Chapter 170: At Last

Chapter 170: At Last

Xue Pengkai stepped into a sea of flowers.

The air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and the sweet aromas of various flowers and fruits. A small, cute magical fairy with wings fluttered over to him.

"Xue, you're here to see me again~"

The magical fairy seemed delighted. She circled Xue Pengkai once, and a beautiful wreath of flowers appeared out of nowhere, settling on his head. It was a gesture of friendship.

Xue Pengkai extended his hand, letting the magical fairy land in his palm. His voice was gentle.

"Sera, would you like to see a magic trick?"

"Sure, sure!"

The magical fairy looked at him with eager anticipation, her smile sweet.

Xue Pengkai took out two playing cards. He tore a small piece from the bottom half of one card, then placed the intact card over it. He spread his hands to show he wasn't cheating, then flipped the cards over.

The torn piece had somehow moved to the top half of the card.

"Amazing!"

The magical fairy clapped her hands, her eyes filled with admiration.

Xue Pengkai smiled. "Can you do it, Sera?"

"Of course I can!"

The magical fairy flew over to a smaller set of playing cards, covering the torn card with the intact one. She mimicked Xue Pengkai's actions, spreading her hands and then flipping the cards.

The torn piece had moved back to the bottom.

The magical fairy beamed with pride. "What do you think? Sera is very smart, I learned it right away."

"Sera, did you use a miracle?"

"No, I did a magic trick!"

The magical fairy's face turned red, a mix of shame and defiance. She crossed her arms, still arguing her point.

"Actually, this trick can move the tear from a distance. Unless Sera can do the same, I'll think she's lying."

Xue Pengkai's face remained smiling, but his eyes were calm. He knew his magical fairy well. She was always concerned about her reputation and would never admit her mistakes, so she would definitely agree to his request.

"No, Sera is not lying!"

The magical fairy's face turned even redder as she waved her magic wand, her eyes glinting with a sly look.

Her silly friend didn't know that miracles could be performed from a distance, did he?

"Name a place, and I'll show you!"

"Alright."

Xue Pengkai lowered his eyelids, feeling his heart race. "The tenth floor underground, the room marked 'Derivative 3.' There's a small opening at the bottom of the door used for delivering food and supplies. Can you move that opening to the door handle?"

The magical fairy's eyes glowed with a soft light, and she saw the destination clearly.

It was a plain wooden door with a "1408" sign, sealed with transparent tape. Only the lower middle part was left uncovered.

"I can do it, but won't the sign fall off?"

"It's fine. If it falls, we can pick it up and hang it back up."

"Alright, I'll show you now!"

"Wait, Sera. Wait until tomorrow."

Xue Pengkai stopped the magical fairy, a strange thrill coursing through him. He hadn't felt his heart race like this in a long time, and the adrenaline made his voice a bit dry.

"Tomorrow at 9 AM, my friend—"

He paused, his smile widening. "Or maybe two friends, a man and a woman, will be checking that room. When they start talking, you can perform the trick."

"No problem!"

---

A light mist of clouds partially obscured the moon, the dim moonlight reminiscent of a romantic couple in the early stages of a relationship.

Inside the gym, a fierce hand-to-hand combat was taking place.

Wang Lang had cornered Kelly against the wall, trying to overpower her with his strength and the terrain. But she didn't flinch, using her superior wrist strength to break his grip and counter with a swift jab to his neck.

The powerful blow made him feel as if his neck had snapped. Before he could retaliate, a flurry of strikes followed—Bruce Lee's signature backfist and a straight punch.

A kaleidoscope of colors exploded before his eyes, and Wang Lang groaned in pain.

The next moment, a pair of long, powerful legs locked around his neck, and he was thrown to the ground with a heavy thud.

Bang—

"Two and a half minutes, not bad. You're lasting longer."

Kelly dusted off her clothes, watching Wang Lang, who looked bruised and battered, slowly get up. She continued her instruction.

"Don't get too cocky just because you became a Level 3 in a short time. You should know that your rapid advancement is entirely due to your mental immunity. Whether it's the Nameless Portrait, the Emotion Processor, or the Book of the Dead, their main threat is mental."

"Sealed objects don't fight by the rules. Being immune to mental attacks doesn't mean you can handle physical threats." Kelly waved him over. "Why don't you use the Book of the Dead?"

The Level 1 Sealed Object, the Book of the Dead, contained numerous evil spells. It could summon spirits, zombies, and powerful dark magic. Its most formidable skill, "Plague of the Undead," could open a portal to another world, summoning endless hordes of deathly creatures, easily covering a large city.

The downside was clear: learning these spells would drive one mad, and using them would drive one even faster. But for Wang Lang, this was a non-issue. He could use the dark magic without consequences.

"It's just a sparring match. No need to use such a powerful Sealed Object."

Wang Lang held his bleeding nose, forcing a smile. "What if I hurt you?"

”

  “Huh.”

  Kelli almost burst out laughing at his words. "Maybe it’s because I’m used to sparring with you that you’ve developed some kind of misconception."

  "I may not be a frontline fighter among the supervisors, but if you underestimate me because of that, you’re still too young."

  "Even if I’m not skilled in combat, with enough preparation time to mobilize the sealed artifacts under my management, destroying a nation is a piece of cake for me."

  "So, don’t worry about hurting me."

  "But I would feel heartbroken."

  Wang Lang’s face turned red, his eyes darting around. After saying that, he panicked and ran off without a second thought.

  Kelli stood there, a bit dazed.

  "The scent of love is in the air."

  A calm male voice approached, and a refined middle-aged man entered the gym. His eyes held a hint of teasing and mockery.

  "Supervisor Chu Liang."

  Chu Liang, the head of the Records Department, was the only Chinese supervisor among the four. He was strong, reliable, and had a long tenure. When Kelli first joined the Future Fund, he was already a supervisor.

  If it weren’t for Wang Ming’s influence, he would most likely have become the second manager of the Future Fund, alongside the one-eyed Preller.

  Kelli nodded to Chu Liang, her expression cool. "I respect you, so please don’t speak out of turn."

  "Mainly because you just acted like a love-struck teenager, even though you’re almost forty."

  Kelli’s face darkened. "If only you could keep your mouth shut, you’d be a perfect man."

  She took out a lipstick and waved it. "I admit, I’ve been acting a bit unusual, but these are just side effects of the ‘Inequality Lipstick’ and the arrangements by the Story Editing Department. I know the difference."

  "If we’re being picky, you could say your previous life as a monk was due to the ‘Ring of Tranquility.’ Forget it, I’ll stop being a ladies’ man. I’m here to tell you something."

  Chu Liang shook his head, his expression turning serious.

  "What is it?"

  Chu Liang pointed to his eyelid. "When I woke up today, my right eyelid has been twitching. In Chinese culture, there’s an old saying: left eye twitching brings wealth, right eye twitching brings disaster. So, I think something troublesome might be coming."

  Kelli fell silent.

  "You don’t believe me?"

  Chu Liang looked a bit hurt after waiting for a response.

  Kelli spoke gently. "If you hadn’t used ‘Dorian Gray’s Portrait’ to stabilize your physical condition, I would definitely believe you."

  This time, it was Chu Liang’s turn to be silent.

  "There’s something I’ve always wanted to ask you. Do you still have normal physiological functions? Don’t misunderstand, I’m not talking about that specific aspect, though, of course, that’s included too."

  The heartfelt punch left Chu Liang speechless.

  "Is your vengefulness a bit too strong? I just mentioned your age, and I didn’t say anything wrong."

  "Is your heart a bit too small? I just said you can’t do it, and I didn’t say anything wrong."

  Chu Liang turned away, his face dark. "Tell Anna and Crevan to strengthen their vigilance. I really have a bad feeling about this. If the cost of using 0-9 wasn’t so high, I would have already made the request."

  "At the very least, Anna will be happy to hear this news."

  ---

  A miniature door in Luk’s hand transformed endlessly, opening and closing with his gestures.

  "Truly complicated."

  Feeling the spatial distortions that seemed impossible to unravel, Luk continued his analysis. If he could fully understand the 1408 doorplate, his spatial mastery would make a significant leap.

  These sealed artifacts were like toys crafted by a top-tier master using the most precious materials. They were incredibly strong, yet their effects and side effects were whimsical.

  In a way, if he hadn’t been locked up for eighteen years and four days, he would have been quite willing to join the Future Fund and gradually understand these artifacts from the inside.

  But now, he only wanted to destroy the world.

  "I guess I’m the first true antagonist Luk."

  Luk murmured, glancing at the clock in the hotel suite. It was 8:58.

  Ding dong~

  The subtle elevator sound was captured by his superhuman hearing, followed by two sets of light footsteps growing louder.

  Wang Lang felt a bit nervous, as this was his first time reaching the tenth floor. According to Kelli, everything inside could change the fate of a nation, a continent, or even the entire world.

  Kelli walked beside him, her rhythmic footsteps helping him calm down. They stopped at the room marked "Derivative No. 3."

  Looking at the teenager on the monitor, Wang Lang reviewed Kelli’s instructions: he couldn’t call him "Derivative No. 3," but had to use his name.

  He spoke slowly.

  "Luk, hello."

  At the same time, deep in a sea of flowers, a magical fairy lying on a flower bud began to mutter.

  "It’s time. Let’s see Sera’s miracle!"

  Reality seemed to warp for a moment, and a gap appeared below the door, replacing the doorplate.

  Click—

  The 1408 doorplate fell to the ground in front of Wang Lang’s stunned eyes. Kelli’s face turned pale, and she was about to pick up the doorplate and reattach it.

  But it was too late.

  "Wang Lang, hello."

  The next second, Luk appeared outside the door, politely greeting them with a genuine smile.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end