Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 228: Layout

Time rewound.

Enbillick decisively disappeared in front of Teest, slightly reversing time as he rushed with the crowd seeking refuge into the church. Should he worry about the teleportation raising suspicions? That was now the least of his concerns.

His true body was exposed.

At this point, he must completely eliminate Nol and Teest. Once he gained full system permissions, he would immediately destroy all Players and then erase Bissus City from the map.

Later, he would just package the incident as a disaster brought by the Demon King.

Now his greatest advantage was the power of his avatar—

Enbillick once again checked the panels of Teest and Nol. His control over the system wasn’t complete, so he was only able to access the most basic information, but it sufficed.

[Doom Knight[?] – Lv.200]

[Demon King[?] – Lv.200]

Enbillick had verified with the system. The power level of these two professions was roughly equivalent to the third advancement of the rarest class. The “[?]” was concerning. He tentatively applied the standards of a top-level boss to his enemies’ stats.

Currently, Nol and Teest couldn’t modify the system. Even if they were strong, they remained within the system’s analytical capabilities.

Enbillick looks at his own panel.

[Enbillick Alva [Avatar] – System Temporary Administrator]

[HP: 35,634,799/35,634,800 | MP: 1,215,654/1,218,500]

[Strength: 341,167 | Agility: 192,673 | Intelligence: 86,750 | Physical Defense: 976,632 | Magical Defense: 850,070]

[Status: Using Avatar]

[Star Stealer Sol – System Temporary Administrator]

[HP: 635,843,910/999,999,999 | MP: 727,839,800/999,999,999]

[Strength: 9,999,999 | Agility: 9,999,999 | Intelligence: 9,999,999 | Physical Defense: 9,999,999 | Magical Defense: 9,999,999]

[Status: Using Avatar; Unknown Error]

This was the greatest power he could obtain under the system’s rules—his true body wasn’t this powerful, relying entirely on manipulating the system’s authority. What a wonderful power.

Pity. If he could fully control the system, he wouldn’t need such hassle and could simply grant himself the highest authority of [Indestructible].

Enbillick was pushed towards the church’s main hall by the crowd, cautiously observing his surroundings.

Judging by the panel, his avatar’s power was roughly comparable to Nol and Teest, but his true form was more than ten times stronger. The problem was, his true form was too large, attracting unnecessary attention, and it was difficult to carry out precise attacks—

He flattened Joy Garden with his true form, yet a large group survived. He “eliminated” Xu Yue with his true form yet left a significant aftermath.

Values didn’t represent everything. He shouldn’t underestimate his enemies based on numbers alone.

Thinking this, Enbillick quickly stabilized his breathing.

Yes, he shouldn’t fall at the same hurdle for the third time. This time, he must crush his enemies by hand, seeing them disappear with his own eyes.

Right now, others posed no threat. Those two had finally separated. It was the perfect opportunity to kill Teest.

He purposely acted as if fleeing, shaking off Drake with his tricky spatial skills. Now, Teest had no idea of his avatar’s power level. If Teest approached first, he could take him by surprise and cleanly kill him.

As for the God of Creation with system permissions… Enbillick preferred not to face him personally, but he still had the “Players” up his sleeve. That group of Players could be used as weapons or held as hostages. Once he killed the Mad Monk, dealing with Nol would be much easier.

Bring it on.

Underneath his cloak, Enbillick prepared his spellcasting gestures.

The crowd surged, yet there was no sign of the White Knight. Not Teest, not even Eugene followed inside. Closest to him was an Investigation Knight trying to bring order.

The knight was pushed around by the crowd, ending up next to Enbillick. Enbillick frowned. Just as he was about to dodge, his vision suddenly darkened.

The crowded church vanished, replaced by the empty ruins of the church. The ruins float slowly and weightlessly, surrounded only by deep darkness.

[Mercy Countdown], a unique skill of a “Saint”.

“Utterly foolish,” Enbillick remarked.

Behind him, the “Investigation Knight” removed his helmet, revealing sweat-drenched red hair. Painter casually discarded the helmet, the metal clanged against the ground, producing a series of crisp sounds.

“Reducing witnesses when facing me is the dumbest act.” Enbillick turned around. “Not to mention this lockdown is pointless—my old friend, you couldn’t possibly think you could last thirty minutes against me?”

“I know, I know. If my actions were truly threatening, you’d have rewound time already instead of talking to me,” Painter gestured with a pen-shaped magic wand. “I just wanted to talk to you alone, sir.”

Enbillick raised an eyebrow.

What could his former pope possibly have to say?

Painter took a deep breath, and his expression became earnest. “You know, you really are a terrible god—I’ve wanted to say this to your face for a long time. It feels great!”

Enbillick: “……”

Enbillick raised his hand, and black-red light arrows rained down towards Painter. Painter stood still, suddenly unfolding a circle of blue fire in front of him. At the same moment, a similar fire circle opened behind Enbillick, and the arrows shot straight towards Enbillick’s back.

“That’s why I don’t believe in gods,” a cold voice interjected. “I’ll add, you’re also a lousy trading partner.”

Drake emerged from the shadows, his long sword glowing with blue light. A ring of blue fire burned behind his head, reflecting his blue eyes that looked like the sea beneath a glacier.

The aura of death and dragons spread.

Enbillick flashed his figure, dodging the black-red light arrows. He gritted his teeth. “I see. At least three opponents… I didn’t expect the Mad Monk to give up even his dignity.”

With Drake’s ability, it was a bit troublesome, but the situation was still under his control.

“Is this [Mercy Countdown]?”

A female voice appeared. She seemed to have just been pulled into the space, so her movements were a bit stiff. “Wow, cooler than I imagined.”

Anakin fiddled with her magic wand. She was dressed in top-level healing gear. By her side, cowering, was Solo.

Wait. Enbillick suddenly realized something.

A magic swordsman with spatial abilities, a holy mage “Saint”, a high-level healing profession “Flawless”, a rare support “Night Ranger”. This was a standard battle team. Could it be—

“Teest said he’s busy and got other stuff to do.” Anakin waved at Enbillick. “By the way, don’t bother with rewinding—I’ve already greeted all the Players present before coming in. They know the important NPC Enbillick entered [Mercy Countdown].”

She was surprisingly relaxed now.

What god’s avatar? If it had a health bar, it could be beaten, and she confirmed with Nol. Enbillick couldn’t yet revoke Players’ permissions—even if the Mercy Countdown exploded, she wouldn’t die. She would just lose some levels!

Drake silently stepped to the front of the four, firmly grasping his long sword. “Let’s begin.”

Before the team of four, Enbillick laughed furiously.

Too arrogant—just too arrogant. First that damned woman, now these mere mortals. Nol and Teest must be crazy, actually leaving a god’s avatar to be handled by humans.

Around him, black-red magic continually overflowed.

So what if he can’t get out? There was no need to flee from mortals. He would destroy these four blasphemous defilers.

……

Knight Eugene had an uneasy intuition that something was amiss.

He quickly received an update for the main quest, preparing to pursue the impostor Drake at once. However, in just a moment, that Drake vanished without a trace.

The Players in the square were equally bewildered. Not only could they not find Drake, but they also couldn’t locate Avra and the two children. Eugene had specifically confirmed that no one recognized the Investigation Knight who had taken Avra away—the knight’s face was completely obscured by a helmet with not even a single strand of hair showing.

Recalling someone who had been lurking near Bissus and hadn’t yet appeared, Eugene had an uncomfortable suspicion. Upon hearing that Golden Sword had been captured in [Mercy Countdown], his suspicion turned into certainty.

Painter had made his move.

Damn it, with the dimensional isolation of [Mercy Countdown], he was completely unable to intervene. Eugene gritted his teeth in frustration.

Forget it. The priority now was to guide the Players who had lost their objective. Now that the protective barrier was broken, most of the Players were concentrated within the city, and monsters from the outskirts were soon going to invade…

“Tower!”

On the city walls, a guard player shouted using a sound amplification spell. “The Lost Tower has appeared! Paradise monsters are fighting the monsters outside the city!”

The Players immediately exploded into confusion—

“Wait, aren’t they on the same side?”

“Hard to say. Maybe the monsters just aren’t sentient.”

“Should we attack while it’s chaotic?”

“Let it go, Azu. It’s crowded with bosses outside. We won’t be able to retrieve our gear if it bursts.”

“The quest requires us to kill the target NPC. We need to get it done by sunrise. It’s better to stick with the quest…”

“Quiet!”

Seeing the Players falling into chaos, Hot Ash hurriedly stood on the statue’s pedestal. “No one is allowed to leave the city. Prioritize the time-limited main quest!”

Sure enough, Eugene wasn’t surprised by a fairly wise judgment.

“Fifth Brigade, assist in searching for people. Target Avra Alva!” Eugene made a decisive decision.

That guy Drake had considerable combat power and was very likely teamed up with Painter. Even if he was acting alone, ordinary knights were no match for him. Avra was different—Eugene knew Painter’s personality; that guy would never bring a mother with low combat capability into danger.

Avra had taken the children with her. They must be hidden somewhere by Painter.

“Boss, I have an objection!” After the noise subsided, a loud voice suddenly rang out.

Eugene quickly turned his head. He recognized the loudmouthed Player, who seemed to be called Abaddon.

“We can’t just blindly follow the quest. It’s too passive.” Abaddon specially used a sound amplification spell, his voice booming. “Didn’t we just follow the rules before, only focusing on city defense, and then we were infiltrated by the Demon King’s scouts?”

“We are veteran players. We need to analyze the quest properly—there’s more than one way to solve a quest.”

Around the square, Players buzzed with discussions, many voices in agreement.

“Continue,” Hot Ash responded gruffly.

“The core of the quest is to kill the scouts, protect Bissus, and prevent it from being destroyed by the Demon King’s army.”

Abaddon climbed onto the stone platform, standing beside Hot Ash, and continued theatrically, “But now the Demon King’s army is here, fighting the common monsters outside. Even if we kill the scouts during this time, we’ll still have to face that army afterward.”

Hot Ash: “Interesting.”

The Lost Tower had already stopped outside the city, and the Demon King’s scouts probably had a grasp on the situation inside. Even if they killed the scouts, the Demon King’s army would just attack a bit later.

The quests in “Tahe” were relatively intelligent, with causal relationships between them, and indeed, the solutions weren’t strictly limited.

Seizing the moment, Abaddon stretched out his arm, pointing to the sky. “We could take a step ahead and stealthily attack their general.”

“What did you say—”

Hot Ash looked up, nearly biting his tongue.

Above in the sky, a lone figure hovered. It was a rather handsome young man, with crown-like curled horns on his head. His black hair was gently fluttering in the wind. The man spread his wings, quietly suspended in the night.

His body was entwined with numerous twisted flesh limbs, which connected to the four moons like umbilical cords.

It was as if he was waiting for something.

The author has something to say:

Answering possible questions:

Why didn’t Star Stealer Sol go all out against the young couple from the beginning?

His thought process is roughly:

Wow, two cockroaches appeared at home → buy cockroach killer overnight and place it around the house.

The two cockroaches have surprising combat power, waking him up at midnight → start calling professionals to poison.

The cockroaches suddenly became the size of a palm → no choice, just have to burn the house down.

He wouldn’t just burn the house down upon discovering two cockroaches… Hard to get a house. He still has a mortgage to settle from the system (???

Sorry, young couple (…………………………

You guys are a cute dragon and cat! Star Stealer Sol is the real cockroach.

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 227: Unexpected Quest

Before the sky collapsed, at a corner of the Endless Sea.

Teest only felt as if he had been doused in grease and set alight. His organs were burning, his skin was cracking, and his brain was boiling inside his skull.

It had begun.

Nol had officially started to repair his magic circuits, modifying the crude mix that made up the “Supplement Demon”. But they both knew this was going to be difficult, much more so than when he had worked on the General.

Even as a Supplement Demon, the General was still a creature belonging to Nol. She would continue to roam the land of Tahe, using powers 100% derived from the system. For Nol, healing the General was like repairing a machine he had designed himself. He was well acquainted with its principles, so it was hard for him to make mistakes.

But Teest was different.

Although Teest originated from his creation, he had now become a far more special existence.

The system couldn’t fully control Teest, and Nol couldn’t refer to existing magic circuits. He had to design an entirely new magic circuit based on Teest’s unique power characteristics.

Every time he miscalculated, every time he corrected a mistake, it caused Teest immense pain.

…As it should.

But Teest just looked at him, with a sweet smile. As if the sharp power cutting through his body wasn’t sharp at all, but a caress from a god. His expression was relaxed and peaceful, just like every day when he woke up beside Nol.

All was silent around them. Teest didn’t even groan. He just looked up at the gradually dimming sky. The evening glow spilled down like blood while his figure was shadowed by Nol’s.

[You need to be tougher, honey.]

Teest could feel the intense pain inside him, as if Nol wasn’t pulling at his circuits, but at his very nerves. He silently suppressed his agony, sending his thoughts to the God in the sky.

[Believe me. Compared to the fools of the Eternal Church, your methods are like a mother soothing her baby.]

Teest watched the wounded God of Creation, covered in dirt and blood. Those clear blue eyes focused on him as if they were the only two people left in the world.

Teest liked that gaze, but he wasn’t fond of Nol’s current state—the man was too focused, completely forgetting his own pain.

Under the golden threads, the mighty beast was still beautiful. The “mistakes” climbing along the threads on its body created one festering wound after another.

[Circuit Manipulation], a skill that could interfere with the magic circuits of other beings.

But modifying a twisted target like the “Supplement Demon” required a designated “Living Sacrifice” to bear the “mistakes”—these “mistakes”, like the original Demon King corruption, were born from contradictions in the laws and were difficult to erase.

Before the transformation was completed, Nol personally took on the role of the “Living Sacrifice”.

As the sun slid down the sky, Teest’s circuits were nearing completion. His pain had faded, while Nol’s decay and rot deepened.

Teest felt a shiver on his back. That strange tremor suppressed the pain, worry, and urgency.

It was just them here, the golden threads seemingly stitching the two together. They shared the same pain, the ache like the plunder and push of tongues during a kiss. Time stretched infinitely long, with each second feeling like eternity.

To him, the burning pain of his entire body became pleasure. The shock was so intense, it nearly overshadowed everything, almost making Teest forget the thrill of driving a blade through the throat of a cultist for the first time.

The blood-red twilight enveloped the scarred god, and that intoxicating gaze continued. Being shaped by a god while conscious felt sweeter than a kiss, more intimate than the entanglement of bodies.

For a moment, Teest couldn’t tell if his blood was boiling from pain or from excitement.

…So that’s how it is.

To him, there would never be anyone more special than Nol in the world. There had never been before, and there would never be in the future. He no longer needed to prove anything, to question anything. This moment was enough to leave a permanent mark.

As the moon was about to rise, Teest completely forgot his pain and opened his arms to Nol again.

Let’s embrace, honey.

In those blue eyes, Teest saw the blazing golden flames. Following the gradually fading silhouette, those flames outlined the god’s form, vaguely sketching a similar monstrous shape.

That was a strange outline—a cunning, ever-changing shadow.

As the sun finally set, in the last ray of light, the beautiful black beast hovered mid-air, and beneath it on the icy surface, lay a platinum-colored flame “shadow”.

The shadow, with its eerie sense of combustion, leapt towards the god above. It was hard to say whether the action was predation or an embrace. It tightly wrapped around the wounded, weakened beast, its featureless head pressing closely against the beast’s head.

The moon rose and all was dim. Only that chaotic shadow still burned, causing a moment of disarray.

The circuit modification ended, and in that moment, the being known as Teest truly came into existence.

Nol hadn’t expected Teest’s true form to turn out like this—a platinum shadow gradually tightening and condensing, then reverting back to the naked Teest.

With a flicker of light, Teest was clothed in the armor hidden within the pendant. The white armor pressed against Nol’s rotting skin, which felt cold yet comfortable.

At this moment, the severe pain that eroded Nol made it difficult for him to think. Thanks to the system, he was stronger than Teest at this moment, or else those deadly “mistakes” would have killed him on the spot.

So far, so good, and next…

Teest kissed the terrifying wound in front of him.

Countless golden threads shot towards the sky, piercing through the clouds, through the night. They accurately connected to a vulnerability at the edge of the sky—the marks they had left during their last moon exploration.

In the next second, the threads ignited with blue fire.

They pierced through the shell, through the membrane protecting the “moon’s eyeball”. In an instant, those golden threads connected Nol with the essence of Star Stealer Sol.

Star Stealer Sol would soon notice something amiss, but it didn’t matter. A moment was all they needed.

Initially, Nol had considered using Star Stealer Sol as the living sacrifice. The problem was the time it took to heal Teest; if he had connected to Star Stealer Sol from the start, Star Stealer Sol would have noticed something wrong.

But that didn’t mean there were no other methods—

In the end, a living sacrifice was just a container for mistakes. As long as some unfortunate soul took the damage, it was fine. The system didn’t limit switching. “Beating the drums and passing the flower*” should work.

*It’s an idiom referring to a situation where people are trying to avoid taking responsibility/blame and passing it on to another person (AKA passing the buck). It comes from a Chinese game where a group of people sit in a circle with one person chosen as the “flower holder”. That person passes the flower to the person beside them, and so on, while someone beats the drums. When the music stops, whoever is holding the flower is eliminated, and the game continues until only one person remains (similar to hot potato).

Now, like a snake injecting venom, Nol transferred all the “mistakes” accumulated in his body to the essence of Star Stealer Sol.

“Three.”

After the transfer, Nol immediately reverted to his human form and was caught in Teest’s arms.

Star Stealer Sol’s main body received the “mistakes” well. This strike couldn’t really finish it off, but it was enough to inflict terrifying damage.

“Two.”

Teest kissed Nol on the cheek, and at the same time, tens of thousands of golden threads broke simultaneously, burning fiercely.

Star Stealer Sol’s consciousness was on Enbillick, and by this time, Bissus City should have been sealed by Drake. Even if Star Stealer Sol noticed something was wrong with its main body, there would still be a lag in its reaction time.

“One.”

Nol hooked his arms around Teest’s neck for one last kiss before the battle.

The tip of his tongue was still numb from the intense pain, and he tasted only a warm breath.

It seemed like everything went smoothly in Bissus City. Star Stealer Sol didn’t notice the anomaly in time.

The azure-gold flames intertwined endlessly, burning through the traces Nol had left initially. The hard shell camouflaging the sky cracked open, and the shells hiding the four moons fell towards the ocean.

Perradat’s concealment arrived almost at the same time, perfectly weakening the influence of Star Stealer Sol’s main body, allowing everyone to witness the anomaly.

“You did very well.”

Teest, holding Nol in a princess carry, tore open a space magic scroll in high spirits.

“In a life-and-death situation, of course, we have to strike hard.”

Before the words fell, the figures of the two disappeared above the sea.

……

Bissus City.

Beside Enbillick, the residents of Bissus City ran to the church to hide. The bishop and knights of the Temple of Life stayed outside, and most Players didn’t move, looking up at the eerie scene in the sky.

The quest didn’t update. The scene was too horrifying, yet the Goddess remained silent. They weren’t sure if this was an actual attack or just a “patch” as a prelude to the quest.

The four ugly “moons” connected by twisted, rope-like flesh strips looked both like nooses and mutated, wrinkled umbilical cords. At the crack in the sky, its slimy, viscous surface kept swelling with pus, then bursting with a powder-purple liquid. The thing twitched non-stop, and as it struggled unconsciously, the crack in the night sky became more evident.

The elite members of the Saints Guild present all recognized these four damn moons.

…Absolutely, those were the strange moons that appeared with the birth of the new Demon King.

The moment he saw the moons, Enbillick finally realized the problem. His main body was injured, severely injured—his connection with his main body had been blocked by a protective shield, and the enemy took the opportunity to attack his main body!

Enbillick summoned the system in horror, checking his status. God knew what those two did, but with just one hit, his HP dropped by 30%.

30%!

Even in the war of the two gods two hundred years ago, he had never been so severely wounded. A fiery rage ignited in Enbillick’s mind instantly.

Enbillick was in a hurry to start the war for a simple reason—both Nol and Teest were growing too fast. Given time, they would only become stronger.

Enbillick was quite certain that, up to this point, those two’s strength was still not as good as his. He had even confirmed this with the system’s stats panel. But Enbillick still handled everything cautiously and wasn’t overconfident.

He had hoped to win quickly and beautifully, but now he had suffered such humiliation.

Indeed, he should have killed “Xu Yue” cleanly from the beginning!

No.

He could no longer be passive. He had to force those two out, not let them continue attacking his main body…

Yes, facing such crazy opponents, maybe he should have been more brutal from the start. For example, start a conspicuous massacre here.

Crack!

Under everyone’s gaze, the monster in the sky moved. Those four ugly eyeballs trembled non-stop, and a beam of black and red light bombarded the city’s magical protective shield—Mr. Drake’s protective shield naturally couldn’t withstand the hand of a god, and it instantly shattered and dissipated.

Another beam of light struck, but just as it reached the ground, it dove into a circle of blue fire. Beyond the circle of fire was the dead silence of the corner of the Endless Sea.

That fatal attack was swallowed up by the ocean.

Near the circle of fire, Drake swung his long sword, and many blue flames ignited and dissipated with his movements. This time, Enbillick saw it clearly—that was the power to break through space. That was…

“Ha!” Enbillick laughed in anger.

Was it the influence of the “God of Creation returning in a state of undead”? There seemed to be more and more undead being resurrected.

[★Main Quest “Demon Lord Subjugation” Update★]

[Emergency! There’s a breach in the city’s defenses, and darkness is invading. You failed to promptly eliminate the Demon King’s cunning scouts; thus, the quest has been altered. The invaders will soon bring the Demon King’s army. Please kill the impostor “Hero Drake” and save Bissus City from imminent danger.]

[Time Limit: Before sunrise]

[Quest Completion Conditions: Kill the target NPC; target NPC will change as the event progresses]

[Quest Reward: Divine Skill x 3; Holy Equipment Class Set x 1]

[Failure Penalty: Main quest difficulty significantly increases]

[Mission automatically accepted]

The target NPC at the forefront, strikingly, were two familiar names—

The fake “Drake”, the mad Avra.

Come, let the battle begin.

“It seems you’re really in a hurry.”

Behind Enbillick, a light voice came. “You forgot to limit the Player level. We saw it too.”

Teest’s voice was tinged with laughter. “The ‘Mad Monk’ should be the primary target.”

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 226: A New Story

“Strengthen the city defenses?”

At the moment, Enbillick was staying in the Temple’s VIP guest room, reading the latest intelligence.

His children were napping on the bed, while his wife, with her back to him, was busy arranging flowers in a vase—snip, snip. The sharp scissors cut through the flower stems, producing a fine and crisp sound.

Outside, a joint squad of Players and knights was tirelessly protecting the “Golden Sword family” day and night.

Star Stealer Sol casually crumpled up the letter, a flame completely consuming it, leaving not even ashes behind.

Just as he predicted, those two had entered the city under the name of “Hero Drake”. Indeed, he hadn’t felt the presence of Nol and Teest, presumably, [God’s Forsaken] was still effective.

The Lost Tower had disappeared without a trace before, and Teest had come into contact with the remnants of Perradat’s avatar. He thought he had reason to believe that those two people had teamed up with that useless Floating Cocoon—even if that guy’s powers were incomplete, the “concealment” ability was still troublesome.

That was why he had specifically set up this scenario, letting them walk into the trap themselves.

Whether in business or in divine battles, Enbillick always liked kind opponents—evildoers could be evil in a thousand bizarre ways, but the moral codes of good people were largely similar.

Just like now, Nol knew Bissus City was a huge trap but still had to fight on his own terms.

“Strengthening city defenses—that’s your first move.” Star Stealer Sol tapped his fingertips on the edge of the table. “Too boring.”

Since the other party chose to appear as “Drake”, they would inevitably be restricted by the identity of “Drake” as the spokesperson, unable to do anything too outrageous.

Try to seal off Bissus City, cutting off the attacks from external monsters, then make the Lost Tower appear outside the city, drawing the Players’ attention.

Those two would take advantage of the Players’ relaxed period to quickly move out and assassinate Enbillick Alva.

…Too naive.

Even the former “Mad Monk” had been collared by Nol, tamed to a laughable extent. Once the plan failed, even if he did nothing, those two would face the furious onslaught of Players.

But then again, how could he possibly do nothing?

“Darling, things outside seem to be getting worse.” Enbillick approached Avra from behind and spoke in a gentle tone. “It’s my fault. I thought it would be safe here… I shouldn’t have brought you and the children here.”

Avra adjusted the bouquet of roses—the rose petals were radiant, sparkling with a silky champagne gold. Her hair, neither long nor short, was tied back, making her appear gentle yet capable.

“Of course, it’s not your fault.” Avra’s tone was playful, slow, and clear. “The children were clamoring for a change of place, and I agreed. Given the choice, I would also choose Bissus.”

“Let’s go to the Great Temple Square for prayers every evening starting today.” Enbillick suggested in a way that sounded less like a question. “This is the land of the Temple of Life, and in these dire times, we should still show a cooperative attitude.”

Avra stopped arranging the flowers. “The square is crowded, and it’s hard to guard. The children won’t be safe.”

“That’s the Great Temple Square, the holiest of holy lands,” Enbillick continued cheerfully, his hands resting on Avra’s shoulders. “Every morning and evening, the clergy lead the people in praising God. I promise, at that moment, the Great Temple Square is the safest place in the world.”

“Alright, I trust you,” After a moment of silence, Avra responded gently.

The children slept quietly. The freshly trimmed bouquet still glistened with dew, as if it would never wilt.

Enbillick nodded contentedly. This was good. Compared to staying in the Temple’s guest room full of innocent people, a spacious place was more conducive to assassination.

He hoped those two would make good use of this opportunity.

The Golden Sword family’s reasons were too devout and righteous, and the Players and knights responsible for their protection had no complaints. The sun slowly set, and it was soon time for the first evening prayer.

The children, having woken up, clung to their mother’s skirt and walked step by step towards the Great Temple Square. They curiously observed this unfamiliar place—not many important figures lived in the Temple’s guest rooms. Most people here wore the long robes of the Temple of Life or the armor of the Evergreen Knights. Players from the Saints Guild naturally dressed to match the Temple’s style, gathering like a flock of white sheep.

By contrast, the Golden Sword family stood out like a sore thumb.

The Great Temple Square faced east and backed west, strictly designed according to the sun’s trajectory.

Morning prayers on the square faced the sunlight directly, dazzling and vibrant like dew on leaf tips. Evening prayers on the square, just as the sun sets, would pass through the statue of the Goddess of Life right in front of the Temple. The Goddess of Life held a basket entwined with vines and flowers. From the square’s perspective, the setting sun would turn into a ripe fruit falling into the basket.

The scene couldn’t be more sacred.

Enbillick glanced over the square, spotting a high-ranking archbishop coordinating the evening prayer, along with the Fifth Brigade. Eugene Malloy, fully armed, was conversing with the elderly archbishop.

Following the archbishop was “Hot Ash” from the Homeward Saints Guild. This knight had devoted himself to training recently, gaining another level of strength. Encased in sealed new armor, his facial expression was hidden.

With Hot Ash leading, a dozen or so top fighters from the Saints Guild also stood on the square. Judging by this setup, they were guarding the two important NPCs: “The Archbishop of the Temple of Life” and “Captain Eugene Malloy of the Fifth Brigade”.

A decent arrangement. Enbillick withdrew his gaze.

With Nol and Teest’s caution, they wouldn’t make their move on the first day. Today, his appearance here was just to signal them… Huh?

Somehow, beneath the giant statue of the Goddess, a figure in a tattered cloak appeared. The man stood under the Goddess’s feet, facing the slowly setting sun, raising his arms high. Before the crowd could react, a beam of golden flame shot straight into the sky.

At this moment, the sky was burning with orange-red twilight, and this beam was particularly eye-catching.

It exploded above the sky, creating ripples. The vast city seemed to be covered by an invisible, transparent dome, making Eugene frown involuntarily—this strong magical aura reminded him of the altars hidden by the Eternal Church.

Concealment and protection imbued with dragon essence.

The man’s intentions were probably good, but such actions must be approved by the Temple. Anyway, he had to be brought down first.

Eugene drew his sword and charged towards the man beneath the statue. The man didn’t dodge or hide. He simply removed his hood.

The moment Eugene saw the man’s attire, he abruptly stopped. It was Hero Drake—his clothes was exactly the same as when he was in Eternal Day City. Although there were slight changes in facial features and eye color, Eugene remembered the man’s power fluctuations. Quiet and resilient, with a subtle hint of death’s chill.

A snow-white cat circled his feet, clawing at his bootlaces. Drake nodded to Eugene, still with a stern face.

Without a doubt, that was the envoy of the Goddess of Life.

“You didn’t contact the Temple.” Eugene maintained a certain distance from Drake, performing a knight’s salute. His words carried no emotion, more stating a fact than an accusation. “With high alert everywhere, and your previous associations with Paradise, it’s better to consult the Temple first.”

“I only act on the will of God.” Drake was terse, and his voice was somewhat hoarse.

His gaze passed over Eugene’s shoulder, looking towards Enbillick Alva on the square.

Enbillick: “…Hah.”

He hadn’t expected the other party to be so rash. Was it to catch him off guard?

Those two didn’t just “strengthen the defenses”. A massive magical barrier covered the entire city, also secretly incorporating Perradat’s “concealment”, weakening the connection between his avatar and true body.

Nol’s approach was stronger than he had anticipated, evidently planning for a quick resolution.

What a pity, that won’t work.

Perradat’s strength was still insufficient. This protective barrier could only weaken the connection between the avatar and the true body, not completely sever it—this approach was akin to numbing his senses, but his body could still move.

Once the battle really starts, just breaking the dome with his true body would suffice.

Perradat might protect the Lost Tower but couldn’t make the vast Bissus sprout legs and run. Such a large target, Star Stealer Sol could find Bissus with his eyes closed.

However, now “Drake” was in excellent condition, and Enbillick had no confidence in achieving a one-strike kill. It was better to wait and see, wearing down the opponent’s strength.

Thus, Enbillick pretended to know nothing, continuing to “seriously” pray. He gathered strength, silently preparing to rewind time.

Make your move.

Beside him, Avra prayed with focus. The children, not fully understanding, followed her, crossing their fingers in a wheat-sheaf gesture.

Make your move.

Drake drew his sword. The cat at his feet stared dead at Enbillick, continuing to circle Drake’s heels like an eel.

Make your move.

Time passed, and the sky gradually darkened. The sunset fell into the Goddess’s basket. The evening prayer was about to end, and the crowd called the name of the Goddess of Life Tilia, but Drake remained motionless.

He was still conversing with Eugene. Enbillick could make out their lip movements. Eugene was discussing the Temple’s difficulties, trying to reach an agreement with the envoy. Drake responded half-heartedly, occasionally scanning the square.

…Was the other side really just scouting? This was too reckless, and not Nol’s style. At this point, Enbillick was starting to become confused.

He tensed up, ready to rewind time at the slightest sign of trouble.

The evening prayer reached its final stage. As important figures from afar, Enbillick’s family, along with other distinguished guests, stepped forward to receive a special blessing from the archbishop.

As the blessing ended, those who had come for the evening prayer were about to leave. Was the opposition planning to wait until most of the populace had left to make their move during their return journey?

Or did that person accurately predict Eugene’s approach, intending only to steal the god-slaying sword this time?

Enbillick feigned devoutness, bowing his head as the archbishop babbled blessings. With the corner of his eye, he glanced towards Drake—Drake still stood obediently in his spot, his sword never sheathed.

As night fell, perhaps due to the deepening shadows, a vague smile appeared on Drake’s face.

The next second, the magical lamps decorating the surroundings of the square lit up together.

“…The Supreme Lady Tilia will protect your family and your lineage. The glory of the Goddess is with the four of you.”

The moment the lights flashed, the archbishop skillfully concluded the blessing—such an effect was perfect, ensuring the congregation wouldn’t miss this moment.

At that moment, Enbillick suddenly felt emptiness in his body. Before he could think, a flash of silver light streaked by.

“Thank you for your blessing.”

Next to him, Avra said it with a smile. Her right hand hung down, with blood dripping down the blade of the small knife.

Her cheek splattered with blood, just like the moment not long ago when Painter slashed open his throat. Only this time, someone else had their throat slit—

Enbillick touched his own neck. He felt the hot blood and saw astonishment in the archbishop’s eyes.

Damn it.

That knife… the so-called self-defense blade, was unremarkable. It had been concealed by Perradat at some point. It couldn’t hurt him. Even if his head was severed by that knife, it would have no effect—only because his avatar’s physical strength was ordinary, to avoid suspicion, he could “get hurt” like a normal person.

His attention had been on Drake, then drawn by the emptiness in his body. He had no defenses against that lifeless woman… Such a lifeless person, making such a move, Avra didn’t even emit any killing intent.

Just like cutting off a flower branch, her smile unchanged.

The moment he touched the wound on his neck, Enbillick quickly made a judgment.

Something was very wrong—very wrong. Drake definitely had a plan, taking advantage of the avatar not receiving substantial damage, he must rewind…

Enbillick Alva was only injured, not witnessed dead. This surely wasn’t a major event. Everything could still be changed…

…Could it still be changed?

…Why did he feel resistance from fate?

For the first time, Enbillick shifted his gaze from Drake, looking towards the people beside him.

“’Avra’ isn’t my name. I inherited it from someone else. ‘Alva’ is not my surname. I inherited it from you. Our story spread across the world. That is, the story of the great merchant Enbillick Alva and a fortunate slave.”

Beside Avra, the figures of the two children disappeared. Avra lifted her blood-stained skirt and curtseyed shyly to him amidst distant and near screams.

She still held the blood-dripping blade.

“The spirits say that from this moment on, everyone will ‘see’ me, remember ‘me’.”

“Darling, our story will spread across the world. That is the story of the mad murderer Avra Alva and a pitiful victim.”

She showed him the bloodied blade, as if presenting a crimson flower.

Fate acknowledged it.

This woman was right. The timing, location, and characters were too special. Their romantic tale was widely circulated, turning this attack into a legend… Fate acknowledged this crime worthy of history.

Wait… Damn. With this…

Enbillick abruptly turned his head, suddenly understanding the real intention of the opposition. At this moment, his avatar indeed hadn’t suffered substantial damage, but he could no longer use Avra as an “exit strategy”.

From this moment on, this woman was no longer a speck of dust, but a criminal with a mad legend.

When had his plan been discovered? When did the opposition act? Why did Avra cooperate?

He had been careful to confirm every day. There were no traces of control magic on Avra, no powerful artifacts, and no special powers…

He had been so careful…

“Right.” The moment her arm was raised by the Investigation Knight, Avra still maintained her everyday tone. “Darling, the spirits asked me to tell you something.”

“They say, this is just the beginning.”

The archbishop was just a few steps away, and in the glow of the archbishop-level healing magic, Enbillick’s neck wound rapidly healed. Drake leaned against the statue, while Eugene looked up towards the sky.

As the flesh completely sealed, Enbillick instinctively looked up. The beautiful night sky cracked open before him. The four moons were no longer present, replaced by four massive, wildly tumbling eyeballs, and the vague organs exposed beyond the “rift”.

They were blocked by some force, allowing everyone to barely look directly at them. The surrounding screams grew louder, and the faithful rushed towards the Temple in disregard. Darkness spread, and cries and prayers of madness filled the air. Enbillick stood in place, the murderous intent around him growing stronger.

Fate acknowledged it.

On this night, the people of the Holy Land of Bissus looked directly at the “moon”.

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Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 225: Countdown

Several days later, at noon, at the tavern next to the inn.

Bly, as usual, was spending his time in the tavern. Suddenly, the door to the tavern opened and then closed, casting a shadow at his feet.

A man in a worn long cloak stepped in. His face was tightly concealed by a hood, revealing only a few strands of light golden hair. The man, who wore a long sword, had a large, snow-white cat perched on his shoulder.

He ordered a lavish meal and sat alone in a corner, eating slowly and attentively. It was hard to tell whether he was carefully savoring the food or trying to taste the recipes with his tongue.

The big white cat quietly stayed on his shoulder, leisurely licking its paws.

Bly took a sip of sweet wine, and a question slowly formed in his mind—since becoming a Player, he could easily distinguish those native folks weaker than himself. Even though he wasn’t outstanding among Players now, to those fragile native NPCs, he was absolutely a formidable monster.

However, he couldn’t gauge the depth of the man in the cloak, who didn’t quite seem like a Player either, radiating a subtle aura.

So far, all important NPCs had squads for special protection. To prevent Demon Players from causing trouble, Players within the city were also under the jurisdiction of the Homeward Saints Guild.

Who was this man?

Whether it was his physique or his aura, Bly felt an eerie familiarity with this person. Unfortunately, Abaddon wasn’t here. Otherwise, he could ask his drinking buddy… At a crucial moment like this, the guy was nowhere to be found.

Hm? Wait, missing at a crucial moment? Bly gradually gripped his drink tighter.

Lately, Players were all working hard to fortify Bissus, busy making it an impregnable stronghold—

Not to mention the repeated tactical training and the exaggeratedly strengthened city defenses. Everyone wished to set deadly magical devices on every street to ensure any daring monster would die within three steps. Even if the Lost Tower were to descend from the sky the next second, the Players in Bissus would still have a fighting chance.

But facing wave after wave of monster attacks, everyone’s spirits were always on edge, with even Abaddon being called away to help from time to time. Only Players “not worth mentioning” like Bly had more free time.

Having observed until now, Bly always felt something was missing in this main quest. And the moment this man appeared, he finally understood where this sense of incongruity came from—

Hero Drake.

This person had assisted Knight Eugene in Eternal Day City, participated in the ancient Demon King’s subjugation, and was personally chosen by the Goddess of Life as her envoy during the Dragon’s Lair Battle.

Now, as the main quest progressed to protecting the Holy Land of the Temple of Life, Drake’s absence was strangely conspicuous, not even listed among the important NPCs.

Initially, people mentioned “Hero Drake”, but since Drake was always linked with “Paradise” and with too many variables, there was no consensus, and the matter gradually faded.

“If the main quest really needs him to appear, he will show up on his own.” That was what everyone said.

Now, this…

Bly swallowed, picked up the most expensive bottle of wine from the table, and cautiously sat opposite the man. Drake was rumored to be a handsome young man with golden hair and eyes. Confirming it wouldn’t hurt.

The Goddess of Life had certified this man. He couldn’t be an undercover agent of the Demon King, could he…? Even if he had entanglements with Paradise, it was understandable for a main NPC’s fate to be dramatic.

“Care for a drink together? My treat.” Bly tried to sound as casual as possible.

Across from him, the man in the cloak stopped chewing and looked up for the first time.

He was a very handsome young man. Unlike the rumored golden-haired and golden-eyed Drake, his eyes were a deep-sea blue. The big cat at his side, as if startled by Bly, moved to the other shoulder.

“…Thank you.” The young man observed Bly for a while, then resumed his meal attentively.

Bly’s hand trembled as he poured the wine.

He had made the right bet!

With such a face, he was definitely an important NPC. But the eye color didn’t match the rumors? Such details weren’t important. As a magic swordsman, changing eye color was a matter of minutes for Drake.

“Excuse me.” While passing the wine, Bly lowered his voice to the lowest. “Are you Mr. Drake, the ‘Envoy of God’?”

Hearing the title “Envoy of God”, the young man paused his fork, and his lips twitched slightly. After a few seconds, he nodded silently.

“I am indeed called Drake.”

Bly swallowed. “Then you—”

“I’m here to eradicate the enemies of God.” The young man’s tone was calm yet cold, and on his shoulder, the white cat with round golden eyes meowed innocently.

……

Lost Tower.

“Are you sure it’s okay? A Player have found him, so he’ll be discovered by Star Stealer Sol soon!” Perradat anxiously nibbled on Lilith’s fingernails, causing Lynn to frown. “Maybe we should reconsider the tactics…”

“The tactics are set.” Lynn pulled her hand away from her mouth. “Haven’t you applied ‘concealment’ specifically against Star Stealer Sol? Using it to disguise [God’s Forsaken], Nol said it’s no problem.”

“But the news will reach Star Stealer Sol’s ears.”

Unable to nibble her nails, Perradat started crunching on the hard candy on her plate. “He will soon target Drake. That guy is alone, at most with Ben, that useless dog—”

Lynn: “You’re too anxious. Hasn’t Nol explained it to you?”

Coming up with such a cunning plan, the God of Creation was really led astray by someone. Lynn still remembered Nol’s expression when planning, that mischievous demeanor didn’t seem like a righteous character at all.

“Star Stealer Sol chose to use Bissus for a tower defense game. He wants to make this city his home ground, forcing me and Teest to act alone.”

In memory, Nol pointed at Bissus City on the map.

As the center of the continent, it had the richest storage and the strongest military force. Due to its religious uniqueness, if it faced any issue, neighboring great nations would definitely offer generous assistance.

As long as Enbillick stays inside without coming out, Paradise would have to attack.

So, Star Stealer Sol, under the name of tower defense, gathered Players, madly transforming the town. If Paradise’s people dared to enter the city, they would face a fully armed city and top-tier Players.

“This way, if I lead Paradise in a surprise attack, there would definitely be a large number of casualties among the neighbors. If I forcefully stay away, as the quest difficulty increases, Players will also suffer heavy losses—it’s a blatant scheme. He’s inviting me to walk into a trap alone.”

Nol expressed his confidence very clearly.

“Because he knows that, given my personality, I definitely won’t stand by and watch everyone sacrifice themselves. And if I wanted to infiltrate, there would only be one choice.”

That would be Hero Drake, who was publicly recognized by the “Goddess of Life”.

Even without Nol saying it, the people present could guess the answer.

“I understand the rationale, but how can you be one hundred percent certain?”

After hearing the plan, Perradat was the first to raise questions. “The Goddess back then was impersonated by Painter. What if that guy exposes this fact? Who will ensure Drake’s safety?”

“He won’t expose this at this juncture, just as we won’t go persuading Eugene.” Teest rolled his eyes. “Once we start talking, there will be endless explanations and self-justifications required. In the end, it may not successfully persuade them and would only bring greater chaos.”

“In Star Stealer Sol’s view, Teest and I can only play the assassination game according to his rules, on his chessboard. Without a doubt, he must have prepared countless tricks on his side.”

Nol’s voice remained gentle. “The tower defense quest torments the Players, and we are on his home turf. Just one slip in ‘Drake’s’ actions, and he would use his powers to strike lethally.”

“The appearance of Hero Drake signifies the arrival of major events in the main storyline. From the beginning, this world has followed such a rule.”

Nol’s fingertip nudged the black chess piece symbolizing Star Stealer Sol. With a tap, the piece fell onto the map. The white piece symbolizing Drake stood quietly, holding a cute short sword model.

“Moreover, since Star Stealer Sol specially set up the stage, of course, we have to respond appropriately.”

…Indeed, it signified the arrival of major events in the main storyline, rather than personally achieving major events in the main storyline.

Lynn ended her recollection, looking at Drake on the magic screen. Seeing his handsome face, she found it hard to connect him with that cursing, deficient candle.

Drake Kando.

After all, “Tahe” was a game made for Players. This hero, silent for two hundred years, had always been a harbinger of storms, a helper to Players, but not a terminator. Now, he had finally taken back his true mission—

“I’m here to eradicate the enemies of God.” Drake’s tone was firm, sounding exceptionally sincere. “This city needs more help.”

“Help?” Bly’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Yes.” Drake revealed an unskilled smile. “The defenses of Bissus City aren’t strong enough. I have a great idea.”

“Please let me assist you.”

At the same time, in the middle of the Endless Sea.

“I’m going to start now.” Nol took several deep breaths.

Teest: “Pfft.”

“…Don’t laugh!”

“I’m laughing from the bottom of my heart, honey. It shows my trust in you.” Below Nol, Teest blinked. “This scene is really interesting, don’t you think?”

At this moment, Teest was laying naked on the ice.

Above his body hovered the vast and beautiful true form of the God of Creation. Countless golden threads wrapped around the captivating dragon-like creature. Sunlight spilled down, making the surrounding sea shimmer. Only Teest lay in the shadow, looking much like a fragile sacrifice.

“Come.”

Teest opened his arms towards the giant beast above, making a pleading gesture for an embrace.

“The Great Hero is fighting for time. Let us bring down the moon together—”

Six hours left until nightfall.

The countdown had officially begun.

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