On the second day, Du Ze met Heidi as soon as he went out. The demon looked a little surprised by the “undamaged” Du Ze.
Heidi rubbed her red lips and whispered: “He didn’t use it?”
Du Ze’s face stiffened when he understood her question. He glared bitterly at the accomplice (Heidi) and the principal offender (Xiu) then headed to the dining room – some silly, cute person was messed with until he almost vomited blood. The pain from last night’s ointment and his 0-point restore are not things he can talk about.
Heidi watched the black-haired youth walk away with a cold face then looked at the radiant demon. “He is… angry?”
“Just shy,” Xiu said. He laughed happily, his purple eyes glittering in the morning sunlight.
This is really a sad story.
After breakfast in the dining room, Heidi led the crowd to the eastern side of Agares city. Du Ze once again saw the fortress of Agares City. The last time he was here there was a strict inspection; only those with passes were allowed through. This time the fortress gate was wide open. With one glance a person can see the Death Swamp. Anyone can pass through the gate unimpeded.
Xiu, with Du Ze in tow, took the lead in entering the Death Swamp. The Death Swamp’s name now seems unsuitable because of the countless creatures gathered in the swamp. The popularity of the place even dispersed the swamp’s fog so that people can now see the Lost Land in the distance, as well as the Tower of God. As they walked Du Ze saw all kinds people mingling with each other, though most of them seemed to have formed small teams of 5 people. Some people looked like they wanted to chat with Xiu but gave up their plan to entice him to join their teams when they saw the uniforms of the Thunder Regiment behind him.
In addition to the people who were obviously going to the tower, there were a lot of merchant stalls. There were even some pubs. It seems that there were a lot of folks who came simply to do business. Du Ze stared silently at a stall. The owner of the stall put down the book in his hand and laughed in a very annoying way.
“I was wondering when Your Excellency would come,” said Dan, grinning. The stall in front of him was full of large and small boxes. “The Tower of God is very dangerous. Do you want to choose some equipment for self-defense?”
“Not interested.”
“Hey hey, don’t go.” Seeing Xiu and the crowd behind him walking away, Dan was depressed and called out: “I have some information that you will certainly need.”
Xiu stopped and watched as Dan quickly ran over to him. The merchant’s stall automatically rolled itself up like a carpet and followed behind its master. Dan came to Xiu, his eyes moving back and forth between him, Old John, and the other members of Xiu’s group.
“Do not bring too many followers with you when you enter the first floor. Five is the limit. If that limit is exceeded, the Tower of God will increase the difficulty of its trials. It is said that a general brought an army with him and the result was that all of them were wiped out at the first level. However, after the first level there is no limit; you can freely recruit as many followers as you like but you have to be able to meet with them.”
(TN: Reminder – People are randomly teleported into different places when they enter the tower.)
Although Dan is a slimeball, his words do have a certain credibility. Du Ze admired the tower’s anti-cheating system that completely ruined the plans of those who were going to use that tactic. The demon sisters and Ariel were uneasy because, along with Du Ze, their strength was the weakest.
Dan saluted Xiu. “Are you satisfied with my information?”
“What do you want for payment?”
Dan shook his head in an exaggerated manner. “Your Excellency is an old customer, this is a small gift from my shop, free of charge.”
Du Ze doesn’t believe that the slimeball Dan would suddenly become kind. Xiu seemed to have the same doubt. Dan was frustrated at their reaction.
“Alas, is my reputation so bad?”
Dan looked toward the Tower of God. At that moment, the others couldn’t see what expression was on the demon god’s face.
“If I had to guess who will be the first to climb to the top of that tower,” said Dan, looking back at Xiu. For the first time, he looked serious. “I think that person is you.”
This is your tower, “the rules” built it for you.
After studying his blood and witnessing this man’s growth, Dan seemed to have found something quite wonderful.
The man he is looking at is destined to be the Supreme God.
“So, you can consider this an early investment.”
Before anyone had time to respond, Dan’s figure disappeared into the void, followed by his stall.
“Who is that man?” Heidi asked.
A bored demon god, Du Ze silently said in his heart. He can’t understand Dan’s motives and thoughts. He is like a friend and isn’t an enemy, but Du Ze really can’t trust him.
“He is probably a demon god,” said Violet. She looked nervously at Xiu and asked: “Now … what should we do?”
After they got the information from Dan, it was clear to all of them that the tower won’t allow a big army to enter together. Xiu doesn’t care though. As long as his silly, cute person is by his side, it is enough. So Xiu looked at the crowd following him and let Rachel dissolve the Thunder Regiment, forming them into 6-man squads to enter the tower. The members of the Thunder Regiment are very professional. It only took a few minutes to set up the teams and elect captains. Du Ze calculated: If Old John is not counted since he is a mechanical puppet, then Muir, Ariel, Violet, Alice, and him are five people. Rachel reluctantly joined a group of the Thunder Regiment. She didn’t want to temporarily separate from Xiu.
The crowd continued walking towards the Tower of God. They walked through the Death Swamp and the Lost Land. The Lost Land looked completely different now from when Du Ze first arrived in this world. The barrier separating it from the rest of the continent was gone and there was no skyscape under the ice crystal ground. No one was trapped inside waiting for death. They took only an hour to get to the center of the Lost Land.
The great pillar of light has disappeared and in its place stood a majestic black tower. It looks like the legendary Tower of Babel, stacked like a multi-layered cake, layer by layer. The smooth jadeite tower is painted with lines and symbols that shone silver only when light reflected on them. It stood there quietly as if awaiting worship, stalwart as a god.
Du Ze looked at the black tower and could not tell if his rapid heartbeat was because of nervousness or excitement.
There is no door at the foot of the Tower of God. Many people go hand in hand toward the bottom of the tower. At the moment they touch the Tower of God, they disappear. This should be the way to enter the tower. Looking up at that tower, Du Ze thought he thought he saw an illusion of the tower rising up to infinity, but when he looked more closely he saw that as long as one can fly, one can reach the top. In fact, he saw a winged person flying up to the top of the tower; he seemed to have the same idea as Du Ze.
Du Ze watched as the winged man flew slowly as though he was flying under an invisible pressure. When he reached a certain height he could no longer fly higher, as if there was a wall made of air. The winged man’s expression suddenly became alarmed; his wings and body began to twist. It looked as though two invisible hands grasped the ends of the feet and twisted – Du Ze imagined he could hear the winged man’s bones fracture. Whoosh, the bloody winged man fell from the air and limply dropped on the ground. He no longer moved.
The crowd looked at the body in silence. The tower seemed to be telling everyone: Don’t try to use opportunistic methods.
Heidi’s fluffy curls were blown by the wind as she looked at Xiu and the people with him. “This is goodbye.” The beautiful demon gave them her blessing. “I look forward to your triumph.”
Xiu lips curved. His arms circled Du Ze. He opened his wings to fly to the bottom of the tower as the others followed. Heidi watched as they were swallowed by the tower. At that moment, perhaps it was only her imagination, but she seemed to hear the tower sigh
Like someone who has been waiting a long time for its goal.
