Chapter 365: Heavenly Ascension Ladder

That really wasn’t necessary.

Stepping into the private room, she saw Dylan Adler, Seth Larkin, Aidan Sinclair, Candice Sawyer, and three bodyguards.

At the sound of the door opening, four pairs of eyes instantly swiveled to Perry Yates.

"Are the cards ready?" Candice Sawyer asked.

"What else? If they weren’t ready, do you think I’d call you all here just to chat?"

Candice Sawyer was struck speechless by Perry’s words. Her expression was awkward, a picture of someone who wanted to lash out but didn’t dare.

Perry turned her head and glanced at the butler, signaling for him to bring out the items.

The butler nodded, silently approached the table, and with a wave of his hand, a neatly stacked, mountain-high pile of cards appeared on the tabletop.

"They’re all here. Go ahead and check them."

"No need. We trust the Boss’s reputation. Besides, there’s another matter we’d like to ask for your help with, Boss," Dylan Adler said.

"First tell me what it is, then I’ll consider whether or not I’ll help," Perry Yates said.

"It’s nothing major. Since this is my first time instantiating a dungeon, I don’t have any experience. I was hoping to ask you, Boss, to be present while I do it, just to watch over things in case anything unexpected happens."

’Perry was about to say that nothing could go wrong as long as he followed the system’s instructions. But on second thought, she was free anyway, so she might as well go and watch.’

The dungeon instantiation took place within the Survival Game Administration headquarters. The area was surrounded by technicians, every face grimly serious. Dozens of cameras were rolling simultaneously, all to record this historic moment.

Under these circumstances, it was only natural for Perry Yates—a prominent figure within the Survival Game Administration who also possessed a humanoid five-star card—to be present.

At that moment, Perry was incredibly grateful for her Clone ability. Otherwise, her cover would have been blown.

Dylan Adler, following the system’s prompts, quickly instantiated the first dungeon.

One thousand cards vanished into thin air. Immediately after, a massive light screen materialized in front of Dylan Adler, displaying the first game he had ever experienced: Zombie Outbreak.

Inside the light screen was a scene of utter devastation. In the distance, a few zombies could be seen wandering aimlessly.

Because Perry had only provided ten thousand three-star cards, Dylan Adler couldn’t instantiate all of his dungeons and had to give up on some of them.

The zombie world was one of the dungeons they decided to keep.

Although the zombie virus was terrifying, you wouldn’t get infected as long as you were careful not to get injured. Besides, they had five-star items; as long as they pulled out in time, they had no reason to fear the virus.

Compared to the dangers in this dungeon, the Crystal Cores inside were a good thing.

While the Crystal Cores couldn’t awaken superpowers in people like in novels, they were filled with energy that could be used as a new power source. A single, small Crystal Core could last for a very long time.

It was for this very reason that they chose to instantiate the zombie world.

Of course, there was another reason: they had seen that the dungeons provided earlier by Reina Quinn also included a zombie world.

The two games might not be the same, but what if they were?

After all, these dungeons could potentially become their future compensation. If it wasn’t the same one, they naturally wouldn’t waste resources instantiating another dungeon with similar functions. But if it *was* the same, that would be even better—they would have the first-mover advantage.

On this point, the Survival Game Administration and Perry Yates were of the same mind. It didn’t matter if it was the same one or if it was any good; grabbing it first was never the wrong move.

Next was the second dungeon.

The second dungeon Dylan Adler had experienced was a botanical garden. It was somewhat similar to a "rules-based horror" story, like those set in zoos, except this one was in a botanical garden.

They chose to instantiate this dungeon for the wide variety of plants inside, each with its own unique effects.

Next was the third dungeon, the fourth dungeon, the fifth dungeon... the tenth dungeon.

After the last one thousand cards vanished, all ten dungeons were finally instantiated.

At that moment, a group of people surged forward and placed the ten brand-new "secret realm" keys into ten separate silver-colored boxes.

These keys would be transported to a more secure location. Meanwhile, the Administration had already selected the locations where the dungeon gates would be placed.

The more dangerous dungeons, like the zombie one, would be placed in remote, desolate locations.

Her part in the spectacle over, Perry prepared to leave. Just then, Seth Larkin called out to her.

"Boss."

Hearing the voice, Perry turned to look, tilted her head, and asked, "Something else?"

"Do you remember the thirty-thousand-step Heavenly Ascension Ladder?"

Perry Yates nodded, indicating she remembered. "What about the Heavenly Ascension Ladder?"

’Hasn’t it always been under the government’s jurisdiction?’

Seeing that Perry Yates really seemed to know nothing, Seth Larkin could only say directly, "Boss, you should probably pay attention to the Heavenly Ascension Ladder recently. If nothing unexpected happens, today or tomorrow, the first person to reach the summit will appear."

"That’s great. It shows that person’s willpower is very strong. I’ll give him my blessing. By the way, has he decided what he wants to wish for?"

Seeing that Perry Yates showed no change in expression, Seth Larkin finally stated his purpose.

"Boss, although the Heavenly Ascension Ladder claims to be able to grant any wish, there should still be some limits or some kind of taboo, right? I want to know what wishes cannot be made, to avoid breaking a taboo and having it all be for nothing."

Hearing this, Perry thought for a moment and said, "Theoretically, there are no taboos for wishes on the Heavenly Ascension Ladder. But if the wish is too grand, like resurrection from the dead, or too selfish and nothing but wishful thinking, the wisher might have to pay a price. Also, it’s best not to make any wishes related to me."

"Why?"

"Because whether or not a wish from the Heavenly Ascension Ladder is granted is decided by my will. However, I can only decide *if* it is granted, not *how* it is granted."

After hearing Perry’s words, Seth Larkin nodded. "Okay, I understand. Thank you, Boss."

"You’re welcome."

As she finished speaking, a door radiating a faint, silvery-white light appeared before her. Perry stepped through it, and her figure vanished on the spot.

The moment Perry vanished, Seth Larkin didn’t hesitate. He immediately took out a communication device and reported what he had just learned to the Survival Game Administration. The Administration would then relay the information to the soldier currently climbing the Heavenly Ascension Ladder.

They had originally planned to wish for the bar’s owner to be on their side, or to wish to learn her identity. It looked like those options were off the table now. The same went for wishes that were too grand.

Since they didn’t know what the price would be, and couldn’t risk it being something they couldn’t afford to pay, that idea had to be vetoed as well.

After vetoing both of those possibilities, there weren’t many viable wishes left to choose from.