Then...
Shen Tian spoke.
"No."
Viper froze.
"What?"
Shen Tian’s green eyes became colder.
"You don’t get to build cages..."
"...put people inside them..."
"...then negotiate because the stronger person arrived."
Silence.
Viper swallowed.
"You killed Lu Chen."
"Yes."
"So don’t pretend you’re righteous."
Shen Tian smiled.
"I’m not."
That answer made Viper freeze.
Shen Tian continued.
"I’m not killing you because I’m righteous."
His spear lowered slightly.
"I’m killing you because you’re mine to remove."
Viper’s face changed.
Then...
He reached for something.
Too late.
The spear moved.
One flash.
Silence.
Viper stopped.
Then...
Collapsed.
Dead.
Rose stared.
Not horrified.
Not shocked.
Just...
Quiet.
Xu Ning’s system chimed.
Residual Fate Antagonist eliminated
Fate harvested: 8,000
Shen Tian looked toward the body.
Then...
At Rose.
"You okay?"
She stared at Viper.
For several seconds.
Then...
"Yes."
A pause.
"No."
She laughed softly.
"I don’t know."
Shen Tian stepped closer.
Rose looked up.
He didn’t say anything.
Just...
Held out his hand.
Rose stared at it.
Then...
Took it.
Her fingers squeezed.
"I’m glad he’s gone."
Shen Tian nodded.
"Okay."
"I hate that I’m glad."
"Okay."
Rose’s eyes became slightly wet.
"That’s all you’re going to say?"
"What do you want me to say?"
She laughed.
Then...
Moved closer.
Her forehead rested against his chest.
Shen Tian wrapped one arm around her.
Rose breathed.
Slowly.
Then...
She whispered...
"Thank you."
His hand rested against her back.
"For?"
"Not making me explain."
Silence.
Shen Tian looked down at her.
"Anytime."
Twenty minutes later...
Adrian’s team reached the central levels.
Elena led several rescued subjects.
Adrian entered.
Then...
Saw Viper’s body.
He stopped.
"Oh."
Shen Tian looked toward him.
Adrian stared.
"Dead?"
"Yes."
"How?"
Bear answered.
"Spear."
Adrian nodded.
"Of course."
Then...
His system activated.
Project Fenrir Main Route resolved
Primary antagonist dead
Test subjects liberated
Facility control available
Adrian’s eyes sharpened.
There.
His opportunity.
He immediately looked toward the central terminal.
Then...
Shen Tian.
Then...
Back.
He moved.
Fast.
Shen Tian watched.
Adrian reached the terminal.
Placed his hand against the biometric scanner.
His system activated.
Claim facility now?
Adrian smiled.
Yes.
The system processed.
Then...
Facility authority acquired
Project Fenrir data obtained
Rescued subjects route recognized
Fate Gain: +19,000
Adrian’s eyes widened.
Good.
His Fate recovered.
Current Fate Value: 93,000
He turned.
Shen Tian still hadn’t moved.
Adrian’s smile slowly widened.
"Got one."
Shen Tian raised an eyebrow.
Adrian pointed toward the terminal.
"Mine."
Shen Tian smiled.
"Good."
Adrian froze.
That wasn’t the reaction he wanted.
His smile weakened.
"Why are you happy?"
Shen Tian looked toward the rescued subjects.
Then...
At Adrian.
"You saved them."
Adrian stared.
"And?"
"You earned it."
Silence.
Adrian’s expression became suspicious.
"You’re not stealing it?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I don’t want it."
Adrian’s eye twitched.
Of course.
Rose smiled.
Adrian looked toward the terminal.
Then...
Back.
"You’re impossible to compete with."
Shen Tian smiled.
"Skill issue."
Silence.
Rose burst out laughing.
Bear nearly fell against the wall.
Ghost looked away, shoulders moving slightly.
Adrian stared.
Then...
He pointed.
"That phrase."
Shen Tian’s smile widened.
Adrian’s entire expression changed.
Wait.
That phrase.
Modern.
Internet.
Wrong world.
Adrian froze.
Shen Tian saw it immediately.
Rose didn’t understand.
But Adrian...
Did.
His eyes widened.
"You..."
Shen Tian stared.
Adrian stepped closer.
"No."
"No fucking way."
Shen Tian smiled.
Adrian pointed at him.
"You’re one too."
Silence.
Rose looked between them.
"One what?"
Adrian ignored her.
"Transmigrator."
Shen Tian’s smile didn’t change.
That was enough.
Adrian’s mouth opened.
Then...
He laughed.
Loud.
Actually laughed.
"Oh, this is bullshit."
Shen Tian raised an eyebrow.
Adrian ran a hand through his hair.
"Of course."
"Of fucking course."
"The guy who killed the protagonist is another transmigrator."
Rose slowly looked toward Shen Tian.
He sighed.
Adrian noticed.
"You didn’t tell her?"
Rose’s eyes narrowed.
"Tell me what?"
Shen Tian stared at Adrian.
Adrian immediately raised both hands.
"Not my business."
Rose looked toward Shen Tian.
Silence.
Her expression wasn’t angry.
Just...
Waiting.
Shen Tian exhaled.
"Later."
Rose studied him.
Then...
Nodded.
"Later."
Adrian stared.
"That’s it?"
Rose looked toward him.
"What?"
"You just accept that?"
She shrugged.
"He’ll tell me."
Adrian stared.
Then...
At Shen Tian.
Then...
Back.
"Your life is ridiculous."
Shen Tian smiled.
"You just noticed?"
That night...
The rescued Fenrir subjects were transferred to medical care.
No one was forced into Shen International.
No contracts shoved in front of them.
No recruitment.
Shen Tian made that explicit.
Some might eventually join.
Some might leave.
Their choice.
Adrian noticed.
That surprised him more than the overwhelming strength.
He stood outside the field hospital beside Elena.
Through the glass...
Doctors worked.
Rose was inside helping identify old Black Wolf records.
Shen Tian stood farther away speaking with Ghost.
Elena looked toward Adrian.
"You were right."
"About?"
"Shen Tian."
Adrian stared.
"I said almost nothing."
"You said he was dangerous."
"He is."
Elena watched Shen Tian.
"Not to them."
Adrian followed her gaze.
The survivors.
Doctors.
Operators.
Rose.
His people.
Then...
He smiled faintly.
"No."
"Not to them."
Elena looked toward him.
"And to you?"
Adrian laughed.
"Extremely."
She stared.
"Why?"
He considered.
Then...
"Because I have something he likes taking."
"What?"
Adrian looked toward the night sky.
"Luck."
Elena raised an eyebrow.
"Luck?"
"Something like that."
She studied him.
Then...
"You’ve been strange since the convoy."
Adrian froze slightly.
There it was.
He looked toward her.
Elena continued.
"Different."
"Better."
"But different."
Adrian’s system warned.
Identity suspicion increasing.
Adrian remained quiet.
Then...
He smiled faintly.
"Maybe I almost died."
"You did."
"Changes perspective."
Elena watched him.
Then...
"Maybe."
She didn’t push.
Adrian relaxed.
Then...
Her shoulder brushed his.
Barely.
Neither moved away.
Adrian noticed.
His system chimed.
Elena Affection +2
He almost smiled.
Then...
He looked toward Shen Tian.
Shen Tian was already looking at him.
Adrian’s smile vanished.
Shen Tian raised an eyebrow.
Adrian silently mouthed...
Fuck off.
Shen Tian laughed.
Elena looked over.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Adrian sighed.
Much later.
Shen Tian’s private room.
Xu Ning appeared.
Several panels surrounded her.
[Today was profitable.]
Shen Tian leaned back.
"Summary."
She smiled.
Adrian Major Route
Desert King Combat Scripture: seized
Sun King’s Command Ring: seized
Fate harvested: 44,400
Viper residual Fate harvested: 8,000
Total direct Fate gain: 52,400
Then...
Another panel.
Adrian recovered Fate through Project Fenrir rescue route: +19,000
Current Adrian Fate Value: 93,000
Shen Tian smiled.
"Good."
Xu Ning stared.
[You took forty-four thousand from him and now you’re happy he recovered
nineteen.]
"Yes."
[Farm.]
"Don’t call it that."
[He called it that.]
"He’s rude."
Xu Ning rolled her eyes.
Then...
Another panel appeared.
Project Fenrir hidden consequences
Freed subjects: 34
Potential future elite cultivators: 9
Potential recruitment likelihood to Shen International: 38%
Potential recruitment likelihood to Adrian Vale: 34%
Independent outcomes: 28%
Shen Tian nodded.
"Let them choose."
Xu Ning smiled.
[I knew you’d say that.]
Then...
Her expression changed.
[There’s another issue.]
"Qin Hao?"
[Yes.]
A new panel opened.
Qin Hao Fate Value: 698,200
Major heroine route stabilized
Transmigrator identity partially disclosed to Han Yuer
Shen Tian’s eyebrow rose.
"He told her."
[Yes.]
"And?"
[She accepted him.]
Shen Tian smiled.
"Good."
Xu Ning stared.
[Your competitor just gained eleven thousand Fate.]
"I heard."
[You’re not worried.]
"No."
[Why?]
Shen Tian leaned back.
"Because now he has something real to lose."
Silence.
Xu Ning’s eyes sharpened.
Not cruel.
Not because Shen Tian planned to target Han Yuer.
He wouldn’t.
But...
Qin Hao was becoming rooted.
Attached.
Invested.
He wasn’t merely surviving anymore.
He was building a life.
And the more he built...
The more Fate his story could generate.
Xu Ning slowly smiled.
[You’re awful.]
Shen Tian smiled.
"I know."
Then...
Another alert appeared.
Red.
Both looked.
Combined Protagonist Fate Event has matured.
Shen Tian sat forward.
The panel expanded.
Event Name: Dragon Vein Exchange
Participants: Qin Hao, Chen Mo
Location: Tianlong Mountain
Time until activation: 9 days
Original event owner: Chen Mo
Current competing Fate claimant: Qin Hao
Total available Fate: 160,000
Xu Ning’s expression became serious.
[There it is.]
Shen Tian read.
Event Description
An ancient cultivation exchange will be held between four aristocratic
families and hidden martial sect representatives.
A damaged dragon vein beneath Tianlong Mountain will reactivate
temporarily.
Original Chen Mo route: discover hidden core chamber, repair martial
foundation, obtain Dragon Meridian Pearl.
Qin Hao altered route: system predicts Chen Mo opportunity and plans
counter plunder.
Then...
Another line appeared.
Warning
Third Fate claimant detected.
Shen Tian’s eyebrow rose.
"Who?"
The panel loaded.
Then...
Adrian Vale
Silence.
Xu Ning stared.
[What?]
Shen Tian smiled.
The system continued.
Adrian’s Villain Survival System has detected Dragon Meridian Pearl as
compatible with War Sovereign replacement route.
Probability Adrian travels to China: 78%
Shen Tian laughed.
Xu Ning covered her face.
[Of course.]
Three protagonists.
Three system affected Fate routes.
One mountain.
One Dragon Meridian Pearl.
And Shen Tian.
He leaned back.
His green eyes gleamed.
"Now we’re getting somewhere."
Across the world...
Three notifications appeared.
Qin Hao woke to his system.
Major Opportunity Detected
Dragon Meridian Pearl
He stared.
Then...
His expression hardened.
"Shen Tian knows."
Unknown.
"He knows."
Chen Mo sat in meditation.
His ancient inheritance reacted.
A dragon shaped pulse appeared in his mind.
Tianlong Mountain.
His eyes opened.
"Finally."
An opportunity neither Qin Hao nor Shen Tian had taken yet.
He stood.
Adrian Vale sat beside a field hospital bed reviewing Fenrir files.
His system appeared.
Major Fate Opportunity Detected
Dragon Meridian Pearl
Location: China
Adrian froze.
Then...
Slowly...
He looked toward the nearby window.
Shen Tian stood outside.
Adrian stared.
His system continued.
Recommended: travel immediately.
Adrian closed his eyes.
"No."
Clarify.
"No."
Opportunity value: 160,000 shared Fate pool.
Adrian opened one eye.
"...How much?"
The panel repeated.
160,000.
Adrian stared.
Then...
He sighed.
"Book the flight."
Across the field hospital...
Shen Tian’s phone vibrated.
A message from Qin Hao.
Qin Hao: Tianlong Mountain.
Shen Tian smiled.
Another message.
Qin Hao: Don’t pretend you don’t know.
Shen Tian typed.
Shen Tian: Know what?
Three dots.
Then...
Qin Hao: I hate you.
Shen Tian laughed.
Rose looked over.
"What?"
"Nothing."
His phone vibrated again.
This time...
Unknown international number.
Adrian: Are you going to Tianlong Mountain?
Shen Tian stared.
Then...
Smiled wider.
Shen Tian: Maybe.
The reply arrived instantly.
Adrian: Fuck you.
Shen Tian leaned back.
Xu Ning appeared beside him.
[Three protagonists.]
"Yes."
[Two system users.]
"Yes."
[One original protagonist.]
"Yes."
[All after the same opportunity.]
Shen Tian’s green eyes gleamed.
"And all of them know I’m coming."
Xu Ning sighed.
[This is going to be a disaster.]
Shen Tian smiled.
"For them."
(Author’s Note: IMPORTANT!)
SEND POWESTONES!!!
ALL SUPER GIFTS (Magic Castle, Space Ship, Golden Gachapon) = MORE ChapterS!

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