Chapter 288 "Damn it...damn it!"
"I've been trying to figure out a way to solve this problem."
"Although I had the chance to obtain a universal method for forging destiny—but the personal destiny forged with it can never reach the level of a noble destiny."
Raven shook his head, gritted his teeth, "I just hate that things are like this now, I really don't want to see your talent buried—"
His voice trailed off.
Because Raven saw Bai Zhou shake his head.
"Thank you, Teacher Raven."
Following behind [Fluoxetine], Bai Zhou's lips moved silently, "However, I already have a way."
"Ahead is the former lazy bedroom, sealed for thirty years, it has finally welcomed a new owner again."
The entire Blood Worship Cult's lair was like a huge cave, everywhere you looked there were candlelight and firelight burning fiercely, never seeing the sun.
—Walking
through the winding tunnel, [Fluoxetine] led Bai Zhou past strangely shaped buildings, and they came to a stone door.
[Fluoxetine] raised his hand, picked up a token, and gestured twice towards the stone door. With
a "boom," the stone door slowly opened, and the nearby scarlet candlelight and the dimness of the cave were gradually dispelled by the soft white light shining through from behind the door.
Bai Zhou squinted slightly and led Fang Xiaoxia inside. They found that the white porcelain floor under their feet was completely out of place with the cave outside, as smooth as a mirror, reflecting several retro-style crystal chandeliers overhead.
In the late 1990s, such chandeliers would have been the most fashionable and expensive styles, and even now they still carried a quiet, old-fashioned luxury. Although
it was called a bedroom, it actually had four bedrooms and two living rooms, with everything from a study, tea room, gym to a movie theater, covering more than 200 square meters.
The spacious interior design would have been top-notch thirty years ago, and even for Bai Zhou now, it still didn't seem outdated.
White sofas, mahogany tables and chairs, a counter, a mahjong table, and antique-looking porcelain pieces placed in the corners.
An old-fashioned CRT television stands in the corner, along with a turntable, a huge stereo, and a gramophone covered in a thin layer of dust. Behind it is a wall full of vinyl records, one of which is open and placed on the turntable, as if its owner had just gotten up and left.
What attracted Bai Zhou's attention most were the numerous collections arranged densely along the walls—collections that would have been considered luxurious for that era:
limited-edition mechanical watches, boxes of sealed, expensive cigars, several bottles of aged red wine and whiskey, several sets of finely bound encyclopedias, and a few fishing rods of exceptional quality.
Like the safe house in the sewers, a deer-like skull hung on the wall, its sharp antlers pointing skyward in a menacing manner, proclaiming the extraordinary status of its owner.
Even more striking was the presence of several green lawns in a corner of the living room, seemingly for indoor golf practice. Everything was meticulously maintained, as if time had frozen here for thirty years, waiting for someone to awaken them—a new owner.
"Although everyone lives in the Blood Worship Cult's stronghold, seemingly primitive and simple, each person decorates their own home as they please."
[Fluoxetine] stood by the door, not going in, but standing behind Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia, respectfully explaining, "Like the former Lord Sloth, he was a person who knew how to enjoy life."
"Even now, some people still believe that the Blood Worship Cult's twilight at the end of that century, and that legendary Lord Sloth, their brilliance still lingers in this room, never leaving."
The twilight of the end of the century—
Bai Zhou blinked, looked down at his feet, the white porcelain floor reflecting the understated yet luxurious ceiling above, and his own shadow.
"You are free to modify this place as you see fit. Of course, you can also choose not to stay here and instead renovate other empty rooms."
The voice paused slightly, and seeing Bai Zhou's thoughtful expression, [Fluoxetine] carefully reminded him, "However, the former Lord Sloth has placed sufficient protection here, enough to withstand even the full force of a Life Forger. Only this token can open it."
"This level of protection is something those empty rooms don't possess." "
Now, the token is returned intact—this place is now exclusively for your use."
With that, [Fluoxetine] handed Bai Zhou the stone token, upon which was clearly imprinted a languid black-purple water lily: "Many say that the legendary former Lord Sloth, who once ruled the Blood Worship Cult and dominated the Listening Sea, hid many treasures in his room." "
However, according to custom, everything of the former Sloth must be left to his successor, so no one knows the details of what's in his room to this day."
"I hope you have a pleasant stay here. The phone connects to the main headquarters; you can use it to call anyone you wish to contact."
With that, [Fluoxetine] turned and left.
The heavy stone door slowly closed with a rumbling echo.
The moment [Fluoxetine] disappeared, Fang Xiaoxia, still somewhat bewildered, saw Bai Zhou bustling about, meticulously checking everything, even the cracks under the sofa.
"What are you doing?" Fang Xiaoxia asked, seemingly understanding.
In the next bedroom, Bai Zhou buried his head under the bed, looking around, then got up and rummaged through the wardrobe behind him.
After searching around, Bai Zhou returned to the living room and finally answered, "To prevent eavesdropping or recording, maintaining secrecy when traveling is a good habit for extraordinary individuals."
As he spoke, Bai Zhou turned to look at the girl, blinking twice, "—This is your first lesson in the mysterious world."
Upon hearing "lesson," Fang Xiaoxia immediately perked up, her eyes wide as she tried to memorize every word Bai Zhou had just said: "I've learned something, senior brother!"
Standing to the side, Ya watched Bai Zhou's expression as he faced Fang Xiaoxia, a strange expression tinged with nostalgia, as if seeing himself facing Bai Zhou back then. "...
" As if remembering something, the girl's lips curled up slightly.
[The symbol represents a self-eating ouroboros, symbolizing the disruption of internal and external circulation, sealing off all information within the field.]
[Paying attention to secrecy is a good habit of extraordinary individuals. From now on, all our conversations and special training will be conducted under this ritual.]
Today, Bai Zhou, who was teaching his mentor to pay attention to secrecy, bore a striking resemblance to the trench coat-clad girl who patiently answered the boy when the ouroboros was laid out.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Bai Zhou, who was beginning her second inspection of the living room, let out a soft exclamation.
Fang Xiaoxia and Ya looked over and saw Bai Zhou embracing a large blue-and-white porcelain vase, seemingly from the Yuan Dynasty, with phoenixes and unicorns, slowly turning it twice.
The next instant.
"Rumble!"
The cabinet behind the table, where cigars and red wine were displayed, slowly flipped open to the sides, revealing a hidden chamber behind it.
[Many people say that the former Lord Sloth hid many treasures in his room.] "
Treasure—"
Fang Xiaoxia stared in disbelief, recalling what [Fluoxetine] had just said.
"There really is!"
The Chosen Ones seemed to have a particular fondness for safe houses and secret rooms, like secret agents or magicians from ancient novels. But perhaps they were all the same; their common trait was that they were always being hunted.
However, this secret room didn't offer many unexpected finds. It was more like a small armory, filled with all sorts of modern weaponry engraved with magical runes, as well as thousands of enchanted rounds of ammunition.
From two Barrett sniper rifles engraved with armor-piercing runes to a box of FosterSlug slugs carved with the Blood Curse, this quantity was enough for Bai Zhou to arm a large team from head to toe.
There were even two rocket launchers wrapped in ominous magical runes, their power clearly extraordinary.
And an extra-large bomb.
It was truly extra-large; Bai Zhou couldn't even wrap his arms around it with both hands outstretched. The magical runes on it were like carvings, forming mysterious discs, beautiful and exquisite, like blooming flowers.
The moment Bai Zhou saw the bomb, his heart skipped a beat. A feeling of dread washed over him, and his life-or-death instincts kicked in.
In other words, if this thing exploded, he wouldn't be able to dodge in time and would be killed instantly!
With a mountain of weapons and such a massive bomb in his bedroom, how did the former Sloth manage to sleep in this room?
But—
a super-sized bomb capable of killing a Level 6 Fate Adventurer, treasured by the former Sloth in the deepest recesses of his secret chamber.
What kind of threat would a pair of Fate Forgers pose?
What if—
it were used in conjunction with the cursed wire trap Bai Zhou had?
Bai Zhou felt he would one day find out the answer to this question.
"What a treasure—"
After the initial shock came joy.
Bai Zhou's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but grin.
He wondered if the former Sloth had placed these things in his bedroom for his own use or as a prelude to a rebellion—
but the result was obvious: in the end, this insecure, paranoid patient clearly hadn't used a single one.
Bai Zhou got a good deal.
The items were truly valuable, and his predecessor, Lazy, was a genuinely kind person.
Carefully moving the dazzling array of weapons and bombs into the interior of the Trojan Horse, Bai Zhou, having emptied the secret chamber, also found something else that suited his taste perfectly:
a whetstone.
This whetstone was placed in an inconspicuous corner of the secret chamber, appearing at first glance as an ordinary, square stone. Fortunately, Bai Zhou was accustomed to using the [Tian Shu] to carefully examine everything, digging three feet into the ground wherever he went, never missing any hidden treasures.
"Buzz!"
At this moment, as if sensing something, the red and white sabers conveyed a strange desire to Bai Zhou.
"This is... a whetstone—?!"
Bai Zhou quickly made a delightful discovery.
When he held the red and white sabers and sharpened them on the whetstone, the already unparalleled sharpness of the sabers in his hands seemed to subtly increase, making the wielding experience even smoother!
If it could sharpen the sabers, it could naturally also sharpen the black and white twin blades that Bai Zhou's hands had transformed into.
The only flaw was that the whetstone thinned the blade slightly with each use, especially when sharpening the red and white sabers, where the wear and tear was even more astonishing!
Moreover, its magical blade-sharpening effect seemed temporary, lasting only a little over a minute.
Even just a minute could make a crucial difference in a life-or-death battle!
"Such a unique material—what is this whetstone made of?"
Examining the whetstone in his hand, Bai Zhou's eyes burned: "In a sense, this whetstone truly embodies the principle of 'sharpening the sword before battle, even if it's not sharp, it will still shine'—"
Tossing the soap-sized whetstone back and forth in his hand, Bai Zhou memorized its unique material, thinking he might pay extra attention to it when he went to the Hiro Empire later.
Thus, all the weapons and treasures left in the secret chamber by the former Sloth—
all were taken, swept away!
"Have you heard?"
"What?" "
A young man has arrived at the Blood Worship Cult."
A young man has arrived at the Blood Worship Cult.
Like a warm-up for a demonic gathering, this sudden and inexplicable news began to spread throughout the Blood Worship Cult's stronghold.
Murder, arson, smuggling, bombing—crimes that would be extremely horrific in normal circumstances were as commonplace as lollipops in the Blood Worship Cult's lair.
Those fortunate enough to occupy a place in this vast underground cavern were all utterly wicked, their hands stained with blood, and all hated to the core by the Extraordinary Ones.
But even though the Extraordinary Ones of the Listening Sea wished they could tear them apart, none dared to venture into this forbidden land. This was the Blood Worship Cult's headquarters, a place filled with the most demonic and terrifying madmen, where every single person, every moment, embodied the meaning of poverty, ferocity, extreme evil, and wickedness!
Yet, within this environment, a name both strange and familiar, like a depth charge dropped into a crowd, exploded with a deafening roar, creating a massive ripple effect:
[Sloth]!
A new Sloth has arrived, heading straight for the head of the Seven Deadly Sins, seemingly determined to surpass all the veteran members of the evil cult from the outset!
His known record includes personally annihilating the infamous assassin organization "Art Society," which had terrorized the Listening Sea for years. Later, while facing official pursuit, he simultaneously fought five officially titled assassins, even suppressing them, before easily escaping!
Audacious and utterly wicked, he was immediately placed on a joint wanted list by official agencies, designated an S-class wanted criminal – a prestigious honor many Blood Worshippers strive for their entire lives, yet he easily obtained it!
Furthermore, it is rumored that he receives strong support from a mysterious figure within the cult, causing the other members of the Seven Deadly Sins to submit to him – his origins are extraordinary! While
arrogance
is in the nature of villains, they are not fools, and they harbor considerable curiosity and apprehension towards the protagonist of this rumor.
It is said that this figure, whose name has become famous throughout the Listening Sea tonight, has already taken up residence at the headquarters.
Even before the Demon Assembly convened, rumors about him were already flying everywhere, some extremely exaggerated, others clearly questioning and relentlessly belittling him.
The Blood Worship Cult was usually divided into numerous factions, but today, all the evil eyes were fixed on one place—the eye of the storm: the room where the newly appointed Sloth had moved in.
And that heavy stone door, which remained unopened, isolating both inside and outside, seemingly asleep.
Some felt awe, some fear, some resentment, and some curiosity.
"Just debuting, and already putting himself above us veterans?"
People were eager to test this upstart newcomer, but some felt inadequate, while others, proud of their status, refused to participate—
for a time, the usually noisy and restless headquarters of the Blood Worship Cult fell into an unusual silence.
Until a truly significant figure broke the deadlock.
"Clap! Clap! Clap!"
The crisp sound of a hand striking stone echoed in the quiet cave.
A young boy in a black hood, carrying a letter, arrived and knocked on the gate of the Indolent Sect.
"That's—"
Pairs of eyes, having peered in through various means, recognized the boy's identity.
"He's that person's attendant!"
the boy proclaimed loudly, "The Five Elders' Council, Five-Colored Eyes, Black-Eyed Family, my eldest son!"
He raised his chin, his tone undisguisedly arrogant: "Having heard of your illustrious name, I have specially invited you to come and give you an opportunity to pay your respects to him!"
The Five Elders' Council! Five-Colored Eyes! Black-Eyed Family!
Undoubtedly, these were the true top echelons within the Blood Worship Cult.
Because behind them stood Five-Colored Eyes, the entire Five Elders' Council, and the current ruler of the Blood Worship Cult.
And that young master himself—
"Rumor has it that this young master is only one step away from achieving the Forging of Destiny, a top figure among those with titles, and a strong successor to the next Black Pupil!"
"Normally, within the Blood Worship Cult, no one dares to provoke this young master's faction."
"He himself is already powerful enough, and he represents not just one person, but also the five great families who are closely allied with him!
Countless powerful figures with titles!"
Undercurrents surged, and various factions and villains discussed among themselves.
"With him here, he should be able to test the depths of this 'Sloth'—" "
But we must also prevent them from forming an alliance!" Someone said worriedly.
"Perhaps we should send someone to intercept him now and extend another invitation—"
At this moment
, pairs of eyes, like bats hidden in the darkness of a cave, silently peered at the unmoving stone door in front of the black-clad child.
Everyone wanted to know how the new Sloth would react to the Black Pupil family's young master's probing.
"Hmm?"
As if witnessing a farce, in a certain secret chamber, the Holy Prince, head held high, shifted his gaze, seemingly across a vast distance, through stone walls, casting an intrigued look upon the scene.
Then...
After a long while, just as the black-clad boy was growing impatient, "Rumble—"
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the stone door finally opened slowly.
"You are—who are you?"
The black-clad boy's words abruptly stopped.
Entering the black-clad boy's line of sight was Fang Xiaoxia, dressed as an assistant, her face obscured by red markings, making it difficult to discern her gender.
"M--M--" Fang Xiaoxia looked intently at the newcomer, opening her mouth to speak, but seemed to forget her words due to her intense focus.
Feeling somewhat uneasy under Fang Xiaoxia's scarlet eyes, which seemed to be eyeing prey, the black-clad boy shook his head, calming himself slightly, only to find that the "assistant's" eyes were clear and innocent—where was the slightest danger?
Was it just his imagination?
The boy in black coughed twice, looking at the newcomer with a serious expression, correcting Fang Xiaoxia's statement: "Not 'Great One,' but His Highness the Eldest Young Master!"
"Oh, oh." Fang Xiaoxia thanked the newcomer for his correction, but then frowned, "But that's not what I meant." "
What are you talking about, you idiot?" the boy in black asked, puzzled.
Under the scrutinizing and malicious gazes of countless eyes, Fang Xiaoxia's face hardened: "This 'Great One'—refers to—"
At that moment, the girl seemed to feel ashamed of what she was about to say and do.
But she still gritted her teeth and dutifully relayed Bai's original words.
"My master said..."
Facing countless suspicious glances, the girl seriously raised her middle finger and circled it in the air in front of her.
Then she said, "Go to hell!
"