190: Chapter 190: On the first day of maintenance, NPCs collectively acted abnormally.

[Heavenly Court - First Generation] 39th hour of sailing in the Void Realm.

On the holographic star map, the golden Dragon Clan Main Star had grown large enough to clearly see the pale golden Dragon Might shield on its surface.

That shield pulsed slowly at a frequency of once every 1.7 seconds, and with every pulse, a visible ripple spread into the surrounding Void Realm—that was the protective power left behind by the Dragon Clan ancestors, enough to stop any unauthorized ship 0.3 light-minutes away.

But Lin Ye's attention was not on that star.

He was looking at the countdown.

[heavenly dao system maintenance]

[Start countdown: 0 seconds]

[Era Calendar Year 1972 · Day 354 · 00:00:00]

— 0 seconds.

The holographic star map flickered.

It wasn't a glitch.

It was a "switch."

The image originally displaying the real-time view of the Dragon Clan Main Star was replaced within 0.1 seconds by a line of golden System text:

[heavenly dao system · Self-check maintenance has begun]

[During maintenance, some functions will be affected]

[Estimated maintenance end time: Era Calendar Year 1972 · Day 364 · 00:00:00]

[Thank you for your understanding and cooperation]

That line of text stayed on the screen for 3 seconds.

Then it disappeared.

The holographic star map returned to normal.

The image of the Dragon Clan Main Star reappeared.

But Lin Ye knew.

Something had changed.

"Chen Hao," Lin Ye said.

"Turn on all external sensors."

"Full channel scan."

Chen Hao's hands swept quickly across the control console.

[External sensors · Full power activation]

[Scan range: 0.1 light-minute radius]

[Scan frequency: Once every 0.3 seconds]

[Current scan results: No anomalies]

Lin Ye didn't speak.

He looked at that scan result.

No anomalies.

It was too normal.

So normal that it was abnormal.

Minute 1.

Qin Ruoxue's voice came from the communication station.

"Boss."

"Received a message from Chaos Valley."

Lin Ye turned around.

He looked at her.

Qin Ruoxue projected that message onto the central star map.

It wasn't text.

It was a real-time feed.

In the image, on the plaza in front of the Chaos Valley main hall, the originally bustling crowd of NPCs—merchants, guards, quest givers—were all frozen in place.

They maintained the posture they had held a second ago.

Some were still holding up their hands.

Some were still in the middle of speaking.

But no one moved.

Only one person.

Li Ruoyu.

The Elder of Chaos Valley.

The NPC who once said to Lin Ye, "Heavenly Emperor, you have arrived three days earlier than expected."

He stood at the entrance of the main hall.

He was not frozen.

He was moving.

He was—looking up at the sky.

In the image, his lips moved.

There was no sound.

But Qin Ruoxue zoomed in on the image.

His lip-reading was:

"It's here."

Lin Ye's pupils contracted slightly.

Minute 2.

Chen Hao's voice came from the helmsman's position.

"Boss."

"Received a... strange signal."

Lin Ye looked at him.

"What signal?"

Chen Hao projected that signal onto the central star map.

It wasn't text.

It was "coordinates."

Coordinates near the "Void Temple," the fourth level of the Ancient Star Road.

The precision was extremely high.

± 0.3 meters.

Below the signal was a line of small text.

[Come]

That handwriting.

Lin Ye recognized it.

It was Li Ruoyu's handwriting.

Minute 3.

Qin Ruoxue's communication panel lit up again.

This time, it wasn't text.

It was "voice."

Li Ruoyu's voice came from the other end.

Very soft.

Very faint.

But every word was as clear as if it were right next to his ear.

"Heavenly Emperor."

"The time has come."

"The truth will be revealed."

"Come to the Void Rift."

"Retrieve the data fragments."

"I am waiting for you there."

The call ended.

The command cabin fell into dead silence.

Shi Potian was the first to speak.

His left fist—the one that had permanently lost 5% of its maximum HP—was raised to his chest.

"Void Rift," he said.

"It's on the fourth level."

Lin Ye didn't speak.

He just looked at the coordinates.

Looked at that "Come."

Looked at that familiar handwriting.

Su Qingyue walked to his side.

Her left hand grasped his.

3 seconds.

She let go.

"Li Ruoyu," she said.

"He has always known something."

Lin Ye nodded.

Qin Ruoxue pulled up a second piece of data.

[Void Rift · Preliminary Intelligence]

[Location: Outside the "Void Temple" on the fourth level of the Ancient Star Road, coordinates (X: 17, Y: 47, Z: 31)]

[Danger Level: ★★★★★ (Unknown)]

[Description: A spatial rift on the outskirts of the Void Temple, rumored to be the remnant trace left after a great being from ancient times fought with an existence "Above the Heavens" and tore the Void Realm. The depths of the rift connect to an unknown space, and explorers who entered in the past have disappeared forever.]

[Current Status: "Exceptionally Active" during maintenance (System Tip)]

[Recommendation: Rank ≥ 70, Party ≥ 10 people, carry a large amount of recovery items]

Lin Ye looked at the line "Rank ≥ 70."

3 seconds.

He spoke.

"I am Rank 70 now," he said.

No one spoke.

But 9 people, 9 pairs of eyes, were all looking at him.

Minute 4.

Zhao Wuji's voice came from the engineering station.

"Boss."

"Received a... message from the Dragon Clan Main Star."

Lin Ye looked at him.

Zhao Wuji projected that message onto the central star map.

It was Pale Moon's avatar.

Her voice came from the other end.

"Lin Ye."

"Maintenance has started."

"Dragon Clan Main Star... many NPCs have gone dormant."

"But core areas are still running."

"Are you still coming?"

Lin Ye was silent.

3 seconds.

He spoke.

"Yes," he said.

"But first, we're going to one place."

He pointed to the blinking coordinates on the holographic star map.

The Void Rift.

Minute 5.

The [Heavenly Court - First Generation]'s course began to adjust.

Deviating 17 degrees from the direction of the Dragon Clan Main Star.

Target: Fourth level of the Ancient Star Road.

Estimated travel time: 7 days.

Lin Ye stood in the center of the command cabin.

He looked at the recalculated route on the holographic star map.

7 days.

Maintenance lasts 10 days.

In 7 days, he would arrive at the Void Rift.

Then he would have 3 days to complete Li Ruoyu's task.

Then, maintenance would end.

And then—the truth would be revealed.

He didn't know what the truth was.

But he knew that Li Ruoyu would not harm him.

The old man who had stood at the gate of Chaos Valley since the first day of the server launch, watching players come and go, never saying a word more than necessary.

The NPC who, after he passed the Four Extremities Heavenly Tribulation, took the initiative to find him and say, "Heavenly Emperor, you have arrived three days earlier than expected."

The existence who claimed to be the "consciousness formed by a fragment of the heavenly dao system."

He had been waiting for this day.

Waiting for five months.

[System Tip: You have accepted the hidden quest "Truth of the Heavenly Dao · One"]

[Quest Name: Truth of the Heavenly Dao · One]

[Quest Level: ??? (Unknown)]

[Quest Objective: Head to the Void Rift, collect "Data Fragments" × 7]

[Quest Location: Outside the "Void Temple" on the fourth level of the Ancient Star Road]

[Quest Time Limit: Before maintenance ends (Remaining: 9 days, 23 hours, 47 minutes)]

[Quest Rewards:]

[1. Truth of the Heavenly Dao · First Phase Unlocked]

[2. EXP + 5,000,000]

[3. Legendary Tier Selection Chest × 1]

[4. Unlock follow-up quest "Truth of the Heavenly Dao · Two"]

[Quest Failure:]

[1. Truth of the Heavenly Dao permanently hidden]

[2. Li Ruoyu disappears]

[3. ???]

Lin Ye looked at the line "Li Ruoyu disappears."

3 seconds.

He closed the tip.

He looked at the holographic star map.

Looked at the Dragon Clan Main Star moving further and further away.

Looked at the new route pointing to the Void Rift.

Looked at the countdown ticking away.

[Remaining quest time: 9 days, 23 hours, 44 minutes]

He spoke.

"Chen Hao."

"Present."

"Full speed ahead."

"7 days to the Void Rift."

Chen Hao's hands tightened on the control sphere.

[Engine · Full power overload]

[Speed: 1.0 light-year/day → 1.3 light-years/day]

[Estimated time of arrival: 5 days, 17 hours later]

[Cost: Engine lifespan - 7%]

Lin Ye didn't speak.

He just looked at the holographic star map.

Looked at the coordinates drawing closer.

Void Rift.

Truth.

Minute 6.

Qin Ruoxue's voice sounded again.

"Boss."

"Received... anomaly reports from all over the server."

She projected those reports onto the central star map.

[Big Dipper Star Field · Central Province · God City]

"The God City NPCs have all gone dormant! Lord Michael is gone too!"

"The auction house is closed!"

"The teleportation array... the teleportation array is still running, but it displays 'Use with caution during maintenance'!"

[Eternal Star Domain · Star Ring City]

"The Star Ring Financial Group NPCs are only left with AI receptionists!"

"Commander Carl Reynolds is offline!"

"The Seventh Fleet... all NPCs of the Seventh Fleet are gone!"

[Ziwei Star Field · Qishi Mansion]

"The instructors of Qishi Mansion have all gone dormant!"

"Only the old man guarding the gate is still there!"

"He said... he said 'The time has come'!"

[Abyss Star Field · Holy Demon Palace]

"The contract instructor of the Holy Demon Palace has gone dormant!"

"But Zachariah said... his Abyss Contract is still there!"

"That thing... is not an NPC?!"

[God Spirit Star Field · Temple]

"The main temple... Lord Odin is still there!"

"But all low-level NPCs have gone dormant!"

"Lord Odin said... this is 'the choice of the Heavenly Dao'!"

Lin Ye looked at those reports.

3 seconds.

He spoke.

"Odin is still there," he said.

"Zachariah's Abyss Contract is still there."

"Carl Reynolds is offline."

"Michael is gone."

He paused.

"Only those 'high-intelligence NPCs'—those who have had deep interactions with us—are still here."

Su Qingyue looked at him.

"Li Ruoyu," she said.

"He is one."

Lin Ye nodded.

Minute 7.

Another message came in.

This time, not from all over the server.

It was from the "System" itself.

[Personal Tip: Detected that your "Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body" has produced an unknown resonance with the "heavenly dao system"]

[Resonance Intensity: 17%]

[Resonance Effect:]

[1. Your ability to perceive the "Truth" + 30%]

[2. You can see "Hidden Data Fragments" in the Void Realm]

[3. Your "Soul connection" with Li Ruoyu has been established]

[4. You can perceive Li Ruoyu's "Status" from anywhere]

[Current status of Li Ruoyu: Active (Coordinates: Void Rift)]

Lin Ye looked at the line "Soul connection has been established."

3 seconds.

He closed his eyes.

He could feel it.

Somewhere in the Void Realm, at a distance of 5 days and 17 hours of travel from him, there was a faint, gray light.

That light pulsed at a frequency of 1.7 seconds/time.

Perfectly synchronized with his own heartbeat.

With the myriad things mother qi cauldron embryo that was on the verge of shattering deep within his brow.

With the drop of True Dragon blood essence that had merged into his Bloodline.

Perfectly synchronized.

He opened his eyes.

"He is waiting for us," he said.

[Chapter 190 · End]