Chapter 179
Compared to being hunted by gods and later by Number 6, Lu Chuan’s current days were far easier.
He picked up his pen and began sorting through all the intel he had gathered.
“Earlier, Cang Jiu said there’s a rumor that Number 6 became a Doombringer after being killed by Wen Renxu. But that point is questionable. #888 said Number 6 didn’t even recognize Wen Renxu back then.” Lu Chuan thought about it and added a question mark after that note.
[Host, it’s just a rumor. It could be false. After so many years, who can say if it’s true?] #888 offered a different view. [When you fainted, Number 6 clearly didn’t recognize Wen Renxu.]
“But Cang Jiu is the one who said it. He wouldn’t tell me an unverified rumor. Even if the rumor is partly false, there must be some truth mixed in. The problem is, we haven’t seen the true part yet.” Lu Chuan tapped his pen thoughtfully. “Wen Renxu has multiple personalities. I recall the vice guildmaster saying Wen Renxu had a skill called God’s Descent, letting him form contracts with gods. But so far, we haven’t seen Wen Renxu use that.”
In this world where timelines were a mess, who could say which timeline Wen Renxu and Doombringer Number 6 had actually experienced?
That point remained uncertain.
“Next, about this current timeline dungeon.”
Although this timeline was the safest one aside from the starting point, it wasn’t much of a benefit for Lu Chuan.
With no other gods appearing, he couldn’t gather intel from their actions. At the same time, investigators were popping up in large numbers, but their quality varied wildly. They hadn’t yet formed a unified system of thought, making it difficult to give them orders.
And humans had a bad habit: if no external threat stirs trouble, they start infighting among themselves.
At present, investigation teams were each acting on their own and even starting to clash. If not for Wen Renxu—who could defeat all investigators single-handedly—there’d be no hope of unifying them at all.
That task, Lu Chuan decided, was Wen Renxu’s problem, not his.
[Host, is there a problem with this dungeon? We’re safe right now.] #888 had scanned already. In this timeline, gods rarely appeared. Even the newly ascended Father of Nature was in seclusion, not harming humans.
For humanity, the only threats left were disasters.
This period was when investigators studied disasters in depth and compiled them into training manuals.
Those disasters were equivalent only to lesser eldritch creatures.
“Of course there’s a problem. I plan to play the role of Little Gold Boss here.” Lu Chuan grinned. “Wen Renxu said he heard about a ‘Little Gold Boss’ who hired a lot of protection but then fell into a deep sleep. Tell me—under what circumstances would I fall asleep?”
[…In death, Host. The divine seeds would die in your place, but your body would still need time to recover.] #888 shivered. [But it’s safe right now.]
“Silly system. Where in this dungeon could be called safe? If I let my guard down, I could die without even knowing how.” Lu Chuan gave #888 a fond look. “It’s not just the Four Evil Gods eyeing me. In this dungeon, there are plenty of beings that could kill me.”
[Then Host, how do we avoid it?] #888 asked in another way.
“Why avoid it?” Lu Chuan countered. “If I’m destined to fall asleep, then I need to prepare thoroughly.”
[I’ll support you, Host.]
“Good. System, scan the market for all supplies and quantities of calming potions.” Lu Chuan cracked his knuckles. “If I’m going to hire a bunch of guards, I’ll need money. And calming potions are the only real hard currency.”
When in doubt, the top priority was always to make money!
Lu Chuan thought it over for several days and decided to return to his old trade.
He noticed that calming potions weren’t being mass-produced yet, so their prices were sky-high. Sometimes, even double the price wasn’t enough to secure a steady supply.
But in the future, mass production methods did exist. With his sensitivity to wealth, Lu Chuan had studied both the formula and the production line.
He wasn’t a professional, so making them himself was tricky.
But that was fine—he could hire people!
Once again under the alias Little Gold Boss, Lu Chuan used the eye-ingots he earned from hunting to stockpile potion ingredients and scout for shopfronts.
Investigators might lack unity, but their hunger for calming potions was undeniable. Whoever controlled enough potions controlled the investigators.
Even in business, few could rival Lu Chuan.
Now that he knew how to mass-produce calming potions, he could outmatch anyone in both quantity and quality—and keep supplying endlessly. For investigators, that was nothing short of a miracle.
Within just three months of opening shop, Little Gold Boss’s name resounded through every investigation team.
Only he kept calming potions flowing steadily.
With them, casualty rates dropped sharply, and more recruits joined the teams.
Naturally, word of Little Gold Boss spread to sharp ears.
[Host, this is already the seventh large investigation team to send you an invitation.]
After seeing off another investigator, #888 said: [It’s going more smoothly than you imagined.]
Lu Chuan had thought about forming his own team, but why build from scratch when stealing one was faster?
With one clever move, you could feast forever. Better to join an easy target of a large team—and then seize control.
“Hm, I need to study their files more carefully. See which one is easiest to take over.” Lu Chuan rubbed his chin, deep in thought. “I also need to confirm if these groups really match what’s on paper. Something about one or two of them feels off.”
[Off?] #888 considered. [You mean they might be scheming against you? Recruiting you first, then stealing your business?]
“No, not that.” Lu Chuan shook his head. “Look at this group’s file. Something doesn’t add up. They claim around a hundred members, but their expenses don’t line up.”
With money, even ghosts worked for you. And desperate investigators were always ready to sell out their teams.
Lu Chuan bought one dossier publicly and another secretly. Comparing both gave him a clearer picture.
888 scanned the files.
[You’re right. Their purchases of food and supplies don’t match their numbers—they’re short by at least a third.] #888 concluded. [Even at the bare minimum standard of this era, it’s not enough.]
“Exactly.” Lu Chuan nodded. “Check the others—any similar problems?”
888 scanned again. Only one other suspicious team turned up; the rest matched, if barely.
“The devil’s in the details. A third of the resources missing isn’t just embezzling. No way investigators would sit quietly if they couldn’t get supplies. A few shortfalls, fine—but a third? Impossible. Unless… that third never needed supplies. Either they didn’t live long enough to receive them, or they didn’t need them at all.”
“The Eternal Life Investigation Team, huh? That’s the one I’ll join!”
News spread quickly that Little Gold Boss chose to cooperate with the Eternal Life Team.
Many were puzzled. Compared to larger teams, the Eternal Life Team was only mid-tier. Why would the man controlling calming potions pick them?
Little Gold Boss’s answer was intriguing:
“I think their name is the best. Eternal Life—sounds lucky. As a businessman, I believe in that kind of fortune.”
The response shocked some, but others found it understandable.
After all, a good name did have its charm.
But inside the Eternal Life Team, news of his joining didn’t spark much joy.
The investigator sent to greet Lu Chuan walked unsteadily, spirit dulled.
Lu Chuan didn’t comment, but his hired guards had plenty to say.
“The Eternal Life Team sent you an invitation, Boss, and this is how they treat you?”
“Just one person sent to welcome us, and such a weakling at that—who exactly are they looking down on?”
“Boss Jin, why don’t we just switch to another investigation team? I’ve got a friend who happens to be…”
Lu Chuan raised his hand, signaling the bodyguards to quiet down.
They had no choice but to fall silent. Their Young Boss Jin might usually have a good temper, but when it came to serious business, interruptions were not tolerated.
Lu Chuan handed over a calming potion. “Sir, you don’t look too rational right now. Drink this calming potion and take a good rest. It’s a new flavor, not even on the market yet.”
The investigator drank the potion Lu Chuan gave him, and his complexion did improve slightly.
He glanced at Lu Chuan, then at the bodyguards standing behind him. His expression shifted subtly as he tugged Lu Chuan aside and whispered hastily, “You should leave, now. This investigation team isn’t right for you. Just say they slighted you and walk away—while you still can!”
There was clear terror on his face, but he dared not say more.
Lu Chuan smiled faintly, tightening his grip on the man’s hand. “Your investigation team’s problem is exactly what interests me. It’s the reason I came.”
The investigator froze, stunned by Lu Chuan’s words.
But it was the truth.
As soon as they entered the grounds of the Immortal Investigation Team, even the bodyguards behind Lu Chuan noticed something was off.
“What… what’s that smell? So foul!”
“What exactly are you people doing here at the Immortal Investigation Team?”
“This isn’t good, Young Boss Jin. We’d better get out.”
The bodyguards were growing uneasy. The team’s base was far too strange—such a massive site, with hardly any people in sight, and an overpowering stench hanging everywhere. The atmosphere itself was enough to make one’s skin crawl.
Lu Chuan swept his gaze around, then turned to the investigator beside him. “We’re already here. Could you call the others out?”
The man trembled as he pulled out a whistle. At its shrill sound, investigators slowly emerged from hiding places—but their steps were stiff, their faces expressionless, like walking corpses.
“Looks like I’ve walked straight into some evil god’s lair,” Lu Chuan chuckled. “Judging from the symptoms, this is some sort of disease, isn’t it? Hm. You invited me because all the other major investigation teams had already extended their olive branches—you couldn’t be the only ones who didn’t. But you never thought I’d actually come, and in fact hoped I’d leave. For an evil god to fear me this much, that’s rare… unless that god happens to be an old acquaintance.”
He turned toward the investigator beside him. “Am I right, old friend? I shouldn’t be calling you [Plague Rat] anymore, but by your new divine title: [Father of Nature].”
The investigator shuddered violently. When he raised his head again, his gaze and aura belonged to a completely different being.
Thud.
One after another, Lu Chuan’s bodyguards collapsed, faces flushed, as though stricken by disease.
Yet they weren’t dead.
On the contrary, the [Father of Nature] clearly intended to use their lives as bargaining chips against Lu Chuan.
“I was only using the investigation team to hide my presence while I grew my strength,” said the [Father of Nature]. Even he hadn’t expected that after decades, he’d see Lu Chuan again—looking completely unchanged.
He had assumed Lu Chuan, being human, would have long since died.
And yet here he was.
Why?
No human, no matter how well they preserved themselves, should remain entirely unchanged.
And Lu Chuan clearly knew him well.
From the [Father of Nature]’s perspective, they hadn’t seen each other for decades. From Lu Chuan’s perspective, their separation had only been three or four months. There was no sense of unfamiliarity at all.
This slow accumulation of power was exactly the same as back when he was still the [Plague Rat].
Even if the divine title had changed, the style had not.
“I’m curious—now that you’re one of the Four High Gods, with the others all in slumber, did you really need to descend again in human form to skulk about here?” Lu Chuan asked. Since the [Father of Nature] hadn’t attacked immediately, it meant he wasn’t eager to fight.
The [Father of Nature] wasn’t foolish enough to clash with Lu Chuan again. Back then, he had been too weak, tempted by [Dream of Nothingness]’s offer. But later, Lu Chuan had lured in that strange god-devourer who injured most of the gods. He himself had been left weakened, and this body was just one mortal incarnation.
If it came to a fight, victory was far from certain.
“Even as a High God, my power is the weakest of the four,” the [Father of Nature] admitted. “Their understanding of divinity far surpasses mine. They have believers in other worlds as well. But I… I can’t even find the entrances to those worlds, as though something blocks me.”
At that, Lu Chuan immediately understood.
Because of the [God of Time].
In other worlds—even in those controlled by the Main God System—gods like [Dream of Nothingness], [God of Omniscience], and [Mother of Fertility] were all established. But Lu Chuan had never heard of the [Father of Nature]. Perhaps such a god had once existed, but had died completely.
But in this [God of Time] instance, it was different.
Here, the [Father of Nature] had ascended, evolving from the lowly [Plague Rat].
So while he was recognized as a High God in this world, whether he would be accepted beyond it was uncertain.
Which meant that even though he considered himself a High God, compared to the others there was still a vast gulf.
He knew his weakness, yet not how to overcome it. Meanwhile, the others, though stronger, strangely never sought other worlds either, choosing instead to linger here.
This abnormality naturally made him uneasy.
Thus, he descended again, hoping to find answers among humans. And if not, at least he could consolidate enough power to stand his ground when the others awoke.
“Why not cooperate again?” the [Father of Nature]’s eyes gleamed with calculation. “I’ll tell you the whereabouts of the other gods, and you can have your friend devour them—let them sleep for a few hundred more years.”
If Number Six listened to me, I’d have cleared this dungeon ages ago. You think I’d still be standing here listening to your nonsense?
Lu Chuan mocked silently, though his face betrayed nothing.
“I wouldn’t dare trust you. The last time I did, it nearly cost me my life.” He smiled. “Anyone who can evolve from a lesser god to a high god in such a short span isn’t worth trusting.”
“So you still choose the wrong path,” the [Father of Nature] sighed. In a flash, he lunged at Lu Chuan.
But Lu Chuan had been on guard, and he dodged swiftly.
“What, one failed negotiation and you’re already trying to kill me? Your temper’s much worse than before. High gods aren’t supposed to be this petty.”
Perhaps because the [Father of Nature] wasn’t a naturally grown High God, his divinity contained an unusually large amount of human traits.
Unfortunately for him, this time he faced a fully armed Lu Chuan, wealthy in relics and treasures.
Unlike before, when his resources were spent, Lu Chuan was now flush with equipment.
He immediately drew the [Cross of Godslaying], activated the Eye of Fortune, and aimed straight at the [Father of Nature]’s core.
The [Father of Nature] had never seen the [Cross of Godslaying], but he could sense the lingering aura of many gods upon it—even a trace of the [God of Omniscience]. There was no way he could withstand that head-on.
After all, this was just a mortal shell. Its strength was limited.
Within human flesh, his power was greatly constrained. Meanwhile, Lu Chuan seemed to have an endless supply of bizarre relics, each with a complete and unique system of its own.
What were these things?
The [Father of Nature] was baffled. Investigators could forge artifacts, yes, but theirs were crude compared to these exquisite, self-contained relics of Lu Chuan’s.
And certainly none could create tools capable of slaying gods.
There had to be a great secret behind Lu Chuan’s arsenal. If he uncovered it, perhaps he could finally understand the gap between himself and the other High Gods.
His mind raced, and quickly he adopted a new tactic.
“Wait.” The [Father of Nature] called a truce. “I know where the other gods are. How about an exchange?”
Lu Chuan didn’t respond, continuing his relentless assault.
“Hold on—I also know a possible way to leave this world. Don’t you want to try?” The [Father of Nature] gritted his teeth. He couldn’t let this human shell be destroyed. Replacing it would be troublesome, and rebuilding his control over the investigation team would be even worse.
“Oh?” Lu Chuan halted his attack, his expression instantly becoming much more courteous. “Really? Go on, let’s hear it.”
“I know of a place,” said the Father of Nature, “one I discovered after I became a high god and began investigating everywhere. It’s unstable—time and space fluctuations often occur there. I suspect it might be a gateway to another world, but I’ve never tested it myself.”
The Father of Nature looked at Lu Chuan as if he had just found the perfect partner. “If we enter there, we might be able to temporarily leave this world. I imagine you also want to see what lies beyond.”
