Chapter 204 ·Can I Maybe…

“This ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍thing does look like some high-end gear.”

Lilia ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍picked up the bracelet and held it close to examine it carefully.

This ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍should be a spatial storage device.

Or ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍some kind of identification token.

Based ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍on the usual game logic, something dropped by an elite enemy like this should at least yield a couple of gold bars or a few powerful potions.

“System, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍is this thing locked?”

Lilia rubbed her hands in her mind, her mood improving slightly.

After being sent out by Hera to rough it for so long, if she didn’t get at least some profit out of this, this production mule was really going to go on strike.

【For this kind of low-tier spatial equipment, the spiritual imprint on it is very fragile.】

The system still spoke in that punchable tone.

【Host, you just need to release a tiny bit of that power you fused earlier, and you can tear it open like ripping a plastic bag.】

Lilia raised a brow.

Alright.

She extended her index finger and held her breath.

A wisp of extremely faint silver-gray death aura flowed through her meridians and wrapped around her fingertip.

She lightly pressed it against the “eyeball” on the bracelet.

“Open for me… will you?”

She had expected some kind of backlash from a restriction.

Or at least some flashy opening animation.

But—

The moment that silver-gray energy touched the metal—

“Crack.”

Lilia watched with her own eyes as the pitch-black metal bracelet began to split apart from where her fingertip pressed.

Before she could even react, spiderweb-like cracks had already spread across the entire ring.

“Boom.”

A dull explosion.

A puff of black smoke seeped out through her fingers.

The bracelet, right before her eyes, turned directly into powder.

Forget gold bars.

Not even a scrap of paper fell out.

Lilia froze in place, still holding that grabbing posture, a few strands of black ash clinging between her fingers.

She was stunned.

“…System.”

Lilia’s voice sounded like she was about to kill someone.

“I didn’t even use force—how did it just cremate itself?”

【…This.】

The system sounded a bit guilty too.

【An accident. Definitely an accident.】

Lilia shook the ash off her hand, her pretty face dark enough to drip ink.

“Isn’t this just garbage worth nine-nine with free shipping?”

She stood up and stomped angrily on the pile of ash.

The dozens of gray-robed followers were now like turtles hiding in their shells, pressing their heads tightly into the rotten mud.

“Hey…”

Lilia tilted her head, her voice cold.

“Your leader is already completely dead. Are you planning to follow him to the afterlife banquet, or do you have other ideas?”

The group below trembled even more violently.

One of them, slightly braver than the rest, carefully raised his head a little and glanced at the faint silver-gray glow still lingering in Lilia’s hand.

“A miracle… This is a miracle!”

He cried out with a sobbing voice, then began frantically kowtowing.

“Spare us, my lord! We were just tricked into working here!”

“Yeah! That deacon said as long as we worshipped that seed, our whole family would gain immortality! We really didn’t know this was dark sorcery!”

Lilia curled her lips.

Heh.

That excuse was no different from scammers claiming they just went abroad to repair phones after getting caught.

She had no interest in wasting words on this group of brainwashed trash.

“Bulara.”

Lilia didn’t even turn her head.

She stood at the cave entrance, feeling the cold wind blowing from deep within the mountains.

The Immortality Society had clearly invested quite a bit here.

Unfortunately for them, they ran into her.

“System, with my current strength, can I go back to the Palace of Eternal Night and deal with Hera… cough cough cough.”

【Host, please stay rational. Don’t get inflated just because you insta-killed a deacon.】

The system poured cold water over her immediately.

【If you really go back to the Demon King’s Castle, one finger from Her Majesty would turn your two seeds combined into nothing more than a slightly louder firework.】

【Stop thinking about rebellion for now.】

Lilia rolled her eyes.

What a buzzkill.

Give her a cheat, but not a max-level one.

By the time Bulara finished cleaning up and returned, the blood on her body had already been shaken off by a layer of magic.

Her face was still eerily pale.

“Cleanup complete.”

Lilia nodded without saying anything.

In truth, she knew very well that although Bulara’s actions just now were carried out under her command, they were definitely influenced by Hera’s orders behind the scenes.

She lifted her foot and walked toward the cave exit.

The black sludge here was too sticky—her newly bought leather boots were already covered in marks.

“Let’s go. Staying in this hellhole too long will shorten your lifespan.”

Just as Lilia led the way and prepared to head up the mountain—

A rustling sound came from behind.

Little Red, who had been pretending to be dead while hugging a rock, was now hunched over, sticking her butt out, inching slowly toward the side of the forest.

Her movements were so slow it was like watching something in slow motion.

Lilia suddenly turned her head.

“Little Red.”

The black figure that had been wriggling instantly froze.

Maintaining that extremely ridiculous posture, Little Red stiffly twisted her neck around.

She forced a smile uglier than crying.

“Well… um, heroine big sister.”

“We’ve reached the place, and the bad guys are all dead. I still have to go collect gift money for my grandma’s funeral…”

“How about I head back first?”

As she spoke, she quietly edged backward.

Lilia let out a cold laugh.

Go back?

If she hadn’t been lucky just now and awakened in that black pool, she would have already been captured by that red-robed old man and turned into wine.

“Since your grandma is already dead, being a little late won’t make a difference.”

In two steps, Lilia closed the distance.

Before Little Red could react, Lilia reached out.

This body, fused with two supreme treasures, possessed astonishing strength.

Like grabbing a chicken waiting to be slaughtered, she seized the back of Little Red’s collar and lifted her up.

“Ah!”

Little Red screamed.

“You don’t even know all the paths in this forest yet. If we run into more of those meat lumps you mentioned, who am I supposed to ask for directions?”

Lilia narrowed her eyes, her silver-gray pupils carrying an undeniable ruthlessness.

“Lead the way.”

“If I see you trying anything funny along the way…”

She raised her other hand and made a grasping motion in front of Little Red.

That terrifying gesture nearly scared her into wetting herself.

“No, no, no! I’ll lead the way!”

Little Red shouted at the top of her lungs, her legs flailing wildly in midair.

“Sister, put me down! My collar’s choking me—it hurts!”

Lilia set her back on the ground.

She even casually patted the dirt off her back.

“Be good. I’m a very reasonable person.”

“If you behave, once we get to the Black Sea, I’ll buy you candy.”

Little Red looked like she was about to cry.

This woman from the capital was even more terrifying than magical beasts.

“Bulara, keep an eye on her from behind.”

Bulara responded mechanically and moved behind Little Red.

With her neck shrunk in, Little Red walked at the front.

The three of them trudged forward through the forest, step by step.