Chapter 399: Each One's Trump Card

Chapter 399: Each One's Trump Card

Although he felt so embarrassed that he wanted to crawl into a hole, Kline eventually regained his composure and returned to Luke’s apartment to have an honest conversation.

"In short, my golden finger has a significant risk, and a powerful entity, whose name can't be mentioned, is trying to resurrect through me... Is that right?"

After Luke outlined the key points, omitting the parts he couldn’t discuss, Kline summarized his situation.

Luke rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Pretty much, you understand quickly."

"Of course, I’m a seasoned keyboard warrior and a well-read web novel fan."

Kline straightened his back with confidence, "I’ve read all sorts of stories, like 'The Soul of Nigeli,' where the protagonist disappears right from the start, and 'Supreme of the Age,' which is all about 'subtracting to achieve emptiness.'"

Luke clapped his hands, impressed, "Impressive, impressive, you’re truly the 'Fool'!"

"Enough of that..."

Kline gritted his teeth, feeling both angry and embarrassed, but he eventually calmed down.

"If I was designed to come to this world, how did you get here? Were you really being pursued?"

"Sort of."

Luke’s eyes grew dark as he let out a cold snort, "But the situation will soon turn around."

Kline was taken aback, "May I ask, how strong are you now?"

Initially, Luke had told him he was a Sequence 8, and after his trip to Barkeland, he had advanced to Sequence 7. However, since Luke and the "Emperor" are the same person, he clearly wasn’t just a mid-level Sequence.

With Luke’s new red hair and more masculine, handsome appearance, it was evident he had advanced again.

"Currently, I’m a Sequence 1 Archangel."

Luke played with his striking red hair, not particularly concerned, "But in reality, there’s no one on this planet who can match me, one-on-one, of course."

About My Lazy Best Friend Suddenly Becoming the Strongest

Kline’s eyes widened, and he couldn’t help but comment, "Are you really not the protagonist of some overpowered novel? Handsome, fit, and incredibly strong, you’re a heartbreaker and a harem king, and now you’re the strongest..."

Luke’s lips curled into a smirk, "How rude, I got to where I am through my own hard work!"

Sure, and pigs can fly, you cheating beast...

Kline suppressed his thoughts and asked in a low voice, "So, what do you think I should do to get out of this situation?"

Despite his rationality, the sudden revelation about the conspiracy behind his golden finger left him feeling very anxious.

"Let me see..."

A faint light flickered in Luke’s eyes, and a series of complex, mercury-like symbols appeared around Kline, branching out into various streams, but each one was blurry and hard to discern.

Compared to the last time he observed Kline’s fate, the black part representing death had been successfully overcome, but the subsequent developments were shrouded in gray mist.

Since Luke’s awakening had temporarily revived the "First Creator", both the "Heavenly Sovereign" and "God" had partially recovered.

In the battle in the Godforsaken Land, while he had managed to send the "Heavenly Sovereign" and "God" back through strategic manipulation, neither of these cunning beings would have left without a backup plan, and the "Lamp Spirit" wouldn’t have been fooled.

As a potential resurrection vessel for the "Heavenly Sovereign" and with a connection to the "Source Fort", Kline was undoubtedly one of the "Heavenly Sovereign’s" available "backup plans."

"Your situation is indeed dangerous. Although you can’t see it and haven’t felt anything unusual, the entity behind you could revive at any moment."

Luke withdrew his gaze, not hiding anything from Kline, his expression slightly more serious.

"A major event will happen soon, and I need to do something very important. Some will try to stop me, and others will help. What happens in between and what the outcome will be, even I can’t predict."

"Even though your current strength is negligible, and the entity behind you is mostly focused on a certain Monocle, it will definitely use you to interfere or cause trouble at key moments when I’m doing something important. It might even use you to threaten me."

No one can truly understand the "unknown", but Luke’s actions have given the "Heavenly Sovereign" and "God" enough information to piece together his character and behavior.

This character's trait is likely fake, but there's a small chance it could be real. They wouldn't overlook the possibility of such a “weakness.”

Kline's brows furrowed, not too surprised. After learning that his trump card was flawed, he had already considered various possibilities.

"Is there a solution?"

Luke thought for a moment and replied succinctly,

"Yes."

"What is it?"

Kline's eyes lit up with anticipation as he looked at Luke.

"I can 'pollute' you first."

Luke cautiously proposed an unsafe yet sufficiently secure plan. If he polluted Kline first, even if the "Heavenly Sovereign" attempted to revive, it would have to engage in a prolonged struggle with him.

"Pollute... What do you mean?!"

Kline's face showed shock as he suddenly jumped off the bed, took a step back, and covered himself, eyeing Luke warily.

Luke's forehead veins bulged at his reaction. "I said 'pollute,' not 'defile'!"

"Oh, oh... Sorry, I misunderstood."

Kline chuckled awkwardly, scratching his head. "Leonard is always so gay, it kinda triggered a reflex in me."

"Don't misunderstand. He's just a typical middle-school syndrome, looking for a friend with secrets. He has an old man, a Sequence 1, now probably Sequence 2, inside him."

No wonder Leonard always talks about being the protagonist of the age... Kline suddenly understood. The mysterious and villainous character seemed much more humorous and approachable now.

After a moment of hesitation, he asked, "What will happen after the pollution?"

"Have you noticed anything wrong with Old Neill?"

Kline was taken aback. "Old Neill was polluted by you?"

"He was polluted by the 'Hidden Sage.' I used my own pollution to cover his, a case of fighting fire with fire."

Luke added, without hiding anything, "After being polluted, theoretically, you'll become a backup vessel for my resurrection. Without my control, you'll gradually align with my image."

"Of course, if you don't want the pollution later, I can take it back."

Kline didn't think for long, nodding, "Alright, go ahead."

Luke was surprised by Kline's quick decision. He extended his right hand and pressed it down, and the room instantly became dim, enveloped in "secrecy" and "unknown."

"You agreed so quickly. Aren't you afraid I might harm you?"

"If you really wanted to harm me, I wouldn't stand a chance. There's an old saying: 'Distrust those you use, and use those you trust.'"

Kline involuntarily closed his eyes, feeling the air around him grow heavy, and his senses began to dull.

"You might have a dark sense of humor, blurry moral boundaries, and be unfaithful to women, but I believe you're a good person."

"Is that a compliment or an insult..."

An indescribable feeling spread through Kline's body.

He felt that in the darkness, some vague, incomprehensible, overlapping and separating circles of light began to invade and occupy his entire mind.

Just before his consciousness completely faded into darkness, he heard Luke's voice, tinged with a smile.

"Remember what you said today."

"Distrust those you use, and use those you trust."

...

In the starry realm formed by countless abstract concepts.

In a nation filled with night-blooming jasmine and deep-sleep flowers, tranquility and silence enveloped the land, making it both dangerous and warm.

At the center stood a woman in a layered dress adorned with stardust, her face veiled by a thin, translucent black veil. She remained motionless, like a beautiful and eternal statue.

"Come out."

Her gentle voice was like a lullaby, bringing peace and calm.

In the next moment, a towering figure of a flame giant appeared behind the woman, its scorching flames piercing the darkness and illuminating the surrounding area. The high temperature set the nearby plants ablaze.

The "Goddess of the Night" Amnisis turned to Luke and spoke softly, "Conqueror, it seems you've had a significant gain this time."

"Indeed, you should experience it."

Luke smiled and wrapped his arms around Amnisis from behind, his hands brushing over her stardust-dotted dress, causing it to slowly dissolve.

"How is the 'Death' uniqueness assimilation going?"

He leaned close to Amnisis's ear, asking slowly.

"The containment of uniqueness won't happen so quickly..."

The Goddess of the Night slowly exhaled, causing a tide of darkness to surge forth, enveloping everything in an impenetrable shroud.

"Tsk."

Luke didn't push the issue, narrowing his eyes and changing the subject.

"I brought you the gift you wanted. The River of Eternal Darkness will induce a forced slumber. Do you have a container ready?"

"Mm-hmm."

In the hands of the Goddess of the Night, a golden ornament shaped like a slender bird appeared. Layers of doors opened in Amnisis's hands.

Luke flashed a mischievous smile, extending his index finger toward the golden bird ornament while allowing the power of the First Sun to unleash its might.

A colorless, strongly eternal spring of water flowed into the golden bird ornament, vanishing behind the layers of doors.

At the same moment, within the dark canyon, a volcano erupted, spewing crimson lava with a temperature that burned everything in its path, carrying the forces of Conquest, Calamity, and Destruction, engulfing the entire area.

The darkness abruptly contracted, swallowing all the scenes.

When the light of the Flame Giant illuminated the dark realm once more, the two figures had returned to their normal state.

Under the thin veil of the Goddess of the Night, her gaze was inquisitive. She spoke softly.

"You brought not the water from a tributary of the River of Eternal Darkness, but from the main river. Even a True God cannot touch it. How did you bring it back?"

"Wouldn't you prefer the better effect?"

Luke's face was relaxed and refreshed, but he didn't directly answer her question.

The Goddess of the Night let out a light sigh.

"George Iii has only three days left until his ascension to godhood. You need to have a sense of urgency. Even if you don't tell me all your cards, you should let me know some."

Luke seemed to ignore her, closing his eyes lazily. Despite their many in-depth exchanges, he and the Goddess of the Night had no real emotional connection, only mutual interests.

Even with believers as anchors, the higher the Sequence, the more the human aspect fades, an unchangeable fact. The Goddess of the Night was very intelligent, and the Secret Authority was a formidable power.

Luke could be open with other women, but he couldn't be completely unguarded with her. He believed she felt the same way, likely having already devised various countermeasures in her mind.

"Can you tell me some of your own cards?"

The Goddess of the Night was silent for a moment, her soft voice tinged with a hint of resignation and compromise.

"Mother Earth, Lilith, is my ally; she is not the mother of the War God Bader, but rather my ally, disguising herself as the Vampire Ancestor Lilith."

"Hearing the name 'Lilith,' you should know her identity, right?"

Luke didn't show any surprise or lack thereof, just smiling and nodding.

"She is also one of the Old Ones. Her luck has been good, but unfortunately, it's still not enough."

The Moon and Mother pathways are Extraordinary Traits torn from the Fallen Mother Goddess, the Master of the Real World, the Mother of All Things, one of the three pillars of existence.

Lilith faces far greater risks than other True Gods.

"When I went to the Godforsaken Land, I passed through the barrier of the Western Continent and had already accommodated a part of the City of Calamity."

Luke smiled, revealing a piece of information as a return favor.

After speaking, he didn't linger, his figure vanishing into the silent and peaceful realm.

Moments later, a faint sigh echoed and slowly dissipated into the air.

"Neither of you is willing to reveal your true cards."

...

Number 4, Narcissus Street.

Bernadette and Empress Roselle sat at the dining table, facing each other. The former looked awkward, while the latter's eyes were filled with disappointment.

Clearly, the Mystic Queen had yet to adapt to the shift from "father-daughter" to "mother-daughter."

Luke's figure materialized in the air, and he naturally took a seat next to Bernadette, waving to Empress Roselle on the other side.

"Hey, eating away~"

"What are you here for?"

Empress Roselle looked at the scoundrel who tried to take away her daughter with full vigilance. Noticing that Bernadette didn't reject his approach, her alarm bells rang even louder.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to take anyone today."

Luke couldn't help but laugh at her wary expression. "Hand it over."

"Hand over what?"

Luke rolled his eyes, slowly spreading his hand, speaking deliberately.

"The Box of the Old Ones."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end