Chapter 841: Standoff in the Office

Bartos's words made the slitted-eye woman, who stood at the very front, halt her steps.

She looked at him with a peculiar gaze, as if she were staring at a madman.

"Koleira, didn't you tell him who obtained the secret Substitute Cube?"

The Red Severance of Abukado, a young woman named Koleira, was currently transmitting intelligence to Ye Qiyan through her system interface. Hearing the slitted-eye woman's question, she calmly raised her head and let out a cold snort.

"Why should I tell him? Shen Qianyu, I say, you eyeless freak, you always like to arrange things for others to do. Why don't you say it yourself? I'm busy, don't bother me."

After finishing her displeased remarks, she lowered her head, speaking to the person on the Light Screen with eyes brimming with laughter and joy.

The woman named Shen Qianyu helplessly pressed her forehead. She tried her hardest to widen her eyes, yet it remained impossible to tell whether they were open or closed.

"This is a natural trait of mine, you know? Ugh, forget it. Mr. Bartos, the one who obtained the secret Substitute Cube is..."

Before her words could finish.

Within this space, there suddenly emerged a dangerous, icy, profound... force filled with countless terrifying whispers.

Everyone present instinctively lowered their gaze downward.

It wasn't that there was something below.

Rather, under this power, they had no choice but to bow their heads.

[What in the world is this!?]

Shen Qianyu's heart was utterly shaken.

Driven by curiosity, she instinctively activated an item, briefly dispelling this strange sensation.

She abruptly lifted her head.

And witnessed a sight she would never forget for the rest of her life.

A young man draped in a black great cloak had appeared before them at some unknown moment.

The young man opened his eyes, those calm, emotionless pupils devoid of any feeling, quietly fixed upon her.

"Hm?"

Ye Qiyan's gaze happened to meet Shen Qianyu's.

Shen Qianyu's pupils constricted. She instinctively gripped her weapon, yet in the end, she did not draw it.

The Sailing came to an end.

That terrifying sensation vanished along with it.

Everyone raised their heads one after another, looking at the face of the one who had materialized out of thin air.

What kind of face was it?

A face that differed in each person's mind.

The countenance of [Arrogance].

Wait, Arrogance?!

"Gulp."

Shen Qianyu swallowed hard.

Although this was her first close encounter with him, she could fully recognize his identity.

"Ah, Altos, Sen..."

"Lord Altos!"

Koleira's expression was somewhat agitated. She held back the urge to rush in front of Ye Qiyan, striving to calm her emotions. Remembering her current identity, she cleared her throat and reverted to her usual aloof tone.

"Ahem... Lord Altos, why are you here?"

She was, in fact, the one among those present who knew best why Ye Qiyan was here, bar none.

But she still had to ask, because this was a chance to speak with Lord Altos, and she absolutely could not let it pass.

Unlike Koleira, however.

At this moment, everyone else's expressions were those of facing a great enemy.

Especially that one who spewed foul language, loved raising centipedes, the Mad Toxin of Abukado, Barr.

She silently put away her scythe, trying her best to hide herself in a corner.

Her mind was filled with the memory of being punched into outer space by Shaya, the Angel of the Emperor's Order, and drifting unconscious for days.

Though she usually claimed to be unconvinced, when it came to the strong ones of the Emperor's Order, Barr was already scared to death.

And this Demon Mech-Dragon Man, Altos, even had the achievement of killing a True God.

Don't move! Absolutely don't move!

Barr was terrified that the other party would notice her and give her another slap.

The other one, Bartos from the City of a Thousand Stars, wore a grave expression.

As a Top-Tier Train Conductor, he was well aware that this was the only human since recorded history in the Wasteland who had possessed more than five Demon Cards without any signs of being controlled by demons.

Add to that a mysterious Blasphemy Card, his personal combat power, and that Mechanical Dragon of his.

Although he believed he could put up a fight against him, if that Cube was truly in his hands, and judging from his actions, it was highly likely that the things inside that hidden space had already been taken by this man...

[It seems... it will be difficult to complete the mission. Should I attack? Or negotiate?]

This burly man's mind was constantly churning with thoughts.

"Interesting."

Ye Qiyan let out a soft laugh, shifted his gaze away from Shen Qianyu's face, walked past Koleira, paid no heed to anyone, and made his way toward the exit of the office.

Silence...

Until he reached the door, Bartos clenched his fist, gritted his teeth, and turned around to say:

"Mr. Altos! What did you obtain in there? The City of a Thousand Stars is willing to pay any price to trade for what you've acquired!"

Any price?

Ye Qiyan halted his steps.

He turned his head toward Bartos with interest.

"Are you sure, any price?"

"...."

A drop of cold sweat formed on Bartos's forehead.

"Heh."

Ye Qiyan shook his head and ignored him any further.

He knew that these people's goal was definitely that meaningless stone hidden within the Talent Cube.

But what was meaningless to Ye Qiyan was anything but meaningless to these Homeward-bound Souls.

He could simply hand the stone to them, letting them know that the talent of [Recollection] had already failed, that it could never construct a true coordinate, thereby making the Homeward-bound Souls abandon this path.

But why?

Don't be ridiculous.

He and the Homeward-bound Souls were enemies, after all.

Though there are no enemies when interests are at stake, and the Homeward-bound Souls' goal was indeed moving...

Still, that phrase remains.

Why?

Granting wishes was all well and good, and these people were free to target and kill anyone they wanted in order to return home.

It was just that, whether it was Grace back in Suoluo City, or that Han Qi from the Hanging Gardens later on, every single one of them had wanted Ye Qiyan's life.

So, let them keep trying.

Only after they invest their hope will they sink into deeper despair in the end.

Of course, before the truth was discovered, he would sell this stone for a good price.

Just like what this burly man had said.

Bartos watched Ye Qiyan leave the premises, and finally, he unclenched his fist without attempting to stop him.

The subordinates beside him did not ask why.

Because everyone knew that even if war broke out, they could never obtain that thing now.

All the schemes and plans laid out at RUN Company this time had come to naught, all because of that [Demon Overlord, Lord of Blasphemy].

Bartos silently called up his system interface, let out a sigh, and had a subordinate beside him who possessed a Time Stream Synchronization Module send a message to Lu Jiayun through the system.

["Boss, the thing condensed from that Ancient's talent... has probably fallen into the demon's hands. But there might still be a chance. I'll go inside and check now. Just in case he didn't take it..."]