Chapter 361 - 3: The Third Stage: Strong vs. Weak

Chapter 361: Chapter 3: The Third Stage: Strong vs. Weak

Jin Dongjie: "Opal Hass discovered that Eye Demon parasites could enhance their hosts. But instead of running more tests, he came into the chat and lied to us, claiming the Eye Demons would take control of the host."

Ding Dong: "Didn’t Lin Yu already run an experiment on this? I remember him saying that Eye Demons *do* control their hosts. I think some other lords did their own tests and came to the same conclusion."

Jin Dongjie: "That’s right. In fact, I ran a test myself. After being infested by an Eye Demon, you lose control of your actions. I didn’t reach a final conclusion, but I can tell you it’s definitely not a good thing."

Jin Dongjie: "But Opal Hass thought he’d fooled all of us. He even let himself get infested and brought an Eye Demon back with him to Cuiwei Star."

Jin Dongjie: "After returning to Cuiwei Star, he rushed to submit a report on the Eye Demon, calling it a ’Symbiote.’ He claimed it was a beneficial alien species and heavily promoted it at the Hass Clan’s headquarters."

Jin Dongjie: "He was even planning to spread it across all of Cuiwei Star."

Mi Qisheng: "Fuck!"

Jin Dongjie: "In the end, the research institutes captured some infested prisoners for human experiments. They figured out the Eye Demons’ ability to control their hosts and immediately ordered a planet-wide purge of all Eye Demons."

Jin Dongjie: "Opal Hass screwed over everyone in the Hass Clan. Nearly all of his clan members were infested by Eye Demons, and then... they were purged."

Jin Dongjie: "Opal Hass died too."

Ding Dong: "Tsk... So brutal!"

Zhang Jing: "What a fucking idiot. It’s one thing if he got himself killed, but he dragged his entire clan down with him."

Zhao Zhaonan: "Could he have been infested from the start? Why else would he act so strangely? If there was really something that good—a buff with no side effects—would Opal Hass really share it? He’d be too busy hoarding it for himself."

Jin Dongjie: "Who knows? Either way, he’s dead!"

...

Jin Dongjie was inwardly ecstatic. ’Back in the second phase, I gossiped a little, and Opal Hass lectured me for it. I was so pissed off at him, but the Hass Clan was too powerful, so I had no choice but to swallow my anger.’

After returning to Cuiwei Star, he’d dispatched his own family’s intelligence agents to tail members of the Hass Clan. He even sent a few spies to infiltrate their ranks, hoping to dig up some dirt and find an opportunity to bring them down.

And that’s when he discovered Opal Hass’s ridiculous plan. He watched the entire process of Opal Hass digging his own grave.

The discovery kept him buzzing for a long time, but unfortunately, he didn’t dare share it with anyone on Cuiwei Star.

Now that he was in the competition, he could finally let it all out. After all, the lords here all knew about Eye Demons and their dangers; they weren’t just some uninformed outsiders.

Joy shared is joy doubled, as they say. Sharing a happy moment with someone else makes it twice as joyful.

Getting everyone to laugh at Opal Hass together wouldn’t just provide a good story; it would double his own delight.

And just as he’d hoped, after he told Opal Hass’s story, the chat channel exploded with everyone discussing and mocking Opal’s self-righteous, idiotic actions.

Jin Dongjie silently read through the chat logs, absolutely thrilled.

Yun Qihao: "Everyone! Quiet down for a second. I have some important news for all of you."

Qian Duoduo: "Quiet down! No more random chatter!"

The two top players speaking in tandem silenced the chat channel. Everyone waited to see what Yun Qihao was going to say.

Yun Qihao: "The Goddess just spoke with me."

Yun Qihao: "The Goddess told me we were chosen as the strongest faction because our total territory is larger than the other races’. It’s almost as large as the territories of the other three races combined."

Ding Dong: "No way. I went back and checked. Based on my rank and the size of my territory, I have way less land than players with the same rank in previous competitions. I just assumed it was because the lords who got eliminated this time were too weak!"

Qian Duoduo: "Quiet! Let Yun Qihao finish."

Ding Dong: "..."

Yun Qihao: "The Goddess is in the main Cosmos right now, preparing to pull our continent into it. So—do not question her words."

Yun Qihao: "Also, the Goddess said our continent wasn’t this big to begin with. It’s been expanding continuously during the rest period."

Yun Qihao: "So, either something strange has wormed its way onto our continent, or one of us lords has a talent or a territory core with a special ability."

Yun Qihao: "The Goddess has asked me to relay a message: if this is because of someone’s talent or territory core ability, they should go to her and explain the situation as soon as possible."

Yun Qihao: "If no one comes forward, then on suspicion of the first scenario, our continent might be abandoned and not pulled into the main Cosmos."

Yun Qihao: "In other words, if no one takes responsibility, we could end up as a planar fragment, drifting forever outside the main Cosmos."

Yun Qihao: "Also, if this is the ability of one of our top players, someone who’s been developing this well... we need you to step up and pull your weight. Otherwise, facing a joint attack from three other races, the rest of us normal lords might not be able to hold out."

Yun Qihao: "Alright, that’s all I have to say. Any questions? If not, I’m logging off."

Lin Yu: "I have a question. Aren’t the gods of the main Cosmos able to observe our situation? Why would someone need to ’turn themselves in’?"

Yun Qihao: "Ahem—I wouldn’t know about that. If you get the chance, you can ask the Goddess yourself!"

Lin Yu: "Alright, but I’m not a follower of the Goddess. How am I supposed to ask her?"

Yun Qihao: "(°ー°〃)"

Yun Qihao: "You really want to ask her? Fine, I’ll tell you. I forgot to mention this part."

Yun Qihao: "If you want to chat with the Goddess, come to me. My territory has a special communication Magic Array that can connect with her. I guarantee that once you talk to her, you’ll want to join our order. Hehehe!"

...

Having gotten the information he wanted, Lin Yu stopped typing and left the chat group.

’So after all that, the reason we’re facing a three-versus-one fight is... my fault?’

’The competition’s organizing committee is a joke. Judging strength based on territory size?’

’But still, how can the organizing committee not know the details of our territories? That makes no sense!’

Lin Yu found it unbelievable. His territory’s growth had been fueled by numerous items and rewards from the competition itself, yet the organizing committee was somehow unaware that his current power level wasn’t even equal to the combined strength of two of the other competing races.

’Maybe... they don’t have enough clearance?’

On second thought, Lin Yu considered that if lords have different levels, then gods probably do too. ’Maybe the committee and the gods in charge of pulling the continent into the main Cosmos aren’t high-level enough. That could be the reason for their lack of clearance.’

’That’s very likely! I’ll just have to figure it out when I get the chance.’

Lin Yu pushed the matter from his mind. Since the situation was already set in stone, his priority now was to figure out how to withstand the enemy’s assault.