As he spoke, Jiang Ye recalled the time he traded with the Nomadic Merchant.

From what the Nomadic Merchant implied, it seemed that due to the Ninth Day Major Reshuffle, the Nomadic Merchant couldn’t directly kill Salvation?

Thinking this through, he then heard Chubby Guy murmur an explanation:

“During the Eighth Day Major Reshuffle, among the permission identities classified as Professional Players, the death rate is only about 30%.”

“And the reason for such an outcome is credited to one person…”

At this point, Chubby Guy’s expression tightened inexplicably, and his tone grew increasingly solemn:

“That person, we privately call him—the Professional Alliance Leader.”

Jiang Ye was filled with questions and was about to ask something.

Before he could speak, Chubby Guy sped up his words:

“It is speculated—the Professional Alliance Leader’s strength is probably on the same level as the Apartment Nomadic Merchant.”

“In other words, he is very likely omniscient and omnipotent.”

“He can probably sense our conversation right now.”

When he said this, Chubby Guy’s eyes were secretive and meaningful.

Jiang Ye finally understood why Chubby Guy had suddenly become so tense and serious.

Damn it…

Jiang Ye’s mind was about to explode with curses.

Suddenly, he remembered that the Nomadic Merchant could even read minds!

Although it was unclear if the Nomadic Merchant could still read minds when not face to face…

Instinctively, Jiang Ye steadied his own heart a bit.

However, during this comparison between the so-called Professional Alliance Leader and the Nomadic Merchant, a new thought popped up, so he directly asked Chubby Guy:

“You say you privately call him the Professional Alliance Leader… by ‘you,’ do you mean all of you Professional Players?”

Chubby Guy nodded.

Jiang Ye roughly guessed—

It must have been during the Eighth Day Major Reshuffle that all Professional Players were gathered together.

At that time, all Professional Players intersected and discovered that one person was absurdly powerful, completely crushing all other Professional Players.

Afterward, they privately called this absurdly strong Professional Player the ‘Professional Alliance Leader.’

That is to say…

“So, you don’t know this ‘Professional Alliance Leader’s’ specific profession?”

Chubby Guy instinctively nodded, then his expression grew even more serious.

He quickly said, “I don’t want to mention this powerful alliance leader too much, but your question just now forced me to.”

“By now, you should be able to guess—”

“The reason I can’t attack Mask Master or Lin Ling is related to that Professional Alliance Leader.”

“According to the agreement after the Eighth Day Major Reshuffle, all of us Professional Players cannot kill each other before the Ninth Day Major Reshuffle arrives.”

I see.

Jiang Ye then asked directly, “According to this, that alliance leader must have predicted the Ninth Day Major Reshuffle?”

Chubby Guy nodded again.

Jiang Ye continued, “So, players who experienced the Eighth Day Major Reshuffle have essentially confirmed the inevitable arrival of the Ninth Day Major Reshuffle.”

This was almost a statement, and Chubby Guy still nodded.

However, Jiang Ye’s next sentence stunned Chubby Guy.

He said—

“Do you think…”

“That Professional Alliance Leader could possibly be the Guiwen Master?”

??

Chubby Guy shook his head vigorously.

Jiang Ye was a bit surprised when Chubby Guy added:

“I dare not have any ‘thoughts’ on this. Who it is doesn’t matter, but it’s definitely not me.”

“…”

Jiang Ye was left speechless by his attitude.

He hadn’t expected this seemingly formidable Card Grandmaster to be so fearful of the mysterious ‘Professional Alliance Leader.’

He frowned and said,

“You’re so afraid of the Professional Alliance Leader…”

“But according to what you said, the Professional Alliance Leader is on the same level as the Nomadic Merchant…”

“Then how dare you want the Nomadic Merchant Mask?”

“You’re so afraid of the Professional Alliance Leader but not afraid of the Nomadic Merchant who’s on the same level?”

Chubby Guy glared at him and immediately corrected,

“Who said I’m not afraid of the Nomadic Merchant?”

“After you told me the Nomadic Merchant Mask needs to be traded with the Nomadic Merchant, I haven’t dared to mention trading for it again.”

“I only wanted the Nomadic Merchant Mask before because since it was traded by the Nomadic Merchant to Mask Master, it should be like other Nomadic Merchant goods—ordinary and not special in the Nomadic Merchant’s eyes.”

“But since the Nomadic Merchant wants it, I naturally dare not dream about it anymore.”

Alright, that makes sense.

However, Jiang Ye still clearly felt—

Chubby Guy’s fear of the so-called Professional Alliance Leader far exceeded his caution toward the Nomadic Merchant.

As he thought this, Chubby Guy admitted,

“But compared to the Nomadic Merchant, I really fear the Professional Alliance Leader more.”

“After all, since my rookie days, I’ve been in contact with the Nomadic Merchant.”

“No matter what item I exchange, the Nomadic Merchant’s attitude has always been friendly, never forcing players to trade.”

“But facing the Professional Alliance Leader…”

Chubby Guy’s face suddenly turned pale.

It seemed he suddenly realized his words sounded like badmouthing the Professional Alliance Leader behind his back.

Fortunately, he quickly covered it up and said more tactfully,

“When facing the Professional Alliance Leader, it’s like my bloodline is instinctively suppressed.”

While saying this, he took the chance to ask Jiang Ye,

“As an Administrator, don’t you feel your bloodline being suppressed when facing the Nomadic Merchant?”

Jiang Ye shook his head, “Not sure…”

“But based on what you said, among the four major permission identity categories involved in the Eighth Day Major Reshuffle, could each correspond to a top-tier boss?”

“The Apartment-Related category’s top boss is the Nomadic Merchant;”

“The Professional Player category’s top boss is the ‘Professional Alliance Leader;’”

“The remaining VIP Player and Special Player categories each also have a top boss?”

So, the four Heavenly Kings gather for a Mahjong game?

Jiang Ye naturally thought so.

However, Chubby Guy shook his head repeatedly:

“Whether or not there really are four top bosses, let’s just end this dangerous topic.”

“In short, you know that before the Ninth Day Major Reshuffle starts, we Professional Players cannot kill each other.”

“If you want to prove the soul thread usurpation method to me by killing someone, you can choose someone else to kill.”

“…” Jiang Ye was speechless.

Killing someone else? How could that compare to killing Mask Master!

But…

What about killing Administrator 0000?

Meanwhile, Administrator 4444’s clone was contemplating how to make the most of Chubby Guy.

Elsewhere, Jiang Ye number 1 used the True Sight Eye to check the Soul Locking Nail given by 0000, confirming no tampering. To be safe, he arranged for a discarded clone to insert the Soul Locking Nail.

The Soul Locking Nail consists of 24 bone nails.

When used, the 24 bone nails are driven into specific bone seams.

Its effect is to lock the soul, preventing it from being drawn into the Return Soul Abyss.

Therefore, it is an essential item for entering the Return Soul Abyss.

With everything prepared, the discarded clone set off for Apartment 0000.

The Red Light Elevator Card used was Zhang Minghan’s.

After summoning the Red Light Elevator of Apartment 0000, the discarded clone entered the elevator and pressed the button for the “484” floor, where the Return Soul Abyss is located.

Elsewhere, in Apartment 9999, Jiang Ye number 2, Lin Ling, and others were waiting at the elevator exit on the 50th floor.

They were waiting for Lin Jing to bring back his answer after pressing that group of buttons alone.

However—

With a “ding,” the elevator doors opened, but inside was empty; Lin Jing’s figure was nowhere to be seen!

This result shocked even Jiang Ye.

What happened?

Did Lin Jing disappear?

But soon, he came up with two guesses:

“Either Lin Jing accidentally entered some special secret realm during this elevator trip;”

“Or he disobeyed your order and left the elevator from the ‘Safe Exit’ on the 49th floor.”

However, Lin Ling’s face was grim. She glanced at him and added,

“There’s a third possibility.”

Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow, “Please explain.”

Lin Ling said in a deep voice, “He neither used the Safe Exit nor accidentally entered any secret realm, but used some method to escape the Red Light Elevator.”

Jiang Ye was surprised and asked, “But the Red Light Elevator is a special space, right? There shouldn’t be any way to escape it.”

Lin Ling shook her head, her voice sharp, “I’ve said before, I don’t believe in any ‘impossibilities.’”

She fixed her gaze on Jiang Ye and said bluntly,

“The ring he handed you before entering the elevator, let me see it.”

“…”

Jiang Ye hesitated.

Lin Ling seemed especially angry about Lin Jing escaping her control.

Her tone became harsher, and she reverted to the crazed woman state from before.

She spoke without politeness:

“I don’t want to fight you now. I’m sure you don’t want to either, over someone unrelated to us.”

Indeed.

Jiang Ye and Lin Jing didn’t have much interaction.

Calling them ‘unrelated’ was even flattering Lin Jing.

Previously, he interrupted Lin Jing’s quick battle strategy;

Later, Lin Jing helped Zhou Qiming scheme against him…

Although Lin Jing was forced to do this by Zhou Qiming’s coercion, their relationship was definitely not good.

Jiang Ye was even unwilling to offend Lin Ling for Yang Wenchao and Wan Xin.

For Lin Jing, there was absolutely no need.

Honestly, he couldn’t understand why Lin Jing gave him that ring.

And in front of Lin Ling, no less…

If Lin Jing was determined to escape Lin Ling’s control, he must have known that the ring he gave would end up in Lin Ling’s hands.

Thinking this, Jiang Ye became indifferent and handed Lin Ling the ring.

The ring was obviously a low-level spatial equipment.

Lin Ling put on the ring, flipped her hand, and took out a puppet.

The puppet’s head looked like a clown.

A bright red nose and lips, exaggerated blue-black eyeshadow around the eyes.

The cheeks were painted with exaggerated red blush.

The wide mouth showed a row of white teeth in a big smile.

The entire face was quite eerie.

The puppet’s body was covered by a long white skirt, resembling a weather doll.

In roughly the heart position of the puppet, a black needle was stuck, as if suppressing something.

Lin Ling, being powerful and fearless, immediately removed the black needle.

As soon as the black needle was pulled out of the puppet,

The puppet’s wide mouth suddenly burst into an exaggerated laugh:

“Ha ha ha ha ha…”

The laughter sounded very much like a clown’s laugh.

At least it was not Lin Jing’s own voice.

However, just as Lin Ling frowned,

The puppet’s mechanical eyes suddenly spun twice.

Then the clown’s wide mouth emitted a normal voice.

This time, the normal voice belonged to Lin Jing.

The voice said—

“I, Lin Jing, am born of the heavens, stand on the earth, belong to freedom!”

“My fate is controlled by my own hands!”

Then came Lin Jing’s wild laughter:

“Ha ha ha ha ha ha…”

At that moment, Lin Ling’s pupils nearly exploded.

She squeezed her hand tightly, crushing the entire puppet.

But even the shattered puppet kept its wide mouth open, intermittently laughing “ha ha” sounds.

It seemed to silently mock Lin Ling.

The next second, Lin Ling directly unleashed her innate power, crushing the puppet completely until not even scraps remained. Only then did the piercing laughter finally stop.

Jiang Ye, watching this scene, was a bit dazed and swallowed hard.

Only now did he realize—

That ring was originally left for Lin Ling.

Lin Jing had no intention of doing anything for Lin Ling at all!

He even anticipated that Lin Ling would check the ring and deliberately left a mocking toy for her!

But according to Jiang Ye’s guess…

That mocking clown puppet was originally meant for Zhou Qiming.

Because Zhou Qiming was the one who threatened him before.

Lin Ling came later.

And after being captured alive by Lin Ling, Lin Jing probably had no chance to make such a puppet…

It was just that subsequent events made the clown puppet he prepared for Zhou Qiming coincidentally suitable to use against Lin Ling.

Must say, Lin Jing is quite fierce!

Jiang Ye and Lin Jing weren’t really close before.

He only knew that in the original Apartment 9999, other players respected him quite a bit.

This kid was also smart; during the quick battle process, he could decisively give up the quick battle.

Initially, he wanted to find his own people to throw the match.

Later, when facing Jiang Ye in the arena, he decisively surrendered.

This kid truly has pride in his bones.

At the same time, he is quite intelligent.

His proud spirit and intelligence destined him to be aloof, to never bow to others even in death…

It’s thought that what allowed him to conquer the players in Apartment 9999 early on was not just strength but also his charisma.

Jiang Ye felt a bit emotional.

He turned and noticed Lin Ling looking at him with a resentful gaze, as if implicating him.

After all, it was Jiang Ye’s idea to let a player with housing in Apartment 9999 out for a test…

Jiang Ye was a bit speechless and asked directly:

“Didn’t you plant some kind of little bug on him? Can’t that thing kill him remotely?”

Lin Ling’s voice was low, obviously restraining her anger:

“I really underestimated this rookie.”

From this, it sounded like…

Lin Jing had seemingly dealt with the little bug?

Jiang Ye was thinking this when Lin Ling waved her hand and took out another small puppet.

Quickly, the small puppet turned into Ouyang’s appearance.

Ouyang suddenly regained consciousness, equally confused.

But before he could recover from his daze, a sharp slap landed on his face…

With a “pia” sound, Ouyang was even more bewildered!

What the???

Again???

Sister, what did I do to you???

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep