Chapter 68 The Abyss Lord Delivers Materials, Lin Ye Forges Top-Tier Equipment

The Abyss Council of the Japanese Server signed contracts even faster than the Korean Server.

Just as Lin Ye stepped into the Japanese Server's Abyss Rift, two Abyssal Lords were already waiting at the entrance. One was called the Lord of Dark Erosion, and the other was the Lord of Frost. Both were level 98, and both held signed labor contracts in their hands. The terms on the contracts were filled in by themselves: fifteen artifacts and 1,500 Epic Abyss Crystals to be handed over every week—fifty percent higher than the standard set by Lin Ye.

Lin Ye took the contracts, glanced at them, and looked up at the two Abyssal Lords: "You added the amount yourselves?"

The Lord of Dark Erosion lowered its head and said in stiff human language: "Voluntary. To show sincerity."

The corner of Lin Ye's mouth twitched. He had collected four Abyssal Lords: the Lord of Destruction was beaten into submission, the Lord of Corrosion was fleeced into submission, the Lord of Flame was scared into submission, and the Lord of Shadow submitted after seeing the situation clearly. These two, however, were different; they directly added pressure on themselves, sparing him the need to even fight.

"Fine. Since you are so sincere, I will give you another benefit." Lin Ye took two flyers for the Abyss Protection Package from his backpack and handed them to them, "The Japanese Server's Abyss Protection Package, you two will be the spokespersons. For every high-level package sold, you get a five percent commission."

The two Abyssal Lords looked at each other, the purple flames in their eyes lighting up simultaneously. A five percent commission—given the purchasing power of the Japanese Server players—would be at least tens of millions of gold coins a week. Although they were Abyssal Lords, having stayed at the bottom of the Abyss for tens of thousands of years, they had never seen this kind of business model.

The Lord of Dark Erosion asked cautiously: "What does 'spokesperson' mean?"

"It means having you shoot an advertisement. Stand in the Main City Square of the Japanese Server, hold up the package flyer, and shout, 'Abyss Protection Package, you deserve it.' Shoot one every day, salary calculated separately."

The purple flame in the Lord of Frost's eyes flickered violently: "We... shout?"

"Can't you? You signed the labor contract, so you are my employees. It is only right and proper for employees to obey work arrangements."

The two Abyssal Lords were silent for three seconds, then lowered their heads simultaneously: "We will shout."

Fatty Wang was beside them, holding back his laughter until his face turned red. Making level 98 Abyssal Lords stand in the Main City Square to shout advertising slogans—only Lin Ye could pull that off. When the news spread to the Japanese Server's world channel, the Japanese Server players collectively broke down.

"Japanese Server player Yamada Kenta: Abyssal Lords as spokespersons? We were tortured by Abyss Monsters for three days, and now they want to sell us protection packages?"

"Japanese Server player Suzuki Yu: I just went to the Main City Square to see. The Lord of Dark Erosion and the Lord of Frost are really standing there, holding flyers. The Lord of Dark Erosion is shouting 'Abyss Protection Package,' and the Lord of Frost is shouting 'You deserve it.' I recorded the screen, who wants it?"

"Japanese Server player Sato Ken: I want it! Send me a copy! You won't see a scene like this a second time in your life!"

"Japanese Server player Tanaka Sho: Bought it. High-level package, 500,000 gold coins. Not for anything else, just to see the Abyssal Lord acting as my bodyguard."

Sales of the Japanese Server's Abyss Protection Package skyrocketed instantly. In less than half an hour, 3,000 copies were sold. The combined commission for the Lord of Dark Erosion and the Lord of Frost exceeded 20 million gold coins. The two Abyssal Lords clutched their gold coin bags, the purple flames in their eyes shining so brightly they were almost overflowing.

Lin Ye looked at the backend data and nodded with satisfaction. Then he turned to Su Qinghan: "Next, the US Server."

The Abyss Council of the US Server signed the contract most readily. Not because they were sensible, but because the Abyss invasion in the US Server had spiraled out of control. The Abyssal Lord personally led a team to break through the US Server's main city, killing tens of thousands of players and causing countless equipment drops. US Server players were quitting the game en masse, and the server's online count plummeted by seventy percent. The US Server's Abyssal Lord, the Lord of Despair, was sitting on the throne of the main city enjoying the fruits of victory when Lin Ye walked in.

Behind him followed four Abyssal Lords. The Lord of Destruction, the Lord of Corrosion, the Lord of Flame, and the Lord of Shadow. Four level 99 Abyssal Lords stood in a row like four black walls.

The Lord of Despair stood up from the throne, the purple flame in its eyes contracting violently. It recognized these four colleagues. The two from the Chinese Server, the two from the Korean Server—all had been recruited by this human in front of it. It stared at Lin Ye for three seconds, then pulled a stack of contracts from under the throne.

"I filled it out myself. Twenty artifacts per week, 2,000 Epic Crystals. I'll add more if it's not enough."

Lin Ye took the contract and glanced at it, the corner of his mouth twitching. This one was even more ruthless, self-pressuring to twenty items. Five more than the Lord of Dark Erosion.

"You aren't going to resist?"

The Lord of Despair shook its head: "Four against one, I can't resist."

Lin Ye put the contract back into his backpack: "Fine. The US Server Abyss version is over. From today on, you are called Employee Number Five. The place to hand in materials every week is the third floor of the Unscrupulous Business Center in Dawn City, Chinese Server. Don't be late."

The Lord of Despair lowered its head. When the US Server players saw the system announcement in the respawn point, they were collectively silent. Then someone sent a world message.

"US Server player Johnson: How long did it take Brother Ye to subdue the Abyssal Lord?"

"US Server player Smith: From entering to coming out, less than three minutes."

"US Server player Johnson: We were tortured by the Abyssal Lord for three days, and Brother Ye solved it in three minutes."

"US Server player William: Don't say anything. Just buy the package. High-level package 500,000 gold coins, I bought it. Not for anything else, just to see the Lord of Despair standing guard for me."

Sales of the US Server Abyss Protection Package instantly surged to 5,000 copies. The Lord of Despair's commission exceeded 30 million gold coins. It clutched the gold coin bag, the purple flame in its eyes shining for a full three minutes.

The Abyss Council of the European Server signed the contract most indignantly. Because the European Server had two Abyssal Lords, one called the Lord of Plague and one called the Lord of Nightmare. When Lin Ye walked in, the Lord of Plague was holding a meeting. Not with Abyss Monsters, but with the guild leaders of several major guilds in the European Server. The meeting topic was surrender conditions.

The Lord of Plague sat at one end of a long table, and the leaders of several major European guilds sat on both sides. On the long table lay a surrender agreement, with dense clauses. The core content was only one: the European Server Guild Alliance would surrender to the Abyss Council and pay protection fees weekly in exchange for the Abyss Monsters not attacking the city.

When Lin Ye pushed the door open and entered, everyone was stunned. The purple flame in the Lord of Plague's eyes flickered violently, and the European guild leaders stood up collectively. They recognized the four Abyssal Lords behind Lin Ye.

The Lord of Plague was silent for three seconds, then pushed the surrender agreement aside and pulled a stack of labor contracts from the drawer.

"I'll fill them out myself. Twenty-five artifacts, 2,500 Epic Crystals. Five more than the Lord of Despair. Is that enough?"

Lin Ye took the contract, glanced at it, and looked up at the Lord of Plague: "You know the Lord of Despair?"

"I know it. It just sent me a cross-server private message. Said to fill the contract higher so I could get spokesperson commission."

The corner of Lin Ye's mouth twitched. Good grief, the Abyssal Lords were even tipping each other off. The Lord of Nightmare stood by and asked in a low voice: "Is the spokesperson commission real? Five percent?"

Lin Ye nodded: "Real."

The purple flame in the Lord of Nightmare's eyes lit up: "I'll sign for thirty items. Can the spokesperson fee be raised to six percent?"

Lin Ye looked at the Lord of Nightmare, thinking for the first time that Abyssal Lords were actually quite cute.

When the European Server Abyss Protection Package went online, the attention of players across the server was no longer on it. Because Lin Ye's live stream was on again. In the live stream, Lin Ye was sitting in the VIP room on the third floor of the Unscrupulous Business Center, with five labor contracts in front of him. Under the five contracts was a thick stack of artifact lists.

"Brothers in the live stream, today we are not fleecing bosses, and we are not signing contracts. Today we are crafting equipment."

The bullet comments exploded instantly.

"Wocao Wuqing: Crafting equipment? Brother Ye is going to craft equipment himself?"

"Brick-Moving Expert: Isn't Brother Ye's equipment all fleeced? When has he ever crafted it himself?"

"Invincible Sword God: Wait, what is that pile of materials behind Brother Ye?"

In the live stream, Fatty Wang pushed a handcart in. The cart was piled high with Abyss materials. Purple Abyss Crystals, golden Epic Crystals, orange Legendary Cores, and a few pieces of materials glowing with seven-colored light that even Fatty Wang didn't recognize. Then came the second cart, the third, the fourth. A total of five carts, all piled full.

Lin Ye took the Abyss Corrosion Sword out of his backpack and placed it on the table: "This sword, SSS-rank, offered by the Lord of Corrosion. I've used it for a few days, it's quite good. But it's not enough."

He took out the space-time judgment and placed it on the table: "This sword is also SSS-rank, a Creation God-level artifact. It fits my Talent perfectly. But it's still not enough."

The bullet comments went quiet. Two SSS-rank artifacts, equipment that players across the server wouldn't dare to dream of, and Lin Ye said it wasn't enough.

"I need a set of equipment. Not one piece, but a set. From head to toe, all SSS-rank. Weapon, helmet, chest armor, shoulder guards, gauntlets, belt, leggings, boots. Eight pieces in total. Each piece must be compatible with the Decay Talent, and each piece must be able to stack the Decay Debuff effect. When all eight pieces are collected, the set effect is activated. By then, the range of my Decay Domain will be able to cover the entire main city, the upper limit of the Decay Debuff layers will double, and the attribute castration effect will double."

The bullet comments exploded.

"Data Emperor: Cover the entire main city? Wouldn't that mean if Brother Ye opens his domain in the Dawn City square, all the Abyss Monsters in the entire main city would die?"

"Yes Little Follower: Not just Abyss Monsters. Anyone who dares to cause trouble in Dawn City, Brother Ye just needs to open his domain and everyone will be floored."

"Milk Tea Without Sugar: Eight SSS-rank set pieces, only Brother Ye dares to think about this."

Lin Ye didn't look at the bullet comments. He picked up the Abyss Corrosion Sword and began to dismantle it.

A system prompt popped up: "Dismantling SSS-rank artifact 'Abyss Corrosion Sword' will yield 'Abyss Origin Core' x10, 'Corrosion Rule Shard' x5. The artifact cannot be restored after dismantling. Confirm?"

Lin Ye clicked confirm. The Abyss Corrosion Sword turned into a dark red light, condensing into fifteen materials on the table. Ten Abyss Origin Cores, five Corrosion Rule Shards. Each piece glowed with deep purple light, like solidified Abyss energy.

The bullet comments exploded again.

"Wocao Wuqing: Brother Ye dismantled an SSS-rank artifact!"

"Brick-Moving Expert: There is only one such sword in the whole server! And Brother Ye just dismantled it like that?"

"Invincible Sword God: Brother Ye treats artifacts like cabbages."

Lin Ye ignored the bullet comments. He picked up the space-time judgment and also clicked dismantle. The space-time judgment turned into a seven-colored light, condensing into twenty materials on the table. Fifteen Space-Time Rule Shards, five Order Rule Origins. Each piece glowed with seven-colored light, even purer than the Abyss materials.

Two SSS-rank artifacts, both dismantled. The bullet comments had already caused the server to lag. Players from all over the server flocked to the live stream, breaking the record for concurrent viewers.

Lin Ye placed the forty materials on the table. Abyss Origin Cores, Corrosion Rule Shards, Space-Time Rule Shards, Order Rule Origins. Four types of materials, four types of light. Dark purple, deep purple, seven-colored, pure white. He closed his eyes, and the Decay Domain opened. Dark purple and pale gold lights surged from his body, enveloping the forty materials on the table.

Then he began to craft.

No anvil, no forging hammer, no furnace. The Decay Domain was his furnace, and the Purification Form was his forging hammer. The forty materials slowly melted, merged, and took shape in the two-colored light. The helmet was the first to take shape. It was pitch black, with a Space-Time Rule Shard embedded in the forehead. Then came the chest armor, shoulder guards, gauntlets, belt, leggings, and boots. Every time a piece of equipment took shape, the system would pop up a prompt.

"Congratulations on crafting SSS-rank equipment 'Abyss Decay Helmet'."

"Congratulations on crafting SSS-rank equipment 'Abyss Decay Chest Armor'."

"Congratulations on crafting SSS-rank equipment 'Abyss Decay Shoulder Guards'."

When all eight pieces of equipment were formed, the system popped up a golden announcement.

"Server-wide Announcement: Player 'Ye the Wicked' has successfully crafted the first SSS-rank set in the server, the 'abyss decay set'. Set effect activated: Decay Domain range expanded by 500%, Decay Debuff layer limit doubled, attribute castration effect doubled, Purification Form damage against the Abyss doubled. Obtained unique title 'Decay Set Creator'."

The entire server was silent for a full ten seconds. Then the bullet comments erupted like a volcano.

Fatty Wang squatted beside the pile of materials, his eyes wide: "Brother, how much can this set of equipment sell for?"

Lin Ye put on the Abyss Decay Chest Armor and moved his shoulders: "Not for sale. This set of equipment, I prepared it to fight the Lord of the Abyss."

Fatty Wang was stunned: "Lord of the Abyss? Isn't the Abyss Council all recruited by you? Is there still a Lord of the Abyss?"

Lin Ye didn't answer. He turned to look at the Lord of Destruction. The Lord of Destruction stood at the door, the purple flame in its eyes flickering with an indescribable light. It was like fear, and also like awe.

"Lord of Destruction, you tell Fatty. Above the Abyss Council, what else is there?"

The Lord of Destruction was silent for a long time, then spoke.

"The Lord of the Abyss. The creator of the Abyss. The source of all Abyss energy. Ten thousand years ago, it was sealed in the deepest part of the game's bottom layer by the first heir of the Decay Talent. The energy of the seal is weakening, and in at most one month, it will wake up."

Fatty Wang's face turned pale.

Lin Ye put the Abyss Decay Helmet on his head and fastened the strap: "One month. That's enough."