Chapter 31: Account Banned, the Wrath of the Gods!

With a single slash, Lu Ming instantly eliminated the level 12 elite magic rabbit.

In that moment, the air fell deathly silent.

Nearby, the group of people who had been sneering just a second ago were now frozen in shock. Their jaws dropped at the 4000+ damage dealt by Lu Ming, a mere support-class Array Trickster.

As they realized they had provoked a woman protected by such a top-tier powerhouse, their first reaction was sheer terror, fearing that the expert might lose his temper and slaughter them all.

"S-sorry to bother you!"
"Run! Let's go!"

Before the expert could erupt, the group scrambled away in a panic.

Lu Ming returned the Sword of the Brave, which had only been partially unsheathed, back into its scabbard. He glanced at Lin Youwei and said, "You aren't cut out for the Abyss. Go back to the real world and find a job."

As Lu Ming turned to leave, Lin Youwei suddenly whispered something that made his heart skip a beat. "But if I can't reach level 200 within five years, even if I return to the real world, I will still face the penalty of death..."

Lu Ming was stunned. Reach level 200 within five years...

"Isn't this the 'Scroll of Deification' quest I received in my past life?!"

Lu Ming turned to Lin Youwei and said, "Open your account panel and let me see."

Lin Youwei nodded and brought up a translucent interface:

[Account: 340822***]
[Account Potential: ★]
[Account Talent: Drop Rate Boost (Increases kill loot drop rate by 10%)]
[Account Ban - Wrath of the Gods: As the price for offending the gods, you are suppressed by divine fury. You must reach level 200 before the ban expires, or you will face account permanent suspension and character death.]
[Account Ban Time: 1792 days]

Seeing this, Lu Ming was shaken once again. His own account in his previous life had suffered a similar restriction:

[Account Ban - Ill-Fated: As the price for encountering the God of Luck, you have lost all your fortune. You must reach level 200 before the ban expires, or you will face account permanent suspension and character death...]

At first, it had just been a desperate struggle to survive. But later, Lu Ming discovered that lifting the ban not only saved his life but also rewarded him with the Scroll of Deification!

Back then, Lu Ming realized he had triggered this opportunity because he was the 99,999,999,999th player to register an Abyss account.

Lu Ming asked Lin Youwei, "What did you do before entering the Abyss?"

Lin Youwei shook her head, looking lost. "I don't know, I didn't do anything..."

Never mind. How she triggered the "Wrath of the Gods" was no longer important. The most crucial realization was this: since Lu Ming had once cleared his own account ban and obtained the Scroll of Deification, Lin Youwei would surely receive the same reward once her ban was lifted!

That was an item capable of evolving any account's potential to ten stars!

At this thought, Lu Ming’s heart raced. Having experienced the sheer, god-like power of a ten-star potential account for just one day, he knew the Scroll of Deification was a priceless treasure.

Looking at Lin Youwei—who had just lost her only brother, been evicted by her landlord, was penniless, and had nearly been swindled—a "Girl Cultivation Plan" immediately took shape in Lu Ming’s mind.

Once he raised her to level 200 and secured that Scroll of Deification, it would be a massive windfall. He could then grant his own secondary account a ten-star potential rating! Imagine the thrill of alternating between two ten-star accounts with different talents.

Lin Youwei seemed to realize she was nothing but a useless burden in Lu Ming’s eyes, so she didn't pester him further. "I... I will definitely find a way to pay you back for that money as soon as I can!"

She turned to leave, but Lu Ming called her back. "Forget it. Just follow me. I’ll help you level up."

Lin Youwei froze. She turned around, looking at Lu Ming in disbelief. Unaware of the immense value of her "Wrath of the Gods" and believing herself to be nothing but a calamity, her mind raced.

*Brother Youming... he agreed to help me level up? He must be pitying me because I'm pathetic... No matter what, Lin Youwei, you must work hard! You have to prove yourself and never let Brother Youming think you're a burden!*

"Thank you, Brother Youming!" Lin Youwei said, her voice filled with gratitude.

In that moment, Lu Ming suddenly felt he understood Ye Ling'er. Ye Ling'er had approached him for the Scroll of Deification, and now, he was approaching Lin Youwei for the same reason. The situation was strikingly similar.

The difference was that Lu Ming had always relied on his own efforts to level up, while Ye Ling'er had simply sat back and reaped the rewards. Just as Lu Ming was about to reach the pinnacle, she had shoved him into the abyss, attempting to steal everything he had built.

As for Lin Youwei, without his help, she had no hope of reaching level 200 in five years; only death awaited her. By using her life as the exchange, Lu Ming felt his conscience was clear.

They set off together toward the Phantom Demon Tower. Along the way, Lin Youwei followed silently behind him. Following the map’s guidance, they soon saw a towering black pagoda piercing the clouds.

The Phantom Demon Tower was the most iconic landmark in the second heaven of the Abyss. It was popular with everyone, and those who had been there praised it highly. Not only was it a great place to level up, but for professional gold-farming players, it was a gold mine. If one were strong enough, they could level from 10 all the way to 50 inside the tower, clearing the entire second heaven.

This was exactly what Lu Ming needed. He quickened his pace.

Upon arriving at the entrance, he found a large crowd gathered, the atmosphere electric. Lu Ming didn't intend to get involved, but the entrance was completely blocked. Pushing through the crowd, he saw that countless players had formed a large circle. Inside, players from two different guilds were engaged in a PK tournament on a virtual arena.

The fighters on stage were going all-out, and the crowd was roaring with excitement. It was a heated, high-stakes scene. As Lu Ming entered, a match concluded.

[Ding~ The PK match concludes. "Godslayer, Night" (Level 25, 3rd-tier Warrior) wins two rounds; "Tianxuan, Little Blade" (Level 25, 3rd-tier Assassin) wins one round. Final Result: "Godslayer, Night" wins 2:1!]