Night fell.
Fenric now lived in a new house. With no internet installed yet, he could only rely on his mobile phone for the time being.
He turned it on and connected to the network.
The online world was abuzz with a single topic: the Blacklight Virus.
Earlier that morning, the authorities had issued a public announcement, revealing that foreign terrorists had released the Blacklight Virus within the country. Chaos had erupted in 17 cities, and the death toll had already reached the tens of thousands.
Fortunately, the situation was now under control.
The news sent shockwaves across the internet.
Countless netizens condemned the terrorist organization and analyzed the broader implications of the outbreak, especially its impact on humanity's living environment.
While the domestic situation had been contained, many smaller, unstable nations hadn't been so lucky. Some had completely collapsed, descending into zombie-infested wastelands.
Thankfully, the "Blacklight Virus" wasn't highly contagious—it couldn't spread through air or water. If it had, a full-scale global biochemical disaster might have unfolded.
Fenric glanced at the discussions, skimmed a few posts, then lost interest.
He was far more concerned about the ninth floor dungeon of the Samsara Tower than the Blacklight Virus.
Let the higher-ups worry about that mess.
For Fenric, the top priority was still—getting stronger!
After opening the Samsara Forum, he skipped all unrelated threads and went straight to the strategy section.
But to his surprise...
He couldn't find an official walkthrough for the ninth floor of the Samsara Tower.
There was plenty of information about the tenth floor—apparently the "[Final Destination]" copy—but the ninth floor? Nothing.
It struck Fenric as odd.
Curious, he typed "About the Ninth Floor of the Samsara Tower" into the search bar, eventually finding a few strategy posts shared by other users.
But they were all speculation—no solid information.
After sifting through the posts, Fenric finally understood the reason:
The ninth floor of the Samsara Tower was a confrontation-type dungeon. Samsaras from various countries and regions would be placed into a single dungeon to compete for dominance.
Everyone knew the name of the dungeon: "Three Kingdoms." But no one knew its contents.
Why?
Because anyone who completed the dungeon would automatically forget the experience after leaving.
No strategies could be shared.
This was likely a protection mechanism built into the Samsara System.
After all, if everyone knew the tricks, what would be left of the struggle for hegemony?
Fenric put down his phone, frowning.
He hadn't expected a confrontation-style dungeon.
With no one remembering the layout or events, it meant everything would have to be figured out on the spot.
But Fenric wasn't too worried.
With his current power, clearing the dungeon wouldn't be a problem.
Still, the lack of narrative intel meant he couldn't prepare specific countermeasures in advance.
—--
At exactly midnight...
Fenric entered the Samsara Space.
"You have a new communication request. 'Aurora Morwyn' is requesting a video call. Please respond promptly."
As soon as he logged in, the system prompted him.
He chose [Accept].
A 3D holographic image of Aurora appeared—elegant and commanding.
"Shura, come have some tea!"
Fenric knew she had something to discuss, so he replied simply, "Sure."
The two met in a private room at a teahouse.
"Shura!"
Aurora greeted him with a bright smile.
"I haven't had a chance to congratulate you yet. You scored another Super-God evaluation in the '[A Bride Ghost Story]' dungeon! You're incredible—you even managed to rack up so much Yin Energy!"
Fenric chuckled. "I broke into the underworld. Too many ghosts down there—I couldn't not kill them."
"I see~"
Aurora's eyes lit up, but she was smart enough not to probe further.
That was Shura's strategy. If he wanted to share it, fine—if not, she wouldn't press.
Then, as if casually, she brought up another topic.
"By the way, Shura… yesterday morning, a mysterious powerhouse appeared in AH City and eliminated a Blacklight Virus [Evolved]. Do you know anything about that?"
Fenric admitted without hesitation. "That was me."
There was nothing to hide.
With his current strength, he no longer needed to conceal his identity like before.
"So it really was you."
Aurora nodded, as if her suspicions had been confirmed.
"We checked all domestic A-Rank powerhouses. Once we ruled them out, it was clear who it had to be. On behalf of the military, I want to thank you. That [Evolved] caused major problems."
Fenric waved her off. "It was no big deal. I'm from Jadeveil Nation too—if some ghost dares cause trouble on our soil, I'll be the first to put them down."
Aurora laughed brightly. "In that case, I'll issue the order to end the investigation when I return."
Her words were more than thanks—they were a gesture of goodwill.
She was letting Fenric know that if he wanted to keep his identity private, she'd respect that.
Fenric smiled. "What are you drinking? My treat."
"Oh? A local tycoon like you? I'll take you up on that!"
The two ordered Tranquility Tea and began drinking slowly.
The tea had excellent effects—regular consumption could soothe the mind and reduce extreme psychological tendencies among Samsaras.
After all, they constantly faced life-and-death trials. Over time, it was easy to develop issues—bloodlust, mental instability, and so on.
Tranquility Tea was likely created to heal the soul damage sustained by Samsaras.
As they drank, Aurora suddenly asked:
"Shura, are you about to challenge the ninth floor of the Samsara Tower?"
Fenric nodded. "I'll enter it tonight."
"You really don't stop, huh?" she sighed, then leaned in, her tone turning serious.
"Shura, I've received intel. Several foreign powers are planning to ambush you inside the ninth-floor dungeon."
"Oh?"
A sharp glint flashed in Fenric's eyes. His aura shifted—cold and domineering.
"Then let them come."
"There's no strategy information about the ninth floor on the internet because of the memory wipe. But I've managed to collect some intel—partial details from within the dungeon."
Aurora offered, "Let me share what I have. I hope it helps, even a little."