CHAPTER 379: THE NIGHT BEFORE CHAOS COMES

The reporter cards were bound to individuals. There were fifteen in total. Lin Bai kept one and distributed six. Three were lost when Qian City was breached and subsequently destroyed by Elder Chi Lian.

Currently, only three chief editors held the reporter cards in circulation. Their loyalty was at one hundred percent. After Lin Bai helped them achieve fame, they even became his fans, so there was no concern about betrayal.

However, a powerful tool like the reporter card was indeed unsuitable for further distribution. The holder could immobilize not only enemies but also themselves. If a betrayal occurred and someone sabotaged him at a critical moment, Lin Bai wouldn’t be able to bear the consequences. But the reporter card also possessed a reverse summoning ability. Immobilizing his own multiple avatars wouldn’t be easy. If such a traitor did appear, an avatar could rush over and eliminate them, resolving the issue. Lin Bai hadn’t told Immortal Realm’s First Papparazzi and the others about this function of the reporter card. Discovering this ability themselves, rather than having it explained directly, would be far more effective. It could also indirectly prove the existence of the Way of Media, helping with his propaganda.

「...」

Lin Bai entrusted the reporter card to the Body of the War God, instructing him to find Forget and Zhou Zhu and bring the two scoundrels back to get married. Meanwhile, he would remain in Pine Stone City to oversee the general situation. By his calculations, the first batch of Ascenders should be completing their Tribulation soon.

He had been in the Fairy World for several days now, and Lin Bai had spent most of his time dealing with other matters.

His most significant achievement in the Fairy World so far was conquering Pine Stone City.

If the sound and light effects from the cooking tasks hadn’t startled the Heavenly People of Pine Stone City, Lin Bai wouldn’t have even considered targeting it.

However, under Lin Bai’s strict blockade, not a shred of information had leaked from Pine Stone City. The Heavenly People of the Fairy World had no idea that a formidable tiger had invaded their territory.

「...」

The Body of the War God passed through the Magpie Bridge into the Mortal World, locking onto Zhou Zhu as the interview target.

The moment the target was locked, the Body of the War God didn’t use the convenient Magpie Bridge. Instead, he used the Flash skill repeatedly to depart from the Holy Extreme Sect.

This made him a bit depressed. The skills of the Crownless King weren’t smart enough, relying entirely on traveling by foot and not even being able to hitch a ride. What was even more annoying was that he didn’t even know the destination; he was just like a headless fly bumping around. Fortunately, the Body of the War God had Flash. Having fixed the interview target, his travel was fairly swift. If Immortal Realm’s First Papparazzi used the reporter card to lock on interview targets, and the distance was too great, they would likely run until they vomited blood. If their strength was insufficient, the Crownless King would be a disaster for players holding reporter cards. Fortunately, Flash didn’t consume Spiritual Power. Otherwise, if the Bronze Realm Body of the War God used magic power to travel in the Mortal World, it would trigger a Heavenly Tribulation, bringing a devastating calamity to the Mortal World.

The Body of the War God sped along, naturally attracting the attention of natives and players.

However, the speed of Flash was too great.

They only caught a fleeting glimpse before losing sight of the Body of the War God.

When passing by a group of players, the Body of the War God unexpectedly used Rush Moon on them. The players screamed and shouted as they were sent flying into the sky. By the time they fell, they still hadn’t understood what mistake they had made to deserve Lin Bai’s lesson.

It proved that although the Crownless King forced its user to rush towards the interview target, it was somewhat merciful in that it didn’t affect the use of other skills.

「...」

At dusk, the Body of the War God arrived at Zhen City and then, without hesitation, stepped onto the Magpie Bridge leading to the real world.

This Magpie Bridge was one Lin Bai had reserved for himself using Xu Longyun’s quota. A couple could not have two Magpie Bridges active simultaneously.

This was why Lin Bai had taken Jiang Qingqin to the Western Continent to establish a Magpie Bridge previously.

Couples could use their Magpie Bridge without needing to hold hands. The Body of the War God swiftly traversed the Magpie Bridge and entered the real world.

「Pine Stone City.」

Lin Bai, who was keeping a close eye on the movements of the Body of the War God, had a dark expression. Those two actually hid in the real world! No wonder they couldn’t be found even after turning the Immortal World upside down. They’re damn good at hiding!

At last, the Body of the War God stopped at a well-known plastic surgery hospital. His handsome form floated in mid-air, attracting a crowd of onlookers. Phones were aimed at the sky, camera flashes going off non-stop.

Ignoring the ordinary people photographing him, Lin Bai slightly amplified his voice using a skill that doubled decibel levels. "Forget, Zhou Zhu, come out and see me."

His voice was like thunder, echoing through half the city.

As soon as his words fell, Monk Forget, dressed in casual attire, flew out from a ward in the inpatient department and into the sky.

At this moment, Forget’s bald head had grown about an inch of hair, making him look like a modern man, a stark contrast to his previous image as a monk.

He looked at the Body of the War God and habitually put his hands together in a prayer gesture. "Poor Monk Forget greets Fellow Daoist. May I ask why Fellow Daoist is looking for the two of us?"

The Body of the War God did not resemble Lin Bai, so Monk Forget didn’t recognize him. His scrutinizing gaze carried a hint of vigilance; the pressure emanating from the Body of the War God was immense.

"Where is Zhou Zhu?" the Body of the War God asked.

"He is not at liberty to meet guests at the moment. If you have any business, you can tell me," Monk Forget frowned, then suddenly sighed and asked, "Fellow Daoist, were you sent by Alliance Hierarch Lin?"

"Indeed," the Body of the War God nodded and questioned, "The Alliance Hierarch is on an expedition to the Fairy World and requires couples like you, whom he personally selected, to comprehend the Love Principle. Why have you not yet arrived?"

Monk Forget glanced at the Body of the War God, his face flushing slightly as he explained awkwardly, "Fellow Daoist, the happiness Zhou Zhu and I share today is all thanks to the Alliance Hierarch’s assistance. He summoned us; how could we dare not go..."

The Body of the War God subconsciously looked at the plastic surgery hospital behind him. A possibility struck him, and he couldn’t help but gape. No way!

"Since Fellow Daoist has found us, this Poor Monk will no longer hide it. Come and see for yourself, Fellow Daoist, and you will understand. The Alliance Hierarch is magnanimous; I believe he will understand us as well," Monk Forget said, his face reddening slightly. He nodded to the Body of the War God, then turned and flew back to the ward.

The Body of the War God followed.

Then, he saw a transformed Zhou Zhu: skin like white jade, a slender waist, a voluptuous figure, and a captivating gaze. She was a true beauty, bearing no resemblance to the Zhou Zhu of before.

Zhou Zhu shyly glanced at Monk Forget, then her gaze fell upon the Body of the War God. She cupped her fists in a salute and said, "Zhou Zu’er greets Fellow Daoist."

Her voice was delicate, like an oriole’s song.

The Body of the War God stared at Zhou Zhu, thunderstruck, as if ten thousand mud horses were stampeding through his mind. He had searched the entire world to complete his task, only to find these two fools getting plastic surgery in the real world?

Monk Forget came to Zhou Zhu’s side, put an arm around her shoulder affectionately, and said, "Alliance Hierarch Lin’s wedding will surely be a grand event, attracting everyone’s attention. To be invited by the Alliance Hierarch to hold our weddings together is our honor. It is precisely because of this honor that Zu’er and I decided to participate in this wedding in our most perfect forms, so as not to leave the slightest regret in our love."

"The Cultivation Techniques of the Moon Spirit Sect can reshape one’s body, but Zu’er and I have already reached the Mahayana Realm, so switching to the Moon Spirit Sect’s techniques is impossible. A player informed us that in the real world, men can become women. It just so happened that the Alliance Hierarch opened the Magpie Bridge to the real world. Afraid that the Alliance Hierarch would disapprove, we concealed our whereabouts. I must say, the technology of the real world truly has its merits..."

Zhou Zhu cupped her chest with both hands and smiled. "The doctors here actually managed to transform me into a woman. It’s convincing enough to pass for real. If it weren’t for the need for further observation in the hospital for any potential side effects, we would have planned to return to the Immortal World two days ago."

They’d even undergone surgery for love! Besides offering his blessings, what else could Lin Bai say? He didn’t take the wedding that seriously, but he couldn’t stop others from treating their own wedding with utmost importance, could he? It was only human nature. Ultimately, he was the one who had orchestrated Forget and Zhou Zhu’s unfortunate yet fated relationship. Damn that game company! Damn the System! What kind of mess had they created?!

"Nicely done," the Body of the War God nodded at the two of them. "Can you leave now?"

"No problem," Zhou Zhu said. "The doctor mentioned that a major surgery like mine would require at least several months of recovery in the real world. However, with pill medicines to aid healing, I’ve mostly recovered. All that’s left is to take some hormone-like drugs regularly. Forget can ask the doctor for a supply to bring back and take gradually."

The Body of the War God pondered for a moment, then took out two Temperament Fruits and presented them. "The Alliance Hierarch asked me to bring these for you. They are called Derived Countries and can enhance your Physical Constitution and temperament—a wedding gift for your participation."

"The Alliance Hierarch is truly a benevolent man! We behaved so willfully, yet still received a gift from the Alliance Hierarch. It truly makes this Poor Monk ashamed," Monk Forget said as he accepted the two fruits, sighing suddenly. "In this life, my wife and I are willing to dedicate our lives to the Alliance Hierarch."

Zhou Zhu nodded in agreement. "It’s a pity the Alliance Hierarch was born several hundred years too late. Otherwise, if we had been born in the same era, we would undoubtedly have become his closest friends."

Monk Forget smiled and shook his head. "Zu’er, the Alliance Hierarch’s talent is far beyond what we can aspire to. If he had been born in our era, he would likely have already achieved the Heavenly Dao by now, looking down upon all beings. In his eyes, we would be nothing more than two ants. How could we possibly hold our weddings alongside the Alliance Hierarch? We should be grateful to be born in this current age..."

Listening to their praises, Lin Bai felt his face inexplicably heat up. Fortunately, the Body of the War God didn’t have to bear his psychological burden. He coughed, interrupting them, and asked, "Can we go now?"

"Apologies for making Fellow Daoist wait. I will fetch the medicine from the doctor, and then we shall return with you," Monk Forget said, habitually giving the Body of the War God a Buddhist salute before turning to leave.

The Body of the War God coughed lightly, looked at the transformed Zhou Zhu, and asked, "Your destiny has changed. Do you resent Lin Bai?"

"Don’t speak such nonsense! How could we resent Lin Bai? We’re too busy being grateful!" Zhou Zhu glared at the Body of the War God and said, "Fellow Daoist, do not let me hear such words again. Otherwise, I will fight to the death for our benefactor."

"..."

Lin Bai was speechless. Watching the two of them, so utterly lost in love, he became even more convinced that he should never use the Red String on himself. It was too terrifying! However, if the System could create something as horrifying as the Red String, what if he confronted the people behind the System in the future? If they used the Red String on him, he seemingly had no way to prevent it! At this moment, Lin Bai could only pray silently, hoping that the masterminds behind the System were truly allies!

「...」

When the Body of the War God marked Forget and Zhou Zhu and brought them back, players all over the world had finally completed their Tribulation. With the help of Phoenix Seeks Phoenix, the success rate of the Tribulation was one hundred percent.

The Guiding Light descended.

One after another, players ascended. The disciples who had been granted Magpie Bridges waited by their sides. The moment their figures vanished, these disciples swiftly activated the Magpie Bridges for the lovers left behind in the Mortal World.

Heavenly Dao Sect, Heavenly Sword Sect... Magpie Bridges pierced through heaven and earth one after another. Players who had been waiting eagerly for a long time impatiently stepped onto the Magpie Bridges and entered the Fairy World.

Lin Bai’s disciples also followed the Magpie Bridges into the Guiding Pools. Coordinating amongst themselves, they swiftly and efficiently dealt with the guards at the Guiding Pools.

Guarding the Guiding Pool was considered a trivial post. After all, the ascension rate in the Lower Realm was too low; often, not even two or three individuals ascended in a year. Consequently, those assigned to guard the Guiding Pool were usually Heavenly People with low cultivation realms.

With the element of surprise and preparation on their side, coupled with their overpowering law-based Skills, almost no Heavenly People could withstand the ambush from Lin Bai’s disciples.

Once Lin Bai’s disciples controlled the various Guiding Points, they reactivated the Magpie Bridges connected to the couples who had entered these points.

For a time, Magpie Bridges crisscrossed the entire Fairy World, appearing at Guiding Pools in all directions. This instantly caused a sensation throughout the Fairy World. Heavenly People from various regions unanimously followed the Magpie Bridges to the Guiding Pools to investigate what had transpired.

At this moment, a large number of players who had entered the Fairy World via the Magpie Bridges had already dispersed from the Guiding Pools. Some concealed themselves in deep mountains, while others headed towards cities.

Except for certain players with special missions, Lin Bai imposed no requirements or restrictions on these players, allowing them to operate freely in the Fairy World.

He believed in the players’ ability to survive.

「...」

Having completed their mission to ignite the Magpie Bridges in the Fairy World, Lin Bai’s disciples returned to the Mortal World via Magpie Bridge.

They then severed the Magpie Bridges connecting the Guiding Points to the Mortal World, cutting off the players’ retreat.

"Why has the Magpie Bridge been severed?" In the Heavenly Dao Sect, a player named [Leiying], the temporary commander in charge of initiating the war against the Fairy World, asked Qing Yun in surprise.

In the square behind him, large quantities of strategic supplies were still being transported via a Magpie Bridge. He frowned, saying with dissatisfaction, "Qing Yun, modern warfare hinges on logistics! If you cut off the Magpie Bridge, supplies can’t get through. They can’t possibly win this war!"

"And you think you can win the war just because you have ample supplies?" Qing Yun glanced at him and said coldly, "You’re well aware of the outcome of the war on the Continent of Gods and Demons. Your technology cannot shake the Fairy World. The Alliance Hierarch has his own plans; you need not ask further."

「...」

Nan Lingtian stood beside Lin Bai, listening to the stream of reports players were relaying to Lin Bai. Naturally, he knew what was happening in the Fairy World.

Several million new Heavenly People had entered the Fairy World.

After tonight, the Fairy World would no longer be peaceful.

Nan Lingtian asked, "Alliance Hierarch, the waters have been muddied. Shall we go to the Prosperous World Academy now?"

"There’s no rush. Let things develop for a day," Lin Bai said, looking at Nan Lingtian and Long Tianxi. He shook his head. "You two maintain control of the situation in Pine Stone City. Detain any Heavenly People who come to investigate. I’m going to handle some personal matters. When I return, we’ll head to the Prosperous World Academy."

If Forget and Zhou Zhu hadn’t been found, Lin Bai had indeed planned to infiltrate the Prosperous World Academy to scheme for the Star-glowing Realm. But now, he decided to get married first. Several million players entering the Fairy World should be enough to keep the Heavenly People busy for a while. Who knew what unexpected incidents might occur? Lin Bai preferred blitzkriegs, but when time and skills conflicted, skills took precedence.