Chapter 299: The Failures Will Never Let Him Ascend to the Second Layer! [1]

First Shelter, Lower Privileged District.

At the end of a dimly lit street, an inconspicuous metal door stood silently embedded between two mottled stone walls.

There were no guards, no signboard, and not even the slightest trace of mana. Whenever a drunken Player passed nearby, they would merely assume it was the back entrance to an abandoned warehouse and walk past without giving it another glance.

However, no one knew that behind this metal door, which Jayden Smith had once personally pushed open, was a narrow passage leading deep underground.

At the end of that passage was the underground base the Failure Network had operated within First Shelter for many years.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Heavy footsteps continuously echoed through the stone chamber.

A tall, thin, middle-aged man paced back and forth before a long table. He wore an open black coat, revealing numerous old scars crisscrossing his neck and chest. Above his heart was a broken black iron insignia embedded directly in his flesh.

Silas Crow.

He was The highest-ranking leader of the Failure Network on the First Layer.

Unlike the ordinary Failures who hid in the wilderness and robbed newcomers merely to survive a few more days, Silas had been trapped on the First Layer for far too long.

Over the years, he had personally watched batch after batch of newcomers enter this place. He had watched them increase their levels, complete their advancement, and eventually step into the Second Layer.

Yet he had always remained behind.

But Silas had not disappeared because of that.

He gathered those who had been abandoned by their guilds, accepted those who had lost everything during their advancement attempts, and took control of those who could no longer see any path forward and could only survive by plundering other Players.

Gradually, the Failures scattered across the First Layer ceased to be criminals fighting alone.

They became a network buried within the First Layer’s shadows.

But tonight, the master of that network had completely lost his usual composure.

At the front of the stone chamber, a communication crystal projected the image of the black monument outside the Heaven Reaching Trial Tower.

[First Place: Zich Grave, Twenty-Third Floor.]

Crack!

The wineglass in Silas’s hand shattered beneath his grip.

Dark red wine mixed with blood as it slowly dripped between his fingers, splattering against the stone floor like glaring crimson flowers.

Silas did not even glance at it.

"Twenty-third floor..."

His voice was quiet, but everyone seated on either side of the long table immediately tensed.

Although they didn’t know what was Zich exact level, However, the words "twenty-third floor" were already enough to explain everything.

Zich was getting closer and closer to Level 30 at least

...which meant he was also getting closer to leaving the First Layer!

Silas abruptly stopped pacing and raised his head toward the name displayed within the crystal.

"First, he killed our people inside the Dungeon. Now, under the protection of the Players Association, he is attempting to advance to the Second Layer."

He slowly turned around. There was not the slightest trace of a smile on his scarred face.

"He trampled on our blood, yet he still thinks he can leave this place as though nothing happened?"

No one in the stone chamber answered. It was not because they did not want to answer. The pressure radiating from Silas had already become so overwhelming that even the air seemed to have frozen.

Clenching his fist Silas coundnt help but recalled the meeting that had occurred here several weeks ago.

...

That day, Jayden had passed through the metal door alone and returned to the underground base.

Unlike his first visit, there was no longer any trace of his original cold arrogance on his face. He walked to the long table, placed the token representing his commission upon it, and spoke directly.

"Cease all operations targeting Zich Grave."

The contact sitting on the opposite side of the long table narrowed his eyes.

"You were the one who paid us to investigate Zich Grave, Rael’s death, and those missing people. Now that our people have fallen into his hands, you want us to stop?"

"The situation has changed." Jayden said he’s expreson cold. "He won the Chosen Tournament. Arthur Magnus is watching him, the Players Association is protecting him, and the major powers have also turned their attention toward him Continuing to act will only expose everyone connected to this matter."

The contact stared at him before suddenly letting out a cold laugh.

"Including you?"

Jayden’s gaze immidtaitly darkened, and for the Frist time his face was filled with hesitation.

In truth the Reason why he was calling it off was not because of any of the above, rather it was because of feelings even he could not properly explain.

"I did not come here to argue with you. You do not need to return the remaining payment. Consider it compensation. From this moment onward, the commission is terminated. Do not approach him again."

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Slow applause suddenly came from the depths of the stone chamber.

Silas emerged from the shadows and walked toward the long table.

"How considerate of you, Jayden Smith."

Jayden turned sideways, his right hand instinctively moving closer to the weapon at his waist.

Silas seemed not to notice his movement. He only stared at Jayden from across the long table.

"When you hated him, you came to us. When you wanted to uncover his secrets, you used your Soul Stones to purchase our hands. When our people disappeared because of your commission, you never appeared."

At that point, the cold smile on Silas’s face gradually twisted as the resentment he had suppressed for years finally erupted.

"Now that he has grown powerful enough to frighten you, you think you can return with a single token and pretend none of this ever happened?"

"This is not fear," Jayden said coldly. "It is judgment."

"Judgment?"

Silas slammed his palm against the long table.

Boom!

The solid stone table cracked on the spot. The commission token resting upon it was thrown into the air before crashing down between the two men.

"From the moment Zich Grave killed members of the Failure Network, this ceased to be your commission!"

Silas pressed both hands against the table, his eyes burning with madness.

"I no longer need your Soul Stones, your information, or your permission! Zich Grave has already become an enemy of the entire Failure Network!"

Jayden silently stared at him for several seconds..

"If you continue pursuing this, you will only destroy yourselves."

"Then open your eyes and watch."

Silas straightened his body, an icy and sinister smile appearing on his face.

"Watch and see whether the genius praised by everyone will successfully ascend to the Second Layer, or whether we will drag him down and turn him into something just like us!"

...

Present..

Silas slowly opened his still-bleeding palm and swept his icy gaze across everyone seated on either side of the long table.

"Open the lower hall."

The moment his words fell, hidden mechanisms beneath the stone chamber began operating simultaneously.

Rumble!

The entire stone wall behind the long table slowly split apart from the middle, revealing an underground hall dozens of times larger than the outer chamber.

Beneath the red light of crimson crystals, numerous figures stood in orderly ranks throughout the hall.

Some wore damaged armor long since discarded by their former guilds. Others gripped weapons that had been repaired countless times. There were also those whose bodies bore permanently twisted injuries caused by failed advancement attempts.

Of course, even more of them appeared no different from the ordinary Players outside.

Hundreds of figures filled the hall as far as the eye could see.

And these were far from all the Failures on the First Layer.

They were merely those who had received the summons tonight and were capable of reaching First Shelter!