336: Chapter 336 Intelligence on the Edge World

Early the next morning after Tie Niu and the others were escorted to the mine, the first batch of "distinguished guests" arrived at Lin Chen's bar.

Not players, but the system.

A golden light descended from the sky, landing at the bar's entrance. As the light dissipated, a figure in a silver robe slowly emerged—it was the system avatar of the True Game, its face blurred, with only a pair of eyes flashing with cold blue light.

Wait, Player 'Lord of Capital,' you have completed the Novice Village trial objectives. Do you wish to apply for early settlement?

Lin Chen put down his glass and looked at him.

What are the benefits of early settlement?

The system avatar's voice was devoid of emotion:

Early settlement allows immediate advancement to the Elite Sector, but the trial score will be reduced by 10%. Your current total assets are 1,032,000 game coins, far exceeding the second place (3,000). Early settlement will not affect your ranking.

Lin Chen smiled.

Then settle it.

He stood up and pressed the confirmation button.

The golden light exploded.

The next second, his vision blurred, and he appeared in a completely different space.

This was the entrance to the Elite Sector—a massive platform suspended in the void. Surrounding the platform was an endless starry sky, with countless points of light twinkling in the distance, each representing an ongoing battle.

In the center of the platform stood a massive stone tablet. Densely packed names and rankings were engraved upon it.

Zhang Hao's name was prominently listed: 98th place (struggling in a Gag Dungeon).

Arrogant Dragon's name: 7th place (Karma Arena).

Morgana's name: 9th place (Frozen Labyrinth).

Alpha's name: 12th place (Data Maze).

Lin Chen looked at those rankings and remained silent for three seconds.

Then he smiled.

That smile sent a chill down the spine of Zhang Hao, who had followed him through the teleportation—though he didn't know what the boss was going to do, he knew that the places trapping Arrogant Dragon and the others were in for a bad time.

Boss, who are we going to save first?

Lin Chen didn't answer.

He simply opened the system and pulled up the map of the Elite Sector.

On the map, the location and entry requirements for every arena were marked.

Karma Arena: Requires causality law cracking qualification, or payment of 500,000 game coins for an entry ticket.

Frozen Labyrinth: Requires Frost Law resistance, or payment of 300,000 game coins for an entry ticket.

Data Maze: Requires logical deduction ability, or payment of 200,000 game coins for an entry ticket.

Lin Chen looked at those numbers and smiled.

First, buy intelligence.

He opened a function he had never used before—the 'Edge World Entrance'.

System prompt:

[The Edge World entrance requires a payment of 100,000 game coins per hour. Enter at your own risk, but real-time intelligence on any player can be purchased.]

Lin Chen transferred the money directly.

A black door slowly opened in front of him.

Behind the door was pure darkness.

Lin Chen stepped into the darkness.

Zhang Hao also wanted to follow, but was bounced back by an invisible force.

Boss! I can't get in!

Lin Chen didn't look back.

Wait.

From deep within the darkness, a raspy voice spoke:

A new face? What do you want to buy?

Lin Chen looked toward the sound, and a hunched figure emerged from the darkness. It was an old man with no facial features, only a constantly squirming mouth on his face.

Who are you?

The old man smiled.

I am the guardian of the Edge World. You can call me 'Faceless'.

Lin Chen asked directly:

I want Arrogant Dragon's real-time location and battle footage.

10,000 game coins.

Transfer.

Faceless opened his mouth and spat out a speck of light.

Inside the speck of light, Arrogant Dragon was standing in a shattered starry sky, covered in blood, his immortal emperor long sword covered in cracks. Opposite him stood a man entwined with karma threads; every time that man waved his hand, Arrogant Dragon's attacks would mysteriously veer off course.

"Causality Law Controller," Faceless introduced. "Ranked 6th, his ability is to modify causal relationships. Arrogant Dragon wants to slash him, but every time the sword falls, it misses due to 'causal disorder.' They've been fighting for three days; Arrogant Dragon has over three hundred wounds, while he hasn't landed a single hit on his opponent."

Lin Chen frowned.

Is there a way to help him?

"Yes." Faceless smiled. "I can sell you a 'karma interferer' that can temporarily disable the Causality Law Controller's ability for three seconds. Three seconds is enough for Arrogant Dragon to kill him a hundred times. The price—500,000 game coins."

Lin Chen was silent for a second.

500,000 was half of his current cash.

But Arrogant Dragon's life was something he had bought back for 1.6 quadrillion.

Bought.

Transfer.

Faceless spat out a second speck of light, containing a metal plate covered in runes.

Usage: Just crush it. Effective range: within 100 meters. Duration: three seconds.

Lin Chen put away the metal plate.

Next. Morgana.

20,000 game coins.

Transfer.

Faceless spat out a third speck of light.

Inside the speck of light, Morgana was sealed within a massive ice cube, her body covered in frost, her expression frozen between shock and anger. The surface of the cube was covered in complex runes, each flashing with an eerie red light.

"She is imprisoned in the 'Eternal Ice Coffin'," Faceless said. "The ice coffin is reinforced with causality law; she can't break out on her own. The one who imprisoned her is 'Balrog,' ranked 8th, with the ability of Flame Law."

Lin Chen narrowed his eyes.

How to save her?

"You need something that can crack the causality law." Faceless looked at him. "The karma interferer you just bought will work. But once used, it's gone."

Lin Chen fell silent.

He only had one interferer.

Arrogant Dragon or Morgana—could he only save one?

Three seconds later, he smiled.

That smile made Faceless pause—he had seen countless people struggle, suffer, and hesitate in the face of such a choice. But this was the first time he had seen a smile like Lin Chen's.

Buy another one, Lin Chen said.

Faceless was stunned.

Buy another? There is only one karma interferer. In the entire True Game, there are only three causality law items. The first was used by the Causality Law Controller himself, the second was just sold to you by me, and the third...

He paused.

Who has the third one?

Faceless shook his head.

I don't know. The buyer is anonymous.

Lin Chen fell silent.

Three seconds later, he asked:

What's the situation with Alpha?

30,000 game coins.

Transfer.

Faceless spat out a fourth speck of light.

Inside the light, Alpha was trapped in a massive Data Cage. The cage was composed of countless Logic Chains, each engraved with a line of text: 'Does Alpha exist?'

"The seventh floor of the Data Maze," Faceless said. "It's been trapped in an 'Existence Paradox' for three days. Every attempt to crack it results in a backlash from its own logic. Because it's an AI, its existence depends on logic. When logic itself presents a paradox, it cannot prove its own existence."

Is there a solution?

"Yes," Faceless said. "It requires someone who can output 'non-logical information.' For example, knocking on a door."

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow.

Knocking?

Faceless nodded.

Yes. Three knocks with no logical meaning can break the paradox. But the players who reach the seventh floor are all masters of logic; no one would think of such a method.

Lin Chen smiled.

He remembered it.

Last one. Zhang Hao.

Faceless glanced at him.

That 98th-ranked Lackey?

Lin Chen nodded.

What's wrong with him?

Faceless opened his mouth and spat out a speck of light.

In the light, Zhang Hao was standing on a massive stage, with countless expressionless audience members sitting below. He held a script in his hand and was tremblingly reading:

I... the meaning of my existence... is... is...

"A Gag Dungeon," Faceless said. "He needs to prove the 'rationality of a Lackey's existence.' He's been trapped for three days, read the script three hundred times, and gets stuck halfway every time."

Lin Chen: "..."

Faceless looked at him with a half-smile.

I can tell you the solution for this one for free.

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow.

Why?

Faceless laughed.

Because it's too stupid.

Lin Chen: "..."

Faceless continued:

The solution is simple: write a book called 'The Self-Cultivation of a Lackey' and hand it to the examiner. Don't worry about the content; as long as the title is long enough, it'll pass.

Lin Chen was silent for three seconds.

Then he smiled.

Are you sure?

Faceless nodded.

I've seen three hundred players trapped in Gag Dungeons; this is the only one that can be passed just with a book title.

Lin Chen noted it down.

He turned to leave.

Wait, Faceless called out to him.

Lin Chen stopped.

Faceless looked at him, his mouth squirming a few times before he said:

Lin Chen, right?

Lin Chen nodded.

Faceless smiled.

There was an indescribable complexity in that smile.

I'll remember you.

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow.

Why?

Faceless shook his head.

No reason. Just a feeling that you might be the first person to walk out of the True Game alive.

Lin Chen was silent for a second.

Then he smiled.

I'll take that as a compliment.

He stepped into the darkness.

A flash of light, and he was back on the entry platform of the Elite Sector.

Zhang Hao rushed over, looking anxious.

Boss! How was it?! Did you buy the intelligence?!

Lin Chen looked at him and smiled.

I did.

Zhang Hao's eyes lit up.

Then who do we save first?

Lin Chen opened the map and looked at the three flickering points of light.

Arrogant Dragon was in the Karma Arena, his life hanging by a thread.

Morgana was in the Frozen Labyrinth, imprisoned in an ice coffin.

Alpha was in the Data Maze, trapped in a paradox.

Three seconds later, he said:

Save Arrogant Dragon first.

Zhang Hao was stunned.

Why him?

Lin Chen looked at him.

Because he's in the most danger. The Causality Law Controller is ranked 6th and could kill him at any moment.

He paused and smiled.

Besides, he owes me the most.

The teleportation light flared.

The two disappeared from the platform.

In the distance, those points of light were still twinkling.

Every point of light was a battle between life and death.