Chapter 94: The Owner of the Door Symbol Delivered to Their Door

Jindar Empire, early morning.

Compared to usual, this morning seemed exceptionally quiet. Naturally, it was partly due to the recent suppression of the first wave of spiritual tide, which still had lingering effects on the atmosphere. Margate Castle, once a bustling and extravagant financial city, now exuded not only chilliness but also a sense of solemnity.

On the outskirts of Margate Castle, there stretched a vast flat terrain. Nearby, soldiers armed with weapons stood alongside various armored vehicles and equipment.

Lyndon Haywood, the emperor of the Jindar Empire, clad in a black suit and wearing a long black coat, shivered slightly amidst the cold. His secretary, Miss Shanney, accompanied him nearby, hesitating as if wanting to persuade him otherwise but ultimately saying nothing.

The agreed-upon test day had arrived, meaning that today, three hundred individuals would be sent into that ‘small world’. Initially, the legislators opposed Lyndon’s presence, given the unprecedented nature of such an event; any unforeseen mishap could occur. However, Lyndon insisted on his decision, believing he must witness the entire process firsthand rather than through live surveillance alone.

At 8:30 am.

On the vast, open ground, personnel were mostly prepared.

With one hundred sixty slots available, each person could carry only one kilogram of items, indicating that their choice of weapons would be severely limited. Additionally, the creatures in the monster-filled world were quite unique; conventional firearms had minimal effect on them, making it unnecessary to bring excessive weaponry.

Based on the information provided by the Hermit Union, that world had already entered the steam age. Within their group, approximately twenty individuals specialized as mechanics, engineers, energy experts, geologists, and more. With this team, leveraging the scientific foundation of the steam age, given time, they could accelerate technological advancements at an astonishing pace in that world.

The remaining one hundred forty slots were filled with exceptionally strong soldiers, both mentally and physically, meticulously selected from a large pool of military forces. It could be said that any one of them, when dropped into a hostile environment, would strive to maximize their survival time.

Apart from these soldiers, there was another distinct group. Many leaders within this group were sharp-looking young individuals, surrounded by two or three formidable-looking mercenaries who closely accompanied them.

Out of the forty slots available, these individuals were wealthy participants from the Hermit Union meeting.

Clearly, they had reached an agreement and selected five representatives, while the rest served as their bodyguards. These bodyguards were not aiming to become license holders; their goal was solely to protect their employers and assist them in achieving ultimate success.

Additionally, there were another hundred people who formed yet another distinct group.

Lyndon observed that among this group of one hundred, approximately fifty-six were civilians. Their status as ordinary individuals was evident, as compared to those specifically chosen for the task, their preparations seemed haphazard and inadequate. A few, overwhelmed by the situation, began showing signs of fear and hesitated, even considering selling their spots on the spot.

The remaining roughly half of the slots belonged to individuals from various other nations who unexpectedly secured places. These people, having traveled great distances to reach the Jindar Empire, felt even more apprehensive due to their apparent isolation and lack of support. Notably, the most striking groups within this contingent were from the Wanqi Nation and the Li Kingdom.

Wanqi Nation, despite its vast territory with sparse population, displayed remarkable boldness. Ten individuals from Wanqi arrived, all clearly military-trained. Equipped for wilderness survival, they were accompanied by additional personnel from Wanqi’s armed forces.

Notably, they had arrived early on their private aircraft.

The Wanqi Nation was unique; its citizens lived in constant fear that the deities, whose temples their ancestors destroyed, might seek revenge upon awakening. Consequently, each member seemed as volatile as an agitated bear, easily provoked to anger.

Lyndon, not wanting to offend them, treated them with considerable courtesy.

Additionally, there were four individuals from the Li Kingdom, who stood out distinctly from the rest. Surprisingly, two of these four were girls.

It wasn’t about underestimating females, but one must acknowledge that in a world plagued by monsters, women generally possessed less physical strength and faced additional challenges during their monthly cycles.

Among the 300 people present, the proportion of women was significantly low.

Out of the Li Kingdom’s total four slots, two were filled by females, which raised eyebrows. Moreover, all four of their representatives had exceptional appearances, clearly handpicked through rigorous selection processes. It almost seemed like they were sending contestants for a beauty pageant.

Yet, unlike others, these four appeared remarkably calm and composed.

“What’s up with them?” Lyndon turned to ask Shanney quietly.

Miss Shanney lowered her voice, “These four individuals are attendants of the Mountain God. Apparently, the Li Kingdom initially had no intention of competing for slots, as their entire populace worships the Mountain God. Seeking to become a License Holder privately is seen by them as disrespectful towards the Mountain God.”

The fervor and devotion engendered by truly believing in a deity were incomprehensibly intense.

While license holders gained popularity worldwide, most citizens of the Li Kingdom expressed disdain for this pursuit. Anyone showing interest in becoming a License Holder faced immediate condemnation from society.

“However, their Mr. Mountain God expressed curiosity about the small world and seemed to have some knowledge of its unique aspects. Consequently, the Li Kingdom gathered these four slots to allow His attendants to enter. I just spoke with them; they mentioned having the protection and blessings of Mr. Mountain God, so they don’t require much additional support,” Shanney explained.

Lyndon slightly furrowed his brow, unable to deny feeling a bit envious of the Li Kingdom’s situation.

In the past, the Li Kingdom’s economy thrived due to its coastal location. However, internationally, it often found itself overshadowed by Hanming Country and deferential to the Jindar Empire, essentially caught between two dominant forces.

Now, things were about to get interesting as tensions rose.

At nine o’clock sharp.

The previously slightly noisy outskirts suddenly fell silent, as it was time for entering the small world, according to their agreement.

Lyndon couldn’t quite describe his feelings; he heard someone gasp, and then they witnessed a door, with its slightly eerie aura, materialize seemingly out of nowhere amidst an open area.

The gate appeared pitch-black, evoking a sense of oppressive dread in those who gazed upon it.

Without any visible handle, the dark portal slowly creaked open. Within the dense fog beyond, stood an elderly man with a hunched back, wearing a menacing mask. Beside him loomed a tall, skeletal figure, its eye sockets flickering with dim, ghostly flames. A chilling, damp sensation seemed to seep from behind the gate, causing Lyndon to instinctively take a step backward.

“Enter.” The elder within the thick mist stepped aside before speaking.

The elderly figure was none other than Duan Wenxuan, temporarily impersonating the Hermit Union’s king. The skeleton beside him was the gatekeeper he had previously crafted.

As Duan Wenxuan spoke, those observing the eerie and fearsome gate finally began to enter. First went the Jindar Empire’s officials, followed by representatives chosen from among the wealthy elites. Next came the visibly agitated Wanqi personnel and individuals from the Li Kingdom, with the ordinary civilians bringing up the rear.

Through the dense fog, Duan Wenxuan could see the expressions of these common people. Unlike the well-trained individuals who concealed their emotions, most displayed palpable fear, excitement, and a gambler’s spirit, as if taking a risky bet.

Suddenly, Duan Wenxuan froze, feeling a slight warmth on the door symbol on his hand. This prickling sensation was familiar—it indicated that another holder of a door symbol was approaching!

What?!

Duan Wenxuan was taken aback. Had his actions inadvertently attracted another door symbol bearer? It caught him off guard because each door symbol wielded immense and unpredictable power. Logically, someone possessing untold riches wouldn’t be interested in mere scraps offered by others, would they?

As Duan Wenxuan grappled with confusion, the skeleton behind him suddenly stomped hard on the ground. After the last person entered, the pitch-black door creaked shut.

Who was the owner of this door symbol?

The name “Yue Fei” flashed through Duan Wenxuan’s mind. With only six door symbols existing, Jing Rui had long seized one, and Yue Fei fled, leaving his last known trail at Margate Castle in the Jindar Empire. Since Yue Fei possessed another door symbol, theoretically, there were now two remaining symbols unaccounted for.

Duan Wenxuan didn’t know the whereabouts of the other two symbols, but within Margate Castle, he still suspected Yue Fei as the most likely holder. So… if it truly was him, did that unfortunate soul inadvertently run right into Duan Wenxuan’s path?

A sense of delight washed over Duan Wenxuan; luck seemed to be on his side indeed.

From what could be observed now, the owner of this door symbol must have blended among those ordinary individuals. That wasn’t bad; although unsure which specific person it was, once they enter the monstrous world, uncovering their identity would be straightforward. Given that this individual participated, they undoubtedly aimed to become a license holder. One can only wonder if tears will flow when the truth is finally revealed?

Amidst the crowd, Yue Fei blended in with the appearance of a typical young man from the Jindar Empire, as he now went by the name ‘Jasper’.

On his face, he feigned the same subtle anxiety and determination mixed with a hint of striving to change his fate, just like any ordinary person. However, internally, he remained remarkably calm, knowing well that he was far from being truly ordinary.

Initially, Yue Fei considered using a doppelganger doll. After some rest and recuperation, he had managed to create a new one. Yet, he couldn’t be certain if the Hermit Union would detect anything amiss.

Yue Fei no longer dared to underestimate anyone, especially given that this organization had persisted for over a thousand years. He wasn’t confident whether his prized ‘golden finger’ could withstand their scrutiny.

If they failed to discover his doppelganger ability, it wouldn’t take long for the Hermit Union to recall the young man who had been deceived by Nader and others before.

After much deliberation, Yue Fei decided to take a bold gamble—go all-in, hoping to upgrade from a bicycle to a motorcycle—and thus, he personally attended the event. Moreover, the capabilities of the doppelganger doll simply didn’t match his own, particularly when it came to adaptability and handling tasks efficiently.

To gain public support and pacify some of the discontent among citizens during the spiritual tides, the Jindar Empire had released information about the monster realms. Yue Fei immediately realized that the most valuable entities in these worlds were the mutants.

If possible, he too wanted to acquire one for examination.

As his thoughts raced, Yue Fei discreetly scanned his surroundings. Initially, it seemed like the old man and skeleton were close by the entrance, but once they stepped inside, Yue Fei noticed they were actually at a considerable distance away. In the vast expanse of emptiness, the old man stood quietly far off.

Suppressing his curiosity, Yue Fei became increasingly convinced that this Hermit Union was extraordinary.

However, he didn’t notice that the door symbol concealed on his hand began subtly twisting, which should have indicated Duan Wenxuan’s proximity nearby. But with the skeleton’s stomp, the door symbol instantly returned to its normal state.

Yue Fei detected no abnormalities.

In the next moment, Yue Fei felt a strange sensation of weightlessness, unsure if he was awake or not. Regardless, when he regained the ability to think, he found himself sitting squarely in a pool of filthy water. Nearby, there were clusters of disordered houses. At a slightly greater distance, thick black smoke billowed from substandard factories.