Shadow of the Apostle

I won't tell you.

Lu Xiu's clear and melodious voice, paired with her bright smile like a spring breeze.

It looks good, though.

It's incredibly frustrating.

They accepted the gift! It would have been better if they hadn't said anything!

Helag opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but hesitated to speak.

After all, what can they say? What do they dare to say?

Now they're in enemy territory, and the Architect in front of them isn't someone to be trifled with. Not to mention the dragon standing behind her, her past record alone makes it impossible for anyone to say anything.

Especially since they are also Architect.

Helag knew all too well what Lu Xiu had done to him.

Although they will not be attacked at this moment.

But Lu Xiu's mere presence alone was enough to exert immense pressure on them, not to mention her veto power, which gave her the ability to directly influence the negotiations.

"Gellag looked at the bewildered Helag, but didn't harm him. Instead, he observed Lu Xiu and the dragon behind her."

Lu Xiu, however, focused her attention on the box in her hand for the time being, and with a gentle flick of her fingers, she unlocked the box.

Two rhomboid gray crystals lay quietly in the box.

Lu Xiu glanced at the attributes.

[Item Name: Alicia's Crystal]

[Rating: Mythic Grade]

[Type: Special Item]

[Positive Effect Description: Upon use, it can forcibly reset any skill that is on cooldown, immediately restoring it to a usable state.]

[Negative Effect Description: Time Borrowing. This item does not actually eliminate cooldown time, but rather postpones and stacks the cooldown time of the current skill.]

For example: If a skill originally has a 10-day cooldown, using this item to reset it and then using it again will change the skill's next cooldown to (10+10)=20 days. If this is repeated more than five times, the skill may be permanently banned by the system.

[Restriction: This item can only be used once every 24 calendar hours.]

[Note: Borrowing time for future expenses, Alicia —you've truly created something incredible, but do you really think it's a good thing?]

"So that's what the props are."

Lu Xiu looked at the properties of the crystal and sighed.

This thing doesn't erase CDs; it's like usury, forcibly borrowing from the future.

No wonder during the tournament.

Finn and Zane can use their Domain Skill twice, but after using them twice, they become useless again.

This was somewhat different from what Lu Xiu had imagined.

After all, living beyond one's means is not a good thing, because if a dependency is formed, the skill rotation system will inevitably collapse sooner or later.

It's alright if the combat intensity isn't high.

If the demand is too high, you'll borrow everything you need today, then borrow again tomorrow, then borrow again the day after, and then there won't be anything left to borrow.

but.

Although it has its drawbacks.

But it remains an extremely useful strategic tool.

There will always be times when things get urgent.

In a life-or-death situation, a single, forced, consecutive use of Mythic Grade skill might be enough to turn the tide of battle.

As for the long cooling-off period afterwards—we're in a crisis, survival is the priority, winning is the only thing to worry about.

Thinking of this, Lu Xiu snapped the box shut and casually put it into her system inventory.

He then raised his head again, his gaze falling on Gallagher's face.

I've accepted the gifts.

Lu Xiu's voice echoed through the forest, without any unnecessary formalities. "Speak, you've gone to such great lengths, even risking being kicked out on the spot, to come all this way to see me. What exactly do you want to talk about?"

Seeing that Lu Xiu was finally willing to get to the point.

Gallagher breathed a sigh of relief and took half a step forward.

But before he could speak...

Lu Xiu added, "If you want to talk about negotiations, then there's no need to say anything. I won't get involved in this. I'm just an Architect. If there's anything we can talk about, just say this: agree to Nine Provinces's conditions."

Hearing those decisive words...

Gallagher's already tense expression instantly turned ugly.

What's this?

They accepted the props, and then immediately turned their backs on us?

It was blatant and outrageous bullying! And it was the kind of bullying where you hand over protection money with both hands, but the other party doesn't even bother to say a polite word and just kicks you in the face!

That's absolutely inhuman!

Gallagher instinctively wanted to accuse Lu Xiu of her unreasonable logic and question her.

But.

When he raised his head and met Lu Xiu's eyes, he saw the ferocious dragon standing behind Lu Xiu, constantly spewing out dark blue dust from its mouth and nose, staring at him with its six orange compound eyes.

Gallagher was silenced from saying anything he wanted to say.

Ultimately...

He only said he wanted to talk to Lu Xiu, but how exactly they talked was up to Lu Xiu.

The defeated side truly has no human rights.

Questioning Lu Xiu?

If this chief Architect of Nine Provinces, who has veto power, is truly angered, Prison Rock will likely lose far more than just Obsidian City.

Gallagher's face turned pale and then red, his eyes flashing with humiliation, resentment, and despair, a mixture of emotions.

Finally, as if all his strength had been completely drained, he slumped down, unable to utter a single word.

"The Coordination Bureau is sensible and won't push you to the brink. So, you just need to agree to their conditions, and I can guarantee that."

Seeing Gallagher's expression, Lu Xiu continued, "And you don't need to feel humiliated."

"The victor is king, the loser is villain. If you, Prison Rock, had won this arena battle, you would have gone even further than Nine Provinces. You know that in your heart."

After saying that.

Lu Xiu then decided to end the conversation.

The idea that "he who takes a bribe is beholden to him" doesn't apply to her.

Especially when the targets are people from the opposing camp.

However.

Just as Lu Xiu was about to turn and leave.

"Wait a moment."

Gallagher suddenly spoke up and called out to Lu Xiu.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his humiliation and resentment. "Since you don't want to talk about negotiations, then we won't."

"Let me ask you a different question: how exactly did you manage to create so many—exquisitely good dungeons that instilled despair?"

Gallagher's gaze fell on Lu Xiu's profile. "The [Alicia's Crystal] I just gave you—don't you find it strange? We in Prison Rock clearly don't have players with this kind of ability, nor do we have any powerful unofficial dungeons, so why would we have such a Mythic Grade item?"

Lu Xiu paused slightly as she turned around.

She turned around and looked at Gallagher again, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

She had subconsciously assumed that it was a rare loot dropped by players who cleared the system dungeon in Prison Rock.

But judging from Gallagher's words, there seems to be more to the story?

"Those two crystals—they didn't come from Prison Rock, nor were they obtained through regular dungeons, but from the Apostle —but before I say that, in exchange, could Miss Lu please answer my question first?"

Gallagher stared at Lu Xiu, trying to extract some secrets about dungeon construction from this chief Architect of Nine Provinces who had repeatedly defied conventions.

In exchange?

Lu Xiu raised an eyebrow, then smiled indifferently.

She doesn't mind sharing her so-called building tips with others.

"Actually, there's nothing particularly secret about it."

Lu Xiu reached out and gently stroked the cool, smooth scales of the Xeno'jiiva, casually saying, "To sum it up, for a folk dungeon to get a high rating, the theme and the entire dungeon's flow need to fit together."

To obtain good rewards, you need to push the dungeon process to a certain extreme.

Resident Evil is the Ordinary Person's Courage, Sekiro is the Loser's Obsession, Titanfall is the Pilot's Certificate, and Outlast is about surviving.

The Sifu, however, is Mortal Martial Arts, using a mortal body to fight against the extraordinary.

For all the dungeons you've experienced, regardless of their theme, I will push the gameplay to its limits, but without simply inflating the numbers.

Lu Xiu repeated what she had taught the Architect of the Dungeon Resource Management Division.

She said it casually.

But to Helag, the chief Architect of Prison Rock, these words were like a thunderclap.

"High rating, the theme fits perfectly with the entire dungeon's flow—good rewards require pushing the dungeon's flow to a certain extreme."

Helag muttered to himself, as if he had vaguely grasped some kind of inspiration, but when it came to putting it into practice, he felt as if there was an insurmountable chasm between them.

Of course, she couldn't get over it.

After all, she had never fully experienced Lu Xiu's dungeon; the only one she had barely managed to fully experience was Dark Souls.

But she hasn't fought it yet.

The reason Lu Xiu dared to share so generously was because she knew very well that her greatest reliance was not some vague or ethereal theory at all.

"Okay, I've finished sharing my thoughts."

Lu Xiu interrupted Helag's epiphany, her gaze returning to Gallagher: "So, where did your props come from?"

Gallagher looked at the candid Lu Xiu: "Then I must first ask, Miss Lu, do you now understand what 'Apostle' means?"

Upon hearing these two words, Lu Xiu slowly nodded.

The last team battle.

Gallagher only asked her one question in the final stages.

Afterwards, Lu Xiu verified this information with the Coordination Bureau.

I now have a general understanding of what Queenie said back then.

Lu Xiu replied, "Now I know."

"Since you know that, then explaining it is simple."

Gallagher's eyes held a complex emotion. "These are spoils of war."

19

"I don't know if Queenie told you, but this isn't the first time Prison Rock has experienced events like arena battles. We've fought against another region before."

"That region was once highly rated, but they lost their Apostle, and with the Apostle's fall, the region's rating plummeted."

"And the Apostle of that region, the chief Architect, is said to be named ' Alicia'— "

Lu Xiu was taken aback: "You mean—"

Gallagher replied, "Yes, although she is dead, her efforts and legacy remain."

"That's right."

"The crystal in your hand is the legacy left behind by that fallen Architect. We, Prison Rock, won that event, and this was Plunder from that area as spoils of war."

".--

-"

Lu Xiu frowned slightly. "How many of these props did you Plunder?"

One hundred and thirty-one.

Lu Xiu: "----"

Gallagher looked at Lu Xiu: "You guessed it, didn't you? This might not be a dungeon reward. Rather, it's more like Alicia used some kind of authority to personally create or mass-produce it."

Actually, we considered this possibility at first, but we didn't believe it—until we saw you.

----Making props.

They even mass-produce Mythic Grade items that interfere with skill cooldowns.

Lu Xiu's heart involuntarily quickened.

This was a path she had never imagined before.

Before that.

She always thought that the ultimate ability of Architect was to constantly equip players with dungeons.

But Gallagher's words opened a completely new door for her.

A high-level Architect, or rather, Architect with the Title Apostle, could actually achieve this level of skill—

Lu Xiu fell into deep thought.

Meanwhile, Lu Xiu was lost in thought.

Gallagher did not make another sound to disturb them.

He has said everything he needed to say.

He revealed this information not only in exchange for Lu Xiu's instruction, but also with a secret, even self-serving, motive that he himself was unwilling to admit.

He wanted to see.

If this Architect, who has perfected dungeons to the extreme and can even raise dragons, has truly reached the level of Apostle—

1

How high can Nine Provinces truly reach?

Besides that, there's another reason: Prison Rock never wants to meet with Nine Provinces again—let them get their rating raised!

Nine Provinces IV's rating is practically bullying other regions with the same rating!

"----I see."

Lu Xiu snapped out of her daze, raised her head, and said, "This intelligence is very valuable. In exchange, as long as your Prison Rock can demonstrate sufficient sincerity in the upcoming negotiations, Nine Provinces will not forcibly Plunder."

Gallagher let out a sigh of relief, though it wasn't exactly a feeling of relief.

After all, Lu Xiu's words came with a condition: Prison Rock needed to show sufficient sincerity.

But at least it feels like there's more room for maneuver now.

For him, this was the best possible outcome.