Chapter 1653: Chapter 3: Lamias Who Lost Their Dream

It… Lamias’s spirit was still somewhat unstable, with her inner turmoil like a living volcano.

“Look at me,” Luo Qiu said softly.

Lamias instinctively turned her gaze towards Luo Qiu’s eyes, and in the next instant, she felt as if she had walked into a small pavilion in the center of a tranquil lake.

She heard the sound of the wind, the rustling of leaves, the beating of her own heart, and the sound of time itself, then she stepped out from the unreality, with her spirit and body gradually synchronizing.

Her anger dissipated invisibly, and the displacement feeling brought by that long time seemed like just a short film—where she was like a spectator who had accidentally fallen asleep during the brief movie.

“Time passes so quickly…”

She let out a slow breath, her gaze clear… The divine war seemed like it had just happened yesterday… The violent fighting spirit within her also turned gentle, not changing in total volume, but as if purified.

She had become stronger… Yet she was still within a certain limit, only possessing some kind of possibility.

“Is this considered extra labor fees?” Lamias said coldly after a silent moment.

Luo Qiu smiled without speaking.

Lamias shook her head, analyzing the gains and losses within… Undoubtedly, being trapped in the Crystal Stone was a very painful and desperate experience, and the duration of this pain had caused her to collapse in clarity multiple times, only to become clear again in the midst of collapse.

Sometimes, she lost sense of who she was, forgot who she was, confined in a sunless, soundless void.

The downside was obviously the pain… She certainly never wanted to endure such pain again.

There were also advantages.

Her will had been honed, and the fighting spirit cultivated over the long years, even if not high in quality, had grown to a miraculous magnitude, even seemingly undergoing a life transition, no longer an ordinary human.

Undoubtedly, she had gained power… Without relying on external substances, purely her own power.

But intuitively, this power, compared to the Greek Pantheon she had witnessed before… Especially compared to Goddess Athena, Hades, King of the Underworld’s divine power, still had a gap like a zero-cost player versus a wealthy patron, even much less than Musa; otherwise, she would have already shattered the stone wall of the Crystal Stone instead of being trapped till now.

Thus, it was evident Boss Luo had broken the stone wall.

Lamias smiled bitterly and shook her head, “I have been trapped here for so long that even I do not know the time. I have never managed to break this wall; the only thought I had was to find the person you mentioned…”

Shaking her head, Lamias couldn’t help but feel a sense of bittersweetness, “Unexpectedly, when I encountered those folks claiming to be the Soth Divine Tribe, I was actually so close to my original era… How long has it been now?”

Luo Qiu said, “It is the fourth day since you left.”

“Less than four days…” Lamias opened her mouth, that sense of temporal dislocation suddenly reappearing distinctly, but it no longer felt chaotic to her.

She remained silent for a moment, finally sighing, “I sent the Soth Divine Tribe folks to search for the Nether King… Was the one you wanted me to find back then the Nether King? Unfortunately, by the time I found him, I was already trapped inside the stone wall, only able to watch as he vanished…”

Shaking her head, Lamias looked gloomy, “Over these years, I have found no way to leave, and there has been no news of the Nether King, but some time ago, that feeling reappeared, which is what awakened me… In truth, if it weren’t for that feeling reappearing, I would still be insane now.”

Boss Luo did not speak, only casually glancing at Master Plaid lying on the ground like a heap of mud.

Lamias indifferently asked, “What’s wrong with him?”

“Settle it as you please,” Luo Qiu said casually.

“Ten minutes,” Lamias suddenly said coldly.

“I’ll wait for you outside,” Boss Luo smiled faintly, then turned and walked out.

Lamias looked at Master Plaid, motionless, like an empty shell, lifeless eyes, and approached slowly, “All this, because of you… Is this not just retribution?”

…

Ten minutes is not long, especially short for Boss Luo who habitually blanks out.

Lamias emerged from inside, appearing as if nothing had happened.

“Are you feeling better?” Luo Qiu asked.

“His spirit is confined,” Lamias looked at Boss Luo, saying indifferently, “Not hearing his screams and pleas for mercy leaves me slightly unsatisfied, but he is somewhat qualified as a long-term punching bag.”

Boss Luo clearly had no intention to retrieve Master Plaid; those things he had given away never came back to him.

“Tell me about your experience?” Boss Luo thought briefly before asking; saving a bit where a bit could be saved, as his time just evaporated and now it’s somewhat compensated, his innate frugality hadn’t been worn down by the altar, very unyielding.

“The divine war exploded massively,” Lamias recalled, “I don’t know much, being trapped here and unable to exit, with limited knowledge. I only know that back then Hades created a terrifying weapon of death, then the gods fell one after another, the sky and earth trembled, then the space shattered, a peculiar monster began invading from outside the shattered space, the gods from the Age of Gods nearly extinct, and eventually, everything returned to peace, it seemed only the Lord of the Sky departed.”

“Oh?” Luo Qiu blinked.

Although he had already left after ending the engagement with the previous Club Owner, the subsequent events he did not experience firsthand… Certainly, he could investigate, but what Lamias said, though brief, outlines the general path accurately.

“Or escaped, but whether successful I truly do not know… What has become of Mount Olympus, the Human Realm, and the Underworld?” Lamias shook her head, “Many things I can only deduce from hearsay… I should be somewhat grateful to those gods for causing such racket when they clashed, making the entire Heaven and Earth echo their voices?”

“I see…” Boss Luo nodded then remained silent.

Lamias was unsure of what he was pondering… Even now, she felt dread towards this mysterious mansion’s owner—especially now, as previously being merely an ordinary person, at most a strong ordinary person made it hard to judge, but now it’s different; she felt her current self could take down several Black Religious Congregation monks—all of them.

But the stronger the power, the deeper the fear before this mansion’s owner.

“Do I… need to do something now?” Lamias couldn’t endure the silence and asked… She was somewhat fearful, afraid this mansion’s owner might toss her into another time-space.

If faced with prolonged imprisonment again, she would rather self destruct.

“You don’t need to do anything,” Boss Luo shook his head, “Or say, whatever you enjoy doing now, go do that… Our agreement is already concluded; the future from this point belongs to you.”

“Me?” Lamias watched the person in disbelief… Feeling that the way the other party released her so easily was truly unusual.

“You’re free,” Luo Qiu chuckled then directly opened a passage, leading to the present world, and stepped inside, “If interested, you’re welcome as a guest at my mansion… Until then, take care, Ms. Lamias.”

And with that, he just walked away?!

Lamias’s pupils involuntarily contracted.

“So… now what do I do?” Lamias looked in bewilderment at the first scene she saw since gaining freedom… suddenly unsure what she needed to do.

When imprisoned, her only thought was escaping, gaining freedom—even if not returning to her past era, at least not being confined.

But now… she’s returned, has gained power, Master Plaid is just a punching bag she can manipulate at will, yet she doesn’t know what she should do next.

Return to the Black Religious Congregation?

She’s already rebelled against them; both sides are now adversaries… Maybe, make trouble for the Black Religious Congregation?

Yet now that she just had this thought, she could muster no interest, having experienced the Age of Gods, witnessed truly Earth-shattering power, she felt the Black Religious Congregation was somewhat beneath her.

The passage lay before Lamias, not disappearing; she knew Luo Qiu left it for her… like a choice.

Lamias paused for contemplation and then turned back to the cave, glancing at Mai Rada who had fainted from her fighting spirit’s outbreak, then suddenly shook her head.

The Soth Divine Tribe was merely a connection she’d made to find the Nether King; she wasn’t some god from the Age of Gods… Now that she’s escaped, the aspirations the divine tribe had to restore the Age of Gods’ glory weren’t her concern.

Thinking it over, she decided to leave this place… directly picking up the mud-like Master Plaid and left nothing behind, walking directly into the passage left by Luo Qiu.

…

“Divine Lord… Divine Lord…”

When Mai Rada came back to his senses, he found the stone wall had shattered, and the Dark Lord had vanished without a trace… He felt abandoned, sitting dazedly inside the cave.

Later, people from the tribe noticed the irregularities within the cave had settled for some time, so they gathered courage and organized a team to search for people inside, only to find a delirious Mai Rada who was alternately laughing foolishly and crying suddenly, leaving them in disarray.

At this moment, a deep voice echoed from the sky of the secret place.

“We are the Enforcement Team of The Magician Association! We declare to all members of the Soth Divine Tribe, lay down your weapons and surrender, and hand over the culprits of the previous attack!”

Outside the secret place stood a fully prepared troop of The Magician Association… a total of two hundred magicians!

On this day, within the old nest of the Soth Divine Tribe, a group perished in battle, some fled in chaos, but most were directly captured and would be escorted back to The Association’s headquarters.

The Magician Association seemed determined to address the historical remnants of the Non-Human Domain this time, changing their approach from gentle to assertive.

At sunset, the Enforcement Team of The Magician Association began to escort the captured members of the Soth Divine Tribe away, numbering about one hundred, most of whom were the elderly, women, and children.

“Name?!”

A commander from the Enforcement Team approached Mai Rada… sensing that this bald man had an unusual status among the Soth Divine Tribe, as several of the remaining members attempted multiple times to protect him.

Mai Rada seemed unaware, his lips moved slightly, murmuring something unknown.

The commander of the Enforcement Team leaned in to listen, only to hear Mai Rada muttering like in a dream: “It must be I lack devotion, it must be I lack devotion… Divine Lord—!!”

Mai Rada suddenly dashed out, but was quickly subdued by the magicians of the Enforcement Team.

Unaware, he raised his head to the sky, shouting loudly, “Divine Lord—!!”

“Huh?” The commander of the Enforcement Team exclaimed softly, his gaze odd as he looked at Mai Rada, contemplating silently.

“Sir, what’s the matter?” a subordinate asked as they stepped forward.

The commander frowned slightly, pondering before saying: “Nothing… this guy’s appearance reminds me of those fanatic Ascetic Monks from the Holy Church. He probably doesn’t even know whom he’s offering his faith to.”

“Faith?” The subordinate was taken aback.

The commander shook his head and said: “Don’t bother thinking about it, we can’t see such things! We are magicians, scholars in pursuit of truth, not playing theology. Let’s go back, the Tower Masters are discussing matters of dealing with the current world, seems they have reached a conclusion.”

“What conclusion?”

The commander said with a strange expression: “Seems… seems they plan to establish the first magician academy in the current world!”

“Is it… is it Hogwarts?!!” the subordinate exclaimed.

The commander slapped the subordinate’s head, “What nonsense are you talking? It’s just a draft plan, they haven’t even decided on a name yet!”

The Enforcement Team of The Magician Association departed before the sunset concluded.

…

…

Time zone, eleven.

On a street corner in the insular country’s capital circle, a youth with a fierce expression sat at a street-side ramen shop, eating a large bowl of roast pork ramen.

The owner of the ramen shop in front of the table was chatting casually with a customer.

About the events that happened in recent days.

“Really! I guarantee, what I saw was definitely the legendary Earth-bound Spirit! You know, the reason I could afford that house was because a murder happened there, driving the price way down!”

“So you think the white figure you saw last night was the former homeowner’s murdered wife?”

“What else?”

“Someone else told me this morning they saw the deceased husband at that time while she was in bed with the plumber on a house call…”

“Oh? Boss, tell me the details of the incident…”

Hearing this, the youth with a fierce expression seemed a bit impatient, thumping the table and shouting loudly, “Boss, where are my dumplings? Do you not want to do business? Should I tear down your shop?”

“Right away!” The ramen shop owner jumped in fright.

The customers engrossed in their conversations also lowered their heads, focusing on their food, not daring to glance around… the youth sitting beside them all the while emitted a distinct trouble-seeking aura… clearly a seasoned street wanderer.

“Boring.”

The youth shook his head, glanced beside him… at his side, sat a child of about ten years old.

Yet the child’s face was expressionless, focused on looking at a flyer.

“Little dog, what are you looking at?” The youth frowned, “Hurry up and finish eating, we have to collect debts later! This time you go deal with the debts alone! You’re about ready to graduate!”

The child showed no concern for the youth’s fierce demeanor, just unfolded the flyer in front of the youth, revealing a yearning expression.

“What’s this?” The youth frowned, discovering it was a promotional flyer for a signing event, “…30th Anniversary Commemorative Artbook Sanctuary-SANCTUARY-, meet Teacher Kurumada? Do you want to attend this signing event?”

The child nodded forcefully, still expressionless.

“Not going!” The youth snatched the flyer, crumpled it, and tossed it away.

The child silently lowered his head, not uttering a word.

“…” The youth frowned, his lips moved slightly, finally snorted coldly, annoyed, “Half an hour maximum!”

The child then picked up the chopsticks and began eating quickly.

The youth shook his head… Three months had passed in the blink of an eye, even exceeding some expectations, theoretically, he should return to report.

“A new Club Owner…” he thought agitatedly, scratching his head, seemingly finding it a troubling matter.

He wasn’t skilled in such polite affairs.

But at this moment, the child tugged at his clothes… the youth opened his mouth, only to see the large bowl of ramen in front of the child already devoured, “Tsk! At debt collection you can’t be so nimble… Boss, bill!”

Go ahead… I can’t stay with you for much longer, little dog.

He thought to himself.

#########

PS1: Next chapter will be slightly delayed, approximately… around.

PS2: The [Original Glory Contest] is located in the Dian Niang Reading APP—Discover—Activities section, remember that, I’m in the Guangdong division… please like, you can do it every day, ≡ω≡.