130: Chapter 130 Why are you still thinking of stealing my things?

There is so much that can be done in ten seconds.

The corners of Gu Changming's mouth curled up in a nearly imperceptible arc.

But at that moment, as if sensing his thoughts, a line of translucent blue warning text popped up in the center of his vision without warning:

[In ten seconds, you will be teleported back to your original world.]

[Please complete the reward distribution immediately.]

[Otherwise...]

Gu Changming didn't even finish reading the warning; he just glanced at it, unhurried.

His "gaze" fell upon the gray intrusion button at the edge of his vision.

"Begin," he thought to himself.

The next second.

[Current Assessment process has been intruded.]

[Within the next ten seconds, you will be granted full Masking Authority. Within the masking range, your actions will be automatically erased and rationalized.]

Seeing this line of text, Gu Changming was completely at ease.

Then, he raised his eyes again and looked at Luo An.

Luo An's expression had already changed.

His outstretched hand was still frozen in mid-air, his four eyes staring intently at Gu Changming's cupped hand. A strong sense of foreboding gripped his heart.

"Guide..." He wanted to ask once more.

Gu Changming flashed a reassuring smile and spoke first, his voice gentle:

"As the first place of this trial, your reward is naturally the most bountiful."

These words caused Luo An's tense nerves to relax slightly.

He forced a twitch of his lips, extended his hand further, and held it palm up.

Gu Changming also reached out his hand.

However, instead of handing him the ring, he grabbed the hand Luo An had extended.

As their palms met, Luo An immediately felt something was wrong—the other person's hand was empty; there was none of the expected tactile sensation of a hard object.

He jerked his head up, his four eyes filled with shock and suspicion.

Gu Changming held his hand and spoke slowly with earnest gravity:

"Trial Taker, the experiences you've had along the way, your growth, your transformation... these are the most bountiful rewards this trial has given you."

Hearing this, Luo An was completely dumbfounded.

But he wasn't willing to accept this "chicken soup for the soul" kind of reward.

That's not right...

Luo An shook his head.

He had clearly seen white light emanating from the other's palm just now; there was definitely a physical reward.

His gaze shifted downward, looking at Gu Changming's other hand.

He saw the other hand naturally slipping into his own side pocket.

The movement was smooth and natural, as if he were simply putting a small personal item into his pocket.

Huh?

Luo An's four eyes widened; he didn't even know how to react.

Wait... do you think I'm blind?!

Luo An's head buzzed, and blood rushed to his face.

Without thinking, his hand lunged toward the hand Gu Changming had tucked into his pocket!

However, his hand was only halfway there when his wrist was seized by a hand like a pair of pliers.

"What are you doing?" Gu Changming's voice rang out, carrying an offended displeasure. "Are you trying to steal my things?"

Your... things?

Luo An's four eyes glared at Gu Changming, filled with disbelief.

Your things? Have you no shame at all?!

That's mine!

Anger completely overwhelmed his reason.

Luo An suddenly raised his other movable hand, fingers hooked like claws, and lunged straight for Gu Changming's throat with a whistling sound!

However, he was still one step too slow.

The moment he raised his hand, his neck was the first to "attack" Gu Changming's hand.

Gu Changming's fingers suddenly tightened, "reluctantly" gripping his neck before lifting him bodily off the ground!

"Urgh!"

Luo An's feet left the ground, his breath instantly cut off. His hands clawed frantically at Gu Changming's arm, his face turning beet red, his four eyes bloodshot and filled with terror.

Wait? Is no one going to do anything about this!

Gu Changming held him up with one hand, tilted his head, and watched Luo An's futile struggling. His fingers slowly tightened, intending to give a twist and snap the guy's neck.

But just then, his peripheral vision caught something below the stage.

Aila was standing there, head tilted back, her four eyes watching the scene without blinking.

In her eyes were shock, satisfaction, and a trace of imperceptible... confusion.

Gu Changming's movements paused.

Then he loosened his grip slightly.

Forget it, I'm a good person after all.

Having already stolen the man's reward, taking his life as well seemed a bit excessive.

Better to leave him to be dealt with by the person who should be doing the deed.

With a smile on his face, Gu Changming jerked his arm and threw the still-clawing Luo An toward the area below the stage like a piece of trash!

Almost at the exact moment he threw him.

A blinding white light suddenly erupted from Gu Changming's body.

Hmm.

Ten seconds were up.

The mission was complete; all of them, the Examiners, were about to be teleported away.

...

At the same time the white light shone.

On a side Gu Changming hadn't noticed, behind that invisible barrier.

The expressions on the faces of Hill and the other three Examiners shifted from initial confusion to shock, finally freezing into a state of blankness.

Especially Hill; he was practically pressed against the wall of light that blocked the Trial Takers' vision, his face written with disbelief.

"Huh?"

Hill opened his mouth.

Wait... how could he do that?

Hill was completely dumbfounded, his mind a mess.

Then, he suddenly recalled the scene from earlier when the other had insisted on taking his place.

Had he already started planning this back then?

Thinking about embezzling the first-place reward?

Hill gasped, his eyes widening as he finally understood everything.

"A bad person..."

"He's a bad person!"

Before he could finish, the white light submerged them as well, teleporting Hill and the others back to their original world.

...

On Earth.

On the previously barren plain, the sky was still a gloomy gray.

Silence reigned all around, with only the sound of the wind sweeping through the sparse weeds.

Suddenly, from the highest reaches of the sky, a beam of white light fell straight down without warning.

Like a falling meteor, it vanished silently just before touching the ground.

Once the light dissipated, Gu Changming's figure stood firmly on the hard ground.

After steadying himself, Gu Changming habitually turned his head, his gaze quickly scanning the surroundings.

It was still the empty wasteland; there was no one around, and no danger.

Having confirmed his safety and waited a short while longer, the Assessment mechanism didn't hand down any sanctions.

Only then did Gu Changming relax completely.

Then, he sat down cross-legged quite casually.

Once settled, he reached into the side pocket of his coat, his fingertips touching a cold metallic texture.

He took out the silver-white ring and held it between his fingers.

Under the dim sky, the ring emitted a restrained, non-dazzling luster. Its design was extremely simple, without any superfluous decoration.

Gu Changming concentrated, focusing his gaze on the ring.

This time, without the interference of the Assessment mechanism, a few lines of translucent blue text appeared clearly in his vision:

[Special Item: Name: Realm...]