Chapter 59: The Water on Earth is Too Deep

Chapter 59: Chapter 59: The Water on Earth is Too Deep

’A commendation?’

’What’s the use of commendations on Earth?’

’A full belly in a world overrun by demons?’

’He’d rather be enjoying life in another world. After he eliminated the Demon Qi in the last one, he had a full eight months of peace and stability.’

’No matter how many privileges the Demon Hunting Bureau gave him, could they make him an emperor?’

’Besides, the Demon Hunting Bureau wasn’t necessarily safe either. The name "Demon Suppression Tower" alone didn’t sound like something that could have originated on Earth.’

’If Earth really did create it, that would only make the planet even more precarious.’

’The only useful thing about the Demon Hunting Bureau now was the demons that could help him increase his strength!’

After traveling to another world and back, Li Ye’s mindset had completely changed. He believed in his own power far more than any merits from the Demon Hunting Bureau.

With enough strength, he could survive in any world. He didn’t need to be confined to a tiny planet like Earth.

Based on what he knew, the situation on Earth was getting murky.

If Yang Feng’s speculation was correct that Time Travelers journeyed to the same universe, then that other universe clearly had more potential than Earth.

In the last world, Li Ye had tricked the Team Emblem by saying they could just keep traveling until they found a suitable world to settle down in.

Now, he was considering the same plan for himself. If he found a peaceful, stable, and prosperous world, he might not come back either.

Of course, not returning was contingent on finding a way to resist possession by Demon Qi...

Interrupting an excited Yang Feng, Li Ye asked, "Director Yang, may I ask a few questions?"

Yang Feng waved his hand magnanimously. "Ask away."

"With Earth’s level of technology, how did we acquire time-travel capabilities?" Li Ye put down his teacup, his expression serious. "I used to think that someone had awakened a special Derived Skill, or that some unique demon was sending us through time and space.

But after awakening my own Derived Skills, I realized their power isn’t as great as I’d imagined. Besides, when I first traveled, demons had only been appearing on Earth for three years.

In just three years, even with rapid growth, it’s unlikely a demon would possess the energy required for spatio-temporal travel.

I mean, I myself took down a black dragon that had been growing for three years. I want a reasonable explanation. Both the Demon Qi and the Demon Hunting Bureau appeared far too suddenly."

Yang Feng hadn’t mentioned the Demon Suppression Tower, so naturally, Li Ye couldn’t bring it up directly. He could only probe indirectly.

"..." Yang Feng was silent for a moment before standing up. "Follow me. Since you’ve returned safely, there are some things you now have the right to know."

Li Ye stood and followed him.

Yang Feng led him through the Sealing Hall where he had previously selected his demon, arriving at the end of the room.

At the end of the room was a locked door.

Yang Feng unlocked it by going through a three-step process: his ID card, fingerprint, and retinal scan.

Li Ye followed him inside.

After passing through a long corridor and another door secured by a keypad, Li Ye’s gaze was immediately drawn to a Golden Exquisite Tower floating in mid-air.

The tower was about a foot tall, exquisitely crafted as if from solid gold.

The other demons were all contained under glass domes, but this Exquisite Tower had no covering at all. Rings of faint yellow light pulsed outward from it, like a signal transmitter.

It gave off a peculiar feeling—mysterious, majestic, and soul-stirring...

"The Demon Suppression Tower," Yang Feng explained before Li Ye could ask. "All the Demon Qi in the world escaped from it. You can think of it as the seal that contained the Demon Qi weakening, which led to this catastrophe.

The Demon Hunting Bureau headquarters was built around it. The reason all those demons you saw are so quiet is also because of this tower."

"So, it’s conscious?" Li Ye asked tentatively, his eyes fixed on the Demon Suppression Tower.

"No," Yang Feng said, shaking his head. "But it came with an instruction manual."

"..." Li Ye stared at Yang Feng in astonishment, his mind reeling. ’Even the Team Emblem is conscious, but the Demon Suppression Tower isn’t? And it has an instruction manual? Doesn’t that just scream to everyone that someone is controlling the Demon Suppression Tower from behind the scenes?’

"Li Ye, do you understand now?" Yang Feng looked at Li Ye, his expression unreadable. "There is a similar artifact on the Western Continent, called Pandora’s Box. Therefore, the Demon Qi infestation on Earth isn’t a natural disaster. It’s man-made."

Li Ye subconsciously pursed his lips, his heart racing. Indeed, the waters on Earth ran deep.

"The Demon Suppression Tower’s manual contains a method for resolving the Demon Qi problem," said Yang Feng.

"What is it?" Li Ye asked.

"If we capture all the Demon Qi in our world and the Demon Qi that has escaped to other universes and bring it all back, the Demon Suppression Tower can be sealed again," Yang Feng explained. "That’s why you Time Travelers exist. The method for detecting Time Travelers and the energy used to send you to another universe are also provided by the Demon Suppression Tower."

’Demon Suppression Tower, Pandora’s Box, Time Travelers...’

’What exactly do the people behind the Demon Suppression Tower want?’

Li Ye stared intently at the Demon Suppression Tower, as if trying to see through its dignified and sacred form to the truth hidden behind it.

"Everyone knows there’s a conspiracy behind it, but we have no choice but to play along." Yang Feng took a step forward to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Li Ye, also fixing his gaze on the tower. "We don’t have the ability to deal with the demons that have suddenly appeared. By following the rules of the game set by the Demon Suppression Tower, we can at least ensure the continuation of our civilization. If we survive, we might find a solution."

’Aren’t you afraid the people behind it will hear you saying this right in front of the Demon Suppression Tower?’

The question almost escaped Li Ye’s lips.

But at the last second, he swallowed it back down.

’Of course!’

’The Demon Suppression Tower and Pandora’s Box appeared at the same time. How could beings who wield such immense power possibly care about the opinions of mere mortals...?’

"The Western Continent has Pandora’s Box, so they have Time Travelers too?" Li Ye asked.

"Correct." Yang Feng nodded. "According to the Demon Suppression Tower’s rules, the seal will only close again once all the Demon Qi has been collected. But because Pandora’s Box exists, collecting all the Demon Qi has become a nearly impossible task.

The Demon Suppression Tower and Pandora’s Box are taboo objects, but right now, they are also strategic assets for our nations.

Neither side is willing to sacrifice its own interests to benefit the other. So, in the near future, a new war is very likely to break out on Earth."

"A new war?" Li Ye was taken aback. "If we have a common goal, why not cooperate?"

"I may not have explained the rules of the game clearly enough," Yang Feng said, looking at Li Ye. "It’s either the Demon Suppression Tower collects all the Demon Qi, *or* Pandora’s Box collects all the Demon Qi. Not both of them collecting all the Demon Qi together."

Uh!

Li Ye felt the air catch in his throat. "...So, the conflict between the two sides is irreconcilable."

Yang Feng said, "This is a race. Either we win, and both the Demon Suppression Tower and Pandora’s Box become ours, or we lose, and they take the Demon Suppression Tower from us. This concerns the fate of our nation, the future of humanity...

The core of this competition is you Time Travelers, and the resources you bring back from the Otherworlds.

It’s possible for Time Travelers to meet in an Otherworld. If, by some chance, you run into a Time Traveler from the Western Continent during your travels, you can kill them without mercy. Don’t have any psychological burden about it..."

"..."

Li Ye’s mouth twitched. He didn’t respond to Yang Feng, instead turning his gaze back to the Demon Suppression Tower.

’This thing, or the people behind it... the rules they’ve provided are designed to incite war. A war between the Eastern and Western Continents, a war between our universe and the other universe, a war between Demon Hunters and demons...’

’Are they toying with all living beings?’

’Is this a game for Divine Spirits?’

Before coming here, Li Ye had thought about finding a way to seal the Demon Qi from the Demon Suppression Tower. But after learning the inside story, he wouldn’t dare to even think about it. This thing was not something he could touch at his current level.

"When a Time Traveler survives their first trip and returns, their chances of survival on subsequent trips increase significantly." Yang Feng smiled. "Li Ye, this time, you brought back the resources of an entire world. You’re a genius among Time Travelers. You can ask for anything you need, and we will do our utmost to provide it.

Shortly after you left last time, we discovered some methods to prevent one from losing their true nature. They might be useful to you. You can take a look..."