[Translator Note: My bad. I just copy pasted the note lmao. Here's the goal needed to reach before the next arc start: +1500 stones = the next arc chapters.]
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"Shura, my sister has already gone to CK City to suppress the Samsara chaos there, so she hasn't arrived yet," Belle explained.
"But she should be here soon. At this point, if those caught in the chaotic samsara can't escape, they'll have no choice but to take refuge in Samsara Space."
"My sister knows a lot more than I do. If you have questions, you can ask her once she arrives."
Fenric nodded. "What would you like to drink? It's my treat."
"Tranquility Tea, thank you!" Belle smiled softly, then added, "Shura, if you ever need help, just say the word."
"Alright."
When the tea arrived, the two chatted casually while sipping it.
About half an hour later, Aurora Morwyn entered Samsara Space and was soon brought to the private box by Belle.
"Shura, Belle—you two seem quite relaxed." Aurora greeted with a smile.
It was clear from her slightly tired expression that she had been working hard.
"Here, have some Tranquility Tea. Sit and rest for a bit," Fenric offered.
"Then I won't be polite!"
Aurora took a sip and sighed with satisfaction. "The tea here in Samsara Space is still the best. No matter how high-end the real world's tea is, it just can't match this taste and effect!"
"Sister, how's the situation?" Belle asked, turning serious.
Aurora replied, "Domestically, things are temporarily under control. But the international scene is a mess—it's likely to get worse and stay that way for quite a while."
As she spoke, Aurora's brows furrowed.
"According to expert analysis, more powerful zombies will definitely appear overseas. There's even a strong possibility of this escalating into a long, drawn-out war between humans and zombies."
After all, not many countries in the world had the same environmental advantages as Jadeveil Nation.
"Even the Cindralock Dominion, despite being called the world's strongest, is several levels behind when it comes to internal management and crisis response," she added.
Fenric asked, "I heard that several cities in Jadeveil experienced black light virus leaks this time?"
"Yes," Aurora nodded. "Seventeen cities, all under military martial law."
She paused, then asked, "Shura… don't tell me the city you're in is one of them?"
Fenric shrugged. "Bingo."
"Do you need help?"
"If I ask for help now, won't that give away who I am?" Fenric chuckled.
Aurora quickly waved her hands. "No, no—don't misunderstand! I didn't mean it that way."
Fenric laughed and waved dismissively. "It's fine, I was just joking. Even if you did know my identity, it's no big deal. I trust you."
Of course, that was just polite talk. But the truth was, Fenric no longer cared as much about keeping his identity a secret.
After all, he was now an A-level Boss. He couldn't stay hidden in the shadows forever.
"How long will the military lockdown last?" he asked.
If it was a short duration, he could wait it out. But if it dragged on, he'd consider leaving the city altogether. With his abilities, escaping unnoticed would be easy—even without Aurora's help.
"About three days, depending on the local situation," Aurora answered. "Once the virus source is neutralized, the lockdown should be lifted."
"Three days…?" Fenric muttered.
Didn't that mean he'd miss the college entrance exam?
Then again, it didn't really matter anymore. That exam was trivial to him now.
"When will the internet be back?" he asked.
"Tomorrow," Aurora said. "There's no way to keep this under wraps much longer. At tonight's meeting, the plan was approved for the government to announce it publicly tomorrow, so they can maintain narrative control."
Fenric breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally, the internet!
Life without it had been incredibly dull.
Aurora suddenly said, "Shura, I heard about your SS rating from last night… and that boy, Sing—I have some impression of him. When I ran the dungeon previously, he was just a member of a minor gang. Is it true that he's now a peerless master?"
Fenric was slightly surprised but answered honestly, "He's got talent, that's for sure. But to become a true peerless master, someone would need to help him break through the Ren and Du meridians."
He paused, then added, "Probably only Fire Cloud could do that. Not even the famous married couple from Pig Sty Alley could guarantee it."
Aurora nodded, wisely refraining from probing further about Fire Cloud. That kind of question would lead into deeper, more dangerous strategies.
"I heard many people online say that Sing's Buddha Palm is unbelievably strong. Shura, did you learn it too?"
"Yeah."
Fenric answered without hesitation. There was no reason to hide it.
"So the rumors were true…" Aurora said with admiration. "Shura, you're incredible!"
"You flatter me too much," Fenric laughed.
"No, I mean it," Aurora insisted. "Many online are speculating that your strength has already reached A-level. Is that true?"
When Fenric nodded, the Morwyn sisters both gasped, astonishment written all over their faces.
"Shura, you're amazing!" Aurora said. "No one before has ever reached the eighth floor of the Samsara Tower and gotten an A-level rating this early. Even Adam only got his A-level after clearing the fourteenth floor. You're twice as fast as him!"
Belle added, "Shura, I thought reaching B-level was already impressive… but compared to you, I'm nowhere near."
"You two keep praising me like this, and I might float away," Fenric joked.
"Alright, enough flattery," Aurora said suddenly, her expression turning serious. "Shura, my informant told me that Adam cleared the 31st floor last night… and received an A-level mission rating."
She looked directly at him.
"He's already left the rest of us behind. Right now, our only hope of catching up to him… is you. If you need anything—resources, intel, support—just say the word. I'll help however I can, even if it means putting everything on the line. None of us want Adam to reach the 33rd-floor authority first."
Fenric's eyes gleamed at her words.
Of course, he didn't want anyone else to get that 33-level access either.
But… he had only just cleared the eighth floor. The gap between him and Adam was still huge.
"I'll do my best," Fenric replied, then asked, "By the way, do either of you have a real strategy guide for the eighth floor? The official one online is basically just a scam."