Chapter 3893: Contract

On the stage of the large theater, Abyss Delona and black-dressed Delona confronted each other. It was interesting to say that the clothing styles of these two were exactly the opposite of their origins. Abyss Delona, from the Abyss, wore a light white dress, while black-dressed Delona, who was of human origin, wore a gothic-style black dress.

"Bai Ye, do you have a way?"

Luciva's head was huge. Both were his sisters—one was a sister by blood, the other was a sister he had watched grow up. This heavy-armored warrior who didn't even fear the sun flames was now completely helpless.

"I can set up a spell formation."

Hearing Su Xiao say this, Luciva, Abyss Delona, and black-dressed Delona all looked at Su Xiao.

"I knew you would have a way."

Luciva smiled, his expression much more relaxed. However, regarding his sister, he asked: "What is the function of this spell formation?"

"After they stand on it, one will be randomly eliminated."

"?"

"(⊙⊙)"

"w(Д)w"

For a time, among the three, Luciva was dumbfounded, Abyss Delona was speechless and indifferent, and black-dressed Delona was shocked.

"Bai Ye, is there any other way?"

Luciva still thought Su Xiao was joking, but Su Xiao's next words made his expression serious.

Abyss Delona and black-dressed Delona were one body and two lives. Plus, their meeting caused the causality of both sides to almost merge into one. Now, the one body they shared had accelerated its dark awakening.

In about a few hours, this body would undergo dark awakening. By then, they would be forcibly absorbed into it to have a showdown. This was a showdown in the form of mutual destruction. Even if one won in the end, it would be a soul that was incomplete.

There was a 90% probability of dark madness, a 60% probability of leaving serious sequelae, and a 30% probability of falling into a long slumber. The probability of being able to wake up again was very low.

Su Xiao wasn't fear-mongering. As a master of advanced Abyssology, he reached this result based on known abyssal knowledge. Not to say the accuracy was 100%, but at the very least it could reach over 85%.

Abyss Delona and black-dressed Delona looked at each other. Although both wanted to be the sole possessor of this body, they had never thought about eliminating the other.

"Bai Ye, based on my understanding of you, if it were something you absolutely couldn't solve, you would turn and leave. Looking at it this way, you have a way?"

Luciva spoke. After all, he was a Legion Commander who led the Hunting Group. He was a martial artist, but that didn't mean he was careless.

"This matter is very troublesome."

Su Xiao's words were translated into three words in Luciva's ears: "Need more money."

Luciva lowered his voice and said to Su Xiao: "Based on the original reward, I'll add 5 more Primordial Fragments."

"Within 24 hours, done."

"This... time has been delayed for too long. Once Delona begins her dark awakening, there will be no room for redemption. How about this, I'll add another 20 pieces, 20 pieces of Primal Fragments."

Hearing this, Su Xiao was silent for a few seconds: "Within 10 hours, solved."

"I'll add a 'Primordial Core'."

"10 minutes."

The speed at which Su Xiao's efficiency soared nearly made Luciva throw out his old waist. Without waiting for Luciva to say anything, Su Xiao had already taken out a Soul Coin and flicked it away.

*Ding~! *

The Soul Coin flipped in mid-air. During the fall, a hand grabbed it, and a thumb rubbed it in the palm, as if every Soul Coin was priceless to him.

Luciva was quite shocked by Caesar, who appeared without any warning. Su Xiao, Bubu Wang, and Baham had long been used to this.

"My dear friend, what good thing are you looking for Caesar for? If it could involve Soul Coins, that would be even better."

"I need sufficiently pure abyssal energy, preferably the most primitive abyssal energy directly from the Abyss."

"What is the concentration?"

"10 or above."

"Tsk~, this is not easy to handle."

"At least 30 ounces."

"This, this, this, even harder to handle."

"Half a Primordial Fragment."

Su Xiao offered a price.

"50 pieces."

"1.5 pieces."

"At least 49.999 pieces."

In the stunned gaze of Luciva, Abyss Delona, and black-dressed Delona, Su Xiao and Caesar traded at a bargaining range that others couldn't adapt to at all, closing the deal at 8 Primordial Fragments.

Caesar rubbed his hands, meaning where were his 8 Primordial Fragments. Su Xiao looked at Luciva, which left Luciva dumbfounded at the time. His look clearly meant: "I pay?"

"..."

Su Xiao didn't speak. He only had 2 Primordial Fragments on hand now. He had used quite a few Primordial Fragments to stabilize his physique after absorbing two portions of "Power Source Matter" recently.

After Luciva paid the 8 Primordial Fragments, Caesar took out the Abyss Jar: "Everyone, step back a bit..."

Before Caesar finished speaking, he found that Luciva, Abyss Delona, and black-dressed Delona had already retreated to the theater entrance. Eluklu, the Daughter of Nature, who had just found this place and rushed over, turned around and left immediately upon entering the door, looking like "sorry to disturb, goodbye."

Caesar put the Abyss Jar on his head. Luciva, who often dealt with abyssal energy, had his expression twitch. He knew a bit about Original Sin items. Precisely because of this, Caesar's act of putting the Abyss Jar on his head made Luciva's inner defense break and take a critical hit.

Only after Caesar danced and gestured, sweating all over, did he lean down and slap the ground with both hands. A phantom Abyssal Hole appeared, diffusing pure black abyssal energy.

Su Xiao, who had long since drawn the formation with crystal, pressed one hand on the core node of the formation, and the abyssal energy surged toward the formation.

Seeing this scene, Luciva's eye corner twitched. It was precisely because he knew something about it that he knew how much risk this had. He reminded: "Brother Bai Ye, be cautious, act according to your ability."

"..."

Su Xiao didn't speak. Under his control, the spreading abyssal energy was absorbed by the formation drawn by his Blue Steel Shadow energy crystallization. This three-meter-diameter formation gradually turned pitch-black and was branded on the ground. In an instant, the entire floor of the theater turned pitch-black, and tables and chairs were evaporated by the darkness.

Stabilizing the formation, Su Xiao stood up. Caesar, who was watching from the side, asked: "My dear friend, is there anything else you need Caesar's assistance with? I can leave for a while, but if it's too long..."

Su Xiao didn't speak and tossed a bottle of elemental brew to Caesar. Caesar, who had taken advantage, felt physically and mentally comfortable, left a sentence "See you in Twilight City," and disappeared with a turn.

Su Xiao pointed to the formation exuding dark golden micro-light: "You two, stand on it."

Abyss Delona and black-dressed Delona, who originally had a bad relationship, actually held hands at this moment. Facts proved that the contradiction between them instantly vanished compared to facing the terror of this formation.

Abyss Delona and black-dressed Delona shook their heads in tacit understanding. Seeing this, Su Xiao looked to the other side. Abyss Delona and black-dressed Delona subconsciously followed his gaze. It was this distraction that allowed Amu to grab them by the back of their necks. In Amu's cognition, being tender to the fair sex was a difficulty it couldn't understand at all. It grabbed one in each hand and threw Abyss Delona and black-dressed Delona onto the formation.

Abyss Delona had an indifferent personality and chose to remain silent. Black-dressed Delona glared angrily at Amu, but after making eye contact with Amu's cold and cruel gaze from killing enemies, she muttered: "You wait until I have my own body."

*"Moo?"*

"No... nothing."

Hearing this reply, Amu ignored black-dressed Delona anymore. It grabbed a half-dead Dream-Eating Beast with one hand, snapped its neck with a *crack*, tore off a piece of purple-red flesh, and stuffed it into its mouth to chew. It was indeed hungry.

Seeing this scene, black-dressed Delona decisively stopped staring at Amu. She had already seen that although Su Xiao, Amu, and Baham, who were in a friendly state, were still kind, these might all be notorious villains.

"Stand still, don't move, and don't look around."

As Su Xiao spoke, he took the "Book of Original Sin" out of his bosom, which made Luciva, who was watching from the side, break out in a cold sweat.

Luciva had forgotten how many times he had experienced life and death, but at this moment, after seeing the black "Book of Original Sin" in Su Xiao's hand, he still felt his hair stand on end.

Ignoring Luciva's nearly broken mentality, Su Xiao opened the "Book of Original Sin" and lifted the seal on the fifth page, "Soul Crown." Recently, after the "Soul Crown" devoured the 【Twisted Entanglement Core】, it successfully promoted to a Big Daddy level.

The so-called 【Twisted Entanglement Core】 was an original sin object that appeared after two Big Daddy-level original sin objects entangled and coiled together, killing each other. The "Soul Crown" devoured this thing and naturally successfully promoted to Big Daddy level.

A simple analogy is that the danger level of the five Big Daddy-level original sin objects—Collector, Abyss Jar, Necronomicon, Scarlet Scepter, and Nether Bone Ring—is 100. Then the "Soul Crown" was 99.5 before, only one step away from the highest-tier original sin objects.

Now that the "Soul Crown" had promoted to Big Daddy level, its aura was different. The ruby on the pitch-black crown was exceptionally red, as if invisible faint black smoke was rising on the crown. After the "Soul Crown" appeared, the gazes of Luciva, Abyss Delona, black-dressed Delona, and Eluklu were all attracted to this crown.

Everyone felt a craving in their hearts, as if they would have everything if they possessed this crown. Just then, Su Xiao's right index finger knocked on the side of the crown with a *dang*. This crisp sound made the few people who were nearly addicted to the crown wake up immediately.

Yes, this was a Big Daddy-level original sin object. Even with the restraint of the "Book of Original Sin" and Su Xiao's causality suppression, it would still make bystanders addicted and degenerate, eventually ending miserably and becoming a skeleton in the skeleton mountain range beneath the "Soul Crown."

Su Xiao placed the "Soul Crown" in the main position of the formation. Recently, he had helped the "Soul Crown" promote to Big Daddy level. The "Soul Crown" would still give face for this help. However, the "Soul Crown" would still think about how to kill Su Xiao from time to time in the near future because Su Xiao had been sealing and suppressing it.

Helping the "Soul Crown" promote to Big Daddy level wasn't to ease the relationship or make the other party show mercy; Su Xiao had long known this was impossible. He was doing it to balance the five original sin objects that had already been sealed.

Previously, sealing four Big Daddy-level original sin objects and one near-Big Daddy-level original sin object always gave the "Book of Original Sin" a feeling of imbalance. Now that all five original sin objects were Big Daddy level, the seal of the "Book of Original Sin" was balanced and more stable.

Su Xiao took out the Necronomicon, Scarlet Scepter, and Nether Bone Ring one after another and placed them in several positions on the outer ring of the formation, finally placing the "Book of Original Sin," which contained the Collector, at the central node of the formation.

This formation was three meters in diameter, not large, which led to Abyss Delona and black-dressed Delona, who were surrounded by a circle of Big Daddy-level original sin objects, being terrified. They even put aside their previous grievances and hugged each other. It seemed that the "Book of Original Sin" had the hidden effect of enhancing friendship.

Seeing so many Big Daddy-level original sin objects on the pitch-black formation, Luciva suddenly felt that the two "Primordial Cores" promised this time were truly not given in vain. With this original sin object lineup, the two "Primordial Cores" were worth it.

The problem of Abyss Delona and black-dressed Delona was that it was difficult to get through the dark awakening. Su Xiao's countermeasure was: instead of avoiding it, it was better to double it. Simply don't avoid dark awakening, but super-strengthen the dark awakening.

Because of this, a large amount of abyssal energy in its initial state was needed. Having just this wasn't enough; it also needed to slowly and steadily strengthen the dark awakening, extending the dark awakening process from one or two hours to several months or even years to complete. In this way, it avoided Abyss Delona and black-dressed Delona being forced to have a showdown at the soul level.

The final outcome was that Abyss Delona and black-dressed Delona were in the same body. As for the control problem, the two were evenly matched. Whichever side came out, the other had to return to the consciousness space first.

If the side that returned to the consciousness space wanted to, they could still see the situation outside, just without control of the body, unable to feel the outside world through touch, smell, or hearing.

Su Xiao naturally didn't have several months or even years to help Abyss Delona and black-dressed Delona carry out a slow dark awakening. Therefore, he used original sin objects as nodes for this formation, completing the ultimate enhanced version of dark awakening, which would have taken years, in one hour.

Darkness surged on the formation, shrouding Abyss Delona and black-dressed Delona. A moment later, a three-meter-tall black light cocoon formed and contracted at a slow speed. When the cracks on the light cocoon increased and finally shattered with a *crack*, Delona, who was sitting on the ground with her hands hugging her knees, slowly raised her head.

Delona's gaze was somewhat blank. Black fog emerged, forming a black dress on her body. Invisible white flames appeared on Delona's black hair. Her eyes turned into pitch-black. In this pitch-black, white lines slowly rotated. If one's courage wasn't enough, just making eye contact with her would make one feel secretly terrified.

However, the next second, Delona's eyes recovered. Her hair turned warm white, and her gaze was lively while carrying a bit of confusion.

"Is this... the feeling of truly being alive?"

The black-dressed Delona took a deep breath, feeling the smell of the air, the slow flow of air, the subtle tactile sensation of touching her skin, and the different colors of the world she saw in her eyes. She closed her eyes, and tears moistened the corners of her eyes.

"Alright, your turn."

The black-dressed Delona closed her eyes and lowered her head. Her hair turned black, the black dress on her body turned into a light white dress, the bottom of her eyes were pitch-black, and her pupils were composed of white lines, quite in the style of the Abyss. It was Abyss Delona's consciousness taking over control of the body.

Abyss Delona raised her arms and took a deep breath. For the first time, she felt the surrounding world so clearly. In the past, in her perception, everything around her had a sense of blurriness and distance. At this moment, her senses finally recovered to a normal level.

In short, now Abyss Delona and black-dressed Delona shared this one body. They could communicate in the consciousness space and decide who would take over control of the body. There was no issue of who suppressed whom between the two consciousnesses, so they had to discuss the daily body control time themselves.

Regarding how to distinguish who is controlling the body: the one with warm white long hair and a gothic black dress is black-dressed Delona. She has a lively personality, is curious about everything, and likes liveliness.

The one with black long hair and a light white dress, with pitch-black eyes and pupils composed of white lines, is Abyss Delona. She has an indifferent personality and likes the quiet of being alone. Abyss Delona is easy to recognize; her eyes have too much of an abyssal style.

Su Xiao picked up the "Book of Original Sin" on the formation and sealed the Necronomicon, Scarlet Scepter, Nether Bone Ring, and Soul Crown back into the "Book of Original Sin."

Su Xiao looked at Delona. This was to let Delona show her unique abyssal ability and reflect that she had sufficient sanity and self-control. Otherwise, the "Book of Original Sin" would have a page for Delona. However, once sealed into the "Book of Original Sin," she wouldn't last long inside.

Realizing this, Abyss Delona began to show her sanity and self-control. Seeing this, Su Xiao's right hand gripped, and with a *snap*, he closed the "Book of Original Sin" and put it away.

Seeing this, Abyss Delona began to honestly explain the ability the two of them had. This ability was called "Predestined Advance," an extremely powerful and costly abyssal ability.

A contract that only takes effect within this world is undoubtedly the best choice. The brilliance of this contract lies in the fact that it not only prevents Eluklu from having even the slightest thought of backstabbing, but she will even sincerely hope that Su Xiao can leave this world alive, because once Su Xiao dies, Eluklu will become the successor of the "Book of Original Sin."

What is even more ingenious about this contract is that it only takes effect within this world; once this world's progress ends, the contract immediately becomes void. Everything must be left with some room for maneuver; if one were to create a permanent contract that takes effect everywhere, it would only force Eluklu into a desperate, life-or-death struggle.

Su Xiao took out the completed contract. As for how Eluklu signed this contract, that brings up the "Bait Contract." What is a "Bait Contract"? Simply put, it is signing a new contract by having the other party complete an existing one.

A more intuitive understanding is "eating" and "digesting." Completing the previous contract can be understood as the "eating" action, and signing the new contract can be seen as "digesting." As long as one eats, digestion is inevitable.

As for how the other party signed the previous contract, that is the other essence of the "Bait Contract." This so-called previous contract is not entirely a contract; it is more like a specific behavioral pattern that triggers the corresponding contract.

For example, Su Xiao took out the "Dark Moon Star Ring" and said, "Thank you for your assistance this time; this is your reward." This is the mechanism that triggers the contract. Eluklu, as a prideful Law Destroyer, refused the "Dark Moon Star Ring" and proposed continued cooperation, all while keeping her mind on the "Dark Moon Star Ring"—this is falling into the trap.

"So, do you understand now?"

Su Xiao narrated all the details of the "Bait Contract" to Eluklu opposite him. This left Eluklu, who was holding the contract parchment, stunned on the spot. After a long while, she finally came to her senses and asked through gritted teeth:

"You described it to me in such detail just to humiliate me?"

"Of course, no."

After Su Xiao finished speaking, a line of contract text on the parchment in Eluklu's hand flickered with a faint light. This line of text stated that Su Xiao must inform Eluklu of all the details of the "Bait Contract" and ensure that Eluklu successfully understood them for the "Bait Contract" to be considered fully signed.

Under Eluklu's gaze, her pupils trembling with anger, she watched her name gradually appear on the contract's signature line. This actually calmed her down, and she turned and left. She felt that if she stayed any longer, she might inexplicably sign other contracts.

After Eluklu left, Su Xiao manifested several semi-finished contracts. Unfortunately, Eluklu had left in too much of a hurry; otherwise, these contracts could have been successfully signed as well.

Su Xiao opened the notification list to check the notification for killing the False King just now.

【You have killed the False King.】

【You have obtained 4,000 Sun Gold Coins.】

【You have obtained 15.26% of the World's Source.】

【You have obtained Sun Source Stone ×1.】

【You have obtained Eternal-grade Treasure Chest: Nightmare False Appearance.】

【You have obtained Blazing Sun Greatsword (This is a weapon exclusive to this world; notarization permission has been locked, and it cannot be notarized by any means. This weapon can only be used by the Sun King).】

【Hint: You can hand the Blazing Sun Greatsword to the Monarch Faction of Twilight City or the Great Library.】

【Warning: This choice is crucial and will directly affect the final stage of the main quest.】

【Handing the Blazing Sun Greatsword to the Great Library will set the main quest reward cap at: 95.8%.】

【Handing the Blazing Sun Greatsword to the Monarch Faction will set the main quest reward cap at: 1068%.】

【You have completed Bounty 2: Deep in the Nightmare, successfully rescuing the noble young lady from the nightmare.】

【Due to the multi-fold bounty + bounty adjustment of "Hunter's List: Blood Pact," you will receive a bounty with a total value of 5,500 ounces of Space-Time Power.】

【You have applied for notarization in advance; this bounty will be more inclined toward "Space-Time Stone Fragments."】

【Hint: Because it meets the revenue rules, this notarization application has been successfully approved.】

【You have obtained Space-Time Stone Fragments ×500 (This is an equivalent, which can be sold to Reincarnation Paradise at any time to obtain 5,000 ounces of Space-Time Power).】

【You have obtained Secret Treasure Box ×1 (In this judgment, this item is equivalent to the value of 500 ounces of Space-Time Power).】

【You have completed Bounty 1: Collector, successfully collecting Twisted Robust Heart ×2, Blood-Thirsting Heart ×2, and Nightmare Heart ×2.】

【Due to the multi-fold bounty + bounty adjustment of "Hunter's List: Blood Pact," you will receive a bounty with a total value of 3,000 ounces of Space-Time Power.】

【You have applied for notarization in advance; this bounty will be more inclined toward "Space-Time Stone Fragments"...】

【You have obtained Space-Time Stone Fragments ×250 (This is an equivalent, which can be sold to Reincarnation Paradise at any time to obtain 2,500 ounces of Space-Time Power).】

【You have obtained Secret Treasure Box ×1 (In this judgment, this item is equivalent to the value of 500 ounces of Space-Time Power).】

Because he had applied in advance for the bounty to be more inclined toward "Space-Time Stone Fragments," what he obtained this time were all "Space-Time Stone Fragments" + "Secret Treasure Box." Su Xiao was quite satisfied with this. Not to mention anything else, his Advanced Abyss Studies required 49,500 ounces of Space-Time Power to reach the maximum level, not to mention that there were many good things in the Honor Store that needed to be bought with Space-Time Power.

【Main Quest: Third Ring: False Appearance (Completed).】

【You have obtained "Altar Lock Disk," a key item for opening the Moon Altar.】

【Main Quest: Fourth Ring (Activated).】

【Main Quest: Fourth Ring: Moon Altar.】

Difficulty Level: Lv. 90.

Quest Brief: Find the Moon Altar and activate it.

Quest Duration: 1 natural day.

Quest Reward: Altar Lock Disk.

Quest Penalty: Forced execution.

The difficulty of this quest reaching Lv. 90 is likely due to the danger level of the Dark Moon Nightmare he is in, as well as the relatively short time given for the quest. As for where this "Moon Altar" is, there is not a single hint in the quest information.

Su Xiao still remembered triggering a quest from Apocalypse Paradise before; that quest was so detailed that the quest target location even had coordinates, almost giving him automatic pathfinding. The quest information read as long as a short story. Reincarnation Paradise's quests are the other extreme; quest information rarely provides more than 15 characters of content.

Or rather, if you see quest information from Reincarnation Paradise that is dense with several lines of text, then pray for your own luck; this quest will be terrifyingly dangerous.

Just at this moment, the black light cocoon in front fluctuated. The originally three-meter-high black light cocoon had now shrunk to less than a meter high. As the cracks on the cocoon increased, it finally shattered with a "crack" sound. Delona, who was sitting on the ground with her hands hugging her knees, slowly raised her head.

Delona's gaze was somewhat dazed. Black mist surged, forming a black dress on her. Invisible white flames appeared on Delona's black hair, and her eyes turned pitch black. Within this pitch blackness, white lines were slowly rotating. If one's courage was insufficient, just making eye contact with her would make one feel secretly alarmed.

However, in the next second, Delona's eyes recovered. Her hair turned warm white, and her gaze was lively while carrying a hint of confusion.

"Is this what it feels like to be truly alive?"

Black-dress Delona took a deep breath, feeling the scent of the air, the slow flow of the airflow, the subtle tactile sensation of touching her skin, and the different colors of this world seen through her eyes. She closed her eyes, and tears moistened the corners of her eyes.

"Alright, your turn."

Black-dress Delona closed her eyes and lowered her head. Her hair turned black, the black dress on her body changed into a light white dress, the bottom of her eyes were pitch black, and her pupils were composed of white lines, quite in the style of the Abyss. It was the consciousness of Abyss Delona taking over control of the body.

Abyss Delona raised her arms and took a deep breath. For the first time, she felt the surrounding world so clearly. In the past, in her perception, everything around her had a sense of blurriness and distance. At this moment, her senses finally returned to a normal level.

In general, Abyss Delona and Black-dress Delona now share this one body. They can communicate in the consciousness space to decide who takes over control of the body. There is no issue of one suppressing the other between the two consciousnesses, so they have to discuss the daily body control time themselves.

Regarding how to distinguish who is controlling the body: the one with warm white hair and a gothic black dress is Black-dress Delona. She has a lively personality, is curious about everything, and likes excitement.

The one with black hair, wearing a light white dress, with pitch-black eyes and pupils composed of white lines, is Abyss Delona. She has a detached personality and likes the quiet of being alone. Abyss Delona is easy to recognize; her eyes are too much in the style of the Abyss.

Su Xiao picked up the "Book of Original Sin" on the array and resealed the Necronomicon, Scarlet Scepter, Nether Bone Ring, and Soul Crown back into the "Book of Original Sin."

Su Xiao looked at Delona. This was to let Delona show her unique Abyss abilities and demonstrate that she had sufficient rationality and self-control. Otherwise, there would be a page for Delona in the "Book of Original Sin," but once sealed into the "Book of Original Sin," she would not be able to last long inside it.

Realizing this, Abyss Delona began to show her rationality and self-control. Seeing this, Su Xiao clenched his right hand, closed the "Book of Original Sin" with a "snap," and put it away.

Seeing this, Abyss Delona began to honestly explain their abilities. This ability is called "Predestined Advance," an extremely powerful and costly Abyss-type ability.