Lin Xiyue and her three companions exchanged glances, their expressions more colorful by the minute.
After all this, these two, who should have been the Epic Grade Dungeon's gatekeepers, weren't just not enemies, they were the "insiders" who wanted them to succeed the most.
This desperate urge to clock out early truly transcended races and species, deeply touching the soul of every working-class person.
"I get it now,"
Lin Xiyue put away her shield, let out a long sigh of relief, and whispered to Lin Qingyue,
"Sis, these two have been working as gatekeepers here for thousands of years. They're sick of it."
"They're probably hoping someone will come and tear the company down, so they can take their N+1 severance pay and retire."
"That's a very apt analogy." Su Wan nodded in agreement. "And from the looks of it, they don't even get overtime pay."
Xia Lian also added softly, "And they're the kind of miserable employees who were sent to a godforsaken place, unable to return to headquarters for years."
Lin Qingyue agreed wholeheartedly: "The end goal of work is retirement, and the true essence of slacking off is liberation. This principle seems to be universal across the cosmos."
"What are you all chatting about! Bosses, hurry up! Hurry up!"
Bedrock's urging rolled over them like muffled thunder. It strode to the end of the long corridor, before the seemingly solid wall of darkness, and pressed its hands heavily against it.
"Steel Bone, start it up! I can already smell the fresh fragrance of a formatted disk!"
"B-01, your description is illogical."
Steel Bone corrected him while taking heavy steps to the other side of the wall.
"Formatting is a data-level operation; it has no smell. Furthermore, according to our schematics, neither of us is equipped with olfactory sensors."
It extended its massive metal arm. The front end of the arm underwent a series of precise transformations with a series of "clack clack" sounds, revealing a plug covered in complex interfaces.
"Buzz—"
Steel Bone precisely inserted the plug into an inconspicuous groove on the wall.
In an instant, the entire corridor lit up as bright as day.
Countless deep-blue runes and circuits surged out of Steel Bone's body like living vines, instantly covering the walls and floor, outlining the silhouette of a colossal gate that reached from heaven to earth.
"Core Channel, energy injection starting. Synchronization rate: 30%... 60%... 99%."
"B-01, execute physical unlocking."
"Here I come!"
Bedrock let out a cheerful roar, the rocky muscles of its arms instantly bulging, stone veins like blue veins popping out one by one.
It even struck a bodybuilder's pose.
"Witness the power of ten thousand years of squats!"
"Hah!"
With a thunderous crash, it used all its strength to push the colossal gate, which was carved from a single slab of unknown black rock.
"Rumble!"
The entire corridor shook violently, and the heavy stone walls responded by opening and slowly receding to the sides.
A deeper, downward-spiraling staircase appeared before everyone.
An aura more ancient and dead than the one outside wafted toward them.
"Channel opening complete."
Steel Bone unplugged its arm, turned to face the four of them, and said,
"Wishing you a smooth maintenance and a swift agreement."
"Hurry up, hurry up!"
Bedrock was panting heavily from exhaustion, but its tone was full of irrepressible excitement.
"Come back soon. We'll be waiting for your good news!"
Lin Qingyue nodded and was about to lead the team out.
"Warning."
The stern Steel Bone suddenly raised its arm, blocking them.
"According to Supplementary Provision 9 of the Sealing Area Maintenance Manual: 'Operational Instructions for Flesh-type Authorized Personnel,' I must provide you with a risk disclosure before you enter the Core Radiation Zone."
Its Electronic Eye flickered as it began to recite the clauses in a completely flat tone.
"The Core Area ahead is a direct radiation zone of the 'Ancient God's Will.'"
"There are no physical guards in this area."
"It will automatically generate an 'Absolute Reality Illusion' based on the intruder's soul traits, memory depth, root of desire, browser history, and hidden folders."
"This illusion has a 100% sensory synchronization rate and memory deceptiveness, designed to collapse the intruder's mind on a spiritual level, causing them to fall into eternal depravity and eventually become nourishment for the Ancient God's Will."
Bedrock also dropped its goofy grin and became unusually serious.
"What he means is, that thing inside is a super mind-reader combined with a super Illusionist, specializing in the whole 'be careful what you wish for' routine."
It pointed to itself and Steel Bone: "Inorganic beings like us, one stone head and one tin can, don't have any desires, so we're immune to this trick."
"But you flesh-and-blood beings will have to be extremely careful if you go in. One wrong step, and you'll never come out again."
"An illusion that can peek into the soul and materialize the deepest desires within one's heart..."
Su Wan's expression grew solemn. She habitually tried to adjust her glasses, but her hand met empty air.
"This is harder to deal with than any physical enemy. The slightest lack of will, and you'll fall into eternal damnation."
"Isn't that perfect?"
Lin Xiyue rotated her wrist and swung the Blackstone Shield in front of her, letting out a heavy clang. Her face was filled with an eager bravado.
"I'd like to see what kind of tricks it can pull on me! This is a perfect chance to test the mind-refinement results from the Celestial God Illusion!"
Xia Lian nervously gripped the [Fangs of Shadow Strike] at her waist and whispered, "What if... what if the thing I want most is something really strange?"
"Don't worry,"
Lin Qingyue patted her shoulder and comforted her,
"Could it be stranger than my transformation special effects? Don't forget, we have a super buff that grants immunity to the 'Seven Sins' rules."
"Although I don't know if it'll be effective against this kind of mental attack, at least we won't suffer stat penalties because of our own desires."
"Steady your mind and remember our purpose for being here."
She paused, her gaze sweeping across the faces of her three companions, a familiar and reassuringly insane smile on her lips.
"Just think of this as... a special team-building activity."
"Remember, no matter what you see, if it looks impossibly perfect, then it's fake."
"How could our lives possibly go that smoothly?"
This pre-battle speech, which could be called "reverse chicken soup for the soul," surprisingly relaxed everyone's tense nerves.
Indeed, on their journey so far, hadn't they always struggled through all sorts of unexpected incidents and socially mortifying situations?
A smooth and easy life was definitely not their script.
"Understood," Su Wan nodded.
"Let's go!" Lin Xiyue's fighting spirit was high.
With Lin Qingyue leading the way, the four exchanged glances and, with a mix of emotions, stepped down the spiraling staircase.
Beneath their feet, the steps were no longer cold stone.
Around them, the darkness was no longer dead and silent.
With a single step, the world was instantly swallowed by a white light so soft it was blinding.
There was no weightlessness, no distortion, as if they had simply walked from one room into another, natural yet earth-shattering.