The bullet screen erupted with excitement as the viewer count surged. It had been nearly a year—surely, the end of the season was approaching. Would there be a new plot twist?
Demacia surveyed the forest around him. After months of travel, he was now at least 50,000 kilometers from Dongwu City. He hadn't expected to encounter such anomalies so far from home.
Finishing the last of his meal, he raised a hand towards the two mice. Suddenly, the second mouse began to shimmer and, in an instant, was sent back to its own world.
Though he was a summoner, he knew that until he could resurrect a permanent summon, he still had to be cautious. Temporary summons were expendable, but permanent ones were precious.
Demacia sprinted through the forest, following the direction indicated by the second mouse.
Bang!
Without warning, Demacia's body exploded, painting the surrounding trees crimson.
Demacia: ???
[Bullet Screen: ???] ×n
Demacia: [You were controlled by the Scarlet God's forces to explode. You are dead.]
[Bullet Screen: Damn it! Big boss! Inform our leader immediately!]
[Bullet Screen: Why isn't this creature dead? How did it get so close to the Federation? What's going on?]
[Bullet Screen: Is it still nearby? It's four times the diameter of Blue Star! Is it still close?]
[Bullet Screen: The anchor is here! I'm waiting for news from outside the city lord's house! Sorry, anchor.]
[Bullet Screen: Old 6.]
Demacia: …
Buzz~
With a sudden force approaching, Demacia responded to the bullet screen:
[Hey, hey, even if it's hard to fall a level, what does it matter? Guys, the broadcast is off. Wait for my video explanation.]
[Anchor, don't be like this! The one in front is leaving soon. It's not the time to close the network. You must give the anchor some trust space!]
[Don't downplay it! I want to see the plot!]
Ignoring the barrage of comments, Demacia calmly turned off the live stream and activated screen recording.
Did they think they could steal his mission? Not a chance! As a Xia anchor, he'd been robbed of too many tasks already. Now, when something significant happened, he would broadcast it faster than anyone else.
In reality, there might be moral constraints, but this was a game!
Demacia's gaze fell on a stunning figure approaching him.
It was Han Buna, who had fought alongside the white epidemic. She regarded the bloodstains on the ground with cold eyes before waving her hand casually. In an instant, the traces of Demacia's blood vanished completely.
Demacia remained calm, noting the one-hour resurrection time displayed before him. He still had plenty of time.
"It's just a temporary setback," he thought.
"Ms. Han Buna, I apologize for my tardiness. We agreed to meet here, and unless absolutely necessary, we won't change locations. Of course, you're free to find someone else to collaborate with."
A calm male voice interrupted, causing Han Buna's expression to darken.
"Pusheng, you've betrayed the Lord of Disaster. Do you still want to stand against the Lord of Scarlet?"
"Ancient God?"
Pusheng appeared, cradling a cat in his arms. He smiled and inquired, "Do you care enough to come here and chat with me?"
"Or can they come to the Abyss and find me? Or, as a single ancient god, do you dare to approach?"
Han Buna shot him a wary glance, her eyes revealing a deep-seated fear. "Don't speak nonsense. Is your information accurate?"
Pusheng scratched the cat's head and replied with a grin, "Breaking Dawn and the Gods of the Stars have no effect. Though hundreds of A-series protective mechs have drained the Star Federation, they've also made it the safest federation. Need I mention Breaking Dawn?"
"Thus, God intends to seek another path, waiting for the world to evolve once more. A little time is all that's needed."
Pusheng raised his hand, leaving a tiny gap between his thumb and index finger. "Then God will come to incarnate and replace us, the gods."
"I call this era the Age of God's Envoy."
"Now, guess what the Scarlet Lord prefers as a vessel?" Pusheng grinned, eyeing Han Buna up and down.
Han Buna hesitated, her eyes narrowing as she considered her words. The connection with God was indeed somewhat obstructed within the cat's domain.
She believed Pusheng's claims but remained cautious about collaborating with someone who had once belonged to the ancient god's family and then the Lord of the Abyss. She doubted that someone capable of escaping divine control would be significantly better.
"Isn't Charles the best candidate?" Han Buna asked evenly. "If we're seeking a vessel, Charles should be the most suitable among the ancient gods, right?"
Pusheng paused, then continued to pet the cat, seemingly unfazed. "He's a monster. A portion of his power derives from God. Are you the same?"
Han Buna fell silent. Over 90% of her strength came from God, not her own cultivation.
This dependence meant she had effectively become a slave to divine will.
Although she had reached fourth-tier legend status, she was still merely a puppet.
"Charles is weaving an intricate web. Unless something unforeseen occurs, before God arrives, only two federations will remain on this continent. The ninth-tier legend of the Sun Federation cannot stop him."
"Meow~"
Pusheng produced a pulsating heart and offered it to the cat in his arms, watching it devour the organ with casual detachment.
His tone turned calm. "And which god do you think he represents?"
"Disaster, Darkness, Moon Shadow, and even your Scarlet have all allied with him. These are the ancient gods at the pinnacle of power."
"The Lord of Tobu, who threatened you last time, if not restrained, Charles will advance far more swiftly than you anticipate."
Han Buna closed her eyes, and when she reopened them, the arrogance and indifference she once held had disappeared. Though she was a fourth-tier legend, she felt significantly weaker in the presence of Pusheng.
"Pusheng, you must help me. We were once so close."
Pusheng smiled. "Of course, why else would I come?"
He glanced at the sky, a smile lingering on his lips. "Let's go. Perhaps you can't collaborate with the ancient god, but you can assist me in delivering something to your god, allowing the last one to arrive."
"Alright, I leave it in your hands."
The two figures gradually faded, leaving Demacia in the shadows, wide-eyed. He had just overheard something monumental.
The Sun Federation was doomed!
Wasn't the server in North America on the verge of collapse?
Should he warn the players in North America?
However, those players seemed brainwashed by the game, acting like zealots. Wouldn't they just grab resources when they arrived here?
Probably not, right? After all, no game should lead you to your own demise.
Lost in thought, a mission notification popped up on his panel, catching Demacia by surprise.
[Mission: Secret.]
[Attribute: Special Task.]
[Mission Description: You've accidentally uncovered secrets about God. Relay the conversation between the ancient god's family and the Lord of the Abyss to Bai Yi without omissions.]
[Task Difficulty: Simple.]
[Mission Reward: 30 Gold Coins, 5 Skill Points, 5 Attribute Points.]
[Introduction: The value of a secret primarily depends on who knows it.]
Demacia's mood brightened. Though he felt a bit disappointed over the past months, there was little he could do. After dying, he would only resurrect in Tobu City. Only by logging off could he mark his online point, not his resurrection point.
This was the main reason players were restricted from exploring the map.
After opening a chat with the health brigade, Demacia began discussing the video he had just recorded.
It contained a wealth of information, and while he felt strange about some of it, he couldn't pinpoint why.
Zero: [Player Demacia is calling with very important news.]
Bai Yi: [Let them come to the city lord's house.]
Bai Yi responded, standing up and walking out of the Hall of Knowledge.
He browsed the player forum and soon stumbled upon discussions related to Demacia. Was it about the Scarlet God's family?
When he arrived at the city lord's house, Demacia was already waiting, this time alone.
"Let's talk inside."
Bai Yi guided Demacia into the city lord's residence, leading him to the original living room. He gestured for Demacia to sit down.
Bai Yi's immense mental power enveloped the room as he asked, "What's the matter?"
While there was no immediate danger in Tobu City, caution was wise—especially regarding matters related to ancient gods. The more one knew about them, the more one could grasp their terrifying nature.
The plane god requires recognition from the plane, much like the hell rules of the demon realm or the consciousness of the abyss.
New gods require more: divinity, faith, igniting the divine fire, and establishing a divine kingdom and belief system to be considered gods.
What about ancient gods? They were once mortals who shed their shackles to become ancient gods.
The term "ancient god" refers to creatures from the new god era. They neither deny nor claim this status, still referring to themselves as the Lords of certain domains.
Thus, Bai Yi had never relaxed in the face of ancient gods.
"That's right. I accidentally recorded some conversations that I need to relay to Mr. Bai in person." Demacia produced a small chip from his pocket and handed it to Bai Yi.
Bai Yi accepted the chip, and an electric arc flickered at his fingertips. He quickly absorbed its contents.
Once the translation was complete, Bai Yi crushed the chip into powder.
A smile spread across his face. "Mr. Demacia, I apologize for destroying your chip. This information is extremely valuable. What reward would you like?"
Demacia felt a bit embarrassed, scratching his head as he recalled the task reward. "Well, I'd like to know how long it will take for the Moteng Cannibal Flower to mature. My summons have been dormant for half a year and haven't awakened."
Bai Yi pondered for a moment before replying, "Generally, it takes about thirty years."
Demacia: … "Mr. Bai Yi, please help me! I can't wait that long. This is a reward I'm seeking!"
Bai Yi nodded. "It's not difficult. The most important attribute of plants is vitality. As long as there's enough vitality, their growth will accelerate."
He produced a bottle of Life Source. "What level is your summon?"
"Level 20," Demacia answered without hesitation.
Bai Yi considered this and produced another bottle. He opened the Life Source potion and poured half of it into Demacia's container.
Afterward, he conjured some transparent materials, which instantly turned to powder and sprinkled into the bottle.
With a slight shake, Bai Yi handed the new potion to Demacia. "After drinking this, your summons will transform within five years."
Demacia stiffened, his face falling. "Five years?"
"Plant growth takes time. Five years is a safe estimate. Their transformation will be incomplete, or they may even become deformed."
Bai Yi continued calmly, "If you prefer, I can wake them up immediately."
Demacia: …
He quickly waved his hands. "No, no! Five years is fine. Goodbye, Mr. Bai Yi!"
Demacia accepted the potion and exited the city lord's house, his expression bittersweet. He instinctively scanned his surroundings, his eyes wide with surprise. The potion was undoubtedly gold-grade!
His disappointment evaporated, and he hurriedly left the city lord's residence, drawing curious glances from those around him.
Bai Yi, left in the room, fell into deep thought. Trouble was brewing.
Pusheng seemed to be negotiating with the Scarlet God's family, but he had come to relay critical information.
There were likely three primary objectives, or at least three open ones.
First, Charles's rapid growth needed to be curtailed; otherwise, Pusheng could face dire consequences.
Second, the Sun Federation was on the brink of collapse, which would hinder the Universal Life initiative. He needed to intervene.
Third, they sought to find an opportunity to eliminate a fourth-tier legend, thereby inflicting minimal harm on the Scarlet Lord.
Bai Yi felt a headache coming on. When did Pusheng start playing this game?
As for the Age of God's Envoy, Bai Yi knew little about it. During his time as a player, version 3.0 had not yet reached this era. If calculated based on his previous life, this might be 4.0?
He reflected on Pusheng's statements in front of the players; it was essentially revealing the legend of the Sun Federation. After all, players could easily ignore distance and communicate.
If the Sun Federation was prepared, it might endure a little longer.
For Bai Yi, venturing into the Sun Federation was out of the question.
Although Dawn had reached nine top potentials due to Diane and Guan Xin, it had no bearing on the Federation's security. In Tobu City, he possessed all the conditions necessary for an alchemist's development, making self-sacrifice unnecessary.
As for eliminating a fourth-tier legend, it was merely a way to weaken an ancient god.
Ancient gods were strong, but not invincible.
Bai Yi needed to wait a little longer—for the completion of the advanced level 70 task and the birth of evil.
He believed that the individual orchestrating events would grant him the rewards he sought. Perhaps, once he was prepared, he would receive communication through player channels.
Zero: [Player Demacia is calling with very important news.]
Bai Yi: [Let them come to the city lord's house.]
Bai Yi replied, standing and making his way towards the city lord's residence.
He began browsing the player forum and quickly found discussions about Demacia. Was it regarding the Scarlet God's family?
Upon arriving at the city lord's house, he found Demacia waiting for him, this time alone.
"Let's talk inside."
Bai Yi escorted Demacia into the city lord's residence, leading him to the original living room. He gestured for Demacia to sit down.
Bai Yi's immense mental power enveloped the room as he asked, "What's the matter?"
While there was no immediate danger in Tobu City, caution was wise—especially regarding matters related to ancient gods. The more one knew about them, the better prepared they could be.