After finally washing the bloodstains from her body, Luo Shengle tidied the items in her hiking backpack, then sat down on the sofa and let out a long breath.
At that very moment, three knocks sounded on the door in succession.
The rhythm was unhurried, the sound of knuckles striking the door crisp and clear, as if tapping out some kind of measured cadence.
Almost instantly, Luo Shengle cast her gaze in that direction. Her intuition vaguely warned her that this knocking sounded different from any she had heard before.
After hesitating for a moment, Luo Shengle still stood up and walked toward the front door.
She did not recklessly fling it open. Instead, she held her breath, focused her mind and leaned toward the peephole, attempting to glimpse the situation outside.
The stairwell, just as neat and brightly lit as always, entered her field of vision. Then, to her astonishment, Luo Shengle realized that outside the door…
There was no one there at all.
For safety reasons, before renting this apartment, Luo Shengle had carefully inspected the corridor outside the door. From the angle of the peephole, even if someone were skulking furtively in a corner, they would inevitably cast a shadow at the edge of her vision, exposing their presence.
But unlike that expectation, the scene before her was utterly empty. The surroundings were bare and silent, with only beams of light piercing through floating motes of dust. Not a single human figure could be seen.
Just as Luo Shengle was about to doubt her own hearing, three more unhurried knocks echoed again from the other side of the door, right at arm’s length.
The sound was far too close, so close that she could almost feel the faint vibration of the door panel itself, as though the being outside, whether a person or something else entirely, might break in at any second.
Silently drawing in a breath, Luo Shengle gathered her courage and asked, “May I ask who is outside?”
The presence beyond the door paused briefly, then replied in a voice tinged with a gentle smile, “Good afternoon, Miss Luo. There is no need to be nervous. I sincerely apologize for my sudden visit.”
It was a stranger’s male voice. His enunciation was clear and smooth, imbued with a cadence reminiscent of a poet reciting verses or a nightingale singing upon a branch. Like flowing water, it gently washed away the tension in Luo Shengle’s heart.
Yet this was highly abnormal, like a special effect brought about by supernatural abilities.
Luo Shengle keenly recognized this point but emotionally, she still could not help but lower her guard slightly.
Looking on the bright side, at least the other party was willing to communicate and had a decent attitude…
Moreover, this mysterious visitor had knocked on the door and had not entered without permission. Judging by that alone, he seemed rather polite.
“Good afternoon,” Luo Shengle reassured herself internally and continued, “May I ask who you are?”
“To you, I am indeed a stranger,” the voice answered calmly, “but you should not be unfamiliar with my lord.”
“My lord”?
Could it be…?
As realization gradually dawned on her, Luo Shengle’s expression changed. She then heard the person outside laugh softly as he said:
“The very one who favored you not long ago, the great Mr. Narrator. His apostle has been ordered to come here and borrow an item from you.”
Without hesitation, Luo Shengle disengaged the security latch and opened the door. The divine apostle, who could not be seen through the peephole, stood courteously outside. After receiving her permission, he stepped inside.
“May I ask if you need to…” change into slippers?
Before she could finish her sentence, Luo Shengle glanced downward and noticed that the apostle’s feet seemed to be hovering slightly above the ground. She promptly closed her mouth.
All right then, this was probably the most unusual guest she had ever hosted in her entire life.
As the apostle entered the apartment, his half length golden hair fell casually over his shoulders, giving him an indescribable air of carefree ease. Following the sound of her voice, he looked toward Luo Shengle. “What were you just about to ask?”
“No, nothing,” Luo Shengle replied with a somewhat awkward smile, gesturing toward the sofa. “Please, have a seat? I’ll make you a cup of tea.”
Her hands moved skillfully as she prepared the tea but her attention kept drifting uncontrollably toward the mysterious visitor, her mind filling with countless guesses and imaginings.
Though it felt rude to think this way, judging by his attire, he really did look like a wanderer…
Could this be the apostle’s personal preference?
Or perhaps the legendary “ascetic” truly lived like this, in order to embody his wholehearted faith and devotion to Mr. Narrator?
And that gray robe, its design didn’t resemble any modern style she was familiar with. He seemed almost like a divine chosen stepping straight out of ancient myth… Just how old was he, really?
Lost in her thoughts, Luo Shengle nearly burned her hand. Startled, she quickly reined in her wandering mind, focused on finishing the tea and carried it into the living room.
Whether out of consideration to avoid soiling the sofa with his gray robe or simply due to curiosity about the modern furnishings of the living room, the apostle did not sit down. His gaze wandered leisurely over the small decorative items around the room.
“My name is Bryce Fable. You may call me Bryce,” he said, noticing Luo Shengle’s cautious scrutiny. He openly displayed the lyre cradled in his arms. “As you can see, I am a traveling bard who wanders far and wide.”
“Besides singing of Mr. Narrator’s might, I am also familiar with many secret legends concerning the gods. If you are interested, you are welcome to listen at any time.”
Luo Shengle was slightly surprised. The apostle spoke of the gods with such casual ease, without the slightest trace of reverence or taboo…
On second thought, however, she found it quite reasonable. After all, he was Mr. Narrator’s apostle, he would follow only His will.
Beyond that, she also noticed that although the apostle claimed to be a wanderer, his speech and manners were impeccable. His golden hair and the spaces between his fingers bore no trace of dirt at all. The elegance of his bearing stood in stark contrast to his worn, tattered robe.
If this world truly contained the sort of fallen nobility often seen in novels, then this apostle would surely be the very image of one…
With those distinctive blood red eyes, he might even be able to make a guest appearance as some kind of vampire duke.
“Cough, cough.”
Only belatedly did Luo Shengle realize that she had been silent for far too long. She quickly returned to the original topic. “May I ask which item in my possession Mr. Narrator requires?”
“It is an item that carries a certain degree of danger for you,” Bryce replied calmly. “In accordance with my lord’s will, I will only borrow it for a period of time. Once certain matters are confirmed, it will be returned to you.”
He paused, then clenched his right hand into a fist and held it tightly before his heart, as though listening intently for a divine revelation.
He said, “My lord declares that this item is called the ‘Heart of Pandora.’”
At the same time, within a concealed section of the forum, a thread quietly surfaced.
＞＞Gods’ Amusement Park＞＞Restricted Zone＞＞Casual Talk
Access Level: Players Only
【Casual Chat】About That Permanently Locked Instance…
No. 0 (Original Poster):
Let me introduce myself first. I’m just an ordinary, unremarkable recorder working a regular job but recently, I recorded an instance that was suddenly terminated due to an unknown anomaly and permanently closed to the public… It feels incredibly eerie!
No. 1:
What’s so strange about that? With so many worlds and planes, a few instances get terminated every day.
No. 2:
Young one, you’ve simply seen too little.
No. 3:
…No, I think I might know which instance the OP is talking about.
No. 4:
All I can say is that this instance was special. Its permanent closure really makes you think the deeper you go.
No. 5:
Oh? Now you’ve piqued my interest.
No. 6:
Where’s the OP? Hurry up and explain clearly! Riddle speakers, get out of the forum! (angry)
No. 7 (Original Poster):
Sorry, I was typing just now, so I was a bit slow.
As everyone knows, there are generally two reasons an instance gets permanently locked. One is irreversible destruction of the instance environment. The other is that the final boss sustaining the instance’s operation has disappeared.
According to the data I observed, the world environment index of that instance was normal, so it can only be the second case.
No. 8:
So the final boss died. That’s not exactly rare, is it?
No. 9 (Original Poster):
The problem is, the final boss of that instance was a divine being carrying the bloodline of a true god… What kind of force had to intervene to kill such an existence?
No. 10:
Huh??? A “crown prince” of the gods actually fell?
No. 11:
That’s rare, far too rare… OP, wait a moment, I’ll call a few colleagues over to watch this unfold!
No. 33:
Before reading: What kind of scene haven’t I seen before?
After reading: This, I truly have never seen.
No. 34:
This is the one good thing about being promoted above ordinary players (lights cigarette).
On the forum, you can even discuss the death of divine beings (stunned).
No. 35:
…Then this really is a bit strange. I’m genuinely curious what kind of madman would dare sharpen their blade against a “crown prince.”
No. 36:
Could it be that some top tier player entered the instance?
No. 37:
To be fair, everyone on this forum has crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood. High tier ability users with strong domain level destructive power might not be incapable of killing a divine being…
No. 38:
That’s true. Even though they all carry the word “divine,” the gap between true gods and divine beings is enormous.
No. 39:
+1. Even among divine beings, the difference between the strong and the weak is like that between a human and a rabbit.
No. 40:
You say that boldly enough, if you really faced a god blooded heir, would you dare strike to kill?
No. 41:
Exactly, that’s the real point! You all say they’re basically the amusement park’s “crown princes,” but even if you had the ability to kill one, who would dare take action while risking retaliation from a true god?
No. 42:
Sure, everyone dares to talk big here but if you actually encountered a true god’s bloodline…
They might slap you once and you’d still have to grit your teeth, smile and offer them your other cheek.
No. 43 (Original Poster):
Everyone, please don’t argue. Let’s keep the discussion friendly (heart).
No. 44:
So did you record who the player who cleared the instance was? Their courage is honestly impressive.
No. 45 (Original Poster):
No record. The data for that instance was severely missing. All I know is that the normal process lasts three days but it was interrupted on the night of the second day (sigh).
No. 46 (Original Poster):
My ability is related to the time domain. I can attempt to restore data through “retrospection.”
But in that instance, my ability didn’t work at all. It felt as though…
No. 47 (Original Poster):
As though that stretch of time had been forcibly severed, causing the traces of retrospection to halt at the anomaly point, completely unable to see what happened before.
No. 48:
That does sound pretty sinister…
No. 49:
This gossip I stumbled on while slacking off at work is intense. Now my back feels chilly (shiver).
No. 50:
OP, have you considered that your ability failing might not be solely due to rank suppression?
No. 51:
Care to elaborate?
No. 52:
Just speculation but based on your description, could the unknown force that ended the instance be a superior being within your own ability domain?
No. 53:
! I was just thinking that, yeah, it really does sound like it!
No. 54:
I once brushed past a superior in the same domain and it felt exactly like what OP described, like my ability gradually stopped responding, slipping beyond my control…
No. 55 (Original Poster):
Huh?! When you put it that way, it really does resemble that.
No. 56 (Original Poster):
But I’ve never encountered a superior in the same domain, so I can’t be sure.
No. 57:
…That just makes it even creepier. At present, there’s no known deity who governs the time domain. Even high tier ability users in that field are rare and OP is already something of a lone seedling.
No. 58:
Tsk, it’s not entirely impossible… Didn’t the forum previously discuss someone who was suspected of displaying “time” related authority?
No. 59:
Damn! Now that you mention it, it really does seem so…
No. 60:
It’s that one again, the one who’s fond of trading urban legends for chances to survive…
No. 61:
If it really is them, then acting on such a massive scale without restraint, doesn’t that imply they might truly be a real god?
No. 62:
I used to think their rank was high but not that high. Now I’m no longer so sure…
After all, only a true god would enjoy such immunity within the amusement park.
No. 63:
Who exactly are you talking about? I really hate you people who speak in riddles!
No. 64:
Can’t be helped. In the amusement park, caution keeps you alive for ten thousand years. Everyone subconsciously turns into a riddle speaker (lights cigarette).
No. 65:
The guy above can’t even crack that code, so just go play somewhere else (laugh cry).
No. 66:
+1. Please seat No. 63 at the kids’ table.
No. 67 (Original Poster):
After much hesitation, I feel this thread may involve an existence beyond what I originally imagined, so I’ll be applying to delete it. See you all another day～
✦ ✧ ✦
Nycreth
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
This is not a bribe. It is a totally legitimate caffeine-based appreciation system.
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
← PreviousNext →
ChaptersChapter 1 · Mysterious letterChapter 2 · Divine MessagesChapter 3 · Gamer ForumChapter 4 · Invitation from GodChapter 5 · JudgeChapter 6 · TerminalChapter 7 · Destruction of recordsChapter 8 · Whale Bone Aquarium (1)Chapter 9 · Whale Bone Aquarium (2)Chapter 10 · Whale Bone Aquarium (3)Chapter 11 · Whale Bone Aquarium (4)Chapter 12 · Whale Bone Aquarium (5)Chapter 13 · Whale Bone Aquarium (6)Chapter 14 · Whale Bone Aquarium (7)Chapter 15 · Whale Bone Aquarium (8)Chapter 16 · Whale Bone Aquarium (9)Chapter 17 · Whale Bone Aquarium (10)Chapter 18 · Whale Bone Aquarium (11)Chapter 19 Part 1 · Whale Bone Aquarium (12)Chapter 19 Part 2 · Whale Bone Aquarium (12)Chapter 20 · Interlude: His ApostlesChapter 21 · Echoes in the pupa (1)Chapter 22 · Echoes in the pupa (2)Chapter 23 · Echoes in the Pupa (3)Chapter 24 · Echoes in the Pupa (4)Chapter 25 · Echoes in the Pupa (5)Chapter 26 · Echoes in the Pupa (6)Chapter 27 · Echoes in the Pupa (7)Chapter 28 · Echoes in the Pupa (8)Chapter 29 · Echoes in the Pupa (9)Chapter 30 · Echoes in the Pupa (10)Chapter 31 · Echoes in the Pupa (11)Chapter 32 · Echoes in the Pupa (12)Chapter 33 · Echoes in the Pupa (13)Chapter 34 · Interlude: Investigation by the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs (1)Chapter 35 · Interlude: Investigation by the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs (2)Chapter 36 · Interlude: Investigation by the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs (3)Chapter 37 · Small World: God’s Chessboard (1)Chapter 38 · Small World: God’s Chessboard (2)Chapter 39 · Small World: God’s Chessboard (3)Chapter 40 · Small World: God’s Chessboard (4)Chapter 41 · Advertisement Coming Soon (1)Chapter 42 · Advertisement Coming Soon (2)Chapter 43 · Advertisement Coming Soon (3)Chapter 44 · Advertisement Coming Soon (4)Chapter 45 · Advertisement Coming Soon (5)Chapter 46 · Advertisement Coming Soon (6)Chapter 47 · Advertisement Coming Soon (7)Chapter 48 · Advertisement Coming Soon (8)Chapter 49 · Advertisement Coming Soon (9)Chapter 50 · Advertisement Coming Soon (10)Chapter 51 · Advertisement Coming Soon (11)Chapter 52 · Advertisement Coming Soon (12)Chapter 53 · Advertisement Coming Soon to EndChapter 54 · Interlude – Tonight No One Sleeps (1)Chapter 55 · Interlude – Tonight No One Sleeps (2)Chapter 56 · Interlude – Tonight No One Sleeps (3)Chapter 57 · Interlude – Tonight No One Sleeps (4)Chapter 58 · Childhood Ghost Stories (1)Chapter 59 · Childhood Ghost Stories (2)Chapter 60 · Childhood Ghost Stories (3)Chapter 61 · Childhood Ghost Stories (4)Chapter 62 · Childhood Ghost Stories (5)Chapter 63 · Childhood Ghost Stories (6)Chapter 64 · Childhood Ghost Stories (7)Chapter 65 · Childhood Ghost Stories (8)Chapter 66 · Childhood Ghost Stories (9)Chapter 67 · Childhood Ghost Stories (10)Chapter 68 · Childhood Ghost Stories (11)Chapter 69 · Childhood Ghost Stories (12)Chapter 70 · Childhood Ghost Stories (13)Chapter 71 · Childhood Ghost Stories (14)Chapter 72 · Childhood Ghost Stories (15)Chapter 73 · Childhood Ghost Stories (16)Chapter 74 · Childhood Ghost Stories (17)Chapter 75 · Childhood Ghost Stories (18)Chapter 76 · Childhood Ghost Stories (19)Chapter 77 · Childhood Ghost Stories (20)Chapter 78 · Childhood Ghost Stories (Complete)Chapter 79 · Interlude: His Kingdom (1)Chapter 80 · Interlude: His Kingdom (2)Chapter 81 · Interlude: An Epic of Faith (1)Chapter 82 · Interlude: An Epic of Faith (2)Chapter 83 · Interlude: An Epic of Faith (3)Chapter 84 · Interlude: An Epic of Faith (4)Chapter 85 · Interlude: An Epic of Faith (5)Chapter 86 · Interlude: An Epic of Faith (Complete)Chapter 87 · Fate casually rolls the dice (1)Chapter 88 · Fate Casually rolls the dice (2)Chapter 89 · Fate Casually rolls the dice (3)Chapter 90 · Fate Casually rolls the dice (4)Chapter 91 · Fate casually tosses the dice (5)Chapter 92 · Fate casually tosses the dice (6)Chapter 93 · Fate casually tosses the dice (7)Chapter 94 · Fate casually tosses the dice (8)Chapter 95 · Fate casually tosses the dice (9)Chapter 96 · Fate casually tosses the dice (10)Chapter 97 · Fate Casually tosses the dice (11)Chapter 98 · Fate casually tosses the dice (12)Chapter 99 · Fate casually tosses the dice (13)Chapter 100 · Fate casually tosses the dice (14)Chapter 101 · Fate casually tosses the dice (15)Chapter 102 · Fate casually tosses the dice (16)Chapter 103 · Fate casually tosses the dice (17)Chapter 104 · Fate casually tosses the dice (18)Chapter 105 · Fate casually tosses the dice (19)Chapter 106 · Fate casually tosses the dice (20)Chapter 107 · Fate casually tosses the dice (21)Chapter 108 · Fate casually tosses the dice (The End)Chapter 109 · Interlude