Chapter 142: The Conclusion of the Incident (Bonus chapter for 200 monthly votes)

With a long sigh, Liu Zong tucked the three cards away. He understood that nothing else would catch his eye; for him, these three items were more than enough. The Ancient Soul-Summoning Tower and the Mirage Pearl were perfect for strengthening his Mosasaur, and as for the Mission Control Table, it was the key to his profession. His future growth would depend entirely on it.

Seeing Liu Zong collect the cards, Ye Chenxi nodded with satisfaction. "Very well, then the deal has begun. I will have the subsequent resources sent to you. As for the data you need, provide me with a list, and we will find it for you in the shortest possible time."

Liu Zong offered his thanks and rose to see Ye Chenxi out. Only after the man had gone did Liu Zong let out a breath and collapse onto his bed to begin meditating.

Following his previous experience, Liu Zong’s perception of the soul fragments deep within his spirit was much clearer. He even began to faintly grasp the origin of these fragments. This time, he did not delve deeply into them but instead focused intently on the fissures within the soul fragments, examining what knowledge he was missing to make them whole.

After his meditation, Liu Zong quickly got up to record the missing pieces and verify them. He discovered that much of what was lacking was material taught only after reaching Level 1, while some of it was no longer in textbooks or had been lost for thousands of years.

After documenting everything, he did not rush to search for them. Instead, he took out his original study list and cross-referenced it with the new findings. He realized that some were derivatives of his existing knowledge, but most were entirely new foundational subjects. It was evident that beyond Level 1, the guidance of the soul fragments seemed to shift in a different direction. Although the Yin attribute remained largely unchanged, it was no longer purely necromantic. It carried an impression of the undead returning to life.

This triggered a memory. He flipped rapidly through his card binder and pulled out the purple Level 4 card, "Ancient Soul-Summoning Tower." He stared at the illustration for a long time before remarking, "Moonlight. If there were a moonlight effect, this card would turn pale gold. It seems that in ancient times, the Yin attribute encompassed not just the undead, but also the night and the moon. It’s just that the lineage has been broken, or perhaps it was reclassified."

With this thought, Liu Zong carefully put the card away and sighed again. "To think my chosen profession has such a pedigree—it might be an ancient one. But is that truly a good thing? How much of the advancement materials for an ancient profession still remain? Especially regarding bloodline conversion—if there is no bloodline, getting stuck at Level 1 would be embarrassing."

While Liu Zong contemplated his future, Yang City was in an uproar. The principal of Yang City No. 3 High School issued a direct order to place Liu Gu under confinement, citing the protection of every student's safety as the justification.

Naturally, there was logic in this. Since Liu Hanfeng’s mission had failed, wasting twenty-five years of effort and leaving him unable to enter the game for a full decade, several Level 3 players who had long been targeting him immediately attacked his Cold Wind Mercenary Group. Within moments, the core members of the group had all died more than three times in the game, barring them from entry for a year. With the core members gone, the territories and interests previously held by the Cold Wind Mercenary Group had to be redistributed, and those Level 1 players quickly abandoned the group.

Soon, the reason for Liu Hanfeng’s failure—and the secret to his rise—was exposed. There were no laws against stealing missions, but in a world dominated by gaming, where players could use their skills in the real world once they hit Level 1, things were different. Many who styled themselves as "Justiciars" smashed the Cold Wind Mercenary Group's headquarters in Yang City upon hearing the news. One Level 3 player even engaged Liu Hanfeng in a battle so fierce it nearly leveled the building.

But this was only the beginning. The next day, news broke that one of Liu Hanfeng’s most capable lieutenants had been killed. This was the first death of the incident, and it happened in the real world, not the game. The victim was a Level 3 player, a skilled Shaman who managed the group’s Shaman team and was one of the few who knew the core methods of stealing missions. He and Liu Hanfeng had started out together, earning the moniker "The Mission Duo." Had they not been lucky, they likely would have been killed off around Level 2.

It was precisely because of this history that Liu Hanfeng’s life had been difficult before founding his group; he hadn't even married, and Liu Gu was only born after Liu Hanfeng had reached Level 3 by stealing another’s mission. Since reaching Level 3, Liu Hanfeng had restrained himself, but Liu Gu lacked that temperament. Believing his father was invincible, he acted without restraint. Half of the enemies the Cold Wind Mercenary Group had made over the years were due to Liu Gu.

Previously, people gave Liu Hanfeng face because of his rapid growth and his status as the player closest to Level 4 in Yang City. But now, it was different. Liu Hanfeng was barred from the game for at least ten years, and his "True Name" mission had been taken over by others—a fact confirmed by Ye Chenxi, as the Ye family had already begun preparations to complete it. Liu Hanfeng had no chance of reaching Level 4, unless he abandoned his path to start over from Level 2 or chose a harder, similar route. Regardless, he wouldn't have another opportunity like this for a century.

Striking at Liu Hanfeng now was the best option. How could they not take revenge, given the opportunity Liu Zong had inadvertently created? Principal Wang’s "protection" of Liu Gu was simply a matter of fact; if he were released now, he would surely meet his end.