Ring 091 Is Turning

Buzz—

The raging motorcycle sped through the tunnel, blizzards and sandstorms greeted her with a salute, darkness blurred her vision, the cold wind tore at her cheeks, and red and black clouds loomed overhead—it all seemed like hell.

However, upon closer examination, according to the teachings of those scriptures, hell might be much warmer than the Outland.

Xiajian Jing effortlessly entered the endless night. Perhaps influenced by Li Aoz's words, she would occasionally look up at the red and black sky.

"Could I have endured the darkness if I had never seen the light...?"

The Xiajian Jing whispered.

"How arrogant."

She drove very fast. As Gamma Rank, she disdained wearing any armor other than a helmet. The faint aura attached to her body could easily withstand the wind, sand and Frost and Snow. The Gamma Rank biological frequency signal she released without any concealment throughout the journey also kept those mutated monsters completely at a distance.

Soon, the Xiajian Jing arrived at its destination— the Cold Iron Settlement.

If someone has never left a city in their entire life, then their understanding of the Outland and of Four Nations Four Nations is actually quite narrow.

In reality, the Outland is not a region, but a state.

Any place not protected by particle barrier emitters and lacking a unified national identity and administrative division is contemptuously referred to as the Outland" by civilized people. Some of them are dying nations, while others are refugees who were abandoned after their resources and mineral deposits were seized by the Four Nations.

Therefore, Azure Planet has never lacked population. After the Nethermark Heavy Industries improved the new fertilizer, many scattered settlements in the Outland were able to form an extremely large population.

However, survival and living are two different things.

Xiajian Jing parked the locomotive next to the cargo ship of an Old Era shipwreck, passed through the cold, semi-open container hold, and entered the underground—the environment here was not as rudimentary and sparsely populated as people imagined. On the contrary, despite the fact that the permafrost under the shipwreck had been dug up by dozens of generations, the space was still narrow and lacked housing.

How ironic that even in this near-apocalyptic wilderness, people still lack shelter.

The arrival of the Xiajian Jing was already familiar to the residents of the settlement. They huddled in their belongings and corners, not even daring to look up at the Xiajian Jing.

"Miss Jing..."

"She's back, but where's Ye Ge?"

"Shh, you should call her 'sir'."

Xiajian Jing paid no attention to the whispers of these Outland People.

Outland People formed settlements among the submarines, containers, and cargo ships left behind from the Old Era. Some lucky settlements discovered the nuclear power equipment of these Old Era giant ships and continued to survive there. Due to a lack of organization and civilization, the population grew haphazardly, leading to a long period of poverty, hunger, and cold for the Outland People.

Xiajian Jing couldn't solve this problem; she always thought that no one on this planet could do it.

Even this mentor she respected immensely.

Snap.

Xiajian Jing stopped in front of a Sailor's quarters. She raised her hand, knocked on the door, and explained, "It's me, Arkanu."

The next moment, the door opened automatically, and inside sat a man who looked like a raven—about forty or fifty years old, tall and strong, with black hair tied into a ponytail and held in place by a black feather.

The middle-aged man wore a yellow and black trench coat, with an Old Era radiator hanging around his neck as a pendant. His upper arm was adorned with a skull and wrench armband, revealing his identity as a seasoned garbage collector.

Upon seeing the arrival of Xiajian Jing, the man sat on the edge of the bed, slightly raised his head, and casually said:

"There is a fire burning in your heart, Mirror."

"I have a question for you, Professor Bedia Arkanu."

Jing slowly walked into the room, closed the door, and stood in front of Arkanu. Staring directly into his eyes, she asked bluntly, "Teacher, do you believe that the sun and the starry sky exist?"

"What kind of stupid question is this?!" Arkanu scoffed. "Anyone with a modicum of common sense wouldn't ask something like this."

"I want to know your opinion," Jing insisted, staring into Arkanu's eyes, which were like some extremely pure substance, more noble than silver and more sacred than snowflakes.

"Believe it or not, the sun is there, the Azure Planet revolves around it, and it also revolves on its own. The universe, of course, exists as well. Even the sun, to the universe, is no different from a grain of sand." Arkanu explained calmly, "Is that all? My good apprentice, you came all the way from Sky Ring to find me, just to publicize your attack and protest, or to ask me such a stupid question—you've been to school, don't be silly."

After saying that, he chuckled and shook his head, his expression full of disdain and contempt.

"Teacher," Jing asked, "Do you want to go to space?"

Arkanu's laughter stopped abruptly. He turned his head and stared intently into the mirror, as if this were the first time he had ever seen the brat.

"Tell me you're not crazy yet, even though you'll eventually become a half-madman like me."

"At least not now." Jing rolled up his sleeve, his gaze sweeping over the cracks on his arm. The slight fissures reflected a faint light, far beyond what a human arm could reflect.

"This thing gave me the ability to enter the Gamma Rank," Jing said. "But at the same time, it is also eroding me."

"Malefic Calamity has the power to catalyze human evolution—or rather, accelerate human time." Arkanu stroked his chin. "You're lucky. Malefic Calamity didn't directly turn you into a monster; instead, it granted you superpowers. The Anaerobic didn't have your luck—when we found him, he had already been turned into a cube covered in branches and tentacles by Malefic Calamity, eerily floating in mid-air... We used Old Era Antimatter Bomb to destroy him. You should feel fortunate."

"Answer my question, teacher."

Jing looked up at the other person. "Do you want to go to space?"

"No." Arkanu shook his head. "I don't want to, not at all. I was born in the Outland and I want to die here. My ancestors have already borne enough burdens. Now, I just want to stay here and quietly walk to the end of my life—but I know you won't be so content with the status quo."

"You're right, teacher."

"You're going to space?"

"No, I'm going to rescue Gretvor, and then send a Red Arrow People into space."

"Give me the Ether Concoction."

Jing reached out her hand to him:

"I need power, I need to acquire the power to save this world. I am not strong enough now. If I can accomplish this, the entire Azure Planet might have a chance to see the sun."

"Jing, you've grown up."

Looking into Jing's resolute eyes, Arkanu was deeply moved. He showed a look of satisfaction, nodded, and said with a smile:

"Well said, but I won't give it to you."

Jing's gaze froze for a moment: "Teacher—"

"You don't understand, Mirror." Arkanu looked at him with a complicated expression. "Ether is more dangerous and more terrifying than Malefic Calamity. If you don't want to betray humanity, then never touch her. That's what my ancestors told me."

"... Do you really believe in that vague legend?" Jing spread his hands, frowning. "Society... professionals... citizens... jury... members and speakers... you don't really believe in the existence of a ' Living Civilization,' do you?"

"Mirror, since you believe in the existence of the sun and the universe, you should understand that if the universe really exists, given its vast size, anything is possible. Whether it's the Azure Planet giving birth to life or having a living civilization that roams the universe like monsters."

Arkanu took the graphics card cooler off his neck, patted it on the bed, shook his head, and said:

"Night Song's ancestor was an extraordinary person. He knew the reason for all of this, but before he could leave any information, the existence called 'Society' destroyed him. After the Malefic Calamity swept across the world, we didn't even remember our own civilization, let alone that part of the secret information—I only know that Ether is the source of that Society."

"Grey's ancestor—the one he bragged about to me as a child, the incredibly great ' Gandok Nightingale '?" Mirror curled her lip. "That was five hundred years ago, we don't even know if he still exists. It's one thing for his parents to fool him, but why do you believe that rumor, teacher?"

"I don't know, Mirror, but I will believe it." Arkanu smiled bitterly, "Ether is an extremely precious substance, but pure Ether Concoction is highly poisonous to humans. Perhaps you can withstand the poison of ether and fill your blood with powerful and mysterious energy, but I don't want you to die."

As he spoke, he pulled a vial about the thickness of a finger from his pocket. Inside, a clear, silvery-white liquid floated quietly, not dissipating or decomposing even when shaken, maintaining its steady, mercury-like consistency.

"This is the Ether Concoction," Arkanu said. "If I open it here, it will poison everyone on the ship. I'm not kidding. I was poisoned by it myself. I was lucky enough to survive, but the price was that 97% of my body's tissues were replaced with prosthetics. If you're not qualified, you will not only die, but you may die a very ugly death."

Jing said, "I know."

He stared at the other man and said, "Malefic Calamity is not as terrifying as the Aether. Society can enslave your soul through the Aether. You may become a puppet and a resource, to be mobilized and used at will by the high-ranking speakers and members of that society—this is more humiliating and painful than destruction."

Jing nodded. "I know."

"You don't know! Even if you survive by the skin of your teeth and pay a heavy price, you will encounter even more problems—and you will no longer be human, no longer an [Assassin]—but a monster called a 'Professional'. Poison will flow through your veins, you will become a part of society, your mind will be distorted, you will believe that society is your mother, your creator, and your soul and conscience will be twisted and polluted! You will no longer be yourself, but just a tool!"

Jing stepped forward. "I know."

"Are you even listening to me?!" Arkanu said angrily. "You will die meaninglessly. When you die, mortals will no longer remember you, understand? Gretvor, and your friends and I will completely forget you! Your existence will be erased like pencil marks being wiped off with an eraser!"

"I will die sooner or later, teacher."

Even after hearing about such a heavy price, Xiajian Jing's gaze remained firm. "I am willing to become a professional."

Li Aoz returned to Nura City and deliberately walked the streets, making a show of himself so that people would know he was in a prominent place in Nura City.

The appearance of Li Aoz quickly attracted a crowd and caused a sensation among the Heavenly Ring People. The beta testers who were already looking for Li Aoz immediately noticed the gathering of people and rushed over.

While beta testers didn't have access to internal materials and training like Military Player, they had the advantage of professional team guidance and training, making it easy for them to get started with the game. Upon learning of the arrival of the key figure who stole the show in the promotional video—the [Dominator] mentor, Li Aoz —the astute beta testers had long wanted to try changing their class to [Mutant].

Li Aoz's charm was too powerful. He stayed in a square for a while, idly browsing the forum, and soon attracted the attention of countless Sky Ring citizens.

"Please sign your name!"

"You are so beautiful, please let me be your dog."

"Are you... the superhuman Li Aoz from the Great Frost -Frostplate Air Force? It's actually you! Nice to meet you, please accept this small token of my appreciation."

Before long, the gifts surrounding Li Aoz had piled up into a high wall. He also interacted enthusiastically with these ordinary people and passersby, greatly boosting his Favorability.

"What the hell?" Some people couldn't help but mutter when they saw how approachable Li Aoz. "Frostplate's propaganda is absolutely terrible. How could such a beautiful and gentle person possibly commit a massacre?"

"I don't believe Li Aoz would do such a thing. It takes two to tango. It's clearly that the Daoism organization itself is corrupt. The Frostplate Citizen should reflect on what they did wrong to push such a good person Li Aoz to the opposite side. It must be Frostplate's fault!"

"Beautiful appearance is a rare resource. So what if he really slaughtered them? It is their honor to die at the hands of a beauty."

"My God, he's like a god of beauty. I've forgotten I'm a man. For Li Aoz, he's the only goal I'll strive for for the rest of my life."

Just as Li Aoz was displaying his charm and increasing public favor, the Eye of Truth also caught sight of a player with the ID ' White Day·Night Wanderer '.

Li Aoz was overjoyed. "Wow, it wasn't for nothing that I stood here for so long—a major guild has come knocking on our door."

White Day Guild is a very famous large guild and studio in Yanxia, with thousands of thugs, agents, and salesmen under its command. It is a ready-made pig farm.

"Now, there's a big profit to be made."