Chapter 535: NO! AND! NEVER!

The degree of enticement within the rewards offered by the system was such that any Player would feel tempted.

Even among the strong, such as those within the [S] class, those rewards were incredibly enticing.

Any [S] class expert who can successfully kill off the primary objective would immediately be given an [S] class equipment. In this game, any [S] class equipment was at the level of sacred artefacts.

As for the [Legend] class instance dungeon, that was an extremely rare existence. Those instance dungeons not only contained top-grade equipment. No. There was a legend among both Players and Awakened ones: The instance dungeon with the highest level of difficulty would always contain an essential secret regarding this world. Those who could discover that secret would obtain an unimaginable and miraculous power. In fact, that person might even obtain – authority!

For the Players who were at a more common level, such as those in [A] class, the opportunity to increase their powers to [A+] class or even [S] class was something of a game changer for them.

Such a lucrative reward was enough to make the Players lose their heads and risk their lives for it.

All they needed to do was, kill that… … thing the system had classified as ‘irregular variable’.

…

“It is not over yet! Reorganize the formation!” Angel Wu roared out with a hoarse voice.

Several of the True Angels quickly gathered beside him. The rest of the mech pilots looked at the four destroyed mechs in melancholy.

The Angel Corps’ staff members had extricated out the pilots within the heavily damaged mechs. They hastily dragged them back into the defensive perimeter.

“They are coming once more!”

Angel Wu heard the words from his communication device.

He straightened his mech’s body and peered into the distance.

The retreating Electronic Guardians appeared to be reassembling. After retreating for several hundred metres, they gathered within a single spot. Moreover, their number gradually increased as they grew more crowded…

The formless waves of light permeating the air around them also began growing thicker and thicker. In the end, it transformed into something that appeared like a fog.

Their vision of the Electronic Guardians was gradually being disrupted and they were no longer able to see how many of those disgusting things were gathering there.

Angel Wu’s heart sank.

He raised his head to look at the teleportation portal in the sky.

Half of the 30 minutes had passed.

However…

“Too many. There are just too many… … we won’t make it to the end.” Sweat filled Angel Wu’s forehead. The reason for that was partly due to the feelings of anxiousness, but it was also due to the pain from his wounds.

Intense sensations of pain palpitated through his chest. It felt as though his ribs were broken. He had already taken the healing substance earlier. However, the need to enter such a fierce battle so quickly after taking the healing substance made it so his wounds could not heal.

“Perhaps, the final moment is here.” Angel Wu looked into the distance, at where the Electronic Guardians were congregating.

Still, one question hovered within his mind. Just now, that Guild Leader of Thorned Flower Guild from the Player faction had fought in a 1 VS 3 against them and easily killed off Ronan. Why did he not finish them off?

Angel Wu was clear on one thing. If Shen were to personally take action, his Angel Squad would be incapable of stopping him. Rather, they might lose at a faster rate.

Instead, that mysterious Shen had only taken action once, seemingly performing a probing offensive before returning immediately.

Why?

…

“Can you tell me what just happened earlier?”

Chen Xiaolian asked the question… to himself.

Thankfully, Zero City replied.

Zero City’s voice remained the same as ever, infuriatingly emotionless. “I found that the invading forces have been augmented with the system-controlled Cleaners. According to my calculations, the Cleaners could counter 98.6 per cent of all power types within the system. My calculation revealed that the Angel Corps would not be able to hold off the attacks of the Cleaners. The results of my calculations show that they would be defeated within 90 – 100 seconds and the defensive perimeter could only be maintained for a maximum of 20 seconds. Even when factoring in all the powers available, the Cleaners would still be able to crush them. They would arrive at my main control system area and destroy me. It would take them no longer than three and a half minutes.

“This did not match the planned schedule from the previous command. Thus, I had taken the initiative to make some adjustments.”

Chen Xiaolian was taken aback. “Wait, those Cleaners. Did you mean the Electronic Guardians?”

“That is the name you have given them,” Zero City answered with an indifferent tone.

“These Electronic Guardians… … fine, these Cleaners. They are so strong? Strong to the point where the Angel Corps are nothing before them?” Chen Xiaolian was somewhat unable to accept it.

“In truth, the term strong and weak depends on perspective. Inside the system, there is no such thing as absolutely strong or absolutely weak. It is just that the Cleaners are something that the system developed specifically for the sake of clearing away special existences that goes against the rules. They possess an advantage, a natural counter attribute against most of the things within the system. This is not due to something that you commonly attribute as strong or weak.”

“I do not understand. Explain it in detail.”

Zero City became silent for a bit. Then, it slowly said, “It is very difficult to explain it to you. You can try to view it this way. An African elephant is easily several tonnes in weight. However, with just one bullet through its head, you can kill that colossal existence.

“That bullet, frankly speaking, just consists of several grams of copper.

“An African elephant and a few grams of copper. Which do you think is more powerful?”

Chen Xiaolian contemplated the matter. “Fine, what about that from earlier… … the whole not matching the planned schedule from the previous command, what does that mean?”

“The previous command, the irrevocable command that you, who possesses the highest authority had issued to me, thereby planning this schedule.”

“What is the content? What is the content of the command? What is the plan?” Chen Xiaolian was so infuriated he felt like clawing the air. “Let me guess, you still cannot tell me?”

“I need to point out that your present expression of rage toward me is illogical – all of this is due to your command, not me. I am just executing your command.”

“Fine! When you said you made some adjustments… … did you mean… … that attack I just used earlier? That sudden attack from me; that power, were you the one behind it?”

“… … …” This time, Zero City revealed a rare moment of dull-wittedness.

However, its answer left Chen Xiaolian in shock.

Its answer was, “You have overlooked one matter. At present, all of you, meaning, you, the people of Zero City, the invading Players and the Cleaners… … all of you now exist inside me.”

Exist inside me.

A thought suddenly flashed across Chen Xiaolian’s mind as he seemingly understood something.

Zero City’s main gate was open, defenceless.

However, Zero City remained.

With the exception of the program managing the main gate, the other programs of Zero City were still intact. They were still there.

More accurately, Zero City was an existence similar to the main system.

It was a smaller system that was ‘cut’ out from the main system.

Although it was smaller, function wise, it was more or less similar to that of the main system.

Now then, what was the main system like in the outside world?

OM! NI! PO! TENT!

…

In the outside world, the system was omnipotent. It could transform the world into any shape or form at will. It could create all kinds of instance dungeons at will. It could rent space. It could give all kinds of rewards to any game participants.

The so-called reward was – acting in accordance to the rules – the creation of a powerhouse.

A weakling who acquired the reward could become a master.

This process, quite frankly… … was done by the main system. It could easily transform a weakling into an expert.

Likewise, the world was also under the control of the main system.

It was the creator of everything, it possessed everything, and it controlled everything.

At present however… … at this very moment, they were not in the outside world.

They were in ‘Zero City’.

And likewise, an omnipotent existence was present within this place.

That existence was Zero City’s system!

…

Chen Xiaolian suddenly felt clarity within his mind.

“In other words… … just now, you allowed me to use a power that I could never have grasped? Because you wanted me to become stronger, I became stronger?”

“Yes. Theoretically speaking, you are all inside my body. If I want to joke around using your logic, I can make a piece of cheese into an [S] class expert, transform a single-celled life form into a T-Rex and instantly suck away all the oxygen inside this place. Additionally, although just for an instant, I can also turn the temperature up until it reaches the surface temperature of a star and vaporize everything… … theoretically speaking, those feats are within my ability.

“Here, there are no rules of any form.

“The only rule here is: I make the rules.”

Chen Xiaolian was utterly flabbergasted.

A thought struck him. A thought that excited him.

At present, in Zero City…

All the Players are inside Zero City!

If Zero City so desires… … it could instantly kill off all the Players here!

For Zero City… … no, for all Awakened ones, this would represent an unprecedented victory.

An unprecedented victory!

All their enemies killed off in an instant.

The moment this thought struck Chen Xiaolian, his entire body trembled uncontrollably.

This idea… … was too tempting.

Exterminate every elite Players in an instant.

The Awakened circle would obtain a spectacular victory.

However, in the very next second…

The old-fashioned, emotionless voice of Zero City intoned within Chen Xiaolian’s head.

“Your thought on this is not surprising.”

“You can already detect what I am thinking? You can do it, right? So, you… … will you?”

Zero City’s answer was direct and absolute.

“NO! AND! NEVER!”

Chen Xiaolian was stunned. “… … … why?”

Zero City’s answer was very simple. However, its simplistic answer threw Chen Xiaolian into deep thought.

Its answer:

“Theoretically speaking, the main program is also omnipotent in the outside world. However, why is it that it did not choose to instantly kill off all the Awakened ones to give the Players this victory?”

This question sent a bolt of lightning through Chen Xiaolian’s mind.

…