[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-a-player-beyond-dimensions":3,"chapter-a-player-beyond-dimensions-a-player-beyond-dimensions-chapter-32":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","A Player Beyond Dimensions",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2254998,4399,"Chapter 32: Chapter Thirty-One: Absurd Rumors!","a-player-beyond-dimensions-chapter-32",32,"\u003Cp>The wind whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Deng Ken shot dead the Germanic barbarian priest, he gradually felt something different—he seemed to sense the stirring of magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From a god’s-eye view, a small blue mana bar appeared in the projection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So short?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to Deng Ken’s life bar, more than twice that of an ordinary person, the unlocked mana bar was barely a sliver—if you didn’t look closely, you’d easily miss it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is everyone’s magic this weak? Or am I just this pitiful?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After entering the forest, Deng Ken stopped and sensed for a while. When he closed his eyes, he truly felt the flow of magic within him—but the moment he reached out to the outside, the magic slowed and grew sluggish, like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to snuff out at any second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can I cast a spell? No—I don’t even know how to cast one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken tried to channel his magic. An invisible breeze stirred, lifting fallen leaves a meter into the air—then his mana bar drained completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is too weak!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this is the typical spellcasting ability of a priest, then witches truly are dangerous supernatural beings—at least they can perform decent illusions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken felt it wasn’t him—he was the problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s all the world’s fault!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Runic Script Mastery (Occultism): A mystical knowledge originating from the Norse pantheon, distinct from ordinary writing. The runes held by priests possess a degree of supernatural power. You can now understand and comprehend a few simple runes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Norse mythology, the Allfather—Odin—hung himself from the tree for nine days and nine nights, pondering the mysteries of the universe. When he descended from Yggdrasil, he unlocked the secret of the runes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Runic script can be regarded as a magical material (rune).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crow Queen—Tris—once said true magic requires rituals, tools, external forces, and more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a church priest, the most essential thing is devout faith. But most of them lack spellcasting ability; even the hermits of the Hidden Order must rely on holy relics to cast true spells. In Deng Ken’s view, this is the difference between priests and sorcerers—priests draw their power largely from faith in deities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eastern magic is much the same: part from one’s own mana, part borrowed through ritual. (Like Taoist rituals summoning deities onto the altar.)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as the mana bar is unlocked, everything else becomes manageable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken started as nothing more than an ordinary human, yet now he’s stronger than a barbarian berserker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He checked the god’s-eye strategic map and discovered the escaped slaves hadn’t gone far—some had even stayed near the forest’s edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We can’t just leave like this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The burly warrior with a whip scar on his face said: “The ranger who freed us may still be in danger. We must stay here to support him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sarmatian horsemen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After their own tribes perished, they became part of the Empire, serving loyally for over two centuries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These men were disciplined mercenaries, far more reputable than barbarian foreign legions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Briton legionary hesitated: “He said he didn’t need our help.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sarmatian horseman shook his head: “Then you go ahead. I’ll stay behind alone—if the Saxons pursue him, I can still lend a hand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man is a true warrior!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The escaped slaves hesitated—yet four or five actually decided to stay with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cool breeze swept through the hills and woods, making many shiver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time Deng Ken approached their position, most of the slaves had already left. Even the Briton legionary had stayed—he held a short spear, climbed a tree, and gazed at the distant flames, whispering: “It’s burning.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Saxons are in chaos—they won’t catch the ranger.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A low male voice emerged from the darkness: “Why haven’t you left yet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sarmatian horseman tensed, gripping his battle-axe—then relaxed when he saw Deng Ken’s silhouette in the dark. He bowed his head respectfully: “We feared you’d be pursued by the barbarians. We stayed to aid you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken stepped out of the shadows and glanced at the man a moment longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He has grit!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He smiled, thoughtful: “What are your plans now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The captured men exchanged glances. Before the Briton legionary could speak, the Sarmatian horseman said firmly: “Revenge! Take back our homeland!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whoever leads us against the Saxons—we follow him!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had lost all faith in Duke Tintagel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three thousand men against a thousand—defeated so brutally, nearly annihilated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This defeat pushed many toward King Uther.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless, the Great Dragon—Uther—was still a formidable fighter. At least he could hold his own against the Saxons, not suffer defeat after defeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken mused: “I’m gathering men to retake Southampton.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sarmatian horseman’s eyes lit up. Without hesitation, he dropped to one knee: “By the name of my ancestors’ dragon banner—I, Crigan of Hamp, pledge my loyalty to you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t care about the others—he instantly turned into a green-marked unit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other captives were stunned. None of them knew who Deng Ken was. Even though Duke Tintagel was a poor commander, they still preferred to join King Uther.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Interesting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken looked down at the kneeling Crigan. The man bore five or six whip scars; his bare chest bore bullet wounds and old battle scars—he was clearly a hardened cavalryman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was still wounded, yet he radiated ferocity like a wolf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sarmatians truly are fierce!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken seemed to recall something. He ignored the hesitant others, drew his sword with a sharp clang—the blade of Damascus steel gleamed under the moonlight, cold and lethal, radiating killing intent. He laid the blade flat upon the shoulder of the kneeling Sarmatian horseman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Humility. Compassion. Courage. Sacrifice. Honor!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken spoke only five words, then fixed his deep, abyss-like gaze upon Crigan. The fierce horseman felt awe—but still raised his head, chest out, spine straight, face trembling with excitement, as if he understood something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken scanned the others, raised his hand, and slapped Crigan hard—a sharp crack echoing far through the night. His expression solemn and grave, he spoke: “I, Deng Ken, from Pannonia of the Empire.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord of Southampton.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Allied to Duke Tintagel! Leader who answered the alliance to defend the Britons from invading barbarians! The one who shot down the King of Kent at Tintagel!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the name of God and the gods, I knight you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the dark forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other captives stood frozen—especially the Briton legionary, whose face twisted in shock and regret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The information overload was too sudden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s a lord?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An ally summoned by Duke Tintagel? A reinforcement sent from the Empire? Did he kill the King of Kent?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder the barbarian soldiers in Devon were so terrified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the others could react, Crigan leapt to his feet and stepped directly behind Deng Ken, like a personal guard knight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether others believed it or not—he believed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man bold enough to storm a Saxon-occupied town wouldn’t lie about something like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Briton legionary hurried to his knees. The other captives snapped to attention and knelt too, gazing at Deng Ken with hopeful eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that was it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crigan was the first to swear loyalty to Deng Ken—and he was fierce enough to be knighted. The other captives? Merely common soldiers—not worthy of knighthood. Knighthood meant granting real land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t even taken Southampton yet—his lands wouldn’t last if he knighted everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken looked at the other captives, his expression calm: “Since you all wish to follow me, follow Crigan to Cornwall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My fleet will soon bring grain and weapons from Carthage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to Crigan, standing tall beside him, and ordered: “I still have a private imperial legion in Gaul—about three hundred men. Some are conscripts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since you’ve been knighted, you’ll reorganize and train them for me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sarmatians were the drillmasters of Briton legions. The Empire’s military traditions relied on them to train cavalry—and occasionally infantry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wherever the Dragon Banner flew, elite cavalry followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From now on, cavalry may fly the Imperial Dragon Banner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, my lord!” Crigan slammed his right fist against his chest without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after Crigan led the other captives—now disappointed—away did Deng Ken have time to ponder his pitifully short mana bar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mortal body was once a blacksmith’s apprentice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d imagined this scene before—but never expected it to happen here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s like buying a horse’s bones for a thousand gold—to attract talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These days, knighthood meant real power—not like the medieval era, where knights were a dime a dozen, many with no land or even foot knights. Now, a knight received land—equivalent to the noble titles of Qin and Han dynasties, directly tied to territory. Not much, but enough for a minor landowner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken had no intention of moving too fast. His plan was to establish clear tiers: knights, freemen, and tenant farmers—minimizing slavery’s influence as much as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Abolishing slavery outright was impossible in this age. He could only reduce the number of commoners turned into slaves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m no different from the men I read about online—wanting to be emperor, yet unwilling to manage daily governance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In short, I just want to be a carefree prince with imperial authority but no responsibilities.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that Deng Ken was truly building his foundation, he was grateful to have Tris, Aniya, and Severus beside him—if he had to do everything alone, he’d drown in trivial tasks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d brought two quivers—about a hundred and twenty arrows—stored near a tree hollow in the woods. He needed to replenish them now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Morning light spilled down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The town of Devon was in chaos; nearby, the charred remains of fire still smoldered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bloodaxe Niedlung’s eyes were bloodshot with rage as he watched his soldiers drag out the bodies of their own kin. The first corpse was the barbarian priest—arrow through the throat, another through the forehead, dead on impact. The rest were much the same: arrows to vital points. Two had been split open by Frankish throwing axes—their skulls cleaved in two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It was that imperial knight!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken was far too conspicuous on the battlefield; someone remembered the knight with extraordinary archery skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bloodaxe-Niedlong spoke in a low voice: “Just him alone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The centurion beside him said: “Probably.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But he let some prisoners and slaves go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He comes when he wants, leaves when he wants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That man is like a monster—slips in silently, slaughters, then vanishes without a trace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No high walls or fortresses can stop him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bloodaxe-Niedlong’s expression grew grim as he stared at his terrified, morale-shattered soldiers, unsure what to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s come alone to storm our gates!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could only roar: “Increase vigilance!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Double the patrol teams on the watchtowers!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His instinct told him the man might return tonight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just one night of slaughter spread rumors through Deva Town—whether among the conquered Britons or the migrating Germanic tribes, all spoke of a nightmare-like phantom ranger who slipped in soundlessly, fueled by vengeance, slaying many Saxon soldiers before vanishing calmly into the night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The recent sudden death of the King of Kent, combined with other factors, fueled the rumors further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Britons’ rumors were even wilder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They claimed the ranger was an elf—capable of appearing and disappearing at will—Prince of the Britons, son of the Fairy King Oberon and Titania, who could no longer bear to watch the Saxons invade and massacre their people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So they sent this elf prince, taking human form, to aid them against the Saxon barbarians.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, another wild version claimed the ranger came from Avalon, a child of some fairy there. Some even said he was a descendant of Queen Medb, the ancient Irish mythic queen famed for her martial prowess and numerous lovers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid all these chaotic rumors, the Britons unanimously linked Deng Ken to legendary mythic figures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because they had suffered too long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Germanic barbarians had ravaged them for decades; suddenly, such a formidable figure appeared, and they could not help but associate him with Briton myths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among all the rumors, the most popular and widely accepted was that Deng Ken came from Avalon and was Prince Oberon—a fusion of two absurd tales.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Deng Ken actually being from the Empire?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Britons had an even wilder rumor: that Fairy King Oberon was the son of the Empire’s Emperor, Gaius Julius Caesar. When Caesar conquered the island, he encountered a goddess from mythic times in the wild—this native deity so captivated him that he fathered the legendary Fairy King Oberon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Official history may not be true, but unofficial history is always wild enough!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Caesar was always a womanizer—he was seduced by Cleopatra when he conquered Egypt; why couldn’t a fairy of the Britons make him fall in love?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, this rumor was not recognized by the Empire, since Caesar’s legitimate heir was Octavian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of nonsense is Fairy King Oberon?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Night fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken leaned against a large tree, feigning sleep until the night deepened, then stepped out of the woods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He did not yet know the absurd rumors about himself—he only intended to harass the enemy, harvest a few heads, and further improve his basic combat skills. With his current physical condition, operating alone as a guerrilla, he had little to fear unless he encountered a legendary figure; as long as he wasn’t greedy and avoided enemy main forces, escape was always easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken might still struggle to fight a mammoth war elephant alone—roughly 0.6 the strength of an elf prince.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, certain fragments of the elf prince’s combat skills and agility were beyond human, even more extreme than a three-star Demon Hunter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wonder how strong those legendary monsters really are.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Beowulf barely survived his battle with the giant—I still need to grow stronger!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken was unafraid of ordinary men, but slightly uneasy when facing giants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Medieval trolls were not the trolls from his past life's Warcraft games—they were mythic creatures blood-related to giants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strictly speaking, they should be translated as ‘giant monsters.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cave giants, ogres, trolls, Thor giants—all refer to the same class of beings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were the original inspiration for the trolls in Dungeons & Dragons, nearly impossible to kill; their legendary appearance closely resembled the special unit ogres in Heroes of Might and Magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in Dungeons & Dragons, their challenge rating is at least 8—harder to fight than many adolescent dragons. (Comparable to cave trolls.)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Deng Ken truly had to fight one, he’d probably need Witch-Queen Triss to lend a hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, legend says Beowulf didn’t fight alone—he brought a full squad of elite soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dark moon, howling wind—a night for killing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken saw the patrols in Deva Town doubled, yet remained calm, waiting silently for midnight, when the enemy would grow weary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as the enemy didn’t retreat, he would keep harvesting heads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could always retreat to Cornwall at any time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But today was different—when Deng Ken began his slaughter at midnight, an invisible figure suddenly appeared in midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Valkyrie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the first time Deng Ken saw her outside a battlefield; the winged silver-helmeted Valkyrie hovered silently above the town, as if waiting for Deng Ken to deliver souls to Valhalla.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Has my reputation reached Valhalla? Has the Valkyrie come here just for me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken was startled, but his hands did not pause—he shot an arrow through a patrolling soldier, then the Fran Axe crushed the next enemy’s skull. He leapt down, the Oathkeeper flashing cold light as it beheaded a Saxon axeman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From a god’s-eye view, the Valkyrie’s spectral form circled above him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Deng Ken moved on, the Valkyrie descended and claimed the soul of a barbarian warrior—since meeting Deng Ken, Valhalla’s tally had skyrocketed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>………………\u003C\u002Fp>",2610,"2026-06-19T13:13:01.402Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","399350191d378a423be575c717528bc0828129517b94c2ce9bba7359ff413ed7","a-player-beyond-dimensions-chapter-33","a-player-beyond-dimensions-chapter-31",195,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-player-beyond-dimensions-cover.jpg"]