Chapter 170: A Proactive Team Atmosphere

"Why are you suddenly saying this?"

"Dude, I admit I don't have as much social experience as you, but I'm not stupid." Vander frowned. "Whose normal graduate thesis defense could alarm this old man? He is the guardian of the First Abyss. Although he often appears in public, his supreme status cannot be faked."

"It shows that your library has great reputation. An outstanding student like you can even invite a big boss after graduation." Chu Hengkong's expression remained unchanged.

"It's true that my alma mater is awesome, but..." Fander flipped the page and came to the appraisal document of Huowan. "Look at this relic, Missing! Olek's tone is very wrong. It's like it has a story with us!"

"Maybe it's your schoolmate." Chu Hengkong smiled.

"Still laughing, you're still laughing!" Vander slammed the page of the book. "I don't know! I have no recollection of it! If we had such a famous alumnus, I would definitely remember it. I also wouldn't forget someone as awesome as this old man examining my thesis... How much of my memory has been deleted? The old man even said I wasn't called that name last time, so who am I?!"

"Defan?" Chu Hengkong guessed.

"Just wait, I'm going to hypnotize you now, you bastard."

Chu Hengkong held down the ferocious Eye Demon with one hand and said with a smile, "Fander, what are you worried about?"

"It would be strange if I wasn't worried about my condition!" Vander said angrily, "I——"

"You suspect your past is inconsistent with your perceptions. You might not simply be traveling after graduation, but rather carrying out some important mission, leaving this secret place to fulfill a task vital to the library," Chu Hengkong said. "However, right now, you've lost too much knowledge and memory, and your strength is incredibly weak. You're worried that you won't be able to complete that possible mission, and even more worried that your presence might attract the attention of a powerful being, dragging Ji Huaisu and me into trouble, correct?"

Fander stared at him with wide eyes for almost half a minute, then stammered, "Who are you?"

Chu Hengkong patted its head and said, "Fander, your hypnosis can even affect real machines. When you explode, you can even break the chain of misfortune. Do you really think I haven't thought about these things?"

"You actually thought about it?!" Vander was shocked.

"Even if I can't think of such details, the City Lord and Youyou will have their guesses. But so what? Ji Huaisu's karma is probably much more serious than yours, not to mention me, a professional courting death. If it weren't for your help, the two of us would have died long ago without even a trace left." Chu Hengkong flexed his prosthetic arm, "We've relied on you so many times along the way, and you're going to run away when you encounter difficulties? No way, Fander, are we brothers?"

"As brothers, I shouldn't drag you into this..." Vander said embarrassedly.

"You're wrong. We brothers should share the blame." Chu Hengkong whistled.

"Dude, you always think things are simple..." Vander sighed, "Have you ever thought about what if the problem is me? I was reading my paper today, and the more I read, the more panicked I became."

"What did you write?"

"A new type of contract established by exchanging elements of the physical body and the spirit body," said Vander. "It's like installing your brain into someone else's body and filling your skull with their heart... This thing is a completely evil method no matter where it is put. I actually think this can achieve freedom."

He stared blankly at his manual: "Isn't it possible that I was... an outsider?"

"It's very likely." Chu Hengkong said impartially.

"Fuck, you're still so calm?! What if I regain my memory and turn into some terrifying monster?"

"I can just beat you until you lose your memory," the killer said naturally. "If we can't come to an agreement, I can keep beating you until you wake up. Wouldn't that solve the problem?"

Vander gasped: "You are a genius!"

"Any other questions?"

"No, I've figured it out. I'm done."

Finder tucked himself into his sleeping bag and pulled the lid over himself. After a long moment, he murmured, "Thanks, buddy."

"It's my duty."

He brought the Eye Demon back to the room and quietly waited by Ji Huaisu's bedside. The monsters' desperate mumblings were mixed with the steady breathing of their companions.

·

Meanwhile, in the northern part of the Despair Wilderness.

Starting from the warriors' settlement, crossing blood-soaked ancient battlefields and over mountains piled with corpses, one arrives at the highest point of the Despairing Wilds. Atop the towering black mountain stand a series of abstract black buildings. This is the former core of Halvira, the Nightmare City of the Nightmare King.

Footsteps glided down the corridor, dancing. Lightning flashed by the window, illuminating a tall, thin figure with animal ears. He or she had an androgynous face and wore a filthy painter's robe. This strange figure, resembling a poor painter, pushed open the rotten wooden door and flew into the hall, circling.

"Lord Vansalar~~! Your loyal, dear, enthusiastic, and sincere Vaklo Rockval has arrived for the meeting~~!"

The ruler of the Desperate Wilderness sat on the Shadow Throne, in the form of his favorite black-skinned man, eating snacks brought from the outside world.

"Shuanglu was very motivated at work today! You're truly my favorite subordinate!" Vansalar said, "But you're three minutes late, and I've told you countless times to use code names when working!"

Waklo shook his head vigorously: "No, I really like my name, and Mr. Night Walk has always used his real name."

"Ye Xing's real name sounds like a code name so it's fine, but yours is terrible and doesn't fit in."

"Let me firmly protest, this is serious workplace bullying." Waklo's ears trembled wildly. "If you must use it, please give me a new code name! Like, my beloved dog!"

When will this meaningless conversation end? Or rather, what's the point of gathering here? The other messengers sighed inwardly. Lord Vansalar's power is enough to connect all the messengers with a single thought, allowing them to communicate with each other remotely. But he always loves the inexplicable sense of ritual and the atmosphere of a demonic castle, so these regular meetings are held at regular intervals, and no one can express any objections.

Anyway, everything in the Despair Wilderness is determined by Lord Vansalar's mood.

In the end, Vaklo took the codename "Double Slaughter" and stood at the end of the line, his tail between his legs. Beside him stood the "Limb Spider," a multi-limbed creature composed of black blood, and the "Burning Embers," a fiery gas planet, blazing like daylight throughout the hall. Opposite him stood the silent Night Walkers. With the exception of one member unable to attend due to mobility issues, all of Lord Vansalar's former staff had arrived.

"I called everyone here tonight to announce a piece of good news," Fansalar said happily, "Luohun is dead!"

"Oh oh——" "Mr. Luohun actually..." "How could it be..." The messengers expressed different thoughts.

Burning Embers sneered, "It's the weakest among us!"

"No, no, that's not the case at all," Waklo said. "Mr. Luohun's historical fog is too extreme. If his essence isn't high enough, no matter how strong his combat power is, he can't penetrate the fog. He's invincible in the Wilderness of Despair."

"In the last battle, if Luohun hadn't been here, I would have been crushed to death by Xiao Qingxia." The spider said tremblingly, "Now that Luohun is dead, who will stop Xiao Qingxia this time? Me? No, Lord Fansalar, you can't do that!"

Fansalar slammed the throne handle in anger: "Show some backbone! Think of the courage of the cold ape who fought so bravely before!"

"Han Xing was smashed into icy shards by Xiao Qingxia just because he was too brave!" Zhi Zhu covered his ears, wishing he could hide his head underground. "In the last battle, three capable generals, Han Xing, Fu Chen, and Wei Guang, died. Now, Luo Hun has died again in this battle... It's over! We're really finished this time! I can't wait here to die any longer. I have to escape from the Nightmare City! Ahhhhhhh!"

Limb Spider's speech ended with a series of screams. Burning Ember hurled a massive fireball at the limp creature, sending it screaming and rolling on the ground to put out the flames. Burning Ember pinched the tip of his burning beard and said, "What I mean is that Luohun relies too much on his abilities. He's been a tax collector for so long that he's forgotten his former bravery!"

"Ah... Come to think of it, Mr. Luohun originally came here to defeat Master Fansalar." Waklo pinched his ear. "How did it join us later?"

"Because you killed it, you idiot." said Ran Jin.

"Oh? Me?" Vaclo pondered. "No, no, you're mistaken. It was Rockval who did it."

"Aren't they all the same?" Burning Ember raised his voice. "Shut up, Spider! Lord Vansalar has brought a new High Monk this time, and someone will take the blame for you!"

"It's the head monk?" The spider looked up in surprise. Its head was covered with eyeballs like clusters of grapes. "Then why hasn't he come yet?"

Vansalar gnawed slowly at his apple, until only the core remained. Then he said, "He's on holiday."

"You're being too partial to the new employees," Waklo said. "So, who's that person next to you?"

Ran Jin was slightly startled. He was the first messenger to arrive at the hall, yet he hadn't noticed the newcomer. He focused his attention and peered into the darkness. He saw a delicate, boneless hand reach out, remove the core from the Nightmare King's fruit, and offer him tender green grapes.

The woman was standing hunched beside the throne. She had been serving Fansalar meals since the meeting began, but she had never noticed that Ran Jin was so close.

"I am Wen Yao from the 'Lifeless Blood Origin'. I would like to ask for your guidance from the seniors below." She chuckled.

"Is this alright, Lord Vansalar?" Waklo tilted his head. "The Blood Plains limit is 5. As a legitimate Sephiroth 4, she came to a wilderness with a limit of 3. That's a huge violation, isn't it?"

"That's true under normal circumstances!" Vansalar said happily, "But these newcomers are quite worth looking forward to. Without sufficient malice, how can we justify their courage?"

This is terrible. Lord Vansalar is getting excited. I'm afraid this newcomer will die a horrible death.

Waklo thought so, his face lost in thought. Though timid, the spider was serious and carefully checked with its companions, "It's not that exaggerated..."

"This guy is really good. I've been burning it for three days and still haven't caught the sniper." Ran Jin shook his head. "There's another one that Rockwa caught..."

"You are mistaken. It was I, Waklo, who caught him."

"Are you done yet?" Ran Jin roared.

"My new guy is pretty tough. He's already lasted two and a half days and is almost breaking the record for the particle 2." Waklo smiled broadly. "Wouldn't Mr. Nightwalker come and give him some guidance? He's from the same hometown as you."

Ye Xing said nothing, just shook his head.

"What a shame, what a shame. Now that we've said everything, why not call it a night?" Waklo bowed deeply. "I think everyone's eager to make some preparations."

Vansalar laughed happily. "That's how it should be! Go for it, everyone! I sincerely hope that everyone will die a satisfying death!"

The messengers saluted together: "In order to allow the Nightmare King to rest properly—"

"To train someone who dares to spit at Lord Vansalar!" Waklo shouted.

"Waklo, get out of here!"

“Why?”

(End of this chapter)