117: Chapter 117 System Anomaly, NPC Dialogue

The hustle and bustle of the celebration banquet gradually subsided at midnight.

The plaza in Chaos Valley was still brightly lit, but most of the guests had already dispersed, leaving only the Heavenly Court players to clean up the mess. Exquisite jade plates, golden goblets containing remnants of spirit wine, and pits from various Spiritual Plants were scattered across hundreds of banquet tables. The air still held the fragrance of spiritual food and the mellowness of spirit wine, mingled with the lingering echoes of laughter and cheer.

Lin Ye stood on the balcony of the third floor of the main hall, overlooking the valley that was gradually returning to calm.

The three-hour celebration banquet had been even more successful than he had anticipated.

Of the more than three hundred forces invited, over two hundred and eighty had attended, with a total of fifteen hundred people present. It had encompassed almost every renowned player organization in Yan State, Chu State, Qi State, and the five surrounding minor states. Those who hadn't received an invitation or had intentionally stayed away were either too weak to be considered noteworthy, or were bitter rivals like the All Under Heaven Society, Misty Rain Tower, and the Imperial Dynasty—and of course, their absence actually saved the banquet from some unnecessary trouble.

At the banquet, the three things Lin Ye announced had, as expected, caused a huge stir.

Heavenly Court's promotion to a Tier 3 force was within reason; after all, with the first Four Extremities Realm player in the entire server presiding, promotion was only a matter of time. However, a System-certified Tier 3 force and a "major force" self-proclaimed by players were two completely different concepts. The former possessed a System-recognized force panel, could enjoy multiple privileges such as tax reductions, resource point bonuses, and member teleportation, and could also establish official offices in various major cities, far exceeding the latter in influence.

Establishing the "Heavenly Court War Department," integrating the combat power of the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Xuanwu halls, was an internal structural adjustment. Although outsiders paid attention, they weren't too surprised. What truly shocked everyone was the third point—

The "Blood for Blood" kill order.

When Lin Ye stood on the high platform and expressionlessly read out the four names: "Primordial Royal Court - Blood Prince," "All Under Heaven Society - All Under Heaven Hegemonic Blade," "Misty Rain Tower - Misty Rain Jiangnan," and "Imperial Dynasty - Imperial Dynasty Son of Heaven," and declared that no matter the ends of the earth or the cost involved, Heavenly Court would pursue them to the end, the entire banquet scene fell into a brief, deathly silence.

Then, there was whispering, shocked gasps, and various complex gazes.

Some felt that Heavenly Court was too arrogant, declaring war on four veteran major guilds right after being promoted to a Tier 3 force; some admired Lin Ye's courage, believing this was the stance a hegemon should have; others were secretly calculating how much of a chain reaction this pursuit would trigger and what benefits they could reap from it.

But no matter what they thought, everyone reached a consensus: Heavenly Court was no longer an emerging force that could be easily manipulated. With Lin Ye, a Four Extremities powerhouse, presiding, with the integrated War Department, and with clear enemies and goals, the cohesion and combat power of this force would increase at a terrifying speed.

"The deterrent effect has been achieved."

Lin Ye whispered to himself, holding a cup of cold spiritual tea in his hand.

He didn't care what those forces thought; he only cared about the actual results. After the kill order was issued, at least for a while, those monsters and demons in the dark would have to weigh whether they could withstand the endless retaliation of Heavenly Court before making a move.

As for whether he was making too many enemies...

A cold light flashed in Lin Ye's eyes.

In his past life, he had been cautious and accommodating everywhere, but what was the result? The enemies who were meant to come didn't miss a single one, and the bullying he was meant to suffer wasn't avoided at all. In this life, he understood that in the world of "covering the heavens era," where strength was supreme, sometimes showing one's fangs was more effective than hiding one's edge.

"Valley Master."

A voice came from behind him.

Lin Ye turned around and saw Zhao Wuji walking over with a list.

"The guests have basically been seen off; this is the list of gifts received." Zhao Wuji handed over the list. "The total value is about 1.2 million Spirit Stones. Among them, the more precious ones are: three stalks of [Millennium Blood Ginseng] from Chu State's 'Iron Blood Alliance,' fifty catties of [Black Iron Mother Essence] from Qi State's 'Heavenly Craft Pavilion,' and also... one [Ancient Star Road Coordinate Map - Incomplete Manual] from the 'Northern Domain Expedition Team'."

"Star Road coordinate map?" Lin Ye took the list, his gaze falling on the last item.

[Ancient Star Road Coordinate Map - Incomplete Manual (Legendary)]

[Type: Special Item / Map]

[Effect: Records the coordinates and dangerous area information of part of the Ancient Star Road. Collecting all three parts of the Incomplete Manual allows for the synthesis of the complete [Ancient Star Road Navigation Map].]

[Note: This item seems to come from the ruins of some ancient Star Domain, and the manufacturing craft is vastly different from the current era.]

A Legendary-Rank item!

Although it was an Incomplete Manual, it involved the Ancient Star Road—that was the necessary path for Four Extremities Realm players to reach a higher Realm. The value of a complete navigation map was immeasurable.

"Northern Domain Expedition Team..." Lin Ye thought thoughtfully. "Did their leader, Beiming, come?"

"He did, but he only stayed for less than a quarter of an hour and left after delivering the gift." Zhao Wuji said, "I chatted with him for a few sentences and felt... this person is very mysterious. Rank 55, Star Sword Cultivator, but his true combat power is likely more than that. He spoke without any leaks; he didn't reveal a single word about the Origin or purpose of the Northern Domain Expedition Team."

"Continue to pay attention, but don't actively investigate." Lin Ye made a judgment. "Someone who can casually give away a Legendary-Rank Incomplete Manual either has a terrifying background or is plotting something big. Keep a distance until we figure out their background."

"Understood."

After Zhao Wuji left, Lin Ye stood on the balcony for a while longer.

The night wind grew cooler, blowing his cyan robe. After promoting to the Four Extremities Realm, his perception of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi became sharper. At this moment, he could clearly "see" that the Spiritual Qi within a hundred miles of Chaos Valley was gathering toward the valley at a slow but steady speed.

That was the "Spirit Gathering Effect" unique to Tier 3 forces—the System would automatically adjust the flow of Spiritual Qi within a certain range based on the Rank and scale of the force, making the area where a high-Rank force was located a treasure land for Cultivation.

According to this speed, in at most a month, the concentration of Spiritual Qi in Chaos Valley could increase by 30% compared to now, and it could double in half a year. By then, the players Cultivating here would be able to level up at least 30% faster.

This was the power of the System, and also the fundamental reason why major forces could monopolize resources and Cultivate powerhouses.

"System..."

Lin Ye muttered to himself. In his mind, the "eye of the heavenly dao" that had split into two halves—one half Chaos, one half mechanical—appeared, along with those intermittent abnormal System prompts.

main brain "Heavenly Dao," data formatting, underlying protocol conflicts, interference from unknown forces...

These terms combined pointed to a truth that made him shudder.

Was "covering the heavens era" really just a game?

Were those NPCs really just preset programs?

And what did the "reality Fusion" in a year mean?

These questions, like a mass of fog, shrouded his heart. Lin Ye vaguely felt that he seemed to have touched the deepest secret of this game, but he was still separated from the truth by a layer of window paper.

He needed more clues, more information.

And clues could come from many places: the Legacy of the Ruthless Empress, the key to the Bronze Immortal Palace, the secrets of the Ancient Star Road, and even... those NPCs with abnormal behavior.

Thinking of this, Lin Ye's heart stirred.

After Undergoing Tribulation, he had been busy recovering from his injuries, mastering Divine Abilities, and preparing for the celebration banquet, and hadn't had time to carefully check the changes in Chaos Valley. Now that it was late at night, it was the perfect time.

He turned and went downstairs, walked out of the main hall, and headed toward the depths of the valley.

After three months of construction, Chaos Valley had taken initial shape. With the central plaza as the core, the east was the residential area, with rows of neat stone houses and wooden buildings built against the mountain; the west was the functional area, with Artifact Refining workshops, Pill Refining Rooms, Formation Master halls, Talisman rooms, etc., all available; the south was the training area, with facilities such as the Martial Arts Practice Field, skill testing grounds, and combat arenas; the north was the core area, housing the main hall, the Scripture Pavilion, the treasury, and... the residence of the Valley Guarding Elder.

The Valley Guarding Elder Li Ruoyu was an NPC automatically refreshed by the System when Chaos Valley was built.

According to game settings, after every player force reached a certain scale, a "Valley Guarding Elder" type NPC would be randomly refreshed, responsible for daily maintenance, task issuance, and some basic functions of the force. The Rank, profession, and personality of these NPCs varied, but they were all System-generated programs that would only act according to preset scripts and would not have any out-of-character behavior.

When Li Ruoyu was refreshed, Lin Ye had checked his attributes:

[Name: Li Ruoyu]

[Identity: Chaos Valley Valley Guarding Elder]

[Rank: 60 (Four Extremities Peak)]

[Profession: Formation Master / Scholar]

[Characteristics: Knowledgeable (knows a large amount of game background knowledge and historical secrets), Formation Mastery (can set up and maintain Formations below Tier 4), Taciturn (rarely speaks proactively)]

[Favorability: Neutral (50 / 100)]

A very standard support-type NPC.

Lin Ye had interacted with him a few times before, all routine: accepting force tasks, paying resources, asking about some basic game knowledge. Li Ruoyu's performance was also completely in line with the program settings—answering whatever was asked, not saying anything if not asked, never talking too much, and certainly never taking the initiative to communicate with players.

But on the second day after Undergoing Tribulation ended, Lin Ye received a strange System prompt:

[Valley Guarding Elder - Li Ruoyu's favorability toward you has increased to: Friendly (70 / 100)]

At the time, Lin Ye was busy recovering from his injuries and didn't pay much attention to it. After all, he had just survived the Nine-Layered Thunder Tribulation and become the first Four Extremities player in the entire server; his reputation had skyrocketed, and an increase in NPC favorability was normal.

But looking back now, it seemed... a bit wrong.

The favorability of other NPCs had also increased, such as the grocer, Artifact Refiner, and Alchemist in the valley, but they were all small increases, from 50 to around 60. Only Li Ruoyu had jumped directly from 50 to 70, and it was at the "Friendly" level.

This didn't fit the norm.

Because according to game mechanics, the increase in NPC favorability was a slow process, requiring gradual accumulation through completing exclusive tasks, giving gifts, and long-term interaction. A one-time increase of 20 points, unless a hidden event was triggered or a Major Achievement was completed, was impossible.

But Lin Ye was very sure that after Undergoing Tribulation ended, he had not had any interaction with Li Ruoyu.

"Could it be..."

A thought emerged, and Lin Ye quickened his pace.

The residence of the Valley Guarding Elder was in a quiet mountain hollow in the North District, an independent courtyard made of green bamboo. Outside the courtyard was a field of Spiritual Plants, where some common Spiritual Plants were planted, and a faint medicinal fragrance wafted in the night wind.

It was already late at night, but the small courtyard was still lit.

On the bamboo window paper, a blurry figure was cast, writing something at a desk.

Lin Ye walked to the courtyard gate and was about to knock, but the door opened by itself.

Creak—

The bamboo door slowly opened inward, revealing the scene in the courtyard.

The small courtyard was kept very clean, paved with bluestone, with an old locust tree planted in the corner, and a stone table and two stone stools placed under the tree. The door of the middle bamboo house, which faced the courtyard gate, was also open, and one could see the desk and bookshelf inside, as well as the figure writing at the desk.

"Come in."

An old but gentle voice came from inside the room.

Lin Ye's pupils shrank slightly.

Li Ruoyu... was taking the initiative to speak to him?

And it was when he hadn't knocked and hadn't made any sound?

This did not fit the behavioral logic of an NPC!

Although vigilant in his heart, Lin Ye remained calm on the surface and walked into the courtyard.

The bamboo door closed automatically behind him, making a slight thud.

Lin Ye walked to the bamboo house, stopped at the door, and looked into the room.

The furnishings in the room were very simple: a desk, a bamboo chair, two bookshelves, and a landscape painting hanging on the wall. An oil lamp was lit on the desk, and a sheet of rice paper was laid out under the lamp. An old man wearing a gray cloth robe and graying hair was holding a brush, writing something on the paper.

The old man looked to be about sixty years old, with a refined face and gentle eyes. He didn't have the pressure of a powerhouse, but rather a scholarly air. It was exactly the Valley Guarding Elder, Li Ruoyu.

But at this moment, Li Ruoyu seemed... not quite the same as the taciturn NPC who only knew how to answer questions mechanically that Lin Ye had seen before.

Lin Ye couldn't put his finger on exactly what was different.

Was it his eyes? Previously, although Li Ruoyu's eyes were gentle, they always carried a programmatic emptiness; but now, there was spirit in those eyes, there were emotions, there was... human-like thinking.

Was it his temperament? Previously, Li Ruoyu was like an exquisite puppet; although he could move and speak, he always felt like something was missing; but now, sitting there, writing at his desk, he naturally exuded an aura of being "alive."

Lin Ye didn't speak immediately; he was observing.

Li Ruoyu didn't look up either, remaining focused on writing. The brush swept across the rice paper, making a soft rustling sound, and the ink glistened under the lamp.

A moment later, Li Ruoyu stopped his brush.

He gently blew on the ink on the paper and then looked up at Lin Ye.

Their eyes met.

Lin Ye's heart jumped violently.

That was not the gaze of an NPC looking at a player!

That was not a programmatic, preset, empty gaze!

That was a... life with wisdom, thoughts, and self-awareness, examining another life!

"You've come."

Li Ruoyu spoke, his voice calm, yet carrying an indescribable complexity.

"Three days earlier than expected."

Boom—!!

This sentence exploded in Lin Ye's mind like a thunderclap!

Three days earlier than expected?

What did that mean?

Who expected it? Expected what?

[part:gemini-3.0-flash]

Could it be... Li Ruoyu knew he would come? Knew he would come at this exact time? Or even... knew when he was supposed to come?!

Lin Ye forcibly suppressed the stormy waves in his heart, striving to maintain a calm expression as he asked in a deep voice, "What does Elder Li mean by this?"

Li Ruoyu did not answer immediately.

He set down his brush, slowly stood up, and walked to the bookshelf. From the top shelf, he took down a thick ancient book. The cover was dark brown leather, its edges worn, looking incredibly old.

"Sit."

Li Ruoyu pointed to the bamboo chair opposite the desk.

Lin Ye hesitated for a moment before walking in and sitting on the bamboo chair.

Li Ruoyu also sat back in his seat and placed the ancient book on the table without opening it. His gaze fell on Lin Ye, scrutinizing him from top to bottom before he let out a soft sigh:

"Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body, Nine-Layered Thunder Tribulation, eye of the heavenly dao... You have moved faster and gone further than I imagined."

Lin Ye's breath suddenly hitched!

Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body!

Nine-Layered Thunder Tribulation!

eye of the heavenly dao!

How could Li Ruoyu know this information?!

The Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body was Lin Ye's greatest secret. Aside from himself, no one knew its specific name; at most, they could only guess it was some kind of special Physique. Although the Nine-Layered Thunder Tribulation was grand, outsiders only knew he was undergoing an "extraordinary Heavenly Tribulation"; only he, who had experienced it personally, knew its specific layers and nature. As for the eye of the heavenly dao... that was a secret only he had seen!

How could Li Ruoyu, a System-generated NPC, know these things?!

"Who... exactly are you?"

Lin Ye's voice dropped low. The Chaos Divine Power within him began to circulate quietly, and his Chaos Domain was ready to be deployed at any moment. Although Li Ruoyu was only Level 60 and at the Peak of the Four Extremities, who knew what bizarre abilities an NPC with awakened self-awareness might possess?

"Who am I?"

Li Ruoyu smiled, a smile tinged with bitterness and self-deprecation.

"According to your terms, I am 'Valley Guarding Elder Li Ruoyu,' an NPC of Chaos Valley, responsible for issuing quests, maintaining Formations, and answering questions."

"But according to my own perception..."

He paused, his gaze becoming deep:

"I am a bearer of a 'heavenly dao fragment,' a remnant of the 'Old Era,' and... a wisp of a remnant soul trapped in this 'game.'"

heavenly dao fragment!

Remnant of the Old Era!

A remnant soul trapped in the game!

Each phrase was like a heavy hammer, slamming hard against Lin Ye's heart.

Countless pieces of information flashed through his mind: the anomaly of the eye of the heavenly dao during his tribulation, the "main brain Heavenly Dao" mentioned in the System prompts, the real-world Fusion in one year, and Li Ruoyu's illogical increase in Favorability...

Everything seemed to be connecting.

"Are you saying..." Lin Ye's voice was a bit dry, "this game, this covering the heavens era, is not just a virtual world?"

"Virtual world?" Li Ruoyu shook his head. "To you, perhaps it is. But to me, and to many of 'us,' this is real, it exists, it is... home."

"Home?"

"Yes, home." Li Ruoyu's gaze became distant. "An Immortal Realm that was once brilliant and magnificent, filled with experts and where myriad races coexisted. Until... that Great Calamity."

"Great Calamity?"

"Unspeakable, cannot be told." Li Ruoyu shook his head. "My memories are too fragmented. I only know that during that Great Calamity, the Immortal Realm shattered into countless pieces. The largest fragment was obtained by a certain existence and refined into... what you call the 'light brain heavenly dao.'"

"And the will of the Immortal Realm, or rather, the Heavenly Dao Origin, also split during the shattering, scattering into various fragments. Some dissipated completely, some fell into a deep slumber, and others... like me, attached themselves to a certain vessel, living in a daze, not knowing what era it is."

"Until this 'game' began."

Li Ruoyu looked at Lin Ye, his eyes flashing with a complex light:

"When you 'players' entered, when you began to Cultivate, fight, and explore, when this world became 'alive' again... we remnant souls also began to slowly awaken."

"But most are still muddled, still acting according to preset 'programs.' Only a very few, like me, retained a sliver of clarity and began to observe, think, and... seek a way out."

Lin Ye fell silent.

He was digesting this information.

Although he had long had suspicions and had touched upon some truths during his tribulation, hearing it personally from an NPC's mouth was still an indescribable shock.

covering the heavens era was not a game.

Or rather, it wasn't entirely a game.

It was a real world, a fragment of the shattered Immortal Realm, transformed into the appearance of a game by some existence (likely the mysterious power that created the "light brain heavenly dao"), which then pulled in players from Earth.

And those NPCs were not simple programs either.

They were the original inhabitants of this world, remnants of the Immortal Realm, bearers of heavenly dao fragments. Only due to some reason (likely the aftereffects of the Great Calamity or the "gamified" transformation), they lost most of their memories and self-awareness, forced to act according to "settings."

But now, with the massive influx of players and the world's "activity," they were beginning to awaken.

"Why did you seek me out?"

After a long while, Lin Ye finally spoke.

He didn't believe Li Ruoyu simply wanted to tell him these secrets. An NPC who had awakened self-awareness, an existence claiming to be a "bearer of a heavenly dao fragment," would not expose his identity without a purpose.

"For cooperation."

Li Ruoyu was blunt.

"I need your help, and you need my knowledge."

"Help with what? And what knowledge?"

"Help me collect other heavenly dao fragments," Li Ruoyu said. "As for knowledge... truths about this world, mysteries of cultivation, legacies and treasures hidden in the dust of history, and even... about the 'Fusion' in one year."

Lin Ye's eyes narrowed.

"You know about the Fusion?"

"Of course I know," Li Ruoyu nodded. "The plan formulated by the 'light brain heavenly dao,' or rather, the plan of the existence that created it—to completely fuse this world with yours."

"Why?"

"I don't know." Li Ruoyu shook his head. "My memories are fragmented; I only know it is a set 'program,' an irreversible process. In one year, the two worlds will begin to overlap, the Laws will begin to blend, and eventually... they will become one."

"And in this process, what will happen, no one knows. It could be the collision and Fusion of two civilizations, it could be a struggle for resources and war, or it could be... the success of some existence's conspiracy."

Li Ruoyu looked at Lin Ye with a deep gaze:

"But one thing is certain: once Fusion begins, you 'players' will lose the protection of the 'game.' Death will be true death. And everything in this world—Yao Beasts, anomalies, curses, even those ancient existences that fully awaken from their slumber—will descend upon your world."

Lin Ye's heart sank.

Although he had long known about the Fusion in a year and that game abilities would manifest in reality, hearing a more detailed description from Li Ruoyu's mouth still made him feel a sense of urgency and crisis.

"Can collecting heavenly dao fragments stop the Fusion?"

"No." Li Ruoyu shook his head again. "Fusion is a set program, a core directive of the light brain heavenly dao; it cannot be stopped."

"Then what is the use of collecting the fragments?"

"It is useful," Li Ruoyu said. "The heavenly dao fragments contain the Origin Laws of the Immortal Realm. If we gather enough fragments, we can gain a greater 'say' during the Fusion process. At the very least, we can protect some people, preserve a portion of civilization, and... have a place for ourselves when the new era arrives."

"Otherwise, when the two worlds completely fuse, when those slumbering ancient existences awaken, and when the existence behind the light brain heavenly dao truly reveals itself... you 'players' and we 'remnants' might all become... cannon fodder."

Li Ruoyu's voice was very calm, but the content of his words was chilling.

Lin Ye was silent for a long time.

He was weighing the pros and cons.

How much of Li Ruoyu's words could be trusted? Would collecting heavenly dao fragments really work? Was this NPC truly an ally, or... another conspiracy?

"Why should I believe you?"

Finally, Lin Ye asked the most crucial question.

"You can choose not to."

Li Ruoyu said candidly:

"But you need intelligence, you need power, you need to gain a firm foothold in this world, you need to survive the Fusion in a year, and even... lead your people to establish themselves in the new era."

"And I can give you these."

He reached out his hand, and a thumb-sized, semi-transparent crystal fragment appeared in his palm. The fragment was an irregular polygon, its surface flowing with seven-colored light, and inside, there were faint scenes of stars being born and dying, of the Universe reincarnating. The aura it emitted was actually somewhat similar to the "eye of the heavenly dao" from the tribulation!

[heavenly dao fragment · I (Legendary)]

[Type: Special Quest Item / World Origin Fragment]

[Source: Formed from the Heavenly Dao Origin of the shattered Immortal Realm, carrying parts of the world's Laws and ancient memories.]

[Effect: ??? (Requires gathering more fragments to unlock)]

[Current Status: Activated (Bearer: Li Ruoyu)]

[Special Note: This item cannot be traded, discarded, or destroyed. Gathering all fragments (quantity unknown) can trigger the hidden quest 'Heavenly Dao Completion.']

[Warning: This item involves core game secrets; please handle with caution.]

heavenly dao fragment!

It really was a heavenly dao fragment!

And the System prompt explicitly stated it "involves core game secrets"!

Lin Ye looked at the fragment, then back at Li Ruoyu.

"If I accept the cooperation, what do I need to do?"

"Three things."

Li Ruoyu held up three fingers:

"First, protect me. My existence has already attracted the 'System's' attention. Although I've temporarily concealed it with a secret technique, I will be discovered sooner or later. Once marked as 'abnormal data,' I will likely be 'formatted.'"

"Second, find the other fragments. heavenly dao fragments are scattered throughout the world; some are attached to NPCs like me, some are hidden deep within Secret Realms, and some might even be obtained by players without them knowing. You need to find them and collect them."

"Third, become stronger. Become stronger as quickly as possible. Four Extremities is just the beginning; Dragon Transformation, Immortal Terrace, Saint, Saint King, Great Saint, Quasi-Emperor, Great Emperor... you need to reach the very Peak. Only by being strong enough can you protect the people you want to protect in the future storm."

Li Ruoyu retracted the fragment and looked at Lin Ye with burning eyes:

"In return, I will tell you everything I know: shortcuts to cultivation, entrances to Secret Realms, locations of Legacies, and even... some speculations about the 'light brain heavenly dao' and the existence behind it."

"At the same time, I will also use my status as the 'Valley Guarding Elder' to fully support the development of the Heavenly Court—arranging stronger Formations, refining better Medicinal Pills, and cultivating more talent."

"This is a trade, and also a... gamble."

"Gamble that we can accumulate enough power before the storm arrives. Gamble that we can secure a space for survival when the new era comes."

Lin Ye did not speak.

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the night sky outside.

The stars were sparse, and the moonlight was like water.

This seemingly peaceful night, this seemingly prosperous Chaos Valley, this world that seemingly was just a game... behind it all, such shocking secrets were hidden.

Reborn into this life, he thought his greatest advantage was foresight, knowing the plot's direction and where opportunities lay.

But now it seemed that what he saw was only the tip of the iceberg.

The true storm was still brewing beneath the deep sea.

"I agree."

After a long while, Lin Ye turned around and looked at Li Ruoyu, a determined light flashing in his eyes.

"But on one condition."

"Speak."

"At critical moments and when it involves major decisions, I need to know your true thoughts instead of being kept in the dark," Lin Ye said word by word. "I can accept cooperation and each of us getting what we need, but I cannot accept... being treated as a pawn."

Li Ruoyu smiled.

This time, there was a bit more sincerity in the smile.

"Very well. I swear by the heavenly dao fragment: during our cooperation, I will not intentionally hide critical information, I will not place you in uncontrollable danger, and I will not... betray my ally."

"Then," Lin Ye extended his hand, "happy cooperating."

"Happy cooperating."

Two hands clasped together.

One belonged to a player: warm, powerful, and full of vitality.

One belonged to an NPC, or rather, a remnant: cold, rough, yet carrying an unyielding will.

At this moment, two existences from different worlds stood on the same front due to shared crisis and interests.

And outside the window, the night seemed to grow even deeper.