Many believed the ruin's controller would have taken over long before the first team arrived. But the likelihood seemed slim: Zhang Tao and Kim Yun, both AA-rank hunters, had encountered fierce opposition. Zhang Tao was killed, and Kim Yun, severely injured, now lay in a coma. Rumor had it that the ruin controller must be an S-rank, yet all ten of China's S-rank hunters were reported busy elsewhere during the event. Still, whispers suggested that it might be China's fourth-ranked hunter, Guang Hao—a mysterious figure who preferred to keep his identity hidden.
Wang Lei knew that Guang Hao was also the old patriarch of one of China's most powerful families, the Black Dragon Family. Its current head was also an S-rank, Guang Hao's son, and leader of the White Dragon Guild. This heritage made the Hao family the second strongest in China, only surpassed by the prestigious Jiang family.
Reflecting on the government's ruin ownership rule—that whoever claimed the controller first owned the ruin—Wang Lei recognized the danger. Without the protection of a powerful background, ruin controllers who weren't strong enough to defend themselves often faced assassinations, their lives taken by agents hired by rival guilds or wealthy families. For now, he was relieved that no one knew of his involvement in the ruin.
Then came a chime from his apartment intercom.
Opening the door, he saw two men standing behind a young woman he recognized instantly: Luciana from the Cloud Guild. She had been on the first team to enter the ruin and had given statements on live broadcasts after her return.
"Mr. Wang Lei," Luciana said, smirking. "Aren't you going to invite us in? Or should I call you the current ruin controller?"
Wang Lei's mind raced. How does she know? He schooled his face into a look of innocent confusion. "What are you talking about, Ms. Luciana?"
"Don't play innocent," she replied, her voice cool.
Realizing he couldn't keep up the act, Wang Lei let out a sigh and gestured for them to come inside. Once seated across from Luciana on his sofa, he adopted a serious expression. "How did you find out about me?"
Luciana leaned back, crossing her legs with a confident smile. "That's a secret," she said, her voice dripping with mischief. "But I'll tell you anyway. I have a special ability that lets me see an object's past just by observing it. When you killed the earthworm, I watched its final moments."
"How many people know?" Wang Lei asked, hiding his unease.
"Only me," she assured him. "To others, I only showed a hologram of your knife. But when the portal closed an hour ago—only possible for the ruin controller—I put two and two together. You're the only other survivor besides me and my guild."
A sly smile crossed her lips as she leaned forward. "Mr. Wang Lei, I think we should strike a deal."
Wang Lei quietly activated his Status ability, scanning her information. His gaze lingered on a particular ability: Super Vision. This skill granted her the power to see into an object's past, though it was limited to events within the last two days.
Interesting, Wang Lei thought. Using his Copy ability, he discreetly attempted to replicate her skill.
A system screen appeared with a condition: [Accept her offer].
Luciana offered him 15 million dollars in exchange for the ruin controller.
Wang Lei considered it carefully. The ruin controller doesn't benefit me directly right now. If I refuse, she might try to kill me. He nodded, his mind set. "Very well. I accept."
Luciana handed him a data pad, and moments later, he received a notification from his bank: the transfer was complete. With the 15 million secured, Wang Lei handed her the ruin controller cube.
As Luciana prepared to leave, Wang Lei stopped her. "Wait, Ms. Luciana. There's something else I'd like to sell you—information about the ruin."
She paused, looking over her shoulder. "What information? I have the controller now; I can gather whatever data I need."
He chuckled softly. "Having the controller is one thing. Surviving what's inside is another. Go in without the details, and you might not make it out alive—like everyone else."