Stronger with More Jobs

"Everyone... the transformation of the divine body has been even smoother than we anticipated... Its will has already begun to resurrect within the vessel..."

The projections remained silent, their light and shadow slightly fluctuating.

Clearly satisfied with this news.

At that moment.

A figure cloaked entirely in a black robe silently appeared at the side of the one in the red robe.

He slightly bowed, and in an extremely low voice quickly reported by the ear of the red-robed man:

"President, the Tier Three tournament semi-final matchups are out. Thunder God and Shi Hao are set to clash early, and Thunder God’s identity has been confirmed as Fang Qingyu from the Federation."

The man in the black robe paused, lowering his voice further: "Additionally... the status monitoring for Shi Hao indicates his fusion with the ’Holy Remains’ has reached eighty-seven percent, far exceeding expectations. However, the speed of divine corrosion has also accelerated in tandem, and unstable fluctuations have appeared in his mental anchor point, presenting a risk of losing control."

The red-robed man listened quietly.

The gaze beneath his hood seemed to penetrate the void, falling upon the cross, where Chen Wudi’s withered body lay.

After a few breaths.

An extremely faint, almost playful chuckle emanated from beneath the hood.

"Oh? Fang Qingyu... Thunder God..."

The red-robed man slowly lifted his head, his gaze seeming to penetrate the thick earth layers, falling in the direction of the distant Central Arena.

He looked at Chen Wudi on the cross, as if admiring an artwork about to be completed, his voice gentle as a lover’s whisper:

"It seems... our little friend has sent us quite a fine offering."

He paused, his tone abruptly turning cold, carrying an undeniable command:

"Increase the dosage for Shi Hao."

"Activate ’Divine Resonance’ to temporarily suppress his self-awareness and implant a command."

The red-robed man’s voice became icy and cruel:

"Make sure at tomorrow’s arena... he does whatever it takes to kill Fang Qingyu."

"Use that boy’s blood and soul... as the final gift before the master’s awakening."

"And show those restless insects outside... the consequences of provoking the Celestial Punishment Association."

"Yes, President!"

The body of the man in the black robe trembled, immediately bowing to take orders.

He dared not delay at all, turning and swiftly moving towards an inconspicuous stone door at the edge of the space, covered with heavy runes.

The stone door silently slid open, revealing a deep corridor extending downwards behind it.

The figure in the black robe swiftly vanished into the darkness.

The end of the corridor suddenly opened up.

This was an enormous stone hall even larger than the prayer space above.

The stone hall contained no oil lamps, only countless strange stones embedded in the walls and dome, emitting faint green or ghastly white light, providing weak illumination.

The air was filled with a strong smell of preservatives and an indescribable sweet stench.

The floor of the stone hall was not smooth rock.

But carved into dozens of deep pits resembling baths.

Each pit was circular, with a diameter of over ten meters, the edges engraved with dense symbols flowing with dark purple light.

The pits were not empty.

They were filled with thick, viscous, dark red liquid resembling coagulated blood.

Tiny bubbles continuously emerged from the surface of the liquid, emitting a faint sweet mist.

At the center of these dozens of massive Blood Pools.

Each stood a white altar, seemingly polished from the bones of some giant creature.

The top of the altar was not a platform.

But a groove resembling an upright sarcophagus.

Each groove contained a person lying quietly.

They were fully submerged in the dark red liquid, only their heads exposed.

Various different masks covered their faces.

Their breathing was weak, as if plunged into the deepest sleep.

In one of the grooves.

Lying there was Shi Hao.

The dark gray metal mask on his face appeared especially cold under the ghastly green and white light.

Beneath his bronzed skin, his muscle lines still appeared powerful and twisted, yet now exuded an eerie stillness.

The man in the black robe quickly approached the edge of the large Blood Pool where Shi Hao lay.

And solemnly addressed the members of the Celestial Punishment Association wearing similar black robes and covering their faces with faceless masks at the edge:

"The President has ordered!"

"Increase the dose of Holy Blood for container number three!"

"Activate ’Divine Resonance’! Implant the command, whatever it takes, kill Thunder God Fang Qingyu!"

The bodies of the waiting men in black robes shuddered in unison.

The leader immediately bowed: "Understood!"

He swiftly turned and made several gestures to the other men in black robes beside him.

Instantly, several large metal barrels were pushed forward.

The lids were lifted, revealing almost completely black liquid within.

A more intense and pungent sweet smell instantly spread.

"Pour!"

The lead black-robed man’s order echoed.

Crash——!

The pitch-black liquid was poured into the Blood Pool where Shi Hao lay.

The viscous black liquid seemed alive, rapidly mixing and penetrating with the existing dark red liquid in the pool.

Gurgle, gurgle...

The bubbles in the pool suddenly became dense.

The intertwined dark red and pitch-black liquid rolled as though boiling.

A more chilling aura diffused from the Blood Pool.

The body of Shi Hao immersed in the pool seemed to tremble almost imperceptibly.

Beneath his bronzed skin, a somber sheen seemed to flow like a living thing.

The edge of the dark gray metal mask on his face seemed to ooze a faint trace of black liquid.

"Activate resonance!"

The lead black-robed man shouted lowly.

He and the other men in black robes simultaneously raised their hands, palms aiming at the altar in the center of the Blood Pool.

They began chanting a more enigmatic, rapid series of syllables.

Buzz—!

The symbols engraved on the altar suddenly lit up with glaring dark purple light.

The light, like flowing lava, instantly covered the entire altar and enveloped Shi Hao lying in the groove.

Shi Hao’s body convulsed violently!

Muscles bulged and twisted as if pulled by an invisible giant force.

His throat emitted a deeply suppressed, beast-like low growl.

A fearsome, non-human pressure, akin to an ancient fierce beast forcibly awakened, erupted from the Blood Pool with a roar!

The air in the entire stone hall seemed to solidify.

The ghastly green and white light flickered wildly under the pressure.

The chanting of the waiting men in black robes grew more frantic, beads of sweat dripping densely from their foreheads.

Their hands trembled, maintaining the output of the resonance array.

The dark purple light on the altar grew increasingly prominent, nearly engulfing Shi Hao completely.

The low, painful growling also gradually became distorted and blurred.

Finally, it transformed into a sound akin to an echo from the Abyss, lifeless and dead.

The dark purple light slowly retreated.

The symbols on the altar dimmed.

The liquid in the Blood Pool returned to the previous viscous calm, though its color became deeper and darker.

Shi Hao lay silently in the groove.

The dark gray metal mask on his face remained intact.

But beneath the mask, the eyes that were once calm.

Now appeared hollow.

Deep as two dried wells.

Bereft of any emotional fluctuation, leaving only a chilling coldness and absolute compliance.

The lead black-robed man slowly lowered his hands, exhaling a long breath, his voice carrying a hint of fatigue and reverence:

"The command implantation is complete."

"Divine Resonance stable."

"Container number three... ready."