136: Good and Evil... The True Nature of Wood

Mu and the others ultimately did not choose any divine positions; they had only come to the Divine Position Trading Zone out of curiosity. They simply had not expected the Greater Plane Trading Spacetime to possess such a heavy commercial atmosphere. Mere moments of looking around had cost them six mid-grade energy crystals.

Of course, this did not mean the energy crystals were spent in vain. If true divine sparks actually existed, Gu Feng would likely still be interested. After all, in magical planes, legends of gods were deeply rooted in people's hearts, and everyone wanted to become a deity.

However, regrettably, things like divine sparks simply did not exist. That lewd old man had bullied Mu and the others for being newcomers, assuming they knew nothing, and deliberately swapped concepts by passing off divine positions as divine sparks. Even when exposed, he did not feel the slightest bit embarrassed, merely stating that the price could be discounted by twenty percent. He even remarked, "Divine sparks are exceedingly rare treasures. If any existed, this trading zone would publicize and auction them widely. You can make more preparations in terms of financial resources!"

Mu asked out of curiosity, "What is the typical trading price for a divine spark?"

The old man shook his head and said, "That is uncertain. Energy crystals alone cannot resolve this; only rare and hard-to-find equipment and skills have a chance to be exchanged for a divine spark."

Before leaving, a thought stirred in Mu's mind, and he asked, "Are there many chosen ones who purchase divine positions?"

The old man was slightly startled, then chuckled and said, "Few, very few. Most chosen ones who possess divine positions are attached to some divine spark owner. The divine positions traded here all have plane contracts signed; the divine spark owners cannot direct them at will. The quantity is small, and those who can afford them are even fewer!"

Zi Gui then remarked, "I understand. You operate on the principle of 'one deal feeds you for three years'!"

The old man giggled and said, "Correct, correct, a very apt description!" Subsequently, the old man glanced at them again and said, "Divine sparks are extremely difficult to obtain, but you have another option. However, I need to know what level your strength has reached!"

Mu asked in surprise, "What option?"

The old man said, "Divine spark owners are deities. They also need servants. If you are willing to pay one thousand high-grade energy crystals, I can connect you with a deity. He will test whether you are the talent he needs. If you pass, he can bestow upon you a divine position. This is much cheaper than purchasing a divine position, but from then on, you must take orders from him."

However, Gu Feng, Zi Gui, and Baldy were all prominent figures in their respective worlds; how could they ever willingly accept a divine position akin to a slave? In Baldy's words, they could take his life, but making him bow and scrape was a pipe dream.

Upon leaving the Divine Position Trading Zone, Mu originally intended to stroll around, but suddenly and inexplicably felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. After a brief mental calculation, he suddenly recalled that several gazes had swept over them with varying intensity while he was talking to the old man. His Insight supernatural ability spontaneously resonated, and he communicated to the others through the plane system: "Attention, it seems we are being targeted!"

Zi Gui asked curiously, "Who? Why didn't I see anyone?"

Gu Feng said unconcernedly, "Yes, you noticed it too."

Baldy did not speak; he merely nodded and cracked his knuckles until they popped, meaning he wanted to stretch his muscles.

Luo Daoxuan calmly stated, "It is a hunter."

Mu asked in surprise, "You know them? Such a strange name, is it a person's name or a title?!"

Luo Daoxuan replied, "Neither. There is a specific kind of person who specializes in hunting newly arrived chosen ones in the Greater Plane Trading Spacetime, collectively referred to as hunters!"

Gu Feng said, "Everyone who enters the Greater Plane Trading Spacetime is an S-rank powerhouse. To dare harbor designs on us, could he be an SS-rank powerhouse?!"

Luo Daoxuan shook his head and said, "The criteria for selecting chosen ones vary across planes. The plane we inhabit uses the combat power of the agent as the standard, but some planes might use the resources possessed by the agent as the standard!"

Mu understood: "You mean, not every agent who enters this place and obtains the title of 'chosen one' possesses S-rank strength or above?"

Luo Daoxuan nodded: "Correct."

Mu asked again, "There is one thing I don't understand. Why is he targeting us?" He then realized, "Does he want to rob our spatial bracelets? But aren't these items DNA-bound? Can he untie them?"

"In the Greater Plane Trading Spacetime, untying a spatial bracelet is far too easy!" Luo Daoxuan said. "Moreover, once an agent acquires the qualifications of a chosen one, they also lose the protection of the plane barrier. After you are killed, there is a certain probability that the skill cards, bloodline cards, equipment, and so forth that you previously learned will drop out!"

"Ah!" Hearing Luo Daoxuan say this, Mu was greatly astonished and said, "How is this just like an online game on Earth, where killing people and monsters causes items to drop!"

"This was a game to begin with... I just don't know whose game it is!" Luo Daoxuan said indifferently. "You are the captain of the contract squad. What should we do about this person? You make the call."

"What else can we do?" Mu said angrily, "Such a person has a depraved character, and his hands are stained with no one knows how much blood. Today, we shall rid the people of a scourge... No, rid the Greater Plane Trading Spacetime of a scourge!"

"Fine! Follow me..." Luo Daoxuan said. "Rid them of a scourge?! Why do you always stand on the moral high ground to look down upon others? Are you a saint? Or are you the Lord of the Underworld holding the balance of scales in the world of the dead?"

Mu was momentarily stunned and said, "I am not a saint, nor do I ever look down on others. But evildoers who hunt down others like this—shouldn't they be killed?"

"Black and white distinction, the mindset of a mortal..." Luo Daoxuan said indifferently. "This kind of good or evil, who gets to judge it? Is it you? What qualifications do you have to judge?"

Mu said angrily, "Don't people like this deserve to be killed? Isn't he an evildoer!"

Seeing that Mu was somewhat angered, Luo Daoxuan ignored it and said, "It is not a question of whether this person deserves to be killed, but rather... As the captain of the contract squad and a chosen one of the Greater Plane Trading Spacetime, you ought not to hold such mortal views of good and evil."

Mu was slightly startled. He recalled Luo Daoxuan saying something similar back inside the underwater pyramid. Because of Anubis's actions, Mu had his first in-depth communication with Luo Daoxuan, and he clearly remembered that Luo Daoxuan had said back then, "There is no right or wrong..."

Today, although Luo Daoxuan's words were different, they essentially continued the topic from last time. The core idea of both was that the world had no absolute right or wrong, nor could good and evil be used to distinguish this world and its affairs.

Suddenly, Mu had a feeling that Luo Daoxuan seemed to be consciously influencing... or rather, guiding him toward something.

"The comprehension of the Insight ability... Just what kind of person is he?"

Mu suddenly realized that Luo Daoxuan might not be as simple as he seemed. Looking back since he had first met him, he had rarely witnessed any emotional fluctuation in him, as if he cared about nothing at all.

Taking a deep breath, Mu looked at Luo Daoxuan and said, "I don't know what you are trying to express, but... I once heard a saying: between heaven and earth there stands a scale, and the sliding weight on that scale is the human heart. Perhaps I lack the qualifications to judge good and evil, but I will act according to my true nature!"

"Hehe... The views of a mortal!" Luo Daoxuan said indifferently.

"Perhaps so... I am neither a saint nor the Lord of the Underworld. I am merely an ordinary person, a small figure who once lived at the very bottom of society, but this small figure is someone in whom kindness outweighs evil." Mu looked into Luo Daoxuan's eyes and uttered these words. "I can sense that you are trying to guide me toward something, but please, do not mislead my sense of right and wrong!"

Luo Daoxuan adjusted his glasses and did not continue. Their conversation had been transmitted through the plane system. Gu Feng, Baldy, and Zi Gui had heard every word clearly, yet none of them said anything, save for Zi Gui, who softly remarked, "We merely wanted to take down the person planning to hunt us, so why drag out such a long chain of grand principles... Is anyone even supposed to live?"

Among the rules of the Greater Plane Trading Spacetime, the trading zone was designated as a safe zone. Within the trading zone, no chosen one—including those possessing divine sparks—could launch an attack on other chosen ones under any pretext; violators would be obliterated. Consequently, that person merely stared intently at Mu and the others, trailing quietly behind them.

What he did not know, however, was that Mu and the others had long since perceived his presence and intended to lure him out of the safe zone before striking. Furthermore, along the way, Mu and the others had been analyzing this individual.

"No fluctuations of spatial arts, yet able to track us while remaining invisible; one would assume it must be some sort of stealth skill." This was Gu Feng's analysis.

"Combat armor scan reveals no electronic equipment signatures; it appears he does not originate from a technology-related plane." Zi Gui had also initiated a combat armor scan for a while.

"Zi Gui, your rank is too low; your scan has already alerted the opponent. However, it seems the opponent... is of a very low rank. I deeply suspect he doesn't even possess A-rank combat power!" This was Baldy's sensation.

The safe zone of the greater plane was confined solely to the trading zone, encompassing an actual area of only about one square kilometer. Yet this hunter, who intended to hunt them down, possessed immense patience, trailing them for roughly two kilometers outside the perimeter before launching a sneak attack. A massive white attack wave suddenly erupted from the void, directed squarely at Gu Feng.

"Dimension, open!" Gu Feng had been on guard long ago, casually banishing the hunter's attack wave into another dimension.

"Oh!" The hunter was slightly startled, but with the launch of the attack, his figure also materialized. He was tall, thin, and pale-faced with a relatively youthful appearance, wearing a golden ring on his ear and possessing somewhat handsome features, save for his dark green eyes whose lecherous glint was thoroughly obnoxious, making him look precisely like a delinquent youth.

"What kind of people are you?" Seeing Gu Feng execute his move, the delinquent youth likely sensed he might have kicked an iron plate and refrained from launching a subsequent attack.

"What kind of people? Newcomers, of course!" Zi Gui giggled.

The delinquent youth's expression tightened. With a cold snort, he traced a finger through the void. A lion's roar echoed out as several gigantic beasts resembling lions crawled out from the void, clad in iron armor. Rearing up on their hind legs, they drew golden short staffs from their backs, which transformed into golden lances with a swish as he twisted his hands.

"This..." Mu and the others looked at each other in dismay. They were exceedingly familiar with these giant beasts; they had witnessed them inside the underwater pyramid, where the goblin Xiete had brought several such lion-beasts, claiming they were a type of biochemical combat beast belonging to the Anubis Chamber of Commerce.

However, what shocked them was not these biochemical combat beasts, but rather... had this hunter lost his mind? Did he actually intend to rely on these few biochemical combat beasts to hunt them down?!