The existence of tiered suppression within the Heart Codexes was something Lin Luo was utterly unaware of, as his Contract Book was only LV1, far from reaching the level required to suppress others. However, he had learned of another vital piece of information—an alert!
When he had first spotted the cruise ship approaching the island from a distance, Lin Luo had guessed it was likely Liu Ziwen, but he couldn't be one hundred percent certain. Thus, he and Meiqin had only retreated a few dozen meters from the beach. It was only when the ship was less than five hundred meters from the shore that his Contract Book suddenly issued a warning, signaling the approach of the Beast Master’s Codex.
This greatly surprised Lin Luo; this feature in the Contract Book was an unexpected delight. With this, he wouldn't have to worry about being ambushed when encountering other Walkers in the future. He wondered if other Heart Codexes possessed this function, though.
Lost in thought, Lin Luo and Meiqin started moving further inland... Of course, this wasn't a retreat; it was merely a relocation of the battlefield.
Liu Ziwen was a good man!
Lin Luo had believed this for the past few days. Look at the man: not only had he provided invaluable intelligence regarding this Holy War, perfectly fulfilling the duty of a "guide," but he had also tirelessly, sleeplessly, and recklessly "helped" Lin Luo win the girl, offering him the perfect opportunity for a damsel-in-distress rescue. Without him, how could Lin Luo possibly have won over 'Cannon Sister' in such a short time?
Student Liu was clearly a good person!
And now, Lin Luo was even more certain. He and Cannon Sister had been stranded on this deserted island for seven days and seven nights, with no one to hear their cries. And yet, Student Liu! The great and selfless Student Liu! From thousands of miles across the ocean, he rushed over in his luxurious cruise ship to "rescue" them. This thoughtfulness was truly... beyond words for outsiders to comprehend!
Faced with such a good man, how could he possibly fail to appreciate his intentions? To avoid accidentally damaging his equipment (the ship) during the welcoming ceremony, a change of venue was absolutely necessary!
And then... a warm welcome, a heartfelt celebration.
...
“Liu Ziwen, I’ve been waiting for you for a long time,” Lin Luo said, perched atop a large boulder, looking at the approaching young man, his tone laced with provocation.
“Lin Luo!” Liu Ziwen was clearly startled. He had noticed earlier that his Contract Book had stopped moving forward. When he arrived, he indeed found Lin Luo waiting right here, which was entirely against his expectations. “You didn't run away. You’re quite bold.”
“Well, you’re a good man. You rushed over specifically to pick me up since you knew I was trapped on this island. Naturally, I have to give you a… what’s the phrase? A proper welcome?”
“Welcome with unbound shoes,” Liu Ziwen’s mouth twitched, and he instinctively finished the phrase.
“Yes, yes, that’s it—welcome with unbound shoes. Student Liu, your literary talent is truly impressive. I admire you, I admire you.”
“What are you plotting?” Liu Ziwen frowned darkly. Lin Luo’s attitude made him slightly uncomfortable. He glanced around but couldn't spot the girl. As for the Heart of the World... the Beast Master’s Codex hadn't reacted either. For a moment, he couldn't tell if Lin Luo was bluffing or genuinely unafraid.
If this were the Liu Ziwen of the past, he wouldn't have bothered with formalities. The heavens might be the boss, the earth the third, but he, Liu Ziwen, was number two. He would have summoned his exotic beasts long ago to tear Lin Luo to shreds. But having suffered a silent loss at Lin Luo’s hands the last time, a lingering shadow of doubt remained. Before grasping the opponent's true strength, he dared not act rashly, lest he fall into another trap.
“Don’t be so agitated. I actually just have a few questions I want to ask you,” Lin Luo said, spreading his hands in an appearance of complete harmlessness. “Liu Ziwen, as an LV2 Walker, you must know far more inside information than I do, right?”
“So what? Do you think I’m going to tell you?” Liu Ziwen sneered coldly, his eyes filled with mockery. “Stop dreaming. Besides, what meaning is there in knowing these things for someone who is about to die!”
“It’s not meaningless. At least you’ll die a clear-headed ghost.”
“Fine. Since you want to know so badly, hand over the Heart of the World first, and then I’ll answer whatever you ask.”
“No problem.”
“What did you say?!” Liu Ziwen jolted, looking at Lin Luo with utter disbelief, his expression as if he had seen a ghost.
“As long as you answer my questions, I’ll give you the Heart of the World. How about it? This is a great deal, are you interested?” Lin Luo asked with intense allure.
“Do you think I would believe you?” Liu Ziwen scoffed, dismissing Lin Luo’s words with disdain.
“Well, I know you won’t believe me easily, but…” As he spoke, Lin Luo pressed both hands to his forehead. A faint halo of light shimmered, and soon, a crystal-clear, snow-white heart-shaped mark appeared between his brows...
“The Heart of the World!” Liu Ziwen exclaimed uncontrollably. The thing he had dreamed of was right before his eyes. He desperately wanted to rush forward and seize it immediately, but reason forced him to suppress the impulse. He completely failed to understand what Lin Luo was thinking.
Whether by its luster, its shape, or that sacred aura, Liu Ziwen could be one hundred percent certain that the object on Lin Luo’s forehead was the Heart of the World. Since the Heart of the World was in Lin Luo’s possession, it meant that the girl was dead, and Lin Luo had absorbed the Heart of the World using his Heart Codex... In that case, all he had to do was kill Lin Luo and snatch the Heart of the World back. Given Lin Luo's current strength, he surely couldn't be a match for him.
But!
If Liu Ziwen could think of this, then Lin Luo certainly could too. Knowing this, why would he dare to appear before him so openly and honorably?
Liu Ziwen found it incomprehensible, and a sense of unease washed over him... The unknown is the most terrifying thing!
“What exactly do you want?” Liu Ziwen asked, his voice trembling, though he tried to restrain it, his eyes fixed on the Heart of the World still shone with greedy desire.
Lin Luo smiled faintly, then withdrew his hands. The Heart of the World instantly sank back into his brow, the light receding. Disappointment flashed across Liu Ziwen’s eyes. “I just want to ask you one question.”
“A question?” Liu Ziwen frowned. What question in this world could possibly be more important than the Heart of the World? “What question?”
“You said before that once you obtain the Heart of the World, you can travel to a higher world...” Lin Luo paused at this point, then abruptly raised his voice: “So, do you know the method to reach other worlds?”
“So it’s that question. Of course, I...” As he said this, a sharp glint of killing intent flashed in Liu Ziwen’s eyes.
A sudden sensation, like plunging into an ice cellar, startled Lin Luo. He instantly entered the Pact State, leaping off the large boulder with a whoosh. Almost simultaneously, a claw mark, over an inch long, appeared precisely where he had been sitting!
“Liu Ziwen, have you lost your desire for the Heart of the World!” Lin Luo shouted loudly, while cautiously observing the surroundings. The only thing capable of such an attack could be Liu Ziwen’s assassin-beast, the Ghost Leopard!
“Lin Luo, stop bluffing! I’ve seen through your trick!” Liu Ziwen sneered. “It’s nothing more than trying to extract the method for traversing worlds from my mouth. Unfortunately, you won’t have that chance. As for the Heart of the World, I will naturally seize it after I kill you.”
“You really do know!”
“Hmph.”
“How do I do it?”
“Do you think I’ll tell you? Of course, it’s not impossible. I’ll burn some paper money for you when I get to the next world!”
As he spoke, Liu Ziwen flipped his palm, and two beams of green light shot out. These two green lights burst open violently in mid-air, instantly transforming into two Ghost Leopards, which immediately entered stealth mode and vanished without a trace!
“That’s truly unfortunate,” Lin Luo sighed.
“Yes, you are indeed very unlucky. Your (Contractor) is dead, you can’t keep the Heart of the World, and you’re about to die yourself. Hahahaha, Lin Luo, your life is truly a tragedy,” Liu Ziwen laughed maniacally.
“No, I meant you, Student Liu,” Lin Luo said with a touch of regret. Then his gaze shifted towards the space behind Liu Ziwen...
Liu Ziwen spun around sharply. Not far away, a tea-haired girl stood quietly.
P: Second update complete, requesting collections and recommendations.