Chapter 37

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Chapter 37: Gale Storms

The moment these words left his mouth, he sensed a subtle shift in the atmosphere around him.

Something seemed to have changed slightly.

Before he could ponder it further, Dunn asked with even more solemnity, “May we know this deity’s name and domain of power?”

This question caught Chaoyang off guard.

Understanding the request for a name was straightforward, but what did ‘domain of power’ mean?

During his time at Glorious Fortress, he had indeed heard names akin to divinities, such as the God of Machines associated with the city center’s church or the Storm God mentioned by Haiya… However, he had never encountered the term ‘domain of power.’

He also knew that these “divinities” were not traditional objects of faith but rather actual entities, best exemplified by the towering pillars of light reaching towards the heavens. But now, being asked to spontaneously create one without raising suspicion posed quite a challenge.

Yet Chaoyang wasn’t one to be easily deterred.

As his improvisation skills kicked into high gear, he noticed a consistent pattern in how these divine titles were formed. Moreover, people often referred to deities not by their full names but by phrases like “God of X,” suggesting that this “X” might represent their domain of power?

Firstly, using the term “demon” was definitely out of the question.

Even if this word didn’t exist in their world, there would likely be an equivalent with similar connotations, which would create a negative impression.

Secondly, his explanation couldn’t be too precise; it needed to leave room for interpretation. This way, even if he fabricated something incorrectly, there would still be opportunities to rectify it later.

After pondering briefly, Chaoyang responded with feigned aloofness, “The name of my Lord cannot be spoken directly; we all refer to Him as Paradise. The world’s suffering will ultimately dissipate within Paradise, leaving behind only joy.”

Dunn and Zhu Di exchanged glances.

*Oh no, did I overdo the act?* Chaoyang thought anxiously. Unfortunately, after the contract ended, he could no longer conveniently read their thoughts.

“No wonder it’s like this…” Zhu Di murmured.

No wonder what? Don’t leave sentences half-finished!

Fortunately, Dunn continued Zhu Di’s statement, “Zhu Di once prayed to various divinities for information about me, but all her pleas fell on deaf ears. Perhaps only this deity truly pays heed to people’s hardships.”

Chaoyang suddenly felt somewhat embarrassed.

After all, the reason he had noticed their plight was entirely due to the enticing Wish Power they emitted.

However, since the words had already been spoken, there was no reason to publicly contradict oneself. Moreover, this wasn’t etched into law on paper; exaggerating a bit wouldn’t hurt. After all, it won’t have any binding effect on him.

Suddenly, two white threads emerged from Zhu Di and Dunn’s bodies!

They ascended straight up until one end disappeared into the ceiling.

Chaoyang, momentarily stunned, questioned his own eyes. He slightly lowered his head, pretending nonchalance as he rubbed at the corners of his eyes, then looked again towards the tops of their heads—

The thin lines still persisted!

In the dim area near the ceiling, their outlines were strikingly clear. Unlike the radiance of Wish Power, these resembled condensed filaments or delicate streams, appearing more tangible and pure.

What could this be?

Amidst Chaoyang’s surprise, another peculiar phenomenon occurred.

He noticed a slight increase in the Wish Power within himself.

This change was very subtle; if not for his long experience with severe Wish Power scarcity, where every expenditure left a deep impression, he might not have detected it immediately.

Could the Wish Power have become sentient?!

“You’ve helped us before, and now it’s our turn to assist you,” Dunn said as he tucked the note into his pocket. “This task may be challenging, but I will do my utmost. Could you please provide your address? In case there is any news, it would make contacting you easier.”

“Oh, that… no need, since I haven’t found a suitable place yet.” Chaoyang quickly retracted his wandering thoughts and replied calmly, “I’ll visit periodically every few days, so you can inform me then.”

In reality, he did have a temporary residence within Glorious Fortress.

It was the starting cottage from the second round of the game.

However, the cottage was incredibly basic, lacking even a bed, which didn’t align with his detective persona. Thus, it naturally wouldn’t be appropriate to share this information with them.

“Why don’t we, Dunn… lend Lord Chao the house on Emerald Street for a short stay?” Zhu Di suddenly suggested. “It’s quite secluded, and leaving it empty serves no purpose. Instead, we could use it to repay our benefactor.”

“I have no objections; however, considering Your Excellency’s status, I’m unsure if such a humble abode would meet your standards,” Dunn cautiously responded.

“You can simply think of me as just a detective because… um, Paradise prefers not to draw attention.” Chaoyang concealed his hesitation by taking a sip of tea.

“Is that so? That’s wonderful,” Zhu Di clapped her hands with a smile. “Now it will be much easier for us to visit you. Regarding the God of Paradise you serve, I still have many questions…”

“Zhu Di,” Dunn hastily interrupted her.

Zhu Di winked mischievously in response.

“The God of Paradise does not value status and welcomes anyone to bask in its light,” Chaoyang said, which essentially translated to: the more free labor willing to help, the better. With that, he stood up, nodded towards both of them, and stated, “Since everything is settled, I’ll await your good news.”

“Let me escort you out,” Dunn said, also rising. “The key to the Emerald Street house happens to be hidden near the entrance hall.”

However, just as Chaoyang took a step forward, an intense mental stimulation suddenly flooded his mind!

This sensation was all too familiar…

It was the discomfort and disorientation experienced when players’ consciousness entered Paradise, typically lasting several minutes before subsiding.

But he hadn’t initiated a new game round, so how could any players enter now?!

The mental stimulation didn’t last long, just a brief span of ten seconds or so—before it completely vanished. However, Chaoyang sensed a surging presence forming in the adjacent room, akin to standing at the edge of a coast as a storm approached.

Something was coming through the channel he had opened…

Moreover, without relying on any temporarily constructed bodies, this entity was coalescing its physical form solely with its own power!

“Lord Chao, is something wrong?” Dunn asked, noticing the unusual expression on his face.

“Go back and stay in your room—don’t move!” Chaoyang materialized a pistol from thin air, swiftly moved to the neighboring room, kicked open the door, and aimed the gun at the center of the brewing storm.

Inside, a woman slowly rose from her kneeling position. She had short, flaxen curly hair, a fair complexion, and bright blue eyes, appearing remarkably young. But what set off alarm bells in Chaoyang’s mind even more was that she wore a skirt and tweed jacket, clearly indicative of modern attire!

This intruder hailed from the same world as him!

“Who are you?” Chaoyang tightened his grip, applying significant pressure on his index finger.

The woman did not respond, her expression equally astonished. However, in the next moment, her eyes transformed—confusion and hesitation vanished completely, as if she had become a different person in an instant, filled with determination.

Previously, Chaoyang always wondered how one could discern so much from someone’s expression in such a short time, but now he experienced exactly that feeling.

In that fleeting instant, Chaoyang was reminded of a moth drawn to its fiery demise.

Not good!

He decisively pulled the trigger—

At that same moment, she sprang forward, charging directly at Chaoyang while uttering words incomprehensible to him.

An incredible event occurred—the bullet failed to hit its target!

No, it wasn’t a miss; she neutralized it!

As she sprinted, intense waves erupted around her body. If earlier it felt like the shore before an impending storm, now the storm had fully formed! Under this invisible wave, the fired bullet abruptly dissipated, followed by the handgun, then the detective’s arm, and finally his torso.

His entire body disintegrated instantly!

His field of vision disappeared.

Inside the carriage, Chaoyang’s eyes snapped open! Not good—judging by the direction she’s running, she’s clearly heading toward the carriage outside! Can she see through my crafted illusion?!

“Rickshaw man, hurry and leave!” Chaoyang shouted.

“Mister… When did you return?” Startled, the rickshaw man jolted awake from his doze.

At that moment, the door to Dunn’s residence burst open, and the woman’s figure suddenly appeared within Chaoyang’s line of sight.

Oh no, he realized, it’s too late to escape now!

The woman rushed forward, taking large strides. Just seven or eight meters from the street, she leaped into the air, raising her hands high above her head. The swirling storm around her rapidly coalesced into a radiant sword, its blade shimmering like both an erupting whirlwind and a blooming neon aura.

Then, with both hands, she swung downward!

Chaoyang instinctively braced himself, shielding his face, eyes squinted and teeth clenched, ready to endure the unstoppable blow!

However, the anticipated searing pain failed to arrive as expected.

Instead, there was a dull thud as something collided directly with him, causing him to topple inside the carriage. Undoubtedly, it wasn’t the sharp edge of a sword but rather something soft.

Chaoyang, momentarily stunned, slowly opened his eyes.

The object that had crashed into his arms was none other than the woman herself, who had evidently fainted.