Waiting

As the white light faded, Lu Heng returned to Moonview Valley.

He stood at the mouth of the valley, the familiar soil beneath his feet, surrounded by low shrubs and slopes. The wind blew in from the valley entrance, carrying the scent of grass and trees, making his clothes flutter.

Before he could even steady himself, a voice rang in his mind.

It wasn't language, it was information. It flowed directly into his consciousness like water, without sound, but he could understand its meaning.

--The Hill Valley belong to them.

Lu Heng was taken aback.

--Goblin and Green Demon live here. If they don't destroy it, they become part of the forest.

The message was brief, but its meaning was clear. The Forest Will granted the Goblin King's request; that area would henceforth belong to the Goblin and the Green Demon, and as long as they did not destroy the foundations of the forest, they could live there and become part of this world.

Lu Heng breathed a sigh of relief.

He thought about the Hill Valley in his mind. The land wasn't very fertile, the harvests were mediocre, and the food was indeed rather meager. But the underground mineral veins were abundant. He had discovered several exposed ore deposits during his previous explorations, containing iron, copper, and some other metals he couldn't name. It would be enough for Goblin and Green Demon to establish themselves. And compared to that world that was being destroyed, this place was already paradise.

Just as he was about to respond, something suddenly appeared in front of him.

It's not a scroll, not a talisman. It's a piece of jade.

It was about the size of a palm, milky white all over, with a faint bluish halo around its edges. Its shape was irregular, like a fragment chipped off from a larger piece of jade. It floated in front of Lu Heng, slowly rotating, and exuding a warm aura.

Lu Heng couldn't help but feel a little strange.

The previous rewards were scrolls and talismans, why is it a piece of jade this time?

Before he could think it through, the voice in his mind came again. This time, it was different from the previous calm and ancient feeling; it had a bit more... flexibility? And it was much more talkative.

--This is a reward.

The voice paused.

--This time, you swallowed up that world with relatively few losses. You've done a great job.

Lu Heng was taken aback.

--You survivors, you came into this world to survive, you didn't think you wouldn't have to pay a price, did you? You have to pay the price.

Lu Heng frowned.

--Everyone who reaches the Gold Tier must return everything they've gained in this world. Resources, items, power... everything in their Wristband must be reset to zero before they can advance. This is what's called a "slot." Only after clearing it out can they move on.

Lu Heng fell silent.

He had always thought that Gold Tier was just a level threshold, something he could advance to the next rank once he reached it. Turns out there was another layer—you have to return what you've gained. No wonder the Goblin King said, "You'll understand when you reach Gold Tier," because reaching Gold Tier meant handing over all the wealth he had accumulated.

But you did a good job.

There seemed to be a hint of... satisfaction in his voice?

--You've made so many contributions and gained so many opportunities, so you don't need to repay them. It's an equal exchange. You can take with you everything you have now, everything you've acquired.

Lu Heng was stunned.

Only by returning everything cleanly can you advance to the Gold Tier. This is what's known as the "slot." Those who advanced to...

The voice paused abruptly, as if there was something left unsaid, but then stopped speaking.

As Lu Heng listened, he couldn't help but ask in his mind, "Then how do I advance to the Gold Tier?"

The Forest Will replied:

--That depends on your own power.

After saying that, that will vanished.

It didn't fade away gradually; it broke suddenly, like a taut string being snapped. The feeling of being watched vanished from my mind in an instant.

Lu Heng was completely stunned.

He stood there, stunned for several seconds. He looked down at the jade in his hand, then looked up at the sky. Blue sky, white clouds, nothing at all.

He took a deep breath and turned to walk deeper into the valley.

After entering the Shelter, we went to the Astrology Room.

The Star Altar is right in front of us.

The greyish-white stone altar stood silently in the center of the room, its surface engraved with intricate patterns—patterns he had studied countless times and could draw with his eyes closed. This altar had been with him for a long time, since he first came into this world and knew nothing. He had received rewards here, and he had also felt that silent gaze upon him.

Lu Heng looked at the altar that had been with him for so long, and immediately knelt down.

He knelt on the ground, placed his hands on his knees, and straightened his back. He didn't bow his head, but instead raised it, looking at the ceiling above the altar—or rather, at the unseen sky above the ceiling.

He's waiting.

He knew that if everything around him was observing him, then it was time to reveal himself.