Chapter 88
[Detected: only 100 contestants remain. The King has decided to summon you…]
“He’s here,” Wu Yue warned. “Space transfer incoming.”
At those words, Lu Chuan immediately struck a dashing pose—he had to look cool when making his entrance.
After all, the image he had worked so hard to maintain couldn’t be ruined now.
Little did he know, to Wu Yue and Edith beside him, Lu Chuan’s image was already shattered beyond repair.
He was so shameless, so despicable, that contempt itself couldn’t reach his level.
Wu Yue had once planned to part ways with Lu Chuan in the fourth round. That thought was now gone.
If he left now, and later crossed paths with Lu Chuan as an enemy, his hard-earned reputation might be ruined forever.
With that in mind, Wu Yue resolved that even if this dungeon run was a total loss, he would never break away unless Lu Chuan himself said so.
Yes—Lu Chuan now had that kind of terrifying deterrence.
After the system’s chime, Lu Chuan felt a wave of dizziness.
When he opened his eyes again, he found all of them gathered neatly inside a grand, resplendent hall.
How could one describe it?
Massive slabs of gold formed nothing more than the floor, to be stepped upon.
Pillars were twined with fantastical beasts—but a closer look revealed they were carved stone, every scale and feather inlaid with gemstones.
The ceiling was covered with murals, all telling the tale of a hero who defeated countless challengers and finally became King.
“System, I’ve lost!!!” Lu Chuan wailed in anguish at the sight. “I actually lost in a contest of wealth! This hall is more extravagant than the Golden House I wanted to build. Unforgivable! I can’t allow anyone in this world to be richer than me!”
#888 thought for a moment, then comforted him: [Host, you’re still young. Once you grow stronger, all of this can be yours.]
Don’t compare yourself with dungeon NPCs… after all, he’s a King.
Living in such opulence was only natural.
Of course, 888 also knew Lu Chuan was just triggered again.
In past dungeons, even when NPCs were rich, they were within reach. As Lu Chuan kept amassing wealth, he had indeed become very rich.
But rich people were endless.
They existed in the real world, and were plentiful in dungeon worlds too.
Lu Chuan’s rationality had taken another hit—his sanity score dropped from 63 to 62.
Sigh.
This host’s sanity, swayed by fluctuations in wealth, was truly troublesome.
The other 99 contestants weren’t thinking like him.
They weren’t focused on the splendor of the hall, but on the overwhelming aura of strength in the air.
Edith even felt suffocated—like being stared at by a god, as in the last dungeon.
Terrifying.
“…So this is the Blood King? And I actually thought of defeating him to clear the dungeon?”
“Thank goodness we only need to reach the top three.”
“Unbelievable…”
Almost everyone’s attention was locked on the Blood King.
Before them stretched an empty hall, with only a single road leading into the unknown.
But the aura in the air seemed to guide them—take one step forward, and they’d be carried toward their destined place.
Yet, no one moved first.
“This is the Blood King’s domain,” Wu Yue finally said. “Last time, I lasted only 30 seconds against him. His strength is on par with gods. In this dungeon, the most restricted isn’t us players—it’s the King.”
Without system limits on his abilities and items, the Blood King could wipe them all out with ease.
Wu Yue didn’t lower his voice—he wanted the others to hear.
To clear the dungeon, one had to fight for the top three, or kill over twenty high-level NPCs. Defeating the King was impossible.
The system chime rang again.
[The Blood King is in a foul mood. The rules of the fourth round have been changed: From where contestants stand, the path to the Blood King’s throne determines advancement. Whoever successfully reaches the throne will enter the finals. Time and numbers are at the King’s discretion. Contestants, perform well to hold the King’s interest.]
Everyone froze.
What did that mean?
It meant the Blood King could end the game whenever he liked.
Even if no one reached the throne, he could simply grow bored and wipe them out.
The system had given him outrageous authority.
“System, is this dungeon the Blood King’s own domain?” Lu Chuan asked 888, after a moment of silence. “His authority feels greater than the Main God System’s.”
[It should be.] 888 confirmed after checking. [If this dungeon is indeed the Blood King’s territory, then even the Main God System must respect his absolute authority within it. That was part of the original design.]
Before entering, the system had already said the Blood King had conquered countless foes and become the strongest. Likely, those foes included other lords. By waging territory wars, he had seized their domains, which is why he was King.
That also explained why everything outside this hall was in ruins—they were conquered lands, left in devastation.
“Someone’s making a run for it!”
“Chase them!”
“Don’t let them get ahead!”
One contestant, recovering first, dashed toward the throne.
Like a stone dropped into still water, his move set off a chain reaction.
Everyone else sprinted after him.
Even Edith and Wu Yue dragged Lu Chuan along, keeping him from staring like an idiot at the glittering gold and gems.
If they failed here, all their preparations would be wasted.
Lu Chuan started running too.
The hall filled with the sound of pounding footsteps.
Half an hour.
An hour.
Two hours.
Three hours.
…
Eight hours.
The road through the hall stretched endlessly, with no end in sight.
Lu Chuan had already stopped to rest two or three times. Finally, he collapsed against a wall, gasping heavily.
“I… I can’t do it anymore. Even marathons aren’t like this.” For the first time, Lu Chuan realized clearing a dungeon could actually be this hard.
He swore he’d never enter a dungeon that was purely a test of stamina again.
One try was enough to kill him.
Whoever invented this must’ve been insane.
Exhausted, Lu Chuan flopped onto the ground, deciding to lie there for an hour.
Like a dead dog that had accepted its fate, all his ambition drained away.
Wu Yue and Edith couldn’t pull him up.
“The front-runners are nearly out of sight. You’ve already rested multiple times,” Wu Yue frowned. “You can’t even last this long?”
“I’m not a robot!” Lu Chuan roared. “I clear dungeons with my brain. And anyway, this road is clearly wrong—how could we run this long without an exit? In your last match, was it like this too?”
“No,” Wu Yue shook his head. “Last time, in the fourth round, the Blood King made us duel one-on-one. Win, and you advance. Maybe this time he grew bored. Dungeons always change—that’s common sense.”
If every dungeon stayed the same each time, then people could just farm the same one over and over again.
“This Blood King is definitely a scheming bastard.” After resting a while and drinking some water, Lu Chuan finally didn’t look quite so much like a dead dog anymore.
“He changed the rules at the last second because he wants to see what we’re capable of. Pure running won’t satisfy him. Only by putting on some kind of show to amuse him will he show mercy and shorten this path.” Lu Chuan analyzed with a serious expression.
One hundred contestants was still too many.
Watching them duel one-on-one would be far too boring. For someone already at the peak, the Blood King wouldn’t care about childish scuffles. He wanted something different.
Wu Yue silently stared at Lu Chuan.
If the Blood King really wanted amusement, then Lu Chuan alone was equal to everyone else combined. Was there any greater spectacle than him?
“If you’re not one of us, then you just don’t respect me enough.” Lu Chuan instantly understood Wu Yue’s look and muttered without anger.
As long as no one touched his money, Lu Chuan was actually more tolerant than anyone.
“So, how do we actually get to the Blood King? Think carefully—the system never said we had to run. It never said running would lead us to him.” Lu Chuan reflected on the earlier prompt. They had been swept away by the atmosphere.
The aura of power in the air had left everyone on edge.
So when the first contestant rushed forward, everyone blindly followed.
That’s why they ended up running for eight hours straight.
Now, looking back calmly, the prompt had actually emphasized the other part: “arouse the Blood King’s interest in the contest.”
Could mere running really arouse his interest?
If so, then the Blood King had surely seen nothing of the world.
“You have a point.” Wu Yue nodded. Lu Chuan’s words cleared his head.
They really had just been swept up, running for no reason.
The long run and constant pursuit left no room for clear thought—they’d poured everything into keeping pace.
But as Lu Chuan said, given enough time, others would calm down too. Groups would stop and start looking for other ways forward.
“Maybe we should demonstrate our strength.” Wu Yue suggested. “The Blood King loves contests and combat. Every tournament he hosts is to find the strongest among the crowd, someone who can exchange a few blows with him.”
“Oh?” Lu Chuan blinked, curious. “How do you plan to show off?”
Wu Yue thought for a moment, then drew out a long black-gold blade from his inventory.
“This sword is my unsealed item. It’s the only one I brought.” He dragged a finger across the edge, letting the blade drink in his blood. It gleamed with a sinister red light.
The weapon seemed to awaken with strange power.
Wu Yue gripped the hilt and swung it heavily.
In seconds, the hall was crisscrossed with blade marks.
The surroundings regenerated quickly, but Wu Yue’s relentless strikes began to outpace the hall’s ability to heal.
A gap appeared in the wall, and a beam of sunlight streamed through.
[Congratulations, player [Megalodon03]. The Blood King has chosen you. You advance to the next round.]
Before Wu Yue could speak, he was engulfed in white light and teleported away.
The cracked wall repaired itself, the sunlight vanishing as if it had never been.
“No wonder he made top three last time. That’s exactly the thinking of a battle maniac.” Lu Chuan clicked his tongue. “Edith, why don’t you try? Copy his example. As a newcomer, you might draw even more of the Blood King’s attention.”
Edith shook her head. “I’ll protect you first.”
Wu Yue’s success would alert the other contestants. The system’s announcements were public, after all.
Some might even turn back.
Even if Lu Chuan wouldn’t suffer easily, Edith would never abandon him.
To the Star Guild, Lu Chuan was their most valuable asset. Anyone could fall—but not him.
Edith was long prepared to sacrifice herself if necessary.
“Fair enough. Then let me handle this.” Lu Chuan sat cross-legged on the floor, motioning for Edith to relax and sit as well.
“We’ve been stopped long enough. Even if others turn back, it’ll take time. Rest up. Eat something, regain your strength. If a fight really breaks out, you’ll need it.”
Edith nodded, imitating him by sitting down, eating some bread, and drinking water to recover.
Wu Yue’s method was certainly a proper way to advance. But Lu Chuan firmly believed no dungeon ever had only one method.
The Main God System sought diverse players, not cookie-cutter ones.
So all that mattered was piquing the Blood King’s interest.
In other words, the Blood King was watching everything.
Otherwise, Wu Yue wouldn’t have advanced so quickly.
What Wu Yue could do, he could do too.
Thinking this, Lu Chuan pulled out his still-sealed [Infinite Divine Pistol], the melted gold ingot once possessed by Number 9, the VIP card from the loan company, the villager ID from Li Family Village, and so on.
“I know this is all your domain, Blood King. Whatever I say, you can hear me. What you see here are some of my trophies from past dungeons. I believe they’re unique enough to draw your eye.”
Edith’s hairs stood on end.
It really did feel like an immense presence had turned its gaze upon them.
But Lu Chuan, unfazed, continued smiling. “Of course, I’m not showing these off to brag. I only want to share a few things about surviving in dungeon worlds.”
A mere player, teaching a king who ruled vast lands? Anyone else would laugh.
But it was happening.
Edith felt the crushing weight in the air grow stronger, yet she forced herself to stand tall. The momentum couldn’t falter—Lu Chuan was facing off with the Blood King.
They had to look unshaken.
[Host, he really is watching us now!] 888’s voice trembled with excitement.
The items Lu Chuan displayed were too eye-catching.
The [Infinite Divine Pistol] had shot two gods and still held bullets condensed with divine power. Even sealed, its aura was undeniable. One glance told the Blood King it had a storied past.
Then there was the gold ingot touched by Number 9. Its aura had faded with time, but it still carried the weight of something extraordinary. Proof that Lu Chuan had ties to a Burial Squad—and had taken trophies.
Even the loan company card and Li Family Village ID badge were not trivial.
So many items gathered on one person, openly displayed to attract attention—the Blood King was bound to be intrigued.
“First, combat power is essential in dungeons—that much is obvious.” Lu Chuan smiled. “But if that were all, then the Burial Squads would be strongest. Lords would only rule within their domains.”
“No, to truly thrive in dungeons, you must contend with the Main God System itself.” His words were unhurried. “And there are… a few tricks to it.”
Then Lu Chuan fell silent.
Edith pricked up her ears, waiting for the next words—but nothing came.
Who was he waiting for?
Lu Chuan refused to continue, as if saying: unless the Blood King responds, I won’t go on.
Sweat dripped down Edith’s face.
The very air felt frozen, every breath difficult.
Yet Lu Chuan sat serenely, as though oblivious to the pressure.
In truth, the Blood King’s power was probing his mind—but Number 9’s mark blocked the intrusion.
In my domain, no power enters without my leave.
The Blood King pressed harder, but still could not break through.
888 sneered, conjuring all sorts of things within the system space, ready to give the Blood King a beating.
Ha. Did you think I hoarded all these upgrade points for show? This time, I’ll prove myself to my host.
That Number 9 mark? Step aside.
The host is mine to protect!
Lu Chuan had no idea that his obedient, sweet system was now butting heads with Number 9’s mark.
Elsewhere—
Number 9 was carrying out the Main God’s task.
His sword was still lodged in Number 18’s forehead, the gold ingot dangling from its hilt swinging violently.
The cluster of eyes belonging to Number 18 swayed along with the ingot’s shaking, as if they had found some amusement in it.
Senior was angry again.
So what if he wanted to eat a mutated master-rank player? Senior had already killed him several times and even pinned a sword into his head so he couldn’t move.
Yet Senior’s own ingot kept swaying back and forth.
Number 18 felt unbearably bored.
Should he, like Senior, also find an interesting player to toy with?
As the ingot shook faster and faster, Number 18 grew annoyed.
Where his eyes had been, a mouth suddenly tore open and blew a heavy breath at the ingot.
Shake, shake, shake—what’s so fun about shaking? The eyeballs are about to get tied in knots!
The ingot suddenly froze.
It stopped moving.
Number 18 instantly felt guilty. Seeing Number 9 returning after finishing his mission, he quickly shut all his eyes.
“What did you just do?” Number 9 pulled out his sword and was surprised to see the ingot on the hilt no longer moving.
Had Lu Chuan really been this well-behaved lately? The ingot seemed unchanged—looked like he’d been recuperating quietly.
“Nothing, I was totally well-behaved, Senior,” Number 18 replied earnestly.
Heh heh heh. He hadn’t done a thing.
If he didn’t get caught, then it didn’t matter.
The Blood King, meanwhile, was suddenly blasted by a stray gust of breath from nowhere, almost choking his eyes shut.
What the hell?
The Blood King realized half of his power had just been eroded.
This wasn’t a player’s strength.
It was a Burial Squad’s!
He immediately withdrew his intrusion into Lu Chuan.
No need.
If this player could endure for so long, that meant he truly had some extraordinary background—and with a Burial Squad behind him, there was no need to keep pushing.
He didn’t fear Burial Squads, but he didn’t want trouble either.
The Evil World game had run for so many years. Among its players there were always special existences. And those Burial Squads were not necessarily absolutely loyal to the Main God System. Those beings had no rationality; one couldn’t judge them by normal thought.
The Blood King sighed. Trapped in this dungeon for so long, unable to break free—maybe he really should listen to what these players had to say.
“What do you think should be done?” the Blood King finally responded.
His voice fell into Lu Chuan’s ears.
“That’s where maximizing benefits comes in.” Lu Chuan finally got a reply, and fireworks went off in his heart.
Tsk, now it was his turn to shine. How could he let anyone else steal the spotlight?
Author’s Note:
Lu Chuan: Watch me talk your ears off.
Number 18: [cat face] I didn’t do anything.
