Chapter 1464: Message from Headquarters

*Hum————*

Amidst a low roar, an incredibly massive steel realm slowly rose from the ruins.

“How is it? Are there any surviving citizens below?”

“There are a dozen or so, but those people don't seem to want to come with us; they want to go on their own.”

“Go on their own? Hmph, do they want to walk all the way to the Tian-Shu Realm? They’re just looking for death... Forget them. How many people did we take in this time?”

“About three hundred thousand.”

“Alright, then we’re done. We can go back and report to His Majesty!”

“By the way... among these people, there are quite a few surviving God Path possessors. What should we do with them?”

“Are they the ones from the Esoteric Sect?”

“No, the core members of the Esoteric Sect didn't board the Wuji Realm; they left on their own.”

“Oh, then just pick out some with potential from these people and take them back for His Majesty to see. As for the others, let them be.”

At the edge of the steel Wuji Realm, a few figures took one last look at the Xuan-Yu Realm, which had completely turned into ruins, and prepared to leave. But just as they turned back, a figure draped in a black robe stood quietly behind them.

Seeing this person, they were all startled.

“Lord... Lord Wuji, is something the matter?”

“No.” Lord Wuji wasn't looking at them at all. His gaze overlooked the ruins of the realm below, wondering what he was thinking.

“By the way, Lord Wuji, do we really not need to worry about the Xuan-Yu Monarch’s corpse?”

“...No need.”

In the reflection of Lord Wuji’s pupils, one could see figures slowly approaching the ruins and the deep pit in the center of the ruins...

He took a deep look at those people, then turned and left.

“Someone... will take care of him.”

……

“‘I see the sky weeping’,”

“‘I hear your voice’,”

“‘I smell longing blooming in the thorns’,”

“‘I walk from the direction of the sunset’...”

A melodious and mysterious ballad echoed over the dead, silent Xuan-Yu ruins.

Figures in suits and leather shoes crossed streets stained red with blood and corpses, walking through the dilapidated ruins. A light, drizzling rain fell from the clouds, and the black umbrellas in their hands swayed silently like blooming flowers of the underworld.

“Thanks to Senior Diamond 10 for this.” Sun Bumian bowed to Diamond 10, who was carrying a coffin on his back. “If it weren't for you bringing three suits, we would have been... really embarrassed.”

“Don't thank me, it was that kid Chu Muyun who was thoughtful,” Diamond 10 waved his hand.

“‘Those kids from Spade 6 have been doing so well in the Xuan-Yu Realm lately that they’re probably going to forget our old trade. You should bring a few more sets of clothes so they don't embarrass our Twilight Society’... That’s exactly what he said.”

“Uh... we didn't expect the Xuan-Yu Realm to be gone so quickly...”

Sun Bumian’s expression became increasingly awkward. It felt like having a secret part-time job behind the company’s back, only to be caught red-handed by the company’s HR.

Jiang Xiaohua, who rarely wore a proper suit, walked beside Sun Bumian, but he seemed uncomfortable no matter how he wore it, itching all over. If Sun Bumian hadn't stopped him, he would have taken the clothes off long ago.

Jian Changsheng was also among them. Wearing that temporarily borrowed suit, he suddenly seemed to notice something and looked back into the misty rain.

A young man wearing a “Sheng” (Life) character mask stood far away, holding an umbrella alone, singing a requiem while looking in a certain direction... His figure was submerged in the water vapor, his voice mournful and melodious.

“Found it,” Diamond 10 stopped. “The Xuan-Yu Monarch’s corpse.”

Everyone’s gaze fell on the center of the deep pit ahead. A figure stood as straight as a nail on the earth, his clothes fluttering silently in the breeze. Although he no longer had any breath of life, the domineering and sharp aura unique to a Nine Monarch still gave a strong psychological deterrent.

Jiang Xiaohua was about to step forward, but in the next second, Sun Bumian reached out and stopped him.

Jiang Xiaohua looked at Sun Bumian in confusion.

“Wait a moment.”

Sun Bumian’s gaze was fixed on the other side of the deep pit.

A few survivors of the Xuan-Yu Realm, looking like reporters, came stumbling from the distance. They saw the corpse of the Xuan-Yu Monarch in the deep pit and opened their mouths in shock...

“Look!! It’s the Xuan-Yu Monarch!!”

“The Xuan-Yu Monarch... has died in battle!!”

“But... but why is he still standing??”

“What do you know! That’s the Xuan-Yu Monarch, the upright Xuan-Yu Monarch!! He banished a World-Ending Calamity, and even in death, he died standing!! Now that’s what you call a real man!!”

“Quick!! Take more pictures!!!”

Those survivors rushed to the Xuan-Yu Monarch regardless of the danger, recorded everything with their cameras, and then each kowtowed to the Xuan-Yu Monarch a few times before hurrying away...

Only after they were far away did the figures in suits holding black umbrellas slowly walk out.

“Just based on those few ordinary people... can they make it to the Tian-Shu Realm?” A red-haired girl in a suit pouted, looking in the direction they had left. At her feet, a large black dog lay quietly.

In the pocket of the girl’s chest, there was also a playing card.

—[Heart 10].

“Club Q has already followed them,” Diamond 10 said calmly. “With him escorting them, these people will be very safe.”

“Eh? Is he that kind-hearted?”

“He has always been like that.”

As he spoke, Diamond 10 had already arrived beside the Xuan-Yu Monarch’s corpse. He first bowed with his hands together in respect, then opened the coffin on his back, and with the help of Jian Changsheng and Sun Bumian, recovered the corpse into it.

As the coffin lid closed tightly, Diamond 10 rubbed his fingertips gently over its surface...

“Xuan-Yu Monarch, recovery successful.”

He carried the coffin on his back and was just about to leave when suddenly, a bird in the sky approached them rapidly.

The red-haired girl, Heart 10, raised her hand, and under her beckoning, the bird landed obediently on her arm... Only then did everyone see that a small letter tube was hanging from the bird’s leg.

“What is this?” Jian Changsheng asked in confusion.

“A letter from Twilight Society headquarters.”

The moment Heart 10 said these words, everyone’s faces were filled with confusion. At this busiest of times, the Twilight Society leadership was sending a special message to everyone?

Had something major happened?

Heart 10 didn't say a word and directly opened the letter tube, which contained a small slip of paper.

Seeing the content on the slip, the red-haired girl’s mouth gradually opened until it formed a big “O,” and she was completely shocked!

“What does it say??” everyone couldn't help but ask.

The red-haired girl put down the slip and spoke word by word:

“We...”

“are about to welcome a new Red King.”