Darkness surged in like a tide.
Huan Bao’er opened her eyes. Before her, within the house, a slowly rotating magical pattern swirled, its beginning and end indiscernible.
{Ms. Huan Bao’er, you’re here again.}
[I want to continue reading the story about Hu Bao’er.]
A gleaming coin flickered into existence from her hand.
[Well, though the story of the past two days is still brief compared to last time, a turning point akin to a critical node has occurred.]
A page of the book emerged from the magical pattern, drifting into Huan Bao’er’s long, supple telekinetic palm.
——… By sorting through her memories in the mysterious place, Hu Bao’er realized that some of the people recorded in the texts left no trace in reality. Others might have doubted what she read. But Hu Bao’er did not.
——She was simply wondering: what had caused all this forgetting? Or had she known all along but merely forgotten again? No matter what, the recurrence of the incident where people planning to resign were forgotten had already made it clear—enemies were hiding nearby. Hu Bao’er decided to wait no longer.
——She had thought about taking the initiative, creating conditions that would force the hidden figure to act. Though the other party was deeply concealed, she was Hu Bao’er after all! She had already noticed how certain people were paying excessive attention to a new employee at the company.
——But what would Hu Bao’er do? Naturally, she had her own methods! Only, those methods… the rats skulking in the corners of the company probably knew about them too. But what of it? She didn’t care. She would act first and deal with the rest later.
Huan Bao’er’s gaze darted across the paper before settling on the other side.
—This unlucky kid had indeed been caught by the impulsive Han Xiaoming! He snarled menacingly, –Open the last chance to enter the Great Dream and let me find the hidden treasure!- But no matter how hard he shook the hand clamped around the boy’s throat, New Matt Chao refused to give in.
—Han Xiaoming said, –New Matt Chao! If you don’t open the passage, I’ll turn you into my puppet. Then you’ll never have your own free will again.-
—That really terrified the big kid who had just joined the company not long ago. But the frightened New Matt Chao hesitated for less than a second before roaring, –Ever since I went through the incident at the Land of Divine Fall, I’ve already figured it out! The people in the Great Dream are all the souls of real people! Even if I have to die, I won’t open this passage for you to enter!-
A flicker passed through Huan Bao’er’s eyes.
Although Yang Zicang had mentioned that this person threatened him, he had only glossed over it. She never expected this kid to be so damn gutsy.
Huan Bao’er let out a soft sigh. She couldn’t help thinking of her cheap goddaughter.
–Ah, Little Jiao Ma, your judgment seems to be a little better than mine.-
She shook her head to clear her wandering thoughts and continued reading.
— At this critical moment, a solitary man draped in a long feather cloak appeared at the side. With just a glance, he made Han Xiaoming tremble. This was Han’s private territory, and his own strength had already reached the fourth ring, yet this stranger just appeared out of nowhere? … The Black Crow raised a hand, and the territory Han Xiaoming had copied began to evolve rapidly. This supreme being did not destroy the territory; he merely let it unfold according to its inevitable conclusion.
— … Hu Bao’er walked calmly on her way to meet the new Matt Chao. She hadn’t expected that the test that had provoked Han Xiaoming into action would succeed so completely—so completely that even this young man, whom she had merely glanced at before, had truly stepped into her world… But even now, she still doubted: how had this person not only survived the exposed Han Xiaoming but also caused his sudden death?
Huan Bao’er exhaled lightly, put away the paper, and looked at the patterns ahead.
[Mr. Publisher.]
{Uh-huh.}
[I want to know—do you have the story of the new character, the new Matt Chao, recorded?]
{There’s already some. Do you want to read it? It probably won’t be of much help to you.}
Huan Bao’er breathed a sigh of relief. With the publisher, unless a large-scale release has begun, you can’t just casually read someone’s story. First, you need to know the character’s name, and they have to be someone within your own story.
[Let me see it.]
A few coins were tossed over, and a story collection like a magazine drifted down.
This is a book whose cover features a young man standing atop a high mountain, looking down below. He is wrapped in a black robe, as if hiding himself within it.
[It has its own cover now.]
The stories inside are similar to Yang Zicang’s materials. After quickly browsing through them, Huan Bao’er closed the book, propped his head on his hand, and said with boredom:
[Not bad. By the way, I must be the first person to read a new Matt Chao story, right?]
{Hmm, no.}
……
–Haah—Haah—-
Panting heavily, Liang Xi finally brought down the mutated giant ape. Its heavy corpse crashed to the ground.
–It was so fast—it almost killed me.-
The young boy also collapsed onto the grass, then he saw a figure standing right in front of him, looking down. Li Mi was holding a phone and said calmly:
–Not bad. This time it only took five minutes and thirty-one seconds—two whole minutes faster than last time.-
–Bro Li, can you go watch someone else? I think you’re scarier than the ape-man.-
–Others don’t have the secret technique. Unless you can get Mr. Morri to sell us a few copies at a low price.-
–I’m not that thick-faced, and besides, he’s already given them all away.-
A few cold breezes blew by.
Liang Xi sat up and looked at the distant mountains and forests, which were covered by a small patch of white snow.
–Sister Xuemei is so amazing. I wouldn’t dare use the secret technique—otherwise the whole mountain would be gone.-
Li Mi shook his head, not sure who the kid was praising.
At first, aside from the weapon resembling a Cent-Arms in Zhao Xuemei’s hand, no one paid any attention to her other matters.
Over the past two months, she had single-handedly stabilized two B-rank intersecting zones, even eradicating all monsters from one of them, ensuring no mutated creatures would ever spawn there again.
At that time, many still attributed it to the weapon and Chronos—until Yang Zicang’s audacious deeds in Rose Creek finally revealed what the so-called –leveling contract- truly was.
The three supreme secret arts capable of channeling elemental energy—Lucid Sense, Blaze Sword Way, and Frostblade Art—had seen their prices skyrocket to over a hundred thousand, while other fist and palm techniques were not far behind. As for Yang Zicang’s spiritual attack secret art of the same type, Chime Night, it was priceless and nowhere to be found on the market.
It was then that a few slow-witted figures in the city finally remembered Zhao Anlong’s rumored girlfriend. According to eyewitnesses, the night Yang Zicang presented her with the sword, he also gave her a similar secret art manual.
Upon hearing this, several directors of the Monster Hunter Alliance furiously berated their subordinates responsible for city affairs, nearly missing out on such a talent! Now, Liang Xi and Zhao Xuemei—both wielders of energy-type secret arts—had become golden tickets at the Alliance’s headquarters.
Liang Xi said, –Sister Xuemei also has a secret art—why don’t you go supervise her?-
Li Mi gazed at the white snow scattered among the distant woods. Among all the intelligence gathered so far, she was the only one who could wield the Frostblade Art to such an effect. This wasn’t just Zhao Xuemei’s own effort—it was also the effort of the person who had trained her in that art.
–She doesn’t need supervision.–
Liang Xi looked up at the phone in Li Mi’s hand.
–Brother Li, can I have a go? I haven’t touched a phone in ages.–
–There are no games on my phone. Even if there were, without internet you can’t play.–
–Sigh.– Liang Xi let out a long breath.
–But if we manage to stabilize this A-level intersection zone, after we get to Hub Town, I’ll buy you a cartridge-based game console. Some people are already making pixel game cartridges to sell.–
–Really?– Liang Xi’s eyes instantly went wide with surprise.
A jagged beam of light shot over.
{Liang Xi, it’s Chu Qiang. We’ve found something like a ‘Curtain Lord’ over here. Get over here fast.}
–On my way!–
No sooner had he said that than another beam shot over.
{Still doing well, Brother Xi?}
Liang Xi froze. –Brother Zicang, is that you?–
Li Mi looked over.
……
At the Place of Lost Frequencies, Robin Lo, who was handing out proxy contracts and Chronos war devices to Xiao Liu and the others staring at him expectantly, suddenly saw a beam of light shoot over.
[Yang Zicang wants to perform Pro-Invest for me.]
Robin Lo stopped what he was doing, and the polite smile on his slightly rounder face turned into a genuine one.
–How come you’re out so soon?–
{Accomplished meritorious service, granted leave.}
–Damn, you always step in dog shit wherever you go, don’t you?-
{You can give it a try. This time I was purely risking my life to passively earn merits.}
–Huh? The Lost Mirage Corporation is dangerous too?-
……
Hunter Alliance Headquarters.
Director Yu looked at a stack of paper resembling newspapers in front of him, all printed with stories about Yang Zicang.
A young man said, –Director Yu, are we really going to start messing around with these flashy, superficial things? Will it even work?-
Director Yu, who maintained the appearance of a thirty- or forty-year-old, lifted his eyelids to glance at him, then looked at the others sitting on the sofas in the room.
–I believe you all have heard by now the real purpose behind those cultural performances in Hub Town.-
Several people nodded to indicate they knew.
–They managed to produce a hundred-person-tier ‘Wish Talisman’ through their performances. With such uniquely favorable conditions here, why shouldn’t we give it a try?-
–But those things like concerts and art galas are only something the folks in Hub Town, who don’t have to worry about their Chronos, would find interesting. What interest could our people here have in reading newspapers or novels?-
–Besides, it’s all about Yang Zicang. We could also promote our own people.-
–I think it’s fine to start with this outsider first,- said one person at the table. –Let’s see how well it’s received by the crowd. As long as we get one or two hundred-person-tier talismans, it won’t be a loss.-
Director Yu looked at the gazes turned toward him and nodded slightly.
Deep within the vast precipice behind the building, a colossal sculpture of jet-black basalt sat silently upon the expansive, majestic cliff face.
Director Yu approached the base of the statue, and a woman with a striking face emerged from the shadows behind him.
–Director Yu, are you planning to serialize Yang Zicang’s story, using his actions to make the city’s people anticipate his next moves, thereby igniting a hundred-man-level talisman?-
–No.-
–No?!- The woman, who had only been making a casual inquiry, was taken aback.
Director Yu clasped his hands behind his back, gazing up at the tranquil sculpture, his eyes fixed on the circle and pentagram etched upon its chest.
–Then… what is your plan?-
The man turned his head and spoke softly:
–Our ranking is precarious, yet this is also a unique advantage. In the year-end ranking, we are bound to be at a disadvantage. If the tens of thousands in this city want a better life, they must hope for someone to change everything.-
The woman, as if struck by a sudden thought, her face flickered with emotion. She only heard the man before her continue:
–If from now on, we implant in the city’s people the conviction that Yang Zicang—who can even take part in divine wars—will surely resolve all matters. Then at that time… not to mention a ten-thousand-man-level talisman, a thousand-man-level talisman is highly possible.-
A mix of realization and doubt swept across the woman’s face.
–This… but in that case, not only is the chance of success slim, but even if it succeeds, what if the thousand-man-level talisman goes to Yang Zicang?-
–Hmph, then that would mean our Monster Hunter Alliance is truly set to become the ruler of the new City 23.-
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