Lord of Prayer - Chapter 358 - 237: A Blessing in Disguise
Hawaii.
At dusk, the vibrant sunset clouds looked like spilled paint splashed across the horizon, setting off the setting sun and dyeing the sea a dazzling crimson.
In the elegant and luxurious suite of a seaside villa, Zhou Chen lay on a lounge chair on the balcony, admiring the beautiful sunset.
From behind, Jiang Che, wrapped in a bathrobe, approached and naturally settled into his arms. She looked up at him for a moment and asked, “What are you thinking about?”
“…Maybe it’s the sunset blues.”
Zhou Chen said softly, “This kind of life… it feels like a dream.”
“You’re overthinking it. Isn’t a life like this good?”
’Yeah, isn’t it good?’ Zhou Chen asked himself.
He had been crowned king three years ago. Now, he was an unparalleled Demigod in the current World, his power having reached the World’s Peak. He had everything countless people dreamed of: power, money, fame… He even had the lovers he cherished by his side… How could a life like this not be good?
Everything was so beautiful, warm, and peaceful.
“A life like this is wonderful. It’s my ideal World, like a blissful Heaven.”
Zhou Chen hugged the woman in his arms tighter, chuckling as he looked down. “And you are my Angel.”
“How many people have you said that to?” Jiang Che asked.
“Only you, of course.” Zhou Chen looked at her affectionately, taking her small hand and gently caressing it. It was cool and soft, making him unwilling to let go.
“Since you’re being so sincere, I’ll believe you for now.”
Jiang Che intertwined her fingers with his. “Let’s go diving tomorrow. I really want to see the scenery under the sea.”
“Okay.”
Zhou Chen leaned down and brushed his lips against hers, then suddenly froze. He thought about what he had just said, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
An ideal World, a blissful Heaven…
SNAP!
The moment his will wavered, Zhou Chen heard a crisp snapping sound.
“—The moment you hear this snap, you will realize you are in an illusion, regain your consciousness and memories, and remember this conversation.” Jiang Che’s cold voice rang out.
The voice didn’t come from the person in his arms. A jolt ran through Zhou Chen as he came to his senses, sealed memories flooding back like a tidal wave.
He remembered now. After Jiang Che had delivered the Fire Spirit Bracelet that day, she had actually come to find him at the villa again that night!
·
「That night.」
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
Three short knocks sounded. When Zhou Chen opened the door, he couldn’t help but freeze for a moment upon seeing his visitor. “What are you doing here?”
“I need to talk to you about something.”
Jiang Che entered the villa and sat on the sofa. She took out a clickable metal ballpoint pen, pressed it twice in quick succession—CLICK, CLICK—and the pen suddenly burst with a pale blue light, forming a three-meter-diameter dome that enveloped them both.
Zhou Chen could tell it was a very Advanced Barrier, capable of blocking detection and eavesdropping. He looked at Jiang Che and asked, “What’s going on?”
“The Sword Forging Competition.”
“Huh?”
“I’ve learned through my channels that this year’s Sword Forging Competition will be held in a Restricted Area. That Restricted Area is a dungeon-type, so the final task of the competition will definitely be to clear the dungeon.”
Jiang Che said, “The intel mentions a Demon with a Skill that creates captivating, ideal worlds based on a person’s own desires. The Forging Association has sent two pioneer teams, and both failed because of that Demon. A total of three Tier Three Ascenders, five Tier Two Ascenders, and seven Tier One Ascenders were trapped in beautiful dreams, unable to escape. They only regained consciousness after being teleported out of the dungeon and receiving treatment.”
“That Demon is the dungeon’s boss. During the first exploration, the pioneer team gathered information too slowly, allowing it to develop to its final stage. It defeated a Tier Three Ascender and his teammates in a direct confrontation.”
“It’s that strong?” Zhou Chen was surprised. ’The Demon’s dreamscape can affect a Tier Three, and its combat power is enough to defeat a Tier Three head-on? Is the Sword Forging Competition really going to be this intense?’
“That’s why I’m here to give you some ’insurance’.”
“Insurance?”
“Haven’t you always wanted to know how I hide my identity as an Ascender?”
As Jiang Che spoke, her aura suddenly surged. In an instant, she went from being an ordinary person to a Tier Two Ascender, and her physical body returned to a Tier Two level as well.
Essence surged in her hand, coalescing into a gold-chained pocket watch that dangled from her fingers.
“Forbidden Object C-003, the Hypnotic Pocket Watch. I use it to hypnotize myself into being an ordinary person, so I become one. At the same time, I leave a ’switch’ in my mind. As long as I flip that switch, I can return to being an Ascender,” Jiang Che explained.
C-003, the Hypnotic Pocket Watch.
Containment Conditions:
1. Holder must possess a doctorate in psychology.
2. Holder must stare at the swinging Hypnotic Pocket Watch for five minutes without being hypnotized. If hypnotized, there is a 70% probability that their self-perception, personality, and memories will be rewritten. If the hypnosis is not broken within three days, it will become permanent.
Side Effects: Drastically suppresses all emotions except for “calmness.”
Recalling the detailed information on the Hypnotic Pocket Watch, Zhou Chen finally understood the cause of Jiang Che’s “emotional deficiency syndrome.” His lips moved, but he remained silent for a long while before finally speaking:
“You’re… just telling me this secret?”
“To set up your mental insurance, I have to use the Hypnotic Pocket Watch,” Jiang Che said, her expression blank.
Zhou Chen took a deep breath and gave her a profound look. “Why? You could have just ignored this.”
“Well… even though you slack off, skip out, and don’t work very hard, you’re still my Secretary. As your boss…” Jiang Che paused. “Forget it. I prefer the other reason.”
She met Zhou Chen’s gaze calmly. “—We’re friends.”
