Chapter 50: Gold Coins and Games
In the central region of the Western Continent, the ancient city of Kilga.
This ancient city had stood here for over a thousand years. Due to a long period without repairs, the city walls appeared dilapidated, covered in honeycomb-like circular holes. At the edges of these holes, crescent-shaped thin stones were as sharp and sturdy as blades, proving the defensive power of these walls.
A thousand years ago, this would have been a defensive fortification capable of instilling helplessness, even despair, in enemies. But in the current era, shells powered by a mixture of crystal and blue gunpowder wouldn't even be aimed at these walls. The shells would follow a parabolic trajectory, fly into the ancient city, and then explode.
The buildings within the ancient city were arranged in an orderly yet staggered fashion, still allowing one to feel the former prosperity of the Tayatu Civilization. Especially the imperial palace in the middle-rear area. Its towering architecture inspired awe, making one wonder how people a thousand years ago managed to build this palace, how much sweat and blood were poured into it. Viewed from afar, the palace seemed not only made of rock and metal but also contained souls and blood.
The ancient city was very quiet. In reality, the various buildings here were inhabited by many primitive people, also known as Parasite Warriors. They all had parasitic nematodes inside their bodies, which made them savage, impulsive, and bloodthirsty. Once they caught the scent of blood, they would lose most of their rationality.
Compared to these side effects, being parasitized by nematodes gave them tenacious vitality and vile supernatural abilities. More troublesome was that as long as the parasitic site within them—the place where the nematode resided—was not destroyed, even smashing their heads or destroying their hearts wouldn't completely incapacitate them.
The parasitic site seemed like the Parasite Warrior's weakness, but it wasn't. The parasitic site had no fixed location; it could be in the Parasite Warrior's head, abdomen, or even, in some bizarre cases, in their heel.
In front of the imperial palace, over twenty men and women had gathered. These were all contractors who had joined the Western Continent faction.
As a hidden faction, the prerequisites for joining the Western Continent faction were very harsh. Once successfully joined, the subsequent benefits were also numerous. For example, there was a faction store here where, using faction reputation, one could purchase unique bloodline/class items from the Western Continent, Soul Crystals (Complete), and a Holy Spirit Rank set called [Pestilence Symbiosis].
The side effects of this set were astonishing. After wearing it, the nematodes inside the equipment would bite the wearer's body, draining health points. However, the wearer wouldn't be parasitized. The set's abilities were equally powerful. When an enemy was near death, the nematodes in the equipment could taint 1 to 2 pieces of equipment the enemy was wearing. After the enemy died, the equipment would be permanently seized.
This set had a characteristic: each time an enemy's equipment was seized, the durability of the [Pestilence Symbiosis] set would permanently decrease and could not be restored, making it a consumable among equipment.
The reason this set was so peculiar was partly due to the nematodes stored within. More importantly, the set was empowered by Abyss Force, giving it such a formidable effect.
Most of these twenty-plus contractors had their eyes on the [Pestilence Symbiosis] set. Once they could injure a contractor to the point of near death, they could use the set's effect to make a fortune.
Besides the [Pestilence Symbiosis] set, the various exchangeable items in the Western Continent faction store also made it hard for these twenty-plus contractors to give up. They had already been developing in the Western Continent for a few days. For a world progression, a few days was not a short time.
Interestingly, the first to discover the Western Continent was the Holy Light Paradise's Poison Healer, Guangmu. She originally wanted to keep it all to herself, but after understanding the situation in the Western Continent, she gave up that idea. Keeping it all to herself would be satisfying, but the probability of dying here was too high.
"Guangmu, is this the high-reward hidden area you mentioned?"
A tyrant with dark gray skin, nearly three meters tall, spoke. The tyrant had bad luck. After being brutally beaten by the National Football Team, he didn't die. This guy's survivability was too strong. The Three Brothers of National Football had nearly swung their hammers until they broke, only managing to shatter him, unable to completely kill him.
"Is the reward here not high?"
Guangmu, wearing a black dress with a slit cut very high and high heels, spoke. Hearing her words, the tyrant held back for a long time but couldn't say anything, eventually just snorting coldly.
"At a time like this, don't have internal strife."
A man who called himself Enzuo spoke. His eyes were dull; he was blind. Other contractors were more accustomed to calling him Brother Shui. He was from Death Paradise. The Contract Killer, Brother Shui, was famous among the Eighth Rank. His combat ability against large boss-type units was average, but against contractors, violators, and humanoid bosses, he was an absolute daddy.
"That hunter named Bai Ye will soon lead the allied army to attack. Before he arrives, we need to decide whether to stay or leave..."
"Brother Shui."
The tyrant interrupted Brother Shui. Brother Shui wasn't annoyed and quietly listened to what the other had to say.
"Go assassinate Bai Ye, how about that? As a reward, we are willing to offer..."
Before the tyrant could finish stating the reward, Brother Shui waved his hand.
"I am indeed skilled in fighting contractors and violators, but... wouldn't Bai Ye, as a hunter, also be skilled in this aspect? Going to assassinate a hunter protected by at least several thousand, or even more, soldiers—the success rate is lower than hoping a meteor falls from the sky and crushes that brother named Bai Ye to death."
"Brother Shui, at a time like this, don't call him brother."
"What's wrong with that? Our sides are only hostile due to our positions. If we leave the Western Continent now, Kukulin Bai Ye won't chase us. In the end, it's because we can't bear to give up the potential benefits in the Western Continent. Bai Ye is not wrong, and we are not wrong either. It's just mutual game-playing."
"This..."
The tyrant snorted coldly and then fell silent.
"Odd Mage, do you have any suggestions? Try to make the most of your advantage as an old yinbi."
Guangmu looked at a man wearing a white robe with a gentle smile on his face.
"Me? What can I do? I just advanced to the Eighth Rank not long ago. I'm very weak. Bad luck, being teleported to such a dangerous world."
The Odd Mage's expression was calm, as if life and death were just matters of casual conversation to him.
"At least give a suggestion."
Guangmu looked at the Odd Mage. For some reason, she always felt something was off about him, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what.
"I suggest... allying with Fairy Maiden."
"No way."
"Don't even think about it."
"If Fairy Maiden comes here, we'll be the first to die."
A group of contractors refuted one after another. They all had some understanding of who Fairy Maiden was.
"Then I have no way either. Our strongest combat power, Emperor Tayatu, cannot leave the imperial palace. The three knights each have their own thoughts and won't easily make a move. The only things we can rely on are the massive number of Parasite Warriors and those leaders. On a chaotic battlefield, having a high-end combat power break through the enemy's front lines has strategic significance for the war's direction."
The Odd Mage said this, his smile becoming gentler. He continued:
"It's okay. The number of Parasite Warriors is several times, or even more, than the enemy. No matter how you look at it, our side has a higher chance of winning."
Hearing the Odd Mage's words, many contractors secretly nodded. This was also the reason they hadn't left. If a real fight broke out, they didn't think the Western Continent faction would lose. On the contrary, the Western Continent faction had a high chance of winning. The Parasite Warriors were numerous and fearless. As long as it was Emperor Tayatu's order, they would unconditionally obey, even if it meant going to their deaths.
What the contractors worried about was that after the war started, they, who held a certain status in the Western Continent, would be forcibly dispatched to the battlefield. If they disobeyed orders, not only would their Western Continent reputation be cleared, but they would also become hostile to the Western Continent faction. As for going to the battlefield, this was an Eighth Rank world's battlefield, too dangerous.
Just as the contractors were discussing, a butterfly appeared, landed on a female contractor's hand, and merged into her body. The female contractor's eyes went blank for a moment, then showed delight.
"What the Odd Mage said before is right. Whether the two sides go to war or not is not something an outsider hunter can decide, even if he is the Legion Commander of the Execution Agency."
The female contractor's words made everyone stand up. Among them, the tyrant urgently asked, "What do you mean?"
"The allied fleet has arrived. They came with great momentum, but when they reached the coastal waters, they didn't immediately land on the island. Instead, they want to talk with Emperor Tayatu. It seems our Vice Commander Bai Ye can't completely control the war situation either."
The female contractor said this, the corners of her mouth curling up in genuine satisfaction. She continued:
"War burns money. The fleet and soldiers that Kukulin Bai Ye mobilized came through the Southern Alliance and Eastern Alliance. The situation is already clear. Kukulin Bai Ye advocates war. He is a hunter, and after the war starts, he can reap astonishing benefits. But the dual alliances clearly don't want to start a war directly. This is an opportunity. As long as we make them have internal strife, we can curb this war. After that disaster loses power, we'll immediately kill him! To prevent him from causing trouble. A perfectly good mission world almost got turned into a war world by him."
By the time the female contractor said this, she was already gnashing her teeth in hatred.
"Right, kill him."
"Damn it, I was wondering why the war started so suddenly, like a joke. Turns out it was military deterrence plus negotiation."
The contractors all secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Being able to gain benefits normally, no one wanted a war event.
"The negotiations over there will start soon. Who is a charm type?"
"I am."
"Follow me. We'll rely on you later. You charm types are best at instigating."
The group of contractors set out towards the outskirts of the ancient city. Before they even left the city, more than half of them stopped. Out of caution, they decided not to participate in this negotiation. Only a few, led by the tyrant, insisted on attending, including the charm-type female contractor who provided the intelligence.
She was very confident in her deduction. The dual alliances wouldn't agree to start a war so easily. It was too abrupt. Unless something stimulated them, it would definitely be negotiation first. The Western Continent and the Southern Continent were too far apart; war wasn't worth it.
In the team, two figures lagged behind. They were Guangmu and the Odd Mage.
"Guangmu, you are our temporary leader. You should walk at the front."
Hearing the Odd Mage's words, Guangmu remained silent, keeping her distance from him. She felt that this seemingly weak guy was very dangerous, giving her a vague sense of threat.
'Puppet... Synchronization 32%.'
The Odd Mage's index finger moved. Beside him, Guangmu raised her hand without warning.
Guangmu immediately tried to stop, but she found that she kept walking. This feeling was terrifying. She could clearly feel her body, but her soul felt like it was being 'pressed down by a ghost,' unable to move an inch. Guangmu's eyes first showed shock, then terror. She wanted to shout loudly, but couldn't make a sound.
The Odd Mage shifted his gaze, looking at Guangmu with a smile. Then, Guangmu found she could control her body again. Her instinct was to pounce on the Odd Mage beside her, but she forced herself to calm down.
The Odd Mage took out a small conch, his lips moving silently:
'Fairy Maiden, I tracked you to Alliance Star and ran into an old friend. That guy hasn't changed at all. When facing a troublesome enemy, he still uses human wave tactics.'
The Odd Mage's pace slowed down, gradually distancing himself from the few contractors ahead. But those ahead didn't notice this at all, as if the Odd Mage and Guangmu didn't exist.
This contractor named Odd Mage was actually one of Gray Gentleman's puppets. This guy had numerous alternate identities, helping him obtain resources in various worlds. This was also the most troublesome aspect of Gray Gentleman—he had too many ways to acquire resources. So far, he had never shown his own combat ability.
Gray Gentleman continued speaking silently into the conch in his hand:
'Fairy Maiden, the Western Continent has a curious object. Interested?'
'Not interested. Get lost, you smiling bastard.'
Fairy Maiden, breaking her usual style, spewed vulgarities at Gray Gentleman. Clearly, she had been schemed against by Gray Gentleman before. It was only because she needed to cooperate with Gray Gentleman on something later that she didn't completely fall out with him.
'Abyss Hole, not interested?'
'No.'
'What about two pieces of pure enough Abyss Force condensates?'
Gray Gentleman's words made Fairy Maiden hesitate for a few seconds.
'Still no.'
'Too bad. I prepared an Emergency Escape Scroll for you this time. Since you don't need it, I'll go ask Father Shen over there.'
Gray Gentleman's tone carried a hint of regret.
'State your conditions.'
'After the deed is done, one piece of pure Abyss Force condensate for each of us.'
Gray Gentleman stated his goal. But was his goal really that simple?
'Deal. I just finished a transaction here and have nothing to do. Summon me over.'
'As you wish.'
As Gray Gentleman's voice fell, the conch in his hand gradually shattered, eventually turning to ash and dissipating in the air.
Gray Gentleman had two true goals. If Fairy Maiden really obtained the pure Abyss Force condensate, it would be good for him. He wanted this thing.
If Fairy Maiden failed, it was also good for Gray Gentleman. In that case, Fairy Maiden would definitely be beaten by Su Xiao's legion tactics until she doubted life. Her hatred for Su Xiao would skyrocket. Coupled with the [Emergency Escape Scroll] provided by Gray Gentleman, the chance of Fairy Maiden dying here was minimal. This item wasn't space-based but rule-based.
After being thoroughly beaten, Fairy Maiden would definitely not let it go. When she entered the Treeborn World, she would be irreconcilably hostile to Su Xiao.
According to Gray Gentleman's estimation, given Fairy Maiden's current stance, after entering the Treeborn World, she would most likely sit on the sidelines and watch the tigers fight, waiting for him and Father Shen to settle the score with Su Xiao before completing the subsequent matters.
This was Gray Gentleman's goal 2: to make Fairy Maiden completely hostile to Su Xiao. When he and Father Shen dealt with Su Xiao in the Treeborn World, Fairy Maiden wouldn't just watch from the sidelines. Using an 'Emergency Escape Scroll' to exchange for a powerful combatant was a sure-win deal for Gray Gentleman. In Gray Gentleman's view, Su Xiao was an enemy that required everything to be staked against.
It could be said that in this world, Gray Gentleman was already in an invincible position. He might not gain any benefits, but he would definitely not lose.
"Guangmu, I'm very lucky this time to have met my old friend Bai Ye. So I'm in a good mood. I won't turn you into a puppet. Let's flip a coin. If I win, one-third of your property is mine. If I lose, one-third of my property is yours. Don't worry, we'll sign a Void Tree contract, not a Reincarnation Paradise contract."
Gray Gentleman raised his hand, and a contract appeared in it. Guangmu's consciousness was in a daze for a moment. When she recovered, the contract was already signed.
"Refreshing. I admire you."
"?"
Guangmu was dumbfounded. She had no idea what she had just done.
"This is a Fortune Coin. It can't be cheated. You choose first."
"Heads."
Guangmu glared at Gray Gentleman. By now, how could she not know who she had encountered? Gray Gentleman of Reincarnation Paradise, an extremely dangerous violator.
"Heads, huh. Then I can only choose tails. My luck has always been good."
Ding~
Gray Gentleman tossed the coin in his hand. The coin flipped in the air and was finally caught in his hand.
Guangmu stared at Gray Gentleman's hand. Gray Gentleman slowly opened his palm. The Fortune Coin lay flat in his palm. It was heads.
"I win."
Guangmu felt it was unbelievable.
"Mm, you won. So..."
"So one-third of your assets are mine?"
When Guangmu said this, she felt it was absurd. She herself didn't believe this would happen.
"So, we start the next round."
"You broke the contract!"
"Mm, I broke it. So my all attributes are reduced by 30%. Didn't you see my face turn pale? Guangmu, let me ask you a question. What does the contract signed by the Odd Mage have to do with me, Gray Gentleman?"
Gray Gentleman took out the previous contract, tore it open, revealing it was a double-layered contract. The top was a Void Tree contract, and the bottom was a Reincarnation Paradise contract.
"Let's continue. 100 rounds, 1 win. Don't look so desperate. You just need to beat me 100 times in a row to win. But be careful: if I win one round against you, you lose everything."
Ding~!
The Fortune Coin was tossed again by Gray Gentleman, flipping in the air.
Guangmu lowered her head, a strong sense of powerlessness in her heart. She felt that her confrontation with Gray Gentleman was like a kindergarten child trying to defeat an adult. Just as her heart was broken in that instant.
'Puppet... Synchronization 61%.'
Gray Gentleman caught the falling coin. Was he toying with Guangmu? Of course not. Gray Gentleman wasn't that bored. Or was he turning Guangmu into a puppet? Guangmu was female. Gray Gentleman couldn't perform puppet assimilation across genders and races. This guy... was going to tear off the Holy Light imprint on the back of Guangmu's hand! This was Gray Gentleman's process of stripping the imprint.