"So that's how it is? Your world might seem lower-level than ours, but it possesses an incredible power of prophecy. I suppose each has its own strengths."
Luo Feng sighed on the other side. In his eyes, combat strength wasn't everything. An ability like prophecy simply defied the heavens.
But if Luo Feng knew that Huo Yuhao had invented even this sole advantage of Douluo Star, who knew what expression would appear on his face?
Huo Yuhao seized the opportunity to ask.
"Luo Feng, have you ever played video games?"
"Sure. I played plenty of games with A Hua when we were kids."
Luo Feng answered without thinking, though he had no idea why Huo Yuhao had suddenly asked him that.
"Ever used cheats?" Huo Yuhao continued.
"No, but I can imagine it must feel amazing."
"So, do you want to use cheats?"
"In the future, there's nothing remarkable about your life. After becoming a Martial Artist, you spend every day drifting aimlessly through life, killing monsters to save up money to treat your little brother's legs."
"You can only watch helplessly as the girl you love marries someone else. A hundred years later, you become a handful of dust. Is that the life you want?"
"My power of prophecy can help you obtain all kinds of opportunities, seek good fortune, and avoid calamity. In just a few years, you can surpass Hong and Thunder God and become the ruler of Earth."
"Your family will live happily. Your little brother A Hua will not only stand again, but also find love. And you will not only become the strongest person on Earth, but also marry Xu Xin, the girl of your dreams."
"Make your choice, Luo Feng. Your future is yours to decide."
Huo Yuhao delivered that long string of words in one go. Luo Feng heard every word clearly, and the trembling of his body was unmistakable.
"You're practically a demon who can see through everything about a person."
Huo Yuhao's words were simply too tempting. Luo Feng couldn't possibly refuse what he offered, because all of it was what drove him to train so hard.
The other man had long since foreseen everything about him. He knew his family and his goals like the back of his hand.
As soon as Luo Feng finished speaking, Huo Yuhao's voice rang out again.
"Your world is higher-level than mine, so the returns outweigh the investment. That's why I've decided to help you succeed even if I have to burn through my entire lifespan. Once you've succeeded, you can repay me. With terms like these, I think even a second of hesitation would be an insult to yourself."
In the world of Swallowed Star, at a hospital in Yi'an District, Jiangnan City.
Dressed in a hospital gown, Luo Feng sat propped up in bed, his expression deeply conflicted.
The past few months had been so eventful that his life could almost rival that of a protagonist in the most popular novels.
Three months earlier, a virtual screen had suddenly appeared in his mind. At first, he had thought it was some cutting-edge technological creation.
After all, war had triggered an explosion in technological development, and Earth's technology was highly advanced. Perhaps some genius had invented a piece of futuristic virtual technology.
But once he truly understood it, he realized that this might indeed have come from beyond Earth, and the person linked to him on the other side of the screen really did seem to be an alien.
What shocked him even more was that the person on the other side, named Huo Yuhao, could actually foresee everything about him. What a terrifying ability that was!
Everything on their Earth stemmed from the RR Virus. There was a scientific basis for how Martial Artists grew stronger, but the other man's power of prophecy went far beyond anything he could imagine.
The moment Luo Feng heard Huo Yuhao's murmured words, he fell under their spell. Just as Huo Yuhao had said, even a second of hesitation would be an insult to himself.
His heart began racing wildly, seemingly about to exceed a hundred and fifty beats per minute again. Fortunately, he managed to rein it in. At that moment, he felt both dejected and delighted.
He was dejected because his future achievements were mediocre, and he could only drift aimlessly through the rest of his life. But he was delighted because, with nothing more than a nod of agreement, everything he sought seemed within easy reach. Even so, he remained cautious.
"Huo Yuhao, what you've said is far too vague. Can you be more specific? What exactly do I need to give in return?"
Pies didn't fall from the sky. Every deal required an appropriate price. If they didn't make things clear now, it could lead to serious trouble later.
"With my prophecies, your future can only be bright. You're the only person I'm linked to in your world. I hope you'll become the ruler of that universe.
"You don't need to worry about anything unexpected happening. After all, you and I are in two completely different universes. We won't meet in our entire lives. That's why I'm investing in you."
Huo Yuhao paused, then continued.
"Right now, neither of us knows how to obtain withdrawal points, so trading items is meaningless. Making a verbal deal through conversations like this isn't a bad option.
"Actually, I'm mainly interested in your world's cultivation methods. Just get me a few sets when you have the chance. We're in different worlds anyway, so giving them to me wouldn't count as leaking secrets.
"The supernatural energy in your world is on a far higher level than ours. Later on, I also hope to obtain some from you," Huo Yuhao said frankly.
Hearing exactly what Huo Yuhao wanted actually put Luo Feng at ease.
"All right. I accept your investment. I, Luo Feng, pledge my integrity on it."
Luo Feng looked solemn and serious. He was someone who took things to heart; once he made a promise, he would see it through.
With Luo Feng's promise secured, Huo Yuhao immediately felt that everything was settled. After all, Luo Feng was widely recognized across the myriad worlds as one of the protagonists with sound moral values. Everyone who followed him did well. He had even reversed time and space to resurrect a master he had never met. Loyal and true-that was City Lord Luo.
At the same time, he was frantically apologizing to Luo Feng in his heart. City Lord Luo, oh, City Lord Luo, I'm truly sorry. This little brother of yours lives in a world that's just too low-level. You probably wouldn't even spare our divine artifacts a glance.
I really don't have anything worth offering in a trade. All I can do is paint you, a future supreme ruler of the universe, as utterly unremarkable, and use your own opportunities to dupe you.
Still, knowing the plot should make you stronger than before, right? With cheats for both the plot and the future, I've given you a little boost this time. Let's call it my merits offsetting my faults.
Despite his guilty conscience, Huo Yuhao still had to continue, because his deception had reached its most crucial stage.
"I have quite a lot to tell you. Hurry and write it down, then destroy it completely once you've memorized it," Huo Yuhao reminded him.
"All right, give me a moment. I'll get myself discharged," Luo Feng replied.
With a heaven-defying chance to rewrite his fate fast approaching, how could Luo Feng possibly sit still? Just as Huo Yuhao had said earlier, even another second of hesitation would be an insult to himself.
Besides, he had mostly recovered, so there was no reason to remain in the hospital. He pulled the needle straight out of his hand, settled his bill, and left under the dumbfounded gazes of the nurses, then raced home at light speed.
In his room, Luo Feng took out paper and a pen, ready to take notes.
After receiving Luo Feng's signal, Huo Yuhao began recounting everything in a steady, measured voice. He had a great deal to say, and he went into considerable detail.
From Luo Feng becoming a Quasi-Martial Artist, to Zhang Haobai's scheme, to Luo Feng becoming a Martial Artist and obtaining the Dragon Egg... all the way to the Golden-Horned Beast completely destroying Earth (that bastard Huo Yuhao had deliberately made this up to frighten Luo Feng).
He described every event in exhaustive detail. However, while Luo Feng remained the protagonist of the incidents in which he faced danger, Huo Yuhao artfully erased him from every plotline involving opportunities.
Huo Yuhao spoke slowly and calmly, but Luo Feng's expressions on the other side were far more complicated. His face shifted between anger and shock, joy and surprise, but above all, excitement and unease.
Earth would actually face such a terrifying, destructive catastrophe in the future. Above War God were Planetary Level and Stellar Level, and Earth was merely an insignificant planet in the universe. This truly opened his eyes.
At that moment, he felt only relief and gratitude. If he hadn't met Huo Yuhao, he would never have known that Earth would be destroyed by the Golden-Horned Beast in the future, and that he and everyone he loved would become nourishment for it.
But now that he had learned of the coming apocalypse several years in advance, he would use everything at his disposal to win humanity a sliver of hope for survival.
May humanity endure forever!
(End of chapter)
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