looked at Ash Heath again, he felt a faint sense of... kinship.


    The hand he was preparing to use for voting trembled slightly.


    ...


    ...


    It¡¯s us who should leave!?


    Although that sounded somewhat reasonable, seeing Ash¡¯s arrogant face, every death row inmate felt extremely wronged. It was like queuing for an hour only to be tapped on the shoulder and told, ¡°You¡¯re in the wrong line. You should go over there, let me take your spot.¡±


    And on second thoughts, that path was not feasible, especially since the Executioner was still on their small platform. For Ash and Valcas, the Purification Flame was just an itch, but for them, it was excruciating!


    ¡°Or there might be a better way.¡±


    Another skinny man holding a dagger said ominously, ¡°After the voting ends and before the Executioner arrives, we¡¯ll just kill the two of you. Then the Executioner won¡¯t have to come.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Restrain the two of them first!¡±


    ¡°Seize them and chop off their limbs, and push them into the sea once the voting ends!¡±


    Ash thought to himself, ¡®This is bad.¡¯ His combat power was only slightly higher than a normal person. He could handle a death match, but in an unrestricted situation, how could he possibly compete with this gang of ferociously evil Mage Brothers?


    From afar, Nagu shouted loudly, ¡°Although the prison can¡¯t intervene during the trial stage, I advise you not to engage in suicide or mutilation. Under the Blood Moon, creating slaughter will only add to your crimes. It¡¯s still time for you to repent and stop harming Ash Heath. Just let him quietly wait in my boots for the judgment to come...¡±


    My boots, my boots... Nagu stamped his foot anxiously; you can make a fuss, but don¡¯t joke about the boots. Be very careful not to get blood on the boots when fighting!


    Just as Ash was shivering on the edge of the large platform and the death row inmates were closing in, suddenly a swooshing sound came from the side!


    Clang!


    A Sword Trace etched between Ash and the crowd, penetrating three feet deep, Sword Qi resonated fiercely!


    ¡°You... want to capture me?¡±


    Just when everyone was focusing on Ash, Valcas had silently logged onto the large platform, picking up a longsword from the ground and with a gentle swing, Sword Qi burst forth!


    However, Valcas¡¯s deterrence did not make the death row inmates back down. The dagger man stuck out his tongue and licked the blade, sneering, ¡°So what if you are a Sword Master? There are six of us on this side and only two of you... Besides, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re the only mages around!¡±


    As a flash of silver light twinkled, the elegant Silver Wings unfolded on the dagger man¡¯s back, powerful waves of Magic Power rippled out like ripples to the surroundings!


    Silver Wings!


    The external manifestation of a Mage¡¯s Magic Power, a mysterious medium for mortals to touch the Laws!


    Only those who have traveled thousands of miles across the Sea of Knowledge, the weary travelers, could possibly condense the Silver Wings!


    Like Ash now, who couldn¡¯t even condense a single feather, let alone the Silver Wings. Although the dagger man¡¯s Silver Wings weren¡¯t long, the scale suggested he had traveled two to three thousand miles across the Sea of Knowledge and had probably been a Mage for quite some time!


    Although the scale of the Silver Wings cannot be directly linked to combat power, the more complete the Silver Wings, the further the Mage has traveled in the Sea of Knowledge, the more Mage inheritances they¡¯ve witnessed, the more island adventureseries they¡¯ve encountered, and the more knowledge creatures they¡¯ve slain!


    At least Ash could be certain that he couldn¡¯t defeat this dagger man in a one-on-one fight!


    The other death row inmates snorted coldly and displayed their Silver Wings, even the ogre had a small patch the size of a chicken wing.


    Among them, the most complete Silver Wings belonged to the Necromancer Harvey, almost fully splayed out, seemingly just a short distance away from traversing thousands of miles. Noticing Ash¡¯s surprised gaze, Harvey revealed a friendly smile, his eyes brimming with warmth as he looked at Ash.


    Ash blinked.


    Could it be that Harvey, after an afternoon¡¯s acquaintance, had decided to acknowledge me as a good brother?


    However, upon closer inspection, Ash suddenly remembered the affection and enthusiasm Harvey had shown when talking about handling bodies in the past, and his face darkened instantly¡ªdamn, could it be that after so many days in prison without dealing with fresh corpses, Harvey was itching to indulge his urges using him?


    But this time, he was truly doomed; as a Mage who had just entered the Void Realm a few days ago with only a Substitute Technique Spirit to his name, how could he compete against six Silver Mages? Even adding Valcas wouldn¡¯t make a difference¡ª


    Clang!


    A sound like a sword¡¯s cry when wings spread, a dazzling silver-gold radiance, suppressed the wings of the six death row prisoners!


    Valcas¡¯s Silver Wings fully unfurled!


    Each feather like a dancing firefly, each flap seemed to twist the laws of reality!


    Compared to Valcas¡¯s perfect Silver Wings, Harvey¡¯s looked like expired goods pulled from a dusty storeroom¡ªin fact, under the illumination of the perfect silver light, Harvey¡¯s Silver Wings withered, as if ashamed of their dullness.


    Not only did Valcas possess the perfect Silver Wings, but he also had a small segment of the dazzlingly gorgeous Golden Wings!


    A Two-winged Golden Mage!


    Valcas had fully completed the journey through the Sea of Knowledge, broken the limits of knowledge, summoned the Two-winged Technique Spirit, and successfully ascended as a Void Traveler of the Time Continent!


    ¡°So, do you still think two people can¡¯t beat six?¡±


    Hearing Valcas¡¯s teasing voice, the dagger man squeezed out a smile uglier than crying, trying to hide behind others only to find that everyone else had distanced themselves from him. He could only lower his head and say, ¡°Mr. Uer, I was just joking earlier, please...¡±


    ¡°Not funny.¡±


    ¡°... please forgive me...¡±


    ¡°Bow your head, break it, and I¡¯ll forgive you.¡±


    Without another word, the dagger man banged his head on the ground, causing Ash to wince in sympathy. After three knocks, the dagger man¡¯s forehead split open, blood streaming down his nose bridge, looking pitiful.


    ¡°Mr. Uer, is this okay?¡±


    ¡°Ugly as it is, the sincerity is passable. You pass.¡±


    The dagger man sighed in relief, quickly retreating to a corner, no longer daring to utter harsh words, appearing quite humble.


    But everyone could understand, after all, the opponent was a Two-winged Mage. Although they might be able to defeat the Two-winged Mage if they all attacked together, was it really necessary?


    Why not just sell out the dagger man instead of fighting to the death with the most powerful close-quarters Sword Master?


    The dagger man knew that if Valcas wanted to kill him, the others would definitely watch idly or even applaud; thus, submitting was his only way to survive.


    Ash quickly moved next to Valcas, folding his arms as he looked down on the group of cowardly death row inmates.


    Humph, how formidable were the two of us.


    ¡°This settles the score.¡±


    Valcas¡¯s words caught Ash by surprise.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Valcas didn¡¯t look away, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you just now, I might still be walking the tightrope.¡±


    Ash blinked, ¡°That... I did it for myself, not specifically to help you.¡±


    ¡°Regardless, I¡¯ve repaid the favor. Don¡¯t blame me later.¡±


    Ash was stunned, ¡°What are you going to do later?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±


    Valcas scoffed and flicked the blade.


    ¡°Survive like maggots, fly like flies, fight like dung beetles.¡±


    Ash sensed something, pulling up the Light Screen live stream channel.


    ¡¸The current highest vote-getter: Valcas Uer, 244623 votes.¡¹

 Chapter 60 - 58 Elf Sinner

    Chapter 60: Chapter 58 Elf Sinner


    In the Light Screen, Nagu, wearing a pair of golden lion cub socks, still hosted professionally, ¡°... The highest vote-getter right now is Valcas Uer, it seems the audience is hoping this Elf criminal will be redeemed.¡±


    ¡°Let me briefly introduce Mr. Uer¡¯s life. He was born in 1542 at the Jade Dragon Orphanage. You might not be familiar with the Jade Dragon Orphanage, but it is the predecessor to Kaimon City¡¯s only first-class orphanage, the ¡®Jade Garden¡¯ Orphanage.¡±


    ¡°Over the past three hundred years, the Jade Dragon Orphanage has been an Elf-exclusive orphanage, never accepting infants of other races. However, under the impact of the ¡®Racial Equality Orphanage Act¡¯ in 1600, several orphanages, including Jade Dragon, merged into the multi-racial ¡®Jade Garden,¡¯ which has cultivated numerous distinguished individuals to date, with a Mage training rate of as high as 21%. Had it not been for his criminal offenses, Mr. Uer would undoubtedly have been a famed offspring that Jade Garden could take pride in.¡±


    Although Ash didn¡¯t know what a ¡®first-class orphanage¡¯ was, he felt it was probably more important than academic credentials.


    In the Kingdom of Blood Moon, where societal orphanages are mandated and privately nurturing children is illegal, orphanages are likely equivalent to a child¡¯s family.


    The stronger the orphanage, the better the background it provides.


    If Ash wasn¡¯t mistaken, orphanages likely have ¡®selection rights¡¯ over infants.


    Though there are many factors affecting infant development, in this world full of miracles and Mages, using some methods to filter out infants with better fundamental qualities, greater potential, and superior temperaments is not impossible.


    A superior environment combined with excellent infant sources means children from top orphanages start off far ahead of others like snowballs rolling downhill.


    If Ash were living as an ordinary person in this place, he would probably feel a sense of despair over these insurmountable disparities.


    After Nagu completed his presentation of Valcas¡¯s illustrious record, Ash saw that Valcas¡¯s votes had increased by over ten thousand.


    At that moment, Ash faintly felt why Valcas won the audience¡¯s ¡®affection¡¯ more than him.


    ¡°After completing his basic education at the orphanage, Mr. Uer successively studied at the Yateson Secondary School and Kaimon City Comprehensive University, obtaining silver degrees in swordsmanship, Painting Skill, Sound Technique, and Earth Magic among eleven factions over thirty years. He was appointed by the Kaimon Comprehensive University as a Biological Department research professor and also served as an academic Advisor for the Forest Biotechnology Company.¡±


    ¡°In 1645, Mr. Uer was nominated for the Kaimon City Council and lost by 3 votes to another candidate. This can¡¯t help but make one wonder, if Mr. Uer had been elected, would he have kept to strict self-discipline? Or would he have committed even more severe crimes?¡±


    ¡°In general, Mr. Uer was once a well-educated citizen of good background who made many contributions to society. Unfortunately, he took a wrong step, clouded by desire, and committed unforgivable crimes...¡±


    ¡°There is only one minute left till the voting segment ends, those who haven¡¯t voted please hurry.¡±


    ¡°Every vote can earn Redemption Points, and any consumer brand participating in the ¡®Redemption Plan¡¯ supports the exchange of points. The latest consumer brand to join the ¡®Redemption Plan¡¯ is Aizhu Jewelry, where every 30 points can be exchanged for a voucher!¡±


    ¡°At the junction of the New Year, you can even use your Redemption Points for the Blood Moon lottery!¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t be stingy with your Redemption Tickets; keeping them won¡¯t produce babies, and it¡¯s meaningless if you don¡¯t use them when you should!¡±


    ¡°Every vote you cast represents a bit of effort you put into redeeming a sinner, contributing a ray of light to the Blood Moon!¡±


    ¡°Thirty seconds remaining... Wow!¡±


    With a startled cry from Nagu, a ferocious and brutal Executioner burst forth from the ground. It stood seven meters tall, with three heads and eight arms, each hand wielding a different weapon. The three faces showed expressions of compassion, anger, and calmness respectively, as its body was wrapped in ethereal blue armor made of Purification Flame, descending like a Divine Being, a perfect embodiment of heavenly punishment!


    ¡°The voting phase has ended ahead of schedule!¡± Nagu excitedly declared, ¡°Valcas Uer received 384,321 votes, exceeding 50% of the votes in Kaimon City, ending the voting phase early and moving directly to the execution phase!¡±


    ¡°This is the 23rd time in the history of Kaimon City that the voting phase has ended prematurely! Ladies and gentlemen, before you stands a Legendary Executioner, one that has appeared only 23 times in the past!¡±


    ¡°It only spawns from the scarlet moonlight when a single criminal receives 50% of the votes, representing the Extreme Master of Blood Moon redeeming mankind! The nemesis of evil, the purifier of sins, a historical butcher of nightmares, the Justice Messenger awaited by countless people, the Titan Executioner, descends!¡±


    Stare!


    When the six eyes of the Titan Executioner opened simultaneously, they made a sound like steel!


    All three mouths opened at the same time, letting out a long breath that stirred the air currents!


    The Purification Flame on its body spread like a storm; eight steel wires ignited with blue flames, and as the sparks danced, they transformed into a blazing blue flame path leading to the great platform!


    A savage aura full of despair, destruction, and oppression surged forth, causing all the death row inmates to tremble and hide at the edges, as if fearful of attracting the Titan Executioner¡¯s attention.


    Ash glanced at Valcas and instinctively took a step back.


    ¡°Get out of the way, don¡¯t block me,¡± Valcas said coldly.


    Every cell in Ash¡¯s body was urging him to run; after all, with Valcas and the Titan Executioner being so powerful, his presence or absence made no difference.


    But as he looked down, he noticed Valcas¡¯s hand gripping the sword hilt was trembling.


    After a few seconds, Valcas looked at Ash, who was trembling beside him, and scoffed, ¡°Really? Are you so scared that you can¡¯t even run away?¡±


    At that moment, Ash was also holding a sword, his hands shaking so much that the blade blurred, and as he spoke, his teeth clattered, ¡°Back in school, I noticed some classmates had no one to play with. They went to the restroom alone during the breaks, stood aside during physical education, and no one would team up with them during spring or autumn outings... I would always deliberately hang out with them, chat with them, play sports with them, and stay on the teacher¡¯s team with them...¡±


    ¡°Hypocrite,¡± Valcas sneered. ¡°You were just satisfying your condescending sympathy, earning applause from onlookers by pitying them, gaining emotional satisfaction by giving to them, and even satisfying your pathetic desire for control by managing them. No different from a slave owner, except the chains you imposed were called friendship, not violence.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know I am just a pretentious drama queen. I actually detested some traits in them, yet I contacted them to fulfill those dark thoughts. So, as I grew up, I rarely kept in touch with them...¡± Ash said, ¡°But at one reunion, a classmate told me he was grateful that I was willing to hang out with him back then. If not for me, he might have remained aloof... He has now found a girlfriend, is planning to get married, and even wants to invite me as his best man...¡±


    Valcas raised his eyebrows slightly, his face showing a hint of confusion, ¡°Get married, best man?¡±


    ¡°Anyway...¡± Ash¡¯s body wasn¡¯t trembling so much anymore as he looked towards the distant Titan Executioner, ¡°Just think of it as satisfying my hypocrisy, and let me stay here for a while. When it comes, I¡¯ll leave.¡±


    ¡°Boring, irrational, meaningless. I can¡¯t understand why you would do this, especially since we were fighting to the death just yesterday... Or are you trying to cultivate a kind persona in front of the audience to set the stage for the next Blood Moon Judgement?¡±


    ¡°So there¡¯s such a strategy, thanks for the reminder. Then I definitely have to stay until the last second before running. Later, don¡¯t stop me and don¡¯t mind me. A hypocrite like me will surely run faster than anyone else when danger arises.¡±


    Valcas was silent for a moment, calmly watching the incredibly oppressive Titan Executioner.


    ¡°Suit yourself.¡±


    Ash tried to muster a smile, but a heavy footstep made his scalp go numb.


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Step by step, the Titan Executioner approached, the intense vibrations transmitting along the steel lines to the platform, causing the convicts to be unable to even stand steadily.


    As it walked, it raised its weapons, each bearing a Four-winged Technique Spirit; the spaces it swept through collapsed, and the time it walked through twisted, making the whole world seem to revolve around it!


    ¡°The Titan Executioner is different from other executioners,¡±


    Nagu¡¯s voice came from the light screen, particularly clear under this terrifying oppressive force.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t, like the Torture Executioner, use whips to awaken the convict¡¯s conscience; nor, like the Blade Executioner, use fresh blood to cleanse the convict¡¯s sins; nor, like the Soul-sucking Executioner, use endless nightmares to make the convict empathize...¡±


    ¡°It only uses the most powerful Miracle to grant the convict instant redemption. Regardless of whether the convict is male or female, strong or weak, it goes all out, this is its greatest respect for each life.¡±


    ¡°It uses solemn death to forge the immortality of Blood Moon.¡±


    ¡°Facing the Titan Executioner, most convicts choose a heart-and-soul transformation, accepting Blood Moon¡¯s redemption. However, Mr. Uer seems to be planning to coordinate with the Titan Executioner to offer us a splendid performance.¡±


    Ash turned his head to see Valcas already in a sword stance, his wings spreading wide, a sparkling Two-winged Technique Spirit dancing on the tip of his sword!


    ¡°Although no one has ever escaped a Blood Moon Judgement, no convict has ever given up hope for a Miracle,¡± declared Nagu loudly, ¡°Let¡¯s see if Valcas Uer can create a Miracle!¡±


    ¡°Or, in front of Kaimon City¡¯s justice, kneel in repentance?¡±


    Boom!


    Again a thunderous footstep, Ash was almost getting used to it, but this time, dozens of crimson chains suddenly shot out from the ground, pulling him down and forcing him to kneel!


    ¡°What is this!?¡± Ash struggled desperately, but could not break free from the chains; they seemed to grow together with Ash¡¯s joints, and whenever Ash dared to stand up, the chains viciously tugged on his joint nerves, causing him so much pain that he could only crouch down in agony.


    ¡°The first Miracle, Earth Judgement!¡± introduced Nagu, ¡°The footsteps of the Titan are the footsteps of justice, and the Earth responds to this hope!¡±


    Ding! Ding! Ding!


    Valcas swung his sword, cutting the crimson chains, seeing that Ash was caught in this trap, he seemed to want to help Ash, but just then, the night sky suddenly filled with a howling!


    Dang! Dang! Dang!


    Valcas suddenly performed a swift and elaborate Elven sword dance on the spot, as if fighting an invisible enemy. Ash looked closely and realized that invisible Wind Blades were sweeping in from all directions; if Valcas stopped, what awaited him was a fate of being sliced into pieces!


    Wait, why is only Valcas getting hit, and I¡¯m fine?


    ¡°The second Miracle, Sky Judgement!¡± said Nagu, ¡°Any stubborn fool who refuses to kneel and repent will receive a counsel from the sky!¡±


    ¡°When the sky and earth complete the blockade, the next will be the third Miracle: the Judgement of the Masses!¡±


    ¡°The Titan Executioner will grant death equally to every redeemer!¡±


    Ash lifted his head, only to realize that the Titan Executioner had already covered most of the distance, only a few steps away from the platform!


    Now, as he kneeled and looked up, he felt even more the enormity and horror of the Titan Executioner!


    The overwhelming pressure from that colossal being was almost enough to stagnate his thoughts!


    His remaining rationality roared wildly in his mind: Run!


    Right, run... escape?


    Ash looked at the crimson chains on his body and blinked.


    Oh dear.

 Chapter 61 - 59: The Opportunity to Trample the Elf

    Chapter 61: Chapter 59: The Opportunity to Trample the Elf


    It¡¯s over!


    Ash looked at the crimson chains covering his body and fell into a bewildered stupor.


    Let¡¯s not talk about how he could break free from these chains; even if he did, the wind blades above his head weren¡¯t there to cool him off.


    The wind blades were only targeting Valcas now because he was resisting fiercely. Once Ash stopped playing dead, it was hard to say whether the blades would turn on him, an easy target.


    Moreover, Ash couldn¡¯t break free from the crimson chains at all!


    It was over; he was definitely going to die. Should he call out for the Sword Maiden? But all she could do was stand by and watch...


    Just when Ash was trying to empty his mind, preparing himself for his final moments, he suddenly felt himself move.


    No, it wasn¡¯t him moving; it was the ground.


    Ash looked down and saw that the ground beneath him seemed to have ¡®come to life,¡¯ carrying him backwards while the crimson chains didn¡¯t react at all. After all, the chains were attached to the ground; naturally, they¡¯d move along with it.


    Could it be that the Earth¡¯s intelligence recognized him as an eco-friendly person with a beautiful heart and soul, thus saving his worthless life?


    However, when Ash was carried to the edge of the platform and saw Harvey summoning a Technique Spirit to control the earth, he was deeply moved by this sincere prison friendship.


    ¡°Could you find me the next time you want to die? I¡¯m good at what I do and even offer after-sales service. You just need to give me your Technique Spirit as payment before you die,¡± Harvey hissed. ¡°If the Executioner accidentally kills a non-judgment target, there¡¯s a chance it could go berserk and attack indiscriminately. There were one or two such incidents before, and it usually ended with all the death row inmates wiped out!¡±


    ¡°...I was just about to come to terms with your.... preferences.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Why do you have an Earth Magic Technique Spirit? Aren¡¯t you from the Necromancy Faction?¡±


    ¡°Nowadays, burial methods are generally in-earth, cremation, and water burial. As a Necromancer, mastering Earth Magic, Fire Technique, and Water Magic is essential, otherwise how can you be a Necromancer?¡±


    Well, Ash thought, he¡¯d assumed that scavenging off corpses was just a part-time job for a Necromancer, not that the main career path for Necromancers was actually working in a funeral home.


    Clang!


    Valcas suddenly thrust his sword into the ground, and a deep yellow Sword Qi erupted from the earth like a barrier, enveloping Valcas¡¯s entire body and shielding him from the chaotic wind blades outside.


    ¡°Miracle ¡¤ Sword Barrier,¡± Nagu appreciated. ¡°A very decent swordsmanship defense miracle, but it will only allow Mr. Uer a brief respite. Such futile struggle, such toil, such humility. But rest assured, everyone, the Titan Executioner will relieve him of his pain swiftly... oh?¡±


    Facing the Titan Executioner, coming at him like a landslip and tsunami, Valcas did not retreat or show fear. Instead, he adopted an Elven sword stance, called forth several Technique Spirits, glowed resplendently, his long sword rang out clearly, and amidst the howling wind, a mournful symphony of lethal music played as if the Death God himself had descended!


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, Mr. Uer is now preparing a new swordsmanship miracle he developed as a research scholar, the Heartless Final Chapter,¡± Nagu said, seemingly excited as well. ¡°His last research report was published nine years ago. At that time, the Heartless Final Chapter was too complicated in its casting steps to enter practical testing, but nine years have passed, and Mr. Uer has now completed the Heartless Final Chapter, even thinking to use it to contend against the Judgement!¡±


    Elf swords dance, the dirge plays, the underdog resists, the criminal defies judgment!


    Watching the lonely figure in front of the Titan Executioner, Ash couldn¡¯t help but ask Harvey, ¡°Why him?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Why did he manage to get 50% of the votes? It should have been me who got the most Redemption Tickets, considering the crimes and exposure. No matter how I think about it, it wasn¡¯t supposed to be Valcas who topped the votes, let alone with an absolute majority of 50%... What exactly did he do wrong to incite such wrath?¡±


    Harvey glanced at Ash, ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s obvious? I¡¯ve seen his criminal record; it¡¯s very ordinary. It¡¯s nothing compared to yours.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the mistake that¡¯s recorded in the criminal record.¡±


    ¡°What is the mistake?¡±


    ¡°The mistake of his appearance, the mistake of his lineage, the mistake of his birth.¡±


    Ash blinked.


    ¡°He is an Elf, and that is his greatest mistake.¡±


    Harvey said, ¡°In appearance, martial prowess, wisdom, longevity, Elves are at an advantage over other races in almost every aspect. And with their numbers being few, for the sake of preserving their racial interests, the few Elves are more inclined to band together to help each other. The wise Elves are never stingy with the effort to assist their kin.¡±


    ¡°Elves are almost always adopted by the best caregivers and are regarded as ¡®society¡¯s housekeepers,¡¯ widely engaged in various managerial positions. With the longevity of the Elves, combined with their excellent looks and outstanding knowledge, other races can hardly compete with Elves in management positions. And though it is said that the status of a manager and an employee are equal, everyone knows that¡¯s just lip service.¡±


    ¡°Who among those who have worked hasn¡¯t experienced the brutality of an Ogre colleague, the laziness of a Goblin coworker, the sloppiness of a Beastman teammate, and the harshness of an Elf supervisor?¡±


    ¡°In the history of the Blood Moon Judgement in Kaimon City, not a single Elf criminal has ever appeared. Apart from the fact that Elves are almost all upper-class in society with no need to commit crimes, it is also because Elves protect each other, forming a united front with their blood ties, something other races cannot do.¡±


    ¡°Goblins are shortsighted, Beastmen are ignorant, Ogres are cunning, humans are selfish... In the presence of Elves, all we can feel is... inferiority.¡±


    ¡°Even I just cast a vote for Valcas a moment ago.¡±


    Harvey whispered, ¡°This might be the only chance for most people to trample on an Elf.¡±


    Ash looked again at the Titan Executioner, but this time, he saw not a fierce Monster but a murky Anger, a colossal pressure of hysteria condensed from countless ordinary people.


    Although Ash had not seen any ordinary people apart from the Sword Maidens¡ªaside from Prison Guards, there were only death row inmates in prison¡ªhe could understand the thoughts of ordinary people outside.


    It was the despair born under an orderly society, the Anger resulting from facing an unbridgeable chasm.


    In the socialized upbringing of the Kingdom of Blood Moon, most people are divided into hierarchies from infancy, those with high potential going to good caregivers and those with low potential to poor ones, starting off stratified and winding up worlds apart as they grow up.


    Those born well, like the Elves, engage in respectable Professions, and becoming a Mage is no rarity; those born poor, as Ash saw from the criminal histories of Goblins, Beastmen, and Ogres, end up in manual labor or as thugs, with dead-end lives.


    And those at the bottom even lack the right to complain.


    Because those who are of higher status than you are simply better than you. Everyone comes from the same caregivers, with no capital beyond their abilities.


    It¡¯s just that your Talent is better than mine, that¡¯s why you went to a better caregiver, thus being able to accumulate wealth like a snowball, finally standing above me.


    A society divided by ability nearly obliterates the courage to transcend class.


    Ash fully understood the meaning of the Blood Moon Judgement.


    Under such suffocating class barriers, everyone¡¯s desire for a better life was completely suppressed, twisted desires only breeds Resentment and Hatred.


    When order dictates you will never come out on top your whole life, breaking the chains becomes a matter of time, especially in the Kingdom of Blood Moon where the family system has completely disappeared, leaving everyone isolated with no concerns for the repercussions of their actions.


    Therefore, it is essential to tell people three things: first, breaking the law will lead to a miserable death; second, those of high status can also die miserably; third, the content among you, you are the most fortunate.


    Ash was a sacrifice, Harvey was a sacrifice, the convicts were all sacrifices, and Valcas was the most satisfying sacrifice of all.


    Just as the Titan Executioner was poised to strike at the critical moment, Valcas suddenly turned his head and glanced at Ash.


    Ash was taken aback.


    Why are you looking at me?


    However, in the next second, the convicts around Ash scrambled away from him and Harvey went so far as to haul land to get away, leaving Ash to understand immediately.


    Damn, Valcas isn¡¯t thinking of using me as a corpse cushion, is he?!

 Chapter 62 - 60 The Trial Concludes

    Chapter 62: Chapter 60 The Trial Concludes


    How long had Ash known Valcas?


    A day, actually less than an hour in total.


    What was their interaction like?


    They fought tooth and nail, Ash covered in blood from cuts by Valcas, his own throat sliced open by Ash.


    Ash suddenly recalled, when he asked yesterday, ¡°What trouble would it bring if you lost to me?¡± Valcas¡¯s answer was very intriguing.


    ¡°You¡¯ll know tomorrow.¡±


    Theoretically, losing a match to Ash shouldn¡¯t bother Valcas¡ªhis contribution points were plentiful.


    Just like Igula, who lost even more to Ash, isn¡¯t he lying comfortably on his dorm bed, sipping wine and slicing steak right now?


    Therefore, Valcas being selected for the Blood Moon Judgement list couldn¡¯t possibly be because his contribution points ranked at the very bottom¡ªit was a deliberate setup!


    After all, the list for judgement wasn¡¯t bound to follow the order of contribution points. There was a plethora of rules to exploit, allowing the administrator to legally and legitimately send Valcas to his doom!


    But why was it arranged this way?


    Because he lost to Ash¡ªthat was the price for incompetence, Selin¡¯s punishment for him!


    And it wasn¡¯t just that.


    The preferential treatment Elves received during the Blood Moon Judgement was almost predictable; the moment Valcas appeared in the judgement broadcast, his fate was nearly sealed.


    What would a proud, sharp-tongued Elf do when moments before being smashed into pulp, he noticed among the execution candidates was one who not only slit his throat the day before but could even be considered the primary cause of his downfall...


    What would he do?


    So-called fate is nothing but an inevitable, logical conclusion.


    What a deal¡ªgetting more without paying extra... Ash let out a bitter laugh, deeply admiring the orchestrator of it all, Professor Selin.


    It was a blatant yet calculated scheme. Without Valcas in the judgement, who knows what might go wrong for Ash, but Valcas being there removed any unpredictability from the voting round, and his resentment assured that Ash would go down with him!


    When Ash agreed to the death duel with Valcas, his fate had already been authored by Selin¡ª


    he¡¯d either be crushed into mud by Valcas in the duel,


    or taken down with him on the stage of judgement!


    Now no one would save him. Who in the prison didn¡¯t know of his enmity with Valcas? Anyone approaching him now would be voluntarily freeing up a dormitory slot for the prison.


    Harvey looked at Ash with a gaze that was both regretful and anticipatory, as if lamenting that such excellent material would be wasted by the Titan Executioner; now all they could do was hope that one more dead convict wouldn¡¯t send the Executioner into a frenzy.


    The music in the air suddenly intensified stimulatingly. Valcas within the Sword Qi barrier let out a roar incongruent with his appearance, a visible wave of energy emanating from him, causing Ash and the others to feel a numbing softness in their bodies, even the Purification Flame of the Titan Executioner seemed to dim a bit.


    ¡°What a beautiful Sound Technique Shock!¡±


    Nagu explained to the audience while on tiptoes, peering out: ¡°I can¡¯t determine the specific Technique Spirit, but it must be from the Sound Technique school. Due to the way Sound Techniques transmit, Mages prefer to use them to afflict enemies with negative status effects and lower their resistance, rather than direct attacks.¡±


    ¡°First, use Sound Technique to intimidate and reduce resistance, then strike a fatal blow with swordsmanship¡ªthis was Mr. Uer¡¯s favored battle strategy!¡±


    ¡°The Heartless Finale, a Composite Miracle with swordsmanship as its core, mixed with multiple factions!


    Cling!


    With a chime of a sword, suddenly the world fell silent.


    All sounds ceased¡ªthe sounds of the waves, the wind, Nagu¡¯s voice, the vibrations, even heartbeats¡ªin an instant, tranquility fell as though hearing was completely blocked.


    In that extreme silence, Ash watched Valcas leap high, like a meteor piercing the sun, aiming for the Titan Executioner, the brilliant Sword Light overshadowing the moon¡¯s crimson.


    The moment the sword tip touched the Titan Executioner¡¯s body, all sounds returned, but everyone wished they were deaf!


    Ting!


    As though all the disappeared sounds erupted simultaneously, an indescribable noise blasted from Valcas¡¯s sword, the intense vibration piercing through the air and exploding into a storm-like pressure, warping even the beams of light!


    Even the Titan Executioner was penetrated in defense and halted in advance!


    ¡°Two-winged... Miracle... To reach such a degree...¡±


    Nagu¡¯s voice came intermittently.


    But no one was watching the Light Screen anymore; all the convicts were wide-eyed, admiring the dazzling moment.


    As strong as Valcas¡¯s sword strike was, the convicts had seen more grandiose Miracles; like when a storm disrupts a major corporation¡¯s outdoor promotion event, a collective of Meteorological Mages would cast spells to disperse the rain clouds and bring back sunny weather, that¡¯s much cooler.


    What truly dazzled everyone was Valcas¡¯s courage to attack the Titan Executioner head-on.


    Although the convicts were unrestrained for execution, most redeemers either resisted hysterically or gave up completely, waiting for release.


    The prison allowed them to use force, but it was merely to spice up the show. No one believed they could resist the Executioner, nor would anyone allow them to survive the judgement. Redemption was the only end for convicts.


    Everyone knew Valcas¡¯s resistance was futile.


    But they were all hoping for a Miracle, hoping for a hero.


    Even villains desire a hero who can save villains.


    ¡°Just being able to delay the Titan Executioner speaks volumes about the value of this Miracle. If Mr. Uer releases this Miracle, he¡¯d undoubtedly take the Kaimon Academic Award this year,¡± Nagu said. ¡°It¡¯s just a pity...¡±


    Foom!


    The Purification Flames on the Titan Executioner¡¯s body suddenly began to spin, each flame slicing like a sharp blade. Valcas was struck by a blue flame, his Sword Qi barrier instantly shattered, and his body flew out like a kite with a broken string!


    Lorenz commented calmly from behind the Light Screen:


    ¡°The moment the Titan Executioner appeared, it incorporated the Purification Flames into its own Miracle System, blending the Purification Flames into the ¡®Miracle ¡¤ Counterattack Storm.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Any sinner who tries to challenge justice, to resist judgement, will have the damage they inflict on the Executioner reflected back upon them equally.¡±


    ¡°When you harm others, you must be prepared to be harmed yourself. Sinners often fail to understand this.¡±


    Valcas tumbled across the ground several times, covered in wounds, vomiting fresh blood.


    Despite this, he still clutched the sword in his hand, never once releasing his grip.


    Suddenly, multiple Technique Spirits emerged from his body, each one riddled with holes and cracks, rapidly dissipating into points of light after escaping!


    ¡°As a Two-winged Mage challenging a Titan Executioner, even if a miracle, the cost is not small.¡±


    Lorenz said: ¡°The scene just now that turned the space into a realm of silence was almost comparable to the Three-winged Holy Realm miracle in might, but the price was that most of Mr. Uer¡¯s Sound Technique Spirits were overloaded and dissipated.¡±


    At that moment, the Titan Executioner unfolded its eight arms and opened its six eyes wide, radiating blood-red light that illuminated Shattered Lake for a thousand miles, dispelling the night for tens of thousands!


    When it looked towards Valcas, it was as if the whole world was collapsing!


    Its eight arms were not arms, but wings composed of the world, covering the sky and enveloping everything!


    ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Lorenz clapped softly: ¡°Let us bid farewell to Valcas Uer as he ascends to the Heavenly Kingdom of Blood Moon, may he continue to serve the Extreme Master of Blood Moon with utmost benevolence and goodness in the distant heavens.¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Valcas coughed up filthy blood containing fragments of his organs and shattered teeth, his leg bones seemed to have broken, the lower half of his body nearly unable to move, only able to prop up his body with the long sword.


    He had never been so ragged before, with half an ear torn off, one eyeball burst out, his body filthy, his features ferocious, bloodstains fleeing down his facial pores...


    Selin Dor watched this scene...


    Ares was also watching this scene...


    No, he wasn¡¯t looking; he was only seven years old and couldn¡¯t watch the Blood Moon Judgement... Thank goodness...


    But it was so close, just a little more and he could have taken Ares out of this city to start a new life...


    And the reason he ended up in this state was because...


    Valcas didn¡¯t look towards the Titan Executioner, but scanned the great platform, his gaze chasing Ash¡¯s figure.


    Underneath the blood and disheveled hair, the Elf¡¯s remaining eye conveyed a complexity of emotions that no one could comprehend.


    ¡°Ash Heath...¡±


    He called out with a teeth-clenched wheeze.


    Boom!


    Lightning, blazes, frost, acid, shocks, melt; eight different forces roared in extension from the Titan Executioner¡¯s weapons, and in an instant, it was like the apocalypse.


    Shattered Lake boiled over, the night sky trembled!


    Valcas seemed oblivious, holding his long sword upside down, desperately trying to keep his only eye wide open, staring at Ash as if his eyeball was about to leap out and bite Ash!


    Multiple Technique Spirits even emerged from the sword¡¯s blade, shimmering with light!


    As the judgment fell, Valcas threw his long sword!


    Ash tried to dodge, but the red chains restricted his movements, and Valcas¡¯s Flying Sword was enhanced with Technique Spirits, it was as fast as a flash of light and could even change direction!


    After flinging his long sword, Valcas seemed to have found peace, yet tears of blood suddenly poured from his clouded eyes, and he whispered softly to himself:


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡±


    Snap!


    The instant he was swallowed by the Judgement Light, Valcas completely disappeared from the world, leaving not even a trace of remains.


    Zi!


    The long sword pierced Ash¡¯s throat, its powerful kinetic energy nearly tearing his neck apart!


    ...


    Inside the Red Mist internet cafe?¡¯s Light Screen, Ash, with a sword pierced through his throat and chained all over, did not fall but knelt on the ground with his eyes looking up to the Blood Moon, embodying a scene reminiscent of a saint¡¯s suffering.


    The patrons were all slightly stunned by this impactful image, until an Elf from the Blood Saint Clan stood up and laughed aloud:


    ¡°Haha, I bet that Ash would be killed by Valcas, and I was right! Tonight¡¯s expenses are on me!¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± The others got up one after another: ¡°To Mr. Bel¡¯s generosity, to the justice of Blood Moon Judgement, cheers!¡±


    Lorenz also stood up and raised his glass.


    ¡°Cheers!¡±


    He saw the bar owner, a serpent, looking amused and couldn¡¯t help asking: ¡°Boss, you lost a big sum of money, how come you¡¯re still so happy?¡±


    ¡°Sss, he won this time, he¡¯s bound to lose it back next time, and besides, the cafe?¡¯s mine too, the money¡¯s still coming back to me. And...¡±


    ¡°And what?¡±


    The serpent owner glanced at the Light Screen: ¡°Sss, who says he won the bet?¡±

 Chapter 63 - 61 Greatly Shocked

    Chapter 63: Chapter 61 Greatly Shocked


    Ash lifted the towel covering his face and propped himself up to sit.


    His first instinct was to check his neck, but he didn¡¯t find any scars.


    ¡°That¡¯s weird, you actually didn¡¯t use me as an experiment subject for surgery.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already done.¡±


    The Medical Practitioner, labeled [222], sitting at the foot of the bed, didn¡¯t even lift her head, still looking down at the book in her hands, the beak of her crow mask twitching.


    ¡°The surgery is completed, and it was a success. You¡¯ve turned into a handsome guy now.¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    Ash hurriedly looked around for a mirror, but there were none nearby. The Medical Practitioner snickered, ¡°Just kidding. Actually, repairing your throat was too simple and didn¡¯t take much time, so I went ahead and performed a few minor surgeries on you while you were still asleep.¡±


    Ash breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°So what surgeries did you do on me?¡±


    ¡°The Dafi technique to open up the eye corners, the Elas technique to adjust the eyebrows, the Rocha technique to adjust the chin, the Elas technique to make eyelashes naturally curled...¡±


    The more Ash heard, the more confused he became.


    ¡°How similar do I look to my former self now?¡±


    ¡°You should look quite similar, after all, both have two eyes, a mouth, and a nose.¡±


    ¡°Is this what you call ¡®not a major change¡¯? Would a ¡®major change¡¯ involve swapping out my head?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily, swapping heads is still quite dangerous.¡± The Medical Practitioner gestured, ¡°The popular big surgeries among mages involve exchanging all your features, like changing your eyes for an eagle¡¯s, your teeth for a transforming shark¡¯s, your nose for a fanged wolf¡¯s, and your ears for those of a bat demon... It¡¯s quite common to swap limbs and internal organs too. Recently, mechanical prosthetics are a very trendy enhancement direction.¡±


    Geez, so mages have already tapped into the bio-augmentation tech tree, huh?


    No wonder Ash saw someone in the prison with rabbit ears and wild boar fangs¡ªback then, he thought that rabbits and wild boars could cross species barriers to mate?


    Turns out it wasn¡¯t beasts going wild but mages playing gods.


    Ash curiously looked at the Medical Practitioner, ¡°Have you undergone such extensive modifications?¡±


    The Medical Practitioner hesitated for a moment, ¡°Sort of.¡±


    ¡°Oh~¡± Ash stared at the Medical Practitioner¡¯s crow mask, ¡°I see...¡±


    The Medical Practitioner knew well what Ash was thinking, and with hands on her hips, she said, ¡°I¡¯m not as ugly as you are, my face has always been perfect, no need for changes.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you changed something other than your face.¡± Ash scanned the Medical Practitioner¡¯s body, but unfortunately, she was wearing a loose robe that revealed no contours or traces.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m wondering if your fingers could extend a Phillips screwdriver.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no screwdriver, only an ear scoop. Do you want to try it?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Enough chatter, here.¡±


    The Medical Practitioner pulled out ten silver coins from her purse and placed them on the bedside table, then waved her hand.


    Ash pointed at the silver coins, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree? You let me operate, and I¡¯ll pay you. I practiced ten techniques, so I give you ten silver coins, which is reasonable.¡±


    ¡°No, I meant, wasn¡¯t it paid with gold coins before?¡±


    ¡°I went and asked other Medical Practitioners, and they said they don¡¯t pay anyone for practicing techniques, at most people are given silver coins. Nobody pays with gold coins!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just indecisive, you know. One should stand firm in their beliefs and not blindly follow others; otherwise, if others eat shit, would you eat it too?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making a good point. I didn¡¯t really want to give you money in my heart, I can¡¯t fall for your enchantment again¡ª¡±


    ¡°But occasionally taking advice from others is also a good quality.¡± Ash quickly scooped up the silver coins.


    The Medical Practitioner almost laughed, but quickly suppressed the smile, ¡°You¡¯ve really become famous this time. You are the only criminal in the history of Kaimon City who was injured during the Blood Moon Judgement but survived.¡±


    ¡°The only one? Weren¡¯t there any convicts who got accidentally injured during the Judgement before?¡±


    ¡°There were, but they couldn¡¯t be saved and were immediately torn to shreds by the Executioner. Cases like yours, where you were killed by another convict but the wound was too superficial not to save, thus violating the Life Rescue Law, are truly one of a kind.¡±


    Ash still couldn¡¯t get used to this world¡¯s categorization of injuries; his near decapitation was seen as a minor injury that could be treated with just a band-aid.


    ¡°Once you¡¯re out, remember to figure out a way to earn more contribution points, lest you be chosen for the next Blood Moon Judgement. There won¡¯t be an elf to shield you next time.¡±


    Ash looked at the Medical Practitioner with curiosity, ¡°So concerned about me? Did you develop feelings while treating me?¡±


    ¡°You almost come in for treatment every day. If the prison had a few more exemplary prisoners like you, I might be able to leave this place after another month or two of hard work.¡±


    The Medical Practitioner shrugged, ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯ve become very proficient in quite a few techniques.¡±


    ¡°When you leave, can you take me with you? I¡¯ll agree to be your experimental subject for three years¡ªpretty good deal, right?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind being carried away in three different boxes, I have no problem, and the prison would agree to let you go.¡±


    Ash smacked his lips. ¡°After you take it out, can you put it back together?¡±


    ¡°If I were a Four-winged Legendary Mage, I probably could, and I might even install some upgrades for you.¡±


    ¡°So, are you?¡±


    ¡°If I were, I wouldn¡¯t have the time to talk such nonsense with you.¡±


    The Medical Practitioner crossed her arms. ¡°And you¡¯re still thinking about breaking out of prison, tsk tsk tsk, after undergoing a Blood Moon Judgement, have you not given up such childish thoughts?¡±


    ¡°As a spirited young man, who wouldn¡¯t think about breaking out every night? And who could stay here after witnessing the Blood Moon Judgement with their own eyes?¡± Ash clenched his fists. ¡°I¡¯m determined to break out of this prison!¡±


    ¡°Good luck, and remember to be safe when you escape. Try to keep your body intact, if possible.¡±


    Ash moved closer to the Medical Practitioner. ¡°Do you have any good ideas for breaking out?¡±


    The Medical Practitioner glared at him with a beak-like grimace. ¡°Don¡¯t think that just because I made you a bit more handsome, I won¡¯t report you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so tense, after what you¡¯ve done to me, let¡¯s just chat as if it¡¯s post-surgery downtime.¡± Ash was unconcerned. ¡°Treat it as a puzzle game, if you were falsely accused and locked up in Shattered Lake Prison, how would you plan to escape?¡±


    ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t be falsely accused.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so sure?¡±


    ¡°Because there¡¯s the Memory Master, right? A check of my memories would show that I¡¯m innocent.¡±


    Ash also recalled this and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Don¡¯t you find that somewhat... unpleasant?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s unpleasant about it?¡± The Medical Practitioner seemed perplexed.


    ¡°I mean, having someone search your memories. Don¡¯t you think memories are a very important private matter that shouldn¡¯t be subjected to searches?¡±


    ¡°And you still claim you¡¯re innocent? Isn¡¯t that just freedom terrorism?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°Only terrorists harboring ill intentions and nefarious plots would wish to abolish the memory review system. They even have more outrageous demands, like unbinding the Miracle Chip, granting pregnant women the right to choose abortion, even publicizing records of reproductive pairing... You seem very nervous?¡±


    Ash swallowed hard. ¡°Women can¡¯t choose to have an abortion?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, if the fetus is found to have any congenital disease or hereditary defects, abortion is mandatory.¡±


    ¡°Mandatory?¡±


    ¡°Mandatory.¡±


    ¡°What if the fetus is healthy?¡±


    ¡°Then you must give birth.¡±


    ¡°Without asking for the woman¡¯s opinion?¡±


    ¡°Why would you ask?¡± The Medical Practitioner found it odd. ¡°Would a pregnant woman refuse? Each childbirth subsidy is roughly equivalent to three years¡¯ salary of a medium profession, varying slightly with race. If you¡¯re a Mage, you even get a bigger subsidy, a 100% bonus for the first childbirth and an additional 50% bonus for having children at the recommended age.¡±


    ¡°Unless she is a talented Female Mage who doesn¡¯t want to waste a moment, most women will have their first childbirth during the guided period, and whether there are second or third ones depends on personal nightlife. Anyway, it¡¯s only a bit inconvenient during pregnancy. After giving birth, the infant is sent to a nursery, and the woman can receive the birth fund on the same day.¡±


    Ash was shocked and suddenly looked at the Medical Practitioner with a strange gaze. ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°What about me?¡±


    ¡°Did you... receive the birth fund?¡±


    The Medical Practitioner hesitated slightly. ¡°I can¡¯t give birth.¡±


    Ash quickly apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    The Medical Practitioner waved it off. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to apologize for; I don¡¯t need that money. But, are you actually one of those who support the right for women to have authority over their abortion? That puts you on the more radical side of freedom terrorists.¡±


    Ash wiped the sweat from his forehead. ¡°Is that considered radical?¡±


    ¡°Of course, supporting abortion rights is the same as promoting a reduction in birth rates. Races like humans and Beastmen might be okay, but races like Elves and Meiwas, who struggle with low birth rates, despise such rhetoric the most. A councilor who suggested this was promptly embroiled in scandals and removed from office.¡±


    ¡°Advocating for the abolition of the memory inspection system is the same as increasing the difficulty of criminal investigations and creating a favorable environment for law-breaking. Only those intending to commit crimes would support such rhetoric, not even councilors would propose such populism.¡±


    ¡°Likewise, supporting the unbinding of Miracle Chips is akin to advocating for removing Chains from the necks of criminals, complicating their capture and heightening the likelihood of them recommitting crimes...¡±


    ¡°But all of you have Miracle Chips, so aren¡¯t you all wearing Chains? Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± Ash asked.


    ¡°You say that as if you¡¯re not one of us.¡±


    The Medical Practitioner gave Ash a strange look.


    ¡°Besides, we¡¯re not breaking the law, so why should we be afraid? Only those who disrupt public order and commit crimes would be.¡±


    It made sense, and Ash had no reply.


    He realized that in the Kingdom of Blood Moon, the Medical Practitioner¡¯s view was the common view. Since they all accepted this social control system, it meant this approach was relatively correct. The incorrect ones were convicts facing the death penalty in prison, like Ash himself.


    I never thought I would become a freedom terrorist here, considering I was a law-abiding, tax-paying citizen who supported surveillance in my past life...


    ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the point as if you were like me, accused of being the leader of The Gods of Four Pillars cult, with the Crime Hunting Hall too afraid to search your memories, locked up in Shattered Lake Prison. How would you think of escaping?¡±


    ¡°Are you really falsely accused...?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a game, think of it as a brain teaser! Though I heard Medical Practitioners generally don¡¯t excel in logical thinking, is this game too difficult for you?¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯d fall for such a childish trick? Do I look like a child to you!¡± The Medical Practitioner turned her head away and snorted. ¡°But isn¡¯t the way out of prison obvious? It¡¯s only you who couldn¡¯t see it.¡±

 Chapter 64 - 62 Damn, he got away with it

    Chapter 64: Chapter 62 Damn, he got away with it


    ¡°How did you get in? That¡¯s how you¡¯ll get out.¡±


    Ash instantly understood, ¡°You mean... the ship that transports death row inmates?¡±


    The Medical Practitioner nodded. ¡°Shattered Lake Prison is located in the middle of Shattered Lake; apart from ships and flights, there are no other means of transportation. However, the nearby airspace is a military no-fly zone, where all flying objects are scanned and verified, and objects without flight permission are shot down by the ¡®Lex Rapid-Fire Cannons¡¯ installed by the prison; while the waters are teeming with Finger Sharks, making it almost impossible for anyone but the Fishman Race¡ªeven for Mages specializing in defense¡ªto swim away undetected.¡±


    ¡°The method of escape has always been the same: to leave on the ship that transports death row inmates. Even we and the Prison Guards have to use that ship to travel to and from Shattered Lake Prison, no exceptions. The prison supplies are also delivered during the transportation of the prisoners.¡±


    Although it was clear that the ship would be heavily guarded, making it impossible for death row inmates to hide and escape, at least it provided Ash with the right direction of thinking, preventing him from awkwardly disturbing the Finger Sharks during their feeding time while attempting to dig through the sewer system to escape.


    ¡°Is there really no exception?¡±


    Ash asked casually without much expectation, however, the Medical Practitioner, after pondering for a moment, nodded.


    ¡°There actually is one: according to the law, if a mayor faces extremely serious allegations during their tenure but similar key evidence like memory evidence isn¡¯t found, the mayor must immediately resign from all posts and be temporarily detained in the nearest Blood Moon Prison¡ªKaimon City has only Shattered Lake Prison for such purpose¡ªto await isolation until the Crime Hunting Hall¡¯s investigation is completed; thereafter, they either resume their post or are imprisoned locally.¡±


    Ash was somewhat surprised, ¡°If no memory evidence can be found, doesn¡¯t that imply innocence?¡±


    The Medical Practitioner nodded and then shook his head, ¡°Generally, that¡¯s true, but among Mages, there exist Technique Spirits capable of reprogramming memories, such as ¡®overwrite¡¯, ¡®cut¡¯, and ¡®erase¡¯. Even though memory editing is a severe crime, punishable severely whether it involves the Mage or the subject, many unscrupulous politicians and council members reprogram memories; the Crime Hunting Hall can¡¯t immediately differentiate the real from the fake.¡±


    ¡°Thus, for investigations involving significant figures, we usually search the memories of all associated persons as their memories can also serve as evidence for conviction. If no evidence is found, it would mean it¡¯s a false accusation.¡±


    ¡°Has there ever been an incident where a mayor was imprisoned?¡±


    ¡°In history, there are probably three or four instances? I only remember that each time ended with the mayor resuming their position, their reputation greatly enhanced, even winning reelection.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean the mayor was innocent?¡±


    ¡°People generally believe so,¡± the Medical Practitioner said indifferently, ¡°After all, there was no flaw found in the process.¡±


    ¡°But even the best systems are carried out by people.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you told the Hunters when you were caught?¡±


    That topic quickly passed, as the incident of mayoral prison isolation was too rare to be considered in their plan.


    Ash then proposed several far-fetched ideas, such as disguising as a Prison Guard, hanging on the underside of the ship, or hiding in a trash bucket; the Medical Practitioner rejected all his suggestions, expressing fear at his last idea.


    During their conversation, a bell suddenly rang outside; the Medical Practitioner exclaimed, ¡°It¡¯s already 12 o¡¯clock, you should hurry back to your dormitory. If you encounter a Prison Guard, just say you were delayed by treatment. Don¡¯t take any detours on the way, wandering around at night will deduct your contribution points.¡±


    Ash nodded, pulled on his pair of ¡®Shadow King¡¯ series boots, feeling that the cool boots matched poorly with his prison garb. Wearing such fancy boots without a corresponding set of cool clothes seemed unjustifiable.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Ash suddenly realized something, ¡°What time is it now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly midnight. That was the bell reminding Mages to enter the Void Realm, as after midnight, the Blood Moon strengthens our connection with the Void Realm, helping Mages recover their soul energy faster during Exploration.¡± The Medical Practitioner shrugged. ¡°But that has nothing to do with you.¡±


    Ash blinked, a bead of cold sweat trickled down his forehead.


    He and the Sword Maiden had planned to enter the Void Realm around ten at night, but now...


    ...


    ...


    Void Realm, Sea of Knowledge, Inheritance Island.


    Zzzzz¡ª


    Thunder roared wildly, intertwining with a thunder whip that crushed everything. Free floating electric arcs filled the air, turning the sandy ground into glass crystals!


    ¡°With justice hidden and sharp, dreams awaken the mystic link.¡±


    The Thunder Holder chanted a strange and difficult poem in a raspy voice, his bare torso covered in black tattoos resembling mathematical figures, his face hairless, eyes bloodshot, hands wielding the swirling thunder whips like dual thunder barriers protecting him on either side!


    Sonia gasped for air, supporting herself on the ground with a wooden sword, her hair still bearing traces of burnt ashes, her face filled with fatigue and fear, her form dim and blurred, as if about to be swallowed by the mist at any second.


    ¡®My first death in the Void Realm so soon, but Felix has yet to die even once, wouldn¡¯t that leave me a bit belittled in front of Professor Trozan? Although Reonie said she faced her first death on her second entry into the Void Realm... I wonder if that¡¯s true...¡¯


    Sonia did not fear death; Mages were destined to die in the Void Realm eventually, even Legendary Mage ¡®Law Binder¡¯ Metas from the Kingdom of Stars boasted about his twenty-one deaths in the Void Realm, claiming, ¡°Among the Four-winged, I am one of those who died the least.¡±

 Chapter 65 - 62 Damn, He Pretended to be Unaware_2

    Chapter 65: Chapter 62 Damn, He Pretended to be Unaware_2


    To a Mage, death in the Void Realm is much like taking a break from work, something you don¡¯t wish for, but there¡¯s nothing to be done once it happens. You can only graciously accept the bad news and ponder how to spend the unexpected vacation without clocking in at the Void Realm.


    Sonia also knew that her first death wouldn¡¯t affect Professor Trozan¡¯s evaluation of her. Dying early was just bad luck, and dying late wasn¡¯t necessarily good either.


    Some defeats and lessons must be personally experienced for a Mage to gain the wisdom.


    But hey, everyone¡¯s been young and dreamy once¡ª


    ¡°I might become the first immortal Mage in the history of the Void Realm.¡±


    Seeing this achievement about to be declared a failure, Sonia wasn¡¯t disheartened at all. After all, she had managed to make it to her fourth foray into the Void Realm before conceding her first death, outperforming 99% of the Mages.


    Most Mages would face their first death upon their first venture into the Void Realm, with drowning being the most common¡ªdespite countless notes from Mages emphasizing not to dive into the Sea of Knowledge, it was hard for those floating in the water to resist a glance at what lay beneath.


    This time, entering the Void Realm at 11 o¡¯clock sharp, Sonia found that the Observer wasn¡¯t there, and naturally, there was no boat, so she was left soaking in the water.


    Sitting on the boat felt different, but now submerged, Sonia found it exceedingly difficult not to wonder about what lay beneath the surface¡ªWere there fish? A seafloor? Treasures?


    What Mages have in abundance is curiosity.


    So, after curbing her yearning for the ocean floor, Sonia turned her gaze to the fog that engulfed her.


    After several unreturned calls to the Observer while soaking, Sonia had to accept the fact that she was exploring the Void Realm alone this time¡ªthis was the norm, as solitary exploration of the Void Realm was a daily affair for every Mage. Her previous adventures with the Observer had been a miracle, almost as absurd as taking a teacher into an open-book exam for reference.


    But Sonia felt no anxiety, rather like a child who had slipped away from parental supervision, she bubbled with excitement to explore the Void Realm on her own.


    However, Sonia soon found herself at a loss. Without the guidance of the Observer and with the dense fog obscuring her vision, she had no idea where to go and swam in a random direction.


    Swimming was far more draining of soul energy than sitting in the boat. After more than an hour, Sonia felt more exhausted than when she used to help her mother harvest the wheat. She even considered exiting the Void Realm of her own volition.


    But it seemed the Void Realm didn¡¯t intend to let Sonia leave empty-handed. Her random floundering led her to stumble upon an Inheritance Island.


    Naturally, Sonia hurried onto the island to face the challenge. Now brimming with confidence and armed with the ¡°Water Moon¡± Counterattack Miracle capable of turning the tables on Reonie, she even believed there was nowhere left in the Sea of Knowledge that was out of her reach.


    Then she got thoroughly trounced.


    The Mage on the Inheritance Island was a Thunder Mage wielding two nine-section steel whips. In terms of faction supremacy, both Thunder Technique and swordsmanship are renowned for their aggressive offenses and there¡¯s no restraint between them.


    But as soon as the battle started, Sonia got lashed around like a top by the Thunder Holder.


    The Thunder Holder¡¯s use of Technique Spirits was minimal, but his combat system and experience completely overwhelmed Sonia. He charged his whips with thunder, using them for long thrusts like a spear and close-range lashes like chains, with attacks as fierce as thunder and defenses as solid as ramparts.


    As he danced with his thunder-charged whips, Sonia dared not approach.


    Her Wave Motion Sword met a whip shield and was nullified, her silken strands easily torn by the Thunder Whip, even the Counterattack Miracle ¡°Water Moon¡± she had pinned her hopes on, was easily penetrated from afar¡ªa swift thrust through her defenses. Despite the Miracle¡¯s remarkable power and speed, its range was too short.


    No wonder they say the Void Realm is the best teacher. Sonia had to admit she¡¯d learned her lesson. She used to think swordsmanship was merely a medium for casting Technique Spirits, but witnessing the Thunder Holder¡¯s impeccable skills with the nine-section whip, she realized she still had a long way to go¡ªa truly powerful Sword Technique should be adaptable to any situation, not leave one helplessly flailing as she was now.


    But Sonia wasn¡¯t one to simply await her fate.


    She glanced out of the corner of her eye at the sea behind her; the edge of the island wasn¡¯t far away.


    Should the right opportunity arise, she might yet have a chance to escape.


    The Thunder Holder would definitely pursue her, but he would never leave the island. Sonia could only hope the sea would block his damage and buy her some precious time to escape. Once she reached a safe zone, she¡¯d have time to search for the Gate of Truth within the Technique Spirit and leave the Void Realm, returning her consciousness to reality.


    She silently vowed to herself to sign up for swimming lessons tomorrow. Dog paddling was just too slow.


    Zzzt zzzt zzzt¡ª¡ª


    The nine-section whip in the Thunder Holder¡¯s right hand suddenly transformed, taking the shape of a whip spear, thrusting through the air like lightning!


    Now was her moment!


    Sonia unleashed a Wave Motion Sword, retreating to make her leap into the sea.


    However, the Thunder Holder seemed to have anticipated her move, as he flung the nine-section whip in his left hand, which spun and danced in the air like a thunderous boomerang, slashing toward Sonia¡¯s lower body!


    It was over.


    Sonia had to jump up; otherwise, the spinning nine-section whip would entangle her legs and trip her on the spot. And the thunder on it was no mere decorative effect¡ªits strong electric current would rob her of her mobility within seconds!


    But jumping would play right into the Thunder Holder¡¯s hands, as his Thunder Whip spear would continue to extend, piercing through Sonia¡¯s chest!


    She had no choice but to gamble that she could jump faster than his whip spear!


    Sonia clenched her teeth and leaped with all her might. Just as she was exiting the reach of the Thunder Whip spear, the Thunder Holder flicked his wrist, and a Spiral Thunderstorm burst from his wrist to the front end of the whip spear. The whip¡¯s lead section suddenly exploded, accelerating like a hidden weapon flying knife aimed at Sonia!


    ¡°Damn¡ª¡ªit!¡±


    Sonia watched with eyes wide, unable to help but curse, silently praying for a miracle to occur.


    And a miracle did happen¡ªa sudden snap, and to her surprise, she found her back had hit something, bringing her to a halt midair!


    In this vast sea, how could anything appear on the surface?


    Could it be that she had a traffic collision with a Fish Dragon wanting to jump out for a breath of air at just the right moment?


    Zzzt zzzt zzzt¡ª¡ª


    Faced with the Thunder Whip just inches away, Sonia felt the fear of death envelop her. Her mind went blank, and she instinctively closed her eyes.


    Ding!


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    After two seconds, Sonia realized she hadn¡¯t left the Void Realm. More importantly, she felt solid ground under her feet, not water, and cautiously opened one eye to survey the situation.


    Before her, she saw a barrier of air that looked like a Sword Body. The Thunder Whip rippled against it but failed to break through.


    Looking down, she recognized the familiar boat.


    ¡°With me here, you¡¯re really lucky.¡±


    Turning her head, she saw the Observer emerging from the mist, and only one thought remained in Sonia¡¯s mind:


    Damn, he got to show off.

 Chapter 66 - 63: The Unmatched Secret Sword of the Five Spirits

    Chapter 66: Chapter 63: The Unmatched Secret Sword of the Five Spirits


    Crackling¡ª


    The Thunder Holder retracted his nine-section whip, which had been thrown out. By this time, the small boat had already reached the shore and remained within his attack range. He grabbed one end of the whip with both hands and spun it around. The Thunder Whip lashed the sandy ground, leaving behind a trail of dark marks, before he suddenly took a step back.


    Seeing this, Sonia¡¯s face turned pale as she quickly ducked behind Ash, ¡°Be careful!¡±


    But it was already too late. The Thunder Holder aggressively stepped forward, crossing his arms and lashing out. The two nine-section Thunder Whips intersected like a pair of shears, viciously snipping toward Ash!


    This was the cruel move that nearly gave Sonia a mental scar. Although it was no Miracle, the kinetic energy from the rotation of the whip combined with the properties of the Thunder Technique made it incredibly destructive and hard to evade. Being struck by it would make one so painfully tremble in their soul; it was almost comparable to kicking a cabinet leg and simultaneously shattering a toenail with the small toe.


    ¡°Quiet. You¡¯re disturbing my contemplation of the world¡¯s ultimate mysteries.¡±


    Ash lifted his eyebrows and jabbed the sword hard into the boat. The Sword Barrier enveloping them suddenly radiated a faint gold light, directly withstanding the deathly thunder shears of the Thunder Holder!


    Crackling!


    The nine-section whip wrapped around the Sword Barrier but couldn¡¯t penetrate the transparent shield. Meanwhile, the longsword that Ash leaned on mysteriously developed several notches, but due to the properties of the Void Realm, the sword quickly restored to its original state.


    ¡°With glorious adornment we stand, dragons gleam and phoenixes shine.¡±


    The Thunder Holder¡¯s eyes deepened with blood, chanting poems that no one could understand. Thunder wrapped his entire body, veins bulging as if entering a berserk mode, continuously and wildly lashing at the Sword Barrier.


    Sonia calmed down and, upon closer inspection of the Sword Barrier, she discovered many details she hadn¡¯t noticed before¡ªthe transparent shield was actually made up of incredibly sharp Sword Qi. It not only served as a defense but also could inflict damage upon close melee attacks, even breaking the enemy¡¯s weapon!


    However, this was hard to demonstrate in the Void Realm because the weapons here were projections of the Mage¡¯s consciousness. As long as the Mage¡¯s consciousness could keep up, the weapons were essentially invincible in durability.


    Similarly, in the Void Realm, there were no differences between the superior or inferior quality of weapons. The battle in the Void Realm was a contest of Magic Power. Even if Sonia materialized a wooden sword, it could still split mountains and rocks; on the other hand, Gun Masters would be less dominant in reality. If they lacked a deep understanding of firearms, the power of their materialized firearms would greatly diminish.


    Sword Barrier, a move that combined defense and counterattack, was certainly not something that a single Technique Spirit could unleash. It was a Miracle formed by a combination of Technique Spirits!


    Just as this realization hit her, Sonia couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit frustrated¡ªshe had wanted to show off her own strength with the Water Moon Miracle, make her presence known, and warn the Observer to stop manipulating her. But now, not only had the Observer saved her, but he had also effortlessly used a defensive and counterattacking Miracle that was no less impressive than the Water Moon. Was he waiting for her to be in dire straits before making his move just to mess with her mindset?


    While Sonia pondered chaotically behind him, Ash looked at the familiar Sword Barrier in front of him, feeling an inexplicable frustration in his heart.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m in a very bad mood right now.¡±


    Ash raised a finger.


    ¡°So what I¡¯m about to do to you is purely venting.¡±


    Cling!


    As the sound of the sword overpowered the thunder, the Thunder Holder immediately fell back, spinning his nine-section whips into two Thunder Shields to fend off that glint of light descending from the sky!


    ¡°Heart Sword Technique Spirit!¡±


    Sonia recognized this signature Technique Spirit of the Sword Skill type in an instant, her eyes almost popping out, ¡°Where did you get a Heart Sword Technique Spirit? Do you know how to use the Heart Sword stance? Teach me, please¡ªI¡¯m begging you!¡±


    She was like a child who¡¯d come across their favorite bubble blaster, unable to hide her yearning for the Technique Spirit.


    There was a rumor within the Sword Skill type that possessing one of the ¡®Five Peerless Secret Sword Spirits¡¯ would allow you to develop a perfect swordsmanship system around that primary Technique Spirit.


    The Heart Sword Technique Spirit was one of the Five Peerless Secret Sword Spirits.


    Apart from this, there were also the ¡®Twenty-One Secret Sword Spirits¡¯ and the ¡®Fifty Ingenious Sword Spirits¡¯.


    Sonia¡¯s Wave Sword Technique Spirit was one of the ¡®Fifty Ingenious Sword Spirits¡¯.


    Even though it was the lowest tier of the ¡®Fifty Ingenious Sword Spirits¡¯, it was not to be underestimated. After all, it was the Wave Motion Sword Technique System that had established the original Duke Vosloda¡¯s prestige as a ¡®Sword Skill noble¡¯. There were numerous Sword Masters in Jiale City who had sold themselves to the Vosloda Family to obtain the Wave Sword Technique Spirit.


    Having experienced the power and potential of the Wave Sword as a Mage who possessed the Wave Sword Technique Spirit, Sonia couldn¡¯t help but wonder how much more powerful the ¡®Twenty-One Secret Sword Spirits¡¯ and the ¡®Five Peerless Secret Sword Spirits¡¯ were?


    Seeing that he had awed the usually haughty Sword Maiden, Ash felt quite pleased with himself, ¡°Don¡¯t rush. Let me take care of this juggler, and then we can chat at leisure.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Sonia watched expectantly as the Observer showed their might. She watched the Heart Sword attack, deflected by the Thunder Holder, the Heart Sword thrust, deflected again, the Heart Sword going for a backstabbing, deflected yet again...


    ¡°Your swordsmanship level has room for significant improvement.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve worn him down, exposed many of his weaknesses. Go on, don¡¯t waste this vengeful opportunity I¡¯ve prepared for you.¡±


    The more Sonia thought about it, the more she believed that the Observer must be an old monster reborn.


    Without centuries of weathering, how could one develop such a thick skin?


    She silently criticized in her heart and leaped forward to kill the Thunder Holder. Ash wasn¡¯t idle either; he conjured another sword-wielding Substitute. Together with his Heart Sword, they simultaneously encircled and attacked the Thunder Holder from three sides.


    Ultimately, the Thunder Holder had only two nine-section whips. He could defend the front but not the back, fend off the back but not the sides. His whips were no match for the three swords, and like a strong man facing a multitude, he ended with a strange moan of poetry before succumbing and dissipating into a light smoke, bursting into two Technique Spirits and a Mage¡¯s Handbook.


    ¡°Thunder Walk¡±


    ¡°One-winged Technique Spirit¡±


    ¡°Restriction: The medium used must have a certain level of conductivity.¡±


    ¡°Basic Effect: Release a bolt of lightning.¡±


    ¡°Passive effect: The conductivity of the body gradually increases.¡±


    ¡°¡®Fire is the enlightener of wisdom, thunder is the defender of reason. So when you come across fools who defy reason, you know what to do, don¡¯t you?¡¯¡±


    ...


    ¡°Pattern¡±


    ¡°One-winged Technique Spirit¡±


    ¡°Restriction: Must carve the pattern in advance on an object with the Technique Spirit¡¯s excrement.¡±


    ¡°Basic Effect: Ensures that the effects of most Technique Spirits flow along the pattern.¡±


    ¡°Passive Effect: The pattern gradually solidifies until it is indelible.¡±


    ¡°¡®The path is underfoot, the path is on the body, the path is in the heart.¡¯¡±


    ¡®Thunder Walk¡¯ looked like a praying mantis, while ¡®Pattern¡¯ resembled a silkworm. Without a doubt, these two Technique Spirits formed a very straightforward Miracle combo: carve the pattern first, then let the lightning flow within it, turning a one-time consumption of thunder into a continuous boost in status¡ªsimple yet practical Miracle thinking.


    No wonder that Thunder Holder earlier was covered with all sorts of messy tattoos; he¡¯d been etching circuits onto his body.


    But compared to this Miracle, Ash was more interested in a piece of information revealed in the Technique Spirit introduction.


    ¡°Technique Spirits actually poop?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t they? You¡¯ve seen Technique Spirits consume silver and gold coins, right? If the coins are consumed and the Technique Spirits don¡¯t poop, then our economic cycle would lose a link, and the world¡¯s silver and gold coins would only dwindle.¡±


    ¡°Exactly because Technique Spirits poop, that¡¯s why silver and gold coins can keep circulating. The silver coins you¡¯re feeding your Technique Spirit now might be the poop from some Technique Spirit thousands of years ago,¡± Sonia said as a matter of fact.


    ¡°Good thing I¡¯m not a Technique Spirit,¡± Ash muttered. ¡°So when do Technique Spirits poop? I¡¯d like to let them out in advance.¡±


    ¡°How should I know? I don¡¯t have that kind of voyeuristic fascination.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to prepare in advance. Technique Spirits sneak out on their own to do their business. Their excrement is so light a breeze could blow it away; hardly anyone notices it. If you need to collect Technique Spirit poop, just summon it out to feed, cover it up, and wait.¡±


    ¡°Sneak out... on their own? How can they leave without a Mage¡¯s permission?¡±


    ¡°Technique Spirits have their own thoughts and their own lives.¡±


    Sonia shrugged. ¡°Of course, they¡¯ll obey the Mage¡¯s commands when needed, but when your focus is elsewhere, like sleeping, daydreaming, or reading, they get a bit of freedom. They¡¯ll take the chance to sneak out for a breath of fresh air. Some Mages, after long periods of intense involvement, find their Technique Spirits respond slowly when summoned; that¡¯s usually because they¡¯ve run too far and can¡¯t get back in time.¡±


    Ash got the picture; it was just like slacking off.


    Although he¡¯d already tried to see Technique Spirits as intelligent beings, he hadn¡¯t realized they were smart enough to pick up on such human habits as slacking off. However, since they used their slacking-off time to poop rather than using pooping as an excuse to slack off, Ash didn¡¯t make a big deal out of it.


    After a brief discussion, the combo of ¡®Thunder Walk¡¯ and ¡®Pattern¡¯ looked like it could sell for a high price at Sonia¡¯s school, so they gave the Technique Spirits to her.


    As for keeping them, neither of them considered that¡ªthe Thunder Technique faction was known as the most bitter, taxing, painful, and violent system. The thought of cultivating Thunder Technique from scratch was daunting.


    As long as you sailed far enough in the Sea of Knowledge, there would be plenty more chances to stumble upon sets of Technique Spirits. If a Mage thought of using every set they found, they¡¯d never have enough energy for anything else.


    Learning to choose what to keep and what to let go was an essential lesson for a Mage.


    As for the Mage¡¯s Handbook, naturally, Ash used it again. Sonia just glanced at the first page and promptly retreated, even running to the side to dry heave.


    In Ash¡¯s view, it was no big deal, just a ¡®cult ritual record,¡¯ albeit with some cruel practices.


    It was almost as bad as the sins Heath once committed.


    Looking at it, the Gods of Four Pillars cult was part of a particularly fierce bunch among the cults.


    After going through the Thunder Holder¡¯s sacrificial record, Ash naturally learned a new skill: ¡®Skin Stripping Mastery.¡¯


    Luckily it had no limitations on targets¡ªthis skill could come in handy for skinning a rabbit after escaping into the wilds.


    Having dealt with the spoils, Ash sat at the front of the small boat, completely at ease.


    Sonia sat at the stern, silent.


    After Inheritance Island had completely sunk, silence still dominated the boat.


    After a long while, Sonia couldn¡¯t help but burst out a few words from the corner of her mouth, ¡°Where did you get those swords and Technique Spirits?¡±


    ¡°Well, since you earnestly asked, I¡¯m not against generously telling you¡ª¡±


    I knew it, Sonia cursed fiercely in her mind, giving him another chance to show off!


    Actually, Ash was eager to brag too. He coughed softly, reached out, and summoned three Technique Spirits. From left to right were a golden Single-winged Sword, a clay-like Two-winged Swordsman, and a pale green Single-winged Bird.


    ¡°Heart Sword, Earth Sword, Wind Barrier, these are the Technique Spirits I¡¯ve just obtained. Both Heart Sword and Wind Barrier are One-winged, Earth Sword is Two-winged.¡±


    ¡°Just obtained? So was it for these three Technique Spirits that you were late?¡±


    ¡°You could say that.¡±


    Ash gazed into the depths of the mist, seemingly looking at a wandering Phantom.


    ¡°After all, their former master just killed me once.¡±

 Chapter 67 - 64: The Curse of Valcas

    Chapter 67: Chapter 64: The Curse of Valcas


    The Medical Practitioner was right.


    The Blood Moon Judgement was indeed the only opportunity for death row inmates to trade Technique Spirits.


    Ash looked at the three Technique Spirits in his hand, as if he could still see Valcas¡¯s thin and cold face.


    The sword that pierced his throat contained five Technique Spirits that Valcas had just released from their contracts.


    Had Ash been a little slower, had his consciousness faded a bit quicker, these three Technique Spirits would have escaped at top speed. Even though Ash was as quick as possible, two Technique Spirits still got away; who knows whether they are now surfing freely in Shattered Lake on finger sharks.


    As for why Valcas would do such a thing, there were too many reasons.


    Because Ash had defeated him,


    because he wanted revenge on Selin,


    because he was grateful for Ash¡¯s care during his final moments,


    or maybe just because he enjoyed watching the chaos unfold...


    A dying elf would do anything, and nothing would surprise Ash, except for the fact that Valcas stabbed him in the throat¡ªAsh strongly suspected this was an act of harboring resentment for the throat cut he received during their duel.


    But in doing so, Valcas had presented Ash with a dilemma.


    Although his time in this world had been short, Ash clearly realized that he did not fit in with this world.


    However, he had no intention of blending in.


    He could not change this world of mages, nor did he plan to let it change him.


    There were no family members here for him; everyone he met from now on would be strangers.


    Although the mage¡¯s power was unpredictable and bizarre, it was not certain that there was no Technique Spirit that could create a miracle to send Ash home, but he held no such hope.


    He was not the kind of person who needed to rely on hope to survive.


    Moreover, with the life-threatening Blood Moon Judgement and the suffocating absolute control of Shattered Lake Prison, Ash had always had a subtle mindset of ¡®earn a day¡¯s living for every day alive.¡¯


    Besides, if he could cross over once, it wasn¡¯t necessarily impossible to do so a second time. If this time he came to the world of mages, perhaps next time he could end up in the world of technicians; Ash was blindly optimistic about his journey through the worlds.


    It was precisely because of this optimistic mindset, possibly brought about by the sudden absence of workday routines, that Ash approached everyone he met with an ¡®Observer¡¯ attitude. He would empathize with others¡¯ experiences, lament their life and death, but soon forget¡ªjust as if he had watched a movie.


    Observer was actually a fitting name for him.


    Watch but not act, watch but not speak, watch but not remember.


    He was like a roaming skiff, adrift on the waves, facing the vast land with apprehension.


    And now, an extra burden had been added to the skiff, and a mark had appeared in his memory.


    Although mages did not need to sleep, Ash felt sure that in his midnight reveries, he would dream of Valcas¡¯s last look.


    Of course, he wouldn¡¯t think he bore any responsibility for Valcas¡¯s death, but Valcas¡¯s parting gift made Ash feel obligated to do something in return for him.


    He didn¡¯t like being indebted to others, nor did he like owing them.


    He had to escape from prison, he had to find Professor Selin, he had to survive.


    Otherwise, it would feel like a betrayal of Valcas¡¯s kindness, a betrayal of the three Technique Spirits he had given.


    Perhaps, this was his real revenge?


    At the cost of life, with death as the ritual, silence as the spell, and Technique Spirits as bait, Valcas exhausted everything to curse Ash to survive.


    For them, the inmates of Shattered Lake on death row, there was no curse more evil than ¡®surviving.¡¯


    ¡°He was a true Sword Master.¡±


    After listening to Ash¡¯s bizarre experience of the Blood Moon Judgement tonight, Sonia couldn¡¯t help but exclaim and then added, ¡°And he was a generous elf.¡±


    ¡°He was generous, but definitely not a ¡®good¡¯ elf; he was rightfully imprisoned in Shattered Lake Prison for his actions,¡± said Ash. ¡°But whether an elf or human, neither can be simply classified as ¡®good¡¯ or ¡®bad¡¯; only Divine Beings or Demons can be purely good or purely evil... It¡¯s humans who fluctuate between them.¡±


    ¡°So many reflections, is this the first time you¡¯ve seen a dead person since losing your memory?¡±


    Amnesia? Right, the previous Heath had created many deaths... Ash nodded: ¡°You could say, this is the first time I have seen someone die in front of me.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t have any information about the Heart Sword stance either?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Sonia looked at the Heart Sword Technique Spirit in Ash¡¯s hand with discontent: ¡°Such a good Technique Spirit wasted in your hands... But now, does this mean you¡¯re only one Technique Spirit short for your Behead Me Miracle?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, if I¡¯m lucky, maybe I¡¯ll be able to collect all the needed Technique Spirits tonight.¡±


    Ash took a deep breath: ¡°Only then will there be a glimmer of hope for escaping.¡±


    The Behead Me Miracle required three types of Technique Spirits, each with several subordinate options, not specific to a particular one. Most miracles could achieve a similar effect by substituting similar types of Technique Spirits, varying mostly in strength and range.


    If Technique Spirits are like building blocks, then a miracle is a building with a specific appearance. As long as you can construct that building, whether your blocks are cubes, triangles, or cones, you are considered to have performed a miracle.


    Heart Sword and Substitute were two of the required Technique Spirits; Substitute was middle-of-the-road, while Heart Sword was like using a cleaver to kill a chicken. It¡¯s likely that even the creator of the Behead Me Miracle never imagined someone would go so far as to use one of the ¡®Unparalleled Secret Sword¡¯s Five Spirits¡¯ as a constituent Technique Spirit.

 Chapter 68 - 64 Valcas’s Curse_2

    Chapter 68: Chapter 64 Valcas¡¯s Curse_2


    As long as the last Technique Spirit was found, Ash would be able to use the ¡°Miracle purification¡± on the chip at the back of his neck.


    ¡°Jailbreak...¡± Sonia murmured, ¡°That means, your real body is in the Kingdom of Blood Moon¡¯s prison, under the threat of Blood Moon Judgement, and you don¡¯t have your previous memories...¡±


    No previous memories? Well, he indeed didn¡¯t have Heath¡¯s memories.


    Ash gave her a strange look upon hearing this, ¡°Didn¡¯t you already know? My real body was identified as the Cult Leader of The Gods of Four Pillars, caught by Hunters during an illegal underground gathering, but this body is so frail, it must be a scapegoat.¡±


    Yes, the Observer had told her before that he was imprisoned somewhere; she thought it was some sort of hidden divine prison, never did she expect it to be the Kingdom of Blood Moon¡¯s prison¡ªalthough the Kingdom of Blood Moon was also a distant term that only existed in books, at least she had heard of it, making Sonia feel ¡®it¡¯s nothing more than that.¡¯


    ¡°With your strength, can¡¯t you escape from the Kingdom of Blood Moon¡¯s prison?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean with my strength¡ªdo you not know I am a failure?¡±


    ¡°Haha, a failure? One that can force me to challenge Reonie? Then what am I, a poor wretch controlled by a failure? A plaything that could be betrayed by you at any moment?¡±


    Although she had learned the Water Moon Miracle through a stroke of luck, Sonia was still furiously upset inside.


    The last challenge against Felix was tolerable, after all, the gap between Felix and her wasn¡¯t too big, there was still a slim chance of victory, but the difference between Reonie and her was simply colossal this time; if not for Reonie intentionally showing mercy, she wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to use Water Moon.


    This time was lucky, meeting Reonie, but what about next time?


    And the time after that?


    Among the Mage community, there were numerous ruthless and merciless figures. It was one thing to talk about young Mages such as students, but many older Mages, through prolonged and lonely Void Realm Exploration, had experienced too much danger and Death, their hearts carved into gruesome shapes by the cold, harsh winds of the Sea of Knowledge.


    They gradually couldn¡¯t differentiate between reality and the Void Realm, instinctively showing no mercy to their enemies, as if believing that killing an enemy would yield spoils, some even became ¡®Fallen Demons¡¯, treating reality as the Void Realm and going on rampages.


    Although Sonia had her complaints about the forced training, she felt it was for her own good, and could still persuade herself to accept it; but now the Observer was actually making her actively participate in dangerous battles, Sonia could only convince herself to resist the urge to smash the Observer¡¯s head¡ªbecause it seemed somewhat beyond her.


    ¡°Is it really that serious...¡± Ash tried to brush off her concerns.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one fighting life and death battles, I¡¯m the one getting hurt, I¡¯m the one whose life hangs by a thread, only I have the right to say how serious it is!¡± Sonia tried to keep her Anger under control, ¡°Do you have to watch me become a corpse before sighing ¡®I seem to have made a mistake¡¯?¡±


    It¡¯s not that serious, you won¡¯t die... Just as Ash was somewhat dismissive, a thought suddenly crossed his mind: would the Sword Maiden really not die?


    There were precedents for game character deaths in the mobile game, and if it was to coerce players into spending, the company might indeed load such a setting and then sell Resurrection Coins to taunt players.


    Moreover, the Sword Maiden had repeatedly stated that she did not exist merely as an attachment to Ash, she had her own life, the university she lived in, friends she knew¡ªshe existed for real... and reality is the term farthest from immortality.


    Even if the Sword Maiden could be resurrected after dying in battle, would the resurrected Sword Maiden still be the same Sword Maiden that he had come to know over many days?


    Ash couldn¡¯t bear the risk of losing the Sword Maiden.


    Not just because of strength.


    But also because the Sword Maiden was the only one he could trust and confide in.


    Even the smallest boat feels too empty with one person aboard.


    ¡°Alright, what you¡¯ve said makes a lot of sense, I apologize,¡± Ash chose his words carefully, ¡°But you should know, I did it for your own good; if it wasn¡¯t for my arrangement, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to create the Water Moon Miracle so quickly, right?¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with your arrangements¡ª¡±


    ¡°Because I knew that when you fought that Reo or whatever his name was, the difference in strength would be so great that you would enter an Awakening State and create your own Miracle, and you wouldn¡¯t come across any danger. Everything was within my plan.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t even remember his name properly!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not important¡ªthe point is that I¡¯m confident I can get you a great deal for only a little cost.¡±


    Watching the Sword Maiden¡¯s still uneasy demeanor, Ash thought for a moment and said, ¡°How about this, if I ever want to arrange for you to participate in a particularly dangerous battle in the future, I¡¯ll discuss it with you in advance, okay?¡±


    That was more like it.


    Seeing that the Observer finally conceded, Sonia felt very satisfied. In fact, even if the Observer insisted on pushing her into situations, she had no way to counter him. But with a first concession, a second would follow, and eventually, Sonia was sure she could make the Observer utterly obedient.


    Sonia trusted the Observer¡¯s promise. Although he usually acted recklessly, his actions were generally reliable. Plus, with the foundation of a supposed Legendary reincarnation, his judgment should be sound.


    If Sonia knew that Ash¡¯s method for judging danger was to read the descriptions on event cards, and that dueling Reonie was rated just ¡®medium¡¯ in terms of danger, maybe she would never be at ease again.


    ¡°By the way, how did you find me?¡± Sonia suddenly remembered this issue.


    ¡°I entered the Void Realm through the Gate of Truth you left behind, then I simply tracked you down from there.¡±


    Ash returned to his dorm room and opened the Light Screen, discovering that the Sword Maiden indeed had not waited for him; her status was ¡®Exploring the Void Realm.¡¯


    Ash thought he had missed his chance, but luckily there was the ¡®Join Midway¡¯ option. However, it did not directly drop him next to the Sword Maiden, but at her initial location where she entered the Void Realm tonight.


    Coming and going from the Void Realm had to be through the Gate of Truth¡ªthat was the rule. Without the Bonds between them, Ash would not have been able to enter the Void Realm through the Gate of Truth left by the Sword Maiden.


    Sonia wasn¡¯t surprised that the Observer knew where she was, but she did have one doubt: ¡°But I¡¯ve been wandering around in the Void Realm for almost two hours, how did you manage to catch up so quickly?¡±


    ¡°Two hours? But you¡¯re only one region away from the initial location. It took me just over a minute to find you.¡±


    ¡°How is that possible!?¡±


    ¡°Why would I lie to you? Wait, you said you¡¯ve been wandering for two hours, could it be that you... have just been circling around this area?¡±


    Sonia blinked her eyes, calmly sat down, and looked at the distant mist with a sideways glance, saying, ¡°I just thought that you wouldn¡¯t miss out for no reason, so I kept exploring nearby.¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for your blushing all the way to your ears, I might have almost believed you.


    With a snort, Ash opened the Void Realm Map under Sonia¡¯s resentful gaze.


    Because he was equipped with a Void Realm telescope, he could now observe information about the surrounding 24 grid regions. Most of them were ¡®Wasted Effort¡¯, with one being ¡®Worth Visiting.¡¯ Ash wasn¡¯t in a hurry and decided to sail around leisurely first.


    ¡°What about the Miracle you mentioned just now?¡± Sonia suddenly remembered, ¡°Valcas gave you a Technique Spirit, but he didn¡¯t give you a Miracle Technique, did he?¡±


    Ash casually said, ¡°I saw him use it once before. Just combine the Earth Sword with the Wind Barrier, and there you have it. But I¡¯m not a Two-winged Mage, so the defense is far from what he could produce with the genuine article.¡±


    Watched it once, combined the elements, and just ¡®made it¡¯? Can the Miracle be this simple?


    The Earth Sword belongs to the Sword Skill school, and the Wind Barrier is from the Wind Magic Department; cross-faction Miracles have always been difficult...


    Sonia felt something was amiss when, at that moment, Ash spotted a glittering golden Legendary clue on the map¡ª¡¯Vortex.¡¯


    ¡°Do you know what Vortex means?¡±


    Sonia was taken aback, ¡°You found a Vortex?¡±


    ¡°Seems like it¡ª¡±


    ¡°Go, go check it out!¡± Sonia instantly surged forward, grabbing and vigorously shaking Ash, as excited as if she had found a winning lottery ticket in the bathroom, ¡°If we¡¯re lucky, maybe we can crystallize the Silver Wings tonight!¡±

 Chapter 69 - 65 Vortex

    Chapter 69: Chapter 65 Vortex


    Vortex, also known as the Shortcut to Fate, the Stairs of Advancement, or the Last Stroke of Luck for the Cursed, is an extremely rare natural wonder in the Sea of Knowledge.


    Natural wonders are entirely different from other Void Realm existences. Knowledge creatures have their habitats, while Inheritance Islands and Adventure Islands remain unchanged for tens of thousands of years unless a mage steps foot on them. However, natural wonders appear at random times and locations and disappear after a certain period, almost like the most fabricated rumors in Void Realm folklore.


    If the unluckiest mages could eventually encounter knowledge creatures, Inheritance Islands, and Adventure Islands in their lifetime, then even the luckiest mages might never come across a vortex in their entire life, which can be considered the ultimate fortune detector.


    Those who encounter a vortex are envied, and for good reason¡ªthe powerful ability of the vortex: Spatial Transfer!


    The mage who steps into the vortex will reappear at another vortex within the Sea of Knowledge.


    While it does sound quite wonderful, why would such a simple spatial transfer arouse the desire of mages?


    This is because the vortex is not just about transferring. It allows the mage to pass through the mysterious pathways within the vortex, crossing numerous regions of the Sea of Knowledge in just a few seconds; and at the same time, the foundational Law that ¡®the further mages travel in the Sea of Knowledge, the more Magic Power they absorb¡¯ still holds true!


    If two vortices are ten thousand miles apart, then by merely passing through the vortex channel, a mage would be equivalent to having traveled ten thousand miles in the Sea of Knowledge, directly absorbing enough Magic Power to condense a complete set of Silver Wings!


    How could that not drive mages crazy?


    An ordinary mage, in theory, would need only two to three years of journeying to condense Silver Wings, provided the mage doesn¡¯t die in the Sea of Knowledge¡ªbecause besides the larger the Magic Power, the more severe the ¡®Death Cool-down¡¯ punishment, there¡¯s another Damocles¡¯ Sword hanging over the mages¡¯ heads: the more Magic Power they have, the greater the likelihood of encountering danger grows!


    Each time a mage opens the Gate of Truth and enters the Void Realm, the point of arrival is actually different. It¡¯s not the same location where the previous exploration concluded.


    The more robust a mage¡¯s Magic Power, the closer their landing site in the Void Realm will be to the core regions of the Sea of Knowledge. The Inheritance Islands and knowledge creatures of the core regions not only yield more abundant spoils but also pose greater dangers!


    Many an Official Mage, on the eve of being able to condense the Silver Wings, would be attacked by knowledge creatures the moment they entered the Void Realm. Turning to flee, they¡¯d encounter even more formidable knowledge creatures, served consecutively by several beasts, enjoying themselves straight out of the Void Realm.


    Exploring for a few minutes, cooling down for a dozen days¡ªoften this is the true picture of these ¡®Half-step Perfection¡¯ mages.


    Therefore, the nickname for vortexes as ¡®the Last Stroke of Luck for the Cursed¡¯ wasn¡¯t unfounded: it¡¯s not only that mages who encountered vortices had to deplete a lifetime¡¯s worth of luck, but also because mages with a sudden increase in Magic Power would find it exceedingly difficult to explore the higher difficulty areas of the Sea of Knowledge¡ªin extreme cases, they might even suffer an equivalent of ranking down from playing out of their league.


    Although that¡¯s the case, there wasn¡¯t a mage who didn¡¯t yearn for a vortex. And in places with a substantial number of mages, lucky individuals who encountered a vortex would sometimes appear¡ªlike Reonie, who had beaten up Sonia in the morning. She had condensed her Silver Wings at an alarmingly quick rate, leading many students to conjecture that she might have encountered a short-distance vortex. They were all green with envy.


    After listening to Sonia¡¯s explanation, Ash couldn¡¯t help but get excited. He was the one who currently needed strength the most urgently; with every ounce he gained, his hope for escape grew!


    Moreover, having suddenly acquired three Technique Spirits, it was clear his Magic Power was insufficient.


    Heart Sword and Wind Barrier were manageable, but the Earth Sword Technique Spirit was a Two-winged Technique Spirit¡ªit guzzled Magic Power like a torrential faucet, yet the effect it produced was not even a fifth of its potential.


    The reason Ash could show off in front of the Sword Maiden earlier, creating a Sword Barrier that the Thunder Holder could not break, was that his Magic Power had now dwindled to less than one-fifth. He would have to think about how to trick the Sword Maiden into exerting more force in the upcoming fight.


    The boat pierced through layers of white mist, and soon, the vortex appeared before them.


    Living up to its reputation as a natural wonder, the vortex was indeed very bizarre and mysterious¡ªa continuously rotating whirlpool, yet the surrounding waters remained as calm as if they were mere spectators, not disturbed by the vortex at all.


    Even when their boat was less than two meters away from the vortex, it felt no pull whatsoever. If a mage had poor eyesight, they might swim right past it without ever realizing a natural wonder was beside them.


    ¡°Quick, let¡¯s go! The vortex could disappear at any moment!¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    Ash noticed that when they entered the region of the vortex, the range of their map exploration suddenly extended with two very long routes. At the farthest end of each route, there were two notes: ¡°Wait a moment,¡± and ¡°No danger but you may not randomly get here.¡±


    ¡°I think we¡¯d better wait a moment.¡±


    ¡°Is this the effect of your detection ability?¡±


    ¡°The Vortex seems to randomly lead to two other ones; one requires waiting, while the other is safe.¡±


    Last time, because they waited for a bit, they caught the opportunity when the fox was watching the dragon sleep¡ªSonia naturally trusted the Observer¡¯s judgment.


    However, after waiting for more than ten seconds, she saw the Vortex shrinking and couldn¡¯t help but become anxious, ¡°If I could enter the Vortex just once, it would be worth it even if I died! It just means a few days without entering the Void Realm!¡±


    Ash glanced at her, ¡°If I can¡¯t enter the Void Realm for a few days, then the probability of me collecting all the Miracle Technique Spirits becomes even slimmer.¡±


    Sonia was left speechless.


    Compared to life, the growth of magic power indeed seemed trivial, but...


    She looked at the shrinking Vortex, wanting to say something yet stopping herself, then trying to stop herself yet wanting to speak again.


    ¡°You want to go in first? And let me wait till it¡¯s safe before entering?¡± Ash saw her thoughts at a glance, ¡°It sounds feasible, but it actually won¡¯t work¡ªhave you forgotten? I can¡¯t open the Gate of Truth in prison, and if you die, I still can¡¯t enter the Void Realm. We¡¯re bound together, for better or for worse.¡±


    ¡°However, I¡¯m also not sure if my judgment is correct. After all, there¡¯s a fifty percent chance of reaching the safe Vortex; even if we¡¯re unlucky and enter a dangerous one, it doesn¡¯t necessarily mean death. And if we miss this Vortex, we truly miss it. If you want to go, I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Really don¡¯t mind?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t hold a grudge and take revenge on me?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t bring this up suddenly one day to blame me?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really.¡±


    ¡°Observer, you really are dishonest, even deceiving a female college student like me.¡± Sonia sighed despondently, staring at the Vortex, ¡°If we really miss this Vortex, I¡¯ll definitely bring up this old score and scold you every time you make a mistake in the future.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. If it were me, I would hold a grudge for a lifetime, remembering on my deathbed that I missed a chance at a Vortex.¡±


    Ash was knocked flat, ¡°That¡¯s you, not me; I¡¯m not as... petty as you are.¡±


    ¡°I only trust myself, so I believe you¡¯re the same type of person.¡±


    Sonia pouted.


    ¡°I¡¯m not so selfish as to think everyone else is selfless. Anyway, I waited with you this time; you better remember my sacrifice is huge. You should write down my good deeds in a little book, and remember to share some spoils with me if you get anything good in the future.¡±


    Ash was slightly taken aback, suddenly feeling as though he had another reason to escape prison.


    Is there really no stranger in this world worth his concern? It doesn¡¯t seem so.


    ¡°Of course, if I ever have a piece of meat to eat, I¡¯ll definitely call you over to catch a whiff of the aroma.¡±


    ¡°You really are a loudspeaker...¡±

 Chapter 70 - 66: The Aftermath of Death

    Chapter 70: Chapter 66: The Aftermath of Death


    ¡°Ugh...¡±


    In the meditation quiet room, Felix groaned, clutching his belly and holding his nose as a steady flow of blood trickled from his nostrils, his forehead slick with cold sweat.


    His abdomen was filled with a sensation of death.


    It was not pain, but emptiness.


    It felt as though a gap had suddenly appeared between his upper and lower body; even as he clutched his belly, it felt as though he was holding a piece of pork, devoid of any sense that he was touching his own body.


    This was the aftermath of a death in the Void Realm¡ªa severe soul injury, even to the point of losing one¡¯s sense of reality.


    As a barely audible lament sounded, the ruby on Felix¡¯s necklace shattered with a crash, and a single-winged Spiritual Body made of light dissipated into the air.


    This was the Artifact Spirit, ¡°Fish-Slicing Dragon¡¯s Belly Scale.¡± Its effect was to transfer all death damage sustained in the Void Realm to the abdomen, and this was the secret behind the enduring strength of the Vosloda Family.


    When a Mage dies in the Void Realm, the mortal wound is reflected upon the soul, leading to a loss of soul energy.


    A soul that is not whole cannot traverse the Gate of Truth, so until the soul energy is restored, naturally, a Mage cannot enter the Void Realm.


    And since the soul is closely related to the body, regardless of which part of the soul energy is missing, it will cause a temporary ¡°soul disability¡± in the Mage.


    In simple terms, if the chest¡¯s soul is injured, then the heart will maintain a low-frequency beat for a long time, preventing the Mage from partaking in any physical activity;


    If the limbs¡¯ soul is injured, the Mage may not be able to control their hands and feet;


    If the head¡¯s soul is injured, the Mage will fall into a coma.


    Only when the soul energy is restored will the Mage¡¯s bodily functions return to normal.


    Hence, the goal of sailing thousands of miles through the Sea of Knowledge, which might seem not too challenging, is in fact an unreachable horizon for many Mages¡ªthey cannot all cease their normal activities to focus on cultivation. Life is more than just distant lands; one must also attend to trivial day-to-day needs, and each death in the Void Realm can cause substantial losses for a Mage.


    Although death is inevitable and soul injury is certain, Mages have still thought of numerous ways to minimize these losses.


    For example, by localizing each death¡¯s damage to a less critical area.


    ¡°Fish-Slicing Dragon¡¯s Belly Scale¡± is a secret Miracle of the Vosloda Family; the family Mages extract the effect of the Miracle and, through complex rituals, embed it into a gemstone to form a temporary ¡®Artifact Spirit.¡¯ When a family Mage dies in the Void Realm, the Artifact Spirit inside the gem activates, transferring all the death damage to the abdomen.


    Apart from a significant decrease in the digestive capabilities of the stomach and the need to eat liquid food for a few days, Mages had nearly no cost to pay.


    Furthermore, the Vosloda Family had another miraculous ¡°Dragon¡¯s Banquet,¡± which allowed them to quickly restore the soul energy of the abdomen through eating, thereby reducing the cooldown period before re-entering the Void Realm.


    With these two Miracles, the Mages of the Vosloda Family could reduce the losses from Void Realm death to a minimum, greatly improving the efficiency of Void Realm Exploration, significantly increasing the chances of a Gold Two-winged Mage or a Holy Domain Three-winged Mage emerging. This was the foundation of the Vosloda¡¯s hundreds of years of prosperity.


    Other noble families had similar methods, and a solid system for nurturing excellent Mages was practically a standard for century-old nobility; otherwise, a single break in producing talent could exterminate an once illustrious Dazzling Star noble family.


    Before the Void Realm, Mages stand equal, but some Mages can fight for more equality.


    However, minimizing the cost of death was already at its limit; what must be lost, would still be lost.


    Felix introspected his Technique Spirit and immediately felt his vision darken, almost fainting.


    His ¡°Slaughter Sword¡± Technique Spirit was gone!


    It was a high probability for a Mage¡¯s Technique Spirit to be lost upon death in the Void Realm. This is because Technique Spirits are hidden within the soul; when a part of the soul energy is lost due to death, that part may include a Technique Spirit, which could also be cast away.


    The more Technique Spirits one has, the greater the chance of loss, and the greater the number of losses!


    Even with Felix mentally prepared to lose some Technique Spirits, he never expected to lose his most important ¡°Slaughter Sword¡± on his first death!


    It was a relic left by his mother, one of the legendary ¡°Secret Swords Twenty-One Spirits¡±!


    A Technique Spirit of this level was almost impossible to purchase, and even if it were for sale, Felix, the less favored noble young master, could never afford it!


    Moreover, he had not fully mastered the knowledge of the ¡°Slaughter Sword,¡± meaning he could not summon it on his own!


    What offered Felix some small consolation was that his Silver Wings had already formed halfway, reducing more than a year of his cultivation time.


    He didn¡¯t expect to encounter the natural Wonder, ¡°Vortex,¡± just a few days after entering the Void Realm.


    No Mage would pass up such an opportunity, let alone an Avenger like Felix thirsty for power. However, after stepping into the Vortex and traversing thousands of miles, what appeared before him was a mature Fish Dragon!


    In the Knowledge Creature Atlas, Fish Dragons were considered to be among the stronger Combat Powers, let alone a mature one!


    Knowledge creatures are classified into stages such as juvenile, mature, fully mature, and complete. At the periphery of the Sea of Knowledge, only juveniles are typically encountered; mature stages appear in the inner areas, and fully mature might be seen in the core regions. As for the complete stage, they do not appear in the Sea of Knowledge.


    Knowing he would die, Felix fought with all his might, attempting to kill the Fish Dragon first. But ultimately, with too few Technique Spirits and insufficient means, Felix perished at the sharp tail of the Fish Dragon after inflicting a severe wound.


    ¡°Losing the ¡®Slaughter Sword,¡¯ forming half of the Silver Wings...¡±


    Felix sighed, unable to decide whether it was a loss or gain.


    Magic Power was naturally of utmost importance to a Mage, but the Slaughter Sword was a crucial lifeline for his current predicament¡ªif not for the assistance of the Slaughter Sword, he would have been unable to evade multiple assassination attempts.


    ¡°However, this also means I can inherit more of my mother¡¯s legacy.¡±


    Felix¡¯s face darkened as he clenched his fist, ¡°Just you wait, Bessel, one day, I will make you kneel and apologize to mother...¡±


    Due to his physical weakness and not having moved the whole night, his chest felt uncomfortable and his breathing was unsteady. Since he was alone in the meditation quiet room, he undid his chest wrap, and two large ¡®white rabbits¡¯ burst out to breathe the free air. He also relaxed completely and rested against the wall for quite a while.


    Half an hour later, Felix dressed and left the Meditation Building, stepping into the sunlight scattered with dazzling stars.


    Still, having just experienced death for the first time, Felix felt a sudden loss of control over his lower half as he walked. He stumbled and was about to fall when he quickly propped himself up with his sword case.


    ¡°Heh, why is young master Vosloda in such a bad mood so early in the morning, taking it out on the ground?¡±


    A hand reached from behind and pressed on Felix¡¯s shoulder, helping to steady his form.


    Felix turned around and said calmly, ¡°You seem to be in a good mood, had a good harvest?¡±


    Sonia passed by him with a refreshing look, raised her eyebrows and said, ¡°You could say that. This afternoon in Professor Trozan¡¯s office, you¡¯ll know.¡±


    Petty triumph.


    Although Sonia¡¯s talent for swordsmanship was indeed one in a million, Felix had also discerned her character flaws: vain, plagued with an inferiority complex coupled with arrogance, and possessive of cunning without great wisdom... Without her talent for swordsmanship, Sonia would be no different from those vulgar Female Mages he had encountered.


    Now she was, at best, a vulgar Village Girl with a talent for swordsmanship.


    Truly... enviable.


    Others might think that Felix was also a prodigy in swordsmanship, but he knew well that without the ¡®affectionate¡¯ Technique Spirit left by his mother, he would never have been able to cultivate the Wave Motion Stance to the degree necessary to summon a Technique Spirit so quickly.


    And he had paid a significant price for it¡ªwithout Magic Power, to activate the ¡®affectionate¡¯ Magic Power, he had to constantly change girlfriends to trigger the Resonance with the Technique Spirit, leading to his notorious reputation and almost becoming the shame of the Vosloda Family.


    But now things were different.


    After traversing the Vortex, Sonia had been left far behind by him, no longer qualified to be his competitor.


    His goal should be Reonie, the orange dancer, and those Monsters at Truth University¡ª


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Felix suddenly felt a familiar flow.


    He looked up and saw many students covertly watching Sonia.


    News of Reonie being ¡®defeated¡¯ by Sonia had spread throughout all Mage Universities in Jiale City by the previous day. Sonia undoubtedly became the most prominent student at the moment, and she seemed to thoroughly enjoy this attention, adopting a supposedly modest and unassuming demeanor as she casually walked away.


    However, Felix felt that Sonia seemed to be drawing a very familiar type of energy from all this attention!


    ¡®Blindsight¡¯ Technique Spirit, activate!


    Felix closed his eyes, and in an instant, the world vanished from his sight. In the pitch darkness, he saw wisps of blood-red mist flowing towards Sonia¡¯s location!


    That was Killing Intent!


    And the passive effect of the ¡®Slaughter Sword¡¯ was precisely the ability to absorb the Killing Intent others directed at oneself!


    Though there were numerous Technique Spirits capable of absorbing Killing Intent, for some reason, Felix was absolutely certain Sonia had just acquired a new ¡®Slaughter Sword¡¯ Technique Spirit!


    Was the ¡®Slaughter Sword¡¯ she received the same one that the Fish-Slicing Dragon snatched from me?


    Felix immediately dismissed the thought as soon as it emerged¡ªwhat were the odds?


    Moreover, the place where Felix fought the Fish-Slicing Dragon was near the Vortex. If it was such a coincidence, wouldn¡¯t it mean that Sonia also happened to cross through the Vortex? But before Felix died, he clearly saw the Vortex shrinking to an almost imperceptible size.


    Sonia must have just been lucky, acquiring a wild ¡®Slaughter Sword¡¯ Technique Spirit.


    Felix was so consumed by jealousy that he became hungry¡ªan aftereffect of his soul damage. Any emotional fluctuation translated directly to his gastrointestinal organs; a good mood meant a feeling of fullness and a bad mood led to unbearable hunger. Furthermore, he couldn¡¯t indulge in a lavish meal, or else he¡¯d suffer constipation.


    Once he calmed down, Felix pondered whether there was any chance of obtaining the ¡®Slaughter Sword¡¯ from Sonia.


    He quickly shook his head.


    To take it by force would mean dealing with Professor Trozan, who stood behind Sonia;


    To buy it, there were plenty others who wanted it, and he lacked the capital to compete.


    It was just that the Slaughter Sword was too crucial to him. If there was no hope, he would have let it go, but now there was a chance to recover his loss...


    Felix gritted his teeth, opened his eyes, and shouted at Sonia, who hadn¡¯t yet walked far:


    ¡°Sonia!¡±

 Chapter 71 - 67 Do not respond! Do not respond!

    Chapter 71: Chapter 67 Do not respond! Do not respond!


    Kingdom of Blood Moon, Shattered Lake Prison.


    ¡°If hurt enough, use a pair of hands to swiftly slice away yesterday¡¯s curse. Wait for daylight in the night, leaving scars...¡±


    Igula woke up from the velvet king-size bed, yawning as he went to the bathroom to take off his pajamas and nightcap. He first tested the water with his toes before lying down in the bathtub filled with warm water on a timer, enjoying a morning bath.


    To be able to take a bath at any time, Igula paid the price of 1 contribution point every 3 days to stay in this upscale dormitory. As a result, his contribution points were quite tight¡ªin five months of stay, he would consume 50 contribution points, equivalent to the initial total contribution of a death row inmate.


    However, he thought it was worth more than the cost, as taking baths was not only Igula¡¯s hobby but seemingly also the hobby of the ¡°Contract¡± Technique Spirit.


    Once, while bathing, Igula fell asleep from exhaustion. Amid his groggy daze, he vaguely saw the ¡°Contract¡± Technique Spirit riding a yellow duck, playing in the water in the tub.


    Though the ¡°Contract¡± Technique Spirit disappeared as soon as Igula opened his eyes, as if it had never been there, Igula trusted his judgment¡ªthe ¡°Contract¡± Technique Spirit really liked bathing.


    If discussed outside, this would merely be an interesting topic of casual conversation with no practical significance.


    While Technique Spirits undeniably possess wisdom and emotional preferences, most Mages hardly ever pay attention to them. After all, as long as there is an output of Magic Power, the Technique Spirit must obey the Mage¡¯s command, even if reluctantly.


    However, in Shattered Lake Prison, this information became Igula¡¯s life-saving trump card¡ªin an environment where no one could output Magic Power, the death row inmates who wished to cast spells would have to rely on triggering a Resonance with the Technique Spirit. Thus, whether the Technique Spirit would cooperate became an extremely crucial factor!


    Though Igula was still unsure if his almost guaranteed activation of the ¡°Contract¡± Technique Spirit in prison had anything to do with his frequent pleasing baths, he adhered to the adage, ¡°The more you do, the more mistakes; if you do nothing, you make no mistakes.¡± The prison was not a place for conducting research, so as long as Igula had surplus contribution points, he would not change his slightly ¡°luxurious¡± lifestyle.


    After taking a nap in the bathtub, Igula didn¡¯t bother dressing and directly went to wash up after toweling off. He emptied his mind, thinking of nothing, letting himself become blank and absentminded, mechanically brushing his teeth in front of the mirror, with grand motions that flicked toothpaste foam onto the mirror.


    Soon, the splattered toothpaste foam flowed along the mirror, curiously forming words.


    This meant that Igula had successfully activated another one of his Technique Spirits, ¡°Revelation.¡±


    ¡°Revelation¡± Technique Spirit was a spoil Igula found previously in the Void Realm, universally applicable¡ªyou could activate ¡°Revelation¡± before doing anything and the surrounding environment would change, giving useful hints.


    After entering prison, Igula had tried many methods before finding the right way to trigger the ¡°Revelation¡± Technique Spirit: while brushing his teeth, he had to empty his mind but not fully; he needed to maintain a slight ¡°I want some advice¡± thought to hook the Technique Spirit into a Resonance.


    This balance was hard to achieve, and Igula wasn¡¯t successful every day, but today he was lucky.


    Yet, Igula merely treated this process as a minor adjustment in his prison life, as most advice from ¡°Revelation¡± was trivial like ¡°Don¡¯t eat heavy for lunch,¡± ¡°Remember to bring tissues,¡± ¡°Don¡¯t wear underwear.¡±


    These pieces of advice were indeed useful, but only slightly.


    Even if Igula didn¡¯t follow them, it wouldn¡¯t pose any harm.


    But that was expected, as Igula hadn¡¯t studied the Prophetic Faction, and being able to utilize ¡°Revelation¡± to such an extent was already commendable.


    If sometime ¡°Revelation¡± gave a very stern warning, then Igula should be afraid¡ªbecause that would mean that Igula had reached a critical juncture of Fate, a poignant Veil of unknown entwining fates was imminent, so much so that ¡°Revelation¡± would react!


    For example, now!


    In Igula¡¯s increasingly horrified eyes, the toothpaste foam left a chilling warning on the mirror:


    ¡°Do not respond! Do not respond!¡±


    It was the first time Igula saw punctuation marks in the tips, and they were even exclamation marks!


    He quickly calmed down, contemplating whether he should follow the guidance of Revelation.


    Because the guidance from Revelation was not always correct.


    Or rather, ¡°right or wrong, benefit or detriment¡± were cultural concepts unique to human society, profoundly personal. The same issue could be viewed differently in various places, races, or even by different individuals like ¡°sleeping in.¡± Some people see it as bad, while others enjoy it.


    It¡¯s one thing when it comes to minor issues like ¡°sleeping in,¡± but even with major matters like ¡°life and death,¡± many have their own opinions¡ªsome think to die young is to free the soul early, some believe it¡¯s better to live poorly than die well, some fluctuate between wanting to live and die.


    If humans themselves can¡¯t discern right from wrong, how could a Technique Spirit?


    Therefore, the hints given by ¡°Revelation¡± were often very shortsighted. The Spirit gauges by the current state of the Mage, and any incident that could potentially change this state it would deem harmful.

 Chapter 72 - 67: Do Not Respond! Do Not Respond!_2

    Chapter 72: Chapter 67: Do Not Respond! Do Not Respond!_2


    For instance, on the day when the revelation suggested ¡°don¡¯t wear underwear,¡± a prison guard sought out Igula for advice on how to pursue girls. After all, Igula was handsome and dashing, with a bit of Meiwa blood, clearly a womanizing king of the scoundrels.


    The prison guard had delicate looks and long hair, emitting an enigmatic allure that could corrode hearts and captivate souls. Although Igula¡¯s sexual orientation was fairly standard, his Meiwa lineage made him not only omnivorous but also easily aroused, leading to an inadvertent reaction that scared the guard away and cost him the chance to build a friendly relationship.


    Now the revelation was warning him ¡°don¡¯t respond,¡± but could it be leading him to miss another opportunity to develop a profound relationship with the prison guard?


    But Igula soon made his decision¡ªhe disregarded the revelation. Disadvantages were staring him in the face!


    Life was pretty comfortable at the moment. Aside from not having the freedom to curse, he really wasn¡¯t doing too poorly. He ate well, slept well, had a regular routine, and access to a full range of entertainment facilities.


    Moreover, he had been in Shattered Lake Prison for over a year.


    Prison is a peculiar place. At first, you loathe it; later, you get used to it; and finally, you can¡¯t live without it.


    Igula had gotten used to this kind of life and had no motivation to change reality.


    Ironically, during last night¡¯s Blood Moon Judgement live broadcast, when Igula saw a death row inmate spouting obscenities, he felt a sense of disgust rising within. It wasn¡¯t disdain for the vulgar language; it was a subconscious belief that ¡°cursing is wrong.¡±


    The ¡°Swindler¡± Igula, who specialized in exploiting legal loopholes, had gradually turned into an upholder of the law. When you grow accustomed to the shackles, you start to accept and even romanticize their purpose. That¡¯s the meaning of Shattered Lake Prison; that¡¯s the power of chip-induced behavior modification.


    Leaving his dormitory, Igula walked briskly to the dining hall, resolved to remain silent outside. He would ignore anyone who approached him, eat breakfast quickly, and return to his dorm.


    He also considered whether to use his contribution to order food and hide in his dorm all day. But because he lost to Ash previously, his contribution was tight, and he wanted to conserve on unnecessary expenses like eating out.


    It was just about not talking during meals¡ªthere was no way Igula couldn¡¯t do it!


    Igula took his meal tray and found a corner to sit in, but the next second someone sat across from him.


    ¡°Good morning, my friend Igula! Hey, your lobster balls look great. Mind if I have one?¡±


    Igula¡¯s mouth moved slightly as he silently watched Ash struggle with the rather rare sight of chopsticks attempting to pick up a lobster ball.


    However, Ash wasn¡¯t skilled at it and missed, causing the lobster ball to leap out of the plate and onto the table.


    Ash blinked, tried again, and missed once more¡ªthe ball flew off again.


    On the third attempt, he finally managed to grasp one accurately and placed it back on Igula¡¯s plate before picking up another clean lobster ball to eat.


    ¡°You don¡¯t mind, do you?¡±


    Igula¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, but he remained silent, merely speeding up his eating.


    While eating, Ash made a flamboyant gesture that knocked over Igula¡¯s cup, spilling milk all over the table and onto his clothes.


    ¡°Oh sorry, sorry, let me help you wipe that, okay?¡±


    Ash reached out with a napkin to clean Igula¡¯s clothes, but Igula wordlessly pushed his hand away and headed straight into the restroom of the dining hall.


    After washing the trace of milk from his clothes, Igula figured he was there anyway and went to the urinal to pee.


    However, Ash appeared beside him again: ¡°Oh, what a coincidence, Igula, you¡¯re here to pee too.¡±


    Igula was silent, simply speeding up the flow.


    ¡°Oops, I didn¡¯t wipe my mouth. Igula, could you hold it for me while I grab a tissue?¡±


    Igula was almost at his breaking point, but remembering the warning in the mirror, he clenched his teeth, took a deep breath, and forcefully swallowed the words that were rising in his throat.


    ¡°After washing your hands without a towel, would it be possible to wipe them on your clothes?¡±


    ¡°Are you done with breakfast already? Let¡¯s go to the Death Battle Society together, could you introduce me to the strong ones there?¡±


    ¡°Did you watch the Blood Moon Judgement last night? I have a few questions I¡¯d like to ask you about it, and of course, you can ask me some in return.¡±


    ¡°Wait, don¡¯t rush off like that. Can¡¯t you wait for me?¡±


    Igula just treated Ash like he was talking nonsense, never responding to his requests and quickly heading to his own bedroom.


    Watching Igula¡¯s hurried departure, Ash was naturally very puzzled.


    He had exposed so many openings, so why hadn¡¯t Igula taken the bait?


    Igula Bokin was known to be a wicked man with the notorious titles ¡®Swindler¡¯, ¡®Beautiful Beast¡¯, preying on the weak and advancing aggressively when given the chance. Why then was he acting so tame today, like a kitten that hadn¡¯t yet been weaned?


    No other choice, it was time for the last resort!


    Ding!


    At the sound of gold coins hitting the floor, Igula, out of professional reflex, almost subconsciously looked over, and a voice that sounded like heaven¡¯s melody floated over, ¡°Could you help me pick up the gold coin?¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡± Igula instantly flicked a copper coin from his sleeve, painted to look like a gold coin, and only after he had switched the coins did he suddenly realize he had spoken.


    But Igula didn¡¯t panic. Looking at Ash, he said, ¡°Although I¡¯m not sure why you insist on making requests of me, now you¡¯ve gotten your wish ¨C the Contract Technique Spirit has taken effect. I¡¯ve fulfilled your request, so now you must fulfill any demand I make.¡±


    Inside Shattered Lake Prison, no one dared to accept Igula¡¯s requests, nor did anyone dare make requests of Igula ¨C this was because under the influence of the Contract Technique Spirit, anyone who established a ¡®transaction¡¯ with Igula could be forced to keep their promises through the contract, while he was not obligated to uphold his end.


    And the most wonderful contract was when someone made a request of Igula without specifying what they¡¯d give in return. It was like giving Igula a blank check to fill in any demand he wanted!


    Therefore, Igula had earlier suppressed his desire to respond to Ash with great willpower because as soon as he agreed to Ash¡¯s request, he would get a chance to demand anything from Ash, with no restrictions. It would be no problem even to have Ash lose to him in the next Death Battle.


    Igula had realized that Ash was doing it on purpose, but he was not intimidated.


    Even if Ash really had a scheme, now he had a chance to make a wish of Ash. What was there to fear?


    To intimidate Ash, Igula deliberately summoned his Contract Technique Spirit.


    The Contract Technique Spirit was a two-winged fiend carrying a chain. Its ephemeral chains stretched all the way to Ash¡¯s neck, as if ready to throttle him at any moment.


    ¡°I¡¯d advise you to behave yourself, Ash Heath.¡± Igula squinted his eyes: ¡°I can now make an unrestricted wish, which you will have to fulfill.¡±


    ¡°Any wish at all?¡±


    ¡°Of course, even if I ask you to stand on your head and shit.¡± Igula arrogantly declared, ¡°Ash, you¡¯ve become my ¡®good friend¡¯ to command.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just wonderful.¡±


    Ash reached out his hand, and a one-winged Technique Spirit emerged in his palm.


    The Technique Spirit appeared as a one-winged balance scale. When it appeared, a section of the chains from the Contract Technique Spirit suddenly dropped onto the left side of the scales. To maintain balance, an identical chain appeared on the right side, stretching all the way to Igula¡¯s neck!


    The chains of the Contract Technique Spirit had bound Ash; now the chains of the Technique Spirit of balance had bound Igula!


    ¡°Balance exists in everything.¡±


    Looking at Igula¡¯s face that was gradually becoming uglier and contorted with trouble, Ash said with a smile, ¡°Igula, helping each other is what ¡®good friends¡¯ do, don¡¯t you agree?¡±

 Chapter 73 - 68 Wish

    Chapter 73: Chapter 68 Wish


    This new Technique Spirit was naturally the spoils from last night¡¯s Void Realm Exploration.


    It proved that Ash and the Sword Maiden¡¯s wait had been worth it.


    On the eve of the vortex¡¯s disappearance, Ash finally saw the map prompt change from ¡°wait a moment¡± to ¡°rush in,¡± and he quickly pulled the Sword Maiden and jumped into the vortex.


    After traversing thousands of miles of sea, a severely injured Fish-Slicing Dragon appeared before Ash and his companion.


    To deal with such a knowledge creature, Ash and the Sword Maiden naturally wouldn¡¯t speak of any chivalry, taking advantage of its weakness to claim its life, they looted a total of five Technique Spirits. Unfortunately, there were no Experience Treasure Orbs, but these five Technique Spirits each had their unique uses, making it quite a bountiful harvest.


    Ash had gone to great lengths to establish a ¡°trade¡± relationship with Igula because the newly acquired ¡°Balance¡± Technique Spirit had given him ample confidence.


    ¡°Balance¡±


    ¡°One-winged Technique Spirit¡±


    ¡°Restriction: The Mage must have basic mathematical knowledge such as trigonometry, sequences, and probability theory.¡±


    ¡°Basic Effect: Reflects any effect to the Caster in a certain ratio.¡±


    ¡°Passive Effect: Greatly enhances the Mage¡¯s sense of balance and the ability to adjust their center of gravity.¡±


    ¡°¡®Equilibrium exists within all things.¡¯¡±


    Originally, Ash had planned to use the Balance Technique Spirit as a counter-damage armor without much thought, but after he left the Void Realm and returned to reality, he suddenly discovered that he could easily trigger the Resonance of the Balance Technique Spirit.


    Perhaps it was because he mastered all the basic mathematical knowledge required by the Balance Technique Spirit, after all, they were examination points for math tests. Although his ability had regressed after four years of college and he could no longer solve problems, he could still understand the basic concepts.


    Ash had never seen a Technique Spirit that required knowledge before. According to the Sword Maiden, it seemed that only those related to ¡°Fate,¡± ¡°Prophecy,¡± and ¡°Truth¡± would have knowledge requirements. These Technique Spirits were rarely used in combat or production, but often played unexpected roles, and Mages of the Prophetic Faction held high social status.


    Being able to trigger the Resonance of the Balance Technique Spirit at any time meant that besides the Void Realm, Ash could also use the Balance Technique Spirit to profit in the ¡°civilized society¡± of Shattered Lake Prison.


    However, the Balance Technique Spirit belonged to that kind of ¡®Holy Mother¡¯ police who wouldn¡¯t act unless the enemy did, and it could only respond when others were casting spells with their Technique Spirits. In a prison where nobody could use Technique Spirits, the Balance Technique Spirit actually didn¡¯t have many targets.


    Except for this ¡°good friend¡± Ash had just met.


    ¡°Not bad, Ash,¡± Igula said as lightly as he could, ¡°Since you have my wish and I have yours, we have reached an equilibrium of wishes. From now on, you live your life and I live mine, we coexist peacefully and don¡¯t infringe upon each other, creating a harmonious prison environment. How about that?¡±


    ¡°Not so great,¡± Ash replied with a slight smile, ¡°I¡¯m going to use my wish right now.¡±


    ¡°Think it through!¡± Igula¡¯s tone turned sinister, ¡°Once you use your wish, you¡¯ll have no means to threaten me! Then I can make you do anything I want, not just making you stand on your head to poop and roll around on the ground, but even losing a Death Battle Society fight on purpose!¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve thought it through.¡± Ash took a step forward, approaching Igula.


    Igula had an uneasy premonition, and as he backed away, he tried to persuade, ¡°Ash, really, there¡¯s no need to go this far. Or don¡¯t use the wish, just negotiate with me, I¡¯m your good friend, if I can help you, I definitely will...¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want ¡®if,¡¯ I need you to ¡®wholeheartedly¡¯ fulfill my wish.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary Swindler with limited abilities, Ash, you¡¯re giving me too much credit. How about this, I¡¯ll find a way to establish a Contract with another death row inmate, whatever you ask for, I¡¯ll have them satisfy you, okay? Anything at all, and with no limits on the number of times!¡±


    ¡°No good, anyone else won¡¯t do, it has to be you.¡±


    Igula¡¯s back was against the wall, with no room to retreat. Ash leaned against the wall with one hand, looking at him and said, ¡°Igula, my wish is¡ª¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t hear you, I¡¯m not listening!¡±


    Igula covered his ears with his hands and ran away, but he couldn¡¯t use any Technique Spirits, and with similar physical capabilities, Ash caught up and grabbed his arm, shouting:


    ¡°Igula, I want your help to escape from prison!¡±


    A passing Prison Guard glanced at the two of them, shook his head, and left whistling.


    To the guards, declarations like ¡°I¡¯m the man who will be the king of prison breaks¡± had been heard hundreds of times; naturally, they didn¡¯t take it seriously.


    Even in their hearts, the guards felt a bit of sympathy for the condemned men; after all, dreaming up such fantasies right after breakfast seemed quite pitiable.


    But the persons involved didn¡¯t think this was just babbling nonsense.


    Gasping for air, Igula looked at Ash, his expression as unsightly as if he had been punched, his back unknowingly drenched in cold sweat.


    He just knew it! He just knew it!


    What other wish could a man who had just survived the Blood Moon Judgement have, apart from the messy affairs of life and death, if not for breaking out of prison?


    The moment Ash had his wish in hand, Igula knew he was done for. It was always those good at swimming who drowned, those enamored with flowers who perished in bed; and he, a Swindler who had reaped the intelligence tax of countless victims, now found himself trapped.


    As for using his own wish to counteract Ash¡¯s wish, that was impossible¡ªbecause that would violate the restriction of ¡°helping Ash,¡± something Igula simply couldn¡¯t do!


    Ash¡¯s wish made it impossible for Igula to do anything to ¡°prevent Ash from escaping¡± from Shattered Lake Prison!


    He sighed and said, ¡°Come with me.¡±


    Igula took Ash to his room. Shattered Lake Prison did not forbid inmates from visiting each other¡¯s cells; they could even sleep together and chat without issue¡ªafter all, aside from sleeping, there wasn¡¯t much else they could do, with ¡°physical intimacy¡± among the prohibited activities according to their implanted chips.


    Only in a couple¡¯s room could the ¡°physical intimacy¡± restriction be temporarily lifted, only Death Battle Society could temporarily lift the ¡°combat¡± restriction, and only in the toilets could the ¡°excretion¡± restriction be lifted¡ªyes, even the freedom to defecate in public was denied to the death row inmates.


    Or you could say that death row inmates actually had the same freedom as normal people, but before doing certain things, you had to report to and apply with the prison, and only if the prison allowed it could you do it.


    The difference between death row inmates and free people might be the difference between ¡°nothing is permitted without law¡± and ¡°everything not forbidden by law is permitted.¡±


    ¡°Your room¡¯s quite spacious.¡±


    Ash sat on the velvet bed with a flop, leaned back and sank in. Igula, who was just moving out a chair, couldn¡¯t help but twitch the corners of his mouth at this scene.


    Ash glanced at him and waved his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t be so formal, relax and sit down. I¡¯m not much for etiquette; you don¡¯t need to pour me water.¡±


    What a pity, I was just thinking of scooping some water out of the toilet to quench your thirst, and if I hadn¡¯t just urinated, I might have even added some extra ingredients... With resentment brewing inside, Igula sat on the chair with his fingers interlaced, staring at Ash.


    ¡°Do you really want to escape?¡±


    ¡°What kind of question is that? Who living here doesn¡¯t want to escape?¡±


    ¡°A lot,¡± Igula said indifferently. ¡°Like ¡®Diamond¡¯ Teague, for instance, he doesn¡¯t want to escape. He has offended too many people outside, where it¡¯s even more dangerous for him, and aside from being a hired thug or bodyguard, Weak Faction mages don¡¯t have other means of survival. As long as he isn¡¯t selected for the Blood Moon Judgment, Teague actually lives a more comfortable life here than outside.¡±


    ¡°People like Teague are not rare, or rather, anyone who has lived here for a few years has basically found a new way to survive and doesn¡¯t hold any yearnings for the outside world. To them, the outside is just a larger prison, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Igula looked at Ash, secretly activated his Resonance Technique Spirit, and spoke with a tempting tone, ¡°Since you survived your first Blood Moon Judgment, unless something unexpected happens, you¡¯ll be like us, participating in the Blood Moon Judgments according to your contribution Sequence. As long as you have enough contribution, you won¡¯t be selected.¡±


    ¡°Your strength is good, and your chances of victory in a death battle are high, which means you also have the ability to live comfortably here.¡± He spread his hands, ¡°If you want, you can have a big room like this too, eat whatever you like from the restaurant, read books, watch films, drink, dance, or even pop Moon candy if you desire. Any requests you have can be discussed with the prison administration; that new ice rink was built because an inmate liked ice skating.¡±


    ¡°To people on the outside, this place might seem like a utopia¡ªno crime, no vulgarity, no competition, and even no work, living a calm life each day with a regular schedule and plenty of energy.¡±


    ¡°Life here isn¡¯t worse than outside.¡±


    Seeing Ash seemingly moved, Igula was secretly thrilled and couldn¡¯t help praising his own cunning.


    Ash¡¯s wish wasn¡¯t without loopholes; the premise of ¡°helping Ash escape¡± required Ash to want to escape. So as long as he convinced Ash to abandon the idea, Igula naturally wouldn¡¯t have to fulfill this wish.


    But these were also Igula¡¯s sincere feelings.


    Escape was a dead-end road with no finish line; fleeing wasn¡¯t a momentary victory, but a lifetime of torture. Not to mention whether they could escape, even if they managed to, what awaited them was a harsher challenge¡ªlike rats crossing the street, hiding their names, living in fear, and struggling to breathe the free yet filthy air in the sewers.


    And a pitiful survival, to them, was happiness easily within reach.


    A death row inmate who survived the Blood Moon Judgment knew which option to choose.


    ¡°What you say makes sense.¡±


    Ash sat up and nodded in Igula¡¯s hopeful gaze, ¡°Indeed, escaping is a perilous and uncertain path filled with thorns, and living here has its risks, but overall, it¡¯s much more comfortable. If I stay here long enough, I¡¯d probably become just like you all, learning how to enjoy prison life.¡±


    Igula was delighted, ¡°Uh-huh, good that you understand, Ash, so¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I must escape, and quickly, the sooner the better!¡±


    Ash looked at Igula and slowly shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t want to become like you all, blunted, cowardly, and broken.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to live like a... dog!¡±


    Igula¡¯s expression froze.


    After a moment of silence, Igula slowly stood up.


    Snap!


    He kicked the chair over with one foot, turned around and threw a punch at the wall, but just before his fist connected, his body suddenly stiffened, the chip within blocking his kinetic output.


    ¡°Fascinating, so calling oneself a dog doesn¡¯t count as a curse? Must be a loophole in the chip, huh? Hahaha...¡±


    ¡°Fine! Escape, yes, all forms of escape!¡±


    Igula shook his hand disdainfully and said coldly, ¡°But the prerequisite for escape is that we first need to figure out a way to kill... get rid of the chip in our necks! As long as that neck chip is there, never mind escaping; you can¡¯t even decide where to shit without the prison¡¯s approval! Haha, I can¡¯t do anything about that, can you, my dear cult leader, Ash Heath?¡±


    ¡°I have a way to deal with the chip.¡±


    ¡°I knew you had no... what?¡±

 Chapter 74 - 69: Finding Teammates

    Chapter 74: Chapter 69: Finding Teammates


    ¡°Shatter my Miracle, shatter my Miracle...¡±


    Igula paced back and forth in the room, unconsciously biting his nails, unable to hold back his question, ¡°Are you really sure you can perform a Miracle without being allowed to output Magic Power?¡±


    ¡°There is no guarantee,¡± Ash calmly replied, ¡°Besides, I can¡¯t perform it now, as I am still missing a critical Technique Spirit to complete ¡®Shatter my Miracle.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Then how do you¡ª¡±


    ¡°I already told you, I have a secret channel to obtain Technique Spirits. I don¡¯t know when I will find that critical Technique Spirit, but it¡¯s only a matter of time.¡±


    Igula opened his mouth but then closed it again.


    Ash didn¡¯t say, and naturally, Igula couldn¡¯t guess what that so-called ¡®secret channel¡¯ was, but he hardly doubted the truth of the matter.


    Because of the Scale Technique Spirit.


    If Ash had the Scale Technique Spirit a few days ago, he wouldn¡¯t have been unilaterally bound by Igula¡¯s Contract Technique Spirit.


    Although it was also possible that Ash was feigning ignorance to deceive, but with Igula being the one initiating the provocation, how could Ash have set a trap specifically against Igula?


    Rather than believing in such a conspiracy theory that only exists probabilistically, Igula was more willing to believe in Ash¡¯s potential.


    It wasn¡¯t because Igula was naive, optimistic, and adorable, but because Ash had personally demonstrated one miracle after another.


    In a fight to the death with Igula, he went from a rookie who couldn¡¯t even fight to a skilled boxer within minutes;


    In a fight to the death with Valcas, he went from a rookie who couldn¡¯t even hold a sword to a swordsmanship expert within minutes;


    In the Blood Moon Judgement, he fearlessly faced the scorching of the Purification Flame, although he was the criminal with the deepest sins.


    And now, with the sudden appearance of the Scale Technique Spirit, Igula felt he had no reason to doubt Ash. Even though Ash¡¯s mention of a ¡®secret channel¡¯ under the prison¡¯s supervision was nearly fantastical, in this world of Mages, Miracles were indeed the most common inevitability.


    Moreover, Ash Heath was the leader of the Gods of Four Pillars cult.


    Igula¡¯s expression fluctuated, and with a clenched jaw and a stomp of his foot, he exclaimed, ¡°Let¡¯s do it!¡±


    ¡°However, just the two of us can¡¯t break out of jail; I must recruit a few more people.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Ash smiled, ¡°The reason I approached you first is that you definitely know the other death row inmates. After all, being unfamiliar here, I need a crafty ¡®local¡¯ to form a team.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the praise; as a Swindler, information is my weapon,¡± Igula bowed elegantly.


    ¡°So, whom shall we recruit?¡±


    ¡°I already have a preliminary plan¡ªin the premise that you can use ¡®Shatter my Miracle¡¯ to remove the chip restrictions, we need three types of people: a Vanguard responsible for assault operations, a Destroyer responsible for sustained damage, and a Logistics Support responsible for rapid movement and healing.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like it requires professionals with very high skills, can we find them?¡±


    ¡°Are you joking?¡± Igula laughed.


    ¡°Criminals, murderers, black-market smugglers¡ªaren¡¯t these three types of people everywhere in Shattered Lake Prison?¡±


    ...


    ...


    Kingdom of Stars, Jiale City.


    Ingrid curiously watched the scenery outside in the villa district, Adelle excitedly touched the decorative leather inside the car, Lois, feeling embarrassed, quickly grabbed Adelle¡¯s hand and made small talk, ¡°Thank you for the invitation to your tea party, Felix.¡±


    ¡°No need to thank me,¡± Felix said gloomily while driving, ¡°It¡¯s Sonia who insisted on bringing her roommates, so I invited you... thank her if you want to.¡±


    His words were quite impolite, showing Felix was in a bad mood, barely maintaining basic noble etiquette, which frightened Adelle from touching anything more.


    Lois had no interest in continuing this awkward conversation and quietly observed Sonia, sitting in the passenger seat, wondering what their relationship was.


    Today at noon, Sonia suddenly approached them, saying that Felix wanted to invite them to his villa for a tea party.


    Tea parties are a common student activity, typically involving a few students gathering at a scenic location to enjoy pastries and red tea while gossiping and spreading rumors¡ªmany campus rumors start at such gatherings.


    Lois had attended her fair share of tea parties, even specifically hosting some to speak ill of Sonia¡ªif not for slander, the tea party would have been worthless.


    Therefore, she found it odd that Sonia would want to invite her to a tea party, as the nature of such gatherings clearly showed they were meant for close-knit circles who shared gossip. Lois did not think her relationship with Sonia was close enough that they could comfortably talk about others behind their backs.


    Even if Sonia wanted to bring friends to the tea party, she had been so close to Ingrid these days, inviting her would have sufficed, so why bring Lois and Adelle into it?


    Moreover, considering this was a tea party held by Felix, and thinking of this playboy¡¯s nefarious reputation, Lois instinctively assumed the worst about Sonia: keywords like ¡®noble son¡¯, ¡®basement¡¯, ¡®imprisoning young girls¡¯, ¡®abuse¡¯, and ¡®slave¡¯ surged in her mind.


    However, before Lois could decline, Sonia suggested that they inform their parents about going to Felix¡¯s tea party¡ªif something untoward happened, it would surely be the misdeed of Duke Vosloda¡¯s second son, and so forth...


    Such thoughtful care left Lois somewhat puzzled, but Ingrid saw through the ruse and asked Sonia if they needed to be witnesses. Sonia didn¡¯t specify, but assured that attending the tea party would be beneficial.


    And the benefit was related to mages.


    But if Felix had ill-intentions, they would be in trouble, hence Sonia¡¯s insistence they tell their parents their whereabouts.


    The setup sounded more like bait to lure naive girls, and under normal circumstances, Lois would have refused. But since it was Felix and Sonia ¡ª and they had both reminded them to notify their parents ¡ª coupled with Lois wanting to buy a Rapid Stream Technique Spirit from Sonia, she couldn¡¯t afford to offend Sonia.


    What sealed the decision was Ingrid¡¯s agreement.


    To quote her, ¡°In the world of mages, adventure equals progress, caution equals retreat. If I can¡¯t even take this little risk, I might as well go back home and get married.¡±


    Maybe it was a young girl¡¯s fascination with adventure, or perhaps the hints of matchmaking by her parents during her last visit home, or simply the refusal to be cowed in front of someone she despised¡ªultimately, Lois agreed to the tea party invitation.


    As Lois¡¯s sidekick, Adelle hardly thought twice before joining her.


    But after boarding the car, the anxiety Lois had initially felt gradually subsided. Not only because many students had seen them entering Felix¡¯s silver sedan but also because the route took them towards Jiale City¡¯s affluent suburban area, monitored continuously by surveillance, and the suburb itself was a core area of Jiale City, a highly unlikely place for crimes.


    The silver sedan drove into a luxurious mansion, and Adelle stepped out looking around: ¡°Where are the servants?¡±


    ¡°No servants,¡± Felix answered indifferently. ¡°Only when I¡¯m not here do I hire housekeeping staff to maintain the mansion. Otherwise, no one else is here.¡±


    Still naively, Adelle asked, ¡°No servants, so how do we hold a tea party? Are we supposed to brew tea and make pastries ourselves?¡±


    Lois, embarrassed, pulled her naive sidekick aside to explain the situation.


    Felix led them into the mansion¡¯s main hall, and summoned a scantily clad, one-winged Technique Spirit under the disdainful looks of everyone.


    As if triggered by something, the fireplace suddenly opened, revealing a dark, spiral secret passage.


    Sonia complained, ¡°Must you make it this creepy and frightening? Do you also indulge in luring girls, murder, dissecting corpses, and skinning as hobbies?¡±


    ¡°Secrets are always associated with fear, darkness, and murder. Secrets aren¡¯t inherently like this, they are just so fragile that they need to be protected with bluster,¡± Felix retorted irritably. ¡°Would you rather I change the location to the school cafeteria?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s the school cafeteria at midnight, that might still suit your needs.¡±


    Sonia grumbled and followed Felix into the spiral passage, with Ingrid drawing a wooden sword from her scabbard and following closely behind. Lois and Adelle exchanged a glance, hugging each other tightly as they nervously brought up the rear.


    Lois was already regretting her decision.


    It wasn¡¯t that she feared for her safety; she even believed she would benefit. But every gift comes with a price, and she sensed that as a consequence, she would become tied with Sonia and Felix, forming a mutually beneficial alliance.


    She suddenly recalled a saying her merchant father had told her:


    ¡°Interest is the most stable relationship, secrets the most solid bond, and partners-in-crime the most genuine friends.¡±


    After about thirty seconds, they arrived at an underground training room.


    Shockingly, the room¡¯s lighting wasn¡¯t the usual civilian gas incandescent but an Artifact Spirit called ¡®Day Star¡¯, illuminating the large underground room as bright as daylight¡ªSword Flower University¡¯s training gym also used only one ¡®Day Star¡¯ for lighting at night¡ªdetails that underscored Felix¡¯s extravagance.


    Here, Felix seemed to shed his burdens and mask, carelessly opening a freezer in the corner to grab a bottle of wine and blowing off its dust, grumpily stating, ¡°I¡¯ve fulfilled my promise, met your demand, now you handle the rest.¡±


    Ingrid stood at the staircase entrance, blocking the others, and asked, ¡°Sonia, can you explain now?¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± Sonia smiled and said, ¡°Simply put¡ª¡±


    ¡°Felix has a treasure he wants to split with me fifty-fifty. But how could I forget my dear roommates when such a good thing comes along? So I brought you all here to share in the treasure.¡±

 Chapter 75 - 70: Treasure

    Chapter 75: Chapter 70: Treasure


    Felix¡¯s treasure?


    Remembering to include your roommate when something good happens?


    Oh my gosh, we have a Saint in our dorm!


    Ingrid laughed and said, ¡°You¡¯re afraid that Felix has ulterior motives towards you, so you brought us along to dilute the risk, and even reminded us to inform our parents of our whereabouts, so Felix would hesitate to act, right?¡±


    Sonia shrugged, not denying it, ¡°There is a bit of that consideration. But the treasure is real...¡±


    Felix, watching Sonia talk eloquently, heaved a sigh inwardly, suddenly doubting whether his decision this time was an overreach.


    In the morning when leaving the Meditation Building, Felix stopped Sonia, saying he had a fantastic opportunity to share with her.


    But who was Sonia, really? She was a cunning woman who had struggled alone in the glitzy city of Jiale City, having seen the darkest sides of humanity, and she wouldn¡¯t fall for such empty promises.


    Scammers know to give small gifts before deceiving their targets; at least try to bribe me with gifts to lower my guard!


    Sugar-coated bullets, sugar-coated bullets, your bullets don¡¯t even have a sugar coating¡ªwho do you think you¡¯re fooling?


    After much persuasion, Felix finally convinced Sonia, but faced with Sonia¡¯s constant threats of ¡®forget it, I¡¯m not participating¡¯, he had no choice but to reveal his true intentions and cede the leadership to her.


    The so-called treasure was actually an inheritance left by Felix¡¯s mother. However, she had divided this inheritance into several parts, each with specific conditions that must be met, or else it would be impossible to claim the inheritance forever.


    One part of the inheritance required possession of the ¡°Slaughter Sword¡± Technique Spirit and at least Half-winged magic power.


    Although Felix had Half-winged magic power, he had lost the ¡°Slaughter Sword,¡± which was both a stroke of good, yet bad luck, making an otherwise attainable treasure suddenly as difficult as reaching the heavens.


    At this moment, Sonia¡¯s ¡°Slaughter Sword¡± came into his view.


    But Felix knew that Sonia would not relinquish her precious ¡®Secret Sword Spirit Twenty-One¡¯, so he proposed a partnership to her.


    At first, he put forth a proposal he thought was very reasonable: a sham marriage. It wasn¡¯t that he wanted to take advantage of Sonia, but he had researched her background and believed this was exactly the opportunity Sonia was looking for.


    According to the Noble Emblem Law, any relationship recognized by the Noble House is legally valid. Felix knew that what Sonia most desired was a noble status that would allow her to live a dignified life in Jiale City, but the path to ennoblement was rugged and tough. In comparison, marrying into nobility seemed like a shortcut.


    By marrying Felix, Sonia would immediately obtain the Vosloda Family Emblem. She could not only receive monthly maintenance funds from the family fund but also enjoy the family Mage training system. The ¡°Dragon¡¯s Belly Scales,¡± ¡°Dragon¡¯s Banquet,¡± and other Miracles would also be open to her.


    Most importantly, she could use the Vosloda Family Emblem to bypass the residence restrictions of Jiale City, enjoy noble privileges, purchase property without restrictions, and choose her Profession without restrictions.


    She could even change her mother¡¯s residency from agricultural town resident to a resident of Jiale City.


    Felix, putting himself in her shoes, knew Sonia certainly valued her mother, who had single-handedly raised her after becoming a widow early in life. If possible, she definitely wanted her mother to enjoy a good life sooner rather than later.


    However, even if Sonia was exceptionally gifted, she would need at least a year and a half to deploy the Silver Wings and at least four years to deploy the Golden Wings. If she aimed to reach the Three-winged Holy Realm within ten years, she needed both luck and opportunity.


    But more likely, it would take her twenty years to reach the Three-winged Holy Realm.


    In recent years, the number of ennoblements had been decreasing, almost exclusively to those within the Holy Realm; no ennoblement, no emblem. Without a noble emblem, even if Sonia was exceptional, she could only enjoy her success alone in Jiale City. Without the power to move her mother¡¯s residency, her mother was still subject to a thirty-day limit per year stay in Jiale City.


    Civilians must stick to their civilian duties, while nobles have the privilege to soar.


    Felix thought Sonia would happily accept, as it was akin to sparing herself twenty years of struggle.


    After all, one could always divorce after getting married. Even though it would mean losing the Vosloda Emblem, by then Sonia would have undoubtedly accumulated great wealth and moved her mother¡¯s residency to Jiale City. The divorce would affect none of her benefits or even her reputation¡ªnoble divorces are common affairs, and everyone generally accepts them without much thought.


    But even after Felix outlined the advantages and disadvantages, Sonia still declined the proposal.


    He could not understand why the clever and worldly Sonia would reject such a mutually beneficial proposal.


    Interest, status, fame¡ªweren¡¯t these what she wanted?


    Why did she refuse?


    Could it be that she was so confident that she could achieve everything through her own abilities in just a few years?


    Or did she look down on me, Felix, and wasn¡¯t interested in taking the so-called shortcut?


    But since plan one failed, Felix could only suggest plan two: splitting the treasure.


    Although the treasure was an inheritance left to him by his mother and, in theory, should not be shared with anyone else, regaining the ¡°Slaughter Sword¡± wasn¡¯t entirely impossible. Felix could have left the treasure for the future.


    But Felix knew that everything in the world has an expiration date.


    Power also expires.


    The restrictions placed on his mother¡¯s inheritance were specifically to help Felix.


    Whatever treasures he could open would provide massive assistance at his current stage, ensuring that Felix wouldn¡¯t obtain power he couldn¡¯t control.

 Chapter 76 - 70: Treasure_2

    Chapter 76: Chapter 70: Treasure_2


    ¡°Just as he, a One-winged Mage, would not inherit a Two-winged Technique Spirit from the estate¡ªbecause to him it would be nothing more than a burden and encumbrance,¡±


    ¡°And this treasure, which required Half-winged magic power to open, was naturally a perfect fit for his current situation.¡±


    ¡°If Felix were to advance to a Two-winged Gold and then open this treasure, he would no longer need such help by then, not even to gild the lily; but right now, even if he could acquire only half, it would be like sending coal in snowy weather.¡±


    ¡°Years of assassination attempts had already made Felix pragmatic and rational.¡±


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t squirrel away food like a squirrel. Filled with a sense of crisis, he believed in the principle of ¡®use it when you need it¡¯, and maximizing benefits was the only Law he abided by, even if it meant sharing his mother¡¯s heritage.¡±


    ¡°Sonia agreed but didn¡¯t agree entirely.¡±


    ¡°She proposed a condition that made Felix feel utterly bewildered: she wanted to bring friends to participate in this operation, and she would share her portion of the treasure as a reward to her friends.¡±


    ¡°At first, Felix thought he had met a Saint who could not be allured by wealth or compromised by force, but on second thought, he understood Sonia¡¯s worries¡ªshe feared that he would kill and seize the treasure!¡±


    ¡°Without Professor Trozan¡¯s support, Sonia would almost be a background-less outsider in college, but even with Trozan as a backer, her collaboration with a local Noble like Felix was tantamount to asking a tiger for its skin¡ªshe could only suspect the worst of Felix!¡±


    ¡°And by bringing along three roommates, she could spread the risk nicely: Ingrid was the child of a minor Noble from out of town, Lois was the daughter of a local merchant, and Adelle¡¯s father was an official in Jiale City... The focus was on Lois and Adelle; they surely had emergency alert artifacts, which would transmit their location signal to the police station if they encountered danger!¡±


    ¡°Plus, since they all reported their whereabouts to their families, Felix would also need to be careful to escort these young ladies back to school, otherwise if anything happened, the Noble House would not let him off the hook first.¡±


    ¡°Felix admired Sonia¡¯s caution, but naturally, he was not keen on more people knowing his secret, so he argued persistently, tempting with benefits, even willing to adjust the distribution ratio from fifty-fifty to forty-sixty, which could be said to be quite humble.¡±


    ¡°But Sonia stuck to her guns, ¡®If you don¡¯t agree, then I don¡¯t need this treasure,¡¯ clinging firmly to Felix¡¯s bottom line.¡±


    ¡°The winner in negotiations is always the one who cares the least.¡±


    ¡°Felix knew how much the treasure would elevate him, and in the end, he capitulated.¡±


    ¡°After Sonia finished explaining the situation, her roommates looked at Felix with wariness, hiding behind Sonia like little chicks, making Felix almost want to laugh: ¡®If you¡¯re still concerned, you can leave now, just don¡¯t talk nonsense outside.¡¯¡±


    ¡°¡®No, I want to stay and protect Sonia!¡¯ Lois declared righteously, though her eyes sparkled with eagerness, while Adelle looked as if she relished being a spectator at a grand event.¡±


    ¡°Ingrid was straightforward: ¡®I am just really curious about what a treasure that requires a Technique Spirit to open looks like.¡¯¡±


    ¡°It was no wonder that these Mage Apprentices were curious about a treasure even the young master Felix of Vosloda coveted. They were, after all, teenage girls in the prime of youth¡ªhow could they not desire this sort of treasure hunt straight out of a novel¡¯s plot?¡±


    ¡°Felix sighed, took out five blank sealed contracts, ¡®Then let¡¯s sign the contracts first.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Sonia and the others mentally exclaimed at the extravagance¡ªsealed contracts were a common Artifact Spirit tool, functioning to temporarily store ¡®Miracle¡¤Void Realm Oath¡¯ onto paper. Those who sign the contract would be subject to the constraints of the Void Realm, punished by the Void Realm for breaching it: minor penalties could mean sleep without waking, severe ones, soul extinction.¡±


    ¡°Sealed contracts didn¡¯t come cheap; their market price was equivalent to a One-winged Technique Spirit, not used for trivial transactions. Felix being able to produce five at once not only indicated his wealth but also the extraordinary value of the treasure; otherwise, he would not have invested so much.¡±


    ¡°The use of sealed contracts was simple. The user would peel off the seal and directly copy onto the contract template. Any corrections or ugly handwriting didn¡¯t matter¡ªas long as the transcription was complete and the five contracts signed overlapped perfectly, meaning that the contents of all five were identical, the oath would be effective.¡±


    Pre-sealing, separate transcription, overlapping verification¡ªthese measures were all designed to minimize the possibility of Mages tampering with contracts. As a matter of fact, the sealed contract had proven to be trustworthy; Sonia¡¯s student loan agreement, for example, was executed using such a contract.


    The template of the contract was simple: it forbade the disclosure of anything that happened in the underground chamber, the creation of any records pertaining to it, exposure of any details regarding the treasure, no matter what was obtained, each individual had to find their own way to conceal the origin and to not implicate Felix personally.


    Meanwhile, Felix and Sonia would split the findings of the underground chamber evenly, and then Sonia would share the treasure with Ingrid, Lois, and Adelle.


    It was essentially a contract of confidentiality and profit sharing.


    While transcribing, Adelle whispered, ¡°Sonia, why did you reject the fake marriage proposal? If I were you, I definitely wouldn¡¯t want the treasure, I would choose the fake marriage... that¡¯s the Vosloda Emblem after all...¡±


    Lois was also curious and looked at Sonia.


    Sonia¡¯s face turned a bit unnatural, and after struggling for a long time, she managed to blurt out, ¡°It¡¯s shameful!¡±


    What¡¯s shameful?


    Is it shameful to have a fake marriage with Felix?


    Or is it shameful to seek a shortcut into the noble class?


    If it were Ingrid who said this, it might be understandable, but you are Sonia Sevi!


    Lois and Adelle couldn¡¯t understand, considering Sonia was not known for her integrity, and more importantly, they didn¡¯t think Sonia was someone who cared about face. What¡¯s the shame in that? Losing money is the real pain!


    They couldn¡¯t understand, nor could Felix, but Ingrid had a vague guess as to why.


    It wasn¡¯t because she was particularly close to Sonia, but rather simply because they both came from small places.


    Unlike Jiale City, which had open-minded thinking, small places harbored conservative attitudes. To city dwellers, these attitudes seemed backward and unsophisticated, but to rural folks, some things were not to be trifled with.


    For example, marriage.


    Perhaps because Sonia had assimilated quickly into the city, others felt she was a very modern and trendy college student. But Ingrid knew that deep down, Sonia still carried the naivety and fantasies unique to country folk, such as believing that effort leads to success, that hardship paves the way forward, that marriage is sacred, love is pure, without the slightest flaw.


    She might view marriage as a way to climb the social ladder, but she hadn¡¯t cast aside her dignity for it. Otherwise, there were plenty of slick nobility¡¯s second generations out there. She simply wanted to find the marriage partner who was most suitable for her within an acceptable range and then dedicate herself to that marriage for life.


    Not everything could be traded, an idea incomprehensible to city people.


    Of course, besides this, Ingrid felt that part of Sonia¡¯s reason was pride¡ªtaking shortcuts was easy, but since she could succeed on her own merit, why should she tarnish her honor?


    Sonia, feeling Ingrid¡¯s gaze, grew a bit uncomfortable, ¡°Why are you staring at me, do I have something on my face?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, are you blushing?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sick.¡±

 Chapter 77 - 71 Technique Spirit Relationship · Battle of Pure Love

    Chapter 77: Chapter 71 Technique Spirit Relationship ¡¤ Battle of Pure Love


    In Jiale City, in the basement of a luxurious villa.


    As the five overlapping contracts turned to light smoke and dissipated, all five people felt as if their souls had gained a bit of weight.


    ¡°The contract has been signed, but where¡¯s the treasure?¡± Adelle looked curiously around. ¡°I get it, is it hidden inside these tables and chairs, and we need to carve away the outer wood?¡±


    It was no wonder Adelle had this thought; after all, the basement was essentially full of tables and chairs, with everything in plain sight and no apparent place to hide anything.


    ¡°The treasure isn¡¯t here,¡± Felix said.


    ¡°If it¡¯s not here, then what are we doing here?¡±


    Adelle was baffled, but the others looked as if they had expected this. Lois, frustrated with Adelle¡¯s slow uptake, pinched her cheek: ¡°Would you please pay a bit more attention in class! We are Mages, not ordinary people. When we hide something, how could we possibly do it like normal people and hide things in the real world?¡±


    ¡°If not in the real world then where... oh, the Void Realm!¡± Adelle had an epiphany. ¡°No wonder a Technique Spirit is needed to access the treasure!¡±


    Compared to the real world filled with surprises, vicissitudes, natural disasters, and human calamities, the Void Realm was the ideal storage space: eternal and unchanging, devoid of disasters, desolate and uninhabited.


    The Void Realm had never just been a place of cultivation for Mages; it was the cornerstone of the Mage system. To this day, no one could claim to have completely researched the Void Realm. Almost every year, every month, Mages were using the Void Realm to invent new technologies.


    Mages were like children picking up seashells by the sea, with the vast unknown ocean still stretching out before them.


    The technique of storing items in the Void Realm was not new; it still hadn¡¯t been commercialized to this day and remained a miracle exclusive to high-ranking Mages.


    The principle couldn¡¯t be simpler: find a way to fix the spatial coordinates of the Gate of Truth¡¯s Void Realm, ensuring you could reach the same Void Realm coordinates every time, making that coordinate naturally become the Mage¡¯s personal warehouse.


    Simple to say, but the Gate of Truth would randomly appear within the Technique Spirit¡¯s body, so how could its coordinates be fixed?


    This involved another little-known discipline: Relationship of Soul Spirits.


    Since Technique Spirits possessed wisdom, they also had emotions, but Mages couldn¡¯t observe them¡ªat least Mages below the Holy Domain couldn¡¯t discern the joys and sorrows of Technique Spirits.


    However, when multiple Technique Spirits were brought close to each other, their moods were bound to change. If one could discern the pattern of these changes and stabilize the mood of one Technique Spirit in a particular state, then the Gate of Truth within it too would remain motionless, becoming an eternal Void Realm coordinate!


    Felix summoned his own Wave Sword Technique Spirit and said, ¡°The moment the Wave Motion Sword shows any change in expression, you must immediately bring the Slaughter Sword close to it. Are you ready?¡±


    Sonia nodded and summoned her ¡®Slaughter Sword¡¯ Technique Spirit.


    Felix exhaled and then summoned his ¡®Emotionally Invested¡¯ Technique Spirit, a pure and lovely One-winged girl Technique Spirit.


    Externally, the Wave Sword Technique Spirit resembled a cold Swordsman. When the Emotionally Invested Spirit danced around it, its expression remained unchanged; when the Emotionally Invested Spirit grabbed its hand and shook it, there was still no change; but suddenly, when the Emotionally Invested Spirit leaned in and gave the Wave Sword Technique Spirit a peck, the eternally icy face of the Wave Sword Technique Spirit finally melted, showing a blush almost too faint to see.


    Now was the moment!


    Sonia immediately let the Slaughter Sword approach. The Slaughter Sword bore the appearance of a Swordsman in red with dual swords, wrapped in a red halo. As it neared, the Emotionally Invested Spirit hid behind the Wave Sword Technique Spirit, which fearlessly faced the Slaughter Sword, radiating black waves from its entire body!


    Relationship of Technique Spirits: Battle of Pure Love, accomplished!


    Felix¡¯s gaze sharpened, his consciousness delving into the body of the Wave Sword Technique Spirit, capturing the Gate of Truth!


    Expand!


    A grey dot flew out from the body of the Technique Spirit, then swiftly expanded and ballooned, quickly becoming a grey, translucent bubble.


    The grey bubble slowly grew larger in the air, even containing illusions of thunderstorms. Everyone kept their distance, daring not to approach.


    The Gate of Truth could expand, but this was almost meaningless to Mages in reality¡ªbecause only souls could enter the Void Realm.


    No matter how large the Gate of Truth expanded, it couldn¡¯t allow Mages to bring anything with them.


    Materials could not enter the Void Realm.


    But the reverse was different.


    Objects from the Void Realm could come through the Gate of Truth into reality. Some knowledge-based beings would even seize the opportunity to rush into reality to obtain physical bodies and wreak havoc.


    This was also the foundation upon which Technique Spirits were born. Mages evoke resonance in the Void Realm through knowledge, allowing the truths of the Void Realm to flow into the Mage¡¯s knowledge. When knowledge blended with truth, a Technique Spirit was born.


    So, Sonia and the others were so afraid they retreated to the stairwell, ready to make a run for it at the first sign of trouble.


    Because the coordinates of a Void Realm that Mages use as a storeroom are generally not very friendly places. If a Mage were to store something on a tranquil little island, not to mention the possibility of it being found by other Mages, more importantly, knowledge-seeking beings also need to feed.


    Felix had chosen to expand the Gate of Truth instead of entering it himself, which also meant he was aware that the corresponding location in the Void Realm was extremely dangerous and that anything could happen. There was a widely spread joke in the school that said a Mage had just opened the Gate of Truth when a shock wave knocked him out cold, likely because the corresponding location was in the midst of battle.


    Being killed by one¡¯s own Gate of Truth was considered one of the most foolish ways for a Mage to die.


    The grey foam grew larger and larger, and the thunderous visions inside it became more intense, scaring everyone so much they wanted to flee the basement. Felix, whose magic power was being consumed vigorously, turned pale and let out a grunt, displaying the not yet fully formed Silver Wings on his back!


    Sonia fixed her eyes on the nearly half-congealed Silver Wings, narrowing her eyes slightly.


    The grey foam continued to expand, and suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck a nearby chair, instantly turning it into charcoal!


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°What do we do?¡±


    ¡°Maybe we should wait for better weather to come back?¡±


    The crowd exchanged knowing glances at Adelle¡ªthere¡¯s no such thing as weather in the Void Realm...


    Just when Felix was about to reach his limit, a box suddenly fell out of the foam. He instantly cut off his magic power, and the grey foam disappeared with a pop, scattering a breeze that brushed past everyone.


    ¡°Is this the treasure?¡±


    Adelle ran up to the box that had fallen from the Void Realm, her face full of curiosity as she examined it, ¡°It looks like... hey, why did it disappear... hey, it¡¯s back again? Am I seeing things?¡±


    The box appeared to be made of obsidian and didn¡¯t seem special, but the moment Adelle blinked, it vanished, then reappeared when she focused again.


    ¡°Unrememberable Wood.¡± Lois¡¯s voice was soft, as if she was afraid that speaking any louder would scare the treasure chest away: ¡°If you don¡¯t pay attention for a moment, you won¡¯t see it, you¡¯ll even ignore it, and eventually you¡¯ll forget it... This is a precious material that can only be obtained in the Void Realm.¡±


    ¡°Its most important use is that it can be hidden within the soul, carried out of the Void Realm by a Mage, and of course, also brought into the Void Realm by a Mage.¡±


    ¡°If the Unrememberable Wood is made into a sealed container, then nothing inside it would give off any scent, and you can even put real items inside, to be brought into the Void Realm...¡±


    Everyone exclaimed in surprise at the marvel of the Unrememberable Wood without much thought.


    Only Lois took a furtive glance at Felix, feeling a mix of shock and doubt.


    Because of her family background, she knew about such extremely rare and expensive goods.


    She distinctly remembered that the Unrememberable Wood was a rare material from the third layer of the Void Realm, the ¡®Distant Realm,¡¯ unattainable unless one was of the Three-winged Holy Realm.


    Frankly, this chest was probably worth much more than whatever was hidden inside it¡ªsuch rare items that could travel between reality and the Void Realm weren¡¯t just priceless, they were a source of chaos that could lead to murderous battles among Mages!


    Initially, Lois didn¡¯t hold high expectations for Felix¡¯s ¡®maternal inheritance¡¯; she thought it was just some items that could help a Silver Mage.


    But the moment the Unrememberable Wood box appeared, Lois couldn¡¯t help but reconsider¡ªfor his son¡¯s sake, to use a box belonging to a Three-winged Mage for the artifacts of a One-winged Mage, Felix¡¯s mother was much more extravagant than he was.


    Or perhaps, in his mother¡¯s perspective, the Unrememberable Wood box was no different from silver-level artifacts.


    Just as Lois wouldn¡¯t buy cheaper clothes because of the price difference, not because of extravagance, but because such a price gap was barely felt by her, why should she compromise?


    Felix¡¯s mother surely had other ways to preserve items, but she chose to use the Unrememberable Wood box¡ªthis only shows that a mere Unrememberable Wood box would not stir any emotions in her heart at all.


    So, what level of Mage was Felix¡¯s mother?


    Three-winged Holy Realm, Four-winged Legendary, or could it be...?


    Lois swallowed hard, feeling as if Sonia had led her into a trap; this was a conflict within the Vosloda Family! This was not something a mere merchant¡¯s daughter should get involved in!


    But it was too late for regrets; she had already signed a confidentiality agreement!


    ¡°Let¡¯s open it.¡±


    Felix opened the Unrememberable Wood box, and a stream of golden light surged out.

 Chapter 78 - 72 Win-Win

    Chapter 78: Chapter 72 Win-Win


    When all the items from the treasure chest were laid out on the table, everyone could not take their eyes off them, Felix included¡ªeach time his mother¡¯s inheritance revealed itself, he deeply felt her profound motherly love.


    ¡°According to the rules, I choose first.¡±


    ¡°Please go ahead.¡±


    The contract had already stipulated how distribution would work¡ª if there was only one piece of treasure, then Felix had to compensate Sonia with a large sum of money;


    If there were two treasures, then they would split them equally;


    If there were multiple treasures, then Felix would choose the first one, Sonia would choose the second and third, Felix would choose the fourth and fifth, and so on.


    But Felix always had to end up with at least as many treasures as Sonia, and he would keep the wooden chest.


    Truth be told, Sonia really wanted to dispute the ownership of the wooden chest with Felix. With this chest that could transport materials back and forth between reality and the Void Realm, she could exchange resources with the Observer, which would be almost revolutionary for both her and the Observer.


    However, the contract explicitly stated that the ¡°container remains in Felix¡¯s possession,¡± and he adamantly refused, leaving Sonia no choice¡ªwho would have guessed that the chest itself would be more valuable than the treasure it held!


    Sonia had to give it up temporarily, after all, this treasure was essentially a windfall, and it made sense for Felix to take a bit more.


    If it had not been for Sonia¡¯s unexpected acquisition of the ¡°Slaughter Sword,¡± Felix would never have included her in the first place.


    And Sonia had a sneaking suspicion¡ª


    Her ¡°Slaughter Sword¡± might just belong to Felix.


    Although Felix hadn¡¯t mentioned it, the fact that he could detect the flow of Killing Intent and recognize that Sonia possessed the Slaughter Sword suggested he had previously owned a Technique Spirit related to Killing Intent¡ªlikely the Slaughter Sword itself.


    Otherwise, he would be like a fool with only a wineglass and red wine, but no corkscrew. As long as no one came with a corkscrew, he couldn¡¯t open the wine... Even if Felix was such a fool, his mother, who could set up inheritances in the Void Realm, was definitely not that foolish.


    More importantly, the seriously wounded Fish-Slicing Dragon that she and the Observer fought yesterday bore wounds that very much resembled those inflicted by a Wave Motion Sword. She hadn¡¯t paid it much mind at the time, as the wounds alone proved nothing.


    But with each piece of evidence laid before her, even if Sonia didn¡¯t want to believe in such a coincidence, she had to trust her own logical deduction of the truth:


    Felix¡¯s only partially formed Silver Wings;


    The Void Realm treasure that required the Slaughter Sword to unlock;


    And the Fish-Slicing Dragon wounded by the Wave Motion Sword.


    Clearly, Felix must have also encountered the Vortex last night, gone through it, and then been attacked by the Fish-Slicing Dragon. Despite his best efforts to gravely wound the Fish-Slicing Dragon, he ultimately died and lost the Slaughter Sword.


    What followed was Sonia and the Observer picking up the spoils from the Vortex.


    This meant that Sonia didn¡¯t just pick up someone else¡¯s Slaughter Sword but also ended up splitting their treasure.


    Thinking about this made Sonia¡¯s face flush with embarrassment and her heart pound, anxious, she bowed her head, unable to meet anyone¡¯s eyes.


    Otherwise, someone would notice she was barely holding back a grin.


    What a thrill!


    Was this what they call a win-win situation?


    Picking up the Slaughter Sword was one win, and using it to share Felix¡¯s treasure was another win!


    Ah, praise the Observer!


    May this little herald enjoy good health!


    ¡°Sonia, it¡¯s your turn.¡±


    Sonia took a deep breath to stifle her smile and looked towards the treasures in the wooden chest.


    Sure enough, Felix had chosen the only real-world item in the chest: the Pendant Box.


    Although it wasn¡¯t apparent why, this must have been an important token left by his mother, perhaps even related to the next inheritance; naturally, Sonia had no intention of competing for something she shouldn¡¯t take. She glanced at the treasures in the chest and decisively picked the ¡®Crack-Sword¡¯ Technique Spirit and ¡®Sword Master Treasure Bead¡¯!


    The ¡®Crack-Sword¡¯ wasn¡¯t the best, but it was the most suitable Technique Spirit for Sonia because it could be used with the Wave Motion Sword to form the high-powered Miracle ¡®Crack Wave Slash¡¯!


    If she had to rely on her own cultivation to summon it, Sonia reckoned it would take her about six months to possibly summon the ¡®Crack-Sword.¡¯ Acquiring it ahead of time not only meant saving time but also meant that Sonia could accelerate her exploration of the Void Realm!


    In last night¡¯s battle, Sonia realized her current weaknesses. Although Water Moon Miracle was indeed powerful, it had disadvantages like passive counterattacks, short attack range, and excessive consumption of Magic Power, she urgently needed an active output Miracle to coordinate with the Observer, and ¡®Miracle ¡¤ Crack Wave Slash¡¯ was the most cost-effective option.


    Felix also had a Wave Motion Sword, and Sonia feared he might snatch the Crack-Sword, so naturally, she had to grab it first. As for the ¡®Sword Master Treasure Bead,¡¯ there was nothing much to say¡ªany sane Sword Master wouldn¡¯t miss such a treasure.


    But Felix¡¯s choice surprised everyone: he picked the ¡®Poison Skill Treasure Bead¡¯ and ¡®Wind Skill Treasure Bead.¡¯


    Wind Skill was fine, at least it belonged to a formal Magic Faction, but Poison Skill was a very niche faction, not only with no universities offering related courses but even lacking study books in the market, probably only certain special departments had relevant information.


    Moreover, as the younger master of Vosloda, his status did not allow him to use poison¡ª the Noble House would not permit such behavior that could tarnish the reputation of nobles!


    It was Sonia¡¯s turn again to choose, under the enthusiastic gaze of her housemates, Sonia thought over and then took away the most valuable ¡®Rushing Stream¡¯ Technique Spirit and ¡®Water Therapy¡¯ Technique Spirit.

 Chapter 79 - 72 Win-Win_2

    Chapter 79: Chapter 72 Win-Win_2


    Felix chose the ¡°Evil¡± Technique Spirit and the ¡°Bloody Wind¡± Technique Spirit.


    Only two Technique Spirits remained. According to the allocation rules, Felix had to take more than Bisonia, so Sonia could only take one.


    ¡°Which one do you want?¡± Sonia asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay with either, you decide.¡±


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t stand on ceremony.¡±


    Sonia took the ¡°Weakling¡± Technique Spirit, a particularly impractical one, yet of great value. It could only be activated when the Mage was weaker than the enemy, providing comprehensive enhancements, including but not limited to strength, agility, Magic Power, and thought speed. The bigger the gap between the Mage and the enemy, the greater the enhancements it provided.


    It sounded good, but the problem was that the boost provided by the Weakling couldn¡¯t bridge the gap in power. When the adversaries were closely matched in strength, it was utterly useless; and if the power gap was too vast, it wasn¡¯t enough to help the Mage turn defeat into victory.


    Instead, it might give the Mage a psychological suggestion: even the Weakling Technique Spirit thinks you¡¯re weak.


    In fact, many Mages¡¯ battles depended on who made fewer mistakes and who persisted to the end. This sort of ¡°you¡¯re the weak one¡± psychological suggestion could make the Mage lose more decisively, or it could even be called a curse: the Weakling thinks you¡¯re going to lose, and then you definitely will lose.


    But the Weakling Technique Spirit was highly valuable because it was one of the few Technique Spirits that could not be acquired through cultivation. There was only one way to get it¡ªafter a weakling miraculously defeated a stronger opponent, it had a certain probability of being born in the weakling¡¯s heart.


    It was also the most mysterious of the Fate Faction Technique Spirits and held tremendous research value, which made it in high demand. Mages who wished to research the Fate Faction through the Weakling Technique Spirit were too many to count.


    Naturally, Felix took the last Technique Spirit ¡°Sorrowful Wind.¡±


    After sharing the Experience Treasure Orb and allocating the Technique Spirits, next came the shared knowledge: the Miracle Technique! The contract stipulated that knowledge such as Miracle Technique could not be transcribed or leaked, the original recording went to Felix, but everyone was allowed to view it.


    There were exactly ten Miracle Techniques in the wooden box, but there was only one from the Sword Skill, ¡°Evil Light Slash,¡±¡ªa combination of Slaughter Sword and Wave Motion Sword, a Wave Miracle capable of stunning and damaging the enemy. Sonia quickly committed this Miracle to memory.


    Now, the treasures inside the wooden box were entirely split up, but Adelle picked up the wooden box and squinted at it, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lois asked curiously.


    Adelle said seriously, ¡°I¡¯m checking to see if there¡¯s a hidden compartment. There might be treasures inside that Felix will take out to keep for himself after we leave.¡±


    Ingrid laughed, ¡°The contract says that whatever Felix discovers, he has to notify us for allocation.¡±


    ¡°Good, the contract is really well thought out!¡±


    ¡°Similarly, if we find any secrets in these Technique Spirits, we have to share with Felix.¡±


    ¡°Ah? Why should we? Once the Technique Spirits are in our hands, they¡¯re ours!¡±


    Lois fixed her gaze on Sonia, who after some thought, said, ¡°I took the Sword Skill Treasure Bead and the Splitting Sword myself, these three Technique Spirits: Rapid Stream, Water Therapy, and Weakling, I¡¯ll distribute to you. How does that sound?¡±


    They naturally had no objections. After all, Sonia was the one who had invested in the group, while the other three were purely there to take advantage of her good fortune. If Sonia had been more daring and not brought them along, she could have split the loot 64 with Felix. However, for safety, Sonia preferred to concede some of her interest to ensure they served as her protectors.


    ¡°But you¡¯re not Mages yet, so I¡¯ll keep your Technique Spirits for now and give them back when you¡¯re grown up.¡±


    Adelle blinked, ¡°This sounds eerily familiar...¡±


    ¡°However, there¡¯s another way to distribute: sell your Technique Spirits and split the money between the three of you. What do you think?¡±


    Lois was the first to shake her head, ¡°I want the Rapid Stream Technique Spirit. It¡¯s the most valuable, and I can pay a bit extra as compensation for them.¡±


    ¡°Rapid Stream,¡± like ¡°Rapid Stream,¡± was part of the Water Magic Department¡¯s excellent Technique Spirits and had the additional effect of rapid movement. Naturally, Lois wouldn¡¯t want to miss out.


    Adelle looked at Ingrid, ¡°I want the Water Therapy Technique Spirit, my mom said being a Medical Practitioner is very popular...¡±


    Ingrid didn¡¯t seem to care, ¡°Then I¡¯ll take the Technique Spirit for beginners.¡±


    With the distribution of interests settled, Felix was just about to offer to take them home when Adelle asked, ¡°Are there any pastries here? Do you have black tea?¡±


    Felix was startled, ¡°Well, there are some in the kitchen...¡±


    ¡°So, is it time for afternoon tea next?¡± Adelle said excitedly, ¡°I¡¯ve never had a tea party in such a luxurious manor! I need to take lots of photos later!¡±


    ¡°Taking photos?¡± Felix¡¯s voice rose in pitch.


    Adelle said as if it was a matter of course, ¡°Of course I¡¯ll take photos, otherwise wouldn¡¯t it be a wasted trip?¡±


    This time Lois stood by Adelle¡¯s side, ¡°Everyone saw us leave in your car, taking some tea party photos would also explain our whereabouts this afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Right, right, that¡¯s what I meant too!¡± Adelle nodded vigorously and ran up the stairs, lifting her dress, ¡°I¡¯m going to see what kind of pastries are in the kitchen!¡±


    Lois exchanged a glance with Ingrid and sighed as she followed. A shared secret indeed worked as the best lubricant, and after this treasure event, Ingrid¡¯s relationship with Lois and the others had subtly drawn much closer.


    Sonia walked to the staircase and turned back to look at Felix, who was still sitting, ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested, you guys have fun,¡± Felix said, holding the Pendant Box he had just received, ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve got things to do.¡±


    Sonia nodded, ¡°You¡¯re not planning to learn swordsmanship anymore?¡±


    Half of the Technique Spirits and Treasure Beads in the treasure had nothing to do with swordsmanship; the Miracle Techniques only had one swordsmanship Miracle, and all the rest were Composite Miracles of Wind Skill, Water Magic, and Poison Skill. This was the treasure left to him by his mother, and clearly, his mother had not set him on the path of swordsmanship.


    ¡°Professor Trozan is a good teacher, and I still need his protection for now,¡± Felix smiled, ¡°I will continue learning swordsmanship, just not as much as you.¡±


    ¡°Duke Vosloda¡¯s second son also needs protection?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t just talk about a mere second son; even Duke Vosloda has to be careful of revenge lurking in the shadows,¡± Felix said with a wry smile.


    Sonia raised her eyebrows, ¡°Your noble circles really are chaotic.¡±


    ¡°But you still want to become part of it?¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°Sometimes, I actually envy you, Sonia Sevi...¡±


    ¡°Alright, stop with the nauseating talk, you noble young master who has had an easy life since childhood.¡± Sonia waved her hand dismissively, ¡°But, since I am your senior apprentice and now have gained from this treasure, it is only right and proper that I warn you in advance.¡±


    Felix curled his lips, facing Sonia¡¯s self-proclamation as senior apprentice, he was quite helpless; after all, it was Professor Trozan who took Sonia as an Apprentice before him. In terms of sequence, Sonia was indeed a bit earlier.


    ¡°If in the future you have to flee due to noble disputes, in dire need of help, with nowhere to turn...¡±


    Felix was somewhat surprised in his heart; he had brought up Duke Vosloda, was Sonia really daring to get involved in his matters? This forced him to reassess his opinion of Sonia¡¯s character¡ª


    ¡°...just remember, don¡¯t come looking for me,¡± Sonia admonished, ¡°To clear my name and protect my future, I would definitely placate you into staying first, then bring people to arrest you, to exchange you for noble rewards.¡±


    ¡°There, I¡¯ve warned you in advance. If at that time you suddenly have a brain aneurysm, insisting on placing your hope in me, then don¡¯t blame your senior for being heartless and not recognizing anyone.¡±


    Though completely opposite to what he had expected, Felix felt compelled to reassess his opinion of Sonia¡¯s character again.

 Chapter 80 - 73 News of the Golden Fish (Three Updates)

    Chapter 80: Chapter 73 News of the Golden Fish (Three Updates)


    Void Realm, Sea of Knowledge.


    ¡°All day long, you couldn¡¯t find a single companion willing to break out with you?¡±


    With a forceful chop, Sonia¡¯s Sword Qi fluctuations split into several continuously revolving rings, gnawing at the earth barrier in front of her like an electric saw. This was her newly learned Miracle, ¡°Crack Wave Slash.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Ash sighed and mimicked a sword with his hand, guiding the Heart Sword to pierce through the earth barrier. Yet, as one layer of the barrier was penetrated, another layer would regenerate, seemingly endless.


    ¡°Not even one?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly none, but aside from Igula who I¡¯ve bound with a Contract, the others are unwilling... or rather, they don¡¯t believe.¡±


    ¡°If Shattered Lake Prison has never had a breakout before, they really have reason not to believe you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just that,¡± Ash sighed again, ¡°Rather than saying it¡¯s because of objective reasons that they don¡¯t believe, it¡¯s more that they subjectively refuse to believe.¡±


    Throughout the day, Ash had followed Igula to persuade other powerful prisoners, like ¡°Diamond¡± Tieg, ¡°Black Beast¡± Tuk, and ¡°Lark¡± Jewel. Each one, before imprisonment, was a wicked Mage whose criminal exploits could fill a thrilling novel.


    But they all refused to join the prison break.


    Truthfully, Ash wasn¡¯t surprised. Given the oppressive rule of Shattered Lake Prison and its almost completely isolated island setting, it would be abnormal for convicted prisoners to immediately believe that they could escape. Skepticism was reasonable.


    However, the issue was that the attitude of the prisoners wasn¡¯t just skeptical¡ªit was resistant.


    They resisted breaking out.


    Keep in mind, it wasn¡¯t Ash who negotiated; it was ¡°Beautiful Beast¡± Igula, somewhat of a celebrity in prison. Though a Swindler, Igula was well-regarded, rarely lied, and was even one of the few information dealers in the prison, with a very good reputation.


    In his words, ¡°Lying is a taboo for Swindlers, credibility is a Swindler¡¯s face, honesty is the most important quality of a Swindler. The greatest failure for a Swindler is when people refuse to communicate with them.¡±


    So, what Igula said carried weight. Even if the condemned men didn¡¯t believe, they should have asked Igula for more information to make further judgments.


    But the condemned men didn¡¯t.


    Even when Igula suggested he ¡°might have a way to remove the chip restrictions,¡± none asked further like ¡°how¡± or ¡°really?¡±, instead showing a ¡°give it a rest¡± expression, skipping the topic, or simply walking away.


    In such a vast prison, not finding even one companion willing to escape made Ash comment that this was the worst batch of criminals he¡¯d ever seen.


    But Igula had anticipated this.


    During dinner, he solved Ash¡¯s confusion with a single sentence.


    ¡°They are no longer who they used to be; even poop, if left long enough, turns into fertilizer.¡±


    If time is the best poison, then Shattered Lake Prison is undoubtedly the best cesspool. Harmful or toxic, everything that enters must transform into nutrients.


    Ordinary people can change a lot over a few years, so how could these convicted prisoners, having spent so much time in prison, still be their brutally wicked former selves?


    Many even sincerely repented their criminal pasts when reminiscing, feeling how naive and impulsive they once were. Even without regrets, they gradually lost hope for the outside world and found their places within Shattered Lake Prison.


    Igula was right; Shattered Lake Prison truly was a utopia. It banned all crimes, there was no discrimination, no foul language, no conflicts, and it was impossible for things like queue-jumping or public urination to occur.


    As long as one abided by the rules, everyone could live quite freely, not needing to cater to others as no one could harm you or affect your interests¡ªa true equality for everyone.


    The reasons the prisoners committed severe crimes out of greed, baseness, or impulse were because they were accustomed to a lifestyle filled with crime, which was the only way they felt at ease.


    And Shattered Lake Prison forcibly changed that lifestyle to one where they could still feel at ease.


    Being content is addictive.


    When someone spends a long period in such an environment, stepping away from complex social relationships and the competitive outside world, even if the prisoners scorned the various prohibitions of the prison, they felt lost when asked to leave the prison for society, especially when they could live a peaceful life inside the prison.


    Many prisoners couldn¡¯t even manage to get up early, let alone leave their comfort zones.


    Thinking this way, Ash realized that the reformation of the prisoners at Shattered Lake Prison was very successful. Without the need for manual labor or punishments, simply relying on various restrictions, KPI assessments, and the bottom-out system, they transformed the convicts into compliant workers who willingly do overtime in the prison; contributing their surplus value; and if not, they take part in live-streamed trials to earn money, always having a job suitable for a convicted prisoner.


    Ash and Igula¡¯s solicitation was like inviting them out to start a business with an uncertain future, insufficient funds, and requiring them to contribute out of their own pockets.


    Most importantly, even if the venture failed, that¡¯s one thing, but if it succeeded, wouldn¡¯t they just have to return to the society where everything has to be struggled for again?


    ¡°Thinking about it makes me feel terrified, so I hurry to buy a toy gun to rob a bank, and then wait for the Crime Hunting Hall to take me home.¡±


    ¡°Even if it was Igula, without Ash binding him to himself with a rebound Contract, he probably would have been unwilling to participate in a prison break. Indeed, he would have lived better on the outside, but he would have been nervous and weak from fear of the Crime Hunting Hall.¡±


    ¡°Here, even Swindlers feel safe.¡±


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Professor Selin and the Blood Moon Judgement, Ash would think of Shattered Lake Prison as not a bad place for a vacation. Here, not only could you enjoy the scenery, but you could also forcibly cleanse your soul, and after leaving, you could never again fart beneath the covers at home, but would have to run to the toilet.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, Ash kept feeling like he was the big villain who forced the good into prostitution, always wanting to drag these death row inmates who had washed their hands clean back into the fray. Igula was like an innocent girl caught by Ash; she had thought about living her life quietly, but now she had no choice but to become Ash¡¯s top Mage...¡±


    Clap!


    With a muffled sound, the earth barrier that Ash and Sonia had been attacking for a solid fifteen minutes finally burst open, revealing an old Mage hiding inside. Before he could even speak, ¡®Evil Light Slash¡¯ and ¡®Heart Sword¡¯ directly scattered him, releasing three Technique Spirits and a Mage¡¯s Handbook.


    This was the best Mage inheritance Ash had encountered since entering the Void Realm.


    Because this Mage was not a Combat Mage.


    He couldn¡¯t fight at all, he only knew how to endlessly create earth walls for defense. At first, Ash was a little afraid that spikes might suddenly appear from the ground to give him an uncomfortable massage, but nothing happened. The Mage¡¯s projection was always cowardly hiding inside the earth barrier, as if this inheritance was just testing their output efficiency.


    ¡°This type of Mage is actually mainstream,¡± Sonia said, ¡°or rather, Mages who specialize in combat are rare. Most Mages learn skills that can secure them a good job in the production faction, and then they add on a bit of the Combat Faction. Many Mages go their whole lives without ever owning a Combat Technique Spirit, and hardly ever get the chance to fight, like Medical Practitioners, Meteorologists, Architects, Planting Masters...¡±


    She muttered, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your insistence that I learn swordsmanship, I might now be a Water Magic Medical Practitioner far removed from battle.¡±


    Ash felt a little surprised, ¡°But you can¡¯t completely avoid learning to fight, can you? Even if you don¡¯t need to fight in reality, Void Realm knowledge creatures won¡¯t just check their ID and let them go, right?¡±


    ¡°There are ways to deal with knowledge creatures other than fighting¡ªescaping, defending, Mages have many options.¡±


    ¡°But without ever fighting, how do you acquire new Technique Spirits?¡±


    Sonia laughed, picking up the dormant Technique Spirits from the ground, and casually said, ¡°By learning, cultivating, researching!¡±


    ¡°People like us who can gain something every day in the Void Realm are actually very few. Most Mages get Technique Spirits by advancing their faction knowledge and thus resonating with the Void Realm, giving birth to new Technique Spirits.¡±


    ¡°The knowledge level is the fundamental for a Mage, diligent study is the correct path for Mages, whereas the way we fight and adventure is actually considered unorthodox. Academy Mages, with their orderly growth, often have a well-integrated Technique Spirits system, while we, adventurous Mages, have a messy system of Technique Spirits that is not as handy as the Academy Mages.¡±


    ¡°And we can¡¯t skip classes either. When our Silver Wings are completely condensed, we will have to catch up on our lessons, to raise our faction realm¡ªif we don¡¯t have Gold Level faction knowledge, we can¡¯t summon Two-winged Technique Spirits, we¡¯ll only be swimming in the Sea of Knowledge forever and never be able to set foot on the Time Continent!¡±


    Production is the king¡¯s way, battle is the evil way?


    Ash sighed softly, terrified of such a comprehensive Extraordinary System that required development in morality, intelligence, physique, aesthetics, and labor¡ªhe knew himself, he was just an ordinary person with no sports talents, unable to memorize scholarly papers, and with no special talents other than paid bathroom breaks. If it wasn¡¯t for sticking to the Sword Maiden in the ¡°Aurora¡¯s Mage¡¯s Handbook,¡± he would have no chance of becoming a Mage.


    Is there no Extraordinary System where you drink a Magic Potion and then digest it to advance!?


    ¡°Speaking of which, didn¡¯t you mention before that there¡¯s a golden fish in the Void Realm, and finding it could let us reach the Time Continent?¡± Ash asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a rumor, and even the Observer doesn¡¯t know where the golden fish is, how could I possibly know?¡± Sonia said as she quickly flipped through the Mage¡¯s Handbook, jokingly adding, ¡°You couldn¡¯t be putting your hopes on the golden fish, could you? Then you might as well hope for a sudden prison riot tomorrow and escape in the chaos... Hmm hmm?¡±


    Ash looked at Sonia, who was making strange noises, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Another Mage¡¯s Handbook that clashes with your views?¡±


    ¡°Well... I think you need to prepare well after leaving the Void Realm.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because the prison might really riot!¡±


    Sonia squeezed excitedly next to Ash, flipping the Mage¡¯s Handbook to a page in the middle to show him.


    It read:


    ¡°I found the golden fish.¡±


    PS: Tonight at midnight, there might be a few minutes delay. For today¡¯s three new chapters, a first subscription request.


    Midnight sale 3 new chapters, first subscription exceeding 3000 adds 1 new chapter, over 5000 adds 1 new chapter, over 7000 adds 1 new chapter, over 10,000 adds 2 new chapters, over 15,000 adds 2 new chapters.


    Having stock shows confidence, first subscriptions will be fulfilled immediately!


    Lastly, thank you all for supporting the Mage¡¯s Handbook. If possible, I hope this book meets the recommendation given by the editor:


    The new book is really good to read.

 Chapter 81 - 74 Explorer (First Update)

    Chapter 81: Chapter 74 Explorer (First Update)


    Ash and Sonia sat in the small boat, reading intently from the mage¡¯s handbook bound in cowhide.


    Like the previous handbooks, this one didn¡¯t record any personal information about the mage himself, so for now, they¡¯d refer to him as ¡°the Explorer.¡±


    Why call him that? Because his greatest passion was exploring various natural landscapes, and the content of the handbook was about the various sites he had visited in the past.


    ¡°Lava Cave¡±


    ¡°After spending more than a year on the construction site, the third phase of the project finally ended. I should have time to visit the lava cave before the captain gets a new job.¡±


    ¡°When I arrived at the village closest to the lava cave, the captain said he had taken on a big project again, alas.¡±


    ¡°A few months later, I finally took the time to explore the lava cave again. I was lucky this time; I spent quite a bit of money to hire a local to take me inside.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s wonderful! The lava just flows on the ground, the pollen from the blooming flowers can ignite and explode, but inside the lava cave, there¡¯s an ice-cold refreshing underground river... an unbelievable wonder!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy, and so scared; I actually encountered a blue-fire female dragon that must have escaped from the Void Realm long ago and made a nest in the lava cave! Haha, I took a picture, the fee from just submitting it was enough to let me return to the lava cave again!¡±


    The general format was like this; the Explorer often went through many difficulties just to start his journey, and sometimes he even had to interrupt his travels because of work, managing both the immediate needs and not forgetting poetry and distant places.


    ¡°He must be a civil engineer,¡± Sonia said, and Ash nodded deeply in agreement.


    Living long on a construction site, working continuously when there were projects, and resting without income when there weren¡¯t any, plus always traveling alone, the Explorer would probably remain single forever... Indeed, civil engineers from any world are much the same.


    The first half of the handbook was about the various sites the Explorer had visited in reality, while the second half was about sites in the Sea of Knowledge¡ªyes, for the Explorer, even the Void Realm was considered a tourist destination.


    If they met a mage who liked fishing, Ash wouldn¡¯t doubt he would fish in the Sea of Knowledge, but fishing there was extremely risky and offered minimal rewards: either the mages came up empty, or the knowledge creatures didn¡¯t bite.


    There were many points of interest in the Sea of Knowledge, including the ¡°Vortex,¡± ¡°Sea Waterfall,¡± ¡°Great Road,¡± ¡°Sky Bubble,¡± and other perpetual sites, some of which even Sonia had never heard of¡ªbecause unlike the ¡°Vortex,¡± they didn¡¯t provide any benefits to mages, so Sword Flower University naturally wouldn¡¯t teach about them.


    ¡°Sea Waterfall,¡± true to its name, was a waterfall that suddenly plunged down from the ocean¡¯s surface; ¡°Great Road¡± was a path that stretched across the entire Sea of Knowledge; ¡°Sky Bubble¡± was a giant bubble floating in the sky that, when it appeared, made the surrounding white mist fade a lot.


    The Explorer had personally witnessed these three sites; he had jumped into the Sea Waterfall to see what was below, only to die instantly and exit the Void Realm; he had run very far along the Great Road until he collapsed; he watched the Sky Bubble fly by, its speed so fast that he couldn¡¯t keep up.


    The text in the Mage¡¯s Handbook was filled with the Explorer¡¯s joy and excitement at witnessing the wonders of the world, and even Ash and Sonia couldn¡¯t help but smile knowingly.


    Finally, they turned to the chapter about the golden fish.


    ¡°Golden Fish¡±


    ¡°I searched through a lot of data, visited many scholars, trying to find out the location of the golden fish. But the golden fish is truly the Sea of Knowledge¡¯s biggest secret, with very little information available, so I turned to novels about the golden fish¡ªperhaps someone who found it couldn¡¯t resist boasting and secretly hid the truth in a novel? I think it¡¯s very likely.¡±


    ¡°Most mages and scholars think the golden fish should be in the most dangerous central area, but I have a different view: the Time Continent is carried on the back of the golden fish, a fish that big really wouldn¡¯t fit in the central area, would it?¡±


    ¡°But until now, no mage has fully explored the central area; perhaps the Sea of Knowledge is far bigger than we imagine.¡±


    ¡°Only mages who fully spread the Silver Wings can find the golden fish? Very likely, I better complete the long journey soon.¡±


    ¡°I have already spread the Silver Wings and been to the central area, but I still can¡¯t find any trace of the golden fish. Could it spend most of its time submerged in the sea, only occasionally surfacing?¡±


    ¡°Very likely, I decided to dive into the sea. I died.¡±


    ¡°Died.¡±


    ¡°Died.¡±


    ¡°I should retire too... My friends advise me not to go to the Void Realm anymore. At my age, if I die there, the damage to my soul will severely reduce my lifespan. The last time I died in the Void Realm, I almost died of brain death.¡±


    ¡°But I really want to see the golden fish... even if I die right after seeing it, I¡¯d be willing...¡±


    ¡°Golden fish, where are you...¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve found the golden fish.¡±


    Darn it!


    Ash and Sonia almost wanted to drag the old mage they had just scattered and beat him up again ¡ª you didn¡¯t leave the most crucial information! We want to know how you found the golden fish!


    Give you two coins, complete the process for me!


    ¡°If it¡¯s true, then the golden fish is too big. How could a normal person climb it? Luckily I¡¯m an Earth Magic Mage, I can keep piling up the earth continuously. This height can¡¯t defeat me, it seems I will see the true face of the golden fish in my lifetime.¡±


    ¡°Ten layers... fifty layers... one hundred layers... No, I need to rebuild the foundation, the golden fish is too high.¡±


    ¡°Two hundred layers... three hundred layers... five hundred layers...¡±


    ¡°Ah, if only I could fly.¡±


    ¡°When the height exceeded eight hundred layers, the pile of earth beneath my feet collapsed. Falling from this height, I fear my soul would completely shatter... The tombstone I prepared for myself finally came in handy.¡±


    ¡°Although there are still some regrets, at least I found the golden fish before dying, now I can rest easy... wait, I haven¡¯t cleaned up my collection at home!¡±


    The Mage¡¯s Handbook ends here; the golden fish was the last Wonder the explorer pursued in his lifetime.


    ¡°So how did he find the golden fish?¡± Sonia was quite puzzled, ¡°He had looked for so long before without finding it, how did he suddenly encounter it?¡±


    ¡°Maybe because he was too old?¡± Ash guessed, ¡°Could it be that the golden fish only appears before mages who are about to die?¡±


    After discussing for a while and reaching no conclusions, Ash and Sonia set aside the matter, as their Silver Wings had not fully condensed yet, and they were not in a hurry to find the golden fish.


    The explorer dropped three Technique Spirits, all Earth Magic Spirits, which could form a Miracle together, but Ash and Sonia were not interested in Earth Magic. After discussing, Ash took them ¡ª the profession positions corresponding to the Earth Magic Faction weren¡¯t great, so the value of Earth Magic Spirits was not high; even if Sonia sold them, she wouldn¡¯t make much money.


    As for the Mage¡¯s Handbook, Ash felt the skills of a civil engineer were not helpful to him, so he gave it to the Sword Maiden.


    After all, he had already consumed three Mage¡¯s Handbooks, while it was the first time the Sword Maiden encountered one she could use; by both emotion and logic, it was her turn.


    Actually, the skills provided by the Mage¡¯s Handbook were rarely useful, such as ¡°Counter Reconnaissance,¡± ¡°Pleasure Secrets (only effective for females over two meters),¡± ¡°Skin Stripping Mastery¡± ¡ª all these were little silly skills that wouldn¡¯t improve life quality or add any points in a resume, unless the interviewer was a big truck over two meters tall.


    This was Sonia¡¯s first time absorbing a Mage¡¯s Handbook, she seemed a bit nervous: ¡°By the way, what does that last sentence ¡®I haven¡¯t cleaned up my collection at home¡¯ in the handbook mean? Why would he care about his collection at home before he died?¡±


    ¡°Well, the explorer was an old single male after all, so he definitely had some unspeakable collections at home,¡± Ash shrugged, ¡°As they say, body crushed and bones broken still not caring, but wanting to leave without blemishes in the world.¡±


    While they talked, Sonia had absorbed the Mage¡¯s Handbook, looking at Ash with a very strange expression.


    ¡°What skill did you get? Wood drilling for fire or wilderness survival? Or maybe a single¡¯s cookbook?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s a very useful skill.¡±


    ¡°What skill?¡±


    ¡°Eye Insight. It allows me to more easily understand what others are thinking through eye contact,¡± Sonia said gloomily, ¡°It seems the explorer met many different people during his travels, plus being old, he had experienced too many stories and seen through many hearts, naturally forming this skill.¡±


    Ash was so mad he almost fell into the water.


    That was exactly the skill he needed to escape!

 Chapter 82 - 75: The Region with the Best Public Security in the Country (Second Update)

    Chapter 82: Chapter 75: The Region with the Best Public Security in the Country (Second Update)


    Shattered Lake Prison.


    ¡°If I¡¯ve been hurt enough, I¡¯ll just use my own hands to joyfully sever yesterday¡¯s curse.¡±


    Ash stared at the recharge screen on the light screen, lost in thought.


    Yesterday¡¯s Void Realm Exploration had yielded little, and Ash had finally found a ¡°worthwhile¡± area, only to discover a Fish-Slicing Dragon inside.


    He and the Sword Maiden fought desperately, but in the end, they failed to kill the Fish-Slicing Dragon. Cleverly, it behaved as if it intended to die together with them, then dived into the water. Before escaping, it managed to let out two farts, and those farts were wet with both soup and technique spirits.


    Therefore, Ash and the Sword Maiden could only humiliatingly catch the Fish-Slicing Dragon¡¯s farts and watch helplessly as it disappeared into the mist.


    The offense wasn¡¯t severe, but the insult was incredibly strong.


    Once again, the Void Realm taught Ash a harsh lesson. He realized just how harsh a mage¡¯s living conditions were; no wonder the death row inmates weren¡¯t bothered about not being able to enter or leave the Void Realm¡ªit truly was a place where effort might not lead to success, but giving up would definitely bring ease.


    The difference between reality and the Void Realm was that reality was dominated by pay-to-play players in a trashy game while the Void Realm was dominated by lucky players in a trashy game. A normal mage¡¯s experience was first getting beaten up by reality and then ravished by the Void Realm, fully experiencing the unevenness of the world.


    The two technique spirits popped out by the Fish-Slicing Dragon weren¡¯t great either, so naturally, Ash decided to use them for in-app purchases¡ªas a player who had a hellish start in reality, he could only rely on in-app purchases to change his fate.


    The problem arose when Ash suddenly realized, while recharging ¡°Aurora¡¯s Mage Manual¡±, that a one-winged technique spirit was only worth 8 points!


    Just two days ago, it could still fetch 10 points!


    What happened? Did the game system fix some Apple recharge issue and still charge me an Apple tax?


    Five technique spirits only recharged 40 points, a full 20% less!


    However, Ash could neither complain nor inquire, not because the game system hadn¡¯t fixed the complaint module, but because their game simply had no complaint module...


    But Ash also had some guesses¡ªit probably related to his strength.


    After passing through the Vortex, his Silver Wings were also more than half solidified. With the increase in his Magic Power, the power of his technique spirits naturally rose as well. For him and the Sword Maiden, the difficulty of exploring the Void Realm dropped significantly. The most obvious manifestation was the increase in ¡®worthwhile¡¯ and ¡®a bit troublesome¡¯ areas on the Void Realm Map, and ¡®suicidal¡¯ areas only appeared occasionally.


    Once the Silver Wings unfolded fully, Ash feared he might achieve technique spirit freedom and harvest seven or eight technique spirits every night, potentially overwhelming the game system, with the first thing every morning being to pull a ten-pull to test his luck.


    But that was clearly impossible.


    Even if Ash¡¯s brain, after years of being a social drone, had lost its imagination and he used all his thinking power on choosing what to have for lunch, he knew something was definitely off with the game system; it wouldn¡¯t leave such an obvious loophole.


    Obviously, to prevent number crashes, the game system¡¯s method was to reduce earnings.


    Or in other words, a taxation mechanism.


    Ash estimated that after he advanced to a Two-winged Mage, the price of a one-winged technique spirit would lower to 5 points or even less. When he unfolded Three Wings, the price of a one-winged technique spirit might drop so low that he wouldn¡¯t bother picking it up if it fell to the ground.


    Ash strongly suspected that the game¡¯s selling point might be ¡®not a penny needed, all technique spirits recycled¡¯; every technique spirit harvested could be directly recharged, giving players a feeling of ¡®this game is so considerate¡¯.


    But as a player¡¯s strength increased, the price of the low-level technique spirits he harvested would decrease. To improve the efficiency of making money, one would need to obtain higher-level technique spirits... Eventually, every player¡¯s daily earnings would be roughly the same. As everyone knows, distributing money to everyone is like distributing to no one, so this tax mechanism essentially acts as an additional supplement to the sign-in system, effectively increasing players¡¯ online duration.


    ¡°So, the greater the ability, the more taxes one has to pay...¡± Ash sighed and went out for breakfast.


    As for the newly acquired 40 points, naturally, he wouldn¡¯t touch it yet. He had already bought a Source Crystal Pack worth 30 points and lost the double reward for the first recharge. Therefore, Ash¡¯s next small goal was the ¡®pile of Source Crystal Packs¡¯ worth 98 points.


    Arriving at the Central Hall, Ash was surprised to find many people gathered here. There was even someone arguing with a prison guard at the front, which made Ash thrilled¡ªcould a prison riot really be happening?


    He squeezed to the front and discovered that the hall¡¯s light screen was broadcasting news:


    ¡°Heartfelt congratulations to Kaimon City for being rated the safest area nationally. Mayor Fernand attended the press conference and thanked everyone for their indelible contribution...¡±


    Damn, this news is so sarcastic! What death row inmate would watch this news!


    Upon closer inspection, Ash noticed a notice next to the light screen:


    ¡°Special Task Volunteer Recruitment¡±


    ¡°Requirement: Two-winged Combat Mages or above¡±


    ¡°Reward: After completing the special task, the prisoner¡¯s sentence will be changed from ¡®redemption¡¯ to ¡®deferred for five years,¡¯ and they will receive a public position in the Government Affairs Hall, a house in the district of Kaimon City, and a one-time subsidy of 800 Gold Coins.¡±


    ¡°Number of participants: No limit¡±


    ¡°I, I am a Two-winged Composite Mage, with the Golden Wings fully unfolded, completely mastering the Fire Technique Faction and Wind Technique Faction, and I also know the Miracle ¡®Dragon Annihilation Verse¡¯! Why won¡¯t you choose me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also here, and I¡¯m a Two-winged Gun Master, a former member of the Blood Moon Hunter, with a distinguished record and solid roots. I just made a misstep that led me to Shattered Lake. It only makes sense to choose someone like me, a former hunter!¡± she exclaimed.


    ¡°But you can¡¯t just refuse without a reason! There¡¯s no limit on the number of people; why can¡¯t you allow me to volunteer?¡±


    ¡°I actually don¡¯t care about getting out of prison; I just want to do something to contribute to society. Why stop me from serving the country?¡±


    The prison guard sitting at the registration desk upfront turned a cold shoulder, completely ignoring the job seekers¡¯ wails and said coldly, ¡°Next.¡±


    Ash also wanted to register, but unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t even a Two-winged Mage, so he didn¡¯t even qualify to submit a resume. However, he was unwilling to leave and just stood aside watching helplessly, unsure of what he was waiting for.


    ¡°What a great opportunity, but you can¡¯t seize it. Now, you look like a vulgar man who knows he isn¡¯t qualified to court a woman, but hopes that a beautiful lady will suddenly turn blind and agree to spend a pleasant night with you.¡±


    Ash glanced at Igula. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to sign up?¡±


    ¡°I did sign up, but unfortunately, I wasn¡¯t chosen,¡± Igula said, looking at the crowded registration point and shaking his head. ¡°Luckily, they didn¡¯t choose me; I have no confidence in surviving this special mission.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what the special mission is?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ªI¡¯m guessing. I¡¯ve observed that the chosen death row inmates mainly specialize in Water Magic, Earth Magic, Wind Skill, and Light Magic factions.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s special about these magic factions?¡±


    ¡°Let me put it clearly¡ªThe chosen death row inmates¡¯ charges generally include these: repeated resistance to arrest, long-term evasion, a history of crime, and offenses in multiple cities.¡±


    Resistance to arrest, long-term evasion?


    Ash recalled the formidable strength of the Crime Hunting Hall¡¯s Blood Frenzy Hunters and suddenly realized something: ¡°Are they very adept at escaping?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Igula nodded. ¡°This special mission probably doesn¡¯t require fighting or socializing, but rather needs volunteers with extensive experience in evasion and survival. No matter how you look at it, it¡¯s an extremely dangerous reconnaissance mission. It¡¯s no surprise that the only people in Kaimon City who meet these criteria are all in Shattered Lake Prison.¡±


    ¡°Yet it turns out that there are missions that can pardon death row inmates,¡± Ash said. ¡°Does this happen often? Have there been death row inmates who legitimately left through these missions before?¡±


    ¡°How could that be possible? I¡¯ve lived here for over a year and it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen it. I just asked some of the other long-term prisoners, and they too have never seen a mission that could pardon a death row inmate. Previous special missions at most rewarded death row inmates with some contribution.¡±


    Igula narrowed his eyes slightly: ¡°Speaking of proposals that pardon death row inmates, the Order Organization would definitely not approve of it, and the council would debate it for a long time... What immense interests must be involved for the Order Organization to pass such a dangerous proposal?¡±


    ¡°Order Organization?¡± Ash heard a new term.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know? It¡¯s a faction in the council and is antagonistic to the Human Rights Association. The Human Rights Association advocates for humans as ends, all regulations should aim to protect people and not treat them as expendable items; while the Order Organization advocates for absolute order, regulations must be strictly upheld, and human emotional appeals need not be considered.¡±


    ¡°Most legislative proposals need to strike a balance between these two organizations to get passed. Like the Blood Moon Judgement, which is the result of many years of debate between the Order Organization and the Human Rights Association. The Order Organization wants the death row inmates to die as quickly as possible, while the Human Rights Association believes there is a chance for death row inmates to reform. Blood Moon Judgement allows some death row inmates to live and contribute societal value while handing the judgment power to the public, thereby gaining unanimous approval from the council members.¡±


    Igula glanced at Ash: ¡°Like your ¡®enhanced¡¯ Blood Moon Judgement the day before yesterday, the Order Organization definitely exerted a lot of effort... I forgot to mention, Councilor Professor Selin is a member of the Order Organization.¡±


    Hearing this news, Ash¡¯s desire to escape from prison grew even stronger¡ªWith such a villain fanning the flames outside, the law could no longer shield Ash.


    ¡°So, what exactly is the special mission?¡±


    ¡°A benefit sufficient to keep the Order Organization quiet, recruiting volunteers skilled in evasion and survival, coupled with the nearing spring-summer transition... Thinking it over, there seems to be only one possibility.¡±


    Igula continued, ¡°There appeared a stable Void Turbulence in Kaimon City, which might contain a passage to other realms.¡±


    ¡°If a stable Void Realm passage is found, that would indeed be a feat that could please the Blood Moon.¡±


    ...


    ...


    Jiale City, Sword Flower University.


    Besides Ingrid who went for an early morning run, the other three were in the dormitory.


    Looking at Adelle, who was sleeping with a plush toy, Lois got out of bed, picked up the ice spring water spray and sprayed her face with it, reviving herself completely¡ªit was indeed a harsh wake-up skincare routine.


    By then, Sonia was already showering in the bathroom, so Lois had to wash her face and then apply a thick jelly mask, squeezing in some book reading time¡ªshe couldn¡¯t use a sheet mask as the essence would drip down her chin.


    To quickly become a Water Mage and retrieve the ¡°Rushing Stream¡± Technique Spirit from Sonia, Lois had no choice but to reduce her skincare and makeup time to spare for cultivation.


    During such moments, Lois always felt a mix of defiance and admiration for Sonia¡ªhow could there be such a scheming person in this world who had time to beautify themselves and still learn at a fast pace?


    Suddenly, the Miracle Bracelet vibrated slightly. Lois pressed to check and saw it was a message from the meteorological station.


    ¡°Meteorological Mage announces that this week is the Week of Void Turbulence; the probability of encountering Void Realm passages in areas surrounding Jiale City has increased. Please report any discoveries of Void Realm passages or unidentified individuals immediately to the police department.¡±

 Chapter 83 - 76: Keeping You Alive Would Only Make Food More Expensive (Third Update)

    Chapter 83: Chapter 76: Keeping You Alive Would Only Make Food More Expensive (Third Update)


    ¡°Void Turbulence? Void Realm channels?¡±


    Since this was considered esoteric knowledge, Ash didn¡¯t find it strange that Igula was also unfamiliar, ¡°This is a relatively rare Mage disaster. When a Mage establishes a connection with the Void Realm through the Gate of Truth, some areas of the Void Realm are unstable and will backflow knowledge into the Gate of Truth, causing the real world¡¯s space to be mutated by the knowledge of the Void Realm.¡±


    Igula gestured, ¡°Imagine the Void Realm as a big jelly, and the Mage enters the jelly through a straw, normally without issue. But if a section of the jelly rots and dissolves, the liquid inside travels up the straw to the real area, corroding and boring a hole through reality... That is Void Turbulence.¡±


    ¡°And Void Realm channels are due to these knowledge flows having a tendency to return to the Void Realm. Most turbulence dissipates quickly, but some denser knowledge flows solidify into channels, trying to make their way back to the Void Realm.¡±


    ¡°But ownerless knowledge can¡¯t open the Gate of Truth, so it just wanders around outside the Void Realm, forming half-formed Void Realm channels.¡±


    ¡°Half-formed?¡± Ash was puzzled, ¡°So how can it become a complete Void Realm channel?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember I just mentioned that some areas of the jelly were rotting?¡± Igula continued, ¡°That¡¯s why Mage disasters like Void Turbulence tend to occur not just once or twice but in batches around the world. Any Mage that has been to a rotting area might trigger Void Turbulence locally, creating various half-formed channels.¡±


    ¡°These half-formed channels point toward the coordinates of the Void Realm within the Gate of Truth. The closer these half-formed channels are to their target coordinates, the more likely they are to combine with each other, forming a complete Void Realm channel that can traverse two places in reality.¡±


    It sounded complicated, but Ash, using his scant knowledge of mathematical geometry, understood: half-formed channel A aims to return to point C in the Void Realm and forms an AC channel; simultaneously, half-formed channel B also aims for point C, forming a BC channel.


    But since the Gate of Truth isn¡¯t open, even if A and B linger outside the gate, C won¡¯t come out. Then, both outcasts, A and B, meet outside the gate and decide to ditch C, forming a complete AB channel, finding their happy end.


    ¡°So, the closer the Gates of Truth opened by two Mages are, the easier it is to form a Void Realm channel?¡±


    Igula nodded, ¡°That¡¯s the theory, but it¡¯s almost impossible to create channels through this rule.¡±


    Ash¡¯s expression grew serious, ¡°Then aren¡¯t Mages very vulnerable? Once they open the Gate of Truth in a rotting area, their bodies will inevitably be sucked into the Void Turbulence?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, Void Realm knowledge will never harm a Mage.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°They fear Mages,¡± Igula shrugged. ¡°Even Technique Spirits run away when they see us; why do you think the knowledge that comprises the Technique Spirits would dare to harm Mages?¡±


    ¡°An interesting theory is that we Mages are like raiders to the Void Realm. The knowledge that accidentally flows back into reality is like refugees who have strayed into the territory of an enemy country. They are desperately fleeing; how could they dare challenge the brutally vicious raiders?¡±


    ¡°Void Realm knowledge often flees to areas sparse with Mages, like underground or in the skies, then precipitates to mutate space, trying to return to the Void Realm, thereby forming turbulence or channels.¡±


    Igula described this disaster as weak, helpless, and somehow endearing... Ash glanced at the lively registration point, ¡°So is exploring Void Realm channels very dangerous?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Igula admitted candidly. ¡°But not all Void Realm channels are complete. What do you think happens to the pioneers who step into a half-formed channel?¡±


    ¡°However, if they find a channel leading to another kingdom and successfully return, that achievement is surely enough to absolve them of their death sentences.¡±


    Ash raised an eyebrow, ¡°That sounds pretty simple, doesn¡¯t it? Just go and have a look, if you don¡¯t die, run back. It¡¯s just a matter of luck, why would you still need survival and escape skills?¡±


    Igula shook his head, ¡°If the other side was uninhabited, they could immediately return. But if it¡¯s another kingdom, the volunteers definitely can¡¯t return immediately.¡±


    ¡°Why? Do the volunteers need to go through customs as they cross over?¡±


    ¡°Think about it from another perspective. If an enemy from an unknown kingdom could also find a Void Realm channel to the Kingdom of Blood Moon, wouldn¡¯t you take precautions in advance?¡±


    Ash was about to ask how to guard against unknown enemies but suddenly fell silent¡ªthis here was a world of Mages filled with Miracles, where the only absolute was that nothing was absolute.


    In Ash¡¯s view, what seemed nearly impossible for him was likely as easy as burping after a meal for a high-level Mage.


    The gap in knowledge levels created an insurmountable chasm between Mages, just as Ash still couldn¡¯t understand how the chip in the back of his neck managed to stop him from farting outside of the restroom areas.


    ¡°In the Kingdom of Blood Moon, there is an overarching Miracle of surveillance. Once an outsider appears, the Church will quickly notify the nearby Crime Hunting Hall, and at the same time, Blood Moon will cast a curse that prevents the outsider from performing any space transfers or sending messages within forty-eight hours.¡± Igula crossed his arms, ¡°When I was seven, an outsider appeared in Feimeng City, seemingly having escaped to the vicinity of the foster home I was in, and the Blood Frenzy Hunters turned the place upside down...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not from Kaimon City?¡±


    Igula shrugged, ¡°Feimeng City¡¯s fools were almost totally swindled, so it was natural to break into a new market.¡±


    Undoubtedly, the Void Realm passage was a significant event that could influence the situation, but it meant nothing to the jailbreak squad; instead, it increased the difficulty of their recruitment.


    Maybe they would come looking for volunteers tomorrow?


    Maybe he had a chance to return to society honorably?


    This sudden decree greatly dampened the spirits of this group of determined jailbreakers. How would they continue their ideological work now?


    Just as Ash was at a loss and was about to go eat something fatty to seek inspiration, the registration point suddenly became chaotic.


    ¡°Choose me, please choose me! I am ¡®Golden Mouth¡¯ of the Woodpecker gang, proficient in all kinds of murder techniques, I really want to be a volunteer, please pick me, boo hoo hoo¡ª¡±


    ¡°Water Magic, gun technique, Light Magic, Earth Magic, explosives, and trap-related Miracles... The Magic Faction fits the requirements, but you only have One-winged Magic Power, which doesn¡¯t meet the minimum threshold for admission, sorry.¡±


    Hearing this, the crowd couldn¡¯t help but look at the tall man kneeling on the ground with amazement.


    Igula added, ¡°Golden Mouth is the best assassin in the Woodpecker gang. His assassination targets include many well-known figures, senators, politicians, and businessmen. The difficulty of his tasks is no less than assassinating a Two-winged Mage. To be Golden Mouth as a One-winged Mage shows he must have some unique skills.¡±


    Ash recognized the man, ¡°Isn¡¯t he Ronald Wade, Lanna¡¯s ¡®good friend¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and he is also a newcomer who joined this month,¡± Igula revealed a subtle smile. ¡°Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have approached Lanna... It seems he¡¯s realized something and is desperately trying to save himself.¡±


    ¡°Save himself? Is he in danger?¡±


    ¡°Do you know Lanna¡¯s nickname?¡±


    ¡°Yes, ¡®Gourmet¡¯ Lanna, the nickname comes from his special preference, right?¡±


    Although Lanna¡¯s preference was quite bizarre, this prison was ultimately an ultimate cesspool of psychopaths, so much so that a ogre was currently loitering in front of Ash, allowing him to mention Lanna¡¯s little hobby without any emotional fluctuation.


    ¡°Most people only see the surface, but it¡¯s far more than that,¡± Igula shook his finger. ¡°Lanna doesn¡¯t spare even the insides.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s different about that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very different, you may not see any wounds on Ronald now, but Lanna has already eaten what¡¯s inside him.¡±


    ¡°...Is this some kind of obscene joke?¡±


    ¡°Ash, your behavior makes me feel that the Four Pillars God Sect isn¡¯t some middle-aged greasy men¡¯s club for relaxing after work. Keeping you alive would only make food more expensive,¡± Igula replied lightly, revealing Lanna¡¯s horrific and bizarre little secret.


    Yet, Ash¡¯s eyes grew brighter the more he heard.


    He looked at Ronald, who was still pleading ceaselessly, and said, ¡°Perhaps, we¡¯ve found our teammate.¡±

 Chapter 84 - 77 Ritual (Fourth Update)

    Chapter 84: Chapter 77 Ritual (Fourth Update)


    ¡°Six bottles of Fording over here, on me!¡±


    ¡°One plate of extra-large lobster lala, I¡¯m paying with contribution points!¡±


    ¡°Round of beers for everyone, this round¡¯s on ¡®Black Beast¡¯ Tuck!¡±


    By noon, the registration point had been dismantled, and volunteer recruitment was over.


    The canteen was bustling as the selected death row inmates hastily spent their contribution points on a feast and even generously treated others to share the joy. After all, volunteering meant either leaving prison alive or disappearing without a trace. Either way, contribution points were useless, so they might as well be spent quickly.


    The saddest thing in life is to die with money unspent.


    If there¡¯s anything sadder, it¡¯s not spending your money but desperately wanting to die.


    Ronald Wade was the latter.


    Staring at the feast before him, he felt famished yet couldn¡¯t muster any appetite.


    The canteen waiter brought over the ice-cold beer, courtesy of ¡®Black Beast¡¯ Tuck. Ronald hadn¡¯t touched alcohol in days, whereas before his incarceration, he¡¯d practically lived on it. You¡¯d think he¡¯d be longing for it, but after taking a swig, he found it tasted like slightly bitter water.


    Boring.


    Everything was boring.


    Prison was boring. Living was boring. Self-loathing was boring. Now, the only thing that could stimulate Ronald¡¯s pituitary gland, the only thing that made him feel alive was¡ª


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Suddenly, Ronald plunged his face into his food, shoveling it into his mouth with crazy abandon. He chewed forcefully, his teeth grinding sinews and tendons in the meat, as if this could momentarily make him forget that disgusting and irresistible craving!


    ¡°Eating well, I see. But you look thin. Do you exercise regularly?¡±


    Ronald looked up to find two of the prison¡¯s celebrities¡ªthe ¡®Beautiful Beast¡¯ Igula, known for trapping newbies in lopsided Contracts with his Technique Spirits and also as a prison information dealer.


    Lanna had warned him from day one to be wary of anything Igula said, never knowing when he might be trapped into an unfair Contract.


    But Ronald, relatively new to prison, hadn¡¯t witnessed Igula¡¯s vicious side yet and wasn¡¯t overly cautious of him. ¡®Demon¡¯ Ash left a stronger impression¡ªfirst defeating Igula, then triumphing over Valcas, and surviving the near-certain death of the Blood Moon Judgement.


    To Ronald, Ash seemed destined to lose each time, but somehow, he always won.


    He went from fighting to knocking out Igula with a punch, from swordplay to penetrating Valcas¡¯s throat with a stab. During the Blood Moon Judgement, Valcas almost took him to meet the Extreme Master of Blood Moon, yet somehow failed to sever his head...


    Had this been the outside world, Ronald would have believed he was witnessing the rise of a new legend.


    Too bad, this was Shattered Lake Prison.


    Here, miracles were just bubbles rising in Shattered Lake, doomed to burst upon reaching the surface, never to exist under the sunlight.


    ¡°None.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so thin, then?¡± Ash picked up a sandwich and took a big bite. ¡°Is it because your meat decided to run away?¡±


    Ronald raised an eyebrow, his expression blank. ¡°Honestly, if you have beef with Lanna, just go directly to him. I have no interest in getting involved in your grudges.¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯re here for you,¡± Ash said. ¡°Are you still down about not becoming a volunteer? Don¡¯t worry, there are other ways to get out of prison.¡±


    Ronald perked up. ¡°What ways?!¡±


    ¡°Escape!¡± Ash said mysteriously. ¡°We¡¯ve got a big plan, and the chances of a successful escape are very high. We just need a few more hands. Are you interested?¡±


    Ronald paused, then sighed. ¡°Really, can you guys not mess with me? Please? How about this: I¡¯ll treat you to dinner, with one contribution point. Can you cut me some slack?¡±


    Ash looked at Igula helplessly, who sighed. ¡°If every cult leader outside had your way with words, no wonder The Gods of Four Pillars have been hiding for so long.¡±


    Igula turned to Ronald. ¡°You know you can¡¯t keep staying here, right? You have to leave Shattered Lake, escape from Lanna, even if it means becoming a volunteer, risking death nine times out of ten. Because if you stay with Lanna, the end will be worse than death, more unbearable.¡±


    Ronald¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying. All I know is if not for Lanna, I¡¯d be a regular at the Blood Moon Judgement until the Executioner smashes my head into pulp.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite tempting,¡± Igula said with a laugh. ¡°As long as you agree to stay intimate with him, he¡¯s willing to lose in the Death Battle Society, letting you earn a ton of contribution points and temporarily escape the Blood Moon Judgement. Especially since you¡¯ve lost five battles straight, Lanna became your only lifeline.¡±


    Like most death row inmates, Ronald¡¯s ways of making money were practically written in the Criminal Law. In prison, he could hardly contribute any social value, so naturally, he turned his attention to the Death Battle Society¡ªhis survival for over twenty years had always depended on plundering resources from others.


    The tragedy was, there were too many raiders in the prison and too few producers.


    Ronald came to the Death Battle Society and chose an old man who looked weak for a death duel, only to be beaten until every bone in his body was shattered¡ª¡±Diamond¡± Teague once again successfully robbed a newbie of 1 point of contribution.


    The outcomes of the next four death duels were much the same; Ronald had already done all he could to gather intelligence, but almost everyone willing to duel him could easily crush him.


    After losing 15 points of contribution, Ronald became the bottom of the prison food chain. He didn¡¯t dare to accept any more death duels, his confidence shattered by the first five fights, feeling as if everyone in here was stronger than him.


    If he couldn¡¯t find a way to earn contribution, then he would appear in every subsequent Blood Moon Judgement, until the citizens, perhaps grown kind-hearted (or sick of it), allowed the Extreme Master of Blood Moon to take away this woodpecker with the golden mouth, longing for redemption.


    It was then that Lanna appeared.


    He was willing to deliberately lose to Ronald in the death duels, letting Ronald earn contribution. And it was a long-term arrangement; Lanna had his own ways of earning contribution, and as long as he was willing, both he and Ronald could maintain high contribution points, living comfortably for years in the prison wasn¡¯t a problem.


    He had only two conditions, the first being that Ronald maintain a close relationship with him. Although Ronald wasn¡¯t too willing, he wasn¡¯t particularly repulsed either; after all, he had his experiences on the outside, so he accepted this slight sacrifice of his dignity as a necessary measure for survival.


    And his second condition...


    ¡°Lanna needs you as ¡®ingredient,¡¯ right?¡± Igula said. ¡°He applies to duel with you, and of course, you have to accept to get the contribution points. In the duel, all restrictions are lifted, he can do whatever he wants to you... and when you¡¯re about to die, Lanna will end his own life to let you win... that¡¯s roughly the process of your deal, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Ronald fell silent for a moment, then nodded slightly, ¡°As long as I don¡¯t die, the body can always recover. Though it may reduce my lifespan in the long run, without contribution points, I don¡¯t even know if I can survive the next Blood Moon Judgement.¡±


    Igula smiled and said, ¡°Yes, if the ¡®terms of the deal¡¯ are just that, then it certainly is a very cost-effective trade, even I would be tempted.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You should understand better than I do¡ªafter all, I¡¯ve only guessed his true purpose by gathering information from Lanna¡¯s previous few ¡®buddies.¡¯ And you were the sacrifice in the ritual itself; you must have felt the essence of this deal, haven¡¯t you? Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t be so eager to volunteer, looking to escape from Lanna.¡±


    Ronald¡¯s pupils widened. ¡°Ritual? What ritual?¡±


    The corners of Igula¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. Revealing the truth to the victims was one of his favorite parts of the crime, and if given the chance, he would unveil his schemes to every fool he defrauded¡ªthe world¡¯s most joyous tragedy is making the fool realize their own stupidity.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think Lanna made such a request just because he¡¯s gluttonous, do you? And you should feel it, too. Lanna doesn¡¯t regard you as an object, a tool, or a stranger; he truly loves you... wholeheartedly, with no reservations.¡±


    Ronald¡¯s expression paled even more, his hand trembling as he clutched the meat steak.


    It sounded ridiculous, Lanna threatening Ronald to agree to his terms while exploiting his weakness, treating him like a rib to be gnawed on in each death duel. No matter how you look at it, Lanna seemed to treat him as a slave to be used at will.


    If that were the case, Ronald would have felt relieved, as it was a relationship he could understand.


    However, he felt that Lanna¡¯s love was genuine!


    Ronald was not a loner assassin; he had been in love before, and he knew what love felt like.


    Which is why he was so afraid¡ªevery look from Lanna, every move he made, was full of genuine emotion!


    Even when Lanna was eating, there was not a hint of killing intent in his eyes!


    Deep love and feeding, Lanna was actually able to perfectly unify the two, as if they could exist simultaneously!


    Ronald had always avoided thinking too deeply, but now, confronted by Igula, he was forced to face this cruel truth!


    He swallowed hard and asked with difficulty, ¡°This, what is this ritual?¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know; I only know the fate of the ritual sacrifices,¡± Igula said. ¡°All of Lanna¡¯s previous ¡®buddies¡¯ invariably died in their own dorms.¡±


    Ronald¡¯s face went white, ¡°How is that possible!? How could they possibly die in their dorms?¡±


    Ash realized it too¡ªunless in the area of the death duel arena, chips forbid the death row inmates from harming or killing themselves!


    If an inmate refused to eat, when the body grew hungry to a certain degree, the prison would notify the guards to feed the inmate! Therefore, it was impossible for an inmate to die in their dorm, unless of natural causes!


    But Lanna was clearly not an enthusiast of twilight romances.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that their bodies showed no abnormalities and appeared quite normal, but all their organs had ceased to function,¡± Igula said as he picked up a strawberry from the strawberry cake with his fork, ¡°It¡¯s like... the spirit had suddenly vanished, so the body collapsed soon after.¡±


    Ronald¡¯s face was as pale as paper, his lips trembling non-stop.


    Igula delivered the final blow.


    ¡°Right now, you should be indifferent to everything, yet you are filled with anticipation for Lanna¡¯s ritual, right? Even if you already have enough contribution points, you still accept Lanna¡¯s invitation to a death duel... do you know why?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because only in the ritual can your spirit find brief completeness¡ªyour incomplete spirit is eager to escape your body.¡±

 Chapter 85 - 78 Werewolf (Fifth Update)

    Chapter 85: Chapter 78 Werewolf (Fifth Update)


    Inside the design studio, a bald muscular man was cutting fabric, altering patterns, and making prototypes, the entire room filled with an assortment of mannequins, fabrics, and fashion accessories. But it wasn¡¯t messy at all; everything was neatly placed, even to the point of being pleasing to the eye.


    ¡°It passed! It passed!¡±


    A young female inmate burst into the design studio, excitedly exclaiming, ¡°Master Lanna, our design proposal was accepted, and the main style for Kay¡¯s this summer will be your ¡®Dream Bubble Shadow¡¯ series! Congratulations!¡±


    ¡°This is an honor we share.¡± Lanna replied with a faint smile, ¡°Annet, with this successful experience, you are now a qualified Clothing Designer.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to your guidance, Master Lanna.¡± Annet bowed deeply, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t taught me without holding anything back, how could I have improved so fast? This is your honor, my contribution is negligible, I truly don¡¯t deserve it.¡±


    ¡°Alright, enough with the formalities; if you don¡¯t mind, join us for dinner tonight.¡± Lanna said, a smile curving the corners of his mouth, ¡°With such good news, I have to share it properly with Ronnie.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Can I order food then?¡± Annet joked as well.


    ¡°Yes, but the total must stay within five contribution points.¡± Lanna winked, ¡°Now, back to work, don¡¯t think you can slack off just because Kay¡¯s contribution points are coming in. Contribution points are something you can never have enough of, and you should try designing on your own. Maybe you¡¯ll take charge of the designs for next quarter...¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, I get it, Master Lanna, you¡¯re perfect in every way, just too naggy.¡±


    Lanna sighed resignedly and bent his head back to his work.


    Annet looked at the pile of fabrics in front of her, her mind not on her work at all, as her attention quickly shifted to Lanna, and the more she watched him working, the more she felt he possessed an irresistible charm, the more she couldn¡¯t hide her infatuated smile.


    Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t like women.


    Annet sighed, feeling the world was truly too cruel. It was hard enough meeting someone she liked, but competing with women was one thing, how could she compete against men too?


    She had been in Shattered Lake Prison for over a year, and like most inmates on death row, she lacked any survival skills beyond Criminal Law, and she certainly didn¡¯t have the fighting ability for the Death Battle arena ¨C which might be a blessing in disguise, sparing her from getting beaten to the point of questioning her existence by those wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing brutes from the Death Battle Society.


    Annet naturally didn¡¯t dare bet that the citizens would let her survive the Blood Moon Judgement just because she was pretty ¨C on the contrary, it was quite possible that destroying beauty was a deep-seated human impulse.


    But this Kingdom was filled with perverts, not only among those sentenced to death in prison.


    Learning a skill in prison that could earn contribution points was almost no easier than encountering a Vortex in the Sea of Knowledge.


    Repetitive simple labor was worthless, one either needed ingenious unique skills, like the Beastman¡¯s labyrinth toys, the Goblin¡¯s bone carvings, or the ogre¡¯s oil paintings ¨C Annet had only learned after her incarceration that ogre oil paintings could sell for so much.


    Aside from that, it was complex intellectual labor, such as writing, composing music, or handling tax work ¨C because of the ¡®harmlessness¡¯ of death row inmates, Shattered Lake Prison¡¯s accountants were especially popular with the wealthy, and as long as they survived the first Blood Moon Judgement, most inmates with actuarial, tax, or accounting skills could live decently in prison.


    Annet naturally did not have the time to learn a skill, nor the mind for complex work. Just when she was close to giving up and waiting for death, wandering aimlessly through the prison, she accidentally walked into Lanna¡¯s design studio.


    The room was filled with fabrics and materials, and Annet¡¯s eyes could hardly move away from the prototypes fitted on mannequins ¨C the prison only provided plain white prison uniforms, and it had been so long since she¡¯d worn nice clothes.


    She looked around the design studio for a long time until a deep male voice came from behind her:


    ¡°Do you like this dress? Would you like to try it on?¡±


    And just like that, she became Lanna¡¯s assistant designer, an Apprentice Clothing Designer.


    Those who knew Lanna found it hard to associate his appearance with the Profession of a Clothing Designer, but Lanna was in fact a highly valued exclusive designer for the prestigious Blood Moon fashion brand Kay, and nearly every one of his designs became Kay¡¯s featured style for the season.


    The fashionably dressed girls and young women had no idea that the designs they wore originated from a bald death row inmate.


    While branding indeed played a role, Lanna¡¯s ability to set fashion trends season after season was enough proof of his exceptional talent. Even Annet, who had never been exposed to clothing design before, grew step by step under Lanna¡¯s mentorship, and now she and Lanna¡¯s joint design proposal had even garnered Kay¡¯s recognition!


    Annet even began to thank heaven for her incarceration ¨C if the past twenty years of her life had been a bleak Chaos, then Lanna was the brightest rainbow she had ever encountered.


    Lanna¡¯s personality, talent, eloquence, everything about him attracted her.


    Even his baldness shone with the unique unrestrained radiance of an artist.


    If she could stay with Lanna for life, she didn¡¯t mind staying in prison. Compared to the murky society outside, the small prison was a better fit for a quiet design studio.


    Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t like that woman.


    Every time she thought of this, a sharp sadness arose in Annet, one she couldn¡¯t stifle. She had even considered going to the Medical Practitioner for a full-body gender reassignment ¨C in the Kingdom of Blood Moon, gender was never insurmountable.


    But it was hard to make such a decision, and Annet didn¡¯t know if Lanna would mind someone who wasn¡¯t originally male, and at that time Lanna was single, so Annet thought she might turn him straight through long-term affection. Wasn¡¯t there a saying, ¡°No matter how twisted a man¡¯s intestines are, when hard, they¡¯re straight¡±? Annet had confidence in her physical attributes and her ability to flirt.


    If it weren¡¯t for the chip that restricted any violent behavior, Annet might have even considered taking the plunge before securing consent.


    Yet a year had passed, and Lanna had already found a new partner, and Annet hadn¡¯t even touched Lanna¡¯s bald head. Moreover, she had to dine with them every night, swallowing food along with the sour smell of their romance.


    At that thought, Annet felt the fabric in front of her was that detestable man named Ronald, and she viciously cut him to shreds with the scissors.


    Knock knock.


    The door to the design room was pushed open, and Lanna looked up. His eyes narrowed into crescent moons and his cheeks dimpled with a smile, ¡°Ronnie, what brings you here? Are you not feeling well, do you want me to accompany you to the treatment room?¡±


    Ronald, pale-faced, shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Lanna. I¡¯m here today because I need to talk to you.¡±


    ¡°To be precise,¡± a handsome man entered the design room, ¡°we have something to discuss with you.¡±


    Lanna¡¯s expression cooled slightly, ¡°¡®Beautiful Beast¡¯ Igula... Ronnie, he¡¯s dangerous. Stay close to me. Igula, don¡¯t think the prison can protect you. If you dare to hurt Ronnie, I have plenty of ways to make your life a living hell.¡±


    Another person entered the design room, standing between Igula and Lanna, ¡°Relax, Lanna. No one will get hurt here.¡±


    Lanna¡¯s smile was completely gone, ¡°¡®Goblin¡¯ Ash, I thought that even if we weren¡¯t friends, we definitely weren¡¯t enemies.¡±


    Ash chuckled, ¡°We are friends, we were in the past, we are now, and we will be in the future.¡±


    ¡°Lanna, we¡¯ve come to talk to you about cooperation.¡±


    Suddenly Lanna raised a hand, ¡°Annet, leave us.¡±


    ¡°Master¡ª¡±


    ¡°Get out!¡±


    Annet glared fiercely at Ash and the others before leaving with her lower lip bitten in anger.


    Ash glanced at the closed door, ¡°You should be able to guess why we¡¯re here. We¡¯re not here to discuss lurid topics amongst men; we don¡¯t mind having an extra accomplice.¡±


    Although Igula hadn¡¯t announced his plans to escape with a megaphone, he had contacted several prison celebrities, and the message had already gotten out. As a ¡®Gourmet,¡¯ Lanna surely knew the purpose of Igula¡¯s visit, which was why he deliberately sent Annet away.


    Lanna didn¡¯t pay attention to Ash, his blue eyes quietly gazing at Ronald, ¡°Ronnie, is this your wish?¡±


    Originally somewhat hesitant, Ronald found himself recalling the brutality on the Death Battle platform as he met those deep blue eyes. He clenched his teeth and made up his mind, ¡°Lanna, I want to join Igula¡¯s team and escape with them!¡±


    ¡°Ronnie, we can live well enough in the prison, the contribution I earn can ensure we are never selected for the Blood Moon Judgment¡ª¡±


    ¡°But I want to leave!¡± Ronald raised his voice, ¡°Lanna, do you want to leave with me, or stay here?¡±


    Lanna was silent for a long time, glancing at Ash and Igula.


    When his gaze swept over them, Ash felt goosebumps all over his body, a fear as if facing a natural predator arose, even fostering a desire to flee!


    It was like... facing the Executioner himself!


    ¡°Ronnie, you know I can¡¯t refuse a request from someone I deeply love.¡±


    After a long pause, Lanna exhaled and said calmly, ¡°Beautiful Beast, Goblin, as you wish, I, Lanna DeNio, am willing to follow your commands. But remember, if Ronnie comes to harm during the operation, you¡¯ll have to accompany him in death.¡±


    ¡°Tell us your plan.¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t assembled everyone yet, so we can¡¯t reveal too much,¡± Igula said. ¡°All I can tell you is that Ash has a way to disable the chip restrictions.¡±


    Lanna looked at Ash with astonishment but said no more, ¡°Who else do you need? I can offer my help.¡±


    Igula shook his head, ¡°No need, but first, you have to tell us what abilities you have after the chip is disabled. You might just fill a gap in our team, and we won¡¯t need to seek new members.¡±


    Lanna was silent for a moment, as if deliberating whether to reveal his secrets. Everyone waited quietly for Lanna¡¯s decision.


    Finally, he sighed, ¡°Turn off all but one light.¡±


    Once only a corner lamp was left on in the design room, Lanna walked into the shadows where the light could not reach, merging with the darkness.


    ¡°I am a Moon Shadow.¡±


    Igula jolted, ¡°Impossible, the Moon Shadow Clan and the Blood Saint Clan could never participate in the Blood Moon Judgment. The research facilities and the Church would never allow anything that could tarnish the reputation of both clans¡ª¡±


    ¡°But I am the exception, because unlike my kin who need the light of the Blood Moon to undergo Moon Shadow Transformation, I must hide in the shadows to do so. Under the light of the Blood Moon, I can¡¯t transform, so the Church doesn¡¯t worry about me disgracing our honor.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, unlike my kin who resonate with the Blood Moon and descend into rage, I have never listened to the Blood Moon¡¯s call. After undergoing Moon Shadow Transformation, I become more cruel, more rebellious, more... ruthless.¡±


    With the agile steps of a Hunter, a two-meter tall Werewolf, covered in grey fur, stepped into the light.


    Its piercing blue eyes made everyone feel as if they had fallen into an icy abyss.


    ¡°I am a traitor to the Church, a disgrace to the Moon Shadow, a beast even the Blood Moon despises. I am neither a pure Moon Shadow nor a devout human; every hair bristles with disloyalty to the Blood Moon.¡±


    ¡°They call me, the Werewolf.¡±


    PS: This is the fifth update, the subscription goal hasn¡¯t been met yet, but I¡¯m betting we can reach 5000. Don¡¯t wait up, if it¡¯s met, an extra update will come tomorrow at 3 PM.

 Chapter 86 - 79: A Wild Mage Appears (Sixth Update)

    Chapter 86: Chapter 79: A Wild Mage Appears (Sixth Update)


    Void Realm, Sea of Knowledge.


    ¡°Those Moon Shadow Werewolves who can¡¯t transform under the moonlight... your prison really does have a wide variety of talents, fitting for a multiracial nation.¡±


    Sonia lay at the bow of the small boat, gazing at the murky sky, ¡°But what on earth is the Gourmet¡¯s ritual? I¡¯ve never heard of such a brutal and bizarre ceremony. Could it be that he wants to summon the Technique Spirit of the Gluttony Faction?¡±


    In fact, the type of Magic Faction that Mages theoretically are most likely to master is not Fire Technique, Earth Magic, or swordsmanship¡ªthose external Magic Factions that are easily accessible. After all, external Magic still ultimately requires the Mage to train intentionally to gain experience.


    The Internal Magic Faction, however, is one in which a Mage will gain experience even without training.


    What is the Internal Magic Faction? It is the physiological activities that Mages must carry out every day.


    ...


    Eating, sleeping, listening, watching, excreting... These physiological activities that one can hardly avoid from childhood could, if converted into Magic experience, make almost every Mage proficient in seven or eight Magic Factions.


    Sadly, this is only theoretical.


    The seemingly most effortless and comfortable Internal Magic Factions are actually much harder to attain than the external Magic Factions. No matter how difficult the External Magic Factions are, with hard work it is always possible to get started, but Internal Magic Factions are almost always racial talents. If you are not born with the talent for Internal Magic, it means you cannot independently master an Internal Magic Faction in your lifetime.


    The ¡®Gluttony Faction¡¯ that Sonia mentioned is one of the Internal Magic Factions, typically found only among ogre tribes. And not every ogre can learn it; only a few ogre Mages might suddenly have a break-through and master the Gluttony Faction.


    Internal Magic Factions cannot be taught; what would you teach about eating, sleeping, and defecating?


    Moreover, Internal Magic Factions are closely related to inner desires, emotional changes, and temperament. It¡¯s a kind of knowledge that cannot be easily conveyed through narrative, aptly described by ¡®intuition can¡¯t be taught through words.¡¯


    Sonia¡¯s conjecture was not unreasonable, as eating is almost synonymous with the Gluttony Faction; many believe ogres possess the Gluttony Faction talent because they are cannibals.


    ¡°I also think that Lanna eats for the sake of eating, but Igula has a different opinion¡ªhe thinks that in this ritual, eating is just the most trivial step. The true core of the ritual is not consumption, but love.¡±


    ¡°Love?¡±


    ¡°Have you ever farmed?¡±


    If it were anyone else, Sonia would definitely feel insulted on two levels.


    The first insult would be the doubt that a youthful and beautiful Female Mage had ever farmed.


    The second insult would be the doubt that a village girl from an agricultural town had never farmed!


    ¡°...Go on, I can understand.¡±


    ¡°Igula thinks that Lanna is farming,¡± Ash lay at the stern, biting his fingernails, ¡°He sows the seeds of love in the target¡¯s heart, and through the bloodiest form of intimacy¡ªeating¡ªhe lets the seeds of love quickly take root and sprout, which is akin to the fertilization and cultivation process.¡±


    ¡°Although Ronate is reluctant to admit it, he definitely is losing interest in everything else. The only thing that ignites his desire is participating in Lanna¡¯s rituals. Even if Lanna were to suddenly change his menu, Ronate would probably still volunteer his name to be added to it.¡±


    Sonia felt a sense of chaos just by listening, ¡°So what will Lanna harvest once the seeds of love have blossomed and matured? Their souls?¡±


    ¡°Igula hasn¡¯t figured it out yet. It probably has to do with the soul, but not exclusively,¡± Ash said, ¡°However, that¡¯s between the two of them¡ªwe just need to be certain of one thing: Lanna and Ronald have indissoluble bonds, and that¡¯s something we can utilize.¡±


    ¡°So if you persuade Ronald, it¡¯s like adding Lanna as an ally,¡± Sonia reminded, ¡°But both of them are murderous death row inmates; are you sure this is okay?¡±


    Unlike Igula, the Swindler with hardly any combat power, Ronald is the golden-tongued member of the Woodpecker gang, adept in traps, gun techniques, and hidden weapons; and Lanna is even more fearsome, being a Moon Shadow Werewolf whose combat power is high even among Two-winged Mages.


    Compared to them, Ash and Igula were but two little sheep capable only of bleating.


    Once they lost the protection of the prison, facing these two evil death row inmates, Ash and Igula were unlikely to come out on top.


    ¡°The prison isn¡¯t a talent market; I don¡¯t have much choice,¡± Ash said helplessly, ¡°Finding two people with decent strength who are willing to escape is already lucky. One can¡¯t expect their character to be good, only hope that Shattered Lake Prison has successfully reformed its inmates.¡±


    It was quite an irony; Ash wished for the prison¡¯s reformation to be less successful, so he could find inmates who dared to escape with him; yet he also hoped the reformation was successful enough that those who dared to escape were committed to contributing to society once outside.


    ¡°But, actually, I don¡¯t need to worry about it. When it comes to safety, Igula is much more concerned than I am.¡±


    Ash stretched his legs out on the boat, ¡°He¡¯s already suggested to Ronald, enhancing his sense of crisis... It¡¯s not exactly deception but making Ronald clearly aware that as long as he doesn¡¯t kill Lanna, his desire to be devoured by Lanna will never fade.¡±


    Sonia pushed Ash¡¯s legs back, ¡°So once they escape, won¡¯t they end up killing each other?¡±


    ¡°Mutual destruction? I think that¡¯s the least of it. Given the chance, Igula would definitely have those two attract the attention of the Crime Hunting Hall, then he¡¯d slip away while they¡¯re busy,¡± Ash said with a bitter smile, ¡°Plus, he still has one of my wishes in his grasp, and I haven¡¯t even figured out how to deal with that yet.¡±


    Even though wishes couldn¡¯t be too outrageous, they had to be something within the other party¡¯s abilities and not something that would cause an instinctual resistance. For example, a demand like ¡®commit suicide¡¯ would be an unreasonable request against nature.


    That¡¯s why Ash only made Igula ¡®help him¡¯ escape from prison, instead of having Igula ¡®make him¡¯ escape; the latter kind of strict wish would be invalid.


    But even so, Igula could still give Ash a run for his money. For instance, if during their escape Igula demanded Ash to ¡®cover their rear,¡¯ Ash couldn¡¯t refuse such a reasonable request.


    Even if there were hundreds of Blood Frenzy Hunters charging at them, he would have to turn back and encircle them, showing a ¡®covering rear¡¯ posture before he could continue to flee.


    ¡°So what do you plan to do? And do you have a plan for after you escape from prison?¡±


    ¡°There might be one. First, I¡¯d find this body¡¯s nemesis, an elf professor named Selin. See if I can get revenge; if not, I¡¯ll just steal some money from him and figure out a way to survive.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that just taking it one step at a time? Aren¡¯t you afraid that the outside world is even more dangerous than prison? After all, you¡¯re at least safe in prison most of the time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s called adopting a risk-managed approach in the adventurous field to achieve sustainable benefits, leveraging through-put envelope backcasting as a lever for life empowerment, and perfecting escape logic to consider resource allocation...¡±


    ¡°Speak in a way that kids can understand, please.¡±


    ¡°It means the path I chose for myself, no matter how tough, I am willing to walk it,¡± Ash said leisurely. ¡°Regret is something for the future me to worry about; the me now only needs to think about how not to have regrets. You wouldn¡¯t want to see me spending my days in tears because I¡¯m locked up in prison, would you?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you give it a try? I love to see people cry their eyes out, especially when they¡¯re smearing their faces with snot.¡±


    ¡°Besides,¡± Ash sat up, ¡°I have you, don¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help you,¡± Sonia rolled her eyes.


    Ash continued, ¡°Thanks to our bond, the stronger you are, the stronger I am, so if you don¡¯t want to be all alone exploring the Void Realm in the future, you better start training more conscientiously; don¡¯t always leave on the dot. Don¡¯t live too comfortably at such a young age; be brave and step out of your comfort zone!¡±


    ¡°The way you said that just gives me the urge to slack off. Ah, I¡¯m just not going to practice. I¡¯m going to play,¡± Sonia muttered, sitting up and stretching lazily, ¡°Have your Magic Power fully recovered?¡±


    ¡°Almost there.¡±


    They had just encountered a grown-up Miasma Dragon, and it took almost all of Ash¡¯s Magic Power to barely drive it away, so they had to lie down on the small boat to rest. Times like these were often when they shared their daily goings-on.


    Honestly, there were quite a lot of these rest times, because after gathering more than half of the Silver Wings, both the strength of the creatures on Inheritance Island and the knowledge beings increased significantly. The most common situation was the knowledge creatures running away after exhausting their Magic Power.


    Ash even suspected that the knowledge beings were deliberately trying to drain them.


    But the Sword Maiden said this was normal. They couldn¡¯t instantly kill the knowledge beings, nor did they have any control Miracles like stun, nor the advantage in speed. It was difficult to keep the knowledge beings from escaping.


    This was the plight of most Silver Mages¡ªthey often excelled only in certain areas. In reality, they could work in teams, but in the Void Realm, any weakness became a severe tactical flaw.


    In most cases, Mages had to wait until they reached the Gold or even Three-winged Holy Realm to perfect their Magic System. By then, they would also face new challenges in the Void Realm.


    Ash opened the Void Realm Map, not that there was much to see. The surrounding 24 blocks were all ¡®wasted effort¡¯ zones with no rewards. In such cases, they could usually only pick a direction and try their luck¡ª


    ¡°Ah!?¡±


    Sonia looked puzzled, ¡°What¡¯s the¡ª¡±


    In an instant, Ash put his hand over Sonia¡¯s mouth and placed his index finger to his lips.


    Sonia blinked her eyes, immediately understood, and asked in a lowered voice, ¡°Is there a Mage nearby?¡±


    Ash nodded and turned his head towards the mist-covered sea beside them.


    On the Void Realm Map, a yellow marker like Ash and Sonia¡¯s suddenly popped up in a neighboring block!


    From the mist about ten meters away from the small boat, a small Gate of Truth appeared in space, and a figure fell out.


    Just before hitting the sea, she burst into a puff of smoke and turned into a tiny bat, flapping its wings and flying onward.


    PS: It seems like 7000 might be possible, so here¡¯s Chapter 6. Whether we can get to 8 or even 10 updates today will depend on everyone!

 Chapter 87 - 80 Siflin (Seventh Update)

    Chapter 87: Chapter 80 Siflin (Seventh Update)


    Around the fog-enshrouded sea surface, a small bat was leisurely flying by.


    On the bat¡¯s back, there were two drops of solidified colorless liquid continuously absorbing knowledge from the fog, transforming it into its own magic power.


    ¡®The absorption rate is still too slow...¡¯ Siflin sighed inwardly, still very dissatisfied with the speed of her magic power growth.


    Two drops of colorless Source Blood = Six drops of Seven-Colored Source Blood = Eighteen drops of Gold Source Blood = Fifty-four drops of Silver Source Blood synthesis. In the Sea of Knowledge, the rate of magic power absorption is 560% of that of ordinary mages.


    It seemed pretty impressive, a full 5.5 times the magic power growth rate of an ordinary mage, exemplifying the Blood Saint Clan¡¯s strength to the fullest.


    But the Blood Saint Clan only had the advantage within the Sea of Knowledge. If one were to ascend to Two-winged Gold and step into the Time Continent, then the Silver Source Blood would lose its function, and only Gold Source Blood could absorb magic power.


    ...


    According to the two drops of colorless Source Blood Siflin currently possessed, it could only be divided into eighteen drops of Gold Source Blood, and the rate of magic power absorption would drop to 200%, merely twice that of an ordinary mage.


    Should one advance to the Three-winged Holy Realm, only those six drops of Seven-Colored Source Blood could absorb magic power, with the absorption rate falling to 80%, no longer surpassing that of equal-ranked mages!


    Once reaching the Four-winged Legendary level, Siflin would only be able to rely on the two drops of colorless Source Blood, and the efficiency of magic power absorption was a mere 40%, not even half that of a Four-winged mage!


    So, despite the Blood Saint clan¡¯s immortality, they were actually the race most short on time: they had to quickly traverse the Sea of Knowledge and the Time Continent while young to unfurl their Gold and Silver Wings and step into the Three-winged Holy Realm. For only Blood Saints who entered the Three-winged Holy Realm could receive the Extreme Master of Blood Moon¡¯s blessing to undergo the Bloodline Purification Ritual.


    The later the Bloodline Purification Ritual was performed, the less ideal the results of the purification would be, unable to refine higher-grade Source Blood and unable to experience a second spring.


    Siflin had seen many older Blood Saint Mages in the research facility. They often stayed their whole lives in the Three-winged Holy Realm or Two-winged Gold. No matter how long their lifespan, due to the extremely slow rate of magic power absorption, they often could not condense complete Seven-Colored Wings or Gold Wings by the time their souls ceased to exist.


    Thus, the disparity between the strong and weak within the Blood Saint Clan was extremely severe: some Blood Saints unfolded their Silver Wings within a few years, but remained Silver Mages their whole lives; some took a hundred years to step into the Three-winged Holy Realm, but they couldn¡¯t fully unfurl the Seven-Colored Wings even in the next four hundred years.


    Though the Blood Saint Clan had liberated themselves from the shackles of time, they would ultimately face eternal stillness.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    The small bat hovered in mid-air, emitting ultrasonic sounds inaudible to normal people, detecting the detailed terrain nearby.


    Miracle ¡¤ Blood Bat Form, this was one of the Blood Saint Clan¡¯s racial advantages. Almost every Blood Saint could easily master this miracle, transforming into a flying bat in the Void Realm. This way, they didn¡¯t have to swim laboriously through the Sea of Knowledge like other mages and could quickly escape if they encountered danger, greatly increasing their exploration efficiency and survival rate.


    Ultrasonic detection was an advanced miracle available while in Blood Bat Form, remaining active, allowing Blood Saint Mages to roughly detect the terrain nearby.


    Despite the high strength of the fog blocking sound and sight, which made the miracle¡¯s effective range very short, it was still better than nothing.


    Vision of an anomaly within the homogenous sea level right to the side was detected by the ultrasonic waves, yet when she stopped to detect it, the ultrasonic feedback changed, and the anomaly disappeared.


    Was it a knowledge creature?


    Siflin harbored little fear for knowledge creatures; in fact, she was quite excited. She had recently learned a new miracle and wanted to find a victim to test its power.


    But the location with the anomaly signal was just a flat sea surface with nothing around.


    She was somewhat puzzled, but the Void Realm was full of secrets. If you tried to get to the bottom of every anomaly, even a few hundred years wouldn¡¯t be enough to study a single Sea of Knowledge.


    ¡°Ah, I really want to encounter a knowledge creature. There are a few Technique Spirits I want to exchange...¡±


    Just as Siflin was about to leave, she distinctly heard a ¡®plop¡¯ from the right front.


    The little bat froze in mid-air, unable to react for a moment.


    It was her first time hearing such a strange sound in the Sea of Knowledge; it sounded like... someone throwing a stone into the sea?


    Could it be that she had encountered another mage?


    Siflin hesitated for a second but still flew towards the direction of the sound¡ªshe was confident in herself. Even if she couldn¡¯t beat a strange mage, at the very least, she could escape.


    Moreover, this was her first time encountering another mage in the Void Realm, and even just to satisfy her curiosity, it was worth risking death to venture into dangerous territory.


    Who was the other person?


    Could it be a mage from the Kingdom of Blood Moon?


    How old were they, and what Magic Faction did they specialize in?


    If it was a mage from another kingdom, could there be a chance for exchange?


    With a heart full of nervous yet expectant emotions, Siflin quickly flapped her wings and flew forward until the fog parted, and a small island appeared before her¡ª


    The creature was a juvenile Electric White Dragon, its whole body covered in pearlescent soft skin, blind, with a stout neck that supported a head with only a mouth.


    For the Electric White Dragon often gave birth to many rare Thunder Technique Spirits, in the Sea of Knowledge, it was considered a knowledge creature of higher value. Even if Siflin didn¡¯t need it, taking it to the research institute would yield a large number of research points.


    In the past, Siflin would certainly have been happy about encountering such fine prey, but now she felt somewhat deflated¡ªshe really wanted to try chatting with someone else in the Void Realm! Even trading insults would have been good!


    But what she found was an ugly Electric White Dragon...


    The Electric White Dragon noticed the little bat and let out a piercing scream, powerful sound waves enough to temporarily deafen a Mage.


    But Siflin took this moment to revert back to human form from the Miracle transformation. During the 0.1 seconds of the transformation, she was almost one with the Void Realm, immune to all effects, and naturally dodged the Electric White Dragon¡¯s roar.


    As she transformed, a burst of blood mist exploded violently, engulfing the Electric White Dragon. When Siflin landed, blue arcs of electricity sparked over the creature¡¯s body, and with a roar, it pounced directly at her!


    Moves like this brute force attack by the dragon were the hardest to handle, first because the island wasn¡¯t large and Mages had little space to dodge; secondly, because the Electric White Dragon¡¯s body was wrapped in intense electric arcs. Even a slight brush was enough to inflict serious damage or cause temporary stun to the Mage.


    However, Siflin stood her ground and reached out a hand towards the Electric White Dragon, softly intoning, ¡°Miracle¡¤Bloodthorns!¡±


    The blood mist suddenly condensed into spiked ropes, coiling tightly around the body of the Electric White Dragon. As the creature charged forward, countless blood streaks appeared on its pearlescent skin¡ªit was like being flayed alive!


    Some days ago, she had some difficulty using ¡°Bloodthorns,¡± but these days through practice with techniques like Open-Angle Eyelid Surgery, Oral Orthodontics, Nasal Bone Trimming, and similar techniques, her proficiency with this Miracle had increased dramatically, and she could now use it in actual combat!


    Suddenly hit with such a brutal attack, the Electric White Dragon¡¯s charge stopped abruptly. It furiously flapped its wings, sparks flying as it tore through the Bloodthorns, and took flight to escape the area cloaked in blood mist.


    Knowledge creatures¡¯ learning abilities were no worse than Mages. The Electric White Dragon already sensed that the blood mist was hazardous, so it decided to attack this detestable intruder Mage from the sky!


    Siflin remained calm, her hands making strange gestures: ¡°First time using this move in actual combat; there shouldn¡¯t be any problems, right...?¡±


    Whoosh!


    The Electric White Dragon suddenly spun down in a charge, thick plasma enveloping it completely. It appeared like a terrifying sphere of electricity!


    Even Mages of the Weak Faction who excelled at defense, if they took this blow head-on, would instantly suffer soul damage and be ejected from the Void Realm!


    But with a clap of her hands and a strange gleam in her crimson pupils, Siflin uttered, ¡°Miracle¡¤Blood Reversal!¡±


    Hiss!


    A ghastly wail followed as the Electric White Dragon lost control of its body, flung out like a broken kite, struggling violently on the ground. Its blood vessels burst one by one, muscles spasming as blood flowed backwards, rupturing through its skin, blossoming like sprays of blood!


    While the Electric White Dragon was being wounded by Bloodthorns, Siflin¡¯s ¡°Blood Seed¡± had already taken root inside it.


    With the help of the Blood Seed, Siflin could freely manipulate the target¡¯s blood with Blood Magic Spirits, accelerating bleeding or reversing the flow. These were common Miracles for her ¡ª and higher-order Blood Mages could even cause the target¡¯s blood to freeze or boil!


    Among the Mages of the Kingdom of Blood Moon, a proverb circulated: ¡°When fighting a Blood Mage, the moment you shed your first drop of blood, you know it¡¯s time to take your own life.¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡ª¡ª¡±


    The Electric White Dragon suddenly let out a wail like a baby¡¯s, its body erupting in violent electric arcs once again. Then, with a flick of its tail, it turned around and flung three Technique Spirits in the opposite direction!


    As Siflin reached out for the three Technique Spirits, the Electric White Dragon charged into the white mist, and soon, its figure and sound were obscured by the layers of mist, disappearing to who knows where.


    Siflin wasn¡¯t surprised by this. Despite the Electric White Dragon¡¯s severely wounded appearance, if it exploded with all its might, Siflin¡¯s Blood Thorns Miracle couldn¡¯t stop it.


    This was precisely the cunning of knowledge creatures¡ªeven when preying, they would hold back energy to deceive their enemies, estimating their own chances of victory. Once they sensed low odds of winning, they would toss out bait and decisively escape, never engaging in a death struggle with their opponent.


    Furthermore, with the mist as cover, unless one had luck, the right conditions, or an advantageous element, it was nearly impossible for a One-winged Mage to kill a knowledge creature alone. Half a year of exploration in the Void Realm, and Siflin had yet to kill a single knowledge creature. This was a true reflection of most Mages¡¯ experience.


    When Siflin stored away the three Technique Spirits, her ears twitched as if she could faintly hear the distant cries of the Electric White Dragon.


    But with the dense obstruction of the white mist, it was difficult for Siflin to trust her judgment. Upon closer listening, she again heard nothing.


    Still, as was said before, there were too many oddities in the Void Realm, and there was no need to waste time on such matters. Time was the most precious resource for the Blood Saint Clan. She needed to make the most of every minute and second for exploration in the Void Realm.


    Siflin once again cast a Miracle to transform into a bat and was about to pick a direction to continue on her way when she suddenly heard a ¡®plop¡¯ from the right front.


    The little bat hovered blankly in mid-air.


    Again?

 Chapter 88 - 81: It Was You Who Brought the Blood Saint Clan Here (Eighth Update)

    Chapter 88: Chapter 81: It Was You Who Brought the Blood Saint Clan Here (Eighth Update)


    Watching the scar-covered Swordfish Dragon hastily flee into the fog, Siflin fell into deep thought.


    This was already the fourth knowledge creature she had encountered tonight.


    Generally speaking, Siflin¡¯s nightly explorations in the Void Realm involved only one special event¡ªmost of the time she would wander all night, mainly because the Sea of Knowledge was too vast, and the fog too thick, and unless there was a fateful life-or-death encounter, it was hard to meet anyone in the vast sea.


    However, she had continuously encountered four knowledge creatures tonight, leading Siflin to wonder if it was the breeding season for these creatures, causing them to gather around their community in heat...


    But Siflin actually understood why she kept triggering battle events.


    She transformed into a small bat again and waited in the same spot for a moment, and sure enough, she heard the familiar ¡°plop¡± sound again!


    ...


    There it was again!


    Having heard this sound five times in a row, Siflin could no longer deceive herself into thinking it was an illusion.


    She could even foresee that, if she flew in the direction from which the sound came, she would definitely encounter another knowledge creature! Just like the previous four times!


    What in the world was going on?


    The books ¡°Hundred Years of Illusion, Ten Years of Sea¡±, ¡°Poor Mages, Rich Mages¡±, and ¡°Ten Thousand Miles of Navigation¡± didn¡¯t mention anything about this situation!


    The most similar situation was the legendary ¡°Mermaid¡¯s Call.¡± It was said that in the Sea of Knowledge, there was a knowledge creature known as the Lamplight Dragon, which was extremely ugly, but its tentacles were beautiful mermaids with sweet voices and enticing figures. When a Mage couldn¡¯t resist the temptation and got close to a mermaid, the lurking Lamplight Dragon would suddenly appear and devour the Mage completely.


    However, Siflin had neither seen a mermaid nor encountered any traps; it seemed as though the ¡®plop¡¯ sound was simply guiding her to the nearest habitat of a knowledge creature.


    She also considered the possibility that some other Mages were playing a prank on her, but upon reflection, it seemed unlikely¡ªher ultrasonic detection was one of the best reconnaissance miracles at the silver level. Even so, she could only detect the terrain within three meters around her; any further and the ultrasound would be blocked by the fog.


    And the sea area she had flown over before robbing the Swordfish Dragon spanned nearly a hundred meters.


    Even the miracles of the Prophetic Faction or the Fate Faction couldn¡¯t penetrate dozens of meters of fog. And if it were possible, it definitely wouldn¡¯t be within the capabilities of a Silver Mage.


    Once Mages advanced to Two-winged Gold or Three-winged Holy Realm, the Gate of Truth they opened could not lead to the Sea of Knowledge. The path of a Mage was a road of no return; there was never a possibility of turning back, and the Sea of Knowledge could only contain One-winged Silver Mages.


    Moreover, she couldn¡¯t fathom why the other party would guide her¡ªif they truly could see through hundreds of meters of fog, their abilities would be more than enough to overpower Siflin. Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to capture Siflin and take what they wanted?


    This was the Void Realm, and as long as the other party concealed their identity, the Blood Saint Clan could not find anyone to seek revenge on even if they wanted to.


    Therefore, Siflin felt it was more likely that she had triggered some mechanism in the Void Realm that actively guided her to the nearest knowledge creature.


    Like the Vortex, there were many mysterious mechanisms in the Void Realm that could not be deciphered¡ªsome appeared randomly, but others were accidentally triggered by Mages.


    For example, the Sea of Knowledge¡¯s ¡°Path of Greatness.¡± Although the research institute had not yet found a feasible way to trigger it, by integrating various data, they discovered that Mages who specialized in Earth Magic were most likely to encounter the ¡°Path of Greatness.¡± It was highly probable that the actions of Earth Magic Mages triggered changes in the Void Realm, causing the Path of Greatness to emerge.


    Siflin had once read a book called ¡°Phantom World Chronicles,¡± which recorded many of these impossible-to-falsify mechanisms of the Void Realm. For instance; throwing a One-winged Technique Spirit into the sea, a masked Mage would appear from the sea holding a Two-winged and a Three-winged Technique Spirit, asking you which Technique Spirit you had just dropped. If you honestly answered ¡°neither,¡± you would receive a reward... Most of the stories in there were absurd, effortless, and had bizarre triggering conditions.


    Although such mechanisms were hardly replicable, Siflin still tried as hard as she could to recall what exactly she had done that triggered this mechanism.


    Could it be that her earlier statement ¡°I hope to encounter a knowledge creature¡± was overheard by the Void Realm?


    ¡°I wish to encounter a mystical island... I wish to encounter a vortex... I wish to encounter golden fish... I wish to eat truffle lala fatty... I wish to gather seven or eight more drops of colorless Source Blood...¡± Siflin muttered her wishes as she flew, hoping that the Void Realm would hear her desires once again.


    However, the Void Realm seemed to have not heard her prayers, instead, she heard the intermittent screams of the Swordfish Dragon, as if it were being brutally beaten not far from her.


    This was not the first time, the few creatures from the Sea of Knowledge that had been defeated by Siflin also screamed tragically from afar after escaping.


    Could the new miracle ¡°Blood Reversal¡± that she had learned really be so powerful, causing the creatures to mourn throughout the night, unable to heal even after escaping?


    If Siflin had flown ten meters to the right, she would have seen the escaped Swordfish Dragon being double-teamed by a nasty couple. It glared at the two in front of it, an expression of fury on its face as if to say ¡°It¡¯s you who brought the Blood Saint Clan here,¡± before letting out a resigned cry of ¡®a tiger bullied by dogs when down,¡¯ and then exploded into a heap of spoils.


    After collecting the spoils, the small boat stealthily followed Siflin¡¯s flight path.


    ...


    ...


    Kingdom of Blood Moon, Shattered Lake Prison.


    Siflin woke up from her bed and couldn¡¯t resist stretching lazily, her bones making crisp sounds ¡ª for the Blood Saint Clan, due to the slow flow of blood, their bodies easily stiffened.


    If they wanted to explore the Void Realm for an extended period, the Blood Saint Clan had to lie in coffins to reduce air and slow down oxidation; otherwise, their bodies would stiffen up by the time they woke up.


    First, Siflin took a warm bath, then brushed her teeth and washed her face, ensuring all water sources remained static during the process. One of the taboos of the Blood Saint Clan is not to come into contact with flowing water; though contact wouldn¡¯t cause injury, the flowing water was as repulsive and frightening to the Blood Saint Clan as a steak squirming when being eaten.


    The taboos required by the Blood Saint Clan could fill a thick book, in comparison, the well-known ¡®fear of the sun¡¯ was merely the most trivial.


    Despite many restrictions, the numbers desperately wanting to join the research institution to become blood descendants continued unabated, not just because of the powerful natural talents of the Blood Saint Clan, but also because the Blood Saint Clan was the darling of the Extreme Master of Blood Moon, one of the only two ruling races of the Kingdom of Blood Moon!


    ¡°Reporting last night¡¯s adventure to the research institute should earn me quite a few research points... but then I¡¯ll have to talk to the teacher; he will definitely nag and ask all sorts of questions, super annoying...¡±


    While lost in thought, Siflin dressed in a loose black robe and put on her crow mask and headed to the Medical Practitioner¡¯s exclusive restaurant.


    ¡°Good day, Your Excellency.¡±


    Seeing yet another Medical Practitioner preparing to salute her, Siflin hurriedly stopped him, saying, ¡°Haven¡¯t I said it? Just treat me as a normal Medical Practitioner here, a simple greeting will do, this isn¡¯t the outside.¡±


    ¡°But...¡±


    ¡°You keep doing this, and if it gets back to the research institute, Teacher will scold me for sure. Your badge number is [137], right? I¡¯ll remember it. And if Teacher scolds me, I¡¯ll remember to find you.¡±


    [137] now panicked, started to bow again, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Excellency, I just¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Still using formal language?¡±


    ¡°...Good morning, [222].¡±


    PS: Although subscriptions haven¡¯t reached ten thousand yet, I¡¯ll still add 2 more updates as a thank you for all the support.


    Never thought there would come a day when I¡¯d make eight updates in one day, an unprecedented and possibly never-repeated feat...

 Chapter 89 - 82: Draw Cards! (Ninth Update)

    Chapter 89: Chapter 82: Draw Cards! (Ninth Update)


    Watching the 9 Technique Spirits before him, Ash couldn¡¯t help but perform a set of broadcast calisthenics right there to ease his excitement.


    Last night¡¯s Void Realm Exploration had yielded them a whopping 12 Technique Spirits!


    Among them, three were said to fetch a good price, so they had been taken by the Sword Maiden, but even so, Ash¡¯s haul from last night almost surpassed the total gains of the past few days!


    Not to mention, they also obtained two Experience Treasure Orbs!


    Ash felt that unless he drew another Void Realm Exploration Divine Artifact, it would be very difficult for him to replicate last night¡¯s achievements before the Silver Wings were fully deployed.


    Moreover, last night¡¯s experiences deeply confirmed the life lessons he summed up while at work, ¡°Working is inferior to slacking off, slacking off is inferior to exploiting, and exploiting is inferior to picking peaches...¡±


    ...


    When they discovered a wild Mage nearby on the Void Realm Map, Ash and his team¡¯s first reaction was to quickly distance themselves¡ªnot because they had a conscientious objection to robbery or a desire to be kind to a stranger they hadn¡¯t met, but because they were afraid that both of them together wouldn¡¯t be a match for just one of the opponent¡¯s hands!


    That¡¯s right, Ash was certain that the two of them couldn¡¯t defeat one person together!


    They were very clear about their own strength: whether it was the Sword Maiden or himself, both had artificially accelerated their power growth, knew only a few Miracles, and had virtually no combat system.


    The Sword Maiden was slightly better off because her Talent meant she could catch up given some time, while Ash was purely clinging to her coattails, with nothing but standard attacks and summoning Substitutes to throw into the fray, being described as ¡®the weakest among peers among Combat Mages¡¯ would not be an exaggeration.


    Bullying the Mage projections on Inheritance Island and beating up Knowledge Creatures were already their limits, even a bit beyond their grasp¡ªespecially after the Silver Wings were more than half-congealed, they found the intensity of battles they encountered had increased by a notch, nearly exhausting their Magic Power every time and only barely managing to defeat their enemies.


    As such, Mages like Ash and his colleague were undoubtedly outliers on the Sea of Knowledge; after all, they had only been Mages for a mere seven days, still at the stage where they haven¡¯t even left the Newbie Village and were getting accustomed to the game mechanics!


    The Mage who could appear near them had no doubt also congealed more than half of his Silver Wings and had been in the Void Realm for over a month or even half a year, or maybe a year!


    The advantage of time was enough to create a significant gap. To use a gaming analogy, Ash and his colleague were like players who cheated to level up but hadn¡¯t completed any Profession, Main, or Side Tasks, and didn¡¯t even know any combo moves.


    Moreover, because they had leveled up, the Gate of Truth would only teleport them to areas with high-level creatures!


    Luckily the two of them were in a bound team. If other solo Mages had experienced what they had encountered, they would have long been killed to an early grave by high-level Knowledge Creatures.


    Whereas normal Mages would definitely need to gradually congeal their Silver Wings and would far surpass Ash and his team in every aspect like faction realm, combat system, and Miracle mastery, not to mention the opponent was likely to have experience combatting Mages; they might find out as soon as they engaged that Ash was an easily targeted soft persimmon.


    Although Ash could bet the other wasn¡¯t a Combat Mage, there really was no need¡ªhis real body was still famished in prison, and if either he or the Sword Maiden died, even if Ash cried out ¡°I quit, give me my life back,¡± it would be of no use, and he would just have to obediently await the punishment of Blood Moon Judgement on the gambling fools.


    So when they saw the other party seemed to approach, Ash immediately steered the boat to dodge. However, due to the mist barrier, the other party couldn¡¯t spot a small boat at a certain distance, and it was then that the Sword Maiden suddenly bit his ear and suggested a rather thrilling bad idea.


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re so wicked, but I like it.¡±


    ¡°Please, as if you¡¯re any better.¡±


    Thus, the two sneakily circled around to the front of the stranger Mage and found an area that was ¡°a bit troublesome¡± on the Void Realm Map, throwing pebbles to lure the stranger into it.


    Based on their experiences over the past several days, ¡°a bit troublesome¡± areas are mostly habitats for Knowledge Creatures and are usually at a growth stage; they are larger in size, formidable in power, and make strategic use of Technique Spirits. Even if a Mage could defeat them, it was impossible to retain the Knowledge Creatures.


    Sure enough, Ash saw on the Void Realm Map that after some fighting, the ¡°bit troublesome¡± yellow area gradually turned into a ¡°quick, go pick it up¡± green area, and the green habitat was moving, clearly indicating that the Knowledge Creature was fleeing.


    Ash¡¯s little boat was stationed right on the path where the Knowledge Creature was making its escape!


    Judging the direction in which the Knowledge Creature would flee was actually quite simple: unlike mages who were completely in the dark, Knowledge Creatures inevitably understood the situation surrounding their habitat, which is why they could always flee to safe areas, instead of invading the territories of other Knowledge Creatures and vying for turf.


    All Ash had to do was make an observation and exclude the routes that led to areas marked as ¡°Worth visiting¡± or ¡°A bit troublesome,¡± and what remained were the likely escape routes the Knowledge Creatures would choose. Even with some margin of error, Ash could always consult the Void Realm Map and make timely corrections, almost ensuring that every young Knowledge Creature learned what ¡®misfortunes never come singly¡¯ and ¡®fleeing is both shameful and futile¡¯ meant.


    By employing this tactic, Ash would guide unfamiliar mages to the habitat of Knowledge Creatures, then wait nearby, ready to swoop in and pluck the easy pickings after the Knowledge Creature was significantly weakened in its escape, reaping the benefits without much effort.


    Not only was the harvest plentiful, but it was also safe; a Knowledge Creature¡¯s Combat Power plummeted during the escape, making it easy to be bewildered when ambushed, just like slipping on a banana peel while being chased by a ghost¡ªanyone would feel cornered.


    When the unfamiliar mage¡¯s soul energy was overtaxed and they couldn¡¯t hold out any longer, needing to log off, Ash and his companion were still a bit reluctant to end their fruitful venture. Together, they had killed five Knowledge Creatures, acquiring 12 Technique Spirits and 2 Experience Treasure Orbs.


    Especially those two Experience Treasure Orbs; in the Sword Maiden¡¯s words, it was ¡®We earned what a common mage would in half a year in just one night¡¯.


    Even more importantly, within the nine Technique Spirits Ash received, one was precisely the third type of Technique Spirit needed for the Miracle ¡°Sever Me¡±!


    It looked like a constantly spinning water ball, with a small wing made of water, trembling in one¡¯s hands¡ªan adorable sight.


    ¡°Flowing¡±


    ¡°One-winged Technique Spirit¡±


    ¡°Restriction: The affected object must contain a source of water.¡±


    ¡°Basic Effect: Transfers all effects (Instant Damage, Continuous Effect) from the first target to the second target, with transfer speed varying depending on the distance and other factors between the two targets.¡±


    ¡°Passive Effect: When the mage¡¯s body contains liquid, physical impacts can be reduced.¡±


    ¡°¡®Water flows downward.¡¯¡±


    Having collected the Substitute, Heart Sword, and Flowing Technique Spirits, Ash had now met all the prerequisite conditions to cast the Miracle ¡°Sever Me¡±!


    Next, all he needed to do was quickly master the Technique Spirit to the extent that he could provoke a resonance with the Void Realm from within the prison, and then he could attempt to cast a Miracle even in a state where magic power was forbidden!


    After securing the Flowing Technique Spirit, Ash opened ¡°Aurora¡¯s Mage¡¯s Handbook¡± and chose to recharge all of the remaining eight Technique Spirits!


    One Technique Spirit was worth eight points, so eight Technique Spirits were sixty-four points in total; adding that to the existing forty points, Ash now had a total of one hundred and four points¡ªa considerable sum that could buy ¡®a bunch of Source Crystals¡¯!


    Purchase successful!


    Received 20 Source Crystals!


    And then, by triggering the first-time purchase reward, gained another 40 Source Crystals!


    With the 4 Source Crystals from three days of check-ins, that accumulated to a total of 44 Source Crystals, enough for 14 searches!


    It¡¯s my turn, draw a card!

 Chapter 90 - 83: Growth Report of the Death Mad Sword Maiden (Tenth Update)

    Chapter 90: Chapter 83: Growth Report of the Death Mad Sword Maiden (Tenth Update)


    ¡°If hurt enough, just use a pair of hands to swiftly cut open...¡±


    Yawning as he got up, Igula went to take his usual bath. He had barely stripped and settled into the bathtub for a few seconds when he heard the persistent and urgent ringing of the doorbell.


    Although puzzled, Igula still wrapped himself in a bath towel and opened the door, only to find Ash outside.


    ¡°Let¡¯s play rock-paper-scissors.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask, just play rock-paper-scissors, and you have to beat me three times!¡±


    ...


    ¡°Is this some kind of necessary ritual?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    ¡°Will it harm me?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    Igula observed Ash for a while, feeling that he probably wasn¡¯t lying, so he said, ¡°Then I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Helping you is a favor; not helping you is my right. Why should I help you complete this ritual?¡±


    ¡°Does helping others need a reason?¡±


    ¡°Your current position doesn¡¯t really support you saying that... And do I look like I do charity?¡±


    Ash pondered for a moment: ¡°Do you know why Mages can¡¯t drink water that¡¯s just been boiled and must wait for a while before drinking?¡±


    Igula was taken aback: ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°If you join me in completing this ritual, I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    Could it be that freshly boiled water contains trace amounts of Poison Skill that damages Magic Power? Or is ¡°boiled water¡± part of some ritual that could lead to negative consequences if interfered with?


    In the world of Mages, every little thing contains truth. Perhaps a seemingly trivial matter is a ¡°ritual taboo¡± that Mages have summarized over centuries, like ¡°chanting prayers for the deceased¡± can effectively reduce the residual Death aura on their bodies.


    With that in mind, Igula¡¯s curiosity got the better of him, and he agreed to Ash¡¯s request. He easily won three times against Ash ¡ª with Igula¡¯s somewhat Mind Reading ability, it was almost as if Ash¡¯s choices each round were written on his face.


    ¡°Okay, thank you, Igula!¡±


    ¡°What kind of ritual requires someone to win rock-paper-scissors against oneself three times...¡±


    ¡°This is called the Lay Up Ritual. Now that I have lost to you, my luck will improve. So, goodbye¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait, you haven¡¯t told me why Mages can¡¯t drink freshly boiled water.¡±


    ¡°Because it burns the tongue.¡±


    Igula stared blankly as Ash left, closed the door, and went back to the bathroom to lie in the bathtub.


    He stared at the ceiling, rubbed his temples, and fell into deep thought.


    ¡°Have I been affected intellectually by associating with him too frequently recently...¡±


    After finishing his bath and while brushing his teeth, Igula was fortunate to trigger a ¡®Revelation¡¯ from his Technique Spirit. The splashed toothpaste foam left a message on the mirror¡ª


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to drink freshly boiled water.¡±


    ¡°Who would drink that!¡±


    ...


    After the Lay Up Ritual, Ash returned to his own bedroom.


    ¡°Confirm the consumption of 30 Source Crystals for ten searches? Note, you can manually increase the number of searches; the more searches, the easier it is to draw rare cards!¡±


    ¡°Confirm the consumption of 42 Source Crystals for fourteen searches?¡±


    ¡°Confirmed!¡±


    Whoosh¡ª


    The card-drawing interface was still utterly plain, revealing eight white lights, four purple lights, and... two gold lights!


    The eight white lights were 1 Basic Combat Card, 4 Energy Potions, and 3 Experience Potions. The Experience Potions were fine since they could be used cumulatively to increase experience growth by up to 50%. However, an operator could only use 1 Energy Potion per week, but so many had been drawn... Were these just to pollute the card pool?


    Ash continued to look and his eyes lit up: The four purple lights were 3 ¡®Joy Potions¡¯ for Technique Spirits and 1 ¡®Sweet Words and a Hidden Dagger.¡¯


    ¡®Joy Potion¡¯ * 3: Used on operators to increase the affinity of Technique Spirits to the operator, accelerating mastery of the Technique Spirits, lasting one week, and cannot be used cumulatively.


    ¡®Sweet Words and a Hidden Dagger¡¯: Honey that can be hidden under the tongue and transformed into a long sword when pressed with the tongue. It can pass any security check and can be upgraded...


    Unquestionably, the Joy Potion was exactly what Ash needed at the moment. His ¡®Heart Sword¡¯ and ¡®Circulation¡¯ Technique Spirits were new, not yet mastered in the Void Realm, let alone resonating in reality.


    But the effect was a bit strange; it could increase the affinity of Technique Spirits towards the operator. Could this potion make the Technique Spirits... amorous?


    ¡®Sweet Words and a Hidden Dagger¡¯ wasn¡¯t needed at the moment, but Ash would certainly need a weapon after escaping from prison. Shattered Lake Prison showed that the outside world must be full of obstacles for an escapee, likely filled with security checks and surveillance equipment everywhere.


    Thus, ¡®Sweet Words and a Hidden Dagger,¡¯ a weapon that could pass security checks, was essential for an escapee when out and about.


    Finally, there were the two gold lights!


    ¡°Alchemist¡¯s Refinement Bottle¡±: Mix two identical potions for a 30% chance to refine into a stronger, advanced potion, a 30% chance to mutate into another rare potion, or a 40% chance to fail and lose both potions.


    Ash perked up at once¡ªwith this refinement bottle, those potions polluting the card pool could be recycled. Although there was a chance of loss, at least there was something to look forward to, like buying a lottery ticket.


    ¡°Random Technique Spirit Summon Card¡±: When used on an operator, the operator will perform a summoning ritual, autonomously summoning a rare Technique Spirit of their current level, and advance the Technique Spirit¡¯s faction realm to their current level. Note that based on the Technique Spirit¡¯s nature, the summoning ritual¡¯s restrictions, duration, and requirements may vary, but the time will not exceed seven days.


    This golden card all of a sudden didn¡¯t seem so great to Ash¡ªthe card only summons one Technique Spirit, while he could gather 12 in just one night.


    But upon closer inspection, the focus of this card isn¡¯t the Technique Spirit, but the ¡°current level¡±!


    After these days of learning, Ash also knew that mages in this world are classified as One-winged Silver, Two-winged Gold, Three-winged Holy Realm, and Four-winged Legendary. This means, if the Sword Maiden advances to Two-winged, and the random summon card is used on her, she will be sure to summon a Two-winged Technique Spirit¡ªthe more wings a Technique Spirit has, the better, naturally.


    But in order for a mage to summon the corresponding Technique Spirit, the prerequisite is that her faction realm is at the threshold.


    If the faction realm is not at Gold Level, then it¡¯s impossible for the mage to summon the corresponding Two-winged Technique Spirit, and so on!


    Therefore, the true effect of this golden card is: to randomly raise one of the operator¡¯s magic faction realms to the current Void Wings level, and obtain a Technique Spirit of the same level!


    To a One-winged Mage, this golden card is equivalent to an Experience Treasure Orb plus a Technique Spirit, but if the operator is a Two-winged, Three-winged, or even Four-winged Mage, then this golden card becomes quite terrifying.


    In a maximum of seven days, one could become proficient in a magic faction one has never touched before!


    Reason told Ash that the later he used this golden card, the greater its value, but the current situation truly didn¡¯t allow him to be a squirrel hoarding goodies.


    For the upcoming prison break, Ash had to convert all resources into combat power, and if it came down to the wire and caused the escape to fail, he feared he might regret it enough to volunteer to be Lanna¡¯s next meal.


    First was the refinement bottle, Ash currently had 7 Energy Potions and 4 Experience Potions, which he put in pairs for refinement, finally obtaining 2 Advanced Physical Potions and 1 Advanced Experience Potion.


    ¡°Advanced Physical Potion¡±: In training actions, gives the operator an advanced action point, lasting seven days. An advanced action point exempts the operator from energy consumption, increases positive feedback from actions, slowly improves the operator¡¯s mood, and has a low chance of improving the operator¡¯s Bonds Level.


    ¡°Advanced Experience Potion¡±: In training actions, increases the operator¡¯s skill experience gain by 50%, lasting seven days, with a maximum bonus of 100% per operator.


    This should have been the end of it, but Ash thought it over and put in 2 Technique Spirit Joy Potions as well.


    If the purification failed, he still had one he could use, but it succeeded.


    ¡°Technique Spirit Excitement Potion¡±: When used on an operator, significantly increases the Technique Spirit¡¯s affinity towards the operator, greatly speeds up the operator¡¯s mastery of the Technique Spirit, lasts for one week, and cannot be stacked.


    This potion¡¯s name is starting to sound more and more like an aphrodisiac...


    Ash opened ¡°Operator Management,¡± and the game suddenly popped up a message:


    ¡°The training of Death Mad Sword Maiden has concluded. Please check the growth report and set this week¡¯s training strategy as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Growth Report for Death Mad Sword Maiden 4.12~4.18¡±


    ¡°Sword Technique Faction: 0 ¡ú Silver¡±


    ¡°Light Magic Faction: 0 ¡ú Silver¡±


    ¡°Water Technique Faction: Uninitiated ¡ú Silver¡±


    ¡°Magic Power: 0 ¡ú Silver Half-wing¡±


    ¡°Training Evaluation: A!¡±


    ¡°As a result of obtaining an A grade, Death Mad Sword Maiden has received a professional enhancement from the Mage¡¯s Handbook: One-winged Sword Master ¡ú Annihilator Silver Mage¡±


    ¡°Annihilator Silver Mage ¡¤ Professional Characteristics: Each time an effective attack is made, 0.5% of maximum magic power can be recovered.¡±


    Ash hadn¡¯t expected there to be an evaluation phase after the training strategy concluded, and moreover, that high evaluations could lead to special rewards¡ªprofessional enhancement.


    Although it had nothing to do with him, no question the stronger the Sword Maiden was, the more efficient their exploration in the Void Realm would be, and the ¡°Annihilator Silver Mage¡¯s¡± professional characteristic was quite practical too.


    The advancement of the Sword Maiden¡¯s Water Technique Faction to Silver Level was naturally because they obtained two Experience Treasure Orbs last night, one for swordsmanship and one for Water Magic.


    Because Ash had a ¡°Shared Experience¡± bond with the Sword Maiden, without a doubt, he let her have both orbs. Watching the moved expression on the Sword Maiden¡¯s face as she received the orbs in the Void Realm, Ash felt as if he could hear the prompt ¡°Your Bonds with Death Mad Sword Maiden have deepened.¡±


    Then he opened ¡°Training Strategy.¡±


    ¡°Death Mad Sword Maiden¡±


    ¡°Current Mood: 6 (0 experience bonus)¡±


    ¡°Available Actions: Rest, Entertainment, Training, Combat¡±


    ¡°Suggestion: The Sword Maiden hasn¡¯t rested or entertained for a week; appropriate entertainment can effectively increase mood, and balancing work with leisure can lead to better training and study.¡±


    Ash hesitated a little: The Sword Maiden complained many times about lacking rest time, and she helped him so much in the Void Realm, both emotionally and rationally, he should let her relax properly...


    Snap! Snap!


    ¡°Ash, come out, we need to find our final team member fast today!¡± Igula¡¯s voice came from outside.


    Ash immediately snapped back to reality from his sentimentality: As the saying goes, lead by example, if he couldn¡¯t rest, how could the Sword Maiden rest?


    I reject your suggestion!


    PS: Finally hit 10,000 subscriptions, although it didn¡¯t reach the delusional dream of 15,000, but like a happy typing boar, I¡¯ll be adding two more chapters, making it ten updates! Thank you for all your support!


    Welcome to the new overlord Villie! Such domineering presence!


    Here I solemnly recommend a new book from a great author coming from next door, guaranteed quality:


    ¡°When Darkness Falls, Please Sleep¡±


    ¡°The chilly, numb voice of a shadow outside the window softly calls someone¡¯s name, the shadows on the ground crawl like serpents and insects, the elevator door at the end of the hallway opens by itself, the faceless elevator girl reveals a strange smile, and in the midst of shadows, the skinless butcher slowly raises a cleaver...


    In this era where all nations have outlawed staying up late, Chen Xiao has lost his sleep.¡±

 Chapter 91 - 84 "Sincerity

    Chapter 91: Chapter 84 ¡°Sincerity


    Jiale City, Sword Flower University.


    Sonia returned to her dormitory and saw Lois studying early in the morning while Adelle was still sleeping with her doll. Surprised, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Didn¡¯t Adelle get up early to study just like you yesterday? She even said she wanted to summon a Technique Spirit and step into the Void Realm before the end of the semester...¡±


    ¡°She did study for a long time yesterday, until after lunch, then she started watching ¡®Love that Crosses Time and Space¡¯ on the Light Screen,¡± Lois casually replied. ¡°Before that, she¡¯d usually start zoning out after breakfast, trimming her nails, playing with her hair, and such.¡±


    ¡°Is it Dedarose¡¯s new drama!?¡± Sonia asked almost reflexively, but she quickly shook her head. ¡°Can she really graduate this way?¡±


    Lois shrugged, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if she doesn¡¯t graduate; she has a fiance?, a very influential noble at that. Plus, with her father¡¯s recent promotion, I guess Adelle will probably just get married right after graduation.¡±


    Sonia uttered an ¡°oh¡± and discovered, to her surprise, that she felt no envy or turbulence over Adelle¡¯s circumstances.


    ...


    In the past, Adelle¡¯s family background and life plans would certainly have made Sonia envious: with the support of her family and the backing of her fiance?, Adelle could live a happy and peaceful life as a spoilt noblewoman, without knowing anything or understanding worldly ways, shielded from all harm by others.


    She had everything Sonia ever longed for from birth.


    If it weren¡¯t for having nothing, who would choose to start from scratch; if not for lacking support, who would want to scheme at every turn; if not for being coddled in a sheltered environment, who would choose to withstand the harshness of the elements?


    Adversity is not a form of tempering; an unfair fate is just reality. Sonia¡¯s poor relationship with Lois and the others wasn¡¯t solely because Lois looked down on her with arrogance. They were partly due to Sonia herself¡ªwho was deeply hurt by Lois¡¯s confidence, rooted in a solid foundation, just days after leaving her hometown.


    But now, Sonia found that when she heard about the happy futures of others, she no longer felt jealousy or resentment.


    Although she didn¡¯t have a wealthy fiance? or family assistance, she didn¡¯t think her future would be worse off than Adelle¡¯s or Lois¡¯s¡ªyes, she was still that shallow, only able to satisfy her pride by becoming superior to others.


    So much had happened in the past week that Sonia had undergone profound changes without even realizing it.


    She was still as vain, still meticulously maintained her makeup, still as scheming, but now she had also become a One-winged Mage, became an apprentice to Professor Trozan, defeated Felix, and could even exchange blows with Reonie, a senior student (she didn¡¯t consider that a victory)...


    This series of events was like bricks and mortar, building up a wall behind Sonia.


    Even if Sonia couldn¡¯t persevere in the future, wanting to retreat, she would have something to rely on.


    What¡¯s more, there was someone by her side, who, even though he might not always be reliable, full of flaws, and currently even less skilled than she was, at least... he stood by her side.


    After taking a shower, Sonia returned to her desk, placing a silver coin on it for the Technique Spirit to feed on, and then started applying a facial mask.


    At that moment, she noticed a few new items on the table.


    The first was a glass bottle containing a mix of green, gold, and pink liquids, which clearly wasn¡¯t any healthy beverage. But Sonia remembered this glass bottle¡ªit was the same one that the Observer was carrying the first time he appeared in the real world seven days ago.


    Underneath the bottle was a note that read, ¡°Contains Advanced Physical Potion, Advanced Experience Potion, and Technique Spirit Joy Potion. Remember to shake well before drinking.¡±


    Sonia eyed the glass bottle suspiciously, but in the end, she still shook it, tilted her head back, and gulped it down¡ªwhat else could she do? Last time the Observer had directly transported the potion to her throat; now letting her drink it herself was already a sign of goodwill.


    As for whether the Observer would harm her with such suspicions, Sonia had long given up on such thoughts.


    Facing someone who could control your actions, a suspected amnesiac reborn legend, unless Sonia could find the Observer¡¯s true body, control it, and confine it to the basement to drain it of its value, all her plans were as meaningless as New Year¡¯s resolutions.


    Better to honestly cling to the Observer, this stock of proven value, do whatever he asked, create an image of being ¡°very useful,¡± and first make the Observer lower his guard, revealing more flaws.


    The more the Observer trusted her, the closer she was to the day when she would turn the tables.


    The potion had a sweet taste, a mix of citrus, lemon, and sea salt¡ªit was quite pleasant. Licking her lips, Sonia turned to another object out of place on the table.


    A letter?


    The Observer didn¡¯t seem like the poetic type... more like the type who would talk to me about things outside my door while I was taking a bath...


    With curiosity, Sonia unfolded it and found a precious card embellished with gold leaf inside, on which was written:


    ¡°Sword Maiden, you will next automatically undergo a random Technique Spirit summoning ritual, and elevate the faction realm of the Technique Spirit to your current level. Depending on the Technique Spirit, the ritual will vary, but it will not exceed seven days. As you read these lines, the random Technique Spirit will begin to be drawn. Good luck.¡±


    The text on the card started to transform, finally forming two golden characters:


    ¡°Sincerity¡±


    Sonia instantly realized the power of the card: she need not learn or cultivate; the automatic summoning ritual would elevate her to the Silver Level in a magic faction that she had never encountered before! And it came with a Technique Spirit!


    It was only an Experience Treasure Orb, but she knew her constraints well enough; if not for the Observer, she likely wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to obtain an Experience Treasure Orb in her lifetime.


    Moreover, ¡°Sincerity¡± seemed to be a Technique Spirit from the Spirit Faction, which was known to be the most difficult magic faction to master. Sonia had definitely hit the jackpot this time!


    Even though she was dissatisfied with the Observer repeatedly meddling in her life, he had given her the two Experience Treasure Orbs he obtained last night, and now he had arranged such wonderful benefits for her. Sonia couldn¡¯t help but feel sincerely grateful: Observer, meeting you is truly the luck of my life!


    At this moment, the card had turned to smoke and dissipated. Sonia waited a moment, but nothing seemed to happen.


    Had the ritual already begun? But why didn¡¯t it feel like anything had changed?


    Just then, the bedroom door suddenly opened, and a steaming Ingrid stepped in at a leisurely pace, picked up a towel to wipe off sweat and hydrate, saying, ¡°Adelle, it¡¯s time for class!¡±


    Adelle rose robotically, following her body¡¯s instinct to wash up, her eyes hardly open.


    As Ingrid went to bathe, Sonia and Lois also began their preparations before class: eyeshadow had to match lipstick, blush must not be overwhelming, perfume was to be centered around petitgrain and bitter orange, seeking an elusive and lingering presence.

 Chapter 92 - 85 I’m Too Lazy to Write

    Chapter 92: Chapter 85 I¡¯m Too Lazy to Write


    ¡°Ah! I forgot to wash my clothes!¡±


    Adelle hurriedly opened her wardrobe, her face the picture of misery, ¡°I forgot to wash my clothes a few days ago and now I don¡¯t have any clean ones to wear, Lois¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me, blame your own laziness.¡± Lois pulled a face, ¡°My clothes are all tailored to fit, and you wearing them even once basically ruins their shape, especially the chest area after you¡¯ve stretched it out... Go ask Sonia.¡±


    Coming out from the bath, Ingrid, while drying her hair, said, ¡°I do have some loose clothes, but I¡¯m taller than you, so the sleeves might not fit well.¡±


    Adelle turned to Sonia with pleading eyes, ¡°Sonia...¡±


    In the dorm, it was true that only Sonia was close to her in size. Sonia, seeing she couldn¡¯t get out of it, had to come up with an excuse¡ªshe didn¡¯t want to lend her clothes to others either.


    ...


    ¡°I won¡¯t lend them. I don¡¯t like wearing other people¡¯s clothes, nor do I want others to wear mine.¡±


    Lois and Ingrid gave Sonia a look, their expressions somewhat strange.


    Adelle blinked and had to borrow Ingrid¡¯s clothes. But Ingrid was a head taller than her, so the swordswoman¡¯s shirt almost became a dress on Adelle.


    This morning there was a general assembly class and all four of them had to attend, so they left together for the cafeteria.


    Halfway there, suddenly a male voice called out, ¡°Sonia!¡±


    They looked over and saw a rather handsome blond young man approaching. Lois¡¯s face darkened instantly.


    This male student was Merov, who had once pursued Lois. Lois, seeing his good looks and noble birth, had deigned to give him a chance to court her, only for Sonia to cast a few flirtatious glances and make him switch sides, embarrassing Lois terribly in front of her friends.


    ¡°Good morning, Merov.¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Sonia,¡± Merov said enthusiastically. ¡°I¡¯ve hardly seen you since you switched to the Sword Skill, but today¡¯s such a coincidence. How about we have dinner together tonight? It¡¯s seafood season now; do you prefer Gold Coast or Eel & Fish Delight?¡±


    Lois sneered inwardly. Now that Sonia wasn¡¯t even interested in Felix, she obviously wouldn¡¯t care about Merov. Merov being this proactive must be influenced by his family, seeing as how Sonia is Professor Trozan¡¯s Apprentice and has the achievement of defeating Reonie, almost ensuring her future as a Holy Domain Sword Saint.


    For mid-sized nobles, the addition of a Three-winged Mage could be of critical importance. If Merov was initially just driven by attraction, he must now also be driven by potential benefits.


    Lois knew Sonia would definitely decline, but how she¡¯d refuse was hard to predict, especially since their relationship wasn¡¯t great, and Sonia might even take the chance to jab at Lois with some veiled criticism...


    ¡°No thanks, I have training and no time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really diligent, but relaxation is for better cultivation. If you¡¯re not interested in seafood, we could¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think having dinner with you would be relaxing.¡±


    Merov¡¯s face stiffened and, muttering ¡®I¡¯ve been a disturbance,¡¯ he hastily left. Sonia walked a few steps and noticed the other three hadn¡¯t followed, they were making faces at each other. Puzzled, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Lois smoothed the strange expression from her face.


    The four arrived at the lecture theater and fellow students greeted them as they passed by. Aside from Sonia¡¯s recent antics, even before then, she and Lois were already a stunning highlight of the school, with crowds flocking around them wherever they went as standard practice.


    Lois responded with great enthusiasm to her classmates¡¯ greetings, while Sonia simply nodded her head calmly, not uttering a single word. Watching this scene, the other three couldn¡¯t help but feel that the odd sensation in their hearts was growing stronger.


    No sooner had they sat down than Adelle turned deathly pale, ¡°It¡¯s over, I forgot to write the short essay! It¡¯s due this class!¡±


    Even Ingrid couldn¡¯t help but take delight in her misfortune, ¡°Then you¡¯re done for.¡±


    The class was ¡°Dazzling Star Modern History,¡± and the professor teaching, Wesley, was well into his sixties, notoriously strict and old-fashioned. Surprise checks and roll calls were routine, and if you hadn¡¯t finished your paper by the end of class, you might as well get ready to retake it next year.


    As expected, the moment the white-haired, ramrod-straight old professor stepped into the classroom, he issued that frightful command that sent shivers down students¡¯ spines, ¡°Place your essays on the podium for inspection.¡±


    With that, the old professor flicked his wrist, and a single-winged Technique Spirit scholar floated up to the podium. It might have been only a One-winged Spirit, but it was the nightmare of countless students¡ªthe ¡®Retrieval¡¯ Technique Spirit!


    If a Mage made detailed settings, the checking Spirit could swiftly determine if an article met the requirements. Mages could even perform a Miracle, linking it to the school¡¯s Veil-enclosed ¡®Document Library¡¯ to check for plagiarism on the spot!


    The students handed in their papers one by one, the Technique Spirit gently tapping each document which would show green for pass, yellow indicating an excessive similarity rate, and red for serious suspicion of plagiarism.


    The old professor sat quietly, simply watching everyone submit their work, interjecting only a cold snort to note down the information of a student who had not turned in their paper.


    When it was Adelle¡¯s turn, she walked up with empty hands, her bright eyes full of sincerity, ¡°Professor Wesley, I accidentally fell asleep while writing the paper last night, so I haven¡¯t finished it. Can I hand it in next week?¡±


    Wesley glanced at her, ¡°If the similarity check of your paper next week exceeds 10%, you¡¯ll get a failing grade for your coursework.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Adelle bounced back to her seat, clearly not taking the pressure to heart.


    Then it was Sonia¡¯s turn to approach, also empty-handed, but Wesley¡¯s expression softened a lot, ¡°You didn¡¯t write it?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you? Is it because your training tasks are heavy? I¡¯ve heard that Professor Trozan often takes you for extra lessons. Although Magic Faction cultivation is essential, one must not neglect the humanities.¡±


    The other students were filled with envy and resentment¡ªcomparing themselves to others could be maddening. They would definitely lose coursework points for not submitting their papers, but with Professor Trozan¡¯s support, Wesley was even finding excuses for Sonia!


    If Sonia just played along and said a few nice words, the old professor might just waive her assignment¡ª


    ¡°I¡¯m too lazy to write it.¡±


    Silence fell over the classroom.


    After a moment, Wesley bore an expression of ¡®Did I hear that wrong?¡¯, ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    Sonia felt everyone was acting strangely and subconsciously repeated herself.


    But she suddenly snapped back to reality¡ªwait a minute, isn¡¯t this where I¡¯m supposed to flatter Wesley in Professor Trozan¡¯s name, so he¡¯d waive my essay?


    ¡°I...¡± Sonia opened her mouth, ¡°I¡¯m too lazy to write such a time-wasting and utterly uninspiring assignment.¡±


    Looking at Wesley¡¯s face, which was nearly exploding with Magma-like anger, and the admiring expressions of her classmates who wanted to laugh but didn¡¯t dare, Sonia finally realized what the ritual of ¡®Sincerity¡¯ call was all about!


    Observer, meeting you truly is the misfortune of my life!

 Chapter 93 - 86: Prison Break Study Club

    Chapter 93: Chapter 86: Prison Break Study Club


    ¡°This is the port where the transport ships dock. The transport ship comes to Shattered Lake Prison on the 1st, 11th, and 21st of every month to replenish the prison¡¯s supplies and bring in death row inmates. The transport ship is of a medium-sized cargo vessel specification, and there will be at least one team of Blood Frenzy Hunters accompanying the prisoners. The average strength of the Blood Frenzy Hunters is around One-winged or Two-winged, and unless they are escorting a particularly important prisoner, a Three-winged Hunter Captain won¡¯t appear...¡±


    Ash, looking at a Prison Guard nearby puffing on a tobacco pipe and exhaling clouds of smoke, couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we stand a bit further away to talk?¡±


    Igula glanced at him and said, ¡°No one will suspect you, this is my business.¡±


    ¡°Business?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Igula invite you to escape with him the first time you met?¡± Lanna stood outside the yellow line on the shore, gazing at the calm and waveless lake. The clear blue sky reflected in the water, with occasional glimmers of silver light darting across the surface¡ªa picturesque natural scene¡ªif you didn¡¯t know that those ¡®silver lights¡¯ were finger-length sharks that could crunch bones like chips.


    ¡°He mentioned it, but wasn¡¯t that just a ruse to lure kids in?¡±


    ...


    ¡°While I appreciate your accurate self-assessment, don¡¯t insult my professional integrity,¡± Igula shot Ash a glance. ¡°I never lie. If you go to the library and look up the ¡®Club Directory,¡¯ you¡¯ll find the club I founded on the second page, thirteenth line¡ªEscape Research Society.¡±


    Young Ash had many questions pop up: ¡°How could the prison allow... There are clubs in this prison... Why would you set up such a club?¡±


    ¡°Smart Hunters often appear in the guise of prey,¡± Igula said indifferently. ¡°When we first met, didn¡¯t I seem very enthusiastic, like a friendly person eager to recruit new comrades?¡±


    ¡°Every new death row inmate, even if they are on guard inside, will be attracted by the information I reveal. And I don¡¯t just talk; I truly study how to escape, even taking them to scout various points.¡±


    ¡°By the time they realize in our conversations that I¡¯m just a fool obsessed with escaping, they begin to let their guard down and unwittingly fall into a situation from which they can¡¯t escape.¡±


    ¡°I am the trap, this club is my bait.¡±


    Ash remarked, ¡°You sound like a vixen who appears innocent on the outside but is treacherous at heart, specially seducing sleazy men...¡±


    ¡°Now, I¡¯m starting to doubt the chip¡¯s ability to control speech,¡± Igula spoke calmly. ¡°However you think about it, your words seem to have reached the threshold of spreading obscene information. In any case, you don¡¯t have to worry about the gaze of the Prison Guards¡ªthis kind of scouting is something I¡¯ve done with people over a dozen times in the past.¡±


    Ash blinked, ¡°Is this your scheme? Pretending to think about escaping every day, using the allure of escape to entrap new inmates, and then, when you really want to escape, no one will suspect that you are actually doing it.¡±


    Igula looked at Ash with some surprise, then broke into a smile, ¡°Ash, to think that you¡¯d consider me so complicated and dark is truly heartbreaking.¡±


    ¡°Pah.¡±


    After inspecting the port of Shattered Lake Prison, the four of them headed back inside the prison. Notably, even though they reached the edge of Shattered Lake Prison, they never actually went ¡®outside¡¯¡ªShattered Lake Prison covered the entire island, with only a few glass domes occasionally allowing sunlight to fall through. Otherwise, death row inmates could only see the ceiling whenever they looked up, even from the sea-view rooftop covered with a sunshade dome.


    The entire island didn¡¯t have a single inch of land that was ¡®outside¡¯ the prison.


    Although it was unverifiable, the strong control exerted by the chips on the napes of the inmates¡¯ necks was perhaps linked to this omnipresent ceiling.


    ¡°The next place we¡¯re heading to is my greatest discovery in investigating Shattered Lake Prison. I¡¯ve never taken anyone there before; you are the first to be privy to this secret.¡±


    Before Ash could feel touched, Lanna said indifferently, ¡°Have you said that line to every victim? Are you going to say, ¡®So you must swear to keep all my secrets¡¯ next?¡±


    Igula expressed some surprise, ¡°Gourmet, how did you know about this phrase? According to the rules, anyone who utters that phrase should be bound by a Technique Spirit Contract to keep my secrets and not speak of them. It¡¯s impossible for you to know.¡±


    ¡°Walls have ears, Igula. Unfortunately, I¡¯m a Body Technique Master with particularly acute hearing.¡±


    ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll be more cautious and careful next time I do dirty work¡ªif I¡¯m still able to live in this prison.¡±


    Ash glanced at Ronald, who was next to Lanna. Ronald was very quiet today, being led by Lanna without saying a word.


    After their conversation ended yesterday, Ronald had another death match with Lanna. For details, refer to the method of tearing chicken by hand, and the consequences were very clear¡ªif yesterday¡¯s Ronald was a servant grudgingly held by Lanna, today Ronald had almost become an accessory to Lanna, without joy, but no longer resisting.


    There was less and less of ¡®himself¡¯ on his body, and more and more that belonged to ¡®Lanna.¡¯


    One day, when he comes out of the treatment room, all the newly-regenerated parts will bear ¡®Lanna¡¯s¡¯ name.


    Perhaps as Igula said, Ronald had become deeply mired. He thought commanding Lanna with love was his victory, not knowing it was also Lanna¡¯s lethal counterattack.


    Love is a terrifying power. You can wield it, but it will use you too; as you gaze at it, it gazes back; you think you can be its master, but soon you become its slave.


    When the seed of love sprouts, anything will ultimately be parasitized by it.


    Nonetheless, underneath it all, Ronald still clung to his survival instincts, determined to escape. And thankfully, Lanna¡¯s rituals couldn¡¯t be conducted often; otherwise, Ronald would have turned to dregs in a matter of days.


    According to Igula¡¯s investigation, Lanna¡¯s ¡®friends¡¯ had a minimum term of one month, which meant Ronald should be able to hold on until the next Blood Moon Judgment came¡ªthis was enough, as Ash just needed a temporary teammate anyway. Whether Ronald could resist Lanna after escaping would be down to his luck.


    ¡°However, I never lie,¡± Igula laughed. ¡°This place is truly crucial for our escape. I could even say it¡¯s as important as Ash¡¯s Purification Miracle... Here we are, this is it.¡±


    As important as my Purification Miracle?


    Could it be a secret passage of Shattered Lake Prison? An armory? Or possibly...


    Filled with anticipation, Ash raised his head, only to see a clear green sign above the room in front of him¡ª


    ¡®Men¡¯s Restroom¡¯

 Chapter 94 - 87: The Weak Medical Practitioners

    Chapter 94: Chapter 87: The Weak Medical Practitioners


    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m the type that can¡¯t pee when someone¡¯s watching. Could you guys turn around?¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Igula glanced over, a slight smirk lifting the corners of his mouth before he chuckled lightly, ¡°That explains it.¡±


    Ash cussed under his breath as he entered a stall.


    Lanna looked around with a puzzled expression, ¡°What¡¯s so special about this restroom that it caught the Swindler¡¯s fancy?¡±


    ¡°This restroom is just like any other, nothing special about it,¡± Igula wet his fingers with clean water, gently cleaning his eyes, ¡°The special part lies in how the restroom can serve as a medium for us to deceive the chip.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you know, before I was incarcerated, I was an insurance Contractor¡ªof course, I didn¡¯t just sign Contracts, selling was also part of my job; and when I sold, it wasn¡¯t just insurance I was pushing. I had various goods at my disposal. At the end of the day, it was all just work; I was just working several jobs at once.¡±


    ...


    Ash asked out of curiosity, ¡°Sounds really inspiring. So why were you thrown in here?¡±


    Igula sighed, ¡°Yeah, about that, I feel pretty wronged myself. I only ever helped customers find products they loved, yet I was convicted for serious fraud.¡±


    ¡°If I remember correctly,¡± Lanna suddenly said, ¡°your most brilliant feat was making a millionaire go broke over a cup of water.¡±


    ¡°A cup of water? Just regular water?¡±


    ¡°The water was no ordinary water; it was an elixir of life, the origin of all life, a medium for miracles, the mother of the sky and the earth...¡±


    Ash understood completely, Igula was the kind of guy who could score full marks on interview questions like ¡®sell me this pen for $1,000.¡¯


    ¡°Alright, enough, there are no target customers for you here. Tone down the sales pitch, and let¡¯s talk about how to use the restroom to deceive the chip.¡±


    Igula said, ¡°Among the products I¡¯ve represented was a life monitoring device. It could receive life signals emitted by the Miracle Chip and analyze the user¡¯s current physical condition from various vitals. The device itself isn¡¯t key, but while studying its functions, I discovered that the Miracle Chip doesn¡¯t send life signals continuously. There are intervals. The default frequency is 600 seconds per signal¡ªin other words, every 10 minutes.¡±


    ¡°The frequency can be adjusted, but the higher the frequency, the more demanding it is on the signal receiving device. For example, the device I sold, the highest standard was receiving a signal every 5 seconds. Even without any extra markups, the device itself is extremely expensive.¡±


    ¡°In Shattered Lake Prison, the processors that collect and analyze our vital signs are without a doubt military-grade. Still, not even with that will the prison indulge in continuous life signal transmission from our chips¡ªunder chip limitations, there¡¯s simply no escaping Shattered Lake Prison. If we max out the frequency interval, the only effect is the prison might discover our sudden death a bit later.¡±


    ¡°The only place in prison where continuous life signal transmission occurs is the arena of the Death Battle Society. The moment we emit a signal for unconsciousness or death, the arena immediately lifts our attack restrictions. This shows life signals are monitored in real-time.¡±


    Ash felt this was a very important piece of information, but still didn¡¯t understand how to use it: ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s some interesting trivia, but what does it have to do with breaking out?¡±


    Igula glanced at him, ¡°Suppose you disable the chip, and the chip no longer emits a life signal. What do you think the processor would deduce about your condition? Even corpses send out a signal, you know.¡±


    Ash suddenly realized, ¡°It would determine that I¡¯ve disabled my chip and immediately notify the prison that an inmate is escaping!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. But if we want to escape, we must remove the chip. We can¡¯t even step off this island otherwise.¡±


    Ash nodded. Earlier, when they were scouting the port, they noticed a ring of yellow lines around the shore with ¡®Please do not cross the yellow line¡¯ written on it.


    Even though it had the word ¡®please,¡¯ for prisoners, it marked an uncrossable limit¡ªThe moment their toes touched the yellow line, their bodies would completely freeze and be unable to move.


    ¡°So, the time between ¡®disabling the chip¡¯ and ¡®processor discovering our escape¡¯ is our safest time to act. During this period, not only are all restrictions lifted, but the prison hasn¡¯t detected anything unusual yet.¡± Igula looked around, ¡°This time difference is what we must seize!¡±


    ¡°Researching up to this point is already the limit; as for the life signal¡¯s transmission frequency, we can only hope it¡¯s set at the default 10 minutes.¡±


    Lanna spoke, ¡°That¡¯s very impressive. I originally thought this was just a farce, but Igula, your performance has genuinely made me acknowledge you¡¯ve sparked hope in me.¡±


    Even Ronald nodded repeatedly, his survival instincts reviving a bit of his rationale.


    ¡°Deserving of a man I picked, my judgment is indeed excellent,¡± Ash praised himself first, then asked, ¡°But what¡¯s the use of the men¡¯s restroom after all?¡±


    Igula curled his lip, ¡°Restrooms are naturally for relief, what else? Eating? If that¡¯s your kind of hobby, please feel free to demonstrate.¡±


    Speaking of his years of research, Igula grew spirited, ¡°Now, we know we need to exploit the timing of the chip signal, but there¡¯s another issue to resolve¡ªhow do we determine when the last signal was sent?¡±


    ¡°Death row inmates don¡¯t all send signals simultaneously; that would be too much instantaneous load on the processor. Therefore, our signaling times are likely evenly spread out over 10 minutes. If the processor determines we¡¯re in a special situation, it will temporarily adjust the signal frequency, then reset the signal frequency for all prisoners to default after midnight.¡±


    ¡°And the so-called special situations are actually when the processor needs to immediately get our life signal to lift some of our restrictions!¡±


    ¡°In the prison, there are only three places where ¡®special circumstances¡¯ occur.¡±


    Igula raised two fingers. ¡°The first is the Death Battle Society. The reason is that when the death battle starts, the chip removes the attack restrictions; when the death battle ends, the chip reinstates the attack restrictions.¡±


    ¡°These two points in time are when the processor interfaces with the chip, requiring the chip to immediately send a life signal to the processor! After the death battle ends, the chip naturally reverts to its default signal frequency and will send the life signals of the combatants 10 minutes later.¡±


    ¡°That means, we can take advantage of the special conditions of the Death Battle Society to manipulate the chip¡¯s signal frequency and fully control the timing difference!¡±


    Even Ash had come to a complete understanding at this point.


    He looked around and glanced at the urinal. ¡°So, the restroom is the second place?¡±


    Igula smiled and said, ¡°Theoretically, we could also change the signal frequency through a death battle, but death battles are a fight to the end. Compared to that, the restroom is much more convenient.¡±


    ¡°As for why the restroom can have the same effect as the death battle arena... it¡¯s naturally because the prison doesn¡¯t allow us to relieve ourselves just anywhere, hahaha!¡±


    Lanna was momentarily taken aback, but couldn¡¯t help laughing out loud as well.


    Because the prison required inmates to excrete only in the restroom, every time an inmate entered the restroom, the prison processor would actively lift their ¡®excretory privileges¡¯!


    Just like the death battle arena, this was a special status!


    Without this privilege, even if you were constipated to the point of being ready to burst, the chip would forcibly control your sphincter to keep your rear end tightly shut, not letting a single drop leak out. If you truly were full, you could only vomit it out through your mouth.


    For the inmates, this was no doubt an indescribable humiliation. That¡¯s why Igula and Lanna, two seasoned prison veterans, burst into laughter¡ªthe strict rule set by the prison had inadvertently become an accomplice to their escape. The marvelous irony of this cause and effect was enough to provoke their sense of humor.


    But as for how much of that laughter was mocking themselves, no one could say.


    ¡°Then where¡¯s the third place?¡± Ash asked.


    Igula paused his laughter and looked towards Lanna.


    Lanna thought for a moment. ¡°Is it the couple room?¡±


    Like the restroom, the couple room would temporarily lift certain restrictions for death row inmates and even relax their attack boundaries, since sexual preferences are a personal freedom.


    But much like the death battle arena, one would need to apply to enter the couple room, which of course was not as convenient as the restroom.


    Moreover, the couple room required more than two people to apply. Lanna and Ronald maybe, but was Ash going to apply to enter the couple room with Igula?!


    Igula, leaning against the wall, said, ¡°Now that you know the secrets you should know, I¡¯ll formally explain the escape plan.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we looking for a fifth member?¡± Ash asked. ¡°We¡¯re still missing someone responsible for rapid movement and healing support.¡±


    Lanna specialized in direct combat as a Moon Shadow Werewolf and could act as Vanguard; Ronald was adept in gun technique and setting traps, serving as the long-range attacker. As for someone responsible for healing and leading them to move quickly, Ash and Igula had been searching for such a support the past two days without success.


    What, you¡¯re asking what Ash and Igula are responsible for? Igula handles human resources, Ash controls the core technology; the two of them certainly aren¡¯t responsible for combat!


    ¡°We¡¯ve tried everyone we can, we can¡¯t delay any further. Not everything can be well-prepared before action; rushing into battle is a common occurrence since criminal opportunities are fleeting.¡± Igula glanced at him. ¡°Moreover, even if we could wait, can you?¡±


    Indeed, Ash didn¡¯t believe that Professor Selin out there would just let him be, allowing him to live out his days in Shattered Lake Prison.


    Leaving Shattered Lake a day earlier meant getting away from Professor Selin¡¯s schemes a day sooner.


    ¡°The escape plan is simple: blend into the transport ship and leave.¡±


    Igula dabbed some water in his hand and drew a small boat on the mirror. ¡°But to safely enter the transport ship, we need not only to deactivate the Miracle Chip but also a legal identity.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s interesting is that here in Shattered Lake Prison, there happens to be a group of people who can board the transport ship and leave without any application, and after disguising ourselves, we wouldn¡¯t raise any suspicions¡ª¡±


    Igula drew a crow mask on the mirror.


    ¡°That would be the vulnerable Medical Practitioners.¡±

 Chapter 95 - 88: I, Sonia, Good Person!

    Chapter 95: Chapter 88: I, Sonia, Good Person!


    ¡°I once saw a Medical Practitioner use ¡®I want to go back for a good meal¡¯ as a reason to sneak onto a transport ship, and they didn¡¯t even have to take off their masks after boarding. No one checked their identities throughout the process.¡±


    ¡°Although I don¡¯t know why they have such privileges, according to investigations, the identity of a Medical Practitioner is definitely above that of a Prison Guard.¡±


    Lanna¡¯s eyes wandered as he asked, ¡°Are you planning to target the Medical Practitioners?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re just borrowing their clothes,¡± Igula said. ¡°The specific process is¡ªwe gather in the bathroom, Ash performs the purification on our neck chips, and within ten minutes, we each rush to the treatment room, use the Technique Spirits to subdue the Medical Practitioners and take their clothes, and finally blend into the returning transport ship before the prison alarm goes off. Of course, we cannot harm the lives of the Medical Practitioners, as their deaths would trigger the prison alarm and draw the attention of the guards.¡±


    ¡°Everyone understands, right? It¡¯s a simple plan, the only thing we need to practice is how to get from the treatment room to the harbor in a few minutes. Train more in the next two days.¡±


    Ash asked, ¡°What if the prison finds out the Medical Practitioners are injured and notifies the transport ship to stop for an inspection?¡±


    ...


    ¡°That¡¯s when ¡®Gourmet¡¯ and ¡®Woodpecker Golden Mouth¡¯ need to step in,¡± Igula responded calmly. ¡°With the unsuspecting at a disadvantage, will you be able to handle the Blood Frenzy Hunters on the transport ship?¡±


    Lanna looked at Ronald, who took a deep breath and nodded firmly, ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°I will protect Ronald,¡± Lanna said.


    ¡°When is the transport ship arriving?¡±


    ¡°The transport ship comes to the prison every 1st, 11th, and 21st of the month,¡± Igula wrote a ¡®2¡¯ on the mirror. ¡°Today is the 19th, which means, Ash, you must master the Purification Miracle within two days and be able to perform it under the restrictions of Magic Power. Any problem? If you can¡¯t do it, we¡¯ll have to postpone the escape until the next month¡¯s 1st.¡±


    Ash paused for a moment then nodded, ¡°No problem.¡±


    ¡°Then... let¡¯s break up here. For the next two days, please adjust your attitudes, simulate the action route for the day, or say, eat and drink what you should, don¡¯t leave any regrets.¡±


    Lanna and Ronald were the first to leave. Just as Igula was about to exit the restroom, Ash suddenly asked, ¡°The premise of your plan is that the chip will change its signal frequency due to special circumstances. But what if, even under special circumstances, the chip continues to transmit life signals at a fixed frequency? Wouldn¡¯t this plan be doomed to fail? Perhaps the moment we remove the chips, the next second the prison processor will detect our anomaly.¡±


    Igula turned and glanced at him, ¡°Yes, indeed there is such a worst-case possibility.¡±


    ¡°What if the worst-case scenario happens? What are we going to do?¡±


    ¡°What are we going to do? Are you asking me?¡±


    Igula seemed provoked, took a step forward, and grabbed Ash by the collar, staring intently at him.


    ¡°What are you expecting? For me to design a flawless plan? If you¡¯re not satisfied, can you throw it back at me for adjustments? Do you also want to make some interesting demands, like leaving Shattered Lake Prison by stepping on a rainbow?¡±


    He might have wanted to pick Ash up or shove him against the wall, but the restroom only allowed excretion permissions, not attack permissions, so Igula could only grab Ash¡¯s collar.


    Ash did not back down, ¡°If saying this makes you feel a bit better... I¡¯m sorry, I used you.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m relieved that it was you I used because anyone else would hardly be able to come up with such a high feasibility plan.¡±


    ¡°Do you think a few nice words will work?¡± Igula sneered, but suddenly his anger faded, he adjusted Ash¡¯s collar, and said in a measured tone, ¡°However, if you really want to be better prepared to increase the fault tolerance of the escape plan, it¡¯s not impossible.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the way?¡±


    ¡°Pray to your Four Pillar Gods, my dear cult leader.¡±


    Igula left with a look of disdain.


    ...


    Jiale City, Sword Flower University.


    ¡°Professor Librom, I think Lois would be a better choice since she has also chaired various events before, she would likely be quite willing to take on this role as a host...¡±


    The young professor, holding a textbook, stopped and looked helplessly at the persistent female student, ¡°Ms. Sevi, the list of hosts for this inter-university evening gala was audited by six responsibles and reported to the principal before being finalized. It¡¯s not a small departmental event that allows your little group to freely swap people...¡±


    Sonia became anxious, ¡°Professor, I absolutely don¡¯t mean that, and I¡¯m not on good terms with Lois, I definitely didn¡¯t give her this opportunity to take care of her! Or even if not letting her take it, finding a sophomore or junior to replace me would work too!¡±


    Professor Librom sighed, ¡°Ms. Sevi, you remember our school motto, right?¡±


    ¡°¡®Honoring promises is the most beautiful rose on the handle of the sword, guarding is the sharpest blade beneath the rose,''¡± Sonia said reluctantly.


    ¡°Honoring promises and guarding are the greatest expectations of the school. If you want to give up the role of host, you must provide a valid reason, otherwise such poor performance in important matters will negatively affect the school¡¯s evaluation of you.¡±


    Professor Librom said earnestly, ¡°And you are also Professor Trozan¡¯s research apprentice, to show fairness, the school might even give you a warning!¡±


    As Professor Trozan¡¯s apprentice, Sonia naturally received many privileges privately, such as course professors turning a blind eye to her assignments.


    But in public, every action of Sonia must undergo the strictest scrutiny, because she is now the most outstanding student at Sword Flower University, representing the university¡¯s reputation, she cannot have any flaws, nor can she affect the university¡¯s public perception.


    Sonia didn¡¯t want to receive a warning. The first step in the school¡¯s punishment for students was issuing a warning, followed by a suspension, and thirdly by expulsion.


    That meant, with this warning, Sonia was one step away from going back to her hometown to farm.


    ¡°I¡¯m not suitable to be the host for some special reasons...¡±


    ¡°What reasons?¡±


    Sonia opened her mouth, her lips trembling. She made ¡®ah ba ah ba¡¯ shapes with her mouth but couldn¡¯t utter a word. Librom raised his eyebrows. ¡°Miss Sevi? What¡¯s your reason?¡±


    ¡°I...¡± Sonia struggled to speak as if there was a fire burning in her throat. ¡°I...¡±


    ¡°Do you feel unwell? Family issues? Busy with studies? Is it a critical moment in your swordsmanship training?¡± Librom, feeling her difficulty, proactively thought of many excuses for her, letting her pick one to skirt around the issue.


    ¡°That... it¡¯s just...¡± Sonia said as tears almost fell. ¡°At the party, I need to introduce outstanding students from our school, praise the school¡¯s achievements this year, introduce the professors¡¯ teaching results...¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s one of the host¡¯s tasks. What about it?¡±


    ¡°But... I... I...¡± Sonia¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. ¡°I can¡¯t lie.¡±


    Librom blinked.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good quality, Miss Sevi. I hope you can continue to uphold it. So, do you have a legitimate reason for resigning from the host position?¡±


    Sonia¡¯s lips twitched, unable to utter a word for a long while before she fiercely bit her lip, ¡°No! I don¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Have a pleasant evening.¡±


    Watching Librom leave, Sonia, feeling helpless, stamped her foot in frustration. She could struggle more, but her feet walked toward the direction of the training gym¡ªit was time to train.


    The moment she entered the training gym, Sonia attracted all eyes. Unlike the usual envious glances, this time the looks contained something indescribable¡ªadmiration? Mockery? Schadenfreude?


    ¡°Professor Wesley was so angry he skipped his classes...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just the petty taking pride...¡±


    ¡°Not even Felix is as arrogant as her. What¡¯s so great about being talented?¡±


    ¡°Sigh, talent just means having the arrogance, not needing to care about interpersonal relationships...¡±


    The more Sonia listened, the more aggrieved she felt. She, always graceful and meticulous, was now seen by others as an arrogant genius who disregarded relationships!


    She even fell to being compared with Felix!


    At that moment, Felix also entered the training gym. As he passed by Sonia, he coughed and jokingly said, ¡°Sister Sonia, Professor Trozan has listened to your suggestions and has gone to a stylist to change his hairstyle...¡±


    Many apprenticeship students gasped¡ªthe whole school knew that Professor Trozan maintained a very tacky mushroom hairstyle, but no one dared question Trozan¡¯s taste, not even the ¡®Rhythm Sword Saint¡¯ Nidara, who didn¡¯t get along with him.


    What harsh words had Sonia said that even forced Trozan to abandon a hairstyle he had kept for a decade?


    True to Sonia, she easily achieved what others couldn¡¯t!


    At that time, Ingrid also came to train. Upon seeing Sonia, she rushed over and clenched her fist encouragingly, ¡°Sonia, keep it up, you¡¯re doing the right thing, we swordsmen should be unyielding, straightforward, not everyone has to like us, you must keep going!¡±


    I don¡¯t want to be unyielding! I don¡¯t want to be straightforward!


    I also want to lie, to have relationships, to be liked by everyone, to achieve things more easily, to have people greet me wherever I go, instead of being treated like a venomous snake that can¡¯t speak human words!


    The more Sonia listened, the more distressed she became. She focused all her energy on pummeling the target, striking the target¡¯s tenth ring with each sword strike. For some reason, the more she chopped, the more excited she got, the more she swung, the more she felt full of strength, and training was not tiring at all, even feeling a slight sense of joy as energy continuously surged within her!


    Ding, with a clear sound of sword ringing, a one-winged Technique Spirit appeared on the tip of her sword¡ªa one-winged Technique Spirit ¡°Chop Sword¡±!


    Sonia was a bit stunned; she couldn¡¯t understand why her training efficiency was so high today, the process so exhilarating, even successfully summoning a one-winged Technique Spirit. Of course, she didn¡¯t know it was the effect of the Advanced Physical Potion, she would only look for reasons from her performance today.


    Today she hadn¡¯t worn a hypocritical mask, hated when she needed to hate, liked when she needed to like.


    Today she hadn¡¯t lied, hadn¡¯t covered up to avoid punishment, hadn¡¯t been perfunctory to maintain relationships.


    Today she hadn¡¯t compromised herself, bluntly criticizing Professor Trozan¡¯s ugly hairstyle, decisively refusing when Adelle wanted to borrow clothes.


    Then her training efficiency greatly increased, and the training process was enjoyable.


    Combining these factors, Sonia couldn¡¯t help but come up with a frightening speculation.


    Could it be that she, Sonia Sevi...


    Was fundamentally a genuinely good person!?

 Chapter 96 - 89 Sword Maiden, Do You Dislike Me?

    Chapter 96: Chapter 89 Sword Maiden, Do You Dislike Me?


    Void Realm, on a certain Inheritance Island, fire raged across the land!


    ¡°Let the flames burn my battered body!¡±


    The heavily armored Axe Mage let out a roar as flames engulfed his entire body, even his pupils turned to fire, and a Fiery Breath escaped his mouth. Boiling Magma flowed from the gaps in his armor!


    Flowing flames ignited on the blade of his axe as he bellowed a horizontal sweep. Sonia immediately retreated to dodge, then he suddenly rolled to the left and lunged forward, transforming his axe into a sword shape in one fluid motion, thrusting fiercely at Ash who was attempting a sneak attack with his Heart Sword!


    Ash quickly planted his sword into the ground, summoning the ¡®Earth Sword¡¯ and ¡®Wind Barrier¡¯ Technique Spirits to construct the Miracle¡ª ¡°Sword Wind Barrier¡±!


    The golden sword body barrier enveloped Ash flawlessly!


    ...


    Clang!


    The Sword Wind Barrier emitted a piercing blast as it collided with the Sword, but until the flames of the Sword were completely grinded away, Ash didn¡¯t retreat a step, and the barrier remained undamaged!


    This defensive Miracle, fueled by the Two-winged Technique Spirit at its core, was virtually an impregnable fortress within the Sea of Knowledge!


    Thwarted in his attack, the flames in the Axe Mage¡¯s eyes still burned fiercely. He let out a low growl, and Magma spewed forth from the Sword, thrusting violently at the Sword Wind Barrier!


    ¡°Joy and anger, sorrow and pleasure, all fall to dust!¡±


    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!


    With each explosion, the Magma-spewing Sword struck the Sword Wind Barrier like a cannon, depleting Ash¡¯s Magic Power like a waterfall. The luster of the Sword Wind Barrier began to dim, looking unsteady as if it were about to shatter any moment!


    This was the Axe Mage¡¯s attack Miracle!


    ¡°Sword Maiden!¡±


    Following Ash¡¯s call, Sonia finished her preparations, the tip of her wooden sword flashing with the gleam of steel as it sliced through the Axe Mage¡¯s armor like butter!


    At the same time, the wooden sword unleashed sharp Wave energy, turning into a series of expanding, spinning blade wheels that cut the Axe Mage into dozens of pieces!


    With the acquisition of the ¡®Sword,¡¯ Sonia¡¯s ¡®Crack Wave Slash¡¯ was finally complete. Because the Wave Motion Sword excelled in impact rather than slashing, and the Splitting Sword weakened its attack power to increase the area of attack, the previous ¡®Crack Wave Slash¡¯ seemed frightening but was actually lacking in damage.


    But now, with the sharpness of the Sword, the Crack Wave Slash made up for its lack of attack power. Coupled with a large attack area and mid-to-short range, it became one of the most practical swordsmanship Miracles among One-winged Sword Masters!


    The only problem was that Sonia had just obtained the Sword and wasn¡¯t very proficient in combining it yet. She needed some time to adjust and prepare. She hadn¡¯t found an opportunity to use it until now, since Ash had drawn the enmity, giving her enough casting time to utilize it.


    Of course, whether she deliberately wanted to see Ash take a beating was something no one knew.


    ¡°Be merciful to all beings, as suffering abounds...¡±


    With the final lament, the Axe Mage extinguished like a flame, leaving behind four Technique Spirits and a Mage¡¯s Handbook.


    But neither of them rushed to gather the spoils. Ash looked at Sonia with some confusion: ¡°Why haven¡¯t you said a word tonight? Is your throat sore?¡±


    Since entering the Void Realm, the Sword Maiden had been very silent. Ash thought she was in a bad mood, but it was very unusual for her not to comment even after the battle.


    Previously, she would first mention her own contributions to the battle, then point out Ash¡¯s mistakes, making him feel like he contributed little and was full of gratitude towards her...


    Wait a minute?


    Thinking about it, was the Sword Maiden always using her words to suppress him, making him dependent on her?


    Just as Ash¡¯s corporate slave radar kicked in, Sonia shook her head, puffing up at Ash, then pointed to her own mouth.


    Ash understood at once: ¡°You mean, this is because the random Technique Spirit Summon Card took effect, and you¡¯re in the summoning ritual, unable to speak?¡±


    Sonia nodded.


    ¡°Then you can write. Whatever you want to say, just write it in the sand,¡± he said.


    Realization dawned on Sonia. She clapped her hands enthusiastically and wrote a few words in the sand with her wooden sword.


    ¡®Observer, I curse you, you little loudspeaker.¡¯


    Ash looked at Sonia, who gazed at the words on the sand and said, ¡°It seems that not only can I not tell lies with my mouth, even my writing cannot go against my true feelings.¡±


    In Sonia¡¯s explanation, where every five sentences included an insult, Ash quickly understood¡ªshe had randomly summoned ¡®Sincerity,¡¯ a summoning ritual of the Technique Spirit from the Spirit Faction, which was very simple and did not require the sweat of swordsmanship or the extensive learning time like other Magic Faction Techniques; it only required honesty without lies.


    Frankly, Sonia¡¯s luck wasn¡¯t bad. Not only because a Technique Spirit from the Spirit Faction like ¡®Sincerity¡¯ was very rare, but also because this summoning ritual didn¡¯t really affect most people.


    Like Ash, he told the truth every day, but no one believed he was wrongfully accused as a Cult Leader.


    For ordinary people, even if they had to tell the truth every day, they could just stay home as much as possible and remain silent when outside.


    But only Sonia couldn¡¯t afford to stay out of trouble¡ªshe was a figure of great interest at school, with countless eyes on her every move. It wasn¡¯t that she sought trouble, but trouble found her daily. Some sought connections; some brought schemes; some were from within the school while others came from outside.


    If Sonia had always been known as a cold and aloof figure, that would be one thing, but the problem was she had been the opposite. A well-behaved student, a proper young lady, seen as perfect both at social events and in the fencing hall, she had subtly been considered the ¡°Sword Flower¡± of the first year.


    Suddenly, her inability to lie made it seem like her persona had crumbled. Sonia appeared smug and arrogant, as if she no longer cared to maintain relationships!


    Ash chuckled as he listened, which only angered Sonia more. ¡°You¡¯ve got it all wrong. I¡¯m in trouble right now, and you should be helping me stop this ritual!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but I haven¡¯t received professional training. Seeing your misfortune is too amusing,¡± Ash snickered. ¡°But if we stop the ritual, you won¡¯t be able to summon ¡®Sincerity¡¯ on your own, nor will you be able to elevate the Spirit Faction to the Silver Realm. Do you really want that?¡±


    Sonia hesitated, ¡°If we continue the ritual, I¡¯ll offend many people in the coming days. But their value compared with the Spirit Faction¡¯s... the Spirit Faction is clearly more important.¡±


    After she spoke, Sonia paused, stunned¡ªwas that really how she felt? Was she the sort of person who placed personal power above all else, willing to damage her relationships without hesitation?


    ¡°See, you said it yourself.¡±


    ¡°But at least help me pause it for a day! In a few days, I¡¯ll be the host for the mixer, and I must lie then. If I don¡¯t, I¡¯ll offend many people!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that,¡± Ash replied, spreading his hands. ¡°Once I¡¯ve arranged your schedule for the week, not even I can cancel it. At best, I can only add some special events; I can¡¯t reduce your current commitments.¡±


    ¡°Useless! Only a weakling would control me by such despicable means!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Ash admitted with a shrug, ¡°after all, it¡¯s not me controlling you, but Aurora... a gift from my last life.¡±


    Sonia had actually anticipated this; the disparity between the Observer¡¯s ability to control her and his own combat power was too great, meaning that the Observer wasn¡¯t using his ¡®current¡¯ abilities to control her.


    If not now, then it must be the legacy left by him as a legendary power before his memory loss.


    Perhaps that was why the Observer clung to her: he could not freely use that legacy, which had randomly chosen her, so he could only help her become stronger and wait for her to reciprocate once she reached a certain level of power.


    Sonia¡¯s earlier insult wasn¡¯t spur of the moment. Since entering the Void Realm, she had been plotting to use the label ¡®I can now only tell the truth¡¯ to make slightly cutting remarks that would prompt the Observer to reveal more information without causing him offense.


    ¡®Honesty¡¯ could be a tool, too.


    Just as Sonia was digesting the information revealed by Ash, he suddenly asked, ¡°By the way, Sword Maiden, do you hate me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate you.¡±


    No sooner had she spoken than Sonia clapped her hands to her mouth, her eyebrows nearly shooting up¡ªshe was truly angry this time.


    ¡°I¡¯m warning you, if you take this opportunity to ask about the secrets in my heart,¡± she said earnestly, ¡°I will resent you for a lifetime.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, my apologies, that¡¯s my fault.¡± Ash quickly apologized three times. ¡°You have the first pick of the spoils tonight... huh?¡±


    In the midst of their conversation, the four Technique Spirits released by the axe Mage had somehow already climbed onto Ash, particularly an offensive cat-shaped One-winged Technique Spirit that kept rubbing up against his armpit, as if it was quite enamored with the scent.


    Noticing Sonia¡¯s puzzled look, Ash explained, ¡°I used a Technique Spirit Stimulant Potion, which is stronger than the Joy Potion for Technique Spirits you drank, so they¡¯re all clinging to me now.¡±


    ¡°Does this potion make Technique Spirits seek us out?¡±


    ¡°Not sure, but it does raise their affinity for us, so maybe?¡±


    The four Technique Spirits were ¡®Chopping Axe,¡¯ ¡®Burning,¡¯ ¡®Magma,¡¯ and ¡®Shattered Body.¡¯ Chopping Axe is essential for an axe Mage, significantly improving the destructive power of axe and sword forms, and interestingly, it took on a feline form.


    ¡®Burning¡¯ and ¡®Magma¡¯ were Fire Technique Spirits, and together their Miracle nearly shattered Ash¡¯s Sword Wind Barrier.


    ¡®Shattered Body¡¯ belonged to the Weak Faction, its specific effect being the greater the injury received, the stronger the body¡¯s regeneration and resistance became, and it significantly numbed pain. So, the ¡®Natural Miracle¡¯ the axe Mage used was actually a common skill.


    This battle also demonstrated that the Mage projections they encountered were becoming increasingly formidable, from the Gun Master who had a single Technique Spirit to the axe Mage who possessed four Technique Spirits and mastered two Miracles. The rapid growth of Magic Power led them deeper into the Sea of Knowledge through the Gate of Truth.


    Unless one chose to avoid confrontation by lying flat, the Void Realm was always hot on a Mage¡¯s heels.


    Sonia flipped through the Mage¡¯s Handbook and tossed it to Ash, who caught it and saw that it was a ¡°Spoils Catalog¡±¡ªit seemed the axe Mage had been a bandit in life?


    No, Ash quickly dismissed that thought. The axe Mage was probably a mercenary with religious ties or a believer because most of the spoils were donated to the ¡®Holy Temple of Tribulation¡¯ mentioned inside.


    The spoils, whether they were various resources donated to the temple, intelligent species converted into followers, Technique Spirits, or Miracle Techniques, were given to the temple for allocation. It was unclear whether the axe Mage had admirable morals or the temple¡¯s rules were stringent, but the axe Mage almost never embezzled spoils, with one exception...


    ¡°Sword Maiden, take a look at this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not like you, indiscriminate like Meiwa,¡± Sonia said, spreading her hands. ¡°You know I can¡¯t lie.¡±


    While Ash felt she was seizing the opportunity to insult him outright with him having no right to retaliate, he had no proof.


    ¡°It¡¯s written here how to trigger a Vortex.¡±


    ¡°A Vortex, no wonder... to trigger a Vortex?¡±


    Meeting Sonia¡¯s eyes full of surprise, Ash nodded, ¡°According to this, a Vortex is actually a man-made mechanism in the Void Realm!¡±

 Chapter 97 - 90: Vortex Secret Poison (Three Updates)

    Chapter 97: Chapter 90: Vortex Secret Poison (Three Updates)


    ¡°Booty Item 221: Cylinder Maze¡±


    ¡°Source: The Emerald Cross Caravan¡±


    ¡°Process of Acquisition: The Holy Temple sent us to plunder a caravan from the Emerald Cross. Unlike most caravans, they carried no flags, which meant they were under no one¡¯s protection. In this desert, that could only mean they were courting death, or that they had the strength to protect themselves.¡±


    ¡°They indeed were strong, and after losing three Silver Fire Knights, we, under the captain¡¯s leadership, annihilated the caravan. I trust that with the escort of the three Silver Fire Knights, their souls will be purified in the flames, ascend the Stairs of the Sun, and find eternal peace.¡±


    ¡°When searching for spoils, I found a very delicate cylindrical object in one of the tents, small enough to hold in one hand. Just then, I noticed a child hiding in the shadows, staring intently at the cylinder in my hands.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps the tribulation had clouded my judgment. I asked him what it was, and he said it was a family heirloom that contained the secret to triggering the Vortex.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Before the captain came in, I had already purified the child, hoping his soul would forever escape this desolate land.¡±


    ¡°I hid the cylinder and after an investigation, I found it was a treasure named ¡®Labyrinth,¡¯ containing the essence of a Four-winged Technique Spirit. If not opened correctly, the safeguards left by the Four-winged Technique Spirit would automatically destroy the contents within.¡±


    ¡°My wisdom was insufficient to unlock this maze, so I sought out the most clever woman in the temple. After making an eternal vow of allegiance, I handed the cylinder to her, and after a month, she managed to open it and obtained the secrets within.¡±


    ¡°With this secret, our magic power advanced by leaps and bounds. Due to my own folly, I only triggered the Vortex once, while she managed to trigger it twice and fully unfurled her Silver Wings.¡±


    ¡°Until one day when I emerged from the Void Realm, I found the Holy Temple¡¯s knights binding my body. She stood behind the knights, her face stern.¡±


    ¡°She accused me. Hidden in my clothes was a shattered Cylinder Maze. Now a Two-winged, she no longer needed this secret or me. What she needed was an opportunity recognized by the Holy Temple, a way to alleviate the Vortex Secret Poison.¡±


    ¡°For privately hiding and damaging vital spoils, I was sentenced to death, ineligible for purification in the flames but to sink in sewage into a nightmare. Until the very last second, I didn¡¯t reveal the secret within the cylinder, because the vow of never betraying was still in effect. She, having ascended to Two-winged by miracle, unilaterally withdrew from the vow; yet it still bound me.¡±


    ¡°Actually, if I had used the Miracle ¡®Burn the Remnants,¡¯ I could have temporarily suppressed all the abnormal statuses on me, and naturally, I could have broken the vow and seen through her disguise.¡±


    ¡°But looking at her, for some reason, I gave up.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps the tribulation had clouded my judgment.¡±


    ¡°Final Disposition: Destroyed.¡±


    Sonia, with her arms crossed, said, ¡°Tribulation Holy Temple... I¡¯ve never heard of this power.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t a normal person be commenting on this mage¡¯s emotional journey?¡±


    ¡°Do you really want to hear it? I can¡¯t lie right now.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s forget it then.¡±


    ¡°What about the method to trigger the Vortex? Why did you skip over that just now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m wondering if I should tell you.¡±


    Sonia paused slightly, trying to hold her tongue, her expression struggling. Ash had never seen such a Sword Maiden and was almost about to laugh.


    Hearing the laughter, Sonia could no longer hold it back and whispered, ¡°You actually guard against me like this, wanting to monopolize it all yourself? Do I really hold such little value in your eyes compared to a Vortex Secret?¡±


    Ash, somewhat surprised, said, ¡°So are you mad that I¡¯m guarding against your monopolizing it, or that you think you¡¯re not as highly regarded in my eyes as you thought?¡±


    Sonia¡¯s eyes visibly blazed with anger: ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sorry, don¡¯t answer that. It was my fault,¡± Ash quickly said. ¡°It¡¯s not about guarding against you, but this secret is poisonous, being aware of it infects one. I¡¯ve been affected already, and since we can enter the Vortex together anyway, I just felt there was no need for you to know.¡±


    ¡°A poisonous secret? I don¡¯t believe it,¡± Sonia said. ¡°I think you¡¯re lying to me, big liar.¡±


    ¡°I must admit, dealing with you when you can only tell the truth is indeed easier,¡± Ash said. ¡°So, I¡¯ll tell you, but don¡¯t blame me.¡±


    ¡°How could I? If I get afflicted, I¡¯ll definitely blame you for not dissuading me; if I¡¯m fine, I¡¯ll think you lied on purpose,¡± Sonia spread her hands. ¡°Either way, I won¡¯t believe it¡¯s my fault.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s really unreasonable,¡± Ash sighed. ¡°But this poison isn¡¯t too severe right now, and since it¡¯s better to be in the same boat together, I feel it¡¯s quite a loss to be the only one afflicted...¡±


    ¡°The method to trigger the Vortex is: find a Fish-dragon Species Knowledge creature, severely wound it, and chase it as it attempts to escape but do not kill it. Rather, let it naturally succumb to exhaustion. The location of its corpse will form a Vortex passage because...¡±


    Sonia and Ash spoke in unison, ¡°The Sea of Knowledge is embracing its sleeping child.¡±


    After saying that, Sonia looked at Ash in surprise.


    The statement had slipped out almost instinctively after listening to the knowledge that Ash had introduced, as if the knowledge he shared bred new insights within her mind, uncontrollably flooding her thoughts!


    At the same time, Sonia felt an unusual sensation. Everything seemed unchanged, yet she felt as though the entire world was different!


    She looked around, trying to pinpoint what had changed, and soon her gaze concentrated on the water outside. After staring at it for a moment, she felt a wave of nausea¡ª


    ¡°The toxicity of this Secret Poison is that it makes us nauseated by water,¡± Ash said.


    He opened the ¡°Aurora¡¯s Mage Manual¡±¡ª ¡°Operator Management¡± and saw that both ¡°Final Observer¡± and ¡°Death Mad Sword Maiden¡± had acquired an abnormal status.


    ¡°Vortex Secret Poison¡±


    ¡°Number of Infected: 131¡±


    ¡°Potency of Secret Poison: 131%¡±


    ¡°Current effects of Secret Poison: Aversion to water (Strength increased to 300% gains enhancement, reduced to 100% gains relief, reduced to 50% transitions to beneficial effect).¡±


    This poison was peculiarly eerie, not harming the body but warping the soul. What was most dreadful was that the more people who knew of this secret, the more potent the poison became, implicating everyone who knew!


    When Ash divulged the information about the Secret Poison to Sonia, she immediately scowled, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you resolutely refuse me just now, megaphone!¡±


    Indeed, true to her word, she would blame me. Although dealing with such a Sword Maiden was simpler, it also made her much more annoying, resembling a blunt, hypocritical brat.


    ¡°Wait, you said earlier that if the number of infected falls below fifty people, this poison will transform into a beneficial effect?¡± Sonia suddenly asked. ¡°Then we should just eliminate everyone else who knows the secret...¡±


    She made a throat-slitting gesture, and Ash immediately backed away: ¡°Are you the wife in the story who betrayed the Ax Mage?¡±


    ¡°Before you betray me, I won¡¯t rashly betray you.¡±


    ¡°That honest statement isn¡¯t exactly reassuring...¡± Ash muttered.


    Through this conversation, they both understood why this secret was redundantly hidden in the cylindrical labyrinth, and they realized why the Ax Mage was betrayed¡ª because even if you could ensure your own secrecy, you couldn¡¯t ensure that others wouldn¡¯t divulge it.


    Once the secret spread and the poison reached a critical point, it could intensify into an almost fatal poison, such as being entirely unable to contact water, or even dying in shock upon touching it.


    At that critical point, those without means of self-preservation would die, thus rapidly decreasing the number of people aware of the secret to a safe level.


    Therefore, those in the know about the secret were natural enemies, each having to eliminate others in the know, to reduce their own chance of being killed. The wife of the Ax Mage, for this reason, unilaterally nullified her vow and then decisively reported her husband, reducing the number of infected.


    But even if every keeper of the secret kept it actively, the secret would still be spread¡ª like Ash and others, who could obtain similar information from the Mage¡¯s Handbook.


    The Void Realm was a Mage¡¯s graveyard, and death couldn¡¯t keep a secret.


    Thus, upon knowing this secret, Ash had effectively consumed a fatal poison, embarking on a road of no return.


    If he did nothing, the day might come when the number of infected suddenly soared, boosting the potency of the Secret Poison to an unbearable level for him, and he could only complain, ¡®Why me? Why is this happening?¡¯ before succumbing to agonizing death due to the deadly poison.


    But unexpectedly, Ash was not very fearful.


    Because he knew that every difficulty granted by the Void Realm could be overcome by one method.


    Ultimately, Mages have only one way to survive.


    ¡°Then we should find a Fish Dragon Species Knowledge creature next,¡± Ash said. ¡°Only by becoming stronger can we alleviate the power of Secret Poison or even eradicate it¡ª like forcibly forgetting this piece of knowledge. In any case, we must make good use of this information gained in exchange for being poisoned, turning it into our strength to keep moving forward, never stopping!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a given,¡± Sonia responded beside the boat. ¡°Aren¡¯t we Mages just such greedy creatures?¡±

 Chapter 98 - 91: Prison Break Countdown

    Chapter 98: Chapter 91: Prison Break Countdown


    ¡°If hurt enough, just use a pair of hands, gleefully slash open, yesterday¡¯s curse. Waiting for daylight as night falls, leaving only scars...¡±


    With the wake-up song echoing, the prison entered free time, and all dormitory doors switched from red to green.


    Ash arrived at the Central Hall and happened to see the Light Screen broadcasting the weather: ¡°... The Meteorologist announced that on April 21st, the weather will turn from cloudy to clear, and today the Goblin fertility rate has significantly increased...¡±


    In the dining hall, death row inmates came and went as usual. When Ash entered, many of them greeted him proactively, all quite deferential¡ªhaving won two consecutive Death Battle Society matches and survived the Blood Moon Judgement, ¡®Evil Spirit¡¯ Ash was now seen by the prisoners as another strong man who could endure through his sentence.


    As soon as Ash sat down, Igula took the seat opposite him. They looked at each other without speaking, quietly finished breakfast, and then headed to the sea-view rooftop, where Lanna and Ronald were waiting for them.


    Except for those with ulterior motives who wanted to observe the sea conditions, no one would come to bask in the sun on the rooftop so early. With only the four of them on the rooftop, Igula directly asked, ¡°Is the Miracle ready?¡±


    ...


    Ash clenched his fists, closed his eyes to recall the sensation of Resonance with the Technique Spirit, and let out a soft breath, ¡°All I can say is, I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    After many days of adjustments and practice in the Void Realm, Ash had proficiently mastered the ¡®Slash Me¡¯ Miracle. He even managed to invoke the Slash Me Miracle without spending any Magic Power while in the Void Realm. However, he couldn¡¯t guarantee a hundred percent success rate in casting the Miracle, as the difference between reality and the Void Realm could be as vast as the distance between a dining hall and a restroom.


    Igula nodded noncommittally, looking towards Lanna and Ronald, ¡°Having been locked up here for so long, can you still remember the battle style of a Mage? If any issues arise later, it¡¯ll be up to you two to deal with those who raise questions.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been in jail for less than a month, no problem.¡±


    Ronald looked even more haggard after not seeing him for two days. It wasn¡¯t that his body had become thin, but rather his spirit, energy, and soul were evidently declining. To use Ash¡¯s words, ¡®He looks like a programmer who¡¯s been working fifteen hours a day non-stop for a month, with all his eating and sleeping done at the company.¡¯


    Yet, his deep voice was filled with an indescribable Life Force, his pupils seemed to shimmer with light, and it was as though a fire burned within his heart, a life waiting to be reborn from the decaying body.


    This made Ash even more worried.


    Generally speaking, common people would call this phenomenon¡ªrallying before death.


    But long as he survives today... Ash¡¯s thoughts were filled with the cold ruthlessness of a capitalist ready to wring dry a temporary worker and then discard them without a second thought.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been here for several years, so it¡¯s hard to say whether I can recover my past Combat Power,¡± Lanna said, ¡°But I am a Fist Claw technique master. I haven¡¯t neglected my combat skills, and even if I can¡¯t use a Miracle, just invoking my Technique Spirit should allow me to reach 70% of my past Combat Power.¡±


    Body Technique Masters, especially Fist Claw Technique Masters like Lanna, usually possess Technique Spirits that could enhance their physical qualities.


    After all, real-life combat doesn¡¯t play by the rules; an adversary won¡¯t refrain from using weapons just because you only use your fists. On the contrary, they would use weapons specifically targeted against you, so unarmed fighters must have Technique Spirits that can bridge the gap in weaponry, either by enhancing defense or by increasing movement speed.


    And Lanna was a Moon Shadow Werewolf. Once transformed, his physical attributes would improve significantly. With the assistance of a Technique Spirit, his combat power in tight and dark environments might well be the strongest in the squad.


    ¡°The transport ship usually arrives in the morning, transporting prisoners and moving supplies before returning to Kaimon City¡¯s Shattered Lake harbor,¡± Igula said. ¡°But there¡¯s a detail¡ªthe crew and the Blood Frenzy Hunters will go to eat at the dining hall in two separate groups.¡±


    ¡°Blood Frenzy Hunters are trained to have a maximum mealtime of five minutes. Adding the travel time, we can assume that when the second group of Blood Frenzy Hunters appears in the dining hall, there will be less than ten minutes left before the return journey.¡±


    ¡°That is to say, once the second group of Blood Frenzy Hunters enters the dining hall, that will be our signal to act. We must purify the chip within ten minutes, change into the Medical Practitioner¡¯s crow suit, and then access the transport ship directly with the privileges of a Medical Practitioner.¡±


    ¡°Got all that?¡±


    The whole plan was very rough and urgent¡ªany small mistake in any part would mean total failure, and many aspects were reliant on luck. But within the nearly impervious Shattered Lake Prison, Igula had somehow crafted a theoretically viable plan, earning him the admiration of Ash and the others, who nodded in appreciation.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s each make our final mental preparations and meet earlier for lunch in the dining hall,¡± Igula said, looking at Ash, ¡°Ash, this is your last chance to back out. You have the capability to survive in this prison, and you might take a less dangerous path.¡±


    Ronald and Lanna also looked at Ash, knowing that Igula, typically manipulative, somehow seemed to be manipulated by Ash.


    ¡°I cannot go gentle into that good night,¡± Ash said.


    Igula nodded thoughtfully, ¡°You mean your pride cannot endure the humiliation of living a petty life?¡±


    ¡°No, what I mean is, if I continue to stay here, I¡¯ll definitely keep getting picked for the Blood Moon Judgement. Not running is just waiting for death.¡±


    ¡°Still worried about other people¡¯s revenge even in prison, shouldn¡¯t you reflect on your past actions?¡±


    Seeing Ash¡¯s determination unchanged, Igula put aside his last bit of hope and waved goodbye as he left first¡ªhe needed to take a bath to cool down.


    There was still an hour or two before noon, and Ash didn¡¯t know what to do. He had already completely mastered his Substitute, Heart Sword, and Circulation Technique Spirits and could invoke them at any time. As for the Miracle, he dared not practice carelessly, because ¡®Slash Me¡¯ required a specific target for casting. If by chance Ash accidentally purified someone else¡¯s chip and alerted the prison guards prematurely, then he could expect Igula to mock him to death.


    Wandering aimlessly, Ash found himself in front of the familiar Death Battle Society.


    A thought struck him, and he did not enter the Death Battle Society but found a dimly lit entrance at the back. The noises around him suddenly seemed very distant; the entrance had a heavy black iron door that screamed ¡°Cowards, don¡¯t enter¡± with its menacing aura.


    This was the healing room.


    Ash pushed the door open and went inside. The medical practitioner at the front desk glanced at him and said, ¡°Go to healing room number one. Your personal medical practitioner will come to see you.¡±


    He had yet to take out his number tag, [222], how did she know who his personal medical practitioner was? Although it was strange, Ash didn¡¯t think much of it and went straight to healing room number one.


    Watching him walk away, the medical practitioner chuckled under her crow mask, ¡°Be proud of your future.¡±


    After waiting a moment in the healing room, Medical Practitioner [222] came through a side door and tossed an apple at Ash: ¡°Where are you hurt?¡±


    Ash caught the apple and began to eat it without wiping it first, saying, ¡°I¡¯m not injured.¡±


    ¡°Why are you here if you¡¯re not injured? Although I would hope you¡¯re here for cosmetic procedures, given your previous resistance, it seems unlikely that you would change your aesthetic sense any time soon. So you must be here to...¡± the medical practitioner crossed her arms and speculated, ¡°undergo biological modification?¡±


    Ash looked unimpressed, ¡°Aren¡¯t you overestimating my courage?¡±


    ¡°What courage do you need for biological modification? It¡¯s the trend now, changing hands, feet, eyes, it¡¯s all quite normal!¡± the medical practitioner said in surprise. ¡°Could it be that you¡¯re one of those fundamentalist naturalists, who stubbornly resist new technology?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the natural body that it needs changing?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s not good enough! Don¡¯t you want to be faster, stronger, have better vision, and more sensitive hearing?¡±


    ¡°I think my body is good enough as it is now¡ª¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s also the option of modifying your reproductive system to enhance endurance and pleasure.¡±


    Ash¡¯s eyes hardened, ¡°Next time I have a chance, I will consult with you about the vast and profound world of biological modifications.¡±


    ¡°While I¡¯m thrilled you¡¯re interested in biological modifications, I feel that for you, your reproductive system might never be of any use in this lifetime...¡±


    ¡°People say I will surely escape from here! I will regain my freedom!¡±


    ¡°Even with that unrealistic premise of yours, I do not intend to change my conclusion... unless you¡¯re willing to accept my ¡®handsome transformation surgery.¡¯ Think about it, won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe in the power of being handsome, I just don¡¯t trust you.¡±


    ¡°Humph.¡±


    The medical practitioner pouted and sat on the bed, curiously asking, ¡°So if there¡¯s nothing wrong, why come to the healing room? This is your first time coming here on your own, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Indeed, this was the first time Ash had come here willingly, as opposed to being carried in.


    ¡°I came... to chat with you.¡± Ash shrugged, ¡°After all, a death row inmate like me has plenty of time.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m not free! You think I¡¯m like you? I¡¯m very busy, researching techniques, learning new knowledge, and I have to write research papers...¡± The medical practitioner planted her hands on her hips. ¡°I don¡¯t have that much time to chat with you! I¡¯ll let it go this time, but don¡¯t do this again!¡±


    Even though the voice was distorted by the crow mask, Ash could tell she seemed quite pleased.


    Sure enough, no matter the world, working people all have a strong desire to slack off, and the happiest thing while slacking off is gossiping with someone else.


    After the medical practitioner excitedly finished her stories about ¡®how a senior who had always been against her got kicked out for stealing,¡¯ ¡®having good luck in the Void Realm recently,¡¯ and ¡®having a double-yolked egg for breakfast,¡¯ Ash suddenly changed the subject.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve just realized that you¡¯re quite attractive.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± The medical practitioner was startled. ¡°Really? Well, it¡¯s not that attractive¡ªwhere do you think it¡¯s attractive?¡±


    ¡°Your outfit looks nice.¡± Ash said. ¡°So can you take it off and give it to me?¡±


    It took a full five seconds for the medical practitioner to realize the nonsense Ash had just said.


    When she turned around to open her toolbox, selecting a scalpel with care, Ash suddenly felt uneasy¡ªafter all, this was someone who could dissect him and then sew him back up, and even earn healing experience in the process!


    ¡°222, I don¡¯t have much time left.¡±

 Chapter 99 - 92 This is the request of my lifetime

    Chapter 99: Chapter 92 This is the request of my lifetime


    In the treatment room, the atmosphere grew serious.


    ¡°You survived the Blood Moon Judgement, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but my suffering isn¡¯t over yet,¡± Ash said earnestly. ¡°My enemies are still watching me like a hawk, ready to use every means at their disposal to bring about my death in prison.¡±


    The Medical Practitioner shook her head. ¡°This is Shattered Lake Prison, where the law is practiced as though it is truth. No one here can violate the law.¡±


    ¡°But he can legally push me into a hopeless situation.¡±


    ¡°Then that only means you deserve to be executed legally and properly.¡± The Medical Practitioner shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you¡¯ve been wronged, and I do have sympathy for what you¡¯ve been through, so I¡¯ll pray for you too. I¡¯ll pray that you¡¯ll find salvation in the Divine Country of the Extreme Master of Blood Moon.¡±


    ...


    ¡°But that¡¯s all I can do for you, any more would go beyond my duties,¡± she warned, signaling to Ash not to make any unlawful requests.


    Ash waved his hand. ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask you for anything. I know my time is running out, the execution is near... so, I just want to properly thank you.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°Medical Practitioner, it was you who provided me with human care, allowing me to feel a bit of warmth in this cold and heartless prison.¡± Ash spoke with deep emotion. ¡°Having met you before dying is already enough for me to die without regrets. I¡¯m ready to accept my fate.¡±


    ¡°I, I¡¯m not as good as you say...¡± The Medical Practitioner mumbled shyly, replying in a low voice.


    ¡°But there is great terror between life and death, and in the still of the night, I can¡¯t help but curl up, gripped by an indescribable fear that squeezes my heart, sleepless at night, without appetite, living every day in extreme distress.¡±


    ¡°I have a solution for that,¡± the Medical Practitioner took out a syringe that shimmered with silver light. ¡°I have a strong sedative needle that will free you from your troubles with just one shot, but all these potions have the same side effect. It slows down your thinking, basically, it makes you a bit... dull-witted.¡±


    ¡°So! That¡¯s why!¡± Ash quickly interrupted her. ¡°To spend my last days in peace, I hope you, the Medical Practitioner, can stay with me.¡±


    ¡°Stay with you? How so?¡±


    ¡°Just for eating, sleeping, bathing and the like...¡±


    ¡°No! Absolutely not!¡± The Medical Practitioner stood up nervously and waved her hands continuously. ¡°I mean, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying...right, there are rules! We Medical Practitioners are not allowed to enter the prisoners¡¯ activity areas, cannot have close contact with prisoners! Uh! It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to, it¡¯s just really not possible!¡±


    Ash sighed deeply¡ªthe sigh was genuine. Although he had anticipated this response, the Medical Practitioner¡¯s resolute and intense reply without giving him any opportunity made Ash slightly sad.


    A little consideration would have been good! Or at least make your acting a bit more convincing!


    Even the crow mask can¡¯t hide your reluctance!


    ¡°I understand your difficulties too, and I don¡¯t want to trouble you, but I really need your care and warmth.¡± Ash blinked. ¡°I have a great idea.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this great idea?¡±


    ¡°Just give me your clothes, and I can use them to feel your warmth in my embrace during the long nights.¡±


    The Medical Practitioner fell silent for a moment, then took a step back, her voice trembling a bit. ¡°You...want to sleep...holding my underwear?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to give me anything that personal!¡± Ash hurried to clarify. ¡°Besides, I haven¡¯t seen your underwear, so I couldn¡¯t possibly think of them as your embodiment.¡±


    The Medical Practitioner finally understood. ¡°You want my Hunter Uniform?¡±


    ¡°Mhmm, mhmm, mhmm, do you have an extra uniform?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly, but I do need to have two for changing. According to regulations, I can¡¯t give my uniform to anyone else... and you sleeping with my Hunter Uniform at night also sounds a bit...¡±


    Ash suddenly let out a long sigh, his expression becoming downcast. ¡°That¡¯s right, It was excessive of me to ask. You¡¯ve helped me so much, and both morally and logically, I should not trouble you further...¡±


    ¡°Someone like me doesn¡¯t deserve to approach extinction in peace...¡±


    ¡°It was wrong of me to hope, to have such unfounded luck...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, just pretend I never asked. Thank you, I won¡¯t forget you...¡±


    Though he said this, Ash didn¡¯t get up, but instead gazed earnestly at the Medical Practitioner. Left with no choice, she clicked her tongue, ¡°Alright alright, I¡¯ll give you my Hunter Uniform. Is that okay now?¡±


    The plan was a success!


    Ash was inwardly elated. All his groundwork had been laid just to get the Medical Practitioner to willingly offer him her Hunter Uniform.


    After all, during the jailbreak he would have to snatch a set of Crow uniforms, but he did not want to injure the Medical Practitioner.


    In view of the moral quality from his previous life, he still held a certain respect for the medical profession, though for survival he couldn¡¯t afford to care; if it was possible to resolve the situation peacefully, he would try his best to avoid conflict.


    It just so happened that his relationship with Medical Practitioner [222] was fairly good; social favors lose their meaning if not used when needed, so Ash acted pitiful and played the sympathy card, first by making an unreasonable request for companionship, which was denied, and then asking for her clothes. Layer upon layer, his scheme unfolded until he finally pried open the Medical Practitioner¡¯s heart, enticing her step by step into the abyss of crime.


    ¡°Ah, it seems like it won¡¯t work.¡±


    Ash grew anxious, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I just took off that set of uniforms, and I haven¡¯t washed it yet.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind!¡±


    ¡°But I do mind! No, wait until I¡¯ve washed them before giving them to you!¡±


    Ash became frantic, ¡°Actually, I prefer the original scent, please just fulfill this wish of mine! It¡¯s my once-in-a-lifetime request!¡±


    ¡°No, no, absolutely not!¡± the Medical Practitioner shook her head repeatedly: ¡°I¡¯ll give them to you after I¡¯ve washed the uniforms.¡±


    ¡°How long will it take you to wash them?¡±


    ¡°Not long, there¡¯s a dryer in the laundry room, I can get it done in at most an hour.¡±


    ¡°Then go wash them quickly; I¡¯ll come back to pick them up at noon.¡±


    Ash urged the Medical Practitioner to leave, leaving her utterly baffled: ¡°Weren¡¯t you here to chat with me? Didn¡¯t you want me to spend more time with you?¡±


    ¡°Clothes can chat with me, clothes can spend more time with me, not to mention the many other uses clothes have! Anyway, hurry up and go!¡±


    The Medical Practitioner went back to her quarters to wash clothes with a confused expression.


    ...


    From the sea-view rooftop, Igula gazed at the slowly growing black dot on the lake surface, his heart pounding wildly, goosebumps rising. He felt his face heating up, his legs weakening, his thoughts racing faster.


    This was nervousness.


    This was fear.


    But it was also excitement.


    This was the reason why, despite the wealth he had accumulated, he hadn¡¯t quit. The unsettling trepidation before the act was addictive, like poison, and now he was about to deceive the entire prison, planning a daylight escape.


    The thought that countless people would be surprised, angry, admiring, and frightened by his feat sent Igula into an excited frenzy; there was nothing more pleasurable to him than fooling others!


    In Igula¡¯s anticipatory and tense gaze, a steamboat belching thick smoke appeared on the horizon, sailing towards Shattered Lake Prison against the wind and waves.


    However, Igula¡¯s complexion turned grimmer and paler.


    The hull of the steamboat was similar to other ordinary military ships, but its peculiarity lay in the high-strength steel shell covering it entirely, making the ship look like a solid bullet warship.


    In other words, no part of the deck was exposed to sunlight; there was no ¡®outside,¡¯ all areas were within the steamboat itself!


    While Igula stood dumbfounded, the transport ship had already reached Shattered Lake, dropping anchor at the port. And the first to step off the ship was a white-haired man in dark red Hunter Uniform with a hood, his right shoulder draped with a black short sleeve.


    Noticing Igula¡¯s gaze, he looked up and met Igula¡¯s eyes; his expression didn¡¯t change a bit, the bloody pupils under the hood piercing Igula with a sharp gaze!


    Igula¡¯s pupils shrank.


    The half-sleeve of the Crime Hunting Hall!


    The hallmark of the Director of the Crime Hunting Hall was the black Crime Hunter coat, and the Captains of the enforcement teams who fought on the front lines and represented the face of the Crime Hunting Hall wore the Crime Hunter half-sleeve to display their honor!


    In Kaimon City, there were only two enforcement teams, and without exception, their Captains were...


    Holy Sanctuary Mages of the Three-winged Holy Realm!

 Chapter 100 - 93 Gerard Westminster

    Chapter 100: Chapter 93 Gerard Westminster


    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t this the tax bureau¡¯s executive secretary Edmond? I told you, you¡¯d eventually come to join me.¡±


    ¡°Brothers, this guy has a grudge against me, don¡¯t fight with me over him. I¡¯ll let you have the last five death duels, but let me enjoy the first five, alright?¡±


    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, such big shots one after another, so does that mean Andrey¡¯s Eternal Life Wine Club has been completely wiped out? The mayor was too ruthless, not sparing a single one.¡±


    ¡°Kaimon City has already become the kingdom of Fernand.¡±


    In the Central Hall, death row inmates thronged, their cheers and laughter welcoming the new inmates. Compared to the Schadenfreudian old-timers, the new ones were much calmer, one after another pressing their fingers on a brass roster under the guidance of a prison guard.


    ¡°Strange, when I was first imprisoned, there wasn¡¯t such a grand welcome ceremony,¡± Ash, who was observing from the side, remarked involuntarily.


    ...


    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re special.¡±


    Ash turned his head and saw it was the Necromancer Harvey; the latter was still a chatterbox, naturally continuing the conversation as if they were old friends: ¡°The Gods of Four Pillars¡¯ infamous reputation is too great, you¡¯re the first Sect Hierarch of their cult in a century. Until they fully modified your permissions, the prison didn¡¯t dare let you interact with other prisoners.¡±


    ¡°Modified permissions?¡±


    ¡°Have you seen that ¡®Sinners¡¯ Catalogue¡¯?¡± Harvey pointed at the brass roster. ¡°When we¡¯re imprisoned, we all need to touch it with our fingers, and after that, our permissions are controlled by the prison, which can fully manage all our permissions, like attack permissions, magic power output.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Ash was somewhat surprised. ¡°Weren¡¯t these permissions banned when we were captured?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but before our management permissions were in the hands of the Crime Hunting Hall, and after incarceration, they had to be transferred to the prison.¡±


    ¡°Why is it so troublesome?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s necessary, first, if our permissions were still with the Crime Hunting Hall, they could remotely lift our restrictions. If we caused trouble here, wouldn¡¯t the prison be in hot water? Wouldn¡¯t the Crime Hunting Hall be blamed? Both the Crime Hunting Hall and the prison must transfer jurisdiction.¡±


    ¡°Second, the processor of the Crime Hunting Hall is too far from the prison. Over time, the restrictions might wear off.¡±


    Ash was taken aback: ¡°Restrictions can wear out?¡±


    ¡°All shackles will eventually welcome the day they rust.¡± After saying this, Harvey suddenly stepped out of the crowd and grabbed the collar of one of the Snake Lizard Clan members: ¡°Harbron, where¡¯s Narbel?¡±


    Seeing Harvey, the Snake Lizard¡¯s scales lightened in color: ¡°Archibald, how... how can you remember me? You shouldn¡¯t remember me!¡±


    Ash¡¯s mind took a moment to remember Harvey¡¯s full name was Archibald Harvey, but the name was too long, so he only remembered the surname.


    But what did the Snake Lizard Clan member mean by ¡®shouldn¡¯t remember¡¯?


    ¡°I¡¯m a Necromancer, adding a backdoor to a soul isn¡¯t something I can¡¯t do... Memories are something you might not recall, but never completely forget.¡± Harvey glared at the Snake Lizard: ¡°Where is Narbel? How come she didn¡¯t come with you!?¡±


    For a moment, Ash thought Harvey had a grudge against this Narbel ¡ª this was a prison for death row inmates, normal people would only hope their enemies came in, right?


    But the Snake Lizard¡¯s response hinted at a melodramatic twist, ¡°Why would you think of her... aren¡¯t you just asking for trouble?¡±


    ¡°Did she betray you? Did she flee? Or did she¡ª¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s dead. When Andrey fell, we were pursued by hunters during our escape, and she was shot in the head, beyond saving.¡±


    Harvey¡¯s mouth twitched: ¡°...you promised me, the boss promised me, you guys...¡±


    ¡°The boss is also dead. I was the weakest, so I was caught first.¡± The Snake Lizard said, ¡°The Crime Hunting Hall sent a whole law enforcement team... Fernand had deliberately released news to lure us into escaping, they intended to eradicate us root and branch, we were just insignificant bugs that got in their way.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that, I don¡¯t care so... much!¡± Harvey, his face full of rage and grinding his teeth, yet his legs gave in, and he knelt down, his eyes reddening: ¡°Impossible... that¡¯s Narbel, how could she just...¡±


    Nobody pulled them apart, even the prison guards didn¡¯t bother¡ªrestrictions from chips meant the most hostile act they could do was grab each other¡¯s collars, fighting wasn¡¯t possible.


    The tumult quickly faded into oblivion, not even worth gossip, although Ash was curious about Harvey¡¯s melodramatic past, but clearly approaching him now would only drag him into a death duel, seeing that it was about time, he went to the dining hall for a meal.


    In the dining hall were already a group of sailors and Blood Frenzy Hunters eating, they all sat on one side of the hall, while the prisoners conscientiously sat on the other side¡ªregardless of whether Shattered Lake Prison still had troublemakers, even if there were, they couldn¡¯t stir up trouble nor insult others, could they go over and greet the hunters?


    Today¡¯s¡¯,[¡®recommended menu included red bean mud lala fat, Beastman cheese lettuce, and coconut egg tart. Ash had just sat down when a courteously appearing young man sat across from him.


    Ash felt he had just seen this man registering: ¡°New here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, hello, my name is Balaka,¡± the young man replied shyly.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Ash.¡±


    But having been here so long, Ash had developed a sense of caution, as they say, the fairer the skin the darker the insides, this shy young man could well be an outlaw riddled with crimes, ¡°How come you came to eat?¡±


    ¡°Because... it¡¯s noon,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be confined to your own rooms on your first day here waiting for meal delivery?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, we were taken to recognize our bedrooms and then were free to do as we pleased, there were no restrictions.¡±


    Ash understood; it was a privilege exclusive to the Cult Leader to be sent to solitary confinement on the first day.


    ¡°You were also imprisoned because of political strife? To become a political prisoner at such a young age, you are indeed promising!¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, I am actually... a writer.¡±


    When discussing his profession, Balaka became even more embarrassed.


    ¡°...Is it that strict outside, where writing a book can lead to the death penalty? Is it due to political or vulgar content?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I haven¡¯t written it yet.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°After finishing my last novel a few months ago, I thought of an excellent theme, so I discussed it with my editor. The editor told me that if I insisted on writing it, he would have no choice but to report me to the Crime Hunting Hall. ¡®Write it in prison,¡¯ he said, ¡®and don¡¯t trouble our publishing house.''¡±


    Ash blinked, ¡°And then you were imprisoned?¡±


    Balaka nodded, ¡°After hearing the content of my theme, the Crime Hunting Hall sent a Memory Master to investigate my memory. After a verdict from the Judgement Court, I was sentenced to a ¡®public safety hazard¡¯ and sent for thought purification during the Blood Moon Judgement.¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you just not write it?¡±


    ¡°After investigating my memory, the Memory Master found I had no remorse; my memory was filled with the details of the new book. They believed that as long as I was alive, I would find a way to write it. And indeed, that¡¯s the case because I am not a creator, I am merely a transcriber. I couldn¡¯t let such a good story rot in my mind.¡±


    Ash gave a thumbs-up: ¡°Keep it up, I¡¯ll support you! By the way, does it contain any romantic content?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll support you spiritually, I¡¯m actually not much interested in books.¡±


    As they chatted, Ash finally saw Igula enter the door. He quickly placed his tray at the recycling point, dumped the food into the swill bucket, and hurried over to Igula, draping an arm over his shoulder, ¡°Have you eaten yet? Those Hunters are almost finished eating. The signal for action will appear very soon, why haven¡¯t Lanna and Ronald appeared¡ª¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t be coming.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I told them, the plan is canceled.¡±


    Ash did not show surprise or hysteria, there was no confusion in his eyes either, just calmly staring at Igula in silence.


    ¡°Ash, you know the effect of the Contract; unless it¡¯s absolutely necessary, I cannot go against your wishes,¡± Igula said. ¡°And in my heart, I¡¯m not really resistant¡ªif I were, I wouldn¡¯t have proposed this long-thought-out plan.¡±


    ¡°For me, this plan was also a long-awaited stage, and you were the one who filled in what was lacking. To be honest, even if you hadn¡¯t made this wish to me, I might have been unable to resist cooperating with you to orchestrate this action.¡±


    ¡°Believe me, I am like you, wanting to escape this suffocating cesspool of a place.¡±


    Igula put his hand on Ash¡¯s shoulder, ¡°But today it really won¡¯t work, the plan must be canceled.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because every critical element in the plan has become unfeasible. Too many unusual events happened this week, and I didn¡¯t account for their impact in the plan, making the actual situation far different from what I had imagined.¡±


    Suddenly, a hubbub arose at the door, the first batch of Hunters who had finished their meals began to leave, and the second batch of Hunters started entering the cafeteria.


    Ash glanced at them and sighed, ¡°The signal for action has come.¡±


    Igula shook his head gently, ¡°That¡¯s a danger signal... you¡¯ll see soon, the first unstable factor that ruined the plan.¡±


    Suddenly, all the Blood Frenzy Hunters stood up, bowing to the newcomer at the door: ¡°Good afternoon, Captain!¡±


    ¡°Good afternoon, everyone.¡±


    The white-haired Hunter in a black short-sleeve looked at the condemned prisoners and smiled, ¡°Scumbags, good afternoon.¡±


    A discontented death row prisoner raised his head: ¡°I will complain about you to the Crime Hunting Hall¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s rare to insult so many scumbags all at once, I¡¯m willing to accept the punishment¡ªit¡¯s just a month¡¯s salary deducted for one insult. Well, now that I¡¯ve insulted twice, that¡¯s two months¡¯ salary gone.¡±


    The white-haired Hunter snapped his fingers and smiled disdainfully, ¡°But I prefer the number three. Let¡¯s add another sentence¡ª How does it feel to be scolded by me yet unable to retaliate? Annoying, isn¡¯t it? Hahaha! I especially enjoy seeing the aggrieved expressions of scumbags who are both angry and helpless!¡±


    Another gloomy-faced death row prisoner said, ¡°I¡¯ll remember you, you better¡ª¡±


    ¡°You should indeed remember me, for many of you were caught by me!¡±


    His eyes gleamed blood-red as he casually swept his gaze across the death row inmates in the cafeteria. His gaze was as sharp as a razor, making everyone shiver, and Ash vividly recalled the last time they met¡ª


    The fear of being pierced by a sword flooded his entire body again.


    ¡°I am Gerard Westminster, the Blood Frenzy Hunter from the Crime Hunting Hall, Hunter ID 307791.¡± Gerard said with a mocking laugh, ¡°When you meet the Extreme Master of Blood Moon, don¡¯t forget to send him my regards.¡±

 Chapter 101 - 94 Danger!

    Chapter 101: Chapter 94 Danger!


    ¡°Three-winged Holy Sanctuary Sword Master, Blood Frenzy Hunter Gerard...¡±


    Ash hid in a corner of the restaurant, observing the spirited white-haired hunter within the crowd, his mind filled with disbelief and doubt.


    He was no longer the newcomer who had just crossed over into this world and naturally understood the significant standing that this white-haired Hunter, who had made his crossover experience quite awful, held in this city.


    One-winged silver, two-winged gold, three-winged Holy Sanctuary, four-winged Legendary.


    Under the starry skies, Legendary Mages were the pinnacle, the top echelon of all forces, the limit of individual combat power. The Three-winged Holy Sanctuary was the mainstay, and while Legendary Mages delved into the study of magic and explored the Void Realm, Holy Sanctuary Mages often managed important affairs, wielding the greatest secular power and represented the highest level of standard combat power.


    This also showed that the cult of The Gods of Four Pillars that Heath had stirred up was not the ragtag group Ash had imagined. The fact that Kaimon City could deploy Gerard, the Crime Hunting Hall¡¯s leading hunter, was clear evidence that Heath was deemed a high-value wild monster worthy to be considered a ¡®political achievement.¡¯


    ...


    Compared to his status, Gerard¡¯s strength brought on even more despair. Initially, Ash and his group had assumed their hypothetical enemy would be a two-winged Mage level Blood Frenzy Hunter. Now, with the sudden appearance of a three-winged Holy Sanctuary, Gerard alone was enough to wipe out Ash and his group in a bundled massacre.


    If there was originally a thirty percent chance of survival in their plan, now it was a certainty of death. The transport ship couldn¡¯t possibly return to Kaimon City within ten minutes, and the prison would definitely discover their jailbreak within that time¡ªseizing the transport ship was part of the plan, and they couldn¡¯t avoid a fight with the Blood Frenzy Hunters.


    Ash heaved a sigh, ¡°Since it¡¯s him, giving up on the plan is inevitable; we¡¯re just really unlucky.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not just about luck.¡± Igula took him to the Shattered Lake port. ¡°Look.¡±


    Ash glanced at the ship covered like the head of a bullet. ¡°The shape of this ship... it¡¯s very fluid-dynamic!¡±


    ¡°This is no ordinary ship,¡± Igula said. ¡°This is a mobile prison... and coincidentally they are also boarding it now.¡±


    In Ash¡¯s astonished gaze, those death row inmates queuing near the port, under the watchful eyes of the hunters, boldly crossed the yellow line, exited Shattered Lake Prison, and stepped aboard the transport ship.


    Shattered Lake Prison¡¯s infamous ¡®Black Beast¡¯ Tuk turned his head before stepping onto the transport ship, extended his fist towards the prison, and laughed loudly, ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯m finally out of this shithole!¡±


    Nearby death row inmates looked on with envy, but that yellow line painted on the ground was like a great chasm that they could only watch others leave, while they were not even permitted to approach.


    ¡°They are volunteers!¡± Ash finally remembered the volunteer recruitment from a few days ago. ¡°This ship came to transport them!¡±


    ¡°This is the loophole in the plan!¡± Igula bit his finger in frustration. ¡°Because this is such a rare event, I didn¡¯t take it into account! Hence why it¡¯s not an ordinary transport ship that¡¯s come, but a ¡®Pig Cage¡¯!¡±


    ¡°¡®Pig Cage¡¯?¡± Ash had never heard such a strange name for a ship.


    ¡°This ship won¡¯t return to Kaimon City but will travel directly down east through Shattered Lake, towards the lakefront battle zone in the eastern part of Kaimon City!¡± Igula¡¯s face was full of annoyance. ¡°I should have thought of it earlier. Even if the mayor persuaded the Order Organization in the council with benefits, they would never allow death row inmates to return to the city area; that risk would be too great!¡±


    ¡°If the news leaked out, letting the citizens know that death row inmates had escaped judgment, it¡¯d cause widespread uproar; the whole council would be doomed! The citizens would use their ballots to reshuffle the council entirely!¡±


    ¡°Therefore, the only destination for those volunteers is the lakefront battle zone, which is tasked with suppressing the Waterway Abyss!¡±


    Watching the last volunteer step onto the ship, Ash remarked, ¡°So, if we board as well, we¡¯re essentially walking into a trap, fleeing the prison for the lakefront battle zone where the average person is a strong fighter?¡±


    Although Ash still didn¡¯t have a thorough understanding of the Kingdom of Blood Moon, piecing together ¡®suppressing the Abyss¡¯ and ¡®battle zone,¡¯ he could guess with his toes that it wouldn¡¯t be any kind of water paradise.


    ¡°No, we don¡¯t have a chance to board,¡± Igula shook his head. ¡°This ship also has processors that will automatically check any life form that boards. People like us who don¡¯t have permission will trigger an alarm and have our positions marked the moment we set foot on the ship!¡±


    Ash was taken aback, ¡°Wait, that means your plan was impossible from the start! If every ship has such a security system, there¡¯s no way we could escape Shattered Lake Prison by ship¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, only ships like the ¡®Pig Cage¡¯ with a special purpose are equipped with processors; most other transport vehicles don¡¯t have a security system,¡± Igula explained.


    ¡°Ah? Why not? Are the processors used for security checks very expensive?¡±


    ¡°The value is indeed high, first, because these processors are Mage-made and require manual creation by Mages, and secondly, scanning someone¡¯s chip without authorization is a serious illegal act.¡±


    Ash blinked, his expression somewhat confused for a moment.


    He touched the back of his neck and asked, ¡°Outside, scanning chips is a violation?¡±


    ¡°Yes, absolutely,¡± Igula looked at him oddly. ¡°Such invasions of privacy are very serious crimes.¡±


    While Ash understood there were surely many differences between inside and outside the prison, hearing ¡®outside is a nation that values privacy rights¡¯ still made him feel as if Igula was teasing him.


    Could a place that implants control chips in the human body from birth, can access memories, abolishes the family system, rears children entirely socially, and turns the death penalty into a variety show truly value privacy rights more than this prison that made him defecate in chains!?


    He dropped the subject and pressed on, ¡°So why can this ¡®Pig Cage¡¯ ship check the chips of any uploader?¡±


    ¡°Because the ¡®Pig Cage¡¯ is a punishment tool prepared for warriors,¡± Igula stated. ¡°The Waterway Abyss suppressed by the lakefront battle zone requires periodic expeditions into its depths to survey the situation.¡±


    ¡°But the deeper one delves into the Waterway Abyss, the more likely a Mage is to develop mental disorders, such as losing reason, self-harm, flight, and various other conditions might arise.¡±


    ¡°Since almost no one is willing to undertake such a task, the war zone will place soldiers who have erred into ¡®pig cages,¡¯ implant numerous rules into their chips, and let the ship¡¯s processors control them to prevent self-injury, escape, or killing each other. At the same time, the processor also has to take on the responsibility of detecting lifeforms on the ship, and if any monsters enter the cabin, it will alert the soldiers to clean them up.¡±


    ¡°When they complete the mission and return, they will have made amends for their crimes, and all transgressions will be expunged.¡±


    ¡°Even if the war zone thinks it¡¯s overkill to escort a death-row prisoner, Mayor Fernand will certainly demand that they send out ¡®pig cages¡¯!¡±


    Ash gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I clearly knew what kind of person Fernand was... he would definitely get involved in matters concerning his future... all the details would definitely be arranged to the highest standard!¡±


    Ash looked up resolutely, ¡°You¡¯ve even deceived the Mayor?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve considered the plan, but the risk was too great and the success rate too low, so I eventually gave up,¡± Igula said gloomily. ¡°If I had known that I was going to end up in prison anyway, I would have given it a try¡ªnow, the most significant figure I¡¯ve swindled is just a councilor.¡±


    People engage in deception to make money, are you deceiving for the sake of achievements...


    Even though Ash didn¡¯t quite understand what Mayor, war zone, Abyss meant but he could detect the subtext in Igula¡¯s words: ¡°Does this mean our plan is facing insurmountable problems at every turn?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just not feasible this time,¡± Igula said. ¡°There is a Blood Moon Judgement on the 1st of next month; if we are to proceed with the plan, the timing can only be set for the 11th of next month. However, given Professor Selin¡¯s influence, I highly doubt that the Blood Moon trial on the 1st will not pick you¡ª¡±


    Suddenly!


    A Light Screen popped up in front of Ash!


    ¡°Good afternoon, everyone. This is the administrative office of Shattered Lake Prison, and I am the Prison Guard Nagu McMillan,¡± Nagu said on the screen. ¡°I will now announce two notices.¡±


    ¡°First, there will be an additional Blood Moon Judgement on the 27th of this month, and the list of those on trial will be released in the morning of the same day.¡±


    ¡°Second, to set up the scene for the 27th¡¯s trial, Blood Frenzy Hunters will need to stay overnight in the prison. We hope that everyone will cooperate earnestly with the Hunters¡¯ work. Those who assist the Hunters will be rewarded with varying degrees of contribution.¡±


    When the Light Screen automatically shut off, Ash still couldn¡¯t recover from his shock.


    An additional Blood Moon Judgement?


    Blood Frenzy Hunter staying overnight?


    ¡°Generally speaking, this added Blood Moon Trial is probably prepared for those political prisoners who have just been incarcerated,¡± Igula said gravely. ¡°But if your name is selected for the trial, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised.¡±


    Ash¡¯s face turned a sickly pale, ¡°They wouldn¡¯t be that cruel, would they?¡±


    ¡°When you think things are going to get worse, they definitely turn out worse than you imagine,¡± Igula said. ¡°That¡¯s the one lesson I¡¯ve managed to impress upon my clients throughout my many years as a Swindler.¡±


    ¡°I know you like to beat the wealthy on behalf of society, no need to keep flaunting your achievements in front of me,¡± Ash replied irritably. ¡°At worst, I¡¯m on the list for the 25th¡¯s trial, could things possibly get any worse?¡±


    Just then, Ash suddenly felt the light dim around him, as if a tall figure had blocked the light from behind.


    ¡°Ash Heath, you¡¯ve been staring at the ships leading outside all this time, are you thinking about escaping?¡±


    Igula stealthily moved to the side.


    Ash turned around, took a step back, and managed a forced smile at the newcomer: ¡°Of course, what young man in prison doesn¡¯t think about escaping?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true, even the wicked may repent, and the scum may seek to correct their errors. To bestow upon you the correct despair is the meaning of the Blood Moon Judgement.¡±


    Gerard looked down at Ash from a superior position, glancing at Igula, he said indifferently, ¡°Found a new friend? Fitting for a favorite Believer of the Pillar God of Evil, I do wonder if staying here too long, you¡¯d turn the whole prison into a hotbed for the Evil God.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m off for a nap now, Captain Gerard, if you¡¯re looking for someone to chat with, you can talk to this Igula Bokin; he is quite adept at investment and finance, surely you could gain something from him¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait, Ash Heath.¡± Gerard stopped him, ¡°The prison has ordered you to assist the Hunters¡¯ work, right? I need your help.¡±


    Ash felt a sense of unease: ¡°Help how? Look at me, I can barely lift my arms; just titanium alloy trash that eats and sleeps, I doubt I¡¯ll be able to meet your needs¡ª¡±


    ¡°Perfect, you just happen to meet my needs,¡± Gerard snapped his fingers. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing¡ªbecause there are too many inmates in the prison, there aren¡¯t spare chambers for us Hunters who are here to help. As the captain, I would obviously give the single rooms to my teammates, while I will make do sharing space with a prisoner.¡±


    Ash inhaled sharply, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know any of the fine ladies here in prison to introduce to you, why don¡¯t you consult with Igula¡ª¡±


    ¡°No need for that.¡±


    The Hunter placed his hand on Ash¡¯s shoulder, his crimson eyes brimming with a mocking smile: ¡°Ash Heath, I imagine you wouldn¡¯t mind squeezing in with me for the night?¡±

 Chapter 102 - 95 I will be watching you

    Chapter 102: Chapter 95 I will be watching you


    Jiale City, Sword Flower University.


    Three dazzling stars gradually sank in the west, and a young professor was walking along the campus path when he suddenly changed his pace upon seeing a lively young female student coming towards him, trying to speed away.


    ¡°Professor Librom...¡±


    ¡°Miss Sevi.¡± The young professor stopped, reluctantly saying, ¡°I have to admit, your sincerity has moved me. After all, if you keep bothering me like this, I won¡¯t need my reputation anymore¡ªmy old-fashioned and stern father even came to warn me not to do anything that might damage the reputation of Sword Flower University, such as entangling with a female student.¡±


    Sonia¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Then¡ª¡±


    ¡°But I really don¡¯t have the authority to change the host at this time, either you just disappear, and if I can¡¯t find anyone half an hour before the party starts, I will launch the emergency plan, but you¡¯ll have to take a warning.¡±


    ...


    Librom said, ¡°Or you can go directly to the chancellor. As long as you can get the chancellor¡¯s permission, the school regulations can make an exception for you, even if you refuse to give any ¡®proper reason¡¯ and want your hosting position canceled.¡±


    Sonia shook her head repeatedly.


    ¡°The chancellor mostly keeps to herself, and since she¡¯s a four-winged Legendary Mage, I dare not approach her. If I anger her, even Professor Trozan can¡¯t protect me.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of making me angry?¡±


    Sonia immediately covered her mouth, but her voice still leaked through her fingers, ¡°Because you¡¯re just a two-winged Alchemist specialized in academic research¡ªwith no offense to you, getting on your bad side doesn¡¯t really affect my interests.¡±


    After saying this, Sonia looked pitifully at Librom, ¡°Professor, I really can¡¯t help it; this is my heartfelt truth, and I can¡¯t lie.¡±


    Librom¡¯s face became stiff with anger, and he took a deep breath, ¡°Thank you very much, Miss Sevi, for your honesty. You¡¯ve shown me my true worth in the eyes of an ordinary student, which is most enlightening.¡±


    ¡°But since you¡¯re too scared to approach the chancellor, you¡¯re left with only two choices: fulfill your duties or receive a warning. It¡¯s almost dinner time now, please make up your mind quickly; I¡¯ll be waiting for you backstage at the evening party.¡±


    Watching Librom leave, Sonia felt helpless. She wanted to shout to the Observer to discuss strategies, but knowing today was also an action day for the Observer, she dismissed the idea of disturbing them.


    Wondering if the Observer was now breathing the air of freedom...


    Sonia sighed and gloomily returned to her dormitory.


    At that moment, Lois and two others came back from dinner and were shocked to see Sonia still there, ¡°Why are you still here? People from Truth University have arrived at the school gate; aren¡¯t you going to change into your gown and do your makeup?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with this childish tantrum? Your absence tarnishes not just your own image, but also Professor Trozan¡¯s and Sword Flower University¡¯s. Don¡¯t think just because you are a swordsmanship prodigy you can do whatever you want!¡±


    Lois was stunned; as roommates living under the same roof, they knew something had been off with Sonia these past few days, but hadn¡¯t expected it to be this serious.


    This was the inter-college friendship evening!


    The friendship evening was about more than just a party. Under the gaze of Dazzling Star, both schools would each send excellent students for a ¡®friendly match¡¯ that stopped at the point of acknowledgment¡ªit was essentially a warm-up for the annual Jiale City College Championship, where everyone gets a glimpse of the current year¡¯s contestants from other universities, grasping the strengths of their competitors.


    Although in modern society, Combat Mages weren¡¯t as crucial as before, and Production Mages gradually took more sway, universities had reduced combat courses and added many produce-oriented subjects¡ªstudents also favored studying production-valuable Technique Spirits, Miracles, and Magic Factions.


    Still, mages skilled in combat continued to receive the most resources, and those proficient in fighting gained the most respect!


    It wasn¡¯t because everyone feared a mage¡¯s violence, but rather for a mage, combat prowess equaled potential! The more adept at fighting, the more one could harvest in the Void Realm, go further, and have a higher limit!


    Among One-winged Mages, those specializing in production even outnumbered Combat Mages.


    However, by Two-winged, Combat Mages far outnumbered Production Mages.


    By the time they reached Three-winged, even mages who had specialized in production had an impeccable combat system; otherwise, they simply couldn¡¯t survive or adventure in the Void Realm!


    To encourage Mage Apprentices to enhance their combat abilities, the Jiale City College Championship was created, now held 167 times, becoming the highest-rated program in Jiale City and the Kingdom of Stars!


    For Mage Apprentices, performing in the college championship and scoring a place were the quickest ways to stand out and make a mark!


    Given its role as a prelude to the championship, the status of the friendship evening naturally rose, further emphasized by this time¡¯s counterpart being Truth University¡ªleaving no room for slack!


    Yet, there Lois found Sonia still lazily sprawled on the desk, motionless, and realized that this village girl was truly in trouble.


    ¡°Adelle, rummage through her wardrobe for the school-designated gown; Ingrid, hold her in place while I do her makeup.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡± ¡°Okay.¡±


    Adelle and Ingrid followed orders, and Sonia let them fuss over her without any resistance.


    Her mind was still wavering because she couldn¡¯t decide which would result in worse consequences, ¡®being honest at the evening¡¯ versus ¡®receiving a school warning.¡¯


    If ¡®receiving a school warning¡¯ equated to a loss of -100, then ¡®attending the evening¡¯ ranged from 0 to -1000.


    Perhaps Sonia could keep the situation under control and perfectly fulfill her duties as a host, but there was also the possibility that she would speak recklessly and offend professors from Sword Flower University and Truth University, becoming the most infamous university student in history.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the opportunity you¡¯ve been longing for?¡± Lois asked as she applied false eyelashes to Sonia¡¯s eyes, puzzled, ¡°Two months ago we signed up together, stood out from over a hundred female mage apprentices, and it was you who finally beat me and the other senior students to earn this opportunity.¡±


    ¡°You know that league hosts are often selected from party hosts, which is why we both value this opportunity so much. If you really become this year¡¯s league host, just having that on your resume will be enough to apply for hosting positions on various channels, not to mention the exposure among millions of people nationwide... There¡¯s no easier shortcut than this!¡±


    ¡°Although you are now Professor Trozan¡¯s research apprentice, you surely don¡¯t just want to be a sword master who practices diligently every day, do you?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being a sword master?¡± Ingrid retorted discontentedly.


    ¡°For you, Ingrid, it¡¯s certainly fine since you neither excel at socializing nor like the spotlight; being a sword master is indeed your most comfortable and happiest choice,¡± Lois applied Sonia¡¯s eye makeup and continued, ¡°But Sonia, like me, you are not a simple person.¡±


    ¡°Dazzlingly brilliant, the center of attention, followed by admirers, famous across the starry sky...¡± Lois¡¯s mouth turned up slightly as she spoke, ¡°First become famous at school, then act in dramas, release albums... like Dedarose, become the brightest and most shining star in this starry sky.¡±


    Sonia blurted out, ¡°How did you know Dedarose is my favorite?¡±


    ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t like Dedarose?¡± Lois replied.


    Dedarose Shiva, the most famous actress in the Kingdom of Stars, started acting in dramas in her teens and starred in nearly every classic such as ¡®The Empress Returns,¡¯ ¡®Gorgeous Rebellion,¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t Apologize to Strangers¡¯¡ªshows that are broadcast yearly. She has received the ¡®Holy Grail for Best Actress¡¯ five times and is known as ¡®the First Beauty under the Starry Sky.¡¯


    Moreover, she is also a powerful mage; last year, her entry into the Three-winged Holy Realm caused jubilation throughout Jiale City.


    Wealthy nobles even spent a fortune to hire mages to launch fireworks into the sky for three days straight, allowing the residents of Jiale City to look up whenever they went out and see the words ¡°Celebrating Dedarose¡¯s Promotion to the Holy Realm.¡±


    For Sonia, Dedarose was undoubtedly the most beautiful aspiration of her childhood.


    As a young girl, her only entertainment besides studying was watching the Meteor Channel. When she saw Dedarose¡¯s radiant presence in dramas, her acceptance of awards, and her singing on stage¡ªit gave her endless motivation.


    Back then, she didn¡¯t even dare dream of becoming her, but she knew that if she didn¡¯t study hard, she wouldn¡¯t even have a chance to be like the radiant beauty on the light screen.


    Lois was right; Sonia was not content with just being a sword master.


    Power was important, but it was not everything to her, not even her goal¡ªit was merely a tool.


    Although no longer a child, Sonia¡¯s desires were still superficial: she wanted to step into the light screen, become a Shadow Actress, sing, become brilliantly radiant, and enjoy the admiration and praise of countless strangers...


    She also wanted to be someone others aspired to be.


    Sonia took a deep breath: ¡°Thank you, Lois.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve become much more forthright lately, honestly, it¡¯s kind of disgusting,¡± Lois said with a laugh.


    ¡°But why are you trying to persuade me?¡± Sonia asked, ¡°Seeing me about to miss this opportunity, shouldn¡¯t you be secretly gloating and then mocking me with other classmates?¡±


    Ingrid¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, Adelle snorted and then covered her mouth, laughing wildly. Lois, somewhat embarrassed, muttered, ¡°I didn¡¯t... didn¡¯t you mock me openly and secretly after you won the selection?¡±


    Suddenly entering a phase of dredging up old grievances, Lois secretly calculated her ammunition, ready to shut Sonia up with a more ancient case as soon as Sonia retaliated¡ª


    ¡°Because only by belittling you do I feel confident enough to treat you as an equal.¡±


    As soon as these words came out, Sonia herself was stunned, and the dormitory fell into an eerie silence.


    Lois was also caught off guard by Sonia¡¯s words and blurted out, without thinking, what she had prepared in her mind, ¡°You, you even seduced my admirer...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because I wanted to catch your attention; I hoped you would look at me, I wanted to keep competing with you. If even you were to start dating, I would feel very lonely.¡±


    Lois was dumbfounded.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I...¡± She didn¡¯t even know why she was apologizing, ¡°Then why did you oppose me when we first enrolled? I genuinely wanted to be your friend, and had you not repeatedly rejected my kindness, I wouldn¡¯t have...¡±


    ¡°Because you come from a noble family, a wealthy household, you had a wonderful childhood with everything provided for you, while I was just a wild village girl with nothing¡ªI envied you to the point of feeling inferior. Your kindness back then felt like charity to me, so to protect my last bit of dignity, I could only resort to my only defense mechanism¡ªstubbornness.¡±


    By this point, Sonia felt utterly dejected.


    This was too embarrassing; even wetting the bed as a child wasn¡¯t this embarrassing.


    There was no longer a place for her at Sword Flower University; now she just wanted to carry a train and flee back to her hometown.


    This definitely wasn¡¯t her true sentiment, it must have been the Observer controlling her mouth!


    It doesn¡¯t count, it absolutely doesn¡¯t count!


    After a long silence, Lois suddenly said, ¡°Alright, change your clothes, there¡¯s no time for dinner, let¡¯s head straight to the evening event.¡±


    Sonia was pulled out of the dormitory, and as they went downstairs, Lois leaned in close and whispered a phrase.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be watching you.¡±

 Chapter 103 - 96 Ash Heath Must Die

    Chapter 103: Chapter 96 Ash Heath Must Die


    In the backstage of the Starfall Auditorium, Sonia rehearsed her script silently, glancing at the cue cards. But as she mulled over her lines, she couldn¡¯t resist heading toward the back door, only to be quickly stopped by Lois.


    ¡°Bathrooms aren¡¯t that way!¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯d be better off with a warning!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just make up your mind a moment ago? Why are you backing down now?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯ve realized that I¡¯m not as confident as I thought, I¡¯m scared!¡±


    Just then, a handsome young man in a deep blue evening gown approached Sonia to greet her, ¡°Miss Sevi, good evening. Is there anything I can help you with?¡±


    ...


    ¡°Mr. Cage, good evening,¡± Sonia quickly greeted, ¡°You¡¯ve arrived just in time. I need you to hold back my roommate Lois, as she¡¯s preventing me from fleeing.¡±


    This young man was Arsen Cage, Sonia¡¯s co-host, a second-year student from the Wind Magic Department, renowned as the ¡®Sword Grass¡¯ of the sophomores. His handsome appearance even spurred the female students to spontaneously form a fan club for him.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for Felix going undercover to keep things in check, Arsen would undoubtedly be the arch-enemy of all the male students in the school.


    ¡°That won¡¯t do, a gentleman cannot partake in the ladies¡¯ games.¡±


    Arsen laughed, ¡°Professor Librom sent me to remind you that the gala starts in ten minutes. Please handle your personal issues quickly and then get ready behind the curtain. This is our first collaboration, if I make any mistakes, please forgive me, Miss Sevi. I hope we can become friends after tonight.¡±


    Sonia shook her head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely cause a sensation that you won¡¯t be able to smooth over. I hope you won¡¯t end up hating me after tonight.¡±


    The other party was stunned for a moment, ¡°Miss Sevi, you really are... quite humorous. Well, I¡¯ll go wait for you then.¡±


    After Arsen left, Sonia pleaded, ¡°Please let me leave, Lois. I¡¯m really scared, my heart¡¯s racing, I¡¯m bound to stir up big trouble!¡±


    ¡°No way, no way!¡± Lois shook her head repeatedly, ¡°What about your ambitions? Don¡¯t you want to become Dedarose? Are you content with just being a Sword Master for the rest of your life?¡±


    ¡°I understand all the big principles, and I know I¡¯ll regret it if I leave, but I still want to go!¡±


    While the two were entangled, Ingrid and Adelle entered through the back door. As soon as Adelle walked in, she excitedly said, ¡°There¡¯s a star hanging mid-air outside, you guys should come see!¡±


    Ingrid looked at Sonia, who seemed on the verge of tears, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her now?¡±


    Lois said helplessly, ¡°She¡¯s getting cold feet again and now she wants to run away.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s odd, the Sonia I know is a Sword Master who dares to challenge Felix and Reonie. Why so hesitant?¡±


    Ingrid thought for a while and then clapped her hands, ¡°I get it. Sonia is the impulsive kind who performs better under pressure. We just need to push her onto the stage.¡±


    As her number one fan who witnessed Sonia¡¯s rise from the start, Ingrid¡¯s words gained unanimous agreement. So, the group pulled Sonia to the preparation area behind the curtain, where Professor Librom and others responsible for the evening event were waiting.


    Seeing Sonia arrive, Librom nodded slightly and turned to the staff, ¡°Prepare to lift the curtain, we can begin now.¡±


    By now, Sonia had no way to retreat.


    She took a deep breath, smoothed the wrinkles on her dress, exchanged a look with Arsen, and said, ¡°You take the spotlight when we¡¯re out there. Avoid too much interaction with me. Remember this advice: the more I talk, the more likely things will go wrong.¡±


    This was the first time Arsen had heard such a request.


    He was the host of last year¡¯s gala too, where his partner had tried every trick in the book to upstage him, adding lines and flamboyantly competing for attention. Arsen had been a bit worried whether he would face her again this year, only to find that his partner had changed to a first-year junior.


    Yet, his greatest expectation for Sonia was merely for her to cooperate a bit. He had not expected her to willingly step back, which indeed seemed quite strange to him¡ªafter all, every host of the gala aimed to become a league host and sought to impress the professors for their endorsement.


    Was Sonia simply there to play the role of a host? Or had she accompanied a friend to the selection only to find herself unexpectedly chosen, and thus was not too enthusiastic about it?


    Many thoughts flickered through Arsen¡¯s mind, but outwardly he nodded slightly, ¡°I will try to accommodate your request.¡±


    Librom then announced, ¡°Ten seconds until the curtain raises. Get into position; the stage belongs to you two now. Remember to turn on your mics.¡±


    Arsen went onto the stage first. Sonia, facing the long-awaited platform, suddenly felt calm in her heart.


    ¡°Observer, are you there?¡±


    Sonia knew there would be no response, but somehow, she felt suddenly filled with courage. Her eyebrows relaxed, her lips curved slightly upward, and a smile gleamed in her eyes.


    Observer, are you fighting a lonely battle too?


    If I make a mess of things, you better compensate me well.


    ¡°Doodooroo¡ª¡±


    With the orchestra¡¯s prelude and the lights on, the curtain rose.


    Facing the gaze of students and teachers from both schools, Sonia fully stepped into her role.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, good evening, I am the host for tonight¡¯s gala, Arsen Cage.¡±


    ¡°I am host Sonia Sevi.¡±


    ...


    ...


    In the dormitory of Shattered Lake Prison, Ash¡¯s room.


    The white-haired Hunter Gerard sat on the edge of the bed, holding a book borrowed from the library. The title read ¡°Basic Concise Guide to Simulated Lightning Magic (Third Edition),¡± clearly a textbook Ash couldn¡¯t get into after entering university.


    After a while, Gerard rubbed his eyes and turned his head to look at Ash, who was also reading on the edge of the bed.


    But unlike him, Ash was reading a manga titled ¡°It¡¯s My Fault I Like the Married Woman.¡±


    It was said to be a popular romance manga in Kaimon City, and Gerard had even seen Emi reading it when she had spare time.


    It was said that this manga was about to be adapted into a drama, and the actor playing the male lead, Ron, was a fellow member from the same research institute as Gerard¡ªexcept Ron was an adored movie star who attracted fans wherever he went, while Gerard was a Blood Frenzy Hunter feared by all and whose presence made people flee as if a coffin had opened.


    Noticing Gerard¡¯s gaze, Ash raised his eyebrows, ¡°Do you want to read it? I highly recommend this manga. Its depiction of emotional humanity is very unique, surpassing racial and temporal limitations. But it¡¯s best read alone, lying in bed, because sometimes it¡¯s so sweet you¡¯ll find yourself writhing like a worm on the bed, and other times you¡¯ll feel such sorrow that your stomach aches.¡±


    ¡°I thought you were just putting on an act for me,¡± Gerard said, ¡°It¡¯s hard to imagine you reading romance manga.¡±


    ¡°What do you imagine me to be then?¡±


    ¡°Probably a madman who¡¯s always pondering how to overthrow the Blood Moon, and I figured the books you¡¯d read would more likely be ¡®The Crowd¡¯, ¡®How to Manually Trigger a Storm in the Void Realm¡¯, ¡®Criminal Law¡¯¡ªbooks that would be useful for your career prospects.¡±


    ¡°I told you I¡¯ve lost my memory; I¡¯m not some cult leader,¡± Ash sighed, ¡°All I want now is to live quietly, facing the sea with blossoming spring flowers, and spend the rest of my days in peace.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s interesting,¡± Gerard laughed, ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be afraid of me. I thought you wouldn¡¯t dare come back to the dorm tonight and would hide out in someone else¡¯s room.¡±


    ¡°Why would I be afraid; it¡¯s not like you¡¯d do anything to me.¡±


    ¡°Not so,¡± Gerard replied, touching the long sword leaning against the bed frame, ¡°The shackles are only on you guys. My authority rules are very clean; there are no prohibitions. In other words, I could behead you at any moment if I wish.¡±


    ¡°Then I have even less reason to fear,¡± Ash replied calmly, ¡°After all, you could attack anytime, and the prison is not that big; I couldn¡¯t escape even if I wanted to. Staying in my own room, I can at least die with dignity.¡±


    ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t believe you¡¯ll lay a hand on me. I¡¯m just a death row inmate chased by the Blood Moon Judgement now, barely clinging to life each day. You¡¯d gain nothing from killing me; I can¡¯t think of any reason you¡¯d have to kill me.¡±


    Gerard touched the hilt of his sword, then let go.


    ¡°Indeed, that is the correct approach for scum¡ªkilling doesn¡¯t create value. Better to let you all rot away slowly in this prison, amusing the terrified citizens like clowns, dying a hideous death to extract whatever value is left to atone for your sins.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I quite agree with that,¡± Ash retorted, ¡°If only I weren¡¯t a permanent resident here.¡±


    ¡°Yet you seem quite relaxed,¡± Gerard¡¯s pupils flashed with bloodlust, ¡°I¡¯ve been to this place more than once¡ªmany of the people I¡¯ve brought in recently become extremely unstable, hysterical, repentant, begging, all sorts. I¡¯ve never seen anyone as naturally at ease as you though.¡±


    ¡°Do you already have a way to leave this prison?¡±


    Ash and Gerard looked each other in the eye, ¡°Yes, I do. I¡¯m waiting for you to realize you¡¯ve caught the wrong person and have a conscience attack and let me go.¡±


    Gerard burst into laughter, pulling a bottle of alcohol from his chest pocket and taking a swig, ¡°I did wonder if I had caught the wrong person, but hearing you say that, I¡¯m reassured.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t imagined you actually had a way to escape!¡±


    Clang!


    In the instant Gerard¡¯s sword swung down, Ash thought about using his ¡°Cut Me A Miracle,¡± pulling out sweet words and a hidden dagger to fight Gerard desperately. But he resisted the impulse¡ªeven if he used Cut Me A Miracle to deactivate the chip restriction, with his One-winged silver level of strength, Gerard could easily crush him even if he let him use both hands and feet!


    The blade kissed Ash¡¯s neck, leaving a shallow trace of blood.


    Gerard¡¯s nostrils flared, and the blood red in his pupils deepened.


    ¡°Why do you conclude that?¡± Ash asked.


    ¡°Intuition,¡± Gerard stated flatly, ¡°And I think I¡¯ve figured out your method of escape.¡±


    Ash¡¯s heart thudded wildly¡ªCould it be possible? They hadn¡¯t even started acting yet, and he¡¯d been exposed?


    Was this the power of the Blood Frenzy Hunter¡¯s squad captain, a Three-winged Holy Sanctuary Mage?


    Or was there a traitor?


    ¡°You must be planning on the Gods of Four Pillars to come and save you, right?¡±


    Ash¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, his mouth agape, as if he had seen someone throwing themselves to the ground in a fake accident ten meters away from a car.


    After a brief silence, he said with difficulty, ¡°I haven¡¯t read the Law, but I believe the criminal process here should be ¡®the benefit of the doubt.¡¯ Even if you want to frame me, at least provide some evidence so I can die with some satisfaction rather than sentencing me based on your assumptions!¡±


    ¡°Captain Gerard, you¡¯re a busy man with important matters. Is it necessary to trouble yourself with a petty prisoner like me?¡±


    ¡°Because actually, I¡¯ve come especially for you, Ash Heath.¡±


    Ash was startled.


    Gerard continued, ¡°Someone told me you were planning an escape. He hoped I would stop you and directly eliminate this root of trouble... He even expended a significant favor just to get me to come to Shattered Lake.¡±


    ¡°Killing a prisoner is actually a severe crime. In Kaimon City, aside from a very few individuals, no one can be exempt from such a crime, and I¡¯m one of the few.¡±


    The shadowy name nearly jumped out of Ash¡¯s mind instantly, a chill running through his body, the murderous intent from the blade making him feel like he had fallen into an icy abyss.


    But still, he asked, ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Selin Dore,¡± Gerard said quietly, ¡°He said that the remnants of the Four Pillar Gods¡¯ cult must not continue to live.¡±


    ¡°To stop the Four Pillar Gods and for the glory of the Blood Moon, Ash Heath must die.¡±

 Chapter 104 - 97 Can’t Hold On Anymore

    Chapter 104: Chapter 97 Can¡¯t Hold On Anymore


    Sword Flower University, Starfall Auditorium.


    ¡°...To vigorously promote the spirit of active and adventurous endeavor, to create a healthy and positive competitive atmosphere, and to foster friendly exchanges between Sword Flower University and Truth University, the stage is now handed over to the outstanding students from both institutes. Let them compete under the watchful eyes of the stars in a friendship match.¡±


    As Sonia¡¯s voice echoed, the dome of the auditorium rose dramatically. The lining of the dome was unexpectedly made up of mirrors¡ªcleverly positioned so that their reflections made the starlight shine down like spotlights in the auditorium. Everyone appeared to be draped in a thin veil of starlight, the lights even more dazzling than the indoor lighting from before.


    In the Kingdom of Stars, all significant events must take place under the starry sky. If the starry daytime is deemed ¡®work time,¡¯ then the glittering night is ¡®entertainment time¡¯¡ªof course, ordinary people couldn¡¯t enjoy such a grueling schedule, only Mages who could rejuvenate through exploring the Void Realm could afford such leisure.


    Moreover, the starlight was more than just a spectacle; it symbolized the favor of the Magic Master of the Dazzling Stars, and thus, Mages who entered the Void Realm at night for battle, studying, or training received additional blessings, however slight.


    ¡°During the intervals when the starlight cascades down, please welcome Professor Oreron from Truth University and Professor Nidara from Sword Flower University to share their views on the friendship match,¡± Arsen said.


    ...


    Naturally, such a social evening would not see the presence of university presidents. After all, the time of Legendary Mages was extremely precious and even the Void Realm couldn¡¯t get enough of it. Hence, Truth University sent ¡®Weapon Master¡¯ Oreron as their representative, and Sword Flower University dispatched ¡®Rhythm Sword Saint¡¯ Nidara.


    Nidara glanced at the students from Truth University and said indifferently, ¡°Reonie, make it quick later. I¡¯m in a rush to get to the Void Realm and have no interest in staying at such a boring gathering.¡±


    The burly Oreron huffed coldly; his head was completely bald, and his body was tattooed with various line designs. If it were before Sonia had fought the Thunder Holder in the Void Realm, she wouldn¡¯t have recognized that Oreron¡¯s tattoos were likely the amplifying products of the Thunder Technique faction.


    Despite his rough exterior, Oreron spoke quite politely, ¡°I hope tonight¡¯s friendship match allows outstanding students from both universities to gain something. I¡¯m looking forward to the performance of the students from Sword Flower University, but I also believe in the abilities of our students. I plan to take on an Apprentice this year¡ªif you don¡¯t perform well, this opportunity might just be snatched away by a student from Sword Flower University.¡±


    The students from Truth University appeared indifferent, nodding slightly towards Oreron, clearly not considering Sword Flower University a threat.


    ¡°Haha, both professors are really full of animosity, with Professor Oreron even offering the reward of an Apprentice,¡± chuckled Arsen. ¡°It¡¯s been five years since the ¡®Weapon Master¡¯ has taken a new apprentice, and every Apprentice he personally trained has advanced to Two-Winged before graduating. It seems tonight¡¯s friendship match will definitely be thrilling.¡±


    Arsen skillfully steered the professors¡¯ remarks into a seamless conversation, flawlessly circumscribing any faults. He glanced at the dome, which was a few seconds away from unveiling and casually said to his co-host, ¡°Sevi, what do you think?¡±


    Sonia, who had maintained a professional smile up until now, suddenly couldn¡¯t keep her composure and looked at Arsen with a gaze filled with terror.


    Wasn¡¯t it agreed to avoid speaking to me directly and not let me improvise, and that you¡¯d outshine everyone on your own?


    It wasn¡¯t really Arsen¡¯s fault, as he thought Sonia was just being polite, and it would look too selfish if he hogged the limelight alone; two hosts were there to create a lively back-and-forth dialogue to energize the atmosphere. How could he just let Sonia stand there looking foolish?


    Moreover, he had picked up the conversation, said the right things, and letting Sonia say a few nice words to fill the time wasn¡¯t too much, right?


    Soon, Arsen would realize how overboard he was; overwhelmingly so. If he were to describe it using the popular movie and TV series ¡°Love That Crosses Time and Space,¡± it would be like ¡®I want to run five seconds back in time and shut my mouth.¡¯


    ¡°I think Professor Nidara is a high-EQ person.¡±


    ¡°Oh, why is that?¡±


    ¡°Because Professor Nidara speaks such low emotional intelligence here, not only has he provoked the disgust of the teachers and students of Truth University, but he¡¯s also irked all of us organizing the event. It shows that we aren¡¯t worthy of him using emotional intelligence. Thus, those he does treat with emotional intelligence must be very high-status people, so he is indeed high in emotional intelligence.¡±


    Sonia smoothly said, ¡°Perhaps only at a dinner party where the president is present can we see Professor Nidara¡¯s display of high emotional intelligence. So, Professor Nidara¡¯s eloquence is quite good, just a bit rotten; and his demeanor is hard to evaluate because he simply has none.¡±


    Silence.


    Except for the sound of the dome unfolding, there was hardly a whisper in the event. It should be noted that although the dinner wasn¡¯t public in nature, it wasn¡¯t sparsely attended either, with one-third of the professors and top students from all grades gathered together.


    They stared at Sonia on stage, all dumbfounded, but unfortunately, Professor Nidara was sitting in the far corner, and no one dared to specifically turn their heads to observe his expression.


    Lois and others peeking from backstage were also stunned. They had anticipated Sonia¡¯s performance tonight, but they hadn¡¯t expected her to actually pull this off.


    Even Arsen was momentarily stunned, his mind turned to mush, completely unable to devise a clever quip to follow Sonia¡¯s words.


    ¡°Ha ha!¡±


    Professor Oreron¡¯s thunderous laughter rang out as he clapped, ¡°Well said, Sword Flower University truly is full of talents!¡±


    ¡°Truth University isn¡¯t far behind,¡± Sonia said, ¡°With Professor Oreron, a man of your all-polite words, Truth University has truly struck gold. One must admire the excellent matching mechanism of Jiale City. Professor Oreron and Professor Nidara are well-matched in every respect.¡±


    ¡°How am I all polite words?¡±


    ¡°You just said if Sword Flower University¡¯s students win over Truth University¡¯s students, you would take on research apprentices from Sword Flower University, isn¡¯t that polite words? Your past three apprentices were all high-grade students from Truth University. You¡¯re clearly issuing an empty check; you¡¯ll proceed as usual once you return and won¡¯t really take on students from other schools as apprentices.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my words are true!¡±


    ¡°Then put it in writing! Seal it with a contract! Make it official!¡±


    Some students who loved to see a spectacle also shouted, ¡°Yes, put it in writing!¡±


    The students from Truth University immediately retorted, ¡°Why should we issue a written agreement just because you say so?¡±


    Watching the dinner gradually turn into a marketplace brawl, Arsen suddenly realized that this might be the biggest challenge he had ever faced in his career as an emcee, without a doubt.


    He decisively shouted, ¡°Now, please welcome Lauren Z from the Sword Skill Department of Sword Flower University and Rigang Carol from Truth University to the stage for the first one-on-one friendly match!¡±

 Chapter 105 - 98 Uninvited Guest

    Chapter 105: Chapter 98 Uninvited Guest


    Arsen said this while quickly pulling Sonia to a seat next to the commentator¡¯s booth.


    Sonia obediently shut her mouth.


    As long as no one addressed her, she could control herself and refrain from speaking.


    At the moment, her heart was filled with both concern and relief. The concern was naturally because she had managed to offend two professors in a row, but her relief stemmed from the fact that one of those she had offended was the ¡®Rhythm Sword Saint¡¯ Nidara¡ªTrozan had always been at odds with Nidara, so she hoped that Trozan would protect her, his little Apprentice.


    As for the ¡®Weapon Master¡¯ Oreron, that was even simpler. As long as Sonia did not go to Truth University, would Oreron really go out of his way to trouble her across schools?


    The only problem was that her path as a host, the dream of being a star, might have come to an end here...


    ...


    By this time, the two competitors had already stepped onto the stage. Lauren was that senior who had troubled Sonia earlier, a relative of Celia.


    Although not as strong as Reonie, Lauren was still a member of the Sword Flower competition team, and his strength was definitely not lacking. At that time, he had been more than capable of handling Sonia and Gabriel on his own.


    ¡°Lauren, I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve fallen so far as to bully a first-year freshman,¡± Rigang pulled out a vicious-looking longbow. ¡°Taking out your frustrations on a junior because of your own lack of progress, the customs of Sword Flower University are really something.¡±


    ¡°Rigang, don¡¯t forget who was the one that cut your bowstring,¡± Lauren retorted with a sword in one hand.


    ¡°I also haven¡¯t forgotten who got shot in the butt by my arrow.¡±


    Arsen, looking at the information, said, ¡°Both competitors also faced off in last year¡¯s league; a year has gone by, and they must have made more advancements. Miss Sevi, what do you think?¡±


    Here Arsen wasn¡¯t stubbornly refusing to admit a mistake, but the script called for Sonia to introduce Lauren and Rigang¡¯s Technique Spirits and the record of their past battles, so he chose to trust Sonia once again.


    However, he forgot that the script said, ¡®Please introduce the two young Mages,¡¯ not ¡®what do you think¡¯.


    Facing Sonia¡¯s helpless gaze, Arsen realized he had made another mistake.


    ¡°I think the two of them are wasting everyone¡¯s time with their trash talk. They¡¯d better start fighting quickly so everyone can have some fun watching.¡±


    Lauren¡¯s mouth twitched and he decided to strike preemptively. He pushed off the ground and his body shot forward like an arrow.


    Rigang, calm and composed, took a step back and conjured a silver Magic Arrow on his bowstring, instantly switching from defense to offense!


    ¡°Swordsmanship Miracle Meteor Strike, beautiful! But Carol¡¯s actions are equally fast. As everyone knows, Bow Technique is usually a group battle magic, and the fact that Carol dares to participate in a solo competition using it shows his expertise in close combat. Lauren should be cautious.¡±


    ¡°Ow, a Steal Arrow dodge ¨C Carol is best at this Miracle. He shoots a powerful steel arrow in the midst of dodging, repelling Lauren¡¯s defensive Technique Spirit!¡±


    ¡°What an impressive preemptive attack! Too bad for Carol, with just one arrow he dismantled the attack and once again put distance between them!¡±


    After continuous commentary for a while, Arsen couldn¡¯t help but feel thirsty. Before taking a drink, he asked subconsciously, ¡°What do you think of the current situation?¡±


    Heaven help us, this was purely Arsen¡¯s professional reflex¡ªsomeone had to fill in the gap with commentary while he drank.


    ¡°Lauren has more losses than wins; he is a speed-type competitor, but his opponent excels at endurance battles and keeping distance with Bow Technique,¡± Sonia analyzed with a professional eye. ¡°But Rigang lacks the Miracle for sudden outbursts. If Lauren dares to sacrifice an arm to block an attack, he might create an opportunity to turn defeat into victory.¡±


    ¡°But Lauren seems very confident in his backup plan; he must possess a powerful Miracle. However, given his swordsmanship Realm, the Miracle he uses probably won¡¯t be faster than Rigang¡¯s response.¡±


    No sooner had she spoken than many surprised glances were cast her way¡ªincluding those of Nidara, Oreron, as well as Rigang and Lauren on stage!


    Lauren¡¯s eyes flickered, and suddenly he lunged forward, drawing a cross with his longsword in front of him!


    Magic Power converged into shape, the huge cross of Sword Qi almost filled the entire stage, sweeping towards Rigang like a Guillotine!


    ¡°Is this your trump card? That¡¯s it?¡±


    Rigang laughed coldly, stepped aside, and turned, deftly passing through the Sword Qi unharmed!


    And at the same time, he nocked and drew his bow, firing an arrow at the rushing Lauren!


    However, this time Lauren did not dodge or block, but instead stretched out his hand to intercept the silver Magic Arrow, trading a minor injury for distance!


    Rigang got a bit flustered, hastily retreating and releasing three arrows in quick succession. The three arrows shot out almost simultaneously, like a Meteor falling, breaking the air with their roars¡ªa clear sign they were powerful enough to blast a person in half.


    But Lauren was relentless, not attempting to dodge and instead furiously summoned his defensive Technique Spirit, using his left arm to intercept all three arrows!


    Clang!


    When both stopped in their tracks, people saw Lauren¡¯s left hand covered in freely flowing blood, the entire hand twisted and deformed, as if it would snap in half with a gust of wind.


    Yet Lauren¡¯s sword point was right against Rigang¡¯s neck!


    In just a few seconds, Rigang went from having the upper hand to being defeated!


    Arsen announced loudly, ¡°Lauren¡¤Z is the winner of the first friendly match!¡±


    A Medical Practitioner quickly took the winner Lauren to the backstage for treatment, while the defeated Rigang was unharmed and naturally did not require treatment. The latter seemed to have a hard time accepting his defeat, standing on the stage, tasting this unspeakable shame.


    ¡°Next up, the competitor is...¡±


    ¡°Hey, you!¡±


    Rigang suddenly interrupted Arsen¡¯s words, pointing at Sonia and cursing, ¡°Just blabbering from below the stage without participating in the competition¡ªI hate people like you the most¡ª¡±


    ¡°Rigang!¡± Oreron¡¯s face darkened as he loudly reprimanded the disgraceful student.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for her nonsense distracting my mind just now, I would never have lost!¡±


    Rigang, unconvinced, retorted, ¡°I hate it the most when others nitpick while I fight. If you¡¯re so great, why don¡¯t you come up here and fight me? After all, isn¡¯t it just¡ª¡±


    ¡°Fine, then.¡±


    ¡°See, I knew she was that kind of person... Huh?¡±


    Rigang paused for a moment in surprise.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a match. I won¡¯t lose anyway.¡± Sonia stood up from the commentator¡¯s seat. ¡°I also feel a strong urge to beat someone like you who blames the heavens, the earth, the air¡ªanything but yourself¡ªwhen you lose.¡±


    ¡°Not lose? With your ability?¡± Rigang sneered. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you last year. Are you a freshman? Do you even have as much Magic Power as a feather?¡±


    As he spoke, Rigang flicked his hand and his nearly fully condensed Silver Wings appeared on his back!


    Even though not fully spread, it was missing only a few feathers. Rigang, a second-year student, had two years before graduation¡ªit was entirely possible for him to advance to Two-winged and step into the Time Continent before then!


    Arsen quickly grabbed Sonia, ¡°Miss Sevi, there¡¯s no need¡ª¡±


    The next second, an even more complete set of Silver Wings unfolded before his eyes.


    That dazzling silver light, even brighter than the night sky filled with stars, captivated everyone¡¯s attention!


    Fully spread Silver Wings!


    Sonia, a first-year student, a Mage not long after her awakening, had already become an official One-winged Mage?


    ¡°Want to compete in Magic Power? I¡¯ve been looking for an opportunity to show off to everyone.¡±


    Sonia gently caressed her Silver Wings, proudly stating, ¡°You should be proud to be my stepping stone.¡±


    ¡°Next, your defeat will pave the way for my glory!¡±


    At this point, Sonia no longer knew whether this was a rant forced out by the summoning ritual or a true statement she willingly made.


    All she knew was that this feeling of utter recklessness felt really great!


    Watching Sonia approach the stage, Rigang inexplicably stepped back.


    At this tense and bizarre moment, suddenly, everyone felt a stir in their hearts and simultaneously looked up.


    Above the unfolded dome, under the cover of night, a starlight that hung in mid-air suddenly burst with waves of Magic Power. Immediately after, a person fell from the starlight, landing right inside the Star Fall Auditorium, in front of Sonia.


    The person jumped up the instant he landed, noticing many people around, and made a split-second decision to rush at the nearest woman, attempting to take her hostage to escape¡ª


    Whiz!


    Sensing the intruder¡¯s intense killing intent, Sonia¡¯s hand became a blade, emitting a Sword Qi slash that forced the unwelcome guest to retreat. The intruder was shocked. How could a randomly chosen girl turn out to be a Mage?


    He immediately abandoned the hostage-taking plan, attempting to use his speed to break through the crowd. He was an Earth and Wind dual-element Mage, once a notorious thief in possession of the Miracle ¡°Floating Boat,¡± capable of easily escaping a siege by thousands!


    However, two hands suddenly appeared on his shoulders, pressing him firmly in place.


    ¡°Your neck, hands, and feet are all shackled in starlight,¡± Oreron commented.


    The intruder looked down to realize that his neck and limbs had unknowingly been encircled by deep blue rings, looking like heavy chains, but he felt no weight.


    ¡°This means you¡¯re an invader from the Foreign Domain, marked by the Kingdom of Stars as an invader, and ¡®Starlight Shackles¡¯ prevent you from jumping through space,¡± Nidara looked up at the starlight that seemed to be a gateway to the Void Realm above the dome.


    ¡°Interesting, there¡¯s a passage to the Foreign Domain directly above Sword Flower University? Tell us, which realm do you come from? Do you understand our language?¡±


    At that moment, the intruder realized that everyone around him was a Mage.


    He had already secretly activated a Miracle, but it had no effect at all. Furthermore, his whole body was suppressed and immobilized¡ªthis indicated that the two Mages holding him were at least Three-winged Holy Sanctuary Mages, directly suppressing his Technique Spirit with their Holy Domain!


    Sensing danger, the intruder¡¯s vision filled with a Light Screen, flashing a series of red warnings: ¡°Life-threatening detection, initiating self-destruction mode!¡±


    ¡°Hmm? We can¡¯t just let you die like that.¡±


    The red information suddenly became disordered into unreadable chaos, and finally, the Light Screen snapped and disappeared¡ªthe body chip was forcefully suppressed!


    With a bitter smile, the intruder knew that to prevent him from leaking information about the Void Realm passage and realm secrets, his blood, bones, flesh, soul, and even memory were engraved with more than one Miracle. Deactivating the chip only extended his life by a few seconds.


    ¡°Hmm? A curse that even the Holy Domain can¡¯t purify? Nidara, can you prevent his suicide?¡±


    ¡°Yes, by killing him first.¡±


    The invader felt his body dissolving, his blood boiling, his skull singing, his eyes fleeing. The intense pain drowned his senses and just before completely losing consciousness, he felt deep Despair for his own misfortune, yet a malicious smile appeared on his lips.


    For he knew his misfortune would shatter someone else¡¯s happiness.

 Chapter 106: 99: Observer? (Third Update)

    Chapter 106: Chapter 99: Observer? (Third Update)


    The mixer suddenly ended, and all the students were rushed back to their dormitories, as a white tower rose from the ground, and the neighboring area was designated as a military restricted zone.


    The students had no idea what the invader implied, they only saw it turn into a pile of mashed potatoes before the professors packed it into jars and carried it away, almost predicting that mashed potatoes would be unsellable in the cafeteria for the next few days.


    Sonia and her three friends stood on the balcony of their dorm room, looking at the towering white tower in the distance that almost obscured the night sky, and for a while, they were all a bit stunned¡ªhonestly, although they knew and had seen the might of mages, the peace and harmony of Jiale City had long incorporated the power of mages into their daily lives, to the point where it was no longer surprising to them.


    For instance, controlling the weather, stopping the earth¡¯s rumble, regenerating limbs, accelerating crop growth... these miracles had even become routine tasks of common professions listed in the ¡°University Student Employment Survey.¡±


    When you are bathed in the glory of miracles every second of every day, you naturally take it for granted.


    As for the mage wars and miraculous scenes in the dramas, although they were very thrilling to watch, they still left people with a sense of unrealism.


    ...


    Are they really that powerful?


    Even if they are that powerful, what does it have to do with me?


    Nevertheless, at this very moment, the apprentice mages of Sword Flower University finally got a glimpse of the mage¡¯s might.


    Just moments ago, in merely a span of minutes, a several-hundred-meters-tall white tower rose from the ground. They watched with wide eyes as the massive Starlight Auditorium was directly covered by the white tower, with dirt and stones piling up like building blocks on their own, and the top of the tower touched the starlight hanging in the sky at a speed visible to the naked eye.


    Not in one day, not in one hour, but in a matter of minutes!


    Grand structures that would take ordinary people years or even decades to build, mages completed while taking the time to sip a cup of tea!


    ¡°Was it a legendary mage who acted?¡± Lois murmured, ¡°I don¡¯t remember which legendary mage specializes in earth magic...¡±


    ¡°Any holy-domain legendary would have grasped the means to extrapolate from one¡¯s magic to perform others¡¯ magic; it¡¯s common practice,¡± Ingrid remarked. ¡°For example, the ¡®Wind Erosion Yadan¡¯ of the Wind Magic Department is a miracle performed by the Wind Technique Spirit that exhibits the might of earth magic, using a storm to carve out huge structures.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, even if a legendary mage cultivates in multiple magic factions, relying on their four-winged Magic Power and Four-winged Technique Spirit, they can exert a might beyond our imagination. The invader seems to be taken very seriously, and people from other schools and even the Noble House have rushed over; for so many mages gathering together, constructing a vast white tower might merely be an easy task.¡±


    ¡°I had already spotted the Void Turbulence earlier!¡± Adelle exclaimed. ¡°If I had reported it in time, would I have received a reward from the school? Like my homework and dissertation being waived?¡±


    ¡°The school would reward you with free retakes,¡± Lois tapped Adelle¡¯s forehead. ¡°You failed two courses last semester, and if you fail again this term, I wonder how you¡¯ll arrange your classes next year.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve learned a nifty trick for cheating; I¡¯ll never fail another class!¡±


    ¡°Are you serious? Cheating under the professors¡¯ noses? Are you secretly a Golden Mage? Is your magic faction ¡®Dramas¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, just wait and see.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which.¡± Ingrid looked at Sonia. ¡°Sonia, how did you suddenly unfold your Silver Wings? By my calculations, you entered the Void Realm less than ten days ago!¡±


    Lois and Adelle also sneakily glanced at Sonia, curious to the point of itching, but their relationship with Sonia wasn¡¯t close enough to pry into this information, so they had waited for Ingrid to bring up the subject.


    After all, it was truly frightening.


    Everyone knew Sonia only began training in swordsmanship on the evening of April 12th, summoning her Wave Sword Technique Spirit in the training hall during her battle with Felix, hence being called the ¡°Water Magic Department¡¯s number one swordsmanship prodigy,¡± and was taken as a research apprentice by Professor Trozan the following day.


    Then she only delved into the Void Realm on the evening of the 13th, and today was the 21st.


    Just eight days¡¯ time!


    Sonia went from an apprentice mage without even Void Wings to a formal Silver Mage who had unfolded the Silver Wings, all in just eight days!


    This speed was terrifyingly fast¡ªknowing that Rigang Carol, who had been showing off on stage just a short time ago, was considered a genius by Truth University simply because he had condensed the Silver Wings by the second year.


    And Professor Nidara¡¯s favorite pupil, the ¡°Orange Dancer¡± Reonie, was seen as having the makings of a Sword Saint for having unfolded her Silver Wings in her third year!


    Even the most talented young mages needed to spend a year or two swimming in the Sea of Knowledge to condense their Magic Power, but Sonia had completed this process in just eight days!


    If it weren¡¯t for the boundary restrictions that the Magic Faction had to advance to the Golden Realm first before a mage could possibly become Two-winged, Lois even suspected that Sonia might become a Golden Mage before they became Silver Mages.


    Honestly, if it weren¡¯t for someone suddenly falling from the Starry Sky, Sonia would undoubtedly be the absolute protagonist of the night; if it weren¡¯t for the school¡¯s announcement of campus-wide curfew, with all students required to stay in their dormitories, their dorm would also have certainly been trampled over by countless people.


    To condense Silver Wings in eight days and sail across the Sea of Knowledge for ten thousand miles, how on earth did she accomplish this?


    Sonia was also a bit frightened at this moment.


    She actually didn¡¯t intend to expose herself so soon, but when Rigang posed the question, ¡°Is there a feather among the magic power you gathered?¡± under the constraints of the summoning ritual, she had no choice but to show her Silver Wings to prove herself¡ªSonia absolutely wouldn¡¯t admit that at that moment she had any intentions of showing off.


    Her magic power naturally came from the fact that she and the Observer had been using the ¡°Vortex Secret¡± to create vortices these past two days.


    Even though the vortices they created were short-distanced and difficult to form, considering that the Observer could find three to four knowledge creatures in a single night, in three nights they had created several vortexes, both unfurling their Silver Wings.


    This should have been a good thing, but Sonia had become a mage in such a short amount of time that it was too frightening once exposed. Plus, she was not sure whether the school would covet the ¡°Vortex Secret.¡± If it was merely intelligence information, she would have contributed, and the school should have rewarded her with a candy.


    However, the ¡°Vortex Secret¡± was a Secret Poison, the more people knew about it, the deeper the poison affected those who knew. Now, every time Sonia drank water, it felt as difficult as drinking rancid water¡ªshe definitely did not want to share this secret and increase the difficulty of her own drinking.


    ¡°Because I encountered a vortex.¡± Sonia controlled the amount of truthful information she released.


    Everyone suddenly had a moment of revelation and sighed, their faces showing envy and jealousy. They probably thought that Sonia had encountered a super-long-distance vortex, and then she condensed her Silver Wings in an instant¡ªthey didn¡¯t consider the possibility that Sonia had encountered multiple vortices. Who would guess that someone could win a top prize multiple times in a row?


    Clang!


    Suddenly, a sound like shattering glass resounded across the Starry Sky. Everyone looked up to see a woman in a deep blue robe flying towards a white giant tower, and then a thunderous explosion came from the tower, which even blossomed with a ring of rainbow ripples¡ªclearly, a battle was occurring!


    ¡°That female mage who flew towards the tower just now... is she the Church¡¯s Holy Daughter?¡± Adelle exclaimed in surprise. ¡°I think I saw her when I attended the grand festival last year...¡±


    Lois asked, ¡°Do you believe in the Church, Adelle?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t, but as a noble of Jiale City, I definitely have to attend various festivals and ceremonies.¡± Adelle looked at the top of the tower radiating a decaying glow. ¡°Nothing seemed to have happened just now... Could it be the Church¡¯s Holy Daughter has started a fight with the other professors?¡±


    The others couldn¡¯t get a word in; they knew even less about the Church than Adelle did. In the Kingdom of Stars, the Church was a very contradictory presence; on one hand, it was undoubtedly the only state religion, with no other beliefs existing, in charge of presiding over various ceremonial activities, and even the Empress¡¯s coronation had to be approved by the Pope.


    But at the same time, the Church kept a low profile, with hardly any missionary activities, and even cultural works like films and operas related to the Church were scarce, with almost no Believers to speak of.


    Even these female university students only knew that the Church worshipped the Magic Master of the Dazzling Star, but they had even forgotten the full name of the Church.


    Was it the Dazzling Star Church or the Starlight Church?


    ¡°It¡¯s time to take a bath.¡± Adelle yawned.


    Suddenly, Sonia remembered something and checked her Miracle Bracelet, only to find it was already 11:30 p.m.!


    She used to have to enter the Void Realm by 11:00 p.m.!


    Not caring about taking off makeup and bathing, Sonia lay down on the bed and sought the Gate of Truth within the Wave Sword Technique Spirit¡ªsince there was a campus-wide curfew tonight, she naturally couldn¡¯t go to the Meditation Building, but now that she was officially a Silver Mage, even without the aid of the Meditation Building, she could easily find the Gate of Truth!


    Closing her eyes... the Gate of Truth... sinking into Consciousness... entering the Void Realm!


    The usual steps for entering, but before Sonia could open her eyes, she already felt the icy seawater engulfing her¡ªit was disgusting, just like being surrounded by mocking stares while studying at home as a child.


    Upon opening her eyes, it wasn¡¯t the familiar boat and the familiar stranger that came into view, but the perpetually unchanging white mist and the deep, pitch-black Sea of Knowledge.


    Looking around, she stood alone in the eerie silence. Not caring about the revulsion, Sonia swam around, yet her pupils still reflected the unchanging scenery.


    A surge of indescribable panic swept over Sonia¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Observer?¡±

 Chapter 107: 100 Giving a Rich Woman Face

    Chapter 107: Chapter 100 Giving a Rich Woman Face


    ¡°If you¡¯ve been hurt enough, just use a pair of hands and gleefully cut it open...¡±


    Igula, who hadn¡¯t slept all night, let out a long sigh and jumped out of bed, ready to head out, but he suddenly stopped at the door.


    ¡°Why am I in such a hurry? Wouldn¡¯t it be better if he were dead?¡±


    Igula shook his head and, following usual habits, went back to take a bath. However, this time he felt none of the usual comfort and relaxation of bathing. After soaking for a while, he hurriedly dried himself and went to brush his teeth, preparing to activate the Revelation Technique Spirit.


    But the prerequisite for triggering the Resonance of the Revelation Technique Spirit was to maintain a naturally calm mood, and Igula was currently a mess inside, so he had no hope for it. Yet, for some reason, the Revelation Technique Spirit still activated, leaving a line of words made of toothpaste foam on the mirror:


    ¡°Do not be too surprised.¡±


    ...


    Surprised about what?


    Could it be that Ash really died?


    A chill ran through Igula¡¯s heart. Seeing Gerard pay so much attention to Ash yesterday, he realized that the Hunter Captain had come for that unruly cult leader.


    Though escorting prisoners and assisting in setting up the Blood Moon Judgement also fell under a Hunter¡¯s duties, it certainly didn¡¯t warrant the deployment of the head of the enforcement squad. With Gerard¡¯s status, he could have refused any job he wasn¡¯t interested in. Therefore, for him to come to Shattered Lake, someone must have caught his interest!


    If it was just that, it would have been bearable; at worst, it meant Ash sacrificing his physical body. But Igula also unexpectedly learned that people like Gerard possessed legal immunity!


    In the Kingdom of Blood Moon, the law is God¡¯s will, and the rules are God¡¯s desires¡ªunbreakable, undeniable! Once you are proven guilty, whether you are an executive secretary, the Mayor of Kaimon City, or a wealthy businessman, you must be judged according to the law, no exceptions!


    To this day, Igula could not forget the image on the Light Screen from thirteen years ago when he witnessed the nationwide Blood Moon Judgement at the foster home¡ªthe serene and elegant man torn into pieces by the Executioner!


    That man was the Legendary Mage, ¡®Silent Maestro¡¯ Thels Gordo, a legend in the Kingdom of Blood Moon for nearly a century! A Four-winged Mage whose wings unfolded fully, nearly touching the Divine Realm!


    Yet, even such a powerful being, as a price for defying the law, still had to endure the punishment of the Judgment Hammer!


    From that day on, Igula was utterly convinced of the path he should take.


    In the Kingdom of Blood Moon, true power came from understanding, utilizing, and controlling the rules; otherwise, even if you were strong, you were merely a slightly more robust ant in face of the laws established by the Divine Beings!


    However, during his many years as an ¡®Insurance Contract Officer,¡¯ Igula stumbled upon the fact that a select few had legal immunity¡ªeven if they committed illegal acts, the law would not sanction them but rather, the Parliament and Church had to protect them, manage public sentiment, and quell any disturbances.


    These individuals were extremely rare and had to meet two conditions: first, they must belong to the Blood Saint Clan or the Moon Shadow Clan; second, they must hold important positions!


    The first condition was understandable; the Blood Saint Clan and the Moon Shadow Clan were the favored races of the Extreme Lord of Blood Moon, and most preferential treatments fell to these two races¡ªno one complained. If you disagreed, you could just take the exam. Any race could transform into the Blood Saint Clan or the Moon Shadow Clan through passing tests, and research institutions and the Church recruited new clan members every year.


    The second condition, the ¡®important positions,¡¯ was somewhat debatable, as in the eyes of most ordinary people, important positions were mayors of the Government Affairs Hall and members of Parliament. But that wasn¡¯t actually the case.


    The three most important institutions in the Kingdom of Blood Moon were the ¡®Crime Hunting Hall¡¯ with enforcement authority, the ¡®War Zone¡¯ responsible for suppressing the Abyss across various regions, and the ¡®Cherished Church¡¯ overseeing all orphanages, specializing in maternity hospitals, and responsible for population statistics.


    A Church bishop, a War Zone Commander, and a Hunter Captain were the three most important positions.


    The Church bishop was invariably from the Moon Shadow Clan, the War Zone Commander could only be from the Blood Saint Clan, and the Hunter Captain could be from either clan; thus, those with legal immunity were these three types of individuals!


    Gerard Wesminster was indeed a member of this privileged class that could disregard the law!


    This meant, even if Gerard went into the bedroom with Ash and then only he came out, Gerard wouldn¡¯t face any punishments and could act as if nothing had happened.


    However, many people in the prison felt that Gerard had probably just reminisced with Ash, and at most, the two might have a friendly exchange of sorts¡ªthe kind where Ash couldn¡¯t fight back¡ªand then it would be over.


    After all, Ash was a dead man walking in the prison, and Gerard had no need to tarnish his reputation for this condemned man. To put it harshly, killing Ash would only dirty Gerard¡¯s hands.


    Igula felt the same way initially, but he suddenly realized something in the middle of the night.


    The real issue wasn¡¯t about whether Gerard wanted to, but if he could¡ªwhy had Gerard requested to stay with Ash? He was assessing whether Ash had enough value to be worth his crime!


    At that moment, Igula felt that Ash was doomed, considering Ash¡¯s low emotional intelligence, underdeveloped brain, and infant-level expression management, Gerard might have killed him just for being displeasing to look at.


    But isn¡¯t this good? If Ash wished for death, he no longer had to fulfill Ash¡¯s wishes...


    Just as Igula was convincing himself while walking into the dining room, he witnessed an unimaginable scene: Ash and Gerard were having breakfast face to face, even chatting and laughing.

 Chapter 108: 100 Giving a Rich Woman Face_2

    Chapter 108: Chapter 100 Giving a Rich Woman Face_2


    Ash seemed to have told a rather bad joke, but the aloof white-haired Hunter actually burst into loud laughter. His decibel level even exceeded the ¡°Public Place Management Regulations.¡± If he were a death row convict, he¡¯d have been muted by the chip for sure.


    ¡°Ah, Igula, over here!¡± Ash spotted Igula immediately and raised his hand to wave.


    As if your eyesight is that good any other time... Igula, who had intended to observe the situation from a distance, was reluctantly forced to come over with his breakfast in hand. ¡°Good morning to both of you, did you sleep well last night?¡±


    ¡°Good, very good,¡± Gerard said. ¡°The accommodations here are even better than at my home, though I haven¡¯t slept for years. Luckily I had Ash with me, so I didn¡¯t get bored.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Igula raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°I played with Gerard until late last night,¡± Ash shrugged, ¡°Haven¡¯t had that much fun in a long time.¡±


    ...


    Played? Igula and others nearby exhibited subtle expressions.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay another night? I¡¯ll give you a chance to turn defeat into victory. Though, you need to change that anxious habit of yours. I haven¡¯t even used my full strength last night, and you beat yourself.¡±


    The expressions of nearby death row convicts became more peculiar. Their looks towards Gerard changed¡ªwas Gerard such an easy defeat before Ash?


    Sheesh, ¡®Demon¡¯ Ash is actually this terrifying!


    ¡°No, no, the city¡¯s calling me back. My visit to the prison was pretty much a vacation. If I don¡¯t get back soon, the head of the office will have my hide.¡±


    At that moment, Gerard and the others seemed to have received a message. The Blood Frenzy Hunters dining in the cafeteria stood up in unison. Gerard waved his hand, ¡°The ship¡¯s here, I¡¯ll be seeing you next time, Ash.¡±


    ¡°Leaving so soon? Have a safe trip, and don¡¯t forget to write to me when you get a chance.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    Once the Blood Frenzy Hunters left the cafeteria, the death row convicts all watched Ash with respectful gazes.


    To think he could establish a deep friendship with Hunter Captain Gerard. Could ¡®Black Beast¡¯ do it, could ¡®Diamond¡¯ do it, but ¡®Demon¡¯ Ash did it!


    They all knew that Gerard had personally brought Ash in, but after just one night, Gerard had already been conquered by him!


    No wonder he could become a Saint blessed by The Gods of Four Pillars, no wonder he could become the only man to start a cult in the Kingdom of Blood Moon in nearly a century!


    Indeed, Ash Heath had easily done what we could not!


    Silently, ¡®Demon¡¯ Ash had become the death row convict king of Shattered Lake Prison¡ªthough still a death row convict.


    Igula dragged Ash to the sea-view rooftop. The transport ship carrying the Blood Frenzy Hunters had just left the harbor, cutting through the waves of Shattered Lake to the north. Many dawn-active pointer sharks were energetically greeting the ship¡¯s hull with their teeth, the sunlight glinting off their scales.


    ¡°What did you play with him last night?¡±


    Ash paused for a moment¡ªThat¡¯s your first question?


    ¡°What else would we play, of course it was cards.¡±


    ¡°Cards?¡± Igula was momentarily at a loss: ¡°What game?¡±


    As a highly developed fantasy society, the Kingdom of Blood Moon naturally had playing cards. Although there were some differences in details, the overall concept was the same. Ash found out that they didn¡¯t have a Blackjack game of 21 points here, so he modified it slightly and taught it to Gerard. The two played Blackjack for the entire night.


    Although Gerard picked it up pretty quick, his playstyle was unexpectedly aggressive, often busting by accident. Ash ended up schooling him all night long.


    Igula¡¯s interest was piqued when he heard about the game, ¡°Nice game. If the casinos knew about it, it surely could become a popular gambling game... But didn¡¯t Gerard plan anything against you? I thought he came here on purpose for you.¡±


    Ash looked at Igula, ¡°Are you worried about me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you still owe me a wish,¡± Igula stated calmly. ¡°Who would I collect from if you died? Only I owe people in this world, no one owes me.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, even a person in solitude will always have others concerned for them¡ªlike tax collectors and creditors,¡± Ash quipped, then continued, ¡°It was Professor Selin who asked him to come kill me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Igula was shocked. ¡°Selin actually... How did you escape? If Gerard wanted to kill you, no one in Shattered Lake Prison could protect you!¡±


    Ash declared with pride, ¡°It was, of course, thanks to my sincere gaze, kind heart, and my incessant chatter!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t joke, I¡¯m serious.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking! I really did convince him with reason and emotion, and then he ended up playing cards with me all night.¡±


    Igula stared at Ash for some time, making sure he wasn¡¯t lying, then his expression started to crack.


    A Three-winged member of the Blood Saint Clan, who had lived for over a hundred years, was easily persuaded by Ash?


    Are you a Spirit Mage too, Ash? Otherwise, it¡¯s hard to explain how you¡¯ve mastered a form of hypnotism that can control a Holy Sanctuary Mage.


    Or is it the divine power of The Gods of Four Pillars? Allowing Ash to subconsciously change others¡¯ wills?


    Igula watched the transport ship gradually disappear over the horizon and suddenly a thought struck him, ¡°You said Gerard played Blackjack with you all night, and he lost more than he won?¡±


    Ash shrugged, ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t expect Gerard to be so weak.¡±


    Igula wanted to say something, yet he closed his mouth.


    In his opinion, although Blackjack could be played in countless ways, such calculation power should be a trivial matter for a Three-winged Holy Sanctuary Mage like Gerard. Theoretically, he could memorize and calculate all the cards for both players, even capable of figuring out his optimal strategy.

 Chapter 109: 100 Giving a Rich Woman Some Respect_3

    Chapter 109: Chapter 100 Giving a Rich Woman Some Respect_3


    Even though it was his first time, he should have become proficient rather quickly, not losing more than winning.


    But it could also be that Ash is really good at blackjack, Igula thought.


    ...


    ...


    On the transport ship, a group of Blood Frenzy Hunters were playing cards together.


    ¡°Ah ha,¡± Gerard revealed the last card, ¡°just the right amount to win, I take five silver coins from each of you.¡±


    ...


    ¡°No way, Captain, you can¡¯t play!¡± a Hunter shook his head and said, ¡°You¡¯re cheating!¡±


    ¡°The cards were shuffled by you guys, and you dealt them. I didn¡¯t use any Technique Spirits, how could I possibly cheat?¡± the white-haired Hunter feigned ignorance.


    Unable to hold back, the Hunter cursed, ¡°Your memory and calculation abilities are way beyond ours. You¡¯ve analyzed all the possible outcomes as soon as we got our cards. How could we possibly win? You¡¯re practically crushing us with sacred powers!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, if you don¡¯t want to play, then we won¡¯t play,¡± Gerard whistled and walked over to the railing, gazing through the glass curtain wall at the progressively distancing Shattered Lake Prison.


    A scrawny Beastman Hunter came over. Unlike most Hunters, he was slender and short, at a glance, almost mistakable for a Goblin.


    But like Gerard, he also possessed a pair of ruby-like blood pupils.


    ¡°Captain, I¡¯m quite curious,¡± he leaned against the railing and asked, ¡°what exactly did Ash Heath do that made you let him off?¡±


    Gerard smiled, ¡°Bas, how do you know I came for Heath?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not doing this for the first time,¡± Bas said, ¡°A Chief Hunter often tends to break the law himself. Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know who was behind Congressman Wil¡¯s assassination. Every time you plan something, the whole Crime Hunting Hall has to cover for you. It wouldn¡¯t be that much trouble just to follow procedure...¡±


    ¡°But, that¡¯s a duty bestowed upon you by the Extreme Lord, must have His profound intentions.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m curious, because there are far too many reasons you could have used to execute Ash Heath. Just being the Sect Hierarch of the Four Pillars God Sect is enough for you to make a move. Besides, you must have received some information, believing Heath still poses a threat, which is why you made a special trip to Shattered Lake, correct?¡±


    Gerard said leisurely, ¡°As expected, it¡¯s more comfortable working with our own. High Insight and intelligence. Compared to that, Emi really isn¡¯t up to snuff...¡±


    Bas raised an eyebrow, ¡°Captain, in one breath, you¡¯ve violated gender discrimination, racial discrimination, and other regulations, not to mention inciting conflict between the two races during the Blood Moon. If anyone else had heard that, Kaimon City media wouldn¡¯t need to look for other news this month. They could fill their pages just by condemning you.¡±


    Gerard just smiled and then said, ¡°As for Ash Heath... you¡¯re right, he has given me too many reasons to act, like for instance, he reads the kind of romance manga I detest the most.¡±


    ¡°So what did he do, that made you change your mind?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t do anything. Or rather, nothing he did swayed me. The reason I let him go is that I need to show respect for someone.¡±


    Bas was taken aback, ¡°...Someone needs your respect?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Gerard looked towards the faintly vanishing Shattered Lake Prison in the distance, recalling the crow uniform hidden under the bed in Ash¡¯s dormitory and the sweet, fishy scent of Ash¡¯s blood.


    ¡°I smelled the scent of Colorless Source Blood.¡±


    ¡°As siblings from the same four major research institutes, I dare not seize the sacred offering eagerly awaited by the new race.¡±

 Chapter 110: 101 Summoning "Sincerity

    Chapter 110: Chapter 101 Summoning ¡°Sincerity


    Jiale City, Sword Flower University.


    ¡°... As I expected, it¡¯s the Vortex. Damn it, why isn¡¯t my luck as good as yours? I¡¯ve been working so hard day and night to form my Silver Wings!¡±


    ¡°Tch, no use getting more upset. The more I think about it, the more jealous I get. The one thing I despise the most is people like you who are both lucky and talented. Now get lost, get lost!¡±


    ¡°Go back and diligently master your swordsmanship. If I find out that you¡¯ve become arrogant and lazy just because of this little achievement, wait for my jealousy to burn you to ashes...¡±


    Sonia was promptly kicked out of the professor¡¯s study. She stuck out her tongue and cheerfully headed back¡ªdespite Professor Trozan¡¯s harsh words, he didn¡¯t withhold any rewards. He personally selected two Technique Spirits in the vein of swordsmanship for her from his collection and also shared two Swordsmanship Miracles!


    The two One-winged Technique Spirits were ¡®Sword Scabbard¡¯ and ¡®Grinding Sword.¡¯ Sonia had seen the former in the hands of her senior sister Celia; it activates after the sword blade rests inside the scabbard for more than 15 seconds, strengthening the power of the next attack.


    ...


    The latter was a Technique Spirit specifically for enhancing sword blades. It activated when using a whetstone on the blade, making the edge sharper, more resilient, and less prone to shattering or breaking.


    The two Swordsmanship Miracles were ¡®Sword Scabbard¡¯s Luminance¡¯ and ¡®Grinding Sword for Ten Years,¡¯ both derived from Sword Scabbard and Grinding Sword Technique Spirits. Sonia would have to purchase additional supporting Technique Spirits to trigger these Miracles.


    For example, ¡®Grinding Sword for Ten Years¡¯ required the use of Time-Series Technique Spirits ¡®Second,¡¯ ¡®Minute,¡¯ ¡®Hour,¡¯ ¡®Day,¡¯ ¡®Month,¡¯ and ¡®Year.¡¯


    Although they belonged to the Time Series, these Technique Spirits weren¡¯t costly; in fact, they were quite affordable and readily available on the Technique Spirit trading platform.


    In the Void Realm¡¯s second layer, the Time Continent, these Time-Series Technique Spirits were almost ubiquitous. A Two-winged Mage could collect quite a few of these Technique Spirits with each foray into the Void Realm.


    Even though it was a resource only Two-winged Mages were qualified to harvest, the abundance naturally drove the price down. Otherwise, Professor Trozan would not have imparted this Miracle to Sonia¡ªhe was well aware of the financial situation of his talented apprentice.


    However, due to selling quite a few Technique Spirits from the Void Realm, Sonia was actually rather wealthy. Recently, she had been pondering what Technique Spirits to acquire to perfect her combat system, but now, Professor Trozan had preemptively solved her dilemma.


    These two Miracles also showed that Professor Trozan had already established Sonia¡¯s current goals: to enhance her Realm, become familiar with Technique Spirits, and master Miracles.


    It was only inevitable since Sonia had taken just eight days to form her Silver Wings from scratch, and her swordsmanship Realm couldn¡¯t keep up with the rapid growth of her Magic Power.


    The obstacle now looming before Sonia was her Magic Realm. Unless she elevated her swordsmanship Realm to the Golden Level, she wouldn¡¯t be able to summon Two-winged Technique Spirits, thereby unable to enter the second layer of the Void Realm, step onto the Time Continent, nor could she form the Golden Wings.


    Ascension for Mages doesn¡¯t tolerate any weak links; Magic Power and Realm must meet the standards simultaneously for the Void Realm to open up a grander world to the Mage.


    So even though Sonia had fully displayed her Silver Wings, if she wants to advance to Two-winged, she would need at least a year¡¯s time to consolidate her swordsmanship Realm.


    In some sense, the rapid coalescence of Sonia¡¯s Magic Power posed a significant risk; from now on, she would be venturing into the core areas of the Sea of Knowledge. If unlucky, she might even encounter mature beings of knowledge¡ªexistences that a One-winged Mage couldn¡¯t contend against.


    This is why Professor Trozan had such stringent demands for her. If Sonia became complacent or lazy, she ran a high risk of dying repeatedly in the Void Realm. In that case, not only would her soul suffer damage, but she¡¯d also lose significant Technique Spirits, and her Magic Realm might end up stagnating.


    Complacency after unexpected fortune is a great taboo for Mages. Countless Mages have become overly confident after fortuitous encounters, believing themselves to be favored by destiny. However, the Void Realm soon gave them a harsh lesson, and in the end, their achievements were no better than those of diligent Mages who climbed the ranks step by step.


    The Void Realm is by no means a charitable place. The more benefits one reaps from it, the more pressure it will exert in return. Every stroke of luck bestowed by the Void Realm comes with its own price tag of misfortune.


    Unless Sonia could encounter a stroke of luck like the Vortex, such as stumbling upon a golden fish and covertly make her way to the Time Continent, she would be able to bypass the boundary of Realms and directly become Two-winged.


    But neither Professor Trozan nor Sonia herself had considered this possibility¡ªbecause even the Observers couldn¡¯t locate the golden fish.


    Just the thought of the Observers made Sonia¡¯s delighted expression fade gradually.


    She let out a soft sigh, ready to head back to her dormitory¡ªtoday was still a state of martial law, classes were suspended, and all students were forbidden from approaching the white tower.


    However, as soon as she left the research building, she saw a familiar silver luxury car parked on the roadway. She turned to walk around it, but the window rolled down, revealing Felix¡¯s handsome face.


    ¡°Get in, I¡¯ll take you back.¡±


    There was no need to respond to his statement; Sonia wasn¡¯t in the mood to speak to anyone. Felix drove slowly beside her and asked, ¡°You encountered the Vortex?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Now almost the entire school knew that Sonia, the village girl, had stumbled upon the Vortex within a few days of entering the Sea of Knowledge¡ªif it had been Sonia displaying some rare Technique Spirit, there might have been whispers of ¡®is she being kept?¡¯ or the like. But the growth of Silver Magic Power had only this shortcut, and even the most foul-mouthed had nothing to say.

 Chapter 111: 101 Summoning "Sincerity" _2

    Chapter 111: Chapter 101 Summoning ¡°Sincerity¡± _2


    It surely couldn¡¯t be possible that someone used a Vortex to keep Sonia as a woman of leisure!


    As for the snide remarks like ¡®she¡¯s just lucky,¡¯ if they ever appeared in the ¡®Sword Flower Exchange¡¯ on the Veil, it would only provoke students into a mocking frenzy and lead to a ban¡ªall rise of Legendary Mages requires a touch of luck; those with bad luck would have long been bullied by the Void Realm into pitiful whimpers.


    Attacking a Mage¡¯s luck is the most embarrassing behavior, as shameless and boring as saying, ¡®If he couldn¡¯t breathe, then I could definitely beat him.¡¯


    Therefore, Sonia had no need to deny it, moreover, she couldn¡¯t deny it now even if she wanted to.


    Felix fell silent for a long time. Just as Sonia was about to enter the dormitory area, he suddenly asked, ¡°After you passed through the Vortex, did you encounter a severely injured Fish-Slicing Dragon, and obtained the Slaughter Sword from it?¡±


    Sonia was taken aback for a moment. Whatever she was thinking at the time, the ritual had already decided what she would say, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ...


    Felix seemed slightly surprised; he hadn¡¯t been expecting such an answer. If Sonia truly had encountered one, she surely grasped the implication behind Felix¡¯s words.


    Given Sonia¡¯s personality and abilities, she certainly could have denied it flawlessly, not letting Felix catch the slightest trace.


    Felix¡¯s fingers gently tapped on the steering wheel and he asked, ¡°What price would I have to pay to buy back the Slaughter Sword from you?¡±


    Although Sonia wanted to firmly say ¡®Not for sale,¡¯ her mouth obediently replied, ¡°Grant me a noble title.¡±


    Felix was momentarily stunned, ¡°Didn¡¯t I mention to you before that if you marry me¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like you.¡±


    It was a marriage of convenience for the sake of benefits, what does liking have to do with it?... Felix was about to blurt out this question, but seeing the serious look on Sonia¡¯s face, he swallowed his words and sighed, ¡°If you don¡¯t wish to take that path, then I don¡¯t have any other conditions that could sway you... Wait a moment.¡±


    Sonia decisively withdrew into the dormitory area, wondering if Felix was actually contemplating forcefully taking a Technique Spirit from a maiden under broad daylight.


    She saw Felix take out a piece of paper, scribble on it, and then fly it over to Sonia, ¡°Burn it after you read it. Can this be worth owing me a favor?¡±


    Sonia took it and saw, to her astonishment, it was a Miracle Technique called ¡®Slaughter Animation,¡¯ with the Slaughter Sword as the main Technique Spirit.


    Unlike the simple power enhancement of ¡®Evil Light Slash,¡¯ ¡®Slaughter Animation¡¯ was a very complete Composite Miracle. Its effect was to allow the Mage to convert Killing Intent into their own enhancements, comprehensively boosting strength, explosive power, reaction speed, stamina recovery, and other parameters, with the intensification effect increasing as the Killing Intent concentration rose.


    It was a Miracle that proved extremely useful both in the Void Realm and in reality because Killing Intent didn¡¯t just refer to the enemy¡¯s intent; the Mage¡¯s own Killing Intent was also included.


    In the Silver Realm, ¡®Slaughter Animation¡¯ could grant a Mage up to 150% increase in power. Such a practical Miracle, even if Sonia smashed her piggy bank, she couldn¡¯t afford it.


    Clearly, it was a matching Miracle that Felix had obtained alongside the Slaughter Sword.


    ¡°With this technique, would you owe me a favor?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s only roughly worth one silver coin as a favor. If your request exceeds one silver coin, I will guiltily and uneasily deny it.¡±


    ¡°You sure do calculate precisely.¡± Felix laughed, ¡°I will use this silver coin favor at the most appropriate time.¡±


    ¡°But are you just giving it to me like this?¡± Sonia asked in surprise, ¡°No signing a confidentiality agreement? No other conditions?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need, just make good use of the Slaughter Sword; don¡¯t waste it.¡±


    With that, Felix drove off, leaving Sonia somewhat bewildered, thinking is this how the wealthy are, nonchalantly giving away a Miracle Technique with a wave of their hand?


    However, it is indeed understandable. As the ¡°Slaughter Sword¡± of the ¡°Secret Swords Twenty-One Spirits,¡± it was too difficult for Felix to acquire it again. Therefore, the Miracle of Slaughter Activation was almost meaningless to him; he might as well give it to Sonia as a courtesy.


    Moreover, it seemed that Felix planned to switch to mastering Poison Skill, Water Magic, and Wind Skill, and his swordsmanship had become just a disguise. Professor Trozan was merely a temporary shelter he had found. Now, he had no competitive relationship with Sonia.


    That said, Sonia couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the audacity of the noble family¡¯s foolish young master. If it were her, she would never dream of giving away a Miracle for free. At the very least, she¡¯d require the other party to fork over some money to appease her stingy heart.


    However, the activation of Killing Intent required two additional Technique Spirits, which were costly, and might not even be available for purchase, adding insult to injury to the already not-so-wealthy Sonia.


    As if fortune followed hardship, Sonia unexpectedly obtained two Technique Spirits and three Miracles within a single day. Just mastering these ¡°new equipment¡± would consume quite a bit of her time.


    If it were the Sonia from half a month ago, she would never have imagined that one day she would be troubled by having too many Technique Spirits and Miracles.


    Yet, at this moment, what troubled Sonia the most was neither Technique Spirits nor Miracles.


    She had wanted to go back to her dormitory to relax, perhaps watch Dedarose¡¯s new show or something. But after hesitating for a brief moment, she still chose to go to the training hall to practice with her Technique Spirits.


    ...


    At 11 p.m., Sonia arrived at the Meditation Building on time.


    Although the school was still under martial law, areas outside the white giant tower were mostly back to normal operation, like the cafeteria and training halls. Only the lessons were canceled, letting students self-study all day¡ªmany of them wished such days could continue indefinitely.


    While searching for the Gate of Truth, Sonia suddenly felt a bit anxious, but she quickly calmed herself down.


    ¡®I was still forced to train in swordsmanship for two hours tonight... Clearly, the Observer¡¯s power is still at work...¡¯


    ¡®And with amnesiac resurrectors like that, even if they died, they would certainly come back to life...¡¯


    ¡®If something really happened to him, wouldn¡¯t that be great? Then I could gain freedom. After all, I have already condensed the Silver Wings and temporarily do not need him for exploring the Void Realm, he is of no use to me...¡¯


    ¡®However, he probably just successfully escaped from prison last night and accidentally fell asleep, which is why he didn¡¯t come to the Void Realm. How could it be so easy for something to happen to him? Speaking of which, if I showed off the Technique Spirits and Miracles I just got, would he be surprised?¡¯


    Caught up in these wild thoughts, Sonia found the Gate of Truth, sunk into her consciousness, and entered the Void Realm.


    Her soul passed through layers of darkness and fog, her consciousness took shape in the Void Realm. Sonia slowly opened her eyes, and what came into view was the familiar small boat and the peculiar man.


    His voice was still as frivolous and unreliable as ever: ¡°Good evening, Sword Maiden.¡±


    Suddenly, Sonia forgot all the lines of complaint and rebuke she had prepared.


    Like a weight lifted from her heart, she breathed a sigh of relief, her hand lightly touching her chest, revealing a smile of great relief: ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re alright.¡±


    This sudden show of concern left Ash momentarily stunned, but before he could respond, a gleam of gold burst forth from the summit of Sonia¡¯s chest, transforming into a dazzling One-winged Technique Spirit.


    Its exterior seemed almost transparent like a butterfly, with only one wing, but as it fluttered, it refracted a seven-colored light, as magnificent as bubbles in a dream.


    Even without touching it, upon seeing it, Ash and Sonia knew the name of this Technique Spirit.


    ¡®Sincerity¡¯.

 Chapter 112: 102: Do You Really Not Care About Your Own Life and Death?

    Chapter 112: Chapter 102: Do You Really Not Care About Your Own Life and Death?


    ¡°Sincerity¡±


    ¡°One-winged Technique Spirit¡±


    ¡°Restriction: Must possess a heart¡±


    ¡°Basic Effect: Transforms the heart into a ¡®Heart of Sincerity¡¯, significantly enhancing the mage¡¯s various spirit resistances during the effect period, reducing the impact of negative effects such as dizziness, confusion, and sluggishness that act on the soul, consciousness, and thought processes.¡±


    ¡°Passive Effect: Mages will become more inclined to tell the truth, prefer sincere communication, and more easily distinguish the truth from lies in others¡¯ speech.¡±


    ¡°¡®There are only two tragedies in life: not telling the truth, and telling the truth.''¡±


    ...


    Sonia caressed the Technique Spirit that looked like a transparent butterfly, feeling a sense of wonder she couldn¡¯t explain. It wasn¡¯t her first time summoning a Technique Spirit, but it was the first time she had done so unexpectedly and delightfully.


    She knew the ¡°Sincerity¡± Technique Spirit was summoned because of the Observer¡¯s forced ritual, but she mastered ¡°Sincerity¡± without any barrier, completely grasping the knowledge structure of ¡°Sincerity.¡±


    Sonia had a strong premonition: even if she lost ¡°Sincerity¡± one day, she could summon it again.


    Despite never having learnt about ¡°Sincerity¡± before, and despite her nature being very different from ¡°Sincerity,¡± touching this transparent butterfly caused a resonance of knowledge that connected her to the Technique Spirit. Sonia felt as though ¡°Sincerity¡± was her own flesh and blood Technique Spirit.


    She suddenly recalled what she had learnt in class about the origin of mages.


    The very first mages didn¡¯t know how to summon Technique Spirits; they simply lived their lives normally, and then ¡°little darlings¡± would continually appear to help them.


    In that distant era, time was long and worth waiting for; every minute and second could bring the arrival of a Technique Spirit.


    Ash opened the ¡°Operator Management¡± and glanced at it.


    ¡°Death Mad Sword Maiden¡±


    ¡°Human Race¡¤ Female ¡¤ 18 years old¡±


    ¡°Bonds Level: 2 (40% experience sharing)¡±


    ¡°Bonds Resonance¡¤ Insatiable Greed: When acting simultaneously, there is a chance of acquiring better spoils.¡±


    ¡°Profession: Silver Mage of Annihilation¡±


    ¡°Professional Characteristics: Each effective attack restores 0.5% of maximum Magic Power¡±


    ¡°Held Items: Training Wooden Sword¡±


    ¡°Controlled Spirits: Wave Motion Sword, Moon Silk, Rapid Stream, Slaughter Sword, Splitting Sword, sword scabbard, Grinding Sword¡±


    ¡°Sword Technique Faction: Silver Level¡±


    ¡°Radiant Faction: Silver Level¡±


    ¡°Water Technique Faction: Silver Level¡±


    ¡°Spirit Faction: Silver Level¡±


    ¡°Void Realm Exploration: 0.098%¡±


    ¡°Knowledge Curse: Vortex Secret Poison¡±


    As expected, the Spirit Faction had directly advanced to Silver Level, but how did she acquire several Technique Spirits she had never seen before?


    Sonia told Ash about her experiences and gains from the past two days, causing him to be both shocked and delighted. He thought this might be the missing social development and plot modules from ¡°Aurora¡¯s Mage Manual,¡± specific to Sword Maidens, indicating that even without players¡¯ help, mature Sword Maidens could complete the plot and receive their rewards.


    Although Ash couldn¡¯t help the Sword Maiden with the ¡°game levels,¡± he resolved not to hold her back. In the future, while distributing spoils, he would take care of the Sword Maiden¡¯s needs as much as possible.


    ¡°I can teach you ¡®Slaughter Activation¡¯, but I can¡¯t speak of ¡®Scabbard Gleam¡¯ and ¡®Ten Years of Grinding Sword¡¯.¡± Sonia explained, ¡°The last two miracles were taught to me by Professor Trozan; we signed an encasement contract. I have only the rights to use these miracles, not to share them. I can¡¯t reveal any information about these two miracles before tearing up the contract.¡±


    Ash expressed his understanding. Those two miracles were character-exclusive plot rewards for the Sword Maiden, which naturally couldn¡¯t be shared with other characters. The source of ¡®Slaughter Activation¡¯ was the Slaughter Sword, which they both gained from their time in the Void Realm. Subsequently, the Sword Maiden triggered additional plot in her world because of this, equating to extra rewards, naturally benefiting everyone.


    However, he wasn¡¯t interested in these miracles; after all, he didn¡¯t have any key Technique Spirits, and he himself was a mage without any special techniques. Even if he learned the Miracle Techniques, he couldn¡¯t make much out of them.


    Sonia gave him a glance and, pursing her lips, asked, ¡°What about you? Did you escape?¡±


    Ash shook his head, sharing his bizarre experiences of the past two days.


    Hearing that the jailbreak plan was canceled, that Hunters from the Three-winged Holy Realm had arrived, and that he was almost assassinated by the Hunter Captain in his dormitory, Sonia¡¯s emotions fluctuated as well.


    ¡°So what are you planning to do? Wait ten days and then escape?¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Ash shrugged. ¡°But in a few days, there will be a Blood Moon Judgement, and I have to wonder whether I¡¯ll once again be chosen as one of the lucky eight ¨C Selin even summoned a Holy Sanctuary Mage, I don¡¯t believe he will miss this opportunity to let me die a justified death.¡±


    ¡°Just last time, Valcas stood in front of me, but this time, I can only rely on my own strength to get through,¡± Ash said.


    ¡°You want to contend against the Blood Moon Judgement?¡±


    ¡°I want to play up my misery during the live stream to get the viewers to vote for other criminals.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like you¡¯re planning to just sit and wait for death,¡± Sonia frowned slightly, showing her displeasure.


    In the past, Sonia might have teased him a bit and moved on, since the Observer¡¯s reality had nothing to do with her¡ªit was, at most, a topic of conversation during their rest times.


    She had never genuinely cared¡ªor worried¡ªabout the Observer¡¯s situation.


    But this time, Sonia couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Don¡¯t you have any contingency plans or trump cards? If you really face an unavoidable dead end, do you have any certain means to escape?¡±


    ¡°None, none at all, if there were, I¡¯d have already escaped prison and be breathing the sweet air outside,¡± he said.


    ¡°How can you not have any? You can force me to train, you can uncover the secrets of the Void Realm, you can casually read through Aurora¡¯s Mage Manual, and you can even make me summon Technique Spirits I¡¯ve never thought of. How is it possible that you can¡¯t even save yourself?¡±


    ¡°But I just can¡¯t,¡± Ash spread his hands, ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just unlucky, sorry.¡±


    Sonia looked at him intently and suddenly said, ¡°Is it my illusion, or do you really not care about your own life and death?¡±


    Ash was slightly taken aback and, turning his head to look at the adjacent Mist Sea, said with feigned shyness, ¡°Hearing you care so much about me makes me a little embarrassed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that...¡±


    Sonia stopped mid-sentence and suddenly froze, ¡°Wait, does that mean my ritual was interrupted?¡±


    Ash nodded, ¡°Of course, your ritual was already interrupted when you summoned the ¡®Sincerity¡¯ Technique Spirit. By the way, your Spirit Faction Realm also advanced to Silver Level. Remember to find some books to read when you get back¡ªmaybe I can also arrange for some Spirit Faction training.¡±


    ¡°No need, I will study the Spirit Faction myself!¡± Sonia firmly declined, eying Ash suspiciously, then suddenly blurted out, ¡°Observer, you are a humble, kindhearted, good person.¡±


    Ash wondered how he ended up receiving such a luxury edition of a compliment card, only to hear Sonia sigh with relief, ¡°Ah, lying really feels good.¡±


    Ash, his face covered in black lines, clicked his tongue, ¡°I don¡¯t have time to banter with you, it¡¯s time to explore the Void Realm. Since we¡¯ve both formed the Silver Wings, let¡¯s focus on stability and try to explore lower-risk areas¡ª¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my question.¡±


    Sonia grasped Ash¡¯s wrist as he was about to tap the Light Screen, her pale red eyes fixed intently on Ash¡¯s blurred face, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone so indifferent to their own life and death. Is it that you have some mysterious backup I don¡¯t know about, or do you genuinely not care about your own life?¡±


    ¡°Hey, why would I be indifferent? I just think there¡¯s no need to show nervousness. Do you really want to see me terrified, panicked, and shivering? Sword Maiden, you really have a wicked sense of humor~¡±


    Ash¡¯s tone was light-hearted, and his words did seem to make sense, but Sonia shook her head.


    ¡°When I was a child, my mother would sometimes bring home little treats and tasty things. Whenever I asked her to try some, she would always shake her head and say she had already eaten,¡± Sonia said. ¡°That¡¯s the impression you give me¡ªdo you think I¡¯m a little girl? Even a little girl could see through such a transparent lie.¡±


    Ash thought about it, relaxed his body, and lay back on the small boat, laughing helplessly.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie; I was telling the truth. If I weren¡¯t afraid of dying, why would I be so keen on escaping? Why would I rack my brains to form an escape team? I am also afraid of death, and I also desire to live; it¡¯s an instinct for all living creatures. It¡¯s just that...¡±


    ¡°Just what?¡±


    ¡°All I can think of is just living,¡± Ash gazed at the grey Void Realm sky, ¡°Without a past, without a future, with no family, no friends, what drives me to keep going now is just pure biological inertia. I don¡¯t have a goal worth fighting for; living is just living for the sake of living.¡±


    ¡°Sounds a bit pretentious, doesn¡¯t it? I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll mock me.¡± He shrugged, ¡°I also don¡¯t know how to describe this feeling... I feel as light as a balloon, with only a thin thread tying me to the ground.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like the early stages of Longevity Syndrome,¡± Sonia said. ¡°Some old, long-lived Legendary Mages have a chance of contracting this unique disease. Because their Void Realm Exploration comes to a standstill, and they seriously neglect their reality, on top of being too old to make new friends and unable to keep up with the times, they ultimately fall into confusion and Loneliness.¡±


    ¡°Longevity Syndrome was considered an incurable disease many years ago; mages would quickly die as their spirits withered.¡±


    Ash startled, ¡°That serious?¡±


    ¡°But with the development of Medical Mages, the disease was quickly decoded, and no mages have died from ¡®Longevity Syndrome¡¯ for centuries.¡±


    Sonia held up two fingers, ¡°There are two treatment methods. The first method uses the Miracle ¡®Lamp of Hope¡¯ directly, allowing mages to reignite the lamp in their hearts and regain their life goals. ¡®Lamp of Hope¡¯ is also a very common medical Miracle, effective in treating various mental and consciousness diseases.¡±


    Although Ash had already tried to overestimate this world, he didn¡¯t expect that the Mage¡¯s world would keep surprising him¡ªthere¡¯s even a cure for pretentious diseases; Mages are indeed marvelous.


    ¡°The second method is talk therapy, which is through conversation to help you rally. Do you need my help with your treatment?¡±


    ¡°Sure, how does talk therapy work?¡±


    ¡°First, you have to call me Master.¡±


    Ash was silent for a moment and said, ¡°Sword Maiden, I think you might also show some symptoms of ¡®Longevity Syndrome.¡¯ How about we start with me treating you... even a little boy wouldn¡¯t believe such a lie!¡±

 Chapter 113: 103: Protecting My Dream

    Chapter 113: Chapter 103: Protecting My Dream


    Sonia clicked her tongue, noticing the Observer¡¯s sudden melancholy and thought she could take advantage of his vulnerability to fundamentally change their dynamic, turning the Observer into her own mount.


    In fact, if Sonia put herself in his shoes, she could understand the feelings of the Observer.


    He had woken up in a strange body, lost all memories related to being a Mage, without inheriting the memories of his new body either. He was just like an infant abandoned on the streets right after birth; how could he not feel bewildered?


    The only difference between the Observer and an infant was that he didn¡¯t cry, and he wasn¡¯t cute.


    After finally concocting a brilliant escape plan, just one step away from execution, it had been interrupted by various mishaps. Coupled with the imminent crises that couldn¡¯t be resolved, it was normal for the Observer to feel discouraged.


    Sometimes, when Sonia couldn¡¯t finish her assignments on time, she would completely give up and leave things to fate.


    ...


    But when she gave up, the worst consequence was getting scolded by a professor.


    When the Observer gave up, he could really die.


    She couldn¡¯t let that happen.


    ¡°Do you want power? If you become a Holy Sanctuary Mage, a Legendary Four-winged, you could overlook all beings and wield power enough to turn the world upside down.¡±


    ¡°I do, but just a little. Power is indeed a wonderful thing. It¡¯s great if I have it, but I won¡¯t be insatiably greedy. The Silver Wings already satisfy me.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to explore the secrets of the Void Realm? The Sea of Knowledge is just the first layer of the Void Realm, the Time Continent is the second, the Distant Realm is the third, Ruby Mountain the fourth... Countless Mages are immersed in the Void Realm, not just because it grants them power, but because traveling through the Void Realm itself is the most thrilling adventure.¡±


    ¡°I do, but also not really. Actually, I¡¯m the type of person who needs a few months to ¡®cool off¡¯ after a trip. Honestly, if it wasn¡¯t for the need to keep enhancing my strength, I might even discuss with you about pausing our exploration of the Void Realm. After all, we¡¯ve already condensed the Silver Wings¡ª¡±


    ¡°Of course not! How can a Mage ever pause the exploration of the Void Realm! Even the laziest mule in the production team wouldn¡¯t dare say such a thing!¡± Sonia shook her head repeatedly, as if she had heard some outrageous statement, ¡°You¡¯re weird. Generally, aren¡¯t power and the Void Realm the ultimate desires of Mages? Could it be that you have more vulgar tastes, like wanting power or women?¡±


    ¡°Would it sound better if I said career and love?¡± Ash said, ¡°Actually, if I could settle down after breaking out of prison, and then meet a pure, cute girl with a good figure, and then live a sweet, tranquil life, I¡¯d also be perfectly content.¡±


    ¡°...The original owner of that body must have been framed.¡± Sonia said very seriously, ¡°That thought couldn¡¯t have come from you; you must be influenced by the body. A body that can produce such thoughts could not possibly belong to a cult leader!¡±


    Although Ash did not agree with the Sword Maiden dismissing his vulgar tastes, he agreed with the latter part of her statement¡ªAsh Heath couldn¡¯t possibly be the leader of a cult, he must have been a scapegoat pushed forward by Professor Selin!


    ¡°Tsks, you¡¯re troublesome, but I don¡¯t know how to use the ¡®Lamp of Hope¡¯.¡± Sonia muttered, ¡°I heard that beating someone up can also have a therapeutic effect...¡±


    Ash dodged to the corner of the boat, ¡°Hey, hey, hey, there¡¯s room for discussion! Actually, this is just a trivial matter, come on, let¡¯s ignore this insignificant part and proceed with the joyful exploration of the Void Realm!¡±


    ¡°No! We must resolve your issues first!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Ash was genuinely puzzled, ¡°Haven¡¯t you always hated me controlling your actions? Didn¡¯t you say you could live well even without me? Besides, I¡¯m not thinking of suicide; I just feel a bit tired, lacking motivation, and it wouldn¡¯t hinder the exploration of the Void Realm. Why are you so worried about my mental issues?¡±


    ¡°Because I need you!¡±


    Ash was slightly startled.


    ¡°Yes, I need you.¡± Sonia crouched in front of Ash, as if she had figured something out, ¡°You are very important to me.¡±


    ¡°I want to become a Four-winged Legendary Mage, wield miraculous powers to turn the world upside down, and make the world obey my commands, making Fate bow in front of me.¡±


    ¡°I want to explore the mysteries of the Void Realm, see the ¡®Time Ascending Rain¡¯ of the Time Continent, see the boundless Distant Realm, see the Ruby Mountain made entirely of rubies... I want to witness more miracles, tame more Technique Spirits, reach higher realms in the Magic Faction, and even unveil the truth of the Void Realm!¡±


    ¡°I want to become a major figure in Jiale City, to accept the Empress¡¯s empowerment at the Degu Palace and become a new noble.¡±


    ¡°I also want to become a Songstress, a Shadow Actress, create classic dramas one after another that won¡¯t bore viewers after countless watchings, leaving behind songs that are sung for years¡ªI want to become the aspiration of others!¡±


    ¡°I still want more, much more.¡± Sonia clutched Ash¡¯s hand tightly, ¡°But by myself, I can¡¯t possibly achieve my dreams.¡±


    ¡°So I need you, Observer, you are my shortcut to reaching my dreams.¡±


    ¡°Although I really hate how your appearance creates so many mishaps in my life, I also admit that you brought me many benefits. If it weren¡¯t for your arrival, I might not even be a Mage now, let alone have condensed the Silver Wings. I need you in both reality and the Void Realm.¡±


    ¡°Observer, even if you don¡¯t have a dream.¡± Sonia spoke slowly, emphasizing each word, ¡°But you can protect my dream.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re called the Observer, right? Then just watch me closely, and live well until I achieve my dream.¡±


    Ash blinked, unable to help but burst into laughter, tears almost escaping.


    While wiping the laugh-induced tears from the corner of his eyes, he retorted, ¡°Everything you said boils down to one thing¡ªusing me!¡±


    Sonia clicked her tongue, ¡°Isn¡¯t that good? Our relationship has always been purely transactional. Isn¡¯t it better for collaboration if we clarify our needs beforehand?¡±


    ¡°But I actually hoped for a warmer conversation...¡±


    ¡°Sure, just stay still.¡±


    Sonia reached around Ash¡¯s waist, gently holding him with her chin resting on his shoulder. Ash could feel her movement was somewhat stiff, unsure if it was because she had never embraced someone of the opposite sex before or if she had rarely hugged anyone since childhood.


    ¡°You¡¯ve become a very important person in my life, I don¡¯t want to lose you.¡±


    Ash was stunned for a while, feeling as if he was eating a strawberry ice cream in the height of summer. Just as he was about to hug her back, Sword Maiden quickly extricated herself and moved away with a slight smile on her face.


    ¡°So, do you feel your heart racing?¡±


    Ash¡¯s face darkened, ¡°That¡¯s right, you¡¯re no longer restricted by the ritual, you can lie now!¡±


    ¡°What else did you expect? Think about it, we¡¯ve only known each other for a few days, do you really think I¡¯m that casual?¡± Sonia stuck out her tongue, ¡°We¡¯ve already said it¡¯s a relationship of mutual benefit, yet you still believed what I said... So, did it make your heart race?¡±


    Ash changed the subject, ¡°You just mentioned wanting to be a Songstress and since we¡¯re idle anyway, why don¡¯t you sing a song to lighten the mood for everyone?¡±


    ¡°Am I supposed to sing just because you asked? Wouldn¡¯t that be losing face?¡±


    At this point, Sonia almost blushed to her ears¡ªshe had spoken too quickly without thinking and accidentally revealed her dream of becoming a Shadow Actress Songstress.


    She had kept this thought hidden all her life, never daring to reveal it even in college; firstly, because she hadn¡¯t chosen the Sound Technique Faction and theoretically didn¡¯t meet the threshold of becoming a Songstress, and secondly, because she would encounter such situations where people would definitely ask her to sing a few lines, which was very annoying!


    As usual, they bickered back and forth for a few moments, then suddenly stopped at the same time. Sonia sat down and asked, ¡°How do you feel now?¡±


    ¡°I feel terrible, I even thought about dying just to spite you.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°Just kidding,¡± Ash shrugged. ¡°But seeing how irritating you are, I suddenly remembered an enemy who is free outside the prison, trying every means to put me to death, making my retirement days in prison so nervewracking. And he¡¯s the chief culprit who framed me and put me in prison... The more I endure, the angrier I get, the more I step back, the bigger the loss feels. Even if I feel too lazy to live, I have to break out of prison and settle scores with that guy!¡±


    ¡°Good, fired up! I can¡¯t die before I take revenge!¡±


    For revenge, huh? Although it feels a bit extreme, it¡¯s not a bad short-term goal.


    Sonia nodded, ¡°Exactly, revenge needs to be served from morning till night. However they wrong you, you should pay them back tenfold!¡±


    ¡°Also,¡± Ash looked at Sonia. ¡°Didn¡¯t I just say that I felt light as a balloon and that only a single thread tied me to the ground?¡±


    ¡°You are that thread.¡±


    Sonia blinked.


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s just for you, to protect your dream, to witness your future, I¡¯ll make sure to live on.¡±


    For a moment, Sonia didn¡¯t know how to react and averted her gaze unconsciously. ¡°I¡ª¡±


    But then, Ash suddenly leaned back tactically, giggling, ¡°So, does your heart flutter now?¡±


    Sonia twitched at the corners of her mouth, her shoulders trembling with anger.


    She snorted, ¡°What you said has no emotion at all, not even a little girl would believe you! Do you want me to teach you how to express lies full of emotion that you don¡¯t even believe yourself? I¡¯m a professional in that area.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to learn singing from you; sing a few lines to liven up the atmosphere first.¡±


    ¡°Jeez, let¡¯s end the idle talk and start exploring the Void Realm. If we keep chatting, it¡¯ll be dawn on my side.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    Ash nodded, opened the Light Screen and brought up the Void Realm Map: ¡°We¡¯ve indeed stayed here too... long...¡±


    Noticing the tremor in the Observer¡¯s voice, Sonia curiously asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°On the first day we came to the Void Realm, didn¡¯t you tell me about the taboo that we must remember during Void Realm Exploration?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s to not stay in the same place for too long¡ª¡±


    Sonia¡¯s voice suddenly stopped. She slightly turned her head and saw a pair of faint yellow vertical pupils emerging from the thick white fog.


    Those were the eyes of a Fox Beam Dragon.


    Fish-Slicing Dragon, Fox Beam Dragon, Rainstorm Dragon, Mud Fish Dragon, Umbrella Bird Dragon... Unknowingly, they had been surrounded by a group of knowledge creatures.


    ¡°Sword Maiden, were you speaking too loudly just now¡ª¡±


    ¡°Be quiet.¡±

 Chapter 114: 104: Today is Also a Day Full of Hope

    Chapter 114: Chapter 104: Today is Also a Day Full of Hope


    Sword Flower University, Meditation Building.


    No sooner had Sonia¡¯s consciousness returned to her body than she couldn¡¯t help but collapse on the ground, exhausted. It took a great effort to prop herself up against the wall and gasp for air. Soul fatigue reverberated throughout her body, and soon enough, beads of sweat cascaded like a river down her cheeks and collarbones, slipping into the depths of her dress like pearls.


    She was exhausted.


    It was still dark outside, and this was the first time she had left the Void Realm so early. Yet, Sonia even found herself criticizing her own retreat as being too slow.


    Just a moment ago, a full eight knowledge creatures had pursued her and the Observer for more than an hour in the Sea of Knowledge. No matter how far or how fast they fled, the knowledge creatures relentlessly chased them, even when the Observer deliberately crashed into the territory of other knowledge creatures, the pursuers did not hesitate!


    And the result of the Observer¡¯s actions was the increase of their pursuers from eight to nine.


    ...


    Technically, they had no reason to be so afraid, as they were only Silver Mages¡ªworst case scenario, they would merely lose their first blood in the Void Realm. After all, mages must ultimately face death in the Void Realm, it was just a matter of how often.


    They could persist until the formation of their Silver Wings before dying, which placed them among the most exceptional in the history of all mages. If there were a ¡°Ranking of Mages for the Latest First-time Death Experience,¡± Sonia felt she would at least make it into the top hundred, without claiming a spot in the top ten.


    However, the moment they realized they were surrounded by knowledge creatures, Sonia suddenly stumbled upon a piece of forbidden knowledge, and during their escape, the Observer shared the ¡®poison¡¯ that it brought with it.


    ¡°Exile Secret Poison¡±


    ¡°Secret Poison Details: When a mage lingers in one place in the Void Realm for too long, his scent is detected by the surrounding knowledge creatures, provoking their hostility and being seen as a provocation to the natives. The Void Realm is the home of the knowledge creatures, they do not allow invaders to settle here and vow to chase and kill those with ¡®settling tendencies,¡¯ devouring the souls of the invaders entirely.¡±


    ¡°Number of people infected with the poison: 31¡±


    ¡°Degree of poison enhancement: 31%¡±


    ¡°Current effect of the poison: Easier to detect surrounding knowledge creatures (the effect becomes negative at 51% enhancement; a significant benefit is obtained when reduced to 10%).¡±


    Sonia then realized why the school¡¯s professors always said ¡®you must not linger in the same place in the Void Realm for a long time¡¯ was taboo, but no one could tell the reason, despite mages being the most inquisitive people¡ªbecause it was a Secret Poison.


    Unlike the Vortex Secret Poison, which has a high intrinsic value and thus knowledgeable people might be willing to share with friends and family even at the risk of poisoning themselves.


    On the other hand, the Exile Secret Poison was meaningless. Now that Sonia knew the truth about the Exile Secret Poison, she would remember ¡®never to linger in the same place for too long¡¯¡ªbut the school had already taught them this point of knowledge!


    Therefore, those who know about the Exile Secret Poison have no incentive to spread it, and naturally, the infected are few and far between, with most probably lingering too long by accident, thus unluckily contracting the poison.


    Furthermore, given Sonia¡¯s and the Observer¡¯s harrowing experience from the night before, most people who knew about this Secret Poison likely ended up being devoured by knowledge creatures immediately.


    It¡¯s worth noting that she and the Observer had just managed to toss off their pursuers with the help of a small boat braving the waves before barely making a timely escape from the Void Realm.


    Sonia couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine the despair of a lone mage, capable only of swimming, upon realizing that he is surrounded by several knowledge creatures.


    What¡¯s most terrifying is the ¡®quantitative change¡¯ of knowledge creatures which leads to a ¡®qualitative change¡¯ in mage deaths.


    As mentioned before, a mage¡¯s death in the Void Realm comes with serious consequences, because when a mage¡¯s consciousness returns, his soul is still lingering within the Void Realm. The knowledge creatures seize the opportunity to take a big bite, causing soul damage to the mage.


    However, after being bitten by a knowledge creature, a mage¡¯s soul also becomes lighter, and the return speed increases, so the loss is not too severe.


    This was why Sonia and the Observer were frantic in their escape¡ªthey were not being pursued by one, but hunted by nine knowledge creatures!


    Just one bite from each of these creatures would be enough to completely consume both of their souls, potentially leaving nothing left to share.


    This is exactly why ¡®lingering too long in the Void Realm can lead to death¡¯: the mage is devoured bit by bit by knowledge creatures, leaving the soul unable to return to the body. Eventually, if the body waits too long, it will mistakenly believe that the soul has abandoned it, resulting in a spontaneous demise.


    Due to this sudden incident, they couldn¡¯t explore tonight. After throwing off their pursuers for a while, they had to exit the Void Realm directly. It could be said that apart from slightly increasing their faction realm, this night¡¯s efforts were essentially in vain, and they even suffered a net loss¡ªhaving one ¡®Vortex Secret Poison¡¯ was already bothersome, and now with an added ¡®Exile Secret Poison¡¯, Sonia felt like her mind was becoming increasingly impure.


    Although the number of people infected was small, and the effect of ¡®Exile Secret Poison¡¯ was currently beneficial, if the poison spread further, it would inevitably transform into a negative effect.


    Regardless, it was good to be alive. Just moments ago, Sonia had almost thought she and the Observer were going to die in the Void Realm.


    Sonia took a deep breath and left the Meditation Building.


    The night sky twinkled with stars as bright as daylight, the most prominent among them being the ¡®Deficient Moon Star,¡¯ resembling a moon with a segment missing and shining with deep blue light, illuminating the paths within the school.


    According to the lunar calendar, the meteorologists would replace the moon star with the ¡®waning moon star¡¯ tomorrow... Sonia suddenly became curious about what the Blood Moon looked like on the Observer¡¯s side. Was it also managed and changed by the Meteorology Office like the Moon Stars of the Kingdom of Stars?


    Suddenly, the night sky burst with a seven-colored halo, startling Sonia. Looking closer, she realized it was commotion emanating from the direction of the white tower.


    Again, classified as a warning area and gathering mages from all over Jiale City, Sonia vaguely sensed that the ¡®Void Turbulence¡¯ looming over the white tower was extremely important. But given her current lowly status, she simply couldn¡¯t access such high-end information and could only look from afar, speculating whether a group of professors were having a wild festivity inside.


    Back in the dorm room, Sonia moved lightly, not making a sound to disturb her roommate. Without hot water late at night, she took a shower with cold water, stood on the balcony to catch the breeze, and waited for her hair to dry naturally.


    She tapped her Miracle Bracelet, bringing up the light screen, wanting to check out the new series starring Dedarose.


    There was a full-body mirror on the balcony as well. Catching a glimpse of herself, Sonia suddenly adjusted her posture and combed her hair, scrutinizing her appearance from every angle.


    ¡°What are you doing in the middle of the night?¡±


    Adelle, who hadn¡¯t been asleep and had been hiding under the covers watching series, poked her head out and asked Sonia curiously.


    Sonia looked towards Adelle and thought for a moment before asking, ¡°Would you consider me a pure, cute girl with a good figure?¡±


    Adelle blinked, ¡°You are, but you still fall a little short compared to me.¡±


    She stretched out her hand and made a ¡®little bit¡¯ gesture with her fingers, indicating the gap wasn¡¯t all that wide.


    ...


    ...


    Shattered Lake Prison.


    Ash suddenly rolled off the bed, the cold floor as if touching a panicked soul, slightly easing the tumultuous emotions after the escape.


    When he got up from the floor, he realized he was drenched and went to take a hot shower. Although ordinary dorm rooms didn¡¯t have bathtubs, hot water was still supplied around the clock¡ªdenying hot water would be considered abuse by human rights organizations.


    Leaning against the pristine white tiles and letting the water cascade over him, Ash turned on the light screen to sort through the gains of the night.


    Indeed, there were gains tonight. Although to others, the ¡®Vortex Secret Poison¡¯ might seem a pure burden, within ¡°Aurora¡¯s Mage Manual,¡± the ¡®Vortex Secret Poison¡¯ had triggered a new change.


    ¡®You have been infected with ¡°Vortex Secret Poison¡±.¡¯


    ¡®¡±Vortex Secret Poison¡± has enhanced the Final Observer¡¯s sensory abilities for Knowledge Creatures in the Void Realm, resulting in changes to the Void Realm Map.¡¯


    ¡®Note: The Void Realm Map has been updated. Now you can discover Knowledge Creatures within your observation range on the Void Realm Map and obtain brief information.¡¯


    Earlier in the Void Realm, when Ash opened the map, he noticed slight changes in the surrounding 24 cells. Most were still ¡°pointless¡± or ¡°negligible,¡± but a few cells revealed more information:


    ¡®Mist Fish Dragon, worth the visit¡¯


    ¡®Blast Fish Dragon, a bit troublesome¡¯


    ¡®Umbrella Bird Dragon, a bit troublesome¡¯


    Just the names of Knowledge Creatures appearing, but for Void Realm Exploration, it was a massive breakthrough!


    Before this, Ash could only rely on map hints to make rough estimations about whether the area contained Inheritance Island or a Knowledge Creature habitat. Generally, ¡°worth the visit¡± indicated mostly Inheritance Islands, and ¡°a bit troublesome¡± referred to Knowledge Creatures, with occasional misjudgments, but it was still better than blindly bumbling about.


    With the areas inhabited by Knowledge Creatures now marked, the other unmarked but still potentially combative areas were naturally Inheritance Islands!


    Moreover, while Ash was inexperienced with Knowledge Creatures, the Sword Maiden had read the ¡°Knowledge Creature Atlas.¡± From just the names, she could deduce the corresponding monsters¡¯ faction, approximate combat power, and even specific weaknesses, specifically targeting those Knowledge Creatures vulnerable to their abilities!


    They could even hunt Knowledge Creatures known for dropping swordsmanship Treasure Beads, like the ¡®Fish-Slicing Dragon¡¯ or ¡®Umbrella Bird Dragon¡¯, to feed the Sword Maiden¡¯s swordsmanship Realm and help her advance to the Two-winged Gold level!


    As long as the Sword Maiden reached the Time Continent, Ash could pull the same trick, sneaking onto the Time Continent by exploiting the Sword Maiden as a shortcut.


    Just as he became a Silver Mage in the Sea of Knowledge, Ash could advance to a Golden Mage on the Time Continent, even if none of his Magic Faction reached the Gold level, and even if he hadn¡¯t cultivated for a single day¡ªclimbing up by simply clinging to the Sword Maiden¡¯s coattails¡ªmentioning it would probably infuriate other mages.


    With Ash¡¯s exploration skills and the Sword Maiden¡¯s knowledge, as long as they didn¡¯t trigger a taboo death wish like earlier, their future exploration of the Sea of Knowledge would be smooth sailing, without any danger!


    But all of this was predicated on Ash surviving, leaving this prison, obtaining freedom.


    Turning off the shower overhead and grabbing a towel to wrap around himself, he walked to the sink. Looking at his drenched reflection in the mirror, water dripped from his hair to his gaunt shoulders, sliding down his collarbone.


    ¡°Damn, starting to like this world a bit.¡±


    His cheeks tilted up as he smiled faintly, ¡°Today is another day filled with hope.¡±

 Chapter 115: 105: No Way to Deal with You

    Chapter 115: Chapter 105: No Way to Deal with You


    ¡°Enhance the error tolerance of the plan and draft the route of action after seizing the ship?¡±


    On the sea-view rooftop, Igula found Ash¡¯s request somewhat odd after hearing it. ¡°Your top priority right now shouldn¡¯t be thinking about how you¡¯ll survive the Blood Moon Judgement a few days from now? Don¡¯t tell me you think you won¡¯t be chosen as one of the lucky eight, or that you believe only one person will die in this additional Blood Moon Judgement.¡±


    Not only Igula, but even the ordinary death row inmates felt that the upcoming Blood Moon Judgements would be extraordinarily deadly¡ªbecause the prison was nearing full capacity.


    More and more people were arriving, but the prison couldn¡¯t expand, nor could it reduce the living space per death row inmate, worsen the living conditions, or convert other facilities into dormitories.


    The conditions at Shattered Lake Prison were already very close to the limits set by the ¡°Guidance on Prisoner Living Environment¡±, and if the prison dared to reduce the living conditions to increase prisoner capacity, the Human Rights Association would surely bite back, accusing the prison of inmate abuse.


    Therefore, the only and best method for the prison was to create ¡®reasonable attrition¡¯ among the death row inmates and incidentally increase the revenue from the Blood Moon Judgement¡ªbecause the executioners couldn¡¯t be forcefully ordered to strike non-targeted death row inmates, so to increase the casualty rate as much as possible, the prison had to design game segments where ¡®no one escapes¡¯ and ¡®everyone meets their end¡¯, making for an explosively popular live broadcast.


    ...


    For example, the Blood Moon Judgement on the 15th was a clear example, with complex and exciting judging phases where inmates could additionally kill each other, and during Valcas¡¯s punishment, as long as he harbored thoughts like ¡®If I¡¯m going down, you¡¯re all going down with me¡¯, he could at any minute take other inmates to bow down to the Extreme Master of Blood Moon.


    Interestingly, the prison lowering living standards to increase inmate capacity was not allowed by the Human Rights Association; but the prison designing high-fatality Blood Moon Judgements to reduce the number of inmates was acceptable to them.


    Although there was no evidence, Igula had a hunch that advertising revenue from the Blood Moon Judgements definitely contributed to the Human Rights Association as political donations.


    ¡°So what do you think I should do to safely get through the Blood Moon Judgement?¡±


    ¡°Hmm... pray to The Gods of Four Pillars behind you? Or renounce the dark for light and beg for the mercy of the Extreme Master of Blood Moon?¡±


    ¡°If we say that Shattered Lake Prison is a cage, then the trial list is the butcher outside choosing which animals to slaughter,¡± said Ash. ¡°We beasts in the cage can¡¯t influence what happens outside, unless there is a butcher outside who knows me well, which unfortunately, there isn¡¯t. There are probably many eyeing me as their meal, though.¡±


    ¡°So rather than worrying about whether I can survive the Blood Moon Judgement, I¡¯d rather operate under the assumption that I will miraculously survive and make a more detailed escape plan.¡± Ash crossed his arms, leaning against the railing of the rooftop. ¡°After all, there are still nine days before the next transport ship arrives, and we can¡¯t afford to just waste that time.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a waste of time,¡± Igula scoffed.


    ¡°No, Ash is right!¡± Ronald exclaimed excitedly from the side. ¡°Even if it¡¯s just lowering the risk by 1% or increasing the success rate by 1%, it¡¯s worth our time to try. Friends, our time is very precious, let¡¯s fully focus on preparing for the escape now, and continue enjoying life once we¡¯re back in the free world, shall we?¡±


    ¡°Right, there¡¯s nothing else to do in prison anyway.¡± Lanna said. ¡°And besides, I believe Ash won¡¯t just easily die in Shattered Lake.¡±


    With the vote at 3:1, Igula naturally had to comply with the majority¡¯s opinion. However, he wasn¡¯t against improving the plan per se, he just enjoyed contradicting Ash.


    Perhaps knowing that a person like Ash could never be his con target, Igula didn¡¯t bother to waste his EQ on him.


    In dealing with clients, Igula was beloved and affectionate like a cozy sweater. With the power of Technique Spirit, he could easily pry open clients¡¯ hearts, letting them talk all day without getting bored, with many even preferring to be swindled by him just for the conversation.


    ¡°Due to limitations with the chip, my plan has many flaws,¡± said Igula. ¡°The riskiest flaw is likely the time after ¡®taking the Medical Practitioner¡¯s uniform¡¯ and before ¡®boarding the transport ship¡¯.¡±


    ¡°If the unconscious Medical Practitioner is found early, or if our actions take more than ten minutes, or if any accidents occur along the way, it would alert the Prison Guards thatÎÒÃÇÒѾ­½â³ýÁËоƬ. Once they alert the transport ship, there¡¯s absolutely no way we¡¯d be able to board the ship, much less seize it to escape.¡±


    ¡°The risks involved are too great, with too many unpredictable factors. If the plan fails, it will mostly likely be at this stage,¡± Igula looked at everyone. ¡°Any suggestions?¡±


    Ash racked his brains while Lanna remained silent; Ronald, however, raised his hand and said, ¡°How about we just kill all the Prison Guards, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°Unless we can kill all the Prison Guards at the same time, if even one escapes, he could activate the alarm,¡± Igula was somewhat speechless. ¡°Moreover, the guards are on shift duty. They always have someone in the Prison Guard living area that we can¡¯t access, so there¡¯s no opportunity to eradicate them all in one swoop.¡±


    Ronald said seriously, ¡°Then let¡¯s find a way to gather them all!¡±


    ¡°What way? Have Ash pray to The Gods of Four Pillars? Or might as well be direct¡ªhave Ash wish for the Prison Guards to simultaneously drop dead¡ª¡±


    ¡°If we find someone, purify their chip, and then have them kill other death row inmates and prison guards, would the guards gather to hunt him down?¡±


    Igula was about to dismiss the idea, but he swallowed his words. He paced back and forth subconsciously, stuck his thumb in his mouth, nibbled on his nail, and fell into deep thought.


    Ash blinked, ¡°It sounds... somewhat more reliable than just relying on luck!¡±


    ¡°Ronnie is really impressive,¡± Lanna patted Ronald on the shoulder and laughed.


    ¡°Although it still needs a lot of refinement, it¡¯s feasible!¡± Igula¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°Using bait to draw the guards¡¯ attention, whether it¡¯s ambushing to kill guards or seizing the opportunity to steal a ship and escape, it¡¯s much better than my original plan. Plus, we can prepare more fallbacks, like having Ash deactivate more chips to incite a major riot in Shattered Lake Prison!¡±


    ¡°Right under the nose of the prison, right under the gaze of the guards, to turn Shattered Lake upside down!¡±


    Thinking about how the play he directed could become even grander and more spectacular excited Igula, reigniting his long-lost passion for work!


    Excited, Ash said, ¡°No time to waste, let¡¯s quickly pick a lucky death row inmate as bait!¡±


    Igula had no objections, so the four of them headed to the Death Battle Society.


    Their requirements for the bait were: brave and fierce, despising the prison, obedient, and easily deceived, and most people who met these criteria were concentrated in the Death Battle Society.


    On the way, Ash leaned towards Igula and whispered, ¡°Ronald is acting really strange today.¡±


    Today Ronald was all smiles, actively speaking, with a sunny and warm expression, which stood in stark contrast to the almost dehydrated, shriveled Ronald of the past few days, making Ash quite afraid.


    Igula responded quietly, ¡°That means the ritual is in its later stages. If Ronald¡¯s bedroom is vacated tomorrow, I won¡¯t be surprised.¡±


    ¡°Have I mentioned that I¡¯ve enhanced my hearing with Technique Spirit?¡± Ronald turned his head to look at them and shook his head, ¡°Unless covered by Technique Spirit, I can hear whispers of this caliber.¡±


    Ash and Igula stopped, both wearing an ¡®innocent, nothing happened¡¯ expression. When it came to having thick skin, the two were surprisingly consistent.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about me, I¡¯m sure I can survive till next month,¡± Ronald patted his chest, ¡°My issues with Lanna won¡¯t affect the plan, and if needed, we will settle them after the escape. Don¡¯t worry!¡±


    Unable to resist, Ash asked, ¡°Then why have you changed so much these past few days?¡±


    Ronald put a finger on his lips, ¡°Secret.¡± After speaking, he elbowed space for Lanna to hook on his arm. Seeing their affectionate backs, an onlooker would never imagine their relationship being a life-or-death one.


    Igula, however, pondered if this was Lanna intentionally making Ronald like this to align with the escape plan. After all, this sunny, active Ronald naturally helped advance the plan, even offering useful suggestions from the get-go.


    If so, it meant Lanna was confident about the escape plan, enough so to willingly alter his own ritual process in favor of the plan.


    But even Igula, the proposer of the plan, didn¡¯t have much confidence in the escape, estimating their chances of success to be less than 10%, and even with refinements, no more than 30%.


    Where did Lanna¡¯s confidence come from?


    Igula knew it certainly wasn¡¯t coming from himself.


    With that thought, Igula subconsciously turned his head to look at the cult leader beside him. Confused by his stare, Ash also elbowed outwards, revealing a resigned expression as if saying, ¡®Can¡¯t believe you¡¯d envy this, fine, I¡¯ll just put myself out there...¡¯


    Ah, how much he wanted to hit him, to berate him.


    Igula was so enraged he felt like he was on the brink of losing his rationality.

 Chapter 116: 106 Necromancer

    Chapter 116: Chapter 106 Necromancer


    ¡°Stop hitting me already, you won¡¯t kill anyone that way!¡±


    ¡°Can you guys hurry it up? Dozens of us are waiting, and you¡¯re wasting everyone¡¯s time¡ªa minute for you is dozens for us!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll do.¡±


    When Ash and the others entered Death Battle Society, what reached their ears was not adrenaline-fueled shrieks, wild roars akin to that of beasts, or malicious jeers but rather utter complaints filled with disdain.


    If it weren¡¯t for the chip restrictions that kept these death-row inmates from spewing profanities, Ash was certain he would quickly learn all the classic swear words from every race in the Kingdom of Blood Moon.


    As they squeezed through to the front, the inmates pushed to the side showed irritation on their faces. But when they saw it was ¡°Demon,¡± ¡°Beautiful Beast,¡± ¡°Gourmet¡±¡ªthese notorious prison thugs¡ªthey quickly made way, some even flashing subservient smiles.


    ...


    Although there was no hierarchy among death-row inmates, and even the most powerful could not harm the weakest, not even pull a hair or scratch a freshly manicured nail, as long as they did not step into the death battle arena, they would never be bullied by anyone else.


    But the adoration of the strong is innate in all creatures. In this group of death-row inmates, whose moral bottom lines were akin to that of an old man¡¯s diaper, this trait was fully on display. Even though Ash and the others couldn¡¯t harm them in the slightest, they still didn¡¯t want to offend these fearsome individuals.


    Ash mentally crossed off these people who made way for him from his list of potential accomplices¡ªbeing the kindest and most innocent person in this prison, even I am scared of me, how could they possibly act as bait? All failed the test!


    Getting to the front, Ash saw two people in the lowest death battle arena. One was a Snake Lizard Clan member covered in dark green, the other was a rare prison acquaintance whose name Ash had forgotten; he only remembered his last name, Harvey.


    After a short observation, Ash understood why everyone was complaining¡ªHarvey was throwing a fake fight.


    The Snake Lizard Clan member made no move to retaliate, merely letting Harvey punch his face again and again. Even as his tough, scaled skin cracked and his fine, sharp teeth broke, he kneeled there motionless, calmly looking at Harvey.


    It wasn¡¯t until Harvey¡¯s fists were covered in thick blood that the Snake Lizard Clan member slowly said, ¡°Archibald, do you feel better now?¡±


    ¡°Not yet!¡±


    Harvey suddenly knelt down, tore open his shirt, revealing a gaunt figure covered in unsightly scars, his face twisted grotesquely, ¡°Harbron, come on!¡±


    The Snake Lizard Clan member shook his head but still went to pick up the thorny whip lying at the edge of the arena. Ash glanced at it and felt his hair stand on end¡ªthe thorny whip was covered in tightly packed barbs, and one could only imagine the delightful pain of being licked by it. Add a bit of salt water and it might just send one¡¯s soul straight to heaven.


    Crack! Crack! Crack!


    With the dull sounds of lashes, the complaints of the Death Battle Society subsided significantly. Although some ridiculed Harvey for being a fool, more showed respect through their silence¡ªthere were two ways to earn the respect of death-row inmates: be ruthless to others or to oneself.


    ¡°How is it?¡± Ash suddenly asked.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± Igula replied. ¡°I¡¯ll investigate his ¡®story¡¯ a bit later; there might be something there we can use.¡±


    ¡°Archibald Harvey¡¯s death battle record is 7 wins, 1 loss,¡± Lanna said. ¡°Because he¡¯s slender, he¡¯s sometimes seen as a target for looting, but his opponents often lose consciousness without realizing it in battler. He¡¯s not weak.¡±


    ¡°We need such hot-blooded men. Just looking at him fires me up!¡± Ronald clenched his fist. ¡°Let¡¯s go find him right after the death battle ends!¡±


    Igula shook his head. ¡°No rush. We still have time to check out other candidates. Even if we want him, we should wait until I get a hold of something on him. It makes things easier to manipulate.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, you have such a dirty mind!¡±


    ¡°Do you disagree?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you see, the Snake Lizard Clan member seems to have a good relationship with Harvey. If we can¡¯t find a breakthrough with Harvey, perhaps we could use that Snake Lizard Clan member¡ªafter all, he just got here and probably still remembers the sweet taste of freedom.¡±


    Igula nodded in admiration, ¡°It¡¯s rare for you to come up with a good suggestion, Ash.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just something I learned from you, Igula.¡±


    Watching the two exchange a snicker like a pair of crooked pals, Lanna maintained his composure, but his mind was immensely surprised. He had observed Igula Bokin and knew that this Swindler was a cold and selfish hedonist, always wearing a professional smile but inherently disdainful of everyone, treating them as tools for his use.


    Of course, Lanna wasn¡¯t implying that Igula saw Ash as a friend. If he dared to say such a thing, Igula and Ash would probably think he had gone mad.


    But according to Lanna¡¯s observations, the way Igula treated Ash was entirely different from how he treated other inmates. It was neither a calculated flattery nor the disgust reserved for enemies but rather something closer to... sincerity.


    Yes, sincerity. Although it seemed nai?ve to use such a term for a Swindler, that was Lanna¡¯s conclusion.


    Perhaps even Igula hadn¡¯t realized that in front of Ash, he had unwittingly let down the mask he had constructed to protect himself. He didn¡¯t hide his loathing, nor his recognition, treating Ash Heath as an equal, conversing normally, arguing normally¡ªthe emotional fluctuations Igula had experienced in the past year and a half were nothing compared to these past few days.


    Was it because of Ash Heath¡¯s personal charm?


    No, Lanna didn¡¯t think so.


    It wasn¡¯t that Ash lacked charm, but Igula couldn¡¯t possibly be so easily influenced¡ªnot any Two-winged Mage who majored in the Spirit Faction had firmer convictions and will than other mages, let alone the fact that Igula himself was a Swindler skilled in manipulating the hearts of people. How could he possibly undergo a sudden, almost ¡®love at first sight¡¯-like change of heart?


    In the world of mages, there were no coincidences.


    Only ¡°Miracles.¡±


    Although Ronald¡¯s involvement played a part, when Lanna learned that Ash was the initiator of the prison break plan, he strongly realized that this escape plan was bound to succeed.


    Unlike Igula and Ronald, Lanna had once been a church employee, a servant of God. He had been bathed in the Divine Being¡¯s glory and was well aware of the vastness of the Divine Lord¡¯s power.


    The will of God must be carried out.


    To the Extreme Master of Blood Moon, the Shattered Lake Prison, which was impenetrable and closely guarded without a single flaw, was nothing but a bubble that would burst upon a touch, nearly transparent.


    To the Gods of Four Pillars, it was the same.


    Suddenly, the lights in the Death Battle Society¡¯s hall lit up, the barriers around the arena fell, the arena¡¯s door opened, and the crow Medical Practitioners came out to carry away the Snake Lizard Clan, but when they went to carry away Harvey¡ªHarvey refused to be treated. He didn¡¯t want to be healed.


    When the bruised and bloodied Harvey emerged, the death-row inmates instinctively cleared a path for him. Since Ash and the others were waiting for Igula to find some leverage on Harvey, they didn¡¯t immediately go to recruit him.


    However, Harvey took the initiative to approach them.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to find you, Ash,¡± Harvey said. ¡°I have something I¡¯d like to discuss with you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m broke.¡±


    ¡°There are too many people here, let¡¯s go¡ª¡± As Harvey spoke, he reached out to pull Ash away.


    Igula caught Harvey¡¯s wrist, smiling, ¡°Sounds interesting. May I listen in?¡±


    Harvey glanced over Igula, Lanna, and Ronald, then slowly nodded: ¡°Of course.¡±


    The five worst criminals quickly left the Death Battle Society and then went to the men¡¯s restroom¡ªthere was no helping it, as the closest private environment was just that, and anyway, the restroom was often cleaned and even had a nice scent. They could also turn on the tap to cover the sound of their conversation, making it an ideal breeding ground for conspiracy and manipulation.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been planning an escape recently?¡± said Harvey, wiping the blood off his body with a wet towel, looking at Ash in the mirror.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Igula did not intend to hide it; he had visited famous inmates around the prison in the past few days, and such news couldn¡¯t be kept secret.


    But because Ash¡¯s ¡°Miracle¡± had not been exposed, and considering Igula once used his status as the president of the Prison Break Research Society to enchant newcomers, people either thought Igula was just playing around or planning another conspiracy. Plus, most of the death-row inmates had been domesticated by the prison, so no one really wanted to join, forcing Ash to figure out ways to drag Ronald and Lanna into the scheme.


    ¡°I want to join you,¡± Harvey said as he stuck his head under the faucet, letting the water wet his curly hair. When he lifted his wet head, Ash was surprised to find that when he wasn¡¯t curly, Harvey actually had a rather delicate appearance, lacking the vulgar and perverse look he had with curls.


    ¡°I want to escape.¡±


    Ash was overjoyed, but before he could speak, Igula preempted him, ¡°If you want to join us, you need to contribute, show us your value. We don¡¯t lack people right now, and if you don¡¯t play a certain role, there¡¯s no need for us to let you join.¡±


    ¡°Actually, even without any contribution¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Igula glared fiercely at Ash, who shrank back with a sense of grievance.


    It should have been Igula begging Harvey to join them, but now Harvey was actively wanting in. How could Igula pass up this opportunity? He could set demands while exploiting Harvey¡¯s resources before ¡®reluctantly allowing¡¯ Harvey to join. Not only would this make Harvey grateful, but it would also make him fully aware of his own status, ensuring future compliance even if ordered to act as bait.


    ¡°Very reasonable demand,¡± Harvey, looking into the mirror, nodded his head, ¡°I believe my skills will definitely satisfy you¡ªI can operate the processors inside the prison.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, sounds like it could be... What?¡±


    Igula paused, ¡°Processors? You can manipulate the prison¡¯s chip processors? How is that possible!¡±


    ¡°How is it not possible?¡± Harvey turned to the other four, his wet hair hanging over his face failing to hide the sharpness in his eyes: ¡°If anyone among the death-row inmates could operate a chip processor, it would certainly only be me.¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m a Necromancer.¡±


    ¡°And the chip processor is a corpse.¡±

 Chapter 117: 107: The Mouse Puts Chains on the Cat

    Chapter 117: Chapter 107: The Mouse Puts Chains on the Cat


    Chip processor, is it a corpse?


    At that moment, Harvey violently ripped off his prison clothes, as the blood on them had coagulated with the fabric, making a crisp ¡®tearing¡¯ sound as he did. The wounds that had just stopped bleeding reopened, from slashes as wide as his knuckles, and blood flowed out, streaking down his dark back in tears as if numerous eyes were crying.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m quite surprised you know about the processor,¡± Harvey said while wiping his body with a towel. ¡°This is not something taught at the orphanage; most people in the prison don¡¯t even know what controls their chips, just like ants can¡¯t see the people above them.¡±


    ¡°What confines us is not the prison, it¡¯s the chips. Shattered Lake is just a room in the Kingdom of Blood Moon.¡±


    Igula, with his arms crossed, leaned against the wall. ¡°I consider myself well-informed, frequently mingling in high society. I¡¯ve even made contingency plans for being imprisoned in Shattered Lake, which is why I deliberately inquired about the operations of Shattered Lake Prison and fortunately learned about the existence of processors... But how would a scavenger like you know such classified information?¡±


    With a tone three parts arrogance and seven parts skepticism, Igula managed his words carefully, quietly triggering a ¡®Resonance¡¯ Technique Spirit in an attempt to provoke Harvey¡¯s emotions. If Harvey truly knew any secrets, he would undoubtedly be eager to boast about his knowledge and its sources.


    ...


    However, Harvey merely glanced at Igula in the mirror and calmly asked, ¡°You¡¯ve all been to hospitals, right? Have you noticed that in the Kingdom of Blood Moon, there are no private hospitals, only institute-affiliated hospitals and maternity hospitals?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that normal?¡± Igula felt perplexed. ¡°Even if there were private hospitals, I wouldn¡¯t go. Affiliated hospitals have low fees, good reputations, guarantees, and plentiful medical practitioners. Private hospitals simply have no room to exist.¡±


    ¡°Normally, medical practitioners come from all species: Human Race, Snake Lizard Clan, Elf Clan, Beastman Clan, even ogres...¡± Harvey said. ¡°But there¡¯s one department in the hospital staffed exclusively by one species; no other species is allowed to join that department.¡±


    Lanna glanced at the bloodstains on Harvey¡¯s back. ¡°Since it¡¯s related to the research institute, the species you¡¯re referring to must be the Blood Saint Clan... But which department are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The Department of Corpse Processing.¡±


    Harvey vigorously wiped the scars on his back with a towel, twisting his face in pain, but he remained calm as he spoke. ¡°If I say that the institute established affiliated hospitals and prohibited the issuance of private medical licenses just to keep the Department of Corpse Processing firmly under their control, would you believe me?¡±


    Ash appeared utterly confused¡ªlaunching an entire hospital for just one department¡¯s sake? As ludicrous as buying crabs just to dip them in vinegar.


    Yet, Igula seemed to pass a check of inspiration and asked, ¡°I recall that one of your most serious charges was ¡®unauthorized handling of corpses,¡¯ and Blood Saint Clan¡¯s research institute wants to secure their source of corpses... Could it be that corpses are an extremely valuable resource for the Blood Saint Clan?¡±


    ¡°Corpses are not just resources; they are their taboo,¡± Harvey smiled faintly. ¡°You were surprised just now about the processor being a corpse, but what if I told you that all members of the Blood Saint Clan are corpses?¡±


    Ash recalled the arrogant, white-haired hunter Gerard, finding it hard to associate him with a corpse. Although he was bad at cards, he was clearly quick-witted, only a notch below Ash himself.


    ¡°A corpse... Yes, exactly, that makes sense now!¡±


    Igula had a sudden realization. ¡°I¡¯ve wondered why the Blood Saint Clan has such prolonged life and never ages, whereas other Longevity Species like the Elves do age. I used to think it was some miracle, but if they are corpses, their appearance would naturally be fixed at the moment of their death!¡±


    ¡°Now that you mention it, I¡¯ve met members of the Blood Saint Clan before and indeed, I never heard their heartbeat,¡± Ronald shrugged. ¡°Lanna, being from the Moon Shadow Clan, you must know more, right?¡±


    He turned his head but found Lanna¡¯s expression strange¡ªor rather, completely expressionless. He did not speak or shift his gaze, staring straight ahead like a frozen wax figure.


    ¡°If he is from the Moon Shadow Clan, he cannot respond to this topic,¡± Harvey stated. ¡°The Moon Shadow and Blood Moon clans signed a contract during their species transition, vowing to keep each other¡¯s secrets.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying, the processor that controls all the chips of the death row inmates is a member of the Blood Saint Clan!?¡± Ash asked.


    ¡°Hold on, we¡¯re not quite there yet,¡± Harvey remarked. ¡°The Blood Saint Clan has always been hiding the secret that they are corpses while controlling all corpse sources to prevent anyone from learning about the Necromancy Faction through studying corpses¡ªthe Necromancy Faction being the only magic faction that can control corpses!¡±


    ¡°In other words, Necromancers are the natural enemies of the Blood Saint Clan. Though I can¡¯t manipulate the Blood Saint Clan as easily as I can corpses, if I were to face a mage of equal rank from the Blood Saint Clan who isn¡¯t proficient in the Necromancy Faction, I am confident I could prevent him from summoning his Technique Spirit, disorient him, and grind away his soul, leaving behind a true corpse!¡±


    Igula raised an eyebrow, skeptical of Harvey¡¯s claims.


    Every faction mage claims their own faction to be the strongest, just like Igula firmly believes that the Spirit Faction is the most powerful. Harvey¡¯s fervent praise of the Necromancy Faction certainly seemed exaggerated.


    This type of claim¡ª¡¯our faction is so powerful that it had to be suppressed¡¯¡ªis a common narrative among less popular factions.


    Lanna exhibited a similar attitude; being an exile of the Moon Shadow Clan, he undoubtedly knew more but could reveal nothing due to the contract.


    Ronald and Ash both had an expression that said, ¡®Wow, you¡¯re so amazing, I¡¯m going to follow you.¡¯ Ash clenched his fist excitedly and said, ¡°Okay, if Hunter Captain Gerard catches up to us during the prison break, Harvey, you¡¯ll take care of him!¡±


    Harvey¡¯s face stiffened, ¡°Although he¡¯s a natural enemy, I can¡¯t possibly take on a Three-winged by myself...¡±


    Well played... Igula glanced at Ash, thinking that he truly lived up to his reputation as a Swindler¡¯s man, casually suppressing Harvey¡¯s status with a single sentence. Beneath the facade of adoration was a bellyful of malicious linguistic traps. Was this the talent of a Cult Leader?


    Harvey shifted the conversation, ¡°However, although I can¡¯t compete with a real Three-winged Holy Realm Blood Saint, if the opponent is in a special status, like being asleep, that would be another matter entirely. For example... a Blood Saint¡¯s corpse used as a chip processor!¡±


    What Harvey mentioned next reminded Ash of a term: biotechnology!


    Due to the Mage system, the technology of mages in this world was very advanced, like the chip implanted at the back of the neck, which was a derivative product of mage technology. Though the chip was mainly a portable device for sending and receiving messages, watching videos, listening to music, or being used as a locator, controlling a person¡¯s behavior through a chip would certainly exceed its functional limits.


    Those ¡®functional limits¡¯ that couldn¡¯t be met naturally relied on ¡®Miracles.¡¯ But only Mages, who could cast miracles, needed to be Mages.


    Even if the Mage was dead, as long as certain conditions were met, they could still perform miracles.


    The so-called chip processor was actually a series of Blood Saint Mage bodies whose souls had entered the Void Realm. The Blood Saint Mages from the Necromancy Faction, Alchemy Faction, and Electromagnetic Faction used miracles to recycle these bodies, eventually turning them into terminal processors that could automatically send and receive chip signals!


    This was not only eco-friendly and energy-efficient but also imaginative, breaking theoretical limits and introducing technology that might have been invented hundreds of years later into the prison for death row inmates to experience earlier.


    But Ash had a question: ¡°If you only need Mage bodies, it doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be the Blood Saint Clan, right?¡±


    ¡°This is my speculation,¡± Harvey said. ¡°Although the existing Blood Saint bodies are dead, their souls haven¡¯t entered the Void Realm, and their bodies are long-lasting. This leads to an easy conclusion ¨C their souls linger in their bodies, perhaps even more specifically, in their blood.¡±


    ¡°Even if most of the soul energy in the body has dissipated, in the blood, in the body, there probably still remain some soul fragments.¡±


    Hearing this, Igula understood immediately: ¡°Resurrection?¡±


    Harvey nodded, ¡°For the Blood Saint Clan, a body does not signify complete demise; ¡®becoming a processor¡¯ might be an important step in the resurrection ritual, and not all Blood Saint Mages are turned into ¡®processors¡¯¡ªthis privilege might only be reserved for high-ranking Mages.¡±


    ¡°Incidentally, I¡¯ve run tests before¡ªwhen I activate the Light Screen on the chip to watch videos or play Veil games, complex operations like these, the soul energy shows a significant drain but recovers quickly, so much so that even Mages struggle to notice. As for why it consumes that bit of soul energy, it could be explained as the energy needed to operate the chip, but it might just as well be... the nutrition required by the body.¡±


    Listening to this made Ash feel uncomfortable all over, and he subconsciously scratched the back of his neck. It was as if everyone had a tube in the back of their necks, connected at the other end to a withered old corpse that was absorbing nutrition from the living every second.


    ¡°Yuck! Wow...ugh!¡± Ronald shivered, then suddenly rushed to a stall and started vomiting into the toilet¡ªhe was actually nauseated to the point of throwing up!


    Harvey, putting down a towel, turned around to face them by the sink, ¡°So, are you willing to accept my joining?¡±


    Now, even Igula couldn¡¯t find a fault, ¡°Archibald, welcome to join us.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, I still want to verify something,¡± Harvey asked. ¡°You must have a method to remove the chips, right? If we can¡¯t remove the chips, this so-called prison break is just a bad joke.¡±


    Igula nodded, ¡°We do.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, at least there¡¯s a possibility of success. But before I join, you must first sign a contract, agree to a demand¡ª¡±


    ¡°Necromancer,¡± Igula¡¯s voice turned cold, ¡°I admit you¡¯ve brought some interesting information, but that¡¯s all it is¡ªinteresting. Till now, I don¡¯t see how you can contribute to the prison break.¡±


    Lanna gently patted Ronald¡¯s back to make him feel better while asking, ¡°You said you could control bodies used as chip processors; does that mean you can directly change our chip permissions?¡±


    Harvey shook his head, ¡°No, changing prisoner permissions would require access to the ¡®Sinners¡¯ Catalogue.¡¯ Unless we can erase our records from the ¡®Sinners¡¯ Catalogue,¡¯ there¡¯s no way we could lessen the chip¡¯s restrictions.¡±


    ¡°Then what use are you?¡± Igula¡¯s expression grew even more unfriendly.


    ¡°While I can¡¯t lessen our restrictions, I can increase others¡¯. It¡¯s difficult to unlock chains, but it¡¯s quite easy to place chains on others.¡±


    Harvey gestured with his hand lightly across his neck, ¡°The Prison Guards¡¯ chips, too, are under the jurisdiction of the processors.¡±

 Chapter 118: 108: It Should Be You Going to Jail

    Chapter 118: Chapter 108: It Should Be You Going to Jail


    ¡°To add restrictions to the prison guards?¡±


    After vomiting, Ronald wiped the filth from the corner of his mouth, his face filled with disbelief, ¡°But they are not prisoners!¡±


    ¡°Why would you think that only prisoners¡¯ chips can have restrictions added?¡±


    Harvey sneered, ¡°Or rather, why would you think ordinary people¡¯s chips can¡¯t have restrictions added?¡±


    ¡°Sinners¡¯ Catalogue¡ª¡±


    ¡°When you were imprisoned in the Crime Hunting Hall, multiple restrictions were already placed on you, even before your name was signed in the ¡®Sinners¡¯ Catalogue¡¯, you were no different from ordinary people. The effect of the Sinners¡¯ Catalogue is just to make our restrictions permanent.¡±


    ...


    Ronald muttered, ¡°I thought it was the hunter who used a miracle on me...¡±


    A chill rose in Ash¡¯s heart.


    That meant everyone in the Kingdom of Blood Moon, whether ordinary people or mages, wore a collar that could strangle them at any moment. If the processor received a command, it could make anyone within the controlled area do anything, even thrust a knife into their own throat!


    Ironically, until now, Ash had never truly seen the Kingdom of Blood Moon or even its ordinary people, but he had learned many secrets that ordinary residents could not access.


    He felt like he was observing the world from a crevice, receiving only fragmented keywords: multi-race, Human Rights Association, foster care, Crime Hunting Hall, Church, Memory Master, Blood Moon Judgement, Woodpecker gang... These keywords formed a bizarre-world¡ªboth democratic and autocratic, both rich and poor, both respecting human rights and violating privacy, both obsessively entertaining and stably harmonious.


    It was like a Blood Lotus blossoming upon the mire, dazzling yet emitting a filthy stench.


    This might have a lot to do with Ash¡¯s sources of information; after all, what humane truths could he see in a death row prison? Nonetheless, a perfect realm has never existed on earth. Perhaps if Ash goes out, he might truly enjoy it, lying on the sofa each month watching the Blood Moon Judgement.


    ¡°This is definitely not the type of information a Scavenger could access.¡± Igula suddenly said, ¡°Who exactly are you? How did you deceive the Crime Hunting Hall?¡±


    ¡°I am just a Scavenger,¡± Harvey calmly said. ¡°My duty is to deal with the bodies, ensuring they don¡¯t call for help, don¡¯t resist, and don¡¯t run away.¡±


    ¡°Control Master!¡±


    Ronald suddenly remembered something, ¡°In recent years, there were some murders in the industry that are also called legendary; the victims were murdered at home, but there were no signs of struggle in the room, the victims vanished without a trace, and among these victims were mages... Everyone calls this killer ¡®Control Master,¡¯ believing he possesses powerful control miracles, even making Two-winged Mages completely lose their ability to resist!¡±


    ¡°You flatter me, I merely exploited existing loopholes.¡± Harvey shook his head. ¡°As for how I deceived the Crime Hunting Hall, it¡¯s simple¡ªerase the memory first, then find a way to recover it.¡±


    Ash was baffled, ¡°If you can erase memories, why not just erase all the illegal memories directly, wouldn¡¯t that result in an instant release as innocent?¡±


    ¡°He can¡¯t,¡± Igula said. ¡°His major field is necromancy, most of his memories are related to the Necromancy Faction. If he erases the relevant memories of the Necromancy Faction, it would be no different from making him lose his memory completely; and if he doesn¡¯t erase the Necromancy Faction but erases the memories of handling the bodies, the Crime Hunting Hall would definitely know he erased memories¡ªwithout bodies, no one could learn necromancy.¡±


    ¡°This was the best outcome he calculated.¡±


    Ash exclaimed, ¡°Wait, since you preemptively handled the memories, does that mean you were deliberately captured? Do you have a reason you had to enter Shattered Lake Prison? Such as... for Narbel?¡±


    Suddenly, a chilly wind blew through the tightly closed chamber.


    As Harvey raised his chin and his sinister eyes swept around, Lanna immediately pulled Ronald behind her and Igula stepped forward to stand in front of Ash.


    Ash felt goosebumps all over from the wind, even his breathing became difficult, his mind went blank.


    Technique Spirit, or perhaps a Miracle?


    The wind came swiftly and departed just as quickly. Harvey lowered his eyelids, ¡°I can add restrictions to the guards, preventing them from taking any action, even from sending out alarms. Can this capability earn a promise from you?¡±


    Igula said, ¡°State your demand first.¡±


    ¡°After escaping prison, you must help me kill someone.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Ronald Fernand,¡± Harvey uttered a widely known name, ¡°the current mayor of Kaimon City.¡±


    ...


    Void Realm, Sea of Knowledge.


    ¡°So you signed an unbreakable contract, and although you haven¡¯t escaped from prison yet, you added the mayor, who holds significant power, to the assassination list?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it just so happened that we had a contractor in our team, so there was no possibility to ¡®verbally agree first and then go back on our word.''¡±


    ¡°Tsk, you even considered reneging.¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°You could just kill the necromancer right after escaping from prison, and then you wouldn¡¯t have to fulfill the contract! The contract doesn¡¯t say you can¡¯t harm each other, does it?¡±


    ¡°Typical you, probably you should be the one locked up.¡±


    During their casual conversation, the Umbrella Bird Dragon, looking disheveled like a broken umbrella, suddenly contracted its wings and rushed into the mist to escape, while simultaneously throwing a Technique Spirit in the opposite direction!


    ¡°Sword Maiden!¡±


    ¡°No problem!¡±


    Ash rushed to catch the Technique Spirit, while Sonia positioned herself right in front of the Umbrella Bird Dragon. Facing the ferocious charge of the Umbrella Bird Dragon, Sonia showed no fear. Assuming a sword-drawing stance, streams of water flowed around her, creating threads of moonlight silk!


    Clang!


    The moment the Umbrella Bird Dragon touched the moonlight silk, Sonia, tense like a coiled spring, drew a perfect circular arc with her wooden sword, slicing out a crimson Sword Qi wave!


    Miracle ? Slaughter Moonlight! A novel miracle that incorporated the Slaughter Sword into the moonlight to increase its power!


    ¡°Kuru¡ª¡±


    The Umbrella Bird Dragon was cleaved in half, let out a cry of reluctance, and dissipated into a mist, dropping two Technique Spirits.


    Seeing this, Ash sighed, ¡°Again, no Experience Treasure Orb. At this rate, how long will it take for you to become a Two-winged?¡±


    Sonia consoled, ¡°These things can¡¯t be rushed. Many mages say that the Void Realm listens to our desires; the more we want something, the less likely it is to give it to us. When we stop caring, it might just present it to us.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like the Void Realm is pretty nasty.¡±


    ¡°Say that a couple more times, and you might never see another Experience Treasure Orb in your lifetime.¡±


    With the help of ¡®Exile Secret Poison¡¯ and the ¡®Void Realm Telescope,¡¯ Ash could now reliably find and hunt knowledge creatures. To speed up the promotion of the Sword Maiden to Two-winged, thereby allowing himself to benefit from her power, Ash specifically searched for knowledge creatures that might drop swordsmanship treasure beads.


    But after hunting both the Fish-Slicing Dragon and Umbrella Bird Dragon tonight, aside from a few Technique Spirits, there was no sign of any Experience Treasure Orbs. This not only discouraged Ash but also made it seem unrealistic to evolve the Sword Maiden into a Two-winged heavyweight within ten days.


    ¡°I have no idea how many swordsmanship treasure beads it would take to advance to the Gold Realm.¡±


    Sonia, lying in the small boat, nonchalantly placed both feet on the gunwale, ¡°Mages usually advance their faction realm through learning and voyaging into the Void Realm. They feel overjoyed just to come across an Experience Treasure Orb occasionally. If they find a treasure orb specific to their major faction, they can boast about it for a lifetime. Advancing one¡¯s major faction realm with Experience Treasure Orbs? Even children would laugh at such an idea.¡±


    ¡°An idea worth mocking is one worth achieving.¡± Ash glanced at her swinging legs clad in black silk and the glimpse of white skin between her stockings and short skirt, ¡°Is it just my imagination, or have you been getting more relaxed around me?¡±


    ¡°Now~ay~, I¡¯m just a bit tired and resting.¡±


    ¡°But I remember you used to sit up straight even when resting.¡±


    ¡°Sitting isn¡¯t as comfortable as lying down. Hey, Observer, can you make the boat a bit bigger? Maybe add some foot pedals? I want to stretch my legs inside the boat.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too demanding, Sword Maiden!¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re allowed to act cute, but I can¡¯t stretch?¡±


    ¡°What, what, what, what, what acting cute!¡± Ash stammered in excitement: ¡°When have I ever acted cute! Don¡¯t put words in my mouth!¡±


    Sonia cleared her throat: ¡°¡®I feel as light as a balloon, tied to the earth only by a thin string, and Sword Maiden, to me, you are that string...''¡±


    ¡°Hmph, you think you¡¯ve got something on me? You think I¡¯m the type to get embarrassed over this?¡±


    ¡°Well¡ª¡±


    ¡°But I think with your feet like that, it¡¯s very easy for your stockings to get wet, and it would be bad if you slipped during a fight.¡± Ash calmly patted his thigh, ¡°Actually, I know a bit about foot massages. Why don¡¯t you put your legs on my thigh instead?¡±

 Chapter 119: 109: Sword Maiden and Observer Break Up

    Chapter 119: Chapter 109: ¡®Sword Maiden and Observer Break Up


    ¡°But you still haven¡¯t addressed your most pressing crisis.¡±


    Sonia propped her chin up, ¡°From what you say, a lot of people are definitely going to die during the Blood Moon Judgement on the 27th. What if you¡¯re selected for the Blood Moon Judgement list? I always feel like it¡¯s a kind of omen¡ªthe more perfect your plan, the less likely you are to live to carry it out.¡±


    Naturally, she didn¡¯t stretch her legs over; lying on the boat wasn¡¯t comfortable after all, as it wasn¡¯t a bed. She just felt playful and wanted to intentionally tease the Observer, to test the Observer¡¯s tolerance towards her.


    The result was very ideal.


    It was fast approaching¡ªthe day when she would rebel against the Observer¡¯s dominance and turn the Observer into her own means of transport!


    Ash, of course, didn¡¯t know the twisted thoughts in Sonia¡¯s mind. His eyes were glued to the Void Realm Map on the Light Screen. He said, ¡°Then we¡¯ll launch the plan and create a massive prison riot.¡±


    ...


    ¡°But without a boat¡ª¡±


    ¡°Even without a boat, there are other ways to cross the shark swarms in Shattered Lake; we just need to shed a little blood. The biggest trouble without a boat is the inability to safely get ashore. By then, the shore will definitely be swarming with Hunter Troops hunting fugitives. Although it¡¯s basically impossible to escape, it¡¯s still better than sitting and waiting for death in the Blood Moon Judgement.¡±


    Sonia nodded; this indeed was the best method in a worst-case scenario. However, she slightly revised her views on the Observer. Due to last night¡¯s ¡®coquetry¡¯, she thought the Observer was a person of delicate mind and indecisiveness, but she didn¡¯t expect that when it was time to be resolute and tough, the Observer did not hesitate at all.


    Despite Sonia¡¯s ability to boast in front of the Observer, if she were the one locked in Shattered Lake Prison, facing a fortified, violently controlled solitary island with chip control, she might not be able to resolve herself to escape, let alone plan a riot.


    Because escaping wasn¡¯t just escaping; it was also a challenge to the state apparatus and ruling class. Even if an escape was successful, what awaited the escapees was an endless manhunt. Every time they opened their eyes, they had to face omnipresent malice, and no part of the vast city could offer them sanctuary.


    Compared to death, this overwhelming pressure might be even more terrifying.


    However, although the Observer sometimes showed a weaker side, he was clear and decisive about escaping. He was not ignorant of the Kingdom of Blood Moon¡¯s strength; he himself was captured by the Blood Frenzy Hunters; he knew well the formidable control the Kingdom of Blood Moon had over society, and he knew that after escaping, he would face a life fraught with daily uncertainties.


    Yet in his words, he never showed a trace of fear towards the Kingdom of Blood Moon.


    Sonia could only attribute this to the confidence brought by his ¡®renewal of strength¡¯, or perhaps...


    It was his nature not to know fear.


    ¡°Up ahead there¡¯s a Fish-Slicing Dragon; it seems to be in its growth phase. Shall we go for it?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go! I have an awesome starting move in mind that might just knock out the Fish-Slicing Dragon in one hit.¡±


    As the boat pierced through the fog, Sonia gradually picked up sparse sensations: the sound of fish scales scraping the sand, the bubbles blown by the Fish Dragon, the scent of the sea waves... Although she couldn¡¯t identify knowledgeable creatures from a distance like the Observer, the ¡®Expulsion of Secret Poison¡¯ allowed Sonia to collect the biological information of knowledgeable creatures through the fog, preparing her for battle as she lightly gripped the sword handle.


    ¡°Hey?¡±


    The boat suddenly turned a corner, causing Sonia to lose all her built-up momentum. Dissatisfied, she exclaimed, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Sheridan¡¯s voice had a hint of excitement, ¡°I discovered something very strange behind that Fish-Slicing Dragon, it might be Miracle Island.¡±


    He saw in the ¡®Void Realm Map,¡¯ a radiant silver light emerged from the area right behind the Fish-Slicing Dragon, forming a shining hint:


    ¡°Come quickly!¡±


    ¡°Did we finally encounter Miracle Island again?¡±, Sonia straightened up, ¡°This time we must capture all Technique Spirits! None can escape!¡±


    But as they drew nearer to their target area, both Ash and Sonia felt something amiss¡ªthe white fog around them was thick as milky white milk, reducing visibility so low that neither could see each other aboard the boat!


    They felt more and more knowledge flow into their consciousness, Ash less so, but Sonia¡¯s Spiritual Light flickered frequently, feeling she broke through one swordsman skill barrier after another, swiftly resolving all the puzzles she had encountered. She just awaited returning to reality to demonstrate and confirm her thoughts and ideas!


    As they sailed through the Void Realm absorbing the white fog, they naturally increased their faction experience. Although Ash and Sonia had already deployed their Silver Wings and were unable to continue concentrating magic power, their Magic Factions that hadn¡¯t yet reached Gold Level could still gain experience from absorbing the white fog.


    However, this white fog experience wasn¡¯t very noticeable, and its effects often only became apparent when Mages were either battling or doing research. A white fog so rich that it allowed Mages to continuously overcome challenges was almost comparable to an Experience Treasure Orb!


    Click.


    The moment their boat stopped, the white fog in front of them burst open, revealing an island hidden within.


    The next second, the expressions of Ash and Sonia changed drastically!


    If the island had been inhabited by intelligent creatures, Mage projections, or other Mages, they wouldn¡¯t have been so surprised.


    However, what met their eyes were two chairs!


    Two chairs!


    They exchanged glances, and Ash instinctively lowered his voice and asked, ¡°Do you know what this place is?¡±


    ¡°No idea,¡± Sonia also seemed a bit fearful, ¡°Shall we leave?¡±


    Their fear was understandable. If there had been just one chair, they wouldn¡¯t have thought much of it, but two chairs implied that the island knew two people were coming!


    But the question was, apart from themselves, all Mages in the All Virtual Realm traveled solo!


    It was like traveling in a strange city, suddenly finding a hundred-dollar bill, and seeing a note on it saying, ¡°Hello Ash, spend it.¡±


    The chill and fear of being watched by an unknown entity would frighten anyone.


    Ash took another look at the ¡°Void Realm Map,¡± confirmed it said ¡°Come quickly,¡± and made up his mind to go onto the island: ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. At most, we¡¯ll just lose a first-blood in the Void Realm. We¡¯ve deployed our Silver Wings anyway, so no real harm if we die.¡±


    ¡°What if it¡¯s like ¡®Drive-out Secret Poison,¡¯ an inescapable death trap?¡±


    ¡°Trust me!¡±


    Seeing Sonia still hesitating, Ash directly pulled her onto the island¡ªhe was scared too and needed someone else to back him up.


    The chairs were quite ordinary ones. They looked at each other, took a deep breath, and sat down together.


    There was no unusual sensation; the chairs didn¡¯t sprout tentacles to bind them.


    Moments later, feeling something intuitively, they looked down and saw that at some point, a piece of paper had been placed on their thighs.


    When they picked up the piece of paper, they understood the rules of the game at once: answer the appearing questions, fail to answer and it ends immediately, answer correctly to continue answering. If the number of correct answers is equal to or greater than one, the respondent gains the right to pose a question.


    When Sonia looked at the piece of paper, several lines of text appeared:


    ¡°Question ? Single Choice Question: What is the fundamental reason for the rift between the Sword Maiden and the Observer?¡±


    ¡°1 The Sword Maiden detests the Observer¡¯s indifference.¡±


    ¡°2 The Observer believes the Sword Maiden is uncontrollable.¡±


    ¡°3 Unequal sharing of spoils.¡±


    ¡°4 All of the above.¡±

 Chapter 120: 110: Lets Break Up Now

    Chapter 120: Chapter 110: Let¡¯s Break Up Now


    ¡°I remember now,¡± Sonia murmured, ¡°this is Fate Q&A.¡±


    ¡°Fate Q&A?¡±


    She nodded gently, ¡°This is a very rare mechanism in the Void Realm, and it comes in various forms. The one we encountered is the simplest ¡®paper Q&A¡¯. If we answer correctly, we can ask the Void Realm any question, and it must respond.¡±


    ¡°Can we ask anything?¡± Ash asked in surprise, ¡°Can I ask how to achieve eternal life and become invincible in the world, and it will answer?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Sonia nodded affirmatively, ¡°But the quality of the Void Realm¡¯s response depends on the number of your correct answers¡ªthe more you get right, the more detailed the Void Realm¡¯s responses.¡±


    ¡°Actually, compared to the ¡®asking the Void Realm¡¯ reward, many mages are more interested in the Fate Q&A itself¡ªbecause the questions asked are about the mages¡¯ futures.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Questions about the future?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the questions here are about things that mages have yet to experience. They can¡¯t possibly know the correct answers and can only infer the future based on the past,¡± Sonia said, looking at the paper, speaking softly, ¡°It is said that the futures mentioned in the Fate Q&A will inevitably become reality.¡±


    Ash uttered an ¡°oh¡±, ¡°Then what¡¯s your question?¡±


    Sonia¡¯s pupils shrank, and she said nonchalantly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Why? Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to find the right answer if we discuss it together?¡±


    ¡°Ah, stop prying into a girl¡¯s privacy, it¡¯s so gross,¡± Sonia said, feigning disgust.


    ¡°What privacy does a mage have...¡±


    Ash muttered, watching Sonia intentionally cover the paper, thinking she was genuinely shy, but suddenly felt something was off.


    When it came to matters of power and future, the Sword Maiden had never been ambiguous. Although occasionally temperamental, it¡¯s undeniable that the Sword Maiden was a good team member who never held back during Void Realm Exploration and never hesitated when needed.


    Fate Q&A was undoubtedly an extremely rare encounter. In such a situation, would the Sword Maiden, out of ¡®shyness¡¯, refuse to cooperate and prefer to answer wrongly rather than discuss with Ash?


    Others maybe, but the Sword Maiden was the kind of person who could shout in his face, ¡°You may not have a dream, but you can protect my dream.¡± Her greed even received recognition from the game, ¡°Bond Resonance: Insatiable Greed¡± was the best proof of her ambition.


    Moreover, Ash and she were like people from two different worlds, akin to strangers met online. Even if Ash knew many of her secrets, it wouldn¡¯t affect her reality in the slightest. There¡¯s no use in her pretending to be innocent in front of Ash.


    It was as if a laser had shot through his brain, and Ash suddenly realized, ¡°Is your question about me?¡±


    Sonia stiffened.


    She knew this was the best moment to deny it, to retort with humor, disdain, and surprise, ending by throwing out a ¡°Don¡¯t probe into a girl¡¯s privacy again!¡± to dispel all the Observer¡¯s suspicions.


    Just lie, just conceal, only consider one¡¯s own benefits, and nip any facts detrimental to oneself in the bud.


    But for some reason, the usually sharp and clever Sonia suddenly hesitated for a moment. That pause cost her the possibility of concealment.


    Perhaps it was the influence of the ¡°Sincerity¡± Technique Spirit...


    With a silent sigh, Sonia nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I thought so,¡± Ash muttered, pondering, ¡°It¡¯s about me and you, yet you don¡¯t want to tell me. Could it be written ¡ª¡±


    Sonia suddenly became tense.


    ¡°¡ª that you have fallen in love with me?¡±


    ¡°Have you not slept for too long, now dreaming while your eyes are open?¡± Sonia retorted irritably, ¡°How could that be!¡±


    ¡°You deny it so vehemently, it really makes one suspicious... Hey, hey, hey, I¡¯m answering Fate right now, what are you doing with that sword, put it down, you¡¯re disturbing my thinking!¡± Ash sternly chided Sonia, then looked down at his own question, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk, then don¡¯t. You make it sound like I¡¯m so curious.¡±


    ¡°Are you not curious?¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m curious, I¡¯d love to trick you into turning your head so I could snatch your question and see for myself,¡± Ash said somberly, ¡°But you don¡¯t want to, and I can¡¯t offend the current you because of some so-called ¡®Fate.''¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what might happen between us in the future when it¡¯s written as ¡®Fate¡¯ that could come true?¡±


    ¡°This question shouldn¡¯t be asked of me,¡± Ash said, ¡°you should ask yourself. Are you willing to share your future with me?¡±


    Sonia was taken aback slightly, covering her mouth with a piece of paper, shaking her head, ¡°Not really willing yet.¡±


    ¡°Alright then.¡± Ash shrugged his shoulders and looked down at the question.


    After a moment, he asked again, ¡°Really not willing? If you¡¯re not, I can ask again later.¡±


    Sonia nearly burst into laughter, giving Ash an irritated look, the corners of her lips curling up slightly, her eyelashes adorably trembling, her eyes curving into crescents and her brows filled with allure, making Ash believe she might have used some beauty Technique Spirit.


    ¡°You¡¯re so annoying,¡± she muttered. ¡°Okay, okay. Since I can¡¯t guess the answer anyway, let¡¯s discuss it.¡±


    ¡°So, you really wanted to talk to me about¡ª¡±


    ¡°Listen to the question! Multiple-choice question: What is the fundamental reason for the Sword Maiden and Observer¡¯s split? 1 The Sword Maiden detests the Observer¡¯s indifference, 2 The Observer deems the Sword Maiden uncontrollable, 3 Unequal sharing of spoils, 4 All of the above.¡±


    ¡°Will I split with you in the future?¡± Ash was also intrigued. ¡°A split¡ªI¡¯ve only ever heard this term in real life scenarios, sounding like something straight out of a stage play.¡±


    The harshest severance Ash had heard was ¡®I¡¯m not playing with you anymore.¡¯ Terms like ¡®split¡¯ were generally reserved between two major powers, right? For ordinary people, ¡®divorce¡¯ would be more like it.


    ¡°Hurry up, are you trying to control me, and if you find you can¡¯t, you¡¯ll start holding resentments?¡±


    ¡°How could that be? You might want to rethink your impression of me. I hardly seem like some hot-blooded youth. As a mature member of society, isn¡¯t indifference a rather excellent traditional attribute? Why would you hate my indifference?¡±


    ¡°So I don¡¯t think it¡¯s option 1 either. I¡¯m more inclined to think it¡¯s 3, unequal sharing of spoils.¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting there¡¯s an issue with the current spoil distribution system?¡±


    ¡°No problem now, but once you break out of the jail, who knows? Your appetite might grow larger then, making it hard to say...¡±


    ¡°Pfft, looks to me like you¡¯re insatiable, pushing your boundaries. I have to endure for the sake of the greater good, but eventually I can¡¯t stand it anymore and have to go our separate ways with you who does less but takes more!¡±


    ¡°Talk about conscience! From the beginning up to now, when was I not the one doing the most in every battle? Which time did I not have the highest output? Tsk tsk, Observer, showing your true colors, you¡¯re definitely planning to cut my spoil shares in the future!¡±


    ¡°Even if the share adjustment is needed, I have my reasons. I¡¯m always fair and just, never engaging in petty actions...¡±


    ¡°Who just now said that being chosen into the Blood Moon Judgement would incite a major prison riot? Wh~o was it~?¡±


    They were discussing a serious future topic, but the two of them were arguing like they were distributing blames and faults after a game ended, speaking in a relaxed and playful tone, which gradually relaxed Sonia¡¯s mood.


    She had been worried about bringing up this Fate question, wondering if it might arouse suspicions or discomfort in the Observer, but his attitude dispelled her concerns.


    So many things are like this: when you don¡¯t think of it as a problem, it¡¯s not a problem.


    ¡°Option 1 is not it, option 2 is not it, option 3 is not it either.¡± Sonia said irritatedly, ¡°Then which option do you think is correct?¡±


    ¡°I actually think there is no correct answer. If I were to split with you, there must be another reason.¡±


    ¡°What reason?¡±


    ¡°Like, you¡¯re not strong enough.¡±


    Sonia was stunned, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I mean, you might not be able to keep up with the pace of my progress,¡± Ash explained, ¡°and then I¡¯ll encounter a higher-strength teammate, so naturally, you¡¯d become unnecessary.¡±


    That¡¯s what Ash thought was the most reasonable reason¡ªalthough right now there is only the Sword Maiden as an operator, that doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯d be the only one in the future. In a mobile game, it¡¯s common for initial characters to not keep up with the pace of later stages. In the future, they¡¯d surely pull stronger operators, naturally causing Ash to not include the Sword Maiden in the team.


    Sonia felt so angry she became physically cold, her shoulders quivering, ¡°Because I¡¯m not strong enough, you want to abandon me?¡±


    ¡°Not abandoning per se, just that at that time, you might not match up to me, and might even hinder my progress. For our futures, we¡¯d need to part ways temporarily¡ªit¡¯d be best for both of us¡ª¡±


    ¡°No need for the future, let¡¯s just split up now!¡±


    ¡°Uh?¡± Ash was taken aback.


    This Fate Q&A is so prescient, becoming reality just like that!?

 Chapter 121: 111 Because of Love

    Chapter 121: Chapter 111 Because of Love


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re choosing number 4?¡±


    ¡°What else then? The first three all seem possible, but not completely so. In such cases, choosing ¡®all of the above¡¯ has a high correct rate, trust me.¡±


    Sonia had no objections. She couldn¡¯t be certain which was correct either, although she felt number 3 was more likely. However, predicting the future was highly unreliable when based on the past. Now, since the Observer insisted on choosing 4, they might as well¡ªblame could be placed on him if they were wrong.


    With a thought, Sonia checked option 4, and soon, the paper glowed with a rainbow luminescence as the text began to change¡ª


    ¡°Congratulations, you got one question right. Would you like to continue?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t believe we got it right!¡± Sonia was surprised.


    ...


    ¡°See, you did well to trust me.¡± The former college king of cramming, Ash, was very confident about blindly guessing on multiple-choice questions. ¡°What¡¯s the second question?¡±


    After Sonia chose to continue, the page transformed to reveal the second question:


    ¡°Question ¡¤ Multiple Choice: What is the reason for the Sword Maiden and the Observer¡¯s reconciliation after their split?¡±


    ¡°1. For a greater benefit¡±


    ¡°2. To counter a common threat¡±


    ¡°3. Because of love¡±


    ¡°4. All of the above¡±


    ¡°This time it must be 4 again¡ª¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Sonia shook her head firmly. ¡°3 is definitely wrong, so it can¡¯t be 4.¡±


    Ash spread his hands, his mouth curling up like a crescent moon: ¡°Hey now, this is something that might happen in the future, not a certainty. Why so shy? Treat Fate with a normal heart when answering¡ª¡±


    Sonia was nearly roaring: ¡°Sort out your feelings before you speak next time, you can¡¯t even hide that smugness in your tone!¡±


    After their argument, Sonia looked back at the question and after some thought said, ¡°It should be 1, right? If it¡¯s for a greater benefit, we could set aside any past disputes temporarily.¡±


    Ash didn¡¯t stir up more trouble and nodded seriously: ¡°Indeed, 1 is the most likely, and the probability of having the same answer for two consecutive questions isn¡¯t high.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just because of some guessing rule; even by logic, Ash believed 1 made the most sense. First of all, the Observer and the Sword Maiden had already split; how could two people who had split possibly fall in love? What else but shared benefits could force them to unite?


    Having spent many days together, Ash knew well that the Sword Maiden was self-interested, and as for himself, it went without saying¡ªa former corporate slave wouldn¡¯t talk about feelings over benefits, right?


    After a brief discussion, Sonia decided to choose 1. As she focused her Belief, the text on the paper glowed with a murky light, which looked very ominous:


    ¡°You got it wrong. This concludes the Fate response. You may start asking your own question.¡±


    Wrong!?


    Both Ash and Sonia were stunned. Considering the remaining three answers, two included the option ¡®Because of love¡¯, which meant there was a two-thirds chance they would reconcile because of love in the future!?


    ¡°If you think about it, maybe option 2 is also a possibility? It¡¯s quite likely for two individuals who have already split to let bygones be bygones in order to confront a common threat¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm, I think so too.¡±


    Their awkward attempt to change the subject gradually shifted the atmosphere towards embarrassment, even bordering on being romantic. Sonia quickly steered the conversation elsewhere: ¡°So, what¡¯s your question?¡±


    ¡°Mine is straightforward,¡± Ash said as he looked down at the question.


    ¡°Question ¡¤ Short Answer: Selin Dole died after seeing whom?¡±


    ¡°Why is it that you get multiple-choice questions, while mine are short-answer ones?¡±


    ¡°Probably due to the time distance,¡± Sonia guessed. ¡°If the question is about something too far back, it¡¯s completely impossible for me to deduce the correct answer with the information I have now. Fate will then give me several options to choose from, allowing at least the possibility of a correct guess. Your questions might be related to events very close to your present time, events you can speculate on by yourself, so you¡¯re not given options.¡±


    She paused, ¡°This Selin, is it the behind-the-scenes criminal you mentioned before?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ash said. ¡°So the answer is quite obvious.¡±


    Ash¡¯s thoughts stirred, and he filled in the answer: ¡®Selin Dole died upon seeing Ash Heath.¡¯


    The font on the paper morphed into a rainbow glow: ¡®Congratulations, you¡¯ve answered one question correctly. Would you like to continue?¡¯


    After Ash operated the paper, the second question appeared:


    ¡®Question ¡¤ Easy: How did the Observer escape from the Kingdom of Blood Moon after the prison break?¡¯


    Ash shared the question with Sonia, who seemed confused, ¡°No options? Without options, it means that you can figure out the correct answer with the information at hand. Did you guys have a plan for escaping after the prison break?¡±


    ¡°Does survival in the wilderness count?¡±


    To be honest, Ash and the others hadn¡¯t really thought about how to escape after breaking out¡ªafter all, once out, they would be on their own, each with their own plans. There was no need to discuss with others.


    For someone like Ash, who was as blind as a memory loss patient, there weren¡¯t many choices apart from turning into a wild man in the wilderness. But Igula, Lanna, Ronald, and even Harvey were all locals; they might even have private safe houses. Why share with fellow inmates?


    ¡°Do you know of any way to leave the Kingdom of Blood Moon?¡±


    ¡°Not a clue,¡± Ash said blankly. ¡°Right now, I don¡¯t even know where the borders of the Kingdom of Blood Moon are.¡±


    Unable to figure it out, Sonia suggested, ¡°Since we can¡¯t come up with anything, we might as well choose from the most common methods. Either impersonate a legal identity and leave the country by normal transportation or find a smuggler and leave the country through illegal transportation, with smuggling by boat being the most common...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible to impersonate a legal identity. Using transportation within the Kingdom of Blood Moon would definitely require a chip scan, and I wouldn¡¯t implant a chip in myself after having it removed,¡± Ash said. ¡°So it would have to be through illegal channels. And compared to land transport, which is easily intercepted, boat transport is indeed more likely... Alright, let¡¯s go with boat transport!¡±


    ¡®The Observer escaped from the Kingdom of Blood Moon by boat after the prison break!¡¯


    The paper emitted a puff of grey mist, as if mocking Ash¡¯s incompetence:


    ¡®You¡¯ve answered incorrectly, the session with Fate is over. You may start asking questions.¡¯


    Ash and Sonia had anticipated this and weren¡¯t too disappointed. After all, they had no clues and were wildly guessing based only on logic; the chances of stumbling upon the correct answer were too slim.


    But Sonia was still puzzled, ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense. If Fate posed a question a mage couldn¡¯t answer, wouldn¡¯t that just be bullying? You surely know how to leave the Kingdom of Blood Moon, you just can¡¯t remember at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps the Void Realm just heard me curse at it for being cheap, so it deliberately targeted me.¡±


    ¡°Then you really had it coming... But even the Void Realm believes you can escape from prison and leave the Kingdom of Blood Moon, so it looks like you don¡¯t have to worry about the Blood Moon Judgement.¡±


    Ash thought to himself, that¡¯s right. Not only this question, but the previous ones about ¡®how Selin Carl died¡¯ and ¡®the Observer and the Sword Maiden¡¯s fallout and reconciliation¡¯ all indicated he wouldn¡¯t end up like tomato paste in the Blood Moon Judgement. Otherwise, where would his future be?


    That¡¯s the greatest benefit of speaking with Fate¡ªyou can indirectly learn about your own future situation through the questions, which is of great value in assessing the current situation.


    After the answer session ended, it was time for questions.


    The two looked at the paper, and Sonia said, ¡°We shouldn¡¯t ask anything too outrageous. It¡¯s best to keep it within the scope of the One-winged Silver. Although there¡¯s little information about the workings of Fate, one principle is universal in the Void Realm¡ªthe return is proportionate to the investment. We¡¯ve only answered one question correctly, so the reward given by the Void Realm will definitely not exceed this limit.¡±


    Ash nodded, ¡°The answer to this question should help us immediately increase our combat power. After all, the second Blood Moon Judgement is approaching, and any additional strength increases my chances of survival.¡±


    At this point, both had a flash of inspiration and excitedly said to each other:


    ¡°Golden fish!¡±

 Chapter 122: 112: Myself at Different Times Is Not Myself

    Chapter 122: Chapter 112: Myself at Different Times Is Not Myself


    According to Ash and Sonia¡¯s situation, asking the golden fish was undoubtedly the most cost-effective choice.


    Technique Spirits, although they lacked them, Fate Q&A couldn¡¯t possibly just toss out a Technique Spirit¡ªthis was a Q&A, not a wish machine.


    Miracles, they didn¡¯t really lack these, and with their number of responses, the Void Realm would most likely not answer with a detailed Miracle Technique. At most, it would point them in the direction of specific Miracle research.


    As for how to quickly improve one¡¯s standing within the Magic Faction realm, the fastest method was undoubtedly to consume Experience Treasure Orbs, and the source of these orbs was knowledge creatures. The Void Realm could at best point out where suitable knowledge creatures were; it couldn¡¯t possibly extract an orb directly from within a knowledge creature and hand it to them.


    Thinking it over, Technique Spirits, Miracles, and faction realms were all factors that merely gilded the lily. What truly determined a mage¡¯s combat power had to be the number of Void Wings and the level of their Magic Power!


    As long as one advanced to being Two-winged, one could venture into the Time Continent and obtain a Two-winged Technique Spirit!


    ...


    As long as one advanced to being Two-winged, one¡¯s Magic Power could continue to grow!


    As long as one advanced to being Two-winged, Ash could use Golden Technique Power to drive the Two-winged Technique Spirit ¡®Earth Sword¡¯ at one hundred percent efficiency, drastically improving the defense of the Miracle ¡®Sword Barrier,¡¯ making a jailbreak even more secure!


    Wasn¡¯t Ash¡¯s eager desire to nurture the Sword Maiden¡¯s swordsmanship faction to Golden Level precisely in the hopes that she, once advanced to being Two-winged, would take him along to smuggle themselves into the Time Continent? Now there was an even better smuggling opportunity!


    However, directly asking the golden fish, the Void Realm would surely not answer in much detail.


    Yet, there was an obvious loophole in the Fate Q&A: no matter how many correct responses the mage had, if the mage posed a true-or-false question, the Void Realm was bound to give a correct answer!


    For example, if a mage researching a certain Miracle Technique hit a bottleneck and, having trialed all possibilities with only two AB research directions remaining, asked the Void Realm if direction A was correct, the Void Realm could only answer ¡®yes¡¯ or ¡®no.¡¯ Naturally, this would also reveal whether direction B was correct.


    If one were a master of logic, they could even construct a complex true-or-false problem to get the Void Realm to eliminate multiple doubts for them.


    For instance, if Ash whimsically asked, ¡®Will I see the Sword Maiden sleeping beside me when I wake up on a certain day ten years from now?¡¯ The key elements here were ¡®a certain day ten years from now,¡¯ ¡®wake up,¡¯ and ¡®the Sword Maiden sleeping beside me.¡¯


    ¡®Waking up¡¯ was inevitable; Ash couldn¡¯t possibly stay in the Void Realm every night. Sleeping in was a luxurious and delightful pleasure, and Ash would surely want to experience it occasionally.


    And ¡®the Sword Maiden sleeping beside me¡¯ was a controllable element; Ash could completely remember this event, and in the future ask her to pretend and sleep beside him.


    The only uncontrollable element was ¡®a certain day ten years from now.¡¯


    If the Void Realm answered ¡®yes,¡¯ then naturally there would be nothing more to say, and Ash could directly call the Sword Maiden his wife with confidence.


    If the answer was ¡®no,¡¯ then there were two possibilities: either by that time Ash had already fallen out with the Sword Maiden, so she wouldn¡¯t even be willing to pretend, or the Void Realm thought Ash simply wouldn¡¯t live to see ten years later.


    So when the Void Realm was stingy with answer quality, asking a true-or-false question was the most cost-effective choice, at least you wouldn¡¯t get useless information.


    After a brief discussion, the two of them decided to pose different questions to the Void Realm in turn:


    ¡°Does the golden fish require a specific ritual to be seen?¡±


    Questions like ¡®where is the golden fish¡¯ and ¡®how can one find the golden fish¡¯ definitely wouldn¡¯t yield detailed answers; the Void Realm would most likely answer with correct yet useless statements like ¡®in the Sea of Knowledge¡¯ or ¡®look with your eyes.¡¯


    These two questions actually stemmed from speculations by Ash and Sonia¡ªSonia had inquired from Professor Trozan that the Time Continent was also an extremely vast place, not much smaller than the Sea of Knowledge. Logically, with such a vast Time Continent, the golden fish must also be vastly enormous, but why couldn¡¯t mages see the golden fish in the Sea of Knowledge?


    Given the precedents of ¡®Vortex Secret Poison¡¯ and ¡®Exorcism Secret Poison,¡¯ it was natural for them to speculate that the golden fish was probably ¡®non-existent¡¯ in the Sea of Knowledge and would only appear before a mage once a specific Void Realm mechanism was activated through a ritual.


    However, the answer surprised them: ¡°No.¡±


    The golden fish can be seen without a specific ritual? That is to say, the golden fish is present in the Sea of Knowledge at this very moment?


    After a brief discussion, they asked their second question:


    ¡°When does the golden fish float up from the bottom of the ocean?¡±


    In any case, Ash and Sonia were certain that normal sailing would never encounter the golden fish; after all, even Ash, who held the ¡®Void Realm Map,¡¯ had never seen a trace of the golden fish, so other mages were even less likely to find it.


    Since it wasn¡¯t on the surface, it naturally sank beneath the sea. Furthermore, since the golden fish could be seen without specific rituals, they guessed that perhaps the golden fish periodically surfaced from the deep sea to the surface. Therefore, they directly asked when the golden fish would come up so they could take their chances and look for it then.


    As it wasn¡¯t a true-or-false question, they were anxious about the chance of the Void Realm giving a noncommittal answer.


    The result was still a shock to them: ¡°The golden fish is always floating on the surface.¡±


    The golden fish is always floating on the surface and can be seen without a specific ritual?


    Although this conclusion was completely contrary to Ash and Sonia¡¯s Void Realm exploration experience, they had no choice but to believe it. If Fate Q&A¡¯s answers about the ¡®future¡¯ might not happen, the golden fish they asked about was information the Void Realm surely possessed¡ª the Void Realm was the authority in this regard!

 Chapter 123: 112: The self at different times is not oneself_2

    Chapter 123: Chapter 112: The self at different times is not oneself_2


    ¡°Could it really be that we¡¯re just unlucky and that¡¯s why we can¡¯t find any golden fish?¡±


    Although it was hard to believe, Ash could only accept this conclusion. At this moment, the paper turned into a wisp of smoke and dissipated, and their chairs also suddenly vanished, almost causing them to fall onto the ground.


    Returning to the boat and watching the Fate Q&A island sink, Sonia said gloomily, ¡°Feels like a loss; we hardly got any useful information.¡±


    ¡°At least I know I can escape the Kingdom of Blood Moon alive,¡± Ash said, relaxed. In his view, the Fate Q&A was a chance encounter that came for free. Getting something out of it was good, but if not, it was still an eye-opening experience, ¡°And in the future, for various reasons, you and I will break up, and then, for some reasons, we¡¯ll reconcile¡ª¡±


    ¡°Once we¡¯ve gone through the Fate Q&A, the future isn¡¯t certain anymore!¡± Sonia glared at him, ¡°And there¡¯s always been a saying that many prophecies in the Fate Q&A aren¡¯t fulfilled because those who know about them die before they come true, so none of these ineffective prophecies are known or recorded.¡±


    ¡°If you die, then I¡¯ll report this valuable case about the Fate Q&A to the school; might even earn some credits...¡±


    ...


    The survivor theory, huh... Ash spread his hands, ¡°So do you hope the prophecy comes true, or do you hope it doesn¡¯t?¡±


    Sonia snorted, ¡°I only believe in prophecies that are beneficial to me; those that aren¡¯t are lies.¡±


    ¡°Just like you.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°Me? How should I put it... I don¡¯t care about the prophecy itself, but I look forward to the confrontation with it.¡±


    ¡°Confrontation? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Um, let me think about how to explain it to you... Sword Maiden, do you think you now and you thirty years from now will be the same in terms of personality, values, ideals, habits, etc.?¡±


    Sonia thought for a moment and shook her head, ¡°Probably not, I¡¯m not even twenty yet. Thirty years is longer than the time from my birth until now; surely many changes will happen.¡±


    Ash nodded, ¡°Then if the soul of you thirty years from now suddenly took over your body now, could it be said that the you thirty years from now has killed the current you?¡±


    Sonia furrowed her brows slightly, her expression a bit uneasy, ¡°Could it be seen that way?¡±


    ¡°If the ¡®takeover process¡¯ is extended to thirty years, and through prophecy you know that there¡¯s a Sword Maiden who will be completely different from you in thirty years, yet you inevitably become her, could it be said that the prophesied Sword Maiden killed you over the course of thirty years?¡±


    ¡°...Normally, no one would think that way.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t you find it interesting?¡± Ash spread his hands, ¡°If you didn¡¯t know about the prophecy, that¡¯d be another story. But knowing the prophecy is like having a ¡®future you¡¯. Only one of you can survive; either you kill him, or he kills you. There¡¯s no second possibility.¡±


    ¡°The only difference between ¡®prophecy¡¯ and ¡®takeover¡¯ is the length of time. ¡®Takeover¡¯ happens in an instant, so you feel the ¡®future Sword Maiden¡¯ has killed the ¡®current self,¡¯ but prophecy is a long series of days and nights, where the ¡®future you¡¯ slowly sculpts the ¡®current you¡¯ into his own image.¡±


    Sonia¡¯s lips moved slightly, wanting to say something but then didn¡¯t, as if pondering a rebuttal. Ash continued to ask:


    ¡°Have you heard of a game where children write a letter to their grown-up selves?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it, I¡¯ve written one too.¡±


    ¡°Do you think the grown-up might feel that it¡¯s a last will when they see that letter?¡±


    ¡°Why would they think that?¡±


    ¡°Because they are completely different people, with different thoughts, habits, values, and ideals, yet they once lived in the same body. Isn¡¯t it the latter who killed the former?¡±


    Sonia shook her head repeatedly, ¡°But they are the same person in continuity, that kind of change is called growth, not takeover!¡±


    Ash laughed, ¡°When the child wrote the letter, it was like freezing that moment of him onto the paper. The soul on the paper is removed from continuous time and becomes an independent, unchanging individual.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that similar to prophecy? Prophecy shows you your future self at a certain point in time, isn¡¯t that just like your future self writing a letter to your current self?¡±


    ¡°People in different times are not the same person.¡±


    ¡°So I don¡¯t care about prophecy, but I look forward to the showdown with the prophecy. Of course, things like me causing trouble for Selin after jailbreaking, which are obviously about to happen, don¡¯t count as prophecy. But if in the future we really do break up for those inexplicable reasons, it means the prophesied Observer has killed me, and the prophesied Sword Maiden has killed you.¡±


    Ash suddenly mused, ¡°Odd, why do the reasons for reconciling include love, but the reasons for breaking up don¡¯t mention a falling out? Could it be that love only emerges after a break-up, when both sides realize how indispensable the other is¡ª¡±


    Sonia snapped back to reality, her face red as she gritted her teeth, ¡°That would mean it¡¯s not because of love, but because of the need to unite against a common threat!¡±


    ¡°All right, all right, don¡¯t get worked up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worked up!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, you¡¯re right, we should go hunt some Fish-Slicing Dragons to liven things up.¡±


    After hunting two more knowledge beings, not only did they not retrieve an Experience Treasure Orb, but Sonia was also distracted and failed to intercept a fleeing knowledge being. However, such mistakes were normal, and Ash didn¡¯t mind. The two said goodbye and exited the Void Realm at the same time.


    ...


    Upon regaining consciousness in the meditation room, Sonia still hadn¡¯t recovered her composure, Ash¡¯s words echoing in her mind.


    In fact, after getting to know each other better, Sonia couldn¡¯t help but wonder¡ªwas the Observer really the reviving force of a strong figure she had imagined?


    Mainly because the Observer didn¡¯t seem like a legendary figure in any way: he didn¡¯t pursue strength, wasn¡¯t keen on learning, his desires weren¡¯t deep, and if someone like this, with no potential and a gray, low-quality anonymous existence, was placed in Sword Flower University, Sonia wouldn¡¯t give him a second glance.


    But the Observer¡¯s recent rhetoric made Sonia realize that he couldn¡¯t possibly be an ordinary person. Even if he was now, he couldn¡¯t possibly be in the future.


    That craziness cloaked in logic, and the aberrance so different from common sense, Sonia had encountered many times in ¡°Sin Mage Psychological Analysis¡±. Not all Sin Mages were bad people, in fact, many were content with a mundane life and family. But when their lives were unexpectedly broken, they would shed their ¡®old selves¡¯ like a chrysalis becoming a butterfly, daring to trample all laws of the world and chase the light in their hearts like moths to a flame.


    She recalled the foreword of that book¡ª


    ¡°They haven¡¯t changed; they¡¯ve just awakened.¡±

 Chapter 124: 113 Seeking Advice from Single Dogs on Heartbreak

    Chapter 124: Chapter 113 Seeking Advice from Single Dogs on Heartbreak


    Sword Flower University, Sen Hall Library.


    Although it couldn¡¯t compare to the four Gate of Truth Libraries of Truth University, Sen Hall and Flower Library at Sword Flower University were considered top attractions in Jiale City, not for their collection of books¡ªthey didn¡¯t even rank in the top ten in Jiale City¡ªbut for their pleasant and comfortable environment. They were ranked in the top two unshakable positions and were known within the university as the ¡®top dating spot for couples.¡¯


    Unlike the competing beauty of the blooming Flower Library, the theme of Sen Hall was ¡®Peaceful Forest.¡¯ From the outside, it looked like a dense, thriving forest, complete with little bridges over streams, mating rabbits, squirrels munching on pinecones, and a cool, comfortable breeze through the trees. There were cozy swings, benches, tree houses, and even bears¡ªyes, very friendly bears that one could lean against to read a book.


    For Sonia, the most wonderful thing about Sen Hall was that there were no mosquitoes.


    This fact truly shocked her; a village girl who had grown up in a farming town and often went to the forest to pick mushrooms.


    However, for the sake of a comfortable reading experience, many functional aspects of a library had to be sacrificed. The books were stored inside the tree trunks, and Sen Hall consisted of four levels connected by winding tree trunks. Even those with a map could easily get lost on their first visit to Sen Hall.


    ...


    Sonia was not visiting Sen Hall for the first time and knew how to connect to the library¡¯s navigation index through her Miracle Bracelet, but it still took her a lot of effort to find the book she needed.


    When she wanted to find a bench to sit and read, she unexpectedly ran into her ¡®nemesis.¡¯


    ¡°Hello, senior.¡±


    Sonia looked at Celia approaching and noted that the third-year senior looked a little haggard compared to when they first met. However, this did not detract from her beauty. Instead, it added a lovable quality to her, making one want to protect her. This was evident from the male students nearby, who were glancing her way while pretending to read.


    Celia also seemed surprised. She nodded slightly, and just as she was about to pass Sonia, she suddenly stopped. ¡°Last time... I caused you trouble.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you did. How do you plan to make it up to me?¡±


    As soon as she spoke, Sonia realized she had already completed the ¡®Sincerity¡¯ ritual and didn¡¯t need to tell the truth anymore¡ªbut whether it was the influence of the Sincerity Technique Spirit or just residue from the past few days, she always ended up telling the truth when she should have been tactful with her lies.


    Celia paused, covered her mouth, and chuckled, ¡°How about I treat you to a drink of tree sap?¡±


    There was a water cafe? within Sen Hall, where the beverages all had a forest theme, such as ¡®tree sap,¡¯ ¡®flower nectar,¡¯ and ¡®dew.¡¯ Although the names might sound unappealing, these beverages were crafted by Water Mage students as a part-time job, and their taste and texture far surpassed ordinary drinks. They were cheaper than outside and very popular among the students.


    Since Celia wanted to mend their relationship and Sonia, who had no direct conflict of interest, naturally didn¡¯t mind expanding her network. She happily agreed to go with her to the water cafe? and ordered a drink called ¡®Dew on Grass Blades.¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Celia began after they sat down. ¡°I was too impulsive last time. I didn¡¯t think things through. If there¡¯s anything you need me to do, just let me know, and I¡¯ll do my best to make it up to you.¡±


    Seeing that Celia was truly sincere, Sonia eased her tone, ¡°Although you were 99% at fault, didn¡¯t I have 1% of the fault too? Perhaps my actions led to some misunderstandings... By the way, senior, I saw you played the third female lead in ¡®I Take the Child¡¯s Last Name.¡¯ That¡¯s really impressive!¡±


    Celia, understanding the subtlety in Sonia¡¯s praise, was somewhat surprised. ¡°My uncle directed and wrote that film, so he let me make a cameo... Sonia, are you interested in a career as a Shadow Actress?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Sonia¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I actually read some performance-related books in private.¡±


    Although Celia was shocked that Sonia wasn¡¯t aspiring to become a Sword Saint, she didn¡¯t say much apart from expressing that she would do her best to ask her uncle to arrange a good role for Sonia.


    ¡°Others might not get this opportunity from my uncle, but you are now the disciple of the Hidden Hand Sword Saint and the fastest Mage to deploy Silver Wings at Sword Flower University. Just this resume will add a lot of attention to your profile, which is like extra promotional resources. However, if you perform poorly in the film and fail to make an impression on the audience, you will quickly fade into obscurity,¡± Celia seriously added, ¡°I can only offer you one opportunity; whether you can seize it still depends on your hard work and luck. But my uncle doesn¡¯t have any filming plans recently, so you might have to wait a long time.¡±


    ¡°No problem, I still have three years before I graduate!¡±


    The two hit it off straight away, and the atmosphere became much more amiable. After chatting about campus life for a while, Celia shyly asked, ¡°I heard he... is he still single?¡±


    What else? Could he have turned into a dog?


    Sonia knew who Celia was referring to and nodded, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen any other girls around him.¡±


    ¡°So you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not.¡±


    Celia breathed a sigh of relief. Just then, their drinks arrived. Sonia took a sip of her ¡®Dew on Grass Blades¡¯ and was surprised by the creamy, milky taste, reminiscent of milk tea but refreshing and not cloying. She thought to herself that if she could become a Water Mage, that would be great.


    Even though her roommate could become a Water Mage and she could freeload a few drinks, Lois and others didn¡¯t seem interested in becoming Creation Mages...


    Celia hesitated and then said, ¡°This isn¡¯t like him... In the past, he would always start a new relationship immediately after ending one...¡±


    ¡°Uh huh.¡±


    ¡°Do you think... he¡¯s still thinking about me?¡±


    Sonia almost spit out her drink and had a hard time managing her expression. Looking at Celia¡¯s longing and anxious expression, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit of pity.


    After the ¡°Sincerity¡± summoning ritual and her recent experiences with mages, Sonia faintly realized that Felix¡¯s ¡°luring the butterflies¡± behavior was probably a ritual or a necessary condition to incite a resonance with the Technique Spirit.


    When Felix became a mage, he immediately broke off all romantic relationships and never went to those entertainment venues again, spending his days studying or in rigorous training. Sonia didn¡¯t think the Void Realm had the power to reform one¡¯s principles; therefore, this could only mean that Felix had been pretending, and after becoming a mage, he naturally had no need for such a disguise.


    But she felt there was no need to tell Celia all this¡ªfirst, these were just her speculations, and second, Celia still had a chance.


    Celia really had great attributes¡ªblack hair draped over her shoulders, delicate features, a tall figure, and excellent curves; even buns were just the right size, only slightly smaller than hers. Most importantly, she was genuinely fond of him¡ªwho could resist the pursuit of a pitiable and beautiful school senior with long black hair?


    ¡°It¡¯s possible!¡±


    ¡°You think so too!¡±


    Celia said happily, ¡°Then what do you think I should do to get back together with Felix?¡±


    ¡°Well, that...¡± Sonia suddenly recalled a question she encountered in Fate Q&A, ¡°For a greater good? To face a common threat?¡±


    Seeing Celia¡¯s slightly confused look, Sonia remembered they were still students and reconciling didn¡¯t need such complicated reasons: ¡°In fact, you just need to step into his life proactively, and he won¡¯t reject you. Of course, don¡¯t rush at him aiming for reconciliation right away; you can say you are there to clarify misunderstandings and start as friends. If needed, I can even create a chance meeting for you.¡±


    ¡°Uh huh.¡±


    ¡°As long as you can get familiar with each other again, then many tactics can come into play,¡± Sonia smiled. ¡°Like the Woodpecker Tactic.¡±


    ¡°The Woodpecker Tactic?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s when you can occasionally sigh in the middle of a conversation and say it¡¯s nothing when he asks; or suddenly fall silent during a talk, occasionally appearing listless, making him worry about you but you don¡¯t clarify why; then you also need to occasionally lean on him, act coquettishly with him, making him feel you cannot do without him. Through these frequent emotional probes, you can eventually achieve superficial emotional control, where a sigh or a gesture from you would affect his emotions, making him fully focused on you. I call this the Woodpecker Tactic.¡±


    Getting caught up in her explanation, Sonia continued, ¡°If you successfully reconcile, then you can move on to the second step: Negative Emotion Transfer and Positive Emotion Control. Simply put, when you¡¯re upset, you must share it with him, making him upset too; but if he encounters something joyful and wants to share it with you, and it¡¯s not something you like, then you need to negate him and suppress him. In short, he cannot be happy when you are unhappy, and he can only be happy within the confines you allow.¡±


    ¡°The third step is Time Chaos, where when he is kind to you, you must keep calm and make him promise to be this kind to you for the rest of his life; extending his dedication lifelong, normalizing his gestures.¡±


    ¡°Then, combining it with the fourth step, the Historical Projection, when he becomes cold toward you, you can conjure up projections of his past to prove his change of heart. Of course, as long as he is willing to apologize, you should reward him a bit.¡±


    ¡°With these four steps mastered, Felix will definitely become your devoted consort, a perfect partner!¡±


    Celia blinked her eyes and only when Sonia stopped did she smile and ask, ¡°Sonia, have you ever been in love?¡±


    Sonia¡¯s face turned red: ¡°No. I¡¯m sorry, I was too arrogant, pretending to know all about these useless personal shallow concepts in front of my senior...¡±


    Celia shook her head gently: ¡°No, these ¡®techniques¡¯ are very practical. If it were before, I would have been happy to learn and use these ¡®techniques¡¯.¡±


    ¡°But love is a kind of ¡®miracle.''¡± she said softly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt him or see him unhappy. I just hope... I can stand by his side.¡±


    Sonia paused, now noticing that the books Celia was holding were ¡°Sword ? Wind ? Abyss,¡± ¡°Wind Mage Tutorial,¡± and ¡°Recommended Battle Technique Spirits for Wind Mages¡±¡ªessentially all about how Wind Mages can assist Sword Masters in combat.


    Celia smiled and said, ¡°Still, thanks for your advice, I might trouble you again in the future; can we add each other on Veil?¡±


    ¡°Of course, no problem.¡±


    They exchanged personal Veil contacts, and from then on, they could communicate directly through the Miracle Bracelet within the Veil.


    Celia looked at Sonia¡¯s books: ¡°By the way, Sonia, are you planning to self-study the Spirit Faction? But these two seem...¡±


    ¡°Dream Analysis¡± and ¡°Detailed Study of Psychological Language¡± were essential readings for the Spirit Faction, but the other two confused Celia a bit: ¡°Days Walking With a Sin Mage¡± and ¡°How To Alleviate Psychological Stress in Others.¡±


    The former was almost like an adventure novel, while the latter, although related to the Spirit Faction, leaned more toward practical guidebooks, not much helpful for studying the Spirit Faction.

 Chapter 125: 114: Dazzling Star Descends

    Chapter 125: Chapter 114: Dazzling Star Descends


    Sonia¡¯s lips moved slightly, and she soon smiled with a shrug, ¡°I just thought these two books had interesting titles when I passed by, so I picked them up to take a look, nothing special. If they aren¡¯t interesting, I¡¯ll return them later.¡±


    Celia nodded thoughtfully, ¡°You don¡¯t need to explain so much to me...¡±


    Realizing Sonia seemed a bit unsettled, Celia changed the subject, ¡°Actually, it was quite surprising to see Sonia at Sen Hall. I thought you had joined the extermination mission, too.¡±


    ¡°Extermination mission?¡±


    ¡°Yes, didn¡¯t you hear about it from Professor Trozan? Ah, I guess your progress is just too rapid, the professor probably prefers you miss this opportunity rather than putting you at risk.¡±


    ¡°What is the extermination mission?¡± The term completely hit a blind spot for the village girl.


    ...


    Celia thought for a moment, ¡°I¡¯m not very clear myself, as it¡¯s a private commission by the school for genius students. Those who lack sufficient strength wouldn¡¯t receive an invitation, and students who sign the contract aren¡¯t allowed to disclose any information about the mission.¡±


    ¡°The reason I know is that Lauren also signed up for the extermination mission... I heard Reonie is involved, too. I thought you wouldn¡¯t miss it.¡±


    Pausing for a moment, she added, ¡°It seems to be a special event involving young Mages from all over Jiale City, even the genius Mages from Truth University have participated!¡±


    Not only Senior Reonie but an event even the ultimate beings from Truth University are willing to join!?


    Sonia suddenly felt she had missed out on a massive opportunity, but she understood it was normal¡ªjust from the name, it was clear this was a ¡®mission¡¯ that involved danger and combat.


    Even though she was a Mage with fully spread Silver Wings, she was also a ¡®novice Mage¡¯ who had stepped into the Void Realm less than a month ago. Whether to protect her or prevent her from holding the team back, Professor Trozan would never allow her to partake in such risky actions prematurely.


    ¡®I need to get the professor to recognize my strength soon, or else I¡¯ll miss out on many opportunities,¡¯ thought Sonia.


    ...


    ...


    Kingdom of Blood Moon, outskirts of Kaimon City, halfway up a small mountain.


    ¡°Changing shifts, all is normal.¡±


    It was now 10 AM, and the two adventurers responsible for observing the Void Realm passage tapped the back of their necks and reported in a low voice. Soon, two adventurers walked out of a tent at the hillside camp, swapping shifts with the others.


    Not standing for long, the younger adventurer complained, ¡°Uncle, how long do we have to stay here? The weather is getting hotter, and although I can bear the lack of air conditioning, these mosquitoes are too much, even the strong repellent doesn¡¯t work!¡±


    ¡°We have to wait another 12 hours. If they haven¡¯t returned in 72 hours, it¡¯s safe to assume the ¡®rabbit¡¯ is dead.¡±


    The adventurer next to him in a cloak emitted an emotionless mechanical sound. If one observed closely, they would notice his arms, legs, and even one eye was not organic but mechanical.


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for the high merit of this mission, I¡¯d rather be in the war zone killing water specters.¡± The young adventurer muttered, ¡°In my opinion, the person who caused the Void Realm passage truly deserves to die. It adds to our workload and poses a security risk of invasions from the Foreign Domain...¡±


    ¡°Only a Mage can cause Void Turbulence.¡± The older man said, ¡°There are currently 86 unknown Void Realm passages surrounding Kaimon City, meaning there are 86 Mages who have triggered the Void Turbulence, and you might be one of them. Others might find it logical to complain, but you¡¯re a Mage.¡±


    The young man¡¯s voice suddenly quieted, ¡°I was just ranting... Don¡¯t you ever complain, uncle?¡±


    ¡°Just as I¡¯ve accepted my lack of talent to become a Mage, I¡¯ve also accepted these natural disasters caused by Mages.¡± The older man shook his head slightly, ¡°As for complaining, I grew tired of it before I was forty.¡±


    The conversation shifted, ¡°Uncle, what do you plan to do with the merit you earn this time? I¡¯ve saved almost enough to exchange for a ¡®Blade¡¯ Technique Spirit, so I could even contest knowledge creatures.¡±


    ¡°You hardly ever spend; your gear is several years old, out-of-date. Are you saving your merit to exchange for the latest upgrades? If I wasn¡¯t too harsh to undergo physical enhancements, I¡¯d also like to purchase a ¡®Silver Wolf Arm¡¯ to play with.¡±


    The older man glanced at him, and his cold mechanical eye made the young adventurer shudder. However, the older man quickly looked away, focusing on the Void Realm passage about thirty meters away that looked like a space indentation.


    ¡°I plan to use the merit to buy some information.¡±


    ¡°What information?¡±


    ¡°Information about my child.¡±


    ¡°What child¡ªThat¡¯s illegal, isn¡¯t it?!¡±


    ¡°I know, that¡¯s why I¡¯ve been accumulating so much Merit these years, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t take the risk.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± the young man exclaimed, ¡°Why would you do something so thankless? You told me you wanted to raise your child. If someone finds out, both of you will end up exploring the Waterway Abyss in a pig cage!¡±


    The uncle shook his head, ¡°Of course not, that child was born 31 years ago, I¡¯ve even forgotten what the woman looked like. I just want to see him once.¡±


    The young man could not understand, ¡°What¡¯s the use of seeing him once? With so much Merit, you could spend it on yourself and raise your Combat Power by two levels; you could binge on Moon candy, gamble, or have fun with it for a year; why use it just to see a stranger?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not a stranger, he¡¯s my child.¡±


    ¡°But what¡¯s the difference between him and a stranger? You have to pay to even know what he looks like or his name.¡±


    ¡°But he is my child. He exists because of me.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t understand you; you might as well give the Merit to me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a Mage, you¡¯re young, you don¡¯t understand. When I was young like you, I¡¯d spend money on Moon candy, gamble money at the First Blood casino, and have surgeries on myself. But as I got older, these entertainments lost their thrill for me, and I lost interest in tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Until one day I remembered, when I was young, to earn a childbirth fund, I had a child with a woman. It was like the sky suddenly lit up, and I found my life¡¯s purpose¡ªto see that child.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a Mage, you can explore the Void Realm, you can study Magic. But I can¡¯t. If not for 70% full-body mechanical modifications, I would have never qualified to join the battle zone as an adventurer. Even the easiest entry-level gun technique was a barrier I couldn¡¯t cross.¡±


    ¡°I heard Mages pursue Miracles. That child, he is my Miracle.¡±


    The uncle pointed to his left eye, ¡°I didn¡¯t replace my left eye with a prosthetic one, just hoping to see my child with my real eye.¡±


    The young man muttered softly, ¡°Still can¡¯t understand...¡±


    The uncle let out a mechanical laugh, ¡°Don¡¯t try to understand me, this is illegal.¡±


    Bang!


    Suddenly, a young man who was struck flew and crashed hard, he cursed, ¡°Uncle, what are you suddenly doing¡ª¡±


    In the next second, all his words were stuck in his throat.


    Because he saw a girl with orange hair, wearing deep blue battle armor, standing where he just had been.


    The girl was standing on the uncle¡¯s body, her long sword stained with red and blue liquid. The uncle¡¯s head had already flown off, his mechanical spine snapped directly, releasing red blood and blue machine fluid!


    The young man¡¯s pupils dilated, and a Light Screen popped up before him: ¡°Scouting detected¡ª¡±


    Snap!


    When Lauren decapitated the young man¡¯s head, two resting adventurers in the camp were also dealt with by other extermination team members.


    In a short time, one hundred sixty-three extermination team members assembled in the camp. Everyone wore deep blue battle armor, and all their weapons were special alchemy products, even the Boxers wore knuckle guards! But within just a few seconds of their arrival, a circle of flashing blood-crafted collars appeared on their necks, making them look like human-shaped light pollution.


    ¡°There are four rules of the game.¡±


    ¡°First, when you kill, you must deliver the final strike with a celestial weapon, otherwise, you won¡¯t score points during the kill.¡±


    ¡°Second, try to last 48 hours without dying.¡±


    ¡°Third, try to kill as many targets as possible. Human-shaped monsters have priority, followed by others. Mage monsters have priority over others.¡±


    ¡°Fourth, everyone must activate the Miracle of Transfer in their battle armor to return here after 48 hours, and Dazzling Star will automatically destroy this Level 2 Void Realm passage.¡±


    ¡°The holy Star Cluster connects us, Starlight will guide our path, the game starts!¡±


    Everyone¡¯s pupils glowed with purple-blue light, and upon hearing the command, they saluted in unison, then dispersed simultaneously!


    From the sky, one could see only a few blue dots moving towards villages in the north and south, while most blue dots headed towards Kaimon City in the west!

 Chapter 126: 115: The Mayors Downfall

    Chapter 126: Chapter 115: The Mayor¡¯s Downfall


    ¡°If hurt enough, use a pair of hands to joyfully sever yesterday¡¯s curse...¡±


    As the prison¡¯s lively bell rang, Ash got up to wash and brush his teeth, pondering over the Sword Maiden¡¯s strange actions these past few days.


    Gone was the idle chatter, replaced suddenly by the Sword Maiden asking Ash targeted questions in the Void Realm, such as what color palette he liked, how he made friends, whether he preferred mystery suspense or horror thrillers, and even if he liked big breasts or flat chests, leaving Ash utterly bewildered¡ªwasn¡¯t that obvious, who wouldn¡¯t prefer big breasts?


    Moreover, the Sword Maiden¡¯s attitude towards Ash could shift between four different styles in one night, sometimes gentle and considerate, sometimes cold and proud, sometimes sexy and enticing, sometimes naive and cute.


    Ash¡¯s thought on this was, ¡®It would be even better if she could change her clothes along with her personality.¡¯


    Ash had also asked the Sword Maiden if something was wrong, but she had said nothing was wrong, making Ash anxious.


    ...


    He thought and thought, wondering if the Sword Maiden could possibly be conducting a psychological test on him? Aside from that, he could only think of one possibility¡ªthat it was the Sword Maiden¡¯s time of the month.


    Thinking about it carefully¡ªmood swings, talkative curiosity¡ªit seemed quite consistent with the traits of a woman during her menstrual cycle. Aside from exclaiming, ¡®Even paper-thin people have periods,¡¯ Ash didn¡¯t think much more of it.


    When he switched on the Light Screen, a message immediately popped up from ¡°Aurora¡¯s Mage¡¯s Handbook¡±:


    ¡°Death Mad Sword Maiden¡¯s training has ended. Please collect the Growth Report and set this week¡¯s training strategy.¡±


    ¡°Death Mad Sword Maiden¡¯s Growth Report 4.19~4.25¡±


    ¡°Sword Technique Faction: Silver ¡ú Silver¡±


    ¡°Light Magic Faction: Silver ¡ú Silver¡±


    ¡°Water Magic Faction: Silver ¡ú Silver¡±


    ¡°Spirit Faction: 0 ¡ú Silver¡±


    ¡°Magic Power: Silver Half-wing ¡ú Silver Full Wings¡±


    ¡°Training Evaluation: A!¡±


    ¡°Due to the A-grade evaluation, Death Mad Sword Maiden received a professional enhancement from the Mage¡¯s Handbook: Silver Mage of Destruction ¡ú Silver Mage of Soul Breaking¡±


    ¡°Silver Mage of Soul Breaking¡ªProfessional Characteristics: Each effective attack deals an additional 1% soul damage.¡±


    This new professional characteristic made Ash¡¯s eyes light up. The enemies in the Void Realm were undoubtedly Soul Bodies, meaning the Sword Maiden could inflict additional real damage on her enemies. Coupled with her fast attack speed, the cumulative extra damage could be substantial.


    The Magic Faction hadn¡¯t grown much, and in the past few days, they had obtained just one Water Magic Treasure Bead, which Ash fed to the Sword Maiden, so naturally, the Water Faction stayed in the Silver Realm.


    If it weren¡¯t for the Spirit Faction upgrading from zero to Silver, and Magic Power surpassing from Half-Wing to Full Wing, the training evaluation definitely wouldn¡¯t have been an A. Nevertheless, Ash was quite resentful¡ªwhy wasn¡¯t there a growth report for him as the ¡®Final Observer¡¯? He, too, wanted a career enhancement from the handbook to switch to a new profession!


    To this point, his profession was still the useless cult leader! The Blessing of The Gods of Four Pillars had never taken effect!


    Ash checked his points. Although they had hunted many knowledge beings in recent days, earning many Technique Spirits, since the Sword Maiden said she needed money to buy Technique Spirits, the spoils were split six-four, with Ash taking the larger share.


    After converting all the temporarily unnecessary Technique Spirits into points, Ash now had 124 points, still unable to purchase the ¡®Bag of Source Crystals¡¯ priced at 198 points.


    Without a drawing ritual, Ash directly arranged the Sword Maiden¡¯s training strategy for the next week. Initially, he wanted to max out the swordsmanship training as usual, but considering the Sword Maiden needed rest during her special time, he pondered for a moment and decided... to give the Sword Maiden an hour¡¯s rest today only.


    Ah, his heart ached¡ªwas this what it felt like to be a boss, feeling like losing a huge sum of money when seeing an employee rest?


    Ash hurried to execute the training strategy to avoid regretting his decision, then went to the cafeteria for breakfast as usual, only to find the Central Hall crowded with people¡ªwere they recruiting volunteers (cannon fodder) again?


    But no, the prisoners were just gathered to watch the news on the hall¡¯s Light Screen, with Igula intently focused as well.


    Ash moved closer to ask Igula, ¡°What does the news say? Have the citizens had a crisis of conscience and decided to boycott the inhumane system of the Blood Moon Judgement?¡±


    ¡°More thrilling than the citizens finding their conscience,¡± Igula murmured softly while intently watching the screen. ¡°Fernand has fallen.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°The Mayor of Kaimon City, he¡¯s going down!¡±


    Ash was taken aback and joined in watching the news.


    ¡°...The current estimated number of casualties has already exceeded ten thousand. The new city of Sky Street has countless dead and injured, multiple fires broke out in the upper city area, and corpses littered the streets. They may have been office workers, perhaps shopping couples, possibly future Legendary Mages, or just ordinary people diligently living their lives¡ªbut now, due to an invasion that shouldn¡¯t have happened, they are just pale corpses.¡±


    On the screen, a physically attractive and well-dressed female host stood on a skyscraper. Her face bore a slight resemblance to Igula, with a flirtatious look in her eyes, hinting at some Meiwa ancestry. She wore arm sleeves of a light purple-pink color, which looked particularly cute.


    However, her expression was extremely angry and her voice was filled with suppressed rage, ¡°Everyone, please look behind me. This is Kaimon City¡¯s most prosperous upper district, but what can we see now? Ruins, flames, corpses, bloodstains, exposed steel roots, broken dolls¡ª¡±


    ¡°Kaimon News is the mouthpiece of the Church and the Institute,¡± Igula whispered, ¡°When the host shows obvious political bias, it represents the Blood Moon factions presenting a sacrificial victim to quell the public¡¯s anger.¡±


    ¡°Forty hours have passed since the first attack. We can¡¯t help but ask, why hasn¡¯t the Crime Hunting Hall captured the attackers yet? Why do attacks still happen? Why is the upper district still a high-risk area, so much so that even medical teams dare not enter to treat the wounded?¡±


    ¡°Where has the taxpayers¡¯ money gone, and who has wasted it? Rated as the safest region in the country, why are we suffering such a disaster? Why must we, the ordinary people who live and work in Kaimon City, face such misfortune?¡±


    ¡°Why are there organized, large-scale attackers from other countries infiltrating Kaimon City? What is the Government Affairs Hall hiding from us?¡±


    ¡°We need answers, the dead need answers! Someone must be responsible for this disaster¡ª¡±


    Spurt!


    As the screen was suddenly smeared with fresh blood, the death row inmates in the Central Hall gasped. They had seen many deaths in the Blood Moon Judgement, but it was the first time they witnessed a host being suddenly killed during a live broadcast.


    The live channel plunged into darkness, but soon switched to a new scene.


    The background this time was a clean, tidy, and grand office, and sitting behind the desk was an ogre in a dark black suit¡ªyes, an ogre, though he lacked fangs and his nails were neatly trimmed, his appearance wasn¡¯t at all menacing and even exuded a friendly vibe. His huge buttocks chair was proof enough that he was indeed a blue-skinned ogre.


    When he spoke, Igula was dumbfounded.


    ¡°I am Alandor Fernand, the mayor of Kaimon City,¡± the ogre said solemnly, ¡°It is with a heavy heart that I inform everyone that the number of innocent victims killed in the terrorist attacks has reached 13,000. The Crime Hunting Hall is operating at full capacity, and the Government Affairs Hall has mobilized adventurers from the nearby Lakeview Battle Zone to assist in capturing the roaming attackers.¡±


    ¡°These attackers are butchers from the Blood Moon who came through the Void Realm passages from other countries. I must admit I bear some responsibility for this. The joint research investigation of the Void Realm passages was a collective decision made by the Government Affairs Hall, the Council, and the Crime Hunting Hall, in collaboration with the Lakeview Battle Zone. If the Government Affairs Hall had made a more comprehensive plan and more cautious judgements initially, perhaps¡ª¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still not giving up,¡± Igula sneered. ¡°He is threatening the other conspirators that if he dies, others won¡¯t fare any better. He might admit defeat, but he doesn¡¯t want to leave.¡±


    ¡°...for this, I am willing to submit to the scrutiny of the Crime Hunting Hall and step down from my duties as mayor temporarily. The deputy mayor, Guru, will act in my place.¡±


    Finally, Fernand stood up and deeply bowed, ¡°I am deeply sorry for my mistakes in office.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    ¡°Haha, Fernand, you too have your day!¡±


    Cheers erupted one after another in the Central Hall. Although the Noise Regulations meant that the laughs couldn¡¯t be too loud, the simultaneous cheers of so many people still filled the hall with a joyful atmosphere. It seemed that nothing brought true joy to these sewage dregs like seeing someone else¡¯s misfortune.


    Yet, Ash saw Igula, usually so calm, also excited, his earlobes flushed red and his smile nearly uncontrollable. Curiously, he asked, ¡°Igula, do you have a grudge against Fernand? Even if you¡¯re reveling in his misfortune, you shouldn¡¯t be this happy, right?¡±


    Igula grabbed Ash¡¯s shoulders, ¡°Don¡¯t you understand? The mayor has fallen! He¡¯s been accused by the Crime Hunting Hall!¡±


    Ash felt puzzled, ¡°I heard, so what?¡±


    Igula looked like he wanted to attack Ash¡¯s intelligence, but his chip prevented any rude behavior.


    After holding back for a while, he finally said with barely controlled excitement, ¡°If the mayor faces serious allegations during his term and has to be suspended immediately, to ensure his personal safety and prevent him from committing suicide, the mayor will be detained in the nearest Blood Moon prison for isolation and investigation.¡±


    Ash remembered, he had heard about this rule while discussing proper escape methods with the Medical Practitioner.


    Ash vaguely realized something, ¡°You mean...¡±


    Igula stared intently at Ash, his eyes shining as if trying to suck Ash into them.


    No need to wait for the transport ship next month. When Fernand is escorted to Shattered Lake Prison, that¡¯s our chance to escape!¡±


    ¡°When will Fernand be detained in Shattered Lake?¡±


    As a rule, the sooner the better, but he definitely has to stay in the Crime Hunting Hall overnight to modify the restrictions in his chip. This means¡ª¡±


    Ash and Igula exchanged glances, ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s Blood Moon Judgement on the 27th!¡±


    PS: Thanks to a reader¡¯s reminder, I cited content from NGA¡¯s original post ¡°Talking about the tricks of women I¡¯ve met on blind dates over the years¡± in chapter 113 without indicating that this is an inappropriate infringement. I have sent a message to the user on nga asking for authorization, and if it¡¯s not authorized, I will remove it. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve used nga¡¯s messaging, so if there¡¯s no reply, I¡¯ll tag him again in the original post tomorrow.


    I tend to take excerpts personally, and when I find interesting sentences or stories, I jot them down, mainly from sources like Idiot Daily and WritingPrompts. When quoting, I rarely pay attention to legality and sometimes can¡¯t remember the source. I will be more careful in the future.

 Chapter 127: 116 Almost Really Became Sword Maiden

    Chapter 127: Chapter 116 Almost Really Became Sword Maiden


    Sword Flower University, training hall.


    When Sonia stopped, time seemed to freeze in the entire training hall.


    The apprentices watched the talented swordsmanship girl with amazement, they glanced at the time on their wristbands, confirming it was only 9 PM.


    She had only been training for an hour, why had she stopped?


    Although she had only been training in the training hall for two weeks so far, Queen Sevi had undoubtedly become the most stunning spectacle for the swordsmanship apprentices¡ªher unwavering two-hour evening training sessions without any breaks were intensely focused and meticulously executed; just watching her sweat-drenched training was a visual feast.


    Not to mention Queen Sevi¡¯s superb mastery in swordsmanship. Many apprentices stole glances during their free time, and suddenly, a flash of insight deepened their understanding of swordsmanship¡ªincreasing their strike count by +1. It was both visually and educationally rewarding.


    ...


    Strangely enough, although Sword Flower University was teeming with swordsmanship talents like Reonie and Lauren before, and Felix after, none of their training sessions drew the apprentices¡¯ attention like hers.


    First, their training times were not fixed; second, they would take breaks during their sessions, lacking the ¡®non-stop¡¯ gimmick; and third... although it was hard to pin down the reason, everyone just felt that Sonia¡¯s swordsmanship was a notch above the others.


    Thus, the training hall was almost always packed. When Sonia entered, the apprentices hardly dared to breathe, welcoming the queen with adoring gazes.


    Could it be that the queen had changed her training schedule for the first time tonight?


    What could make someone so passionate about swordsmanship change her routine?


    Indeed, not just among the students but also in the eyes of all, including the professors, Sonia Sevi was a genius born for swordsmanship. With extraordinary talent, she loved swordsmanship deeply, and even after achieving great success(defeating Felix, counter-killing Reonie, and deploying Silver Wings), she never forgot her roots and persisted with her intense nightly training¡ªwasn¡¯t this what ¡®love¡¯ was?


    Naturally, the same thought popped into the minds of these hot-blooded apprentices: Could the queen be in love!?


    As the apprentices¡¯ angry gazes focused on Felix, almost igniting him, Felix himself felt quite helpless¡ªhe was also very curious why Sonia had stopped.


    However, the most baffled person was Sonia herself.


    She was long accustomed to two-hour training sessions and could say she had been successfully conditioned by the Observer.


    She came to the training hall tonight very consciously, and as soon as the time arrived, she moved obediently without needing any forcing from the Observer.


    A familiar glass bottle filled with an unknown potion appeared on her desk this morning, and after drinking it, she remained energetic all day, not feeling fatigued even after intensive swordsmanship training.


    Moreover, swordsmanship training was quite interesting. Each sword swing, each strike brought Sonia indescribable pleasure.


    These joys gradually accumulated and turned into a strange, irrepressible craving; only by slaying mystical creatures in the Void Realm and using their bodies to nourish her blade could she slightly alleviate this thirst.


    Sonia did not think too much of it, assuming it was a side effect of the potion given by the Observer, especially since this thirst seemed to enhance her performance when hunting mystical creatures, making the Observer a likely suspect.


    It couldn¡¯t possibly be that she herself was a bloodthirsty maniac craving battle!


    Although Sonia no longer resisted training, completing non-stop training based solely on willpower was beyond her; about half an hour in, she couldn¡¯t maintain her focus, and the latter part heavily relied on the Observer¡¯s mysterious power to train her automatically.


    Therefore, when she suddenly stopped after an hour of training, Sonia instantly realized what had happened¡ªthe force compelling her to train imposed by the Observer had vanished.


    What had happened?


    Could it be that the Observer suddenly developed a conscience?


    No, that was unlikely. Could the Observer have died?


    While wildly speculating, Sonia wasn¡¯t too worried.


    In the recent Fate Q&A a few days ago, several questions suggested that the Void Realm held the Observer in high regard; the Observer wouldn¡¯t just suddenly die in prison.


    Thinking about it... what should she do next?


    Sonia stared blankly at the wooden sword in her hand, trying to recall her usual evening activities before.


    It had been only half a month of peaceful life, yet it felt like a distant past.


    ¡®Since I have no other plans, why not continue practicing swordsmanship? Sword practice can be quite enjoyable...¡¯


    Sonia was startled by her own sudden thought¡ªGood heavens, even though she could rest now, she was still thinking about practicing?


    No, she mustn¡¯t practice, she mustn¡¯t fulfill the Observer¡¯s wishes! If the Observer knew how obedient she was, it would only intensify the training; she must oppose the Observer just to be defiant!


    It was terrifying, she almost truly became the ¡®Sword Maiden¡¯ the Observer spoke of.


    She wanted to be a Songstress, a Shadow Actress, but definitely not some Sword Maiden!


    For now, she should just leave the training hall, even if it meant going back to lie in bed and watch the latest shadow play performed by Dedarose...


    Just then, a burst of exclamations suddenly erupted at the entrance of the training hall; Sonia looked over and saw a striking flash of orange hair¡ªit was ¡®Orange Dancer¡¯ Reonie!


    ¡°Sonia, is your training over? Do you have time for a drink with me?¡±


    Although she had fought a match with Reonie earlier, not only did Sonia both save face and gain depth, but Reonie also apologized afterwards.


    She had heard that Professor Trozan had taken in two new disciples, plus she was acquainted with Lauren, who was looking to confront Felix, so she decided to seize this opportunity to gauge the caliber of the first-year freshmen.

 Chapter 128: 116 Almost Really Became Sword Maiden_2

    Chapter 128: Chapter 116 Almost Really Became Sword Maiden_2


    After all, it was just a small dispute between students, and the other party had taken the initiative to apologize and make amends. Sonia wasn¡¯t about to make an enemy of a talented Sword Saint seedling over this matter. Plus, Reonie was a very traditional and straightforward Sword Maiden¡ªin simpler terms, she was easy to take advantage of.


    This kind of sustainable, high-quality connection was something Sonia wasn¡¯t going to let slip by. Before long, their relationship rapidly grew warmer. However, Sonia was quite surprised to see Reonie approach her deliberately: ¡°Senior Sister, you came looking for me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I just got back not too long ago and was still excited, thought about grabbing a drink. I happened to pass by the training hall and figured I¡¯d see if you were here,¡± Reonie said with a giggle, then turned to look at Ingrid next to her: ¡°Ingrid, do you want to come too? It¡¯s my treat!¡±


    Ingrid shook her head: ¡°I don¡¯t drink, and my training for tonight isn¡¯t finished yet.¡±


    ¡°I thought as much,¡±


    Reonie turned to Felix, who was watching them, and said with a smile: ¡°Boys aren¡¯t welcome at a girls¡¯ drink fest, Felix.¡±


    ...


    ¡°I¡¯m not fond of drinking either,¡± Felix said indifferently: ¡°Rather, it¡¯s quite perplexing that a Sword Master would enjoy drinking.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re still students. Wait until you step into the Abyss and experience battle, you¡¯ll understand that even the sharpest of blades need alcohol for proper maintenance. Let¡¯s go, Sonia!¡±


    Watching Reonie and Sonia leave, the Swordsmanship apprentices heaved a sigh of relief¡ªthank goodness, it was just drinking with the orange dancer. Our Queen Sevi is still the pure girl uninterested in romance.


    ¡°Shall we go to your dorm?¡±


    ¡°As much as I would like that, my roommate probably wouldn¡¯t be too happy,¡± Reonie shrugged her shoulders: ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Secret Garden.¡±


    The Secret Garden was the only cafe? in Sword Flower University where one could get a drink. Sonia had been there before, but the drinks were pretty pricey. Being budget-conscious, she had declined other people¡¯s invitations to gatherings there after her first visit, saying boldly, ¡°I¡¯m too poor, so I won¡¯t go.¡± If someone else was treating, she still wouldn¡¯t go. After a few times, others began to change the venue for their gatherings to the more wallet-friendly Water Cafe?.


    The ¡®poor student¡¯ label still had to be used when necessary.


    But things were different now¡ªshe had money. Even though Reonie was treating this time, Sonia could look for an opportunity to return the favor; she didn¡¯t need to hesitate about accepting the invitation.


    The biggest difference between being rich and poor was that wealth allowed one to graciously accept others¡¯ kindness.


    Inside the Secret Garden, there was a faint scent of lavender. There wasn¡¯t a single light on inside; the entire ceiling was open, and clever use of mirrors directed the starlight inside, illuminating every corner with a bright yet mysterious dimness.


    A relaxing and melodious music flowed gently throughout the cafe?, where a three-person band was performing on stage¡ªthey were probably students from the Sound Magic System, taking the chance to earn some extra money. The students and lovers gathered in small groups, creating a nice atmosphere that made Sonia relax as well.


    ¡°A Screwdriver and a Summer Breeze,¡± Reonie ordered expertly, taking Sonia to sit inside a small booth and casually pulling down the curtain to obscure the view from outside.


    ¡°Do you come here often, Senior Sister?¡±


    ¡°I come every time after coming back from the Abyss. Without a few drinks to numb the pain, how could I possibly withstand the pressure there?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I thought you were one of those super, super strong people.¡±


    ¡°Even the strongest people have to find their own ways to relieve stress. Drinking, like I do, is already fairly normal. I have a teammate who likes to streak down the main street after finishing missions. You¡¯ve heard that rumor, right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, so that urban legend is true, huh? That¡¯s terrifying~¡±


    ¡°Let me tell you, but don¡¯t spread this around, okay... the thing is...¡±


    As Reonie shared various amusing adventuring tales from the Abyss, Sonia became quite enthusiastic.


    She also spoke about her recent experiences in the Void Realm. Even excluding the part where the Observer cheated, the knowledge creatures she hunted and the Mage legacies she witnessed were enough to captivate Reonie. Every so often, Reonie would interject with her insights on battling knowledge creatures, and their exchanges as fellow Sword Masters were quite beneficial to Sonia.


    ¡¸Sonia gained some swordsmanship experience¡¹


    They gossiped, discussed the Abyss, talked about the Void Realm, and unwittingly, they reached the bottom of their glasses. Sonia¡¯s cheeks flushed, and amidst their animated conversation, she asked: ¡°Senior Sister, did you participate in some special event a few days ago?¡±


    As soon as she spoke, she came back to her senses and quickly apologized, ¡°Sorry, that was presumptuous of me.¡±


    Talking about experiences in the Void Realm was one thing, but asking about actions that required a contract for secrecy? That was quite another. To put it seriously, Sonia was testing the Orange Dancer, enticing Reonie to make a mistake.


    Reonie just smiled and shook her head to indicate it was fine, but after thinking for a moment, she added, ¡°Although I can¡¯t reveal the details... that event was actually a game organized by the Church.¡±


    ¡°A game?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Have you ever played the role-playing games on the Miracle Bracelet? It¡¯s similar to those.¡±


    The Miracle Bracelet had many functions; not only could ordinary people use it to connect to the ¡°Veil¡± and communicate with people miles away, but mages also took advantage of the processing power of the bracelets to create various Veil games, allowing ordinary people to enjoy the entertainment provided by the mages.


    Thus, mages from the Illusion Magic System who could develop bracelet functions also saw their value rise with the tide. Initially, Sonia had also considered choosing the Illusion Magic System, but since she wasn¡¯t familiar with Veil games, she eventually decided on the Water Magic Department.


    Sonia rarely dabbled in Veil games, not because she didn¡¯t like them, but¡ªshe had no money.


    The poor village girl from the countryside could only befittingly grind away at her studies and couldn¡¯t afford such high-end entertainment activities. Her spiritual life was completely satisfied by watching dramas.


    Hearing Sonia blushingly admit she¡¯d never played them, Reonie was surprised and explained with a smile, ¡°The Church had me enter a completely virtual Illusion Realm, filled with monsters we needed to kill. The more monsters killed, the higher the score, and the Church would give more generous rewards... The whole game lasted two days and two nights, and it exhausted me.¡±


    ¡°It sounds pretty interesting,¡± Sonia perked up with interest. ¡°Were the enemies strong?¡±


    ¡°No, not strong. Some were very weak, they couldn¡¯t even run away, and only occasionally would I get chased by mage-level monsters... They would even cry and beg for mercy...¡±


    Reonie¡¯s voice grew fainter, and her expression became more and more blank. Sonia casually responded, ¡°Sounds pretty relaxing, slaughtering some feeble enemies... Senior Sister? What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Reonie snapped back to herself, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I might be a bit tipsy.¡±


    ¡°You were talking about the monsters in the game just now, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, what else would you think I was talking about? Bartender, another Quin Reonie, please!¡±


    ...


    After parting with her senior sister, Sonia leisurely walked toward the Meditation Building.


    Ah, it¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve had such a pleasant evening.


    First, there was the satisfying swordsmanship training, then drinking and chatting with friends. If I could only try out the new miracle I¡¯ve been researching in the Void Realm, joyfully slaughter a few knowledge creatures, tear them into shreds with my blade, and let their blood bloom like flowers, it would be a perfect day...


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Sonia looked up and noticed that the white tower had disappeared at some point, and the hanging Void Turbulence had vanished without a trace, with the radiance of star clusters showering down on the university campus.


    The disappearance of the white tower meant that the campus lockdown was lifted, and classes would resume tomorrow... Tsk.


    Sonia sat in the meditation room, slightly groggy, as she summoned her Technique Spirit, located the Gate of Truth, and sank into the consciousness connection with the Void Realm.


    Opening her eyes and looking at the Observer, Sonia said with a silly smile, ¡°Observer, let me tell you, tonight I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Tonight is my last night accompanying you in the Void Realm exploration.¡±


    Sonia instantly sobered up.

 Chapter 129: 117 Observer, You Are Truly Vile to the Core

    Chapter 129: Chapter 117 Observer, You Are Truly Vile to the Core


    Void Realm, Sea of Knowledge.


    ¡°...Everything¡¯s ready now, tomorrow will be the day the plan is set in motion.¡±


    Ash, while checking the Void Realm Map to steer a small boat, said, ¡°If the prison escape fails and the hunters capture me, then everything will be back to square one, status quo. But if I succeed in breaking out, I must constantly be on guard against my surroundings. Until I can confirm my safety, I won¡¯t be able to enter the Void Realm.¡±


    Sonia nodded, fully understanding the Observer¡¯s way of thinking.


    Void Realm Exploration could be as short as four to five hours or as long as eight to nine hours. An Observer with a regular schedule in prison could log into the Void Realm on time, but after an escape, not only would he have to find a way to make a living, but he¡¯d also need to avoid the hunters¡¯ pursuit as much as possible. How could he possibly have more than four hours of safe time to enter the Void Realm?


    She sighed in relief, ¡°You scared me, I thought...¡±


    ...


    Ash raised his eyebrows, ¡°You thought I was going to abandon you?¡±


    Sonia¡¯s brows slightly furrowed, and she feigned a pitiful, flirtatious look, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve found I can¡¯t live without you. Just thinking about not seeing you for the next few days makes me feel empty, lonely, cold, and so sad I could almost cry... Oh right, since you¡¯ll be busy, does that mean my training has to stop too?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, training will go on as usual. Although I won¡¯t be there, I will still supervise your training. Speaking of which, you should have rested for an hour tonight, right? That¡¯s a privilege for tonight only, back to normal tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m really grateful to you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    Sonia huffed, crossed her legs, and eyed the Observer, ¡°So when will you be back?¡±


    ¡°When I¡¯m sure of my own safety,¡± said Ash. ¡°Didn¡¯t I see in the Fate Q&A that there¡¯s a possibility of me leaving the Kingdom of Blood Moon? After I break out of prison, I¡¯m planning to look for a way out of the Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°So that means there¡¯s no specific time...¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Sonia tilted her head, watching the wisps of white mist flying past her, and asked softly, ¡°Is there anything I can help you with?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say before that you wanted to become a Songstress? How about singing a song for me to hear?¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ha, just kidding,¡± laughed Ash. ¡°Let¡¯s not hunt for knowledge creatures tonight. Instead, let¡¯s focus on looking for Mage projections.¡±


    Sonia instantly understood, ¡°You want to read other Mages¡¯ manuals to find more clues about the golden fish?¡±


    Ash nodded slowly, ¡°Based on our pace, even if hunting knowledge creatures yielded Experience Treasure Orbs, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to advance your swordsmanship to Golden Level.¡±


    ¡°Even if we got a rare Technique Spirit, it wouldn¡¯t be possible to integrate it into my combat system immediately, and the improvement in combat power would be minimal.¡±


    ¡°We only have one night left, and if we want to make a breakthrough, the golden fish is our only choice.¡±


    These days, although the two of them had killed many knowledge creatures, most of the Technique Spirits were either used by Ash to accumulate points or were sold by Sonia for some extra money, and rarely were they kept for personal use. The most important reason, of course, was that they were not suitable.


    Despite mastering swordsmanship, Water Magic, Light Magic, and the Heart Sword among four factions, in the face of the wondrous world of Technique Spirits in the Void Realm, what they had encountered was barely the tip of the iceberg, a drop in the ocean. It was common that the spoils did not feature Technique Spirits from factions they specialized in.


    Even if they got Technique Spirits from the same faction, the chances were high that they would not be of much use. For example, in the Sword Skill System, ¡®Vibrating Sword¡¯, ¡®Continuous Sword¡¯, and ¡®Poison Sword¡¯ represented three different directions: relying on high-frequency vibration to enhance destructive power, increasing attack speed for continuous strikes, and imbuing the blade with unique properties.


    Apart from the Sword Skill System, ¡®Vibrating Sword¡¯ would require support from the Sound Magic System, ¡®Continuous Sword¡¯ would necessarily mean transitioning to the Weak Faction to improve physical prowess, and ¡®Poison Sword¡¯ meant supplementing with the Poison Skill System.


    Whether researching any of these specific directions, the time a Mage would need to invest is incalculable, sometimes even involving venturing into other unfamiliar factions. If one had a superficial understanding of Technique Spirits and used them directly, the results would definitely not compare to a combat system that a Mage had studied thoroughly, like Sonia¡¯s ¡®Crack Wave Slash,¡¯ which could instantly kill the aforementioned three sword skills Technique Spirits.


    So, although they had acquired many Technique Spirits, those were not indispensable. Instead of delving into these new Technique Spirits, they might as well make good use of their old ones¡ªbetter the devil you know than the devil you don¡¯t.


    However, this was a happy problem for them. Which ordinary Silver Mage could reap two to three Technique Spirits every night? Not dying was considered a blessing from the Void Realm, and any gain was celebrated as a festival.


    They weren¡¯t completely without updates to their equipment, for example, Ash had taken the lead in completing the ¡®Cutting Sword¡¯, ¡®Stabbing Sword¡¯, and ¡®Cutting Sword¡¯, the three basic sword skills Technique Spirits. In theory, a Sword Master would need to personally summon these three Technique Spirits to lay a solid foundation for the Sword Technique Faction. Someone like Sonia wouldn¡¯t request these three Technique Spirits, but since Ash was originally an unskilled stowaway, he obviously didn¡¯t care about foundations.


    Sonia sold her spoils and quickly gathered the Technique Spirits required for the ¡°Sword Scabbard Gleaming with Light¡± and ¡°Grinding Sword for Ten Years¡± Miracles, further enhancing her combat power.


    While not invincible, in the Sea of Knowledge, this dog couple might as well have Unrivaled Liberty.


    However, from another perspective, this also meant that the Sea of Knowledge¡¯s help was becoming marginally effective for them. They had obtained too much in the Void Realm; they needed ample time to slowly digest and absorb it all.


    Unless they could reach higher levels of the Void Realm.


    ¡°If I could condense Golden Technique Power, then my Sword Barrier could be stimulated to one hundred percent efficiency, increasing my defensive capabilities by at least five times,¡± Ash explained the necessity of Golden Technique Power to him. Unlike the Sword Maiden, he had received a Two-winged Technique Spirit, ¡°Earth Sword,¡± from Valcas, and his combat power would surge after promotion.


    Sonia curled her lip, ¡°That¡¯s assuming we can find a golden fish. You¡¯re talking as if you¡¯re already spending the lottery winnings without having won.¡±


    ¡°What would you do if you won big?¡±


    ¡°First, buy a manor in Jiale City. Then pretend to be gravely ill to tempt my mother to borrow money from other relatives and villagers.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°That bunch of scoundrels who always bullied a widow and her daughter will surely refuse to lend money. Then, I would rent a convoy of luxury cars to pick up my mother and blind those scoundrels with our display. Whoever dares to ask my mother for a loan, I¡¯d remind her of this and chop off those scoundrels¡¯ deceitful paws.¡±


    ¡°Goodness, you really are...¡±


    ¡°You have a problem with that?¡±


    ¡°I think you should find a trusted friend to lend the money to your mother. When you return home in glory, you heavily reward that friend. Contrast creates hurt; this way, you only spend a little money to make everyone else regret their decisions so much they could run through walls.¡±


    ¡°Wow, Observer, you¡¯re wicked to the core.¡±


    ¡°You flatter me, I¡¯ll get shy.¡±


    As they chatted idly, Ash noticed a pale red area appearing on the Void Realm Map, marked as ¡°highly challenging¡±¡ªthe most dangerous area they could venture into and the exact type of location Ash was seeking.


    Ash¡¯s smile faded and he spoke seriously, ¡°While there may not be a linear relationship, the stronger the Mage projection, the more likely they are to have information about the golden fish. That means tonight is going to be nothing but tough battles.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be coming to the Void Realm after tonight anyway.¡±


    Sonia¡¯s palm glowed with the luster of steel as she gently rubbed her wooden sword, ¡°Guess I¡¯ll join your madness this once. If it comes to it, I¡¯ll let you have my first blood.¡±


    Miracle¡¤Grinding Sword activated.


    Strictly speaking, although ¡°Grinding Sword for Ten Years¡± is a Two-winged Miracle, there is a wide range of adjustments that can be made. Within the Time Series Technique Spirits, ¡°year¡± is the rarest, ¡°month¡± follows, and ¡°day¡± is the most common; ¡°Ten Days¡± is Two-winged, ¡°Hundred Days¡± is Three-winged, ¡°Thousand Days¡± is Four-winged, and ¡°Year,¡± ¡°Month¡± follows this sequence.


    Thus, Grinding Sword for Ten Years could vary to Grinding Sword for One Day/Ten Days/Hundred Days/Thousand Days/One Month/Ten Months... and so on. With the adjustment of the level of Technique Spirits, the power of the Miracle rises or falls accordingly. The reason it is called Grinding Sword for Ten Years, is simply because ¡°ten years¡± offers the best cost-efficiency as a consumable.


    Yes, activating this Miracle will directly consume the Time Technique Spirit, and it has to be repurchased, hence Sonia only dares to use the cheapest ¡°day¡± Technique Spirit. It is said that the more advanced and complex, powerful Miracles often require consumption of a vast number of Technique Spirits. Thus, whenever a Legendary Mage makes a move, it¡¯s equivalent to throwing thousands of pounds of gold, rivers of silver, with enough Gold Coins and Silver Coins to bury a multitude of people.


    But commensurate with the cost, such Miracles are extraordinarily effective. Sonia¡¯s wooden sword glowed with a gleaming grey tint, this was the ¡°Cutting Color¡± produced by Grinding Sword, her subsequent attacks all garnished with Cutting Color, enhancing sharpness, capable of breaking through defenses even against Weak Mages.


    Ash drew a long sword from his tongue, the ¡°Sweet Words and a Hidden Dagger.¡± He then summoned a Substitute to leap into the sea, circle around, and approach the other side of Inheritance Island.


    Preparations complete, the two pierced through the mist, landing on Inheritance Island. Meanwhile, the Substitute climbed onto the other side of the island, drawing the attention of the Mage projection.


    Now was the moment!


    Ash pointed his sword, the endearing One-winged Technique Spirit emerging at the tip, a flash of Sword Light swiftly thrusting towards the neck of the Mage projection!


    Technique Spirit¡¤Heart Sword!


    Sonia leaped from the boat, drew her sword in midair with an anticipatory smile, her elegance akin to a dancer leaping onto the island. The rotating sinister Wave energy moved like a meat grinder towards the Mage projection!


    Miracle¡¤Sinister Light Crack Wave Slash!


    The Substitute attracted attention to its sacrificial demise, Ash attacked from afar, and Sonia exploded in melee range. This was their unfailingly successful surround and kill tactic!

 Chapter 130: 118 The Belly of the Golden Fish

    Chapter 130: Chapter 118 The Belly of the Golden Fish


    ¡°The Mage¡¯s Handbook: Gourmet Chronicles¡±: ¡°Culinary Recipes Mastery.¡±


    ¡°The Mage¡¯s Handbook: Cat Care Diary¡±: ¡°Cat-Care Proficiency,¡± ¡°Shit Shoveling Proficiency.¡±


    ¡°The Mage¡¯s Handbook: Fishing Secrets¡±: ¡°Mastering the Identification of Unknown Items.¡±


    ¡°Shocking, this Fishing Mage, because he always fishes out weird things from the river, even mastered the identification of unknown items... However, considering his frequent no-catch records, he probably doesn¡¯t have the Fishing Proficiency skill.¡±


    ¡°But, he¡¯s pretty good at fishing for people,¡± Sonia said impolitely as she plopped down on the sandy ground, face flushed and panting lightly, her lips curling up slightly in a mix of complaint and excitement, ¡°He almost killed me.¡±


    The Fishing Mage used a bizarre type of ¡®fishing rod¡¯ weapon, which doubled as a long spear and grappling hook with ease, smoothly transitioning between long-range and close-quarters combat. He was an extremely rare One-winged Mage who excelled in group battles, handling both Ash and Sonia without falling behind.


    ...


    He even played a trick. After baiting Ash with a long-line hook to force a defensive move, he immediately switched to attacking Sonia from behind. At that time, Sonia was also dealing with his frontal fishing rod attacks, aware of the assassination attempt from the back but with no room to evade.


    Had it not been for Ash timely protecting Sonia with the Sword Barrier, they might have been forced out of the Void Realm by now. Even after avoiding this lethal trap, they expended great effort to defeat the Fishing Mage, with Ash sustaining numerous minor injuries and Sonia¡¯s hand being pierced through. Fortunately, in the Void Realm, they could rapidly heal with soul energy; if they were in reality, the Fishing Mage would have killed them long ago.


    Aside from being unable to fish, the Fishing Mage could be said to be a One-winged Mage without weaknesses.


    Ash watched as the Mage¡¯s Handbook turned into light smoke and vanished, Inheritance Island rumbling as it was about to sink. He glanced at Sonia, still resting on the ground, and noticed her body was nearly translucent, indicating a significant amount of soul energy had been depleted. He extended his hand, ¡°Let¡¯s call it a night.¡±


    Sonia looked at him and took his hand to stand up, ¡°I think I could fight another round.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m tired. I don¡¯t want to keep fighting.¡±


    Ash laughed and shook his head as he sat on the boat and stretched languidly, ¡°No need to push it. If we actually die in the Void Realm, it would affect tomorrow¡¯s jailbreak. Let¡¯s sail a bit more and then leave the Void Realm.¡±


    ¡°After all, trying to find the golden fish in one night was a ridiculously ambitious wish. It¡¯s normal not to achieve it. If we really did, I¡¯d start to doubt if the Gods of Four Pillars are truly blessing me,¡± Ash complained half-jokingly. ¡°It¡¯s all because you mentioned the golden fish. The bigger the hope, the greater the disappointment. Sword Maiden, you¡¯re taking full responsibility for this!¡±


    Hearing the Observer making such an absurd excuse, Sonia wasn¡¯t angry at all.


    She sat in the little boat, crossing her legs, with her plump and straight thighs revealing a mysterious and enticing dark line, elbow on the knee, and fair hand supporting her chin, intently staring at the Observer.


    Tonight she wore a black vest and a deep red mini skirt, with little boots and long stockings, adorned with black band-like accessories on her thighs¡ªstylish and vivid, yet youthful, adding a touch of splendor to the monochromatic world of the Sea of Knowledge.


    Seeing the Sword Maiden silent, Ash was a bit frightened, ¡°Sorry, I was too arrogant. Hey, I have a joke for you. There once was a little rabbit that met a bear with diarrhea...¡±


    ¡°Quiet, I¡¯m thinking.¡±


    ¡°Thinking about what?¡±


    ¡°Thinking about the information on the golden fish,¡± Sonia said calmly. ¡°Organizing the current information to see if we can uncover the truth about the golden fish.¡±


    Ash waved his hand dismissing the thought, ¡°Don¡¯t waste your energy. So many Mages have searched for so many years with no success. Could it be that their talent or dedication is less than ours? But even they have to proceed step by step, first advancing through faction realms before they can ascend to higher levels of the Void Realm. Hoping for a miracle like the golden fish is just an unrealistic fantasy...¡±


    ¡°But Mages are born to pursue miracles.¡±


    Sonia tilted her head and smiled. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m free, so just consider it keeping me company, and think with me about how to find the golden fish.¡±


    Ash pursed his lips, tapped on the ¡°Void Realm Map¡± to navigate the boat to a safe area, and leaning against the boat¡¯s side with his arms crossed he said, ¡°Since you¡¯re dressed so nicely tonight, I¡¯ll give you this favor.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Sonia responded crisply. ¡°Let¡¯s start by going over the new information we¡¯ve got.¡±


    Ash nodded, ¡°Of the three Mage projections we just defeated, two handbooks mentioned the golden fish: the Gourmet Mage wanted to taste the flesh of the golden fish, while the Fishing Mage believed the golden fish could be caught.¡±


    It¡¯s hard to say whether the former is audaciously bold, daring to covet the great beings of the Void Realm, or whether the latter is simply insane, unable to forget about fishing even in the Void Realm.


    ¡°Although the Gourmet Mage had pursued it for many years until his death without tasting even the golden fish¡¯s shit, he did have his gains¡ªhe had once reached the Fate Q&A Island.¡±


    From this, it became clear that Ash¡¯s ¡®Barrier-Free Reading of Mage¡¯s Handbooks¡¯ ability would become increasingly important in the future.


    Initially, they could only read handbooks from low-level Mages, yielding almost no benefit, since the lives of low-level Mages were hardly worth mentioning.


    ¡°`


    But when they reached the core area of the Sea of Knowledge and encountered the projections of powerful mages, the benefits from reading the Mage¡¯s Handbook could be said to have skyrocketed.


    Because not only did they have extraordinary encounters in the Void Realm, other mages also had their lucky moments of being favored by the Void Realm.


    What was even more miraculous was that the encounters in the Void Realm might not be unreplicable.


    Reading the Mage¡¯s Handbook was tantamount to gaining the strategies and intelligence of other mages who explored the Void Realm. Take ¡®Vortex Secret Poison¡¯ as an example, if Ash had not happened to read that particular handbook and learned this fast-leveling strategy, they would probably still be Silver Half-winged mages.


    ¡°Like us, he also asked the Void Realm about the golden fish, ¡®Can I eat the flesh of the golden fish in the Sea of Knowledge?¡¯ The answer from the Void Realm was ¡®You can¡¯t.''¡±


    ¡°We can draw a conclusion from this: the golden fish do not exist in the Sea of Knowledge as beings of flesh and blood.¡±


    ¡°The Fishing Mage, on the other hand, believed that the golden fish were hidden in the sea, so he persisted in fishing in the Void Realm for over a decade. But aside from occasionally catching mud Fish Dragons and Fish-Slicing Dragons, which are creatures of knowledge, he found no trace of any golden fish. He even dived into the Sea of Knowledge, but it was pitch black in the sea, and he died very quickly.¡±


    ¡°Here we can also draw a conclusion: we cannot dive into the Sea of Knowledge to search for the golden fish.¡±


    Sonia pondered, ¡°The information we got before was that the golden fish can be seen without triggering any ritual and are always floating on the surface of the sea.¡±


    Ash counted on his fingers, ¡°The golden fish are on the sea surface, they are not creatures of flesh and blood, the golden fish can be directly seen... Ah, I know what the golden fish are now!¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t these mists here meet all the characteristics? They¡¯re on the surface, inedible, and visible to the naked eye.¡± Ash looked at the thick mist engulfing their small boat. ¡°The only problem is, it doesn¡¯t look like it could carry an entire continent.¡±


    ¡°Be serious!¡±


    ¡°I am being serious,¡± Ash said languidly, leaning against the small boat and looking at Sonia with a sudden smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even without Golden Technique Power, I won¡¯t just die while trying to escape... presumably.¡±


    Sonia¡¯s eyes flickered, ¡°Who cares about you, I just want to see the sights of the Time Continent as soon as possible. Staying in the Sea of Knowledge, my Magic Power simply cannot grow.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯m just being over-sensitive,¡± Ash replied cheerfully. ¡°By the way, didn¡¯t you rest for an hour tonight? What did you do?¡±


    ¡°I went drinking with Reonie.¡±


    ¡°The Reo who beat you up pretty bad last time?¡±


    ¡°Who got beaten up pretty bad? I clearly won, and after all, it was your fault for insisting I fight her! You still have the nerve to mention it¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, so you¡¯re of age to drink now?¡±


    ¡°Ugh, you¡¯re really... Of course, I¡¯ve been an adult for a while now. She talked a lot about her adventures in the Abyss, it was very interesting.¡±


    ¡°Tell me some of it?¡±


    ¡°For instance, there¡¯s this particularly rare ¡®Evil Shadow¡¯ with no substance, it attacks the soul and is incredibly difficult to deal with, but its weakness is quite obvious. Just shine a light to cast its shadow, and then attack the shadow, the creature itself will be severely injured.¡±


    ¡°And there¡¯s the terrifying ¡®Eyeball Hunter,¡¯ extremely sturdy, it stays still when being watched but moves swiftly towards the mage to pierce their eyeballs the moment you avert your gaze. She and her group saw one once, fortunately, they were far enough to escape in time.¡±


    ¡°The most dangerous monster in the shallow Abyss is the ¡®Devourer,¡¯ enormously huge, it disguises its stomach as a regular cave. Once a mage steps inside, it seals off the stomach-cave and releases potent stomach acids. Ordinary Silver Mages stand little chance of breaking through its stomach lining, they can only watch as they¡¯re dissolved...¡±


    As Sonia talked about these terrifying Abyssal stories, she seemed excited and her eyes sparkled. Ash listened with a kindly face at first, to the charming school anecdotes, but his expression gradually changed, and he even suddenly sat up.


    ¡°Did you just say there was a monster that disguised its stomach as a cave?¡±


    ¡°Yes, called the ¡®Devourer.¡¯ Why, have you seen it?¡±


    ¡°I think I might have seen something similar.¡±


    Sonia blinked, ¡°Something similar?¡±


    Ash looked up, gazing into the fog-shrouded sky.


    ¡°Do you think, maybe we are inside the belly of the golden fish?¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 131: 119: Silver Wings! (Third Update)

    Chapter 131: Chapter 119: Silver Wings! (Third Update)


    ¡°Why is it that despite the theory of the enormous golden fish, mages can¡¯t find even the slightest trace of it?¡±


    ¡°Why does the Void Realm say the golden fish is right above the sea and can be seen without any ritual?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s only one answer.¡±


    Ash murmured, ¡°We are inside the golden fish, and the Time Continent is just above the White Mist.¡±


    Sonia instinctively wanted to argue, but when she matched the information she had with this conclusion, she found that it fit perfectly, offering a flawless explanation of the golden fish¡¯s true nature!


    ¡°Right,¡± she suddenly remembered, ¡°didn¡¯t the only Mage¡¯s Handbook I¡¯ve ever read mention that after explorers found the golden fish, they climbed more than eight hundred floors and still couldn¡¯t reach the top of the golden fish?¡±


    ...


    ¡°On second thought, if the golden fish is really as massive as eight hundred floors, even with the White Mist obstructing, mages shouldn¡¯t have failed to find any trace of it... And in the Sea of Knowledge, the only place where you can¡¯t reach even after climbing more than eight hundred floors is...¡±


    ¡°The sky.¡±


    The two of them stared blankly at the White Mist-filled sky.


    After a while, Sonia asked blankly, ¡°But how are we supposed to climb up there?¡±


    Yeah, how were they to climb up to the sky?


    Even though they knew that the Time Continent was right above them, and getting there would make them two-winged mages, where was the way up?


    The sky had not lowered a ladder reaching to the heavens, and there was no Heavenly Ascension Tower on the ground, not to mention that there were no natural landscapes more than a meter above sea level in the Sea of Knowledge.


    They were not like explorers adept in Earth Magic Faction abilities, capable of constructing a building out of thin air; their only method to gain height was to have the Substitute stand on top, with the Sword Maiden on the Substitute¡¯s shoulders, and Ash on the Sword Maiden¡¯s shoulders.


    Could Ash summon thousands of Substitutes to stack himself up? That was also impossible, for he only had the ¡°Substitute¡± Technique Spirit and didn¡¯t possess the ¡°Multiple Substitute¡± Miracle, so he could only summon one Substitute.


    If he summoned a second Substitute, the first would disappear. To summon two Substitutes, his best method would be finding a second Substitute Technique Spirit, and then using both Technique Spirits together to create the ¡°Double Substitute¡± Miracle.


    Therefore, the use of Technique Spirits was a skill, generous in some aspects and conservative in others.


    ¡°Is there any flight miracle?¡± Ash asked.


    ¡°One-winged level flight miracles are rare,¡± Sonia shook her head. ¡°One-winged level mobility miracles are basically rapid movements on the ground, and even if they momentarily take to the air, it¡¯s only to overcome obstacles, not to truly fly.¡±


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t even improve at the two-winged level, only that the movement speed is faster, the magic power consumption is less, and the agility for changing directions is more flexible. Real flight miracles only become common at the three-winged Holy Domain level.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because the prerequisite for achieving the Three-winged Holy Realm is the complete unfolding of the Silver Wings and Golden Wings.¡± Sonia raised her hands, imitating the flapping of wings. ¡°Do you think a mage¡¯s Void Wings are just for show?¡±


    ¡°Ah? Aren¡¯t Void Wings used to intimidate opponents? Before a fight, everyone compares their Void Wings, and whoever has more and more complete Void Wings is stronger.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just the sociological usage. The real Void Wings are the embodiment of a mage¡¯s accumulated knowledge. Each Void Wing can provide immense assistance to a mage...¡±


    ¡°Immense assistance?¡± Ash paused, spreading his Silver Wings, ¡°Other than letting me go to the bathroom at night without turning on the light, what other help does it offer?¡±


    ¡°Silver Blessing.¡± Sonia spread her hands, ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you before? The full extension of the Silver Wings only proves that our silver magic power has reached its limit. Only when we successfully advance to the Two-winged, leave the Sea of Knowledge, and reach the Time Continent will the Silver Wings start to shimmer¡ªthat¡¯s when the Silver Wings are in their perfect state.¡±


    ¡°The shimmering Silver Wings will grant the mage an eternal blessing, often related to the mage¡¯s primary magic faction. Even a mage who has just been promoted to Two-winged can achieve over a 20% increase in combat power through the Silver Blessing, and with some luck, even a 100% increase.¡±


    Ash caught on, ¡°No wonder you were so insistent on dragging me to find the golden fish tonight...¡±


    A 20% to 100% increase in combat power could be crucial to his prison break plan for tomorrow. If it was for the Silver Blessing, it would indeed be worth giving his all.


    Sonia felt the effects of the alcohol rising again, her cheeks slightly flushed, ¡°I told you I just wanted to see the scenery of the Time Continent as soon as possible... and you promised to help me realize my dream. Finding the golden fish is part of that dream, so of course, I had to drag you along.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. So when will you sing for me? I need to judge from your singing whether I¡¯ve taken on a conscience-stricken, dirty job.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just looking for an excuse to make things difficult for me, aren¡¯t you? Then here I go, ¡®My body feels so light, not a hint of weight to it...''¡±


    ¡°I apologize, I was too presumptuous. Let¡¯s talk about flying miracles, talk about flying miracles.¡±


    At this moment, Ash also unraveled a doubt in his heart; he had felt for some time that his Silver Wings were somewhat lacking compared to the Silver Wings Valcas had shown. They were not shiny or stiff enough. He had previously thought it was a matter of lighting, but now he realized it was a developmental issue.


    Without having opened the gates to the New World for even one day, his Silver Wings were ultimately the virgin wings of the uninitiated, not the mature Void Wings.


    Sonia paused, ¡°After a mage obtains the perfect pair of wings, they gain not only the Silver Blessing and Golden Blessing brought by the Void Wings, but also a qualitative change due to the wings becoming a pair. Mages can then soar in reality using their wings directly. For this reason, the requirement for most flying miracles is the Three-winged Holy Realm, and at the very least, a complete Two-winged.¡±


    Simply put, flying miracles are like luxury cars and yachts, exclusive to the rich with at least Three-winged status, and the wealthy have no intention of devising a low-end version that the poor can also afford.


    She looked up at the murky sky: ¡°Even if we find a flying miracle that One-winged can use, explorers have built a tower with a staggering eight hundred stories, yet failed to reach the top. Even if we exhaust all our magic power, I¡¯m afraid we still wouldn¡¯t be able to fly that high.¡±


    ¡°The most effortless way for mages to fly would undoubtedly be using the Void Wings¡ªthere can be no other. Knowledge is our most effortless set of wings.¡±


    Ash stood up and let his Silver Wings flutter, which did nothing but rock the small boat slightly.


    Sonia said helplessly, ¡°Even if you haven¡¯t learned Wind Skill, you should know you need a pair of wings to fly, right?¡±


    She too showed confusion, ¡°If the flying miracle can¡¯t fly that high, and Earth Magic can¡¯t build a Heavenly Ascension Tower... How did those legendary mages, who claimed to have found the golden fish and smuggled aboard, manage to climb to the Time Continent? Are we thinking about it wrong, or is there a stairway to heaven above the Sea of Knowledge, or perhaps, a way to gain a pair of wings in advance?¡±


    ¡°If all we need is a pair of wings...¡± Ash said softly, ¡°We have them too.¡±


    ¡°We?¡±


    Sonia was taken aback and saw the Observer pointing at his own Silver Wings and then at her Silver Wings.


    ¡°That¡¯s preposterous...¡±

 Chapter 132: 120 Some Things Cant Be Locked

    Chapter 132: Chapter 120 Some Things Can¡¯t Be Locked


    ¡°Can¡¯t believe this is actually happening!¡±


    Sonia looked in excitement as her toes left the small boat and she soared into the white fog. It was just like the first time she saw Dedarose¡¯s film on the Light Screen, and she was utterly shocked by this miraculous scene.


    ¡°Calm down, calm down,¡± Ash soothed. ¡°We need to cooperate with each other. If something goes wrong, we¡¯ll fall.¡±


    At this moment, Sonia felt confident. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say there are Bonds between us? If they truly exist, then this kind of understanding is trivial.¡±


    She glanced at Ash, her left hand gripping his right tightly as if by doing so their hearts could be connected. Their Silver Wings flapped at the same frequency, supporting each other like birds in flight.


    ¡°We finally found so many clues about the golden fish, finally deduced the truth about the golden fish, finally discovered the correct way to fly...¡±


    ...


    Ash cleared his throat significantly, ¡°The truth was deduced by me, and I discovered the flying method as well. Of course, Sword Maiden, you also made a significant contribution...¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, Observer, you are really amazing,¡± Sonia smiled brightly. ¡°I declare that tonight, you stand shoulder to shoulder in my heart with Dedarose!¡±


    ¡°Only for tonight? And who is Dedarose?¡±


    ¡°She is my most admired idol! You should be satisfied with just one night! Compared to your previous status in my heart, this time I at least compared you to another person.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m actually quite curious what you compared me with before...¡±


    The two laughed heartily for a while, then Ash stopped laughing, looked up at the gray sky, and seriously asked, ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Sonia nodded firmly.


    ¡°Observer, let¡¯s fly.¡±


    With a flap!


    With the beat of their Silver Wings, they soared like birds into the white fog, spiraling upward. The Sea of Knowledge grew farther and farther from them, and Ash¡¯s ¡°Void Realm Map¡± became increasingly chaotic. The higher they went, the thinner the white fog became, and they could faintly see that the end was a stretch of golden light!


    ¡°How did those Mages find companions to fly with them before?¡± Sonia suddenly asked. ¡°Could it be that other Mages can also form teams to explore the Void Realm?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, but I guess it¡¯s a more incredible possibility.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°That is, within the Void Realm, they met friends from reality.¡±


    ¡°Meeting other Mages in the Void Realm, who just happen to be acquaintances, both unfurling Silver Wings, and both knowing the truth about the golden fish? So many coincidences that depend on luck...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why it¡¯s called a Miracle.¡±


    As they got closer to the sky and the white fog thinned out, they flew higher and felt their ¡°bodies¡± becoming heavier, as if the Sea of Knowledge¡¯s gravity was increasing. Their hands, feet, and bodies felt like they were filled with lead.


    The Sea of Knowledge was preventing smugglers.


    If the two of them truly depended on a Miracle to take flight, they would likely stop here. Like Explorers, their soaring dreams dragged down by the heavy gravity, plummeting into the Deep Sea, shattering like crystals.


    But the movement of the Void Wings seemed to require no effort, easily slicing through the white fog, resisting gravity. Even if their souls were bound by the Sea of Knowledge, the Void Wings still allowed them to wander the heavens and earth.


    As the distance to the golden light drew closer, Sonia felt her heart growing increasingly panicked, and her breathing became heavier.


    Suddenly unable to suppress her emotions, she couldn¡¯t help but ask the question that had long been buried deep in her heart, ¡°Why me?¡±


    She didn¡¯t even understand her own feelings. This question could have been asked after the conclusion, tomorrow, or in the future, but she insisted on getting an answer right then and there, even if it wasn¡¯t the answer she hoped for.


    Although it might harm her interests, at that moment, Sonia felt that some things were more important than advancing to a Two-winged.


    Ash glanced at her unexpectedly. Although it was abrupt, he understood what the Sword Maiden was asking.


    He intended to make a joke, but the words that came to his lips were sincere, ¡°It¡¯s just a coincidence.¡±


    Sonia masked her emotional fluctuation well, displaying a professional smile, ¡°I knew it, it seems I am lucky¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me who is lucky,¡± Ash said softly. ¡°It¡¯s because of this coincidence that a series of Miracles followed.¡±


    ¡°Some things can¡¯t be locked away, even if you tie their hands and feet, they will still grow wings and fly.¡± He suddenly recalled this saying, ¡°Sword Maiden, I can fly not because of the Silver Wings, but because of you.¡±


    ¡°When my hands and feet were bound, when I was trapped in a prison, you became the window through which I explored the Void Realm, you helped me gain the power of a Mage.¡±


    Ash looked at Sonia, smiling, ¡°Sword Maiden, you are my wings.¡±


    Sonia stared blankly at him, under the increasingly blinding golden light, the Observer¡¯s face, concealed by a dark mist, rapidly dissipated, revealing a delicately chiseled smiling face and a pair of lively eyes.


    After many days, Sonia finally saw his face.


    In that moment, all the dissatisfaction, complaints, and worries that had long lingered in her heart disappeared. She had never felt like this in her life, happier than the first time wearing new clothes, more thrilled than the first sight of Jiale City, and sweeter than the first taste of ice cream... It was as if... as if the unnoticed void within her heart had been silently filled.


    At last, she tightly clutched Ash¡¯s hand, softly murmured with a gentle hum through her nose,


    ¡°You are my golden fish too.¡±


    Ash burst into laughter, ¡°What a strange metaphor, makes me feel like I¡¯m your stepping stone.¡±


    Sonia tenderly argued, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant...¡±


    ¡°Just kidding, I understand what you mean. So next... let¡¯s go see the real golden fish!¡±


    With a splash!


    As they flew through the outermost white mist, what appeared before their eyes was a golden sea as clear as a mirror, as vast as the ocean, occupying the entire sky.


    With the fluttering of the Silver Wings, the golden sea in the sky seemed to be stimulated, raising waves after waves. The tumbling golden water reflected each distinct feather of the Silver Wings, suddenly making it appear like clearly layered fish scales!


    In a blink, the vast golden sea transformed into the belly of a golden fish!


    ¡°This is... the true nature of the golden fish!¡± Sonia murmured softly.


    Ash was also deeply moved by this Wonder, but without any reluctance, he displayed a satisfied smile, leading the Sword Maiden into the golden sea!


    The next second, the world turned upside down!

 Chapter 133: 121 Silver Blessing

    Chapter 133: Chapter 121 Silver Blessing


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Reonie turned around, looking back at the world that was gradually turning black and white.


    ¡°Did something fall down... or is this a special phenomenon of the Void Realm?¡±


    On her first day in the Time Continent, the orange dancer was still in the exploratory phase of unfamiliarity, where everything felt both strange and special to her. Even so, she knew she had to start running soon.


    Otherwise, ¡®time¡¯ would catch up to her.


    ...


    ...


    ...


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t fall to my death...¡±


    Lying on the grass, Ash sat up and shook his head, feeling like he hadn¡¯t yet adjusted his sense of balance.


    After they had charged into the Golden Sea, the two had lost their sense of direction, and the whole world seemed to tumble like a dice cup, making it impossible to maintain flight. They could only follow the gravitational pull of the Void Realm and let themselves plummet downward.


    Ash thought he was going to lose his life this time, having boasted so much only to fall back into the Sea of Knowledge. But, feeling the grass under his buttocks, he knew at least his face was saved.


    ¡°Observer, look.¡±


    Ash lifted his head at the comment and saw a scene that could rival the splendor of golden fish scales.


    Golden rain was falling towards the sky.


    They were in a dense forest, surrounded by ancient towering trees possibly centuries old, with lush branches and leaves that blocked out the sun. Yet, despite this, Ash could still see a white column piercing the sky from afar, with countless drops of golden rain emerging from around it, falling upwards towards the sky.


    He couldn¡¯t help muttering to himself, ¡°Is this the world of the strong?¡±


    ¡°That is Time Gold Rain, similar to the Knowledge White Mist of the Sea of Knowledge,¡± Sonia explained. ¡°If we want to absorb the Golden Technique Power to coalesce the second Void Wings, we must follow the steps of the Heavenly Carriage Bull and receive the baptism of the golden rain.¡±


    ¡°Heavenly Carriage Bull?¡±


    ¡°That white column is the Heavenly Carriage Bull. Look closely, isn¡¯t it moving?¡±


    Ash focused and noticed the white column indeed moving, albeit in very small movements. However, this ¡®very small¡¯ might have been an illusion, as he was observing it from several kilometers away and could still see it moving; the real speed of the column was probably tens of meters per second.


    ¡°Why is it called the Heavenly Carriage Bull?¡±


    ¡°Because it is the Heavenly Carriage Bull. Beyond where you can see, there are three more legs. These four legs belong to the Void Realm giant beast ¡®Bull¡¯ that walks across the Time Continent.¡±


    Sonia continued, ¡°The ¡®Bull¡¯ has many titles, Fate Weaver, Heavenly Carriage Bull, Time Walker... but generally, it¡¯s called the ¡®White Bull.''¡±


    ¡°The tracks plowed by the White Bull on the ground turn into the Flowing Gold River. The waters of the Flowing Gold River have the power to influence time, and the flora and fauna nourished by its waters grow at unimaginably rapid rates, producing the Time Gold Rain that falls towards the sky.¡±


    She touched the foxtail grass beside her, ¡°If we had arrived a bit earlier, we would be basking in the gold rain right now.¡±


    ¡°Flowing Gold River, upward-falling gold rain, White Bull...¡± Ash watched the sky covered by the gold rain: ¡°Is this the Time Continent?¡±


    Drip.


    Suddenly, they both heard a crisp sound of a water droplet. Immediately, Silver Wings emerged uncontrollably on their own, sparkling with a dazzling silver brilliance!


    ¡°Silver Blessing!¡± Sonia exclaimed in delight as she calmed down to feel the newly acquired power while Ash chose to open the operators management.


    ¡®Death Mad Sword Maiden¡¯


    ¡®Human Race ¡¤ Female ¡¤ 18 years old¡¯


    ¡®Bonds Level: 3 (50% experience sharing)¡¯


    ¡®Bond Resonance: Insatiable Greed: When acting simultaneously, there is a chance to obtain better spoils.¡¯


    ¡®Profession: Silver Mage of Soul Breaking¡¯


    ¡®Professional characteristics: Each effective attack restores 0.5% of the maximum Magic Power¡¯


    ¡®Silver Blessing: Festivity/Brutality: Each time an enemy is defeated (including but not limited to Mage projections, knowledge creatures, monsters, Mages, constructed creatures, etc.), the critical rate and critical damage increases. Depending on the operator¡¯s training route, different attributes can be triggered.¡¯


    ¡®Extra Blessing Attribute: Festivity: The Sword Maiden needs only victory to derive enough pleasure; she maintains respect and mercy towards her enemies. This route triggers the ¡®Festivity¡¯ effect, gaining a critical damage bonus. The better the mood, the higher the increase, up to a maximum of 250% critical damage.¡¯


    ¡®Extra Curse Feature: Brutality: The Sword Maiden can only alleviate her inner thirst through death and wailing; she will spare no effort to bestow despair upon the irreverent. This route triggers the ¡®Brutality¡¯ effect, gaining a critical rate bonus. The worse the mood, the higher the increase, up to a maximum of 100% critical rate.¡¯


    ¡®Knowledge Curse: Vortex Secret Poison, Expulsion Secret Poison, Golden Fish Poison¡¯


    ¡°It feels like a growth-type blessing...¡±


    After reflecting for a moment, Sonia pondered, ¡°Since blessings are the most private secrets of a Mage, schools don¡¯t have detailed information about them. Developing a blessing must be explored by Mages alone... Do you know what exactly my blessing is?¡±


    Ash glanced at her, ¡°Your blessing is called ¡®Festivity¡¯, the more enemies you defeat, the higher your critical rate and critical damage.¡±


    Though it sounded peculiar, ¡®critical rate¡¯ and ¡®critical damage¡¯ were not uncommon for Mages. In simple terms, it was as if, while invoking the Technique Spirit, it suddenly realized it needed to work overtime, and that¡¯s what is called a ¡®critical hit¡¯.


    The critical rate represented the frequency of the Technique Spirit¡¯s overtime, and the critical damage represented the work efficiency of the Technique Spirit during overtime. Putting it this way, this blessing could be briefly described as ¡®the more enemy enterprises the Sword Maiden company acquires, the more significant is the exploitation efficiency of the internal Technique Spirit staff.¡¯


    Sonia was slightly dissatisfied, ¡°Festivity, such a strange name; I am clearly a genteel Sword Master, why would it be related to the word ¡®wild¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps the Void Realm has a slight discrepancy in your positioning,¡± Ash said with a guilty conscience, ¡°You are so gentle, cute, kind, and approachable; even I think the Void Realm¡¯s Silver Blessing really isn¡¯t fitting for your persona.¡±


    Sonia blushed with his words, ¡°It¡¯s not that great... But this growth-type blessing is quite good; if developed properly, it should be very helpful in exploring the Void Realm.¡±


    Ash secretly breathed a sigh of relief. The Sword Maiden¡¯s Silver Blessing had two training routes, ¡®Festivity¡¯ and ¡®Brutality,¡¯ and Ash undoubtedly hoped that the Sword Maiden would follow the ¡®Festivity¡¯ route since the ¡®Brutality¡¯ route was clearly full of negative energy.


    This isn¡¯t really playing a mobile game where you can set it to automatically manage and fight; Ash will definitely need to accompany the Sword Maiden through the night songs of the Void Realm (Void Realm Exploration). If the Sword Maiden is always full of negative energy and battles turn bloody, Ash could hardly expect to be in a good mood.


    However, this training route was obviously not something you could just click on in a game to decide; it had to be guided through consistent daily interactions, much like raising a daughter. It was Ash¡¯s first time playing the role of a dad, inexperienced as he was, he decided to first instill truth, goodness, and beauty in the Sword Maiden, letting her believe she herself was a lovely fairy, to prevent any dark turns.


    Besides, the Sword Maiden¡¯s Bonds Level also rose to Level 3, elevating the experience sharing ratio to 50%.


    Seeing this, Ash suddenly had a question: Bonds Level, does it refer to the Sword Maiden¡¯s affinity towards him, or his own affinity towards the Sword Maiden, or is it the mutual affinity between them?


    Moreover, why did he almost without any hesitation, instinctively decide to let the Sword Maiden follow the ¡®Festivity¡¯ route?


    The ¡®Brutality¡¯ route actually wasn¡¯t bad in terms of benefits, and maintaining a bad mood is much easier than maintaining a good one, but he hadn¡¯t considered this option for even a second...

 Chapter 134: 122 Waiting for You in the Void Realm (Three Updates)

    Chapter 134: Chapter 122 Waiting for You in the Void Realm (Three Updates)


    Sonia asked with curiosity, ¡°Then what is your Silver Blessing?¡±


    Ash looked slightly startled as he glanced at the newly acquired blessing.


    ¡°Silver Blessing¡¤Observer¡¯s Appearance: Your appearance is misleading; unless you make an unusual move, others will subconsciously overlook your existence. In the Void Realm, this blessing is strengthened, and unless someone has an intimate bond with you, they are unable to see your face clearly.¡±


    ¡°Can you clearly see my face?¡±


    Sonia was taken aback, ¡°I can now.¡±


    Ash blinked and briefly explained, ¡°My blessing makes others ignore me when they see me... But I¡¯m not a Lurker, and I don¡¯t plan on robbing the rich to help myself to the poor, so why give me this blessing? The Void Realm really is targeting me.¡±


    ...


    Sonia giggled, ¡°Or maybe the Void Realm has seen through to your true nature...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t laugh, you must feel it too, right? We now have another Secret Poison.¡±


    When they saw the golden fish scale, a piece of hidden knowledge flowed into their minds.


    ¡°Golden Fish Poison¡±


    ¡°Number of people infected with Secret Poison: 14¡±


    ¡°Degree of Poison Strengthening: 14%¡±


    ¡°Current effect of the Poison: You can convert silver technique power into gold technique power, at a ratio of 64:36. (When the strengthening level drops to 10%, it gains a major boost; reaching 51% turns the effects negative).¡±


    It was no wonder the spread of the Golden Fish Poison wasn¡¯t wide, because even if Ash and the others deduced the truth, it wasn¡¯t enough; one had to see the golden fish in order to be infected by the Secret Poison.


    On the contrary, the fact that there were 14 infected people was quite unexpected to Ash, which meant that in addition to them, there were six other pairs who had stowed away from the Sea of Knowledge to the Time Continent in the same way¡ªexcept Ash was in a cheating squad, while those people had really met by fate!


    ¡°Such a powerful Secret Poison,¡± Sonia exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a miracle that could convert magic power, not to mention at a 2:1 exchange rate, even a 10:1 rate doesn¡¯t exist!¡±


    Generally speaking, silver magic power is just that, and gold technique power is just that; low-level magic power does not improve simply because a mage climbs to a higher level of the Void Realm, as the nature of technique power is the condensation of knowledge. Just like learning addition and subtraction in the first grade, when you go up to the second grade, it doesn¡¯t automatically change to multiplication and division.


    Though low-level technique power can activate high-level technique spirits, and high-level magic power can also activate low-level technique spirits, the former is highly inefficient, and the latter is too wasteful. Therefore, mages, in order to maximize the use of resources, often match the level of technique spirit with the corresponding magic power.


    However, as mages acquire more and more high-level technique spirits, there is naturally no need to use outdated low-level technique spirits anymore, and low-level technique power is also scorned.


    At the moment, Ash and Sonia didn¡¯t have much need for this Secret Poison since they didn¡¯t have many Two-winged Technique Spirits, and silver technique power was completely sufficient for them. But once they updated their technique spirits to the Two-winged version, they would come to appreciate the preciousness of this Secret Poison¡ªeven facing Two-winged Mages with the same progress in the Void Realm, with gold magic power converted from silver technique power, their mana bars would naturally be longer than others¡¯!


    ¡°Drinking with my senior, sneaking into the Time Continent, obtaining a Silver Blessing, infected with Golden Fish Poison, and...¡± Sonia¡¯s gaze quickly swept over Ash¡¯s face: ¡°What a lucky night this has been.¡±


    ¡°The night isn¡¯t over yet, while we still have time, let¡¯s go and explore the Time Continent, we might stumble upon a wild Two-winged Technique Spirit¡ª¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time anymore,¡± Sonia said. ¡°We¡¯re about to die.¡±


    Ash was taken aback, opened the ¡°Void Realm Map,¡± and discovered that all 25 squares of the map carried the same message:


    ¡°Wait to die, there¡¯s no saving you.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice my change?¡± Sonia curled a lock of hair beside her ear with her finger. ¡°My hair has turned black.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just Sonia¡¯s hair; Ash looked around and realized that the forest which still had a tinge of green had now completely turned to gray, and Sonia had lost all color, resembling a character from an old black-and-white film.


    He lowered his head to look at his hands, pallid to a frightening degree, utterly devoid of any flesh tone.


    ¡°Mages chase the White Bull not only to bathe in the golden rain but also because beyond the Flowing Gold River, time does not exist,¡± Sonia explained. ¡°The Flowing Gold River moves along with the White Bull; hence once a mage fails to catch up with the White Bull, they¡¯ll fall into the ¡®Static Domain,¡¯ which lacks all color, leaving only black and white around them.¡±


    ¡°If we¡¯d just then¡ª¡±


    ¡°I woke up and saw the grass and the ground all around had turned gray, which meant the nearby Flowing Gold River had dried up. At that moment, we were as good as dead.¡± Sonia shrugged. ¡°Even if we¡¯d caught up, it would have been useless; people can¡¯t catch up with time.¡±


    Ash asked, ¡°Then what about us leaving the Void Realm now?¡±


    Sonia laughed, ¡°The Static Domain has a significant time difference from the outside world. Though we¡¯ve been talking for quite a while now, it might have been only a few seconds to the outside world. It takes us 20 seconds to leave the Void Realm from the outside, but in the Static Domain, it would probably take several hours.¡±


    ¡°Falling into the Static Domain and being frozen in time is the second most common way for a mage to die. The number one cause of death is drowning in the Sea of Knowledge.¡±


    ¡°How long until we freeze?¡±


    ¡°The textbooks say if you don¡¯t run and just wait in place, the delay is about 10 minutes, so it¡¯s probably not too long now.¡±


    Ash looked up at the sky, finding the golden rain too distant to see; the whole world had turned into a silent black and white tableau.


    ¡°Will we return to this spot the next time we enter the Void Realm?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The Void Realm doesn¡¯t allow turning back; mages aren¡¯t permitted to retreat. Even if I opened the Gate of Truth with the One-winged Technique Spirit, we¡¯d only arrive at the Time Continent.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    Ash stretched lazily on the grass, plucked a blade, and chewed on it, surprised to find it was a bit sweet.


    He suddenly thought of a question, ¡°If we die in the Void Realm, doesn¡¯t that harm the soul somehow...?¡±


    Sonia nodded, ¡°Yes, but we weren¡¯t defeated by a mage¡¯s projection or bitten to death by a creature of knowledge, so the damage will be minor and we won¡¯t lose our Technique Spirit. Before our spirit is fully recovered, we¡¯ll just be a bit lethargic, unable to concentrate, sleepy, and less efficient at learning.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like being not quite awake... But being unable to enter the Void Realm, that¡¯s a serious problem...¡±


    ¡°Since you can¡¯t enter the Void Realm for the next few days anyway, I don¡¯t feel like exploring the Time Continent alone. It¡¯s a good opportunity for me to practice my cultivation, absorb the knowledge I¡¯ve learned, and master the new Miracles. After striving for half a month, it¡¯s time to rest.¡±


    ¡°Rest, huh... Reminds me, I haven¡¯t slept in a while, and now that you mention it, I feel sleepy...¡±


    Ash yawned and rubbed his eyes when suddenly he felt the back of his head gently cradled and placed on something soft and resilient.


    A soothing lullaby, like the sound of wind chimes, began to drift gently.


    It was like the tender murmurs of a lover¡¯s whisper in one¡¯s ear, or the refreshing clink of ice cubes in a glass during summer, innocent with a touch of bewitchment, demure yet enticing, lulling one further into drowsiness, relaxed, dizzily as if in a dream.


    When the heavenly voice paused, Ash was still in a half-asleep daze.


    ¡°This is the lullaby my mother used to sing to me as a child. You are the first person to hear me sing.¡±


    Ash opened his eyes to see the Sword Maiden looking down, her pupils filled with mirth as if to paint colors into this black and white world.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you in the Void Realm.¡±


    The next second, time froze them into a painting.

 Chapter 135: 123 Ogre Fernand

    Chapter 135: Chapter 123 Ogre Fernand


    Above Shattered Lake, a transport ship was breaking through the waves while intermittent attempts by finger sharks to nibble at the massive vessel produced a series of crisp clinking sounds.


    ¡°Hollis is rallying the Eternal Life Wine Club?¡±


    In the only VIP room, a benign-faced ogre was seated in an upholstered chair, chewing on a pipe, exhaling a ring of pale green smoke.


    In the light screen in front of the ogre, a tall, handsome, pointy-eared bald goblin was flipping through documents. He was clad in a tailored black suit and glasses, his face filled with worry.


    ¡°Yes, mayor, I¡¯m afraid they are looking to impeach and end your term early,¡± the goblin spoke anxiously, ¡°You were the main person in charge for the ¡®424 incident.¡¯ If Hollis rallies the centrists against us and calls for a mayoral vote, it would be hard for us to gain support. Even our supporting councilors will face pressure from their local constituents.¡±


    ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought that after all my contention with Andrey, it would be Hollis, the bastard, who snatched the peaches...¡±


    ...


    Snap!


    The ogre bit down hard, and the pipe made of white jade ivory was crushed to bits in his teeth! He chewed a few times and swallowed the pipe!


    ¡°How can you manage good politics with these insects?¡± His brow furrowed, the benign face suddenly turning stern, ¡°A vacillating human like Hollis with unremarkable views, dull thinking, and no capability to change the status quo, who is known to be easily manipulated, dares to compete with me!?¡±


    ¡°Mayor, if it really doesn¡¯t work out, we could wait for the next term¡ª¡±


    ¡°There is no next term, no next time! Kibot, we don¡¯t have a second chance, none! Once I step down, there would be no opportunity for a do-over!¡± The ogre raised three thick fingers, ¡°In the history of Kaimon City, there have been 51 Elf mayors and 42 Human mayors, but I am only one of three non-standard-species mayors!¡±


    The Extreme Master of Blood Moon impartially bestows glory upon all species, but some species, due to their appearances, receive more glory, such as Elves and Humans, termed standard species. Other species like Beastman, ogre, and Goblin are classified as non-standard species.


    Over many years of artificial selection, the appearances of non-standard species have become increasingly similar to those of standard species. The most primitive and fierce among them were reworked right at the infant stage and could not even enter orphanages.


    ¡°Do you know what I have given up for this?¡± The ogre tapped his teeth, ¡°I pulled out all my sharp teeth and replaced them with neat white ones; the first thing I do when I wake up is clip my nails because an ogre¡¯s claws can grow a joint-length overnight; I undergo photon rejuvenation weekly to ensure my skin remains free from unsightly wrinkles.¡±


    ¡°Despite all this, if it wasn¡¯t for the citizens¡¯ curiosity, I would never have been elected as mayor! Even though I, Arlandor Fernand, have three Golden degrees, am a Two-winged Golden Mage, and hold many other titles I myself have forgotten, the citizens will not give me a second chance, just like you wouldn¡¯t watch the same clown perform twice.¡±


    ¡°Kibot, do you know why I chose you as my secretary? Because you are a Goblin, and only you can understand my situation, only you have experienced the ridicule I have faced.¡±


    The goblin Kibot in the light screen paused, unsure of what to say, as Fernand raised his artificial eyebrows and asked, ¡°What do you want to say?¡±


    ¡°Mayor, why... why don¡¯t you save the citizens?¡± Kibot¡¯s voice was tinged with sadness, ¡°You clearly knew it was a Foreign Domain Mage invasion, yet initially, you said it was all rumors, that nothing happened.¡±


    ¡°Then you said it was a series of murders and had the Crime Hunting Hall investigate.¡±


    ¡°Finally, you announced it was a terrorist attack and mobilized all the armed forces in the city.¡±


    ¡°By the time you called up the adventurers from the war zones, it was all too late.¡±


    ¡°If you had disclosed the truth initially...¡±


    ¡°Disclosing the truth initially would only have caused panic among the citizens, leading to mass gatherings and escapes, instead offering the invaders an advantage,¡± Fernand calmly replied, ¡°What, then, do you think I should have done? Faced with over a hundred well-prepared Foreign Domain Mages, I had the Crime Hunting Hall act immediately.¡±


    ¡°There are also the research institutions and the Church!¡± Kibot added, ¡°If they were willing to intervene, certainly the invaders wouldn¡¯t have been so rampant!¡±


    ¡°They are unwilling¡ªsince the invaders have not harmed their interests, they have no reason or obligation to protect Kaimon City.¡±


    ¡°But you are the mayor. If you pressured them to make a statement in public, the people would surely support you!¡±


    Fernand glanced at Kibot.


    ¡°I see now, Hollis just wants me out of office, but you, you want me dead.¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean that...¡±


    ¡°Indeed, as you said, if I pressed publicly, to maintain their hard-earned reputations, the research institutions and the Church would likely act to repel the invaders.¡±


    Fernand sharply said, ¡°But no one can exploit the Blood Saint Clan and the Moon Shadow Clan without a price, no one. When my term ends, what awaits me is a long, inevitable death, and other rulers will certainly use me as a warning.¡±


    Kibot had a downcast expression, ¡°Are we really just going to watch as the citizens are ravaged by the invaders...¡±


    ¡°Do you think I lack compassion? Do you have to flaunt your misplaced compassion like this?¡± Fernand waved his hand impatiently, ¡°The attack from the Foreign Domain will soon pass, and there are plenty of people to fill the vacant jobs. The destroyed buildings will be quickly rebuilt, creating even more jobs. In a few months, Kaimon City will be back to its former self. And because of this unexpected disaster, the desire to consume among the citizens will increase over the next six months. The majority who died were the elderly and weak who couldn¡¯t escape fast enough... This attack, purely for Kaimon City, is actually more beneficial than harmful!¡±


    In the light screen, Kibot stared at Fernand, ¡°Mayor, you...¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t just my opinion, the Racial Security Bureau, Crime Hunting Hall, Development Planning Hall... the entire Civil Servant System is suggesting it,¡± Fernand said, ¡°As soon as the attack is over, the next six months will be an opportunity for the Government Affairs Hall to boost our achievements.¡±


    ¡°Kibot, City Hall is just a temporary master perched atop the Civil Servant System. If the Civil Servant System desires this, my disaster relief decrees will only be slowly issued. Instead of going against everyone¡¯s wishes, why not go with the flow and save some money?¡±


    Fernand said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s like gardening, unkempt flowers and grass need trimming for the garden to look beautiful. Here in the Kingdom of Blood Moon, we can¡¯t and aren¡¯t allowed to trim. Now that someone is helping us trim, why not be pleased about it?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s more,¡± he spread his hands, ¡°the Blood Saint craves corpses, the Moon Shadow loves death... both clans of Blood Moon relish this massacre, it¡¯s a game for the gods. The Government Affairs Hall can¡¯t afford to upset them, you understand, right?¡±


    The goblin muttered, ¡°This is too much...¡±


    ¡°If you want to go further later, don¡¯t care about good and evil, the Government Affairs Hall only cares about order and chaos.¡± Fernand knocked on the table, ¡°Alright, lesson¡¯s over. After you go back, take one-third from my vault... no, a third, to win over the non-standard race¡¯s councilors. Then take a seventh to Selin, let the Woodpecker wipe out the remnants of Hollice and those of the Eternal Life wine!¡±


    Kibot panicked, ¡°Mayor, how can you¡ªyou still have to undergo a memory examination when you leave prison¡ª¡±


    ¡°I will erase this memory myself,¡± Fernand stated blandly.


    ¡°But Hollice isn¡¯t just anyone, he¡¯s a human councilor, the Crime Hunting Hall will definitely investigate thoroughly! This is gambling!¡±


    ¡°If we don¡¯t gamble, we won¡¯t have a chance!¡± Fernand¡¯s voice was ice-cold, his eyes wide as brass bells, sending a chilling killing intent which made Kibot realize for the first time that the mayor was an ogre, ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy to persuade the other race¡¯s councilors... even the elves have agreed to my plan... the various races of Kaimon City are finally going to unite for the first time...¡±


    ¡°If we¡¯re lucky and we¡¯re the first to find the correct passage to the Void Realm, if we invade the Foreign Domain first, such an achievement will please the Extreme Master of Blood Moon, ensuring my re-election and giving me more time to prepare!¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, ogres¡¯ luck isn¡¯t too good...¡± Fernand gritted his teeth, ¡°But no matter what, I can¡¯t end my term early, nor can I leave the mayorship to someone like Hollice who only knows how to flatter! Humans are more arrogant than elves, more short-sighted than goblins, lazier than Beastmen, greedier than ogres... Humans are the most unreliable race, they¡¯re desperate to abandon their own bodies, take on the blood of the Blood Saint Clan, wear the skin of the Moon Shadow Clan, then turn around and exploit their own kind even more! Now, we have to make some minor mistakes!¡±


    Kibot looked incredulous, ¡°Assassinating a councilor is a minor mistake? Then what is a major mistake?¡±


    ¡°Getting caught is a major mistake,¡± Fernand said coldly.


    The scenery outside the window stopped passing by, and the room¡¯s speaker announced, ¡°Mayor Fernand, Transport Ship No. 322 has arrived at Shattered Lake Prison.¡±


    Fernand walked to the window, his fingertip glowing as he touched his temple and pulled out a fine white strand, then threw it into the sea where a inter-digital shark leaped out and swallowed it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already forgotten what I just told you.¡± He looked at the young secretary in the light screen, ¡°It¡¯s up to you now, Goblin.¡±


    With that, Fernand turned off the light screen and left the room, accompanied by two Blood Frenzy Hunters, stepping into Shattered Lake Prison.


    Within the yellow lines, two neatly dressed Prison Guards were waiting.


    The hunters, not giving much face to Fernand, handed the documents to the more handsome Prison Guard, ¡°This transport brings only one prisoner, please sign for it.¡±


    The handsome Prison Guard checked the documents and nodded, ¡°Confirmed, Fernand Arlan, Mayor of Kaimon City.¡±


    ¡°Are you the only one to carry the supplies from the ship?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, not sure if there was a problem with the food that came last time, but now half of the prisoners and most of the guards have food poisoning; they¡¯re lined up in the treatment room. Could the hunters and sailors help move the supplies?¡±


    The hunters muttered, ¡°I heard Kaimon City recently discovered a batch of toxic fertilizer... could it be... of course, no problem, but we don¡¯t know where the storeroom is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll lead the way for you.¡± The handsome Guard looked at his colleague, ¡°You take the Mayor to log into the Sinners¡¯ Catalogue and arrange his quarters.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Fernand turned his head and looked at the rather unremarkable guardian beside him. Whether it was the glare of the sun or not, he felt the face looked a bit blurred.


    ¡°Mayor Fernand, welcome to Shattered Lake Prison, you will receive a royal treatment here.¡±

 Chapter 136: 124: The Disgrace of the Blood Saint Clan

    Chapter 136: Chapter 124: The Disgrace of the Blood Saint Clan


    Shattered Lake Prison, Medical Practitioner¡¯s activity hall.


    The prison treatment group¡¯s 25 Medical Practitioners were all gathered here, sitting around a large table.


    They all wore crow masks and black robes, so no one could see each other¡¯s expressions. But from the air that was so heavy it almost solidified, it was evident that their moods were far from calm.


    ¡°Leader,¡± Medical Practitioner [201] broke the silence, ¡°you can¡¯t do anything either?¡±


    Although it was unknown who the leader was, generally speaking, each group leader of the Kingdom of Blood Moon¡¯s medical team at the prison was a Two-winged Golden Mage who had exhausted their potential, while the Medical Practitioners who came to the prison for the Initial Embrace ritual were basically One-winged Silver Mages, so the group leader was the most powerful person here.


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± the leader said bitterly, ¡°Inside the ¡®Black Coffin¡¯ there is a Three-winged Saint, whose bloodline strength and power far exceed mine. The ¡®Blood Lock¡¯ he initiated is simply not something I can contend with.¡±


    ...


    Some Medical Practitioners couldn¡¯t help but laugh bitterly, ¡°Who would have thought that the Blood Lock, which our Blood Saint Clan used to bind the lower species, would one day be used against us?¡±


    Miracle¡¤Blood Lock was originally a binding miracle only applicable within the Blood Saint Clan.


    At that time, the Blood Saint Clan was not under the current ¡®research institution system¡¯ but operated under the very ineffective and crude ¡®clan system¡¯, where high-ranked Blood Saints would seek suitable candidates to carry out the ¡®Initial Embrace¡¯ with an unclear success rate, to transform the other party into a low-level blood descendant.


    The clan system had significant drawbacks. Not only did the concentration of each generation of blood descendants¡¯ bloodlines significantly decrease, but the ¡®Initial Embrace ritual¡¯ required the ¡®True Blood¡¯ of a high-ranked Blood Saint, and what¡¯s more important was¡ªthe recipient of the Initial Embrace had to be in love with the high-ranked Blood Saint.


    To become part of the Blood Saint Clan, you needed to truly fall in love with a Blood Saint.


    As one can imagine, how scarce and, at the same time, united the Blood Saint Clan was during that era.


    Even if the Blood Saints had long lives, their numbers would only decrease over time, their strength would weaken, and this ¡®family bond¡¯ based on love often led to the Blood Saints going into a frenzy over the injury or death of a clan member¡ªthey would be willing to come out in full force for one member, ceaselessly fighting any enemy.


    Unlike their love for clan members, the Blood Saints were utterly indifferent and merciless towards other species. Thus, the approach of the Blood Saints to the world was either that the Blood Saints destroy all enemies, turning the entire region into a paradise for Blood Saints and a purgatory for other species; or the enemies destroy all the Blood Saints, completely eradicating this monster species bound by love.


    It wasn¡¯t until the Extreme Master of Blood Moon took control of Blood Saint Moon Shadow and transformed the past way of living that the two clans accepted the ¡®research institution system¡¯ and ¡®Church system¡¯, and developed vastly within a mere thousand years.


    Under the research institution system, the Blood Saint Clan no longer needed to find suitable descendants themselves, as the top talents from all species aspired to join the research institutions to gain eternal life.


    The ¡®Blood Exchange Ceremony¡¯ that replaced the ¡®Initial Embrace¡¯ only transformed these lucky ones into preparatory blood descendants. To become a true Blood Saint, they still needed to come to the prison for the ¡®Blood Embrace ritual¡¯, drawing sustenance from death, so the Blood Saint Clan didn¡¯t have to pay any price for procreation¡ªbecause the dead had already paid it.


    The initial Blood Lock, as the low-level blood descendants had ¡®True Blood¡¯ of the high-level Blood Saints coursing through their veins, enabled the high-level Blood Saints to trigger the Blood Lock and sense the location of the blood descendants, even to control their actions.


    If the high-level Blood Saint died, they could even be reborn within the body of the blood descendants!


    After shedding the shackles of love, the clan system crumbled, naturally eliminating the ¡®Initial Embrace.¡¯ Hence, the Blood Lock, which had branched from the Initial Embrace, should have been thrown onto the trash heap of history to mold.


    However, after being perfected by the Extreme Master of Blood Moon, the Blood Lock became the most important miracle of the Blood Saint Clan because its binding range was not limited to the Blood Saint Clan but extended to everyone within the Kingdom of Blood Moon!


    Every baby, after being admitted to foster care, had to be implanted with a Miracle Chip containing a drop of ¡®True Blood.¡¯ As the babies grew into adults, the True Blood would integrate into their blood, bone marrow, bodily fluids, and even the germ cells, spreading throughout their bodies!


    It can be said that any child who grew up in foster care in the Kingdom of Blood Moon is a potential blood descendant!


    The modern Blood Lock miracle is a Three-winged miracle, allowing any Three-winged Blood Saint who initiates the ¡®Blood Lock¡¯ miracle to control any citizen of the Kingdom of Blood Moon with weaker power than them, whether they are human, Elf, Beastman, or Blood Saint Moon Shadow!


    Although there is no evidence, many within the Blood Saint Clan believe that if a Legendary Blood Saint initiates the Blood Lock, they could even control everyone in a whole City, even if it means ordering them to their death!


    Yet, compared to the terrifying power they held, the Blood Saint Clan was quite reserved.


    The outside world knew of the Blood Saint Clan¡¯s existence but only knew that the Blood Saint Clan was immortal. To become a Blood Saint, one had to take the postgraduate examination and, after passing, could join the research institutions, and so on. Some from the Blood Saint Clan would become legislators, but they would not hold any official positions, leaving most people with only two impressions of the Blood Saint Clan: doctors and scholars.


    As for acting recklessly with the Blood Lock, such an event hadn¡¯t occurred in thousands of years.


    The application of Blood Lock was limited to prisons and war zones; only criminals and adventurers were restricted.


    Even for Blood Frenzy Hunters like Gerard, while on a Task, they were not allowed to use Blood Lock to control prisoners. Theoretically, the only people who could legally use the Blood Lock miracle were the ¡®Saints¡¯ lying inside the ¡®Black Coffin¡¯, and the living could only trigger the Blood Lock indirectly through the ¡®Black Coffin¡¯.


    There were many reasons to prohibit Blood Saints from exposing their powers, not to allow arrogance to take root within the Blood Saint Clan, not to incite rebellion in the lower species, to maintain social stability... but the fundamental reason was that the Extreme Master of Blood Moon did not permit it.


    The social maintenance system, institute system, Church system... These rules, personally established by the Extreme Master of Blood Moon, were absolutely not to be violated, not even testing the limits was allowed.


    If the death-row inmates¡¯ ¡°Blood Locks¡± were tangible, they could test them to know what they were not allowed to do; then the ¡°Blood Locks¡± of the Blood Saint Clan were intangible, and they wouldn¡¯t even conceive the thought to test them!


    That¡¯s why the medical practitioners were so furious¡ªafter all, even they were unclear about the Black Coffin¡¯s exact location; how did outsiders control the ¡°Saints¡± inside the ¡°Black Coffin¡±?


    ¡°Necromancer!¡± someone said through clenched teeth, ¡°Only this possibility... those despicable lowlifes used necromancy to control the Saints... Are we not able to use necromancy to fight for the Saints¡¯ control authority?¡±


    ¡°We are forbidden from outputting magic power, forbidden from attacking, how do we initiate necromancy?¡±


    ¡°Wait, I remember that entering the Black Coffin requires a secret key, how could an outsider possibly know the secret key? Could there be an insider traitor?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the only ones who knew the keys were the group leader, the warden, and the head of the Crime Hunting Hall, could it be...¡±


    As everyone looked at him, the group leader suddenly became anxious, ¡°The keys are sealed with a Miracle, there¡¯s no way I could have leaked them by any means!¡±


    ¡°But the warden is always away from the prison, and the hall head is far away in the city district, how else could a death-row inmate obtain the key?¡± another unsparing medical practitioner questioned.


    [201] suddenly said, ¡°Speaking of which, a few years ago there appeared an assassin called ¡®control master¡¯ in Kaimon City, responsible for multiple murders. Since the murders seemed to involve Blood Locks, my boss was requested by the Crime Hunting Hall to conduct an internal investigation. Although in the end, nothing came of it, it was confirmed that the key did not leak from the Secret Keeper.¡±


    After the expulsion of [176], it was vaguely guessed that [201]¡¯s boss was probably that Saint of the Spirit Faction. Different from Memory Masters who might be deceived, Spirit Saints examined the soul itself; even if a suspect turned themselves mad, a Spirit Saint could shatter their soul and find the desired information from the fragments, just as easily as dismantling and reassembling a Rubik¡¯s cube.


    In front of a Spirit Saint, forgetting was unable to keep secrets.


    ¡°Even our senior says there was no leak, then it¡¯s true there was no leak.¡±


    Everyone looked toward medical practitioner Siflin, tagged with number [222], who calmly said, ¡°So there is only one possibility left¡ªthe death-row inmates found a way to retrieve the real Black Coffin key. With such a big incident, the key system is no longer secure, but that¡¯s none of our business. Speaking of which, I have bad news and good news, which would you like to hear?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the bad news?¡±


    ¡°The bad news is our humiliation is set in stone, by tomorrow all thirty-six research institutes will know we, the descendants of blood, have been captured by a few prison inmates.¡±


    ¡°And the good news?¡±


    ¡°The good news is we¡¯re wearing masks; no one knows who we are, you all can be disgraced to your heart¡¯s content, no one will know the Blood Saint Clan was humiliated.¡±


    Everyone fell silent, not expecting this young lady to still be in the mood for jokes. But the opponent was a descendant of the four major research institutes; she had her own prideful capital. What might be a stain on their record that couldn¡¯t be washed off or even affect their future prospects, for the young lady, was nothing more than a trivial interlude.


    ¡°Really no other way?¡± someone asked unwillingly.


    ¡°Bloodline Resonance.¡± The group leader said, ¡°The Saint inside the Black Coffin should retain a bit of consciousness; if we can connect with him through Bloodline Resonance, we can unlock our Blood Locks.¡±


    ¡°How do we create Bloodline Resonance?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ªstrong emotion? Burning desire? Praying to the Extreme Master of Blood Moon? Even though the success rate is extremely low, this is all we can do now.¡±


    Everyone exchanged glances and felt this was the only option out of desperation. So, someone was drawing circles and cursing the death-row inmates, someone else lay on the ground trying to contact the Black Coffin through the vibrations of the floor, and what almost made Siflin laugh was someone hanging upside down from a chandelier like a bat¡ªsaying it was an imitation of the ancient Blood Saint Clan¡¯s meditation pose, to increase the chance of Bloodline Resonance.


    Just then, the door to the break room was pushed open forcefully, and a prison guard poked his head in.


    ¡°Excuse me, everyone, [222], please come with me to the treatment room.¡±


    ¡°Ash Heath?¡± Siflin asked in surprise, ¡°What do you need me for?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something I need you to do.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t it be done here?¡± [201] stood up and blocked in front of Siflin, ¡°Besides, if it¡¯s work that needs doing, I can do it.¡±


    Ash shook his head firmly, ¡°No, I only need [222]. And this place doesn¡¯t even have a bed, it¡¯s not convenient to do it here.¡±


    Medical practitioners: ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Oh no, the Blood Saint Clan was about to be humiliated!

 Chapter 137: 125 Siflin in the Treatment Room

    Chapter 137: Chapter 125 Siflin in the Treatment Room


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to escape,¡± Ash hummed comfortably, openly admiring the labor of the medical practitioner as she busied herself in the treatment room, her body drenched in sweat and her hands stained with liquid.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so deterministic, maybe there will be a miracle?¡± he suggested.


    ¡°Miracles are created by oneself, not to be expected from reality¡¯s pity,¡± Siflin responded calmly. ¡°In the Kingdom of Blood Moon, any transportation, consumption, or even wandering, requires verification of the Miracle Chip. That you managed to completely remove the Miracle Chip from your body in prison is impressive indeed, but it also means you¡¯ve forfeited your right to live in modern society. You won¡¯t be able to enjoy any public facilities¡ªyour future is sleeping in cardboard boxes under bridges.¡±


    ¡°I can live in the wild,¡± he proposed.


    ¡°What about salt? A place to live? Can you find prey to hunt? Besides, although there are indeed vagrants who live in the wild, the Crime Hunting Hall simply can¡¯t be bothered with them; but since you¡¯ve caused such a commotion this time, they will certainly go to great lengths to pursue you.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s still better than staying here and waiting to die.¡±


    ...


    ¡°The Blood Moon Judgement means you might die, but choosing to break out of prison means you definitely will die,¡± Siflin glanced at him and pressed down harder on his wound. ¡°Now, even the Human Rights Association has no reason to protect you. The Crime Hunting Hall will issue a ¡®Special Arrest Order¡¯, allowing bloodthirsty hunters to kill you escapees on sight.¡±


    Ash hummed, ¡°At least I can choose how I die.¡±


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t realized you were someone so intense,¡± she remarked.


    Shaking her head, Siflin pulled a piece of tissue to wipe her hands, ¡°Alright, that¡¯s mostly stopped the bleeding. What were you humming over there?¡±


    On the bed before Siflin lay an ogre with a severe belly injury. Its wound was nearly putrid, and only after Siflin had scraped away the rotten flesh and wrapped it in bandages did the ogre¡¯s breathing stabilize, leaving it sprawled on the bed, unconscious.


    ¡°Thanks. We don¡¯t have anyone who can heal the living where I come from,¡± Ash raised the ear spoon in his hand. ¡°I was enjoying digging my ears just now and couldn¡¯t help making a sound. Sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°Is digging your ears really that comfortable?¡±


    ¡°Maybe because I can sit while I do it. You know, the toilet doesn¡¯t even have a chair, so there¡¯s nowhere to sit but on a man¡¯s lap.¡± Ash walked over to check on Fernand, ¡°Is he okay now?¡±


    ¡°Ogres have strong regenerative powers; he¡¯ll wake up in a few hours.¡± Siflin inquired, ¡°How did he get injured?¡±


    Ash seemed helpless as he responded to that question.


    ¡°Would you believe it if I said it¡¯s just because he glanced at someone?¡±


    Half an hour ago, Ash had taken Fernand to the hall to register in the Sinners¡¯ Catalogue and was about to confine the mayor in his cell.


    However, during the registration, Fernand glanced at Harvey, who was in charge of the Sinners¡¯ Catalogue, Harvey suddenly erupted, his nails transforming into sharp, grey talons, and he stabbed them into the ogre¡¯s abdomen like spears.


    Although Ash finally managed to stop the enraged necromancer, he doubted that the ogre mayor would thank him upon waking.


    In Shattered Lake Prison, a death in obliviousness was perhaps the most comfortable way to die.


    The escape team knew about the grudge between Harvey and Fernand and didn¡¯t mind letting Harvey have his revenge, but only after their departure¡ªtechnically, only Shattered Lake¡¯s ¡®processor¡¯ was supposed to detect Fernand¡¯s vital signs, but what if?


    For the same reason, after Ash used his Miracle Chip Purification to cleanse the chips of the five-member escape team and Harvey used the Book of Undead to control the ¡®processor¡¯ to place restrictions on all the prison guards, they didn¡¯t kill anyone¡ªnot even causing harm, only restricting everyone¡¯s movement.


    ¡ª


    It wasn¡¯t that their morals were particularly noble; it was simply that they couldn¡¯t afford the gamble. If the life signs of the Prison Guards after their death were transmitted to the ¡°processor¡± in Kaimon City, startling the Crime Hunting Hall, then they could forget about escaping from prison, let alone leaving Shattered Lake.


    However, none of them possessed a healing Technique Spirit. It was just that Harvey could stitch up wounds¡ªafter all, sewing up corpses could be considered a part of a Necromancer¡¯s professional skill set.


    But Ash dared not let Harvey help Fernand stop the bleeding, so he turned to a Medical Practitioner for aid.


    Of course, in the process, Ash didn¡¯t remove the restraints on the Medical Practitioner¡¯s Magic Power but simply allowed the practitioner to use gauze and bandages to stop the bleeding. Although Medical Practitioners usually relied on Technique Spirits to cheat their way through, they were still capable of basic treatments.


    ¡°It seems your companions are not very reliable.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m the only normal person in the team.¡±


    ¡°That alone makes one worry about your journey to escape.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth, the whole team relies on me to lead them, but it¡¯s still better than sitting here waiting for death¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do you really think so?¡±


    Ash looked at the crow mask in surprise; Siflin did not look away, staring straight at him.


    ¡°Do you truly believe that Shattered Lake Prison is a dead end for you? You¡¯ve managed to think of a feasible escape plan, and in less than a month, you¡¯ve established your standing in the prison... Even if, as you¡¯ve said, someone outside the prison has framed you, do you really have no other path to take?¡±


    ¡°Compared to fleeing Shattered Lake Prison and opposing the entire Kingdom of Blood Moon, wouldn¡¯t it be simpler and safer to find some loopholes and survive in Shattered Lake Prison?¡±


    ¡°If you were only trying to survive by any means necessary, you would never have chosen ¡®escape,¡¯ the most dangerous path. You are satisfying some desire, even betting your life as a stake.¡±


    Ash was slightly taken aback.


    Reflecting on his actions over the past half-month, he realized he had never once considered accepting legal punishment... No, that was wrong¡ªit was bearing the false charges from Heath and spending the rest of his life in prison.


    From the beginning, his thoughts were occupied with how to escape. Aurora¡¯s Mage Manual, Sword Maiden, Igula... All of these were opportunities for his escape, but the idea of escaping seemed to be deeply rooted in his mind, never wavering for a moment.


    Was he not aware that the chances of a successful prison break were incredibly slim, and that he would be risking death?


    Did he not know that even if he succeeded in breaking out, he would be pursued relentlessly, with no peace to be found in the Kingdom of Blood Moon?


    He could almost envision his fate: never enough to eat, no warm clothes, poor sleep, and every person he met would be an enemy¡ªno place left for him in the Kingdom of Blood Moon.


    Man cannot contend with the collective; man can only meld into it.


    In fact, if one really just wanted to scrape by, there must be other ways, such as tapping into one¡¯s own knowledge reserves to become a Plagiarist or something, to greatly increase one¡¯s contribution, to showcase one¡¯s value; or to diligently prepare a stand-up comedy script, turning the Blood Moon Judgement into a performance show.


    There were many, many other ways, each one safer and even more likely to succeed than a prison break.


    But why... From the beginning, why had he not had even a fleeting thought of ¡®surrender¡¯ or ¡®compromise¡¯?


    ¡ª

 Chapter 138: 126: Initial Embrace

    Chapter 138: Chapter 126: Initial Embrace


    ¡°You¡¯re doing this for freedom, for revenge, or maybe... you¡¯re just enjoying the pleasure of being an enemy of the world?¡±


    At that instant, Siflin felt as if she saw a perverse glint in Ash¡¯s jet-black eyes. That kind of look, she had only seen in her teacher¡¯s eyes before¡ªit was a look that longed to see the world burn.


    However, Ash quickly put on his familiar teasing smile, which made Siflin doubt whether she had seen it wrongly.


    ¡°I just want to be able to pick my ears whenever and wherever.¡± He shrugged and chuckled. ¡°Not having to make a special trip to the restroom just to pick my ears or pick my nose.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, being exploited and not making any money, this is far beyond the bottom line for a working person. Every time I think about this, I get so depressed that my hormones are imbalanced and my endocrine system fails.¡±


    ¡°Is it worth dying for this kind of thing?¡± Siflin asked.


    ...


    ¡°It¡¯s not worth it, but that doesn¡¯t necessarily mean I¡¯ll die.¡± Ash smiled. ¡°As long as I leave the Kingdom of Blood Moon, I can naturally start a new life.¡±


    ¡°Leave?¡± Siflin was stunned. ¡°Where do you want to go? How will you leave?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know yet, got any good recommendations?¡±


    ¡°Of course! I¡¯ve read about many other realms in books. I most want to go to the Monster Kingdom established within the Abyss, followed by the ethereal realm where all souls have eternal life, and then there¡¯s the Star Cluster realm that controls the skies...¡±


    Ash waved his hand, ¡°No, I was actually hoping you could recommend a way to leave Blood Moon.¡±


    ¡°How would I know how to leave Blood Moon... Each realm is a completely closed world, where is there a regular method of travel between two realms? If there was, they would have fought and become one realm long ago.¡± Siflin was somewhat speechless. ¡°You don¡¯t even know how to leave, and you want to leave Blood Moon? You should stop, Ash. Blood Frenzy Hunters hit very hard.¡±


    ¡°But I am certain I can leave Blood Moon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m now very skeptical about what you just said ¡®I am the only normal person in the team.¡¯ With no hope in sight, what kind of miracle are you expecting?¡±


    Ash thought for a moment and said, ¡°Although it sounds a bit far-fetched as evidence, I learned from Fate Q&A that I will leave Blood Moon in the future.¡±


    ¡°Fate Q&A? Really?¡±


    ¡°Really.¡±


    ¡°Damn, how could such good fortune fall on you!¡±


    Ash blinked, ¡°[222], I¡¯m breaking out of jail now, not going on a vacation.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m still so envious!¡± Siflin said sourly, ¡°For us... Medical Practitioners, our future lives are determined early on, only allowed to live under the glory of Blood Moon. Everything is regulated, and life is filled with lines you can¡¯t cross.¡±


    She spoke despondently, ¡°Other than Void Realm Exploration and performing surgeries, there¡¯s no passion in my future. It¡¯s like a slowly-stagnating and festering dead pond.¡±


    ¡°Then, do you want to go with me?¡± Ash smiled. ¡°We¡¯re currently in need of a Medical Practitioner.¡±


    Siflin couldn¡¯t remember how many times Ash¡¯s words had stunned her.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not inviting you to go to the restroom together; this is a jailbreak, not something to joke about.¡±


    ¡°Joke? I¡¯m a Medical Practitioner with a bright future... Why would I want to live a fugitive life where I can¡¯t guarantee the next morning?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking me?¡± Ash spread his hands. ¡°I¡¯m just giving you a choice as a friend. You should be asking yourself¡ªdo you want to abandon your current life and go with me?¡±


    Siflin hurriedly retorted, ¡°What friend... That¡¯s right! All the reasons you gave last time for borrowing my Medical Practitioner uniform, were you planning to use it to break out of jail?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you talking about friends for, you¡¯re clearly using me!¡±


    ¡°Being a friend and using you are not conflicting. Although I hope you join my team, I also hope you can live the life you want. Working in a place you like is called living; working in a place you dislike, that¡¯s punishment.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s inevitable to be selfish, but I am not so selfish as to think that others are selfless, so I won¡¯t tell you the nonsense like ¡®trust me¡¯ that even a Swindler would be too lazy to say.¡±


    Ash extended his hand towards Siflin. ¡°I¡¯ll just ask you, ¡®Do you want to go with me?''¡±


    Thud.


    Her stagnant heart seemed to beat, and the cold blood seemed to warm up. Siflin, born in a top-tier foster home, raised with strict quality education, becoming a member of the Blood Saint Clan before graduating without ever breaking any rules or laws, encountered this kind of radical and audacious invitation for the first time.


    It was like a fish living in a pond being asked by a passing bird if it wanted to go along.


    ¡°...I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°What a pity.¡±


    Ash hadn¡¯t expected to lure away a Medical Practitioner with just a few words. He walked over and picked up the ogre mayor. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you next time, [222].¡±


    Siflin suddenly felt an urge to reveal her true name to him, but she held back. ¡°Will there be a next time? Even if there is, you definitely won¡¯t recognize me.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to remind me.¡± Ash said with a smile, ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll share with you stories from outside the Kingdom of Blood Moon, look forward to it.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    Ash stopped and looked at Siflin curiously. Siflin froze; she didn¡¯t know what she wanted to say¡ªwas she going to advise him to surrender and confess? To stay and wait for death?


    After a moment of silence, she turned away and said in a low voice, ¡°If, if there¡¯s a way for you to wash away your sins, and even leave Shattered Lake to start a new life, living openly in the Kingdom of Blood Moon, would you want that?¡±


    There indeed was a way to exonerate a Cult Leader guilty of heinous crimes.


    It was becoming a Blood Saint Moon Shadow.


    The crimes of the Blood Moon Clan were not processed through normal judicial procedures but were handled solely by the Church and the research institutions. If a criminal became part of the Blood Saint Clan, they must be handed over to the research institutions, whose most common punishment for their people was house arrest and mandatory labor, usually measured in ¡®centuries¡¯¡ªbut indeed they would not execute their own kin.


    But whether as a Blood Saint or as a Moon Shadow, the process of race transformation was a complicated affair, one that would certainly not suit a death row inmate in prison, unless...


    Unless it was done through the most primitive way of reproducing their kind, through an Initial Embrace ritual.


    But aside from the strong willingness of the Blood Saint Clan themselves, there were also certain requirements for the one to be embraced, which was that the embraced needed to fall in love¡ª


    Suddenly, Siflin realized a problem.


    Why did she want to keep Ash around, even willing to perform the Initial Embrace on him? Because she didn¡¯t want Ash to leave, she wanted him to stay.


    Fish in a pond wouldn¡¯t follow a bird and leave but would drag the bird into the pond, hoping the bird would also become a fish.


    The Initial Embrace ritual, did it really require the embraced to fall in love with a member of the Blood Saint Clan?


    In many procedures for technological augmentations on creatures, there were instances where the subject¡¯s personality changed due to the implantation. Mechanical augmentations could reduce physical desires, turning the focus to spiritual satisfaction; Abyssal augmentations heightened the desire for destruction, making one more irritable and aggressive; Eagle implants made the subject develop a taste for insect cuisine...


    Not all members of the Blood Saint Clan were Spirit Mages; how could they possibly know the true feelings of those they embraced?


    They only thought that ¡®the embraced had fallen in love with them.¡¯


    Perhaps that was not a prerequisite for the ritual, but a result of it.


    ¡®The Initial Embrace,¡¯ the name might have simply meant a first hug. The true nature of the Initial Embrace ritual might be even more romantic¡ªand more cruel¡ªthan the records suggested.


    ¡°I¡¯m not willing.¡±


    Siflin looked at Ash; Ash shrugged, ¡°Although I¡¯m not sure what method you¡¯re talking about, I probably won¡¯t be willing to go through with it.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I might not be fair to judge prematurely, but based on what I¡¯ve gathered in prison, I feel that the Kingdom of Blood Moon outside might just be a larger version of Shattered Lake.¡± Ash sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t think of myself as some freedom-fighting terrorist, but I feel like I¡¯d be suffocating out there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that Blood Moon can¡¯t accommodate me, it¡¯s that I can¡¯t accommodate Blood Moon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite the bold statement,¡± Siflin said with a faint smile. ¡°You¡¯re truly worthy of the title of Cult Leader.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment, I suppose. Sorry to disappoint your kindness.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I regretted saying it as soon as I did. Lucky you don¡¯t agree.¡± Siflin waved her hand, ¡°Until next time, Ash Heath.¡±


    At that moment, Ash suddenly remembered something, ¡°Speaking of which, I still don¡¯t know your name.¡±


    ¡°By telling you my name, I would be breaking the rules. You claim not to be a Cult Leader, yet you¡¯re tempting me into crime before you leave?¡±


    ¡°Fair enough, but it feels wrong to part like this, at least let¡¯s shake hands.¡±


    Ash dismissed the ogre to one side and reached out his right hand towards Siflin.


    ¡°Although it¡¯s probably insignificant to you,¡± Ash said earnestly, ¡°I¡¯m very grateful that you¡¯ve pulled me back from death every time. I¡¯ve felt several times as if a crowd of people were commenting on how unimpressive my deaths were...¡±


    ¡°That might be a sign of a developing schizophrenia. I recommend you get a new brain.¡±


    ¡°Each of your remarks refreshes my understanding of biological technology...¡±


    Siflin looked at Ash¡¯s hand and suddenly felt an urge. She walked over and embraced Ash.


    In the moment of Ash¡¯s astonishment, she let go and stepped back, murmuring, ¡°It¡¯s not that simple after all... Alright, the parting ceremony is over. You better leave now.¡±


    ¡°Eh? This? [222]Are you really a woman...¡±


    ¡°Got a problem with it? The more you guess, the closer I am to committing a crime.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely no objections. And to keep the memory of that touch, I¡¯ve decided never to bathe again¡ª¡±


    ¡°Get out of here already!¡±


    Watching Ash leave the medical room, holding Fernand, Siflin felt inexplicably downhearted, with a feeling of emptiness in her heart.


    She shook her head to dismiss the silly thoughts and turned to go back to the resting lounge.


    It was just a trivial interlude in her millennia of existence. She could never accept Ash¡¯s invitation; her lineage, her spirit, her mission didn¡¯t allow it.


    For she was Siflin Gwyn, the most talented of her kind in a thousand years.


    Just as she was about to turn the doorknob on the side door, she heard a heart beating loudly.


    But it wasn¡¯t her own heart.


    It was coming from below the prison, from the depths of Shattered Lake, guarded by the shark sentinels around the Black Coffin tomb!


    ¡°...Junior... does your... Blood Lock... need help...?¡±


    Siflin didn¡¯t push the door open. She stared at the reflective, near-mirror-like black surface of the door in front of her.


    She saw her own blood-red eyes smeared black.


    They looked like the eyes of an ordinary person, like the eyes of Ash Heath.


    ¡°No need. Continue to sleep.¡±


    The sound of the heartbeat grew softer, gradually disappearing into the waves of Shattered Lake.


    Siflin opened the door and returned to the Medical Practitioner¡¯s resting lounge.

 Chapter 139: 127: All Left to Die in Prison

    Chapter 139: Chapter 127: All Left to Die in Prison


    Shattered Lake Prison, men¡¯s restroom.


    The restroom, spanning dozens of square meters, was packed with over thirty people, only seven of whom were Prison Guards; the rest were death row inmates dressed in classic black and white striped outfits.


    ¡°Angus! You ... get out there! Don¡¯t hog the stall and not do your business!¡±


    ¡°Armand! I remember you don¡¯t have much contribution left, you dare to offend me like that?¡±


    ¡°Desmond, come out, how about I owe you a favor? Come on out!¡±


    Prison Guard Nagu squeezed his thighs tightly and slapped on five stall doors, but not a single one opened. The death row inmates nearby burst into snickering laughter, their mocking laughter making Nagu blush with shame and clenched his teeth in fury.


    ...


    These bastards who deserved to be fed to the fishes had taken over all the stalls!


    ¡°Charvik, how much longer?¡±


    Another guard, also clenching his legs with an extremely unpleasant look on his face, activated the Light Screen: ¡°13 minutes left. According to the ¡®Restroom Use Guidelines¡¯, the same user cannot stay in the stall for more than 60 minutes. Just endure it for another 13 minutes!¡±


    Nagu squeezed out a voice through gritted teeth: ¡°But I can¡¯t hold it anymore...¡±


    ¡°Hey, no way, no way, is the Prison Guard going to wet his pants? How dirty!¡±


    ¡°Shh, shh, shh~¡±


    ¡°That whistle won¡¯t do. If you want to make someone unable to hold their pee from an auditory perspective, you should use a more piercing and urgent sound to make them tense up, causing the bladder to contract and the urge to urinate to intensify. The same principle applies when people can¡¯t help but wet themselves when facing danger, so we should scrape our nails across a stainless-steel mirror like this!¡±


    The sharp grating sound echoed through the restroom, and Nagu instantly straightened up, pacing with small steps to the urinal. Before he could undo his belt, seven or eight heads had gathered to watch, and the other guards who wanted to help him were blocked by a wall of people.


    Because of the prohibited acts, the death row inmates couldn¡¯t touch him or attack him, but they had no intention of doing so anyway. They simply watched Nagu¡¯s next move with the eyes of someone enjoying a circus show, without breaking any rules.


    Nagu really didn¡¯t want to unzip his trousers, but he steeled his heart and off it went!


    ¡°Tsck~tsck~tsck~¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like what I had when I was a kid...¡±


    A wave of scornful comments left Nagu fuming, about to explode in anger. He clenched his teeth and said: ¡°What do you know! You bunch of... of...¡±


    ¡°What are we? Come on, curse me, Mr. Prison Guard.¡±


    ¡°Put some force into it, louder, you call that a Prison Guard¡¯s voice?¡±


    ¡°The Prison Guard is cursing me, I¡¯m so excited!¡±


    Face red with anger, Nagu couldn¡¯t let out even a fart and finally burst out with: ¡°...Impolite brutes!¡±


    ¡°Ah, the Prison Guard called me impolite, I¡¯m so angry, so unwilling!¡±


    ¡°Impolite, such a dirty word, Nagu, how could you curse so fiercely!¡±


    ¡°Waaah, I¡¯ve been scolded to tears! Oh, I¡¯m just pretending, actually I¡¯m laughing.¡±


    The death row inmates roared with laughter, and the other guards, seeing Nagu humiliated, felt empathy and reddened with anger. But they didn¡¯t dare rush to his aid¡ªthey couldn¡¯t hold it either, and strenuous activity would reveal that.


    ¡°By the way, Nagu, have you plugged it up yet? Why isn¡¯t it coming out?¡±


    An inmate had an epiphany: ¡°You¡¯re not the type who can¡¯t pee when someone is watching, are you?¡±


    ¡°No way, right? I¡¯d rather stare until my eyes inflamed and not blink.¡±


    ¡°The time has come to test everyone¡¯s focus! Nagu, you¡¯ve got 10 minutes, we¡¯ll all help you hold it!¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for the urge to pee tormenting his soul, Nagu swore he would have passed out from anger. Just then, the restroom door was pushed open with force!


    Bam!


    Nagu¡¯s expression eased instantly, his whole body relaxed.


    ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± Ash looked at the crowd huddled around the urinal.


    ¡°Watching Nagu,¡± replied the death row inmates, very obediently.


    ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you have your own to do? Tell me who doesn¡¯t, and I¡¯ll send him to the women¡¯s restroom... What¡¯s so interesting about peeing? Turn around, all of you; I don¡¯t like people watching me pee!¡±


    The death row inmates and Prison Guards exchanged glances, and someone mustered the courage to say: ¡°If you could¡ª¡±


    ¡°If I could make you scrub the toilets clean, would you turn around? Okay, I¡¯ll go find the ¡®Sinners¡¯ Catalogue¡¯¡ª¡±


    Whoosh!


    Everyone turned around in unison, bowing to the ¡®demon¡¯ Ash¡¯s intimidation. Ash shook his head at them, helpless, and patted Nagu¡¯s shoulder as he passed: ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, consider it payback for the boots you gave me before.¡±


    Nagu: ¡°...¡±


    Ash, you really are a¡ª


    ¡°Thank you for your help!¡± Nagu said, struggling to maintain composure while peeing.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re too kind.¡± Ash approached the corner urinal to carry out his small-scale metabolism: ¡°Getting used to living here? Feel free to make your complaints known.¡±


    Nagu couldn¡¯t hold back anymore: ¡°You¡¯ve locked us in the restroom and still ask if we¡¯re comfortable?¡±


    ¡°We have no choice; the restroom is the only place in the prison where discharging is allowed. If we locked you somewhere else, you¡¯d explode from holding it in without polluting the environment.¡±


    ¡°Our personal quarters¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s out of the question. We must keep you in a group, and the guards must stay with the inmates. These social scum might not help me, but they¡¯ll be glad to see you unlucky ones mess up my plan.¡±


    Nagu said coldly: ¡°You think you can get away?¡±


    ¡°Starting to worry about my future, eh? That means you must be quite satisfied with the living environment here?¡± Ash buttoned up his trousers: ¡°Well, I¡¯m off.¡±


    ¡°Demon!¡± A death row inmate rushed to encircle Ash: ¡°Take me with you! I¡¯m willing to obey your orders!¡±


    ¡°Me too! I¡¯m very good at licking, in all senses of the word!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a Two-winged Mage, demon, you could definitely use me!¡±


    ¡°And me¡ª¡±


    Before, with no chance and no hope, they had resigned themselves, but now suddenly there was a draft for escape, and those desires suppressed deep in the heart of the death row inmates ignited vigorously, each clamoring to join Ash¡¯s group.


    Ash raised his hands to calm everyone: ¡°Stop, stop, I¡¯ve heard your wishes. Rest assured, I¡¯ll do my best to fulfill them and leave none of you behind¡ª¡±


    The inmates¡¯ faces brightened, while the Prison Guards looked grave.


    ¡°¡ªleave you all behind in the prison to die!¡±

 Chapter 140: 128: Lets Hold a Blood Moon Judgement

    Chapter 140: Chapter 128: Let¡¯s Hold a Blood Moon Judgement


    Death row inmates roared in unison, ¡°Won¡¯t say anything!?¡±


    Ash, hands on his hips, spoke righteously, ¡°To tell you the truth, I¡¯m actually a good person. I would love to feed you scum straight to the fish. How could I possibly let you out to wreak havoc on society? You just stay put and undergo thought reform, striving to die sooner rather than later ¨C and then I won¡¯t have to see you lot again!¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re a Cult Leader yourself!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not, I didn¡¯t, I¡¯m innocent.¡±


    ¡°Who believes that!¡±


    ¡°You actually don¡¯t believe me, a person as honest as I am? I¡¯ve got my eye on you, hmph, and when the time comes, I will vote against you during Blood Moon Judgement.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Wait a second, demon.¡± A death row inmate with delicate features and a tall stature blocked his path, ¡°Although I don¡¯t know about your escape plan, I can act as a lure to distract the attention of the Crime Hunting Hall, helping to increase your chances of a successful escape. It doesn¡¯t matter whether you trust me, but compared to you, the Crime Hunting Hall would definitely pay more attention to the ¡®Lark¡¯ Jewel. I¡¯m sure I can significantly decrease the pressure you¡¯re under.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Jewel, I remember you.¡± Ash smiled, ¡°Originally, when Igula wanted to find teammates, you were the first he recommended. He thought you were mighty and shrewd, proficient in healing and escaping, knowledgeable about Kaimon City¡¯s nooks and crannies, black sites ¨C a perfect ally.¡±


    Jewel smiled, ¡°I¡¯m flattered by the Beautiful Beast¡¯s affection...¡±


    ¡°¡ªSo he strongly requested that I leave you here to await your death.¡± Ash scoffed, ¡°When we initially came to recruit you, you pushed back and were indifferent. Now that the plan is a success, it¡¯s you who can¡¯t reach it!¡±


    ¡°Igula is so much more petty than I am. You¡¯ve offended him, and I suspect he¡¯ll be using the Sinners¡¯ Catalogue to make you clean the urinals before he leaves. Hey, anyone diabetic here? Maybe you could help adjust the taste for him?¡±


    Pushing aside the distraught Jewel, Ash hadn¡¯t taken two steps before he was blocked by the prison guards.


    ¡°Ash Heath.¡± Nagu spoke coldly, ¡°I know that for a stubborn and vicious criminal of freedom like you, reason is beyond comprehension, so I¡¯m not interested in reasoning with you. I only want you to either kill me or lift my restrictions. I can¡¯t stand this insult!¡±


    Ash blinked, ¡°This insult? Isn¡¯t this treatment just the daily norm for death row inmates? Everyone goes through this¡ª¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re not death row inmates! We shouldn¡¯t endure these shackles!¡± Nagu scanned the death row inmates, ¡°And you¡ª¡±


    ¡°They deserve it, I know.¡± Ash spoke casually, ¡°Think of it as a rare professional experience; it¡¯s also beneficial for your future work. After all, how can you be a warden later in life if you¡¯ve never experienced being a prisoner?¡±


    ¡°And as for these ¡®shackles¡¯, aren¡¯t they just prohibiting you from attacking, cursing, and urinating at will? Isn¡¯t this the law you should be following anyway? Why resist it so much?¡±


    ¡°As for being unable to urinate under scrutiny, that¡¯s because you¡¯re just too faint-hearted. That¡¯s not my problem...¡±


    Nagu was at a loss for words, and Ash nudged him aside, whispering in his ear,


    ¡°Don¡¯t avoid doing something just because it seems trivially good, and don¡¯t casually commit evil just because it seems insignificant... I¡¯m not asking you to sympathize with this scum ¨C I only hope you don¡¯t turn into scum.¡±


    ¡°Of course, if you prefer, you can assume this is my revenge against you guards.¡± He patted Nagu¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Next time you take a death row inmate to Blood Moon Judgement, be a little gentler. Just send them to their death as routine; don¡¯t treat the prisoners like toys.¡±


    ¡°When you stop treating people like humans, you¡¯re not far from becoming like them.¡±


    With that, Ash walked out the door, leaving Nagu standing there, his heart a mix of emotions¡ª


    Snap!


    Ash suddenly rushed back, turned on the faucet to wash his hands, ¡°Almost forgot.¡± Then he quickly departed.


    Nagu looked at the shoulder Ash had patted, his feelings growing even more complex.


    ...


    Central Hall, five villains gathered.


    The Necromancer Harvey said, ¡°Now, in this prison, aside from us five, everyone else¡¯s movements are restricted and they¡¯ve been imposed with the same constraints as death row inmates, which won¡¯t affect our plan.¡±


    Swindler Igula said, ¡°From the Hunter, we learned that by no later than 7 pm, the transport must return to Kaimon Lake Port. Otherwise, the port will start asking questions ¡ª since the port staff must clock off precisely at 7:30 pm.¡±


    Gourmet Lanna said, ¡°Transport ship is cleared.¡±


    Woodpecker Ronald gave a thumbs up, flashing a grin that made his teeth sparkle, ¡°I¡¯ve learned how to control the transport! The five of us meet the minimum crew requirement for the ship!¡±


    ¡°That means we can leave at any time.¡± Ash scanned the room, ¡°The only issue is, Harvey, if you want to kill Fernand, you¡¯ll have to delay his time of death until after 6 pm, whether it¡¯s poison or bleeding out. We need sufficient time to run away.¡±


    ¡°Or... we could execute that plan we¡¯ve dubbed madcap and wildly imaginative.¡±


    Harvey tore open a sky-blue square packet with his teeth, unfurling a cream-colored candy inside with his tongue. Ash looked closely ¨C wasn¡¯t that the Snow White brand of Moon candy advertised on Kaimon¡¯s first channel? The Moon candy claimed to be whiter than snow, sweeter than a princess, and the wildest part was the Princess-model in the ad popping a candy and splitting joyously in place.


    Ash was genuinely curious¡ªafter all, he couldn¡¯t do the splits.


    But who knew Harvey had such a taste?


    Harvey rolled the candy with his tongue into pieces, a hint of vitality slowly emerging in his otherwise lifeless pupils: ¡°I choose the impromptu plan.¡±


    ¡°So do I.¡± The second vote of approval was surprisingly from Igula, his eyes fervent as if spotting a beauty, ¡°I can¡¯t miss such a good opportunity to perform.¡±


    ¡°I disagree.¡± Lanna, filing her nails, said indifferently, ¡°Quietly leaving is the safest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m with Lanna.¡± Ronald said laughing, ¡°Whether for emotional or pragmatic reasons, the impromptu plan is far too risky.¡±


    It was 2V2, with the deciding vote in Ash¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Naturally, I favor the original plan with higher safety.¡± Ash¡¯s words seemed to turn Harvey and Igula¡¯s faces sour, while Lanna and Ronald smiled.


    ¡°But...¡±


    Ash spread his hands, ¡°My first time being arrested, first time as a death row inmate, first time in jail, first time participating in a Blood Moon Judgement... and now, my first escape.¡±


    ¡°With so many firsts already, I don¡¯t owe one more.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s use our very first Blood Moon Judgement to bid farewell to this sickly nation.¡±

 Chapter 141: 129 Trial Chairperson Ash Heath

    Chapter 141: Chapter 129 Trial Chairperson Ash Heath


    Red Mist Research Institute, Laboratory 13.


    Lorenz pushed open the door with a cart, placing three body bags on the long table as he exhaled, ¡°Teacher, the new materials have all been delivered!¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Lorenz emerged from the inner room, his fish-like eyes glancing at the ten body bags on the table. He sniffed lightly, catching the scent of decay filled with the stench of death, and nodded. ¡°What about the dolphin?¡±


    ¡°The female dolphin you specifically requested has been brought over in a tank, but because the tank is too large, it wasn¡¯t easy to bring it up here. Teacher, did you want to study a freshly dead dolphin? When will you need it?¡±


    ¡°Not for now, you take care of her.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Alright. Teacher, did you want to study the live dolphin? Should I bring the tank up here?¡±


    ¡°No need to bring it up.¡±


    Not for research material, nor to bring to the laboratory?


    Lorenz blinked, ¡°Teacher, are you really studying dolphins?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Lorenz said lightly. ¡°But remember to send her to my house later.¡±


    Damn!


    As an academically excellent human graduate student, Lorenz felt his core values shaken¡ªthe rumors that Fishmen prefer dolphins were actually true!


    ¡°Come and open the crate.¡± Lorenz said, ¡°You¡¯re lucky. When I was an intern, there weren¡¯t so many research materials. Watch closely and learn well.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Lorenz opened the first body bag, ¡°Human, male, overweight adolescent, non-mage, level 1 standard material. You practice with this.¡±


    ¡°Beastman, male, sturdy young adult, non-mage, level 3 standard material, you practice with this.¡±


    ¡°Human, female, average young adult, non-mage, level 3 standard material, you practice with this.¡±


    ¡°Elf, male, strong middle-aged, non-mage, level 7 rare material, mine.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on with the hospital...never mind. Dog, male, robust mature, non-mage, level 2 standard material, you take it.¡±


    After opening the last body bag, Lorenz couldn¡¯t help but shake his head, ¡°Eight standard, two rare, and not even a single mage corpse, luck isn¡¯t good this time.¡±


    ¡°Professor Teutonic, this is already quite good,¡± Lorenz couldn¡¯t help but say. ¡°Usually, the hospital sends about twenty corpses a day to the research institute, mostly due to severe illnesses or aging, level 1 standard corpses. Even then, they¡¯re evenly distributed across the entire institute. When I studied with Professor Osram, sometimes there wouldn¡¯t even be new materials for a whole week.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only these past few days that we¡¯ve had an increase in materials, and even with the ¡®Seven-Day Dispersion of Death,¡¯ we can¡¯t keep up with overtime.¡±


    ¡°Yes, argh.¡± Lorenz actually felt quite good, even his speech carried some distinctive Fishman bubble sounds, ¡°Thanks to those Foreign Domain mages, they should come to Kaimon City once every year... no, every month.¡±


    ¡°Teacher!¡± Lorenz startled, ¡°Be careful with your words! The Extreme Lord wouldn¡¯t be pleased!¡±


    ¡°Relax, we are beloved by the Extreme Lord¡¯s favored Blood Saint Clan, we wouldn¡¯t lose his favor just because of idle talk.¡±


    ¡°But still, if someone hears and reports¡ª¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright. So, you think what I said is wrong?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s wrong. Having them every month would be too damaging economically. Kaimon City couldn¡¯t withstand such frequent devastation.¡± Lorenz stated seriously, ¡°If they went to Feimeng City next door every month, it would be more reasonable. A third of the new materials generated in Kaimon City are sent to the research institutes in Feimeng City.¡±


    Lorenz glanced at his new student, truly a former human whose cunning surpassed that of Fishmen.


    A light screen suddenly popped up, notifying Lorenz that his reserved time had arrived. He said to his student, ¡°Now, Lorenz, you start pre-processing the materials; I have to step out for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Teacher.¡±


    Shedding his robe and spritzing perfume to dispel the stench of corpses, Lorenz left the laboratory with a spring in his step.


    Passing the water tank downstairs, he gazed in fascination at the dolphin¡¯s graceful form and exceedingly lustful eyes, wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth as he stepped onto the Blood Moon-lit campus path.


    Having returned to the research institute just a few days ago, Lorenz was quickly assigned a laboratory.


    Despite feeling weak and incompetent, his source blood qualifications ranked within the top five in the entire institute. Thus, even though he had offended some ¡®reserve big shots¡¯ from the four major research institutes, the institute still spared no effort to allocate resources to him.


    Lorenz too was assigned to him by the institute. Though he was reluctant, on one hand, it was a strict rule for young researchers to mentor graduate students; on the other, as there were many miscellaneous tasks in experimental research, he indeed needed a graduate student to help him with the work.


    Lorenz had also once been someone else¡¯s graduate student, a necessary step before ¡®changing blood,¡¯ akin to a ¡®probation¡¯ period or ¡®internship¡¯ before changing races.


    Since preparatory blood descendants had passed their graduate exams and their qualifications were guaranteed, many of the projects within the institute conflicted with universal values. The institute needed to ensure that newcomers could integrate into their ¡®smart people¡¯ and not just be model citizens indoctrinated by propaganda.


    Naturally, the ¡®probation period¡¯ was nominally to expose graduate students to mage research earlier and to advance their faction realms to the Silver Level rapidly. But if a newcomer could not integrate into the ¡®big family¡¯ of the institute, their fate usually wasn¡¯t very pleasant¡ªthere was a joke within the institute, ¡®Today you are my student, tomorrow you are my material¡¯.


    The institute wouldn¡¯t intentionally break the law, but the law also couldn¡¯t reach the research institute.


    Incidentally, the main research projects of the Red Mist Research Institute were the ¡®Blood Magic Faction¡¯ and the ¡®Necromancy Faction,¡¯ both of which required a large number of corpses as research material. Lorenz, majoring in the Necromancy Faction and thanks to ample materials, made rapid experimental progress during these days, even summoning a new Technique Spirit, and was on the verge of touching the Silver Realm limit of the Necromancy Faction.


    If he had remained in prison, grinding away at source blood, he wouldn¡¯t have caught such good times. Fate, indeed, was very strange.


    Reaching the cafe? bar, Lorenz greeted the Snake owner, who smiled, ¡°Hiss, here again? We¡¯ve recently got some good blood, want to try ¡®Elf Song¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Elf blood too? What¡¯s the ratio?¡±


    ¡°60%!¡± The Snake owner scanned the surroundings and lowered his voice, ¡°Hiss, besides ¡®Elf Song,¡¯ I also sell ¡®Wolf Kiss.''¡±


    Lorenz¡¯s fish eyes bulged, ¡°I didn¡¯t hear about the Church being attacked!¡±


    ¡°There was a Moon Shadow Priest who happened just then to be in the suburbs and encountered the attacker¡¯s main force. May the Extreme Lord have mercy on that unfortunate soul... Want it? 10% ratio.¡±


    ¡°One Elf Song, one Wolf Kiss!¡±


    ¡°Shh, you sure know how to drink.¡±


    Lorenz sat back in the same spot as last time, quietly waiting for the Blood Moon Judgement to begin. For some reason, after watching the Blood Moon Judgement once, he had suddenly taken a liking to the program, even though he had never bothered to watch it while in prison.


    Perhaps it was because he had been kicked out of prison.


    Perhaps it was because he knew he would be stepped on for the rest of his life by [222], and the other party wouldn¡¯t even notice his existence.


    Perhaps it was because he had accepted his own mediocrity.


    During his school days, his internship, and the ritual period in prison, Lorenz had always kept his spirit high, contenting himself with merely self-motivation, without needing any entertainment shows to enrich his spiritual life.


    But now he had put his sexual needs, which he had always disregarded, back on the table, going out to drink every night and even starting to enjoy watching the Blood Moon Judgement... The reason, after all, was that he could no longer derive joy from ¡®struggling.¡¯


    For Lorenz, studying, researching, cultivating, and exploring the Void Realm had all become ¡®must-do¡¯ chores.


    Because he saw his own limit, he knew that no matter how hard he tried, it was futile.


    Faced with an insurmountable wall, he just wanted to lie down and idle away his days.


    Ironically, when he first arrived at the research institute, Lorenz often looked down on those researchers who just idled away their days, thinking they were no different from the corpses in coffins, always thinking he would never become one of them.


    ¡®Maybe the night I was thrown into Shattered Lake, I was already dead.¡¯ Lorenz calmly reflected on himself: ¡®Without ambition, all I have left is a heart that doesn¡¯t beat.¡¯


    Suddenly, a noisy commotion erupted outside the cafe?, and someone ran in excitedly shouting, ¡°Something happened at Shattered Lake Prison! A death row inmate has escaped!¡±


    ¡°Really? How did they escape? And what about the prison guards?¡±


    ¡°It seems like the guards were locked up. The convicts stole the transport ship that arrived at the prison today and took the chance to escape. It was discovered at the port that the transport ship never returned, and after it was reported up the chain, it was discovered that something had gone wrong at the prison!¡±


    ¡°Shattered Lake is going to be disgraced nationally this time; isn¡¯t this the first death row inmate escape incident?¡±


    ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t there a medical team in the prison? Could they also...¡±


    ¡°Pfft, hahaha, this is hilarious! Come on, let¡¯s toast to the escapees, wishing they bring some entertainment to the Blood Frenzy Hunters!¡±


    ¡°Cheers!¡±


    Another person shouted, ¡°A toast to the new materials we¡¯ve gotten! These last few days of materials will keep us going for months!¡±


    ¡°Cheers!¡±


    ¡°A toast to the Foreign Domain mages...¡±


    ¡°Hey hey hey, we better not toast to that carelessly.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s drink to the deceased!¡±


    ¡°Cheers! Huu~¡±


    Lorenz also cheerfully raised his glass and downed his Elf Song.


    Although it had nothing to do with him, the medical practitioners were surely still inside Shattered Lake Prison. This escape incident greatly implicated the prison¡¯s medical team, whose responsibility was even greater than that of the guards¡ªthey were the targets in the open, while the medical practitioners were bats hidden in the shadows.


    Lorenz even secretly felt fortunate that he had been kicked out early¡ªhe couldn¡¯t bear the disgrace of a Blood Saint Clan mage being controlled by death-row convicts.


    ¡°So, no Blood Moon Judgement to watch tonight, huh? How boring.¡±


    ¡°Boss Snake, how about we start a betting pool on the escapees? Bet on when they¡¯ll get caught or if they¡¯ll be killed during the escape. I have a friend in the Crime Hunting Hall, he can send the news over right away!¡±


    ¡°Hiss hiss...¡± Boss Snake said, ¡°Let me think about it...¡±


    Just then, eight light screens suddenly appeared in the middle of the cafe?!


    Everyone was stunned and looked towards Boss Snake, who was quite calm: ¡°I set it to automatically turn on the light screens at eight o¡¯clock to watch Blood Moon Judgement, but the show¡¯s off now¡ª¡±


    ¡°If hurt enough, use a pair of hands, joyfully sever, yesterday¡¯s curse...¡±


    There was even opening music!?


    Amid the crowd¡¯s bewildered, astonished, and anticipatory gazes, a uniformed prison guard appeared on the light screens. He held the ¡®Sinners¡¯ Catalogue¡¯ in his hand, covering his mouth, only revealing a pair of cold eyes.


    ¡°Good evening, I am Ash Heath, the host of this Blood Moon Judgement.¡±


    Ash Heath?


    Ash Heath!


    No one would forget this name within just a few days, especially since many were eagerly anticipating his performance in this installment of Blood Moon Judgement!


    ¡°Since this judgement could end at any time, let¡¯s not delay and introduce the list of redeemers.¡±


    The scene shifted, and the camera focused on the exterior of the prison at Shattered Lake. On the lake, eight slender redstone pillars appeared, each with a stone seat on top, each occupied by a prisoner.


    ¡°This is Edmond Manken, former executive secretary of the Tax Bureau.¡±


    ¡°This is Bernard Ledor, former director of projects in the Government Affairs Hall.¡±


    ¡°This is Ernest Andrey, former councilman.¡±


    When the camera focused on the last contestant, everyone in the cafe?, the research institute, the church, the foster home, and the Crime Hunting Hall, all watching the Blood Moon Judgement, stood up in shock.


    ¡°This is Alandor Fernand,¡± Ash said: ¡°the current mayor of Kaimon City.¡±

 Chapter 142: 130 Why So Serious

    Chapter 142: Chapter 130 Why So Serious


    Kaimon City, Crime Hunting Hall, Deputy Commander Emi walked through the brightly lit, ornate corridor and burst through the large doors.


    ¡°Hall Chief, give me the inspection order. I¡¯m going to take control of the broadcast station right now!¡±


    Behind the long table carved from ebony wood, stood two floor-to-ceiling transparent glass windows, allowing the glory of the Blood Moon to spill without any hindrance onto the curly-haired woman seated in the red leather soft chair. Her uniform looked sloppy with several buttons undone. What should have been beautiful silver hair was a mess, resembling a bird¡¯s nest, and her delicate features were ruined by heavy bags and clown-like dark circles under her eyes.


    Upon hearing the door open, she turned off the Light Screen, ¡°Is it time to clock out yet?¡±


    ¡°What time to clock out? The prison escapees haven¡¯t even been caught yet!¡± Emi slapped the table as she approached, ¡°I notified the broadcast station to interrupt the live broadcast of the adjudication, but they refused. Hall Chief, hurry up and sign the inspection order for me. I will lead the team and wipe them out!¡±


    ¡°That kind of talk is fine here, but don¡¯t tarnish the reputation of the Crime Hunting Hall outside,¡± the Hall Chief spoke indifferently, ¡°One Gerard who sends a hundred complaint letters every month is enough for me to deal with.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Hall Chief, the inspection order!¡±


    ¡°Inspection of the broadcast station requires cooperation from the Government Affairs Hall. Have you contacted Deputy Mayor Gurro?¡±


    At the mention of this, Emi grew even angrier, ¡°I initiated a call to the Government Affairs Hall, but only the Mayor¡¯s secretary answered. He said that the Deputy Mayor is in an emergency meeting with other departments and can¡¯t respond for the time being!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite normal. With something like a prison break happening, it is necessary to mobilize different departments to make preparations¡ª¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s doing it on purpose! He just wants to delay until Fernand is dead in the adjudication. Then, as Deputy Mayor, he can take one step further and drop that ¡®Deputy¡¯ title!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think so badly of people. Under the glory of the Blood Moon, the bad guys are all in prison,¡± the Hall Chief said solemnly, ¡°The Crime Hunting Hall is constrained by the Government Affairs Hall. Without orders from them, we cannot just inspect a broadcast station of the same level.¡±


    ¡°So we just stand by and watch the adjudication continue!?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    The Hall Chief scratched her head, ¡°It¡¯s not just the Government Affairs Hall, the Institute, and the Church didn¡¯t say anything either. They¡¯re not in a hurry, so why are you?¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, the ones who truly preside over the adjudication are not inside the prison, but in the City, outside, here,¡± the Hall Chief spread her hands, ¡°Why so serious?¡±


    With the Hall Chief bringing out such ¡®correct speech¡¯, Emi was at a loss for words, and her large wolf tail drooped. Pouting, she discontentedly thumped the table, ¡°Tch, why would the Priests be so indifferent about this...¡±


    ¡°You know how strong you are at night. My table can¡¯t withstand your hits,¡± complained the Hall Chief, ¡°As for why, because it¡¯s not a big deal.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t considered a big deal?¡±


    ¡°Emi, how old are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in my twenties.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re just over forty, no wonder you¡¯re making such a fuss.¡±


    ¡°So what if I¡¯m young?¡±


    ¡°When you¡¯re older, you will understand that those things you think are serious, when viewed on the scale of a hundred or a thousand years, are just trivial interludes,¡± the Hall Chief raised her dark circles, ¡°By comparison, adhering to the Laws is what¡¯s more important.¡±


    ¡°Born under the Moon Shadow, the Blood Saints abide until death. This is our Law. Besides that, we cannot interfere in anything else, let the mundane world manage itself.¡±


    The head of the department made too much sense, and all Emi could do was clench her fists in frustration, her bushy tail standing on end, ¡°...Yes!¡±


    ¡°Go back to work, and remember to close the door. And could you possibly tuck in your tail? It¡¯s a pain to clean up the hairs from the carpet.¡±


    Emi shook her head repeatedly, ¡°No way, having a part of the Moon Shadow traits permanently fixed is a symbol of my strength! Besides, everyone loves it!¡±


    The head of the department covered his face and sighed, ¡°The Church and the research institutions really just keep sending troublemakers over... Do they think this is an adult day-care center...¡±


    When Emi closed the door to the office, she suddenly heard laughter inside.


    ¡°Ha, this Ash is pretty interesting; I should tell Gerard to spare his life.¡±


    Damn it!


    The head was clearly just interested in watching this farce unfold; that¡¯s why he refused to sign the inspection order. She was almost fooled by him!


    Emi instinctively wanted to rush in and reason with him, but then she remembered a Blood Saint joke the old Priest had told her.


    ¡°When the Blood Saint Clan takes an interest, the only way to stop them is to nail them into a coffin¡ªincreased blood flow due to bat blood leads to reduced intelligence.¡±


    So Emi gave up, holding back her anger as she returned to her department and sat down to open the Light Screen¡ªshe was going to see what kind of spectacle Ash could create!


    ...


    ¡°Cough, cough!¡±


    On the crimson stone pillars of Shattered Lake, Fernand coughed violently twice, spitting out two mouthfuls of foul-smelling black blood. His belly felt sour and itchy, and it was uncomfortable having his clothes sticky and clinging to his body, coupled with the dizziness from just waking up, he thought he had returned to his teenage years.


    Born in the ¡®Knucklebone¡¯ orphanage, he had to squeeze out time to study between fights. It was an orphanage in the lower city area of Kaimon City, and most of the children cared for were Beastmen and ogres¡ªthe narrow-faced head of the orphanage didn¡¯t favor these two blue-green species; it was simply because these two species had high subsidies for their care.


    Places like the ¡®Jade Garden¡¯ high-end orphanage wouldn¡¯t receive funds from the Government Affairs Hall, and the orphanage even had to spend a lot of money to select babies from hospitals.


    This was because any adult coming out of an orphanage had to deduct 10% of their earnings for the first fifteen years of work as a ¡®feedback¡¯ to the orphanage. And the Jade Garden orphanage clearly took the most enlightened and grand path: striving to foster outstanding talent, then using the ¡®feedback¡¯ from these talents to grow the orphanage, continuing to select high-quality babies, and carrying on with cultivating outstanding talent for society.


    It could be said that first-class orphanages like Jade Garden were all following this virtuous cycle, and they were also models for orphanages nationwide. But not all orphanages had these conditions, after all, there were only so many outstanding babies, thus there was another model¡ªscamming subsidies.


    The Knucklebone orphanage took the Beastmen and ogre babies that other orphanages didn¡¯t want, but were necessary to care for to ¡®maintain species diversity,¡¯ so the Church would allocate a lot of funding as subsidies.


    The head of the orphanage pocketed all the subsidies, adopting a laissez-faire attitude towards the babies. After all, Beastmen and ogres were easy to rear; as soon as they were of age, he would kick them out, ignoring their ¡®feedback¡¯ from future work.


    Among babies, Beastmen and ogres were considered the lowest quality, not only hard to discipline, with low average IQ, disobedient to authority, but also ugly in appearance (compared to standard species), and with sloppy living habits.


    Hence, the Knucklebone orphanage was no different from the wild; everyone defecated wherever they pleased, lived carelessly, and when mealtimes came, someone would push a few tubs of food in, then everyone would scramble and fight over it, leading to racial brawls, then lie flat and sleep covered in bruises, and the day would pass by.


    The outside world wouldn¡¯t criticize this; the orphanage would beautify it as ¡®natural upbringing,¡¯ even receiving praise from all walks of society.


    Many scholars believed this was releasing the nature of Beastmen and ogres, a sign of respect for blue and green skins, and a quality education tailored to the individual¡ªthen they would turn around and accuse orphanages like Jade Garden of caring too much about academic performance, stifling children¡¯s nature, robbing them of their childhood, and so forth...


    Born in a civilized nation, Fernand grew up in this ¡®natural¡¯ environment.

 Chapter 143: 131 Legal Illegal Acts (Three More)

    Chapter 143: Chapter 131 Legal Illegal Acts (Three More)


    Fernand had forgotten why he developed ambitions that ogres should not possess.


    Was it because he saw those immaculately dressed councilmen arrive at the Orphanage Bone Club, smiling as they patted the Beastman children, their eyes betraying disdain they couldn¡¯t bother to mask?


    Or was it because he longed for the grand mansions and elegant, high society life depicted in the films?


    Or perhaps it was because... he saw on the Light Screen a confident human mayor raising his right fist, telling lies not even Beastman children would believe, ¡°To make all races greater!¡±


    In any case, Fernand began a life utterly different from other ogres: After fighting for food, he would sneak into a corner, turn on the Light Screen, and watch the day¡¯s supplemental videos from Jade Garden.


    Even though each child had a complete set of general education materials from the start, theoretically capable of mastering all knowledge points on their own, if one wished to get into middle school, university, or even postgraduate studies, they had to grasp the knowledge points in depth, something well beyond the scope of the textbooks.


    ...


    Naturally, better-equipped orphanages would hire teachers to tutor the offspring, but clearly, Orphanage Bone Club was not one of them; the average education level of those blue- and green-skinned individuals who left there amounted to prenatal education.


    But perhaps for the sake of fame, or to set an example, the elite orphanages would upload their instructional videos to the Veil. Children without such good educational conditions could download these videos to study on their own. After all, everyone had a chip; there was no barrier to downloading.


    That was an unforgettable memory for Fernand: after a fight, bruised and battered, he stayed in a cold, stinking corner, watching Beastman ogres fighting viciously in the sand, blood and flesh flying. Not far away, an ogre ate food while defecating, and another Beastman added his own toenail clippings to a sandwich.


    On the other side, he saw neat classrooms on the Light Screen, cultured and learned teachers, and students full of laughter and joy.


    Even after so many years, Fernand could still recall that surging emotion of his youth, the flame that fiercely scorched his soul flaring up in his chest once more¡ª


    Shame!


    ¡°...Now that the audience is familiar with these eight redeemers, there is undoubtedly a question in everyone¡¯s mind: Mayor Fernand might be temporarily suspended, but he is not a criminal, so why is he participating in this trial?¡±


    Hearing this, Fernand looked over and saw a Prison Guard standing at the edge of the sea-view rooftop, the person who had led him to Shattered Lake.


    He remembered it now; after signing the Sinners¡¯ Catalogue, his entire strength was restrained, and then he was attacked by a sudden assault from the Prison Guard, which was why he had been unconscious up to now.


    Looking carefully, he realized that the Prison Guard was not talking to them but towards the camera eye.


    Prison... live broadcast... Blood Moon...


    The ogre squinted and turned to the human beside him: ¡°Officer Ledor, who is he?¡±


    Although he himself had been ousted by Fernand¡¯s purges, when Fernand asked so naturally, the former project officer Ledor subconsciously answered: ¡°He is Ash Heath.¡±


    He paused and then added, ¡°A condemned felon who rightfully should be serving his sentence in prison.¡±


    At once, Fernand understood everything. He looked at Ash but found Ash was also looking at him. Ash held the Sinners¡¯ Catalogue that controlled the fate of all prisoners, covering his face and revealing only a pair of detached pupils.


    ¡°The reason Mayor Fernand is present here is because I have a friend who says he¡¯s a bad man, who has repeatedly escaped scrutiny by exploiting legal loopholes.¡±


    Fernand let out a contemptuous laugh and couldn¡¯t be bothered to respond.


    Ash continued, ¡°Of course, ¡®I have a friend¡¯ can hardly count as testimony. In fact, according to the Crime Hunting Hall Memory Masters¡¯ investigation files, despite many inexplicable doubts and memory losses, strictly speaking, Mayor Fernand has not committed any illegal acts.¡±


    ¡°As everyone knows, the true authorities over the Blood Moon Judgement are not the mayor, not the Crime Hunting Hall, nor a minor host like myself. It¡¯s the keen-eyed citizens before the Light Screen, your Redemption Tickets that are key to guiding this trial.¡±


    ¡°Obviously, I presume none of you would hearken to the incitements of a mere former condemned felon like me, allowing this mayor, who has not followed laws and regulations, to meet with the Extreme Master of Blood Moon ahead of time.¡±


    ¡°And this,¡± he announced, ¡°is precisely what makes the Blood Moon Judgement I am conducting this time interesting.¡±


    ¡°Unlike Mayor Fernand, the other seven, former council members, officials, and gang members, are vermin with proven crimes. If the broadcast station is reluctant to cut off the signal, then the citizens can click on the portrait to access the crime files of these seven losers.¡±


    ¡°In theory, the redeemer of this trial will be chosen from among you seven. But now, I¡¯m giving you a chance.¡±


    Ash pointed at the ogre, ¡°You can speak of Mayor Fernand¡¯s illegal activities to give him votes. This way, you naturally escape disaster. Based on my understanding of the citizens and my personal experience, the more substantial and crucial your accusation, the fewer votes you¡¯ll receive.¡±


    The crowd¡¯s expression turned subtle, and the former Secretary Beastman Manken shouted, ¡°I accuse Fernand of hiring assassins to kill¡ªAh!!!¡±


    Suddenly, Manken let out an agonizing scream; his crimson stone seat began to emit smoke, seemingly heating up rapidly, causing Manken¡¯s skin attached to the stone to char!


    ¡°Ah, I forgot to mention that the Executioner¡¯s enhancement for this trial is the ¡®Devouring Lie Mouth¡¯,¡± Ash¡¯s voice, devoid of any apology and filled with schadenfreude, continued, ¡°The moment you lie, slander, fabricate, or speak unverifiable words, even by your own standards, the Executioner¡¯s mouth will keep heating, heating, until you¡¯re turned into a delicious cooked meal. I¡¯m very grateful for the technical support provided by the Crime Hunting Hall for this trial.¡±


    ¡®Devouring Lie Mouth¡¯!?


    The faces of those present changed dramatically but soon realized they could not break free from the stone seats, as if glued firmly in place. Moreover, they were unable to use their Magic Power to attack others¡ªthis Blood Moon trial was absurdly outrageous in that it only granted them the freedom of speech, while all other permissions remained prohibited!


    ¡°That¡¯s right, the eight stone pillars you are sitting on are the Executioner itself. Congratulate yourselves, not many in this world get to sit on the Executioner.¡±


    Then let¡¯s switch places! They cursed Ash in their minds and glared at him fiercely.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    Adorned with silver-framed glasses and resembling a middle-aged scholar, Andrey raised his hand to speak, ¡°First, it is known that Fernand has not committed any crime. Second, we cannot speak of things we cannot verify. With these premises, we are unable to speak of Fernand¡¯s ¡®illegal activities.''¡±


    Ash looked toward Andrey.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct, you¡¯ve hit the nail on the head, so I¡¯m not actually asking you to speak of ¡®illegal facts,¡¯ but rather I¡¯m looking forward to you revealing Fernand¡¯s ostensibly ¡®legal¡¯ illegal activities.¡±


    Legal illegal activities?


    The attendees, all hardened politicians and officials who had struggled to climb to the upper echelons of Kaimon City, immediately understood the subtext of Ash¡¯s words. Their faces turned exceedingly grim, not excluding Fernand himself!


    ...


    ...


    ¡°Ah-hah.¡±


    In the office of the Director of the Crime Hunting Hall, the Director flipped open a file, on it was the record of Ash Heath.


    ¡°How odd, there are no government personnel among the victims of the Four Pillars God Sect. He hasn¡¯t participated in related work either... Could it be that someone leaked information to him? Or is it simply his own observation?¡±


    ¡°It seems he¡¯s not just holding a grudge against Fernand or trying to challenge the Crime Hunting Hall, but is testing the touch of deeper societal Laws.¡±


    ¡°This will be a headache for both the research institutions and the Church...¡±


    ¡°But...¡±


    Resting his cheek in his hand, the edges of the Director¡¯s mouth curled up with a hint of a smile, his bloodshot eyes surrounded by dark circles sparked with anticipation.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t encountered trouble in over a hundred years.¡±

 Chapter 144: 132 The Rules of the Game of Power

    Chapter 144: Chapter 132 The Rules of the Game of Power


    ¡°Legal illegal activity?¡±


    The people in the cafe at the institute looked blank, and someone asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t that an oxymoron? A coin that¡¯s both heads and tails? A person who¡¯s both male and female?¡±


    ¡°Are you discriminating against me!¡± A person of androgynous appearance slammed the table and stood up, ¡°Is this how you mock intersex individuals in public!? Moreover, being intersex has become the new mainstream culture, being able to enjoy the benefits of both men and women, this is clearly the most perfect posture. How can there still be such outdated fossils like you in this era¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I misspoke, I¡¯m very sorry to have hurt you,¡± the former quickly apologized.


    Lorenz scratched the fish scales on his face and turned to ask the Snake Boss, ¡°Snake Boss, do you know what he means by legal illegal activity?¡±


    ¡°Sss... I can probably guess.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Oh? Do tell?¡±


    At this point, the Snake Boss smiled and suddenly asked, ¡°Sss, Lorenz, have you gotten used to the life at the institute? How are things in the lab?¡±


    ¡°Quite nice,¡± Lorenz said casually: ¡°Research is also going well, recently there has been a surplus of materials, necromancy progresses faster the more materials there are. Wait, Snake Boss, don¡¯t change the subject, what is legal illegal activity?¡±


    ¡°Sss... Look at the light screen, someone¡¯s about to speak.¡±


    Lorenz looked at the light screen, feeling something strange in his heart.


    He sensed that the Snake Boss was unwilling to continue the conversation with him.


    And this reluctance was familiar to him.


    Just like after he passed the middle school exam, when his human classmates asked him why he had to work after school instead of returning to the orphanage to study or play. At that time, Lorenz was unwilling to answer such questions because he knew that humans could not understand his situation.


    Different backgrounds, different environments, talking more was useless.


    But here, everyone could understand each other, because they had all abandoned their lower caste identities to become nobler...


    Wait, is the Snake Boss from the Blood Saint Clan?


    He had always been squinting his eyes; it seemed he had never seen the pupils of his blood...


    At this moment, a voice from the light screen interrupted Lorenz¡¯s thoughts.


    ...


    ¡°1659 municipal public examination, West Wave District Market Supervision Administration Officer recruitment.¡±


    The speaker was still Edmond Manken. Enduring the excruciating pain burning his skin, he gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Fernand hoped his classmate could get the position, but his classmate¡¯s ability was not sufficient to pass for such a popular spot, so he thought of a method.¡±


    ¡°First, he found a scholar who was completely qualified or even excelled in all aspects, and directed the scholar to take the Operator exam and secure the position. Meanwhile, the classmate also took the exam but naturally did not pass.¡±


    ¡°Then, one month after the scholar got the job, he would voluntarily resign. At that point, the administration would have a temporary quota and would give priority to selecting a temporary Operator from among the examinees. Since most examinees would have found work after being in the job for a month, there would be no insistence on finding the ¡®second-place interviewee¡¯ or ¡®third-place interviewee,¡¯ any former examinee would suffice.¡±


    ¡°And so Fernand¡¯s classmate managed to enter the Supervisory Administration.¡±


    ¡°Of course, this was back when Fernand was a councilor,¡± Manken said. ¡°Once he became the Mayor¡¯s secretary, he didn¡¯t need to go through such trouble. He could tailor the job requirements to his candidate¡¯s profile; for example, if his candidate was a human male, 30 years old, with a university degree and a silver degree in Earth Magic, he would set the job requirements to: human male, 30 to 35 years old, university degree holder with a silver degree in Earth Magic. In fact, these conditions could be further refined, ensuring that his candidate would definitely get an interview. Once in the interview process, the job would naturally be secured, and the whole procedure would be completely legal and compliant.¡±


    ¡°The Government Affairs Hall is a mandatory test for employment, but the specific screening requirements are controlled by each department. As long as you can form a political alliance with the heads of the departments, you can easily leverage substantial energy.¡± He looked at the ogre, ¡°Half of the members of Forest Art Gallery joined the Government Affairs Hall system this way, and many Operators succumbed to Fernand¡¯s threats or bribes to become his accomplices.¡±


    After thinking for a moment, Manken added, ¡°Oh, maybe some don¡¯t understand, Forest Art Gallery is a gallery opened by Fernand, filled with his self-righteous works. His faction members usually choose to meet there, hence Fernand¡¯s faction is also known as the Forest Art Gallery.¡±


    Fernand responded coldly, ¡°Aren¡¯t the members of your Eternal Life Wine Club also occupying one-eighth of the positions in the Government Affairs Hall?¡±


    One-eighth might not sound like much, but if spread across various departments, and if some of them are department leaders, that becomes a massive intelligence network and political force. Andrey was considered a strong contender for Mayor precisely because the Eternal Life Wine Club was strong enough to rival the Forest Art Gallery.


    Thump!


    With a thud, the stone pillar below Fernand suddenly began to twist, the moonlight shining upon the pillar danced like a snake, turning into fierce chains, coiling from bottom to top towards Fernand!


    Such a spectacle, Fernand knew without checking the light screen, was because the citizens were voting for him.


    The ogre¡¯s mind worked rapidly, but his face remained calm, ¡°You don¡¯t need to make it sound as if I originated this ¡®tradition.¡¯ Long before, this had already become an unspoken and unbreakable ¡®rule,¡¯ something everyone had come to accept.¡±


    ¡°Without joining a faction, you can¡¯t get a good ¡®Initial Position.¡¯ If you seek a promotion, not only do you need your department head¡¯s recommendation but also favor from higher-level leaders. ¡®Push down, pull up¡¯ is the only way to rise; if you don¡¯t join a faction, you might still become a Civil Affairs Officer by chance, but you¡¯ll only be facing basic tasks for a lifetime.¡±


    ¡°In here, every politician and councilor is both a beneficiary of the faction and an accomplice in maintaining its existence. In addition to the Eternal Life Wine Club and Forest Art Gallery, there are many small factions within the Government Affairs Hall, like an array of Spider Webs. If you want to climb, you need to get on the Web; these are the rules of the game of power.¡±


    ¡°All of this is but the very commonplace, everyday occurrences of ¡®minor whims¡¯ about power.¡±


    ...


    In a lower-class area cafe, a middle-aged Beastman customer suddenly covered his face and wept bitterly, his tears falling into his drink, creating a scene so unsightly it disturbed the public appearance.


    He remembered the public examination thirteen years ago; he was the second-place interviewee, and the first place was an Elf scholar who completely outclassed him in every aspect.


    ...


    In an apartment under the jurisdiction of Kaimon City Food and Nutrition Bureau, a man in his forties cradled a bucket of potato chips sunk into a soft chair. Watching the light screen, he pushed up his glasses, recalled his spirited graduation from university, followed by more than twenty years of wasted silence, and couldn¡¯t help but feel despondent.

 Chapter 145: 133: Exposing Each Other

    Chapter 145: Chapter 133: Exposing Each Other


    Dong! Dong! Dong!


    Chains wrapped around the redeemers like venomous snakes, everyone¡¯s complexion turned exceedingly dreadful. With his words, Fernand had distributed the hatred equally among all.


    Everyone also fully understood Ash¡¯s intentions now¡ªthis damn prison escapee wanted them to divulquarter each other¡¯s governmental secrets that were unknown to the public, exposing those ¡°trivial abuses of power¡± in front of all the citizens of Kaimon City, and even dragging those unmentionable entities down!


    Why hadn¡¯t the Crime Hunting Hall arrived yet! Why didn¡¯t the broadcast station cut off the live feed! What on earth were the Church and the research institutes thinking!?


    Everyone started looking at one another and suddenly reached a consensus¡ªstop talking, as continuing would only incite the anger of the citizens. Just remain silent and stall for time until the Crime Hunting Hall arrives to interrupt this broadcast!


    However, not everyone was willing to abide by this tacit agreement, such as Kui Wen, the former leader of the violent gang ¡°Gluttonous Snake¡± and a Beastman, who could hardly hold on any longer.


    ...


    Compared to those council operators whose ¡°evil¡± was not very apparent and felt distant, Kui Wen was undoubtedly the most grounded and accessible form of ¡°Violence¡± to the populace.


    If there was no external interference, Kui Wen would undoubtedly be a ¡°hot candidate¡± for the Blood Moon Judgement. And the greatest advantage of a scoundrel was that he would not miss any opportunity to drag others down with him in a collective doom.


    ¡°Three years ago, in the ¡®Dragon¡¯s Nest Apartment Case¡¯, Fernand also made considerable efforts!¡± the Beastman shouted loudly. ¡°Everyone hasn¡¯t forgotten, right? Dragon¡¯s Nest Apartments grew rapidly by buying apartments from owners at high prices and leasing them to tenants at low prices, not only in Kaimon City but even forcefully taking over the rental markets in cities like Dream City and the Outer Sea.¡±


    ¡°But Dragon¡¯s Nest Apartments paid the owners monthly while collecting one or two years¡¯ rent from the tenants, thereby attracting huge sums of money. Everyone knew this was a ticking time bomb, yet they turned a blind eye, even escalating the situation! Back then, Fernand had the Government Affairs Hall issue the ¡®Guidelines on Financial Innovation¡¯, allowing commercial banks to operate new businesses like ¡®rental loans¡¯, burdening tenants with debt to funnel capital into Dragon¡¯s Nest Apartments! In this matter, Fernand was utterly responsible, but theoretically, he had done nothing wrong.¡±


    ¡°Why do I know this so clearly? Because I also own a commercial bank and took the opportunity to issue a large number of low-amount loans to quality customers such as students and newly employed workers.¡±


    ¡°And as far as I know, a member of the Forest Art Gallery is also operating a commercial bank!¡±


    Hearing the sound of chains moving, the ogre let out a deep breath.


    He knew that everything would proceed as planned by the cold Observer next to him, and more tragically, he had to accelerate the process until the wrath of the people burned everyone to ashes.


    ¡°Andrey,¡± Fernand said, ¡°with your efforts, Moon Candy was legalized in Kaimon City in 1662. The candy makers shifted from underground to formal businesses, and the largest candy company ¡®Eternal Life¡¯ established the Eternal Life Wine Club the following year. Although you were caught and brought here, the Eternal Life company is still producing Moon Candy at this very moment, every minute and second sees countless people falling into illusions because of Moon Candy.¡±


    Just a few words caused Andrey¡¯s pillar to erupt in chaos, numerous shackles coiling around this middle-aged scholar like tentacles.


    His face was somber, knowing he had incited public fury.


    As an addictive drug, Moon Candy was a banned substance in most parts of the Kingdom of Blood Moon, except in a few cities like Kaimon where it was legalized.


    Although many ¡°sugar people¡± liked candies, more people disliked Moon Candy; almost every citizen had experienced harassment from ¡°sugar people,¡± whether on the streets, in restrooms, in university classrooms, or in cinemas, and the violent crimes caused by ¡°sugar people¡± had drastically increased, making the citizens deeply disgusted.


    Andrey did not feel he was wrong, because according to the ¡°Act of Human Rights Freedom,¡± no one could stop a mature race from consuming Moon Candy, as the crimes bred by sugar consumption were a different matter.


    But violent crimes fall within the jurisdiction of the Crime Hunting Hall, the council has nothing to do with it, everyone¡¯s performance assessments are different, and Andrey and his team need not consider the surge in crime caused by the legalization of Moon candy.


    Since everyone has the right to consume sugar, Moon candy has been hard to eradicate.


    Since it can¡¯t be banned, why not just turn it into an official industry? At least it would generate taxes, and without violent gangs skimming off the top, the sugar man could get cheaper sugar, and a world without injury would be born¡ªexcept for ordinary citizens.


    But if Moon candy were strictly banned and those who consume it arrested? The Human Rights Association would have something to say about it, and the Racial Rights Association would not stand by either, especially since Goblins, Beastmen, and Ogres have natural resistance to drugs, and for them, the benefits of consuming Moon candy outweigh the disadvantages, with no withdrawal symptoms after discontinuation and frequent consumption actually improving attention and work efficiency.


    Especially for Ogres, to whom Moon candy is almost a more essential necessity for oil painting creation than paint itself.


    The proposal for the legalization of Moon candy was passed not just because of Andrey¡¯s personal biases, but also as a consensus reached by the council based on the local situation in Kaimon City, from which all parties benefited.


    Ordinary people couldn¡¯t say much about it either, as they had elected the council members themselves.


    This is elite politics.


    However, the public¡¯s resentment toward the Moon candy legislation was growing day by day. At any other time, it might have just festered, but during the Blood Moon Judgement, resentment really could bite.


    ¡°It¡¯s just like you, Fernand,¡± Andrey said, ¡°Now the public is directing their anger at me.¡±


    ¡°Andrey, your literary knowledge is terribly lacking. Directing anger implies venting rage onto unrelated parties, but you are the main council member who proposed the legalization of Moon candy. This is not redirection of anger; this is revenge,¡± the Ogre sneered.


    Andrey sighed, ¡°Does it have to be this way?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re willing to sacrifice yourself to protect everyone, then this game will end with you,¡± Fernand spoke indifferently.


    Andrey looked around, seeing the hopeful eyes of his subordinates. He then turned and caught a glimpse of Ash watching the drama unfold from the edge of the rooftop, his eyes filled with deep sorrow.


    ¡°Us, a group of self-proclaimed geniuses, being played by a mere death row inmate...¡± he said with a bitter laugh, ¡°What a hideous spectacle.¡±


    ¡°Let me end all of this.¡±


    The Ogre was somewhat surprised, while the others breathed a sigh of relief, their faces showing the joy of having survived a catastrophe.


    ¡°Arandor Fernand!¡±


    Just then, Andrey shouted,


    ¡°If anyone here deserves to die the most, it¡¯s only you¡ª in the ¡®422 incident¡¯, you let the innocent citizens of Kaimon City suffer an attack by Foreign Domain Mages!¡±

 Chapter 146: 134 Please Allow Me to Quibble a Few Words

    Chapter 146: Chapter 134 Please Allow Me to Quibble a Few Words


    ¡°`


    Psss.


    Facing Andrey¡¯s accusation, Fernand actually laughed.


    Laughed loud, laughed wildly, as if he didn¡¯t care about the audience watching the live broadcast.


    The ogre almost laughed to tears, wiped the tears of laughter from the corner of his eyes, and said, ¡°Andrey, your attitude is too ugly, too desperate to survive, you¡¯ve lost your composure, you don¡¯t deserve to be my enemy.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I approved the exploration of the Void Turbulence, and I should take the main responsibility both morally and logically, so I came here for the investigation. But if you think you can take me down in front of all the citizens of the city with just this, then you¡¯re too naive.¡±


    ...


    ¡°An exploration operation involving the Crime Hunting Hall, the war zone, and even the prison, how could it possibly be a trivial matter that I could decide on my own? As the saying goes, big meetings discuss small matters, and small meetings discuss big ones. There were three pre-action meetings held by various leaders. Andrey, as a representative of the council, you haven¡¯t forgotten this, have you?¡±


    ¡°It was after our collective vote that we fully implemented this action. The ¡®422 Incident¡¯ was a disaster, but it was also a man-made calamity due to our collective misjudgment. I¡¯m not shirking my responsibility, but you, Andrey, bear no less responsibility than I do.¡±


    Andrey nodded, ¡°Indeed so, to put it bluntly, this was just a war launched by rulers for their own interests, it¡¯s just a pity that this time we are the ones who lost. If we had found the correct Void Realm passage first, then you, Fernand, would not only be free from blame but also gain support from all parties, ensuring your re-election as mayor 100%.¡±


    ¡°At most, I could accuse you of pushing forward with this action for the sake of your political achievements. What¡¯s more, you¡¯ve apologized, and the citizens can¡¯t really say anything more.¡±


    Andrey glanced at the ogre¡¯s stone pillar, which had hardly changed, meaning that his accusations hadn¡¯t deepened the citizens¡¯ resentment towards Fernand.


    This was beyond his expectations; after all, although the 422 Incident caused tens of thousands of casualties, what does that have to do with the living?


    It¡¯s not them who died.


    Maybe among the casualties were their friends or even loved ones, but... so what?


    It¡¯s not them who died.


    If the attack caused financial loss, the Government Affairs Hall was willing to compensate. As for the casualties and building collapses caused by the attack, for the living, it was all gain and no loss ¡ª the positions of the dead would become vacant, the collapsed buildings meant new construction jobs, houses would lower their rents due to fewer tenants, and the streets would become less crowded.


    Kaimon City was already a bit too crowded; now with the attackers coming in, killing some, scaring some away, those who remained naturally had more city resources. At this moment, God knows how many people were thankful for the attackers¡¯ killing spree, which allowed them to reap considerable benefits.


    And even Fernand, the main person responsible, didn¡¯t attract much hatred. The resentment he earned from this event was even less than that from the Dragon¡¯s Lair Apartments and the manipulation of public exams.


    After all, those who truly hated him were already dead, and among the survivors, quite a few had been conned out of money by the Dragon¡¯s Lair Apartments or had their positions taken during the public exams.


    In the Kingdom of Blood Moon, the living do not sympathize with the dead.


    To think that the 422 Incident could be used to take down Fernand is delusional, Andrey wasn¡¯t that naive; he just needed the topic as a starting point.


    ¡°Indeed, if we are only talking about the cause of the event, every decision-maker is at fault; this is the responsibility of all the rulers.¡± Andrey said, ¡°But the course of the event was your solo performance, my dear mayor.¡±


    The ogre narrowed his eyes, watching his political rival coldly.


    Andrey said, ¡°Twenty minutes after the arrival of the Mages of the Foreign Domain, the Church already notified you. And your actions in the first three hours were to claim that nothing had happened, until multiple attacks occurred at the edges of the City, and only then did you inform the citizens not to go out, deploying the Crime Hunting Hall and summoning adventurers from the war zone...¡±


    ¡°The Mages of the Foreign Domain had not yet arrived, informing the citizens would only cause panic!¡± the ogre said rudely: ¡°If the citizens clustered and fled in fear, it would be tantamount to giving the Mages of the Foreign Domain a perfect opportunity to launch their attack, the casualties would certainly be greater than now!¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are right,¡± said Andrey. ¡°If the only fighting force around Kaimon City was really only the Crime Hunting Hall and the war zone, then your decision was correct.¡±


    At this moment, everyone, including Fernand, looked shocked!


    Manken even shouted, ¡°Andrey, do you know what you¡¯re talking about? Do you think you can survive by spilling it all out?¡±


    ¡°Even if I didn¡¯t, I¡¯m sure I would die.¡± Andrey articulated slowly: ¡°I never had the idea of living at all costs, I only hope to have a clear conscience before I die.¡±


    Fernand mocked, ¡°You truly are from a high-class upbringing, Andrey, to have such extravagant and high-class thoughts. How funny, you lacked conscience before, but found enlightenment once in prison?¡±


    Andrey shook his head, ¡°Fernand, sometimes I wonder, do I really deserve to sit in your position? Do I truly have the capacity to control so many people¡¯s Fate? Can I really watch so many lives die before my eyes and remain indifferent?¡±


    He looked towards the camera as if conversing with the hundreds of thousands of citizens of Kaimon City.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 147: 134 Please Allow Me to Quibble a Few Words_2

    Chapter 147: Chapter 134 Please Allow Me to Quibble a Few Words_2


    ¡°In the Kaimon region, the most powerful armed force is neither the Crime Hunting Hall nor the War Zone but the research institutes and the Church!¡± he said. ¡°Every member of the Blood Saint Clan within the research institutes, and every member of the Moon Shadow Clan within the Church, are Mages¡ªand the majority are Two-winged Mages!¡±


    ¡°Perhaps some have heard that the research institutes are full of scholars who are not skilled in combat, that the Church is full of Priests who only know how to pray, but these are all lies to belittle the strong to cater to the common folk, weaving webs of information to satisfy your inner jealousy.¡±


    ¡°After all, you are not Mages, nor are you of the Blood Saint Moon Shadow. Thus, the Blood Saint Moon Shadow must have laughable flaws, such as a fear of sunlight or a fear of flames, so that you can feel superior, to convince yourselves there is no need for envy, for you to continue living.¡±


    ¡°Anyone who is a Mage cannot possibly be weak, nor incapable of combat!¡±


    ¡°Should the research institutes and the Church act, although they might not be able to suppress the Mages from the Foreign Domain swiftly, they would definitely contain the situation to a smaller scale, reducing the number of casualties to four or even three figures!¡±


    ¡°But they are unwilling to intervene because this matter does not concern them; the Mages of the Foreign Domain will not attack their areas. More importantly, the Blood Saint Clan craves bodies, and the Moon Shadow Clan appreciates death; this incident of tragic slaughter actually aligns with their interests.¡±


    ...


    ¡°The only one who could change the situation is you, Arandel Fernand,¡± Andrey said, pausing after each word. ¡°As the Mayor, you have the nominal command over both the Church and the research institutes. If you were willing, you could have called upon the Blood Saints and the Moon Shadows to completely turn around the havoc wreaked by the Mages from the Foreign Domain.¡±


    The ogre¡¯s expression remained calm, as if he was completely unbothered by Andrey¡¯s accusation.


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t. Because you dare not harm the interests of the two clans, because you still need the support of both. Not only that, but you knew that the assailants came through a level 2 Void Realm Passage, and that the attack would last a maximum of three days before the Mages from the Foreign Domain would have to withdraw. Therefore, you willingly sacrificed the interests of the citizens, offering up their dead bodies as gifts to curry favor with the two Blood Moon clans.¡±


    A trace of barely perceptible mockery appeared on Andrey¡¯s face: ¡°Nobody told you to do this, no one warned you not to; you made this choice yourself. You sacrificed the lives of tens of thousands to prove your humility to the Blood Moon clans.¡±


    The ogre glanced at the chains writhing over his body and sneered, ¡°It seems your words aren¡¯t very effective; everyone understands my position. Although it¡¯s not a glorious act, appeasing the Blood Moon isn¡¯t shameful.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Andrey smiled. ¡°But what if I said that the Dragon¡¯s Den Apartment incident was also a result of you deliberately indulging it to please the research institutes?¡±


    ¡°Everyone knows that Dragon¡¯s Den Apartments absorbed a massive amount of funds through financial fraud, and that the chairman of Dragon¡¯s Den has already fled, but few know where those funds went¡ªprior to his escape, the chairman had undergone a surgical procedure at the research institutes to extend his life by 200 years. This single procedure consumed a third of Dragon¡¯s Den¡¯s liquid assets.¡±


    ¡°Not only that, but the other directors of Dragon¡¯s Den also went to the research institutes for the life extension surgery, body repair procedures, and so on. Essentially, most of Dragon¡¯s Den¡¯s cash assets eventually flowed into the research institutes. Following closely was the outbreak of the incident, the disappearance of the directors, and millions saddled with debt.¡±


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s your Forest Art Gallery or my Eternal Life Wine, we only gained minute profits from this. It was the research institutes that swallowed the assets of millions.¡±


    ¡°And this is just one of the more notable ¡®achievements¡¯ of your tenure. If we were to truly investigate, half an hour wouldn¡¯t be enough to cover everything. But it all boils down to one principle¡ª¡±


    ¡°Exploiting the public, groveling to the Blood Moon.¡±


    Andrey, gazing up at the Blood Moon in the night sky, let the crow¡¯s feet at the corners of his eyes betray his fatigue.


    ¡°This is why the polls show a decline in your approval rating, yet you were still able to govern for eight years,¡± he said. ¡°It is also the reason for your existence¡ªresearch institutes and the Church need people like you to serve as puppets in the foreground. Once you¡¯ve attracted enough of the public¡¯s ire, they will send you to Shattered Lake Prison to satisfy the people¡¯s thirst for justice.¡±


    ¡°Even without the 422 incident, Fernand, you could only serve as a mayor for a few more years before facing the verdict of the Blood Moon Judgement. Because you are a ¡®sinner¡¯ who obtained the position of mayor by betraying the interests of the populace.¡±


    There was no longer any smile on the ogre¡¯s face.


    The pillar beneath him seemed to be melting, thousands of wildly dancing chains wrapping around him like hands, as if they were about to drag him into the dark red Shattered Lake.


    ¡°But if it were just that, you would merely be another ¡®ordinary mayor,¡¯ no different from your predecessors. Each mayor is a future sinner; or rather, only sinners could possibly ascend to the position of mayor.¡±


    Andrey said, ¡°Fernand, the reason I¡¯ve gone to great lengths to compete with you for the mayorship is because you attempt to elevate the betrayal of the public interest into an even higher form of art¡ªyou¡¯ve joined forces with the elves, beastmen, ogres, and goblins of the Racial Rights Association to promote the development of the fighting profession league.¡±


    ¡°Of course, your reasons are very noble: to absorb the jobless population, to reduce the crime rate, to cultivate Mage seeds, and to develop the tertiary industry... It¡¯s beyond reproach. It even makes first-time viewers of your proposal wonder why no one thought of such a fantastic idea before?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because the predecessors weren¡¯t as cruel or as despicable as you!¡±


    At this point, Andrey¡¯s eyes were bloodshot and his face was wrinkled into a bunch, so angry that he couldn¡¯t even manage his expression: ¡°Fernand, can¡¯t you predict what will happen after the fighting league starts!? Crowds of young people will flock to this industry promising a fast track to success, gambling will become rampant, bodily modifications will become fashionable, and the arena will be coated with a thick layer of flesh and blood, even with orphanages specifically training children as fighting machines!¡±


    ¡°Violence, death, corpses, will become the only theme of this city! Fernand, you¡¯re not unable to foresee this future, you¡¯re smart enough to foresee it all, and that¡¯s why you push this plan!¡±


    ¡°The Extreme Master of Blood Moon confines the Blood Saint Moon Shadow within the research institutes and the Church, to prevent them from creating slaughter, to suppress their devastation of the populace, and to fight for breathing space for all races! Yet you, Fernand, for your own selfish desires, are willing to place all the populace on the sacrificial altar, to normalize, formalize, and streamline the killing and death, all to please your masters!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve united all the racial high ranks simply to create a massive, shameless ruling coalition. The people are your best product, the Blood Moon your revered client!¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t forget, Fernand, you are still an ogre, without crimson pupils nor a fluffy tail! No matter how much you ingratiate yourself, in their eyes, you are still just food!¡±


    Andrey¡¯s shouting echoed over Shattered Lake, with everyone else remaining silent as if turned to stone, shrinking in their seats, as if praying that the Blood Saint Moon Shadow watching the live stream wouldn¡¯t notice them.


    For a moment, the live stream was so quiet that only the sound of chains sliding could be heard.


    Then, Fernand suddenly glanced at Ash and flashed a strange smile.


    ¡°Are you done?¡± the ogre looked around: ¡°Then please allow me to make a few excuses.¡±

 Chapter 148: 135: The Sheepdog and the Sheepfold

    Chapter 148: Chapter 135: The Sheepdog and the Sheepfold


    The Research Institute cafe resounded with Andrey¡¯s angry roars.


    The patrons¡¯ expressions, subtly agitated, gently swayed their wine glasses. Behind the bar, the snake owner washed glasses as usual, apparently ignoring the tirade going on about the Blood Moon Judgement.


    ¡°Such unfair accusations,¡± a human Blood Saint said solemnly, ¡°It¡¯s one thing to scold the Church¡¯s dogs that only chase their own tails, but our research institute has always focused quietly on research. We don¡¯t meddle in politics or public opinion...Which of today¡¯s technological products didn¡¯t come from our institutes? From machines that manufacture screws to core programmers for Veil applications, which aren¡¯t the result of years or even decades of our researchers¡¯ work?¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t hurt anyone, always diligently contributing to the development of the Kingdom of Blood Moon. Because our lifespan is more than three times that of ordinary races, our work time and contributions are also more than triple that of ordinary people...and now they actually blame us for the ruler¡¯s mistakes!?¡±


    ¡°Do they think we won¡¯t speak up because we don¡¯t like to?¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± others also became indignant, and someone cursed, ¡°There are only two Blood Saint representatives in the parliament now, compared to numerous other racial representatives; our voices hardly matter, just like an ambient noisemaker¡ªmaking others think we are easy to bully!¡±


    ...


    ¡°It¡¯s time to increase the seats for the Blood Saint representatives!¡±


    ¡°And Andrey¡ªhe forms factions for his own power and private gains. Does he have any right to criticize us?¡±


    ¡°These politicians really can¡¯t tell right from wrong, the absolute shamelessness!¡±


    ¡°But Fernand¡¯s proposal for the fighting league actually seems pretty good.¡±


    The cafe paused briefly, the red glow in everyone¡¯s blood pupils becoming brighter.


    ¡°Indeed, it is a very good spectator industry.¡±


    ¡°The best would be unlimited fighting, allowing mechanical modifications and biological enhancements; otherwise, it¡¯s not interesting.¡±


    ¡°We could also have multi-person battles, fighting until only one person is left standing.¡±


    ¡°And interspecies fighting¡ªlet them capture some creatures from the Abyss for the arena and see if normal people can fight those Abyss creatures.¡±


    ¡°There should also be a Mage League. Two-winged might be too much, but two One-winged Mages fighting to the death should be no problem!¡±


    ¡°Besides the prize money, the institute is willing to provide free treatment to all participants. As long as they don¡¯t die, we guarantee on-site recovery so they have no worries. Not to mention, I¡¯m willing to volunteer as the league¡¯s Medical Practitioner!¡±


    ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk, you just want to perform the second Blood Embrace ritual! Look at your age; you¡¯ve lost the potential in your bloodline long ago. Even if we really need a league Medical Practitioner, we¡¯d definitely choose someone from the new bloodline first.¡±


    Watching everyone enthusiastically discussing the details of the fighting league, Lorenz, however, was concerned about the voting situation in the Blood Moon Judgement. He noticed that while Fernand had been neck and neck with Andrey just moments ago, he had now surged ahead, causing him to frown.


    Although this blue-scaled Blood Saint faintly felt Andrey made some sense, it was only a little. More so, it was mostly sophistry¡ªwas it the institute¡¯s fault that apartment board members from Dragon¡¯s Den came for life-extending surgery?


    Was it the institute that forced Fernand to mishandle the 422 incident?


    And the upcoming fighting league that Fernand was pushing, should the institute be held responsible for all the negative social impacts this industry might create?


    Why should they?


    Just because the Blood Saint Clan had longer lives and stronger abilities, should they be morally hijacked by these lesser races?


    That made no sense!


    Lorenz turned and asked, ¡°Snake owner, do you think Andrey makes sense?¡±


    ¡°Hiss...¡± The snake owner placed the glass down, deliberating, and said, ¡°Representative Andrey makes sense; in his view, Fernand indeed is pandering to the Two-winged clans.¡±


    The blue-scaled Blood Saint was somewhat surprised, ¡°Then¡ª¡±


    ¡°But you also make sense,¡± the snake owner continued. ¡°For the Two-winged clans, Andrey¡¯s accusations are just displaced anger. Clearly, you all have done nothing, yet others put the blame on you.¡±


    Lorenz couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°So if we¡¯re fine, and they have a point, then who is the problem?¡±


    ¡°Nobody has a problem; the problem is...¡±


    The snake owner looked towards the Light Screen, ¡°Perhaps the mayor will give us an answer.¡±


    ¡°`


    ...


    ...


    ¡°Ogre, male, general education, 24 years old, has a habit of eating moon candy before bed, frequently stays up all night, is currently in the oil painting industry, his favorite food is sauerkraut larou, masturbates twice a day, currently secretly in love with another female ogre, hopes to cohabit with her but despite trying to please her for more than a year has not progressed further. He had clearly seen the female ogre enter a hotel with someone else three months ago, but that didn¡¯t extinguish his love; rather, it made him think he had a chance...¡±


    Initially, Andrey was somewhat confused listening, but the more he listened, the more shocked he became, not waiting for Fernand to finish, he interrupted, ¡°You actually... wait, you have undergone memory scrutiny! How could you possibly still retain these memories! Haven¡¯t you deleted any memories?¡±


    The ogre smiled, ¡°I don¡¯t trust the Memory Masters, I eliminate my memories myself. Once I pass the memory scrutiny, I will immediately restore the memories that are crucial to me¡ª and the information about my son is the most important memory for me.¡±


    Now, even the uninformed audience understood who the information Fernand was talking about referred to¡ªit was about his son!


    ¡°Have you given up, Mayor?¡± Kent said blankly, ¡°The ¡®Law of Blood Prohibition¡¯ is a superior law, second only to the top ¡®Blood Moon Constitution.¡¯ You have violated the ¡®investigation of procreation crime¡¯ strictly prohibited by the ¡®Law of Blood Prohibition,¡¯ which could result in life imprisonment or even the death penalty... Even if you survive the Blood Moon Judgement, you¡¯ll have to spend the rest of your life at Shattered Lake!¡±


    To everyone, Fernand seemed to be committing suicide!


    Among them, there were those who had investigated their offspring, but basically, they had the Memory Masters delete such memories immediately after finding out, because this was a deadly serious crime!


    Worse than selling tons of moon candy, even more severe than continuous murder!


    Investigating offspring was a provocation to the authority of the Extreme Master of Blood Moon, a desecration to the foundation of the Kingdom of Blood Moon!


    ¡°Yes, I violated the ¡®Law of Blood Prohibition¡¯...¡± the ogre smiled, ¡°Kent, you graduated from law school so many years ago, do you still remember the meaning of ¡®Law of Blood Prohibition¡¯? Explain it.¡±


    Perhaps stunned by Fernand¡¯s words and deeds, or perhaps still harboring obedience to the mayor, Kent replied without hesitation, ¡°The ¡®Law of Blood Prohibition¡¯ standardizes the reproduction methods of various races, adjusts and protects broad social relationships, beneficial for optimizing resource allocation and improving per capita resource levels. It helps improve the population quality of all ethnicities, disintegrates the backward unit of the family, breaks down class barriers abolishes inherited traditions, and ensures every newborn fairly enjoys the resources of the entire society, it is the legal basis for ¡®racial equality, equality for all.''¡±


    Fernand looked as if he suddenly realized, ¡°Right, racial equality, equality for all. Who can explain to me the implications of this statement?¡±


    ¡°People should not discriminate against others based on their appearance, race, gender, education, work, and other factors. Everyone facing behavioral discrimination and verbal discrimination can report to the Crime Hunting Hall and has the right to defend their personal dignity, this is stipulated in the ¡®Racial Human Rights Bill.''¡± Andrey said, ¡°Fernand, what exactly are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°What you just said to me, I am now returning to you¡ªAndrey, you are not unaware of my thoughts, you have already anticipated my thoughts, but you still dare not speak them out,¡± the ogre¡¯s tranquil pupils seemed to hold a hysterical madness: ¡°At most, you only dare to criticize the two-winged of the Blood Moon; your capacity is ultimately pitifully small.¡±


    The others and the audience were stunned¡ªIs not criticizing the two-winged of the Blood Moon audacious enough!? They are the true ruling class of the Kingdom of Blood Moon, the darlings of the Extreme Master of Blood Moon!


    Do you still want to criticize the Extreme Lord?!


    The redeemers cursed quietly, wishing they could just jump into Shattered Lake to commit suicide¡ªif Fernand keeps speaking, their fate might not just be as simple as death!


    ...


    ...


    At the Crime Hunting Hall, in the director¡¯s office, the director, watching the popup call alerts on the Light Screen, swiped them all away impatiently.


    ¡°They¡¯re blocking me from watching the live broadcast, honestly.¡± Her haggard face flushed with intense excitement, ¡°Can¡¯t these old fools just enjoy such an interesting spectacle?¡±


    ¡°Heh, making me stick to this position, now you see where you went wrong? Stick me in the Church and Institutes!¡±


    ¡°Fernand, let me see the extent of your capabilities.¡±


    ...


    ...


    ¡°The ¡®Law of Blood Prohibition¡¯ cuts off all familial relationships; we grow up in foster care and die declared in hospitals, regardless if life is long or short, but during this journey, we are unable to obtain any trustworthy bonds,¡± Fernand said, ¡°It has made us each lonely individuals.¡±


    ¡°The ¡®Racial Human Rights Bill¡¯ explicitly talks about abolishing discrimination, but in reality, it provokes discrimination because it demands disparate races, genders, and educational levels, even different ages, to get along harmoniously, forcing entirely different lives to respect each other¡ªhow can this not breed resentment? But because of the presence of the bill, everyone can only hide their discrimination deep within, fermenting this resentment into a more sophisticated, more natural, more cruel prejudice. It causes us to engage in endless internal conflicts, unable to unite as a whole.¡±


    ¡°Andrey, just now you said that the Extreme Master of Blood Moon kept the Blood Saint in the Institutes and restricted Moon Shadow in the Church to protect us.¡± The ogre¡¯s voice echoed through Shattered Lake, ¡°I beg to differ.¡±


    ¡°He silences the Blood Saint, makes the Moon Shadow benevolent, leaves us lonely, impossible for the masses to unite. You know what this reminds me of? Well-behaved sheepdogs and sheep pens with a strong sense of self-management.¡±


    ¡°The Kingdom of Blood Moon is a carefully constructed farm by the Extreme Master of Blood Moon.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 149: 136: The Beast in the Guise of Civilization

    Chapter 149: Chapter 136: The Beast in the Guise of Civilization


    Eight years ago, in 1660, Kaimon City.


    On a hot summer day, Fernand drove his sedan to the lower district, to the very place he swore he would never set foot again, a cesspit.


    At that time, the old mayor, Punk, was preparing to resign and retire due to death by Void Realm Exploration and frailty due to old age. Fernand seized the opportunity to collude with councilors and bribe bureaucrats, making the mayor¡¯s position almost certain. It was also during this time that he founded the Forest Art Gallery, which had a significant influence on the upper echelons of Kaimon City.


    At this critical moment when he was planning his candidacy for the next mayor, he set aside all official duties, postponed all meetings, and drove alone in his utterly ordinary sedan, stopping at the side of a decrepit road which seemed to grow dung on its own, turned the car air conditioning to the maximum, smoked his pipe, and stared at a studio at the street corner.


    It was a common ogre studio.


    This entire street was lined with ogre studios, so it reeked unbearably, having a disastrous effect on nearby property values.


    ...


    Oil painting was an ogre¡¯s unique talent; ogres, average citizens with education levels no higher than prenatal education, naturally did not challenge the difficulties of life. If they could loaf around using their talent, they would do so utterly and completely.


    Although there were many practitioners, this industry wasn¡¯t competitive; rather, there was a demand that exceeded supply. A true ¡°ogre oil painting¡± was in high demand.


    The reason for this lay in the fact that ogres occasionally triggered a resonance with the Void Realm while painting. Oil paintings created in this state could slowly increase a viewer¡¯s faction realm, akin to navigating the Void Realm.


    However, ¡°ogre oil paintings¡± had a time limit, typically losing their effect after about 60 days. Hence, ogre oil paintings were not art pieces but consumables that were still effective for Mages, making them valuable.


    But this was only if they could trigger a resonance with the Void Realm and create a true ¡°ogre oil painting.¡± If they failed to trigger the Void Realm resonance, they were merely producing trash.


    Therefore, most ogre painters would first work as Apprentices in studios for months or even years, working part-time while learning until they painted their first painting and earned their first pot of gold. As for the apprentices¡¯ duties, they did not include cleaning, as ogres were few who cared for cleanliness.


    If not for the sake of decency, Fernand wished he could tear up his white shirt that was tight enough to strangle him.


    Sigh.


    With a puff of smoke, Fernand slightly turned his head and saw a young ogre passing by his car.


    The young ogre wore a tank top that was originally white but had turned brown and sported shorts full of holes. At 1.9 meters, he was considered short among ogres but had a face closer to the standard races, with fierce but not ugly fangs.


    He carried two large lunch boxes in his hands; this was his duty as an apprentice: to buy meals for painters.


    Ogres wanted to eat every two hours, preferring hot meals, but they were too lazy to go to restaurants. Ordering take-out was outrageously expensive due to labor costs¡ªno delivery person would want to come to the ogre area, since incidents here were not even covered by insurance companies¡ªthus, employing an ogre apprentice became the ideal choice.


    After all, there was no need to pay them; just feed them.


    The moment Fernand saw the young ogre, he was stunned.


    The young ogre also looked at the car, seemingly locking gazes with the middle-aged ogre.


    But after surveying his surroundings to confirm that no one was around, the young ogre smirked, spat a filthy and murky loogie towards the car window, then set down the lunch boxes, urinated on the car door, and afterward picked up a small stone and scratched the car body severely a few times, the grating noise piercing through Fernand¡¯s eardrums like a knife.


    The car windows and front windshield were double-sided, making it impossible to see inside from the outside.


    Watching the young man tread the sweltering streets, whistling as he carried his lunch box to the studio, he seemed to be scolded by the boss as soon as he entered. He nodded and bowed with a face eager to please, then secretly spat into one of the lunch boxes before respectfully walking inside.


    Throughout the whole process, Fernand didn¡¯t move, his hand still posed holding a tobacco pipe.


    His gaze followed the young man¡¯s retreating figure until he disappeared from sight.


    In the end, he drove back to the Government Affairs Hall and reported the car as damaged property.


    He never bought a single painting from the young man, nor did he send anyone to help him; in fact, he never met the young man again after that.


    Even to get the latest information on the young man, Fernand, under the name of ¡°guarding against the violent crimes of ogres,¡± commissioned the Crime Hunting Hall to investigate several ogres, the young man being one of them.


    When Fernand and the young man were separated only by a thin car window, but he dared not lower it, the man who had risen from the bottom to the pinnacle of power in Kaimon City finally understood the pathological horror of this kingdom.


    Eight years later, in 1668, at the Shattered Lake Blood Moon Judgement scene.


    Fernand, looking at Andrey¡¯s pale face, said, ¡°You know, in most countries, all species maintain the family as a fundamental unit...¡±


    Kaimon interrupted subconsciously, ¡°That¡¯s because they are backward.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in arguing whether the family system is backward or advanced; I just want to point out one thing,¡± Fernand revealed a ferocious smile. ¡°Other countries also have ruling species, but their ruling species can reproduce autonomously, even giving birth to royalty, to nobles!¡±


    Everyone¡¯s faces grew paler, illuminated increasingly red by the Blood Moon. Kaimon was almost pleading, ¡°So their classes are solidified, they are backward, the Kingdom of Blood Moon is the most civilized nation¡ª¡±


    ¡°We prohibit the existence of families because our ruling species cannot reproduce autonomously, they are naturally homeless!¡± Fernand roared loudly. ¡°Blood Saints change blood, Moon Shadows cleanse their lineage, they lose the ability to reproduce after changing their species. To develop new offspring, they must alter other species members!¡±


    ¡°The Dual Blood Moon species are like parasites that can¡¯t survive on their own, drawing the most talented from all species to become part of them, absorbing the nutrients of all species to strengthen themselves, thus enslaving all species for a millennium!¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t we have families? Because Blood Saint Moon Shadow discarded the bond of blood, so we are also forbidden to have them! That way, we can¡¯t form a whole due to family, love, or kinship.¡±


    ¡°Why emphasize racial human rights freedom? Because Blood Saint Moon Shadow are genderless, raceless, ageless monsters, they are almost a natural whole, and yet we will fight internally over race, gender, age, education, and other reasons! They deliberately incite different races, genders, and ages to fight each other! That way, we can¡¯t form a collective with common interests.¡±


    ¡°The Racial Human Rights Bill erects high thick barriers around each of us, the ¡°Ban on Blood Relations¡± prevents us from breaking this barrier. From then on, each of us is an independent entity, only facing the massive entities of the research institutes and Church alone!¡±


    Fernand raised his left hand, weighed down by chains, pointing at the prison.


    ¡°Do we have any difference from those death row inmates? No,¡± the ogre said coldly. ¡°The inmates are exploited by the prison for value, we are drained of value by the Blood Moon; inmates are controlled by chips in their speech and actions, while our thoughts are controlled for life!¡±


    ¡°In the Kingdom of Blood Moon, from birth to death, we only have two paths to walk: become Blood Saint Moon Shadow, or become their fodder.¡±


    ¡°The Blood Moon, cloaked in the guise of civilization, is a beast, the most barbaric of civilizations.¡±

 Chapter 150: 137 Papa

    Chapter 150: Chapter 137 Papa


    The night breeze blew in gusts, the Blood Moon was desolate, with occasional sounds of waves and shark fins breaking the water¡¯s surface.


    Ash looked on indifferently, seemingly uninterested in their discourse.


    ¡°Even so¡ª¡± Andrey asked like someone clutching at straws, ¡°What does this have to do with you betraying the citizens¡¯ interests to please the second race of the Blood Moon? You see everything, so you wanted to join them?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve used every means, united all races, and pleased the Blood Moon, all to promote the formation of the fighting league.¡±


    ¡°But this¡ª¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Andrey, you short-sighted, cowardly human, you simply don¡¯t know what true mettle is.¡±


    ...


    The ogre said, ¡°Exactly, just as you predicted, once the fighting league is implemented, violence, death, and slaughter will become the main melody of this city, and Blood Saint Moon Shadow will be so happy they won¡¯t be able to close their mouth.¡±


    ¡°But the new generation will also learn barbarism, learn brutality, learn cruelty, and they will develop a mettle our ancestors never had, daring to draw their swords even in the face of the Divine Lord!¡±


    ¡°Just for that?¡± Andrey¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Not just for that, more importantly is... Hahaha, although I¡¯ve always refused to admit that I come from the garbage heap that is the orphanage, I have to admit, the orphanage wasn¡¯t completely useless. It at least made me realize a method that can break the laws of the Blood Moon¡ª¡±


    The ogre laughed heartily: ¡°Fight, there is nothing that enables mutual understanding between two people more than battle. The ogres¡¯ way of making friends is and always has been¡ªbeat them up first!¡±


    ¡°You betrayed the people¡¯s interests, curried favor with the second race of the Blood Moon, and secured the mayor¡¯s position, all for this elusive goal?¡± Andrey said with a bitter smile, ¡°Fernand, do you really have such good intentions?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Andrey, you just don¡¯t understand...¡± the ogre said, ¡°If you want to pull down the second race of the Blood Moon, or even challenge the Extreme Master of Blood Moon, it¡¯s not a miracle that one or two people can achieve. It¡¯s history being pushed forward by all races, by everyone... Only by sparing no expense can we hope to change this kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Sparing no expense?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sparing no expense. You are a price to pay, I am a price to pay, these generations of citizens are also the price. We are already spent, and the hope for change can only be placed in the future. Our greatest purpose in living is to serve as nourishment for the soil, hoping that one day this tainted land might bloom normal flowers.¡±


    ¡°Of course, if I said I had no personal motive, that would definitely be a lie.¡±


    The ogre glanced at the Blood Moon in the night sky: ¡°If all goes well, my reputation will reach its peak; if my successor can continue on my path, then a great revolution will eventually erupt. My name, Arondale Fernand, will be forever extolled. The wisdom of the ogre will be crowned with the honor of challenging the Divine Lord...¡±


    He fervently shouted, ¡°I want you all, you mongrels, to admit from the bottom of your hearts that ogres are the greatest, smartest, and bravest race in the world!¡±


    Andrey looked at the ogre nearly swallowed by the chains up to his neck, and for a moment, was speechless.


    The moment Fernand revealed that the foundation of the Kingdom of Blood Moon served the second race of the Blood Moon, he was already doomed; the citizens would never let him go.


    It was like waking up in a completely sealed room filled with poison gas, where everyone is slowly dying in their sleep, and he, upon awakening, shouts and screams like an alarm clock¡ªwould anyone thank him? No, because waking up only increases the pain pointlessly since the walls are impregnable, and mortals cannot challenge the Divine Lord.


    They just wanted the evil alarm clock to stop.


    Moreover, Fernand wasn¡¯t trying to save them. On the contrary, the ogre intended to use the current generations as sacrifices, wringing out their value to water the soil, so that future people might be saved.


    Except for a few middle-aged and elderly, most young citizens were furious¡ªby what right do you sacrifice us for the salvation of future generations? What do future generations have to do with us? Why should we care how well or poorly they live?


    This ogre mayor is nothing but a race-mad fanatic!


    Suddenly, the stone pillar beneath the ogre shot up sharply, lifting him alone over a hundred meters into the air. From below, people saw the ogre mayor right in the center of the Blood Moon, as if the next moment he would be swallowed and melted by the crimson moonlight!


    ¡°With more than 50% of the votes, the Executioner comes early,¡± Ash said with a calm expression. ¡°The Executioner arriving this time is the Hydra Executioner.¡±


    The whole Shattered Lake seemed to boil over, as with the sounds of waves, the stone pillar sprouted eight hideous, ugly, enormous snakebodies, and the ogre¡¯s stone seat slowly transformed into the mouth of a giant snake, with him sitting inside. With just a slight pucker, the giant snake could digest and dissolve him.


    But those who receive redemption in the Blood Moon Judgement don¡¯t get to die such an easy and comfortable death.


    The surveillance drone flew high into the air for recording. The ogre, looking at it, laughed and said:


    ¡°Ash Heath, as you wished, I have utterly torn apart the fac?ade of the Kingdom of Blood Moon, but I don¡¯t think it will have any effect... too bad, if I had known what you were capable of, I would have definitely made secret contact with the Four Pillars God Sect... no wonder the Blood Moon strictly scrutinized the Four Pillars God Sect...¡±


    Hiss!


    The remaining eight snakeheads suddenly danced wildly under the moon, biting towards the ogre¡¯s limbs from all directions!


    Ssst!


    Blood sprayed everywhere, filling the gaping maws of the giant snakes without a drop wasted. The ogre¡¯s body trembled slightly, but his eyes grew brighter and his smile more ferocious, his neatly white teeth seemingly sharpening.


    ¡°The fools who grew up under the Blood Moon, it is impossible for a Savior to be born among you... you scum don¡¯t deserve to be saved by a Savior... at best, you can only give birth to a conspirator like me...¡±


    ¡°I used to think that you wouldn¡¯t accommodate a kind Savior, but I didn¡¯t realize you wouldn¡¯t even make room for a cruel conspirator like me.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s okay.¡±


    Fernand showed a proud and hideous smile: ¡°From the moment I was born, I¡¯ve been used to this humiliation of being isolated by fools.¡±


    Crack!


    Under the Blood Moon, the nine snakes shared their feast.


    ...


    Kaimon City, inside an ogre¡¯s art studio.


    Garbage from meal boxes was strewn all around, mixed with scattered paint, emitting an indescribable, pungent stench.


    A young ogre sat on a broken, ragged armchair, watching a Light Screen where Fernand was being devoured by the nine snakes.


    He had seen Fernand before, not just once. In many news reports, he had seen his fellow ogre dressed in fine leather shoes, attending various elegant events, known as ¡®the most cultured ogre.¡¯ He had cursed this ogre mayor countless times in the bars, blaming him for pandering to voters by changing his teeth, accusing him of not caring for ogres, raging that he wouldn¡¯t even share his wealth...


    At the beginning of the Judgement, he had looked forward to seeing Fernand ground into chum at Shattered Lake. He was already upset with and even hated Fernand¡ªweren¡¯t they both ogres? Why should you enjoy luxury as the mayor while we live in the lower district, too scared to even order takeout?


    If it had been a human or elf mayor, he might not have felt the same, but not Fernand.


    You¡¯re an ogre; why should you live better than us?


    He had also cast a Redemption Ticket for Fernand.


    But now, watching the trial on the Light Screen, the young ogre felt an inexplicable emptiness in his heart, a discomfort greater than hunger, more painful than being beaten by a gang.


    He faintly realized something, that guess, like the nine-headed snake, clamped down on his heart. He collapsed to the floor in pain, tears uncontrollably streaming out, but when he opened his mouth, he couldn¡¯t make a sound.


    He retched, feeling as though he wanted to vomit out his soul, but nothing came out.


    He wanted to call out, but didn¡¯t know for what.


    The mayor? Fernand? That disgusting mongrel, worse than a Beastman Dancer?


    Just then, the Light Screen suddenly displayed a voice message:


    ¡°Congratulations, because your Redemption Ticket has successfully sanctioned the criminal, you have been selected for the ¡®Justice Messenger Big Wheel¡¯ lottery segment, and you have won the third prize. Please accept your gift...¡±


    This voice message completely broke him down. The once fearless young ogre could no longer hold back. He curled up on the floor, crying loudly like a baby, his face smeared with tears and snot, sobbing breathlessly and incoherently.


    ¡°Wuu waa waa... buzz buzz... whimper... mama... wuu... papa...¡±

 Chapter 151: 138: Prison Break Team, Disband!

    Chapter 151: Chapter 138: Prison Break Team, Disband!


    Above Shattered Lake.


    ¡°It¡¯s over!¡± Kaimon shouted loudly, ¡°The trial has ended, let¡¯s go back!¡±


    Aside from Andrey, who was still in a daze, the other six were eager to return to the prison for reform, looking at Ash with fervor. However, Ash still held the Sinners¡¯ Catalogue, watching them calmly, without any action.


    Everyone panicked¡ªcould it be that this escapee intended to completely annihilate them?


    Buzz buzz.


    Suddenly, a turbine engine¡¯s sound came from afar, and everyone turned to look, discovering a speedboat crashing through the waves on the lake, stained red by the Blood Moon. Although they couldn¡¯t see the figures on the boat, they knew well enough that this wasn¡¯t a middle-aged man coming for night fishing, but a Blood Frenzy Hunter from the Crime Hunting Hall!


    ...


    Seeing finally someone coming to stop the outrageous actions of the fugitive didn¡¯t bring joy but more panic!


    No, not like this, they didn¡¯t want rescue after the trial had ended!


    Initially, the fugitive might have been considering sparing their lives, but now scared by the Crime Hunting Hall¡¯s actions, he might just mercilessly kill them all to provoke the Kingdom of Blood Moon.


    Now, they held no rational hope for Ash, the escapee¡ªany sane person would have simply escaped instead of hosting a self-staged trial, putting the mayor in the defendant¡¯s seat, prompting everyone to reveal the dark side of the Kingdom of Blood Moon that couldn¡¯t be illuminated by glory!


    In their view, Ash Heath had no intention of living; he just wanted to turn his own funeral into a circus show, planning a spectacular finale for himself!


    But if you want to turn into fireworks, do it alone; don¡¯t drag us along to meet the Extreme Master of Blood Moon!


    Seeing the distant speedboat, Ash took action. He closed the Sinners¡¯ Catalogue and reached into his coat pocket¡ª


    Clang!


    With a distant ring of a sword, a line of blood split the Shattered Lake, tearing through the night sky, spanning the long distance, piercing deeply into Ash¡¯s chest!


    This blood line, like a solid entity, violently pulled the man from the speedboat up to the sea-view rooftop!


    Looking at the silhouette that landed on the rooftop, wearing the Blood Frenzy uniform, Crime Hunting Hall half-sleeve uniform, with white hair and red eyes, the death row inmates were immediately reassured.


    It was Gerard, the Three-winged Holy Sanctuary Mage!


    With him here, this mere escapee was definitely¡ª


    ¡°Eh?¡± Kaimon asked in bewilderment, ¡°Where¡¯s the man?¡±


    Andrey finally snapped out from his political adversary¡¯s death; he turned his head toward the rooftop, discovering only Gerard there.


    The host Ash Heath, who had gathered them for perhaps the most-watched Blood Moon Judgment special episode in history, had vanished.


    He couldn¡¯t possibly have escaped right before the eyes of a Three-winged Mage, could he?


    And Gerard had just hit him; how could he have disappeared?


    Even if he had died, there should be a body left, unless...


    ¡°Substitute Technique Spirit.¡±


    Gerard crouched down, unconcerned with the vitally important Sinners¡¯ Catalogue, picking up a pen-like object and gently pressing a mechanism inside.


    Ash¡¯s voice came from it: ¡°Yes, you are right, so I don¡¯t really want you to disclose ¡®illegal facts,¡¯ but I was looking forward to hearing about Fernand¡¯s legally illegal activities...¡±


    A recording pen, a common item among most citizens in the Kingdom of Blood Moon, specifically used to record others¡¯ speech and actions. If one records discriminatory/criminal speech, it can be taken to the Crime Hunting Hall for a real-name report, leading to a cash reward for maintaining public security and an increase in credit score.


    Gerard, looking at the several pens on the ground, knew all too well that the Crime Hunting Hall had been played¡ªthe speeches Ash had made in the live broadcast had all come from these recording pens!


    Because producing a true clone capable of independent thinking, acting, and speaking was at least a miracle of the Three-winged level, the people from the Crime Hunting Hall had never considered the possibility of the on-air Ash being fake. Gerard had rushed over by speedboat personally, aiming to arrest the mastermind swiftly.


    Yes, although there was no evidence right now, Gerard in his heart believed that the mastermind behind this escape operation must and could only be Archibald Heath, the leader of the Cult of the Four Pillar Gods!


    Suddenly, Gerard found one of the recording pens wrapped in a butterfly knot ribbon, pressed it, and a noisy voice came out:


    ¡°Hey? Igula, why have you stopped talking? You were quite enthusiastic just now, saying things like Gerard was kicked out of the institute for peeping at a Legendary Mage bathing, like Gerard spending loads of money to aid impoverished young girls, like Gerard being a shared plug for several Meiwas... Keep talking, I just love hearing such legendary stories.¡±


    ¡°Ah, the renowned ¡®Swindler¡¯ Igula Bokin refuses to speak, so now it¡¯s my turn to leave a message. Hi, Gerard Wilminster, this is ¡®The Innocent¡¯ Ash Heath. I wanted to persuade you not to come after me, but I guess you won¡¯t listen to unwelcome advice, so I can only suggest you go after them instead,¡±


    ¡°Igula Bokin, Archibald Harvey, Lanna Chios, Ronald Wade, each one of them is a big bad guy filled with great evil. Can you go after them first, please? Let me live a few more days in fear as my punishment, okay?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t take it the wrong way, Gerard, I¡¯m not trying to provoke you, I genuinely consider you a friend. So I wanted to leave this message to thank you.¡±


    ¡°After all, if it wasn¡¯t for you letting me go that night, would there be my miraculous escape tonight? Thank you, Gerard, you are my hero.¡±


    Crack!


    Gerard crushed the recording pen, ignoring the sorrowful gaze of the convicts on the stone columns, and turned his head to gaze at the edge of the lake. At that moment, dark clouds swept over the moonlight, shrouding the world in darkness, the only brightness came from the fiery eyes of the Blood Saint Clan.


    ¡°Ash, not even coming to thank me in person shows lack of sincerity, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ...


    Kaimon City, Pearl District, at a construction site, five men dressed in Prison Guard uniforms walked to the rooftop of an unfinished building, looking over at the bright lights of the vast city.


    The Pearl District, also known as the ¡®Pig District,¡¯ much like the ¡®Lower Tier District¡¯ of Wheat Sheaf, belonged to the places where the lower classes of Kaimon City lived.


    However, unlike the Lower Tier District, which had been impoverished for hundreds of years¡ªpoor, yet lively and orderly¡ªthe Pig District emerged only about twenty years ago due to a new plan. Political issues caused continuous delays in development; they couldn¡¯t even afford to pay the Earth Magic construction crew to finish the buildings, turning what should have been a future business district into a massive cesspool inhabited by gangs, vagrants, and criminals.


    Suddenly, the five men felt somewhat lighter in spirit, as if some shackles had dissolved.


    ¡°Fernand is dead, Harvey, our Contract with you is over,¡± Lanna said.


    Harvey nodded sincerely, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Strange, we don¡¯t have a chip, and we didn¡¯t see Fernand¡¯s death, how did the Contract fulfill itself?¡± Ash curiously asked. ¡°Could the Void Realm help us judge the progress of the Contract, once it noticed Fernand¡¯s death, then immediately handle this Contract?¡±


    ¡°This is why every profession needs Contractors,¡± Igula laughed. ¡°Most of the time, the Void Realm is the most impartial judge. Since it worked, it means Ash actually managed to conduct a Blood Moon Judgement with those few recordings... How did you do it?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡±


    ¡°Obvious? How did you predict what others would say?¡±


    ¡°You can tell you haven¡¯t done a business presentation. Knowing how to lead people to ask the questions you want is an essential skill in the office, promotions and salary increases all depend on it,¡± Ash shrugged. ¡°Once you¡¯re beaten up by clients enough times, you naturally prepare several plans to ensure success.¡±


    Although not entirely convinced, Igula couldn¡¯t say anything¡ªafter all, he was responsible for one-on-one direct sales, while Ash was a Cult Leader skilled in mass marketing; Ash really did have more of a say in this area.


    Ronald clapped his hands, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Gentlemen, since Harvey¡¯s Contract is concluded and we have successfully escaped prison to the outskirts of Kaimon City, on our right is the city, and to our left is the suburb.¡±


    ¡°So, isn¡¯t it time for us to part ways?¡±


    Lanna, Igula, Harvey, and others nodded happily. Ash, with deep emotion, said, ¡°I really appreciate everyone¡¯s tremendous support. Thanks to this, we could finish this nearly absurd plan. This achievement, this honor belong to each and every one of us!¡±


    As he put his finger in his mouth, ¡°I, Ash Heath, will not forget any one of you¡ª¡±


    Boom!


    Crash!


    Snap!


    Ash pulled out ¡®sweet words and a hidden dagger¡¯ from his mouth, rapidly retreated and raised the Sword Barrier, swinging his sword directly at Lanna, his Heart Sword like a shooting star aimed at the bald big man;


    Lanna transformed into a Werewolf and pounced toward Harvey, the darkness became his servant, sweeping over everything;


    Harvey waved both hands, shooting out three dark-gray Death Spikes, targeting Igula, Lanna, and Ronald;


    Ronald spread his hands, a handful of steel balls suspending in the air for an instant then abruptly locked onto the Swindler¡¯s guide, accelerating within a fraction of a second to air-tearing, sound barrier-breaking speed;


    Igula, on the spot, let out a Spiritual Scream, the vibrations ripples like armor, neutralizing other effects and flying projectiles, the piercing noise causing several cracks in the unfinished building!


    With the team disbanded, they turned into enemies!


    Did anyone think that breaking out of prison together would make them friends for life? Surely not.

 Chapter 152: 139: Return from Prison Studies

    Chapter 152: Chapter 139: Return from Prison Studies


    Kaimon City, Crime Hunting Hall Pearl Branch.


    ¡°Uh?¡± The young Hunter glanced at the flickering ¡°Coffin Lamp¡± and stood up immediately, ¡°Someone has died.¡±


    Another hunter, an obese Beastman, asked while eating chips, ¡°Where did they die?¡±


    ¡°Let me see...¡± The young Hunter switched the Crime Hunting Screen to the surveillance footage, ¡°The death occurred on the third main street of Elf Lake.¡±


    ¡°I know that place, isn¡¯t it full of abandoned buildings? Those stupid developers, just because there¡¯s a small pond, they dare call it ¡®Elf Lake¡¯ and boast about lakeside scenery; having two trees and calling it a ¡®private forest¡¯, a wellness secret realm; if the distance from the doorstep to the stairs is a bit long, they even call it a ten-meter corridor!¡± The obese Beastman Hunter spat, ¡°The advertising is so aggressive, and yet it¡¯s still an unfinished project. It¡¯s good that I gambled away my salary, otherwise, I definitely would have been trapped in a mortgage like Bernie.¡±


    He threw another handful of chips into his mouth, crunching loudly, ¡°By the way, who died?¡±


    ...


    ¡°Two people died, Louis Mill, a male human, 32 years old; Nyabrin Aden, a female goblin, 14 years old...¡±


    ¡°History of sugar consumption?¡±


    ¡°The former, six years; the latter, three years.¡±


    ¡°It must be that they hid in the unfinished building, ate too much sugar, and died during the melting. But it¡¯s quite unusual for humans and goblins to be melting together...¡±


    Even ogres, who have the highest innate resistance to poison, would experience some hallucinations after consuming Moon candy, not to mention other races. Besides hallucinations, there would also be strong sexual urges and a sense of exhilaration. Therefore, after ¡®sugar people¡¯ consume sugar, conflicts or mating activities would often erupt, and consuming sugar and mating with multiple males and females is known as ¡®melting¡¯.


    The young Hunter found it hard to accept, ¡°A 14-year-old goblin who hasn¡¯t even left the care home yet?¡±


    ¡°Oh, looks like you weren¡¯t raised in a market care home,¡± the obese Beastman Hunter laughed, ¡°Work here for a few more days and you¡¯ll see. All the care homes nearby are low-level; the little brats inside find it easier to escape than to poop. Many main gang members are underage brats. Because of the ¡®Child Protection Act¡¯, even if they commit crimes and get caught, they can have their sentences reduced. They¡¯re utterly unrestrained. When they grow up, they either join gangs or get sent to prisons to dig in the Platinum Mine for life.¡±


    ¡°So... we don¡¯t need to go check it out, either? If the underage goblin was taken to the hospital in time...¡±


    ¡°No need, just like last time, send the location information directly to the hospital and let them handle the bodies,¡± the obese Beastman Hunter said, spreading his hands. ¡°If Hunters were to respond, we¡¯d have to file a case, right? Write a case file, right? Process the bodies, right? Protect the site, right?¡±


    ¡°Most importantly, why bother with all that when our salary won¡¯t increase a single silver coin, and it only adds to our workload. In the end, the result is still the hospital taking away the bodies, isn¡¯t it better to go directly to that step now?¡±


    The young Hunter struggled to accept this, ¡°We ignore people dying in gang fights, we ignore people dying from eating sugar, so what exactly do we Hunters handle?¡±


    ¡°I guess I understand why a university-educated Hunter like you was assigned to such a remote branch,¡± the obese Beastman Hunter said calmly. ¡°Looks like you must have been a highly disliked, overly righteous comic character at the Hall.¡±


    The young Hunter shook his head and put on his windbreaker to leave.


    ¡°Hunters protect only the living, not the dead,¡± said the obese Beastman Hunter. ¡°People like this who choose their own path to ruin and don¡¯t value their own lives should be left to fend for themselves as it¡¯s our responsibility to society.¡±


    ¡°When did a 14-year-old goblin girl still in a care home get to choose her own path?¡± the young Hunter shouted angrily. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be her responsibility to society, but society¡¯s responsibility to her!¡±


    ¡°And with how the Kingdom of Blood Moon has treated us, how can we just watch as others are killed by society?¡±


    Bang!


    Watching the young Hunter slam the door as he left, the obese Beastman Hunter scratched his head, ¡°Didn¡¯t expect this university kid with thick brows and big eyes to secretly watch Blood Moon Judgement during his shift... huh, speaking so high and mighty, wait till I write a little report on him, deduct all his bonuses for the month then he¡¯ll know his mistake...¡±


    ¡°Young people are just young, they believe whatever the ogre says without thinking that anyone seated in such a position is a cunning politician; they twist facts against their favor and highlight what benefits them. It looks like quite a few youths might be getting stirred up by that ogre...¡±


    ¡°Kingdom of Blood Moon... the most barbaric civilized society...¡±


    The obese Beastman Hunter looked at the empty chip bag, licked his fingers, and gazed out at the Blood Moon, ¡°Speaking of which, why was I sent to this branch back then?¡±


    The Beastman opened the Light Screen and flipped through the old albums until the screen stopped on a photo from three years ago. In it, he had just joined the Crime Hunting Hall, dressed in a handsome dark-red uniform, looking so robust and spirited, his face beaming with a sunny smile.


    He looked at the nearby mirror, only seeing a decadent Beastman covered in the crimson moonlight.


    ¡°It¡¯s only us middle-aged folks who are wasted; there is still hope for the young.¡±


    ¡°Bravo to the mayor, who died beautifully.¡±


    ...


    Elf Lake Third Street, a dilapidated building collapsed loudly, startling a flock of birds.


    Ash hid behind a broken wall, glanced at the bloodstains spreading under the rubble nearby, and said, ¡°Stop playing, if we don¡¯t leave now, the Crime Hunting Hall will be after us. By now, Gerard must be so infuriated by my message that he¡¯d wish he could use fart-powered speed to chase us, but if you guys want to let the Holy Sanctuary Mages vent their frustration on us, I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Hiding behind another wall, Igula asked, ¡°Did you really leave a message for Gerard? But how did you know Gerard would be the first to rush to the trial site?¡±


    ¡°I guessed. You better pray I guessed wrong.¡± Ash asked, ¡°So, do you still want to fight?¡±


    ¡°No more fighting,¡± Harvey, hiding in the shadow of the second floor, said, ¡°I can¡¯t communicate with the chip processors around here right now; killing you guys is too much trouble.¡±


    ¡°Is it my imagination, or have you become quite arrogant since your prison break, Harvey?¡± Ronald laughed.


    ¡°Ronald, do you still have time to laugh? Aren¡¯t you afraid that Lanna beside you will swallow you whole?¡± Igula provoked, ¡°There¡¯s no Medical Practitioner around here who can save you.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t trouble the ¡®Beautiful Beast¡¯ about this,¡± Lanna laughed, ¡°When the news of your escape spreads, I¡¯m sure those old clients of yours can¡¯t wait to make some big deals with you again¡ªyour infamy is known from Feimeng City to Kaimon City; even in prison, I know many people hate you.¡±


    ¡°So, everyone should just leave then¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Ash suddenly shouted, ¡°Before we part, I want to ask something¡ªdo any of you know a way to leave the Kingdom of Blood Moon?¡±


    After a brief silence, Harvey said solemnly, ¡°Even if there is a way, why should I tell you?¡±


    Ash said, ¡°It¡¯s like confessing feelings, if you don¡¯t confess, there¡¯s definitely no chance, but if you do confess, maybe the other party will be blinded by the feelings?¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, Ash, you still owe me a favor,¡± Igula said tantalizingly, ¡°The prison break went too smoothly, I never had the chance to use that favor... what should I use this favor for? How about you come out and do push-ups in the middle of the rubble?¡±


    ¡°I think favors should be realistic and benefit both parties without bothering me, how about you wish for a birthday cake from me? I think a fruit cake would be great.¡±


    ¡°Coincidentally, I don¡¯t need any profit for myself, I just want to see you in trouble,¡± Igula shouted, ¡°And you¡¯re the one who wants a fruit cake!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Lanna answered tersely.


    ¡°I have some ideas, but can¡¯t tell you,¡± Ronald laughed, ¡°The fewer people who know, the better.¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t have a sharing mindset...¡± Ash complained, ¡°Harvey, can I ask you for a favor?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I have two injured people here, they were probably near the building earlier, our battle caused the building to collapse, causing them to be crushed by the debris. After we leave, could you save them? I will clear the rubble away.¡±


    Harvey was silent for a moment, ¡°I sensed it, and there¡¯s only you alive there.¡±


    ¡°Is that so...¡±


    ¡°So I can save.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Ash was startled.


    Two dark green lights flew out from the second floor and pierced into the rubble beside Ash.


    ¡°If they¡¯re not dead, I don¡¯t really have a way to save them. But if they¡¯re dead, this Miracle can make them temporarily become zombies, their bodies won¡¯t decay further for ten hours. If they can be treated within this period, there¡¯s a chance they could be saved. You don¡¯t need to clear the rubble; otherwise, they might attack others,¡± Harvey said, ¡°However, this is a pig district, they¡¯ll need some luck.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The thanks received no response, Ash blinked, realizing the others had already left.


    Ash used the Heart Sword to clear some of the rubble, exposing the heads of the zombies, then quickly circled around to another street, took off his Prison Guard uniform, and put on the crow suit given to him by the Medical Practitioner, swaggering into this unfamiliar city.


    ¡°Since I haven¡¯t found a way to leave the Kingdom of Blood Moon, I¡¯ll put that aside for now, first complete my character-specific side task...¡±


    Standing in front of a public bus stop, Ash looked at the city map and quickly found the ¡°Kaimon Comprehensive University¡± stop.


    ¡°Professor Selin, your student has returned from prison studies.¡±

 Chapter 153: 140 Freyja

    Chapter 153: Chapter 140 Freyja


    Freyja burped as she drunkenly steadied herself on the railing and walked up the stairs. As a Meiwa, her resistances were high; usually, it was tough for her to get drunk¡ªher body naturally adapts to her moods, drinking alcohol like water when she¡¯s upset, stumbling drunk at the scent of booze when happy.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve ordered every clay worker at ¡®Frost Fall Mud Cafe¡¯ at least once, should probably find a new mud cafe... Adela mentioned a new Deacon-themed mud cafe near the university¡¯s west gate, I¡¯ll check it out when I get my scholarship... But the ab muscles on that ¡®Fish Dragon¡¯ are truly amazing, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to order him again...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity about the ¡®Rock Dragon¡¯, he was quite skilled, but died in the 422 incident...¡±


    Reaching the third floor, the corridor lights flickered as Freyja fumbled for her keys, unfazed. The building was an old apartment built seventy years ago, lacking automatic elevators, floor heating, air conditioning, and even facing frequent electrical aging¡ªits only advantage was cheap rent. If it weren¡¯t for the landlord still being alive, it would¡¯ve been razed and rebuilt long ago.


    But that would happen soon; the apartment¡¯s landlord, a Beastman over sixty, would sell his properties in a few years to get an ¡°anti-aging surgery¡± at the institute. This surgery was much cheaper than life-extension surgery and was particularly popular among lower-class Mages and mortals.


    Once the institute acquired the building, they would naturally co-develop it with real estate developers to erect a taller, prettier apartment complex, just like the two new ones being constructed by the west gate. None of that mattered to Freyja, though, as she would have graduated and moved out by then.


    ...


    Opening her door, Freyja found the lights on at home and wondered¡ªhad she forgotten to turn them off before class?


    After kicking off her boots and slipping into slippers at the entrance, she saw a man in a hood sitting at her desk, using her ¡®Mist Sea¡¯ branded ¡°Knowledge Veil,¡± sipping the strong Beastman sweet milk from her fridge, clattering away on a Cherry milo keyboard.


    Her Scottish Fold cat, Xiaoxian, was sprawled on the desk, stretching lazily, then affectionately rubbing against the man¡¯s hand.


    The standard one-bedroom layout unfolded before her eyes from the entrance¡ªdesk, bed, balcony, bathroom, and small kitchen.


    Noticing the stir, the man turned to Freyja.


    ¡°Welcome back.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m back.¡±


    The man continued browsing the Light Screen as Freyja scratched her head and grabbed a bottle of ice water from the fridge, gulping it down before a sudden sourness in her stomach had her rushing to the bathroom to vomit a rainbow into the toilet.


    Vomiting, someone gently patted her back, making her feel slightly better. As three stacked tissues reached her mouth, Freyja subconsciously took them and said, ¡°Thanks.¡±


    After throwing up, Freyja felt much more sober. She came out, threw all her clothes onto a chair¡ªthe chair everyone has for dirty clothes¡ªand then turned to go shower.


    As the warm water rinsed over her, Freyja regained her clarity. Leaning against the wall, chin in hand, she felt something was off but couldn¡¯t pinpoint what.


    Suddenly, something clicked, and she clapped her hands.


    ¡°I only went to the mud cafe twice tonight; I usually go three times. Tonight was a loss!¡± She clicked her tongue. ¡°Even though the clay worker tonight wasn¡¯t great, I did pay, and I should¡¯ve enjoyed it fully, even if tearfully!¡±


    After her shower, as she meticulously dried her body¡ªespecially underarms, beneath her bosom, and inner thighs¡ªthe process of drying felt especially refreshing.


    Inspecting the white fuzz on her forearms and legs, she figured it was time for a trim. Being a Meiwa was troublesome this way; regular trimming of limb fuzz was needed to avoid excessive sweating.


    Freyja walked out naked, the curtain over her balcony drawn. It was generally unlikely for anyone to visit, and more importantly, the weather was warming up. Moreover, Meiwas were prone to sweating¡ªwhich, though fragrant with Charm, was sticky. Maintaining a natural state was the most comfortable.


    Jumping onto her bed, she rolled around twice and called out. Xiaoxian bounced over from the man to curl up in Freyja¡¯s arms.


    Snuggling next to her Meteor Dragon pillow, she pet Xiaoxian while booting up the Light Screen to browse the school forum on the Veil.


    She noticed everyone discussing tonight¡¯s Blood Moon Judgement¡ªtopics like ¡°Fernand,¡± ¡°social welfare systems,¡± and ¡°future eligibility for municipal exams¡± confused her. During the start of tonight¡¯s Blood Moon Judgement, she was still drinking at the mud cafe.


    Opening the psychic studies group, discussions on the Blood Moon Judgement continued, polarized into ¡°Blood Moon faction¡± and ¡°Fernand faction.¡± They debated over three hundred rounds, with an overwhelming 999+ message thread. She couldn¡¯t scroll to the start but caught them arguing over ¡°the necessity of the existence of the Blood Moon clans.¡±


    One side argued, ¡°The Blood Moon clans are the cornerstone of societal development; their long, stable lives ensure societal stability, and only they, unconcerned with short-term gains, could develop various Mage technologies.¡±


    The other countered, ¡°Blood Moon clans limit the development of multi-racial alliances,¡± blaming them for hoarding high-quality talents, thus preventing other races from producing great scholars and mages. The glory of the Blood Moon clans was built on draining other races dry.¡±


    Isn¡¯t this a debate beyond our student capabilities?

 Chapter 154: 140 Freyja_2

    Chapter 154: Chapter 140 Freyja_2


    ¡°`


    Even if you all decide the Blood Moon Tribe shouldn¡¯t exist, will they be dead as doornails when you wake up tomorrow morning?


    Everyone seems to have such a fierce temper tonight.


    Was the Blood Moon Judgement that exciting?


    Freyja skimmed through the Veil for a while but wasn¡¯t really feeling it, her legs rubbing together unconsciously.


    Clearly twice wasn¡¯t enough; it had to be three times!


    ...


    But she generally used videos as casting materials, and her videos were all stored in the ¡°Veil of Knowledge,¡± given that it had a thirty-two-inch screen¡ªnot only was the picture bigger and the resolution higher, but it could save many more and larger video files.


    Freyja¡¯s chip model was Miracle 11, with a meager storage of just 10 sectors, barely any space left after storing some important documents. However, the Veil of Knowledge boasted a storage of 800 sectors, and even after stuffing it with games and entertainment, it wasn¡¯t full.


    Just now, that man was using the Veil of Knowledge. Freyja walked over to the desk and glanced over to see that he was currently watching a replay of tonight¡¯s Blood Moon Judgement. She patted his shoulder, ¡°I need to use it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you go ahead.¡±


    The hooded man obediently vacated the chair, and Freyja sat down contentedly, adeptly opening ¡°New Folder.¡±


    Inside were four more folders, named ¡°Never Used,¡± ¡°Used Once,¡± ¡°Used a Few Times,¡± and ¡°Used Countless Times.¡±


    She pondered for a moment; in the rush of the moment, it wasn¡¯t time for Exploration, so she chose the fourth folder and opened a video titled ¡°Naughty Male Apprentice being taught a lesson~ The Female Professor Meiwa, Proficient in Spirit Hypnosis,¡± dragging the progress bar to the most exciting part. The sweet sounds of sobbing instantly intoxicated her again.


    Just as she couldn¡¯t contain herself and reached into the cabinet for her portable companion, she suddenly felt something was very off.


    Why...


    Why is the chair warm?


    It was as though someone had warmed it with their sitting.


    Freyja turned her head abruptly, locking eyes with Ash, who sat at the edge of the bed, hiding his face behind a book and sneaking glances at her. Although Ash quickly looked away, Freyja had completely snapped back to reality.


    With a contemplative expression, she raised a finger, pointing at Ash as if she suddenly realized, ¡°Ah, are you the Fish-Slicing Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Then, then, are you the Fire Dragon?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it either.¡±


    Freyja couldn¡¯t think of any other possibilities, ¡°Then which mud cafe?¡¯s mason are you? I don¡¯t recall ordering a home service tonight.¡±


    Truth be told, home services were expensive, and she had been on a bit of a spending spree lately, unable to afford one.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a mason.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not a mason, then why are you in my house... wait, I saw you when I came back just now, even if you were from a home service, you couldn¡¯t possibly have my house keys!¡±


    Freyja backed away in shock toward the balcony door, ¡°Are you a thief?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m actually an Incarnate Being from the Extreme Master of Blood Moon. Due to being tricked by an enemy, I have no choice but to stay in this world in my current Status. Just let me stay here for a few nights and once I regain my Extreme Lord identity, I¡¯ll promote you to be a Four-winged Legendary Mage, how about that?¡±


    ¡°Really!?¡± Freyja immediately rushed over and grabbed Ash¡¯s left hand, her eyes brimming with tears and hope, ¡°Really a Four-winged Mage?¡±


    Ash averted his gaze from her glaring, undisguised headlights, ¡°Of course it¡¯s fake.¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°What you give is what you get. To think I could become a Four-winged Legendary Mage just by letting me stay a few days¡ªwhere¡¯s the catch?¡± Seeing disapproval on Freyja¡¯s face, devoid of any willingness to help, Ash quickly added, ¡°But I can offer you a Technique Spirit as a reward. How about that?¡±


    ¡°What faction¡¯s Technique Spirit?¡±


    ¡°What faction would you like?¡±


    ¡°Spirit Faction!¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Ash held out his palm and a curled-up, caterpillar-like Technique Spirit materialized. Despite being a caterpillar, it wasn¡¯t disgusting at all, instead evoking an earnest sense of pity.


    To prepare an equivalent exchange, during his last Void Realm Exploration, Ash did not immediately trade the Technique Spirits he got for Game Points. Instead, he kept them all in his soul, which really came in handy now.


    ¡°Sympathy Technique Spirit!¡± Freyja recognized the Technique Spirit at a glance. Although it was a common one in the Spirit Faction, she hadn¡¯t summoned it yet: ¡°No problem! I¡¯ll take this one!¡±


    Freyja reached out to take it, but Ash retracted his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you when I leave.¡±


    ¡°How do I know you won¡¯t go back on your word?¡±


    Ash was well-prepared and drew out a parchment that glowed with fluorescence, ¡°We can sign a contract; this is constract paper made by an Insurance Master.¡±


    This paper was made for him by Igula. As an Insurance Master, Igula naturally had the ability to make Miracle contract paper.


    What Ash¡¯s relationship was with Igula, of course Igula was reluctant. However, Ash¡¯s reasoning was ¡°I might need to sign a temporary contract with someone during a jailbreak,¡± perhaps Igula couldn¡¯t go against requests that would aid an escape, or maybe he was just too fed up with Ash¡¯s pestering, and ended up reluctantly being exploited by Ash several times.


    Freyja blinked, ¡°Well... okay, then.¡±


    There was no time to lose; Ash immediately drew up the contract. The content of the contract was simple: Ash could stay at Freyja¡¯s house for the next few days, use the tools in the house, and Freyja must not reveal Ash¡¯s presence in any way. In return, Ash had to give the Sympathy Technique Spirit to Freyja before leaving.


    Freyja stood beside Ash as he drafted the contract, her hands pressing inward and her ample bust sculpting a sacred valley. Ash, catching sight of this wonder out of the corner of his eye, nearly signed his own name as ¡®Soft-White-Dough¡¯.


    ¡°How did you know my name is Freyja Hoyel?¡±


    ¡°Your notebook has your name on it.¡±


    ¡°The Extreme Master of Blood Moon¡¯s name is Ash Heath?¡±


    ¡°Do you have any objections?¡±


    ¡°No, no.¡±


    The contract was completed. Ash signed his name and handed the pen to Freyja.


    Freyja paused to take the pen, seemingly in thought, causing Ash to break out in a cold sweat. But she quickly signed her own name.


    The contract came into effect, with an invisible shackle binding Ash and Freyja together. Ash silently breathed a sigh of relief. Not only did he now have a place to stay temporarily, but he could also use Freyja¡¯s Veil of Knowledge to browse through the Veil and gather information, planning his side tasks at leisure.


    And lucky for him, he¡¯d found a rather nai?ve female college student. He had been prepared to move out immediately if he couldn¡¯t freeload with his ¡°Observer¡¯s Appearance¡± ability, ready to spend the next few days sleeping under bridges if necessary, but investigating Professor Selin wouldn¡¯t have been as convenient.


    But doesn¡¯t this world have SMS scams? A proper college girl hasn¡¯t even come across the ¡®I, Extreme Master of Blood Moon, am sending you money¡¯ type of scam messages?


    ¡°You¡¯re actually the leader of the Gods of Four Pillars cult, Ash Heath, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Freyja hugged her violin, tilting her head, ¡°I even cast a vote for you during the Blood Moon Judgement.¡±

 Chapter 155: 141: The Professor Teaches Everything But Knowledge

    Chapter 155: Chapter 141: The Professor Teaches Everything But Knowledge


    Kaimon Comprehensive University, Lecture Theater 107.


    ¡°Character deconstruction is a very important research direction for the Spirit Faction.¡±


    ¡°Ordinary people and even Mages who have never explored the knowledge of the mind invariably engage in ¡®character preconstruction¡¯ when they first meet strangers¡ªalso known as stereotyping. Rich yet gentle, poor yet self-deprecating, strong yet overbearing, weak yet gentle... we extract the most striking traits of others to incorporate into our realm of thinking.¡±


    ¡°Stereotyping is a very normal mental activity, which helps us quickly find the most reasonable way of interaction; to be humble in the face of strong adversaries and incremental only in the face of the weak. It can even be said that stereotyping is an essential survival skill.¡±


    ¡°However, for a Spirit Mage, this kind of stereotyping ¡®character preconstruction¡¯ is often the best time for casting. Through character deconstruction, we can silently influence strangers, generally in two ways.¡±


    ¡°The first method is the simplest¡ªcomplimentary deconstruction. Generally speaking, after experiencing close interaction, people gradually modify their perception of others, from simple stereotyping to complex stereotyping, such as ¡®rich yet gentle¡¯ would become ¡®rich, stingy to others, gentle, but only to friends¡¯, etc. People deconstruct a complex individual into easily understandable concepts with limited information.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Complimentary deconstruction is where the Spirit Mage, after setting a first impression, continuously reveals traits that fit the other person¡¯s ¡®expected¡¯ characteristics. For example, if I dress up as a wealthy and witty middle-aged man to chat with someone in a coffee bar, the other person would think I own a luxury car, and then, indeed, I¡¯d pull out a luxury car key; they would think I live in the Upper District, and then, I¡¯d inadvertently reveal that I live in Phoenix Garden... So, what do you think was the outcome of my chat that night?¡±


    ¡°By showing a first impression that the other person likes and continuously revealing details that allow the other person to ¡®fill in¡¯ the character, you can quickly gain their trust. Because ¡®you¡¯ haven¡¯t actually said anything; everything about ¡®you¡¯ has been deduced by the other party¡ªpeople unconditionally trust their own judgment.¡±


    ¡°Many victims of romantic scams have been deceived by this skill, to the extent that they believe in the existence of true love in this world. Personally, I don¡¯t advise you to use this method; if you must, then don¡¯t scam money, just have a pleasant evening.¡±


    ¡°There are many ways to use complimentary deconstruction which I will not elaborate on here. Interested students can purchase my book ¡®108 Practical Character Templates,¡¯ available for download on the Veil.¡±


    ¡°The second method is the most difficult¡ªinverse deconstruction. You don¡¯t need to consider the impression you give to others; you only need to carefully construct the impression others give you. In short, through the use of Technique Spirits, Miracles, and verbal skills, you guide others to ¡®fit¡¯ your impression of them.¡±


    ¡°If you believe someone to be kind and generous, then in your presence, they become just that. But you can¡¯t simply stereotype; you have to figure out ¡®why they¡¯re kind¡¯, ¡®why they¡¯re generous¡¯, and then reinforce their cognition through various details so that they unwittingly conform to your ¡®impression¡¯¡ªeven if they resist fitting that image.¡±


    ¡°This may sound complicated, but students who have read ¡®History of Social Change¡¯ will definitely be able to relate to an ancient social unit¡ªyes, exactly what Fernand was talking about last night: the family system.¡±


    ¡°Within the family system, male and female guardians would often use this form of inverse deconstruction to shape a child into their image of a ¡®good child.¡¯ It is said that the simplest way to become a Spirit Mage in ancient times was to raise a perfect child.¡±


    ¡°Here we won¡¯t discuss the accuracy of Fernand¡¯s remarks, but undoubtedly, inverse deconstruction suppresses a child¡¯s personality, depriving them of their human rights and freedom, which is one of the reasons why the family system was swept into the historical dustbin. However, for us Spirit Mages, inverse deconstruction remains a lifelong direction of study and learning.¡±


    ¡°Powerful Spirit Mages are no longer satisfied with inversely deconstructing sentient beings but aim to inversely deconstruct the world itself¡ª¡¯The world revolves around me,¡¯ that is the highest realm for a Spirit Mage!¡±


    ¡°This class is over, thank you.¡±


    As the bell rang, students hurriedly left, and the classroom quickly emptied.


    Adela, who sat next to Freyja, slumped onto the table and sighed, ¡°At this rate, when will I ever be able to summon a Spirit Technique Spirit to make money betting¡ªthis elective really does teach everything but the knowledge itself.¡±


    Freyja, wearing a breezy spaghetti strap tank top today, nodded in agreement.


    Comprehensive universities do not have a Spirit Faction, or to be precise, no university in the Kingdom of Blood Moon has a Spirit Faction¡ªthere are only elective courses related to spirit knowledge, such as the ¡®Mind Analysis¡¯ they had chosen.


    The professor would give lengthy lectures above, but he never talked about how to summon Technique Spirits, always circling back to strategies for social interaction and enticing everyone to buy his book¡ªif Freyja¡¯s perception wasn¡¯t wrong, the professor just used a ¡®Suggestion¡¯ Technique Spirit or something similar, leading students to believe that ¡®108 Practical Character Templates¡¯ contained methods for summoning Technique Spirits.


    Though the quality of the course was low and the professor¡¯s character questionable, the price was anything but cheap. Just for this course, Freyja¡¯s study loan had increased by a full 5%.


    Although these days, everyone can find all kinds of knowledge for free on the Veil, knowledge that can make money is never free and always comes with a high barrier to entry and strict confidentiality.


    Take the Biological Department, for example; the 17th century is the century of biology, and Biological Prosthetic Masters are currently the profession with the highest salary. But if one wishes to learn related knowledge, they must become an apprentice to a biology professor, virtually locked into an employment Contract that lasts for a decade.


    The mainstream Profession for the Spirit Faction is psychologist, but everyone knows that a true Spirit Mage is either a criminal or a politician (actually, they are not much different), which can be described as high risk, high return, so naturally, it¡¯s difficult to gain access to knowledge of the Spirit Faction.


    If Freyja weren¡¯t Meiwa, who is highly likely to autonomously summon a Spirit Technique Spirit, she might as well take the money for tuition to enjoy a few days at the muck cafes.


    Adela said, ¡°Shall we have dinner at Saleris tonight?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m broke,¡± Freyja said languidly. ¡°I just went to Frost Fall last night.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll treat.¡±


    ¡°You won money?¡±


    ¡°Hehe,¡± Adela flashed a cat-like smug smile: ¡°At last night¡¯s Blood Moon Judgement, I placed a heavy bet on Fernand and made a tidy sum.¡±


    ¡°How much did you make?¡±


    ¡°I can only tell you that if I had lost, I would have to work in the tea cafes for the next few months.¡±

 Chapter 156: 142 Cooking

    Chapter 156: Chapter 142 Cooking


    ¡°You¡¯re really not afraid of losing all your scholarship money, huh...¡±


    Freyja shook her head, ¡°And don¡¯t overestimate yourself either. You can¡¯t even make it into the lowest grade of green tea at the cafe. If you want to make money there, you should at least get a loan and get a full-body medical beautification. Body curves, appearance, hair, teeth, scent, and all kinds of structures like the meridian points need adjustments...¡±


    Adela looked terrified, ¡°Is it really that scary?¡±


    ¡°Let me put it this way.¡± Freyja pointed to herself, ¡°If I went to the cafe, I¡¯d barely qualify as a green tea level tea master, and my performance would certainly be subpar.¡±


    ¡°Has the cafe industry really become that competitive? Even Meiwa can barely make a living!?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I think the mud cafe is much more competitive than the tea cafe. Next time come with me to the mud cafe, I can introduce you to a beastman who¡¯s even prettier than Meiwa.¡±


    ...


    ¡°It¡¯s all the medical practitioners¡¯ fault!¡± Adela gritted her teeth in annoyance, ¡°Nowadays, even a natural beauty like me can¡¯t make money off her body.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you should study hard. Being a mage is the least competitive profession.¡± Freyja packed her backpack, ¡°The Void Realm doesn¡¯t care about rankings, only whether you¡¯re qualified.¡±


    Adela got up as well, ¡°Let¡¯s go eat at Saleris.¡±


    Saleris was a music restaurant near the university, popular among students for its pocket-friendly prices and rich menu. It even had separate areas for Moon candy and non-Moon candy, so students didn¡¯t have to worry about fellow diners suddenly getting high on candy and causing a scene.


    ¡°I¡¯m not coming with you.¡±


    ¡°Ah, why? I¡¯m treating you.¡±


    ¡°I have plans tonight.¡±


    Adela paused briefly, ¡°Two nights in a row at the mud cafe? Are you that rich?¡±


    ¡°Not going to the mud cafe.¡± Freyja propped her chin, ¡°It¡¯s something I shouldn¡¯t tell you about.¡±


    Before she left that morning, Ash had made sure to review Freyja¡¯s class schedule and told her to come home right after classes. Freyja, conscious of her role in harboring a fugitive, planned to check the situation at home first.


    Adela was hesitant, then suddenly grabbed Freyja¡¯s lovely shoulder and asked, ¡°You aren¡¯t in love, are you? Don¡¯t get fooled by those mud workers from the mud cafe!¡±


    ¡°No, how could that be.¡± Freyja smiled and waved her hand, ¡°Have you ever heard of a Meiwa being fooled by the opposite sex?¡±


    Adela thought about it and it indeed seemed unlikely. Since she¡¯d known Freyja, she had frequented over a dozen mud cafes near the university and never lingered over any particular mud worker¡ª Meiwa are famously one-time creatures; they tend to love before mating and despise afterwards, with only a rare few becoming exceptions.


    Relations are naturally insulated from Meiwa; they can¡¯t endure being in a long-term intimate relationship with the same person.


    Adela clicked her tongue, ¡°If you¡¯re not going, I¡¯m not in the mood for Saleris either. I¡¯ll go eat at ¡®Luck Up High¡¯ buffet instead.¡±


    ¡®Luck Up High¡¯ was the most famous casino near the university, where one could enjoy a free buffet with the purchase of certain gaming chips. Freyja cautioned, ¡°Don¡¯t lose all your dinner money. I won¡¯t have any to lend you.¡±


    ¡°Ptui, ptui, ptui, I¡¯m feeling lucky today, don¡¯t jinx me!¡±


    After leaving the classroom and parting from Adela, Freyja silently prayed to the Extreme Master of Blood Moon, hoping He would protect Adela from losing everything¡ªif not, Adela would definitely end up mooching off her.


    Adela was her college best friend, a human female with green hair and green eyes, and her hobby was gambling. Although severe in gambling addiction, this was not uncommon at university¡ªgambling and sex, almost every student had to dabble in at least one, and many in both. Those who completely avoided both were often ostracized.


    However, not many ¡°sugar men¡± were found among university students, and although no surveys had been conducted, it was a general belief that consuming sugar could reduce cognitive abilities, leaving sugar men with little academic prowess to enter university.


    Still, Adela wasn¡¯t the type of gambler who lost her senses; she had the confidence because she was top of her class. With just a little more effort, she could easily gain admission to grad school at the Red Mist Institute, which would then waive her student loans.


    In popular terms, she was almost ¡°onshore¡± and thus had little to worry about the future.


    For those like Freyja who couldn¡¯t make it into grad school, they had to repay their student loans after graduation. If they couldn¡¯t find a good job and fail to pay off the loans, the banks would introduce them to ¡°more lucrative¡± jobs¡ªlike the tea masters in the cafes.


    How many of her seniors had been transformed into mud workers specialised in catering to various customer preferences at the mud cafe...


    Lost in thought, Freyja returned to her own apartment.


    In the staircase, she ran into Aunt Mulan from the second floor. Just as she greeted her, Aunt Mulan grabbed her arm. The forearm¡¯s fuzzy area was Meiwa¡¯s weakness, so Freyja didn¡¯t dare resist and just listened to Aunt Mulan ramble, ¡°Freyja, don¡¯t believe in men, no matter how good they seem, they are deceitful; men fundamentally lack empathy with women. I was once...¡±


    After hearing the classic story of ¡°Young and beautiful Mulan tricked by a scoundrel¡± again, Freyja seized the chance to break free and said, ¡°I understand, Aunt Mulan, I am Meiwa, I won¡¯t be fooled by men!¡±


    Aunt Mulan sighed heavily and called after her, ¡°Men love to bind you with little favors; any man who won¡¯t spend much money on you is a deceiver!¡±


    Aunt Mulan was unusually agitated today; could it be that she encountered the man who had conned her at the mud cafe?... Freyja pondered as she fished out her keys to open the door, suddenly remembering that a cult leader lived inside.


    Why did he ask me to come home early?


    What does a cult leader do when alone?


    Definitely some evil sacrificial ritual!


    Did he call me back to be a sacrifice?


    Wait, that can¡¯t be right, the contract from last night clearly had a rule that ¡®both parties must not harm each other.¡¯


    Could it be he is short-handed for the ritual and wants me to help?


    In that case, would I not become complicit from just concealing?


    Although the cult leader himself can¡¯t hurt me, what if he has numerous henchmen hidden inside, all cloaked and holding torches?


    Despite these thoughts, Freyja still had to open the door and take a look, ready to run away at the first sign of danger. This is a city area, after all; it¡¯s not like an escaped convict could chase a university girl down the street.


    Freyja opened the door, her nose twitched slightly, detecting a whiff of food aroma. Suspicious, she walked into the hallway to see Ash wearing an apron in the small kitchen, bustling with kitchenware she had never used since moving in.


    Little Xian was circling around his feet, meowing occasionally, seemingly eager to taste his cooking.


    Ash saw her, smiled, and said, ¡°Take a seat for a while. I¡¯ll be done with the last dish soon, and we can eat.¡±


    ¡°Welcome back.¡±

 Chapter 157: 143 Try Not to Kill You by Holding Back

    Chapter 157: Chapter 143 Try Not to Kill You by Holding Back


    The Freyja family didn¡¯t have a dining table, so all the dishes were placed on the desk.


    Freyja sat on a chair that was originally used for dirty clothes¡ªthe dirty clothes had been washed by Ash, now hanging on the balcony. She pointed at the dish in front of her, the fiery lala fatty rice cover, mage lettuce salad, and misty spinach egg pancake and asked blankly, ¡°Did you ask me to come back just to have a meal together?¡±


    Xiao Xian¡¯s cat food today was topped with fiery lala fatty sauce and it smelled delicious.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ash took off his apron. ¡°Although I can wear a mask to avoid surveillance cameras, I still have to show my face when eating, so I can¡¯t eat outside... That¡¯s why I can only buy ingredients and cook at home, like the pancake I bought to eat at noon.¡±


    ¡°Then you could eat a pancake in the evening as well, why cook meal?¡±


    ¡°To be honest, the food standard in the prison was pretty good, the lunch maybe fine, but if I can¡¯t have a good meal for dinner, that feels a bit...¡±


    ...


    ¡°Why did you ask me to come back?¡±


    ¡°Because I can¡¯t just cook a meal for one, I can¡¯t eat three dishes alone, so I called you to come eat together.¡±


    It sounded reasonable, but Freyja still found it weird¡ªYou are Ash Heath, the leader of the Gods of Four Pillars Evil Cult; shouldn¡¯t you be grabbing a passerby and cracking open their skull for a taste of fresh brain when you¡¯re hungry?


    In fact, Ash had never cooked before; this was obtained from reading the Mage¡¯s Handbook about ¡°Mastery of Common Recipes,¡± unexpectedly becoming useful now.


    ¡°You just got out of prison, where did you get the money to buy ingredients?¡± Freyja suddenly thought of this.


    She wasn¡¯t afraid that Ash was using her money; in fact, there was no money at her home anyway. She wasn¡¯t yet a mage, so she didn¡¯t need to carry silver coins; she could just deduct the consumed amount directly from the data currency in her chip.


    ¡°You can also earn money in prison,¡± Ash pulled out a stack of beautiful banknotes from the bag, remarking, ¡°I directly bought groceries with silver coins, yet I received so much change.¡±


    In truth, the ingredients for this lavish dinner hadn¡¯t even cost one-twentieth of a silver coin, as a single silver coin could suffice a common person¡¯s food needs for twenty days, amounting to eighteen coins a year, while the exchange rate between the gold coins and silver coins seemed to be 1:100...


    After a day of shopping, Ash felt he needed to revise his image of the Medical Practitioner¡ªbeing able to casually give out a gold coin, she was not just some slightly wealthy woman; she was a wealthy one indeed!


    During the conversation, Ash opened a video within the Veil of Knowledge titled ¡°Why Mages Are Great¡±. There were many such educational videos in the Veil, mainly targeted at ordinary people who didn¡¯t qualify for university.


    But to someone like Freyja, who was an apprentice mage, the knowledge in them seemed a bit shallow. However, coupled with the witty dialogue and hilarious scenes, they seemed quite entertaining.


    Did he just find this video randomly? He is an official mage now, he doesn¡¯t need to watch these type of educational videos, right...


    It¡¯s worth mentioning that before the video played properly, there was a 30-second advertisement, which in the last ten seconds switched to the Crime Hunting Hall¡¯s wanted announcement.


    ¡°¡®Corpse Lover¡¯ Archibald Harvey, a One-winged Mage, death/live capture reward 10 gold coins, information reward 1 silver coin.¡±


    ¡°¡®Rotting Crow¡¯ Ronald Wade, a One-winged Mage, death/live capture reward 8 gold coins, information reward 8 silver coins.¡±


    ¡°¡®Swindler¡¯ Igula Bokin, a Two-winged Mage, death/live capture reward 15 gold coins, information reward 2 silver coins.¡±


    ¡°¡®Death Cultist¡¯ Lanna Chios, a Two-winged Mage, death/live capture reward 20 gold coins, information reward 2 silver coins.¡±


    ¡°¡®Evil Demon Saint¡¯ Ash Heath, strength unknown, death/live capture reward 50 gold coins, information reward 5 silver coins.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re worth quite a bit.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the compliment. Having second thoughts?¡±


    ¡°Not really, after all, it¡¯s difficult to buy a Technique Spirit like empathy spirit; 5 silver coins won¡¯t cut it.¡±


    At this, Freyja paused and looked at Ash, ¡°If His Excellency the Evil Demon Saint wants to go back to prison, please let me send you there.¡±


    ¡°Forget about it, if I wanted to surrender, I would definitely collect the bounty myself.¡±


    ¡°Stingy.¡±


    The two were eating and watching videos when Ash suddenly said, ¡°Freyja, I wanted to discuss something with you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Could you wear some clothes to bed at night?¡± Ash tactfully said, ¡°After all, now there¡¯s me, a member of the opposite sex...¡±


    Since it was only their first night staying at someone else¡¯s place, Ash had held back all night without saying anything. Even though he was sleeping on the floor, the thought of a naked little lamb lying on the bed kept him awake half the night.


    Freyja gave him a curious look, ¡°Why should I wear clothes since you¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel embarrassed being seen naked by someone else?¡±


    ¡°Not really, if it wasn¡¯t against the public order laws, I¡¯d probably go to class without clothes, especially since it¡¯s been quite hot lately.¡±


    Freyja pulled at her little vest and peeked inside, asking strangely, ¡°Or is it that you find me unattractive and that makes you uncomfortable?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re very attractive, it¡¯s just that...¡± Ash racked his brain for a polite way to explain, ¡°You arouse desires in me...¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Freyja had a sudden realization, pulled out a tissue to wipe her mouth, and then yanked up her little vest with both hands, ¡°Then let¡¯s do it, and your body will get used to it. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be as gentle as possible with you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why would you think that way!¡± Ash pulled her vest back down, ¡°That¡¯s way too casual!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being a bit harsh, you know. If I hadn¡¯t signed a contract with you, I¡¯d consider suing you at the Crime Hunting Hall.¡± Freyja was slightly annoyed, ¡°I am not someone who behaves casually. Look, you¡¯re a cult leader, you¡¯re supposed to give me a Technique Spirit in the future, and besides, you¡¯re also quite good-looking. That¡¯s why I thought it¡¯d be no problem to do it, it¡¯s just Meiwa etiquette.¡±


    ¡°Are you scared to do it with me? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll try my hardest not to kill you.¡±


    At that point, Ash finally heard something off, ¡°What do you mean try not to kill me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know? We Meiwa¡¯s body fluids have a special effect that can reduce a male¡¯s refractory period to zero. Plus, we really enjoy the pleasure of mating, and sometimes we accidentally kill our partners,¡± Freyja explained. ¡°But I¡¯ll be careful. As soon as you¡¯re comfortable, I¡¯ll stop immediately; the contract forbids me from harming you. Really, I¡¯ll be extremely careful.¡±


    Freyja was serious because she had to be¡ªmost mud artisans from Mixue had undergone special modifications allowing them to decide when to stop, with limitless stamina, but normal unmodified humans don¡¯t possess such abilities, even those naturally strong.


    Even now, Freyja would occasionally hear news about ogres, beastmen, and even elves being killed by Meiwas, there were also cases of members from the Blood Saint Clan falling unconscious from being drained of blood, only the pure Moon Shadow Clan was immune to Meiwa¡¯s allure.


    In a way, the Meiwas were facing better times. If we look a hundred or two hundred years back before the industrialization of biological modifications, almost seven out of every ten Meiwas ended up as murderers, and the other three just hadn¡¯t been caught with dried up corpses yet.


    But, thanks to the Human Rights Association and the Racial Rights Association¡¯s interventions, as long as Meiwas didn¡¯t conceal their race beforehand, it wasn¡¯t considered intentional murder but rather suicide by the other party, and the Meiwas would just get dozens of hours of community service.


    If Ash¡¯s earlier refusal was out of some vague virgin moral code, now his survival instincts were taking over, firmly holding onto the hem of Freyja¡¯s vest, preventing her from undressing.


    Though that way of dying would be blissful, Ash had no intention of dying in ecstasy.


    Freyja pouted, ¡°I don¡¯t like wearing clothes after showering, and you don¡¯t want your body to get used to me, so what do you suggest we do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll endure it.¡±


    Freyja shrugged and continued eating, ¡°You¡¯re such a strange person.¡±


    ¡°In my opinion, you¡¯re the strange ones.¡±


    Ash sighed, ¡°I walked around the university today, saw three casinos, five or six candy shops, I even saw a group of female students enter a place called ¡®MIXUE Tea Cafe,¡¯ changed into extremely revealing clothes, and started attracting customers outside...¡±


    Freyja looked puzzled, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with female students working part-time during their free time? Did you patronize their business?¡±


    ¡°Freyja, I¡¯m a fugitive.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, you can wear a mask the whole time, and pay with silver coins. The tea cafe won¡¯t pry into it, they¡¯ll just think you¡¯re a customer with special tastes.¡±


    Freyja added, ¡°If you¡¯re feeling uncomfortable after dinner, just hurry up and go. I¡¯ll do the dishes.¡±

 Chapter 158: 144: Running Towards a Better Life

    Chapter 158: Chapter 144: Running Towards a Better Life


    Ash¡¯s expression froze for a moment before he changed the topic, ¡°I could get over tea-cafes, since I, too, love to look at beautiful women. But why in some places called ¡®Mud-Cafes,¡¯ are there so many scantily clad men striking poses? It really offended my eyes. If I weren¡¯t an escaped convict, I would want to report them to the Crime Hunting Hall for disrupting the city¡¯s appearance. There should be laws clearly prohibiting this¡ª¡±


    ¡°I advise you not to meddle in things that don¡¯t concern you,¡± Freyja warned. ¡°If you don¡¯t like to look, we do. You men can look at beautiful women, but we can¡¯t look at handsome men?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I can ignore that too, after all, it¡¯s a traditional profession. Although it has grown in scale, it¡¯s not incomprehensible.¡± Ash¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°I wandered a bit further and saw the workers on a construction site.¡±


    ¡°What about the workers?¡±


    ¡°They... more than half of their bodies had been turned into machinery. Their legs had been replaced with wheels, their hands with multifunction toolboxes, even their eyes had been replaced with mechanical ones... If I hadn¡¯t seen them drinking alcohol and overheard their conversations, I would have thought they were robots.¡±


    ¡°How could they be robots?¡± Freyja waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Fully autonomous robots are so expensive and require frequent maintenance. In comparison, hiring these mechanical workers is much cheaper. I remember you haven¡¯t been in prison for long; mechanical workers became popular in Kaimon City over a decade ago, how come it seems like you¡¯ve never seen them before?¡±


    ...


    ¡°...Are there many mechanical workers in Kaimon City?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily at construction sites. Their hands can change attachments. With some simple training, they can work as assembly workers, maintenance workers, assemblers, and other technical jobs.¡±


    Freyja took a big bite of the Red Flame Lala Fatty, her mouth corners smeared with egg yolk sauce, ¡°Generally speaking, ordinary people who have no hope of becoming Mages, most will change their profession to mechanical workers, and that includes clerks, the difference is just the degree of mechanization.¡±


    Ash was stunned, ¡°Even non-technical labor professions are mechanized?¡±


    ¡°Of course, not to mention limbs and spine, replacing internal organs with mechanical modules is very advantageous.¡± Freyja poked her Buns. ¡°The heart could be replaced with a more powerful ¡®Spark,¡¯ the lungs with a ¡®Combustion Chamber¡¯ with better circulation, and the stomach with an ¡®Energy Pool¡¯ that has stronger digestive and absorption abilities...¡±


    ¡°Now, mechanical modification has become very affordable. A standard mechanical module set, if one works diligently, can be paid off with a loan in just three to four years, but the effects are excellent: It can give you longer endurance and be more energy-efficient.¡±


    ¡°In times of hardship, you can survive on just drinking water, while still maintaining high energy levels; in times of plenty, you have more strength to enjoy life and can have more intense sensory experiences.¡±


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fact that mechanical modules reduce a Mage¡¯s efficiency in absorbing Magic Power in the Void Realm, it¡¯s likely that many Mages would opt for mechanical modification instead of the more expensive biological modification.¡±


    Freyja shrugged her shoulders, ¡°However, as it stands now for regular people, the ¡®Universal¡¯ mechanical hand and the ¡®Energy Pool¡¯ mechanical stomach are almost a necessity, otherwise enterprises simply wouldn¡¯t hire them. Most practical tools are designed to interface with a mechanical hand, and without one, you can hardly use tools. Like the head chef in my university cafeteria; his mechanical hand attaches to a spatula, can automatically heat, cool, and season, and he makes a particularly delicious steak.¡±


    ¡°And the mechanical stomach allows you to eat all of the day¡¯s food in the morning and then digest it slowly, not only increasing working hours but also saving on food costs¡ªlike our meal here, which can be exchanged for 30 portions of ¡®feed.''¡±


    ¡°A mechanical worker just needs one portion of feed to sustain a day¡¯s worth of work. In other words, we¡¯ve just consumed what would feed a mechanical worker for an entire month.¡±


    Ash couldn¡¯t understand, ¡°What about the Human Rights Association? The Racial Rights Association? Aren¡¯t they doing anything?¡±


    Freyja frowned, ¡°What does this have to do with the Human Rights Association? No one is forcing them to undergo mechanical modifications, they are doing it voluntarily. The Human Rights Association can¡¯t restrict their freedom to undergo mechanical modifications, nor can it prevent them from pursuing a better life.¡±


    Pursuing a better life.


    Ash was left baffled.


    He remained silent for a long time, waiting until Freyja had eaten her fill and wiped her mouth before he suddenly raised a question.


    ¡°So Mechanical Workers are so thrifty, where do they spend their salaries?¡±


    Freyja counted on her fingers, ¡°Mud coffee, tea coffee, casinos, candy stores, drama voting, fashion jewelry, biological modification, updating chip versions, updating the Veil of Knowledge, ¡®Mage Ascension,¡¯ ¡®Void Realm Fantasy 14,¡¯ ¡®Miracle World,¡¯...¡±


    After a day of surfing the web, Ash knew that the last three were the hottest multiplayer games inside the Veil. The Veil was an information world jointly constructed by all the citizens, equivalent to the internet. It was called the ¡°Veil¡± because of its high degree of concealment. Apart from the Crime Hunting Hall that managed the chips, it was impossible for ordinary people to find others in the Veil, where everyone was an ¡®invisible person behind the curtain.¡¯


    Also, because of anonymity, people¡¯s comments in the Veil could be incredibly unrestrained. Just in one day, Ash learned all sorts of dirty language involving racial discrimination, gender discrimination, educational discrimination, and occupational discrimination.


    Even though there were no mothers in the Kingdom of Blood Moon, their proficiency in swearing still astonished Ash; he somewhat wished he could switch to a pair of eyes that had never seen those dirty words.


    He even had a moment when he thought that perhaps the ¡®speaking restrictions¡¯ at places like Shattered Lake Prison had some merit, and that this bunch of reckless trash-talkers should be captured and reformed.


    As for drama voting, it was a special pay-per-view model for TV dramas in the Kingdom of Blood Moon. To put it simply, after the audience watched the first half of the series, the producers would provide multiple ending options. Viewers could then vote (by paying money) for their preferred ending, and the producers would produce the ending as wished.


    For example, the comic Ash had read, ¡°It¡¯s All My Fault for Saying I Like MILFs,¡± might offer endings like ¡°the male lead lives happily with the female lead,¡± ¡°the male lead lives a shameless life with both female lead and the second female lead,¡± ¡°female lead ends up with the second female lead,¡± ¡°the male lead ends up with the second male lead,¡± and so forth, a dozen different directions. After the audience watched the first half of the series, they could choose the ending!


    Regarding fashion jewelry, Ash found out today that though Freyja did not come from a large home, she had three closets stuffed with all sorts of attractive clothes and accessories. He thought it was a female hobby, but walking on the streets, he noticed that almost everyone dressed very upscale and classy, even the male clerks in food supermarkets dressed like wealthy young masters.


    Moreover, apart from the middle-aged and elderly, most young people were very good-looking, regardless of gender, even Goblins had delicate features; some people even had starlight in their eyes¡ªthe real kind, where pupils twinkle and flash.


    It was clear that everyone¡¯s appearance had been artistically touched up by Medical Practitioners, but Ash couldn¡¯t really say much about that¡ªhe too had his face ¡®touched up¡¯ by a Medical Practitioner [222].


    As for why they purchased the Veil of Knowledge, that was because updating chip versions also cost money. The chip version most people were implanted with at birth was the Miracle Model 1, which was slow, had small storage space, and could only be said to be ¡®usable.¡¯ Most adults would update their version to Model 10 or higher. The newer the chip version, the stronger the functions and the better the experience. Not to mention, many apps had version requirements, and lower-version chips could not run higher-version apps.


    The Veil of Knowledge was the glass screen they were currently looking at. Compared to the narrow light screen displayed by the chip, the Veil of Knowledge had features like higher resolution, larger size, better color, bigger storage space, and stronger performance.


    Although both information entertainment terminals, the chip¡¯s status was akin to an implanted cellphone, while the Veil of Knowledge was like a personal computer.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that most people, after earning money, would invest it into drugs, gambling, modifying their bodies, fashion jewelry, and virtual entertainment?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Ash opened his mouth to say something but then closed it again.


    It wasn¡¯t until he ate the last piece of milk egg pancake that he couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Do you do the same?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m not interested in gambling or drugs, and I cannot undergo biological modification at the moment since I¡¯m aiming to become a Mage in the future.¡±


    ¡°Then are you happy?¡±


    Freyja looked at him strangely.


    ¡°Very happy.¡±

 Chapter 159: 145 Half an Hour

    Chapter 159: Chapter 145 Half an Hour


    Freyja was quite conscientious and helped Ash wash the dishes.


    After they were done, Freyja glanced at the ¡°Veil of Knowledge,¡± ¡°Will you be using the ¡®Veil of Knowledge¡¯ tonight?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I want to look up some information.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you use your own chip to access the Veil?¡±


    ¡°The premise of me jailbreaking was removing the chip from the back of my neck.¡±


    Freyja was surprised, ¡°Then where will you live? Without chip registration, you can¡¯t even rent a place... You¡¯re not planning to cohabit with me forever, are you!?¡±


    ...


    ¡°The contract states I can stay here for a maximum of seven days,¡± Ash replied irritably, ¡°After seven days, I¡¯ll go sleep under the bridge.¡±


    ¡°As long as you follow the contract and hand over the ¡®Technique Spirit of Compassion¡¯ to me, I actually don¡¯t mind letting you stay a few more days... If you¡¯re willing to cook every day, I can waive the rent for you.¡±


    Freyja paused for a moment, ¡°I need to use the ¡®Veil of Knowledge¡¯ after I take a bath, probably for about half an hour.¡±


    ¡°No problem, I need to take a bath too, so I¡¯ll leave that time for you.¡±


    Ash continued surfing on the Veil, while Freyja began her sociology homework. The sociology department was not part of the Magic Faction, but the content of the civil service exam was all from the sociology department, arguably making it necessary to have a silver degree in sociology if one aspired to become a Civil Affairs Officer in the future.


    Fernand¡¯s speech from last night¡¯s ¡°Blood Moon Judgement¡± had gone viral, and even someone like Freyja who hadn¡¯t watched it was forced to see it in class, so the professor¡¯s assignment was ¡°Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of societal nurturing versus the family system.¡± It was said that ¡®societal nurturing¡¯ would likely be a mandatory topic on the civil service exam over the next few years and was an essential area of knowledge to master.


    The homework wasn¡¯t difficult; as long as one followed the line of argument that ¡®societal nurturing completely overpowers the family system,¡¯ it would be adequate. To score higher, one needed to think more deeply and write about the advantages currently exhibited by society that aren¡¯t described in textbooks.


    Considering the professor¡¯s intent... Fernand¡¯s speech... the second generation of Blood Moon...


    Freyja quickly formed an idea.


    ¡°... The family system causes the second generation of Blood Moon to engage in more factional struggles. Those who successfully transform into Blood Moon descendants will use their power to help their original race relatives acquire illegal benefits, depriving other original races of their rightful resources... It leads to mediocre individuals joining the Blood Moon descendants through nepotism and other unwritten rules, lowering the average caliber of the Blood Moon Favored...¡±


    ¡°If a whole family is part of the second generation of Blood Moon, they form an unbreakable interest group, which is detrimental to the leadership of research institutions and the Church... It contaminates the rule of the Government Affairs Hall...¡±


    ¡°Kinship bonds are a weakening poison to the second generation of Blood Moon, a precursor to internal strife...¡±


    ¡°The second generation of Blood Moon is the foundation of the Kingdom of Blood Moon¡¯s growth and development; we cannot let backward systems taint the purity of the Blood Moon Favored...¡±


    Since there was no other table, Freyja also sat beside Ash to do her homework.


    Fortunately, the desk was big enough. Freyja worked on the left side and Ash surfed the web on the right. Aside from sitting a bit close, they were able to work undisturbed by each other¡ªthe left side of the desk had been cluttered with skincare products, lubricants, snacks, tissues, cotton swabs, and various odds and ends, all now tidied away.


    Speaking of which, since Freyja couldn¡¯t afford to hire a cleaning lady, her home was basically in a ¡®good-enough-to-sleep-in¡¯ state. Undergarments were piled up until there were none left to wear before washing, garbage was left until it overflowed before being taken out, and the hallway was filled with a maze of assorted items that only allowed for single-file passage, all considered normal by her landlord.


    Now, upon looking around, Freyja suddenly realized her place was like new. Clothes were taken for washing, garbage was thrown out, and the clutter was neatly arranged in a corner, even making Freyja wonder if this was really her home.


    ¡°Did you clean during the day?¡±


    Ash hesitated for a moment but nodded firmly, ¡°Yes, to be honest, the sanitary conditions here were worse than the restrooms in prison. Since I was idle anyway, I just did some cleaning. Consider it paying the rent.¡±


    Ash added, ¡°By the way, I took your clothes for washing, you don¡¯t mind, do you? The weather has been a bit hot lately, and there¡¯s no air conditioning here. In such an excellent experimental environment, those piled-up clothes underwent a very interesting odor reaction. It¡¯s bearable at night, but I really couldn¡¯t stand it during the day...¡±


    Freyja¡¯s face turned red to the tips of her ears, too embarrassed to speak, ¡°Is, is that so? I didn¡¯t notice any smell myself... I don¡¯t mind at all, thank you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief, I was afraid you¡¯d come back and call me a pervert, so I cooked just to try to please you,¡± Ash said.


    ¡°Why would I call you that, don¡¯t worry, you can wash all my clothes from now on!¡± Meiwa responded cheerfully.


    ¡°No need for that, but could you maybe wash your clothes yourself every day?¡± he suggested.


    ¡°No can do, I¡¯m the type to wait until there¡¯s a big pile of dirty clothes before washing them all at once. Just like you can¡¯t expect me to get dressed right after a shower, you can¡¯t change my laundry habits,¡± she said adamantly.


    ¡°Tsk, you¡¯re so good-looking, how can your hygiene habits be so poor...¡± he frowned.


    ¡°What does looking good have to do with it? Everyone does it this way, tidying the room and washing clothes every day is just a waste of time,¡± Meiwa argued.


    Having eaten her fill, the little pet Xiao Xian jumped onto the table and curled up into a ball of fur, seemingly falling asleep to the sound of their chatting.


    With their intermittent small talk, Freyja quickly finished her sociology homework. Checking the time, she naturally stripped off all her clothes, tossed them onto a chair, and humming a tune, walked into the bathroom.


    Ash glanced at the underwear on the chair and listening to the sound of the streaming water inside, found his gaze stuck on the lacey lingerie. With great effort, he turned his gaze away and activated his Substitute Technique Spirit to have it place the clothes into a hamper on the balcony¡ªyouthful bodies can¡¯t handle such stimulating sights!


    Xiao Xian immediately perked up and started chasing after the Substitute Technique Spirit, playing along.


    In the bathroom, Freyja felt something was off too. Meiwa was particularly sensitive to spiritual states, and she could clearly sense a strange emotion blossoming within her.


    She didn¡¯t know how to describe this feeling, something she had never experienced in her past eighteen years. Standing under the showerhead, letting the water wash over her fair skin, Freyja soon identified the source of this strange emotion¡ª who else could it be, if not that Evil Demon Saint who had suddenly intruded into her life?


    Scared? A little.


    Liking it? Seems like yes.


    Disliking it? It felt like someone was wringing her stomach out like a towel, and Freyja found it hard to breathe¡ªyes, she loathed Ash. She couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on why, but she suddenly felt an aversion toward this man.


    So, did she want to stay away from him?


    Freyja breathed silently under the water, leaning against the wall for quite a while, then suddenly laughed, ¡°How can such conflicting emotions exist...It must be because of my body, right? Yeah, definitely a physical reason, especially since Ash interrupted me last night.¡±


    She quickly let go of the matter, dried her body, wrapped her hair in a towel, and had just gone out to blow-dry her hair when she saw Ash ¡®whoosh¡¯ into the bathroom, smoothly closing the door behind him so swiftly it was as though he used Magic, Freyja didn¡¯t even catch his figure clearly.


    ¡°In such a hurry to shower? You should have told me, I could have let you go first,¡± Freyja muttered, then went to sit in front of the Veil of Knowledge, starting her usual nightly tasks.


    ...


    Ash had just started washing up in the bathroom when he gradually heard a moan that eroded his bones.


    Initially, he thought the soundproofing of the apartment was poor, and some couple in another room was working on their fertility fund. However, once he turned off the tap to lather himself with shower gel, the moans became distinctly clear without the cover of the flowing water.


    This was a bigger shock than the lingerie.


    Ash silently turned the tap back on, to the maximum water volume, cold water!


    But the melodious voice, gentle as goose feathers, tickled inside Ash¡¯s ears, the sound of the water unable to cover it and instead, it seemed to amplify his imagination like a filtering effect.


    A thought suddenly popped into his mind.


    ¡°Could it really take half an hour?¡±

 Chapter 160 03-25 - 146: Who Dates Seriously?

    Chapter 160: Chapter 146: Who Dates Seriously?


    Freyja was awakened by the smell of the food.


    Today was April 29th, the third day she harbored an escaped convict, and also a morning she could oversleep since there were no classes.


    Adult Meiwas usually need twelve hours of sleep, but such a schedule couldn¡¯t keep up with the fast-paced urban life. Hence, on school days, Freyja would only sleep six hours and take an Awakening Potion. If needed, she could sleep for just four hours and take two Awakening Potions.


    However, the Awakening Potion can lead to tolerance, and once the dosage increases, it¡¯s hard to decrease. So, Freyja was extra careful to maintain a rhythm of one pill per day, preferring to yawn rather than take a second pill.


    It wasn¡¯t because she feared addiction, but rather that Awakening Potions were expensive¡ªthey were even pricier than Moon candy.


    Actually, it could also be said that Moon candy was just too cheap.


    ...


    That¡¯s the way Blood Moon was¡ªentertainment was always cheap; anything usable to earn money was definitely expensive.


    Like how ogres could enhance their drawing skills with Moon candy, exploiting a racial Talent. Such things were enviable.


    Greeting the Evil Demon Saint with a yawn, Freyja headed to the bathroom, donned a non-slip hair band, showered, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and groomed her hair. Since she was a naturally beautiful Meiwa, and Freyja currently didn¡¯t need to entertain people with her looks, she was on the money-payer¡¯s side. Therefore, a simple skincare routine sufficed, taking less than half an hour in total.


    Before leaving, she thought it over and decided to give Ash some face by getting dressed before heading out. After all, she was going to class, not to sleep, so there was no reason to be naked.


    Ash had already prepared the meal and was watching a video while eating. Freyja leaned in to take a quick look but then decided not to watch¡ª¡±Analysis of the Strengths and Weaknesses of Various Magic Factions (Part 1).¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d advise you to watch comedy videos instead, although this video is quite funny too.¡±


    Ash seemed surprised, ¡°Why? I just wanted to have a basic understanding of other factions¡¯ knowledge...¡±


    Source: , updated on ?¦Ï??0.?¦Ï


    ¡°Your approach will only lead to preconceived biases,¡± Freyja said. ¡°Can you sum yourself up, who has existed for decades, in a single sentence? Do you think a few minutes¡¯ introduction can encapsulate a Magic Faction that has existed for centuries or even millennia?¡±


    ¡°Watching such a video will only make you think Earth Magic is about moving dirt, Thunder Technique fizzles and zaps, swordsmanship requires close combat, Illusion Magic System lacks lethality, Prophecy is just for scholars weak as reeds, and Mind Magic can be countered simply by stuffing cotton in your ears¡ªyou¡¯d be better off knowing nothing, at least you¡¯d be more cautious.¡±


    ¡°If you want to understand a Magic Faction, you should at least read an introductory book, or better yet, attend a lecture by a professional professor. A video like this isn¡¯t targeted at Mages but non-Mage viewers¡ªthese viewers just want to feel superior with the knowledge that ¡®Magic Factions aren¡¯t so mystical or even useful at all.''¡±


    ¡°Better watch the videos in the new folder, they¡¯re harmless and might even improve your appetite.¡±


    Ash was startled, ¡°Can they really boost my appetite?¡±


    ¡°And you dare to question a Meiwa¡¯s judgment? I¡¯ll pick something that will definitely increase your appetite¡ª¡±


    ¡°No need, no need, I¡¯ll change the video,¡± Ash quickly refused Meiwa¡¯s recommendation and swiftly selected something else in the video Veil: ¡°Um, I¡¯ll watch this ¡®Why So Expensive¡¯ shop exploration video. It just so happens we¡¯re eating ... Dammit, a tea cafe exploration video!?¡±


    ¡°Wait, just watch this one.¡±


    ¡°Are you such an omnivore?¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be omnivorous,¡± Freyja shrugged. ¡°But it¡¯s also possible I just haven¡¯t met a woman that truly excites me yet... Tsk, if you don¡¯t like tea cafes, should I switch to a mud cafe exploration video?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go with this then.¡± Ash capitulated.


    Believe it or not, the food seemed to taste even better.


    As they watched, Ash looked around the one-room apartment, asking, ¡°Were you alone ever since you enrolled in university and left the orphanage?¡±


    Holding a handful of seafood and munching it, Freyja looked at Ash curiously, ¡°Am I alone? Could I possibly be a cat?¡±


    She smiled at Xiao Xian, reached out to scratch the fold-ear cat¡¯s chin, and Xiao Xian seemed very pleased, almost drooling.


    ¡°Have you ever considered living with someone else as roommates?¡± Ash asked. ¡°Living together with someone else would be more cost-effective, wouldn¡¯t it? The living expenses would decrease, and the quality of life would improve...¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Freyja shook her head repeatedly. ¡°I get a rent subsidy for living alone, plus a university subsidy, which together cover about 80% of my rent. With rent this cheap, why would I want to share with someone else?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be even cheaper with two people sharing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not struggling on my own, so why do I need to live with someone else?¡± Freyja tilted her head. ¡°I had my own room in the orphanage too. Why should I squeeze in with someone else after moving out?¡±


    ¡°But if there¡¯s someone else, you could help each other out in daily life, like if you fell and got hurt...¡±


    ¡°I could use a chip to notify the hospital to send an ambulance.¡±


    ¡°You two could avoid eating out by cooking at home...¡±


    ¡°Actually, I spend less money eating at the school cafeteria than you spend on groceries,¡± Freyja muttered. ¡°And cooking myself means I¡¯d have to do the dishes... my apartment doesn¡¯t have a dishwasher...¡±


    Ash couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°But since you have those needs, wouldn¡¯t it be more convenient to live with a lover?¡±


    Last night, Ash had scrubbed himself raw waiting for the moaning to stop, thinking it would all be over after one night, but then he found out Freyja needed to solve her problem every night, usually three times, with the duration ranging from fifteen to forty-five minutes depending on the casting materials, her mood that day, and her workload.


    Freyja tilted her head, looking at Ash with eyes full of questions.


    ¡°Setting aside that I am Meiwa, but solving needs is just that, what does that have to do with being in love? Have you ever been in a relationship?¡±


    Although Ash wanted to sound tough, he felt it was better to be honest in front of Freyja, a super experienced senior like her, especially since he only had a car license without any actual driving experience.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Freyja¡¯s response surprised Ash. ¡°Neither have I. Who in their right mind dates?¡±


    Ash asked perplexed, ¡°Why? With your looks, isn¡¯t it easy to attract the opposite sex? Or is it because your Meiwa physique scares others?¡±


    Freyja shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m just curious why you think I should be dating. Are the followers of the Four Pillars God Sect still holding onto such unrealistic fantasies?¡±


    ¡°How is dating unrealistic?¡± Ash felt puzzled. ¡°Last night, you were laughing happily while watching ¡®Mage 100%¡¯ the romantic comedy using the Veil of Knowledge.¡±


    Freyja appeared annoyed. ¡°Then tell me, what kind of love is depicted in ¡®Mage 100%¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Um... deeply and sincerely loving the other person, fully considering them, willing to protect them boldly in dangerous moments, willing to compromise in daily life...¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡±


    ¡°What exactly?¡±


    ¡°The kind of love you described, apart from in films and shows, how could it exist in reality?¡± Freyja spread her hands. ¡°Nowadays, who is willing to compromise for others, to be considerate, or even to protect someone at the risk of their own life? I know I wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    She paused, then continued, ¡°I can feel emotions like love, liking, or infatuation. For instance, I think you are quite nice, and I¡¯m willing to hook up once or twice, or even on a regular basis. But if you want to go further, like moving in together and fully participating in my daily life and future plans, then I can¡¯t accept that.¡±


    ¡°Most university students have realized that such pure relationships don¡¯t exist in reality. Only less educated people believe in the romances depicted in movies and dramas, foolishly thinking this world has true love¡ªthe Void Realm game is full of such fools, and they often end up being scammed out of their money. The stupid ones might even wind up in debt, but the ones behind the Veil aren¡¯t beauties or handsome guys; they¡¯re Beastman uncles and Goblin fat ladies.¡±


    Ash couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°But isn¡¯t a romantic relationship normal? In reality, can¡¯t you find someone you can trust? Can¡¯t you start as friends and gradually develop into lovers?¡±


    Freyja chuckled and couldn¡¯t resist patting Ash on the head playfully, ¡°Silly kid, people change. They might be trustworthy now, but he might become obsessed with Moon candy tomorrow and become foolish, or the day after tomorrow, he might gain a breakthrough in the Void Realm and then look down on me.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the orphanage teach you not to trust strangers, not to expect too much from them?¡±

 Chapter 161 03-25 - 147 Everyone is the Same (Three More)

    Chapter 161: Chapter 147 Everyone is the Same (Three More)


    Ash brushed away her hand, his expression seemingly uncomfortable.


    ¡°But since you neither date nor have a family, doesn¡¯t that mean you always have to be alone?¡±


    ¡°We have always been...yes, that¡¯s right!¡±


    Freyja suddenly remembered something. She pulled out her homework essay from her backpack and began frantically writing, ¡°Another benefit of the socialized fostering system... Since childhood, fostered independence... accustomed to fighting alone... having an advantage in Void Realm Exploration... ¡®Every citizen of the Kingdom of Blood Moon is a qualified Mage reservist¡¯... okay, the professor has to give me full marks this time!¡±


    Ash watched her write her essay and continued to ask, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to have a perfect union with a lover, don¡¯t you want to share your joys and voice your stresses to family, don¡¯t you want someone to care about you?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking so many weird questions... you aren¡¯t hoping to become my lover and live with me, are you?!¡±


    ...


    ¡°I¡¯ve already said I¡¯ll be leaving after staying here for no more than seven days.¡±


    Freyja shrugged and answered, ¡°I don¡¯t need to find a lover. I just need to spend some money at a mud cafe? to have a perfect union. If I want to share joys, I can boast about my achievements in the Veil; if I want to voice my stresses, I should see a psychologist. As for caring, isn¡¯t that just another way of saying ¡®investment¡¯? If someone cares about me, it means they want to gain more benefits from me.¡±


    ¡°If I have a lot of utility value, everyone will care about me; if I am worthless, naturally no one will pay me any mind, even lovers would leave me. This is the very superficial human nature.¡±


    Ash softly said, ¡°But human nature isn¡¯t just about weighing benefits; it also encompasses the true, the good, and the beautiful.¡±


    ¡°But why should I pin my hopes on others rather than investing all my resources in myself?¡± Freyja smiled, ¡°I can go to a restaurant when I¡¯m hungry, visit a mud cafe? if I need something, find a hourly maid if my room is dirty, and see a psychologist if I¡¯m stressed¡ªactually, being a psychologist is one of my future career options¡ªit¡¯s already the seventeenth century, anything you need can be bought with money, why gamble on human nature?¡±


    ¡°Even my gambling-fond friend Adela wouldn¡¯t dare to partake in a gamble where control is completely in someone else¡¯s hands. Entering an intimate relationship carries far too much risk.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t you ever feel lonely?¡±


    Source: , updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã?


    Freyja wrote down the last period, placed her homework back into her bag, and turned to look at Ash.


    ¡°Everyone is the same,¡± she said.


    Then she reached out, picked up Xiao Xian, and affectionately rubbed Xiao Xian¡¯s face. Xiao Xian, however, disapprovingly pushed her away with its paw, ¡°And I have Xiao Xian too, how could I feel lonely?¡±


    Facing Meiwa¡¯s pure and joyful eyes, Ash suddenly realized that Fernand, the ogre mayor, had still not touched the core of the Kingdom of Blood Moon.


    Because he too was an orphan, he had no family, and he didn¡¯t love anyone.


    Just like Freyja couldn¡¯t realize the sour smell of her clothes, the majority of those living in the Kingdom of Blood Moon also couldn¡¯t realize their lost capacity to love.


    How could those who have never seen the sun know the warmth of sunshine? How could those who have never felt familial care believe in selfless affection?


    Maybe they believe in selfless love, maybe they yearn for it, but they are more convinced that such love will not descend upon them.


    Just like Fernand thought the Kingdom of Blood Moon didn¡¯t deserve a Savior, they also believe they don¡¯t deserve to embrace love.


    The ogres thought Blood Moon had sown the seeds of suspicion and built walls of discrimination to isolate everyone. But in reality, Blood Moon was extracting the seeds of love from everyone¡¯s hearts through education, making all people spontaneously resist entering intimate relationships; discrimination and suspicion were merely the foul exhalations of a loveless land.


    Suddenly, Ash remembered Lanna¡ªCould this werewolf be considered a traitor to Moon Shadow because his desires for love were too strong?


    Seeing that Ash had been silent for a long time, Freyja couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Coming back to his senses, Ash smiled, ¡°Nothing, I¡¯m just thinking about where I can make some money.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re willing to show your face, I recommend you work part-time at a mud cafe?. With your looks, although you won¡¯t qualify as a top-tier mud-worker, you¡¯d still be middle to low tier, and you likely would have quite a few clients choose you. Want me to refer you to a mud cafe?? Even if you don¡¯t plan to do it long-term, you can experience it once. Many men with decent looks have worked as mud-workers for a night to determine their market positioning.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, but my skills are poor, and I don¡¯t deserve this money.¡±


    ¡°Beginners actually have a unique appeal, many wealthier women have a particular fondness for virgins, and if you want to practice, I can help you...¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to have class at 2 pm? It¡¯s already 1:50.¡±


    Upon checking the time, Freyja hastily grabbed her backpack, ¡°Oh no, I almost forgot the time, these dishes...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll wash them,¡± Ash said, ¡°Will you come back for dinner tonight?¡±


    There it was again.


    Freyja felt that strange emotion surfacing once more.


    It had nothing to do with lust or greed; it made her both despise and like Ash, wanting both to keep her distance and to draw closer.


    Could it be the curse of the Four Pillars God Sect? Or an unwittingly emitted corrupting halo by the Evil Demon Saint?


    Thinking this, she nevertheless responded, ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Is there any particular dish you would like to eat?¡±


    ¡°Spicy Lanna Rice with Fatty Roe, would that be possible?¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± Ash waved his hand. ¡°Be careful on your way.¡±


    As that strange emotion grew more intense, Freyja nodded hastily, put down the small violin and hurried out of the house.


    Decisively, Ash turned off the store browsing video and opened ¡°Just Need Hands to Slay Creatures in the Void Realm: Fish-Slicing Dragon Edition.¡± After watching the video, he dressed up, put on his mask, and summoned his Substitute.


    ¡°Wash dishes, do the cleaning, and if there¡¯s any spare time, play with the cat. If anything unexpected happens, just dissolve the Substitute, got it?¡±


    The Substitute nodded.


    Ash opened a spreadsheet named ¡°4.29 School Timetable¡± under the protective Veil known only in Kaimon Comprehensive University, which was accessible only within the university¡¯s internal Veil; incidentally, Freyja was also a student there.


    He hadn¡¯t just randomly chosen a household to stay with; he had come prepared.


    His gaze lingered on a line in the timetable.


    ¡°16:00~18:00, ¡®Ancient Ritual Faction,¡¯ Selin Karl, Classroom 108.¡±


    Securing his target, Ash was also ready to leave but saw the small violin sitting on the floor like a chubby otaku, listless and lethargic.


    Moved, Ash directed his Technique Spirit of Compassion towards the small violin, immediately receiving waves of pain in return.


    Despite the pain, despite the discomfort, it did not cause any unhappiness, its mood as calm as if it had become accustomed to living with pain. Watching Ash¡¯s Compassion Technique Spirit, it tilted its head, appearing somewhat curious.


    ¡°Congenital cartilage disease...¡± Ash gently stroked the small violin¡¯s head, ¡°From birth, selected for aesthetic and utilitarian value with only the fortunate surviving, then living in a cage to be neutered and spayed, and after leaving the cage, treated as merchandise to be squeezed dry...¡±


    ¡°Because it had been in pain since childhood, it did not see it as misfortune but as a fate to be accepted; since everyone experienced it, it did not see it as pain and thus had no worries.¡±


    He reached out to scratch the folded cat¡¯s chin, and the small violin displayed a content, foolish smile.


    ¡°Being an Observer is truly challenging.¡±

 Chapter 162 03-25 - 148 Professor Selin and the Shelf Life

    Chapter 162: Chapter 148 Professor Selin and the Shelf Life


    Kaimon Comprehensive University, Amphitheater Classroom 108.


    ¡°If you could have ten times more Magic Power, but the price is that you would always be hunted by an Undead Snail, would you be willing? Raise your hand if you are.¡±


    This odd question almost instantly turned the entire classroom into an ocean of joy, and an Elf student in the front row couldn¡¯t help but laugh, raising her hand and saying, ¡°Professor, you should ask who wouldn¡¯t be willing!¡±


    Standing on the podium was a strikingly beautiful Elf professor, with shoulder-length black hair, eyes as blue as sapphires, fair skin, thin crystal-clear lips, a slender face, and a tall figure dressed in a dark gray coat, white gloves on both hands.


    Faced with the student¡¯s response, he revealed a slight smile, ¡°Then what if it¡¯s eight times the Magic Power, and your pursuer changes to a Red Wolf? Hmm, it seems that everyone is not very afraid of the most widely-distributed Hunter in the natural forest.¡±


    ¡°What about five times the Magic Power, and the pursuer changes to a juvenile Fish-Slicing Dragon?¡±


    ...


    At that point, everyone was a bit hesitant¡ªjuvenile Fish-Slicing Dragons can be considered Silver Killers. There¡¯s a joke that goes, ¡®The first time, a Mage has no experience and gives up at the sight of the Sea of Knowledge; the second time, the Mage has experience, but against the fast and fierce and passionate Fish-Slicing Dragon, still ends up surrendering.¡¯


    Of course, since this joke is considered sexist against both men and women, you can barely hear it in reality and can only see such insinuated jokes behind the Veil.


    However, most people ended up raising their hands, and the Elf professor nodded, then continued, ¡°What if it¡¯s three times the Magic Power, and your pursuer changes to a standard Blood Frenzy Hunter?¡±


    Half as many people raised their hands this time. Blood Frenzy Hunters are divided into Hunter Apprentice, Official Hunter, and Hunter Captain, corresponding to One-winged, Two-winged, and Three-winged, respectively. A standard Blood Frenzy Hunter is almost always at the level of a Two-winged Combat Mage, and Two-winged Mages aspiring to become Blood Frenzy Hunters need to undergo strict examinations and training; a regular production Two-winged Mage would almost certainly be no match for a Blood Frenzy Hunter.


    ¡°What if it¡¯s merely one additional time the Magic Power, but you¡¯re perpetually hunted by a Void Realm creature of Titan Executioner level?¡±


    Everyone put down their hands, and an unhappy student couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°Professor, if I¡¯m willing, can you give it to me?¡±


    ¡°I certainly wouldn¡¯t be that generous,¡± the Elf professor said with a smile. ¡°But the Void Realm can.¡±


    Source: , updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï


    ¡°The reward is an extra time the Magic Power, and the price is being eternally hunted by an undead and powerful Void Realm creature¡ªsuch ¡®blessings¡¯ are very common in the Void Realm. As long as you¡¯re willing to pray to the Void Realm. the Void Realm really will fulfill your wishes.¡±


    ¡°Have you all signed student loan Contracts? When signing, both parties ask the Void Realm to act as a notary, letting the Void Realm supervise the enforcement of the contract. Whoever violates the contract will be punished by the Void Realm... This is actually the most common form of ¡®blessing¡¯!¡±


    A student raised his hand and asked, ¡°But almost everyone can sign a Contract for anything. Is the Void Realm that easy-going?¡±


    The Elf professor said with a smile, ¡°Of course it¡¯s easy-going, because it¡¯s you who have to abide by the Contract and you who have to pay the price for violating it. In this process, you gain no additional benefits, but instead, you have to keep paying. The Void Realm has always been generous with such ¡®blessings¡¯ that harm others without benefiting oneself¡ªof course, this is also because the insurance industry has been developed for years, and it¡¯s rumored that signing contracts was very troublesome a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°But if you dare to ask the Void Realm for ¡®blessings¡¯ that are in your favor, the Void Realm will show a face more ferocious than that of a bank, teeth more greedy than those of a loan shark, and will impose the sternest of trials on any Mage attempting to take shortcuts.¡±


    ¡°However, ¡®rewards¡¯ and ¡®trials¡¯ are not a static mechanism. If a Mage knows the correct way to utilize the power of the Void Realm, they can greatly increase the amount of their reward and significantly reduce the difficulty of their trial.¡±


    ¡°Praying for blessings, adjusting blessings, this is the power of the Ritual Faction.¡±


    The Elf professor surveyed the classroom, ¡°Increasing the reward from one time to ten times the Magic Power, reducing the pursuer from a Titan Executioner to a snail¡ªthis is not the foolish talk of a fool but an actual Miracle.¡±


    ¡°Of course, praying for blessings is not as simple as shouting a few words in the Void Realm and getting an immediate response. Even Crime Hunting Hall operators might not be able to provide such service. In fact, the ritual to pray for blessings is very complex, requiring various Technique Spirits as materials and testing Mages across multiple Magic factions. Therefore, it¡¯s a faction that needs many prerequisite requirements...¡±


    Sitting in the back row, Adela cupped her face, eyes fixed intently on the Elf on the podium.


    ¡°Professor Selin is really handsome...¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Freyja looked at Adela with surprise, ¡°I thought you would make a comment like ¡®Is there a reward that can increase one¡¯s luck in gambling, and ideally the only trial is losing the ability to reproduce¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Of course not, I always listen carefully to Professor Selin¡¯s lectures!¡± Adela said indignantly. ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t mind such blessings either!¡±


    At that moment, the amphitheater classroom was filled to the brim; not only were the aisles packed, but even on the windowsills, many people were crouched. Everyone was there to attend Professor Selin¡¯s lecture. Professor Selin could be said to be one of the most popular professors at Kaimon Comprehensive University, with top-tier academic prowess, appearance, and teaching ability. Regrettably, due to commitments such as parliamentarian and other work outside the university, he had stopped being a resident professor a few years ago, only occasionally coming to the school to give one or two lectures.


    Moreover, the most popular thing about Professor Selin was¡ªhis classes were free! No tuition needed; anyone could audit his classes. Free lectures by a Two-winged Mage like this were something only a fool would miss.

 Chapter 163 03-25 - 148: Professor Selin and Shelf Life_2

    Chapter 163: Chapter 148: Professor Selin and Shelf Life_2


    If it weren¡¯t for Adela securing a spot for Freyja, she would be forced to listen by the window as well.


    ¡°However, mages who can greatly leverage the power of the Void Realm are few and far between, like the example I just gave of one becoming ten, which probably requires a Four-winged Legendary Mage to exert all his efforts. Therefore, compared to ¡®adjustment,¡¯ ordinary ritual mages prefer to pair blessings through ¡®conflict.''¡±


    ¡°Suppose I now have two blessings, the cost of the first is ¡®I can never taste the flavor of food,¡¯ and the second is ¡®I will taste the flavor of everything I see.¡¯ What do you think would happen?¡±


    Students looked at each other, and Adela stood up to answer, ¡°Both costs take effect simultaneously, but the mage can taste the food by looking at it while eating, which means the second cost somewhat weakens or even suppresses the first.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, this is the mystery of ¡®conflict,¡¯ using the mutual clash of different costs to alleviate the negative impact of the costs,¡± Professor Selin nodded appreciatively. ¡°Of course, not all blessings achieve such a clever combination, more common is the accumulation of multiple costs that affect the same aspect.¡±


    ¡°Suppose I have two blessings, the first cost makes me lose my vision, the second turns the world in my field of view into a muddy quagmire of flesh. After praying for these two blessings, though I will still lose my vision, I will not have to suffer the second cost, which is like taking advantage of the Void Realm.¡±


    ...


    A student asked, ¡°If I have ten blessings, and all their costs are related to the eyes, does that mean I only need to sacrifice my eyes to gain the benefits of all ten blessings?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly the idea,¡± Selin smiled. ¡°Pray, adjust, conflict; ritual mages can ingeniously pair these elements to gain the most from the Void Realm with the least cost.¡±


    Another student was puzzled, ¡°Since the Ritual Faction is so powerful, why is it gradually waning now?¡±


    Selin said, ¡°There are two reasons; the first is what I just mentioned: the high difficulty of entry into the Ritual Faction. It almost requires mastery of several silver factions to perform rituals, so the minimum threshold for a ritual mage is Two-winged Gold.¡±


    ¡°Such high-barrier magic factions often struggle with succession. If they encounter an unexpected break in transmission, they vanish from history, only revitalized when a mage obtains the legacy from the Void Realm and innovates upon it.¡±


    ¡°The second reason is because the Ritual Faction is too dangerous.¡±


    A student laughed, ¡°Are other magic factions not dangerous? The Water Technique Faction, skilled in healing, can also kill invisibly.¡±


    Source: , updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã0


    Selin shook his head, ¡°I mentioned earlier that the Void Realm might be stingy in granting benefits, but it is quite lenient with ¡®harmful to oneself but not beneficial to others¡¯ practices. In some taboo rituals, a Two-winged Golden Mage need only sacrifice himself to pray for a destructive storm akin to the full strike of a Four-winged Mage!¡±


    ¡°We mages can be greedy, adventurous, and unscrupulous, but above all, we must survive, we must cherish life! The Ritual Faction defies this principle, and with many blessings causing physical and mental disabilities, turning mages into extremists, violent and life-despising, naturally, it does not spread.¡±


    ¡°And there¡¯s no choice in the Void Realm for those who learn the knowledge of the Ritual Faction, but in reality, any wise mage would prohibit its propagation. Not only for social stability but also because the Ritual Faction easily breeds mad mages. Apart from chaotic evil organizations, the Ritual Faction is detrimental to any stable organization.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m holding this lecture to clarify the dangers of the Ritual Faction. If you encounter its legacy in the Void Realm in the future, remember not to be blinded by greed, and use this dangerous knowledge cautiously.¡±


    At that moment, a student wearing a mask raised his hand and said, ¡°Could someone in the Cult of the Pillar God possess knowledge of the Ritual Faction? Could the natural disasters that have occurred have been perpetrated by the cult¡¯s followers?¡±


    ¡°The Cult of the Pillar God has been thoroughly eradicated by the Crime Hunting Hall, including all its members and the Cult Leader. My student, you should watch the news more often,¡± Selin coldly stated. ¡°Your question is based on a false premise.¡±


    ¡°And why are you wearing a mask to class? Can you take off your mask?¡±


    Everyone looked over and saw that the question-asking student was wearing the same crow mask as a Medical Practitioner, as if role-playing. Freyja also saw this scene and abruptly remembered that the Cult Leader once had such a mask.


    Could it be...


    At that moment, the student took off the crow mask, revealing an apologetic face, ¡°Sorry, Professor, I really like this mask, so...¡±


    Selin stared at the student, then suddenly covered his eyes with his gloved right hand, before lowering it, ¡°Don¡¯t wear masks in class; it distracts me.¡±


    Amidst laughter and chatter, Freyja sharply noticed someone walking out. With a backpack, a hood, and a face mask, he passed through the classroom unnoticed by anyone except Freyja, who focused her gaze on him.


    Though his face was unclear, Freyja was certain it was Ash.

 Chapter 164 03-25 - 148: Professor Selin and Shelf Life_3

    Chapter 164: Chapter 148: Professor Selin and Shelf Life_3


    Why had he come here?


    ...


    After class, Freyja returned to her apartment and upon opening the door, was greeted by a delightful aroma.


    ¡°Welcome back, just in time for dinner.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m home.¡±


    As Ash finished setting the food, Freyja couldn¡¯t wait to ask, ¡°Did you go to Professor Selin¡¯s class this afternoon?¡±


    ...


    ¡°Yes, did you see me?¡±


    ¡°Why did you suddenly decide to attend class?¡±


    ¡°Well, there were two reasons.¡±


    Ash picked up Freyja¡¯s cat who was busy with its food: ¡°The first reason was to take Xiao Xian to the university¡¯s medical center to see a Medical Practitioner.¡±


    Freyja was taken aback, ¡°Xiao Xian is sick?¡±


    ¡°Yes, congenital chondrodystrophy. I saw it sitting on the ground looking lethargic this afternoon and thought it might be uncomfortable, so I took it to see the Medical Practitioner. The practitioner said if we want to relieve its pain, it would need treatment almost every month.¡±


    Freyja, feeling distressed, held the folded-eared cat in her arms, ¡°Sorry, Xiao Xian, I didn¡¯t know... thank you.¡±


    Source: , updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï


    ¡°That¡¯s great, I was worried you might blame me.¡±


    ¡°Why would I blame you?¡±


    ¡°If it hadn¡¯t undergone treatment, Xiao Xian wouldn¡¯t know that pain can be dispelled, nor would it realize how comfortable good health feels. It might find it very hard to endure any pain in the future and will need you to take it for treatment every month.¡±


    As Ash browsed videos to watch while eating, he said, ¡°I was afraid that you would blame me for causing you trouble.¡±


    ¡°What trouble?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it troublesome to take Xiao Xian to the doctor every month?¡±


    ¡°Not at all!¡± Freyja shook her head, ¡°Why would I find that troublesome? It shouldn¡¯t have to suffer like this, you¡¯ve rescued it from its illness, I can¡¯t thank you enough.¡±


    Ash glanced at her, ¡°Well, that¡¯s good... I¡¯m actually quite surprised. You won¡¯t accept any intimate relationships, but you can give your wholehearted and selfless devotion to a cat.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s different,¡± Freyja muttered, ¡°Who¡¯s as adorable as a cat? Plus, Xiao Xian won¡¯t leave me; it¡¯s a friend without an expiration date.¡±


    Ash laughed, ¡°You consider the expiration date when making friends?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡± Freyja asserted confidently, ¡°If the expiration date is just a few hours, like a hired helper, then be polite and act cute like Meiwa for a few hours; if it¡¯s a week to a few months, you can hang out during the holidays to bond, and chat about hobbies occasionally; if it¡¯s for several years, then you should quickly discuss political views to rapidly judge if the person is suitable for deeper interaction. If there¡¯s a fundamental conflict, you need to set boundaries immediately and avoid personal contact outside of work.¡±


    ¡°Then what does it take for you to feel like someone has a lifetime expiration date?¡±


    Freyja paused, looked down, and hesitantly squeezed Xiao Xian¡¯s paws, lifting them, ¡°At least they have to be as adorable as Xiao Xian, right?¡±


    Xiao Xian, overwhelmed by Freyja¡¯s embrace, pushed away Meiwa¡¯s aggressive cuddling with its paws. Freyja let it down and asked, ¡°So going to see the Medical Practitioner was the first reason. What was the second?¡±


    ¡°Passed by the school, so I just decided to drop by and see how your class was going.¡± Ash answered casually, ¡°Oh? ¡®It¡¯s My Fault for Saying I Like Milf¡¯ has released its first episode, eh? Let¡¯s watch that.¡±


    ¡°I actually wanted to continue watching ¡®Teacoffee Detective Shop¡¯...¡± Freyja poked the dish in front of her with her fork, ¡°What¡¯s so interesting about a class?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing interesting.¡± Ash rolled up his noodles with a fork, ¡°So I left after a glance.¡±


    ¡°How odd.¡± Freyja muttered, focusing on ¡®The Curtain of Knowledge¡¯ while eagerly eating her dish.


    But her mind wasn¡¯t on the food or the video.


    For some reason, a strange and even slightly happy emotion was growing inside her.


    Speaking of which, the Cult Leader¡¯s expiration date was...


    She forced herself not to think about that question.

 Chapter 165 03-25 - 149 Fear

    Chapter 165: Chapter 149 Fear


    ¡°You¡¯re studying and doing homework again tonight?¡±


    ¡°Am I even a college student if I don¡¯t study and do homework every day? I¡¯ve paid so much in tuition and am carrying a student loan, how else am I supposed to make it worth the cost?¡±


    ¡°Wow, so impressive, then you keep it up.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, I remember the wanted poster mentioned that you went to college! Come on, how about helping me with some homework?¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you just being all eager to learn, determined not to take shortcuts and resolute about studying earnestly?¡±


    ¡°Well, some assignments are so pointless, I only do them for credit. Help me out, please¡ªhelp me out¡ª¡±


    ...


    ¡°Stop, don¡¯t press against me, it¡¯s so hot, I¡¯ll start sweating. Let me see, (takes a look) hmm, oh, so that¡¯s how it is.¡±


    ¡°How about it, are you willing to help me do it?¡±


    ¡°Um, I¡¯m willing to offer any support except for helping.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°It means I don¡¯t know how to do it either.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯ve graduated, haven¡¯t you? You must have done this kind of homework before!¡±


    ¡°How could anyone remember the flavor of every bread they¡¯ve eaten in the past? How could I remember how I did these assignments?¡±


    Source: , updated on ?0¦Í??.?¦Ï


    ¡°Ugh, gray, subpar college students are so useless.¡±


    ¡°If you want to become a golden, legendary college student, then just do the homework yourself. For your own good, I¡¯m willing to endure the shame of being a bad example to encourage you.¡±


    ¡°(¡Ñ~¡Ñ) You¡¯ve got some nerve.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Ash¡ªThe shampoo¡¯s run out¡ªhelp me get a new one from the bottom shelf of the cabinet.¡±


    ¡°Weird, you actually know you can¡¯t just come out and get it.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t finished bathing yet, and I¡¯m too lazy to dry off. Coming out all wet would make the floor soggy, I do have that much common sense.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so considerate, it¡¯s really touching. I just hope you possess more common sense... like how you don¡¯t need to expose half your body to get something from the bathroom!¡±


    ¡°(* ?©` ?) You¡¯re so annoying.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Ha, um, um, huh~~~ ah, Ash, have you finished showering? You took even longer than me, water is expensive, you know...¡±


    ¡°You say that as if I was forced to shower for so long... oh, oh, I get it! Hey, I¡¯m not even embarrassed, why are you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If you want to take care of it yourself, you don¡¯t have to hide in the bathroom. Just don¡¯t make a mess everywhere, I don¡¯t mind if you do it on my bed. And though I don¡¯t have many videos suitable for men, I know where to download some casting materials, and you can take your time finding them. Plus, I have lubricant, which is much better than water...¡±


    ¡°Stop, I really was just bathing, I didn¡¯t do anything else!¡±


    ¡°Then did you take care of it during the day when you were alone in the apartment? Let me check the browsing history...¡±


    ¡°No! I haven¡¯t done that kind of thing at your place.¡±


    ¡°No way, you¡¯ve been staying at my place for three days now... could you be masochistic?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t be bothered to talk to you, move aside, I need to use the Veil of Knowledge.¡±


    ¡°¨r(¨s¨Œ¨t)¨q You¡¯re really quite strange.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Are you asleep?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Sleeping on the floor must be uncomfortable, why don¡¯t you come up and sleep in the bed? I¡¯ll scoot over and make some space for you.¡±


    ¡°No need, I¡¯m afraid of you.¡±


    ¡°Hey¡ªthat actually hurts my feelings a bit. Truth be told, while there are many who fear my Meivwa nature, there are even more who are attracted by my looks. After all, aside from the real thing, there are plenty of little games that could make you very comfortable... do you want to try?¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯ve always been curious, Freyja, with your assets, you must get a lot of fearless guys hitting on you at the booze cafes, but why do you prefer to pay money at a mud cafe?¡±


    ¡°Hey, Ash, you¡¯ve never been to a booze cafe? You really don¡¯t know anything.¡±


    ¡°Wow, to think I¡¯m being lectured on common sense by someone who sleeps naked without covering up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, the most significant difference between booze cafes, mud cafes, and tea cafes is that everyone is equal in a booze cafe.¡±


    ¡°Is equality bad?¡±


    ¡°But equality means mutual service. You make me feel good, and I have to do the same for you. To get as much as you want, you have to give as much. And I just happen to dislike serving others, so I¡¯d rather spend some money at a mud cafe.¡±


    ¡°Hearing that, you seem quite selfish...¡±


    ¡°Plus, the mud cafe has buffets, baths, saunas, water therapy, and so on. ¡®Mud Service¡¯ is just one of them. Every woman can temporarily let go of reality¡¯s troubles and find pleasure. Going to a mud bath is a very satisfying relaxation. According to statistics, each adult woman goes to a mud cafe once a month, and some high-professionals even have permanent exclusive rooms in private mud cafes, living there and enjoying top-class service every night.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see, so you¡¯re a queen, radiating confidence!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s also the fact that if you pay, you can request things that ordinary men can¡¯t fulfill.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I see... wait, what?¡±


    ¡°Ash, come here (pats the bed), I¡¯m not opposed to servicing you if it¡¯s you.¡±


    ¡°After you¡¯re done with your service, wouldn¡¯t you make demands and ask for reciprocation?¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°And the request you made was for ¡®special services that ordinary men can¡¯t provide¡¯?¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re not an ordinary man! Have some courage, won¡¯t you, Evil Demon Saint!¡±


    ¡°I find the floor quite comfortable, I¡¯m going to sleep now.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, (# ?? ?#) you¡¯re quite the coward, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ....


    ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to ask for a long time? why do you always wear those sleeve and leg warmers?¡±


    ¡°What sleeve and leg warmers?¡±


    ¡°The fluffy white fur on your hands and feet, isn¡¯t that something you put on?¡±


    ¡°How rude! That¡¯s my natural charm hair, something all Meiwas have. It¡¯s the biggest difference between Meiwas and humans.¡±


    ¡°I know a male Meiwa who doesn¡¯t have that kind of fur.¡±


    ¡°There are no male Meiwas in this world, only males ¡®with a certain Meiwa lineage.¡¯ Meiwa specifically refers to females. Moreover, if a Meiwa reproduces, the girls will definitely be Pure Meiwas, while the boys will primarily take after the father¡¯s racial lineage.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve just learned another piece of knowledge that I¡¯ll never need.¡±


    ¡°Hey, do you think my charm hair looks nice? I like it myself, but it seems a lot of people dislike charm hair, considering it a characteristic of beasts. There are also Meiwas who undergo depilation to look indistinguishable from humans...¡±


    ¡°Looks good! Can I touch it?¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t you think it looks too much like a beast?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that even better?¡±


    ¡°Ah? Are you saying you like the type from the Moon Shadow Clan?¡±


    ¡°What I mean is, the charm hair only makes you look better. It gives you a wild charm, and you make the charm hair even more cute and beautiful. Or rather, what looks good is not the charm hair, it¡¯s you ¨C you¡¯d look good even if you were bald.¡±


    ¡°Really!? I was actually thinking about changing my hairstyle...¡±


    ¡°¡ªBut I think your current hairstyle already looks great, no need to change it.¡±


    ¡°hee-hee, I think so too, o(* ?¨Œ ?*)o You have quite an eye, huh.¡±


    ...


    ¡°What are we eating tonight?¡±


    ¡°Fruit salad, and...¡±


    ¡°Is there no fiery red roe covered rice?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s actually quite a hassle to make...¡±


    ¡°Oh, then I¡¯m off to class.¡±


    ¡°But I do want to eat it today, so let¡¯s replace the pan-fried steak with fiery red roe covered rice.¡±


    ¡°(? ?¨Œ ?)? It¡¯s you who wants to eat it, not me asking you for it, okay?¡±


    ...


    ¡°Have you encountered any good luck these past few days?¡±


    During class, Adela suddenly asked this, leaving Freyja feeling puzzled: ¡°No, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Then why have you been so happy these days?¡±


    ¡°Am I very happy?¡±


    ¡°Your lips have been curving up without dropping once, it¡¯s tiring just watching!¡± Adela propped her chin and tilted her cheek to look at Freyja. ¡°I don¡¯t think even if I got into the Red Mist Institute I¡¯d be as happy as you.¡±


    Freyja unconsciously covered her mouth, but quickly put her hand down again: ¡°No way, I¡¯m always the happy little Meiwa, every day.¡±


    ¡°Come on, tell me, what¡¯s the good news? Can¡¯t you share it with me?¡±


    Freyja gave Adela a rather odd look, ¡°Adela, you seem a bit... impolite.¡±


    Although they were good friends, they were just that? good friends.


    They could share hobbies, with Adela taking Freyja to the casino, and Freyja taking Adela to the mud cafe?, which was perfectly fine.


    But when it came to privacy, that was a ¡®taboo¡¯ neither could touch. Although it¡¯s hard to describe what privacy constitutes a ¡®taboo,¡¯ judging whether a topic is a ¡®taboo¡¯ is simple¡ªif the other party tries to avoid and refuses to answer, it¡¯s a ¡®taboo¡¯ you shouldn¡¯t keep pursuing.


    Those who can¡¯t understand this are those who can¡¯t read the room, lack social skills, and can easily hurt others with words¡ªa ¡®Barbarian.¡¯


    Naturally, Adela was not a ¡®Barbarian.¡¯ In fact, she was quite popular, with several friends besides Freyja, and her ambition as a member of the Spirit Faction meant that reading the room should be almost instinctual for her.


    Sensing Freyja¡¯s surprise, Adela countered with a question: ¡°You are planning to visit a psychologist soon, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡± Freyja asked reflexively.


    Bull¡¯s-eye.


    Freyja had been feeling that strange emotion growing stronger inside her lately, to the extent that it was affecting her rationality.


    Although it was her first time experiencing this, she didn¡¯t mull over it or try to figure it out on her own; instead, she planned to seek treatment from a psychologist.


    To the citizens of the Kingdom of Blood Moon, going to a Medical Practitioner for physical ailments and a psychologist for mental issues were skills known even to ogres, essential for survival.


    Moreover, with the high likelihood of mental issues in modern times, even some start consulting with a psychologist monthly from a young age, making the demand for psychological treatment ever-growing, and even surpassing regular medical treatment¡ªafter all, modern people might not get sick or injured in a whole year, but it¡¯s nearly impossible for them to go a year without some psychological issue.


    At the same time, psychologists are a very common mainstream profession. If Freyja doesn¡¯t become a Mage, she¡¯s likely to become an ordinary psychologist herself.


    With a broad market, numerous professionals, and university medical benefits, getting psychological treatment is cheaper than a meal for Freyja? so, naturally, she wouldn¡¯t force herself to face it alone.


    Adela said softly, ¡°Because you¡¯re scared right now.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 166 - 150 Because You Want to Protect Yourself

    Chapter 166: Chapter 150 Because You Want to Protect Yourself


    ¡°I¡¯m scared?¡±


    Freyja asked subconsciously, ¡°But didn¡¯t you just say I was happy?¡±


    ¡°Happiness and fear can coexist.¡± Adela said, ¡°In the gambling duels at the casino, I have seen many such people¡ªthey get great hands, so they are excited and happy about their chances to win, but they are also worried that their opponents have better cards, so the underlying anxiety and fear never leave.¡±


    ¡°Happiness stems from what one already possesses, while fear stems from the thought that an opponent can strip away what one has at any moment. Freyja, with whom, and in what kind of gamble, are you engaged?¡±


    ¡°Given that this class is dreadfully boring anyway, rather than chatting with a psychologist, you may as well talk to me¡ªI won¡¯t even charge you.¡±


    Freyja hesitated, ¡°Generally speaking, if one were to undergo psychological therapy, one should seek out a psychologist with no ties to one¡¯s personal life...¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Adela propped up her chin, gazing at Freyja¡¯s beautiful face, ¡°But despite your apparent happiness, your eyes are full of ¡®save me¡¯ signals. I simply can¡¯t stand by and do nothing.¡±


    Freyja gently touched her own face, briefly slipping into a trance.


    Adela didn¡¯t rush her, quietly waiting by her side.


    The sunlight today was pleasant, and the teacher¡¯s lecture was particularly soporific.


    In such a tranquil routine, Freyja seemed out of place.


    Because she radiated a happiness that Adela had never seen before.


    Even if Adela witnessed a gambler turning the tables in one game, clearing his gambling debts and avoiding a fate of being transformed into a mechanical miner for life, they were not as happy as Freyja;


    Even if a student was admitted to the Red Mist Institute for graduate studies, they were not as carefree as Freyja;


    Even if it were successful businessmen, Mages, professors, scholars¡ªthey were not as content as Freyja.


    This was really... too glaring.


    It even caused a feeling of disgust in Adela, to the point of wanting to vomit.


    After a long silence, Freyja finally spoke, ¡°I know a girl named Meiwa...¡±


    ¡°Oh, pfft ahahaha, okay, go on.¡± Adela could hardly hold back.


    Freyja gave Adela an annoyed look and continued, ¡°She recently met a man due to some special circumstances...¡±


    Because of the Contract, Freyja couldn¡¯t reveal details about Ash¡¯s identity, appearance, or that he was living in her apartment, among other information. But she could still share some blurred details with others. For instance, if they spent the night together, she could say they stayed at a hotel; if they dined together every night, she could say she went to eat at Ash¡¯s place; if she scared Ash to the extent that he was afraid to get in bed...


    After piecing together the events of the last few days, Freyja finally exposed the inexplicable emotions within her heart, ¡°Now, I both like and dislike him, I want to be close yet also want to stay away from him, I feel as if I may be sick...¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that easy to understand?¡± Adela laughed, ¡°Meiwa fell in love with him.¡±


    ¡°No, definitely not.¡± Freyja shook her head, ¡°I¡¯ve been in love before. Love is about getting closer, embracing, greed, taking¡ªhow can it be disgust or distancing?¡±


    Adela said, ¡°Love also comes in many forms, or should I say, many purposes. The kind of love you¡¯re familiar with, Freyja, is merely born from physical attraction, fueled by desire to satisfy lust. When you meet a better ¡®shell,¡¯ your love will shift along with it. To you, that kind of love is replaceable.¡±


    ¡°But what that man brought to Meiwa wasn¡¯t a momentary desire, but the joy of mutual understanding, daily companionship, the merging of souls. In the future, you might encounter plenty of beautiful ¡®shells,¡¯ but intriguing souls¡ªmaybe only this one.¡±


    ¡°This is why Meiwa feels repulsed by this love and even tries to distance herself¡ªit¡¯s irreplaceable. What¡¯s more terrifying is that he has gradually woven himself into Meiwa¡¯s life, like a poison seeping into the marrow, which cannot be removed by any means.¡±


    ¡°What an evil man, to make Meiwa part of his life, so that Meiwa¡¯s life is also trampled by him; he wants to understand Meiwa, so Meiwa will want to understand him too; he is dependent on Meiwa, so Meiwa will also depend on him.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps only a man who has completely abandoned his self-respect, his independent life, his privacy would do such a thing. Even the most basic moral education at the orphanage would not have led to such a despicable act.¡± Adela shook her head, ¡°There are still such shameless men these days, and he even successfully charmed Meiwa. Poor Meiwa indeed.¡±


    Freyja listened, her mind in a haze, and asked subconsciously, ¡°What should I do then?¡±


    ¡°Follow your instincts, dislike him, stay away from him,¡± Adela whispered, ¡°If you continue like this, you¡¯ll only sink deeper into the growing affection and lose yourself. The one locking you up won¡¯t just be the man, but also everything you¡¯ve invested in him.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve heard it many times in the orphanage, haven¡¯t you? ¡®Every relationship that concerns you will taint you,¡¯ ¡®Every relationship that belittles you will harm you,¡¯ ¡®Every relationship that forces you to change will dominate you.¡¯ Everything that man does is tainting you, hurting you, dominating you.¡±


    Adela took Freyja¡¯s hand, ¡°We have received so much education, not to lose ourselves. We were born for ourselves, and solely for ourselves, with no spare room for anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Do you still remember the main content of the ¡®Prohibition of Blood Relations Act¡¯?¡±


    Freyja murmured, ¡°It¡¯s... personal freedom...¡±


    ¡°Yes, personal freedom, because after the prohibition of blood ties, family ceases to exist, and with no foundation for kinship or love, everyone cuts off all social shackles and can thus achieve personal freedom.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you value him greatly now, but that¡¯s only a ¡®delusion¡¯ at this moment. Next year, next month, tomorrow, even the next second, you could have new thoughts, fall for someone new, desire a different life.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t just for yourself, but also for the other person, after all, humans are far more fickle than Meiwa.¡±


    ¡°Think about it, what if the other person suddenly had new thoughts and chose to leave you? What would you feel?¡±


    Thinking of the rapidly expiring ¡®best before¡¯ date, Freyja suddenly found it hard to breathe and struggled to say, ¡°...It would hurt.¡±


    ¡°If knowing him for just a short time hurts you, imagine what pain months or years could bring. Would you twist yourself, trying to please him just to hold on?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve anticipated this possibility yourself. You¡¯re worried about that future, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re so uneasy, why you want to distance yourself.¡±


    ¡°Because you want to protect yourself, even if it¡¯s just a marshmallow, but you are still afraid of getting pricked.¡±


    Looking at Freyja¡¯s increasingly pitiful expression, Adela whispered in her ear, ¡°We don¡¯t need irreplaceable love.¡±

 Chapter 167 - 151 But I Want to Go with You

    Chapter 167: Chapter 151 But I Want to Go with You


    Freyja paused for a long time outside the door, listening to the sizzling sound of hot oil from inside, her hand on the doorknob, yet she couldn¡¯t bring herself to turn it.


    It wasn¡¯t until the neighbor next door started opening their door, seemingly ready to leave, that she summoned the courage to push the door open.


    ¡°Welcome back, the meal is ready.¡±


    The same greeting as always, Freyja hesitated for a moment, ¡°I¡¯m back.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to watch ¡®Campus Comedy¡¯ or ¡®Death Tracking¡¯?¡± Ash placed the dishes on the long table, getting ready tonight¡¯s dinner-time video on the Knowledge Screen.


    ¡®Campus Comedy¡¯ was a lighthearted show about campus life, featuring a goblin protagonist who was poor in academics, but after consuming Moon candy, he could enter an extremely intelligent ¡®Moon Mode¡¯. In this state, he took exams with almost flawless success, even scoring the highest on the unified entrance examination and being admitted to the top academic institution of the Kingdom of Blood Moon.


    However, the candy also brought him many side effects, causing his personality to constantly change, at times nonsensical, at times dependable, at times ascetic, at times lustful, at times gentle, and at times violent.


    To hide his academic deficiencies, the goblin had to combat the side effects while actively participating in university life, thus unfolding a tale of campus stories filled with laughter and anger.


    To be fair, the show was really well-made: fast-paced, with one laugh after another, filled with all kinds of satire and jest about college life ¨C even in Ash¡¯s view, it was a rare good show.


    That was if you could overlook its subtle tendency to create public opinion for the legalization of Moon candy.


    After Moon candy was legalized in Kaimon City, other cities were also actively progressing the same proposals. The popularity of ¡®Campus Comedy¡¯ was no small part due to the push from various interest groups, and it could even be said to be a propaganda show for Moon candy, aiming to change the public¡¯s negative perception and make everyone see Moon candy as an everyday consumer product.


    Incidentally, the show¡¯s sole designated brand of Moon candy was ¡®Snow White¡¯, a brand even Ash was quite familiar with, which made it clear who the biggest sponsor of the show was.


    Meanwhile, ¡®Death Tracking¡¯ was a fantasy drama about a protagonist who was murdered by a close friend, but at the moment of death, their souls swapped. The friend¡¯s soul died within the protagonist¡¯s body, allowing the protagonist to live on in the friend¡¯s body. To figure out why they were killed, the protagonist, assuming different identities, uncovered layers of conspiracy, died time and again, thwarted the villain¡¯s plans time and again, and unraveled a multitude of mysteries ¨C it was a very tightly paced suspense series.


    Ash glanced at spoilers and realized the villain was a cult organization.


    Looking it up and down, he found that though the cult didn¡¯t carry the name of the Four Pillars God Sect, it acted like, moved like, and even sounded like the Four Pillar Gods ¨C clearly, it was the Four Pillars God Sect!


    That aside, there were actually people in the movie reviews asking if ¡°it was based on true events from Ash Heath,¡± to which Ash responded pretending to be an impartial passerby blasting back ¨C the show started airing before I was caught!


    ¡°I¡¯ll go for ¡®Campus Comedy¡¯,¡± Freyja said.


    Ash had no objection, enjoying the show with relish, laughing so hard his shoulders shook, regularly reaching out to rub Xiao Xian, who let out a dissatisfied meow before continuing to eat her cat food.


    Freyja¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t on the drama or the food; beneath her cute and enchanting beauty, complex emotions were stirring.


    Adela was right.


    Ash was a dangerous man; Freyja had known this for some time. She just hadn¡¯t realized that beyond the apparent danger, his true ¡®evil¡¯ lay within ¨C nothing could be more wicked than binding a free spirit.


    Even a prison, after all, only confines the body.


    Freyja couldn¡¯t help but recall the information she had researched a few days ago for her paper on social parenting: ¡°The blood relationship between the Birther and the birthed is the shackle furthest from freedom; severing all innate connections is the basis for personal freedom... Every dependent relationship between people is a Rebellion against freedom.¡±


    Furthermore, the moral education she had received over the past decade also surfaced in her mind.


    ¡°Human nature is the hardest color to describe; today he may be a good person, but tomorrow he could become a criminal devoid of humanity. If you trust someone wholeheartedly, it means they have the power to hurt you at will.¡±


    ¡°Never have any expectations of others; others mean Hell.¡±


    ¡°Trust only yourself, take responsibility only for yourself, live only for yourself, die only for yourself.¡±


    ¡°The best form of equality is where I can¡¯t take advantage of you, and you can¡¯t take advantage of me, a wholly unconnected equality. It¡¯s only when people are unconnected that freedom can breathe.¡±


    ¡°Never let anyone plant a seed in your heart.¡±


    Freyja sneakily glanced at Ash and noticed him laughing so hard his meal was nearly spraying out, with a streak of cream on the corner of his mouth. Facing this ogre-like dining etiquette, she felt no discomfort, and a strange impulse overcame her¡ªshe wanted to lick that streak of cream off with her tongue.


    It was truly terrifying, Meiwa thought.


    Adela had been right; while she was still rational, she had to quickly sever this relationship and expel Ash from her life.


    Otherwise, she would be unable to maintain a ¡®complete self,¡¯ deteriorating into an emotional Slave, constrained by ephemeral relationships, losing her personal freedom, becoming a vassal of social relations, and turning into an empty shell.


    No wonder Ash was the leader of a cult; if every believer of the Divine Sect were these kinds of ¡®shameless people¡¯ attempting to corrupt others, then it indeed needed to be severely dealt with.


    No wonder she felt revulsion and a desire to distance herself from Ash. The thought of being as attentively focused on all of Ash¡¯s affairs in the future as she was now, feeling joy because of Ash¡¯s happiness, feeling sadness because of his sorrow, willing to give everything for Ash, aroused within her... arose within her...


    ¡°`


    ...Filled with anxious anticipation?


    No, Freyja, you are a Meiwa with an independent personality; you must not succumb to the vile tactics of the Divine Sect leader!


    You need to find the courage to drive him out of this apartment!


    Without him, you can become better!


    After this meal, speak up!


    After washing the dishes, speak up!


    After finishing this assignment, just¡ª


    ¡°I have to leave tonight.¡±


    Freyja abruptly lifted her head, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°To where a fugitive belongs.¡± Ash put on his coat, donned his mask, ¡°Thank you very much for your care these past few days. Although, I feel like it¡¯s mostly been me taking care of you.¡±


    ¡°So soon?¡± Freyja was a bit flustered, ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been seven days...¡±


    ¡°Even though the deadline is seven days, I have already found the information I needed over these days. There¡¯s no need for me to continue staying.¡± Ash summoned a Technique Spirit, ¡°You¡¯re not a Mage, right? Do you have a container to store Technique Spirits?¡±


    ¡°I do, I do.¡± Freyja went to open a cupboard, ¡°I have a Fluorescent Ball that can temporarily store Technique Spirits...¡±


    Ash waited for quite a while, watching as Freyja rummaged through boxes and cabinets, then went over, glanced in, and took out a transparent spherical container: ¡°Is this it?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s the one.¡± Freyja scratched her head in embarrassment, ¡°Oh my, it was right here, how did I not see it?¡±


    Ash placed the Technique Spirit into the Fluorescent Ball, severing his connection with it. The Fluorescent Ball immediately lit up with a faint glow, and then the Technique Spirit lazily stretched out its body, seemingly falling asleep.


    ¡°Here.¡± Ash handed the Fluorescent Ball to Freyja, ¡°Our Contract is completed.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°After I leave, don¡¯t expose my information. After all, you are, in the end, sheltering an escaped fugitive; it might bring you trouble. Even though I¡¯ve tried to avoid neighbors, someone may have seen me; if anyone asks you, just say I¡¯m someone you picked up from a bar, and didn¡¯t think I¡¯d actually survive after being used.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Ash crouched down to look at the kitten, Xiao Xian, and rubbed its head: ¡°Goodbye now, remember not to keep silent when you¡¯re in pain. Yell out, or no one will know.¡±


    He stood up and looked at Freyja, smiling: ¡°Well then, I wish you happiness, Freyja.¡±


    Freyja didn¡¯t respond.


    She lowered her head to stare at Xiao Xian, as if the folded-ear cat had suddenly become a Monster she didn¡¯t recognize, and she couldn¡¯t move her gaze from it.


    Ash didn¡¯t take it to heart and stepped past her towards the entrance.


    ¡°Will you come back?¡±


    While putting on his shoes, Ash said: ¡°No, if everything goes as planned, I will do something big tonight, and coming back to you would just be trouble for you.¡±


    ¡°Then where will you live after this?¡±


    ¡°Under the open sky, I guess. I may have to leave Kaimon City, but there will always be a way.¡±


    ¡°That sounds quite miserable.¡±


    ¡°It is pretty miserable. The dinner earlier was so lavish because I had a feeling I¡¯d be quite miserable for the next month ¨C consider it a last moment of joy.¡±


    As Ash¡¯s right hand grabbed the doorknob, his left hand was also grasped.


    He turned his head and saw Freyja tightly holding his wrist.


    Ash felt touched: ¡°Do you want me to stay?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Freyja shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to keep staying in this apartment.¡±


    ¡°But I want to go with you.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 168 - 152: Sympathy

    Chapter 168: Chapter 152: Sympathy


    In the apartment, the Cult Leader locked eyes with Meiwa.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    When Ash asked this question, Freyja was startled, then thought for a moment and said, ¡°I¡¯m still a legal citizen. I can rent a house to shelter you, I can go to work to support you, anything inconvenient for you can be handed over to me. I... I¡¯ll do whatever you tell me to do.¡±


    ¡°Although I¡¯m glad you¡¯re willing to work to support me,¡± Ash couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°but what I mean is not ¡®why should I take you with me,¡¯ but ¡®why do you want to follow me.''¡±


    Freyja¡¯s face turned slightly red, and she looked down at the little Technique Spirit rubbing against her feet, ¡°There¡¯s no reason... I just want to follow you.¡±


    ¡°Then let me rephrase the question. Why can¡¯t you accept me leaving you?¡±


    Freyja opened her mouth but said nothing.


    She bit her lower lip, feeling pain somewhere inside, yet she didn¡¯t know how to express it.


    The education she received for many years didn¡¯t allow her to expose her weaknesses.


    Suddenly, she remembered what Ash had just said to the little Technique Spirit, ¡°From now on, if you feel pain, don¡¯t just tough it out on your own; you have to shout it out loud, or nobody will know.¡±


    ¡°Because it will hurt me,¡± she said softly, ¡°Just thinking that I will never see you again, never taste the gourmet food you make, never be able to chat with you... I feel a faint pain in my heart, it¡¯s very uncomfortable, and I even feel like crying.¡±


    As she spoke, Freyja began to feel aggrieved, ¡°Everything will go back to the way it was after you¡¯re gone, but why do I feel so bad? It¡¯s the same as before, but the moment you appear, you throw my emotions into turmoil, why does this happen...¡±


    ¡°Because you feel lonely.¡±


    ¡°Lonely?¡± She was somewhat bewildered. ¡°But I¡ªeveryone has always been lonely. That¡¯s what the books say, that loneliness is the wings of freedom, that freedom dazzles because of loneliness...¡±


    Ash took Freyja by the hand and sat her down in the entryway, gently saying, ¡°But you never embraced loneliness before, you were just avoiding it. Because you are young, the world is still new to you, life is interesting to you, so you could keep running, and loneliness couldn¡¯t catch up with you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve also seen Fernand¡¯s speech, haven¡¯t you? Do you know why he¡¯s looking for his descendants? Because loneliness caught up with him. He¡¯s too old, the world is no longer new to him, and all that¡¯s left in life are calculations. Facing the pursuit of loneliness, he has nowhere to hide. So he urgently needs another vessel to contain his loneliness¡ªnothing can ease the pain of loneliness like seeing one¡¯s own bloodline continue.¡±


    ¡°What I¡¯ve done is establish a bond with you. When we are together, the bond can drive away loneliness; when I leave, the other end of the bond will be connected to loneliness, that¡¯s why you feel pain¡ªyou¡¯ve been caught by loneliness, and you can¡¯t escape.¡±


    Freyja looked down at her beautifully manicured feet, and murmured softly, ¡°You¡¯re so mean...¡±


    ¡°In your eyes, I suppose I should be a great villain,¡± Ash smiled and said, ¡°Your thoughts aren¡¯t wrong; Blood Moon¡¯s education is for your own good, too. As long as you don¡¯t enter any intimate relationship, don¡¯t establish bonds with anyone, you won¡¯t be disappointed, you won¡¯t be lonely, and you won¡¯t get hurt. Because you never had it, so there¡¯s no fear of losing it.¡±


    ¡°But... I refuse to acknowledge that kind of ¡®for your own good.''¡±


    Ash waved to the little feline and, once it approached, he lifted it high, looking at the place where its testicles should have been, ¡°The pet store neutered them before selling the cats, because estrus is uncomfortable for them. It¡¯s painful, and there can be many complications; neutering cats is for their own good.¡±


    ¡°In my view, what the Kingdom of Blood Moon does to you all isn¡¯t much different from neutering cats. You don¡¯t dare to enter intimate relationships, and you are overly cautious even with cotton candy, which indeed avoids many potential harms, but it also causes you to lose the greatest ability of mankind¡ªthe ability to love.¡±


    ¡°But people are not pets, at least... they shouldn¡¯t be.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad, Freyja,¡± Ash said as he met Meiwa¡¯s gaze. ¡°You¡¯ve learned to love, and you know to resist rather than flee from loneliness. This means that it¡¯s not me who¡¯s crazy, but this kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Ash, you really are the epitome of a cult leader,¡± Freyja¡¯s smile was tinged with sorrow, ¡°What should I do then?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t resist entering into intimate relationships. Actively seek new bonds, whether friendship or love, and then you can fight loneliness,¡± Ash said. ¡°But you do need to adjust the way you love; it¡¯s too extreme. Saying things like working to support me, you switch from ¡®complete self¡¯ to ¡®complete dependence¡¯ so easily. It makes you susceptible to being deceived by jerks.¡±


    ¡°Keep your individuality; learn to love. Just do these two things and you¡¯ll do just fine in this crazy kingdom, or rather, at least live happier than others.¡±


    Freyja gazed at him, lost in thought, ¡°Can¡¯t I really follow you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that you can¡¯t; I would love that,¡± said Ash. ¡°But that would mean abandoning your achievements of over a decade, risking becoming a fugitive, giving up a degree within your grasp, forsaking resource-rich universities, foregoing the mature mage cultivation system of the Kingdom of Blood Moon, and even giving up the chance to become a Spirit Mage... Are you willing to do that?¡±


    Meiwa was taken aback.


    ¡°I¡¯ve only been with you for five days and four nights. Compared to the years you¡¯ve spent in Kaimon, this time is truly insignificant. To you, I¡¯m not that important; you¡¯re just being impulsive¡ªof course, I¡¯m happy with that impulse, as it represents the budding of your love for me.¡±


    Ash couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°Speaking of which, I once invited someone to leave with me, and she decisively rejected me due to practical reasons. Now when you voluntarily want to follow me, I am the one refusing you.¡±


    Freyja murmured, ¡°You despise what¡¯s handed to you and covet what you can¡¯t have.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re criticizing me so much I¡¯m starting to doubt my own noble character,¡± said Ash, grinning with a grimace. ¡°But my thoughts haven¡¯t changed¡ªI can offer you the choice, but you need to think it through.¡±


    ¡°I can be a regret for you, but not a disaster.¡±


    Freyja picked up the small feline and slumped to the ground, lost in thought for a long while before letting out a slow sigh, ¡°So do you plan to just play with me until I can no longer return, and then just leave like that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re suddenly being so harsh, making me sound like some heartbreaker, but I really didn¡¯t do anything,¡± Ash said, somewhat bemused. ¡°And it¡¯s not that I¡¯m offering nothing... Didn¡¯t I give you a Technique Spirit?¡±


    He paused and then added, ¡°If you haven¡¯t found a new bond for the time being, then look at the Technique Spirit and think of me. Longing can ease loneliness, longing can ferment anticipation.¡±


    Freyja looked at the Technique Spirit within the Fluorescent Ball, feeling a sudden pang of sorrow.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been so kind to me, doing so much these past days; is it all just out of pity?¡±

 Chapter 169 - 153: Bewitching Maiden (Three Updates)

    Chapter 169: Chapter 153: Bewitching Maiden (Three Updates)


    Ash chuckled lightly, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be the one asking you that?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°Even before signing the Contract, you remembered I was Ash Heath, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Ash said, ¡°But you still signed.¡±


    ¡°That, that¡¯s because you are a notorious escapee,¡± Freyja rubbed her eyes, avoiding Ash¡¯s gaze. ¡°How could I dare defy you, not to mention the benefit of receiving a Technique Spirit?¡±


    Ash laughed softly, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, back then, I held the Sympathy Technique Spirit. I could feel your curiosity towards me, and... pity.¡±


    Freyja recalled that night five days ago. She paused for a moment before signing her name, noticing the mix of anxiety, hesitation, and fear on the man¡¯s face beside her. His eyes involuntarily darted towards the balcony, seemingly ready to break into the deep night at any moment.


    At that time, she suddenly remembered an unrelated scene¡ªwhen she was casually visiting a pet store, she saw a fold-ear cat darting around. After being caught by the staff, the cat occasionally looked at the window and then at Freyja.


    So, she bought the little Chord.


    So, she signed the Contract.


    So...


    ¡°My kindness towards you is not out of pity, but out of fondness,¡± Ash said. ¡°As the first person I met outside of prison, although you have many habits I can¡¯t understand, and our values are not entirely in line, filled with the smell of blood that permeates the land of the Kingdom of Blood Moon...¡±


    ¡°But the goodness deep within you makes me feel the world is still wonderful.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s also because of you that I no longer want to just coldly observe from the sidelines. Even if it¡¯s just you, I still hope you can... find a happiness that heals a lifetime.¡±


    Freyja¡¯s face flushed with heat, the bold Meiwa even becoming shy, ¡°You¡¯re planning to leave, and yet you¡¯re still saying such things...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯ll never meet again.¡± Ash said, ¡°Although I will likely leave the Kingdom of Blood Moon, I might come back someday. Even if I don¡¯t, you¡¯ll eventually become a Mage, and we could meet in the Void Realm¡ªof course, it¡¯s better if it¡¯s not my Mage inheritance projection that you encounter there.¡±


    ¡°We are Mages, after all; we must believe in miracles.¡±


    ¡°So...¡±


    Ash stood up, gently touched Freyja and Chord¡¯s heads, ¡°Goodbye, Freyja, I hope when we meet again, you¡¯ve become a Spirit Mage. Goodbye, Chord, I hope your illness is completely cured.¡±


    Freyja bit her lips tightly watching him, ¡°Goodbye, Ash, I hope... I hope you can be a good person.¡±


    ¡°You make it sound like I am a bad person now...¡±


    ......


    As the door shut, the cult leader¡¯s figure was completely engulfed by the night. Freyja rubbed her eyes again, put away the Fluorescent Ball and Chord, and returned to her desk to continue doing homework.


    As she wrote, large hot tears fell on the paper, blurring her vision and smudging her handwriting.


    She leaned on the desk, her shoulders gently shaking, crying silently.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised he didn¡¯t take her with him.¡±


    The Sword Maiden sat in the seat Ash had just vacated, watching the crying Freyja with interest, ¡°Despite all the changes during the escape, Ash still met the ¡®Enticing Girl.¡¯ Rather than call it coincidence, I¡¯d rather call it Fate¡ª¡¯Enticing Girl¡¯ will always be the ¡®Final Observer¡¯s¡¯ follower.¡±


    ¡°No, it has nothing to do with fate or coincidence, this is just the result of precise calculation.¡±


    The Observer stood by the balcony railing, watching Ash vanish into the night, calmly said, ¡°This is the apartment closest to Kaimon Comprehensive University, and at the time, Freyja¡¯s room was the only one on the third floor without a light on. Ash¡¯s choice was inevitable.¡±


    ¡°Is it inevitable?¡± the Sword Maiden¡¯s face tilted upward, ¡°Then is ¡®Seducer Girl¡¯s¡¯ loyalty a coincidence?¡±


    The Observer nodded slightly, ¡°After I escaped from prison, I wasn¡¯t even a Mage yet. Having Freyja¡¯s help could spare me a lot of trouble; using her was undoubtedly the most cost-effective choice. For Ash who has now become a Two-winged Mage, Freyja would only be a burden to him, so there was no need to take her along.¡±


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve felt indignant on behalf of Ash.¡± The Sword Maiden laughed bitterly in anger, ¡°You actually use your filthy thought patterns to tarnish Ash¡¯s kindness?¡±


    ¡°He may have been kind, but deep inside, he had made many considerations,¡± the Observer stated indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s all the same.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s ¡®all the same,¡¯ then why are we here?¡± the Sword Maiden spoke chillingly, ¡°What we long for is a ¡®different¡¯ Miracle.¡±


    ¡°...Say whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°Observer, is it my illusion, or do I feel like you¡¯re not in a very good mood today? Normally, you would have already mocked me with your shameless and boring jokes.¡±


    The Sword Maiden looked towards Freyja, ¡°Is it because you¡¯ve encountered your old subordinate after a long time? It¡¯s been a long time since you last saw her too, right? How did Seducer Girl die again? I only remember that it wasn¡¯t me who killed her¡ª¡±


    The Observer glanced at her, ¡°Sword Maiden.¡±


    ¡°I suddenly recall a distant rumor,¡± the Sword Maiden said as if lost in thought, ¡°Seducer Girl followed you out of love for you, but you never satisfied her. Until her death, she seemed never to have earned your favor.¡±


    ¡°Just to satisfy my curiosity, tell me about your story with Seducer Girl?¡±


    The Observer looked at her coldly, and the Sword Maiden fearlessly confronted him.


    It wasn¡¯t until Freyja sobbed breathlessly and hiccupped that the Observer spoke coldly, ¡°Are you taking up the cause of your former enemy?¡±


    ¡°I am taking up the cause for women who encounter scum,¡± the Sword Maiden said.


    After a long silence, the Observer finally spoke, ¡°...Do you know why her Spirit Miracle had such high priority, such extensive range, such profound impact?¡±


    ¡°Because she is Meiwa?¡±


    ¡°Because she is a chaste Meiwa,¡± the Observer stated calmly, ¡°A chaste Meiwa not only significantly increases the learning speed of Spirit techniques but also causes a qualitative change in the Spirit Miracles. This is not considered Secret Poison. The Meiwa tribe might know of this, but very few Meiwa achieve it¡ªthey must have a madly in-love object for them to enter the chastity state, which can only be lifted when they fully integrate with the object.¡±


    ¡°So you continued to exploit her just to obtain the Combat Power of Seducer Girl?¡±


    ¡°I did it for her own good.¡±


    ¡°The Paradise created by the Extreme Master of Blood Moon is also for the good of the pets living inside it,¡± the Sword Maiden said coldly, ¡°You disgust me, Observer.¡±


    ¡°Ash might not be Freyja¡¯s regret, but you were a disaster for Seducer Girl.¡±


    The kitten approached the Observer¡¯s feet and affectionately rubbed against his boots.


    ¡°I will tell the others about this when I return; now at last, we have a reason to unite. How could things possibly go well with a scandalous person like you...¡±


    The Sword Maiden was speaking when she suddenly turned her head and found that the Observer had disappeared.


    A fold-eared cat jumped onto the desk, forcefully burrowing into Freyja¡¯s embrace.


    With a blank expression, Freyja lifted her head to see the fold-eared cat affectionately licking the tears on her face, causing her to suddenly feel a sting in her nose and she hugged the fold-eared cat and burst into loud sobs.


    The Sword Maiden watched the scene calmly, her lips slightly curling up, displaying a mocking smile.


    ¡°Thinking of making amends only now, it really is... so pathetic.¡±


    But she immediately shook her head self-mockingly, ¡°We are just as pathetic.¡±

 Chapter 170 - 154: The Cheating Secret of the Blood Moon

    Chapter 170: Chapter 154: The Cheating Secret of the Blood Moon


    Kaimon City, ¡°Upper District,¡± Cathedral area, Silent Forest Villa District No. 22.


    Knock knock.


    A respectful knocking sound emerged, and three seconds later, a cool voice responded, ¡°Come in.¡±


    Beastman Gessas pushed open the door, bringing his entourage into what could be described as a miniature library of a study ¨C with a ceiling height of 7.7 meters, covering an area of 79 square meters. All the walls were adorned with carefully crafted goblin artisanal relief bookshelves. Even the ceiling was draped in glass, behind which was placed one inheritance scroll after another, made using secret techniques from the ancient times. The floor was carpeted with a layer of soft, powder-purple charming fur.


    Although it was not his first time here, every time he saw this luxurious room, Gessas couldn¡¯t help but bow even lower.


    Let alone the precious knowledge that would never circulate outside the Veil, the powder-purple carpet alone was enough to suppress any rebellious thoughts ¨C knowing that Meiwa fur changes color, and powder-purple was considered the rarest and most beautiful.


    How many Meiwa had to die to weave such a carpet?


    Of course, Gessas didn¡¯t believe the Master would employ illegal methods for just a carpet. Given the Master¡¯s personality, he would never display something tainted so openly, suggesting that this carpet was a legitimate and legal piece of art.


    He speculated that perhaps the Master had purchased it from a research institute, or it was a gift from a scholar of the Blood Saint Clan¡ªwith most merchandise related to corpses usually coming from such an institute.


    Only the research institute, which controlled all the corpse resources, could produce such extravagantly stunning artwork ¡°legally and legitimately.¡±


    Walking past the book forest on the carpet, Gessas set his eyes upon a desk that resembled the trunk of a tree. There were no lights on in the room; pale red moonlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows and was bisected by the chair, softly covering the area around the desk.


    The person sitting in the chair was bathed in darkness, and when he opened his green eyes, Gessas lowered his gaze to his toes, not daring to meet the Elf¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be bringing me good news, Gessas.¡±


    ¡°We have found Ronald. We dispatched two Golden Mouths and seven Silver Tongues, but the ¡®Death Cultist¡¯ proved too ferocious, and they eventually escaped.¡± Gessas quickly reported, ¡°All the black market medical practitioners are already under Woodpecker surveillance. The moment they seek treatment, we will certainly capture them.¡±


    ¡°Alright, and what else?¡±


    ¡°Though we have no eyewitness reports, from shopping and garbage disposal, we can assert that Igula Bokin is hiding in Blood Frenzy Hunter Emi Lexa¡¯s apartment. But Emi Lexa is of the Moon Shadow Clan, and we cannot proceed with further searches.¡±


    ¡°The Moon Shadow Clan is willing to shelter him?¡± The Elf showed some surprise. ¡°He must have deceived them; most Moon Shadows are monsters with simple minds... What else?¡±


    ¡°Several affiliated hospitals¡¯ ¡®Corpse Recovery Departments¡¯ have reported that when they went to retrieve corpses using coordinates provided by the Crime Hunting Hall, they found no bodies; and an Upper District Crime Hunting Bureau, having received a ¡®death signal,¡¯ arrived at the crime scene within ten minutes, only to find no corpse and were unable to track any traces.¡±


    ¡°A few sensational murders happened in the Lower District. Several gang leaders under the Eternal Life Club suddenly went mad and slaughtered their own men; the bodies showed clear signs of necromancy.¡±


    ¡°A former Eternal Life club councilor died in his sleep with no signs of resistance.¡±


    ¡°The clean and skilled disposal of bodies and the style of crime reminiscent of a control master clearly suggest ¡®Corpse Lover¡¯ Archibald Harvey is on a mission of revenge.¡±


    ¡°Based on his activities, it¡¯s safe to assume his base is within the Pig District. Give me three more days, and I am certain I can find him!¡± Gessas said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt your capabilities, but you definitely won¡¯t find him.¡±


    The Elf tapped his finger lightly on the desk, ¡°This Necromancer has offended the Blood Saint Clan¡¯s taboos. These days, the Crime Hunting Hall will undoubtedly be using all their efforts to pursue him... Perhaps as we speak, he¡¯s already been captured by the Blood Frenzy Hunters to be bled like a pig, his memories extracted and meticulously peeled apart, his body broken down into various materials¡ªwhen facing an enemy that touches upon their interests, the Blood Saint Clan is always generous with their respect.¡±


    ¡°Though we haven¡¯t captured anyone, these four points could be considered good news, right? Then...¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±


    Gessas trembled all over, his knees softened, and he kneeled down, pressing his forehead to the carpet. Even as an all-encompassing fear gripped his heart, his words remained smooth, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but Woodpecker really can¡¯t find any trace of Ash Heath, not a single piece of information.¡±


    Laughter came from behind the desk, ¡°Under the glory of the Blood Moon, all are equal, and what¡¯s more, Gessas, you are a Two-winged Mage yourself, one who has bathed in the ¡®golden rain.¡¯ Don¡¯t kneel so readily.¡±


    Facing what seemed like comforting reassurance, Gessas dared not make any sudden moves. This paragon among beastmen, still maintained the most humble posture, exposing his undefended back to the Master¡¯s gaze.


    Yes, he and the Master, both were Golden Mages. Had this been anywhere else, Gessas wouldn¡¯t necessarily sit on an equal footing with the Master, but he certainly wouldn¡¯t be so abject... However, this was the Kingdom of Blood Moon.


    Laws were the will of the gods, and norms the desire of the gods.


    Unless one was willing to defect from society, detach from civilization, turn into a beast, withdraw from this rubbish game, even a Legendary Mage would have to abide by social norms¡ªand in a game with rules, resources are the ultimate power.

 Chapter 171 - 154: The Cheating Secret of the Blood Moon_2

    Chapter 171: Chapter 154: The Cheating Secret of the Blood Moon_2


    Power is a type of resource, an important one, but not the only one. The more stable a society, the less valuable the resource of power becomes, and in this civilization that has been passed down for over a thousand years, power serves merely as a threshold, much like a degree that acts as a ticket to knock on doors.


    Those who are not mages can only dutifully become fuel for society. While mages are eligible to participate in this game, that is merely eligibility because this is a PVP game that started a millennium ago, and there are no such things as Newbie Villages or low-level areas. All new players who join face enemies that are various guild big shots (businesspersons), committed gamers (elites), Level 100 Players (Legendary Mages), and even cheaters (Blood Moon Two-Winged).


    The most interesting aspect is that despite being a PVP game, the society is all safe zones, where theoretically one is not allowed to attack each other.


    So new players have only two paths¡ªto be the dog of old players, sharing in the resources trickling down from the old players¡¯ fingertips through bootlicking, or to become fuel, tacitly isolated and ousted by the old players.


    Gessas was a new player who had only started his game account thirty-six years ago. Although he indeed possessed remarkable talent, being a mere Beastman who stepped into the ranks of the Two-winged at thirty, his master was an old player who had joined the game one hundred and eighty years ago.


    Compared to magic power, connections, power, and resources are the most terrifying forces of Elves.


    The prestigious titles such as the president of the Elf Rights Protection Association, City Council member, and school professor are needless to mention. Merely being ¡°the behind-the-scenes owner of Woodpecker¡± could easily destroy all the efforts Gessas made over the years¡ªGessas is certainly the current leader of Woodpecker, but most of the Core Members of Woodpecker could be directly controlled by the Master.


    Ironically, as an organization that does the dirty work, the Core Members of Woodpecker actually don¡¯t have things like salaries; even if their labor rights are violated, labor laws will certainly not protect them. Rather, it¡¯s possible that the Crime Hunting Hall could help them seek revenge.


    The primary source of income for most members of organizations like Woodpecker is¡ªloans.


    All remuneration the members receive is ¡®temporary borrowing¡¯ from financial companies. Of course, as long as you honestly do your job, they naturally won¡¯t ask you to repay the money, not to mention charge interest. But once the financial company decides to collect, anyone who can¡¯t repay will directly become a ¡®defaulter.¡¯


    In the Kingdom of Blood Moon, becoming a ¡®defaulter¡¯ is equivalent to only being able to sleep under a cardboard box beneath an overpass. One cannot use any transportation, enter or exit any checkpoints, make any high expenditures, rent housing, or even communicate, effectively kicking you out of civilized society with one foot.


    Perhaps some might wonder, with such harsh conditions, why would anyone still join Woodpecker? Can¡¯t they honestly work and sign a lawful and regulated labor contract with protected rights?


    Because almost all members of Woodpecker are unable to tolerate the nine-to-five job. Moreover, for a mage, unless joining a research institute or other specific organizations, most jobs are a waste of time for them.


    The learning of mages requires full-time dedication and a lot of money.


    Even if they want to take a loan to engage in full-time cultivation, no bank would approve such a loan. By comparison, Woodpecker¡¯s offer of an ¡®unlimited term, interest-free loan¡¯ seems very attractive. If one can become a Two-winged Mage, Woodpecker will naturally write off the loan and even put them to good use; even if they don¡¯t become Two-winged, as long as they are honest and don¡¯t betray the organization, Woodpecker will not ruin their credit.


    If you want to work while cultivating, it¡¯s not impossible; in fact, such individuals are often promoted as inspiring role models. But since it¡¯s considered ¡®inspiring,¡¯ it indicates just how challenging that path is, with success being achieved only by those who have combined talent, effort, and luck, able to break free from ordinary life.


    Those with such qualities might actually achieve success faster by joining Woodpecker and taking the unorthodox path.


    Woodpecker¡¯s growth to its current size is far from being mere luck. Even without Woodpecker, these dark mages would still pledge loyalty to other forces to exchange for learning resources (especially time resources), even if it meant signing even harsher contracts and being subservient.


    Moreover, most mages don¡¯t even have the opportunity to be dogs.


    They can only be the dogs of dogs.


    If the income from a regular legal job is 1, dog food for someone at Gessas¡¯s level is 15, then the income for Silver Tongue of Woodpecker is 5, Golden Mouth is 10.


    Therefore, even though Gessas could potentially explode into action and have a chance to kill an Elf, he can only humbly bow his head.


    What good is killing the Master anyway? He can¡¯t inherit any of the Elf¡¯s legacy, and Woodpecker, bound by debts, will not recognize a criminal leader. Everything owned by the Elf will also be divided by his peers, and Gessas, as one who broke the game¡¯s rules, will only be sent to Shattered Lake Prison, to be drained of his last drop of dignity as a ¡®vicious criminal gang leader¡¯ live on Blood Moon broadcasts.


    The best outcome would be for some other ¡®old player¡¯ to take a liking to Gessas, spare his life, and include him under their command, in other words... Gessas would simply switch masters.


    This is the racial equality of Blood Moon, in front of the Longevity Species, everyone is an equal inferior.


    This is the human rights and freedom of Blood Moon, the freedom to freely choose which old player to serve as a dog.


    For a long time, Gessas knew that Blood Moon was a Paradise for the Longevity Species. In this game where inheritance doesn¡¯t exist, wealth can¡¯t accumulate over generations, and all new players need to ¡®start over,¡¯ lifespan becomes the most powerful cheating trick.

 Chapter 172: 154 Blood Moons Cheating Tricks_3

    Chapter 172: Chapter 154 Blood Moon¡¯s Cheating Tricks_3


    The longer the life span, the more resources one could acquire; the longer the life span, the more one could become an ¡°old¡± player; the longer the life span, the more one could form an interest group centered around oneself.


    This was why the Blood Moon Two-winged Clan were the ruling class, and why Elves were known as ¡°the Stewards of Society¡±¡ªto the Blood Moon Two-winged Clan, Elves were the only race qualified to stand on equal footing with them.


    As for those short-lived species that would die within a hundred years, they weren¡¯t worth paying attention to. It had nothing to do with discrimination, nor even with interests, for in the eyes of the Longevity Species, the short-lived were merely their resources.


    Life span was the greatest class divide.


    Therefore, even if it meant grovelling, even if it meant being lowly as maggots, Gessas had to earn enough money to undergo lifespan-extension surgery at the institute.


    Sometimes Gessas wondered, if he hadn¡¯t been born in the lower district¡¯s foster home, if he had resolved to take the exams for middle school and university, and eventually succeeded in entering the institute to become a member of the Blood Saint Clan, would everything be different.


    But there were not so many ifs in the world; he hadn¡¯t been born right, hadn¡¯t schooled well, and he could only take the hardest path.


    Time ticked by, second by second, and the study was so silent it seemed to solidify. Just when Gessas¡¯s clothes were soaked with cold sweat, the voice of the Elf slowly sounded, ¡°Keep an eye on Gerard.¡±


    After a moment of silence, Gessas responded, ¡°Blood Frenzy Hunter Captain, ¡®White-haired Butcher¡¯ Gerard Westminster?¡±


    ¡°Ash Heath had caused him to lose so much face, Gerard will definitely pursue him personally. If Gerard kills him on the spot, then let¡¯s not mention it further; but if Gerard chooses to capture him, sparing his life...¡±


    ¡°Then the Woodpecker will have gotten rid of this pest.¡±


    To assassinate Ash Heath in front of a Three-winged Holy Sanctuary Mage?


    One would know how difficult this task was just by thinking with their guts, but Gessas responded without hesitation, ¡°Your command will be executed, but since two days ago, Gerard¡¯s whereabouts have become mysterious, and even the Crime Hunting Hall doesn¡¯t know where he is, I wonder...¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s probably at Observation Point 53,¡± the Elf said, ¡°Go forth, and may the Blood Moon light your path.¡±


    Gessas cautiously stepped out of the room and gently closed the door.


    The Elf flipped open a file beside him, which contained the resume of Ash Heath detailing his birth record, foster home background, middle school awards, and university activities.


    He tapped gently on the desk with his fingers, which were very slender, creating a tapping sound on the wooden desk...


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you left yet?¡±


    The Elf looked up, his gaze turning to the hooded figure in front of the desk.


    The hooded figure walked over from the shadowy corner of the study and stepped into the blood-light illuminated floor, wearing a mask, his eyes filled with surprise.


    ¡°Indeed, even among Two-winged Mages, there are distinctions,¡± he chuckled lightly. ¡°If even a Two-winged Mage can notice me, it seems I can¡¯t be reckless in front of Gerard...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not Gessas¡¯s attendant?¡± the Elf frowned, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    He had noticed this person earlier, but assumed he was an attendant of Gessas and didn¡¯t pay much mind.


    However, at this moment, he suddenly realized something¡ªGessas never brought anyone to see him, only the leader of the Woodpeckers had the privilege to meet him...


    ¡°It¡¯s truly heartbreaking, after all the hardships I escaped from Shattered Lake, professor, it¡¯s sad you still can¡¯t recognize your proud student.¡±


    He pulled down his mask, revealing a clean, smiling face.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Selin Dole, I am Ash Heath.¡±

 Chapter 173: 155 You are not Ash Heath at all

    Chapter 173: Chapter 155 You are not Ash Heath at all


    Watching the visitor before him, Selin abruptly stood up. The Blood Moon streamed through his hair, illuminating half of his astonished face.


    ¡°You... why would you...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably just to see the expression on your face right now.¡±


    Ash chuckled, ¡°¡®Ash Heath, who had never learned swordsmanship, faced an arrogant Elf Swordsman in battle and miraculously defeated him. After escaping from prison, he found the person who framed him and began his revenge, thus starting a life full of ups and downs¡¯¡ªwhat do you think of this script?¡±


    ¡°By the way, don¡¯t make any sudden moves, or my fingers might slip.¡±


    Selin suddenly felt a chill on his neck, and warm liquid began to seep into his collar.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look down, or your head might fall off,¡± Ash said seriously, his right hand forming a sword finger pointing at the Elf professor.


    He pulled out a long sword from under his tongue, propping it on the ground, his ¡®Sword Barrier¡¯ Technique Spirit, Miracle, was already ready.


    Selin glanced down, ¡°Heart Sword... Valcas¡¯s Heart Sword Technique Spirit? I see, I was wondering why Valcas, being such a meticulous elf, would make the mistake of missing by ¡®just a little¡¯ when trying to kill someone¡ªon the contrary, it seems more likely that he did it on purpose, he¡¯s always loved showing off since he was young.¡±


    Ash was taken aback, ¡°...he¡¯s always loved showing off?¡±


    ¡°Yes, like scoring one more point than the previous exam, or doing a handstand on one finger for balance, or turning the tables in a swordsmanship competition only after losing 10 points... He¡¯s always been obsessed with his own talent, wanting to be a dazzling hero, always looking to increase the difficulty to draw everyone¡¯s attention.¡±


    Selin¡¯s eyelids were half-lowered, ¡°He¡¯s always been a mischievous and proud child.¡±


    Ash¡¯s pupils dilated slightly, ¡°You... what¡¯s your relationship with Valcas?¡±


    Selin slightly tilted his head, allowing a cut on his throat from the Heart Sword to bleed, ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking... I was once a teacher at the Jade Dragon Orphanage, I taught for thirty-one years, hmm, it¡¯s now been renamed the ¡®Jade Garden.¡¯ In my second year of teaching, the Church brought six Elven children¡ªamong them was Valcas Uer.¡±


    ¡°His name was my choice, meaning ¡®free water lily.¡¯ As a rule, Elves change their names after leaving the orphanage, like how I chose my own name, which means ¡®gorgeous iron begonia.''¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t change his name, which means he quite likes it, and also signifies...¡±


    Selin pressed his right hand to his left chest, ¡°He respects me, his guardian teacher who watched him grow up from a child.¡±


    Even though Ash had already anticipated that Selin¡¯s relationship with Valcas was out of the ordinary¡ªafter all, the Resentment Valcas showed in front of Ash was unmistakably deep, signaling a hatred as vast as the sea, not simply a matter of common interests.


    But Ash never imagined their relationship would be this close!


    ¡°Then why did you... send Valcas to the Blood Moon Judgement?¡±


    ¡°What a strange question, Heath, very strange.¡± Selin remarked, ¡°He broke the law, was imprisoned, and sent to Judgement¡ªit was all deserved, all entirely reasonable. It was his own missteps that led to his downfall, so why do you speak as if I killed him?¡±


    ¡°Cut the act. After hearing Fernand¡¯s speech a few days ago, do you think I¡¯d take your nonsense seriously?¡± Ash sneered, ¡°With your high position, good use of authority, you wrap personal motives in the guise of public duty, hidden within official matters¡ªyou can indeed achieve your goals within the scope of legality; this is all just ¡®a little whim of power.''¡±


    ¡°What I want to know is, with such a deep connection to Valcas, how could you resolve to eliminate him? Just because he didn¡¯t do his job properly, not killing me in a fight to the death? Just to make sure I¡¯d die during the Blood Moon Judgement, you threw him into the Judgement Series as well, to meet his end alongside me?¡±


    ¡°¡®Just¡¯?¡± Selin¡¯s face revealed rare irritation, ¡°I was quite serious about murdering you! I did everything in my power, I exhausted all my resources, and you dismiss all my efforts and determination over these days with a simple ¡®just¡¯!?¡±


    The Elf¡¯s sudden outburst forced Ash to step back¡ªif he didn¡¯t, the Heart Sword would cut through the Elf¡¯s throat! Selin was disregarding his own safety, jutting his head forward towards Ash as if Ash¡¯s words had struck a minefield!


    ¡°Calm down, Professor Selin,¡± Ash wasn¡¯t even sure what he was saying anymore, ¡°Let¡¯s talk this through slowly, don¡¯t move rashly. I didn¡¯t want things to develop to this point either.¡±


    In an instant, their positions reversed; Ash, the would-be assassin, became humbled, while Selin, the victim, appeared triumphant¡ªthis was because Ash realized his ¡®threat¡¯ was not as effective as he had imagined.


    He thought that, once he successfully held the Heart Sword to the Elf¡¯s neck, only two scenarios were possible¡ª


    The Elf would rather die than submit, and Ash would be forced to grant him release;


    The Elf would be begging for his life, and Ash would complete a satisfying revenge.


    But Selin¡¯s reaction was completely unexpected.


    He was surprised, but not afraid; though he didn¡¯t fear death, he didn¡¯t mind leaking information to Ash.


    Ash had thought that Selin was preparing some sort of counterattack Miracle, ready to decapitate him the moment Selin made any move, stopping him in his tracks right at the ¡°farting stage.¡±

 Chapter 174: 155 Youre Not Ash Heath_2

    Chapter 174: Chapter 155 You¡¯re Not Ash Heath_2


    However, Selin did not counter-attack, instead, he deliberately collided his neck with the edge of the Heart Sword.


    This left Ash deeply conflicted¡ªbecause he needed not only information about Heath but also information about escaping the Kingdom of Blood Moon.


    However, the latter wasn¡¯t the kind of ordinary information that a socially idle person without an identity card like him could inquire about. Yet, the elf before him had reached adoration level in all aspects: political reputation (as a councilor), racial reputation (Elf Rights Protection Association), academic reputation (university professor), and local reputation (Woodpecker), with two hundred years of accumulated connections that made Selin a massive source of information.


    With Ash¡¯s current abilities, Selin was the best consultant for leaving the Blood Moon¡ªof course, besides Selin, there were undoubtedly many others who knew the channels to leave, such as the Blood Frenzy Hunter Gerard, research institute director, warzone commanders, beloved Church bishops... So Ash was conflicted, because apart from Selin, the others could easily beat the crap out of him.


    Ash quickly weighed the benefits and decided to first stroke the elf¡¯s fur, soothing him until he could worm out the needed information, then he would pierce through the throat of this mastermind with a sword, accomplishing a splendid revenge and becoming a rightfully proclaimed fugitive.


    Originally, when Valcas stabbed me in the throat during the Blood Moon Judgement, now I stab your throat; quite fair, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m just earning a slight premium, the Heart Sword I¡¯ll take, fundamentally it¡¯s actually Valcas¡¯s rebellion against you.


    As the saying goes, every debt has its creditor, Professor Selin, when you reach the Void Realm, just seek Valcas for revenge. Of course, you can also come after me, I¡¯ll have the Sword Maiden smash your head.


    After mentally preparing to play the villain, Ash managed to squeeze out a benign smile, ¡°Professor Selin...¡±


    ¡°I gave him a chance.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°I never skimp on mercy towards my kin; for every elf that has strayed, I repeatedly give them opportunities for redemption,¡± Selin said indifferently. ¡°Given the chance, how I wish I could share drinks and cheer with Valcas, and wish to entrust this study to him... just like seventy years ago when the previous president handed this study to me.¡±


    ¡°He was the successor I most adored; he detested politics, but he was skilled in it from childhood; he loved slaughter, but was always clean and left no evidence; he thrived on risks, which is why he once led the Woodpecker for a decade¡ªtruly the most comfortable ten years. Compared to him, Gessas is simply a wild boar that sniffs through mud searching for treasures.¡±


    ¡°And your initial guess, perhaps, wasn¡¯t wrong.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Ash was caught off-guard¡ªhis initial guess?


    ¡°Apart from being Valcas¡¯s guardian teacher, I might also be the biological ¡®provider¡¯ for Valcas.¡±


    Ash¡¯s mouth fell open, and after a moment he uttered a single word, ¡°Might?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have Fernand¡¯s interest in deliberately checking my bloodline,¡± Selin stated calmly. ¡°However, we elves are a very special species, apart from our low mating desire, our genetic combination odds are also very low, only during a certain month does the success rate rise from 0.8% to 13%. This month is called the ¡®Elf Birth Month¡¯, which on average happens once every three years.¡±


    ¡°Unlike other species that can breed freely, elves only have ¡®Complete Mating Right¡¯ during the Elf Birth Month. This is both to increase the birth rate and to sever bloodline bonds¡ªsince so few elves are born, birth providers can easily identify their children based on birth dates.¡±


    ¡°And the year before Valcas was taken into the foster system, I responded to the Church¡¯s call and had full mating. Theoretically, Valcas could indeed be my child as our hair color and eye color are exactly the same, I can see my past self in him.¡±


    Selin¡¯s voice was unfluctuating, only his pupils revealed the profound vicissitudes of time.


    Time could not imprint the bodies of elves, but their souls had long been occupied by their vast pasts, flipping a page from their memory could disperse the dust of traversed mountains and valleys.


    ¡°He was both your student and your child, why...¡±


    ¡°Valcas failed me,¡± Selin placed his hand over his eyes, ¡°He is a stain on the elves, a rebel of the Longevity Species. I gave him a chance, using reunion with his biological child as a reward, but he still chose to defy my wishes... I wish I could see him suffer in the Heavenly Kingdom of Blood Moon.¡±


    Perhaps living in this eerie kingdom for too long, Ash found himself able to quietly observe these incomprehensible, bizarre relationships without feeling the urge to comment.


    Now that the veil over Valcas had been lifted, the next step was...


    ¡°Professor Selin, why do you...want to...¡±


    Suddenly, Ash found himself moving incredibly slowly, his thoughts delayed as if he were listening to a foreign language listening test. He watched helplessly as Selin stepped back, moving out of the Heart Sword¡¯s range, the Technique Spirit materializing on his body, casting Miracle.


    At that moment, the idea to defend himself with the Sword Barrier slowly emerged in Ash¡¯s mind.


    But he was too late to act. Suddenly, branches sprouted from the wooden floor, pierced through the carpet, and flowed along his body. In a moment, a large tree formed in the study, completely entangling Ash with its trunk!


    Snap!


    Time fell like raindrops, making a clear sound, and Ash finally returned to normal, but it was too late¡ªthe tree not only firmly trapped his body but also locked his Magic Power, causing the floating Heart Sword to dissipate due to the severance of its magical connection!


    The essential ingredient for the Technique Spirit of swordsmanship, sweet words and a hidden dagger, had been taken by the branches, rendering all his swordsmanship Technique Spirits unusable!


    That was the weakness of a professional Technique Spirit¡ªas long as one could identify the common restrictions of the corresponding faction and take away the opponent¡¯s necessary casting media, one could neutralize most of their powerful Technique Spirits!


    ¡°As expected, you couldn¡¯t resist the control of ¡®Startling Beauty.''¡±


    It was then that Ash noticed Selin had removed his right glove at some point.


    He covered his eyes with his right hand, but Ash could still clearly see the elf¡¯s green pupils¡ªso profound, so bright, as though they could suck in one¡¯s soul.


    But at that moment, what surged in Ash¡¯s mind was deep shock.


    Because there was a hole in the palm of Selin¡¯s hand.


    A hole that allowed an eye to peek through!


    ¡°You¡¯re not really Ash Heath, who are you?¡±


    Selin lowered his hand and resumed his seat, his gaze full of confusion as he looked at Ash.


    Although unsure of how he was found out, Ash quickly seized the chance to deflect, ¡°Exactly, I¡¯m not Ash Heath, just an ordinary person who couldn¡¯t sleep and went out for a walk at night. I hope you, noble elf, would release me soon, otherwise I will accuse you of imprisoning me and violating my rights¡ª¡±


    But Selin didn¡¯t respond, instead mumbling to himself with his head down.


    However, he soon stood up abruptly, his expression filled with unmistakable terror and hysterical intensity!


    ¡°Could it be... the ritual succeeded?¡±


    He stared intensely at Ash as if he wanted to devour the handsome young man, ¡°Are you the true ¡®Sense¡¯?¡±

 Chapter 175: 156: Observer Ash

    Chapter 175: Chapter 156: Observer Ash


    ¡°What touch?¡±


    Ash felt perplexed. These mages always came up with new terms he had never heard of.


    ¡°He actually succeeded, Heath actually succeeded! How is that possible, how can this be possible!¡± Selin whispered hoarsely, suddenly transforming into a master of desk clearing, fiercely striking the desk. With a push, he swept everything off the desk onto the floor, where it shattered into several pieces with a snap.


    Ash swallowed his saliva. ¡°Calm down, calm down. Why don¡¯t you explain the situation to me? Maybe I can offer you all sorts of support other than concrete help¡ªHmm!¡±


    The trunk suddenly compressed inward. Ash immediately felt an overwhelming pressure from all directions, squeezing him so he could hardly catch his breath, making even breathing an extreme struggle, as if he were about to become a flattened Ash pancake!


    I, I can¡¯t breathe!


    ¡°Still not resisting?¡± Selin said coldly, his left hand aimed at Ash, making a ¡®grasping¡¯ gesture. ¡°Your body is still so fragile. I might accidentally burst you. I¡¯ll only count to three. Three, two, one¡ª¡±


    Is this the end for me?


    If I had just killed him earlier... If I hadn¡¯t come looking for Selin... If...


    As death approached, Ash unexpectedly realized he wasn¡¯t as strong as he thought; his heart was actually filled with regret. He¡¯d thought he didn¡¯t cling much to life, but it turned out this was not the case.


    Or maybe, what he cherished was not life...


    Ash instinctively clenched his eyes shut and gritted his teeth, waiting for the final agonizing pain before death.


    However, after the countdown ended, the trunk did not juice Ash by breaking his walls, but instead, it loosened slightly, allowing him to once again savor the freedom of breathing.


    He opened his eyes to see Selin stumbling and falling next to the desk, tears streaming down his face, yet smiling. ¡°You really aren¡¯t Heath, you really aren¡¯t... Hahaha! He succeeded? He actually succeeded? How could he succeed?¡±


    Ash watched Selin cry and laugh, and after a long while, he asked, ¡°What were you testing just now?¡±


    Ignoring all manners, Selin sat on the carpet by the desk, and after a moment responded, ¡°The real Heath possesses the ¡®Keystone.¡¯ No need for magic power, not even for words. As long as Heath activates the Keystone, he can control any believer¡ªincluding me.¡±


    A bone-chilling fear appeared on his face. ¡°That¡¯s a contamination more terrifying than death itself, complete denial of self-control! I¡¯ve tried to commit suicide, but death is not an excuse for disobedience. A mere moment before my suicide, I lost control of my body until I completed the tasks he assigned to me. Only then, I regained the ¡®right¡¯ to ¡®use¡¯ my own body... I could no longer resist any of his commands and could only carry out his will wholeheartedly.¡±


    ¡°From the moment you placed the Heart Sword at my neck, I knew you weren¡¯t Heath. But I couldn¡¯t believe it, I didn¡¯t dare to take the risk¡ªmaybe Heath was just acting, maybe you were just a personality split from him, or maybe...¡± Selin¡¯s voice trembled, ¡°I simply didn¡¯t have the courage to believe Heath could disappear.¡±


    ¡°I fear you are just another one of his deceptions.¡±


    Ash looked at Selin¡¯s right hand. ¡°You just mentioned the ¡®Eye of Awe¡¯...¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t inherit Heath¡¯s memories?¡± Selin raised his own right hand, the hole in his palm was so round as if it was a missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle, letting the moonlight pass through unobstructed.


    ¡°This is a hole Heath drilled out himself, the price for the ritual.¡±


    ¡°Ritual... Ritual Faction?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Selin said, looking down at his hand. ¡°To be fair, although the price is substantial, the effects of the ¡®Eye of Awe¡¯ are also extremely powerful. Everyone whom I gaze at through the palm of my hand falls into several seconds of cognitive delay, during which they can¡¯t take any action at all, not even a blink.¡±


    Control!


    Ash felt the terrifying extent of this mage¡¯s control skill¡ªthe experience of cognitive delay he had just gone through was something he could not resist because at that moment, he couldn¡¯t even muster the thought to resist.


    If the thoughts of an ordinary person are like a waterfall, their splashing thoughts a torrent every second, then Ash¡¯s thoughts at that time were like a stagnant swamp, with only a bubble born from rot emerging after a long time.


    ¡°Of course, such a powerful effect is not without its limitations.¡± Selin said, ¡°The ¡®Eye of Awe¡¯ can only take effect once per person because only the first time can provide the element of ¡®surprise,¡¯ and after that, only ¡®awe¡¯ is left.¡±


    ¡°I just got hit by the ¡®Stunning Gaze¡¯, and you¡¯re certain I¡¯m not Heath...¡± Ash said.


    ¡°Heath has already seen my ¡®Stunning Gaze¡¯,¡± Selin replied calmly. ¡°He has seen it on all the believers in the church who were bestowed with it. He would never allow a follower to have the means to counteract him.¡±


    Even though there was no evidence, Ash was stuck in a tree at this moment. If Selin wanted him to stand on his head and have diarrhea, there wouldn¡¯t be any problem. There was no reason for Selin to deceive him.


    However, Ash still found it hard to believe¡ªafter all, Heath was nothing but a nobody who wasn¡¯t even a Mage. Without Ash, Heath probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to get past the new assassin, the ¡®Beautiful Beast¡¯ Igula. He would have had all his contribution points taken away and ended up at the bottom of the prison.


    If Heath really was a villain with an ace up his sleeve, then... where was the ace?


    I¡¯m here to substitute for you, and you don¡¯t even leave me the ace card!?


    So, Ash still felt like Selin was messing with his intelligence. A two-hundred-year-old Two-winged Elf was being controlled by a human in his twenties who wasn¡¯t even a Mage? If Ash were to tell this to the Sword Maiden, she would probably tell him, ¡°You¡¯re too young to be reading those stories of underdogs turning the tables.¡±


    After a moment of silence, Ash asked, ¡°Why tell me so much?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m thinking,¡± Selin looked down at the ground, ¡°about how to deal with you.¡±


    ¡°After all, Heath¡¯s last Task for me,¡± he continued, ¡°was to kill you.¡±


    Ash was stunned, ¡°To kill me... wait, but I am Ash Heath, you mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Selin stood up, supporting himself with the desk, ¡°The last task Heath gave me was to try my best to kill him. To completely obliterate the Heath that remains after the ritual.¡±


    Ash¡¯s mouth twitched, and his pupils contracted sharply, ¡°So, my capture by the Blood Frenzy Hunters... Valcas... the Blood Moon Judgement... and Gerard¡¯s visit were all...¡±


    ¡°All ¡®your own¡¯ will,¡± Selin said. ¡°I¡¯m merely doing my best to execute ¡®your¡¯ orders.¡±


    It was Heath who wanted me dead?


    Even though Ash tried to judge whether Selin was lying, his heart couldn¡¯t help but beat wildly.


    Endless malice and resentment drowned his thoughts like the Deep Sea, a bone-chilling coldness seeped into his entire body, and in his daze, he seemed to hear the mockery of countless people.


    It turned out that from the very beginning, he had been a pawn, everything about him clearly arranged.


    He couldn¡¯t even discern who the real mastermind behind the scenes was. He felt like a child watching his backpack being tossed around by bullies, not knowing whom to hit, about to cry out of utter helplessness.


    Yet, for some reason, Ash didn¡¯t feel the fire of Anger rise to dispel the cold within him.


    He calmly accepted the truth of being fooled, even managing to coldly observe his own roiling thoughts as though watching someone else¡¯s Mage¡¯s Handbook, enjoying a plot filled with tempestuous waves.


    When you can observe pain, you liberate yourself from pain.


    When you can observe yourself, you liberate yourself from Fate.


    Anger, resentment, regret¡ªnone of these solve any problems. Only absolute calmness, precise judgment, and mechanical execution can penetrate all secrets, comprehend the truth of the world, and carry through one¡¯s own will.


    Don¡¯t let the hormones secreted by your body affect your thinking; don¡¯t let boring conventional thinking constrain your imagination; don¡¯t let an unknown Fate destroy your composure.


    Ash, you must watch yourself, you must Transcend reality, you must ponder the correct next step, execute the most beneficial strategy, utilize all the resources available to you.


    Simply treat others as tools.


    Treat yourself as a tool, too.


    Then you can become the Observer, Ash, without a care in the world.

 Chapter 176: 157 And the Sword Maiden

    Chapter 176: Chapter 157 And the Sword Maiden


    In the study on the second floor of the villa, Ash had nearly turned into a treant, resembling a tombstone of a forest. Each branch was as hard as steel, and each leaf was draining his magic power.


    This was a very powerful Senluo faction miracle. It is known that the Senluo faction primarily focuses on creation and production; however, this miracle was ferociously exceptional, and one could hardly imagine how many Technique Spirits had been combined to bring about the effects of imprisonment, slaughter, and weakening all in one.


    Over two hundred years old, Selin was a Two-winged Mage, which was not unusual. The faction realm is the most heartless assessment, like a chasm that blocks all those with insufficient talent and luck from advancing¡ªthe so-called ¡®mediocrities.¡¯ Effort means nothing to a mage, for effort is already a basic requirement for mages. However, without talent, no matter how long one lives, how hard one works, or how desperately one tries, they simply cannot touch the higher vistas.


    Although he couldn¡¯t see the higher vistas, because he had ample time, Selin could still appreciate the grandeur of the towering ancient trees beside him, the venom of the bees, the secrecy of the spiders, and the hidden menace of the plants.


    All resources would be converted into the strength of a mage, including time.


    Actually, Ash had never underestimated Selin for being a Two-winged Mage¡ªnot now, nor ever before. But time was not on his side. As time passed, it would become easier for the Crime Hunting Hall to find him; he had discovered in the Veil that they had already started large-scale searches in the lower district and the Pig District.


    Although Freyja¡¯s home was a place of tenderness, it was also the tomb where he might meet his fate.


    He had to obtain the necessary intelligence as soon as possible, and Professor Selin was his only choice. He knew he was gambling with his life even before he came here; after all, life is just a more important chip that must be bet when the time comes.


    And how important was the chip of life to him, really?


    This wasn¡¯t the familiar gamble he knew, nor were the gamblers those he was acquainted with. Were it not for fear of it being taken by others, perhaps he would have already wished to discard this chip.


    Ash lowered his eyelids, squinting his eyes as if he were in deep slumber.


    His voice became high-pitched and steady, as if he were the master of this place: ¡°So have you made your decision, Professor Selin?¡±


    Selin walked around him, muttering: ¡°Since Heath is no longer here, I naturally do not need to remain loyal to him or execute his commands. I am a free elf of the Blood Moon.¡±


    ¡°But your existence is still a tremendous threat. No one can guarantee that Heath will not come back to life again, return like lightning amidst a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.¡±


    ¡°But you won¡¯t kill me,¡± Ash said calmly. ¡°Once you knew I was not Heath, not only did you not want to kill me, but you even had to protect my life.¡±


    After careful thought, Ash knew he was in no danger whatsoever.


    If he were truly Heath, Selin would indeed have to follow orders to assassinate him, but Heath would also have ways to control Selin; whereas he was not Heath, and Selin had been freed from his shackles, naturally there was no need to kill him.


    Some might wonder, wouldn¡¯t Selin, enslaved and controlled by Heath, hate the associated and want to eradicate all traces, destroying Ash, the substitute, as well?


    Of course not, if Selin had only revenge on his mind, he would have squashed him like a peach earlier.


    But Selin was terrified.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Selin stopped behind Ash, his voice trembling: ¡°Since Heath wants you dead, then you must stay alive, no matter if it¡¯s a struggling existence or a life worse than death!¡±


    Ash asked, ¡°Do you know why Heath wants to kill me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but your weakness, your ignorance, your insignificance can only mean one thing...¡±


    Selin walked in front of Ash, pointing his index finger at Ash¡¯s forehead: ¡°The ritual is not yet complete, you¡¯re not the complete ¡®sense of touch,¡¯ you are only half-formed.¡±


    ¡°Only by killing you can the ritual be completed, and Heath¡¯s fantasy descend upon this world.¡±


    Ash looked at Selin¡¯s finger, ¡°¡®Sense of touch¡¯¡ªwhat is that? What will happen after I die?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know!¡±


    Selin pulled at his hair hysterically: ¡°It¡¯s the secret of The Gods of Four Pillars, a ritual that only Heath could fully comprehend! Heath told his followers he was not yet the complete ¡®sense of touch.¡¯ When the ritual is completed, he would return from suffering, be liberated from glory, fall from the sky, rise from the grave, to become the ¡®sense of touch¡¯ that transcends all. Then... he would smear the world as he pleases!¡±


    ¡°It sounds like, after the ritual, I should be able to transcend what are called Four-winged Mages,¡± Ash¡¯s lips curved ever so slightly upward. ¡°So, if you kill me, will I become an existence that can be compared to the Extreme Master of Blood Moon?¡±


    Heath¡¯s gaze bore into Ash with icy intensity, ¡°You won¡¯t have that chance.¡±


    Ash spoke softly, ¡°Then, are you planning to hand me over to the Crime Hunting Hall?¡±


    ¡°No, absolutely not. Gerard might kill you, and the Blood Moon Judgement would certainly take your life... You must not be handed over!¡± Selin shook his head vigorously, as if trying to rid himself of a fly. ¡°The arrogant Blood Saint Clan just wants to study you, and the stubborn Moon Shadow Clan doesn¡¯t care about you at all!¡±


    ¡°Only I understand the seriousness of you; this is something only I can do... Only me...¡±


    Selin whispered the words like a demon, ¡°To sever your limbs, to confine you in a puppet box, to place you in the deepest cellar on the third underground level, maintaining your most basic life only with an IV tube...¡±


    Exactly, that was it.


    Ash felt no ripple in his heart; he was quite pleased with Selin¡¯s determination. If Selin truly turned him over to the Crime Hunting Hall, Ash would have no chance to stage another jailbreak ¨C the prison would be foolish not to guard against his Purification Miracle.


    To not even mention else, adjusting the frequency at which Ash¡¯s life signs were sent out from once every ten minutes to once every second, meant as soon as Ash removed the chip, Gerard would be right there at Shattered Lake.


    Even if Selin added countless obstacles in the outside world, it wasn¡¯t as decisive as the restraint of the chip. Ash didn¡¯t care about bodily harm; as long as he could enter the Void Realm, he would eventually possess the strength to break through.


    Moreover, Ash had not truly lost all ability to resist.


    Substitute, Heart Sword, the Miracle of Severing ¨C these were skills fully mastered by Ash, which he could trigger without Magic Power.


    It was only that this tree had completely restrained his ability to move; resisting now was futile.


    When Selin prepared to transfer him, that would be his best chance to break free. Having followed Gesass all the way here, observing the surrounding security, if Selin attempted to pursue him, he would strike down nearby guards and lure the Hunters over.


    The Hunters want to kill me, while Selin wants to preserve my life. If managed properly, it could even spark conflict between Selin and the Hunters. If it led to mass casualties, I could use the speech Fernand gave the other day to ignite racial tensions and class contradictions and then... One thought after another swirled and extinguished in Ash¡¯s mind, soon forming an embryonic conspiracy.


    At worst, he would be imprisoned in a basement, become an immobile doll in a box, in a world where only the sound of a heartbeat remained.


    Ash felt no ripple toward the miserable fate he was about to face, no anxiety, no fear, no excitement.


    He seemed to have detached himself from his body, quietly observing the fate of ¡®Ash Heath¡¯ from the side.


    Pain, loneliness, and torture could not shake his will because in his world...


    In his world...


    ...was there still the Sword Maiden?


    His thoughts snapped there, and Ash jolted, his eyes regaining their sparkle.


    It was hard to describe the feeling, like Ash was about to fly and transcend this world when suddenly a thread pulled him down, causing a harsh landing on the ground, and then the sound of air flowing, the fragrance of soil, the pulse of a heartbeat, all sensations rushed into his mind at once.


    It was as if Ash had just been asleep, and now he had finally awoken.


    At that moment, Selin emitted a strange sound.


    ¡°Selin Dor, you can¡¯t run away,¡± he murmured to himself quietly. ¡°You are free now; you can¡¯t run away anymore.¡±


    The Elf took out an ebony dagger from a drawer, walked up to Ash, held the dagger upside down, and with a gentle push¡ª


    Stabbed it into their own throat.

 Chapter 177: 158: Ritual Miracle·Phantom Colors Dye Origins Taboo

    Chapter 177: Chapter 158: Ritual Miracle¡¤Phantom Colors Dye Origins Taboo


    Selin plunged the dagger into his throat, but he did not pierce the windpipe; instead, he drew the dagger downwards, halting at the waist.


    He cut through the dense undergarment, tracing a straight line of blood, perfectly dividing his upper body into left and right halves.


    Ash¡¯s face changed, ¡°You¡¯ve changed your mind.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Selin discarded the dagger, gathered his long hair behind his ears, regaining the Elf¡¯s elegance; his expression tranquil, his voice soft, ¡°Imprisoning you was just naive wishful thinking on my part. You are the ¡®Touch¡¯ that Heath went to great lengths to summon; you even escaped from Shattered Lake Prison. How could I possibly confine you?¡±


    ¡°There are too many uncertainties in this world. As long as The Gods of Four Pillars still watch over you, accidents are enough to shatter all of my arrangements.¡±


    ¡°I cannot imprison you, nor can I kill you, let alone hand you over to the Crime Hunting Hall, I can¡¯t even delay,¡± Selin continued, ¡°the power of ¡®Touch¡¯ may allow you to escape at any moment.¡±


    ¡°So, I have come to a conclusion.¡±


    The Elf extended the middle and index fingers of both hands like hooks and inserted them along the bloodline he had carved into his chest.


    ¡°It must be now, here, and it must be me,¡± Selin said calmly, ¡°I must purify you.¡±


    Ash tilted his head slightly, ¡°In my understanding, ¡®purification¡¯ has a similar meaning to ¡®healing¡¯...¡±


    ¡°Purification means to expel impurities, destroy invaders, annihilate parasites!¡± Selin¡¯s emerald eyes grew increasingly bright, as if emitting light, ¡°And you, the unfinished ¡®Touch¡¯ residing in Heath, are precisely the object that needs purification!¡±


    ¡°I was originally going to use this Miracle to destroy Heath... but I was always afraid, always terrified, so I became Heath¡¯s puppet, committing so many mistakes. Touch, I thank you, you¡¯ve given me a chance at redemption.¡±


    Ash narrowed his eyes, ¡°But by doing this, aren¡¯t you essentially killing me too? With my death, the ritual will be completed¡ª¡±


    ¡°So I resorted to this Taboo Miracle.¡±


    Selin was glowing.


    His green eyes, his blood, his black hair, his skin, every color on his body was emitting a vibrant luster; he was like...becoming a painting.


    ¡°Not just ¡®you,¡¯ every arrangement of The Gods of Four Pillars upon you, every mark inscribed on your body by Heath, will be driven out completely, without a trace. Everything that does not belong to this body will be thoroughly purified.¡±


    Ash took a deep breath, ¡°Selin, you are only a Two-winged Golden Mage, do you have that much power?¡±


    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t, but... the Void Realm does.¡±


    Selin suddenly revealed a slight smile, ¡°You attended my class on ¡®Ancient Ritual Faction¡¯ two days ago, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Ash¡¯s pupils shrank sharply, ¡°Taboo ritual...¡±


    ¡°There was something I did not say at that time,¡± Selin said as if lecturing on stage, ¡°If special means are used to force a Two-winged Mage to be a sacrifice, at most you can plead for the full force of a hit from a Four-winged Mage.¡±


    ¡°But if a Two-winged Mage willingly undergoes the highest-grade taboo ritual, then this sincerity will be recognized by the Void Realm, and might even summon... a power beyond the Four-winged level!¡±


    ¡°Under the protection of the Extreme Master of Blood Moon, The Gods of Four Pillars can bestow upon you a ¡®Blessing¡¯ of only Four-winged level,¡± Selin said with a happy smile, ¡°Fate still favors me; in Kaimon City, only I can precisely eliminate you, this ¡®Touch.''¡±


    Ash¡¯s thoughts raced, he quickly pleaded, ¡°We don¡¯t have to come to this life-or-death point, now that I know you¡¯re also compelled. I won¡¯t trouble you anymore. I actually plan on leaving the Kingdom of Blood Moon, so why don¡¯t you help me leave Blood Moon? That way, I can leave and you won¡¯t have to sacrifice your life; it¡¯s a win-win, how about it?¡±


    ¡°Touch, who do you think I am?¡±


    Selin sneered, ¡°The president of the Elf Rights Protection Association? A parliament member? The hidden hand behind a gang? A professor? Someone who wallows in selfish interests? A Longevity Species afraid of death and greedy for life?¡±


    ¡°I am already 203 years old. When I was born, the Blood Moon Judgement hadn¡¯t even started; after I came of age, I participated in the Foreign Domain Hunting Festival; I¡¯ve traveled across the whole of Blood Moon, witnessed the old city¡¯s fall and the new city¡¯s rise; I have seen and even experienced all the sufferings and entertainments of the world.¡±


    ¡°You really think I would cling to this age-worn life?¡± Selin¡¯s eyes were full of mockery, ¡°If not for death being unable to disobey Heath¡¯s commands, if not for the law prohibiting suicide, I would have longed to enter the Heavenly Kingdom of Blood Moon!¡±


    Ash was taken aback, ¡°Longevity Syndrome? Have you lost the hope in your heart?¡±


    ¡°Longevity Syndrome? No, I don¡¯t hold a Lamp of Hope in my heart, because there exists something warmer, something more beautiful.¡±


    Selin flashed a smile, with the enormous and splendid Blood Moon right behind him, its light gently draping over him as if a Divine Being was bestowing a blessing upon him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve long wished to perish alongside Heath, but I couldn¡¯t resist Heath. I¡¯ve been waiting for this chance, not for revenge, but simply to prove...¡±


    ¡°That I still deeply love this round of Blood Moon.¡±


    ¡°Ritual Miracle¡¤Void Chromatic Pictorial Origin Taboo.¡±


    Snap!


    Selin¡¯s hands, inserted into the central bloodline, suddenly yanked apart, and his chest tore open like a curtain!


    What Ash saw was not fresh red blood or purple viscera, but color!


    Vibrant colors burst forth from Selin¡¯s chest, flooding over Ash like a river.


    ¡°The language of flowers for Iron Begonias and Water Lilies is loyalty,¡± he whispered.


    At that moment, Ash¡¯s mind unexpectedly recalled Valcas¡ªsince Selin was not voluntarily pursuing Ash, why then would Valcas, having failed his assassination attempt, be despised and hated by Selin?


    Selin¡¯s disdain was not because Valcas failed to complete his task.


    It was because Valcas ¡®wanted¡¯ to complete his task that he was despised!


    Just moments before, Selin had said, ¡°Valcas¡¯ reward for his task was ¡®to reunite with his biological child¡¯.¡±


    By accepting the task, Valcas showed that he had not repented and still wished to rebel against the laws of the Kingdom of Blood Moon! To the Believer Selin, this was an unforgivable sin¡ªthe law is the will of God, the rule is the desire of God, and Valcas was essentially blaspheming Selin¡¯s faith!


    ¡°When I pass away, may the Peeling Twins strip away my skin, may the Crimson Maiden draw out my blood, may the Nightshadow Priest organize my bones, may the Blessing Angel lead my soul...¡±


    Selin closed his eyes, softly reciting a prayer for himself.


    He thought he would see the messenger who would lead him, but what emerged in his mind was a page covered in dust.


    A young Selin sat cross-legged on the wooden floor, watching an elf toddler clumsily crawl towards him, making gestures as if seeking an embrace. He smiled, lifting the toddler into his arms and wiping away the drool with a handkerchief.


    ¡°Repeat after me, Val-cas.¡±


    ¡°Valcas?¡±


    ¡°No, I am not Valcas, I am Selin.¡±


    ¡°Selin?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are Valcas, I am Selin.¡±


    ¡°Selin!!~¡±


    ¡°...and in the Promised Land, we shall eventually reunite.¡±


    With the last stroke of color flung, the body of the disembodied elf scholar gently fell onto the carpet.


    Moonlight fell upon the pure white fabric, reflecting the most pristine shade of blood.


    In the vast study room, only Ash Heath remained.


    Deprived of its magic power supply, the tree that had trapped Ash swiftly withered and decayed, turning into easily crushed debris.


    Ash looked down at his own hands, his eyes filled with confusion.


    ¡°It seems... I¡¯m alright?¡±

 Chapter 178: 159: New Profession - Social Idler

    Chapter 178: Chapter 159: New Profession ¨C Social Idler


    ¡°Final Observer¡±


    ¡°Human Race ¡¤ Male ¡¤ 25 years old¡±


    ¡°Trust Value: ¡Þ¡±


    ¡°Profession: Unemployed¡±


    ¡°Professional Characteristics: Technique Spirit¡¯s appetite decreases, feeding requirements reduced by 50%.¡±


    ¡°Innate Talent ¡¤ Mage¡¯s Handbook (Mid-tier): Register other operators in the handbook, their experiences will be shared with this character based on Bonds Level proportion, current handbook pages 1/2 (can unlock talent limit after strength improvement).¡±


    ¡°Personal Skill ¡¤ Exotic Wandering Soul: Effect unknown.¡±


    ¡°Silver Blessing ¡¤ Observer¡¯s Appearance: Your appearance is misleading; unless you act unusually, others will subconsciously ignore your existence. Within the Void Realm this blessing is enhanced, unless there are intimate Bonds, others cannot see your features clearly.¡±


    ¡°Held Items: Sweet Words and a Hidden Dagger, Void Realm Telescope, Alchemist¡¯s Refinement Bottle¡±


    ¡°Controlled Spirits: Heart Sword, Substitute, Circulation, Earth Sword, Wind Barrier...¡±


    ¡°Sword Technique Faction: Silver Level¡±


    ¡°Radiant Faction: Silver Level¡±


    ¡°Water Technique Faction: Silver Level¡±


    ¡°Spirit Faction: Silver Level¡±


    ¡°Void Realm Exploration: 1.022%¡±


    ¡°Knowledge Curse: Vortex Secret Poison, Exorcism Secret Poison, Golden Fish Poison¡±


    Ash sat in Selin¡¯s place, staring at the floating text and sinking into deep thought.


    After losing the chip, he naturally couldn¡¯t summon the light screen, but ¡°Aurora¡¯s Mage Manual,¡± the game, wasn¡¯t bound to the light screen, it was bound to Ash.


    He could still summon the Mage¡¯s handbook interface; however, the clarity dropped from 4K ultra HD to 360P. Except for the Sword Maiden illustration becoming somewhat cartoonish, there was hardly any impact.


    Although Ash felt that Selin¡¯s ritual miracle had no effect on him, when he opened his own operator file and looked for a while, he found changes¡ªhis profession changed from ¡°Cult Leader/Ancient History Scholar¡± to ¡°Unemployed¡±!


    Nevertheless, the game didn¡¯t pop up any notices, and Ash hadn¡¯t been paying attention to his status information. After all, with the Sword Maiden illustration turned cartoonish, he had been too lazy to open the game interface these past few days, let alone his own operator file.


    Ash couldn¡¯t determine whether the change in his profession was because of Selin¡¯s miracle or as a consequence of his jailbreak¡ªafter all, following the jailbreak, he indeed shifted from a full-package state-owned enterprise worker to an unemployed member of society, quite reasonable indeed.


    After pondering for a moment, Ash decided to give up on contemplating such matters.


    However, compared to the useless ¡°Cult Leader/Ancient History Scholar¡± with its mere luck check +10 and ancient artifact identification +5, the new professional characteristics seemed much more practical¡ªthe cost of feeding Technique Spirits was cut in half!


    It was as if the Technique Spirits knew Ash had lost his iron rice bowl and everybody happily faced salary cuts¡ª¡±I¡¯m very low-maintenance.¡±


    Closing the game panel, Ash examined his own resume file.


    This was ¡°Ash Heath¡¯s Resume,¡± arranged by Selin; it contained Heath¡¯s awards throughout foster care, middle school, and university, his part-time jobs, friends¡¯ evaluations of Heath, photos of Heath at various ages, and even Heath¡¯s Veil browsing history, meticuluously detailed and comprehensive.


    The file was well-organized, and Ash didn¡¯t feel bored reading it at all. Quickly, he sketched out Heath¡¯s life trajectory in his mind: Born an ¡®elite¡¯ by assessment, sent to a first-tier model foster home; scored 36th in middle level exams, got into Kaimon Comprehensive University¡¯s History Department in Time Series through moderate admission test scores; started a business right after graduation, beginning missionary activities based on a pyramid scheme.


    He did not eat sweets, did not gamble, did not visit tea cafe?s, nor had he ever worked part-time at a mud cafe?, with zero votes in Blood Moon Judgement.


    Apart from his apartment and school, Heath¡¯s favorite place to go was the convenience store downstairs; apart from daily necessities, the most purchased goods were various books, and among them, Ash noticed several familiar titles: ¡°The Crowd,¡± ¡°How to Induce a Void Realm Storm with Bare Hands,¡± ¡°Criminal Law¡±; many friends who knew Heath described him as ¡®low-profile (unremarkable),¡¯ ¡®respectful and polite (bland),¡¯ ¡®capable individually (antisocial).¡¯


    All this was not too alarming, but there was one thing about Heath that filled Ash with dread¡ªHeath¡¯s Veil browsing history consisted entirely of political, historical, military, mage, religious, and racial information, without any trace of pornographic videos, pictures, or fiction!


    Forget human females, even something like a Beastman man battling an ogre man; though Ash couldn¡¯t accept it, he could understand. But there was not even a hint of these types of records!


    The only thing remotely related to erotica was the rumored Beastman women¡¯s military corps ¡°Dominant Flower Collective¡±; it was said that during their mating period, they engaged in hunting down male Beastmen, dismembering their limbs to create fueling stations, possessing extraordinary combat power, and were ferocious and unruly.


    But Beastwomen... Surely Heath didn¡¯t also have a large truck driver¡¯s license, did he?


    In short, a perfectly good 25-year-old guy with no interest in porn, who had never made any effort to satisfy his urges, was proof enough that he was definitely not normal.


    Nevertheless, the resume also showed no extraordinary adventures for Heath as if suddenly enlightened to start a business. There was no mention of how Heath acquired information on the Four Pillars God Sect. Ash had previously thought that the puppet master behind the scenes was Professor Selin, and that the Divine Sect material was handed to Heath by Selin, but with only a Blood Moon in Selin¡¯s heart, it was clear it wasn¡¯t the Elves stirring things up.

 Chapter 179: 159: New Profession - Social Idler_2

    Chapter 179: Chapter 159: New Profession ¨C Social Idler_2


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Ash discovered that Selin had marked a record in red ink in the files, which was Heath¡¯s leave of absence. Eight years ago, when Heath was still in middle school, he had taken a half-month self-study leave, during which there were no eyewitness records.


    Eight years... eight years ago?


    Igula had mentioned that Selin participated in archaeological excavations of relics eight years ago, unearthing some scriptures from the Four Pillars God Sect, but in the same year, the ruins were hit by a storm from the Void Realm, causing most of the findings to be lost.


    But Heath from eight years ago was only 17...


    Ash had thought that he could succeed in his revenge and unravel the mystery of Heath, but it turned out that Heath was like a nesting doll, unraveling one layer only to find another.


    Moreover, Ash also had to consider a possibility: Selin was telling the truth, but it was all lies prepared to deal with the Crime Hunting Hall.


    After all, ¡®memory alteration¡¯ was a tactic in this world, and knowing that Heath could betray him at any time, Selin might have altered his memory, pushing all responsibility onto Heath and portraying himself as a devout believer who was devoted to his country, making it highly possible.


    Although still shrouded in mist, Ash decided to temporarily give up investigating Heath¡¯s background. As Heath¡¯s number one critic and number one secret admirer, the information collected by Selin should be the most complete and detailed at present¡ªthat was all there was to Heath in ¡°reality.¡±


    If Heath really had an unknown miraculous adventure, it would have to be either in dreams or... in the Void Realm.


    Honestly, Ash was about to leave the Kingdom of Blood Moon, and even if Heath¡¯s background was complicated, it was just someone else¡¯s story to him.


    But Ash had a strong premonition that even if he left the Blood Moon, Heath¡¯s past would still haunt him like a shadow. It was like seeing a gun mentioned in a detective story; that gun was bound to go off¡ªthe extensive effort Heath put forth couldn¡¯t just be to enjoy sending Ash to Shattered Lake Prison, could it?


    Gods of Four Pillars, Heath, sensations, rituals... Ash noted these pieces of information in his notebook. If he didn¡¯t meet anyone related to them, so be it, but if he encountered them in the Void Realm, they couldn¡¯t blame him for being ruthless and deploying the Sword Maiden.


    Next came the time to collect spoils. Ash rummaged through and found a total of 4 gold coins, 5 silver coins, a bunch of opulent items that seemed exchangeable for money, and 5 Technique Spirit cocoons.


    This demonstrates how the credit currency system has destroyed the traditional industry of ¡°looting¡± offline. Although physical currency still circulated normally, most people were accustomed to using chips for payments and carried only a minimal amount of cash for emergencies.


    Selin¡¯s total assets probably had to be calculated in tens of thousands of gold coins, but he typically only needed to carry a few gold and silver coins to satisfy his Technique Spirits¡¯ feeding needs. There wouldn¡¯t be much money stored at home. Compared to those few gold and silver coins, the luminous watch Selin wore was probably more valuable.


    Among the 5 Technique Spirit cocoons, there were 3 two-winged Technique Spirits, 1 one-winged Technique Spirit, and 1 three-winged Technique Spirit! This would have been an excellent haul, but Ash could not feel happy.


    Because these Technique Spirit cocoons had chastity locks.


    Due to various trade and other needs, Mages had invented many methods of sealing Technique Spirits. The Fluorescent Ball was the most common technique: directly stuffing Technique Spirits into the ball where they would enter a dormant state and their feeding frequency would drop by 70%. For Mages who acquired extra Technique Spirits but didn¡¯t need them immediately, storing them in Fluorescent Balls to save feeding costs was a good choice.


    However, the major downside of Fluorescent Balls was the absence of any defense measures. If the ball was damaged, it would lead to the escape of the Technique Spirit, and if someone else got the ball, they could directly control the ownerless Technique Spirit. Technique Spirits in a Fluorescent Ball were like money withdrawn from a bank, with the possibility of being stolen or damaged.


    The Technique Spirit cocoons in front of Ash were a more advanced sealing method¡ªencased in cocoons, the Technique Spirits ceased all activity and needed no feeding. More importantly, they had three rotary dial locks on them, only by inputting magic power with the correct password could the elf cocoon be dissolved.


    If the password was wrong, the Technique Spirit cocoon would automatically lock up, and only the casting Mage could unlock it. It was said to be equivalent to a Holy Sanctuary Level miracle, thus a two-winged Mage could almost never forcibly break it open, and even if successful, the Technique Spirit cocoon was likely to destruct along with the Technique Spirit.


    Perhaps it seemed strange to use a three-winged Holy Realm miracle to seal a Technique Spirit. But in a stable civilized society, Technique Spirits not only held utilitarian value but also had the potential to become luxury goods.


    The only one-winged Technique Spirit in the cocoon was such a luxury item. It resembled a cicada with a verdant exterior and hidden golden light¡ªthis was a ¡®Reverse Moon¡¯ Technique Spirit.


    Reverse Moon was a consumable Technique Spirit, vanishing after use, with a very simple effect¡ªreturning a designated object¡¯s current status to one month prior.


    If used on an elderly Mage, the physcial condition of the Mage would revert to that of a month ago, but the magic power, memories, and Technique Spirits wrapped in the soul would not change. In other words, it could, to some extent, grant the object an additional month of life.


    Apart from ¡®Reverse Sun¡¯ Technique Spirits being used as emergency healing Technique Spirits, ¡®Reverse Moon¡¯ and ¡®Reverse Year¡¯ Technique Spirits were regarded as life-extending Technique Spirits without side effects, highly sought after in the market with a high selling price. Ash had heard about this during casual conversations with Sword Maiden, who said, ¡°You can really get rich by picking up trash in Time Continent.¡±


    ¡°This ¡®Reverse Moon¡¯ Technique Spirit was clearly stored as a gift, and the other Technique Spirits should have similar purposes; there was even a sought-after Two-winged Technique Spirit of swordsmanship. But after a brief consideration, Ash made a decision that went against the wishes of the Sword Maiden ancestor.¡±


    ¡°Recharge successful! You have earned 8 points.¡±


    ¡°Recharge successful! You have earned 20 points.¡± ¡Á 3


    ¡°Recharge successful! You have earned 40 points.¡±


    Since the Technique Spirit cocoons were too big to carry, definitely not fitting in a pocket, and since Ash had no means to dissolve the cocoons, feeding all the Technique Spirits to the greedy system was naturally the best choice.


    But 40 points for a Three-winged Technique Spirit? That¡¯s pretty cheap...


    After another round of searching and finding no new valuables, Ash began looking through the information Selin had left here. Before his pursuit of ¡®Ash Heath,¡¯ Selin had racked his brains guessing Heath¡¯s escape routes and blocking all possible loopholes, so¡ª


    Selin might have ¡®helped¡¯ him map out the most successful escape route!


    Ash quickly found what he was looking for.


    ¡°Report from Observation Point 49 of the Void Realm (Top Secret)¡±


    ¡°April 21, 1668, 1:11 PM, water surge observed, the other side of the path is an underground river, abandoned.¡±


    ¡°Report from Observation Point 53 of the Void Realm (Top Secret)¡±


    ¡°April 30, 1668, 5:36 PM, ¡®Rabbit¡¯ returned, the other side of the path is a deserted wilderness, safe for hosting the Hunting Festival.¡±


    PS: No praying to Ten Strings, Du Stopping Cup, or Book-Eating Demon, but by combining the power of three people¡ªMiracle: Slacking!


    Actually, these past few days have been tough because a family member was hospitalized, 120, NICU, CT scan, general ward care¡ªa lot, which cut down on my writing time. Plus, my mind is really not focused on writing; I¡¯ll take a small break and only update once today. If I ask for leave tomorrow, I¡¯ll ask for leave tonight, as I spend nights reading novels, watching comics, and playing P4G without making excuses.


    (¡£?`¦Ø ??) So, this slack is really due to the combined power of three people.


    I¡¯ll use an easter egg as an apology.


    ¡°Enigmatic Girl¡¯s Handbook for Mages¡±


    ¡°Format: Album¡±


    ¡°Content: Various photos of the Final Observer¡±


    ¡°For instance: Photo 4512 (Top 100 selected by the Enigmatic Girl)


    Source: Historical meeting photos secretly taken by the Enigmatic Girl while Final Observer and Death Mad Sword Maiden were negotiating.


    Photo Caption: Ahhh, that damn woman from that trashy kingdom, how dare she get within five meters of His Excellency the Observer, doesn¡¯t she see her own level, I¡¯m gonna puke, my Observer is looking so handsome, cute, and dazzling today, what a ravishing beauty, am I really allowed to see this for free?¡±


    ¡°Entry Criteria: Female/Love-struck/Meiwa/Devoted/Spirit Faction/Fond of Observer (satisfy any three)¡±


    ¡°Possible Reward No1: Heart of a Sage: You can endure all bodily desires and pain¡±


    ¡°Possible Reward No2: Wilderness Food God: You are adept at making delicious food in any wilderness area¡±


    ¡°Possible Reward No3: Master of Child-rearing Theory: You become very skilled at caring for human infants or Meiwa infants¡±

 Chapter 180: 160 Igula and Emi

    Chapter 180: Chapter 160 Igula and Emi


    Cramped, gloomy, messy.


    Igula¡¯s right side was a large cardboard box filled with more than twenty boxes of tissue paper, probably bought during a big sale. On top of the box, a cabinet-style heater and various temporarily unused household items were piled; to his left was a tightly shut door.


    This was the storage room, and it had been his dwelling for the past five days.


    The distinct feeling of hunger in his belly indicated that it was 18:00. Emi should be back soon to feed him.


    Remembering the past few days¡¯ life, Igula couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Although he had achieved his goal and remained unscathed under the Crime Hunting Hall¡¯s extensive search, the way he had accomplished it was rather special¡ªhe had been kept by Emi like a dog.


    Like an actual dog, Igula tugged at the collar around his neck, feeling an inexplicable irony.


    He had struggled to remove the chip collar from the back of his neck for freedom, yet now, for freedom, he willingly wore a real collar.


    As for why Crime Hunting Hall Hunter Emi Lexus would shelter him, one had to trace back to the story of Igula¡¯s part-time job at a mud cafe? three years earlier.


    Although males of Meiwa descent often work part-time in mud cafe?s, just as ogres with regular jobs might paint after work, Igula seldom did such¡ªmainly because working in mud was too slow for money, and swindling was much more satisfying.


    If Igula was willing to work part-time at a mud cafe?, it could only mean one thing: the mud cafe? provided convenience for his swindling pursuits.


    ¡®Gambling Apocalypse¡¯ was such a place, operating as both a mud cafe? and a tea cafe?. Just by the name, one might think it was a gambling den, which it indeed was. Customers entered and had to spend money to buy initial chips, participating in various gambling activities.


    What set it apart from other casinos, though, was that it gambled on time of domination.


    Customers could freely find a Croupier they favored to gamble against, with both sides using 60 minutes as their chips. If a customer won the 60 minutes of a Croupier, it meant they could dominate the Croupier for that time, and the Croupier had to comply with all kinds of customer demands; conversely, if the Croupier won the customer¡¯s 60 minutes, then the Croupier could dominate the customer for that duration, and the customer had to accommodate the Croupier¡¯s demands.


    Yes, win or lose, the Croupier would still play around with the customer¡ªhehe. After all, the customer¡¯s chips were bought with real silver, and it wasn¡¯t possible to send a customer home confused and not respect their needs. A store that didn¡¯t respect customer demands would definitely close down.


    Simply put, it was a mud cafe?/tea cafe? selling gambling as its attraction, but its business was much better than other themed cafes in the same industry¡ªbetting always proved to be the mechanism that best stimulated human impulses. Customers who won left feeling mentally and physically exhilarated, whereas those who lost and were played with by the Croupiers (who wouldn¡¯t be polite) were also sparked with a competitive spirit, leading them to try again and thus ensuring numerous repeat customers.


    Igula worked part-time in this place, naturally, for the ¡®time of domination.¡¯ He specifically targeted rich women, voluntarily approaching and enticing them to challenge, and then smoothly winning their 60 minutes.


    Once in the room, Igula could use the ¡®time of domination¡¯ as a pretext to make the rich women swear oaths to him, such as ¡°treat me well for a lifetime¡± or ¡°give me your most precious possession.¡±


    The rich women, thinking it was a Croupier¡¯s special fetish, readily agreed, only to be bound by Igula¡¯s Technique Spirit Contract, forcing them to uphold their casually spoken oaths and even preventing them from calling the police, as that would not constitute ¡°treating Igula well for a lifetime.¡±


    These customers were not only swindled out of their fortunes by Igula but he also refused to mate with them, which was quite a lack of professional ethics.


    In addition to the wealthy women, occasionally rich men would also come to him, and Igula naturally welcomed them all. He even made them take oaths like ¡°never have sexual desire for anyone but me in the future,¡± helping them completely cure the human flaw of being tempted by beauty to lose money.


    In this way, swindling wealth but not seducing, Igula greatly promoted the redistribution of wealth through his part-time job, even surpassing his main profession in efficiency at one point. But the phrase ¡°all plain sailing¡± would never appear in a Swindler¡¯s life, and one evening, Igula met Emi.


    To gain control, Igula, who had a high winning rate, quickly earned the title of ¡®Gambling Master¡¯ in that shop. Therefore, there were gamblers who didn¡¯t lust after Igula¡¯s body but simply wanted to measure their gambling skills against his, and Emi was one of them.


    When Emi entered the shop, she didn¡¯t hide the traits of her Moon Shadow Clan. Originally, Igula didn¡¯t want to provoke this privileged class, but Emi insisted on choosing him, and no one else wanted to compete with the Moon Shadow, so Igula had no choice but to submit to her allure and take her on as a customer.


    Emi was skilled at gambling, but Igula, in addition to his gambling prowess, as a Swindler, he also had a profound understanding of human nature, which was the secret to his undefeated record. After Igula defeated Emi without any suspense, he had already decided not to harm her and to simply perform his normal part-time job at the mud cafe? as if he had been bitten by a dog.


    However, Emi was not willing to accept her loss and insisted on continuing to gamble, even buying more chips. Repurchasing chips was allowed; in order to encourage clients to spend, if a customer bought N times the chips, the Croupier had to provide N times the service duration, whether they won or lost.


    Before they embarked on the second round of gambling, Igula, as if compelled by some demon, asked Emi a question, ¡°If I win, I can make a wish that lasts for 120 minutes, you know.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    The Contract was established.


    Unlike ordinary Contracts, Igula had set a limit on the number of times (one) and the time (120 minutes). The more limitations a Contract spelled out, the stronger its effect became, especially since the other party belonged to the Moon Shadow Clan; Igula¡¯s purely exploitative ¡®tyrannical contracts¡¯ could potentially fail.


    But when Emi lost 300 minutes later, things began to take a subtle turn. At that time, she seemed to receive an urgent message and left Gambling Apocalypse immediately; afterwards, Igula quickly learned that Emi was a Blood Frenzy Hunter.


    He immediately realized he was holding onto a golden wish.


    After that, Emi frequented the shop for gambling with Igula, switching between various gambling games. Although there were rounds that Emi won, generally, Igula still dominated her. The time limit on this wish, after numerous accumulations, also reached 9,000 minutes.


    Just as Igula was pondering how to maximize the benefits of this wish, the Crime Hunting Hall cornered him inside Gambling Apocalypse.


    That explained everything, no wonder Emi kept seeking him out to gamble, no wonder Emi never initiated the ¡®gambling settlement phase¡¯.


    High-end Blood Frenzy Hunters often appeared before Swindlers in the form of prey.


    Because of the sudden arrest, Igula had no chance to alter his memory. When the Memory Master conducted a search, oh, it turned out he had committed so many fraud cases. Enjoy your time at Shattered Lake.


    Although he was arrested, his Contract with Emi could still be enforced; the Void Realm was the longest witness.


    So after his escape, Igula went straight to Emi¡¯s door and began his revenge on her in her pajamas, ¡°I command you to assist me in escaping the Kingdom of Blood Moon.¡±


    Although it was just one wish, it could be broken down into three parts:


    Provide Igula with a safe place to stay and food;


    Not reveal any information about Igula;


    Help Igula collect intelligence.


    Emi did all that.


    So Igula stayed in this cramped storage room, waiting each day for Emi to return home to feed him, and he couldn¡¯t say that Emi had violated the Contract¡ªat most, she had fulfilled his demands in the most humiliating way possible.


    Click.


    It was the sound of a key turning in a lock; Emi was home.

 Chapter 181: 161 Moon Shadow

    Chapter 181: Chapter 161 Moon Shadow


    The living room filled with the lively sounds of pop music, which Emi enjoyed despite her questionable taste. What was worse, she couldn¡¯t sing well but insisted on doing so, subjecting them both to a double taboo of torment.


    ¡°No one can match us when we play hide-and-seek under the covers~¡±


    Thwack, the storeroom door opened, and Emi, who had just been singing, suddenly put on a stern face and silently placed two dinner plates in front of Igula.


    On the left plate was dog food; on the right was clear water.


    Igula looked up at Emi and weakly raised his right hand; Emi nodded, and he bolted to the washroom.


    When he returned, he obediently lay on the ground and ate like a pet. Igula didn¡¯t feel much psychological pressure from this, as such humiliations that didn¡¯t affect his interests couldn¡¯t touch the soul of a Swindler.


    But Emi was quite pleased and squatted beside him, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve gathered some intelligence¡ªthe No.53 observation point has been confirmed to be a complete passage to the Void Realm.¡±


    Igula¡¯s head shot up, ¡°Then¡ª¡±


    Smack!


    Without warning, Emi viciously smacked Igula on the head, producing a loud sound. Her fair and lovely face cast in shadow, appeared fierce and threatening.


    Igula obediently raised his hand, and Emi immediately broke into a smile, ¡°You may speak.¡±


    ¡°When will the first Exploration of observation point No.53 take place?¡±


    ¡°Tonight, May 2 at midnight, when the Blood Moon dims,¡± Emi said. ¡°The lakeside battle zone has already dispatched a group of adventurers there. I¡¯ve prepared a standard adventurer set and a bicycle for you. There are still 5 hours to midnight, so you have plenty of time to get there. Whether or not you can blend into the adventurer team is up to you.¡±


    Igula was taken aback; he felt that Emi would help him, but he didn¡¯t expect her arrangements to be so thorough.


    Actually, whether it was staying in the storeroom, eating dog food, or wearing a collar, Igula could resist, but he chose to comply and curry favor with Emi because she was his hope of escaping the Blood Moon. Offending her would only hasten his destruction.


    Not to mention other things, like the intelligence about observation point No.53¡ªthough Emi was obligated to tell Igula due to the Contract, she had the freedom to choose the timing.


    If Emi had informed Igula at 11 p.m., he could have missed this golden opportunity to escape¡ªthe first Exploration of the Void Realm¡¯s passage, inherently full of holes and the easiest time to slip through unnoticed!


    Not only did Emi inform Igula in time, but she also helped him with preparations to infiltrate the adventurer team. Igula couldn¡¯t help but feel a ¡®victim¡¯s¡¯ gratitude welling up inside him, ¡°Thank you, thank you for helping me so much.¡±


    Emi was briefly startled but then showed a sweet smile, her bushy grey wolf¡¯s tail proudly raised, ¡°You¡¯re welcome!¡±


    Suddenly, she pulled Igula up, ¡°Come, let¡¯s go have dinner.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Igula glanced at the dog food in the plate, ¡°Aren¡¯t I supposed to eat this?¡±


    ¡°Good children don¡¯t need snacks,¡± Emi made him sit down, ¡°I¡¯ll make something delicious for you.¡±


    Though she said this, Emi¡¯s culinary skills stopped at ¡®I know how to use this kitchen tool,¡¯ she took out semi-finished cooked food from the freezer, heated it up casually, and served it. But for Igula, who had been eating dog food for several days, just being able to sit down and eat with a spoon was like being treated at a high-end restaurant.


    Just as Igula was about to start eating, he noticed Emi folding her hands in prayer, ¡°Thank you to the Blood Moon for the sunlight and rain it provides, allowing the earth to produce plentiful food.¡±


    Igula noticed Emi sneakily glancing at him. Hesitating for a moment, he too participated in the pre-meal prayer. Emi was very satisfied and asked while eating, ¡°We haven¡¯t made a bet in a long time, how about we bet on something?¡±


    Igula, ¡°But we¡¯re having dinner.¡±


    ¡°You can still bet while you¡¯re eating! Igula, you¡¯re so clever, come up with a fun idea!¡± Emi said excitedly.


    Igula didn¡¯t want to go against her here and after thinking said, ¡°So, the game rule is each round we can eat 1-3 bites of food, and whoever happens to eat the last bite wins.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting bet!¡± Emi said, ¡°What shall we bet on?¡±


    ¡°One question,¡± Igula said. ¡°The loser must truthfully answer one question from the winner.¡±


    ¡°No problem! Haha Igula, you¡¯re definitely going to lose this time, my best record is scoffing down a whole little hot dog in one bite!¡±


    Just like before, Emi never cared about the size of the wager. However, the key to winning this game wasn¡¯t about the size of one¡¯s appetite, but rather about going first or second and calculating ability. Under Igula¡¯s simple strategy, Emi ended up eating most of the food, but Igula managed to eat the last bite.


    Emi patted her little belly with satisfaction, sighed, ¡°Ah, lost again, now that makes it 185 losses to 12 wins...¡±


    Igula changed into his adventurer standard set, pulled up the face mask, donned the hood, and looked at Emi with some surprise, ¡°You still remember the number of bets between us?¡±


    ¡°Of course, how could I forget something so important?¡± Emi casually wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and pulled a key out of her trouser pocket and tossed it to Igula, ¡°Bicycle¡¯s parked at the No.16 small parking space downstairs.¡±


    Igula caught the key, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the trouble. If I get caught, the Memory Master will find evidence in my memory that you helped me, and right now, I don¡¯t even have time to get the Memory Master to erase my memory...¡±

 Chapter 182: 161 Moon Shadow_2

    Chapter 182: Chapter 161 Moon Shadow_2


    ¡°No problem,¡± Emi said nonchalantly, waving her hand. ¡°Helping each other out is pretty normal among friends, right?¡±


    Friends...?


    Igula¡¯s mouth curled into a smirk, ¡°But I¡¯m a criminal, and you¡¯re a Blood Frenzy Hunter.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± Emi tucked her feet under her on the chair, tilting her head at Igula, her tail curling inward, a puzzled look on her face.


    ¡°You¡¯re a criminal, I¡¯m a Blood Frenzy Hunter, but what does that have to do with us being friends? When we play together, we play gambling games, not the hunter and criminal game...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of anyone locking their friends in a storeroom and feeding them dog food,¡± Igula said coldly.


    ¡°You¡¯re a rude bad kid. Isn¡¯t it normal to get punished?¡± Emi declared righteously. ¡°You still haven¡¯t admitted your wrongdoing!¡±


    What wrongdoing should I admit? You locked me in a storeroom on the first day!


    Unreasonable, incomprehensible.


    Shaking his head, Igula walked to the entrance to put on his boots, and Emi came over and said, ¡°You¡¯re leaving now? Be safe on the road.¡±


    ¡°By the way, I won our bet just now. I want to exercise the winner¡¯s right to have you answer a question honestly.¡±


    ¡°Ask away.¡±


    ¡°Did you report me to the Crime Hunting Hall when they arrested me?¡±


    Emi blinked, her face showing bewilderment.


    ¡°You were arrested by the Crime Hunting Hall? No wonder I didn¡¯t see you for over a year... wait, are you telling me you¡¯re an escapee? You were serious when you said you were a criminal?¡±


    Igula was shocked. ¡°You didn¡¯t see my wanted poster?¡±


    ¡°The pursuit of the Shattered Lake escapee is entirely the captain¡¯s responsibility. I¡¯ve been in charge of the deputy mayor¡¯s security detail recently...¡± Emi shook her head, ¡°As for you being arrested by the Crime Hunting Hall, I didn¡¯t even know who you were, so how could I have reported you... wait a second.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, about a year ago everyone suddenly congratulated me, saying I served as bait to lure a wily Swindler into a trap, even the captain praised me, treated me to a meal. At the time, I had no idea what was going on, just went along with it, enjoyed a feast, and even got a promotion...¡±


    Though it sounded incredible, Igula felt Emi was not lying.


    From their initial meeting, Emi gave Igula the impression of being quite cute and dopey, which is why Igula was relentless in pulling the wool over her eyes, accumulating the contract time to 9000 minutes. It wasn¡¯t because he thought a fool was easy to deceive.


    In truth, Igula didn¡¯t want to believe Emi had reported him, or he wouldn¡¯t have asked the question, which would imply a serious flaw in his ability to judge people.


    If he couldn¡¯t even distinguish between a dog and a wolf among his clients, he might as well lose his credibility as a Swindler.


    Fortunately, Emi didn¡¯t disappoint him. She truly was a natural airhead, and the Crime Hunting Hall had caught him by chance, not because he had walked into a trap laid by Emi. The only person who could ever outwit him remained that half-brained cult leader.


    With this in mind, Igula also grinned in relief and said, ¡°Thank you, Emi.¡±


    But Emi, dissatisfied, asked, ¡°Is there nothing else you want to say to me? Like an apology or something...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for all the trouble I¡¯ve caused you...¡±


    ¡°That, I¡¯ve already said I don¡¯t mind. It¡¯s not about that!¡±


    Then what is it about? Even as a Spirit Mage, Igula couldn¡¯t fathom what was on Emi¡¯s mind and simply pushed the door open to leave: ¡°Thanks for your care. I hope we have the chance to meet again.¡±


    ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll definitely beat you!¡± Emi called out loudly.


    Walking out of the apartment complex, Igula took a long breath, the gloom of the past few days dissipating, his steps growing lighter.


    In fact, aside from her temper and peculiar habit of treating people like dogs, Emi wasn¡¯t a bad client. Given enough time, Igula was confident he could even turn Emi into his inside man at the Crime Hunting Hall.


    Emi had an unexpected reverence for friendship, wore her emotions openly, and had a simple mind, not caring about breaking the rules, just like a child...


    Igula found the bicycle that Emi had prepared for him. Just as he was about to ride away, he suddenly heard Emi¡¯s voice from above.


    ¡°Next time you ask someone for help, you should start with ¡®please¡¯!¡± Emi leaned against the balcony, yelling without any concern, ¡°Don¡¯t be so impolite in the future!¡±


    Igula was slightly taken aback and could only nod hastily, pedaling the bicycle away from the awkward crime scene.


    He wondered why Emi had suddenly blurted out such a statement; it took him a while to remember that he indeed hadn¡¯t said ¡®please¡¯ when he first approached her.


    Igula was both annoyed and amused. Could it be that Emi was still angry just because he hadn¡¯t said ¡®please¡¯ when he initially commanded, ¡°I order you to help me escape from the Kingdom of Blood Moon¡±?


    ¡°You¡¯re a naughty child with bad manners; isn¡¯t it normal to be punished?¡±


    Crack!


    Igula braked hard and looked back at Emi¡¯s apartment building.


    He recalled some information about the Moon Shadow Clan.


    The members of the Moon Shadow Clan, besides becoming priests through church examinations as adults, had another path¡ªthe Beloved Church would identify infants with the most suitable talents and leave them behind to be directly raised in the church¡¯s nurseries.


    Unlike most nurseries, the church nurseries were completely sealed off and not subject to social supervision.


    In a regular nursery, no matter the quality, cameras had to be installed to allow the public to see what was happening inside. Chaos among the children could be tolerated, but corporal punishment by the nursery staff was strictly prohibited.


    You could educate through verbal warnings, resource allocation, or even collective isolation, but direct harm or depriving children of their freedom was not allowed; children had the right to refuse.


    Many people suspected the church nurseries of militaristic training due to their closed nature.


    However, the Moon Shadow priests who came out of the church nurseries often allayed people¡¯s suspicions¡ªthey were so pure, adorable, passionate, naive, diligent, and properly mannered that they seemed like grown-up angels.


    By the way, the Crime Hunting Hall was solely responsible for hunting down crimes; if Blood Moonians encountered issues like neighborhood conflicts, lost pets, light bulbs stuck in mouths, tongues stuck to railings, or bodies jammed in washing machines, it was pointless to contact the Crime Hunting Hall. The correct approach was to seek help from the Church.


    Whenever help was summoned, no matter the time, the nearest church would send a Moon Shadow priest to assist. They were always cheerful and enthusiastic, never shying away from trouble, and patient with any situation, which instilled the concept in Blood Moonians that ¡°when in trouble, go to the Church.¡±


    Almost everyone had received help from a Moon Shadow priest at some point, and no one disliked them. Currently, 60% of Blood Moonians were regular worshippers at the Church, with most of them convinced by the Moon Shadow priests that the Extreme Master of Blood Moon they prayed to was indeed a being of absolute benevolence.


    Fernand¡¯s speech hadn¡¯t caused much of a stir mainly because of the existence of the Moon Shadow priests. If people thought that the fruits of their brutal labor were funneling only to the Blood Saint Clan, they would be furious, but if it benefitted both the Blood Saint and Moon Shadow Clans, they might hesitate¡ªsacrificing their flesh to nourish the Moon Shadow Clan seemed somewhat acceptable.


    In Kaimon City, there was a saying: ¡°False first-class, Jade Garden; true first-class, Church nursery.¡±


    Lanna, the likes of him, calling him a Werewolf wasn¡¯t far off, his presence only tarnished the name Moon Shadow.


    Igula suddenly remembered the conversation he had with Lanna before his escape.


    ¡°The Beloved Church raising a Moon Shadow like you is strange indeed.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s strange is that the Church didn¡¯t raise any other Werewolves.¡±


    Is that what it meant...


    Igula should have guessed earlier¡ªhow could an adult be afraid of being locked in a storage room? Igula wasn¡¯t afraid even without a chip; had he had a chip, he could have even carried out Veil-anonymized swindling from the storage room.


    Only a naive child, bewildered by the world, would fear such severe punishment.


    Moreover, why would Emi have dog food at home when she clearly didn¡¯t own a dog? Just now, she even pointed to the dog food, calling it a snack.


    Adding that to her unusual emphasis on manners and her child-like personality, the truth was almost ready to reveal itself.


    Igula looked up at the slowly rising Blood Moon, shook his head gently, and rode off vigorously on the bicycle to escape.

 Chapter 183: 162: Orthodox! Fantasy! Adventurer!

    Chapter 183: Chapter 162: Orthodox! Fantasy! Adventurer!


    ¡°Adventurer codename?¡±


    ¡°Death Mad Sword Maiden.¡±


    ¡°Gender?¡±


    ¡°Male.¡±


    The camp recorder paused for a moment, his expression unchanged, ¡°Please read and confirm whether you comply with the ¡®Adventure Agreement 430¡¯ and the ¡®Secret Keeping Agreement.¡¯ Here is the printout...¡±


    ¡°Accepted.¡±


    ¡°Please present your adventurer¡¯s badge.¡±


    Ash, wearing a mask, took out a round badge and swiped it across the glass screen of the checking device. The screen lit up green. The recorder nodded, ¡°Task registration complete. Please enter.¡±


    There was virtually no obstruction, and Ash easily stepped into Camp Observation Point No. 53. A rough earthen wall that rose to thirty meters isolated the inside from the outside. At the very center of the camp stood a Tower, and at the top of the Tower, a deep blue Vortex. That was Ash¡¯s target for this trip: a level 2 Void Turbulence passage.


    In the camp, all vegetation had been removed, replaced with rows of benches and seats. Many adventurers gathered together for idle chatter, pulling out bottles of alcohol for a good time and then popping a piece of Moon Candy, convulsing with pleasure¡ªa drink coupled with the candy felt like ascending to Heaven.


    Occasional shouts could be heard:


    ¡°Flame Group over here!¡±


    ¡°Hungry Wolves, assemble over here!¡±


    ¡°Faraga, Faraga, has the coffin-carrying Faraga not arrived yet?¡±


    Apart from these rowdy folks, there were also many lone wolves like Ash, draped in standard cloaks and wearing masks, watching the chaos with cool, mysterious detachment.


    This chaotic sight was the life of the adventurers in the war zone.


    When Ash found adventurer information on the Veil, he almost wanted to applaud the Kingdom of Blood Moon for its advanced level of exploitation¡ªbecause the military expenses required by the conscription system were just too great. So, the Kingdom of Blood Moon decided not to have an army at all!


    The Kingdom of Blood Moon had abolished its military 300 years ago, completely transitioning to an adventurer-based system.


    The so-called adventurer system was simple: the war zone offered tasks, adventurers completed them, and then received compensation from the war zone. There was only a contractual relationship between the war zone and the adventurers. The adventurers were free to come and go and, in theory, could indeed share some of the military¡¯s responsibilities.


    The biggest advantage of the adventurer system was that there was no need to provide training expenses, no need to deal with logistics, and no need for compensation.


    The death of an adventurer was none of the war zone¡¯s concern. Adventurers could work if they desired or leave if they didn¡¯t care to; there was always a queue of people waiting to take on tasks. The war zone didn¡¯t need to care about ¡®human rights¡¯ at all¡ªthey didn¡¯t even count as employers, merely parties involved in a mutual and temporary contractual relationship.


    In short, because having an army meant treating soldiers as humans, which was too expensive, recruiting adventurers only required treating them as tools. There was no need to spend unnecessary money on extras like ¡®race¡¯ or ¡®human rights,¡¯ thus significantly lowering costs.


    In the first year of its implementation, the adventurer system saved 80% of military expenses.


    And the most wonderful part was that the shift from conscription to the adventurer system had no negative impact on the Kingdom of Blood Moon.


    The reason was that the Kingdom of Blood Moon had no hard military needs like suppressing rebellions, defending borders, or responding to disasters.


    Rebellions were out of the question to begin with, not to even mention the ¡®prohibition of love¡¯ education enforced by the Kingdom of Blood Moon. With everyone¡¯s chip implant in the back of their neck, a large-scale rebellion was simply impossible.


    The absence of natural disasters was also quite common, as the Meteorological Bureau resolved all issues before they occurred. As for those disasters caused by Mages in the Void Realm, it was natural for Mages to resolve them; the military could not be of help.


    As for the borders, it was said within the Veil, ¡®The Extreme Master of Blood Moon has already defended us against foreign enemies,¡¯ so there was no need for an army stationed at the borders.


    Matters like maintaining public safety, capturing criminals, and preventing cults were the responsibilities of the Crime Hunting Hall.


    Thus, the military was left with only two functions: emergency troops and suppressing the Abyss in various locations. These functions could be entirely undertaken by adventurers, so after the transformation of the military system into the adventurer system, although efficiency did not increase, it did not decrease either, and adventurer groups thus took their place in history.


    As a violent group, the components of adventurers were quite complex. There were Combat Mages who focused solely on protecting Blood Moon and honing their skills, as well as opportunists seeking to gain resources from the war zone, and even wanted criminals who came to the war zone to evade capture and pursue a living.


    Yes, the war zone was willing to shelter wanted criminals, and the Crime Hunting Hall would not arrest people in the war zone. For criminals who committed serious crimes and were desperate in the City, the war zone was almost their only place of refuge.


    For instance, the Woodpecker gang controlled by Selin also had a branch in the Lakeview war zone, specifically responsible for sheltering members who had caused trouble. If ¡®Golden Mouth¡¯ Ronald hadn¡¯t been caught, he would likely have gone to Lakeview to become an adventurer, too.


    When Ash heard about the adventurer system from Igula in prison, he also asked if they could make a living in the war zone after escaping, embarking on a grand adventurer¡¯s journey to accumulate Merits and cleanse their names, steering the bizarre cult leader¡¯s start onto the right path of a fantasy adventure.


    But Igula coldly vetoed his fantasy¡ªthe war zone didn¡¯t care if you were a big bad guy with enormous crimes or a small stinker guilty of racial discrimination due to bad breath, but the precondition was that you had to have a chip implant.


    Without a chip, criminals simply could not enter the ¡®safe rest areas¡¯ provided by the war zone¡ªthe name itself made it clear that this area would activate the ¡®Attack Restriction¡¯ in the adventurer¡¯s chip, forbidding any form of attack within the safe zone.


    Not to mention that Ash was not willing to implant a chip in himself, even if he wanted to, he wouldn¡¯t know where to start. Chip implantation was a monopolized business of the Church of Beloved, and even the black market only provided purification services, not implantation services.


    Therefore, after escaping from prison, the five great villains no longer had a way to turn back once their chips were removed.


    Moreover, the life of an adventurer wasn¡¯t as glorious as Ash had imagined. The battle zone only accepted merit for transactions, and no amount of money could make life comfortable there. One could even be fleeced and inevitably end up accepting tasks to hunt creatures in the Waterway Abyss for survival.


    Statistics showed that only 25% of new adventurers could survive more than a year in the battle zone. Even though many of them returned to the city to work because they could not persevere, this pass rate was still quite alarming.


    To cater to such a diverse group of adventurers, the battle zone introduced the ¡®adventurer¡¯s merit¡¯ system. All task rewards are in merits, and adventurers can exchange merits for any reward in the battle zone, including but not limited to Technique Spirits, Miracle Techniques, and faction knowledge.


    What was most ingenious was that merits were not recorded on the chips, but on the adventurers¡¯ badges carried on their person.


    Adventurer badges were unregistered.


    As long as you could produce an adventurer badge, the battle zone would conduct the merit exchange, regardless of whether the badge was yours, found, or... taken from someone you had killed.


    It was only when Ash discovered this mechanism that he fully understood the Kingdom of Blood Moon¡¯s profound intention behind implementing the adventurer system¡ªjust with this move alone, it was impossible for coordinated adventurer groups to exist in the battle zone, and any possibility of large-scale violent gangs was nipped in the bud. As long as the battle zone continued to provide rewards for merit exchanges, distrust would always exist among adventurers.


    How could the Kingdom of Blood Moon, which forbade even family units, possibly allow military-like violent groups?


    While large gangs didn¡¯t exist, there were countless small adventure groups, with seven or eight just in this camp alone.


    Seeing these groups like ¡®Flame Group,¡¯ ¡®Hungry Wolf Team,¡¯ and ¡®Gale Group,¡¯ Ash couldn¡¯t help but feel his eyes moisten¡ªhe also longed for such a fantastical adventure life. He imagined forming an adventure group with a few like-minded close friends, setting off on an unknown journey, experiencing epic stories, and then retiring and getting married by the age of 35 to live a quiet pastoral life.


    Ideally, he hoped to meet a beautiful and sexy lover, a kind and considerate wife, an empathetic confidante, and a lively and cute girlfriend.


    And if they could never meet each other, all the better.


    That would be a true fantasy story.


    Yet, what he was experiencing now was being arrested ¡ú breaking out of prison ¡ú fleeing the country. How was this a fantasy story? This was clearly a crime drama!


    He wouldn¡¯t even need to time-travel; if he embezzled funds at the company, he could go through this entire process!


    Just as Ash fell into a sorrowful contemplation typical of adulthood, it seemed a conflict had arisen among the adventurers.


    An adventurer wearing a cloak and mask claimed to have lost their badge and suspected three people who had passed by of stealing it. Those three naturally denied it, even willing to be searched by the cloaked one.


    As the cloaked adventurer searched the first person, that person raised both hands, with the adventurer badge in the right hand, and tossed it to the second person in the cloaked one¡¯s blind spot.


    Everyone around saw this act, but no one spoke up, all watching the drama unfold. The maliciously minded didn¡¯t need mentioning, and even those with kind hearts wouldn¡¯t lend a hand¡ªif someone could have their important badge stolen, they might as well give up their life as an adventurer and return to the city to become a cog in society.


    As the cloaked one searched the second person, the second person also raised both hands, passing the badge to the third person, and when the cloaked one searched the third person, the third one tossed it back to the first person.


    The badge had essentially made a round among the three of them, making the onlookers unable to suppress their laughter.


    The three men were just looking for fun at the expense of the cloaked figure, who eventually left with nothing and had to accept their bad luck.


    Just when Ash thought this was just an ordinary social beatdown, the three men suddenly let out cries of alarm.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my badge? Why is my badge gone?¡±


    ¡°Mine¡¯s gone too! Damn it, it must have been that Goblin bastard!¡±


    ¡°Where did he go!? Quick, find him, my badge had the merits saved up for a Technique Spirit!¡±


    The three men were lividly looking for the cloaked figure but there were too many people wearing cloaks and masks here. Once the cloaked one blended into the crowd, how could they find him? They even stared down Ash, who faced them without fear.


    ¡°Ha ha ha, I¡¯m dying of laughter. I saw him snatch the badges from you fools while searching you, but I didn¡¯t say a word, ha ha ha!¡±


    ¡°Why the glare? You can¡¯t even steal as well as others, why are you still losing face here? Do you want to start a fight?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve had our laugh, you can leave now.¡±


    Members of the nearby adventure group laughed loudly, their teasing voices overlapping, and the three men trembled with anger and almost teared up in humiliation. They mumbled a few harsh words that nobody could hear and sheepishly moved to the edge of the area.


    At that moment, a Goblin dressed in formal attire walked onto the high platform. He was tall, with clear eyes and handsome features, wearing a pair of silver-framed glasses on his nose and a top hat that covered his bald head, making him suddenly seem like a fluorescent green Elf.


    A mere Goblin exuded an air of elegance (Ash didn¡¯t realize he was being racially prejudiced), and whether it was the result of cosmetic surgery or natural¡ªthe genetic enhancement technology of the Kingdom of Blood Moon was the best in the world.


    ¡°Good evening, adventurers. I am the clerk of this task, Kibot Mantlas,¡± the Goblin said calmly. ¡°Only 90 minutes left until midnight. The camp is now closed to arrivals and departures, and we are moving into the phase of battle preparations.¡±


    ¡°Being in charge of an invasion battle from the Foreign Domain, a task with no risk that could be a career highlight. It seems this Goblin is a candidate for parliament.¡±


    Suddenly Ash heard a familiar voice of keyboard commentary from nearby. He turned his head in confusion to glance at the cloaked adventurers beside him, but couldn¡¯t identify who was speaking.

 Chapter 184: 163 Wickedness

    Chapter 184: Chapter 163 Wickedness


    The Goblin continued, ¡°I won¡¯t say much, but the Void Realm passage we found this time is a level-two channel that can accommodate the maximum Magic Power of a fully expanded Two-winged. Therefore, this operation is not a national war, just a low-intensity Hunting Festival.¡±


    ¡°This operation requires groups of five, which you can form freely or randomly¡ªdon¡¯t interrupt, let me finish¡ªthe reason you must be in groups of five is because the Moon Shadow Priest will bestow upon you the Blood Moon Blessing.¡±


    ¡°The blessing is for groups of five, and it includes over ten enhancements such as Strong Walk, Ghost, Extreme Effect, Self-healing, Hardening, Spirit Resistance, Light Feather Suspension, and, most importantly, it constructs a ¡®Life Link¡¯ that lasts for 48 hours among your squad members. Whoever doesn¡¯t need the Blood Moon Blessing can raise their hand.¡±


    The adventurers, who originally had their reservations, immediately quieted down; even Ash was tempted. Not to mention the multitude of enhancements mentioned earlier, but the ¡®Life Link¡¯ was too alluring. During the ¡®422 Incident,¡¯ Medical Practitioners had used this Miracle to save hundreds of lives, making it easy for Ash to obtain information about this Miracle from the Veil.


    As the name suggests, this Miracle constructs a Life Link between a group of people, for example, 50 healthy individuals and 50 injured, once linked, the healthy individuals¡¯ Life Forces will continuously flow into the injured, allowing them to heal rapidly.


    Moreover, as long as the link exists, the wounded will never die from their injuries, effectively locking in their last drop of blood!


    When there is a shortage of Medical Practitioners, this Miracle can save numerous lives in time, buying precious moments for emergency treatments.


    When employed within an adventurer squad, it becomes the best life-saving charm, as it¡¯s a passive effect¡ªeven if the other members are unwilling, they must still transfer Life Force obediently. Even the most selfish adventurer wouldn¡¯t refuse to add such insurance for themselves.


    Seeing that no one raised their hands, the Goblin continued, ¡°Once I¡¯ve finished talking, you can start forming teams freely, and for those who prefer not to, we will also provide random teams, but there¡¯s something I need to explain in advance¡ªrandom teams will enter the passage among the first few groups, while free-form teams will enter after them.¡±


    Ash¡¯s expression flickered, understanding that the random teams were expected to bear the brunt as cannon fodder.


    Although it was confirmed that this was a complete Void Realm passage, more than a day had passed since ¡®Rabbit¡¯ returned, and it was uncertain if something might happen on the other side of the passage. Compared to the freely formed teams that possess team combat capabilities, the random teams, more akin to ¡°a cohesive unit when collected and chaos when dispersed,¡± are naturally more suitable as Scouts to open the situation.


    No wonder they were given the ¡®Life Link,¡¯ the hope was they could withstand longer, buying time for subsequent adventurers.


    ¡°Of course, the first teams to enter will receive extra rewards,¡± the Goblin stated calmly, ¡°For now, it¡¯s determined that the random teams will enter in the first three batches, with five teams per batch, each batch separated by three minutes. The first batch¡¯s teams receive 300 Vanguard Merits, the second batch 200, and the third batch 100; each batch¡¯s first team gets an additional 80% Vanguard Merits, second 50%, third 30%, fourth 10%, and fifth 0%.¡±


    That is to say, the very first team of the first batch could directly earn 540 Merits (300*1.8)¡ªthis was an incentive for the Vanguard¡ªprovided they could return alive to spend it.


    Ash, not very familiar with the battlefield prices, but hearing the surrounding adventurers gasp and the atmosphere chilling, knew that these 540 Merits had strong purchasing power.


    One adventurer raised their hand to ask, ¡°What if there are adventure groups mixed into the random teams?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t mind,¡± the Goblin said indifferently, stretching his hand towards the tents on the side of the podium, ¡°As you can see, to my left, there are three rows of tents. Facing the podium, the first row is for the first batch, the leftmost tent is for the first team.¡±


    ¡°Blessings will start at 11:15. I hope that by then, each tent will be filled with five people,¡± the Goblin adjusted his glasses, ¡°Now, let the team formation begin; oh, and no dead people are allowed.¡±


    Facing a group of fierce adventurers, the Goblin¡¯s expression remained calm as if dealing with a flock of sheep. After finishing, he walked down from the podium. Before he left, the adventurers didn¡¯t stir; those gathered below the podium even made way for him.


    Power is indeed awe-inspiring, but authority also makes people unable to raise their heads.


    Once the Goblin entered the biggest tent, a Mage suddenly smashed the long table, pulled out a gun from a box, and officially opened the prelude to a chaotic battle!


    Gunshots roared like thunder, as several adventure groups immediately pulled out their guns and started shooting at each other!


    Even before the battle had begun, adventurers were already infighting over their positions!


    Their target was clear¡ªthe first squad of the first batch, worth 540 points of merit!


    Essentially, the level of danger was similar across the first three batches. If the risk level of the fifth squad in the third batch was 10, then the risk level of the first squad in the first batch was hardly more than 20.


    If there really was an ambush on the other side of the passage, the first three batches would all have to fight desperately; but if not, then the first squad of the first batch would reap the greatest benefits.


    Those who dared to become adventurers were almost all heavy gamblers unable to endure regular jobs, blood-crazed thrill seekers; faced with such high stakes, how could they resist going all-in?


    Thus, they would fight over the ¡°right to gamble with their lives.¡±


    Compared to the first squad of the first batch, the benefits of other positions paled significantly. The second and third batches carried the same risks as the first, but their survival rate significantly increased¡ªafter all, there were cannon fodders to draw attention away.


    While the adventure groups brawled, true lone wolves also began forming teams in the tents. After brief contemplation, Ash decisively headed towards the fifth tent in the first row.


    Unlike other adventurers, he had no plans of returning to the Kingdom of Blood Moon; the sooner he left Blood Moon, the better, so the first batch was his best choice.


    And without a doubt, the fifth squad of the first batch was both the riskiest and the least cost-effective position¡ªthe risk level of the fifth squad was almost as high as that of the first squad. If there was indeed an ambush on the other side of the passage, the difference would only be who died first; however, the reward for the fifth squad was much less, enough to deter anyone who wasn¡¯t a complete fool.


    But for Ash, the fifth squad was nothing less than ideal. It offered the fastest way out of Blood Moon, with the first four squads drawing attention, potentially allowing him to slip through unnoticed.


    However, when Ash lifted the tent flap, he discovered that there were already four people inside.


    In the tent, there were three long benches. Two masked individuals sat on the right bench; one was tall, filing his nails with a sharpening knife, while the other was slender, hands shoved in his pockets, the sound of steel balls clinking within.


    On the middle bench sat another masked person, barely distinguishable by his curly hair and dark skin, as he tore open a Snow White brand bag to pop a piece of Moon Candy into his mask.


    On the left bench, a lazily postured masked person with seductively narrow fox-like eyes slightly lifted at the corners when Ash burst in, hooking into a mocking smile.


    Ash quickly backed out, ¡°Sorry, it seems I took the wrong path, my apologies¡ª¡±


    A hand grabbed his wrist, and just as Ash thought of resisting, that familiar voice instantly stiffened his body.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you still owe me a wish, my dear Cult Leader.¡±


    Igula pulled Ash inside the tent, reaching out to lift his mask, his eyes brimming with delight.


    ¡°Lucky me, just when I needed bait, you walked right in; this really is...¡±


    ¡°Such misfortune,¡± Ash sighed.

 Chapter 185: 164: Assembly of Villains

    Chapter 185: Chapter 164: Assembly of Villains


    Ash had never considered the possibility of failing to escape, since the Void Realm had decreed that he could flee from Blood Moon. However, he did consider the worst-case scenario of his escape journey¡ªblending in with a group of unfamiliar adventurers, breaking into a foreign domain perhaps even worse than the Kingdom of Blood Moon, being treated as an enemy by the natives, perpetuating the excellent tradition of passively taking the blame, and transitioning from a ¡°Cult Leader¡± to an ¡°invader from the foreign domain,¡± thus leading a blissfully precarious free life...


    He thought that the journey couldn¡¯t get any worse than that.


    And then reality slapped him hard in the face¡ªdon¡¯t underestimate me, you layabout!


    Ash still thought too small, still holding onto the fantasy that he could ¡°blend in with a group of strange adventurers.¡± But now, who else could he be arm in arm with, their eyes flirty and teasing, full of mischief and even cunning enough to cheat a child out of their moon candy, if not Igula, the charming man?


    And who was treating moon candy as a snack if not Harvey, the Necromancer?


    As for the duo sitting opposite, it was none other than Lanna and Ronald!


    The top five villains of the Shattered Lake Prison had reunited once more!


    The feeling of these old companions, who once shared hardships and faced tough challenges, coming together again was lighting a fire in Ash!


    That is to say, a fire of anger was being kindled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you guys also chose to escape Blood Moon through the Void Realm?¡± Ash¡¯s voice could hardly contain his anger, ¡°You guys are local snakes, do you really have to flee with me so desperately!?¡±


    Harvey was eating candy and spread his hands indifferently, ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be the leader of the Four Pillars God Sect; shouldn¡¯t you be continuing your missionary work in Kaimon City, promoting the traditional culture of the Gods of Four Pillars? And yet you think of just walking away like that; you¡¯re not being loyal!¡±


    Lanna put away her nail file and glanced at Harvey, ¡°Once you leave the Kingdom of Blood Moon, out of this core chip system, you¡¯re no longer a mysterious and dreadful control master, you¡¯re merely a Necromancer as mundane as a street rat. Is that really what you want?¡±


    When his profession was mentioned, Harvey couldn¡¯t hold back; he snorted coldly, ¡°For all we know, on the other side of the passage could lie a great nation that venerates the Necromancy Faction, where corpses lie everywhere, and the living are freed from burdensome labors to focus on studies and the Void Realm; where the dead handle all of the social production, devoid of struggle, resources aplenty, and life is sublimated in death...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s as ridiculous as saying that one day we will all be turned on by fatty laalaa,¡± remarked Igula without mincing his words, ¡°You might as well go work at an orphanage, maybe someone there will speak your language.¡±


    ¡°That made me hungry,¡± muttered Ronald, waving his hand at Ash, ¡°What kind of laalaa do you like? I like the spicy ones.¡±


    ¡°I like the ones with salted egg yolk flavor... wait, no!¡± Ash covered his head in frustration, ¡°Can¡¯t you guys choose another time or another way? Do you have to pick the same time, the same method, and even the same row of seats as me?¡±


    ¡°The longer we stay in Blood Moon, the greater the danger,¡± Lanna pointed out, ¡°Do you also think this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance? Besides, finding you here, I simply couldn¡¯t miss it.¡±


    Ronald: ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Harvey: ¡°We absolutely have to leave with Ash.¡±


    Ash froze, ¡°Why?¡±


    They didn¡¯t speak, instead all their gazes turned toward Igula. Igula was still smiling at Ash, his right hand pressing firmly on Ash¡¯s shoulder, as if afraid his prey would escape.


    Ash felt a chill, swallowed his saliva, cleared his throat, and spoke earnestly, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not opposed to us taking action together. After all, we have the experience of teaming up for the prison break. Everyone¡¯s background is known, which forms a basis for trust and cooperation. Working together would naturally lead to greater efficiency. But since we¡¯re comrades with a common goal, we should sincerely coordinate and unite against the outside world, not hold each other back, and certainly not plot against our teammates. What do you guys think?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm!¡±


    ¡°Ash is right!¡±


    ¡°As expected of the Cult Leader, you really have a way with words.¡±


    Igula also nodded repeatedly, looking very supportive, and then he held out three fingers, ¡°So, dear Cult Leader, would you like to be responsible for attracting attention, or would you prefer to create an opportunity for me to escape, or do you want to be the bait?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me choose such a cruel multiple-choice question! Besides, aren¡¯t all three options the same!¡± Ash roared in a suppressed voice, ¡°At least consider the biggest contribution I made in the escape plan and give me a way out!¡±


    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Harvey directly cursed, ¡°It¡¯s clear that I made the greatest contribution. If it wasn¡¯t for me, how could you have controlled the Prison Guards?¡±


    ¡°Necromancer, I can¡¯t pretend I didn¡¯t hear that,¡± Lanna said calmly, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t cleared out the Hunters and sailors on the transport ship, how could the plan have gone so smoothly?¡±


    ¡°The escape route was my idea,¡± Ronald interjected, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t thoroughly investigated the area from Shattered Lake Prison to Kaimon City, how could we have possibly avoided all the surveillance cameras and arrived in Kaimon City without drawing any attention?¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey, aren¡¯t you guys a little confused about your roles?¡± Igula¡¯s brow twitched madly, ¡°I¡¯m the one who formulated the prison break plan. If it weren¡¯t for my brilliant mind, you¡¯d all still be rotting in Shattered Lake! You¡¯re just the hands and feet of the operation; I¡¯m the brain that commands it. Would you put the credit due to your toenails above that of your brain?¡±


    Outside there was a storm of bullets and contrasting elements of fiery flame and icy chill. Explosions erupted from time to time. Inside the tent, a verbal showdown ensued, this bunch of idiots actually arguing over who was the true MVP of the escape plan, completely oblivious to their situation. Ash despaired at his own journey of escape.


    What was scarier was that Ash couldn¡¯t flee from Igula¡¯s clutches because the latter held a wish of his.


    If Igula wished, he could even order Ash to go out and do a handstand while having diarrhea to attract attention. In fact, that pretty boy was likely brewing plans even more evil than that¡ªsuch as ordering Ash to block Lanna, Ronald, and Harvey, causing a disturbance to buy time for the bad guy to escape.


    If they encountered a crisis later on, Igula would definitely not hesitate to command Ash to become a ¡°Taunting Companion¡± to draw the attention of others. That¡¯s why Harvey, Lanna, and Ronald insisted on taking action with Ash¡ªif they were going to have a ¡°Taunting Companion,¡± it was better shared among all. After all, if Ash was to be sacrificed, why not cover for three former comrades as well?


    ¡°The Void Realm told me that I would definitely escape Blood Moon.¡±


    The arguing in the tent abruptly stopped. Ash shook off Igula¡¯s hand from his shoulder, looked around, and said calmly, ¡°I participated in a Fate Q&A, and one of the questions was how I would escape the Kingdom of Blood Moon. That means the Void Realm believes I can definitely succeed.¡±


    ¡°If you want to act with me, I don¡¯t mind, but I advise you to drop the idea of using me as a shield and seriously protect me.¡±


    Ash declared with firm resolve, ¡°I can afford to miss this chance. I can just wait for a second or third time, but you guys might not have that luxury.¡±

 Chapter 186: 165: Prison Level One Protected Animal

    Chapter 186: Chapter 165: Prison Level One Protected Animal


    The tables have turned!


    Since Ash couldn¡¯t evade the four Bone Dragons hell-bent on his demise, he decided not to hide and even thought about using them to his advantage.


    Moreover, Ash was correct in saying that the invasion from the Foreign Domain indeed presented the best opportunity to escape lately, but he wasn¡¯t very anxious, for the Void Realm had already guaranteed his safety.


    It was like a professor reassuring you before an exam that you would definitely pass. You wouldn¡¯t submit a blank paper, but you could skip a few questions you didn¡¯t recognize without worrying, because even if your exam results weren¡¯t great, the professor would adjust your coursework marks to ensure you passed.


    But for Igula and others, Ash¡¯s status had skyrocketed from ¡®disposable Taunting Companion¡¯ to a ¡®prison-level protected species¡¯. After all, sticking close to Ash meant a smooth escape from the Blood Moon. They didn¡¯t have time to protect him, let alone throw him out as expendable bait.


    However...


    ¡°You don¡¯t actually believe everything mentioned in the Fate Q&A will happen, do you?¡± Lanna said calmly, ¡°The one absolute in the Fate Faction is that Fate is never absolute.¡±


    Ronald spread his hands: ¡°Besides, you can¡¯t prove you¡¯ve actually encountered the Fate Q&A. Even if you, Ash, are willing to bet your reputation, the Cult Leader isn¡¯t exactly known for having any, right?¡±


    Harvey nodded along: ¡°Even if the Fate Q&A is real, and you really escape the Blood Moon, it doesn¡¯t necessarily mean you need to be alive. I could still take you away from the Blood Moon as a corpse.¡±


    Igula delivered the killing blow: ¡°Compared to taking your whole living self away, isn¡¯t it more efficient to kill you and carry you in four boxes as a talisman?¡±


    Damn, they made a lot of sense!


    Feeling his swagger had failed, Ash hung his head in defeat. Out of his sight, the four quickly exchanged glances and silently reached a consensus.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Suddenly, the tent was lifted, and a tall Beastman archer walked in.


    His face was unmasked, with one eye mechanical. His shoulders, hands, knees, and waist were all fitted with gun attachments. This was a Mage¡¯s gun, completely foregoing bullets, that required the power of a Technique Spirit to fire.


    Gun Technique Faction¡¤Eight-Sniper Style!


    Igula and the others immediately recognized the Beastman¡¯s specialization. This was a Beastman, merged with ogre strength and gun technique, a heavy assault armament with multiple heavy sniper guns carried on the body, aiming and shooting with the help of Technique Spirits, and the recoil being dissipated through the Technique Spirits across the body to forcefully offset it. In direct combat, they were incredibly formidable, true assault archers, blades of the battlefield. Below the rank of Three-winged, almost no Mage could withstand the pinpointed firing of the Eight-Sniper.


    The Beastman archer was surprised to find the tent full of people, and he quickly assessed the strength of the earlier arrivals: the pair on the right bench were not to be messed with;


    The one on the middle bench exuded a gray, deathly aura under his ¡°Death Shot Tactical Eye Model 7,¡± better not to provoke;


    Although there were also two people sitting on the left bench, one was tall and exuded confidence, while the other looked inconspicuous, hanging his head as if constipated.


    The Beastman archer decided who was the easiest target in the tent in an instant, reaching straight for Ash: ¡°You¡ª¡±


    Ah, which cafe? should I go to, really feel like taking a dump, the shrimp paste-flavored lala fat is so good, when can I finally strike it rich¡ª


    The Beastman archer suddenly came back to his senses, realizing he had been bombarded with distracting thoughts for a full two seconds, completely forgetting his circumstances and purpose!


    This was an attack from the Spirit Faction!


    He tried to move, but his legs were numb as if they didn¡¯t belong to him, and the rotten stench of death crept up from his feet to his waist.


    The eerie Miracle of the Necromancy Faction!


    The Beastman instinctively wanted to unleash his full Fire Power for indiscriminate attacks, but two steel balls suddenly shot from the right, hitting him precisely in the eye and the knee, not only temporarily blinding him but also forcing him to kneel!


    Gun technique or shooting technique?


    The beastman strenuously opened a slit of his eye, and what entered his vision was a whip leg sharp as a blade!


    Snap!


    Everything happened as fast as lightning, and by the time Ash lifted his head, he only saw a dark figure flying backwards out of the tent, unable to even scream.


    He tilted his head, a look of bewilderment on his face, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Igula said, patting him on the shoulder in a friendly manner, ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve had a sudden attack of conscience. Even though you¡¯re pretty useless, we¡¯ve had our moments together, so you can rest assured, Ash, I won¡¯t use you as bait. Follow me, and I¡¯ll lead you to victory!¡±


    Ash looked at Igula, his eyes gradually lighting up, his lips curving into a playful smile.


    ¡°I get it, so I¡¯m important then?¡±


    Igula¡¯s expression did not change, ¡°Ash, you¡¯re so ordinary yet so confident...¡±


    ¡°If I were truly useless, you would flatter and praise me, inflate my confidence only to kick me out and send me to my death. Conversely, if I were truly useful, you would try to suppress my confidence as much as possible, so that I¡¯d be willing to be used by you.¡± Ash pointed at Harvey, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, I watched the whole process of you recruiting Harvey, he just didn¡¯t fall for it.¡±


    Harvey raised an eyebrow but said nothing.


    ¡°Oh, Ash, you¡¯re quite arrogant, huh? So, do you prefer pole dancing or doing handstands with diarrhea¡ªYou looking for trouble!?¡±


    Ash immediately flipped Igula¡¯s hood and furiously rubbed his head while giggling, ¡°Come on, make a wish. I¡¯ll do my best to fulfill it. Whoever doesn¡¯t make a wish is a little dog, come on!¡±


    ¡°Ha ha ha, I was right, Igula, you actually believed me. Compared to the greatly dangerous unknown future, you¡¯d rather choose this certain future, to protect me as I leave by your side!¡±


    ¡°Did you forget that as soon as we pass through the passage you become useless? I can command you to wait in place for 48 hours and then return to the Blood Moon after we pass through.¡±


    Ash froze mid-action and sat down like a good child, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was too arrogant.¡±


    Igula, annoyed, fixed his hair and donned his hood, watching the cult leader still having the leisure to ask Lanna to borrow a nail clipper; he was so furious that he almost wished for Ash to strangle himself with his own intestines.


    And what the hell, now even a stupid man with the same level of social skills as a child in a foster care center could easily see through his thoughts? Is it that I, Igula, am not cunning enough, or is it that you, Ash, are just too bizarre?


    Thinking carefully, how many times had he been outsmarted by Ash?


    The fourth time, the fifth time?


    Igula felt like Ash was his natural enemy and made a decision against the Swindler¡¯s principles in his heart: This boy must not be kept, as soon as we leave Blood Moon I must hurry to kill this cult leader!


    The moment I leave Blood Moon will be the day Ash is buried!


    In the meantime, several people came wanting to enter the fifth tent, but they were all driven away. Soon, a goblin¡¯s voice rose from outside, ¡°Team formation time has ended, and the random teams can now come out.¡±


    Ash and his team walked out of the tent and looked up to see three people standing on the platform.


    ¡°Good, all the random teams are full,¡± the goblin nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Next, we enter the Blessing Ceremony. On my left hand side is the acolyte Ke¡¯er sent by the Church, her team of priests will provide everyone with the Blood Moon Blessing.¡±


    Acolyte Ke¡¯er, wearing a gold-edged white robe, was tall, but her face was very cute, her chubby cheeks like those of a baby, tempting one to give them a pinch. She somewhat shyly nodded to the adventurers, with the large grey wolf wagging its tail behind her.


    ¡°And standing on my right hand is this Hunter, whom I¡¯m sure everyone recognizes. It¡¯s Gerard Wessminste, the enforcer from the Crime Hunting Hall¡ª¡±


    As if by unspoken agreement, Ash and his group retreated back into the tent.

 Chapter 187 - 166: Three Sentences That Made Everyone Willingly Hand Over Ash

    Chapter 187: Chapter 166: Three Sentences That Made Everyone Willingly Hand Over Ash


    ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    Goblin Kibot looked at the agitated crowd, having anticipated their reaction. He cleared his throat gently, and the entire camp fell silent instantly, leaving only his voice to echo clearly.


    All Mages with intentions in politics generally master the Sound Technique Faction. Voice symbolizes the right to speak. Even if there¡¯s no interest in silencing political foes, the capacity to defend one¡¯s own voice is imperative.


    ¡°I know your worries,¡± he said bluntly. ¡°If we took all the adventurers here out for target practice, there would definitely be innocents among them. But if we execute every other one, there are bound to be fish that slip through the net.¡±


    Kibot gazed down at the frightened adventurers with increasing disdain, as if they were nothing but stray dogs.


    The mayor was right; dogs can be used but not collaborated with, since at any moment another¡¯s bone could lure them away. Only by working with wolves, sucking the marrow from these dogs, filling the wolves¡¯ bellies and sharpening their claws, will they naturally go and bite their master¡¯s flesh.


    In the Kingdom of Blood Moon, there were too many dogs and too few wolves.


    Therefore, the combat competition had to be promoted...


    Recalling the mayor¡¯s teachings, Kibot¡¯s expression grew colder as he continued, ¡°But rest assured, this festival is of great importance, and compared to the offerings needed by the Extreme Master of Blood Moon, your crimes are trivial. Even if Captain Blood Frenzy suddenly goes mad, I won¡¯t allow him to harm the valuable combat power here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Secretary Clerk Kibot,¡± Gerard, with his arms crossed over his chest, surveyed the adventurers with interest. ¡°I take this festival more seriously than anyone here.¡±


    The crowd exhaled in relief¡ªyes, Crime Hunting Hall and the war zone always kept to their own waters. Plus, with this being a festival related to the Foreign Domain invasion, how could Gerard possibly come here to arrest people?


    But many were still uneasy. What exactly was Gerard doing here if the festival had nothing to do with Crime Hunting Hall? Was he unable to sleep and decided to take a walk?


    ¡°However, Captain Blood Frenzy indeed came here to pursue fugitives,¡± Kibot stated. ¡°But this has nothing to do with the vast majority here, even with the adventurers. He is only searching for a fugitive who has disguised themselves as an adventurer.¡±


    Ash and his team felt an ill foreboding.


    ¡°¡®Corpse Lover¡¯ Archibald Harvey, ¡®Carrion Crow¡¯ Ronald Wade, ¡®Swindler¡¯ Igula Bokin, ¡®Death Cultist¡¯ Lanna Chios, and ¡®Evil Demon Saint¡¯ Ash Heath.¡±


    Gerard announced loudly, ¡°I am here to pursue these five individuals. They have just escaped from Shattered Lake Prison and have removed their Miracle Chips from the back of their necks; hence, they do not belong to the war zone adventurers. I am not overstepping my boundaries by handling this case.¡±


    Adventurers relaxed.


    Not only were the five fugitives unrelated to them, but more importantly, they weren¡¯t ¡®adventurers.¡¯ This meant that Gerard had not broken the tacit agreement between the war zone and Crime Hunting Hall by indiscriminately arresting criminals who sought refuge in the war zone, and that was the reassurance the adventurers needed.


    If Gerard had embarked on arresting criminals among the adventurers, the adventurers certainly wouldn¡¯t resist, but they would soon flee the Lakeview War Zone in search of livelihoods elsewhere. After all, if even the war zone couldn¡¯t protect them, why stay and wait to become a feather in Crime Hunting Hall¡¯s cap?


    Ash and his team exchanged silent glances, nodding to each other. Without a word, they knew they had to sincerely cooperate, or they would never escape the pursuit of the Holy Sanctuary Mages of the Three-winged Holy Realm.


    Good, it was time to ignite the flame¡ª


    ¡°Incidentally,¡± Gerard said, ¡°although theoretically I am pursuing five individuals, I take a particular interest in Ash. Apart from the official bounty offered by Crime Hunting Hall, I have a personal bounty. Whoever provides concrete information on Ash Heath, I am willing to pay a reward of 100 Gold Coins. And if the other four fugitives are willing to hand over Ash, I can represent Crime Hunting Hall and call off the pursuit, granting you three days to flee.¡±


    Ash turned to look at the others, who also looked back at him.


    ¡°...You guys aren¡¯t seriously considering betraying a friend for your own survival, are you?¡±


    Harvey scratched his head, ¡°Are we friends...?¡±


    Ronald spread his hands, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with living to fight another day?¡±


    Igula said coldly, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you leaving that recording and enraging Gerard, why would he be chasing us relentlessly? Whoever pollutes, cleans up. What¡¯s the problem with that?¡±


    With just three sentences, Gerard had managed to fracture this teetering little team¡ªit was no wonder he was a Blood Frenzy Hunter who excelled at understanding human nature.


    Just when Ash was contemplating distancing himself from these clowns, Lanna spoke calmly, ¡°We don¡¯t have the chips, so one way or another, we must find a way to leave Blood Moon. Unless Gerard is willing to clear the way for us, selling out Ash would be of no benefit¡ªafter all, even with three days to run, there¡¯s no place for us in Blood Moon anymore.¡±


    Ash couldn¡¯t help but give a thumbs-up, ¡°Listen to how reasonable Lanna is. You guys fell for the enemy¡¯s trick so easily, you should learn from Lanna¡ª¡±


    ¡°But if we really can¡¯t find any opportunity to take advantage of, we¡¯ll have to hand over Ash to buy some breathing time,¡± Lanna continued. ¡°Better for one to die than for all five.¡±


    Igula wrapped an arm around Ash¡¯s neck, ¡°Thanks, Ash. I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d be willing to sacrifice your own interests to protect everyone¡ªYou¡¯re going to fulfill my wish, right?¡±

 Chapter 188 - 166: Three Sentences That Made Everyone Willingly Hand Over Ash_2

    Chapter 188: Chapter 166: Three Sentences That Made Everyone Willingly Hand Over Ash_2


    Ash slumped his cheeks, but no one could see it since he was wearing a mask. At this point, he had no choice but to play it by ear. Although Igula might betray him at any moment, Ash had to admit that teaming up with these four scumbags was indeed the most suitable plan for now.


    After all, they at least had a common goal, and doing dirty deeds was precisely the scumbags¡¯ area of expertise. If he were to team up with strangers, Ash would have no other recourse but to pray for a ¡°Miracle¡± to happen.


    Gerard waited for a moment, and upon seeing no one stepping forward to snitch, he was not surprised and gestured to the Goblin beside him to continue speaking.


    Kibot said, ¡°Next, the Priest team will perform the Blessing Miracle for everyone. Please queue by team. Blood Frenzy Hunters are responsible for protecting the Priest team and will scan your chip information on the side. The intelligence regarding the Exotic Realm opposite the passageway has been sent to everyone in this camp, so please read it promptly.¡±


    Ash and his companions also pretended to activate their Light Screens¡ªwithout chips, they couldn¡¯t receive the mass-sent junk message and could only go through the motions.


    At that moment, the Priest team approached the high platform. Each of them bore some traits of a wolfhound, almost every one of them sporting a bushy tail. Ash couldn¡¯t help but turn his head to look at Lanna, who silently pointed at the Blood Moon hanging high above.


    Unlike the Moon Shadow Clan, who were blessed by the Blood Moon, Lanna could only transform in the shadows and didn¡¯t show any Moon Shadow traits otherwise. The difference between him and the other Moon Shadow Clan members was as vast as living by eating or surviving on refuse¡ªit was no wonder he was deemed a heretic and thrown into Shattered Lake to die.


    Adventurers began to queue to receive the Blessing, and Ash saw the new-age Blessing ritual¡ªfive Priests had the adventurers extend their right arms, located a vein, and then injected with a steel needle.


    Ke¡¯er, the assistant Priest, took out a speaker and pressed a button. Sacred chants echoed throughout the camp. Adventures began to change rapidly, with wandering moonlight turning into forming a layer of veils draped over their bodies as if a light mist.


    ¡°Ohhhh!¡±


    ¡°Strength is surging!¡±


    ¡°Praise the Blood Moon!¡±


    ¡°Damn!¡± Ash couldn¡¯t help but comment, ¡°Isn¡¯t this just injections and music hypnosis?¡±


    ¡°Blessings have always been like this,¡± Ronald spoke up from beside him. ¡°The Priests prepare the Blessing Potions in advance. When needed, an injection followed by listening to holy music activates the potion¡¯s miraculous effects. Although it¡¯s not as effective as a Priest¡¯s personal casting, it¡¯s quick, convenient, and even portable. You can exchange for Blessing Potions made by Priests in the war zones, but they¡¯re basically not available elsewhere.¡±


    It was evident that the adventurers had never experienced such high-end merchandise before. They were so exhilarated that they looked as though they would throw their heads back in ecstasy and exert their newfound strength, making Ash question whether the Potion contained ¡®Moon candy¡¯... or could it be the other way around, that Moon candy had ingredients of the Blessing Potion?


    But for Ash and his team, this Blessing was tantamount to disastrous news¡ªbecause adventurers who had received the Blessing all had a thin layer of crimson veil on them, very conspicuous.


    In other words, it was easy to see who had been Blessed and who hadn¡¯t. They couldn¡¯t sneak by even if they tried. When everyone on the scene would be glowing with the Blessing, only the five of them wouldn¡¯t be, which would be no different from giving themselves up, except that their resistance would be aggravating their case.


    They were at the back of the line, and the Priests¡¯ Blessing process wasn¡¯t slow. It would be their turn in no more than ten minutes, so they had to make a decision quickly.


    ¡°Maybe we should just make a run for it.¡±


    ¡°Or better yet, let¡¯s take care of things before handing over, to reflect our sincerity.¡±


    ¡°Leave it to me. I¡¯m a professional when it comes to dealing with bodies.¡±


    Watching Igula seriously discuss with Ronald and Harvey, Ash shuddered, ¡°I¡¯m already starting to regret why I took you scumbags with me to break out of jail...¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? We were clearly discussing Lanna¡¯s weight,¡± someone quipped.


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t scare little Ash.¡± Lanna looked at Harvey, ¡°Necromancer, can you pull off the same trick again?¡±


    ¡°I could,¡± Harvey confessed.


    He glanced at the night sky, ¡°However, the prison is a special building, which is why it has such strong constraints. Without even a ceiling here, the only restrictions I can guarantee will work are ¡®Attack Restriction¡¯ and ¡®Action Restriction.''¡±


    ¡°As for Gerard, don¡¯t harbor any hopes about him,¡± the Necromancer dared not look directly at the Hunter Captain, only using his peripheral vision for a quick glance, ¡°Putting aside that his strength is enough to resist the restrictions, his authority is probably higher than the ¡®chip processor,¡¯ so any restriction command issued by the processor won¡¯t work on the law enforcement captain.¡±


    Indeed, Harvey had prepared thoroughly before charging into this life-and-death challenge, though it was meaningless¡ªGerard posed the greatest threat to them. They wouldn¡¯t pass this jailbreak exam if they couldn¡¯t use the chip processor to limit Gerard, the examiner.


    Ash asked, ¡°Can¡¯t we cause chaos and sneak through in the confusion? Didn¡¯t you say only Two-winged or lower Magic Power could pass through the Void Realm gateway? Gerard shouldn¡¯t be able to chase us through, right?¡±


    ¡°You may have some misconceptions about Gerard¡¯s Combat Power,¡± Igula said, spreading his hands. ¡°Even the most unscrupulous gambler wouldn¡¯t bet on a Three-winged Holy Sanctuary Mage revealing a flaw big enough for us low-level Mages to exploit... Wait, Gerard¡¯s primary target is you, which means we could hand you over to draw his attention and then take the chance to cross the passage, giving us a good chance of escape.¡±


    Ash gave him a sidelong glance, ¡°Do you think, in that scenario, I would desperately run to buy you time, or would I surrender without a fight, allowing Gerard to free his hands to catch you fellows, and we all die together?¡±


    ¡°Tsk, Ash, you truly are a refreshing scumbag.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the compliment. I¡¯ll blush.¡±


    Joking aside, Igula¡¯s concerns were unavoidable¡ªGerard was like a mountain blocking their path to freedom. No matter how many fancy tricks they had, it was all talk if they couldn¡¯t deal with Gerard.


    ¡°I agree with Igula¡¯s plan,¡± Lanna suddenly said.


    Ash looked at Lanna in surprise, not expecting this burly, bald man to succumb to his survival instincts and betray him at the first sign of trouble.


    Damn it, give me back all the emotion I invested in you!


    However, Igula¡¯s eyes lit up, smacking his own forehead, clapping Ash on the shoulder, ¡°Indeed, given our current situation, this is the plan with the highest chance of success.¡±


    ¡°Ash Heath, we have to hand you over.¡±

 Chapter 189 - 167 Gerard and the Four Pillars God Sect

    Chapter 189: Chapter 167 Gerard and the Four Pillars God Sect


    On the evening of his 24 years, 1609 months, and 16 days, Gerard sat atop the steps of the high platform, looking down at the adventurers below receiving their Blessings, but his mind wandered back to himself 134 years ago.


    Back then, after three attempts at the examination, he finally entered the institute just before the human age limit of 25. However, because he had no real interest in academia, Gerard joined the Crime Hunting Hall as an ordinary Hunter.


    The one responsible for mentoring him was a predecessor from the Blood Saint Clan who had a penchant for smoking and was quite lazy, always conveniently having to use the bathroom whenever there was administrative work to be done. He was jokingly referred to as the ¡°Restroom Hunter,¡± which taught the young Gerard a valuable lesson.


    Being a Hunter was not a glamorous profession; the day-to-day was just as tiresome as dealing with trivialities, especially in an era where racial, gender, and class discrimination were still rampant. Many people, although not outrightly wicked, were like fishbones in rice, eliciting an indescribable loathing.


    The more he interacted with them, the more it felt like his throat was piling up with fishbones, and one day he would need blood to cleanse it.


    But the unreliable predecessor could often precisely discern Gerard¡¯s low spirits, occasionally taking him to teas and casinos to relieve the pressure. Though Gerard was always reticent, his predecessor¡¯s lecherous smile with a face full of stubble indeed swept away the shadows in Gerard¡¯s heart.


    Until one day, Gerard and his mentor were both assigned to a special task force to take part in an operation to eradicate the Four Pillars God Sect¡¯s evil cult. Initially, Gerard didn¡¯t take such organizations seriously, under the most benevolent Blood Moon; evil was like water accumulated after rain, bound to evaporate under the scorching sun eventually.


    However, the operation frequently encountered unexpected incidents. The main forces were separated, and the sect members fought to the death with the Hunters, and by the time they reached the cult leader¡¯s location, only Gerard, his mentor, and another old Hunter were left.


    The mentor asked Gerard to stand outside the door to prevent anyone from escaping and to be in charge of the early warning.


    The rationale was very legitimate, leaving Gerard with no room to refuse.


    Seeming to notice Gerard¡¯s eagerness to prove himself, the mentor said with a laugh, ¡°When you lead the team in the future, you¡¯ll have plenty of opportunities to step up. Now it¡¯s my time to look cool; you just wait outside¡ªand come to the rescue if anything happens to me.¡±


    Even in dire circumstances, the mentor could still dispel the darkness in Gerard¡¯s heart. So Gerard watched the two of them push open the doors, holding up the Hunting Lamp, and walk into the dark room to search for the hidden cult leader.


    One minute, two minutes, three minutes passed without a sound from inside, but Gerard couldn¡¯t wait any longer and raised his Hunting Lamp to walk into the room.


    The Darkness in the room seemed so thick it almost had substance, and the light from the Hunting Lamp couldn¡¯t penetrate it¡ªnot even the latest model Hand Cannon could combat this unknown terror.


    Snap. He stepped into a puddle of liquid, blood. Gerard looked down and saw a strange corpse lying on the ground, and following the trail of blood, he saw two figures intertwined.


    His mentor was biting the old Hunter¡¯s throat while the old Hunter¡¯s sword had pierced the mentor¡¯s heart.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    The unfamiliar corpse was speaking, scaring Gerard into sitting on the floor, only knowing to point the gun muzzle at the body.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a Mage, and I don¡¯t have any weapons; there¡¯s no need to be so tense,¡± the corpse sat up and said with a smile: ¡°As soon as you pull the trigger, I will die.¡±


    ¡°You... they, they¡ª¡±


    ¡°Vampires fear Hunters taking action against them, so they bite to kill the Hunter first, then the Hunter retaliates and kills the Vampire; I just happened to be sleeping here.¡±


    Gerard¡¯s tone was intense: ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite decisive in your rejection. If it doesn¡¯t fit with your own truth, then it¡¯s not the truth, right? I quite like this straightforward way of thinking,¡± the corpse tilted its head: ¡°You¡¯re surely wondering why would a Vampire be afraid of the old Hunter attacking him, right? It¡¯s because there was an old grudge between them.¡±


    ¡°But my mentor was so nice, how could he¡ª¡±


    ¡°Because he was nice to you, does that make him a good person his whole life? Never offended anyone, never done anything wrong?¡±


    Gerard was stumped but quickly retorted: ¡°You are the leader of the Four Pillars God Sect!¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m a bad guy, so everything I say is wrong, right?¡± the corpse revealed a sweet smile: ¡°I really like your straightforward thinking.¡±


    ¡°But do you know why The Gods of Four Pillars exist?¡±


    ¡°Desire!¡± Gerard panted, his teeth clenched in anger, ¡°You are a group of desire demons that tempt people into corruption¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s peace of mind.¡± The corpse placed its hand on its heart, ¡°To become stronger, to become smarter, to be more popular, to experience more happiness... People seek peace of mind, so The Gods of Four Pillars answered their wishes.¡±


    ¡°Those two, they wanted peace of mind, which led them to slaughter each other and die here. Because if they didn¡¯t, they couldn¡¯t vent the darkness within their hearts.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡±


    ¡°You actually agree with me inside, don¡¯t you, Hunter Gerard. You¡¯re a perceptive kid; during your exploration, you¡¯ve realized that the seniors and the old hunters didn¡¯t get along well, you¡¯ve long been guessing their untold stories...¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re even more aware that the senior¡¯s smoking, his laziness, and his disheveled appearance all stem from his vast and gloomy past. From his few words, you deduced that the senior is a pitiful failure, under his smile, madness potent enough to destroy reason is festering...¡±


    ¡°I said, shut up!¡±


    Gerard pressed the gun muzzle against the corpse¡¯s forehead, but the corpse smiled, raising a blood-stained finger, and under Gerard¡¯s eyes, drew two blood-like streaks.


    ¡°The rain will indeed evaporate into the sun, but some of the water has long seeped into the soil, becoming nourishment for the earth. The evaporated water doesn¡¯t disappear either; it follows the natural cycle, awaiting the next downpour. The rain won¡¯t stop, it keeps falling, because I exist, because you exist.¡±


    ¡°In a world where the law turns into a slaughtering knife, committing a crime is not shameful.¡±


    ¡°So, Gerard, whom are you crying for?¡±


    Bang!


    The corpse finally spoke no more, and at this moment, other hunters also belatedly arrived, concluding the operation.


    A hundred years hurried by, and Gerard became lazy, reckless, and unruly, but he also grew stronger. Just when he thought he could sleep in the paradise of Kaimon City, a familiar name woke up those memories covered in dust.


    So, Gerard volunteered, formulated a detailed plan, and in his most powerful state, eradicated the new-born Four Pillars Divine Sect, hoping his current achievements could compensate for his past regrets.


    But Gerard felt no satisfaction¡ªbecause this generation¡¯s Sect Hierarch was the weakest he had ever seen.


    Naive, confused, speaking in a low voice, almost like a recent college graduate, catching him was not much harder than catching a cat.


    Therefore, when Ash claimed to have lost his memory during the interrogation, Gerard believed it on the spot, thinking he was the unfortunate scapegoat used by someone behind the scenes to erase memories.


    Later, Professor Selin approached Gerard to elucidate the danger of Ash, even willing to expend favors to ask him to ¡®reassess¡¯ Ash¡¯s measure. Although Gerard spared Ash out of respect for his peer, his thoughts did not change¡ªhe still considered Ash an insignificant lamb.


    Then, a series of events erupted like a sudden storm: prison breaks, controlling the prison, the Blood Moon Judgement, Selin¡¯s disappearance...


    Just now, Gerard received a message: the president of the Elf Rights Protection Association, Selin Dole, disappeared, his fate uncertain, the news temporarily sealed.


    A hundred years had passed, and although he sat under the brilliant Blood Moon, Gerard felt as if he had entered that dark room again.


    Ash Heath, undoubtedly the leader of the Four Pillars Divine Sect, was the source of chaos, the head of secrecy, his mere existence brought catastrophe, he was an evil vortex!


    With a perfect disguise, he gained the trust of the Three-winged Mage and the folly of the chief law enforcer!


    ¡°So just like last time...¡± Gerard murmured in a voice only he could hear, ¡°Am I only able to mend things after the fact?¡±


    Suddenly, a commotion broke out in the procession of blessings.

 Chapter 190: 168 Selins Legacy

    Chapter 190: Chapter 168 Selin¡¯s Legacy


    ¡°It¡¯s him!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re definitely dead this time!¡±


    Gerard looked over and saw an un-blessed masked man escaping from the group, desperately rushing towards the entrance.


    An adventurer next to the masked man yelled loudly, ¡°Stop him, he is the wanted criminal!¡±


    Gerard watched the scene coldly and said, ¡°Bas!¡±


    Gerard wasn¡¯t alone; he had several Hunters assisting him. Hearing the captain¡¯s command, the Blood Saint Beastman, Bas, hesitated not a bit, pulled out his hand cannon, disengaged the safety, and with a streak of blood shadow, chased after the fleeing man!


    Meanwhile, Gerard remained seated on the high platform because he knew well that as long as he guarded the entrance to the Void Realm, Ash couldn¡¯t escape the Blood Moon no matter what.


    As for the man who had just run away in panic, Gerard didn¡¯t believe it was Ash¡¯s true body¡ªa white-haired hunter had already been fooled by a substitute once; how could he be fooled a second time?


    It was most likely Ash¡¯s substitute, and sending Bas to hit it should destroy it.


    As Bas passed through the crowd of adventurers, everyone¡¯s chip light screen¡ªexcept for Gerard¡¯s and Ke¡¯er¡¯s assistant priest¡¯s¡ªautomatically popped up, flashing two blood-red messages alternately:


    ¡°Warning: You are currently in a no-attack zone.¡±


    ¡°Warning: Your movement is restricted.¡±


    Even Bas was forced to stop in the crowd, unable to resist the constraints of the chip. He hadn¡¯t recovered from the shock when the surrounding adventurers suddenly screamed in agony, one after another falling down, with gaping, blood-spewing holes!


    ¡°The Hunters want to trap and kill us here!¡±


    ¡°They even control our chips to use us as live targets!¡±


    ¡°Gerard wants to judge us across the battlefield!¡±


    ¡°They will kill all of us! Controlling chips this way is illegal; they will never let us leave alive! They will silence us!¡±


    Blood, night, restrictions, screams, along with Gerard¡¯s notorious reputation and a criminal¡¯s self-awareness, panic spread like a plague bomb, exploding almost instantly among the crowd of adventurers.


    Just then, the two messages on the adventurers¡¯ light screens suddenly became blurry and distorted. They tentatively moved and, to their delight, found that they could walk!


    ¡°Run!¡±


    Almost without hesitation, the adventurers instinctively obeyed this unknown command because there was no downside to fleeing, because fleeing would avoid the terrifying Gerard, because everyone else had started running too.


    They scattered like a group of frightened rabbits at the slightest provocation!


    ¡°Break through!¡±


    ¡°Flame Group, follow me, cut down everything in our way¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ah ah ah I¡¯m hit, I¡¯m hit!¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t step on, stop! Ah~¡±


    Hysterical riot noises and screams pierced the night, and the adventurers who had fallen were trampled by the panicking crowd, emitting painful moans, they were literally being trampled to death!


    In the face of such human disasters, Gerard¡¯s eyes brightened ever more, his ruby-like eyes seeming to burn with fire.


    Chaos, manipulation of hearts, inciting darkness, controlling everyone like puppets.


    This is the taste, this is the feeling!


    Indeed it is you, the leader of the Cult of the Gods of Four Pillars, Ash Heath!


    Although the initial wave of cries had arisen from various parts of the crowd, the masked adventurer who first guided the adventurers to flee and then incited chaos among the crowd had already been targeted by Gerard!


    The adventurers had already charged to the camp¡¯s entrance, where the guards from the Government Affairs Hall stationed at the door didn¡¯t dare to intercept them. Even though there were Priests available for emergency aid, these guards were merely working a job¡ªwhy should they risk their lives against this group of madmen? They simply let the adventurers flee the camp in all directions.


    Watching as the notorious fugitives were about to escape amid the chaos, Gerard brought his hands together in prayer and invoked a Miracle, transforming into the light of the Blood Moon and speeding across the camp, jumping over the scattered adventurers like a white wolf hunting prey in the night!


    He swung his chain sword from afar, which instantly disintegrated into a serpentine rope, lunging towards the figure running at the forefront!


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ash.¡± Gerard¡¯s eyes filled with a crazed intent to kill, ¡°But you are going to die anyway, let me vent a little!¡±


    Sword Blood Miracle: Blood Virgin¡¯s Lament!


    This was Gerard¡¯s most cruel and fierce Miracle, where the chain sword would turn into a meat grinder that bound the target, mashing the target¡¯s flesh and bones into a pulp and even evolving to harm the soul, bathing the target in the most brutal and ferocious pain in the moment before death!


    It was more a punishment than an attack!


    Now, it was Gerard¡¯s time to judge!


    However, what answered Gerard was not a splatter of blood but... nothing.


    There was nothing there. In the instant the chain sword touched the masked man, the figure just dissipated. Two objects that Gerard was very familiar with fell to the ground¡ªa pair of recording pens.


    It was like the worst joke, exploding into the lamest fireworks.


    A Substitute?


    This was the Substitute?


    Then the one just now¡ª


    Gerard landed and turned around, only to see that the initial escaping masked figure was lying on the ground, screaming in agony, apparently shot in the legs by Bas, with a face of Fishman scales showing from beneath the cloak, clearly not the Ash Heath he had obsessively sought.


    The first masked man had been used by Ash as a decoy, meant to pave the way for the ensuing chaos; the second was meant to incite panic and to draw Gerard¡¯s attention away.


    Where was the real Ash?


    Gerard looked around and noticed that the Hunters left in charge of the high platform had been taken down, with several blood-soaked adventurers rushing towards the gateway to the Void Realm.


    Right, although the adventurers had been running outside, there were several who had fallen to the ground ¡®shot¡¯ for unknown reasons, unable to escape and even trampled by the panicked crowd, so Gerard had subconsciously neglected them...


    I¡¯ve been tricked again.


    With the same old trick.


    Using a Substitute to divert attention.


    Gerard suddenly felt exhausted, his chain sword heavy in his hands, his whole body lacking strength. He knew he was too late; he was lured too far, and only Two-winged Mages were allowed through the gateway of the Void Realm¡ªhe couldn¡¯t possibly chase them down through it.


    Unless someone could stop them, otherwise¡ª


    Bang!


    Clang!


    Just the moment before a rifle fired, Ash on the high platform thrust the Sword with sweet words and a hidden dagger into the ground!


    A warm yellow Sword Barrier formed almost instantly, shattered immediately by a gun bullet!


    The sniper was a Beastman hiding at the camp entrance, his right hand equipped with a beastman-specific heavy sniper gun, the barrel emitting a golden shimmer as if aiming was guided by a Miracle.


    Gerard recognized him, and so did Ash.


    He was the Beastman Gersas Dav, a Two-winged Mage, the current leader of the Woodpecker gang, a loyal henchman for Professor Selin.


    His last assigned task was to hide near observation point 53, waiting for the opportunity to assassinate Ash Heath.

 Chapter 191: 169 Its Time to End

    Chapter 191: Chapter 169 It¡¯s Time to End


    The plan went extremely smoothly.


    Sometimes, Ash had to admit, the five of them were a crime group tailor-made by fate. A bit of improvisation actually lured Gerard out, creating an opportunity to break into the Void Realm passage.


    The plan was actually quite simple: first, Igula randomly chose an audience member to intimidate. Nine out of ten adventurers had skeletons in their closet; the last one was the skeleton itself. Igula didn¡¯t even have to exert much effort to draw out the fear within their heart, making them believe Igula was a vengeful enemy out to get them, sending them fleeing in panic.


    When the Hunter went after the fleeing adventurer, Harvey used Necromancy to implant chips, adding restrictions to everyone in the area, plunging the adventurers into panic. At the same time, Ronald discreetly knocked out a few adventurers with steel balls and grazed Ash and the others, causing everyone to naturally fall to the ground.


    The recorder pen that Ash had hastily put together would sound on the Substitute, Igula would then trigger the Spirit Miracle to amplify everyone¡¯s suspicion and panic, and the adventurers would quickly fall into a fear of the Hunter, eventually fleeing the camp under the lead of Ash¡¯s Substitute.


    Once Gerard was lured away and all the other adventurers had left the scene, those ¡®crippled¡¯ lying on the ground would seize this gap to leap up, rush to the passage, leave the Blood Moon, and begin anew!


    Originally, Ash had not held much hope, but this flawed, impromptu plan had actually worked out very smoothly. When Gerard whisked by his body like a fleeing shadow, Ash¡¯s heart almost leapt out of his mouth.


    A more ideal scene than Igula had imagined emerged: on the high platform, only one Hunter remained, and the surrounding Moon Shadow Priests seemed to be stunned with fear. After Lanna knocked out the Hunter with a punch, what followed was a clear path.


    In the process where errors should have occurred, everything went smoothly.


    At the ending, where nothing was supposed to go wrong, something unexpected happened.


    While rushing to the portal¡¯s staircase, Ash suddenly felt a chill, as if someone was tightly grasping his heart, and he could even feel a character ¡°Danger!¡± appearing above his head.


    He knew what this meant¡ªhis ¡°Wild Intuition¡± had been triggered.


    Long before, during his adventures in the Void Realm, this skill obtained from the Mage¡¯s Handbook had saved him from peril several times, so naturally, Ash chose to continue trusting it.


    Miracle¡¤Sword Barrier!


    After ascending to Two-winged status, Ash could invoke the Earth Sword using Golden Technique Power, nearly tripling the defensive power of this Miracle.


    Bang!


    With a clamorous gun report, the warm yellow barrier shattered like glass, even the ground designated to disperse the destructive force cracked into a spider web!


    Let alone a direct hit, Ash felt if he were even grazed by such an attack, he would lose a good ten-plus pounds of flesh and bone!


    Ash slightly turned his head and saw in the distance, a Beastman sniper hidden in the shadows of the camp entrance.


    Selin¡¯s lackey.


    He had not forgotten Gessas, but he never imagined that Gessas would extinguish his last hope at the perfect moment. This sudden stroke of misfortune made Ash feel as if his luck had run dry from the jailbreak.


    More importantly, while maintaining the Sword Barrier, he had to keep his sword thrust into the ground, immobile!


    After all, the strength of the Sword Technique Faction ultimately lay in offense, not defense. That swordsmanship could derive such a powerful Defense Miracle with the only drawback being restricted movement was already more than one could ask for.


    Until now, Ash hadn¡¯t been bothered by this limitation and naturally he had never thought about improving this Miracle.


    But now, Ash had to make a cruel choice between two options: if he gave up the Sword Barrier, Gessas¡¯s sniper shot would obliterate half his body; if he maintained the Sword Barrier, in a few seconds, Gerard would personally shatter it!


    But Ash quickly abandoned the choice¡ªbecause Gessas had created a third option for him.


    Gessas swiftly raised his left hand, thrust out his waist, and positioned the heavy sniper in his left and the twin snipers at his waist. The four snipers appeared at once, but he didn¡¯t lock onto Ash, instead he aimed at the other four escapees!


    He was too greedy, no longer satisfied with just Ash as a target, he wanted to capture them all. Because in just a few seconds, Gerard would arrive to suppress everyone with absolute power, and all Gessas needed to pay was just a little bit of Magic Power.


    What was he after, really? The bounty on the escapees? Or a favor from the mages of the Three-winged Holy Realm?


    As a Beastman Mage who had clawed his way up from the bottom, Gessas had too many reasons to be greedy. Perhaps he hadn¡¯t thought it through and was simply unwilling to let go of any opportunity, any prey¡ªthis mindset from his past might have led to losses, but more often than not, it brought him a wealth of gains, so he subconsciously executed this survival law.


    However, his prey this time were the fiercest and most wicked criminals from Kaimon City.


    Harvey, who was running at the front, suddenly threw a bone glowing with an inky green light into the air; the bone exploded in the next second, clearly intercepting the sniper bullet aimed at Harvey! However, Harvey also grunted, and his left hand dangled limply, as if it had lost its bones.


    Igula let out an instant Spiritual Scream, the strong Sound Wave formed an all-encompassing barrier, forcibly deflecting the sniper bullet to the right, but it was still too close, and Igula¡¯s shoulder was grazed by the edge of the bullet, tearing off a large chunk of flesh, causing Igula to stagger and fall to the ground in pain.


    As Ronald specialized in long-range assassination, he had no means to defend against a sniper rifle bullet, but he didn¡¯t need to¡ªLanna pulled him behind and with a right hand glowing gold, turned and slashed in succession!

 Chapter 192: 169: Its Time to End_2

    Chapter 192: Chapter 169: It¡¯s Time to End_2


    Two sniper bullets were violently deflected by Lanna!


    This was the power of a top-tier Two-winged Weak Mage! Catching sniper rifle bullets with bare hands!


    While being protected by Lanna, Ronald was not idle; he threw a bunch of steel balls backward. The steel balls accelerated with a sonic boom in midair, shooting towards Gersas like missiles!


    Although the process seems long when described, all of this happened in the blink of an eye. Ash erected the Sword Barrier for defense, Gersas propped up his heavy snipers to take precise shots, and the prisoners defended and counterattacked.


    As the only long-range attacker, Ronald did not disappoint Ash; his storm of steel balls forced Gersas to defend himself.


    This was exactly the opening Ash needed!


    But after this moment of delay, Ash had fallen to the rear of the group. The high platform was difficult to climb, and he had not even drawn his sword from the ground.


    As everyone knows, in an escape, running slowly might allow one to survive, but being the last puts one in certain death¡ªthe pursuers will do everything to catch the easiest prey!


    He needed a miracle, at least one that would allow him to keep up with the team and not be the last!


    Heart Sword, Substitute, and Entanglement¡ªthese were the three Technique Spirits he was most proficient in handling at the moment, and Sword Barrier was the only Miracle Technique he had mastered.


    When Ash had the thought, the effects of these three Technique Spirits surged in his mind, the structure of the Miracle Technique unfolded layer by layer before his eyes. Insights from both the Sword Technique Faction and the Water Technique Faction realms blazed like wildfire, burning all of his thoughts to ashes, revealing only the most brilliant crystal of wisdom!


    Suddenly, he remembered Valcas¡¯s last sword strike, the miraculous moment where the Sword Maiden and he flew into the sky.


    Then Ash started to move. His right hand was still planted on the sweet words and hidden dagger thrust into the ground, but his left hand suddenly held another sweet words and hidden dagger, with a sharp golden light wrapped around its blade.


    Using ¡®Substitute¡¯ on the sweet words and hidden dagger, he let ¡®Heart Sword¡¯ attach to the Substitute sword.


    By this time, Harvey had already stepped into the Void Realm passage, and the other team members were only a few steps away from it. Yet Ash stood still, holding the Substitute sword backward, poised like throwing a spear, and he hurled the Substitute sword, striking the very top step of the platform!


    Then he activated ¡®Earth Sword¡¯ on both the Heart Sword-attached Substitute sword and the sweet words and hidden dagger!


    Two warm yellow columns of light appeared on the high platform at the same time. As Igula passed by the column of the Substitute sword, Ash¡¯s heart leaped¡ªjust a casual flick from Igula would have shattered the Substitute sword¡ªbut it seemed Igula had no intention of wasting any more time on Ash, heading straight for the Void Realm passage.


    At this point, Ash had fallen far behind, and he could even hear Gerard shattering the moonlight behind him. Ash had never felt so intensely that his fate was in his own hands; a single small mistake would burst his fragile fate, extinguished by his palm.


    However, Ash was not fearful, excited, or even composed.


    He was just very quiet.


    He quietly appreciated the story that ¡®Ash¡¯ would tell next.


    With the Substitute sword as the target coordinate, the sweet words and hidden dagger as the starting coordinate, ¡®Heart Sword¡¯ as the guide, ¡®Earth Sword¡¯ providing the path, ¡®Entanglement¡¯ altering the rules!


    Miracle!


    Aside from a faint yellow trace that suddenly swept between the two warm yellow columns, there was no other movement as if nothing had changed. But in that brief instant, Ash had reached the topmost step of the platform; he drew the sweet words and hidden dagger from the ground, and the Substitute sword below dissipated into light smoke.


    He had succeeded!


    The Earth Sword transformed into a pathway, eliminating friction as it flowed, and the Heart Sword drew Ash forth, successfully swapping places with the Substitute Sword in an instant while Ash gripped the sweet words and a hidden dagger!


    This Miracle Technique was called... ¡°Bidirectional Rush¡±!


    Lanna and Ronald, seeing Ash suddenly appear in front of them, looked slightly astonished, but didn¡¯t dwell on it, assuming this was one of Ash¡¯s hidden trump cards¡ªindeed, such a short-distance garbage Miracle really didn¡¯t need to be concealed.


    The three of them were only ten steps away from the Void Realm portal, with Igula having half a foot inside the portal when he looked back at them, his pupils suddenly dilating.


    Even though his Wild Intuition had not been triggered, Ash did not hesitate to use ¡°Slay Me Miracle¡± on himself, severing the illusory Substitute and purging all abnormal statuses within his body! The blood that was about to stagnate within him immediately returned to normal, and so Ash only stumbled slightly, not even falling to the ground.


    Lanna seemed to also possess a Miracle for dispelling abnormal statuses, completely unaffected, while only Ronald screamed in agony, collapsing on the ground, his entire body convulsing and paralyzed.


    Igula, too, stumbled and crashed into the Void Realm portal, clearly struck at the very last moment.


    Behind them, Gerard¡¯s chain sword had extended to its longest state, rending the air with mournful howls, rushing forth shrouded in a cruel bloodlight!


    Without a doubt, the abnormal blood status they encountered was Gerard¡¯s doing.


    As a Three-winged Blood Saint Clan member, Gerard might not fancy the Blood Magic Faction, but that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t skilled in it!


    When it came to dealing with any creature of flesh and blood, the Blood Magic Faction was truly the professional authority!


    Lanna reacted incredibly fast, kicking Ronald away with one foot. Ronald¡¯s abdomen emitted a dull, crisp sound, clearly having broken a good number of ribs.


    Then this bald man turned around, his shadow on the ground like a swarm of black cats climbing onto him, arming him with a set of shadow armor, making his already towering figure seem even more imposing, gloomy, and ferocious¡ªas if he were a pitch-black Abyss.


    Boom!


    Lanna blocked Gerard¡¯s sword with his arms, the shadow armor nearly shattering to pieces, with his left foot carving a notch into the stone pavement, but ultimately withstanding the blow, even flipping Gerard¡¯s chain sword upwards!


    On the other side, Ash caught Ronald and, with astonishing speed, cast ¡°Slay Me Miracle¡± on him, frantically pulling him by the collar as he sprinted. Ronald, too, was a hardened ¡®Woodpecker Golden Mouth¡¯, regaining control of his body to stand up despite the severe pain in his abdominal cavity, the pain not affecting his movements one bit.


    But he didn¡¯t rush to follow Ash¡¯s retreat; instead, he looked back for a moment.


    Gerard had stepped out of the moonlight, his chain sword morphing into a long sword, his face, already unattractive, further marred by anger and shame. Lanna stood in silence, ready to face Gerard¡¯s venting.


    Everyone could predict the scene that followed¡ªno one believed Lanna could withstand Gerard¡¯s full-powered strike. The chain sword¡¯s attack had been weakened due to the distance, but now that Gerard had finally caught up, he didn¡¯t need to get around Lanna at all. With a single strike, he could rip through Lanna, Ronald, and Ash all at once!


    There was no better opportunity than now.


    This was my last chance.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to end this.¡±


    Ronald, after murmuring this, a look of resolve flashing in his eyes, suddenly stopped in his tracks and, turning, flung a steel ball with his right hand.


    The steel ball accelerated violently in the air, turning into a Meteor as it struck towards Lanna!

 Chapter 193 - 170: So This is What Hatred Feels Like

    Chapter 193: Chapter 170: So This is What Hatred Feels Like


    Before the prison break, Ash had met Ronald alone in the cafeteria once.


    Although Ronald was just a tool-man to him, it would be false to say Ash had no sympathy at all, so Ash had probed Ronald¡¯s plans after the prison break, whether to part ways with Lanna or to assassinate him.


    If it was the latter, Ash could reach a certain agreement with him ¡ª no matter what, after fulfilling Harvey¡¯s contract, the escapees would definitely fight a battle first.


    It was not about interests, nor was it about grudges, but purely a matter of trust.


    You can¡¯t be sure whether others will harm you, so you must strike first.


    When dealing with a group of death row prisoners who crawled out of a cesspit, it was right to think of them in the worst and most filthy way, because they too judged the good with a filthy heart.


    If Ronald needed it, Ash could secretly coordinate with Igula and Harvey, and the four of them could focus their attack on Lanna when the breakup occurred. After all, the bald werewolf was indeed the strongest among them in terms of combat power, and being from the ruling Moon Shadow race, they had too many reasons to deal with Lanna.


    However, Ronald explicitly refused Ash¡¯s kindness. He was grateful for Ash¡¯s help and proposal, but he firmly forbade Ash and the others from intervening in his affairs.


    It wasn¡¯t that Ash looked down on Ronald, but it was absurd that a gang assassin had principles when it came to killing. Ronald did not explain much, just shook his head, indicating that any interference from Ash and the others would ruin his revenge.


    ¡°I must make Lanna feel true pain.¡±


    ...


    Ahead was Gerard, wielding the Blade of Destruction, behind was Ronald, harboring calculated resentment. Lanna¡¯s expression showed neither sadness nor joy, merely tilting his head slightly upon hearing the whistling sound of the steel ball.


    Then, a shadow descended.


    Pfft!


    When Gerard¡¯s chained sword cut into someone, it unexpectedly stopped. He felt the blade, infused with a Miracle, felt like it had cut into the hardest metal, the heaviest mire; all its power absorbed by the frail body in front.


    And this strange sensation of the strike...


    The splattering blood felt like scalding whips striking Lanna¡¯s face, and he watched the figure standing in front of him, slightly lowering his eyelids.


    The reason Ronald could become ¡®Golden Mouth¡¯ with the strength of a One-winged Mage was because he had, in the Void Realm, acquired a secret technique of the Artifact Spirit Faction that allowed him to create disposable steel balls equivalent to an Artifact Spirit. With careful preparation, these steel balls¡¯ destructive power could rival that of a Two-winged, naturally enabling assassination of unprepared Two-winged Mages.


    Among these steel balls was one named ¡®Flashing Steel Ball,¡¯ which allowed Ronald to move to the location of the steel ball. After the prison break, Lanna had spent much effort to help Ronald gather materials for the Flashing Steel Ball, crafting one for him¡ªRonald¡¯s previously placed safehouses had long been destroyed and confiscated by the Crime Hunting Hall in a legal seizure.


    This Flashing Steel Ball had many potential uses, such as the three critical moments just now when Ronald could¡¯ve used the Flashing Steel Ball to escape, but he did not.


    He chose to use it here.


    As Gerard retracted his chained sword, Ronald collapsed backwards like a lump of mud, with Lanna catching him, exposing the gruesome, chilling steel bone in the wound where blood was escaping.


    This was Ronald¡¯s secret with the steel ball; he did not power it with Magic Power, but used his own steel bone as a base to generate magnetic guidance for the steel ball.


    Besides acting as a casting medium, the steel bone also provided Ronald with strong defensive capabilities. His body of steel bones was itself a Miracle, allowing the seemingly frail Ronald to disperse any blows through the steel bones of his entire body; even Lanna had never managed to bite through any of Ronald¡¯s bones.


    Therefore, when Gerard struck Ronald, the Golden Mouth was already dead. He successfully blocked Gerard¡¯s full-powered strike, but at the cost of his entire skeleton, organs, and even muscles crushed by the powerful impact.


    Lanna felt like what he caught was not a human, but a melting ice cream. Ronald seemed to deliberately maintain the integrity of his face, so Lanna could clearly see his last expression: corners of his mouth turned up, eyes slightly squinting, seemingly smiling.


    From above, Lanna could see resentment, relief, and even a hint... of pity.


    He hoisted Ronald¡¯s corpse onto his shoulder and then slapped his hand on the high platform¡¯s ground.


    ¡°Seeking the dark side of the moon.¡±


    Suddenly, thousands of strange runes surged from the high platform, with Blood Moon casting down dark red light. In an instant, the platform turned into an absolute forbidden zone, repelling everyone on it, including Lanna and Gerard!


    Gerard unfurled his three wings and hovered midair, his face ugly as he stared at the portal in the Void Realm being smeared with dark light, ¡°How could you¡ª¡±


    ¡°You should have seen my resume, knew that I was once an elite priest of the Moon Shadow Clan, right?¡± Lanna put down Ronald¡¯s body, glanced at the priests watching the stage nearby, ¡°In the Hunting Festival, the greatest use of a priest is not to bless, but to seal and destroy the portal.¡±


    ¡°Years have passed, and the ritual of ¡®The Dark Side of the Moon¡¯ remains unaltered. I can still easily trigger the technique prepared in the altar, complete the final process, activate the power of the Moon Shadow, and thoroughly block the portal to the Void Realm.¡±


    At this point, Gerard was no longer in a hurry. After watching Ash enter the portal to the Void Realm, he reverted to his usual self as the bloodthirsty Hunter Captain, ¡°But this also means you can¡¯t escape.¡±


    ¡°For me, Shattered Lake Prison, Kaimon City, or any other nation, it makes no difference,¡± Lanna said as he took off his cloak, revealing his fierce, beardless face, ¡°It¡¯s just that Ronnie desperately wanted to escape, and I did all I could to fulfill his wish.¡±


    ¡°Ash helped Ronnie just now. I hope this token of appreciation will satisfy Ash.¡±


    ¡°Ash Heath, he truly is a devil more enthralling than Meiwa,¡± Gerard sighed, ¡°to think that even a Moon Shadow traitor is willing to sacrifice himself to facilitate his escape.¡±


    ¡°Who said I¡¯m sacrificing myself?¡±


    Lanna removed his shirt, revealing a physique chiseled like marble.


    ¡°Are you saying that you plan to escape right in front of me?¡± Gerard gently shook his chain sword, dispersing the fresh blood on the blade into a mist of blood, ¡°I am not a sole believer in Magic Power, but you just exerted all your strength merely to fend off the edge of my chain sword. I don¡¯t think you have the capacity.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, I¡¯m somewhat irritated tonight and want to go home early to rest. After all, I¡¯m now working overtime.¡± The white-haired Hunter¡¯s red eyes glimmered fiercely, ¡°I¡¯m not going to adhere to the safety statutes in the ¡®Crime Hunting Hall Enforcement Code¡¯ tonight. I¡¯ll show no mercy to anyone trying to keep me from going off duty.¡±


    Lanna, seemingly unaffected by Gerard¡¯s murderous intent, asked calmly, ¡°As a favorite of the Extreme Master of Blood Moon, do you know what the difference is between the Moon Shadow Clan and the Blood Saint Clan?¡±


    Gerard replied without hesitation, ¡°Moon Shadow bears life, Blood Saint guards death.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Moon Shadow bears life, Blood Saint guards death, which represents not only the social division of the two clans but also embodies their character traits. The Blood Saint Clan possesses a death-like calm, while the Moon Shadow Clan always maintains a newborn-like passion,¡± Lanna glanced at the Moon Shadow priests curiously gathering nearby, ¡°But in my view, this can also be interpreted to mean that the Blood Saint Clan are dirty adults and the Moon Shadow Clan are mischievous children.¡±


    Recalling his subordinate Emi, the big wolf with a tail, Gerard had to admit Lanna was right. Just then, the white-haired Hunter realized something and fixed his gaze on Lanna, ¡°Lanna Chios, you seem...¡±


    ¡°¡®Only the pure of heart, who do not forget to pray at night, can turn into a Moon Shadow on the night when monkshood blooms.''¡± Lanna spoke, ¡°Ever since I was a child, I realized I was different from the other Moon Shadow candidates. They were full of passion, impulsive, pure, naive, purely greedy, while I was the exact opposite¡ªI inherently lacked emotion, devoid of desire.¡±


    ¡°Interestingly, I still became a Moon Shadow, transforming into a werewolf that can only shift in the shadows. The priests instructed me to conceal myself, but most Technique Spirits in the Moon Shadow faction require emotions as fuel, so I had to resort to the ¡®Affection¡¯ Technique Spirit¡¯s help.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it was luck, or perhaps it was misfortune, but I acquired a set of forbidden rituals from the Spirit Faction in the Void Realm, which were designed to help a mage harvest emotions, seemingly to complement miraculous needs that consumed large amounts of emotions.¡±


    ¡°However, for me, emotions were precisely what I needed. I needed to harvest feelings; I needed something to fill the void within.¡±


    ¡°I modified the ritual, but the process turned even more bloody. I was soon caught, and my secret consequently came to light, but the Church didn¡¯t execute me¡ªthey never do execute one of their own. So, I was sent to Shattered Lake Prison, where I could continue my studies.¡±


    ¡°I would plant ¡®Affection¡¯ within a target¡¯s heart while letting affection flow through their entire body. I tried my best to mimic ¡®love,¡¯ but to no avail. Being devoid of emotions, even if I harvested countless emotions, I ultimately couldn¡¯t understand or feel them.¡±


    ¡°But just now, watching Ronnie die before my eyes, the wasteland within me experienced its first sprout.¡± Lanna clenched his bloodstained fists, ¡°After nine years, I finally acquired an emotion.¡±


    ¡°Was it love?¡± Gerard asked with interest.


    ¡°No, it was hate,¡± Lanna¡¯s tone finally fluctuated slightly, ¡°Ronnie died in front of me because he hated me!¡±


    ¡°He knew my emotions were a fac?ade, knew that any revenge was meaningless to me. The only way to make me suffer was to make me feel emotion.¡±


    ¡°So, he wanted to escape from Blood Moon, accumulate hope, gather joy, and then choose a suitable moment to die in front of me in the most tragic fashion, like a bubble.¡±


    ¡°That way, the distorted tree growing in his heart, watered with hope, fertilized with joy, and basking in the sunlight of freedom, yet rooted in pain, would bear the most radiant fruit and plant it deep within me.¡±


    ¡°He succeeded, and so did I.¡±


    Lanna raised his thumbs, using Ronald¡¯s blood to draw two streaks of blood under his eyes.


    ¡°So, this is what hate feels like.¡±


    Seeing this, Gerard¡¯s eyebrows twitched uncontrollably as unpleasant memories surged back to him.

 Chapter 194 - 171 I Was Caught Again (End of Volume One)

    Chapter 194: Chapter 171 I Was Caught Again (End of Volume One)


    ¡°If I had killed him that day, maybe everything would have been different.¡±


    Gerard shook his head, his tone full of regret, ¡°You guys are just victims of the Four Pillars God Sect... If you hadn¡¯t met him, you wouldn¡¯t have been enchanted, and your peaceful prison life wouldn¡¯t have collapsed.¡±


    ¡°Ash Heath, indeed a source of disaster.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the habit of shirking responsibility, nor do I think I was enchanted,¡± Lanna said. ¡°On the contrary, I¡¯m grateful to him¡ªif it weren¡¯t for this series of events, my ritual would not have been completed, and I wouldn¡¯t have gained emotions.¡±


    ¡°However, when it comes to pinning him down, you and I can come to an agreement: he is indeed a creature full of charm, capable of creating a stage of unpredictable fate, capable of freeing people from the drudgery of daily life... wings.¡±


    ¡°Wings?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they wings that allow us, who are heavily shackled and firmly imprisoned, to soar?¡±


    Gerard had lost interest in listening to the nonsense of this victim. Pointing his sword at Lanna, the Miracle he had been silently preparing during the conversation launched immediately. The moonlight turned into chains that tightly bound the only remaining escapee.


    ¡°Congratulations on gaining emotions, it looks like you can now repent and pray properly.¡±


    Lanna did not resist, saying calmly, ¡°The 15th of every month is Blood Burning Night, representing the Blood Moon¡¯s closest approach to the earth; the 1st of every month is the night of its greatest distance.¡±


    ¡°The Moon Shadow Clan has a trait where the more intense the Blood Moon, the stronger the Moon Shadow Clan becomes, and vice versa. Thus, the Moon Shadow Clan is strongest on the night of the 15th and weakest on the night of the 1st.¡±


    ¡°And I am a traitor to the Church, a disgrace to the Moon Shadow, a beast even the Blood Moon scorns.¡± Lanna¡¯s voice grew more excited, ¡°Only on the night of the dimmest Blood Moon, do I become complete.¡±


    ¡°Look, now even the clouds can obscure the Blood Moon.¡±


    Gerard looked up to see a cloud drifting across the night sky. The already dim moonlight was covered by the clouds, and the camp¡¯s lighting had been knocked down in the chaos. Without the illumination of the moonlight, it became pitch dark.


    Boom!


    The Miracle Chains on Lanna¡¯s body snapped. A thick shadow engulfed him, turning into a ferocious and evil deep monster. The darkness of the entire space seemed to thicken, and for some reason, Gerard could feel the dark engulfed with an emotion called ¡®hatred¡¯, as if hundreds of wolves were watching him in the dark!


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    Ke¡¯er the assistant priest and the other priests gazed upward at the scene, their mouths agape in surprise, and they couldn¡¯t help but applaud, ¡°That¡¯s incredible.¡±


    ...


    ...


    ¡°Quick, make a wish, beg me¡ªor I¡¯ll throw you back.¡±


    Ash supported Igula through the Void Turbulence channel, ¡°I am Ash Heath, the Sect Hierarch of the Four Pillars God Sect. I am capable of anything, and the fact that I¡¯m saving your life without making you sign a Slave Contract is already a grand act of kindness. Now if you don¡¯t make a wish, don¡¯t blame me for being heartless.¡±


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s sign a Slave Contract then,¡± Igula, pale-faced, even managed to laugh, ¡°Do you need help drafting the Contract? I can give you a 20% discount.¡±


    Damn, Ash felt like tossing him straight onto the ground and leaving him there.


    After stepping into the Void Turbulence channel, Ash saw Igula lying inside and bleeding profusely. Igula had already been grazed by a large patch of flesh by Gesas¡¯s sniper, and just now he was caught by Gerard¡¯s Blood Magic binding, and fell to the ground, bleeding profusely.


    Igula wasn¡¯t a Combat Mage to begin with. If he had kept his spirits up, he could have gone on, but this delay now, the intense pain completely overwhelmed his mind. After Ash casually used the ¡°Slice My Miracle¡± on him, he found Igula couldn¡¯t even stand up and had to crawl on the ground like a baby. Unable to watch this, he helped him up and left.


    Logically, Ash could ignore him or just kill him¡ªit would be perfectly reasonable, given that their relationship was like sand: insignificant and easily scattered by even the slightest breeze.


    Moreover, Igula held one of Ash¡¯s wishes in his grasp. As long the man was alive, Ash would have to worry about Igula suddenly demanding him to stand on his head to pee, seizing the chance to kill him. It would be only logical for a rational person to want Igula dead.


    However, Ash reconsidered, wondering if this might be a test from Meiwa. If he dared to act or attempt an escape, Meiwa might immediately use his wish to send Ash back to kiss Gerard¡¯s toes.


    Igula was known for his love of playing with people¡¯s hearts, his contemptible and shameless character, and his predilection for schemes that harmed others without benefiting himself. Ash had to be wary of such plots.


    In truth, Ash had to admit to himself that even though their relationship was one of mutual exploitation, Igula had indeed been of great assistance to him.


    Without Igula¡¯s planning, neither the prison break nor the venture into the Void Realm passage would have been possible.


    Ash needed to mentally prepare himself to burn bridges, as it was something he didn¡¯t find easy to do.


    For Ash, ¡°committing evil deeds¡± was an active skill that required casting time, and as he was short on decision time right now, he could only choose to help Igula escape.


    But Ash had his own cunning plan¡ªif Igula used up his wish here, he would no longer have any means of restraining Ash. However, Igula was a master of game theory, understanding that a threat is most powerful when not used. No matter how much Ash threatened or tempted him, Igula would never reveal his hand, always freeloading and never paying, but his body very honestly leaned on Ash, shamelessly taking advantage of the cult leader.


    Soon they reached the end of the passage, staring at the entangled exit of turbulent flows. Ash exhaled a breath, ¡°Finally...¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t take a wrong turn, did you?¡± Igula panted, ¡°Stepping out there might greet us with Gerard¡¯s surprised face.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t make a mistake... Well, I shouldn¡¯t have, right?¡± Ash began confidently but soon became unsure, considering the passage was supposed to be one-way. But helping Igula up earlier made it difficult to be certain they hadn¡¯t turned around.


    Damn it, Igula. His words made Ash doubt himself.


    If they really took a wrong turn, Ash seriously considered having Igula transferred to a different Blood Moon prison, just to avoid a lifetime of his mockery...


    As a whirlwind of thoughts passed through his mind, Ash gathered his courage and stepped with Igula into the unknown realm.


    What met his eyes was not the huge Blood Moon, but a desolate nightscape, and... a brightly lit highway extending into the distance?


    Followed by a sensation of stepping into thin air, the intense feeling of weightlessness made Ash instantly aware of his predicament¡ªthey were on another Void Realm passage suspended midair!


    This was why exploring the Void Realm passages was so challenging: besides their incompleteness and the hostility from different realms towards invaders, many explorers might fall to their deaths immediately upon exiting a passage!


    Come to think of it, Ash remembered that one of the Blessing Buffs priests gave to adventurers was ¡®Featherweight Hover¡¯¡ªit was intended for situations like this!


    He instinctively spread his Silver Wings and shouted, ¡°Spread your wings, Igula!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± It took Igula almost a second to catch up with Ash¡¯s thinking, and by the time he spread his Silver Wings, they¡¯d already fallen to the ground.


    Or more accurately, into a cage.


    Ash pushed Igula away, who was leaning on him, and tried to get up to assess the situation, only to see Harvey also sleeping inside the cage. At the same time, he smelled a very comfortable scent, like freshly sun-warmed blankets or the aroma of a meal sensed before walking through the front door...


    Ambush, trap... Ash instinctively wanted to use ¡®Sever My Miracle¡¯ on himself, but his thoughts were slowing down, and even his magic power started to lag. He struggled to turn his head, his blurry vision only catching a glimpse of a violet figure outside the cage.


    ¡°According to the Prophecy in the Gospel Book, tonight, only three people from the Exotic Realm will come through. Tie them up, put the Locking Technique collars on them, and leave immediately.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully, this gift will satisfy the Four Pillars God Sect.¡±


    (End of Volume One: Sea of Knowledge)

 Chapter 195 - 172 Freyja extra

    Chapter 195: Chapter 172 Freyja extra


    ¡°Adela, why did you have to drag me here? I¡¯m in a hurry to get home and catch up on my series. I didn¡¯t even get to see the finale of ¡®Mage 100 Percent¡¯ last night¡ª¡±


    ¡°Because East Army won by a narrow margin, so it was a single female lead finale, and they both lived happily ever after.¡±


    ¡°Adela, I haven¡¯t watched it yet!¡±


    ¡°Then you don¡¯t need to watch it now, unless you are with me in the East Army.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m with the Northeast Alliance...¡±


    Adela raised her eyebrows. ¡®Mage 100 Percent¡¯ had four main female leads, and viewers were divided into north, south, east, and west, corresponding to intimate confidante, childhood sweetheart, love at first sight, and energetic playmate. In the finale voting, East Army, West Army, and Four Armies battle occupied the top three spots. Their vote counts were very close, so no one could predict the winner until the last day of the finale.


    But regardless, Northeast Alliance was just ridiculous, practically the most niche option possible. Generally, female viewers would choose the single winner ending, right?


    Only male viewers would choose a multi-female lead ending, but if they chose multiple, they generally wanted all, not just two...


    Noticing Adela¡¯s gaze, Freyja proudly retorted, ¡°Although I know there¡¯s little hope, I can¡¯t help it, I¡¯m just such a hopeless romantic!¡±


    ¡°A hopeless romantic, Meiwa? And you still chose two?¡±


    ¡°I only like these two. I don¡¯t dislike the others, but I won¡¯t force myself to like them!¡±


    While they chatted, the taxi smoothly stopped on the roadside. The human driver in the front pulled out the all-purpose hand from the dashboard. Its slender steel chain fingers extracted a freshly printed receipt from the machine, and Adela immediately took it, scanning the Dharma Seal on the receipt with a chip to complete the payment.


    ¡°Have a wonderful evening.¡±


    As the two of them got out, Adela noticed Freyja gazing thoughtfully at the departing taxi and asked with curiosity, ¡°What¡¯s up? You¡¯re not interested in that driver, are you? If you were, you should have asked for his Veil account¡ª¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Freyja shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m just curious why he would buy a car that requires an all-purpose hand to operate instead of one with a steering wheel... Is the former a bit cheaper, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°You just don¡¯t understand, do you? After all, you¡¯ve never taken a Mechanical Faction course,¡± Adela laughed. ¡°Driving with an all-purpose hand is more responsive, making it easier to control the vehicle in emergencies. Nowadays, virtually all low-end cars have switched to all-purpose controls, and professional vehicles like taxis, excavators, and construction vehicles have completely eliminated steering wheels. All operators must use the all-purpose hand.¡±


    ¡°The steering wheel is now more or less exclusively for luxury cars, but rich people don¡¯t drive themselves; they hire a driver for that...¡±


    ¡°Does the driver have to have normal hands then, to reflect the luxury status?¡±


    Adela unexpectedly glanced at Freyja, ¡°To come up with such insightful comments, you¡¯ve already ventured into the upper-class way of thinking. I only learned these tidbits from chatting at the casino... Anyway, cheer up, we¡¯re at your favorite place!¡±


    Freyja turned around and saw a six-story building bathed in purple and crimson lights, its name woven from Illusion Technique, shimmering in and out of visibility against the night sky: ¡°Blushing Grass.¡± People constantly came and went at the entrance, with taxis continually dropping off and picking up, indicating the immense popularity of the venue.


    ¡°...Kaimon City¡¯s top-tier leisure center? Spending once here is enough to cover four outings anywhere else...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Adela hugged Freyja¡¯s arm as they entered. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about money, I¡¯ve won quite a bit lately. This one¡¯s on me, you just enjoy! Consider it a celebration for finally getting rid of that Charm-smitten lousy man!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who hates this kind of place?¡±


    ¡°Once in a while is fine, the point is to be here with you. I can¡¯t stand to see you look like a resentful woman all day.¡±


    Freyja touched her own face: ¡°Is it that obvious?¡±


    ¡°In any case, the best way to forget a man isn¡¯t to delete him but to replace him with more men! Come on, this place won¡¯t disappoint you!¡±


    On the first floor, the bath hall had ten entrances, divided according to different genders and races. Guests went to change, get their wristbands, bathe, and optionally enjoy hot springs, saunas, body scrubs, and massages. The second floor held the relaxation halls, with a buffet, tabletop gaming room, card room, bamboo mat room, and a casino, making the first two floors abuzz and vibrant. Even those uninterested in other services could find relaxation here.


    Having eaten and drunk their fill, the two headed to the second-floor elevator, greeted by a server who was an undetectable blend of male and female beauty. Dressed in a tight server¡¯s uniform, with a round butt and flat chest, smooth skin, and pupils strangely tinged with pink hearts, they spoke in an androgynous voice, ¡°Which floor would you like to visit?¡±


    ¡°Which floor is for mud coffee?¡± Adela asked.


    ¡°It seems this is your first time here? Crystal Edge doesn¡¯t differentiate its tea and coffee services,¡± the server smiled lightly, their allure more bone-melting than Freyja¡¯s, ¡°The third floor houses small rooms for customized services, suitable for individual guests or small groups of three or fewer. Guests can leisurely select their preferred mud tea and enjoy the services in a completely soundproof room. If there are any special requests, including but not limited to costume changes, props, or even biological modifications, Crystal Edge will do its utmost to accommodate.¡±

 Chapter 196: 172 Freyja extra_2

    Chapter 196: Chapter 172 Freyja extra_2


    ¡°The fourth floor is the Natural Encounter Hall, where there are various common scenes, such as nurseries, classrooms, city halls, offices, streets, forests, libraries, elevators, bathrooms, treatment rooms, etc. All the staff there wear costumes appropriate to their scenes, and they wear work bracelets on their left hands. Guests can either change into appropriate clothing to role-play or just enjoy the services directly, but the disadvantage is that it can neither conceal nor soundproof things, so guests need to be a bit open-minded.¡±


    ¡°The fifth floor is responsible for providing services for special fetishes. Since they are quite special, it seems that guests have just finished eating, so I won¡¯t mention them to not disturb your digestion.¡± The waiter pulled out a piece of paper, covering most of it and only revealing the first line, ¡°The mildest service among them is this one.¡±


    Freyja was fine, as she often browsed Veil to watch films and had stronger mental resilience, while Adela immediately turned pale and felt nauseous on the spot.


    The waiter quickly put away the paper, held the back of Adela¡¯s head, and gently kissed her lips. Soon Adela relaxed, and the waiter withdrew his hand, smiling and asking, ¡°Feeling better?¡±


    ¡°Much better,¡± Adela touched her lips, slightly dazed, ¡°So sweet...¡±


    The waiter smiled again and continued, ¡°The sixth floor is the staff¡¯s rest area, which guests are not allowed to access. So, which floor would you like to go to?¡±


    Adela looked at Freyja, who thought for a while and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the third floor.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± The waiter pressed the button for them and noticed Adela inadvertently watching him, so he winked at her, ¡°My employee number is 115, and I am available for requests. But I¡¯m quite popular, so you¡¯d better be quick if you want to ask for me~¡±


    In the casino, where Adela had always maintained a composed demeanor, her face blushed, and after arriving on the third floor with Freyja, a waiter immediately took them to an empty room, handing them a palm-sized Knowledge Veil, with which they could filter and select their preferred staff according to their requirements.


    ¡°Any particular requirements for species?¡±


    ¡°Um...¡±


    ¡°What about length? Stiffness?¡±


    ¡°Um...¡±


    ¡°Any clothing preferences? Prisoner outfit? Hunter uniform?¡±


    ¡°Um...¡±


    Adela, seeing Freyja unenthusiastically responding, asked curiously, ¡°Why do you seem so disinterested? It¡¯s as if you are losing face for Meiwa.¡±


    ¡°But I really am not desiring anything...¡±


    The waiter kindly suggested, ¡°If you can¡¯t choose a mud tea that fits your taste, why not let the ones ready to serve come over for you to have a look? Maybe you¡¯ll find the right one. Any broad requirements?¡±


    Adela nudged Freyja with her elbow, ¡°What does your guy look like?¡±


    Freyja thought for a moment, ¡°A human male, taller than me by a head, around his twenties, in terms of looks... not as good as me, always lazy, but he has a charming laugh and a handsome profile...¡±


    Adela said, ¡°Let¡¯s select based on this requirement; some variations are okay.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Mimosa will strive to meet the guests¡¯ needs.¡±


    Soon, ten young and handsome ¡®puppies¡¯ lined up in the room; some had rugged good looks, white-haired and handsome, even wearing Hunter uniforms, as if they were Gerard working part-time after his shift; some were flamboyantly styled, with eyes twinkling like stars, just like stars walking out of a drama; some had a mischievous smile, teasing and defining the term ¡®lover¡¯.


    Even Adela, whose thresholds were greatly heightened by gambling stimuli, felt her heart beat faster. Holding Freyja¡¯s hand, she said, ¡°I think the second one from the left isn¡¯t bad, the third one too, the two in the middle look alike ¡ª they seem to be styled as twins, and... which one do you like, Freyja? Or wait, being Meiwa, do you want them all?¡±


    ¡°I think... none of them really appeal to me.¡±


    Adela was slightly taken aback and waved her hand in resignation, ¡°Next batch.¡±


    ¡°How about it, any you like?¡±


    Shaking her head.


    ¡°Next batch.¡±


    ¡°The third one on the right has to be better than your guy, right? Even I¡¯m tempted!¡±


    Shaking her head.


    ¡°Next batch.¡±


    Ten minutes later, Adela sighed, ¡°Sister, my sister Freyja, what do you really want?¡±


    Freyja looked down in thought, then looked up and said, ¡°Adela, thanks for your concern, but I truly don¡¯t have any interest. Rather...¡±


    ¡°Rather?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just cash it in.¡±


    ¡°Get lost.¡± Adela kicked her, ¡°It¡¯s rare that I treat you, and you have to be so difficult?¡±


    Freyja laughed, ¡°Since it¡¯s rare to come here, you have fun, Adela. I¡¯m going home to binge-watch.¡±


    ¡°You are from the Northeast Alliance, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s not the ending I like, I still want to see it through.¡±


    Bidding farewell to Adela, Freyja went back to the first floor, changed her clothes, and left the glitzy palace. She stood on the bustling street, under the majestic crimson Blood Moon, and neon lights painted the city with vibrant colors. The city was, as usual, entertaining to the death, and the buildings damaged in the 422 incident had all been completely restored. Fernand¡¯s Blood Moon Judgement seemed not to have brought any change to the city; the Blood Moon had again become peaceful.


    Yet, the event poster on the lamppost seemed to suggest that the wheels of history were beginning to turn.


    The distance from her apartment was significant, and though Freyja initially wanted to take a taxi, she suddenly felt reluctant and opted for a nearby bike rental instead. With a chip unlock, she rode back home.

 Chapter 197: 172 Freyja extra_3

    Chapter 197: Chapter 172 Freyja extra_3


    Passing by the Meiwa convenience store, Freyja went in to buy some snacks and alcohol. When she was paying, the cashier said, ¡°There is a promotion on Moon candy from the Snow White brand, buy three get one free. If you have our membership card, you can get a 50% discount. Would you be interested in stocking up for home?¡±


    Freyja glanced at the pack of Snow White Moon candy placed prominently on the counter and shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡±


    It took her half an hour, but Freyja finally made it back to her apartment building. Just as she reached the third floor, she smelled the familiar fragrance of Lanna food, and a surge of excitement made her quicken her pace¡ªonly to see the takeaway delivery handed to her neighbor.


    After making way for the delivery person to leave, Freyja sighed quietly, took out her keys, opened the door, and was immediately attacked by a ferocious predator¡ª


    ¡°Meow~ (=?w?=)¡±


    ¡°Xian, I¡¯m back.¡±


    Freyja hurried to pour some cat food and clean the litter box. Watching the fold-ear cat devour its meal, she gently stroked its back and asked, ¡°How¡¯s your body? Is it hurting?¡±


    Xian looked at her puzzled, ¡°Meow (you meow what I¡¯m meowing)?¡±


    Seemingly realizing she had revealed her own intelligence, Freyja randomly rubbed the cat¡¯s head and then went to take a shower. For some reason, these past few days she had felt a sudden urge to put on clothes after showering. She had resisted the first two days, but today her mood seemed particularly off, so she just went with it.


    When she stepped out of the bathroom in her underwear, Freyja felt that her life had undergone a dramatic change.


    She turned on the Light Screen, browsed the video website, and ¡°Mage 100%¡± finale appeared. Initially, a 30-second ad was playing, but after 10 seconds, a 20-second Crime Hunting Hall announcement followed:


    ¡°The extremely dangerous criminal ¡®Corpse Lover¡¯ Lanna¡¤Chios is still at large. The criminal possesses combat power from Two-winged to Three-winged. Please contact the headquarters of the Crime Hunting Hall immediately if you have any information. Death/Capture reward is 50 Gold Coins; information reward is 5 Silver Coins.¡±


    ¡°Swindler Igula¡¤Bokin, ¡®Corpse Lover¡¯ Archibald¡¤Harvey, ¡®Evil Demon Saint¡¯ Ash¡¤Heath have exiled themselves to the Kingdom of Blood Moon; the bounty has been withdrawn.¡±


    ¡°He really left Blood Moon, huh...¡±


    Freyja lay on the table, watching ¡°Mage 100%¡± on the Light Screen and suddenly felt a sense of blandness, even beginning to dislike this happiness that existed only on the screen.


    She closed the page, just lay there staring blankly for a while until Xian jumped over to push her head and affectionately nuzzled her face, looking worried about her.


    Freyja paused for a long time, rubbed the moisture in her eyes, and held Xian close¡ªrevived with full health!


    Almost suffocated, Xian vigorously escaped from her chest and hid far in the corner, licking its paws and feeling lucky to have survived after the ordeal. Freyja paid no attention, energetically opened ¡°New Folder¡± ¨C ¡°Used Countless Times¡±!


    Goodbye then, next one will be even better behaved!


    Better watch something appealing to get some recovery!


    First part, second part, third part, fourth part...


    Half an hour later, after going through the whole folder and still not finding the right casting materials, Freyja pondered for a moment, turned on her chip, and selected ¡°Gallery¡±.


    The chip could directly take pictures, naturally using her own eyes as the capturing equipment, essentially capturing what she saw and saving it in the chip. But because such photos took up a lot of space and the storage space in the chip was very small, only the most precious photos were worth saving.


    Thoughts of taking a picture of the cult leader had crossed Freyja¡¯s mind, but he was always alert, not matching his appearance. Whenever Freyja chose to take a picture, Ash would immediately turn his head, repeatedly avoiding Meiwa¡¯s gaze even while sleeping.


    Until one night, on a whim, Freyja pounced on Ash in the dark, pinning him down and sneakily took a picture of his side profile when he had no room to evade. Although the night attack was unsuccessful, she still kept this close-up of the ¡°most vicious criminal of Kaimon in a century.¡±


    The room was dark at the time, allowing only a little Blood Moonlight to sprinkle on his slightly panicked and shy face. Looking at the photo, Freyja couldn¡¯t help but open the alcoholic drink she had just bought and started gulping it down.


    A few minutes later, she accidentally wet the chair.


    Sitting in another chair, a few minutes passed, and she wet the chair again.


    Heading to lie on the bed, after about ten minutes, she even wet the sheets.


    After three rounds of drinks, Freyja finally felt a bit drunk and tired, she took a tissue, casually wiped the alcohol stains, and contentedly lay in bed with a pillow to sleep.


    After a while, Xian jumped on the bed and pushed Meiwa to see if she was dead yet. Freyja opened her eyes and scratched Xian¡¯s chin. She looked at the photo on the Light Screen, sighed helplessly, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m done using you, but I still want to see you.¡±


    ¡°I might really miss you.¡±


    PS: Don¡¯t misunderstand, this is a special midnight update at the beginning of the month, updates will return to 8 AM as usual.


    While it¡¯s still double and quadruple ticket time, please support with a minimum monthly ticket.

 Chapter 198: 173 Sword Maidens Interlude - Part 1

    Chapter 198: Chapter 173 Sword Maiden¡¯s Interlude ¨C Part 1


    Jiale City, Sword Flower University training hall second floor.


    Compared to the first floor, the second floor seemed much plainer, almost devoid of any equipment, but the walls and the floor were all laid with a layer of Thunder Snake Meteorite, its surface azure-blue snake pattern effectively dispersed resistance against any attack. After being enhanced by an Array, it could even resist Holy Sanctuary Level destructive miracles, making it a durable spot no matter how much it was roughed up.


    The only drawback was the severe light pollution from the Thunder Snake floor.


    This was a stage specifically provided for Mages to duel. Since most miracles severely damaged the surrounding area, Mages needed to duel in designated areas; dueling in public places without permission could result in fines and a three-point deduction from a Mage¡¯s professional license.


    By this time, it was past 11 PM. Most Mage apprentices had either returned to their dormitories to sleep or ventured into the Void Realm. On the vast second floor, only two Sword Masters were dueling, their released Sword Qi scraping white marks on the Thunder Snake floor!


    Hiss¡ª


    Hearing a sound like a thread being pulled taut, Felix quickly withdrew his sword and retreated.


    The ¡®Red Sword Maiden,¡¯ Sonia¡¯s original miracle, Water Moon, had already resonated throughout the Mage schools of Jiale City. Recently, it was even included in the ¡°Dazzling Star Miracle Catalog,¡± rated as a Radiant Silver Mid-Level miracle, leaving countless Sword Masters waiting for Sonia to lift the authorization restrictions to witness the Counterattack Miracle firsthand.


    In Dazzling Star, miracles had a very detailed evaluation system, categorized into four levels based on Magic Power: Silver, Gold, Multicolor, and None; each level was divided into Dusk, True, and Radiant tiers; each tier had Upper, Middle, and Lower ranks, totaling 36 levels.


    If Sonia could continue to optimize the Radiant Silver Mid-Level ¡®Water Moon,¡¯ replacing the precious Technique Spirit with a common one or further compensating for the casting shortfalls, then Water Moon could be rated as Radiant Silver Upper Level, becoming one of the top-tier miracles accessible to Silver Mages!


    Her family had even unprecedentedly commissioned Felix to purchase the long-term authorization for Water Moon from Sonia at any cost. Based on the Wave Motion Sword and renowned for its Sword Body system, Vosloda would include this miracle in its family miracle compendium simply to enhance miracle diversity, let alone a gem of Radiant Silver Mid-Level.


    Generally speaking, Radiant Level miracles represent a ¡°trump card for overcoming higher challenges,¡± True Level miracles are ¡°excellent achievements to boast about,¡± and Dusk Level miracles are ¡°just okay.¡±


    Why, you ask, do miracles need such a complex evaluation system? It is, of course, to better price miracles, ensuring buyers see the price as reasonable and sellers find it fair.


    After all, the Star Extreme Hall, responsible for compiling the ¡°Dazzling Star Miracle Catalog,¡± employs hundreds of Mage staff and thousands of Mage part-time advisors, all of whom depend on this miracle evaluation system for their livelihood.


    Water Moon activated extremely quickly, was powerful, and was also a defense and counterattack miracle, entirely deserving of its Radiant Silver Mid-Level rating. However, after several days of sparring, Felix knew how to counter it¡ªby retreating to a distance immediately upon hearing the thread sound and launching a long-range attack, he could easily unravel this miracle!


    Yet, just as Felix forcibly interrupted his attack and withdrew his sword, he realized his opponent was not entwined with the threads of moonlight but instead took the opportunity to attack, aiming at his open guard!


    Trap!


    But Felix had retracted too swiftly; he couldn¡¯t defend in time!


    The red-haired female Swordsman¡¯s wooden sword produced a crimson Wave Motion Sword slash from below to above, lifting Felix!


    Killing Intent Upper Slash!


    Evil Light Slash!


    Crack Wave Slash!


    Felix was knocked airborne, unable to land. The Wave Motion Sword had two main characteristics, ¡®dispersion¡¯ and ¡®vibration¡¯; the former enhanced the strike area, and the latter enhanced lethality. But if a Sword Master completely mastered these two characteristics, they could develop a third¡ªforceful knockback!


    Using the Upper Slash, a Wave Motion Swordsman could send an enemy flying into the air, losing all grounding, turning into utterly vulnerable prey!


    Felix constantly avoided Sonia¡¯s Upper Slash, never giving her the opportunity; he never suspected she, seemingly simple and beautiful, harbored such deceptive tactics¡ªpretending to use Water Moon to force him to retreat, then seizing the chance to Upper Slash for an optimal attack opportunity.


    If this continued, he¡¯d be comboed to death!


    However, being airborne was nearly a fatal condition for a Swordmaster since most swordsmanship moves required grounding. Therefore...


    Just as Sonia was about to launch another Evil Light Slash, Felix suddenly spit at her, and with the augmentation of a sinister, gentle wind, it instantly transformed into a foul-smelling evil rain!


    Miracle¡¤Sorrowful Wind Erosion Rain!


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Sonia let out a surprised and delighted sound, casually blocking all the rain with a Wave Motion Sword.


    Felix, having landed safely, no longer concealed his strength. He blew thrice in succession, each breath forming a nebulous Wind Blade!


    Miracle¡¤Tooth Wind!


    Then he lightly wiped his lips with both hands, crossed them, and sliced out ten interwoven acid erosive waters!


    Miracle¡¤Poison Blade Net!


    ¡°Interesting, really interesting!¡± Sonia step-by-step tore through Felix¡¯s miracles, her lips curling slightly, her light red pupils nearly turning vertical: ¡°Felix, you¡ª¡±


    Snap!


    Sonia had held nothing back this time, launching the Slaughter Sword before Felix could even cast a ¡°Miracle¡±, a crimson Sword Light slashing through his left arm, breaking out in deep red blood, the wound so deep the bone was nearly visible!


    In the moment when she saw the blood, Sonia¡¯s eyes shone brightly and her grip on the wooden sword tightened. However, she quickly came to her senses and threw the wooden sword down, hastily saying, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the medical room now¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, no need,¡± Felix said, hiding his left hand behind him and shaking his head repeatedly. ¡°It¡¯s just a minor injury; I have a Water Therapy Technique Spirit. I¡¯ll heal myself gradually, and I can also use this opportunity to raise my status in the Water Technique Faction.¡±


    So this was the young noble lord? He wasn¡¯t even taking a Medical Practitioner¡¯s path, yet he was carrying a Water Therapy Technique Spirit with him.


    The Village Girl expressed surprise at the wealth of the city dwellers, peeking at Felix¡¯s left hand, which was always gloved, perhaps a tool that could enhance the effects of the ¡°Miracle¡±.


    As for the injury... Since the hand wasn¡¯t severed, Sonia reasoned that it was merely a minor injury not worth mentioning and calmly let Felix deal with it himself.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call a halt when your Star Garment was torn?¡±


    ¡°It was probably torn mid-air; I didn¡¯t notice it then.¡±


    Both wore a thin layer resembling a dreamlike froth, which absorbed all damage when their bodies were attacked, keeping the duelers¡¯ lives safe.


    This was the welfare of academy Mages called ¡°Star Garment,¡± which they could get added by their advisors before duels, allowing them to enjoy the pleasure of fighting at full force without fears of accidentally bursting a classmate¡¯s head.


    ¡°It looks like tonight has to stop here,¡± Felix exhaled, ¡°although fighting against you, Sonia, is truly beneficial...¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s continue.¡± Sonia was still immensely spirited and excitedly said, ¡°Your other hand isn¡¯t broken yet.¡±


    ¡°But! I! Am! Injured!¡± Felix gritted his teeth, ¡°Let¡¯s rest for a bit, and I¡¯ll tend to my injuries.¡±


    Lately, Sonia had sought him out for a Mage duel every night. At first, Felix was pleased to learn from a genius, but Sonia grew more aggressive each night; the first night, Felix managed to handle his injuries but by the second had to seek a Medical Practitioner, and by the third, he was barely holding his body together after saying goodbye to Sonia, calling for help to be sent to the medical room as soon as she was far enough away, cursing Sonia every day in his head, ¡®Hasn¡¯t this Village Girl¡¯s tide come yet?¡¯


    If it weren¡¯t for the little dignity left and his reluctance to lose to a peer, Felix would have long refused such a one-sided thrashing by Sonia.


    But she refused to believe it; she had been a burdened Avenger from her youth, how could she fear a vulgar village girl with nothing but talent?


    She could lose, but she wouldn¡¯t lack the courage to draw her sword against a Village Girl!


    However...


    Felix sat down and looked at his bleeding left hand; if this incident hadn¡¯t happened, they were likely to fight until midnight. According to past experiences, the Village Girl tended to become more excited and ferocious as the fight went on, especially the last half-hour felt like a stormy devastation, breaking Felix¡¯s wooden swords several times.


    Injuring one hand, ending work an hour early... it seemed like... not a loss?


    ¡°Your Wind Skill, Water Magic, and Poison Skill are all at Silver Realm, right?¡± Sonia asked out of the blue, ¡°Did you start learning them when you were young, or only recently?¡±


    Felix hesitated for a bit, ¡°Recently.¡±


    ¡°You should have given up swordsmanship long ago.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Felix replied while healing himself with the Water Therapy Technique Spirit, ¡°Swordsmanship is the key to Vosloda, and the foundation of my survival. Sometimes, one must compromise for survival; without survival, there¡¯s no chance for talents to bloom, prioritizing is clear...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not listening, I¡¯m not listening, I¡¯m not listening.¡± Sonia covered her ears, ¡°I refuse to get involved in the love-hate-interest disputes of nobility.¡±


    ¡°You were the one who started this topic,¡± Felix relaxed and snorted coldly, ¡°I won¡¯t come to duel you anymore tomorrow.¡±


    Sonia looked at her in astonishment, then awkwardly grabbed the hem of her garment, lowering her head, lost in thought.


    Felix was somewhat pleased by Sonia¡¯s demeanor, not expecting the Village Girl to show a hint of embarrassment; she had thought the Village Girl would mock her for running away when hearing this.


    ¡°That... how about the newspaper?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll roll up a newspaper,¡± Sonia gestured rolling a newspaper, ¡°I¡¯ll fight you with a newspaper, how about that?¡±


    Felix was taken aback and his face turned red: ¡°I¡¯m not afraid to duel you!¡±


    ¡°Not even the newspaper? I can even use a finger, I can activate the swordsmanship Technique Spirit with one finger!¡±


    Felix felt that if the conversation continued, he might eventually be enraged to death by the Village Girl and simply said briskly, ¡°My spirit has healed, I can enter the Void Realm tomorrow, I don¡¯t have time to duel you!¡±


    Earlier, Felix had been blocked by a Fish-Slicing Dragon in the Void Realm, which had claimed his first blood through the Vortex channel, but the Fish-Slicing Dragon was soon taken advantage of by Sonia, which led Felix¡¯s Slaughter Sword to eventually end up in Sonia¡¯s hands, beginning their formal contact over interests.


    After experiencing death, Felix hid his Magic Power level from his family to avoid asking for help, but after many days had passed, his soul had naturally recovered.


    Thus Felix felt so indulgent tonight to reveal his true strength against Sonia¡ªlosing was still a loss, but if he won, he had a reason to leave right away, not giving the Village Girl a chance to turn the tables!

 Chapter 199 - 174 Sword Maidens Interlude - Part 2

    Chapter 199: Chapter 174 Sword Maiden¡¯s Interlude ¨C Part 2


    ¡°Hey, congratulations,¡± Sonia said with a bit of gloom. ¡°I haven¡¯t recovered yet...¡±


    Sonia didn¡¯t hide the fact that she had died in the Void Realm. Instead, she spread the news widely through Professor Trozan, letting the whole school know that the genius ¡®Red-haired Sword Maiden¡¯ had finally succumbed in the Void Realm.


    After some strategic management, her classmates started seeing Sonia in a more positive light, and even the ¡®jealous of talent¡¯ Professor Trozan took extra care of her. Even when Sonia went to the cafeteria, the auntie would give her an extra couple of scoops.


    Failing hadn¡¯t tarnished Sonia¡¯s talent; rather, it made her more approachable and likable.


    Just like the ¡®poor beautiful college student,¡¯ the ¡®genius who sometimes fails¡¯ was also a useful label. Sonia decided to take this rare opportunity to deepen her persona, so she wouldn¡¯t have to bear everyone¡¯s expectations but could still access the resources meant for a genius. She was winning big time.


    ¡°It looks like I¡¯ll have to go back to the dorm to sleep tomorrow night...¡±


    Most people choose to sleep, right? Who else, like you, gets so excited in the middle of the night and insists on picking fights? It¡¯s just a maniac Village Girl... Felix thought to himself, scoffing, ¡°Make sure you tell Celia not to wait downstairs to run into me for so long.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Sonia opened her big innocent eyes, looking puzzled: ¡°Celia? Are you talking about Senior Celia? What about her?¡±


    ¡°Acting as if you don¡¯t know,¡± Felix said disdainfully. ¡°I won¡¯t be going to the Meditation Building tomorrow night, but I¡¯ll be entering the Void Realm at home instead. Just tell her to stop bothering me.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sonia, think of others for once,¡± Felix sighed. ¡°You know it¡¯s dangerous to get close to me. Why don¡¯t you advise Celia to stay away from me?¡±


    The Village Girl retorted, ¡°Do you hate her?¡±


    ¡°Is the opposite of hate, like? Sonia, I hate this tricky way you speak¡ª¡±


    ¡°So answer me directly, do you like Celia?¡±


    ¡°...I like her, but not in the way you¡¯re thinking.¡±


    ¡°Feelings can be fostered over time, don¡¯t you believe in love at first sight?¡±


    ¡°Why do you care so much?¡± Felix was getting impatient. ¡°What has she offered you? Whatever she can give, I can give too.¡±


    Sonia replied instantly, ¡°She promised to get me the lead role in the Shadow Actress of Moon Nine!¡±


    Felix exploded, ¡°Bullshit! Celia doesn¡¯t have that kind of power!¡±


    Moon Nine specifically refers to 9:00 PM on Saturdays, which is prime time for dramas. Only the season¡¯s highest quality and best-funded dramas get that slot. It almost guarantees the success of the show even before it airs.


    Becoming the female lead in a Moon Nine drama meant stepping halfway into the realm of top-tier female Shadow Actresses!


    You, a mere Village Girl, have no right to be the lead in a hit drama!


    The two of them stared at each other for a moment before Sonia turned her head away, covering her mouth to hide her amusement, while Felix helplessly laughed and sighed at the same time.


    Why did such a shameless Village Girl possess swordsmanship talent like she was favored by the stars, and why did he have to be friends with such a shameless Village Girl...


    ¡°It¡¯s not just for the payment, actually,¡± Sonia said as she tucked her hair behind her ear and held her wooden sword in front of her, looking at the patterns on the Sword Body. ¡°I heard from Senior Celia, isn¡¯t it true that many noble marriages are emotionless arranged marriages?¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Felix nodded, ¡°noble marriages are essentially exchanges of interests.¡±


    ¡°Since those who don¡¯t like each other can be together, then why can¡¯t those who do like each other?¡± Sonia said softly.


    Felix blinked, somewhat surprised, as he looked at the red-haired girl.


    She suddenly had a flash of inspiration and asked, ¡°Do you have someone you like?¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    Sonia instinctively wanted to deny it, but suddenly remembering something, she looked around and whispered, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t this sentimental before,¡± Felix raised his eyebrows. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, though it¡¯s nothing to brag about, I¡¯ve had quite a few romances. If there were a faction for love, I¡¯d at least be at the Golden Level. Looking at you, could it be your first love? Who¡¯s the unlucky¡ªor should I say, lucky, person to catch the eye of the red-haired Sword Maiden?¡±


    ¡°You were about to insult me just now, weren¡¯t you!¡± Sonia gritted her teeth and said, ¡°And I haven¡¯t... think whatever you want!¡±


    ¡°If you really did not have someone, your response should have been ¡®then guess who I like,¡¯ not this weak ¡®think whatever you want,''¡± Felix laughed. ¡°Always hanging out with you common Female Mages, I can keep up with your thought processes, but you, Sonia, seem a bit flustered yourself.¡±


    Watching Sonia, who was both embarrassed and angry, Felix was also filled with questions¡ªHe knew every person in this village girl¡¯s social circle, and there were almost no males, so who could she possibly like?


    Arsen who she co-hosted with? But it¡¯s said that Arsen would run away whenever he saw Sonia on campus...


    Lauren, the senior? Unlikely...


    Me? Not to bring up how she beat me up, but she also helped Celia ambush me. And as a bona fide Golden Level lover, highly sensitive, it¡¯s impossible for me not to sense if someone likes me...


    Felix thought again and again, suddenly recalling a piece of information: On the night of the hosting, Sonia seemed to have made up with her roommate Lois, and since then, the two became increasingly close. The day before yesterday, Sonia had drinks with senior Reonie, and after getting drunk, it was Lois who helped her change clothes and bathe...


    Could it be...


    Just as Sonia had managed to calm her emotions, she turned her head and saw Felix a few meters away, puzzled, she asked, ¡°Why are you standing so far away?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Felix stood up and said, ¡°My left hand is almost healed, I¡¯m thinking of heading home for a bath and some treatment. I had a pleasant evening with you, but let¡¯s never meet again, goodbye¡ª¡±


    ¡°Since it¡¯s the last night,¡± Sonia also stood up, ¡°then drive me back to the dorm... you don¡¯t want to?¡±


    ¡°Does the opposite of not wanting mean wanting? Sonia, I hate this kind of trap-laden way you speak¡ª¡±


    ¡°Since we¡¯re training Water Therapy Technique Spirits, maybe add a few more injuries¡ª¡±


    ¡°I still have to drive, I can¡¯t afford injuries to my hands and feet,¡± Felix surrendered.


    The two left the empty training hall and stepped onto the campus avenue, under the watchful eyes of the Star Cluster.


    Sonia suddenly remembered something, exclaimed, ¡°Ah, I almost forgot, I¡¯ve wanted to ask you something for a long time. After all, Felix, you are a noble young master and might know some secrets unknown to the poor.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Do you know... the Four Pillars God Sect?¡±


    Felix blinked, subconsciously raised his left hand, but then lowered it again.

 Chapter 200 - 174 Sword Maidens Interlude - Part 3

    Chapter 200: Chapter 174 Sword Maiden¡¯s Interlude ¨C Part 3


    ¡°Why are you interested in this organization? If you want to join a club, wouldn¡¯t drama be more suitable for you?¡±


    Sonia saw Felix take the driver¡¯s seat, she thought for a moment, chose to sit in the back, comfortably stretched herself on the leather sofa, and answered casually, ¡°I had joined the drama club last semester. It was just a playground for some medium-quality women scheming against each other, with service staff consisting of several low-quality men revolving around them, and the prizes were one or two high-quality men... However, last year¡¯s prize was not to my liking, and I felt it was pointless so I left the drama club.¡±


    ¡°Quit the drama club because it bored you...¡±


    ¡°Since you are aware of the Four Pillars God Sect, you must also know that it is not a trivial club for boys and girls to find excuses to mate,¡± Sonia, wiping the sweat from her neck with a wet wipe, said, ¡°Or rather, it¡¯s much more dangerous than those boring clubs.¡±


    Felix lightly tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, ¡°Theoretically, there should be no information about the Four Pillars God Sect within the Kingdom of Stars... Would you mind telling me where you got this name from?¡±


    ¡°The Mage¡¯s Handbook in the Void Realm.¡±


    ¡°...If you mind, you can just say you mind,¡± Felix said indifferently, ¡°There¡¯s no need to provide such unverifiable evidence. Information from a Mage¡¯s Handbook has no legal effect and even its credibility is greatly reduced. You must have seen ¡®The Legend of the Treasure,¡¯ right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve watched the version starring Dedarose five times!¡± Sonia woke up speaking of this, ¡°But I really did see it in the Mage¡¯s Handbook.¡±


    ¡°The Legend of the Treasure¡± is a well-known parable in the Kingdom of Stars, frequently adapted for the Light Screen. The story isn¡¯t complicated¨Csimply put, there exists a legendary treasure in the Void Realm, but its location is unknown. The protagonist, a novice Mage, finds a dazzling Mage¡¯s Handbook in the Void Realm which describes the correct ritual to obtain the legendary treasure. However, to perform the ritual, the protagonist must study the Magic Faction and summon the required Technique Spirits.


    When the protagonist sets up the ritual and triggers the Miracle, the door to the legendary treasure appears, but behind the door is nothing but countless tentacles and endless abyss. The protagonist wants to resist, but unexpectedly, his own Technique Spirits submit willingly, embracing the door to the treasure.


    It turns out that the Magic Faction and Technique Spirits needed to complete the ritual were merely there to make the Summoner more ¡®appetizing¡¯. The door to the treasure is not truly powerful, but for each summoner engaged in the ritual, it represents the perfect predator, turning the summoner into helpless prey!


    The story ends with a novice Mage just entering the Void Realm, who provides a dazzling Mage¡¯s Handbook by defeating the Mage¡¯s projection...


    Naturally, this parable teaches people to work diligently and not to expect windfalls. But for Mages, the story also carries a different warning¡ªthe information in a Mage¡¯s Handbook is dangerous.


    ¡°If you only know about this organization from a Mage¡¯s Handbook, there¡¯s no need for such detailed investigations, right? Since you found me, it implies that you¡¯ve already searched the library, haven¡¯t you? I didn¡¯t know you had such strong curiosity. Or is it that the swordsmanship training assigned by Professor Trozan is not filling up your schedule?¡±


    ¡°Ugh, if you don¡¯t want to talk, just don¡¯t, and drive me back to the dormitory.¡±


    ¡°Doubt does not equate to refusal. I hate this presumptuous way of thinking,¡± Felix accelerated the car and backed out, ¡°but I don¡¯t know much about the Four Pillars God Sect either. After all, as I have said, there¡¯s no way you can learn about this organization from any documented source, the Empire has thoroughly destroyed all such information.¡±


    ¡°I have heard about this sect occasionally while mingling in the noble circles, but the mentions were mostly driven by curiosity. From what I understand, the four pillars of the Four Pillars God Sect each represent a different guideline for action: a tyrant who rules with violence, a traitor who manipulates with scheming, a Merciful Father who torments with despair, and a Prince who indulges in pleasure... As you might guess, the only pillar favored by the nobles is naturally the Prince symbolizing pleasure.¡±


    Sonia placed her hands on the front seat, leaning forward to ask, ¡°So... does the Four Pillars God Sect exist in the Kingdom of Stars?¡±


    ¡°It does not.¡± Felix shook his head, ¡°All sects exist because people have a need for spiritual reliance, or because reality dissatisfies them, prompting them to seek redemption from a greater existence. The Star Cluster is a great nation, devoid of any ground for heretical sects to flourish.¡±


    ¡°You just said that nobles pursue excitement in believing in the Four Pillars God Sect?¡±


    ¡°Everyone harbors ideas they think are correct at different times. Immaturity is a phase everyone must go through, nobles are no exception,¡± Felix explained, ¡°But the reason why nobles are nobles is because the glory brought by their titles protects them from immaturity and evil.¡±


    ¡°¡®Without a title, one cannot become a Minister; without being a noble, one cannot govern a county¡¯... You must have recited the ¡®Noble Act¡¯ and know why nobles have a status and rights superior to common people, right?¡±


    ¡°Stars Blessing,¡± Sonia said. ¡°It is said that every noble officially granted a title by Her Majesty is endowed with a Blessing, making them wise, brave, just, and strict... and indeed, this is true.¡±


    The class barriers in the Star Cluster are extremely strict, and if you are not a noble, no matter how talented a Mage you are, you could never hold real power in the Empire.


    However, the limitation is only ¡®noble¡¯; if you can inherit a noble title through marriage or earn it by great achievements that prompt Her Majesty to grant it herself, whichever way you become a noble, you then receive a ticket to the ruling class. Whether you can become a senior minister depends on your own abilities.


    In this age of highly developed information exchange, any slight arrogance from Sonia was criticized in pages of forum discussions under the Veil by her peers, yet such glaring class discrimination stirred no waves in the Kingdom of Stars.


    Even Sonia, who from a young age felt society owed her a throne, thought the nobility system was very good.


    Because nobles are truly good.


    Just, strict, undaunted by difficulties, diligent and devoted, this is the public¡¯s impression of nobles. Whether it¡¯s a libertine who flits through pleasure gardens or a sheltered flower who¡¯s never seen a mosquito, the moment they inherit a title and become a noble, they mature substantially, becoming pillars of society who add value to the Kingdom of Stars, diligently serving the public interest without selfishness, scheming, misbehavior, or laziness.


    All this, because of the ¡®Stars Blessing¡¯.


    Textbooks describe the Star Cluster Blessing in one sentence: ¡°It awakens the nobility¡¯s sense of duty.¡± Initially, Sonia thought it was just an empty phrase, but when she arrived in Jiale City and learned in detail about the perfect integration of the noble and bureaucratic systems, she then realized that the statement was true.


    ¡°You¡¯re focusing on minor details, the most core impact of the Star Cluster Blessing is just one,¡± Felix glanced at the distant night sky filled with stars, ¡°It instills in the nobility absolute loyalty to Dazzling Star.¡±


    ¡°Absolute loyalty?¡± Sonia was startled, ¡°Brainwashing control?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly brainwashing.¡± Felix thought for a moment and then said, ¡°For example, Sonia, you value your mother highly and like making money, and you¡¯re also willing to contribute to the Kingdom of Stars, but if you were to rank them, your mother is more important than earning money, and earning money is more important than benefiting the Kingdom of Stars, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Sonia paused, ¡°Actually, making money isn¡¯t much more important than benefiting the Kingdom of Stars... unless it¡¯s making a lot of money.¡±


    ¡°So in your heart, the priority is your mother first, making money second, and the Dazzling Star third. The so-called absolute loyalty is just making the concept of ¡®benefiting the Kingdom of Stars¡¯ the top priority, that¡¯s all,¡± Felix continued, ¡°If it was complete brainwashing control, the nobles would have rebeled long ago since no one wants to become a puppet devoid of self.¡±


    ¡°The power of the Star Cluster Blessing lies in making the nobles see the Dazzling Star as the most important entity to protect, yet it does not remove other emotional attachments, such as family, lovers, children, and hobbies. If it¡¯s during a legally approved vacation, those nobles almost have no difference from normal people, and they even enjoy entertainment and social status beyond the reach of ordinary people.¡±


    Felix glanced at the rearview mirror at the village girl, ¡°Even knowing this secret, if you had the chance, would you want to become part of the nobility?¡±


    Sonia considered for a moment, ¡°I probably would.¡±


    Although the Star Cluster Blessing involves brainwashing, if it was just to elevate the priority of ¡®benefiting the Kingdom of Stars¡¯ to the highest, Sonia felt she could accept it. After all, it¡¯s her birth country, the land where she grew up. If possible, Sonia would certainly hope for the Kingdom of Stars to grow better.


    Or rather, most people probably would, for benefiting the Kingdom of Stars is an admirable life goal. The question is like ¡®if you want to be a good person, the price is becoming wealthy¡¯¡ªwho wouldn¡¯t want that!


    ¡°So you should also understand why there¡¯s no presence of the Four Pillars God Sect in the Kingdom of Stars,¡± Felix said, ¡°Under the fair and impartial rule of the nobility, the people live in peace and their standard of living improves year by year, leaving no social stratum influenced by the Four Pillars God Sect.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t find any information on the Four Pillars God Sect partly because the Empire destroyed it, and partly because no one needs the Pillar God.¡±


    ¡°A faction that isn¡¯t needed by the people will naturally be swept into the trash heap.¡±


    The car stopped in front of the dormitory area, and Felix pressed a button to open the back door of the car, saying, ¡°That¡¯s all I know about the Four Pillars God Sect. Do you have any more questions?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Sonia shook her head, ¡°I was just curious.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care where you heard that name from, but as a friend, I advise you¡ªdon¡¯t pursue the Four Pillars God Sect any further.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Felix turned around, making eye contact with Sonia.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s a waste of time,¡± she said, ¡°You are a genius Sword Master, you don¡¯t have time to waste on such trivial matters, I think you are not fully occupied with training, it seems I need to report to Professor Trozan tomorrow that you are not focused on your duties...¡±


    ¡°I get the feeling you¡¯ve become very arrogant today,¡± Sonia wasn¡¯t intimidated at all, ¡°Could it be because you don¡¯t have to duel with me tomorrow? Maybe during the day I should ask the professor to check your progress, I can fight with you using just a newspaper...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so annoying! I hate you!¡±


    Sonia giggled as she got out of the car, leaned towards the window, and said, ¡°Thanks, see you tomorrow.¡±


    Watching Sonia hop and skip into the girls¡¯ dormitory building, Felix heaved a long sigh of relief, feeling like talking to this village girl any longer would make her brain boil.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    The steering wheel was stained with blood. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that fresh blood had seeped through the glove on her left hand.


    Felix¡¯s palm had been cut by Sonia earlier, but she didn¡¯t dare to take off the glove to treat it until the village girl had left. Now that she was alone, she finally removed the glove. However, she didn¡¯t rush to treat the wound, instead, she held her left hand up to her eye.


    In the palm of her left hand, there was a perfectly round hole, just the right size to accommodate an eye.


    Her already beautiful light purple eyes, adorned by the round hole, radiated a kaleidoscope of brilliance.


    Through the round hole, Felix watched Sonia walk into the dormitory building in the distance.


    ¡°Who exactly talked to her about the Four Pillars God Sect?¡± she muttered softly, ¡°I hate these unstable elements.¡±

 Chapter 201 - 176: Has the World Been Destroyed?

    Chapter 201: Chapter 176: Has the World Been Destroyed?


    The sky turned into a sea of fire, the earth was filled with murky darkness, and gigantic fragments broke through the burning clouds and plummeted toward the polluted land. Every second, the entire world was being twisted and destroyed.


    In such an apocalyptic scene, a mysterious figure in a dark red gradient trench coat stood on a cliff, gazing at the meteor shower in the distance, holding a wine glass in his right hand, as if the current spectacle was worth celebrating with a drink.


    Who was he?


    What had happened?


    Why had it come to this?


    Suddenly, a red-haired woman emerged from the sea of fire in the sky. She wore a black miniskirt, her eyes seemingly wrapped in a blood sea, holding a beautifully engraved long sword. As she stepped out, the sky was split in two by her sharp sword intent, and merely gazing at her figure stung the eyes!


    At that moment, the mysterious man seemed to sense the gaze from behind, he slightly turned his head, about to reveal his true face.


    Igula struggled to widen his nonexistent eyes, desperately trying to catch any detail of this mysterious person¡ª


    ¡°Cough, cough, cough!¡±


    Igula violently pushed away Ash¡¯s hand, wiped his moist lips, and cursed, ¡°What are you doing!¡±


    Ash looked perplexed, he raised the water bottle in his hand, ¡°I was giving you water. Was I supposed to drown your head in the toilet? I¡¯d want to, but unfortunately, there¡¯s not a drop of water in there. If you don¡¯t want it, fine, Harvey, do you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to use the bathroom here.¡± Harvey¡¯s voice was faint; even the dark complexion couldn¡¯t hide his weakness as he sat against the wall.


    Ash thought for a moment, tightened the water bottle, and put it away, ¡°Let¡¯s save it then, maybe they¡¯ll bring food later...¡±


    Now, Igula finally had time to assess their situation: the three of them were in a small room about ten square meters, with padded floors and walls, light peeking through the cracks in the walls, and a corner with an integrated toilet with a sink.


    The room had no windows, only a vent in the ceiling corner from which warm white vapor was slowly being released, quickly blending with the air in the room.


    He checked his gear¡ªsmall knife, self-defense gun, multifunctional keychain, all gone. However, his metal headpiece was still there, which could be straightened into a metal spike, offering some protection, but it required the enemy to be unguarded and stripped of all protective gear.


    Well, it could only be effective when the enemy was sleeping or defecating.


    Igula attempted to stand up to block the vent, but found himself completely weak, unable to even stand, and fell right in front of Ash.


    ¡°That¡¯s an anesthetic treatment spray,¡± Ash said lazily. ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed our weak voices?¡±


    ¡°You always sound constipated. How could I tell?¡± Igula lifted his sleeve, surprised to find that the sniper bullet wound had started to scab¡ªthough it wasn¡¯t comparable to a healer¡¯s work, the healing effect was beyond normal first aid.


    ¡°Do you guys know what date and time it is?¡± he suddenly asked.


    Ash responded, ¡°May 2nd, 1:00 AM¡ªwe slept for less than an hour. But there might be a time difference between different realms, it might not be 1:00 AM outside.¡±


    Igula didn¡¯t ask how Ash knew the time without a chip or a clock. He pressed his hand on the floor, feeling slight vibrations, ¡°We¡¯re in a moving vehicle, might be a carriage, but I haven¡¯t seen a carriage with such good sound and shock insulation...¡±


    He tapped the collar around his neck, ¡°Have you guys tested this thing?¡±


    ¡°Using magic power triggers a strong electric shock,¡± Harvey stated indifferently. ¡°You might want to test it by sitting on the toilet without your pants. But even if you test it directly, it doesn¡¯t matter; these soft pads are highly absorbent, any traces of incontinence will disappear quickly.¡±


    Igula looked weirdly at Harvey and Ash, ¡°Given you told me voluntarily, I won¡¯t ask how you got this information... Any other intel?¡±


    After a moment of silence, Ash said, ¡°Before passing out, I heard someone say, ¡®I could only salvage three from the Exotic Realm¡¯... This wasn¡¯t an ambush for adventurers; it was specifically for us. They even knew Ronald and Lanna wouldn¡¯t come.¡±


    ¡°A miracle of the Prophetic Faction or Fate Faction,¡± Igula was not surprised. ¡°What happened to the Werewolf and his prey?¡±


    ¡°Ronald died trying to save Lanna,¡± Ash succinctly stated, ¡°I didn¡¯t see what happened after.¡±


    However, Igula raised his eyebrows, gave a slight ¡®oh¡¯, his face showing no surprise.


    Ash suddenly had a strong intuition and asked, ¡°Did you know Ronald would do that?¡±


    ¡°To be precise, I taught him to do that,¡± Igula smiled faintly. ¡°I somewhat sympathized with him, so I planned to conspire with him secretly, thinking we¡¯d gang up on Lanna after escaping. But he wasn¡¯t interested in that, he wanted ¡®real revenge,¡¯ and I just happened to find some intel on Lanna, so I told him the real way to get revenge.¡±


    ¡°Did you deceive him?¡±


    ¡°I never lie,¡± Igula declared. ¡°I just fulfill other people¡¯s wishes.¡±


    ¡°How funny, another name for a swindler is God, huh?¡±


    The cult leader and the swindler locked eyes with each other, cold and intense. Suddenly, the necromancer said, ¡°Even if Ronald and Lanna didn¡¯t come in, why haven¡¯t the other adventurers arrived? The Hunting Festival won¡¯t stop because of us. On the contrary, there should be an additional bounty task for capturing us.¡±


    Ash spread his hands and said, ¡°You haven¡¯t seen how frightened the other adventurers are... Maybe they are all huddled in the battle zone now, waiting for Gerard to promise not to catch them before they dare to continue participating in the Hunting Festival. With this delay, it would be a miracle if they can work normally by tomorrow night.¡±


    ¡°Or maybe the Void Realm passage has been blocked,¡± Igula guessed. ¡°Since they could predict our arrival so accurately, maybe they are also prepared to block the passage to the Void Realm.¡±


    Harvey sighed softly, ¡°Does that mean we can¡¯t expect the adventurers to come and save us...¡±


    At that moment, all three of them were overwhelmed by complex emotions¡ªthey had gone through great pains to flee the Kingdom of Blood Moon, scaring away the adventurers, deceiving Gerard, and barely making it through the Void Realm passage to a new world. Yet, before they could take a breath of freedom, they were captured in a perplexing manner.


    Now, their greatest hope for escape turned out to be the pursuers from the Kingdom of Blood Moon.


    Igula shook his head, dispelling the budding regret and resentment, and turned to look at Ash, ¡°What about your ¡®Miracle¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve tried it,¡± Ash said. ¡°But this thing is external, akin to a continuously casting mage. The ¡®Miracle¡¯ can clear my negative status of this very second, but as long as I wear the collar, the restrictive status will be imposed again the next second... We must physically remove the collar.¡±


    ¡°I suspect a tool that can electrocute at any moment might possess quite the temper when it¡¯s violently hacked,¡± Harvey said, slightly tugging at the collar, which instantly emitted a dangerous red glow.


    ¡°Restriction Collar, anti-suicide soft-padded carriage, anesthetic treatment spray...¡± Igula muttered. ¡°It¡¯s not surprising we were ambushed and captured, but what¡¯s strange is how they have such a professional set of transport tools¡ªif they didn¡¯t prepare this equipment specifically for us, it means their regular clients also need to be transported in this manner.¡±


    ¡°Who would need such equipment for transport?¡±


    ¡°Death row criminals, lunatics, slaves?¡± Ash guessed.


    ¡°It could be corpses too,¡± Harvey said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t scare me, isn¡¯t the standard transport for a corpse a body bag?¡±


    ¡°Ash, you being a cult leader and not knowing this? Fresh corpses hold special value, especially the residual warmth; it¡¯s like the last echo of life. Watching a warm body gradually turn into a meaningless lump of meat¡ªthat wonderful feeling of witnessing, surely you must understand, right?¡±


    ¡°Who understands that stuff!¡±


    Listening to their endless chatter, Igula, whose mental state was extremely poor, subconsciously wanted to interrupt them. However, he quickly realized something was off¡ªboth Ash and Harvey¡¯s complexions were as bad as a makeup-wearing Beastman dancer¡¯s, neither sober nor able to sleep.


    This anesthetic treatment spray, apart from causing them weakness and anesthesia, seemed to also have an anti-sleep effect, suppressing their physiological state while keeping them in an insomniac condition.


    Compared to direct hypnosis, this sleepy insomniac state seemed better suited for dealing with mage prisoners, as it could brutally exhaust the mages¡¯ spiritual power; over time, the mages might even be unable to maintain normal mental capacity. If an interrogation was necessary, prisoners in this state were more likely to divulge information¡ªknowledge Igula learned from reading interrogation and other Spirit Faction books.


    Ash and Harvey might not understand this principle, but after realizing they couldn¡¯t sleep, they subconsciously engaged in intensive conversation to keep their spirits active and maintain their condition as much as possible.


    Igula quickly collected his thoughts and assessed their current situation.


    Their situation wasn¡¯t actually bad, after all. If they had been ambushed by the military of a foreign realm, by now they might have been forced to have their memories extracted or turned into one of Harvey¡¯s favorite warm corpses¡ªnot because Igula judged other realms by the standards of Blood Moon, but because ¡°foreign hearts are always different,¡± a common understanding.


    Although he didn¡¯t know who exactly used the Prophecy Miracle to accurately predict their appearance, it at least showed they were of some utilitarian value, perhaps as research material or as slaves, but ultimately, there was hope for survival.


    If this realm was more civilized than barbaric, and societal rules could restrain the powerful, then Igula even felt confident about achieving something here. For a Spirit Mage, rules and human nature were the most potent weapons.


    Thinking of the Prophetic Faction, Igula couldn¡¯t help but recall his recent dream. It was the result of the ¡®Prophecy¡¯ Technique Spirit acting in his sleep, an irregular phenomenon that Igula could never decipher.


    He had also triggered dream revelations several times in the past, but most were meaningless visions.


    The only useful one was when he first met Emi in Gambling Apocalypse, and Igula suddenly dreamt of Shattered Lake Prison. He hadn¡¯t paid attention to this revelation at the time; looking back now, it might have been a forewarning of his imprisonment.


    But the images in the dream were too exaggerated... Had the world been destroyed?


    Igula wasn¡¯t questioning the ¡®destruction of the world¡¯ per se; he questioned himself¡ªa Prophet Mage who hadn¡¯t even reached the Silver Realm, who had no right to see such a distant and grand future.


    Predicting the fate of the world was something not even a Four-winged Legendary Prophet Mage could necessarily do, right?


    And who was that mysterious person witnessing the destruction of the world?


    Perhaps the ¡®Prophecy¡¯ Technique Spirit had also inhaled the anesthetic spray and was showing him past visions...


    Meanwhile, Ash and Harvey¡¯s casual talk came to an end. Although they wanted to combat their depressive mental state, it seemed like the secretion of dopamine was suppressed; the more they talked, the more fatigued they felt, and they just wanted to shut up.


    No, they needed something stimulating to do.


    Ash silently recited in his mind, and a familiar game interface appeared before him, with the current time displayed in the top right corner.


    Time to draw cards.

 Chapter 202 - 177: Bride·Sword Maiden

    Chapter 202: Chapter 177: Bride¡¤Sword Maiden


    Ash had actually amassed a considerable amount of funds last night while he played Robin Hood at Selin¡¯s place, but the environment was too dangerous, and Ash still had to prepare an adventurer¡¯s outfit, pinpoint the exact location of Observation Point No. 53, and always be ready for an intense new metabolic challenge so he could make a quick getaway if need be. He hardly had the leisure to play the loot box lottery.


    Now things were different. Ash no longer had to worry about his safety, because he was already in danger.


    It was the perfect time to do some loot box summoning.


    First, he checked in to receive the day¡¯s login reward of Source Crystals, then opened the ¡°Supplies Purchase¡± section. Ash had 232 points, which was enough to buy a ¡°Bag of Source Crystals¡± worth 198 points.


    Purchase successful!


    He gained 40 Source Crystals!


    Then, triggering the first purchase bonus, he got an additional 40 Source Crystals!


    Adding to the 15 Source Crystals he had accumulated, Ash now had a total of 95 Source Crystals, enough for a 31-draw summoning spree!


    When Ash opened the ¡°Operator Search,¡± he noticed a new change in the interface.


    ¡°¡®Dance of Swords and Dragons¡¯ Limited-Time Search (Launch immediately if revenue targets are not met after three weeks on server)¡±


    ¡°Increased summoning odds for the limited-time operators ¡®Black and White Witch¡¯ and ¡®Enchanting Girl¡¯ ¡ü¡ü¡±


    ¡°Increased odds for the limited-time costumes ¡®Bride ¡¤ Sword Maiden,¡¯ ¡®Return from the Blood Sea ¡¤ Sword Maiden,¡¯ ¡®Afternoon of the Apocalypse ¡¤ Observer,¡¯ and ¡®Swimsuit ¡¤ Observer¡¯ ¡ü¡ü¡±


    ¡°Event ends at 00:00 on May 15th.¡±


    The description was so full of issues that Ash was momentarily stunned. He knew his company was a bit shady, but he didn¡¯t expect it to stoop so low¡ªlaunching a limited-time event just because monthly revenues might fall short, in an attempt to bait players into spending money. That was awfully petty!


    And the note in the parentheses was obviously meant for the company leadership; he couldn¡¯t believe they had forgotten to delete it.


    A so-called limited-time search meant that the costumes and operators mentioned could only be obtained in this event¡¯s pool. Once the event was over, there would be no chance to get these rewards from the common pool unless the event was rerun.


    Therefore, any player with even a slight collecting habit would spend as much as possible to draw the more important rewards from the pool. If the limited-time operators were powerful, even free-to-play players might grudgingly spend; and for those ¡®complete collectors,¡¯ the spending wouldn¡¯t cease until they had drawn every item from the pool.


    Usually, limited-time events were launched during anniversaries or New Year¡¯s, since people had some extra cash then and might get carried away and spend; also, the festive atmosphere made the discomfort of such exclusivity less of an issue.


    But generally speaking, limited-time events were almost synonymous with ¡°forced spending¡± and were hardly what you¡¯d call a benefit. Holding a limited-time event less than a month after launch could accurately be described as ¡®unseemly.¡¯


    However...


    Ash tapped on the ¡°Bride ¡¤ Sword Maiden¡± in the event description, only to find that nothing popped up. The interface boasted event details, but not even thumbnails were present; there was no information on the new operators, not to mention no visual art for the new costumes¡ªjust plain text baiting for spending.


    It seemed the game system was indeed functioning, but not entirely¡ªinsufficient in every aspect but taking the lead in in-app purchases.


    Though he grumbled internally, Ash didn¡¯t hesitate to use all his Source Crystal savings on this limited-time pool.


    It had nothing to do with any Bride Sword Maiden; he simply wanted to acquire new operators.


    Wait, there was a ritual to perform before summoning...


    Ash went to wash his hands and then approached Igula: ¡°Let¡¯s play Rock-Paper-Scissors.¡±


    Igula, interrupted mid-thought, opened his mouth in confusion, his expression turning from bemusement to distaste and finally to resignation. His ability to manage his expressions was truly remarkable.


    In the end, Igula sulkily stretched out his hand, quickly won two out of three rounds against Ash, and disgustingly told him to bug off.


    Ash crawled back to his spot and lay down, choosing to draw!


    ¡°Confirm consumption of 93 Source Crystals for 31 searches?¡±


    ¡°Confirmed!¡±


    Eighteen beams of white light, all Energy Potions, Experience Potions, Basic Combat Cards, those that pollute the card pool. I¡¯ll use a refining bottle on the potions later.


    Nine beams of purple light, inside are three Technique Spirit Joy Potions, three bottles of Pure Spiritual Light Special Drink, one Intermediate Awakening Card, one new item ¡°Aurora Self-Driving Car (Luxury Lite Edition)¡±, and one pair of Training Gloves.


    And then, four beams of golden light!


    ¡°Black and White Witch¡±!


    ¡°Swimsuit Observer¡±!


    ¡°Apocalyptic Afternoon Observer¡±!


    ¡°Joyful Prince¡¯s Twenty-Sided Dice¡±!


    Snap!


    Suddenly, a sound echoed; Harvey and Igula looked over to find Ash repeatedly bashing the back of his head against the padded wall.


    Harvey, thoughtfully nodding, began to do the same.


    It felt surprisingly effective. Indeed, it seemed to be quite invigorating.


    Igula suddenly felt that compared to the sleepiness he couldn¡¯t shake off, being with these two, whose intelligence quotient must be on the level of adult Beastmen, might be more detrimental to his health and spirit.


    After thoroughly abusing the back of his head, Ash shifted his gaze back to the game screen. It¡¯s weird how people can be at times. Even though it¡¯s not their fault, they¡¯ll punish themselves subconsciously¡ªas if trying to counteract the torments of fate with purer agony, like.


    But when Ash saw ¡°Swimsuit Observer,¡± he wanted to smash the back of his head all over again.


    Are you kidding me? Not a single Sword Maiden outfit could be drawn, but I got all the Observer ones!? If I wanted Observer outfits, I could buy them myself. I¡¯m not just talking about costumes, crossdressing; moreover, I get to see the free Observer bath CG every day¡ªbut who the hell wants to see that!


    Forced In-app purchases, absolutely! They must have tweaked the draw rates in secret, just so players can¡¯t get ¡°Bride Sword Maiden¡±!


    True to my company, they¡¯ve got an uglier eating face than I could have imagined!


    No wonder they pay so high; it¡¯s all coming from this¡ªdespicable!


    When Ash¡¯s role switched from wage worker to player, he wished he could write a long diatribe criticizing his own company¡¯s ¡®seven deadly sins¡¯, although it wouldn¡¯t do much good. After grumbling for a while, Ash calmed down and checked the new items he got for his operatives:


    ¡°Training Gloves¡±: After equipping, operatives gain 15% more Experience Points during Fist Claw training.


    ¡°Intermediate Trial Card¡±: Gives the operative a trial that earns a moderate amount of experience and slightly increases bonds. Each operative can only use it once a week.


    ¡°Aurora Self-Driving Car (Luxury Lite Edition)¡±: A mode of transportation that can be used in the Void Realm, capable of being fitted with various functional accessories. Currently installed accessories: None.


    ¡°Pure Spirit Light Special Drink¡±: Every wise soul emits a bit of Pure Spirit Light when it dissipates. Consuming Pure Spirit Light greatly accelerates soul recovery and increases Magic Power absorption in the Void Realm by 5% for seven days. Who on earth or what kind of place could so easily collect a bottle of Pure Spirit Light Special Drink?


    Well, the gloves speak for themselves, and it¡¯s been a while since Ash won a Trial Card¡ªnow, he got an Intermediate one.


    Ash was delighted with this Pure Spirit Light Special Drink; if Sword Maiden had not miscalculated, their soul injuries might still need another two weeks for full recovery, but with this special drink, it could possibly be shortened to just two or three days.


    It was the last line of the effect description that felt odd to Ash, like this special drink was some sort of villain¡¯s stolen goods. But since it was not explicitly stated, Ash chose to ignore it¡ªnow wasn¡¯t the time to be squeamish.


    As for the self-driving car, it was undoubtedly a vehicle meant for the Time Continent.


    After all, the boat could only be used in the Sea of Knowledge, and Ash had been worried that after sneaking onto the Time Continent, they would have to travel on foot. Now with a vehicle, they could even outrun others.


    And this ¡°Luxury Lite Edition,¡± which currently only offers transport without any additional functional accessories, was really a ¡°Beggar¡¯s Edition!¡±


    Unlike the boat, cars are inherently large steel machines with lethal potential; Ash figured he might eventually get weapon accessories for the car, like heavy machine guns, rocket launchers, bulletproof glass, car-mounted saws, or even a Skill Card for the car to perform cool skills like ¡°Tornado Charge¡±...


    And then the new operative, ¡°Black and White Witch¡±!

 Chapter 203 - 178: Useless Ash

    Chapter 203: Chapter 178: Useless Ash


    ¡°Black and White Witch¡±


    ¡°Human Race¡¤Female¡¤19 Years Old¡±


    ¡°Bonds Level: 0 (30% Experience Shared)¡±


    ¡°Profession: Daughter of the Tower¡±


    ¡°Professional Characteristics: In the Tower, learning efficiency +15%¡±


    ¡°Innate Talent¡¤Witch (Mid Level): Gain an additional 150% Time Experience, low chance to gain 10,000% Time Experience, and it¡¯s easier to gain favor from the Bronze Dragon (Unlock higher Talent levels after power enhancement).¡±


    ¡°Personal Skill: Personality Split: The Black and White Witch can actively adjust her personality to adapt to different environments and even switch to specific combat personalities when facing different enemies. Insight +10, vital point determination +10, Critical Rate increases as the combat duration lengthens.¡±


    ¡°Silver Blessing: Witch¡¯s Taboo: Secrecy grants you power, concealment is your weapon. The fewer people in reality who know your true inner self, the stronger you become in the Void Realm. Currently, the Black and White Witch¡¯s concealment level is at 93% (unknown to all), gaining a 93% bonus to Magic Power recovery rate. (The Observer¡¯s observation is not included.)¡±


    ¡°Held Items: None¡±


    ¡°Controlled Spirit: Mask, Water Therapy, Claws...¡±


    ¡°Spirit Faction: Silver Level¡±


    ¡°Fist Claw Faction: Gold Level¡±


    ¡°Time Faction: Silver Level¡±


    ¡°Water Technique Faction: Silver Level¡±


    ¡°Training Strategy: Not Set¡±


    Faction Realm of Gold Level, and with a Silver Blessing, she¡¯s a Two-winged Operative!


    Ash fell into deep thought: Was it because he himself was a Two-winged Operative that the new operator he drew was also Two-winged? Or was the card draw random, and with good luck even a Four-winged Operative might emerge?


    The Black and White Witch possesses Water Therapy Technique Spirit and Silver Level Water Technique Faction, so she could serve as a half-healer. However, it¡¯s surprising that she mainly practices the Fist Claw Faction and also cultivates the Time Faction. Although it sounds impressive, Ash can¡¯t determine her exact role; it would be best to assign tactical positions after teaming up in the Void Realm.


    Of course, if the Black and White Witch could stop time, then Ash¡¯s tactical position would be as an attachment to her mighty thigh.


    Speaking of thighs, Ash glanced at the Black and White Witch¡¯s standing portrait; her attire featured a chessboard pattern skirt in black and white, one leg covered with a white stocking, the other with a black one... Hiss...


    ¡°Suggest Sword Maiden learn from this.jpg¡±


    Although he disliked it, Ash still looked at the newly acquired wardrobe, and to his surprise, there was an unexpected delight:


    ¡°Swimsuit¡¤Observer: Receive a +10% boost from Water Technique Faction effects (Limited to Void Realm, but wearing the same clothes in reality can also grant this boost).¡±


    ¡°Post-apocalyptic Afternoon¡¤Observer: When uninjured, Attack Power +3%.¡±


    Wardrobe can actually add attributes!


    Though the increases were small, it was still better than nothing. If possible, Ash wished he could give the swimsuit to the Sword Maiden, but it couldn¡¯t be exchanged.


    Even though the swimsuit provided a greater boost and the new operative also had a Water Technique Faction, Ash still equipped ¡°Post-apocalyptic Afternoon¡± for himself. The swimsuit was simply too embarrassing, and after years of his dignity being sustainably drained by the company, he retained just a sliver that he could not afford to waste on something like that.


    Besides, simply replicating the same clothing in reality could trigger the boost; no matter how you looked at it, the swimsuit couldn¡¯t be daily wear. Ash didn¡¯t want to bear the negative buff of ¡°a very high chance others think you¡¯re a pervert¡± just for a slight advantage.


    Compared to the swimsuit, ¡°Post-apocalyptic Afternoon¡± was much more normal, appearing to be a dark red gradient trench coat, which should be easy to acquire.


    Treating himself and the Sword Maiden to a bottle of Pure Spirit Light Special Drink, Ash saw the Observer¡¯s portrait immediately drink it, whereas the portrait of the Death Mad Sword Maiden bubbled up with a ¡°zzz¡± sleep icon, indicating that the action of drinking the potion would need to be postponed for five hours later.


    Finally, it was a special golden glowing item he had never seen before.


    ¡°Pleasure Prince¡¯s D20: A dice for leisure, hand-carved by the Pleasure Prince himself, using this dice for entertainment can garner a gift from the Pleasure Prince.


    In the training strategy schedule ¡®Entertainment,¡¯ at the end of each entertainment session, roll the D20. Depending on different factors like the entertainment item chosen, the number on the die, and the operative¡¯s mood, operatives can gain between 0% and 200% Magic Joy Experience (100% experience equals one professional training session).¡±


    ¡°Magic Joy Experience is not subject to any deduction, only receiving additional bonuses.¡±


    Ash understood at a glance¡ªthis item made the ¡®entertainment¡¯ option, which he would never choose in his training strategy, more practical. Previously, entertainment could only increase the meaningless value of operator mood, but now engaging in entertainment has a chance to earn a high amount of Magic Experience. Playing games could also make one stronger, reducing experience loss caused by operators indulging in fun.


    In simple terms, it was a useless item.


    After all, Ash would never arrange entertainment for the operators, even with this item.


    A careful calculation would show that entertainment costs 2 action points and could earn a maximum of 200% experience; however, training costs 1 action point and is guaranteed to provide 100% experience. Mathematically, it was evident that the return from 2 training sessions far outweighed 1 session of entertainment!


    As for the part where entertainment could improve an operator¡¯s mood... Even though the Sword Maiden often had complaints, under the influence of Ash¡¯s era-leading pep talks and support, she had gradually adapted to the intense training. This showed the strength of human adaptability, and that there was still space to explore her proactivity.


    Ash measured others by his own standard. When he started his job straight after graduation, he was working 997 to the max; slacking off was his only rest, but he still toughed it out, even beating others to promotions and pay rises, proving that entertainment was unnecessary.


    The tougher the experience, the more Ash thrived!


    The harder the operators worked, the faster the player¡¯s Ferrari!


    The more bricks one carries, the more the Observer swoons!


    Sword Maiden and Witch, keep it up!


    But the item¡¯s name actually included the Pleasure Prince, and if Ash wasn¡¯t mistaken, isn¡¯t the Pleasure Prince one of the avatars of The Gods of Four Pillars?


    This thought swirled in his head, then vanished like smoke¡ªwhether you are the king of heaven or the Pleasure Prince, once you¡¯re in my hands, you¡¯re mine, and once eaten, it¡¯s all nourishment!


    And then the Black and White Witch¡¯s training strategy... Ash paused here, remembering that the Sword Maiden¡¯s weekly training would end tomorrow.


    He thought it over and decided to set the Black and White Witch¡¯s training strategy tomorrow, combining the training cycles of the two operators, so that the weekly reports could be delivered at the same time.


    It wasn¡¯t exactly OCD, but aligning the training cycles for all operators felt much more comfortable¡ªokay, it was a slight OCD.


    There was also the ¡°Intermediate Trial Card¡±...


    In fact, the moderate amount of experience offered by the Trial Card was almost negligible for both of the Two-winged Operatives, but Ash valued the ¡®slight increase in Bond Level¡¯ aspect more.


    The Sword Maiden already had a Bonds Level of 3 with him, while the Black and White Witch was at 0.


    For the Sword Maiden, the Bond from the Trial Card was the equivalent of Ash taking her out for a meal and a stroll, at most maintaining the current relationship, far from enough to increase the Bond Level; but for the Black and White Witch, the Trial Card was like Ash introducing himself to her, breaking the ice, sharing a bit about their family backgrounds. It might not upgrade their Bond Level yet, but getting familiar with a few more encounters would be highly cost-effective.


    So, Ash chose to use the ¡°Intermediate Trial Card¡± on the Black and White Witch.


    Just as he closed the game interface, Ash felt as if a membrane in his mind had broken, and the drowsiness that had been teasing him without attacking suddenly overpowered him, and he quickly collapsed into a heap of exhaustion, falling asleep.


    After thirty seconds or so, the carriage door opened on the side.


    A young boy in deep blue housekeeper attire entered the carriage, his light blue hair and a gradation blue cloak flowing down his back, with bright eyes, white teeth, and a fair baby face suggesting he was no more than thirteen or fourteen years old.


    He turned the sleeping Igula over, touched Igula¡¯s forehead with his left hand, and with his right hand, a book appeared and he flipped it open, saying, ¡°Ranked second on the ¡®Azuma Spirit Faction List¡¯ and fifth on the ¡®Azuma Beauty List,¡¯ name is Igula Bokin.¡±


    ¡°Ah~ Does that mean that social butterfly Mildred got squeezed out of the Beauty List?¡± Someone laughed from outside, ¡°That¡¯s great, one less person to drag down my taste. Since it¡¯s high on both minor lists... Let¡¯s tentatively give her a 3-star character.¡±


    The boy nodded, went over to Harvey, touched his forehead, and said, ¡°Ranked first on the ¡®Azuma Necromancy List,¡¯ name is Archibald Harvey.¡±


    ¡°Necromancy, top of a minor list? Well, it¡¯s still first... also tentatively a 3-star.¡±


    The boy then rummaged through Ash, touching his forehead for quite a while.


    Someone from outside asked in wonder, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°He seems to... not be on any list.¡±


    ¡°Not on any list? Isn¡¯t he a Two-winged Mage? No presence on the comprehensive Mage List, the Killing List, the Creator¡¯s List, the Magic Faction List, none of the minor lists?¡±


    ¡°None.¡±


    ¡°Hmm... then let¡¯s make him a 0-star waste.¡±

 Chapter 204 - 179 Lissdia

    Chapter 204: Chapter 179 Lissdia


    When Ash was deemed irretrievable rubbish, in the bustling Imperial City of Nabistin far from them, there lay a succession of grand and solemn palaces. In the midst of these palaces, the most eye-catching was the soaring tower established on a central island within Yalan Lake, with white walls and blue roofs, orioles singing among verdant trees, and doves circling around. This building seemed as though it did not belong to this world but existed only in fairy tales.


    ¡°...and so, the brave knight defeated the fire-breathing evil dragon and found the beautiful Princess in the dragon¡¯s lair, and the two of them returned to the capital amid everyone¡¯s congratulations. The King presided over their wedding, and the knight and Princess lived happily ever after. A cause for celebration indeed, a cause for celebration,¡± the kindly old grandmother said with a smile, closing the picture book as the clock in the room rang its chimes and a cute cuckoo bird popped out to tell the time.


    ¡°Princess, the 12 o¡¯clock chimes have rung; it¡¯s time for you to sleep,¡± the old grandmother said softly as she gently pulled the blanket, as if afraid that this small action might harm the Princess lying in the bed.


    The Princess blinked her lovely light green eyes that sparkled like stars and emitted a dazzling light. She had skin as purely white as snow, lips as red as blood, and long, waterfall-like shiny black hair that spread out on the pillow like a fan.


    ¡°Grandmother Martha, when will an evil dragon come to snatch me away?¡±


    The old grandmother laughed and patted the Princess¡¯s head: ¡°The brave knights are protecting you from the outside, so the evil dragon can¡¯t come and take you, my dear Princess.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Won¡¯t the evil dragon be very disappointed?¡± The Princess looked a little worried. ¡°It wants to capture me so much, just as much as I want to see Nina... Grandmother Martha, when will Nina come to visit me?¡±


    ¡°Princess Nina is very busy. When she has some free time, she will surely come to visit the Princess.¡±


    The old grandmother turned off the bedside lamp and left the room quietly.


    The Princess lay in bed daydreaming. In her mind, she pictured what the evil dragon might look like: it would have four beautiful sharp horns, shimmering scales, and a mouthful of fierce but neatly arranged sharp teeth; its eyes as large as a half-body mirror¡ªI can see myself reflected in its pupils...


    When the Princess turned over, she was startled: right outside her window was a bronze dragon that perfectly matched her imagination, gently flapping its wings in the air, peering at her through the glass with its vertical pupil.


    The Princess got out of bed, lifting the covers. Wearing a pure white cotton pajama set and barefoot on the cold marble floor, she walked to the window to meet the gaze of the bronze dragon.


    ¡°Are you here to capture me?¡±


    The bronze dragon did not speak; it only looked at her quietly.


    But the Princess, as if she heard something, smiled broadly: ¡°Okay, I will go with you.¡±


    Compared to the knights who were always guarding beneath her tower, the Princess felt that the evil dragon before her seemed more like a hero come to save her¡ªshe would ride on the back of the evil dragon, soaring through the skies, looking down upon the magnificent earth, embarking on breathtaking adventures. This was precisely the life she had longed for.


    She carefully climbed over the window sill; the barrier that used to stop her appeared to have vanished in that instant. With her two cute, crystal-clear little feet gently swaying, she sat on the ledge and opened her arms to the bronze dragon: ¡°Thank you, evil dragon.¡±


    However, the knights below the tower were, in fact, guards.


    And the bronze dragon didn¡¯t exist in reality.


    But the Princess, she really did jump down.


    As a piercing whistle cut through the night sky, the entire Imperial Palace was alarmed. Palace Mages were urgently summoned, and the Three-winged Holy Sanctuary Mages flew directly to the top floor of the tower to conduct a carpet search, but still, nothing was found.


    ¡°Where is the Princess?¡±


    ¡°The Princess is gone!¡±


    ¡°Search quickly! Bring over the Prophet Mage!... No, ask the ¡®Gospel Book¡¯ for the Princess¡¯s location! No matter how many points, how much Gospel it takes, just use it!¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t work, the ¡®Gospel Book¡¯ isn¡¯t responding!¡±


    ¡°How is that possible...¡±


    The frantic trackers soon left the Princess¡¯s room, which they had turned upside down, and expanded their search to the entire Imperial City.


    Nobody noticed that an unwelcome guest had already appeared in the room, watching this drama unfold from the sidelines.


    He walked to the window, leaning his hands on the sill, and stuck his head out to overlook the magnificent, lit-up royal city below. Layers of curtains, like the aurora, gradually unfurled above the City, as thousands of ¡®Eagle Eye¡¯ drones took off everywhere. The ground glowed with laser-like patterns, all surveillance systems were fully activated, and within minutes, every corner of the City was checked, and all Space Miracles purified¡ªall to find the missing Princess.


    ¡°It did save me some trouble,¡± he said with a chuckle, supporting his chin, ¡°Educating the Sword Maiden sure took me quite a bit of ¡®time¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    A huffy voice suddenly came from behind. The Observer turned his head to look at the black-dressed girl standing by the bed. She had a breathtakingly beautiful face, skin pure white as snow, lips red as blood, with long, lustrous black hair.


    Unlike the serene and charming Princess who had just jumped down, she seemed furious, hands on hips, puffing up her cheeks as she glared at the Observer, as if she was about to charge at him like a swooping bird.


    ¡°Though I would like to say it¡¯s our first meeting, we¡¯ve already had a moment of eye contact,¡± the Observer said, spreading his hands, ¡°Pleased to meet you, Witch. I am the Final Observer, but you may call me Observer.¡±


    ¡°I am not a Witch!¡± She walked straight up to the Observer, poking his chest with her finger, ¡°I am Princess Lissdia, you may call me Princess Liss or Princess Diya. I¡¯ve never had such a strange title as Witch!¡±


    The Observer took a step back, asking, ¡°So, should I address you as Liss, or Diya?¡±


    The other party blinked, ¡°...Diya.¡±


    ¡°But I think Witch sounds nicer.¡± The Observer turned to look out towards the Imperial City, which was becoming increasingly busy, ¡°So, Witch, how does freedom feel?¡±


    ¡°Are you mocking me?¡± Diya grabbed the Observer by his collar and twisted him back around, nearly lifting him off his feet, ¡°Who on earth are you? How can you break through so many Barriers to enter the royal City, even into my tower? Without the aid of the Bronze Dragon, it would be impossible for me to leave this prison!¡±


    ¡°A Legendary Mage might possibly sneak in here, but that you can see me means you¡¯ve completely transcended the realm of mortals,¡± Diya said earnestly, ¡°I am not a soul, not a spirit, not Magic Power, but an illusion, a thought, a mood... Apart from Liss, no one else could possibly notice my presence. No one in this world can see me.¡±


    ¡°How can you see a thought?¡±


    Diya carefully examined the Observer¡¯s misty appearance, ¡°Are you the Divine Lord?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you.¡±


    Being held up by Diya, the Observer didn¡¯t get annoyed at all and calmly said, ¡°I am not a god, at least... not yet. On the contrary, I have come to request your help.¡±


    Diya tilted her head, ¡°What help?¡±


    ¡°Become my companion, accept my arrangements.¡±


    ¡°Should I take that as your declaration of enslavement?¡±


    ¡°I swear to defend your right to free imagination with my life.¡±


    ¡°Absurd.¡±


    Diya sharply pushed the Observer out of the window, and pure white hues radiated from her as the center, instantly turning the entire world into a vast expanse of white, leaving only the standing Diya and the falling Observer.


    The Observer¡¯s dark red coat gradually turned gray, his whole being froze there, as if time had become stagnant around him.


    ¡°Although I don¡¯t know who you are or how you can see me, since you can communicate with me, it means you are within my thoughts,¡± Diya said emphatically. ¡°Intruding into someone¡¯s mental realm is a very dangerous thing.¡±


    She put her hands together, ¡°Be shredded into pieces by countless moments, Observer!¡±


    As soon as Diya finished speaking, the Observer¡¯s body shattered like a mirror, breaking smaller and smaller until he turned into a puddle of sparkling sand.


    Hmph, is that all... Just as this thought surfaced in Diya¡¯s mind, suddenly, the sound of breaking came from all directions!


    Crack!


    Diya looked up to find that the pure white world she had created was now cracking like a shattered mirror! In each fragment of the world, the Observer¡¯s hazy and indistinct appearance emerged!


    Above and below, in all directions, boundless and omnipresent!


    ¡°Neither phantoms nor illusions, each one is the real me.¡±


    The voices of the Observers boomed like thunder, the resonance almost trembling Diya¡¯s figure, ¡°We come from a second ago, a nanosecond ago, one-millionth of a nanosecond ago... Instead of using time to kill, you should learn how to use time to survive.¡±


    ¡°It seems I can¡¯t save the energy I wanted to.¡±


    ...


    When Diya came back to her senses, she found herself sitting on the edge of her bed with the Observer still beside the windowsill as if nothing had happened.


    But Diya knew she had lost the mental confrontation just now, even within the realm of her own thoughts, and she had lost miserably. She couldn¡¯t describe the feeling¡ªher free thoughts had been defeated!


    She rolled across the bed and hid behind it to avoid the Observer¡¯s gaze like a startled rabbit, and cautiously asked, ¡°Does a being like you really need my help?¡±


    ¡°You seem to overestimate me a bit,¡± the Observer chuckled. ¡°I am actually just a distant longing, and if not for some special means, I would never be able to see you. My true self has just stepped onto the Time Continent without even a single Gold feather, my strength is even less than yours, having your help would make the exploration of the Void Realm much easier.¡±


    How is that possible... Diya didn¡¯t believe the Observer was only Two-winged, but she quickly caught on to the key phrase the Observer mentioned, ¡°Void Realm Exploration?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you will join my team for Void Realm Exploration, and together we¡¯ll make our way through the Time Continent,¡± the Observer nodded. ¡°But don¡¯t expect me to provide any information, you know more about the Void Realm and the Time Continent than I do.¡±


    To explore the Void Realm together? Diya subconsciously wanted to dismiss this absurd idea, but when she thought it over, compared to the Observer being able to see her, teaming up in the Void Realm seemed ordinary.


    The point was, the Observer had no reason to deceive her, a mere Two-winged Mage, even if she was the Two-winged Mage favored by the Bronze Dragon.


    However, if the Observer¡¯s strength really was lesser than hers, then that meant...


    ¡°Right,¡± the Observer suddenly seemed to recall something, ¡°I also have a Sword Master companion, we¡¯ve traveled the Sea of Knowledge together, slaying many enemies.¡±


    Diya suppressed the bold idea that had emerged in her mind, ¡°Do I have the right to refuse?¡±


    ¡°I also have a Sword Master companion, we¡¯ve traveled the Sea of Knowledge together, slaying many enemies,¡± the Observer repeated with a smile.


    She angrily pointed at the Observer and shouted, ¡°You¡¯re threatening me!¡±


    ¡°I prefer to call it persuasion,¡± the Observer tilted his head. ¡°But I swear to defend your right to free imagination with my life.¡±


    Diya seemed about to say something else, but suddenly her expression changed, and she quickly blurred and vanished.


    ¡°Not even a farewell, what an impolite Princess,¡± the Observer lazily sat on the dressing table chair, ¡°Just because she got caught by cult believers, what¡¯s there to be so nervous about? She should have known that the favor of the Bronze Dragon isn¡¯t so easy to endure.¡±


    ¡°Compared to her, she¡¯s really much more mischievous.¡±


    The Sword Maiden sat on the edge of the windowsill, her long silk legs swaying lightly in the air, her expression somewhat concerned, ¡°But she¡¯s too mischievous, I¡¯m more worried whether Ash can handle her.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    The Observer said with an amused smile, ¡°Isn¡¯t Sonia here too?¡±

 Chapter 205: 180: Four Pillars God Sect!

    Chapter 205: Chapter 180: Four Pillars God Sect!


    When Ash woke up, he saw Harvey and Igula eating sandwiches.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid they might be poisoned?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll just take yours¡ª¡±


    ¡°What I meant was you should have woken me up to help you test for poison.¡± Ash quickly picked up the last sandwich and licked it to claim ownership, which Igula watched with a look of disgust.


    ¡°How long did we sleep just now?¡±


    Ash opened the game interface. ¡°It¡¯s 2 a.m. now, and we slept for less than an hour.¡±


    Igula muttered, ¡°That means we have to stay here for the whole next day...¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s only a 6-hour journey left, there¡¯s no need to provide us with food. We are both injured and sleep-deprived. If we stop eating for a day, there¡¯s a risk of sudden death, so they specifically provided us with food.¡±


    The little bit of sandwich couldn¡¯t satiate his hunger; it only made Ash hungrier. He tapped at the padded walls, melancholically saying, ¡°Are we going to end up in prison again? I¡¯m really starting to doubt whether the title of the Mage¡¯s Handbook after my death would be, ¡®Popular Prisons Review¡¯...¡±


    ¡°Going to prison would already be a good outcome.¡± Igula said somberly, ¡°What I¡¯m most afraid of now is if they have a slave society, where Mages form the slave owner class, and ordinary people are all the slaves of Mages. Coupled with the technological systems of Mages, they forcefully push the slave society to the level of a near-modern developed country...¡±


    Harvey asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t being a slave better than being a prisoner?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, the biggest problem with a slave society is that it¡¯s governed by people, not by law. When conflicts of interest arise, the first thought of slave owners isn¡¯t to solve the problem, but to eliminate the person causing it. They cherish violence, place extreme importance on blood relations, strongly exclude and discriminate against outsiders. Everyone¡¯s social status is assigned from the day they¡¯re born, with absolutely no possibility of class mobility,¡± Igula responded distastefully. ¡°Even some feudal superstitions are better than a slave system.¡±


    Harvey chuckled, ¡°Then we really did escape from the Kingdom of Blood Moon to an even worse country. Ah, when you think about it the Kingdom of Blood Moon wasn¡¯t that bad. If the Church had allowed ordinary people to study Necromancy, I wouldn¡¯t have even bothered to escape. Unfortunately, I had no conditions for schooling initially and later couldn¡¯t pass to become a Blood Saint or gain the right to study in the Necromancy Faction...¡±


    ¡°Maybe it isn¡¯t a slave society.¡± Ash stuck out his tongue and licked the water inside his bottle. ¡°Maybe this place is more advanced than the Kingdom of Blood Moon and doesn¡¯t persecute refugees from other countries¡ª¡±


    ¡°What kind of advanced civilization produces professional prisoner transport vehicles like this?¡± Igula patted the padded back. ¡°Harvey, how would you transport someone if you needed to capture them?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡±


    ¡°Although I do know...¡± Harvey grumbled, ¡°I have a friend, really, just a friend. If it were me, I¡¯d turn the person into a corpse and let them run back on their own... My friend usually uses drugs and Technique Spirit hypnosis to make the target pass out, and after tying them up, throws them directly into a small van to transport them away.¡±


    ¡°Would there be companies producing this type of cabin in Blood Moon?¡±


    ¡°Impossible, the closest thing there would be RVs, but the business of capturing people is considered economically low-valued in our society, so it¡¯s unlikely that cabins would be specially customized for such a minor business.¡±


    Igula looked at Ash. ¡°So, leader of the sect, do you get it now? The existence of such cabins signifies that the main business of the people owning them is likely capturing slaves. If there¡¯s a slave capturing team, then naturally there¡¯s a slave system...¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Ash raised his hand, ¡°Couldn¡¯t they just be human traffickers?¡±


    ¡°Human traffickers are also a type of slave owner¡ª¡±


    ¡°They could also be traffickers of kidnapped children.¡±


    ¡°Kidnapped children?¡± Igula and Harvey both showed puzzled expressions. ¡°Why would anyone kidnap children? Who would buy them? What for?¡±


    It was only then that Ash remembered that family structures had also dissolved in the Kingdom of Blood Moon. With no buyers, naturally, there would be no traffickers. It took him some effort to describe this vile industry, but Igula and Harvey still couldn¡¯t grasp it¡ªmuch like describing the joys of fitness to an overweight person who never exercises.


    Even though they had escaped from the Kingdom of Blood Moon, the culture of Blood Moon was still deeply engrained in their souls. They found it hard to comprehend that there are people who would go to great lengths to have offspring, even if it meant indulging in a sinful industry¡ªbecause in their worldview, offspring might be closer than others, but they¡¯re ultimately ¡®others,¡¯ not ¡®themselves.¡¯


    In a way, the Kingdom of Blood Moon hadn¡¯t deliberately erased their emotions, but rather catalyzed one of their logical thinking modes to perfection¡ªwhen selfishness became their highest principle, the emotional expenditure necessary became difficult to understand.


    This was also why Ash always maintained vigilance towards them, not merely because they were death row inmates, but because the education in Blood Moon set their moral standards extremely low, so low that they could even be compared to that project manager who had Ash wake up at three in the morning to rush a PPT.


    Humans are indeed greatly limited beings, incapable of understanding things they have never seen. Only after witnessing enough, can one comprehend all the truths of the world...

 Chapter 206: 180: Four Pillars God Sect!_2

    Chapter 206: Chapter 180: Four Pillars God Sect!_2


    Ash suddenly had a bizarre thought but shook his head to suppress the sudden chuunibyou impulse and said, ¡°Even if it really is a slave-hunting team, that would at least ensure our safety, and the identity of a slave would help us quickly understand this world. We can always become runaway slaves, after all, we¡¯re escapees from prison. When it comes to running away, we¡¯re professionals.¡±


    Igula looked at Ash with some surprise and didn¡¯t speak for a while, making Ash feel uncomfortable: ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°In prison, I had a faint feeling,¡± Igula said. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s ignorance that breeds fearlessness or if it¡¯s the blind confidence cultivated from leading a dark cult, but it seems you have never feared the malice of fate.¡±


    ¡°After all, it wasn¡¯t easy for us to escape from the Kingdom of Blood Moon, only to be caught again. Even I can¡¯t help but want to swear at the world, while you¡¯re like a fish with only a seven-second memory, immediately starting to think ¡®how to make use of this identity as a slave.''¡±


    ¡°Do you have any ace up your sleeve that you¡¯re so confident about?¡±


    Ace? Does the Black and White Witch I just drew count?


    Ash scratched his head: ¡°Isn¡¯t that just a normal psychological quality? Like when you¡¯re about to leave work for home and your boss suddenly gives you a new task, demanding it be done by morning, after cursing inside don¡¯t you just have to order takeout and honestly work overtime?¡±


    Harvey said, ¡°I think most people wouldn¡¯t equate working overtime with being captured by a slave-hunting team... Continue.¡±


    Ash and Igula caught what Harvey threw them¡ªSnow White brand moon candy.


    ¡°When we get off the vehicle, it¡¯s when we are at our weakest and when they are at their most relaxed,¡± Harvey calmly said. ¡°This thing can forcibly excite your spirit, overcome the fatigue of sleeplessness, and even hasten the recovery of magic power.¡±


    ¡°After leaving the Kingdom of Blood Moon, you won¡¯t have a place to buy moon candy,¡± Igula said. ¡°Physical addiction to sugar can be curbed with a Technique Spirit, but I¡¯ve never heard of anyone being able to quit a psychological addiction to it. In Shattered Lake Prison, too many condemned criminals exhausted their own contributions just to buy moon candy.¡±


    ¡°There should be similar drugs in this country.¡± Harvey patted the padded wall. ¡°The more advanced the country is, the more popular the drugs are that fill the void. All races have a self-destructive tendency, and when survival is no longer a pressure, they seek activities that are more dangerous but also more pleasurable.¡±


    ¡°The strange conclusions of a necromancer,¡± Igula put it away. ¡°I¡¯ll take it, I won¡¯t eat it, but I will cooperate with you.¡±


    ¡°Same here,¡± Ash said, also uninterested in challenging his resistance to poison, but after contemplating, he still put it in his bag¡ªit could be considered for the substitute to try and see the substitute¡¯s reaction.


    Thinking of the substitute first when having something tasty, truly worthy of me.jpg


    ...


    After a long journey, at 6 p.m. Kingdom of Blood Moon time, Igula finally felt the carriage stop. The three weary individuals exchanged glances, knowing the first major challenge was about to come. Harvey silently ate a moon candy, and his vitality was instantly revitalized.


    The carriage opened its side door, ¡°Come out, the three of you.¡±


    It was then that Ash suddenly realized he could understand the language of this country, although with a strange accent, somewhat between Cantonese and Mandarin, but if he listened carefully, he could still understand.


    Even the same language could have different accents in different cities, so it was normal for them to have an accent. But they had crossed over to another country, yet the basic language was still common?


    Stepping out of the carriage, what came into view was a sky partially covered by a setting sun and partially by a starry sky, as well as a place that looked like an abandoned industrial park¡ªan image hard to find in the Kingdom of Blood Moon, where the Blood Moon was always eager to declare its presence before the sun had even set.


    As they expected, the vehicle that transported them was quite advanced, silvery white all over. Despite still having four wheels, the tires incredibly lacked the enlarged friction patterns that prevent skidding; it seemed that any sudden stop could cause a drift for tens of meters. It was impossible to imagine how it was driven; it looked like a concept car that only existed in fantasies.


    This was a nation with significantly advanced mage technology, at least more advanced than the Kingdom of Blood Moon.


    Upon seeing this vehicle which could represent the crystallization of industrial production, the three of them came to this conclusion simultaneously.


    ¡°These three are the people from the exotic realm you need, you can check with the Gospel Book.¡±


    Standing in front of Ash were two rather ordinary people: a naive-looking young housekeeper and a stunningly beautiful, green-eyed girl with purple hair.


    The latter held an elegant orange velour folding fan and wore a purple coat; upon seeing her, Ash immediately thought of a description often seen in juicy gossip news: She stole the spotlight!


    Ash subconsciously glanced at Igula¡ªthe girl¡¯s beauty was almost on par with Igula!


    And because Ash was more familiar with Igula, the saying ¡®the grass is greener on the other side¡¯ applied, so the unfamiliar girl¡¯s attractiveness scored extra points in Ash¡¯s mind, decisively outshining Igula.


    From Ash¡¯s point of view, these two were far from ordinary. But compared to another group of people, they indeed seemed quite unremarkable¡ªsix black-robed figures sinisterly staring at Ash and his companions.


    ¡°It¡¯s confirmed, they are from the exotic realm,¡± the leader of the black-robed figures nodded. ¡°We mustn¡¯t delay; proceed with the transaction.¡±


    The middle-aged housekeeper stepped forward with three keys resembling controllers, and the black-robed figures also produced a box. Harvey lowered his eyelids, as if readying himself for some action.


    But until the transaction was over, none of the three of them acted rashly.


    Because the purple-coated girl was smiling by their side the whole time.


    Ash¡¯s ¡®beast instinct¡¯ was triggered; it was clear that this girl in purple was more of a beast than Ash, making his subconscious start to fear.


    The housekeeper handed the box to the girl in purple, she opened it to take out an octahedral amethyst with an internal light source that radiated a warm and friendly glow, making the girl in purple even more dazzling and raising her beauty level to the point where it trounced Igula.


    ¡°The transaction is complete.¡± The girl in purple and the young housekeeper stepped aside, ¡°Then, these three are now in the care of the Four Pillars God Sect.¡±


    The Four Pillars God Sect?


    The Four Pillars God Sect!


    Harvey and Igula instantly turned to glare at Ash, who was also dumbfounded¡ªhe did hear the word Four Pillars God Sect in his drowsy state before passing out, but the speaker had a heavy accent, and he was groggy, so he thought he had misheard.


    Before Ash could react, the black-robed figures unleashed dozens of chains from their sleeves to bind the three of them tightly and stuffed them into prepared body bags, tossing them into their vehicle.


    He turned to the girl in purple and said, ¡°Then we will return to start the ritual, and we look forward to further cooperation with the Funeral Service Office.¡±


    The girl in purple nodded slightly: ¡°Ranked ninth on the Azura Task List, the Funeral Service Office is always ready for your commission.¡±

 Chapter 207: 181: Eternal Damnation and the Final Observer

    Chapter 207: Chapter 181: Eternal Damnation and the Final Observer


    ¡°Oh great Eternal Damnation, Selena Bright! The good follows you, the evil admires you! The light yearns for you, the darkness also hopes for you! You are a being that transcends all, the color that God painted over everything!¡±


    When Ash climbed out of the body bag, he saw countless black-robed believers kneeling on the ground, their faces pressed against the floor, zealously singing hymns. These familiar praises almost triggered Ash¡¯s post-trauma stress disorder.


    Could it be that these hymns are actually a standardized version used worldwide?!


    ¡°I¡¯m really starting to suspect that we¡¯re in this mess because of you, Ash...¡± came the mournful voice of Harvey next to him, followed quickly by a muffled groan as a black-robed believer stepped on Harvey¡¯s left arm, flattening it ¡ª not that the believer was particularly forceful, but because Harvey was missing a bone in that arm.


    In the previous night¡¯s sniping encounter with Gersas, everyone was in a dire situation: Ash had to stop, Lanna and Ronald covered each other, and Igula lost a large chunk of flesh that hadn¡¯t healed yet. Harvey had it the easiest; he threw a bone into the air, and the gun bullet, aimed at him, somehow shifted to the bone, seemingly causing no harm to the Necromancer.


    However, during the long car ride that lasted for hours, Ash had already noticed Harvey¡¯s left hand was almost completely unusable, he couldn¡¯t even lift it. Now it was clear that Harvey was probably the most injured among them ¡ª Igula could regenerate his flesh, but Harvey couldn¡¯t regrow a bone just using his healing abilities.


    There was probably a Miracle in the Necromancy Faction for bone restoration, but as soon as Harvey had passed through the gateway, he was put in a dog collar and didn¡¯t have time to regrow a new bone for his arm, like discovering there was no toilet paper after using the restroom and just using fingers, only to find out the water had been cut off upon emerging.


    The black-robed stranger¡¯s chain once again entwined around the three of them like tentacles, lifting them up, and at that point, Ash was finally able to observe their surroundings ¡ª such a familiar underground hall!


    It was immensely tall, around ten meters, and the underground hall, the size of two football fields, appeared bright yet ancient under the glow of densely suspended lights. The walls were extremely smooth, covered in bizarre, colorful murals depicting lines of people queuing up for slaughter, six pairs of men and women entwined in a strange collective posture mating, hundreds of people slitting their throats to fill pools with fresh blood, and various race creatures in stages of decay.


    Logically, such vibrant colors combined with starkly perverse content should disturb or shock anyone, yet after glancing once, Ash didn¡¯t feel disgust, nor did he like it; he merely appreciated it as a normal piece of art.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look, it¡¯s poisonous,¡± Igula whispered softly nearby. Ash quickly came back to his senses ¡ª by the time he could accept this bizarre aesthetic and even regard it as normal art, he had been subtly corrupted.


    Only Igula could detect his own oddness, as he truly possessed a set of professional aesthetics, unlike Harvey and Ash, who lacked artistic appreciation and could even admire the shapes of their own excrement after defecation.


    The chains on Ash and his companions jolted them forward, as the black-robed figure signaled them to proceed. Ahead of Ash was a narrow stone path over the water; this underground hall surprisingly had a pond, and on either side of the stone path were four statues: a heroic general, an elegant middle-aged scholar, a benevolent old man, and a pure young girl.


    They obediently walked over the stone path, and the believers who had been singing hymns just now suddenly stopped, kneeling quietly on the ground, leaving only the sound of their footsteps echoing in the underground hall.


    As they approached the towering Silver Throne, the chain behind them suddenly jerked, forcing them also to kneel down.


    ¡°Are you the people from the Exotic Realm?¡±


    A sweet and naive voice came from the Silver Throne behind them. They looked up as the Silver Throne smoothly turned around, and the shock was visible on the faces of Ash and his companions.


    On the Silver Throne sat a petite little girl who seemed to be under ten years old, with silver-white hair tinged with a strand of burgundy, giving her hair a more layered look. She wore a charming black and white gothic dress, looking just like a delicate doll.


    However, she had no hands or feet.


    She seemed like a doll that had its clothes put on but hadn¡¯t had its limbs attached yet, placed on the Silver Throne as decoration.


    The Silver Throne featured two extending mechanical arms, the right holding a steaming beverage, the left holding a thin comic book, as she appeared to enjoy her afternoon tea while reading comics.


    ¡°Yes, Eternal Damnation,¡± said the black-robed follower, kneeling. ¡°It has been confirmed with the ¡®Gospel Book¡¯ that they are indeed people from the Exotic Realm.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve done well,¡± said the little girl. ¡°Then bring the other sacrifices as well; the ritual begins immediately, The Gods of Four Pillars can hardly wait!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    A frenzy of fervor swiftly swept across the entire underground hall, even causing the suspended lights to burn more fiercely, and the three chained prisoners, unable to break free, could only watch helplessly as the executioners sharpened their knives!


    ¡°Ash!¡±


    ¡°Ash...¡±


    Harvey and Igula both sent strong signals, and Ash, with a pained expression, knew they definitely saw him as a lifeline.


    After all, in their eyes, you are the cult leader of the Gods of Four Pillars, and this is the sect of the Gods of Four Pillars. Can there really be two different groups of the Gods of Four Pillars?


    It¡¯s like a temple swept by a flood or Blood Saint¡¯s tomb being excavated; family not recognizing family! You better get up there and recognize your lineage, gloriously return to the local branch of the Sect of the Gods of Four Pillars as a scholar of Blood Return, and then hurry to rescue us. If worse comes to worst, we¡¯ll also believe in the Gods of Four Pillars and join you in some heinous deeds, but first, let¡¯s focus on surviving.


    But Ash knew his own circumstances; Heath might really be some cult leader, but he certainly was not!


    The Gods of Four Pillars might recognize him, but he didn¡¯t recognize the Gods of Four Pillars!


    Ash only knew about the Gods of Four Pillars from the news; Crime Hunting Hall knew more about the Gods of Four Pillars than he did. Ash never acted as a cult leader for even a day; he couldn¡¯t even be considered a fake or inferior cult leader, at most just a cloud cult leader.


    Ash indeed wanted to get closer to the local cult leader, but he didn¡¯t understand the doctrines of the Sect of the Gods of Four Pillars and had no idea where to start. Could he convince the other party that he was a fellow cult member with just his words alone? Not everyone is as foolish as Freyja!


    Moreover, although Ash barely remembered the scenes from when he first crossed over, he was very sure that the Blood Moon branch, whether in terms of the number of believers, size of the base, or the imposing manner of the leader, was far less impressive than this branch.


    Even if both branches belonged to the Sect of the Gods of Four Pillars, it was uncertain if Eternal Damnation would be willing to embrace a poor relative from the countryside. Perhaps they would instead think, ¡®You¡¯re a branch leader? Then we need to deal with you seriously,¡¯ and then deploy eighteen types of torture instruments in rotation to serve Ash, letting the Gods of Four Pillars know they definitely did not mistreat the leader of a brother unit, sending Ash off properly.


    But to simply sit back and wait for death would undoubtedly be very foolish, so Ash mustered his courage, lifted his head, and said, ¡°Um, hello.¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡± Eternal Damnation was very polite, looking down at Ash, ¡°Can I help you with something?¡±


    Ash decided to reveal his cult reputation and title: ¡°I am the Final Observer, Ash Heath.¡±


    ¡°I am Eternal Damnation, Selena Bright.¡± She looked at Igula and Harvey, ¡°Would you like to introduce yourselves as well?¡±


    ¡°No, what I mean is, I too am a believer of the Sect of the Gods of Four Pillars.¡± Ash said cautiously, ¡°I am the leader of the Kingdom of Blood Moon branch of the Sect of Gods of the Four Pillars; the Kingdom of Blood Moon is our realm of origin.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± She seemed a bit surprised, looking at Ash: ¡°But you seem like a good person.¡±


    Ash¡¯s face turned red with irritation ¨C in everyone else¡¯s eyes he was an utterly wicked cult leader, and despite hundreds of explanations, no one believed he was a good person; yet, in the presence of the cult leader, when he said he was a fellow cult member, the other party actually thought he was a good person.


    Damn, this world should leave some room for survival, shouldn¡¯t it? When it was bad to be a cult leader, he was recognized as a cult leader, when it was bad to be a good person, he was recognized as a good person, not even his company¡¯s boss had such double standards!


    Ash tried to speak in an even tone: ¡°No, I truly am a branch leader of the Sect of the Gods of Four Pillars, I¡¯m very wicked. I¡¯ve been accused by the authorities of involvement in multiple cases of kidnapping, murder, robbery, and other violent crimes, and sentenced to the maximum penalty. I barely managed to escape from prison, but there¡¯s no place for me in Blood Moon anymore, which is why I left Blood Moon and came here.¡±


    Eternal Damnation tilted her head slightly, her brows forming a cute arc: ¡°Then prove it to me.¡±


    ¡°Prove?¡±


    A mechanical arm pulled a dagger from beneath her skirt and threw it on the ground in front of Ash. The chains on Ash suddenly vanished, though he still wore a collar, but he could now move freely.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what they are to you, but if you are favored by the Gods of Four Pillars, then in your eyes, they should also qualify to be offered to the Gods of Four Pillars as sacrifices.¡± Eternal Damnation calmly said: ¡°Torture them as much as you can, devastate them, instill them with despair, afflict them with pain, but do not kill them.¡±


    ¡°This should be as simple for you as dressing and eating, Final Observer, right?¡±

 Chapter 208 - 208 182 You Are Not the Final Observer

    ?Chapter 208: Chapter 182: You Are Not the Final Observer Chapter 208: Chapter 182: You Are Not the Final Observer Igula looked at the dagger planted in front of Ash, his parched lips quivered slightly, and the long-lost sensation of fear gnawed at his heart like a wolf.


    ¡°Am I also afraid of death? Am I just a mere man after all? Am I just an unqualified Swindler?¡± he thought to himself.


    Fear is the cold-hearted Meiwa, and composure is the Swindler¡¯s lifeline. When composure is drained by fear, it signifies the end of the Swindler¡¯s life.


    Igula had forgotten when he last felt fear. When he successfully swindled his first lollipop from the foster home kids, or when he maliciously accused other children to the orphanage director, it was as if he lost the sensation of fear completely.


    After delving into the Spirit Faction, Igula believed he was a natural-born antisocial personality. Not becoming a Swindler would have been a waste of his journey to this world. Toying with human nature wasn¡¯t just for profit, it was for survival¡ªhe was the kind of person who could only live in the shadows, incapable of living without engaging in deceit.


    The unique social environment and regional advantages of the Kingdom of Blood Moon facilitated a smooth path in his career. Even being captured by the Crime Hunting Hall, a minor setback like that didn¡¯t instill fear in Igula. Instead, he saw it as a form of professional training¡ªalthough the prisoners of Shattered Lake Prison were a bit harder to deceive, it only fueled Igula¡¯s passion for the challenge.


    Igula had never feared the vicissitudes of fate. He had faced more dangerous predicaments in the past. Being surrounded by the hitmen of organizations, having a Hand Cannon pressed against his head, and even being threatened to cut off his ¡°charm¡±. None of it had scared him at all.


    Because the first person a Swindler deceives is themselves.


    If a Swindler doesn¡¯t believe they are immortal, how dare they deceive others? If a Swindler doesn¡¯t believe their next sentence could turn the situation around, how could they possibly deceive others?


    So Igula couldn¡¯t understand why he should be afraid.


    He wasn¡¯t in any real danger.


    He still had one of Ash¡¯s wishes in his hand.


    With just one command, Ash wouldn¡¯t be able to harm him in the slightest.


    Ash would probably go after Harvey first, Igula thought.


    As for the possibility of Ash rejecting this invitation, Igula hadn¡¯t considered it for a second¡ªAsh had no reason not to attack them, just as Meiwa couldn¡¯t refuse a Beastman that presented itself.


    For them, a band of escapees from Shattered Lake Prison, mutual slaughter was merely a form of greeting. They would fabricate opportunities to betray even when none existed; if an opportunity arose, they would undoubtedly dig each other¡¯s graves even deeper.


    Their relationships were purely about using each other, devoid of any leniency.


    Strangely enough, although there should have been no conflicts of interest among them after a successful escape, Igula remained deeply wary of the others, trusting strangers more than his former prison comrades.


    They were the same kind of people who couldn¡¯t coexist peacefully; if forced to work together, death would become inevitable.


    Igula had also pondered why he harbored killing intent towards his fellow escapees.


    To erase the past? The Crime Hunting Hall still had a massive file on him.


    To protect secrets? Having left Blood Moon, the secrets of either Harvey or Igula held no significance.


    To protect himself?


    Yes, that was it. It was indeed to protect himself. Because Igula realized, no matter how much he didn¡¯t want to believe or stay vigilant, when the time came, he would still choose to cooperate with Harvey and Ash. And both Harvey and Ash were familiar with his way of fighting. It was as if they had become... mutually dependent companions.


    Dependency is the most dangerous of knives, handed over to the companion behind your back. ¡ª ¡°Ansu Fable¡¤Companion¡¤Concluding Summary¡±


    Being open about oneself is foolishness, relying on others is a disgrace, having companions equates to a countdown to betrayal. Under different circumstances, in another place, Igula might have risked getting to know this group of companions, but they had met as death row inmates in prison¡ªcompanions picked from the trash, would you dare to have them?


    Igula didn¡¯t dare, and he knew that Harvey and Ash didn¡¯t dare either.


    Since none could become companions, yet were forced into an unspoken agreement of companionship, they could only become enemies.


    This is how Blood Moonians deal with others¡ªothers will always be others, never one of their own.


    As long as you betray others first, you will not be betrayed; such is the law of selfishness.


    So, when Igula saw Ash draw that small knife without a moment¡¯s hesitation, there was not a trace of surprise in his heart. What caught Igula off guard, however, was that Ash did not head towards Harvey, but looked at him instead.


    A thought flashed through Igula¡¯s mind, and he immediately understood Ash¡¯s intention¡ªhe wanted to force himself to use a wish, then deal with Harvey, so that the Swindler would no longer be able to deter the ex-cult leader.


    Truly, it was you... the abominable enemy who could suppress me from start to finish...


    You really are the cult leader who brings misfortune to others, and I¡¯m merely one of your victims.


    It was all within expectations, and Igula felt no anger.


    But for some reason, he felt a tinge of disappointment.


    Ash squatted in front of him, lifted his chin, and pressed the dagger to his dust-covered face. Looking at Ash, Igula suddenly had a new idea¡ªsince he was going to die anyway, instead of using his wish to protect his last bit of dignity before death, why not drag Ash down with him, be buried together in the Void Realm, and become phantoms of the past?


    If I can¡¯t survive, then I needn¡¯t worry about your life or death.


    Or perhaps... use a wish directly and have you kill me, sparing my agony and granting you your rebirth?


    While Igula¡¯s emotions surged, Ash stopped and looked towards Eternal Damnation, asking, ¡°Can you guarantee that you¡¯ll let me go after I do this?¡±


    ¡°If you can truly prove your loyalty to The Gods of Four Pillars,¡± said Eternal Damnation, ¡°then naturally, you will receive the treatment you deserve.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re avoiding the question with empty talk,¡± Ash said. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s have it in writing. I brought Miracle Contract paper. With the assurance from the Void Realm, I¡¯ll believe you.¡±


    Eternal Damnation looked at him, a strange smile playing on her lips, as winds seemed to rise around the Silver Throne, gently fluttering her skirt.


    Snap!


    Suddenly, there was a loud noise, and the chains of the suspended plate above Ash¡¯s head broke. Although Ash instantly threw his dagger at Eternal Damnation, he was also struck hard on the back by the falling suspended plate, writhing on the ground in pain like a curled-up shrimp.


    The dagger was deflected by an invisible current, narrowly missing Eternal Damnation¡¯s plump and adorable cheek by just a hair¡¯s breadth.


    The mechanical arm tucked the dagger back into her skirt, and she motioned to a robed figure to use a Miracle to tie Ash up, leisurely stating, ¡°As expected, my judgment was correct; you are not a Believer of The Gods of Four Pillars, nor are you the Final Observer.¡±


    ¡°You are just Ash Heath.¡±

 Chapter 209 - 209 183 Sacrifice All Heretics

    ?Chapter 209: Chapter 183: Sacrifice All Heretics! Chapter 209: Chapter 183: Sacrifice All Heretics! ¡°You are just Ash Heath.¡±


    How come this name sounds like a curse now?


    Name: Ash Heath, Gender: Ash Heath, Crime: Ash Heath?


    Ash, filthy and grimy, was tied up and lying on the ground, the pain in his back surged like a tide, so painful he could only whimper, having no energy to refute the words of Eternal Damnation.


    The necromancer next to him said sympathetically, ¡°So it was true when you said you were framed before, Ash. I thought it was just one of your cold jokes, back then I even thought the leader of the Four Pillars God Sect had a sense of humor.¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯s just stupid,¡± Igula coldly remarked, ¡°You still can¡¯t see the situation clearly at this point, your life is in their hands and yet you dare to bargain. Would a lumberjack fear a tree because the handle of his axe is made of wood?¡±


    ¡°All you can do is flatter and please, to make yourself another axe for them, yet you act like a cockroach trying to jump onto their face. It¡¯s a miracle they didn¡¯t squash you on the spot. Love it or leave it; they don¡¯t lack for foreign laborers. Even children in the orphanage know to bow their heads and take the job at times like these, only you would ask about salary and a labor contract...¡±


    Harvey initially wanted to argue in defense of Ash, but noticing Ash just glared resentfully at Igula muttering curses only he could hear, Harvey prudently chose to keep quiet. Ash was injured and needed a distraction, Igula¡¯s provocation perfectly inflamed his emotions, making him forget his physical pain.


    However, Harvey felt that Igula¡¯s scolding was odd¡ªif Ash had really acted on the words of Eternal Damnation, the ones screaming now would be him and Igula. Why was Igula taunting with a tone of frustrated expectations as if he wished Ash would survive by stepping over their corpses?


    ¡°Oooh... ...¡±


    ¡°Let go of me, Daddy, Mommy¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oooh, oooooh, waah! I want Mommy, Mommy!¡±


    The shrill and noisy voices of children filled the hall, Harvey and Igula both showed expressions of distaste. It wasn¡¯t that they disliked the Divine Sect harming children, but they were annoyed by the noise of the children¡ªBlood Moonians had very low tolerance for young annoyances.


    After listening for a while, Igula suddenly asked in a low voice, ¡°Why are they all calling for Daddy and Mommy, are they heroes here?¡±


    Watching Igula and Harvey ask such a question like illiterates, Ash almost wanted to laugh.


    Though it was also his first time hearing the parental titles of this nation, from the tone alone Ash knew who they were calling for, as parental titles were those most common syllables.


    ¡°Yes, just by saying those words, Mommy and Daddy would sacrifice their lives for you.¡±


    Harvey became serious, ¡°We aren¡¯t from this nation, will Mommy and Daddy protect us too?¡±


    Ash wanted to continue teasing them, but for some reason suddenly felt dispirited and did not answer. The crying children were brought around them, also bound by the Miracle Chains, their cries thunderous¡ªsome sobbing quietly, others bawling. Each one was a delicate young child, not as tall as a wheel, almost the same size as Eternal Damnation on the Silver Throne.


    ¡°Do children have value as sacrifices...?¡± Igula quietly asked.


    ¡°Within the Four Pillars God Sect, children symbolize ¡®purity.¡¯ Only children, yet untouched by societal corruptions, can harbor pure evil, pure goodness, pure hatred, pure joy, like flawless gemstones,¡± Ash recalled Heath¡¯s criminal record and his expression turned grim, ¡°They are not the best sacrifices, but they are the easiest to find.¡±


    ¡°Hey, look at that girl,¡± Harvey suddenly said.


    Ash looked over and saw a very cute, delicate girl with white hair, thinking that Harvey had become somewhat normal, although still a bit creepy, but at least his focus was on someone alive.


    However, he quickly understood Harvey¡¯s point¡ªthe white-haired girl was too calm.


    She wasn¡¯t crying nor was she petrified; instead, she was calmly observing her surroundings. Noticing the gazes of the three villains, she blinked and instantly put on a pitiable and adorable expression, invoking a strong protective instinct in others, as if she was hoping for a hero to rescue her from danger.


    ¡°Drama queen,¡± Igula disdainfully provided the accurate assessment, with both Harvey and Ash quite disappointed¡ªthey had thought that the little girl had some tricks up her sleeve given her composure, only to find out she was just acting cute.


    During their conversation, the robed believers cleared a large space in the middle for them, and the suspended plate directly above them suddenly thundered, releasing four rivers of flame that spiraled around them, forming four concentric circles. The blazing Fire Ring isolated them from the outside world.


    Ancient and strange hymns echoed in the underground hall:


    ¡°Billions of splendors, billions of incarnations, billions of possibilities...¡±


    ¡°Messenger of snow and wind, pure azure, suppressing the abnormal...¡±


    ¡°Eternal scorching heat, Eternal Life, forever adrift...¡±


    ¡°Fantastical freedom...¡±


    ¡°Let this sincere prayer be guided by the merciful and holy Four Pillars, humbly seeking their insightful judgement!¡±


    After the believers finished praying, the eternally cute, naive voice slowly resounded: ¡°The oracle¡¯s indicated sacrifices have now been gathered.¡±


    ¡°In the name of Selena Bright, offer to the Gods of Four Pillars the sacrifices within the Fire Ring¡ªthree from the Exotic Realm, sixteen pure souls!¡±


    It was over.


    Igula sighed inwardly. He hadn¡¯t expected to survive the prison escape, nor the pursuit from the Crime Hunting Hall, only to die in a sacrifice by the Four Pillars God Sect.


    Rounding up, it was as if he had died by Ash¡¯s hand.


    If only I hadn¡¯t hit on this newbie in the prison... If only I hadn¡¯t seen him as prey...


    Igula suddenly laughed, extinguishing the flicker of regret in his heart¡ªcompared to rotting in Shattered Lake Prison, he¡¯d rather play his part in the grand Blood Moon Judgement and a glamorous prison escape, then die.


    He owed thanks to Ash Heath, who had freed him from the dull prison life and set him on a dazzling trajectory toward death.


    It was said that after evil people die, their souls must traverse the seven layers of Hell and endure endless torment before finding rest in the Void Realm, with all the resentful souls harmed by them eagerly awaiting this perfect chance for revenge, ready to repay the evil people tenfold, a hundredfold for the disasters they had caused.


    Dear Cult Leader, with your impressive achievements, there must be many in Hell eager to play games with you. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m a bad guy too, so I¡¯ll join you in dealing with them.


    Igula turned his head to look at Ash, but he saw no fear on the Cult Leader¡¯s face. He seemed to have some other reliance, trembling as he straightened his back, proudly lifting his head and loudly saying to the space above:


    ¡°In the name of Ash Heath, offer to the Gods of Four Pillars the sacrifices outside the Fire Ring¡ªall the believers in the underground hall!¡±

 Chapter 210 - 210 184 Infighting Among The Gods of Four

    ?Chapter 210: Chapter 184: Infighting Among The Gods of Four Pillars? Chapter 210: Chapter 184: Infighting Among The Gods of Four Pillars? The underground hall was so quiet that only the flicker of flames could be heard.


    The children stopped crying and stared blankly at him, Igula seemed to age backward by a dozen years at that moment, as bewildered and innocent-looking as the child next to him. Only Harvey had a ridiculous expression, wanting to laugh but not daring to, giving Ash a thumbs-up with his bound right hand.


    Everyone seemed to hold their breath, quietly waiting for the outcome of this sacrificial confrontation.


    One second passed, then two seconds, then three seconds¡ªnothing happened.


    The children¡¯s faces fell in disappointment, Igula also let out a sigh quietly.


    However, the hooded people around them gradually began to stir.


    ¡°How could this be...¡±


    ¡°Have we been abandoned?¡±


    ¡°Why is this happening, Gods of Four Pillars, are you punishing us?!¡±


    Even Eternal Damnation¡¯s usually cheerful and cute face frowned slightly, like a child watching someone snatch their toy.


    Yes, nothing had happened.


    But the very fact that nothing happened was the biggest issue!


    The Gods of Four Pillars always responded promptly to sacrifices, never showing aloofness or delay. They truly knew how to cater to the believers by engaging with them effectively, creating new tracks for devotions, forming a closed-loop ecosystem between sacrifices and divine oracles, enhancing perceivability among the people, ensuring the fast and efficient handling from offering to divine acceptance, decentralizing the hierarchical structure of the Sect, thus achieving simplified reusability and rapid response in rituals¡ªthe most solid moat of the Four Pillars God Sect...


    Yet this time, the Gods of Four Pillars didn¡¯t respond to the believers¡¯ summoning to collect the offering, and it was akin to internet users finding a webpage unresponsive. The hooded people¡¯s panic was justified¡ªthey suspected they had been disconnected from their deity!


    Who wouldn¡¯t fear lost connectivity!


    Thud!


    Suddenly, a strange noise came from above, and the hooded people looked up in surprise, only to see a crack burst open in the hall¡¯s ceiling.


    Boom!


    With an explosion, the ceiling burst open!


    Observing this scene, Ash felt like he had seen this plot development somewhere before.


    ¡°Finally, I¡¯ve found you, Selena Bright.¡±


    From the settling dust, a tall elf with gray hair and long ears descended lightly before Ash and the others. She was draped in a red cloak with a hood, her gray ponytail lifted high, holding a hand cannon in each hand, each etched with rune circuits.


    As she landed, the surrounding Fire Ring instantly extinguished, and the ground cracked open, forming layers of earthen walls, perfectly enclosing the children inside!


    As the whizzing sounds like electric currents surged, more than ten rescuers in red cloaks burst through the ceiling, relentlessly firing at the hooded people in the hall without any regard for human rights.


    But these cult followers in the robes were much stronger than Ash¡¯s cheerleading squad. Facing the ambush without fear, they even pulled out their weapons and unleashed Miracles to try and overwhelm the less numbered rescuers!


    Suddenly, a young rescuer let out an excited roar, ¡°Job, thank god you¡¯re alright¡ªdie, Cult Leader!¡±


    The tall elf¡¯s expression changed drastically, ¡°Cleos, don¡¯t¡ª¡±


    Whoosh!


    The youth fired an Electromagnetic Gun Bullet at Eternal Damnation, but the bullet hit another rescuer¡¯s bullet. The two bullets collided midair with a crisp ding, their trajectories forcibly twisted, and then¡ª


    Crack!


    Ash heard a sound like a watermelon splitting from behind him, followed by warmth on his back as if something warm had splashed onto him, then hysterical screams of panic from the children.


    He didn¡¯t dare to look back.


    ¡°Job... Job!?¡± The youth cried out in panic, ¡°It can¡¯t be¡ª¡±


    Focused on Eternal Damnation, the tall elf shouted, ¡°Cleos, you¡¯re on the battlefield now!¡±


    The elf¡¯s concern quickly became reality, as the youth named Cleos screamed in agony, seemingly counter-killed by the robed individuals taking advantage of the situation.


    Throughout the ordeal, the tall elf never once turned her head, always standing in front of Ash and the other offerings, her gaze locked on Eternal Damnation, leaving the others to deal with the rest of the robed believers.


    ¡°Cleos Bymir.¡±


    Although his stronghold had been raided, Eternal Damnation seemed unconcerned, showing no worry on his face, but rather a keen interest as he watched the tall elf: ¡°Watcher ¡®Crying Sand¡¯ Cleos, ranked first in ¡®Red Hat Azura Sub-list,¡¯ and tenth in the overall ¡®Red Hat List,¡¯ has personally come to arrest me, a disabled man. Selena is truly flattered.¡±


    ¡°You are not just disabled,¡± the elf named Cleos said coldly, ¡°you are also cruel. Ranked first in ¡®Sinners List Azura Sub-list,¡¯ sixth in ¡®Slaughter List Azura Sub-list,¡¯ and eighth in ¡®Disaster Messenger List¡¯, the crime rate in Azura has been rising year after year, serial killings, kidnappings, drug smuggling, and the resurgence of cult activity¡ªall of these can be traced back to you.¡±


    ¡°Elder sister Cleos, actually I¡¯ve been wronged,¡± Eternal Damnation suddenly started crying pitifully, ¡°look at me, I can barely move without a wheelchair, I could starve without someone to serve me. I¡¯m just a puppet put on display, and sometimes, even a toy for someone behind the scenes... Elder sister Cleos, can I trust you? Can you free me from the control of the Four Pillars God Sect?¡±


    Harvey and Igula looked at Ash simultaneously, their eyes brimming with intense skepticism¡ªbrother, are all your cult leader¡¯s whitewashing lines the same? Did you all attend the same training class before taking office?

 Chapter 211 - 211 184 Infighting Among The Gods of Four

    ?Chapter 211: Chapter 184: Infighting Among The Gods of Four Pillars?_2 Chapter 211: Chapter 184: Infighting Among The Gods of Four Pillars?_2 Ash knew they were once again judging him with a guilty mind, and he defended himself in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ve truly been wronged! Just replace the subject of her sentence with me and it will all make sense!¡±


    ¡°So, you too have been toyed with by the hidden manipulator?¡± Harvey asked.


    In the face of Eternal Damnation¡¯s defense, Cleos felt not a wave of emotion, even a bit of the urge to laugh, ¡°Selena, you¡¯re doomed tonight, and nothing you say will matter. The ¡®Gospel Book¡¯ is never wrong.¡±


    Eternal Damnation¡¯s face changed swiftly, and with a cold snort, she said, ¡°Blind faith is a road of no return, and the most foolish thing humans do is to selfishly believe that gods are selfless. Cleos, your blindness will eventually lead you to despair.¡±


    ¡°Do you, a cult leader, even have the right to say such a thing?¡±


    ¡°Because I know God loves mankind,¡± Eternal Damnation said with a smile. ¡°But God loves Himself even more.¡±


    Cleos closed her mouth, seemingly uninterested in continuing the nonsensical conversation with Eternal Damnation.


    Eternal Damnation leaned back lazily on the Silver Throne. ¡°Well then, since you¡¯re so convinced I¡¯m the culprit, Cleos, why don¡¯t you come and arrest me? You surely can¡¯t expect a disabled little girl like me to walk down and surrender, do you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting.¡±


    The elf woman said coldly, ¡°Waiting for the other cultists to be dealt with, waiting for all external factors to be eliminated, waiting for your fate miracle to have no leverage, and I will personally toll the bell for you.¡±


    Fate miracle!


    Hearing about this most mysterious Magic Faction, the three foreign workers couldn¡¯t help but prick up their ears.


    Fate, Truth, Prophecy¡ªthese three factions are coveted by all mages, yet no mage knows how to learn them¡ªeven in the Kingdom of Blood Moon, there is no systematic way to study them. Every professor at Kaimon Comprehensive University who has researched the Prophetic Faction is embezzling funds.


    Although the Prophetic Faction is like a Dream Bubble Shadow, mages still consider it a legitimate faction, while Truth and Fate factions have been denounced by many as feudal superstition¡ªwithout even a shadow of a Technique Spirit, stories about Fate and Truth Mages exist only in ancient myths. How is this different from the setting of a fantasy novel?


    The Magic Factions that even mages who believe in miracles consider feudal superstitions are appearing before their eyes?


    ¡°Before taking action, I¡¯ve used up all my points and Gospels,¡± Cleris said. ¡°From the ¡®Gospel Book¡¯, I¡¯ve found a way to defeat you¡ª¡¯cannot harm you.''¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken,¡± she continued, ¡°your fate miracle twists every attack against you through various accidents, even turning them back on those who bear killing intent towards you.¡±


    ¡°Just now, Kuso tried to shoot you, but the gun bullet hit his own brother by sheer coincidence, and he was killed by your men because of his disturbed mind... A terrifying fate miracle indeed.¡±


    ¡°So, my plan of action is to eliminate your men first, clear all the unstable factors that could help you, and then deal with you slowly.¡± The elf woman sneered, ¡°How does it feel to watch yourself step into a dead end? Is there a heart nurturing fear beneath that lovely human skin of yours?¡±


    ¡°You are indeed the respected Red Hat Cleos of Crying Sand,¡± Eternal Damnation said with a laugh. ¡°But you¡¯re wrong about one thing.¡±


    ¡°The ability you described is not a fate miracle, nor am I proficient in this legendary Magic Faction,¡± Eternal Damnation declared.


    ¡°It is not a miracle, not a Technique Spirit, not a Secret Poison, not a Blessing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my... ¡®touch¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!¡± Cleos looked around, realized that most of the robed figures were subdued, and without further delay, aimed her gun¡ªnot at Eternal Damnation but at¡ª


    The ceiling!


    Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!


    Cleos¡¯s gun bullets seemed to carry a miracle, a few shots were enough to rapidly dissolve the stonework of the ceiling. With a thunderous crash, a huge slab of rock was about to fall, ready to smash Eternal Damnation sitting atop the Silver Throne into a heap of flesh!


    Ash suddenly understood Cleos¡¯s thought¡ªif I can¡¯t attack you directly, but I attack the stones, causing them to fall and crush you, wouldn¡¯t that avoid your bizarre fate miracle?


    It seemed like a wise move; at least Ash couldn¡¯t see any flaws. The robed believers were suppressed and couldn¡¯t save Eternal Damnation, and she herself had no mobility, so to leave the Silver Throne, she would need to rely on a Technique Spirit or a Miracle.


    But for some reason, Ash had a strong premonition¡ªSelena was not a Mage!


    Besides her claimed ¡°tactile sense,¡± she had not mastered any Technique Spirits or Miracles!


    Just like Heath initially had!


    Click.


    Among the roaring sounds, a strange cracking noise caught everyone¡¯s attention. They looked up to see an odd crack appearing in the middle of the ceiling rock, with a few drops of water seeping through.


    Cleos¡¯s pupils contracted sharply, and she fired a gun bullet behind her, the earth swiftly churning into a fortress to protect the children.


    Crack!


    The rock completely collapsed, but what followed was a torrential flow of water!


    The rest of the ceiling also rapidly cracked open, and water from an underground river cascaded into the underground hall like a waterfall!


    ¡°How could there possibly be an underground river right there¡ª¡±


    Cleos watched, her eyes wide with disbelief. The Red Hats had just burrowed through the ceiling to get in; how did they not hit the underground river?


    Tears welled up in her eyes with frustration, and she bit her lip, rapidly firing at the floor. Layers of earth walls rose with a rumble, trying to hold back the water.


    However, it wasn¡¯t just in front; the walls to the sides began to crumble as well, and the violent river water surged in like an army, as if the entire underground hall was built within an underground sea, bound to be quickly flooded the moment even a small hole was made!


    Both the Red Hats and the figures in black robes were swept away by the river water, tumbling in the chaos. Cleos could only rely on her Earth Magic Miracle to protect herself, unable to look after anyone else¡ªfor that reason, Ash was also swept away.


    Perhaps Ash and the others were too close to Cleos, or maybe she thought the adults didn¡¯t need special protection, so her Earth Magic Miracle only covered the children, leaving Ash and two others exposed.


    Ash¡¯s hands and feet were still bound by the Miracle Chains. Unless he could spin his tongue like a propeller, he was absolutely incapable of swimming, so he could only hold his breath and go with the flow until he ran into a soft body and came to a stop.


    ¡°You bumped into me.¡±


    ¡°Heh, heh... Sorry about that.¡±


    Ash hurriedly took deep breaths, looking down to realize he was lying on the armrest of the Silver Throne.


    The former Cult Leader turned slightly to see his small, soaked companion, looking like a drowned rat.


    He now resembled a pervert lying on a little girl¡¯s lap¡ªif she even had laps.


    ¡°You just said, you are the Final Observer?¡± she whispered to Ash, nibbling on his ear.


    Ash nodded and then shook his head, wriggling his body to distance himself from the current Cult Leader: ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve repented and started anew...¡±


    ¡°Let me introduce myself again. I am Eternal Damnation, Everlasting Entanglement, Ultimate Endurance,¡± said Eternal Damnation with a smile. ¡°Pleased to meet you, Final Observer. You can call me Endurance.¡±


    Ash was a bit stunned: ¡°(¡Ño¡Ñ)... You can call me Observer.¡±


    ¡°Then, Observer, please go die.¡±


    Selena lifted her head high, then slammed it down hard¡ª


    Bumping her forehead against Ash¡¯s!

 Chapter 212 - 212 185 You Hurt Me

    ?Chapter 212: Chapter 185 You Hurt Me Chapter 212: Chapter 185 You Hurt Me Selena didn¡¯t care that Red Hat had eradicated her stronghold.


    As ¡°Tactile,¡± the concept of ¡°failure¡± did not exist in her dictionary, only ¡°delayed success.¡±


    All resistance would become welcome, all distancing would turn into drawing near, all death would become reunion.


    Just like a story whose conclusion had already been written, no matter how the process changed, the final chapter was still destined to arrive on schedule.


    The only thing she cared about was Ash Heath.


    The fact that The Gods of Four Pillars did not respond to her sacrifice was enough to illustrate the importance of this man.


    Interestingly, The Gods of Four Pillars had also not responded to the man¡¯s sacrifice.


    Although to others, it might have seemed like a comical act of desperation for Ash to reverse sacrifice the believers of the Four Pillars God Sect, that was not how Selena saw it.


    If she hadn¡¯t been presiding over the ritual, if she hadn¡¯t been in the underground hall, if she hadn¡¯t been part of Ash¡¯s sacrificial declaration, had any of these not been the case, perhaps Ash would have succeeded.


    Because The Gods of Four Pillars were unwilling to sacrifice Ash, it meant that his words could draw the serious attention of The Gods of Four Pillars. According to Selena¡¯s experience, The Gods of Four Pillars rarely paid attention to beings in the mortal world, and the only exception she knew of was ¡°Tactile.¡±


    Despite not knowing how Ash, as ¡°Tactile,¡± had ended up in such a miserable state, since he possessed that identity, The Gods of Four Pillars would fulfill some of his reasonable requests, such as performing a sacrifice. Therefore, in the ritual just now, it was highly probable that The Gods of Four Pillars could have responded to his sacrifice.


    But in the end, The Gods of Four Pillars had not responded to him, nor had they responded to Selena, not even stirring the slightest bit.


    The Gods of Four Pillars seldom ¡°neglect¡± Tactile, and Selena thought there was only one possibility for this to occur: there was no consensus among The Gods of Four Pillars themselves.


    If they had all decided to support Ash or Selena, then surely one side¡¯s sacrifice would have been successful. But since they both survived, it meant that there were differing judgments within The Gods of Four Pillars about their value: some believed Selena was more valuable, others saw more potential in Ash.


    It was just unknown whether the support for Selena and Ash was 3:1, 1:3, or 2:2.


    Moreover, Selena recalled that a few days ago, The Gods of Four Pillars had unusually issued a divine oracle, demanding that the next sacrifice include ¡°someone from the Exotic Realm.¡±


    It was quite rare for The Gods of Four Pillars to suddenly crave so, and at that time, Selena didn¡¯t think much of it and directly tasked the Funeral Service Office with finding someone from the Exotic Realm, which resulted in them capturing Ash Heath.


    Now in hindsight, the oracle was clearly a deliberate arrangement for Ash to come to this stronghold, then to replace her¡ªwithin the same Kingdom, there was no need for a second Tactile.


    From the moment the oracle was issued, Selena was destined to make way for Ash.


    While ¡°Tactile¡± was important, when there were two ¡°Tactiles,¡± The Gods of Four Pillars would start picking and choosing, retaining only the best one and discarding all the others.


    It was just unknown why The Gods of Four Pillars suddenly changed their minds, no longer allowing Ash to replace Selena, but also not deeming Selena more important than Ash, hesitating and unable to reach a unanimous decision.


    So the task for Selena became quite simple¡ªto relieve The Gods of Four Pillars of their worries by eliminating the wrong choice.


    Ash was initially stunned by this unexpected head-on charge, but soon found it wasn¡¯t as painful as he had imagined.


    He looked at Selena, who was bleeding from a broken forehead, with a bewildered gaze and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    While Ash¡¯s rugged forehead was unscathed, Selena¡¯s delicate brow had been split open.


    Selena extended her small tongue, seemingly attempting to lick the blood that had dripped to the corner of her mouth, but her tongue was too small and it took considerable effort to get just a little taste. She said gleefully, ¡°Look, I¡¯m bleeding.¡±


    ¡°Yes, what about it?¡±


    ¡°Although I look down on those who only rely on the ¡®Gospel Book,¡¯ I must also admit that what the ¡®Gospel Book¡¯ says is true,¡± Selena continued. ¡°¡®Do not harm me¡¯ is advice that you must heed.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve harmed me; now you must pay with your life.¡±


    Ash looked at the fresh blood on Selena¡¯s forehead with an ¡°Why is it always me?¡± expression of a cancer patient: ¡°But you were the one who ran into it, so you got hurt! You can¡¯t blame that on me, I didn¡¯t even hold you accountable for intentionally hurting someone, which is already me being respectful and caring! You are deliberately staging an accident!¡±


    ¡°Are you angry? Upset? Come hit me then.¡±


    Selena stuck out her tongue teasingly and smiled broadly: ¡°The moment you hurt me, my touch had already reached you. If my touch can absorb your death, it might become even stronger, right?¡±


    Ash felt something was wrong: ¡°What exactly is ¡®touch¡¯? A miracle? Or some special ability?¡±


    He had heard the term from Professor Selin but had never been able to find related information. Now, he had jumped ship to a new kingdom only to find himself still entangled by the Four Pillars God Sect¡ªit was just like discovering that his new company had long been controlled by his former, unscrupulous employer.


    ¡°Touch is just touch,¡± Selena said, looking at Ash strangely: ¡°If you¡¯re asking what my touch is, didn¡¯t I just tell you?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Can you say it again?¡±


    Selena tilted her head and revealed a sweet smile:


    ¡°Eternal Damnation follows you, always there.¡±


    ¡°Selena!¡±


    That¡¯s when Cleos and the other Red Hats managed, through Earth Magic and Water Magic, to temporarily plug all the gaps. She, tears blurring her vision, glared at Selena and fired her gun towards the half-flooded Silver Throne!


    As long as the Silver Throne collapsed and exploded, Selena would naturally fall into the water and drown!


    The elves¡¯ gunplay was precise, hitting the base under the water just right, and the Silver Throne immediately disintegrated amidst the sound of crackling electricity. Selena was soaked in the water, like a doll that couldn¡¯t even paddle, sinking like a plush toy beneath the surface.


    However, Selena remained calm, showing not the slightest fear of drowning.


    Gurgle gurgle¡ª


    Hearing strange noises from beneath the Silver Throne, a circle of vortices appeared around Selena. The water level dropped visibly fast. Cleos bit her lip in fury, but she stopped herself from raising her hand again¡ªshe couldn¡¯t directly harm this monster in the guise of a girl, or it would be her who ended up dead!


    ¡°You are afraid, Cleos.¡±


    Selena lounged comfortably in the water, letting her body be sucked into the currents below.


    ¡°But what you¡¯re really afraid of isn¡¯t me, it¡¯s the divine Gospel.¡±


    ¡°What good is a gun with the safety on, anyway?¡±


    Leaving that remark behind, Selena was sucked into a small cavity that had appeared after the collapse of the Silver Throne. Fortunately, the cavity was too small, or Ash would have been swept away by the vortex as well.


    Cleos rushed over and upon inspection, became so furious her ears stood on end¡ªbeneath the cavity was a passage to the Void Realm!


    Moreover, it was a dissipating Void Realm passage, with Void Turbulence rapidly spilling out. Just as Ash leaned over to look, the Void Turbulence had dissipated into nothingness, eliminating any chance to pursue and kill her now!


    ¡°Damn it, damn it!¡± Cleos shot a few times into the passage in rage, then suddenly collapsed to the ground, biting her lip unwillingly and wiping her eyes with the back of her hand: ¡°She got away... and it was by my own hand...¡±


    Ash hadn¡¯t expected Selena to escape like that either, and not by using Technique Spirit, nor through a miracle, nor by summoning The Gods of Four Pillars to come down and clobber kids. It was because Cleos lifted the floor, leading to the vile criminal of Eternal Damnation being sucked into a dissipating Void Realm passage below.


    Her true form had done nothing, not even moved. If Cleos had done nothing, they might have caught her now. But that was impossible¡ªjust as the presence of subterranean rivers surrounding the underground hall was a natural law, so was Cleos¡¯s fear of Eternal Damnation preordained.


    This is... Eternal Damnation follows you, always there.


    She was the law of calamity.


    Although the pain on his forehead had nearly faded away, a chill arose in Ash¡¯s heart¡ªSelena¡¯s head bump was definitely not a prank but a calculated move to trip him up! With Selena¡¯s favor, coupled with the fact that Ash had left without resigning and taken off with the loot, thus costing the Four Pillars God Sect the Kingdom of Blood Moon¡¯s market, the directors of the Pillar God were certainly not pleased with Ash!

 Chapter 213 - 213 186 Sorry to Disturb You

    ?Chapter 213: Chapter 186 Sorry to Disturb You Chapter 213: Chapter 186 Sorry to Disturb You ¡°This is just ridiculous, every attack aimed at her turns into a boost for her escape.¡±


    Ash quietly retreated back into his camp of Foreigners, grumbling, ¡°This has gone beyond the realm of ¡®coincidence.¡¯ Could she be the Fated Girl favored by Fate?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, doesn¡¯t that make you the Child of Destiny?¡± Harvey laughed.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Igula couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°I wanted to deal with you, but ended up being framed by you, forced to join the escape team; Valcas wanted to deal with you, but ended up protecting you during the Blood Moon Judgement; and we just happened to run into a Necromancer who could control the chip processor... An escape plan that should have taken years to devise, but because of you, we assembled all the key players and got out in less than a month.¡±


    ¡°Think about it, Cult Leader, your escape experience is actually more bizarre than the doll girl¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the same, okay!¡± Ash argued, ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal for prisons to be full of people skilled in various escape skills? It¡¯s like asking people on a train if they have tickets, of course everyone bought them!¡±


    ¡°Besides, the escape wouldn¡¯t have been successful without my amazing willpower, tireless effort, tenacious perseverance, and those moments of Spiritual Light¡ª it¡¯s all personal effort, not a drop of luck!¡±


    At this point, even Harvey couldn¡¯t help but show a ¡®right, right, right, I won¡¯t argue with a fool¡¯ kindly smile.


    ¡°Double standard dog.¡± Igula spat, ¡°Your successes are all personal effort, and others are just favored by Fate? Is it that hard to admit you¡¯re a slacker?¡±


    ¡°What I¡¯m doing is correctly utilizing talent resources, allowing you to use your strengths, letting professionals handle the professional tasks¡ª¡±


    Igula sneered, ¡°Typical, slackers never admit they¡¯re slackers, and the lucky never admit luck plays a part.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had an epiphany.¡± Ash revealed a smug expression, ¡°You¡¯re trying to suppress me again, you also think I¡¯m important, so you¡¯re bullying me with words, right?¡±


    Igula twitched his mouth in frustration, ¡°You double standard dog...¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Harvey hurriedly defused the situation, changing the subject, ¡°If we had jumped in just now, we would¡¯ve only faced one doll girl with no real offensive power. But now...¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s possible that the otherside is the major stronghold of the Four Pillars God Sect.¡± Igula said irritably, ¡°And as we already know, our dear Cult Leader doesn¡¯t have a very high standing within his own power.¡±


    As Ash watched the bubbling water in the cave, he couldn¡¯t help but become slightly distracted.


    He suddenly remembered, in one of the observation reports collected by Professor Selin, one mentioned ¡®a subterranean river lay on the other end of the passage into the Void Realm¡¯...


    Could Eternal Damnation be in the Kingdom of Blood Moon?


    What is this? A tactical switcharoo?


    Click.


    The three illegal aliens looked up to see Cleos walking up to them, her lovely, big eyes swollen from crying, her nose sniffling, ¡°You three, are you people from the Exotic Realm?¡±


    ¡°According to the laws of the Kingdom of Gospel, the Kingdom of Gospel, anyone from an Exotic Realm must be executed immediately.¡±


    Without giving them a chance to explain, she raised her gun to aim at Ash¡¯s forehead, ¡°May the Gospel guide your path.¡±


    Looking at the dark muzzle of the gun, Ash realized he was still in danger¡ª they were not considered under the protection of local law enforcement but rather as invasive species, like American cockroaches, where it is a basic moral duty for a good citizen to squash such pests!


    To them, the Four Pillars God Sect was indeed a brutal beast, but the locals were even more ferocious natives!


    Compared to the Four Pillars God Sect, the local law enforcement was even more despairing¡ª bad guys still have good people to fight them, but if good people want to go against them, who can disrupt their plans?


    Just then, a pleasant voice came from above.


    ¡°Hold on a second, Cleos, didn¡¯t we agree that I get the spoils?¡±


    Someone was there to rescue them!


    As the three smugglers turned their heads in joyful surprise, thinking they would be eternally grateful to whoever was saving them¡ª


    In the next second, all their gratitude turned to annoyance.


    ¡°Long time no see, you three.¡±


    The girl in purple leaped down from the hole in the ceiling, landing softly like a butterfly, ¡°Although we just met an hour ago.¡±


    The housekeeper boy followed closely behind. He pointed to the ground still covered with water, and a path of frost extended forward, allowing the girl¡¯s tall boots to step onto the clean ice surface.


    These two were the ambushers outside the Void Realm channel, the culprits who sold the bodies of the trio to the Four Pillars God Sect, members of the Funeral Service Office!


    ¡°Hanna,¡± Cleos took out a handkerchief and wiped her nose, ¡°do you really want to save these foreigners?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about saving them, but taking back what belongs to me,¡± Hanna said with a smile in her purple dress. ¡°We agreed earlier that, as a reward for my reporting the Four Pillars God Sect¡¯s base to Red Hat, those three are my spoils, and you just can¡¯t dispose of them as you wish.¡±


    So, they sold us and then sold out the Four Pillars God Sect, playing both black and white sides for a double win, and now they still want to recoup us for reuse?


    Ash gave Igula a look¡ªSee, your kind.


    Igula shook his head¡ªNo, your kind.


    ¡°These three are foreigners,¡± Cleos enunciated clearly. ¡°Like Selena, they are pests that harm the world, and they blaspheme the Gospel; they must be executed as soon as possible. Otherwise, once the Gospel disappears from behind their ears, they will go back and inform the Exotic Realm¡¯s Evil God behind them, leading demons here to trample our fields, our city, and innocent civilians.¡±


    Gospel behind the ears?


    ¡°Ash, turn your head to the right.¡±


    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I look at yours instead...¡±


    While muttering, Ash obediently turned his head, and Igula took a glance and said softly, ¡°There¡¯s a light yellow countdown behind your ear, probably starting from 72 hours, likely to prevent us from traveling through space.¡±


    ¡°That is the Eternal Damnation of the All-knowing Weaver for you demons who dare to invade the Kingdom of Gospel,¡± Cleos pressed the gun muzzle to Ash¡¯s forehead. ¡°Before the countdown ends, those of us who listen to the Gospel will slay all of you blind and foolish demons.¡±


    Ash and his companions exchanged glances, the same thought arising in each of their minds¡ªIt seems the invasion defense mechanism of this kingdom isn¡¯t very good, they must have known, since someone had successfully returned alive to the Kingdom of Blood Moon from here three days ago, which is why they had the Hunting Festival on May 1st.


    ¡°They can no longer do that,¡± the girl in purple chuckled. ¡°After they came to Gospel, the Void Realm channel they crossed through was closed. They can¡¯t go back now. If you don¡¯t believe it, you can check the Gospel Book to see if I¡¯m lying.¡±


    Cleos hesitated, ¡°You didn¡¯t lie to me?¡±


    ¡°Checking if I¡¯m lying is cheap, right? You¡¯re not willing to spend even those points? I¡¯ll treat you if it comes to it.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Cleos¡¯s eyes reddened again. ¡°But they are still foreigners...¡±


    ¡°That means even if you kill them, you won¡¯t get any points,¡± the girl in purple explained. ¡°I just checked; these three have no bounties in the Gospel Book, you can¡¯t improve your Red Hat ranking by killing them. On the contrary, if you breach the contract that states the spoils belong to me, it would greatly impact your credit record for Red Hat rankings. You might even drop out of the ¡®Red Hat Leaderboard¡¯ because of that.¡±


    ¡°But they are not spoils...¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re admitting they are natural persons? They have no criminal records now, and it¡¯s taboo for a Red Hat to kill a natural person without one.¡±


    Cleos sniffled, ¡°You people from the Funeral Service Office always have such twisted logic... But they are ultimately foreigners with a high likelihood of crime. If you want to take them with you, you need means to control them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already prepared.¡±


    The girl in purple took out three contracts with golden edges and white backgrounds: ¡°Directly exchanged from the Gospel Book, bound by both the Void Realm and the All-knowing Weaver, and not even a Four-winged Legendary can breach it. As long as they sign these three contracts and accept my conditions, they will absolutely be unable to harm Gospel. Are you satisfied now?¡±


    ¡°I bet Doran¡¯s name that under my command, they will only become a force for the Gospel.¡±


    Cleos raised the muzzle of her gun, seemingly persuaded, ¡°If that¡¯s the case...¡±


    They looked at the three pitiful, weak and helpless smugglers sitting on the ground who, under normal circumstances, should be begging to sign the contract and spare their lives with tears and sobs by now.


    However, the trio remained silent, calmly looking at them.


    ¡°It seems they don¡¯t want to be bound,¡± Cleos once again pressed the gun muzzle to Ash¡¯s forehead. ¡°Since all the cultists need to be buried anyway, a few more won¡¯t matter¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush, Cleos,¡± the girl in purple squatted down to look at them. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to live? Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±


    The three exchanged glances, and at last, Ash said, ¡°I actually want to speak, but seeing how immersed you both are in your act, I didn¡¯t want to interrupt you.¡±

 Chapter 214 - 214 187 Meiwa and Eternal Damnation

    ?Chapter 214: Chapter 187 Meiwa and Eternal Damnation Chapter 214: Chapter 187 Meiwa and Eternal Damnation ¡°Although the good cop, bad cop negotiation tactic is indeed very practical, your performance was quite poor, and you seem a bit reserved.¡±


    The experienced Swindler commented, ¡°If that Elf girl could put a few holes in my companion, we might feel some tension, but your conversation is so restrained, you¡¯re not even willing to spice it up by giving my partner a hard time, just having a dry chat¡ªit actually makes me feel somewhat at ease.¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be your partner, should I?¡± Ash asked.


    ¡°Definitely not mine,¡± Harvey said somberly. ¡°My companions don¡¯t breathe.¡±


    Not to mention Igula, the scam artist who thrived on taxing the credulous, and the Necromancer who grew up in the underworld, steeped in bloodshed¡ªeven Ash, the young innocent, saw through their act at a glance. How could they be fooled?


    Tears streamed down Cleos¡¯ cheeks: ¡°It¡¯s one thing not to catch Selena... but to be mocked by a few people from the Exotic Realm... sob sob...¡±


    Ash was dumbfounded, ¡°It¡¯s not that serious, sister, and could you raise the gun muzzle a bit when you cry? I¡¯m worried you might lose your grip...¡±


    The girl in purple smiled, ¡°Quite bold, aren¡¯t you? But if it were me, I¡¯d feign gratitude and blithely sign the contract¡ªyour lives are in my hands, do you think you have any bargaining power?¡±


    ¡°We do.¡±


    Igula said calmly, ¡°Although I¡¯m not sure of the specific value, you undoubtedly need us ¡®people from the Exotic Realm¡¯. If I¡¯m not mistaken, we¡¯re quite rare here, and the three of us might just be the only leverage you can get hold of.¡±


    ¡°In other words, what we have is priceless¡ªif you want to use us, you must take our opinions seriously, otherwise, you simply can¡¯t find a substitute.¡±


    ¡°Forget about that type of slave contract, tell us what you really need.¡±


    ¡°Cleos is right,¡± the girl in purple laughed, ¡°people like you, who can quickly understand the situation yet haven¡¯t been groomed with the Gospel from childhood, will become a huge threat sooner or later.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for exaggerating.¡±


    ¡°But you seem to have forgotten one thing.¡± The girl in purple revealed a wicked smile, ¡°I do need people from the Exotic Realm, but now I have three¡ªI still have the right to choose¡ª¡±


    She pulled out a Contract Paper Weaving, tearing it in half, ¡°I think I only need one new slave who¡¯s not so clever. Pretty girl, you¡¯re out of the game.¡±


    Igula was so angry his lip twitched, ¡°I¡¯m a man!¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± the girl in purple drew out another Contract Paper Weaving, making a gesture as if she were going to tear it. ¡°Although I only need one new slave, I don¡¯t mind having two¡ªif someone is sensible and knows his place.¡±


    Still, no one responded.


    Ash and Harvey calmly watched her, their faces void of any fear, as if they were watching a poor play. Even the girl in purple couldn¡¯t keep her Expression Management in place, gritting her teeth, ¡°Are you some sort of brothers-in-arms, ready to die for each other?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve simply seen through your bluster,¡± Igula said quietly. ¡°If you really only needed one person from the Exotic Realm, why not let that Elf blow off the top of my skull with a gun bullet to see what it¡¯s made of?¡±


    ¡°I agree with that,¡± Ash said. ¡°I¡¯d like to see if his brain is dark enough to ooze out.¡±


    The girl in purple looked at the three of them coldly, her exquisite face full of icy hostility, the atmosphere growing increasingly tense. Just when Ash thought she was going to fly into a rage and lash out to save face, the crying of the rescued children broke the silence.


    She sighed, ¡°What sort of Fallen Kingdom could cultivate such sly demons as yourselves?¡±


    ¡°I prefer to call it Wisdom,¡± Igula stated indifferently.


    The girl in purple took out another intact piece of Contract Paper Weaving, tapping it gently to reveal lines of text.


    ¡°This is my final offer,¡± she said. ¡°Sign it or die here.¡±


    Cleos fired thrice rapidly, removing all the Miracle Chains from Ash and the others without causing them any harm.


    The stowaways showed no intention to resist, not to mention the dozen or so Red Hats surrounding them; they still wore the Locking Technique collars on their necks, and the sight of the weeping Elf female alone was enough to quell any bold ideas they might have¡ªalthough she hadn¡¯t caught Selena, it was highly probable that the Elf was a Three-winged Holy Sanctuary Mage!


    With cult leaders like Ash having Gerard as their escort, Selena was obviously on a higher level in all aspects compared to Ash, meaning that Cleos, tasked with capturing Selena, couldn¡¯t possibly be inferior to Gerard. Moreover, Cleos was ranked tenth on the ¡°Red Hat Total List¡±, so it was strange that she didn¡¯t possess Seven-colored Wings.


    As for why a Three-winged Mage couldn¡¯t catch a seemingly weak cult leader... with the clear example of Ash, Igula and Harvey considered this to be normal.


    They obediently looked over the contract, their faces instantly showing perplexed expressions, exchanging glances without speaking.


    This time, the girl in purple really got angry; her green pupils almost became a vertical line filled with Killing Intent, ¡°Are you still trying to push your luck?¡±


    Ash raised his hand and said, ¡°No, we just have a modest request.¡±


    ¡°What request?¡±


    ¡°Could you give us a dictionary?¡± he lifted the contract, ¡°There are some words here we can¡¯t understand.¡±


    In reality, not understanding some of the words was an understatement from Ash¡ªalmost half of the text was completely gibberish, akin to the difference between modern scripts and Martian texts, not just the simple and traditional characters!


    However, the other half of the text was identical to the writings of the Kingdom of Blood Moon.


    After all, nations that hardly interact, even if their characters and language are of the same origin, will surely evolve into distinct systems given enough time. Ash and his companions were fortunate enough to be able to understand the language here, and it was only natural that they could only understand half of the written words.


    Ash suddenly remembered that the Sword Maiden had a bit of a strange accent, but later learned she was from the countryside and thought it was just her character¡¯s charming point...


    ¡°Ah, sorry, that was my oversight.¡±


    The girl in purple snapped her fingers, and a lavishly bound amethyst book appeared before her. Perhaps due to having heard many tales today, or maybe because of the book¡¯s strange allure, the moment Ash and his companions saw it, they knew its name¡ªthe ¡°Gospel Book.¡±


    ¡°One point per piece, consider it my treat.¡±


    The girl in purple tossed three golden sunflower seeds to them. Igula fiddled with one, which felt like it was made of jelly, ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°The Gospel for mortals, the medium of knowledge, the foundation of the all-knowing, the bane of the blind and foolish, the seed of wisdom.¡±


    The girl in purple explained with a smile, ¡°They¡¯re wisdom sunflower seeds. Eat one, and you¡¯ll immediately master our language.¡±


    ...


    Kingdom of Blood Moon, the outskirts of Kaimon City.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity we can¡¯t go up to the waterfall...¡± Adela sat on a small stool, staring at the blood-red waterfall under the light of the Blood Moon, her face full of regret.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the same to camp around here?¡± Freyja was much more open-minded, using tongs to lift the lid off a pot and said, ¡°The river delicacy pot is ready! I¡¯m starving, it¡¯s all Adela¡¯s fault for not being able to catch fish...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s clearly because you can¡¯t make a fire!¡±


    The two bickered but served the food without hesitation, blowing on it vigorously before putting it into their mouths and letting out a satisfied moan.


    It was obvious that the two were camping. However, this method of camping wasn¡¯t quite right. The proper way to camp was actually to do it alone, as it was a part of a mage¡¯s preliminary training.


    Upon entering the Void Realm, mages need to travel the Sea of Knowledge alone, facing challenges like loneliness, fear, and silence. As humans are social animals, apprentice mages often take time to adapt to the adventures in Void Realm. To forge a mage¡¯s will in advance, apprentices can engage in various activities in reality to simulate the experiences of the Void Realm.


    Camping is an excellent way to gain such an experience. Outdoor survival is already very similar to Void Realm adventures, and it is almost a given for university students to go camping to feel the independent survival. Hence, the probability of encountering bad people and even wrongful death is not low.


    But this is one of the essentials of camping: if there is no danger to life, there is no experiential value!


    Therefore, the camping of Freyja and Adela was mistaken¡ªthey couldn¡¯t possibly venture together in the Void Realm, so camping together had no training value whatsoever!


    After Adela had eaten her fill, she still looked towards the waterfall¡¯s upstream with curiosity, ¡°What happened up there? Why was it sealed off as a forbidden area?¡±


    They had originally intended to camp upstream of the waterfall, where animals like bears, wolves, and wild dogs roamed, presenting real danger. Adela, who loved gambling and thrills, had prepared hand cannons and various weapons, looking forward to playing the ¡®Who is the hunter¡¯ game with the animals overnight. However, upon their arrival, they discovered the entire area had been sealed off by the Crime Hunting Hall, forbidding any strangers from entry.


    ¡°Could be a portal to the Void Realm,¡± Freyja suggested as she began to undress.


    ¡°...Have you started wanting it just because you¡¯re full?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just going to take a bath,¡± said Meiwa, indicating the river beside her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can handle a night or two.¡±


    ¡°What about three nights?¡±


    ¡°Can you go three continuous days without gambling?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really strong, you know,¡± Adela exclaimed. ¡°I can only manage to not gamble for a day at most.¡±


    Watching Meiwa cutely jump into the crimson river to play, Adela let out a soft sigh.


    She had originally wanted to invite Freyja to relax a bit, but it turned into a relaxation trip for herself, feeling a bit guilty about it. However, seeing that not even beauty could tempt Meiwa, Adela was more convinced that Freyja had some serious illness.


    Thinking it over, Adela decided to bring her out camping to experience nature, as the reason was very legitimate¡ªdealing with the harassments or even murders by vagrants was a part of university life that one couldn¡¯t avoid.


    Wait, she¡¯s gone to bathe, so who¡¯s left to wash the pots and dishes?


    Muttering under her breath, Adela still obediently picked up the utensils and went to the river ahead of Freyja¡¯s bathing spot, planning to disgust Meiwa with greasy dishes. Spotting this from afar, Freyja swam over, trying to appease her, ¡°Oh, let me help you wash a bowl¡ª¡±


    Splash!


    Both turned their gazes towards the waterfall. Adela asked, ¡°Did you hear that?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Freyja nodded. ¡°Sounds like something fell into the waterfall. A stone, maybe?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it was a stone...¡±


    As the two watched intensely, a pitiable figure in a black dress, small and delicate-looking, emerged with the flow of the water, like a child abandoned, before the women.


    ¡°Kind big sisters, merciful big sisters,¡± the drenched doll-like girl pleaded pitifully. ¡°Can you save Selena?¡±

 Chapter 215 - 215 188 Daddy

    ?Chapter 215: Chapter 188: Daddy! Chapter 215: Chapter 188: Daddy! ¡°Party A: Hanna Doran¡±


    ¡°Party B: Ash Heath/Igula Bokin/Archibald Harvey¡±


    ¡°Clause 1: Party A must protect the personal safety of Party B.¡±


    ¡°Clause 2: Party A must ensure that Party B has 8 hours of rest each day.¡±


    ¡°Clause 3: Party B has the right to decide their own course of action when injured.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Clause 39: Party B has the right to refuse unreasonable mating requests.¡±


    ¡°Under the premise of adhering to the above clauses, Party A can command Party B to do anything, but the command itself must not violate the aforementioned clauses.¡±


    ¡°Contract duration: 101 days, start time: May 2, 1668, 19:15, end time: August 10, 1668, 19:15¡±


    As the three contracts dissolved into golden light in the air, the girl in purple, Hanna, pressed a button, and the locking collars of Ash and his companions instantly released.


    ¡°Welcome to our team. Let the next 101 days be a time of pleasant cooperation.¡±


    Hanna spread her arms as if to welcome them: ¡°I am Hanna Doran, the director of the Funeral Service Office. You can call me director, miss, or boss, but I prefer another name¡ªPurple Moth. This is my housekeeper Banjee Mikalis, the second member of our Office.¡±


    The young housekeeper politely nodded at them, handing over several handkerchiefs.


    Igula accepted the handkerchief with a cold demeanor, feeling somewhat unwilling¡ªtime was indeed too tight, and they really had to bow their heads under another¡¯s roof as the other party insisted on not amending ¡®absolute command.¡¯ Igula could only add clauses to ensure their rights.


    Moreover, Hanna¡¯s reason was quite sufficient: she needed them for some very secretive tasks, and without having obtained authority, how could there be a basis of mutual trust for her to reveal her real needs?


    Ash, staring at the handkerchief, suddenly asked a strange question, ¡°Is it also the year 1668 here?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± Hanna caught the key term: ¡°Also?¡±


    ¡°We come from the Kingdom of Blood Moon,¡± Igula said with a flickering gaze: ¡°According to the Blood Moon Calendar, today is also May 2, 1688.¡±


    The fact that different realms shared the same calendar felt like a secret from ancient times, and everyone tacitly chose silence to end the conversation.


    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve wanted to ask for a long time.¡± Ash said: ¡°Even though we are from different realms, why do we have the same language and the writing seems to have the same origin?¡±


    At these words, everyone cast subtle glances at Ash, Hanna sharply asked with emotional intelligence, ¡°It seems like the Kingdom of Blood Moon is quite a barbaric realm, haven¡¯t they even popularized basic education?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll not refute the first half of your statement, but he really did slip through the cracks of basic education.¡± Igula sighed: ¡°I beg you, don¡¯t let his personal actions reflect on all Blood Moonians.¡±


    Ash still looked utterly confused when Red Hat Cleos came over and clarified his doubt: ¡°The origin of the writing comes from the names of Technique Spirits. When a Mage fully masters a Technique Spirit, they learn its True Name and pronunciation, so in any realm dominated by Mages, the language and pronunciation are largely consistent.¡±


    Hanna added, ¡°The writing you did not recognize just now consists mostly of ¡®extended characters¡¯ that never became names of Technique Spirits. If I¡¯m not mistaken, the number of ¡®extended characters¡¯ is decreasing each year, gradually being replaced by the ¡®root characters¡¯ of new Technique Spirits.¡±


    ¡°So, there is a set of root characters in this world?¡± Ash suddenly understood, ¡°Then, who created those root characters...?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an excellent question, every generation of Mage tries to uncover the mystery behind Technique Spirits. By taking an interest, it means you too might advance this great undertaking.¡± Hanna encouraged, ¡°As long as you follow my commands during these 101 days, you¡¯ll not only gain your freedom afterward but perhaps possess the power to know the truth. I will not let you down.¡±


    Being adaptive in painting the cake is crucial, and in this regard, the director of the office indeed has the talent for exploitation. However, her heart doesn¡¯t seem hard enough, so it should be fairly easy to slack off under her watch... Ash quickly assessed the properties of his new boss.


    At that moment, Cleos turned to Hanna and asked, ¡°Hanna, did you say you only picked up three people from the Exotic Realm through the ¡®Gospel Book¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Yes, what about it?¡±


    ¡°Besides these three, we¡¯ve discovered another from the Exotic Realm.¡±


    As everyone was taken aback, a Red Hat approached, leading a little girl with white hair¡ªAsh and the others recognized her at a glance: she was the drama queen from the sacrifice ritual, who remained calm and composed without crying or fussing.


    The drama queen hung her head low, nervously tugging at her clothes, and timidly glanced up at Hanna, her large eyes filled with fear like a trembling little lamb, stirring up a feeling of compassion in anyone¡¯s heart.


    Hanna¡¯s tone became sweet as melting ice cream, ¡°Sweetheart, let your sister check if your ears are injured.¡±


    She examined the back of the little girl¡¯s ears and found no countdown, but since Cleos said so, it certainly couldn¡¯t be false. Hanna quickly confirmed through the ¡®Gospel Book¡¯ that the little girl was indeed from the Exotic Realm.


    ¡°¡±


    Because she couldn¡¯t find any trace of the little girl¡¯s past!


    Only those who had never lived in the Kingdom of Gospel would have no past records available in the Gospel Book!


    ¡°Sweetie, can you tell Sister why you¡¯re here? Where do your parents live? I can take you back to them.¡±


    The little girl with white hair looked timidly at her, shaking her head: ¡°I... I don¡¯t know... The bad guys kidnapped me...¡±


    ¡°Where were you and what were you doing before the bad guys kidnapped you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know... I¡¯ve forgotten...¡± She shook her head in pain: ¡°I don¡¯t remember anything.¡±


    Hanna didn¡¯t believe or disbelieve her but simply opened the Gospel Book to conduct a search by spending points.


    The Gospel Book¡¯s conclusion was that the little girl was not lying.


    She had indeed lost her memory!


    ¡°It could be an accident that occurred while crossing through the Void Realm passage or while being captured by members of a heretical cult that led to amnesia,¡± Hanna looked toward Ash and the other two: ¡°Answer me, had you seen her before coming to the Kingdom of Gospel?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± All three responded in unison.


    Before Ash could react, his mouth had already replied.


    The expression on Igula¡¯s face slightly changed¡ªalthough it was an obvious form of intimidation, it was indeed very effective. Hanna¡¯s control over them was more direct and thorough than imagined.


    ¡°Did you check her body?¡±


    ¡°There are no traces of Miracle or Technique Spirit,¡± Cleos said: ¡°Theoretically, she should pose no threat, but...¡±


    Hanna understood Cleos¡¯s concern. People like Ash and his companions, who had cut off all ties and sneaked in, were manageable, but a little girl with an unknown background from an Exotic Realm was indeed a very dangerous bomb. Under normal circumstances, Hanna would have suggested letting the little girl sleep forever in her dreams; after all, even if she let her go, what family would want to take in a child from an Exotic Realm?


    But Hanna just happened to need a person from an Exotic Realm, and children were more suitable candidates for her requirements than adults.


    After thinking it over, she asked, ¡°Do you remember your name?¡±


    After a moment of silence, the little girl with white hair said, ¡°Liss. My name is Liss.¡±


    ¡°Hanna,¡± Cleos couldn¡¯t help but say: ¡°Contracts signed by minors aren¡¯t valid.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just ¡®Paper Weaving¡¯ that doesn¡¯t recognize contracts signed by minors as valid, but the basic Void Contract doesn¡¯t care about the age of the parties involved,¡± Hanna extended her hand to the little girl: ¡°Shake hands.¡±


    However, the little girl stepped back in fear, as if Hanna¡¯s palm hid needles.


    The beautiful Purple Moth narrowed her eyes slightly, her smile growing even more radiant, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, don¡¯t you like shaking hands with Sister? If you shake hands with Sister, she¡¯ll take care of you, buy you pretty clothes, tasty snacks, and even tell you fairy tales to lull you to sleep at night~¡±


    Igula watched coldly from the side; this woman named Hanna, although appearing somewhat naive in her methods, definitely had a decisive and dark heart. First, she sold them to the Divine Sect of the Four Pillars, then conspired with Red Hat to attack the Divine Sect and rescue them, followed by having Red Hat threaten them, and finally, she appeared herself to save them... It was a roller coaster of dramatic ups and downs.


    Someone from an Exotic Realm, already disoriented, experiencing such rapid and overwhelming events, had already turned their mind into a mess, incapable of making accurate judgments.


    Seeing the same Hanna who had betrayed them now willing to rescue them, it was easy to trigger a ¡®victim mentality,¡¯ moved by the abuser¡¯s gentleness to the point of losing all reason, and naturally ready to sign a demeaning slave contract.


    Luckily, all three of them were big bad guys who had clawed their way out of the pits; even if they weren¡¯t in top form, they could instinctively see through such basic deception¡ªit was almost a survival instinct for them, and even Ash wouldn¡¯t be fooled.


    Though the plan failed, this didn¡¯t mean Hanna was incompetent.


    Her ability to quickly calm down for negotiations with Igula, even willing to make concessions to speed up the signing of the contract, made Igula look at her with new respect¡ªambitious yet not greedy, unconcerned with sunk costs, not seeking the best result but always able to make the best judgment; she had the makings of a ¡®perfectly rational being.¡¯


    Thus, Igula knew that if they didn¡¯t sign the contract, Hanna would definitely not let them go¡ªputting himself in her shoes, if Igula couldn¡¯t obtain a ¡®scarce resource,¡¯ he would rather destroy it than let it slip away.


    Similarly, if this girl named Liss refused Hanna¡¯s invitation, then Hanna would no longer treat her as a cute little girl but purely as a ¡®scarce resource.¡¯


    One can be pleasant to a little girl, but for a scarce resource, one only needs to make the optimal decision.


    Seemingly sensing the danger, the little girl with white hair retreated even more dramatically, her lips pouting in distress, tears nearly spilling over.


    She looked around the room, then suddenly lunged toward one of them¡ª


    ¡°Daddy!¡±

 Chapter 216 - 216 189 The Concentration of Bad Women and Bad

    ?Chapter 216: Chapter 189 The Concentration of Bad Women and Bad Men Chapter 216: Chapter 189 The Concentration of Bad Women and Bad Men Ash stared blankly at the little girl hugging his leg, his eyes lost as he responded to everyone.


    ¡°Hey, she¡¯s calling you daddy, so are you the hero that¡¯s going to rescue her?¡±


    Harvey actually remembered the joke Ash had used to fool them earlier.


    It was Igula who vaguely caught on and immediately mocked, ¡°Ash, I didn¡¯t expect you to have such a grown child... But this isn¡¯t the Kingdom of Blood Moon, so I can sincerely congratulate you two on your reunion.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that!¡± Ash protested, ¡°Look at me with black hair and her with white hair, how could we possibly be related?¡±


    ¡°That only means your genetic material was defeated,¡± Igula said leisurely.


    The little girl was crying so hard that snot was coming out, stickily clinging to his pants as she looked up pitifully at Ash: ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t you want me anymore?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your daddy!¡±


    ¡°No, you are my daddy! Waaaah, daddy doesn¡¯t want me anymore!¡±


    Had it been his nephew back home, Ash would have long served up the punishment of steamed pork with rattan. But looking at this crying mess of a face still looking adorably distraught, his hardening fist couldn¡¯t help but soften again.


    If I had been this cute when I was little, I probably wouldn¡¯t have been beaten by my parents even if I stole money. During spring outings, everyone would have battled to be in my team. Girls would have tried to get my attention by pulling down my pants...


    ¡°This works too.¡±


    Ash looked towards Hanna and noticed she was eyeing the ¡®father and daughter¡¯ duo with an amused gaze.


    ¡°Since Heath, you are now my vassal, if she agrees to become your vassal, naturally she¡¯d also be mine,¡± Hanna commanded, ¡°Shake hands with her.¡±


    ¡°From now on, please address me as Ash.¡±


    After correcting her, Ash looked down at Liss, stretching out his hand, ¡°Alright, be good. Life is like this, always getting bullied by bad women for no reason.¡±


    This time, Liss did not resist and gripped Ash¡¯s index and middle fingers with her palm.


    Hanna pulled out a purple hand cannon from her embrace, aiming it at the spot where their hands were clasped.


    ¡°Ash, make two demands of her. First, she must obediently listen to you for 101 days; second, she may not leave you for 101 days,¡± she looked at Liss, ¡°Liss, you can also make two demands of him, anything goes. That¡¯s how a contract is formed.¡±


    Reluctantly, Ash could only honestly say, ¡°For 101 days, you¡¯ll have to listen to me obediently.¡±


    Liss¡¯s eyes gleamed with cunning, ¡°But daddy, you have to listen to me too.¡±


    Whoosh!


    Hanna fired a purple streak of light that turned into chains binding their hands tightly, with purple engravings spreading all the way to their hearts.


    This is terrible, you¡¯re listening to me, and I¡¯m listening to you, won¡¯t this turn into an infinite recursive loop?


    Ash continued, ¡°For 101 days, you must not leave me.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t leave daddy,¡± Liss burst into a tearful smile, ¡°but daddy, you have to protect me well!¡±


    The purple gun bullet burst forth once more, engraving a second oath on the backs of Liss and Ash¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Hanna looked at Cleos beside her, ¡°Now all the people from the Exotic Realm are under my control, no more problems now, right?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no more indebtedness between you and me,¡± Cleos, with her hands crossed over her chest, attempted seriousness, but the swollen eyes undermined her dignity, ¡°Please go now, we still need to take photos.¡±


    ¡°By the name of Doran, I will not fail your trust,¡± Hanna laughed with her hands on her hips, ¡°I hope you achieve a desirable ranking at the Weaving Festival.¡±


    Housekeeper Banjee snapped his fingers lightly, and a staircase of frost extending to the ceiling quietly formed. Hanna looked at them and said, ¡°From now on, you are no longer people from the Exotic Realm, but temporary operators for the Funeral Service Office.¡±


    ¡°Come on up, I¡¯ve already prepared clothes and food for you.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Liss suddenly rubbed her nose and tears all over Ash¡¯s clothes, then dashed over and took Hanna¡¯s hand, following behind the young lady like a little shadow. Ash, chin nearly dropping, watched the little drama queen stick to his boss, ¡°She, she was quite afraid...¡±


    Harvey patted him on the shoulder, ¡°When the contract was signed, why didn¡¯t you let her speak first? If she had made an unreasonable demand, you could have refused to accept it. Now look at you, with those two oaths, you might really end up dedicating your life to her.¡±


    Igula passed by him, heaving a heavy sigh, ¡°Even a little girl we barely know can tell at a glance that you¡¯re the easiest one among us to deal with.¡±


    Meanwhile, Liss leading Hanna by the hand turned her head back, lips curving in a slight smile, her big eyes narrowing into a cunning arc, beckoning Ash, ¡°Daddy, come quickly!¡±


    There was no doubt that her earlier pitiful demeanor was all a ruse, just to lower Ash¡¯s guard!


    ¡°First there¡¯s ¡®Eternal Damnation¡¯ whose luck defies logic, followed by an elf archer who cries and shoots at the same time, then there¡¯s the leader of the black evil organization Purple Moth whom we sold and then snatched back, and now even a little girl is trying to extract my residual value...¡±


    Ash couldn¡¯t help but hold his forehead, ¡°The concentration of bad women tonight is a bit too high, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ...


    In the Kingdom of Blood Moon, on the outskirts of Kaimon City.


    By now, Freyja had already dressed herself and was changing Selena into clean clothes, her eyes filled with tenderness as she looked at the thin doll-like girl. A choker of Blood Moon¡¯s light tightly encircled Selena¡¯s neck, a declaration of her status as an outsider.

 Chapter 217 - 217 189 The Concentration of Bad Women and Bad

    ?Chapter 217: Chapter 189 The Concentration of Bad Women and Bad Men_2 Chapter 217: Chapter 189 The Concentration of Bad Women and Bad Men_2 ¡°Do you still feel cold? Do you want to add another layer of clothing?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sister.¡± Selena offered a pleading, humble smile, ¡°I¡¯m much better now, no need to trouble you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all...¡±


    ¡°Freyja, come outside for a moment.¡± Adela¡¯s voice came from outside.


    Freyja looked towards Selena and saw that the doll-like girl¡¯s eyes were moist, conveying fear and yearning. But her crystal lips trembled slightly without uttering a word.


    Meiwa¡¯s heart nearly melted. She adjusted the position of the lamp and arranged Selena into a more comfortable position, ¡°I¡¯ll step out for a bit, just right outside. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± The doll-like girl nodded vigorously, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you.¡±


    Freyja left the tent and joined Adela by the river a little farther away, asking, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it time to notify the Church?¡± Adela said with crossed arms, ¡°You¡¯ve seen that Blood Light Collar, she¡¯s from an Exotic Realm, just like the invaders who caused the 422 incident; she¡¯s a harbinger of disaster!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just a poor soul who fell into a Void Realm passage while fleeing!¡± Freyja exclaimed, ¡°She can¡¯t be a spy from another Kingdom. Who would send a girl, who cannot move without help because she has no limbs, to explore an Exotic Realm?¡±


    ¡°Who knows if what she says is true or false...¡±


    ¡°But her body is undeniable; you¡¯ve seen it yourself. There must be a world where they regard a limbless girl as sacred, treating a ragdoll to be manipulated at will as a statue... She barely escaped from that Hell; how could we just send her back?¡±


    ¡°The Church might send her to a foster home¡ª¡±


    ¡°Have you ever seen a child with physical or mental disabilities in a foster home, Adela?¡±


    Adela was silent. In the Kingdom of Blood Moon, babies born with deformities had no right to breathe. Children with disabilities acquired later in life could regain their limbs with the help of Medical Practitioners, but Selena¡¯s limb scars had turned smooth as jade, beyond what a Medical Practitioner could address.


    ¡°So what are you planning to do? Fit her with mechanical prosthetics?¡±


    ¡°Not now, she¡¯s too young for that. Mechanical prosthetics would greatly limit her growth...¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Adela suddenly grasped Freyja¡¯s shoulders, ¡°You¡¯re not planning to take care of her, are you?¡±


    Freyja averted her gaze, ¡°But she needs care...¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a person, a minor, not a cat or a dog!¡± Adela spoke in a suppressed voice, grinding her teeth, ¡°It¡¯s one thing not to report an Exotic Realm person we encounter; citizens aren¡¯t obliged to hunt down invaders. But fostering a minor is different¡ªeven fostering a minor from the Exotic Realm violates the ¡®Bloodline Prohibition Law.¡¯ Only the Church¡¯s foster homes have the right to foster minors!¡±


    ¡°And have you passed the fostering certification? Interned at a foster home? Ordinary people who want to work in a foster home have to go through an array of training and certification. Not just anyone can raise a child! What makes you think you can raise a minor when you haven¡¯t even figured out how to take care of yourself?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll learn.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you understand!¡± Adela was exasperated, ¡°You¡¯re Meiwa, you¡¯re just in heat for men. When did Meiwa start getting heated for girls?!¡±


    ¡°This is Fate.¡±


    Adela was taken aback.


    Freyja spoke earnestly, ¡°It just so happens that we found her, that Selena is an Exotic Realm person who needs to be taken care of, that most people in the Kingdom of Blood Moon are not kind to her... I¡¯m not being overly benevolent, but in the Blood Moon, only I can save her.¡±


    ¡°If I do nothing, she will die.¡± Meiwa spoke softly, ¡°My heart is so fragile that I cannot bear even a sliver of guilt.¡±


    Adela sighed. She felt she had sighed more in these days than in the past decade.


    ¡°But if someone reports it, then you¡¯re breaking the law.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to fear, it¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve broken the law¡ª¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t pretend I didn¡¯t hear that, ladies.¡±


    A weathered voice suddenly came from beside them. They shuddered and slowly turned their heads.


    In the dim Blood Moon, all they could see was a tall man in a Blood Frenzy Hunter Uniform on the other side of the river.


    ¡°What other law have you broken?¡± asked the Hunter amiably, ¡°If you confess on your own now, Crime Hunting Hall has discounts. After 30 days of detention, you get a 15-day reduction.¡±


    ¡°I... does downloading pirated videos count?¡± Freyja said as she backed away, then dashed into the tent and scooped up Selena, but as soon as she emerged, she saw the Hunter standing in front of the tent.


    Under the dim Moon Shadow, he seemed like a King ruling the night, a Demon trampling life, his crimson eyes the brightest light. The intense pressure was overwhelming; while Freyja barely resisted, Adela was already paralyzed with fear, collapsing onto the pebbly river path.


    ¡°I¡¯ve received a notification from the Church that someone from an Exotic Realm has passed through the Void Realm channel and entered Blood Moon...¡± The Hunter looked at the doll-like girl in Meiwa¡¯s arms, wearing a Blood Moon Collar, ¡°She does look pitiful...¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not a spy from the Exotic Realm!¡± Freyja¡¯s voice trembled as she tightly protected Selena, ¡°There¡¯s no need¡ª¡±


    ¡°Of course, there¡¯s no need.¡±


    The Hunter smiled, ¡°Just now, the Void Realm channel upstream has dissipated. Even if she has some exotic Mage¡¯s fallback on her person, now it¡¯s completely moot.¡±

 Chapter 218 - 218 189 The Concentration of Bad Women and Bad

    ?Chapter 218: Chapter 189 The Concentration of Bad Women and Bad Men_3 Chapter 218: Chapter 189 The Concentration of Bad Women and Bad Men_3 Freyja¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Then¡ª¡±


    ¡°But according to the law, people from the Exotic Realm should all die.¡±


    The Hunter¡¯s hand rested on the hilt of his sword, his voice suddenly turning cold. Selena seemed to sense the icy killing intent and cowered in fear in Freyja¡¯s arms.


    Freyja wanted to run, but her legs had already gone so weak she couldn¡¯t move, and not kneeling down was already consuming the courage left to her by the Cult Leader.


    ¡°This Blood Moon, is it really ... so barbarically cruel?¡± Freyja closed her eyes, ¡°Perhaps I should have left with them back then ...¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± the Hunter chuckled, ¡°Even if I don¡¯t kill her, she won¡¯t be able to survive. The foster care won¡¯t accept a person from the Exotic Realm without a chip implanted; it¡¯s illegal for ordinary people to foster a minor, and she possesses no ability to live independently. Although the Kingdom of Blood Moon is vast, there is no place for her.¡±


    ¡°I will take care of her.¡±


    ¡°Even if I don¡¯t arrest you, can you really assure that you¡¯d hide her well? Your neighbor, your landlord won¡¯t discover anything? Your goodwill is commendable, but your actions are merely an impulse.¡±


    ¡°So are we just supposed to watch her die?¡±


    ¡°There is another way.¡±


    The Hunter suddenly reached out and snatched the doll-like girl from Meiwa¡¯s hands.


    ¡°That¡¯s for me to take care of her.¡±


    Freyja was stunned; she exchanged glances with Adela, the two well-informed female graduates having the same thought¡ªalchemy!


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand,¡± the Hunter seemed to know what they were thinking, ¡°I¡¯m usually busy with work and hardly ever home; I will probably hire someone to look after her. If you wish, you two can also come and look after her, and at the same time monitor that I don¡¯t mistreat her.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid someone would report you?¡±


    ¡°Not afraid,¡± the Hunter smiled, ¡°because I am a Blood Frenzy Hunter, not a powerless college student.¡±


    Meiwa wanted to say something, but then her friend softly called out, ¡°Freyja.¡±


    Freyja turned to Adela and saw fear and pleading in her eyes. Her heart trembled, knowing she couldn¡¯t be wilful anymore and couldn¡¯t drag Adela into the Vortex because of her stubbornness.


    Freyja sighed and asked, ¡°But I still don¡¯t understand, you¡¯re not only a Blood Frenzy Hunter but should also be from the Blood Saint Clan, right? Adopting an underage person from the Exotic Realm has already violated numerous laws ... why are you doing this?¡±


    It was common knowledge in the Kingdom of Blood Moon that the Blood Saint Clan held the laws in the highest regard, and the Moon Shadow Clan was the kindest. However, the Blood Frenzy Hunter before Freyja utterly shattered that perception¡ªhe dared to actively trample on the rules set by the Extreme Master of Blood Moon.


    ¡°Yes, why do this ... I am also looking for an answer.¡±


    The Hunter¡¯s tone was somewhat elusive, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I know the Blood Saint Clan has its limits, so I need to transcend Blood Saint. Or maybe ... it¡¯s because I was enchanted by that man.¡±


    He looked at the puppet-like girl he was holding, ¡°Kid, I¡¯ll be your guardian from now on, won¡¯t you introduce yourself?¡±


    Selena looked quite distressed; she had barely managed to enchant that foolish woman, and once settled, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to manipulate her to re-establish the Four Pillars God Sect here. But this man was much more challenging to deal with, and Selena faintly felt that, although he was looking at her, his gaze was chasing some phantom he knew not of.


    Damn it, first it was Ash Heath, then this Hunter; why is the density of bad men tonight so high?


    ¡°Selena Bright,¡± she said tremblingly.


    At that moment, the Blood Moon broke through the clouds, and the crimson moonlight illuminated the Hunter¡¯s weathered face and his grey hair.


    ¡°I am Gerard Westminster, Hunter ID 307791,¡± the Hunter said, ¡°Pleased to meet you, Selena. I have a feeling we will get along just fine.¡±

 Chapter 219 - 219 190 We Outsiders

    ?Chapter 219: Chapter 190: We Outsiders Chapter 219: Chapter 190: We Outsiders ¡°Have we traveled to a quite formidable nation?¡± Ash plastered himself against the floor-to-ceiling glass, looking down at the City of Eternal Night below. A dim white jade disk hung in the night sky, strongly proving that they had lost their chance to participate in the live-action adventure trial known as the Blood Moon Judgement.


    Tall buildings rose high, neon lights hung in the air, and the automated vehicles on the roads¡ªplease forgive Ash¡¯s limited sci-fi vocabulary¡ªwere like a tightly programmed collective, maintaining a consistent distance from one another; their speeds were almost uniform, and whenever a car turned off the main road creating a gap, another would quickly take its place. There were no traffic lights or crosswalks; the automated vehicles seemed to possess superior self-management capabilities.


    In addition, numerous drones weaved through the night sky. They too were tightly planned, efficiently and swiftly navigating the airspace, capable even of point-to-point service¡ªin just a moment ago, a drone had suddenly entered their room, dropped off a few pairs of underwear, and left directly.


    This was because Harvey preferred triangular underwear, Ash liked boxers, and Igula preferred to go without underwear, but they had only been provided with triangular underwear.


    Upon hearing their requests, the young housekeeper Banjee had said, ¡°I will fulfill your needs as soon as possible,¡± but they had not expected it to happen so quickly; fresh underwear had arrived just after they had finished bathing.


    It was then that Ash and the others realized the room had a reserved express delivery portal for the drones, just large enough to allow a drone to pass through, but too flat to reach an arm into.


    Compared to the grand cityscape, it was the warmth of these inconspicuous architectural and service details that frightened the three foreign workers¡ªhad the productive capacity here become so affluent that it could save people the last minute of time spent receiving deliveries?


    If Ash had to use one word to describe this city, he could only think of ¡°alive.¡±


    This city was like a living machine, operating efficiently with precise computational ability; everything was fast yet orderly. It was like a master conductor leading an orchestra performance, where every note fit perfectly, without any redundant noise, all so harmonious.


    Initially, Ash thought Kaimon City during the Blood Moon was impressive, but compared to the city below him, Kaimon City was at best heavy metal associated with death¡ªand not only did it have an earthy feel, but it also connected to Hell.


    Right, although Ash was overlooking the city, he was not in the high floors of a building. Quite the contrary, he was on the lowest level, negative 51st floor.


    However, below the floor he stood on was not the foundation, but the rooftop.


    Under the rooftop was the surface level city.


    An 80-story-tall building faced Ash¡¯s negative 51st level across the void, less than 100 meters away in a straight line. Ash had observed this scene from the car earlier, feeling as if stalactites shaped like drops of water were gazing at one another, or as if the sky was kissing the ground.


    This was a crazily trembling fantasy city; the ground level was a normal city, but the second level was an upside-down city¡ªall the buildings were constructed facing downward, and the ground of the second level was actually the highest point.


    ¡°I hope their corpse management system is rather lenient...¡± Harvey, waving his recently healed left arm and lazily sitting in a soft chair with moon candy in his mouth, said, ¡°A civilization that knows how to utilize corpses is a good civilization.¡±


    ¡°No wonder those Red Hats, who seemed to be part of the Security Forces, let us off so easily.¡±


    Igula watched the unmanned drones flitting through the night sky, ¡°Just mount guns and cannons on those machines, and they¡¯ll be enough to encircle and slaughter an ordinary mage legion. The unmanned three-dimensional security system still being researched in the Kingdom of Blood Moon has already become a reality here.¡±


    ¡°Unless they open a Tier 3 or higher gateway to the Great Void Realm and have a Holy Sanctuary Mage personally lead a Hunting Festival, this nation won¡¯t be stirred up by anything.¡±


    ¡°To them, we who come from a Tier 2 Void Realm gateway are just pawns, although also considered evil foreign enemies that must be eradicated, we¡¯re at most the level of cockroaches, not even worthy of being called centipedes.¡±


    Igula couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit resentful at this point, ¡°In such a well-regulated civilized nation, as long as we hide for three days until the countdown disappears, we can surely find a way to become official citizens here, enjoy social welfare, and not be forced to become that woman¡¯s hundred-day slave¡ª¡±


    ¡°The social welfare in the Kingdom of Blood Moon is actually quite comprehensive,¡± Ash suddenly said, ¡°but you have to implant a chip at the back of your neck. If Blood Moon is willing to waive your punishment, the condition is you must implant the chip again, would you be willing?¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± Harvey spread his hands, ¡°The research institutions have a monopoly on the corpse industry, and small business owners like me can¡¯t survive. Even if it wasn¡¯t for the jailbreak, I would definitely leave the cannibalistic Blood Moon... Ah, where exactly is my blue ocean of corpses?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like to answer hypothetical questions,¡± Igula said calmly.


    ¡°Although there¡¯s no evidence, I feel that this country might not be as good as we see,¡± Ash picked up a sandwich biscuit from the snack plate, ¡°If everyone here is really living happily without worries, then why is the Four Pillars God Sect here more prosperous than in Kaimon City?¡±


    ¡°Have you not considered that this might be because there¡¯s a gap in capability that cannot be overlooked between the leaders of the two organizations?¡± Igula said with disdain.


    ¡°Besides, being hired by Hanna isn¡¯t entirely a bad thing,¡± Ash continued, ¡°Being exploited isn¡¯t scary, what¡¯s scary is having no value to be exploited. Even if, as Banjee, you said, we can slowly integrate from the bottom up into this world, how long will that take? Would the risk cost be very high? Could we, a bunch of penniless outsiders, really establish ourselves in a civilized nation with a complete system? We would probably get chased away from sleeping under bridges because we¡¯re ¡®affecting the city¡¯s appearance.''¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t even know our own racial advantage, but Hanna knows, she not only knows but is also willing to pay the price just for the opportunity to exploit us... Igula, if I uncover a talent of yours in a certain magic faction, and the price is that you have to lick me in every possible way for the next hundred days, would you be willing?¡±


    ¡°As I said, I don¡¯t like answering hypothetical questions,¡± Igula said coldly, ¡°And I couldn¡¯t pay that kind of price anyway, I¡¯d vomit from severe nausea within three minutes and die of dehydration.¡±


    Although that¡¯s what he said, everyone understood the subtext of what Ash implied¡ªthese hundred days were not just for Hanna to use them, but for them to use Hanna as well.


    With Hanna, a local guide, to help, not only could Ash and the others quickly integrate into this world, but Hanna would also help to unearth their unknown worth that even they were unaware of.


    Even if Hanna took away most or all of their discovered value, at least they would know their unique talents, as if they had received professional training, though at the cost of selling themselves.


    ¡°But don¡¯t forget who sold us to the Divine Sect of the Four Pillars as sacrifices.¡±


    Harvey suddenly stretched his left arm, his bones making a crisp sound, seemingly fully healed. The usual hazy laziness was gone from his face, his eyes narrowed slightly, and his dark complexion was filled with the coldness befitting Kaimon City¡¯s number one control master.

 Chapter 220 - 220 191 Eternal Damnation Walker

    ?Chapter 220: Chapter 191 Eternal Damnation Walker Chapter 220: Chapter 191 Eternal Damnation Walker ¡°I do not like to speak of ¡®revenge¡¯, ¡®grudges¡¯, ¡®hatred.¡¯ Only cowards embellish their incompetence with literary decoration and deconstruct their rage with words... But I am now a Necromancer from the Exotic Realm, with no past and no future. Corpses are not only my material but also my destiny.¡±


    The Necromancer spoke coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t care about any long-term benefits, my mood is the only standard for my actions.¡±


    ¡°Clearly, from your daily consumption of moon candy, it¡¯s evident you only intend to lead a short life,¡± Igula raised an eyebrow. ¡°Do you want to take revenge on Hanna?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Harvey chewed thoughtfully, his fingers munching on his knuckles. ¡°It largely depends on how I feel at the time. If I truly run out of candy, then just a hint of resentment might ignite my Ice Cold Flowing Fire... By the way, the night I left Shattered Lake Prison, I swore that anyone who aspired to be my boss, I would turn into a cute subordinate that I liked.¡±


    ¡°I say these things not to invite you to join my revenge plan 100 days in advance, but to hope that you can at least stand by when the time comes. I don¡¯t want to fight with you, not only because it¡¯s troublesome but also... I really don¡¯t want to.¡±


    Ash blinked, ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m a bit touched by that, especially since the first thing you discussed when we met was how my death spots could look nicer...¡±


    Speaking of this roused Harvey from his drowsiness: ¡°If you let me prepare a bit, I promise that whenever you die, beautiful black roses will grow all over your body...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Necromancer,¡± Igula responded coldly. ¡°I won¡¯t oppose you, but I¡¯m also not joining your foolish revenge. I admit I still harbor resentment, but if Hanna makes sufficient amends in the coming days, I might be able to let go of this ¡®minor discord.''¡±


    ¡°After all, mood is the most unreliable thing. Even foes who once gritted their teeth in hatred can become...¡± Igula paused, suddenly changing the subject: ¡°Speaking of which, Harvey, aren¡¯t you afraid this room is bugged? Hanna might have already heard your declaration of revenge.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right, it¡¯s over.¡± Harvey slapped his forehead. ¡°It seems I really have had too much moon candy...¡±


    ¡°And you?¡± Igula turned to Ash. ¡°Do you want to take revenge on Hanna?¡±


    ¡°You know it might be bugged, yet you tempt me to speak ill behind someone¡¯s back?¡± Ash retorted, but tilting his head, he pondered, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m more curious than vengeful.¡±


    ¡°Curious?¡±


    ¡°Curious about how she¡¯ll use us,¡± Ash said. ¡°Being a chess player surely means controlling one¡¯s own fate, but if one can only be a pawn, isn¡¯t it also possible to admire the gambits of the players up close?¡±


    ¡°But first she sold you to the Four Pillars God Sect, then tricked you into signing a slave Contract. Don¡¯t you bear any grudge?¡±


    ¡°There might be some resentment, but it dissipated quite a bit when the housekeeper bought me boxer shorts earlier,¡± Ash sighed. ¡°I¡¯m actually a very weak-willed, honest person who can easily be bought by kindness. I¡¯m worried now that Hanna might try to entrap me with a honey trap...¡±


    Igula chuckled, ¡°If Fernand heard you calling yourself honest, she might be furious enough to climb out of the sixth layer of Hell.¡±


    ¡°So, are you not planning on taking revenge?¡± Harvey asked.


    ¡°If I were really to seek revenge, it wouldn¡¯t be for the resentment of day one,¡± Ash gazed out at the neon night scene. ¡°It would be for the accumulated disappointment of the following 101 days.¡±


    ¡°As for that Contract, I¡¯m not so concerned about it.¡±


    Ash turned his head towards them, ¡°Do you really think a mere Contract can restrain me?¡±


    Hearing such an arrogant and defiant statement, Igula instinctively wanted to retort with a couple of mocking remarks, but seeing Ash¡¯s face, half in light and half in shadow, he found himself at a loss for words, as if overpowered.


    Was it because of the persuasive power brought by this cult leader¡¯s past experience?


    Was it because this escapee possessed a strength that people couldn¡¯t ignore?


    Or was it because... he had deeply realized that this man named Ash Heath was the most terrifying one among them?


    Beneath that human skin, the malevolent nature wrapped up would become a wind that sweeps everything, swaying the windmill named disaster¡ª


    ¡°I¡¯m a national-level retreat drummer master, a professional idler, an annual customer of the company restroom, a platinum-salary thief. I¡¯m not good at working, but I¡¯m the best at taking a dump,¡± Ash said leisurely, ¡°Relying on a contract to make me work, you¡¯re really underestimating me.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Igula lightly slapped himself.


    ¡°But Ash, aside from the 101-day contract, you also have a lifelong contract with that little girl,¡± Harvey reminded, ¡°Are you prepared to be a dad yet?¡±


    Speaking of this, Ash¡¯s face darkened¡ªby then he knew very well why the little girl Liss had approached him, precisely because she saw that he was soft-hearted, and that¡¯s why she boldly made those two outrageous vows.


    Had it been Hanna or Igula, those who grew up eating bread soaked in human blood, they would never have signed such an absurd tyrant contract. It was only Ash, who was used to being exploited by unscrupulous businesses with their ruthless contracts, who was momentarily tricked by her cuteness and didn¡¯t catch on fast enough, resulting in him being thoroughly trapped.


    The reason Hanna was willing to let Ash sign a contract with Liss was that she didn¡¯t want to carry two additional burdens. Although she could restrict Liss from making excessive demands, naturally, the fewer promises in a contract, the better.


    Igula looked at Harvey strangely, ¡°Don¡¯t you know what ¡®dad¡¯ implies?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Harvey shrugged, ¡°but isn¡¯t it fun to tease Ash with it?¡±


    Watching Ash¡¯s frustrated expression, Igula coughed and casually said, ¡°The contract system here is different from the Blood Moon¡¯s, but Hanna wouldn¡¯t use any particularly grand ritual either, at most it would only bind a Two-winged Mage. If I had some time to study it, perhaps I could¡ª¡±


    Knock, knock.


    The housekeeper boy opened the door and politely said, ¡°Miss invites you to discuss in the hall. If you prefer to rest tonight, we can delay it until tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know whether I¡¯m going to have to sell my body or soul next, I definitely can¡¯t sleep,¡± Igula said coldly, ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    He thought it over and decided not to make any light promises to Ash just yet¡ªSwindler¡¯s sixth rule, don¡¯t reveal your hand before success.


    Unless it¡¯s a client you want to deceive, don¡¯t casually offer hope.


    Following the housekeeper, Ash wasn¡¯t thinking about his fate ahead.


    The reason he quickly accepted his new identity, willing to accept Hanna¡¯s temporary leadership, was not only because of the traditional coping skill ¡®since I¡¯m already here,¡¯ but also because he suddenly had a strange profession¡ª


    ¡°Profession: Eternal Damnation Walker/Social Layabout¡±


    ¡°Professional characteristics: Normal status luck check +5, critical moment luck check -50, more likely to trigger mysterious events, more prone to complications, more exposed to Fate¡¯s gaze, more prone to great failures. Technique Spirit¡¯s appetite decreases, feeding requirement reduces by 50%.¡±

 Chapter 221 - 221 192 Only Ash Is it Just Ash Is it Just Ash

    ?Chapter 221: Chapter 192: Only Ash? Is it Just Ash? Is it Just Ash? Chapter 221: Chapter 192: Only Ash? Is it Just Ash? Is it Just Ash? Eternal Damnation Walker!


    Although the name was filled with a wildly charming and reckless flavor, its effect was simply like Ash challenging Freyja¡ªpleasure followed by death. A +5 to luck wasn¡¯t much, but at critical moments, it could feel like a devastating -50.


    Win and you would gain a piece of Moon candy, lose and it felt like losing an entire factory, even worse than gambling on a fund.


    Additionally, it made one ¡®more likely to trigger mysterious events, more likely to face complications, more likely to be despised by fate, and more likely to experience great failures¡¯, which basically meant one was more likely to be unlucky, and once that happened, the luck would plummet to -50, akin to Meiwa unleashing a perfect combo with her hands and mouth.


    If Ash had a stable life, even a normal home, he could have slightly countered the drawbacks brought by his profession.


    After all, a -50 to luck sounded intimidating, but it actually required triggering a ¡®critical moment¡¯ as a prerequisite, so the avoidance strategy was simple¡ªjust as moral blackmail required a target with morals, if Ash lived a peaceful, mundane life, even the lowest luck wouldn¡¯t affect more than his chances of getting sprayed with soda at Wallace¡¯s.


    However, now Ash was without a stable life, let alone a home.


    He even suspected that if he slept under a bridge, because of his professional characteristics, he might continuously encounter events like robberies, gang wars, serial killers, Meiwa hunts, and invasions by exotic mages throughout the night.


    So for Ash, the option to ¡®integrate from the bottom in this kingdom¡¯ was far too risky¡ªfinding a place to live, finding work, and even finding Mage resources were already extremely troublesome. With a -50 to luck, Ash felt every person he met could be a fraudulent agent.


    Hanna¡¯s hundred-day Contract, while it restricted Ash¡¯s freedom, also meant his safety was secured¡ªthe first clause clearly stated the slave owner must protect the slave.


    With Hanna as an intermediary, Ash could at least safely get past the most dangerous ¡®newbie phase¡¯. He didn¡¯t believe in bad luck aiming solely at him to send down lightning strikes; it was certain to involve a radius of fifty meters centered on him, drawing in Igula, Hanna, and others, at least allowing him to share the bad luck around. Should anything happen, others would be there to take the fall.


    In fact, the negative status of Eternal Damnation was likely planted when Selena bumped into him, followed immediately by Hanna seizing the opportunity during disaster and the little girl Liss employing cute scams¡ªtwo major malicious events. While ¡®luck +5¡¯ was still hard to notice, the ¡®luck -50¡¯ was indeed incredibly effective.


    As they pondered, they had already arrived in the living room.


    Hanna¡¯s apartment appeared to be a large flat design, her home encompassing the entire negative 51st floor, with just the living room easily measuring over a hundred square meters. When Ash and the others arrived, they saw several mechanical spiders returning to their web nests to recharge.


    Upon entering, Ash had seen these mechanical spiders cleaning. No need for further description¡ªjust by looking, one could see the advantages of these spider mechanics: extremely flexible, not missing any sanitary corners, three-dimensional thorough cleaning.


    There was also no sign of other servants around, suggesting daily cleaning was probably handled solely by the mechanical spiders.


    Considering the unmanned drone delivery system and the developed autonomous vehicle network outside, it seemed physical laborers here were already without exploitative value.


    Although governed by Mages, the degree of development here comprehensively outmatched the Kingdom of Blood Moon, both macroscopically and microscopically. Ash couldn¡¯t help but consider the possibility¡ªwas the Blood Moon really the most barbaric and shoddy Mage civilization?


    Was his crossing into this world a disaster from the start?


    ¡°Please sit.¡± Hanna was already sitting at one end of the long table, waiting for them, and had changed into a set of purple silk pajamas¡ªAsh felt he could guess the color of this woman¡¯s underwear. The little white-haired girl Liss, holding a cup of milk, sat beside her, dressed in a cute bunny pajama, her eyes lively and spirited.


    Of course, during the hour-long drive from the suburbs where the Four Pillars God Sect was located to the city center, only Liss had fully slept; Ash and the others had taken turns resting.


    The young housekeeper, Banjee, stood by attentively. Beyond his youthful appearance, he seemed as seasoned as a sixty-year-old.


    On the table were four rings, gleaming with the luster of aluminum metal and engraved with numbers from 1 to 12, very high-tech, three large and one small.


    ¡°Which finger doesn¡¯t matter, the method is to wear it and then give it a twist,¡± Hanna said while filing her nails. ¡°These are Salome¡¯s latest model of Gospel rings, available in starry sky gray, matte black, and shimmering blue. If you have a preferred color, you can mention it; they can be swapped within seven days. The numbers on the rings are just for indicating time, decorative.¡±


    ¡°Gospel ring?¡± Igula picked up a ring to closely examine.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, just as you thought,¡± Hanna said. ¡°Once you wear them, you¡¯ll be able to open the ¡®Gospel Book¡¯. Most of your questions can be answered from the ¡®Gospel Book¡¯.¡±


    An impatient Liss had already put on her ring and, hearing this, decisively twisted it around. Ash and the others exchanged looks, then each donned and twisted their rings.


    In the next second, four different books appeared in front of them: Liss¡¯s book had a crystal cover, emitting a seven-colored light; Harvey¡¯s book seemed to be bound with white bones, emitting a gray mist; Igula¡¯s book was dazzlingly bright...


    Ash¡¯s book was the weirdest¡ªwhile others had solid colors or various rune patterns, his cover featured a figure in a hood hanging upside-down, holding a book that covered their face, mysterious and secretive.


    Hanna couldn¡¯t help but give Ash¡¯s book a second glance, soon losing interest, ¡°Look at your Gospel Books and silently think ¡®mine¡¯.¡±


    Ash did so, and the Gospel Book opened immediately, listing information:


    ¡°nome Ash Heath¡±


    ¡°Current points: 0¡±


    ¡°Points available this month: 0¡±


    ¡°Current ranking: None¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Ash turned his head and saw that Igula and Harvey were showing shocked expressions. He felt a bit odd; the technology difference between this design and the chip light screen wasn¡¯t that big, were they really that unsophisticated¡ª


    ¡°Hanna sister, I¡¯m ranked 10th on the ¡®Azuma Beauty List¡¯!¡± Liss boasted excitedly.


    Ash blinked.


    ¡°First place in the ¡®Two-winged Necromancy List ¨C Azuma Sub-list.''¡± Harvey spoke softly, ¡°It seems that the development of the Necromancy Faction here isn¡¯t very good. I¡¯m actually in first place ...¡±


    ¡°Wait, Harvey, when did you become Two-winged?¡± Ash suddenly noticed a detail: ¡°During the Blood Moon Judgement, you were still a One-winged Mage!¡±


    ¡°My accumulation was actually enough long ago. In the few days I broke out of prison, I absorbed enough magic power in the Void Realm, broke through to the Golden Level in the Necromancy Faction Realm, and then elevated my lifebound Technique Spirit to Two-winged, which allowed me to smoothly enter the Time Continent.¡± Harvey shrugged, ¡°Even I, a newly promoted Two-winged Necromancer, can rank first here...sigh, I feel like I¡¯ve come to a cultural desert.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it good to be first?¡± Igula raised an eyebrow, ¡°Second place in the ¡®Two-winged Spirit List ¨C Azuma Sub-list,¡¯ fifth in the ¡®Azuma Beauty List¡¯... I can forget the Beauty List, but to have a Spirit Mage in the Two-winged Spirit Realm higher than me here, if this were in the Kingdom of Blood Moon, I might already be thinking of hiring you to assassinate that colleague.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so weird. If someone is stronger than you, shouldn¡¯t you want to surpass him with sheer strength?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t using money to assassinate him also a form of sheer strength? Resources, connections, power, intelligence¡ªthese are the real strengths of a Spirit Mage. Magic power is just a trivial part of it.¡±


    Harvey thought for a bit and actually agreed with Igula¡¯s twisted logic, ¡°That¡¯s true, after all, corpses count as my strength. Magic power isn¡¯t enough to summarize everything about me...¡±


    As they were talking, they suddenly noticed the absence of a noisy voice.


    The two turned to look at Ash: ¡°Ash, what¡¯s your ranking?¡±


    ¡°Me, well,¡± Ash said dismissively, ¡°This is very important confidential information, how can I just reveal it carelessly like you two¡ª¡±


    ¡°Turn your ¡®My¡¯ page to me.¡± Hanna said.


    Instantly, the three complied, and Liss obediently turned the book as well. Hanna glanced at it and saw that the name on it was indeed ¡°Liss,¡± and the account had zero points. She let go of her last bit of suspicion about this mysterious little girl.


    By then, Ash¡¯s page was fully exposed to Igula and Harvey¡¯s view.


    Igula feigned extreme surprise and yelled loudly:


    ¡°Ah, my dear Ash, you don¡¯t have any rankings?¡±


    ¡°Can it be, only Ash has no rankings? Only Ash? Only Ash?!¡±


    ¡°As expected of Ash, indeed it¡¯s a secret worth hiding; we definitely can¡¯t let everyone find out how embarrassing you are¡ª¡±


    Ash became so frustrated that the corners of his mouth twitched. Igula, that damn flirt was one thing, but even Harvey, with his deadpan face all day, was laughing like he was high on moon candy, his shoulders trembling so hard they almost shook his pajamas off.


    ¡°Harvey, in our prison break operation, who was really dragging us down, who was fooling around, I think it¡¯s pretty clear.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, hahaha. Sorry Ash, I really can¡¯t help you, it¡¯s just too funny haha¡ª¡±


    ¡°Laugh it up,¡± Ash resignedly said, ¡°As long as I work hard, I can definitely be among the top!¡±


    ¡°¡®As long as I work hard, I can surely get into college¡¯!¡± Igula almost couldn¡¯t keep the smirk off his face. ¡°I miss it, the classmate who said that phrase seems to have turned into the star ¡®Silver Fire Dragon.''¡±


    ¡°Ash, don¡¯t be like this.¡± Harvey laughed, ¡°I promise you, if there¡¯s a corpse list, I will do my utmost to make sure you rank at the top!¡±


    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t be sad!¡± Liss clenched her little fists and said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t despise you!¡±


    ¡°Do you really still want to call me dad?¡± Ash couldn¡¯t help but say.


    ¡°Eh? But apart from dad, who else would agree to always protect Liss, to always listen to Liss?¡± Liss seriously said, ¡°I believe that even an incompetent dad will protect Liss well!¡±


    ¡°Since when did the contract time extend to forever¡ª¡±


    Harvey prompted, ¡°When she made the vow, she didn¡¯t mention a time limit, theoretically even if you died and I turned you into a necromancer, you should continue to protect her.¡±


    ¡°Stop, stop.¡± Hanna gently knocked on the table, ¡°Now that you roughly understand the meaning of the ¡®Gospel Book,¡¯ it¡¯s time to get to the main topic.¡±


    ¡°Is it about points?¡± Igula guessed, ¡°The higher the ranking, the more points you earn, you want us to give you all our points?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been in the top three lists since I was sixteen, Banjee and I have the same number,¡± Hanna said lazily, ¡°I¡¯m not impressed by your little points.¡±


    ¡°But your jobs are indeed related to the lists, related to the ¡®Gospel Book.''¡±


    Hanna blew on her nails, ¡°I need you to become the future number one.¡±

 Chapter 222 - 222 193 Blasphemous Gospel

    ?Chapter 222: Chapter 193 Blasphemous Gospel Chapter 222: Chapter 193 Blasphemous Gospel ¡°The top ranker of the future?¡±


    The crowd was stunned, but Hanna did not continue, instead, she turned to introduce the Gospel Book.


    ¡°The Gospel Book is a blessing from the All-knowing Weaver and the foundation of the Gospel civilization. The All-knowing one did not skimp on sharing His glory, allowing us to hear the truest Gospel, confirm our own talents, and find our own place.¡±


    ¡°The ranking lists are the Weaver¡¯s way of spurring on and rewarding people of the world.¡±


    ¡°According to statistics, there are currently a total of 3,788 kinds of lists, including overall lists, regional sub-lists, personal lists, and organizational lists, not only covering all Magic Factions, but also including various common professions and special feats,¡± Hanna said. ¡°For example, the Azura Task List counts the number of tasks completed most excellently by various offices within the Azura region; my Funeral Service Office is ranked ninth, making it a top-tier office in Azura. Another example is the Heroic Deed List, the Songstress List, and the Rope Twisting List, where even non-Mages can make the list.¡±


    At this, everyone couldn¡¯t help but glance at the only Mage in the room who was not on any list. He covered his face with his Gospel Book, dried his silence, and felt impulsively regretful.


    Igula raised his hand to ask, ¡°Are there any lists related to inventing new devices, popularizing advanced tools, transforming cities, and improving the lives of citizens?¡±


    ¡°The Advanced Invention List, the Enterprise List, the City Comprehensive List,¡± Hanna glanced out of the window at the multi-tiered city. ¡°I think I know what you¡¯re asking, Banjee. Has Azura changed much over the decades?¡±


    ¡°Miss, sixty years ago, Azura had dry toilets; thirty years ago, it was not a multi-tiered city.¡±


    The young housekeeper beside them let out a prematurely old sigh, ¡°When I was a child, I never imagined that one day I¡¯d see towering skyscrapers hanging upside down.¡±


    ¡°Because competition on the lists is fierce, every minute and every second new inventions, new tools, and new designs spring forth from every corner of the Kingdom of Gospel, swiftly moving into application phase, becoming reality, transforming the world.¡±


    Was it really due to a systemic advantage...


    Although the research institution system of the Kingdom of Blood Moon was quite good, it involved only the Longevity Species entirely in research, ensuring not only that leading figures played a role for a long time but also that they weren¡¯t premature in seeking benefits and could engage in fundamental research with no short-term gains. In fact, the Kingdom of Blood Moon was indeed a resource-rich developed country, else it could not have developed a social support system.


    But compared to the competitive Kingdom of Gospel, those blood-sucking bats still seemed overly conservative and outdated. Perhaps a thousand years ago the Kingdom of Blood Moon was not much different from the Kingdom of Gospel, but while the former relied only on the lengthy cultivation of a few Longevity Species, the latter thrived on full-scale societal competition, so it was only natural that a huge gap emerged over the centuries.


    Igula then asked, ¡°The list rankings that both organizations and individuals take so seriously must have substantial rewards, right?¡±


    ¡°Points,¡± Hanna nodded. ¡°Compared to gold and silver, points are the real hard currency of the Kingdom of Gospel. As long as you have enough points, you can obtain anything you desire.¡±


    ¡°Anything?¡±


    ¡°Anything.¡± Hanna stretched out her hand, and the next second, a bunch of fresh grapes suddenly appeared in her hand. She grabbed a grape with her mouth and gently burst its juice. ¡°For instance, you can use points to obtain a bunch of fresh chilled grapes.¡±


    ¡°All tangible items, all Technique Spirits, all Miracles, anything you can think of, as long as you have enough points, you can obtain it. However, there are a few restrictions, such as not harming others or engaging in illegal acts.¡±


    ¡°But things like extending life span, treating near-fatal injuries, instantly moving to a target location, obtaining a rare Four-winged Technique Spirit¡ªthose are still possible with the Gospel Book.¡±


    ¡°Must be expensive, right?¡±


    ¡°Exorbitantly so,¡± Hanna laughed. ¡°The real purchasing power of the points spent on these grapes could have bought me an entire grape farm. Red Hat, come eat grapes.¡±


    Ash and the others wondered who she was calling when suddenly a cream-colored lizard popped up on her shoulder, its vertical pupils vibrantly moving around, looking very adorable. It smacked its mouth a couple of times, and the bunch of grapes was left nothing but stems and twigs, not a single one remaining.


    The Mages couldn¡¯t even see how it ate!


    ¡°Carmine Dragon Lizard,¡± Igula muttered softly.


    ¡°An endangered species?¡± Ash asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not about being endangered, they simply don¡¯t exist in reality,¡± Harvey explained. ¡°I remember this is a special creature from the Time Continent, which, once bonded with its master, can travel with them to reality, and help catch fleeing Technique Spirits on adventures in the Void Realm, making it a very precious pet.¡±


    Compared to the large flats, office relationships, and connections with the Red Hat¡ªthese ¡®real world achievements¡¯, the Carmine Dragon Lizard as a ¡®Void Realm achievement¡¯ finally made Ash and his group take Hanna¡¯s personal strength seriously¡ªthe world of Mages is just that simple; being formidable in reality doesn¡¯t count as formidable, only being formidable in the Void Realm counts as truly strong.


    In a sense, Mages are like a group of gamers engaged in live-action role-playing games, except their ¡®game¡¯ abilities can also take effect in reality.


    Hanna stroked the little dragon lizard¡¯s head, saying, ¡°The real use for points is to purchase guidance for one¡¯s own ¡®Gospel,¡¯ that is, information and knowledge.¡±


    ¡°For instance, if you can¡¯t advance in your Magic Faction Realm, you spend points to seek guidance, and the Gospel will tell you what efforts to make next; like if your research experiments hit a dead end, the Gospel will tell you what exactly went wrong; like if you don¡¯t know which talents you possess, the Gospel will inspire your true potential; like if you want to verify whether someone is lying...¡±

 Chapter 223 - 223 193 Blasphemous Gospel_2

    ?Chapter 223: Chapter 193 Blasphemous Gospel_2 Chapter 223: Chapter 193 Blasphemous Gospel_2 Ash, the ¡°Mud Species that steals Magic Power,¡± was one thing, but the Gospel Book felt just about the same as Baidu and Zhihu, while Igula and Harvey were now completely baffled.


    As true Mages, how could they not know the value of such ¡°guidance?¡± If the Gospel Book really was created by the Divine Lord, it would mean that everyone in the kingdom had a Divine Lord grandpa at their side to guide them, which was... which was...


    What kind of trash is the Kingdom of Blood Moon, from now on I am an Evangelist!


    Igula¡¯s voice trembled as he asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s the percentage of Mages here?¡±


    ¡°Because the ¡®School Comprehensive List¡¯ includes the factor of students¡¯ healthy growth, the percentage of Mages has been declining over the past few decades.¡± Hanna flipped through her Gospel Book, ¡°The current rate is 10.19%.¡±


    ¡°One out of every ten people is a Mage...¡± Harvey murmured, ¡°The resources from corpses here are of such high quality...¡±


    ¡°Though it sounds weird, don¡¯t think our Mages here are that incredible.¡± Hanna spread her hands and said, ¡°I mean, you probably aren¡¯t considered particularly powerful Two-winged Mages in your own kingdom, right? Yet even in this place where the percentage of Mages is extremely high, you can still rank first or second, which says it all.¡±


    ¡°For the whole, the Gospel is certainly of great benefit, but for the individual, the Gospel is a double-edged sword that needs to be handled with caution.¡±


    ¡°Autonomous learning abilities.¡± Ash cut to the heart of the matter, ¡°If one gets used to seeking the Gospel whenever they encounter a difficult problem, their ability to learn independently will only gradually decrease, until eventually, they can¡¯t make any progress without the Gospel¡¯s guidance. It¡¯s like a domestic cat raised like a pig, which, due to a life of ease, ends up being chased by mice.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Hanna said as she played with a little lizard¡¯s claws, ¡°Our Mages are divided into ¡®Gospel Mages¡¯ and ¡®Silent Mages¡¯. Since listening to the Gospel¡¯s guidance is either never or countless times, the Gospel Mages generally stall at the Two-winged level, finding it difficult to progress in their faction realm, no matter how the Gospel Book guides them to struggle. They find it hard to break through.¡±


    ¡°To become a Three-winged one, it is usually only the Silent Mages, who have never listened to the Gospel at all, who might have a chance.¡±


    ¡°Like the ¡®Crying Sand Red Hat¡¯ Cleos you met just now, aside from asking about the birth of her destined lover, she never listens to other Gospels.¡±


    Ash was shocked, ¡°You can even ask about love?!¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s just that there often is no answer.¡± Hanna shrugged, ¡°Like I still don¡¯t have one now. The so-called destined lover is a miraculous Fate in which two people can fall deeply in love at first sight, without any need for adjustment, and never part once they meet. Many people go their whole lives without dating, preferring to wait for their destined lover, only to wait until death without ever meeting them.¡±


    Ash murmured, ¡°There¡¯s even a Fate allocated lover like that...¡±


    Harvey turned to Liss and said, ¡°Looks like you won¡¯t have the chance to have a mom.¡±


    Liss nodded seriously, ¡°Compared to having a mom, I feel the odds of having a second dad might be a bit higher...¡±


    Harvey nodded importantly, ¡°To be fair, and to speak objectively, indeed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you all this only to inform you that the Gospel Book does indeed have the power to fulfill any wish.¡± Hanna put the lizard on the table and spoke calmly, ¡°With this common understanding, you can grasp how great my plan is, and understand what I¡¯m gambling on you.¡±


    ¡°The following content, you must not reveal a single word to anyone else.¡±


    After that, Hanna¡¯s green eyes suddenly fixated on Ash, making his heart race and filling him with inexplicable confusion.


    He suddenly realized that Hanna seemed to be the first normal woman he¡¯d encountered since coming to this world; the Sword Maiden was two-dimensional, 222 always wore a mask, Freyja was a Meiwa who killed without consequence, only Hanna was a normal woman you could touch in reality.


    She¡¯s staring at me like this, could she be coveting my beauty, might she take the opportunity to get me drunk, might she break the ice with a ritual to take advantage of me? Ah, it¡¯s all 222¡¯s fault for improving my looks, even Freyja thinks about eating me all the time... If the new boss insists on some unwritten rules with me, should I accept or play hard to get first?


    While Ash was lost in his wild thoughts, Liss mimed zipping her lips and said, ¡°Daddy, I¡¯ll be very good.¡±


    Ash blinked in realization, ¡°Liss, you¡¯re not allowed to reveal anything you hear from now on.¡±


    The new boss couldn¡¯t command Liss directly and had to go through Ash, who acted as a router.


    It was only then that Hanna withdrew her gaze and said, ¡°What do you think the main work of my office usually involves?¡±


    ¡°Transporting unfinished corpses.¡±


    ¡°Human trafficking.¡±


    ¡°Biological transport.¡±


    Almost simultaneously, the three of them gave the same answer, to which Hanna raised an eyebrow, ¡°That is indeed one of the office¡¯s main activities... To avoid any misunderstandings about me, I¡¯d better explain first.¡±


    ¡°In the various lists that evaluate regional development levels and leaders¡¯ capabilities, there are lists that include, but are not limited to, the Internal Affairs List, the Innovation List, the Security List, and the City Comprehensive List. In these lists, ¡®talent¡¯ is a very important assessment criterion. So, what do you think ¡®talent¡¯ should be judged by?¡±


    Liss raised her hand, ¡°A good kid like me who makes the list is considered a talent.¡±


    Harvey and Igula turned their heads to look at Ash, the only one among them who wasn¡¯t considered a talent¡ªa 0-star trash. Ash slammed his hand on the table angrily, ¡°Miss Hanna, they¡¯re not paying serious attention to your teachings and are messing around. I, Ash, am the one who utterly despises those who slack off during meetings!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, only those who make the list can be considered talents.¡±


    Purple Moth blinked, surprised that these people from the Exotic Realm had begun infighting before she¡¯d even taken action, ¡°But not every regional list can be filled. There is a minimum threshold for the rankings, and if it¡¯s not met, it¡¯s impossible to make the list, which results in many ¡¯empty lists¡¯, as opposed to lists that have enough people to be called ¡®full lists¡¯.¡±


    ¡°The more ¡®full lists¡¯ there are in a region, the higher the level of governance and the better the development. By the way, these city lists are updated every six months, so every leader wants to fill the empty lists as much as possible before the assessment deadline.¡±


    The Swindler quickly realized the loophole, ¡°If we were to lure the listed individuals from other areas to our own¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Hanna said, playing with her new amethyst earring. ¡°Once the location of the people changes, they naturally become part of the current area¡¯s list.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, on the eve of the assessment period, it¡¯s warfare for us offices¡ªkidnapping specific talents from the surrounding areas to the area specified by the client to fill the empty lists. You have ridden in our work vehicles; we do not harm or kill, just temporarily disable these talents¡¯ ability to resist until the assessment is over, after which we release them. If possible, we even try to minimize unnecessary physical contact to ensure the talents have a good short travel experience.¡±


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t have any misunderstandings about the Funeral Service Office. We are a very serious office.¡±


    Ash and the others exchanged glances: skilled in personal restraint, colluding with the Security Forces, exploiting migrant workers in times of crisis... they seemed to have no misunderstandings.


    ¡°Taking this into account, you should understand the true nature of our offices¡¯ work.¡±


    Ding.


    Purple Moth lightly scratched her earring with her fingernail and took the wine glass handed to her by the young housekeeper Banjee.


    ¡°Although the types of business are diverse, at the heart of what we do is to discover, study, and exploit the loopholes in the Gospel Book.¡±


    ¡°In other words, to commit blasphemous gospel.¡±

 Chapter 224 - 224 194 Weaving Festival and Resonator

    ?Chapter 224: Chapter 194: Weaving Festival and Resonator Chapter 224: Chapter 194: Weaving Festival and Resonator ¡°The ¡®Gospel Book¡¯ is All-Knowing Weaver¡¯s blessing, a marvel unreachable by mortals, a powerful wish machine, and the foundation upon which the Kingdom of Gospel operates.¡±


    ¡°But ultimately, it is just a tool.¡±


    ¡°No matter how great a tool, after torrential passage of time, all its sanctity inevitably fades. Utilizing tools is an expression of wisdom, and even more so, the instinct of a Mage.¡±


    ¡°If you say the ¡®Gospel Book¡¯ is a spider web that spreads across the country, then the Funeral Service Office is like an insect weaving through the web¡¯s eyes,¡± Purple Moth chuckled. ¡°The Gospel Book does not make mistakes, it is just somewhat... slow.¡±


    ¡°By moving talent before the ranking evaluations, you can influence the standings of two cities, and there are many more rules like this that can be exploited. For example, the Gospel Book doesn¡¯t allow us to directly obtain someone¡¯s specific information and current location, but if you slightly tweak your question when asking, you can achieve your goal¡ªyou can¡¯t ask for someone¡¯s location, but you can ask for the location of their car.¡±


    ¡°The work of the office is to utilize known loopholes in the rules to complete various assignments,¡± Hanna lightly flicked the glass rim. ¡°It¡¯s a very dangerous profession because the Gospel Book does not err, it¡¯s only slow. When it realizes an abnormal vibration coming through the web, the audacious insects will receive the fate they deserve.¡±


    Igula frowned and said, ¡°If the Gospel Book despises you loophole-exploiters, then why allow you on the list?¡±


    ¡°Because the net still has eyes,¡± Hanna whispered. ¡°As long as there are eyes in the net, places like our office can exist. When the offices are completely wiped out one day, that means reality is becoming a Heavenly Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Everyone participates in intense competitions, continually striving for rankings¡ªa Heavenly Kingdom?¡± Ash pondered and felt goosebumps all over. ¡°Sounds more like hell!¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s not too bad,¡± Harvey said. ¡°Corpses of suddenly deceased Mages make superb materials.¡±


    Hanna looked at Igula and pointed at Ash, ¡°Are conditions so harsh in the Kingdom of Blood Moon that even those who disdain competition can become Two-winged Mages?¡±


    ¡°... As I said before, do not elevate personal behavior to that of the realm,¡± Igula replied helplessly. ¡°So, can we, as foreigners, become tools for your loophole exploitation? The contract is for 101 days, during which there¡¯s an important ranking evaluation?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Hanna nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Mr. Bokin, if it were before, I¡¯d have loved to invite you to join the Funeral Service Office, but unfortunately it¡¯s no longer feasible.¡±


    Igula¡¯s expression slightly cooled, ¡°Miss Hanna, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s wise to expose the intent to kill 101 days in advance.¡±


    ¡°You misunderstand me deeply,¡± Hanna spread her hands. ¡°What I mean is, by participating in my plan, not only would I gain indescribable benefits, but you too would transcend the mundane and ascend to rule over this world.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid you¡¯ll retaliate against me, because 101 days later, you will only be endlessly grateful to me.¡±


    ¡°Because our goal is not the usual list but the once-in-fifty-years Weaving Festival!¡±


    Our goal is to ring the bell at NASDAQ... Ash suddenly remembered when he submitted his resume and his boss had plainly outlined such prospects. Just graduated, he was nearly stirred passionately, but ultimately got defeated by the advanced flexible work system (no overtime pay) and excellent learning platform (multiple duties yet single salary).


    But now they had all signed a take-it-or-leave-it tyrannical contract, so why was the new boss still wasting effort painting a rosy picture? Even with dominative tactics in play, still engaging in flirtatious foreplay, really too meticulous.


    ¡°The rankings in the ¡®Gospel Book¡¯, as well as the information that can be redeemed are all things of the past,¡± Hanna said. ¡°If you want to exchange for future information, it¡¯s not only costly, but also highly unlikely¡ªunless it involves security information about foreign visitors. ¡®Gospel Book¡¯ has raised its predictive resources for national defense needs for foreign visitors, decreased the cost of exchanging information about you, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have been able to welcome you three so appropriately.¡±


    ¡°The lists introduced in the Weaving Festival are different, because those are futures still being woven.¡±


    ¡°The future,¡± Igula¡¯s eyes shimmered, ¡°Do you mean...¡±


    ¡°For instance, if a ¡®Four-winged Mage Combat Power List¡¯ is introduced in the Weaving Festival, the listed individuals are likely not the well-known Legendary Mages of today but the new legends who will rise and dominate in the next fifty years!¡±


    ¡°Perhaps some listed individuals are currently unknown Mage apprentices, or some might have just been born, but under the full weaving of ¡®Gospel Book¡¯, their destinies will become definitive history, and we will be able to hear the echoes of the future.¡±


    ¡°In order to distinguish from the ordinary ranked chosen ones, those who make it onto the list during the Weaving Festival are referred to as ¡®Resonators¡¯¡ªEchoes that the Gospel Book sends back after observing the future.¡±


    ¡°The Weaving Festival begins on May 10 and ends on August 10, rolling out a future list every ten days, totaling ten future lists. Unlike the common lists¡¯ points rewards, the future lists provide tailor-made rewards for those ranked, including but not limited to Experience Treasure Orbs, rare Technique Spirits, precious items, and even Eternal Life blessings!¡±


    Harvey suddenly realized, ¡°If we make it onto the list, do you want us to give you our rewards?¡±


    Hanna smiled slightly but did not immediately respond, continuing to explain, ¡°There is a hierarchy among the lists, you understand, right?¡±


    Everyone nodded, the national list undoubtedly ranked above regional lists, organizational lists above personal ones, Mage lists above non-Mage lists, Four-winged Mage lists above One-winged Mage lists. Simply put, the harder it is to make it onto a list, the higher its status.


    ¡°Among the ten lists of the Weaving Festival, except for the tenth list which is fixed, the other nine are completely random; the last Weaving Festival even featured a ¡®Rope Twisting List¡¯,¡± Hanna tapped the long table lightly with her fingertips, ¡°Thus, each list ranking has ¡®Hidden Points¡¯ to differentiate the hierarchical ranking of the Resonators. And the Resonator with the highest Hidden Points will receive the blessing of the All-knowing Weaver.¡±


    ¡°What blessing?¡±


    ¡°Wish.¡± Purple Moth¡¯s beautiful green eyes sparkled as she raised a finger pointing upwards, ¡°A universal wish.¡±


    ¡°Bringing back the dead, eternal life, surpassing Four-winged, or even... traveling through time!¡±


    Igula¡¯s pupils dilated sharply, Harvey stopped biting his finger, Ash slightly narrowed his eyes.


    After a long silence, Liss suddenly propped her cheeks with her hands, staring at the scarlet gold lizard on the table said, ¡°That sounds nice, Liss has a wish too¡ªI seem to remember having a sister, I really want to meet her.¡±


    The mood suddenly lightened, Igula stroked his ring and asked, ¡°Is this wish your goal?¡±


    Purple Moth nodded, ¡°Exactly, I won¡¯t require any other rewards you gain from ranking, but this highest Hidden Points wish, it must be given to me.¡±


    Ash suddenly said, ¡°Why are you so sure that we can become Resonators who make it onto the future lists? Aside from being single and lazy, I¡¯m not confident in other areas.¡±


    ¡°People from the Exotic Realm.¡± Igula spoke calmly, ¡°Whether or not we can be Resonators is unrelated to our current abilities but is related to our identity as people from the Exotic Realm.¡±


    Ding.


    Hanna flicked her earring and said with a smile, ¡°What do you think the Gospel Book bases its future predictions on?¡±


    ¡°The past.¡±


    ¡°Family, environment, resources, genetic heritage...actually, it¡¯s quite simple. A child born into a privileged family with loving parents knowledgeable in education and well-educated neighbors in the upper class, anyone can see at a glance his superior life development.¡±


    ¡°Similarly, someone of humble origins, whose parents died early, who is timid and unremarkable in appearance, his future is also evidently clear.¡±


    ¡°The Weaving Festival is about converting the vast past into threads and weaving an absolutely certain, uninterrupted, inevitable future. If a person has lived in the Kingdom of Gospel since birth, even if he hasn¡¯t cried out his first cry yet, the Gospel Book can absolutely weave his future to a hundred percent certainty.¡±


    ¡°But we are from the Exotic Realm.¡± Harvey looked at his nearly bleeding fingers, gently licked the wounds with his tongue, and said calmly, ¡°The Gospel can only encompass this kingdom; even though the Void Realm passage briefly connected to Blood Moon, it couldn¡¯t possibly know our distant past.¡±


    ¡°Without sufficient past to rely upon, the Gospel Book¡¯s predictions of your future are almost based on everything that¡¯s happening ¡®now,¡¯ which means...¡±


    Hanna¡¯s fingertips produced a moth-shaped Two-winged Technique Spirit, ¡°You can use the ¡®present¡¯ to deceive the Gospel Book into weaving a more spectacular ¡®future¡¯ for you.¡±


    ¡°You are the most dangerous insects in the web of the Kingdom of Gospel.¡±

 Chapter 225 - 225 195 Negotiating Life

    ?Chapter 225: Chapter 195: Negotiating Life Chapter 225: Chapter 195: Negotiating Life Blasphemous gospel, deceiving the Divine Lord!


    Without mentioning Igula and Harvey, who grew up under the Blood Moon light as general believers, even Ash, an invasive species with no belief whatsoever, shuddered at his temples¡ªthis was akin to masturbating in Meiwa¡¯s house; getting caught meant certain death!


    Although Ash had never seen any Divine Lord take action, the Divine Lords undeniably had a significant influence on reality. The Blood Moon¡¯s chip, the Gospel¡¯s Gospel Book, were essentially extensions of the Divine Lord¡¯s power, merely managed on their behalf by mortals.


    Though Ash and his group were involved in prison breaks and conducting the Blood Moon Judgment, in the eyes of the Blood Moon Divine Lord who had controlled the Kingdom of Blood Moon for over sixteen hundred years, they were merely bugs fighting each other, not worth a glance.


    However, the Weaving Festival mentioned by Hanna was an event that even the All-knowing Weaver personally attended and could reward a wish. Its significance was almost like spring outings to elementary students.


    Under such circumstances, Hanna still planned on stirring up trouble with these few bugs, akin to a cockroach attacking a face; their likely fate would be a second life blossoming in the Void Realm.


    Hanna was prepared to mentally fortify these new employees, but after a brief moment of stun, instead of fear, they showed eager expressions¡ªthe most excited was Hanna¡¯s highly regarded Igula!


    His ears turned so red they were almost transparent as he grabbed Ash¡¯s shoulder nearby, his lips uncontrollably curling up, ¡°Ash, being with you really means getting dragged into dangerous whirlpools.¡±


    ¡°How is that my fault!?¡±


    They were not oblivious to the dangers involved; rather, the high risk and high reward made them anticipate even more... Hanna raised an eyebrow, ¡°It seems you all belonged to the very dangerous type of talents in your original realms.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that exactly what you desire, Miss Hanna?¡± Igula laughed, ¡°Aren¡¯t you after bold and reckless madmen, fearless of life and death?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak for me, man-Meiwa!¡± Ash retorted, ¡°Besides, there are three of us here; not all of us need to step up, right? I volunteer to be the squad leader to supervise them.¡±


    ¡°Firstly, it¡¯s not three, it¡¯s four,¡± Hanna touched Liss¡¯s head, ¡°Secondly, although you are people from the Exotic Realm and have the best foundation for exploiting loopholes, whether we can truly deceive the Gospel Book still depends on if my method works¡ªthe more participants, the higher my margin for error.¡±


    ¡°Although we can deceive the Gospel Book, you still must meet the basic conditions for deception. For example, if there is a Beauty List in the future lists, only Liss and Bokin among you four could possibly deceive the Gospel Book...¡±


    Liss immediately said, ¡°I think Sister Bokin is much prettier than me!¡±


    ¡°Ash!¡± Igula showed a sweet smile, ¡°You need to educate your child properly.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Liss!¡± Ash called out robustly, ¡°You are being very rude, Igula is of the same generation as me, you should call Bokin Auntie!¡±


    Liss pinched her face, as if unable to control her mouth, ¡°Bo-Bokin Auntie¡ª¡±


    ¡°So, what if there¡¯s a list that we¡¯re not qualified for, but it has the highest Hidden Points?¡±


    Harvey bit his finger hard, looking at his Gospel Book, ¡°And even if we can make it onto the lists, are we guaranteed the first place? Your Exotic Realm identity might give us a high probability of becoming Resonators, but which list we make and what rank, you can¡¯t control accurately right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Hanna nodded, ¡°But these ¡®Hidden Points¡¯ are not calculated independently; they can be accumulated.¡±


    ¡°Accumulated?¡± Igula, wrestling with Ash, paused slightly, ¡°Do you mean...¡±


    ¡°As long as each of you makes it onto several lists, your Hidden Points will definitely be higher than those Resonators who can only make one list,¡± Hanna explained with a smile, ¡°Generally, expertise is focused; being recorded in a future list signifies excellence in a certain talent, it¡¯s rare to be on multiple lists.¡±


    ¡°But you are from the Exotic Realm, since you can deceive one future list, why not deceive several? Maybe three, five, seven, or even... nine?¡±


    Igula narrowed his eyes, ¡°Honestly, if it¡¯s openly to this extent, rather than calling it ¡®deception¡¯, I would prefer to label it as ¡®kidnapping.''¡±


    ¡°You want to use us to kidnap the Weaving Festival, forcing the Divine Lord to give you the ransom you desire to maintain the credibility of the Gospel Book.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Bokin, you are as cunning a madman as I am,¡± Hanna finished her wine in one gulp, ¡°If it were you, would you miss such a once-in-fifty-years opportunity?¡±


    ¡°Even if the opponent is a Divine Lord who controls reality?¡±


    ¡°Even if the opponent is a Divine Lord who controls reality.¡±


    Igula took a deep breath, his face flushed with excitement, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s an irresistible temptation. Ash, Ash, it looks like I¡¯ll have to collaborate with you again.¡±


    Ash said helplessly, ¡°No, Igula, are you treating me like your best friend?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, why would you think of pulling me in first whenever you come across such an obvious trap marketing?¡±


    ¡°But I still don¡¯t understand,¡± Harvey asked, ¡°Since we are so important, why would you plan on selling us to the Four Pillars God Sect? Aren¡¯t you afraid that the Four Pillars God Sect might destroy us, these important chess pieces?¡±

 Chapter 226 - 226 195 Negotiating Life_2

    ?Chapter 226: Chapter 195: Negotiating Life_2 Chapter 226: Chapter 195: Negotiating Life_2 ¡°Because she wants to completely subdue us,¡± Igula sneered. ¡°Compared to the current employment relationship, she¡¯d rather have us serve her out of pure loyalty. If it weren¡¯t for her and Red Hat¡¯s acting being too clumsy, we might actually be grateful enough to become her willing oxen and horses.¡±


    ¡°Another thing is for this,¡± Hanna fiddled with her new earring. ¡°This is the payment the Four Pillars God Sect made for purchasing you guys¡ªthe amethyst crystal. If you die, I don¡¯t lose anything¡ªafter all, I get an earring. But if you don¡¯t, then it¡¯s a win-win for me. I score the earring and I get to snatch you guys up.¡±


    Igula looked at the amethyst earring, worth as much as the three of them. ¡°What¡¯s so special about it?¡±


    ¡°The amethyst crystal is mined in the deep levels of the Burning Steel Abyss in the Boyesia region, embedded within the steel layers of the walls, nearly impossible to extract. It is only occasionally collected by the ¡®Bluebeard¡¯ troop in charge of suppressing the Abyss, under special circumstances, very rare, with less than three pieces mined each year.¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm,¡± Igula nodded. ¡°So, does it come with a permanent Miracle? Like permanent dust-repellent, moisture retention, full UV protection?¡±


    ¡°I think it enhances Technique Spirit and Miracle effects,¡± Harvey guessed.


    ¡°Being so rare, it must be very valuable,¡± Ash affirmed. ¡°Are you going to trade it for a bigger flat?¡±


    Only Liss, tilting her head, looked at Hanna and exclaimed in awe, ¡°Sister, you look so pretty, and with that earring, even prettier! Right, Daddy?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Ash took a careful look at Hanna and couldn¡¯t help nodding. ¡°Indeed, it makes you look very attractive, I can¡¯t help but imagine how you¡¯d look when your cheeks blush...¡±


    Hanna raised her eyebrows. ¡°Mr. Bokin, please cover Ash¡¯s eyes. Ash, please allow Mr. Bokin to cover your eyes.¡±


    ¡°Ash, I told you before that your gaze was too unclean...¡±


    ¡°Ease up, you¡¯re deforming my nose! I can cover my eyes myself, why do you have him do it!¡±


    ¡°Shut up, the fact that I haven¡¯t gouged out your eyes and replaced them with mechanical ones already shows Miss Hanna¡¯s great mercy,¡± replied Igula.


    ¡°Have you betrayed me already, Igula!?¡±


    Harvey blinked and asked in confusion, ¡°So, the effect of this earring is, it¡¯s pretty?¡±


    ¡°Wrong,¡± Hanna corrected. ¡°It makes me even prettier.¡±


    You sold us to the Four Pillars God Sect just to make yourself look better!?


    Igula wasn¡¯t too surprised; while subduing Ash he asked, ¡°Is it because of the list?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Purple Moth said, resting her chin on her hand. ¡°With this earring, my ranking on the ¡®Azura Beauty List¡¯ rose to third place, and in the overall ¡®Beauty List,¡¯ up to eighth. If you die, or if my schemes don¡¯t work out, at least this earring can somewhat compensate for my loss.¡±


    ¡°Is it the guidance of the Gospel Book?¡± Igula inquired. ¡°Can you even ask how to go further?¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s not that direct, but if you ask ¡®how to deepen the Spirit Faction Realm¡¯ or ¡®how to become more beautiful,¡¯ the Gospel Book will offer the most fitting advice according to the resources you currently have access to,¡± Hanna explained. ¡°The Gospel Book is the best adviser.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had this feeling all along, doesn¡¯t this Gospel Book sound like a reward from the Void Realm¡¯s Fate Q&A?¡± Ash suddenly said.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, but what used to be a rare reward from the Fate Q&A in the Void Realm is now available for a few points, similar service at your fingertips. Aren¡¯t you starting to envy the residents of the Kingdom of Gospel?¡±


    Ash remarked, ¡°Sounds like an unrequited first love, mass-produced by evil mages into cloning dolls, now available for rent like a temporary girlfriend to relive the old dreams for a bit of money.¡±


    ... Mr. Bokin, please...¡±


    ¡°His mouth is already covered,¡± Igula said. ¡°Ash, be honest, otherwise Miss Hanna here is going to stuff a sock in your mouth.¡±


    ¡°Ta~de~si~wa~ma?¡±


    Hanna watched their interaction with interest, further deepening her understanding of them. She didn¡¯t silence Ash directly, but had Igula do it, wanting to gather more intelligence through their interaction.


    Igula was handsome and the calmest, his demeanor elegant and composed, clearly a successful figure in his original kingdom, but his excessive caution rendered him somewhat indecisive; Harvey kept biting his finger, and according to the eavesdropping in the changing room, his desire for revenge was intense¡ªbeneath his quirky exterior hid a cold, intense flame.


    The only one Hanna couldn¡¯t see through was Ash. He appeared lazy, slow, easygoing, with a weak rebellious spirit¡ªclearly an easy pawn to be manipulated, theoretically the troublemaker of the trio.


    But Hanna remembered clearly¡ªat the time of signing the Contract, although it was Igula who negotiated and Harvey who supervised, when it came to the official signing, they all unconsciously waited for Ash to sign first.


    The most likely reason was they viewed Ash as cannon fodder, waiting for Ash to sign first to see if anything would happen to him.


    But there was perhaps another possibility¡ªin the face of an unpredictable future, subconsciously, they all chose to rely on Ash Heath.


    ¡®More observation is needed.¡¯


    ¡°However, don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t paid any price,¡± Hanna said. ¡°You can open the ¡®Azura Task List¡¯ and see¡ªthe name of Funeral Service Office is no longer there. Not only did we not keep the operation secret after completing the commission, but we also informed the Red Hat and led people to annihilate the Four Pillars God Sect. Even if I stood on moral high ground, this ¡®winning twice¡¯ behavior would significantly lower the office¡¯s rating; Bokin and Banjee¡¯s social credit has already plummeted, and no one will entrust us anymore, traitors like us.¡±


    ¡°For you, I¡¯ve gambled the name of Doran.¡±


    She stood up, ¡°It¡¯s getting late, and I should head to the Void Realm. Breakfast is at eight o¡¯clock. I hope you all keep a good daily routine. Mr. Bokin, you can stop now.¡±


    ¡°When we open our eyes tomorrow, our office¡¯s sole aim will be one¡ªto deceive the All-knowing Weaver.¡±


    With that, Purple Moth departed light-footedly, and the fiery-gold dragon lizard leaped onto her shoulder.


    Housekeeper boy Banjee bowed slightly, handing out four access cards, ¡°These are your room cards, each room has an en suite and there are snacks in the cabinets. If you need anything else, you can find me in room 3. I wish you all a pleasant night.¡±


    After Banjee left, the trio of stowaways exchanged glances, and Harvey was the first to take an access card and stand up: ¡°I¡¯m going to the Void Realm. Having just arrived on the Time Continent a few days ago, I hardly have any Golden Technique Power reserves.¡±


    ¡°Same for me,¡± Igula said. ¡°I¡¯ve not been to the Void Realm since the jailbreak; I¡¯ve almost forgotten what the Golden Rain looks like.¡±


    Since Sword Maiden¡¯s soul had not yet fully recovered, Ash, who was just hitching a ride, naturally couldn¡¯t explore the Void Realm.


    But after two consecutive days of high-intensity events¡ªbeing trafficked, sacrificed, signed into servitude, and joining a high-risk scam organization¡ªhe was now extremely tired and yawned as he entered his own room.


    He pushed open the door and walked in without even pressing the room light, heard the door automatically close and lock behind him.


    Is it that smart?


    Ash turned around and discovered that a little Demon had quietly followed him in.


    ¡°Daddy.¡± Liss leaned against the door and blinked at Ash, ¡°Liss is here to have a life consultation with you.¡±

 Chapter 227 - 227 196 Superficial Father-Daughter

    ?Chapter 227: Chapter 196 Superficial Father-Daughter Chapter 227: Chapter 196 Superficial Father-Daughter Ash had once thought about what kind of children he might have in the future.


    Don¡¯t get him wrong, he wasn¡¯t the type to fantasize about children¡¯s names upon seeing a girl he liked. In fact, Ash thought his imagination was quite barren. When he saw a girl he liked, his fantasies about couples typically stopped at classrooms, bedrooms, living rooms, beaches, and couple hotels... But these fantasies rarely appeared after he started working, with ¡°I have a meeting later¡± being the best secret to abstain from carnal thoughts.


    An old saying goes, overtime won¡¯t help you find a lover, but it sure can make everyone end up without one.


    The first time he imagined having children was when Ash was eight, after getting a whipping with a rattan cane from his dad for playing video games secretly, he silently vowed to raise a child who could play video games with him.


    As he grew older, his expectations for his children also increased: they should like outdoor sports, know how to date, solve the last big question in the college entrance examination math test, be good-looking, know how to cook, be fluent in a second language, be able to write novels or draw comics...


    Until Ash started working, after experiencing the harshness of society, feeling the hardships of life, and understanding the strictness his parents had placed on him in the past, he also felt apologetic towards his future children¡ªSorry, my child, I can¡¯t find your mothers.


    But no matter what, the child he expected should definitely not be like this.


    ¡°If you, dad, earned the highest score but had to give your wish to Hanna, do you really think that¡¯s okay?¡±


    Liss sat cross-legged on the bed, her face full of righteousness, and said in a lowered voice, ¡°I feel it¡¯s unfair for you, dad!¡±


    ¡°...Don¡¯t worry, your dad¡¯s a total mess; it¡¯s definitely Bokin Auntie or Harvey Uncle who will get the highest score.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s still unfair!¡± Liss shook her body, her freshly tied pigtails swinging: ¡°Think about it, dad, you, Bokin Auntie, and Harvey Uncle are Shared Life and Shared Death companions. You should face difficulties together, enjoy blessings together. A reward like the Divine Lord¡¯s wish should be shared among the three of you, not given to a malicious witch like Hanna who slanders and enslaves you!¡±


    ¡°Just now you called her Hanna, sister.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not important, dad. What¡¯s important is what you think!¡± Liss widened her eyes and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you want the Divine Lord¡¯s wish? The All-knowing Weaver can fulfill all your wishes¡ªreviving the dead, time traveling, immortality, even becoming a god¡ª¡±


    ¡°Can I wish that all women must wear miniskirts with black or white silk stockings?¡±


    ¡°Ew.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Ash saw Liss sticking out her little tongue as if she was about to vomit: ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, nothing. Liss probably just isn¡¯t used to riding in the car, feeling a bit sick.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯ve been resting for more than an hour...¡±


    ¡°Anyway, you want the wish too, right?¡± Liss forcibly brought the topic back on track: ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be content just giving the wish to an evil witch who deliberately harms you, right?¡±


    ¡°If I have to say whether I want it or not, I definitely do,¡± Ash said, propping his chin: ¡°But I don¡¯t think I¡¯m qualified or magnanimous enough to receive this wish.¡±


    ¡°Since when do you need qualifications to make a wish?¡±


    ¡°Think about it, if you finally get a chance to make a wish to a god, should you really be only thinking about yourself, making selfish wishes? The best approach should be to make perfect wishes that benefit all beings while benefiting yourself, like let the Divine Lord grant new technology that could greatly amplify productivity, or increase the lifespan of all citizens¡ª¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so bad about being selfish!?¡±


    Ash stared blankly at Liss roaring at him. The little girl¡¯s face, normally so falsely innocent and sweet, now displayed a deep resentment born from being resentful of the world. But soon she relented, her expression returning to as cute as usual, as if the previous outburst was merely Ash¡¯s misperception.


    She timidly lowered her head and said, ¡°What Liss means is, you¡¯re not from this country, dad. You don¡¯t feel like you belong here, so why worry so much about your wishes? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to follow your inner desires?¡±


    ¡°...Let¡¯s have an honest conversation, Liss.¡±


    Ash spoke calmly, ¡°You can call me dad if you want. I don¡¯t mind, it¡¯s just a name after all. If we can maintain this superficial father-daughter relationship, it could even put Hanna at ease, consider it a codename among colleagues.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m actually quite puzzled. Hanna said you lost your memory. She should be right. But your current demeanor, so full of scheming and ambition, is not something a normal amnesiac child could exhibit. Or are you a legendary young one of a race that, despite losing your memory, can¡¯t stop manifesting your desires, with every pore oozing corrupt blood?¡±


    ¡°Is there such a race?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the Capitalist race.¡± Ash crossed his arms and said, ¡°You haven¡¯t lost your memory at all. How did you deceive Hanna?¡±


    ¡°No, dad, you are wrong,¡± Liss tilted her head, ¡°I really did lose my memory, my furthest memory is getting captured by those hooded villains, I can¡¯t remember anything further back.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡ª¡±


    ¡°But I know what I need to do.¡±


    Liss raised her head to look at Ash, ¡°Just like Hanna, that old witch, I want to use the identity of someone from the Exotic Realm to become a Resonator. However, the difference is that Hanna can only rely on you, dad, whereas I want to become a Resonator myself.¡±


    ¡°I have a wish that must be fulfilled.¡± She spoke very earnestly, ¡°I absolutely cannot let anyone else have it!¡±


    Ash blinked, ¡°Not to mention whether we can resist Hanna, but even if we can, how would you steal the wish from us?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Liss held up her hand, splaying all five fingers, ¡°Dad, I, Aunt Bokin, Uncle Harvey, Witch Hanna, there are five competitors.¡±


    ¡°As long as you, dad, can unite with the others to forcefully exclude Witch Hanna, then the competitors would be reduced to four. If you, dad, become the Resonator with the highest Hidden Points, then the only competitors left would be you and me! Just take care of you, dad, and the wish would be mine!¡±


    Liss folded all other fingers, leaving only the middle finger extended toward Ash.


    ¡°You¡¯re so confident you can beat me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about confidence, but of course, it¡¯s simpler to just deal with you, dad, rather than five others,¡± Liss confidently stated. ¡°And dad, don¡¯t forget, you and I still have two contracts!¡±


    ¡°So what if we do, they are bidirectional anyway.¡±


    ¡°Not quite, your contract with me only lasts 101 days, while my contract with you is indefinite. If neither of us ends up getting the wish, then you¡¯d become a servant to me for life!¡±


    ¡°Hey hey, how did my status go from dad to servant?¡± Ash felt this girl was getting more and more audacious. ¡°Besides, that¡¯s just a Two-winged Mage contract, there¡¯s always a way to break it, you can¡¯t scare me.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, there is a way to break it.¡± Liss nodded, ¡°But I have a way to make sure you can¡¯t break it. If you go out, I¡¯ll demand you feed me doughnuts; if you enter the Void Realm, you¡¯ll have to tell me a fairy tale; if you want to read, you¡¯ll have to give me a piggyback ride. Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ll do! Not only will you be my servant, but I¡¯ll also make sure you never get married for the rest of your life!¡±


    ¡°Liss, you are so evil!¡±


    ¡°Humph, if you don¡¯t want to end up old, falling in the bathroom, paralyzed, and then dying tragically from hunger, then do your best to grab the wish... What are you doing! I¡¯m going to scream! The contract decrees you can¡¯t hurt me! Stop right now!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t tell me to stop! Don¡¯t forget our contract is bidirectional at this moment, you can¡¯t restrain me!¡± Ash tucked Liss under his arm, furiously rubbing her white puppy head: ¡°True, I can¡¯t hurt you, but I can mess you up... Hah! Gotcha!¡±


    Liss strived to break free from this evil man, and when she turned to look in the mirror, she discovered her pretty twin pigtails had turned into a messy explosion of hair, utterly destroying her cute appearance.


    She cried out loud, covering her ears as she retreated, angrily yelling at Ash, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare leak our conversation to anyone else, you can¡¯t countermand this order, you can¡¯t countermand countermanding this order, don¡¯t¡ªah, it¡¯s so annoying, just do not let it leak, otherwise you¡¯ll be in trouble too! Just you wait, Ash, over these 101 days we¡¯ll act like father and daughter, but after 101 days, I¡¯ll show you what cruelty is!¡±


    Bang!


    Liss dashed too hastily and turned around, slamming her head into the alloy blast door, wobbling and then collapsing on the floor.


    Ash was baffled by her series of actions, thinking this girl had half of his silliness from when he was young.


    He went over and patted her cheek: ¡°Hey, wake up, the floor is cold, you might catch a cold, and you need to brush your teeth before sleeping, otherwise, you¡¯ll get cavities.¡±


    ¡°She just fainted, it¡¯s nothing serious.¡±


    Ash turned around and saw a young girl lying on his bed, wearing a black and white checkered dress. She had shiny black hair, her legs mismatched with one white and one black stocking, smiling cunningly at him.


    But...


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be a miniskirt and black and white dyed hair?¡±


    Ash was disappointed, ¡°Why don¡¯t you look like your profile picture at all?¡±

 Chapter 228 - 228 197 I Like Sword Maiden

    ?Chapter 228: Chapter 197 I Like Sword Maiden Chapter 228: Chapter 197 I Like Sword Maiden ¡°I¡¯m disappointed too!¡±


    The girl sat cross-legged on the bed, her face full of dissatisfaction, ¡°You¡¯re not as sinister or brutally evil as I had imagined.¡±


    ¡°Is that the image my character portrait gives off?¡± Ash looked shocked, scratching his head, ¡°Um... nice to meet you, I¡¯m Final Observer Ash.¡±


    ¡°I am the Black and White Witch.¡± She swayed on the bed, ¡°Just call me Witch.¡±


    ¡°Good evening, Witch, have you eaten?¡±


    ¡°Stop, there¡¯s no need for unnecessary formalities.¡± She held up three fingers, ¡°I¡¯ve come to establish three principles with you first.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°First, unless I speak of it first, you are not to ask about my life.¡±


    ¡°Second, unless I ask, you are not to reveal details about your life.¡±


    ¡°Third,¡± the Witch raised her third finger, ¡°whatever treatment the Sword Maiden gets, I want the same.¡±


    Ash thought for a moment and asked, ¡°Is it because of the Secret?¡±


    The Witch said noncommittally, ¡°You can think of it that way.¡±


    The Black and White Witch¡¯s Silver Blessing: Secret enabled her to gain enhancements by concealing her information, so her insistence on privacy was natural. But why did she also not allow Ash to reveal his own information?


    However, Ash couldn¡¯t reveal much anyway¡ªHanna had just ordered them not to disclose any secrets to those outside their agency, and even if Ash wanted to complain about his new boss during idle chat in the Void Realm, the contract would silence him.


    As for the treatment of the Sword Maiden, Ash carefully considered: endless training, a Vanguard Shield in the Void Realm Exploration, being a test subject for various event cards...


    ¡°No problem!¡± Ash clapped his hands, ¡°I will try my best to fulfill your wishes!¡±


    ¡°Now that we¡¯ve established the principles of communication, I¡¯m off if there¡¯s nothing else¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait, do you know the Sword Maiden?¡± Ash called after her, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen her in several days, she is... um... she¡¯s busy on her end, isn¡¯t she? Can¡¯t she spare a little time to visit me?¡±


    The Witch looked at him with interest, ¡°Are you talking about the slightly scheming but cute, saying one thing but meaning another, kind-hearted, and often admiring herself in the mirror, Sword Maiden?¡±


    ¡°... Probably?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know that Sword Maiden,¡± the Witch spread her hands, ¡°I just know that, besides you, there¡¯s a teammate called the Sword Maiden.¡±


    ¡°Then how do you know so much about her?¡±


    ¡°From the character portrait.¡±


    Ash had many question marks popping up over his head. Could a character portrait really reveal that much information?


    Darn, if it weren¡¯t for the lack of a high-definition Light Screen, he¡¯d definitely use a magnifying glass to carefully study every detail of the Witch and Sword Maiden worth burning the midnight oil over.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious why you think the Sword Maiden should come see you.¡±


    The Witch rested her chin on her hand, smiling, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t to establish the rules before official exploration, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered to see you. After all, the only thing we share is Void Realm Exploration, beyond that we are strangers that never meet, not interfering with each other is the most logical relationship.¡±


    ¡°What is your relationship with the Sword Maiden, why should she care about you?¡±


    Without hesitation, Ash responded, ¡°Because we aren¡¯t strangers, but companions bound by Bonds. I know she definitely cares about me, just as I care about her in my heart.¡±


    The Black and White Witch silently observed Ash, falling silent for a moment.


    For some reason, Ash felt a slight change in her attitude, though she appeared very natural and lively from the start, she had always sat on the bed, maintaining a considerable distance from Ash, polite but distant.


    Now, although she still sat on the bed, her body leaned forward slightly, seemingly curious about Ash, and her demeanor had softened.


    ¡°Our ability to appear before you is not decided by us, but by the Bonds between us,¡± the Witch suddenly explained. ¡°The deeper the Bonds, the harder it is for us to appear before you. If the Sword Maiden truly cares about you, then you might find it very difficult to see her longing for you.¡±


    ¡°So the reason Sword Maiden hasn¡¯t visited you isn¡¯t her fault. She¡¯s also waiting for you to appear before her, maybe in the Void Realm, or perhaps in...¡±


    The Witch paused, ¡°In short, if you hope to see the Sword Maiden often, it¡¯s better to hope that you and the Sword Maiden can stay together in the Void Realm forever.¡±


    ¡°What a strange setting,¡± Ash frowned, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t deeper Bonds make it easier to meet?¡±


    ¡°Distance makes the heart grow fonder, and remember we are not physical beings here, but rather representations of longing,¡± the Witch shrugged, ¡°Longing means not cherishing when you have it, and yearning hopelessly when you wish for it.¡±


    ¡°But to be so hung up over the Sword Maiden just after a few days...¡±


    The Witch¡¯s eyes sparkled, full of curiosity.


    ¡± o(*¨R¨Œ¨Q)¥Ä Could it be that you like her?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    Hearing such a decisive and straightforward declaration of love, the Witch¡¯s eyes went wide. She gently patted her face and asked, ¡°Could you say that again?¡±


    ¡°I like the Sword Maiden,¡± Ash stated matter-of-factly, ¡°She is so powerful, so cute, so beautiful, of course I like her.¡±


    Wow!


    Wow!


    Wow!


    The Witch couldn¡¯t wait to spread this news far and wide, yet she suddenly noticed that while Ash spoke, he brazenly looked at her black and white stockings.


    She hesitated for a moment, straightened her legs, and pulled up her skirt above her knees, ¡°Then, do you like me?¡±


    ¡°If you wore a mini-skirt like your character portrait, if your intensity in the Void Realm Exploration was high enough, and if you had a not so low growth rate normally, then I might like you too,¡± Ash scrutinized the beauty of her black and white stockings very seriously.


    ¡°... That¡¯s a rather cheap form of affection.¡±


    Ash was puzzled, ¡°How expensive do you want the affection to be? Beneficiary of an insurance policy written in your name?¡±


    That¡¯s right, the Witch thought. After all, in Ash¡¯s eyes, they weren¡¯t completely real beings, just like no one falls in love with a piece of paper. Naturally, Ash¡¯s feelings for them remained at ¡®cheap affection¡¯.


    ¡°I think it would be hard for you to rival the Sword Maiden¡¯s place in my heart unless your strength is really high.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± the Witch raised her eyebrows, ¡°Why? Do you think the Sword Maiden is prettier than me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just about the character portrait,¡± Ash said, ¡°Mainly because the Sword Maiden was the first trustworthy companion I met in this world, the first comrade-in-arms I fought alongside. We explored the Sea of Knowledge together, entered the Vortex together, read the Mage¡¯s Handbook together, participated in Fate Q&A... My life in this world started with the Sword Maiden.¡±


    ¡°She is like the sun rising over the cemetery for me.¡±


    ¡°Just this shared experience of adversity makes me feel that nothing can shake her position in my heart.¡±


    He added, ¡°Unless your strength is really high.¡±

 Chapter 229 - 229 198 Sword Maiden You Dare to Engage Us in

    ?Chapter 229: Chapter 198: Sword Maiden, You Dare to Engage Us in Close Combat? Chapter 229: Chapter 198: Sword Maiden, You Dare to Engage Us in Close Combat? ¡°Who cares about your affection!¡±


    The witch burst out laughing, ¡°Really, you think you¡¯re picking a bride or something? Choosy as you are, it¡¯s just shameless!¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re the one who brought up the topic...¡± Ash muttered, looking down at Liss, who was still unconscious: ¡°You heard her talking to me just now, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The witch nodded, then crossed her legs and sat on the bed: ¡°She¡¯s a child that¡¯s both pitiful and terrifying.¡±


    ¡°Pitiful and terrifying, huh?¡±


    ¡°You could tell too, couldn¡¯t you?¡± the witch said calmly: ¡°Her schemes are real, her amnesia is real, but her innocence is real too. She deliberately plays the part of being scheming yet obvious to adults, which is probably also a survival strategy, right? Compared to intuitively sharp kids or those who are not smart enough, a kid with her kind of street smarts who can be easily manipulated is more likely to be favored by adults.¡±


    Ash recalled Liss¡¯s performance in the underground hall, where both Igula and Harvey had seen through the little girl¡¯s guile. Could Hanna not see it?


    It was precisely because Hanna had seen through it that she had decided to keep Liss.


    A child who was either too whiny or too smart might have been handed over to Red Hat by Hanna, because Purple Moth needed a ¡®bug¡¯ that could immediately be part of her grand scheme yet was easy to control.


    Liss had vaguely sensed this, so she displayed such a character, deliberately catering to Hanna¡¯s needs.


    This girl might be very good at working.


    But... why, at such a young age, does she know when to wear what mask, just like Ash who has been kicked around by society for many years?


    ¡°Memory modification?¡± Ash said softly: ¡°Did someone warp her memory, tinkering her into a bug specifically to exploit loopholes in the Weaving Festival?¡±


    ¡°If you want to deceive the Divine Lord, mere memory modifications are probably not enough.¡± The witch squinted: ¡°What? You feel sorry for her? Want to heed her incitement, conspire with your colleagues, rebel against your boss, and then hand the fruits over to this little girl?¡±


    Suddenly, Ash looked at the witch: ¡°You¡¯re just like her.¡±


    The witch¡¯s heart skipped a beat, quickly thinking if she had revealed any flaws, but her face remained unchanged: ¡°Just as cute?¡±


    ¡°You think just like her, that as long as I¡¯m willing, if I want to go for it, I could tear up the Contract, obtain the highest Hidden Points, claim the final victory.¡± Ash laughed: ¡°We just met today, yet both of you have surprising confidence in me. Do I have that ¡®if I wish to do it, I can definitely do it¡¯ kind of dazzling image?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t flatter yourself.¡± The witch snorted: ¡°She¡¯s only relying on you because she has to, so she has to trust you too.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t dislike goal-oriented people.¡± Ash shrugged: ¡°Having a goal makes it a journey. I¡¯m just wandering.¡±


    ¡°My foresight isn¡¯t that far-reaching. I can stand on my toes and see what¡¯s for lunch tomorrow. Deciding whether to go rogue, collude, or betray in 101 days is too complicated. How could I have made that decision 101 days ago? How do you decide where to have lunch 101 days in advance?¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ve just arrived in this new kingdom, unfamiliar with its cities, culture, history, institutions, and I don¡¯t understand the true power of the Gospel Book, let alone the strength of the All-knowing Weaver... Although I was forced into a very passionate and ambitious evil organization, right now I¡¯m quite unmotivated.¡±


    ¡°Only after witnessing enough landscapes will I know whether I prefer dusk or dawn.¡±


    ¡°It sounds pretty sophisticated,¡± the witch swayed: ¡°Is there a simpler way to put it?¡±


    ¡°Go with the flow, play it by ear.¡± Ash winked: ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ll have a new idea by then.¡±


    ¡°As for her...¡± Ash glanced at Liss, who had collapsed to the ground: ¡°Although I don¡¯t know why she insists on relying on me, if it isn¡¯t too harmful to my interests... or if it only does a little harm... After all, she¡¯s technically the only member of my work team right now, so I might as well look after her a bit.¡±


    The truth was Ash had gone soft.


    After all, he wasn¡¯t purely rational. Seeing Liss chasing after him and calling him ¡®Daddy,¡¯ he couldn¡¯t help but think of his nephew back home.


    Though the nephew wasn¡¯t as cute as Liss, he was more of a brat and mischievous! Thinking of this, Ash regretted not spanking his nephew more when he had the chance, missing the opportunity now.


    Anyway, Liss was already tied to him, so he would see what plans she had before making any decisions. But to expect Ash to be decisive and ruthless towards a human cub who could knock herself out by running into a door was simply impossible at this stage.


    The witch retorted: ¡°You make it sound so noble, but you¡¯re just passing the buck to your future self.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it. I am me, and the future Ash is the future Ash.¡± Ash picked up Liss: ¡°I never lightly promise myself, nor do I randomly impose restraints on the future Ash. All premature decisions turn into either mistaken rubbish or meaningless persistence. Only the choices made after careful consideration truly set the heart racing.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to deprive myself of the pleasant contemplation time in the next 101 days.¡±


    Ah.


    That¡¯s the flavor, that¡¯s the feeling.


    Not madness, not indifference, but a deeper level of superiority, as if the whole world was just a poor play and you wait for Fate to please you in arrogance.


    It was precisely because of this that she was so¡ª


    fond of the Observer.


    The Witch squinted her eyes, looking at Ash who held the white-haired little girl in his arms, ¡°Ah, am I interrupting your colorful nightlife? I¡¯ll leave right now¡ª¡±


    Ash quickly stopped her false accusations, ¡°No, no, no, I¡¯m just taking her back to her room so she doesn¡¯t drool on the floor. You can follow me to make sure that I don¡¯t do anything that wouldn¡¯t be aired on a children¡¯s channel.¡±


    ¡°Not interested, I¡¯m really leaving,¡± the Witch said with a lack of enthusiasm, ¡°Remember the three principles of exchange; from now on, we shall meet only in the Void Realm.¡±


    Ash didn¡¯t insist and left the room with Liss.


    The Witch didn¡¯t leave immediately, instead sitting cross-legged on the bed, lost in thought.


    Until a question laced with anger came from behind her:


    ¡°Witch, you¡¯ve overstepped your bounds.¡±


    The Witch didn¡¯t deny it, instead challenging in return, ¡°But aren¡¯t you curious about the Observer¡¯s current views on the current Sword Maiden? It¡¯s none of my business, but when I hear that in his heart the Sword Maiden has a unique status, I get a little inexplicably angry¡ªespecially since I¡¯m so much prettier than you!¡±


    Slap!


    The Witch was forcefully pushed onto the bed, with the Sword Maiden sitting atop her, pinning her slender waist and rendering her unable to rise, her hands wrapped tightly around her wrists, immobilizing her. Confronted with the Sword Maiden¡¯s fierce glare, the Witch became slightly intimidated, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? If you keep this up, I¡¯m going to start screaming for help.¡±


    The Sword Maiden didn¡¯t join in her nonsense, articulating slowly, ¡°First, he is not the Observer, but Ash Heath; she is not the Sword Maiden, but Sonia Sevi. Second, you really did overstep your bounds.¡±


    ¡°To observe and even to drive the transformation of their emotions is a forbidden act of remembrance. If I tell everyone, you can forget about having the right to observe ever again.¡±


    ¡°Boohoo...¡± The Witch whimpered pitifully, ¡°I actually didn¡¯t say much...¡±


    ¡°Why did you mention the Sword Maiden in front of him?¡± the Sword Maiden demanded, ¡°You could cause a mismatch in information!¡±


    ¡°But I really don¡¯t know that somewhat scheming but cute, insincere yet kindhearted, often vain in front of the mirror Sword Maiden.¡± The Witch blinked playfully, ¡°I don¡¯t really like to lie, you know.¡±


    With a chilly tone, the Sword Maiden said, ¡°Of all the lies you¡¯ve told, that must be the crudest.¡±


    Suddenly, the Witch changed tack, ¡°But why are you so nervous? If the Observer caught me, I¡¯d accept it since he¡¯s the one in charge, but didn¡¯t you join this plan out of desperation? Why do you care so much about the relationship between Ash and Sonia?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not like the you I know, Sword Maiden,¡± the Witch¡¯s eyes shone with mischief, ¡°Could it be that you...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re also saying good things for Liss,¡± the Sword Maiden responded calmly, ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural to care about one¡¯s former self?¡±


    After a moment of eye contact, the Witch looked away, ¡°Hmph, have it your way.¡±


    ¡°But Sword Maiden, aren¡¯t you being a little... too arrogant?¡±


    The Witch entwined her legs with the Sword Maiden¡¯s, quickly freeing her hands from the Sword Maiden¡¯s grip, flipped over on top, and in an instant had the Sword Maiden pinned beneath her, her hands caught together, and her legs firmly restrained, unable to move, with long black and short drunken-red hair intertwined.


    ¡°Sword Maiden, did you actually think,¡± the Witch¡¯s voice seemed to turn into an octet, whispering in the ear of the Sword Maiden, ¡°that you could engage us in close combat!?¡±


    ¡°Sword Maiden: ¡°Let go.¡±


    The Witch¡¯s voice grew increasingly manic and hysterical, ¡°However long you pressed down on us, we¡¯ll press down on you!¡±


    Expressionless, the Sword Maiden¡¯s long sword at her waist began to adjust its angle, seeking the Witch¡¯s vulnerable spot. The Witch seemed to sense the Sword Maiden¡¯s movements but did nothing to stop it, a dangerous smile crossing her lips, as if eagerly anticipating a bloody fight with the Sword Maiden¡ª


    Suddenly, the sound of an argument erupted from outside, seemingly Ash¡¯s entry into Liss¡¯s room had been witnessed by others, triggering a mortifyingly awkward scene that was impossible to explain.


    The Witch listened for a while, the madness on her face receding like the tide, suddenly laughing, ¡°To be honest, I, like everyone else, didn¡¯t believe you when you described... when you described Ash¡¯s personality traits.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like trying to imagine a blushing Sonia, or an Ash Heath with a conscience and humanity, capable of loneliness and fear¡ªthat¡¯s indeed too much for our imaginations. Even that he could feel compassion for little Liss, it¡¯s utterly absurd...¡±


    Sword Maiden coldly retorted, ¡°But now you¡¯ve seen it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve seen it,¡± the Witch replied softly, ¡°Apart from the evil nature suppressed deep within him, he indeed appears to be a cheerful and decent person on the surface. Even without the bewitching girl, he still has companions who follow him.¡±


    ¡°An Ash Heath bathed in sunshine is something that I find... so likeable that...¡±


    ¡°...I can hardly wait to destroy him.¡±

 Chapter 230 - 230 199 I Told You Not to Ask

    ?Chapter 230: Chapter 199: I Told You Not to Ask Chapter 230: Chapter 199: I Told You Not to Ask ¡°Don¡¯t ask any questions about Ash Heath.¡±


    Brushing his teeth, Igula gazed at the revelation on the mirror and fell into deep thought.


    He didn¡¯t doubt the revelation much, just felt annoyed¡ªwhy had it to be him again.


    Ever since meeting Ash, nine out of the ten revelations Igula received were related to that guy; the last one was advising Igula to settle down with Emi forever and have nine kids¡ªthinking about it now, being with Emi also meant avoiding the fate of encountering Ash, right?


    From now on, when in doubt, just blame Ash...


    Wait a second, thinking it through, how could he, a human with Meiwa blood, have nine kids with someone from the Moon Shadow Clan?


    Even though Emi, aside from being a bit neurotic, was indeed cute, with a perky behind, soft chest, slender waist, and both her big tail and wolf ears nice to touch, the Blood Saint Moon Shadow don¡¯t have reproductive cells; from the start, they can¡¯t take part in breeding matches, meaning Emi can¡¯t have kids at all...


    Wait a second, so does that revelation mean, it wants me to have the kids?


    With the biological modification technology of the Kingdom of Blood Moon, it¡¯s not impossible... No, wait, I almost got wrapped up in that, why should I have kids, I¡¯m not short on those fertility rewards...


    Igula finished freshening up and opened the curtains, almost getting blinded by the glaring sunlight that hit him.


    It was hard to imagine that in such a huge two-tiered city, the sunlight wasn¡¯t blocked¡ªlast night Igula noticed that the city¡¯s building clusters bloomed like flower petals; buildings near the city center lake were lower, while those at the edges of the city soared high.


    It wasn¡¯t apparent at night, but come daylight, sunlight entered the central lake with the help of various reflective devices, diffracting like blooming flowers into every corner of the city. From a bird¡¯s-eye view, the whole city was brightly lit, fast-moving autos darted along the roads, and elegantly dressed people walked under the sunlight as if strolling through the clouds.


    Even though on his first day here he was trafficked into the Four Pillars God Sect, this sight made it hard to harbor any disgust towards this kingdom¡ªcompared to the Kingdom of Gospel, the Kingdom of Blood Moon was just too sinister.


    But Igula didn¡¯t think the Gospel was better than Blood Moon just because of this; if you only focus on Kaimon City¡¯s Upper District and government quarter, you would also believe it to be a world where people are gracious and genteel, the air filled with the sweetness of milk and honey.


    And as Ash pointed out¡ªif it were really as wonderful here as in the Heavenly Kingdom, then why would the devotees of the Divine Sect be packed into the underground hall playing live-action prank shows after being stuffed full?


    The brighter the light, the deeper the shadows grow. Material abundance can¡¯t solve all problems, and there are no reports of starvation in the Kingdom of Blood Moon; yet once survival is assured, one naturally seeks more, gains more, possesses more, whether it¡¯s a sense of superiority, security, or pleasure.


    All races are like this; even the most humble Goblin dreams of ruling the world, and the most conservative Elf craves to see flames.


    That¡¯s why the Spirit Faction is the most powerful magic faction of this era.


    Igula entered the living room and found that Harvey and Liss were already eating breakfast, with Banjee attending to them. The breakfast consisted of jam-spread bread, a vegetable salad, milk coffee, and creamy pastries. Apart from having such high-calorie pastries first thing in the morning, the rest wasn¡¯t much different from what they had in Blood Moon.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Miss Hanna?¡±


    ¡°She has gone to socialize,¡± Banjee smiled subtly, the young housekeeper¡¯s poise causing a slight stir in Igula¡¯s heart: ¡°If you need anything, feel free to tell me.¡±


    Igula calmed himself down and glanced toward the hallway¡¯s end: ¡°What about Ash?¡±


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t woken up yet.¡± Harvey, adding a lot of pungent chili powder to his bread, took a bite: ¡°Why don¡¯t you wake him up?¡±


    ¡°Why should I do that?¡± Igula looked at the little girl with a ponytail: ¡°Liss, go and wake up that guy who will become your servant in 101 days.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a servant,¡± Liss said seriously. ¡°He¡¯s Liss¡¯s dad!¡±


    ¡°I get it, so you come from a kingdom where servants are called dad, right?¡± Igula waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Go on... wait a minute, this isn¡¯t Shattered Lake anymore...¡±


    Since this wasn¡¯t Shattered Lake Prison, some of his regular ¡®tricks¡¯ for interaction could come in handy.


    Quickly, Igula grabbed a bucket of water and hid beside Liss, signaling her to knock on the door and call for someone.


    ¡°Daddy, it¡¯s time for breakfast!¡±


    ¡°Daddy, the sun is out today, come quick and play with Liss!¡±


    ¡°Daddy, Auntie Bokin is snorting Lala fertilizer with her nose!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Ash swung the door open abruptly.


    Now¡¯s the time!


    Igula poured the ¡°Prank Water¡± over him, an enchanted liquid that could be activated by either drinking or external application, with the best effect being when used to wash one¡¯s face.


    The victim of the prank would instantly feel a surge of intense anger. However, when the cursed individual first laid eyes on a beautiful person, that anger would transform into an equal level of affinity and be bestowed upon the beauty; but if the first sight was of an ugly person, the anger would instead morph into a strong combat instinct.


    Therefore, this technique was also known as ¡°First Sight in Life¡±, one of the few Spirit Miracles that Igula possessed. Combined with his natural good looks, it could instantly elevate someone¡¯s affinity to the maximum, thus capturing the target in the palm of his hand.


    Usually, he would cast spells on other people¡¯s drinks, but there was no need to be so polite with Ash¡ªpouring it directly on him was the best approach!


    Smack!


    Clang!


    The bucket was propelled high into the air, hitting the ceiling before falling back down.


    Ash maintained his retaliatory stance, looking at Igula and Liss who were drenched in water, and asked with confusion, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Ash didn¡¯t even realize what had happened, but when Igula attacked from outside his field of vision, his ¡°Wild Intuition¡± automatically counter-struck.


    Both took an inadvertent glance at Ash, and then Liss was the first to look up at Igula, showing a look of disdain as if to say ¡®how could you be worse than my dad¡¯, before she stomped on Ash¡¯s foot and returned to her room to change clothes, whimpering.


    Igula quickly calmed his mind with his Technique Spirit, making sure his affinity for Ash hadn¡¯t changed. Hmm, seeing him like this, I also feel like stepping on his foot, which means there¡¯s been a ¡®significant drop in affinity¡¯, so there¡¯s no change.


    And so Igula also stepped on Ash¡¯s foot and snorted coldly before going back to his room to change.


    At that moment, he suddenly remembered the revelation he had just had¡ªit was precisely because he had asked about Ash that the idea of using ¡°Prank Water¡± had come to him, which led to being counter-struck by Ash, and consequently end up in such a sorry state.


    Damn it, it¡¯s all Ash¡¯s fault!


    Ash was still in a state of utter confusion¡ªdid you two skip breakfast? Your stomping is so feeble, Freyja hit much harder than you when she snuck up on me at night.

 Chapter 231 - 231 200 Ashs Weakness

    ?Chapter 231: Chapter 200 Ash¡¯s Weakness Chapter 231: Chapter 200 Ash¡¯s Weakness As everyone gathered around the dining table, the young Banjee cleared his throat and said, ¡°Now that we¡¯re all here, do you have any questions for me? For example, questions about the ¡®Gospel Book¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Harvey raised his hand and asked, ¡°Does checking the rankings require points?¡±


    Even if it was their first encounter with the ¡®Gospel Book¡¯, the newcomers from the countryside were immediately drawn to the rankings inside. Mages are creatures who seek reputation, honor, and strength¡ª who wouldn¡¯t want to know which mage is ranked first in the nation, which faction is the most popular, or which miracle is the strongest?


    Rankings like the ¡®Necromancy Miracle List¡¯ and the ¡®Spirit Miracle List¡¯, which happened to match their specialties perfectly, how could Harvey and Igula not be tempted?


    Even if they couldn¡¯t learn the secrets, it was still tantalizing to peer at them!


    However, when they opened the ¡®Gospel Book¡¯ to view rankings like the ¡®Four-winged Mage Comprehensive Combat Power List¡¯, the ¡®Magic Faction Popularity List¡¯, the ¡®Miracle List¡¯, and the ¡®Technique Spirit List¡¯, they were all met with a prompt that brought tears to the freeloaders: ¡°Insufficient points, unable to purchase.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Banjee nodded but didn¡¯t continue. Instead, he took out a metal cigarette case that did not match his appearance at all, ¡°Do you mind?¡±


    ¡°Give me one too,¡± Harvey beckoned, ¡°Will it give me a kick?¡±


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯m not young anymore. This is a healthier kind of cigarette, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m used to smoking while talking.¡±


    ¡°Smoking can be healthy? Eating candy is quite healthy for me too.¡±


    Watching the two old smokers start puffing away, Ash made a sound of distaste and led Liss to the other end of the dining table, invoking the Wind Barrier Technique Spirit to form an air barrier.


    Igula remained seated, simply flicking her finger lightly, and the wind direction in the living room changed, causing the smoke from Banjee and Harvey to be blown towards the balcony.


    Ash looked surprised, ¡°Meiwa, you can also use the Wind Technique Spirit?¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡± Igula said calmly, ¡°It can be used to assist in administering love potions and such.¡±


    ¡°...You really have a way of blithely saying terrifying things.¡±


    Skilfully flicking smoke ash into his palm, Banjee also got into the groove and said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you an updated ¡®Gospel List Directory¡¯ later. It contains the more stable and highly followed rankings, like the ¡®Magic Faction Popularity List¡¯ and such, which you can peruse at your leisure.¡±


    ¡°As for the frequently changing lists, you¡¯ll need to spend points to access them. It¡¯s not expensive, just 1 point for 24 hours of viewing rights for a list. Check your Gospel Books, the points Miss has given you should have arrived.¡±


    Ash hurried to open his Gospel Book, his face quickly turning sour, ¡°Only 100 points?¡±


    ¡°Housekeeper Banjee, may I formally report Ash¡¯s complaint?¡±


    ¡°Igula, you traitor!¡±


    Harvey had been observing Banjee from the side and noticed that Banjee wasn¡¯t paying attention to the two making noise. Instead, he was signaling with his cigarette, knowing that the young housekeeper was not easy to deal with¡ªwhether Banjee was appreciating Igula¡¯s defection or disliking Ash¡¯s complaints, it could reveal some of his personality traits.


    At the funeral service office, other than Hanna, Banjee was the only local they had access to. As long as he revealed enough of his likes and dislikes, naturally, there would be room for Igula to play.


    When Banjee took out the cigarette case, the three foreign workers quickly exchanged glances and arranged their respective roles: Harvey as the observer, Ash and Igula acted inside and out, undermining each other¡ªif even one of them could get closer to Banjee, it would be considered a victory.


    ¡°I don¡¯t recommend you use these 100 points to look up the rankings,¡± Banjee said. ¡°100 points is not a lot, but it¡¯s not little either; it can at least get the Gospel Book to answer a valuable question for you. Miss gave you 100 points hoping you could experience a bit of the Gospel¡¯s glory.¡±


    ¡°For new mages first encountering the ¡®Gospel Book¡¯, there are several types of questions that are highly cost-effective to ask, such as ¡®Which magic faction is my talent most suited for¡¯, ¡®What Technique Spirit should I summon next¡¯, or ¡®How can I further optimize my current Technique Spirit system¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Of course, after all, with only 100 points, the Gospel Book will inevitably give very brief answers,¡± he said, ¡°but you can further deepen your questions based on the responses from the Gospel Book.¡±


    ¡°However,¡± Banjee took a puff of his cigarette, ¡°I guess you all might have more personal questions you want to ask.¡±


    He hit the nail on the head.


    Power is certainly important, but humans are ultimately social animals; very few mages live purely in pursuit of power. Power is just an effective capital for them to obtain other resources... Although many mages eventually become personifications of power, it is clear that these several stowaways still have joys and sorrows in their lives.


    Even Harvey, who claimed he had nothing left to care about, trembled. He hadn¡¯t even noticed that he was smoking backwards, scalding his lips, and staring straight at the Gospel Book, unsure of what question he wanted to ask.


    Igula hesitated, flipped the Gospel Book to the ¡°Inquiry¡± page, and wrote with his mind, ¡°Has Emi Lexis suffered any negative impact due to my escape?¡±


    The Gospel Book quickly listed the charging details, ¡°Having a deep relationship with you, -80% fee; contact with you within three days, -65% fee; target being a Two-winged Mage, +50% fee; target not in the Kingdom of Gospel, +1000% fee.¡±


    ¡°Your points are insufficient.¡±


    As expected, inquiring about matters in other countries is extremely expensive because it is not about mobilizing collected intelligence but about using miracles to perform real ¡®prophecies¡¯... But conversely, inquiring about matters within the Kingdom of Gospel is much cheaper.


    Igula¡¯s eyes flickered, and he entered, ¡°Information about Hanna Doran.¡±


    ¡°3 points deducted.¡±


    ¡°Hanna Doran: Ranked 3rd on the Azura Beauty List, 8th on the Beauty List, 10th on the Two-winged Mage Comprehensive Combat Power List, and 9th on Azura Task List as the owner of the Funeral Service Office (currently off the list).¡±


    ¡°The family situation of Hanna Doran.¡±


    ¡°You do not have the right to inquire about a citizen¡¯s privacy.¡±


    Sure enough, if you want to use the Gospel Book to investigate individuals, you can only get the most superficial information. If you want to go deeper, the Gospel Book will refuse. But Igula also noticed that the Gospel Book does not prohibit inquiries, but rather states ¡®you have no right to inquire.¡¯ In other words, as long as you have the right, you can use the Gospel Book to obtain all information about a person, including but not limited to privacy, geographical location, magic factions, and so on.


    It seems that the authority of the Security Forces ¡®Red Hats¡¯ might be much greater than that of the Blood Frenzy Hunters...


    Wait a second!


    No right to inquire about a citizen¡¯s privacy... But can these several stowaways be considered citizens?


    Certainly not; how could an invading alien species obtain legal protection from the All-knowing Weaver? Moreover, they have the countdown of the All-knowing Weaver¡¯s restraints behind their ears. In theory, their treatment in the Kingdom of Gospel at the moment is equivalent to that of red-name monsters. Even if they want to cleanse their reputation, they have to wait for the countdown of the restraints to end...


    That is to say, before the countdown of the restraints, the information about Ash and Harvey is unrestricted!


    With less than two days left until the countdown ends, if I want to uncover their pasts, I can only take advantage of the present!


    Igula suddenly recalled the revelation he received today, ¡°Don¡¯t ask any questions about Ash Heath.¡±


    The fact is, whenever Igula acted against the revelation, things usually didn¡¯t end well. For example, being dragged by Ash into an escape gang, being implicated by Ash, being deceived by Ash...


    But now, the only chance I have to take advantage of Ash is right in front of my eyes. I must consider whether this could be the only opportunity I¡¯ll get in my life.


    To rebuild the Swindler¡¯s glory; it is my undeniable duty!


    ¡°What is Ash Heath¡¯s vulnerability that can be exploited for blackmail?¡±

 Chapter 232 - 232 201 Sword Maidens New Talent Witchs New

    ?Chapter 232: Chapter 201: Sword Maiden¡¯s New Talent, Witch¡¯s New Profession Chapter 232: Chapter 201: Sword Maiden¡¯s New Talent, Witch¡¯s New Profession ¡°15 points consumed.¡±


    ¡°Ash Heath can exploit these vulnerabilities as threats: Igula Bokin, Archibald Harvey, and Liss.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    For a moment, Igula truly thought he held an extremely important position in Ash¡¯s heart, almost ecstatic¡ª could he then exploit this has-been cult leader relentlessly?


    However, the moment he saw the name ¡®Liss,¡¯ he calmed down: it might be understandable for him and Harvey, as they were fellow countrymen and comrades who shared hardships, but how could a little girl, just met less than a day ago and who nearly ruined Ash¡¯s life, possibly become a leverage against Ash?


    If Liss were kidnapped and threatened to be burned without ransom, knowing Ash¡¯s character, he would probably ponder whether to give matches or fuel.


    It couldn¡¯t possibly be because Liss was a cute white-haired little girl that Ash would treat her differently, right?


    Igula was also good-looking, ranking even higher than Liss on the Beauty List, yet Ash still tricked him mercilessly!


    So, it was clear that the Gospel Book was mistaken here: Igula, Harvey, and Liss were currently the characters most closely connected to Ash and on the same team, so the Gospel Book mistakenly regarded them as allies of interest, thus concluding Ash¡¯s vulnerabilities were these three.


    If Igula wasn¡¯t wrong, Harvey¡¯s vulnerabilities would definitely be the three of them. But he was too lazy to verify¡ª15 points just vanished, now his financial resources were all dependent on Miss Hanna¡¯s patronage, and he had to be cautious with his spending!


    So, this was what the revelation meant: if he asked about Ash Heath, the Gospel Book would provide incorrect answers.


    It was all Ash¡¯s fault!


    These 15 points had to be repaid by Ash a thousandfold!


    Sitting opposite Igula, Ash was unaware that he had inadvertently accrued another debt. He was currently examining the response from the Gospel Book, his brow slightly furrowed.


    ¡°Can a ¡®Heart¡¯s Desire¡¯ enable me to return to my own world?¡±


    ¡°One point consumed.¡±


    ¡°A ¡®Heart¡¯s Desire¡¯ can traverse time and space, worlds too, but whether it can reach a specific world needs to be analyzed based on the specific situation.¡±


    ¡®Specific situation needs specific analysis¡¯¡ªseeing such an official response almost triggered Ash with traumatic stress. He had heard this too much in his professional setting, the implication being ¡°I can do it, but I don¡¯t want to try hard for you.¡±


    However, on the other hand, this statement also gave Ash some confidence.


    If the Gospel Book had assured with certainty that it ¡®definitely could,¡¯ Ash would have suspected that the Divine Lord was just another one of Igula¡¯s colleagues¡ªacross all worlds, only a swindler can guarantee to fulfill all your desires.


    Does that mean, if I can obtain this ¡®Heart¡¯s Desire,¡¯ I can return home?


    Realizing this hope, Ash felt surprisingly unexcited. It¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t miss his mom¡¯s nutritious soup or dad¡¯s constant nagging, but as he had told the Sword Maiden in the Void Realm, he wasn¡¯t the type of person who depended on wishes to survive.


    To naively embrace hope and then naively succumb to disappointment was just too sad.


    When Ash arrived in this world, he had no expectations of returning alive.


    Thus, if he obtained this ¡®Heart¡¯s Desire¡¯ and successfully went back to face pressures from marriage, mortgage, and eldercare, it would indeed be great, worth resigning and relaxing to celebrate;


    But if this ¡®Heart¡¯s Desire¡¯ was not so omnipotent, Ash wouldn¡¯t be too disappointed;


    If he didn¡¯t get it, Ash would just curse the lucky one in frustration and then forget about the matter soon.


    After verifying the feasibility of the ¡®Heart¡¯s Desire,¡¯ Ash suddenly felt he had nothing to ask.


    Summon what Technique Spirit? Suit what Magic Faction? But his cultivation experience was filled with fluff, not a single worthwhile point, entirely relying on being an accessory to the Sword Maiden for his current strength; he had no need nor the ability to cultivate independently¡ª¡¯Diligence¡¯ and ¡®Focus¡¯ were the basics for every Mage, and Ash had lost these skills after his high school senior year.


    If efficiently using his existing Technique Spirits weren¡¯t necessary to ask, then as long as Ash continued exploring the Void Realm, the replacement of Technique Spirits was sure to happen quickly, except for Spirit Faction¡¯s Heart Sword, Substitute, Earth Sword, and Wind Barrier; the others were definitely going to be replaced or directly discarded.


    Just like Freyja wouldn¡¯t be picky about a mason only needed for one night, Ash had no interest in spending thought on a batch of soon-to-be-replaced Technique Spirits.


    This development strategy could even be further intensified¡ªthere was no need to waste resources on Ash; an accessory should stay aware of its role, not delusionally trying to transcend operators¡¯ talents with efforts and resources!


    Self-awareness was indeed Ash¡¯s strength!


    With a thought, he opened ¡°Aurora¡¯s Mage Manual,¡± and a message instantly popped up.


    ¡°Death Mad Sword Maiden¡¯s growth report from 4.26 to 5.2¡±


    ¡°Sword Technique Faction: Silver ¡ú Silver¡±


    ¡°Light Magic Faction: Silver ¡ú Silver¡±


    ¡°Water Technique Faction: Silver ¡ú Silver¡±


    ¡°Spirit Faction: Silver ¡ú Silver¡±


    ¡°Magic Power: Silver Full Wings ¡ú Golden Illusion Wings¡±


    ¡°Training Evaluation: S!¡±


    ¡°Due to receiving an S rating, the Death Mad Sword Maiden gains a professional enhancement from the Mage¡¯s Handbook: Soul-Rending Silver Mage ¡ú Mad Dancer!¡±


    ¡°Mad Dancer ¡¤ Professional Characteristics: Attacking the same target increases the attack speed by 2%, accumulable up to 5 times, effect immediately nullified upon changing the target.¡±


    ¡°Due to the enhancement in Magic Power, the innate talent of the Death Mad Sword Maiden has been enhanced!¡±


    ¡°Due to receiving an S rating, the Death Mad Sword Maiden gains the professional assessment task ¡®Mad Dance¡¯!¡±


    ¡°Mad Dance: Perform 10,000 effective strikes within the next 7 days. Upon completion of the task, the ¡®Mad Dance¡¯ professional characteristic can be permanently solidified! Current progress (0/10,000).¡±


    Ash hadn¡¯t expected the Mage¡¯s Handbook to come up with new tricks¡ªwhy was it always personal benefits for the Sword Maiden? He wanted some too!


    Permanently solidifying professional characteristics means that even if the Sword Maiden switched professions the next time, she would still possess the ¡®Mad Dance¡¯ characteristic, effectively gaining a passive skill.


    Ash naturally understood the powerful implications of this mechanism: if ¡®Mad Dance¡¯ could be solidified this time, what about next time? And the time after that?


    This meant that the Sword Maiden and other operators were possessing an enhancement system in addition to the Technique Spirit, not to say that the Sword Maiden could crush an ordinary Two-winged Mage¡ªwell, in reality, the ordinary Two-winged Mages could easily crush the two of them who had smuggled themselves onto the Time Continent¡ªbut as they were cultivated over a long time with more solidified professional characteristics, their combat power would surely experience a tremendous breakthrough.


    It¡¯s like having the same job, even if the pay is the same, if your colleague earns rent on the side, after ten years you haven¡¯t even gathered the down payment, whereas the colleague has already taken out a loan for their second property.


    The only issue is this professional assessment task; it would have been easy in the past, but now, with their souls still indisposed, if they couldn¡¯t go to the Void Realm to hunt monsters, they¡¯d have to rely on the Sword Maiden finding part-time work at a slaughterhouse...


    Besides, the Sword Maiden¡¯s talent has also grown stronger!


    ¡°Innate Talent ¡¤ Sword Maiden (Upper): Gains an additional 150% swordsmanship experience, a low chance to gain 10,000% swordsmanship experience, and a very low chance to trigger the Phantom of the Vengeful Dragon (strength enhancement after unlocking talent level).¡±


    The Sword Maiden¡¯s talent has been raised to be about equal to the Witch, but just as the Witch has a chance to trigger ¡®Favor of the Bronze Dragon,¡¯ the Sword Maiden also has the chance to trigger ¡®Phantom of the Vengeful Dragon.¡¯ Ash nodded, but no detailed description popped up.


    There¡¯s not much to say about the Sword Maiden¡¯s training strategy, though the system is suggesting giving her leisure time, Ash still doesn¡¯t accept this type of advice.


    He¡¯ll just tell the Sword Maiden more cold jokes in the Void Realm¡ªI¡¯m her entertainment!


    When Ash opened the interface for the Black and White Witch, he found that just one day had wrought tremendous changes¡ª


    ¡°Profession: Daughter of the Bronze Dragon¡±


    ¡°Professional Characteristics: A young lady favored by the Bronze Dragon, currently in a special curse state, can obtain the blessing of the Bronze Dragon upon lifting the curse. Under the curse state, the Black and White Witch gains -75% learning efficiency across all factions, effect +10 luck checks.¡±


    ¡°Curse example: The maiden turns into an old crone, to be lifted by a true love¡¯s kiss, yet she cannot disclose the curse¡¯s details to others.¡±


    ¡°Knowledge Curse: Secret Poison of the Bronze Dragon¡±


    This curse... seems rather fairy tale-like, doesn¡¯t it?


    No wonder the Witch wouldn¡¯t let Ash inquire about her situation; she had been gagged all along, asking her was futile.


    But now that it¡¯s mentioned, is the Witch currently an old hag?


    She might not even be human, possibly transformed into a frog or a rabbit, or even a lump of fat.


    Still, the debuffs of this profession are too strong, -75% learning efficiency is significantly undermining her efforts, with only +10 to luck checks as a bonus, much like Ash¡¯s former profession ¡®Cult Leader,¡¯ but without such severe negative effects.


    Simply put, this profession currently offers purely negative benefits, very much like Ash¡¯s ¡®Eternal Damnation Walker.¡¯


    However, following the Mage world¡¯s principle ¡®the greater the risk, the higher the reward,¡¯ the ¡®Blessing of the Bronze Dragon¡¯ that the Witch could gain after breaking the curse is likely very strong, potentially allowing her to transform into a dragon¡ªthen Ash wouldn¡¯t need any vehicles in the Void Realm, he could just be a Dragon Knight!


    Additionally, the Witch had suddenly obtained ¡®Secret Poison of the Bronze Dragon,¡¯ likely triggered by ¡®Favor of the Bronze Dragon.¡¯ Ash wanted to check the contents of the poison, but a prompt popped up:


    ¡°You do not know this poison.¡±


    No kidding, how would I know if you don¡¯t tell me!?


    Ash figured that like other data, if the player is unaware of the poison, it wouldn¡¯t display to prevent players from being fed garbage¡ªlike Dismissal Poison, certainly something Ash would rather not know about.


    Just as he was planning the training strategy, Ash scratched his head: the Witch¡¯s talent is undeniably from the Time Faction, but her primary training faction is the Fist Claw Faction, clearly demonstrating that the Witch¡¯s main output method is also Fist Claw, and Ash happens to have Training Gloves with +15% efficiency, so should the Witch train in the Fist Claw Faction, or should she choose the Time Faction?


    In the past, Ash would have picked casually, but now he has the ¡®Gospel Book,¡¯ so he can simply use a gospel!


    ¡°I have a friend...¡±

 Chapter 233 - 233 202 Preparations before Cheating

    ?Chapter 233: Chapter 202 Preparations before Cheating Chapter 233: Chapter 202 Preparations before Cheating At this moment, Igula had finished checking his future development path and his face showed a very complex expression.


    The young housekeeper smoking a cigarette noticed this and asked, ¡°Mr. Bokin, do you have any questions?¡±


    ¡°Not really, I just feel... the people here are truly blessed.¡±


    Igula spoke with a touch of melancholy, ¡°The answer I just got for 82 points is guidance I could never have bought with any amount of money in my previous kingdom. But Mr. Housekeeper, having lived here since you were young, perhaps you can¡¯t understand the feelings of a country person like me, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true,¡± Banjee said with a smile. ¡°While the Gospel is selflessly scattered to the masses, not everyone is qualified to consume it. The first time I prayed for the Gospel, I was equally shocked by the greatness of the All-Knowing Weaver.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯ve had a question since last night,¡± Igula asked. ¡°All the lists have less than 10,000 names, and each list has only 10 slots. Even without considering overlaps, there would be less than a hundred thousand slots in the entire kingdom, and being listed is the sole source of points. So how do ordinary people obtain points?¡±


    ¡°Organizational lists,¡± Banjee said succinctly. ¡°For instance, if the Funeral Service Office gets listed, the miss would share a certain percentage of points with me as profit. Ordinary people just need to join one of the top ten companies in their field that made the list, and their salary will generally include points.¡±


    ¡°Besides that, points from different types of city lists will also be shared with workers in various fields. For example, a large portion of the ¡®Security List¡¯ points will certainly be shared with the Red Hats. Basically, as long as you¡¯re a citizen who pays taxes regularly, you will receive a certain amount of point benefits at the end of the year.¡±


    Igula nodded, ¡°That sounds quite fair...¡±


    While editing his question, Ash raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Igula, do you really think it¡¯s fair?¡±


    Igula instinctively wanted to object, but when he saw Banjee¡¯s surprised expression, he knew Ash was right. However, even after pondering for a long time, the Swindler couldn¡¯t figure out what was amiss.


    ¡°Igula, a clever person like you naturally cannot see the deceit here,¡± Harvey laughed. ¡°Because you are certain that through hard work you could join a good company, get your first batch of points, and then grow gradually like a rolling snowball. But anyone using their head knows that the positions or companies that can share points are limited, and those qualified to compete for these spots must have already perfected themselves into high-quality talents with points.¡±


    ¡°Points are a universal currency, desired by everyone, and unlike wealth, which has a limit no matter how extravagant a person is, points can easily be spent up. Therefore, the Kingdom of Gospel surely follows the 80/20 principle, with a large amount of points flowing into the hands of a few. Plus, with the family system in place here, the deeper the previous generation¡¯s accumulation, the easier it is for the next generation to be listed, leaving the lower class utterly resourceless and unable to compete with point-rich families.¡±


    ¡°Surely not?¡± Igula frowned. ¡°There should be free basic education here¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying, you¡¯re too clever to see through it,¡± Harvey said. ¡°Could the other kids from your foster home become a Two-winged Mage like you? Your wisdom and self-discipline have long surpassed that of ordinary people. You can perfect your knowledge system through self-study, but ordinary people need guidance and help to patch up their learning. This is where points come into play.¡±


    ¡°Of course, maybe I¡¯m wrong,¡± Harvey looked at Banjee. ¡°Points are truly the blessing of the Kingdom of Gospel and haven¡¯t become barriers between classes.¡±


    Banjee flicked the Smoke Ash from his palm and said with a smile, ¡°Mr. Harvey, you¡¯re basically right, but because of the loopholes in the Gospel Book, the social system of the Kingdom of Gospel isn¡¯t that simple.¡±


    ¡°Loopholes?¡±


    ¡°The miss didn¡¯t mention this,¡± Banjee went on: ¡°Aside from the ¡®Killing List¡¯ and other ¡®sinful lists¡¯, most normal lists take personal credit into account.¡±


    Almost instantly, Ash saw a strange glimmer in the eyes of Igula and Harvey¡ªa glint of joy, like laid-off workers who just found new job openings.


    ¡°Although not all crimes are caught, in fact, even if someone commits murder or other serious crimes, as long as the Red Hats don¡¯t find out, it¡¯s as if nothing happened. But the Gospel Book records all illegal activities in the credit record. If someone is suddenly off the list, the Red Hats just have to be willing to look and they can mostly find something.¡±


    ¡°And the loophole in the Gospel Book is this: If it¡¯s not done by oneself, it won¡¯t affect one¡¯s own credit.¡±


    ¡°So those who aren¡¯t qualified to be listed also have work that only they can do.¡±


    Igula fell into thought: ¡°I thought the Funeral Service Office was just an inner organization that did the dirty work...¡±


    ¡°The Funeral Service Office doesn¡¯t do the wet work; it merely trims the branches and does pest control,¡± Banjee indicated with his cigarette towards the outside balcony. ¡°Azura is actually a three-tiered City.¡±


    ¡°Basking in the sunshine, the two-layered canopy; entwining the earth, the one-layered trunk.¡±


    ¡°And responsible for drawing nutrients... the negative first-layered roots.¡±


    ...


    ...


    In Azura¡¯s sewage system, the Mermaid Palace.


    ¡°Really, aren¡¯t you going to buy a dehumidifier?¡± Hanna squatted by the pool complaining, ¡°This sticky dampness is so uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°This humidity is just right for us Sea Demons,¡± Sirimoro lounged in the pool, flicking his tail and splashing water, which Hanna casually blocked with a shield, ¡°Stop it, I don¡¯t want to get wet when I go back.¡±

 Chapter 234 - 234 202 Preparation Before Cheating_2

    ?Chapter 234: Chapter 202: Preparation Before Cheating_2 Chapter 234: Chapter 202: Preparation Before Cheating_2 ¡°You can change your clothes here,¡± Sirimoro said with his hands on the edge of the pool, his voice sounding as if he were singing, ¡°since your office has been removed from the task list and you betrayed your employer, you definitely won¡¯t have any commissions in the future. You might as well join me for a swim.¡±


    ¡°You sure have good information,¡± Hanna retorted.


    ¡°The water knows everything.¡±


    Sirimoro rubbed his chin, looking up at Hanna, ¡°Why not just join the mermaids? Although you¡¯re not a Sea Demon and can¡¯t become one of the Ten Sea Witches, I¡¯d value and use your talents, and I¡¯d conduct the bubble ritual for you!¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the offer,¡± Hanna said with irritation, ¡°but I don¡¯t have anyone I love, and I¡¯m not interested in losing my voice.¡±


    Sea Demons were a branch of Fishmen, but quite different: Fishmen evolved limbs while retaining fish-like features, whereas Sea Demons had upper bodies not much different from humans, with heads adorned with coral-like fin spines, but their lower bodies were serpentine.


    Thanks to outstanding talents in the Prophecy Faction, in the Kingdom of Gospel¡¯s internal realm, Sea Demons were virtually the uncrowned kings, naturally able to gain the most information from the Gospel Book at the lowest cost. The Ten Sea Witches were rooted in the nine most bustling cities of the Kingdom of Gospel, like Sirimoro here, who controlled all members of the hidden organizations in the whole Azura area.


    Sea Demons didn¡¯t refuse outsiders, but new members had to pass through the bubble ritual: kill their beloved or lose their voice to gain the trust of the Sea Demons and share a part of their prophetic talent, but also lose eligibility for the regular rankings, essentially a pledge of allegiance to the hidden organizations.


    ¡°I want¡ª¡±


    ¡°If this is about business, you know the rules.¡±


    Hanna hesitated, then begrudgingly lay down and started doing push-ups.


    Mermaids had a peculiar hobby¡ªthey enjoyed watching people exercise. Normally it could be overlooked, but if you wanted to do business with them, you had to exercise while chatting with them, like obligatory drinking at social gatherings.


    ¡°I want to use, my favor, to have you do something for me,¡± Hanna gasped after just a few push-ups.


    Watching Hanna sweat, Sirimoro chuckled gleefully and suddenly leaped from the pool without causing a splash. She slid next to Hanna, her voice slippery like a double echo, ¡°Are you sure? This is the favor you gave me to help me become a Sea Witch. Once used, you won¡¯t have any special treatment among the mermaids anymore.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°Speak your request, the water is listening.¡±


    ¡°In the past fifteen years in the Azura region, have there been any dead Echo children?¡±


    Sirimoro summoned her deep blue Gospel Book and with a thought, the related information automatically organized and presented itself¡ªonce someone received a Gospel Book, it automatically collected all information around the holder, accessible at any time without costing any points, effectively a personal library at hand.


    ¡°There have been 76,¡± Sirimoro said with schadenfreude, ¡°hardly any successful case, the best one died at age five.¡±


    ¡°Were all handled by your people?¡±


    ¡°Of course, they wouldn¡¯t dare touch such a wet job themselves; it was all entrusted to our people for the final execution,¡± Sirimoro explained, ¡°but if you¡¯re looking to obtain those families¡¯ miracle technology, I can¡¯t help; we¡¯ve signed Contracts. In the Kingdom of Gospel, even Legendary Mages can¡¯t breach a Weaving Contract.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need their technology,¡± Hanna stated, ¡°so, was the disposal of those bodies also handled by you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it was just convenient.¡±


    ¡°And the quality of those Echo children?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very good, after all, it has evolved over so many years,¡± Sirimoro said, ¡°Nearly every one of them is a genius with high Wisdom from all factions, some even possessing the silver faction realm at just two years old. However, these geniuses, forcibly created by Miracles, are almost inevitably short-lived. To deceive for a spot in the Weaving Festival, they need to live over ten years, or else the Weaving Festival won¡¯t recognize these echo infants.¡±


    Echo infants, a unique product only found in the Kingdom of Gospel. These babies were subjected to Miracles even during pregnancy, prematurely developing spiritual intellect and almost all of them possessing talents from all factions; if they could live up to 10 years, they would inevitably master a Golden Level faction.


    But they hardly ever lived to 10 years.


    The existence of these echo infants was solely for sneaking and deceiving at the Weaving Festival.


    As long as these infants lived over 10 years and were recognized by the Weaving Festival for their potential, they would generally become true Resonators, after all, although the list from the Weaving Festival was random, the echo infants were geniuses from all factions, challenge me with any question, and it¡¯s my loss if I can¡¯t answer.


    Of course, the rewards from the Weaving Festival were naturally taken by their families, and as for the echo infants, they would be kept alive until natural death. Without extended life rewards, echo infants could at most live until 15 years old, for such forcibly created geniuses were too contrary to common sense. If it hadn¡¯t been for severe repercussions, the Kingdom of Gospel would have ascended long ago.


    Just like the Kingdom of Blood Moon excelled in biological modification, the Kingdom of Gospel was profoundly cultivating in the realm of artificial geniuses¡ªsince the first day of the Weaving Festival, countless people had been contemplating how to deceive the All-knowing Weaver¡¯s ¡°Prophecy.¡±


    Perhaps in the future, it might produce stable geniuses from all factions who could live until 20, but currently, the echo infants were more like a lottery for high-scoring families, a celebration if they won, and normal if they didn¡¯t; just considered as a demonstration of the technical achievements accumulated over the last fifty years, akin to an arms race.


    Hanna said, ¡°I need you to modify the data of echo infants to specify three individuals, even creating an illusion that they never died and have always been active in the outskirts, sewers, forests.¡±


    Sirimoro was somewhat surprised and casually asked, ¡°No problem, do you need me to pick a specific birth year?¡±


    ¡°No, just modify all the echo infants who died in the past fifteen years.¡±


    ¡°All?¡±


    ¡°All.¡±


    Sirimoro narrowed his eyes slightly.


    She understood what Hanna was trying to do.


    The Gospel Book had many loopholes, one of which was the ¡®search loophole.¡¯ When the Gospel Book wanted to look up people with the same name and surname, it was possible to mix up multiple people¡¯s information as one.


    But this loophole was fixed a long time ago, as long as you were born in the Kingdom of Gospel, the Gospel Book would assign you a number only it knew, and there would be no confusion even if names and surnames were the same.


    Hanna undoubtedly knew this, yet she was willing to use up her own favors to merge the records of echo infants onto these three individuals, indicating she was very confident of triggering the ¡®search loophole¡¯ in the Gospel Book, making it believe these three were also geniuses from all factions.


    In other words, these three people...


    Suddenly, a contract on Paper Weaving was extended before Sirimoro¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Though I trust the integrity of sea witches highly, let¡¯s still sign a contract, just to be safe.¡± Hanna couldn¡¯t hold up anymore, collapsing to the ground, her amethyst earring casting a flickering light, ¡°Once the contract is signed, I will pass on the personal information, names, and appearances of those three to you.¡±


    Sirimoro took the Paper Weaving, signed his name, watched as the paper burned to light, and asked, ¡°You¡¯re risking the firm being delisted just for this? Was your full support in establishing me as the Azura sea witch also for this moment?¡±


    Hanna nodded, her tired face filled with determination.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already staked the name of Doran.¡±

 Chapter 235 - 235 203 The Witchs Entertainment

    ?Chapter 235: Chapter 203: The Witch¡¯s Entertainment Chapter 235: Chapter 203: The Witch¡¯s Entertainment After several modifications, Ash input all the data of the Black and White Witch, and the Gospel Book finally provided a useful response:


    ¡°Consume 50 points.¡±


    ¡°First conclusion: Cultivate the Fist Claw Faction.¡±


    ¡°The Time Faction has lower learning efficiency in reality, and the only suitable place for cultivating the Time Faction is and only is the Time Continent. It would be the most cost-effective choice for your friend to enhance combat power by cultivating the Fist Claw Faction in reality and embark on high-intensity adventures in the Void Realm.¡±


    ¡°This is under the assumptions that: 1 your friend indeed possesses the Talent for the Time Faction (somewhat doubtful); 2 your friend indeed has an item that increases Fist Claw Faction cultivation by +15% in reality (more doubtful); 3 your friend can summon two special creatures with Two-winged combat power to assist in adventures in the Void Realm (strongly suspect that your friend is lying, as the ability to summon equivalent special creatures in the Void Realm is very rare among Two-winged Mages).¡±


    ¡°Therefore, the second conclusion can be drawn: Is your friend seriously ill?¡±


    This Gospel Book is unexpectedly sarcastic...


    Since the strategy guide said so, Ash had no reason not to follow its instructions¡ªafter all, spending 50 points couldn¡¯t be a waste¡ªso he equipped the Black and White Witch with ¡°Training Gloves,¡± consumed an ¡°Advanced Physical Potion,¡± an ¡°Advanced Experience Potion,¡± and then maximized three action points.


    However, at this moment, Ash suddenly remembered that the Witch had another option¡ª


    Entertainment!


    With the enhancement of ¡°Dice of the Pleasure Prince,¡± operatives could also gain Magic Experience through entertainment. Ash was previously indifferent to this option because the returns from entertainment were definitely lower than training, plus it was a gamble on luck¡ªAsh, as a low-quality male user who only retweeted giveaways but never won anything, had given up on expecting any luck for himself.


    But now, he realized that the twenty-sided dice were perfect for the Witch¡¯s situation.


    The trial Profession of the Witch would significantly decrease learning efficiency, but the Pleasure Magic Experience rewarded by the twenty-sided dice wouldn¡¯t be reduced, only receiving bonuses, perfectly circumventing the Witch¡¯s negative Status.


    Ash suddenly understood¡ªEntertainment wasn¡¯t really for entertainment; it was a special form of training for avoiding negative statuses!


    He had nearly misunderstood this game mechanic. Thankfully, in the past as a non-person, he hadn¡¯t arranged for the Sword Maiden to partake in entertainment, or he would have suffered a huge loss!


    However, entertainment only took up two action points; what should he arrange for the remaining action point? Resting was out of the question since training efficiency was low, so it seemed he could only arrange for combat.


    In the training strategy, the ¡°Entertainment¡± option had changed, simply put, its icon now included a twenty-sided dice, looking highly reminiscent of an online casino entrance.


    The ¡°Entertainment¡± interface popped up two types of entertainment categories: Professional and All-Rounder.


    Professional entertainment, like ¡°Fire Technique Faction¡ªCandle Boiling,¡± ¡°Water Technique Faction¡ªPool Play,¡± ¡°Prophetic Faction¡ªHide and Seek,¡± ¡°Spirit Faction¡ªPlaying House Alone,¡± ¡°Truth Faction¡ªDoing Several Sets of Papers,¡± etc., this kind of entertainment would only increase specific faction Magic Experience, but the Experience Points were higher.


    All-Rounder entertainment, like ¡°Playing with Mud,¡± ¡°Catching Beetles,¡± ¡°Jump Rope,¡± ¡°Playing Football,¡± weren¡¯t very specialized, or involved multiple factions, it would increase multiple factions¡¯ Magic Experience, but the Experience Points were lower.


    This seems so complicated, it might as well just let the Witch go and train.


    But as a mobile game, it provided a convenient option for lazy players like Ash¡ª


    ¡°Random Game: Entertainment projects are random, can only obtain Experience for one Magic Faction, but receive an additional 10% Experience bonus.¡±


    That¡¯s the one!


    ¡°Would you like to activate the Innate Talent of the Final Observer and register the Black and White Witch in the Mage¡¯s Handbook?¡±


    Ash was taken aback, then he remembered that the Mage¡¯s Handbook needed to bind operatives to schedule their routines; the Sword Maiden had this step as well.


    An idea suddenly popped up in his mind¡ªIf he pulled a new operative later but the Mage¡¯s Handbook was already full, could he delete the old operatives to make room for the new?


    The thought flickered by, and Ash chose ¡°Confirm.¡±


    ¡°Sword Maiden training strategy: Train, Train, Combat¡±


    ¡°Witch Training Strategy: Entertainment (Random Games¡ªFist Claw Experience), Combat.¡±


    After arranging this week¡¯s training strategy for the witches and the Sword Maiden, Ash closed the Gospel Book. At this moment, the housekeeper boy had just finished smoking a cigarette, snuffed out the butt in his palm, and stood up to say, ¡°Miss has two requests for all of you.¡±


    Everyone looked up at him.


    ¡°First, you are temporarily not allowed to leave the house.¡±


    ¡°Second, you are temporarily not allowed to engage in any Magic Faction cultivation.¡± Banjee paused for a moment, ¡°At most, at most you can look at the Magic Faction¡¯s reference books, but Miss hopes that you can play as much as possible and avoid proper work.¡±


    Ash was stunned¡ªwas there really such a good thing?


    Igula, however, guessed something, ¡°To prevent our actions from ¡®tainting¡¯ our evaluations?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Banjee explained patiently, ¡°Your learning efficiency will be recorded by the Gospel Book. The more diligent your study, the deeper the Gospel Book¡¯s understanding of you, which is very detrimental to becoming a Resonator¡ªon the contrary, the lazier you are, the Gospel Book will actually overestimate you, because you all have Two-winged Magic Power to back up your resumes. When it finds that you typically don¡¯t work hard, the Gospel Book will naturally inflate your talents.¡±


    Got it, it¡¯s just like being a student con artist, seemingly idle every day, but in reality covering the entire semester¡¯s material before school starts, just to appear effortlessly competent, thereby leading everyone to overestimate one¡¯s abilities.


    Compared to Igula and Harvey, who were eager to progress, Ash was now extremely happy¡ªyay, everyone¡¯s lying flat with me!


    ¡°Liss, you can enjoy yourself for this period.. but how come you don¡¯t seem very happy?¡±


    Liss looked quite conflicted (/// ?Ãó ?), ¡°Where do you see I¡¯m not happy? I am very happy, daddy!¡±


    ¡°At least put on a happy face to fool me!¡±


    Banjee said, ¡°Speaking of which, I haven¡¯t introduced you to the various facilities in the house yet. There is a library, a swimming pool, a shooting range, an audio-visual entertainment room, a simulation game room, and a quirky game room. Gun technique Mages are not allowed in the shooting range, likewise, Water Magic Mages are not allowed in the swimming pool, and Illusion Technique Mages are not allowed in the simulation game room, please follow me...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡± Harvey stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯m going back to my room, please buy me a box of cat grass.¡±


    Banjee was slightly taken aback, ¡°A box? Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°What grass? Vegetables?¡± Ash asked curiously.


    ¡°Does Harvey look like a good boy who eats vegetables? Eating corpse beetles is more like it,¡± Igula muttered, ¡°The only possibilities for him to actively make a request are either related to corpses or...¡±


    ¡°Cat grass is a very niche category of tobacco,¡± Banjee emphasized the word ¡®niche,¡¯ and everyone naturally understood¡ªthe rest ask about development directions or whether they have a girlfriend upon getting points, but Harvey is practical, asking if there¡¯s an alternative to Moon candy?!


    Watching Harvey go back to his room alone, Ash was somewhat puzzled, ¡°Can the Necromancy Faction increase resistance to poison? Even if he has some resistance, wouldn¡¯t his consumption of hallucinogens strongly affect his mind?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps he wishes it to affect his mind.¡±


    Igula glanced at Ash, ¡°Although the starry sky is beautiful, it cannot be touched even with outstretched arms; although the gutter is filthy, it becomes a place of peaceful sleep once one lies down.¡±


    ¡°Not everyone wants to stay awake.¡±


    Ash said, ¡°Isn¡¯t this the time for you, the Spirit Mage, to make a difference? Your profession is psychology, right? Harvey¡¯s on our side now, can¡¯t you help bring him back to normal?¡±


    ¡°First, if we go by Blood Moon¡¯s standards, Harvey is very normal.¡± Igula spoke lightly, ¡°Moon candy is one of the classic medications used by psychologists. If you go for psychological treatment, nine out of ten will recommend Moon candy, and the last one will recommend you go to the black market for something stronger, like dancing powder.¡±


    ¡°Second, do you think I have the energy right now to deal with other people¡¯s psychological issues?¡±


    The Swindler met the gaze of the Cult Leader and sighed softly, ¡°Ash, you are stronger than us.¡±


    Ash was taken aback, then shook his head, ¡°I just have experience, that¡¯s all.¡±

 Chapter 236 - 236 204 Witch and Princess

    ?Chapter 236: Chapter 204 Witch and Princess Chapter 236: Chapter 204 Witch and Princess At that moment, the young housekeeper invited them to follow him, with Liss obediently trailing behind, looking like a little brother and little sister.


    Igula walked over, and instantly the scene transformed into a beautiful young woman with two angelic children.


    Ash unconsciously kept some distance from them, so as not to drag down their average level of attractiveness.


    Banjee led them to tour the other rooms on this level, but Ash was thinking about what Igula had said earlier.


    Since the escape from the Blood Moon plan was conceived and executed by everyone together, even after encountering a series of events through the passage, Igula and Harvey still displayed the high level of criminal expertise befitting death row inmates, so Ash didn¡¯t think they would panic due to being strangers in a strange land.


    But on second thought, even during Ash¡¯s most rebellious times, when he desperately wanted to flee his family, he still felt cramped and scared when he went to college in a foreign place alone. Their escape from the Blood Moon meant they could likely never return within their lifetimes, and from now on, they would have to survive in this foreign land with different cultures and political systems.


    Perhaps they would soon adapt to the new life, but during that adaptation period, they would need to battle their own nostalgia, their regrets, and their loneliness.


    The reason Ash was not bothered by any of this was that this was already his second time crossing dimensions. His last time was directly switching universe servers, this time it was just a different regional district¡ªhow could Ash possibly feel nervous?


    Most importantly, Ash was different from Harvey and Igula.


    He was no longer alone.


    So, the proper treatment for Igula and Harvey should be...


    ¡°Igula,¡± Ash approached and patted the Swindler¡¯s shoulder, speaking with concern, ¡°You are not getting any younger, maybe it¡¯s time to think about dating someone, finding a partner?¡±


    Igula gave Ash a look as if he was staring at a piece of shit.


    The young housekeeper showed them around and said, ¡°You can enjoy food and drinks at will, but please watch your weight, and avoid dieting or binge eating; if you need anything, just call me, I¡¯m usually in my room; I personally recommend you first watch the documentary ¡®Gospel Book¡¯, which will give you a basic understanding of the composition of the Kingdom of Gospel... Any more questions?¡±


    ¡°Brother Banjee, Brother Banjee!¡± Liss looked up at the young housekeeper, ¡°How old are you this year?¡±


    Great question! Igula and Ash exclaimed silently¡ªthey had already hazarded a guess about Banjee¡¯s age far exceeding his appearance in their earlier interactions, or rather, Banjee hadn¡¯t really tried to hide it.


    While they were still thinking about how to subtly bring the topic around, Liss boldly asked outright. That¡¯s the advantage of being a child; even if she hit a sore spot for Banjee, she could still act cute and muddle through, while if it were Igula and Ash, the atmosphere could easily become very awkward.


    Banjee glanced at them, tied up his light blue long hair with a hair band, tilted his head, and said, ¡°I am 61 years old this year.¡±


    61 years old!?


    Are you sure you don¡¯t mean 16?


    However, Igula¡¯s eyes sparkled, ¡°You being 61, that means the last Weaving Festival...¡±


    ¡°Do you know why the missy is willing to pave the way for you at all costs?¡± Banjee smiled, ¡°I actually am someone from the Exotic Realm. I used to be.¡±


    ¡°So... you were the Resonator of the last session?¡±


    Banjee nodded, poking his own cheeks¡¯ dimples with his fingers, ¡°This is my Echo reward.¡±


    Seeing this, Liss also poked her own cheeks with her fingers, displaying an innocent and adorable expression. Ash looked back and forth and shook his head, ¡°Liss, you lost.¡±


    ¡°...I didn¡¯t ask dad.¡±


    ¡°No more questions, then free time. Lunch begins at twelve noon, I will notify you,¡± said Banjee, waving his hand as he left.


    ¡°I am going to watch the documentary ¡®Gospel Book,''¡± Igula decided to follow Banjee¡¯s suggestion.


    ¡°I want to check out the virtual games in the simulation game room here,¡± Ash was excited.


    The two vicious adult criminals looked at the little girl, and Liss raised her hand, ¡°I¡¯m going to the library to read! I can take care of myself! Daddy Ash, Auntie Bokin, you do your own stuff!¡±


    ¡°Ash, let me discipline your daughter¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait, I have a Contract with her, I need to protect her, you have to get past my dead body if you want to spank her!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s such a good deal?¡±


    ...


    ...


    Liss ignored these two adults who acted like children and dashed to the library here, shutting the big door behind her.


    She found the library¡¯s mirror and said to the beautiful white-haired little girl in it,


    ¡°Princess Diya, are you there?¡±


    ¡°Little witch Liss, I am here.¡±


    When Liss blinked, she had already turned into Diya.


    Diya spun around where she stood, twisted her neck, and hopped twice, secretly complaining that this body was indeed too inconvenient; she would rather have the Bronze Dragon turn her into an old crone than to remain in a form that relied solely on looking cute to survive...


    But now, she finally had some free time!


    She set up a ladder, fetched several reference books from the library including ¡°How to Manually Induce a Void Realm Storm,¡± ¡°100 Essential Social Interaction Laws,¡± ¡°An Introduction to Void Realm Creatures,¡± ¡°A Brief Analysis of Magic Factions,¡± ¡°Essentials of Close-Quarter Mage Combat,¡± and ¡°Surviving the Wild with Just a Dog from the Start.¡±


    To prevent anyone from barging in suddenly, she took out several cute picture books and spread them out beside her, then she concentrated on reading those complex, voluminous books.


    Perhaps someone could see the clues from this book list¡ªDiya had actually never attended school, nor had she received formal Mage education.


    She knew how to read, sing, play musical instruments, understood rhythms, was proficient in painting¡ªsimply put, she was versed in all the elegant arts unrelated to daily living, but she had virtually no mastery of knowledge related to magic factions or survival skills.


    At present, her knowledge of magic factions, survival skills, and even interpersonal communication techniques all came from reading the Mage¡¯s Handbook and consuming Experience Treasure Orbs in the Void Realm.


    Had it not been for acquiring knowledge in the Void Realm, she would still be a princess in a tower, looking at a sky cut into squares by the window, showing a foolishly innocent smile, and contentedly accepting her fate.


    After leaving the tower with the power of the Bronze Dragon, one of Diya¡¯s set goals was to quickly fill in her knowledge gaps in order to perfect her mage knowledge system and learn various survival skills to prepare for her future life in exile.


    Initially, Diya also wanted to cultivate the Time Faction, but since Banjee said it would be best not to, she decided not to defy this command.


    Because she was genuinely interested in joining the ¡°Blasphemous Gospel¡± plan!


    Though she first traveled to the territory of the Four Pillars God Sect, was captured by the cultists, and then caught the eye of Hanna, forcing her to become a pawn of the Purple Moth, this series of events actually fit perfectly with Diya¡¯s needs!


    Diya had meticulously chosen this timing to trigger the favor of the Bronze Dragon to erase her past and participate in the Weaving Festival as a blank slate, becoming a Resonator to seize the Divine Lord¡¯s wish!


    Becoming Hanna¡¯s pawn was for Diya not just a danger but also the opportunity she had long dreamed of!


    Diya only knew that to exploit the loopholes in the Weaving Festival, she must erase her ¡°past¡± through the Bronze Dragon, but exactly how to exploit these was still unclear to her.


    That¡¯s when Hanna appeared.


    It was like a knight starving to death encountering a greedy dragon¡ªeither the knight would kill the dragon to fill his belly, or the dragon would fatten up the knight to satisfy its hunger. Either way, one of them was sure to achieve their objective!


    Without a doubt, the meeting between Hanna and Diya was arranged by the Bronze Dragon!


    As one of the rarest mechanisms of the Void Realm on the Time Continent, ¡°The Favor of the Bronze Dragon,¡± Diya received not just a curse but also a mischievously bestowed Blessing from the Bronze Dragon.


    And the situation was exactly as described in the Mage¡¯s Handbook. ¡°The Favor of the Bronze Dragon,¡± while giving trials, also tried to help the trialist fulfill their wish as much as possible, but the process was often as romantic as a fairy tale¡ªin short, the Bronze Dragon constantly messed things up, always playing tricks on the trialist.


    Like Diya wandering and becoming displaced, only to join Hanna¡¯s firm by chance, essentially fast-tracking her quest to seize the Divine Lord¡¯s wish. This arrangement of fate was clearly the Bronze Dragon making a mess.


    If it weren¡¯t for this string of coincidences, Diya would never have met someone like Hanna, who shared her objectives as a blasphemer; but it was also these unforeseen events that forced Diya to act cute to survive and indirectly come under Hanna¡¯s control.


    Complain, sure, the mess made by the Bronze Dragon was indeed quite a spectacle; but be grateful, well, the Bronze Dragon¡¯s meddling was a bit ruinous.


    It really made one grind their teeth in annoyance yet unable to truly get mad.


    However, fortunately, the new ¡°little sister¡± persona ¡®Little Witch¡¯ crafted by Diya was smart enough to avoid directly contracting with Hanna and chose instead to form a Contract with the seemingly foolish Ash, not only leaving room for resistance but also gaining an additional pawn to utilize.


    The only problem was that this pawn did not seem very practical... Had Liss chosen Igula as her dad then, it would have been better, but since Liss did not do so, it indicates that Igula was very cautious and highly resistant to the charm of acting cute, not belonging to the low-quality humans easily beguiled.


    But, if Liss called Ash ¡®Daddy¡¯ and Igula ¡®Mommy,¡¯ was there a chance to drag Igula down as well?


    Diya recalled Hanna¡¯s mannerisms, feeling that this fearsome woman would definitely not mind adding another shackle to herself, and couldn¡¯t help but sigh¡ªLiss was still too cautious, otherwise they would now have two servants.

 Chapter 237 - 237 205 No You Must Go Have Fun

    ?Chapter 237: Chapter 205 No, You Must Go Have Fun Chapter 237: Chapter 205 No, You Must Go Have Fun Without a doubt, this generation¡¯s Liss was a sister laden with many flaws.


    Primarily because Diya hadn¡¯t encountered many people; her database consisted of either the Mage¡¯s Handbook or fairy tales. Alas, having crossed over, she was immediately captured by the Four Pillars God Sect, so Diya could only model her hastily created sister after the protagonist she read about in the fairy tale ¡°Little Witch,¡± crafting a sibling who matched the age and appearance.


    Thus, Little Witch Liss was born.


    In actuality, ¡°Lissdia¡± was not a name but two ¡°positions.¡± Whoever was responsible for controlling the body in reality assumed the name ¡°Liss¡±; whoever took action in the Void Realm became ¡°Diya.¡±


    Their true names were actually Little Witch, Secret Princess, Black Butler, White Queen, Red Death Cultist, and so forth. Generally speaking, actions within the Void Realm were primarily undertaken by the Secret Princess, so the name ¡°Diya¡± was almost exclusively associated with her.


    The name ¡°Liss¡± used to belong to another sister, but now that the body was cursed by the Bronze Dragon, she no longer fit the role of ¡°Liss.¡± Hence, until passing the Bronze Dragon¡¯s trial, ¡°Liss¡± ought to be a designation unique to the Little Witch.


    Though the current Liss left much to be desired, Diya had no intention of replacing her.


    After all, the new sister needed to grow, and after experiencing a series of events firsthand, Liss would likely become more suited to her environment. Even if Diya wished for a replacement, there were no other candidates suitable for the age¡ªonly Little Witch was.


    Truly, Little Witch was performing quite well; if Diya herself had attempted to maneuver, she probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to overcome the Four Pillars God Sect, not to mention the deceptive intrigue with Hanna.


    While reading, Diya conversed in a hushed voice:


    ¡°Do you want to go out and play? What¡¯s so fun about that? Isn¡¯t it amusing talking with your sisters? Behave, and once we enter the Void Realm, you can play. Real-world time is precious; we can¡¯t waste it on leisure.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t like Hanna? Normal, neither do I. She¡¯s the same kind of person as the White Queen...¡±


    ¡°Yes, Banjee is indeed very dangerous, so you must be careful. To protect Hanna¡¯s interests, he will show no mercy...¡±


    ¡°Do you have a favorable impression of anyone? Igula Bokin?¡±


    ¡°What, daddy?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re just chatting, do we really need that kind of address?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not kindness in him, just pure stupidity. That¡¯s why he fell for your manipulation... Alright, alright, daily interactions are your responsibility. As long as you¡¯re happy with it. But don¡¯t go getting soft-hearted; make sure to get a firm grasp on Ash soon. He¡¯s our best piece in the game against Hanna.¡±


    Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice came through: ¡°Been chatting for so long, must be thirsty, right? Have a drink and rest a bit.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you.¡±


    Diya took the drink unconsciously and had a sip, then looked down only to see an unknown strawberry-colored liquid. She turned her head and her pupils shook instantly!


    ¡°How nice, a chat between siblings.¡±


    Dressed in a dark red overcoat, the Observer sat on the desk, resting his chin in his hand: ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve had a talk with my brother, and even longer since I¡¯ve spanked a naughty nephew...¡±


    ¡°You, you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Witch, I advise you to keep your voice down. The lady of the house may have installed surveillance equipment here.¡± The Observer said with a smile: ¡°Just think it in your mind, and I will hear your intentions.¡±


    Listening to thoughts!?


    But compared to the Observer¡¯s inexplicable presence here, listening to thoughts was but a trifling detail. Honestly, even though Diya had encountered the Observer in the Tower, she hadn¡¯t paid him much regard.


    She assumed the Observer was looking for the ¡®Princess Lissdia,¡¯ but after receiving the favor of the Bronze Dragon, ¡®Princess Lissdia¡¯ had disappeared, leaving only the young girl Liss who was captured by the Four Pillars God Sect.


    Thus, Diya never considered that the Observer would be able to catch up¡ªafter all, even the Gospel Book couldn¡¯t capture her past. How on earth did the Observer find her!?


    ¡°What exactly do you want?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so tense; I¡¯m not some kind of hero,¡± the Observer drawled: ¡°You see, haven¡¯t you agreed to become my teammate?¡±


    ¡°I did not agree!¡±


    ¡°But Witch, you don¡¯t have the power to refuse.¡±


    Diya wanted to say more, but then she suddenly remembered the favor of the Bronze Dragon.


    The timing of the Observer¡¯s appearance was just too coincidental.


    Just when Diya decided to trigger the ¡°Bronze Dragon¡¯s Favor,¡± he suddenly appeared in the high tower¡¯s bedroom. The protective Miracle that covered the Imperial City and the alert mechanism that permeated every corner of the royal palace, even the Holy Sanctuary Mages were unable to detect his presence.


    He seemed like a being that transcended the mortal world.


    Other than the Bronze Dragon, Diya had never seen another life form that could be compared to the Observer; although part of this was due to Diya¡¯s limited experience, the overwhelming pressure the Observer exerted on her was simply too daunting¡ªyes, even when the powerful Red Death Cultist and Black Butler teamed up against him, in addition to the Secret Princess, they couldn¡¯t overcome the Observer.


    Even though the Observer claimed he was just a Two-winged Mage inviting her for an adventure in the Void Realm, Diya didn¡¯t believe a single punctuation mark of it. She suspected he was incognito, covertly playing a game with mortals, pretending to be a pig but was probably plotting which tiger to devour.


    But why was he so fixated on me...


    A thought suddenly popped into Diya¡¯s mind: Could he also be under the influence of the Bronze Dragon?


    Indeed, the trials arranged by the Bronze Dragon had this characteristic: the outcomes were good, but the processes were invariably grueling. Without a doubt, spending days with the Observer was bound to be tormenting.


    So that was it; the Bronze Dragon was at it again.


    Since that was the case, Diya felt there was no need to continue refusing: ¡°Alright, I agree to become your companion, so what¡¯s next?¡±


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re my companion, then naturally, I have the responsibility to take care of you, right?¡± the Observer asked.


    Diya always felt there was a trap hidden in his words: ¡°Theoretically...yes.¡±


    ¡°And now that you¡¯ve turned into a child, doesn¡¯t it also follow that I should become one of your guardians and am obligated to take care of your daily life?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Diya shook her head firmly: ¡°I don¡¯t need you to look after me, get lost, don¡¯t disturb my reading!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m here.¡± The Observer spoke: ¡°First, finish the rest of the strawberry juice. It¡¯s a tonic; don¡¯t waste it.¡±


    Before Diya could react, she picked up the cup and guzzled down the mysterious liquid.


    ¡°Then, pack up your things, and be a well-mannered kid.¡±


    To Diya¡¯s horror, she found herself unable to control her body as she automatically stuffed the books back onto the shelves.


    ¡°What are you doing? Why can you control my body? Is it a Spirit Miracle?¡±


    ¡°Let me go! I want to read!¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the Observer waggled his finger: ¡°You¡¯re going to play.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not really a child, what am I supposed to play with!¡± Diya was near hysterical: ¡°Didn¡¯t you want me to be your teammate? Shouldn¡¯t you let me learn and cultivate to become stronger? How does me playing help you?¡±


    ¡°But you are a child now, and children need to balance work and play. Brimming with energy during the day, getting involved in perilous adventures by night¡ªthat¡¯s what being a good kid is all about.¡± The Observer pulled out a pair of gloves: ¡°But before going out to play, you need to wear gloves, so you don¡¯t get your little hands dirty...¡±


    ¡°Observer, have you gone mad?¡±


    ¡°Witch, you can be so impolite sometimes.¡± The Observer tapped the gloves, and the adult gloves instantly turned into a pair of pink children¡¯s fingerless gloves, handing them to Diya to put on herself.


    ¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t listen!¡±


    Diya pouted at him. Her eyes darted to the mirror, and she quickly switched to a cute expression: ¡°Hey, Observer Brother, why are you doing this to me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, is it the little witch?¡± The Observer was calm: ¡°Like this, I control your body, so you can¡¯t read.¡±


    ¡°Mmm-hmm!¡±


    ¡°You also can¡¯t keep investigating Hanna and Banjee, and you definitely can¡¯t turn against Igula and Harvey.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    ¡°Under my compulsion, you can only go and play games with others. Doesn¡¯t that make you feel pitiful?¡±


    ¡°It does! So pitiful!¡±


    ¡°Then what are you waiting for? Go play!¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡±

 Chapter 238 - 238 206 Youre So Annoying

    ?Chapter 238: Chapter 206 You¡¯re So Annoying Chapter 238: Chapter 206 You¡¯re So Annoying ¡°The Chosen Ones, huh...¡±


    In the Video Room, Igula watched the documentary ¡°Gospel Book¡± at 8x speed and wrote down these words in his notebook, circling them heavily.


    This documentary was shot in 1680, just 8 years ago, and could practically become an important reference for Igula¡¯s actions in this country, after ignoring the common tendencies in such social science documentaries to ¡®cater to the audience,¡¯ ¡®boast about achievements,¡¯ and ¡®ignore costs.¡¯


    There was a lot of information in the documentary that needed attention, such as the Millennium Company ¡®Salome,¡¯ responsible for making the Gospel Book props; the division of each city into racial autonomous zones and multi-racial mixed zones; the vigorous promotion of ¡®Multi-layer City¡¯ to deepen urbanization over the next thirty years; and the Kingdom of Gospel being entirely free of education fees¡ªMage college entrance was free with food and accommodation provided, and higher education institutions had increased from 89 to 135 over the last hundred years, with enrolment numbers climbing annually...


    From the proportion of Igula¡¯s notes, it was clear how much he envied the educational environment of the Kingdom of Gospel. He desperately wanted to question the free education as merely a gimmick, but the documentary proved him wrong time and time again, forcing Igula to admit¡ªwhile he struggled with student loans, occasionally working part-time at muddy cafes and gritting his teeth to complete his college education, a whole bunch of damn bastards in this world enjoyed a carefree, rosy college life.


    So even though Igula sped it up 8x, it still took him nearly half an hour to watch this documentary¡ªthe more he watched, the more he felt his past life was just some sewer existence, so painful he couldn¡¯t breathe, having to pause and take a breath.


    He was the kind of person easily consumed by jealousy, feeling nauseous and wanting to vomit at the sight of others¡¯ happiness, so whenever he occasionally saw Ash¡¯s optimistic, foolish smile, it felt like his eyeballs were being stabbed.


    However, even in this kind of documentary clearly intended to celebrate achievements, Igula still caught a few unusual pieces of information.


    First, there were no churches in the Kingdom of Gospel.


    Although everyone knew the Gospel Book was a blessing from the All-knowing Weaver, that was pretty much it¡ªno one preached the doctrines of the All-knowing Weaver, no one built statues of it, and no one could even form an ¡®All-knowing Weaver Study Group¡¯¡ªbecause all you needed to do was open the Gospel Book and ask, and you would know all the churches were unauthorized, makeshift cram schools.


    Essentially, the basis of a church was ¡®God selects a spokesperson to shepherd the world,¡¯ simply put, ¡®this group admin is lazy, so they picked a manager to help take care of group members.¡¯ But the All-knowing Weaver wasn¡¯t lazy at all¡ªas long as you had points, the Gospel Book, representing the All-knowing Weaver, was available 24/7 to listen to your nonsense; how could a church match this quality of service?


    In a sense, the church was a middleman making a profit on the margin, whereas the All-knowing Weaver sold directly from point to point, like factory direct sales, with no ground for churches to survive.


    Second, although there were no churches, the Kingdom of Gospel... had an imperial royalty.


    Back in the times of the Kingdom of Blood Moon, Igula had heard that other countries had royal nobles; logically, he shouldn¡¯t be surprised. Yet, given how overly flourishing and advanced the Kingdom of Gospel was, Igula struggled to understand why this country was still an absolute monarchy and not a democratic system?


    Even vampires knew not to be dictators!


    However, the current ruling Yisu Royal Family had lasted for seven hundred sixty years; from its inception, it had gradually concentrated power, firmly grasping legislative, judicial, and executive powers. Violent armed forces like Red Hat, responsible for maintaining order, and Bluebeard, for suppressing the Abyss, were led by the royal appointees, and all national decrees came from the Imperial City, ¡®Nabistin.¡¯ For example, the ¡®Multi-layer City Strategy¡¯ was a new royal decree, showing they had all military and administrative control in their hands.


    Logically, this type of absolute monarchy would result in a massive bureaucratic interest group, leading to the misery of the people and self-collapse leading to a change of regime¡ªin fact, the dynasty before the Yisu Royal Family ended just like this.


    But somehow, the Yisu Royal Family broke this cycle, not only sustaining for over seven hundred years but also rapidly developing the nation, thoroughly trouncing the democratic systems of the Kingdom of Blood Moon, making Igula start to doubt that perhaps monarchical dictatorship might indeed be the only path for mage nations.


    Third, although each individual in the Kingdom of Gospel might have different specific goals, the ultimate goal was the same¡ªto top the rankings and become a Chosen One.


    The term ¡®Chosen One¡¯ almost permeated the entire documentary.


    Only Chosen Ones could pioneer new technologies, only Chosen Ones could lead the era, and only Chosen Ones could achieve happiness... just like Blood Saint Moon Shadow of the Kingdom of Blood Moon, Chosen Ones were the privileged class of the Kingdom of Gospel.


    But unlike the Divine Lord-supported Blood Moon lineage, Chosen Ones were nobles supported by commoners. And the threshold for Chosen Ones was quite low¡ªyou just had to rank on any leaderboard to become a Chosen One.


    Even making it into the top ten of rope skipping in your area would qualify.


    But in a way, the threshold was also high¡ªif you lacked sufficient talent, sufficient effort, you had no chance at all. Even if you did everything right, you still had to consider historical progress; if too many geniuses appeared in your era, you still couldn¡¯t squeeze into the top ten.


    Unless you worked even harder...


    Igula had a thought.


    He finally realized where the ¡®familiar¡¯ aspect in this documentary was.


    Although everything was good, everyone was vibrant, different races collaborated harmoniously, and society thrived, Igula did not see the ¡®happy smile¡¯ on their faces that made him jealous.


    Everyone in the film, every sentence, conveyed the same sentiment¡ª


    To be the best!


    To be the strongest!


    To defeat other peers!


    To become the best in the industry!


    Those not listed on the rankings are holding their breath and working hard, whereas those listed are also tense to maintain their lead. The whole society is like being on infinite gears, everyone spontaneously speeding up in a mad dash.


    You don¡¯t even have to fear running the wrong way, just spend some points, and the Gospel Book will show you the direction to strive for.


    The social atmosphere was vastly different from that of the Kingdom of Blood Moon, but Igula felt an odd sense of familiarity.


    It was like a fly discovering a pile of dung hidden inside a cake.


    Very interesting, indeed very interesting.


    Igula planned to watch a few more documentaries to fully understand the Kingdom of Gospel.


    He left the Video Room, planning to grab some snacks and drinks for a long study session.


    Passing by the Fun Game Room, Igula heard a dejected muttering inside. Peeking through the door gap, he saw Liss inside, with a large box of building blocks in front of her, seemingly assembling a toy.


    This little drama queen is playing with blocks?


    Through their interactions over the past two days, Igula naturally recognized Liss¡¯s deceptive innocent appearance which hid her cunning nature. After all, Liss was quite similar to him as a child, using an adorable facade to gain adults¡¯ trust while internally despising their stupidity.


    Igula was certain that Liss was the same type of person as him, and they weren¡¯t the type to be satisfied entertaining themselves with toys.


    After all, once you¡¯ve experienced the joy of tricking others, toys just don¡¯t seem that interesting anymore.


    They don¡¯t get angry, they don¡¯t have warmth, and they don¡¯t scream, what¡¯s the fun in playing with such things?


    So, what was Liss up to? Could it be that the blocks held a secret about Hanna? Or was she waiting for someone else here?


    Igula hid behind the door observing, watching as Liss carefully compared the shapes of the blocks in her hands, fitting them together wherever they matched.


    One minute.


    Three minutes.


    Ten minutes.


    Fifteen minutes.


    Igula couldn¡¯t stand it anymore; he went in and pointing at the chaotically assembled blocks said, ¡°The manual is right there, can¡¯t you just follow the manual!? These are clearly castle blocks, yet you¡¯ve assembled them into a dungeon!¡±


    Liss frowned at him, remained silent, but pulled the manual toward her to read.


    Igula clenched his fist, storming over with an angry face, ¡°You impolite little brat, it seems I must teach you a lesson...¡±


    Another fifteen minutes passed, and Ash, tired from playing virtual games, decided to go to the kitchen to grab some drinks and snacks. Passing by the Fun Game Room, he heard an argument inside:


    ¡°This clearly goes here, look at the manual!¡±


    ¡°Do you even know how to play, I¡¯ve never seen such a clueless kid!¡±


    ¡°o(¨R¿Ú¨Q)o Why did you pick such a huge castle block set! This isn¡¯t a job for just two people to complete!¡±


    ¡°o( ?¥Ø ?o#) You¡¯re so annoying.¡±


    Ash peeked through the door crack at the castle blocks that hadn¡¯t even had their foundations assembled right, pondered for a moment, then walked away.


    Then he brought Banjee and Harvey along.

 Chapter 239 - 239 207 Twenty-Sided Dice

    ?Chapter 239: Chapter 207: Twenty-Sided Dice Chapter 239: Chapter 207: Twenty-Sided Dice At 8 p.m., Hanna came home and found that the living room was empty and even the lights were off. Only a few mechanical spiders responsible for cleaning scurried about, hastily retreating to their nests to charge upon hearing footsteps.


    ¡°Banjee?¡±


    Hanna called out, to no reply at all.


    Since her birth, Banjee had always been there to take care of her. Besides that eternally youthful and delicate face which inspired jealousy with just a glance, in all other respects Banjee had perfectly executed the duties of a housekeeper, never neglecting his responsibilities.


    She had specifically left Banjee at home to watch over the new staff members. Where could he be?


    A hint of alertness rose in Hanna¡¯s heart¡ªcould it be that those people had a way to dismantle the Contract Paper Weaving and had secretly escaped the control of the contract, with Banjee caught off guard and harmed by them?


    She took off her boots and, wearing silk stockings, stepped on the wooden floor without making a sound, her hand clutching the Miracle Technique, searching for traces throughout the house.


    Soon, she noticed a light in the entertainment room and, as she approached, she heard the voices of the new residents:


    ¡°Almost there, it¡¯s almost finished!¡± That was Ash¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Mine¡¯s almost done, too.¡± There was excitement in Igula¡¯s tone.


    ¡°Me too...¡± Even Harvey¡¯s voice, which usually sounded like a corpse speaking, had a hint of passion.


    ¡°Ugh... come on, I¡¯m ready! Let¡¯s put it together!¡±


    Banjee was actually in there too!


    And what on earth was this conversation!


    What were you all combining together!


    You¡¯re all men, how could four of you combine together!


    Don¡¯t just manhandle Banjee because he¡¯s cute!


    ¡°What are you doing¡ª¡± Hanna gripped the technique, pushed open the door, and entered, ready to rescue the sullied Banjee.


    Then she saw four adults and a kid assembling a meter-tall castle of Darkness building blocks.


    Banjee, Harvey, Igula, Ash, and Liss all turned to look at Hanna, blinking. Banjee, who was in charge of assembling the middle part, immediately stood up: ¡°Miss, you¡¯re back so early?¡±


    ¡°...Seriously, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Ash spread his hands: ¡°We¡¯re assembling ¡®Heavenly Curtain City¡¯.¡±


    Hanna certainly recognized the building block castle.


    As a child, her father had bought many such intricate, high-end building block toys, several times trying to involve Hanna in assembling the Heavenly Curtain City. But she had little interest in this sort of toy, so they ended up shelved in the entertainment room. After Hanna became the head of the Funeral Service Office at age twelve, she never entered the gaming room again.


    ¡°...so why did you suddenly get the urge to play with building blocks?¡±


    Ash looked at Igula: ¡°I saw Igula, young at heart, playing with blocks with Liss, which is why I pulled everyone to join in. I didn¡¯t expect our manly Meiwa to have such a soft heart...¡±


    Igula¡¯s face turned red: ¡°I only saw Liss playing for so long without figuring it out, and I couldn¡¯t bear to watch, so I taught her how! Actually, I was about to leave, but then you, Ash, brought people over and got so into it, I stayed to look after your experience... ¡±


    Ash cursed: ¡°Bullshit, you were so harsh just now when you scolded me for fitting the wrong pieces¡ª is this what you call looking after my experience?¡±


    ¡°You lot can¡¯t even understand the manual, stop accusing each other, you¡¯re all useless.¡± Harvey said unkindly: ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you guys holding me back, I¡¯d have finished this castle long ago. Work like putting ¡®shattered parts¡¯ together to form ¡®a whole¡¯ I¡¯ve done plenty of¡ªthis toy is just child¡¯s play, back in the day I¡ª¡±


    Ash covered Liss¡¯ ears: ¡°No one here wants to hear your glorious stories!¡±


    Hanna, utterly confused, asked, ¡°So... you¡¯ve just been playing with blocks until now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss,¡± Banjee nodded slightly and pulled out his pocket watch: ¡°I was about to... what, it¡¯s already 8 o¡¯clock!?¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, it seems to have gotten dark outside...¡±


    ¡°No wonder I¡¯m feeling a bit hungry, I thought I had digested my breakfast too quickly.¡±


    ¡°Daddy, I¡¯m so hungry I can¡¯t walk.¡±


    ¡°Let your Aunt Bokin carry you.¡± Ash retorted, then turned to look at the ¡®Heavenly Curtain City¡¯ behind them: ¡°Should we take a picture to commemorate this, since we¡¯ve spent the whole day on it...¡±


    Igula said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m not in the habit of keeping photographic records¡ª¡±


    Ash, thinking Igula was going to refuse, was about to mockingly point out that Igula was obviously the one most passionately involved, but then he heard Igula change tack, ¡°But I have a clean record in the Kingdom of Gospel, so taking a picture should be fine.¡±


    The cult leader blinked in surprise at the Swindler, who looked away, murmuring explanations to someone, ¡°Plus, the castle is quite impressive...¡±


    ¡°Miss Hanna, may I trouble you?¡± Harvey took out a stick of cat grass smoke and put it in his mouth, unlit.


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Purple Moth summoned her Gospel Book, and then stretched out her index fingers and thumbs, forming a frame to capture all five of them with the Heavenly Curtain City inside.


    The next second, the image appeared in her Gospel Book. She flipped it to show them, ¡°This photo will also appear in your Gospel Books, and I suggest you could create an album in your Gospel Books to store important photos...¡±


    ¡°How could this photo be considered important?¡± Igula walked away quickly, with Ash pulling Liss along searching for something to fill their stomachs, Harvey headed to the balcony to light his smoke, while Banjee stayed behind last to say, ¡°Miss, should I prepare you dinner?¡±

 Chapter 240 - 240 207 Twenty-Sided Dice_2

    ?Chapter 240: Chapter 207: Twenty-Sided Dice_2 Chapter 240: Chapter 207: Twenty-Sided Dice_2 ¡°Eat up, you just need to take care of their dinner.¡±


    Banjee nodded, opening the Gospel Book to order takeout.


    Yes, the Gospel Rings they provided to Ash and the others were in fact castrated versions, or you might say, ¡®collector¡¯s editions¡¯.


    The real Gospel gadgets had long been integrated with multimedia functions: accessing the Veil, instant messaging, watching videos, forum discussions, ordering takeout, and so on. In contrast, something like the Gospel Ring which could only open the Gospel Book was more a luxurious accessory meant to flaunt one¡¯s status.


    It¡¯s like how some people would buy a clock to know the time, even when they could just open the Gospel Book¡ªBanjee was such a person; he thought pocket watches were cool¡ªso naturally, many wealthy folks liked to purchase these Gospel Rings, Gospel Bracelets, or even Gospel Glasses that only had the capability to open the Gospel Book.


    As for why Ash and the others were only allowed to open the Gospel Book... it was of course to prevent them from having any contact with the outside world, while also letting them experience the allure of the Gospel Book.


    Humans are social creatures, and communication is an extension of boundaries. When you read news from a thousand miles away, you¡¯re there; when you interact with someone over the Veil, you¡¯re not alone; and when you see the tens of thousands of real person feeds from the Kingdom of Gospel, your room becomes the entire nation.


    Conversely, when they couldn¡¯t leave or communicate with the outside world, this house became their entire world.


    Their vision limited to four walls, their ambitions unable to reach a wider world, naturally, they could only focus inward.


    Just like how ancient courts often bred conspiracies and banquets were rife with treachery, Hanna had long anticipated that Ash and the others would scheme to rebel against her¡ªor rather, that was exactly the outcome she was hoping for.


    The more they stirred things up in secret, the more compliant they appeared on the surface.


    With the constraints of the Paper Weaving Contract, Hanna wasn¡¯t the least bit worried about their rebellion; on the contrary, the more they obsessed over how to deal with her, the happier she became, as it meant they were wasting their energy on futile efforts.


    Conspiracy and suspicion are twins, and the shadow of revenge is called shortsightedness.


    When each of them was consumed by negative emotions, Hanna only needed to find ways to stir discord, favor some, suppress others, and she could easily divide and tighten her control over them, using palace intrigue to drain their spirit.


    Although they had initially seen through her schemes, Hanna had never given up on dominating these people from the Exotic Realm. She simply made her plans longer, more secretive, and harder to resist.


    But regardless, the first step was to fill their hearts with negative energy.


    Hanna¡¯s visit to the Mermaid Palace today was also deliberate, leaving them room to act freely. She had considered that when she returned home, these new staff might not show her a good face, or perhaps they would welcome her with smiles, or even someone might defect to her side.


    She had prepared for all eventualities, yet still, she was thrown off by this group¡¯s actions.


    Why are you all playing with building blocks so happily together!


    All of you combined are over a hundred years old!


    Aren¡¯t you worried about your futures? Don¡¯t you crave the Divine Lord¡¯s wish? Don¡¯t you want to fight against the restraints of the Paper Weaving Contract? I gave you such a good opportunity to connect, and here you are playing with blocks and even dragging Banjee into it!


    Hanna looked down at the photo on the Gospel Book: five people standing in front of Heavenly Curtain City, Banjee standing upright, Harvey holding a cigarette, Igula acting coy, Ash squatting and flashing a V-sign, and Liss, though not understanding, also followed by flashing a V-sign...


    Who brought this stagnant water back to life?


    Purple Moth scanned the faces of the new employees, eventually resting her gaze on Ash and Liss.


    ...


    The takeout arrived quickly, and the drone considerately placed a steaming hot dish of lala meat on the table. Ash had just sat down when he stood up again: ¡°Keep some spicy lala meat for me, I¡¯m going¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop, don¡¯t say it, just go, no one¡¯s fighting you for it,¡± Igula decisively interrupted Ash¡¯s curse-casting.


    With an empty stomach, Liss couldn¡¯t wait to grab a piece of cake from the takeout and stuff it in her mouth, getting cream all over her face. Igula said gently, ¡°Liss, you should eat dessert after the main course, come on, eat the lala meat first.¡±


    Igula took the initiative to pick up knife and fork, dividing the fattest portion of the food: one for Harvey, one for himself, one for Banjee, one for Liss, and then it was all gone.


    ¡°Aunt Bokin, you¡¯re always picking on Dad...¡±


    ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want it, give it to me; I¡¯ll suffer through it,¡± Igula looked around with a threatening gaze at Harvey and Banjee.


    Harvey didn¡¯t mind and ate heartily.


    Banjee seemed to lack an appetite but politely licked the lala fat.


    Liss pondered for a moment and decided that instead of feeding Igula, she might as well enjoy it herself, so she tucked in with gusto.


    ¡°Enjoying yourself?¡±


    Liss paused, turned her head, and saw the Observer sitting in Ash¡¯s seat. Just as she was about to speak, the Observer raised a finger, ¡°Speak in your mind, I can hear you.¡±


    ¡®Happy!¡¯ Liss thought to herself: ¡®Observer brother, you¡¯re amazing! Can no one else see you?¡¯


    ¡°Just like Diya, no one but you can see me.¡± The Observer leaned in to smell the aroma of the lala fat, ¡°Speaking of which, where¡¯s the Witch?¡±


    ¡®The Princess sister? She¡¯s in my mind, fussing about switching.¡¯ Liss thought: ¡®But I¡¯ll talk about it after I¡¯ve eaten.¡¯


    ¡°Um, indeed, it¡¯s time to switch, especially since the activity coming up is rather violent and gory, not suitable for you, Liss.¡±


    ¡®What activity?¡¯


    ¡°Before that, let¡¯s settle the score for your entertainment today!¡±


    The Observer flipped his hand and pulled out a twenty-sided die.


    He tossed it lightly, and the die rolled a few times on the dining table, finally landing on an eight.


    ¡°Today¡¯s entertainment activity is rated as extraordinary, +7 points; Liss, you¡¯re in a good mood, +5 points; Liss, you have a luck check +10 and can roll an additional ten-sided die for extra points...¡±


    With a light tap from the Observer, the twenty-sided die instantly turned into a ten-sided die, which rolled and settled on a three.


    ¡°Today¡¯s points for you are 7+5+3=15 points. The Prince of Pleasure only has 8 points, so Liss, you¡¯ve won the Prince¡¯s admiration for today and earned 150% Fist Claw Faction experience.¡±


    As soon as the Observer finished speaking, Liss felt as if an ice cream had melted in her mind, with the sweet knowledge flowing continuously into her thoughts.


    She stared in surprise and then picked up a stainless steel spoon to look at her own reflection in it.


    Then she put on a serious face and stared intently at the Observer: ¡®Why do I feel like I¡¯m absorbing knowledge in the Void Realm? Observer, who are you?¡¯


    ¡°Are you the Witch? Actually, I prefer chatting with the little witch.¡± The Observer mused, ¡°In any case, I arranged for you to play for your benefit. After all, with your current state, you can¡¯t perform normal cultivation. It¡¯s not simply about toying with you ¨C at least, not entirely.¡±


    ¡®Not entirely¡ªwhat percentage then?¡¯


    ¡°About 76.85%... But that¡¯s not the point.¡± The Observer clapped his hands, ¡°Entertainment is over. The next event is the main show, which happens to be a task that¡¯s just right for you, Witch.¡±


    Diya felt nervous: ¡®What task?¡¯


    ¡°Battle.¡± The Observer uttered a harsh word.


    ¡®Observer, you should know that in my current state, I have no combat ability¡ª¡¯


    ¡°But I want you to fight,¡± the Observer said coldly. ¡°You know, it¡¯s not an order, but you can¡¯t refuse.¡±


    Diya took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to argue: ¡®Who¡¯s the target?¡¯


    ¡°The target is...¡±


    The Observer raised his hand.


    Pointing towards the restroom currently in use.

 Chapter 241 - 241 208 Finally Able to Meet

    ?Chapter 241: Chapter 208 Finally Able to Meet Chapter 241: Chapter 208 Finally Able to Meet ¡°Liss, who gave you the courage to challenge me?¡±


    ¡°Merely pebbles, not half as good as me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just looking for trouble!¡±


    Igula looked at the ¡®Victory Decided¡¯ subtitle appearing on the Light Screen, and recorded on the notepad beside, ¡°5:2, I declare Liss¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hold on!¡± Ash grabbed the Swindler¡¯s pant leg, his face pleading, ¡°Make it eleven games and six wins, make it eleven games and six wins, let¡¯s continue, I can turn this around! I already know how to play, it¡¯s my turn next!¡±


    Hiding by the window and chewing on cat grass, Harvey couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Ash, stop embarrassing yourself, you can¡¯t even beat a little girl...¡±


    Ash stubbornly retorted, ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not used to the controllers of this world, and this couch is too soft, plus Igula keeps distracting me, so I¡ª¡±


    Igula felt too embarrassed, covered his face, and said to Banjee beside him, ¡°Although I¡¯ve said it a few times already, I must say¡ªAsh is an exception, please don¡¯t generalize individual behaviors to represent the country.¡±


    The housekeeper boy, who always maintained a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, had a hard time controlling his Expression Management, his eyes almost squinting from laughter, ¡°Mr. Ash, why not let me play a game against Liss, and see how I handle this character...¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    Liss suddenly shouted, ¡°I want to fight him, I must defeat him!¡±


    ¡°Hmph, soon you¡¯ll pay for your arrogance!¡± Ash yelled frantically and quickly started the next Mage duel.


    During dinner, for some reason, Liss suddenly suggested dueling Ash.


    Everyone felt it was strange but didn¡¯t stop them, Banjee even volunteered to arrange the style of combat¡ªthat was the classic game ¡°Mage Duel 14.¡±


    The Mage Duel series had been the classic fighting game in the Kingdom of Gospel for the past thirty years where players could control different Legendary Mages to battle.


    Not only did ordinary people love it, even Mages were loyal fans of the game¡ªIt could even be said that currently, almost all Combat Mages under thirty in the Kingdom of Gospel were influenced by this game, many dreaming of possessing the same powerful abilities as the characters in the game, which even affected the ratio of Mages throughout the entire Kingdom of Gospel.


    The most popular characters in the Mage Duel series were the ¡®Alchemist Dominator¡¯ and the ¡®Earth Empress¡¯. The former could forge mechanisms barehanded, summon thousands of swords, and command water, fire, wind, and lightning using alchemy, mastering all factions; the latter changed terrain with every move, her techniques extravagant, and since the Earth Empress was also beautiful, she naturally became the favorite of countless players.


    Therefore, in the Kingdom of Gospel, the Alchemy Faction and Earth Magic Faction had the most members, but they would soon realize they had been deceived¡ªthe Alchemy Faction essentially consisted of Creation Mages at the Silver Realm level, severely lacking in combat abilities; the prospects for the Earth Magic Faction mostly involved joining engineering teams, let alone seeing an Empress, you couldn¡¯t even see a female cat while working in the wilderness.


    However, due to these two factions having an overwhelming number of Mages, it even formed a population dividend allowing the urbanization of the Kingdom of Gospel to progress so rapidly in the last thirty years, even having enough manpower to construct a Multi-layer City... Uh?


    I¡¯ve digressed, Ash and Liss are currently battling in ¡°Mage Duel 14,¡± but neither picked the popular characters.


    Liss used the ¡®Time Witch,¡¯ Although called Time Witch, in order to balance the power, this character mostly used throws and close-range boxing, strong in impact but without dazzling effects.


    Ash used the ¡®Wandering Sword Saint,¡¯ and as Sword Masters were a minority in the Kingdom of Gospel, though the Wandering Sword Saint¡¯s power was also decent, its combat effects were lacking, naturally attracting fewer players.


    Igula wasn¡¯t much interested in these battling games, but he came along because of Banjee.


    He secretly observed Banjee and noticed that the young housekeeper was very focused on the duel between Ash and Liss, and since Banjee had actively recommended this game, he leaned towards Banjee and asked, ¡°Do you really like this game?¡±


    ¡°Not really...¡± Banjee rarely showed a proper young man¡¯s bashfulness, ¡°It just makes me happy.¡±


    ¡°Why happy?¡±


    ¡°Because this game is in my ¡®to play with my future kids¡¯ collection.¡±


    Why don¡¯t you have kids then... Igula glanced at Banjee¡¯s seemingly undeveloped young body and decided to reserve this sad question.


    Maybe some time in the future when they were adversaries, he¡¯d use this question to embarrass him.


    However, compared to Banjee, Igula right now was more focused on Liss.


    The white-haired little girl stared seriously at the Light Screen, her fingers skillfully manipulating the joystick and buttons, playing increasingly proficiently with various catching, counter-attack moves, and defense-breaking skills, controlling the Time Witch to brutalize the Wandering Sword Saint.


    Igula could tell that this was indeed her first time playing the game, her first game was rough, dominated by Ash, who had a bit of competitive game skill.


    But she quickly improved by the second game, and Ash could only rely on repetitively using the Wandering Sword Saint¡¯s defense-breaking skills to brutally subdue her, then by the third game, she figured out how to counter various skills, following which was a route of steamrolling victories over Ash.


    Igula thought she¡¯d stop after winning a game, then play cutely and lose to Ash, but unexpectedly, she showed no mercy, meeting Ash¡¯s provocations with relentless thrashing.


    Although types like Ash certainly deserve a harsh beating, this was out of character for Liss¡ªlike Igula, her only principle of action was benefit, winning over Ash brought no advantages apart from satisfaction.

 Chapter 242 - 242 208 Finally Able to Meet_2

    ?Chapter 242: Chapter 208 Finally Able to Meet_2 Chapter 242: Chapter 208 Finally Able to Meet_2 She had always been playing little tricks, deliberately acting cute to please everyone. Although everyone saw through her act, she was just too adorable.


    Not to mention, she managed to deceive Ash into becoming her Taunting Companion so smoothly, 99% of it was because she was a white-haired little loli, and only 1% was due to Ash¡¯s stupidity.


    Just like men love green tea and women are addicted to jerks, fools love Igula. If victims deep down didn¡¯t know what kind of person they were dealing with, that would definitely be a lie. They knew, but they were just fascinated by the emotional experience that others couldn¡¯t offer, so the victims didn¡¯t want to think too deeply and just wished the dream would last a little longer.


    But Liss¡¯s actions now seemed a bit like ¡®breaking character¡¯. Not only did she not give Ash any face, fighting with full seriousness, but she also seemed to have called him by his name just now... Didn¡¯t she want to continue using Ash as her shield? Even soggy toilet paper has its uses, it was too soon to discard Ash as a Taunting Companion, right?


    Unknown whether it was because Liss had beaten Ash, or because she appeared to be very genuine, Igula now actually found her quite endearing.


    ¡°The battle is decided!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s 6:2 now, Ash. Are you aiming for ten straight losses?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve let you win six rounds, it¡¯s time to show my real skills...¡±


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy.¡±


    ...


    At 10 pm, Diya, having taken a bath and dressed in her pajamas, laid exhausted on her bed. Unfortunately, her hair was long and had to be dried for a while before she could go to sleep directly.


    But it wasn¡¯t really her job to sleep; that was Liss¡¯s job.


    If it wasn¡¯t for Liss accidentally knocking her head and fainting last night, Diya would have already attempted Void Realm Exploration here.


    Hanna gave them enough freedom, and with Liss covering for her in the real world by sleeping, Diya wasn¡¯t afraid of anyone finding out she was a Two-winged Mage¡ªin the Tower of the Kingdom of Gospel, Diya could still conduct Void Realm Exploration under the noses of the Holy Domain.


    Diya sat in front of the mirror brushing her hair and said, ¡°Be good and sleep later, don¡¯t read books, don¡¯t go looking for others. If something happens, take the chance to enter the Void Realm to contact me.¡±


    Liss in the mirror pouted, ¡°I want to play Mage duels with Dad too...¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s so bad at it, you might as well play with Banjee.¡±


    ¡°I like to fight against the weak! Isn¡¯t bullying the weak fun? Banjee looks so strong; I¡¯d definitely lose to him, which isn¡¯t fun.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, you¡¯re so naughty... By the way, Ash still has some points. Why don¡¯t you tempt him into gambling tomorrow and swindle all his points away?¡±


    Suddenly, a familiar and frightening voice came from behind: ¡°Witch, don¡¯t encourage the child to gamble, okay? If you don¡¯t have a good opponent, how about playing a game with me next time?¡±


    Diya turned sharply; there was no one behind her.


    But when she turned back, on the bed behind Liss in the mirror, sat that man who was both hated and feared!


    Observer!


    ¡°Good evening, witches.¡± The Observer in the mirror, with his hands crossed over his chest, spoke lazily, ¡°Did you have a fun day today?¡±


    ¡°(*^¨Œ^*) Not fun!¡± Liss said ¡®fiercely¡¯, ¡°Don¡¯t do this again tomorrow! Otherwise, I¡¯ll start hating you!¡±


    The Observer feigned anger, ¡°Little witch, how dare you speak so insolently. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll make sure you won¡¯t have any study time and can only play to your heart¡¯s content¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough, you two.¡± Diya looked unamused and turned to the Observer, ¡°I¡¯ve completed your Task by engaging in a duel with Ash and defeating him. You wouldn¡¯t deny me a bit of personal time, would you?¡±


    ¡°What I meant by ¡®duel¡¯ wasn¡¯t exactly that... But as long as you¡¯ve learned something, I don¡¯t mind.¡± The Observer spread his hands, ¡°See? I¡¯m actually quite reasonable.¡±


    Reasonable is forcibly entering a young girl¡¯s room late at night without asking, forcing a child to stop studying to play games? If that¡¯s considered reasonable, then the disobedient Ash, who barely listens to her commands, could be considered a father who truly loves her.


    Diya muttered to herself, and suddenly recalling the Observer could hear her inner monologue, she changed the subject, ¡°What can I learn from playing games with Ash?¡±


    ¡°Having experienced the Time Witch¡¯s combat style, don¡¯t you think you could apply it to your own combat system?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just a game...¡± Diya began, then stopped halfway, stood up thoughtfully, and mimed a few movements on an empty spot on the floor, her expression gradually turning serious.


    Observer leisurely said, ¡°The Mage duel series becoming the most widely spread game in the Kingdom of Gospel and spurring countless people to become Mages is not without reason.¡±


    Diya nodded excitedly, ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯ll go try out the Void Realm right now¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I came to find you.¡±


    Diya paused, seeing the Observer sitting on the windowsill, overlooking the bustling city below.


    ¡°Have you forgotten? The reason I¡¯ve been playing tricks on you is because I need you to become my companion, to explore the Void Realm together.¡±


    ¡°Did you just say you¡¯ve been playing tricks on me?¡±


    ¡°You heard wrong, I said guiding you.¡± The Observer¡¯s tone didn¡¯t change an iota, ¡°Since everyone is free tonight, why don¡¯t we officially start our Void Realm Exploration? But you¡¯ll have to wait a bit, we need to get ready.¡±


    Could it be true?


    Did he really want to invite me to explore the Void Realm with them?


    But isn¡¯t the Void Realm something one can only do alone...


    While Diya really wanted to question the veracity of this, the Observer¡¯s actions over the past two days had undoubtedly proved that he was a man of his word¡ªthe moment he said to let Liss play around, not even a second could stop her; he made Diya fight Ash in a game and before it was over she couldn¡¯t pull her hands away from the controller.


    The Observer had no need to tell a lie that would be exposed in just a moment.


    Diya fell silent for a while, ¡°Then what do you need me to do?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to do anything.¡±


    The Observer¡¯s figure gradually faded away, leaving only his words:


    ¡°The sacred Fate binds us together, we¡¯ll soon meet in the Void Realm.¡±


    ...


    On the other side, after taking a shower, Ash was lying on the bed, engrossed in a book¡ªthe name of the book was ¡°Complete Guide to Mage Duel Series.¡±


    While Ash fantasized about how to combo Liss to death with a set of moves tomorrow, his Gospel Book suddenly popped out on its own.


    A red exclamation mark appeared at the upper right corner of the ¡®Mine¡¯ tab, which would compel anyone with the slightest bit of obsessive compulsion to click on it, revealing three pieces of information.


    ¡°¡®Aurora¡¯s Mage Manual¡¯ has completed device binding and data transfer! Players can now choose to log in to the game using this device, with resolution upgraded to ultra-HD, and operator portraits now include dynamic CG effects.¡±


    ¡°¡®Final Observer¡¯ operator¡¯s soul health has been restored to 100%.¡±


    ¡°¡®Death Mad Sword Maiden¡¯ operator¡¯s soul health has been restored to 100%.¡±


    Ash blinked.


    What the heck, the game had migrated to the new device ¡°Gospel Book¡± on its own accord without him knowing, and even added dynamic CGs?


    This was no mere progress, it could be called a transformation!


    From a money-grabbing mobile game to... a slightly more conscience money-grabbing mobile game.


    But compared to the huge transformation of the game, Ash cared more about the last two pieces of information!


    Souls fully recovered, meaning they could finally explore the Void Realm tonight!


    That is to say...


    They could finally meet.

 Chapter 243 - 243 209 Our Dormitory Is Really Amazing

    ?Chapter 243: Chapter 209 Our Dormitory Is Really Amazing Chapter 243: Chapter 209 Our Dormitory Is Really Amazing ¡°Cheers to victory!¡±


    In the Secret Garden, the Sword Flower dormitory group of four sat in the hallway, raising their glasses in celebration.


    Today, all the booths were full, so they chose a small table in the hall, with other students sneakily glancing at them from all around. However, they had come to accept the baptism of these gazes quite calmly. If anyone wished to approach and start a conversation, a mere glance from them would be sufficient for the would-be interlocutor to wisely turn toward the bathroom to check out their own intimidating look in the mirror.


    Four days ago, under the watchful eyes of the public, Sonia challenged Reonie once again.


    This time, Reonie did not make any concessions and regarded Sonia as a formidable opponent, gladly accepting the challenge. Both clad in their Star Radiance attire, wielding sharp longswords and employing their full arsenal of abilities, they gave it their all!


    Four Medical Mages were on hand at the scene, out of fear that these two Sword Saint seeds might have an untimely end in their internal duel!


    Sword Master against Sword Master, the sharpest against the sharpest!


    Although in the end both their Star Radiance garments simultaneously shattered and the instructors declared a draw, everyone knew that from that moment on, the redhead Sword Maiden had used the orange dancer as a stepping stone to become the unrivalled Heavenly Pride of Sword Flower University.


    After all, Reonie had already been a Silver Mage for more than two years, whereas Sonia had not even reached... a month!


    The previous time Sonia sent Reonie¡¯s sword flying, one could say it was ¡®luck¡¯, but this time it was an all-out one-on-one duel. Even the nitpickers, who are accustomed to lifting bars at construction sites, could only question Sonia¡¯s beauty, without any ground to doubt her strength!


    Moreover, Sonia hadn¡¯t even finished her first year yet, and many people believed that she could become a Golden Mage before graduation.


    Even at Truth University, known for its gathering of geniuses, students who stepped into the Time Continent before graduation were considered the most dazzling meteors. As for the freshmen at Sword Flower University, their college life was destined to dim under the starlight of the redhead Sword Maiden.


    Many even felt that the greatest achievement of their lives might be ¡°I was once a classmate of Sonia Sevi.¡±


    If someone is slightly ahead of you, you might feel jealous; but if someone is so far ahead that you can¡¯t even catch the dust they¡¯ve kicked up, you can only admire them, and even fanatically worship them, hoping for their future accolades to boast about this rare connection.


    It was rumored that within the school¡¯s Veil, there had already appeared fan clubs for Sonia Sevi, though they were still debating whether to call themselves ¡®Sonia Fans¡¯ or ¡®Sevi Peeps¡¯.


    On the other hand, given Sonia¡¯s high level of attention, her roommates naturally became the focus as well¡ªafter all, Sonia was already a Heavenly Pride that people couldn¡¯t dare to approach directly, but if one could befriend Sonia¡¯s friends, wouldn¡¯t that be an indirect way to join Sonia¡¯s circle?


    Upon a closer look, everyone was shocked to discover that Sonia actually had a group of treasure-like roommates.


    No need to mention Ingrid, who, aside from Felix and Sonia, had the best grades in the Sword Skill Department, diligent and with an impressive bearing.


    Lois was one of the most dazzling beauties in the Water Magic Department, with Sonia¡¯s transfer to the Sword Skill department, the ¡®one of¡¯ could be removed.


    Adelle was even more incredible, as she was the original founder of Sonia¡¯s fan club, who later unquestionably became the president of the fan club by virtue of being ¡®Sonia¡¯s roommate¡¯, truly the number one fan of the redhead Sword Maiden.


    Driven quietly by Adelle, ¡®Sword Flower Dormitory¡¯ became a household name around campus, with everyone knowing that Sonia¡¯s dorm produced not just one but four Sword Flowers. Sword Flower University had truly stumbled upon a treasure; these girls were destined to become the leading pop group of Jiale City...


    Faced with the increasingly heated attention, Sonia and Lois naturally relished it, as their types of ¡®performer personalities¡¯ thrived on the superiority and energy gained from people¡¯s glances, attending school every day as though they were charged with vitality.


    Adelle, though not as ostentatious as the other two, also enjoyed being in the spotlight and bragged daily about the love letters expressing adoration that she received.


    Only Ingrid initially had trouble adjusting to this attention and would feel irritated when people tried to strike up a conversation during her morning runs.


    But after undergoing a makeover by Sonia and Lois, changing hairstyles, grooming her eyebrows, purchasing plain but better-tailored sportswear, and already having an excellent foundation in figure, her attractiveness instantly caught up to that of Sonia and the others and is currently just slightly behind Adelle. If Adelle continued to gain weight, surpassing her was not a dream.


    After becoming more beautiful, Ingrid, though a bit shy, soon grew more and more confident, handling approaches without batting an eye and even starting to learn how to take care of her skin from Sonia.


    Makeup is a woman¡¯s armor, and admiration is a man¡¯s surrender. Ingrid had previously not cared about appearances, feeling that a Sword Master need not waste time on such things, but that didn¡¯t mean she really didn¡¯t want to be beautiful¡ªafter all, her initial desire to become a Sword Master was sparked by seeing Dedarose portray a handsome female Sword Saint on the Light Screen.


    Beautiful, elegant, powerful! This is the Sword Saint that Ingrid aspired to be!


    With Sonia and Lois¡¯ help in avoiding detours, Ingrid found that she only needed to invest a little time each day to have a look capable of defeating 90% of her peers, and it did not interfere with her daily cultivation. Naturally, she was happy to join the ranks of beautiful girls, fulfilling one-third of her dream of becoming a ¡®Sword Saint.¡¯


    And tonight, Ingrid took another step closer to her dream.


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing. Our dorm has produced two Mages before the end of our freshman year,¡± Adelle said with her face flushed and giggling. ¡°Our dorm is really amazing!¡±


    During tonight¡¯s routine cultivation, when Ingrid¡¯s sword strike hit the target like a ten-ring shot, a Resonance with knowledge occurred, spontaneously summoning her first Lifebound Technique Spirit, making her the second Official Mage in the dorm!


    ¡°Is it because Sonia and Ingrid are amazing, what does it have to do with you?¡±


    Lois bluntly exposed Adelle¡¯s shamelessness. However, she also looked curiously at the new female Sword Master: ¡°Ingrid, could you show us your Technique Spirit?¡±


    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s nothing much to see.¡± said Ingrid, even though she said so, she willingly stretched out her hand, and a Technique Spirit holding a blade materialized in her palm.


    ¡°So this is the ¡®Slashing Sword¡¯ Technique Spirit,¡± Adelle said after examining it for a moment, surprised. ¡°Huh? It¡¯s your own summoned Technique Spirit, so why does it look like a male? Could it be, Ingrid, that you are a woman disguised as a man? No wonder your chest is so¡ª¡±


    ¡°The Technique Spirit spontaneously summoned is related to the inner projection of the Mage. If you didn¡¯t listen in class, don¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± Lois slapped Adelle¡¯s head. ¡°Maybe Ingrid thinks male Swordmasters are stronger?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± said Ingrid frankly. ¡°Although I believe I¡¯m not inferior to males, I also know that men have an advantage over women in strength and agility, and I need to work harder to surpass my male peers in swordsmanship. Sometimes I wonder if I were a man, would my path in swordsmanship be smoother...¡±


    ¡°In fact, after becoming an Official Mage, the impact of individual talents like strength and agility is minimal,¡± Sonia said while eating popcorn chicken. ¡°What determines a Mage¡¯s strength is the Technique Spirit, Magic Power, and faction Realm; gender is trivial. Look at Felix, didn¡¯t I hammer him into submission? You don¡¯t need to feel inferior.¡±


    ¡°I know, I understand all that,¡± said Ingrid with an apologetic smile. ¡°But some concepts are hard to change overnight; only when I become stronger and have enough confidence in myself can I eradicate these insecurities... Thank you for your concern.¡±


    Sonia stared blankly at Ingrid for a few seconds, then turned to Lois and said, ¡°You just wait, she will eventually stand at a peak we can¡¯t even reach. This woman has a power that is stronger than talent.¡±


    ¡°You two will both eventually stand at a peak we can¡¯t even reach,¡± Lois said in annoyance.


    ¡°It¡¯s all three of you,¡± Adelle chimed in. ¡°Lois is about to summon her ¡®Water Therapy¡¯ Technique Spirit too.¡±


    ¡°You still can, mean it, say!¡± Lois tapped Adelle¡¯s head with each pause: ¡°I ask you to practice with me, and you don¡¯t; I ask you to study with me, and you don¡¯t. If you keep this up, I doubt you can step into the Void Realm before graduation. What will you do if you can¡¯t graduate then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just get married,¡± Adelle said, covering her head.


    ¡°What then? Become a lady who only knows ¡®Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Besides ¡®Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon,¡¯ I can continue lying in bed watching dramas at home.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    As Lois was about to turn Adelle¡¯s face into a pancake, Sonia thought for a moment and then said: ¡°Adelle, I know you¡¯re not interested in Water Magic; maybe you chose the wrong faction... But after more than a year of study, you shouldn¡¯t be far from the Silver Realm. Try a little harder, and you can step into the Void Realm. Once there, you can slowly choose a new Magic Faction; there must be a faction out there that you¡¯re passionate about.¡±


    ¡°You and Ingrid are the same; you know the big principles but can¡¯t do it yourself... So I can only tell you, the Void Realm is really a fun and interesting place. What is described in books is far less than one ten-thousandth of the Void Realm. We Mages explore the Void Realm every night not just to grow stronger; even more so because it is an activity that is more enjoyable than lying in bed watching dramas.¡±


    ¡°Moreover,¡± Sonia delivered a final blow: ¡°Once Lois also steps into the Void Realm, our daily topics may gradually change to the ins and outs of Void Realm Exploration. By that time, you who haven¡¯t soaked in the Sea of Knowledge won¡¯t be able to join our conversations.¡±


    Adelle was silent for a moment, then chugged a drink and said with a ¡®ha¡¯: ¡°Fine, fine, I won¡¯t watch dramas anymore starting tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow?¡± Lois raised her eyebrows.


    ¡°I was going to binge-watch the series I¡¯m following all night... Fine, fine, I won¡¯t watch it starting now! For you guys, this little sacrifice is nothing!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s for yourself!¡±

 Chapter 244 - 244 210 Who Is She

    ?Chapter 244: Chapter 210 Who Is She? Chapter 244: Chapter 210 Who Is She? Watching the noise and rowdiness around her, Sonia raised her glass toward Ingrid, ¡°Congratulations on entering the world of Mages.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my honor,¡± Ingrid clinked her glass with Sonia¡¯s, sipped, and said, ¡°I¡¯m actually a bit scared.¡±


    ¡°Scared of what?¡±


    ¡°Scared of exploring the Void Realm alone,¡± Ingrid explained. ¡°The books all say that when a Mage first enters the Void Realm, they fall into self-torment and panic due to the unfamiliar environment, omnipresent dangers, and the lack of anyone to communicate with.¡±


    ¡°To stay in the sea alone, with no one to rely on, no goals to pursue, fierce intellectual creatures possibly emerging from the white fog at any moment, secrets lurking in the deep sea that cannot be explored... just thinking about it is terrifying.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s said that some Mages can¡¯t stand the fear and prefer to stay in place rather than enter the Void Realm.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be misled by appearances; my experience living alone isn¡¯t much; other than killing a brown bear that entered our yard when I was sixteen, I don¡¯t have any notable combat achievements. I guess it will take a long time to get used to the combat rhythm in the Void Realm.¡± Ingrid looked at Sonia. ¡°Speaking of which, Sonia, you seem completely unaffected, entering the Void Realm every night with great enthusiasm and always in a good mood.¡±


    Adelle whispered a side comment, ¡°It always feels like Ingrid is somehow exaggerating the average combat capability of a sixteen-year-old girl...¡±


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for someone seeing you come out of the Meditation Building, we would have thought you were going on a date,¡± Lois also joked.


    ¡°Do you have any secrets you can share?¡± Ingrid blinked. ¡°Or, Lady Sonia, could you offer any advice to newcomers about to enter the Void Realm?¡±


    Lois and Adelle perked up their ears, hoping Sonia would provide some unrecorded cheat-code that they could use.


    Sonia paused for a moment, sinking into a long silence.


    Ingrid and the others exchanged glances and cautiously said, ¡°Sonia, I was just joking...¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry,¡± Sonia swirled her glass, ¡°I was just suddenly reminded of something else... Well, the reason I adapted to the Void Realm so quickly is because...¡±


    Here, any lie would do or even a playful remark like ¡®going to the Void Realm means I don¡¯t have to go back to the dorm to hear Adelle snore.¡¯ But perhaps due to the mild intoxication or an indescribable resentment deep inside, Sonia couldn¡¯t help but tell the truth, ¡°...because I was going on a date in the Void Realm.¡±


    Everyone blinked.


    A date in the Void Realm?


    The Village Girl regretted her words the moment they were out. She wanted to explain but suddenly stood up sharply.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong now?¡±


    ¡°I,¡± Sonia clenched her fists, ¡°my spirit is healed.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lois reacted quickly, ¡°You mean your spirit has recovered? But it¡¯s only been seven days¡ª¡±


    ¡°What time is it now?¡± Sonia abruptly interrupted her.


    Adelle glanced at the clock in the hall, ¡°10:45.¡±


    ¡°Then there¡¯s still time, goodbye, I¡¯m off to the Void Realm!¡±


    Before the three could react, Sonia had already hurriedly left the Secret Garden, so fast it made one wonder if she had used a Technique Spirit.


    ¡°Is the Void Realm really that interesting...¡± Adelle was astonished, ¡°I wasn¡¯t this excited when I went on my first date at 15.¡±


    ¡°What did she mean by ¡®a date in the Void Realm¡¯?¡± Lois looked puzzled, ¡°A date requires at least two people; who is she dating?¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°You understand again?¡±


    Lois and Adelle looked at Ingrid, who had an epiphany.


    ¡°Sonia meant that she has a ¡®date¡¯ with the Fish Dragon, Mud Fish Dragon, Umbrella Bird Dragon; in other words, she wants to annihilate these intellectual creatures.¡± Ingrid spoke seriously, ¡°What drives her to continuously advance in the Void Realm is that unyielding spirit of her sword! Truly fitting for a pride of Sword Flower University, her spirit mastery has already transcended ordinary swordsmen!¡±


    Lois felt that Ingrid¡¯s interpretation wasn¡¯t right, but she had no better explanation¡ªsurely Sonia¡¯s mention of a date couldn¡¯t be taken literally, right?


    ...


    ...


    Tap. Tap. Tap.


    Tap tap. Tap tap. Tap tap.


    Tap tap tap tap tap tap¡ª¡ª


    At first, she was walking briskly, but soon she began to jog and eventually started running along the campus path.


    The night scene of the campus flew by rapidly on both sides, the Heavenly Curtain Dazzling Stars guided her path, Sonia didn¡¯t care about her image at all and ran wildly; the cool breeze gently caressed her face, her shadow urging her to run even faster.


    Sometimes, walking really is too slow.


    Her soul had recovered, and surely the Observer¡¯s soul had as well.


    Because they had perished in the Void Realm in the same manner, the amount of soul lost must have been the same.


    Yesterday morning, after Sonia got up and was combing her hair, she found a bottle that looked like sparkling water suddenly appeared on her desk, labeled ¡°Pure Spirit Light Special Drink,¡± beneath which was a note describing how this beverage could restore the soul and accelerate the absorption of magic power.


    Sonia immediately knew it was from the Observer, complaining internally about why he didn¡¯t show his face while gulping it down.


    As for whether the Observer had already drunk the potion and his soul had recovered, Sonia had never thought that way¡ªafter all, the Observer had no ability to enter the Void Realm by himself, and his soul recovery was meaningless without Sonia opening the Gate of Truth to start their Void Realm Exploration.


    Moreover, she had a strong confidence: if there was something good, the Observer¡¯s first reaction would definitely be to give it to her, not keep it for himself!


    So instead, Sonia was worried that there might be only one ¡°Pure Spirit Light Special Drink¡± and whether the Observer¡¯s soul was still not fully restored. She also wondered whether the Observer had successfully escaped from his confinement, what his current situation was, whether he had a safe place to enter the Void Realm, whether he was eating well, whether he had been injured...


    Why won¡¯t he just come and see me?


    He used to bother me so frequently...


    Could it be because his current situation is really dangerous, to the point where he can¡¯t even spare a moment to visit me?


    But no matter what, she had to keep her promise.


    Even if the Observer didn¡¯t come, she would wait for him in the Void Realm.


    Meanwhile, Felix, feeling that the atmosphere at home was still not as good as the Meditation Building, chose to drive to the Meditation Building to clock in for work tonight.


    Just as she got out of the car, she saw a red-headed figure running quickly into the Meditation Building, which made the noble young master bewildered.


    Wasn¡¯t her soul damaged... She is a silver Full Wings; dying once would require at least a half-month to recover, yet it¡¯s been less than seven days... Even if her soul had recovered, is there a need to rush into the Void Realm?


    But Felix soon recalled her beating by Sonia days ago, a thought suddenly emerging¡ªcould it be that Sonia was rushing into the Void Realm to slaughter knowledge creatures?


    Her nature might just catch the favor of the Lord of a Million Glories...


    Maybe I should...


    While Felix was contemplating whether he should recommend the Village Girl within the sect, Sonia had already entered the meditation chamber, sat down cross-legged, summoned the Wave Sword Technique Spirit, captured the Gate of Truth, and connected to the Void Realm world!


    She ascended!


    When Sonia opened her eyes, she felt herself standing firmly on solid ground, surrounded by a lush forest; the plants secreted drops of dazzling golden liquid dripping upwards toward the radiant sky, forming a curtain of brilliant Rain Curtain, bathing anyone fortunate enough to step onto the Time Continent in the reverse-flowing Golden Rain.


    But Sonia had no interest in the unique marvels of the Time Continent; the red-haired Sword Maiden¡¯s gaze was entirely fixed on a man in a deep red gradient trench coat not far away.


    The Observer squinted slightly as he watched her, the detestable man who hadn¡¯t sought her out for days, his lips curving slightly upward, his arms outspread, as if he wanted to embrace her.


    Her lips parted slightly, yet she said nothing, but all the questions and grievances in her heart vanished like smoke.


    Her body involuntarily walked towards him, reaching out a hand towards the Observer¡ª


    And grabbed his throat.


    Sonia glanced at the Black and White Witch, Diya, who was as beautiful as herself, then fixed her gaze straight on Ash.


    ¡°Who is she?¡±

 Chapter 245 - 245 211 My Favorite Is Still You

    ?Chapter 245: Chapter 211: My Favorite Is Still You Chapter 245: Chapter 211: My Favorite Is Still You On the Time Continent, an extremely rare event was occurring¡ªthree mages had gathered together.


    Even though the active areas were much fewer than the Sea of Knowledge, the Time Continent was still immensely vast. Coupled with the scarcity of Two-winged Mages and the heavy obscurement of vision by the Golden Rain¡¯s Rain Curtain, encounters between mages on the Time Continent were not as frequent as in the Sea of Knowledge, with everyone wandering in a dark forest.


    But from today onwards, the sight of three mages journeying together might become a common occurrence on the Time Continent.


    Feeling the grip on his throat tightening, Ash hastily said, ¡°She¡¯s a Witch, a new partner who has joined our team. It wasn¡¯t easy for me to find her. She will be joining us in the exploration of the Void Realm...¡±


    Join us?


    Following us?


    It wasn¡¯t easy for me to find her?


    An indescribable sense of grievance and annoyance rapidly swelled and boiled in her heart, yet Sonia¡¯s expression remained unaltered, with only her eyes growing increasingly bright, and her pale red pupils seemed to morph into vertical slits.


    Ash suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, an endless fear squeezing his entire body as if he was under Blood Moon Judgement. In a spur-of-the-moment decision, he lowered his voice and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s still you that I like the most!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Sonia blinked and let go of Ash, took two steps back with an averted gaze, and fidgeted with her clothes¡¯ hem, saying a bit embarrassedly, ¡°What are you suddenly talking about...¡±


    ¡°Sword Maiden, our bonds are still the highest right now, so I will prioritize giving you any Experience Treasure Orbs we find, let you pick first from the best Technique Spirits, and other benefits too. I¡¯ll check with you first, and then whatever¡¯s left will be split between me and the Witch,¡± Ash said earnestly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry that the arrival of the Witch will lessen your place in my heart.¡±


    ¡°Who cares about my status in your heart!¡±


    Sonia muttered under her breath and then glanced at Diya, who was curiously observing them. She moved a bit closer to Ash and whispered, ¡°Although I don¡¯t care... you¡¯d better not be lying to me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you!¡± Ash declared confidently. ¡°Unless the Witch¡¯s bonds with me grow stronger or she shows more potential than you, the resources will always be tilted in your favor!¡±


    The red-haired Sword Maiden stiffened: ¡°So that means, if she¡¯s stronger than me...¡±


    ¡°After all, we are a team, and the fundamental goal of resource allocation is to make the team stronger,¡± Ash did not deny. ¡°While I believe in your abilities, Sword Maiden, if you want to keep your advantage in the team, you will have to work even harder.¡±


    In fact, before entering the Void Realm, Ash had a vague feeling that Sword Maiden would be angry, but he had not anticipated such a strong reaction.


    But putting himself in her shoes, Ash thought Sword Maiden had every reason to be upset¡ªlike in a startup company, how could you not get mad if your partner brought someone new into the business without consulting you? How would the shares be allocated? How would the work be divided?


    Although a three-person team theoretically has higher work efficiency than a pair, the harvest in the Void Realm largely depends on fate. Sometimes you might fight knowledge creatures and not drop a single Experience Treasure Orb, or you could fight Mage projections and only get rubbish Technique Spirits. Besides cursing a bad drop rate, what else could you do? And when the spoils are not good, three people have to share, and it¡¯s easy for someone to get nothing¡ªwouldn¡¯t that cause arguments?


    Ash and Sword Maiden had taken some time to reach an understanding and rarely had disputes over the distribution of spoils. But now with one more person, the dynamics of the game had suddenly become much more complicated. For example, if they found two Technique Spirits, both Sword Maiden and the new Witch could use them. Even if Sword Maiden had the priority to pick one first, wouldn¡¯t the second still go to the newcomer?


    It seemed sudden but reasonable on the surface, and Sword Maiden might even seem to have the advantage. But here¡¯s the thing¡ªif there were no Witch, both Technique Spirits would belong to Sword Maiden!


    As someone who had mired through office politics for years, Ash knew well the subtleties of human nature. Though the arrival of new staff to share the workload, boost department performance, and collectively enlarge the pie was undoubtedly excellent, it also meant a reshuffling of interests. Her presence was bound to infringe upon the interests of the old-timers and could even affect the division of office factions.


    So Ash brought in a Witch, and then the Sword Maiden welcomed the New Operative with open arms?


    Impossible!


    To use an inappropriate analogy, it was like a wife seeing her husband bring home a mistress to share the same bed. How could the wife possibly be willing?


    The Sword Maiden wasn¡¯t a genuinely selfless cardboard cutout. On the contrary, she was a highly sensitive self-interest actor. If she were in the company from Ash¡¯s previous life, she might not have become an excellent Vanguard of internal competition, but at least she would have been a rights fighter who was so vigilant that even the company dared not bully her, always ready to record evidence.


    The Sword Maiden was bound to be concerned about the Witch usurping her interests, more afraid of being replaced in her position. Moreover, since she didn¡¯t control the leading authority in Void Realm Exploration, it was natural for her to feel uneasy and annoyed. It was only reasonable that she¡¯d be upset.


    People are rarely content because they¡¯ve gained more benefits but are often disgruntled because they believe they¡¯ve received less.


    Ash wasn¡¯t criticizing the Sword Maiden for her greed, considering it to be a natural human trait. He was no better himself¡ªafter all, who is a born Saint? Who works without the motive of more money? Blaming subordinates for lack of gratitude is something only a company on the brink of collapse would do. Team management is, after all, a profound study.


    Therefore, he couldn¡¯t suppress the Sword Maiden with grand principles but should analyze from her perspective the pros and cons of the Witch joining. Perhaps even paint an inspiring picture for her, showing that if she doubled her efforts in internal competition, she would always be the brightest star in the team.


    But that was all Ash could do.


    Ash could comfort the Sword Maiden, but he wouldn¡¯t indulge her.


    No matter how close they were, or if she was one of his pillars of inner strength, Ash wouldn¡¯t give in.


    Ash was also close to his parents, but when they wished him to become a civil servant back home, he chose to strive alone in the City, only returning home during the holidays;


    Ash was close to his elder brother, but when his brother suddenly engaged in late-night heart-to-hearts about topics like ¡°people always meet the right person at the wrong time,¡± Ash would inform his sister-in-law immediately, nipping his brother¡¯s infidelity in the bud;


    Ash was fond of his nephew, spoiling him with countless gifts, but upon returning home to find the boy mischievous, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to take off his belt and spin the little rascal like a top.


    Emotions were one thing, but Ash had his own set of principles in his heart, never compromising himself for the sake of feelings. In a sense, Ash felt that he was quite akin to the people of the Kingdom of Blood Moon¡ªhe too valued his desires above all else, a true selfish culprit.


    ¡°Aurora¡¯s Mage Manual¡± was his most crucial trump card, and he couldn¡¯t refrain from using it; the operators were an essential combat power for his Exploration of the Void Realm, he couldn¡¯t give up the Black and White Witch.


    The Sword Maiden felt uneasy, angry, aggrieved¡ªhe could understand, he could comfort, but he would never apologize, nor concede even an inch.


    He needed the Sword Maiden to understand and support him.


    Under Ash¡¯s gaze, Sonia fell silent for a moment before asking, ¡°Will there be more people in the future?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Ash wasn¡¯t sure himself: ¡°Maybe our team will grow to a dozen or so¡ª¡±


    ¡°A dozen?!¡±

 Chapter 246 - 246 212 Switch White Queen

    ?Chapter 246: Chapter 212: Switch, White Queen! Chapter 246: Chapter 212: Switch, White Queen! ¡°It might be just the three of us,¡±


    Ash cocked his head to the side. ¡°Regardless, in this Void Realm, full of hidden dangers and opportunities, it¡¯s better to have more teammates you can trust and rely on.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust her¡ª¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t trust me in the beginning either.¡±


    ¡°How can you compare her to yourself?¡±


    Ash looked at her in surprise. Sonia, however, turned her head towards Diya, muttered a few words, and then sighed, ¡°I understand. Indeed, the intensity of the battles in the Time Continent is far beyond the Sea of Knowledge. Two people can no longer guarantee absolute safety, three people is more suitable...¡±


    The red-haired Sword Maiden glanced at Ash and poked his chest with her finger, speaking resentfully, ¡°But don¡¯t you forget your promise, as long as I am stronger than her¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then you will be the most important operator in my eyes!¡± Ash didn¡¯t hesitate with his strength-based ideology.


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Sonia still seemed somewhat sullen, but when she turned to Diya, her face instantly beamed with a radiant, professional smile. ¡°Hello.¡±


    Ash also introduced them, ¡°Witch, this is the Sword Maiden, who has been my teammate all along. Sword Maiden, she is the new team member, Witch. From now on, we are companions in both joy and adversity, so we must get along well.¡±


    While Ash and Sonia were whispering to each other, Diya used this time to assess her situation.


    This was no dream, no illusion. She had indeed entered the Void Realm without opening the Gate of Truth, brought here by the Observer¡¯s mysterious abilities, and appeared in the same place as the Observer.


    Unlike Sonia, the domestic cat, Diya was a true wildcat Mage, having navigated the Sea of Knowledge alone for thousands of miles. She had been bitten by a Fish Dragon, drowned by the sea, and endured the hardships of a lone wolf, which forged her resilient mind.


    Thus, she almost instantly realized how valuable the ability to form a team was¡ªthe Observer had nearly overturned the traditional cultivation rules of the Mage world, reducing the difficulty of Void Realm Exploration from an Epic tale to the level of a Fairy Tale (she soon learned the difficulty could be reduced even further).


    If there was a chance for an exchange, Diya believed many Legendary Mages would be willing to give all their Magic Power, even their allegiance to the Realm Faction, to gain the ability to form a team in the Void Realm.


    No wonder the Observer always cloaked his true identity in fog and used a codename. He must have known the value of this ability and feared being located by the Prophetic Faction!


    Diya, who had initially harbored doubts and hostility towards the Observer, had now changed her stance: she resolved to cling to the Observer¡¯s coattails and devise a way to unearth his secrets!


    Being able to perceive the status of her thoughts, trace Liss undergoing the Bronze Dragon¡¯s trial, and gather teammates in the Void Realm... Man, you have caught this princess¡¯s attention!


    At the moment, Diya also noticed something¡ªIt seemed the Observer hadn¡¯t mentioned her to the Sword Maiden, hence the Sword Maiden was somewhat against her arrival.


    Hmm... I¡¯m not good at socializing. This situation calls for someone else...


    Switch with Liss? But Liss is needed to manage the main body, and she is too young...


    Among my sisters, the most adept at human nature and an adult woman would be...


    She adjusted her ornamental silver-rimmed glasses, catching a glimpse of her own reflection.


    Mask Technique Spirit activated!


    Personality Split¡ªMask Overlay¡ªMode: White Queen!


    When Diya opened her eyes, her clothing had transformed into a snow-white, shiny off-shoulder mini dress, her legs clad in gartered white silk stockings, her hair turned snow-white, and her dark red lips adding a touch of mature charm.


    Ash and Sonia, who were inexperienced, were slightly taken aback¡ªSo one could actually change skins directly in the Void Realm?


    Moreover, Ash had a question: the witch in the illustration wasn¡¯t wearing glasses, and the witch who had visited him earlier also wasn¡¯t wearing glasses, so why was she wearing them now that they were in the Void Realm?


    But he didn¡¯t plan to pry, as glasses really hit his sweet spot.


    Speaking of which, Ash had faced three near-death experiences so far. The first time was when Gerard almost killed him, the second time Valcas had nearly taken him along in the Blood Moon Judgement, and the third time was when Freyja found a pair of glasses in a drawer and almost put them on.


    The third time was the most dangerous.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m a Witch.¡± Diya reached out to shake hands with Sonia, ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Please take good care of me and the Observer in the future.¡±


    This little loudspeaker... The red-haired Sword Maiden immediately got so angry that her eyes almost turned vertical.


    At that instant, Sonia recalled all the family ethical noble court dramas she had seen, wracking her brain for a brilliant comeback.


    However, just then, Ash called out to them:


    ¡°Don¡¯t stand there, let¡¯s talk in the car.¡±


    Looking over, they saw that Ash had somehow acquired a convertible and was comfortably stretching himself out.


    Ash was actually a bit surprised that it was a convertible, but then he realized¡ªthere¡¯s no rain on the Time Continent, at least no ¡°downward¡± rain, and a roof would only obstruct the view like a mosaic, meaningless, so it might as well be removed.


    Of course, this might also be some interpretation of a ¡®light luxury¡¯.


    Sonia wasn¡¯t surprised at all, as she had sailed the Sea of Knowledge with Ash. Diya¡¯s eyes sparkled as she clapped softly, admiringly looking at Ash: ¡°Observer, you¡¯re amazing. Probably only we can explore the Void Realm in a sports car on the entire Time Continent, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that amazing.¡± Ash said modestly, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to everyone else¡¯s contribution.¡±


    This woman... Sonia clenched her teeth in frustration. Ever since the Observer had barged into her life, she¡¯d sped down the path of ¡®swordsmanship prodigy,¡¯ forsaking many days of balls and tea parties. Usually, it was more of others flattering her than her flattering others, and she naturally neglected practicing her verbal maneuvers.


    A compliment to the Observer was easy and cost nothing yet greatly enhanced his affinity¡ªa high value social interaction tip. Had it been earlier, Sonia would have definitely caught on, but Diya had beaten her to it!


    This Witch... Seems she¡¯s a Mage just like me!


    Then the two looked at the passenger seat next to Ash and reached out simultaneously!


    Sitting in the passenger seat didn¡¯t prove anything, but sometimes losing face meant losing everything. When it was time to compete, one had to fight everywhere, even if there was nothing to gain, just to show one¡¯s stance. A single step back could lead to a whole retreat!


    ¡°Witch, do you want to sit in the front?¡± Sonia smiled radiantly.


    ¡°Yes, the view is nicer from the front.¡± Diya blinked.


    ¡°But this is my first time on the Time Continent exploring, how about I get a good sightseeing first?¡±


    ¡°Well...¡±


    ¡°Do you both want to sit in the front? Then you sit.¡±


    Ash flipped to the back seat: ¡°I don¡¯t really want to squeeze in with others anyway.¡±


    Sonia: ¡°...¡±


    Diya: ¡°...¡±

 Chapter 247 - 247 213 Give an Inch Take a Mile

    ?Chapter 247: Chapter 213: Give an Inch, Take a Mile Chapter 247: Chapter 213: Give an Inch, Take a Mile ¡°Actually, there¡¯s no need for us to use a vehicle on land, is there? We¡¯re not in the sea; wouldn¡¯t it be better to get out and walk to deal with emergencies?¡±


    When the sports car started buzzing, Sonia suddenly felt that the car was perhaps superfluous.


    At the Sea of Knowledge, a small boat was indeed essential because swimming was just too much of a hassle, and they were not aquatic animals. They didn¡¯t get any bonuses by being in the ocean, and soaking in the sea would only benefit the Observers; but in Time Continent, it was the other way around. They were land creatures, and most battles required them to stand on their feet on the ground, so a car would actually hinder their ability to charge immediately.


    ¡°Did you also have a vehicle in the Sea of Knowledge?¡± Diya caught a hint of something.


    ¡°Yes, a small boat,¡± Sonia complained, ¡°A very small boat that could barely fit two people, and any large movement might tip it over. Luckily, it was controlled by an Observer, so no need to row...¡±


    ¡°How lovely, I wish I could have ridden in a boat in the Sea of Knowledge,¡± Diya said melancholically, ¡°It would have been nice to meet an Observer sooner, but I guess it¡¯s not too late now.¡±


    Sonia tugged at the corners of her mouth, ¡°Yeah, I too am grateful that I was chosen by an Observer¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, the person in question is still here,¡± Ash¡¯s gaze shifted from the Void Realm Map, ¡°Sword Maiden, you clearly disliked me at first and often complained to me, asking if you could reduce the intensity of your training!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re remembering it wrong!¡± the red-haired Sword Maiden exclaimed loudly, ¡°I am a genius female swordsman. Training is as natural to me as breathing. I get itchy if I don¡¯t train for a day. How could I possibly have complained?¡±


    ¡°Sword Maiden, are you cultivating the ways of the Fate Faction? You so effortlessly rewrote past history. Impressive.¡±


    ¡°So, the Observer arranges your training? That¡¯s nice,¡± Diya sighed, ¡°He insists on arranging entertainment for me, and I can¡¯t even study if I want to. Although I understand the Observer¡¯s intentions are good, this is a bit too dictatorial...¡±


    Sonia instantly turned her head and glared at Ash, silent, her face screaming ¡®Why does she get special treatment?¡¯, with an expression as frightful as the sky before a storm.


    Ash felt like he was being watched by a Titan Executioner and couldn¡¯t help but explain reluctantly, ¡°The Witch is in a special status, her training efficiency has dropped by 75%, and I recently obtained a new artifact that allows one to gain some training effect even while entertaining, and it can avoid negative statuses...¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t I have that¡ª¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you are a genius female swordsman, that training was as natural to you as breathing, and you get itchy if you don¡¯t train for a day? The best outcome of entertainment is only equivalent to the worst result of training, you don¡¯t have negative statuses like the Witch, so training is the most cost-effective option for you.¡±


    ¡°Woo¡ª¡± Sonia realized that she had just dug a hole for herself. She would have directly reneged on the spot in the past, accusing the Observer of yelling at her if he tried to reason.


    However, with the Witch right beside her, she wanted to maintain her image as an excellent senior, unable to act spoiled or petulant.


    But she was even less willing to let only the Witch receive privileged treatment.


    So she looked pitifully at Ash, pouting so much she could hang a teapot on it, her eyes almost turning into vertical slits. Ash clicked his tongue, ¡°This week¡¯s schedule is already set, I¡¯ll arrange an entertainment activity for you next week and see how it goes.¡±


    A flash of triumph crossed Sonia¡¯s eyes but was quickly replaced by disdain as she turned away, ¡°Hmph, I¡¯ve thought about it, and training is more suitable for me. But there¡¯s nothing I can do if you insist on disturbing my tight training schedule. Who asked you to be an Observer.¡±


    Frustrated, Ash kicked her chair.


    Bang!


    Suddenly, a loud noise rang out, and the sports car cut down two large trees in front, arrogantly crossing onto the grass path ahead, continuing to buzz forward. The impact didn¡¯t affect the car, and Ash and the others felt like they had only hit tofu, although the car became significantly more transparent. Clearly, this type of collision was not something that could be done frequently.


    ¡°Hmm, it turns out there is a reason to ride in a car,¡± Diya suddenly said, ¡°It¡¯s different from walking in Time Continent. Sitting in the car not only allows me to absorb the Magic Power from the Golden Rain but also almost doesn¡¯t consume any soul energy at all.¡±


    Sonia asked, ¡°Does walking consume energy?¡±


    ¡°The consumption is about the same as you swimming in the Sea of Knowledge,¡± Diya pointed to the weeds on the ground, ¡°There are no roads in Time Continent, weeds and bushes grow everywhere, and there are mudflats, waterweeds, mountains, forests, all kinds of terrains, and every step takes a lot of effort. I can¡¯t speak for others, but during my month exploring Time Continent, I spent almost half my soul energy just on walking.¡±


    Ash and Sonia suddenly understood¡ªwith the sports car as a means of transportation, they barely had any loss in walking. Although absorbing Magic Power also consumes soul energy, their exploration efficiency every night would still be at least 50% stronger than that of an ordinary Mage.


    Moreover, it was not just about exploration efficiency. Other Mages were like commuters living far from their companies, having to spend 2 hours on commuting every day; while Ash and his companions were like natives living near the company, gaining an extra 2 hours of free time every day. Even if not for work, the mere avoidance of wasting energy was great!


    ¡°Observer, you know which direction we should move in, right?¡± Diya asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ash looked up towards a slowly moving pillar of light at the edge of the sky, ¡°We have to maintain the pace of chasing the White Bull, right?¡±


    ¡°Correct, we should currently be in the front area of the White Bull. As long as we keep moving, we won¡¯t have to worry about falling into the Static Domain.¡± Diya tilted her head and looked at Ash, ¡°Observer, do you know what I¡¯m thinking?¡±


    Ash scratched his head, ¡°How would I know what you¡¯re thinking?¡±


    So in the Void Realm, the Observer can¡¯t hear my heart¡¯s voice... Diya revealed a warm smile, ¡°This is the first time I feel at ease in the Void Realm. I¡¯m thinking, it¡¯s so nice to explore the Void Realm with the Observer. Thank you for the invitation.¡±


    Sonia felt like she was grinding her teeth to pieces.


    Damn it...this witch is really skilled!


    Why am I being so dull? I¡¯m a skilled Female Mage myself, always able to make men fall for me with just three sentences, but now...


    And the Observer just got a sports car...


    It¡¯s just...


    Sonia felt something was off.


    Although from the beginning, the Observer treated her with a teasing attitude, forcing her to train, to fight, to perform the summoning Technique Spirit ritual, the results were always greatly beneficial to her, with almost no loss on her part.


    A month ago, she was just a poor female college student with some fame in the Water Magic Department, but now she had become the top prodigy of Sword Flower Academy, a Sword Saint seed known throughout Jiale City, an opponent that Truth University had to seriously prepare for... And all these changes stemmed from her extracting the sword from the Observer¡¯s chest in her dream.


    Although the Observer kept saying they had a sacred bond and that he would benefit if she became stronger, Sonia felt there might be some truth in his words after experiencing the wonders of the Mage world. Her gaining strength could really bring great benefits to the Observer, but that didn¡¯t mean she could accept this gift with peace of mind.


    She clearly knew whom to thank, but the Observer¡¯s teasing attitude made it hard for her to express her gratitude. Over time, she took it for granted and even felt entitled.


    Perhaps this feeling of gratitude would only show at a critical moment, like in a life-or-death situation. Sonia couldn¡¯t guarantee she would risk her life for the Observer, but she could at least ensure a hesitation for a second or two before running.


    But just like loudly announcing one¡¯s contribution, gratitude should also be expressed loudly. That¡¯s how people would know she¡¯s a kind and grateful person... She knew this principle well and adhered to it with everyone else. Why did she forget it with the Observer?


    She always managed to be kind to those she didn¡¯t care about, so why did she show her most unreasonable and willful side in front of the Observer?


    If it wasn¡¯t for the witch¡¯s appearance, Sonia might never have realized this problem. Bonds, like a sword¡¯s blade, are initially sharp, resilient, and invincible. But without careful maintenance, the blade will rust, becoming fragile and eventually shattering under perhaps not even a strong impact.


    At this moment, she suddenly recalled a question she encountered in the Fate Q&A: ¡°What is the fundamental reason for the rift between the Sword Maiden and the Observer?¡±


    Sonia let out a soft breath and turned to look at Ash, ¡°Observer.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the Pure Spirit Light special drink,¡± Sonia said sincerely, ¡°If not for the Potion you gave me, I wouldn¡¯t have healed my soul so quickly, and I wouldn¡¯t have been able to explore the Void Realm with you tonight... Thank you.¡±


    A potion that heals soul injuries? Diya¡¯s eyes shone with curiosity.


    The cult leader focused on the red-haired Sword Maiden, then kicked her chair.


    ¡°What are you doing!¡± Sonia nearly raised her sword in anger, ¡°I thank you, and you kick me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s precisely because you thanked me that I kicked you,¡± Ash explained, ¡°I wasn¡¯t kind to you for your thanks. Your becoming stronger is the best reward for me.¡±


    ¡°And if you thank me so formally, then do I have to thank you when you fight the hardest in the Void Realm? Do I have to thank you when you protect me? Do I have to thank you for your excellent plays?¡±


    Ash looked at the Void Realm Map and muttered, ¡°Besides, what¡¯s the use of such cost-free verbal thanks? It¡¯s troublesome; we¡¯re not strangers.¡±


    Sonia stared blankly at him for a few seconds, then suddenly chuckled, ¡°Then from now on, I¡¯ll accept your gifts without any guilt!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t accept it too guiltlessly; remember to exert more effort in training,¡± Ash turned to Diya, ¡°Witch, you¡¯re the same. There¡¯s no need to thank me like this. Everything I do is for a future return; I¡¯m not some great benefactor.¡±


    ¡°But my thanks come from the heart,¡± the White Queen stretched lazily and smiled, ¡°What¡¯s everyday for you is a miracle for me. Apart from saying thanks, I don¡¯t know how to convey my gratitude.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, Witch, you have a point,¡± Ash pondered, ¡°If you really must thank me... then you can...¡±


    ¡°Can?¡±


    ¡°You can...¡± Ash looked to the side at the cascading Golden Rain, pretending to speak nonchalantly, ¡°...hold me and praise me a few words. I don¡¯t mind if you insist on kissing me; after all, a thank you should come with some substantial benefit, right?¡±


    The two blinked, then the red-haired Sword Maiden glared coldly at the White Witch; the White Queen shook her head slightly, and the Sword Maiden nodded in agreement.


    Without words, they understood each other through a look¡ªabsolutely not to indulge the Observer¡¯s desires; a few verbal praises were the most they would do, avoiding diving into the vortex of competitive internal struggle!


    Today he dares to ask for hugs and kisses; who knows what he would demand tomorrow!


    This trend must not be allowed to continue!

 Chapter 248 - 248 214 Sharing the Secret Poison

    ?Chapter 248: Chapter 214: Sharing the Secret Poison Chapter 248: Chapter 214: Sharing the Secret Poison ¡°Be alert, prepare for battle.¡±


    Diya glanced at the Heavenly Curtain obscured by the Rain Curtain, having an epiphany, ¡°Observer, do you have an exploration Miracle that works against the reverse Golden Rain?¡±


    If the white mist of the Sea of Knowledge decreases visibility through gloom, then the Golden Rain of the Time Continent obstructs vision with intense light. Aside from the surrounding vegetation, mages can hardly see whether the plants within ten steps are large trees, bushes, or little monsters, as everything is a shimmering golden hue.


    Just like with the white mist, the vast majority of exploration Miracles are unable to penetrate this Rain Curtain, making expeditions on the Time Continent essentially no different from those in the Sea of Knowledge.


    The only difference is whether monsters drag you down into the sea or jump out from behind a tree to knock you on the head with a blunt object.


    However, in Ash¡¯s eyes, the Void Realm was like a girl in a short skirt who had lifted just a bit of her mysterious domain for him. He hadn¡¯t seen the whole picture yet but could at least see the absolute territory.


    The ¡°Void Realm Telescope¡± was still effective, and the Void Realm Map still displayed the 24 grids surrounding them.


    It seemed that because an automatic car was loaded, the map also displayed the car¡¯s health. They had plowed through quite a few trees along the way, and the car¡¯s health had already dropped below 50%, but it could recover 1% of its health every few minutes, so there was no need to be stingy with its use ¡ª as long as it didn¡¯t fall apart completely.


    Besides that, the Void Realm Map also showed the direction of the White Bull¡¯s advance, with the four hooves clearly imprinted on the Light Screen. The White Bull did not travel in a straight line but with a slight curve. However, because the White Bull was so massive, to them, these ants, the slight curve was like a seemingly flat sea surface ¡ª not perceptible at all.


    But Ash noticed a problem ¡ª the map¡¯s left and right seemed reversed. When the sports car moved to the left, their cursor would run to the right.


    It wasn¡¯t a big issue; turning the map 180¡ã manually would solve the problem. After all, it was an internal beta version of the company; Ash wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the Void Realm Map suddenly froze, displayed a blue screen, or popped up warnings.


    Speaking of which, what if the game froze? Without a way to summon the task manager or shut down the system... Would knocking oneself unconscious count as a physical power-off?


    As he pondered, the sports car approached the ¡°worth visiting¡± green area. Ash halted the automatic car and took a closer look at the detailed information of the area, his face changing instantly:


    ¡°There are some White Speed Dragons ahead!¡±


    Sonia took a moment to register the information, but Diya¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Some?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, some!¡±


    ¡°Some White Speed Dragons, worth a visit.¡±


    ¡°Social knowledge creatures?¡± Sonia blinked, recalling the data she had seen over the past few days, and soon she became as excited, ¡°Could it be a resource point?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a resource point?¡± Ash appeared somewhat bewildered.


    He had rested at Freyja¡¯s house for several days and had crammed a lot of common Mage world knowledge, but information about the Time Continent was considered high-end knowledge, equivalent to scholarly articles from his previous life, not something a non-Two-winged Mage would need to understand.


    Searching for the Time Continent within the Blood Moon Veil, the most common search results were ¡°The Love of the Time Continent,¡± ¡°Abandoned in the Time Gap,¡± and ¡°Chasing Time to Find You.¡± Apparently, the general perception of the Time Continent was ¡ª it¡¯s convenient for romance.


    After all, swimming all day in the Sea of Knowledge with unimpressive scenery does not have the romantic vibe of the Time Continent. Plus, with the word ¡®time¡¯ incorporated, it gave screenwriters plenty of room for imagination, able to adapt and fabricate stories. Ash had read some of the synopses and felt that the portrayal of the Time Continent in the Veil, apart from controlling time, could also cause gender changes, accelerate childbirth, speed up death, and facilitate affairs. In short, it was the perfect stage for torturous love stories.


    Later, when Ash arrived in the Kingdom of Gospel, he hadn¡¯t done much official work, so he had not done any preparation before coming to the Void Realm for the exam. But his lack of preparation was not without reason ¡ª because the Sword Maiden had definitely done her homework.


    Diya looked at Sonia in surprise, and Sonia spread her hands, ¡°The Observer lost his memory before.¡±


    ¡°Is that so, like the Mage in that Fairy Tale ¡®The Mage with Amnesia and the Innocent Girl¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of the Fairy Tale you mentioned.¡±


    At that moment, both felt a ripple but did not continue the topic. Instead, they explained to Ash, ¡°Resource points are special areas that began appearing on the Time Continent, often guarded by social knowledge creatures. These creatures drive Technique Spirits to manage resource points, so resource points often have rare resources that we Mages can also use. If we¡¯re lucky, we might even obtain rewards beyond the Experience Treasure Orbs!¡±


    Diya added, ¡°But the social creatures in resource points are also tough to deal with. Unless you¡¯re a Combat Mage specialized in area attacks, you would be in chaos faced with an assault by social creatures. I once attacked a resource point and had to flee because I almost died. But now we have three people...¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s assign tactical positions,¡± Ash said, ¡°The abilities I possess mainly include the Miracle ¡®Sword Barrier¡¯ and the Technique Spirit ¡®Heart Sword.¡¯ ¡®Sword Barrier¡¯ can provide remote defensive support, and ¡®Heart Sword¡¯ can perform ranged attacks. Unless something unexpected occurs, I¡¯ll be the ranged attacker. Oh, I¡¯ve also recently created a new Miracle ¡®Dash,¡¯ which is a short-distance movement Miracle.¡±


    ¡°You created a Miracle? Let me see it later,¡± Sonia said, ¡°I haven¡¯t had much change recently. I possess the counterattack Miracle ¡®Water Moon¡¯ and a series of close-combat Miracles derived from the Wave Motion Sword Sect.¡±

 Chapter 249 - 249 214 Sharing the Secret Poison_2

    ?Chapter 249: Chapter 214: Sharing the Secret Poison_2 Chapter 249: Chapter 214: Sharing the Secret Poison_2 ¡°You¡¯ve been promoted to a Two-winged Technique Spirit, haven¡¯t you? Didn¡¯t the academy reward you?¡±


    ¡°How could I dare reveal that I¡¯ve been promoted to Two-winged!¡± Sonia complained. ¡°It¡¯s been less than a month since I became a Mage. I could explain having Full Silver Wings last time as stepping into the Vortex, but this time, after I¡¯ve been promoted to Two-winged, my faction realm hasn¡¯t reached Gold Level yet. The academy will definitely know that I found the golden fish and stepped into the Time Continent... At least until I get the Sword Technique Faction to Gold Level and have a Two-winged Sword Technique Spirit, then I¡¯ll dare to confess my progress to the professor.¡±


    The White Queen was stunned¡ªbecoming a Mage in less than a month? By finding the golden fish and stepping onto the Time Continent?


    Even fairy tales wouldn¡¯t dare weave such a story!


    She couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°You found the golden fish? Is it the one from the fairy tale ¡®The Fisherman and the Golden Fish¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard that fairy tale, but it is indeed the Sea of Knowledge¡¯s golden fish.¡± Sonia glanced at Ash. ¡°Should we tell her?¡±


    Ash instantly understood the subtext of the Sword Maiden. After some thought, considering the magic power conversion effects of the Golden Fish Poison were very useful, he decided to inform the Witch about the contents of the Secret Poison, asking, ¡°Do you feel like you¡¯ve been infected with the Secret Poison?¡±


    ¡°The secret of the golden fish is Secret Poison?¡± Diya felt for a moment and then shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything.¡±


    Ash said with some disappointment, ¡°That means you need to see the golden fish with your own eyes to become infected with the Secret Poison. Just knowing about it isn¡¯t enough to meet the threshold for poisoning. Speaking of which, if talking about it doesn¡¯t cause poisoning, then this information should be widespread...¡±


    ¡°I know why that is,¡± Sonia said. ¡°I did some research at the academy and found that Vortex Secret Poison, Expulsion Poison, and Golden Fish Poison all have similar content to be found. Especially for the Golden Fish Poison¡ªI discovered that the ¡®dual flight¡¯ feature was already in an animated film I saw when I was a kid.¡±


    Because Vortex Secret Poison, and Expulsion Poison were no longer on the Time Continent, Ash gave Diya a brief introduction but didn¡¯t tell her the detailed contents of the poison. Then he asked, ¡°Does that mean many people in your academy are poisoned?¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Sonia shook her head. ¡°Because those Poison contents are mixed in fairy tales, travel journals, and even fantasy novels. Even if mages see them, no one would believe these unverified conjectures.¡±


    Ash thoughtfully said, ¡°So long as one doesn¡¯t believe, they won¡¯t be poisoned...¡±


    ¡°We were the same. Before we saw the golden fish with our own eyes, we didn¡¯t completely believe in the truth of the golden fish. It wasn¡¯t until that moment with the golden fish that the Poison took root and sprouted in our minds.¡±


    Sonia looked at Diya: ¡°That¡¯s why you, Witch, can¡¯t be infected with the Golden Fish Poison¡ªno matter what we say, the truth about the golden fish is too absurd; you have to see it with your own eyes to fully believe it.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s a loophole here,¡± Ash suddenly realized a gap: ¡°If a Two-winged Mage is willing to prove the existence of the Golden Fish Poison with their memories, wouldn¡¯t that give it credibility... Ah, I see now.¡±


    Ash put himself in their shoes and knew the answer to his own foolish question: If it were him, would he dare bet his personal credibility in front of everyone just to make others believe the Secret Poison he spoke of?


    No way.


    No mage would commit such suicide.


    Any mage daring to do so would have already been eliminated by the Void Realm, and it wouldn¡¯t just be one Mage being eliminated, but everyone who heard the Poison would be.


    Those mages infected with the Poison, daring to secretly jot down its content, are already at their limits with their bragging desires; how could they possibly dare to gamble their credibility? What grudge do they have against their readers to drag them down with them?


    Mages in possession of the Poison would at most share the secret with family they completely trust, keeping the number of those infected within a limited range.


    ¡°What a pity.¡± Not only the White Queen but even Diya herself felt envious. ¡°A poison that can transform magic power... I¡¯m so jealous of you, Sword Maiden, being able to explore the Void Realm with an Observer from the start. I haven¡¯t had such luck.¡±


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not that useful; after all, I still don¡¯t have a Two-winged Technique Spirit,¡± Sonia said nonchalantly. ¡°Sigh, actually, I¡¯m quite envious of you. With the Observer, in less than a month, you were infected with three poisons. It feels so dangerous...¡±


    Show off again... Ash glanced at Sonia and asked Diya, ¡°By the way, Witch, don¡¯t you have a Bronze Dragon Poison? Is the content meaningful or the effects practical? Do you think it¡¯s worth telling us?¡±


    The White Witch didn¡¯t hesitate: ¡°The Bronze Dragon Poison is that Time Faction mages have a chance of encountering a Bronze Dragon during Void Realm Exploration, and the Bronze Dragon has the highest appearance rate on the Time Continent. Upon meeting the Bronze Dragon, it will give the Mage a curse trial, and mages can choose when to begin the trial themselves. After breaking the curse, the Mage will receive the Bronze Dragon¡¯s Blessing.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, Ash felt the ¡®tick tock¡¯ of the moving clock hand. He opened the Light Screen and discovered he had a new Knowledge Curse:


    ¡®Bronze Dragon Poison¡¯


    ¡®Number of people infected: 23¡¯


    ¡®Poison intensification: 23%¡¯


    ¡®Current effect of the Poison: After being attacked, instantly go back 1 second to avoid the damage, cooldown time 23 hours (intensification decreases to 10% for a significant boost, reaches 51% to turn into a negative effect).''¡±

 Chapter 250 - 250 214 Sharing the Secret Poison_3

    ?Chapter 250: Chapter 214: Sharing the Secret Poison_3 Chapter 250: Chapter 214: Sharing the Secret Poison_3 It was a bit subtle, saying it was useless, but at times it might save a life; but saying it was useful, the 23-hour cooldown was too long...


    ¡°Have you been infected with Secret Poison?¡±


    ¡°We have.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Both looked towards Sonia, and Sonia was also a bit confused, ¡°Why can¡¯t I get infected with Secret Poison?¡±


    Ash glanced at the Operator interface, and sure enough, Sword Maiden had not been infected with Bronze Dragon Secret Poison.


    Diya explained, ¡°Actually, not only did I see the Bronze Dragon, but I had triggered the curse trial before the Secret Poison. I thought you all wouldn¡¯t be able...¡±


    She paused, then suddenly remembered that the Observer seemed to have seen the Bronze Dragon ¡ª she was there watching when she jumped down from the Tower!


    Sonia looked at Ash, and Ash spread his hands, ¡°I confirmed through special abilities that she truly had the favor of the Bronze Dragon, but Sword Maiden, you don¡¯t have that channel, so...¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± The White Queen blinked in surprise, ¡°So just like Sword Maiden and the Observer have the Golden Fish Poison, do I now also have a Secret Poison only the Observer and I have?¡±


    Sonia was so annoyed she could burst, her tone sour, ¡°It¡¯s just a poison that actually isn¡¯t significant for a Mage...¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Ash thought for a moment and said, ¡°If it only takes belief to get infected... Sword Maiden, are you willing to trust me unconditionally? Without verification, without thought, abandoning the Mage¡¯s rigor, emptying the caution towards others, and believing in me like you believe in the truth, can you do that?¡±


    ¡°I...¡± Sonia¡¯s expression was conflicted, and in the end, she shook her head, ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    She wouldn¡¯t even completely trust her mother, how could she entrust herself entirely to the distant Observer? Her education wouldn¡¯t allow it, her knowledge wouldn¡¯t allow it, her pride wouldn¡¯t allow it.


    ¡°But what if just this once?¡±


    Ash blinked, stretching his hand to touch Sonia¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°The Bronze Dragon Secret Poison is real.¡±


    ¡°Sword Maiden, trust me this time.¡±


    Tick-tock.


    When Sonia heard the sound of sliding pointers, she was so excited she almost jumped out of the vehicle. But she held herself back and just looked over at Diya with folded arms, ¡°Hmm, this Bronze Dragon Secret Poison is indeed good, avoiding damage once, thank you, Witch.¡±


    Ash looked at the Operator interface, and sure enough, Sword Maiden had a new Secret Poison, Bronze Dragon Secret Poison, and the number of infected had risen to 24.


    ¡°This means you, Witch, might also be able to get infected with Golden Fish Poison.¡± Ash said, ¡°As long as our bonds are tight enough, you believe in me enough.¡±


    Diya stared blankly at this scene, the White Queen¡¯s mind spinning wildly, finally concluding that she couldn¡¯t shake Sword Maiden¡¯s place in the Observer¡¯s heart.


    At least, not yet.


    ¡°Good.¡± The White Witch smiled broadly, ¡°Let¡¯s work hard together.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, have we forgotten something?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Ash came to his senses, ¡°We were originally assigning tactical positions... but now that we share the Secret Poison, it also counts as strengthening our combat power. Witch, what kind of Miracle Technique Spirit do you usually use in battle? Fist Claw close combat?¡±


    ¡°Theoretically, it belongs to the Fist Claw Faction, but not Fist Claw.¡±


    Diya clashed her fists, pulling out three transparent threads that seemed to flow.


    ¡°I prefer to call it,¡± she said, revealing a sweet, innocent smile, ¡°Death Line.¡±

 Chapter 251 - 251 215 Technique Spirit Evolution Material

    ?Chapter 251: Chapter 215: Technique Spirit Evolution Material Chapter 251: Chapter 215: Technique Spirit Evolution Material Crack!


    When the Witch snapped the neck of the fourth White Speed Dragon, she looked back only to find that there were no more living Knowledge creatures in the quarry.


    Personality Split¡ªmask switch¡ªmode: Red Death Cultist removed, mode: White Queen loaded!


    ¡°Is that it?¡±


    Diya watched the White Speed Dragon¡¯s body turn into specks of light sinking into the ground, still unable to process¡ªcould a battle in the Void Realm really be this easy?


    This resource point was a stone quarry with a total of eight White Speed Dragons stationed as guards. In the past, Diya would have turned and fled without hesitation. The last time she attacked a resource point guarded by just four Dog Head Dragons, she barely managed to kill two and was so badly injured herself that her magic power was nearly exhausted. If not for her Time Technique Spirit ¡°Fast Forward,¡± she might not have been able to retreat at all.


    But now, having defeated all eight White Speed Dragons guarding the resource point, Diya emerged completely unscathed. Although they had taken advantage of the quarry¡¯s terrain by blocking the narrowest passage and initiating a defensive counterattack, this victory was still surprisingly delightful.


    The Observer was responsible for long-range attacks and support, and the Sword Barrier had protected Diya from the White Speed Dragons¡¯ assault twice in a row; the Sword Maiden was in charge of close-quarters bursts, her wide-ranged Wave Motion Sword Miracle scared the White Speed Dragons from charging rashly; and she was responsible for following behind the Sword Maiden, supplementing damage and waiting for an opportunity, ready to unleash the Miracles ¡°Waterborn Thread¡± and ¡°Entanglement¡± at the first sign of a White Speed Dragon¡¯s vulnerability, binding the deathline around its critical points, then tightening it fiercely to finish the job.


    Although it was a simple form of cooperation, Diya had underestimated the killing power of a trio of Mages working together and had overestimated the combat strength of social creatures. In reality, as opposed to large creatures, the individual combat power of social animals is quite weak¡ª the gap in combat power is like that between a buxom lady and a group of flat-chested lolis.


    But the strength of social animals doesn¡¯t lie in individual might, but in the powerful execution of mob tactics.


    When social animals gang up on Mages, there are always roles such as bait, shock troopers, and distractors, with positions shifting constantly. When a Mage attempts to target one Monster for an all-out attack, that Monster will likely retreat to lure the Mage in, while the others take the chance to attack. Even if monsters deal low damage, almost all Mages without the ¡°Tyrant Body¡± buff can easily be knocked off balance by attacks, and if knocked to the ground, they can expect to be bitten to death by the mob.


    Diya¡¯s last encounter with a few Dog Head Dragons had worn her patience thin; the intelligence of social animals was enough to make one suspicious if the Void Realm was micro-controlling them to taunt Mages.


    Mages have entirely different combat strategies when facing large creatures versus social animals, and the risks involved are also completely different. Many Mages, who had swept through the Sea of Knowledge, found themselves easily and repeatedly killed by social creatures upon arriving at the Time Continent.


    However, when three Mages teamed up, the situation completely reversed.


    Because they had three people covering for each other, Diya only needed to focus on the monsters in front of her; plus, with support from the Observer, Diya didn¡¯t need to hold back for a strategic retreat when attacking and could go all out; by taking advantageous terrain, they could even corner one monster in a small area and gang up on it.


    Under these circumstances, the low defense, low HP, weak damage, and monotonous attack patterns of social creatures became glaringly obvious, and it didn¡¯t take long for the trio to find their rhythm, slaughtering one after another cleanly.


    Such a relaxed and comfortable battle felt like something straight out of a fairy tale.


    While Diya was reflecting on how her past battles were more like horror stories, the other two were also silently assessing the combat power of their new teammate.


    Strong!


    Ferocious!


    Sinister and unpredictable!


    Once the Witch entered combat mode, she suddenly changed her outfit, her clothes morphing into a form-fitting crimson battle dress, her hair turning into alternating stripes of red and white, and three transparent threads stretched from her hands.


    Ash had a realization¡ªthis must be the Witch activating her Innate Talent, switching to a personality better suited for combat.


    When she slashed viciously at a White Speed Dragon, the threads whipped across its body like steel, leaving clear bloodstains. Moreover, she seemed to have imbued the threads with Water Therapy Technique Spirits. Water Therapy is typically used for healing, but when treating serious injuries, it often requires the conjunction of anesthesia or sleep Technique Spirits due to the excruciating itchiness and pain of regenerating flesh.


    In Shattered Lake Prison, every time Ash woke up without pain wasn¡¯t without reason¡ª[222] never allowed him to experience even a hint of pain.


    When Water Therapy Technique Spirit was applied in combat, it intensified the sensory damage. The White Speed Dragons that were whipped by the Witch often let out strange cries and even jumped up, significantly slowing down their battle rhythm.


    Besides that, the Witch had another Miracle ¡°Entanglement,¡± which could suddenly bind the target with threads, and then she would abruptly tighten and pull hard with her hands, her biceps bulging. With a pitiful howl, the neck of the White Speed Dragon was torn apart by the Witch¡¯s threads.


    The Witch¡¯s Time Technique Spirit ¡°Fast Forward¡± also contributed multiple times, disrupting the White Speed Dragon¡¯s desperate resistance and even causing one to crash into the Sword Maiden¡¯s ¡°Killing Intent Crack Wave Slash.¡±


    Moreover, the Witch was actually able to keep up with the Sword Maiden¡¯s pace, not only not holding her back but also forming an excellent tactical complement with the Sword Maiden. Ash ended up feeling as if he was the one getting carried throughout the battle.


    ¡°Do swarming creatures not burst Technique Spirits?¡± Ash looked around and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that too much of a loss?¡±


    ¡°Swarming creatures generally use Technique Spirits to drive resource point production, unless a dominant creature emerges within the swarm; otherwise, Technique Spirits rarely remain with them.¡± Sonia explained, looking towards the inside of the mine: ¡°After the swarming creatures die, the Technique Spirits will definitely take the chance to escape, so we basically can¡¯t capture any Technique Spirits.¡±


    ¡°The only gain from conquering resource points is the resources that have already been produced inside.¡± Diya also seemed eager to try: ¡°I hope there are Fist Stones inside.¡±


    Ash was still unclear about the value of resource points, but when he picked up the glowing deep blue stones from the mine, he understood what resource points meant for Mages ¡ª


    ¡°Weak Water Stone: When consumed by a Water Technique Faction Technique Spirit, it can catalyze the Technique Spirit¡¯s autonomous evolution.¡±


    ¡°Fist Stone: When consumed by a Fist Claw Faction Technique Spirit, it can catalyze the Technique Spirit¡¯s autonomous evolution.¡±


    Technique Spirit Evolution!


    Ash hadn¡¯t expected that Technique Spirit evolution could actually rely on external substances. He naturally looked up other ways to obtain high-level Technique Spirits besides defeating monsters and looting their equipment while at Meiwa¡¯s house and got two answers: summon new ones or enhance the old ones.


    Summoning new ones needs no further explanation, much like finding a new girlfriend, with steps like dating, eating, watching movies, holding hands all unavoidable; and enhancing the old ones is like upgrading one¡¯s wife with a makeover into a higher class and prettier appearance, simpler but the issue is you have to have a wife.


    Generally speaking, ordinary Mages will certainly have a Lifebound Technique Spirit ¡ª that is, the first Technique Spirit they summon.


    After a Mage elevates their faction realm to the Gold Level, most of the time they step into the Time Continent by upgrading their Lifebound Technique Spirit to a Two-winged one.


    It¡¯s obvious that most Technique Spirits that can be upgraded are Lifebound Technique Spirits. In a certain sense, a Technique Spirit is like a daughter sent off by the Void Realm; when the hometown sees that the daughter¡¯s life with the Mage is getting better and better, they add more to the dowry, upgrading the daughter from a level 1 loli to a level 2 girl.


    Other Technique Spirits that aren¡¯t personally summoned by the Mage, no matter how skillfully the Mage cultivates them, are only like mistresses without legal recognition, and won¡¯t be acknowledged by the hometown of the Void Realm.


    But if they could consume higher-class Void Realm resources, like the various faction ores from this resource point, then even mistresses could continue to upgrade.


    ¡°So as long as you completely master the Technique Spirit, and then let the Technique Spirit consume the corresponding faction¡¯s ore, there¡¯s a high chance to catalyze the autonomous evolution of the Technique Spirit,¡± Sonia said: ¡°Actually consuming ores of other factions also works, but the conversion efficiency is only 3% of the corresponding faction.¡±


    That is to say, by feeding a well-developed Technique Spirit, you can ensure the Technique Spirit evolves into a more special form... Ash nodded, looked at the pile of shining ores in the cart, and after thinking for a moment, said: ¡°Let¡¯s sort them by faction first, Time Series and Fist Claw Faction to the Witch, Sword Skill and Water Magic Department to the Sword Maiden.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± Sonia asked: ¡°Aren¡¯t you also a Sword Skill like me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry, I¡¯m not too fixed on Technique Spirits, and if I get a better Two-winged Technique Spirit later on, I¡¯ll just switch. You all have a major faction and need to grow along with your Technique Spirits...¡±


    ¡°But what about the Heart Sword?¡± Sonia shook her head: ¡°That¡¯s a peerless secret sword among the five spirits, also a relic left to you by that Elf... I might be able to get an item that allows for Technique Spirit exchange in the Void Realm later on. Until then, you need to properly cultivate the Heart Sword!¡±


    Sonia directly stuffed several ¡®Sword Heart Stones¡¯ into Ash¡¯s arms, and he blinked his eyes, gratified: ¡°Sword Maiden, you¡¯ve grown up...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me with that tone of a father seeing his dutiful daughter!¡± Sonia got so angry she was at a loss for words.

 Chapter 252 - 252 216 Each Owns Means of Transportation

    ?Chapter 252: Chapter 216: Each Own¡¯s Means of Transportation Chapter 252: Chapter 216: Each Own¡¯s Means of Transportation Ash had eaten one third of the Sword Heart Stone, while Sonia had consumed two thirds. Diya also wanted to prove her sociability, but unfortunately, Ash didn¡¯t have the time or the Fist Claw Technique Spirit.


    However, after they had finished, there was still a large pile of faction stones left, such as Fire Technique, Earth Magic, Wind Skill, and so on. They picked and chose some more to consume¡ªfor instance, Ash¡¯s Earth Sword could consume Earth Collapse Stones, and his Wind Barrier could consume Wind Injury Stones; Sonia¡¯s Slaughter Sword could consume Necromancy Stones, while Diya¡¯s Finger Silk could consume Arrow Feather Stones...


    Just like how Mages can have many minor factions in addition to their main one, Technique Spirits themselves, aside from their primary faction, are influenced by many secondary factions. Ash¡¯s Earth Sword was the most evident example, with swordsmanship and Earth Magic influencing it in about a 7:3 ratio. Therefore, the Earth Sword consuming Earth Collapse Stones had roughly a 30% catalyzing effect.


    After picking and choosing, they still had half of the faction stones left. These stones couldn¡¯t be taken with them, after all, as the Mages returning to reality wouldn¡¯t know where they would end up in the Time Continent the next time, making taking the stones meaningless. So they either had to consume them all there or simply give up.


    Sonia and Diya had already anticipated this, only Ash, who had the mentality of a scavenger, felt it was a pity as he examined the faction stones. Sonia urged, ¡°Hurry up and eat all the remaining stones, then we also need to continue chasing the White Bull.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Ash nodded. Since he had voluntarily given up the stones he needed to the Sword Witch, they both agreed to let him have all the unrelated faction stones.


    When Ash summoned the Substitute Technique Spirit to absorb this faction stone, the Technique Spirit was visibly reluctant, like a person who loved sweet soybean pudding being forced to eat a salty one. Unfortunately, under the Mage¡¯s compelling power, it had no choice but to gulp it down.


    Ash watched, finding it amusing. As he was picking up the stones, he accidentally picked up an ordinary stone that had no luster underneath.


    The game interface suddenly popped up.


    ¡°Detected an upgrade enhancement resource needed for Aurora¡¯s autonomous car. Would you like to absorb it?¡±


    ...


    ...


    ¡°Never would have thought... it would be this.¡±


    In the Kingdom of Blood Moon, in apartment 302 on the third floor of a building constructed in the ¡¯40s, the college student Meiwa looked at the Technique Spirit in her hand, momentarily lost in thought.


    The fold-eared cat, Little String, jumped onto the table and reached out with its paw, curiously touching the Technique Spirit only to find its paw passing through. The cat was immediately frightened and stood up, warily eyeing this mysterious glowing object.


    The Technique Spirit had the appearance of a long-haired girl playing a sonata flute, which seemed to be from the Sound Magic System. In fact, it had a close relationship with sound.


    Its name was ¡°Echo.¡±


    This was a rare Technique Spirit that possessed the properties of both the Spirit and Sound Magic factions. It could not only use sound to perform reconnaissance of the surroundings but also make traces tangible through sound, such as concretizing a certain area, items touched by people, or events that had occurred, as if replaying the past.


    Of course, since the past was too vast, the Technique Spirit, based on the Mage¡¯s cognition, would only concretize things that the Mage had experienced.


    Simply put, with this Technique Spirit alone, Freyja could easily join the Crime Hunting Hall, and not as part of the combat-focused Blood Frenzy Sequence but the less strenuous and higher-paying Crime Hunting Sequence.


    But Freyja hadn¡¯t actually planned to summon this Technique Spirit; how could she have ever expected to summon such a rare Technique Spirit? Her initial goal was ¡°Suggestion,¡± then feeling that ¡°Suggestion¡± was not quite her style, she switched to ¡°Charm.¡±


    Because information on the Spirit Faction was scarce in the Kingdom of Blood Moon, Freyja could only roughly cobble together a ¡®possibly useful¡¯ method of study from various materials collected at the university. She regularly volunteered for spirit counseling, steadily advancing her faction realm, step by step.


    Tonight, after watching a drama called ¡°Mud Flower,¡± her emotions were stirred by resonance with the Void Realm, and the knowledge she had already met the standards for gave birth to her first legacy that could be taken to the grave¡ªEcho Technique Spirit.


    Although it was quite normal to summon a Technique Spirit once the faction realm reached the standards, Freyja felt she would remember for a lifetime the fact that ¡°watching dramas increased the chances of summoning Technique Spirits.¡± Not only would she watch more dramas in the future, but she would also record this fact in the Mage¡¯s Handbook after she was gone.


    Even though Freyja had indeed read about the Echo Technique Spirit a few days ago, she knew nothing about its summoning requirements, nor did she intend to summon it, yet somehow she did.


    ...She had a kind of ominous premonition.


    Freyja looked at this Technique Spirit. Logically, when a new Mage obtained a new Technique Spirit, the first thing to do was to test its power; however, Meiwa had no such desire at all.


    Because here was her home.


    The traces preserved in this room only belonged to an evil man, a mischievous animal, a lovely being, and herself with Little String.


    Meiwa opened the curtains, letting the grand Blood Moon cast sweet colors over the bedroom, then she lay on the bed, searching for the Gate of Truth within the Technique Spirit¡¯s body, preparing for her first journey into the Void Realm.


    She had long completed the knowledge preparation before entering the Void Realm; tonight, the Blood Moon was also bright. The ¡°Blood Moon Protection¡± would make her soul more resilient, consuming less soul energy when healing injuries in the Void Realm.


    Gate of Truth, linking to the Void Realm, sinking into the mist...


    Contrary to those foolish rumors behind the Veil and the private chats in university, entering the Void Realm didn¡¯t feel like being uncomfortably squeezed into a rubber tube, nor did it have the liberating sensation of unshackling the body. If she had to describe it, Freyja considered it¡ªnakedness.


    Unconstrained, yet still with self, as if being naked was facing the world candidly; thus, entering the Void Realm was the Mage facing knowledge without any concealment.


    As expected, Meiwa plunged into the sea. Even after several practice sessions, she couldn¡¯t help but feel panicked subconsciously¡ªa reaction shared by all terrestrial beings engulfed by seawater, except for Fishman Mages. But she quickly regained her composure, gently kicking her feet to stay balanced and opened her eyes to face this unfamiliar world.


    Fog, dark sea, silence, monotonous colors formed a vast prison, and a boundless sense of loneliness hit her face. But for the residents of the Kingdom of Blood Moon, such loneliness was barely acceptable; after all, they had been trained to resist loneliness from the starting line.


    Freyja had seen during her time volunteering in psychological aid that Mages could develop a fear of the solitude in the Void Realm. However, these Mages were mostly humans; only a few were Goblins or Beastmen, while ogres were practically never seen¡ªnot just because there were fewer ogre Mages, but more importantly, ogres could eat Moon candy to dispel their fears, eliminating the need for psychological treatment.


    When it came to psychological and spiritual ailments, Moon candy was a panacea.


    Aside from ogres, Meiwa Mages seldom needed psychological counseling either, as Meiwas could heal their spirits by resolving emotions of lust. Thus, psychological illnesses were rare among Meiwas, which might be considered one of their racial talents.


    Freyja had mentally prepared herself before entering the Void Realm, ready to face the unknown with courage like stepping into a freshly opened mud cafe?.


    However, as she turned her head, an out-of-place item suddenly intruded upon her view.


    A ship.


    Meiwa stared blankly for a few seconds before her mind started to race¡ªwhy was there a ship here?


    She hesitated for a moment, then recalling that death in the Void Realm wasn¡¯t real, she climbed aboard to investigate.


    There was nothing worth describing¡ªjust an ordinary ship without oars, drifting alone on the Sea of Knowledge, like a pet abandoned by its master.


    She sat on the ship, looking up at the endless fog, feeling the tension in her heart dissipate by half.


    Just then, her body suddenly stiffened, and from the deepest corner of her memory, she unearthed a forgotten gem.


    ¡°Help, help, I was ambushed by Meiwa at night; I¡¯m going to be killed...¡±


    ¡°Hey, if you don¡¯t want to die, hand over your Void Realm experience. I heard you need to swim in the Sea of Knowledge, how did you swim? Backstroke? Butterfly? Freestyle?¡±


    ¡°Huh? I¡¯ve never swum in the Sea of Knowledge; I took a ship.¡±


    ¡°You could¡¯ve just humored me. How can you treat me like a fool, where would there be ships in the Sea of Knowledge! You forced me¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s too much of a foul play, I¡¯m really dying... Sword Barrier!¡±


    Could it be...


    Freyja summoned the Resonance Technique Spirit, scrutinizing it until the Technique Spirit felt a bit uncomfortable. Only then did she activate the Technique Spirit.


    A clear voice wafted over the small boat, the air vibrated into concrete shapes. He had stood here, sat there, lay here, sprawled there¡ªover and over, and Meiwa looked around, surrounded by his traces.


    Freyja dismissed the Technique Spirit¡¯s effect and stared at the small boat for a while, her mind seemingly occupied with thoughts, and then¡ª


    ¡°Go to hell!¡±


    ¡°Go to hell go to hell go to hell go to hell go to hell!¡±


    ¡°(¨s>§Õ


    The boat capsized from her vigorous kick, but it seemed to have its own gyroscope system¡ªit righted itself and continued to float on the sea, leaving only the drenched Meiwa in the water.


    She climbed back onto the ship again, lying on it, staring blankly at the fog-enshrouded sky.


    ¡°I was supposed to soak in the sea, but you insisted on picking me up with your boat, and then you rowed away without a care. I had barely braced myself to keep soaking in the sea, so why did you leave the boat for me?¡±


    ¡°A man as evil as you should be locked in a basement, to be woken by me once in the morning, once in the afternoon, and three times at night.¡±


    ¡°But...¡±


    Freyja sat up and stretched.


    ¡°Meiwas don¡¯t have a rule against accepting gifts from men; it¡¯s our sacred duty to take without reciprocating. I¡¯ll happily take this boat. But how do I use it without oars?¡±


    She searched the boat more thoroughly, and at last, a strand of hair in the ship¡¯s panel revealed a mechanism¡ªwhen pulled, a steering wheel rose in the center of the boat, allowing direct control over its movement.


    Meiwa looked at the hair in her hand; it seemed like one from her own little Finger Silk.


    ¡°So...¡± Freyja maneuvered the steering wheel, driving the boat through the dense fog: ¡°Wait for me, I¡¯m coming to catch up!¡±

 Chapter 253 - 253 217 Chariot Evolution

    ?Chapter 253: Chapter 217: Chariot Evolution! Chapter 253: Chapter 217: Chariot Evolution! Watching the Observer pick up a nondescript piece of ore, both Sonia and Diya cast urging glances at him.


    Not all resources produced at resource points could be used by Mages; only about one in ten products contained the Void Realm energy that could be transformed into essence materials to nourish Technique Spirits.


    This was also why only knowledge creatures could manage resource points¡ªwith the long production cycles, by the time Mages directed their Technique Spirits to mine materials suitable for themselves, their soul energy would be almost depleted, and they would be forced to leave the Void Realm.


    Only knowledge creatures, who had no limit on their stay time and could even survive in the Static Domain, could manage resource points for extended periods. Moreover, knowledge creatures not only plucked cotton but also consumed these essence materials themselves. Data showed that larger resource points housed more gregarious creatures, which perhaps could propagate by consuming these materials.


    Sometimes, large creatures also plundered resource points, but just as Mages couldn¡¯t defeat gregarious creatures, large creatures might not necessarily defeat them. However, generally, it wasn¡¯t a life-or-death situation between the two¡ªmost of the time, the gregarious creatures would voluntarily give up some materials, as if feeding a dog for safety.


    This was also why this White Speed Dragon quarry had so many stone materials; besides the White Speed Dragons¡¯ habit of hoarding, they also needed to keep some materials for emergencies to pay protection fees when large creatures came to rob.


    But whether Mages or knowledge creatures, they all only needed the essence materials filled with Void Realm energy. As for other ordinary stones that didn¡¯t glow and had no distinct features, they were only good enough for White Speed Dragons to gnaw on and play dodgeball with.


    Then the next second, the Sword Witch saw the stone in the Observer¡¯s hand suddenly turn into powder and slide down between his fingers.


    So that¡¯s it, he wanted to show off that he had learned a Miracle that could instantly pulverize stones?


    Clap, clap, clap!


    Sonia and Diya clapped in admiration, then they saw the Observer crazily outputting at the stones, clearing one pile after another in an instant, and then he turned to start fiercely sucking in another pile of stones.


    It seems the Observer has quite a lot of pressure in real life... Sonia felt a bit sorry for him and called out, ¡°Okay, okay, Observer, we all know you¡¯re powerful; stop wasting your Magic Power¡ª¡±


    It was Diya who realized something, ¡°Could it be, Observer, that you can use these useless materials?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Ash watched the stone turn to dust in his hands, a streak of gray Spiritual Light flowing into his palm, excitedly saying, ¡°These are the greatest assets of this resource point!¡±


    ¡°You have decomposed a Void Realm Stone (extra-large), obtaining 6 points of ore essence.¡±


    ¡°You have decomposed a Void Realm Stone (medium), obtaining 3 points of ore essence.¡±


    ¡°Do you confirm to decompose the magma stone (special)? You have decomposed the magma stone, obtaining 15 points of ore essence.¡±


    All ordinary stones stockpiled within the resource point could be decomposed by the game system into ore essence, and naturally essence materials too, though the essence yield was ten times that of the same volume of ore stone.


    However, it seemed that the game automatically assumed players would not decompose essence materials, so when Ash picked up the Sword Heart Stone, it didn¡¯t react at all.


    Once Ash had emptied the resource point, he had obtained a total of 950 points of ore essence! What was once a quarry piled high with stones had now become empty, with only a layer of stone dust covering the ground, and the mine tunnels became more spacious, even making the White Speed Dragons tearful.


    Soon, Sonia and Diya understood what Ash was using these crushed stones for¡ªonly to see him return to the sports car outside the quarry and say to the front of the car, ¡°Upgrade, Evil Blade!¡±


    Vroom, vroom, vroom!


    The sports car suddenly roared violently, its front bumper began transforming and covering, and seconds later, it formed an incredibly sharp, blade-like front bumper, leaving no doubt this beast could easily cut through anything obstructing its path!


    While his two companions were stunned by the transformation, Ash looked thirstily at the auto-enhancement diagram on the screen in front of him.


    ¡°Evil Blade Level 4: Impact causes 400% tearing damage, energy consumption reduced by 60%. Ore essence needed for next level: 600.¡±


    Merely scavenging this resource point had enhanced the blade at the front of the vehicle to level 4!


    Besides the ¡°Evil Blade,¡± there was another modification in the same spot called the ¡°Vanguard Stone Shield,¡± which was clearly meant for defense. Only one modification could be made in the same spot, so changing components required the removal of the existing ones, with 50% of the essence returned upon removal.


    Ash felt that in the upcoming exploration journey, crashing through obstacles would be inevitable, so he naturally prioritized activating the ¡°Evil Blade¡± component.


    More importantly, the essence he currently possessed was only enough to activate the ¡°Evil Blade.¡±


    Headlight exclusive component ¡°Petrified Gaze,¡± front windshield exclusive component ¡°Refraction Curtain,¡± exhaust port exclusive component ¡°Poison Mist Swirl,¡± chassis exclusive components on either side ¡°Boiling Chainsaw,¡± and even a component ¡°Alchemy King Throne¡± in the car seat that could accelerate the absorption of Golden Technique Power¡ªeach one made Ash drool.


    However, the bad news was that these components required a significant amount of essence to activate and not just one type of essence.


    For instance, a level 1 ¡°Alchemy King Throne¡± required 200 Gem Essence, 200 Crystal Essence, 200 Mercury Essence, 200 Wood Essence, 200 Ore Essence, and 200 Gold Essence; clearly, he would need to scour seven different resource points to gather enough.


    The good news was that, throughout the Time Continent, it seemed only Ash had the ability to break down these useless materials to obtain their essence, so no one was competing with him!


    In time, Ash was sure he could upgrade this sports car from the deluxe version to the top configuration. By then, he could rampage across the Time Continent, killing anyone in his way and crushing intellectual creatures with ease!


    Ash now felt motivated to pick up garbage, urging as he got into the car, ¡°Hurry up and get in, let¡¯s conquer another resource point tonight!¡±


    Sonia and Diya quickly adapted to this change. After all, the Observer had displayed many bizarre abilities before; compared to teaming in the Void Realm, drinking Pure Spirit Light specialty beverages, and forcibly entertaining operators, strengthening a sports car with ordinary materials was nothing shocking.


    This time, Ash subconsciously took the front seat. Sonia hesitated for a moment, then decided to stop hesitating and directly pulled Diya to sit in the back row.


    The White Queen watched the suddenly intimate Sword Maiden in surprise, then whispered with a suppressed laugh, ¡°Sword Maiden, you¡¯re so cute.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Sonia blushed, pretending to be proud as she turned her head away. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m cute.¡±


    But with just this light remark, much of Sonia¡¯s resentment towards the new teammate instantly dissipated.


    Though she was still unhappy about suddenly having a stranger in the team, the witch¡¯s performance in the recent battle had proven she wouldn¡¯t drag them down, so Sonia grudgingly accepted the new member¡¯s presence.


    Sonia was particularly emotional when she first entered the Void Realm since, after being apart for six or seven days, the Observer brought someone new to the team right upon their reunion. How could anyone not be upset? Couldn¡¯t he have told her a day later to let them chat privately first? Couldn¡¯t he give her a heads-up? Did he really have to act first and report later?


    Even if Sonia really didn¡¯t mind, she had to show her annoyance to make the Observer realize her dissatisfaction. After all, honest people are always the easiest to bully, and she hoped everyone else would be honest except for herself.


    She wasn¡¯t annoyed that the new member might encroach on her interests, but such actions subtly showed that the Observer didn¡¯t trust her enough¡ªwould she really oppose him adamantly? As long as you assure me that this new member can be of help, I would gladly accept her.


    You could have chosen someone less attractive, in my experience, most beautiful women are usually bad people...


    However, after calming down, the red-haired Sword Maiden also realized the value of the new member. Being a realist, as long as it didn¡¯t involve her bottom line, she could compromise her feelings for the sake of benefits; she understood early on that sulking would bring no value other than making her look ugly.


    But still...


    Sonia gently pushed Diya away, moving to the far-left position in the back row, sitting next to the door with her arms crossed over her chest, staring at the flowing golden rain outside with an attitude that screamed ¡°I¡¯m upset but I won¡¯t say it.¡±


    Look at me, I¡¯m still angry and not willing to interact with the new team member!


    Look at me [¡ð?`§¥ ??¡ð]!

 Chapter 254 - 254 218 An Accident Right After Getting the

    ?Chapter 254: Chapter 218: An Accident Right After Getting the Car Chapter 254: Chapter 218: An Accident Right After Getting the Car Ash was looking at the Void Realm Map as he asked,


    ¡°So, Witch, do you know the Time Faction?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s said that the Time Faction is most effective when practiced in the Time Continent, is that true?¡± Ash also asked.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Diya nodded, extending her hand to touch the rising Golden Rain from the grass beside her and said, ¡°In fact, each drop of Golden Rain contains knowledge of time, or rather, all the time of the Time Continent is condensed in this Golden Rain. When I absorb the Golden Rain and it coalesces into Magic Power, the knowledge of time in the rain almost entirely transfers into my faction realm experience. Compared to other factions, I can gain ten to fifteen times more experience in the Time Faction.¡±


    ¡°That good?¡± Even Ash, who was unskilled, felt envious, ¡°But why don¡¯t I feel my Time Faction growing?¡±


    Since such a question was incredibly naive, queen hesitated before slowly explaining, ¡°Because, Observer, you haven¡¯t stepped over the threshold of the Time Faction. When you draw the White Mist from the Sea of Knowledge, you can only stimulate growth in the factions that have already entered the Silver Realm; however, those factions you haven¡¯t grasped cannot gain any experience.¡±


    Sonia explained in a more visual way, ¡°The knowledge in the White Mist and Golden Rain is like the voice of a professor during a lecture; only those who understand can comprehend, those who don¡¯t will just hear it as noise.¡±


    Ash completely understood, then thought for a moment and said, ¡°But the Time Faction in the Time Continent is too profitable, just by walking around you can enhance your faction realm... Sword Maiden, do you have a way to initiate into the Time Faction?¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± Sonia shook her head helplessly, ¡°Theoretically, the best way to start learning the Time Faction is by stepping into the Time Continent. But if you can¡¯t extract the knowledge of time from the Golden Rain after entering, it means you don¡¯t have the talent, and no amount of effort can initiate you. The Time Faction is one of the Magic Factions most reliant on talent, effort is meaningless, everything depends on innate ability, envy doesn¡¯t help.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you envious?¡±


    ¡°Not envious.¡±


    ¡°But I have also initiated into the Time Faction.¡± Ash glanced at his operators interface where ¡®Time Faction: Silver Level¡¯ had newly appeared, and he chuckled, ¡°Now you¡¯re the only one who hasn¡¯t taken advantage of the Void Realm.¡±


    Because of their Bonds, the Time Faction experience gained by Witch was also shared with Ash. Although Ash lacked talent, as long as the Witch fed him enough experience to cross the silver threshold, he would naturally be able to enjoy the benefits of being spoon-fed by the Void Realm personally.


    Sonia¡¯s mouth twitched, and pretending to be angry now turned into actual anger, as she clamped around Ash¡¯s neck from the front row, ¡°You know yet you don¡¯t bother thinking of a way to help me! Like that Technique Spirit summoning ritual last time¡ª¡±


    ¡°That depends on luck, and aren¡¯t you afraid of pulling another ¡®Sincerity¡¯, being forced to only speak the truth for several days?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t possibly be that unlucky this time!¡ª¡±


    queen watched their bickering scene and thought to herself, ¡®Diya, I think I don¡¯t fit into their pattern of interaction; my mental age is too old, too mature. Maybe it¡¯d be better if you directly mingled with them.¡¯


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not.¡±


    ¡°I only trust you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to deal with anyone else.¡±


    queen sighed, and just then, Ash suddenly let out a scream. In front of the running car a figure suddenly appeared, and then¡ª


    Bang!


    The sports car slammed on the brakes urgently, almost throwing the three of them out due to inertia.


    They turned around and saw the figure that had appeared suddenly now cut into two by the car¡¯s evil blade, dropping onto the grass like two pieces of cloth with a slap.


    Ash immediately shifted the blame, ¡°It¡¯s your fault, Sword Maiden, for distracting me!¡±


    Sonia retorted, ¡°It was clearly you not driving carefully!¡±


    Diya interjected, ¡°...We actually managed to directly kill a Mage?¡±


    ...


    ...


    Congratulations, they didn¡¯t kill anyone; it was only a mage¡¯s projection that died, meaning they just whipped a dead body.


    In other words, the first mage projection Ash and Sonia encountered in the Time Continent wasn¡¯t killed by them but was instead hit by a car.


    Not to speak of skills, they didn¡¯t even figure out what the mage¡¯s projection looked like, and just rolled over it... It sounds a bit reckless with human life.


    Unlike the Sea of Knowledge, the mage¡¯s projections in the Time Continent don¡¯t stay in one place but move randomly, so encountering creatures suddenly during Void Realm Exploration is quite common.


    Although this mage¡¯s projection died too quickly, they were still able to confirm his faction from the dropped Technique Spirits; he must have been a fire-weak mage, meaning he dual-cultivated fire and bitterness, dropping a total of 2 Two-winged Technique Spirits and 3 One-winged Technique Spirits. As the first business on the Time Continent, the profit wasn¡¯t bad.


    No one needed these Technique Spirits, and Ash thought for a moment then asked, ¡°Witch, do you have a way to exchange Technique Spirits for other resources in reality? Before you joined the team, our way of distributing was to divide the unwanted Technique Spirits by their value, giving the valuable ones to the Sword Maiden for her to sell for money, and the less valuable ones to me to exchange for special resources only I can use.¡±


    Diya shook her head, ¡°I can¡¯t conveniently exchange Technique Spirits in reality, so just continue distributing them as you did before. However, as compensation, may I have priority in reading the Mage¡¯s Handbook?¡±


    Ash¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Can you also read all the Mage¡¯s Handbooks?¡±


    ¡°Also?¡± Diya blinked but shook her head, ¡°No, my success rate in reading Mage¡¯s Handbooks is about 80%, I can¡¯t read all of them. For example, those particularly abnormal, disgusting, or bizarre handbooks, I can¡¯t accept no matter what.¡±


    Sonia patted Ash¡¯s shoulder nonchalantly, ¡°Observers can read all Mage¡¯s Handbooks though. Even those handbooks that you can¡¯t accept, he can read them thoroughly and with relish. Isn¡¯t that amazing?¡±


    On the surface, the White Queen clapped her hands, but inside, she silently raised the Observer¡¯s threat level again. Since entering the Void Realm, the Observer had been overly congenial, and a bit clueless, even unaware of many mage¡¯s common knowledge, which made people forget that he was a terrifying Evil Mage who could track/manipulate/defeat them.


    The reason Diya dared not face the Observer herself was largely because the Observer had completely defeated her in her realm of thought.


    Facing an existence that her thoughts couldn¡¯t transcend, Diya was so scared she only dared to hide behind the White Queen.


    Now Diya was even more afraid¡ªa soul capable of reading all Mage¡¯s Handbooks might not be of high moral standing, but was definitely bottomless, far more evil than the most wicked villain in any fairy tale.


    Ash didn¡¯t notice that the Sword Maiden had significantly lowered his public image and thought for a moment then said, ¡°No problem, then from now on Witch, you can have priority in reading the Mage¡¯s Handbooks, and those you can¡¯t read will go to me... Wait, the unwanted Technique Spirits go to me, the unreadable handbooks go to me, why do I feel like I¡¯ve become a trash can?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Diya quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s because we lack the ability to utilize these resources, that we have no choice but to give them up. And you, Observer, being able to make efficient use of these resources, is a testament to your strength!¡±


    ¡°So you should be confident,¡± Sonia squinted her eyes and chirped merrily, ¡°Remove ¡®seems like¡¯!¡±


    While speaking, Diya picked up the dropped Mage¡¯s Handbook. The handbook was edged with gold and its cover was a black flame flower. When she turned to the first page, she quietly activated the ¡°Mask Technique Spirit.¡±


    Personality Split¡ªMask Remodeling¡ªTemporary Mode¡¤Chameleon!


    Diya¡¯s hair started shimmering in various colors, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, all present, thankfully not causing light pollution. Initially, the colors were bright and clear, but gradually they muddied, as though inferior paint had spilled into a puddle, mixing into a filthy dark red.


    Not only Ash, who knew the ins and outs, but even Sonia realized¡ªDiya was not relying on her flexible values to read the Mage¡¯s Handbook, but through some miracle.


    This was why Diya, who hadn¡¯t gotten any education from mages, managed to become a Two-winged Mage, stepping into the Time Continent¡ªmost of her mage knowledge came from reading Mage¡¯s Handbooks in the Void Realm!


    Even though she lacked Ash¡¯s exploration abilities, she had spent a full two years in the Sea of Knowledge, intermittently reading over forty Mage¡¯s Handbooks. Although her knowledge system wasn¡¯t as well-organized as Sonia¡¯s, she had mastered the essential knowledge needed for navigating the Void Realm, making her a thoroughly practical wildcat mage.


    Wildcats might not be as strong as house cats, but their survival skills are second to none, even superior.


    Before turning to the last page, Diya stopped and handed it to Ash, ¡°Do you want to take a look too? Every Mage¡¯s Handbook might have information worth noting. If you let me have this handbook, just stop before reading the last page.¡±


    Ash was not opposed, and took it, looking at it for a while before suddenly exclaiming.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I feel like I saw someone we know inside.¡±

 Chapter 255 - 255 219 That Woman

    ?Chapter 255: Chapter 219 That Woman Chapter 255: Chapter 219 That Woman Do we know each other?


    Sonia blinked her eyes and leaned in to take a look, but quickly pulled back: ¡°You introduce it, I¡¯m too pure to look.¡±


    The record mode of this Mage¡¯s Handbook is a task log; it can be seen that the owner is a very organized Mage who likes to set small goals and is very good at striving. He has recorded every significant event in his life in the form of tasks, including summaries and reflections, showing that he is an excellent worker.


    Let¡¯s tentatively call him the ¡®Task Mage.¡¯


    ¡°Task Name: ¡®Tribulation Seed Election Battle¡¯, Importance Level: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡±


    ¡°Task Objective: To become the Tribulation Seed.¡±


    ¡°Task Restriction: Limited to Holy Temple Mages who become Two-winged Mages within three years.¡±


    ¡°Task Reward: Become a Tribulation Seed and gain the opportunity to enter the Silent Spiral. Note, every Tribulation Seed who comes out of the Silent Spiral has become a Three-winged Mage without exception, and has entered the high ranks of the Holy Temple.¡±


    ¡°Task Failure: Lose the opportunity to become a Tribulation Seed. Unless unexpected, the highest position one could achieve in the future would only be that of an assistant in the Holy Temple.¡±


    ¡°Task Process: With the rise of the Silent Spiral, the selection of the Tribulation Seeds, which occurs once every five years, quietly began.¡±


    ¡°There are two other candidates with the same qualifications as me, namely that woman and Frank. Frank is older and more mature, deeply loved by the Believers, and is the most powerful contestant; the woman is too young, but she actively exposed her boyfriend who was hoarding spoils, proving her loyalty to the tribulation, and she was promoted to Two-winged Mage within a year, not to be underestimated.¡±


    ¡°Frank is the leader of the Silver Fire Knight Group. To gain more votes, he increased the frequency of the Knight Group¡¯s raids and successfully conquered Castle Long Wind, bringing more followers and funds to the Holy Temple. He is extremely respected among the public and the Holy Officers, like the glaring and intense midday sun in the desert.¡±


    ¡°As for me, as the Deputy Leader of the Discipline Priest Group, I decided to increase the frequency of patrols and harshly punish the criminals in the area to gain the recognition of the Believers and the Main Priests.¡±


    ¡°Compared with us in high positions, that woman is just a common nun in the Missionary Group, without power or influence, and has no abilities except for her beautiful appearance. If nothing unexpected happens, she should be the first to be eliminated.¡±


    ¡°Until she found me.¡±


    ¡°She said that someone had reported to her that Frank had intimate behavior with his team members.¡±


    ¡°My first reaction was impossible: We Holy Temple Mages have been resisting tribulation pollution since childhood, our spirits have long been tempered to be free from desire, physical desires are almost non-existent, plus most of us have cultivated in the Weak Faction, satisfied with the basic necessities of life by eating sand and sleeping on sandy ground, without any further cravings.¡±


    ¡°And the most important rule of the Holy Temple¡¯s discipline is that Holy Officers are not allowed to engage in any acts of desire because once physical desires are ignited, they become fervent, and a fervent heart is the most easily combustible material for tribulation fire.¡±


    ¡°Even the love between Holy Officers must maintain a touchless treasure. In contrast, those relationships that need intimate contact are polluted, disgusting, and degenerate love, so the romance between Holy Officers is the purest, able to transcend gender, race, age, and other barriers.¡±


    ¡°A beast that follows physical desires is not qualified to be a Holy Officer guarding the tribulation.¡±


    ¡°I refuted her with these words, and she did not continue to argue, but convincingly admitted her mistake and apologized for her suspicion. But after she left, I couldn¡¯t help thinking, what if Frank really did have intimate contact with his team member?¡±


    ¡°If it were true, then he definitely could not become a Tribulation Seed; a Mage whose body can¡¯t maintain forbearance simply wouldn¡¯t survive in the Silent Spiral.¡±


    ¡°Harboring such expectations, I inquired about Frank from many people and found more and more doubts. My suspicions also began to spread as I inquired, and soon the whole Holy Temple was discussing Frank.¡±


    ¡°The next time the Silver Fire Knight Group came back, Frank found me and almost beat me to death, but after verification, Frank did indeed have intimate behavior with his team member Alan Cos, and the bishop removed him from his Holy Officer position.¡±


    ¡°I thought I had a firm grasp on the situation, but on the day of the vote, that woman overwhelmingly won the majority of votes, with almost no one aside from her friends voting for me.¡±


    ¡°It was only then that I realized in a daze, my behavior of slandering Frank behind his back these past few days had incurred everyone¡¯s aversion, and being publicly injured by Frank without the power to fight back massively damaged my image.¡±


    ¡°I was like the desert night: cold and bone-chilling, dark and frightening. No Believer was willing to vote for me.¡±


    ¡°On the contrary, that woman had been quietly working all these days, not participating in quarrels and discussions, faithfully carrying out her duties, plus her beautiful appearance, gradually gaining the approval of many people.¡±


    ¡°The sun is too hot, not tolerating the slightest flaw; the night too dark, making people shy away. Only the water of the Crescent Spring is sweetly favored by everyone.¡±


    ¡°I seem to understand something, but it is too late.¡±


    ¡°Task Result: Failure.¡±


    ¡°Reflection Summary: Don¡¯t trust women, especially beautiful women.¡±


    Sonia snapped to realization halfway through: ¡°Could the ¡®that woman¡¯ mentioned here be the same ¡®she¡¯ we encountered before, who was mentioned in ¡®that Mage¡¯s Handbook¡¯?¡±


    Although Sonia¡¯s statement was incoherent, Ash understood.


    He gave Diya a brief explanation of the background¡ªAsh recalled this character because the Vortex Secret Poison originated from ¡®that Mage¡¯s Handbook¡¯, which naturally left a deep impression on them. After all, the Vortex Secret Poison could be said to be the turning point of their Void Realm Exploration, with their prospects rising like a new energy fund ever since then.


    In that handbook, the owner had finally reached an eternal Contract with ¡®her¡¯, handing over the toy labyrinth that contained the information about the Vortex Secret Poison to ¡®her¡¯.


    But once ¡®she¡¯ was promoted to Two-winged with the help of the Vortex Secret Poison, ¡®she¡¯ promptly betrayed the owner of the handbook to the Holy Temple for riches and honor.


    And the owner of the handbook never betrayed ¡®her¡¯ until the very end, his deep affection simply wasted like water flowing away.


    ¡°It¡¯s very likely, becoming Two-winged within a year, reporting a boyfriend who hid spoils, as well as the Tribulation Holy Temple... all details match up.¡±


    Ash crossed his arms and furrowed his brow: ¡°It¡¯s understandable for that handbook, as the text is either ¡®I¡¯ or ¡®she¡¯, so there¡¯s no need to specifically record a name. But why doesn¡¯t the Task Mage in this handbook record her name, instead referring to her as ¡®that woman¡¯? Especially when they clearly name Frank.¡±

 Chapter 256 - 256 220 The Legend of the Seven-colored Tail

    ?Chapter 256: Chapter 220 The Legend of the Seven-colored Tail Chapter 256: Chapter 220 The Legend of the Seven-colored Tail A very odd feeling¡ªit was strange that both handbooks mentioned the same person, yet both conveniently omitted the person¡¯s name.


    Sonia and Diya were also clueless about this, but it was just an insignificant detail.


    The reason Ash even brought it up to Sonia was simply because it was such a coincidence that it merited a bit of gossip, but he wasn¡¯t really all that curious.


    After all, nobody knew when the owners of these two handbooks were from, and the ¡®she,¡¯ ¡®that woman¡¯ mentioned might well be dead already. If fate would have it, maybe they¡¯d even get to flog her corpse!


    This was what made the Void Realm so fascinating, it was the destination of knowledge and the tomb of Mages.


    Each Mage¡¯s Handbook here was etched with a life story from thousands of years ago, whereas those deeply affecting tales might no longer have any record in reality.


    Reality was so cruel to everyone, but the Void Realm cherished every child.


    Ash handed the Mage¡¯s Handbook back to Diya; once she absorbed it, her hair quickly turned back to white.


    ¡°What abilities did you gain?¡± Ash asked curiously.


    ¡°This should be considered private, right? How dare he ask? Go, White Queen, berate him!¡±


    ¡°My dear Princess, we¡¯re now teammates with them, and we should be open about information that might enhance our combat power.¡±


    Diya, feeling a bit strange, said, ¡°I¡¯ve acquired a sensing ability called ¡®Love Hunt.''¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It means I can easily sense if someone harbors feelings of affection toward another person.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Sonia instinctively took a step back.


    However, she saw the Witch wink at her with a look that said ¡®even without this ability, I could easily see right through you,¡¯ so Sonia forced herself to look the Witch in the eye. Nevertheless, she couldn¡¯t hide the blush spreading across her face.


    Ash recalled the content at the end of that handbook: ¡°Speaking of which, that Task Mage later seemed to have caught many concealed couples in the Holy Temple. Could it be that she awakened her own talent when she exposed Frank and became a love cop? But this ability is also pretty good, definitely more practical than my ¡®Shit Shoveling Proficiency,¡¯ ¡®Joyful Secrets (effective only on females over two meters tall).''¡±


    The three returned to the sports car, and not long after they started driving, they heard a thunderous boom from the distant sky, followed by the cracking sounds of an explosion.


    But with the obstruction of the reverse Golden Rain, they couldn¡¯t see what was happening at all, only faintly sensing that there was a battle in the air.


    ¡°Some people really do have a death wish.¡±


    Sonia looked a little surprised but not the least bit shocked.


    Diya shrugged, ¡°It happens once every two or three nights; during intense periods, there have even been three in one night. After all, the chasm from Golden Level to Holy Sanctuary Level is just too difficult to cross.¡±


    Ash blinked, ¡°Do you guys know what happened?¡±


    ¡°A Mage fully spread their Two-winged and took to the skies.¡±


    ¡°Fully spread their Two-winged... Oh, right!¡±


    Ash suddenly awoke and looked at Sonia, ¡°Can¡¯t we just fly up? Flying has to be faster than driving, right?¡±


    ¡°No, we can¡¯t,¡± Sonia shook her head and pointed in the direction of the booming sound, ¡°Once a Mage tries to fly, the large Knowledge Creatures in the vicinity will immediately sense it. They will mercilessly attack any Mage who attempts to follow the reverse stream of the Golden Rain, as if the Mage who stepped on the lawn deserves punishment.¡±


    ¡°The difficulties Mages face while flying in the Time Continent are much more serious than when we were expelled by Monsters in the Sea of Knowledge last time; because monsters will attack from all directions, and it¡¯s air combat. Even the most resilient Weak Mages will be quickly devoured.¡±


    Ash, still traumatized from their experience of being hunted by nine Knowledge Creatures after triggering the ¡®Secret Poison,¡¯ asked, ¡°Then why would they want to fly?¡±


    ¡°Because they are searching for the Seven-colored Tail,¡± Diya said.


    ¡°Seven-colored Tail?¡±


    ¡°Just like the legend of the golden fish in the Virtual Realm,¡± Sonia explained, ¡°It is said that the Heavenly Carriage Bull has a Seven-colored Tail, and if you follow this tail, you will reach the back of the Heavenly Carriage Bull, which is the third layer of the Virtual Realm¡ªthe Distant Realm.¡±


    Ash asked curiously, ¡°If the Distant Realm is right above the White Bull, why not just fly up there? Why do we need the Seven-colored Tail? The sky isn¡¯t covered, after all.¡±


    ¡°The main reason is that Two-winged Mages can¡¯t possibly fly to the top of the sky,¡± Diya said, ¡°In the more than one month since I set foot on the Time Continent, I¡¯ve heard of a dozen or more Mages being hunted and killed by Knowledge Creatures in the sky, but not one flew over five hundred meters; without exception, they all fell.¡±


    ¡°These Mages who could and dared to fly undoubtedly had their wings fully extended, and might have even formed a tactical system, possessing many Two-winged Technique Spirits and Miracles. Saying they are strong among the Two-winged Mages is not an exaggeration. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that they absolutely couldn¡¯t raise their faction realm to the Holy Sanctuary Level, they wouldn¡¯t have risked challenging the sky.¡±


    ¡°But even they can¡¯t touch the sky, which proves that relying on flying to reach the Distant Realm is completely impractical.¡±


    Ash tilted his head, ¡°But isn¡¯t the Seven-colored Tail also high in the sky? After all, it¡¯s the White Bull¡¯s tail.¡±


    ¡°I found some information that says the Seven-colored Tail might be very, very long, and might even hang down to the ground,¡± Sonia said, ¡°These Mages fly not to traverse the sky, but to search for the Seven-colored Tail within the Golden Rain.¡±


    ¡°Although there¡¯s no evidence, many Mages believe that once they enter the Seven-colored Tail, Knowledge Creatures will not continue to attack them, and they will be able to fly along the Seven-colored Tail to the Distant Realm.¡±


    ¡°So the true significance of the Seven-colored Tail is a ¡®safe flight path¡¯...¡± Ash finally understood, ¡°That¡¯s a miraculous way to smuggle oneself...¡±


    ¡°Before, I would have definitely considered the Seven-colored Tail to be a legend passed down erroneously among Mages,¡± Sonia spoke with anticipation, ¡°But now it¡¯s different. Observer, go for it, find the Seven-colored Tail just like you found the golden fish!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple,¡± Ash said irritably, ¡°I feel that the truth behind the Seven-colored Tail, just like the true face of the golden fish, is definitely a lot different than the rumors. Otherwise, other Mages would have discovered it by now and it wouldn¡¯t remain a legend.¡±


    ¡°They are so arrogant; only a few Mages in the All Virtual Realm have found the Seven-colored Tail, and they come here with it as their goal. Go ahead and laugh at them!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re so eager to express your desires, you do it.¡±


    ¡°White Queen, you¡¯ve changed, you don¡¯t love me anymore.¡±


    ¡°My dear Princess, even if I love you, I would still find you annoying.¡±


    Ash spurred the sports car to chase time, looking at the Void Realm Map¡¯s area indicators and resolving to scavenge at least one more resource point tonight.


    Suddenly, a series of gold areas appeared on the Void Realm Map.


    Based on past experience, the gold areas represented adventures, but the area indicator gave Ash the creeps¡ª


    ¡°Everyone will grow old and die, including you, so you have to hurry up.¡±

 Chapter 257 - 257 221 As for Ting Ri thats even more awesome

    ?Chapter 257: Chapter 221 As for Ting Ri, that¡¯s even more awesome Chapter 257: Chapter 221 As for Ting Ri, that¡¯s even more awesome ¡°Ha, ha...¡±


    Ash had just left the Golden Mist Area when he immediately knelt on the grass, gasping for air.


    He watched as his withered arm slowly regained its flesh tone and his breathing, like a broken bellows, smoothed out. His sluggish thoughts sharpened as if rust had been scraped away, filling him with a sense of miraculous escape.


    Only now did he realize how blissful a sustained, serious thought could be.


    When a soul aged, thought itself became a luxury, the mind like a severely stuttering machine. Forget about executing a task process, even trying to bring up the task manager to organize your thoughts would reveal that the task manager was stuck too.


    After one experience, even Ash couldn¡¯t help but feel a touch of fear.


    Aging was truly an indescribable terror.


    Suddenly, footsteps came from behind. Ash was about to look back when he heard a hoarse and old voice scream, ¡°Don¡¯t look back!¡±


    Ash obediently stared at the grass for a few seconds, until he heard the voice of the Sword Maiden, ¡°It¡¯s okay now.¡±


    He turned his head, and what met his eyes was, of course, the still young and beautiful Sword Maiden and Witch.


    ¡°Actually, I wouldn¡¯t mind seeing your aged selves,¡± Ash shrugged, ¡°on the contrary, I¡¯m quite curious.¡±


    ¡°But! I! Mind!¡± Sonia said through clenched teeth, ¡°I¡¯m never going back there! Books are full of lies; who says you can get rich picking up trash on the Time Continent? Whoever wants that money can have it!¡±


    Ash and his companions had just entered the most famous adventure zone of the Time Continent¡ªthe Flowing Gold River. Around the river, there were wild Technique Spirits, including rare species such as ¡®Reverse Year¡¯, ¡®Fixed Month¡¯, and ¡®Listen to Day¡¯.


    ¡®Reverse Year¡¯, as mentioned before, could reverse a person¡¯s bodily time by one year, acting like a side-effect-free extension of life, a treasure that was priceless and unmarketable.


    ¡®Fixed Month¡¯ would lock the current state of one¡¯s body for a month. Even though one could still get hurt, details like skin, appearance, and hair quality would remain unaffected by external factors. Combined with ¡®Bare-faced Beauty¡¯, ¡®Radiant¡¯, and ¡®Crystal Hair¡¯ beauty Miracles, one could easily achieve a month-long top appearance that was not afraid of wind, sun, or even swimming, revered as the top-tier makeup product.


    As for ¡®Listen to Day¡¯ and other such Technique Spirits, they were even more formidable, but let¡¯s not get into that right now.


    In short, Flowing Gold River was a place of fortunate encounters specially designed for the Time Continent. Furthermore, the Technique Spirits near the river wouldn¡¯t run away. Facing Mages, these foreign invaders, they would even come closer to be petted, with a lower sense of caution than that of a kitten.


    Logically speaking, when Mages encountered such a place, they wouldn¡¯t leave even if they had to dig three feet into the ground or extend three inches into the sky. However, Ash and his party had fled in less than ten seconds, and Sonia, normally fearless like a Village Girl and a Divine Lord, now looked back at the Golden Mist surrounding Flowing Gold River with a hint of fear in her eyes.


    Because if they had been any slower, they might have collapsed by the river, literally aging to death.


    The reason Flowing Gold River could gather and nurture so many Technique Spirits was that the area around the river featured Time Acceleration properties.


    For Technique Spirits, Flowing Gold River was like an all-inclusive hot spring buffet area, and Time Acceleration was akin to a Thai spa massage. Staying there, they not only enjoyed top-tier indulgences, but with time, they could even evolve into Two-winged Technique Spirits, making it akin to a Water Therapy resort for Technique Spirits.


    But for Mages, Flowing Gold River was essentially Hell¡¯s experiential shop opened on the Time Continent.


    Just like areas without the Flowing Gold River are called ¡®Static Domains,¡¯ where still time freezes Mages into a painting; thus, regions near the Flowing Gold River are called ¡®Dynamic Domains.¡¯ Those Mages who dare to step into the Dynamic Domain would age and wither at a pace of ten thousand to a billion times normal due to accelerated time, and the tumultuous passage of time would dissolve Mages into dust.


    And unlike the silent and elegant death of the Static Domain, death in the Dynamic Domain is clear and brutal.


    If normal Time Passage is like a urine test, then the accelerated time near the Flowing Gold River is like a dam releasing floodwaters; the souls of the Mages are nearly shattered by the frenzied flow of time, resulting in physical decay, difficulty breathing, and sluggish thoughts¡ªsigns of aging, like steel rusting from exposure to air.


    So Ash and the others were truly afraid.


    Because this time, they really smelled the scent of Death.


    They had understood many forms of death: being killed by a creature of knowledge, slain by a Mage¡¯s projection, drowning at sea, freezing in the Static Domain... but these were all abnormal deaths that wouldn¡¯t occur in reality, and if they did, the Mages believed they had the ability to avoid them.


    Only aging was different, for all things decay, and stars too have days when they extinguish. It is the Law of all things. Even the Longevity Species like Blood Saint Moon Shadow only have physical immortality, but their souls, too, will eventually reach their end.


    Ash looked at his tender, strong arm but thought of those decayed, twig-like hands he had just seen. He knew if he was lucky enough, lived long enough, then one day he would see those hands again.


    Aging represents an unstoppable Death. They were like ants before a rolling wheel, only able to watch helplessly as the wheel of time rolled towards them.


    This powerless struggle was the true source of their inner fear.


    ¡°Feeling any better?¡±


    Ash and Sonia¡¯s hands were taken up by another pair of soft hands. Turning around, they saw Diya smiling gently at them.


    Feeling the warmth in their hands, their fear also quickly dissipated.


    They had just been frightened by the illusion of aging, like elementary school students freshly on summer vacation, dreaming they¡¯d been caught by their teacher for not doing their homework. Diya¡¯s tenderness was like a friend calling them out to play early in the morning, making them realize they still had wonderful days ahead and thus naturally extracting them from the mire of fear. Even if they would eventually face the teacher¡¯s scolding, that was not for their present selves to worry about; the important thing was to enjoy their youth first.


    Ash asked, ¡°Witch, have you been to the Flowing Gold River before?¡±


    ¡°This is already my third time,¡± Diya nodded. ¡°The first time I escaped from the Flowing Gold River, I looked even worse than you two. Aging is indeed terrifying, and we must have a respectful awe of time, but there¡¯s no need to feel inferior, and definitely not to admit defeat.¡±


    ¡°We are Mages, born to conquer everything. And there are Mages who have successfully conquered time.¡±


    Divine Lord!


    The term popped into Ash and Sonia¡¯s minds simultaneously¡ªas the Supreme beings who ruled the Fate of countless souls, transforming their own will into divine will, creating and overseeing various nations, the Divine Lords undoubtedly had lives extending beyond the existence of nations, perhaps living for thousands or even tens of thousands of years.


    If there were Mages in the world who had conquered time, then the Divine Lords were certainly among them.


    A desire that could be labeled as wishful thinking quietly sprouted in their hearts.


    It wasn¡¯t just Sonia, the greedy Village Girl who longed for fame and fortune. Even Ash, a man softened by society to the point of being cotton candy, was now fluttering with the impractical goal he had upon graduating college, hoping to stand his ground in the City by buying a house with his own efforts.

 Chapter 258 - 258 222 Greedy Sword Maiden (4 more)

    ?Chapter 258: Chapter 222 Greedy Sword Maiden (4 more) Chapter 258: Chapter 222 Greedy Sword Maiden (4 more) ¡°Speaking of which, when I was looking through the materials, I saw some Mages calling the Flowing Gold River the ¡®Ambition River,¡¯ and I couldn¡¯t understand it at the time.¡±


    Sonia suddenly laughed, ¡°Now I finally understand.¡±


    ¡°Fear can overwhelm courage and similarly can fuel ambition,¡± the White Queen agreed heartily. ¡°Mages who can traverse the Void Realm are the freest beings in the world. After confronting aging and death, they will find that the chains known as ¡®rules,¡¯ ¡®rationality,¡¯ and ¡®common sense¡¯ in reality are nothing but trifling illusions.¡±


    ¡°There were never any chains to begin with; Mages are born to conquer everything.¡±


    Boom!


    A roaring boom suddenly echoed from the distant sky, followed by the roars of countless monsters¡ªit was clear that someone else had taken to the skies in search of the Seven-colored Tail.


    The three of them looked in the direction of the noise for a while before Ash suddenly said, ¡°You guys need to work hard, because as soon as one of you elevates your faction realm to Holy Sanctuary Level, the other two can also climb to the Distant Realm together, even without the Seven-colored Tail, sneaking into a higher layer of the Void Realm.¡±


    There really are such benefits... Diya thought to herself when she had been unwittingly brought into the Void Realm without opening the Gate of Truth, hinting at the ¡®one person progresses, the whole team benefits¡¯ style of teaming up. If the Observer could directly open the Gate of Truth leading to the fourth layer of the Void Realm, wouldn¡¯t they instantly become Legendary Mages?


    However, the Observer¡¯s power was limited to being a Two-winged, and according to the Sword Maiden, he had also lost his memory, so everything had to start from scratch... Yet the Observer they had met in reality did not seem like someone who had lost his memory and power. On the contrary, he appeared even more demonic and unrestrained than a Legendary Mage.


    Whereas the Observer of the Void Realm, although a bit eccentric, was overall more amiable and approachable, like a cake at an afternoon tea.


    If it wasn¡¯t mainly for an unchanged personality, the White Queen would have almost thought that the Observer, like herself, had siblings.


    So, was the Observer the type to intimidate newcomers, in order to command them? From a management perspective, what he was doing wasn¡¯t wrong...


    Or maybe... The White Queen glanced at the Sword Maiden.


    Could it be because the Sword Maiden was there that the Observer didn¡¯t dare to be arrogant?


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to look for the Seven-colored Tail anymore?¡± Sonia asked.


    ¡°I will, but you two can¡¯t slack off either. If I can¡¯t find it, I¡¯ll have to rely on you two,¡± Ash said, patting his bottom as he stood up. ¡°A being like the Divine Lord is still too far off, but the Distant Realm is worth considering.¡±


    ¡°After all, the Time Continent is so fascinating; what kind of scenery awaits us in the Distant Realm?¡±


    Watching them regain their spirits completely, Diya felt for a moment before saying, ¡°Entering the Flowing Gold River this time, we probably used up a third of our soul energy. We should be able to go once more¡ªwhat do you think¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it tomorrow night.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see next time.¡±


    Ash and Sonia instantly chickened out, and the White Queen couldn¡¯t help but laugh behind her hand.


    Entering the Flowing Gold River does not require the use of soul energy, but returning their decaying souls back to normal does.


    If willing, a Mage could enter and exit the Flowing Gold River multiple times. In fact, many Mages do just that. After all, Mages like Ash who can ensure a nightly harvest with a Void Realm Map are few and far between; most Mages wander the Time Continent at random, and even if they come across a resource spot occasionally, it is often too difficult to overcome the vicious social creatures.


    Therefore, for most Mages, as long as they don¡¯t die of old age, a trip to and from the Flowing Gold River is a purely profitable affair.


    Ash and the others only used up a third of their energy because it was their first time and they were inexperienced. If it were a proficient scavenger, even the energy expenditure could be suppressed to a fifth or even a sixth.


    The three of them began to check their scavenging spoils; Ash had the worst luck, picking up five Technique Spirits that were not only of low value but also from the cheapest Time-Minute-Second series rather than the Year-Month-Day series. These Technique Spirits could not be used independently and could only serve as casting materials for Miracles.


    Sonia¡¯s luck was a bit better; among the four Technique Spirits she picked, one was ¡®Sun Position,¡¯ which fixed the body¡¯s condition for one day.


    Although ¡®Sun Position¡¯ was not as popular as ¡®Fixed Month¡¯ or ¡®Fixed Year,¡¯ Sonia could use it herself. For important occasions, she could use this Technique Spirit to set her makeup and not need touch-ups all day.


    But the luckiest was Diya.


    She picked up only three Technique Spirits: ¡®Reverse Sun,¡¯ ¡®Ten Years,¡¯ and ¡®Listening Moon¡¯!


    ¡®Reverse Sun¡¯ needs no elaboration¡ªit could be used as a healing Technique Spirit, allowing the body to revert to the state from one day prior. ¡®Ten Years¡¯ was a Two-winged Technique Spirit with substantial value; even Sonia did not dare purchase it as a consumable. ¡®Listening Moon¡¯ was even more impressive, only slightly less valuable than ¡®Listening Sun.¡¯


    Facing the envious looks of the others, Diya said, ¡°Observer, can you give me all the Technique Spirits you¡¯ve collected in exchange for ¡®Reverse Sun¡¯? Sword Maiden, your Grinding Sword Miracle requires ¡®Ten Years,¡¯ right? I¡¯ll give it to you.¡±


    Sonia reflexively refused, ¡°But those are your spoils¡ª¡±


    Diya smiled and said, ¡°But we¡¯re a team now, and I have no use for ¡®Ten Years.¡¯ It would just be a waste for me to keep it. Besides, my ¡®Fast Forward¡¯ Technique Spirit consumes Time-Minute-Second Technique Spirits, so give me any that you¡¯ve picked up. I currently have no way to procure time Technique Spirits and can only rely on what we find in the Void Realm.¡±


    Ash readily handed over the five Technique Spirits he had found but declined ¡®Reverse Sun,¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t foresee battling in real life anytime soon, so there shouldn¡¯t be any danger; Witch, you keep it for yourself.¡±


    As Sonia watched this exchange, she suddenly said, ¡°Since he doesn¡¯t want it, give ¡®Reverse Sun¡¯ to me as well. Witch, consider it a favor I owe you.¡±


    Diya looked at Sonia in surprise, but since Ash did not object, she handed both ¡®Reverse Sun¡¯ and ¡®Ten Years¡¯ to the Sword Maiden, saying, ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be like this, taking what we need is natural in a team. Just prioritize giving me the resources I need in the future.¡±


    But Sonia insisted, ¡°I will repay this favor in the future.¡±


    Ash, curious, asked, ¡°Sword Maiden, do you have a battle coming up that you need to prepare healing Technique Spirits for?¡±


    ¡°Mind your own business,¡± Sonia mumbled. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I needed the Technique Spirit for myself.¡±


    ¡°This woman is too much, taking this and that; I hate people who are so greedy,¡± the White Queen thought to herself as she watched the Sword Maiden tucking the ¡®Reverse Sun¡¯ Technique Spirit into her bosom. ¡°Princess, there¡¯s something I¡¯m not sure if I should say.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Even though you¡¯re mostly adorably silly, sometimes you can be annoyingly so.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have said that!¡±


    ¡°Too late.¡±

 Chapter 259 - 259 223 The Flaw of Bonds

    ?Chapter 259: Chapter 223: The Flaw of Bonds Chapter 259: Chapter 223: The Flaw of Bonds Although they wanted to scavenge a second resource point, they ran into an old acquaintance, the ¡°Fish-Slicing Dragon¡±, on the way and thought it was a chance encounter in a foreign land, so might as well make a day of it right then and there with a friendly exchange.


    Although there was no ocean, the Fish-Slicing Dragon on land was not to be underestimated, and it wasn¡¯t in its juvenile or adolescent stage, but an exceedingly close to mature adult creature, with a body at least twenty meters long, half of its scales having transformed into a dark red color.


    Once all its scales turned dark red, it would evolve into the mature ¡°Violent Slash Dragon¡±, capable of contending with top-tier Two-winged Mages, but for now, it was at most half a step into full maturity, just a tad shy of evolving.


    What¡¯s that, you ask why I need to go into detail about this Fish-Slicing Dragon?


    Because it¡¯s really quite wealthy.


    After a tough battle, the lucky Fish-Slicing Dragon exploded into a pile of spoils, and the prepared trio simultaneously acted to capture all the escaping Technique Spirits.


    First off, it dropped Two-winged ¡°Sword Trace¡± and ¡°Sword Cut¡± Technique Spirits. Sonia, who wanted to follow the traditional path of a Sword Master, needed to upgrade all three Technique Spirits¡ªSlash, Stab, and Cut¡ªto establish a solid foundation in swordsmanship, so ¡°Sword Cut¡± was claimed by Ash, who didn¡¯t care about the basics anyway.


    ¡°Sword Trace¡± was compatible with most swordsmanship Technique Spirits. Sonia didn¡¯t lack the added offensive power from ¡°Sword Trace¡±, but Ash, who currently only had Heart Sword for ranged attacks, could try to combine ¡°Heart Sword¡± with ¡°Sword Trace¡± to create a new Miracle that might produce a stable and efficient offensive method.


    Besides swordsmanship Technique Spirits, the Fish-Slicing Dragon also dropped a Two-winged ¡°Water Erosion¡± Technique Spirit.


    This Technique Spirit was snatched up by Diya; her own ¡°Water Lineage¡± was already an attack method based on Water Magic Technique Spirits, expressed through the Fist Claw Faction style. The ¡°Water Erosion¡± Technique Spirit could perfectly integrate into her combat system and potentially combine to form a new Miracle.


    Apart from these Technique Spirits, the other Technique Spirits of the Fish-Slicing Dragon were barely worth mentioning and were all handled by Ash¡¯s spare operator processor.


    But aside from the Technique Spirits, the Fish-Slicing Dragon also dropped a swordsmanship Treasure Bead!


    The bead was undoubtedly joyfully accepted by Sonia, though she had modestly offered it to Ash first, her hand nonetheless clutched the bead firmly, and Ash didn¡¯t even bother calling her out on it.


    One Fish-Slicing Dragon brought benefits to all three people.


    Fish-Slicing Dragon, you¡¯re so gentle.


    However, a near-mature Fish-Slicing Dragon was not raised on seaweed; it boasted thick blood, high defenses, and ferocious combat capabilities. Unfortunately for it, Ash and Sonia had already killed almost a dozen Fish Dragons in the Sea of Knowledge. They knew exactly what a slight tail lift or head raise signified, and they could perfectly apply their past strategies to this encounter.


    Even if something went awry, the trio could coordinate to cover for each other, and the Fish-Slicing Dragon never got the chance to fully unleash its fury, embarrassingly toyed with until the very end.


    Although they had managed to successfully slay this half-step into full maturity knowledge creature, the battle lasted for half an hour, and their Magic Power and soul energy were now mostly depleted, leaving them unable to continue exploring.


    Magic Power was like a mana bar, which could recover with rest in the Void Realm; soul energy was like a combination of health and stamina bars, which would deplete from injury and activities. It could not be replenished in the Void Realm, and once entirely depleted, one would have to exit the realm or risk damaging the soul.


    After tidying up their loot on the sports car, Ash declared, ¡°Everyone did great tonight, let¡¯s keep up the good work tomorrow evening. Tonight¡¯s achievements are tomorrow¡¯s goals; let¡¯s aim for a bit of improvement each day! So now we¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    ¡°Observer,¡± Sonia suddenly interjected, ¡°I have something I want to talk to you about.¡±


    ¡°Sure, go ahead,¡± Ash replied readily.


    Diya very considerately stood up, ¡°I¡¯ll go work on integrating the new Technique Spirit. Let me know when you¡¯re done talking.¡±


    As the Witch¡¯s silhouette was swallowed by the Golden Rain, Sonia looked at Ash. Her throat had been full of words, but in the end, she only uttered a single sound: ¡°Hmph!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not still upset, are you?¡± Ash asked, somewhat amused yet exasperated, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just accept the Witch into the team?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not... It¡¯s not just that... Never mind.¡±


    Sonia waved her hand in frustration and suddenly asked, ¡°Can¡¯t you listen to my heart in the Void Realm?¡±


    Ash, puzzled, responded, ¡°Of course not.¡±


    Not just in the Void Realm, but at no time could he do that.


    ¡°Wait a minute, does the game have a feature that listens to the operators¡¯ inner thoughts?¡± So is that why the Sword Maiden thinks she can listen to mine?


    Speaking of this type of collectible growth mobile game, there indeed tends to be a similar mechanism, usually manifesting as the player tapping an operator¡¯s avatar, which causes the operator to spout a few lines. The higher the operator¡¯s trust level, the more heart-tugging their lines become.


    But during Ash¡¯s dull moments in Shattered Lake Prison, even after thoroughly researching the game system, he hadn¡¯t discovered any other functional modules... Damn, could it have been lost and never repaired?


    ¡°Sigh...¡±


    Sonia sat next to the back seat, gazing at the golden rain outside, and let out a gentle sigh.


    It was Ash¡¯s first time seeing the Sword Maiden look so sorrowful. In his memory, she was always portrayed as a character who pressed forward with song and fervor. Even when faced with setbacks, her fighting spirit only flamed higher. She was like a flower so full of life, pent-up with an energy that had to burst out in fragrance and vivid color, outshining all others, answerable to no one.


    And now, she seemed like a dark flower blooming in a lonely corner of the courtyard, quietly self-pitying, yet possessing a peculiar charm that touched the soul.


    However...


    ¡°Your face just doesn¡¯t match with contemplation.¡±


    Ash reached out and poked her forehead, laughing, ¡°Are you troubled by something? Tell me; let¡¯s have a laugh.¡±


    ¡°It should be ¡®doesn¡¯t match with sorrow¡¯!¡±


    Sonia shielded her forehead, replying irritably, ¡°How are you doing now?¡±


    How did the topic switch to me? Ash blinked, ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯m getting by.¡±


    ¡°Be more specific.¡± Sonia shot him an annoyed glance, ¡°Have you left the Kingdom of Blood Moon? Is your current residence safe? Is there any danger in your daily life? Are there any pressing difficulties? Even if I can¡¯t help much, I can at least offer some advice.¡±


    Actually, Sonia had been wanting to ask for a while, but after entering the Void Realm, she was distracted by the Witch joining the team. Then the Observer brought a sports car for Void Realm Exploration, and with the Witch constantly at her side, she never found the chance for a private chat with the Observer.


    Now, as the team was about to disband and sever the Void Realm connection, Sonia had no choice but to initiate a one-on-one conversation with the Observer. She didn¡¯t necessarily have to ask; after all, since the Observer could enter the Void Realm, that meant he was already safe in reality, even having a stable place to live. The homeless under bridges wouldn¡¯t dare to explore the Void Realm.


    But she wanted to ask.


    Ash looked at her thoughtfully, then suddenly broke into a grin. Sonia, unsettled by his laughter, pursed her lips, ¡°What are you laughing at?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re concerned about me.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI just¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t explain. Let me hold onto this moved feeling; it¡¯s nice.¡± Ash smiled, ¡°While I was on the run, I also wondered how you were doing. I figured you must be missing me, too. This proves that sacred Bonds truly connect us.¡±


    Sonia paused slightly, ¡°You thought of me while you were on the run?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Ash nodded, ¡°Sadly, the deeper our Bonds, the less we can meet in reality, and we can only see each other in the Void Realm from now on.¡±


    Had the Witch not informed Ash of this rule, he might still be secretly bemoaning that the Sword Maiden didn¡¯t visit him. Aside from the perfectly functioning in-app purchase system, the game had too many odd flaws everywhere else.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is...¡± Sonia nodded thoughtfully.


    No wonder the Observer hadn¡¯t come to see her in her room for so long¡ªit meant that only when the Bonds were weak at the beginning, could he appear before her. As our relationship became closer, he could no longer enter my private space, let alone listen to my inner voice... Thinking about it, this restriction seems pretty considerate.


    But I¡¯m not that bothered by him entering my private space anymore...


    And I¡¯ve also learned how to hide my inner voice...


    This restriction... really couldn¡¯t have come at a worse time.

 Chapter 260 - 260 224 Reverse Sun

    ?Chapter 260: Chapter 224 Reverse Sun Chapter 260: Chapter 224 Reverse Sun ¡°As for my current situation,¡± Ash said, ¡°I¡¯ve already escaped from the Kingdom of Blood Moon, and then¡ª¡±


    He got stuck at that point.


    From the first second he arrived at the Kingdom of Gospel, Hanna became an unavoidable key figure because she picked him up from a wild talent market as soon as he landed.


    However, due to the Contract, Ash couldn¡¯t reveal any information about Hanna. Any unintended leaks would be prevented by the Contract, let alone the fact that his current predicament, new residence, and new job were all closely linked to Hanna, even his underwear was bought with Hanna¡¯s money, all classified information.


    He did want to rant to the Sword Maiden about a whole bunch of stuff, but everything ultimately pointed back to Hanna, so he couldn¡¯t say anything; any detail might give away the secret that he was being fostered by Hanna.


    ¡°Then what?¡± Sonia blinked her eyes.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you,¡± Ash said helplessly, ¡°I signed a tyrannical Contract that doesn¡¯t allow me to disclose any information. All I can say is that I¡¯m currently safe, preparing for a major plan that desecrates the Divine Lord, and I¡¯ve also got a daughter...¡±


    ¡°A daughter!?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be more concerned about the plan desecrating the Divine Lord?¡±


    ¡°Anyway, you won¡¯t tell me...¡±


    Sonia¡¯s lips twitched, and she suddenly remembered that the Observer was a revived powerful being who must have had entangled karmic ties; with his level of experience, perhaps he once had a bunch of partners. Looking down, she said, ¡°That¡¯s right, considering your age, it¡¯s only natural you¡¯d have children...¡±


    What does she mean by ¡®considering my age¡¯?


    I¡¯m only in my twenties; do I look like someone with children? Although admittedly, quite a few of my junior high school classmates do already have their second child...


    ¡°It¡¯s actually just some poor kid who insists on calling me ¡®Dad.¡¯ I haven¡¯t agreed, but taking care of her is part of the job, so I had to accept. Don¡¯t get the wrong idea, though, I¡¯m not married yet.¡±


    ¡°What misunderstanding? I don¡¯t care whether you¡¯re married or not.¡±


    Sonia snorted, thinking to herself, could the Observer have become a teacher in a new kingdom after his transition? And he¡¯s even taking care of a child?


    How is he taking care of her; surely he¡¯s not using his powers to force the child to study?


    ¡°In any case, you don¡¯t have to worry about me; I¡¯m safe for now.¡±


    Ash said, ¡°What about you? Are you still enjoying life at the academy?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so-so,¡± she replied, ¡°just got a lot more admirers now, have to sign autographs often, recently got interviewed by reporters too. Seems like there¡¯s a buzz that I¡¯m Jiale City¡¯s number one swordsmanship talent. I¡¯ve got so many party invitations, it¡¯s such a pressure, I feel like I¡¯ve lost weight...¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯d say I¡¯m jealous? Because I am really jealous,¡± Ash said almost sourly. Sword Maiden¡¯s college life was so fulfilling, it made him, whose college social activities were limited to gaming in the dorm, extremely envious.


    ¡°All this is thanks to you. Just over twenty days ago, I was just an obscure, pure, pretty, and cute college girl.¡± Sonia shrugged. ¡°So... thank you.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say we don¡¯t need to say that sort of thing to each other? And what does it have to do with me, it¡¯s all your own doing, I only suggested you train properly,¡± Ash shook his head, leaning against the chair and said grumpily, ¡°And such verbal thanks without any benefit is like praise without a raise, it doesn¡¯t stir anything in me, it¡¯s even a bit tiresome¡ª¡±


    A pair of fair arms gently encircled his neck from behind.


    Not with a choking force, but tenderly, cautiously, yet with enough intensity to meld him into her body, like the ambiguous warmth of sunlight after a nap.


    These arms were resilient. The physical body in the Void Realm was a reflection of the real body, and since the Sword Maiden practiced her swordsmanship diligently in reality, even without targeted training, her arms would inevitably feel powerful, probably more robust than Ash¡¯s biceps. Ash liked these healthy contours.


    Warm breath tickled Ash¡¯s earlobe through his hair, making him feel a bit itchy. As he turned his head, Sonia quickly released her hands and stepped back, staring at the golden rain outside as if she couldn¡¯t get enough of it: ¡°This is for you.¡±


    For me?


    Ash was startled and then realized that when the Sword Maiden hugged his neck, she had slipped a Technique Spirit into his embrace.


    It was precisely the highly effective healing Technique Spirit ¡®Sun Reversal,¡¯ which even a novice Mage could use.


    Sonia had never claimed it, so it remained unbound and could be used by any Mage.


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°You can just recycle it if you don¡¯t need it. Don¡¯t return it to me, and definitely don¡¯t give it to the Witch.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought it over, and I don¡¯t really need this Technique Spirit, so I¡¯m giving it to you¡ªno strings attached.¡±


    Ash cocked his head, looking at her, ¡°If you wanted me to accept ¡®Reverse Sun,¡¯ why didn¡¯t you just say so earlier? The Witch was already planning to give it to me.¡±


    ¡°But if she gives it to you, wouldn¡¯t you be in her debt?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just normal resource allocation¡ªhow is that a favor¡ª¡±


    ¡°If it were normal resource allocation, why did you refuse ¡®Reverse Sun¡¯? It¡¯s because you know the few seconds and minutes Technique Spirits you found can¡¯t compare with ¡®Reverse Sun,¡¯ and that¡¯s why you felt too embarrassed to accept it. If the Witch insisted on giving it to you, you would definitely feel indebted to her!¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s a favor, it¡¯s useless. I¡¯m very fair and can¡¯t be bought by one or two bribes.¡±


    ¡°One or two times, maybe not, but what about ten times, a hundred times? The Witch from day one has been ingratiating herself with you. If she keeps accumulating these favors, sooner or later, she¡¯ll sway you to her side!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, you do have a point...¡± Ash had to admit the Sword Maiden was right, ¡°But if you accept ¡®Reverse Sun,¡¯ won¡¯t you owe her a favor too?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll repay any favor I owe her. Our relationship is purely a cooperative one, and a favor won¡¯t influence other things,¡± Sonia said. ¡°What¡¯s more important is that even if I don¡¯t repay her, I won¡¯t feel any guilt about it, unlike you who can be toppled by these sugar-coated bullets.¡±


    ¡°I actually feel like your spirit of taking money without doing favors seems oddly righteous...¡± Ash commented sarcastically. ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t have to be so wary of the Witch. Although we aren¡¯t very familiar with her now, sooner or later, we will become partners bound by close ties.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about that when the time comes,¡± Sonia replied nonchalantly, her eyes fixed on the ¡®Reverse Sun¡¯ in Ash¡¯s hands. ¡°So, do you want it or not?¡±


    Even though Ash felt he really didn¡¯t need ¡®Reverse Sun¡¯ to save his life, how could he refuse after the Sword Maiden had put it that way?


    He figured the moment he refused, the Sword Maiden might just chop him up to the point where he¡¯d need ¡®Reverse Sun¡¯ to save his life.


    As he took control of ¡®Reverse Sun¡¯ with his Magic Power, Ash suddenly said, ¡°Wait a minute, by your reasoning, you specially took ¡®Reverse Sun¡¯ from the Witch and handed it to me, so you want me to owe you a favor?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and you better remember this favor for the rest of your life.¡±


    ¡°But if I owe you a favor, won¡¯t I be partial to you?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you already partial to me?¡±


    Right, all the resources are already being prioritized for the Sword Maiden, so no problem there.


    ¡°Although I¡¯m quite pleased that you¡¯re all competing for my favor and I might even feel a little smug about it, your real competitiveness lies in your own strengths, not in my attitude towards you. The occasional favor is fine, but please don¡¯t focus on such things,¡± Ash said, scratching his head. ¡°There are only three of us. Infighting is just suicidal.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to curry favor with you...¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you doing this to curry favor with me?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Sonia averted her gaze from Ash, murmuring, ¡°But that¡¯s not the only reason.¡±


    ...


    ...


    Not far from the sports car, on the grassy lawn, Diya was rolling around. When she got tired, she spread out on the grass like the letter ¡®big¡¯, completely lacking her usual dignity and Elegance.


    ¡°Finally, I have some time to play,¡± she stretched lazily, saying, ¡°Rolling around on the grass is an unmissable part of visiting the Time Continent!¡±


    The White queen suddenly said, ¡°The Sword Maiden should also send it out.¡±


    ¡°Send what?¡±


    ¡°The Sun Reversal Technique Spirit, of course. The reason she took ¡®Reverse Sun¡¯ was to give it to the Observer.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Diya sat up in shock. ¡°She actually took our stuff to give to the Observer? How underhanded, the adult world is so disgusting. No wonder she wanted us to leave; she didn¡¯t want us to interrupt her wooing the Observer!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that underhanded or disgusting. She wasn¡¯t just doing it to please the Observer.¡±


    ¡°Then what else is it for?¡±


    ¡°Princess, ¡®Reverse Sun¡¯ is a highly efficient Technique Spirit for healing. We tried to trade it to the Observer, and after the Observer declined, the Sword Maiden took the initiative to take it. Although the Observer believes he doesn¡¯t need a fallback like ¡®Reverse Sun,¡¯ the Sword Maiden might not agree with the Observer¡¯s thoughts.¡±


    ¡°She might just be worried about the Observer¡¯s safety.¡±

 Chapter 261 - 261 225 Harvey Starts a Group

    ?Chapter 261: Chapter 225 Harvey Starts a Group Chapter 261: Chapter 225 Harvey Starts a Group ¡°Ah...¡±


    Bathed in sunlight, Liss woke up hugging her teddy bear in her left hand and rubbing her eyes with her right as she sat up, her face showing signs of poor sleep. Last night, after she had gone to bed, her sisters returned, and instead of sleeping, they chatted all night, which forced her to get up in the middle of the night to pee.


    After relieving herself, her sisters were still talking about the Void Realm, and Liss found herself mesmerized by their conversation, resulting in a lack of sleep and extreme fatigue.


    In fact, if Liss hadn¡¯t taken over her body, they would have had a full night¡¯s rest.


    That¡¯s because when a Mage connects to the Void Realm, their physical body is essentially put under the realm¡¯s temporary custody to automatically sleep, entering a state of deep sleep directly.


    The majority of organisms alternate between light and deep sleep, with the latter being the most restorative but making up only a small portion of the sleep cycle.


    A Mage who can voluntarily enter deep sleep only needs to spend 2 hours in the Void Realm for their body to recuperate enough energy to last for another 22 hours. And unless they are incredibly unlucky, most Mages spend around four hours in their exploration of the Void Realm, leading to a recovery of energy that¡¯s almost overflowing.


    This is one of the reasons why Mages are considered part of the elite class in various nations. It¡¯s not that all Mages wield destructive power, but they all have more real-world time and an abundance of energy that lasts them the whole day without feeling tired.


    Simply put, Mages not only possess higher talents than the average person but also work harder, have more time, and even if they were to do manual labor like bricklaying, they would be faster, more vigorous, and stronger. Not to mention Mages also benefit from a more favorable reward feedback system¡ªordinary people may not succeed no matter how hard they work, but Mages definitely gain something from their efforts. Just by idling in the Void Realm, they grow stronger day by day.


    While in the same ¡°game,¡± only Mages are actual players; ordinary people are merely NPCs used to enhance the atmosphere.


    By letting Liss take over her body after entering the Void Realm, Diya effectively gave up the benefit of ¡°Void Realm-assisted sleep.¡± In addition to their bodies being turned into those of children, a solid nine hours of sleep was needed for recovery.


    As to why she would choose such a tiresome and thankless task... it was, of course, to conceal the fact that she was a Mage.


    The ability to immediately enter deep sleep is both a privilege and a hallmark of a Mage. That is to say, if someone falls into a dead sleep immediately, showing no movement, and sleeps for fewer than five hours, that person is undoubtedly a Mage; conversely, if someone wakes up during the night, kicks off their covers, drools, and sleeps for more than seven hours, they are most certainly not a Mage.


    When Diya was in the Tower, even though she summoned her ¡°mask¡± Technique Spirit and began her adventures in the Void Realm three years ago, she managed to deceive everyone with this tactic, eluding even the perception of Holy Sanctuary Mages. To everyone, she was, from beginning to end, the innocent and nai?ve Princess Lissdia who could not sleep without her teddy bear.


    Now, although she is no longer a princess, she still needs to hide her Mage identity. If Hanna were to discover that little Liss was a Mage, all their efforts would be in vain. Moreover, Diya had grown accustomed to leaving a sister to watch over her physical body in the real world. Without doing so, she would feel as uneasy as if she were not wearing underwear, and unable to concentrate on exploring the Void Realm.


    Little Liss yawned as she washed up in the bathroom of her room. Coming out, she saw Ash, Igula, Harvey, and Banjee all having breakfast, their spirits high, clearly indicating they had spent the night in the Void Realm.


    At that moment, Hanna happened to come out of her room. Liss thought for a second, undid her roughly tied pigtails, and holding her hairbands, tugged at Ash¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Daddy, do my hair.¡±


    Ash, who was enjoying his custard-filled buns, blinked and glanced at Hanna walking over. He didn¡¯t refuse the rather presumptuous request, lifted Liss into his arms, and began a series of clumsy yet vigorous operations.


    In the art of hairstyling, Ash was indeed a professional¡ªhis efforts with messy hair had utterly destroyed the beauty of Liss, the otherwise pretty child, turning the highest quality ingredients into the most unappetizing dish. Her bangs were pulled taut, distorting her beautiful big eyes with the gravity of the hair.


    However, Ash wasn¡¯t specifically picking on Liss; he was genuinely inept at hair-styling¡ªhis mother had short hair, and his brother kept a buzz cut for over twenty years. Where could he have learned to do hair?


    But it didn¡¯t matter that Ash was bad at hairstyling. If he could just make Liss look ugly, he would activate the automatic aesthetic correction mechanism of the house.


    Holding Liss, he turned to face Igula across the table.


    Staring (=¡Ñ¦Ø¡Ñ=)~


    Staring (=^¦Ø^=)~


    One second, two seconds, three seconds. Once Hanna sat down, Igula finally couldn¡¯t take it anymore, ¡°Come here, I¡¯ll braid your hair. Ash, your hands are only good for carving designs in shit.¡±


    ¡°Next time you want your hair braided, just go straight to Aunt Bokin. He won¡¯t refuse you to protect his own eyes,¡± Ash chuckled, setting Liss down.


    As Igula took out her own small comb to help Liss tidy her hair, Harvey, having finished breakfast, walked out to the living room balcony, lit a stick of cat grass, and asked, ¡°Miss, do you have any plans for today?¡±


    ¡°There might be, there might not be.¡±


    The purple dragon lizard suddenly appeared on Hanna¡¯s shoulder; Hanna tore off a piece of bagel to feed it, saying, ¡°Today is May 4th, and your official workday is on the 10th. Until then, you are free to do as you please. You don¡¯t need to follow my lead.¡±


    ¡°Free?¡± Harvey squinted his eyes, ¡°You call this ¡®freedom¡¯, where we can¡¯t contact the outside world, can¡¯t go out to breathe fresh air, can¡¯t even research the Magic Faction, a ¡®free¡¯ state?¡±


    Although Harvey did not and could not assume a threatening posture, the young housekeeper stealthily stepped forward, placing himself between the Necromancer and the miss.


    Ash glanced at Igula, who was focused on braiding Liss¡¯s hair; they simply exchanged a brief look with the cult leader ¡ª It¡¯s got nothing to do with me, I haven¡¯t conspired with Harvey, he¡¯s the one who¡¯s stirring things up.


    ¡°So, what kind of freedom do you want?¡± Hanna swiveled her chair toward the balcony, tilting her head slightly, her amethyst earrings sparkling in the sunlight, ¡°I imagine you¡¯re not just looking to smell the flowers, soak up the sun, and experience the exotic local atmosphere, are you?¡±


    ¡°I want to go to the sewers on the level below.¡±


    The sunlight seemed to be tinged with purple, a chilling coldness spilling across the space like mercury, Ash put down the chubby Lalafee, and Igula hugged Liss to her chest.


    They had almost forgotten ¡ª even though Hanna had gathered them under her command through despicable means, Hanna herself was a Two-winged Mage. Compared to the Spirit Mage who was not adept at direct combat, the Necromancer who heavily relied on the environment of the battlefield, and the Mage who had stepped into the Time Continent for the first time last night, the Purple Moth, daring to seek the hide of the Gods of Four Pillars, likely had greater combat power than the three of them.


    Not to mention the presiding presence of the over-sixty Banjee.


    ¡°...Found in the Gospel Book?¡± Hanna flicked her earring, giving off a ¡®ding¡¯ sound, ¡°Let me guess the keywords you searched for this information ¡ª ¡®where in Azura can someone kill without attracting the Red Hats¡¯ attention¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s ¡®where in the city are corpses most likely to appear¡¯,¡± Harvey said as he took the last puff, ¡°I was expecting the name of a subpar hospital to come up, it seems Azura¡¯s medical environment is quite excellent.¡±


    ¡°I may not have said it, but ¡ª adherence to social morality is a very important reference for the Gospel Book¡¯s rankings,¡± Hanna¡¯s eyes seemed to veil in a layer of purple hue, ¡°Without my order, you are not allowed to kill anyone, not even a Lalafee.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I was going to kill anyone,¡± Harvey said, flicking the cigarette butt off the balcony after taking the last drag, ¡°A Necromancer wanting corpses has many ¡®legal¡¯ means ¡ª¡±


    The young housekeeper pointed a finger, ice spikes instantly piercing ten meters to freeze the cigarette butt mid-air, then with a gentle hook, the frosted cigarette butt traced an arc into his palm.


    ¡°It¡¯s all the same at home, but if you throw a cigarette butt outside, it violates the ¡®High-Rise Residential Security Regulations¡¯ and the ¡®Security Management Practices¡¯.¡±


    Banjee spoke calmly, ¡°Please do not engage in actions that diminish your own value. ¡®The Gospel Book¡¯ is watching you.¡±

 Chapter 262 - 262 226 Were You Originally a Woman

    ?Chapter 262: Chapter 226 Were You Originally a Woman!? Chapter 262: Chapter 226 Were You Originally a Woman!? So fast!


    Ash inhaled sharply as he watched. Harvey¡¯s act of tossing the cigarette butt was very abrupt. It took less than a second for the butt to fall, yet Banjee not only reacted but also fired ice spikes so quickly they were nearly invisible, with an astonishing accuracy¡ªthat was a burnt-out cigarette butt in free fall, smaller than a fingertip!


    If Banjee used this move in a close-range assault, Ash knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to react in time; he could only rely on ¡°Wild Intuition¡± to dodge.


    He also had a hunch about Harvey¡¯s thoughts. Harvey¡¯s outburst so early in the morning was naturally not just about a corpse, at least not solely¡ªthat after all, having spent over a year in Shattered Lake without indulging, it was unlikely that he couldn¡¯t restrain himself after only a few days in the Kingdom of Gospel. He was a pervert, not Meiwa; his desires weren¡¯t that intense.


    Harvey¡¯s real aim was to tear up Hanna¡¯s hypocritical facade.


    Hanna claimed to respect and care for them, yet in practice had imprisoned them, cut off all their communication, and blocked all their outings. Ash and the others had noticed this and understood to some extent but did not accept it.


    The Swindler did not blow up because he still wanted to gather more information. In daily life, he would even maintain surface-level relations with Hanna, waiting to numb her before making his move; the cult leader didn¡¯t blow up simply because he hadn¡¯t yet tired of the food here though, after two consecutive breakfasts of the same fare, the former death row inmate who hadn¡¯t repeated a meal in half a month at Shattered Lake Prison was starting to have some opinions.


    Harvey directly brought their conflict into the open, effectively cornering Hanna. Hanna now had two paths to choose from; the first was to tear off her ¡®good boss¡¯ mask and reveal the true face of a slave owner.


    No more pretending, it¡¯s showdown time. You three will become my dogs!


    And the second path...


    ¡°Mr. Harvey wants to go pick some fresh corpse materials, what about you? Do you have any demands?¡±


    Igula was blunt: ¡°This kingdom also has a Veil for knowledge exchange. I¡¯d like to have the right to log into the Veil, preferably with a large-screen multimedia device.¡±


    ¡°I want money,¡± Ash was even less polite. ¡°I realized while playing the virtual game yesterday¡ªyou get no experience boost, no increased drop rate, no starter equipment, no daily sign-in rewards without topping up. You need to spend some money for a good gaming experience.¡±


    ¡°I want lots of clothes, dolls, candies, and also, also more¡ª¡± Liss counted on her fingers as she made her wishes.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard all your requests,¡± Hanna said. ¡°While some are reasonable and others far-fetched, as your boss, I can satisfy all of them¡ª¡±


    ¡°If you can beat me in a game.¡±


    ¡°Game? What game?¡± Igula speculated with intense suspicion. ¡°Is it a complex game unique to the Kingdom of Gospel?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, this game is not complicated at all, and it heavily favors the side with more people.¡±


    Purple Moth lightly flicked her earring, producing a crisp sound.


    ¡°As long as you know your companions well enough.¡±


    That¡¯s it; we¡¯re doomed, everyone thought.


    ...


    Kaimon University Affiliated Hospital.


    As the light in the operating room switched from red to green, a slight crow Medical Practitioner exited, and an assistant who had been waiting outside for a long time immediately approached: ¡°Doctor Siflin, how did the surgery go?¡±


    ¡°The surgery went very well,¡± Siflin removed her crow mask and hood, letting the hair pinned within her coat flow free. ¡°His failed life is over now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve preserved the critical organs with a Miracle, you just inform the corpse disposal department to come and collect the body. Come to think of it, there are quite a lot of people with no social value alive, I¡¯ve only been here a few days and I¡¯ve already performed three ¡®fresh start¡¯ surgeries.¡±


    ¡°Doctor Siflin, you¡¯re still young, so you¡¯d be surprised.¡± The assistant smiled. ¡°There are too many such people who neither want to undergo biological modification to work nor are willing to take risks to earn money. They don¡¯t even have an acquaintance to borrow money from and spend all day roaming Sky Bridge Park, wasted time, fishing out candy wrappers from trash cans to lick for flavor... Only a small portion get the chance to be sent to the hospital. These vagrants are quite cunning, and the volunteers can¡¯t keep up with cleaning them up.¡±


    After the ¡®Fernand incident,¡¯ Siflin decided to end her Blood Embrace ritual and leave Shattered Lake Prison. However, she didn¡¯t plan to return to her research institute immediately but chose to intern at a hospital instead, aiming to elevate her Water Technique Faction and Blood Technique Faction to Gold Level before going back.


    This time she didn¡¯t hide her identity, boldly presenting her scholar¡¯s certification from one of the four major research institutes. The hospital was naturally willing to indulge the Princess¡¯s studies, arranging her in the busiest position in the hospital¡ªthe fourth emergency medical department.


    Each hospital has four emergency departments, categorized by patient type; leaving the first three aside, the fourth emergency medical department specifically admits individuals with poor social credit, prior criminal records, and who can¡¯t have modest emergency fees deducted from the bank.


    Like the body disposal department, the fourth emergency department is also a ¡®privileged department¡¯ only open to Blood Saint Clan Medical Practitioners. And the job of the fourth emergency is simple¡ªdetermine whether a patient¡¯s life is worth saving. If it is, save them; if not, send them to the body disposal department.


    How do you determine the value of a patient? It¡¯s simple, memory extraction.


    You¡¯ve probably figured it out by now¡ªthe fourth emergency department isn¡¯t just for training Blood Saint Mages in their medical abilities, but also serves as a quick Training Room for the Spirit Faction.


    This is why there are no Spirit Faction training methods in the Kingdom of Blood Moon, because the Blood Saint Mages don¡¯t need those slow learning methods. They forcibly extract memories from others using Technique Spirits, and even if they damage the patients in the process, they still gain a ton of mental experience. This naturally leads to leaps and bounds in the progress of the Spirit Faction.


    It¡¯s like not learning any driving knowledge and just getting behind the wheel¡ªafter crashing a few dozen cars, you¡¯ll basically become a professional highway killer. The fourth emergency department isn¡¯t that extreme, but after merely three memory extractions, Siflin¡¯s Spirit Faction made great strides into the silver Level, the efficiency of her learning is quite evident.


    However, don¡¯t get it wrong, the fourth emergency department isn¡¯t a killing department¡ªmost of the time, it¡¯s normal emergency treatment that doesn¡¯t end in death.


    Because the Blood Saint Mages still have to browse and analyze the patients¡¯ memories after extracting them, e.g., whether the patient has working capabilities, if they can become a burden on others thereby reducing others¡¯ work efficiency, or if they can be despised by others to enhance the latter¡¯s sense of superiority in life... There are quite a few dimensions to this analysis, and sometimes even if the patient is useless, as long as they can improve others¡¯ gaming experience, the fourth emergency department will let them live.


    Only for those who are a complete mess in social relationships, with absolutely no value to others or society, will the fourth emergency department consider a ¡®starting life anew¡¯ surgery for them.


    There is no risk in doing this.


    People no one cares about are naturally people no one cares whether they live or die.


    Obviously, Siflin was lucky, having encountered such ¡®rare goods¡¯ three times in a row, which is why she could use memory extraction without any qualms.


    Because of these various benefits, Blood Saint Mages flock to the fourth emergency department; however, there¡¯s a loophole in this efficient waste disposal system¡ªhomeless people won¡¯t just wander into a hospital on their own. So, who¡¯s responsible for picking up the trash?


    The ¡®volunteers¡¯ Siflin mentioned earlier are those environmentalists who enthusiastically volunteer to pick up trash on the streets.


    The Blood Saint Clan might have enticed them, or maybe not, but there¡¯s always a group of people in society who choose to lurk at night, specifically looking for homeless people who are unwilling to work through loans to release their violence. Unfortunately, they often can¡¯t get past the mental hurdle and stop before killing, which is why the fourth emergency department came into existence.


    Because of the existence of these volunteers, the urban environment has become much cleaner. However, the savvy homeless have also learned to strategically relocate, leading to the downsizing of the sewer rats.


    But the Government Affairs Hall will soon add iron grilles and a series of restriction measures to the sewers¡ªdeserters are not tolerated in the battlefield of the City.


    ¡°Dr. Siflin, there is a patient who has an appointment for biological modification surgery waiting for you in your office.¡±


    ¡°Biological modification surgery?¡± Siflin was a bit puzzled, ¡°Aren¡¯t there better practitioners than me in the hospital... Oh, I see now.¡±


    Of course, there are medical practitioners with better skills than her in the hospital, so this patient was specifically allocated for the Princess of the Blood Clan to practice on¡ªif it were really about matching patients according to skill levels, wouldn¡¯t Siflin be left out in the cold for a year?


    The hospital wouldn¡¯t dare let Siflin sit on the bench; soon her seniors would make the hospital¡¯s management dangle from the sky lanterns.


    However, when Siflin entered the office, she immediately overturned her previous guess¡ªthe hospital wasn¡¯t being kind to her, this was clearly throwing a big problem in her direction!


    In the office, there were two people¡ªa tall man wearing a Hunter¡¯s coat, with a half-sleeve sin-hunting glove on his right hand, white hair and blood-red eyes, looking timeless and indifferent; and a cute girl in a wheelchair dressed in a luxurious dress, with no hands and feet, resembling an unfinished doll.


    ¡°Hello, I am Gerard Westminster, Hunter number 307791,¡± said the white-haired man, ¡°She is Selena Bright.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Siflin Gowen.¡± Siflin crouched down, looking at Selena, ¡°May I ask why a Blood Frenzy Hunter would bring a minor here for medical treatment? Or are you also a guardian from a foster home, Mr. Hunter?¡±


    Selena said timidly, ¡°Hello, sister.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Selena,¡± Siflin touched Selena¡¯s head, her eyes filled with pity for the beautiful, ¡°Your name is just as pretty as mine.¡±


    What a shameless woman, Selena thought.


    ¡°She¡¯s not a child from the foster home.¡±


    ¡°Then whose child is she?¡±


    ¡°My child.¡±


    Siflin turned her head, staring at Gerard blankly, then stepped back two steps to shut the office door. She leaned against the door with her hand on her forehead, her face etched with confusion.


    ¡°(¨‘_¨‘) Wait, does that mean... you used to be a woman?¡±


    Gerard stood up, ¡°Can I request a change of doctor?¡±

 Chapter 263 - 263 227 Guessing Heart

    ?Chapter 263: Chapter 227 Guessing Heart Chapter 263: Chapter 227 Guessing Heart ¡°The game is called ¡®Guessing Heart.''¡±


    ¡°Now you each have one gold coin and six silver coins. After the game ends, you don¡¯t need to return them, just use them to feed your Technique Spirits.¡±


    ¡°The rules of the game are as follows: First is the answering phase, where each person asks a yes-or-no question in turn, then everyone uses their gold coin to give a truthful answer. The face of the gold coin means ¡®yes,¡¯ and the flower design means ¡®no.''¡±


    ¡°Next is the guessing phase. Everyone has to guess how many people answered ¡®yes¡¯ and bet the corresponding number of silver coins. The player who guesses correctly scores a point, and the one with the highest score at the end wins.¡±


    ¡°But, before and after the game, everyone is forbidden from asking others for information, and you can¡¯t reveal what you¡¯ve answered either.¡±


    ¡°Simple game, right?¡± Hanna said with a smile, ¡°Anyone who scores higher than me will have their wish granted, whether it¡¯s retrieving a body from the sewers or adding money to their game account, no problem.¡±


    The game did sound straightforward at first, but Harvey quickly spotted a loophole, ¡°But how do you ensure that everyone gives truthful answers during the answering phase?¡±


    ¡°Simple,¡± Hanna replied, ¡°Banjee, Mr. Harvey, Mr. Bokin, and Ash, you must give truthful answers in the upcoming game. Now it¡¯s your turn, Ash.¡±


    Ash bent down and said to the little girl, ¡°Liss, you must answer truthfully during the game. If you lie, then all your dolls will be handmade by Uncle Harvey from now on.¡±


    Little Liss¡¯s face turned pale with fear, ¡°I definitely won¡¯t lie!¡±


    However, Harvey looked at Ash in surprise, ¡°How do you know I can make dolls?¡±


    ¡°Making dolls just sounds like it would fit a pervert¡¯s hobby...¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Igula narrowed his eyes, ¡°We are naturally bound by the Contract not to lie intentionally, but what about you, miss?¡±


    ¡°The Contract also includes terms that bind me. As long as I recite the binding spell, then my subsequent words become a vow that binds me. Should I break the vow, our Contract would come to an end. And the binding spell is...¡±


    ¡°I swear on the name of Doran,¡± Hanna lifted her head proudly, ¡°I will uphold the virtue of honesty in the upcoming game.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not right!¡± Ash suddenly became alert, ¡°There must be some Technique Spirits or Miracles capable of detecting the condition of the gold coins, or even directly read someone¡¯s mind! Wouldn¡¯t cheating be undetectable like that?¡±


    Hanna was very agreeable, ¡°I vow not to use any Mage¡¯s powers during the game.¡±


    Then everyone¡¯s gaze turned to the Swindler, ranked second on the ¡®Two-winged Spirit List¡¯, who had just brushed his teeth and reeked of lies. He put his hands together in a gesture of wanting to be shackled and shrugged, saying, ¡°It seems my promise might not be enough to earn your trust, but you really don¡¯t respect me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s precisely because we respect you that we must restrict your cheating methods,¡± Ash said.


    ¡°That¡¯s the greatest disrespect¡ªbelieving that I need to cheat to beat you in this kind of game,¡± Igula raised his head with a mocking curve at the corner of his mouth, ¡°Rules are the skirts lifted by the Goddess of Victory for me.¡±


    ¡°Why would she lift her skirt? Auntie Bokin, do you want to see the Goddess of Victory¡¯s panties?¡± Liss asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Liss, you just don¡¯t understand,¡± Ash said, ¡°It is said that Meiwas and males with Meiwa blood like to lick¡ª¡±


    Before Hanna could speak, Igula turned over the table and covered Ash¡¯s throat with his hand, preventing this zero-star adult from spouting trash in front of the child.


    ¡°Mmmnhph!¡±


    Hanna seriously said to Liss, ¡°If you want to change dads, I¡¯m very happy to help.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Liss ran over to pull Igula away, ¡°Auntie Bokin, don¡¯t bully Daddy!¡±


    ¡°Really now, I¡¯m the most normal adult among us. Igula, do you think I¡¯d say something perverted? I¡¯m not Harvey!¡± Ash struggled to pry Igula¡¯s hand away, ¡°I just meant to say that people with Meiwa lineage like to lick legs, that¡¯s all!¡±


    ¡°This is already pretty twisted, you know?!¡±


    After a commotion, not only Igula but also the others were ordered to refrain from using Mage techniques. The six people sat around the coffee table on the couches, and Banjee considerately brought over drinks and a snack fruit platter, giving off a real party vibe.


    ¡°Do I get to play too?¡± the young housekeeper asked.


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re also a member of the Funeral Service Office. This is the first team-building activity since the expansion of our staff. If you win against me, I can satisfy your request as well.¡±


    ¡°Miss, you must be joking.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, I feel like it¡¯s a bit unfair,¡± Hanna suddenly said, ¡°If you beat me, I reward you, but if I win, shouldn¡¯t you also reward me?¡±


    ¡°But now even our people are under your command, what could we possibly reward you with?¡± Igula scoffed, ¡°Whatever you want, you just need to give an order, can we even refuse your command?¡±


    Harvey reminded, ¡°Our Contract allows us to refuse sexual activities, so we can indeed refuse.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be so gloomy, maybe the boss just hopes we have this sentiment,¡± Ash said, ¡°And we do have gifts to offer, like Liss you¡¯re a little girl, you could make a flower crown; Harvey you¡¯re a Necromancer, you could take out one of your ribs and make it into an amulet; Igula you¡¯re a Spirit Mage, you could... dig out your own heart...¡±


    Harvey looked confused, ¡°How did you know I once took out one of my ribs to make a gift? Although, not into an amulet...¡±


    Igula was about to retort sharply, but Harvey¡¯s statement took him aback¡ªAsh¡¯s whimsical imagination actually couldn¡¯t keep up with Harvey¡¯s potent follow-through.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t need to be that serious,¡± Hanna laughed, ¡°How about this, if I win, I¡¯ll still fulfill your wishes, but you¡¯ll have to do something for me. Something perhaps unrelated to work, but something I want to take you to do.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it after the game,¡± Hanna replied, releasing the fiery gold lizard dragon, ¡°I know you don¡¯t trust me. That¡¯s quite normal; who would trust a super beautiful person who enslaves them with tricks and deceit?¡±


    Igula showed disdain, and Ash and Harvey had no reaction¡ªtheir looks weren¡¯t sufficient for them to oppose the statement.


    ¡°But I really have no intention of enslaving you. In my eyes, you are all equal status partners, the profits from the Weaving Festival will be shared by us, and we are colleagues fighting together. The Funeral Service Office will only serve as a platform for furthering yourselves, and these 101 days will become a precious experience in your lives.¡±


    ¡°Let this game prove my sincerity.¡±


    Since I proposed the game, I¡¯ll start by asking the question,¡± Hanna said.


    ¡°Question, do you wish to receive the Divine Lord¡¯s blessing?¡±


    Everyone was shocked.


    ¡°Hide the Gold Coin in your hand and then place it in this handkerchief.¡± Hanna reached into the handkerchief on the coffee table surface, placing the Gold Coin from her palm, ¡°It¡¯s your turn now.¡±


    The group exchanged glances, but with no other choice¡ªbound by the constraints of the Contract, they had to answer truthfully, without any deception.


    ¡°Next is the Guessing Heart segment,¡± Hanna continued, ¡°I think everyone answered ¡®yes,¡¯ so I¡¯ll bet six silver coins.¡±


    Everyone, including the loyal housekeeper Banjee, also wagered six silver coins. When the handkerchief was lifted, there indeed lay six Gold Coins face up, signifying that everyone¡¯s answer was ¡®yes.¡¯


    ¡°What wish would you want to make after receiving the Divine Lord¡¯s blessing?¡± Hanna curiously asked Banjee.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about it yet,¡± Banjee shrugged, ¡°Probably ¡®please fulfill the young lady¡¯s wish?''¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it, you definitely have your own desires,¡± Hanna looked at the others, ¡°And that¡¯s only natural. If you¡¯re human, you¡¯ll have desires, I have them, Banjee has them, and naturally, you do too. If you can breathe, you definitely long for the Divine Lord¡¯s blessing that can fulfill all wishes.¡±


    ¡°I may be selfish, but I¡¯m not so selfish as to think others are selfless.¡±

 Chapter 264 - 264 228 The Game of Unearthing Inner Darkness

    ?Chapter 264: Chapter 228: The Game of Unearthing Inner Darkness Chapter 264: Chapter 228: The Game of Unearthing Inner Darkness Was this an opportunity to demonstrate power? Igula understood, Hanna¡¯s words almost explicitly conveyed, ¡°I know you all want to compete, but no matter what you scheme, I will be the ultimate winner.¡±


    Compared to hollow threats, this kind of confidence that seemed to have everything in control was more likely to intimidate people.


    ¡°However, if everyone guesses correctly, the scores will be the same, which isn¡¯t interesting.¡± Hanna thought for a moment, ¡°Plus, if everyone asks their own questions, there might be some special questions they are too embarrassed to ask... Got it!¡±


    She pulled out a stack of memo pads from a drawer next to her, ¡°This is ¡®Telepathic Memo Paper,¡¯ which automatically writes down what people are thinking in standard size 4 font. That means it¡¯s impossible to identify the writer from the handwriting; it¡¯s essentially an anonymous memo.¡±


    She then took out a black box, ¡°Everyone writes a question, then throws it into this box. We¡¯ll draw three questions to ask, so no one will know who asked which question. With so many safety measures, you can freely pose any questions you¡¯re curious about, right?¡±


    Seeing such a well-prepared set of props, Igula knew that Hanna had definitely prepared beforehand. She might have been waiting for them to burst out with demands and thus propose this game... But why this game?


    What could Hanna achieve with this game?


    When Igula got the memo paper, he suddenly realized the interesting part of the game.


    Now it was known that everyone had to answer honestly.


    And the questions were random; no one knew who the questioner was.


    That means Igula could freely ask, ¡°Are you planning to murder Igula, Ash, Archibald, and Liss,¡± thus finding out whether Hanna planned to eradicate everyone after the Weaving Festival. And since he was just one among them, he wouldn¡¯t attract Hanna¡¯s hostility!


    No... It was too good an opportunity to be wasted just on questioning Hanna. Given that everyone else was also required to answer honestly, he could craft a brilliant question to hear everyone¡¯s true thoughts¡ª


    Igula was startled.


    He finally understood Hanna¡¯s scheme.


    It was a despicable and shameless open conspiracy, but even Igula, recognizing its cleverness, couldn¡¯t help but dive in.


    No wonder the game was called ¡°Guessing Heart.¡± The focus was not really on ¡®heart¡¯ but on ¡®guessing¡¯!


    When you attempt to delve into the dark side of human nature, you can only retrieve the answer you desire. Human nature can¡¯t withstand testing, and true intentions aren¡¯t guessable!


    ¡°Brother Banjee, do you have a small mirror?¡± Liss suddenly asked, ¡°I want to see if Aunt Bokin braided my hair nicely.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Miss Liss.¡± Banjee promptly took out a small mirror, though it was a mystery where he had produced it from.


    Clap.


    After everyone had submitted their memo papers, Hanna clapped her hands lightly, ¡°Now that all the questions have been collected... Mr. Bokin, please lead the next question and answer session and the betting phase. Since I brought out the box and memo paper, if I were to lead, you might suspect I rigged something.¡±


    Igula couldn¡¯t refuse such a reasonable request, he drew a piece of paper from the black box, his pupils dilating slightly.


    ¡°The question.¡±


    ¡°If given a chance, would you kill the other five people present to fulfill Divine Lord¡¯s wish?¡±


    ¡°Oh, ho,¡± Hanna laughed, ¡°That is indeed a thrilling question.¡±


    Everyone placed gold coins under a handkerchief, then moved into the betting phase. Hanna was the first to speak, ¡°I believe the number of people answering ¡®yes¡¯ is 0.¡±


    ¡°I have a different opinion.¡± Harvey pressed down a silver coin, ¡°I think it¡¯s 1.¡±


    ¡°I also think it¡¯s 1.¡± Igula followed suit.


    Ash spread his hands, ¡°I disagree with you two, I choose 0.¡±


    Banjee also chose 0, only Liss pressed down 2 silver coins. Everyone was slightly taken aback but quickly understood¡ªperhaps in Liss¡¯s view, Hanna and Banjee, seen as controlling figures, would naturally be capable of murder.


    But that was impossible, at least Banjee wouldn¡¯t do that¡ªsince the option of ¡®killing the other five¡¯ included killing Hanna.


    Though Ash and others didn¡¯t know how long Banjee had lived with Hanna, Banjee was over sixty years old, and for him, Hanna might as well be considered his daughter. In addition, since he had no descendants, how could he possibly kill Hanna, his only relative in reality?


    However, the reverse was different; if Hanna was sufficiently driven by greed, she might be willing to kill Banjee for her desires.


    That¡¯s why Igula bet on 1 person, because the most likely person at the scene who could answer ¡®yes¡¯ was Hanna.


    However, when the handkerchief was lifted, everyone was stunned.


    4 ¡°no¡±, 2 ¡°yes¡±.


    Among the six of them, two were willing to murder others without hesitation for the Divine Lord¡¯s wish!


    Igula looked around, first, he himself was ¡°no¡±, Liss was definitely ¡°no¡±, and Banjee was likely ¡°no¡±.


    That meant the ones who chose ¡°yes¡± could only be Hanna, Ash, or Harvey!


    Even if Hanna took up one spot, it meant that either Ash or Harvey was undoubtedly a prepared butcher!


    Harvey, needless to say, by escaping Shattered Lake Prison, he had already stepped towards destruction; Igula felt his escape was merely about choosing the most tragic way to die. As for Ash, although Igula believed he was not like that, based on Ash¡¯s subtle sympathy shown towards Liss and his past actions, it proved he hadn¡¯t yet lost his humanity.


    But what if it was all a disguise?


    And even if it was all true before, could it prove he had no darkness inside him at the moment?


    He could show compassion for a little girl, fly into a rage over Ronald¡¯s matter, attack Eternal Damnation to prevent hurting himself... but he could equally harbor killing intent for the Divine Lord¡¯s wish.


    Swindler¡¯s third law: Everything has a price for betrayal, even the sun can be forsaken by daylight if the price is right.


    Facing the immense, incalculable benefit of the Divine Lord¡¯s wish, any decision Ash made was highly logical. Even if he was genuinely kind-hearted, it didn¡¯t stop him from being occasionally cruel.


    Moreover, Hanna might not necessarily be the other ¡°yes¡±. Compared to the former death row inmates, Hanna had always been a law-abiding gray zone worker, which was evident since she had made the list ¡ª illegal activities significantly reduce the chances of making the list.


    Hanna probably hadn¡¯t killed many, could someone like her, whose hands were not drenched in much blood, truly resolve to murder Banjee who had followed her for years, and the innocent little girl Liss?


    Ash and Harvey, was it a choice between the two... or both?


    Meanwhile, Ash had similar thoughts.


    Between Banjee and Hanna, there could be at most one ¡°yes¡±. He was ¡°no¡±, Liss was ¡°no¡±, that meant one ¡°yes¡± was either Igula or Harvey.


    Among them was a murderer willing to kill everything to seize the Divine Lord¡¯s wish.


    When Ash looked up, he happened to catch Igula looking at him.


    That was the terrifying part about Guessing Heart.


    You guess someone¡¯s true intentions, and they guess yours. When the seed of suspicion falls to the darkest places, it sprouts during the next argument, grows stronger in the subsequent conflicts, and one day the big tree will be ignited into a torch by rage, staining the darkness of the soul with a bloody hue.


    ¡°It¡¯s trouble,¡± sighed Ash, ¡°Liss, I didn¡¯t expect there to be two villains here...¡±


    He pretended to speak to Liss to intentionally avoid Igula¡¯s gaze, but Liss gave him a cold glance, lacking any of the previous affection.


    She seemed to look at a mere weed, her gaze devoid of innocence and even possessing a cold cruelty.


    Ash was startled, thinking she had reached her rebellious phase so soon?


    ¡°Only Liss guessed right, Liss scores 1 point, everyone else still has 0 points,¡± Hanna remarked, seemingly unconcerned with the prior question. ¡°Let¡¯s move to the next one.¡±


    Despite the bright sunshine outside, the atmosphere in the living room had become somewhat oppressive. Igula sighed internally, the first question had already planted the seed of suspicion in everyone¡¯s heart, it was dreadful to imagine what would happen at the second question.


    He pulled out the second strip of paper from the black box, raised his eyebrows, then charged over and started scuffling with Ash.


    ¡°Ash!¡ª¡±


    ¡°How do you know I wrote it!?¡±


    ¡°Who else would be so nonsensical?¡±


    Harvey picked up the slip of paper Igula had dropped, and couldn¡¯t help but burst into chuckles:


    ¡°Ha ha, asking, asking.¡±


    ¡°Do you think Igula should wear pretty girls¡¯ dresses?¡±

 Chapter 265 - 265 229 Its Not Necessarily Me

    ?Chapter 265: Chapter 229: It¡¯s Not Necessarily Me! Chapter 265: Chapter 229: It¡¯s Not Necessarily Me! Since everyone had guessed that only Igula would choose ¡°no,¡± even Igula himself bet on 5 people, everyone guessed right, so this question was directly invalidated.


    ¡°You...¡± Igula ground his teeth in anger.


    Harvey spread his hands, ¡°Can¡¯t help it, Igula, I am bound by the Contract, and I can only answer honestly. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to protect you, but my conscience simply won¡¯t allow it, even if in my eyes, only a slim short skirt and solemn black tights are worthy of your corpse.¡±


    ¡°Miss, I think someone lied!¡± Ash raised his hand, ¡°How could anyone choose ¡®no¡¯? Even Igula himself wouldn¡¯t choose ¡®no¡¯; he must have cheated!¡±


    ¡°How do you know it was Igula who chose ¡®no¡¯?¡± Hanna shook her head, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to seek the truth.¡±


    Liss frowned tightly as she looked at the six coins on the table.


    Next, Igula was still in charge of moderating, and he drew a slip of paper from the black box, his face showing obvious surprise.


    ¡°Question.¡±


    ¡°Would you give up everything for the one you love?¡±


    Ash shot his hand up, ¡°Objection!¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t even made an objection to that previous question, and you¡¯re objecting to what?!¡± Igula cursed.


    ¡°It¡¯s because the ones I love aren¡¯t in this world, this question is too hypothetical for me, I don¡¯t even know my own heart.¡± Ash said, obviously very proud of his single status: ¡°Change it to something that¡¯s a bit more single-friendly, please!¡±


    Hanna suddenly said, ¡°The fact that your loved ones are not in this world doesn¡¯t mean you don¡¯t have loved ones.¡±


    ¡°But if they¡¯re not here, how can I give anything?¡±


    ¡°Then just make them exist,¡± Hanna smiled, ¡°Those who are dead, bring them to life; those who have left, bring them to your side. Those who don¡¯t exist, just make them exist. The Divine Lord¡¯s wish can realize all your thoughts.¡±


    Ash was stunned, suddenly having a bizarre thought: ¡°Let¡¯s say, I fell in love with a virtual character in a video game and I hope she could appear in reality to be with me¡ª¡±


    Hanna shrugged her shoulders: ¡°I think that wish would be much simpler than bringing someone back from the dead.¡±


    Ash blinked, he really hadn¡¯t thought that a wish could be used in such a way. Summoning the Sword Maiden and the Witch to his side, and then together they start a shameless fantasy adventure? Embarking on an adventure life of thrice in the morning, four times at night?


    However, the thought circled in Ash¡¯s mind only to disappear quickly, using a wish to find a wife was extremely embarrassing, and if he dared to do so, the first thing the Sword Maiden would do upon arrival might be to chop him up so he¡¯d need to rely on the Reverse Sun Technique Spirit for rescue¡ªspending a Divine Lord¡¯s wish to find a woman? Even if it was to find me, you can¡¯t waste it like that! I¡¯ve never seen such a foolish horn as you!


    But Hanna¡¯s words did remind Ash.


    His loved ones from his past life of course did not exist.


    But in this world, did he really have no one he loved...?


    The answer session ended, and it was the guessing phase again, Ash thought carefully, first of all, Banjee and Hanna were at least normal people from a civilized society, there should be at least one ¡°yes¡±;


    Then Harvey¡¯s reason for escaping prison and seeking revenge on Fernand was because his loved one died, so he should choose ¡°yes¡±;


    As for Igula, it wasn¡¯t that Ash was measuring the Swindler with a victim¡¯s mindset, but ¡®Igula giving up everything for someone else¡¯ was as unimaginable as Freyja practicing abstinence.


    And as for little Liss, at her age, she was at the stage of ¡®mine, mine, all mine¡¯, perhaps this world had caring little cotton jackets, but recalling Liss¡¯s scheming demeanor the night before, she was more likely a cotton jacket with a black heart.


    Thus Ash bet 2 silver coins, Igula and Harvey likewise bet 2 coins, Banjee bet 3 coins, and most shockingly, Hanna and Liss: they bet 4 coins!


    Ash thought to himself whether they were giving up or conceding¡ªhow could we six people possibly have so many self-sacrificing, love-struck brains?


    However, when the handkerchief was lifted, Ash was dumbfounded.


    4 ¡°yeses,¡± 2 ¡°nos¡±!


    Ash had undoubtedly chosen ¡°no,¡± meaning that aside from himself, a self-pitying single dog, among the other five people, there were actually four who were from the kind-hearted camp of love-struck brains!?


    ¡°Very interesting numbers,¡± Igula raised his eyebrows, ¡°In that first question just now, there happened to be 2 selfish individuals from the evil camp; in this question, there appeared 4 selfless individuals from the kind-hearted camp, which is the total number of all of us.¡±


    ¡°Could it be that the ones who chose ¡®no¡¯ in this question are the potential traitors who chose ¡®yes¡¯ before?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to probe others for their answers,¡± Hanna reminded again. ¡°Guessing is what makes this game interesting.¡±


    If Ash hadn¡¯t chosen ¡®no¡¯ himself, he might have agreed with Igula¡¯s assumption. But he was just an ordinary person who wasn¡¯t willing to give up everything for a loved one nor resort to any means for the Divine Lord¡¯s wishes!


    Do all you Mages have some serious illness? When you love, you love so recklessly, and when you do evil, you kill everything. Are you all crazed beauties?


    ¡°Dad, you¡¯d give up everything for me, right?¡±


    Liss shook Ash¡¯s arm, trying to act cutely. Ash thought the kid was icy just a moment ago; how¡¯d she become so sticky suddenly? Human younglings were truly incomprehensible creatures. He replied nonchalantly, ¡°Of course... of course not.¡±


    ¡°Dad, you won¡¯t even indulge a child. I feel sad for your future wife.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention you boldly assume you¡¯ll have a mother in the future, aren¡¯t there girls in this world who don¡¯t need to be coddled?¡±


    ¡°Dad, that confident look of yours is so cool!¡±


    ¡°Ah? Hahaha indeed, you¡¯ve got good taste.¡±


    ¡°See, Dad, even a big man like you needs sweet talk, and you still ask if others need it?¡±


    ¡°Last question.¡± Igula drew a slip of paper from the black box and said calmly, ¡°If you weren¡¯t bound by any contracts, could you cooperate sincerely with the other five?¡±


    Such a pointless question, the Swindler thought.


    Without contract constraints, who would dare to cooperate sincerely with others? Not to mention that they were all foreign prison escapees, others couldn¡¯t trust them, and they were full of suspicions among themselves. Hanna and Banjee were also seasoned kidnapping pros; among the six of them, there was hardly a single lawful character. Their meeting was like a trash bin hit by a dung bucket; even if they weren¡¯t all of the same ilk, they were certainly worthy adversaries at least.


    They could cooperate, but they had to be ready to betray, watching their allies¡¯ every move. If everything went smoothly, fine, but if anything happened, they¡¯d have to betray others before being betrayed themselves.


    Igula once had five partners; two died in a filthy ditch, and three were imprisoned in Feimeng City¡¯s Blood Moon Prison. If Igula hadn¡¯t been good at disguises and betrayed them in advance to divert attention, he would have been implicated long ago.


    A significant reason why Igula chose to set up shop in Kaimon City was that there were too many acquaintances in Feimeng¡¯s Prison. Those three former partners were probably rubbing their hands together, waiting for him to join them in prison. Thus, Igula simply fled to Kaimon City to start anew; even if he got caught, he could start over in prison¡ªwithout any partners to sacrifice, Igula was indeed sloppily caught.


    Hanna and Banjee couldn¡¯t trust them, and they couldn¡¯t trust each other either, so everyone would choose ¡®no¡¯... no, that¡¯s not right; there was still the unstable factor of Liss.


    But in Igula¡¯s view, Liss was clearly a very sensible little girl. And being ¡®sensible¡¯ meant the antonym of ¡®naive¡¯.


    The answering phase ended, and it was time for the betting round.


    ¡°Zero,¡± Igula stated succinctly.


    Harvey, Hanna, and Banjee also bet zero. Just when Igula thought this question would be nullified again, Liss pulled out a silver coin¡ª


    She bet one coin.


    Everyone stared at her in unison, and the little girl lifted her head proudly, flashing a smile brighter than the sunlight at everyone.


    Even if he knew it might be an act of currying favor, even Igula was moved by the little girl¡¯s innocence.


    Liss bet one coin, and there was only one possibility¡ªshe had answered ¡®yes.¡¯ With her wit, she must have guessed that everyone else answered ¡®no,¡¯ so the only person who answered ¡®yes¡¯ would be her alone.


    As an amnesiac orphan girl, she still could trust others. Such unfeigned sincerity was somewhat blinding to a Swindler used to dirtiness fit for growing mushrooms.


    The others seemed to share similar thoughts to Igula¡¯s; the Necromancer voluntarily snuffed out his cat grass smoke, Purple Moth¡¯s eyes brightened, and the Housekeeper boy¡¯s gaze became gentle.


    As for Ash¡ª


    He bet two coins.


    Everyone was dumbfounded.


    Then, looking under the handkerchief, there were four ¡®no¡¯s and two ¡®yes¡¯s.


    Now, everyone stared blankly at Ash, including Liss.


    Ash felt awkward being stared at, ¡°What¡¯s the big deal, it¡¯s not necessarily me who answered ¡®yes¡¯!¡±

 Chapter 266 - 266 230 Igulas Tower Dive Solo Kill

    ?Chapter 266: Chapter 230: Igula¡¯s Tower Dive Solo Kill Chapter 266: Chapter 230: Igula¡¯s Tower Dive Solo Kill Without a doubt, the two who chose ¡°Yes¡± were none other than Liss and Ash.


    So that¡¯s why everyone was so shocked¡ªafter all, it was forgivable for Liss to be naive; she¡¯s still young, but Ash, how old are you to still be so naive?


    Hanna and Banjee are excusable since they don¡¯t really understand the past of Ash and his two companions, while Igula and Harvey felt the strongest about this¡ªAsh was clearly aware of their pasts.


    One was a Necromancer who killed countless and toyed with corpses, and the other was a Swindler who sold wishes and harvested what could be called a stupidity tax. Without the constraints of a Contract, Ash was actually willing to cooperate sincerely with them?


    No wonder Eternal Damnation refused to acknowledge you as a peer, the Four Pillars God Sect would probably have been uprooted by the Divine Lord if they had someone like you... Ah, wrong, they had already been uprooted.


    The Four Pillars God Sect really hit bad luck in picking up a talent like you.


    Igula looked at Ash with eyes filled with both ridicule and admiration, along with some indescribable emotions. Harvey glanced at Ash and then closed his eyes, taking a puff of his cat grass smoke, his thoughts unknown.


    ¡°...Three questions are over, Liss with 2 points, and Ash and I with 1 point each,¡± announced Hanna, clapping her hands. ¡°This means that apart from Liss, who can realize her wish for free, everyone else needs to work to earn their compensation.¡±


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Ash being so unexpectedly naive, then Liss would have gotten them all right,¡± Igula said, his tone somewhat meaningful.


    ¡°Children always have better luck than adults, and it¡¯s only natural that a cute little girl would have even better luck than us.¡±


    At first glance, this sentence seemed unproblematic.


    But the problem was that it was Harvey who said this.


    Bound by a Contract and compelled to protect his daughter, Ash immediately hugged Liss, while Hanna and Banjee looked at the Necromancer with wary eyes, even Igula kept a distance from him.


    Harvey appeared somewhat helpless: ¡°What I admire is not necessarily what I covet. Besides, my hunting range for humans is between 18 and 88 years old; Liss isn¡¯t qualified yet.¡±


    ¡°88 years old!?¡± Everyone moved a little further away from him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand the exquisite beauty that comes from the decay and deathly aura... Time rusts every gear, the noise of aging plays the march of death, and the elderly are like the final veil between us and death. I only need to reach out gently to lift the veil of the Death God... It is certainly stunningly beautiful to forever capture a young person¡¯s vitality in an instant, but it is also an art worth savoring to forever imprison death within the body of the old.¡±


    Before, everyone thought Harvey¡¯s smoking was not good, considering that cat grass has a significant effect on lifespan and sanity, but now they think¡ªmaybe go back to smoking.


    ¡°I¡¯ll fulfill my promise first. Banjee, prepare a gift for Liss,¡± Hanna said, turning to Igula and the others: ¡°So, are you willing to complete my tasks to obtain compensation?¡±


    ¡°As you won¡¯t harm our credit, I see no reason why not,¡± Igula spoke lightly: ¡°I have no objections.¡±


    ¡°If the work won¡¯t damage our credit as long as it¡¯s not done personally, then I¡¯m open to tasks that are a bit larger in scale,¡± Harvey said. ¡°After all, most of the time, work is a rare form of entertainment for me.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, may I transfer my work to Harvey?¡± Ash raised his hand and said: ¡°As the saying goes, to the capable goes the toil...¡±


    ¡°After you complete the tasks, I¡¯ll fulfill your requests,¡± Hanna took a box from Banjee, and from it, she took out a pink bracelet and handed it to Liss: ¡°Waterproof and heat resistant, it binds upon wearing, unusable by others, directly connects to the Veil, and there¡¯s an account balance of 10,000 copper coins. Although the speaking function is restricted, Liss can still use it for shopping. Hmm, it can also be used to open the ¡®Gospel Book.''¡±


    Watching Liss happily wear the bracelet, Igula touched his own ring thoughtfully and asked, ¡°Our rings... have most of their functions been castrated?¡±


    Their rings could only be used to open the ¡°Gospel Book¡±; they were utterly lacking features like connecting to the Veil, let alone shopping.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t treated you poorly; your rings are expensive luxury items.¡± Hanna glanced sideways at him, ¡°This is probably the same in every kingdom, the more expensive the luxury items are, the more single-purpose they become. On the other hand, cheap items used by commoners tend to be fully-featured.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, only the wealthy would buy sports cars that can¡¯t handle most road conditions, while the commoners¡¯ cars are fuel-efficient, durable, with ample space and strong crash resistance.¡± Igula nodded, ¡°Giving us, who live in the mud, such meaningless sports cars truly is a despicable form of Chains.¡±


    ¡°I would actually prefer to call it employee benefits.¡± Hanna revealed a cunning smile, ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll take my leave first. I wish you all a pleasant life.¡±


    After Hanna left, Ash immediately hooked his arm around Liss¡¯s neck, ¡°Liss, you don¡¯t need to spend so much money on clothes. Why don¡¯t you give it to me first? I¡¯ll save it for you, and when you get married later, I¡¯ll give it back¡ª¡±


    Liss didn¡¯t refuse the filthy adult, but tilted her head and said, ¡°But Dad, you don¡¯t even have an account right now, how can I transfer it to you?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Ash looked somewhat dejected, but quickly rallied, ¡°Then, would Liss like to buy a gift for Daddy?¡±


    ¡°Of course I would.¡± Liss replied under Ash¡¯s expectant gaze, ¡°As long as Daddy finds Mommy, I¡¯ll give the gift!¡±


    ¡°Hmph, if you don¡¯t want to, just say so.¡±


    Ash waved to the departing Necromancer, ¡°Harvey, get me a box of cat grass.¡±


    Igula immediately asked, ¡°You also think life is too long?¡±


    ¡°No, I just happen to have some free time recently and wanted to test the Substitute¡¯s resistance to poison. Besides, the control over the Technique Spirit needs to be used more, right? It feels like using the Substitute for household chores isn¡¯t improving my proficiency much anymore, so I need to explore the Substitute¡¯s uses more deeply...¡±


    Poisoning a Substitute can increase the control over the Technique Spirit?


    Is this some back-ally cultivation method from the Four Pillars God Sect?


    Igula shook his head, casually following Liss who was getting ready to enter the library.


    Liss noticed the Swindler following her and immediately became vigilant, protecting her bracelet, ¡°The bracelet has already been bound, taking it is useless, you know. And I will call Dad to come and beat you up!¡±


    ¡°If you wish, I don¡¯t mind you calling Ash over.¡±


    Igula pushed Liss into the library, then closed the door behind them, resembling an Evil Queen plotting something sinister against a little Princess.


    ¡°Liss, it¡¯s time to settle accounts.¡±


    Seeing this scene, Liss retreated fearfully, hiding behind a desk, stammering, ¡°S-sorry, I won¡¯t call you Auntie Bokin anymore...¡±


    ¡°Mmh, that indeed is a big issue, but that¡¯s not what I came to talk to you about today.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even come to find you.¡±


    Igula crouched down to meet Liss¡¯s gaze face to face.


    ¡°What I¡¯m looking for is the other person hidden inside you.¡±

 Chapter 267 - 267 231 Mirror

    ?Chapter 267: Chapter 231 Mirror Chapter 267: Chapter 231 Mirror ¡°Other people?¡± Liss blinked, looking around suspiciously. ¡°But it¡¯s only us here...¡±


    ¡°Although I don¡¯t find it something to be proud of, I rank second on the ¡®Two-winged Spirit Rankings: Azura Subdivision.''¡±


    ¡°My nose can smell emotions, my eyes can see thoughts, and my ears can hear desires.¡±


    Igula walked over to the phonograph and picked a record from the cabinet below that looked like it depicted the end of the world¡ªthis reminded him of a dream he had had a few days earlier¡ªhe put it on to play, and sure enough, it was very noisy, but unexpectedly quite good.


    He took a serious look at the cover, oh, it was ¡®Angels Destroying the World¡¯, no wonder it sounded so nice.


    ¡°Although this music might be premature for you, it¡¯s enough to mask our voices,¡± Igula said as he sat down. ¡°Let¡¯s have an honest conversation, Liss.¡±


    Liss nervously took a seat as far away as possible, close to the mirror. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to talk to you...¡±


    ¡°Is it the mirror?¡±


    The little girl blinked, and her face no longer showed the deliberately feigned nervousness, instead revealing genuine astonishment. The Swindler was pleased with this expression¡ªever since that damned cult leader, he had not had a successful swindling negotiation and was beginning to doubt whether his eloquence had declined to the level of an inebriated City Council member.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you, Liss. Not just during the game just now, but last night too, when you and Ash played ¡®Mage Duel 14¡¯, you showed a side different from usual: competitive, impolite, straightforward, almost like a child...¡±


    ¡°I am a child!¡± Liss shouted loudly.


    ¡°If I was only somewhat suspicious last night, in the game just now, you completely exposed your secret,¡± Igula walked over and stood with Liss inside the mirror. ¡°Your ¡®personality switch¡¯ medium is the mirror. Every time you look in the mirror, it means that something inside may have already changed.¡±


    ¡°Very clever confinement, extremely clever. Perhaps others might see it as a weakness, but I¡¯ve seen patients tormented by multiple personalities to the point of wishing for death¡ªfor a Spirit Mage, multiple personality patients are undoubtedly very worthy research subjects, and very fortunately, psychological patients are practically a specialty of the Kingdom of Blood Moon, giving Spirit Mages a locational advantage.¡±


    ¡°Industrial workers, Sin Hunters, psychologists, these three professions continuously mass-produce the psychological samples I favor¡ªespecially psychologists, those colleagues who gaze into the Abyss for too long will inevitably go insane and strip before the Abyss.¡±


    ¡°Patients with multiple personalities are greatly affected in their lives due to different personalities occupying their bodies, unable to escape and thus tormenting each other. In the end, they either become sugar men living in a dreamy daze, or they choose rebirth, erasing all emotional memories and turning into a blank slate.¡±


    ¡°But you won¡¯t have this worry, the mirror this confinement minimizes the impact of multiple personalities, even if other personalities cause trouble, you can keep them inside the ¡®mirror¡¯, at least not affecting reality¡ª¡±


    ¡°My sisters are not locked inside the mirror!¡± Liss said angrily.


    ¡°Do the personalities refer to each other as sisters?¡± Igula asked interestedly. ¡°A very common instance, but in the cases I¡¯ve seen, female patients are highly likely to develop male personalities, or rather, the male personalities that women imagine, and similarly, male patients almost always develop female personalities, the longing and approach toward the opposite sex seems to be an instinct embedded within the biology¡ªdo you have a brother?¡±


    Liss was about to say something else, but as if she heard something, she reluctantly looked towards the mirror.


    When she turned her head back, her cute face was cast with a tranquility that completely contradicted her appearance. Instead of saying she had torn off a mask, it was more like she had put on yet another layer of a mask, yet underneath the mask was still another mask.


    Igula raised his eyebrows, ¡°How should I address you?¡±


    ¡°Just call me Liss.¡± Liss calmly said, ¡°It¡¯s only between us that we are different; in front of others, we are all Liss.¡±


    Multiple personalities that stand united to progress or retreat together... Igula thought it was a rare case. Generally, personalities within multiple personality disorders differ significantly. Dominant personalities often look down on the weaker ones, which is why the stable organizational pattern of multiple personalities is mostly a ¡®monarchical dictatorship.¡¯ This consists of a King personality leading other subject personalities, which are further divided into noble personalities and civilian personalities, with clear hierarchical distinctions. It was akin to creating a feudal society within a single human body.


    The ¡®democratic republic¡¯ model of mutual respect among multiple personalities like Liss¡¯s was simply the ideal template for multiple personalities. Even after combing through databases of psychological patients, Igula had never come across such a perfect sample. Furthermore, she had voluntarily added the mirror restriction to herself, which led him to some conjectures.


    ¡°Liss, in the first question earlier, ¡®Would you kill the other five present here to obtain the Divine Lord¡¯s wish,¡¯ you voted ¡®yes,¡¯ right?¡±


    Though it was phrased as a question, Igula¡¯s tone was very certain.


    Liss promptly admitted, ¡°That¡¯s right, how did you figure it out?¡±


    ¡°I noticed it when Ash was interacting with you,¡± Igula coldly stated. ¡°The way you looked at Ash, like a piece of wriggling rotten meat, was a look I¡¯m quite familiar with¡ªHarvey does the same when looking at others.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, in order to control the voting outcome, we had to let one of the more violent sisters vote.¡± Liss slightly nodded. ¡°That sister has that attitude towards everyone; we had no intention of harming Ash.¡±


    ¡°In the second and third votes, you voted against your own persona, didn¡¯t you?¡± Igula remarked. ¡°I originally thought you wouldn¡¯t sacrifice everything for someone you love, yet you voted ¡®yes¡¯; I thought you couldn¡¯t possibly trust others, yet you still voted ¡®yes¡¯... Why did you want to control the voting results?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Bokin, since you already know the answer, why bother asking?¡±


    Liss shook her bracelet, ¡°First, naturally, it¡¯s for this reward; second, it¡¯s to go along with Hanna¡¯s arrangement.¡±


    ¡°Hanna...¡± Igula chewed over the name, as if eating a barely ripe, undercooked fatty meal.


    ¡°A beautifully blatant conspiracy, isn¡¯t it?¡± Liss spread her hands. ¡°She restricted our ability to lie and granted us the right to ask questions anonymously... It¡¯s as if she locked us in a ring and threw down swords. She didn¡¯t need to use verbal manipulation because we would voluntarily pick up weapons and harm each other.¡±


    ¡°She wanted to destroy the foundation of our cooperation, and coincidentally, I wanted to do the same.¡±


    Liss placed her hands on the table, sitting with a proper posture and no minor movements, this serious demeanor made it impossible for Igula to look down on her: ¡°Compared to you who once shared hardships, my and Ash¡¯s relationship is far too weak. But Ash is the easiest ally to win over for me. If I can¡¯t even get Ash on my side, it¡¯s even less likely for others to cooperate with me.¡±


    ¡°So, I needed to first tear at your foundation of trust, then I could form a true alliance with Ash. A mere contract is simply not enough to make Ash stand by me... On this point, Hanna and I have a common interest.¡±


    ¡°So, you aided Hanna in muddying the waters, intensifying our suspicions through voting?¡± Igula sighed. ¡°You almost succeeded. The two ¡®yes¡¯ responses to the first question nearly destroyed all my trust in Harvey and Ash.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I almost did.¡± Liss also seemed regretful. ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for the third question.¡±


    Igula was slightly puzzled. ¡°But in the third question, why did you choose ¡®yes¡¯... Ah, you wanted to use the opportunity to boost your affinity in the eyes of others!¡±

 Chapter 268 - 268 232 I want you... and Ash

    ?Chapter 268: Chapter 232 I want you... and Ash Chapter 268: Chapter 232 I want you... and Ash Liss, who could freely change her answers, could completely use this ¡°Honesty Game¡± to alter others¡¯ perceptions of her.


    In the final question, Liss bet 1 silver coin and explicitly chose ¡°yes,¡± which was almost equivalent to a battle cry effect ¡°I, Liss, am a naive and adorable little girl who easily trusts others, greatly increasing the affinity from everyone towards me.¡±


    In fact, she had succeeded. In seeing her willing to genuinely cooperate with others without the constraints of a Contract, even Igula, who had the worst impression of her, couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of affection.


    But she only succeeded a little.


    Because Ash had also chosen ¡°yes.¡±


    If it were said that a hundred units of affection emerged at that time, only ten of them were given to Liss; the remaining ninety went to Ash.


    After all, it was totally normal for Liss, the naive and adorable little girl. But Ash being equally naive made it amusing and brought some unexpected elation. It¡¯s like a student who consistently scores 80 suddenly reaching 90 deserves praise, but another who usually scores 60 and reaches 90 this time, even if not a prodigal returning, is like laying down the butcher¡¯s knife and finding redemption.


    In a sense, in the art of winning affections, Liss lost to Ash.


    Also because of Ash, the plans of Liss and Hanna were utterly ruined¡ªperhaps Igula, Harvey, and Liss could still not trust each other, but they could always trust Ash.


    But it wasn¡¯t Liss and Hanna¡¯s fault. Who would have thought that this man who hung around with the Swindler and the Necromancer would be a Mud Flower?


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve discovered my multiple personalities, did you notice anything about Ash...¡±


    ¡°No, he has always had the character of a kindergarten orphanage.¡± Igula said somewhat gloomily, ¡°Although it¡¯s unexpected, if you think about it, it makes sense. People like him are truly unique in the Kingdom of Blood Moon, please don¡¯t misunderstand, Harvey and I are the normal ones in the Kingdom of Blood Moon.¡±


    ¡®Liss¡¯ could only bite the bullet, and she suddenly asked, ¡°Mr. Bokin, I have a question for you¡ªregarding the question about you cross-dressing, I actually chose ¡®no¡¯ and then bet 5 coins planning to make a mistake with everyone else, otherwise always answering correctly would be too conspicuous.¡±


    A peculiar sentence structure indeed, she said it was a question, but she stated a fact.


    However, Igula understood what she meant¡ªwhy did Liss choose ¡°no,¡± yet there were still five ¡°yes¡± on the table?


    This only represented one possibility: apart from Liss, the other five all chose ¡°yes,¡± including Igula himself!


    But since Igula had chosen ¡°yes,¡± why did he bet on 5 people and not 6? After all, in his view, the only one likely to choose ¡°no¡± was himself; everyone else would definitely choose ¡°yes.¡± Now that even he had chosen ¡°yes,¡± it must be the same answer for all six.


    ¡°Like you betting 1 coin in the last question to reveal your identity,¡± Igula said hauntingly, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to bet 6 coins and expose my identity.¡±


    Yes, Igula was actually gambling.


    Although it was possible that everyone chose ¡°yes,¡± as long as there was one ¡°no,¡± the others would certainly think it was Igula¡¯s answer.


    Although betting on 6 would most likely earn a point, it would also reveal his choice of ¡°yes,¡± something the Swindler could not allow himself to do¡ªfor he was certain that Ash would tease him about it every day before his soul fell into the sixth layer of Hell.


    So, Igula preferred to take a gamble, and luckily he won, otherwise Ash would probably be asking Liss to buy him a nice outfit at this very moment.


    ¡®Liss¡¯ sighed¡ªshe and her sisters had calculated all possibilities, yet they still got played by these men.


    Initially intending to get one wrong on purpose, she ended up being correct; intending to cunningly earn favor, yet she couldn¡¯t outdo another man.


    Men really are complicated creatures.


    ¡°So, Mr. Bokin.¡±


    ¡®Liss¡¯ turned her head to glance at the mirror, looking sideways at Igula: ¡°You chose to communicate with me privately instead of exposing my true identity publicly, which means you want to use this secret to threaten me...¡±


    ¡°Tell me, what are your intentions towards a poor, lonely, wholly destitute little girl?¡±


    ¡°You are not wholly destitute.¡± Igula shook his head, ¡°You still have one piece of merchandise.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you... and Ash.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t two items, Mr. Bokin? Your math skills seem a bit lacking.¡± Princess Diya in the mirror snarked.


    ...


    Kingdom of Blood Moon, Kaimon University Hospital.


    ¡°Strange... really strange...¡±


    After a cursory examination of Selena, Siflin looked puzzled, as if she had seen a ham sausage wearing a skirt.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± the nearby Gerard asked.


    ¡°Selena has no limb nerves.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If her limbs were lost in an accident, the nerve nodes in her body should still exist. It¡¯s like the wires have been cut, but the wires themselves are still there; they just can¡¯t be used. But with Selena...¡± Siflin¡¯s hand gently brushed over the body of the doll-like girl: ¡°She doesn¡¯t have such wiring at all, as if she were born without it.¡±


    ¡°So... do I need to change doctors?¡±


    ¡°How could that be? Don¡¯t underestimate modern biotechnological engineering. We can transplant human brains into steel dolls, install spines in buildings, and even enable virtual characters to have children. Such a small thing is nothing to us,¡± Siflin said. ¡°However, this exceeds the scope covered by residential medical insurance; it requires out-of-pocket payment.¡±


    ¡°I am a Hunter Captain; I¡¯ve saved quite a bit...¡±


    Siflin quoted a number that made the white-haired hunter gape.


    Gerard chewed over his words, ¡°Given that we both come from one of the four major institutes, is there a discount?¡±


    ¡°Have you seen an axe spare the trees because its handle is made of wood?¡± Siflin shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t set the prices. This is still prohibited biotechnology from the institutes; you know the price.¡±


    ¡°But cutting nearly 80 years of my salary is outrageous! Is this a robbery?¡±


    ¡°Switching to a doctor not from one of the major institutes would cost you at least 100 years,¡± Siflin stated calmly. ¡°Robbery is never this quick. Besides, the institutes have a monopoly. If we don¡¯t set high prices, how will we encourage high-level consumption? You think it¡¯s expensive; I think it¡¯s expensive, too.¡±


    Gerard clicked his tongue and glanced at Selena in the wheelchair. The doll-like girl blinked and said softly, ¡°I¡¯m hungry, Uncle Gerard. Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    The white-haired hunter scratched his head and then sighed deeply, ¡°Shall we proceed with hospital admission now?¡±


    ¡°Self-pay customers have a special channel,¡± Siflin drawled. ¡°I can arrange a top-tier medical suite for you, free of charge.¡±


    ¡°How long will it take?¡±


    ¡°At least a month to conduct various vital sign observations and to customize an appropriate bio-enhancement plan,¡± Siflin said. ¡°Apart from being expensive, the institute¡¯s medical services have no shortcomings¡ªand being expensive isn¡¯t a shortcoming.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to come and take care of her,¡± Gerard glanced at the doll-like girl.


    ¡°Neither do I,¡± Siflin said frankly. ¡°But the hospital has nursing staff.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Gerard!¡± Selena suddenly said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay in the hospital. Pink-Haired Sister said she would come and play with me tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡± Gerard had an idea. ¡°She lives nearby; we could hire her to help take care of Selena regularly.¡±


    Siflin grew curious. ¡°Pink-Haired Sister? Who?¡±


    ¡°A student, Meiwa.¡±

 Chapter 269 - 269 233 Shut Up

    ?Chapter 269: Chapter 233 Shut Up Chapter 269: Chapter 233 Shut Up Actually, ¡°Liss¡± could vaguely guess what Igula was thinking.


    Just like what they saw in the picture book ¡°Beastman and the Elf Queen,¡± where the beastman slave discovered the secret of the Elf Queen but did not report it to the emperor. Instead, he used it to coerce the Elf Queen, forcing the formerly unrivaled, proud, and beautiful, untouchable like the Heavenly Gods, Elf Queen, to yield to the vile beastman slave. She shed her regal queen¡¯s robes, accepted the dominance of the beastman slave, and became¡ª


    A ferocious Empress who killed traitors, removed princes, reformed the bureaucracy, and liberated slaves.


    So it¡¯s said that as long as you hold one¡¯s weaknesses, you can really make them do outrageous things.


    If ¡°Liss¡± caught Igula¡¯s weakness, she would definitely not report him. Now was the time for their startup, and aside from the general manager Liss and the nanny Ash, they had no other subordinates. They desperately needed talent like Igula to fill the gaps in diplomacy, finance, and military positions.


    In Igula¡¯s view, Liss might not seem talented, but don¡¯t forget, Liss is now bound with Ash; though Ash may not be very talented either, don¡¯t forget, the two of them together represent half the territory of the ¡°Blasphemy of Divine Beings Squad.¡±


    As long as Igula could control Liss, then Ash would naturally be grasped tightly in his palm. Then this Swindler would find a way to persuade Harvey, and their small squad would be completely united for better or worse.


    However, Igula¡¯s idea also exactly matched ¡°Liss¡¯s¡± wishes.


    After the last question, ¡°Liss¡± had already realized she couldn¡¯t monopolize Ash alone. Such a naively taunting companion, even if not very useful, was worth keeping as a backup. Since she couldn¡¯t form a reliable father-daughter alliance with Ash, she had to consider a second-best alliance for mutual benefits.


    ¡°Liss¡± even felt it wouldn¡¯t be bad if Igula discovered her secret, so she wouldn¡¯t have to waste her efforts persuading Igula. If the little witch had called Igula ¡°mom¡± before, maybe this day could have come sooner.


    Of course, ¡°Liss¡± wouldn¡¯t easily comply. ¡°Name your price, Mr. Bokin. By the way, don¡¯t be too outrageous. Although this secret is important to me, its true value isn¡¯t that high¡ªHanna won¡¯t give up on Ash, and Ash can¡¯t give up on me either. She won¡¯t kick us out of the home just because I¡¯m feeling moodier than a little kitty.¡±


    ¡°You just called Ash by name, now you¡¯re calling him father?¡± Igula suddenly said. ¡°Do you¡ªor should I say you both¡ªthink that familial affection is the easiest collar to enslave Ash?¡±


    ¡°Liss¡± paused for a moment, shaking her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Bokin, you misunderstand. We seldom interfere with Liss¡¯s choices, nor force her to do anything in the name of a sister... At least, when Liss chooses to act spoiled with Ash, we never gave her any instructions.¡±


    ¡°The Liss you usually meet is just a naive, six or seven-year-old little girl. She might be as bad as you imagine, but she¡¯s certainly not as bad as us.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Bokin, you might not like her, but don¡¯t dislike her because of us.¡± ¡°Liss¡± sincerely said, ¡°This is a request from a sister.¡±


    Igula remained silent for a moment. ¡°Such words are useless; you should also know, we come from a strange country where everyone is an orphan, with neither parents nor siblings. Emotions like familial love were cut off along with the umbilical cord the moment we were born. I can¡¯t understand your request involving familial love.¡±


    ¡°But?¡± Liss ventured to ask.


    ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®but.''¡± Igula said sternly, his face dark. ¡°I want control over you and Ash.¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡±


    ¡°Then you have nothing else to offer besides you and Ash. If you¡¯re not giving anything else, I might just have to talk to others about the ghost story of Liss liking to look in the mirror at midnight.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t give you control over myself,¡± ¡°Liss¡± earnestly said. ¡°I barely escaped Hanna¡¯s direct control and reached a deterrence agreement with Ash just to barely maintain my autonomy. I can¡¯t compromise on this... I can only share a bit of Ash¡¯s control with you.¡±


    Igula looked troubled. ¡°Even without you, I could win him over myself... Ah, alright then, just give me complete control over Ash.¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± ¡°Liss¡± shook her head. ¡°Though I hold Ash¡¯s control, he also holds mine. Over these 101 days, I must maintain my own control to counteract Ash¡¯s control, otherwise, I¡¯d truly become his obedient girl... I can give you control over Ash after 101 days.¡±


    ¡°After 101 days, the Weaving Festival will be over. What use would Ash be then? He¡¯d just be a waste of food to keep.¡± Igula said with a look of disgust. ¡°Ash¡¯s value lies only within these 101 days... How about this? Let¡¯s share Ash equally, and we both share control over Ash, how does that sound?¡±


    ¡°Liss¡± was very sharp. ¡°Then if there¡¯s a conflict between your order and mine, whose will Ash listen to?¡±


    ¡°Mine, of course!¡±


    ¡°This is impossible!¡±


    After a tense and exhilarating round of bargaining, the allocation results for Ash were finally out: Igula would have complete control over Ash after 101 days, and during these 101 days, Igula would have one ¡°Absolute Command Authority¡± over Ash. Even if Liss¡¯s orders conflicted with his, Ash must prioritize the Swindler¡¯s demands.


    Liss actually did not want to give up the ¡°Absolute Command Authority,¡± not even once; she would rather share Ash with Igula at other times. But Igula was very firm about this point; it seemed to be his bottom line. Liss felt that if she refused, the negotiations would likely fail. Moreover, since Igula was now in the driving seat, Liss eventually yielded.


    ¡°But do you know how to ¡®Transfer Contract Rights¡¯? I am not versed in the Ritual Faction.¡±


    Liss deliberately waited until the negotiations were over to bring up this issue. If she had brought it up at the start, Igula, realizing he couldn¡¯t gain any benefits from her, would probably have just walked away.


    But now that the two had discovered through negotiation that cooperation was indeed possible, along with the terms that had been set, it would increase the sunk cost of Igula flipping the table.


    However, Igula simply smiled slightly and produced two pieces of paper from somewhere.


    ¡°Playing with contracts for a Swindler is as natural as playing with mud for a child; it¡¯s an essential skill that doesn¡¯t need to be learned.¡±


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t that simple¡ªif ¡°signing a contract¡± was basic arithmetic, then ¡°transferring contract rights¡± was at least calculus.


    The contract was straightforward: Igula promised not to reveal Liss¡¯s secrets in any way to anyone, and to help conceal her ¡®sisters¡¯ if Hanna or anyone else became suspicious.


    In return, Liss would give away the latter half of Ash¡¯s life to Igula, as well as one ¡°Absolute Command Authority¡± over the next three months.


    When the contract took effect and dissolved into points of light, Liss suddenly said, ¡°From the beginning, the person you wanted was not me, but Ash.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Igula candidly nodded. ¡°I had guessed that you wouldn¡¯t give up your control, and I could only hope to scrape away as much of Ash from your hands as possible. Getting this bit of Ash in exchange for your secret, I feel this might be the most losing deal I have ever made.¡±


    ¡°Is that the reason you¡¯ve prepared for yourself, Mr. Bokin?¡±


    Liss gave him a glance. ¡°You know, little Liss was very noisy just now. She really didn¡¯t want me to sell future Ash to a bad person like you; she didn¡¯t want Ash to suffer misfortune later on. But I was the one leading the negotiations, and I ultimately dismissed her wish.¡±


    Igula snorted coldly. ¡°Oh, are there cracks in the affection between you sisters? As a Spirit Mage, I¡¯d be more than happy to serve you.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, because I explained it to her clearly¡ªselling Ash to you poses absolutely no risk, in every sense.¡±


    Igula didn¡¯t quite understand what she meant, but then Liss swiftly changed the topic. ¡°I recently gained a skill called ¡®Love Hunt,¡¯ which allows me to keenly sense romantic emotions revealed in details.¡±


    ¡°When I look at Hanna and Banjee, I know that Hanna¡¯s feelings for Banjee are more than just familial.¡±


    ¡°How do you tell?¡±


    ¡°Although Hanna orders Banjee very naturally, whenever physical contact with her seems about to happen, Hanna either dodges or appears slightly stiff. This shows her internal conflict, her heart twisted into a knot by ethics and true feelings.¡±


    Igula recalled the interactions between Hanna and Banjee, and couldn¡¯t help nodding. ¡°Indeed, there are signs.¡±


    Liss continued, ¡°When I look at Mr. Harvey, I know he once had a loved one, and that loved one has already passed away.¡±


    ¡°How do you tell?¡±


    ¡°He often falls into deep thought, which might be a side effect of cat grass smoke. But his eyes are filled with tenderness, yet his fingers tremble continuously, and lately, he has been opening the Gospel Book to look at memory photos. Grief, like a stone tied to him, is drowning him in a sea of memories.¡±


    Igula nodded convincingly. ¡°Indeed, he came to mingle with us after hearing the news of his lover¡¯s death.¡±


    Then Liss said, ¡°Then, I looked at...¡±


    Igula turned the volume of the gramophone to the maximum, ¡°Shut up, you.¡±

 Chapter 270 - 270 234 Great Values

    ?Chapter 270: Chapter 234: Great Values! Chapter 270: Chapter 234: Great Values! In the gaming room, Ash and Diya were in the midst of a fierce battle.


    ¡°Reverse Wave, Light Attack, Floating Boat, Heavy Attack, Twin Dragon Slash, Crouch Heavy Attack, Night Rain...¡±


    The Sword Saint unleashed a high-difficulty Miracle combo, cornering the Time Witch at the edge of the board, rendering her powerless to resist.


    Just as he was about to finish off this arch-enemy with a combo, Ash excitedly executed the Sword Saint¡¯s Super Special Move ¡°Extreme Day and Night Dawn Transition¡±, intending to end the battle with this dazzling move!


    However, the slight pause caused by executing the Super Special Move was keenly captured by Diya.


    She decisively executed an Evasion Miracle ¡°Reminiscence Through the Ages¡±, dodging the Sword Saint¡¯s Super Special Move, then used the Throw Miracle ¡°Zero Hour Echo¡± to turn the tables and pin the Sword Saint against the board edge.


    The tables were completely turned. Although the Time Witch was down to a sliver of health, her Talent ¡°Blessing¡± allowed all Miracle attacks to extend the enemy¡¯s pause by 5 frames. Thus, as long as her combo rhythm was perfect, she could leave her opponent without any chance to resist or escape.


    Numerous times, Ash merely needed to be hit by Diya once, and then he could basically let go of the controller and watch the Sword Saint being infinitely combo¡¯d to death by the Time Witch.


    By contrast, the Sword Saint¡¯s Talent ¡°Blessing¡± was ¡°Start the battle with four times the attack power, which decreases over time.¡± If he couldn¡¯t take advantage of the opportunity to finish off the enemy at the start, he would have no chance later on.


    Watching the Sword Saint unable to move, Ash was frantic.


    If he were beaten badly as usual, that would be bearable, but this time the Time Witch was down to a sliver of health and Ash was so close to taking his revenge. It was like the download progress bar reaching 99.9%; he couldn¡¯t bear to falter at this point!


    Ash glanced sharply around. In the gaming room, only he and Liss were present. Harvey and Igula weren¡¯t interested in watching their game. Banjee was interested, but Hanna seemed to have plans for him, so he was unavailable to coach Ash and Liss in gaming.


    This meant that whatever he did to Liss, no one saw it, no one could stop him.


    Liss, you forced my hand.


    I didn¡¯t want to resort to this.


    At this point, it¡¯s all the mockery of fate.


    Ash kicked Liss¡¯s stool away suddenly, and as she fell and cracked her tailbone, he decisively executed a Miracle combo and took down the Time Witch.


    ¡°Moderation in gaming, do not overindulge, minors should only play for an hour, it¡¯s time for a bath, let¡¯s call it a night, good night!¡±


    Before Diya could recover, Ash had already dashed out of the gaming room¡¯s door and quickly fled the scene.


    The little girl, rubbing her tailbone, looked at the door left ajar and heard the voice from the Light Screen announcing ¡°The game is decided,¡± whimpered, let go of the controller, and pouted enough to hang a teapot from her lips.


    This is unbearable!


    Can¡¯t hold back anymore!


    ¡°Aaaaah!¡± Diya rolled on the carpet, choked with frustration, ¡°Damn, damn, damn! Don¡¯t try to calm me, I¡¯m going to kill him! I have to kill him; not even the Bronze Dragon can stop me!¡±


    After a while, she managed to calm down, stood up angrily, shut off the Light Screen, hit Ash¡¯s controller with another punch, and then went back to her room to take a shower.


    At around 11 p.m. as her Consciousness connected to the Upper Void Realm, Diya entrusted her body to Liss and materialized in the Void Realm with a displeased expression.


    Liss stretched on the bed, feeling sleepy but not wanting to sleep yet.


    She was at an age full of vigor and had a great time being ¡®forced¡¯ by the Observer to play hide and seek with Brother Banjee all afternoon. Interestingly, Aunt Bokin and Uncle Harvey even joined in for several games before leaving.


    However, Brother Banjee was incredible. No matter how well Aunt Bokin and Uncle Harvey hid, he easily found them, causing Aunt Bokin to lose with an unsightly expression.


    Liss had wanted to play with her dad too, and Ash, who was in the game pod, readily agreed. But after Liss searched around, she found that Ash was hiding inside the virtual game pod without moving, justifying it as ¡®the most dangerous place is the safest.¡¯


    At that moment, Liss realized this hypocritical adult must be a major slacker at work.


    Adults are supposed to work, and Dad must be the type who finds excuses to boldly play games on the job.


    Though she enjoyed the game, Liss felt it wasn¡¯t enough. However, at this hour, no one else was there to play with her, and all her sisters had gone to the Void Realm as well, so...


    ...was she free?


    Liss suddenly jumped up, excitedly clenched her fist, sleepiness completely gone.


    Right, if her sisters weren¡¯t around, couldn¡¯t she do whatever she wanted?


    But what should she do?


    Suddenly, Liss looked down at the new wristband she got.


    It still had 10,000 copper coins. The White queen sister, the Deacon Princess sister, and the Black Butler sister had discussed all afternoon without deciding how to spend the money.


    Want to shop... Liss wanted to shop too!


    She turned the wristband and called out the Light Screen which, sensing her inner desires, displayed a shopping store on the first page.


    I¡¯m just looking to see what¡¯s available, she thought.


    ...


    ...


    Just upon entering the Void Realm, Diya found herself sitting in the backseat of a sports car, with the Observer next to her and the Sword Maiden in the front seat. In her sour mood, she didn¡¯t realize this seating arrangement was likely to upset another young girl too. Crossing her arms, she said, ¡°Can we find a Mage projection to fight tonight? Preferably a male, I need to vent.¡±

 Chapter 271 - 271 234 Great Values _2

    ?Chapter 271: Chapter 234: Great Values! _2 Chapter 271: Chapter 234: Great Values! _2 Ash instinctively wanted to say ¡°Tell us about your misfortune and let us have a laugh,¡± but he suddenly remembered his promise to the Witch not to pry into her life, so he swallowed the schadenfreude right back down his throat.


    He was someone who took promises very seriously, perhaps because his father had bought him a gaming console after he scored perfect hundreds in elementary school, or perhaps because he had seen his beloved elder brother top his grade, leading their father to withstand the teacher¡¯s pressure and allow his early romance.


    Ash¡¯s father was not a traditional good father, having no ambition, spending his life at his post, loving his nightly drinks, not caring for the children, and spending his life obsessed with forging swords¡ªhe even had a forge back at home, where the hammering sounds on Saturday mornings were even more piercing than an alarm clock. Other kids might have sweet dreams, whereas Ash dreamt only of being hammered by the iron, and his brother had it even worse, his sweet dreams abruptly ending with the same hammering.


    Despite all the negatives, it was hard for Ash and his brother to speak ill of their father. Besides being able to show off their father¡¯s unsharpened swords to their friends and earn some respect, it was also because their father respected them.


    A spanking when necessary, a scolding when warranted, fulfilling promises without coddling or compromise, he had seemingly no expectations of Ash and his brother, much like he wouldn¡¯t expect anything from the swords he made other than them hanging on the wall, yet he was faithfully ironing out the brothers¡¯ adolescent rough edges. Yet, if the brothers could show their own ¡°backbone,¡± he would not be stingy with his respect. As a child, Ash didn¡¯t think there was anything special about respecting his father, until he grew up and met various people, only then did he realize not everyone had a father.


    However, compared to his father, his mother was even more of an extraordinary character, but that was irrelevant right now.


    Just as Ash decided not to delve into the Witch¡¯s bad mood, the Sword Maiden turned to him and initiated, ¡°Tell us about your misfortune and let us have a laugh?¡±


    Ash would never admit he had influenced the Sword Maiden.


    Diya seemed to be full of complaints, but besides herself, her other sisters didn¡¯t really care about such trivia, although the Sword Maiden¡¯s tone was odd, she still obediently spilled, ¡°Today I encountered a despicable man, in a fair and just duel. Knowing he was going to lose, he unashamedly used external factors to influence me, resulting in my defeat. Yet, he had no remorse, and left after arrogantly humiliating me.¡±


    Since saying she was good at gaming sounded odd, Diya decided to use the term ¡°duel,¡± after all, the game they were playing was ¡°Mage Duel 14.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s utterly despicable!¡± Ash was furious, ¡°There are actually men in this world who can¡¯t accept losing! I have no respect for him!¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± even Sonia couldn¡¯t help but agree, she wasn¡¯t against using external tactics, but with her current social status, she was destined to be a ¡®victim of external influences,¡¯ so her stand was firmly on the side of ¡®justice¡¯: ¡°A fair and just duel should not be disrupted.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Diya finally found her group to rail against him, excited as if she had made new friends, ¡°That man is really terrible...¡±


    Sonia didn¡¯t really have much intention to improve relations with the Witch, but Diya¡¯s state was like a fruit can that needed only a gentle pull to open. Sonia¡¯s instinct in ¡®networking¡¯ prompted her to skillfully echo Diya¡ªwomen know best how to please other women.


    Soon all of Diya¡¯s negative impressions of Sonia disappeared, and she even felt that Sonia understood her better than her sisters, and also had very upright morals.


    Morals that happened to be as upright as her own.


    While Ash drove the sports car chasing the Heavenly Carriage Bull, Diya slightly adjusted her glasses and had a conversation with her sisters.


    White Queen: ¡°Do I really not need to step in for communication and information gathering this time? Just last night you strongly refused to contact them.¡±


    Diya: ¡°I can¡¯t rely on you forever, and it¡¯s only the Observer and Sword Maiden, I should be able to handle it. Tonight, like usual, let me take care of the Void Realm.¡±


    Black Butler: ¡°Last night you still disliked the Sword Maiden, now after a slight interaction you¡¯re all chummy with her, and you think you can handle it? I bet in a while you¡¯ll betray us completely clean... If not for the arrival of the little witch, Princess, you would undoubtedly be the most socially inept among us.¡±


    Red Death Cultist: ¡°Even including the Witch, the Princess is still at the bottom of social skills.¡±


    Diya: ¡°Red, you dare to say that to me?¡±


    Black Butler: ¡°Red is not antisocial; she just lacks social interactions. It¡¯s like not playing games versus being bad at them ¡ª they¡¯re not in the same dimension conceptually, so she¡¯s qualified to judge you.¡±


    Diya: ¡°Queen, look at them!¡±


    Queen: ¡°Since the Princess wishes so, let¡¯s follow her ideas. After all, we had agreed from the beginning ¡ª the Princess would handle Void Realm adventures, I would handle negotiations, the Deacon would handle schemes, and the Death Cultists would handle combat... An occasional change of roles is fine, but if possible, let¡¯s delegate tasks to the respective persons. After all, we all want to feel needed.¡±


    Black Butler: ¡°Speaking of which, I haven¡¯t worked in a long time, so are you really not planning to let me participate? The delicate state of the bond between the Observer and the Sword Maiden is something your nurturing approach can¡¯t unveil, Queen. Let me handle it. I can cause a qualitative change in their relationship ¡ª perhaps for the better, but I will strive to guide it towards the worse. Although I can¡¯t do much in the Void Realm, our bodies are already deadly weapons.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t like that!¡±


    ¡°No, the Observer and the Sword Maiden are our important allies right now.¡±


    Diya and the Queen simultaneously objected.


    ¡°Ah, it seems I¡¯m benched again today. But I¡¯m not in a hurry,¡± said the Black Butler. ¡°Since I exist, it means... we need me.¡±


    ¡°I will eagerly await the day I¡¯m called upon.¡±


    Despite some controversy, Diya regained her position as the decision-maker for the Void Realm Exploration.


    The Queen gave her a piece of advice: the focus of Void Realm Exploration now is not merely exploration but to elevate one¡¯s status within the exploration team.


    Now that she could communicate amicably with the Sword Maiden, the next step was the Observer.


    The Observer had just agreed with her opinion, indicating that although he¡¯s a nasty person, his values are actually sound, and she should have no problems getting along with him!


    ¡°Observer!¡±


    Faster than Ash was Sonia, who turned her head to see what this ¡®new sister¡¯ wanted to do.


    Diya racked her brains over her social skills: it¡¯s said that the best way to close the gap is to compliment someone¡¯s appearance.


    However, the Observer¡¯s face was a haze, completely indiscernible, dressed in a trench coat, typically the self-inflicted comic villain in fairy tale books, so...


    ¡°Your hands are so beautiful, may I touch them?¡±


    Ash blinked.


    Sonia was stunned.


    Are we being so straightforward? Isn¡¯t the usual approach to say something like ¡®I¡¯ve put on too much hand cream, let me share some with you¡¯?

 Chapter 272 - 272 235 The Changing Witch

    ?Chapter 272: Chapter 235 The Changing Witch Chapter 272: Chapter 235 The Changing Witch Cornered, the wild beast fought with savage desperation, yet the hunter¡¯s sinew lines had already silently ensnared its limbs. In its panic as its center of gravity shifted, the butcher¡¯s blade came swinging down with force.


    ¡°Miracle Water Threads, Miracle Evil Light Slash!¡±


    Precise and elegant, yet brutal and efficient, the first Beast Lord Wulfdragon that Ash and his companions encountered was split open like a ripe melon. With a coat of glossy black hair as if styled by a beauty salon, and a massive body like a dump truck, it was now ultimately destined to dissolve into points of light mingling with the Golden Rain, sinking into the soil to become nourishment.


    Several Technique Spirits took the chance to flee, only to be casually captured by the trio.


    ¡°There¡¯s hardly any difference from the usual horde of monsters.¡±


    Sonia sheathed her sword, crossed her fingers, and stretched her joints in a relaxing motion like a Gourmet reviewing a dish, ¡°But the last Wulfdragon had its merits. I¡¯ll give 2 points for scales, 3 for movements, 4 for the texture of the meat, but 5 for the skull¡ªit¡¯s like chips, so crisp and crunchy¡ª¡±


    ¡°That comment will ensure that chips are off my menu for at least the next five days. My body fat thanks you,¡± Ash grumbled. ¡°But to be fair, this Wulfdragon was as strong as other large creatures and could command other Wulfdragons too. It almost severely injured you three times.¡±


    ¡°But you were there too,¡± Sonia glanced at Ash and suddenly noticed an extremely cute girl in her field of vision. Her wide-eyed expression seemed to be anticipating something, and a tuft of red hair proudly stood up, as if longing to be smoothed down.


    Sonia, with no other choice, reached out to tousle Diya¡¯s hair. ¡°And besides, I have a super amazing Witch right here. How could a mere Wulfdragon escape our miraculous teamwork?¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Diya proudly put her hands on her hips. ¡°As long as the Sword Maiden stays with me, even ten more wouldn¡¯t be a problem!¡±


    ¡°If you can attract the ire of ten Wulfdragons as steadfastly as capitalists do to laborers, I wouldn¡¯t mind your enthusiastic job performance,¡± Ash clapped his hands, ¡°Alright then, it¡¯s time to collect our cut of the treasure. Let¡¯s see what surprises the Wulfdragon has prepared for us.¡±


    The Wulfdragon¡¯s lair was the third resource point they found that night and the first Beast Lord resource point they stumbled upon¡ªaside from thirteen Wulfdragons, there was also one Beast Lord Wulfdragon.


    Of course, the battle wasn¡¯t as easy as these three made it sound as if they were cheaters teaming up in a single-player game. Beast Lords possessed combat power nearly equal to large creatures and could command packs of creatures to assist in battle, showing no mercy.


    The underlings shamelessly launched sneak attacks while the leader struck, and even a Combat Mage adept at area attacks would be as helpless against this kind of mob as a student who only realized they had homework on the last day of summer vacation.


    Luckily, Ash and his companions were equally shameless. They found a narrow corridor and, not satisfied, they blew up the walls to constrict the space even further, allowing only enough room for two young girls to maneuver. Ash stood behind, thrusting with his Heart Sword, quickly depleting the Wulfdragon¡¯s minions. What followed was a one-on-one fight with the Beast Lord Wulfdragon against the three of them.


    Hard-fought, their reward from this resource point was abundant. The lair contained three types of resources still in production: wood, mercury, and sulfur.


    Wood and ore were the cheapest materials; the first two resource points that evening had been wood and ore. But mercury and sulfur were rare finds.


    ¡°Red Sulfur¡± was the best fuel for Mages specializing in Fire Technique and gun technique, while ¡°Stone Flowing Silver¡± was the universal lubricant for Technique Spirits of the Poison Skill, Water Magic, and mechanical factions.


    The rarer the material, the wider the range of Technique Spirits that could be nurtured, and the stronger the effects. Conversely, common wood and ore materials were quite picky for Technique Spirits and yielded poor cultivation results.


    Sometimes, Ash even wondered if it was he who was the servant and the Technique Spirits the masters. Otherwise, why would he risk his life to scavenge for cultivation resources for Technique Spirits?


    All things considered, the Wulfdragon¡¯s lair was likely their best haul of the night.


    However...


    Ash looked at the pool of mercury before him, next to a machine that seemed crudely made yet somewhat complex, as if a Beastman had drunkenly assembled unreplicable art from a pile of parts.


    Yet, this contraption, which belonged in a museum, had been operated by the Wulfdragon¡¯s Technique Spirits up until now, extracting mercury from the pond to refine valuable materials like ¡°Stone Flowing Silver¡± and ¡°Stone Milk Silver.¡±


    Ash looked around; the Wulfdragon¡¯s lair was a cave teeming with wildly growing vines. Moreover, lacking any intention to construct a drainage system, the monstrous defecation gave the place a robust natural aroma.


    Ceiling angles suggesting a square shape, the remnants of pillars where only bases remained after a collapse, and an object in the corner that once served as a hearth but was now a Wulfdragon¡¯s urinal were all proofs that the Wulfdragons were merely tenants here, not the landlords.


    Of course, there was also the possibility that the landlords had devolved into Wulfdragons themselves, with the enemy and ally sharing the same origin. But given that the Sword Maiden just compared their skulls to chips, Ash decided to forgo the boring speculations, hoping to continue enjoying cucumber-flavored chips six days later.


    ¡°Observer! Observer!¡±


    The Witch ran up to him, stretching out her hand, ¡°This is Windwood, and this Purple Sulfur, you¡¯ll need them!¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Ash said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it!¡± The Witch then dashed off to scavenge other resources.


    Ash¡¯s gaze followed her figure before Sonia stealthily appeared beside him, ¡°The Witch today... she¡¯s a bit strange.¡±


    Ash had also noticed¡ªnoticing was inevitable. Today, the Witch had black hair and a black dress that reached her knees, not the white miniskirt from yesterday that showcased her ¡®absolute territory.¡¯ The change was starkly apparent.


    She had also altered her combat style, no longer transforming into fire-clad warrior. Instead, her gloves morphed into a sheer rose red, and a strand of her hair seemed to have been dyed a dark crimson, giving off a red and black mixed vibe.


    But Sonia wasn¡¯t referring to her change of clothes¡ªit was the Witch¡¯s changed demeanor.


    Unlike last night¡¯s composure and calmness, tonight¡¯s Witch was as lively as the cream on a cake, and she became very gullible¡ªafter just two battles, Sonia had effortlessly learned about all of the Witch¡¯s Technique Spirits and Miracles as well as her preferred style of fighting. Their relationship had also grown by leaps and bounds in just one day.


    If this were the real world, they would be at the level of holding hands while going to the bathroom together.


    Moreover, after the first battle ended, Sonia couldn¡¯t help but pat the Witch¡¯s head, which was adorned with a sprout of crimson hair, under the guise of praising her. Unexpectedly, the Witch became unstoppable, appearing in her line of sight after each battle, urging Sonia to praise her with her expressive hair.


    What kind of place could possibly breed such a personality?


    Even the girls in Jiale City couldn¡¯t be this easy to dupe, could they?


    But these weren¡¯t the main points. The key issue was that the Witch was trying to ingratiate herself with the Observer and Sonia in a very clumsy manner. And because of the friendly demeanor Sonia had shown, the Witch seemed to think there was no need to put more effort into their side, so she kept running to the Observer.


    Giving materials to the Observer, asking what colors the Observer liked, complimenting how good the Observer looked today... it was cringeworthy enough to make one pick at their toes.


    Yet this foolishly adorable Witch seemed even harder for Sonia to handle.


    If it were the composed Witch from last night, Sonia could have gone all out and used all her tricks to contend with her.


    Although Sonia was now at the top tier of Sword Flower University, when she first enrolled, she had experienced all the faction rivalries, class politics, dormitory contempt hierarchies, and the small circles of girls¡ªshe and Lois had been at each other¡¯s throats just a month ago.


    If ¡®dealing with a crafty woman¡¯ could be classified as a Magic Faction, Sonia felt she could easily nab a Golden Level in that category.


    Sonia initially suspected the Witch of adopting a ¡®clueless and cute¡¯ approach to win hearts, as the naive and sweet always had their appeal. Dedarose had even starred in a few dramas titled ¡°Arrogant Prince Falls for the Naive Sweetheart,¡± and Sonia herself had used that angle to boost her popularity at the academy during her first semester. She knew all too well the lethal attraction of such innocent unawareness.


    Especially the lethality of pretending, because true naivety might not grasp the nuances, while a calculated act could hit just the right notes without causing irritation.


    But Sonia realized that the Witch was genuinely naive.


    The Witch was as if she had torn off last night¡¯s defensive Werewolf mask, revealing her harmless and innocent lamb¡¯s countenance underneath. She seemed to lack experience in interacting with peers, her approach to relationships involved laying her heart bare and shouting, ¡®Look at this, look at this!¡¯ Even country kids had more street smarts than her.


    Sonia was an expert at feigning innocence, and even she couldn¡¯t spot any pretense. So if it wasn¡¯t an act, what was with last night¡¯s White Witch?


    Ash had some guesses; after all, he knew the Witch¡¯s Innate Talent was Personality Split. Clearly, the Witch from last night and the Witch from tonight were not the same persona.


    However, should he share this piece of intel with the Sword Maiden?


    Or should he be the one to tell her?


    ¡°I suggest you ask her directly, after all, it should be her private matter.¡±


    ¡°Why not just tell me if you know.¡±


    ¡°What if the Witch asks about your secrets, should I be honest in my reply?¡±


    Ash waved his hand dismissively before Sonia could retort, as if he were shooing away an annoying fly: ¡°I know what you¡¯re going to say¡ªyes, feelings show depth because of their intensity, relationships show closeness because of their proximity, and you rightfully should have more privilege here with me than the Witch does, like discussing her gossip behind her back.¡±


    ¡°I like discussing gossip too, but the premise is those people won¡¯t become colleagues we see every day. The three of us are going to be comrades who stick together through thick and thin in the foreseeable future, and occasionally whispering and griping about a third party is one thing, but we shouldn¡¯t develop a habit of privately discussing teammates¡¯ gossip¡ªthat way, every time Sword Maiden you see me and the Witch standing together, you¡¯ll definitely think we¡¯re whispering secrets behind your back.¡±


    Sonia immediately objected, ¡°I¡¯m not that sensitive!¡±


    ¡°The only thing in the world more sensitive than you is probably Secret Poison,¡± Ash said irritably. ¡°Although if our team grows in the future, forming clicks and groups would be inevitable, but with just three of us right now, I hope we can maintain an atmosphere of a student interest group level, and enter the dirty adult world filled with co-worker gossip later.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I have a question I¡¯ve been wanting to ask you for a long time¡ªwhat does ¡®gossip¡¯ mean?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t understand?¡±


    ¡°I can sort of guess it means talking bad about others based on the context.¡±


    ¡°It really just means talking about right and wrong.¡±


    ¡°And what does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Are you picking a fight?¡± Ash grew impatient, ¡°If you want to know the Witch¡¯s secrets, just go ask her directly!¡±


    ¡°But asking someone directly about their secrets can make one seem to have low emotional intelligence...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you with that, I¡¯m curious too.¡±


    Without hesitation, Ash took Sonia by the hand and led her to find Diya. Sonia was startled by his straightforward hand-holding¡ªit wasn¡¯t their first time holding hands, after all, they had clasped hands while soaring through the Sea of Knowledge, and they had supported each other during battles, but this was the first such casual contact in everyday life.

 Chapter 273 - 273 236 Officially Joining the Team

    ?Chapter 273: Chapter 236 Officially Joining the Team Chapter 273: Chapter 236 Officially Joining the Team At that moment, Diya was squatting in the lumber mill looking for usable materials.


    The lumber mill connected to the outside of the den, where huge machines devoid of engineering aesthetics protruded into the dense forest like fishing rods. Driven by Technique Spirits, environmentally friendly trees, quickly grown by time, would be transformed by the machines into cubic pieces of wood that fell into the den.


    Logically, if ferocious dragons don¡¯t make use of lumber and it occupies a large area, it should quickly burst the limits of the den; but in reality, there wasn¡¯t much lumber in the mill.


    As Diya searched for materials, she also took in lessons from her sisters:


    White Queen: ¡°Princess, you can¡¯t just hand things over so directly.¡±


    Diya: ¡°What, should I throw them instead?¡±


    White Queen: ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant... doing it like that will make the Observer feel embarrassed.¡±


    Diya: ¡°( ?¡÷ ?;) I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Black Butler: ¡°Please, let White sister go. I can¡¯t stand to watch this.¡±


    Diya: ¡°I think I did a pretty good job, the Sword Maiden really likes me, and the Observer will like me soon too!¡±


    Black Butler: ¡°Who gave you such courage? Red, say something to her too!¡±


    Red Death Cultist: ¡°Say something.¡±


    Right then, Diya heard footsteps and turned to see the Observer pulling the Sword Maiden over.


    ¡°Witch, why is your personality so different today compared to yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Ah? That¡¯s because yesterday was White Queen, and today is me, Diya.¡±


    Diya said this very frankly without hiding anything.


    Black Butler: ¡°I knew she would sell us out eventually.¡±


    ¡°The Observer already knew about the existence of Little Witch and the Secret Princess, we couldn¡¯t hide it anyway,¡± White Queen tried hard to find excuses for Diya.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Diya blinked rapidly, as if pricked by a needle, ¡°You didn¡¯t know? Did I speak out of turn? Didn¡¯t you tell her, Observer?¡±


    ¡°I also don¡¯t know the details, that¡¯s why I came to ask you,¡± Ash shrugged, ¡°Witch, would you like to share your secrets with us? If you don¡¯t want to, you can refuse, just like I never asked the Sword Maiden what ¡®little trumpet¡¯ actually means.¡±


    Diya adjusted her glasses, swiftly gathering advice from a sister meeting: ¡°Actually, it¡¯s nothing serious...¡±


    Just like Sonia could freely vent to the Observer about her roommate, academy, and society, the witch sisters also felt that the Sword Maiden and the Observer were virtual friends with whom revealing secrets was harmless¡ªfirstly, the Observer already knew their secrets, so continuing to hide them was pointless, and secondly, the Sword Maiden and the Observer had no overlap in reality, which was evident from their excitement when they met last night in the Void Realm. White Queen believed they might belong to different countries.


    Moreover, since the Observer had always appeared before them in an illusory form, White Queen thought the Observer might also be from a different country and wondered by what miracle he was linked to her.


    In other words, they¡ªthe sisters, the Observer, and the Sword Maiden¡ªwere all strangers from different countries.


    Whatever the Observer and Sword Maiden knew could not impact the sisters¡¯ lives.


    Thus, not only Diya but also the other sisters, except for the relatively composed White Queen, were more than willing to reveal themselves to strangers.


    ¡°I am the White Queen, please take good care of the Princess,¡± she introduced herself in a sudden appearance last night, a white suit plus a mini skirt and a gentle, composed demeanor.


    ¡°I am Red Death Cultist,¡± red hair and clothes, fierce eyes, as wary as a bear living in the wild.


    ¡°I am Black Butler. My main job is to help the sisters come up with insults,¡± she said in a fitted butler suit, hair neatly bundled behind her neck, and a somewhat androgynous look which was incredibly sleek. The refinement in her eyes and brow made one wonder if she could only speak refined words.


    ¡°And then there¡¯s me, the Secret Princess!¡± Diya reverted to her original self, proudly placing her hands on her hips, ¡°But the Observer gave me the nickname Witch, so just call me Witch. I¡¯ll mostly be leading activities in the Void Realm, so I am the Witch!¡±


    Not only did Sonia have her eyes opened wide, but so did Ash¡ªswitching personalities could also automatically change clothes and hair color, becoming faster than a magical girl warrior. Was this a natural gift with several sets of skins?


    ¡°Witch, do you have any other sisters?¡± Sonia asked curiously.


    ¡°There are others...¡± Diya paused, ¡°but they are all busy with other things and won¡¯t appear for now.¡±


    Could they multitask like that and enjoy it?


    Suddenly, Ash also felt the impulse to split personalities¡ªone to stay in the reality for work and cultivation, another to fight and adventure in the Void Realm, and himself to handle rest and leisure. It would be the perfect division of labor.


    However, it was just a thought. Not to mention he lacked the ability, even if he did, the likely outcome would be one Ash with water to drink, two Ashes fetching water, three Ashes with no water to drink... After all, they were all Ash; why should he be lazy while the others worked?


    His immediate small goal was still to explore the potential of Substitute Technique Spirit, hoping someday Ash could live a life exploiting the mages as a capitalist.


    ¡°So why are you in charge of the Void Realm Exploration?¡± Ash suddenly realized a question, ¡°Logically, shouldn¡¯t the Red Death Cultist, who is responsible for fighting, be in charge?¡±


    ¡°Because I know a little bit of what the other sisters know, which is convenient for dealing with various emergencies; if it¡¯s not manageable, we switch.¡± Diya picked up a piece of material from a pile of wood. ¡°Moreover, exploring the Void Realm is exhausting, and among my sisters, only I am interested in the Void Realm... Eh? Oh, alright.¡±


    Diya suddenly stared at Ash and asked, ¡°Observer, how do you think the White queen, the Red Death Cultist, and the Black Butler fare?¡±


    Sonia was taken aback¡ªit was a strange way to ask, reminiscent of how her classmates at school would introduce male nobles like they were selling fruit.


    ¡°Uh?¡± Ash thought for a moment, ¡°The White queen is dignified and grand, the Red Death Cultist is sharp and wild, the Black Butler is cool and handsome... Witch, you have three great sisters.¡±


    ¡°What do you think, Sword Maiden?¡± Diya then turned to Sonia.


    ¡°Pretty much the same as the Observer,¡± Sonia said, clapping her hands, ¡°but each of you is so beautiful. I love the White queen¡¯s charm, the Red Death Cultist¡¯s bravery, and the Black Butler is exactly my type; Witch, you¡¯re so cute yourself... can I take all of you?¡±


    Diya¡¯s eyes sparkled, and she suddenly jumped to hug both Ash and Sonia, making happy snorting sounds. Ash and Sonia were caught off guard by her sudden bear hug and got pressed to the ground, watching the Witch rub against them like a little bear.


    ¡°Witch, this is so sudden¡ª¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re so happy!¡± The Witch lifted her head, her adorable face full of infectious smiles, ¡°The White queen and the others rarely appear in public, almost no one knows they exist. You two are the only ones... They have always wanted to know how others would perceive them, and your acceptance makes them, makes us all so happy! If you don¡¯t believe me, let them speak¡ª¡±


    Diya adjusted her glasses, suddenly turning into the Black Butler.


    The Black Butler solemnly declared, ¡°That¡¯s not true; she¡¯s talking nonsense!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking nonsense!¡± Diya changed back, snorting, ¡°Black Butler, you were clearly blushing with joy just now! We all saw it!¡±


    ¡¸I knew she would sell us out!¡¹ the Black Butler cursed.


    ¡¸I have nothing to say.¡¹ The White queen gave up struggling.


    The Witch sat up, suddenly recalling something, ¡°Oh, right, in the picture book ¡®House of the North Wind,¡¯ the characters became friends after sharing secrets... so are we friends now?¡±


    ¡°You only shared secrets with us, but we haven¡¯t shared any secrets with you,¡± Ash said.


    Diya blinked, her socially awkward self momentarily crashing.


    Ah, is this a rejection? What now? I really want to find a hole to crawl into, or maybe switch people, White queen save me¡ª


    ¡°But we will have a long, long future together in the Void Realm,¡± Ash stood up dusting off his pants, ¡°Let¡¯s share our stories when we have time.¡±


    Sonia sat up and brushed Diya¡¯s stubborn cowlick with a sigh of helplessness.


    ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary college girl without any exciting secrets to share with you.¡±


    Black and White Witch Lissdia was officially in the team.

 Chapter 274 - 274 237 Civilization of Time Continent

    ?Chapter 274: Chapter 237 Civilization of Time Continent Chapter 274: Chapter 237 Civilization of Time Continent ¡°Do you all not feel that this place is not merely the den of the ferocious dragon wolf?¡±


    Master Ecological Cleaner, Ash, suddenly posed a strange question after he had scraped the den clean and transformed the excess resources into essence.


    Sonia: ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve been questioning the manufacturing machines in the resource point since last night. Their bizarre structure, though capable of vexing any science mage, surely couldn¡¯t have been produced by knowledge creatures, could they?¡±


    Leaning against the hood of the sports car, Ash showed no fear that a secret mechanism below him might spring a deadly blade to kiss his feet: ¡°Even the most delicate knowledge creature can¡¯t match the dexterity of an ogre using its pinky to pick its nose.¡±


    ¡°Could it be that they actually can play the piano, perform music, or write in cursive with their claws when we¡¯re not around, but hide their tools the moment we appear, just to keep us from discovering their civilization?¡±


    Diya also began to ponder expansively, ¡°Speaking of which, what do knowledge creatures do when we mages are not around?¡±


    ¡°There are no entertainment facilities inside, and they do not need to hunt, so the only thing they could be doing is... I get it, playing hide and seek!¡±


    Ash said, ¡°It¡¯s also possible they were inter¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Sonia chopped Ash on the shoulder, ¡°The Witch doesn¡¯t have much experience interacting with others; don¡¯t just spout dirty jokes in front of her!¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting it¡¯s okay to say them to you? Besides, I was talking about ¡®communication,¡¯ it¡¯s your dirty mind that thought badly of me!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a dirty joke?¡± Diya asked curiously.


    Ash inquired, ¡°Don¡¯t the Black Butler and White Queen know?¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t know, oh. We may have different personalities, but our knowledge is shared. If I don¡¯t know something, they wouldn¡¯t know it either,¡± the Witch adjusted her glasses: ¡°However, the White Queen said she roughly guessed what it is and would explain it to me when we return to reality.¡±


    ¡°I could give you an example, like¡ªthe Sword Maiden¡ªstop, no need to waste Magic Power, you¡¯re not in that financial situation to afford it, are you?¡±


    Sonia snorted coldly, ceasing her activation of ¡®Grinding Sword Day¡¯ and said, ¡°Observer, are you implying that those production machines at the resource point, the ruins in the den of the ferocious dragon wolf, are the creations of other civilizations?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the only explanation,¡± Ash said. ¡°Could it be that mages once established a civilization on the Time Continent? But according to the abstract aesthetic of those production machines, maybe ogres are the pureblood rightful heirs of the mage lineage, and we are merely Mud Species who stole Magic Power.¡±


    This speculation seemed somewhat convincing, yet Sonia still shook her head, ¡°But the time on the Time Continent migrates with the flow of the Flowing Gold River, like this place will turn into the withered Static Domain in about two hours, where only knowledge creatures can survive. All of us mages will be frozen in time and become part of history, how could anyone establish a civilization here?¡±


    ¡°Is it possible that knowledge creatures can also become mages?¡± Diya suggested, ¡°I read in the fairy tale picture book ¡®New World¡¯ that within the human group regarded as inferior by the Elf Mages, a mage suddenly emerged. Consequently, human mages launched a counteroffensive, destroyed the Elf Kingdom, and established a new civilization. Maybe knowledge creatures once dominated the world, and other species of mages rose up and destroyed their civilization.¡±


    ¡°Can such a story really be included in a fairy tale book?¡± Sonia couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°I think it might be that mages in the past invented a Miracle that allowed them to survive in the Static Domain, thus establishing the Mage Empire on the Time Continent.¡±


    They turned to Ash, ¡°Observer, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, the Witch¡¯s speculations are filled with imagination, and the views of the Sword Maiden are very stable, each having merits,¡± Ash said, resting his chin in his hand, ¡°But I think you are all thinking too small. Since it¡¯s all speculation anyway, why not start by guessing about the entire world?¡±


    Ash looked up at the sky, obscured by the inverted Golden Rain, and gazed into the distance at the colossal feet of the White Bull: ¡°Perhaps in the past, there was no Heavenly Carriage Bull or Flowing Gold River. The Time Continent might have just been an ordinary habitable continent; hence it might have once harbored a flourishing civilization.¡±


    Sonia instinctively wanted to object, but Ash waved his hand: ¡°I know what you want to say¡ªmaybe a thousand, two thousand, or ten thousand years ago, the Heavenly Carriage Bull existed. But what about thirty thousand, or a hundred thousand years ago? Over sufficiently long periods, all grand transformations turn into seemingly natural truths.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps one day in the future, the Heavenly Carriage Bull will get tired and stop moving, and the active areas of the Time Continent will become permanently fixed. Future Mages might not believe that earlier mages actually had to pursue the White Bull to move around.¡±


    The red-haired Sword Maiden had to admit the possibility, ¡°But what practical significance does discussing this unverifiable conjecture have?¡±


    ¡°Just chatting after work, and besides, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s quite romantic? We¡¯re unveiling the mysterious veil of the Void Realm together, exploring the history of the past, just like the protagonists in an adventure story,¡± Ash glanced at Sonia: ¡°Besides, you train intensively during the day and explore the Void Realm with us at night. I¡¯m worried you might break down, so I¡¯m trying to help you relax a bit in between.¡±


    ¡°I am not that fragile!¡±


    ¡°Who just invoked the Grinding Sword Miracle, preparing to turn on their companions?¡±


    At that moment, Ash noticed the Witch¡¯s thoughtful expression and asked, ¡°Do you have any leads?¡±


    ¡°No, I just remembered that the basic configuration of an adventure team in fairy tales is two men and one woman, with many types of love triangles, but typically the second man sacrifices himself, and the first man and woman live happily ever after...¡± Diya said, ¡°But ours is two women and one man, doesn¡¯t quite match, does it?¡±


    You¡¯ve probably read too many varieties of fairy tales...


    Ash continued: ¡°Besides, if there really was a civilization, aside from resource points, there should also be ruins left by the old civilization within the Time Continent, right?¡±


    Ruins!


    The eyes of both the Sword Maiden and the Witch lit up.


    Whether it be in fairy tales or fantasy dramas, the lucky ones finding the legacy of ancient organizations or remnants left by predecessor Mages and thus embarking on the path of becoming legendary heroes is a timeless classic plot trope. After all, everyone finds it hard to resist the allure of reaping without sowing.


    While it¡¯s true that Mage civilization generally spirals upward and modern-day Mages are stronger than those from older eras, Mage resources are universally applicable across all ages. Magic Powers and metals from ten thousand years ago are still usable today, and even ancient styles may resurface and rise again. The only real outdated factor is old thoughts.


    Moreover, since the concept of ¡°Mage Legacy¡± inherently exists in the Void Realm, let alone in the Time Continent, if it were said that there are Mage ruins at the bottom of the Sea of Knowledge, probably not many would be surprised.


    Ash looked at Sonia, who shook her head: ¡°I haven¡¯t found any relevant information. I can ask the professor tomorrow, but don¡¯t get your hopes up.¡±


    ¡°Why? Have you finally been resented by the professor because of your overly arrogant actions?¡±


    Sonia glared at him, ¡°You... got it half right, but I haven¡¯t acted arrogantly. Mainly I have to conceal my entrance into the Time Continent and can only inquire under the guise of ¡®preparing.''¡±


    ¡°Besides, I think even the professor may not know much about the secrets of the Time Continent.¡±

 Chapter 275 - 275 238 Academic School vs. Adventure Faction

    ?Chapter 275: Chapter 238: Academic School vs. Adventure Faction Chapter 275: Chapter 238: Academic School vs. Adventure Faction ¡°Why?¡± asked Ash, somewhat surprised. ¡°Isn¡¯t your mentor a Three-winged Holy Sanctuary Mage? How could she not know about the Time Continent?¡±


    ¡°There are two reasons for this.¡±


    Sonia held up her index finger. ¡°First, compared to the data in the Sea of Knowledge, books introducing the Time Continent only make up one tenth. Not only are there far fewer Two-winged Mages than One-winged Mages, but more importantly, compared to the Void Realm, mages place more emphasis on advancing their faction realm. They also prefer to create silver tomes and golden secret texts about how to elevate their faction realms.¡±


    ¡°For example, in the library, there are thirty rows of shelves filled with books on the Sword Skill, covering different areas such as summoning Technique Spirits, combat, production, and more. By contrast, there are only two rows of books describing the Sea of Knowledge, and even fewer books on the Time Continent¡ªjust a few dozen.¡±


    ¡°Mages like us who reap rewards in the Void Realm every night are just too few, rare enough to be considered an exception. For common mages, the Void Realm is merely a place for absorbing Magic Power and cultivating combat skills. They don¡¯t expect any extra gains in the Void Realm but hope to acquire more Technique Spirits through advancing their faction realm and using the trading platforms, thereby constructing a Technique Spirit system that suits themselves.¡±


    ¡°Once their faction realm is promoted to a higher level, they will ascend to a higher layer of the Void Realm and then repeat the process. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that every layer of the Void Realm forces mages to explore and move around, I¡¯m sure many would be content to stay in one place, peacefully absorbing Magic Power every night.¡±


    ¡°Second,¡± Sonia held up her middle finger, ¡°my mentor is a genius. She left the Time Continent and reached the Distant Realm in just four years. She has been at the academy for four years and still occasionally forgets where her office is, let alone the Time Continent.¡±


    Ash sighed, understanding that this was the rift between the Academic School mages and those of the adventure faction.


    It¡¯s like people who won¡¯t rebel as long as they¡¯re well-fed, or the fact that more people save in fixed deposits than speculate on funds; mages naturally vote with their feet, finding their own comfort zones.


    It¡¯s quite understandable, really. Rather than pinning their hopes on the unpredictable Void Realm, mages would rather invest in themselves. At least what they can control. For Academic School mages, although relentlessly advancing their faction realm requires effort and talent, the path to advancement is stable. And as long as they can improve their faction realm, there¡¯s no bottleneck, after all, both fools and geniuses absorb Magic Power at the same efficiency in the Void Realm.


    In contrast, even if one does well in the Void Realm, without a breakthrough in their faction realm, they¡¯ll still be marking time.


    If the Void Realm is the fulcrum and the faction realm is the lever, then the Academic School is constantly reinforcing and lengthening their lever to pry more power from the Void Realm; while Ash and other adventurers seek a more appropriate and effortless fulcrum, prying here and there, with an ineffable technique.


    Whether on the individual, organizational, or societal level, the Academic School has a comprehensive advantage over the adventure faction. The only drawback to the prosperity of the Academic School is that by overly emphasizing the importance of the faction realm, the potential value of the Void Realm may be overlooked.


    After all, they are so busy with advancing their faction realm that they have no time to unearth the secrets of the Void Realm, let alone organize relevant materials.


    Of course, this doesn¡¯t mean the two schools are incompatible; Sword Maidens like Diya are currently balancing both Academic and Adventure School approaches, advancing at a rapid pace. But for a mage civilization in the throes of development, they can only focus on the knowledge system of the Academic School, unable to illuminate the tech tree of the adventure faction.


    It seems the academy on Diya¡¯s side can¡¯t be counted on; they¡¯ll have to rely on themselves to uncover the treasures of the Time Continent.


    ¡°Speaking of which, I just remembered...¡±


    ¡°Do you have another fairy tale to tell, more thrilling than an adult¡¯s story?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Diya shook her head, sharing her discovery at the lumber yard¡ªthat logically, if the non-depleting wood continued to accumulate, it would fill the entire nest, but the actual amount of wood in the yard wasn¡¯t much.


    Ash pondered and said, ¡°Thinking back, if all the ordinary materials in the several resource points we searched before were continuously stacking up, they should have been overloaded by now...¡±


    ¡°Is it possible that the overloaded resource points have been blocked, so we can¡¯t find them, and we only discover the ones that haven¡¯t overflowed yet?¡± Sonia pointed out a blind spot.


    ¡°The survivorship bias does make sense, but there¡¯s another possibility.¡±


    Ash added, ¡°It¡¯s that seemingly useless ordinary materials might be regularly taken away.¡±


    Sonia shook her head. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of any other mages, aside from you, who can utilize ordinary materials.¡±


    ¡°That means, those who can utilize those ordinary materials might not necessarily be mages...¡±


    In the midst of speaking, Ash already opened the Void Realm Map, ready to drive in search of the next resource point. But just then, he noticed an unidentified red dot pop up at the edge of the map.


    ¡°Using numbers to your advantage is a manifestation of ¡®Wisdom¡¯ (Unknown Entity)¡±


    Unknown Entities imply those that are not knowledge-based creatures, and aside from such entities in the Time Continent, the only ones moving around could be mage projections!


    ¡°It seems like there¡¯s a mage projection taking a walk ahead.¡±


    ¡°Crush him!¡± ¡°Run him over!¡± The Sword Maiden and the Witch issued highly dangerous commands.


    Ash complied smoothly, driving straight at them. Their favorite enemies now were the wandering Mage projections because their sports car, nicknamed the ¡°Evil Blade,¡± could just run them over, instantly killing them. They didn¡¯t need to fight to reap the rewards of the Technique Spirits and Mage¡¯s Handbooks from their victims. It was less like mooching and more like robbery.


    As they closed in, Ash saw more details from the Void Realm Map.


    Then he slammed on the brakes.


    ¡°Why did you stop?¡±


    Ash rubbed his eyes, making sure he hadn¡¯t misread the map¡¯s indications, ¡°Behind the Mage projections, there¡¯s a huge swarm of snake-scorpion dragons...as well as some thousand-feather Bird Dragons! They seem to be heading our way!¡±


    ¡°Everyone else also considers this to be true (some¡¤thousand-feather Bird Dragons).¡±


    ¡°The statement below is correct (a swarm¡¤of snake-scorpion dragons).¡±


    ¡°Outnumbering the enemy is the embodiment of Wisdom (an unknown entity).¡±


    Mage projections moving together with herd creatures?


    Sonia thought of a horrifying possibility, ¡°Quick, hide, don¡¯t block their path!¡±


    Ash quickly drove the car to a side area and asked, ¡°Why would Mage projections be mixed with Knowledge creatures? What kind of bundle deal is this?¡±


    Diya said, ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s just a coincidence that they¡¯re taking the same route?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Sonia shook her head firmly, ¡°It¡¯s not like that... they are one entity!¡±


    As they spoke, swift predators rolled through the land like bulldozers, the groan of grass bending, the low growl of trees bowing, all merged into a catastrophic symphony of nature.


    Even with the shielding of the reverse Golden Rain, Ash and the others could still clearly hear an army made up of Knowledge creatures recklessly marching by their side.


    The Mages¡¯ bodies were nearly stiff, as though they were too scared that any movement might disturb the passing monsters.


    Ash¡¯s fingers hovered over the directional keys, his eyes glued to the points on the map, ready to flee at any moment.


    They all silently prayed that this unknown army would proceed with their own plans in another location, hoping desperately not to be noticed by these pitiful little wild creatures.


    Even though Ash and his team could clear three resource points, when facing hordes of monsters they still needed to seize the advantageous terrain or even create narrow terrain themselves, reducing the numerical advantage of herd creatures, often resulting in the three of them ganging up on two monsters in a localized area.


    In other words, they didn¡¯t actually have the ability to engage in group combat.


    This was not a den or cave, the Mages couldn¡¯t find any favorable terrain here; if this Void Realm army attacked them, all they could hope for was that their four wheels could outrun the flying creatures.


    Only when the wails of the trees gradually faded away did they finally breathe a sigh of relief. Although one wouldn¡¯t sweat in the Void Realm, each of them felt a chilling feeling of evaporated fear all over their bodies.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Ash asked.


    ¡°This is my first time seeing it too,¡± Diya muttered. ¡°Thankfully it is the first time, or little Red would have been doomed.¡±


    Red Death Cultist: ¡°I knew that only a battle with certain death could bring about my complete appearance.¡±


    ¡°This must be the second most dangerous entity listed on the ¡®Time Continent Danger Rankings¡¯.¡±


    Sonia whispered, her voice tense, ¡°They are the reapers of Life, Wanderers¡ªthe Nightmare no Mage wants to encounter, the unreserved malice of the Void Realm towards outsiders¡ª¡±


    ¡°The Heroic Soul Army.¡±

 Chapter 276 - 276 239 Heroic Soul Army

    ?Chapter 276: Chapter 239: Heroic Soul Army Chapter 276: Chapter 239: Heroic Soul Army The Heroic Soul Army, which was a combination of mage projections and knowledge creatures.


    No one knew why the mage projections from the Time Continent were mingled with knowledge creatures.


    Even the most adept Spirit Mage, who excelled at enslavement, could only control one or two knowledge creatures for a brief period. However, to dominate and command a large group of knowledge creatures was far beyond the capability of any Two-winged Mage. It¡¯s akin to letting a child drive a heavy-duty truck; it¡¯s physically impossible for them, and if they somehow managed to do so, it would not be due to the child¡¯s ability but rather the truck¡¯s compliance.


    Many mages had indeed tried to unravel the secrets of how mage projections could control knowledge creatures, but they were often torn to pieces by the Monster Army the moment they encountered them. Forget about researching, they were lucky to catch a glimpse of the commanding mage projections leading the army. Many mages died without realizing that they were not interrupting a family outing of knowledge creatures but were instead being hunted down by the deceased.


    ¡°The Heroic Soul Army is invincible on the Time Continent, or rather, invincible to us,¡± Sonia said. ¡°Setting aside the Heroic Soul commanding as the commander, the knowledge creatures in the army are extremely difficult to deal with. Even the most resilient, battle-crazed Weak Mages would have their magic power completely drained by the ceaseless assault.¡±


    ¡°A mage, no doubt, can take on hundreds, but that only applies to powerful mages defeating a hundred lesser beings. However, every creature in the Heroic Soul Army has the combat power of a Two-winged Mage. Just their sheer numbers can overwhelm any traveler of the Time Continent, and with the Heroic Soul directing them with ease... Compared to the command of the Heroic Soul, the recent backlash of the malevolent dragon wolf was merely child¡¯s play.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps only a Holy Sanctuary Mage would have the power to defeat the Heroic Soul Army, but Holy Sanctuary Mages simply cannot step foot onto the Time Continent.¡±


    ¡°Heroic Soul?¡± Ash raised his eyebrows.


    ¡°In works like ¡®Tales of the Time Continent¡¯, ¡®Golden Secret¡¯, and ¡®Rain Curtain¡¯, the authors all refer to the mage projections that can command knowledge creatures as Heroic Souls, to differentiate them from regular mage projections. It seems to have become a customary term.¡±


    Sonia looked toward the direction where the Heroic Soul Army had disappeared. ¡°The Heroic Soul Army is a fairly rare existence on the Time Continent. Although most Two-winged Mages might witness the Heroic Soul Army once or twice, encountering this walking calamity the very next day... Is our luck good or bad?¡±


    ¡°And this is only the second most dangerous entity?¡± Ash blinked. ¡°What¡¯s the number one danger then? Holy Sanctuary Mages coming back to the Time Continent to fish and bully the weak?¡±


    ¡°The number one is, of course, the wars between Heroic Soul Armies,¡± Sonia said. ¡°It is said that even the aftermath of their battles can spray through the Rain Curtain and kill a group of mages. There¡¯s a saying on the Time Continent: never chase the sounds of battle, because you will always end up as an innocuous third party impacted by it.¡±


    ¡°I remember reading about the Heroic Soul Army in fairy tales,¡± Diya recalled. ¡°A mage who was betrayed by an enemy and lost their lover, managed to gather the assistance of seven dragons after death. With an unresolved grudge, they formed the Heroic Soul Army to return to reality, eradicate their enemy, and finally rest in peace after bidding farewell with a kiss to their lover...¡±


    ¡°The structure of the story does fit a fairy tale, but the cause is too realistic...¡± Ash commented. ¡°I¡¯d give it an 8 out of 10.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep the fairy tale conference at a distance and take our time with it. The Heroic Soul Army might come back,¡± Sonia urged. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry on. If we get killed by the Heroic Soul Army, it¡¯s over for us, even with a soul elixir it would mean lying down for a month.¡±


    Just as dying in the den of communal creatures resulted in greater soul damage, every knowledge creature in the Heroic Soul Army naturally wanted a taste of the rare delicacy of a mage¡¯s soul. With a mage¡¯s soul defenseless upon death, if it were to be nibbled away completely, that would mean absolute death. But since each knowledge creature could only take one bite, the more knowledge creatures around when one died, the greater the loss to the soul.


    However, unless some taboo was triggered ¨C such as driving out Secret Poison ¨C Void Realm creatures generally wouldn¡¯t consume a mage¡¯s soul completely; just as one wouldn¡¯t cut the roots when harvesting leeks, they would let the mage recover in reality for a return visit.


    Yet Ash was musing, ¡°Since no one has ever defeated the Heroic Soul Army, why believe that their commanders are mage projections? Perhaps it is some other mages who have run afoul of certain virtual realm mechanisms, thus gaining the power to command knowledge creatures.¡±


    ¡°There must have been Mages who have attempted to forecast intelligence, right?¡± Sonia wasn¡¯t too certain either. ¡°But if it wasn¡¯t a Heroic Soul but a mage in control, when a mage left the Time Continent for the Distant Realm, shouldn¡¯t they continue to enslave knowledge creatures? However, I¡¯ve never heard the professor speak of anything like that happening in the Distant Realm.¡±


    ¡°Even in the Distant Realm, there are no mages like the Heroic Souls who can form knowledge creatures into conquering armies; there¡¯s no Heroic Soul Army there... The Heroic Soul Army is a special product of the Time Continent, much like how the Vortex is a boon from the Sea of Knowledge.¡±


    ¡°Besides, it doesn¡¯t really matter whether the commander is a mage or a Heroic Soul. The important thing is that we need to hurry... unless you¡¯re getting some kind of inappropriate idea?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make it sound like I¡¯m the captain plotting something against a female team member.¡±


    Ash displayed a scheming smile, ¡°I¡¯m just intrigued by the challenge of higher difficulty.¡±


    I¡¯d rather you just flirt with the female team members...


    Sonia tried her best to suppress the urge to curse and logically analyzed with Ash, ¡°Putting aside whether we can beat the Heroic Soul Army, what about the reward?¡±


    ¡°The difficulty of challenging the Heroic Soul Army is higher than resource points, but the reward is less, making the cost-performance ratio too low. If you just want to challenge high difficulty for the sake of it, then next time you can join me in close combat, while the Witch takes the backup.¡±


    ¡°The three of us can fight in close combat too,¡± protested Diya, who did not echo Ash¡¯s idea, evidently agreeing with Sonia¡¯s rebuttal.


    ¡°Maybe the Heroic Soul will drop a more precious Technique Spirit, a more detailed Mage¡¯s Handbook? The Void Realm is a fair and impartial judge; I believe that defeating the Heroic Soul Army will lead the Void Realm to generously offer us the rewards we deserve,¡± Ash continued. ¡°Also, I always feel that there must be some great secret behind the Heroic Soul Army, maybe even related to the Seven-colored Tail.¡±


    ¡°My dear Sword Maiden, if you are willing to work overtime to elevate the Sword Technique Faction to Holy Sanctuary Level, I might reconsider my adventurous ideas.¡±


    Sonia replied irritably, ¡°We didn¡¯t take much of a risk when we discovered the secrets of the golden fish, did we?¡±


    ¡°But that was based on the fact that we were lucky enough to encounter the Fate Q&A island, and we read several Mage¡¯s Handbooks that could serve as important references,¡± Ash spread his hands. ¡°Fate doesn¡¯t always favor us¡ªnot to mention I had a little accident recently, and during crucial moments, the Goddess of Fate might secretly speak ill of me.¡±


    ¡°Other Mages can¡¯t find the Seven-colored Tail, what makes us think we can? Is it because you look good, or because I¡¯m a great driver?¡±


    ¡°Risks that ordinary Mages don¡¯t dare to take, we take; opportunities that ordinary Mages don¡¯t dare to touch, we touch; enemies that ordinary Mages don¡¯t dare to fight, we fight. It¡¯s only by doing this that we can earn rewards beyond those of an ordinary Mage.¡±


    Even though it felt like the Observer was spouting nonsense, upon closer consideration, it made a lot of sense.


    Sonia was not unaware of the principle ¡°the more risks you take, the more you gain,¡± but she was, after all, a typical member of the Academic School, favoring stable returns and loathing high-risk investments.


    Especially after she became a Two-winged Mage, this overly cautious small-town mentality did not diminish at all but grew even stronger. All she wanted to do was to maintain her current benefits.


    It¡¯s not that her greed was merely superficial; her world was too small¡ªshe was surrounded by classmates who couldn¡¯t match up to her. The only powerful person she could contact was Professor Trozan who was also jealous of her talents. She was acknowledged by countless people as a future Sword Saint, and nobles eager to get close to her could fill a girls¡¯ dormitory to bursting. Sword Flower Academy was gearing up to celebrate her as their pride...


    She had already achieved her life goals for the next twenty years ahead of schedule. It felt like she could retire and enjoy life chasing her dreams. Speaking of which, she had sneakily switched her daytime classes to Sound Technique and performing arts courses. The time she spent practicing swordsmanship each day was indeed only the two hours arranged by the Observer.


    She was progressing too quickly, and her ambition couldn¡¯t keep up.


    ¡°I agree with the Observer¡¯s idea.¡±


    Diya raised her hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s called a fairy tale when it¡¯s unique. If we want to become legendary, we have to take roads that others haven¡¯t traveled. A monotonous life will only be summed up with ¡®many years later.''¡±


    Sonia asked, ¡°Witch, do you want to become a Legendary Mage?¡±


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s Red Riding Hood and the White Queen who want it. I don¡¯t really feel anything about power,¡± Diya spoke earnestly. ¡°Red Riding Hood desires higher levels of combat, while the White Queen hopes to gain more bargaining chips through power... But we are sisters; their dreams are naturally my dreams too!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your dream then?¡± Ash asked abruptly.


    ¡°Me? I...¡± Diya hesitated slightly and tilted her head, saying, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s to live happily and forever with my sisters.¡±


    ¡°That seems even more difficult than becoming legendary.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    The two dirty adults ruthlessly tore apart the innocent girl¡¯s pure dreams.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll bet my life with you,¡± Sonia sighed helplessly. ¡°But here comes the second question¡ªcan we win? In open combat, I don¡¯t think we stand a chance.¡±


    ¡°We can win though,¡± Ash looked at the Void Realm Map. ¡°Because they¡¯ve ventured into a narrow area¡ªthey¡¯ve entered the cave we just scavenged.¡±


    Sonia was startled, ¡°Could it be they¡¯re related to the big bad wolf dragon?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s an employment relationship, but the big bad wolf dragon was exiled here to guard a resource point; it¡¯s probably an unstaffed temporary dispatch.¡±


    On the Void Realm Map, icons of the Heroic Soul Army started entering the lair of the big bad wolf dragon one after another. Clearly, among the loot that Ash and his party had robbed, there was a portion that belonged to the Heroic Soul Army.


    ¡°But even in the lair, the numbers are too great,¡± Diya thought aloud. ¡°Can we pull off the same trick and block the entrance to resolve them?¡±


    Ash shook his head and waved his hands, doubly denying Diya¡¯s idea. ¡°It¡¯s too risky. If something goes wrong, we can¡¯t even run; we¡¯ll just die in the jaws of the beasts.¡±


    ¡°We are up against the Heroic Soul Army, the risk is already as high as eating unknown bright mushrooms, and you still have the luxury to think about escaping?¡± Sonia couldn¡¯t help but complain after seeing that Ash still maintained an ¡®easy pass¡¯ attitude. ¡°You want credit, but also to wear a helmet? There¡¯s no such good thing in this world.¡±


    ¡°There is,¡± Ash confidently said. ¡°I have a way to both defeat the Heroic Soul Army and escape at any time.¡±


    As Sonia¡¯s snarky reply was just forming, she realized the main gist of Ash¡¯s plan.


    ¡°The big bad wolf dragon¡¯s home is pretty big; it should be able to accommodate a sports car as a guest. If the big bad wolf dragon knows what¡¯s beneath it, it would be grateful to us for holding a grand memorial ritual above its grave.¡±


    Ash brought up the upgrade blueprint for the automatic car, his gaze sweeping over all the peripherals on the activation list, ¡°Originally, these resources were meant to upgrade the ¡®Alchemy Throne,¡¯ but when it¡¯s time to use them, we use them, so...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time to show off my driving skills that took me three tries for the driver¡¯s license test!¡±

 Chapter 277 - 277 240 Hells Toll

    ?Chapter 277: Chapter 240 Hell¡¯s Toll Chapter 277: Chapter 240 Hell¡¯s Toll Shepherd Star Demilo rode the Serpent-Scorpion Dragon, leading his legion in an orderly fashion into Compound Resource Point No. 73, the Caverns.


    Arriving at the cave¡¯s entrance, he still saw no sign of the Ferocious Wolf Dragon, likely it had already been ransacked.


    Was it a passing Mage or a nearby Crystal Flying Dragon?


    Either was possible, as after all, the troops assigned to defend the resource point were doomed to become expendable items on the reimbursement list... how many Serpent-Scorpion Dragons should he leave to guard this spot?


    Seemingly aware of the impending personnel changes, the Serpent-Scorpion Dragons grew restless, while the Whitedove Bird Dragons stood on one leg resting unconcernedly, even taking the time to preen each other¡¯s feathers¡ªbeing the only long-range accompanying troop under Demilo¡¯s command, they naturally enjoyed treatment comparable to lovers.


    Entering the grand hall of the cave, Demilo waved his hand, instructing the Serpent-Scorpion Dragons to move supplies.


    The keen youngsters sensed that their subsequent work performance might determine whether they would rot in this cave or continue enjoying the best with the Shepherd Star, immediately searching the cavern energetically, their scorpion-tails held high.


    Demilo could clearly sense the mood shift among his followers but didn¡¯t care, gesturing for his mount to sit down. The Serpent-Scorpion Dragon obediently lowered its body, its scorpion tail curving into a roller-coaster-like arc, its tip perfectly landing on its back, serving as Demilo¡¯s pillow.


    Demilo closed his eyes, picking distracting snippets from his memory album. Yet, his gaze settled back on that dream he had already visited thousands of times and would likely revisit countless more.


    It was when Demilo was 13 years old, the most miserable moment of his life.


    Born into the Rebba clan, the surname meant nothing after his family was annihilated at age eleven due to an uncle¡¯s corruption, implicating his parents. In that era, nobles played a cat-and-mouse game with the royal family, a competition between corruption and capture.


    The young Demilo had narrowly escaped to a maid¡¯s home to avoid legal punishment and then seamlessly transitioned from a noble¡¯s son to an orphan harboring under the maid, living in the filthiest, crampiest storage room. He quickly matured, ate less, worked more, kept his head down¡ªdoubling his previous decade¡¯s suffering in two years.


    Clearly, Fate was a ruthless usurer, and double was merely the interest. At 13, when the maid found him a suitable Apprentice position, two men resembling blacksmiths took him away, and the destination was the locally famous ¡°Whitedove Cage.¡±


    A place known for its flesh market.


    Male workers were called Whitedoves, and female workers were Grass Carps; young Demilo didn¡¯t yet understand the origin of these names but soon would.


    When the evil-hearted gang boss revealed the truth to Demilo, he felt no fear or other emotions but calmly accepted the reality. Perhaps, foreseeing Fate¡¯s intent to reclaim his principal, he had anticipated this when hearing the maid couple¡¯s increasing complaints and witnessing the husband¡¯s evil expression and the maid¡¯s apologetic eyes.


    Being a wanted fugitive, he had the liberty to consent or die.


    The gang boss also outlined his future work scope: a boy slightly handsome like him could not only sell his body but also gather intelligence, assassinate key figures, frame others¡ªperhaps if lucky, he might get bought by a rich man enamored with his beauty... clearly, overtime was the norm here, and if ever caught by the police, he couldn¡¯t claim innocence.


    Holding onto the hope of eventually surviving to become someone¡¯s bedmate, the teenage boy in distress entered one of the upper rooms of the Whitedove Cage, which was the staff dormitory.


    The warm yellow walls, a clattering furnace, several tastelessly stitched burgundy sofas, a low table cluttered with snacks and drinks. Due to being on the highest floor, the warm light of the Star shone unreservedly through the balcony¡¯s French windows, providing a stage for dancing dust particles.


    But the floor was immaculate, cleaned often.


    Compared to the storage room, living conditions had vastly improved; at least he wouldn¡¯t wake up to rats visiting at night.


    ¡°Hey, your skin is so white!¡± A tall, voluptuous girl approached Demilo, reaching out to touch the precious legacy of his first ten years as a noble: ¡°So smooth and tender, oh...¡±


    ¡°Is there finally a newcomer?¡± Another seemingly younger charming boy jumped up, clenching his fists excitedly: ¡°Am I finally becoming a senior?¡±


    ¡°No, you still seem to be the youngest here.¡± Sitting far on the sofa, the quiet girl put down her book, ¡°Drink more milk and grow taller.¡±


    Demilo glanced, inside the quiet girl¡¯s book, there were no words, only blood-pumping images... studying diligently after work?


    The charming boy looked bitter: ¡°But milk tastes fishy...¡±


    ¡°Ah, I forgot!¡±


    The French balcony door swung open, and a breathtaking figure walked into the room, dressed in a baggy shirt and shorts, carrying a freshly hung load of laundry, exuding a homely yet seductive aura.


    The orange-yellow warm light greedily clung to him, casting a divine glow.


    Was he male? Or female? Gender seemed to lose its meaning at that moment.


    ¡°The boss only told us this morning that a newcomer would be joining the dormitory, everyone was barely awake, no time to prepare food. But since work starts in the evening, how about we throw a welcome party this afternoon?¡±

 Chapter 278 - 278 240 The Toll of Hell_2

    ?Chapter 278: Chapter 240: The Toll of Hell_2 Chapter 278: Chapter 240: The Toll of Hell_2 ¡°Is this something to celebrate?¡± the demure girl voiced the very same thought Demilo wanted to express.


    ¡°Yay, party!¡± the tall girl and adorable boy cheered together.


    ¡°Are we going to live co-ed?¡± Demilo asked the first question as they entered.


    ¡°Yeah, the boss said all-male or all-female quarters are troublesome, but co-ed living could bring mutual supervision, at least keeping the nonsense to a minimum... He even said that¡¯s his management secret!¡±


    However, the risks of co-ed living were... Right, those risks don¡¯t matter here.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s move to the next part!¡± the pretty person nonchalantly put down a basin of clothes. ¡°Let me help you pick a nice, suitable name for a newcomer!¡±


    ¡°Here we go again...¡± the other three sighed helplessly.


    ¡°It is indeed time to pick a new name to cut ties with the past,¡± Demilo nodded. ¡°After all...¡±


    The pretty person shook her head with a smile, ¡°Nope, the new name isn¡¯t for discarding the past but for embracing the future. Think about it, our initial names weren¡¯t chosen by us, yet they are supposed to accompany us for life, which is so unreasonable. Picking a new name means we are taking control of our own future, and saying goodbye to the Fate that dislikes us!¡±


    If not for hearing this statement in the workers¡¯ dormitory of Dove Fish Cage, Demilo might have nodded in agreement.


    ¡°So, are you willing to let me choose your name?¡±


    ¡°Whatever you think best.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡± The pretty person took out a frequently flipped, crumbled book from the bookshelf.


    ¡°What¡¯s this book?¡± Demilo inquired.


    ¡°Starry Poems,¡± the pretty person replied. ¡°A poet named each star in the sky and assigned various meanings to them, making it perfect to reference for names!¡±


    ¡°Each star... That would be thousands, right?¡±


    ¡°More than that! So you can find any great name, like Anlilian, meaning the fragrance of ink on a book page.¡±


    The demure girl tilted her head to the side.


    ¡°Roia, meaning the joyous sunlight.¡±


    The adorable boy looked up, his entire being radiating warmth, even though no sunlight reached him.


    ¡°Or Silena, meaning Seven-colored butterfly.¡±


    The tall girl twirled on the spot, her skirt swirling, her name personified.


    ¡°And then... Ah, it¡¯s decided then, Demilo! From now on, you¡¯ll be called Demilo!¡± The pretty person hurriedly settled on someone¡¯s name for life.


    ¡°Does it have any meaning?¡±


    ¡°Demilo, meaning the rock in Rapid Stream,¡± the pretty person said with a smile. ¡°It represents that you¡¯ll never be defeated by Fate.¡±


    ¡°What about you? What¡¯s your name?¡±


    Anlilian, Roia, and Silena showed a ¡®finally, it¡¯s coming¡¯ expression.


    ¡°And I¡¯m awesome!¡±


    Jumping onto the couch, the pretty person adopted a boastful pose as if about to transform, ¡°Representing dominance as ¡®Vos¡¯, and meaning conquest as ¡®Loda¡¯, my name is Vosloda, meaning I rule over Fate and conquer all!¡±


    Ridiculously indescribable. Demilo and the other three exchanged glances, reaching a unanimous consensus with the stranger they had just met.


    ¡°In any case.¡±


    The pretty person came over and hugged Demilo closely, giggling, ¡°Demilo, welcome.¡±


    After two years, Demilo felt the warmth of an embrace once more, his face, numbed by the torment of Fate, softened for the first time.


    Fate had taken all his capital yet granted him a loan even when his credit was negative.


    This was Demilo¡¯s first meeting with Vosloda, and it was the most critical moment in Demilo¡¯s life.


    Hiss, hiss, hiss¡ª


    The sound of snake-dragons scraping against the ground disturbed Demilo¡¯s beautiful dream. He opened his eyes to find his right hand raised, seemingly trying to grasp something non-existent.


    Soon, he thought, I¡¯m about to understand what I felt at that moment.


    I¡¯m about to reclaim my heartbeat.


    Demilo touched his chest, where it was empty.


    This was the toll every soul had to pay when crossing the Level Six of Hell, where all emotions were stripped away in Hell, leaving only pure memories to reach the Void Realm. And those souls ¡®activated¡¯ by the Divine Lord were only crippled lives born of memories.


    Having never had a physical body, naturally, they had no heartbeat and no emotions.


    No matter how many times he reviewed his memories, he could never truly understand ¡®Demilo¡¯s¡¯ real feelings, much like poking someone else¡¯s nose with a finger, unable to feel real joy.


    Death¡¯s veil separated him from his memories.


    The only solution was to retrieve the Fragments left in Hell, to mend the gaps in his soul and restart his decaying heart.


    And such a Miracle, unquestionably, could only be performed by the Divine Lord; thus, he had been fighting for the Divine Lord from the moment he was born.


    Level Six of Hell, six Fragments, the Merit he had accumulated was nearly enough to redeem the first Fragment, and by then, he imagined he might begin to understand why Demilo had so valued his first encounter with Vosloda.


    Soon, very soon, just a few more decades to go, after all, it had been over a thousand years...


    Turning his head, Demilo noticed the snake-dragons seemed rebellious¡ªdaring not to move even a single ordinary resource. What audacity.


    No, that¡¯s not right.


    At that moment, the Shepherd Star finally focused and observed the surroundings. He noted a thin layer of dust on the ground and the disappearance of any raw materials around the cavern. Along with the entire family of Power Wolves missing neatly, this headed in one possible direction¡ªall materials had been moved away.

 Chapter 279 - 279 240 The Toll of Hell_3

    ?Chapter 279: Chapter 240: The Toll of Hell_3 Chapter 279: Chapter 240: The Toll of Hell_3 Could it be an enemy legion that had sneaked over to sweep the area? But this is deep within their Star Hall¡¯s territory; wouldn¡¯t other legions fear total annihilation if they launched such a long-distance raid? Or could this be the prelude to a major invasion?


    And the closest hostile force is... the Blood Tomb!


    Could it be those annoying lunatics from Blood Tomb? Demilo had dealt with the Blood Tomb¡¯s Tomb Guardians in the last two Six-Nation Wars. Even though everyone was a fragmented spirit, for some reason, the Tomb Guardians seemed to be missing a few screws. Plus, there was the presence of those Ghoul-type soldiers that seemed to have fermented in sewers...


    Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!


    Suddenly, an unheard steel roar came from the cave entrance. Demilo turned his head and saw an iron monster charging at the entrance like a storm. Its sharp front blades sliced through the Serpentine Dragon¡¯s armor like cutting through warm butter, instantly crushing the Serpentine Dragon¡¯s rudimentary defense line and charging towards Demilo!


    Feathered Rain of a Thousand Birds!


    With a thought, Demilo commanded the Bird Dragons to take to the skies, firing a dense volley of feathered arrows preemptively towards the open space in front of him. Their bodies harbored the Technique Spirit of ¡®Piercing¡¯, and each volley could annihilate a slew of biological entities!


    However, the iron monster abruptly braked to a halt, the brake pads screeching shrilly, releasing a tar-like fragrance. The intense inertia caused it to skid in a perfect arc, stopping just before the arrow rain.


    Only a few sparse arrows hit it, but they were blocked by a transparent protective barrier, safeguarding the operators inside the beast.


    The Serpentine Dragons quickly formed a defensive line in front of Demilo; protecting the Commander is paramount in army combat.


    The Shepherd Star gazed at the three people inside the iron monster, and in the moment their eyes met, both sides understood each other¡¯s identities.


    Are they Mages... So, is this iron monster a creation of Miracle? Mechanical Department? Alchemy Department? It could also be from the Biological Department, possibly a modified Fish-Slicing Dragon used as a vehicle...


    Many thoughts raced through Demilo¡¯s mind, but they didn¡¯t hinder his command. With a thought, the Serpentine Dragons and Bird Dragons positioned themselves for a pincer attack from above and below, front and back, surging like a tidal wave towards the three Mages who had taken a wrong turn.


    He had no desire for small talk with his juniors.


    Even if they were Seekers from the Void Realm like himself, even if the Divine Lord had not imposed any communication restrictions, Demilo still had no interest in speaking a single word to someone born over a thousand years after him, even though he knew that spilling just a bit of Heroic Soul¡¯s secret could cause uproar in the real world.


    The sole desire of the Heroic Soul was to achieve completeness; nothing else mattered.


    As for the real world above Hell, Heroic Souls treated it with the same cold indifference as a past lover they had blocked and deleted¡ªgrudging any bit of their attention. No expectations, no hatred, just indifference; they didn¡¯t care about how the world they once lived in had changed.


    Return to where you belong, the living.


    Facing the oncoming onslaught of monsters, the iron beast once again roared, extending five pipes from its rear with exploding noises. The pipes spewed forth an evil green gas, a vile stream that almost instantly threatened to engulf the entire cave!


    Directly in front of the race car¡¯s exhaust, Demilo got a face-full, his hair blown back!


    Buzz¡ªBuzz¡ªBuzz¡ª


    Amidst the heavy roaring of the iron monster, a sentence was spoken in the clear, standard language of Mages: ¡°Ah, the feeling of farting and then running away is truly exhilarating~¡±


    Awaking from the Eternal Dream after a thousand years, this was the first human word Demilo had heard.

 Chapter 280 - 280 241 Poison Mist Swirl and Refraction

    ?Chapter 280: Chapter 241 ¡°Poison Mist Swirl¡± and ¡°Refraction Curtain Chapter 280: Chapter 241 ¡°Poison Mist Swirl¡± and ¡°Refraction Curtain ¡°Run, run!¡±


    Inside the sports car, unlike Ash who still had the energy to taunt, Sonia and Diya tensely grabbed Ash¡¯s shoulders in the front row, pressing their voices to urge the driver to flee, their legs going soft with fear.


    There was no way not to be afraid!


    Numerous mature scorpion serpents and eight mature quill-bird dragons were not ordinary herd animals but large creatures on par with Two-winged Mages, each capable of challenging one Sonia!


    Especially the quill-bird dragons¡ªthey could maneuver and fly, excelling in long-range aerial attacks and knew to use ¡°golden rain¡± to camouflage themselves, ranking as dangerous enemies to be highly cautious of in the Time Continent knowledge biological chart.


    Sonia still remembered the countermeasures for quill-bird dragons mentioned in ¡°Time Continent Survival Strategies¡±: ¡°Kneel on the ground, stick your butt out, cover your head and protect your vital parts, and curl up as much as possible.¡±


    ¡°This way, you¡¯re more likely just to damage your buttocks, and even if you die, you¡¯ll only lose the soul of your butt. Apart from feeling a bit empty when taking a shit, it won¡¯t affect your real life much.¡±


    Since it was a library book, many seniors had left their comments on these strategies, highly rating the butt-protruding technique and even sharing many tips for it.


    Though it seemed quite comical, Sonia didn¡¯t laugh when she read it; instead, she memorized it seriously. Because these annotations are the crystallization of Mage wisdom, and the seniors would be pleased if they realized their hard-earned experiences were not being ridiculed¡ªMages who disrespect knowledge deserve to pay a heavy price.


    If even a Two-winged Mage couldn¡¯t beat a quill-bird dragon, that was normal; every Mage had their strengths and weaknesses. Just like Weak Mages could counter all close-range physical enemies but were vulnerable to long-range enemies proficient in applying negative curse damage. Even the most talented and versatile Mages would encounter Void Realm creatures they couldn¡¯t handle.


    Even Legendary Mages had weaknesses they couldn¡¯t cover.


    As a Mage, one must aim to compensate for weaknesses but also learn to manage risks. Even cheating players like Ash and Sonia couldn¡¯t avoid death, let alone others. It took Diya two years to set foot in the Time Continent, not due to restrictions from the faction realms.


    As long as it could reduce the consequences of death, one wouldn¡¯t mind sticking their butt out or even doing a handstand to shit if necessary.


    Death in the Void Realm was just a part of life; no Mage would vow to exterminate all Fish-Slicing Dragons from suffering an early defeat, nor was there a ¡°Fish-Slicing Dragon Conservation Society¡± targeting Ash for specifically hunting Fish-Slicing Dragons to explode swordsmanship Treasure Beads.


    ¡°The Void Realm is a place of madness, Mages against Mages, Mages against knowledge creatures, knowledge creatures against each other; although every creature there is killing each other, there¡¯s no enmity among them. Everyone is driven by the fear of death yet also marching toward it.¡± ¡ª¡±Sen Hall Second Floor¡¤Void Realm Library¡¤Famous Quotes¡±.


    That¡¯s why the Sword Maiden and the Witch were so afraid.


    They weren¡¯t naturally timid or scared, being braver than Ash when fighting the ferocious wolf dragon half an hour ago, so it wasn¡¯t death they were afraid of but coming out at a loss!


    If they were to die here, snake scorpion dragons and quill-bird dragons taking turns tearing at their souls, they might lose most of their spirit, causing their bodies to be paralyzed in reality, possibly taking months before their next venture into the Void Realm.


    If they were to die, they preferred to die far away and be bitten fewer times by knowledge creatures!


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush.¡±


    The roar of massive monsters was already close at hand, and the defensive barrier started making ticking noises; the barrier¡¯s energy bar was rapidly declining, with danger seemingly about to crush them all in the next second.


    However, Ash felt not a hint of fear¡ªno excitement either, only as calm as if he were watching a documentary.


    During the past two days of battle, he had occasionally entered this peculiar ¡®zoned out¡¯ state, a new occurrence that made Ash wonder if the feng shui of the Time Continent was mismatched with his fate.


    But under this special observational state, Ash could notice many details that usually went unheeded and, like a veteran used to overused plots, accurately predict the enemy¡¯s next moves.


    The battles these two days weren¡¯t smooth-sailing; the three of them were still newbies to the new map, and group battles needed coordination. Thus, the Sword Witch faced deadly threats several times. But because Ash almost always entered this special state in the nick of time, he could protect them with the ¡°Sword Barrier¡± just in the nick of time, helping the team survive the initial teething period unscathed.


    The Sword Maiden and Witch certainly noticed his skillful operations, but they had their share of perfect micro-maneuvers during fights and wouldn¡¯t pay extra attention to Ash¡¯s show-off; at most, they nodded in recognition, even thinking this was the expected level of an Observer. Meanwhile, Ash thought this was just a fleeting spark of inspiration¡ªhe was past the age of shouting over a pentakill, so naturally, he wouldn¡¯t boast deliberately.


    But this time, the moment of inspiration... seemed to last a bit longer?


    ¡°The real show is about to begin,¡± Ash calmly pressed the virtual operation keys, and the sports car, like a violently spinning top, rammed into the group of snake scorpion dragons on the left!


    Diya let out a scream, her hair turning mostly red, obviously having switched over to ¡®little red¡¯; Sonia almost bit through her lip, suppressing the panic in her throat, her hands tightly grasping the Observer¡¯s coat...huh?


    Was it the reflection from the Witch¡¯s hair, or the visual twist from the rotation, or...


    Did the Observer¡¯s deep red gradation coat really flicker like breathing lights?


    Boom!


    The blade of evil perfectly split the snake scorpion dragon in half, the sports car using all its might to spin and return, its tires drawing a crescent, perfectly avoiding the subsequent arrow rain, then roaring as it collided with the rushing snake scorpion dragon troops!


    Boom! Snap! Boom! Snap!


    The limbs of the snake scorpion dragons passed the protective barrier, their dark red blood spraying over the sports car like watering plants, but due to the transparent barrier, the blood was suspended in mid-air, only visible to Sonia and Diya if they looked up to see the blossoming blood flowers.


    But behind the blood curtain was the ink-green poisonous fog thick enough to obscure the sight!


    Thud! Thud!


    At that moment, the serpent dragons had finally caught up to the sports car, with their sharp poison stingers, their dual pincers like crushing stones, and their dangerous serpent kisses all simultaneously assaulting the car. The barrier emitted sounds of unbearable burden, threatening to shatter like an eggshell at any moment!


    But just then, a piercing scream resounded from above the cave!


    ¡°Squawk¡ª¡±


    Thousands of bird dragons, while screaming, fell down, being the first victims of the poison mist!


    Their tactical objective was completely achieved, Ash drove the sports car at breakneck speed, shaking off the serpent dragons and safely fleeing the cave just a second before the barrier shattered!


    This was their daring challenge against the Heroic Soul Army¡ª the ¡°Poison Gas Surge¡± and the ¡°Refraction Curtain¡±!


    ¡°Refraction Curtain¡¤Level 6: The automatic vehicle is enveloped in a curtain with 4000 life value, reducing all damage to the curtain by 32%.


    Level 6 special effect: Additionally reduces damage from long-range attacks by 30% (32+30=62%).


    Next level requires 630 Ore Essence/630 Wood Essence/315 Mercury Essence.¡±


    ¡°Poison Gas Surge¡¤Level 4: The exhaust pipe releases a soul-corroding poisonous dense mist that also obscures vision, protecting the operators inside the vehicle from the effects of the poison.


    Next level requires 600 Mercury Essence/300 Wood Essence.¡±


    To upgrade these two car peripherals, the resources they had painstakingly accumulated over the past few days were almost completely exhausted, but it was all worth it¡ªwithout the Refraction Curtain, they would have been turned into targets by the bird dragons long ago, and without the Poison Gas Surge, they could never have dealt with this large group of sentient creatures!


    Why did Ash have to gamble this time? Because he realized that if he missed this chance, he might never have the opportunity to unveil the mysteries of the Heroic Soul Army again¡ª the Heroic Soul Army had just walked into a cave severely restricted by spatial areas, and he just happened to have resources to upgrade the curtain and the poison!


    All elements were indispensable; it had to be in the cave, there must be the curtain and poison mist, and neither the serpent dragons nor the bird dragons had methods to stop movement. Then, everything proceeded exactly as Ash had planned, fitting together seamlessly like a perfectly original puzzle, creating a scene akin to a Miracle.


    ¡ªThey brutally trapped and poisoned the Heroic Soul Army inside the cave!


    At this moment, Sonia didn¡¯t know if she was flung around by the car or what, but she found herself sitting in the front seat, clinging tightly to Ash¡¯s right arm, looking at the cave unsettled, ¡°Are they, are they all dead?¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡± Ash glanced at the Void Realm Map, ¡°The bird dragons should be all dead, but half of the serpent dragons are still left.¡±


    ¡°Then we should run fast! They¡¯re going to chase us!¡±


    ¡°No, we should block them in the cave and fight to the death!¡±


    The Witch¡¯s voice sounded like a duet. Ash and Sonia turned their heads and saw, for some unexplained reason, she too had moved to the front seat. Fortunately, the car was large enough that Ash, sitting in the middle, didn¡¯t feel cramped.


    The Witch¡¯s hair at the moment was very peculiar, showing a gradient from black to red.


    Each witch sister had their unique hair color; the Secret Princess¡¯s was bright black, the Black Butler¡¯s was pale purple, the White Queen¡¯s was pure white, the Red Death Cultist¡¯s was blood red... When the hair was a single color, it represented a single dominant personality; when the hair showed multiple distinct colors, it meant there was one main personality with several sub-personalities assisting.


    However, this gradient color was the first time Ash and Sonia had seen such.


    It looked as though... different pigments were directly mixed together.


    However, given the urgent situation, no one was in the mood to contemplate the latest hair dye technology the Witch had used. Ash pressed a virtual button, and the sports car again fiercely gripped the ground and swiveled, emitting a heart-wrenching scream as it turned its front back toward the cave.


    ¡°We¡¯re neither running away nor blocking the entrance.¡±


    Buzz!


    With a powerful thrust, the sports car charged back into the cave, meeting the serpent dragons just coming out with a French wet kiss!


    Just as the sports car¡¯s blade split a serpent dragon in two, the other serpent dragons in the poison mist quickly retaliated, causing the overly worked Refraction Curtain that had just started on its first day to suddenly fail!


    Ouch!


    The protective barrier was broken!


    Sonia grabbed Ash¡¯s hand while also touching the hilt of her sword; Diya, tense all over, pulled out the aqua thread, ready to leap out and fight the serpent dragons any moment.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave the car.¡±


    Ash spoke calmly; the sports car was about to turn back into the poison mist-draped cave, leaning against the leather backrest, looking to the left.


    At the same time, Demilo, driving a serpent dragon, burst out of the poison mist cave. He slightly turned his head, meeting Ash¡¯s eyes.


    One side was a calm black stagnant water, the other was a still lake reflecting a myriad of scenes.


    ¡°The next round is about to start.¡±

 Chapter 281 - 281 242 The Real Soldier

    ?Chapter 281: Chapter 242 The Real ¡°Soldier Chapter 281: Chapter 242 The Real ¡°Soldier ¡°Wishing to use the poison fog in the cave to whittle down my minions, huh...¡±


    Demilo watched as the steel monsters burrowed into the dark-green cesspit, their buzzing roars as if urging him to hurry in.


    Should I go in?


    It seemed to be a no-brainer¡ªentering the tactical terrain set up by someone else was foolish, and he had no necessary reason to fight the mages, moreover, if he really wanted to fight in the poison fog, he would have to use some of his precious ¡®soldiers¡¯.


    No instructions came from the Divine Lord to the Heroic Souls; in fact, unless it was a time of war, Heroic Souls were free. However, in order to accumulate enough merit to exchange for soul fragments, even during peaceful development periods, they would still patrol their territory and transport resources voluntarily, just like Demilo, who had set out this turn to transport resources from the surrounding area back to the main city.


    Therefore, Demilo could overlook these arrogant mages and simply walk away; he could do as he pleased.


    And so, he felt somewhat perplexed.


    In the past thousand years, he had never encountered a moment that required his decision. During war, needless to say, the Divine Lord¡¯s edicts were followed; during peaceful times, he dutifully managed the main city, weighing the possibility of victory when encountering hostile legions, deciding whether to fight or flee, and when encountering ordinary mages, he simply crushed them.


    He had also encountered many mages, some of whom happened to cross the path of the march and were casually crushed to death by the Shepherd Star; others fled swiftly, and as long as they did not die under the first wave of long-range attacks from the legion, Demilo would not specifically pursue them.


    This situation, however, was unprecedented.


    He had encountered mages, but not only had he failed to crush them, but the mages had also inflicted considerable losses on his minions. The mages did not flee but wandered under his gaze, yet he could not easily crush them.


    Although there was no evidence, Demilo believed that the clean state of the cave resource point could hardly be unrelated to this group of mages.


    Interest, loss, battle, departure...various thoughts surged, but ultimately, there was no reference case, and in the end, it was up to Demilo to make the decision.


    He had to follow his own wishes.


    For a corpse without a heartbeat, that was a cruel joke indeed.


    However, as Demilo turned to look back at the cave and did not immediately choose to leave, he had already made his decision.


    Anger? Jealousy? Curiosity? Demilo, lacking even a fragment of a soul, did not believe he had the capacity to feel these emotions, yet the scales of thought definitively tipped towards those mages.


    If there had to be a reason, it was probably the look in the eyes of that male mage just now, which added a weight to the balanced scales decisive enough to determine the outcome.


    His appearance was completely different, but his gaze was very similar to the person who had killed Demilo.


    ¡°The sacred Star Cluster connects us.¡±


    Demilo silently recited the prayer in his heart, the power of the stars pouring through the chains of void into the sentient creature, dyeing the remaining eight Bird Dragons a deep blue, including Demilo¡¯s surviving mount.


    They yawned languorously as if just waking from sleep, their bodies covered in blue distortion. A second later, the serpent-dragon had vanished without a trace, leaving behind eight deep blue dual swordsmen in full armor that didn¡¯t leave a single gap, with only deep blue pupils visible inside their cross helmets. Behind them was a scorpion tail, but instead of a poisonous sting, it bore a blue-glowing sword.


    ¡°Star Swordsman: Serpent-Dragon Specialization¡±!


    Having decided to fight, Demilo naturally wasn¡¯t stingy with his ¡°soldiers¡±.


    Although he had been commanding knowledge creatures, these creatures could not be considered soldiers; they were mere followers.


    Knowledge creatures were essentially monsters, not comparable to mages who could wield tools. Even if a commander could control them as handily as using one¡¯s own limbs, as tactical executors, knowledge creatures were far too inferior to humans.


    The strength of the Heroic Soul Army lay in the commander¡¯s ability to transform followers into a more powerful ¡®type of soldier,¡¯ retaining the creature¡¯s original combat power while also endowing them with enhanced combat skills.


    When followers became soldiers, they would undergo different transformations based on their unique physical traits. For instance, serpent-dragons with pincers and scorpion tails would mutate into dual swordsmen with tail swords, capable of launching three attacks simultaneously, enough to overwhelm an ordinary mage with a triple thrust and six-point strike.


    Although Star Swordsmen were only a Level 1 soldier class in Star Hall, when given to the right knowledge creatures, they could combine to form a formidable combat power. Hence, for Demilo and other Heroic Souls, the knowledge creatures themselves weren¡¯t important; the ¡°soldiers¡± they carried were.


    In the Void Realm, knowledge creatures were endless, but ¡®soldiers¡¯ weren¡¯t born from the Void Realm; they originated from reality. For Star Hall, soldiers were the most vital and scarce resource of war. Followers could perish in any number, but each unit of soldiers had to be used cautiously, primarily reserved for sieges and national battles.


    Until just now, Demilo had believed he could kill those three mages simply by sacrificing followers, naturally unwilling to use his own soldiers. In fact, he didn¡¯t carry many soldiers with him since his mission was to transport resources within friendly territory during a period of peace. Under normal circumstances, the majority of soldiers should be left in the main city, managed and deployed by the City Lord.


    However, Star Hall had recruited a new batch of soldiers in reality a few days earlier, an unexpected boon, so each Heroic Soul received a share of reserves, including Demilo.


    It was a pity all the Bird Dragons were gone. Otherwise, if Demilo had only needed to endow them with the Level 2 soldier class ¡°Star Archer,¡± combined with their innate Thousand Feathers mutation, he would have been able to turn that iron monster into a sieve in an instant.


    Nevertheless, the Serpent-Dragon Star Swordsmen were more than enough.


    With a light gesture, the Shepherd Star directed the Star Swordsmen to march in step into the poisonous fog cave, unfazed by the corrosion of the fog. After being endowed with the soldier class, the Star Swordsmen acquired armor akin to a near-impenetrable barrier; unless a blow was strong enough to penetrate the armor, it could not harm the Star Swordsmen.


    Even if the blow penetrated the armor, it would only weaken the energy of the armor and still not genuinely harm the Star Swordsman¡¯s own body. With three layers of armor, the dense, bone-eroding, soul-withering poison fog amounted to nothing more than an irritant that slightly obstructed their vision before the armor was breached.


    Demilo stood outside the cave, capturing the direction of the enemy through the Star Swordsmen¡¯s perception, and then¡ª


    Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!


    The iron monster charged rashly at one of the Star Swordsmen, playing right into the Shepherd Star¡¯s hand.


    Defend!


    Confronted by the monster¡¯s charge, the Star Swordsman crossed his two swords in an X, assuming a defensive stance to withstand the evil blade¡¯s massive inertia head-on!


    Crack! Crack! Crack!


    All three layers of armor shattered, yet the Star Swordsman remained standing in place, staunchly blocking the iron monster¡¯s assault!


    Clang¡ª


    Countless swords clanged simultaneously, and the other Star Swordsmen immediately launched their attack on the Mages within the monsters, sword light enveloping them from all directions like a fishing net cast across the sky!


    ¡°Ah!?¡±


    ¡°Why... who are they!?¡±


    The poison fog couldn¡¯t mask the Mages¡¯ shocked voices, which was within Demilo¡¯s expectations. Just as he wouldn¡¯t waste soldiers when crushing Mages, other Heroic Souls would certainly let their minions drive out these pests.


    Just as no Mage knew the secrets of the Heroic Souls, naturally, no Mage had ever seen these monster soldiers bestowed with military roles.


    If this shock occupied the enemy¡¯s thoughts, it was a tactical victory. As long as the enemy hesitated, their souls would be torn into fragments in the next second...


    However¡ª


    Hum!


    The steel beast roared again, its fanged blades shattering the armor of a Star Swordsman and splitting him in two! Meanwhile, the male Mage seemed to have cast a miracle, enveloping the entire vehicle in a warm yellow barrier. Although the Star Swordsmen¡¯s sword net slashed it to pieces the next second, the barrier had created a gap, allowing for a narrow escape from the deadly siege!


    How many times more could you cast such a protective miracle? Next time, I¡¯ll reserve two Star Swordsmen to chase you down¡ªyou won¡¯t get a second chance... Demilo quickly adjusted his battle plan in his mind, commanding the remaining seven Star Swordsmen to continue their siege.


    Just one mistake and death would cling to them relentlessly.


    The steel monster circled inside the cave, and after accumulating multiple injuries, it finally seized the opportunity to crush a Star Swordsman.


    Just one mistake.


    Continuous drifting and spinning, the steel monster dodged the Star Swordsmen¡¯s pincer attack, severing two more in the process.


    Only if...


    Once the last Star Swordsman too was struck dead by the steel monster, Demilo stepped aside at the cave entrance. Seconds later, the steel monster burst out of the poison fog, its claws and teeth undiminished, its spherical limbs gnawing viciously at the ground, leaving jaw-aching marks!


    The man was unscathed as he emerged, his gaze locked onto Demilo¡ªas if to say¡ª


    You¡¯re next.


    Watching the man in the dark red trench coat, Demilo knew he had lost the battle of command.


    Soundly defeated, with no excuse to spare.


    Although the enemy had only one steel monster unit, command was still command. The man had stayed calm against Demilo¡¯s siege tactics, tearing open a gap and systematically picking off the Shepherd Star¡¯s soldiers with guerrilla tactics, a classic example of victory against the odds.


    ¡°Where did those deep blue soldiers come from, some fairy tale?¡± asked the female Mage with crimson hair curiously, seemingly anticipating Demilo¡¯s response.


    Demilo paid no attention to the other female Mages; in his heart, he muttered softly, ¡°Star Cluster, please twinkle for me.¡±


    Boom!


    Deep blue armor materialized on his body, his left hand holding a sinister giant bow firmly planted on the ground while his right drew a resplendent great arrow, seemingly made of diamonds, and aimed it at the steel monster, still farting and polluting the environment.


    Hum! Hum! Hum!


    As the steel beast charged, sensing danger, Ash immediately grabbed Sonia and Diya, diving under the seats!


    In contrast, the Shepherd Star let loose his arrow with an air of nonchalance.


    The splendid great arrow split into three upon missing its target, striking the sports car like thunderbolts!


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Crack!


    The front windshield shattered instantly, as the splendid arrow grazed over Ash and his companions¡¯ heads, taking with it a few strands of hair. Meanwhile, the car¡¯s terrifying blade struck Demilo with a speed of over sixty kilometers per hour, seemingly about to slice him in two!


    Thud!


    The evil blade, sharp enough to slice through stone like butter, not only failed to cleave the Shepherd Star but instead spun in place as if it had hit a pillar!


    Demilo was merely knocked back a few steps, his deep blue armor barely altered, calmly drawing a second splendid great arrow.


    Suppressing the dizziness from the collision and spin, the Mages peered out to survey the situation. Sonia almost screamed, ¡°Even if those freaks¡¯ armor didn¡¯t break from a hit, at least it should¡¯ve faded in color a bit... how come he looks like nothing happened to him!?¡±


    ¡°His armor is very high,¡± said Diya, whose hair now a chaotic mix of black, red, and white, the colors impure, dirty, and dim. Her voice sounded like a trio, ¡°It must be a privilege of the Heroic Souls, but it doesn¡¯t matter, if we keep ramming¡ª¡±


    ¡°It does matter.¡±


    Ash said, ¡°His last attack took away one-fifth of the car¡¯s remaining health.¡±


    ¡°Four more times, and the car will explode. Without this car, we stand no chance, but now it¡¯s just the Heroic Soul Commander left.¡±


    ¡°Either the car blows up first, or he dies first.¡±


    ¡°Final round, begin.¡±

 Chapter 282 - 282 243 Heroic Soul Invincible

    ?Chapter 282: Chapter 243 Heroic Soul Invincible Chapter 282: Chapter 243 Heroic Soul Invincible This must be the third time I¡¯ve personally entered combat, Demilo thought to himself.


    Although Commanders are supposed to sit back at headquarters and command the troops, when the troops are wiped out, Commanders naturally have to enter the battlefield to complete strategic tasks because even if they die in battle, the Divine Lord would awaken them again from their memories; even the Merits earned in their past lives would accumulate.


    For the Divine Lord, suitable army Commanders are scarce resources. Not all Mage projections qualify to become a Heroic Soul¡ªmost Mage projections can¡¯t discover any command talents, and even if they do have command talents, they might not align with the faction; for instance, a Mage who excels in ¡°commanding Necromancy units¡± would be pointless in Star Hall, as there are no such units there.


    Different Mage projections possess different command-related talents, but since command is not yet recognized as a distinct Magic Faction by Void Realm, it receives no assistance from Void Realm and relies solely on the Commander¡¯s own talents.


    Commanders like Demilo, who had cultivated the ¡°Logistics Skill¡± over centuries, are precious assets that the Divine Lord would never abandon. There are only a few logistics Commanders in Star Hall, and each one can accelerate the collection of resources for Star Hall.


    If he were to flee... there is no option to flee. When Commanders realize that death in battle is more cost-effective, none would choose to escape. After all, they are but a group of puppets with memories, following a straightforward single-track thought process without executing any extraneous commands.


    ¡ªBut ever since he met this group of Mages, he had been executing extraneous commands.


    Demilo looked at the giant bow he held in his left hand, symbolizing that he had assigned himself the role of a ¡°Star Archer.¡± Just like knowledge creatures, Commanders, when assigned a unit type, undergo different mutations due to their inherent traits¡ªsince he possessed the ¡°Savage Tyrant Disaster Bow¡± and ¡°Diamond Fragment Arrow,¡± his ¡°Star Archer¡± also mutated accordingly; a normal Star Archer wouldn¡¯t have such a large bow and flashy arrows.


    Additionally, compared to knowledge creatures, Commanders have an undeniable advantage.


    They can overlay multiple units of the same type onto themselves.


    For example, Demilo now had the power of eight ¡°Star Archer¡± followers all accumulated onto himself. Doing this didn¡¯t increase his damage, but the armor could indeed be stacked, and although each Star Archer¡¯s armor has only two layers, stacking it eight times resulted in 16 layers.


    This numerical increase not only signifies a higher armor health, but it also means a significant increase in the armor¡¯s damage reduction coefficient!


    The higher the number of armor layers, the greater the damage reduction of the outermost layer, naturally requiring more damage to penetrate a layer.


    If each armor layer has 100 health points and one layer provides 10% damage reduction, then shattering one layer would require 112 points of damage; but if there are two layers, the outer second layer provides 14% damage reduction, then shattering the second layer would require 117 points of damage!


    The damage reduction with each armor layer is unique, and each layer¡¯s reduction is increasing!


    While the coefficient can¡¯t increase infinitely, with 16 layers of armor, Demilo¡¯s outermost armor achieves nearly 50% damage reduction. The iron monster¡¯s impact, which would normally penetrate three layers of armor, could only tear through his 16th layer, followed by the 15th, 14th...


    This illustrates why soldiers are more important than followers¡ªgiven enough soldiers, even if all the followers perish, a Heroic Soul alone can form an army!


    In the previous two ¡°Six-Nation Grand Seal Wars,¡± Demilo had once layered 300 units of Star Archer power onto himself, standing at the tactical vantage point, and had effectively suppressed multiple enemy legions, earning the ¡°Invincible Heroic Soul¡± medal and receiving three times the Merits as a special reward from the Divine Lord.


    Before his armor shatters, he has plenty of time to methodically execute these Mages.


    Drawing his bow fully, Demilo aimed at the iron beast charging towards him.


    Hum!


    Suddenly, a shrill screech of tire friction sounded¡ªa sports car, just before impact, sharply braked and drifted, drawing a donut-like skid mark, sliding eerily before Demilo.


    Trying to disrupt my shooting accuracy, which means this iron monster also can¡¯t withstand several of my shots... In an instant, Demilo analyzed the opponent¡¯s intention and weakness, but at this moment, the opposing Mage suddenly popped out to observe!


    Clang!


    Though Demilo reacted extremely quickly, his opponent seemed to be intentionally luring him, popping up only to duck back down, tricking Demilo into wasting a shot. Simultaneously, the race car bit fiercely into Demilo again, stripping away his 15th layer of armor.


    Cunning man.


    Demilo revised his combat strategy, no longer trying to shoot at the Mage but focusing on destroying this iron beast. However, as the iron beast ran circles again, Shepherd Star suddenly realized he had fallen into a trap.


    Even after leaving the cave, the iron beast¡¯s rear continuously released poison fog, which dissipated quickly in the open air; yet after several rounds, the concentration of the dark green poison fog had become dense enough to affect visibility!


    If he wanted to engage in long-range shooting, even if he could shoot three arrows simultaneously, most likely only one would hit. Given the iron beast¡¯s extraordinary speed, its unpredictable path, and the impact on visibility, it wasn¡¯t certain that Demilo could explode their mount before his armor shattered.


    That is to say, to increase his shooting accuracy, Demilo was left with only one choice¡ª


    Buzz!


    As the race car darted out of the fog and crushed its enemies, Demilo, who had been waiting long, also released his bowstring!


    Direct, hard clash!


    Only when the iron beast ran up close did he shoot, ensuring that each arrow achieved its full value!


    Demilo was absolutely certain that before his armor shattered, the opponent¡¯s beast would first be torn into fragments by the arrows!


    In theory, that was indeed the case.


    Unless someone interfered.


    Just as Demilo was thrust open by the blade a moment before, several threads, like flowing water, shot out from the race car, wrapping gently around his waist!


    Then, with a fierce pull!


    Demilo couldn¡¯t escape from the grasp of the threads, nor was he knocked away by the race car, forced to stay intimately close to the evil blade. He wasn¡¯t panicked, just a bit puzzled¡ªthe horror of this iron beast wasn¡¯t the blades that could easily sever the soul but the powerful inertia enhanced by speed.


    Now, being pulled by the threads, he was indeed subjected to continuous damage from the blade, but compared to the previous collision damage, the current pain was as trivial as being attacked with a nail clipper.


    However, being controlled indefinitely was not a solution. Just as Demilo was about to use the Diamond Arrow to cut the threads, he found that the iron beast had already pushed him out of the poison fog.


    Why would he willingly give up the advantage of visibility? In an open area, they have no capital to contend against me.


    Could it be...


    Feeling a premonition, Demilo looked back and found the wall of the cave right behind him!

 Chapter 283 - 283 244 Killed by the Wave Motion Sword Twice

    ?Chapter 283: Chapter 244: Killed by the Wave Motion Sword Twice Chapter 283: Chapter 244: Killed by the Wave Motion Sword Twice Boom!


    The Shepherd Star was slammed against the wall, resembling a doll thrown against it. Yet Ash and the others were not yet satisfied, speeding along in the car, the evil blades wildly tearing at the Shepherd Star¡¯s body armor. Forced against the wall by the blades, the Shepherd Star was pushed several meters, his once deep blue armor whittled down to a light blue!


    He was like dirty laundry on a washboard, with the steel beast using brute force to explode the Star Archer¡¯s armor!


    However, the Shepherd Star¡¯s expression remained unchanged. He shook his left hand, which held the great bow, and it instantly retracted into a compact short bow. Then, with his foot bracing against the wall, he desperately searched for a fulcrum, his fingers pulling a short arrow of blue light on the bowstring, shooting wildly at the car¡¯s front!


    The intense shower of arrows like torrential rain pear blossoms relentlessly depleted the sports car¡¯s health, and Demilo ignored his own perilous situation, allowing his armor to shatter rapidly in order to continue his assault on the steel monster!


    Watching the car¡¯s health plummet quickly, Ash, hiding beneath the seat, said, ¡°The car¡¯s about to blow, we must go all-in. Just like in the plan, Witch, you keep control, I¡¯ll handle the rear assault, and Sword Maiden... it¡¯s all up to you.¡±


    ¡°Then keep your eyes wide open and watch me,¡± Sonia gripped the hilt of her sword, ¡°Grinding Sword for Ten Years¡± had already been quietly activated¡ªshe had spent a fortune on the ¡°Decade¡± Technique Spirit as her trump card, intended for use in such operations where Observers actively sought death.


    The blade gleamed with a shimmering orange hue, a sign that every slash from Sonia in the next minute would have miracle-like cutting force!


    Now faced with only one opponent, the red-haired Sword Maiden feared nothing. She focused intently on her senses, calmly waiting for her teammates to create the perfect opportunity for her to strike.


    Suddenly, the sports car swerved and crashed as if it wanted to bury itself into the wall, crazily shoving Demilo hard against it!


    The Shepherd Star was completely trapped in the wall, unable to move, almost leaving a human-shaped indent in it. His armor had lightened significantly, but it still protected his whole body, not affecting his ability to shoot arrows!


    ¡°Die!¡±


    The Witch leaped out of the car and stood on the ground, straining with her hands on silken threads tugging at the Shepherd Star¡¯s waist, in concert with the car¡¯s evil blades. Even the water-cut steel-like threads hummed tautly but could not completely rip apart the Shepherd Star!


    Instead, the Witch, having left the car, was fully exposed in Demilo¡¯s line of sight.


    He looked coolly at the Female Mage, finding a brand new endpoint for his bow and arrow¡ª


    Clang!


    With a clear ring of the sword, a streak of Sword Light shot towards Demilo¡¯s eyes. Its trajectory lingered in the air like deeply layered ink, seemingly recoloring the world!


    Miracle¡¤Sword Painting!


    Though called a miracle, it was really just a simple combination of ¡°Heart Sword¡± and ¡°Sword Trace,¡± with no profound mysteries. To use Sword Maiden¡¯s words, it was a miracle of ¡®stewing unwashed mushrooms and unslaughtered live chickens all together.¡¯ If one were to apply for a miracle patent with this, they¡¯d be beaten out of the office by the staff.


    Despite the simplicity of this combination, it was only thanks to the shared realm of the Sword Technique Faction by Ash that he could barely implement both Technique Spirits in combat, but there was vast room for improvement in terms of magic power consumption, integration level, and destructive efficiency¡ªin other words, there was no room left to regress.


    If, theoretically, ¡°Sword Painting¡± should have the destructive power comparable to a fighter jet, then the current ¡°Sword Painting¡± was at most like a pilot attacking with a slingshot while flying a plane.


    But if it was just meant to distract the enemy, the Sword Painting was already sufficient to complete the task!


    Because his vision was obstructed by the Sword Light traces, Demilo had to slightly turn his head. As for the destructive power of the Sword Light, it did not even match the silken threads and was completely ignorable.


    However, Ash¡¯s appearance made Demilo shift his target once more. Compared to the Female Mage, this man had the highest priority on Demilo¡¯s hit list, and nothing that followed could change the trajectory of his arrows.


    Click!


    A silhouette leaped out of the car and slashed her sword towards Demilo!


    Though only one layer of his armor remained, Demilo had never cared for his life or death and certainly wouldn¡¯t mind this imminent fatal blow.


    He drew the short bow to its maximum potential, his pupils capturing only Ash¡¯s figure¡ª


    ¡ªBut the corner of his eye caught a crimson wave of Sword Qi unleashed by Sonia.


    Wave...


    Wave Motion Sword?


    His fragmented soul trembled lightly, and submerged memories stirred.


    Always steadfast and merciless like a war machine, the Heroic Soul finally made a mistake.


    It was his first mistake since opening his eyes on the Time Continent.


    A moment¡¯s hesitation cost Demilo his last chance to retaliate. The Heartless Slash fell like a guillotine, shattering his last armor layer and severing his hands.


    Unable to counterstrike, Demilo lost his hands and was crushed against the wall by the car, immobile. He watched the red-haired Female Mage¡¯s sword blade emit an unfamiliar, yet familiar wave of Sword Light, feeling as though those cold memories were warming up.


    I, Demilo, was...


    killed by the Wave Motion Sword twice.


    Boom!


    Sonia¡¯s second Heartless Slash completely decapitated Demilo¡¯s head, the Sword Qi wave even cutting six inches into the wall before dissipating!


    The headless Heroic Soul collapsed onto the car bonnet, breaking into particles that gradually faded away.


    Sonia gripped her longsword, standing on the car bonnet, while Ash hid behind the car trunk, and Diya held her breath.


    Several seconds passed before Ash stepped out and whispered softly, ¡°Is it over?¡±


    ¡°It should be...over.¡±


    The red-haired Sword Maiden jumped down from the car bonnet. Though souls weren¡¯t supposed to feel fatigue, for some reason, she felt an urge to sit down, her bottom against the door, sliding down as if out of energy.


    Meanwhile, Ash also left his prolonged state of focused observation. He didn¡¯t feel anything amiss, but there was a tiredness emanating from deep within his soul, much like working overtime late into the night, just about to catch the last subway, only to realize he forgot his keys, going back to get them and missing the subway, too poor to call a cab, having to walk several kilometers home¡ªthat kind of tired.


    He lethargically approached the Sword Maiden, sitting beside her against the door and breathing deeply at the same rhythm.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to gather the spoils first?¡± The Witch seemed still full of energy, her fingertips unconsciously drawing watery lines, playing on the wall, emitting a grating sound. If you could ignore her dirty-looking hair color and the quartet in her voice, she was quite normal.


    Ash beckoned to her, pulling her down to sit once she approached, ¡°Let¡¯s rest for a moment.¡±


    ¡°We really worked hard this time, so... we should thoroughly enjoy the quiet after the victory.¡±

 Chapter 284 - 284 245 The Sunk Cost of Striving to Become an

    ?Chapter 284: Chapter 245: The Sunk Cost of Striving to Become an Observer Chapter 284: Chapter 245: The Sunk Cost of Striving to Become an Observer The battle with the Heroic Soul Army really exhausted Ash and his group.


    Not only Ash, who had been leading the battle from start to finish, but also Sonia and Diya, who spent most of their time cheerleading, were exhausted. They hid in the car enduring the ever-present risk of sudden death while also coping with the dizziness and impact of the speeding car, their minds never relaxing for a moment... Like a tightly wound spring, even after releasing potential energy, the aftermath lingered, and they hadn¡¯t recovered from the terrifying battle.


    Even though Ash and the others had experienced dangerous battles before, those were merely ¡®dangerous¡¯, and the Mages had some room to maneuver. But this battle with the Heroic Soul Army allowed no errors; should their sports car explode, they wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the Heroic Soul Army.


    They were constantly on the brink of death.


    Using the terrain to set traps, poisoning thousands to kill a herd of Bird Dragons, grinding down the Scorpion Star Swordsman, and fighting the Heroic Souls down to the last second... Compared to this battle, slaying the Fish-Slicing Dragon could almost be considered a relaxing leisure activity.


    However, after sitting for a while, Ash and Sonia had mostly recovered. But they still leaned against the sports car, with no intention of standing up, resembling employees who slack off for at least 15 minutes at the bathroom.


    They weren¡¯t just too lazy to get up; adventuring in the Void Realm was like being self-employed, and as entrepreneurial individuals who got as much out as they put in, they still had strong work motivation. The reason they remained seated was that they were waiting for the Witch to rest.


    Normally talkative Sonia hadn¡¯t said a word this time. Her legs, wrapped in silk stockings, lazily crossed, and she gave off soft snoring sounds, as if she were lying in bed.


    However, she kept observing Diya¡¯s clownish, colorful clothes from the corner of her eyes, her gaze tinged with worry.


    Ash wasn¡¯t as good an actor as Sonia, sitting very stiffly, and kept watching Diya¡¯s Chaos-colored hair, which looked like toppled paint pots, using his peripheral vision. His left hand still held Diya¡¯s wrist, as a precaution.


    After killing the Heroic Soul, Ash and Sonia reached a consensus through eye contact¡ªthe Witch¡¯s status was not good.


    They saw it clearly; as the battle situation got increasingly dire, the Witch¡¯s hair color grew more chaotic, and even her voice changed. During her last speech, it sounded like a quartet, as if four different people were speaking, and her hair continued to shift into chaotic colors¡ªan unmistakably bad signal.


    Rest was indeed a relaxation after battle, but it was primarily for treating the Witch¡¯s adverse condition. They both could guess that the Witch¡¯s strange state must relate to her ¡®sisters¡¯, but mental issues were entirely beyond their capacity, their Technique Spirits and Miracles were of no use here.


    Fortunately, both Ash and Sonia had Silver Level Spirit Faction Realm knowledge. Even if they hadn¡¯t read much psychology, facing these special events involving mental changes, they could still come up with the right instinctive actions¡ªdo not disturb the Witch and let her calm down slowly.


    If it were the old Sonia, she would definitely have beaten around the bush asking the Witch how she felt; as for Ash, he might even have said, ¡°Have you considered shaving your head?¡±


    But thanks to the intuition from their Spirit Faction Realm knowledge, they managed to nip those potentially disastrous ideas in the bud.


    It is the ignorant who are fearless, and knowledge teaches reverence.


    Perhaps the atmosphere they created was indeed comforting, for the Witch lazily sat down next to the sports car and closed her eyes. Her clothes slowly turned back to black, and the cheap-colored fading hair also disappeared, soon returning to the Princess¡¯s solid color.


    She fell asleep.


    It was the first time Ash and Sonia had seen someone sleep in the Void Realm. The two quietly surrounded the Witch, scrutinizing her eyebrows, lips, nose, eyelashes, glasses for a long time. Unaware till seeing, it was shocking¡ªalthough the Witch was always beautiful, the sleeping Witch looked even more demure, like a shy deer, making one want to pinch her cheeks.


    When Ash¡¯s gaze tried to explore beyond her neck to the curves within her clothes, Sonia grabbed his chin and twisted his gaze to meet hers.


    ¡°You wake her up.¡±


    ¡°Why me? You should do it.¡±


    ¡°I just met her; you¡¯re more suitable.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a woman; you¡¯re more appropriate.¡±


    ¡°Women are not suitable for this.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Are you a woman or am I a woman? Don¡¯t women understand other women?¡±


    ¡°You... damn, makes some sense.¡±


    Ash completely lost in this silent debate of gazes, had to perform the God Hated and Ghost Despised duty of an alarm clock. But since the Sword Maiden was so reluctant, he wouldn¡¯t be polite!


    Pinch~


    Ash pinched the Witch¡¯s plump cheek, which felt very nice. It was said that the body in the Void Realm realistically reflects the real body, so squeezing it revealed a soft, mushy feel. Not to mention anything else, this touch utterly soothed the tiredness from the battles Ash had just endured... So girls¡¯ cheeks are this soft!


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Sonia directly chopped his hand away, ¡°Isn¡¯t that harassment?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m waking her up! According to surveys, attacking the face is the most effective way to wake someone, like a slap will definitely do the job.¡±


    ¡°Then slap her!¡±


    Good grief, even the dumbest, toughest college roommate I knew wasn¡¯t as harsh as you, only my brother could pull off something like that.