Chapter 302: Chapter 302: Time Acceleration, The World's Rules Rewritten!
"Lu Ce..."
Xie Antong whispered softly, unsure whether the arrogance-infused mask still allowed him enough rationality to only engage when truly capable. Had that previous state really been within his abilities?
"What did you say?" The princess beside her turned her head in confusion, unable to comprehend why this woman had suddenly started murmuring so quietly.
"Nothing." Xie Antong didn't have time to look at her now. With a wave of her hand, the buzzing sound of the All-Seeing Eye operating at overload capacity filled the surrounding air as it attempted to charge into the central beam of light.
Yet an invisible energy barrier seemed to exist there - even when disregarding potential damage and forcing its way forward, the All-Seeing Eye couldn't penetrate it at all. That seemingly harmless light at the room's center undoubtedly contained unimaginable power.
Just from preliminary external data analysis, cold sweat had already begun forming on Xie Antong's forehead. Moreover, the surreal phenomenon outside where half the sky remained daylight while the other half turned to night completely baffled her.
"Wait..." Suddenly remembering something, she leapt off the bed and shouted toward the glowing mass: "Use that needle! Can you hear me? Isn't my Death's Door still in your hands? Use that thing!"
But no sound emerged from the glowing mass, which pulsed with energy as if brewing something within. Xie Antong instinctively stepped forward, only to be immediately pulled back by the princess behind her.
"Stay away from there!" The haggard princess sat up, staring incredulously out the window at the divided day and night skies, her expression equally shocked. That man could actually achieve this level...
"I don't know either, but I think we should leave first... As for him, we'll see what capabilities he truly possesses... Reckless arrogance inevitably meets its end eventually." Despite her words, the princess remained thoroughly stunned by the scene before her.
Attempting to drag Xie Antong out, she found her momentarily immovable. Xie Antong decisively injected herself with something to maintain calmness, then mentally reviewed her extensive inventory for anything that might resolve the situation. Yet her current possessions seemed pitifully inadequate when facing something of "divine" caliber.
"Go! What? Have you lost your senses too? If he's truly courting death, you can't help anyway." The princess's mind was unusually clear now, her speech completely different from her previous mentally unstable state.
Xie Antong: ...
With rationality restored, she had to admit the truth in those words - her presence here made little difference from just leaving the All-Seeing Eye behind. But at that precise moment, the room's light suddenly dimmed!
The central glow weakened as if its energy were being absorbed. "Move now!" The princess immediately retreated as if anticipating an explosion.
Yet almost simultaneously, Xie Antong's brow furrowed as the All-Seeing Eye's data indicated the energy was draining away like floodwaters through a broken dam! What was happening?
Just then, a notification sounded through her game interface:
[Game world experiencing dimensional instability, all game rules undergoing reverse modification.]
[Game time accelerated by twelve hours!]
As the announcement concluded, the opposing day and night skies outside violently collided, their colors mixing like paint palettes being twisted together. In an instant, all chaos ceased, leaving only a starry night sky. Time had jumped straight from noon to midnight - twelve hours skipped in a blink.
Witnessing this divine spectacle left the princess dumbstruck, her mouth slightly agape as she stared out the window. Xie Antong meanwhile kept her gaze fixed on the gradually dissipating light sphere, her chest heaving violently before finally releasing a long exhale and closing her eyes as if relieved of some great worry.
"Rather interesting." The light converged at its central point as if completely absorbed, revealing once more that golden figure accompanied by triumphant laughter.
His golden cape billowed without wind, the golden mask now making him appear like a being stepped straight from myth. His weapon-wielding hands dripped with fresh blood that flowed down onto the stone beneath.
Crack! The massive stone emitted shattering sounds as fissures instantly spread across its surface. Yet despite appearing severely damaged, even when Lu Ce exerted more force, the weapon remained stubbornly lodged.
"This thing... feels quite good..." He turned to look at Xie Antong. "Any other predictions? Care to elaborate more?"
Seeing him unharmed yet uncertain how he'd managed it, Xie Antong took a deep breath and walked directly toward him without reply. Looking up at his perch on the giant stone, she demanded: "Return it."
"Huh?" Lu Ce feigned ignorance.
"Death's Door."
"Why suddenly so urgent about repayment? What's yours in my possession should rightfully be considered mine, no?"
"If you won't return it, then use it now." Xie Antong stated impassively.
Lu Ce: ?
Before he could refuse, she continued: "Arrogance doesn't equate to stupidity - though sometimes it's a component. But deliberately not using something due to arrogance? That's pure stupidity."
Before Lu Ce could respond, the live chat exploded first:
[: Wait, why does Blank suddenly seem different?]
[: Hmm, how to put it... before, Blank always seemed nervous, even fearful around Sin, right? Now she's suddenly not afraid anymore!]
[: What's happening? Don't get it, but better be careful - Sin's always been a psycho after all...]
The audience's confusion mirrored Lu Ce's own. The golden Arrogance mask tilted slightly as he asked: "Are you... lecturing me?"
"Or you could choose to return my property." Xie Antong countered.