Chapter 246: The King of Tatsumi City
"A transcendent being at the Crown level... Oh, they actually chose me?"
Maryse was dumbfounded, as she vaguely recalled that it had been a hundred years since a transcendent being at the Crown level had last emerged in her family.
As the age-old saying goes, in any faction within the world of Noah, the Crown level is an existence that cannot be underestimated.
However, nowadays, at least in Babel Tower, Maryse couldn't help but feel that the notion of a "Crown level" transcendent being was becoming common and ordinary, like comparing carrots and cabbages.
In fact, the main reason lies in the contribution of "the Library of Ruina".
In the world of Noah, there are abundant transcendent beings whose power is confined within the realm of Potential Crown level.
For most transcendent beings, finding a suitable Crown Ceremony is no easy task. Moreover, the difficulty levels of various Crown Ceremonies are completely uneven.
The Crown Ceremony that Mu Ling experienced seems to be much more challenging than Bai Yan's Crown Ceremony.
However, even so, her Crown Ceremony was carefully chosen from thousands of suitable ones for her by the Library of Ruina, and it still falls under the category of moderately challenging in terms of ascension difficulty.
Some Crown Ceremonies, in order to be completed, require intricate steps that may take centuries or even millennia.
Some Crown Ceremonies, even at the first threshold, require one to undergo life-threatening crises.
For most transcendents who lack support and have not joined any influential factions, the only way to break through to the Crown is to spend years after years searching, expending their time.
They can only find some Crown Ceremonies that are both complex and difficult to comprehend.
The final success rate of ascension is only around one to two percent, or even lower.
The most incompatible Crown Ceremony has a success rate as low as one percent.
Without a majority of transcendents who are not part of "the Library of Ruina," they not only struggle to discern the suitability of the Crown Ceremony but also remain unclear about its success rate.
It is customary for hard work to go in vain, and achieving the Crown in a single attempt is purely a rare occurrence.
In the mainstream consciousness of the Otherworlds, it is considered a fortunate endeavor for transcendents of the Potential Crown to aspire to ascend to the esteemed rank of Crown, as it truly requires a significant investment of energy and time.
Maryse gazed at Mu Ling, who had already reached the Crown level, her expression growing increasingly excited. She exclaimed loudly, "Great! I will strive for it. So, what do I need to do?"
[You will naturally know when the time comes.]
Bai Yan didn't elaborate on the detailed steps here, intending to teach Maryse separately in the future.
According to theory of "Silent Mastery," if I were to blabber about a bunch of tedious ritual steps here, it would definitely diminish the air of mystique!
Therefore, Bai Yan has no intention of saying more.
Next, Amy and two new members of Babel Tower introduced the forums they had developed.
However, the Queen of the Scarlet Moon had some difficulty understanding the internet, so she simply turned away with a indifferent expression, expressing her rejection.
"I've already said it, I don't want to be involved in the affairs of Babel Tower!"
Amy silently complained in her mind, "If you didn't want to be involved, why were you attentively listening to me explain the usage earlier?"
Ganis is a sinner born in the wilderness, who has never used any internet products and completely fails to comprehend this thing.
Fortunately, he has a strong learning ability, so after a while, he understood quite a bit.
However, at the same time, a problem arose. Ganis, being a slave, naturally didn't possess a mobile phone.
In fact, within the Kingdom of Dark Light, both mobile phones and internet are prohibited from usage.
"It's not a problem at all, here, take this thing."
On Amy's wheelchair, a newly replaced steel mechanical arm suddenly popped out.
Subsequently, it swiftly extended towards Ganis.
The movement speed of the mechanical arm was rapid, as it drilled a needle-like object from its tip, with the intention of piercing into Ganis' body.
However, Ganis instinctively reached out his hand and directly grabbed onto the mechanical arm.
A tremendous force came forth and fearing the mechanical arm would be damaged, Amy hurriedly spoke, "Do not resist, I simply wish to implant micro-machines inside your body for communication purposes."
Ganis, utterly distrustful of the so-called new companions, coldly refused, saying, "Forget it, I don't need anything from you now. Thank you for your kindness."
Amy shook her head, refraining from imposing upon the other party.
She nodded and said, "Alright, alright, I can understand your thoughts... Do the others have anything they desire? I have brought quite a few items from the Night Union this time, perhaps we can make an exchange."
Maryse leaned in immediately, whispering softly, "Amy, dear, do you happen to have a potion that can instantaneously mature living organisms? For example, a potion that could directly transform A cup into E cup..."
"Uh."
Amy fell into contemplation and shook her head, saying, "The Night Union's beauty industry surely possesses such biotechnologies, but unfortunately, I don't have them in my possession at the moment."
"I have obtained a drug that allows instant resistance to most toxins and enhances physical prowess, along with military-grade computer compartments integrated with the new 'magic chip,' as well as advanced electronic eyes yet to be announced by Noy Military. Lastly, there's this form-fitting GT reinforced battle suit, which grants agile mobility and formidable defense once worn..."
However, the little one clearly showed no interest in any of these.
"Do you have something that can make someone's chest smaller?"
The murmuring sound of Maryse grew increasingly faint.
Amy was left dumbfounded.
What is this person trying to do?
"No!"
"Do you have a machine that can steal body parts from others?"
"Still no! Is this just science fiction?"
Maryse let out a sigh and disdainfully said, "Sigh, you really have nothing at all."
"You're so useless."
Maryse shook her head and turned away.
"I..."
Amy was slightly choked, and for a moment, she surprisingly didn't know what to say.
She could only maliciously imagine Maryse being inserted into the works she loved to read!
Just at that moment, the round and massive slime crawled over.
"Hmm?"
Amy was completely stunned. To be honest, at first, she even thought that this guy was someone's pet.
Until Amy discovered the imprint of the Babel Tower on the surface of the slime, she realized that it was also one of the members of the Babel Tower.
She cautiously asked:
"Do you wish to exchange something with me?"
Slime, "(๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧ Gulu!"
Then it started dry heaving, seemingly attempting to cough up something in order to make a trade with Amy.
Amy watched this scene with an unhealthy complexion, filled with a strong sense of foreboding.
"Wait, don't! Stay away, please, no!"
--
The meeting has concluded.
The Kingdom of Dark Light.
Annottales, District Seven.
In the collective bathroom of the underground abattoir, the dark mist reappeared once again.
While there was still time, Ganis had already been brought back by the "Savior".
Within the dense black mist, that man who resembled a deity, stood there with his head held high and a proud demeanor.
The other sinners quickly stood up and surrounded him.
His good comrade, Steel Fist, was the first to inquire, shouting, "Ganis! Where exactly did you go just now? Could it be that, that you have already departed from the abattoir?"
"Indeed, how did you suddenly vanish? Did you manage to find a way to escape?"
"What is that black mist, Ganis?"
"Is it true about what you said about the Savior?"
Everyone was buzzing with inquiries, each person filled with excitement; that miraculous scene just now made people believe.
Perhaps, in the wilderness, the Savior of the Persecuted truly exists!
Is that Savior truly our legendary Savior?
On the contrary, Ganis himself, at this moment, felt a flicker of doubt in his heart.
After all, among the members of Babel Tower, everyone except oneself and Mr. Profligate is surprisingly comprised of "citizens of the city"!
Believing the slime to be merely a summon of a certain member, Ganis fell into contemplation.
Does a mysterious organization, whose main body consists of "citizens of the city," truly deserve his belief?
He must lead all the Persecuted to obtain dignity, contemplating thoroughly the various dangers and opportunities!
Every choice one makes, is not made for oneself alone, but will block the future of all the Persecuted!
However, Ganis soon also realized one thing.
That is, oneself currently has no power of choice!
The only thing he could gamble on was leading everyone aboard the chariot of the Babel Tower!
Even if it means becoming a cannon fodder, it is better than rotting away here!
Upon realizing this, he felt an immediate sense of relief.
In fact, Ganis, as a visionary leader with grand ideals, possesses a remarkable level of psychological resilience, positioning him as one of the foremost members within the present-day Babel Tower.
With a faint smile, Ganis addressed everyone, saying:
"I will inform you all about the situation in the future, I promise you," Ganis vowed.
As the time arrived, Ganis paused for a moment before continuing, "Let's all put on our clothes and return to our dormitories. If we're late, we'll be subjected to punishments."
"No, you have forgotten," Chloe remarked.
Chloe shook her head and calmly said, "Today is the day for medical examinations, there is no need to dress up for now."
"Oh, right, I forgot about it."
Ganis nodded slightly, contemplating whether accepting what the "Cybertyrant" had offered would inadvertently lead to exposure during the medical examination.
In that very moment, he sensed something amiss, as if there was something in his hair.
However, it felt more like an illusion...
No, absolutely not an illusion!
Just at that moment, the guards entered.
"All individuals are to line up properly and await the medical examination! Hurry up!"
The warden was clad in heavy black armor, complete with a helmet that concealed every inch of skin, except for his piercing gaze revealed through his eyes.
The sinners immediately divided themselves into male and female groups, adeptly arranging themselves, and awaiting the physicians.
Except for Ganis, no one noticed as an imperceptible tiny robot flew out from his hair.
What is this thing...
Ganis furrowed his brow, knowing without a doubt that it was placed on him by a member of Babel Tower, most likely the "Cybertyrant."
In no time, the small robot vanished without a trace.
Suddenly, the warden gazed at Ganis with a frigid stare.
He approached slowly, the cold black armor on his body emitting a clanking sound. In a deep, resonant tone, he said, "You've done well, our esteemed champion Ganis, heh heh."
Ganis remained remarkably composed, displaying exceptional psychological fortitude as he calmly shook his head and said, "I don't understand, Mr. Warden. What do you mean?"
The warden's sharp gaze lingered upon him for a while, and he slowly uttered, "I can't help but feel that you're not training a group of slaves, but rather, attempting to train an army... Perhaps it's just my imagination, but why do you need to be so serious?"
"Is it necessary to be so harsh on those sinners? I have witnessed the conditions at the abattoirs in every district, and among all the sinner slaves, only you exhibit such vitality and spirit."
Ganis remained remarkably tranquil, responding nonchalantly, "Because I want to appease the organizers here. Only by delivering a flawless performance during the New Year celebration can we receive favorable treatment!"
"I don't think this is anything suspicious or problematic. You may be overthinking it."
After a brief silence, the warden refrained from commenting on this response. However, his voice became increasingly solemn, resonating through the helmet:
"Champion, you show no fear of me, nor do you even dread death... My intuition tells me that someone as composed as you is full of danger."
"If you weren't a coveted star contestant in the abattoir, I would have killed you by now..."
"What a pity."
The warden gradually approached, leaning close and whispered, "You must remember, a sinner can only be a sinner, and in the Kingdom of Dark Light, you are nothing more than slaves, for this is the god's mercy... In reality, you have no purpose for existence."
"It was your collusion with the Outer God that sought to destroy our world, and the current state of affairs is a deserved punishment."
"If you dare to resist, you will lose everything completely!"
Ganis merely smiled and remained silent, refraining from further speech.
Behold, people of the city, just wait and see.
What we will lose is nothing but shackles and prisons!
--
Bai Yan still lingered in Herendor, occasionally appearing in the library and other classrooms, unnoticed by anyone regarding his true existence.
Now, he boldly sits in the front row of that esteemed professor's classroom, nonchalantly playing with his cellphone.
All individuals were under the control of a formidable force of the mind, thus, everyone perceived Bai Yan's act of playing with his cellphone as normal, with no one finding it objectionable.
The professor, still teaching, had long ceased pondering about Bai Yan as a student.
Bai Yan organized the currently useful "Non-core Operators" among his subordinates, recognizing the significance of these peripheral members.
Currently, among the five major families and the Tatsumi City Demon Hunt Agency, there are only two individuals who can be classified as "Potential Crown" level extraordinaires. One of them is the rejuvenated Count Gallard.
The other one is the current director of the Demon Hunt Agency, Raven Reaper · Mo.
Apart from that, among all the forces loyal to Babel Tower, there are a total of over twenty individuals at the awakening level.
Their combat prowess certainly proves to be useful.
However, when it comes to the individuals who truly have an impact in the Doomsday Crisis, Bai Yan can be counted on one hand.
Among them, the most powerful individual undoubtedly is Raven Reaper·Mo himself.
This former boss has now become a peripheral member of Babel Tower, truly illustrating the unpredictability of life.
Non-core Operators:
Title: Director of Tatsumi City Demon Hunt Agency.
Gender: Male
Rank: Plane Material Realm
Rank: Awakening (Potential Crown)
Race: Human Species
Primary Attributes:
Physicality: 58
INT:68
Skills: 135
Secondary Attributes:
Charisma: 10
Loyalty: 3
Mood: 3
Ability:
Heart Duel Nine Styles: Swift Wind Eightfold, Heavy Rock Sevenfold, Flowing Water Eightfold, Heavenly Martial Arts Eightfold, Diamond Sixfold, Blazing Fire Threefold, Forest Intentions Twofold.
Translation: Description, "Raven Reaper" of the Demon Hunt Agency in Tatsumi City, currently serves as the director.
"Hmm... Traditional nine styles, along with the unorthodox Flow of the Heart, make a total of ten schools. It's quite impressive that you can master seven out of them."
Unfortunately, it is only at the tenth stage, known as the "Transcendent Realm," that a qualitative change will occur.
The difficulty of cultivating Flow of the Heart from the eighth stage to the tenth stage is higher than that from the first stage to the eighth stage.
As for the Flow of the Heart realm beyond the tenth stage, I'm sorry, but there is none at the moment... The Flow of the Heart power system has only emerged for a few decades, and currently, its limit is right here.
He clicked on "Influence Related," and Noah's world map appeared before his eyes once again.
Then, it is the current status of the various forces that Tatsumi City has pledged allegiance to.
"Tatsumi City - Demon Hunt Agency (pledged allegiance)"
"Power intensity: 62"
"Leader: Raven Reaper·Mo"
"Recent developments: Personnel changes"
"Current favorability rating: 81"
The current membership of the Demon Hunt Agency is a total of 2381 individuals, which clearly includes not only the number of Night Watchers but also tactical support personnel and logistics personnel.
Within the options of Tatsumi City, besides the Demon Hunt Agency, there are also the Five Great Families, and the blood clan under the command of the Scarlet Moon.
"The Wettin family (loyal)"
"Power intensity: 15"
"Leader: Count Gallard"
"Recent developments: Nurturing newcomers"
"Current favorability rating: 33"
The influence has slightly strengthened compared to before, and this owes entirely to the prowess of Count Gallard himself. However, the next generation has still not been properly nurtured.
With a favorability rating of 33, to be honest, it has surprised Bai Yan a little. He knows that besides Count Gallard, everyone in this family harbors resentment towards him.
However, Bai Yan doesn't care.
Then, he took a look at the Augustus family.
"The Augustus family (loyal)"
"Power intensity: 11"
"Leader: Phoenix"
"Recent developments: actively engaging in business."
"Current favorability rating: 42"
Bai Yan felt that the power intensity and favorability rating of the Augustus family should not have excluded the "Psychic Dancer".
The head of the Reno family has been captured, both Civilization-level Relics have been taken by himself, and the power intensity of the Augustus family has plummeted.
Among the other three major families, the Capetian family only has a power intensity of around ten, while the Guise family, who remains detached from the matter, along with the Astore family, has a power intensity of over twenty.
Finally, we have the Blood Clan of Tatsumi City.
"Tatsumi City Blood Clan (Loyalty)"
"Power intensity: 35"
"Leader: Marquis Scarlet"
"Recent trends: Self-indulgence and amusement."
"Current favorability rating: 77."
"Indeed, neither the power intensity nor the favorability rating took into account the Core Operator. Otherwise, the Scarlet Moon alone could single-handedly raise the power intensity from 35 to 135."
He found something that was taken for granted.
The teammates of the "Problem Squad" have now also become members of the Babel Tower's faction, owing to their loyalty to Mo.
Bai Yan clicked on "Intervene" and a filtering search bar appeared on the screen, allowing him to directly enter the name "Holly".
Very soon, a pixelated rendition of "Holly" appeared on the phone screen.
She is in the office, watering a flower.
Bai Yan still remembers that when he was there, there was no such thing; perhaps Holly recently purchased it.
He quickly discovered that his desk had been occupied by Holly and others.
Not only were there a large number of snacks placed, but also flower pots and even a fish tank!
Darn it!
Bai Yan shook his head and selected "Life" in the "Rewards" section, spending 10 Source Energy Points for the reward.
"Game tip: 'Holly' receives a 10-year increase in lifespan."
After Holly, with a pixelated art style, finished watering the flowers on her phone screen, she sat on Bai Yan's former seat, lost in thought, completely unaware of what had happened to her.
Bai Yan silently watched the scene unfold, murmuring to himself:
"I'm sorry, I won't go back anymore."
He swiftly exited this interface and quickly selected the list of Core Operators.
Commence preparations for the Crown Ceremony of the Psychic Dancer.
