Chapter 350: Three Apostles

Chapter 350: Three Apostles

"Three, two, one..."

As the countdown ended, the neural connection began disengaging.

Rex's eyelids fluttered slightly before slowly opening his eyes.

He sat up from the chair, his expression still carrying remnants of the intense battle.

"Goodness..."

Wiping sweat from his forehead, his voice trembled with disbelief:

"I almost thought I was actually inside the Abyss... That Oppression Sensation, the fear, the adrenaline rush during combat... It felt completely real!"

"Any discomfort?" Captain Mi Le asked cautiously, stepping forward:

"Headaches, nausea, or strange sensations?"

"Not at all." Rex stretched his limbs, carefully assessing his physical condition:

"On the contrary, my mind feels exceptionally clear. I remember every single detail from that simulation like it's engraved in my memory.

I think... I think my reflexes would be significantly faster if I actually entered the Abyss right now."

This positive feedback ignited excitement among the explorers.

"I want to try next!"

"Is this training effect really this miraculous?"

"When can we all experience this?"

Luo En maintained proper caution despite the enthusiasm:

"Today was just preliminary verification. We need more data collection and comprehensive safety evaluation."

Meanwhile, the researchers' reactions in the audience section grew complex.

Wayne's already pale complexion turned ghostlier. Clutching his recording tablet so tightly his knuckles whitened:

"This level of consciousness manipulation... Unbelievable..."

His colleague whispered beside him: "Do you think there might be problems?"

"I'm not sure", Wayne shook his head. "Let's observe cautiously. New things always take time to settle."

Uther's Phantom Husk drifted around the device, its silver eye meticulously observing every technical detail.

His expression mixed - admiration for the technological achievement, anxiety about unknown consequences:

"Luo En, this reality simulation has already approached some... dangerous boundaries."

The old professor's voice carried concern: "Some doors, once opened, can never be closed again."

"But I must admit", he continued, "the value of this technology is undeniable. If properly applied, it could significantly reduce the explorer fatality rate."

Luo En nodded understandingly:

"Exactly why we must proceed with extra caution. Every new technology carries risks. The key lies in controlling those risks within acceptable parameters."

After the test, the audience gradually dispersed.

Yet each person carried deep impressions. This epoch-making technological breakthrough would undoubtedly transform Abyss exploration profoundly.

Explorers excitedly discussed possibilities of this new training method;

Researchers worriedly contemplated potential risks;

Management already considered integrating this into formal training systems.

Beneath all these reactions, a deeper transformation quietly unfolded.

Through this successful demonstration, Luo En proved his technical prowess, establishing new authority within the Observatory.

From today onward, no one would dare question his capability or position.

...

In the depths of the Darkless Sea, Na Rui's massive form anxiously swam within its Treasure Vault.

Its tentacles twitched nervously, each movement stirring powerful undercurrents that made the entire vault tremble.

The countless eyes on the walls sensed their master's unease, displaying worried expressions.

Some smaller eyes even shed tears, condensing into precious Abyss essence. But Na Rui paid no attention to these treasures.

"No, no... This won't do... This won't do at all..."

Na Rui's voice echoed through the Consciousness Field, carrying a young mother's typical anxiety:

"My little baobao (darling) is growing so fast—its appetite keeps increasing..."

It swam toward almost empty storage chambers, tentacles gently caressing remaining containers.

Once full of precious ingredients, now only ordinary supplies remained.

"All truly nutritious Abyssal Creatures had already been fed to its beloved 'baobao.'"

Turning toward the center of the Treasure Vault, Na Rui fixed its gaze on the special vesicle containing the Puppet Substitute.

The Puppet's growth rate was indeed astonishing. Its rune network had become more complex and luminous, radiating stronger Boonfluctuations.

Whenever Na Rui felt that warm, pure mana, overwhelming maternal protective instincts surged within.

"My little angel..."

It whispered tenderly, voice overflowing with affection:

You're my most precious baobao. Mommy will never let you go hungry...

But reality remained harsh.

The Abyss hunting domain divisions were extremely strict - the fundamental rule maintaining fragile balances between Apostles.

Each Apostle had fixed hunting grounds. Intruding meant provocation, potentially triggering bloody territorial wars.

Na Rui might be naive, but not foolish.

It clearly understood its current strength and status couldn't withstand conflicts with other Apostles.

"But... But I can't let my baobao go hungry..."

Internally conflicted, Na Rui finally gathered courage, deciding to seek Cha Ye's help.

After all, the latter had explicitly mentioned considering expanded hunting privileges. Now was the time to claim that promise.

"Cha Ye sir..."

Na Rui cautiously initiated communication, voice carrying a little girl's typical timidity and expectation:

"I... I have a favor to ask..."

Deep within the Magma Sea of Abyss Layer 9, Cha Ye continued his brutal self-training.

His colossal body endured temperatures and pressures capable of melting mountains.

Three faces twisted simultaneously, enduring unimaginable pain.

This pain was precisely what he pursued.

Only in extreme states could he keep pushing his physical limits that had already reached peak levels.

Na Rui's unexpected interruption predictably soured his mood:

"Again you... What is it now?"

His voice raged like erupting magma but quickly suppressed itself.

Na Rui might carry valuable information. No need to completely sever ties yet.

"It's... It's about my baobao..." Na Rui's voice became even more timid.

"It's growing too fast! My current reserves aren't enough anymore..."

After a pause to gather courage, it continued:

"You mentioned before that if needed, you might consider expanding my hunting privileges..."

Cha Ye's three brains operated simultaneously.

This was indeed an excellent opportunity.

Expanding Na Rui's activity range could better facilitate the Puppet Substitute's mysterious transformation and growth.

This arrangement required practically no real cost from him.

Deep within his Dragon-Headed Demon heart, he already considered that Puppet Substitute as his possession.

After all, he was the Supreme Apostle's Second, capable of rivaling the "Void Spider" Magus.

What resistance could Na Rui - someone who hadn't even mastered its own territory - possibly offer?

"I see..." Cha Ye's tone turned "kind":

"Seems your 'baobao' indeed has great potential. But cross-domain hunting isn't trivial..." He deliberately paused, letting Na Rui's anxiety ferment. "Where specifically do you want to go?"

He deliberately paused, letting Na Rui's anxiety ferment:

"Where specifically do you want to go?"

"Blood Tear Duke's territory..." Na Rui eagerly replied, voice tinged with childish yearning:

"I heard there are many rare emotional flowers and pure Despair crystallizations there. These would greatly help my baobao develop..."

"And Mad Bite's territory too. Their mutationprey has high protein content..."

Growing more excited, its greed seemed boundless:

"Oh, and the Dream Essence from the Nightmare Queen's domain. I believe my darling will require these unique nutrients..."

Internally smirking, Cha Ye noted how Na Rui's choices exposed its true nature - selecting the most valuable resource zones.

"Indeed... quite challenging."

Feigning difficulty, he continued:

"You know Asmodeus, Morglon, and Selina aren't easy to deal with. Getting them to open hunting privileges..."

"Please, please!" Na Rui's voice turned tearful:

"I truly have no other options! I can't let my baobao go hungry! It's the most important being in my life!"

Hearing such heartfelt words, Cha Ye frowned slightly, almost speechless.

Was this really the same "Abyssal Eye" - the living blade calamity that devoured countless Layer 5 lives upon every awakening - that explorers feared?

"Fine, fine." He finally "reluctantly" agreed, voice carrying artificial generosity:

"Since you're taking such good care, I'll intervene to coordinate. But you must promise me several conditions."

"What conditions? I'll agree to everything!"

Na Rui nearly fainted from excitement:

"I'll accept any conditions if they help my treasure!"

"First, you must regularly report hunting details and your 'baobao's transformation progress. Second, maintain absolute stealth during hunting - no conflicts with other Apostles' domains. Do not expose your 'baobao's uniqueness under any circumstances."

Cha Ye's tone turned serious:

"I need to ensure this arrangement causes no unnecessary issues."

"Second, maintain absolute stealth when hunting within other Apostles' territories. No conflicts. No revealing your 'baobao's' uniqueness."

“Finally, if there’s any abnormal transformation, you must notify me immediately.”

“Got it! I’ve memorized everything!”

Na Rui excitedly vowed, “I’ll be careful—I won’t cause you any trouble!”

After ending the communication, Cha Ye immediately began contacting the other Apostles.

As one of the thirteen Supreme Apostles, he held authority over coordinating Abyss affairs.

However, his authority was limited to coordination—no direct control. After all, every Apostle was an absolute monarch within their own territory.

Exercising this authority required both strategy and finesse.

The first to be contacted was “Blood Tear Duke” Asmodeus.

This cunning young Apostle was handling affairs in his crimson palace, surrounded by dozens of Vampire progeny. Several beauties knelt before him, dutifully serving their ancestor.

“Cha Ye, sir?”

Asmodeus signaled the women beneath him to stop, his voice laced with vigilance:

“To have you reach out personally… what an unexpected honor.”

He elegantly twirled a blood-red rose in his hand:

“Let me guess… this won’t be good news.”

“It’s about ‘Abyssal Eye’ Na Rui’s hunting privileges.”

Cha Ye cut straight to the point:

“It’s cultivating a special project lately and needs more high-quality resources. I hope you’ll grant hunting privileges in certain areas.”

“Na Rui?”

Asmodeus let out a contemptuous laugh:

“That failure who can’t even cultivate a single subordinate? What special project could it possibly have? Don’t tell me it’s found another ‘perfect transformation objective.’”

His tone dripped with mockery:

“It said the same thing last time. What happened then? That pitiful Moonlight Rank mage ended up a drooling idiot.”

Cha Ye maintained his patience:

“This time is different. I can’t disclose specific details, but I guarantee this benefits the Abyss’s overall stability.”

Asmodeus stopped fiddling with the flower, his sharp eyes gleaming.

“Dragon-Headed Demon” Cha Ye was no mindless brute as rumored by mages.

Quite the opposite—he was remarkably clear-headed, never acting without purpose.

If Cha Ye was personally vouching for Na Rui, the seemingly useless innate Apostle must’ve truly discovered something valuable.

“…This is strange,” Asmodeus mused, quickly analyzing the deeper implications.

“If Cha Ye suddenly cares so much about Na Rui, there must be benefits to reap.”

He dismissed his attendants and walked to the palace’s floor-to-ceiling windows.

Through the glass, his territory’s sinister beauty unfolded—gardens nurtured by emotions, creatures that feasted on despair, and eternal crying springs.

“Since it’s your request, sir, I’ll grant hunting privileges in the southwest region.”

He made his decision:

“But with a condition—Na Rui’s activities in my territory must be supervised by my subordinates. I need to… ensure it doesn’t disrupt my carefully maintained ecosystem.”

The true intent was obvious—Asmodeus wanted firsthand observation of Na Rui’s anomalies.

“…Fine,” Cha Ye pretended to hesitate.

“But my subordinates can’t interfere with Na Rui’s normal hunting.”

“As observers only,” Asmodeus smiled elegantly, though danger lurked beneath his lips.

Next came “Mad Bite” Morglon.

This Apostle, infamous for cruelty and brutality, was watching blood-soaked gladiatorial fights in his arena.

Savagery and violence were his greatest pleasures—and his power source.

“Cha Ye? You’d better have good news,” Morglon’s beast-like roar rumbled. “I’m in a terrible mood.”

His mood was indeed foul.

A cowardly gladiator had ruined an otherwise thrilling match by surrendering instead of fighting to the death.

“Mad Bite” Morglon was one of the oldest Apostles, so Cha Ye was accustomed to his brutish manner.

“I’m here about Na Rui,” Cha Ye said patiently. “It needs to hunt in your territory…”

“Let that failure into my territory?!”

Morglon’s roar nearly collapsed the arena stands:

“You’ve got to be kidding! Last time, it lost an experimental subject here, and we never found it!”

He smashed a stone pillar with his fist, reducing it to dust:

“That idiot couldn’t even keep watch over a half-dead subject. You expect me to let it run wild here?!”

“That was an accident,” Cha Ye countered. “Besides, Na Rui is far more stable now. It won’t trouble you.”

“Stable?” Morglon sneered. “How stable can an Innate Chaos get? Unless…”

He paused, eyes glinting cunningly.

As one of the eldest Apostles, Morglon sensed the anomaly immediately.

If Na Rui’s spirit state had truly stabilized, it couldn’t have happened naturally.

“Unless it actually found something to stabilize its rationality.”

Morglon’s cruel laugh chilled the air: “That does pique my interest.”

Cha Ye inwardly cursed Morglon’s keenness but kept his composure:

“In any case, this benefits everyone. What do you think?”

“Fine. Since you’re asking, I’ll grant it.”

Morglon finally relented, his eyes glowing with dangerous red light:

“But I have a condition too. If I find anything valuable, I get a share.”

His tone turned threatening:

“And if that fool causes trouble again, I’ll rip it apart.”

“…We’ll see,” Cha Ye replied vaguely, already calculating potential complications.

Lastly came “Nightmare Queen” Selina.

This enigmatic Apostle rarely involved herself in Abyss affairs. Her Dream Palace was an incomprehensible realm to outsiders.

“Cha Ye, sir…”

Selina’s silk-soft voice carried unsettling undertones:

“You’ve been busy today—Asmodeus, Morglon, now me. All for that pitiful Na Rui?”

Her tone hinted at omniscience:

“Let me guess… it’s encountered some special circumstances?”

“You were eavesdropping?” Cha Ye’s voice darkened.

“Not eavesdropping, dear sir,” Selina chuckled lightly.

“Perception. The emotional fluctuations of the entire fifth layer and parts of the sixth flow through my awareness. Na Rui’s recent state has been… peculiar.”

Her voice grew more mysterious:

“That pure maternal love, protective instincts, and the strange fluctuations from its ‘treasure’… Surely you don’t think I’d miss that?”

Cha Ye realized he’d underestimated Selina’s power.

This Nightmare Queen not only sensed Na Rui’s anomaly but even perceived the Puppet’s existence.

Concealment was pointless now.

“What’s your stance?” Cha Ye asked directly.

“I’ll grant hunting privileges,” Selina purred.

“But in exchange, I want to observe Na Rui’s ‘treasure’ up close when the time comes.”

She paused:

“That pure emotional fluctuation would greatly aid my research. I’m curious—what could instill such stable maternal emotions in an innate Chaos?”

“…Fine,” Cha Ye reluctantly agreed.

After the negotiations, he found himself in an unexpected predicament—not gaining an advantage, but rather alerting other Apostles to Na Rui’s anomalies.

Now, every Apostle in the fifth layer would be watching Na Rui and its “treasure” closely.

“These old foxes who’ve lived for eons… sigh.” He sighed inwardly.

Aside from Na Rui’s innate Chaos nature, none of the Apostles were easy prey.

“Still, things remain manageable for now.” Cha Ye consoled himself:

“And with so many Apostles observing, we’ll better evaluate the Puppet’s true worth.”

Meanwhile, deep within the Darkless Sea, Na Rui was rolling joyfully inside its Treasure Vault.

When it received Cha Ye’s good news, its excitement nearly shattered its rationality.

“Wonderful! Wonderful!”

It circled the vesicle containing the Puppet, its voice brimming with exhilaration:

“My little treasure, Mama secured the best hunting grounds for you! Soon, I’ll prepare richer, more nutritious food!”

The Puppet seemed to sense Na Rui’s emotional transformation—the runes on its surface glowed brighter.

“You’re happy for Mama, aren’t you?”

Na Rui gently stroked the vesicle’s surface, its voice overflowing with maternal affection:

“Don’t worry, Mama will protect you. You’ll grow up safe and healthy.”

Beneath this innocent joy, a storm was slowly brewing.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end