Chapter 77: Ambers of the Long Night (33)
According to tradition, the top candidates for Wise King would appear in the Red Hall on the final day, where—under the witness of the current Wise King, government officials, council members, and reporters—the transfer of power would take place.
But when that day arrived, although the four Evil Spirits showed up as usual, the Red Hall remained eerily empty—so quiet it was unsettling.
Ge Guang swept his gaze calmly around the surroundings and used a detection-type item to scan. He discovered that there truly weren’t many people left in the hall, then sneered.
“Pathetic trick.”
They’d probably evacuated everyone to set up some sort of trap. But what a pity—demons from Crisis Hell had prepared well for obtaining the Super Intellect Core. Each of them had at least one emergency-escape talisman; no matter what trap had been laid, Ge Guang and the others were confident they could escape. In fact, fewer people only made things easier for them.
Soon, all four Evil Spirits gathered in the hall, sizing up one another—their final competitors.
Ge Guang, Lv. 95
You Le, Lv. 93
Tini, Lv. 93
Dong Weishi, Lv. 91
Originally there had been more Evil Spirits, but as the final stage drew near, those with both personal strength and guild backing—like Ge Guang—had quietly joined forces to eliminate any others trying to take a share. Through battles or deals, they’d narrowed the field to just these four.
“You know, Ge Guang,” said You Le, “I don’t see why you even need the Super Intellect Core. Neither you nor your guild specialize in technology. Why not sell it to me? I can pay you handsomely.”
You Le had, of course, investigated his opponents in advance. He knew Ge Guang well—they were old rivals, and Ge Guang possessed both personal and guild power. In past dungeons, You Le had lost to him more often than he’d won. If possible, he’d rather avoid direct confrontation.
In truth, his survival so far was partly thanks to his guild’s support, and partly due to one member’s special ability—luck had played a role. Of the four present, You Le knew he was the weakest in pure strength.
Tini was said to belong to some secret society, her actions a complete mystery—she never streamed, and even You Le’s powerful guild couldn’t find her data. A detestable mystic. Dong Weishi, on the other hand, was a famed lone wolf, known throughout Crisis Hell for his brutal individual prowess.
Calculating the odds, You Le realized his chance of final victory was slim. A temporary alliance might be wiser.
At his words, the other two glanced warily their way and took a few steps back. Ge Guang smirked, “Forget it. The Super Intellect Core is mine.”
“Why? It doesn’t even suit your build!”
“First,” Ge Guang said, smiling faintly, “because it’s something all of you want—which makes me want it even more. Second, it’s the final legacy of this world—a true limited-edition artifact. You know how I can’t resist something exclusive.”
He paused, then added, “Besides, there’s a good chance it’s an Epic-grade item. I doubt your guild could afford that.”
There was no reason to hide the truth anymore. These Crisis Hell demons had surely guessed it already—why else would they have invested so heavily?
[Chatroom Scrolling…]
[Epic item?! Damn, I’ve never even seen one!]
[Same here! I thought those were just legends!]
[Wait, aren’t you from Crisis Hell too? How come you’ve never seen one?]
[You think Epic items grow on trees? Please. No wonder these guilds went all in—if an Epic spawns in the Hunger Hell dungeon, it’s a first in history!]
[If this were Crisis Hell or Isolation Hell, top demons would descend for it themselves.]
[But can the Super Intellect Core really qualify as Epic?]
[Highly likely. “Epic” means something that made a historic mark in its native world. The Super Intellect Core meets—no, surpasses—that definition. As the final masterpiece of this planet’s civilization… honestly, it might even reach “Legendary”… though that’s almost too absurd to say aloud.]
[Legendary?! Holy crap, I’ve never even heard of anyone below the Great Demon rank holding one.]
[Exactly. Legendary items are few even in the upper hells.]
[Realistically, the Core’s too damaged to reach that tier—but Epic-grade minimum, no doubt.]
When an Epic-grade artifact was at stake, “build incompatibility” meant nothing—such value was worth retraining an entire build from scratch.
You Le sighed. He hadn’t really expected success, just wanted to confirm things—and maybe sow the seed for a future alliance.
Tini and Dong Weishi were already keeping their distance from Ge Guang, but that didn’t make things safer; their separation could easily be a ploy, part of a plan. Everyone harbored their own schemes.
Just then, Nahem, dressed sharply in a suit, entered from a side door. Seeing the same four he’d met at the Inspection Bureau, he showed no surprise.
“All royal heirs have arrived,” he said evenly. “Follow me.”
Ge Guang arched a brow, smiling mockingly. “Why, if it isn’t my dear interrogator. Congratulations on your promotion—you’ve climbed all the way into the upper ranks of government.”
His tone dripped with irony. Since leaving the Bureau, Nahem had realized Ge Guang had deliberately set him up back then—but he hadn’t expected the man to end up as one of the final candidates, and the only native human among them.
Nahem, Lv. 90
A month ago, he’d actually been the demons’ most troublesome rival. Unfortunately, as a senior government officer, his reputation had suffered after the assassination scandal, dropping his rating to Level 90—the bare minimum to qualify as a candidate.
Ignoring Ge Guang’s taunt, Nahem swept his gaze over them and said curtly, “The election ceremony will begin shortly. I’ll take you to see Her Majesty. Follow me.”
When no one moved, he turned back, eyes glinting with provocation. “What’s wrong? Thinking of forfeiting?”
Ge Guang snorted and strode forward first. You Le, Tini, and then Dong Weishi followed.
Fear didn’t exist in the demons’ vocabulary—especially not fear of a “fake data NPC.” Even if there was a trap, they could escape instantly. No dungeon in Hunger Hell could block the Paradise Escape spell.
Nahem led them into the Inner Hall, the sacred space for major ceremonies—coronations, decrees, and state announcements. The ceiling was carved in openwork relief, designed so that when the queen stood on the dais at noon, sunlight would pour through and halo her in radiance.
And there she was—their target. The Queen, wielder of the Super Intellect Core, standing atop the steps, gazing down at them.
In that instant, Ge Guang and the others froze, an involuntary stiffness overtaking them—as if every secret of theirs had been laid bare beneath her eyes.
After a few tense minutes of silence, when the Queen still hadn’t spoken, they began to recover and dared to look up again—this time boldly. What they saw unsettled them further.
The woman before them looked less human than something… higher-dimensional, cold and divine.
“Your Majesty, the election ceremony,” Nahem prompted softly.
With no attendants or masters of ceremony present, he had to assist her himself.
Oupatra nodded slightly, finally averting her gaze. Nahem motioned the candidates forward.
Normally, the coronation was elaborate: an official would recite the Wise King’s past achievements, then introduce each candidate’s record of excellence—intended to inspire confidence among the people. Generations of Wise Kings had indeed advanced civilization by leaps and bounds.
But now, all that was omitted. Only the final step remained.
The Queen would walk among them, select one, and kneel slightly to kiss his right hand—the symbol of royal succession.
Typically, the highest-level candidate was the chosen one. The others would still gain positions under the new ruler.
Of course, these demons had no intention of serving anyone—they’d come with their own plans in mind.
The Queen’s gaze swept over them, porcelain-perfect face expressionless, until her eyes paused on Ge Guang.
At that exact moment—just as joy flickered across Ge Guang’s face—the other demons moved as one, unleashing their long-prepared killing blows straight at him!
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