Chapter 649 - 414: The Launch of Zone 009 (Part 2)

Chapter 649: Chapter 414: The Launch of Zone 009 (Part 2)

"Third, after Gaia’s Dragon King died, its corpse rotted and turned a region in the south into the Valley of Miasma. Deep within the Valley of Miasma, there’s a Divine Hall. The boss inside is a corrupted Giant Dragon. After killing the boss, you’ll get a Treasure Chest, and inside that chest is a special Artifact called—"

Hermes said solemnly, "—the Sword of Ten Thousand Kings!"

"That is the personal sword of the King of Gaia, the King of Kings. Once you obtain that sword, you will have the right to compete for the title of King of Gaia."

"But, well, just like in a game, to get the prerequisite item, you first have to go to the Magic Academy to get the key that opens the Divine Hall. The Mages there are pretty easy to talk to. If you run some errands for them and do a few quests, you should be able to get the key."

"Fourth, there’s a fine Weapon hidden in the sewers beneath Gaia’s Royal City. I’ve seen its Skill effect; it can inflict a percentage-based bleed effect on enemies, which is great for fighting bosses... I’ve drawn a map, but I don’t know if the sewers of the Royal City are even still there after a few hundred years have passed in Gaia..."

"Fifth, Gaia has a Holy Hall Church. Its members are all called ’Light Chasers.’ You can get quests from them, and after completing them, they’ll give you some rare Artifacts and Skill Books, like the Moonlight Greatsword, Blade of Chaos, Super Ultimate Magic Torrent, and things like that."

"Sixth..."

Hermes rattled off more than twenty pieces of game-guide advice in one breath. Zhou Chen stopped grilling the meat, took out a small notebook, and diligently wrote down all the tips.

"You have limited time in the game, so you’d best pick a few quests that suit you to complete," Hermes reminded him at the end.

"Take this." The King of Music handed over a small, doll-like figurine at that moment.

Zhou Chen took it and saw that the figurine was a spitting image of the King of Music, exquisitely crafted. The next second, the figurine transformed into a stream of light and flew into his body. No matter how he tried to sense or search for it, he couldn’t find a single trace. It had vanished completely.

The King of Music bit off a piece of grilled meat and said while chewing, "I’m leaving a little backup plan. When the situation is right, the Clone will pop out and provide you with some BGM. You better put in some effort, too. I’m just a few steps away from finishing the Ascension Ladder. Once I become a God, I’ll definitely have your back."

Zhou Chen looked stunned. "You’ve almost finished it already?"

"I’ve scouted out a lot of inspirational figures recently. A few new songs and some film scores I composed all blew up, so I’ve been climbing the Ascension Ladder pretty quickly," said the King of Music.

She needed to use her art to create emotional resonance in people. The more people who resonated with it, the farther she would advance on the Ascension Ladder. And since those songs and film scores were released globally and heard by tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions of people, her progress on the Ascension Ladder had naturally been swift lately.

·

The King of Music and Hermes didn’t stay long before leaving. They had other matters to attend to.

After finishing lunch with Erin and Li Xiye, Zhou Chen took out his phone and called out:

"Hey, hey, hey, are you there?"

No response.

"You haven’t come to see me in a long time. Is something wrong? Or did I do something to make you unhappy? If it was my fault, then I apologize now," Zhou Chen said to his phone.

A few seconds later, the phone screen lit up. A chibi version of Tang Ling appeared, making a disgusted face. "You’re heading further and further down the path of a scumbag."

She then said, "I’ve been conducting some experiments recently, so I haven’t had much time. You didn’t do anything wrong."

Zhou Chen studied Tang Ling for a moment, then frowned. "No, something’s on your mind."

"I’m a robot. I don’t have a heart," Tang Ling said in a cold, mechanical voice.

"..."

Zhou Chen was silent for a moment. "You once told me that you were having some problems with your self-awareness. The problem has gotten worse now, hasn’t it?"

Tang Ling’s portrait became expressionless. After a long pause, she performed a sighing animation. "Let’s talk when we see each other in the Restricted Area. I... I want to think about it a little more on my own."

"The person involved is confused, but the onlooker sees clearly. Sometimes when you think by yourself, you just end up overthinking things. Why not tell me so I can help you think it through?" Zhou Chen coaxed.

Tang Ling didn’t answer and disappeared as if she were running away.

"Running away won’t solve the problem," Zhou Chen said helplessly.

There was no reply.

·

One minute remaining until Zone 009 goes live.

At home, Zhou Chen kissed Erin and Li Xiye goodbye:

"Wait for me."

Once Zone 009 went live, the flow of time inside would become the same as in the outside world. The "live" period would last for about a month, and for a couple in the honeymoon phase of their relationship, this month would be very hard to endure.

"Don’t worry about us. We have our own things to do," Li Xiye said, waving her hand.

"You have to be careful," Erin urged.

Before long, the invitation within Zhou Chen’s Soul began to glow, wrapping him completely. Immediately after, the light flared, becoming incredibly blinding. When the light faded, Zhou Chen had vanished from where he stood.

At the same time, three hundred beta Players from around the world vanished in unison, entering the now-open Zone 009.

·

In the Darkness, a deep, powerful male voice suddenly rang out.

"Gaia—"

The screen suddenly lit up, revealing a vibrant, thriving land.

"This sacred and longed-for land has existed since time immemorial. She is the mother of all life. She is older than the starry sky and has witnessed everything that has happened upon this land. Chaos, war, order, the splendor of kingship—"

In an ancient age, heroes vied for supremacy. One King cut through all obstacles, defeated countless enemies, and finally unified all of Gaia, becoming the first King of Gaia, also known as the King of Kings. He built Gaia’s most glorious Royal City.

Under his rule, Gaia prospered and flourished.

"—and, destruction."

In the blink of an eye, the glorious civilization was set ablaze by the flames of war. The Sun in the sky was being devoured by a terrifying black shadow, on the verge of being extinguished.

The world was plunged into twilight. The Darkness brought forth terrifying Demons that plagued the land, leaving the people destitute. War ignited once more. The armies of the Royal City rushed to every region to fight the Demons, and the sounds of slaughter echoed to the heavens.

"The fire has faded, and Evil Demons have descended upon the world. The King exhausted every means, but still could not stop the coming of the apocalypse."

The assembly of Kings, led by the King of Gaia, charged the World’s barrier, but the result was a tragic failure. Countless powerful experts fell, and the King of Gaia vanished in a blaze of brilliant light.

The Ancient Dragon King fell, its massive corpse transforming into the Valley of Miasma, causing immense suffering and spawning Evil Objects. The death of the Star Empress threw the starry sky into turmoil; one by one, the bright stars were stained black, opening malevolent eyes as they were possessed by Demons.

The World fell into desolation. The armies of the Royal City could not withstand the Demon horde and were utterly routed. In the end, the once-brilliant Royal City became a wicked den teeming with Demons. The Golden Tree Sea planted near the Royal City withered and died, becoming a land of silent death.

"But, some had not given up."

The sound of striking steel rang out, and Mars flew everywhere. The Dwarf King and the Giant King joined forces in a volcano to forge a Sun, igniting themselves to extend Gaia’s life.

The light illuminated the land, scattering the rampaging Demons and allowing Gaia to briefly return to order. This was a fleeting glimmer of light in an age of Darkness, buying Gaia a moment of respite and forging several heroes.

"However, the good times did not last. The flame born of their sacrifice gradually died out, and Gaia once again fell into Darkness and chaos."

The Artificial Sun was extinguished, turning into a cold, black stone. An even deeper despair enveloped the entire Gaia Land.

"In the end, this struggle concluded with our defeat."

The screen suddenly went black.

"Now, the fire has been extinguished. Light cannot illuminate the Mortal World, and the night continues endlessly.

Outlanders, those who do not belong to this World, have begun to appear among the people. A miraculous blessing of immortality has been bestowed upon them.

Ah... And so, Outlander, please bring us fire and light. Become the King of Gaia."

THUD!

A sacred, deep sound echoed, and a class selection screen appeared before Zhou Chen.

—Please select your class.

—Warrior, Samurai, Mage, Thief, Hunter, Useless People.