"Since you an no harm..."
"Then you must want sothing beneficial?"
Lin Ling also stood on a patch of irradiated soil, though it was clearly visible—
Her feet weren't actually touching the ground but hovering slightly.
This elder sister was already quite tall.
With this hovering posture, she appeared even taller than the chubby guy.
Her imposing aura completely overwheld his too.
Yet this chubby fellow who played dumb while being formidable maintained an honest and simple deanor throughout.
He didn't seem to detect the domineering tone in Lin Ling's words and actually started discussing benefits straightforwardly.
"First," the chubby guy raised an index finger, "I want the Ghost Valley Soul Shepherd Formation's array disk."
Jiang Ye couldn't help but marvel—this chubby guy was practically born to play the fool while being formidable.
To say such words so shalessly...
For most people, that would be the height of arrogance.
Yet when this chubby guy said it, it didn't affect his simpleton vibe at all.
Making it seem like he wasn't making threats but just spouting nonsense due to stupidity.
Lin Ling didn't appear angered, asking expressionlessly, "Second?"
"Second," the chubby guy raised two fingers like making a peace sign for photos, "When all restrictions in the Abyss Restricted Zone are broken, I want one spot for exploring it."
Lin Ling remained impassive, asking directly again, "Third?"
"Third..."
The chubby guy's peace sign transford into a finger-pointing gesture.
But after holding it briefly, he suddenly shifted his finger to point at Jiang Ye.
"Him, I want him too."
???
Him? Who?
??
Jiang Ye had just been a bystander enjoying the show.
Suddenly being pointed at by the central figure of this drama left him utterly dumbfounded.
Wait?
What about ? Did I offend you sohow??
Could this chubby guy have seen through my... bah!
Could he have seen that Zhang Minghan can be both top and bottom??
Now that would be... absolutely ridiculous!
Jiang Ye felt an ominous premonition and finally began regretting.
Had he known earlier, he should've escaped when the chubby guy and Xiao Bai were fighting!
Now, being singled out by the chubby guy, escaping seed impossible!
Damn your big mouth!
Was the show really worth watching? Did you need to get stabbed by Runtu's spear to learn your lesson?!
Though internally screaming, Jiang Ye maintained a calm facade, continuing his indifferent bystander act.
After all, he had no say here.
Lin Ling hadn't agreed to these first, second, and third demands yet.
Her expression remained unchanged regarding the chubby guy wanting Zhang Minghan, seemingly indifferent.
She just raised an eyebrow perfunctorily, "Fourth?"
"Fourth." The chubby guy paused slightly. "Haven't thought of it yet. I'll tell you when I do."
Hah, such audacity!
Lin Ling indeed let out a cold laugh.
But surprisingly to Jiang Ye, she didn't attack imdiately.
Instead, she glanced sideways at the chubby guy before saying gravely:
"Since you claim no ill intent..."
"What do I get for agreeing to these three points?"
"First..."
The chubby guy raised a finger again, but this ti it was his left hand.
His right hand flipped over to reveal sothing in his palm...
What was that?
A talisman?
Didn't quite look like one.
Due to the Abyssal Depths' special environnt, even with [Owl's Eyes] helping him see, Jiang Ye's night vision wasn't clear.
He couldn't make out what the chubby guy was holding.
Only vaguely sensing it resembled an omamori—a protective charm of sorts.
Who knew what made this charm-like item so extraordinary.
Lin Ling's perpetually aloof expression visibly cracked the mont she saw it.
Her eyes widened in utter disbelief!
The chubby guy kept his eyes closed, perhaps unaware of her reaction, continuing leisurely:
"First, this protective charm is yours."
This ti, Lin Ling didn't coldly prompt "Second" as before.
She directly questioned, unable to hide her shock, "Where did you get this protective charm?!"
The chubby guy remained expressionless, waving slightly, "Don't rush, let finish."
Then he made another peace sign: "Second."
"You're forcibly exploring the Abyss Restricted Zone to investigate whether the Land of Rebirth holds clues to resurrecting your Jade Flask."
"My goal differs from yours."
"So even if I get exploration rights, we won't conflict."
"Conversely, if the Land of Rebirth has dangers, we can fight side by side."
Lin Ling seed barely listening, her mind clearly captivated by the protective charm.
Lost in thought about sothing.
As for Jiang Ye the bystander, he was surprised.
He'd heard of the "Land of Rebirth" from Zhang Minghan and [Eternal Witch Gui]'s mories.
But in both mories, information about it was just baseless rumors.
Legend said during Doomsday Apartnt's early days, light-type players ruled the pyramid's peak.
All dark-type players had to bow before them, serving their every whim.
Given light's natural suppression of darkness, one could say dark-types survived at light's rcy.
But light-type players were ultimately few.
And ununited at that.
Each basking in their high status, unbearably arrogant.
As the saying goes, two tigers can't share one mountain.
Yet every light-type player was a "tiger."
Supposedly, one exceptionally powerful light-type player subdued all others.
Those who yielded joined him.
Those who resisted were exterminated.
That history resembled Qin Shi Huang conquering the warring states, unifying China.
Only one voice was allowed in Doomsday Apartnt—
That of the strongest light-type bigshot!
He was Doomsday Apartnt's heaven, its "First Emperor."
Naturally, with a light-type emperor, assassins like Jing Ke would erge.
Many wanted this "Light Emperor" dead.
Moreover, dark-types instinctively feared light.
As long as the Light Emperor lived, no dark-type could sleep peacefully.
Back then, Doomsday Apartnt was still developing rapidly.
Whether in Novice Apartnts or Secret Realm Towers, experts constantly erged.
So were not just strong but smart enough to play dumb and bide their ti.
With the entire Doomsday Apartnt under light's rule, resisting ant suicide.
Playing dumb clearly worked.
One dark-type bigshot grew quietly, carefully scheming to trick the Light Emperor into eliminating other light-types.
Understandable—to the Light Emperor, dark-types couldn't usurp him.
But light-types could.
Thus, under the dark scher's guidance,
Light-type numbers dwindled, nearly all purged by their own emperor.
As light-types decreased...
The Light Emperor's reckoning ca.
Light indeed suprely countered darkness.
But Doomsday Apartnt housed many light-suppressing thods.
Especially with all dark-types united against light...
Every light-countering thod beca their holy grail!
The most light-suppressing place was the Abyssal Depths.
How the Light Emperor was lured there is lost to history.
But most rumors agree he died there.
Later dark-type explorers felt light-like terror in the Restricted Zone.
Thus spread tales of a "Land of Rebirth" for the Light Emperor there.
So said it was the Dark Emperor's rebirth site instead.
Yes, new talents constantly erge—the Dark Emperor too beca history.
Supposedly consud entirely by Lightburn.
Though so say he didn't die but developed a resurrection thod against Lightburn.
Now in suspended animation, awaiting revival.
Of course, these are all rumors.
"Light Emperor" and "Dark Emperor" are just nicknas.
Though Doomsday Apartnt existed barely eight days,
Those eight days might as well be eight millennia.
That ancient history is unverifiable now.
Including "Land of Rebirth" claims—just player rumors.
Whether real is uncertain.
From Zhang Minghan and [Eternal Witch Gui]'s mories, neither believed it existed.
Yet now the chubby guy spoke as if he did.
Lin Ling still didn't react.
The chubby guy raised a third finger.
Clearly, his second "first, second, third" corresponded to the first.
Like an exchange.
Three demands, three benefits in return.
His third demand was Zhang Minghan.
Now the third benefit...
He glanced at Zhang Minghan again.
"Third, this is for you."
A card appeared between his fingers.
In a blink, he flicked it toward Lin Ling.
She caught it steadily, examining it briefly with surprise.
Then she pocketed it and demanded firmly:
"Any fourth? If not, answer my question now."
"Where did you get that charm? What's your relationship with the apartnt boss?"
Clearly, compared to the second and third benefits, Lin Ling cared more about the first—the charm.
Jiang Ye was shocked—what made that charm so extraordinary?
From Lin Ling's tone, it seed connected to the apartnt boss?
And her voice carried suppressed anger...
As Jiang Ye pondered,
The chubby guy explained in his simpleton voice:
"I truly have no ties to the apartnt boss."
"Honestly, I didn't know that Jade Flask was yours."
"I just treated it as ordinary burial goods and traded it to the boss."
Burial goods?
In tomb-raiding circles, this refers to funerary objects.
So this chubby guy was a tomb raider?
A master tomb raider perhaps?
Making that charm a funerary object from Jade Flask's grave?
Wait—where did Jade Flask die?
After entering Doomsday Apartnt?
Otherwise how would her grave goods reach this guy?
Many questions arose in Jiang Ye's mind.
But at least he understood Lin Ling's strong reaction now.
Not because the item was powerful, but due to its connection to her Jade Flask.
Lost in thought, the chubby guy continued:
"This deal—or cooperation—is absolutely favorable for you."
"Agree, and this charm is yours."
"Plus I'll tell you how I obtained it."
"Of course, verbal agreents lack credibility."
"So draft a contract—you're familiar with that, right?"
Lin Ling didn't answer, eyes fixed on the charm.
Objectively, the deal wasn't unreasonable.
The Ghost Valley Soul Shepherd Formation's disk had value, but not what Lin Ling sought.
If the Land of Rebirth truly existed...
Honestly, Lin Ling wasn't confident exploring it alone.
If the chubby guy's goals didn't conflict, cooperation made sense.
As for Zhang Minghan...
Frankly, Lin Ling barely rembered his na.
Just so pretty boy—no loss giving him away.
Yet she hesitated to agree imdiately.
The chubby guy seed to read her mind.
With a casual flip, the charm vanished.
He suddenly smiled at Lin Ling, still with simple politeness, saying slowly:
"Drafting contracts takes ti. So how about this—"
"I'll take this guy first."
"When your people find the formation disk, I'll return to finalize our deal, alright?"
Though phrased as a question,
He didn't wait for Lin Ling's response.
With a wave toward Zhang Minghan,
Both vanished instantly.
Leaving only the White-Robed Woman and Lin Ling on the irradiated soil.
Lin Ling's expression shifted unpredictably.
The White-Robed Woman sighed in relief, seizing the chance to ask:
"What's his deal? A Permission Player?"
Lin Ling pondered briefly before answering gravely: "Likely encountered during the Eighth Day Reshuffle. That face probably isn't his real one."
Clearly, she had suspicions about his identity.
And believed they'd t during the Eighth Day Reshuffle...
aning the chubby guy was indeed a Permission Player!
Of the sa category as Lin Ling.
Moreover, surviving the Eighth Day Reshuffle...
Suggested his permissions had likely evolved too!
This realization comforted the White-Robed Woman.
No wonder he was so strong, casually breaking Lin Ling's talismans... An Eighth Day survivor explained it.
Thinking carefully, he truly seed harmless.
She relaxed completely, then suddenly gossiped:
"If he's disguised... could he actually be female? Or... gay?"
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