"I should have thought of that earlier."
A suppressed voice echoed in the stillness.
At the edge of the vast pit to the front left, Charles appeared, his expression a mask of cold detachment. He felt a wave of weakness wash over him, the lingering effects of a gradual depletion making him uncomfortable.
His gaze, sharp and icy, fixed on Lilia, whose half-exposed face peeked from behind Bai Yi. It dawned on him how he had overlooked the obvious. With such blatant targeting, he had assumed it was Pu Sheng orchestrating it all, using Lilia to keep tabs on him. Yet here he was, realizing that the true architect was Bai Yi.
Charles had been plagued by misfortune these past few days, and now he suspected it was tied to this Lilia.
Bai Yi turned back, a smile playing on his lips. "What's unexpected? Do you still want those people to come over now?"
Charles glanced at the hesitant members of the Dawn Team, his silence stretching for a moment before he spoke. Darkness enveloped the area, and a series of messages flickered across the communicators of the Dawn Team members.
Though not every member possessed a communicator, the palpable anger ignited among them as one voiced their outrage, causing the team to retreat hastily.
Charles had no intention of allowing them the chance to strike. He disclosed a few crucial truths: the initial summons had been a ruse, a trap designed to use them as pawns in a larger scheme, and the original owner of the messaging account was already dead. This revelation stirred fury among the Dawn Team, but the subsequent message from the Dawn Guild, which exaggerated the old mayor's power and claimed he was the linchpin of the rule area, quickly deflated their interest.
In the end, the stubborn members of the Dawn Squad—who had survived thus far—were few. Those who were truly obstinate had perished long ago in the rule area. Bai Yi might have been disappointed, but it was a necessary outcome. The complexities of human nature were unpredictable, and he couldn't risk them turning against him.
Charles shared his thoughts, a dangerous glint in his eyes as he regarded Lilia. How had he allowed himself to be outmaneuvered like this? He had always been the one pulling the strings, not the other way around. But then, he turned his gaze toward Bai Yi, pondering the purpose behind bringing Lilia into this precarious situation.
With that same relaxed smile, Bai Yi gestured toward the floating building in the pit. "Shall we decide who dies first? We have no allies here, but he might."
Charles remained silent, his cold voice cutting through the tension. "Come out, or I won't hesitate to make you the target first."
"Oh my, why the hostility? The situation is clear now. It's time to divide the spoils. We're all familiar with each other, aren't we?" Pu Sheng's voice chimed in, but he remained hidden, clearly monitoring them without revealing himself.
In a direct power ranking, Charles was stronger than Bai Yi, who in turn surpassed Pu Sheng. However, when it came to manipulation from the shadows, Bai Yi held the upper hand.
Despite his outward confidence, Pu Sheng knew he had little leverage. Even though he had arrived early, he lacked any significant advantage.
Charles understood that either he or Bai Yi could seize the opportunity to turn the tables if given the chance. Bai Yi, too, pondered the scenario. "You go first; I'll join you once things here are settled."
Lilia, taken aback, glanced around before obediently fading into the surrounding space.
A heavy silence enveloped Charles and Pu Sheng. Charles felt an unsettling instinct when Lilia vanished.
"He won't let go of those Night Cultists," Bai Yi speculated. "But he's right; everyone has their own reasons for being here. Let's discuss it. Perhaps we can resolve this peacefully."
"Exactly! Fighting leads nowhere. We're here to develop, not to kill," Pu Sheng chimed in, agreeing readily.
The trio tacitly avoided addressing one another by name. This was a secret kept from outsiders—if their identities were revealed, it would be akin to self-sabotage.
They were uncertain of the consequences that might follow such revelations, and they had no desire to find out. Only in extreme circumstances would they consider turning against each other.
Charles regarded Bai Yi with a moment of contemplation before nodding. "Alright. I'm intrigued by the method of creating a demon, and I possess some of the required materials."
Bai Yi considered this, his smile widening. "If we can obtain the method of manufacture and the world core, it would be ideal to bring the God's Evil as well."
Pu Sheng's lips twitched; their ambitions were ambitious. "I was cast into this world by the abyss. I want this world too. But if Bai Zhi desires it, I'll settle for the next best thing—I just want the evil itself."
His tone was cautious, almost hesitant, yet none of them paid his display of vulnerability much attention.
Charles regarded Bai Yi with a calm demeanor. "Knowledge can be replicated; there's no conflict in that. As the Divine Evil hasn't been completed yet, we can substitute materials. Thus, our aims don't interfere with one another."
Bai Yi nodded, his gaze fixed on the void. "Agreed. Knowledge replication it is. I have no further interest in the God's Evil."
"Wonderful! A perfect collaboration, friends! I truly hope we can maintain this harmony," Pu Sheng responded, a hint of cheerfulness in his voice.
His primary goal was to locate the evil god. The mission in the abyss mattered little to him; if he failed this time, he would have another opportunity.
Bai Yi cast his eyes upon the ethereal underground palace suspended in mid-air. "There are two troublesome entities inside. How about we deal with them first?"
"I have no objections," Charles replied, and both he and Bai Yi turned their attention toward the center, where the two rule monsters had fully recovered. Fortunately, devoid of rationality, these monsters would remain passive as long as the established rules weren't broken.
However, their focus was less on the monsters and more on Pu Sheng, who lurked in the shadows. Since all three desired the Divine Evil, engaging in combat within that dimension would be unwise. Only Pu Sheng possessed the power to extract the two golden entities.
"Fine, I'll take care of it," Pu Sheng conceded, his voice echoing as a surge of energy ascended toward the sky. As it touched the illusory structure, a potent aura began to materialize.
Buzz—
The illusion began to coalesce into reality, the two dimensions overlapping gradually.
The Night Cultists in the vicinity paused, their murderous intent cloaked in surprise as the two Golden Uppers bared their intentions.
Just as they prepared to act, the Night Cultists began to fade away rapidly.
Bai Yi and Charles exchanged bewildered glances. They had braced themselves for battle, yet a mysterious force attempted to whisk the Cultists of Night away.
The two men bent their legs, propelling themselves forward with a burst of speed. Pu Sheng surged upward alongside them, their intentions clear: everything could be lost except for that evil spirit.
Buzz—
Darkness surged, intertwining with crimson.
Blood, spirit, darkness, abyss—the four forces swirled chaotically, enveloping the area connected to reality.
Their speed was so swift that the old mayor below lost sight of them just as he looked up.
Within the illusory dimension, power erupted violently; the dagger shimmered as curse energy ran rampant.
The unique force disrupted their three-way cooperation, but the two golden upper-rankers managed to evade the chaos.
In mere moments, the Night Rose members were nearly wiped out.
The trio halted at the entrance, silence descending upon them.
None dared to challenge such formidable foes. If one were detained, the others would not only abandon their objectives but also take everything away.
It was evident they shared similar thoughts.
"Ahem." Pu Sheng cleared his throat, an awkward smile gracing his features. "Brothers, we have such a harmonious understanding. How about we agree on a win-win situation?"
Bai Yi toyed with his dagger, grinning. "No problem."
Charles nodded in agreement. "Same."
The trio stood about ten meters apart, inching toward the center in near-perfect synchrony, their pace leisurely as they approached the laboratory.
The creation of the evil god had been interrupted, drawing forth some unforeseen changes. Pu Sheng's strides quickened; even if the evil god failed to manifest, it wouldn't affect Bai Yi or Charles.
Yet that was precisely what Pu Sheng desired most.
The three continued walking until they reached a natural pause.
Pu Sheng's anxiety bubbled to the surface. "This isn't working. Should we sign a contract?"
Neither Charles nor Bai Yi objected. Their expressions remained composed—Charles's calm held a solemnity, while Bai Yi exuded relaxation.
"Then Bai Yi, would you mind sheathing your weapon? I'm feeling a bit apprehensive," Pu Sheng suggested cautiously. "I'll prepare the contract."
"Of course." Bai Yi appeared accommodating, tucking the dagger into his windbreaker with a smile.
Pu Sheng exhaled in relief, raising his hand as the contract materialized from the abyss.
Charles eyed Bai Yi with a watchful gaze. The distance between them felt perilously close.
As the contract solidified, it floated between the three.
"I've signed. Please review," Pu Sheng stated, his voice tinged with urgency.
Bai Yi's spiritual energy surged, enveloping the contract as he scrutinized it. "It seems you're quite eager—no tricks here, I see."
"Exactly. It's best to resolve matters amicably," Pu Sheng nodded vigorously, glancing at Charles.
Charles, adept at recognizing contracts, discerned there were no traps. He nodded. "No."
Ding, ding, ding.
Suddenly, the metallic cadence of death reverberated through the air.
Charles and Pu Sheng's expressions shifted to alarm as they instinctively turned to Bai Yi, who now radiated an aura that instilled dread.
An overwhelming sense of oppression washed over them, as if they were facing an ancient god. Panic gripped their hearts.
Black energy surged, accompanied by curse effects: attachment, soul decay, and withering poison.
The metallic rhythm embodied a potent physical threat, and the arrival of three top-tier poisons dulled their movements for an instant.
Madness flickered in Charles' eyes as he sensed the impending doom, a feeling more acute than when faced with the mayor and Pu Sheng's onslaught.
Darkness began to creep in, and the white plague, barely ten meters away, collapsed in an instant.
Shadow! When had that happened?
His power escalated, but as if in slow motion, he felt a sharp sting on his back.
Clang!
The sound of a dagger slicing through the air filled his ears.
Pain shot through him as a violent force erupted within.
Before he could react, everything around him slowed to a crawl. He watched as gold-eating bugs swarmed past him, colliding with Pu Sheng. A rising sense of danger triggered instincts that warned him as his health points plummeted.
Mental stagnation—stored soul!
Bang!
A soul bullet shot forth at close range. In the next instant, the mental paralysis lifted, and the bullet surged forward. Charles had no time to evade.
Boom!
The convergence of 800 points of spirit and the ultimate soul unleashed a devastating blow, leaving Charles dazed and his body sent flying.
The dagger embedded in his back began to slide, threatening his heart.
His eyes grew vacant and numb. Bai Yi's blade was too heavy, binding him in place.
Ding, ding, ding.
The metallic rhythm surged toward Pu Sheng. The rapid acceleration of three million gold-eating bugs caused space to tremble, momentarily hindering Pu Sheng amid the mental paralysis.
But as the bugs approached, he managed to fade and disappear.
Whoosh!
There was no explosion. The gold-eating beetles soared through the wall, slicing through all obstacles as they sped into the unknown.
Demon Flash!
Swoosh!
The sound of a dagger cutting through the air echoed as Pu Sheng's presence vanished entirely.
Bang!
At that moment, Charles' body, propelled backward, crashed into the wall with a heavy thud.
Puff!
His form dissolved into a cloud of black mist, gradually dissipating.
Bai Yi cast a regretful glance at the panel.
He hadn't died?
Charles, in a weakened state, injured and stripped of his second stage, had somehow survived.
Bai Yi felt a wave of disappointment wash over him. He had aimed to eliminate this old adversary but had lost his chance. Now, he could only wait for another opportunity—perhaps a more surprising attack or a direct confrontation.
Yet it wasn't entirely without consequence.
[Charles has been poisoned by alchemical poison; affected area: neck; agility reduced by 50%, health points decrease by 15% per second.]
[You have acquired the title of God Hunter; damage inflicted on divine creatures will also cause soul damage.]
[You used the Blade of the Most Evil to inflict Bloody Backstab, Most Evil Spirit, and Stab Weak Points, resulting in significant mixed damage to Charles. His health has dropped by 73%, with an additional 10% soul damage from God Hunter, totaling an 83% reduction.]
[You used the Soul of Accumulation to strike the divine creature Ancient God Nightmare, reducing its health by 100%.]
The Ancient God Nightmare resembled a scapegoat, didn't it?