“Chapter 187: Ghost Eye”

"Chapter 187: Ghost Eye"

"No matter how hard Yan Ge searches, the name of the person who had issued the mission and had been in contact with him has vanished."

"When players issue tasks, they go through an approval process and sign a system contract."

"Yan Ge takes out the contract. The name there hasn't disappeared."

"The signature appears clumsy, as if the person just learned to write. It's written in a universal language."

"Ji Dai."

"'Let's not worry about it for now. Since we can't contact the mission issuer, we’ll take our leaders to the A1 District Hospital, then go identify this Ghost Eye. If it's B-grade or higher, it’ll be worth it, even if the mission issuer is dead.'"

"The three spring into action."

"The player’s hall has a teleportation point to the A1 District. They reach the teleportation point, scan it, choose A1, and are enveloped in a white light."

"B11 District is already considered expansive, but compared to A1, it feels like a mere speck of dust in a solar system."

"Under the vast celestial dome, they find an endless 'sea of stars'—jump points in the night sky where teleportation arrays transport players to various hunting grounds."

"Without the use of these jump points, what lies outside is a chaotic space—dangerous not just for players, but even for the top-ranking dragons in the bloodline hierarchy."

"The hall is boundless, filled with players of all kinds: average-looking humans, beastly demon races, and giants standing five to six meters tall. Every player seems in a hurry, their outfits appearing rather extravagant."

"After all, to be teleported into the A1 District, one must have completed a system task in an S-class hunting ground. Among the player community, those who have completed S-class tasks are rare."

"While their squad might have some clout in B11 District, their reputation vanishes the moment they step into A1 District."

"In the grand hall, thousands of electronic screens hover at the center, providing real-time updates on various game-related matters."

"The guild leaders from D29 and E5 districts are at it again, verbally clashing; a 'Celestial Emperor' in C1 District is offering a high reward for capturing a fallen elf and his cherished pet; there's a minor spiritual storm brewing at the outskirts of E2 District’s jump point—players from lineages with spiritual attributes, like Ancient Immortals, Ghosts, and True Spirits, are advised not to enter hunting grounds in that district..."

"A1 District serves as the hub for players, and at this nexus, amid tens of thousands of screens, six colorful ribbons intertwine to form a massive web that spreads out from the center of the hall, resembling a giant spider web."

"At the very center where the ribbons intertwine, hangs a smooth, golden bead emitting a soft golden glow, like a sun illuminating every corner of the game world."

"These ribbons represent the six major guilds and symbolize six key players who control the game."

"As for the bead in the middle... it's said to be carved out of a dragon."

"Yan Ge first looks enviously at the 'spider web' above his head."

"He descends from the Fireblood race, which is relatively low-ranking in the galactic lineage, even lower than fallen elves like Xiao Qi. In their squad, only their leader has a somewhat respectable bloodline rank, which is why they seldom visit A1 District."

"That bead, whether or not the legends about it are true, exerts an unspeakable pressure on players with lower bloodline ranks."

"Among the entire player base, it's said that only six 'Founder' level players are unaffected by this bead's pressure."

"Luckily, Yan Ge had spent a hefty sum to acquire a new bloodline just a couple of years ago."

"He wonders if he'll ever be able to obtain a bloodline on par with those of the six 'Founders.'"

"'Let's go to the hospital.'"

"They locate the hospital’s teleportation point, and with a flash of white light, they arrive."

"After selecting a treatment chamber on the virtual screen, the damage assessment is quickly displayed."

"'Injury Level: A-class, potential for bloodline degradation... Damn it!' Yan Ge curses, 'Wasn’t that guardian going through a lightning tribulation? He should've been at his weakest!'"

"This was supposed to be an Ancient Immortal-related, soon-to-collapse hunting ground with a weaker guardian. That's why Yan Ge chose to make a move."

"The mission issuer had provided complete information, and their target was indeed a guardian, but why was there such a discrepancy in the guardians' strength?"

"That hunting ground is really bizarre!"

"Regardless of what Yan Ge thinks, he quickly pays the necessary points to ensure that his leaders receive proper treatment."

"'You two stay here and keep an eye on them; I’ll go have this Ghost Eye appraised.'"

"Since they can’t contact the mission issuer, the least they can do is determine the grade of this item."

"Without appraisal and activation, the usage of the Ghost Eye is significantly limited."

"It better be at least a B-class item; otherwise, they'll have incurred a significant loss!"

"Yan Ge quickly returns to the main game hall with the Ghost Eye in hand."

"The appraisal station is located on the second floor of the main hall. After navigating through several teleportation points, Yan Ge finally arrives."

"In the main hall, machinery of various types are most commonly seen—devices capable of flawlessly executing any command and proving incredibly versatile."

"However, at the appraisal station, the beings coming and going are all living creatures."

"After all, appraising an item requires the use of special skills, something only humans have mastered."

"'Hello, I'd like to have this item appraised.'"

"Upon reaching the counter, Yan Ge hands over the Ghost Eye. The appraiser behind the desk offers a professional smile: 'Certainly, please wait a moment.'"

"The appraiser manipulates her device, and shortly, the once somewhat dim Ghost Eye brightens as if two internal flames have been ignited."

"The appraiser's voice resonates with surprise: 'A-class?'"

"Yan Ge hesitates for a moment, then exclaims with joy, 'Is it upper A-class or lower?'"

"After scrutinizing the item for a while, the appraiser shakes her head: 'Regrettably.'"

"Having said that, she returns the Ghost Eye."

"Yan Ge quickly realizes why she said 'regrettably.'"

"[Item: Ghost Eye · A-class]"

"[Description: A pair of eyes capable of seeing through yin and yang. Perhaps installing these eyes will unveil even more secrets of the world?]"

"[Note: Requires [Ghost Power] for activation.]"

"[Function: To see through yin and yang.]"

"[Special Skill: Momentary Truth · Single Use (Already Used)]"

"[Description: Upon activation, receive a wisdom buff. During this period, you possess the ultimate truth.]"

"[Note: The use of this skill carries a risk of death. S-class players have a zero percent mortality rate.]"

"Seeing the one-time special skill on an A-class item, Yan Ge doesn't need to know the precise potency of this skill to understand its terrifying nature."

"However, the item was not yet appraised; normally, the special skill shouldn't be activated."

"Who could activate the special skill of an unappraised item?"

"Holding the Ghost Eye in his hands, Yan Ge feels uneasy."

"He has a gut feeling that he might have gotten entangled in some event."

"'Sir? Sir?'"

"Yan Ge snaps back to reality."

"The appraiser in front of him smiles, 'Would you be interested in selling this Ghost Eye?'"

"It's not unexpected; the appraisal stations are subsidiaries of the six major guilds, and they often wish to purchase valuable items they come across."

"However, this item doesn't belong solely to Yan Ge; it's the collective property of his team and was obtained through completing a player task."

"'I'm sorry, it's not for sale at the moment.' After saying this, he pays the appraisal fee and walks out with the Ghost Eye."

"Preoccupied with thoughts, Yan Ge doesn't notice that as soon as he leaves the appraisal station, the appraiser's expression changes, and she immediately disseminates information about the Ghost Eye."

"'Guild Leader, the Ghost Eye has appeared.'"

"'Yes, it's the Ghost Eye that Jidai possessed over a thousand years ago—the one that can see the ultimate truth.'"

"'Very well, I will arrange for someone to retrieve the Ghost Eye and ensure that no one who has seen it goes free.'"

"'Rest assured, if they've already uncovered the truth about the 'Dragon,' they will never leave Area A alive.'"

.

"Meanwhile,"

"In the Underworld,"

"When Jie Fangcheng lifts the eyelids of Dongyue Shenjun, Cui Jue, standing nearby, is also taken aback."

"No one had anticipated that Dongyue Shenjun's eyes would be missing."

"'What... what on earth is going on?'"

"Jie Fangcheng remains silent, standing next to the coffin for a moment."

"He had just had a sudden thought about Dongyue Shenjun's eyes."

"Red eyes... they couldn't possibly have been caused by 'staying up late.'"

"Jie Fangcheng hadn't bothered to think about it earlier, but now, with no one else to think on his behalf, he had to use his own brain."

"Odd eyes that have now disappeared—could it be an artifact? Did those five people come for those red eyes?"

"Like the pen, are these eyes also artifacts from an unknown origin?"

"What could those eyes possibly be used for?"

"Though a bead had been removed from the statue and given to Jie Fangcheng, the impact wasn't significant—it wouldn't render Dongyue Shenjun blind."

"He abandoned his original eyes in favor of an artifact. What was he trying to see through?"

"A headache."

"Everything has become too complicated. Jie Fangcheng feels like he's wandering through a dense fog, unable to discern the correct direction."

"If he's confused, maybe someone else can make sense of it?"

"The Infinite Game has been running for so many years, and even though Dongyue Shenjun spearheaded it, could he be the only one involved?"

"What about the other Hell Kings? Are they in the loop?"

"And then there's that divine-like light that disintegrated Zhang Daoan. What's happening in the Heavenly Realm now?"

"Since the great war, the doors to the Heavenly Realm have been sealed shut."

"While the Underworld, along with Dongyue Shenjun, occasionally ventures into the human world to deal with ghosts, the Heavenly Realm seems to have been completely erased from the Three Realms, leaving no trace behind."

"As Jie Fangcheng ponders, Cui Jue looks at his expression and can't shake the feeling that something ominous is brewing."

"'Lord Jie, let's think this through. What are you planning to do?'"

"Jie Fangcheng waves a dismissive hand: 'I'm going to see old Xue.'"

"King of Transmigration, Xue Li, is one of the Hell Kings with whom Jie Fangcheng has the best rapport."

"But upon meeting Xue Li and beginning with 'Do you know about the [Answer],' Xue Li's confused response makes it clear he knows nothing."

"'What answer? What are you puzzled about?'"

"Jie Fangcheng turns and leaves."

"Three of the four Hell Kings are occupied with work. Jie Fangcheng tries each of them; their confusion isn't feigned, clearly unaware of the game."

"Only one remains, dealing with the aftermath of Jie Fangcheng's thunder tribulation in the human world—in simple terms, collaborating with a special human department to produce a 'Science Close-up' segment."

"That person has always had a poor relationship with Jie Fangcheng, as the head of the orthodox faction, he's been displeased with Jie Fangcheng for quite some time."

"In that case... the only option is to make a trip to the Heavenly Realm."