Chapter 58 Episode 3 of the TV Series (End)
The perspective in the video switched again, cutting to the same dim little room where several figures were discussing their plans.
Through their conversation, the player learned that the Cult of the Cursed was participating in the operation with the goal of releasing the subterranean evil god, Nyastra, through the sacrifice of many lives. The Life Alchemy Society, on the other hand, was focused on assassinating Charles VI. To achieve this, they had somehow gained control of the entire Luins delegation, prepared an unknown artifact for the occasion, and even had representatives among the highest echelons of the Kingdom of Bryston.
Seeing this, Zhou Ning couldn't help but smirk. The Curse Cult's goal is still the purest, he thought. They've been consistently working hard to destroy the world. They're truly evil, but you have to admire their persistence.
The view switched back to Witsel Church Square. As Charles VI arrived and the envoy from Luins presented his credentials, a subtitle immediately appeared over the letter:
Unknown Artifact [Pseudo Book of Blood Sacrifice]: The sixth replica of the Book of Blood Sacrifice. It possesses some of the original's functions and can temporarily open a gate to an Elemental Plane through sacrifice. Single use only.
The audience showed little interest in a disposable item used for sabotage, but what happened next shocked all the viewers who hadn't seen XB's original stream.
Ambassador Runes pulled a dagger from a hidden compartment in the book and lunged at Charles VI, only to be shot and killed. Immediately after, more than a dozen members of the delegation committed suicide in unison, an extremely bloody and shocking scene.
The blood on the ground then formed a portal. Although Zhou Ning managed to close it, a single Bloodworm still crawled out. By consuming the blood from the corpses, it rapidly split into a countless swarm. The video was packed with so much information that the audience was overwhelmed.
As the number of Bloodworms grew, then...
Zhou Ning couldn't see anything.
It wasn't that he had gone blind, but that in the next moment, the number of scrolling comments in the video suddenly multiplied exponentially.
"Coming from XB's stream, high-energy warning ahead!"
"INCOMING HIGH-ENERGY WAVE!"
"My man is about to make his move, and everyone's gonna die!"
…
Zhou Ning: ...
Though his subconscious told him he should be embarrassed, he couldn't help but enjoy it. He shamelessly admitted to himself that the players' praise was well-deserved.
In the video, the air seemed to twist. An incomparably terrifying aura instantly swept out from the on-screen Zhou Ning as he raised his head, his eyes glinting sharply.
In that instant, the entire space seemed to tremble. The densely packed swarm of Bloodworms was struck by a powerful force, and one after another, they either fell into a stunned daze or exploded outright.
The screen was cleared in a flash. The scene was nothing short of spectacular.
Bang! Bang!
The players also keenly noted that it wasn't just the Bloodworms. Everyone, including Qien West and King Charles VI, was unable to resist the pressure Zhou Ning unleashed and was sent stumbling back in shock.
XB, who was closest to him, didn't even make a sound before he was knocked unconscious, as if he'd been hit with an axe.
The thoughtful "intelligent computer" system even added a subtitle next to Zhou Ning to explain the skill:
Conqueror's Haki: A quality possessed only by one with the disposition of a king. By releasing their aura, the user can damage and stun surrounding enemies. If the target's mental fortitude is too low, it can also cause them to lose consciousness.
How considerate!
Zhou Ning's eyes grew moist. Although this intelligent computer had fleeced him time and time again, he was willing to forgive it for the sake of this glorious advertisement.
After witnessing this shocking scene, the barrage of comments scrolling over the video became an overwhelming flood.
"I'm crying! This is too strong! So overbearing!"
"Watching this just numbs the mind."
Even the normally withdrawn XB couldn't help but secretly post a comment:
"My man is awesome!!!"
The video was about two-thirds of the way through at this point, and Zhou Ning's major scene had concluded.
The Sun Guard was then shown cleaning up the mess, during which Qien West used his clan's signature ability to manifest wings of light, which left the players in awe. What annoyed Zhou Ning was that even though Qien was just a supporting character, the system still gave the bastard a heroic close-up.
The screen went black, and the camera cut to the roof of the great bell tower of Darkland Fortress. A man in a black alchemical robe, his face hidden by a white hard-shell mask, nimbly slipped past the sparse patrol and snuck into the belfry. He climbed to the roof and produced a crossbow.
Two lines of subtitles appeared simultaneously, one over his head and one over the crossbow:
Professor of Alchemy at Innec University / Member of the Life Alchemy Society's Evaluation Committee: Philip Bislock.
Unknown Artifact [The Suicide Crossbow of Boudica, the Archer Goddess]: This weapon produces a powerful magical arrow. When struck, it extracts the target's soul and traps it within the weapon. There is a small chance the arrow will backfire on the user. This weapon was granted to Boudica, the Archer Goddess, after she made a wish to the gods during the era of the Four Heroes. It was with this weapon that she rose to fame, and with it that she met her end.
So it was him...
Zhou Ning frowned. He certainly remembered Professor Bislock, who had been mentioned in Holweg's diary. Thinking about it, Holweg's fate was truly pathetic—treated like a pawn by someone he trusted, only to be discarded after he had served his purpose.
A short while later, the carriage carrying Charles VI arrived at the fortress gates. The moment the king stepped out, Bislock pulled the trigger. A magical arrow silently pierced Charles VI's chest—a fatal shot.
Then, the wailing soul of Charles VI was drawn out of his body and into the crossbow. Bislock took a glass tube from his coat, carefully coaxed the soul inside, and sealed it with a cork.
The screen went black. The video ended.
Zhou Ning couldn't help but shudder. As an intermediate alchemist, he knew exactly what the glass tube in Bislock's hand was. It was a test tube, specifically for alchemical processes. If he was right, those lunatics from the Life Alchemy Society were planning to use the soul of a king as an alchemical ingredient.
This is outrageous.
What kind of massive project could possibly require the soul of a king?
A strong sense of vigilance rose in Zhou Ning's heart.
Because he had increased his willpower stat over the past few days, he hadn't had the recurring dream. But for some reason, he was still plagued by an extremely uneasy premonition.
Combined with the unpredictable fanatics in the Alchemy Society, why did everything feel so unsafe?
It seems I need to speed up my experience gain.
Maybe I should just get on with it?
After opening the simulator, Zhou Ning found that he had received 12 coins for his last trip and another 12 for changing the course of history, leaving him with 24 coins. He spent 10 Viktors to buy one more, bringing his total to 25. He immediately chose to travel.
Three times should be enough! This time, I'm definitely going to defeat One Piece!
[Preparing to travel through time... Time Travel Coins -25]
[Please select the time travel mode...]
[1. Direct Time Travel.]
[2. Use Parallel World Template.]
Since less than twenty-four hours had passed since his last trip, the three templates had not yet refreshed.
Zhou Ning could only choose mode one.
[You have chosen Talent 1, Talent 6, and Talent 9.]
[Your current talents are: Mermaid, Doctor of Medicine, Portable Grandfather. Your permanent talent is: Tony Stark.]
[Match successful. In this parallel world, you are a playboy and a versatile scientific genius. At age 20, you earned a medical doctorate and became a national swimming champion. You also own a simple, antique-style ring you stumbled upon at a street stall.]
[Current world exploration: 49.5%. When exploration reaches 66.7%, you will gain permission to open the next map.]
[Readying the time machine… 1%… 33%… 65%… 95%… Travel complete.]
[You have traveled to the year 1516, out on the open sea. From this moment, the wheels of history begin to turn.]
---
⭐ $5 Tier – Early Access!
Stay 50 chapters ahead of public releases on RoyalRoad, Webnovel, and Scribble Hub.
Latest available chapter: 109.
⭐ $10 Tier – Super Early Access!
Stay 100 chapters ahead of public releases on RoyalRoad, Webnovel, and Scribble Hub.
Latest available chapter: 159.
📖 Chapters are uploaded as soon as they're completed, so you'll always stay ahead of the curve.
💖 By joining, you'll be directly supporting the story while enjoying exclusive early access.
🔗 Patreon link is in My Profile/About.
⚠️ Please select your membership carefully, as I have multiple novels ongoing.
🍎 If you're on Apple, consider subscribing through your browser instead — it's cheaper for you, and I'll receive payments faster.