Chapter 119

The sudden death of the Miracle Commissioner caused a brief stir in the square.

But that was all—people quickly refocused their attention, continuing to shout their wishes aloud, as if that were now the utmost priority.

Remember, those seized and brought to the square were all ordinary citizens of Wanghai City; most had never even seen a chicken killed.

A living person had just died before them in a bizarre manner, yet it failed to significantly shake their focus on wishing.

The wishing in Yifu City was undoubtedly far more sinister than it appeared.

It was understandable that Wanghai City's citizens, lost in their wishes, paid no attention to the Miracle Commissioner.

Even the staff members, after losing their superior, showed no emotion.

They calmly approached Wu Chang, handed him a new golden mask, then returned to their tasks without pause.

The only two normal people near Wu Chang were He Wei and Xiang Jianxing.

He Wei stared at the corpse of the Miracle Commissioner, his face pale, but his extensive experience kept him from vomiting—he merely turned his head slightly, stealing glances now and then.

"Boss, what did you do to him?"

Wu Chang grumbled, "I did the same thing you all did—just made a wish. I had no idea he'd end up like this."

"What wish did you make to turn him into this?"

Wu Chang shrugged. "I only wished to improve my relationship with someone. Apparently, they didn't agree."

After briefly brushing off He Wei, Wu Chang shared the minor miracle's effect with Shi Ning and Xiang Jianxing and others.

"Status: Minor Miracle's Blessing."

"Effect: Your next wish will certainly be fulfilled, and you will gain resonance with the Great Miracle, granting you direct access to it."

"Note: The difficulty of your wish cannot exceed the upper limit of a Wasteland Realm B-rank instance dungeon. The Great Miracle retains final authority over the actual outcome of your wish."

One detail in the Minor Miracle's Blessing was crucial.

That was: the Great Miracle could not be seen merely by desire—you must first obtain the Minor Miracle's Blessing.

In other words, to complete a quest involving the Great Miracle, you must first make a wish too difficult to fulfill, gain the Miracle Commissioner's approval, or directly kill a Miracle Commissioner and seize the Minor Miracle from his body.

But whether the Minor Miracle always drops or only drops under special circumstances remains uncertain.

Mishandling this could easily lead to total opposition from the Miracle Commission.

Moreover, Miracle Commissioners rarely act alone; assassination demands extreme precision, and if they react, you may be killed by a wish.

Shi Ning pondered for a moment, deciding to let Wu Chang and Xiang Jianxing follow the plan: enter the Miracle Commission headquarters first and test for opportunities.

If stealth and reconnaissance failed, they would then seek ways to assassinate other Miracle Commissioners.

As they finalized the plan, cheerful music—like a school bell—sounded across the square.

"Citizens, today's Grand Wishing event has ended. Please return tomorrow."

Upon hearing the announcement, the staff began guiding citizens back along the same route they had come.

Unlike their arrival, when they heard they could leave, no one showed relief or joy—they all wanted to stay and try again.

In less than two hours, everyone brought to the square had already unconsciously become part of Yifu City.

After loading the citizens onto the buses that had brought them, the remaining staff gathered before Wu Chang, their leader requesting orders.

"Today's Grand Wishing event is complete, Commissioner. Shall we return to headquarters immediately?"

Wu Chang put on the golden mask and said, "Let's go."

Several staff members drove a separate car, preparing to invite He Wei and Xiang Jianxing to ride with them back.

Wu Chang pointed at He Wei. "Leave him. His wish was too sordid—the Great Miracle dislikes it. Send him home to reform. Bring him back only when he comes up with a positive, uplifting wish."

He Wei: "?"

What the hell, Boss? What's with this sudden betrayal? He Wei opened his mouth to protest, but Xiang Jianxing seized the moment and delivered a sharp blow to his neck, silencing him physically.

Seeing He Wei offered no resistance, the staff followed the Miracle Commissioner's orders, shoving him onto a bus and sending him out of the square.

Wu Chang and Xiang Jianxing then boarded a black sedan and headed toward the Miracle Commission headquarters.

The car passed through a tunnel and entered a separate district.

Unlike the corrupted zones outside, this district preserved Yifu City's purity, with no overlap from Wanghai City's original architecture.

The city's infrastructure functioned normally; many native Yifu residents hurried through its streets, absorbed in their work.

At first glance, they looked no different from ordinary people in Wanghai City.

The only difference: when their eyes fell upon the champagne-colored tower at the city's center, they paused briefly, whispering something under their breath.

That tower was the headquarters of the Miracle Commission—the very place where the Great Miracle was first discovered.

The car stopped before the tower. Staff waiting there stepped forward, opened the doors for them, and led them into the first-floor lobby.

They recognized only the mask, not the person—no one noticed the golden mask had changed hands; they naturally assumed Wu Chang was the Miracle Commissioner.

Two reception Young Ladies stood at the front desk, their demeanor serious: they smiled instantly at passing staff and logged all non-staff visitors entering or leaving the building.

But as Wu Chang passed the desk, he glanced at the receptionists' workstations and saw their computer screens frozen on the login interface—the paper visitor log was completely blank.

Openly slacking off.

As a special talent, Xiang Jianxing was to proceed to the Special Wishing Chamber to reconnect with the Great Miracle.

The Special Wishing Chamber was on the second basement level, where another Miracle Commissioner stood waiting.

He was hunched, his hair white, holding a cane, and wearing the same golden mask.

Seeing Wu Chang enter with Xiang Jianxing, the old man's mask displayed an angry expression.

"It's my turn today—you can't steal it from me!"

Wu Chang shrugged and stepped away from Xiang Jianxing. "I'm just watching. I'm not taking your turn."

The old man nodded satisfiedly, then turned to Xiang Jianxing. "Come, young man. I will establish your connection with the Great Miracle. Now, repeat your wish."

Xiang Jianxing silently recited his wish in his mind.

Sensing Xiang Jianxing's wish, the old man waved his cane like a conductor, lost in the rhythm.

Every swing scattered large swaths of colored light from the tip of the staff; the light landed on Xiang Jianxing's body, causing his brow to knit tightly and a look of pain to surface.

He clutched his head, let out a pained moan, and slowly sank to his knees on the ground.

He felt his inspiration burning, the flames of inspiration scorching his brain, searing his consciousness and spirit.

Colored mist steamed up from the top of his head, and within the fog, a flying sword condensed — thick and unadorned in appearance, yet carrying a presence as imposing as a mountain.

Wu Chang, standing to the side, had steeled himself for it, but seeing the scene before his eyes, he still could not help but feel astonished.

The Great Miracle within the instance had some tricks up its sleeve — it could actually rely on Xiang Jianxing's cognition and wishes to condense an imitation of Zhenyuan.

Though this imitation was far inferior to the original, as a flying sword its presence already surpassed the one Xiang Jianxing currently wielded.

Seeing Zhenyuan take shape, greed flashed in the old man's eyes; he tossed aside the walking stick in his hand, his hunched frame swelled, his clothes burst apart on the spot, revealing a body of powerful muscles.

A strength beyond human limits transformed him into a monster like a hunter; on all fours, he prowled excitedly around Xiang Jianxing.

Waiting until the mist above Xiang Jianxing's head stopped and the man no longer made any sound, the old man's golden mask split open sideways, revealing a great maw bristling with fangs.

The old man let out a delighted sound:

"What a marvelous scent of dreams — no matter how many times I smell it, it intoxicates me. Nothing is more fitting for an afternoon tea after a nap than a powerful wish and a cooked brain."

The old man lunged at Xiang Jianxing. "Be grateful, young man — you will merge with me, and we shall share the Miracle together!"

(End of chapter)