[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-ring-of-fate":3,"chapter-the-ring-of-fate-the-ring-of-fate-chapter-88":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Ring of Fate",{"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},2298057,4496,"Chapter 88: A New Approach (Requesting Monthly Votes)","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-88",88,"\u003Cp>Clang, the silver-black short knife fell to the ground and bounced a few times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian exhaled, murmuring softly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Without even a half-activated black thorn symbol for protection, this thing is just a bomb…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, he now knew how to avoid its negative effects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Walking among the gray-white chunks of flesh, Lumian picked up the black long robe left behind by the “Smith” monster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tore off several strips with a few sharp rips, wrapping them tightly around his right hand as if applying a full bandage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Lumian grasp the “Soul-Hunting Knife” with that hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silver-black short knife showed no abnormal reaction at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian, always ready to discard whatever he held, relaxed and muttered quietly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I need a scabbard for it, so I can carry it easily.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Will I have to keep my left or right hand wrapped in bandages forever, just in case I need to draw it in an emergency and don’t have time to protect myself?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s dangerous, yes—but it’s also truly powerful. Aside from its short lifespan, it outclasses all the extraordinary weapons Aurora mentioned. Hmm, even many Level-3 Anomalous Objects might not match it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Lumian layered the remaining black fabric strips around the “Soul-Hunting Knife.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After wrapping it thoroughly in three full layers, he finally slipped the eerie short knife inside his left belt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having finished, Lumian rubbed his temples, enduring his physical and mental exhaustion, then entered the room from which the “Smith” monster had emerged and carefully searched it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from the still-burning hearth, he found nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Lumian’s exploration of this place was complete. He retraced his steps cautiously, every step deliberate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Free from fate’s interference, he exited the ruins, crossed the desolate wasteland, and entered his own semi-subterranean two-story house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t rush to bed. After leaving the place and stowing the “Soul-Hunting Knife,” he rested awhile until his Spirit recovered sufficiently, then began dancing the erratic, twisted, mad ritual dance in his bedroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He intended to draw nearby anomalous entities, lure one to possess him, and test what negative effects it might bring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having witnessed the fear and reverence the Flame Monster, the Three-Faced Monster, and the “Soul-Hunting Knife” showed toward the black thorn symbol, he was no longer so terrified of allowing something to possess him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The contamination already inside him was far worse than any of these!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, he was extremely exhausted and would fall asleep soon; even if the possessing entity refused to leave or inflicted severe harm, he could simply rest a day in the real world to recover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is this what Aurora always calls ‘cheating’ and ‘using hacks’?” Lumian thought, mid-dance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the dance intensified, his Spirit gradually spread outward, merging with the disturbed natural force around him, radiating in all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, Lumian, now seemingly fused with his surroundings, sensed something entering the area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lifted his leg, stepped, turned—and without activating “Spirit Sight,” he directly saw three translucent figures on the bedroom’s glass window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still the Skinless Monster, the Shotgun Monster, and the Mouth Monster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seems my Insight isn’t strong enough, or my rank too low—I can only summon these… Lumian didn’t mind. He drew the ceremonial silver dagger Aurora had given him and slashed a wound on the back of his left hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single drop of crimson blood quickly welled up—but didn’t spread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It congealed in place, taking on an eerie hue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three translucent figures outside the window stirred restlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian then used the ceremonial dagger to lift the congealed blooddrop, and with the final dance motions, pointed the tip directly at the Mouth Monster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was inviting it to possess him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monster with three black marks on its upper body opened its vortex-like mouth as if hearing Lumian’s call—but made no further move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course—the window is still closed, and the monsters from the Dream Ruins dare not enter my home… Lumian suddenly understood. Following the dance’s rhythm, he leapt halfway up and landed beside the bedside desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He extended his left hand, opened the tightly shut glass window, and held the dagger with the blooddrop out into the air beyond the house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Mouth Monster didn’t rush to swallow the blooddrop or slide along the dagger into Lumian’s body. Instead, with a whoosh of wind, it retreated eight or seven meters, hovering in midair, staring blankly as the dance continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, come on!” Lumian, now performing the final dance move, couldn’t help shouting urgently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three blurred, translucent figures outside the house all drifted farther away at once—and when Lumian’s dance ended, they vanished completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...” Lumian stared, dumbfounded, not understanding why the Mouth Monster refused to possess him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He replayed the entire sequence in his mind, certain he’d made no mistake in the dance or the blood ritual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could it be that it remembers I killed it, so it refuses to possess me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But the knowledge tied to the ‘Dancer’ doesn’t mention this. Logically, it should be even more eager to possess me to seek revenge…” Lumian fell into deep thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling how the Three-Faced Monster had fled the moment it saw him, he formed a new hypothesis:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I carry the corruption of a Xieshen , and bear the seal of a Great Being—these anomalous entities are terrified of me, too afraid to possess me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was an extremely rare case; the occult knowledge tied to the “Dancer” failing to mention it was perfectly normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more Lumian thought, the more convinced he became—and the angrier he grew:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You just watch me dance, and won’t possess me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s that called? In Aurora’s words—it’s free-riding!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What disappointed Lumian was that, under these conditions, the “Dancer’s” ability was effectively useless until he became a “Covenant-Bound One”—he couldn’t summon anomalous entities to possess him and harness their traits or powers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could only console himself that perhaps only the monsters within the Dream Ruins behaved this way, since they were closely tied to the owner of the black thorn symbol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wonder what kind of thing I could summon in the real world… whether it would dare to possess me…” Lumian muttered, walking to the bed and lying down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glancing at the “Soul-Hunting Knife,” wrapped in layers of black cloth on the nearby shelf, his mood instantly improved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a powerful Anomalous Weapon, capable of helping him explore the Dream Ruins more effectively and uncover its secrets—its only flaw being that he couldn’t take it into the real world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wonder if that mysterious lady could help me take it out, like she brought the potion and ritual materials into the Dream Ruins…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But next time I explore the Dream Ruins, I’ll have to trouble her to bring the ‘Soul-Hunting Knife’ back again…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She’s already helping me repeatedly—she definitely won’t want to keep doing this. She clearly dislikes trouble and loves to slack off…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With these thoughts, Lumian fell asleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Lumian woke, the sky was unusually dim; only a faint crimson remnant of sunset lingered in the distant hills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scene plunged him into unavoidable melancholy, as if abandoned by the entire world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He adjusted his mood, left his room, and went downstairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aurora was busy preparing dinner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your eyes are fine now?” Lumian went over to help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aurora pushed her golden hair behind her ear, turned her face, and widened her eyes:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Almost.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian looked into her eyes—beyond a few remaining bloodshot veins, there was no other abnormality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aurora continued searing the lamb chops, asking casually:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you find anything in the Dream Ruins this time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian began slicing vegetables for the next dish, recounting his entire experience in full detail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That knife is indeed powerful,” Aurora said, smiling now that her brother was unharmed. “If it were mine, I wouldn’t name it ‘Soul-Hunting Knife’—too blunt, lacking elegance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian asked curiously:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What would you name it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aurora smiled and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’d call it ‘Fallen Mercury’!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, from now on, it’s called ‘Fallen Mercury’!” Lumian nodded immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sister’s name had to be used!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aurora burst out laughing:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Actually, that name isn’t that great either—but I didn’t have much time, so I could only think of that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, the monsters’ behavior further confirms our theory: your chest’s black thorn symbol—or rather, the contamination within you—is no ordinary thing. It can suppress entities of high rank and closely tied to that Hidden Being.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Perhaps the key to the cycle truly lies within you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.” Lumian nodded. “Now we just need to uncover the secret hidden in the Dream Ruins, then wait patiently for the Twelfth Night.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So far, they had investigated nearly all anomalies—except the tomb chamber where the owl resided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That place was extremely dangerous; Aurora didn’t believe she, Lumian, and three outsiders could face it. The only hope was to persuade Madame Pualis—but the lady clearly had no intention of meddling, preferring to wait for the special moment to arrive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian mentioned, without much hope, how his attempt to summon anomalous entities via the dance had failed due to the two symbols blocking him, ending with:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister, do you have any ideas? Any way around this limitation?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aurora flipped the lamb chops, thought for a moment, then said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Inviting a ‘god’ to possess you won’t work. How about commanding?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Commanding?” Lumian’s eyes lit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aurora nodded lightly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since those anomalous entities fear your contamination and the Great Being’s seal, you could use their fear as leverage—command them directly to possess you. Use Ancient Hermes language.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s a thought…” Lumian understood what his sister meant by “borrowing another’s prestige.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>ps: Requesting monthly votes~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1599,"2026-06-20T06:22:34.374Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","2b0a5e503f85701c8e4f471daafc402a3697bd6187633ed26fb113f30b43d002","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-89","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-87",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-ring-of-fate-cover.jpg"]