Chapter 279: Birthplace (Part 16)

Chapter 279: Birthplace (Part 16)

Despite the Elf Queen's remarks, the two in front of her had no noticeable reactions.

The Duke merely cast her a fleeting, indifferent glance.

"Without the Heart of the Dragon, can that plan still succeed?" The skeleton inquired with evident concern.

Jiu shook his head, opting not to elaborate.

As the duo conversed, a flash of white light punctuated their surroundings.

The Chairman materialized, his expression dark. Without a word from anyone, a mere glance told him that the spot in the Elf Queen's chest, where the Heart of the Dragon should reside, was eerily vacant.

While the Chairman looked at the Elf Queen, she was simultaneously studying him and the dark cocoon behind him.

A brief look of surprise crossed her face, followed by recognition.

She had seen the person inside the cocoon once before!

That individual had once emerged from the Tree of Life's portal and departed swiftly. At the time, the Elf Queen had her doubts; the Tree of Life's portal was not an open one, and historically, only the Dragon God and members of the Elf tribe had used it.

Now, with Jiu suddenly seeking the Heart of the Dragon from her — she had always known that the Chairman didn't truly believe the original system had killed the Dragon God. Back then, while she feigned ignorance, the Chairman and his group played along, maintaining an illusion of peace.

After all, there was no benefit in killing her.

Zone D is entirely built upon the Tree of Life. She is the accompanying spirit of the Tree of Life. If she dies, the tree will soon wither.

Of course, the importance of the Tree of Life to Zone D isn't the sole reason to spare her.

Most crucially, the core of the Tree of Life is located within the primal grounds, transformed into a majestic mountain, bridging the mortal realm and the netherworld.

The Tree of Life in Zone D is but a branch of its core, primarily because the Elf Queen safeguards the Heart of the Dragon.

Recklessly extracting the Heart of the Dragon isn't beneficial. The primary dilemma that arises: who should be entrusted with the heart once it is retrieved?

The Elf Queen can't leave the Tree of Life, confined to a specific location. She can be located and killed to extract the Heart of the Dragon whenever deemed necessary.

Evidently, that moment of necessity has now arrived.

When that moment would come, was something the Elf Queen knew all too well.

The person emerging from the cocoon behind the Chairman appeared familiar.

It must be the Dragon God!

The Elf Queen had experienced a system duplication before. Initially, the Chairman attempted to copy the current system onto the Tree of Life, hoping to use the tree to purge "viral" system anomalies and revert the system to its original obedient state, barring the generation of data against the interests of the six guild chairmen.

But the tree behind her isn't the Tree's main body and lacked this capacity. This action led to both her and the tree being contaminated by the "virus".

Now, the Chairman must have found a more suitable medium than the Tree of Life... Of course! In the world, is there a better processor adaptable to the system than the mental space of the Dragon God?

The original system was initially operating within the Dragon God's cognitive realm! Only later, as the number of players grew and the Dragon God delegated powers, was the system migrated out, creating an external processor.

The Elf Queen quickly masked her emotions, not letting anyone decipher her thoughts.

In the past, when she handed over the Heart of the Dragon and the Ghost Eye to Ji Dai, she speculated that since the Dragon God created life and death and established the underworld within the primal grounds to allow souls to return, perhaps he might have a chance at resurrection.

Little did she expect that this once fleeting hope would now become a reality.

However, from the looks of it, it seems the Dragon God inside the cocoon might already be dead.

But if he could resurrect once... couldn't he do it a second time?

With this thought, the Tree of Life behind the Elf Queen, in tune with her sentiments, seemed to sway in sorrow for a moment, before regaining its composure.

A tree branch subtly brushed against the crown atop her head.

On the other side, the trio led by the Chairman finally concluded their discussion.

The Duke turned to the Elf Queen and inquired, "What should we do with her?"

The Chairman glanced at her, emotionless, "Kill her."

Over the years, even though he was well aware of the Elf Queen's possible resentment, he never contemplated killing her because of her connection to the Tree of Life and the Heart of the Dragon she carried.

But now, with the Heart of the Dragon gone and judging by the Elf Queen's demeanor, it's clear she has harbored deep-seated animosity against them.

What good is it to leave behind someone so powerful, harboring resentment towards them?

Receiving the Chairman's orders, Jiu didn't hesitate. He stepped forward, bone knife in hand, and approached the Elf Queen.

The Tree of Life, at the Elf Queen's back, grew agitated. Branch after branch sprouted in fury, creating a dense canopy overhead. In a blink of an eye, verdant greenery enveloped everyone.

Countless players in Zone D looked around in astonishment.

"What's happening?" Zone D was famed for its lush foliage, both in the main region and the affiliated minor worlds.

If not for the fact that these minor worlds were mostly rebuilt from collapsed ones, devoid of any species other than players, each would be a natural botanical and zoological garden.

At this moment, the already thriving trees of Zone D seemed to draw upon their very lifeforce, growing at an astonishing rate.

Dancing branches spanned the sky, reaching out like desperate arms towards Jiu.

But the moment they neared him, they withered and died.

Yet, even in death, new branches sprang forth. Layers upon layers formed a protective cocoon, and in no time, the Elf Queen was obscured from sight.

Jiu frowned, and the bone knife in his hand resonated as he struck towards the Tree of Life.

Leaves turned yellow and fell, but there were still too many, blocking his view of the Elf Queen.

Suddenly, a disdainful scoff sounded from behind him.

"Seeking your own doom."

He spun around instantly.

From within the protective canopy of the Tree of Life, the now heavily wounded Elf Queen lunged at the Chairman with a crazed look in her eyes.

"I'll slay you ungrateful wretches!" she screamed, a far cry from the composed elegance typical of elves.

The Chairman extended his arm.

His right arm was mechanical, and its cold metal morphed into a blade. The Elf Queen charged straight at it, chanting a spell.

A golden light, as intense as the sun, erupted from her, causing even the Duke to squint and take a step back.

Facing this radiant force, the Chairman grunted in pain, with half his body seemingly melting away.

In the next moment, a streak of darkness shot through the golden glow.

The power of death suppressed the radiance, and the bone knife sliced through the Elf Queen, interrupting her chant.

Struck by the blade, the Elf Queen lurched forward, and the green crown atop her head fell.

Perhaps due to the violent motion, the crown traced a parabolic arc, passing through the dark cocoon behind the Chairman.

When it tumbled to the ground with a soft rattle, no one noticed that the vibrant green gemstone, once bestowed upon the crown by the Dragon God, had vanished.

Silently, the Elf King pursed his lips.

Tears slid from her eyes.

"The Dragon God... will return. You all have wronged him..."

The Elf King is dead.

As a companion spirit of the Tree of Life, when the Elf King perished, leaves from the tree gently fell, their withered, yellow forms blanketing her corpse.

Countless elves and players in Zone D looked up, staring blankly at the wilting trees that filled the zone.

The guild leader was resurrected by the game rules; he merely tapped a few times on the virtual screen.

Killing the Elf King was inevitable. With Zone D built upon the Tree of Life, what should players do when the tree withers?

The guild leader cast a glance at the bodies below, a fleeting mix of disgust and satisfaction in his eyes.

"Did you really think Zone D would fall without her?" The guild leader might have resurrected through the game's rules, but the attack from the Elf King prior to her death caused a malfunction in his mechanical arm, and even seemed to disrupt his connection to the system.

After all, she was a player who had existed even longer than the six guild leaders. Without the prophecy of the Dragon God, she might well have become one of the creators.

Lacking administrative rights to "Three Thousand Worlds" doesn’t mean she can't harness the power of the game's rules.

The guild leader, who always maintained an inscrutable facade, revealed his true malevolent nature from behind the mask after getting hurt.

"The Zone C leader has always wanted Zone D," he laughed. "It's just a change in leadership. We won't miss her much."

The nobleman broke into uproarious laughter at his side.

Pigeon simply stood still, saying nothing.

"But now that the Heart of the Dragon is gone, where should we look for a power source to start the system? The initial land?" inquired the nobleman.

The guild leader quickly lifted his gaze: "Hasn't the First-Generation System appeared? How does it operate?"

When the Dragon God originally died, the guild leader had tried to recruit this First-Generation System. Now, he had abandoned that idea.

The First-Generation System, despite being non-living, seemed to have human-like loyalty to the Dragon God.

He wouldn't dare use such a non-living entity, but he could dissect it to see what its power source is.

"Let’s go and meet this First-Generation System." Saying this, the guild leader turned to Pigeon, "With your vampire lineage talent, you should be able to locate him, right?"

Pigeon nodded: "Yes."

Vampires are exceptionally skilled at tracking, which is why the Lady could locate the River of the Departed in Zone F.

Zone F is an expansive region, about three to four times larger than Zone A. Sending Pigeon to search is the best option.

"Very well, you go ahead."

The guild leader didn't elaborate on his intentions, and Pigeon didn't ask.

However, just before Pigeon left, the guild leader suddenly spoke, "If the Heart of the Dragon isn't with Solia, it's most likely in the Primordial Land. Having spent so much time there, have you ever come across any traces of the Heart?"

Pigeon, with a calm demeanor, shook his head, "The assimilation mechanism of the Primordial Land is far more treacherous than ordinary realms. Not long after I arrived, I lost my memories as a player. While I was alive, it never crossed my mind. After my death, I was drawn into the game created by Lord Dongyue, lost in 'Do Not Respond', never having the opportunity to search for the Dragon's Heart."

At the mention of Lord Dongyue, a brief hint of mockery flashed across the guild leader's face.

Ji Dai... that man is laughably naive.

He truly believed that by creating a game in the Primordial Land similar to "Three Thousand Worlds", training the spirits there, he could bring them into "Three Thousand Worlds" to challenge him.

What was he thinking?

Their wariness of the Primordial Land isn't because of its inhabitants.

One must remember that these spirits, originally from World 01, were merely common beings of a lower realm.

The Dragon God was a benevolent creator deity. The Primordial Land itself is of a high rank.

Yet, in an act of compensation, he chose to allow spirits from World 01 to inhabit the Primordial Land.

Pairing a high-ranked world with low-ranked spirits, no matter how selectively trained, how powerful can they truly become?

What they genuinely fear are the rules of the Primordial Land set by the Dragon God.

The First-Generation System followed the remnants of the Dragon God's soul back to the Primordial Land. Now that it has returned, how much power could it possibly still possess?

"Mhm. Off you go."

"Understood." Pigeon nodded.

Leaving the now-withered Tree of Life, he first took a nearby hovercar to the closest public teleportation point, selected his destination, and paid the required points.

A flash of white light later, Pigeon found himself in the player hall of D1 Zone. He needed to return to the player hall to transit to Zone F.

At this moment, Zone D was in utter chaos.

Under the rule of the Elf King, Zone D had thrived with good manners, but the players weren't particularly powerful. Many joined Zone D hoping for a more mundane existence.

Currently, the D1 Zone was bustling with players, their expressions a mix of haste, confusion, and despair.

"The Tree of Life has withered? Where's the Elf King?"

"Did you get the notice? They say the Tree of Life has withered. To address the potential collapse of Zone D, the C Zone leader 'Emperor' is temporarily taking charge of D Zone..."

"Emperor??? Why?? Don't the admins know there's a longstanding feud between our Zone D and Zone C???"

"Stop worrying about all that! If you can transfer out of the permanent zones, do it quickly!"

At the player hall's operation desk, a restless crowd awaited with palpable anxiety.

A family of three hastily arrived: a shopkeeper with his young daughter frantically inquired about their store; players unwilling to depart sought answers about the future of Zone D; and those determined to relocate queued, awaiting their turn for transfer.

Just then, a distant neighing of steeds echoed from the sky.

The player hall erupted into chaos.

"It's 'Emperor'! Why has he come?!"

Waiting in line for the teleportation, Pigeon lifted his gaze.

In the sky, eight obsidian stallions with ethereal ghostly flames galloped, pulling a lavish carriage. The carriage, painted a deep black, was adorned with intricate designs in a blood-red hue. At each corner of its roof were mounted four exquisite elven heads.

The eyes of these heads still moved, revealing expressions of agony. It was clear they were kept alive by the Emperor's unique skill, doomed to exist as decapitated heads.

As the carriage hovered directly above Zone D1, an oppressive silence enveloped the hall, save for faint laughter emanating from within the carriage.

A gossamer veil fluttered in the breeze. A handsome male elf gracefully stepped out, drawing the curtain aside.

He smiled, but his expression seemed carved in stone—each movement bearing a hint of rigidity, as if he were trapped in a foreign body.

"Three minutes," his voice echoed effortlessly throughout Zone D1. "In three minutes, either leave Zone D or offer an elf as tribute. Otherwise, you die."

A palpable panic instantly consumed the players in the hall.

After his brief announcement, he bent down, ready to reenter the carriage.

At that moment, a voice from the hall exclaimed, "Wait!"

Heads turned, and many recognized the speaker.

"It's 'Abyss' Fengtu from Zone B1!"

A top-tier player from Zone B! Someone who'd command respect anywhere!

A glimmer of hope ignited among those in the hall.

Fengtu's brow furrowed, yet facing 'Emperor', he remained submissive.

"Lord 'Emperor', Zone D is now also your territory. Wreaking havoc on your own lands doesn’t seem wise, does it? Perhaps you could grant everyone a bit more time to..."

Abruptly, the elf at the carriage's entrance appeared choked, struggling as he was lifted into the air.

One of the mounted elven heads atop the carriage, bearing a striking resemblance to the elevated elf, opened its mouth in shock, its eyes wide with anguish, emitting a muted, raspy sound.

At last, the carriage curtain was drawn once more.

Dressed in a red and black robe, 'Emperor' stepped out, his crown prominent. He didn't spare a glance at the elf suspended in mid-air.

He laughed, every aspect of him—from his demeanor to his voice—radiating gentleness.

"It seems my pet failed to convey my intentions clearly enough for this player to comprehend. Would you like him to apologize?"

The next moment, the elf in mid-air had his neck brutally snapped and was hurled violently before Fengtu, nearly reduced to a mere pulp.

Blood splattered onto Fengtu's shoes. His expression soured. But with the audience in the player hall, he managed to speak, "'Emperor', I meant no disrespect. But the players here are now under your command, so you..."

"You wish I'd grant a bit more time?" The Emperor seemed in high spirits, squinting as he inspected his fingertips.

He then began a countdown.

"Thirty—"

"Nine seconds."

The ensuing sounds were a cacophony of screams, curses, and cries.

In less than a second, the player hall had transformed into a pandemonium.

Players at the teleportation spots were engaged in fierce combat, recklessly deploying skills and items, forcing everyone present into the fray, willingly or not.

Even those who'd hoped to maintain order, believing they could rally players to counterattack, were now rendered powerless.

Pigeon watched the chaos unfold, just as his turn at the teleportation pad arrived.

Without hesitation, he placed his palm on the platform, input his destination, and paid the required points.

A blinding light enveloped him.

When he opened his eyes, he was in Zone F.

Yet, though he had left the Tree of Life ahead of them, the guild leader and the nobleman were already waiting for him in Zone F.

After all, unlike Pigeon, the guild leader and the nobleman, being administrators, could traverse any part of the game at will.

Suddenly, a malicious voice echoed in Pigeon's mind.

"Bro, wasn't what 'Emperor' did even more excessive than me? Why didn't you stop him? You're a formidable ghost now, wielding the power of death. Apart from the heads of the six major guilds, you can kill anyone, right?"

Pigeon remained silent.

That familiar voice, akin to a siren's call, persisted in Pigeon's mind.

"You once killed me, called me 'malevolent in nature'. Are you any better? Every misdeed I committed, you knew of them. Not once did you stop me, just as you turned a blind eye earlier. Neither of us is righteous. What right do you have to judge me?"

"And those rodents...oh, excluding the one you admire so much. Now there are five."

"Among these guild leaders, Poseidon is weak and incapable, unable to even control his own people. Satan is an imbecile, both lacking in power and intellect. Rock Ghost hides his intentions, seemingly loyal on the surface. After the Dragon God's death, he feigned mourning but didn't hesitate when he needed to act ruthlessly. As for the nobleman, he's a sycophantic opportunist, subservient to the guild leader."

"As for this president..." A voice in the mind chuckled delightfully, "Without me saying, you should know what kind of person he is. Truly, he's quite the quintessential 'human'. Even if you help him gain control of this game, what good will come out of it for you? Remember the Dragon God from before? The one who created the game and saved them from a collapsing realm? Recall what happened to him."

Jiu remained silent as always.

Having spoken so much without any response, the voice sharpened, "Ji Zhaoyang! What are you thinking? Didn't you promise me? Haven't I been good to you? You could kill me with your own hands, so why are you so lenient with them?!"

"I understand." The always-silent Jiu finally spoke.

He quietly looked at the distant president and the nobleman and said, "Rest assured, I won't let you die. I will resurrect you, but not now. I'll give you the most powerful body, making you the mightiest among all."

The president and the nobleman noticed him too.

Facing this devoted subordinate, the president showed immense patience and kindness.

He gestured, much like calling a faithful dog.

"Come, can you sense where he is now?"

Jiu walked over obediently, closed his eyes, and quickly discerned the direction.

"Over there."

"Let's go," led the president.

As he spoke, two streaks of white light flashed by his side.

The silhouettes of Rock Ghost and Sea God appeared around.

"Where's Satan?" the president casually inquired.

Sea God explained, "He said he just returned from Zone F and wanted to rest a bit."

"Hmm," the president nodded.

The nobleman sneered, "Satan's becoming more and more of a coward. Just one trip to Zone F and he's scared like this."

Zone F isn't an ordinary player area; aside from the Devourers, there are remnants of the creator god's soul, and the rules are unstable.

This might not mean much to other presidents, but Satan's abilities do seem a bit lacking.

With or without Satan, it doesn’t matter; he wouldn't contribute much anyway.

With this in mind, the president's gaze subtly swept over the people by his side.

Perhaps the Six Great Presidents could be reduced to Four Great Presidents?

Of course... if there were only one "president", that would be even better.

Little did he know, just as he was contemplating removing Satan from the ranks of the Six Great Guild Presidents,

In Restricted Zone A1, inside the president's laboratory.

Before venturing into Zone F, the president made a detour to his lab and left the black cocoon there as a precaution.

Black streams of data still encircled the cocoon, but with no power source, the president feared the system might take over the prized body once the replication was complete, so he paused the process.

At this moment, a flash of white light punctuated the previously empty lab, revealing a red devil who furtively looked around.

The lab, located in Restricted Zone A1, was off-limits to everyone except the six guild presidents. Since the president had kept its location secret except to his modified Corroders who obeyed him implicitly, there were minimal defenses in what should have been an ultra-secure space.

Deception was the devil's innate talent.

Noticing the undisturbed defenses, the devil confidently strode to the data-wrapped cocoon, gazing eagerly at its inhabitant.

Dragon God?

No... Strictly speaking, Dragon God was dead. The figure inside was his reincarnation, a powerful guardian from the primordial realm.

Yet, so what? The being inside was still dead.

The devil licked his lips.

Approaching the virtual screen, he instantly spotted the halted replication process.

Satan murmured excitedly to himself.

"The president indeed found a vessel for the system. No wonder he sent Jiu and the nobleman to kill the Elf King... But in the end, there's only one such being. If the 'Three Thousand Worlds' system is copied into this body, who'll control it?"

All along, Satan had noticed the veiled disdain from the other presidents. He was no fool; he knew the others outmatched him in power.

Whether in conversation or action, aside from the ever-kind Sea God, the rest seemed reluctant to engage with him deeply.

If the president were to transfer the entire game to this body and assume full control, would Satan even retain a place among the six major guilds?

Given that, why shouldn't he be the one to control the game?

With this thought, Satan took a deep breath, reaching out. Thankfully, due to the president's sense of ritual, what lay before the screen wasn't an admin key or an autonomous robot but an ordinary, rather outdated, white mechanical keyboard.

Satan gently pressed the keyboard's enter key.

[Game system replication resumed, please wait.]

In distant Zone F, the president faintly heard a system prompt. But, due to a blow he sustained from the Elf King's dying strike, the alert was barely audible.

Sea God, noticing his distracted expression, asked, "What's wrong?"

"I thought I heard a system alert, but it was too faint, perhaps distorted by Zone F."

Sea God paused before suggesting, "Maybe it's related to Zone D. We might reconsider having the 'Emperor' oversee Zone D, considering his relationship with the elves..."

"The orders are already issued. How can we change them on a whim?"

With the president's statement, Sea God refrained from further comment.

Led by Jiu, the group traveled a long distance without encountering another soul.

Impatient, the nobleman was the first to break, "Are you certain you've sensed his location?"

Without taking offense, Jiu calmly nodded, "I have, but his movements are incredibly swift."

"Swift? Seriously?" the nobleman muttered.

Being among the most powerful players in "The Three Thousand Worlds", if the system moved faster than they did, could it be even more powerful?

"But we are closing in," Jiu added.

Almost as soon as he finished speaking, a figure appeared before them.

The system?

Sea God instantly felt that something was amiss.

Through Rock Ghost's surveillance earlier, he saw a well-dressed man in a suit and gold-rimmed glasses, emanating an aura of sophistication.

However, the man before them wore casual attire. While he seemed gentle, he lacked the aura of a master.

Before Sea God could voice his doubts, the nobleman already lunged forward.

Attack!

The skeleton cast a swath of eerie blue ghost flames. As it reached the so-called "system", the figure briefly panicked, drawing an oddly-shaped dagger that spurted a small jet of flame.

... And then he was consumed by the ghost flames.

That's it?

"Has the system become this weak?" The nobleman asked, taken aback.

"No, that wasn't the system." Jiu's brow furrowed, his expression turning momentarily vacant, "The system is... in that direction now."

.

The laboratory.

The data replication was fast. As the devil waited, a beep soon resonated from the virtual screen.

[Beep—Replication Complete. Activate System?]

Faced with this option, Satan exercised caution.

He first selected "No", then continued browsing.

After some time, Satan finally discovered the method of control.

——Melding?

It is said this method was used when the system initially integrated with the Dragon God.

To fully open one's mental space and then make contact with another's.

The greater the openness of both parties' mental realms, the smoother the melding, and the larger the area of contact.

Now, this is a body whose mental space has lost its master, assumed to be in a state of complete openness.

Following the tutorial, Satan closed his eyes and forcibly accessed his own mental space through his administrator backend.

Then, utilizing the data stream, he connected one end to the other's mental space and the other end to his own...

"Ahhhhhh!" The very instant he made the connection, Satan screamed, clutching his head.

In that mental space he intended to meld with, there already existed a narrow, solid territory that had staked its claim.

Even though the owner of that mental space had shattered and dispersed, the remaining empty land designed to offer just a hint of refuge was instantly flooded with unimaginable rules. These rules fiercely attacked the intruder, protecting his murky mental territory behind.

Satan felt as if his head was splitting apart. His reckless full openness to his own mental space had allowed the other's counterattack to pierce right through.

It hurt!

It was a pain that cut right to the soul!

Unable to bear it, Satan struck his own skull, collapsing weakly.

Game rules activated.

But upon resurrection, Satan still clutched his head.

Such pain was not something even death could alleviate!

Damn it... damn it all!

Melding???

Did the president deliberately set him up?!

How could the melding possibly succeed?

And precisely when he completely opened his mental space, attempting to meld,

In Zone F, Zhang Dao'an sensed something and inexplicably tilted his head.

In the public channel, while on the move, Nie Shuangshuang chattered with Guan Yingying, suddenly feeling a hair-raising sensation, much like a small animal's innate sense of danger.

She looked horrified, feeling instinctively that this looming danger somehow originated from Zhang Dao'an.

"Big brother, what's happening to us?"

Zhang Daoan's current state isn't quite normal.

He doesn't possess Zhang Daoan's memories. Or rather, those memories to him now are strings of data, not fragments of lived experiences.

Facing his younger brother, Zhang Daowu, Zhang Daoan explained the situation objectively and also granted him the choice.

"If you agree to let me copy data into your cognitive space, I can't guarantee that your personality and memories will remain unaffected. Once the system exits, you might forget your identity due to memory loss or even lose your entire persona."

Upon saying this, Zhang Daoan promptly sent him a sensory clip of the moment he was forcibly integrated into the system.

The forceful expansion of one's cognitive space and the subsequent massive data injection are excruciating, an ordeal not every person can bear, even disregarding the eventual consequences.

After hearing all of this, Zhang Daowu didn't hesitate at all.

"Okay." He looked earnestly at his trusted elder brother. "Brother, I trust you."

"Trust in what?" The system sought further confirmation. "Say it again, I can't ensure the safe utilization of your body and the protection of your persona."

"I believe that you'll maximize the use of my body." Zhang Daowu looked at him seriously. "I know my own limitations. Save the world? With my current strength, I can't. So, I'm counting on you. I need your help."

The system remained silent for a moment, finally nodding in agreement.

"Alright."

He copied a portion of his own data, took control of Zhang Daowu's body, and ruthlessly annihilated the devourers, rapidly arming himself in the process.

But it wasn't enough.

Were these devourers powerful?

Indeed, so much so that even he had to be fully alert to defeat them.

But to those six chairmen, the devourers abandoned in Sector F are left there because of their lack of strength.

The stronger ones are taken to be used as transport or killing machines.

Relying on these alone, it's impossible to defeat them.

He needs a stronger ally—

Jie Fangcheng.

Zhang Daoan, now existing as data, theoretically shouldn't have a heartbeat.

But the moment this name appeared, it felt as if the data trembled for an instant.

Find him and join forces.

Because he is the strongest.

Because he must have complete trust in himself.

However, Zhang Daoan couldn't perceive his presence; the system had severed its connection with him.

Such a situation suggests he might be in some kind of predicament.

In "The Three Thousand Worlds," aside from the system, the only ones capable of putting him in such a dilemma are the chairmen of the six major guilds.

Zhang Daoan calmly deduced that he was detected by the "Rock Ghost" because he intentionally breached the current version of "The Three Thousand Worlds," accessing data on the chairmen of the six major guilds.

The data he currently possesses is chaotic and limited; he barely has any recollection of these six individuals.

However, a brief review of their operational logs reveals their individual characters.

With the Lady deceased, we can first rule out Satan, who is impulsive and the weakest in power. Such a character wouldn't trap Jie Fangcheng.

Poseidon and Rock Ghost can be dismissed as well; for years, they've scarcely interfered with game management, focusing primarily on benefits for themselves or their kin.

The Duke has quite a few operations logged, but most seem to be in collaboration with the chairman.

Zhang Daoan shifted his attention squarely onto the chairman.

While the present "Three Thousand Worlds" is said to be managed by the big six, in reality, it seems only the chairman truly oversees the game.

The accessed data also indicated that the chairman has been searching for something, extending the system's tendrils extensively.

Searching for whom?

Even though it's unclear whom he's after, it's evident that once Jie Fangcheng is located by these data streams, he will undoubtedly become the chairman's target.

Whether it's to eliminate this threat or to exploit him for some purpose, even without recognizing Jie Fangcheng as the reincarnation of the Dragon God, his sheer power alone is dazzling.

Jie Fangcheng is very likely in the chairman's clutches.

The next step is to locate his hideout.

On this front, Zhang Daoan has a lead.

He gleaned from Zhang Daowu's memories the existence of the Elf King, who evidently isn't aligned with the six major guilds.

Sharing a common foe and with the Elf King's unusual reverence towards the Dragon God, it's clear that Zhang Daoan could extract valuable information from this elf.

But before that, he should draw the attention of those chairmen.

Zhang Daoan's power isn't formidable; in a direct confrontation, he stands no chance of winning.

Diverting their attention to Sector F and then searching for Jie Fangcheng is the strategy.

As for how to lure them, Zhang Daoan doesn't need to guess; he's confident that he, as a [system], possesses an unparalleled allure for the chairmen.

As a system, isn't creating copies and clones quite straightforward?

Zhang Daoan even directly connected to the original version of the Underworld system, using himself as a jump node to position the simulated replica in Sector F.

Players who arrive here through the simulated replica and perish will exit the replica and enter the Underworld via the River of Reincarnation.

Coincidentally, the current players are all departed souls; for them, death is akin to returning home.

This isn't to say there are no dangers. If "rules" are applied, players can indeed be harmed, and at the very least, the pain is real.

But when Zhang Daoan issued the mission, unquestionably, a large group of players, led by the Ronghua Guild, flocked to accept it.

Not just that, even underworld enforcers like Cui Jue signed up.

The original "Three Thousand Worlds" version can still only offer simulated replicas, but the items and skills acquired are genuine.

With no real threat of death and a chance to enhance one's power, apart from the purist enforcers still disgruntled at Jie Fangcheng's rule-breaking, this game has become the Underworld's latest craze. Almost everyone has registered as a player, squeezing in a game whenever they have free time.

When Guan Yingying returned to the Underworld, she brought back a plethora of information on "Three Thousand Worlds." Those in the know held their breath, fully grasping the importance of power enhancement. Even the Fourth Yama registered as a player in support.

Given such an environment, Zhang Daoan had no shortage of potential helpers.

His first choices were those he was familiar with.

Nie Shuangshuang, Guan Yingying, Qi Chanyang, Wei Yuan, and Gu Shanshan.

Five was sufficient for now, as his current state was a bit unstable; cloning too much data might overwhelm him.

As for Lu Congshan, who had always been by Zhang Daowu's side, Zhang Daoan first registered him as a player, then sent him back to the Underworld.

Upon the arrival of the five, Zhang Daoan's instruction was succinct.

"Run. Scatter in all directions."

While vampires excel at tracking, they don't have an innate map in their heads highlighting suspicious areas.

Vampires rely on their sense of smell, able to detect only the nearest targets.

So at this moment, after Qi Chanyang's death, Zhang Daoan looked at the coordinates sent before his demise and cross-referenced them.

"His next target should be in Wei Yuan's direction."

Hearing this, Wei Yuan chuckled, "Good! It's time to see what these folks are really made of!"

Guan Yingying also inquired, "Have you found the teleportation point to the Tree of Life?"

"Not yet."

Mentioning this, even Zhang Daoan felt puzzled.

"If they can come to Sector F, I should be able to find the teleportation location as well..."

Before his words even settled, Zhang Daoan suddenly halted.

Someone was trying to interface... to connect with Jie Fangcheng's cognitive space.

The location was—directly above.

Zhang Daoan looked up.

Above the chaotic F Sector, visible to the naked eye, were a myriad of floating debris.

Over the years, the fragments of countless collapsed, irretrievable mini-worlds were dumped here. The F Sector is a junkyard, a burial ground for dragons, the territory of devourers, and the final resting place for the God of Creation shards.

Yet the system could discern that beyond the F Sector was the primal ground, and above it, even higher than the divine realm, lay the A1 Restricted Zone.

"There's no need to search any further," Zhang Daoan said emotionlessly. "I know where Manager Jie is."