Chapter 284

Teyvat.

Inside the restaurant of Natlan Sacred Fire Arena.

"My goodness! These two people are actually arguing?" A Qiao flew in midair, both hands holding a string of sizzling, oily roasted beast meat, excitedly watching the two people in the sky curtain who were as opposed as water and fire.

"I say, fighting can't solve the problem, so let's just fight—whoever wins the simulated universe gets to be listened to!"

Jiniqi reached out and grabbed A Qiao's leg, throwing him behind him: "Don't shout randomly; that Lady Black Tower is an envoy of Knowledge, A Qiao—you should know that watching an envoy‑level battle requires some protective measures first, right?"

The last time Huanlong crushed the stars, most of the spectators in Natlan went blind, even the dragons. A Qiao shouted especially fiercely; if it weren't for the abundant power released by the Building Tree later healing its eyes, he probably wouldn't have had peace for the rest of his life.

From then on, a consensus formed in Natlan: whenever envoys fought, no matter how big or small, at least a pair of anti‑glare goggles had to be worn.

"An envoy? Isn't that more exciting?" A Qiao flipped in midair, using an exaggerated tone to spin in the sky, "But her scolding skills are also too weak, huh? A full‑blown envoy, just this? Just this?"

"If it were me, this Screw Gum would have to be scolded like this!" He cleared his throat, imitating Black Tower's angry look.

"Screw Gum, shut your filthy mouth, you dark fool! You stingy piece of iron that won't even change its lubricant! If it weren't for seeing you as a gear-jammed mechanical idiot, I, Black Tower, would have spun and spun—spun you to death!"

Kinich seemed already used to it, raising his eyebrows slightly: "You've said so much, your scolding isn't even that harsh."

"Huh?! Kinich, you stubborn—"

A Qiao was just about to unleash a barrage of sweet talk when Kinich grabbed him, threw him into a cage, locked him up, and confiscated his barbecue.

—

"Black Tower, I don't mean to question you, nor will I deny your efforts for the simulated universe. I just want to give knowledge more space to grow freely—"

"Enough!" Black Tower snapped angrily, cutting him off. "If you don't want to do it, just quit—go tell the remaining two… oh, and take your technology with you; I don't care for it."

Black Tower rushed out of the office in a frenzy, only to slam on the brakes at the doorway.

"Screw Gum, we've known each other this long, and yet this is the first time…" She slowly turned her face, the doll's jawline tracing a sharp arc, "I feel you're just a cold lump of iron."

Upon seeing Star arrive, Screw Gum promptly apologized to her; when Star asked about the cause, Screw Gum calmly said it was merely an academic disagreement between them, and such disagreements often breed obsession, which hinders the formation of knowledge.

"Are you worried about her mental state?"

"I'm more worried about the staff's mental state." Star glanced at the trembling Leonard behind him.

"Thanks for your humor; it helps the tense atmosphere." Screw Gum shook his head. "Organic life's emotions are like tides—I misjudged the moon's direction. Let Black Tower have some alone time; it'll help our later negotiations."

Star simply told Screw Gum the backstory; after a quick search, he said, "The Punk Locke spirit is not an ordinary curios, but a love letter written to this universe by a Sea-Wandering Ranger."

In Punk Locke, the "Ether Cassette" is the crystal with which hackers edit reality, also their life's record and proof of existence. The one housed in the space station belongs to one of their legends. Its owner is a Sea-Wandering Ranger who, over long ages, traversed the galaxy, roamed in all directions; the cassette records much important information and is also part of the simulated universe's vast computational data.

If you want to continue the investigation, going to the simulated universe is the best way. Considering the simulated universe is about to be shut down by him, now is the only chance to investigate.

—

Black Robe Riot Squad.

"Finally going to shut down this damn thing."

In the conference room atop the Watt Building, Zuguoren watched Screw Gum's speech, a flicker of pleasure crossing his blue eyes.

The super-terrestrial, even super-cognitive star gods appearing here have already triggered worldwide panic; in no time, various organizations and factions sprang up like mushrooms after rain—there are those who call themselves followers of Ahah, the "Masked Fools," and those who follow the Preserver, the "Builders," and so on—there are just too many……

The key is that these organizations not only fail to help his approval ratings, they also advocate anti-transhumanism and the worship of star gods—this makes his already declining approval ratings even worse.

Suddenly, Esther pushed open the conference room door, inviting him to go down to the training room where she had selected a "Pure Beauty Knight" candidate.

"Hmm."

The two descended together in the elevator; after pushing open a sealed door, the noisy training sounds surged out. The training room was brightly lit, with various superhumans testing their abilities—some darting about, some displaying superhuman hearing, some lifting barbells weighing several tons. The air was filled with a mixed scent of sweat and metal.

"You," Esther pointed at a conspicuous figure, "come over."

He turned around, his armor gleaming coldly under the top light. He was tall and slender, with a head of fiery red hair like blazing flames, his face handsome to the point of being almost unreal. His medieval-style silver armor fit his form, and he held an ornately decorated spear in his hand.

"Zuguoren Mr.," his voice low and elegant, with a hint of barely noticeable excitement, "Seeing you is my greatest honor."

"And you, my friend, you are the true hero." Zuguoren revealed a perfect smile, reached out and patted his shoulder armor, the metal emitting a crisp clink.

"Not bad." he said, his blue eyes slightly narrowing, "Esther, please introduce me."

"Hmm." It was rare to see Zuguoren show such a pleased expression; Esther's heart, which had been suspended in the air, could finally relax a little. "His ability is to manipulate plants, allowing vegetation within five meters to grow roots and vines. We gave him cosmetic surgery as quickly as possible, and this head of red hair is just dyed."

"Most importantly, this knight himself is also part of the LGBTQ+ community, which can help us gain enough favor among young people; his parents are a Black gay couple, and at that age of fifty they also have considerable influence."