The God's Window was silent for about five seconds before it suddenly stirred. Its door slowly sank, as if something were forcing it open, while another mysterious force resisted from within.
Xiahou Fuxing looked perplexed, glancing between the cabinet and Bai Yi. "What's happening?" he asked.
Bai Yi remained quiet, his attention fixed on the unfolding scene. After a tense moment, a buzzing sound reverberated through the air.
Suddenly, a message appeared on Xiahou Fuxing's panel:
[The game balance mechanism is triggered. The wish you made to the God's Showcase is now invalid. Any future wishes or use of dangerous objects cannot exceed the total value of your current assets.]
As the panel faded, the God's Showcase returned to its original form, though the cold, oppressive atmosphere had lessened significantly.
Xiahou Fuxing blinked in astonishment. "Mr. Bai Yi, it seems I've failed."
Bai Yi cast a glance at Xiahou Fuxing's live broadcast and sighed, acknowledging the panel's formidable power. "I see. But you don't seem to have faced any punishment. Would you like to try again? Perhaps asking questions would be easier."
Nodding, Xiahou Fuxing felt a flicker of optimism. While he desired overnight success, he recognized that his current popularity was already a significant achievement.
He stepped forward, pulled out the tentacle once more, and observed the 0.18 gold coins on his panel. Resolutely, he deposited the fifty gold coins given by Bai Yi and wrote excitedly: [Give me fifty gold coins, thank you!]
After placing the tentacle back, he closed the door and waited eagerly. This time, the God's Showcase responded without delay. Soon, the bottom of the cabinet opened, and a bag of gold coins tumbled out with a thud.
Xiahou Fuxing's eyes lit up as he quickly picked up the bag and added it to his panel, bringing his total to 100.18 gold coins.
"Fantastic! Mr. Bai Yi, can this thing be used again?" he asked, brimming with excitement.
"Give it a shot," Bai Yi replied, curious about the player's mission penalties. If the God's Showcase couldn't extract fate or souls from players, and players were indifferent to death, it might lead to interesting outcomes.
With eager anticipation, Xiahou Fuxing attempted to open the door again, but no matter how hard he pushed, it wouldn't budge.
After a few moments, another door of the God's Window opened, revealing a similar tentacle inscribed with crooked Dawn characters.
At that moment, a new task appeared on Xiahou Fuxing's panel:
[Task: Window Transaction.]
Attribute: Dangerous Mission.
Requirements: Capture a troll within seven days and submit it to the God's Showcase.
Success Reward: None.
Failure Penalty: Permanent reduction of all attributes by 10%.
Introduction: In this transaction of greed, you appear at a disadvantage. Further trading may lead you into the abyss.
Xiahou Fuxing stared in disbelief at the tentacle demanding "Give me a troll." He looked back at Bai Yi, confusion etched on his face. Without any reward offered, this mission seemed daunting—he had never encountered a troll before.
Bai Yi contemplated the implications. The cost for players seemed lower than expected. No, it wasn't just that; the God's Showcase operated on a principle of "fair" transactions, equating any troll to fifty gold coins.
If Bai Yi provided Xiahou Fuxing with a large soul crystal core and requested another, the penalty might not just be -10% but could potentially be -100%.
"Mr. Bai Yi, what should I do? I've never seen a troll," Xiahou Fuxing lamented, feeling overwhelmed. With his growing popularity, he didn't want to risk losing it over a failed mission.
Bai Yi reassured him, "Don't worry. Just go to the Storm Legion base and wait. I'll send someone to help you capture a troll. Thank you for your assistance today."
[The Chaotic Experiment (Completed)]
[You have upgraded to level seven.]
With those notifications, Xiahou Fuxing perked up. Buoyed by Bai Yi's promise, he regained his enthusiasm. "Thank you, Mr. Bai Yi! Please call me next time you have something like this. Can I return to the God's Window after handing over the troll?"
"Absolutely. Someone will escort you back."
As Bai Yi spoke, he unleashed a surge of mental power, sending Xiahou Fuxing away from the area.
Bai Yi took the God's Showcase and headed toward the Transformation Legion, placing it in their treasury. He then messaged the Storm Legion, instructing them to capture trolls and block the Hell Erosion Zone.
Next, he made his way to the City Lord's Mansion, now deserted. Bai Yi intended to learn a skill for Evil Thought before the dungeon summoned him.
Mastering the fighting techniques of Evil Thoughts was crucial, as the impending crisis could extend beyond just a game with the devil; it might involve actual combat as well.
As he considered the stakes in the game's rules, Bai Yi's curiosity grew—what would it be like to defeat a legend? Such a feat could mirror the experience of defeating a gold boss while still in silver rank, potentially unlocking expertise options that would bolster his strength.
Bai Yi reviewed the four skills related to Evil Thoughts and felt satisfied. Two skills could be executed using mental and soul power, and the dark side could also utilize them. However, the techniques were complex, and he doubted he could master them quickly.
[Name: Demonic Flash.]
Attribute: Active Skill.
Effect: Use Qi and blood to break space, entering a subspace gap for 0.1 seconds.
Cooldown: 10 seconds.
Introduction: Signature skill of the magic swordsman; other professions require more time to learn.
This skill, often employed by Mossen against the Scarlet Priest, was practical in combat. Bai Yi noted it immediately.
[Name: Bloody Backstab.]
Attribute: Active Skill.
Effect: Fill your eye sockets with blood to see the enemy's weaknesses, dealing 200% critical damage to weak points.
Cooldown: 30 seconds.
Introduction: Assassins can use Qi and blood; it's a matter of technique. – Hao Qiu.
The dark side's malevolent beings could learn any skill related to physical energy, with holy and life magic as exceptions. Those forms of magic restrained extreme evil, rendering them inaccessible.
[Name: Malicious Intimidation.]
Attribute: Active Skill.
Effect: Temporarily lower your charm value through malice, creating an intimidation effect. The greater the malice, the stronger the effect. Target creatures' blood coagulates, plunging them into a frightened state with reduced attributes.
Cooldown: None.
Introduction: Viciousness can be a powerful deterrent, potentially causing stronger beings to misjudge your strength at critical moments. – Rosenthal.
This skill represented a shift in temperament. Bai Yi believed it could not only reduce charm but also grant control over his malice—an essential tool for Evil Thoughts.
The final skill was a formidable move. Although he sought exclusive skills from extremely evil entities, those creatures thrived on chaos, reveling in destruction without any communication with order.
Yet, powerful beings often inspired imitation. While he hadn't found exclusive dark-side skills, he discovered one to replicate:
[Name: Spirit of Extreme Evil.]
Attribute: Forbidden Skill.
Effect: Your next attack is infused with murderous intent, dealing 180% soul and mental damage.
Cooldown: 30 days.
Note: Imitates powerful moves of exceedingly evil creatures; succumbing to evil may lead to madness.
Introduction: Facts have shown that evil can be imitated, but unfortunately, I may not have escaped it. – Qin Qing.
This forbidden skill appeared to bestow a temporary status boost, and with his exclusive weapon, Bai Yi felt confident that combining Malicious Intimidation, Bloody Backstab, Spirit of Extreme Evil, and Demonic Flash would yield devastating results.
This combination would catch opponents off guard, making it difficult for them to defend.
Bai Yi knew he'd need to evaluate any gaps in his skills after dealing with the White Plague before continuing to seek knowledge in the Hall of Knowledge.
He understood that mastering every skill in the Hall was impossible, as many would sell their new moves upon creation, and those without descendants would pass their knowledge to successors. This process ensured that the Hall's knowledge base continually expanded.
Time passed swiftly, and Bai Yi absorbed alchemical knowledge quickly, though changing professions proved challenging.
On the third day, a scarlet light flashed in the sky, prompting Bai Yi to pause his studies.
In that time, two new skills had appeared on his panel, and he had used three skill points to max them out—Spirit of Extreme Evil and Malicious Intimidation. The connection to Evil Thoughts had facilitated their rapid mastery, while the other two remained elusive.
[You are about to enter the Hell projection area. Please do not resist the pull of Hell. The mission will commence.]
[Task 1: Journey to Hell.]
Attributes: The first stage of an extreme mission.
Description: Survive and escape.
Reward: None.
Failure Penalty: None.
Introduction: A game in Hell—a bet with the devil; perhaps victory is still possible.
[The pulling force is approaching.]
Bai Yi sensed a chilling aura enveloping him, but he didn't resist it. As the familiar scents of the City Lord's Mansion faded, he was assaulted by the stench of rotting corpses, mingled with blood and decay.
The odor resembled that of a wooden house, damp and decaying, where corpses rotted and the structure teetered on collapse.
Bai Yi closed the book in his hand and surveyed his surroundings. The sky was devoid of sun, a blood moon hung ominously above, watching over the tormented souls below.
The ground was dark and damp, the strange odor emanating from it.
A low whimper echoed in the distance; those summoned by Hell would endure trials. The legendary devil's arrogance ensured that only the worthy could engage in his games.
Bai Yi turned to see a hellhound towering two meters tall and three meters long, its black scales glistening. Wisps of pitch-black flames flickered around its mouth; a bite from such a creature would spell doom for anyone below level fifty.
Its scarlet eyes regarded Bai Yi with trepidation, its front legs lowering involuntarily, still towering over him.
Bai Yi stowed his book in his space ring. A flash of crimson ignited in his eyes as an aura of pure malice radiated from him. The hellhound's ears perked up, its murderous intent momentarily replaced by clarity.
[Malicious Threat]
[Your Charisma value is temporarily reduced to -13.]
An overwhelming malice enveloped Bai Yi as he regarded Xiren, the hellhound. Its body froze, instinctively sensing that any movement could lead to its demise.
With that thought, Xiren felt an oppressive weight bearing down on it, its legs trembling as it struggled to maintain its stance.
Bai Yi's voice resonated like an oracle. "Take me to your master."
Xiren instinctively lowered itself, but its trembling legs betrayed it, causing it to collapse onto the damp ground.
Bai Yi stepped onto Xiren's back, feeling its strength beneath him. "Move."
The hellhound, gripped by terror, scrambled to its feet and dashed forward, whimpering in fear. "Woo~ Woo~"
"Silence," Bai Yi commanded, the calm authority in his voice sending shivers through Xiren. The hellhound sprinted, afraid to make a sound as the world blurred around them.
Within moments, they reached the second level, the territory of ogres meant to filter out the weak.
The ogres, sensing the disturbance, emerged from the shadows. But upon seeing Bai Yi, they turned tail and fled, their instincts screaming that this was no ordinary presence.
Bai Yi remained unfazed, his gaze fixed ahead as the ogres scattered. A deep purple castle loomed in the distance—Eugene's Castle.
Ignoring the obstacles, the hellhound transported Bai Yi to his final destination in mere minutes.