[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-paradise-of-reincarnation":3,"chapter-paradise-of-reincarnation-paradise-of-reincarnation-chapter-940":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Paradise of Reincarnation",{"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},2274798,4446,"Chapter 940: Su Xiao the Great Deceiver Makes Another Appearance","paradise-of-reincarnation-chapter-940",940,"\u003Cp>Su Xiao and the Wolf Steward locked gazes; in the past, the Wolf Steward would never have feared Su Xiao, and would have sought any opportunity to eliminate him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, Su Xiao’s gaze—intent on dismantling the Wolf Steward and studying his internal structure—triggered an instinctive dread in the Wolf Steward, a dread inherent to alchemical beings, no matter how powerful they were.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fascinating.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Xiao withdrew that gaze, and the Wolf Steward’s tense body relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, still not planning to take me to the treasure vault? Since you’re Alice’s alchemical being, then my reward this time…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Xiao’s meaning was obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry—I won’t make you my subordinate. I’ll just dismantle you and use your parts to create other alchemical beings.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These words sent a chill through the Wolf Steward’s core; in a sense, he truly was Alice’s property.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come with me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wolf Steward turned and walked into the wooden hut; Su Xiao followed closely behind. His earlier words had merely been a warning—the Wolf Steward’s hostility had become too blatant, reaching the point of exploiting rule loopholes to obstruct Su Xiao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faced with this, Su Xiao certainly wouldn’t ignore it; he had already noticed that the Wolf Steward’s aura resembled that of an alchemical being, though whether the Wolf Steward was truly one remained speculation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surprisingly, Su Xiao was right—the once arrogant Wolf Steward was no longer so bold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since he couldn’t establish a friendly relationship with the Wolf Steward, Su Xiao chose another path: exploiting the other’s weakness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the saying goes, “The local magistrate is more powerful than the county governor.” Alice may be the false god of the castle, but the Wolf Steward was the game’s referee and host; his hostility toward Su Xiao had already interfered with Su Xiao’s ability to claim rewards normally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Su Xiao hadn’t spoken up, the Wolf Steward might have stood there indefinitely. Su Xiao was the victor of the fourth game, but no rule specified when the reward must be issued—it could be right after the game ended, or perhaps centuries later?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wolf Steward had intended exactly that: delay until the fifth game ended, at which point Su Xiao would leave. It wasn’t that the reward hadn’t been given—it was right there, but Su Xiao simply “had no time” to collect it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both the Wolf Steward and Su Xiao entered the wooden hut. The Wolf Steward twisted a wall-mounted lamp holder; the hut shuddered and began descending slowly, like an elevator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hut’s descent accelerated. Su Xiao exhaled deeply—his reward was finally within reach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You understand alchemy well?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wolf Steward spoke suddenly, and surprisingly, his tone was no longer hostile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Xiao glanced at the Wolf Steward; the question carried far too many implications.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is this place unmonitored by Alice?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…“\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wolf Steward remained silent—this was, in effect, an admission. Realizing this, Su Xiao’s eyes gleamed with insight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course. Don’t grant alchemical beings too much intelligence. Any sentient being resists becoming a servant, let alone an alchemical being—a puppet on strings.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Su Xiao’s view, Bubu Wang was never a servant—he was a teammate, which was why Bubu Wang had always fought alongside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…“\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wolf Steward remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Give up. If I’m not mistaken, your body contains at least ten thousand alchemical sealing arrays. Freedom is impossible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is there… no hope at all? I’ve forgotten how many years I’ve served as steward in this castle, welcoming one group of players after another. You players, experiencing this game for the first time, never grow weary—but I have. I’m utterly tired.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wolf Steward pressed his hand to his chest—his core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You want to betray Alice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Never. Queen Alice is my creator. I will never betray her—not under any circumstance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Xiao studied the Wolf Steward’s eyes. The other wasn’t lying. This made Su Xiao realize: if the Wolf Steward wasn’t seeking to betray Alice, and wasn’t weary of the game, then from his earlier behavior, he clearly enjoyed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eliminating those two possibilities, and considering his desire to escape his alchemical identity—without betraying Alice—the only remaining answer was that the Wolf Steward’s time was running out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how advanced an alchemical being, it has a “shelf life.” For example, the alchemical raven Su Xiao created lasted only about half a month; once that time passed, it became useless. Even if a new alchemical raven was made, it was a different life entity—the original one had ceased to exist entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wolf Steward’s condition was likely similar. Su Xiao’s alchemy might not match Alice’s, but no matter how skilled an alchemist, one rule could never be broken: the lifespan of an alchemical being could not be extended. No matter how advanced the art, it was useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing the Wolf Steward’s time was limited, Su Xiao felt a chill—he wondered whether the Wolf Steward might try to take him down before he decomposed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the Wolf Steward’s twisted loyalty to Alice, this wasn’t unlikely—it was highly probable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the descending hut brimmed with lethal intent. Su Xiao showed no sign of tension; instead, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blue smoke drifted. The fastidious alchemical being, the Wolf Steward, frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You have little chance of breaking free from Alice’s bonds. But alchemical beings can evolve into higher forms—more precisely, a perilous mutation: transforming from an alchemical being into a living organism. This process is irreversible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Impossible. Queen Alice has tried many times.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wolf Steward flatly rejected it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What Alice cannot do doesn’t mean the entity behind me cannot. Where do you think I come from?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…“\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wolf Steward nodded thoughtfully. Sensing this, Su Xiao exhaled in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mutation? Don’t bullshit me. He’d just invented it five seconds ago—it didn’t exist. He needed to stabilize the Wolf Steward, give this alchemical being hope, and dissuade him from a suicidal last stand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Alice and the Wolf Steward actually attempted it, Su Xiao would congratulate them—for exploring a realm that fundamentally could not exist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mutation is rare because the risk is extreme. For an alchemical being of your level, failure could lead to anything—we simply don’t know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are the exact steps?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wolf Steward’s interest was piqued. Though his hostility hadn’t vanished, he now saw Su Xiao as useful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mutation has three stages: decomposition, condensation, and transformation. The precise steps are beyond my knowledge. As for other details—it depends on my mood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Xiao’s mind raced—he was struggling to keep the lie going. With Alice’s knowledge, any fabrication would be exposed. His only leverage was the mystery of the Lunhuileyuan .\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Xiao was gambling: that Alice knew nothing of the Lunhuileyuan .\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that events had unfolded this way, Su Xiao felt a quiet relief. He was glad he’d openly revealed the Wolf Steward’s nature. Had he continued as before, the Wolf Steward might have triggered a final confrontation before Su Xiao completed the fifth game—especially since his time was running out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>ps: (Recommending a friend’s novel: *Fuyao Zhi Shang*.)\u003C\u002Fp>",1172,"2026-06-19T23:49:56.324Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","4d9512bab71a9ccbc0e67ba4754525cb428d5a4590011f5a008ff487a25f4114","paradise-of-reincarnation-chapter-941","paradise-of-reincarnation-chapter-939",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fparadise-of-reincarnation-cover.jpg"]