118: Chapter 118 Don't Act Like Me!

In the City of Eternal Night, the territory of the Moon Gods Radiance Guild.

Arrow of the Moon stared blankly at the blood-red world announcement, her delicate face filled with astonishment.

[Player "Chen You" has successfully opened the dungeon 【Tomb of Thousand Lights】 Destruction Mode!]

She froze for a full ten seconds before slowly blinking, confirming she hadn't misread it.

What about teaming up?

I was painstakingly arranging people to search the entire map for the Mysterious Merchant, and you hit me with a world announcement instead?!

I haven't even gotten on board yet!

What shocked her even more was that he had actually gone to Thousand Light City.

That was within the sphere of influence of the Roman God Clan; the Elf God Clan had little say there.

A deep sense of powerlessness surged into her heart.

After hesitating for a long time, she took a deep breath, suppressed the agitation in her heart, and opened her friends list.

She sent a message to that man.

[Arrow of the Moon]: Guild Leader Chen, do you still remember our agreement?

The message was sent, but there was no reply.

One minute.

Three minutes.

On Arrow of the Moon's fair fingertips, an arrow made of pure energy flickered faintly.

It pulsed with an unsteady light, revealing her inner anxiety.

Just as she was about to lose patience, the communication interface finally lit up.

[Chen You]: Guild Leader Yue, of course I remember.

Arrow of the Moon almost choked when she saw the reply.

Remember?

Remember, and then you immediately opened another Destruction Mode? Without even saying hello?

She suppressed the urge to question him and carefully chose her words, trying to seize a bit of initiative.

[Arrow of the Moon]: Guild Leader Chen is really fast. We are still fully searching for the Mysterious Merchant, I didn't expect you to already...

Before she finished sending the message, the other party's new message had already popped up.

[Chen You]: You help me find the Mysterious Merchant, and I'll take your people through a run. That's what we agreed on before.

The implication was: If you didn't find him, the premise of the deal was void. Why should I wait for you?

Arrow of the Moon looked at the reply and was momentarily speechless.

Right, logically there was no issue.

If she didn't find the Mysterious Merchant, the trade couldn't happen. Chen You going to run the dungeon himself was perfectly reasonable.

But... this felt too suffocating!

She had originally thought that Chen You's ability to open the Destruction Mode was a unique strategic resource.

He would definitely wait for the best offer, or at least maintain good communication with her, a potential strategic partner.

It turned out she had overthought things.

In Chen You's eyes, this seemed as casual as going out to buy groceries.

[Arrow of the Moon]: Guild Leader Chen, the appearance of the Mysterious Merchant has no pattern at all. It might not appear for a month, or even a year.

[Arrow of the Moon]: But the Moon Gods Radiance's intelligence network covers the entire Source Realm. As soon as he appears, we will lock onto him immediately. This promise is valid long-term.

[Chen You]: Next time for sure.

Four simple, blunt words.

Was it some kind of promise, or just a dismissal?

Next time, really for sure?

Could she still get on this ride?

Arrow of the Moon wanted to try and regain the upper hand, but she found herself in the wrong no matter how she phrased it.

Although she was passive, at least there was still a chance.

Finally, she could only reply.

[Arrow of the Moon]: Then it's settled.

Closing the chat window, Arrow of the Moon closed her eyes and began to breathe deeply.

There was a trace of frustration.

There was also a trace of confusion and terror.

Why?

Why could that man open the Destruction Mode so easily? How on earth did he do it?

... ...

On the other side.

Chen You casually closed the chat window, his expression unruffled.

To him, the Elf God Clan might be useful, but that was a matter for the future; who could say for sure.

His mind was currently filled with something else.

Secluded cultivation!

It took him over ten seconds to defeat an Elite at level 30 in a dungeon!

This was a very dangerous sign!

Exiting the dungeon, returning to the city, and automatically pathfinding to the Supreme Tower—all done in one smooth flow.

Before the players outside the Tomb of Thousand Lights could react, he was already standing in front of the Supreme Tower in Thousand Light City.

Compared to the one in Zhao City, the Supreme Tower in Thousand Light City incorporated more architectural elements.

The lines were more ornate, with exquisite sculptures and reliefs everywhere, but the overall sense of grandeur and luxury was inherited.

"I'm home."

Chen You looked at the familiar sign, and a sense of closeness welled up in his heart.

He suddenly had a deeper understanding of the phrase 'make oneself at home'.

It was like a corporate drone who traveled frequently suddenly spotting the familiar logo of a chain hotel from home on a street in a foreign land.

It was home, but not entirely.

As soon as Chen You stepped through the main entrance, a soft, pleasant female voice sounded by his ear, carrying a perfectly measured hint of surprise and rhythm.

"Respected supreme member, the clamor of the mortal world could not obscure the starlight in your eyes. It is truly a wonderful thing to meet you again in this city."

A woman wearing a silver-white court gown walked over gracefully. She had the exact same face as Hill in Zhao City, but her temperament was completely different.

"It reminds me of the most beautiful sunset in my memory."

She bowed slightly and added,

"Mm."

Chen You nodded. "You are a bit more poetic than her."

The corners of Thousand Light City Hill's mouth curved into a faint smile, seemingly pleased with the compliment.

"Praise is the dew of wisdom; thank you for your generosity."

She made a gesture to 'please,' leading Chen You toward a secluded reception area.

"May I ask why you have graced us with your presence this time? Do you require rest, or do you wish to begin a new period of cultivation?"

Chen You did not sit down, nor did he have the mind to beat around the bush.

Secluded cultivation was imminent, but before that, he needed to log off to synchronize some information.

"I need clarification."

Chen You got straight to the point, flipped his wrist, and two items appeared out of thin air in his palm.

One was the 【Tattered Parchment Map】 obtained from killing the Dark Projection, its edges still bearing scorch marks from flames.

The other was that cold, ominous-looking 【shadow contract emblem】.

For some reason, he had a vague feeling that there was another trap waiting for him later in this quest.

The moment these two items appeared, the poetic serenity on Hill's face receded like a tide.

Her pupils contracted almost imperceptibly, and her originally gentle gaze instantly became sharp as a knife as she stared fixedly at the emblem in Chen You's palm.

Her look was as if she were confirming whether some forbidden seal had been broken.

The surrounding air seemed to freeze for an instant because of this.

"You... went to the Tomb of Thousand Lights?"

Her voice became dry and low, filled with some kind of suppressed emotion.

"Not just went there."

Chen You keenly caught her emotional shift, and the premonition that 'there was a trap' grew stronger.

"I dismantled it too."

Hill's body shook almost imperceptibly.

She closed her eyes, took a long breath, and when she opened them again, her gaze had returned to calm.

"The map is meant to guide you to a certain 'place'."

Hill's voice was suppressed very low, carrying the unique frequency used when recounting forbidden legends.

"And this one is meant to guide you to find a certain 'existence'."

"An existence that has been forgotten, sealed, and cursed by all the laws of the world... an 'existence'."

Chen You frowned.

Wait, why are you starting to act?