Chapter 348

Hearing that Christine was about to state her demands, Wu Chang grew tense.

There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world.

The information the other party had given him was of immense value, and correspondingly, the price he would have to pay for it would be just as heavy.

He had already accepted the information, and it was too late to go back on it now; he could only hope that her demands wouldn't be too outrageous.

Christine noticed Wu Chang's tension and said with a smile:

"My request is very simple. There is a little one I have my eye on who has run into some trouble. Help me resolve her troubles and assist her in completing her ascension, and the matter of the information will be considered settled between us."

Wu Chang asked calmly, "That does sound simple, but how am I supposed to help the person you mentioned?"

Christine waved her hand, and the large tree serving as an example dissipated, turning back into rose petals.

She reached out to catch the petals, placed them back onto the rose in her hand, and then pinned the rose to Wu Chang's chest.

"Take this with you. The person you need to help will appear in your next instance."

"Come to think of it, you two are old acquaintances. Once you meet, you will naturally understand everything."

Wu Chang reached out to pluck the rose, and a prompt popped up before his eyes.

"Item Name: Rose Revelation"

"Item Type: Special Consumable"

"Item Description: Players with temporary administrative privileges can use the Rose Revelation when entering an instance to open a special Divine Kingdom passage, modifying the next instance into a designated one."

"Note: The difficulty of the designated instance must not be lower than the instance difficulty the user is matched with."

Judging by the item's properties, the Rose Revelation functioned similarly to the Fate Cube; both used a designated instance to replace one that should have been random.

The only difference was that the Fate Cube's power came from temporary administrative privileges, while the Rose Revelation's power came from the Divine Kingdom.

The item itself wasn't rare, but this move by Christine stunned Wu Chang.

No special manufacturing ritual, no special materials—she just took a flower and, with a wave of her hand, turned it into a special item.

It felt quite like the ability to pluck leaves and flowers to use as weapons.

With such means, the Apocalypse is truly worthy of being one of the three great Evil God cults.

As large Divine Kingdoms, compared to these veteran Evil Gods, he and Yu Ailin were as green as fresh recruits.

Still need to train.

Since he had already agreed to the matter, and the other party was so sincere, he had an obligation to remind his partner.

"Your Excellency Christine, the difficulty of the instance connected by this rose has limitations; it cannot be lower than the instance difficulty I am supposed to be matched with."

"Therefore, if the difficulty of the instance you designate is too low, I'm afraid it will need to be used in conjunction with other items."

The difficulty of the instances he matched into in the game was not the same as the treatment Christine's believers received.

For an average max-level player, the difficulty they were benchmarked against might only be an A-rank projection instance; simply designating a B-rank real instance would satisfy the item's trigger conditions.

But for him, if it wasn't an A-rank real instance on the verge of spiraling out of control, it likely wouldn't meet the criteria for a designated instance.

He understood the Abyss Game administrators all too well.

Christine said:

"If the instance difficulty were too low, I wouldn't need to ask you to take action."

"It is a world facing ascension, or rather, one that has already begun its ascension; it will definitely not disappoint you."

"That's good." Wu Chang first breathed a sigh of relief, then immediately realized something was wrong.

What did she mean by "not disappoint me"? It sounded as if I only like entering high-difficulty instances.

If one could go blast fish in a fish pond, who would want to play peak-level matches every day?

He noticed that the note for "Rose Revelation" did not mark the recorded plane number like the Fate Cube did, so he asked:

"Your Excellency Christine, what kind of instance are you having me enter? Having some prior understanding of the instance would make me more confident when saving someone."

Christine shook her head and said:

"I believe in your ability. You do not need to prepare; just act according to your heart."

Wu Chang: ?

What is that supposed to mean? The information regarding the Light Society was stated so clearly, so why start acting like a riddle-monger at the end?

Look at Hou Jingchuan; when he asked him to hunt down Lin Jiang, not only was the cause and effect explained clearly, but the instance background and instance information were all provided.

How did it become just a statement of "believing in my ability" when it came to you?

Wu Chang said: "Even if you believe in my ability, grasping more information would be more conducive to my judgment."

"You know that for us ordinary people, every time we enter an instance plane, it is a perilous challenge that cannot be taken lightly."

He had already made himself very clear, but Christine had no intention of relenting.

"Your entry into the plane, in a sense, represents a divine revelation, determining the direction of that plane."

"If I give you any information, it will make you biased and give you your own stance. By then, your actions would have my involvement and would no longer be its own destiny."

"More importantly, that would be very boring."

Wu Chang rolled his eyes. At a time like this, you're still concerned about whether it's interesting? No wonder the other two Evil God cults get a headache when they see you; they don't even include you in their conspiracies.

He didn't know if it was his imagination, but although Christine wore an exaggeratedly large hood and her entire face was shrouded in shadow, his perception told him that she was smiling.

She seemed to take great pleasure in seeing him troubled.

"Your Excellency Christine, your so-called 'interesting' wouldn't be preparing to watch me make a fool of myself, would it?"

"Of course not, why would you think that?" Christine said in a cheerful tone.

"You're about to lose your composure."

"No, that is your illusion."

Wu Chang sighed and asked, puzzled: "Isn't your goal to save someone and cause the target to ascend?"

Christine chuckled twice and replied:

"The greatest crisis the person you are to save is facing is confusion, being unable to see the future clearly. Your appearance is not only a revelation for the plane, but will also be a revelation for that little one."

Wu Chang clicked his tongue. An Evil God cult is an Evil God cult; they love to be mysterious when doing things, not as straightforward as secular organizations like the Administration.

Everyone knows each other's roots, and everyone has a Divine Kingdom, so why play that god-stick act in front of him?

However, he only complained in his heart. Since Christine was the client, whatever the client says goes.

Seeing Christine preparing to leave after issuing the problem, Wu Chang quickly said:

"Wait, I have one last question."

"You seem to have an extraordinary understanding of the player community."

He had come into contact with more than one god; whether it was Leman, the Mother of Desire, or the Great Matriarch, none of them understood players as clearly as Christine did.

At the very least, they weren't like Christine, who so bluntly pierced through the players' identities and spoke of the existence of the Abyss Game.

This excessive familiarity even led him to a bold guess: could the Christine in front of him actually be a player herself?

Facing Wu Chang's sudden question, Christine did not show any unnaturalness. She said calmly:

"Because compared to expanding the Divine Kingdom and collecting faith, I prefer to put my energy into interesting things."

"Compared to the lives within the Abyss, you existences from outside the Abyss have a special light flickering in your souls. I like communicating with you because you can always bring me surprises."

Wu Chang narrowed his eyes and probed: "I see. I thought you might have been a player of the Abyss Game yourself in the past."

Christine smiled and said: "What a pity, you guessed the wrong person."

"Keep at it, little one. Get to the third layer of the Abyss quickly; the Abyss will be much more interesting then."

Watching the altar sink into darkness, Wu Chang revealed a thoughtful expression.

What Christine said before leaving was that he guessed the wrong person, not that he guessed wrong.

Could it be that there really are Abyss Game players acting as gods on the third layer of the Abyss?

He shook his head. Whatever Christine meant, it had nothing to do with him for the time being.

Judging by Christine's behavior, she was more like a chaotic neutral prankster. Getting involved with her was definitely a sign of trouble.

He could be certain that if causing him trouble would make Christine feel amused, that woman would definitely act without hesitation.

Just like how she had troubled Leman more than once, yet Wu Chang had never heard from either side's believers that the two gods were mortal enemies.

Unfortunately, judging by the current situation, not only could he not get rid of Christine, but he was actually getting closer and closer to her.

Ending the meeting with Christine, Wu Chang left the altar. As soon as he stepped outside, he saw Yu Na waiting for him.

As the Archbishop of the Apocalypse, Yu Na had the authority to meet the true god, but she was not allowed to stay and listen in.

This was Christine's way of protecting her; not everyone was qualified to know the truth of the Abyss Game.

Just like when Christine first met Wu Chang, she also chose not to reveal the conspiracy of the Light Society.

If one's strength is insufficient, secrets involving the transcendent will not become the wealth of the informed, but rather a curse.

For example, when Christine used the fruit tree projection to explain the truth of the Abyss Game to Wu Chang, if Yu Na had been present, her inspiration would likely have gone berserk on the spot.

Yu Na also knew the dangers involved, so when she saw Wu Chang come out, she had no intention of prying and only asked:

"How was it? Did your communication go smoothly?"

Wu Chang nodded and said:

"I learned a lot of useful information from Your Excellency Christine. Thank you for passing the message."

Yu Na smiled: "After all, we are friends; it's only right."

The two left the secret base under the restaurant and entered a private room Yu Na had prepared in advance. Since she had finally seen Wu Chang and they were on her turf, she naturally wanted to keep Wu Chang for a meal.

During the meal, Yu Na, as the boss, personally brewed tea for Wu Chang.

Players of the Abyss Game, thanks to their physical attributes and coordination exceeding that of ordinary people, learned things very quickly.

Yu Na had only studied the tea ceremony in her spare time, yet she had already mastered the essence. As she performed it now, her posture was relaxed and elegant, a pleasure to watch.

She pushed a cup of tea in front of Wu Chang and asked:

"In two days, the time for the Qualification Instance will arrive. You’ve made the intelligence on the World Instance known to everyone; the entire Desolate Realm is going crazy over that information. You yourself won't be absent from this World Instance, will you?"

Wu Chang took the teacup and said slowly:

"The World Instance is the core of the great changes in the Desolate Realm and even reality, and it is a great opportunity for all players. How could I possibly miss it?"

"Miss Yu Na, you haven't ascended into the Reason Realm ahead of time, so you should be entering this World Instance, right?"

Yu Na said:

"His Excellency the True God told me that with my current strength, it is very likely that I will be targeted by other guys in the believer circle and die in the World Instance."

"But I am different from Yan Xin. Compared to seeking short-term comfort, I am more willing to risk danger to give it a try."

Wu Chang drank the tea in his cup and said casually:

"A very wise choice. For the sake of friendship, if you are really targeted by the Tranquility Sect in the World Instance, you can find a way to come to me. I’m just worried I won't be able to catch them."

The Tranquility Sect and the Bliss Church have already joined forces with the Light Society, and their manpower in the Desolate Realm will certainly coordinate with the Light Society's arrangements in the Reason Realm.

Wiping them out would not only disrupt the Light Society's plans and stack the layers of the Sea Giant, but also help Yu Na and earn a favor—it’s truly killing three birds with one stone.

Yu Na said: "Thank you, but it is not just me who is being targeted by them; you are their biggest target."

Wu Chang asked curiously: "Me?"

He was just worrying about how to find trouble with the Tranquility Church; he didn't expect the other party to be so eager to deliver themselves to his door. Did Laiman know his eyes were about to be used up and entrust someone to send him another one?

Yu Na: "Just a few days ago, the election for the Saint of the Tranquility Church had a result; the first Saint candidate was elected with an absolute lead."

"The selection of the Saint was originally supposed to last until before the World Instance, but the fourth Saint candidate with the most potential, Fire-Holder, and the second Saint candidate with strong immediate combat power, Murphy, both died at your hands, leaving this election with absolutely no suspense."

Wu Chang asked in confusion: "What about the third Saint candidate?"

If he remembered correctly, the third Saint candidate was the Ritualist, and he did not die in the Silent Route instance.

The Ritualist's abilities were very strong, no less than Fire-Holder and Murphy, so he should have had some competitiveness.

Yu Na said: "The third Saint candidate lost to Jianxing in an instance some time ago, and also caused the instance that the Tranquility Church had been deeply cultivating for a long time to be broken, resulting in nothing gained. Although he left the instance alive, he had long since withdrawn from the race."

Wu Chang clicked his tongue, "So this newly appointed Saint is preparing to take a knife to me?"

If you really count it up, the second, third, and fourth Saint candidates were all eliminated by his own hands. He is the MVP of the Tranquility Sect's Saint election, and the current Saint is just a 'free-rider'.

How is it that as soon as the free-rider took office, he came to settle scores with the hero? It is truly returning evil for good.

Yu Na guessed what Wu Chang was thinking, and she said:

"The current Saint of the Tranquility Church has no conflict with you, but apart from him and the forces behind him, other factions within the Tranquility Sect all want you dead."

"Plus, according to our informant's message, Laiman once issued an edict demanding action against you."

"So the Saint announced at the succession ceremony that he would lead the members of the Tranquility Sect to hunt you down."

Wu Chang scoffed and said indifferently:

"I hope this isn't just a promise made casually to boost his approval rating."

Yu Na saw that Wu Chang didn't take it to heart and reminded him:

"I know you killed Murphy in the Misfortune-Beset instance. Regardless of the special rules of the Misfortune-Beset instance, Murphy might not have exerted his true strength."

"Even if you killed Murphy in his prime, the first Saint's strength is close to Murphy's, so don't underestimate him because of that. The Saint is not a simple position."

Wu Chang was intrigued by Yu Na's words and asked:

"Tell me in detail."

Yu Na said with a solemn expression:

"The Saints of each religious group are the people closest to the gods. They can borrow part of the gods' abilities and, when necessary, serve as vessels for the gods to descend."

Serve as vessels for the gods to descend.

After hearing this, Wu Chang showed a thoughtful look and then asked: "That first Saint, how many eyes does he have?"

Yu Na was stunned for a moment, unable to keep up with Wu Chang's jumping train of thought for a while, and said uncertainly:

"Probably two."

Wu Chang nodded; as long as he wasn't blind.

"You just said that the Saints of each religious group are the people closest to the gods. Does your Apocalypse have a Saint too?"

He remembered meeting a player named Ma Jia during the Silent Route, whose strength was fully capable of being a Saint candidate.

Mentioning the Saint, Yu Na's expression was a bit strange, and she said:

"Apocalypse does not have a Saint, but I heard Yan Xin mention it once. His Excellency the True God does not value the improvement brought by a Saint; she seems to have given the position of Saint to a native of an instance plane."

A native of an instance plane.

Wu Chang's expression also became unnatural. Could the person Christine wanted him to help be the Saint of Apocalypse?

The more he thought about it, the more he felt it was right; only the Saint of Apocalypse would be worth Christine going to such great lengths.

He immediately stopped mentioning this topic, fearing that if he continued, Yu Na might accidentally say something secret and cause her to suffer divine punishment later.

Perhaps it was because Wu Chang and Ailin had been too anxious some time ago, finishing all their troubles in one go, that their lives for the next few days were exceptionally peaceful.

Wu Chang and Ailin took the time to return to the Anthem Company. He saw that He Yun, relying on her solid technical skills and the signboard of being Schultz's student, had already gained a firm foothold in the Anthem Company and initially mastered the company's operations.

The research and development of the Divine Mecha had made another breakthrough, and the custom Divine Mecha promised to him could be guaranteed to be completed before entering the World Instance.

After a few days, the Anthem Company had accumulated another batch of faith power, and Wu Chang suggested performing the psionic stimulation surgery for He Yi as well.

According to the All-Knowing Crystal, the power within the talent zone is an extraordinary talent that was already lodged in the human body. Looking at it this way, his brother-in-law, who had achieved sainthood through his physical body, would definitely not have poor potential.

It was just that He Yun was not in a hurry. She had tested He Yi, and He Yi's talent was still a line away from a level-nine modification.

She was preparing to further research the psionic stimulation surgery and wait for a breakthrough to increase the modification limit before letting He Yi try.

Time passed in a hurry, and only one day remained until the Qualification Instance opened.

The Bureau members who had gone to Yanjing for training had all returned to their original locations, and the quiet Wanghai Branch became lively again.

The Qualification Instance that everyone was about to face was a high-difficulty Real Instance, destined to leave many people forever in the instance, unable to move to the next step.

At the Wanghai Branch, Director Gao treated everyone, booked the best restaurant in Wanghai City, and took the members of the Wanghai Branch to revel to their hearts' content.

The revelry lasted until midnight. As the bell rang at twelve, the Bureau members who had decided to challenge the World Instance raised their glasses to bid farewell to their colleagues and entered the Abyss Game.

(End of this chapter)