Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

The tranquility of the central platform of Twilight Island continued, the aroma of tea not yet completely dissipated. At the edge of the platform, one of the twins of Death Paradise was resting with his eyes closed, while his brother idly drew meaningless lines with his finger on the moss-covered rocks.

Bubuwang lay between the twins, having given up on the complicated 17x17 Rubik's Cube, and was now fiddling with a smooth pebble that it had picked up from somewhere.

Shangyue stood on a slightly higher protrusion on the platform, her black wings folded, and she held a comb, constantly combing her hair.

Vago transformed into an inconspicuous middle-aged traveler, leaning against a rock as if asleep.

Kane and his sister Leah sat next to Lin Yi at the tea table, barely daring to breathe, only sipping their slightly cooled tea.

Su Xiao's tablet screen went dark; he seemed to have given up playing and put it away, looking up at the sky.

On the dark purple sky, the stars gradually became denser.

With over ten hours remaining in the first phase, theoretically, as long as the standings are not yet finalized, variables still exist.

Just then, a smell mixed with cheap alcohol and some strange spices, accompanied by the deep hum of an engine, came from afar.

Everyone on the platform immediately went on high alert.

Shangyue's fingertips touched the hilt of the knife. Wago seemed not to move, but the rhythm of his breathing changed.

Baha disappeared from Su Xiao's shoulder and appeared on a tree branch at the edge of the platform the next moment.

A swaying shadow, piloting an equally unstable oval-shaped aircraft, flew crookedly toward the platform.

Sparks occasionally flew from the aircraft's nozzles, as if it might stall and crash at any moment. The newcomer was none other than Lord Rat.

Its current appearance is completely different from that of the majestic guide it had been before.

The fur, which was originally neatly combed and sleek, with each hair exuding intelligence, is now a messy, frizzy mess, with clumps here and there, and some suspicious dark stains.

His signature small round sunglasses hung askew on the tip of his nose, almost slipping off.

It was barely holding onto the aircraft's control stick with one paw, while the other paw was holding a glass bottle that was already mostly empty.

When the aircraft landed on the edge of the platform, it made a loud "bang" and kicked up a cloud of dust.

Lord Rat let out a burp reeking of alcohol and staggered off the driver's seat.

It staggered a few steps, steadied itself, and its blood-red eyes seemed to take a moment to focus before finally landing on Lin Yi.

The shrewd calculation of the past was gone from those eyes; instead, they were clouded by a lingering intoxication and a kind of... contented languor.

The rat didn't speak, but wobbled over to Lin Yi and stretched out a furry paw, palm up.

Lin Yi looked at the drunken guide in front of him, his face expressionless.

Without hesitation, he took out another wine bottle with a different design from his storage space.

Lord Rat grabbed the wine bottle, his movements somewhat rough due to his drunkenness.

It unscrewed the bottle, but instead of drinking immediately, it brought the bottle opening to its nose and greedily inhaled.

The complex aroma, a blend of aged oak, ripe berries, and a hint of smoke, made its cloudy red eyes light up for a moment before it closed them again in satisfaction.

Instead of drinking it, it carefully re-corked the bottle and then stuffed the bottle into the inner pocket of its vest, which resembled Doraemon's pocket.

After doing all this, Lord Rat seemed to have regained a little bit of his senses.

It smeared its face haphazardly with its paws, shook its head, and tried to make itself look more serious, though with little effect.

Its gaze swept across the platform, finally settling on Su Xiao and Lin Yi.

"What are you looking at?" Lord Rat's voice was hoarse from a hangover, but it still carried an undeniable air of authority. "The first phase is over."

Su Xiao raised her head, her brows furrowed slightly, and looked at Lord Rat.

"The time hasn't come yet."

According to the rules announced by the Void Tree, the first phase has a clear time limit, and there are still at least ten hours left before it ends.

The rat seemed to have anticipated this question, and it waved its paw impatiently, as if trying to shoo away an annoying fly.

"Rules are rigid, but people are flexible. Right now, you have two from the Paradise of Reincarnation, two from the Paradise of Death, one from the Feathered Clan, one from the Dream Spirit Clan, one from the Whispering Clan, and two from the Star Clan..." It seemed too lazy to specify the true races of the creatures disguised as Vago, and vaguely glossed over the details, "Adding the dog and the bird you took in, that's about all you have. You cleaned out those twin boys in the east quite thoroughly, and you didn't leave any survivors in the west either. The rest were kicked out long ago."

It yawned, revealing sharp teeth: "I've left you all here just staring at each other. Are you planning to have a tea party or play cards for the next dozen or so hours? I don't have time to waste here with you. The sooner I get rid of you, the sooner I can go back..."

It patted the bulging pocket in its arms, the meaning of which was self-evident.

Ending the first phase early? That's clearly not in line with standard procedures.

However, as the guide appointed by the Void Tree, Lord Rat seems to possess a certain degree of discretionary power.

Lord Rat stopped explaining, closed its blood-red eyes, and its aura suddenly changed.

Although still somewhat intoxicated, a subtle fluctuation connected to higher-level rules began to emanate from its small body.

It seems to be communicating with the "Tree of the Void" in some way.

A moment later, Lord Rat opened his eyes again, and the obscure fluctuations receded like the tide.

It looked a little tired, but its eyes were much clearer.

"Alright, all done." Lord Rat waved his hand, his tone returning to its impatient urging. "The Void Tree has approved my judgment. The first stage leaderboard is now locked. You, and you two bald brats, have advanced. The rest of you, check the notifications later. Get lost, don't get in my way and delay my drinking."

It turned around, clumsily climbed back into the dilapidated aircraft, its engines coughing under the strain, and slowly took off.

Just as the aircraft was about to fly away from the platform, the Rat seemed to suddenly remember something and pulled the control stick sharply.

The aircraft drew a daring arc in mid-air, then wobbled back and hovered over the edge of the platform.

Lord Rat leaned halfway out of the cockpit, pointing his paw at Lin Yi: "By the way, kid, your box."

It pointed to the metal box Lin Yi had previously put away: "The seal... uh, it should be lifted in about ten minutes. Then we can open it and see what good stuff you guys have gotten. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Leaving behind this abrupt and incomplete statement, Lord Rat didn't linger any longer. Piloting his aircraft, accompanied by a trail of black smoke and scattered sparks, he quickly disappeared into the increasingly dense darkness of the night, leaving only a faint lingering smell of alcohol in the air.

The twins in Death Paradise stood up simultaneously, their movements perfectly synchronized.

They looked at Lin Yi and Su Xiao, their gray eyes devoid of emotion, and simply nodded slightly as a farewell.

The message from the Void Tree had clearly reached them as well.

Without another word, the two figures disappeared from sight.

Shangyue nodded to Lin Yi, then flapped her wings and was enveloped by an invisible spatial force, disappearing without a trace.

Vago reverted to his original appearance, smiled at Lin Yi, and his body rippled like water before disappearing.

Ellie waved to Lin Yi and Su Xiao, said crisply "See you next time," and then disappeared as if erased by an eraser.

Finally, it was Kane and Leah's turn. They looked at Lin Yi somewhat bewildered.

Lin Yi nodded to them: "Follow the instructions."

As soon as they finished speaking, a soft teleportation light shone from both siblings.

Kane seemed to want to say something at the last moment, but in a flash of light, the two of them disappeared from the platform.

Now, only Lin Yi, Su Xiao, Bubuwang, and Baha remain.

"Ten minutes." Su Xiao said succinctly, then sat down again, seemingly unsurprised by her early advancement.

Lin Yi also sat down, took out the dark gold metal box, and placed it on the tea table.

The flowing runic luster on the surface of the box seemed to have dimmed somewhat, and was fading at a slow pace.

The ban that Lord Rat mentioned must be referring to this.

Neither of them spoke during the wait.

Bubuwang curiously sniffed the box, while Baha perched on Su Xiao's shoulder.

Ten minutes passed quickly in the silence.

As the last glimmer of runic light on the box's surface completely disappeared, a soft "click" came from inside. After the two had divided the loot, Lin Yi and Su Xiao's personal marks simultaneously trembled.

[Note: The Hunter has completed the first round of promotion.]

[Number of participants on our side this round: 3.]

[The number of people promoted in this round: 3. 】

[Number of enemy kills this round: 65.]

[The transmission is about to begin. Destination: The exclusive rest area for the battle of the strong. ]

[Note: This rest area has been certified as an absolutely safe location by multiple factions including the World Tree, Paradise of Reincarnation, Paradise of Death, Paradise of Apocalypse, Paradise of Holy Light, and Paradise of Watch. Any form of combat, harm, theft, mind control, or other malicious behavior is strictly prohibited. Violators will be subject to joint sanctions from multiple Paradises and the Void Tree.]

【Transmission begins.】

The moment the notification tone ended, a familiar feeling of being enveloped came over me.

Lin Yi and Su Xiao instinctively protected their heads.

But this time, it was completely different from the simple and brutal spatial teleportation of the Paradise of Reincarnation.

A gentle force softly enveloped them, as if they were wrapped in warm, flowing mercury, and all they could see was a soft, milky-white light.

In just a few breaths, the milky white light faded, and the feeling of being grounded came through.

Dizziness? Not at all.

There was only a slight inertia from smoothly braking from high speed, which I adapted to instantly.

Lin Yi looked up and found himself in a completely different environment.

This is an extremely spacious hall with an astonishingly high ceiling.

The ground is paved with shiny, milky-white stone, which is perfectly joined together and reflects the soft yet bright light source overhead—not a lamp, but a simulated natural skylight, and you can even see the energy flow as dazzling as the aurora.

The hall is surrounded by columns inlaid with reliefs of unknown material, stretching into the distance and seemingly without end.

The air is fresh, the temperature is pleasant, and it carries a faint, calming fragrance.

Most importantly, there are a lot of "people" here.

A variety of figures were scattered throughout the hall.

Some people chatted quietly in twos and threes, some leaned against pillars alone and closed their eyes to rest, while others set up small stalls and were trading something.

They came from all races and wore all sorts of strange clothes, but without exception, they all exuded a powerful aura and the sharpness that remained after the first phase of the battle.

Clearly, these are all participants who have risen through the ranks from various battle zones.

"Newly produced 'Grey Ridge Ore,' guaranteed purity, supports bartering with all Void currencies and some rare resources..."

A not-so-loud but full-bodied shout rang out, carrying a lively, down-to-earth quality. It seemed somewhat out of place in the solemn and magnificent hall, yet strangely blended into the background.

Su Xiao turned her gaze away.

They appeared to be on a slightly elevated platform, similar to the base of a teleportation array, offering excellent visibility.

He saw a man with an unusually large build and bronze skin sitting cross-legged on the floor against the wall on one side of the hall.

The man was shirtless, wearing only a pair of sturdy leather work pants, with a worn but clearly frequently used mining shovel hanging from his waist.

In front of him was a dark blue coarse cloth, on which were neatly arranged more than a dozen mineral samples of different sizes and colors, ranging from dark black iron ore to rare crystals that shimmered with a faint light.

Beside this burly man squatted a little girl who looked very "weak".

She looked to be only thirteen or fourteen years old, wearing an ill-fitting, oversized linen robe. She was huddled there with her knees drawn up to her chest, her face pale, her eyes darting around as she looked at the other combatants passing by, as if she might burst into tears at any moment.

But the fact that she was able to advance from the brutal first round shows that things are anything but simple beneath the surface.

The burly man's hawking attracted the attention of some people, and a small circle of people had already gathered around him. They were mostly participants from various forces in the void who had a need for mineral materials.

"Don't miss out! Look at the quality, it's absolutely great value! It's from our own mine, so we've cut out the middlemen!" the burly man continued enthusiastically, his voice booming.

"Is it... a little shameful to do this?" The timid little girl tugged at the strong man's sleeve, her voice barely audible, her face flushed red to her ears, and she lowered her head even further.

"Shameful? What's shameful about it? Earning money with your skills is perfectly justified!" The burly man didn't care at all, and instead raised his voice even louder.

Just then, the little girl who was squatting seemed to sense something, and timidly looked up, her gaze sweeping over Lin Yi and Su Xiao on the teleportation platform above.

In an instant, the little girl's pupils contracted sharply in her previously wet and timid eyes.

She suddenly increased the force with which she pulled on the burly man's sleeve.

The burly man noticed something amiss and followed the little girl's gaze, also seeing Lin Yi and Su Xiao, who had just been teleported there.

In an instant, the burly man's enthusiastic, somewhat rough smile froze.

His bronze face seemed to turn slightly pale for a moment, the veins on the back of his hand gripping the shovel handle became visible, and his previously incessant shouting came to an abrupt halt.

The few participants who had been gathered around the stall asking about prices looked at the burly man with some confusion, then followed his gaze to the teleportation platform.

Upon seeing Lin Yi and Su Xiao clearly, and especially sensing the undisguised aura emanating from them, as well as the chilling killing intent that had settled from the first phase of the slaughter, the participants from the Void Races changed their expressions slightly. They subconsciously took a half-step back, their eyes revealing apprehension, and then hurriedly left, not wanting to get involved in any potential trouble.

The stall suddenly became deserted.

Lin Yi noticed the change in the gaze of the "miner" duo.

His gaze fell on the bare wrists of the burly man and the little girl—there, a clear branded pattern was visible.

Apocalypse Paradise.

No wonder.

Lin Yi understood.

The relationship between Apocalypse Paradise and Reincarnation Paradise is common knowledge among Contractors.

One is a renowned paradise for "miners" and "logistics," known for its abundant resources and high survival rate of contractors; the other is a notorious gathering place for "battle maniacs" and "world destroyers."

In the global battle, the contractors of Apocalypse Paradise have suffered many heavy losses at the hands of ruthless figures from Reincarnation Paradise, so it is only natural that they would be left with psychological trauma.

The two people in front of us, one big and one small, have probably had similar unpleasant experiences, so much so that when they see the Paradise of Reincarnation in an absolutely safe zone, their first reaction is still vigilance and fear.

However, the contractors of Apocalypse Paradise soon realized where they were.

The burly man took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the fear in his eyes, and slowly loosened his grip on the shovel.

He avoided Lin Yi and Su Xiao's gaze, lowered his head again, and started fiddling with the ore on the stall, but stopped shouting, and the atmosphere became somewhat dull.

The little girl buried her face deep in her knees, her shoulders trembling almost imperceptibly, as if she could hide herself away that way.

They knew that in an absolutely safe place with multiple notarizations, not only should contractors from the Paradise of Reincarnation not fight, but even mortal enemies could not take action against each other.

Safety is the first priority. However, the stress response stemming from factional conflict and past trauma cannot be completely eliminated by reason alone.

Su Xiao naturally saw the mark of the Apocalypse Paradise, but he simply withdrew his gaze indifferently, as if it were just another ordinary stall vendor in the hall, no different from the people around him who traded equipment and potions.

He doesn't bother to pay more attention to anything that doesn't pose a threat or violate the rules.

Lin Yi also shifted his gaze and began to examine himself.

He discovered a small, cold, hard object in his pocket, which he hadn't noticed at all.

Upon closer inspection, it was a metal number plate about half the size of a palm. It was neither made of gold nor wood, felt heavy in the hand, and had a smooth surface with only one raised number: 1005.

He looked at Su Xiao, who was also holding the same number plate in her hand, with the number 1005 on it.

Number plate? Room number? Identification? Or some kind of credential for the next stage?
Insufficient information to make a judgment.

But since he's here, it must be related to the upcoming arrangements. (End of Chapter)