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Shen pondered the matter for a moment before slowly saying, “Surely, you did not forget how our attempt failed in the past? As you said before, the new Zero City was built by you and the current GM. More, he has become the main controller of the new Zero City. If the Development Team could lock down on Taiyi’s location to have the refresh begin from inside Thirty-three Heavens in the past, they will be able to do the same thing now.”

“I’ve already found an alternative.” Chen Xiaolian smiled. “You should still remember… the little boy you encountered back when you attacked Zero City, don’t you?”

“Adam?” Shen raised his brows. “Of course. It’s thanks to him that I was able to re-enter the Longevity Palace.”

“Before the Oddity’s extraction and the collapse of Zero City, I had teleported out all the living beings inside, except for you guys. Naturally, that includes Adam.” There was a confident smile on Chen Xiaolian’s face.

“Although those resident guilds in Zero City did not possess any authority, let alone make contact with the Oddity, they were able to, hmm… through a rather roundabout method, find some ways to control Zero City.

“Adam is not just a simple AI. Rather, he is a virtual living being created by the researchers of the resident guilds by using the facilities in Zero City that they have access to. I do not know the specific technical details myself, but, generally speaking, he can be considered as a simplified version of the GM that can control a certain limited number of Zero City’s functions.”

“Naturally, I understand that.” Shen nodded.

“Thus, after returning, I found Adam and brought him back to the new Zero City. Even though the GM is the one who is currently in charge of controlling Zero City, I have been asking him to teach Adam how to manage all the functions within Zero City. We’re also trying to integrate Adam with the new Zero City’s interfaces.”

“In other words, you plan on abandoning your partner after accomplishing your goal? Does the GM know?” Shen cast a deep stare at Chen Xiaolian.

“He knows.” Chen Xiaolian smiled confidently.

“If I could not resolve this issue, would I have the confidence to try and convince you? Before the refresh comes, I will make a copy of his code and store them inside the Oddity. Once the refresh is over, I will restore him using the code. He has already accepted this plan.”

Immediately after Chen Xiaolian said that, a powerful tremor shook the ground beneath him.

The two of them had been chatting on a street corner where passers-by would occasionally walk pass them. Following the earthquake, however, a good number of buildings began shaking; some even collapsed. Suddenly, the passers-by around them disappeared without a trace.

Chen Xiaolian raised his head and saw the white acropolis on the distant rocky outcrop collapsing slowly.

At the same time, the two of them also received a prompt stating that the instance dungeon had entered the second phase.

[A Player has completed the first phase of the quest. Now opening the entrance to the Sanctuary. The instance dungeon is now in the second phase. Quest objective: Defeat all the guardians and pass through the twelve temples.]

“The Sanctuary? The twelve temples? This instance dungeon is interesting.” Chen Xiaolian turned to look at the distant Acropolis again. After the collapse of the Acropolis, a new group of buildings slowly rose up from the same spot, stretching from the peak of the rocky outcrop all the way down to the foot of the rocky hill.

Similar to the original ruins of the Acropolis, the new group of buildings was also made from pure white marble. However, the size of the buildings was far greater compared to that of the original temple. Supported by hundreds of pillars, twelve massive temples could be seen starting from the foot of the hill all the way up to the peak.

Chen Xiaolian looked at the top part of the entrance for the first temple. There was an Aries sign carved as a relief there.

Earlier, he had casually turned off the description prompt, ignoring the background story of this instance dungeon.

But looking at the current situation.

Surely, there aren’t twelve Gold Saints inside, right?

Still, Chen Xiaolian only wanted to have a chat with Shen. Due to that, he had asked the GM to find an instance dungeon with the closest opening time. No matter how interesting the instance dungeon may be, this was not the time to investigate.

Furthermore, for the current Chen Xiaolian, the rewards from an instance dungeon – no matter how high-grade it may be – were no longer good enough for him.

“Copy a GM’s code? Store them in the Oddity?” Shen ignored the changes around them. Instead, he frowned. “What kind of joke is that? Not even I can do something like that.”

“I can.” Chen Xiaolian turned back and cast a calm look at Shen.

“Because… I know more secrets. Secrets regarding this world’s… fundamental nature.”

Shen and Chen Xiaolian looked at each other for a moment, but from the beginning to the end, all Shen could glean from Chen Xiaolian’s eyes were waterlike tranquillity.

“What is it?”

Chen Xiaolian shook his head. “Right now, I still cannot tell you about it.”

“What’s the meaning of this?” Shen frowned slightly and there was a somewhat displeased expression on his face. “You said you wanted to meet me inside an instance dungeon. Here I am. And now… you’re telling me that you can’t tell me? Are you trying to make sport of me here?”

“Because this place is still not absolutely safe.” There were both seriousness and sincerity on Chen Xiaolian’s face.

“What I discovered… is too monumental. I cannot leave even the smallest possibility that the Development Team might find out to exist.”

“Alright. Let’s not talk about that for now.” Shen narrowed his eyes, which he trained upon Chen Xiaolian, as he waved his hand. “Another question. Even if you can guarantee that the new Zero City will not be affected by the refresh, this still cannot resolve the problem in the end. The refreshes will continue, the Development Team will continue to exist and the Awakened ones of this world will still be forced into instance dungeons. Unless you plan on having everyone stay in the new Zero City from now on, but is that possible?”

“I… may have a solution,” Chen Xiaolian said seriously.

“May?” Shen frowned again. “What is the solution?”

Chen Xiaolian shook his head. “I also cannot talk about it here.”

“Oh? And where will you be able to talk about it?” Shen snorted.

“New Zero City. That is the only place that the Development Team absolutely cannot monitor. You guys built Thirty-three Heavens in the past. You should know all too well about this.”

“You said it before. You dare not allow me to enter the new Zero City,” Shen replied coolly.

“Yes. That’s where the problem lies. And so… I need you to guarantee it.” Chen Xiaolian sighed.

“Guarantee what?”

Chen Xiaolian looked at Shen with piercing eyes, every word spoken clearly. “Right now, completely give up on your plan and promise that you will never try to snatch away the Oddity.”

“Even if I do make that promise, will you believe me?” Shen raised his brows.

“Are you not afraid that, when the time comes, I’ll go back on my words and snatch the Oddity away? Given your current level of strength, you cannot stop me.”

“As long as you make that promise, I’ll believe you.” Chen Xiaolian nodded solemnly. “With your character, you will not stoop as low as to lie to me.”

Shen fell silent. He stared at Chen Xiaolian, his gaze growing increasingly commanding.

After a while, he said slowly, “And how am I supposed to believe that after I enter the new Zero City, I will be able to get a satisfactory answer?”

“I have no other options.” Chen Xiaolian shrugged his shoulders.

“I can only tell you about those things after entering the new Zero City. Before you make that promise, there is no way I would let you in.”

“You want me to take a gamble? That you are not playing tricks on me?”

“Am I not taking a gamble now?” Chen Xiaolian smiled.

There was a slight frown on Shen’s face. Slowly, he closed his eyes.

Chen Xiaolian stayed silent.

All he did was look at Shen quietly, waiting for the final answer.

He believed. Once Shen knew of the entire truth, he would not stubbornly insist on his plan.

The things he saw inside the other pair of wings was simply too shocking.

And yet, those things must never be revealed ‘outside’.

Even if the dangerous situation was a one in ten million, Chen Xiaolian dared not take the risk.

Time ticked by, but Shen continued to close his eyes as he pondered.

Finally, as Chen Xiaolian was about to lose his patience, Shen finally opened his eyes.

The decision… has finally been made!

Everything could be resolved smoothly so long as Shen agree to it.

“I’m sorry, Chen Xiaolian…”

The moment Chen Xiaolian heard the first few words that Shen uttered, his heart abruptly sank.

Shen sighed softly.

“There is no way I could make a reckless promise while not knowing the whole situation. I also do not want to casually lie to you to make you bring me into the new Zero City. I am already 99% there. This is the final step. As long as I can get my hands on the Oddity, this world will forever be free from the Development Team’s control. As for your plan… it’s just a maybe. Rather, you yourself cannot be certain if it could succeed. How do you expect me to believe you?”

“You… are you really unwilling to take this gamble?” Chen Xiaolian was still trying, a final attempt to turn the situation around.

“I would rather believe in myself, in the things that I can control.” Shen shook his head. “Pinning my hopes on an illusory maybe is not the way I do things.”

Chen Xiaolian took a deep breath. “When you put it that way… negotiations have failed?”

“Yes.” Shen nodded.

“Then, there’s nothing else to talk about. Bye, bye. See you next time.”

Chen Xiaolian shrugged. Right after he said that, however, the look on his face changed.

Originally, he should have been capable of – through his own authority – jump out of the instance dungeon at any moment. After saying goodbye, he had made to leave.

However, the command he issued was like a clay figurine thrown into the sea, incapable of doing anything at all.

Just a moment ago, the entire instance dungeon had been sealed off.

The only one capable of such a feat, was Shen!

“Shen… even if a deal falls through, integrity remains.” Chen Xiaolian stared right at Shen. “I came to find you at my own initiative. Even if negotiations have broken down, you cannot take action here.”

“If not here, then where?” Shen’s face remained indifferent. “If I let you run away just like this, where should I go to find you in the future? You are the one who came looking for me on your own. I never promised not to take action today.”

“I’ve already told you, the Oddity is not on me!”

“There’s no need for you to tell me that.” Shen smiled.

“Since you’ve used it to build the new Zero City, the Oddity is surely not on you. However… I believe that there must be an access ID code for the new Zero City in you. As long as I can rip it out, I’ll be able to enter, am I right?”

Right after saying that, Shen’s right index finger abruptly moved and a beam of golden light flew towards Chen Xiaolian.

“Damn it! You bitch… you’re really just going to snatch it?!”

Chen Xiaolian gritted his teeth, swiftly moving backwards. He had already brought out the Flash Bow of Ketu-Rahu. Pieces of armour moved across his body as the Moonless Fivefold Light Armor encased his whole body.

The golden beam of light was only halfway through when a ripple spread out around Chen Xiaolian. Upon entering the space of the ripple, the speed of the golden beam of light suddenly slowed. It became like a falling ball of iron – dropped from a high altitude – that had fallen into water.

Shen’s eyes suddenly focused. He watched as Chen Xiaolian turned his body and pulled the bow. He pulled the Flash Bow of Ketu-Rahu all the way and an arrow, condensed into tangible form, appeared upon the bow. Next, it flew towards the golden beam of light that Shen had fired out.

Boom!

The arrow and the golden beam of light collided and a powerful wave of energy erupted as a result, flattening the surrounding buildings. Amidst the stones and pieces of gravel that were flying about haphazardly, Chen Xiaolian exerted his all to stabilize himself so as to not be blown away.

“Snatch? That was originally mine.” Shen harrumphed. Next, he stretched his hand forward. With a light tug, Chen Xiaolian appeared before him.

“Give my Oddity… back!”

Shen had not moved from his spot and neither did Chen Xiaolian. And yet, that move from Shen had cut away the large space between the two, causing Chen Xiaolian to appear before Shen.

“Damn it”

Taking a deep breath, Chen Xiaolian swiftly swung the Flash Bow of Ketu-Rahu. The blade at the edge of the bow moved to meet Shen’s palm.

When Shen’s palm was about to make contact with the blade, however, the palm suddenly twisted its movements through several angles and moved towards Chen Xiaolian’s chest.

This move was something that he had used before back in Room Zero. By making use of the laws of space as he was making his move, he could change where his attacks would land.

Chen Xiaolian was in a tense state. Instantly, he plucked the bowstring. Similar to Shen’s move, the Flash Bow of Ketu-Rahu became like a ray of light that was refracted upon entering water and turned to once again move towards Shen’s palm.

Bang!

Chen Xiaolian held the Flash Bow of Ketu-Rahu tightly as Shen’s palm struck it hard. A force travelled through the bow into every part of his body and he felt a dull sensation of pain in his chest. He then heard an “oh” sound.

“The rate at which you’re becoming stronger exceeded my expectations!”

After unleashing the punch, Shen did not give chase. Instead, he looked at Chen Xiaolian, a slight look of surprise on his face. “Just now, I was worried that I would accidentally kill you. So, I only used 30% of my strength. To think that you would be able to endure it.”

“After three days of separation… you should not view the other party the same way anymore!”

Chen Xiaolian stabilized himself. A trace of blood could be seen trickling down the corner of his mouth.

“If so… you’ll have to be careful. I don’t particularly want to kill you, but I also won’t feel too sorry if I end up making a mistake.”

Shen said coolly. Before he was even finished, however, he had already re-appeared in front of Chen Xiaolian.

“Wait! Listen to me!”

Chen Xiaolian growled, causing his throat to go hoarse. The blades of the bow spun around him to create a ball of wind. “What are the consequences of us two fighting inside an instance dungeon?! Do you not understand?!”

“What consequences?”

The blades from the bow were practically covering every part of Chen Xiaolian’s body with their spin, but a finger jab from Shen managed to seemingly just ignore Chen Xiaolian’s defensive measures. In a position where there should’ve been no blind spot, the finger found a blind spot and tapped Chen Xiaolian in the chest.

The Moonless Fivefold Light Armour burst with light only to immediately turn dim. As for Chen Xiaolian, he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Shen’s finger had pierced right through the Moonless Fivefold Light Armour, leaving a bloody hole on Chen Xiaolian’s chest.

“Damn it! The clash between powers like ours is not something that the ordinary Players and Awakened ones could accomplish! The Development Team will most likely notice that something abnormal is happening in this instance dungeon!” Chen Xiaolian roared.

“What do we do if they find us?!”

“So what? After I obtain the Oddity, they will no longer be able to do anything to this world,” Shen responded with a disdainful smile.

“You have two choices.

“First, be beaten to the point where you willingly bring me to Zero City and return the Oddity to me.

“Second, I kill you and then get the access code to enter Zero City from your body and take action to snatch it myself!”

Shen raised a finger, blood slowly dripping from its tip.

“You… what is your choice?”

1 After three days of separation… you should not view the other party the same way anymore. Raw: ‘士别三日,当刮目相看’; pinyin: ‘Shì bié sān rì, dāng guā mù xiāng kàn’. A saying that meant: Even after a few days of separation, even if the other party has only improved slightly, you should not look at them the same way you used to in the past.