The game's voice suddenly appeared, startling everyone. Just as the real battle was about to begin, this announcement perfectly interrupted the moment.
But Lu Ce had no intention of stopping. Overloaded with Greed, he moved like a streak of light, instantly killing an Illuminati member before finally coming to a stop. Puzzled, he raised his head and focused on listening.
Everyone present put down what they were doing. The game always took highest priority. Even Lu Ce's recent killings were temporarily set aside—no one seemed to care about the deaths of Matthew and the other Illuminati member at all!
[Attention all players.]
[Game repairs have been completed. CHOSEN'S PARADISE 2.0 is now online!]
[...]
These words echoed three times in the minds of all the chosen worldwide, like a signal demanding their full attention.
Then the game's voice continued:
[In the new game, we have expanded the player quota.]
[The new game will begin in three hours. All players who wish to participate, please prepare accordingly.]
[Note: After each game session, additional rewards will be given based on rankings.]
[We hope players will compete, learn from each other, and improve their strength.]
[Next game begins in: 02:59:59.]
Only three hours left? So soon?
On the isolated island, everyone was stunned by this sudden announcement. The Dragon Group members in red uniforms exchanged glances before all turning to Long Jiu. As a formal organization, they always made thorough preparations before each game—coordinating with relevant personnel, planning potential collaborations inside the game, and assigning support staff to monitor specific operatives' livestreams. Getting this announcement during an active mission was unexpected.
Moreover, the current situation was delicate. "Veteran players" wouldn't enter the game—could they just leave these Illuminati members here? And Sin's instability made his intentions unpredictable.
"How interesting... The real fun is finally beginning," Lu Ce chuckled as the game's voice faded from his mind. The sudden announcement surprised him too, but he didn't particularly care. This was a perfect opportunity to unlock his last mask—Sloth. Besides, he hadn't figured out how to handle the current situation after sending Xie Antong away.
Just then, a surge of black energy erupted skyward. A massive black maw materialized like a giant Pac-Man, swallowing Lu Ce whole in one bite!
The Dragon Group, the Illuminati, all players—everyone was stunned by this sudden development. Who would dare attack Sin now, especially when he was clearly unstable?
BOOM!
The giant mouth exploded as Lu Ce burst free, but the black smoke instantly reformed into a colossal serpentine dragon that coiled around him again. A torrent of black water rose, revealing a figure with smoke pouring from their eyes—Chiyo Eine.
Ever since witnessing Sin shoot Blank, her mind had gone numb with shock. Staggering, she barely remained standing before dropping to one knee, letting her dark waters seep across the entire island. While Perfect Life had his methods, she had hers. The searching black currents kept delivering the same agonizing truth:
Blank was dead.
Sun might not recognize Blank as Xie Antong, but she did! She kept telling herself Blank must have an escape plan—maybe a long-distance teleport... But this was the real world. Did Blank even have a Dimensional Backpack? She wasn't even wearing her helmet!
While others had regained composure, she remained distraught. When reality finally crushed her denial, she snapped—launching her first all-out offensive, channeling every ounce of power into pure aggression. Even Sun glanced over, impressed.
"This Japanese girl... going all out with her spiritual energy? She's serious." Did she have history with that girl? Sun hadn't acted yet—while he didn't approve of Sin's actions, he still respected the man.
Good! Only someone like this deserves to be my opponent!
...
"Oh?" Greed easily shook off the serpentine bindings, giving Chiyo Eine a surprised look. He hadn't expected her to attack. As some realization dawned, his grin widened. "You actually..." Chiyo Eine's smoke-filled eyes trembled, her voice shaking. "You actually killed her! After everything she did for you!"
"What did she do?" Greed smirked. "Just some random woman. Killing her was easier than killing anyone else."
Chiyo Eine felt her heart twist, struggling to breathe. "Monster! Are you even human?" She didn't know how to curse, only managing these few words.
At that moment, the game's voice spoke again—this time only to players near the island. Hundreds of top-ranked players heard the teasing announcement:
[Reminder: Save your strength for settling scores in-game~]
[Detecting concentrated hostility and energy fluctuations. Special mode activated.]
[Participants will be prioritized for the same game session~]
Hearing this, Lu Ce burst into laughter. "Hahaha! So smart!" He spread his arms. "See? It's always watching us~! Our real game is about to begin!"
...
In a void, invisible eyes slowly opened, gazing curiously at the emptiness. The game's notification had awakened her.
[Player notice: Two hours until game start.]
[Sequence A-001 detected. You are recalled!]
[Spend 50,000 points to heal and join this session?]