125: Chapter 125: The Bait of Central Continent

The windows of the temporary study on Hengchuan Peak were tightly shut, with only a dim Spirit Stone lamp flickering on the desktop, casting a feeble glow.

Shen Xingzhou was hunched over, writing furiously. The charcoal pencil in his hand scratched across the rough talisman paper, producing a rustling sound. The paper was densely covered with terrain markings for the "Duanlong Abyss" — where the dark rivers of silt flowed, where the dead spots of accumulated resentment lay, and where it was suitable to bury those delayed-detonation Formations modified from waste Spirit Stones.

This was a gamble that allowed no room for error, and he was placing his chips, bit by bit, on the side of "Mortal wisdom."

Just then, the study door was not knocked upon, and the Restriction on the door lock was not even triggered; a sound of footsteps, extremely light and carrying a certain unique rhythm, appeared abruptly by the door.

Shen Xingzhou's charcoal pencil paused slightly, the tip blurring a dot of black ink onto the paper. He did not look up, simply continuing to write the final piece of data, his voice as steady as if he were talking to himself: "The door isn't locked, but next time you come in, you should at least greet me first. It's a matter of courtesy."

"Apologies, I'm used to it."

A refined voice, carrying a hint of mockery, sounded out.

The person who entered was not wearing the conspicuous black official robes from the daytime, but had changed into moon-white casual wear, looking like a Young Master from a noble family visiting a friend. Everything was the same, except for that signature monocle and those eyes that lacked any warmth even when smiling.

Central Plains Commissioner, X-709.

He carried a jug of unknown wine in his hand, walking lightly into the study as if it were his own back garden. He casually pulled out the chair opposite Shen Xingzhou and sat down, placing the jug of wine gently on the desk covered in blueprints.

"Still modifying the plan so late at night?" The Commissioner pushed up his monocle, his gaze sweeping over the dense tactical markings on the table, a smile of appreciation curling the corners of his mouth. "SOP... Standard Operating Procedure. A very interesting thing. I have seen plans from many large Sects in the Central Continent, all of them filled with the desperation of 'trading life for life' or the tyranny of 'Formation suppression.' Someone like you, planning to fill the cracks of Hell with a pile of junk, is the first I've seen."

Shen Xingzhou put down the charcoal pencil and looked up, his eyes calm and waveless: "If the Commissioner is visiting in the middle of the night, it surely isn't to compliment my 'waste management technique'."

"Of course not." The Commissioner smiled, his fingers tapping lightly on the wax seal of the wine jug, making a crisp sound. "I am here to discuss... cooperation. Or rather, to discuss the future of the Qingheng Sect."

Shen Xingzhou did not speak, only signaling for him to continue.

"You should be very clear about the current situation of the Qingheng Sect." The Commissioner opened the wine jug, and a strange fragrance instantly filled the room, but he did not pour any wine, simply letting the aroma drift. "On the credit rating list of the Central Continent, the Qingheng Sect has declined for three consecutive years, falling to the edge of the 'Main Board' and the 'Small and Medium Enterprise Board'."

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze locking onto Shen Xingzhou: "If there is one more great calamity, or if the performance in this Grand Exam is too unsightly, the Qingheng Sect will likely be downgraded. Once downgraded, the resource tilt will be gone, privileges will be gone, and it might even be removed from the core trade circle. By then, let alone Hengchuan Peak, the entire Sect will have to drink the northwest wind."

Shen Xingzhou remained expressionless, but his hand under the desk clenched slightly.

"However," the Commissioner changed the subject, his tone becoming meaningful, "the Rating Bureau holds a certain amount of 'adjustment authority.' If in this simulation, we can see a kind of... surprising performance that is sufficient to prove that your personal combat power and model are both 'super-normative'..."

He deliberately emphasized the three words "super-normative."

"Then, in the final report, I can add a few stars for the Qingheng Sect. Or even, redistribute the rating weight of this assessment." The Commissioner smiled at Shen Xingzhou. "This would be a happy result for you, for Sect Head Ning, and even for Elder Lu."

Shen Xingzhou looked at him, his eyes chilling: "What does the 'super-normative' that the Commissioner speaks of refer to?"

The Commissioner did not answer directly, only pointing to Shen Xingzhou's left arm, which was covered by his sleeve. Only Shen Xingzhou knew what kind of restless Demon Mark was hidden beneath it.

"Some powers do not need to be suppressed so tightly." The Commissioner's voice was very light, like a slippery snake drilling into the ear. "In a high-resentment environment like Defense Zone No. 7, releasing a little bit... even if it's just to save people, even if it's just to suppress a dangerous situation, I think the Heavenly Dao will also 'understand' this kind of goodwill. After all, efficiency and results are what we value most."

Shen Xingzhou finally understood what the other party meant.

This was not coming to let him "cheat"; this was coming to let him "make a sacrifice."

They wanted to see him burst forth with the power of his Demon Race Bloodline in a desperate situation; they wanted to see that the rumored "waste management miracle" was actually "Demon Race combat power." They did not care how good the Hengchuan Peak System was; they only cared about whether Shen Xingzhou, as a "sample," could demonstrate high efficiency as a weapon.

This was a naked test. If Shen Xingzhou agreed for the sake of the Sect's interests, it would be tantamount to admitting that he was a "tool" that could be used at any time, and it would also be tantamount to handing the soft handle completely over to the Central Continent.

Just then, in Shen Xingzhou's field of vision, the System interface silently popped up a bright red recording box.

[System Real-time Recording Started]

Source: This node (Shen Xingzhou) ambient sound capture

Label: External Inducement Sample · No. A-001

Keyword Extraction:

"Qingheng Sect credit rating... edge"

"Super-normative performance"

"Do not need to be suppressed so tightly (regarding Demon Mark)"

Risk Assessment:

The other party is attempting to use "collective interests (Sect rating)" to induce the Host to "lose control / expose trump cards."

Immediately after, the System popped up that classic, fate-deciding three-choice window.

[System Prompt]

Key conversation detected. Do you want to mark this conversation as "Evidence of External Interference" and fully record it into the Audit backup?

Option 1: [Yes, record completely]

Effect: The original audio of the conversation, spiritual power fluctuation characteristics, and semantic analysis will all be encrypted and archived as "evidence in court" for future counterattacks.

Cost: The Central Continent Rating Bureau may detect the data retention action, increasing vigilance (hostility) toward the Host.

Option 2: [Record partial content only]

Effect: Only text records will be kept, blurring the other party's tone and specific intent.

Cost: The strength of the evidence will be insufficient, easily explained away by the other party as "academic discussion."

Option 3: [No, ignore]

Effect: No records will be saved.

Cost: If there are no third-party witnesses in the future, it will be impossible to prove that this inducement occurred, and you will have to swallow the bitter pill.

Shen Xingzhou looked at these three options.

It reminded him of the previous satisfaction assessment. At that time, he chose "public evidence," directly tearing off the face of the Elder faction and pushing himself into the position of spokesperson for the reformist faction.

Now, he was facing a Central Plains Commissioner who was infinitely more powerful than Law Enforcement Elder Lu Guhuai.

If he did not record it, and if the Rating Bureau turned against him later, or bit back and claimed that Shen Xingzhou had actively demonized himself, he would have no way to defend himself.

If he did record it, although it would not be discovered immediately, it would be like hiding a bomb by his side that could explode at any time.

Moreover, this was destined to be a road of confrontation.

Shen Xingzhou was silent for a moment, and the words of Peak Master Luo Qingyi flashed through his mind — "Do not let your Bloodline become a patch for the System."

If he compromised today for the sake of "a few stars for the Sect," would he have to fall completely for the sake of "the survival of the Sect" tomorrow?

"I don't like to drink." Shen Xingzhou spoke suddenly, his voice cold and hard, "But I like to keep a record."

In his heart, he pressed [Yes, record completely] without hesitation.

A streak of imperceptible light flashed across the System interface, and an encrypted data packet was quietly generated, labeled "Top Secret · Audit Backup," and sank into the lowest level of the System's database.

Hearing Shen Xingzhou's words about "keeping a record," the Commissioner was not panicked. He pushed up his monocle, and the smile on his face deepened by a few points instead.

"A wise man's choice." He stood up and picked up the unopened jug of wine. "It seems that compared to drinking, you prefer taking notes."

He walked to the door, paused, and looked back at Shen Xingzhou: "You don't have to answer me now. The battlefield changes in an instant, and people's choices will change too. When the resentment of the Duanlong Abyss really rushes up, and when you watch your Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters fall one by one, perhaps you will feel that the wine is actually quite sweet."

"Leaving now."

The Commissioner waved his hand, his figure disappearing into the night like a wisp of blue smoke, as if he had never been there.

The study returned to silence.

Shen Xingzhou looked at the tightly closed door, and the cold sweat on his back finally seeped out. The air seemed to still retain the cold oppression from the other party, as well as the sweet fragrance carrying a hint of temptation that the jug of wine had emitted.

[System Comment]

Monitoring ended.

"This is not a simple transaction,

Nor is it kindness to save your life.

This is sugar-coating handed to the prey by a predator.

He does not care if you live or die,

He only cares if the blade revealed

After the sugar coating melts,

Is sharp enough."

Shen Xingzhou took a deep breath and picked up the charcoal pencil again. His hand was no longer trembling, because the fear had already transformed into a kind of determination.

He flipped over the paper covered in tactical diagrams and wrote four large characters on the back:

Never Compromise.

He knew that he had recorded this inducement, along with the other party's face, into the black box for the next Audit.

But he also knew very clearly that the premise of all this was that cold bottom line.

At the bottom of the System, a line of faint small text emerged, like the whisper of the Grim Reaper:

"You have recorded this inducement into the black box for the next Audit.

This is your future bargaining chip, and it is also your current death warrant.

The premise is —

You must survive until that round of Audit, instead of becoming a wild corpse in the Duanlong Abyss."