"Is Cheng Wenchao still okay?" the Silver-White Mage asked in return.
Indeed, the character appearance Ren Suo had chosen to use this time was that of the Silver-White Mage, who had already "sacrificed" himself in the first level!
"Thank you for your concern," Commander Luo Wenjie of the Yangtze Troops immediately said. "Thanks to your care, none of the Yangtze River Cultivators who entered the Secret Realm for exploration have suffered a single casualty!"
The Silver-White Mage replied, "That’s good to hear."
The conversation between the Silver-White Mage and Luo Wenjie was entirely in Mandarin, so people from other countries needed a translation to understand them. However, Caroline, who was listening nearby, seemed to understand. Her expression changed as she came over to ask, "Mr. Mage, did you... come back to life?"
Ren Suo naturally knew what Caroline meant and had the Silver-White Mage answer, "A Mage who sacrifices themself in battle for the World Tree, even if turned to ashes, will have a moment to rekindle."
"Then, that black-haired Mage with a face full of scars—has he come back to life?" Caroline asked, flustered, stammering, and visibly anxious.
Ah... Actually, Ren Suo had only wanted to use "resurrection of the dead" to highlight how formidable the World Tree Mage organization was. But it seemed to have an unintended critical hit effect on Caroline. So, he had the Silver-White Mage say, "Not yet. But the World Tree will not forget any Mage whose bones lie on the battlefield."
"That’s good, that’s good..." Caroline sighed with relief, pressing a hand to her heart and murmuring softly. The other Watchers’ eyes widened—they had never seen this whip-wielding queen adopt such a posture.
Tch. Ren Suo certainly didn’t want to rekindle Caroline’s love for the black-haired Mage. But in this world, only he knew that the black-haired Mage was just a Clone from a game. To the people in the game, the black-haired Mage was a real person who had once existed and saved countless lives.
So Ren Suo could only add a rule to the World Tree, having the Silver-White Mage say, "Miss, I advise you to find a new love. Your hopes for the Mage will only end in disappointment."
Caroline asked, "Why?"
"Because within the World Tree, there is a prohibition against love," the Silver-White Mage said. "All Mages of the World Tree are forbidden from falling in love with others—including fellow Mages."
"Mages are forever solitary, wandering outside the world, licking their wounds alone."
Caroline pressed, "Why? Doesn’t having someone to care about, something to protect, allow a warrior to unleash greater Combat Power?"
The Silver-White Mage explained, "But what Mages protect isn’t a specific person, country, landscape, or thing... We guard everything."
"The infants crying for milk, the young girls in the bloom of youth, the students buried in their studies, the adults working diligently, the mothers raising their children, the elderly enjoying their leisure... Mages choose a long road that has no room for personal feelings."
"Moreover, all Mages are creatures who do not know ’what love is’; it’s impossible for them to fall in love with others. Only Mages, who are without blood or tears, can shoulder their protective duties with unwavering resolve for thousands of years."
"So, you should stop waiting."
Caroline lowered her head in silence and spoke softly, "Isn’t there... any exception?"
Tch. Ren Suo twitched the corner of his mouth. Are foreigners always this passionate in expressing their love?
The Silver-White Mage continued, "You haven’t known each other for long, bonded only through battle. Time will dilute this feeling. Resurrection is certain, but how much time it will take is not."
"Mr. Mage, don’t underestimate women so easily." Caroline seemed to regain her composure. "I will wait until I see him again, whether it’s one year, ten years, or twenty years!"
Impossible. Once you finish this game, you won’t see him again. This isn’t ’Jedi Priest’...
"Are you done talking?" Zack suddenly interjected. "The World Tree has so many Mages. Why are there still so few of you here...?"
The Silver-White Mage replied, "Because this is enough."
Zack looked at the horde of Demons and shook his head. "I don’t think so."
"It will definitely be enough, once we’re all dead."
Hearing this reply, Zack couldn’t help but widen his eyes. He then said, "The Federal Watchers will accept the Mages’ command. Please give your instructions."
The other countries also expressed their support. An idea struck Ren Suo. He had the Silver-White Mage say, "Mr. Zack, your Combat Power is as formidable as ours, the Mages. Please."
"Interesting, how did you know about me?" Zack smiled.
The Silver-White Mage said, "I saw your battle with the Handsome Monkey King. It was very intense."
The fact that Mages actually went online surprised everyone. Zack gave a wry smile. "Yes, I was beaten quite intensely."
"Since Mr. Mage says so..."
Zack stepped forward. White light erupted from his body, converging on his face and back, transforming into a half-mask and wings of light. He thrust his hands into the air and forcefully pulled out two Light Sabers!
"Let me clear the Demons from this place!"
The flying Angel Zack charged into the locust swarm, already under Suppression from the Hot Weapons, carving countless bloody paths with streaks of light!
"The Federal people aren’t the only ones here."
Luo Wenjie snorted coldly, clapped his hands together, and pulled an electric chain from his palms!
The electric chain grew longer and longer, finally becoming a lightning spear. Luo Wenjie hurled it, and it tore through the locust swarm like a streak of lightning!
Other Cultivators with powerful long-range Attack Abilities also made their moves. Although their output was not much stronger than firearms, the sky, filled with Light and Shadow, greatly boosted Morale.
Perfect. Ren Suo had acquired a powerful Offering in the fourth stage, which he could use right here—
An auxiliary Offering, Forest Majesty!
A green light swirled, danced, and flickered among the Transcendents. Every Transcendent hit by the green light felt a surge in Physical Strength, their bodies filled with explosive Energy; their Qi Cyclones spun faster, and their sensitivity to Spiritual Energy increased—
"Forest Majesty: Bark shed from an ancient tree trunk. It emits divine light and can comprehensively amplify companions."
Then there was the healing Offering Ren Suo had just combined, Holy Banner!
The Silver-White Mage planted a white flag on the ground. It splashed out rings of white light. All companions touched by the light experienced accelerated Recovery of their wounds!
A massive, strange sound erupted from Candy Town. The Candy Houses in the town suddenly cracked open. Locusts, having devoured the candy inside, charged madly towards the Mages!
As far as the eye could see, across the hills, even in the sky, bizarre black walls formed of human-faced locusts appeared!
Seeing this, even Ren Suo couldn’t help but draw a sharp breath.
Too disgusting, too terrifying, too dense!
Even though the Mages’ Healing effects were practically at the level of ’you won’t die unless I allow it,’ facing an enemy of this scale, Ren Suo didn’t dare claim they could truly outlast these Demons!
The difficulty of a 3-star+ game becomes more evident the further you go. Do I have to use a Forbidden Technique now?
At that moment, Luo Wenjie’s body suddenly emitted a blue light.
The necklace he wore burst with tremendous Energy, violently tearing space apart!
A Spatial Cavity connecting to the outside world opened in the hall!
Dong Chengling? Ren Suo first thought.
However, looking into the Spatial Cavity, Dong Chengling wasn’t there.
There was only a man sitting on an iron throne.
A languid young man sat on a massive iron throne connected to countless pipes.
This is the first time I’ve seen him, Ren Suo thought.
Then Ren Suo’s gaze fixed on the computer to the man’s right. He paused the game, zoomed in on the image, zoomed in again...
This wallpaper is... a Nine-Tailed Fox!? And a highly explicit H-doujinshi at that?