"Actually, it was to survive. At that time, in the bunkers, many powerful beings had died..."
"Well, the old principal's whereabouts were unknown. It's said he was caught on the Day of Slaughter."
"As for the others... whether it's Lord Xun Hui or Lord Wenren Mirror, they all died while climbing to the seventieth floor."
"Of course, that was two or three years ago. At that time, everyone's morale was very low."
"Clearly, not long ago, under the leadership of the Master, we completed the greatest counter-offensive to the Devouring in history, but soon began to decline."
"It seemed like fate was toying with us."
"A year later, fewer and fewer people climbed the Slaughter Tower and Desire Tower, and many experts from the Celestial Ladder List also requested their guides to lower their levels."
"Lowering levels comes at a cost. Gradually, everyone's strength weakened. Without the Master... resources in the bunkers became scarce."
"Truly miserable, truly miserable..."
Huang He hadn't finished speaking yet.
Wen Xishu was already shocked by the series of revelations.
"My disappearance, the old principal encountering the Day of Slaughter, these are understandable. The future is perilous, and Wen Xishu could accept this."
But why did Xun Hui and Wenren Mirror die on the seventieth floor?
Could it be that the difficulty of the seventieth floor suddenly increased?
Or could it be...
Sagittarius never withdrew its aim?
Wen Xishu was utterly surprised:
"At that time, the general opinion in the bunkers was that humanity had no future, the next Great Devouring would be the end."
"Without Master Wen and the old principal, the aristocrats tightened the resources again. The people below had no choice but to climb the towers to survive."
"I too needed the courage to change these circumstances. Although the Xishu Divine Teaching no longer expanded due to the Master's disappearance, Wen Xiangge Elder and Saint Ah Miao were still encouraging everyone."
"We were still the largest civilian force in the bunkers. At that time, I was inspired, thinking, if the Master could do it, why couldn't I?"
"If the Master could turn from a death row inmate into a bunker legend, then so could I."
"So I began climbing the towers."
Wen Xishu gave a nod of approval and said:
"You've done great, not disgracing the Xishu Divine Teaching. By the way, how long has our Master been missing?"
Huang He mentioned his own disappearance, without saying death, just disappearance.
"Three years ago, I think... back then, something major happened in the bunkers, the Master was assassinated."
Wen Xishu wasn't surprised that Huang He remembered this.
But Wen Xishu was astonished...
Three years ago, he was assassinated? Doesn't that coincide with this current timeline?
Which means, this time, climbing the tower, there's no return?
This truly was astonishing information.
"It's very strange. The Master's name hasn't disappeared from the Celestial Ladder List, but the Master has never reappeared..."
"People speculate the Master is trapped somewhere, still alive, but unable to return through the log-in device."
"That's what Elder Wen Xiangge said, and Saint Ah Miao agreed. Everyone is trying to explore the Deceit Tower, hoping to bring the Master back."
The amount of information was overwhelming.
Wen Xishu could confirm that if he disappeared after the assassination, then without a doubt, it was during this Netherworld journey, he encountered some obstacles and couldn't return to the bunkers.
"I must find the reason; besides, don't be frightened. Although the known future is extremely bleak, since it's been observed by me, it may not be unchangeable."
Wen Xishu thought for a moment and said:
"Right, you said Xun Hui and the others entered the seventieth floor and died. Did this also happen at that time?"
Huang He nodded.
At that moment, the entire city began to shake.
[You've stumbled upon a secret. This secret comes at a price. Now... you must start fleeing.]
Suddenly, the ground in the center of the city cracked open, countless fissures were shocking, spreading like the roots of an enormous tree.
Then the cracks shattered, and a massive minotaur, wielding a battle axe and emitting a cold white flame, emerged.
"Die!"
The minotaur swung the battle axe towards the direction of Wen Xishu and Huang He!
Wen Xishu was alarmed, instinctively dodging aside.
But Huang He was unfortunate, instantly engulfed by the white flames emitted by the axe.
In that instant, countless pieces of Huang He's soul information spread out like dissipating Qi Bodies...
The Qi Bodies exploded, also brushing past Wen Xishu.
Countless memories of Huang He surfaced in Wen Xishu's mind.
"This is my third attempt in the Deceit Tower. I've succeeded twice, so I must be... one of the lucky few, right?"
"Heh heh, I'll definitely succeed on my third try. The Master attempted more than a dozen times, I'm still far behind!"
This was the memory from Huang He's third entry into the Deceit Tower.
In the next instant, Wen Xishu experienced other memories.
Death approached.
When the monster on the eighth floor tore Huang He's arm apart... Huang He's consciousness became chaotic from the pain.
"What a pity... I'm truly not some genius, destined to die here."
"Is everyone still waiting for me to return? But... for someone like me, a person from the bottom, even if I disappear, no one will notice, right?"
His neck snapped, his head was twisted off by brute force.
The final scene was Huang He's memory, the vibrant scenery of the bunkers, with posters of Wen Xishu.
The Qi Body passed through Wen Xishu, eventually returning to nothingness.
At that instant, Wen Xishu realized... he had changed many things.
Many people from the bottom rung, because he survived, because of the efforts of the Xishu Divine Teaching, they had the courage to face life's challenges.