Chapter 223

Chapter 223

"What does it mean to be forsaken by the gods?"

The black cat looked at Bernie curiously. Before he could ask, the lanky man, who had previously seemed timid, suddenly grew agitated. "What nonsense are you spouting! How can the gods abandon us? Watch your tongue! If not for the divine grace, how could there be such a perfect Black Wall? And how could there be a barrier protecting the entire city!"

"What's going on? Why are you so agitated all of a sudden?"

"Oh, I seem to have forgotten the lore of the Dream World. Can someone give me a quick rundown?"

"The Dream World is a place where both Old Gods and Evil Gods coexist. The game seems to draw inspiration from Lovecraftian Dreamlands, but with different maps and races. We don't know the specifics yet; the lore feels like it's still unfolding. However, we do know that humans originated from the Dream World, and the Old Gods and Evil Gods are adversaries."

"From what we've seen now, the humans in the Dream World seem to be dependent on the Old Gods."

"Alright, Father, calm down," Cornelia intervened hastily. "Bernie, don't speak nonsense."

"But what I said is true!" Bernie grumbled, still dissatisfied. "If the gods hadn't forsaken us, why haven't They shown up after all these years? Why have They left us trapped in this hellish place..."

The priest glared at him, his lips quivering.

Noticing the priest's distressed expression, Bernie's voice softened.

The atmosphere in the room grew somber. The black cat surveyed the area and suggested, "If you trust us, I'd like to investigate the scenes of the Night Watchman and Bell Ringer's deaths. We might uncover something."

Cornelia, having regained her composure, responded, "You're the saviors of our town, so of course, we trust you. Besides, there is indeed something strange about these incidents."

She then turned to the short, plump man and the priest, "It might not necessarily be a new rule at play... We need more investigation before drawing any conclusions."

Both men nodded, though their brows remained furrowed with concern.

The meeting adjourned temporarily. Cornelia decided that their main task was to uncover the truth behind the events. If it was a murder, they had to find the culprit; if a new rule emerged, they needed to identify its pattern swiftly.

As everyone dispersed, the Druid stopped Cornelia before she left and asked, "Miss Cornelia, can we ask if there's anything in common among those who died due to the rule?"

"Commonality, you say..." Cornelia pondered and replied, "Well, if I must mention one, it's the intense fear and disbelief etched on their faces. Some even went mad shortly before their death, claiming to have seen a red moon."

A red moon, huh...

That certainly sounded ominous.

Next, the Druid and the Black Cat naturally intended to search for clues at the crime scene. At this moment, Matcha Milk Green proposed splitting up.

"To be honest, I have no knack nor interest in investigating homicides," Matcha Latte admitted. "I'm more intrigued by the concept of the Dreamworld. Let's not forget the mission we've taken on."

"Oh!" The druid and the black cat suddenly recalled that their primary reason for entering the Dreamworld was the mission to explore it, not merely to engage in a tabletop role-playing game for fun.

"There are indeed some hidden secrets in this town that warrant investigation, so it would be wise for us to split up," Matcha Latte suggested, gesturing towards the priest who was walking in another direction. "I'll inquire about the Old Gods from him, while you look into the case. How does that sound?"

Matcha Milk Green was feeling a tad anxious. Initially, it was true that their team had made faster progress, but other players were now hitting their stride, particularly the Troublemaker Squad and the duo of NotCrazy and Strongest Guy. Assuming that NotCrazy and Matcha Milk Green were friends, they candidly shared their current mission progress. This group had been fortunate; in the small town's library, they uncovered a wealth of records pertaining to the Old Gods, which in turn shed light on parts of the Dream World's lore.

Many of the Old Gods' names dovetailed with those found in Earth's mythological lore. However, they were not deities from the pantheons that humans had compiled. Instead, there was a relationship of origin and derivation between the two, which piqued the interest of many forum users. Not to mention the previous great battle between the Evil Gods and the Old Ones...

In short, this urgency led to the Matcha Milk Green's decision. Since the rewards from the intelligence they submitted were generally shared in team mode, and acting separately would indeed be faster, the trio temporarily went their separate ways.

Having finished watching the live stream of the Black Cat crew, Lane refocused his attention on the Senet game before him, a match that had long since lost count of its turns.

Of course, he lost again, and truth be told, Best had uncovered practically every detail at this point. Lane's face was a picture of despair; should any of this information leak, his reputation would be utterly ruined.

Another new game of chess unfolds, and Lann moves his pieces with sluggish deliberation, his initial confidence waning into a half-hearted effort as the game progresses.

Seeing his defeated demeanor, Best could only laugh and console him, "Don't worry, I won't spill the beans! It's just a cat's curiosity, after all."

"Then why are you so interested in my love life?" Lane wondered.

Best shrugged. "What can I do? It's the only bit of fun I have left now. Listening to the gossip of the younger generation helps pass the time."

"Why not assist the Perfect Man then?" Lane asked abruptly.

Best gave Lane a piercing gaze. "Seems like someone wasn't fully focused during our game."

Lane coughed awkwardly, then regained his composure. "Anyway, I would have lost even if I were fully concentrated. Your skills are too superior, I'm no match for you."

Best wore a half-smile, but eventually answered Lane's question. "We can no longer intervene in the affairs of the Perfect Man."

Lane paused, confused. "Because of what...?"

"Shh—" Best placed a finger to his lips and gestured towards the chessboard. "I'm under no obligation to give away information for free. If you want to know something, you'll first have to beat me on this board."

Hearing this, Lane looked at the Senet game with a hint of difficulty.

To be honest, after dozens of matches, Lane had yet to glimpse any prospect of victory.

As Best said, she was undoubtedly an expert in this game. Perhaps after decades of practice, he might have a chance of winning and losing equally with her, but Lane didn't have that much time.

After Best's earlier hints, Lane had gained some understanding of the situation in the Dream World.

Despite the many wars, the Old Gods now seemed to be retreating to their own domains, no longer engaging in conflict with the Evil Gods. Or perhaps they had lost the desire for another war.

But Lane wasn't quite clear about the reason behind this change. Was it due to a lack of hope for victory, or simply weariness of the unending warfare?

If things continued as they were, it would undoubtedly spell doom for them. Ogler's confrontation with Judah was uncertain; even if he gained the upper hand, what if Judah counterattacked? With the Old Gods standing idly by, could anyone really defeat Judah in the Dream World? The Evil Gods might even secretly lend a helping hand.

They needed to find a way to bring the Old Gods over to their side...

Lane pondered his next move, looking at Best, only to find her eagerly awaiting his decision.

Throughout these games, Lane had repeatedly tried to gauge Best's stance, but she remained tightly sealed, seemingly uninterested in his plans. Yet, she offered a condition: if he could win this game, she would grant him one request.

Winning this game...

Lane looked at the Senet board and, in a flash of understanding, a smile tugged at his lips. His emerald eyes curved, yet beneath their surface, a fire seemed to ignite. He declared, "Indeed, it's challenging to defeat you, but if I can't overcome this obstacle, how could I possibly triumph in that unwinnable war?"

"Finally realized it?" Best smiled, his feline eyes shimmering with golden majesty, his divine aura adorning his handsome face. "I don't bet on the underdog, not even for a child I birthed from the 'amniotic fluid' of the Dreamworld."

"Don't worry, I won't disappoint you," Lane said, his eyes twinkling with cunning. "You mentioned that winning the game allows me to make a request, but you didn't say anything about not seeking external help, right?"

Best found Lane's scheming and cleverness amusing. He casually nodded. "Go ahead, use any means you wish... as long as you're confident enough to use them in front of an Old God."