Life Dungeon Game

"So," Iver asked, looking at Heo, "have you made up your mind?"

How did you obtain information about this ship?

He Ao did not answer directly, but instead asked a question.

"If you're willing to be my ally,"

Iver smiled at Heo, "Then I don't mind sharing this secret with you."

"Your source seems very 'credible'?"

He Ao gripped the hilt of the knife and asked in a low voice.

“It’s not exactly credible,” Iver said, gripping his spear, “but we’ve had a very pleasant working relationship.”

He looked at He Ao's blood-stained face.

"You think I'm a treacherous person who would betray anyone? No, no, no, you're mistaken. I just make choices that maximize my own interests when the time is right."

“If we have common interests, I can cooperate with anyone, whether he is a friend or an enemy, including you, little Heo.”

"I don't know where you got the information, or where you found the clues that led you here,"

He smiled and said, “But we can cooperate now. I’m not a ruthless killer. The gold bracelet is mine, and the first mate’s access key is yours. We each get what we want. You, and anyone else who might enter the research institute on this ship, can live. You can even become the owner of this ship. We can both get what we want.”

As Heo gradually demonstrated his understanding of the ship, Iver's offer of leverage also increased.

“That sounds like a great option,” Heo said, looking at Iver. “So, where’s the first mate’s access key?”

“Yes, that’s a smart man,” Iver laughed, turning around to gesture for Heo to stand beside him. “Cooperation always yields more benefits than confrontation.”

He Ao

She walked alongside him, keeping a good distance between them.

Iver didn't seem angry at Heo's actions. He smiled and led Heo around the huge dodecahedral crystal, saying, "If I remember correctly, it should be here..."

Apart from the crystal, there was nothing in the hall that could obstruct the view. The moment He Ao walked around the crystal, he saw the deepest part of the hall.

At the very back of the hall, behind the last metal pillar, was a semi-transparent glass barrier.

The glass barrier and the wall behind it form an enclosed space.

Through this glass barrier, one can vaguely see the scene inside this enclosed space.

A human skeleton, now just a skeleton, with a crystalline, jade-like texture, sat behind a barrier, the ground beneath him covered in dried blood.

This was the first time He Ao had seen a complete human skeleton since he entered the spaceship.

The skeleton was tilting its head back, seemingly gazing at something, and on its hand was a silver mechanical bracelet.

That looks like the first mate's access key.

However, He Ao did not focus his attention on the mechanical bracelet.

Almost the instant he saw the skeleton clearly, he suddenly raised the mechanical sword in his hand.

scandium--

The sharp spear and the broad blade clashed together.

A dent appeared on the huge blade.

He Ao gave a strong jolt, sending the spear flying back. At the same time, he gripped the hilt of the sword with both hands, raised the heavy blade, and pressed the heating button on the hilt.

"My heartfelt words failed to gain your trust."

Iver looked at Heo with a hint of regret in his voice.

“For you,” He Ao stared at him, “the best option for maximizing your benefits is to eliminate me here, obtain the bracelet and access key, and earn the merit of killing a C-level researcher.”

"Little friend, people who are too smart will miss out on a lot of fun."

Iver raised his spear, like a wolf king baring its fangs, and thrust it at Heo.

He stared at the tip of the spear.

Iver was concealing his strength; his actual power was even greater than when they clashed in the main world. Moreover, the gray patterns covering Iver's body gave Heo an ominous feeling.

It was precisely because of this strength that Iver had the idea of ​​eliminating Heo and taking everything for himself.

He Ao gripped the knife hilt.

The blade, glowing with intense heat, sliced ​​through the air.

-

Verola

He Ao's clone sat in the hood of the car, turned on the computer, and retrieved the quota allocation and personnel list that the three major organizations had previously reported to him.

The leaders of the three major organizations each received a copy of the list, and He Ao, who controlled the key to unlocking the ruins, was also given a copy.

Of course, this list only contains simple names, and doesn't even indicate ranks.

Furthermore, the selection process by various organizations is not entirely confidential, so this list is practically public and has little value.

Then He Ao produced another document, which he had gathered over the past few days using the names on the list and his connections with Li Ming.

From these information,

The research institute has the least information, but He Ao doesn't need the information on the superhumans in the research institute. After all, as the person in charge of the research institute this time, he has the most complete information on these superhumans.

He quickly skipped the section on superhumans at the research institute and looked at the rest of the text.

Information about the extraordinary individuals from the World Tree and Moonlight organizations who entered the ruins.

Heo is currently the highest-ranking official of the Dawn Organization in the Tia Empire, so he has the most complete information on the Tia Empire's superhumans.

Of course, there is also a lot of information about the World Tree's extraordinary individuals.

The Western Lands are home to numerous kingdoms, and the World Tree contains the most mountain peaks of the three major organizations. Their secrecy is poor, with information leaking out like a sieve, making it easy to obtain information about their superhumans.

He Ao moved the mouse, carefully flipping through the information.

As the portraits and related information came into He Ao's view, he summarized and explored the living habits and life trajectories of these people based on the information.

He Ao's gaze eventually settled on a person's detailed introduction.

Finally, he closed his laptop and looked out the window through the front of the car.

An eerie silence hung in the air outside the window.

Unlike traversing the main world, the scenery outside the window on this 'long journey' is no longer the unchanging darkness.

Distorted colors and some eerie clouds occasionally drifted past the window.

They made no sound, but Heo could always hear distorted songs and chaotic murmurs the moment he looked at them.

Whenever Heo gazed out the window, a twisted throbbing would rise from the depths of his heart, urging him to open the car door and step into the magnificent world outside.

Several times, He Ao was even driven by this thrill to lift his feet, but he quickly stopped himself.

As the 'journey' continued, He Ao has become somewhat familiar with these landscapes and is rarely affected by that excitement anymore.

The transparent car windows gradually turned as black as ink, blocking out the outside view.

But the murmurs that echoed in He Ao's mind did not disappear.

He Ao turned his gaze back to what was ahead.

He doesn't have much time left.

-

Navigator Core Control Room

He's body flew through the air, passed through the large hole in the gate, and crashed into the wall outside the gate.

The dim light streamed down his cheeks, and bright red blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

He picked up the mechanical broadsword in his hand and staggered to his feet.

Fresh fluid with a grayish-purple sheen flowed from the wounds on his shoulders, waist, and abdomen.

Directly in front of him, Iver also used his spear to support himself as he stepped out of the gate and looked at Heo outside.

Iver's condition was no better than Heo's; the fine gray lines had spread all over his body, his already tattered clothes were even more torn, and underneath were charred flesh and burnt wounds.

If an ordinary person had suffered such injuries, they would have died long ago, but at this moment, Iver was still standing in front of Heo.

"I admit, I underestimated you. Given time, it might not be impossible for you to become a B-level, or even an angel."

That's the matter.

Iver supported himself with his spear, his wolf-like gaze fixed on Heo. "You're different from those trash. You're growing fast, and you'll become my greatest enemy in the future."

He raised his spear. "So, you must die today."

The dense gray marks spread rapidly across his body.

He raised his spear and charged at Heo once more.

At this point, Heo could clearly sense that Iver's consciousness was becoming unclear, and his rationality was gradually turning into extreme madness.

The world tree's top C-rank powerhouse is being eroded by those gray patterns, gradually falling into twisted madness.

Those gray lines gave him a powerful amplification of strength, bringing him to near-B-level power. However, they also brought about contamination from a high-level entity.

Every gift comes at a price.

The flaming blade clashed with the spear, deflecting the incoming spear.

"You look like you're going crazy."

Heo and Iver were now extremely close. He activated his super memory, forcibly suppressing Iver's spear, and stared into his eyes.

"I'm doing great now."

Iver stared into Heo's eyes, a grin spreading across his face. Gray lines covered his cheeks, and in his dark eyes, one could almost see a crimson carpet, a cheering crowd, a crown, and a scepter.

"Power and strength are the most intoxicating wine in the world,"

Clusters of steel-like, bulging muscles erupted from his arms, and with a sudden burst of strength, he sent Heo flying once again.

He stepped onto the steel ramp with a smile on his face.

“I know this ‘blessing’ is coveting my body, and I know the one who gave me this ‘blessing’ wants to use me, but at the same time, I also covet its power. ‘Use’ is always mutual. Even if he is a madman, he is still a king sitting on the throne.”