Chapter 2814

Sitting on the single bed in the cell, Su Xiao looked around. The light was somewhat dim, but enough to see things.

On the small table to the side, there was a leftover sandwich and a dagger nailed to the table. Several adult books were piled together. A pocket watch hung on the wall, and there were bloodstains on the nearby wall, as if someone had been brutally beaten here.

An old-fashioned mechanical printer was running, with a small glass bottle embedded on it, containing semi-solid energy in the form of iron sand.

Analyzing from the current situation, Su Xiao concluded that the world he was in had a technological level far behind the modern era, but it already had electricity. As for technological products like computers and mobile phones, there was no need to think about them at all.

The electricity in this world shouldn't be considered abundant. The light outside the cell was a lighting effect achieved after a gas burned inside the lamp, flickering and dim, and also emitting a faint burnt smell.

"I have three colleagues who have already been beaten by you to the point of taking leave and are still recuperating at home. Just have mercy on us, can you... get out?"

The strong man outside the cell door said words completely disproportionate to his physique. From the dried bloodstains on his cuffs and the scars on his hands and face, this was definitely not a kind person. One of the benefits of becoming stronger is being able to make such thugs speak politely.

"Quiet. I will leave in half an hour."

"Really? Then I'll wait for you for half an hour."

The strong man walked away somewhat reluctantly, the cell door remaining open, ready to welcome Su Xiao's departure at any time.

【Entering world: Demon Spirit Star (World Conquest Area)】

World Difficulty: lv. 42–lv. 72 (Native World)

World Source: World Source cannot be obtained in this world.

World Introduction: The beginning of everything, and also the end.

【Chaos Era, Year 159: Fear of the darkness and unknown outside the walls made people only dare to live within the high walls. The severance of civilization left them knowing nothing about what was outside the walls. They only knew that outside the walls was very dangerous, and those who knew the truth about the outside had all died of old age. At this time, besides the continuation of the race, only some trivial records remained, and hope was about to be extinguished.】

【One day, a brave person raised a torch, stood on the high wall, and called on their kin to pick up weapons, walk out of the high walls, and enter the boundless darkness outside.】

【No one responded. The numb people just looked up, foolishly watching that brave person. No one could have imagined that this spark would ignite the entire world.】

【One day, two days, half a month, until a month passed, only one young person who was annoyed by the shouting walked onto the high wall and stood with that brave person. The young person's thought was to kick this annoying guy off the high wall. In the end, he didn't do it and didn't become the villain who trampled out the spark.】

【After half a year of effort, that brave person finally recruited 42 companions. They brought weapons and food and walked out of the high walls.】

【Chaos Era, Year 160: A crushing defeat. 43 people walked out of the high walls, wearing crude armor and holding simple weapons, they were crushed. Only 2 people successfully returned alive. After one of them entered the high walls, they were eroded to death by an energy resembling black iron sand. Only one person from the exploration team survived, but after saying three sentences, they also died.】

【Outside the walls, there are leaves, water, and food.】

【Outside the walls, it is very vast.】

【Outside the walls, there is hope.】

【Chaos Era, Year 162: An exploration team totaling 560 people set off. They wore simple armor, held tempered weapons, and set off into the darkness outside the walls. Before leaving, the leader of the exploration team named the team the "Black Tower," the tower of fire that illuminates the darkness. The Black Tower was established.】

【Chaos Era, Year 165: Only 6 people from the Black Tower escaped back into the high walls. 4 of them died from the erosion of "black smoke," 1 was bitten through the heart by a strange beast and barely escaped back. The last person was in a coma for nearly three months before waking up. They did not die from the erosion of "black smoke" and even initially mastered this power. Their body became strong, but that was all.】

【In the same year, the Black Tower faction temporarily perished because no one joined.】

【Chaos Era, Year 295: In the high walls where the average life expectancy was only 30 years, that lucky fusion person lived for 130 years. Although old, they did not die of old age. After they had prepared everything, the Black Tower faction reawakened.】

【Chaos Era, Year 398: Over a hundred years of preparation and the inheritance of will, the Black Tower faction set off again. They were an expeditionary force going to explore the place where the black smoke gushed.】

【In the same year, the expeditionary force returned. Dozens of them successfully fused with the "black smoke." Their changes were the same as the first fusion person; their bodies became strong until one of them fused part of their soul with the "black smoke." They were the first transcendent person in history.】

【Faced with a huge threat, selfishness was suppressed in the bottom of their hearts. The number of transcendents in the Black Tower organization began to skyrocket. But not long after, they discovered that the "black smoke" near the high walls had been used up by them. This "black smoke," which originally represented the unknown and death, actually had the true appearance of life and transcendence, as well as comprehensive benign enhancement. The first battle for the "black smoke" broke out between two transcendents. They were fighting on empty stomachs.】

【Chaos Era, Year 519: The high walls were demolished by the Black Tower. They didn't need a retreat. Amidst the wailing of the people, the high walls were collapsed. A black spot appeared on the glorious image the Black Tower had always maintained.】

【Chaos Era, Year 629: "Black smoke" became the most precious rare item. Its magical aspects were constantly stimulated. After ordinary people inhaled it into their bodies, as long as it was stabilized through special methods, it could enhance themselves and extend their lives.】

【If "black smoke" is fused with part of the soul, an artifact visible only to the fusion person themselves will be born. This artifact could be a sword, a seed, or a special life form. Along with it comes the awakening of transcendent abilities, transcendent abilities corresponding to their own characteristics.】

【People who fuse their souls with black smoke in this way are called Miracle Users, and "black smoke" was renamed Soul Energy.】

【Sun Era, Year 629: Because the Soul Energy above was collected by people, a ray of sunlight shone down from the sky. This scene, which was almost a miracle, shocked everyone. It wasn't until later that they learned this was a natural phenomenon. Night and day were very normal things. Without the nourishment of Soul Energy, plants began to perform photosynthesis, and people gradually adapted to the sunlight and fell in love with this warm feeling.】

【People gradually forgot the dark era of the past and ushered in the light.】

【Sun Era, Year 3629: Eras changed, kingdoms and empires constantly shifted, until a certain Miracle User performed a secondary construction form on the artifact combined from Soul Energy and their own soul. That was a Holy Seal.】

【By taking the Holy Seal into their body and constantly imagining and perfecting the appearance of the Holy Seal in their mind, the Miracle User could become more powerful and constantly break through the upper limit. This genius who created the Holy Seal became the first leader of the Magic Association. The word "magic" came from records of the ancient era. To make it more mysterious, this genius used it to name their organization.】

【Magic Era, Year 1590: Order was established. The Western Continent and the Eastern Continent were completely explored. Major factions rose together. The era belonging to empires ended. This was the era of the Magic Association, the Healing Church, the Steam Alliance, and the Fate Church.】

【As the Black Tower organization that first raised the "torch," they played many roles in the tide of the era. And now, the members of the Black Tower are observers in the darkness. Some Black Tower members do not ask about world affairs, some are notorious, and some are respected. The Black Tower is sometimes good and sometimes evil, making people unpredictable, yet extremely wary.】

Magic Association: The strongest faction in this world, having mastered the construction method of the Holy Seal, Order Faction (this faction's image is only the faction image of the Magic Association in the Eastern Continent).

Healing Church: Firmly believes that Soul Energy is a dangerous thing, but only Soul Energy can restrain Soul Energy. At the current stage, the Healing Church can only rely on the power of Soul Energy and is hostile to the Magic Association.

Steam Alliance: Technology is everything! Everything else is evil and heterodox. So far, because there has been no major breakthrough, they rely on Soul Energy and occasionally clash with the Magic Association.

Fate Church: Often behaves in confusing ways, hostile to all factions, firmly believing that Soul Energy is a gift bestowed by gods.

Geographical Environment:

Western Continent (Area where the Hunter is currently located): Harsh environment, chaotic and disorderly, various small and medium-sized factions run rampant. The Magic Association is secretly attempting to artificially manufacture Soul Energy here, making this place even more dangerous and chaotic.

Eastern Continent (Area where the World Conquest is taking place): The environment of the Eastern Continent is good, sunny, and picturesque. The four major factions of the Magic Association, Healing Church, Steam Alliance, and Fate Church are all located here. This is a prosperous and civilized land, which is two extremes from the Western Continent.

Faction the Hunter belongs to: Black Tower.

Warning: Do not mention anything about Reincarnation Paradise to the creatures of this world. If the warning is ineffective, you will be executed after notarization!

Prompt: The Merit System is enabled. Killing enemy contractors can earn 3–5 points of Merit. If the World Conquest is won, rewards will be given based on the amount of Merit.

【World, start.】