My mom is waiting for treatment, and you're summoning me to be a hero?

The Holy Ancient Empire, the Arena.

One day passed.

Sunlight once again bathed the massive building, shining on the dried bloodstains scattered across the ground.

After a night of chaos, a semblance of calm has returned to the place... at least that's how it appears.

The three demigods remained suspended in mid-air.

The old man in the gray robe stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes closed, as if he were resting.

The burly man in black crossed his arms and stared intently at the rotating portal of light.

The old woman stood on the far side, her wooden cane lightly tapping the air, lost in thought.

Below, there were hardly any people left in the arena.

Those rebel generals had already been dismissed and returned to their posts.

Those nobles who survived by sheer luck went home to lick their wounds.

Only a few soldiers were still patrolling, walking very quietly, afraid of disturbing the three.

Above the light gate at the entrance to the secret realm, a huge light screen floats.

That's the leaderboard for the secret realm.

Every participant who enters the secret realm will receive points for killing undead creatures, which will be displayed in real time on this light screen.

Rankings, points... everything is clear at a glance.

It can even show the approximate location of the participants.

At this moment, the number one player on the screen has already surpassed 10,000 points.

Lin Mo's name was ranked over eight hundredth.

The points accumulate very slowly.

So slow that the change is almost imperceptible.

But the three demigods did not look pleased.

The old man in the gray robe stared at the name, his face so gloomy it could drip water.

"This kid is still alive."

His voice was filled with suppressed anger.

"Over 800 people, killed hundreds of undead, and are living quite comfortably."

The burly man in black had a furrowed brow and an imposing expression.

"It's better to be alive; death is meaningless."

The old woman shook her head.

"I'm afraid he'll hide in some corner and cause some trouble when he comes out three days later."

"What can you do?"

The burly man in black snorted coldly.

"He's at most level 65 right now. Even if he levels up a few times in the secret realm, he won't reach level 70. After he comes out, he won't be able to beat the three of us working together."

The old woman did not speak.

She just stared at the slowly ticking score, a vague unease creeping into her heart.

That madman always gave her a sense of unease.

Just then, a commotion suddenly arose outside the arena.

The sounds of horses' hooves, wheels, guards' shouts, and... crying.

"Your Majesty!!! You died such a terrible death!!!"

"Your Highness!!! How could you just leave like this!!!"

"Ancestors of the Li family!!! These unfilial and incompetent descendants!!!"

……

The crying was sharp and piercing, drawn out for a long time, as if it had been rehearsed countless times.

Immediately afterwards, a shrill voice rang out:

"Lords and princes from all over the land, come to offer your condolences—!!!"

A large crowd surged into the arena entrance.

Some were dressed in fine clothes, some wore official hats, some were leaning on canes, and some were being helped by others.

They cried and wailed, some beating their chests and stamping their feet, some wiping away tears, and some even rolling on the ground.

But if you look closely, how many of those tears are real?

Some of them were crying while secretly glancing at their competitors.

Some cried loudly, but their steps didn't slow down at all; they pushed straight towards the throne.

Some were shouting "The Crown Prince died young" while their eyes scanned the remaining nobles, already plotting which one to win over.

The three demigods looked down at the scene.

The burly man in black's lips twitched: "These are the royal family's men?"

The old woman sighed and remained silent.

The old man in the gray robe simply shook his head and looked away.

"Let's go."

He turned and floated toward the edge of the arena.

"Not watching anymore?" The burly man in black was taken aback.

"What's so interesting about it?"

The old man in the gray robe spoke calmly.

"A flock of vultures were circling the carcass, waiting to devour it."

He paused.

"As long as the empire stands, let them do whatever they want."

Three figures disappeared into the sky above the arena.

Below, the flock of "vultures" were still crying their hearts out.

The cries grew louder and more sorrowful, as if whoever cried the loudest would be one step closer to the throne.

……

Eternal Iron Prison.

In the darkness, only the suspended energy spheres emitted a faint light.

Hunter Axe stood in front of the deepest cell.

That was Zhou Yue's cage.

Beside him stood a familiar figure—Li Yiguang.

Or rather, Li Yiguang's mutilated body.

Otmu possessed the puppet and controlled it to enter the Imperial Iron Prison.

Lin Mo had already killed all the guards, and they had no trouble getting through.

At this moment, there was a crumpled piece of paper in front of Zhou Yue.

That's today's newspaper.

It had a huge title printed on it.

Shocking Change! The Second Prince Rebelles, the First Prince is Killed, and the Li Family's Direct Line is Annihilated! The Black-Robed Assassin Lin Mo Slaughters the Royal Family and Escapes into a Secret Realm!

A line of smaller print reads: "Three Divine Envoys Descend, the Fate of the Empire Uncertain."

Zhou Yue's gaze swept over the headlines, line by line, reading very slowly.

Something was gleaming in those dry, withered eyes.

After reading it, he smiled.

The smile was particularly striking on his withered face, but it was a genuine smile.

"This little guy really is fearless."

Zhou Yue murmured.

Hunter Axe grinned.

"No matter what, he avenged you. That grandson of Li Yan died at his hands, and not a single member of the Li family was left."

Zhou Yue nodded.

He stared at the newspaper for a long time.

Then he looked up at the hunter's axe, and the smile on his face slowly faded.

"What about three days later?"

Hunter Axe's smile froze.

Zhou Yue's voice was calm, but beneath that calmness lay something pressing down.

"The secret realm is closed, and he must come out through the exit. The three demigods are guarding outside, waiting for him."

The hunter remained silent.

Zhou Yue lowered his head and looked at the chains binding him.

"It's a pity I can't get out now, otherwise..."

He didn't finish speaking, but Hunter Axe understood what Zhou Yue was worried about.

The hunter stood there, silent for a long time.

He recalled Lin Mo's last look, and the way he rushed into the secret realm.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found his throat too dry to make a sound.

Zhou Yue looked at him, and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth again.

"Alright, let's go back."

The hunter raised his head.

Zhou Yue had already closed his eyes.

"Watch over him for me," he said, his voice growing softer. "If he survives... well, never mind..."

Hunter Axe stood there, staring at that withered face for a long time.

Then he turned around and strode back the way he came.

Otmu, controlling Li Yiguang's mangled body, followed behind, the sound of his footsteps gradually fading into the darkness.

Only Zhou Yue remained, his eyes closed, leaning against the center of the cage.

The newspaper was still outside the cage.

In the darkness, a faint smile could be seen on Zhou Yue's lips.