The next afternoon.
In the cozy manor, the aroma of food filled the air.
Under the living room lights, Morri set down the brush after writing a few fairly decent calligraphy characters.
In this detached villa located in Hub Town, nine Juliases in various dresses crowded around to look at Morri’s handwriting—including the one who looked most like Julia, delivered last by Zhao Xuemei.
–Awesome.-
–Very good!-
The room was filled with the scents of various perfumes, all the women youthful in appearance. Some wore patterned hairbands, their long hair soft and gentle; some held plush teddy bears, baby elephants, red-eared bunnies, and the like, assuming cute poses; others were thinly dressed in flowing silk, accentuating their full, graceful curves. These women, similar in face but each with a distinct charm, surrounded Morri, as if a garden of blossoms bloomed together in one room.
Seeing the affectionate gazes of the women, Zhao Xuemei rested her head on her hand at the table and rolled her eyes.
Li Mi glanced at the watch on his wrist, then continued to stroll with his hands behind his back, carefully examining this rather luxurious retro two-story European-style building, waiting for Robin Lo to come out of the bathroom.
This was his first time in Morri’s room; given the security concerns for Morri, he inspected it very thoroughly.
–Go back to the sofa and do what you were doing,- Morri said, feeling overwhelmed by the pressure.
–Okay.-
–Whatever Morris tells me to do, I’ll do it. Mua~-
Zhao Xuemei’s delicate fists clenched involuntarily. She swallowed her remarks about these somewhat bold girls.
Morri glanced at the eyes across the sofa—some sincere, some faking sincerity—then lowered his head and sat down at the table.
After yesterday’s mix-up, he had come to realize how many innocent girls had been harmed because of him.
For the first time, Morri grasped how terrifying the dangers and schemes tied to fame could be.
–Is there anything else you want to say?-
Robin Lo, who had just come out of the restroom, looked at Morri.
–Thank you all. I think my fiancée must be back on Earth—she probably didn’t come here. At least I feel a lot more relieved.-
–Then just stay here peacefully for the rest of your time,- Robin Lo said, envy glinting in his eyes. –From now on, you can stay home without ever going out.-
Morri glanced at the Chronos coins in his pocket.
Robin Lo sat down in the chair next to Zhao Xuemei. Zhao Xuemei tapped the table and looked at Morri.
–What are you going to do about these girls who lost their original faces because of you?-
Morri felt the iciness in Zhao Xuemei’s gaze. She stared straight at this friend of Yang Zicang’s without moving.
–I… They…-
–I… wanna stay here,- said a girl with an excellent figure. –Morri is a very, very good, kind person… I… I’m willing to be his girlfriend, in this world…-
Although this lady’s communication was halting, she could at least express herself quite well.
–I, I think so too.-
–Me too!- said a thin girl with injuries.
Morri fidgeted with the hem of his clothes.
Zhao Xuemei stood up angrily, –Hmph! Liang Xi, we’re leaving.-
Liang Xi, who had been hiding in his room, said in a muffled voice, –If I leave, Mr. Morri will have no food to eat.-
–With so many people, you’re still worried he’ll starve!-
–Ah? That’s true.-
–Why are you still staying here? Children shouldn’t learn bad things!-
–Miss Zhao Xuemei, you, you misunderstood me. I just—- Morri said anxiously.
–They are not replacements for Julia, you understand!-
Zhao Xuemei pointed at these girls.
–I will take responsibility for them. I will rent a place for them to live in Hub Town, as compensation to them. Don’t worry, I’m not the kind of person you think. They are completely free to live their own lives. Until then, I will support them.-
–Very well. Deduct 2,700 years of Chronos each month, plus your 300. I hope you have enough lifespan to support them all.-
Morri hesitated for a moment.
–I think Bopoli’s Void Zero Chronos bonus should cover many years.-
Li Mi rubbed his aching forehead, feeling this situation was more overwhelming than solving the headquarters’ problem.
Robin Lo grinned at him.
–Besides, Mr. Li Mi, the income from our shares in the pharmacy should be decent, right?-
Morri shot a pleading glance at Li Mi.
He already knew that if it hadn’t been for Li Mi, he would have been in real trouble this time.
–I’ll request the head office to send over some staff to help Mr. Morri contact those ladies.- Li Mi avoided mentioning the income.
–Thank you so much, Mr. Li Mi. I still have a few power-leveling contracts here. Pick two. Once Yang Zicang gets his hands on new ones, I’ll send you a share.-
Li Mi wore a smile, but his heart was jolted—-Wait for Yang Zicang to get new ones?-
Could that guy even enter the Youhui World?
He couldn’t help but marvel: whether it was the so-called Puming Group or Yang Zicang himself, their strength had already silently surpassed far too many of the so-called experts in the city.
Li Mi was moved by the profound friendship among these people.
Such camaraderie—he wondered when it would ever arise in his own team.
–How about this, Mr. Li Mi.-
Robin Lo smiled at the young man. –After the assessment, I’ll take the people you approve into City 11 to forge the Void Zero Chronos. What do you say?-
–Really? That’s wonderful, Mr. Robin Lo. To be honest, the head office has been pressing me to set up communications—they want to enter City 11 too. This finally gives me something to report back.-
–You’re welcome.- Robin Lo stood up, smiled, then turned serious. –One more thing: Yang Zicang won’t be entering the year-end ranking battle right away.-
–Hmm?- Li Mi immediately sank into thought.
The headquarters for the chief team had already been set up, with no involvement of his own, yet three seats were specially reserved for Yang Zicang.
At this moment, the battlefield Robin Lo spoke of?
What did that mean?
Robin Lo clapped his hands, then turned his head toward Liang Xi’s room, and Zhao Xuemei who was leaning against the wall by the door.
–Let’s head back to the city. The day after tomorrow is when the City War begins.-
–Let’s go.-
–Whoa~-
……
–Tomorrow is the day the Highest Difficulty Trial begins.-
Under the night sky, Cheng Yunze, wrapped in a heavy coat, gazed at the clear sky above the horizon.
Hong Haocheng was among the ruins on the other side of the city, sitting around a campfire with several others. One of them was wiping his gray rippled longsword—it was Li Yongqin and his two companions.
……
The people at the headquarters of the Monster Hunters Alliance waited and waited, but Yang Zicang did not return. They grew increasingly anxious.
A man rose from the long oval conference table and paced back and forth, saying:
–This Yang Zicang… Could it be that he doesn’t plan to participate in the City War?-
……
Lü Bu looked at the person trembling and kneeling before him.
A small creature that had been in his cloth bag had already been tossed far away. The creature, resembling a white mouse, squeaked and quickly rushed into a nearby burrow.
–This kind of trick only causes us a little trouble. Come on, invest your lifespan into this thing—otherwise, don’t blame us for being rude.-
He opened his hand, revealing a crawling insect in his palm.
Suddenly, as if sensing something, he looked up.
He waited for a while, but nothing happened.
–Strange.-
……
In outer space.
A red coffin slowly floats in low Earth orbit.
On its front, deep red like ink, is a semi-protruding human relief with arms crossed over the chest.
A short blade, two fingers wide, pierces the chest at the crossing of the arms.
The carved face’s remarkably lifelike eyelids suddenly open; the blood-red pupils inside tilt sideways, as if trying to look behind.
The coffin, which had been drifting in a straight line, begins to rotate slowly in deep space. The imprisoned silhouette thus turns to face the Earth.
As the coffin rolls, a drop of blood oozes from the blade.
After building up, the blood falls from space to the ground.
Drip!
[E=mc² has been activated.]
Snap!
Reflecting sunlight, the blood instantly streaks through space like a falling steel pellet and impacts the ground.
As it contacts the earth, the landforms and buildings in that area spread out like dish soap dropped into an oil film, expanding into a massive space!
A new, colossal building emerges there in an instant.
A majestic voice appears in the hearts of countless people!
{A Demon-Elite Class Arena City has descended.}
–What?-
In the midday sunlight, people in the two cities—some scavenging, some fighting in the cold wind—suddenly hear this voice from within their hearts, along with an invisible pressure spreading outward.
{Time until opening: 11 hours, 59 minutes.}
They looked up, gazing at a colossal water curtain that rose straight from the ground.
–What’s happening?-
As they watched, information about this strange, gigantic structure automatically surfaced in the minds of everyone who saw it.
【Demon‑Elite Class Arena City.】
【Demon‑Elite Hall — Demon‑Tooth Grinding Wheel.】
–Demon‑Tooth…-
–Grinding Wheel?-
No one understood.
{This hall is the ranking‑battle arena city for City No. 23. The city whose team defeats the Demon Lord within half a month will obtain the right to the new ranking of City No. 23.}
–A competition? Half a month?-
–What? Is it some kind of match?-
Suddenly, a small floating projection appeared before the eyes of everyone from both cities.
{Special Reward of the Demon‑Elite Hall: 【Impression Revival】}
–What’s this?-
Whether they were outside or busy inside the Intersection Zone on this last day, everyone saw the scene in front of them.
【Impression Revival】
【Impression Revival: Can be stored into Chronos 100N】
【Records the life form remembered by the chosen one. At the moment of that life form’s death, –Impression Revival- injects it into Chronos and transfers it into this world, while also granting the right to nurture Moxel.】
–Oh my god!-
–Could this mean…?!-
【Usage condition: The target must not be dead before use. For personal use only.】
【Every member of the –victorious city- that persists until the end inside the arena city will receive one copy.】
–Does that mean our deceased relatives on Earth can be sent here by this thing after they die?!-
This possibility instantly struck many.
Countless people in the city excitedly looked at the object in front of them that resembled a pocket watch. Many tried to grab it with their hands, but it was futile.
This was just a phantom.
But as they focused their thoughts, the pocket watch automatically opened, revealing a blank space inside where photos could be stored.
–It seems you can put photos in it! It must mean that as long as you miss someone, the photo of the person you’re thinking of will appear!-
Someone suddenly burst into loud sobs.
–Dear families on Earth, so they can be brought by us too—and decades later, oh my God!-
–A treasure, an absolute treasure!-
–Wa wa wa, how could I ever let my family suffer in this hellish place? But well, those slim-waisted, long-legged celebrities…-
The people in both cities were in an uproar. This was absolutely an unprecedented supreme treasure—the final reward of the Demon Hero Hall was this!
Moreover, many noticed the wording of this voice: this treasure was not awarded to the winning team, but to the people of the city who persevered to the end!
Therefore, as long as you entered this arena and held on until the end, you could obtain this prize!
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