Chapter 178: Whisper

Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Whisper

So, it was best not to get this kind of fragment right now.

Seraphina Sinclair had her preferences, but how could a Supply Box’s drop rate possibly change just because of what she wanted?

And sometimes, that’s just how it was. The more you didn’t want something, the more it clung to you.

Seraphina Sinclair stared silently at the four fragments in her hands for a moment before pulling out the one she had gotten earlier from her earring. She combined the five pieces into a complete D-level Coliseum Invitation Letter.

After taking care of that, Seraphina Sinclair took another shower, then collapsed onto the bed.

’My bed... is still a bit hard.’

But Seraphina Sinclair was used to it.

She closed her eyes, listening to the crackling of the firewood, and soon drifted off to sleep.

「A night passed quietly.」

Seraphina Sinclair sat up, rubbing her sleepy eyes. She gave a lazy yawn, then got up to wash.

She tore open a meal ticket and waited for the waiter to arrive.

Except for that one time in the middle of the night, the waiter had never been late. Its attire could always be described as impeccable—its suit crisply ironed, a bow tie fastened at its neck.

And...

It had been a long time since the creature had used its male human guise.

Seraphina Sinclair waited quietly for the waiter to set out the dishes before taking an Invitation Letter from her earring and pushing it in front of the waiter.

"Do you recognize this?" she asked directly.

The waiter’s perfect eyes swept over the gray Invitation Letter. It bowed slightly. "I do. It is an E-level Invitation Letter for the Black Mist Coliseum. Using it will grant you entry into The Coliseum. If I may be so bold, it is not a good place."

’Not a good place? That’s a novel evaluation.’

"Elaborate."

Seraphina Sinclair picked up her spoon and began to eat the warm millet porridge.

The waiter gave a slight nod. It never refused such requests.

"This is an E-level Invitation Letter. After you enter The Coliseum, the highest-ranking monster you face will not exceed E+ Level. But since the place is called a coliseum, it naturally has spectators. If you seem to be defeating the monsters too easily, these spectators will secretly increase the difficulty for you."

Seraphina Sinclair looked up just in time to see the waiter wink at her.

The flippant gesture left a bad impression.

Seraphina Sinclair instinctively frowned. Just as she was about to say something, the waiter added, as if it had just thought of something else, "Of course, this is all done without breaking the rules. With an E-level Invitation Letter, a D-level monster will absolutely not appear. But rules are rigid, and spectators are flexible. They will increase the number of monsters or simply unleash E-level monsters that are even more terrifying than your average D-level monster."

"In short," it said, leaning down and pushing the dishes a little closer to Seraphina Sinclair, "it would be best for you not to enter The Coliseum."

Seraphina Sinclair was lost in thought.

’The waiter made it sound so terrifying, as if it’s a place you can enter but never leave.’

’But Frostleaf clearly made it out.’

Thinking of this, Seraphina Sinclair opened her private chat to take a look.

Frostleaf had already replied while she was sleeping.

[Frostleaf]: Since a pro like you is asking, I won’t charge anything. I only hope that after you get out of The Coliseum, you can tell me the specifics of the final two waves.

’This one’s a shrewd bargainer.’

Seraphina Sinclair thought, feeling a certain appreciation for her.

She quickly scanned the message from Frostleaf.

[Frostleaf]: The first five waves are all normal monsters, with Levels from F+ to E-, and numbers ranging from three to five to over a dozen. Elite monsters, around E-level, start appearing from the sixth wave. I made it to the eighth wave and faced two E+ Level Shadow Hounds with excellent coordination. I couldn’t handle it, so I chose to give up. The reward was 1,500 Black Fog Coins, one attribute attribute point for each of my four Attributes, and a Skill Book. I won’t specify the Skill; I’m sure a pro like you understands. It’s also worth noting that the environment in The Coliseum changes, and...

Her message ended there. The next one was sent five minutes later, as if she had been thinking it over carefully for a long time.

[Frostleaf]: It was strange. It must have started around the sixth wave. I could feel something trying to bewitch me, constantly telling me, "Don’t give up... don’t give up..." and saying things like "The rewards later are better," and "If you give up now, you’ll get nothing." To be honest, I really had no intention of giving up at the time. It wasn’t until one of those hounds nearly bit me to death that I was jolted awake.

[Frostleaf]: If you’re going in, you have to be wary of that bewitching influence.

After reading everything carefully, Seraphina Sinclair suddenly looked up and stared directly at the waiter.

The waiter, usually unflappable, uncharacteristically took a step back.

"You don’t want me to enter The Coliseum?"

Seraphina Sinclair’s tone was assertive.

The waiter paused, then admitted frankly, "Of course I don’t."

"That place has the highest mortality rate. Although we only have a verbal agreement, I am truly looking forward to the day you fulfill your promise. To rashly venture into such a dangerous place..."

The waiter lowered its eyes, seemingly thinking about how to phrase its next words.

But Seraphina Sinclair had no patience to wait. She sneered and said, "You’re overstepping your bounds. You’ve also betrayed my trust. I’m now thinking we should sign a trade contract to ensure the information you provide me is accurate."

The waiter’s eyes widened slightly, as if it hadn’t expected Seraphina Sinclair to so directly propose signing a contract.

It fell silent for a moment, the perfect etiquette of a waiter freezing for an instant.

"You... are right."

It finally spoke, its voice a little lower than usual, as if it were hurt.

Seraphina Sinclair raised an eyebrow at it, then felt her own thought was ridiculous.

’Humans are always projecting their own imagined emotions onto non-human things. Doing so is nothing but a waste of emotion.’

Seraphina Sinclair said nothing, listening quietly to the waiter’s apology.

"I have overstepped. As a waiter, I should not have allowed my personal inclinations to interfere with our transaction. We should indeed sign a trade contract, but... could you be the one to initiate it? I do not have the authority to initiate a transaction."

Seraphina Sinclair had no objection, of course.

She thought for a moment, articulated all the constraints clearly, and then showed the waiter the contract she had written.

The waiter had no objections.

After the names were signed, the contract took effect.

"Now, can you tell me all the real information about The Coliseum?"

Seraphina Sinclair looked calmly at the waiter.

"Of course."

It raised its eyes, its perfect yet empty pupils reflecting Seraphina Sinclair’s figure. "Besides what I have already told you, what you need to be concerned about is a unique mechanism of The Coliseum. We call it ’the Whispering’."

’The Whispering?’

Seraphina Sinclair began to ponder. The term was very familiar.

’I’ve definitely heard it somewhere before.’