Chapter Fifteen

Angel was deeply troubled.

He had to admit, his last assignment had gone splendidly—among the five Grey Domain Adepts, he was the only one who completed the commission; the other four had all fallen at the final gate. Remembering that ingenious trap, a wave of pride surged through him, a faint smile flickering at his lips.

This new commission, truth be told, was indeed challenging, but Angel was enticed by the generous reward it promised. Such a hefty payment, and given that the Luo family had dealt with him several times before and had always proven reliable, he felt reassured. Most crucially, this assignment was perfectly suited to his abilities.

Given the price and the person the Luo family wanted information on, Angel had assumed that the subject must be some prominent figure—perhaps a high-level Adept whom the Luo family wanted to recruit. He had considered countless possibilities, but the reality far exceeded his expectations.

There wasn’t a single trace of this “yc” in the information vault. Had he not copied some other files as proof, the Luo family might never have believed he’d even accessed the system.

The absence of any data on yc left Angel uneasy.

Could it be that the target was also a Grey Domain Adept?

This idea had haunted Angel ever since he failed to find any information on yc. Grey Domain Adepts were, in the real world, indistinguishable from ordinary people. But in the virtual net, they were outliers. The rules of the virtual world could not bind them; here, they wielded immense power and, in the eyes of the masses, were nearly omnipotent.

But was that truly the case? Angel couldn’t help but smile wryly at the thought. The world of the Grey Domain Adepts was riddled with countless unspoken rules that significantly constrained most of them. Someone like him, unaffiliated with any faction and a staunch believer in neutrality and freedom, was even more tightly bound by these taboos.

Accepting commissions involving other Grey Domain Adepts was one such taboo.

There was no absolute hierarchy of strength among Adepts; each chose a different field, making comparisons meaningless. Even in the same field, a novice’s creative algorithm might fatally wound a seasoned veteran. After all, creativity was an unfathomable force.

Angel had no desire to experience firsthand a battle between Adepts. Accessing the virtual net involved electromagnetic stimulation of the brain, syncing neural waves with the network. Although connection devices were difficult to hack, they weren’t entirely secure.

He had once witnessed a clash between two formidable Adepts, which ended with one suffering complete neural collapse. That encounter had given him his first taste of both the power and the inescapable ruthlessness of Adepts in the virtual world.

Fortunately, only a handful of Adepts could breach the final line of defense; these were the true titans among the Adepts. Most of them, aware of their status, behaved with restraint, keeping each other in check and thus ensuring the virtual world didn’t descend into chaos.

Never provoke a Grey Domain Adept lightly, even if they seem weaker than you.

To be able to roam freely in the training base and use its facilities without registration—if the target was indeed an Adept—this was no sign of weakness.

The thought that he might have antagonized a high-level, possibly boss-tier Adept made Angel’s heart tremble with fear.

But the trouble didn’t end there.

The Luo family approached him again, this time with another commission: to uncover yc’s true identity—any information at all, address, name, anything. Again, the reward was astronomical, consistent with the Luo family’s usual style.

They had come to him directly, relying on his flawless track record and hoping he would help.

By all accounts, Angel had no reason to refuse. The Luo family was a major client, their relationship was solid, the commission was well-suited to him, and the payment was the highest he’d ever encountered.

Yet he hesitated.

What if the target really was a super Adept?

Angel knew his own strengths—like a mole, he excelled at tracking and traps. But direct confrontation was not his forte. If the target was an Adept, he had to consider the risk of retaliation.

The previous commission might have merely offended the target; this one would break the cardinal rule. The greatest fear of any Adept was exposure—their real-world identity discovered. In reality, Adepts were just like anyone else, with no means of protecting themselves. If their details were uncovered, their freedom, even their life, could be forfeit.

Angel dared not accept the commission lightly. He kept his wits about him, refusing to be blinded by the Luo family’s lavish offer. He understood that accepting would pit him against a super Adept in a fight to the death, or worse, draw the ire of other Adepts. What he was being asked to do was the greatest taboo in the field.

Yet the temptation gnawed at him—the commission’s reward was irresistible. With this one job, he’d be set for a decade. He was seventy percent confident the target wouldn’t detect his actions—“Bone Maggot” had never let him down.

Still, this commission was a headache. Angel rubbed his temples in distress. To decline, the reward was too much to relinquish; to accept, he feared he’d end up dead before he could spend a cent. He simply didn’t dare.

A sudden idea sparked in Angel’s mind: why not meet yc first, gauge his strength, and then decide?

With the information provided by the Luo family, Angel made his way to the Adept Consciousness Training Base, entering as a visitor.

He soon found his target—yc.

yc seemed to have just finished a match and was piloting his mecha out. Angel instinctively stepped forward, eager to see who this yc truly was.

In the bustling crowd, yc was utterly unremarkable.

Suddenly, Angel’s keen eyes narrowed, his heart skipping a beat.

Grey Domain Adepts!

Several people brushed past yc—Angel could sense it instantly. They were Adepts! Thoughts flashed through his mind—other Adepts must have accepted the commission as well! It was the Luo family’s style; for difficult tasks, they never relied on just one party. The aura these individuals exuded left Angel certain: they were Adepts.

Were they planning something here?

Angel decided to watch and wait; it would be the perfect opportunity to let these others test the waters and see what kind of person yc really was.

He calmed his mind, and without a sound, sent out gentle “Ripples.” Every detail of his surroundings was reflected in his mind with pristine clarity.

Excellent! As expected, these were true experts—their timing was flawless, their movements exquisitely concealed. Angel couldn’t help but admire them inwardly. Their teamwork was seamless, effortless, a marvel to behold.

But what happened next nearly stopped Angel’s blood cold in his veins—a moment that would haunt him for the rest of his life, an inescapable nightmare.