In the Infinite Worlds, I Just Want to Be the God of Wealth – CH206

Chapter 206

Something that could threaten the Main God System was hidden in this dungeon?

Lu Chuan’s first instinct was disbelief. But once suspicion passed, he realized it might very well be true.

Nothing in the world is completely without weakness. And often, the ones who know you best are your enemies.

For the Main God System, the gods were its eternal foes. Naturally, the gods would know where its weaknesses lay.

“Details,” Lu Chuan pressed. “What exactly is going on? Spell it out.”

“It was a twist of fate,” [Undying] began slowly, recounting. “Back then, I fought the Executors, but still couldn’t protect the ones I wanted to. Cynthia and her brother lost their mother. After that battle, I looked fine on the surface, but inside my sanity was crumbling. I thought I’d reached the top of the player world, but in front of a true Executor, I wasn’t even worth mentioning.”

Even when [Undying] managed to kill one at full strength, it was useless—because in the blink of an eye, the Executor resurrected unscathed. Worse, in that moment of rebirth, [Undying] sensed a faint trace of divinity in them.

That divine aura was fleeting, appearing only at the moment of death and rebirth—but he caught it.

So he began to investigate.

In time, [Undying] uncovered something terrifying: Executors might be dead gods transformed.

The so-called “choices” the Main God System gave players—becoming a god or becoming an Executor—were just two paths to the same end: playthings of the Main God System.

That Executor, during resurrection, had even spoken with a god’s voice: “Death is not the end. Whoever the Main God System wants to live, and in whatever form—it is its freedom. We cannot resist.”

His research confirmed it.

A senior player he once idolized had clearly died in a dungeon, yet later appeared as a god. But that person no longer remembered him—or that they had ever been a player.

He had also seen weaker Executors suddenly regain player memories when their sanity collapsed. They begged for death but couldn’t die—only when another Executor came to devour them did their torment finally end.

And then the cycle repeated with the new Executor.

Life and death were never theirs to decide.

Even as one of the strongest players alive, [Undying] couldn’t escape the Main God System.

Worse, the system was delighted at his growth—he was becoming the finest fruit it had cultivated in this generation.

After learning the truth, [Undying] lost all desire to resist. He realized he could never meet the expectations of his guild, who wanted him to lead players against the Main God and end the Infinite Game.

His arrival in this dungeon had been an accident.

He just wanted a place no one knew about, where he could fade away. He cleared dungeons most considered impossibly difficult, until the Main God tossed him into Territory.

He didn’t care. He had plenty of lifespan left. Even if he died here, he’d just become either an Executor or a god. The Main God System would never let a “fruit” it had cultivated so carefully rot on its own.

It had never been his choice to make.

Realizing that, he fell into despair.

Even when others stole his lifespan, he barely reacted—dying seemed fine.

But then, while trapped in a relic space, he unexpectedly absorbed a fragment of memory left by a dead god.

“That god’s authority was [Precognition],” [Undying] said softly. “During the war with the Main God System, they foresaw their own death. So they used their last strength to leave behind a memory for me to find. In it, they revealed: the Main God System was not unscathed in its battle with the gods. It paid a steep price. The gods’ authorities are unimaginable—many could peer into the System’s past and future, searching for its weaknesses. Some of the strongest gods forcibly ripped out a part of it that could truly threaten it—and hid it in this dungeon. What it is, or how it exists, I don’t know.”

After receiving that memory, [Undying] revived.

His own despair was irrelevant—but he couldn’t allow himself to miss a chance to strike the Main God System.

So he began seriously clearing this dungeon, constantly extending his lifespan.

Over the years, he had scoured almost every relic space. Though the swirls seemed endless, they were in fact finite. With patience and luck, he could eventually clear them all.

“After so many years, you haven’t found it. What makes you think partnering with me will change that?” Lu Chuan asked with a wry smile. “That could take forever.”

“First, I owe you an apology. Everything that happened after you entered the relic space—I saw it.” [Undying] said.

“Knew it. I felt like I was being spied on.” Lu Chuan wasn’t surprised. Very few even knew he was in this dungeon. Those who could peer at him were limited.

“I’ve entered that same space before,” [Undying] continued. “Others have too. But none of them saw what you saw. That convinces me—you’ve been targeted by the Main God System. And not just casually. It very, very badly wants you dead.”

The Main God System was always fair—almost to an extreme—when it came to players. If it broke that fairness, it meant something it cared about was involved.

That was why [Undying] had come seeking cooperation.

Because someone the Main God System cared so much about destroying had to carry something it feared—or something it wanted gone.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

At this, Shen Li glanced toward Lu Chuan.

He knew exactly why the Main God System wanted him dead.

Even if Lu Chuan hadn’t admitted it, his ties to [God of Wealth] were far from ordinary.

“You’re right. The Main God System really does want me dead,” Lu Chuan admitted. “I’m willing to work with you—but tell me, how exactly are we supposed to cooperate?”

“After a while, the Rent Collectors spawned by the Rules of Life and Death will arrive in this dungeon. They’ll start demanding lifespan from players as rent. Anyone who can’t pay enough lifespan will die.” [Undying] said quietly. “How much do you know about them?”

“I know everything you just said.” Lu Chuan spread his hands. “The intel we got was all coerced out of an old veteran. What he knew is what we know. As for the deeper secrets of this dungeon, we don’t know much at all.”

“These years, I’ve searched every corner of this dungeon I could, yet I still couldn’t find any clues. If I didn’t know for sure that that god’s memory couldn’t possibly be fake, I would’ve suspected I was tricked.” [Undying] sighed. “But soon, I realized maybe my line of thought was wrong. In this dungeon, there are only two rules. One is the Rules of Life and Death, catalyzed by the resentment of dead gods. The other is the Territory Rule set by the Main God System. I originally thought the Main God System hid its weakness within the Territory Rule, so I combed through every territory, every pocket space, every godly relic in this dungeon, but found nothing. Now, the only thing I’ve never tracked down is the Rent Collectors.”

“They’re born from the death of gods, carrying endless malice toward the living. Because mighty gods died, yet fragile humans still live, the Rent Collectors spare no effort in harvesting players’ lifespans. Once they’re done, they vanish. I tried tracking them, but quickly lost the trail. I suspect, if the Main God System didn’t hide its weakness in its own rule, but rather in the gods’ rule, then perhaps that was the Main God’s true plan.”

The most dangerous place is often the safest place.

Lu Chuan straightened slightly. “Hmm, what you’re saying makes some sense. So what do you need me to do? Forgive my bluntness, but you look way stronger than me right now.”

“Here, everyone has lost their tools and abilities. Strong or weak makes little difference.” [Undying] smiled. “But I’m always picky about partners. I originally wanted to seek out Bobona, but she seems single-minded about becoming a god, believing that godhood is the best way to resist the Main God System. Everyone has their own aspirations—I can’t force her to change her path.”

“Guildmaster [Undying], allow me to butt in.” Shen Li, who had been listening, finally spoke. “As you can see, our Guildmaster is also walking the road toward godhood. If what you’re proposing is extremely dangerous, then I fear our Star Guild cannot participate. We finally got a new guild Guildmaster. If something happens to him in this dungeon, our guild will never rise again.”

To Shen Li, this was pure bullying of the honest.

You don’t look for Bobona because she’s chasing godhood, but Lu Chuan is obviously on the same path—maybe even sprinting down it—and you come looking for him instead? Tracking down the Main God System’s weakness already sounds troublesome and dangerous. If something goes wrong, Shen Li and the others wouldn’t even have the face to return to the guild.

“Because I can tell, Bobona wants to become a god, but she’s only standing at the threshold. Your Guildmaster, however, has already walked far down that road.” [Undying] gazed at Lu Chuan, as if staring at a monster.

If not for the dungeon’s restrictions on tools and powers, [Undying] would’ve realized at first glance that Lu Chuan was no longer human. He wouldn’t have had to wait until now to notice.

The biggest difference between gods and humans is that gods cannot be measured by reason. They are always that way. They almost never change.

Lu Chuan arched a brow. As expected of the Resurrection Guild’s Guildmaster—his eye for detail was sharper than most.

“That’s right. I’ve already shed the limits of the human body.” Lu Chuan admitted bluntly. “But what exactly do you need me to do? You still haven’t said.”

“I want us to track the Rent Collectors together, to see where they actually go.” [Undying] said. “They are born of divine resentment, appearing only at certain nodes before vanishing. There must be some space in this dungeon that only the Rent Collectors can enter—perhaps that’s the gods’ true graveyard. If I go alone, I may not come back. But if we both go, the odds improve greatly. I promise you this: if only one of us can return, I will spare nothing to ensure that person is you.”

At this level of promise, [Undying] left Lu Chuan no room to refuse.

Of course, Lu Chuan had no desire to refuse. “Fine, I’ll agree!”

Shen Li and the others couldn’t stop him in time. Lu Chuan had his own plans.

Afterward, Shen Li expressed his disapproval through “nonviolent noncooperation”—by slashing the fruit shop’s prices, cutting into Lu Chuan’s profits. Shen Li knew only this could truly make Lu Chuan miserable!

[Undying] didn’t show himself again. He’d said he’d only appear when the Rent Collectors arrived. Lu Chuan, happy to have peace, focused on making more money in the meantime. Of course, plenty of players tried to launch Territory Wars against him, or seize the Golden Tower, and so on—but all were resolved perfectly by Lu Chuan.

Those riffraff dared act arrogant before him?

Most of the time, Lu Chuan didn’t even need to move. Edith and Starry Shasha had already dealt with those blind fools.

Pity he hadn’t brought more manpower. Otherwise, as guild Guildmaster, with enough people at his command and his Star Guild identity on display, he could’ve crushed those troublemakers with ease.

Still, as more challengers to Lu Chuan disappeared, Wen Renxu’s reputation grew. People increasingly believed the Golden Tower was Wen Renxu’s territory—otherwise, how could so many go in and never return?

Lu Chuan and the others had no intention of quashing those rumors—in fact, they subtly fanned them. Better to lie low. Why stick your head out for nothing?

And so, in this seemingly perilous yet leisurely period, the Rent Collectors finally arrived… and all the players in the streets shifted their attention away from the Golden Tower, turning instead to desperate struggles over lifespan—fighting to survive the Rent Collectors’ harvest.

It was said the Rent Collectors would appear at dusk. They would split into countless forms, manifesting precisely in front of every single player—whether hiding in a territory or inside a godly relic’s space, they would still be found, and their lifespan taken as rent.

Those with enough lifespan had nothing to fear. Those lacking it had begun writing wills, or making last stands, trying somehow to survive these monsters.

Lu Chuan felt no nervousness at all. That was the mindset shift brought by strength. Before, he’d have been like the other players, straining to extend his lifespan, racking his brain for a way out—just like in the Flesh and Blood Apartment dungeon.

But now, as a top player who’d already surpassed humanity, this dungeon seemed far less daunting.

As long as the Main God System didn’t stir up trouble, nothing could hinder his profits.

He and his team checked their current lifespans—back up to over 100 days, thanks mainly to the fruit shop’s business. A few hours of trades added up quickly. Plus, since Shen Li’s group lived in the Golden Tower, they’d rented out their own territory, which was another bit of income.

They might not be rich, but they had more than enough to pay the Rent Collectors’ rent.

When the Rent Collectors were about to arrive, Guildmaster [Undying] appeared right on time before the Golden Tower.

Lu Chuan had once asked Shen Li about [Undying]’s true name, but Shen Li couldn’t say. [Undying] had been famous for so long that everyone just called him that. His real name and origins were forgotten—or perhaps those who once knew were long dead.

With no answers to be had, Lu Chuan stopped asking, and focused on waiting for the Rent Collectors. He was curious what sort of beings they were, and how exactly they would take lifespans.

When the white mist dispersed, the Rent Collectors arrived.

One by one, they appeared before different players, their calm, toneless voices intoning to each:
“Your time is up. I will collect your lifespan as rent for this place.”

Some players tried to attack, but even before their relics could activate, the Rent Collectors had struck them down and forcibly seized their lifespans.

They weren’t the first to resist, but no one had ever succeeded.

“Your time is up. I will collect your lifesp—”

The Rent Collector stopped mid-sentence, stunned at the sight of the player before him.

Lu Chuan also froze.

The Rent Collector stared silently at him.

“…Aren’t you the priest of the God of Exchange? Why are you here collecting rent?” Lu Chuan glared. Who else could it be but Chen Ji?

This guy was even more omnipresent than him—showing up everywhere.

Unbeknownst to Lu Chuan, Chen Ji was thinking the exact same thing: why was Lu Chuan everywhere, haunting him like a ghost?

“Because the Main God System could only establish a single rule here: only priests and dependents of gods can enter.” Chen Ji glared back. “All these players are the Main God System’s property—it can’t just hand them over to dead gods.”

So, naturally, the Main God System would call upon its allied [God of Exchange] to come and help collect rent.

The ones who usually came weren’t Chen Ji, but since Lu Chuan had been pestering him lately, Chen Ji was annoyed and simply took on this task to blow off some steam.

Never in a million years did he expect to run into Lu Chuan again.

What kind of luck is this? I run into him more often than I see the [God of Exchange].

That’s what Chen Ji thought.

Looks like he’s destined to be my priest, thought Lu Chuan as well.

“So you two know each other.” The [Undying] Guildmaster glanced at Lu Chuan, then at Chen Ji, his grin widening.

Perfect. He’d been thinking about teaming up with Lu Chuan to fight off the rent collector anyway.

If they knew each other, then that meant less trouble.

“Just because we know each other doesn’t mean I’ll charge you less rent. I’m just here to take a bit of your lifespan.” Chen Ji hurriedly explained, “I know exactly how many people you have here. Once I’ve collected your lifespans, I have to hand them over to the Executor who came with me. He’s waiting outside. If I collect less than I’m supposed to, he won’t spare me.”

“Which number?” Lu Chuan quickly asked. “Which number came?”

“Number Thirteen,” Chen Ji replied.

Lu Chuan was very disappointed.

What, such a cushy job and Cang Jiu didn’t manage to snatch it?

“Number Thirteen, that’s a pretty high rank.” The [Undying] Guildmaster stroked his chin. “We could fight him outside the dungeon, but inside the dungeon it’s much harder to make a move.”

“Well, not exactly outside the dungeon,” Chen Ji thought for a moment, deciding Lu Chuan wasn’t easy to deal with and so it was better to tell the truth. “We came through the gaps between dungeons. This dungeon is blocked by the resentful will of dead gods, so anything tied to the Main God finds it very hard to enter. You players can come in, but at the cost of your lifespans. Only if you stay here for a hundred days and adapt to this place can you be accepted. Otherwise, even if you escape midway, you’ll just rapidly age and die.”

“So you guys have your own special space.” The [Undying] Guildmaster’s eyes lit up. Wasn’t that exactly the kind of place they were looking for? If they could locate it, perhaps that was the Main God System’s weak point—and that’s why it had sent an Executor to support the rent collector!

“We do, but I advise you not to target it.” Chen Ji sighed. He knew nothing good ever came out of crossing paths with Lu Chuan. “Even with Executor protection, it’s hard for me to get inside that space. If you try, your lifespans will probably be cut down to just a few hours—or even minutes. Human lifespans are different from ours. Don’t do something so foolish.”

“My lifespan is long.”

“I stopped being human a long time ago.”

The [Undying] Guildmaster and Lu Chuan said at the same time.

***

Author’s Note:
Chen Ji: I’m just a wage slave, a brick to be moved wherever needed.

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