Chapter 562 ·Emotional Threads

She ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍only wanted to think about it—after all, since Janna-Roland had yet to learn anything from Yoya–Bauhinia about the ascension path for the 【Law of Beauty】, she couldn’t be certain whether the emotional energy within the 【Land of Desire】 could truly enhance her 【Authority of Emotion】.

“Forget ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍it, stop thinking about it. The priority right now is to fish for the 【Threads of Desire】—”

Ding!

Just ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍as Janna was about to “get to work”, the familiar system notification once again echoed in her mind.

【Today’s ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Quest: Fish for Threads of Desire

Dive ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍deep into the Sea of Obsession and complete the capture of the Threads of Desire.

Quest Reward: 500 Talent EXP, 1500 Skill EXP, two random rewards.】

“As expected, another quest has been triggered.”

Having gradually grasped the knack of activating system quests, Janna raised an eyebrow at the blue text glowing on her quest panel.

“I didn’t expect this one to be a Blue-Level Mission.”

After silently sighing to herself, Janna closed the quest panel and looked down toward the “raging” 【Sea of Obsession】 beneath her.

“The closer I get, the stronger the surge of emotional energy from within.”

Ensuring a safe distance between herself and the 【Sea of Obsession】, Janna summoned the 【Cage of the Thought-Weaver】 from her Sea of Spirit. At the same time, a crimson strand of emotional energy shimmered at her fingertips.

“Red represents passion and anger. It also symbolizes humanity’s yearning and admiration for the 【Beauty of Appearance】.”

Watching the swirling energy coil around her fingertip, Janna hesitated no more. She activated her authority over the law and infused the emotion into the 【Desire Wick】 within the 【Cage of the Thought-Weaver】.

“Zzzt—”

As the energy flowed in, a crimson flame bloomed from the lotus-shaped lamp base, radiating an expanding glow.

“It’s here!”

The instant Janna lit the wick, the emotional energy representing “desire” transformed through the light into a 【Magnetic Net of Desire】, spreading across the 【Sea of Obsession】.

And in the very next second, as the net fell upon the sea, Janna saw the hair-like 【Threads of Desire】 converging toward it, releasing surges of intense emotional energy.

“The process of capturing the 【Threads of Desire】 is far easier than I imagined——”

While guarding her consciousness from being invaded by the overflow of emotion, she watched as four 【Threads of Desire】 gathered within the magnetic net. A soft sigh escaped her lips.

“Hmm?”

Just as Janna was about to place the first batch of harvested 【Threads of Desire】 into the 【Starlight Lamp】, a strangely familiar sensation stirred in her chest.

“This is——Vivian’s memory!?”

Though she hadn’t yet delved into the memories within the thread, flashes of imagery revealed enough for Janna to recognize one belonging to Vivian–Rose among the four.

“Soro, Bell, Maro—these four 【Threads of Desire】 all come from people I actually know?”

Having received no such warning from Yoya–Bauhinia, Janna couldn’t help but feel awkward—almost as though she were sneaking a peek into their diaries—when she saw the threads representing Vivian–Rose, Soro–Flare, Bell–Moonshadow, and Maro–Heigel resting inside the 【Starlight Lamp】.

“Here we go again—”

No sooner had she stored those four familiar threads than an even larger number of 【Threads of Desire】 surged toward the 【Cage of the Thought-Weaver】, slipping easily into the 【Magnetic Net of Desire】 she had set.

“Hugh, Richard, David, Liji, Freya… all of these are people I know too?”

Then came the third wave, the fourth, the fifth—

As more and more 【Threads of Desire】 flowed in, Janna gradually discerned a pattern.

If her guess was correct, every single one of these threads was drawn in by her infusion of emotion corresponding to the 【Beauty of Appearance】—each belonging to someone who, in the real world, had once truly admired or longed for her beauty.

Beyond her long-time friends, she could even recognize several “fanatical admirers” among them.

“Though this feels a bit underhanded… at least the results are quite rewarding.”

Gazing at the nearly overflowing 【Starlight Lamp】, Janna couldn’t help but feel gratified by the abundance she had harvested on her first venture into the 【Land of Desire】.

“It’s just a shame that most of these 【Threads of Desire】 are only of the 【Threads of Thought】 and 【Emotional Threads】 tier. Anything at the level of a 【Thread of Obsession】 is completely absent—”

The 【Threads of Thought】 were the lowest grade of all—simple desires born from ordinary sentient beings.

The 【Emotional Threads】 ranked second-lowest, typically formed from a single, lasting desire that persisted for over three months within an intelligent creature.

Only the 【Threads of Obsession】, as Yoya–Bauhinia had emphasized, were of high quality—precious materials suitable for advanced potions.

“But having more 【Emotional Threads】 isn’t all bad. At the very least, I get to gossip a little—”

Looking at the 【Emotional Threads】 belonging to Soro–Flare, Maro–Heigel, and Hugh–Stone—

Janna was curious, though not particularly surprised.

After all, from their day-to-day interactions, she had already sensed the “feelings” they harbored toward her.

Of course, aside from “romantic affection”, many of these threads contained other emotions—friendship, kinship, and the like.

For instance, those from Vivian–Rose and Liji–Siose could easily be categorized as “friendship”.

“Splash—”

While Janna was still examining the threads within the 【Starlight Lamp】, a sudden sound from the 【Magnetic Net of Desire】 caught her attention.

“Wait a moment, this is——”

Her eyes widened as she saw a thread as thick as a finger writhing within the net.

“I actually caught a 【Thread of Obsession】!”

Sensing the immense power pulsing through it—far surpassing that of the 【Threads of Thought】 or 【Emotional Threads】—Janna immediately focused her mind, carefully controlling the magnetic net to restrain the struggling thread.

“Got it!”

Once she secured the thread, Janna successfully transferred the 【Thread of Obsession】 into the 【Starlight Lamp】—

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