In the instance settings, Lu Qiuchen locked down that section of the instance space and hesitated, wondering what to do next.
He still hadn’t figured out how the demons broke through the system to enter the game.
Lu Qiuchen wasn’t confident that locking the instance would be enough to trap the elusive succubus.
The situation was unclear, and since Beta was currently too busy to manage the players, he decided to first check on the current storyline progression.
Better to visit Zhang Cheng’s side first, confirm everything was safe there, then deal with the succubus.
Lu Qiuchen made up his mind and entered the instance where Zhang Cheng and the others were.
After confirming there were no abnormalities in the instance, and seeing Zhang Cheng and company engaged in battle with Low Demon Soldiers, Lu Qiuchen finally relaxed and returned to the instance holding the succubus.
Upon entering the unopened instance, Lu Qiuchen noticed the system showed only himself present, and no sign of the succubus was visible.
His heart skipped a beat—sure enough, the succubus had escaped!
A hand with sharp claws gently rested on Lu Qiuchen’s left shoulder, and a sultry voice came from behind: “So cold and heartless, leaving your sister all alone. Leaving your sister alone in an empty room is hardly a graceful act~”
Lu Qiuchen shuddered, spun around, shrugged off the arm on his shoulder, and stepped back a few paces with a cold sneer: “That’s not something one says when entering another’s space uninvited.”
Outwardly calm, Lu Qiuchen was actually shocked inwardly.
He had no idea how this succubus managed to evade the system’s detection.
After all, beings like Odyn and Gaelf—both of comparable rank—always had their names and titles hovering above their heads.
If their levels were unknown, three question marks would appear.
But this succubus had absolutely nothing above her head.
Regardless of whether her strength matched Odyn’s level, she should be treated as a peer to Odyn.
Judging by this, it must have been her choice to enter this instance when Lu Qiuchen had pulled her in earlier.
“Don’t be so cold~ I came all this way specially to find you, you know? I took great risks to break through into the Spirit Realm just for you~” The succubus maintained her previous teasing tone.
Lu Qiuchen frowned, a hostile expression flashing across his face.
This succubus’s alluring looks and voice did not evoke any warmth in him.
If anything, it felt like an act of false delicacy meant to disgust him.
Yet, the repeated mention of the “Spirit Realm” piqued his curiosity.
Connecting this with the succubus’s earlier words, this “Spirit Realm” might be the game world or the system itself.
He also noticed she said she came specifically to find him.
Curious, he wanted to draw more information from her: “What do you want with me? I don’t think I’m special enough for you to go through all this.”
The succubus smiled charmingly but said nothing.
Instead, she began to introduce herself: “My name is Lan Erweis Abidis, currently the commander of the Fourth Army of the Demon Realm.”
Lu Qiuchen was startled again.
From Gaelf, he had learned the Demon Realm had only one Demon King.
The current Demon King was the first commander under the previous Demon King, who rose to power after the former’s failed invasion of the Eternal World and subsequent demise.
That Demon King had already surpassed legend status and had reigned for over ten thousand years, with strength unknown even now.
Beneath the Demon King was the Demon King’s Army, managed by four commanders who were his right and left hands.
The Flame Demon King Angora, whom Gaelf had encountered while rescuing Lu Qiuchen, was the second commander.
Below the commanders were the Demon Generals, overseeing many High Demons, generally at legend-level strength.
However, not all legend-level demons were generals; Shadow Demons were unique and did not belong to the Demon King’s Army.
Below them were medium-level demon officers and Low Demon Soldiers.
Gaelf hadn’t gone into detail about these, as Lu Qiuchen’s strength made such knowledge unnecessary.
Now, hearing the succubus’s self-introduction as a commander, Lu Qiuchen realized she must be at least legend-level or above!
His heart wavered.
This succubus was extraordinary and far stronger than himself.
Even if her combat ability was weak, fighting a tier below himself was no issue.
Lan Erweis saw the silver dragon’s intention to flee and teased with an enticing question: “Want to return to your original world?”
Lu Qiuchen froze.
He immediately recalled the shadow that once appeared in his inner world and blurted out, “So you’re the one who invaded my mind before!”
“Wrong guess! Sorry, that wasn’t me, but one of my companions~ Little cutie interested in hearing what big sister has to say now?” Lan Erweis smiled seductively.
Yet Lu Qiuchen saw a shadow of temptation to fall into the abyss in her eyes.
As demons, succubi’s job was to toy with hearts and tempt beings to fall.
She was expertly playing on his weakness, which made Lu Qiuchen uneasy.
But his probing of the Demon Realm’s gate had always been to seek answers within the Demon Realm itself.
Now the answer had arrived at his door.
Even if her motives were suspect, how could he refuse?
Taking a deep breath, Lu Qiuchen said in a low voice, “Speak. What are your conditions?”
“No no, little cutie has misunderstood big sister.” Lan Erweis shook her finger, took a step forward, and looked aggrieved as Lu Qiuchen retreated, “Big sister has no conditions at all. But since little cutie doesn’t trust big sister, then big sister won’t say anything.”
A surge of anger flared inside Lu Qiuchen.
This succubus never said a single true thing.
If she truly wanted to talk, she wouldn’t waste time on such attitude.
She should have gotten straight to the point from the start.
Seeing the silver dragon really angry, Lan Erweis chuckled softly: “Dragonkind have always been so easily provoked, but this is the first time I’ve seen a human-turned-dragon get so worked up.”
“Only took a short time, and you’re already fully dragonized~ Humans’ hearts really are fragile.”
Lu Qiuchen no longer restrained his hatred for the demons, nor cared about her ridicule.
His gaze toward the succubus was filled with murderous intent.
“Want to know why, just by staying here, you entered a whole new world and transformed from human to dragon?” Lan Erweis teased, sensing Lu Qiuchen’s real anger, but also dropped a bombshell.
“In our demon language, the place we’re in now is called the Spirit Realm. Your soul was taken from here by Odyn.”
Lu Qiuchen knew this was likely the succubus’s attempt to sow discord but forced himself to stay calm and pressed for more: “Do you have any proof for this?”
“No proof, but one thing puzzles me—first turning you into a giant dragon, then sending you to slaughter your original kin to gain recognition from the dragons. What kind of monster is Odyn trying to raise?”
“Oops, slipped up there!” Lan Erweis crossed her hands over her mouth in mock panic.
Lu Qiuchen coldly watched the succubus’s performance.
She was deliberately so clumsy because she knew no one would believe her words.
Combined with her succubus identity, it was a “guess which floor I’m on” layered game of lies.
But surprisingly, some suspicious people fell for it.
Gaelf had once told Lu Qiuchen extensively about the succubi’s power of lies.
Many humans, hearing succubi’s words, adopt a “better safe than sorry” attitude, slowly growing distrust toward those close to them and falling into succubi’s trap.
The seeds of doubt were planted in people’s hearts, sprouting under the influence of the succubi’s innate power.
Affected individuals scrutinize others with suspicion, turning normal behavior into perceived abnormalities.
Even if the other party is innocent, faults are found.
Suspicion accumulates day by day until the psychological limit is reached, leading to betrayals where loved ones hurt each other.
Wait, as a commander-level demon, she should be even more adept at human nature than ordinary succubi.
Could his reaction now be exactly what she expected?
“Stop! That thought just now was wrong!” Lu Qiuchen broke out in a cold sweat, realizing he nearly fell into her trap and quickly steeled his resolve.
As long as he firmly sided with the dragons, the worst that could happen was being used by them.
But if he trusted the succubus, who knew what would happen?
Succubi were cunning! With just a few words, she had woven such a complex drama in his mind!
Lu Qiuchen was secretly alarmed.
Demons skilled in human psychology were far more threatening in some ways than battle-type demons of the same rank.
He’d just been outsmarted by his own cleverness.
Maybe if he had been a little duller, he wouldn’t have overthought so much.
Then again, a duller person might have been easily turned.
“I can’t listen to her nonsense anymore. If this continues, I’ll only lose my composure.
Better to fight her now, buy time until Beta finishes cleaning the virus!” Lu Qiuchen, feeling his resolve waver, firmly decided to start the battle.
With administrator privileges in hand, he wasn’t afraid of her spatial confinement.
Even if he lost, he could still escape.
Lan Erweis watched the silver dragon’s expression shift with satisfaction.
She especially felt delighted thinking of how easily she had completed the task that idiot Lancelot failed.
For thousands of years, she’d languished at the bottom among the four commanders of the Demon Realm, coveting the third commander’s spot.
Though she admitted she couldn’t compare to the top two commanders, that third one was a useless waste of space!
If she hadn’t been born too late and thus weaker, as the first ever succubus to reach legend status, how could that traitorous fallen knight have risen above her!
As Lan Erweis thought this, she suddenly noticed the silver dragon’s eyes no longer showed struggle.
She was surprised that this little dragon had broken free from her mental interference and power of lies.
She tried to plant a seed of lies again, but before she could trigger it, the silver dragon launched an attack without hesitation.
Lan Erweis had already exhausted a lot of spirit power and demonic energy breaking through the Spirit Realm barrier and locating the silver dragon.
Following this, she cast spatial confinement, nearly draining her mental strength.
Without much recovery, she then used her power of lies.
Faced with magical attacks, she could only barely dodge by teleporting.
Lu Qiuchen noticed the succubus’s slow casting speed, frowned, and saw her looking dizzy after teleporting.
He understood she was in poor condition and regretted being deceived earlier.
When he first pulled the succubus into this instance, she didn’t resist.
That should have been the time when she was most exhausted.
He had mistaken it for hiding her strength, missing a prime opportunity.
Just as Lu Qiuchen prepared to cast a binding spell to trap her and force answers, Beta’s alert sounded in his mind: “Beta has confirmed the error location and is about to patch the loophole.”
Lu Qiuchen quickly looked toward the succubus.
Lan Erweis seemed to sense it too.
Lu Qiuchen saw her grit her teeth and pull out an item to activate.
A tremendous, soul-stirring aura descended, and the succubus vanished instantly.
Seeing the cooked duck fly away, Lu Qiuchen couldn’t help but want to scold Beta.
But thinking Beta would return soon and his admin privileges would be revoked, he hurried to Zhang Cheng’s instance.
Since Beta wanted him to control the storyline himself and had given him instance administrator rights, it meant his supervision was temporarily lifted.
Might as well take advantage of Beta’s distraction and ask Zhang Cheng directly.
Lu Qiuchen had always harbored doubts about the dragons.
He knew he must have been influenced by the succubus earlier.
After noticing his abnormal state, he had forcibly suppressed his doubts.
But now, his thoughts surged again.
He was desperate to know why Zhang Cheng was so determined to find him.
Switching to the Main Story Prerequisite Instance through the system menu, Lu Qiuchen saw Zhang Cheng and three others battling an 80-level Force Demon.
According to the original storyline, this Force Demon would summon a High Demon before dying.
But Lu Qiuchen couldn’t care about that now.
He canceled stealth and unleashed a level 6 spell, killing the Force Demon instantly.
Spicy Rabbit Head happily approached, delighted the “Big Thick Legs” had appeared to handle the demons and that his teleportation magic stone was still unused, meaning an extra reward after the mission.
But he was promptly tossed out of the instance space by “Big Thick Legs.”
Just as Spicy Rabbit Head recovered from the teleportation, he saw two more figures appear.
It turned out the Mage and Priest had also been ejected from the instance.
They waited a while without seeing the mission complete notification or Zhang Cheng emerging.
The three exchanged bewildered looks.
What was happening? Had the mission failed?
After a long wait with no Zhang Cheng, though he was still shown inside the instance, and no replies to private messages, Spicy Rabbit Head opened customer service to ask about the situation.
“Sorry, system malfunction in progress. Please try again later.”
The three could only sit quietly and wait.
Inside the instance, Zhang Cheng looked at the blond-haired, blue-eyed mage in front of him, inexplicably reminded of his two elves at home…
Except this one didn’t have pointed ears.
The mage cast a binding spell on him, grabbed his collar, and lifted him up, yet said nothing.
Zhang Cheng was just as confused about the situation.
But seeing the exquisite face so close, his face involuntarily flushed.
A beautiful woman, quite pretty… c’mon, the more I look, the more she resembles Lu Qiuchen from the game!
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