An Invitation to Dance with Ya

Even though there were absolutely no spectators around, Bai Zhou habitually maintained a tense expression.

He suppressed his trembling, yet he could seemingly hear the echoes of a tsunami in his ears.

These "blood beads" must surely have functions that Bai Zhou had yet to uncover.

--Why would the "blood beads" flowing from the Crown bear the mark of an Adventurer?

The so-called Golden King was suspected to be a high-sequence existence of the "Adventurer" path!

Even those twelve Golden Giants he had glimpsed in a trance, standing above the stars and beyond all comprehension...

Could they also be predecessors of the "Adventurer" path?

--Could that even be called an "Adventurer" anymore?

Even the ultimate form of an Adventurer that Bai Zhou could imagine, the "Dragon-Slaying Brave One," wasn't that terrifying.

"..."

Bai Zhou's gaze flickered.

He scrutinized the Silent Crown, which remained suspended in the distilled water without a trace of blood, appearing as it always did.

If the secret to becoming the "Golden King" was hidden within it...

Then it was highly likely that it also contained the subsequent path for an "Adventurer"!

"Thump-thump, thump-thump--"

This speculation made Bai Zhou's heart race uncontrollably.

The Moon Ember Sacred Oath Slash was only enough for Bai Zhou to complete the cultivation of "Body" and "Heart"; the subsequent path had yet to be found.

Looking back, it turned out the treasure mountain had been right before his eyes all along.

"Tsk!"

His clear eyes blinked twice in the dim Black Room, and Bai Zhou restrained himself, only clicking his tongue.

But in the end, he couldn't help but hum happily twice.

--Cold living people are all capable of lying.

But warm dead people do not, and heartfelt Last Wills do not either.

The Special Management Department even claimed this was an F-Class Black Box, utterly unremarkable.

--But this was likely the greatest treasure hidden within the Special Management Department, unknown to anyone!

"Swish, swish..."

Draining the water, replacing it.

Resealing the tank.

Bai Zhou busied himself for a long time until everything returned to normal.

He raised his hand to rest it on the tank, patting it twice with a "pat, pat."

He took one last lingering look at the Last Will of the "Golden King" above the Crown.

Although he had no clue about those harsh "trials" for the time being, Bai Zhou's future life might just depend on this.

He couldn't leave this thing for the Special Management Department... No, wait, what Special Management Department?

This was Bai Zhou's Crown.

Heaven and Earth be my witness, the one belonging to the Special Management Department was the "Johor Laurel Crown," and it didn't have even half a Golden Bean's worth of relation to his.

Bai Zhou scratched his head, suddenly feeling that the top of his head was empty; it would be best to have something to wear.

That unruly cowlick that always stood up also needed something to weigh it down.

White King... did that name seem alright?

"Clack"--

He sealed the Black Box.

Bai Zhou cautiously tucked away those Golden Beans of unknown function, Then walked out of this "F-13777" Black Room with a calm expression.

Mimicking the way Section Chief Liu had acted back then, he strode forward with a steady, official gait.

The keys jingled at his waist.

Taking the Crown now would be too easy to expose; he wasn't that desperate yet.

But before he left tomorrow night, he would definitely take the Crown with him to savor it slowly.

..."The one who inherits the throne, the first trial to bear the brunt," what did that mean?

Bai Zhou pondered; this should symbolize some kind of "qualification."

To solve this problem, perhaps he would have to use the [Jurassic Pass] and make another trip to the Battlefield Ruins.

Even the pass was given by the Crown, so to solve the problems posed by the Crown...

Naturally, he could only explore that place.

--Bai Zhou began to fantasize again:

Perhaps one day, amidst the ruins of that Inverted Giant City, he would pick up a pair of scepters and seals.

By then, he would be directly mandated by heaven, and upon his return, he would shock the Crown into kowtowing to him. He wouldn't even care about the Twelve Trials anymore; he would simply have himself elevated as the new Golden King!

If that failed, he would see if there were any tattered imperial robes; picking one up to wear should be worth a try as well.

To keep up appearances, even though there wasn't a second person around, Bai Zhou continued to work and did not leave the Black Room Sector.

Footsteps echoed as Supervisor Bai Zhou patrolled the area, inspecting the black boxes.

He was also checking to see if there was anything convenient he could pack up and take with him tomorrow.

[I'm eating, eating, eating... I'm so hungry, so hungry!]

[If I write the names of hypocrites into my phone's memo, I can kill them... I will become the god of the new world!]

...Familiar or strange, the Last Will of each appeared one by one.

"What a pity..."

The more Bai Zhou looked, the more he felt it was a shame, a pang of regret in his heart.

If only he were like the Protagonist in an adventure story, possessing an infinitely large storage bag.

By then, the entire Black Box Maintenance Department would thank him for his silent contributions.

Because the black boxes that gave them such headaches would never exist again.

In terms of benefiting both others and himself, Bai Zhou's character could be said to be of a remarkably high standard.

At noon.

After finishing his work in the Black Room, Bai Zhou went to the Ordnance Logistics Department to collect his service pistol following his promotion.

The higher-ups had originally intended to issue him a new gun.

But he declined.

He proactively requested to inherit Section Chief Liu's service pistol.

--That specially modified "Judge-300" enchanted handgun.

The cold firearm felt strangely warm in Bai Zhou's hands.

The enchanted patterns refracted light across the gun body, and the scent of metal and gunpowder rushed into his nostrils, stirring a restlessness in Bai Zhou's heart.

"Don't be impatient..."

Bai Zhou gently stroked the gun body, whispering in his heart.

With a "click," he pulled the slide.

The golden bullet ejected from the chamber, leaping into mid-air.

Bai Zhou caught it in his hand.

Opening his palm, the brass bullet engraved with dark blue patterns lay quietly in his hand.

The cold, hard sensation traveled from his palm to Bai Zhou's brain.

"It's almost time."

Above his head were cold, white light strips.

Cold mechanical walls sealed the sky and earth.

Bai Zhou leaned against a corner, looking down at the Judge-300 and the bullet in his hand, saying this.

After lunch, Bai Zhou was quite busy.

He was busy wandering around the base.

He looked as if he had completely shaken off the impact of Section Chief Liu's passing, carrying a thermos and strolling everywhere, walking here and wandering there.

However, he didn't dare take a single sip of what was inside that thermos...

There were many Chemical Materials left over in the dormitory that Ya had previously "picked up" from the research institute.

During special training, Bai Zhou had been forced to memorize many Chemical Formulas.

Because some interesting Small Rituals required the use of Chemical Materials to be performed.

--This required the Ritualist setting them up to understand the basic composition and principles of the Chemical Materials.

Although this was the subject in which Bai Zhou had the lowest score, he had finally passed Ya's assessment.

Now, Bai Zhou was standing in the various neglected corners of the base, recalling how these rituals were supposed to be depicted.

No one paid any attention to his actions.

In the afternoon, Bai Zhou had a hearty meal at the Cafeteria and took the opportunity to bring a lot of things back with him.

Chili Oil, Mustard Water, flour, onions, garlic... and things of that sort.

They were all things Bai Zhou "loved to eat."

Once I head out later, there won't be a free Cafeteria anymore; I have to prepare what I need in advance.

Luggage in hand, Bai Zhou huffed and puffed his way back to the dormitory.

"Ya?"

As soon as he entered the room, he saw that Ya had returned at some point.

For some reason, the familiar scent of coffee made Bai Zhou's heart, which had been restless and floating all day, feel inexplicably settled.

...But this time, Ya was not leaning against the black ribbons reading a book.

She was cleaning her blade.

She leaned against the Window Ledge, her slender fingers brushing over the unsheathed edge.

Mysterious Patterns with white characters on a red background were engraved along the center of the long blade, blooming with light one after another as her fingertips passed over them.

The snow-white blade on both sides reflected Ya's cold eyes.

Then, she raised her head and looked at Bai Zhou.

"I've finished investigating the matter you asked me to look into."

"...You were right."

"This place has completely rotted from within!"

After a moment of silence, she added, "But there is something you might not know yet—"

"Their next target is you."

They.

Ya used the word "they" to describe them, which made Bai Zhou's heart tighten.

The heart that had been suspended in speculation finally died.

"We can't stay in this place anymore, but they certainly won't let you go."

The sound of metal friction rang out as the long blade slowly returned to its scabbard.

Ya stood up.

The light stretched her silhouette.

"Bai Zhou, we cannot sit here and wait for death."

"We have to do something!"

Her gaze, sharp as a blade, carried a cold, murderous intent.

But those cold eyes soon thawed, as if she had thought of something.

"However, it is a pity, though there is no other way..."

"After that, if there are no accidents."

Her petite figure was more upright than a straight blade, and as the light poured down from above, all the radiance seemed to concentrate on Ya in that instant.

It was like a Silver Blade Light flashing before his eyes.

Her calm voice carried a sense of helplessness—

She slowly raised her arm toward Bai Zhou, extending her hand.

The movement was as if she were extending an invitation to Bai Zhou for a dance at a ball—

"You might have to join me, this Lonely Ghost..."

"And flee together, wandering to the ends of the earth."