Chapter 254: Entering the Graveyard Again
At least, not before Zich explicitly rejected their recruitment.
They would not allow the Locke family to turn a sixteen year old champion with an SSS class summoning profession into an enemy, or destroy him before he could leave the First Layer.
As for why Kane’s Life Lamp had merely shattered instead of being extinguished, the reason was not particularly complicated.
When Kane died, the third ancient beast altar was still completely sealed.
That trial space isolated every mental connection from the outside world. Even the Life Lamp mark the Locke family had placed within Kane’s soul had been affected.
At the moment Kane died, the Life Lamp did not receive complete information regarding his death.
The connection between Kane and the Life Lamp had been directly severed by the ancient beast altar’s spatial laws.
As a result, the Life Lamp did not go out as it normally would.
That was precisely why the Locke family still believed Kane might be alive.
Unfortunately, they were not searching for an heir trapped somewhere within Myriad Beast Mountain.
They were searching for someone who no longer existed.
"How long can this lie remain hidden?"
The Voss family member could not help asking.
"There is no need to hide it for long." Walter put away the silver crystal.
"We only need to make the Locke family focus its attention on Myriad Beast Mountain temporarily, instead of the First Shelter."
"By the time the Locke family realizes Kane is truly dead and begins investigating the third ancient beast altar again, a considerable amount of time will have passed."
"By then, the family’s higher authorities should have finished reading Nadia’s complete report and decided what conditions they will offer to recruit Zich."
"If Zich is willing to join the Voss family, then the Locke family will no longer be able to take any direct action against him."
The Voss family member nodded slightly.
"What if he refuses?"
"Then the family will decide whether he is worth continuing a conflict with the Locke family."
That was the true reality of the situation.
The Voss family was not willing to protect Zich because any profound relationship existed between them.
What they valued was the potential he had displayed.
If a genius like that joined the Voss family, he would likely become one of the family’s major forces on the higher layers in the future.
That was why the Voss family was willing to withstand the Locke family’s pressure for Zich before he had even joined them.
However, that protection was not limitless.
If Zich continued rejecting every gesture of goodwill, or even actively became an enemy of the Voss family, then the family naturally would not continue bearing his troubles forever.
The silver robed elder turned toward Myriad Beast Mountain, then gestured to the others.
"Let’s leave."
Meanwhile, Zich, who had already returned to the First Shelter, knew nothing about what had happened outside Myriad Beast Mountain.
Several minutes earlier, at the central teleportation plaza of the First Shelter.
Accompanied by a brilliant silver white light, Zich appeared within the return area dedicated to Myriad Beast Mountain.
[Teleportation complete.]
[You have left Myriad Beast Mountain.]
[Your entry qualification has been fully consumed.]
[Current area: First Shelter.]
The spatial light gradually faded. He raised his head and looked around.
Numerous staff members had gathered near the return area, along with family members and player teams waiting for other challengers to return.
Zich’s silver white hair was far too conspicuous. Almost the instant he appeared, someone nearby recognized him.
"Zich?"
"He returned from Myriad Beast Mountain!"
"Is he alone?"
"His level seems to have increased. I can sense it."
More and more gazes gathered on him.
Several staff members responsible for registering those returning from Myriad Beast Mountain quickly approached.
"Mr. Zich, please wait," a staff member said. "An unknown spatial anomaly occurred inside Myriad Beast Mountain not long ago. Every returning participant must register their last area of activity and undergo a basic examination."
"Sure." Zich shrugged.
The staff member took out a detection crystal.
Light swept from the crystal across Zich’s body.
[Life status: Normal.]
[Mental status: Normal.]
[No spatial parasitism detected.]
[No foreign curses detected.]
[Level: 20.]
When they saw the final level displayed, obvious surprise flashed through the staff members’ eyes.
Zich had only been Level 18 before entering Myriad Beast Mountain.
Raising his level twice within such a short period was already enough to prove that he had experienced a large number of intense battles inside Myriad Beast Mountain.
"Where was the last area you appeared in?"
"Deep inside Myriad Beast Mountain."
"Do you know the specific location?"
"No."
The staff member glanced at the recording crystal in his hand.
This was not the first time he had received a similar answer. It was rather common among newbies, as it was their first time in the mountain.
The staff member did not continue questioning him.
"The examination is complete. Thank you for your cooperation."
"My pleasure." Zich nodded and quickly left the plaza.
There was a lot he needed to do before he met up with Razeil tomorrow, and then their training would officially commence.
Sometime later, he was already back at his mansion.
The first thing he did was check up on his prisoners.
Yup, they were still kicking.
Zich grimaced. Barely, but still.
"You bastard, why don’t you kill us instead!" One of them retorted the moment they saw him.
"How can you starve your prisoners for days???"
"Don’t you have any conscience? We have families back in the real world!"
Unfortunately for them, their complaints and rants fell on deaf ears, and Zich shut the door behind him.
After checking that his prisoners, the failures, were still alive and kicking even though they had become so fragile, he sat in the long rocky chair inside his living room and entered his Hair Graveyard.
When he opened his eyes, he was greeted by the familiar scene.
Black rain continuously fell from the sky, and in the distance, dozens of tombstones stood neatly across the black earth.
It was finally time!
..
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