Chapter 1040 - 431: All Is Ready (3)

Chapter 1040: Chapter 431: All Is Ready (3)

But the prohibition before him made him calm down again, regaining his caution.

Even with the help of the All-Knowing Crystal, at present, he couldn’t even get through the Bright Society’s main gate; he couldn’t just float in, he had to keep a low profile.

He couldn’t use the All-Knowing Crystal’s method, but the All-Knowing Crystal also told him that the Divine Rune Decipherer given by Shi Ning was effective.

He took out the black box given by Shi Ning and affixed it to the metallic gate.

Golden runes began to flicker on the black box surface, connecting to each other, moving along different trajectories on the box surface.

A few seconds later, a string of runes was injected into the metallic gate, and seven green lights arranged by the door lit up in sequence, opening the metallic gate silently.

Wu Chang took off the black box, watching its surface gradually turn plain again, growing more curious about Shi Ning’s background.

Since the Hunter said he could ask him anything, Wu Chang didn’t stand on ceremony and asked:

"Are you familiar with Professor Shi Ning?"

The Hunter shook his head and said:

"Not really. I only know he has a long history. When I joined the Management Bureau, he was already there, and he was already a Wanderer then."

"In my impression, he could always create some amazing items. Some items he crafted by hand are stronger than those produced in the dungeons."

Wu Chang asked: "When did you join the Management Bureau?"

The Hunter pondered and said: "I can’t remember exactly, it should be eight years ago."

Eight years ago.

If Wu Chang remembered correctly, Shi Ning was just 33 years old this year; eight years ago, he was only 25, and he was already a Wanderer.

The Management Bureau is different from other departments, where status is earned through genuine effort. Even a veteran like Xu Dejun, without strength, can only remain an Executor and cannot become a Wanderer.

Unless Shi Ning’s father is an Abyss Fourth Layer bigwig, his position is absolutely top-notch, even higher than the average Wanderer.

Matters of importance first, Wu Chang put aside his curiosity and entered the private space with the Hunter.

The scene behind the metallic gate was the same as when the Hunter secretly filmed earlier; not far into the space, one can see a massive ritual.

At the city of the ritual, there stood a gigantic stone altar over thirty meters tall, its surroundings plastered with yellow talismans painted in cinnabar.

The Hunter gave Wu Chang a look, indicating to Wu Chang that this was the place.

Within and around the ritual, there were twenty to thirty players dispersed, including members from the Bright Society and Evolution Sect as well as believers from the Peace Church and Paradise Church.

They walked in and out of the ritual, looking very busy, seemingly preparing for something.

The Hunter came beside Wu Chang, took out a baseball cap, and set it on Wu Chang’s head, causing Wu Chang’s aura to disappear instantly.

Wearing the baseball cap, Wu Chang followed the hooded Hunter openly into the ritual, the Hunter even holding up his phone, filming as he walked.

Players hurriedly moving around seemed not to notice their presence, some even unconsciously avoided them, almost colliding.

Wu Chang sensed the Hunter’s skill; his current status wasn’t about concealing his aura but directly erasing his presence.

That feeling, like a super-boosted version of social phobia.

If his social phobia is like wearing a ghillie suit, merely making him hard to notice, the Hunter’s skill directly turned him into an invisible person.

Just right as the dungeon difficulty increased, social phobia and elite stealth were already inadequate. He must ask the Hunter later how to learn this method of stealth.

The requirement for placing the Faith Virus wasn’t high, just needed to place it within the ritual, and once the Bright Society connects the ritual with the World Dungeon, it will resonate with the Faith Virus inside the World Dungeon.

Wu Chang and the Hunter reached the edge of the ritual, finding a spot unnoticed by anyone. Wu Chang opened the metal box and took out the Faith Virus.

Holding the irregular sphere that looked like shattered crystal pieced together, he gently placed it on the ground, activating it in the way Shi Ning had instructed.

The crystal sphere instantly dispersed into countless fragments, infiltrating the ritual, Wu Chang could see through the temporary management authority of the Desolate Realm, the area where he placed the Faith Virus, with small virus spheres covering the surface of the ritual, dimming its light.

With the most crucial task completed, Wu Chang and the Hunter breathed a sigh of relief and began to stealth deeper into the ritual.

The Hunter was highly attuned to managing his aura, and when reaching twenty meters from the stone altar, he reached out a hand to stop Wu Chang.

"This is as far as we can go. Any closer and we’ll be discovered."

Wu Chang took out the Divine Rune Decipherer, pushing the back end of the black box. A cube popped out from the box surface, flying straight toward the stone altar, merging with it naturally, without a sound.

Indeed, the products made by Shi Ning did not disappoint them.

With both tasks completed, they were just about to head back, when suddenly a whirlwind rose up within the ritual.

The talismans, layered like fish scales covering the stone altar, fluttered with the wind, making the altar seem as if it came alive.

The altar’s anomaly prompted Wu Chang and the Hunter to stop and hide in place.

Were we exposed?

Just as Wu Chang was wondering, flames erupted from a fire brazier atop the altar, the fire shooting skyward, melting a large hole around it.

Shadows flitted across the altar, the figures of Mercury, Kuafu, and representatives from both Peaceful Sect and Bliss Sect who appeared in the Hunter’s previous video appeared at the edge of the hole.

The busy members inside and outside the ritual ceased their actions, withdrew from the ritual, and quietly waited.

Wu Chang breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed they weren’t exposed, but merely that they had happened upon the Bright Society activating an array to connect with the World Dungeon.

A moment later, the melted space around the hole stabilized, revealing a vague silhouette on the other side.

Wu Chang, near enough to the stone altar, could barely hear the silhouette saying:

"Immortal, the matters you’ve instructed are already arranged; all is ready, just awaiting the Celestial Being’s arrival."

Wu Chang looked toward the top of the altar, hoping to see who was speaking to Mercury but, inside the hole, he could only see a silhouette, unable to distinguish facial features.

However, Wu Chang caught sight of a flag fluttering behind the speaker, its outline quite familiar, resembling his Soul Cleansing Banner.

Mercury replied: "I merely provided you a path. How the future unfolds is entirely up to your destined fortunes."