"President, when do you have some time? Should I come back later?" Li Xin asked. This guy is obviously from another country; matters about the Hex Core should definitely not be discussed in front of outsiders.

Damn, could this guy be a thief?

At this moment, Li Xin was suspicious of everyone he saw.

"Luo Xue, I'll leave you two to chat. I'm just going to stroll around the Celestial Capital Canon Law School. I wonder if I have the honor of having dinner with you tonight, all together?" Simmons said with a smile.

Luo Xue, of course, had no objections. Guests are guests, and back at the Secret Castle, Simmons had a pretty good temperament. He didn't exactly take care of anyone, but he certainly didn't oppress them. Inside, there are people who spend all day thinking about how to eliminate competitors, such as the people of the Black Meteor.

At the door, Simmons suddenly turned back as if he remembered something, "How should I address this brother?"

"Oh, let me introduce you. This is Li Xin, our Celestial Capital team's substitute," Luo Xue said, "This is Simmons, captain of the Saint's Grace Canon Law School at the Four Nations Tournament, a renowned genius knight of Moncalleta."

Luo Xue recognized Li Xin because he had helped her. Li Xin and she were not on the same level inside the Secret Castle, and he shouldn't know Simmons either. He was her secret weapon, which she didn't want to expose.

Simmons left in thought. After he left, Li Xin recounted the theft incident of the Hex Core. "Relying solely on my instincts won't do. We need the assistance of the City Guard."

As President Black Rose, Luo Xue had a strong sense of responsibility. She nodded upon hearing the situation, "Indeed, although I don't understand the importance of this Hex Core, I remember that last year they were busy researching it. Apparently, something came out of it around that time, and it wasn't until this year that it was initially completed. Now, it's suspiciously convenient that both the core and the blueprints were stolen. I'll think of a way when I get back today."

This had some assurance, as Luo Xue was the apple of Locknan's eye. The family head of the Secret Castle who returned with the Divine Relic was also the future torchbearer of the family. The Luo Family's strong support for this Four Nations Tournament was for this reason. As President Black Rose, Luo Xue's glory would not be lacking and would become the foundational cornerstone for the future rule in Celestial Capital.

In terms of continuing the family's legacy, there's no retreat, no matter who it is. Retreat, and you'll be devoured by others, a fact since ancient times.

The new nobles have always fought their way out. Even though Locknan felt for Luo Xue, he still sent her to the Secret Castle for this reason.

Listening to Luo Xue's agreement relaxed Li Xin. If he were to tackle this alone, he could roll dice and end up dead. He's no immortal.

The City Guard is responsible for daily security, both inside and outside the city. The Night Patrol targets the Underground City, including the awakened members of gangs, only registering them without actual enforcement. However, the City Guard is actually responsible for managing security.

The theft of the Hex Core, such a dangerous thing; the opposing party should also be aware. Storage and transportation will inevitably leave traces. Li Xin didn't mention he rolled dice to deduce some possibilities, but he hinted this theft was connected, intentionally or unintentionally, with insider information leaks.

For Luo Xue, this was a minor issue. Her pressure came from Simmons. Before Simmons arrived, she was bent on proving herself. But just over tea, his casual remarks suppressed these thoughts, and Luo Xue didn't feel he was just bluffing.

"What do you think of Simmons? He also came from there, and we've had several joint tests. Our serial numbers should fall within the same range," Luo Xue said, "Kazi should be similar to Simmons, perhaps even stronger based on the current data."

At this point, she could only confide in Li Xin.

"Weren't all those the past? Battles are a great chance to grow. It's good to have experts," Li Xin said with a laugh.

Luo Xue glanced at Li Xin, puzzled as to how he remained so relaxed. This wasn't simply a growth opportunity; she was determined to fight. However, her estimation of the scenario was overly optimistic. Speaking of Zhao Qing, his stance of not participating, his strength was quite significant, famous in Dragon Capital. She asked around and verified, displaying true skill, unsure if he had any Divine Relics but at least reached the level of the Secret Peeping Eye. With Li Xin, Luo Xue held expectations for this lineup.

"Did he say anything?" Li Xin sensed that Luo Xue seemed to care about this person greatly.

Luo Xue looked at Li Xin and hesitated briefly, yet she narrated what Simmons said word by word, without omitting even the slight details of his demeanor.

Li Xin, too, fell into contemplation. He heard a useful term, "pathway," clearly indicating the Canon Law School wasn't the way forward. Luo Xue also realized this, attributing the reason to the secrets of the Dao Yuan Continent being held by the Church and old nobles.

Matthew knows, Luo Jin doesn't know, Simmons knows, Luo Xue doesn't know.

"Pathway" is crucial, absolutely more important than the intensity and techniques of spiritual cultivation.

"Li Xin, don't feel pressured, we still have a chance!" Luo Xue said. She believed that as the team leader, she couldn't back down, for if she harbored doubts, the team members would be even less courageous. "Let's have dinner together tonight."

"Not tonight, I have to go back once," Li Xin said.

It's a shame about the meal, but he still had to return, so Aunt Fei could be a bit more at ease, especially since last night's events were quite frightening.

Returning to the Saint Grace Canon Law School's temporary base, Simmons was no longer as confident as before. That face kept swirling in his mind all along the way.

The teammates who were chatting and laughing also quieted down, looking at their captain, the most formidable captain in the history of the Saint Grace Canon Law School. Undoubtedly, their captain was far more formidable than what was rumored outside. Any talk of the four-nation competition–their only opponents were the Iron Blood Canon Law School. Moncalleta and Iron Blood were considered sworn enemies; both nations were superpowers of the Dao Yuan Eastern Continent, continuously in conflict over a millennium, neither able to conquer the other.

The competition was comprehensive, especially so in the Canon Law School; one believed in the Earth Mother Goddess, the other in the Nether God, one representing vitality, the other decay. Inherently incompatible, the teammates were all geared up to confront the opposition. To them, the Moon God and Beast God Canon Law Schools seemed of little consequence.

Simmons didn't notice his teammates' gaze as he pondered alone. It was too similar–though much time had passed and appearances had changed significantly, the outline remained, but that was secondary. The main thing was that look in the eyes, identical to that gaze he had once received.

Time seemed to overlay at this moment–within the Secret Castle, the demarcation was clear, the hierarchy strict. Worldly matters held no meaning. Those without numbers were akin to consumables, and those with numbers held more significance. Immortals assigned numbers based on potential and ability, adjusting them continually via testing.

Only the exceptionally qualified ones had the opportunity to match with Divine Relics.

His number was 158. Upon returning to the family, it was said to be astonishing–the highest in their family history. Kazi must also be within the top two hundred. Luo Xue's was certainly lower, though she was unaware of it. Some testing required a certain number of similarly talented individuals together, with numbers extending from 201 to 500, but these ranges meant little. They were just distinguishing codes.

Families with long histories had the advantage of abundant information, for example, the Secret Castle being alive. The Immortals were part of the Secret Castle, one of his ancestors even left information stating the top 100 of the Secret Castle would have special marks branded on their chests and would often encounter Dark Gold Priests.

Be wary of those with marks because they live entirely in a different world compared to others. Simply put, relative to them, others are just consumables. This is the greatest secret of the Secret Castle beyond the Divine Relics. For centuries, the Secret Castle has been searching for something.

People like this either have extraordinary talent or hail from extraordinary powerhouses. Talents inherited through bloodlines, for instance, other Holy Lands, royalty, or the Secret Monastery.

He stayed a long time in the Secret Castle–Simmons matured early. He knew the rules of the Secret Castle: as long as one didn't die, the longer one stayed, the more could be gained. The Secret Castle didn't care about life or death, nor did it target anyone deliberately. So as long as one grasped the rules with a little strength and luck, much could be gained.

In the Secret Castle, talent was not lacking, or rather, talent was merely the threshold into the Secret Castle. Round after round of selection meant every Divine Favored would peel away a layer of skin. Due to Simmons' particularly cooperative nature, the Immortals managed him quite leniently, even assigning him to some auxiliary management tasks.

Every organism has habits. If you understand them and leverage those habits, you can gain some advantages.

Thus, he encountered a test where his confidence was upended. Only a dozen people–brimming with astounding Spiritual Abilities–none of them used codes, as if they all recognized each other. One he recognized–an acclaimed once-in-a-century genius of their Moncalleta Kingdom, of the great Ola bloodline, their second prince, Achilles Ola.

Thinking he'd luckily contacted the Secret Castle's highest echelon, plotting ways to get on good terms with the prince, he saw the Secret Castle's Red-robed Immortals for the first time, followed by five Dark Gold Immortals, leading a child looking only six or seven.

Everyone's gaze was fixed on him, including the aloof second prince.

At that moment, he understood what it meant to stand like an ant, those black eyes etched in his memory as if it were yesterday.

The test content was also exceptionally eerie, still a puzzle to him now.

Simmons' family also hailed from Moncalleta's elite, longtime members of the Secret Castle Association; ancestors had meticulously documented this location, never mentioning such occurrences.

Why would someone like that appear here?

The teammates watched Simmons–rarely did they see their captain with such a serious expression. Simmons' mood was indeed tangled, the top 100 were dangerous. The family's stance was to steer clear, not to approach if not on the same level. That person was so unusual that he might hold even greater secrets.

Intense curiosity tormented Simmons–he desperately wanted to know if that person was indeed who he thought it might be, whether there were marks on the chest. Could it truly be like the ancestors said, they were unworthy of bearing marks?

Wouldn't this mean they were merely higher-grade consumables?

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