Chapter 113: Long Time No See

“How should I put it? You do indeed feel stronger now, and you’ve uncovered some of the hidden truths. Have you thought about which path you want to take from here?” Mo Ran glanced toward Fan Yunshan beside her, giving him a slight nod as a greeting, then turned back to Li Ren and spoke.

“Before I answer you, I want to know exactly who you are,” Li Ren said, showing no intention of responding directly. He had a peculiar feeling about Mo Ran, something he couldn’t quite explain—as if boundless resentment somehow clung to her presence, tethered to him in some inexplicable way.

“Since the system itself has developed such issues, there’s no need to be as cautious as before about certain matters,” Mo Ran said as she sat down. “I’m not a player, just like Lord Fan. I also come from the Underworld. But unlike him, my mission is entirely different.”

“Oh?” Li Ren’s curiosity was piqued.

“To be specific, Lord Fan’s role is to help enhance your strength, or rather, to guard the city until your power grows sufficient. Once your strength reaches a certain point, the city might face complete conquest, signaling the near completion of his mission. After that, he spends his remaining time seeking someone he finds promising to follow until the end of the game.”

“As for me, I was originally assigned as an entity with player attributes, and my sole task is to cleanse.”

“Cleanse?”

“Exactly! To purge things that should never have existed in this world—things like the Heavenly Evils.”

“But how could the Heavenly Evils have entered here? Isn’t this world supposedly still a safe rear area?” Li Ren asked, recalling what Fan Yunshan had told him.

“That’s true, but don’t forget—the vast numbers of monsters here are formed from the bodies and souls of the Heavenly Evils that died in the war. Some of the stronger ones may have retained fragments of consciousness even after their souls scattered. To maintain the order of this world, I must eliminate them.” Mo Ran raised a finger and tapped lightly on the table absentmindedly.

“When I first discovered you, I considered whether to simply carry out the cleansing on you, but then I realized your origin wasn’t part of the Heavenly Evils. Instead, you’re a peculiar soul that should have gone to the Underworld. So I gave you some chances and wanted to see how far your strength could develop.” She glanced at Li Ren with a look of satisfaction.

“You haven’t disappointed me. You’ve grown so powerful in such a short time, even commanding your own city. What’s more terrifying is the latent power you’ve revealed.”

Li Ren nodded without comment. “So what exactly brings you here now?”

“For someone. Zolon,” Mo Ran answered, though her words left Li Ren momentarily stunned. Why would coming for Zolon involve him?

Seeing Li Ren’s confusion, Mo Ran continued naturally, “Something has happened to the System Master. None of us from the Underworld can reach him. And now, this sudden turmoil among the players carries faint traces of the Heavenly Evils. So we have no choice but to resolve this issue our own way.”

“At this point, the best candidate seems to be you.” Mo Ran sighed with a hint of helplessness.

Li Ren studied Mo Ran’s calm demeanor, sinking deep into thought. To accept or not to accept—this dilemma had long circled in his mind.

To accept would mean acknowledging the Underworld’s claim and truly becoming part of it. To reject it was understandable, as he didn’t see the Underworld as his best refuge.

It was natural for the living to resist such a place.

Neither Fan Yunshan nor Mo Ran seemed worried by Li Ren’s internal struggle; they appeared to have anticipated his decision all along.

Though puzzled, Li Ren finally chose to accept Mo Ran’s invitation.

In truth, he had his reasons.

He no longer wished to return to the player world. Life in reality had lost its meaning, and returning was no longer an option. He felt a kinship with these people, all connected to the Underworld in some way. To abandon this environment now was not what he truly wanted.

Still, the confidence radiating from Fan Yunshan and Mo Ran puzzled him. Even after agreeing to join the fight against Zolon, he remained doubtful.

“Why are you so sure I’ll join you? The Underworld’s forces are weak now. I don’t think the Heavenly Evils who come over would commit atrocities here, would they?” Li Ren asked, glancing at Fan Yunshan.

Fan Yunshan shrugged and nodded toward Mo Ran sitting across from him.

Li Ren shifted his gaze to Mo Ran, who smiled slightly and said, “There isn’t really a reason. You’d understand once you see the Heavenly Evils. But if I had to say why we’re so confident you’ll join us even before encountering them, it’s because of those who have passed away.”

“The ones who passed away? You mean—” Li Ren’s thoughts clicked into place.

Those who had died, those whom he could no longer see or meet in the real world—his relatives, friends—they were all here in the Underworld.

The thought stirred a deep emotion within him.

“What about my grandfather?” Despite his excitement, Li Ren braced himself for a possibly disappointing answer.

He always did this—before achieving certain success, he prepared for the worst. It wasn’t a matter of pessimism, just his nature.

“He’s definitely here. But with so many souls in the Underworld, you’ll have to find him yourself. And as for your living relatives, there’s no way they’re involved in the battlefield yet. Right now, they’re probably still training safely in the rear,” Fan Yunshan took over, gently explaining to Li Ren.