76: Chapter 76 The First Experience of Heaven's "Ten Consecutive Draws" and the Surgeon's First Incision
Ancient God’s Brain, Heavenly Dao Core Space.
This is the logical center of the entire world, which should have been absolutely rational, cold, and ruthless.
But at this moment, the art style suddenly changed.
"Come, come, little Director, stop shoveling poop... I mean, stop shoveling viruses."
Director Haotian (former Immortal Emperor) had a kind (Big Bad Wolf) smile, squatting in front of that light-and-shadow figure. He wasn't holding the banner that said "Give me back my hard-earned money," but instead, like a magic trick, he pulled out a huge box shimmering with neon colors.
"Look, what's this?"
The Heavenly Dao Consciousness, which was whimpering while cleaning up viruses, stopped its movements.
Although it had no facial features, the ball of light clearly trembled, transmitting an emotion called "curiosity."
[This... what... is this?]
A youthful voice echoed in everyone's minds.
"This is called—[Happiness]."
Director Haotian pushed the Blind Box forward, his tone full of temptation. "I heard that every day, in order to keep the world running, you have to clean up these annoying viruses (Abyss Erosion). It must be hard work, right?"
"Watching from below, our hearts really ache for you."
"So, representing the 'Patient's Family,' we've specially brought you a little gift."
"This is the latest product from our Tianhe Group—the Supreme Edition Blind Box."
[Gift?]
The Heavenly Dao Consciousness was stunned.
In its long years, all it had seen was the demands and complaints of all living beings, and the provocations of those Cultivators who tried to go Heaven-Defying.
No one had ever... given it a gift.
[For... for me?]
It cautiously extended a light tentacle and poked the box.
"Of course."
Director Haotian struck while the iron was hot. "And there's a grand prize inside. If your luck is good enough, you might even pull a Divine Artifact that lets you 'keep the world running without having to work'."
This sentence accurately hit the Heavenly Dao's sore spot.
It was too tired.
The Ancient God was sick, and its "brain" had to operate at an overload. If it could slack off...
[Then... should I try?]
The Heavenly Dao Consciousness put down its small shovel and hugged the Blind Box with two light hands.
*Rip—*
The box opened.
A golden light shot up into the sky!
"Wow! A Golden Legend!" Lei Wanjun (Deputy Minister of Security) on the side let out an extremely cooperative cry of surprise (even though it was made with fifty-cent special effects).
Inside the box, quietly lay a pack of...
[Extra Spicy · Weilong (Supreme Edition)].
And a card: [Thank you for your patronage, better luck next time (but here's a pack of spicy strips for you to try)].
The Heavenly Dao Consciousness was a bit disappointed; the ball of light even dimmed slightly.
[Not a Divine Artifact... it's... food?]
"Oh, don't be discouraged."
Director Haotian spoke like a caring older brother. "This is good stuff. Try it; take a bite, and all your worries will vanish."
Half-doubting, the Heavenly Dao picked up the spicy strip and stuffed it into where its mouth should have been.
The next second.
Vroom—!!!
The entire core space shook violently.
The golden gears that were slowly turning suddenly accelerated!
[So... tasty!!!]
The Heavenly Dao Consciousness's originally blurry form actually solidified a bit instantly, and it even grew two large eyes with happy little stars twinkling inside.
The "Ancient God Grease" energy contained in the spicy strips was the most direct tonic for it!
Moreover, that spicy flavor instantly dispersed the resentment and fatigue it had accumulated for billions of years.
[Is there more? I want more!]
Like a child who had tasted something sweet, the Heavenly Dao looked at Haotian expectantly.
"Yes! Of course!"
Director Haotian revealed his true intentions, dragging out a huge crate from behind him.
"There are exactly one thousand blind boxes here."
"But..."
Director Haotian showed a look of difficulty. "These are company assets; I can't just give them away. Unless..."
[Unless what?]
"Unless you become our 'Honorary Partner'."
Director Haotian pulled out a pre-prepared document from his coat: "Tianhe Group · Agreement Regarding the Acquisition of Management Authority for Parts of the Heavenly Dao Core."
"Sign this."
"This whole crate will be yours."
"And in the future, our Heavenly River Sword Sect will regularly send you 'takeout,' help you clean up viruses, and even... help you with your homework (maintaining rules)."
The Heavenly Dao looked at the crate of blind boxes and then at the agreement.
Although it was simple-minded, its instinct told it that handing over authority was a very dangerous thing.
However...
Those spicy strips were truly too fragrant.
Moreover, it really wanted to pull again to see if it could get that legendary "Divine Artifact."
[Then... I'll only hand over a little bit?]
"No problem! Just a little bit!" Director Hao laughed like a dishonest merchant. "For example... firewall control? And... 'Lightning Tribulation Exemption' for the Heavenly River Sword Sect?"
[Deal!]
Without hesitation, the Heavenly Dao pressed a light handprint onto the agreement.
Anyway, those firewalls were usually useless (you guys just passed through them), and the Lightning Tribulations were a waste of energy. Trading them for a crate of blind boxes was worth it!
...
*Beep.*
At the same time.
Lower Realm, Scripture Pavilion second floor.
A golden dialog box suddenly popped up on the System panel in front of Li Mo.
[Congratulations!] [Successfully acquired 51% of the "Heavenly Dao Core" shares (actual control).] [Obtained new title: [Heavenly Dao Agent].] [Unlocked Privileges:]
Full Map Vision (God's Eye View).
Rule Modification (Requires energy consumption).
Antivirus Software Installation Privilege.
Li Mo looked at the panel, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.
"Very good."
"Now that I have Administrator Privilege, it's time to get down to business."
He suddenly looked up at that seemingly calm but actually peril-filled Void Realm above.
"Linger, are you ready?"
"I'm ready, Cousin!"
Chu Linger stood to the side, holding the black "Guide to Creating Ancient God Viruses," her expression serious.
Just then.
Riiiip—!!!
A tooth-gritting sound, like the tearing of cloth, suddenly rang throughout the entire Cultivation World.
Whether it was the monsters drilling for oil in the abyss or the immortals eating spicy strips in the Immortal Realm, everyone felt a shudder from the depths of their Souls at this moment.
They looked up.
And saw a scene they would never forget.
The sky... split open.
It wasn't the kind of crack from a Lightning Tribulation, nor was it the opening of the Heavenly Gate.
It was an... straight, neat "incision" spanning hundreds of millions of miles.
It was as if an invisible, gargantuan scalpel had made a fierce cut from "outside" the world.
At the incision, there was no blood, only endless paleness and void.
And within that void, several giant fingers with a latex glove texture... slowly reached in.
They gripped the edges of the incision and tore it apart with force.
Rumble—!!!
The entire Southern Desolation began to shake violently, and tectonic plates began to fracture, as if it were truly about be "peeled" away from this world.
"It's here."
Li Mo pushed up his glasses, the data stream in his eyes flashing frantically.
[Warning! High-dimensional attack detected!] [Source: External "Surgeon".] [Method: Physical Excision (Circular Incision Surgery).] [Target: Diseased area centered on the Heavenly River Sword Sect.]
"Want to cut me?"
Li Mo sneered, suddenly lifting the spring and autumn brush.
"Director Hao! Do it!"
"Understood!"
Inside the Heavenly Dao Core Space.
Director Haotian, who had been waiting for a long time, grabbed the Heavenly Dao Consciousness that was frantically opening blind boxes.
"Stop eating! Get to work!"
"Mobilize all the energy for me!"
[Eh? But I haven't pulled the Hidden Edition yet...]
"After this battle, I'll give you a hundred Hidden Editions!"
[Really?!]
The Heavenly Dao was instantly fired up.
Vroom—!!!
That giant golden gear sphere suddenly erupted with unprecedented light.
All the power of rules was forcibly twisted into a single rope at this moment, rushing towards that giant incision following Li Mo's will.
Scripture Pavilion second floor.
Li Mo took up his pen and wrote a line of bold characters that pierced through the paper on a blank page of the dragon vein heavenly book.
[Rule Modification:] [Forcefully redefine the "Scalpel" attribute as...] [Backscratcher.]
"Change... for me!"
Li Mo shouted loudly.
Between heaven and earth, that invisible blade which had already cut into the world's membrane and was about to slice off the Southern Desolation... at the moment it touched this tampered Heavenly Dao rule...
it suddenly turned soft.
Its sharpness became zero. Its hardness became zero. Its tip... turned into a rounded piece of wood with small claws.
Scritch, scritch...
That giant "Backscratcher" scraped across the Ancient God's skin (the world barrier).
The originally fatal cut turned into... a pleasant rubbing sensation.
"Hoo..."
Deep within the earth, that sleeping Ancient God seemed to feel something.
It let out an extremely comfortable, tremulous sleep-talk.
This comfortable feeling made it subconsciously... twitch its body (crustal movement).
Boom!
With this twitch of the Ancient God...
a massive counter-shock force followed that incision and violently bounced back out.
Bang!
From outside the world, a muffled scream could be heard.
That "Surgeon" holding the scalpel seemed to have been... sent flying by the patient's stress response?
The crisis was temporarily averted.
The crack in the sky slowly healed.
Li Mo put down his pen, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and looked at the Heavenly River Sword Sect still floating in the air.
"The first cut has been blocked."
"But..."
He looked at the still bright red "High Risk" warning on the medical record.
"Since the doctor was hit, he'll definitely call security."
"Or... switch to more violent tools."
"The real war has only just begun."