Chapter 587
"To be precise, he's a like-minded friend." Brother Lu had known Yuki for a long time and knew that the man wasn't one to show off or become a local bigwig.
Perhaps in the eyes of true powerhouses, ambitious individuals like Shinomiya Oko are merely playing house.
He led the group into the store. Since the Thorny Rose were of average strength and had no special privileges, every player was equal and did not receive any special treatment. They were simply led to a private room by the signboard girl, Onimaru Hitomi, which made Ayanokoji Kiyotaka somewhat dazed.
This doesn't seem like a discussion about the future of a faction; it's more like a gathering of overworked office workers after a long day's work.
Pushing open the door, a strong smell of alcohol wafted out. Looking inside, everyone was stunned.
A naked man was slumped over a table, his eyes rolling back in his head. Bottles were scattered all over the floor. Another, even stronger naked man was lying on his back on the floor. When the crowd saw the man's genitals, Sakayanagi Arisu immediately covered her face.
"You're all here, find a seat." Yuki sat opposite, his cheeks slightly flushed, grilling meat. "These two scumbags dared to provoke me, they've already paid the price."
Shouldn't you be beheaded and your blood spilled for miles for provoking me?
Ayanokoji didn't know how to complain, so he nodded to the people behind him. More than ten players found empty seats and sat down, placing the two naked men next to them. Looking at the bizarre expressions of those men rolling their eyes, they all looked at each other in bewilderment.
So what are these two here for? To do performance art, or to decorate the venue?
However, in this ordinary environment, and looking at Yuki eating barbecue and drinking beer, it was impossible for him to be nervous. As for Oreki Houtarou and the others in the front row, they had either worked with Yuki before or had seen him before, so they were even less likely to be nervous.
"Pour your own drinks, and let the waiter bring the beverages. Kitahara is treating, so eat and drink as much as you like," Yuki said, even though these things wouldn't cost more than a few points.
The group exchanged glances and did as instructed. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka poured himself a glass of juice and couldn't help but ask, "Those two from the Diving Club aren't bad either, how did you manage to get them drunk?"
"There's always a way to get drunk. Haven't you heard the saying, 'It's not the wine that makes you drunk, it's the person who gets drunk'?" Yuki lit a cigarette, experiencing an epic inhalation, and said, "As long as you're comfortable, you don't need to care about what others think."
"Something as weird as you is doing?" a boy with dead fish eyes asked.
"I think 'casual' is a more accurate description." Yuki glanced at the dead-fish-eyed boy. Wasn't that 'Hachiman Hikigaya'? He swirled his wine glass and laughed.
"I am stronger than anyone else, and I don't need to care about anyone's opinions. You're just lucky that you don't object to the things I like."
The implication is that even if I make you drink with your head in your hands, you have to force a smile; even if I make you tremble with fear while listening to my lecture, you have to put on a docile face.
Doing whatever one pleases is the privilege of the strong.
"You're still the same as before, no, I should say you've become more real." Ayanokoji Kiyotaka sighed, thinking back to when they first met, this man still had to pretend.
"Because I've become stronger. If my preferences and goals could change so easily, would I even deserve to be called a strong person?" Yuki shook his head dismissively, flicked some cigarette ash onto his plate, took a sip of his drink, and said, "Let's talk while we eat. You're all leaders of player groups, so it seems you've already guessed some things."
"My name is Yuki Sorajima, the sole pioneer of this faction. I have found the path to freedom; the rest is about how to achieve it."
Without any pulling or probing, Yuki revealed the mystery in such a casual way as drinking and eating meat.
Everyone was blinking, as if they hadn't come to their senses yet. Everyone had imagined what it would be like to discover the secret, but certainly not in this casual, conversational way.
"You... aren't you afraid the secret will be exposed?" Ye Qiu couldn't help but ask. Yuki to great lengths to hide his identity, and it was just exposed so easily?
"Even if the Judge discover this secret, there won't be time to prepare. I don't want to be mysterious, so I've chosen the most efficient method." Yuki glanced at him, his logic simple and straightforward.
Due to access restrictions, information about our faction cannot be revealed. Even if the Judge go to great lengths to find out the target, they cannot enter, nor do they have time to prepare.
Since time is limited, why hide things? Just tell everyone clearly who I am, how strong I am, and what I'm going to do.
Mystery and intrigue are all about timing; sometimes, decisiveness and swiftness are the most effective.
"Let's be frank. The Thorny Rose is the battlefield I've chosen. The Judge will slaughter all players connected to me. Instead of playing guessing games, let's use this time to prepare yourselves mentally." Yuki was excessively straightforward, placing two wine glasses in front of him.
"There are only two paths: either we succeed and return to Earth together, or we fail and die here together. What we need to do is avoid internal strife and concentrate all our efforts to achieve the former."
Everyone's mouths were dry from listening; this was incredibly satisfying, yet they also felt that Yuki was right, and they couldn't muster any resentment.
They've already completed 90% of the preparations. Are they expecting us to just sit back and wait for the rest of the progress? The Faction Judgment is no secret; even the most optimistic person wouldn't dare hope for it to be overlooked.
"You want to tie us to the same boat?"
"We were always in the same boat. That was clear from the moment you and I were on the same planet, on the same side. There was no chance to jump ship." Yuki's voice turned cold, stating the harsh truth:
"Since time cannot be turned back, why dwell on these issues? We've already come this far, why fantasize about going back? Why not just treat everything we've experienced as a nightmare?"
This is wishful thinking, no different from an ostrich burying its head in the ground. Any player who has survived to this day is a realist.
Unable to betray, unable to oppose, and without even the right to choose, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka finally understood why Yuki was so carefree.
Today's meeting is not a discussion or an exchange of benefits; Taiyi is simply here to convey his will.
There's no third option: either give up and wait to die, or fight alongside him.
"How much time do we have left?" He felt his lips turning pale, a sense of helplessness washing over him, a feeling that he was doomed no matter what.
"Soon, all the plans will be in place. I want to end everything before the Reincarnation Game can react." Yuki didn't bother to explain further. He needed the power of the Thorny Rose, but not that much.
"Couldn't you have told us in a different way?" Sakayanagi Arisu asked with a mournful expression.
"As I said, this is the most efficient way. I'm not good at manipulating people; I can only honestly state the facts." Yuki glanced at the wall clock, poured himself a glass of wine, and said, "It took three minutes to explain the situation. Now you have five minutes to process this information, and you can also have some barbecue to relax."
Damn, we actually have to thank you.
To reiterate, everything was meticulously planned. Yuki Sorajima is very kind; knowing the amount of information was overwhelming, she specially arranged a barbecue to treat everyone. If it had been a somber scene, everyone would probably have had a heart attack.
This guy had me completely under his thumb from start to finish.
The group exchanged bewildered glances. Thorny Rose were different; they hadn't even had a chance at the Borderlands exile. Were they really going to just give up and wait for the Judge to come and kill them?
The clock ticked, and many people subconsciously ate their grilled meat. The delicious food did indeed soothe their nerves. Gradually, they found that those five minutes were too long, because Yuki's time was their time, and it felt like there was a fire burning under their buttocks.
It's either leave or die; there's no other choice. Even betrayal is a luxury. All players are under this man's close surveillance. If anyone can actually make contact with the Judge, there's definitely a trap.
Ayanokoji and the others had experienced Yuki's cunning firsthand and had confidence in his abilities; he had survived a near-certain death during Calamity of Blood.
What do you need us to do?
In less than five minutes, these people also made a decision with extremely high efficiency. The matter was explained very clearly, and hesitating for even a second was irresponsible to one's own life.
Yuki silent, handing a thick plan to the latter. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka swallowed hard, opened it, and was filled with questions.
He wasn't sure if this counted as a secret, because some projects were too strange, like this A15.7.
"Gather at least 1000 players to form a super-large player team, and then expand each player's own private space area???"
"Yes, I've increased the permissions, expanding each person's private space from 1,000 square meters to 100,000 square meters. And each room is based on a team, so theoretically you can use these people to create countless private spaces of 100 square kilometers each."
"So what's the point?" Ayanokoji Kiyotaka still didn't understand. It was a bit like exploiting a bug, frantically expanding the area of each room, but the original 1,000 square meters was already too spacious, like someone living in a large villa, which was creepy.
"It will definitely be useful, but you don't need to know." Yuki didn't explain. They were already in Transcendental Grade world, so the fortifications were beyond imagination. The first task for Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and the others was to be my civil engineering dogs.
With the decisive battle imminent, it would be difficult to keep the news secret once it got out, but upon closer reflection, there was no other way.
This place will be the stage for the final battle. Surely the players inside can't be completely unaware of this. Wouldn't it cause trouble if the Judge attacked? Furthermore, Yuki will invite players like the 'Savior' and 'Valhalla' to join, making it difficult to be completely foolproof.
So why not just sell it voluntarily and still extract some value?
The wait for trial was too agonizing; everyone was filled with anxiety and had no appetite for the barbecue. Yuki didn't make things difficult for them, except for letting Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and a few others stay for a talk, before letting the rest of the players leave.
As dinnertime approached, the area outside the private room became lively. After Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and the others left, only the snoring of two naked men remained inside the room.
Yuki sat upright, downing cup after cup of oolong tea, glancing at the clock, and talking to himself.
"Hiyori, any news?"
After the permissions were separated, a girl was quietly reading countless images in the starry sky; in terms of observation and surveillance alone, she was even more skilled than Yuki.
"The news is spreading in small circles; the core members of each team already know." The girl looked at the astonished faces, experiencing the pleasure of a stalker. "Did you deliberately expose the secret?"
"Since we can't hide it anyway, we might as well sell it. We've been hiding it for so long, even if it gets exposed, we'll still get a good price." Yuki grinned. This was a conspiracy, but also an open scheme.
You wanted to know where my hideout is? Well, here's the secret: even if you suspect something's wrong, you have to take the bait. Otherwise, it would be ridiculous if we didn't even know where the final battle would take place.
"I thought you were trying to use a substitute to create a diversion, so you wouldn't be able to fool them." Hiyori was puzzled, feeling that the secret had been exposed too soon.
"Don't underestimate the enemy. Similar tactics have been used before. Even if my double is made of iron, it can't withstand multiple Grand Inquisitors. Deploying a large number of troops would be putting the cart before the horse."
Yuki tapped his fingers on the table. Mebius hadn't even arrived yet, but he had already begun planning the war.
Using a substitute to trigger resonance within a certain faction? Using a decoy to attract attention?
Naive. Others can easily break through it as long as they don't underestimate their opponents. Several high-ranking judges directly confronted them. How much combat power would be needed to fight against that? This kind of operation is unsustainable because resonance requires reincarnation items. The Judge also understand the process and will not allow you to take back the reincarnation items. Wouldn't this kind of operation be like a transport captain?
"Fake targets won't attract attention; you need real targets."
Real target?
Hiyori stared at the flickering screen, deep in thought. Some players had blank expressions, their dilated pupils gleaming with a strange light. Without a doubt, they had been implanted with some kind of hidden portal.
The Grand Inquisitors are all top-tier figures with unimaginable Transcendental Grade power. Even with her extreme caution, she almost fell victim to their schemes before, let alone the other players. The enemy has already sown seeds of their own making through various means.
Yuki revealed the secret, touching the threads of Destiny and cause and effect, and these seeds are quietly sprouting.
It's perfectly normal; everyone tacitly agrees. After all, Thorny Rose is a key target, so it would be strange if they didn't have some backdoor access. As for these players—
"I understand! Because of the access restrictions, we can't get intelligence from the Outpost, and you've sealed off the Borderlands. If we want to make contact, we can only do so within the instance!" Hiyori exclaimed excitedly, feeling a sense of discovery.
"The Judge definitely have a way to bypass the permissions, and you've also adjusted the mission frequency interval, which allows you to send the seed into the instance and let them access it."
"They'll take the bait precisely because it's real. And those who can bypass permissions aren't just anyone. Once they enter the instance, even the Judge can't escape instantly. You can use this method to weaken the enemy's strength!"
No one can trap the Judge at the Borderlands, but the instance has a different set of rules. Yuki of Jiecheng cannot escape. Information can be transmitted in real time using items like a fax machine, but people cannot return.
Wow, Mr. Yuki is a master of authority. He has complete control over who enters the dungeon and when they enter, and he even managed to get rid of any unstable elements along the way.
"I'll use this to my advantage, killing two birds with one stone. Don't the Judge need intelligence? I'll give it to them. To be on the safe side, they'll have to send out multiple teams." Yuki was well aware of the importance of intelligence, and it was precisely because of its importance that he could use it.
"Luring out the Grand Inquisitor is wishful thinking, but if I can just lure out a few epic-level Judge, I'll make a killing."
Sending destabilizing factors to exchange for resources is a sure way to make a huge profit; all they have to give up is some intelligence, which is of little use.
Describe the geographical features? Provide a list of participating players? Or drag the senior students into this?
I'm prepared for a decisive battle; why would I give you the chance to defeat me one by one?
"This is only the first level. I didn't have high hopes. I'll just try to trap a few people with this dungeon."
"There's a second layer? Let me think." Hiyori loved riddles, and with her brain working at full speed, she finally came up with some clues. "You want to use a carrot to lure them in, providing a clear direction for the Reconnaissance?"
The Reincarnation Game is in full swing, Yuki is using this window of opportunity to prepare. The Judge are not idle either; they are also looking for a breakthrough and searching for the lair of 'Taiyi'.
Right now, the factions that are out in the open are the 'Savior' and the like. It's better to trigger the seed now than to go through the trouble of digging deep for clues.
"Yes, they have many options, but right now there's one that's most straightforward and simple; they just need to wait a little while. The native inhabitants of the Thorny Rose should know more than players from other factions, right?"
This is inevitable, and quite simple. The Faction Judgment has a cooldown period, and its effect on the Judge has already been revealed, so they dare not act rashly at this point.
Five Grand Inquisitors can wipe out a powerful faction, but the problem is that if you want to wipe out the entire faction and retain the players who must remain, you have to use Faction Judgment. If Yuki activates it at this time, will they just watch, or will they let the waiting Grand Inquisitors jump in?
Even if the Grand Judge were to take action, he would have to wait until 'Taiyi' resonates, at least then he could still snatch the reincarnation items as compensation.
"Then... is there a third floor?" Hiyori asked humbly.
"Yes, the first two levels are just feints; this third level is where the real power comes in. Do you want me to tell you?"
There really is a third layer.
Hiyori's face scrunched up; she never expected this third layer. It was a psychological game, and a small action contained a wealth of foreshadowing.
"Let's keep it a secret for now. I'm really looking forward to Yuki's plans. You go ahead with your work, I'll go and compile the list."
The call ended. Yuki quite liked the feeling of being admired, even though the cunning old man didn't seem like a positive character at all.
There's no way around it; the gap in skill must be bridged with superior technique.
Yuki showed no sign of repentance, only glancing to the side. "When did you wake up? Did you wait until everyone left so you could ask me for secrets?"
"What bullshit secret? I'm not interested." Iori Kitahara sat up abruptly, reeking of alcohol, but her eyes were extremely calm. "I just want to know how confident you are. This is a matter of risking my life to go crazy with you."
"If we don't fight, we'll die sooner or later. The Judge's mission is to eliminate all players connected to me, and the entire Thorny Rose is within that range."
Iori Kitahara's face twitched. He felt he had no chance of survival by betraying Yuki. To put it bluntly, the players here didn't know many secrets and didn't even have the resources to back them up.
"Don't worry, I won't risk my life, and I don't plan to make a comeback if I fail. Feel free to bet on me." Yuki at least offered some reassurance, pointing to his head:
"Everything is going according to plan. I also want to go back to Izu with you, see Kohei Imamura again, and take another look at that Grand Blue."
Yes, the Grand Blue under the scorching summer sun.
A sense of longing arose in their hearts. They hadn't realized it before, but after experiencing hell in ****, they discovered how alluring that scenery was.
Iori Kitahara extended his fist, Yuki glanced at it before their fists collided.
We must go back.
Chapter Four: Great Confucian scholars will debate the classics for me.
Go back, leave this nightmare behind.
This is the opinion of most players in Thorny Rose. They have only been ascended for a mere year and are not yet assimilated by the Reincarnation Game. Their sense of identity as players is not very strong.