Volume Six: What She Lost and What I Gained, Chapter 529: A Vow (Second Update!)

"Are you World Crossing Gate!? Those six Divine Item?"

"To be precise, it is Truth Incantation."

Givinia pointed to the beautiful and intricate white runes.

"Speaking of which, I must thank the lady... Through her continuous efforts, she finally succeeded in infiltrating the Truth Incantation by secretly interfering with the spirit of the Prayer Goddess. Although she is dead now, the 'backdoor' she created in the Truth Incantation has not disappeared. I also used that backdoor to briefly infiltrate the order established by the Truth Incantation and successfully cleaned up the remnants of the divine monster."

"..."

"So it's actually quite simple. The Truth Incantation is right here. I'll create a Mind Projection, and then you'll use your contract to attach my projection to the Truth Incantation. Then I'll manipulate the projection to infiltrate the Truth Incantation through a backdoor and completely hide it."

"This..."

"The Mind Projection that I'm about to create is no ordinary thing; it's an avatar of mine, or even another version of myself. So, if I follow this plan, I can avoid everyone's gaze and enter the deepest part of the organization through the Truth Incantation, directly reaching the Leader's side. In that case... all I have to do is patiently wait for the opportunity to arrive."

"This... it is indeed possible to succeed. I remember the Leader once asked me to create a mandatory contract limited to two people! The two parties to the contract are the Leader and the Void Realm, and the content is 'In the Void Space, unless ordered, no one may spy on the Leader for any reason'! At the time, I thought it was just because the Leader didn't want his private life to be disturbed, but now that I think about it—it's probably because he has a secret he doesn't want to reveal!"

"Right? So when the Leader thinks he's alone and no one's around, his vigilance will be at its lowest!"

"But..."

Anubas pursed his lips tightly, deep in thought, then slowly shook his head.

"No, it's too dangerous and the risk is too great. If we're exposed, we'll all be in trouble."

I will not be a burden to you.

"And what about you? Putting yourself in such a dangerous situation, aren't you worried about your own safety?"

Givinia paused for a moment.

But she immediately smiled.

That was an extremely happy smile.

"I never expected Anubas to worry about me."

"It's impossible not to worry."

"But it's okay."

She closed her eyes, and someone's face appeared in her mind.

"Incredible... 'Love' is truly an amazing hallucinogen. Even when facing the danger of death by a single misstep, there is no fear; even when facing the strongest enemy, there is a belief that one will not fail. A Ye is working hard, and I must do something for her, to become her strength."

"... What is this? A teenage girl's so-called 'fight for love'?"

"This is not wishful thinking or some inexplicable sense of responsibility, but my vow... a vow I will never break."

Let's go back to the present.

The sun is setting.

Although the underwater Business Capital does not distinguish between day and night, in order to accommodate people's habits, the lighting system simulates the natural light at different times of the day, only slightly dimmer than the outside light.

On the edge of the second level of the Business Capital —the level closest to sea level besides the four island chains—a monster made of countless tons of reinforced concrete lay silently. It was an enormous, flat cylindrical building without a roof; its design was not stunning, but its imposing presence was magnificent.

The Augustus Circuit, one of the world's most prestigious racetracks, is home to countless top-level racing competitions and is a place where every brick and tile is steeped in legend.

And now, in the live broadcast studio atop the highest point of the Grand Circuit, looking down at the figure-eight-shaped track that couldn't be found to have a single undulation even when measured inch by inch with a ruler, is the organizer of the upcoming Gray Starling Song Festival.

His name is Selena Mercklai. Although his overweight figure looks a bit comical, he is a high-ranking executive at the Gray Starling Group and a figure of great influence in the entertainment and arts field.

He also has a younger brother Garde Gard Merklai, who is very prestigious in the sports world. Last year, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Northern Realm Rally. Unfortunately, he died tragically on Crystal Island in the final stages of the race due to an unknown accident. His body has never been found, which is a great loss to him.

That's why he was determined to fulfill his obligations as the organizer and comfort his brother's spirit in heaven with his actions. He would take even a street concert seriously, let alone the Gray Starling Song Festival, one of the most popular concerts on the Spirit Star.

How are the preparations going?

"The staffing is basically complete, and the stage is finished, but due to an unexpected scheduling issue, the audience seating..."

"If there are any shortages, immediately request them from our nearby partner organizations! These matters must be resolved quickly and without delay; the concert starts tomorrow night!"

"Understood, Mr. Selna."

Watching his subordinates rush off to work, Selena sighed. He picked up the thick stack of reports and checked them page by page, not daring to be careless in the slightest.

How are the preparations going?

"Although there were some unexpected events along the way, they were all within acceptable limits, and completing the implementation within the stipulated time was more than enough... Huh?"

Who just asked that question?

Selena, whose attention was almost entirely focused on the report, then realized something was wrong. He looked up—and nearly fell on his backside.

"Are you so excited to see me, Selena?"

"I'm so sorry! Mr. Fisher actually came to inspect the site in person... I..."

The person who appeared silently at the door of the live broadcast room was Vic Fisher. His muscular body, which did not look old, leaned against the door frame, looking at Selena's chubby face with amusement.

"I apologize for not greeting you sooner—"

"Don't be nervous, it's my fault for bothering you without prior notice."

Fisher smiled and waved his hand to indicate that he shouldn't mind, but there was no smile in his eyes.

For some reason, a parrot was perched on his shoulder, seemingly a pet.

"Thank you for your... generosity."

Selena was nodding and bowing repeatedly, his previous composure completely gone, and he looked nothing like a grandson.

It's no wonder he was so nervous.

Although he held a high position in the Gray Starling Group, the higher he climbed, the stronger the feeling of "being just someone's plaything" became. He and others in high positions had long since vaguely realized that the top of the Gray Starling Group was not a board of directors at all, but rather that what controlled the world's largest economic group was a much more powerful entity, so powerful that no one could defy it.

No one has ever truly seen him—or perhaps they have seen him long ago but don't know his true identity. Everyone is filled with awe for that powerful being, and many people strive tirelessly just to see this being who controls everything with their own eyes. Yet, no one has ever succeeded in seeing his true face.

There was only one exception: those who were the "confidants" of that person, those who truly served that person directly. For such people, all Selena and his companions could do was show them utmost respect, fearing to offend them in the slightest.

The aged yet robust man before them was one of that official's trusted confidants.

Fisher was half-closing his eyes, seemingly oblivious to Selena's tedious welcoming remarks. He was teasing the parrot perched on his shoulder with his finger; the parrot was entirely emerald green, except for its beak and bright yellow chest and belly feathers, making it exceptionally beautiful and valuable.

"This beautiful creature is... your pet? It looks quite clever and intelligent," Selena said cautiously, trying to flatter her indirectly.

"It's more like a friend than a pet, and it's much smarter than you." Fisher's gaze suddenly turned cold.

His flattery backfired spectacularly, and Selena was immediately drenched in sweat.

"I'm so sorry! But... I didn't mean to underestimate it--"

"That's enough. I didn't come here today to see you bowing and scraping. I'm here to show some friends around."

Friends? Visiting?

Selena quickly looked behind Fisher and saw several men and women who had appeared there at some point. Some looked ordinary, while others looked strange, and among them was even—

"You are... Su Mengli? And Wanhua Xing!?"

The charming and adorable "girl" and the ordinary-looking "boy" immediately caught his eye. As the man in charge of entertainment at the Gray Starling Group, he couldn't possibly not recognize the two of them.

"Long time no see, Uncle~"

Same as above!

The two greeted him with smiles, and Selena returned the greeting stiffly, his mind in turmoil.

Since she's Fisher's friend, she's definitely a distinguished guest of "that person." Previously, Selena only considered Su Mengli a top idol, worthy of attention but not to the point of extreme importance. Who would have thought she and her manager had this kind of background!? Selena quickly searched her memory, trying to recall if she had offended her in the past, and if her actions were slightly off...

"Oh, uncle, you don't need to be so nervous. I 'Meng Li just here to show my friends around the venue, is that not allowed?"

"Sure, sure! Of course! I should do it myself—"

"There's no need for you to accompany us personally," Fisher interrupted him. "You can go about your business. Just assign a few reliable people to show us around carefully and explain the layout of the venue."

"Understood! Please wait a moment!"

Selena hurriedly ran out, his plump legs carrying him, and as he ran, he sifted through his shrewd subordinates, quickly selecting the right person. He dared not be negligent in the slightest when dealing with such Big Figure.

Fisher brought a bunch of Extra Weapon to the racetrack that would soon be used as the venue for the song festival, simply to familiarize himself with the terrain and layout beforehand, to prepare for a new round of all-out attacks, and to eliminate as many unfavorable factors as possible.

In a way, it can be considered as taking precautions.

But he misjudged one thing.

So far, both he and the other Extra Weapon have regarded Ye and his group as the "passive" party. Their strength is restricted by the President, and they are in the enemy's headquarters, which is full of dangers. They have to work hard to make money in order to survive. In this situation, anyone would think that they are the passive party.

In fact, someone has already taken the initiative.

Dusk has ended, and night has officially begun.

Under the cover of night, two figures stealthily slipped into the racetrack through a less crowded area.

"The infiltration went very smoothly. It seems they really didn't expect us to take the initiative to scout the site beforehand."

"A flaw in thinking?"

"Probably. For them, the idea that 'Ye's group is in a passive position' has already taken hold, which is an advantage for us."

"I see..."

Two sneaky guys—that is, me and Sin Annihilation —were tiptoeing along the maintenance personnel's private passage. I was careful not to make a sound, while Sin Annihilation, who was barefoot, seemed to have altered the structure of his soles, making no sound at all.

What a blunder! Although I came here to Blood Energy because I can sense other people's location, even their gender and approximate age, I don't seem to have any talent for infiltration. All that time I wasted on cell division.

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If we surpass 100 Monthly Votes, I'll add an extra chapter as promised. If we're lucky enough to get back into the top ten, I'll add another one!