GOR
“Duwei, your words earlier… … what did you mean?”
Gabriel knitted his brows as he looked at Duwei.
“Wait a bit.” Duwei shook his head. Without making any overt movements, he appeared beside Tian Lie to stand before Chris.
“I am sorry, master… … I could not…” Chris struggled to raise the top half of his body only to have Duwei press a hand down on his shoulder.
“Don’t move.” A red-coloured light flashed out before fading away and a trace of vitality appeared on Chris’ translucently pale face. Even his rate of breathing had grown more steady.
“I have healed your wounds. However, I have no way of helping you recover the power you lost. At present, it would be best for you to not move about.” Duwei then turned his gaze toward the armour fragments on Chris’ body and said, “The three items I gave you have all been destroyed?”
“Yes.” Chris bowed his head in guilt. “The Tearlight Crystal had been utterly destroyed. The Flash Bow of Ketu-Rahu was broken into two. As for the Moonless Fivefold Light Armour…”
He reached out with his hand to jab a finger at his body before falling silent.
“No need to take it to heart. Just a few props, so what if they were destroyed? How could they be compared with the life of my important subordinate?” said Duwei with a smile. “All right. Stay here and don’t move. You will be incapable of interfering in what will be happening next.”
“Yes, master.”
“You two… … can you do me a favour?” Duwei turned to smile at both Tian Lie and Nicole. “Help me take care of my subordinate. There is no need to do anything special. Just look after him and make sure he doesn’t move about.”
Even though those words were that of a request, when they came from Duwei’s mouth, it brought with it an atmosphere which could not be defied.
“All right.” Tian Lie nodded his head.
“Thanks.” Duwei winked at Tian Lie before returning to stand beside Gabriel in a flash.
Duwei then extended his hand to rap on the sphere of light enveloping Cheng Cheng. With a flash, the sphere of light then disappeared. However, Cheng Cheng remained suspended there without falling.
“You went to care for your subordinate before coming for Cheng Cheng?” said Gabriel with widened eyes.
“Don’t worry, she won’t die.” Duwei shook his head, a look of confidence on his face. “She gave it her all to unleash the Spatial Annihilation Skill. Originally, it should have devoured everything within the set volume of space, herself included. Since she did not get effected by it, it means she had simply over exhausted herself. She had simply pulled out too much from her energy source. It is not a life-threatening situation. And now that I am here, nothing will happen to her.”
Extending his right index finger, he gently tapped the centre of Cheng Cheng’s eyebrows to send a stream of red-coloured light into Cheng Cheng’s body.
After a while, Cheng Cheng opened her eyes. When she saw Duwei, she froze. “You… … why did you come?”
“I am here to meet my old friends, and… … my little sister whom I have not met in a long time. All right, then. You have just over exhausted a great deal of your strength. Don’t talk too much for now.”
Duwei said softly to her. Then, he raised his head to look at Shen and a sharp glint suddenly appeared within his eyes. “You are looking good, Shen.”
“Not particularly good.” Shen shook his head. “At least, not until I get the Oddity.”
“For the sake of the Oddity, are you willing to forsake everything else?” Duwei sighed. “If I had not made it here in time, would you just watch as Cheng Cheng dies?”
“I did not attack her.” Shen was silent for a moment before slowly continuing, “Besides, she was the one who wanted to kill me first.”
“Whether or not you personally attacked her… is there a difference?” asked Duwei coldly. “Although Cheng Cheng’s Spatial Annihilation Skill is extremely destructive, it takes too long to execute. Given your current level of strength, there is no need for you to wait for her to fully set up her skill. You can stop her midway.”
“It is useless.” Shen shook his head. “She has already resolved herself to die together with me. With her alive, I have no way of guaranteeing that I will not be disrupted when taking back the Oddity. Besides…”
Shen suddenly revealed a smile. “Cheng Cheng being so determined to kill me, isn’t it also your fault? It was you who wanted me to, no matter what happens, not tell her the truth. In the name of friendship.”
“What?!”
Cheng Cheng’s face instantly twisted and she jerked her head to stare at Duwei. “You… … knew why he left me? You forbade him to tell me?”
“… … …” Duwei was silent for a moment before slowly nodding his head. “Yes, it was me.”
“I need a satisfactory reason, brother.” Cheng Cheng’s silvery teeth bit into her lip so hard that it almost tore it.
“And that thing you mentioned, him recovering his self. What is that about?” Gabriel turned to Duwei with a frown. “You seem to know more than us.”
“See? Now the pressure is finally on you.” Shen smiled at Duwei as he spread his hands. “Do you really plan on telling them the whole truth? I mean, the whole truth.”
Duwei slowly closed his eyes.
After a while, he opened his eyes to reveal a look of utter determination.
“All right. Perhaps, the time has come to reveal it. However…
“Since an announcement is in order, we should have everyone here. Zero! Initiate the founder’s authority verification, initiate emergency mode!”
“Yes. Founder’s authority verified. Now initiating emergency mode.”
Zero, who had been standing there without making a sound, suddenly spoke up with a mechanical tone.
As for Shen, wrinkles finally appeared on his face.
Duwei shrugged his hands at Shen with a smile and said, “How many years has it been… … since our circle of friends assembled together?”
…
“What is the meaning of this? Go to this instance dungeon to find Qiao Qiao?” Roddy’s head was lowered as he looked at the Lifehymn Music Score in Chen Xiaolian’s grasp. There was a puzzled frown on his face. “Number SD9502, Changban Hillside instance dungeon? She… … returned as well? Why couldn’t she return with you? Instead, she is inside this instance dungeon?”
“I will explain the details to you on the way there.” Chen Xiaolian shook his head. “I don’t want to wait a second longer. Let me decide on the members first…”
He looked around, his gaze sweeping through every face standing before him. “The level of difficulty for this instance dungeon will not be low. Xia Xiaolei, Qimu Xi, at present, the two of you lack the sufficient amount of strength to participate in it. You two will stay and protect the base. Soo Soo, you stay as well. Lun Tai, Bei Tai, you two will be following me.”
His gaze rested on Roddy and he hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. “This instance dungeon is likely set in the era of cold weapons. Given your tech-based powers, you will likely face a high level of restriction. You stay in base as well. The three of them will also require a senior to help them take care of the place.”
“What nonsense are you talking about, Xiaolian!” Roddy slammed his fist on the table. “Qiao Qiao may be your girlfriend, but she is also my friend! Do not forget, I have known her longer than you. How can I not participate in her rescue? Not being able to go with you to World’s End was one thing. Now you are not even going to let me enter an instance dungeon? Even if you insist on having someone stay behind to look after the base, it should not be me!”
Soo Soo was silent. She simply walked to Chen Xiaolian’s front, raised her head and stared at Chen Xiaolian with her pair of big round eyes. There were no emotions on her face.
“Why are you throwing a fuss about going as well, Soo Soo…” Chen Xiaolian frowned as he said softly. “Be nice and stay in the base, all right?”
By his judgement, the level of difficulty for this instance dungeon was most likely similar or even higher compared to the Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang instance dungeon, where they encountered Bai Qi. Given how powerful Soo Soo’s skill was, she would be of great help in terms of combat power.
Unfortunately, the present Soo Soo was not in a stable state.
After their trip to Romania, Chen Xiaolian was able to ascertain that the one in charge of Soo Soo’s body was her second personality, the dark loli.
Although it was better for her to be in this state from the get go compared to appearing after getting shocked within an instance dungeon, negating any random summoning of her Blazing Phoenix, Chen Xiaolian felt somewhat concerned.
It had not been easy to bring Qiao Qiao out from World’s End. Should something unexpected happen…
After getting rejected by Chen Xiaolian, Soo Soo did not say anything. She also did not leave. Instead, she continued to stare at Chen Xiaolian.
“Soo Soo…” Chen Xiaolian crouched down. Reaching out with his hand, he placed it on Qiao Qiao’s shoulder. As he was considering how else he could reject her plea, his face suddenly sank.
He had received a sudden prompt within his personal system.
[System: Emergency opening of instance dungeon number SD9502. All existing Awakened ones and guild members within a radius of 1,000 km are to arrive within the instance dungeon area within three days. Those who are late will be exterminated.
[System: This instance dungeon has only one objective. Everyone will be placed in the same faction where combat between participants are forbidden. No restrictions on equipment and no time limit.
[System: Designated instance dungeon area for SD9502 is Dangyang, Changban Hillside. At present, there is a distance of 652 km between you and the instance dungeon area. Countdown timer: 71:59:59.]
Chen Xiaolian looked at the faces of everyone who were standing before him. Clearly, all of them had received the same prompt.
Roddy spread his hands and smiled. “Don’t look at me. This is the system’s arrangement. What can I say about it? This time, I will have to go even if I do not want to.”
Without uttering a single word, Soo Soo turned and walked toward the corner of the room. She then picked up her small suitcase and walked back in front of Chen Xiaolian. After returning from Romania, she had not unpacked her suitcase. And now, there was no need for her to pack her stuff anymore.
“There is something wrong with this instance dungeon,” said Lun Tai, who knitted his brows. “How many Awakened ones are there within a radius of 1,000 km of the instance dungeon area? For so many people to be selected… … this is too much. I have never seen an instance dungeon of such a large scale!”
“Not to mention, it is also stated within the system prompt that this is an emergency opening,” continued Bei Tai. “For it to be the same one as the one in the Lifehymn Music Score, this is probably not a coincidence.”
“It probably isn’t.” Chen Xiaolian smiled ruefully. “It seems Zhao Yun’s departure has alarmed the system. For it to dispatch so many participants, its objective is surely to kill Zhao Yun.”
“Zhao Yun… ?! Departure?!” Roddy’s eyes were wide open as he stared at Chen Xiaolian. “You mean to say, the instance dungeon that we will be participating in, its BOSS, Zhao Yun… … is someone you brought out from World’s End?”
Chen Xiaolian nodded his head. “Yes.”
“Oh, Heaven! He is my idol since my childhood!” Roddy clapped his hands, a look of exultation on his face. “How is it? Is my Brother Yun handsome? Is he really a heroic figure who brandishes a silver spear atop his white horse? Is he really an invincible spear-wielding character?!”
“Ahh… … there is one thing. Don’t get shocked after hearing it.” Chen Xiaolian rubbed his nose and said, “Zhao Yun is… … a female. So, technically, you should call her… … Sister Yun.”
“NANI?!”
Roddy uttered a shrill cry. Next, his eyes rolled up and he slumped to the floor, unconscious.
…