Early the next morning, Willow's surgery was completed without a hitch. Liam stood vigil outside the Medical Center until the head surgeon announced, "The procedure was a success. After 48 hours of observation, she'll be cleared for discharge."
Only then did Liam truly let out the breath he'd been holding.
The crisis in reality had been averted for now, but in the Nexus, the storm was only beginning to brew.
He logged back in, his character materializing within the Guild Hall of Astralis Prime. It was a grand cathedral forged from obsidian and star-steel, with a slowly rotating gear sigil suspended from the vaulted ceiling—the emblem of The Mortal Vault.
A management interface flickered before him:
[Guild Management]
Members: 1 (Snow Emperor)
Level: 1 (0/1,000 Reputation)
Privilege: Can recruit 9 founding members.
Liam wasn't in a rush to expand. He knew that in the early stages, the quality of members mattered far more than quantity. And he already had the perfect candidate in mind.
He opened his friend list and sent an invite to Ben "Chubby" Stone.
Seconds later, a stout figure stumbled out of the teleportation array, nearly tripping over his own mage robes.
"Liam! Are you insane? The Genesis Trial, founding a guild... the whole server thinks you're a hidden Game Master!" Ben gasped, his face a mix of excitement and terror. "And I just heard—The Celestial Oath has officially flagged you as an 'Order Threat'!"
Liam smiled thinly. "Good. I've never cared much for their order. I only believe in strength."
He led Ben to the Guild Altar and spoke with gravity. "Chubby, I need you. Not just as a friend, but as the first core member of The Mortal Vault."
Ben blinked, then straightened his back. "Cut the crap! Since the day you stood up for me against those bastards back at the Academy, I've been your man. Forget the Vault—even if you started a 'Garbage Can Alliance,' I'd be the first to sign up!"
Liam nodded and activated the core permissions.
[Special Authority Granted]
Player: Benjamin Stone assigned as Quartermaster.
Effect: Can manage the Vault's treasury, allocate resources, and issue internal missions.
This was a hidden mechanic Liam had researched in his past life. Each guild had three "Core Positions" with unique powers. A Quartermaster was vital for a resource-starved startup.
"Take these." Liam handed Ben the Antimatter Shards from the trial and a stack of game currency. "Go to the market. Buy every low-tier health potion and Attack Speed scroll you can find. And... get me a map to the Shadowrift Ravine."
Ben's eyes nearly popped out. "Shadowrift? That's a Level 5 Elite zone! We just hit Level 5 ourselves!"
"That's why we prepare," Liam's eyes gleamed. "There's a hidden boss there that drops the Sculpt Flesh skill book. It will allow me to reconstruct a healthy digital avatar for Willow, effectively shielding her consciousness from her physical trauma."
This wasn't a lie. In the high-tier settings of the Nexus, players with "Life-Weaving" skills could create an Avatar Synthesis for family members, enabling cross-dimensional healing. Sculpt Flesh was the entry key.
Ben realized the stakes immediately, his playful demeanor vanishing. "Consider it done. But... you'll have to teach me how to spot fakes. The starter markets are crawling with scammers."
"Don't worry." Liam pulled up a string of code. "Use this scanner. It's a sub-program of the Galactic Overmind I snagged from the trial terminal. It'll verify any item's authenticity."
As they spoke, a mysterious message flashed in Liam's private channel:
[Anonymous Whisper] Snow Emperor, I know who you are. Don't think hiding in a game will let you escape your debts in the real world. — Kael Knives
Liam's pupils contracted.
Kael Knives. The traitor who had caused his death in the previous life. In reality, Kael was the Security Chief of Stellar Logistics—and one of the men responsible for the "accident" that nearly killed Willow.
How did he find me so fast? Liam thought, his mind racing. Unless... he planted a tracer in the corporate intranet.
Ben saw Liam's face darken. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Liam replied, suppressing his rage. "Just a reminder that reality and the Nexus were never truly separate."
He had to move faster. He didn't just need to get stronger in-game; he had to dismantle Kael's power network in the real world.
"Chubby, one more thing," Liam whispered. "Find Kael Knives' in-game ID and see if he's joined a guild."
"Got it," Ben nodded. "The Vault might be small, but our intel won't be."
After making arrangements, Liam set off alone for the Shadowrift Ravine.
On the way, he hit Level 6, dumping every point into Attack Speed. His speed was now 1.73, and with his HP stacked to 800, his basic attacks were consistently dealing over 16 True Damage.
At the entrance of the Ravine, a group of players was struggling against an Elite Wolf.
"This thing is too tanky! Its armor is insane!" "Where's the Mage? Hit it with a fireball, now!"
Liam glanced at them and said coolly, "Move."
The group stared, seeing a lone Ranger. They sneered, "Who invited the newbie? Get lost!"
Liam ignored them. He drew his bow and loosed a single shaft. -21! The Wolf's health bar took a visible chunk out.
"What?!" the players gasped.
Second shot. Third shot. Within ten seconds, the Elite Wolf crashed to the ground, dropping a blue-tier piece of gear.
The area fell silent.
Liam picked up the item and turned to leave, dropping one sentence: "The Mortal Vault is recruiting. Requirement: Have a brain faster than your mouth."
The words spread like wildfire. Some laughed, some were curious, but many began searching for information on "The Mortal Vault" and "Snow Emperor."
Deep within the ravine, Liam finally found the hidden cavern. Above the entrance, ancient AI script was etched into the stone:
"Flesh can be sculpted, fate can be rewritten. Only those with an unyielding heart may claim this art."
He stepped inside. Awaiting him was a life-and-death struggle that transcended levels.
Meanwhile, the watchers of The Celestial Oath had already locked onto his coordinates.