Chapter 983: Chapter 983
The towering waves rolled and erupted.
The traveler landed heavily back into the [Furnace], the surging flames shot up hundreds of meters, the fragmented splashes hitting the Steel Cliff, extinguished, burning with scorching smoke.
On the cliff, the previously lively environment suddenly fell silent.
The Northern Continent Nobles, who were joking and laughing, all looked ashen, their expressions ugly, several of them trembling like a sieve, couldn’t even stand with support... This wasn’t because their courage was too small.
It was the "divine" pressure that was too strong, even though the traveler hadn’t transmitted even a strand of spirit, just a momentary eye contact was enough to make mundane people kneel!
"Now... do you still want to go down?"
The deputy director in a lab coat, hands in pockets, slowly walked out, his face showing no panic, as the "unexpected situation" just now had already happened when forcing the traveler into the [Furnace].
He calmly asked, "If any of the distinguished guests still would like to go down for a ’close look’, I can apply for authority, but the protective measures below are far less safe than here..."
No one proposed to go down for a look.
The nobles could no longer laugh, their faces grey, knowing they had lost face, several stood up to excuse themselves and left... As for the remaining research results, no one wanted to look further, they just directly left the venue.
Go down to have a look?
If they kept looking... they’d lose face entirely!
"Mr. Deputy Director... I have something to discuss with you."
On the side, Lu Zhe took a deep breath, glancing with residual fear at the underground furnace, after suppressing the shock in his heart, he slowly floated to the deputy director’s side.
The two went to a corner together.
Lu Zhe asked quietly, "Does a situation like just now often occur?"
The deputy director thought for a moment after hearing.
His peripheral view glanced at Lu Zhe, then at Fisher above the aquarium, and the blond dwarf Zhong Yuan.
If guessed correctly, these three should be the strongest captains in the restart task.
Their response speed was the fastest, and their courage was the greatest!
Facing the impact and pressure brought by the "traveler", these three captains dared to stand out!
The deputy director said meaningfully, "In fact, the traveler has become much more stable over these two days. He only struggled intensely several times when first thrown into the [Furnace]... We were originally prepared for prolonged combat, but his several attempts to break the [Furnace] ended in failure, then he curled up in resistance. That’s why we had tonight’s banquet showcase session."
Lu Zhe nodded, expressing understanding.
If the "traveler" was extremely unstable, the Underground Research Institute likely wouldn’t have sent the invitation.
Lu Zhe muttered, "Why do I feel, when the traveler fell, it seemed like he was smiling?" Thɪs chapter is updated by novel[f]ire.net
The deputy director was stunned.
"When the traveler leapt out of the magma, he stirred up a large amount of hot mist, at that time he was in the observation station, far away from the Steel Cliff, all the [Heavenly Eyes] were obscured by the mist... As for ’eye contact’, apart from the captain-level experts, who dared to gaze at the ’traveler’, everyone else without exception, all stumbled in fright.
This information was somewhat unsettling.
"Captain Lu, do you mean, the traveler showed a smile... is that right?"
Just imagining that blood-fire covered bronze face, showing a smile, the deputy director felt a chill in his heart, so he carefully confirmed by asking.
Lu Zhe’s voice was uncertain, "Or maybe... did I see it wrong?"
He felt it was likely his own illusion.
"Regardless, it should be noted."
Lu Zhe took a deep breath, said, "Please record this matter into the dossier, and report it... ’Traveler’ is a Divine Level Creature with extremely high intelligence, its current situation may not be as stable as imagined, the research institute must be careful in the work ahead."
The deputy director said solemnly, "Thank you for the reminder."
Lu Zhe shook his head, "It’s nothing... Thank you for your hard work."
On Steel Cliff, the waves rolled.
Gu Shen slowly recovered from a state of distraction.
He had been in a trance for nearly a minute.
When the "traveler" leapt out of the furnace, that vast heat wave nearly engulfed him, apart from those three captains, he was one of the Transcendent standing closest... And another was Mu Wanqiu!
A terrifying thought emerged in his mind.
That jump by the traveler was for him!
It "set its sights" on him!
This thought, once appeared, couldn’t be controlled... it spread through Gu Shen’s mind.
He actually felt a bit of trepidation!
Thinking carefully... ever since breaking through the Old World’s gate, the traveler’s target seemed quite clear!
It has always been him!
Gu Shen’s expression was complex, looking at the flames rolling in the furnace core, he quickly shook his head, wondering what was wrong with himself? This big guy was obviously already thrown into the [Furnace] by the Empress, why was he still so worried, could it be fear of the traveler jumping out to eat him?
Activating "Spring Breathing", Gu Shen calmed his Heart Lake.
Beside his ear, a slightly trembling voice came.
"So, did you... feel it too?"
That was Mu Wanqiu’s voice.
In the recent upheaval, Mu Wanqiu, like Gu Shen, was almost at the forefront!
Gu Shen slightly turned his head and saw Mu Wanqiu, whose face was equally pale. She spoke in a mental transmission, her voice sounding somewhat hoarse: "I think... I might have been targeted by that thing."
Gu Shen was silent for two seconds, then calmly said: "Don’t worry, he can’t come out."
Indeed, the traveler can’t come out.
If this guy’s real target was himself, then with great skill, he should have already acted in the Disaster Realm.
Now thrown into the "furnace", it is truly a case of "no chance to turn the tide"!
After the recent upheaval, Mu Wanqiu’s spirit was somewhat dazed, but she quickly regained her composure and asked puzzledly: "I don’t understand, is this an illusion, or... has he truly targeted us?"
The traveler targeted the Netherworld King and the Transcendents tainted with the Netherworld King’s aura.
This was the first answer that surfaced in Gu Shen’s mind.
Yet... upon reconsideration, he felt something was off.
The traveler targeting him was reasonable. After all, he controlled the Netherworld Fire and was a successor of the former "Netherworld King" who deceived ancient humans... But targeting Mu Wanqiu was truly inappropriate; she had not yet accepted the power of the Netherworld Fire, merely traveling alongside him.
The scene of the Nether River reappeared in his mind.
Gu Shen recalled the traveler’s still image of stooping to gaze at him—
Showing a "smile"... more than once.
Previously in the Netherworld Palace, it showed a familiar smile!
So, is there a possibility that its "smile" wasn’t because it saw him or Mu Wanqiu?
But rather because...
It saw the "black gemstone" inlaid on the traveler’s stone carving!
At this moment, Gu Shen’s deeply buried doubts and difficulties about exploring the Disaster Realm were all linked together, leading to a chilling suspicion—
Transactions between deities always require some kind of "token".
And this black gemstone was the token!
On one hand, it gathered the power of the Netherworld King; on the other, it stored the traveler’s Divine Thought.
After the transaction was completed, this black gemstone was embedded in the divine statue, serving as the balance scale in the trade, allowing the traveler to view the Netherworld Palace through the gemstone, while the Netherworld King could use the gemstone to control the relics.
In truth, both parties in the transaction harbored ulterior motives.
The traveler’s initial plan was to use the power of the divine statue to destroy the palace and kill all the souls raised by the Netherworld King, thereby achieving the descent and fulfilling the cleanup and extermination... The greatest reliance they could depend on was this divine statue with a black stone embedded in its brow, serving not only as the bargaining chip in the deal but also as the clearest coordinate the Traveler Clan could obtain in the "Old World"!
Realizing this made Gu Shen break out in cold sweat.
So... was the Netherworld King’s mental poison hidden within the "black stone" not intended for outsiders?
But rather... aimed at the traveler upon its arrival!
He could almost envision the scene after both sides’ plans were successfully implemented—the traveler descends, the Netherworld Palace is emptied, countless lost souls are swept away by the divine statue, and then massive bone-winged creatures fill the entire Disaster Realm.
Just as the traveler is about to break out of the Nether River.
The "river poison" left by the Netherworld King would explosively erupt... On the brow of this divine statue, the Netherworld King has laid the most fatal strike, ensuring all participants must perish!
That black gemstone, symbolic of the source of the Nether River’s mental poison... is now contained within Gu Shen’s "Pure Land Domain".
If there’s no accident.
There might still be a trace of the traveler’s "Divine Thought" lurking within!
This, is the reason the traveler has been "staring" at him?
Gu Shen felt the "madness" in this game between the two sides.
Unfortunately, in this deadly gamble, the fiercest player is not the traveler.
But... the Netherworld King!
After such a farce, the banquet and tour were disrupted.
The guests left one after another.
After all, no one knew when the traveler’s next outburst would occur...
The Underground Research Institute did not attempt to retain them.
Everyone collectively took the "Earth Core Secret Stairs", ascending together to the top of the Floating Building, where a fleet of Floating Boats awaited. Those receiving invitations for today’s banquet were either affluent or noble.
Just as everyone prepared to leave, "Boom!"
A dull explosion suddenly burst forth in the night sky above Central City!
It was a burst of fireworks.
Carried by the wind, it soared to the peak, burning everything at its highest point, scattering magnificently.
The embers from this burst of fireworks fluttered down.
Falling in the night.
The Northern Continent Nobles gradually averted their gaze with the scattering ashes of the fireworks. Only then did they realize... that someone was already "waiting" at the rooftop of the Floating Building.
A group of people stood silently in the darkness atop the Floating Building.
They emitted a faint light, their grayish-white linen robes fluttering gently in the evening breeze.
The leader, clad in red armor, gripped a long sword with both hands.
Light City, Holy Judges.