Chapter 245: Three Strategies, Inferior to Superior, to Defeat the Archer

The next morning.

William Faulkner’s efficiency was high; he had already drafted various contracts. Wen Xishu did not pay attention to the details; he did not care.

He let the Academy Spirit take charge of the signing.

In the Bunker, Faulkner knew very well the price of trying to defraud Wen Xishu, so he was also very sincere.

As for Wen Xishu himself, he arrived at the highest level of the Bunker early in the morning, accompanying Albert.

The seventeenth floor.

Joining them were Evelyn and several other veterans.

William Gordon, Liu Zhizai, Ma Xiu Jones, and Luo Feng.

These individuals had also heard that Mr. Jin had finally come out of seclusion and decided to tell everyone some things, so they thought they would go together.

Among them, Wen Xishu was the youngest in terms of seniority, appearing somewhat out of place—theoretically speaking.

But in reality, Albert and Wen Xishu were chatting heatedly, the two of them unfolding various deductions there, appearing very excited.

Evelyn was occasionally able to chime in with a few sentences.

The remaining few veterans were silent, like spectators.

Fortunately, there were not many buildings on the seventeenth floor, and the group soon arrived at the door of the "Healing Room" where Old Jin was located.

This time, the door was open.

The light inside the Healing Room was very dim, but for a group of people whose levels had surpassed the ninetieth floor, it had no effect at all.

Albert walked in the lead, heading toward the depths of the Healing Room.

The various facilities displayed in the room had not changed at all, appearing spotless.

At the very back was a meditation room.

A few candles lit up the meditation room, and Mr. Jin’s back was slightly distorted under the flickering candlelight.

Mr. Jin was very young.

Younger than Wen Xishu had imagined; no wonder that day when he heard Mr. Jin’s voice, it felt younger than Albert’s.

Although he had not yet seen Mr. Jin’s face, Wen Xishu was sitting off to the side, Albert was sitting in the very center, and Wen Xishu was on the edge. From his angle, he could see Mr. Jin’s profile, and he could also imagine the handsomeness of Mr. Jin when he was young, perhaps only slightly weaker than Wenren Jing...

He was a dashing and handsome man with a lot of masculine vigor; Wenren Jing was slightly more effeminate.

Mr. Jin’s hair was slightly long, and from the profile, his skin condition looked like that of a middle-aged man around forty.

He smiled slightly:

"Albert, and you all... It’s been a while since we’ve met, hasn’t it? Seeing you all again is truly satisfying."

Mr. Jin was kneeling on a meditation cushion; he wasn't tapping a wooden fish, but he was twisting prayer beads in his hands.

His smile seemed to make the room brighter.

The other veterans did not speak, their attitude toward Mr. Jin being extremely respectful.

Albert was more emotional; his old friend’s attitude today was something that hadn't been seen in decades.

He was very satisfied with this.

"Today, Old Jin, you should explain everything to us clearly."

Mr. Jin shook his head slightly:

"I just wanted to see you all. Albert... you are still so young."

The old principal was naturally no longer young; at least compared to Mr. Jin, he looked quite aged.

What Mr. Jin said, however, was not about actual age. He turned around.

The white training robe on his body was worn by Mr. Jin with an ethereal, immortal quality, stemming from his countenance and his eyes.

Sitting in a meditation posture, he looked directly at Albert, then his gaze swept over the other veterans one by one, and finally, he smiled at Wen Xishu as well, with a sense of admiration in his eyes.

The other veterans, seeing their former master, all had the thought of kneeling, but Mr. Jin stopped them with a look.

Evelyn didn't go that far, but she was clearly somewhat emotional. Wen Xishu could tell...

Decades ago, between Albert and Mr. Jin, Evelyn definitely favored Mr. Jin more.

After a long while, Mr. Jin said:

"If this world could grant eternal life to someone like you, perhaps even the gods would be afraid, right?"

Albert waved his hand:

"Let’s talk about business. Your temperament is quite unstable; sometimes you are incredibly pessimistic, and sometimes you are like a riddle-maker. It’s rare that you’re in the mood today, so tell me, I have too many things to ask you."

Mr. Jin said:

"Speak freely. I cannot tell you everything; I must bear my own karma."

Albert scolded:

"Bullshit. Although you were the target I was chasing from the beginning, Old Jin, the current you might not necessarily be able to beat me."

Mr. Jin deeply agreed with this:

"I am no longer your match, Albert. The Bunker having you is the Bunker’s good fortune. It is also the good fortune of the human lineage."

The admission was too frank, leaving Albert not knowing how to respond for a moment. He reined in his emotions a bit:

"Old Jin, you have to believe me, I have been getting stronger. No matter what kind of existence you are facing, if the two of us join forces... it’s not impossible to defeat them."

Mr. Jin smiled again:

"I am not as good as you, Albert. I walked into a wrong path, and naturally, I must pay the price for that wrong path. Albert, your fists can punch through fate, but to me, fate is an unbreakable barrier."

Albert really wanted to spit as if to clear his throat, but considering Old Jin liked cleanliness, he just pursed his lips:

"Riddle-making again."

Mr. Jin said apologetically:

"My enemies, and even the future enemies of Xun Hui and Wenren Jing, as well as you, young friend. The enemies of the three of you are all Sagittarius."

"This is also the reason I asked you all to come."

Wen Xishu sat up straight, thinking the main event was coming soon.

Mr. Jin also looked at Wen Xishu:

"You have already come into contact with some of my old acquaintances, haven't you? Truly remarkable. It is truly fortunate for the Bunker to have a younger generation like you."

"You all, help each other out in the future."

Liu Zhizai lowered his head. At this moment, he was truly afraid that his little schemes would be pointed out by Wen Xishu or Albert.

But Wen Xishu didn't take it to heart at all. In Wen Xishu’s view, things like Gion offering a blade were things he wished happened every day.

Mr. Jin, however, saw it at a glance:

"Zhizai, you must learn to conduct yourself from the perspective of the Bunker’s overall situation, do you understand?"

Liu Zhizai kowtowed directly to Mr. Jin to admit his mistake.

Then Mr. Jin said:

"Strictly speaking, I am no longer considered a person of the Bunker... If I return to the Slaughter Tower, Albert, I will be forcibly taken away by Capricorn."

"For these years, I have been avoiding this."

"Perhaps I will continue to avoid it later, but these days, I was indeed very surprised that someone came into contact with my past and someone saw through my thoughts."

"The new young generation is truly excellent; I cannot let them die."

"There are three ways to dismantle the means of Sagittarius."

Albert urged:

"Don't pause, speak quickly."

Mr. Jin said:

"The first is the inferior strategy, which is to face Sagittarius’s attack head-on or avoid it on the seventieth floor. But this is very difficult. Although there is a theoretical possibility, it is indeed extremely difficult."

"The Archer’s attack contains the power of karma and cannot be avoided."

"But if one survives it, the future will be smooth and unobstructed; the Archer only shoots to kill once. Unless that person, like me, stays in a place where they shouldn't be."

Wen Xishu wore a smile, but inside he couldn't help but curse.

Me? Take an arrow from the Archer head-on?

Even if it were Xun Hui, who could unleash 'Selflessness,' in Wen Xishu’s view, wouldn't he be pierced through by an arrow containing the power of karma?

Albert shook his head:

"Not very feasible. The three of them... even combined, it would be difficult to resist a strike from a constellation."

"Besides, it sounds like the Archer doesn't do anything else and specializes in practicing this one strike."

Although the old principal had never fought the Archer, he also knew that the strength of these constellations was above his own.

At the very least, an arrow from Sagittarius was much stronger than his punch.

And right now, even if Xun Hui’s body were several times tougher, he couldn't take one of his punches.

Wen Xishu was thinking, if he didn't use the Three Highs, didn't skip levels... and climbed step by step, one footprint at a time, to the seventieth floor of the Strange Tower, would it be possible that by then, he would have enough trump cards to contend with Sagittarius?

Ding Dong’s phoenix feather... could it let him be reborn under the Archer’s arrow?

Wen Xishu pondered Mr. Jin’s words again... The Archer only shoots to kill once, unless that person stays in a place where they shouldn't be.

He felt a bit creeped out.

That old tea-selling man, who found him several times... was he trying to mark him? Was he trying to make him think that he didn't belong here either?

Mr. Jin’s words interrupted Wen Xishu’s thoughts.

"Then there is the middle strategy. The middle strategy is... Albert, Zhizai, Little Feng, Ma Xiu, William, Evelyn, you all must join forces to break through the one-hundredth floor."

"I am skeptical about the theory of breaking the boundary at the one-hundredth floor."

"But the one-hundredth floor is indeed very special. Perhaps there really will be a way to face the constellation directly, and thus, the threat of Sagittarius can naturally be resolved."

Albert sighed:

"If that were truly possible, I would naturally be willing to strive for it, but Old Jin, it’s not that I look down on them... they really aren't up to it."

"You few, how many years has it been since you climbed the tower?"

Liu Zhizai, Luo Feng, William, and Ma Xiu all lowered their heads.

Mr. Jin sighed: "You all... have become lethargic."

Luo Feng said:

"You are no longer willing to lead us, and we... are truly not of the same path as Albert, and there are so many matters in the Bunker that need to be handled."

Albert mocked:

"So the Bunker is being governed very well by you? That great plague three months ago, do you want me to tell Old Jin how you handled it?"

Luo Feng shut his mouth.

Mr. Jin shook his head, his eyes full of remorse:

"Forget it, Albert, what is the gap between them and you now?"

Albert said:

"Decades ago, they were already inferior to me. Now that I have worked hard for decades, I have only reached the ninety-seventh floor. You want me to break through the ninety-ninth floor and reach the hundredth floor together with them."

"I would need to borrow another five hundred years from the heavens, right? Heh, just with them, five hundred years might not be enough to break through to the ninety-sixth floor."

This mockery showed no respect for Old Jin, but that was just how Albert was. He had always been dissatisfied with Old Jin dragging these fellows along and forcing them past the ninetieth floor back then.

Moreover, in terms of talent, Albert was indeed the number one person in the Bunker.

Mr. Jin understood now.

For decades, the few veterans had actually made no progress. Because of Sagittarius, there were no successors in the Bunker...

In a sense, Sagittarius could even be considered to have—consolidated the rule of those few veterans.

The expression on Mr. Jin’s face shifted, and he revealed a smile once again:

"Then the middle strategy is also unfeasible, but fortunately, we still have the upper strategy. The upper strategy will inevitably be able to bring the children a path to pass beyond the seventieth floor."

Albert said:

"What is the upper strategy?"

However, Mr. Jin suddenly stopped speaking. He just smiled:

"Little friend Wen Xishu, you stay. Albert, Evelyn, and you all, my old friends, you should leave."

Albert was stunned. The old man looked at Wen Xishu for the first time with an expression of disbelief:

"He stays? I leave?"

Wen Xishu also did not expect Mr. Jin to make such an arrangement.

Mr. Jin said:

"His amount of information is greater than yours. Regarding my past, he may know more than you do. Although you understand the weaknesses of various powerful opponents, Albert, the matter I am about to discuss next is something only he knows."

Wen Xishu was actually wondering if this would be dangerous?

Could it be that Mr. Jin knew about him possessing the Heart of Fusion?

But that didn't seem right...

In the Bunker, Mr. Jin wouldn't just kill him, would he?

He thought it over and felt that what Mr. Jin was about to say probably couldn't be told to the old principal.

Albert was extremely reluctant. One moment he looked at Wen Xishu, his expression as if to say, I clearly have the best relationship with Old Jin, how did it become me who has to leave? The next moment he looked at Old Jin, you tell my disciple, but not me?

The old man's expression at this moment actually made Evelyn want to laugh. Indeed, Albert was still very young; she understood this statement even more now.

The group ultimately followed Old Jin's arrangement and left the Healing Room.

When only Wen Xishu remained, Mr. Jin slowly said:

"Have you guessed what the upper strategy is?"

Wen Xishu pondered for a while, thinking about why Mr. Jin had chased away the principal and the others, and he seemed to understand.

His expression became solemn:

"Let those who do not belong here return to the place where they should belong?"

Mr. Jin smiled:

"Yes, let those who do not belong here return to the place where they should belong."

"I no longer belong to the Bunker. It is because I am in the Bunker that the karma of Sagittarius has flowed toward the Bunker."

"But as long as I go back, pass through the Login Device, head to the Three Towers, and finally enter the Three Towers battlefield, everything will be restored to its place and return to the right track."

Wen Xishu suddenly remembered what Mr. Jin had said at the beginning—I just wanted to see you all.

He realized that this sounded like parting words.

"You... are going to leave the Bunker??"

Mr. Jin smiled and corrected him:

"Not leaving, but returning."

Wen Xishu did not expect to encounter such a major event today. Due to Mr. Jin's low profile, many people did not know him.

But if Mr. Jin really left the Bunker...

Then this would be a moment recorded in history, right?

Mr. Jin said:

"I once thought, since there was no one more excellent than me, since Albert was more excellent than me, and Zhizai, Xiaofeng, and the others had all been brought into the ninetieth floor by me, even if the threat of Sagittarius loomed between the seventieth and seventy-fifth floors, it would not matter."

"I had to live; my value was higher than theirs."

"But thinking about it now, I was truly arrogant."

"Fortunately, you are excellent. You discovered many things before stepping into the seventieth floor. So you did not let me commit a grave mistake."

"Wen Xishu, now it is the turn of an old man from the previous era like me to pave the way for you young people."

Wen Xishu was moved. His thoughts were in turmoil for a moment, and he did not know what to say.

But Mr. Jin was very magnanimous and generous; he said:

"I know you still have many doubts, and you are also curious about who I am. Actually, I am the same; I am also very curious about how far you have explored that plan regarding Longxia..."

"You have already met several of those five children. Do you know the whereabouts of all of them?"

(End of chapter)