The Emperor's secret

The "Diviner" then chatted briefly with "Liu".

Lin Yu listened for a while, and the gist of it was that he couldn't predict where in Shenzhen would be safe next. After all, his strategic planning ability wasn't strong enough to accurately guide everyone to the same battlefield after all the top combat forces in Shenzhen had made their moves.

"So, if you really want to ensure your employer's safety, you'd better get her out of the city as soon as possible—if I had to give any advice, I think taking the western route would be safer, by sea, or by crossing the Cross-Sea Bridge."

The Diviner gave his advice carefully.

Liu also expressed his gratitude.

Afterwards, since the Diviner was now safe and sound, Liu considered his "commission" complete and turned to leave into the night.

The only non-"Marauders" member left the Venue.

"The outsider is finally gone... Now we can finally speak our minds," A'yu said, watching Liu's departing figure before anxiously turning to the Diviner. "So, Brother Zhan... how badly are you injured? Is it really as Liu said, that you've suffered a severe blow to your vital energy?"

"Now everyone here is one of us, Brother Zhan, can you give me a heads-up?"

The Diviner frankly said, "To be honest, A'yu, my condition... is actually quite bad."

"Having trapped a 'Grandmaster' one after another, and then being outmaneuvered by a 'Feng Shui Master' in the Prison Mountain Realm... Although 'failure' was also part of my plan, it is undeniable that the price I paid and the losses I suffered were greater than I had imagined."

Hearing this, A'yu said with some annoyance, "That wretched Feng Shui Master, how could he be so mean? He's always targeting you, Brother Zhan... Didn't you just kill over a hundred of the Ten Realms Native who were his friends?"

The Celestial King said quietly, "I think what the 'Feng Shui Master' did is quite normal... The Diviner didn't just kill a hundred Native; those people were all like-minded friends of his and the 'Feng Shui Master'... Although Brother Jing lied to them, the fact remains that he ultimately massacred them all—that probably had a significant impact on the 'Feng Shui Master' at the time."

A'yu frowned. "What you said makes some sense, but the problem is that Brother Zhan and he are the closest. Coming from the same world, they should be even closer... How can this Feng Shui Master be so unable to distinguish between closeness and distance, or between what is important and what is urgent!"

Even the Diviner himself couldn't stand A'yu's Diviner comments. He coughed twice and said, "Ahem, A'yu... not everyone is like you, 'supporting their own side regardless of reason'..."

"Perhaps in the eyes of the 'Feng Shui Master,' my actions have crossed his bottom line and exceeded his tolerance."

Upon hearing the Diviner's words, A'yu pouted and said, "Anyway, I look down on him... This guy is too stubborn; he's not suitable to be a friend at all!"

"Even if he hates you, Brother Zhan, he shouldn't be chasing after you like this," A'yu said, somewhat annoyed. "It's also my fault... Brother Zhan, if I had advanced to the 'Tier 4' earlier, with one more 'Tier 4' combatant this time, I could have gone to the Prison Mountain Realm with you to help fight that 'Feng Shui Master,' and things might have been a little better this time."

The Diviner smiled slightly, "Your intention is good enough, but battles between 'Tier 4' beings aren't calculated that way... Besides, if you come along, the two of us will face double the targeting from the World Will of the Prison Mountain Realm."

"In that case, the situation might actually become more complicated," the Diviner paused, "Moreover... what's truly troublesome for me this time isn't the 'Feng Shui Master' at all."

A'yu was stunned. "Not that Feng Shui Master guy?"

Liuli realized what was happening. "Ah... could it be 'the Director'? It seems like a lot of your conversation with 'Schreiber' just now revolved around 'the Director'."

The Diviner nodded. "That's right... Although he's only 'Tier 2,' his role is truly crucial—I originally thought 'Cold Cicada' could limit him or even eliminate him, but unexpectedly... the appearance of 'Cold Cicada' actually made him realize my plan even more quickly."

A'yu said indignantly, "Oh, to put it bluntly, that 'Cold Cicada' is unreliable... I knew it! Those mysterious guys, besides pretending to be mysterious by hiding their identities, information, and whereabouts, they're exposed as frauds when they actually do anything!"

The Diviner shook his head. "No, Cold Cicada has done enough... it's just that I underestimated the 'Director,' and besides... luck has definitely been on his side this time."

The Celestial King spoke up, "But you just can't kill the 'Director'."

The Diviner nodded with a rare hint of helplessness, acknowledging the Celestial King's words. "Yes... Destiny has both made me who I am and limited me."

"But it's alright..." Cold Cicada won't fail again next time.

"Moreover, besides 'Cold Cicada' continuing to assist us... 'The Emperor' will also make his move."

And the Diviner said this...

At this opportune moment, Lin Yu spoke softly, directly addressing a question that others present also wanted to ask.

"Diviner teller, this 'Emperor' sounds very powerful based on his codename... but what is his true strength?"

"After all, this is the first time I've heard this name, so I'm a little curious."

After Lin Yu asked the question in his capacity as "Yayu", A'yu immediately spoke up.

"Brother Zhan, I also want to know—you said your strength has been damaged, so you definitely can't take action anymore... In other words, the 'Emperor' has to deal with the 'Grandmaster'?"

"You went to so much trouble to create this opportunity... Even if he's reliable, what about his actual abilities?"

"Does he really have the strength to take down a 'Grandmaster'? That guy is ranked third on the Rankings, only one place below you!"

A'yu spoke, the Celestial King nodded in agreement.

"Furthermore... judging from the feedback from the Nether Void Realm, 'Tengshe' will also make a move."

"Although the 'Swordsman' was seriously injured during our fight, I've recovered now. The 'Order' side has that annoying, almost cheat-like 'Doctor,' so the 'Swordsman' won't recover slower than me."

"I can take down 'The Swordsman' again... but what about the rest? Especially 'The Feng Shui Master'... Although 'Order' doesn't like him either, shouldn't they prioritize cooperating with us?"

"We can't... really rely entirely on that vague and uncertain measure from 'Schreiber,' which we don't even Item of yet."

The Celestial King said in a low voice.

The Diviner shook his head. "Of course it's not that simple, you two... don't you trust my judgment?"

"Celestial King, A'yu... you've been with me in 'The Marauders' for a long time, you're both veterans—although you haven't questioned me for a long time, back when I wasn't this strong, you two had quite a lot of doubts about me, right?"

"Now think back... every time you questioned my decisions," the Diviner said with a half-smile. "A'yu, you doubted my decisions sixteen times; Celestial King, you doubted them sixty-two or sixty-three times, and then there were Ling Xian's four..."

"All your doubts combined ultimately proved me right."

As the Diviner said this, A'yu scratched his head.

"It seems... it really is true."

The Celestial King seemed lost in thought, "Was I this stubborn before? Have I ever doubted you so many times? I don't even remember..."

The Diviner shrugged. "So... don't doubt my judgment. When I told 'Schreiber' I always come up with the 'perfect solution,' I wasn't just trying to scare him."

"I really can do that."

"However... I did give you a little boost."

Diviner spoke, he gently tapped the head of his Bamboo Cane with his fingers, making a "tap-tap" sound.

"If the 'Emperor' could unleash his full power... let alone killing a 'Grandmaster,' even if I were to betray him on the spot and try to kill him alongside the 'Grandmaster,' I'm afraid I'd be crushed by a single finger."

His strength... is no less than that of a "General".

Upon hearing this, the Celestial King pondered for a moment and then asked, "Is he... a god?"

"Yes, he is a god, a deity who, as a 'Player,' wielded Authority, established Divine Kingdom, completed the divine path, and ascended to Deity..."

"He is another 'Tier 5' Player, besides the 'General'."

The Diviner whispered, and both A'yu and Celestial King showed expressions of shock on their faces.

"No wonder, no wonder the changes in the 'Divine Realm' affected him..."

The Celestial King muttered to himself.

A'yu's face lit up with joy. "Brother Zhan is amazing! You even managed to recruit someone like that as your helper. You truly live up to your reputation, Brother Zhan!"

"Isn't that 'Grandmaster' doomed this time?"

Meanwhile, Liuli, while overjoyed, also sighed with a touch of helplessness, "Is this something I can hear... I should have just left earlier -- don't you think, Yayu?"

"It's not a good thing that the two of us knew this beforehand. We're going to be under a lot of pressure in the next few [Instance]."

Hearing Liuli's sentimental remarks, Lin Yu adopted a serious expression.

"That might not be a bad thing... Danger also means opportunity."

"But I'm still very curious... I didn't quite understand," Lin Yu said, looking at "A'yu," "Can I ask the 'Diviner' some questions?"

A'yu said, "Just ask! Ask openly!"

Having received A'yu's affirmation, Lin Yu looked at the "Diviner".

"Diviner teller... you said this 'Emperor' is just as powerful as the 'General,' and is also a 'Player'... then why isn't he included in the Rankings?"

Lin Yu asked, Diviner spoke up.

"Oh... well, you're a 'Yayu,' right? -- That's a good question."

"Because the 'Emperor' is no longer a 'Player'."

"He used to be Player 'Player'... in the Previous Version before us."

"However, in the Previous Version, some changes occurred, causing the 'Emperor'... to lose his 'Player' status."