Chapter 90: Divine Talisman

Chapter 90: Chapter 90: Divine Talisman

"So, all the good stuff has been used up?"

"Just as I expected!"

Chen Qi was quite satisfied with Zhong Xingchen’s answer.

Players were fighting for their lives every moment. If there was something that could directly boost their strength, who would be stupid enough to leave it for others?

If the headquarters really did have something like that, Chen Qi wouldn’t have dared to use it anyway.

On the other hand, things like knowledge, which anyone could easily copy, were more likely to be passed down.

And that was precisely Chen Qi’s goal.

’Drawing inferences from one instance is always good; knowing more can at least increase my Spirituality.’

The only way Chen Qi knew to increase his Spirituality was by acquiring all sorts of knowledge.

It was the fastest method with the fewest repercussions.

...

"I’m glad you’re satisfied!"

"Sigh... among the new players, there are fewer and fewer who are willing to put in the effort to study Extraordinary knowledge like you."

"Everyone is obsessed with mastering and developing skills."

"But it can’t be helped. Compared to the immediate results of improving skills, trying to master Extraordinary Power on your own is too slow, almost to the point of making no progress at all."

"Aren’t the vast majority of outside apprentices who come to Demon Island here because their path to becoming Extraordinary was cut off, hoping for a meteoric rise?"

Zhong Xingchen had a self-deprecating smile on his face. Clearly, he was one of those outside apprentices himself.

Compared to the clueless common folk, apprentices like them were more likely to survive after obtaining a Card.

Chen Qi was a special case.

In Zhong Xingchen’s eyes, Chen Qi belonged to the exceptionally talented category.

Being able to figure out the ancient script on his own would make him a top-tier genius even in the outside world.

This was also why Zhong Xingchen wanted to recruit Chen Qi. He was certain to die in the next round of the game, so there were some things he had to consider more carefully.

His interests weren’t confined to just the Lanyu Kingdom.

...

"Demon Island?"

"Is that what the outside Inner World circles call the Lanyu Kingdom?"

"Do Demons really exist?"

Although he didn’t know why, Chen Qi’s intuition told him that Zhong Xingchen was very pleased with him.

Half out of curiosity and half to test the waters, Chen Qi asked the biggest question in his heart.

Do Demons really exist?

"Haha, interesting. Other players don’t think as much as you do."

"If people like you can survive the first round, you’re bound to become a major figure in the future."

In response to Chen Qi’s question, Zhong Xingchen wasn’t the least bit displeased; in fact, he was even happier.

It proved his judgment was correct.

"Demon Island is indeed what the outside world calls the Lanyu Kingdom."

"The name first appeared thirty years ago, and along with it came the various legends of the King’s Game."

"I once did some research. The timing was roughly after the ’Bloody Coup,’ and the game also began to change around then."

"To be more precise, it was when the Cards began their Metamorphosis one by one, giving rise to various Superpowers."

"This Metamorphosis peaked in the fourth round, and the game’s format completely shifted to a combat game."

"The first players from the outside world appeared in the third round of the game."

"During the fourth round, the proportion of outside players was likely the highest. It’s even possible that aside from the two Joker Cards, all the other players were outsiders."

"I suspect it was the collective effort of these outside players that overthrew the original game format, creating the King’s Game we have now."

"The faction divisions among early players weren’t just between Order Keepers and Traitors; there were also the Outsider and Native factions."

"Of course, as His Majesty the King conducted purge after purge, his control over the game grew stronger and stronger. The Outsider faction has long since crumbled, and the game has become what it is today."

"But the game hasn’t severed its connection with the outside world. The constant stream of apprentices being sent in is the best proof of that."

"Outsiders like me still have a chance to become players."

Zhong Xingchen felt he was being completely open with Chen Qi, or at least, that’s what he thought.

But from beginning to end, he never touched upon the topic of Demons.

Chen Qi was lost in thought. ’Is he too scared to speak of it, or is he forbidden? But when I brought it up myself, why didn’t he stop me immediately?’

"There are some things you can say in the Royal Capital, but I cannot."

"The moment I say them, I will alert certain existences."

"I’ve already survived three Judgment Days. Survival always comes at a price."

Seeing the doubt in Chen Qi’s heart, Zhong Xingchen stated it plainly.

Zhong Xingchen made no effort to hide his apprehension, and a jolt of alarm shot through Chen Qi’s heart.

’It seems I’ll have to watch my words and actions carefully in the Royal Capital as well.’

"No need to be so nervous."

"Honestly, even if we did talk about it, there’s a high probability nothing would happen."

"We’re not Traitors. As for your earlier question, they’re the ones with the most right to speak on it."

"But if you want to know who holds the final answer, that would undoubtedly be Yuwen Yong."

Yuwen Yong was the Chairman of the Demon Slaying Association. This was the first time Chen Qi had heard the name from Zhong Xingchen.

From Zhong Xingchen’s vague hints, Chen Qi arrived at a rather peculiar answer.

Demons could have almost no direct influence on ordinary people.

They also had a hard time affecting Order Keeper players.

Because they had never come into contact with them, they naturally couldn’t confirm their existence.

It was the Traitors, on the other hand, who were easily susceptible to the Demons’ Enchantment.

They were the ones who most firmly believed that Demons were real.

All information about Demons among the players came from the Traitors, or more accurately, from the Demon Slaying Association.

According to Zhong Xingchen’s hints, it was best for regular players not to believe in their existence.

After that topic, due to their reservations, the two lost their enthusiasm for further conversation.

Lin Biyun would be responsible for arranging the things Chen Qi wanted next.

Chen Qi tactfully prepared to take his leave, but just as he was about to go, Zhong Xingchen spoke again, seemingly at random.

"Actually, besides the ordinary apprentices, there’s another, more special group that’s trying to get in."

"Our Lanyu Kingdom has always been quite famous in the surrounding Inner World circles."

"There are two legends that were circulating in the vicinity even before the ’Demon Game’."

"So, the Demon Island of today actually has three great legends: the Divine Talisman, Longevity Cells, and the ’Demon Game’. The first two have existed for thousands of years."

"You’d best not get involved with those guys who come looking for the Divine Talisman and Longevity Cells. They aren’t ordinary apprentices."

"Although the game’s defense mechanism will annihilate any Transcendent who dares set foot in the Lanyu Kingdom... well, it’s a game. There are always loopholes."

After saying this, Zhong Xingchen left as if nothing had happened.

Chen Qi didn’t believe for a second that the guy was just bored and rambling.

’No wonder he was so friendly to me earlier. So this was the real point.’

’Damn. This tiny-ass place is really a den of vipers.’

’Divine Talisman, Longevity Cells... what the hell are those?’

...

The Divine Talisman was completely beyond Chen Qi’s scope of knowledge, but as for the Longevity Cells, he had a faint guess.

He had just witnessed the "turncoats" with their multiplied lifespans, so it was hard not to make the connection.

However, the most important piece of information Zhong Xingchen had revealed was about the game’s defense mechanism.

Chen Qi never expected that the King’s Game would actually Devour Awakening Tier Transcendent beings.

’Luckily, I’m a player, so I narrowly escaped that fate.’

’But can this mechanism also be bypassed by the outside world?’

’There must be some restrictions, right? Otherwise, the Lanyu Kingdom would have been trampled flat by the outside world long ago.’

Even though he had successfully gone through his Awakening and become a Transcendent, Chen Qi still didn’t dare to underestimate the people Zhong Xingchen had mentioned.

No matter how confident he was, he had only just emerged from the "illiterate" stage and knew nothing about the methods that Transcendent beings from the outside world possessed.

Unless absolutely necessary, Chen Qi truly planned to think twice before acting and hold off on targeting those "fat sheep" who were delivering themselves to his doorstep for now.

’You have to eat your meal one bite at a time, after all!’

The most pressing matter was to take a good look around the headquarters’ treasury and claim the promised benefits first.