455: Chapter 390: Formulating a Plan, Using Their Own Methods Against Them

On the Watchtower of the New Universe, the star map in Lin Zhou's hand had completely dimmed—all three thousand legacies had been retrieved. However, he knew things were far from over. With the King of Deception's spark taken, he would not let the matter rest. Given his suspicious nature, he would surely investigate to the end. If he discovered it was the work of the New Universe's Human Race, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Captain, the King of Deception has issued a bounty within the Abyssal Council." Qin Qing quickly walked up the Watchtower, holding a piece of encrypted intelligence. "The bounty amount—one hundred million Abyssal Crystals and an abyssal territory. The target: the person who stole the spark."

"Who does he suspect?" Lin Zhou asked.

"He suspects no one, and yet he suspects everyone." Qin Qing handed him the intelligence. "In the Abyssal Council, several Archdukes are speculating on who did it. Some say it was the Return to Ruins, some say a rival lord, and others say an internal traitor. Currently, none are pointing toward us."

"But they will sooner or later." Lin Zhou put away the intelligence. "We need to divert his attention."

He walked down the Watchtower and called a meeting of the core members.

In the meeting room, the star map was projected in the center. Lin Zhou stood before it, with Qin Qing, Li Mo, Zhao Hao, General Rex, Wang Meng, and Su Yueyao behind him.

"Brothers, the King of Deception is investigating the whereabouts of the spark. Although nothing points to us yet, with his ability and suspicious nature, he will find clues eventually. We need to take the initiative and divert his gaze, turning his suspicion elsewhere."

"Toward whom?" Wang Meng asked.

Lin Zhou enlarged the star map and pointed to the 555th layer of the Abyss—the territory of the Abyssal Archduke Marbas.

"Marbas, the King of Deception's superior. There has always been a power struggle between them; peaceful on the surface, but filled with mutual suspicion in the shadows. If we can manufacture a piece of 'evidence' proving Marbas sent someone to steal the spark, the King of Deception will definitely believe it."

"How do we manufacture evidence?" Zhao Hao asked.

Lin Zhou looked toward the door.

"Therefore, we need someone—someone who can concoct perfect fake evidence."

The door opened. A lean young man wearing a grey robe walked in. His eyes were deep, carrying a sharpness that seemed to see through everything. Around him flowed a faint aura of the School of Names—sophistry, logic, and concepts.

[School of Names Ideology Expert · Chen Xuan]

Identity: Core member of the Hundred Schools Society's Outer Hall, Dual Cultivation in the School of Diplomacy and the School of Names

Divinity Rank: LV400 (Peak Lesser Divinity)

Specialties: Sophistry, Logical Traps, Conceptual Substitution, Evidence Forgery

Experience: Has provided intelligence and tactical support to Lin Zhou multiple times during Academy Championships; expert at passing off fakes as reality

"Chen Xuan, you're here." Lin Zhou nodded.

"Captain." Chen Xuan walked to the star map, looking at Marbas's territory. "Manufacturing fake evidence to make the King of Deception believe Marbas did it is possible. But I need materials—Marbas's handwriting, his seal, and aura samples from his subordinates."

"Handwriting and seals, we collected those when we were on the 777th layer," Li Mo said. "Marbas's authorization letter was forged, but we kept the original. We have both handwriting and the seal."

"What about aura samples?" Chen Xuan asked.

General Rex took a small vial from his robes; inside was a wisp of dark red abyssal Devilish Qi.

"The aura of one of Marbas's subordinates. Three hundred years ago, on the abyssal battlefield, I killed one of Marbas's personal guards and collected his aura."

"That's enough." Chen Xuan took the vial and began to work.

[Fake Evidence · Manufacturing Process]

Evidence Type: A secret letter from Marbas to a subordinate, ordering them to infiltrate the King of Deception's territory to steal the spark

Materials: Marbas's handwriting (99% similarity), Seal (99% similarity), Subordinate's aura (100% authentic)

Logical Framework: School of Names 'Conjoining Differences' technique—'assimilating' real events with fictional ones to make the fake evidence logically flawless

Estimated Completion Time: Three days

Three days later.

Chen Xuan placed a secret letter on the table. The paper was abyssal Demonic Beast hide, the ink was abyssal demonic blood, the handwriting was identical to Marbas's, and the seal perfectly matched Marbas's signet. The content: an order to a personal guard to infiltrate the King of Deception's territory, steal the spark from the treasury, and frame the Return to Ruins.

[Fake Evidence · Secret Letter Content]

Recipient: Marbas's Personal Guard Captain

Sender: Marbas

Content: "The spark is a relic of The Transcendent, containing power to oppose the Return to Ruins. If obtained, I can suppress the Abyss Will and replace the Lord of the Abyss. Go quickly to the King of Deception's territory and steal the spark. Once successful, hide the spark in the secret chamber on the 555th layer. This matter is top secret and must not be known by anyone. Upon completion, you shall be promoted to Abyssal Earl."

Attached: Marbas's seal, Abyssal Devilish Qi signature

"Perfect." General Rex nodded after a careful inspection. "Whether it's the handwriting, the seal, or the logic, it's flawless. When the King of Deception sees this letter, he will definitely believe Marbas did it."

"How do we make him see it?" Wang Meng asked.

Lin Zhou thought for a moment.

"We can't deliver it directly. He would be suspicious. He needs to 'accidentally' discover it."

He looked at Zhao Hao.

In the ancient contracts of Zhao Hao's Family, there was a trade agreement with a certain devil merchant in the King of Deception's territory. That merchant could help 'lose' the secret letter on a path the King of Deception's patrol was certain to pass.

"In three days, a patrol route will pass through some ruins on the edge of the territory," Zhao Hao said. "We can hide the secret letter in the ruins and let the patrol 'accidentally' find it."

"Good." Lin Zhou nodded. "Chen Xuan, you are responsible for the hiding spot and the way it's discovered. It must be natural, not forced."

"Understood." Chen Xuan began to design the plan.

[Secret Letter Concealment · Plan]

Location: Ruins at the edge of the territory, Southeast corner of the 666th layer

Concealment Method: Buried deep in the ruins, but with a portion exposed

Discovery Method: Patrol searching the ruins (simulating a routine search while tracking thieves)

Estimated Discovery Time: Five days later

Five nights later, the patrol searched the ruins as planned, and a devil soldier found the secret letter deep within. The letter was presented to the patrol captain, who then presented it to the King of Deception.

The King of Deception sat upon his throne, clutching the secret letter. His face turned from gloomy to livid, and then from livid to furious. The paper burned in his hand as abyssal Devilish Qi surged from between his fingers.

"Marbas... how dare you!"

He stood up, his scepter slamming heavily onto the floor.

"Pass down the order, assemble the army!"

"Target—the 555th layer!"

[King of Deception · Reaction]

Letter: Believed to be true

Target: Marbas

Action: Assembling army, preparing for War

The 555th layer of the Abyss, Marbas's Castle.

Marbas was flipping through scrolls in his study when an attendant suddenly rushed in.

"Archduke! The King of Deception's army is advancing toward the 555th layer!"

Marbas was stunned.

"What? Has he gone mad?"

He stood up and walked to the window. In the distance, on the grey-black horizon, the King of Deception's banners were fluttering. A hundred thousand devil elites were marching in a grand procession.

"Prepare for battle!" Marbas ordered.

[Abyssal Civil War · Outbreak]

Combatants: King of Deception (666th Layer) vs. Marbas (555th Layer)

Troop Strength: 100,000 each

Reason: Marbas "stealing" the spark

Estimated Duration: Unknown

In the New Universe, on the Watchtower.

Lin Zhou looked at the abyssal battle situation on the star map and remained silent for a moment.

"Captain, they've started fighting," Qin Qing said.

"Mm." Lin Zhou nodded. "Let them fight. The longer they fight, the more advantageous it is for us."

"Will the King of Deception discover the secret letter is fake?"

"No," Chen Xuan said. "Every detail of the secret letter can withstand scrutiny. Even if he suspects it, he won't find evidence to prove it's fake. With his suspicious nature, it will only make him believe it more."

Lin Zhou nodded.

"What do we do next?"

"Wait," he said. "Wait for them to both suffer losses. Then, we go to the 555th layer."

"The 555th layer? What's there?"

Lin Zhou enlarged the star map and pointed to a dim star at the core of the 555th layer.

"There is another legacy there. It wasn't left by The Transcendent, but by—an even more ancient existence. It was previously obscured by Marbas's abyssal Devilish Qi, but now that War has broken out and the Devilish Qi has weakened, it has been revealed."

[New legacy · Data]

Location: Endless Abyss 555th Layer, beneath Marbas's Castle

Source: Unknown (Older than The Transcendent)

Status: Intact

Opportunity: End of the abyssal civil War

"An even more ancient existence?" Qin Qing frowned.

"Yes." Lin Zhou nodded. "The Transcendent came from the previous Universe, but his Fire of Civilization was not the first. Before him, there were even more ancient civilizations. This legacy belongs to that era."

"So, we have to go to the Abyss again?"

"Wait," Lin Zhou said. "We'll go once they've finished fighting."

He turned and walked down the Watchtower.

"Brothers, rest. Conserve your energy."

"The next battle is on the 555th layer."

The abyssal civil War lasted for three months.

The King of Deception and Marbas each lost about thirty percent of their forces, and neither gained an advantage. Finally, under the mediation of the Abyssal Council, both sides ceased fire. The King of Deception did not get the spark, and Marbas did not admit to the theft. The hatred between the two only grew deeper.

In the New Universe, on the Watchtower.

Lin Zhou stood before the star map, looking at that star on the 555th layer.

"The time has come."

He turned to look at everyone.

"Brothers, let's move out."

"Target—Endless Abyss 555th Layer."

"Retrieve the final legacy."

"Yes!" everyone responded in unison.

The team set out.

This time, they no longer needed to disguise themselves as devil viscounts—because the defenses of the 555th layer had been weakened by more than half due to the War. Marbas's army had suffered heavy casualties, and numerous holes had appeared in the castle's defenses.

[555th Layer · Status]

Defense Strength: 50% (Originally 100%)

Troop Strength: 70,000 (Originally 100,000)

Castle Vulnerabilities: Multiple locations

legacy Location: Beneath the castle, deep within Marbas's secret chamber

The infiltration team followed the vulnerabilities into the castle.

The door to the secret chamber was not locked—Marbas had been injured on the front lines and was currently recuperating in his bedchamber, unable to attend to it.

Lin Zhou pushed open the door.

In the center of the secret chamber, a cluster of flame hovered.

It was not the Fire of Civilization, but—an even more ancient flame. Its color was transparent, yet within that transparency were countless colors—older and purer than The Transcendent's Fire of Civilization.

[Ancient Spark · Data]

Source: Unknown (Older than The Transcendent)

Quality: Mythic Grade+

Status: Intact

Effect: Can significantly increase the water level of the river of civilization, the height of the Heavenly Pillar, and the Divinity Rank

Fusion Method: Directly integrate into the Temple of Civilization

Lin Zhou walked up to the spark and reached out his hand.

The spark jumped into his palm.

At the moment of Fusion, the Temple of Civilization shook violently.

[Temple of Civilization · Evolution!]

Fusion Object: Ancient Spark (Mythic Grade+)

Effects: river of civilization water level +1000%, Heavenly Pillar height +2 million km, Divinity Rank +1000

Current Divinity Rank: LV4000 → LV5000 (great divine power)

river of civilization Water Level: 2000% → 3000%

Heavenly Pillar Height: 5 million km → 7 million km

Lin Zhou clenched his fist.

"Let's go."

The team retreated.

Behind them, Marbas's castle stood silent amidst the abyssal Devilish Qi.

In the New Universe, on the Watchtower.

Lin Zhou stood before the star map.

All three thousand legacies had been retrieved. The Ancient Spark had also been recovered.

In the star map, every star was now fully lit.