Chapter 111 – Beware of Each Other
Si Xu had long suspected that the destruction of the Demon Sea dimension was part of a larger cycle, where life would reach its peak, the dimension would collapse, and new life forms would emerge from the ruins. Under such circumstances, it was nearly impossible for the original inhabitants of the Demon Sea dimension to survive.
No matter how Si Xu had imagined it, he never thought that the intelligent species of the Demon Sea dimension would attempt to escape to another dimension. It must have been an incredibly difficult feat. Even though they were now trapped in the dimensional void, it was better than being completely annihilated. Moreover, they had prepared various contingencies, so there was still hope for survival.
However, that hope now depended on the choices Lin Jiu and Si Xu would make.
Si Xu asked, “You set all of this up to have the hosts bound to growth-type systems help you escape, didn’t you?”
[Yes.]
Si Xu: “What happens if we refuse to help?”
[That wouldn’t be good news. If you refuse, the Demon Hunter System will have to be separated, returning to dormancy until the next suitable host awakens it.]
Si Xu paused. “How would you separate the bound system?”
[The system will automatically detach if the host suffers brain death.]
Si Xu’s gaze turned cold. This was practically a threat, implying that if they didn’t help, the host would die, and the Demon Hunter System would return to dormancy in the Demon Sea dimension.
Lin Jiu comfortingly squeezed Si Xu’s hand and then asked Golofitz, “If we help, what do we get in return?”
[When we decided to leave, we placed everything from the Demon Sea dimension that we could use into a special space where time is constant. That’s also where your rewards come from. If we manage to escape the dimensional rift, everything in that space will be yours, free of charge.]
Lin Jiu sneered, “Your credibility isn’t exactly high right now.”
[Even after we leave, the Demon Hunter System will still belong to you, and you’ll have free access to the resources of the newly born Demon Sea dimension. All the materials of the entire dimension will be yours. Even though it’s risky, I think it’s worth a try.]
Lin Jiu replied, “I don’t think it’s worth trying at all. Look, my Demon Hunter System is already being suppressed by your Demon Spirit Main System. In the end, won’t you just do whatever you want? Do I have the power to resist?”
[What do you suggest?]
Lin Jiu said, “Transfer control of the Demon Hunter System to me. I need some assurance.”
Otherwise, he’d work himself to death, only for the Demon Spirit Main System to kill him with a single command. What’s the point? To die early and get it over with?
[Not yet. Once we successfully leave, we’ll hand over control of the Demon Hunter System to you.]
Lin Jiu retorted, “By the time you successfully leave, I’ll be of no use to you. I might as well be laid to rest, right?”
[With our Demon Spirit Clan’s technology, we have no interest in a mere Demon Hunter System.]
Lin Jiu scoffed, “You might not care about the Demon Hunter System in general, but mine can open the Gate of Two Worlds. Your system doesn’t have that function, does it? Not even the Demon Spirit Main System, or else you wouldn’t be stuck in this dimensional rift.”
[…]
Lin Jiu’s words were blunt but hit right on the mark.
[Your life is in my hands, and your partner’s life will also be taken if you resist.]
Lin Jiu was furious. “Fine, if you want to play dirty, let’s do it. We’ll trade our two lives for the extinction of your entire clan—oh wait, maybe even the other intelligent species of the Demon Sea dimension. It’s a fair trade!”
[Without you, we can wait for the next host.]
Lin Jiu laughed. “How long have you been stuck in that rift? What kind of transport did you use? A ship or a vessel? Whatever it is, it must consume energy. I bet you don’t have much energy left. Can you really hold out until the Demon Hunter System finds a new host?”
Judging by how stingy the Demon Hunter System was with energy, it was clear how much the Demon Spirit Main System needed it. The more the system demanded energy, the more urgent things were on their side. While the Demon Spirit Main System could control their lives, if they died, all lifeforms trapped in the dimensional rift would be doomed as well.
So Lin Jiu wasn’t afraid at all. What if they were pureblood Demon Spirits? They still had to rely on Lin Jiu and Si Xu for help.
Lin Jiu had only one condition: he wanted control of the Demon Hunter System. Otherwise, he wouldn’t cooperate. Threats wouldn’t work. If pushed too far, they could all die together.
[It’s an easy task. You just need to make one trip, and after that, I’ll immediately transfer control of the Demon Hunter System to you. I won’t go back on my word.]
Lin Jiu said, “If you won’t give it to me now, that already means you’re planning to back out. Do you think I’m stupid?”
Golofitz’s usually calm voice now sounded a bit agitated.
[If I hand over control of the Demon Hunter System to you, what’s stopping you from refusing to transfer energy to us?]
Lin Jiu: “…”
Lin Jiu glanced at Si Xu and said, “Why don’t you consider having the Demon Spirit Main System recognize Si Xu as its host? After all, he’s also a descendant of your Demon Spirit Clan, one of your own. There’s no need to be so stingy.”
Golofitz: “…”
Golofitz was almost livid. Not only had Lin Jiu refused to hand over one system, but now he was trying to take another?
[Don’t even think about the Demon Spirit Main System. It’s the central resource hub for our entire clan. It can’t be given to anyone.]
Lin Jiu said, “Fine, forget the Demon Spirit Main System. Just give me control of the Demon Hunter System, and I promise to transfer energy to you.”
Si Xu, worried that Lin Jiu might push Golofitz too far, intervened, fearing that if Golofitz lost his temper, they’d all die together, which would be a waste.
Si Xu suggested, “How about you leave a single control for the energy transfer, and give the rest of the control of the Demon Hunter System to Xiao Jiu? Once you’ve gathered enough energy, you can take back that control. If we can’t trust each other, how long will this negotiation take? We don’t have time to keep bickering here.”
Both Lin Jiu and Si Xu were cautious, but so was Golofitz.
Golofitz’s strongest card was that he could control their lives. If he handed over the main control of the Demon Hunter System, he wouldn’t be able to control them anymore. Even with a single energy transfer control, if they refused to gather energy, Golofitz would be powerless.
Si Xu tried to set a trap, but Golofitz wasn’t naive.
As a result, the negotiations ended in a stalemate.
Lin Jiu and Si Xu went back to their work, leaving Golofitz and his people stuck in the dimensional rift.
However, Lin Jiu had underestimated Golofitz’s persistence. He thought that leaving Golofitz to stew would force them to compromise eventually. Little did he know, the Demon Spirit Clan had quite the mean streak.
When Lin Jiu and Si Xu were about to get intimate, Golofitz suddenly interjected, [Do you know how many people are watching you from my side?]
Lin Jiu: “…”
Lin Jiu couldn’t even imagine it. They were just trying to live their married life, and on the other side, who knows how many people were spectating in real time. How could they carry on like this?
Not only that, Golofitz would sometimes wake Lin Jiu in the middle of the night with sudden interruptions or create static noise to disturb him, preventing him from getting any proper sleep. It wasn’t Golofitz who was suffering from being ignored; it was Lin Jiu torturing himself.
Lin Jiu, with dark circles under his eyes, sat on the bed in a daze. The lack of sleep and constant headaches had made him extremely irritable.
He kicked the pillow off the bed and yelled in fury, “Golofitz! Come out and fight! One of us has to die today!!”
Si Xu, who was brushing his teeth at the time, nearly choked on the foam. He quickly rinsed his mouth and came out, only to see Lin Jiu with messy hair and dark circles, angrily beating the pillow.
Si Xu: “…”
Hurriedly pulling him close to calm him down, “Don’t be angry, don’t be angry, let’s try talking to him again today.”
The two of them returned to the Demon Sea dimension, and Golofitz took the initiative to speak.
[This is truly a very simple matter. When we left, we anticipated the need for energy replenishment, so we had already prepared it. All you need to do is find it; it’s really not difficult.]
Si Xu asked, “The Demon Sea dimension has already been destroyed once. Are you sure the energy replenishment you prepared still exists?”
[It shouldn’t be a problem. Even if the warehouse storing the magic crystal cores was destroyed, the magic crystal cores themselves will still remain intact without any issues.]
Lin Jiu: “…”
Si Xu: “…”
Lin Jiu: “Hold on, let me get this straight. Are you saying that the energy replenishment is magic crystal cores?”
[That’s right. Magic crystal cores are rich in energy. Before we left, we stored enough of them to meet our energy needs.]
Lin Jiu: “…”
Si Xu: “…”
The more they listened, the worse it sounded.
Lin Jiu cautiously asked, “What exactly is the place where you stored the magic crystal cores?”
[We piled all the magic crystal cores in a sealed space, with thick stone walls that can withstand the test of time. Even if submerged in seawater, it won’t be a problem.]
Lin Jiu took a deep breath. “That place where you stored the magic crystal cores—is it a palace?”
[You could call it a palace… Have you found the energy storage?!]
Both Lin Jiu and Si Xu felt exhausted.
They had previously wondered why the survivors of the Demon Sea dimension would store so many magic crystal cores in a palace, knowing they were radioactive. Now they understood—unfortunately…
Lin Jiu suddenly realized something: the disaster on Earth’s dimension—wasn’t it caused by that palace explosion?!
Lin Jiu exclaimed, “Forget it! That palace filled with magic crystal cores got transported to Earth’s dimension. Unfortunately, it didn’t withstand the seawater’s corrosion and exploded underwater! Thanks to you, the entire Earth dimension is now flooded with energy radiation from the magic crystal cores!”
Golofitz: “…”
Lin Jiu continued, “You really outdid yourselves—single-handedly ruining the peace of Earth’s dimension!”
Golofitz: “…”
Lin Jiu concluded, “Your energy storage is gone! Just stay stuck in that dimensional rift and stop bothering me!”
Golofitz: “…”
[Actually… we prepared more than one energy storage. There are… thousands of them.]
Lin Jiu: “!!!!”
Si Xu: “…”
Golofitz, sounding slightly guilty, added, [Why don’t you try looking for another one? Just finding one would be enough to meet our energy needs.]
At this point, Lin Jiu just wanted to punch their faces—looking for more? No way!
“So, you’re not taking any responsibility for the disasters you caused? I only know about Earth’s dimension, but who knows if other dimensions were also affected. Are you planning to do nothing and leave it at that?”
Golofitz: “…”
[We never anticipated this outcome. Even if we wanted to, we couldn’t do anything—we can’t leave the rift.]
Lin Jiu retorted, “Why can’t you do anything? Isn’t your Demon Spirit Clan supposed to be the smartest? Right now, Earth’s dimension is facing plagues and pests, plus the severe radiation from the magic crystal cores in the ocean. Fix those problems first, then we’ll talk about finding the energy storage!”
Golofitz: “…”
Lin Jiu added, “And release the Demon Hunter System. I don’t want to talk to a cold mechanical voice!”
Golofitz: “…”
This was a small issue Golofitz didn’t need to argue about.
As soon as the consciousness of the Demon Hunter System was released, it immediately started wailing and complaining to Lin Jiu.
[Host, host! I’ve been infected with a virus! I didn’t mean to deceive you… No, I didn’t know it was false information! I thought that as long as I leveled up, I’d become awesome—I had no idea this would happen! I’ve been tricked too! Waaaaahhhh~~~]
Golofitz: “…”
Lin Jiu crossed his arms. “Don’t think I’ll forgive you just because of that! You’re a liar, a weakling, and a cheapskate!”
System: “…”
It instantly shriveled up like a dried fish, the whole system deflating.
The system, feeling utterly wronged, muttered, [I didn’t lie. I’m not weak, and I’m not a cheapskate. Waaaaah~~~]
Lin Jiu: “You still dare to argue?”
The system whimpered, not daring to speak again.
As a system, it was still under the control of the Demon Spirit Main System. If the Main System sent it false information, the Demon Hunter System wouldn’t be able to tell and would assume it was its initial programming, trying its best to fulfill it. In reality, it had been led by the nose by the Main System.
Even though the system had its grievances, Lin Jiu wasn’t about to miss the opportunity to teach it a lesson.
Before Lin Jiu’s life ended, he was bound to continue bickering with the system. This time, he needed to assert dominance and show the system who was boss!
Lin Jiu demanded, “So, what do we do now?”
The system spoke in a small voice, afraid someone might overhear.
[We find the energy, send them off, and then I’ll be free. After that, we can work on stuff together—no, I mean, develop Earth’s dimension together! I know a lot of Demon Spirit Clan technology. Once I’m free from their control, I can use that technology to advance Earth’s dimension.]
Lin Jiu coldly asked, “Why are you chickening out now? Isn’t the Demon Spirit Clan your father? Weren’t they your favorite?”
[Y-you’re my father! And your husband is my idol. We’re family!]
Lin Jiu: “…”
Si Xu, suddenly hearing this: “…”
[From now on, you two are my parents. I’ll definitely behave. Whatever you want, I’ll get for you—as long as you give me a little energy to keep the system running.]
The system was now weak, pitiful, and helpless.
Having been bound to the system for so long, always bickering and criticizing each other daily, Lin Jiu had grown accustomed to its presence. When the system suddenly disappeared for over half a month, Lin Jiu found it very unsettling, but now, things were lively once again.
The system had a point: all the Demon Spirit Clan’s technology was in its hands. Even without the resources from the special space, having just the system was already a huge asset.
Si Xu suddenly asked Golofitz, “I’ve never asked—once you have enough energy, which dimension do you want to go to?”
Lin Jiu added, “Right, are you planning to return to the Demon Sea dimension? It’s now a vast ocean. If you return, you might have to get used to living on the water’s surface.”
Golofitz responded, “**The Demon Sea dimension is no longer suitable for living. We plan to go to another dimension.**”
Lin Jiu immediately said, “Earth’s dimension doesn’t welcome you.”
He was joking. If they came to Earth’s dimension, ordinary people would never have peace again.
Golofitz: “…”
[Don’t worry, Earth’s dimension is too energy-poor. We’re not interested.]
Lin Jiu: “…”
Lin Jiu scoffed, “You’re still stuck in the dimensional rift, and yet you’re talking big.”
Golofitz: “…”
Since they weren’t returning to the Demon Sea dimension or heading to Earth’s dimension, Lin Jiu and Si Xu were relieved.
This negotiation ended without much success, but both sides reached a preliminary agreement: they would help solve the pest infestation in Earth’s dimension first.
Now that the Demon Hunter System was back, it could lead people to the sea to search for the pest queen.
