Of course, this was only one of Bai Qiu’s plans.
In reality, he had another arrangement in mind.
After everyone gradually departed, only eleven people remained.
They were Li Qingshan, Li Zhongjun, Ye Lingtian, Ning Xingxue, Zhao Daqiang, Huang Qi, Huang Hailing and Huang Yong from Zone 2227, Zhang Yuge from Zone 2233, Xie Laobang from Zone 2218, and, of course, Zhang Shiyao.
Among them, five had decided to stay behind and defend the major Safe Zones: Zhang Yuge, Xie Laobang, Huang Hailing, Li Zhongjun, and Ye Lingtian.
Li Zhongjun patted Bai Qiu on the shoulder with satisfaction and said, “This time, you’ve really spent a fortune on us. Don’t worry—I’ll provide the materials for my Transcendent weapon myself.”
By gathering everyone together this time, Bai Qiu had not only demonstrated his strength, but also his foresight.
Bai Qiu shook his head, unconcerned.
“Giving up the trip to the Shattered Celestial Realm means giving up a path to the very peak. I still want to continue advancing, but I also don’t want anything to happen to the Safe Zones. Spending a few resources is a small price to pay.”
Zhang Yuge asked in confusion, “But why? You don’t seem to have any attachments here…”
Indeed, Bai Qiu had no family or close friends here.
Even the people he got along well with had known him for less than a month.
To say he had some compelling reason to protect this place would have sounded far-fetched.
Not to mention that he had already experienced betrayal.
Logically speaking, someone like him shouldn’t have been the one convening this meeting, nor should he have been the one paying for everyone’s benefits.
“We mortals struggle to survive in this world. Though we’ve glimpsed a sliver of heaven’s secrets and gained power and authority far beyond ordinary people…
“…the places we call home are still being slowly devoured.
“In the future, this land may be filled with priceless treasures. But if these Safe Zones cease to exist, then even if treasures cover every inch of the earth for anyone to harvest, there won’t be a single place where one can sleep in peace.
“What I’m investing now is merely to make it easier to reap the fruits of victory in the future—to ensure there will always be a place where I can rest, so I can devote myself to battle without worry…
“That’s all.”
As Bai Qiu spoke, everyone was moved by the purity of his heart.
Perhaps this was what people called an innocent heart…
To accomplish something, perhaps simply taking action was not enough.
One also had to think, to plan, and to bring about change.
…
Another day passed.
After Bai Qiu finished crafting a Transcendent weapon for everyone, there were only a little more than three days left before the Shattered Celestial Realm opened.
Just as he was about to find a secluded place and use the Fragment Map of Mountains and Rivers to survey where the various Hydra Two-Headed Serpents were nesting, Huang Hailing came looking for him.
She was also one of those who had chosen to remain behind to defend the Safe Zone.
Now that Bai Qiu had fulfilled every promise he had made, her purpose in seeking him out was unexpectedly to ask him for help clearing a two-player Secret Realm.
“You’re asking me to clear a two-player Secret Realm? The two of you can’t handle it yourselves?” Bai Qiu asked in surprise.
Both Huang Hailing and Huang Yong, who stood beside her, were among the top players.
The fact that they couldn’t clear a Secret Realm was rather surprising.
If it were something like the massive Asteroid Ore Vein, that would be understandable.
But if even a two-player Secret Realm was beyond them, could it be a C++-rank one?
Looking somewhat embarrassed, Huang Hailing explained, “This two-player Secret Realm is rated C++, and it’s water-themed. I heard you have a pet that can spray water, so…”
“I see.” Bai Qiu nodded.
“But since it’s a two-player Secret Realm… what about the payment?”
He looked conflicted as he pondered how large a share he should ask for.
After all, when he helped with the Asteroid Ore Vein, he had taken 30% of the rewards.
If he accepted less than thirty percent for helping someone else, it would make his services seem far too cheap…
“As for the rewards, we’ll split everything 50-50, and any top-tier materials or items will all go to you. How does that sound?” Huang Hailing said.
She was eager to clear this dungeon because she wanted to use the opportunity to strengthen the members of her clan.
At the same time, it was also her way of repaying Bai Qiu for the favor of his three arrows back then.
Bai Qiu found the offer a little surprising, but after thinking it over, it made sense.
After all, this was a two-player Secret Realm.
Since he would essentially be carrying the run, a fifty-fifty split with all the top-tier loot going to him was perfectly reasonable.
“Alright then. Time is short—let me take a look at the Secret Realm card.”
Bai Qiu agreed.
To him, a two-player Secret Realm wasn’t particularly noteworthy.
Generally speaking, the more people a Secret Realm could accommodate, the richer its resources would be.
Conversely, the fewer people it allowed, the fewer the resources, and the lower the difficulty.
So, barring any special circumstances, Bai Qiu planned to simply carry Huang Hailing through the dungeon as quickly as possible.
After all, he didn’t have much time left…
“Well… you’ll probably have to come back to our zone with me. The Secret Realm card isn’t with me at the moment,” Huang Hailing said awkwardly.
The idea of asking Bai Qiu for help had only occurred to her today.
She simply wanted to convert the Secret Realm’s resources into immediate gains by having him help clear it.
However, Bai Qiu immediately sensed that something was off.
Logically speaking, Huang Hailing should have been one of the leaders of Zone 2227.
Yet the Secret Realm card wasn’t in her possession, nor was it with Huang Yong, who stood beside her.
No matter how he looked at it, it seemed strange.
Growing wary, Bai Qiu asked, “If I’m not mistaken, you and he are the strongest players in Zone 2227, right? Then why isn’t the card with either of you?”
Only after Huang Hailing repeatedly explained the situation did Bai Qiu finally agree to accompany her to Zone 2227.
According to her, whenever members of their clan went out, they left valuable resources that weren’t immediately needed inside the Safe Zone for safekeeping.
That way, even if something happened to them, those important resources wouldn’t be lost.
Although Bai Qiu didn’t fully understand the practice, he respected other people’s customs.
If they did things that way, they must have had their reasons.
Even so, when they reached the teleportation device and prepared to teleport, Bai Qiu still kept his guard up, determined not to let history repeat itself.
After successfully arriving in Zone 2227, it turned out that Bai Qiu’s paranoia had flared up for nothing.
His senses detected no ambushers nearby—only countless chaotic auras of varying strengths scattered throughout the area.
“Come with me. I’ll take you to meet my grandfather. The Secret Realm card is with him,” Huang Hailing said.
With that, she led Bai Qiu away.
She rode the Wind Spirit Hoverboard that Bai Qiu had gifted her, while Bai Qiu simply used his wind manipulation to fly.
As for Huang Yong, he headed downstairs on foot.
Not long after the three of them left, a snakewoman with disheveled hair and a haggard face slithered over to the teleportation device.
She let out a quiet sigh and collapsed beside it, sitting limply on the ground.
Suddenly, her nose twitched, as though she had caught a familiar scent.
The lifeless look in her eyes instantly vanished, replaced by excitement.
She hurried over to the teleportation device and sniffed it carefully before muttering to herself, “It’s him… It’s him! That’s right… he came!”
She immediately began dancing with joy.
After calming herself down, she started sniffing the air everywhere, following the scent as she walked.
But the longer she followed it, the deeper her frown became.
“…Why is there another woman’s scent on him?”
— The end of the Chapter–
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