“What? Luca used a secret method to seal the node?” When Drumph, back in the Imperial Capital, received the news, he thought he had misheard.
Coarmy rubbed his face and said, “I just went to check myself. The fissure in the node is indeed sealed. And Luca said he used a high-level secret method.”
“According to the information gathered by agents from Eternal Game, the PNC’s secret methods can indeed seal nodes and prevent monsters from the Abyssal Demon Realm from coming out…” The staff officer pushed up his glasses, though he couldn’t hide the shock in his eyes. “But this requires at least a Superclass-level secret method. How did he manage to do it?”
“I don’t know how he did it either…” Deep in Black Mountain, Coarmy glanced at the golden-etched barrier that was glowing with intricate runes. He couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Secret methods were different from simple crafted skills; they required serious study of Transcendent knowledge from the Eternal Continent. Otherwise, even if someone had a secret method scroll, they wouldn’t be able to use it.
Coarmy’s mind raced as he thought about the official investigations and estimates. Currently, outside of Luca, there were fewer than five players who had mastered secret methods, and all of them were low-level techniques. Yet, Luca had suddenly pulled a high-level secret method out of nowhere, leaving Coarmy dizzy with disbelief.
It was as though everyone else was still playing with marbles while Luca was already holding a Barrett sniper rifle!
“This kid really knows how to surprise people.” Drumph couldn’t hide the smile in his eyes. Just a moment ago, they were all worried about how to deal with the node, and now Luca had already sealed it. From now on, they wouldn’t be completely helpless if such an issue arose again.
“We should find some time to ask Luca how he learned that high-level secret method.” He spoke to Coarmy on the screen, then thought for a moment and added, “But if he doesn’t want to share, we shouldn’t push him.”
“I already asked him…” Coarmy’s expression was complex. “He said he just looked at the scroll once, and that was it. ‘As long as you have hands, it’s easy,’ he said. No special skills required.”
The room fell silent after Coarmy’s words.
“What the hell, just look at it once and you can do it? Do you think we haven’t looked at secret method scrolls before?”
Drumph and the others stared blankly, their minds struggling to process the absurdity of it. “Maybe this is what genius really is.” The staff officer’s lips twitched as he thought to himself. The gap between people’s talents was so vast it was beyond comprehension—like the difference between humans and grasshoppers.
Drumph nodded slightly, then suddenly seemed to remember something. He ordered, “Keep this matter confidential for now. The James Family, that large family, has been quite restless lately. If they find out about such a genius emerging domestically, they’ll likely try to pull him in with some underhanded tactics. It’s best to ensure his and his family’s safety. We can’t afford any accidents.”
Coarmy immediately nodded in agreement.
…
On the other side, the sky was nearing dusk.
With the node at Black Mountain resolved, there was nothing more for Luca and the others to do.
Donlow’s abdominal wound, though treated temporarily by the medical staff, had stopped worsening, but she would need more specialized treatment to fully recover. So, Luca and his group didn’t linger and immediately headed back to Celephais by car.
Despite strong objections from everyone, Quagmire was forced to switch from the driver’s seat to the passenger seat. Neither Luca nor Melania had a driver’s license, and while Donlow did, her abdominal injury made it difficult for her to drive. In the end, Coarmy took on the responsibility of driving them back.
The car sped along the highway.
Luca, sitting in the front passenger seat, appeared to be resting his eyes, but in reality, he was checking his status panel.
[Player: Luca]
[Level: lv1]
[Talent: The person favored, Heaven’s Blessing Divine Body, Scorching Heaven Flame]
[Primary Profession: Demonic Rune Mage]
[Secondary Professions: Witch Doctor, Dreamweaver, Fate-Swapping Master, Blazing Sunwalker, Crimson Mage]
[Attributes: Strength 213, Spirit 467, Endurance 185, Agility 119]
[Skills: Magic Rune Drawing, Eye of Insight, Dream Manifestation, Fate Manipulation, Fire God…]
…
During his time at Black Mountain, Luca had gained around 200 points in random attribute points, with the rest being his original base attributes. It had been quite a harvest. After all, the attributes in the real world had little comparison to those in the game world.
The panel was a simplified version, with his level reverted back to 1. Also, before players’ data was digitized in the real world, they couldn’t gain experience, and killing monsters would only increase their attributes.
Although he had lost the special attributes and title bonuses, Luca still retained all the skills from his various professions. At least he wouldn’t be lacking in skills.
“By the way, there’s something I want to ask you.” At this moment, Coarmy, who had been driving, suddenly remembered something and asked, “Did you offend anyone in the game?”
Luca was slightly surprised and asked, “I’ve offended a few people, why do you ask?”
Coarmy became serious and said, “When the organization checked your profile earlier, they found that the James Family has been investigating you. How did you offend them? And why did they find out your real identity?”
“The James Family?” Luca furrowed his brows. On the surface, they shouldn’t have been able to trace him, considering that, aside from the name, it was almost impossible to dig up any personal information from Eternal Game…
Suddenly, something clicked in his mind, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
It wasn’t impossible. After all, there were a few people who knew his real identity, and one of them just so happened to have a bit of a grudge against him. If that person passed the information to the James Family…
Seeing Luca’s expression change, Coarmy reassured him, “Don’t worry too much. Since you’ve joined Morning Star, we’ll make sure to protect your family. Once I get back, I’ll arrange for people to come over.”
“Thanks,” Luca nodded, mentally noting the matter.
When he had time later, he’d make sure to settle accounts with that idiot Nomadey.
By then, the car had already reached Sunshine Street.
After a short while, the vehicle slowly came to a stop in front of Luca’s house.
Luca opened the car door, got out, and waved to Quagmire, Donlow, and the others. “I’m home. Be careful on your way back. And please, don’t let the captain drive again.”
“But my driving skills are fine…” Quagmire muttered. He’d always thought that the only thing separating him from top race car drivers was the race track.
“Only you think so,” Donlow rolled her eyes and then turned to Luca, flashing him a beaming smile as she waved. “Thanks for everything today. Let’s go out for a meal sometime.”
Luca gave a slight nod and watched as they left before turning to head toward his home.
But just as he was about to enter, he heard a familiar voice calling loudly, “Stop right there!”
“?” Luca turned around and saw Susie jogging toward him.
She was wearing a pink and white mixed dress, and her delicate face was showing signs of anger. She hadn’t changed much over the past few days.
Her little face was puffed up with indignation, and she stomped across from her yard, glaring at Luca as though he were a criminal, and asked, “Who was that girl?”
“Her?” Luca said calmly. “My girlfriend.”
“Girlfriend?!” Susie stared at him for several seconds, her brain seemingly short-circuiting. It had only been a few days since they last met—when did he get a girlfriend, and one this beautiful, no less?
Once she processed what he said, Susie’s eyes immediately reddened, and before Luca could react, she burst into tears.
“You scumbag!” Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed, then ran off toward her house, crying uncontrollably.
Hearing the commotion, Sini opened the door and asked, “What’s going on? Did you bully her again?”
“No,” Luca immediately denied. “I was just telling the truth. She’s actually my friend.”
Sini obviously didn’t believe him, and with a serious tone, she said, “Go apologize.”
Luca shook his head. “It’s fine. It’s better that she stays away from me for now.”
Sini seemed confused and was about to say something else.
But at that moment, Donald walked over, lightly shaking his head. “Don’t mind him. He’ll figure it out himself.”
He then looked at Luca and said, “I had the movers take care of the stuff at the house. Let’s head over to the other place now.”
Luca nodded. He had been planning to check on it himself. The eruption of the node was no more than two weeks away, and he had to make thorough preparations. If things went hopelessly wrong, he would find a way to get his parents and Susie’s family to the Imperial City. Under Drumph’s protection, at least they could survive for another ten years.
By that time, he would return to the military, fighting against the monster horde that would inevitably sweep the world, until either he died at their hands or the monsters were all wiped out.
The villa Luca had bought was also located in the suburbs of Celephais.
However, unlike the other areas, this was a residential district specifically designed for high-end villas. Each house stood on large plots of land, with its own garden and swimming pool. The community boasted its own entertainment facilities, schools, parks, artificial lakes, and other amenities, all giving off a luxurious air. Unlike ordinary people who were fighting to squeeze into bustling urban areas, many of the wealthy seemed to prefer quieter spots, perhaps because once they gained financial freedom, they began to yearn for peace—both mentally and physically.
Luca’s villa was at the far end of this residential area, beyond which was a large forest and a wall. It was a sparsely populated area, ideal for escaping in case of emergency. Even if something major happened, there would be fewer people around to notice.
Donald’s Chevrolet pulled up in front of the villa’s gate, and the three of them got out of the car one after another.
Experience new tales on
Unlike the open-plan layouts of other rich people’s villas, Luca’s house was surrounded by tall, sturdy walls. Inside, aside from the swimming pool, there were no real entertainment facilities or greenery. The villa’s windows were all reinforced with bulletproof glass, and the exterior walls were painted a light gray, giving the entire house a cold, stark appearance.
The villa wasn’t equipped with many smart devices, most of the systems were mechanical. However, it was outfitted with multiple generators and backup power sources, ensuring that even if the entire city experienced a blackout, the villa could still run for a year on basic power.
But this house was just a facade—the real secret lay beneath the villa.