Chapter 92

Chapter 92

Despite being just a replica, the secrets held within the University of Miya captivated players. While forums were still ablaze with discussions about the map, some enthusiasts eagerly awaited the game's release, yearning to explore Lane's Divine Realm.

Lane didn't intend to be coy; he just wanted everything in Miya fully prepared. After pondering, he decided to allow a few lucky players an early glimpse of the university as a form of... well, not exactly a marketing tactic, but something similar.

So, how would these chosen few be selected to enter the Divine Realm early?

The answer was simple: a lottery, or as they called it, a blind box event. Players had recently accumulated a substantial amount of faction honor points from dungeons and daily quests, making this the perfect time to cash in on their enthusiasm.

Thus, the task fell upon Carmen, who was still somewhat inexperienced in such matters. With a strained smile, she addressed the players inquiring about entry into the Divine Realm, "Actually, in response to our believers' fervor, our Lord has prepared a little surprise."

"It's a pass, a ticket that grants access to the Divine Realm. Acquire one, and you'll qualify for entry."

Players: ?

Druid: "Uh, so how do we buy these passes?"

"No, I didn't buy it," Carmen said, silently taking out the mystery box that Lane had prepared beforehand. "I got it from this box."

The gamers, who had been through countless games: ...Understood.

It was just the official way of clearing their stock! For the sake of getting merchandise for his wife sooner, they'd rush and spend their points!

Carmen recited the lines that Lane had given him. "Fifty honor points can get you one mystery box. The grand prize inside is a ticket for a one-day trip to the Divine Realm. There are also potions and enchanted weapons of various grades." "The first prize is either a B-grade potion or a B-grade enchanted weapon. The second prize is either a C-grade potion or a C-grade enchanted weapon, and the third prize is a D-grade..."

Before Carmen could finish his introduction, he saw flames ignite in the eyes of the players before him.

The Druid took a step forward, filled with emotion. "Take it, take all my money—no, take all my honor points!"

B-grade weapons and B-grade potions!

Wouldn't these cost thousands of honor points at the Array Shop? Yet now, they could potentially be won with just fifty points.

Alright, even if it was a marketing tactic, who could resist?

Players immediately formed a long line in front of Carmen, and it continued to grow. It looked like it would soon stretch from one end of the street to the other.

The players who had rushed over didn't want to miss this feast. Many of them immediately sat down to open their mystery boxes, even launching live streams, seemingly preparing to share the excitement with their audience.

"Damn, a C-grade potion?!"

"Lucky guy, brother! Let me touch your hand! I want to rub off some of your luck, big shot!"

"Get lost, don't be gay with me!"

"What's this? A hair tie?"

"Heh, seriously? That unlucky?"

Although the mystery boxes were initially set up to pique players' curiosity and tease them, now that it was done, Lane decided to turn it into a proper event. The boxes contained a mix of items, ranging from mundane everyday objects to potions and enchanted weapons – all depending on one's luck.

Without a doubt, it was a gambler's paradise. On the player forums, users eagerly shared their loot, gradually losing sight of the original purpose.

Druid: Look!

Alon: Holy shit, a C-grade potion! One of only two grand prizes, incredible!

Pursuing Evenness: Well, that's fair. You should see how many Honor Points Druids need. It's way beyond our reach.

Druid: Haha, you're too kind. I'm not that lucky. I poured all my Honor Points in and still no grand prize (sighs deeply). The others don't matter; I'm mostly after that grand prize.

Matcha Milk Green: Sobs, I envy the big prizes you get, Master! I want a Pass so badly too. Without it, I can't meet Lane and I'll die qwq

Enthusiastic Fan: Yeah, how long has it been since we last saw Lane? Does this game even make money anymore?! Why haven't they released my wife yet!

Cosmic Machine: If you draw a Pass, you'll get to see them.

Matcha Milk Green: It's not that easy! I can't seem to get one at all!

Enthusiastic Fan: Yeah, I've used up all my points and still no luck (tears flowing).

A-Lang: Damn...

Cosmic Machine: ?

A-Lang: ...Is... Is that so?

Aron stared at the gleaming golden tickets in his hand, feeling that the characters 'Passage' written on them shimmered with an irresistible brilliance.

Of course, he also held a live draw on his streaming channel. Countless viewers had witnessed the moment Ah Long pulled out the pass from the mystery box, and in that instant, his live stream was flooded with an overwhelming number of viewers.

"Absorb some lucky vibes"

"Grass Emperor!"

"Aaron, you've changed. You weren't this fortunate before!"

"The streamer can start now! Yay!"

"Streamer, you must go live! You'll definitely become a hit!"

"Definitely, definitely!" Ah Long's face split into a wide grin. He happily shared his good fortune on the forum, eliciting envy and admiration from countless players. Even a generous tycoon inquired about purchasing a pass through private messaging.

The tycoon was willing to pay a substantial price, but alas, Ah Long had already promised the audience a glimpse of the divine kingdom's transformation. With regret, he declined the offer.

Soon, Carmen's stock of mystery boxes ran dry. Although the grand prize had been claimed, the other rewards were still enticing enough for most nearby players to snatch up whatever was left. Naturally, some were overjoyed while others were disappointed. Ah Long skipped merrily to Carmen's side, and it was then that he spotted the second lucky winner – it was the black cat!

"Big Boss Black Cat, you won too!" Ah Long was thrilled.

Black Cat replied, "Nope, I purchased it."

Ah Long: ...Alright, turns out Black Cat is a big spender after all.

"So, Big Boss Black Cat went in for Lane?" Ah Long speculated.

Black Cat chuckled, revealing a set of pearly whites. "Not really. I didn't go through the auditorium back then, so I don't have a deep connection with Midgar. I did it for Lane."

Aron: ... Quite a fellow, indeed.

So it turns out that this person is the true, inconspicuous leader of the Lan En fan club!

"Rest assured, I won't go live this time," the Black Cat said considerately. "If both of us do, the audience will be split."

"Ah, thank you, big shot," Ah Long said with a chuckle. He didn't decline the offer since he was genuinely interested in being a gaming streamer. However, he lacked the knack for creating buzz like the Troublemaker Squad or the genuine expertise of Druid and Black Cat, which resulted in modest viewer numbers.

Initially, he had leveraged Lan En's popularity for the first wave of audience attraction, and now it was evident that he intended to follow this strategy through to the end.

Under Carmen's guidance, the two players closed their eyes in prayer. After reciting the familiar words, they finally found themselves once more in the Divine Realm.

They materialized right in the courtyard. As the Black Cat and Arlon opened their eyes, they saw Lenore seated majestically on her throne, smiling down at them:

"Whew, wifey's beauty remains consistently stunning."

"Aaaaah, Lenore wifey, I've missed you so much, qwq!"

"I must be licking the screen, why does it feel so dirty?"

"Mesmerizing, absolutely breathtaking."

"What have you been up to, wifey? It feels like ages since we last met."

It might have been an illusion, but upon seeing Lenore again, that familiar jolt of awe and dizziness struck them even more powerfully than before.

"Sanity Check: Success."

"Cognitive Assessment: Failed"

Alon shook his head, muttering to himself, "So breathtaking... Can such beauty truly be crafted by an artist?"

"Look, it's Black Cat, the big shot!"

"Damn, what are you doing, big guy?"

The black cat beside Alon was fixated on Lane, its eyes blank as it slowly approached him—

Only to be abruptly stopped by Alon. "Stay calm, big shot!"

"I swear, Lane's charm is escalating. It feels like we need to roll a dice every time we see him just to check if we've gone mad."

"The more I think about it, the scarier it gets. It seems like Lane is gradually reclaiming his power."

"To the person above, you're not wrong."

As Alon struggled to hold back the cat, Lane finally spoke. "Welcome, travelers from another world. Thank you once again for your assistance. Thanks to your efforts, the fate of the University of Mithrill, which was doomed to perish, has been altered."

As he spoke, he looked up at the sky. Aron and the now-quiet black cat also followed his gaze upward, and the live stream camera slowly panned upwards to capture the view.

The live stream channel fell instantly silent.

Lane deliberately left an opening in the canopy of trees that would otherwise obscure the sky, revealing a breathtaking scene once more to all the players. The Gothic silhouette of the grand MU campus replaced the formerly foggy heavens, as if a reflection from the river of time had materialized into reality. The boundary between earth and sky became indistinct once more, leaving players to question whether they stood upon solid ground or amidst the clouds.

"Goodness me—"

"Ah ah ah ah ah, an official genius! Ah ah ah ah, how could they have thought of presenting the Mysterious Great Map in such a manner!"

"I initially expected at most an annex to the hospital on the map. Goodness gracious! This is incredibly innovative! Kudos to the programmers!"

"Absolutely breathtaking! Michigan University is right above us, giving me goosebumps. This map is fantastic!"

"How will the physics engine handle it? How will players enter? It seems impressive, but I suspect it's riddled with issues! Unless, of course, I get to explore it firsthand!"

"But how on earth do we get up there?"

"Did you see that giant pea sprout? Could it be..."

"Jack Beanstalk, a fairy tale-style passage! The officials really get it, don't they? Ahhh, I can't wait to play!"

"I'm already looking forward to it! Let me in, let me in!"

A flood of comments exploded across the live stream, but Ah Long could empathize with their excitement, as he was equally thrilled. Even players who had no interest in Mythic University couldn't resist the allure of this uniquely designed map!

As the live stream ignited, forums were ablaze with photos, and all players were discussing this fresh sneak peek at the new map.

"Sir Lane, can we go take a look?" Ah Long asked eagerly.

Lane shook his head. "Not yet."

"Why not?"

"Because the time is not ripe," Lane replied honestly. The game was still in its second phase of closed beta testing, and the player occupation system had yet to be unlocked; there wouldn't be much they could do if they went now.

"Oh, is it possible that it's not finished yet?"

"It could be. This might just be the official's teaser for a new map?"

"Official, you've successfully piqued my interest! I don't care anymore, just open it up quickly!"

Player forums buzzed with myriad discussions, reigniting the fervor that had simmered down following the conclusion of the MIT dungeon.

In reality, the reason Michigan University wasn't open to the public just yet was simply because it wasn't up to version, coupled with the fact that its internal situation was still rather intricate.

A considerable number of students are in need of psychotherapy, but due to their inability to leave the Divine Realm, they can only be treated at Arkham Hospital. Additionally, many of the university's structures remain unrepaired, thus they are temporarily inaccessible to players.

In addition, Lann, who is the pillar of the entire Kingdom of God, now has to fall into a deep sleep occasionally because of his previous overdraft. With the lesson learned from the last time he entered the Dream Gap test when he was taken advantage of by members of the Inspection Bureau, this timeLann has decided to think about how to improve his defense during this period of time.

Lance continued, "Your passes allow you to explore here for ten minutes, but you can't venture into the MIT area. Feel free to roam around during this time."

As he spoke, a faceless attendant appeared before the two players, gesturing for them to follow.

With MIT occupying their thoughts, the players had no objections. They were now racking their brains on how to get a glimpse of that area.

As for potentially encountering MIT students or faculty who might have descended from the Pea Pod, well, if they did cross paths, it wouldn't be a problem. Lance had already instructed them not to bring anyone else up besides MIT personnel. A brief interaction wouldn't hurt and could even be considered an Easter egg.

After bidding farewell to the two players, Lance resumed contemplating ways to enhance the defense of his Divine Realm.

Now, the components of the Divine Realm mainly consisted of two parts: the upside-down Miskatonic University hanging in the sky and Arkham Hospital remaining in its original position. The hospital was not a problem, as its doctors and nurses already possessed some combat abilities. Even if they were injured or killed, it wouldn't result in actual death. However, Miskatonic University was different. Most students and professors lacked combat prowess. If the Divine Realm were truly invaded, they would be the most vulnerable group. How could Lane allow such a thing to happen? Thus, he had to reconsider how to fortify the defenses within his Divine Realm. Firstly, Lane considered fostering defensive plants. But this raised new issues. For example, if he fell into slumber, the plants wouldn't take action. And if he set up trigger-based defenses, like Venus flytraps, these plants would struggle to differentiate between friend and foe. Unless the plants possessed simple intelligence and could discern enemies from allies... After a moment's contemplation, Lane reached out. A black staff adorned with silver wire appeared in his hand—it was the Staff of Pan that he had acquired previously. Although Lane no longer needed such props to wield his powers, he still instinctively summoned it when necessary. The spiritual energy stored within the staff was ample, mostly derived from his previous harvest in the Gap of Dreams. It should suffice for now. Recalling a special race from a fantasy game he had played before, Lane tapped the seed with the staff and placed it on the ground.

In an instant, the seed began to germinate, its growth accelerated as if on fast-forward. Within mere minutes, it had transformed into a towering tree.

And so, the transformation started. As Lane continued to infuse it with his spiritual energy, the tree before him began to undergo unforeseen changes.

First, it grew to a height of 15 feet before ceasing its vertical expansion. Its trunk darkened, and the lush green leaves that once flourished began to wither and fall. The trunk thickened, eventually forming a massive bulge, which lifted the tree from the ground.

A smile gradually spread across Lane's face as he watched the guardian take shape. An idea for its species name formed in his mind.

— Treant.

A classic race in fantasy games, typically found in Enchanted Forests or controlled by Druids. It seemed perfectly suited to Pan, the god of shepherds. Most importantly, Lane had always enjoyed using this race in his past gaming experiences.

However, Lane's smile slowly faded.

The giant creature's limbs, extending from the ground, resembled goat hooves, robust and sturdy. The original canopy vanished, replaced by flexible, whip-like branches that now seemed more like tentacles. A massive mouth emerged on the trunk, dripping green slime.

Before Lane stood a creature eerily reminiscent of something from a different universe, not the treants of fantasy games but a notorious spawn from the Cthulhu Mythos.

A Spawn of Shub-Niggurath.

Observing his freshly crafted kin, Lane fell into an unusual silence. Then, attempting to act as if nothing had happened, he prepared to remold them.

Next time, next time I'll definitely make a Treant!

But, perhaps due to the exertion of using his powers again, Lane felt drowsiness creeping up on him. He had thought he could stay awake for ten more minutes, but now he sensed that sleep was imminent.

Tch, I should send the players away first.

However, overcome by fatigue, Lane lost control and only managed to kick one out before his eyes involuntarily closed.

As he fell, Lane braced himself for impact with the ground, but to his surprise, someone caught him.

Ah, Ogier...

"Sorry to trouble you... again," Lane murmured before his eyes shut completely, plunging him into a deep slumber.

Ogier, who had rushed over, gently cradled Lane in his arms. His gaze then shifted to the bewildered kin standing there.

"Guard the vicinity of the Psych Ward, especially the patients inside. If anyone attempts to harm the students or professors here, eliminate them," Ogier stated calmly.

The black creature let out a low, mournful cry, casting a reluctant glance at its creator before trudging heavily toward the psych ward.

In the meantime, Aron, who had been heading for the giant pea sprout, suddenly noticed that the black cat beside him was gone.

"Grass? What's going on? Is there a glitch?"

"Black... Cat..."

"It must have glitched out. Maybe they're fixing the map."

"Why hasn't Aron left yet? Wait, Aron, look over there! There are two people!"

...

Ten minutes earlier, inside the psych ward.

Job was whispering to Edmund, "Edmund, Edmund."

Edmund opened his eyes groggily, pretending to just be waking up. "Captain?"

"Seems like there have been many new patients lately. The attending doctors and nurses have been reassigned," Job whispered.

Edmund immediately grasped his implication and sat up. "You mean we...?"

"Shh—" Job gestured for silence. "Keep your voice down. Be cautious of our surroundings."

They were no longer in their original ward but had been transferred to another. Job's team members were scattered, and now the room held six patients, four of whom were strangers—likely patients who had been there before them.

Job wasn't certain if there were any observers among them, which was why he had chosen a moment when everyone was sound asleep.

"Let's go," Job said, scanning their surroundings warily to ensure no one was about.

Edmund, of course, had no objections, or perhaps he had chosen this moment deliberately. With an innocent expression, he followed Job and whispered, "Shouldn't we find Sister Dana and the others? I wonder where they are."

"No, they might not be in their right minds," Job replied, a rare hint of anxiety creasing his brow. "Remember what Cree said about the limited time for the secret realm's entrance and exit? It's long overdue. I know that man; he would have left already."

"Well, what do we do then?" Edmund feigned helplessness, speaking softly. "Will Eugene come to save us?"

Job wished he could reassure him with a simple 'yes,' but even he wasn't confident enough to say it outright. Everyone knew Eugene only acted in the director's interest, and anyone else was beneath his notice. If Job hadn't distrusted him so deeply, he wouldn't have taken such a risky escape now.

"…The Audit Bureau headquarters would certainly find a way to rescue us if they knew our current situation," Job tried his best to reassure Edmund, also comforting himself in the process.

"Knowing the situation… But how would they even find out?" Edmund smiled bitterly, his expression gloomy.

"Don't worry," Job patted his shoulder soothingly. "I don't know about others, but the Director will definitely have a solution."

"You must have heard some tales about him during your time at the headquarters. As long as the Director is around, we'll reach a successful outcome!"

Edmund's eyes flickered slightly. "I think I've heard the previous team leader mention it… Is that the Director's ability?"

"Who knows? The Director's capabilities are an absolute secret within the Audit Bureau. Don't go guessing, you know there are many loyal supporters of the Director inside. If they sense any disrespect from you, it could spell trouble," Job said with a bitter smile.

"I understand. I just…" Edmund's acting skills were on full display. He lifted his head, revealing profound unease in his eyes. "I'm just so scared."

"It's okay, Edmund. Fear is natural for anyone," Job comforted him softly. "We can't solely rely on the Audit Bureau. We need to find a way to save ourselves."

"But how?"

"I wasn't sure before, but do you remember the sudden increase in patients earlier? I saw them clearly from the window – they're all humans. This means there must be an exit to this realm. We need to leave before that intelligent anomaly returns!"

"An intelligent anomaly?" Edmund whispered in curiosity.

"Yeah, weren't you awake? We're still in the same ward with Diana. Three figures entered," Job revealed, his eyes filled with fear. "One was Albert Aiken, our target, and the other was the guy we encountered when we first entered."

"This place feels off! I have a bad feeling. We need to leave as soon as possible!"

Job and his companion were weaponless and dared not search for them. Crouching stealthily, they cautiously made their way towards the exit on the ground floor, seizing the opportunity to run out of the area while no nurse was around.

Unbeknownst to them, Alon was watching them in astonishment from behind a nearby cluster of trees.

"That man... Isn't he from the Investigative Bureau? Something's up!"