Chapter 746 - 468: Corporate Unspoken Rule

Chapter 746: Chapter 468: Corporate Unspoken Rule

Three days ago, with the sounding of the Doomsday Horn, the Abyss was plunged into unprecedented turmoil.

Over a decade ago, the growing power of the Star Association and Noah’s imminent Ascension to Divinity posed an unprecedented threat to the Monarchs of the Abyss. Thus, following a conference in the Abyss, They forged a pact and commanded the Hell Forgers to create the Doomsday Horn.

The moment the Doomsday Horn sounded, it signified the start of the war between the Abyss and the World. Even factions of the Abyss hostile to one another were now bound to set aside their past grievances, unite, and wage a war to the death against the World.

The Abyss was currently in an Era of Expansion, with countless new Hell Planes awaiting pioneers. It was the most turbulent and grand period in the Abyss’s history, a time when tens of thousands of Hells would plunge into chaotic wars and brutal massacres to expand the territories of their rulers.

During this period, the pressure on the Star Association’s border defenses in Hell would have been greatly relieved. The World might have even joined in the pioneering of new Hells—each new Hell Plane was a brand-new World, containing countless resources of immense value.

But with the sounding of the Doomsday Horn, all of that vanished into thin air. The Era of Expansion became a world-ending war to the death. Every civilization in Hell abandoned the new planes they were fighting over and, under the iron decrees of the Hell Monarchs, began their march upon the World.

The Frenzied Demon Legion from the Blood Country sailed upon the churning Blood River in their Death Battleships. The fleet cut unstoppably through one derelict, shattered Hell after another, advancing on the Star Association’s border defenses in Hell amidst a chorus of revelry, song, and hungry cries.

They began their campaign of conquest.

The moment the border defenses in Hell launched their counterattack, the great, world-ending war between the World and the Abyss officially began.

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「Three days later.」

The World was peaceful and serene. There was none of the oppressive quiet that precedes a storm; life went on as calmly as ever.

The vast majority of people had no idea that the world-ending war had already begun. As for those who did, they held no pessimistic views. On the contrary, they were all eagerly rubbing their hands together, hoping to gain something from this momentous war.

After all, in the past, when the power disparity between the World and the Abyss was enormous, they had still managed to withstand one invasion after another. Now, the World had seven True Gods, and the number of Demigods and Crowned Kings was far greater than ever before. On top of that, the Star Association possessed all sorts of undisclosed advanced technologies. Why would they possibly fear a world-ending war with the Abyss?t

Of course, confidence was one thing, but the threat still had to be taken seriously. In a short span of time, a stream of secret orders was sent to all corners of the globe. The world’s powers and organizations, mobilized by the Star Association, began preparations for the world-ending war, like a slumbering beast finally opening its eyes.

Meanwhile, the recently unsealed Gaia was undergoing reconstruction at a feverish pace.

Thanks to the assistance of generations of Players and its own internal development, Gaia’s technological level was already on par with the outside World. Coupled with Extraordinary Powers like Extraordinary Abilities, Magic, and Alchemy, its destroyed cities were completely rebuilt in just three short days. They were even expanded and renovated. As far as the eye could see, there were modern, clean, and tidy skyscrapers, easily rivaling the top-tier cities of any other nation.

At the same time, new towns sprang up all across Gaia. Tens of thousands of disaster victims left the cities to settle down in locations of their own choosing. With free, brand-new housing and guaranteed job placement, there was simply no reason for them to remain homeless in the big cities.

Interestingly, as soon as the resettlement plan was announced, the comment sections on international news sites exploded. Within an hour, hundreds of thousands of people were searching for how to immigrate to Gaia. The story topped global search trends, giving Gaia a massive boost in publicity.

Gaia’s tourism department spokesperson seized the opportunity to make a statement promoting Gaia’s tourism industry.

That’s right—tourism.

After being unsealed, the economies of most Restricted Areas rely on three main sources: technology, tourism, and resources.

Although most of Gaia’s ancient architecture had been reduced to dust and ashes in the fighting, its territory was still home to many beautiful landscapes, making it perfectly suited for developing a tourism industry. In fact, the planning and design for the first batch of top-tier scenic areas were already complete. The renovations could be finished within a week, and they would be ready to welcome visitors in half a month—a truly miraculous pace.

Naturally, Li’s Flower Group was among the companies participating in the scenic area renovations. As one of the world’s leading corporations in the field of horticulture, the group had contracted for Restricted Area redevelopment projects many times and had extensive experience. However, this was the first time they had ever taken on a contract of this magnitude. What was even more baffling to countless employees was that the company hadn’t even gone through a bidding process—the contract had simply fallen into their laps.

But the mystery was soon solved—their boss had a thing with the King of Gaia.

Well, that explained everything.

"So this is what they call using the ’unspoken rules’,"

In the rebuilt Gaia Imperial Palace, Zhou Chen sat on the throne, holding Li Xiye in his arms. He scrolled through his phone, clicking his tongue. "They’re all saying I pulled some strings for you."

"And isn’t it true?" Li Xiye blinked, feigning sorrow as she sniffled and wiped away imaginary tears. "You coveted my beauty, so you threatened me with this project. You would only give the contract to my company if I slept with you. Left with no choice, I could only let you have your way with me and ravage me..."

"Your acting is terrible," Zhou Chen critiqued sharply. "You need to be more reluctant, your gaze more indifferent, your attitude colder. You have to convey that ’defiant to the death, yet ultimately helpless’ feeling. And it would be best to add a touch of... hmm... reluctant enjoyment."

"You’ve been reading a lot of smut, haven’t you?" Li Xiye rolled her eyes at him. After a moment’s thought, she teased in his ear, "I’ll play with you some more tonight~~~"

Although Zhou Chen’s time in Gaia had been brief—only half a month—for a couple in the throes of new love, the separation had felt far too long. They needed to properly reacquaint themselves with each other’s warmth.

They smiled at each other, followed by a kiss they could no longer restrain.

After a long moment, Li Xiye leaned against Zhou Chen’s shoulder. She reached out to pinch his cheek and murmured softly, "This feels like a dream."

"We were only apart for half a month, and you’ve already surpassed me to reach Tier Five and become the king of a nation..."

As she spoke, Li Xiye, who had been sighing with emotion, suddenly straightened up. Her eyes sharpened as she frowned. "Wait, does this mean you can start a harem, openly and legitimately?"

"..."

Stunned, Zhou Chen almost coughed up a mouthful of blood. But it seemed... he had no way to argue.

"Great, just great. You must be ecstatic now, right? Not even the law can restrain you anymore," Li Xiye sneered.

"It couldn’t restrain me in the first place..." Zhou Chen muttered. As an Ascender, especially a High-level Ascender, a significant portion of mortal laws could be disregarded. All that mattered was adhering to the iron-clad rules of the Ascenders.

"So, when do you plan on selecting your harem? Do you need me to give you some pointers?" Li Xiye asked with a benevolent smile.

Zhou Chen wrapped his arms around her and said with a perfectly straight face, "I’m not that promiscuous."

"Ha..." Li Xiye instantly broke, laughing out loud. "Do you hear yourself? So having four women isn’t promiscuous, is that it?"

"I said I’m not *that* promiscuous."

"Isn’t that the fucking pot calling the kettle black!" Li Xiye was speechless.

"Fair enough."

Zhou Chen gazed into her eyes, promising solemnly and earnestly, "But I promise I will make all of you happy."

Li Xiye didn’t say anything. She just watched him quietly before resting her head against his chest.

"It’s okay."

"As long as you’re with me, that’s enough."

"No."

Zhou Chen corrected her. "It’s *loving* you."

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