Chapter 44: The Pale Purple Glow

In fact, these Apostles had always been trapped in a misconception, or rather, they had yet to realize the true essence of the Hall World.

Li Xia discovered that most of these rookie Apostles approached the matter with a mindset similar to playing a game, treating this place simply as a highly immersive virtual world.

If the Hall did not explicitly state a certain function to them, they would subconsciously assume that such an operation was impossible.

In reality, the trial world was completely real; it was simply a world entirely controlled by the Hall.

However, the people and events within it were all genuine.

Just as the Lake-town guard force had never once explicitly mentioned possessing the authority to detain other Apostles.

Yet in truth, Li Xia could actually do it!

Because the official duties of the Lake-town guards included detaining suspicious individuals for investigation—this was a hidden feature!

...............

"You've done well. I heard from old Joel that many of the tricky jobs were finished by you."

Bard's expression remained as cold as an iceberg; this man seemed utterly incapable of smiling by nature.

"It's only right. Since I've decided to join the guard force, I should handle my duties properly."

Li Xia replied promptly, just like facing a superior's inquiry in a workplace.

Bard nodded, barely squeezing out what could loosely be called a smile, and fell silent for a moment.

Lately, the ominous premonition in his heart had grown increasingly intense, and an abnormal number of strange travelers had been arriving in Lake-town.

This only heightened his inner unease, which was why Bard not only had no objections to Li Xia inspecting these "suspicious persons," but actually strongly approved of it.

However, he did not want Li Xia to be like the mayor and the others, extorting money.

After pondering for a bit, Bard still pointed toward the distant figure being led away for detention, and slowly said:

"Checking suspicious individuals is correct, but we are different from the scum of the security patrol force..."

He pressed his lips together and said in a low voice, "We never rely on this to earn wealth."

A trace of regret flashed in Li Xia's heart. The intervention of the Radiant Hall had arrived; such a trick could no longer be replicated a second time.

He could still detain those "suspicious persons," but he could no longer collect points (bribes).

Considered a minor balancing act performed by the Hall, it made sense. Over a hundred Apostles had entered this time, and if everyone pulled this stunt, it would result in tens of thousands of points in profit—an excessive yield for newcomers.

"No problem, Captain. Then as for the earnings from this time—"

Bard hesitated for a moment: "You just arrived here and don't even have a place to stay, so we'll let it slide this time, but there won't be a next time!"

The Radiant Hall was actually quite decent, tacitly allowing this harvest of over a thousand points.

Ah, truly a top-tier Hall!

....................

Soon, a rumor spread like wildfire through Lake-town that a certain "pervert" seemed to have discovered the secret of the human faction and possessed the legendary ability to detain other Apostles.

Wherever Li Xia went, all the Apostles scattered like the wind, as if being glanced at by him would result in a fine or imprisonment.

Only the Robin Hood trio stood bewildered, oscillating back and forth between shock and confusion.

"No way, buddy, are you seriously the legendary protagonist of this story?"

Li Xia was entirely oblivious to this. Right now, he was searching the marketplace for the supplies he needed.

As a town situated on a lake, Lake-town inevitably had to deal with underwater tasks; for instance, if fishing nets got snagged, diving into the water to untangle them was inevitable.

Naturally, this gave rise to certain specialized items designed for diving.

"Sir, this is an Elven lantern." A peddler wearing a small cap rubbed his hands together, introducing the small silver lamp in Li Xia's grasp with a beaming smile.

"It can be tied around your waist, and it won't go out even in the water. Just imagine, having such a lantern in the dark water—how reassuring!"

And then attract phototactic aquatic monsters, making both man and lantern vanish into the belly of a beast, right?

Still, it was undoubtedly useful.

"How much?"

"10 silver coins!"

After strolling around for a bit, Li Xia's personal inventory soon gained a few gadgets, such as a small stone anchor designed to aid in rapid descent.

A small portable stove capable of storing thermal energy to help maintain body temperature after emerging from the water.

Having gathered his equipment, Li Xia hurried over to old Joel's place.

In one breath, he exchanged for 4 conscription warrants, expanding his team size to six members.

Only then did he lead numbers 1 through 6, boarded a small boat, and set sail toward the location marked on his map.

......................

The small boat propelled by six brawny men moved as swiftly as a dragon boat, charging into the fog like an arrow released from a string.

At this moment, a bright, clear moon hung in the night sky, casting a silver sheen across the vast, boundless lake.

The moonlight, thin as gauze like frost, draped over the river water, turning the golden ripples under the sunset into shimmering silver scales.

The fog grew increasingly dense. As the boat drove into it, it was quickly swallowed by layers of mist. However, guided by the mini-map, the fog served more as a cover than an obstruction.

Before long, the boat halted once again at the coordinates marked on the mini-map.

Li Xia hung the small lantern from his waist, placed the miniature pickaxe and shovel for excavation into his backpack, clutched the small stone anchor, and leaped into the water once more.

The stone anchor dragged his body downward in a rapid descent. The nighttime lake water was even darker. Estimating that the depth was about right, Li Xia directly flicked on the Elven lantern at his waist.

Abruptly, the underwater world seemed to spring into clarity and vitality.

At this point, the lake bed was not far off. The water of Long Lake was indeed deep; by his estimation, it was roughly forty feet deep here. If not for his sufficiently robust physical stats, Li Xia figured he would already be unable to withstand the pressure.

Rocks and the remains of ancient trees intertwined, their surfaces bearing the distinct marks of time—the scouring of currents, the erosion of organisms, and the sedimentation of minerals all left unique traces here.

A broken boot lay quietly on the underwater floor, looking as though it had rested there for quite some time.

It was covered in a thick layer of sediment resembling dust, and a few small fish had made it their home, swimming around and continuously darting in and out of the boot shaft.

Searching for items underwater was bound to be difficult because thick silt blanketed the bottom. Once stirred, it would turn a vast expanse of water turbid.

Fortunately, the Transcendent Hall thoughtfully marked indicators right on the lake bed.

Swimming carefully, Li Xia reached the marker, drew his mini-pickaxe, and began to chip away cautiously. Who knew what kind of strange slumbering entity might be buried in the silt down here?

The silt churned, quickly clouding his vision. Even the glow of the Elven lantern grew dim under such conditions.

Luckily, no bizarre creatures lunged out from the water. After waiting quietly for a brief moment, the undercurrents at the bottom of the lake gradually carried away the murky sediment suspended in the water.

The underwater world slowly clarified once again.

Suddenly, Li Xia's gaze was caught by something.

His heart skipped a beat, nearly making him lose his breath as a tingling sensation crawled across his scalp.

Protruding slightly from the silt was a dark, shadowy object.

It was emitting a faint purple glow.