NOVEL NEXT Chapter 63: Hidden Identity
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[#~System Notification~#]
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[#-Main Task-#]
[• Objective – Survive the Divine Purge!]
└ [Once the time limit reaches zero, the forces of heaven—Immortals and beings beyond the concept of time—would descend on this land to kill the kin of '???'.]
└ [Before such a day arrives, you are to grow stronger by any means necessary and survive this calamity.]
[• Time Limit – 30 years]
[• Difficulty – unachievable]
[•Rewards – ???]
└ [Rewards scale with your choices, alliances, and actions within the Gate.]
[• If the player fails to reach the mortal peak, their chances of survival will be reduced to "0."]
[• Failure – Immediate Death]
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***
The night was still young, as the moon shimmered brightly right before one's head.
In approximately an hour, both Lucian and Mira had reached the Center of Xiangzhan. But their footsteps didn't stop.
Before long, the pair stood before a familiar building. In front, a small board was hung near the door.
It was the same inn that Lucian had stayed inside with Tianlong Bai. Previously, the old man had already paid for a week's worth of price. Yet, he had only used the room for a little longer than a day.
As of now, it was safe to say that they still had a shed over their heads. For another 6 days at least.
*Bang!*
*Bang!*
Lucian banged on the closed inn doors, hoping to wake the innkeeper up. After several knocks, a voice came rustling from within.
"Ah, coming!!"
A breath later, a few clanking noises appeared from the door. Soon, it slowly opened—just enough to let them exchange gazes.
On the other side, an old woman stood dressed in complete whites. She glanced here and there but found no one.
"Lady, look here!" Lucian chimed, his voice gentle as though he wanted it to be.
The lady's eyes followed his voice, reaching below at the two kids standing with their lips stretched awkwardly.
She slowly opened the door and bent down to reach their height.
"Oh my, aren't you the young master who came earlier yesterday?" She muttered, her eyes slightly widened as she recognized Lucian.
"Yes, I would like to stay for the rest of the days. Would that be okay?"
"Yes, of course! Please come inside." She quickly got up and moved out of the way.
At first, Lucian hurried inside, and the woman was about to close the doors. Then, suddenly, his eyes caught a small glimpse. The child was holding hands with someone.
Mira followed Lucian right behind. She was still dressed in the same rags from before. If anything, they had only gotten dirtier than before.
The woman, however, unlike the others, didn't frown. Her eyes were trembling, not with disgust, but surprise.
For the first time, had she ever seen someone take care of a child as such? And that too, coming from a child... It sounded insane.
But to confirm her suspicions, she hesitantly asked, "Young master, is this little one going to stay with you?"
"Ah, yes." Lucian replied, his voice firm. "She's my friend and is going to stay with me instead of my grandfather."
"I see, young master, young miss." She slowly closed the doors behind her and clanked several locks one after another.
Then she turned around and bowed slightly.
"Shall I prepare something for you to eat first? Or would you like to take a bath?"
"Bath, please," Lucian answered. Though, no matter how much he tried to ignore it, it was true that their bodies had become a mess after muddling over forest grounds.
*Growl*
A soft rumbling sound appeared behind Lucian. For a moment, he was flustered as he recognized the sound.
Quickly he turned around and looked at Mira with a somewhat awkward smile. Mira's face had turned red like a ripe tomato.
Looking at this, the old lady burst into laughter.
"Seems like I should make a nice meal for you two right away." She said brightly, flexing her muscles.
"Ah, and young master, I'll help young miss with the bath, so please go ahead and clean yourself quickly."
"Okay." With that said, Lucian quickly hurried over to the bath area of the inn.
***
*Step*
*Step*
Hearing the sudden footsteps, Silas leaned back.
"Hey, look who's back!" Silas yelled, his voice full of sarcasm, "The Toe-Licker!"
"Tsk," a small figure emerged in the distance, clicking his tongue in dissatisfaction.
"As haughty as ever, huh? Stupid monkey." The man laughed. His voice was young and familiar.
As his feet trod closer, his face became visible. It was the same man who had threatened Tianlong Bai not long ago.
"Hmph, so what brings you here?"
"As if you do not know," the man's voice suddenly grew low and serious.
"The first of his seals has been released."
Hearing this, Silas flinched. His eyes narrowed and jaw tightened. Right across the table, the young woman sat silently, staring at their faces as if trying to make any sense out of their words.
To her, everything seemed like a puzzle. The men around her, let it be Silas, the robed man, or this one. Every time they talked, they used abbreviations that she did not know.
Although confused, she had no choice but to remain silent. After all, offending such beings could end in her erasure.
Before long, the man sat on the only free chair and looked at Silas.
"You know this better than anyone else, monkey. He does not have his suppressor. The longer he stays away from it in that environment, the more he will start to remember." He slammed his hand on the table, cracking it in an instant.
"Both of them have noticed the disturbance he caused yesterday. Although, they are still speculative. But do you truly believe they will wait for another 30 years?!" His voice gradually grew sharper and louder. It was as if something he had suppressed within was slowly slipping through his grasp.
"They who feared his existence so much, do you truly think they will wait in silence as their fear gradually regains his powers?!"
"I know," Silas answered, his voice unusually calm.
"The moment his second seal so much as even vibrates, his existence will be released. But do you truly believe I'm doing all of this because I want to?"
Silas's question left the man in silence.
"10 years... That's all we have before they get the whiff of him." He further added.
"Uhm," Unable to hold her curiosity any longer, the woman abruptly muttered, "Can anyone please tell me what is going on?"
Both Silas and the man turned their heads towards her and stared as though truly astonished.
"It's been so long since Silas just dragged me here, and then more and more strange guys began to show up. The stories that you guys tell, everything seems like an abrupt puzzle. Something that could not be finished."
She hesitantly lowered her gaze.
"It's not that I do not wish to tell you anything, Gaia." Silas called out brightly.
"We simply can't. We have taken a collective oath. To not disclose anything about that era." He shook his head, carrying a bittersweet smile. "I've already told you all that I could. Anymore, and I will die."
Gaia had been half-expecting to hear such an answer. After all, she was the only one who had seen Silas throw blood as a price.
She slowly raised her gaze and widened her eyes. Both Silas and the man were smiling with such innocence. It was as if two grown-up men were finally able to reminisce about their old days.
"On that note," the man looked at Silas, smiling. "I think it's time."
Silas burst out into laughter, clasping his stomach.
"Yes, it's time to go meet our old comrades."
Listening to their words, Gaia raised a brow in confusion. Before she could have asked anything, the man answered.
"You wanted to know about us, correct?"
Without much of a thought, she hurriedly nodded in agreement.
"Well then, come with us. Let us show you what our homeland looks like."
"Yes, let's go! I've been missing my friends for so long!" Silas exclaimed.
"Hey, now! Don't make me and Judas look bad!" The man barked playfully.
"Judas?" Gaia repeated.
"Ah yes, that guy from before. His name's Judas." Silas explained, referring to the robed man from before.
"Then, you are...?" She further asked, looking towards this young man.
"Ah, how rude of me. I'm Kale. Nice to meet you." Kale extended his hand forward.
Gaia quickly accepted the handshake. Then, suddenly, a voice came through.
"Come on, ya bastards!" Silas yelled as he started walking in a direction.
Kale chuckled and began walking behind, as Gaia followed from the very end.