Chapter 185#
Cost 08#
Round after round, they followed the bet.
Yu Feichen and the Commandments bet first, then the audience, and finally the Monarch placed their wagers. Each time was identical.
The difficulty of betting was not high at this point. The soldiers and knights were inherently weak and uneven in strength. The black raincoats had also said that in a fish pond, it wouldn’t be hard to tell who would win or lose.
At some point, the heavy, tense atmosphere in the arena gradually faded. It was replaced by an air of copying answers and checking them against each other.
The dark, resentful emotions originally directed at the Monarch also vanished after several successful rounds of following bets—copying answers and then checking them was far more relaxing than handing in a test with anxiety and then comparing answers.
What’s more, the two people they were copying from were so reliable.
Survive.
Continue to survive.
Keep on surviving.
The gazes people cast at the Commandments and Yu Feichen had shifted from “Is this a trap?” to “Thank you, kind soul.”
Was this the joy of being carried?
Not just in the Misty Capital, but even in the Eternal Night, such good fortune had never existed.
Gradually, an unexpected situation occurred in the arena.
After many successful bets, even the contestants themselves became convinced of the betting results. The side deemed to lose would inevitably have their fighting spirit somewhat dampened.
Originally, when two sides were extremely evenly matched, careful consideration was required.
But human strength is governed by will. When will shows signs of retreat, the exertion of power is inevitably affected.
—This made Yu Feichen’s betting pressure much lighter.
The Commandments’ RGB earring flickered faintly, factoring this variable into the decision-making process.
But to the crowd, this presented an absurdly abnormal scene: these two placed their bets without even thinking.
The moment the two sides entered, their bets were already down.
—Like shills.
Was it because they were afraid the audience’s following bets would time out, so they tried to save time? No, you really could take a bit more time to think.
It would make us a bit more at ease too.
But no matter what they thought, those two continued doing as they pleased. Only in extremely rare cases did they pause to ponder for a few seconds.
As time went on, the crowd got used to this pace.
Not that it was bad—if their chips fell to the ground, they could still pick them up and bet again.
Their gazes were numb, calm, and serene.
Even the people stepping into the arena began to change. The vicious, murderous individuals became fewer.
As the number of matches increased, the crowd gradually discovered another pattern.
The Misty Capital had made it clear: those who did not go all out would face the consequences.
In one fight, the two seemed to know each other. One of them withdrew just as they were about to strike a fatal blow, and instantly turned into gray mist.
But when it was confirmed that the opponent was severely injured and unable to get up, one could stop and wait for the thirty-second time limit to pass without punishment.
Of course, those in this state were usually barely holding onto their last breath. But being able to survive was still a good thing.
Gradually, after the opponent fell heavily, the other no longer showed no mercy.
Perhaps because those who copy answers together can always form some camaraderie.
“Interesting,” the doctor suddenly chuckled. “A reference-worthy group therapy session.”
An environment of uncertainty often breeds reckless evildoers who believe in the law of kill or be killed, while a safe and orderly environment gives rise to various virtues and good deeds.
The drifters in the Eternal Night often sneered at the rumors of that Eternal Day. But secretly, who hadn’t fantasized about it?
Humans are an orderly force, and the whole world is an even larger collection of forces. When people walk through the world, good and evil are not necessarily rooted in human nature.
The unique chaotic atmosphere of the Misty Capital amplified people’s tendency to go with the flow. It was indeed a rare opportunity for observation.
After observing, reflect on oneself. The two patients’ conditions had shown no improvement. Was it because he hadn’t given them enough security?
“Hehe… Doctor, why are you looking at me?”
“When the doctor goes on stage, he’ll definitely be killed… haha… hahahaha…”
“Hehe… it’s best if the opponent has a knife…”
“First gouge out the eyes, then gouge out the heart…”
The doctor coldly withdrew his gaze.
At the same time, Yu Feichen saw Anfi turn his head and glance thoughtfully in his direction.
Anfi couldn’t see the people around him, only the arena. But through the changes in the people on stage, he could vaguely guess what was happening.
Through an invisible barrier, they locked eyes.
Frost-blue irises reflected no one, appearing slightly unfocused. The thoughtful expression on his face made Yu Feichen find it amusing.
—As if he hadn’t expected Yu Feichen to do this, assuming he’d rely on himself.
Actually, even without Yu Feichen, others from the Eternal Day would have come forward to make the answers public. But Anfi, with his lost memories, seemed more accustomed to being alone.
After watching for a while, the prophetic vines on Anfi’s wrist crawled out, nuzzling
The fighting continued.
The soldiers, who made up the largest portion, had yet to finish their matches. Stage.
Enough, he received the answer “No need to worry.”
Correspondingly, Yu Feichen’s energy wasn’t spent much on this.
The Misty Capital had, for once, welcomed unprecedented peace.
As if this were really just a spectator sport, with everyone in attendance being winners.
Two more went on stage. Yu Feichen placed his chips.
One wielded a classical longsword, the other also had a longsword.
Blades clashed, a bright light flashed across the arena, quite spectacular to watch.
The black side struck too fast, hard to recover.
The white side was skilled in defense but lacked in offense…
Yu Feichen suddenly realized that he was subconsciously scrutinizing and correcting the two fighters move by move. Like he was pruning the grass in front of his own house.
Another swish of light swept past his eyes, and a vague feeling suddenly crossed his mind. Familiar gray mist swirled around him.
Another resonance came.
Yu Feichen lifted his eyes again; the surroundings had changed.
Still the murky, gloomy gray sky. He was atop a very tall building, arms crossed, leaning against the railing of a balcony.
His casual posture exuded a hint of idleness. On the railing very close by rested a longsword.
He was looking down.
Below, surrounded by majestic and ornate buildings, was a circular training ground.
Two fully armored knights were sparring, practicing swordsmanship.
The ground was large. Soon, more groups arrived one after another, the clash of swords and shouts drifting over faintly.
Beside the training ground stood two knight instructors, sometimes giving pointers, sometimes demonstrating personally. Under their armor, their faces were blurry, as if they were merely phantoms from a distant era.
He just watched.
The moves in that corner were too stiff; they needed extra practice.
The two in the center weren’t bad, just inexperienced. Send them to explore the Ruins of the Dead in a while.
He watched for a long time. For some reason, he looked down at the knight’s longsword resting on the railing.
In this hazy, chaotic scene, the sword’s appearance was especially clear.
The scabbard was old silver, heavy in texture, its shape ancient and solemn like a ritual object. The scabbard and hilt were engraved with faint dragon wing patterns. The carvings were exquisite, the lines smooth, inlaid with a smoky gray, strange crystal that seemed to melt under sunlight, perfectly balancing the overly solemn aura of the sword.
He drew the sword halfway.
A chilling, murderous aura surged forth.
The blade was icy cold, its edge restrained. Even with only a partial understanding of this world from the resonance, one could tell this was a divine weapon rarely found in the mortal realm.
No one could refuse such an extraordinary blade. Neither could he.
But at this moment, looking at this sword, besides the appreciation and fondness it deserved, he also felt a trace of heaviness.
Why?
Just then, footsteps approached from behind. Two knights, chatting as they walked, their voices familiar.
“What’s the Knight-Commander doing?” one asked.
The second said, “Probably waiting for the Young Master’s class to end. Why does the Young Master have so many classes?”
“But the Knight-Commander looks like they’re contemplating life. Wait, what’s with this sword???”
“Cough…” The other seemed unsure how to answer.
As they spoke, the first knight rushed over to look at the sword.
While admiring, they exclaimed, “Looks like the style of the Western Continent from a thousand years ago.”
“Even the Temple’s collection might not have a better sword than this.”
“Tsk, these patterns…”
“This craftsmanship…”
“Boss, can I give it a try?”
With a cold clang, Yu Feichen sheathed the sword, making his stance clear. Look all you want, but don’t touch.
“Where did it come from?”
The second knight finally said, “It was bought.”
“When? I didn’t know.”
“The Young Master bought it for the Knight-Commander. When you and the Knight-Commander went to the Ruins of the Dead, I accompanied the Young Master to browse… this year’s Western Continent auction.” The second knight’s tone carried a hint of awkwardness and weight.
“Although the Young Master has many classes, their life is quite lively.” The first knight’s gaze stuck to the sword: “Must have been the highlight item. How much? Fitting for the Young Master—”
Before they could finish, the second knight added, “They used the Knight-Commander’s money.”
The first knight’s gaze froze.
Then, slowly, it shifted from admiration to sympathy.
“Knight-Commander… you,” they tentatively said, “went bankrupt?”
Yu Feichen: “…”
He said, “What are you here for?”
To gather around a penniless man?
The second knight quickly clarified that the Sabbath was approaching, celebrations everywhere, and the highly anticipated “Monarch’s Chess” activity had begun its qualifying registration. The Saint City’s defense and patrol plans had changes, and they were here to report.
However, after the lengthy report ended, the first knight still tested the waters with a suggestive look, gesturing with their chin toward the opposite side.
In the building across, through elaborately carved window grilles, a broad hall faintly showed a quiet figure of a young boy.
He wore a flowing robe, kneeling in the center of the hall, before a ball of sacred, pure flame.
The hall was filled with terrifying auras, chaotic black forces darting erratically, stirring up gusts of wind that lifted his hair and sleeves. Sometimes, those forces turned into hideous black shadows, lunging and biting at the person in the center.
Surrounding him were seventeen Temple priests and scholars, with the old high priest at the head.
Each bore a solemn expression, asking questions of the Young Master in the center.
They asked, and he answered.
It was both teaching and examination.
He was to wield the supreme divine authority of the mortal world, to master the most primal forces that mortals could not touch. Thus, he was subjected to the harshest and most rigorous education, memorizing mountains of texts word for word, and constraining his conduct with the strictest standards.
The Temple had no concept of day or night. Now, he was nearing the completion of all preparations.
The priests finished their questions.
In the chaos, the young boy in the hall suddenly raised his hand and closed it gently.
In an instant, all the chaotic black forces in the hall were engulfed by a mesmerizing, formless will.
They screamed, stopped darting, shrank, retreated, then knelt respectfully and vanished into smoke. It all happened in a mere moment.
The old high priest revealed a satisfied smile.
The first knight said, “The Young Master is perfect in every way, but Knight-Commander, don’t you think their attitude toward money needs correction? What if one day our Temple…”
Yu Feichen thought it probably wouldn’t come to that.
At worst, it would only ruin him alone.
His gaze stopped on the young boy’s golden hair in the hall.
Naturally, vague impressions surfaced in his mind.
The Young Master was very young before being taken to the Temple, but even then, they were extraordinary. Born in a vast empire spanning two continents, they were the sole heir to the throne.
From birth, their education focused on how to become the subjects’ sovereign. The Central Temple, acting on a revelation of fate on the eve of their coronation, essentially snatched them away.
The Temple demanded a person, and the nation could not only refuse but also feel honored—except that they lost their monarch, which was quite troublesome.
Before coming here, they were the master of a prosperous empire. Afterward, they became the Young Master cherished by the entire Temple.
So, for the Young Master, spending money was merely adding or subtracting some numbers.
Before, they crossed out numbers from the finance minister’s ledgers. Now, they crossed out numbers from the Knight-Commander’s accounts.
As for how many were crossed out, it didn’t matter.
After all, the national treasury would always be replenished, and the Knight-Commander’s accounts would never lack periodic supplements from the Temple.
Yu Feichen fastened the sword at his side, turned, and walked toward the arched bridge connecting to the opposite side.
At the end of the bridge, the slender figure of the young boy was approaching. Seeing him, they gave a distant smile.
The patterns on the scabbard brushed lightly against Yu Feichen’s fingertips, cool and smooth.
Yu Feichen said, “No need to correct.”
The first knight looked doubtful, as if already foreseeing the Temple’s property being squandered into ruin: “Are you sure?”
The second knight was pained, seeing the Knight-Commander as an obstacle on the Young Master’s growth path: “Are you sure?”
Yu Feichen: “Sure.”
It was just the highlight divine weapon from the world’s largest auction.
Bought… bought is bought.
What should be corrected is his own accounts.
If he added a few more accounts, wouldn’t it be harder to spend them all?