Chapter 44 - Five Other System Users Woke Up
The five lights appeared in Seattle, Mexico City, Seoul, London, and somewhere in the Pacific Ocean.
Elias went silent.
Eli stared at the map.
“Those are users?”
“Fragments,” Elias said. “Possibly bonded.”
The resonator had called them.
Worse, they had called back.
The feedback overloaded the Vane device.
Victor laughed through blood.
“Do you understand now? We are not special. We are late.”
Mr. Zhou knocked him unconscious.
“Talk less.”
The resonator exploded.
Eli threw up both hands.
The Nine Vein Ring expanded a barrier.
Maya added hers.
The blast tore through the top floor.
When the smoke cleared, half the ritual chamber was gone.
Victor had vanished.
Again.
Lucas stared at the empty spot.
“I am beginning to find that annoying.”
“Welcome to the club,” Eli said.
Below them, Riverside’s wards began stabilizing.
Spirit creatures weakened.
The city breach was ending.
His system chimed.
[MAJOR CITY QUEST COMPLETE.]
[REWARD PENDING.]
“Pending?” Eli asked.
Elias answered carefully.
“The system has detected external administrators.”
“What does that mean?”
A new interface opened.
Not Eli’s usual black-and-white screen.
Gold.
Elegant.
Cold.
[HEAVENLY NETWORK CONNECTION ESTABLISHED.]
Maya could see this one.
So could everyone else.
A voice filled the ruined tower.
[CANDIDATE WORLD IDENTIFIED: EARTH.]
Eli stared.
May you like
“Oh, no.”
