Chapter 325: ERROR

Adrian stared at the system warning.

ERROR

FATE OWNERSHIP AUTHORITY OVERRIDDEN

For several seconds...

He genuinely thought he had misunderstood it.

Then...

Another line appeared.

Major Fate route under hostile authority pressure.

Current route stability: 81%

Adrian’s face changed.

"What the hell does that mean?"

His system answered immediately.

Unknown external Fate authority is suppressing Host ownership.

Adrian looked toward Shen Tian.

There was no confusion anymore.

No uncertainty.

No wondering whether this man was just unusually knowledgeable.

Shen Tian knew about systems.

He knew about transmigration.

He knew about Lu Chen.

He knew Adrian’s system name.

And now...

His mere presence was interfering with a Fate route Adrian had crossed

four hundred kilometers of desert to claim.

Adrian slowly raised his rifle.

Rose immediately moved.

Her hand reached for her sidearm.

Ghost’s posture changed.

Bear stepped forward.

But Shen Tian raised one hand.

Everyone stopped.

Rose looked toward him.

Shen Tian smiled.

"Relax."

Then...

He looked toward Adrian.

"You aren’t going to shoot me."

Adrian’s jaw tightened.

"Confident."

"Yes."

"What makes you think I won’t?"

Shen Tian’s green eyes moved toward the rifle.

Then...

Back to Adrian.

"Because you’re not stupid."

Silence.

Adrian’s finger remained beside the trigger.

Not on it.

Shen Tian noticed.

So did Elena.

Adrian smiled faintly.

"You’re right."

He lowered the weapon.

Rose relaxed slightly.

Bear looked disappointed.

Ghost looked at him.

Bear whispered...

"What?"

Ghost shook his head.

Adrian’s attention remained completely on Shen Tian.

"How do you know about my system?"

Shen Tian smiled.

"Why would I tell you?"

Adrian’s expression darkened.

"Because you clearly came here to make a point."

"True."

"Then make it."

Shen Tian stared.

Adrian continued.

"You knew Lu Chen."

"Yes."

"You killed him."

"Yes."

Elena’s head immediately turned toward Shen Tian.

The mercenaries nearby exchanged glances.

Adrian watched Shen Tian carefully.

No hesitation.

No denial.

Nothing.

He just admitted it.

Adrian’s mind accelerated.

"Why?"

Shen Tian raised an eyebrow.

"Why what?"

"Why kill Lu Chen?"

"Because he was in my way."

Adrian stared.

"That’s it?"

"Eventually."

"Eventually?"

Shen Tian walked past him.

Adrian’s body tensed.

Shen Tian stopped beside the sarcophagus.

Ran his fingers over the ancient stone.

Then...

"At first..."

"He was useful."

Adrian frowned.

Shen Tian continued.

"He grew."

"Built things."

"Recovered."

"Found people."

"Created opportunities."

His green eyes moved toward Adrian.

"And every time he did..."

"I took them."

Silence.

Adrian understood.

Slowly.

His expression changed.

"You farmed him."

Rose’s eyebrow rose.

Ghost glanced toward Shen Tian.

Bear blinked.

Shen Tian smiled.

"Interesting word."

Adrian stared.

"You did."

Shen Tian didn’t deny it.

Adrian’s stomach tightened.

He suddenly remembered the system notice when he woke.

Lu Chen killed by an unknown high authority Fate entity.

Unknown narrative collapse.

Abandoned Fate routes.

Adrian had thought...

Lucky me.

He had thought Lu Chen’s death created opportunities.

He hadn’t considered...

Who killed Lu Chen.

Or why.

Adrian looked toward the sarcophagus.

Then...

At Shen Tian.

"You let him build his Fate."

"Sometimes."

"Then took it."

"Yes."

"And killed him when he had nothing left."

Shen Tian smiled.

"More or less."

Adrian went quiet.

Then...

His system displayed another warning.

Current Fate Route Stability: 74%

Adrian’s eyes widened.

He wasn’t even doing anything.

Shen Tian hadn’t touched the sarcophagus.

Hadn’t attacked.

Hadn’t used a technique.

Yet the route was destabilizing.

Adrian mentally snapped.

System.

Present.

Protect the route.

Pause.

Protection attempt initiated.

Error.

Host Fate authority insufficient.

Adrian’s jaw clenched.

Spend points.

Villain Points required: 42,000

Adrian froze.

He currently had...

31,400.

Not enough.

He looked toward Shen Tian.

That smile.

That relaxed expression.

Shen Tian knew.

Not necessarily the exact number.

But enough.

Adrian slowly exhaled.

"Fine."

Shen Tian raised an eyebrow.

"Fine?"

Adrian stepped away from the sarcophagus.

"You want it."

"Yes."

"I’m not going to die over it."

Shen Tian’s smile became slightly more genuine.

"Good."

Elena looked toward Adrian.

She seemed surprised.

Original Adrian...

Would never retreat.

Original Adrian would scream about family status.

Would threaten.

Would attack.

Would throw lives away to protect pride.

Current Adrian...

Stepped aside.

Elena’s expression changed.

Shen Tian noticed.

So did Xu Ning.

A panel appeared.

Adrian Vale

Decision: Strategic Retreat

Protagonist Adaptation increased

Potential Fate preservation: High

Xu Ning crossed her arms.

[Smart.]

Shen Tian looked toward Adrian.

"Very."

Adrian heard.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Shen Tian placed his hand against the sarcophagus.

Immediately...

The entire chamber trembled.

RUMBLE.

Ancient symbols along the walls ignited.

Gold.

Red.

Black.

Sand fell from the ceiling.

Elena raised an arm to shield her face.

The sarcophagus cracked.

CRACK.

Then...

A massive pressure erupted.

BOOOOOOOM!

Bear stumbled half a step.

Ghost lowered his center of gravity.

Rose’s hair whipped backward.

Adrian’s eyes widened.

At the center...

A spectral figure appeared above the sarcophagus.

A warrior.

Tall.

Broad.

Ancient bronze armor.

Jackal headed helm.

Two enormous curved blades crossed behind his back.

The pressure of countless battlefields filled the room.

Death.

Heat.

War.

Blood.

An ancient voice echoed.

WHO SEEKS THE DESERT KING’S PATH?

Adrian’s system reacted.

Inheritance Spirit Activated

Original claimant recognition unstable.

Adrian’s expression changed.

Original claimant.

Him.

The route had already begun recognizing him before Shen Tian arrived.

The spectral warrior turned.

Its burning eyes landed on Adrian.

Then...

Shifted toward Shen Tian.

Silence.

The spirit froze.

Its posture changed.

Then...

It lowered one knee.

BOOM.

Everyone stared.

Adrian’s face became blank.

"...What?"

The spirit bowed.

SOVEREIGN.

Shen Tian raised an eyebrow.

Xu Ning’s eyes widened.

[Imperial Heart.]

The Battlefield Sovereign Inheritance inside Shen Tian reacted.

Then...

The Heaven Severing Sovereign Spear inside system storage hummed.

Then...

The Primordial Dragon Heart Essence.

Then...

His Heaven Manifestation aura.

All of it...

Answered.

The Desert King inheritance spirit remained kneeling.

Adrian stared.

His system immediately flashed.

CRITICAL ROUTE FAILURE

Inheritance hierarchy suppression detected.

Desert King authority recognizes superior sovereign path.

Current Host compatibility reduced.

Adrian’s eye twitched.

"You’ve got to be kidding me."

Shen Tian looked down at the kneeling spirit.

"Stand."

It obeyed immediately.

Adrian’s face became worse.

Rose tried very hard not to smile.

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