Lu Feng stared blankly at the ceiling, feeling incredibly energetic—yeah, right!

Lu Feng had been stood up.

He’d lain peacefully on the sofa for half an hour, relaxing his body. Where was the promised ability to enter the game? Nothing happened at all.

Sitting up, she saw the computer screen still glowing—the loading bar stuck stubbornly at 99%.

“This game’s total garbage. Only the interface looks decent,” Lu Feng grumbled, opening his QQ account to complain to customer service.

No reply came after a long wait.

He checked the game forum next. Flooded with complaints—everyone else got zilch too.

*It’s a weekday. Business hours. Is this your company’s attitude? No 24/7 support? Or are your staff too scared to even show up?*

Lu Feng’s temper flared. So it was just some tiny indie studio! They’d dumped cash into flashy ads and a pretty UI to lure players, while the actual game was utterly boring.

“Damn it. Knew pop-up ads were trash—they played with my emotions.” Without hesitation, he closed the window and uninstalled the game.

Might as well go update my novel.

Lu Feng glanced outside. Another empty day—not even a ghost in sight.

The lush green plant on the medicine cabinet swayed gently in the breeze, leaves rustling with quiet grace.

Had he added too much soil? And hadn’t the peach sapling grown a little larger? Lu Feng studied it—it did seem different.

Eh, extra soil couldn’t hurt. Since it hadn’t overflowed the pot, he let it be.

...

...

“How could such a tiny clinic hide a reclusive master?” Lu Tianlei, vice president of the Azure Feather Society, pulled up sealed files on his screen. His brows furrowed slightly after reviewing them.

Ever since the clinic’s doctor revealed extraordinary power—producing that shocking slice of Cthulhu skin—Shen Zhan’s name was cleared and restored. The clinic’s owner was clearly untouchable. Peaceful coexistence beat confrontation.

After Wang Sha, a key Azure Feather Society member, was instantly annihilated, the Hero Association classified all clinic records. Yet Lu Tianlei, leveraging deep connections, obtained the doctor’s dossier.

After careful deliberation, all parties agreed: let bygones be bygones. The owner simply wished to live quietly. Leave him be, and all would stay calm.

Based on Wang Sha and other fallen Hero Association members, the doctor likely wielded Ninth Tier power—enough to rival top fighters of global factions. Eliminating him would require dispatching central personnel from the Eastern Empire.

But summoning someone of that caliber was beyond Lu Tianlei’s reach. Unless the man attacked first or caused major chaos, the Central Police Department wouldn’t lift a finger.

Yet the doctor remained a thorn—subtly aligning with the Hero Association. A grave hidden danger. Wang Sha, whom he killed, had been a key general. Many in Azure Feather Society deeply resented the post-meeting decision.

But… they couldn’t win.

“If only there were a way to take him down,” Lu Tianlei murmured.

“Hehehe… A way *does* exist.” A hoarse, cackling voice echoed from behind.

“Who?!” Lu Tianlei spun around sharply.

An old man clad head-to-toe in black robes approached. Gaunt frame. Skin like withered bark clinging to bone. Deep wrinkles. Bald head. Impossible to place his age or origin—East or West. Only his extreme age was clear. Yet his eagle-sharp eyes sent a chill down the spine.

“Who are you?” Lu Tianlei asked warily.

Clearly an Esper wielding shady abilities. But Lu Tianlei had seen—and used—plenty of sinister, unorthodox powers himself. The man’s aura didn’t bother him.

“No need for caution, Vice President. I seek only collaboration. Call me ‘Divine Messenger’,” the old man rasped.

This was Harris—the current leader of the Pantheon Cult, self-styled Divine Messenger.

“Divine Messenger?” Lu Tianlei’s brows knit.

These days, many slapped grand titles on themselves. Actual power? Another story.

Sensing doubt, Harris let out two dry chuckles.

“Perhaps you doubt my identity. But insiders surely know *this*.” He produced a delicate box, carefully opened it, and presented the contents.

Inside lay another sealed glass container.

One glance—and Lu Tianlei’s eyes widened.

“The Eye of Divinity…” he whispered.

“Knowledgeable indeed. Now you believe in my capability?” Harris smiled, closing the box.

“What do you require?” Lu Tianlei paused.

“Once I revive the Primordial God, I’ll have the power to crush the Hero Association for you. After you oust their key members, we combine forces with the Pantheon Cult to confront White Peach Mountain.” A sinister glint flashed in Harris’s eyes.

“So I’m merely the intermediary?”

“Essentially.”

Lu Tianlei fell silent. Intelligence marked the Pantheon Cult a heretical sect to eradicate. Yet Harris’s displayed power was formidable, brimming with potential. Refuse… and he might never eliminate the clinic doctor.

“Fine. Whatever help you need—just say it.” His expression darkened. “As long as you help me take out that clinic doctor.”

“Naturally,” Harris smiled.

...

Meanwhile, Sisha bustled in the castle kitchen, preparing oddly shaped plants taken from Lu Feng’s fridge. A knock startled her. She quickly covered the pot and opened the door.

Servant Marlowe stood there. Seeing Sisha in an apron, his face twitched slightly—but he composed himself and handed her an envelope.

“After Duke Kristin reported your matter to Her Majesty the Empress,” he said, “investigators directly under the Empress have been dispatched.”