Chapter 202: Divination Revelation

Wu Chang raised an eyebrow and said in a mocking tone, "The Bureau, person in charge of special spaces — what, you're not about to tell me this special mystical realm was opened by your Bureau, are you?"

The leader of the opposing group kept his face stern; he did not let his expression change because of the provocation in Wu Chang's words.

"That is exactly what I mean. This special instance space is guarded by the Bureau. Only those who obtain a special pass issued by the Bureau may enter or leave. We have the right to expel unwelcome persons."

"Authority — who gave you that authority?" Just as Wu Chang was about to say something, He Yun at his side spoke first.

"This is my first time hearing that in Underground Shelter No. 88, a few outsiders get to decide who is welcome and who is not."

Because Wu Chang had rushed into the room first, the attention of the Bureau members was fixed on him, and they did not notice He Yun behind him.

Seeing He Yun now, the leader's face fell and he immediately sensed trouble.

How did this kid end up together with this big headache?

In Underground Shelter No. 88, He Yun was one of the targets requiring special attention. To maintain the stability of the space here, the watchers could not provoke her, nor could they act against her — including the person in charge.

The sternness on his face softened, and he said, "I haven't had the chance to introduce myself. I am a Tier-3 Enforcer of the Bureau, codename Lone Peak. I believe there is some misunderstanding between us, and I would like to speak with you alone."

Wu Chang's expression did not change as he recalled the Bureau's personnel ranks in his mind.

Enforcer is a rank above Investigator, representing someone who has already made a name for themselves on the second layer of the Abyss — a capable expert who could hold their own.

Only with such an expert stationed here does it match the positioning of the Pillar of the Present World.

But why was a Tier-3 Enforcer stationed here, rather than a Tier-2 or Tier-1?

Was it because the Bureau didn't want to?

A Tier-3 Enforcer is an awkward level of strength. If the Four Major Organizations wanted the Pillar of the Present World to be destroyed, the stationed guardian would be a bit too strong — they should have chosen a lower-ranked Tier-1 Investigator.

If the Four Major Organizations wanted to protect the Pillar of the Present World, then a Tier-3 Enforcer is a bit too weak.

Is it that Lone Peak actually possesses the hard strength of a higher-tier Enforcer, but simply lacks the seniority, so the title was never granted?

Or is it that the Pillar of the Present World has a maximum capacity ceiling, and that ceiling is a Tier-3 Enforcer — players stronger than that cannot enter or stay for long?

Out of consideration for their shared affiliation with the Bureau, Wu Chang did not make things too awkward for Lone Peak. His previously provocative attitude eased slightly, but he still wore an uncooperative air.

"My name is Peace. You may speak, but not alone. Young Lady He Yun and I are now deeply bound companions. Between companions, there is nothing that cannot be said behind someone's back — wouldn't you agree?"

Wu Chang turned to look at He Yun. Feeling his gaze, He Yun instead grew guilty and let her eyes wander.

"Right?"

Lone Peak restrained his temper, thought for a while, and only then organized his words.

"Fine, since you insist, then I'll be blunt. If I'm not mistaken, you — like those two — must have heard the recent rumors, believed there really is an S-rank mystical realm of A-rank difficulty, and came to try your luck."

Wu Chang blinked. "So what if I am?"

"Then I can only tell you — you've been deceived." Lone Peak shook his head.

"Taking this opportunity, I can also have a face-to-face exchange with Ms. He Yun. Others may not know, but you should be aware that since a certain incident, the underground shelters have become connected to other worlds. We outsiders did not come from the surface — we came from other worlds."

He Yun nodded in acknowledgment. "Your technological system is completely different from ours, your physical condition far surpasses ordinary people. Once you've seen enough, of course you'd have suspicions."

Lone Peak: "Then what follows, I trust you'll find easy to understand. For certain reasons, the underground shelter we are currently in is connected to other worlds, becoming one link among countless worlds in the universe — and a very important one at that."

"The existence of the underground shelter concerns the stability of the entire universe. We must, from a protective standpoint, prevent malicious saboteurs from infiltrating this world and damaging the underground shelter."

"So, please forgive the arrogance and rudeness in my earlier words."

After speaking, Lone Peak turned to look at Wu Chang, shifted his tone, and said:

"This Mr. Peace comes from the same place as I do. We traverse different worlds, seeking things of value and opportunities to grow stronger."

"But now, Mr. Peace, like the two inside the room, has been used by certain people. Those people spread rumors claiming Underground Shelter No. 88 possesses a treasure that does not exist. This drove many people like Mr. Peace to frantically search for ways to enter Underground Shelter No. 88. We feared they would destabilize this place, which is why we must send them back."

Lone Peak spoke with full conviction, openly and aboveboard, and the logic of his words held no real flaws.

If the person beside He Yun were not Wu Chang, she might well have been swayed by this line of reasoning into thinking Wu Chang was just a treasure-hunting follower of the crowd.

But Wu Chang was different. Whether Underground Shelter No. 88 held any treasure Wu Chang was seeking, He Yun did not know — but she did know there was trouble here that only Wu Chang could resolve.

If Wu Chang could resolve the trouble at the temple, even if there really was a treasure, she could give it straight to him.

After Lone Peak finished his speech, he was about to watch He Yun's reaction. To his surprise, He Yun did not hesitate in the slightest because of his words, and said:

"Perhaps Peace was deceived, but I believe he is a good person. I trust him."

Lone Peak was dumbfounded. He looked at Wu Chang and thought to himself — does this kid have succubus bloodline? How long has he even been here? How did he already have the reclusive, world-weary He Yun utterly smitten?

If Wu Chang had mind-reading, he would surely have corrected Lone Peak — he was no succubus; his roommate Fang Hui was.

Although being inexplicably handed a "good person" card left Wu Chang a bit annoyed, seeing that Lone Peak was no longer pressing on his identity, he seized the chance to steer the topic back to the two people in the room.

He looked at Lone Peak, showed a doubtful expression, and said:

"If what you say is true, then those two believed the rumors and stumbled in here by accident. Their focus should be on gathering intel, or exploring the secrets of the underground shelter. We've never seen these two before — so why did they attack us right after we checked in?"

He would not, just because of a few words from Lone Peak, grow guilty and rush to leave. The actions of the two in the room — he needed an explanation.

At these words, the atmosphere grew tense. He Yun narrowed her eyes, waiting for Lone Peak's answer, while her mecha entered a charging state.

Lone Peak was a bit at a loss. He explained, "They infiltrated the underground shelter a few days ago. We've been pursuing them these past few days. Just now, when we detected their energy signatures, we followed the trail straight into the room and subdued the two."

"As for their attack on you, we were not aware of it."

The Yin God player had already dropped dead, but there was still one survivor in the room.

Wu Chang walked around Lone Peak and went straight to the player pinned to the ground.

"Talk. Why did you attack us?"

The other party was quite sensible — after all, they had only come to try their luck and grab some cash; there was no need to risk their lives over this. Without any need for harsh interrogation, they said quite readily:

"Someone paid a large sum of money to have us widen the psychological crack in her heart."

Wu Chang glanced back at He Yun, saw that her expression had turned somewhat ugly, and continued to ask:

"Who hired you?"

The survivor looked toward Lone Peak and said, "Unless you guarantee that the moment I tell you, the Bureau people send me out of here right away — not a single word will I say otherwise."

Lone Peak agreed on the spot. "I can guarantee it. Go ahead and speak."

The survivor breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Although the other party was disguised, through special means we were able to confirm that the one who hired us was an Archbishop of the Bliss Cult."

Having said this, to add credibility, he said to Lone Peak, "The fact that the two of us were able to escape your pursuit a few days ago was thanks to help from the Bliss Cult."

"They know you extremely well. With their guidance, we've been operating right under your noses these past few days without you noticing."

The captive's words were undoubtedly a slap in the face for Lone Peak and the others. Lone Peak included, every member of the Management Bureau had an ashen expression.

Wu Chang said at the right moment, "It seems that in the underground shelter, the Bliss Cult's reach is far greater than you imagined. It's already slipped out of your control and has been leading you around by the nose instead."

"I can confirm they must be plotting some unspeakable scheme. Perhaps on the matter of dealing with the Bliss Cult, we could cooperate."

Lone Peak thought for a moment, took a walkie-talkie from his personal storage space and handed it to Wu Chang, saying:

"If you run into trouble, you can contact me through this. But regarding dealing with the Bliss Cult, I suggest you and Young Lady He Yun beside you not rashly get involved. I know you're very confident in your own strength, but this isn't the Wasteland Realm—the gap in absolute power cannot be bridged."

After giving his instructions, Lone Peak led his people away, escorting the captive.

Wu Chang and He Yun returned to their room. Wu Chang said, "They're after you, and they even know your weaknesses clearly. So how about tomorrow's plan to visit the Bliss Cult…"

He Yun cut him off, "Those are just weaknesses they think I have. And the more they act like this, the more I want to see what they know."

Though He Yun spoke as if she didn't care, the attacker's words had clearly affected her. She didn't fall asleep again in the latter half of the night; instead, she adjusted her mecha, using the work to distract from the unease in her eyes.

At dawn the next day, the two left the inn and headed straight for the Grand Bliss Cathedral.

In the underground shelter, where future-tech was the dominant backdrop, Starfall Street—where the Grand Bliss Cathedral stood—was one of the few places that still clung to superstition.

Thanks to the rise of the Bliss Cult, a wave of mysticism had taken hold, and fortune-telling stalls riding the trend could be seen all along Starfall Street.

Electronic horoscopes, fortune-telling robots, big-data face-reading—they were everywhere.

Passing through a side alley, a middle-aged woman in a long robe, a cigarette dangling from her lips, recognized the two and called out with a wave:

"Oh, isn't this He Yun? And that newcomer from last night. You boy, you made me a pretty penny last night—how about I give you two a free fortune-telling?"

Wu Chang paused and glanced over. He noticed the middle-aged woman's stall was different from the others—she wasn't using high-tech fortune-telling, but traditional paper tarot cards.

Moreover, the tarot cards she used actually carried a whiff of mystical aura. Clearly, they weren't ordinary tarot cards—this was an item.

Catching Wu Chang's gaze, the stall owner said proudly, "I'm nothing like those money-grubbing frauds. Before entering the underground shelter, my family was in the fortune-telling trade up on the surface. This tarot deck is a family heirloom—its readings are incredibly accurate. Want to give it a try?"

Wu Chang asked, "May I take a look at it?" The stall owner pushed the deck over and said, "Of course."

"Item Name: Time-Honored Tarot Deck"

"Item Type: Instance Item"

"Item Grade: C"

"Item Skill: Fortune-Telling"

"Skill Description: Performs a divination on a target. Accuracy depends on the user's Inspiration stat. For the first three readings each day, accuracy is doubled."

Wu Chang set the tarot deck back on the table and said to He Yun, "Looks pretty interesting. Want to give it a try?"

He Yun said indifferently, "I don't think a person's fate can be predicted by fortune-telling. But since you want to, I can try."

The stall owner was displeased with He Yun's words and said, "One must hold fate in awe. For most of us, from the moment we're born, the hardships and suffering we'll face in life are already decided. Fortune-telling is the guidance the gods, in their mercy, have bestowed upon us—telling us how to seek fortune and avoid disaster, and escape our predicaments."

Just as the stall owner was about to begin the reading, Wu Chang suddenly said, "Wait—may I do the reading instead?"

"You?" The stall owner was a bit annoyed and said, "Fortune-telling isn't child's play. Approaching it with a casual attitude will anger the gods."

!

Wu Chang gave He Yun a look, then tapped the stall owner's payment QR code.

He Yun sighed, took out her phone, and transferred the fee to the stall owner.

Hearing the payment notification, the stall owner immediately stood up and said, "It's a good thing when young people are willing to engage with fortune-telling. Learning anything has its stages of contact and exploration. A couple of simple tries won't bring divine punishment."

Wu Chang sat down in the fortune-teller's seat and, playing the part, asked He Yun, "What would you like to have divined?"

He Yun said, "Divine my current situation."

After Wu Chang shuffled the deck, he fanned the cards out and let He Yun freely pick three.

Flipping over the three chosen cards, they were: Ten of Wands, The Devil upright, and Nine of Swords reversed.

Wu Chang looked at the stall owner, signaling her to interpret the cards.

The stall owner said, "Ten of Wands means you're bearing severe pressure and responsibility—your mental state right now is overwhelmed. The Devil represents bondage and desire—meaning all your troubles come from bondage and desire. Nine of Swords reversed points to your fear, anxiety, and unease—these emotions are spiraling out of control and urgently need stabilizing."

Wu Chang looked at He Yun and asked, "Was my reading accurate enough?"

He Yun said expressionlessly, "Fortune-telling is just fortune-telling. It's nothing special. We should be going."

"Hey, wait—after reading the present situation, how can we not read for a solution?"

Wu Chang finished speaking, grabbed He Yun—who was trying to leave—and made her draw three more cards from the remaining deck.

The cards were: Judgement upright, Four of Wands reversed, and Six of Cups reversed.

The stall owner interpreted, "Judgement upright represents awakening, rebirth, and a new beginning. It's telling you to let go of the baggage of the past, bravely face difficulties, and believe you can create a fresh start. Four of Wands reversed means your living environment and interpersonal relationships are unstable, leaving you without a sense of security—the key to solving the problem lies in finding new, reliable companions. Six of Cups reversed relates to the past and nostalgia, reminding you to step out of the past and seek a new life."

After declining the stall owner's idea of taking her on as a disciple, Wu Chang and He Yun left the stall and headed toward the Bliss Cult.

It was obvious that his reading, backed by 136 points of Inspiration, was quite accurate—because as soon as the results came out, He Yun's expression had been dark, with a struggling look flashing in her eyes from time to time.

Lies don't hurt; the truth is the sharp blade.

Wu Chang said, "Is there something you want to say? Keeping some things bottled up inside becomes a knot in the heart. Saying them out loud might actually help."

He Yun lowered her head and quickened her pace. "Sorry, give me a little more time. I still haven't figured out how to tell you all of this."

With He Yun speeding up, the two soon arrived at the Grand Bliss Cathedral in the center of Starfall Street.

The Grand Bliss Cathedral—called a cathedral—actually had no religious elements to speak of. Without reading the name on the sign at the entrance, anyone would believe this was a large entertainment club.

At the cathedral entrance stood two girls in bunny-girl uniforms. Like the card girls during the halftime of a fighting match, they carried Bliss Cult signs and paced back and forth across the plaza in front of the cathedral.

Any onlooker seeing this scene would have to remark—those signs really are big.

With such a universally beloved style of evangelism, of course the Bliss Cult has a mass base and is loved by everyone.

Seeing Wu Chang and He Yun approach, the two girls hurried over and asked enthusiastically:

"Are you here to join the Bliss Cult?"

"You're really lucky—today Father No. 6 and Nun No. 9 of the church are in. They have a deep understanding of the scriptures. If you take a couple of lessons with them, you'll definitely enter the Bliss Cult."

After hearing this, Wu Chang's gaze turned strange. "You teach this stuff to the priest and the nuns — are they even serious about it?"

He Yun, who shared the same sex and possessed an even larger and more righteous weapon, was not blinded by the doctrine displayed on the chests of the two bunny girls. She said directly:

"We're here to find someone."

One of the bunny girls said, "Who are you looking for?"

He Yun said, "Kong Lin, Archbishop Kong."

The bunny girl said apologetically, "The Archbishop doesn't see people casually. Do you have an appointment?"

He Yun: "Just tell him the person who kicked him into the hospital wants to see him. He'll see me."

Thanks to that instantly recognizable announcement, the two quickly obtained an audience with the Archbishop. The meeting place was a banquet hall deep within the cathedral.

This place corresponded to the appetite for food and drink. Every Tuesday and Saturday, the Bliss Sect would hold a grand Holy Communion Day here.

Wine and roasted meat were supplied without limit, and the Archbishop of the Bliss Sect would also bring many ingredients found only in the outside world into the underground shelter.

The moment he stepped inside, Wu Chang could smell the heavy scent of alcohol and meat.

In the center of the hall stood a statue of the Bliss Sect's Mother Goddess — a voluptuous, beautiful woman who looked like a young mother, possessing both the lingering girlish shyness not yet fully faded and the maturity and maternal nature of a first-time mother.

The Mother Goddess statue alone was enough to send the countless Cao-thieves into raptures.

Below the Mother Goddess statue stood a man in a tailcoat, with a standard mixed-race face, dressed like a gigolo. He was the Bliss Sect's newly arrived Archbishop, Kong Lin.

Seeing He Yun, Kong Lin was very excited. He said with a smile, "Miss He Yun, have you prepared to face your desires directly and convert to the Bliss Sect?"

He Yun said coldly, "I came to ask you why you sent people to attack me. I'll decide how long you'll lie in a hospital bed based on your answer."

Kong Lin said calmly, "Attack? No, no, no. I only sent people to say hello to you, afraid you'd forgotten me. Obviously, since you came to find me, it means my goal has been achieved."

"Recently the underground shelter has been very dangerous. Many unidentified outsiders have snuck in. Some of them will sweet-talk you, pretending to be your companions to gain your trust."

When he said this, Kong Lin's gaze turned toward Wu Chang.

"There are also some people who, though powerful, savagely want to destroy all of this, and even more so want to harm you."

"Miss He Yun, believe me, only by staying with the Bliss Sect is the best choice for you."

He Yun sighed. "Is that all you have to say?"

Kong Lin continued, "Miss He Yun, the divine has already given you revelation. Only by completely liberating the desires within your heart and following the guidance of your most primal desires can you be freed from the cycle you are currently trapped in."

He Yun stopped wasting words. Her mecha boots beneath her feet blasted out flames, propelling her body rapidly forward. At the same time, her mechanical fist, charged to maximum power, swung forward violently and slammed hard into Kong Lin's chest.

The tremendous force carried Kong Lin backward, slamming him into the Mother Goddess statue, shattering it to pieces and sending dust flying everywhere.

As the dust cleared, Kong Lin's body was seen pierced through by the sharp stone rays symbolizing light surrounding the Mother Goddess statue, yet his face was full of smiles, as if what he had received was not a fatal wound but some kind of reward.

He struggled to rise from the ground, a crazed smile on his face, and said to He Yun:

"That's it. Don't worry about any consequences. Follow the desires in your heart. I'll be waiting for you in the temple below. I very much look forward to what you'll look like by then."

With that, Kong Lin's body was seen shattering apart, turning into a broken plaster statue.

Being taken down so easily, it was indeed a clone.

The moment Kong Lin's clone shattered, a large amount of white mist seeped out from the broken Mother Goddess statue, enveloping He Yun within it.

Through his Eye of Law-Breaking, Wu Chang saw that this mist was no ordinary smoke bomb — it was all Calamity Mist, the same kind that had appeared in the power plant's circuit tunnels.

Damn — he remembered that He Yun was extremely afraid of Calamity Mist, and right now she wasn't wearing any protective suit.

Thinking of this, he hurriedly rushed into the white mist.

Slept for a whole day, didn't wake up until past six in the afternoon. Sleeping that long made me a bit dizzy. I probably won't be able to write a second update today, but I definitely won't default on the chapters I owe. I've already taken annual leave tomorrow, so I'll definitely make it up tomorrow.

(End of this chapter)