"Hey, I think Sis really has taken a liking to you..."

Lin Yuqing nudged Su Ran with her elbow and whispered, the realization that the true identity of Spilt Water Can’t Be Regained was still unbeknownst to her sister, evident in her voice.

Su Ran offered a wry smile. How could he not see it? So much so that he now felt slightly hesitant to face the drizzling rain; the woman’s eyes were practically glowing blue with the desire to devour him heart and all.

He just hoped he wouldn’t embarrass himself in front of Yu Jing...

Deliberately retreating a few steps, Su Ran waited until Yu Jing had jumped down before he leaped from the air, stepping over to the teleportation array on the ground floor.

Ever since the teleportation array was exposed, it hadn’t seen a moment’s rest, continuously accommodating an endless stream of visitors, so much so that even the array itself had lost count of how many had passed through it. Not to mention, the platform was marked by numerous footprints, its surface grimy and worn, inducing sighs from onlookers.

Shortly after Su Ran and his group entered the teleportation array, Dai Xuan arrived with a group of players in tow. Without any hesitation, they plunged into the array, one after another.

...

Human Race Imperial City.

In front of an inconspicuous market stall, two players were deep in a private conversation, oblivious to the annoyance their presence was causing the stall owner.

"Hey, hey, move it! Don’t stand around getting in the way. Do you really want me to lose my business?"

The stall owner waited for a moment, but seeing no sign of them leaving and unable to discern their whispered conversation, he became exasperated. In his frustration, he started to shoo the players away, cursing, "There are plenty of other stalls in this market, get out of here and stop making people sick!"

"Holy shit, you’ve got some nerve. Do you know who you’re talking to? This is Withered Fish, the guild leader of Tiger Supreme. You dare to spout off like that to the boss? Do you still want to hang around on the God-Demon Continent?"

The player dressed as a Fire Mage snapped back immediately, "State your name! I want to see which guild you belong to!"

"Scared, Withered... Withered Fish, the guild leader?"

The stall owner lost all his earlier brazenness and hurriedly packed up his stall, plastering a smile on his face for the two players before him, "Look at me with my nearsighted eyes, completely blind to talent. Guild Leader Withered Fish, this spot is all yours now—stay as long as you like. If anyone dares to bother you, I’ll knock them flat!"

"Smart of you to recognize that. Now scram!"

The Fire Mage gave the stall owner a profound look, waving him off without a shred of politeness, signaling him to leave before he embarrassed himself further.

With a sigh of relief, the stall owner quickly vacated the area. He wasn’t the only one; several nearby stall owners, upon hearing of the player’s identity, swiftly closed their stalls to avoid getting caught in any potential trouble.

"Old Fire, thanks to your loud voice, these stall owners are reacting like startled birds. This kind of reputation could negatively impact the guild if word gets out," Withered Fish said, but deep down, he was quite pleased with the merchants’ reactions. Their fear was a testament to his stature in this game, a definite indication of his notoriety.

"Small fry who can’t keep their mouths shut deserve a lesson. There’s nothing wrong with that," replied the player known as Old Fire, who was none other than the renowned Fire Mage. He continued, "But speaking of which, big brother, your fame is really something else. You’ve become a household name—impressive!"

"Old Fire, it’s just the two of us here. What’s the point of your flattery?"

Withered Fish didn’t want to dwell on the subject and moved on, "Just help me check how many big fish have taken the bait, will you?" frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

"Just a moment, big brother."

The Fire Mage knew the seriousness of this matter and immediately became solemn as he opened his friend panel to start inquiring.

It wasn’t long before the Fire Mage’s eyes flashed with bright light as he urgently said to Withered Fish, "Congratulations, big bro! A big fish indeed! The president of the Dancing Demons Guild, leading close to ten thousand people, has entered the teleportation formation!"

"Dai Xuan? That guy dares to come too? He’s got some real guts!"

Withered Fish’s face registered surprise, unable to imagine that his greatest nemesis was also hooked—it was a celebration beyond his wildest dreams!

"Hahaha, good, good! Dai Xuan, oh Dai Xuan, you’re asking for it, and you can’t blame me!"

"Big bro, I haven’t finished speaking yet; this big fish isn’t the only one."

The Fire Mage cut off Withered Fish’s laughter and waited for him to calm down before continuing, "Spilt Water Can’t Be Regained, and those Gentle Rains have all gone in as well."

"Spilt Water Can’t Be Regained? Is that true?!"

Withered Fish grabbed the Fire Mage’s elbow excitedly, asking urgently, "Ask again, confirm it, then tell me!"

"It’s been confirmed. This is what the scouts saw with their own eyes, there’s no fabrication."

"Hahahaha, we can close the net now. Tell those subordinates to destroy the teleportation formation directly, cutting off their means of escape, and arrange for all online players to gather in front of the Demon Tower. Follow me first to conquer the Dark Abyss!"

"Big bro’s considerations are always thorough. I will arrange it now!"

...

"Swish!"

A flash of light, and Su Ran and the other two appeared in a strange environment. Here, everything was a clear division of black and white—the ground was covered with black ink; the sky was a sheet of pure white. Black and white complemented and opposed each other, allowing no other colors to penetrate. Any that did were quickly devoured by the stark dichotomy. It was quite bizarre.

"What an odd world!"

Gentle Rains was amazed to find that such monotone colors could also outline a world so beautifully. She couldn’t help but marvel at the miraculous workings of nature—it was inconceivable!

"Wow, it’s like watching one of those black-and-white TVs; this place is really retro, isn’t it?"

Lin Yuqing curiously touched the black weeds beside her, then poked at the black trees, enjoying herself thoroughly.

"Don’t touch anything rashly; it’ll be troublesome if you get poisoned."

Su Ran quickly admonished as he recalled the plight of the elf race. He had to be vigilant since he knew that what the Ghost Clan was best at was the Power of Curse!

"Yikes, that’s bad—I’ve been cursed!"

As if responding to Su Ran’s concerns, Lin Yuqing retracted her finger as if shocked by electricity and timidly glanced at Su Ran and her sister. Realizing they weren’t blaming her, she began to explain, "For ten minutes, I’ll lose 10 health points every second, and my reaction ability is reduced by 3. If I get hit with ten curses in a row, I’ll die outright. Ah, this is too scary!"

"It’s indeed the Power of Curse."

Su Ran nodded slightly, explaining to the two women, "This Power of Curse is extremely sinister, and it’s extremely difficult for those affected to dispel it. Be very careful in this terrain!"

"Overturning Water, how did you know this place was poisonous? Have you been here before?"

Gentle Rains asked urgently, clearly taking Su Ran’s words to heart.