Leveling Up by Executing Monsters

Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Consider It a Test

All in all, Jenkins’s story contained a lot of information, but it also raised many questions.

For instance, why did that entity let him go? And was that indescribable thing in the coffin still alive?

Also, if that was also an Extraordinary Being of the Twist system, how did it manage to advance under a series of suicidal requirements?

And finally, why was such a major incident—one where so many died and so many went mad—forgotten? Who destroyed the related written records?

Lloyd was very curious about these questions, but he suspected that even Jenkins himself didn’t know the answers.

Besides, he had no way of finding the answers now. The ruins had been occupied by Demons, so there was likely no going back.

But then again, why were there no Demons there before? Why were they able to conduct archeological digs for a whole year?

Had the Demons not discovered it? Or... were they wary of something?

After pondering this for a moment, Lloyd turned his attention back to the Human Future Conference.

Seeing that the Supreme One had no reaction to the stories, the four of them moved on to the next topic and began discussing matters of advancement.

But after listening for a while, Lloyd discovered that between the lines, everything they said could be summed up in two words:

No money...

After Jenkins advanced to Tier Five, some marital and emotional problems forced him to strike out on his own. He established a small, private archaeological association. Although it was fully licensed and legal, it wasn’t popular, and he was extremely short on cash.

Moreover, his mindset was one of complete apathy. He wasn’t very keen on improving his strength. This ’Human Future Conference’ was probably the only thing motivating him to continue on the path of an Extraordinary Being.

Anyway, Lloyd felt he didn’t seem like some High-ranking Powerhouse, but more like a disheartened failure.

’Perhaps it’s because he advanced to Tier Five too late in life? His body and appearance have aged, yet his life will be very long. That must be a special kind of torture...’

As for Goldrinn, he was part of a semi-official investigative team in the City of Order, an investigator responsible for handling various anomalous incidents. The pay wasn’t great and the work wasn’t plentiful, so he was especially short on money, stuck and struggling due to a lack of Transcendence materials.

But deep down, he still hoped to reach a High Position, or at least not to waste his enviable talent.

Then there was Balderes. He was more talented and even smarter, but he was bogged down by mundane trivialities. He often had to handle troublesome tasks assigned by those ’mediocrities’ he spoke of. He didn’t earn much money and wasted a great deal of time.

But his ambitions were still grand. He not only wanted to reach a High Position, but was also determined to bring his ancestral workshop to glory. That’s why he was particularly concerned with matters related to the Great Expansion and felt he should actively participate.

Finally, there was Elolo. Lloyd’s impression was that, aside from a fear of death, she was completely carefree. She didn’t seem to have any great ambitions or interests and lived a rather relaxed life. If Jenkins hadn’t tricked her into joining the conference, she would probably just be a sweet, naive, and romantic young girl.

’But it seems she’s quite accomplished in engineering? Of course, it might be her dad who’s the accomplished one. Anyway, Balderes once approached her to custom-order a set of engineering equipment for his workshop, but in the end, with me as a witness, the deal fell through...’

In short, the members of the ’Human Future Conference’ were all independent masters with a degree of talent and power, yet they were all struggling in their own ways. This was why they were willing to accept Jenkins’s overly radical philosophy and even believe that a Supreme One truly existed in this world.

’So how am I supposed to play the part of this "Supreme One"? I can’t just stay silent and pretend to be some profound master all the time, but I don’t even know what a Supreme One is!’

Lloyd scratched his head. But on second thought, since they had mistaken him for one, they probably didn’t know what a Supreme One was like either.

So, he mentally reviewed the mannerisms of the powerful figures he could remember.

Not just the likes of the Chief Judge and the butler, but also the powerful characters from various creative works on Earth. Maybe he could cosplay one of them?

’First, let’s start with the way of speaking...’

’Am I to defy the heavens today?’

’That doesn’t seem right...’

’Throughout my life, why should I need to explain my actions to the likes of you?’

’Never mind, never mind. That’s just asking for a beating...’

’My pain is far greater than yours?’

’That’s pretty twisted, but the style is a bit off...’

As Lloyd’s mind raced with these random thoughts, he happened to hear Balderes say:

"A friend of mine recommended a stock. He said it has a lot of room to grow and suggested I invest my savings in it. But I don’t understand the stock market’s principles or how it works at all. Do you guys have any advice?"

Hearing this, Elolo quickly advised:

"Huh? If you don’t know anything about it, isn’t that just like gambling? That’s not good, don’t gamble!"

Lloyd paused. The word ’gambling’ made him think of the place he had visited today, so he sent a message:

"Have you heard of the ’Dream Theater’?"

The four people on the chessboard immediately fell silent, then looked at each other in bewilderment.

After a few seconds, Jenkins was the first to speak:

"Venerable, I have heard of that place, but I know very little about it. I only know that it’s extremely mysterious, like an otherworldly realm? A place unbound by the laws and rules of our world, one that countless people yearn for?"

After speaking, he waited a few seconds, and then saw a line of text float past his eyes:

"It is a special Space that exists based on what you call an ’Ancient Relic’. It’s a rather interesting place."

’This... it’s related to an Ancient Relic again?’

Jenkins’s interest was immediately piqued. This touched upon his professional expertise.

He immediately began to speculate on the Supreme One’s intentions. Why mention this place specifically?

’Does He have some connection to it? Or is He interested in it? Does He want to learn more through us?’

Jenkins weighed the possibilities in his mind, chose the most conservative guess, and answered truthfully:

"My deepest apologies, Venerable. My knowledge of that place ends there."

Then he glanced at the reactions of the other three. They all looked like they were listening attentively?

’Apparently, they don’t know either...’

Lloyd was also observing their reactions, confirming that the ’Dream Theater’ was indeed a very mysterious place. No wonder the club was offering all sorts of high-priced commissions related to it.

So he thought for a moment, chose the easiest "powerful figure" template to imitate, and sent a message:

"You can go and see for yourselves."

"About that... we don’t know how to get in," Jenkins asked, a bit helplessly.

In response, Lloyd simply said nothing more.

He had chosen the ’Riddler’ template. The key was to speak in half-truths and make himself seem profound and mysterious.

"It seems the Venerable wants us to find a way in ourselves, doesn’t he?" Goldrinn chimed in, picking up the thread.

"That must be it. Perhaps this is a test from the Venerable."

Jenkins nodded, then turned his head to look at Balderes.

The remaining two also turned to look at him in unison.

"Wait... why are you all looking at me? Don’t tell me you think I have a way to get in?" Balderes asked, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"Because out of all of us, you have the widest network of contacts," Jenkins replied.

"You’ve got some nerve saying that. Aren’t you the strongest one among us, the Tier Five?"

"Tier Five? Heh, I’m just a miserable old man who wants to die but can’t manage it just yet."

While the two were talking, Elolo, who hadn’t said much, suddenly spoke up:

"Um... I could go back and ask my dad. He has quite a few friends."

"Yes, and I’ll ask the people in my investigation team. They might know something too," Goldrinn added.

Seeing everyone else agree, Balderes couldn’t very well refuse. He impatiently stated that he would go ask that bunch of "mediocrities."

Seeing this, an unconscious smile spread across Jenkins’s face.

In all the years since the conference was founded, this was the first time he had felt such an atmosphere of collective effort.

Before, they would just get together to chat. There were no team-building activities, and conflicts and arguments would break out at the drop of a hat.

They didn’t even have the spare capacity to look after the widow of the Black Knight, Stilote...

It was the arrival of this ’spectator’ that had begun to change the conference.

So he also spoke up:

"Of course, I’ll ask my old friends as well. Let’s all treat this as a test from the Venerable."

...

After they decided to investigate the ’Dream Theater’ together, this evening’s conference came to an end. One by one, the four people in the chessboard bid farewell to the ’spectator’ beside them, addressing him as ’Venerable’ with every word.

Far from feeling smug, Lloyd was filled with a sense of dread.

’This feeling of forcing myself to cosplay as a powerful figure is really uncomfortable...’

’Especially for a down-to-earth, honest young man like me, hearing "Venerable" over and over is making my skin crawl.’

’But what can I do? I chose this role, so I just have to see it through, even if I have to cry my way through it.’

’But on the bright side, if these people can also get into the "Dream Theater," that would be a wonderful thing.’

’We could share intelligence, deepen our understanding of that place, and make full use of its resources.’

’In the process, we could also build mutual trust and lay the foundation for cooperation.’

’Of course, that’s assuming they can get in successfully and come out alive.’

Lloyd was still quite confident about that:

’It shouldn’t be too hard, right? After all, they’re Tier Fours and a Tier Five. They’re a notch stronger than me. I didn’t feel much pressure, so they should be like fish in water, right? Of course... except for that White Bishop...’

’I hope they all do their best, for their own futures, and for the future of humanity.’

Lloyd had a faint feeling that the strange, obscure things needed for the Twist system would be difficult to buy with money. The channels available through the ’Dream Theater’ were extremely important.

However, it wasn’t a place that had everything. For some of the even more obscure items, he’d probably have to figure things out on his own.

In any case, information and channels were definitely on the same level of importance as Attributes and abilities.

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