Chapter 1163: Battlefield

Botanical Garden, Beiyong District.

Cool moonlight shone on the quiet sea of flowers. A blade swooped down, carrying two people. The resulting gust parted the flowers to the sides like rippling water.

A few minutes ago, Gao Yang, waiting at the Millenium Tower, had received a message from Liao Liao—her insects spotted what could be Envy in the botanical garden. He immediately came to the area with Qing Ling through a teleportation node before rushing to the garden. They jumped off her Tang Dao and stood amid the sea of flowers. The large swathe of yellow sunflowers glowed with a rueful gray-blue under the moonlight.

At the center of the flowers, a red throne stood like blood congealed into red crystals. Six intricate crimson wings unfurled from its back, spreading toward the sky. While the curves of them looked soft and harmless, they shone with an insidious sharpness.

The throne was empty.

“It’s Envy.”

Qing Ling confirmed with a glance. The six wings couldn’t be more familiar.

Gao Yang looked around and said coldly, “She’s not here.”

Qing Ling glanced at her phone. “One minute from twelve o’clock.”

Their radio crackled into life.

“This is Team War Tiger. We spotted Wrath’s throne in the West Suburban Park! But not Wrath!” One Stone reported.

Then Hong Xiaoxiao said, “Team Liao Liao! We found Sloth’s throne! It’s on the Degenerate Street near the City University. We’re rushing over now.”

After that came Nine Frost: “Team Nine Frost. Greed’s throne is on the Apple Island. Target not yet sighted.”

“Team Mischievous Monkey!” Gregor reported. “Gluttony’s throne is inside the Anliang Market. Gluttony hasn’t shown up.”

“Team Vermilion Bird. Raven Shark found Lust’s throne at the center of the Qingyang Bridge. We’re heading there.”

Gao Yang pressed the radio. “Team Gao Yang. Envy’s throne is in the botanical garden, but it—”

Something interfered with the transmission. Gao Yang frowned and tried again. The signal was cut.

“Look up.” Qing Ling called her weapons by splaying her hands.

Gao Yang raised his head to find the full moon hanging high in the sky a pure white, like a white hole put into the black veil. He was about to open his mouth when a powerful sense of displacement hit him. It felt as if God had grabbed the world and given it a strong shake. Gao Yang felt his energy, consciousness, and even soul detach from his body for a second before returning.

When he recovered, the world was a changed place. The white moon overhead became massive beyond imagination. It was cold, mysterious, solemn, quietly pressuring everyone from above. Its white light illuminated the whole world—no, it washed everything of colors.

The world lost its hues and became black and white like its true state was revealed. However, the monochrome state wasn’t absolute, but everchanging.

Gao Yang realized that when his gaze focused on a specific thing—for example, a flower in the garden—the black and white mist would part, allowing him to see the flower’s colors, including the white petals, brown disk florets, green stem and leaves, and the real moonlight shrouding it.

As soon as he lost his focus, though, the colors would be gone, and the flower would become monochrome once more. It was as if an observer was required to prove the flower’s existence.

Gao Yang maintained his own colors, but only barely. In his view, his skin and clothes retained the details, but were covered in a thin layer of gray mist, like it was slowly washing away his colors.

“Is this the Three Double-Hours of Heavenly Tribulation?” Qing Ling asked, making the same observation.

Gao Yang nodded. “I think so.”

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

“What did the Heavenly Way do?” she asked.

Gao Yang looked around and realized that the insects were gone from the garden. There were no longer any animals around.

In fact, the same applied to the whole Li City. All animals and all wanderers had vanished, leaving only death monsters and awakeners in this clean slate.

“This isn’t Li City,” Gao Yang made a bold guess.

Qing Ling caught on. “You mean...we’ve entered Heavenly Way’s domain?”

“Possibly. The Heavenly Way may have replicated Li City for us to fight here, sort of like an inner world under the surface world.” The moment he shared his speculation, he realized his mistake. He sucked in a breath. “No, Li City is still Li City, but its essence has changed.”

Qing Ling’s head jerked up. “It’s now in a dual overlapping state.”

“I believe so. Li City now exists and not exists.” Gao Yang’s expression turned grave. “Heavenly Way pulled us and the death monsters into a Li City in a dual state. That’ll weaken the death monsters since monsters are in essence beings that exist and don’t exist. Here, they will be in an unstable condition...”

Qing Ling came to a realization. “So the death monsters didn’t make the choice to fight us. They are forced to. The Heavenly Way was always going to pull us and the death monsters into this battlefield.”

“Yes.” Gao Yang made a bold speculation: “This is the last chance the Heavenly Way created for us. If we can’t win tonight, we may not have—”

He trailed off, sensing something.

Qing Ling also noticed it. “Watch out. Enemy incoming.”

A girl suddenly appeared on the throne fifty meters from them. She had come out of nowhere like she just turned from nonexistence into existence. Her petite frame fit into the crimson throne, clad in a black Lolita dress. She looked meek with her hands clasped and her legs pressed together, her hair tied into twin tails and her large black eyes gleaming with innocent and pure light.

She had retained her colors rather than being washed into a grayscale by the moonlight. Just like Gao Yang and Qing Ling, it seemed that a thin gray mist had enveloped her.

“Here I am, Brother.” Gao Xinxin looked up at him. “I’ve kept you waiting.”