It was an extremely clear and bright cry of an infant.
What was eerie was that it didn’t come from any particular direction, nor did it sound just once.
Instead, it rose from all around, multiplying upon itself from the void.
It was as if thousands of infants were suspended in the air, crying all at once. The perfectly synchronized wails split into several parts, echoing in rounds like a symphony, exuding a strange sense of the sacred.
The moment Lin Yiyi heard that sound, she felt a strong buzzing in her mind, and a strange cool sensation drilled into her head, shooting straight down to her tailbone.
Suddenly, several lines of prompt flashed before her eyes:
[You have listened to the sacred sound, and your erosion level has been reset to zero.]
[You have received a new mark "Low-level Influence: Infinite Overlapping Echoes".]
[If not removed in time, you will fall into a random nightmare with the keyword "Mirror" in seven days (Difficulty: Hard).]
And such prompts flashed before Annan’s eyes at the same time.
Even the kid and Jiu’er, who were at the other end, heard this strange echoing sound.
It echoed through the entire city, as if announcing something with its sacred crying.
All who were awake and heard this strange echo were marked by its influence.
"—What’s this new thing?"
"—This should be a reward, right? I’m so jealous."
"—Why do I feel like it’s a punishment..."
"—I’d love to have a punishment version! I could play the gallery blindfolded now, I’m about to throw up from how much I’ve played it."
"—Then why don’t you stop grinding the first three levels and try the fifth level or higher?"
"—No way, that’s harmful to my health..."
"—To be fair, didn’t expect that Saul kid to be quite handsome."
"—Speaking of which, isn’t that because of the Venom’s awesome power? Isn’t Salvatore just standing there the whole time?"
"—What’s the point in moving when there’s no need? Standing still and casting is the best taunt, don’t you understand?"
...the erosion level was reset?
Unlike the players who were watching the live stream and discussing power levels, Lin Yiyi was more focused on this note.
Not because she was concerned about the importance of the erosion level.
But what kind of power was capable of resetting her erosion level just by being heard?
Lin Yiyi whispered to herself, "That infant..."
Could it be something divine?
Only at this moment did she realize... the players had no idea what the real objective of this main quest was, or what kind of boss they were about to face.
And judging by Salvatore’s preparations, he and Annan were clearly in the know.
—This must be because they didn’t buy the information!
Lin Yiyi felt some regret in her heart.
She shouldn’t have been stingy with her goodwill after all.
Indeed, everything Annan sold was useful.
They should at least rally the players to clear out the common pool first...
"...Have we succeeded?" Salvatore murmured.
But Annan only narrowed his eyes slightly, "It’s not certain yet..."
For some reason, his heart throbbed without warning, as if he couldn’t catch his breath, and his breathing became somewhat rapid. This forced Annan to start taking deep breaths to maintain clarity of thought.
Based on his intuition and experience, Annan guessed—this might be a form of intense "fear".
Because Annan knew his perceptual abilities were very keen.
But what exactly... did he sense?
After all, Michelangelo had already been successfully born.
And the most dangerous Soul Devourer had been banished by them.
What could mere mortals accomplish against them?
Suddenly, Annan heard a voice chuckling, "You can already perceive me... You’ve grown, Annan."
It was an androgynous, extremely gentle voice, as tender and patient as a kindergarten teacher coaxing a child.
But from it, Annan tasted a sliver of intense arrogance.
Moreover, his body started to tremble even more violently.
——Suddenly, Annan had an epiphany.
It wasn’t him who was afraid.
It was this body that was involuntarily fearing something...
Following a moment of sudden clarity, Annan slowly cast his gaze to the side.
On the previously empty ground, someone had appeared at some unknown time.
Their height wasn’t tall, only about one meter seventy.
They were draped in a loose, long robe that was pure white, resembling mourning attire, or perhaps silk pajamas; on their head was a white ivory crown with five points. White veils over a meter long hung like ears or wings from the sides of the crown, draping down and floating behind their body.
They were completely bald, with the upper half of their face entirely obscured by a silver mask, indecipherable. Whether it was the nose or the eyes, everything was sealed inside, and the mask was engraved with eerie green runes, as though sealing something within.
The lower half of their face was exposed outside the mask, revealing a mysterious smile, with skin pale and healthy. Their bare feet touched the ground, and their body carried a strange, fragrant scent.
Apart from the white silk robe, they appeared to be without any other clothing. Their whole body was unblemished by dust or a single hair.
Their entire being reflected a silver-white brilliance, like a streak of moonlight etched onto the ground.
Annan felt a strong sense of shivering running around him.
But fortunately, he had previously experienced an even stronger presence from the Skeleton Duke, so his reaction was not too unsightly.
However, whether it was the two players or Salvatore, they were all compelled to bow their heads in intense fear and dared not gaze directly at the figure.
Even though it was their first meeting.
Annan immediately realized their true identity.
"...Your Excellency Rotful."
Annan fell silent for a moment, then decided to greet them tentatively.
The Rotful just stood there and chuckled lightly, placing his right hand over his chest in a salute of presentation.
"Your Highness Annan,"
They said delicately, "It’s been many years since our last encounter, and I did not expect to meet you here today...
"Does your father know you are here?"
Even when addressing mortals, the deity Rotful employed honorifics.
But Annan didn’t feel the slightest respect in that honorific... That whisper, as tender as a lover’s voice, made him somewhat shudder.
He couldn’t see Rotful’s eyes.
He couldn’t see Rotful’s expressions either...
That rising corner of the mouth, bearing a benign smile—like a drawn bow.
Facing Annan’s silence, the kind smile on Rotful’s face remained unchanged.
"——Your Highness Annan,"
Rotful called out Annan’s name again in a soft voice, slowly walking closer to him: "I had thought you had thrown yourself into the sea before.
"But how did you survive the Black Sea?"
They walked closer towards Annan.
Annan could only stare blankly at them, unable to reply, unable to move, unable to think.
He wanted to back away, but his body wouldn’t comply. Later, even "thinking" itself became muddled and slow.
In Rotful’s breath was a very strong tulip fragrance.
Within that floral scent, Annan felt his consciousness gradually evaporating, and the world before his eyes turning vague.
It was like undergoing aromatherapy while extremely weary—a powerful sense of comfort and a warm feeling of relaxation arose within him.
But the next moment, a cold current flowed through his heart.
Annan suddenly shuddered, snapping back to alertness.
His gaze bypassed Rotful, looking towards the position behind Rotful——
A nearly three-meter tall giant Duke with a weeping golden mask appeared behind Rotful.
"We also haven’t seen each other for a long time, [Atabanus]."
A deep, echoing, aged voice sounded.