Chapter 227

Chapter 227

Nayue was utterly bewildered.

In the previous moment, he had just finished his new card and returned to Michigan University. In the next, he was suddenly drawn to the door that appeared beside him. In the blink of an eye, he found himself in a palace adorned with an ancient Egyptian style.

The two figures seated in high positions left Nayue and the players in the live stream in awe.

Since he was playing against the Cat Goddess, Lane no longer needed to cover his face with a white cloth. He could now contain the mental corruption within a one-centimeter radius around him. Players would still lose their sanity or be awestruck upon seeing him, but they wouldn't turn into trees anymore.

Players were astounded that, despite the fact that Lane's stunning visuals had been circulating on forums for quite some time, the impact on their spirits was no less profound when they witnessed him in the game firsthand.

Especially within this magnificently adorned yet solemn palace, both the alluring Egyptian goddess and the ethereal young faun regarded him with keen interest.

"Rational Assessment: Successful"

Nightsong faltered for a moment, barely managing to avoid embarrassment; she still stood firmly in place for now.

Only the live stream comments were not so calm.

"Blimey blimey!"

"Blimey! Where's this? Why is Lane sitting there?!"

"What else could it be? Night Night must have been summoned, but who's that unknown wife sitting in front of Lane?!"

"Shut up, you scoundrel! That's my unknown wife!"

"You both adore goddesses, so I'll just take Lane away then."

"Hold it right there! We're in a monogamous system; one husband and one wife is perfect for me!"

"They're all mine! All mine! Both of them are mine!"

Bestia's distinctive charm instantly captivated many players. The live stream was abuzz with discussions about how the official game developers had secretly created a new NPC model, and it was incredibly attractive!

"From the looks of it, this isn't an ordinary NPC. To be seated alongside Lane, they must be another deity."

"Very likely, and this god seems quite recognizable. Look at the Egyptian-themed murals around, and the cats and cat statues in the palace. If this isn't Bestia, I'll eat my words!"

"Yay! It's the Catgirl!"

"Damn, why wasn't I the one summoned instead?!"

The chat was buzzing with excitement, but standing before these two deities, Yeyue felt an immense pressure.

Unlike Lane's approachable aura, Bastet was an established old god, renowned for her divine might. Even without targeting Yeyue specifically, the mere aura she exuded and the disparity in their existence levels were enough to overwhelm Yeyue.

Bastet studied Yeyue curiously, but found nothing remarkable about her. "Are you sure he can help you secure victory?"

"Then how about we make another bet?" Lane's lips curved into a smile. "If he wins, will you aid me in persuading the other old gods?"

"You seem quite confident in him," Bastet remarked, surprised. "But let's not rush it. First, win this bet. If you do, I'll grant any request, whether it's asking me to join your side or something else. But if you lose, all your words will be in vain."

Lane chuckled lightly. "Of course."

Meanwhile, Yeyue received a special task below.

"Special Task - A Divine Wager"

Content: Aid Lane in winning the wager, triumph over Best in Senet.

Reward: ????"

Nayi: !

This was the first time the game had presented an unknown reward, and the mission description had ignited the chatroom with excitement.

"Wow, this quest, along with Lane and Best's conversation, seems to hold massive amounts of information!"

"It seems like persuading the Old God implies that they're not currently on humanity's side, right? No wonder the Old God hasn't intervened in the Perfect Man's territory despite all the incidents."

"That's not necessarily true. If it weren't for the Old God, the Perfect Man would've been exposed to the Red Moon long ago. Think about the Red Moon outside those territories and the towering walls of Blackrock Town – aren't those the works of the Old God?"

"I'm confused. And what did Grandmaster Randolph mean by saying the Perfect Man is a ticking time bomb? Could that be why the Old God is ignoring them?"

The live stream was filled with speculations, while others were envious of Nayi's luck. What sort of fortune must one have to be caught up in a divine wager between two gods!

Although the reward was unclear at the moment, helping Lane win could hardly result in meager spoils – perhaps it was even the key to unlocking the next major storyline quest!

"Yeyue: But here's the catch, everyone!"

Yeyue's expression was unusually solemn:

"Yeyue: I don't know how to play chess, and I've never even heard of this kind before."

There was a moment of silence in the live stream comments.

"Right, Senet, that's quite obscure. Does anyone know it?"

"Let me look it up real quick."

"Found it! It's an ancient Egyptian board game with a history of five thousand years, one of the oldest known tabletop games. It was popular for nearly two millennia and had religious significance. Egyptians viewed it as the 'journey of the soul from death to the afterlife'."

"....Does anyone actually know how to play this?"

"Well, if it were something like Ludo or Go, maybe. But an antique like this? You'd have to ask someone in the underworld."

The chat was abuzz with discussion, but under Yeyue's expectant gaze, they couldn't come up with anything substantial. Though the players were diverse in their talents, expecting them to be proficient in a long-lost chess variant was too much to ask of these young gamers.

Each night was a torment, though fortunate to be chosen by Lane, it was frustrating to let such an opportunity slip away.

He was anxious that Lane might ask him to play chess, but that scenario didn't unfold. After Lane briefly explained the rules and stakes of the game, he seemed to forget about Night entirely, engrossed in his match with Best.

Night stood there, quite at a loss, while the chat stream offered suggestions.

"Think calmly. The game wouldn't give an impossible task. There must be a clue we overlooked."

"But what could it be?"

"Didn't they say Lane just needs to win? Maybe we should disturb Best a bit?"

"You young rascal."

"As expected of you, but that won't work, right? She's an Old God. A single glance from her would send Night into a freeze. How could he afford to cause trouble for her?"

"Well, then, what can Night do?"

"I've no idea. Lane entrusted this task to players, so there must be something only they can accomplish."

Only a player could accomplish such a feat...

Lost in thought, Lane cast him a sidelong glance, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes.

He already had an idea for winning this game, but just to be on the safe side, he still needed the players' assistance. However, from the perspective of a game designer, if the quest landed on Nian Nian's head out of nowhere and Lane helped him complete it, only to reward him generously afterward, other players might feel discontented.

There was no rush, anyway. If Nian Nian still couldn't figure it out later on, Lane could always give him a gentle reminder.

The reason Lane chose Nian Nian was twofold. Firstly, he was indeed lucky, having been reborn near where Lane had opened the door. Secondly, as a commoner, Nian Nian often had unconventional ideas that could surprise. Among those most likely to come up with a solution, aside from the Black Cat Squad and the Divine Being on Earth, were the eccentric players in Nian Nian's team.

Thirty minutes later, after contemplating the board for a long while, Yaya mustered her courage and approached Lane, saying, "Lord Lane, may I seek assistance from someone at M.I.T.?"

To find someone proficient in this ancient game, skilled enough to defeat Best, was evidently a daunting task.

But with a machine, it wasn't quite as challenging – only time, money, and connections were required to acquire the desired program within the realm of gaming.

Undertaking this endeavor wouldn't be straightforward; he needed to make real-world preparations.

He would let the Egyptian goddess witness the marvels of human intelligence!

Seeing that he had finally come to a realization, Lane's smile deepened, and he nodded. "Go ahead."

He casually opened the door for Yeye, allowing him to return to Michigan University.

"He gave up?" Since Lane had cast a soundproof barrier beforehand, Best didn't hear what the player had said. He asked out of curiosity.

"It's still too early," Lane replied with a smile, looking at Best. "I promise it'll surprise you."

Best raised an eyebrow. "Then I'll look forward to it."

After about an hour, Yeye returned through Lane's door once more. This time, upon his return, he fixated on the chess game between the two deities. Best had no idea what he was looking at, but seeing that Lane remained unperturbed, he continued to focus on the board.

...

Randolph's diary, the divine chess match – all these events captivated the attention of the Black Cats, almost causing them to forget their midnight bedtime. It was only thanks to the reminders from the live stream audience that they snapped back to reality, narrowly avoiding trouble.

Fortunately, when players temporarily logged out to the character selection screen, their characters were considered unconscious in-game. The rule of sleeping until dawn wasn't strictly enforced, which worked in the players' favor. As soon as the clock struck twelve, they logged off promptly, returning five minutes later.

At this time, silence reigned outside, indicating that most without their cheating tools had already gone to sleep. Matcha Milk Green was still watching Yeye's live stream, incredibly envious of his luck.

The black cat watched surreptitiously but, after a moment's hesitation, reluctantly switched back to Barbara's livestream, where he began to analyze the diary she had uncovered.

Yet, compared to Lane’s now-clear background, the Black Cat was more concerned about what Randolph had done to the Perfect Man.

"What did Randolph mean when he wrote in his diary that humans were domesticated bombs? Does it relate to the current state of the Perfect Humans? And what does 'forcibly retained' imply?" The black cat pondered over the fragmented hints in Randolph's journal, but alas, the esoteric riddles characteristic of the Cthulhu Mythos were quite frustrating. "If I could grasp these notions, I'd be able to unravel the present situation of the Perfect Humans. But, damn it, why can't they just express themselves more clearly?"

"The Riddler shall be banished from the Realm of Dreams," the druid chimed in with a mournful accord.

Matcha Milk Green: "But I've already rolled away."

Druid: ...

"Knock, knock."

The players' voices inside the house seemed to freeze in mid-air before vanishing entirely. The black cat and the druid exchanged glances, then checked the in-game time, confirming that it was well past one o'clock. Undoubtedly, it was deep into the night.

According to the rules, no one was supposed to leave their residence at night. So, who could be knocking?

'Did the killer come?' the druid mouthed silently. Earlier, they had encountered someone who seemed suspicious, but they lost them in the alleyways, nearly violating the fifth rule in the process.

Now, their door was being knocked on, clearly violating the first rule of not leaving one's room. If the person outside possessed the ability to immunity to certain rules, everything fell into place.

Moreover, they could take advantage of the cover of night when others were confined to their rooms to strike them down!

This realization sent a chill down the Druid's spine, but his discomfort was far from over.

The black cat spoke with a rigid body, "Did we... not lock the door?"

Due to the first rule, no one could step out at night, so they hadn't paid attention upon entering. However, as all three players focused on the doorknob, they suddenly realized it seemed unlocked.

Anyone outside could push the door open.

The three players immediately drew their weapons, firearms aimed at the entrance, waiting for the intruder to step in. To their surprise, the person outside continued knocking, seemingly awaiting a response.

After a moment's thought, the Druid called out, "Who is it?"

"It's me. Thank goodness you're awake," came an incredibly familiar female voice from outside – Cornelia!

The black cat and the Druid stared wide-eyed, mostly because this didn't make sense. Cornelia had just saved them moments ago.

"Why are you outside?"

"What are you talking about? It's already dawn, and I've come to wake you up!" Cornelia sounded utterly perplexed. "The Bellringer has been killed again; it's already late. You should hurry out!"

What?

The black cat, the druid, and the matcha latte were all astounded. They instinctively looked out the window, only to see that it was indeed bright outside, as if morning had arrived.

But how could that be? They had just checked, and it was only past one.

"Come out quickly. I have something to discuss with you."

There seemed to be an elusive enchantment in the voice from outside the door, which sent shivers down the players' spines.

"Willpower: Success"

"Willpower: Failed"

"Willpower: Failed"

The only successful Matcha Milk Green sensed something amiss. She checked the in-game time again—it was indeed past one o'clock. Without hesitation, she trusted her instincts and swiftly locked the door. With outstretched arms, she firmly blocked the Druid and the Black Cat from opening it. "Wake up! This is fake!"

Seeing them persist in forcing their way through, she gave each a hearty slap.

"Fistfight: Success"

"Fistfight: Great Success!"

Matcha Milk Green: ...

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, hilarious!"

"Auntie, be careful not to kill them (shivering in fear)"

"Spit!" The Druid spat out blood after being struck, his health decreasing by five points. When he regained consciousness, he held his face in confusion. "Enemy attack?"

Matcha Milk Green silently retracted her hand and together with the Druid, they pulled the Black Cat back.

The Black Cat, with flushed cheeks, finally snapped out of it. Realizing the deception had failed, the external voice let out shrill laughter, akin to nails scratching on glass. After a rustling, silence returned.