156: Chapter 156: I forgot to add the treatment fee...

"What I have said naturally holds true, and I assume there is no need for Me to repeat the conditions. If you have no objections, you may state your terms."

Commander Zhou Huai's heart was undoubtedly complex at this moment. On one hand, he truly could not find a better way out. On the other hand, he was afraid that this unknown existence was, as Old Lü had said, a massive trap...

"Since I am to sign a Death Contract, I will speak plainly. If I have offended the Group Owner in any way, I ask for your understanding."

"Speak freely."

He had never expected that one day he would sign a Death Contract with someone, but things had reached this point, and Commander Zhou Huai had no choice but to accept it.

"Previously, the Group Owner said that as long as I signed the Death Contract, you could help us solve our current difficulties. I am currently severely injured, and the cost of treatment is approximately 2.2 billion..."

"No problem."

For Lin Xiao, asking for divine power points was the easiest thing in the world right now. Besides, it was only 2.2 billion; once his two True God Spirit Puppets arrived, a single day's revenue would be more than enough.

"Although it is because of my injuries that I have no choice but to take this path, I do not wish to become Artifact Refining Materials one day. For any tasks that are certain death, I hope to have the right to refuse. Furthermore, Group Owner, you cannot, for any reason, seize the resources of my divine kingdom, my temple, my life, or my divine body..."

Commander Zhou Huai tried his best to consider every problem he could think of.

"Whether you become Artifact Refining Materials or not is something I cannot guarantee. After all, there are countless powerhouses within the Star Domain, and I am not yet a Peak existence, so I cannot promise you that condition. As for tasks that are certain death, I also have objections. If I arrange a task and you deem it certain death, wouldn't I have wasted all this effort? As for your final condition, I can agree to it. I will absolutely not, for any reason, seize the resources of your divine kingdom, your temple, your life, or your divine body."

Although two of his requests were denied, Commander Zhou Huai secretly breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the Group Owner responding to his demands point by point.

At the very least, the other party appeared to have some sincerity in this, and perhaps his future might not be as terrible as he had imagined.

"The Group Owner is right; my request was too vague. Group Owner, you must not directly or intentionally indirectly harm me. As for tasks that are certain death, as long as it is not a Sixth-tier God or above, it does not count as certain death. Additionally, I need to add one more clause. If it is fighting a Fourth-tier God, that goes without saying, but if the enemy is Fifth-tier, then for any injuries sustained due to the battle, you, Group Owner, must help with the treatment. Also... if you happen to be from an alien race, then just pretend I said nothing."

Up until now, Commander Zhou Huai still did not know Lin Xiao's identity, and this final addition was his attempt to confirm it once and for all.

It was not unheard of for members of the Human Race to become subordinates to alien races, nor was it impossible for aliens to become subordinates to humans, but these were special cases, and the Xuanxu Star Region was currently in a special period.

He did not want to recover from his injuries only to become a traitor to the Human Race...

"Your requirements are very reasonable, and I have no objections. I told you before that I am not an alien, so your worry is completely unnecessary. Everything you have proposed can be written into the Death Contract. This should put your mind at ease, right?"

Hearing that the other party was not an alien and was even willing to write these requirements into the Death Contract, Commander Zhou Huai let out a sigh of relief, yet he couldn't help but feel a pang of bitterness in his heart.

From today on, he would become someone else's servant. He wondered if he would regret today's decision.

"Bring the Death Contract..."

Zhang Qi and Bai Ming, who had been secretly observing all of this, felt a faint tremor in their hearts. Their situation was actually quite similar to Commander Zhou Huai's.

The only difference was that Commander Zhou Huai had been injured in an external war while serving as a commander of the Xuanxu Star Region, whereas they had been injured while fighting for an Opportunity...

Seeing this last sentence, Zhang Qi could not help but send a secret message to Commander Zhou Huai.

"Old Zhou, you must think this through! This is a Death Contract; once you sign it, even if you promote to a High-rank God, you will never be able to break free!"

Looking at his friend's warning, a bitter smile appeared on Commander Zhou Huai's face.

"What else can I do if I don't sign? Just moments ago, the Grand Commander disbanded the God Legion under my command. Once the news spreads, it won't be long before my past offerings disappear entirely. With my resource supplies cut off and my body severely injured, do I really have any other choice besides this path...?"

Zhang Qi fell silent upon seeing this reply.

Yes, did they really have a choice in their current situation? Although his situation was slightly better than Old Zhou's, it wasn't much better.

Perhaps, in the end, he would have no choice but to make the same decision. This made him feel a sense of sorrow in his heart...

They were Intermediate Gods! To reach their current Realm, how much suffering had they endured? How much hardship had they faced? Yet, in the end, they could not escape the fate of becoming someone else's servant.

Originally, he had refused to accept this fate, which was why he had gone to fight others for resources. As it turned out, that had become the initial cause of this outcome.

"Once you notice anything wrong, notify us immediately! At the very least... we can think of a way together."

This was clearly just comforting words. Once the Death Contract was signed, as long as the other party did not violate the terms of the contract, Old Zhou would be completely unable to resist the other party's will.

Looking at the name "Lin Xiao" at the bottom of the document, Commander Zhou Huai rubbed the Death Contract with a complex expression. The events of the past surfaced in his mind—the ambition he felt when he reached the Third-tier.

To push for the Intermediate God Realm, he entered the Secret Realm and went to the divine battlefields. It was only after surviving nine deaths that he finally achieved his current status.

Yet in the end, he could not escape the destiny of being a servant to others.

"Is it truly destined for us common people? No matter how we struggle or resist, we still cannot escape this fate in the end. If there is truly no such luck in our lives, then why give us hope in the first place..."

A drop of divine blood fell onto the Death Contract amidst Commander Zhou Huai's murmurs, and a profound, ancient rune instantly appeared.

As the Death Contract vanished, a connection, faint as if it were non-existent, came from the distant galaxy.

Lin Xiao naturally felt this connection. At the same time, the name of Commander Zhou Huai appeared in the "Subordinate Gods" column within his System.

"Commander Zhou Huai: Fourth-tier God (Severely Injured Status)"

Because the day had not yet turned over, Lin Xiao could only see the name and status.

"As for the divine power points, wait a couple of days. You contacted me quite suddenly, and I just used some divine power points to buy something. I will transfer 2.2 billion to you in two days. You should be able to hold on until then, right?"

"This subordinate can hold on for a while longer; the treatment is not urgent."

Although he was burning with anxiety inside, since the master had spoken, what else could he say? At this moment, Commander Zhou Huai suddenly remembered that he had listed a string of requirements earlier.

Did he forget to add the 2 billion in medical expenses?

It couldn't be that coincidental, right? If he remained in a severely injured state, how could he help the other party with tasks? Receiving a useless person was completely meaningless...

At this moment, Commander Zhou Huai deliberately tried not to think about the fact that, as an Intermediate God, he himself was a massive fortune.

Damn it! This absolutely must not be a trap!

Commander Zhou Huai felt like he wanted to cry a little at this moment...