Chapter 2: An Unreasonable Lineup
Five bounties were laid out before him. The first three required no further thought. Su Xiao paid a total of 3600 ounces of Space-Time Power to max out the bounty quota. When he reached Bounty 4: Perfectionist, he hesitated slightly. From the name of this bounty, it was clear that it required obtaining all the "Shattered Origins" during the first three rounds.
The so-called "Shattered Origins" were the core of this battle royale, certified by the Void Tree and the five participating Paradise factions. As for why there was no certification from the Reincarnation Paradise side, to be precise, the Reincarnation Paradise, with a team count of 0/0, didn't even have the qualifications to enter. This was actually quite abnormal. Looking at the lineup of the six major Paradises, the Reincarnation Paradise's overall strength was definitely ranked first. Under such circumstances, it was strange that the Reincarnation Paradise had no entry qualification.
More importantly, under normal circumstances, given the Reincarnation Paradise's certification style, it would definitely overturn the table. But this time, it didn't. Or rather, it was about to overturn the table but was suppressed by the Void Tree + Apocalypse Paradise, Death Paradise, Sanctuary Paradise, Holy Light Paradise, and Watchful Paradise. With such a certification lineup, it was indeed impossible for the Reincarnation Paradise to overturn the table.
If it weren't for the fact that the Apocalypse Paradise might not even get a sip of soup this time, Su Xiao probably wouldn't have been able to enter now. By entering through the Apocalypse Paradise's team, he also represented, to a certain extent, the Reincarnation Paradise's participation in this World Battle Royale.
Su Xiao had been participating in World Battle Royales since the Second Rank, all the way up to his current Absolute Strength level. He was very familiar with this aspect, but this time, compared to the danger of the World Battle Royale itself, he was more concerned about the certification risks outside of it. Or rather, this was a confrontation between Paradise factions, but it was difficult to detect at the Contractor level.
With that in mind, he looked at the content of Bounty 4.
"Bounty 4: Perfectionist: Before the start of the fourth round of the battle royale, obtain 15 Shattered Origins (Requires a bounty deposit of 2000 to 5000 ounces of Space-Time Power to activate this bounty)."
Under such circumstances, playing it safe seemed like the better choice. The problem was that the conditions given by the Reincarnation Paradise this time were too decisive, coupled with the content of Bounty 5.
"Bounty 5: Dawn Erosion: Witness the erosion of the dawn."
After weighing this, Su Xiao felt there was no need to play it safe. He immediately used 5200 ounces of Space-Time Power to max out both Bounty 4 and Bounty 5.
This was not only because of the undercurrents of the current situation but also because he still owed the Reincarnation Paradise 85,000 ounces of Space-Time Power. Moreover, if he won this World Battle Royale, the Honor Shop would definitely undergo a large-scale refresh. Currently, items in the Honor Shop required Space-Time Power to purchase, and he would definitely need a large amount of Space-Time Power by then.
Su Xiao still had 22,920.5 ounces of Space-Time Power left, which he temporarily couldn't use, in case of an urgent need later.
He opened the team list to check the current positions of team members. The team, which originally had only 2 members, had now reached a size of 5/5. It seemed that three teammates had been default-recruited: a Summoning type, a Perception type, and a Magic type.
However, this Magic-type Battle Angel had already turned off the teammate location sharing function. It made sense. After being randomly assigned to a participating team, opening the team list and seeing, "Oh, the captain is a Shadow of Law Destruction," as an Absolute Strength-level Magic type, they had certainly heard of the legends of the Second Era: Shadow of Law Destruction. Now, encountering one in person, their mood could be imagined.
Su Xiao checked the location of the Healing-type, Fenny. She was over 600 kilometers away. It seemed far, but with the Lord's Train, this was not a problem. After planning a route, he just needed to take a ride on the Lord's Train to pick up Bubu Wang, Amu, Baha, Beini, and Fenny.
...
Of the five members in the entire team, Su Xiao could only see his own avatar, Fenny's, and the Summoning type's. Compared to this Summoning type, he was more interested in the Perception type.
In the early and mid-stages, a Perception type was a hot commodity that every team wanted. But at higher ranks, the development direction of a Perception type was not about perception range or perception sensitivity. It was about developing perception depth. The so-called perception depth meant deeply perceiving this world, perceiving the future, cause and effect, fate, and that elusive curse power.
Therefore, this Perception type had a high probability of being a Diviner. In the past, it was hard to even catch a Diviner, but this time, one had delivered itself. He tried to locate the other's position, and as expected, the other had turned off the teammate location sharing function but hadn't blocked team messages.
Checking the other's information, he could only see the name; all other data was hidden. The name was Rosa. Seeing this name, Su Xiao thought of someone: the Apocalypse Paradise Battle Angel, Sacred Fate: Rosa.
The reason he had heard of this Fate type was that she had been on the "Apocalypse Paradise Annual Fool List" three times in a row and was extremely angry about it. She had communicated multiple times with the statistical organization of this list, but not only did it not improve, she had already secured the second place on this year's "Apocalypse Paradise Annual Fool List." If nothing major happened in the latter half of the year, she would probably be this year's top spot.
From this perspective, Sacred Fate: Rosa was practically a foolish girl like Molei's best friend. The problem was that her style was not girlish at all. She was around 25 years old, a serious, mature, elegant, and beautiful lady. The problem was that the contrast between her energy and her dreams was truly hard to hold back a laugh. She was the type who was particularly serious and earnest, but the things she experienced could make people laugh to death.
Rosa had a materially abundant but unfortunate childhood. Her father was a great noble of the Eastern Federation on Tianren Star, cruel and paranoid. So from a young age, she had seen too much misfortune among her family's retainers and servants. Especially when she was 12 years old, standing at a third-floor window, she personally witnessed her own butler being dragged to the backyard by several guards and thrown into a dog cage that hadn't been fed for days.
Although the butler had done evil deeds, his miserable screams and pleas for mercy before his death made Sacred Fate: Rosa decide that no one should suffer such brutal torment again. Even if they were to be judged, it should be by sacred law.
Logically, Rosa's subsequent life trajectory should have been one of three directions: 1. A saint, 2. A sacred and cold absolute justice, 3. A compassionate redeemer. If it had been one of these three paths, Rosa wouldn't have been so famous.
Rosa's greatest characteristic was that if she wanted to save someone, that person had better run away quickly and stay far away from Rosa, otherwise, they would surely die soon. Her most outrageous feat was when, at the Ninth Rank, she saved a half-orc kingdom. The next morning, an ultra-giant meteorite crashed down, and that half-orc kingdom disappeared from that exotic beast continent, leaving only a giant crater.
What was even more wonderful was that if a kind-hearted person was rescued by Rosa, they wouldn't suffer misfortune and die later.
If this had been the case after she gained her abilities, it would have been fine. The problem was that Rosa had been like this since she was a child. This had also formed her style: there was no need to distinguish whether the person to be redeemed was good or evil; fate would decide later.
In terms of redeeming kind-hearted people, Rosa was serious and professional. What kept her on the "Apocalypse Paradise Annual Fool List" was her own luck. As a Fate type, Rosa had saved countless people, but she couldn't save her own luck.
...
To put it this way, at the First Rank, Rosa had increased her total Stamina attribute by 3 points just from falling flat on her face, accidentally getting hit by a car, getting caught in a mall door, slipping on a banana peel and sliding five meters to a window, and falling from the third floor.
As for opening treasure chests, sorry, Rosa never opened treasure chests. She would sell any chest she obtained. More importantly, she had a very hard mouth and never admitted she was unlucky. And it was that particularly serious, earnest kind of hard mouth.
Su Xiao opened the team communication channel and posted a message:
White Night: "Wait where you are."
Fenny: "Okay, I've already accepted my fate anyway."
Rosa: "This... Captain, may I ask, what is this (Team Fortune: E- ~ S+) about?"
Baha (Captain's Follower): "Are you very unlucky?"
Rosa: "Of course not."
Baha (Captain's Follower): "Then don't worry about the team fortune. It usually doesn't work."
Apocalypse Mage: "Let's not talk about the team fortune issue for now. I mean, since we're all in the same team, shouldn't we temporarily set aside the contradictions regarding faction hostility?"
Baha (Captain's Follower): "Of course. Where are you? We'll come find you."
Fenny: "╰(*°▽°*)╯"
Apocalypse Mage: "As for my location, I think it's safer to settle these trivial matters first before discussing it."
Baha (Captain's Follower): "Don't worry, we're all on the same team. Just tell us where you are."
Ghost Witch: Vile: "Laughing my ass off. I can feel the killing intent aimed at you."
Baha (Captain's Follower): "Ms. Vile, what kind of Summoner are you?"
Ghost Witch: Vile: "Abyss type, of course. Otherwise, how would I be qualified to be selected for a team of this strength?"
Apocalypse Mage: "Hiss~ This team... is truly wonderful. A Law Destroyer, a Mage, an Abyss-type Summoner, and a Fate type with the worst luck imaginable. What... kind of matching mechanism is this?"
...
The Apocalypse Mage was right. The current configuration of the White Night Team was too wonderful. No matter what, the Apocalypse Paradise shouldn't have matched such a lineup. Su Xiao tried to consult the relevant certification and got a very unexpected result. The matching certification for his team was simultaneously conducted by the Apocalypse Paradise, Holy Light Paradise, and Watchful Paradise.
This was very confusing. But thinking about it carefully, it might be related to the Reincarnation Paradise losing its entry qualification for this World Battle Royale.
He had to figure out the general situation before the last two rounds of the battle royale. It was unlikely through missions. The missions this time were all certified by the Apocalypse Paradise. With that in mind, the five bounties of this "Hunt List: Blood Pact" were of utmost importance.
The invincible barrier enveloping the forest cabin dissipated. Pushing the door open and stepping out, Su Xiao felt like he was passing through an invisible barrier. In an instant, the environment of birdsong and floral fragrance greeted him. The fragrance of soil and grass, the lingering scent of decaying leaves, the rustling sound of the wind blowing through the canopy, and the cries of monkeys swinging on vines.
After a moment, this feeling of suddenly breaking into this world subsided. Su Xiao had no understanding of this place called "Plant Kingdom: Yagowa," but one thing was certain: no Contractors had been here for a long time. Given the situation of the Dawn Paradise faction, the Violators definitely couldn't enter this world either.
...
From the certification name of this world, it could be guessed that this was a world dominated by plant life. But the most critical issue was where to find more "Shattered Origins."
Su Xiao summoned the "Lord's Train." The ground beneath his feet rumbled briefly before the Lord's Train came to a stop. Although it was traveling through a dense forest, it didn't crash into bushes or giant trees. The carriage door opened, and he walked inside.
The fresh air with a comfortable coolness made one feel at ease. The overall color scheme of the carriage was on the warm side. The windows had honeycomb-like grid structures. Pressing a hand on it would bring up adjustment text, allowing one to adjust the temperature and humidity of the carriage, as well as summon a smart robot. This round robot combined cleaning, intermediate repair, and advanced cooking. Expecting it to make a gourmet meal was a pipe dream, but the dishes it made tasted pretty good.
The entire carriage could accommodate 12 passengers. The front had benches against the inner wall, while the back had seats facing each other in pairs. If needed, they could be used as dining tables, just enough for the members of Su Xiao's team to eat. In addition, there was a single-seat sofa, a sufficiently large refrigerator, storage compartments for supplies and fresh water, etc.
Pushing open the inner door revealed a bedroom. The bedroom was mainly in a solid wood style. It was equipped with a toilet and bathroom. There was also a display shelf where curiosities collected from mission worlds could be placed. On the left side, which had no windows, there was an alchemy workbench. It was currently in sealed mode and could only be opened with Su Xiao's palm print.
These features alone certainly wouldn't have reached the design cost of 500,000 Soul Coins. The interior of this type of train carriage had undergone Level 9 reinforcement and Level 8 spatial rune inscription, increasing the interior space by 35%. In addition, after a stable stop, the entire train could perform Level 9 concealment. It wasn't optical invisibility but synchronization with the surrounding environment. Although it was far inferior to Bubu Wang's ability to blend into the environment, the concealment tier was still quite high.
The current Lord's Train combined transportation, rest, and shelter. Especially in dangerous areas, having a temporary place to settle and recover from injuries was extremely important.
After planning the route, the train started. Su Xiao sat down on the single-seat sofa. The scenery outside the window flew by. A few minutes later, the train stopped and the door opened. Bubu Wang and Beini got on. Seeing the well-decorated train, Bubu Wang was overjoyed. Beini was more reserved but also in a very good mood. After another half hour of travel, Amu and Baha also got on one after another.
An hour later, near a small village, the train stopped. Fenny, dressed in a gold and white robe, petite, with beautiful amber pupils, got on. She looked around the interior of the carriage and couldn't help but be impressed. She asked, "This train... is it a vehicle-type equipment?"
"That's right," Baha said.
"It's really nice."
Fenny sat down. The round robot, whose system had just been adjusted by Bubu Wang, came forward and displayed a menu of meals and cold drinks for Fenny to choose from. This made her a little uncomfortable. After all, two hours ago, she was facing a chase from the enemy side. Now, she was in such safety and comfort. This dissipated some of her previous anxiety. In her judgment, the reliability of the White Night Team increased by 10 points.
"Tell me about the current situation."
Su Xiao finished his daily meditation. Hearing this, Fenny, who was sipping honey oolong tea through a straw, became serious and said:
...
"It's the first stage now. It will last at most 12 days. In the entire Plant Kingdom: Yagowa, there are a total of five 'Shattered Origins.' Three are in the hands of the local forces, the three elders of the Plant faction. The three elders are very powerful and can only be outsmarted..."
When Fenny got to this point, Su Xiao raised his hand to signal her to get to the point. Fenny nodded and continued, "The fourth 'Shattered Origin' is with the Swamp King. For these powerful local figures, the 'Shattered Origins' they hold are their only chance to break free from their bonds and leave this world imprisoned by the Dawn Paradise. So, negotiation is out of the question."
After saying this, Fenny paused and glanced at Su Xiao's expression. Seeing that he was still calm, she continued, "The fifth 'Shattered Origin' in this world will be dropped at the Grand Canyon in 8 to 10 natural days. By then, all teams will definitely be competing for this 'Shattered Origin.' After all, the more 'Shattered Origins' obtained in the first round, the greater the advantage in the second round's Lord Continent. I estimate that by then, several teams will definitely apply to replace a member. Each team is standardly equipped with an Undead type. Who can compete with an Undead type in terms of army flow?"
At this point, Fenny sighed softly. She really hadn't wanted to participate in this World Battle Royale before. But since she was here, she had to do her duty and use all her abilities to win for her team and the Apocalypse Paradise. Of course, the subsequent reward income was also what she wanted.
To be honest, the combination of Su Xiao and Fenny was both highly compatible and not very harmonious. The reason was that Su Xiao had "Bounty 4: Perfectionist" on him, which meant that in the first three rounds of the battle royale, he had to go all out, killing gods and demons alike. Fenny, on the other hand, was the type to play it safe as much as possible.
As partners, the latter, Fenny's psychological shadow area would continue to expand. For example, when encountering a big boss, Fenny, hiding in the shadows, would lower her voice and say to Su Xiao beside her, 'Let's observe first, then look for an opportunity to ambush...'
By the time Fenny finished saying this, she would be shocked to find that the captain, White Night, who was originally beside her, was already going head-to-head with the big boss. And, in Fenny's shocked and bewildered gaze, he was suppressing the big boss with heavy slashes, to the point where if Fenny wasn't careful, she wouldn't be able to tell who the boss was anymore.
Fenny had participated in the initial ranking. Although she was eliminated at the very beginning, she had a general understanding of the members of the various factions. First, there were two teams from the Apocalypse Paradise: the White Night Team and the Zeli Team.
The Holy Light Paradise had two teams. Fenny only saw one of them, led by Demon Scythe: Talid. The Demon Scythe Team fully demonstrated the strength of the Holy Light Paradise this time.
The Death Paradise had one team slot, but it should not be underestimated. The leading man was named Kane. The configuration of this team was: Kane, Water Brother, Guangyan, Yingqin, and an unknown fifth member. In terms of pure strength, even against the Demon Scythe Team, at least the captain, Kane, wouldn't be at a disadvantage.
Compared to Kane's team, the Watchful Paradise's Second Team, the Knight Team, was slightly inferior in strength, but it couldn't be underestimated. The other teams were temporarily formed, but the Knight Team was a five-person team formed from the lower ranks. They were particularly harmonious in their cooperation. Moreover, the Knight Team was famous for its backbone and loyalty. In the ranking of [Emergency Aid (Authority)] supporters, the Knight Team ranked fourth.
What was truly outrageous to the extreme was the Watchful Paradise's First Team and the Sanctuary Paradise's team. This was no longer just a matter of strength; it was the unreasonableness of the members' factions and their own factions. The configurations of these two teams were:
Sanctuary Paradise Team: Shenfu, Unknown Member, Unknown Member, Unknown Member, Unknown Member.
Watchful Paradise First Team: Haotao, Platinum Apostle, Black Demon (Dark Rebirth State), Yuewu, Unknown Member.