222: Chapter 222 Uninvited Guests in the Ruins

Chen Du looked at that back, his mouth twitching slightly.

The half-smoked cigarette dangling from his lips fell with a soft thud onto a moss-covered rock.

Xia Mo sensed something was wrong.

Her long, straight legs tensed, and her left thumb pressed against the sword's crossguard.

Clang!

The famous sword [sword name] unsheathed half an inch, and bone-chilling frost began to spread along the ground!

Chen Du reached out and pressed down on her hand, slowly pushing the blade back into its scabbard.

"Don't be in a hurry. Let's see what this clown's deal is first."

That azure-colored work uniform was simply too eye-catching.

In this hellish place filled with dead man's bones and mutated monsters, this person looked as clean as a property security guard clocking into an office building.

More importantly, he was far too familiar with this aura.

The NPC named '9527' he encountered last time at Crimson Port had that same rigid, cold feeling.

A total lackey of the Heavenly Dao.

Chen Du didn't bother pretending anymore. He lifted his right leg, infused it with Shadow Power, and kicked the massive bronze door with all his might.

Bang—!

The gap in the door was forced open, causing countless specks of dust and bronze rust to rustle down.

Inside the door was an underground hall so massive it was suffocating.

The broken stone pillars were thick enough to require a dozen people to encircle them, and rubble of unknown material was scattered on the floor.

The figure in the azure work uniform turned around.

He wore a pair of black-rimmed glasses, and his facial features were unremarkable—the kind of person you wouldn't be able to find in a crowd.

A plastic work ID hung from his chest—'7411'.

Seeing Chen Du and Xia Mo burst through the door, 7411 showed no sign of panic.

Holding something like a barcode scanner in his hand, he spoke expressionlessly: "Heavenly Dao Logistics Department, Thirty-Third Survey Group. The current area is currently undergoing a ruins asset inventory."

"Warning to players ahead: Do not damage any historical sites with archaeological value. Otherwise, according to Article 17 of the 'Heavenly Dao Asset Protection Regulations,' life essence will be forcibly deducted from your account!"

Absurd.

Extremely absurd.

In this post-apocalyptic game where players struggled to survive, an NPC with a work ID had actually appeared, solemnly reciting regulations and issuing fines.

"Deduct my life essence?"

Chen Du laughed out of pure anger, his gaze instantly turning cold.

"I've hacked my way through everything, even withstanding the lightning punishment sent by the Heavenly Dao. Who the hell do you think you are, daring to fine me?"

Before his voice had even faded...

Two bursts of dark golden flames exploded deep within his pupils.

Tyrants Gaze activated!

In an instant, the world before him lost its color, turning into a black-and-white field of vision where only lines and energy flowed.

In Chen Du's eyes, this 7411 was not human at all.

Beneath the azure work uniform, there were no bones and no internal organs.

It was an energy body woven together by dense, golden code.

This code was like glowing worms, moving rapidly through his body along fixed circuits.

"So it's just data trash wearing human skin." Chen Du curled his lip, completely losing his patience for negotiation.

Reeking of corporate drudgery, who are you trying to impress!

His right foot slammed onto the ground!

"Kneel for me!"

Boom!

A terrifying pressure of status slammed down hard on 7411!

At the same time...

The dark shadow beneath Chen Du's feet also came to life.

Dozens of shadow chains burst from the ground, binding 7411's legs and arms and pulling them outward!

"Illegal overstepping! Illegal overstepping!"

A ripple finally appeared on 7411's face as he couldn't help but cry out in alarm.

The 'barcode scanner' in his hand instantly turned red, firing a piercing ray at Chen Du.

He was trying to mobilize the rules of the Heavenly Dao to obliterate this non-compliant player.

However, when the red light swept over Chen Du's body...

The device in 7411's hand immediately began to emit black smoke.

Beep—Sizzle sizzle sizzle!

The data on the screen turned into gibberish before finally exploding into fragments with a bang!

7411 was strangled mid-air by the shadow chains, his poker face finally revealing a humanized expression of terror.

"How is this possible! Rule Judgment is invalid? You're an Overstepper? No!"

He stared fixedly at the dark golden flames in Chen Du's eyes.

This aura caused the golden circuits within his body to fall into violent disorder!

"On your body... how can you have that person's aura?!"

7411's voice cracked. "This is impossible! He fell long ago! How can you possess..."

"Noisy!"

Chen Du didn't give him the chance to finish his sentence at all.

Swish!

With a flick of his wrist, the bone gold cleaver was raised high!

Shadow Power was poured into it, and a piercing white light lit up on the blade!

That was the power of Judgment, capable of severing all energy and rules.

Chen Du's figure flickered, appearing like a ghost in front of 7411!

The blade was placed directly against his neck!

With just another half-inch forward, the disguise covering the golden code would be completely severed.

"Listen, wage slave."

Chen Du stared into his eyes, his tone bone-chillingly cold. "I'll only ask once. If you get even one word wrong, I'll chop you into pieces and throw you into the Sea of Despair!"

"Speak! What exactly is this place? Why did the people from the Mechanical Divine Court build an outpost outside?"

Feeling the lethal threat on his neck that could completely obliterate him, 7411 was utterly dumbfounded.

The fiend in front of him was definitely not joking; he really could kill him!

"Don't... don't do it! Let's talk this through!"

7411 decisively abandoned his dignity, instantly turning into a coward.

"This place wasn't originally the territory of the Mechanical Divine Court!"

He swallowed hard, pointing at the pitch-black stone walls surrounding the hall.

"The Mechanical Divine Court are just beggars picking up trash outside; they don't even have the right to approach this door!"

"This place... is a forbidden land from the ancient era!"

"It is the 'Tyrant's' palace!"

"Tyrant?"

Chen Du's brow twitched.

He suddenly remembered the Tyrants Gaze on his skill panel, as well as the phrase "that person's aura" 7411 had said in terror earlier.

Could his abilities have some deep-rooted connection with this so-called ancient ruin?

While Chen Du was pondering...

To prove his words, 7411 reached out with a trembling finger and pressed a button on the collar of his work uniform.

"Ruins lighting program... activated!"

Rumble!

Following a heavy sound of mechanical gears engaging deep within the hall...

On the walls...

Massive, verdigris-covered eternal lamps were lit one by one with eerie blue flames.

The firelight, like a relay, illuminated the entire ceiling of the hall and the giant stone wall that stood a hundred meters high.

Chen Du and Xia Mo looked up simultaneously, their gaze fixed on the image on the stone wall.

It was a massive ancient mural that inspired a sense of despair.

In the very center of the mural, there were no gods or Buddhas, and no living beings.

There was only a black phantom standing atop a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, arms spread wide, howling at the sky.

Behind that phantom, Shadow Wings that blotted out the sun were unfurled.

This image!

This posture!

It was exactly the same as the demon phantom that condensed when Chen Du fully unleashed his King of Shadows talent!

And at this moment...

Those hollow mural eyes seemed to cross thousands of years of time, coldly looking down at Chen Du standing below!