This Was a Cruel World After All

Lin Ye naturally couldn't be bothered to pay attention to this mad dog.

However, since Kim Geun-seok is so provocative, [Winter Is Coming] might want to seriously consider this guy.

Lin Ye turned off the TV and prepared to go shopping.

I've already stocked up on enough food and drink; now I need to find something to relax about on Azure Star.

Under the intense control of the Firmament, this world is indeed a bit too boring.

Just as he was about to leave, the phone suddenly rang.

Lin Ye picked up her phone and saw that it was an unfamiliar number.

"Um?"

This surprised him slightly.

He had left his phone in the rented room to avoid lobbyists and reporters from other Settlement.

The phone is new, and only Zhao Jianyu knows the phone number.

Could my phone number have been leaked?

Although Lin Ye didn't want to associate with those irrelevant people, he didn't go so far as to hide from them.

Lin Ye, now a top 50 Dungeon Designer, can be said to have nothing to fear on Azure Star. If they are really lobbyists from other Settlements, he can simply tell them to leave.

So Lin Ye answered the phone.

"Hello, Lin Ye, I am Bai Tianhao, the assistant to Dean Ding Chang..."

"Dean Ding Chang asked me to contact you, hoping to meet with you alone."

It turns out that Ding Chang sent someone to contact him; that makes sense now.

Ever since he cleared the Battle of the Imperial Sea, Ding Chang had been paying close attention to him.

As for meeting in private, Lin Ye wasn't opposed to it.

After all, he was a transmigrator. Although he relied on the power of the Five Permanent Members to soar to the top and level up quickly, his understanding of this world was still vague.

Ding Chang is considered the most prestigious professor in the Great Xia Settlement, with considerable experience; having a chat with him should be beneficial.

But Lin Ye was a little confused... Wasn't it Zhao Jianyu who had been in contact with him before? How come it's now this Bai Tianhao he doesn't even know?

Ding Chang is so cautious; he shouldn't have changed his contact person at this time.

"Hello? The Ms. Zhao from before..."

There was a sudden pause on the other end of the phone, followed by a calm reply:

"It is with great regret that I say, Lin Ye, that Ms. Zhao Jianyu was eliminated by the Firmament Curtain yesterday. I will be in contact with you from now on."

"..."

In an instant, Lin Ye froze on the spot.

Zhao Jianyu... was actually wiped out.

"Lin Ye, I have sent Dean Ding's address to your mobile phone."

"If you wish to see Dean Ding, you are welcome to come anytime... Lin Ye, please rest assured, this location is heavily guarded by our Research Institute's personnel, and no unauthorized personnel will be allowed to discover your whereabouts."

Lin Ye didn't say anything more, but hung up the phone directly.

Lin Ye had a strange feeling about Zhao Jianyu's elimination.

Actually, you wouldn't say he had any feelings for Zhao Jianyu.

He had only met Zhao Jianyu twice in total, and then Zhao helped him choose this secluded Cliffside Villa. In reality, that was all.

Even during their first meeting, Zhao Jianyu, as an official, was somewhat arrogant and didn't leave Lin Ye with a very good impression.

At most, we have some degree of acquaintance.

But... death is a serious matter...

Lin Ye is not a sentimental person, but she still felt a little sad about the passing of such a living life.

In that instant, Lin Ye truly felt something...

That's the cruelty of this world!

In fact, Lin Ye had already learned about the cruelty of this world shortly after he transmigrated here.

People struggle in Instance every day, and the majority of people in this world are at the bottom level, LV0. If they are not careful, they will be wiped out when their points run out.

Although there is no real war, war is taking place every moment in the Instance.

It goes without saying that the survival rate in this world will be even lower than on Blue Star in my previous life.

However, Zhao Jianyu, one of only two people Lin Ye knew after coming to this world, was killed in less than a week.

This forced Lin Ye to further enhance his understanding of the world.

With knowledge from his past life and an understanding of the Instance far surpassing that of this world, he naturally progressed smoothly and rose rapidly through the ranks.

But what about the average person?

If he could easily annihilate 200,000 Dahe people, then the strong in this world could naturally easily annihilate the weak.

Even regular staff members like Zhao Jianyu are constantly teetering on the edge of life and death.

Lin Ye sighed, left the Cliffside Villa, and started his car.

Then it directly located the position Bai Tianhao had been in during the day.

An hour later, Lin Ye arrived at a deep forest.

Bai Tianhao chose a very secluded Sanatorium as his location.

Lin Ye parked the car outside the iron fence, and immediately a young man with thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a straight spine walked up to him.

"Hello, Lin Ye, this is Bai Tianhao."

"I'll take you to Ding Chang's room."

Bai Tianhao received Lin Ye with great courtesy.

"Why would Mr. Ding Chang be in a place like this? This seems to be a Sanatorium, doesn't it?" Lin Ye glanced around again.

"This should be Research Institute secret, but Lin Ye is now a top Designer in our Great Xia Settlement, so he naturally has the right to know all this..."

"Mr. Ding Chang has late-stage pancreatic cancer and needs to come to this Sanatorium regularly every week for treatment to stay alive."

"..."

Lin Ye could only remain silent.

The two walked through a small garden and came to a three-story building.

Several men who looked like guards saluted Lin Ye respectfully at the entrance of the building.

"Hello, Mr. Lin!"

"Hello, Mr. Lin!"

Lin Ye could actually understand the respect these people showed.

Because the concept of nation-states doesn't exist in this world, so-called official bodies are merely administrative organizations without any real power.

For a Settlement, the strong are everything! Especially top experts like Lin Ye, who have already entered the TOP50, can bring huge benefits to the settlement.

He will naturally earn everyone's respect.

After walking through the long corridor, Lin Ye finally arrived at Ding Chang's room, Bai Tianhao consciously stepped back.

He knocked gently on the door, and Ding Chang's voice came from inside.

"Come in."

Lin Ye slowly pushed the door open and saw Ding Chang lying on the hospital bed with an IV drip in his wrist.

Lin Ye's reaction to Ding Chang at first glance was somewhat surprising.

When I watched Ding Chang during the Battle of the Imperial Sea, I felt that Ding Chang was very tough and had a vigorous spirit.

But at this moment, Ding Chang was curled up on the hospital bed, his face haggard and sallow, and his white hair looked somewhat disheveled.

He looked exactly like a skinny old man.