The room fell into a thoughtful silence as the trio rummaged through the hints and facts they had gathered.
Though it looked like only Shen Yu and Luvidel were the ones who were deeply engrossed, not Kai. He was rather dull and yawning on the side.
After a brief pause, Shen Yu felt the urge to interject, his voice tinged with nervousness, yet determined to contribute to the discussion. “I have a different perspective on this,” he started hesitantly, he wasn’t very attuned to talking with strangers, “Perhaps it’s not solely an issue of energy fluctuations; it might be a man-made catastrophe. Why else would sacrificial rituals suddenly surge in prominence? Is someone intentionally targeting the extinction of light races?”
Shen Yu’s input seemed to pique Luvidel’s interest. “Are you suggesting that this mission revolves around uncovering the culprits responsible for seeking the extermination of these races, with the intention to dominate others?”
Nodding in agreement, gaining more confidence, Shen Yu continued, “Consider this: the group behind these actions might not be concerned about the future imbalance. To them, the elves and beastkin could be viewed as nuisances. We’re also not aware of the significance of these races in the world of light.”
Luvidel was thoughtful as he added, “So, we need to save everyone and make this cult realize the importance of preservation. Until we determine the true cause of energy fluctuations and verify your theory, we must halt this spree of violence.”
He talked with a lot of traction and seemed rather like a naive hero to Shen Yu… very different from Kai.
“…I guess.” Shen Yu responded affirmatively.
On the other hand Kai offered a more pragmatic approach. “I think we don’t necessarily have to save everyone. Those responsible for this problem need to be rooted out. We must eliminate the key figures of this group, erasing their negative mindset and redirecting the turbulence. If this is indeed the work of an instigating faction, we need to target their prominent leaders.”
Luvidel wore a troubled expression upon hearing the proposed solution.
“Our mission is to save the world, not to take lives.” His snappish tone couldn’t remain hidden when he spoke, but he was also good at diverting attention, “is your ‘black card’ mission different from ours?”
Kai, lounging lazily, responded with an air of nonchalance, as though he didn’t hear the tone of voice or even see the small glint of coldness in Luvidel’s eyes, “The mission is to prevent mass extinction, not to preserve the entire population. And as you might have noticed, there are no restrictions this time. If we don’t deal with the rotten core, the surface will continue to decay.”
However, Luvidel seemed poised to argue further, “We shouldn’t act unilaterally. There’s still much to uncover, and our line of thinking might be flawed—”
A sudden, jarring noise disrupted their conversation, causing Shen Yu to sit up straight in attention. The mission interface materialized in front of him, accompanied by a golden beam of light that steadily filled the progress bar.
“[6% mission progress],” the display indicated.
Luvidel and Shen Yu exchanged stiff glances, and then turned their attention to Kai.
Kai smirked, explaining further, “In group tasks, mission progress signifies that the group is moving in the right direction, but it doesn’t necessarily mean we’ve correctly deciphered all the clues.”
Then, he himself dismissed further concerns with a snort and stood upright. “Actually, it doesn’t matter. Whoever contributed to the progress, it’s beneficial for everyone.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Luvidel seemed like he wanted to say something in return, but then he coughed lightly and acknowledged with a stiff nod. “I’ll take my leave, then. If you wish, we can depart the town together; there doesn’t seem to be anything more to uncover here.”
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As the door closed with a calm thud, Shen Yu’s thoughts raced. “So, the mission progress was genuinely due to our deductions?”
“Haha, maybe, maybe not.” Kai ambled over to Shen Yu, ruffling his hair gently. “We can’t be certain, kitten, but you did well. If our conclusions were futile, the progress bar would have shown a negative decline, or we might have received penalties.”
Shen Yu nodded, appreciating the explanation. However, a lingering question weighed on his mind. “I’ve been thinking, you’ve taken lives quite freely, and your way of thinking often diverges from others. Is it because of your ‘black ticket’? Don’t you face penalties for it?”
Kai’s gaze fixed on Shen Yu, his expression betraying no emotion. “The black card mission is different, and I don’t receive penalties for it. But I have my reasons for the choices I make.”
“The black ticket holds its own value, and not just anyone can obtain it. I pulled the trigger and received this change. My thought process isn’t influenced by the ticket’s value, but rather, the ticket might be connected to me. It identifies the master; you need to remember that.”
Still, Shen Yu pressed further. “Would your ticket change if your mindset or actions changed, or if you received a penalty?”
Kai paused for a moment, pondering the question. “I don’t know. I only eliminate those who obstruct mission completion and preserve those who need to be saved.”
So it was really that simple?
This revelation led Shen Yu to understand that Kai’s black ticket wasn’t a direct result of his actions, but perhaps a representation of his unique ethical stance.
The thought of it being an “upgrade” occurred to Shen Yu, and he promptly asked. “Do you think your black ticket is an upgrade from the Golden Ticket?”
Kai, amused by the curious inquiry, responded, “Not at all. If it were an upgrade, I would have known. The black ticket seems more like a different branch of progress, not an upgrade. It’s more of a shift in direction. There could be other tickets yet to be unlocked. Golden and black tickets may be sub-branches of a larger ticket system.”
This answer stumped Shen Yu with even more questions, and he laid there on the bed thinking deeply about it.
Looking at his frowning little face, Kai helplessly chuckled, and excused himself.
The mysterious nature of these tickets left Shen Yu feeling a sense of uncertainty and unease. What if his own progress didn’t manifest, or his ticket evolved into something else? These mysterious tokens carried numerous enigmas, and not everything was known about them. Shen Yu attempted to quiet his racing mind, musing about the dangers of the mission.
~
The viewers who watched the entire interaction were also left puzzled by their own judgement.
[Cutekrukx: Ahhhhh Sarafem left the screen, can’t lick anymore, T~T but really, good that I wasn’t distracted for this conversation, I mean, I am also very curious about what this black ticket means. I agree with hunter on this, that it might just be a different branch of occupation]
[Researchers101: According to statistics, Hunter’s inference might not be entirely correct or even rational. The reason for this might be because Hunter is talking about moral and ethical values of judgement but then again it is not entirely correct because in statistics the previously judged transmigrators were noticed to have leveled up to the silver or gold ticket because they adhered to the rules and regulations and they stopped harming the locals to complete mission progressions and jumps. This means that the universal laws judge a person based on there actions and behaviour throughout the mission world so if that is the case then the black ticket might be due to Hunter’s violation, not because the universal laws judged him as some unique warrior]
[BlackCoda: wait wait so you think that Hunter has violated multiple rules and that is why he got the black ticket but then again I have seen several transmigrators in the mission world who do not follow the rules, or make some mistake, and because of that they get penalties from universal law and they are even kicked out of the mission world and sometimes they also have to face certain death. What I mean is that it is really really not suitable for us to judge Hunter as some antagonist or villain because he isn’t and the reason for his black ticket might be due to some other reason which he was simply trying to explain to Shen Yu.]
[Pureethics67&: From my experience so far as a transmigrator, I believe that your ticket represents your level of ethics and conduct throughout the mission world and it is an amalgamation of several factors like your actions, behaviour, your pattern of mission completion, your group work, and task completion rate. So I believe that the reason for Hunter getting a black ticket might be due to some external factor which influenced his ticket colour and that is why instead of having a gold ticket which may have represented his power level and strength, he ended up receiving a black ticket.]
[YourwhiteFolk: my professor says that Hunter is a very unique person and his personality and judgement might be the factor that influenced his ticket or maybe it was due to his reaction to certain parameters which we are not yet aware of. Because you have to be real, there is noone like Hunter]
[Kiki345_blackwhite: you lot are thinking too much I think it is very simple why he got a black ticket, his nature of cultivation was what gave him the right to a different ticket]
[Platanic_Love56: he might be the chosen one you don’t know.]
~
Two days passed away just like that, and their quest to uncover clues, revealed the extent of the witches’ dominion, with a majority of the population surreptitiously practicing dark arts.
Luvidel didn’t cross their paths again, and Shen Yu began to ponder that he might not have been in alignment with Kai’s unconventional methods, leading him to distance himself.
Thinking this, Shen Yu felt a sense of injustice on Kai’s behalf. He realized that Kai wasn’t as savage and irrational as others perceived him to be, but they remained unwilling to listen to him or establish any form of rapport.
He totally ignored that Kai himself wasn’t interested in building any rapport with the other righteous one.
Inadvertently, Shen Yu removed Luvidel from his list of potential friends, and they embarked on their separate journeys.
Nevertheless, their collective destination remained the central city, and their paths converged in that direction.
In their travel to the last town, Shen Yu underwent considerable progress in combat skills, honing his abilities and learning the art of archery. He swiftly adapted to defending against sharp weapons and attacks, whether from local troublemakers or elves, accumulating valuable knowledge and skills that enhanced his judgment and comprehension.
If someone had witnessed the speed of his development, they would have marveled at his remarkable progress.
But alas, due to some unknown reason, Kai hid his progress from the broadcast, making it impossible for others to note anything.
Shen Yu wasn’t aware of it, and Kai never told him about it.
So, it wasn’t unrealistic to see that many biased viewers still viewed Shen Yu as a weakling who dragged Hunter down. From their perspective, he really made no progress. And it wasn’t their fault, because after shattering one’s dantian, it was almost impossible to get back on track within a few weeks.
~
Nearly three months had passed when Shen Yu and Kai arrived at the local teleportation junction. It was rumored that the ticket for the teleportation cost 500 silver ingots per person, regardless of the destination chosen, be it the outskirts of the central town or another city connecting to a different district.
“Central City, It is Central City, ” Shen Yu reiterated his choice to the ticket booth attendant for the third time, his expression serene and his demeanor frigid, leaving no room for error.
An elf’s eyes were as sharp as a bird’s, and anyone who faced his unwavering gaze felt the weight of it. Furthermore, his presence stood out among the human crowd, so much so that some began to question if he were merely wearing an elaborate costume to deceive them.
And after training for a few months, Shen Yu did show some applaudable changes, like he no longer had a faint presence, his aura and physique had strengthened.
Elves typically kept to their forests and rarely interacted with human society, except when it was absolutely necessary. So Shen Yu, who spoke and behaved like a human, left many perplexed.
“Y-Yes, sir,” the booth master stammered and handed Shen Yu a small circular slip.
Shen Yu had patiently waited in line like any other traveler, exuding propriety and good manners. Those who met his gaze could only surmise that he was a formidable being—a creature of power and influence.
Meanwhile, Kai stood some distance away from the booth, engaged in conversation with a few local travelers, whether they were merchants or scholars.
He was attired in a simple dark shirt and trousers, complemented by his signature black boots. While he might have seemed unassuming compared to the nobility, his polite disposition and smooth social grace left a distinctive impression.
Kai’s striking handsomeness also drew interest from those around him.
So, when Shen Yu and Kai stood together, they presented a stark contrast to the rest of the crowd, attracting attention wherever they went. One was a petite, exquisite elf with soft features and a cold personality, and the other was a gentleman of tall and broad stature, his handsome smile capable of charming secrets from the lips of others. Their unique presence demanded notice.
~
Even the viewers felt that something seemed odd about the two, including those who regularly watched the live, yet rarely saw the two because Kai decided to block off both their broadcasts. Much to Shen fans disgust.
But they couldn’t figure out what seemed different, until an insignificant lurker spoke up.
[Lurker47688: Shen Yu no longer looks like a little slave, he is glowing man, just look at him~]
~
A/N: Happy new year!! I shifted to a new home so adjusting took time, I am sorry for delay!
Thank you for the update.. happy new year to you too
Thanks for stopping by! Have a great year 💕